09/01/2015 - 10/01/2015 - The Human Rabbit

The death of family dinner : Sek Fan

relationship 12:30:00 PM

It was 7.45 am and I was getting myself ready while listening to the radio.

"What has changed when it comes to family dinner?"

There was one particular caller. A man. He said that he rarely have time for family dinner and because he stays separately, it gets even harder for him to stop by his parent's place.

"I normally have dinner and skype with my parents at the same time. As if I was there but virtually"

I stopped and thought. What has happened? We have come to a point where we're so distracted by others that we forget what's more important in life.

Our parents were once working adult but they made time for us no matter how busy they were. The Generation X emphasize a lot about family ties and I believe that many of us here were brought up from a close knitted family including myself.

When I was young, I used to have my dinner in front of the TV and my parents? They sat at the dinner table. My sister does that too. Used to. My dad has always asked us to sit together because dinner time is the only time when everyone is at home. Being a teenager I was at that time, I ignored.

As I moved out of my parent's house to continue my education, I started missing having the family around. When I was away, either I'll pack my food home or dinner with friends. The feeling gets stronger during Ramadhan. When your friends from the city you lived in has their own family to break fast with. It was definitely a lonely moment.

It's heart breaking to see the generation today. Generation of material people. I've had a few friends who thinks that they do not have the time to see their parents even during weekends. I'm trying to understand on where their time spent. But I do bumped some of them in malls. Ironically they said they didn't have the time but ...you know.

It's easy for us to forget things and it's easy to think that parents are okay when we don't come home for dinner. The hardship that we had to go through in today's modern world cannot be compared to what our parents had to go through in the old days. They had to start from scratch. So sitting down with them for a nice meal is the least we can do. Because at the end of the day, when you lose your job and when you lose your friends, the first thing you'll do is turning to your parents support.

Family is Forever.

Product review: Innisfree - No Sebum Mineral Powder

beauty 9:39:00 AM

Friday love: Why $ is not important

friday love 8:22:00 AM

I was on Facebook and Humans of Kuala Lumpur was one of my many liked pages. It all started from Humans of New York. I like reading and listening to people's experience. You learn so much from them you know. We think (Generation Y) that what we have now are because of the hard work we put in. It is actually the effort of our great grand parents.

So as I was scrolling the pages in Humans of Kuala Lumpur, one particular uncle caught my attention.

I was one of those people who thinks money will make your parents happy. At one point, all I did was work, work and work. During the weekdays, I attend classes, go to work after class until midnite. I work during weekends too and during festive seasons. My parents were very understanding att hat time but my mum will normally think that festive season is about spending time with your family but I had to reasoned with her. Sometimes, I didn't pick her calls on the day that I was supposed to be home for Hari Raya or Chinese New year.

I skipped a few trip back last time to celebrate with them cause my focus was to get my triple pay. That was what I thought. I was focusing on the wrong thing (although $ was important) that by the time I realized how important family are, my sister is leaving for her A-level study. That was how fast time flew.

So as I realized what I did was wrong, I started to shift my goal and objectives. making amendment here and there. Wrong in the sense that my focus was more on the material wise.

Many years after into the real working world, I started to learn how to balance between family and work. I do my work within my 8 hours work time and avoid staying back in the office. During the weekends, if not necessary, I don't switch on my work laptop. I go back to my parent's place at least once a month.

As my dad has to fund my sister's education using his own savings, I try helping as much as I can and try to work things out in between. Juan was very supportive of this because he understands the situation and he too tried helping in ways he can.

Now that I realize my sister is growing up so fast and age is catching up sooner to my parents, I'm glad to say that I was given the turnaround point at a very early stage. At least I get to catch up the lost time with my family.

Sincerity

inspiration 9:23:00 PM

The freedom of after marriage

celebrations 10:49:00 AM

How dirty can your mouth be?

Advertorial 1:19:00 PM

Before you end your day

general 9:23:00 AM

Taking a breather

general 9:31:00 AM

Friday love: What have I learn from organizing a charity lunch

friday love 10:45:00 AM

I was given the trust to lead in organizing a charity lunch in conjunction with the company's Malaysia day celebration this upcoming September. Something that I love to do. Event management.

I admit that it was a little bit of a last minute task. I only had a due date of 3 weeks from the time I was briefed about this. From catering to selling the food coupons.

I'm very much lucky that I had help flying in from colleagues and they were really helpful in giving me advise and tips. It was not a first time task as I had experienced this in the previous company I worked with but definitely the first in this company of 2 years since I joined.

As the selling of the coupon starts, I had people coming to my cube and phone calls comes in inquiring about the tickets. But it only lasted 2 days. After that people don't bother anymore and even if they did, they'd ask why type of food will be served. So much 'interest' in doing charity.

I had posters printed and placed at the entrance of the cafeteria and even on the voucher itself, telling employees that the money collected from the selling of the coupons will be donated straight to our 'CHARITY FUND' and yet people kept asking 'Oohh eat what ar?'

You see, the idea of this lunch is to collect as much funds as we could so that it can be channeled to any charity body that is in need of financial help or perhaps an upgrade of their facility. People are not seeing that. All they see is expectation of what they'll receive in return of the RM10 they're paying. A nice lunch set with a healthy wholesome meal. Yes, there are some who couldn't care less about what food will be serve on that day because all they wanted to do was to help. I appreciate that.

So what have I learnt from this task?

We're living in a world where most of us are so consumed with the idea that money is king. To a point where sometimes we forget to pause and see things around us. We forget that we were like them (the less fortunate) not long ago. We were deceived that money is everything. We want value out of everything we give. I have the same idea like you too but I have never forget to put myself in the shoes of those people who are less privileged. I've seen how people goes through hardship as I travel to many countries. Put aside developed countries that you have visited, Stop for a moment and imagine what can your RM10 help. It really goes a long way.

I felt pity to those who asked me what food will be served on that day instead of thinking how the money that they gave us will help other people.

A little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money.

John Ruskin

Chasing your dreams

inspiration 3:36:00 PM

I've been known as a person who does things half way. I mean from young, I would start something but quit halfway through when I find things start to become difficult. But as I grow older, I started to explore and identify things I love to do. I start to separate things that I really love doing and things that I was 'forced' to do.

I now know what I love to do but torn in between whether I should go for it or just treat it as my long life dreams that might not come true. The risk is not big and even if I don't make it, at least I've tried my best. Torn in between paying my monthly commitment and chasing my dream has been something that I'm still struggling with. Should I leave my day job to pursue the things I love or do 2 things at a time? Being married to Juan and having to share the financial commitment truly helps a lot. Knowing that I have a person who supports my dreams and ambitions makes the road less hard.

Even before we were married, we laid all of our financial possibilities and plans. Though sometimes there are some adhoc expenses.

This time, I told myself, it's either I start now or live in regret for not making the first move. I've been working very hard on a project, in collaboration with a good friend of mine. We shared expectations, dreams and our plans for the company. It was quite a challenge given that we stayed in 2 separate cities. But I tried my best not to travel alot unless if it's necessary. Me and my good friend has been dreaming of having a business venture together since high school.

"It's not gonna be an easy road you know" I told her. I heard a lot of stories about having a business with your best friend will normally end up in failure. I'm trying my best to prove them wrong. Although me and my friend has our differences, I try finding ways to make sure that we both sync in any aspect when it comes to our business. I told her that best friend and business need to be a separate thing and that it is important for us to be very professional.

I told her that "I hope this will be a beginning to all good things that are about to come in the future". She said "Insyaallah".

Remember your dreams and fight for them. You must know what you want from life. There is just one thing that makes your dream become impossible: the fear of failure.
-Paulo Coelho