Coffeeholic's Hour

Today, I am motivated to restructure my life. No matter how hectic my job is, I shouldn't use it as excuse to not live a life like what others could. Life should be more than just corporate ladder and money. So this is what I'm going to do: 1) Lay out the financial status Figure out the fixed commitment, variable expenses, debt level, saving level. I do believe part of restructuring involved monetary solution to either pay off debt, save enough, and invest in new hobby. First step of liberation in making choice is when you're financially stable. 2) Set life planner To seek balance between life and work, set a planner for all the major events. In work, jot down the appointments, deadlines and to-do lists. It's more tricky in life events. Firstly, me-time; followed by family, then social circles. Me-time refers to exercise, hobby, and the beloved. Family is more to lunch or dinner. Social circles are classified to personal gathering and work socialising. When the maj...

Months ago I wasn't sure how would I want to pick up the befriending mood to make a new colleague feel welcoming when the existing fellow left the department while I was on field work. All I knew was he had really charming emcee voice. And I thought he was not helpful at work. Coercive invitation was sent to him to help out in my event - he made me go chagrin by trying to pull my legs during the event. Guess I was too rigid to put up with his jokes. And I thought he was a bad influence. He would pester me for daily unofficial 4pm tea break at pantry, without fail. He said, I needed a break hence, the tea-break. And I thought he was kinda cool for making breakthrough from departmental state to office changes. He made me ponder and talked me into implementation and completing a proposal I thought I would never want to start it for thinking the idea would not be sold. And I thought I was lucky to have found an addition to Starbucks Joy Luck Club. This was where all the magics happened...

I have a lot of lovely couples as friends. They will be missing their partners when going out separately. Every single bit of thing will remind them of their other halves. They are so much in love like they first met each other. Every sweet gesture that makes you envy how great they have found each other. Of course, I missed those days we were all still single and available, and being carefree from the world. And yet, I am glad they have found their reliable half that completes them in a way of being loved. Most of my friends have found their other wonderful halves since college. All of those loving scenes resemble the real couples' portrayal from Plain White T's' 1,2,3,4 music video and I'd wish to capture those every unpretentious, precious moment to remind myself this love thing is real. To secretly reveal the fact that every time I look at your pictures, that truly makes my day effortlessly. Thank you for making me believe true love still exists :)

I have been learning swimming from my colleague slash friend in the past 2 months. The lessons go on sporadically and such randomness actually takes me quite some time to master the basics; also thanks to her persistence and my empathy for a pregnant lady who only sleeps better after swimming hence I decided to be her companion and by any chance maybe I could try to drown myself and swim. So we are kind of gung-ho about the after-work swimming session. No more after-work beer session, you see, as I’m pretty disturbed by the fact of being called ‘fat’ by a man who has bigger belly than my colleague’s pregnant tummy. That, of course, is my goddamn good motivation to make myself exercise. Day 1 to day 5, I barely even knew how to breathe. All I did was trying to finish the lap without breathing and of course, I swallowed some chlorine and got my nose suffered. Until her husband took turn and came to rescue the hopeless me from asylum starting from day 6. 3 scattered laps in one night mark...

It used to be an ultimate fun carousel to me. A merry-go-round that was occupied by adults and kids; we sure had a kind captain who was in charge of the carousel's speed as well as the riders to be qualified on board. The captain believed the carousel should be a rider-powered rotating platform hence everyone should learn the discipline when being on board with others. Sometimes there were minor arguments and debate. Sometimes they held grudges against each other. But most of the times they would end the downs when another held their hands highly through a rough ride, which usually followed by heaps with laughter and riders' very own senses of humour. When I first rode on the carousel, I was so envious of being fitted in their silly jokes. Most of them were very fun riders. They guided me on the seating, how to hold the handle, trying the new stunts to ensure I had the fun when I was bored with the traditional ride. They held me up when I fell from the seating, offered me candi...

It has always been good thing for the rise of Twitter and the saturation of blogging market. When people tend to retrieve quick information from tweet, they bother not to read lengthy writing piece, hence people like me would have written with less restriction in mind. It has been a while I last updated my friends of my whereabouts. All I would say is things have been spiraling up and down in erratic mode, which I thought I could have died young if I mishandled any trifles in life. Sounds exaggerating, you think. Once I spoke to a friend about the ups and downs. You gotta understand he has known me for almost all my life, hence I could not blame him snorted at my paranoia and naivety about life and death. But this one is pretty tough for me. I had already lost someone I loved and who had loved me for more than 24 years. It was comforting to know that he actually asked about me when he had a stronger heart to do so. I thought it was, you know, a phase of life and death; time will heal t...

Business travellers might seem very fun in the eyes of others. In truth, it isn't a business fairytale. Stepping on high heels, with huge backpack on the back, check-in counter, loafing around the lounge with eyes sticking on the phone screen, thinking of tonnes of things to do while checking out the airport... even a cup of cheap, tasteless coffee does not matter at all. Mind has been restructured and rehearsed of what kind of game face should one put on, as the customers are all unfamiliar, unpredictable to you. Coping with people in the morning, checking piled-up emails in the evening, drinking before going to bed. And best thing of all, I unchecked name card from the list. Oh boy, it's an endless ride till I touch my bed. Monday blue is genuinely true. Friday night is the exact opposite.

Okay I'm going to type something easy for my brother to read since he has been complaining about his confusion towards the strings of all the stories jotted in this blog. I received his telephone call this morning with both of us yawning over the phone, trying to troubleshoot some simple IT issues back at his house. Then we diverted our conversations to some daily mundane and grinds. He commented on how superficial of my current profile picture in Facebook, how lousy my blog sounds like, how I wasn't not getting ready to woo a boyfriend while he's on his way to make some nice college girls his girlfriend, what can be done to rescue me from being single, why shouldn't I post on his wall because I'm old and lame, which university should he enrol in after Foundation course, why shouldn't I stalk him on his FB account... so it's so all about us siblings. If my mother tried to make him to call me, he would throw in that kind of expression with ultimate disgust, s...

去年过得快到我都感觉不到那种速度如此地逼近我去接受新的一年的开始。你问我到底做了些什么？我说学了很多，真的很多。从工作、处世、人际，到书籍、电影、和生活，，每个芝麻绿豆的小细节都可以让人领悟每件事情发生的始与终都有着其中的连贯性联系 - 其中就是怎么学会活在过程。 我感激去年，亲手为自己买了代步工具作为一个拥有经济能力的指标。我感激身边的人给我很多机会去做我热爱的工作。一份不需要天天待在公司工作、只要自己懂得争取机会去学习都有办法去实现、充满创意和挑战的工作和自由，我真的很感激。另外，因为从前的家庭教育要我常常学习压抑着自己的情绪和想要的意念去取悦他人；而如今我要学会开敞胸怀，去坦诚自己的情绪和意念之余，也要身边的人为我所作的决定而支持我，而不要单方面一味地要求我去配合他们的情绪做人。我感激身边的人真正地为我开心和支持我的意愿，也帮忙我渡过很多难关。我感激每年还有能力和体力出国旅行作为长年工作的回馈、挑战人体极限。 原本想投资人生中第一份人寿保险，回头想想，预防胜于治疗，我该往另一个角度去看待自己的健康，而选择投资于体育装备去运动，投入多点时间去准备更有营养的餐单。我感激我还有能力去照顾一个完好无缺的身体，除了已经有三年前还没能力拔掉的四根智慧牙，到现在时不时会让我偶尔痛苦一下下。 我相信自己一直坚持的理念都没错，I wanna be happy and I'm happy, literally, by enjoying every single companionship and all the laughter. 总而言之，无论今年会是怎样，去年已经很美好，今年就算是普普通通，没什么大意外，无伤大雅的小惊喜也无妨。 “从前我希望他每天都陪着我，所以经常责怪他练功；他每一次跟别人比武我都会发脾气。我从来没有真正支持他做自己喜欢做的事情。现在可能是他最后一次比武了。” 张永成 摘自电影《叶问》

The first time I tested my eyesight power was back in 11 years old. I had my first glasses with the power of -1.50 and -1.30. Changed my glasses as the power shot up to -2.50 and -3.00 in less than 5 years. It could be owing to my nose attached to the glasses so much and it eventually relied on each other with very less separation. My aunty pointed out how sepet of my eyes back then and she actually advised me to avoid wearing glasses. I heeded her advice since then. Eyesight power decreased from -3.00 to -2.75 and the other eye remained -2.50 but the specialist adjusted both of my power to -2.75 in my third glasses. As I recalled, the eye specialist was asking sarcastically that why didn't I meet accident without wearing specs in frequent manners. I have not been feeling comfortable with wearing glasses in the past 2 years back in Brisbane. People teased me of wanting to appear pretty in the sight of public. Slight dizzy is one thing. Another thing is I felt okay without putting i...

To-Buy List: Spectacles. The old one has been on my nose for more than 5 years. Bother not the frame is totally not retro or can be classified to vintage. Camera. Brought a malfunctioned camera to holiday and was picture-less for the entire trip. Now I need to start study reviews. Canvas shoes. Red in specific. White loafers. CHECKED! Bags. Working bag is in crisis. 'Legend' is about to retired. And I really need a backpack! Watch. Simply need a new one. Wallet. Brauny starts to show signs of retirement. To-Do List: Ultimate Frisbee. :( Emo shit. Exercise. Thinking of a new hobby. Oh well. Going back hometown. At least thrice a year. Photo scrapbook. Missing my Down Under life heaps. Saving for next vacation. One freaking retreat once a year to fit the purpose of saving, other than materialistic sense of security.

Let's talk about a meaningful week. Chopped about 2 inches of my hair on Monday. Nobody realised the haircut even I mentioned it bluntly to everyone I met on Tuesday. They started to realise my youthfulness that stuck in white-collar-boring-black-trousers-3inches-heels OL outfit on Wednesday. I've got acknowledgment and career portfolios on Thursday. A problem-solver on Friday. Juggling between work and Ultimate Frisbee on Saturday. Brand building on Sunday. Lunched with my mother whom I haven't been eating together for months. You see how ridiculous I have been. Mom is the greatest being on earth - running my errands, buying me food, making me coffee, leaving me work in peace, and most importantly of all, welcoming me home with a smile :) So I practically grind for 7 days, next 4 days, on 30th and I'm leaving on a jet plane with my favourite bunch and visiting a funny couple!

Before I joined my current company, I was scheduled an interview with MD. He told me about the industry they are in and the direction they are heading. So you know being a passionate fresh man, I couldn't care much about his words. The funny, wise man turned serious and was sort of like telling me, said, the treatment is a long-term process for the patients. Whatever we're doing now is to provide them quality treatment. The patients may not seem to appreciate the things we have done for them for the pain they have taken in - hence, rejection is in expectation. But try to put yourself in their shoes. Think again, I might already want to commit suicide for hearing a news like that from doctor. That's the line always rings a bell. And passionate people I work with.

That was my birthday. I went to the original white coffee shop with my mate. Here came a beggar who spoke fluent Cantonese, "Hi Miss! I wish you have good health." We were then paused our conversation, quietly sipping our respective iced white coffee. His bowl came before me. I just laid down my head and looked away. My mate was just starring. I then put up my palm and signaled him to go away. He was still repeating the phrase before he left, "Missy, I wish you have good health." This moment, we finally stopped speaking to each other. 20 seconds later, she asked, why didn't you just donate to him? I replied nonchalantly of having a really bad experience with terrible liar who cheated my kindness. She asked again, "What if he really needs the money for a bun or a cup of water?" Silent invaded afterward. "Looking at his back, that sight really hurts my heart. I wished I had spare change to buy him something to eat." She regretted of her act, an...

I've seen heaps of rainbows these days. Oh my! Huge double rainbow that appears vividly to my line of vision. How amazing it is! Too bad I didn't capture any as no camera came in handy at the moment. The taxi driver lowered down my side of window, showed me the rainbows and I was impressed by his sweet gesture. He told me about how blessed he was to live in such beautiful world. Two years ago, I saw a small, beautiful rainbow under a moving surfer's surfing board in Gold Coast. I swear to my Xiao Bai, it was the most beautiful scene I'd ever seen on a beach. Other than the hot surfer who didn't even realise he could actually surf upon a rainbow. The last double rainbow I've seen was yesterday, while driving home alone, blasting some nonsense over the stereo stopping at crossroad, I looked at my side mirror and that's where it's shown. Yes, it was that huge and vivid that even my side mirror could capture half of its actual size. Wasn't it awesome! So...

Girlfriend: You broke my phone! Boyfriend: Okay darling, I will replace one for you. Ex-boyfriend: You broke my heart! Ex-girlfriend: It still works well, doesn't it?

This term seems very familiar to the management students. Nothing big, and it looks simple and easy to people who wants to be emotionally satisfied by what we are doing, what we contribute to create satisfaction for other people, and what we can achieve from work-life balance. And gradually, we make our daily routines to a career - enriching our life from our job and human interaction. It could be happened in any type of jobs but we are responsible to find out what future that lies beneath. Challenging one-leg-kick job with lower pay or a steady and stable 9-to-5 glamorous OL? This could be a huge turning point in life once the choice is made. It's frustrating of knowing what you want and yet not getting support from people around you. I am taking this bet on my future and am sober enough to know what am I doing right now. Some people might think I'm putting the golden years on stake. Should I feel regretted five years later and wonder why the hell am I sitting here and time ju...

It was the second day of new year. Drizzling and my cowboy outfits wet a little. Sat in a crowded space with mates in Starbucks was once brought me back to the moment of being a college student. Couldn't remember was there any song played in background but our table was loud with laughter, which you might assume our topics were about fun and entertaining - try to imagine the exact opposite. Perhaps there was always a way to tone things down without more sobbing and whining I reckon. I've received my first compliment about my outfit, first lunch treat, first Frappé , first misunderstanding, first epiphany, and first decision made. The clues are yet well put in my script. But the good feeling is ready to flow till end of this year, oh boy how I wished! Resolution? Be happy along the way in achieving my dreams. Someone just enlightened me :)

Now you want to be free So I'm letting you fly. I ain't gonna cry, no And I won't beg you to stay If you're determined to leave I will not stand in your way.