I graduated in June 2009, right smack in the middle of a recession. Finding a job was difficult as most companies were going through a hiring freeze. In the meantime, I took up a part-time job and later on took up an offer to work in a music school. Working conditions there were subpar and I was getting pretty depressed. After only about 2 months working there, I decided to take a leap of faith and chose to resign although I did not have another job at hand. In the meantime, my parents had to support my exorbitant expenses here while I looked for another job. I thank God for His provision in my finances and support from my family.

Finding the job advertisement for an executive position at an airline just 3 days before the application closing date must have been God’s perfect timing! Just enough time for me to prepare my resume and mail it out. I did not meet the minimum educational requirements stated, but I decided to try anyway. I received a phone call for the first interview 4 days later. I managed to pass all 3 rounds. It took exactly 4 weeks from my application to receiving a verbal job offer. I thank God for favour with the interviewers and wisdom while sitting for the 5 hour long exam!

Obtaining a job offer was not the end of my worries. Upon returning to Singapore after the Chinese New Year break, I was stopped at the Immigrations and was told that I had hit a 60/90 day social visit limit. I was told that I would not be able to enter Singapore until April! I nearly died hearing that as I was supposed to commence work on 1st March! The first thing I did was claim the promises of God.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him,and he will make straight your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

He gave me this job opportunity and if it was His will for me to work there, I trusted that He would settle this hiccup for me. Made the necessary phone calls and arrangements and I waited anxiously in the waiting room. Worst case scenario, I would have to turn back to Malaysia and come back in April… I could possibly lose the job.

Here’s when I could really see God in action. The officer who attended to me previously was firm and did not want to give me clearance to enter Singapore. The most she would do was to give me a special entry pass for 1-2 days to settle my stuff and leave Singapore. At 8am, as I was waiting for my house mate to come, they had a change of shift. Hardly even 10 minutes later, out of the blue, my name was called and another officer attended to me. He said that he would be granting me entry to Singapore. I asked, “For how long?” and guess what he replied? 30 days! That was even more than the usual 14 days that I had initially requested for! HALLELUJAH!!! PRAISE THE LORD! What sweet relief. A blessing in disguise indeed!

Following all the drama, everything else leading to my first day at work went smoothly. I am currently one week into my job and loving every bit of it despite the high expectations and steep learning curve. I want to thank everyone (especially the MW ladies) who have been faithfully praying for me over all these months. More importantly, I give glory to God for His faithfulness all along the way. I hope this will also encourage all those who are facing your own hiccups in life, big or small, reminding you that although things may not always look good in the beginning, it will turn out for the better, for God is on our side!

“I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

DAY 1

Hotel Puri on Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock

It was great that my cousin, aunt and uncle were in Malacca. My uncle picked me up from the bus station in the wee hours of the morning, and my aunt and cousin picked Kee up later and brought us for lunch. They brought us on a quick ride around Jonker Walk so that we wouldn’t get lost in the maze of lanes there. Our hotel was a pretty little Peranakan styled place converted from an old house along Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock…. just one street away from Jonker Walk.

On our first day there, we really didn’t have much time left coz Siew Kee’s bus arrived later than expected. So, we covered Jonker Walk and the riverside which was closest to our hotel.

The buildings there are actually old houses converted into shophouses. They still have much Baba Nyonya characteristics in terms of architecture though.

One thing we especially noticed was the wordings on the window shutters. Almost every house had these wordings. Also, the corridor outside the shops were all separated by a wall. Pedestrians have to walk on the road… pretty dangerous considering that Malacca drivers seem to drive through Jonker Walk as if it’s like an F1 circuit!

We saw lots of interesting stuff from antiques to colourful hand painted clogs. The artist was a really friendly guy.

He was actually painting his T-shirt while we were looking around in his shop. Many of the things in his shop were not for sale but for display purposes only… and that included his Beatles collection painted on some mini clogs. Kee bought one of his postcards with a sketch of Malacca streets.

Jonker Walk in the evening on weekdays is pretty dull. Shops close around 6pm-7pm and the place is practically dead soon after.

A pretty dead town at night

Malacca riverside

Casio Exilim EX-Z55

The lens it jammed up halfway… can’t retract into the body…can’t extend out either… and it makes a really disturbing loud noise if you try to turn it on. Sigh… sakit hati giler. This was my first digital camera… worked at Aunty Chua’s nursery to save up for it… Good thing it wasn’t my brand new LX3… if not I will really yell blue murder.

I dismantled it and found that there are little broken bits inside the gears that enable the zooming in and out are stuck… something inside is probably broken and lodged somewhere jamming up the mechanism. Don’t know how to open the rest of the parts without forgetting how to assemble them back together again… so I just put everything back and closed it up.

Anyway… here are some pics if you’re curious to see what the camera looks like inside…

Casio Exilim EX-Z55

Gears

Some parts of the zoom and lens cover mechanism

The lens.. Pentax if I'm not mistaken

Is that the CCD there in the middle?

You’ve been a wonderful companion… May you rest in peace…

But nevertheless… I’m glad that 2009 is over. 2010 sounds refreshing yeah? So what are my new year resolutions? Hmmm…

1. Learn Chinese… if you can’t beat them… join them.
2. Get a job… one that I like or at least don’t mind.
3. Save up for an awesome holiday where I can go trigger happy… with my camera.. not guns.
4. Pick up a sport…. I need to burn fats.

Ok… four for now. If I manage to fulfill one out of them all, it’s really an achievement. I usually make resolutions for the sake of making them. 1st Jan, this that this that…. rest of the year, erased from memory. We’ll see how this year goes.

So, what have I been up to this Christmas? Nothing much really… the usual stuff. House hopping on Christmas Eve for food… church on Christmas morning… oh… and lunch together. Most years, the Tiongs also invite us over to their house for buffet, singing, fellowship etc… etc…  but this year, they went on holiday. (I wanna go holiday oso!! )

The Food

Mandatory annual group photo

Anyway, it was a good thing… coz this year, Nachammai got married!!! Her wedding reception was held on Christmas night at the Royal Kedah Club. Wonderful eh? The first one of the bunch to tie the knot. Best of all was that many of us were back for the hols… great opportunity for a reunion! Goodness knows when will be our next? … or an even bigger question… WHO will be next? Hahah… Nachammai makes such a beautiful bride… I haven’t seen her since we got our SPM results I think! That’s like… 6 years? As for the rest, I have managed to meet up with them at least once or twice when I was back for hols.

They all ‘pakat’ to wear punjabi suits for the wedding… for me, it was really a last minute decision. I don’t have one myself, neither did I have the time to go borrow one. My sister’s was too small, and my mom’s was too big… dig dig dig deeper into my mom’s wardrobe… and I found one that my aunt bought for her in India. Just the right size for me… but rather shiny… coz there were soooooooooo many sequins!! I was so afraid that I would be shinier than the bride… HAHAH! But I found out later that I can never outshine an Indian bride… she has waaaaaaaaaaaaay more sparkly, dangly jewellery on her. LOL. Food was yummy… coz it was Indian food. Yaye. I like! There was Indian music, a sax player, a few singers and a keyboardist to entertain the guests. The whole reception was a pretty simple one. Not too many speeches and all. Short and sweet.

With the happy couple

Must camwhore abit since we're all dressed up

Needed some distraction yesterday…. So Theresia and I popped over to Orchard after her work to watch Avatar in 3D! In the afternoon, she checked online for all the timings of the show at every cinema… SMS me with a different place every few minutes coz the seats were either full or not the 3D version… haha… thanks yar gurl! Finally one place which wasn’t full. Lido. The show itself was totally amazing. The effects are just breathtaking. I can almost feel them next to me. we kept trying to grab the ash and jellyfishy things… So much action… fighting, slashing, smashing… adrenaline rush! Great. Haha… Please go and watch it if you haven’t. I would watch it again if I weren’t going home today. Here’s the theme song, I See You, by Leona Lewis. Sat through the credits just to listen to the song again.

“I See You” (Theme from Avatar) by Leona Lewis in HD

Trailer Park | MySpace Video

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Went shopping… 2 days in a row…

First day, I blame it on Theresia… coz we went to Somerset… tried some new Indonesian cafe… for the first time I tried bakmee… it’s really really full of MSG… so freaking thirsty after that! The martabak is not too bad… but pretty oily. But this isn’t the really sinful stuff… I bought a dress and skirt from Forever 21… the WONDERFUL MAGNIFICENT 4 STOREY FOREVER21 that just opened a week or so ago!!!!!!!!!!!! Skirt for Christmas, and dress for my next partaaaaaaaaayyy. Dawei’s New Year party perhaps? That is if I decide to go…

Second day, I blame it on Siew Kee…. she altered some pants she bought at Mango a week plus ago and asked me to help her collect. So, I went to do some shopping solo today. Wah wah wah!!! SALE SALE SALE everywhere I turn!! *faintz* But really, I hate shopping on Sundays. So freakin many ppl. Every shop I enter, I feel like going one quick round and getting out of there. At least the ventilation at Vivocity isn’t too bad. It was hot and stuffy at Wisma Atria yesterday. Ugh…buay tahan. Bought a blouse at some random shop called Nichii. Versatile. Can wear to work (as if I have a job now.. hahaha…) but works well pairing it with something casual too. Great.

Got some Christmas prezzies for ppl… and a truckload of chocolate and candy from Candy Empire!!! Hehehehehehe Yum yum… finally they have brought in fudge!!! I LOVE fudge! So much that I made Paro bring them back all the way from London for me! I’ve only managed to buy fudge once at Candy Empire… at Changi Airport… All other times, no more stock. This time, I kiasu… bought 2 kinds… One with Bundaberg rum in it… and another with Johnnie Walker Old Scotch Whisky… hehe… later mabuk. High on candy and alcohol.