Mystifying Valley

The new company has given me a loan unit while waiting for my new laptop to arrive. 
 
Despite it’s a LIVEBOOK, all the MS software are downgraded at least one level from what I’ve used to. No more desktop search, no more Office ribbons, so it’s back to basics now. Ah well, beggars can’t be choosers. :|
 
I tried to install Windows Live Writer the whole weekend so that I can update my blog but the connection at home sucks big time. Bummer. I’ll try again next week so for the time being, I can only blog short messages with no pictures. And btw, I’ve lost my camera. Bummer again.
 
  

It feels like walking on cloud nine in the past two weeks and especially the past two days was even more surreal than I’ve thought it would be.

But sweet dreams have to surrender somehow and it’s coming to an end now.

At least for this chapter.

Having some really good time with the family in Shanghai now. And the greatest gift of all is to have met my baby nephew of 6 months old, Nathan for the very first time. He’s such a god sent angel… simply adorable beyond words. He chuckles when having his shower and he doesn’t disturb the adults during dinner time. How I wish I can bring him back to KL!

I’m not really in the mood to blog. And I love shanghai. Laterz.

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

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!

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.

To my best friend in London

~~ with all my love ~~

We didn’t take nice photos together for a long time and all our ol skool photos are hardcopies. Found this scanned photo in my archive, think taken around year 2000 at Yu Wei’s place in Bayswater during the good ol’ London days.