MY7THLIFE.NET

How was your Raya weekend? It’s nice to think that there was a four-day public holiday to celebrate Hari Raya, isn’t it? Not for me.

On the morning of 2nd Syawal, I had lower back pain. At first, it felt as if I needed a good walk to straighten myself out. It gradually worsened and I couldn’t handle the pain by midday. I went to any available clinic with my mom on the driver’s seat. I wasn’t even fit to drive!

Fortunately, it wasn’t anything serious. The doctor at the clinic said that it may just be muscle pain. So she gave me the strongest painkillers they had, and told me to come back if the pain didn’t subside in a few days.

An hour after swallowing the pills, I was still in pain. When I was lying down, I couldn’t get up! I was in near tears, but as my mom, and anyone else in my family, knew that I don’t cry easily, I didn’t. It was awkward like that. Anyway, I wanted to cry so bad as it hurts like hell!

When I was finally able to sit up, I couldn’t stand up!! ARGH. The pain and agony. I never had this sort of back pain before, and my God, isn’t 2008 a great year of firsts.

I then went to the emergency at RIPAS Hospital, and that took me three hours to get everything done. Had to be x-rayed, just in case of any serious back problems, and someone in the radiology department had asked me if I was ‘one of the bloggers’. LOL. Me being in pain, I just said yes, and didn’t have the courtesy to ask further. Questions like these, asked by strangers, make me fumble anyway, so imagine me in pain. I just smiled, and said “Yes.” Haha. If you’re reading this, my apologies!

Anyway, fortunately, I had a great radiologist (though I would have liked it if any of my 3 friends who are radiologists to have worked on me, hehehe), and it was over and done with minimal amount of pain.

In the end, there was nothing serious, the doctor (which I’m sparing in this post, because there is a lot to say about him) said that it might have been the nerves, or the urat, as we Malays call it.

So I went back to my aunt’s place (being at home was just too far), and my mom called up her regular masseuse to fix the nerves. I’m serious, that’s what the masseuse said. “Let me fix ahh. Fix your nerves.”

A painful half hour later, I’m supposedly ‘fixed’. Thankfully, I was fixed, even though there was still a bit of pain by the third day of Raya. I wasn’t fit to drive yet, so I had to skip the open house invitations I had from my friends. I really wanted to go to Shasha’s house, and my best friend’s, whom I haven’t seen in a long while. Next year, inshaAllah, if health and time permits.

Come evening, though, Zawanah texted if I was going to Salwana’s open house, and I told her of my predicament. So she picked me up! Which was great, because I couldn’t stay in the house for too long, it’s driving me crazy.

By Sunday, fourth day of Syawal, I was OK to drive, and was out with my family in a convoy to houses of family and friends. Although I did feel like I missed out on a lot. I mean, two days equals to a lot of houses.

What a weekend to feel really old, eh?

Anyway, hope you had a better one than mine!

I wish I can take leave from work, but as it is well-known, I can’t take my leave until I’ve passed my one-year mark. I think work has taken its toll on me, I’ve been feeling quite disoriented lately. Or probably because of everything around me is breaking down. First, the television. Then, my chair. Now, the Internet at home is broken.

A technician from TelBru came by after work yesterday, and it wasn’t my modem after all. Well, it’s all still inconclusive as he has to check again since there is nothing coming in from the phone lines to the modem even when he tried with a brand new modem that he had brought with him.

One thing I find funny about no Internet at home is that, I’m not sure why I have an entry saying I will have no updates. Haha. (Just in case you don’t get it, it’s only at home that I don’t have access to the Internet. )

Never mind.

Anyway. I went out for dinner last night with Atul and Nonnie at Cheezbox and finally had a taste of its Ultimate Chocolate, which I prefer warm. Can it be piping hot so that when it cools down, it gets warm, not cold? The first bite was orgasmic (haha), and the bites after that.. not so much. It cooled down fast, so it wasn’t as good as the first bite.

Atul had picked Nonnie and I up for dinner, hence she had to send us back (with her new car, ahem). She sent me back first, and when I got out, taking full advantage of the empty, incomplete house right next to mine, I freaked them both out by pointing out that there was something in the trunk. LOL.

Sorry, girls. I didn’t know I freaked you out so bad, Atul had to recite the Ayat Kursi to calm them down. Heehee.

Going to be a tad busy these days leading up to the weekend.. Bowling later with a few friends from ITB, and lunch tomorrow with my girls. When it’s all mixed up with my exercise schedule, it’s going to be tight. So hopefully this weekend, I won’t have much to do but just have a lazy one.

Off to do some real work now. Until next time!

(And I’ll do this meme soon.)

Big yawn.

I don’t know when I will stop being super busy at work. If one thing is over, another one starts, and a totally different task just goes on and on in the background with no end in sight.

I am also in dire need of manicure and pedicure. However, according to this post, I’m supposed to be saving up. It sucks to be frugal. I keep on thinking twice if I should eat lunch, even! It’s so hard not to spend in this day and age.

I’ve been getting Guitar Hero everywhere now. My sister owns the GH CDs on her PS2, I got myself the GH: On Tour the other day, put up my Guitar Hero on this blog, and recently, let my cousin download Guitar Hero on my mobile phone. Just things to keep me busy from spending money, hahaha. How ironic.

I’m off for now. I’ll update soon, with a tad more interesting stuff, like pictures.

Congratulations to Izzah on her new job, by the way! Whee!

I’ve had a pretty dreary day today. It was too long for my liking. Very sleepy in the morning, ended up sleeping during lunch instead of a meal. Thankfully, our boss bought us something to eat in the morning, so I wasn’t completely hungry when midday rolled around.

Work’s been piling up again, each confusing after the next, but we (my colleagues and I) will get through this, and when it’s done, it’ll be great, I can feel it in my bones. So, for now, I think I have to stick with whatever it is that I have to do.

One of my cousins, who grew up with me when I was little, is getting married soon. I haven’t been to her place yet, as I have been busy and after office hours are the only hours I can get rest. So, my apologies to Nurul for not being there (yet.)

Tomorrow’s going to be the nikah and hantar berian, so congratulations to you! Don’t worry! InshaAllah, I will be there tomorrow.

Anyway, back to my boring life. I actually decided not to go for aerobics this afternoon, after work. I had made up my mind, I convinced myself that I needed the rest. Unfortunately, it didn’t go as planned. The road heading on to the highway was full of drivers who couldn’t go into the other lane skillfully, and being the impatient woman that I am, I decided to take another road to go home.

This other ‘road’, is nearer to the fitness center rather than my house, so the part of me that wants to lose weight won the debate, and parked my car nearby to the center. Ended up doing a full hour’s worth of step aerobics, which resulted in sweat and ankle pain. Doesn’t matter, as it felt good in the end. Hahaha.

I still feel like I haven’t had enough rest though. Bleh. And I’m hungry now because I haven’t eaten a proper meal yet.

I’ve been playing Chocolatier 2: Secret Ingredients since last week. It’s very addictive, just like its predecessor, and I’ve actually just finished the whole thing. It also has cool additions to the game, like creating new recipes among other things. It’s a two thumbs up, and if you liked the first one, you’ll like the second one.

Back to reality now, I guess.

It’s a long weekend for us here in Brunei, but it’s going to be a very, very extensive (and intensive!) one for me.

My (first) cousin’s getting married. You have to understand how intensive a Malay wedding can be, so I won’t be updating much, and won’t be out and about with friends much this weekend either. So back to this wedding, my cousin’s nikah ceremony was this afternoon, and even now I am exhausted.

It was very hot, and I was sweating through my light baju kurong. I couldn’t wait to arrive home, change, and rest.

Liz is holding a birthday BBQ over at her boyfriend’s place, but I couldn’t make it because I’m really tired. I really wish I could go. I haven’t been socialising much. I really need to set a date with my girl friends, and maybe my former colleagues at the Statutory Body, to have lunch some time.

I’m not even busy, I just have really bad time management. LOL.

I’m off to sleep now. Updates next week, if I can help it.

Oh my God. I am so unbelievably worn out and sunburned at the moment. I never knew I’d be the latter, but I am, and it hurts. I’ve never been sunburned, so it’s a new, not to mention alien, feeling. It’s like having the outermost skin of your forearms being stripped down with hot wax and left to heal. Or something.

Thankfully it’s just my arms. I really don’t know what I’ll do if it’s on my nose, or anywhere facial. Erh, shivers just went down my spine.

So it was a busy weekend. Pyjama Night Out last night was a lot of fun. Seeing people in their pyjamas was the highlight of the night. And a certain someone was sobbing during the movie. LOL. I could demonstrate it once again, if you want, but only in real life and with the someone there. Kidding.

The movie made me cry and laugh again. I still believe that’s the best movie I’ve watched this year so far.

The movie ended at about 9PM, but we ate a bit and talked to a few people here and there. I was talking to Nonnie’s boyfriend about something we had in common, and I hope I haven’t discouraged him in any way at all. I was just sharing experience, and I’d rather he has a different one. A pleasant one.

Maurina, Atul, Reeda, and myself also had a discussion with a Brunei Times journalist ranging from voluntarism, to culture, to teaching! It brought us to an hour before midnight! Interesting.

Now that the Internet is properly up and running, I feel like posting a picture up from the night. The picture is from Nonnie’s camera, but there are more from Maurina’s camera, and I’m going to remind her soon to send them over. Don’t ask me if I took any pictures, because I didn’t. I haven’t charged the battery to my camera in weeks now, and I had forgotten to charge the day before. So just take a look at this one, yes?

I notice now that my hair was covering one of my eyes. Haha. I will leech and have more pictures soon. Haha.

Now. The IT Picnic of The Statutory Body was today at Seri Kenangan beach, and it was so much fun! Besides the sunburn, of course. I wish I had pictures, but I don’t. However, I think it was just one of those things that I will miss so much about working there. And again, it is the same thing: my newly-made friends.

Sigh.

What a sad note for an ending of an upbeat post. Will update again soon!

It’s tiresome to be a girl. Especially when it’s that time of the month. IT TIRES ME OUT. Yes, boys, even on a normal day when it requires no deep thinking, no heavy lifting whatsoever. I don’t know why it is exhausting. The discomfort, maybe? *shrugs*

A busy week for me this week, two weekdays taken up by Project Management training (which I think will be uber-useful when I work elsewhere), another day baking cakes and making chocolate-covered pretzels, my weekend will be taken up by the Pyjama Movie Night at The Empire (she has booked the tickets, and she will be coming with) on Saturday, and a picnic out with my colleagues at Seri Kenangan beach on an early Sunday morning. Siuk eh. I’ve never really had a busy week before. Hee.

OK. On to another topic, I just think I should share this thought with you guys: Why is it that when I read someone’s blog, I expect them to sound like the way they write, but I’m surprised when they don’t. Sometimes I end up pleasantly surprised, and just tonight, for the first time, I was disappointed. I was surprised to find out, and to add to that, I’m surprised that I had the thought, “This is how you sound like?!”, in my head. It’s rather disturbing, this.

I don’t normally judge people by their blogs. No, that’s a lie. I judge them, but I keep it to myself until I meet them face-to-face and match them with the initial judgment. I’m usually wrong when I judge them by their blogs. Which is great, because I hate thinking that people are like scum between toes. (Quoting The Little Rascals.)

I promised a post (with pictures), so here’s one for you to take in.

Snowby

Remember the other family cat, Snowby? We mistook it for a girl, so we named it Snowbelle at first, then my late dad realized it was a boy! So we switched the name to Snowby. Well. That’s not the point. The point is, Snowby hasn’t come home for a week now. And we have assumed that he is dead. Or stolen. Poor kitty. My friends think that he misses Spotty.

Speaking of friends, my friends and I had lunch at Dixy Chicken at The Mall yesterday. Lots of laughter was to be heard, and the topic ranged from pregnancy to weird names!! And, no surprises, they blamed me for coming up with such things. Tsk tsk. (Heehee.) I loved how we haven’t been eating out with each other for a while and we still click. Love them. Being friends with them is effortless.

So today’s my first day in my new job. But my former employer, The Company, held a birthday celebration and slipped in a farewell ceremony for myself and two other former employees. The Company gave me a token of appreciation, which is great, as I see some of my friends scribbling on them, stating their best wishes. My team, on the other hand, gave me a Me To You teddy!!

I was so surprised, and I love getting teddies. So thank you to those who chipped in to buy the huge teddy. I love it! Here’s a photo, along with the ‘token’, which could’ve been a better shot of me, but never mind. Hehehe.

Take a closer look.

I feel so, very appreciated. Thank you so much. It really is sad for me to leave.

I watched American Idol tonight, it was the boys’ turn again. Ten of them performed, I only managed to catch six as I returned home from work late because of Knowledge Sharing (a mid-weekly thing that The Company has every last hour of the working day.) But! I thought, out of the six, David Archuleta was the best. He performed brilliantly, and I think his vocals were amazing!

Loved it, absolutely loved it. He came to my attention only during Hollywood week, because I missed the San Diego auditions where he sang John Mayer’s Waiting On The World To Change. If you missed it too, here’s a video from Hollywood week, with a clip from his first audition.

I didn’t watch Jason Castro perform this week (and I can’t be bothered to watch the re-run), but judging by the recap, I didn’t think he did as good as he did last week.

On to another topic: tomorrow’s my last day at The Company, and I start at the new place on Saturday. People are wondering why I’m not taking a break. I personally think that if I take this Saturday off, and have a long weekend, I’ll be extra nervous about starting new. It’s unbelievable, though. The things that I need to be mentally prepared for.

I think physically, I’m fine, because I wasn’t unemployed for long months and early mornings are like nothing, so.. I think I’m going to be all right.

Can you just hear me pepping myself up? LOL.

Speaking of work, The Company had an event called Movie Outing Weekend (or other) on last Sunday afternoon, and we watched Vantage Point at The Empire cinema. I brought my sister along as my plus one, and it was great. I had a great time. The day before, on a Saturday night (Brunei’s 24th National Day), my family and I watched Jumper, also at The Empire cinema. There were a total of 30 — initially 26 — of us. When we called the cinema up to book for tickets, he asked in a disbelieving yet serious tone, roughly translated from Malay to English, “Are you serious? Are you serious to book 20 tickets?”

And I said, in an equally serious tone, “Yes. Adults. And six children.” And he just had to ask again. And again. And he didn’t stop until I promised him that I will be there to collect the tickets in 15 to 30 minutes. LOL. I still find it funny until today.

“Banar kah ni kan booking 20 tickets? Banar kah?”

ROFL. FUN-NEE.

Both movies were great, I loved Jumper, and I don’t know why people felt it was incomplete. I think it was the lack of information of how Jumpers came about, and Paladins. And the sort. I loved it, nonetheless. I give Jumper 4 out of 5 stars, Vantage point 3.5 out of 5 stars. (Ooh. So I rate movies. So sue me. LOL.)

I’m going to head to bed and get some rest. I happen to be having a tiring week, what with the boyfriend being away. Funny. He was always away, but seeing that he’s in another country, he’s just.. farther away? *shrugs*

What I do know, is that I miss him loads.

I think I need to see more David Archuleta videos. His singing cheers me up.

For some odd reason, I am really tired today. I feel like I could doze off any minute. The odd reason being that I spent the whole day awake with no rest. Literally.

So to take my mind off sleeping right after a hearty Japanese meal I had with my girl friends, I have decided to post. Maybe about some random things in my life. See how interesting it’ll be to get a few reactions from the readers. (And I really mean a few since I think my reader count has dwindled based on the ever-so-popular, not to mention unique, blogs popping up here and there. What do I possibly have to offer? Hahaha. Self-deprecating much? )

Whoa. OK. Where do I start? Maybe I should begin with not being so specific.

I have encountered people who are bitchy in a subtle, but ‘makes you want to shout expletives’ way. I have forgotten how bitchy people are very, very annoying and how I have always put up with their crap because I’m nice — if I do say so myself. Every time they call me up and start being bitchy, when the call ends, I’d make faces to the phone. Every time they talk to me face-to-face and they start getting itchy with a capital B, I put on a blank face and when they turn around, I’ll make faces.

Childish, I know. But it feels ohh so good!

Annoying people aside, I’ve been spending loads of time on my own these days, giving myself breaks from the outside world and maybe just to get into the habit of reading again. I haven’t read in ages. The last time I read was a book borrowed off my cousin, a compilation of stories under the name Prom Nights From Hell. Or something close to that. But I’ve also been slowly going back to my old life, getting acquainted with the people who I used to be close to.. hanging out. It’s nice.

So my life’s in a balance in a moment, but I know that come March, it’s going to be topsy-turvy again. Why? Because I’ll be trying to settle in a new working environment. Yep. You’ve read it here first. (I don’t think you’ll read it anywhere else anyway!) I’m moving from The Company. I’ll be starting in March as an IT Administrator. Sounds like a load of work, right? Haha.

But I’m hoping I’ll make friends the way I have in The Company. I know I’ll miss them in very odd ways like how they always tease me to bits, but I’m looking for a different environment where I can really thrive. Got those words from someone I really appreciate and when she said that, I thought to myself, “Do I not know myself or do people perceive me differently?” Hopefully it’s the latter because I’d like to believe I know myself pretty well.

Haha. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? Moving on.

I watched Sweeney Todd with a few of my cousins last night. I thought there was too much singing. I know, I know. It’s a musical, right? But it’s just a bit too much. Loved the storyline, though. One of my cousin thinks that I’ll love the old movie better. Mm. Speaking of cousins..

I’m flying off to Singapore next Friday. I’ll be flying off with another 20+ people who I love to call my family. LOL. Yes. There’s going to be more than 20 of us — I think more than 30 actually — some on different flights, but most of us will be on board the same plane on Friday, the 8th. That’s why my family and I are going to have a little doa selamat, because it’s three-quarter of the whole family! Haha.

It’s going to be fun. I’ll post up pictures, inshaAllah.

The thing that’s bothering me right now: I HAVEN’T PACKED! 

I want to pack now, but I’m too sleepy. I’ll just blog-hop. See you around soon.