" Do Not Judge A Book By It's Cover "

We have so often listen to this sentence, however not often that we really think about it. Until certain things happened only we do.

It was a great and fulfilling day before I had this encounter. Went for a seminar on a lovely Saturday on "What and where to invest in 2009". To complete one of my task for the day, I've went to OneUtama fora simple hair cut. As usual when a pathetic chinese guy wanted a nice hair cut to usher in the Ox Year. A simple hair cut turns out to be one of the most annoying experience I ever had for the past 2 to 3 years at least.

Putting my foot forward into RUSSEL SALOON, a well design and expert looking saloon, I tried a hair cut that comes with a hair wash. Believe me it was nicely design (as in simple and comfortable looking). I started off with a hair wash which does not feel nice. This is normal to some of the saloon when the shampoo girl/ guy does not have enough strength to massage your head. Then came the washing away the shampoo part, the water drip on my back and wet my shirt: the shampoo girl din bother (which is normal at times too).

Finally came the final and most important part, the hair trimming. Right after I told him how I wanted my hair to be (basically short and can be spiky a little), he started to work on my hair. To my dismal, he uses the hair trimmer 90% of the time. A saloon that charges RM45.00 for a haircut with wash, that is so unprofessional. All my previous experience for the past few years, the stylist only uses one pair of scissors and at most is two pairs. Hair trimmer only come in at the last part for about 5% of the whole process. If I were to pay RM45.00 for that, I would rather go for a 15minutes hair cut kinda shop.

The best part was, he even asked me after he is done "Is this OK?". Its sound like he is unsure on his art work that he needs to get an OK nod from me. At that point of time, my hair is shorten and nothing could be done even if I said NOT OK. No doubt the end result is what I wanted, but I felt its ridiculous to pay that much for a hair cut that is not professional.

That's the price needed to pay when your normal stylist leave the country for a better prospect. You just need to hoop around until you get a suitable stylist.

Added version:

Thought I could spare my hair cut pictures being posted. Guess not. Hahaha.. Here it is...

~ ScOtTiE ~
19th January 2009 (2200 hours)

Happy New Year 2009 ..... New Targets...

Wow.... its 1st January 2009. A new year, new targets, new path, new mindset and same old me with new resolution. Its an opening of a new story chapter 2009.1 this month. Let me lay down my resolution for the year to remind myself on my achievement to be this wonderful year.

RESOLUTION : YEAR 2009 FOR EDDIE WOO

A. My Self Development
1. To attend Anthony Robbins Seminar in Singapore on 4th – 7th September
2. Read one book a month starting from January 2009
3. Attend more seminars – Investment related and Motivational
4. Do up my Financial Planning for Financial Freedom by January 2009

B. My “Material”
1. Using Dell Inspiron Laptop by April 2009

C. My Enjoyment/ Relaxation
1. Relax in one of the beautiful island in Malaysia (Redang, Lang Tengah or Sipadan) – before end of June 2009
2. Enjoy a wonderful holiday in Bali, Indonesia – before end of December 2009

D. My Achievement
1. Increase a level up on my People Development Skill
2. Slim down my tummy before Chinese New Year 2009 ends
3. Nice tone slim body by May 2009
4. Able to play a song with my guitar
5. Paint my room (with one feature wall)
6. Re-arrange my room for a more comfortable feel
7. Become a Millionaire by age 32
8. Change my personal outlook and a better personal care for a better appearance.

E. My Responsible to Society
1. Serve more people by attending more Public Duty
2. Involve in at least one (1) community project with a NGO

F. My Others
1. Appreciate all people around me – family members, friends, colleague, etc
2. Continue to adapt a positive mind whenever and where ever on what ever
3. To inspire more individuals through learning and sharing
4. Take fast and effective decision that I am making in my life

May all my family members, friends (present or past), colleagues (current or ex), and all (who knew me or not) be blessed with good health and fortune in the Year 2009. May all those who are suffering be free from it all, all those who are down be lifted up in no time and those who are happy to be even happier.

~ ScOtTiE ~
1st January 2009 (0017 hours)

Closing Chapter

The light is slowly becoming a thin line and soon it will be gone forever. Another closing chapter is about to happen in everyone's life. When the clock strike 0000 hours on 1st January 2009, all that we have experienced in Year 2008 will become another book of history in our subconscious mind. Are we going to bring the experience forward just like in accounts or we shall put things aside and start afresh? The answer to this question would differ from one person to another.

As for me, I choose to have my experience in 2008 crafted here with words. So that I would not bring forward all those challenges and problems this year to the coming PROMISING year 2009.

Year 2008 is a remarkable year not only for myself but also to the world as a whole. So many news and issues happened. Most of it are big stuff and I'm sure all would know. Leading the way is our General Election whereby BN had lost their 2/3 majority in the Parliament. This is a big story accross the nation. Hence, this leads to some political issues for some time back then. While this is going on, we have the US subprime issue that happened to be a ultimate time bomb that have everyone in the world affected no matter how big or small. Lehman Brothers from US that has been around for many years file for bankruptcy. With this, flowing in are other big companies and banks who spell for trouble. Everyone is so worried on what would happen to the financial market in the coming few months or years. It is what they called now a confidence crisis.

On top of those, we have the crude oil price shoot to an all time high of almost USD150 per barrel. Well that affect us in Malaysia tremendously when the government decided to push up the petrol price to a record high of RM2.70 per litre. At that time, to have a full tank will cost me almost RM100.00. Luckily the petrol price has drop to RM1.80 per litre now. That was a real relieve. With this, we also see all the food price gone up and the following effect to it would be inflation that shoot up as high as 8 over percent. That's only the BNM announced figure, what about our individual inflation figure????

As for my own individual experience for year 2008 would be a colourful encounter. There's so many things happened and some are totally opposite from the others. January to early March I would be wearing a t shirt and jeans or maybe a short pants to work. Now - I am wearing a smart executive attire finishing with a tie to work. I used to work in outdoor like jungle or maybe running around in KL City for a training program. Now - my training are all under the roof with aircondition. Be it shine or rain, I am spared from it all. Carrying large object like planks and crates are part of my work, now the heaviest object I would need to carry for training is a laptop.

I've also gone through a tough time where I do not have a secure job in hand as I resigned before I could manage to get another job. Experienced of not getting my two (2) months salary (still not getting it till now) and have to find ways to survive. Part time, short time and whatever time you called it, as long as it could make money and not breaking the laws, I'm into it. Gone through tough time where arguements are everywhere around.

Anyway all this lead to positive things in my life. It makes me stronger and be more resourceful in anything that I want to achive. Some says, its only where you are being put at the edge, only you would be thinking out of the box and find solutions. I mean as many solutions and as fast as you can. That lifted my life to another level in me. Due to that as well, I landed myself into something that I enjoyed alot more. More in terms of knowledge, skills, people and appearance.

There's too many things happened in Year 2008. All in all, it's a beautiful experience. One of my friend once told me, "Every negative encounter happened for a positive reason". Its black and white, Ying and Yang, Male and Female and etc. All is in a pair; so if you were to have a down moment, fear not as the happy side will soon come into picture to pair it up.

" Fear not, everything are destined to be in pair; the happy and the sad"

~ ScOtTiE ~
30th December 2008 (0040 hours)

Tawau Encounter ...

Tawau was something new to me when I first being schedule for my training sessions. I will always check around the website for information on the place before I fly over. However, this particular round I was so busy that I forgotten to check on the area. Not having myself familiar with the place, hotel that I am staying and all, I was there clueless.

Clueless bout what's there, anything nice to eat and all. Hence my preparation for Tawau is zero. Soon I was on my way to a place I have no idea how is it like. I need to change my flight in Kota Kinabalu in order for me to get to my destination. Upon reaching KK Airport I went straight to the boarding area for my next flight. Knowing later when I was flying back that I have to actually bypass the custom. That freaks me out when I was flying back on Saturday morning. Thinking what would I be going through and would I be able to get back to KL on time since I did not register in to Sabah on Tuesday with the custom. Luckily, I was save meeting a helpful cutom officer.

Anyway, going new places, the first thing I would check out for my own benefit is the FOOD there. I've asked the colleague in Tawau whats good there and hence she brought me to different places for food in Sabah. One of the favourite there was SEAFOOD.

1. Nasi Goreng special with Milo Ice : My first meal in Sabah and that was a lunch at bout 4pm. This plate of rice enable me to hold on my stomach up to night. Hence, I ended up having bread and my first night in Tawau.

2. Thai style Chicken Rice : This was my lunch on the 1st training day. Well at first glance it is nothing special as its just any other chicken rice I could have in KL. When it comes, the chicken is with some Thai sauce on top. The rice is bl**dy nice. Its soft and taste good! The agent in Tawau told me, their Thai style chicken rice sold out very fast.

3. Crab & Mantis Prawn : This was my dinner. Well having meals alone could be very boring. That was how I felt to while waiting for my food to come. However, that mindset changed as I was enjoying my seafood dinner that night. The crab and the prawn is so fresh that I've forgotten that I am eating by myself. Hehehehe... Opps... this is one of the very famous seafood stall in Tawau.

4. Salad Prawn Rice & Fried Vege : Had a simple dinner the next day. Had this in one of the nice chinese eating outlet

5. Seafood Steamboat : Had a crazy and wonderful seafood steamboat dinner with the agents and the colleague in Tawau.

Apart from all this fod in Tawau, the branch should also be commented on the delicious tea break they offered. One of the best tea break so far that I have encounter in the branches. These has prevented me from going out for lunch for 2 days. Guess I have put on weight in that 5 days......

~ ScOtTiE ~

9th November 2008 (1920 hours)

Working Trip to Alor Setar...

Mmmm.. the usual me, even I am out for a working trip, I will still find some good food. Especially the local food over there. This time around, I guess I missed the real local food in Alor Setar, but then I had some other nice but slightly different from what I have in KL.

1. Claypot Chicken Rice: Well they actually put an egg on to the rice. I've never seen it in KL (maybe there are, but never seen it before). So when I mix the egg and the rice together, it taste a little different. Taste better. hehehe...

2. Karipap : It cost RM0.50 per piece. The karipap is very small and the filling is just nice to let u have a taste of it only. Nevertheless, these karipap are wonderful. I bought 4 on the first day, worried that I would not be able to finish it after my dinner. When I got back to my hotel, I finish it in less than an hour. It taste really GOOD!!!

3. Chee Cheong Fun : My colleague told me its nice. So I tried. It is indeed nice. COuld not feel any different but then this chee cheong fun really taste good. I had this after my claypot chicken rice (yes again) on the second day. Wahahaha....

Yum yum yum... food is everywhere. Next stop would be Tawau....

Ciaoz .........

~ ScOtTiE ~

25 Oct 2008 (2334 hours)

Ex-Sibu Trip ...

Sibu town... View from TanahMas hotel room number 516. It was a slow and quiet town. Nevertheless, it is still a nice place to go. Nice place to go for when you don't expect too many things and just want to have a slow and peaceful life style (at least for few days - out from hussle of city).

To me, I would put it as a nice place, nice food and nice people. Well besides working for three (3) days straight and throwing my voice around, I had my fair share of food after work everyday. Thanks to all the colleagues in Sibu. What I had?? mmmm...... these are those that I had.....

From Top to Bottom....

Kampua Mee: The first local food I had when I reached there on the first day. It's like the Kolo Mee in Kuching or Wantan Mee in KL. But it taste good. Had another one 2 days later with what they call Fried Kampua Mee. It taste great...

Another local food (forgotten the name) : Well its like a bread with minced pork meat inside. Well I would said it something like the CharSiew Pau we had it here, just that the bread portion is slightly different. Nice ......Yum Yum....

Tom Yum Mee in Cafe Cafe, Sibu: Well just another tomyum mee we could have in anywhere. But then again, look at the size of the bowl again.... Its huge..... Three of us went and we got ourselves one bowl each. When we finish everything (one didn't manage to finish it), we saw three (3) guys ordered one bowl of this tomyum mee and shared among them. Mmmmm..... they are either smart or we are big eater... hehehehhe

Fried Mushroom & Chicken Butt: Its my dinner with colleagues and another agent. Well, this is only a quarter of the food we had that night. When it all come, I was eating all the way and full to the maximum at the end.

Working else where in Malaysia is suppose to be much more tiring and eating lesser. However, this trip has made me gain a few kg I guess (I hope it didn't). I almost could not sleep because my stomach is so full with food!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sibu......... that's where I have been for this month (October 2008). Next will be Alor Setar......

- ScOtTiE -

1734 hours (19 October 2008)

Sibu ...

Its 6.35pm now and I have yet to pack my luggage as usual before I leave for somewhere tomorrow. The walking up and down of packing will be done an hour or two before I leave my house normally. Well a whole week long working trip would enable me to leave certain things behind at least for five days.

Good or Bad.... I have yet to know. Things are being settled down in a way I guess. However, how effective as of now, I really have no idea. I wish I know...... I wish I know.

Been checking out what's there in Sibu so that I could take this working trip of mine somehow a little holiday for me. A small retreat after a big tsunami that hit me few weeks back. Would I be able to use the time to relax off my mind, or I would be busy preparing for the day after..... I have yet to know too.

Anyway Sibu as I know is a small town with nice people over there. Found out a few must try local food there. I will for sure that those pictures of those local food there back and get it posted up here soon.

Sibu here I come with a MAS plane................

- ScOtTiE -
12th Oct 2008 (1842 hours)