Nuffnang

Friday, March 30, 2012

.: Project Prince :.

The husband & I have been busy of late with our little “pet project” named Project Prince.

On one hand, I am quite concern given that we haven’t even concluded Project Casa yet, but on the other hand, I do not wanna miss out a good opportunity should it present itself.

So here’s to Project Prince.

Oh, and many thanks to Benedict for assisting us in Project Prince too.

.: The First Step... Soon :.

If you are as hooked to Draw Something as I am, then here’s the story behind it.
Here's Charles. A month ago he was set to close his business. This week, he sold... it for $180 million. That's why he's smiling...

After six years trying to figure out how to make games on the iPhone, Charles Forman was about to give up, with his company, Omgpop, set to run out of money by this May. Things changes three days ago. He said in an interview with the New York Times on Monday “I had $1,700 in my bank account yesterday, and now I have a whole lot more.”

So what changed? After 35 attempts at making games that would be successful, the Omgpop team finally found a hit at the beginning of February. The game, called “Draw Something” is like Pictionary for the iPhone. Since it launched on Feb 6th, it has been downloaded 35 million times. It caught the attention of Zynga, the game company behind Farmville and other Facebook game hits. A month after the game launched, Zynga just bought Omgpop from Charles for $180 million.

Do you have the perseverance to try to create a success after 35 failures? Is it worth the six years of trying and failing to reach the runaway success? This is another example of hyper-growth that comes from getting your surf board back out there again and again.

Many have reposted this on my Facebook feed, a lot quoting on how Charles has been an inspiration for them to persevere; try harder and not giving up hope on hitting the proverbial jackpot.

But for me, when I read this post, I can’t help but feel a little bit disappointed at myself. In my whole 26 years (and counting) on planet Earth, I don’t think I have really taken any big risk, any big chances. I have not throw caution to the wind and say “heck this, I am gonna do it MY WAY”. Trust me, there are plenty of times where I would just like to walk away and take that chance, you know, to take the road less traveled and do something that nobody could imagine me doing. I sometimes feel that I am the cookie cutter variety and sometimes I just hate myself because of that.

I could have been the next Charles, the next Tony Fernandes, etc. But, sigh, I am just too big a coward to take that first step.

But again, I remember this quote that my great mentor once told me “It is only by venturing out of one’s comfort zone in obedience that one can benefit most!”

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

.: Woven Into My Life :.

What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments,
but what is woven into the lives of others.
– Pericles -

13th April 2012 will mark the 6th year death anniversary of my late grandpa.

Whenever we have family gatherings, amidst the bustling chatters and laughters, I would take a personal pause to let all of it sink in and to also reflect. This is how you would have wanted us to be. Blood is thicker than water, you have always said, and I know how you have put in so much to ensure that we carry that reminder with us.

When I was younger, you, through my mom, have always emphasized the importance of being a close-knitted family. But back then, I was too young to really comprehend that true meaning of that. Yes sure, my brother, cousins and I love to meet up during school breaks, run about and have fun in the sun. I never saw it coming, but one day, it really hit me hard - and things were never really the same again.

 No more hide-and-seeks, no more ice-and-fires, no more lat-tali-lat-tali-tam-plongs. And no more playing grown-up because we really were grown ups.

We barely meet anymore as we find it difficult to find a common time amidst our busy working/studying schedule. Now, I finally understood what you and my mom meant when mentioning that being a close-knitted family requires the hard work and effort.

Focusing my thoughts back to the gathering, I looked at the younger ones teased each other over a private game of charade, and as the older ones discussed over serious matters of politics and finance, I can’t help but smile in my heart knowing that this is the fruit of what you have laboriously sowed.

You may not have left behind heaps of tangible fortunes like other wealthy baba tycoons, but I am so glad that we inherited the richness of family values that you have weaved into our lives.

And for that, I thank you.

Monday, March 26, 2012

.: Sherlock Holmes BBC Series :.

My cousin, Tammie, who is obsessed with all things British, introduced me to this BBC Sherlock Holmes series, and boy am I hooked!

If you grew up reading and falling in love with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock AND you love the witty character portrayed by Robert Downing Jr. in the two Sherlock Holmes movies, then this is a MUST WATCH for you! It’s just too witty, too blardy brilliant (pardon my England) and very much entertaining.


Tammie has been raving again and again over the British actor that plays Sherlock and I was really looking forward to see the all-so-dreamy-chap in the series. I was a tad bit disappointed that Benedict Cumberbatch wasn’t as good looking as I though he would be, but he is delish nonetheless! :) He really suits the role and is a brilliant actor, so it comes with no surprise that he is named Actor of the Year 2011 by British GQ Magazine!


The series is an adaptation of the works of the Sir Arthur, but with a slight bit of twist, albeit in the 21st century. Now, imagine the Sherlock you and I grew up to love from the books. Yes, he still dons his trademark trench coat, and his other trademark deer hunting cap made a quick stint in one of the episodes. But, hilariously, his trademark pipe is replaced with nicotine patches (not one, but three at a go).  

I think that one who has not read Sir Arthur’s Sherlock will enjoy the movie, but those who have read will really laugh as certain scenes teases those die-hard Sherlock fans if you pay attention closely. His nemesis Prof James Moriarty now calls himself Jim (Andrew Scott) and is a “criminal consultant”. His sidekick Dr Watson (Martin Freeman) is *surprise*surprise* blogger who blogs about Sherlock’s case and have really high hits on his blog.


There are only two seasons to date (with the 3rd one in the pipeline as promised), with each series only 3 episodes with each episode 90 minutes long. I regretfully, only have one more episode to watch which after I will have a drought for the rest of the year till the third season release next year.


SHERLOCK, Y U NO FASTER RELEASE?

Sadness personified! :(

I am planning to dig back up my Sherlock Holmes series (Kevin, is it with you?) and re-read them just for kicks!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

.: I Stand In Awe Of You :.

And I stand, I stand in awe of you
I stand, I stand in awe of you
Holy God to whom all praise is due
I stand in awe of you.

 
He is an AWESOME God isn’t He? When all things fail, He doesn’t. And that is what I love about Him! He is the same yesterday, today and even tomorrow!

I am so blessed!


Friday, March 16, 2012

.: Eat, Drink & Be Merry :.

It’s been a while since I’ve updated my blog on the recipes that I have tried & tested.

I have a couple of pics stored in my DSLR, but the lazy bone in me has grown so big than it was before that I… well, I am just plain lazy (I am too lazy to even come out with an excuse for my laziness)

Anyways, I suppose the post-worthy recipes would include
1)      Leg of lamb – a simple marinate-and-roast recipe that I have tried over the Chinese New Year. The family loved it. The friends were impressed that I manage to conjure up something like that (tho it’s really pretty simple – just marinate & roast). Will find time to post it, I hope.
2)      With the leftover lamb meat from the above 1), I whipped up a very simple yet satisfying Mexican dish - fajitas. Really simple to prepare – the meat & some cutting up of the sides. Easy peasy! Again, will find time to post the recipe up!

This weekend, I am gonna try some Greek cuisine (and a lil bit of mix in between) .
Starters would be a selection of dips together with pita bread, focaccia bread (that we got from Ben’s General Grocer in Publika), carrot stick, cucumber stick, celery stick, blanched broccoli & nachos
Mains would be grilled yogurt and mint chicken served with tzatziki sauce and some pork sausages (again, got that from Ben’s General Grocer)
And since it’s my mom’s birthday, I got her a jumbo cupcake from Bisou (many thanks to TimeoutKL for the complimentary jumbo cupcake!)

So hopefully this weekend cookout would look like this :

Taken from my Eat, Drink & Be Merry Pinterest board








Tuesday, March 13, 2012

.: A Boss & A Friend :.

It’s been so long since I’ve penned my thoughts down. Been rather busy of late – with Project Spring & Project Masterpiece in the doing. Then at work, there’s also the departure of someone very dear to me.

For the past 2 ½ years, I have had the privilege of working with this lady boss. I have not really worked with her prior to me joining this company, but I did have some prior interactions (albeit very minimal) in a Group committee.

When I joined the present company that I’m currently working in, I didn’t know of her “reputation”. First impression during the Group committee meets, she seems like a very nice, jovial lady. So, when I was offered a chance to be placed in this company, I said “Why not!”

Brutal lady boss (Devil Wears Prada)

There is this side of her which reflects the true dragon lady nature (she is afterall born in the year of a Dragon). She is a no-nonsense person and is not a pushover (one of the more critical skills needed in a position such as hers). She can be quite harsh when things are not done properly, but her way of doing things are pretty reasonable, in my opinion (at least for most of it). Hence, if I were to have asked around about of people's opinion of her, I prolly would have said “thanks, but no thanks” to the offer. Hence, her "reputation". However after getting to know her, what I have observed is that she is a great coach. Although she is very efficient in the way she does her work, she is completely patience with me and guide me step by step in the first few months I joined. And because the industry that I am in is something new to me, she doesn’t bark when I ask her loads and loads of question even though she has piles of work waiting on her end waiting to be completed.

There are also times where she shares with me her thought process and underlying reasons behind decisions made (which is mirroring what her immediate boss practices) which is where I could learn further, even tho I have no hands on experience in handling those things. She indirectly teaches me the soft skills in dealing with people. When to be soft and when to put your foot down and be stern. This is where I learn a lot on managerial skills which I hope I could put to good use someday soon when I’m in that position.

What I like about her is that she works hard, doesn’t butter or suck up to her immediate boss in order to gain favor and she acknowledges and appreciate her subordinates work. Even if I stay back to do something that is within my job scope, she will say “thank you” for it. She also stands firm on what is the right thing to do, and doesn’t bend easily, even to those who are senior management of the company. It does help that her immediate boss is a person of great ethics as well, which is why I love to work with this team. She doesn’t push the blame for mistakes made, and I have seen a couple of time where she took responsibility of mistakes that wasn’t really made by her, which really makes her a good superior. And again, because her immediate boss is also not one who points finger to blame, but rather to find a solution, a reason why I find enjoyable working with this team. There is no such thing as zero politics in the office, but what I also like about it is that she tries not to get involved, take sides or start one.

At times, after office hours, she takes off her "boss" hat and puts on her "friend" hat. I suppose what I am going to miss now that she’s left is not only great boss but also a great friend. She shares her life with me as I do the same. And sometimes I feel that she is indeed like an older sister I never had. Her wisdom and experiences she shared in many things helps me make a lot of decisions in my own life. I suppose it’s also chemistry that we can click so well. And in fact, we share the same sense of humour (albeit a slightly lame one) which can make us have the same thoughts over an incident and laugh about it even without saying a word. I would definitely miss the time where we poke fun of our own stupidity and mistakes at work or personal stuff.

For her farewell, instead of getting her a card, I came out with the idea of getting her a mini scrapbook with spontaneous polariod photos of the colleagues of the company. I also took a pic of her desk (albeit a cleaned one, but it was messy the whole tenure she was here) and tagged on the things that used to be here & there. Hopefully, she will still have a good laugh flipping thru the scrapbook while sipping mojitos and sun-tanning in a beach in Melb. Or at least that’s what I visualize her to be doing!

Anyways, I do hope that she has all the fun being a housewife in the land down under….

She is indeed a great loss to the company and on a personal note, to me….

Sunday, March 11, 2012

.: Baby Elisha Turns One! :.

This darling sweetheart is turning one today! :)
Blessed birthday Elisha! :)

.: Absence :.

Dear Diary,

Pardon my absence. I have much to do, little time to write. Amidst it all, I do need a breather. So here's me taking a breath 

*breaths in, breaths out*

Till I find my foot on the ground again,
Kath
xoxo

Monday, March 5, 2012

.: How One Should Live :.

Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring and integrity, they think of you.

H Jackson Brown Jr

Sunday, March 4, 2012

.: Giveaway Alert :.
























Piece of Pie Four Part Series Giveaway!
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