IyouweBlog

wishes you

a happy and prosperous

DRAGON year!!!

It starts with you.
Find your passion, and who cares if you end up a LOSER. =)

For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives. People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality.
I learnt never to underestimate someone’s capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them.

When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never
became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a
result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical
details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end.
That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again. When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.

Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.

Totally for entertainment purposes? hahaha, I know you are brilliant, give it a try in public if you dare to do so… =p

Synopsis: On vacation aboard a luxury cruise ship, Alvin, Simon, Theodore and the Chipettes are up to their usual antics, turning the ship into their personal playground, until they become ‘chipwrecked’ on a desert island. As Dave Seville frantically searches for his AWOL charges, the ‘Munks and Chipettes do what they do best – sing, dance and wreak havoc. But they’re in for the biggest surprises and lessons of their lives when they embark on an island adventure with their new friend – a castaway who’s more than a match for Alvin and the Chipmunks.

After watching this movie, I will rate it 5/10. Why? It’s because of the the abrupt climax. Maybe kids will like it very much. But, I personally felt that the movie becomes boring in the latter half when the chipmunks and Dave start looking for each other. It will be better if there are more songs put into the movie. There is one part which I loved the most: when the chipmunks and the chipettes introduced themselves to Zoe ( a girl who lived in the island for almost eight years). Watch this:

Funny right?

Alvin and the chipmunks 3 is a  little different from the previous two. This time Alvin is not the ‘one’ that steal the hearts of the audience … instead it was the intelligent and responsible “Simone”.Theodore is the baby of the family while the chipettes (females) include the beautiful but vain Beatrice, the introverted Jeanette and the affable Eleanor. The screenplay (by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger), and the dialogues salvage the film to an extent and make it worth watching, especially for the kids, who may enjoy the antics of the chipmunks. The dialogues are witty and reflect emotions which the kids in the audience will relate to.

I love watching Theodore..he is soooo cuteee. Can I bring him home?

The innocent face of baby Theodore

Theodore and Eleanor were dating!

The nasty Alvin in the casino.

love this couple

For this Christmas, remember to bring your family to enjoy this funny animation.

3/5stars

DISCLAIMER: I am not advertising for any parties. I feel that this a good piece of articles to share with others, instead it’s a corporate culture that should be practiced in every institution.

“We started with 2 planes and a 40-millions debt, now we have more than 90 planes with monthly 1.4 millions passengers on-board.
What make us go through all the obstacles and achieving all these?
Passion and perseverance. They drive a dream into a spectacular success!”  - Tony Fernandes

Yet he is so humble. “I would be lying if I said I am not happy. You would be a legend only because of the people behind you”

WHEN AirAsia’s popularity was on the rise a few years ago, rumours were aplenty about how some of its cabin crew was made pilots and the sort.

Although it was the butt of jokes for many, little did people realise that there was much truth behind those rumours.

AirAsia employee Ong Sook Min’s career progress is a fine example.

She began her career at the low-cost airline as a flight attendant before she was accepted into its training academy to be trained as a cadet pilot.
But Sook Min is no plain Jane with a secondary school qualification. The engineering degree graduate turned up at the AirAsia cabin crew interview only to be asked to apply for the cadet pilot position instead.

She agreed and while waiting for an acceptance letter from AirAsia to join the cadet pilot programme, she took up the cabin crew job for six months.

“I’ve always dreamt of being a pilot. Later I learnt that neither our national carrier nor neighbouring Singapore Airlines employ any female pilots.

“I put that ambition aside to focus on becoming an engineer instead. Today, thanks to AirAsia, which is the only low-cost airline in the region to employ female pilots, I have achieved my dreams,” said the contented-looking young woman.

Her journey into was no easy task.

The preliminary selection process for the cadet pilot programme consists of a qualifying exam on physics, mathematics, English and IQ.

The second interview is a psychomotor and aptitude test. This is followed by an oral interview where two captains would ask the interviewee mental calculations.

“You won’t be allowed to use your fingers, either to count or even calculate in the ‘air’ as you sum up the equations,” said Sook Min.

That arduous filter is only for a qualifying round.

“Only when you pass those three interviews and the exams, it’s then off to the flying academy,” said Sook Min.

She was sent to the Malaysian flying academy in Malacca for her 18-month course.

After graduating from the flying academy, she was back at the AirAsia Academy for the Airbus A320 Type rating, which is a ground school where the cadet pilot learns everything about flying the Airbus A320.

“I learnt about the Maintenance Flight Training Device and went through seven simulator sessions. Having passed this, I had to sit for a skills test and then, an endorsement test. Only after passing the endorsement do you get to fly the Airbus 320,” she said.

With more than 2,700 hours of flight time logged so far, Sook Min is just 800 hours away from becoming a captain. The senior flight officer has to sit for another set of tests before she earns the title captain.

“I hope I’ll be promoted to captain by the middle of next year,” she said.

AirAsia has 19 female pilots and three are in line to becoming pilots soon. Sook Min is one of them.

“AirAsia eliminates stereotypes and prejudices, so it has given me an opportunity to realise my dream. I’m thankful for the opportunity and its wonderful work culture,” she said, reflecting on the “everyone’s important” and “stay humble” credo that was put in place by its CEO, Datuk Tony Fernandes.

Another interesting people-development story at AirAsia has to be the career growth of Azhar Jaffri.

This flight attendant started his career as a ramp agent, loading and unloading bags, tagging them and even latching on the pax steps, those passenger steps that enable passengers to board and leave a plane easily.

From a back-end or backroom job in which he served for five years, Azhar was asked by his boss if he would like to try for a cabin crew job when it was offered internally first.

“I was initially reluctant but decided to give it a try. I attended the interview and was accepted into the AirAsia Academy to start my training as a cabin crew,” he said, adding that he now enjoys flying around the region, an exposure that has opened up his world to a breadth of knowledge.

Even the cabin crew are required to undergo a series of training modules and tests before they get to become a part of the Airbus A320 cabin crew.

His next aim is to become a senior flight attendant and move on to the bigger A330 and long-haul flights.

Azhar looks contended with his present job that rewards him four times more than what he earned as a ramp boy.

Flight attendant Thasikala’s life couldn’t have taken a better turn, too, if it had not been for her employer’s focus on people development.

She started her career at the LCCT as a contract wheelchair worker before she was offered a job as a Guest Service Assistant, doing check-ins and printing boarding passes.

She enjoyed her job there for 5½ years. Seeing her good customer service skills, her boss suggested that she apply for a cabin crew position.

Enjoying similar career advancement in the same workplace is Samantha Wong.

The former financial department assistant has moved on from her rather mundane number-crunching job to taking to the skies with much enthusiasm.

“Meeting all sorts of people was something I couldn’t experience at my desk job. I love my job now,” she mused.

The most lively example is Captain Dharmadi who is the current CEO of Indonesia AirAsia. Who would know that he was actually a rampant boy, loading and unloading bags, tagging them and even latching on the pax steps, those passenger steps that enable passengers to board and leave a plane easily? From a rampant boy to flight attendant, pilot and now he is the CEO, haha where can this happen? AirAsia? Nope, it can happen in your company too, tap the talent!!

You might have seen this video in social webs. But, I still want to share it here =).

Do you know who are them? Hehe, Timothy Tiah is the co-founder of Nuffnang, a web-advertising company while Audrey is a famous blogger. =) so sweet

It might not be the most creative marriage proposal, but at that moment, it means a lot to Audrey! Aww…
Here’s wishing them lots of wonderful moments of togetherness…now & always. Happy Engagement!!

As the autumn leaves begin to turn
Two lovers choose to say I do
A promise made and shared with you to love,
to laugh,
to live,
to learn.

Erm, this is not the Malacca Nadeje layer cakes, but it is still something awesome to introduce. Here in Kuching, you can easily spot a roadside store selling Kuih Lapis or layer cakes in English. Available in all sorts of flavors ranged from cheese, coffee, berries, chocolate to yam, this is a Sarawakians’ perennial favorite which is usually enjoyed with a cup of tea.

I was brought to this Mira Cake house, Kek Lapis Basah at Kiosk 15, Tebingan BGS, Kpg Gersik.

Don’t judge it by its look, I don’t know whether it seems drooling to you or not. But I am sure that they are not cheap stuff that might chock your throat. This moist layered cake is so smooth that you can swallow it without drinking a single gulp of water.

FYI, even our DPM and Chef Wan are their clients.

But you do not need to be a famous figure to pay a visit to this stall, lolzzz! hahaha

Don’t blink your eyes, take your time when choosing your favorite =)

BTW, you can try till you feel full before buying a loaf at RM10. ROFL!

From the photos above, can you imagine how many loaves of layer cake can be sold in a day?

A little sprinkle of coconut shreds on top of the cheese layer cake adds a pretty touch to it. ^^

The hawthorn(山楂) flavored layer cake.

Apparently, this unique flavor gives a sweet-sour taste which drives your appetite level to the max.

It’s a great souvenir to bring back home and share it with friends and family. =) Aww…. hehe

p/s:   Hahahahaha, though I still have a stack of notes to finish but I couldn’t resist myself to post something here, at least to clean those spider webs accumulated since November.   Sorry if you are disappointed with this “never-ending” Kuching topic, hahaha, but I promise to have more exciting posts on the following weeks. =p

It was my first time seeing such a huge pizza! Haha, use it to slap on your friend’s face!! =p
Located in Universal Studio Singapore, Loui’s NY Pizza Parlor™ serves you the 20-inches pizza!! Challenge you to finish it in a bite…

Thin, incredibly crispy, and a mind-blowing explosion of taste is what describes Loui’s 20-inches pizzas.

The above might be exaggerated to me. But, I am quite sure that you’ll be so tempted to have a try once you see it with our own eyes. It’s tremendous man! Who cares how does it taste, its looks is sufficient to make everyone drools.

Louis’s NY Pizza uses self-service concept to ease the flow of a long queue. Singaporeans have been used to “chopped” a seat before ordering a meal, is this true? Haha, I think that it’s because every food stall is crowded hilariously.

Though it’s not the best pizza that I have ever had, this piece of Margherita pizza with the pleasing fragrance of basil, is crunchy and “acceptably” delicious. (lack of vocab, haha, acceptably means mediocre…)

The Pepperoni was the crowd favourite because it’s juicier and, well, the taste of pepperoni is always more exciting than just plain minced meat.

Heard that pepperoni crowns the others… Waiting for my second chance to taste it.. would it be on the coming Christmas?

That shows the price $9 for a slice, $13.80 for a combo with a cake and soft drink.

Overall, it’s the size that matters and worth to have a try! ^^

3.5 /5 stars

The moment when joy is in the air, the moment when we are hassle-free, the moment to be appreciated, the gratitude moment! =)

It’s awesome to play the above music with the photos shown below…

high up in the skies =)

Bubbling and roaring, uninterrupted, the splashing waters create a steady pattern of endless rhythm. 

Be different, stand out astonishingly…

The calmness of water ripples…

A reflection of lives…

The road not taken

I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

Time to have a break ^^

Truly 1 Malaysia

The continuation of life 

Mother nature 

Heritage 

Those days in the past

The art of civilisation

Nostalgic

those days walking at the street…

The Kuching landmark

Lastly, the censored part =p

p/s: Slow down your pace of life, stop for a moment, observe the lively atmosphere around you. You might find some scenery which has been left out by your busy life.  =)