Being Thankful: Day 75

I'm thankful for:

1. bringing lunch to work. Less oil. No MSG.
2. finally getting down to reviewing and amending the summary M&As - 5 companies completed today!
3. conversations.
4. being able to provide compliance advice.
5. the radio. BFM in particular.

Being Thankful: Day 74

I'm thankful for:

1. not giving up although we were really really late.
2. the teaching at BSF. Time and again I've never regretted beating down that little voice which tells me to turn around and go back and that missing a lesson isn't a biggie.
3. completing my routine. Say no to 'lazy'.
4. the call. Things are moving forward, a step at a time.
5. always having backup dinner waiting at home, although I'm supposed to have already eaten before class.
6. oh oh oh I know this is more than my quota... but I'm thankful for having the resolve to drink more water (than usual) today!

A Question of Worth

Last week I sort of found out why I wasn't given the role I had interviewed for when I first joined my current company. It had to do with my lack of work experience, whereby the role was given to the other new recruit who had triple the years of experience than I.

Being Thankful: Day 73

I'm thankful for:

1. sleep. Enough sleep.
2. having a new resolve. I'm going to nip this p*****m in the bud by a lifestyle change. Day 1.
3. seeing the successful crowdfunding projects. Inspiring.
4. almost finishing my BSF homework. I do hope when May comes, I'll have more discipline.
5. being all ready for Monday.

Being Thankful: Day 72

I'm thankful for:

1. long overdue meetup with friends.
2. some cookie smelling shampoo - I wasn't sure whether it was the hair stylist or the shampoo at first! haha
3. peace in the family.
4. being able to nap anywhere.
5. cupcake from my assistant.

Being Thankful: Day 71

I'm thankful for:

1. getting my church membership card finally - forgot to mention this two days ago!
2. fun times with colleagues! Although it may (or may not ) be superficial, but we do have many days of joking around and teasing the few jokers.
3. the emails. I thought I had pushed my luck too far but it isn't the end of the road yet. There is still hope.
4. signs. It's always fascinating how things will only start to happen when I start sensing that a crossroad moment could be in the making.
5. looking at the better side of things. When a door closes, another will open and only then would you be able to appreciate the wonders behind that door.

Being Thankful: Day 70

I'm thankful for:

1. the answer to the question I have had for over a year and 8 months, albeit it had a sting.
2. being able to laugh and joke while my heart was in a tumult.
3. the simplicity of having a warm furry friend greet me with enthusiasm and look into my eyes and I know that it all doesn't matter.
4. being able to ease her burden.
5. friends and their support.

Being Thankful: Day 69

I'm thankful for:

1. getting a new work laptop and no need to use the LAN cable anymore!
2. finished my minutes and sent it to one of the directors for comments.
3. another opportunity. Things seem to be overwhelming now. Am I prepared to be tested?
4. going for cell, although I was the only one who turned up.
5. the funny incident when puppy didn't want to leave and I had to push her from her lying down position. I really don't know what she wants - food? to be adopted? just some affection?

Being Thankful: Day 68

Let's go retrospective from top down. I'm thankful for:

1. finally clicking the send button. Here begins another round of roller coaster emotions. I await His direction. I'm good either way.
2. having fried squid for lunch and dinner, coincidentally. Fulfilled quota for some weeks.
3. peristalsis. Amazing how our muscles work in systematic contractions to push down whatever we swallow. Thank God for this, especially when you're gulping down a Vitamin B complex tablet!
4. finally asking a friend for a favour which has been on my mind for quite some time.
5. my ears - can't imagine what I'd be missing if I didn't know what it was to hear. Praise God for giving us senses!

Being Thankful: Day 67

I'm thankful for:

1. not having to drive today.
2. started writing my minutes and finished about half of it today.
3. nasi lemak - somehow it's like my constant.
4. my little zackaroo for being so docile tonight - curled up next to me now.
5. that silly satisfying feeling of flipping a scab just at the right timing that it doesn't bleed.
6. my close friend being happy and having great opportunities ahead.

Being Thankful: Day 66

I'm thankful for:

1. Easter Sunday and my salvation. With the ins and outs of everyday life, I tend to forget that He went through all the sufferings, pain, rejection, ridicule and even the sting of death for me. So that I can be set free. That I belong to Him. That I can have hope in the darkest of days. That I know He is with me even though I cannot see Him.
2. Resisting the temptation to get a dress! Yes, picture will do and I hope one day I'll be able to make it myself.
3. Finding out that I can drive a big car (well, actually any other car than my own car). Fear conquered.
4. Laughs watching a 1960s footage of Frank Zappa playing bicycle on a talk show. Check it out here. Amusing to see how serious he was, or maybe he was just a poker-faced youth.
5. Giving it a try. Reply sent!

Being Thankful: Day 65

I'm thankful for:

1. an early start to the day. Yes, I did not sleep in!
2. a jog in the park. A last minute arrangement.
3. my new Adidas running shoes (bargain buy from Ueno, Tokyo) - so comfy.
4. my little cooking expedition - onsen tamago with Japanese curry.
5. learning to operate a lighter. Fear conquered.

Bought this pair for under RM70 at the market in Ueno - impulse buy as the cobbler had just sewed up my old pair extinguishing my need for a new pair

Onsen Tamago!

Still having the Japan hangover, today I decided to eat healthier (i.e. home-cooked) and try making onsen egg (soft boiled egg) in Japanese curry. Before I go further, here's the product:

Japanese curry (House brand) with onsen tamago (egg) and lap cheong and brown rice

Being Thankful: Day 64

I'm thankful for:

1. less traffic - it's always a blessing to have smooth roads.
2. cat naps - although they may last for under 5 minutes, the feeling after is refreshing.
3. puppy! She's such a pretty girl.
4. accomplishing what I had planned to do.
5. friends.

Coincidence

I was reading an article on the Malaysian Insider when I saw a distantly familiar name on the tweet feed panel. Could it be that poor fellow whom I had exasperated last year during the draft accounts review? Hey, it was  not my fault! My first time ever reviewing draft financial statements and these two companies just had to issue NCCRPS during the year under review! I was clueless and the poor dude was frustrated with my not being able to give a proper answer.

So anyway, on I went to click the twitter profile... and it was the same person! It's uncanny how much we can learn about a person online and not ever having met in person before. Ok lah, I stalked. But lesson learned: activate privacy settings in social media or maybe we really want strangers to know who we are?

Being Thankful: Day 63

Today I woke up to a shocking news. Karpal Singh had passed away in a car crash on the North-South Highway. Goodbye to one of the more vocal voices in Malaysia, who boldly fought for Malaysians for decades on end. And for those who are walking contradictions, shame on you.

Aside of the drama that this sad news has created, I'll continue with my positivity list. I'm thankful for:

1. being here.
2. a sign that maybe I do have a market value.
3. a way out of an unexpected turn of events. When more heads are together, a solution is faster at hand.
4. Greek yoghurt and honey - you make me "feel" healthy.
5. garden plants. Oh aloe vera, I will be harvesting you and learning how best to use you!

Being Thankful: Day 62

I'm thankful for:

1. the internet - I googled how to remove a ballpoint pen stain from suede and it worked pretty well, I think. Not perfect but the stain is no longer staring me in the face. Below's the results - using pen eraser (this rare commodity so difficult to find these days).
2. almost finishing my Audit Committee evaluation report - just a little more and I should be done with the first draft. Assignments always come last minute!
3. bonding time.
4. nasi lemak. Medium chain fatty acids are good right! Yes, I keep telling myself that.
5. butterscotch coffee.

Be gone, ballpoint pen stain! My Gap bag after undergoing cosmetic surgery. The colour should go back to its original after some use (I hope)

Being Thankful: Day 61

I'm thankful for:

1. being able to drive. For 5 years I did not have the courage to drive although I had taken my driving licence (with no bribe). This just proves that anything is possible. The key is to conquer fear.
2. life. Today while browsing through one company's minutes book, I came across a number of shareholders' resolutions which were signed by the late Tun Haji Omar Yoke Lin Ong and the late Tan Sri Datin Paduka Hajah Saleha Mohd Ali. One particular resolution struck me - it wasn't the content that touched me, but rather that it had both their signatures scribbled in a very shaky handwriting. The date of the resolution showed that they were both in their 80s at that time. Reading their biographies, they both had a life well-lived with many accomplishments. How many of us can claim such accolades at the end of our journey?
3. acceptance into a design thinking programme! I am excited. I will conquer my fear.
4. moisturisers. Never really believed they could work on my dragon hide, but it did! Slowly and bit by bit.
5. Mr manja dog - he is learning to forgive me for playing with other dogs.

Being Thankful: Day 60

Although I had quite a bad start today, I'm thankful for:

1. bosses who understand and are willing to contribute to my minutes writing due to our technical problem. I'll try to speed up the drafting and listening processes.
2. getting out of that rut of a feeling. Perhaps making green tea helped.
3. learning a little more about insurance.
4. my colleague who drove us to KL.
5. fellowship with my new BSF group.

Being Thankful: Day 59

I'm thankful for:

1. a day of washing.
2. having the time to do my own stuff at my own timing.
3. carbonara.
4. having the luxury of choosing what I want to eat, wear, do - we easily forget what many people are deprived of and keep thinking that what we have is not enough.
5. a restful Sunday, which is also Palm Sunday.

Being Thankful: Day 58

I'm thankful for:

1. spending some quality time with my car - bathe the little white elephant after more than 2 months of neglect.
2. meeting friends and a wedding.
3. getting in before the downpour.
4. parking further away and avoiding the fallen trees.
5. Thai food! Flavourful.

Being Thankful: Day 57

I'm thankful for:

1. Patience - having that little voice (the Holy Spirit) tell me to calm down and wait before replying.
2. Surprise celebration for a colleague.
3. Water - amidst water rationing, our area still has water supply, must use water prudently.
4. Rain - to cool the hotness & hopefully fill the dams.
5. That feeling of satisfying a tired body by dropping off to sleep.

Being Thankful: Day 56

I'm thankful for:

1. waking up - because we always take this for granted when it is not an impossible thing that one day we could stop waking up.
2. patience and being able to laugh in the face of a confrontation (well, more times than not).
3. spending quality time with family.
4. that cheeky smile I see - all I can define is the white teeth and brown eyebrows!
5. the ability to change. I've tried many times but I'm thankful that I've never stopped having the desire to try again and again and again.

Being Thankful: Day 55

I'm thankful for:

1. waking up on time, despite sleeping late last night.
2. finishing my calbee cereal!
3. the funny thought - black puppy has got a boyfriend (who follows her around!).
4. home-cooked chicken curry.
5. a proper functioning laptop :) - boy, do I have some horror stories from the past!

Being Thankful: Day 54

Well, chronologically this isn't Day 54, but it's where I'm picking up thus the continuation of the running numbers.

I'm thankful for:

1. being able to be of help to a friend.
2. motivation in joining a MOOC on entrepreneurship. Excited to learn.
3. helping out in the kitchen.
4. the smiling black puppy, which is three times bigger than Zack.
5. my first time making my own cup of green tea - genmaicha!

Cheating and Starting Again

It's been almost a month since my disappearance! Oh how time flies! Here's an IOU note for my 12 days of happiness in Japan (I hope I'll have the time and mood to work on it this weekend).

Anyway what spurred me to pick up and continue on with my 100 days of thankfulness, was my joining a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) where one of the first things mentioned was to "rewire" my brain - changing to a positive mindset. The exercise was to list down 5 things I'm thankful for every day - which coincidentally was what I've tried to do for the past month or so (with the exception of the hiatus). It would be difficult in the beginning but would become more fluid as time goes by and this would be the sign that a rewiring was taking place.

So in order to have a clean start, I've decided to drop the backlog days I've missed after my return from Japan (that's about 14 days worth of thankful posts). To a new start of self improvement!