Mystifying Valley

I don’t really know how to describe my feelings right now. Today has more or less marked the final days with MS coz I’ll be on leave from tomorrow onwards. Official last day is actually on the 4th Sept so even though I have had two farewell celebrations today, I refused to bid farewell to my colleagues… I kept telling them that I’ll see them next week. Truth is, I’m not really good at handling emo farewell like this and it will always be a struggle. There are many friends at work whom our friendships have blossomed to the stage where it has gone beyond just workmates… many of us have held hands to weather many storms in the past and yet at the same time also shared the greatest & fondness memories from all the fun trips we went on together. 

Cleaning up 2 years plus worth of junks and memories… it’s harder than I thought

Seriously, I don’t know how am I gonna get through this. My colleague Haniza told me today, all of us somehow or rather will have to deal with this someday. So don’t look back, treat it like a divorce.

Divorce??? hmmmmmmm

I’ve already moved two boxes of belongings home when nobody was noticing. And hey, thank you for taking up all the hassles in the past few days to help me out with the moving and more importantly, keeping me sane along the way.

I’ll be off to Shanghai in a few hours time. Am taking this trip to recharge and distract and prepare myself for the new job when I get back.

Will try to blog from there if I can.

• need to fix my camera before Shanghai Trip
• need to send pile of wedding delicate dinner dresses, suits and duvet sheets for dry cleaning
• need to wash my car which is now covered with 1.5 months worth of dust
• need to tidy up my messy room
• need to start backing up data on my laptop
• need to list down a list of handover items for my current clients
• need to read up on lots of documents/ briefs/ on telco technologies for my new job
• need to start writing farewell note… which I find it very hard after 3 attempts…
• need to start exercising, eat and sleep well to fix my haywire body system
• need to start planning ahead weekend meals with sister/ friends and stop skipping meals just coz I’m too lazy to go out to even get a takeaway
• need to get out of the facebook social trap and get a real life
• need to stop missing working in Microsoft
• need to go Low Yat Plaza to buy a new external HDD and a another Sony SD Card for my camera
• need to re-stock some new and chic OL clothing after discovering how casual I’ve been wearing in the past 2++ years 
• need to learn to be weekend independent as I’d like to think that not having someone to spend the weekend with doesn’t mean it’s doomed

But to start that off, The Curve here I come!

I know I haven’t updated for the longest time. Please don’t bite me

The past week or so has just been crazy. All the late nights, dramas, fun and hardwork have taken over my normal life. Believe me not, I was out almost everyday from 7am to 1am or from 9am to 5am I was basically home for less than 5 hours, let alone getting any beauty sleep. And the surprising thing is that I’m crazily missing them already. It was such a blast and I totally enjoyed every single moment of it. Everyone I met during Tech.Ed has made an impact on me so much so that even though now everything is over, my thoughts still linger on.

I remember waking up last Saturday morning, feeling rather empty… not that I didn’t know what to focus on I just couldn’t get my mind off it. And looks like I wasn’t the only one.

Oh yeah, here’s the big news.

I have resigned from Microsoft two weeks ago and next Monday will be my last day. Can’t believe how time flies and I only have 3 more working days left in office. I haven’t had time to tell everyone yet because of my crazy schedule. That was a very tough decision to make considering the fact that I still have tremendous passion in Microsoft technologies and a third of the people at work are already my circle of friends - my activities partners, lunch and dinner friends, party friends, movie friends you name it. But one has to grow at some point doesn’t she? I’ve recognized it’s time to step out from the comfort zone and start taking care of myself and my future. if the management wouldn’t. But on a positive note, I’ll be taking on a far more challenging and at the same time very very exciting role somewhere outside of ICT. It sounds very promising but I’m not gonna set too high expectations for now. Things will be different. Very different. And I’m gonna have to buy a " Kamus" to brush up my deteriorating Malay. I’m carrying a very heavy heart to be leaving my wonderful friends in MS but I think the good has outweighed the bad Besides, I’m thankful for all their blessings. Will update you guys more once I tail off the new bandwagon.

Going back to KL today and I’ll try to upload some of the eventful photos here over the weekend.

Always the last one standing

No blogging in the coming week as I’ll be strapped down with Tech.Ed 2008. But you can follow me on Twitter where I’ll try to update as often as I can. http://twitter.com/stephchin

If you are a delegate, don’t forget to join us at Kaboom! Party on the last day, Thursday 14th August from 1.30pm onwards!!! I didn’t say this but… there’ll be a mystery guest as a surprise!

If you are an IT enthusiast and  haven’t yet registered, please go to www.techedsea.com to do that now.

For those who have registered, great news! Because there will be so many exciting side events and surprises awaiting you. We know your brain juice will be picked and your mind will be flooded with info over the 4 days next week.  But make sure you will also play hard and have fun with us okay. 

Tip: bring a camera

And if you spot me anywhere around, don’t be a stranger to say hi.

Wanna be TECH.ED Speaker Idol? Then read on.

Read more

Today is a strange and yet significant day. So much has happened recently in such short pace of time… in spite of my day packed with back to back meetings and non-stop phonecalls, I felt a sense of strange overwhelming calmness. Come what may, life is still good because I’m grateful for everything that I have and all the love I’m  blessed with.

Even though my car was knocked by two motorbikes again last night. I know, again. Again! Again!! I bet my readers won’t be surprised to hear about it anymore right?

And this time around, I was at the traffic light waiting for it to turn green and out of a sudden, my car was slightly jolted with a loud bang! Two motorbikes rhythmly collided and then conveniently fell onto my car! Of all cars along the freaking road they just had to choose my car to fall onto!

So my poor accident prone baby needs a plastic surgery now. Close friends are suggesting me to change my car to something else as it seems like a jinx for the past 3 years since I was made the owner. I dunno… I love my car very much as it’s the very first asset that I own under solely my name. Wait a minute, did I just mention asset and not liability? Nevermind me, I’m in denial! :D         

For the first time in my life my strict and prudent brother is so excited to hear about my recent development and so he decided to buy me a trip! woohoo! Gonna meet him in Shanghai in three weeks time and then we’ll have another sibling reunion again in Phuket in October!

I’m so blessed!

There will not be that many posts this week and next because…

I’m buried with Tech.Ed and other workload and brushing up with some speed reading in my own spare time.

Bought 3 Marian Keynes paperbacks over the weekend and although it was really hard to resist, I’ve promised myself not to read them until Tech.Ed is over. But on the other hand, all these boring technical books which I’m currently having hands-on are such a great sleep inducer, I tell ya!

On a lighter note tho.

Had lunch at Shanghai Ten this afternoon and Japanese dinner with Yutz and Winnie after work. Gosh… think we were the loudest table there! Cried so much because of all the stupid and hilarious jokes they cracked, so much so my stomach was hurting when CK joked about permanent erection of a transvestite. Funny shit.

Will be on leave tomorrow because of too many errands to run and not forgetting to pick my bestie up in the evening. 

Happy Working Wednesday y’all!

The weekend has gone by in the most quietest, and in some way serene which I haven’t had for a long time. No parties, no dinners, nothing for a change. Just some "me time" to reconnect back with this worn out soul and discovered so many little things I’ve overlooked in the past. Like some new clothes of which price tags were still attached immaculately in the colorful shopping bags and I couldn’t remember when or why I bought them, for example.  

Did a literal spring clean of my room, my store room, my bathroom not to wipe out old memories but only with the desire and hope to give my life a fresh start.

And when I dream tonight, this is the place where I wanna be.

Picture courtesy of my facebook buddy, Yong.

Good night, pals.