I look like hell (I think)

I look like hell, my face look tired, my eyes has darkcircles...and top it all, there 3 pimples on my forehead (at my age, that is pure embarassment, so juvenille!). I blame it on some hormone screw-up because last nite i found myself crying for no good reason.

OK, maybe i have things to cry about - but hey, i'm hanging in there.

The past 48 hours of working on another proposal (u're gonna here a lot on "proposals" on my blog these days) have taken its toll on me. And yesterday i had to go to a 'fee negotiation' meeting alone without Jill. I take that as my weakest point, i'm so gullible (if you have tips to offer, leave a comment please).

Anne: I have taken into account the fact that you are a non profit organisation...as you can see we have significatly dicounted the fee from our normal rates...

Client: But still, this is too much...my bosses are going to jump out of their skin

Anne: What range of figure are you looking at, may be we can start from there

Client: We have volunteers at hand to help you..

Anne (to self): (Volunteers...volunteers...what will i do with a bunch of volunteers.)

Anyway, it didnt get anywhere. They'll call me back.

Pending that, i'm gonna put on some concealers and meet some friends for lunch, window shopping and maybe catch 'Pirates' if there's tickets.

So much for all the plans....

Since i left my job, and go on this business venture with Jill, the last 2 days workshop is the first proper project for us. So memang dah plan nak celebrate...even small achievements should be celebrated right....the plan was to watch Pirates of the Carribean, then go have lunch, jalan jalan shopping (window shopping je sebab payment belum dapat..hahaha.)Early morning, Jill sms saying that plans cancelled, she's on the way balik kampung - her dad is very sick. (My prayers are for you, Jill).

I wanted to upload some pics of the workshop, tapi dalam digicam Jill. The workshop went ok i would say, but the most nervewrecking thing for me is reading the participants punya comments, takut nak baca...tapi of course la nak tau sangat. In the car driving back, Jill read the comments and ratings while i drove. This group memang susah nak predict how they would rate the programme, tak tau kenapa...so i braced myself for the worst...tapi ok;-)...mostly above average ratings...ada la the minority few kasi average je (hmmm...nanti korang)..but it was more than i can expect.

Since plans cancelled, rajin pulak datang mood nak basuh kereta. Dah malu nak drive around with my car that dirty. (Padan muka nak sangat beli kereta hitam, buruk betul bila kotor). Baru nak start basuh, i tak perasan lubang kat washing bay tu, termasuk kaki inside,,,bercalar, berdarah, lebam semua my left feet. But dah start sabun kereta, i cant stop and leave it like that...so suck it up and finish washing..oucch, pedih!!!

So much for all the plans, might as well laze around in front of the TV and rest. Penat tau berdiri dan bercakap 2 hari...hehe, lucky i tak pernah teringin nak jadi cikgu sekolah ke...;-)

p/s - American Idol finals - glad Jordin won over Blake

One Down

Phew...one day completed, one more to go.

Standing & talking continuously for the entire day has worn me out.

My back hurts.

Cant wait to wrap things up tomorrow.

Thanks to all who wished me luck:-)

Off to bed now...zzzzz

Nerves

I'm all nerves...i'll be facilitating this 2 day workshop tomorrow ( i did mention the last 2 posts). Its not my first time so i dont know why i'm so jittery. I suppose a little bit nervous is good right.

Busy, busy, busy preparing for my delivery. I leave all other administrative things to Jill - she's very good at that, in her own organised chaos way (hehe - i mean that in the best way Jill).

Cant wait till Friday. I'm gonna go celebrate - its good to celebrate small achievements right. Going to watch Pirates Of the Carribean. Sape nak ikut?;-)

Konsert Akhir Akademi Fantasia 5

Mila, the newly crowned champion. You go girl!!!



Aznil bid farewell as AF host after 5 seasons. You will be missed dearly.



Pictures courtesy of AF official website (www.astro.com.my/akademi_fantasia)

Retail Therapy

Busy day.

Finished paper some paperwork I’ve put off for weeks.

Managed some work out time at the gym.

Met my business partner to discuss next week’s event at Old Town Kopitiam One Utama.



If you are into coffee, the Hazelnut white coffee is a must try. I tried the French Toast as I skipped lunch and the workout made me hungry. Normal French toast except it had peanut butter filling in between the toast. Not bad actually.

Then we discussed my wardrobe for the upcoming event…(hehe macam artis la pulak). I’ll be facilitating a 2 day workshop at a company I worked for 5 years back, thus the pressure to look good.!

Followed by some retail therapy.. I had a shopping list in my head, but I had to be home by 9 to catch Diari AF, so tak sempat buy much….but I managed to buy 3 belts. Plan nak beli satu new belt to wear with my grey pants for the workshop next week…but they had a sale, and I liked the big buckles type for casual wear – go well with blue jeans. Check these out!



The far left is for work, the other 2 for casual.

Retail therapy memang bagus untuk jiwa kacau.

Trainspotting over Low Fat Latte

Most of the time i work out of Starbucks or any other wi-fi cafe besides my own crib. Today, Jill and I left a meeting and needed to sit down somewhere to finish some work. We wanted to get to Maju Junction, one of Jill's favourite Starbucks, but we took a wrong turn and ended up in KL Sentral.


I didnt have my laptop with me, so i just enjoyed my low-fat latte and watch Jill work.


(no, Starbucks dont pay me anything for this product placement;-))


Too bad my camera phone takes bad picture of things moving...can you spot the train?


Dont think i would be hanging out here as the parking memang cekik darah. I paid RM9.60 for less than 3 hours.

The X File

Jill & I have been working out of Starbucks since morning. I am determined that the proposal should be finalised today, delivered to client tomorrow morning. And so we figured everything out....me giving the inputs, and Jill capturing everything into the power point file. We are almost finished, just minor editing....and Jill lost the file. Lost, gone, no trace of it can be found anywhere...she searched everywhere, temp folder, this folder, that folder, auto recovery...Zilt!

Now she's trying to do an express cover version of the X file while i wait here patiently.....

Shit Happens!

As fate would have it

We spoke again just now. This time more briefly than last, but still what are the odds?

Jiwa ku kacau lagi!

Technology's Slave

My late laptop & modem...huhu

I have been "off-line" mostly the past few weeks. My laptop died on me. My modem got "burnt" during a lightning strike....the cable was connected, and i think affected the laptop motherboard as well as the repair-man said its burnt beyond repair. It's too expensive to replace the motherboard, almost the cost of a new laptop.

My sis kindly lend me her new laptop until i get a new one. But the first few days that i brought it home, it started to give problems. It hangs all the time and certain programs - most importantly the Internet Explorer wouldnt launch. Then it got worst, i couldnt even work on my power point slides.

The whole thing made me jumpy and restless...i desperately needed to get online. There are the must-visit blogs and forums to catch up with, online friends to talk to. You know what i mean....

I finally got the laptop working again after removing one corrupt antivirus program. Then i got a new wireless modem. Then it rained, and there was thunder and lightning for almost an entire day and night. Learning from my lesson, didnt dare to plug in the modem. Then i took 2 and a half days to get the modem set up and running because streamyx was not stable, and some setting problems ....which was finally resolved after speaking to 5 different tech people at the TMNet Helpdesk.

Anyway, all is good now (fingers crossed).

So many things to catch up: 2 long overdue proposals, workshop materials, case study research, upload langkawi pictures.

But its good to be back

When it rains, it pours

I thought friday was bad.

Then something good happened early Saturday. (really good!)

I wasnt thru smiling to myself, when i got hit by another bummer of a news.

I just got news.....

I just got the news.....today i am inconsolable.