BANGKOK

We went to Bangkok last weekend, KN, Kak long, Nadhrah and I. It was a great 3 nights, fun-filled with shopping sprees, sight-seeing and 'misadventures'. Lets leave the misadventure details later in my story.

Day One (Friday, May 20, 2005)

As Kak Long the Teacher and Nadhrah the Student had school that Friday, KN and I went on an earlier flight to Bangkok. We reached Bangkok at about 12.30 pm local time and headed straight to the Hotel. The previous night we had packed and went through our list of things 3 times. But as meticulous as we tried, we forgot one of the most important thing! The Qiblat compass. We only realised it in the taxi ride from the airport to the Hotel... and because of that, a small argument that occured caused me not to notice the PETRONAS petrol station on the way, which KN told me later on of course. I had a feeling that was the only chance we would come across a PETRONAS petrol station, and true enough it was...takde rezeki..

Anyway, we stayed at the Indra Regent Hotel, in Pratunam. An affordable okay Hotel , compliments of daddy dearest.. hehehe.... dah kawhin/kerja pun still a sponsor...terharu...terharu...
After getting settled at the Hotel, we went to Nana in search of lunch. Bapak, with at least 5 times experience of Bangkok behind him, had told us that this was like the Arab Street of Bangkok, with lots of Arab restaurants. True enough, but we were flabbergasted looking at the prices. We ended up eating at the food court of Nana Square shopping complex, consuming supposedly Arab food, cooked by Indonesians. After lunch we walked around a bit within the vicinity of Nana before boarding the sky train (like our lrt here) to Chit Lom. At Chit Lom, we walked in and out of shopping complexes and walked all the way back to our Hotel. It was quite far, probably the distance of walking from Maju Junction all the way to the Dataran Merdeka via Jln Tuanku Abdul Rahman, but it didn't feel thaaat far because of the many many many Petaling Street like stalls along the way.

That night, we went for dinner at Soi (Lorong in Thai) Petchaburi 7. We had a tom yum feast (yum yum) at a Muslim restaurant which bapak had indicated. When we got back from dinner, Nadhrah and Kak Long had already arrived, and luckily, they brought the QIblat compass after all.

Day Two (Saturday, May 19, 2005)

Bangkok is one hour later than Kuala Lumpur. If we hadn't realigned our timing to follow East Malaysia, back when Malaysia was first established, we would have been the same time as Bangkok. Subuh is like 4 something and Syuruk is actually 5.50 am. So by 6.00am, it was already daylight... just like in East Malaysia. This has actually triggered my mind that this is actually how 6 am is supposed to be, not the 6 am darkness we perceive in our minds.

Anyway, after breakfast, we headed to Chatuchak market. Chatutchak is a massive market with a massive maze of shops, selling variety of goods, from t-shirts to pots and pans, from puppies to lamps & lanterns. There were 1001 things to see, and 1001 things to buy, but of course you had to have more than 1001 ringgit to shop to your hearts content. By 11.00 we were like so hot and sticky, we decided to head to the comforts of the air-conditioned shopping complexes instead, that is of course after a scrumptious meal of noodles by the clock tower (which of course bapak had specifically told us to go to!).

Next stop was Mabungkrong, a Sungai Wang type of Shopping Complex with lots of little little shops. This is where I got 2 Thomas & Friends t-shirts for Idlan and a couple of t-shirts for myself. After about 3 hours or so, we then went back to the Hotel to pray and freshen up.

We decided to go to Siam Square later that afternoon. We decided to walk because Kak Long and Nadhrah wanted to see the stalls KN and I had passed the previous day. As we were standing in one corner looking at the map figuring out which direction to head to, a friendly Siamese man tegur-ed us. He asked us where we were heading, what places of interest have we seen..and started suggesting things to see and do in Bangkok. When we said that we wanted to go to Siam Square in search of Hard Cafe, he told us not to go there yet as Hard Rock was not opened yet. Okay we thot, logical lah as it was only 4.00 pm (although Hard Rock in Malaysia opens for lunch, maybe Bangkok different kot). He advised us to go see the Lucky Buddha first and immediately led us to the tuk tuk stand and negotiated a price for us to go to Lucky Buddha, to and fro, from 60 baht, it was reduced to 40 baht (RM6 to RM4) - Wah, ini sudah bagus, we thot. We had been commuting around Bangkok in taxis and sky trains... never before in a tuk tuk. Anyway, when we were packed in the tuk tuk and ready to leave, he told us that we should stop at the Thai Export Centre to see jewellery Thais took to POh Kong to sell at a higher price, and told the driver not to extra charge us -Wah, ni lagi bagus, siap stop2 ni. The tuk tuk ride was an experience... best, macam naik motor, but it felt a bit dangerous - we were like "kalau accident nih mati katak lah". When we got to the Lucky Buddha, the guy at the temple door chatted with us. He said he was the custodian of the temple and that he had been to Malaysia before. Said that the Thai Export Centre was a good place to get jewellery as you can hike up and sell the goods at Poh Kong. At the mention of Poh Kong again, we became suspicious. It felt like an orchastrated act.. from the guy we met at the corner of the street who spoke the same way, to the tuk tuk driver who was not charging his time for our sight-seeing stops, and the temple guy who spoke about Poh Kong again. True enough, when we got to the Thai Export Centre, the owner was already waiting for us. We kindly declined soft drinks offered to us (takut kena pooh pooh). He briefed us about diamonds - the 4 Cs - Clarity, Cut, Carat and Color. We acted interested, being the nice people we were. The climax of the whole Act was when a Chineese customer came up to us, claimed to be Singaporean, and persuaded us to buy, in BM! Quickly, we toured the whole place and got out of there. Paid the tuk tuk guy and said that we prefered to walk back to the Hotel. What a scam!! -Misadventure #1. One good thing was at least we got to pose in the picture below!!



Finally, that night we went to Hard Rock, in a taxi (Altis lagi), mind you. Bought the merchandise and got out of there. And had dinner at Soi Petchaburi 7.


Day Three (Sunday, May 21, 2005)

We were done with shopping the previous day, so we decided to dedicate our time to some real sight-seeing stuff. We decided to head for the Palace areas by the river. Kak Long's absurd idea was to board the sampan at the canals and head to the floating market. That was like so so so jauh if you look at the map. But I was overruled as all the rest thought that it was a workable idea. We started to head for the nearest canal when we were stopped by a tuk tuk who lured us with the cheap ride of taking us to the sampan station. Instantly we regretted getting into the tuk tuk as the driver begged to take us to Thai Export Centre! Being the nice people we were, we finally consented as he was practically begging for us to go, in order for him to get free gasoline voucher. We went to another export centre, which looked more reputable than the previous day's. I actually bought a jade ring for 10 rm. We had decided for the driver to take us straight to the Grand Palace by the river rather than going there via sampan.

An interesting article forwarded to me just now, which all of us can relate to...

Success - "knowing the right people," "being in the right place at the right time," and “using the right tools" - by Anthony Robbins

Your career is not everything; your life is. But then, what is life without a career or a career without a life?

1. You are always on your own. Even if you work for a big company, you will always be on your own. Companies aren't people. They're things and they don't have feelings. If you are expecting the company to "take care of you" or "do the right thing", you'll be often disappointed.
There are no strong bonds in a company. No one cares more about your career than you do. Remember that, and don't expect the company to take care of you.

2. Certain jobs fit certain people best. You do have special gifts that fit you for some, disqualify you for others. Take time to assess your skills, temperament and aptitude in depth.

3. Careers are short-term. Your present job can end anytime, even if you own the company! Therefore, think short term. Don't take your present career for granted. Someone once described a consultant as a person who wakes up every morning unemployed. You should feel the same way.
Wake up every morning feeling unemployed so that you'll appreciate your present job more and figure out what you’re going to do next. Always have a "Plan B." (No kidding!!)

4. It's more important to be a "people person" than an "achievement-oriented person" who always win at the cost of others. People skills are more important than technical skills. Even in technical jobs, you have to deal with someone. The average performer who are easier to get along with last longer in his job.

5. What you accomplish today will be your calling card tomorrow. Your accomplishments will determine your marketability. In marketing yourself, it's the results that count. A soccer forward who scores in every game is easier to market than one who doesn't. So make sure you're contributing something substantial and measurable every day.
And make sure you keep a written record of your results, in case you forget!

6. If you lose your job, 80% of your marketing for a new position is already done. That's right. Your reputation, results, accomplishments, people skills, contributions, friendships are all a matter of record.
If you've been a contributor, if you've been kind to others and easy-to-work-with, you'll be in better demand. If not, you won't. Nobody can create friendship for you if you haven't created it for yourself.

7. Changing fields, industries, and functional specialties is difficult. The more difficult it is, the bigger the change will be.Therefore, choose your career path carefully. As management expert Peter Drucker says, "The best way to predict the future is to plan it."

8. If you're fired or laid off, don't sue your former employer. Ask yourself why you didn't see it coming; or if you did see it coming. Ask yourself why you didn't do something about it. Figure out your part in causing the problem. Then set about creating a new, better life for yourself. There is a better life in your future.

9. Don't stay in a job you hate. Hating your job can kill you.

10. Success is difficult. If success were easy, everyone would be successful.

11. There's a special place for everyone. You can create the kind of future you want.

12. The workplace is fun and challenging. It can also be cruel and heartless. It rewards effort and planning, but tends to punish indifference and lack of preparation. Those who don't manage their careers, who just let things happen - often end up in painful, dead-end jobs and lifestyles.

13. You are in full control of your own future. No one can deny you a happy life if you decide to plan it and work for it. No one can stop you from becoming successful, but yourself.

14. It’s never too late for a new beginning.

15. Align yourself with winners. Hang around with winners. Success really does rub off from others.

16. "If you keep doing what you have always been doing, you're going to get what you’ve always gotten"

Quiet Weekend for 121

This will be a quiet weekend, cause.........

1. Mama and Bapak has gone to Umrah this afternoon for 9 days. We had a kenduri Doa Selamat last Monday (don't ask me why it wasn't a weekend!), and about 30 people, relatives and my parents' close friends congregated. We had Uncle Bali's Mee Rebus and IPBA's famous nasi goreng ikan masin, and lots of sweet goodies. Nyum..nyum.. I can still imagine the taste of the Mee Rebus.

2. Nurin and her father will be spending Quality time together at her Granny's

3. Kak Long, Nadhrah, KN and I will be going to Bangkok! Yippee...

So that leaves Auntie, Kakak, Idlan, Tal and Mamat and of course Tok Nyang at home. Hope that Tok Nyang's children will come and visit + sleep over this weekend. Auntie is already having eye bags, due to lack of sleep - Tok Nyang's spell of reverse days : Malam jadi siang, siang jadi malam. Well, that's the least they could do!

FINALLY....

Finally work on the Bulletin has resumed, after 5 months of delay. Delaying factors include getting two very busy big bosses to sit in one meeting, issue on number of copies to be printed, issue about authority to vet, sensitive issues and proprietary issues. Now that we've come to agreement on the issues, moving forward is coming clearer. We will be publishing the first issue by the end of May, hopefully. As it will be a once-in-4 months publication, I'll be pretty much tied up, issue after issue.

Speaking of finally, I have finally reached my pre-pregnancy weight, at last! Fuh... That took me like ages ok!! (well, nearly 2 years actually). But one thing however cannot be reversed - the expanded pelvis, but not to worry, it is a worthwhile motherhood sacrifice. Anyway, to all the new mummies out there, don't fret about your weight, you'll eventually return back, so relax eat healthily and take your time to breastfeed your baby.

NICHE

Niche is our uniqueness, what segregates us from others, our competitive advantage against others. Everyone has got to have this niche in order to stand out in the crowd. Niche for a teacher is the one who has the ability not only to reach into her student minds, but also their hearts, in order to gain her students' attention. Of course Niche applies to business entities as well. In the corporation I work with, they are looking for niche technology i.e. areas where we can be technology leaders in the oil and gas industry, identify the 20% to gain 80% impact. In the retail business, A&W's niche is its Rootbeer float, Nestle's niche is its Nescafe brand and F&N's niche is its Coke.

Many of us are still searching for this Niche. I for one am one of those people. What is it that I'm good at? What differentiates me from others? What is my competitive advantage? Am I simply thaaat easy to be replaced? Would I be remembered, would I leave a legacy? All these questions boggled in my mind.

I used to have a niche when I was doing SAP. To understand SAP is already a niche, let alone to understand its configuration and programs. This is proven through the marketability of SAP know-how people, some of them my ex-collegues, who now earns 5-figure income as contractors. When the IT wing of the corporation was outsourced, we had to choose between joining the outsourced IT company or being reskilled in the current corporation. My view of myself in 10 years time is to be in the Management line, in a research & planning capacity. Even if the IT wing was not outsourced, I couldn't see myself doing IT my whole life, I had wanted to move out and do other things, in my initial plan. And due to that, I see myself in a better position to stay in my current organisation as it is a large corporation with a greater potential to grow as a leader, rather than join the IT company. Besides, there is still so much to learn about the corporation. As such was my decision, I was reskilled and placed under the Business Development and Planning skill group.

But the question of my new Niche now looms. WHAT IS MY COMPETITVE ADVANTAGE??!! I have had several dialogues with collegues of similar background. And we have collectively come to a conclusion of the inevitable action - furthering studies i.e. MASTERS. But of course things don't come easy (Read: Nothing in life is easy). It consumes your energy, time and financial resource. All three elements that are very precious and valueable, especially time - Quality Time with your family which no amount of money can ever buy. But of course if you think of it in the BIG PICTURE, you spend only a seventh of your average working life of 30-years to do Masters - 14% time for 100% impact! (hopefully lah - my pessimist side of the sub-conscious mind is whispering). And as Jiha, my good friend says that in the future, when you look back and reflect, you won't have any regrets of not doing it (my optimistic sub-conscious mind is nodding to that). So ultimately, SACRIFICES have to be made. Money? You can find that. Energy? You can build that with the motivation of getting your reward at the end of the day. Time? You may ask your spouse to please play a double role of both mother and father to your child for the time being (Spouses to note : be understanding!).

So the next question is to Master what? It has to relate with pretty much what you are currently doing, to be able to apply it and give you that added advantage i.e. niche. You have to ask yourself - where do you see yourself in 'action' in 10 years? What is it that you want to specialise in? If you can answer that then you should register straight away! :-) Well, that is whats holding me actually... I do see myself in a planning & research capacity but in what? What area? I have not determined. Maybe I have not thought hard enough about that. So the obvious Moving Forward action is to do exhaustive research, not to just follow the groove like I did when I did my degree. I owe that to myself!

So that's what I'm going to do... Hopefully after all that, I have achieved what I have been aiming for in the first place - MY NICHE. In the meantime, I hope you find your niche as well. Take time to think about it!