2nd in a Row ... Day 2 Phuket

I am typing this in the downstairs hallway of the Pavillions ... unit number? Don't know

What I am so stoked about is that for the second night in a row I have decent sleep of hardly waking up and total time slept? About 6 hours. Definite improvement over the 3 to 4 hours of the past three weeks. Feeling so jazzed! Hehehehe!

I woke up this morning, lazed in bed, sun streaming through the cracks in the curtains and after a while I turned to look at the time and it was like nearly 7:00am Thai time or 8:00am Malaysian time. I went to bed? Around midnight Thai time

Small achievements but ... and this morning felt so wonderful as I came downstairs. AC helps and I am so going to AC the master bedroom at home too!

Time for a dip in the pool. I tested the water and it was surprisingly warm!

Your Company is NOT Required

Yes this is a shout out to all those people who enjoy making appointments and then cancelling them as and when they pleased! And especially at the last minute! Do you have friends like them?

I do ... unfortunately ... or maybe I should not count them as friends?

There are people who make many appointments for the same day and sometimes same time. The logic is that they are expecting others to bail out on them as well. So by the time the actual time comes, they will see who else is left and then choose one and bail out on the rest. Know the type? I am looking at you, friends down the south and across the causeway bridge! Deny all you care! I have asked around and was advised by my own Singaporean family that unfortunately this is getting common - in one word - UGH!

Then there are those who make appointments but unconfirmed and said will confirm later. I mean, what is this? So what do you expect me to do? Block my time or keep it open or what? I am the type that if I make an appointment, I will go all out to keep it, not 50/50

So for this blog, who shall I call out this time? Azzzzzzzz! You're OUT

Yup, yup, yup!

Other than that, it was a pleasant Fri to Sun in Damansara - after staying here in Sepang, I find it easy to sleep there as it feels cooling unlike my new furnace home here in Bagan Lalang! Hahaha!

The Secret Is Out!!!

Well, you know since I moved in here, I have been having a hard time sleeping. Only 2 nights I slept decently and one is with Case Man and that is another matter (hahaha). Well, I realized now why I normally sleep around 3:00am. Because ...... drum rolls please ... it is so DARN HOT!!!

Yup, I have AC on but cannot use ceiling fan as the fan is loud and as I sleep in the hall, it is never cool enough. So basically I get about 4 hours of proper sleep. No wonder every now and then I am on Panadols

Why I know this? Because last night or rather this morning, for once I paid attention and I was sweating rivers! And the same thing this entire day. I was at home for most of the time and each time I am home from about 8:00am onwards, I was sweating. Imagine I shower, I come out and less than 2 minutes, I am sweating and this is like major sweat. If I don't wipe, it drips off onto tables and floors and if I put my hand on the table, less than a minute, I leave a damp mark, I kid you not

So thank goodness I bought that stand fan. It followed me to the kitchen, to the dining table and to the store room and with that I have only a thin coat of sweat and not dripping wet anymore

I went out a few times and I have to admire the locals who can adjust to all this heat! Kids were running and having a good time. Moms were seating around and chatting away. Lucky people all!

Okay - that's enough on that topic

Anything else exciting happened? Let's do a quick rundown, shall we? I always loved lists

1. Texted Case Man and we had breakfast together (awww aren't we a sweet "couple"?)

2. Predictably like the night before, as I started cooking, I received an invitation for lunch from uncle Chin and we went to KFC so I skipped all condiments and had just chicken and talked about potentially setting up our own biz and guess who walked in? His people! Four of them! Guess they don't like Gee Pee Tee food too!

3. I got my garden clippers and they tested great! I did a few minutes of sweat drenching clips and then went out to get a pair of gloves for tomorrow

4. I got the anti-ant powder and tested one packet. See what happens tomorrow

Oh yes, I sent my claims for Jakarta trip and that's going to be reimbursed which is always nice

And that's it. Hope I have a chance for a good night's sleep, eh?

O Happy Day ... O Happy Day ...

So after my last post, was I tensed? You bet. Not only did I have a bad day in terms of my back, a bad day in terms of my other half ... I was up all night keep on looking at the handphone watch until I decided ... ah fuck it all!

So I Watsapp the Case Man ... and thank goodness he was still at work just wrapping up. When he came over, after 10:30pm, we had a nice few minutes of chat and I gave him a beer. He really is a beer man from the way he gulped it down! Then he headed to shower and change

I hung around on my sofa/ bed and invited him to sit and don't be shy. I even tasted the beer from his can. Yes, I know. You can think it disgusting or whatever but what can I say except that I am crushing on him, not on the aluminium can that you crush after you drink that is. Hahaha! Lame, lame, I know!

So yes he went to bed around midnight saying he was tired and guess what?

This morning I woke up around 7:00am (I mean I did wake up a few times before but went straight back to sleep) ... so it is nice to have someone in the house even if we are in different rooms. Hah! And for a moment, I thought he had quietly exited the house but to my surprise, he was totally zonked out until his alarm sounded. So he had a good sleep as well

You can bet I spent this entire day feeling hard to focus on anything specific. In the end, I called Uncle Sam, the ex-Exec Chef. Then I drove all the way down to BW PD. Yup, my first try and I found it. What I was stunned was the extent of development in PD. Gone is the sleepy place. There is a hypermart and fast food and what-not all over the sea front. Lots and lots of stuff. The only letdown was that Sam's place has no beach front! UGH!

The other somewhat good news is that the Bali and Sumatera deals? Done! Yes Man replied saying they are okay and to change the payment a bit but they slashed my pay down by one third. Darn it all! I am working for sooooooooooooooo cheap just because I am not an established company. Ah well, everyone needs to start somewhere and this is my starting point. If I get these three up and running and running well, then it will be a huge feather in my cap and I can start building the company!

Wish me luck, yes, diary?

My Second House Guest @ Bagan Lalang???

I put in question mark because as of this moment of typing, I have no idea if he will show up. It is now 9:33pm. He told me yesterday he will overnight tonight so I said fine. Then this evening he said they have to do some set up after the day's work is done. So I dare not ask if it will be late and what time because I want him to feel at home and I don't want to be too pushy until I push him away because ... because I really, really want him here in my home so I can clean after him, cook for him, and admire him. So who is this individual? Why none other than the Case Man

Yup, the entire day is spent in agony waiting for his arrival

I have some other stuff to share but nothing monumental except I finally got my electric cooker - had to drive all the way to Tropicana Mall @ Damansara and cooked my first dish tonight! French beans in XO mushroom sauce. Hehehe!

So now I am going to play some games and wait until he arrives or call him around 11:00pm if he doesn't

Wish me luck, yes?

My First House Guests @ Bagan Lalang

My parents and sister said they will visit me on Sunday. I thought they wanted to come for breakfast because here, in Sg Pelek, the breakfast is really good. But then this morning on second thought, I SMS them and what a good thing because my sis replied that they would depart after breakfast! Ah well ...

So there I was toggling away on computer and doing miscellaneous house cleaning, my phone on its perpetual silent setting and dad had texted me that they had already left the toll!

Naturally they were parked @ Public Bank and wandering around by the time I reached there

They had a quick look at my place and generally satisfied except for comments on clearing the weeds and getting rid of the ants. Other than that, it was all green! Thank goodness again! Next, I decided to take them to Tg Sepat since even sis had yet to go. We arrived and ate the pau. Everyone agreed it was no big deal. Tried the coffee and agreed that it is super thick. They bought the bottled juices and we headed down to the jetty - so called Lovers' Bridge!

Fortunately, it was crowded with lots and lots of people just coming in, walking around, buying knick knacks from that over-dressed shop in front before eating at the famous restaurant. As I have tried before and didn't like it and it was crowded, we went to the one adjacent ... and it was ... to me, at least, crappy too!

Oyster omelette - kinda strong flavour and salty!
Mantis prawns - overcooked until shrivelled and hard!
Shark - too gamey!
Ribs - almost no pork meat!
Veg - okay

See? Maybe I am too picky?

After that, we just wandered a bit more and they set off for home

So tonight, with the heat of the day, I am now going to go get me some BEER!!!!!

Dad's Birthday ... so like how old is he?

Yeah, that's a real question and I am not just posting it for the shock value to get you to read my blog. Seriously, I am seated here in front of my laptop typing this out and wondering and honestly, and to a certain extent, shamefully, I have no idea

I guess I will have to ring up my sis later to find out ... hahaha!

So today is a Friday ... and I had a nice leisurely time. I got up, went for a simple breakfast, did some household chores, did my layman's analysis of ID with big words wrapping it up to sound professional (hahaha) and then drove to 1 U. That's the only time I was stressed actually. I arrived and not knowing their schedule I was merely wandering around. Do I have enough time for a movie or a massage? I don't know

Anyway, it was nice for once that I am the person to pick up mom and dad instead of them picking me up in Penang. Yup at the ripe OLD age of 40 going on 41, I finally did it! Wow! I didn't even realize the significant of that until I typed this

You see, in all the years, wherever I worked, they never visited so I never had to pick them up. How nice, right, if they had gone to places where I have nice cars because inspite of what my dad says, I know he likes his cars as well except that he can never afford them

So with so many options to choose from, dad chose ... get this ... Penang hawker food at 1 U. After he just stepped down from the bus from Penang to KL, he still wants his Penang food. So naturally this place is pseudo Penang. Hehehe!

Aside from that, whole day is quiet until evening. Then we went to Noor's restaurant, Il Taverna or some name like that. A bit hard to find because it was not on the main row of the shops but behind and we had to circle, park and walked. On top of that, there were no frontage lighting and you would not know it exists if you didn't literally walked right up to the shop, peered within and enquired if open or not because on a Friday night, at 7:30pm with NO customers??? It is supposed to be both drinking and makan zone but yet so little customers

Service was obviously good because there were no other customers but food was hit and miss. We started with mushroom aioli and it was quite stringy and flat. The asparagus and egg was exactly like it sounds - breakfast? Then came our main courses of fish curry (powdery  taste), nasi lemak (good) and pasta olio with shrimps (looks nasty and tastes equally bad)

Ah well ...

Then comes the really stupid part of me ... I rushed back to Sepang hoping to have Case Man as my first overnight visitor and guess what? By the time I reached, he had gone to bed in hostel. ARGH! I was soooooo looking forward to it ... and one of these days, maybe I should take a real photo of him sleeping or without his shirt ... I can just visualize him in his briefs ... ahahahahahaha!
Okay, time for me to sleep!

Damansara ... finally signed!

Yes, as I sit here in my sis' condo in Ken Damansara with pouring rain outside, that's the main thing I have to share. I know, I know. This has been going on for months but can you believe the shit?

So here is what happened

I drove down after a hurried cup of coffee in Pelek town ... and then at the office to my surprise, the Balinese Germ is not around only the Swiss Germ Cheese (hahaha)! No offence intended but as I want this to be anonymous I have to use such nicks so that at least I remember who they are years later

Anyway, when both are in, we discussed my terms and his main challenge is cash flow. He said if he doesn't get paid, for a while, it is fine. This is from the Swiss but you can see, this is not shared by the Germ. The Germ kept on in jovial tone said it's time to get money from the owners and get ourselves paid should the owners not be able to raise sufficient funds to see the project through. He is right. This is the practical world view. Otherwise all our efforts would have been wasted and if this first project screws up before we secure the next, then it can mean the end of the company

Anyway, if the Swiss is sincere, then why in the world is he challenging me for the fees?!?!?! In the end, we agreed to a compromise and he increased my fee to SGD2.5k until hotel open first 60 days. Then on a sort of retainer of SGD1k unless there is other works

Then we talked about shares and I said it is up to him and as a friend, I wouldn't insist. Naturally, he said he was the one who invited me first and he would like to honor that offer. Well so would I if the business is a success but I wouldn't want to be sued later on if I close deals without him, right? And that's what this all boils down to. Right now, he has 1 property and I have one. Mine doesn't pay that well at the moment but his may have financial difficulties. In short, both have challenges

The challenge is who gets the next few properties and as for the Germ, with all his connection, why can he not secure a single client?

Anyway we talked here and there and I was stunned at how they are going to tackle the next client - Rice Miller of Penang. Basically they searched internet for contact details and intend to write a letter of introduction to that company and hoped that the company will meet up with them?!?!?!?! Wow! If that company does so, then I will say that they are blessed because they have nothing to show for it. And that company that intends to spend RM250m on their development is taking a risk by paying top dollar to my partners and yet not even getting a branding in return! Hah!

All the best to them. If I want, I may just pick up the phone and call them and be direct and humble and get a slot to see that Jennifer lady, yes? Sigh!