Internship at Trident

"Doors that He open, none can close,Doors that He close, none can open"

I came to understand what this saying really means when I was offered a job opportunity at Trident. After being rejected by Shell (How sad..), I was prepared to spend my three months holidays just at home, lingering around like last year. However, just before my holidays start, I got a phonecall from Trident. They have agreed to take me in and hear this, without interview! I suspect they picked my application form randomly (probably with eyes closed and eni minie mou)...However, I trust that the hand of the Lord guided this. I mean, who else could have planned this? Out the few applications they received, they picked me! Imagine how thnakful I was for this. I was reminded of the verse I read from Psalm years ago on how He could change the tides and seasons. He was in control because He's the Creator. I felt very safe because I know that I'm in good hands.

I started my first day at work with mounted excitement. I didn't know what to expect but I quickly settled in. Partly was because I had such a nice group of colleagues. Though I was only and intern, they took me pretty much like one of their own. The warmth they showed touched me deeply. They allowed me to take part in their projects. The best thing was my supervisor took time off and taught me from basics. She was ever patient and throughout my internship period, I had not once saw her losing her temper despite the bugging from the people around. (So, guys, anyone wants me to intro?!! I don't think she mind younger guys. Haha...)

I had my own space and internet connection though I felt guilty for misusing it. All in all, I had learnt a lot from this internship and had made many friends as well. Three months zoomed past without me realising it. My internship with Trident has come to an end. I'm forever thankful for this opportunity to work with them.

Bird-Watching

I felt a tug on my arm. I was jolted from sinking deeper into my thoughts. "Hey, what are you staring at? Not nice to stare," I heard her whispering. She has just saved me from what would have be an embarrassing moment of ignorance. I was looking at some folks around me without realising that I was actually staring at them.

I always have this problem. No..I wouldn't call it a problem. I just love watching people around me. I wouldn't deem myself as observant but I enjoy bird-watching. I could sit down by myself on a bench in a park and just watch the going-ons around me. Everywhere in fact. It was also relaxing to lie on a lazy chair on the beach and just look around. There are a lot of details that people overlook when they rush through their routines. Because I commute by train everyday to and from work, I had a lot of seeing to do.

There are actually a lot of interesting things to see. For one, I was in Sentral waiting for the Seremban train to arrive when this young couple came and stood behind me. They were fairly young, 18 years old perhaps. The guy was short but pleasant looking. The girl looks young and pretty naive. Nothing interesting about them until it caught my eye. The boy just couldn't get his hands off her. How inappropriate!

Before long, the train came and we pushed our way into the stomach of the train. I managed to get a seat while scores of people continue in their bid of cramming into the train. Finally, the alarm buzzed and the door slammed to shut. The young couple disappeared from my view.

Another familar looking lady came into my view. She's a humble yet elegant looking young lady. In her twenties perhaps. Poised, simple and yet, she has this exquisite aura about her. Hair hung loose from her shoulder. Clothes neatly worn. A simple, pleasant person. (Forgive me if I sounded like a stalker. I'm not..just observant)

People tend to pick things up when they take time to observe their surrounding. But in our busy world today, people just rush in into their daily routine and often lose sight of what it is all about..Imagine rushing through 40 years of your life and when you are 60 and retired, you look back and realised that you have not achieved much because you were too busy doing what the world sets and mould you to do. At the end of the day, you suddenly realised that you have totally missed the point. My...how tragic..I hope that doesn't happen..

Take time to smell the roses...my friends..

World of Irony

Sometimes I wished I was created without emotions. Then we can be shielded against all hurful, poisonous arrows of unkind words shot at us. We would be immuned to others irresponsible usage of sarcasm and deeds. The most heart-breaking thing is being in the midst of your close friends and yet feel isolated. How? It happens. I call it the ultimate loneliness. Being there and yet not there. Too difficult to comprehend?

Picture this, won't it be good if what I say does not affect you? In that case, we don't have to worry about misleading others, causing another brother to fall or the young ones to sin. People then need not be defensive of themselves. The world has turned upside down. The many homicide or suicide cases we hear of these days branched off from the inability of people to take and digest another person's irresponsible usage of words. Minor arguments that broke out lead to bigger dispute and soon, when anger starts to flare, people lose their mind. They start to do silly things. They become violent. They can even kill. You see, human are amazing creatures. We are so carefully and wonderfully made that every single brain cells we have are positioned rightly. When one unhappy word is heard, signals are sent across. Hormones implement its effects. And boom, one person can turn into a monster just like that. Control system fails. System crashed!

Now, anger is an emotion. If the world does not know anger, won't that be good? Jealousy is also an emotion. Envy and covetousness fall into the same category. If a couple knows not of jealousy, it would not irk one partner's anger unnecessarily if all the other partner does was purely conversing with a member of the opposite sex. However, without jealousy or envy, we wouldn't know how much the other party cares for us. People will become robotic. Relationship will become simple but steel-y.

Unfortunately, (fortunately, rather)it is also jealousy that God demand us to obey and love Him only and no one else. It was jealousy and love that made God send His beloved Son to die on the cross for our sins. It was this pure jealousy that He demands worship from us. It wouldn't be ideal in God's eyes if we were created without emotions. We would never come to know what's love. Without knowing what love is, we wouldn't appreciate His ultimate sacrifice.

It's really ironic. Love unites but it also divides. Emotions add salt and pepper into our lives but too much of it, life becomes too salty and it is bad for us. Ironic...

Malaysian at H-E-A-R-T

I was surfing when I came across this article. This piece is easy to read and I must admit that its content is quite true. Haha...It did put me to shame to a certain extend but then again, this is what that distinguishes us from the rest of the world. Like it or not, it's an identity, an inseparable identity. Though not for the better cause. Enjoy it...

You complain about the quality of the pirated DVD you just purchased. "What, RM10 for DVD5?! Aiyah, boss ... sound no good, cheaperlah ...

"You're willing to consume sambal petai and durian and gladly suffer the bloating and wind-breaking incidents.You're exceedingly polite to the Mat Sallehs but you slag your own kind. "Hello, sir. Why don't you sit here, it?s got the best view of the city skyline." But, "Aunty-ah, your table is over there next to the kitchen.

"You order Maggi goreng and fried chicken, complain about how oily the food is, and then proceed to finish it anyway.You love to talk about food. You're already thinking about what to have for dinner while eating lunch. "I'm stuffed. What shall we have for dinner?

"You dive into a communal-style meal the moment the dish lands on the table only to hesitate at the last morsel of food on the serving dish. There are two possible explanations for this: the first is the pai seh (embarrassed) factor, while the other is the myth that the person who eats the last piece will be a spinster.

You hit the accelerator the moment the first drop of rain hits your windshield. "Alamak, it's going to rain. Sure traffic jam one. I'd better drive faster.

"You seize the opportunity to make a U-turn anywhere ... especially where there is a sign telling you not to. Well, so long as the cops aren't in sight.

Reality shows Akademi Fantasia and Malaysian Idol dictate your social life. "What, no TV at the mamak? Count me out ? I'm staying home. Rinie needs my support.

"You pepper every sentence with lah. "No-lah, I can't see you today-lah. I have to study-lah. You know-lah, the prison warden aka mak is watching me like a hawk

"You fail to function normally without your daily dose of teh tarik and nasi lemak.

You slow down at an accident site to take down the car number plate, but won't step out of your car to help ? the victim could be a robber!

You'd rather park your car along the main road outside the mall, where there's a yellow line, rather than pay RM1 to park inside where there are adequate bays.You plead, bat your eyelids and relate a sob story to the officer at the town council office to let you off the hook (or reduce the amount considerably) for the fine you incurred when you parked your car on the double line.

You make an appointment for 10am and conveniently show up a half hour late ? Malaysian time, what ...

You pop open the wet tissue packet at the Chinese restaurant by squeezing the trapped air to the top of the packet before proceeding to smash your fist into it. The louder the pop the better.

You have roughly six meals a day (breakfast, mid-morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and supper). Then there's the snacking ? keropok ikan, pisang goreng, muruku, jam tarts and the like.

Your accent and language style vary according to the race of the person you are conversing with.

You've got a friendly disposition. Smiles are abundant and your "Apa khabar?" is warm and sincere.You exclaim loudly how expensive everything is, even though the items may in fact be going for a steal. "Wah! So expensive, ah? Hak sei ngor (Scare me to death)

You "dis" our country all the time, but as soon as something good happens (like winning the Thomas Cup), you morph into a proud Malaysian.