When Working Becomes A Moral Quagmire

I was forwarded an email from my mum. Attached with it was a blog post written back in August 2006 by Singapore's youngest millionaire, Adam Khoo. (A small biography on Adam Khoo: He is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $30 million. (Source: Adam Khoo's Philosophies and Investing Insights)

Not to divert, in that post, he fundamentally talks about the truth about self-made millionaires (excludes "lucky bastards who inherited money") and how he became one. He also mentions that material happiness never lasts and only provides nothing more than a quick fix. It was however the sentence below that caught my eye.

(Click on the picture for a larger view.)

Photo Source: The Great American Photo Blog

In short, I couldn't agree more. Many of us, me included, get caught up in the idea of choosing a path that might put us somewhere on the map but may not necessarily get us anywhere. And it is unfortunate that we live in a superficial world where money talks and everything else walks. But I will not be 'bought'. Despite my being on the way to completing a business degree majoring in accounting, a subject of which I have absolutely no interest in whatsoever, I know for a fact (and this I am sure of) that I would not be sitting in an office cubicle, auditing taxes and balancing accounts. I say this with a tinge of regret, that although it is too late to change course at this point, it isn't too late to change my career path. So as and when that time arises for me to decide on my career, I will be wiser to choose one that is in line with my passion and my heart's desire. After all, to quote Abraham Lincoln, "it's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years".

Xoxo,
J.

Quickie

A short one. (It initially was. Updated at midnight. It appears my braincells work better in the wee hours as something definitely jolted my memory.)

• I just finished reading Marley & Me and was moved to tears. Touching. It's a good book, and Marley reminds me of Zelda. Looking forward to the movie although choosing Owen Wilson to play John seemed like an odd pick, personally, I feel.

• No matter how tight your privacy settings are on Facebook, unknown friends' requests are inevitable. So I was checking my mail this morning and had received a notification from Facebook of a friend's request. From the subject I could read it was that of a stranger's. Nonetheless, I clicked the mail open and found "Cherry Love" had not only added me but also attached a message. The message read: "Hi,,,wanna join me n my bf for threesome?? couple singing also can = )." I was dumbfounded. A little shell-shocked too, but I responded: "Hi Ms Cherry Love. I hope you're into S & M. I would evidently play the role of a dominatrix just cause I'm diabolical like that. So unless you want to get whipped and emotionally abused by yours truly, I suggest you think twice before sending out requests like such. Don't be a tease cause I can assure you a sadist would not be at all please. I would know, trust me. *Wink* Xoxo. Be nice. =)"

• I went to the Pas...I'M KIDDING! Of course I didn't reply! I however did report her because I firmly believe Facebook isn't a portal for sexual gratification.
  

• I went to the Pasar Ramadhan in Section 14 today. And having failed to buy the famous Mohd. Kasim's 'popiah basah' last year and a few times this year, I finally succeeded today; only to go home and find it isn't worth the long queues, nor the missed chances. Geez. I was even informed by Jan that he actually sells daily at the food court in Section 14. WTF. And yet people queue, every bloody day throughout the month of Ramadhan, regardless rain or shine, to buy his popiah. OMG. And can you believe that he sells out every day! JEE-ZUS. And he sells over 1000 pieces a day. A dollar each. A whole month is 30 days. That's almost RM30 000, plus minus. OMFG!
  

• I just accompanied my mum to take Zelda out for her leak and she casually proposes the idea of buying me a slimming package. Can you believe it? MY MUM WANTS TO BUY ME A SLIMMING PACKAGE! Insistently offers too, if I should add. Pfft!
  

I'm Just Fine

Current mood: Wistful
Currently listening to: I Can Feel A Hot One by Manchester Orchestra

Sometimes I want to revisit the past,
to remember the nostalgia that I have forgotten.

Sometimes I want to leap into the future,
to escape yesterday for a better tomorrow.

And sometimes, just sometimes, I want to stay in the present,
and hang on to that feeling and hope it lasts forever.

But it doesn't.

Maid To Work

I sat for my Financial Management mid-semester test last Friday and might possibly have flunked it. And that's not even the worst news!

What tops that was my maid leaving last Sunday and won't be returning home till 5 weeks later! "Oh my effing god?!"

It was a public holiday yesterday and I spent my morning washing my lingerie. With my bare hands. That was a swell way to start the day. I expect the water bill to rise this month and also, I probably wouldn't have any lingerie left to wear by the time my maid returns.

Last Tuesday, I rushed home from uni, changed and was all ready to go for ballet only to not be able to find my ballet bag. I searched high and low, but to no avail. The time was already 6:25pm. Class started at 6pm. I had half the mind to call my maid all the way in Indonesia to ask. Instead, I just texted my ballet teacher to apologise for my absence and told her I was still searching for my bag. (My mum came home from work and it took her less than a minute to spot my bag. To say the least, I got an earful from her.)

Oh my god, I miss my maid!

p/s: Do you add fabric softener to washing powder to wash lingerie?

My B

Dear Nad,
thank you for letting me know you've arrived home two weeks later after you've landed.
Thank you for hardly replying my messages.
Thank you for being such a ditz.
Thank you for acting like such a ding-dong.
Thank you for never failing to entertain me.
Thank you for the LBD.
Thank you for losing my Panic At The Disco ticket stub.
Thank you for putting the collage I made for you to shame by trumping it with the photo scrap you made for me.
But most of all,
thank you for colouring my life.
Have a safe flight back to London.
I'll be missing you in tiny chunks.
Xoxo,
Ju

p/s: You're the sweetest B.

Over The Moon

Congratulations
to Brit Brit on winning her 1st, 2nd and 3rd Moonman award at this year's VMAs!
Having come up empty handed in all previous 16 VMA nominations,
justice is finally served.
I'm ecstatic for her.
After such a turbulent life in the past year,
it's good to see her smiling and looking radiant.
Winning in every category she was nominated for,
Britney undoubtedly owned the 2008 VMAs.

My Friends The Rock Stars

Waking up I see that everything is OK
The first time in my life and now it's so great
Slowing down I look around and I am so amazed
I think about the little things that make life great
I wouldn't change a thing about it
This is the best feeling

Sujiiee!

Not any bigger,
not any wider,
just a lil older,
and that lil bit wiser.

Happy 20th birthday, Janoz!

Xoxo!

Love,
Ju

Like A Virgin in Hollywood

Madonna is starting to grow on me.

At the age of 50 and after 26 years in the music industry, she is still going. Constantly reinventing herself, she never fails to amaze. Though I was a never fan before, but having watched her performance at the 2003 VMAs, I was blown away.

So here's the clip:


p/s: Watch the beginning of the video closely and take note of the faux pas the flower girl on the right commits. So adorably hilarious!

TARA 3

That's short for The Amazing Race Asia Series 3.

I just caught the Racers Revealed episode. And boy oh boy, this season is made up with lots of good looking people! And, an added plus, they all speak well. =)

I'll start off by introducing our Malaysian teams.

Ida Nerina & Tania Khan
One's an actress, and the other an heiress.
They are fun and dramatic, so that would make for good entertainment.
They have my full support.
Girl power! Grrr!

Bernie & Henry Chan
Sister & brother.
Apparently she was the host of Project Runway Malaysia (which I've never seen) and he is a chef.
They seem physically strong and intellectual.

I do hope our Malaysian teams go far.
Malaysia BOLEH!

Now, the eye candies.

Pailin Rungratanasunthorn & Natalie Glebova
Beauty pageants.
One was Miss Earth 2006 while the other was Miss Universe 2005.
And Natalie Glebova is the wife of professional tennis player Paradorn Srichaphan.
They are representing Thailand, if you couldn't already guess.
Oh they are really pretty & hot!

Geoff Rodriguez & Tisha Silang
Don't they make a good looking couple?
They are representing the Philippines, although he's a New Zealander and she's a Canadian. Pfft.
We'll see if the race makes or breaks them.
It'll be interesting to watch.

William & Isaac Hong
Brothers.
Representing South Korea.
I think William is kinda cute.
But his brother, he looks a bit like a doofus, though I assure you, he is anything but.

And the most unlikely team to ever race:

A.D. & Fuzzie
Best friends.
They are such characters.
One has OCD while the other is a real sloth.
They may not be perfect for the race but they are, to quote them, "perfect for TV".

These are some of the more appealing racers. With such exuberant personalities and pizzazz exerted from these teams, a climatically engrossing season is definitely in store. Well, you'll know where to find me on Thursday nights at 9pm—couched in front of the idiot box and cheering on the Women in Black!

Quickie

A quickie...because I really have nothing much to blog about. Really.

• Pictures of the MTV Asia Awards and Panic at the Disco concert are finally up on my facebook. Those who aren't on my friend's list...well, unless you can come up with a creative reason for me to add you, then it's just too bad la. I say 'creative' because I don't simply approve anyone. And evidently, reasons like "I want to be your friend" just wouldn't cut it.

• Officially went back for ballet last Tuesday. Although I am terribly rusty and tight (that's 'inflexible' in ballet lingo), it feels good to be dancing again. Whilst chatting with my ballet teacher, she pointed out that she used to be just like me when she was dancing. "This fat?" I asked while gesturing to my body. "Yes," she replied. On a related topic, a few weeks back, I attended some of my ballet teacher's lower grade classes just to accompany Tiff, and my ballet teacher very nonchalantly quipped Tiff as being overweight for a dancer and me...obese.

• Recalling one of my previous post, I mentioned I was a godmother. I think the suspense has died off, naturally. Nonetheless, this is the story. Tiff made a baby, few months back. It's a she. And her name is Iris.

Oh, did I fail to mention that my godchild is a stuffed bear?
Still, she's pretty, no?

• Last but not least, Avril's concert was rocking awesome!!! And

I stole those horns. Okay.
Technically, Calvin stole them.

I wanted something to remember the concert by, besides the pictures and ticket stub. And since the original merchandises were so unreasonably priced, (RM90 for a tee-shirt! Geez.) I thought the horns would be cool. Spotting a store that sold them, we walked over to it. There was a small crowd gathering round the store as like me I presume, they were getting last minute souvenirs after the concert. Calvin picked up the horn. Looked at me. Looked at the vendor who was too busy entertaining the other buyers. Looked at me again and said, "Let's go." So we turned around and scampered off. In fairness, I did feel guilty but at the same time, it was quite gratifying. Brought back childhood memories. Looking back, I was probably kleptomanic when I was a child. I stole a fair bit of amount, but they were mainly small lil miscellanous stuff. I especially enjoyed stealing those teeny tiny locks you'd find on kid's diaries back then. I'm sure they still sell them. Hey, don't judge. I bet everyone stole before as a child. I don't anymore. Unless I 'find a penny, I'd pick it up and all day long I'll have good luck'. =)