Credibility

Joie's company provides IT solutions. Among the clients from different fields there is one particular type that is very "interesting".

Yep, interesting with inverted commas.

To make things simple, let me put it this way: there are direct customers - ones who contact us directly via leads/recommendations; and indirect customers - ones who represented by somebody (who usually known as "contractor") to become the bridge between two ends.

The "interesting" that I am referring to is the latter, which usually appear in one very common situation - TENDER PROJECTS.

They are our brothers of different race, having the privilege to be involved in business/opportunities without needing any cost, knowledge or skill. All they need is their participation in the tender, win the tender (don't know how), and then start looking for sources like Joie's company to do the work. So what's their role to be precise? They basically take a required specifications from the project, find a few dealers, get some quotations and they will do the easy markup themselves then submit the amount. That's all. They have no obligation as the obligations will fall on the people like Joie's company, who supplies them the goods and services.

Now thanks to the end customer (the government sectors/government involved sectors) who comfortably spending tax payers' money without any concern of practicality and value for money, projects like these always cost a lot of money and not knowing they end up with receiving products that are non compliance to the requested requirements.

For instance we recently received one inquiry from one of the tender projects for a local universities. Some guy has won the tender and found out the product of the price he quoted is lower grade than the required standard. So he went to see the cable guy who he appointed for a part of the project asking this cable guy to help him find the products. The cable guy came to Marvin and Joie found out there is no way we can supply a requested brand and of such standard with the price he quoted for the project because the price he quoted is only less than half of the correct product's cost.

We have only 2 choices: to supply the wrong product (but right price) or supply the quotation according to the right products. We have chosen the latter because we honour the credibility and reputation of our profession.


But how would the tender person able to fulfill the requirement when the products were already quoted wrongly?

July

After working as admin staff for 2 months at Lifeworks, I have finally set my foot right and decided to move on to another stage. Yes, I know the admin work is impermanent as I have been working in admin world for thousands of years and joining Lifeworks is definitely not another place for me to stuck in the same admin job.

So after getting used to the "Chi" at Lifeworks, I am making my another step - stop the admin job and start preparing myself for the thing I intend to do at Lifeworks.

No rush, because I need some time to compile the materials and make some preparation so the whole thing will only start in August. For the time being I'll sink myself down (just like always).

July is a great month, especially 2009's.

It is the platform which I step down from the previous train and getting ready for another ride. It is a solid ground that allows me to feel stable.

"One step at a time," I tell myself.

One step at a time it is...

(*extracted from Jordin Sparks' song ONE STEP AT A TIME)

We live and we learn to take
One step at a time
There is no need to rush
It is like learning to fly or falling in love
It's gonna happen and it's supposed to happen
That we find the reasons why, one step at a time

A Free Spirit - We are the World

I remember Joie woke me up on 25th morning saying, "girlfriend, Michael Jackson passed away." And the first thing that strike my mind when I heard that was, "life has no time." It is like we live everyday very much a blessing because we can never know whether the sun or death is meeting us next.

Today I see a news saying some 1,500 inmates in Cebu, Philippines are paying their respect to the late legend...

Some reporting say our legendary pop star is still alive and there are plenty of sayings that he's in different places. But I think what matters is not whether he's alive. Cherish and appreciate life as well as see and treat the world with our heart. We can make the world a better place by living in harmony, understanding and true respect.

May you rest in peace, Michael.

1958 - 2009

Types of Sensitives

Many days ago I heard of some interesting names and I could only remember one - Clairvoyance. Today out of sudden I just type "Types of Clair" and I got this result by the title of "types of Sensitives" instead. So I click into that page to check out and learn more.

TYPES OF SENSITIVES (click to enter)

1. Clairvoyance
2. Clairsentience
3. Clairaudience
4. Clairalience
5. Clairgustance
6. Claircognizance

The world is full of interesting things and one thing we can do is to not limit our heart from accepting things as well as always clear our mind for more rooms for others than our own beliefs only.

Pleasant Surprise

As Almine's workshop finished on Friday, I got back to Lifeworks the same evening to do the work for Joan's Belly Dance Workshop and Saturday for Joie's Samadhi Dance Workshop. The weekend went off pretty fast when it's filled with duties but little did I know I had a surprise waited for me to conclude it.

We attended Jay's wedding luncheon at ParkRoyal and Joie took off for his photography session after he dropped me back to Lifeworks. GinLing and Moon came by too after Jay's luncheon and so the Sunday was pretty comfortable.

Joie came back to pick me up at about 7.45pm. I told him that mom called as the dinner is served at home but he told me we can't do that and ask me to inform mom that we'll eat the dishes the next day. As I entered the car he opened up the secret which he'd hold for a week - he'd booked a hotel room for us.

I was pretty surprise and asked, "that is very very sweet of you but why?" He replied because he saw me kind of in a not-very-good mood when I was clearing and sorting thoughts during the break so he decided to do something to cheer me up.

Well it was very funny because things got a little messy - he thought I would to have the break till Sunday so he thought he could bring me straight to the hotel after Jay's wedding reception but my break lasted only until Friday so I have to work on Sunday until 8pm.

The thing turned out a little topsy-turvey to him but he finally still manage to pull it through and he suggested that we go Batu Ferringgi and act like tourist.

That's how I wrapped out my a very ordinary weekend very extraordinarily...

Thanks honey for showing care and love, most of all the attention you pay in feeling me (that's what a cancerian is good at).

Love you da a lot a lot~~~ muah~

Beautiful Angels

Approximately 3 years ago I had my first experience of lifetime - to work with a group of special kids - autistic children, to perform for the founder on her birthday dinner. That special day where all these very beautiful flowers bloomed was my birthday too.

3 years later I get to have another opportunity to work for another very meaningful performance. Performed by a group of special needs children including those with down syndrome, autism, domestic violence and also some main stream young artist from Anak-Anak Kota, this performance was organized by BOLD, choreographed by Aida Redza, and music composed by Junita Batubara.

I saw a group of happy and cheerful little angels presented their best to their parents and caregivers after working closely with BOLD, Aida and Junita for 12 weeks. I did not spend much time with them because I was involved in Production & Backstage works but they offered me their warm hug when I first entered the room (Choon Ken and Lee Sen, both down syndrome), gave me the most beautiful smile in the world and whispered in my ear reminding me to kiss my boyfriend on my wedding (Eunice, also down syndrome), greeted me with friendly talk telling me they remember me from the performance HOPE (Raj, Arvien and Kesa, all from the Home of Shan).

They (the down syndrome children) might not know much about life and they may not be able to live long enough to see what this world is all about but deep in their eyes I saw the glow of life that they have the purest heart and most innocent soul that can hardly be contiminated by this world of chaos.

I have my tears of joy shedded when they finally finished the performance and received a very big round of applaused from people who love them. I've learned one very precious thing: that life isn't beautiful because of how much you get but how much you are giving, especially the most truthful and priceless love.

This is the very beautiful song the kids sang together for people who love them and care for them...

HOPES & DREAMS

Wordless you are always available for me
I need you care and love, if I've a chance to choose;
I want to be like them, could do everything
My hope and my dreams
Give me your care and love
Do you see my hopes
Do you see my dreams

written and composed by Junita Batubara
Music Composer from Medan (North Sumatera) Indonesia

Written and given as a souvenir to me by Junita


Our helpers' ID, a sticker. I keep as memory

Clear Vision

Thanks to Jennifer, I have a 5 days holiday. (*muah) She'd say, "It's lady boss's idea, not mine" but I still thank her for allowing that to take place.

Took the opportunity to rest both my body and soul, I went for a morning swim and rest well. Meditated and got a clear vision - it is time to move another step. And so I make a connection to see what the angel oracle cards has to say about this decision, here's the answer to me:

Divine Timing
Balance
Friendship
Support

Yes I have received all these pieces and it means so much to me because they allow me to grow and learn wisdom along the way.

I shall get myself ready for the new phase.

It is so surprising two months have made such a big difference.

Thank you everyone, for loving me.

I love you all~~~

What Does Life Say About This Series of Events?

A guy came to our door at Lifeworks that day. He is rather dark and thin, at his twenties. He looked rather tired. He said he's just finished doing church service in BM and wanted to know how can he get to Island Glades from Pulau Tikus.

Finish in BM and end up in Pulau Tikus? Hmm....but of course I didn't ask although the thought crossed my mind. I suggested him to take a cab from 1-stop and he said it could probably cost about RM10 or so and he can't afford that . So I said maybe could take bus to KOMTAR and then change another liner heading his destination. He said his friend told him there's no bus going to that area. He seems know quite a lot about the cost and route. I told him to ask the liner instead as I don't really know much about that. He then dig out his pocket and say he has a ringgit of so left and ask if we could spare him RM20 for a meal and travelling charges. Joie offered him a ride to the nearest Police Station telling him that the officers would be more than glad to give him a lift. He quickly walked out and went away.

************

I received a sms from my friend and also saw the news over Facebook - a friend died at his early thirties. He suffered from diabetes for quite a while and things weren't stable even after he got his leg removed. His condition got worst and finally left us.

I went to his funeral and saw many friends, some were those have lost touch for long. I got a call from a friend in KL. She knew too this friend who's passed away. She said she called to hear friends' voice. She said it feels great even just hearing a friend's voice.

**********

By all means, what does life intend to tell us? To not waste one's life on doing nothing concrete and to cherish what one has while still can? I looked at the face of my friend sleeping silently in the coffin and remembering the face that I saw in the afternoon at Lifeworks door - yes, such is life.

The Right Timing of Things

Recently I am aware of such "arrangement" is actually happening in almost every part of life (I mean the parts that I could relate and recall). It is so much as if things are like puzzle pieces taking their turn to fall into place accordingly. Well not that I am trying to make things look mysterious but I realize there is this "coincidentally JIT (just in time)" going on around and they just make up a very accurate matching with each other.

I can't explain how I got this feeling but I honestly admit that I am very much impressed by this wisdom and I am sinking myself in to listen and see the flow it moves.

Be present and pay attention is what I am practicing everyday.

=======

p/s: Mom just called that she's finally here at my blog. Yippie! Good work mom!!!From left: mom, aunty YuEr, myself
I just get to know that day aunty YuEr (who used to be our neighbor) is the one who drove my mom to give birth to me. In other words, she is like my life saver and perhaps my second mom. I did not become her god-daughter but her daughter does to my mom (as we both share the same Chinese calendar's birthday except I am one year younger).

What is the Path?

Years ago I got a very conflict feeling about walking the spiritual path. I could not bear with the weight of being accused as superstitious so I did whatever I could denying whatever gift that I have just to avoid myself from confronting that world, a world that seem mystical and not making any sense to the scientific explanation.

So there I was running away from it just to be a normal person living a life that I hardly recognize myself. I told myself that I am feeling good to be perfectly normal. As a result, things got messy and I almost ran into a point of no return.

Years later here I am in a holistic centre thinking to myself, "I guess this is just something that I can't avoid".

I must give myself the recognition before I can be recognized by others. And so the journey has begun and I am embracing who I am and what I can do.

"Slowly and steadily progressing" it is.


Perhaps it is like what it's said, "we are not human beings having a spiritual experience... we are spiritual beings having human experience".