Maid of The Year

… is the one that says she often forgets some tasks which we ask her to do because she is lack of vitamin.

This happened on yesterday, when Mum Lee (my Mum In Law) just took her daily vitamin consumption. After that Mum Lee continued baking cakes while saying that maid in Malay language (how careless and don’t know how to do work bla bla bla). I was sitting in front of my computer when I heard that KNS maid said Ini.. saya kan nga makan vitamin. Kurang vitamin. – something like this. Wtf, I almost fell down from my chair.

… is the one that turns on the air-con herself and lies on the living room’s floor, cause the weather is so hot.

I’m so gonna kick her *ss if I were there. My boy and I have to think twice before we turn on the air-con in living room – think about the electric bill and the effect to this earth. But this KNS maid just use it like it is natural wind. The 40sth woman is so lazy when it comes to work and yet knows how to enjoy life. Wtf, she never hears about ‘menyelesaikan kewajiban baru menuntut hak‘ (do your duty first, then only ask for your right) is it? Just because Mum Lee is so kind and chinchai then she climbs on her head. Ugh.

… is the one that asks you want to eat or not. If you want, she will fry eggs for you.

This often happened before dinner time. My boy’s Grandpa and that KNS maid usually have early dinner. After that, the foods left so little only. Then that KNS maid will ask me (us actually, but don’t know why she always asks me and not my boy, scares being scold I guess) whether I want to eat or not and that she will fry eggs if I want to. Not once or twice, but almost like every evening. On the surface, it sounds as if she is so concern about me. But, wtf, fry eggs? Everyday? Siao. Macam memang ciak nui po nui.

… is the one that asks you want to heat the foods or not. If you want, please do it yourself with microwave cause she doesn’t know how to use it.

Luckily Mum Lee didn’t teach that KNS maid on how to use microwave. Otherwise, it will be her easy way out and doesn’t want to heat foods using the stove. Like the above fry-egg’s story, this doesn’t happen once or twice only. Each time I answered that I don’t want to eat first, she continues asking about heating the foods as if she never heard me saying NO.

And this afternoon she asked the same thing again after Mum Lee asked if we wanted to eat or not (cause it was 1pm already).

She : Ti, mau makan?
Me : Nga, nanti. *continue clicking the mouse*
She : Makanannya mau dipanasin?
Me : -__-” *KNS didn’t hear that I said later meh?* Iya, iya panasin lo. *you so want to do, go do la*
She : Tapi.. ini.. saya nga paham cara pakainya. *point to the microwave* *hint me to do it myself*
Me : -___-” *kill me please*

Again, on the surface it looks like she is so concern about me. But, it sounds like ke mui in Hokkien. KNS, if the stove is occupied for baking cakes and she doesn’t know how to use the microwave (and not allowed to use it), by all means no need ask whether I want to heat the food or not. After I say yes, she told me to do it myself. Then, what for asking me that question? Just cut the crap la. Not like she never saw us heating the foods ourselves. Haihz..

Now I understand why some people can have so many complaints about their maids and why that cruelty towards maids can happen. Be in the situation and you’ll get it.

End of the rant about the maid. No worry, this rant doesn’t overpower the blissful feeling for having a maid. I’m still thankful for having one although her attitude is KNS one. I guess it’s best to say that I’m having a love-hate relationship with house-maid.

Low Fare Ticket Huh?

I have been looking for flight ticket to Medan my hometown since we already know that our ROM date will be on February 19th (how I wish I can have Jan cs as our witnesses. haihz) and that we can get the marriage certificate on the day itself.

The upcoming flight is an action of kill two birds with one stone, which means I can go back to celebrate Chinese New Year, to file our marriage form in Medan, then apply for 3 months social visa. Most importantly, my tourist visa will expired on 24 or 25 Feb (I forget the exact day ) so I definitely need to get my a** out of here in between Feb 20 to Feb 24 or 25, before the immigration kicks me out from this country.

Since the timing is around Chinese New Year, the flight ticket is super duper expensive. I almost fainted down when I saw the fee. Wtf one way can go up to RM770! We have two heads that need to take the flight. You do the math. Luckily I still have time until 24/25 Feb, although the fee is still slightly expensive around RM400 one way. Sigh.

Screenshot of the fare for Sibu to KL, one way flight ticket, as of January 21st 2010. Freaking expensive can die.

I probably need to find other channel of income to support this kind of emergency travel plan. Selling unlocked phone sounds good and promising too.

Now off to pump oil (read: work harder).

Last Sunday on January

Time flies real fast, we are about to leave the first month of the year and soon will step into the most commercialized month of the year (thanks to Valentine’s Day). Although the first day of Chinese New Year falls on the same day as V-day, the flower shops in this town already advertised that they will be opened on that day. No matter what, flower is the favorite gifts for her (read: female) but I don’t really care cause I finally can spend V-day with my other half, I’m not gonna ask for more.

My life here is so far so good, though I found myself complaining a lot more than usual. Can’t blame me cause I’m still adapting with the new environment, lifestyle, people, family and all. So many things that I need to compromise with.

I could be keeping all those complaints myself, but it will just add on more burden to me which might result in a sleepless night, grumpy face, bad mood, silent cry at night time, etc. So yea, sharing it with someone is the best way to keep my sanity. Though it looks like I need to find other ‘ears’ to keep the sanity of that someone.

There are things that I can pretend not seeing, but there are some that I can’t tolerate such as the maid’s attitude. This is the first time ever I came across a maid who told you not to turn off the aircon and turn it on herself a second after you turn it off just because she is ironing clothes there. Wtf? There is ceiling fan near her ironing place, which I don’t use because my working table is so far away from the fan and that’s why I use the air-con. Damn know how to enjoy life but never done a good job.

Seriously, having a full-time maid at home is not fun at all. At first I thought my life will be easier cause there is someone cooks for us, does the laundry (using washing machine instead of hand-wash like in Medan), sweep, mop, washing dishes, wash car, prepare Milo and bread for me when I have so many design work waiting for me, etc. But NO! It is far from making my life easy.

Her cooking is far from delicious but it is edible and I don’t want to spare time for cooking so what can I complain (I miss Mum’s cooking!!!). The Milo is always too sweet and always has ants inside, not the tiny ants but quite large one that is impossible if she doesn’t see them. Every time when there is something bad happen or some stuffs are missing, all she says is I don’t know and not me. She already worked here for almost 2 years but still can’t get things done right. Ok, no need perfect and right, but at least listen and follow what we say.

I have stopped asking her to do stuffs for me, except the laundry, cooking and open the front gate for the car. Asking her doing stuffs will just add in the trouble, not making easier. I seriously can’t wait to see the new maid which will come in around 1 or 2 months. Hopefully we will get a younger one and less lazy. Sigh.

Oh Yes! We’re Almost There

After months and months of long tiring full of headache process, finally we are coming to an end soon. Real soon. Although after this we’ll need to go through another level, it is still such a relief to know that we only need to wait for another 21 days before we can sign the paper and officially (plus legally, though only in the eyes of M’sia gov until we go back Indo and settle another level) become husband & wife. Pfiuh.

Getting this happy news really means a lot to both of us. It determines our next step, plan and life. Yes, it is dead serious. Not only about my visa but also my medical insurance. A month ago we just bought medical insurances for ourselves due to the reasonable insurance quote. But, I still can’t get it done because we don’t have marriage certificate from the government. We have nothing that can legally proved that I am his wife. Instead, I am just another foreigner in the eyes’ of M’sia gov. Sigh.

So.. well, tonight I sleep also can smile. *broken English mode on* One worry is being taken away.

Touching scene that makes me cry

The first month of 2010 hasn’t ended yet and I already have so many first time story, from first time buying clothes online to first time getting my own business card and looking forward to my first Orange NJ dental implants visit. And recently I just had my first time burst out crying in the cinema (worse than when I watched Money No Enough 2 back in 2008). It is Tiger woohoo!, Malaysia 1st Chinese New Year movie, that brings such a heartwarming effect.

Synopsis of Tiger woohoo!
‘Woohoo’ (tiger dance) is a tradition practiced in a small village (Beserah, Kuantan) during a prayer ceremony every 60 years. As the only elder who knows “Woohoo” can no longer perform, his filial granddaughter put up a misleading advertisement which in turn attracts five youngsters from different backgrounds – bad-tempered bank security man Ah Beng, indecisive Char Kuey Teow hawker Ah Huat, effeminate designer Rain, university student Bobby and smart alec Alan – to be trained as ‘woohoo’ players. After some tough training, they finally look like a formidable team. However, few days before the anticipated festival day, the only ‘tiger head”‘is accidentally destroyed by the mischievous kids in the village.

We watched the movie on Wednesday hence the discounted price – RM7

First touching scene is when they have a family dinner. The ahbui asks his Grandpa why he keeps on smiling and Grandpa says because he is able to have dinner together with them (sth like that). Ahbui says,”But we aren’t eating any delicious expensive foods.”

I burst into tears immediately. The kind of crying moment that I had when sending my family to the airport (after my wedding ceremony in Sibu). It reminds me of how I used to have dinner together with Mum and bro, and how I’ve taken that family moment for granted. Then I remembered few weeks ago my Mum told me that she had dinner alone at Fountain cause my bro had extra tuition class. Having dinner alone outside is the thing that one will least look forward to after a long tiring day. I felt awful for not being able to accompany her.

Second touching scene is when the 4 little girls refuse to go back home cause they made mistake and the mother is very upset with them. Then their father looks for them and tells the story of how their mum used to be very skinny, talked also so soft one until she had the 4 daughters, that’s when she started to yell at them cause they are naughty. Whoa, so touching.

Anyway, back to the movie. We already anticipated to face the crowds like when we went for Avatar, but it turn up the opposite way. We were the second and third person to go in the theater. No queue and no brutal pushing. The audience was half than when we watched Avatar. Not sure if it’s because school holiday is over or because it’s local movie.

But whatever, this movie is a must watch! It has daily life stories that people can connect one. Sort of like Jack Neo’s movie, full with humor and life’s message. I wonder when my beloved country Indonesia can produce such movie with essence (or we already have it but I don’t know?), instead of movie with dirty humor, love story, and horror with weird title such as Hantu Puncak Datang Bulan – wtf? sounds like the ghost can have monthly period one. -__-”

My Vintage Wannabe Picture

Here is my first attempt in creating vintage-mode-picture using Photoshop since I got the sudden urge to create one. Found the simple and short tutorial from here.

Picture was taken on yesterday evening – our movie night out. We were crossing this pedestrian bridge while chit-chatting about drug rehab issue and the action reaction of the authority (whoa, walk also can discuss such a heavy topic ), then I suddenly told my boy to stop and take picture together first cause long time never takes couple pic already.

He has a good skill in taking self-picture, no? But don’t see the surface, he actually hates taking self picture and rather choose to be the man behind the camera, if not because of me. *xing fu mode on* aww..

Cat with Mustache

I used to bring my digicam wherever I went (college, office, mall, cafe, you name it) and never failed to snap at least a picture or two for memory purpose. But ever since I moved to Sibu, I seldom bring it out already. Most of the time I only carry my mobile phone in the pocket, that’s all. Even if I bring my Canon out for a walk, I don’t always take picture.

Guess it’s a mind-playing thing. The image of Sibu as a boring small town has stuck in my mind. Therefore my subconscious tells me that there is nothing interesting to be captured from this town and that I have snapped whatever interesting from my previous trips to here. It’s like, when we first heard about diet supplements, we were so excited and slowly get bore of it.

Then this morning when I checked the pictures on my Canon and realized how little pictures I took during this 45 days, I got sick of the pics. I couldn’t tolerate it cause it is so not me. That’s how I decided to bring back my desire of carrying digicam with me.

Yes, this town might be small and the shopping complex can’t even beat Sun Plaza in Medan, no need to compare with Sunway Pyramid or 1U in KL, BUT small doesn’t mean boring. There must be something interesting out there – everyday. I just need to be more sensitive, really see, feel, appreciate things around me and eventually I’ll see the beauty. *brainwash myself*

Not long after making that promise to myself, I saw something interesting and worth to be kept as memory. Neh, this cute cat with mustache, that we came across when having dinner before went to the cinema. Ok la, it is not the real mustache but just black color in between the cat’s nose and mouth. But if see from faraway, it does look like mustache lo. Almost looks like Charlie Chaplin to me, but my boy said looks like Hitler. We don’t mean to laugh at the cat, but thumbs up that it has such a unique look.

I’m looking forward for snapping more interesting and memorable pictures!