One Busy Week

It has been one week since I got back rom Sabah. And boy, was it an amazing experience. Even though I didn't flex my muscles in hiking to the depths of Sabah's rural areas, but I heard that it was a blast. Thanks to my colleague, I have some great info on what it is all about. Maybe one day when my back is a bit better, then I will be trudging into the great, God given wildlife and having my own stories to tell in the future.

Well, I reached KLIA at about 10pm last Sunday, and my housemates were already waiting for me at the main entrance of Peninsular Malaysia. However, we didn't go straight home. In fact, they were actually enticing their charms in making me stay for the night in Mantin for a karaoke session (which I believe will go on till late at night). However, due to my state of being lack of sleep and rest, they finally ceased their efforts in luring me on the mic, as I believe that they know would be a losing battle. Therefore, we finally reached home at around midnight and I went to bed almost immediately.

Didn't get much sleep though. In fact, the same goes for the night after. I only had a good night's rest on the third. Maybe it's because I am already back in reality......and it sucks. I am already 4 days behind on work, and it's gonna be even more when I go for my conference next week. Therefore, I have been straining my eyes and hand on the computer, preparing for my conference, class notes, final paper, and not to mention my paper for another conference (it's in December, but the paper's due this month). And not forgetting that I have tonnes of meetings that I need to attend this week.

Oh yeah, I also took the role of a PRO (PRO.....not GRO) for an Intel speaker who gave a talk to the students on their elite program. On Thursday, I attended another meeting for a collaboration between UKM and UEM for a school program in Gelang Patah. Somehow, I managed to screw myself up by accepting the role as a mentor for this program, which requires me to be in Johor every month. But hey, at least I'll get travelling allowance for my efforts, right?

Well, at least I got my pay this week. Maybe it's not exactly a good thing, since I need to survive for 6 weeks plus before my next paycheck comes in. Therefore, I wasn't actually much of being in the 'getting-your-pay spending mood' this time around. Plus, with the money I spent in Sabah, and the one I need to spend in Indonesia next week, I don't have the luxury of being in my usual financial state just yet.

However, that didn't stop me from having some kick-back time of my own. Managed to go for karaoke with my Uniten gang on Wednesday, after taking a break during Ramadhan. We even had a catchy theme for our night out: Rise of BBCS - with or without Dass. But in the end, we spend almost half our time on Raya songs rather than ruining our vocal cords on songs that are usually the choice of Dass - Indon songs. And as usual, it'll be 5 guys on Sanisah Huri, Fazidah Joned, Saloma, Aishah and other male Raya songs.

After work on Friday, I took my fiancee to Downtown Cheras for a foot massage. She's been complaining about her sore feet and regular cramps that she's been getting. Once, she even had a cramp while driving. It was her first time for a massage, and I can imagine how painful she must be in when the pressure points of her feet are being pressed upon. But thank God she felt much better after it, and I'm just happy to see that she was okay and well.

Yesterday wasn't so relaxing. In fact, it was a total opposite from relaxing. Washed my clothes early in the morning. Then went to KL to get my HTC phone. One nice thing that they did to my phone was to repair my screen from the Newton Ring effect. For those who are actually trying to push the limits of their mind in figuring out what I said, the Newton Ring occur on phone screens when too much pressure is applied on it. Probably it was during many occasions when my car keys and the phone are tightly pressed against my pockets. Initially, the service center said that it was not covered in my warranty. But since it was a minor problem, and that my initial problem with the phone was because of the screen, they rectified it anyway. Hooray for HTC (but I still think that slide phone sucks, though)

Reached home and 'express packed' my stuff before going to Bandar Tun Razak for a wedding. Met my family there, including my mom (who tagged along with my uncle and aunt from Pilah), along with my brother and his wife. After that, we went to my cousin's house in Ampang to see his 1st child (he's 4 1/2 months old, FYI). It's nice to see him after years of absence. In fact, the last time I saw him, he still hadn't plunge into the world that we all mere mortals define as 'marriage'

Nice pelamin

Then we headed to Shah Alam to another cousin's house for a Raya-BBQ-potluck thingy. Had our usual BBQ menu - lamb, chicken, potato salad, hotdogs, garlic bread, etc.

Hotdog! Who wants hotdog?!

 

Chef Podek at work

Bon Apetite

So I'll be sending my bill later, k

Would've stayed longer, but I know what my limits are. After a tiring week, plus a not so kind Saturday, I simply could not have stayed much longer at Shah Alam, and drive back to Pilah soon afterwards. So, me and mom left at 9pm, and we reached home at 11pm (wow......that was fast).

Today, at last, I have some rest before another cruel and non-forgiving week ahead of me. But that didn't stop me from getting my haircut, doing some work and getting my cash polished. And tonight, going to do some more work before I call in it early for another Monday blues.

Oant sjen