We might be homeless !!!!

Long story short, we have been looking for some more space to accommodate the growing kids. The drawback of an intermediate link house was the open outdoor space is limited. Hence we have been on the lookout for either a corner or semi-d within our reach. Although we have a plot of land that can be built onto, but the current situation is not suitable.

So we have been looking around in a few areas but found that we wouldn't want to uproot the kids plus it going to be far away from our familiar support system. Hence when we knew someone in the vicinity is selling at a reasonable price, we grabbed at the chance and put in our offer.

As the process goes on, it was smooth sailing. We have gone through 2/3 of the buying process then we decided to put out our home for sale. Offers came in and we accepted one which was quite reasonable for us.

then we hit a snag, apparently the current owner of the house we bought has debts larger than what our loan repayment would cover, hence the registered owner has to fork out quite a substantial amount to settle the difference. This has been dragging for more than a month up to a point of where the buyer of our house has also reached the point where we were when we sold the house and it looks like they gonna settle their transaction first.

If thats the case, than we might be homeless once the process of us selling the house is complete when the buying process of our new house has been stuck in limbo. even with the owner handing vacant possesion by this month, we still need to do some major touchup on the new property before moving in.

Point to note when buying subsale :-

1. Don't leave all the search work to your lawyer, they might screw it up as ours did .. this situation would have been detected during the due diligence and we can opt out from the deal
2. Be wary of houses selling below market price ... quick sale indicates some underlying problem to the owner (especially financial issues with the lender)
3. The S&P Agreement is more towards protecting the buyer than the seller, the buyer would bear all the costs if the delay is by them but if the seller drags their feet, than they are protected. I wish I could claim the costs of Late Delivery plus the cost of rental in the case of us moving out from our home once the transaction is completed.

At this point of time, all we could do is to leave it up to the guy up there ....

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Misery - Part 1

Murphy’s Law

Its true what they say, that what can go wrong will go wrong and most of the time in one go. Case to point :

1. Automobile Issues

1. It started with me driving the mrs black TA, parked at the local night market, upon returning to the car, there was a dent in the bumper by some thoughtless b****rd. Check with the repair shop would cost me around RM 200.

2. Had a first real fender bender earlier this month. Wasn’t my fault, but it needs some time to be repaired and as it was done by some green leave who might not be paying attention to where he’s going that fateful Friday evening, my car has been officially in an accident. So I cant sell it off claiming its “accident free”

3. The latest incident happened on 28 April 2011, me going back to KL from Penang after some work. It was raining heavily, as I reached the Ipoh stretch, the car doesn’t seem to turn around the curve as I expected it to. Instead it was heading towards the left divider. As traction control and ABS kicked in, it still headed towards that direction as I’m trying to stay in control keeping the car straight as possible. But when I sensed that I could not help but going to knock head on, I turned the steering to the right, that’s when it got really violent. The car was swerving and I faced the oncoming traffic twice before hitting the middle divider and coming to a halt. Luckily it can still move so I moved it to the side and put the hazard light on. This was the first time I have been in a “violent” accident, apart from the normal fender bender and it felt like the longest duration in my life. Luckily I’m alive and driving the car as any other local cars would have not survived the impact.

Rusty blog

Dah lama gila tak jengok blog ni ... dah berkarat macam tuan dia juga .... kena dapat mood nak menulis balik nih .... aduhhh

Been quite a while

It has been quite a while since I dropped a note down here ... matters at work and home have taken the writing 'mood' away from me .... now that's 2011 is in, then maybe I have to spare some time in writing in here ... Hope I can do it again ...

Workplace Hazard

It has happened again. Fatal accident at work. The post accident procedure has taken place. Loads of info to get, statements, root cause analysis, mitigating action etc ...

At least this time around I'm just in the investigating committee. Part of the job description. Better than being the person in charge dealing with next of kins.

I've experienced that once. The hardest part it to face the family saying that your son/husband/father was involved in an accident. Then the reassurance that they gonna make it thru whereas deep in your heart you know that the chances is slim. The dealing of grief on behalf of the family, colleagues and subordinates. The keeping up morale for all.

The hardest part for me is keeping the memories alive. After the accident, they are bound to be disfigured and I can't stand that. I would rather have the last memory of them as a complete person, not someone who has passed due to some tragedy. Maybe I'm not normal in that respect.

Al-fatihah

Adik Malas

Adi has hit the terrible two stage. Her favourite phrase now is "Adik Malas!". When she doesn't want to cooperate with anyone. The mrs got a dose of it last night. I think with me she's behaving better,but she'll run all over the mrs. Now thinking of defiance vs defiance method, but boy, she's one tough cookie to crack.

Tried the defiance vs persuasion method, but it has only worked once . At my wits end now...

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The need to be connected

Technology could be a boon or bane nowadays. Most of my kakis, whether school mates, work or golf are on BB nowadays. In fact, the most non tech savvy among us were the first to embark on the BB platform. The reason? Email & BBM.

BBM is a way BB users could keep in touch with others. Coupled with the fact that its riding on the BB plan and no setup needed except to know the PIN's, it has proved as an effective way to communicate. Coordinating event among kakis are easily done. Everyone can be in touch virtually from anuwhere in the world.

But it do have an ugly side to it. At our last TT, almost everyone was glued to their BB even though all are them are seated next to each other. The real reason to meet up was to get together physically, yet some communication were done through BBM. Maybe something covert, I don't know.

So what would be the best solution? Maybe time will tell.

Ramadhan Kareem

It was a hectic two weeks prior to Ramadhan for me. Work issues cropped out and all impromptu tasks were assigned to me on top of scheduled tasks. Made me wanna scream on the top of my lungs all day at the office.

The only reprieve was a short break before Ramadhan, sort of stress reliever.

Hope this years Ramadhan will be better than the previous. Aminam

Spring Cleaning

Its been a while since I did some spring cleaning, stuff accumulated has taken up space in the storage. So I have allocated the weekend to attend to it. Surprisingly, there's a lot of stuff that invokes the memories that have to be cleared off, even though deep down inside I wish that I could keep it forever.

There has been countless of shoes, some bought on impulse, some after long wait to get it at the sales ..Some of it were of the boys, branded but outgrown, not suitable to be handed over to adik. All those which in good working order found their way to the charity drop off bag, whilst those with missing parts or in need of repair were discarded.

Toys are also getting the same treatment. Along with clothes. And a friend dropped off some groceries to be given away too.

I guess that I have been a sort of keep it for life person. My HRC TShirt was decommissioned by the mrs when I was not around. Its kinda hard for me to let go some of my cherished stuff, but when the time comes, I still need to let it go. Maybe it can be of use for someone else.

I even didn't realised that I have certain stuff stored away in good condition. I didn't realised when it was in storage but when it came to giving it away, I kinda *sayang* to do it. Dunno, maybe its just me..

Talking about spring cleaning, I have decided to give black beauty a facial with the seven seater would follow suit, before raya. Just waiting on the results after this.

Enough of my ramblings ...

In the spriit of 1Malaysia

Work brought me to Penang last Thursday. Upon reaching at the airport, I waited for my pickup. Whilst waiting, a gentlemen of chinese descent approached me and asks whether I'm Jeffrey Tan, as he was supposed to pick him up.

For those who knows me, I don't think that I'm anywhere as Chinese looking as as you would mistake a durian with an orange. OK so maybe my eyes may,
But my complexion is not. I might be Jeffrey Tanbarajah..

So I was a bit perplexed about the matter. Maybe with the mix in Malaysia that rave and creed might be able to be cleared and a true Malaysian will be the norm soon. We could only hope for it. The rest of the day I thought that WOW, I could pass off as a Chinese descent... Hehe

But on the way back, I sat next to a pilot and a foreign student of Indonesian origin. The student asked "Bapak mau pulang ke Jakarta?" Which brought me back to reality. Hmmm....

Take some time off

Received this through email and wanna share it with friends :

A SCHOOL teacher one day spots a scribbled paper from her son and suddenly gets emotional. Her husband, who had just walked in, saw her crying and asked why. She quickly shows her husband the essay and asks him to read it. The husband reads it, thinking it is a homework assignment of one of her students. The essay goes as follows:

Dear God,

Grant me a favour. Please make me into a television. I want to take the place of the TV in my house and I want to have my family around ME. To be taken seriously when I talk.

I want to be the centre of attention and be heard without interruptions or questions. I want to receive the same special care that the TV receives even when it is not working. I want to have the company of my dad when he arrives home from work, even when he is tired. And I want my mom to want me when she is sad and upset, instead of ignoring me.

I want my brother and sister to fight to be with me. I want the whole family just to spend some time with me. And lastly, I want to make my family all happy and entertain them, just like the TV. Please grant me this wish to be a TV.

At that moment the husband paused and said, “Poor kid! What horrible parents he has!’

The wife looked up at him and said, “That essay is our son’s work!”

With all the going ons in recently, I think the article did struck a chord with me.

3 Idiots

A rollercoaster ride of emotion...bursting to stitches in laughter...heartfelt moments...

Truth be told, I am not a fan of Hindi movie, somehow I find that their formula too predictable, in fact most of the movies do, except that in Hindi movie they'll break into a song and dance routine at every opportunity they can. Girl meets boy - song & dance, Boy leaves girl - song & dance. They meet up again, song & dance.


Now this 3 Idiots didn't venture away from that formula, but the way its being delivered had me glied to the idiot box. Maybe because it about 'engineering' & that's why it took my interest, but I honestly can watch it again. Even the boy enjoyed itm The mrs cried bucketloads. Hehe..

It certainly wasn't up to cinema paradiso cinematography but it still had me on stitches. A good watch.

Bye Palm, I'm now a Crackberry.

My dear Centro,

With a heavy heart I have to leave you, even though I'm still in love with you. All the years we spent did have a special place in my heart, and I will cherish those moments. Its hard to find someone like you and every time I wish that I'm still with you. When I'm with the other, I wish that it was you But alas, we have come to a crossroad in our life where we want different things and I know that I can't be what you want me to be.

My dear, even though we are apart I still have a soft spot for you in my heart and I wish that we could be together again sometime in the future. I do hope that you will flourish with your choice and wish you all the best. I will miss you.

Seeking solace in words

Just gotten my reading spirit revived this week, thanks to the discovery of another the same book for less bookshop near my workplace. As far as I can remember, I have been mesmerized by words that are beautifully strung together to form sentences, sentences forming paragraphs and paragraphs forming a story line.

I would just have myself immersed in the story and as much ad I hate to admit, a good read would keep me awake at night. I can't stand the fact that I need to sleep in order to rest as the next page that I'm missing seems to taunt me, coaxing me to open the next one and the next one and the next one.

I would envy people who could construct a beautiful sentence from normally used words, also for the life of me can't even quote any quotes that I have read. Nonetheless, it never detract me from reading. As for writing, I think I would just stick to reading peoples had wrote whilst imagining that someday I would be able to do the same.

The last of my wisdom

I went to the dentist today to get my wisdom tooth cavity filled. I don't know why, but all my wisdom teeth have erupted, and three of them have been removed. The last one standing have some cavity issues, as per the other three but as far as I have known, no other tooth have experienced cavity at all.

Could it be due to my oral hygiene or the last all the wisdom teeth are made from different material?

I dunno ..

but I do know, the last one is another 2 day MC waiting to be taken once I feel like it...

There is an end to everything

"There is an end to everything, even to good things"

One of the article that I read during my Sunday read starts with that. That adage holds true for the situation that we are in today. As what I can see, the news nowadays comes from the government, who have been working hard to wake us up from our slumber that things are not going to be as rosy as what they painted during the process of selecting them into power.

Slowly but surely, things that we have now would be taken away from us, either knowingly or unknowingly. This would almost all the time being followed by the adage. Where are we heading now? Back to the olden but golden days? Does the good old times would be followed by a better future?

It seems to me that at the back of our minds, this adage would ring in any situation that we are in. Are we ready to face it once the end looms near? Do we bite the bullet and just go through the inevitable or we just linger on with the hope that things would be back to what it were, and everyone will be happily ever after?

Its kind of hard to say, I would say go with the flow, but what will happen when the flow ends?

There is an end to everything, even to good things. Cherish them while it lasts.

Its been a while

It has been a while since this blog been updated.

Work wise it has been hectic, just came back after being away for 2 weeks, Ipoh & JB. Would be away again till the end of the month.

My day trip to JB last Friday was very eventful. Firstly I met my dad, who coincidentally is on his way there on the same flight. We also sat on the same row, albeit across the aisle, shared the same cab in JB and met him during the Friday prayers. Due to the Friday flight arrangement, my dad opted to take the bus back and not the flight, else I would have spent most of the day with him in JB. That's more than I do while we are in KL ... hehehe .. not a sign of a good son ..

Then on the way back, I was assigned the emergency exit seat, than theres this young dude sitting next to me.. I started lamenting about the seat as it couldn't be reclined, then we started talking.. turns out he was on his way to KL to join MENTOR 4. I was puzzled as I recalled, the show had already started... long story short, he was selected to replace Ziana Zain's protege, who for some reason opt to drop out, and his concert was on Sunday, less than 48 hours ... To Izwan, all the best and good luck ...

Goodbye Miss Rumble and Tumble

After 12 years with us, we have to say goodbye to Miss Rumble and Tumble. Your years of service, without uttering a word when asked for would be remembered. You said nothing when asked to do the same chore again and again and again. Would you continue to be of service in another 12 years to come and your deeds to those who is is dire need of your service would be remembered for eternity.

Farewell. We'll miss you.

April Schedule ..

April have been with a hectic start for me. It started off with a work trip to Kedah for 3 days, 29-30 March 2010, then a dive trip to Tawau/Semporna/Mabul from 1-6 April 2010, then continuing with work trip in Sabah again , KK/Sandakan/Tawau/Lahad Datu/KK from 12-18 April 2010.

In the past three weeks, I have been home in about 6 days :-(. There would a few more work trip in Semenanjung planned but I'll try to make it a day trip as much as possible even if it means I have to drive or take the early flight in last flight out.

Work is work but what I miss most is time with the family. Time with the kids and the mrs. Things are moving at such a pace that I wish I could clone myself, leaving the original me home to be with my family. Until then, I will try to minimise days away.

Black Beauty is down .. again ..

For the second time in weeks, the black beauty had experienced a leak in the power steering system. All this while, we had managed to get by using Amiaq's magic potion no 1, but this time it did not help. Need to bite the bullet & get the component changed, but due to limited availability of second hand parts, the progress had been slow. So much so that I had to forego my teaching session in Taiping tomorrow. Else it would be my return trip to Taiping since last Thursday..