a week's recap...

I'm going to sound like a broken record... but the fact is that it was a busy week at work. Not the busiest that I've ever been but it was busy nonetheless. From Monday when we had an important discussion session with the BigBoss right until Friday evening when we had a continuing session on the same topic. In between, several other things to take care of... including matters which need to sorted by next week.

At the same time, had to assist with the children volunteer team who was running a last minute activity this weekend (today actually... taking some kids from Rumah Darul Kifayah to see Kung Fu Panda). Being the intermediator and sort of problem solver.

But I like being busy... and getting things done. The feeling of satisfaction when you know you've done something that makes a difference or be part of something that will set the path for the country for the next 50 years.

It makes me feel good... doing all that.

Of course, I don't like everything about my work. When we start discussing about a particular subject matter, my mind just gets in a rojak mode. It just refuses to cooperate and it's just so hard for me to get a grasp of the whole thing. Ironic... considering that it is a subject matter which is related to my degree major :p But that's life... you don't get everything that you want and sometimes you just have to handle $#!^

Tapi dalam busy-busy tu, still sempat have some fun time 8-)

Went out for lunch with Doc MRA NAMN... a long awaited belanja by Doc. Kat La Bodega BSC. I've heard lots of great reviews but somehow have never tried the place. And I was glad that Doc really wanted to have tapas... the food good, the company great. If only ZI could have been there as well... it's a pact that the five of us made... to have monthly lunches together... after JPB was disbanded. But somehow, despite numerous attempts, it's not that easy to get all five of us together. Mesti ada sorang yang cannot make it.

Has life really become that busy??

During the drive and sambil makan we talked about lots of things... from politics, to holidays, to family values, to social moral decay... sounds serious huh? Well... we're adults what. Personally, I don't particularly like talking about politics, but I also believe that every person should be given the opportunity to speak his/her mind. Reason I don't like to talk politics is that usually it is just grumblings, comments, complaining, gossips... without real talk about how to do something about it. I guess that's just me... if I want to talk serious, I also want to talk serious about what can be done to make a difference. Talk only... apa guna? Right?

But I understand where those people were coming from... and I emphatise. And I must say, that I also learnt quite a bit from listening to them.

We then talked about how the effects of the rising prices are affecting families etc. Doc told us that a family of four who earns less than RM2800/month in KL can barely make it nowadays... that's based on a study by EPU. Cukup2 makan je... and to imagine that about 30 years ago, a person earning a 4-digit salary tu dah kira terror sangat dah. As we talked, I ponder... what kind of future would the children have... should the bread winner fall sick, becomes unemployed... when they don't have a saving to fall back upon, no education fund to finance their future. And to think that more than half of KL's citizen are in that category. I shudder...

It's the food we consume, the interactions we have, the values we hold on to that influences the kind of person that we turn out to be. I'm fortunate that my parents have always been able to provide for us and that we are well nourished (too well I must add, hehe). Tapi just imagine... if the kids are not getting enough nutrients to build their brain cells and body strength, are mingling with those who don't read or have constructive discussions, are living in a society that dictates "me first" or "if you don't think of yourself first you'll be left behind" in order to succeed, parents are too busy and too tired to bond with their children after work... what kind of Malaysia are we building?

Don't get me wrong... I'm all for pushing to be the best, do your best... but not to lose our values along the way. It is the responsibility of those who "have" to aid those who "don't have". One thing for sure... we're all poor when it comes to time. But that's where sacrifices need to be made. A parent should sacrifice their rest and personal time in the interest of the child. If not, why bother bringing a child to the world? A child is your amanah...

Which is why I'm generally impressed with Europeans who seem to have that notion well entrenched within them. Family bond and values I observed seem to be going strong while I was on holiday recently. I hope that when I have my own family one day, I'll be like that. I don't want to be NATO (no action, talk only... a term I learnt from a column in The Star yesterday, hehe)

Our conversation semakin hangat... but had to be cut short coz all of us had to get back to work. To be continued and hopefully we'll get to reconvene before ZI bersalin.


Thursday night Ina, Amt and I went for dinner at TGIF Pavillion sbb Mama & Papa are in PD, so we had to get dinner ourselves. I had to endure a terrible, terrible traffic jam to get there. Took me about 45 minutes from the office to get there. No wonder lah parents don't have time and feel so tired. As for me... I kept myself entertained by listening to David Cook at full volume ;)

Sambil tengah2 jam tu, Ina called... "Along, nak tengok movie tak?" "Sempat ke? Cerita apa?" I asked. "Made of Honor ada pukul 8:25pm" "OK gak"

So after a satisfying dinner, during which the three of us recounted kisah masa kita kecik2 and selalu sakat Amt and how at one point we had told him that he was anak kutip kat tong sampah... which he said he believed to be true, we went to GSC. My first visit to their Pavillion outlet.

The movie was your typical chick-flick, formulaic and boleh diagak ending nya... but I found it entertaining and enjoyable. It had enough jokes to get my seratonin level moving... the natural way to feel good :) Simple enough to relax the mind... but it also got me thinking (hahaha... trust moi to analyse and internalise things)

I was not really pondering but more of reminiscing how the plot of the movie is somewhat similar to situations that I've been through in the past. That it took someone to be away for me to realise how I felt. But not like the movie, my story didn't turn out the same way...

Another thought also crossed my mind... is it really possible for two people of the opposite sex to be best friends and not have any romantic relationships/feelings? To have a totally platonic relationship at that level between a man and a woman? Let's cut out the non-straight people from the equation ok...

Is it really possible? When I say best friends I mean REAL best friends, the one that you spend your time with, your secrets with, your confidant. Not your usual good friends with whom we occasionally hang out with and confide to. There's a difference between BEST friends and REALLY GOOD friends. As for me, I'm not sure if I have a best friend... but I have several really good friends. And they're all girls...

So kata lah boleh ada best friend from the opposite sex, what's the arrangement like when one or both of them get married or gets into a romantic relationship with another person? How do they balance it with their respective spouses or partners?

I wonder...