Trouble

Been resting in the house ever since I quit the project team. I have also not been to the surau for a few days already. When you are not working, your time is not consistent. That is the biggest problem I face at the moment. Time for eating, time for sleeping, time for jogging, time for surau, time for internet browsing etc. they all go haywire. They are just not consistent anymore. I worry more what it will do to my health. At my age, being consistent in what I do everyday is very important, especially when it comes to eating and sleeping. The body needs to know that there is a rhythm, a pattern that is consistent. Otherwise, it will go haywire as well. That can only mean one thing.....trouble.

Upside

Upside down

Took the family to visit the house that is 'upside down' at Kl Tower. We were actually there earlier on Saturday but didn't have the time to see it as we were mostly at the Tower itself. However Akid kept asking to go again as he wants to see the strange house. So finally we went. Quite an enjoyable visit. Seems funny to be in a house that is upside down. It was a good experience for the kids.

The heart is not there

I am back to where I was nine months ago. Out of job and don't know what to do next. I quit the project team which was focusing on the primary market. If I were still with the team today, I would be traveling day to JB. I will be there for seven days, manning a gallery in the Iskandar area. That is the problem. I can't bear the thought of spending eight hours for seven straight days waiting at a gallery. It is such a bore. I will go crazy after seven days. That is one of the reason why I quit. I still have my real estate negotiator badge but I am thinking if I want to go back to doing the secondary market. At this very moment, I have lost interest with selling houses, so to speak. The heart is not there anymore.

Similar

Akid and Munirah are almost identical twins except that they are born a few years apart. Maisarah is the different one. She takes after her mother when she was at that age while the other two are more like me when I was small. Anyway, they are all healthy, boisterous, energetic, beautiful, playful, curious etc. I couldn't have asked for more......Alhamdulillah.

Simple but enjoyable things in life

Having a quiet drink by the seaside is one of them. Riding the motorbike is another. Going to the mosque, reading a book, updating my blog, etc etc.

Its a relief

It is such a relief to be free from the work schedule. I thought it would suit me fine but in the end, it proves too much. Instead, it became a burden. Imagine waiting at sales galleries for hours but no people walking in. The hours becomes very very slow moving. Then there's the road show at shopping complexes. Its a ten to ten thing. Too very long for me. Its a back breaker. Add to it the thought of going to JB for seven days duty. Another waiting at the sales gallery for eight hours for seven straight days. It is just too much. In the end, I decided to call it a day. I feel so relief now but of course, my main problem still remains. How to beef up my coffer to support my family in the years to come.

Happy birthday

One year on 16th March 2017. In sha Allah, grow up to be a humble servant of Allah, successful in the world and the hereafter.

A great achievement

Last Tuesday, I settled my income tax return for 2016. Its the first time I have done so so soon. Usually, it will be at the last minute. Its human nature. On the last few days or even as the late as the last day itself, I would be frantically trying to complete the form and send it by hand to the income tax office. The crowd would be massive but somehow I still managed to send in mine before the deadline. That was in the days before the computers. With the advent of the computers, I am still the last minute person, frantically trying to complete the form in the last few days before the deadline. With thousands or even millions of other people in the same boat, the computers get slowed down. Still, I always managed to complete mine and send in the tax return. Until now that it. There's still more than a month to go but I have already send in mine. A great achievement.

Kl Tower

Now that I am so free, took the opportunity to bring the family for a visit to the KL Tower. Been a long time since I was there. We went straight up to the sky deck, the highest point allowed for the public. What a magnificent view it was. We were there from evening till night on purpose so that we can view KL day time and night time. Had a lot of fun with the kids. Make me forget my recent troubles.

Finally I decided

After much thought and deliberation, I decided to quit the project team. It was good in the beginning but after a while, it became a burden. The schedule was tough. Sometime I had to work 12 hours, from 10 to 10. Then there's the coming trip to Johor Baru for nine days altogether. That's too long for me. I also had a few skirmishes with my immediate boss just because I couldn't attend a few meetings. In the end, I thought the best thing to do was to quit. I feel relief now, no more burden of having to follow the schedule.

Free again

Now I am free again. Don't what to do or try anymore. Sometime I feel its better just to stay at home and relax. If a job opportunity comes along, then I will take it but this job must be something I know about, like the power industry. Not something alien to me. I feel now that is the best thing for me. Go back to the things that I have been doing for the last thirty years. I have knowledge of the industry, I have worked in it and have the experienced. Otherwise, stay at home and relax. Of course I have to be careful about my expenses. I need to stretch it for as long as I can.

I need to

I know what I need to do. I need to start jogging again to free my mind. Its been a while since I went jogging consistently. Lately, I would jog today for example, then it will be days or even weeks before I jog again. That's not good enough. I need to start jogging again consistently. Make it a habit like it was before. Then I need to read the Quran daily, at least a page, which actually I am doing now but I need to add to that. I need to start memorising, which I am also doing now but not consistent and not long enough. It should be at least two hours a day. In the morning after the morning prayers and also in the afternoon or at night.

Quit

The feeling of despair is creeping into my mind every so often these days. Sometimes I see no hope in what I am doing now. After a few months of trying, I am still unable to sell, not even one house! I have met and talked to many potential buyers in my effort to sell a house but they all have come to nought. Some look very promising but somehow, it didn't get through. If these situation continues for a few more months I think I am going to quit the selling game. Its a tough game alright. Many of my colleagues are also in the same situation but they seem to be able to take it better. Their spirit don't seem affected. They keep on going. Me, I am already seriously thinking of quiting.

So fast

Day in, day out, before I  knew it, its already seven days that have passed. Phew..... What have I been doing the past one week? I was in Seremban on Saturday. There were a few sales gallery and promotional duties at various places around KL. I know I was in Tesco Kepong on Friday. I was in Cyberjaya on Thursday. I was free on Monday and Wednesday but on Tuesday, I can't remember what I did. Last Sunday I was in Cyberjaya again. I went to the income tax department in Shah Alam on Monday and then to the Public bank in Subang Jaya for some personal matters. Hmm...those were my activities the past one week. So fast, time flies.

The kids having fun at home. Munirah is able to join her brother and sister, in her own way of course.

Vicious circle

This morning there's another new project briefing. This time its in Ara Damansara. There's so many projects I am beginning to lose count. What make it worse is even with so many projects, I can't seem to sell any of them. Its a terrible situation to be in. I am thinking whether to go on not to go to this project briefing. To be honest, I am getting tired of them. If I can't even remember the number of projects, how can I remember the detail. If I can't remember the detail, how can I sell. Its a vicious circle that never seems to end.

Waiting game

The one thing I don't like being at a sales gallery is the waiting. You can wait the whole day without anybody walking in. That's when the time is really dragging. To pass the time from ten in the morning to five or six in the afternoon seems like an eternity. Lucky thing there is such a thing call the internet nowadays. That helps to pass the time a little bit. I will usually bring along the smart phone and the notebook. Otherwise I will go crazy, waiting and waiting while doing nothing. There are sales gallery that are okay in the sense that there are people walking in but most of the time, its a waiting game. 

A pleasant surprise

In trying times like this, to suddenly discover that you have some money somewhere which you have not been aware of previously is like discovering a gold mine in the middle of the desert. It's a pleasant surprised. Not that it's a lot but anything more than zero is better than nothing. It helps no matter what! With my business of selling houses still not getting the desired result for the moment, the discovery is a gift I badly needed.

Follow up

On both days this weekend, I am on duty at two sales gallery. One at Bt Jelutong, Shah Alam on Saturday and the other at Jalan Klang Lama on Sunday. The one at Shah Alam has great potential to get sales through walk ins but the one at Jalan Klang Lama, not so good. Sure enough yesterday at Shah Alam there was a sale from walk in but alas, it was not mine. A colleague got it. Good for her. As for me, there was a customer I served who looked pretty interested. I explained to her, showed her the show houses but she was actually scouting first. For this customer, I have to follow up which I will do. However, so far, all my follow up have been negative. Don't know about this one but I hope for the best.

Feeling sad

I read the news about Bakun Hydro electricity power station to be sold to Sarawak Electricity Board (SEB) with a little bit of sadness. After all, I worked there for a few years, having just retired about seven months ago. I guess its inevitable. It has to happen. The biggest power station in the state that dwarf all the other power stations in the state combined doesn't belong to it. Now, it will be. I had a great time there. Learned a lot, benefited a lot. For so long, SEB was wanting to take over Bakun but somehow, it didn't materialise. Now, its only a matter of time.

The greatest fightback

I don't know what is the right word to describe the feat by Barcelona and the meltdown by PSG at the Nou Camp. Miracle? Needing three goals to win the tie with only 20 minutes to go, that already seem like a very unlikely thing to happen. After 18 minutes of playing, the status was unchanged. With only 2 minutes to go, the task became a mission impossible but wait, tell that to the Barcelona players! They have other ideas. They scored the three goals needed! Yes, they scored the three goals! How unbelievable. Of course, they had a few minutes of added time but that does not take away the impossible feat that they achieved. Crazy! The greatest fightback in the history of football I must say.

Posing

Deadly game

Getting entangled with the North Koreans is not very pleasant for sure. After the sensational killing of the half brother of their current ruler in Kuala Lumpur, the saga gets even murkier. Unwittingly, Malaysia gets pulled into their deadly game of spies and espionage. For no apparent reason, Malaysian citizens are barred from leaving their country. Its a tit for tat but not in a way we thought it would be. These innocent citizens are now pawned in the most unprofessional way. No reasonable country would do such a thing. We only hope something can be done to solve the problem as soon as possible and the innocent Malaysians caught in this deadly game are safe and able to return home.

Three ringgit for a lunch

At a time when prices of basic goods have gone up, there are times when you still can have a meal for a bargain. I had lunch last week for three ringgit only. To say I was surprised is an understatement. I was shocked. I couldn't believe it at first. Had to ask the cashier to count again. Off course I didn't eat much but normally it would at least be five ringgit. That's the price I was expecting. In the end, I happily paid the money for a lunch that had my stomach filled.

Peaceful mind

In my situation now, I begin to identify myself with people who do all kind of things in order to make a living. People selling by the roadside be it 'nasi lemak' or newspapers or whatever, people driving taxi, uber or grab car, people selling from door to door, people making cold calls and many other things. I understand the situation they are in. Its a kind of life I never experienced before. I always had a salary at the end of the month. I never really appreciate it then but I sure do now. Its a comfort to have such an assurance. It makes for a peaceful mind.

Maryam Munirah

Will be one year old on 16th of March. Another year has gone. So fast.

The problem with Liverpool

Liverpool played Arsenal last night. Its a no brainer they will win because Arsenal is a top team. Sure enough, they did win. The problem with Liverpool is they don't know how to play the lesser teams. Teams that sit back and wait. The term is "park the bus". They close up the area immediately in front of their own goal post, crowd them with all their players and wait. Occasionally, they will venture outside on a fast break, then park their bus again. It is teams like these that have Liverpool scratching their head. They don't know how to play them. They lose valuable points because of these teams. Until they find a way how to get round the problem, Liverpool will not win the league.

Toll on me

 I am selling so many projects so much so that I have lost count the number. That's one thing. The other is I cannot possibly remember the details of all these projects in my head. I man so many sale galleries and shopping malls in a month selling these projects that sometime, I just don't remember where I was yesterday or the day before. Its been a crazy one month. I don't mind as long as I can sell them but so far, it has been negative. That's disheartening. That's when I will start thinking of wanting to do something else. Something that can give a sure income instead of like now. The waiting is taking its toll on me.

Champion

Eight months and counting. Hmm..... that's how long it has been. How much longer will it be? Only Allah knows. Meantime I have to keep on plugging. Giving up is not an option. It can never be. Try I must. Yes......keep on trying. That's how champions are made.

Seems like an eternity

A new morning, a new day, a new week, a new month but for me, its the same old story. I am still struggling to find my footing in this business of selling houses. Started in the secondary market before moving to the primary market after a month and a half, the move looks promising although I have not been able to make any headway yet. Its been more than a month already. All my effort has not bore any fruit yet. There has been a few close calls, that's all. Don't know when it will be before I sell my first house. Seems like an eternity!