A lot of positives

Going home on Friday from work, the traffic was real bad but I was on my motorbike. So it was not a problem for me. For that reason alone, the bike is priceless. My daily routine has also changed. If before, I leave the house at about 6.20 am in the morning. Now I leave the house at 7am or even later. I can also choose to leave the office anytime I like. Not like before when I have to wait for the traffic to clear a bit, which most of the time, it never did. So, there's been a lot of positive since getting myself a bike. Now, on weekends I drive the car to make sure the battery is charged.

Wow! A lot of saving

What I like most about using a bike is when I go to the petrol station. If those days it would be at least  RM 50 or even RM 100, now its RM 4 or 5 only. This can last me for about three to four days. That means in a month, my petrol bill is only about RM 50 at the most. Wow! That's real saving especially in times when the petrol price is ever increasing. Now it makes me wonder, why didn't I buy the motorbike earlier?

Increase competency

Riding a bike is not so difficult once you get the hang of it. I'm a bit more competent now than I was when I first started riding it less than a week ago. As time goes on, I'm sure my competency will increase. Formula one racing is dangerous but for whom? Not for Vettel or Schumacher or Lewis Hamilton. Why? because they have the necessary skill. They are competent. Off course its dangerous for us because we don't have the skill. Similarly with the bike. It will not be dangerous if you have the skill.

Working late again

I was in the office till 10.30pm last night. Had to finish a paper that was rejected for being too simple that it doesn't tell anything. I admit it was my mistake. I wanted it to be simple so that it will be easily understood but I instead ended up telling nothing of significant that people don't understand nothing. By the time I reached home, it was already 11.30pm......sigh.......that's the way it is now. I never for once imagine that after retirement I would be doing such things again. Not only that. Its even more hectic now.  

How things can change

Just about a month ago, Arsenal was down in the dumps. Beaten on the opening day of the present campaign, no new signing in the offing, booed by their own supporters, the players morale and confidence at an all time low, it got you asking, what else can go wrong with Arsenal? One month later, they are top of the league, winning five matches on the trot in all competitions, completed a major signing that is the envy of every club, the players confidence sky high, what else can go right with Arsenal?

So fast

Successfully negotiated through the traffic and arrived safely on my motorbike. Getting the feel again of weaving and squeezing, making my way through the little path that presents itself among the countless vehicles on the road. 

Last Saturday I had my dinner at a restaurant along the main road in Senawang. What was surprising was the service. The food we ordered arrived in no time at all, so fast. In all my dining experience, this was the fastest. I never thought it possible to be this fast but this restaurant did it. They must know something that others don't know. The food was good too. Very well cooked.

Much ado over nothing

Ashes? What's the big fuss over it?   

Busy day

Was busy in Seremban yesterday at the house in Senawang. Alhamdulillah, most of the things are done like the lighting, the little defects here and there, the leaking pipes etc. I have ordered the grill which should be ready in two weeks. After that, I have to decide what to do with the house. Most probably I have to rent it as selling is out of question because of the tax imposed. I also went for the morning prayer at the mosque using the motorcycle. Trying to get familiar again with riding a bike. Should be no problem In sha Allah. I'm not a young pun anymore. I don't go riding at full speed. I don't go trying all the tricks in the world with the motorbike. Its just riding to go to work and back.

Courting danger

In an attempt to beat the traffic jam, I have just bought a motorcycle. I thought I can take it from the shop and then straight away use it to go to work and back. Yes, I did ... yesterday ..... but along the way I had two close brushes with danger. 

The first was when I attempted to ride it after receiving the keys from the shop. I almost knocked into a car because I turned the throttle too much on starting. It jerked, causing me to lose control. In wanting to control it, I turned the throttle even more, causing it to jerk again. Then, somehow, I had the sense to turned off the throttle and finally manage to bring it under control. That was real close. In fact I already knocked the car because there was a loud knocking sound.

The second was when I was riding it to work immediately after that. I reached a turning on the highway, turned but found that it was not enough. I was heading straight for the dividing wall. I wanted to turn more to avoid the wall but I was scared I would fall. I couldn't do anything! By this time I had already lost my balance, its just a matter of time...... On top of that, a car was following right behind me. I thought I was a goner but miraculously, unconsciously, my hand turned off the throttle and suddenly I regained my balance.  

On both occasions, only Allah saved me, I can tell you that! I was helpless. In the seconds that it was happening, there was no time to think. It was just knee jerk reaction. Allah made me react correctly. That saved me. Alhamdulillah.

One lesson learned. Don't ever think you can take a motorcycle and expect to ride again as normal after thirty long years. 

No e mails

The e mail at the office has been giving problem for over a week now. It all started when there was heavy rain one night. The next morning, we came to the office only to find the internet not working. It has been rectified but unfortunately, the problem is still coming, intermittently. Its making work extra difficult and frustrating. Come to think of it, how did I do my work in the days when there were no e mails? or no internet? No computers? No hand phones? I lived in those days not so long ago!

My morning stop

By seven I'm already at my morning stop, a stone throw away from my office. This is the place where I would have my breakfast, read the paper, update my blog etc etc. Its a place to have a break in between driving from the house and entering the office.

Tired but satisfied

Today I alternated between jogging and running. That's the most effective way to exercise, so I read somewhere. Its also very very tiring. Mostly I did about eight times, running in between the jogs. It sap the energy, especially when running. I recover during the jog. Do it over a few minutes and ts enough for the day. Tired but satisfied!

Looking out

View from my office at Section 16 Business District, Petaling Jaya.

Mental torture and frustration

Jim Furyk shoots a 59 this morning. Wow! Must be one of the days when everything went right for him. What a great time he must be having playing like that. Birdies after birdies after birdies! If only I can play like that. I sure have a long way to go. My best score was 93 while playing in the US of A. Since then I have never hit anything below 100. That's why I gave up. I don't get the enjoyment of playing anymore. Instead its more like mental torture and much frustration most of the time. I better go do something else where I get more satisfaction.

Crazy

Its the weekend once again. There's plenty of things to do for sure but at least its a break from the office. The past week has been really mind boggling. I have never been involve in a situation when one party is wanting to pay millions of ringgit but the receiver is putting so many barriers its ridiculous. You want your money or not? I have got better things to do than haggle endlessly over how to pay. Crazy!

Three datelines

I am bracing for next week, when I am anticipating a busy busy week. There'll be papers to complete, little everyday things to do, new things coming on, meetings, etc. The list is endless. Sometime I think I am just firefighting, no time to plan. Whatever comes in my way, I get rid of them or I complete things based on datelines. Today I have three datelines to meet. All three still need some polishing but I am expecting to be able to meet the dateline by the end of the day. Then I can have a happy weekend, to get ready for next week.

Look at him!

Even the barrier is useless now as he will climb over it and reach for the TV. If we remove the pillow underneath, he will push his body into the empty space and still get to reach the TV. He is a real handful. 

Only on weekend

Now that I'm working again, I find that time has become a precious commodity. Weekdays are mostly taken up by work. That leaves me with only the weekend to do all my errands. Even then, on Sunday I can't do anything much as most of the shops are closed. Hence, Saturday is the day I need to do what I need to do. For example this Saturday I plan to survey some shops before buying a motorcycle. I also plan to go to Seremban to clear up a few things that need to be done to my new house. Then there's the internet bill that I need to sort out at Celcom, the apartment monthly payment, the car air cond to repair, the .........

More than a year of Akid

Its been a year and four months since Akid came to this world. He has brought me much joy and happiness. There's never a dull moment with him around. He is so full of life and energy, always doing something and everything. Akid, keep it up!

Exhausted

This morning I find myself in downtown KL to attend a meeting. As I was not familiar with the place, I decided to take a taxi there. The past few days have been hectic, trying to nail down an agreement between parties that are poles apart. At the end of the day I was just exhausted, mentally that is. 

Driving back home yesterday was a pleasant surprised. The road was passable! Where have all the cars gone too? 

E mail kaput

Yesterday my office was without the e mail. For whatever reason it refused to function. Because of that, for a whole day, I was kind of lost. Don't know what to do without the e mail. Can't do my work! The e mail has become such an integral part of our work life it seems unreal. Just a few years back, the e mail was unheard of! Now, without the e mail, work gets disrupted. I was feeling unproductive the whole day without the e mail. Sigh...........

Expensive

These days even breakfast will cost you more than four ringgit. Lunch, dinner will off course be higher. Back in the days when I first started work, in 1979/80, dinner was just two ringgit. Three ringgit? That's expensive. Those were the days. Now two dollars won't get you anywhere. This morning my breakfast will be more than three ringgit. Just teh tarik and a plate of meehoon. Lunch will be six to seven ringgit. Wow!

Exercise is a must

After a very long long time, I went jogging again this morning. Can't remember when was the last time I jogged but it must have been many months ago, judging from the way I ran this morning. I was panting after just a few steps but struggled on and managed to do one and a half rounds. Halfway through I remembered to do 'burst of speed' every now and then. That made me even more tired. Anyway it was a good exercise. For the future I must make sure I don't go without exercise for too long a time. Busy or not, exercise is a must.

In Senawang

Was at Senawang yesterday sorting out a few necessities for the house there. Took almost a whole day. By the time everything was completed, it was already late at night. Reached back home in Cheras a little bit past midnight. Very tiring.

Sigh.......

After almost a week of trying to find solution to a problem, I'm still not getting anywhere near to solving it. Meantime the deadline is getting nearer and nearer. Another problem I thought was over and done with. All that was left was the execution part but then I discovered, no, it is not as simple as that. The road is still long and uncertain. Then there's another one that needs a decision as soon as possible. The problem is it is not a black or white thing. There's others in between.......sigh! If only I can solve all these.

My Akid

Crazy

The transfer market is crazy. Millions of dollars being thrown about it seems unreal. let me put my neck out and say that paying 100 million pound for Gareth Bale is the craziest of the lot. he is not worth it. A few years ago Liverpool paid a lot of money for one Andy Carrol, an unproven player who has never won anything, based mainly on one season performance. What happened? He was a failure right from the start. Never made it to regular first team player. Gareth Bale? Much the same story. Unproven, never won anything, one season wonder?....Can he make it i wonder!

Getting away scott free

Many a time I was stopped by the police for traffic violation. Somehow I have been lucky for most of the time, they let me go after having a few words. The most recent was yesterday. I took the emergency lane as the traffic was terrible. This policeman stopped me but let me go with just a smile and a few words. Alhamdulillah. Once in Pahang, the policeman even asked me if I can recommend his wife for a job at my place of work. At other times, they just waved me away without even asking me anything! There are nice policemen everywhere. Its the few bad apples that give the force a bad reputation.  

Morning stop

At my usual morning stop before entering the office. Usually its a glass of 'teh tarik' and food. Somedays I update my blog here but most of the time, I can't stay too long as my stomach will start churning after taking the food. Then I have to rush to the toilet at the office, about 50m away and nineteen floors upstairs. There were times when I really had to dig deep into my reserves to stop the 'thing' from going out before I reached the toilet.

The tax is steep

This weekend I have in mind to go to Seremban and settle the business with my new house. Since getting the keys, I have not been able to find the time to do a thorough inspection, do the little bits here and there like fixing up the lighting, grills, etc. If I intend to rent out the house I still need to do all those things. Otherwise I might sell but the tax is steep. It might not be worth it.

Getting a motorbike

Yesterday I was back at the office in PJ after being away almost a week. As usual, going and coming to work I have to brave the traffic. I just wish the MRT is ready now. Then I don't have to go through all these hassle everyday. It gets to you sometime. At time I feel like getting myself a motorbike. Why not? I have my motorbike license which I have never used. Maybe now is the time. I will breeze through the traffic, coming and going as I please.

Bintulu Hari Raya reception

Almost a month after the real thing, Hari Raya celebrations are still going on. I was in Bintulu to attend the company do.

Still in Hari raya mood

Hari Raya do at Bintulu