So Close To Death

Friday 13, 2007

I always call it a good Friday, when I used to be in sales, I will always try to drop by at the cemetary to drop my grandparents some flowers... but I guess to many others, it was a black Friday, to some it was their last Friday...

It has been real madness at work this week, deadlines and more deadlines; episode after episode... Finally, Friday was the day when we were supposed to present to our guests, the first presentation was as early as 9.30am. Which meant I had to get into office early, leaving some buffer for unexpected traffic congestion.

I left the house before 7.30am, drove two streets down the road and I noticed someone lying in the middle of the road, stomach down, blood drained face to the side, facing my direction. My first reaction was actually lifting my hand to cover my jaw dropped mouth, no joke, we always see characters in movies covering their mouth when there were in shock, that was exactly what I did without realizing why. I was all goosebumps and hair standing. It was a boy, a kid maximum early twenties, one of his shoes fell off him, my first impression was car accident, someone knocked him down?! Hit and run?! No... he fell off a motorbike perhaps? There was a lady at the side of the road indicating for me to drive through via the side of the road, making sure I did not run over the body, yes, it was a dead body! When I carefully drove passed, I notice blood stained on his still neatly tugged shirt, at his belly area, and while I turned to focus back on the road, I was driving passed a pool of dried blood. What happened??

I tried to make some quick decisions... I simply cannot be late to work that day because the presentation slides was in my laptop, sounded so cruel, I know, mum told me later that night that I should have stopped to render some help... a few more people rushed to the scene, I noticed. Ok, I gave myself a quick check, goshh... I was in total shock, can I even handle another glimpse of the body? I made a decision to leave the scene while tried very very hard to channel all my effort to continuous chanting, the least I can do?

I've managed to call mum later during my lunch break, told her about the incident and she said she had heard, she said the road was blocked and I told her when I passed, the police had not even arrived. Mum said it happened at about 7.30 in the morning! The kid lived just the next street, he was on his way back from work, night shift must have been, a few Indians mugged him and wanted to rob him since he was spotted with a pouch at his waist. He resisted and got stabbed three times, it was of course, fatal. At the end he dropped dead in the middle of the road, receiving no help at the time when he needed most. The murder case was on headlines today, saying he tried to stop these guys from stealing a car and got stabbed instead. Gosh... sometimes news can be so inaccurate, or was the neighbourhood the ones giving inaccurate information?

His mother, didn't get to see his son home that morning, my mum heard that the mother, in total shock was paralyzed at the scene for a long long time. I could imagine...

I've never before imagined being so close to death... my grandmother passed away a few years ago and it was hard but expected of older people. It was really hard for my heart to settle down after witnessing a kid's body, abandoned on the road being so so so close to his home. He could have been asleep, in bed, safe instead of being helplessly laid in the middle of the road!

Of course this bothers me a lot, it bothers the whole neighbourhood a lot too as everyone thought how so unsafe it is near our homes, rob and murder during broad daylight!

Guys/ gals... be extra careful with how you carry your bags, mugging now a days doesn't come as straight forward as we have thought, it's not just about snatching and run, robbers now a days are into hurting and killing. You might think you will get away with it if you voluntarily give up your valuebles, but consider youself really lucky if you only got snatched.

Be very very careful and take real good care of yourselves. May you be protected by your guardian angel all the time...

Old Fashion Chocolate Cake

Old fashion chocolate cake because this is a recipe that uses cocoa powder and not dark chocolate. I think during the older days, chocolate cakes are baked with cocoa powder, or like my mum used to, Milo. There are loads of recipes, like melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cakes which uses chocolate instead of cocoa powder, which I am sure will taste superb, but I've yet to try any of those recipes... maybe one day. As for this weekend, I baked the same old recipe - one which was given to me by one of my high school classmate (I still remember her name!) and have since been baking this version of chocolate cake - erm... for the passed 15 years. Gosh... I'm that old already.

Anyways, the original recipe didn't come with the chocolate icing... it was not a trend to have icing like that for homemade cakes. I've sort of improvised and came out with something made of Cadbury milk chocolate.

I gone a bit crazy last Friday and got myself so much of chocolates! Wanted to use them to decorate the cake, but found that only one of the items gave the best result - Chocolate Mint Sticks.

So, after "packaging" the cakes looked like this...

Where did time go?

Another week just flew passed. Really felt that I've not been having enough time lately. I used to think that I couldn't manage a office based job, always loved the sales job when most of my time were spent out, won't be bored staying at office, trying to kill time, waiting to go back. I now have a really different perception towards full time office based job - if you get one that's busy enough, time flies and it can be as enjoyable. In fact, I have been lately wishing that there are more hours in a day. I just didn't have enough time, like this week for instance, I've only manage to go to one pump class... it's always all plans but fail in action. Yesterday was so typical, I had everything nicely planned, work done, only need to finalize a few very minor, can't possibly take a lot of time items to discuss with my boss before I head to gym, then suddenly everyone wanted to see my boss too, and there was a little drama which didn't help with me sticking with my gym plans...

One of my new colleagues (one week with the company) broke into tears while talking to my boss about her earlier episode - she presented to the management and got some major "told off" by the big boss... I'm not sure if that's the case, my big boss is just loud and direct, but not unreasonable, and my first presentation was a disaster too! The whole thing was just unacceptable... but we will get round it, just need to do better and learn to gauge the standards and requirement right? But really, it was (is) really tough, very stressful. However, this is nothing like what I had to go through with my ex boss whom I always refer to as "The Devil" - she was really bad, very unreasonable, liked to pick on me, had a very irritating voice, and worse of all, she didn't know what she was talking about most of the time and that would most probably be because she didn't know her job, at all. Now, my current boss, he can well give all the remarks he likes however way he wants because he can afford to do so - he knows the company really well. Nevertheless, I think it's going to be really worth while at the end of the day... I shouldn't think one should get that upset with his remarks...

xxx

sms from auntie: Can I order 35 cupcakes form you ah? Need before sun.

Ok, I was originally not in favour of baking 2 chocolate cakes, now it's confirm that there's no way I'm gonna be baking 2 choc cakes and 35 cupcakes...

... the next sms reads: Actually I want 40, 5 wt lots of raisins and icing, the rest plain.

So, no way I'm gonna be baking 2 choc cakes and 40 cupcakes - 42 because mum wanted 2 to give to a neighbour. And since I'm in need to "sweetened" up the atmosphere in the office, I would need to bring in the chocolate moments... and since the other half of the cake has been booked by sms buddy - food tasters, I'm so sorry, next round k...

xxx

Went to gym today soon after I was out from bed... found myself yawning all time at gym when I did my free weights. I was also sniffing and achoo-ing towards the end when I did my 20 minutes stepper (the weather has been really bad lately and I forgot to take my Clarinase before going to gym). Anyways, the stepper said I did some 90 over floors at the end of my 20 minutes... hmmm... sounds ridiculous, how did the machine tabulate that info I wonder...

xxx

Had tea with my girlfriend at Secret Recipe near Sungai Long (convenient, not crowded, no need to go to town)... loads of gossips but we were heavily interrupted by her little boy, who wanted to go home soon after we ordered. His daddy had to come fetch him while my girlfriend and me continue with some "light" shopping around the area. Oh, thanks for the treat girlfriend!

xxx

Not sure what is this flower called in English... it will blossom only once and always at night. Not sure how it know the time, but the flower will blossom slowly late night and fully blossomed at midnight. It has really great smell and they said each of these flowers has a flower fairy inside... if we make a wish, they will help us make our wish come true... just like the fairy tales.

Short Stories

Monday 2 July

Missed combat, too much work to do but luckily was still on time for pump. I hate missing my regular pump classes because the strength will just go backwards... The Monday combat was as usual crowded, now that I'm not actually in the class, I could actually observe the combat master's moves clearly (you can't when you are drenched in sweat and suffering in class)... the conditioning track for the new combat is really great! (that means it's torturing enough) and the master did it so well - every stretch was really controlled and full of strength. Hmm... but Farid was not there, still in Singapore? No one could give me any answer then...

"What happened to my usual Monday crowd??!!" That was how Swee's opening sounded... the class did seem a bit empty... not empty, empty, but no-need-to-squeeze-into-class type empty... I went through the class with less difficulties compare with the last one since I diligently did 2 pump classes the week before (which reminds me, I'm still pending another pump class which I still haven't a clue where to plan in - Hobbes not teaching this Sat, most probably won't join my usual pump class. Maxis Buddy: If you are reading this, are you doing pump at Maxis this Sat?) - by the way I love the new lunges track, really effective (quite torturing enough)!

Anyways, did my chest track in a total mess, missed a lot of moves due to delayed cuing (It was not Swee, was the instructor-in-making who was shadowing... ) I personally felt that the to-be-instructor was not quite there... Bumped into Swee on my way out and I went "not teaching Balance meh?" She said there were not enough members - only one lady... and finally, she concluded that "it's all Wookie's (of course she didn't use this name, your real name) fault!" Which I can't agree less... haha...

Tuesday 3 July

Was extremely busy as I've storied. Presentation slides are just so time consuming, not to mention boss wanted the animation and sound effects... Was supposed to go dinner with my ex boss and one of my former manager but it was cancelled (again!). Actually, I felt blessed later that the dinner was cancelled because I really couldn't have left the office for the dinner... left the office only at 9pm...

Wednesday 4 July
Came back earlier for once, which was about 7.30pm (it's considered very early for me now a days), off day from gym. Originally planned to come back and read my new book, but only managed to read 3 pages, it was passed midnight already... where did the time go? Can't seem to be able to catch up with time lately.

Thursday 5 July

the baker: Yay! D audience liked d presentation slides n even my director said it was quite gud. Phew... u r rite, things ll get easier once i settled down. :)

sms buddy: then u can rest early ;)

the baker: blah blah blah (don't expect me to be able to remember the text word by word right, so just roughly lah, simply story telling anyways...) baking choc cake tis weekend... miss choc cake? ;)

sms buddy: can lah, but need t b on diet soon. well, just do more weights lo ;)

the baker: ok, 2 small pieces lah then... there r many requests so might not b enuf.

sms buddy: 2 slices ar? which part of my stomach t put? It's ok lah then, nxt time you bake me a 10kg one... hehe

the baker: where got 10kg cake one? :D (not something my little kitchen can produce anyways) I can always bake 2 cakes lo. Half of the cake enuf 4u hon?

sms buddy: hmmm sounds gd. Ok half then but make sure every1 gets the cake 2

the baker: but must come t pick up since we dun do same gym...


Honestly, I'm not up to baking 2 cakes, too stressful. Cakes will always turn out nicer and taste better when you give them your undivided attention... adjusting my allocation list sounds like something more convenient to do... hee

Must sleep... actually want to read my book, then sleep. Thank god it's Friday tomorrow! And hopefully I won't miss gym again.

Sneak Preview

I'm not supposed to be bloggin at this hour of the day, why? It's office hour obviously! But I guess my boss should be ok with this since I stayed till 9pm last night to complete the presentation slides... and this long week of hard work really pays off when you get the tumbs up, and well done, and compliments from the audience. Thanks to my production team too, the "sound engineer" (my graphics designer) and couldn't have done it without the "creative director" (who's my big boss the Grp MD) No, we are not a production company, and yes I'm still doing product developement not advertisement...

Anyways... I've had loads of fun reading messages left for me here, not many people know about my blog for now (have not "announced" it because not sure if there's anything that is worth reading in here). But as for pix, I've got quite many of them. I've been planning to do this for weeks - baking chocolate cake. If there's no "incident" then it's gonna be a choc cake weekend for me, and my food tasters out there...

A preview (my previous bake)

Tuesday

Extremely busy!

1st Chapter of July

Saturday 30 June, 9pm
SMS (Cousin sis & me)

C: Jie, it's done and I want my "gaji"...
Me: What "gaji" ah?
C: cupcakes and lots of cakes lol...
Me: Ok, baking tomorrow...

xxx

It's July... a few things to look forward to :)

• Harry Potter and The Order of Phoenix - saw the posters up at the cinemas already!


• Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows - booked my copy at Popular. Waiting for July 21.


• My sister's birthday. In fact, many other birthdays (like at least 3 other...)


• My first month as a confirmed staff in my new company

xxx

July 1, 4pm
MSN (One of my favorite instructors & me)

Me: Where are you ah?
P: Still in Dubai lah
Me: Many ppl tot you start to teach in KL today...
P: But last minute I can't come back lah...
Me: Oh?
P: DON'T ASK WHY!
Me: ok ok... I won't ask....

Me: Hmmm... they like you so much in Dubai and won't let you go easily maybe. We are all waiting for you to come back...
P: I know, I got hijack by Dubai...

xxx

Baked cupcakes again because 1) Cancelled office from my allocation list last week, so baking for them; 2) Need to pay my cousin sister's "service fee" 3) Mum wants to give to neighbour (in fact she also want a whole cake for my uncle and grandfather. Therefore...

Orange cupcake

with brandy butter icing & toasted walnuts

xxx

July 1, 5.30pm
SMS (my sms buddy & me)

B: happy bday 2u, happy bday 2u, happy 2u, happy bday 2u... happy bday :-*
me: TQ honey :D but today is not my bday wo...
B: Ya in case I forget ...
(like that also can ah? hmmm... who ever reading this it's NOT my birthday k!)
me: Tat's so sweet of u tq :-*. No one can beat u then, u r the 1st 1 to wish me tis year...

xxx

Mum said cupcake not nice, too sweet and she doesn't like the orange taste. (But the sugar amount is the same like last week which she said ok!) Cousin sis said she like it, and she likes orange and she is my good supporter (hmmm... unrealiable feedback).