f a r e w e l l

On a seperate note...
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to everyone!

Farewell to my good ol'....


Companion,

Partner,

Friend.


.

..

...


And I'm not talking about a person.






It's my good ol' faithful car.

(Let's just address 'him' as CJ)


Today is Christmas, and also the same day CJ is sold off to other people due to 'old age' and also due to the severe pressure from my parents. If you've noticed above, I never mentioned that CJ is merely a car or a vehicle; he's my close friend. A really close friend of mine ever since I got my driving license on the year 2001 which was like 7 years back. A trustworthy and close partner whom I dedicate most of my transportation needs' in KL / PJ for the past 7 years until I came back from Terengganu with a motorbike and finally a new car.

In fact, initially I didn't want to sell off CJ due to the fact that I can still drive around to nearby places with him. However, both my parents and (almost) all my other relatives insist to sell off CJ, saying that he is really too old (for your information, he's already 31 years old) and it will be very dangerous for me to drive such an old vehicle around hectic places, especially in KL town area. Moreover, they said that the maintenance costs are too high for CJ and it's more reasonable to buy a new vehicle than to continue wasting money on CJ's high maintenance (which kind of explains why I'm 'forced' to buy a new car). Yes, I have to admit that there's some logic in what they're saying, but still...


I just can't let him go.


There's this feeling...this 'close' feeling I have with CJ. It's like being forced to part ways with a friend you've known for 7 years, and you seriously don't like it. Seriously, if given a choice, I rather not buy the new car and stick to CJ despite all the reasons mentioned above. CJ is my best friend. Once you lose a best friend, it's not easy to get another one back asap. It's not like those Chinese saying "if the old doesn't go, the new doesn't come" kind of nonsense. It's not like if you lose something, you can go buy another new one to replace it. It's this feeling...this longing feeling to be with your friend that hinders me from letting it go...leaving him to follow a new owner who is a total stranger to myself.


And the most scary part is what the new owner is going to do with CJ after he owns CJ. Will he totally destroys CJ to gain scrap metal? Will he cuts CJ into half as part of those 'kereta potong'? Will he re-sell CJ to reckless uncle drivers'? or will he simply treat CJ as well as how I treated him all the while? I'll never know.


But in the end...


I lost the struggle.


'Thanks' to my mum, today CJ is sold off to an uncle who claims to be a second-hand car dealer. Both my parents & me went on to pass CJ to this uncle, & after negotiating the price, terms & conditions, etc, he agreed to buy CJ. And from there itself, I asked the uncle THE critical question.


"May I know what are you going to do with CJ?"


Well, his answer is kind of expected due to his occupation, but it's always safer to double-check, isn't it? So he answered me with the expected answer, nothing fancy. Let's just hope he's an honest person.

Deal done, uncle left with CJ. And what's left with me are sorrowful emotions. Yes, I'm being emotional to a non-living object, but you can't blame me. Being together with CJ for 7 years have developed a bond between both of us, and a sudden farewell like this will definitely ignite emotional breakdown. I know at times, I'm an emotional person, but I'm also a person who treasure long-lasting relationship, be it with living or non-living objects. This may sound crazy or even idiotic to some people, but this is me. Nothing will change it.

I miss you. I miss you. I miss you so, so much, CJ. I really do. And I will always remember today, the day I see you go.


I guess this is the saddest Christmas ever for me.


As always.

t h e - - c r o w d

2 posts in a day.

Something very minor & insignificant for a regular blogger, but not for a person like me. And now, today, for the 1st time, I'm posting twice on the same day.


Not too bad for a non-regular blogger.


One, I wanted to separate 2 totally different topics into 2 posts. Two, I wanted to post up this issue before I forget it by tomorrow (yes, my memory is that bad).

Back to the issue. Initially, I'm suppose to go collect the offer letter today at 9am from the Human Resource (HR) Department at my future office in Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL. And try guessing what time did I actually reach Jalan Sultan Ismail?



7.10am.



Crazy? Definitely. Idiotic? Well, part of it.


Now, you ask me, "What the heck am I going to the place so early for? Also, what am I going to do there for like, 2 hours?! "


The main reason I went to the place so freaking early is because I want to avoid the crowd. THE CROWD. For people who often take public transport to work in KL (especially LRT or Monorail), you people know what I meant by not only the usual, ordinary crowd, but THE CROWD (note the bold & caps). Some simple characteristics & stats about THE CROWD:


- Strikes most viciously at peak hours at weekdays (from 7.30am to 10am & from 5pm to 8pm), whole day on weekends & public holidays.

- Comes in various size, gender, race & origin.

- Professional & office staff are not excluded & they make up the majority of this crowd.

- Often target popular public transportation, namely Putra LRT, Star LRT, KTM Komuter & KL Monorail.

- Often (& obviously, most of them) are impolite, hostile, cuts queue better than Malaysians on the road, rushes to entrance of LRT as if that's the last freaking LRT on planet Earth while ignoring poor outgoing passengers.

- Either have ugly & smelly body odour or "outrageous" fragrance due to excessive perfume / cologne.

- Pushes stronger than The Incredible Hulk, especially when the LRT's full.

- Totally inconsiderate as elder people & pregnant ladies are left to squish together with the other "sardines in the can".


Which is why I mentioned I was only part of "idiotic" previously.

Yes, I'm so stupid to sacrifice my lovely-dovey sleep time for the sake to avoid this ugly, unbearable phenomenon happening every day at the only public transport I can take to my new workplace. Hmmm, how about alternative transportation methods, you say?


Riding my motorbike?
Yes, you can definitely avoid THE CROWD, but you can't avoid THE DANGER. Moreover, I have.....ermm, insufficient insurance. Get away, insurance agents.


Driving my car?
Yes, I can also opt to drive there, but please remember this is KL & NOT Ipoh. Traffic jam kills, and if that doesn't kill you, the parking will.

Carpooling?
Might happen, but I don't know anyone yet besides my immediate supervisor & her boss. Gosh.



Which basically leaves me with no choice besides public transport. And trust me, I feel like I'm on heaven when I hop onto an LRT with so little people & cooler air-con. What's more, with the dark skies & the silence in the morning...just what I wanted.

And also for the 2 hours' I'm there, I can always look for a mamak / food stall nearby and have a nice cuppa' tea while reading 'The Sun' free newspaper or the book 'Exit A' by Anthony Swofford which I'm currently reading.

Frankly speaking, studying in Terengganu & working in Ipoh previously have caused such a big impact to my psychology & mindset. I'm no longer the city boy I was born to be; instead I'm slowly evolving to a village boy staying in the city. I no longer love to hear the sound of exhaust pipes & look at luxurious skyscrapers; instead I long for quiet & silent beaches with less people. I no longer fancy Kopi 'O' & Frappucino's at Starbucks; instead I long for Teh 'O' & 'taugeh Chicken' more than anything else.


I guess the change is for the better good.


And I'm sure my tactic to avoid THE CROWD works so d*mn well.


Now I have to start praying hard that members' of THE CROWD doesn't read my blog. Oh well...

f i n a l l y

Finally.


.

..

...


I've got a job!

Just went to take my offer letter & also undergone my pre-employment medical checkup early this morning, and settled everything. Now what's left is to wait for the first day to report to work on next Monday (22/12/08).

Thank you very much to my friends', here online & also offline, who've supported me all the way in the process of me getting a job. Yes, you know who you are.

Really, thank you so much.