Come along for this ride

Took a ride along the coastal road near my place. Weather was humid and dusty so photos didn't turn out as well as i'd hope.




The shadowy island in the distance is Pulau Jerejak.







One of the many sleepy parts of Penang.








The look-out point half-way along my journey. Wished it was a clearer day though.





The final stop of my mini-ride: Ayer Itam Dam.
Was feeling hungry already so took the road back through town and went for lunch. ;)

in excess

Woohoo... i have 1 week off from work for CNY. Will be driving up to Penang (my hometown) tomorrow morning and won't be back till next Sunday, 25 February. Not too sure if i'll be able to blog as often since Mum already told me the comp has gone cuckoo. Fingers, eyes & toes crossed that i'll still be able to go online.

Nothing much planned for the whole week except the usual movie marathons, shopping marathons, eating marathons. :D Probably try to catch up with some long-lost friends too.

Have a prosperous CNY to those celebrating! Collect loads of ang pows ya?!?!
To the rest, EAT, DRINK & BE MERRY... for tomorrow, ye can still diet.....Hahahaha...

High

I never really thought much about going up to the 71st floor of the Petronas Twin Towers. Sure, i stare out the windows when i'm waiting for the client but after going there often, i guess i didn't bother with the view anymore.

Since it's a corporate office, not everyone's allowed to go there unless you're a staff. If you want to see someone there, you have to get someone to come down to sign you in, take a Pass, swipe pass the turnstiles, put your bags throught the x-ray machine (ala airport checkpoints) then take the lift to the 41st floor, change lifts to the Upper floors. *groan* NOW, you understand why i sometimes dread going up there?

It wasn't till someone pointed out how privileged i am to be able to go up the Towers that i realized the things i took for granted. Visitors queue to go up to the Sky bridge on 41st floor and here i am, just wanting to finish and rush back to office. Talk about not seeing what is before me.

So yesterday evening, after my meeting, i took a couple of shots out my client's window. It wasn't a very good day for photos since it was getting dark and sky was hazy. Maybe i'll try again when the sky is clearer.

Choose what's right, consider what's left

Last night i had to make a difficult decision. It was one of those things which you wished you didn't have to choose coz knowing that either way, you will have to disappoint someone.

One would think that after 20 years, it'll get easier. Weekdays with Dad, weekends with Mum. Then there's the occasional debate of who to spend my birthday/public holiday/award celebration/graduation with. But it's times like Christmas and Chinese New Year when there's big family gatherings that things get dicey. Eventually, it worked into Christmas with Dad, CNY with Mum. Not that it was best but agreeable to a certain extent.

This year, i was ready to let routine take its course but Dad called last night to say that Cilla's dad (his cousin) has booked us for Reunion Dinner. Usually it's just a few families getting together for dinner and then meet up with other families a few days later for another dinner. But this year, they decided that ALL should come together. It's going to be massive with about 40 of us - immediate family, siblings, cousins, extended family, in-laws, out-laws.. you name it, they'll be there.

I reminded Dad that i usually have dinner at Mum's and he said he was just conveying the message. My place at the dinner has been set so the decision is mine to make. Gahhhhhhhh....
After deliberating for what felt like eternity, i called Mum to ask if i can have Reunion Lunch with her instead. It'll still be on the eve of CNY. Again, the answer was "the decision is yours".

Ugh.... why does it have to be so hard? Both options placed in my hands and weighing equally as heavy. If only i can duplicate myself to be at 2 places at the same time, then i wouldn't have to choose.

PS: Happy Valentine's Day dear ones. I hope you're not faced with these kind of decisions. *hugs*

One Art

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster,

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three beloved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

-- Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) a disaster.

~Elizabeth Bishop~