melbie.com

SOLD! Finally..

The well taken care of, beloved HTC Touch HD is now safe in the hand of a good friend

This year, I’ve finally let go two of my favourite phones from my collection. This and the other was my Sony Ericsson W960i, also to a friend. Not that I have a lot, just five of them altogether.  But the people around me said, I just had too many! Come to think of it, rather than letting the phones sitting there at my bedside table collecting dust, yeah, why not? Yes, I lost out a lot but then again, better than nothing, I hope. I think I gave one phone to my sis, and if I really did, I used to have six. Oh, I just couldn’t remember!

I was thinking of getting another phone yesterday, an Android phone to double up as a modem for the company number given to me as it comes with unlimited data plan too. Luckily my old Samsung SGH-U600 is now able to work as a modem again, though not with my work laptop, I think I’ll pass. But I am oh-so-tempted after looking at some phones, especially the source has the htc new models. Be strong, Mel, be strong!

I have learned a lot in this past year financially. I don’t keep myself updated with all the latest mobile phones, tablets, netbooks etc etc in market anymore just so I don’t fall into temptation – or torturing myself with the idea of getting one of them, as I used to. But now I have a new interest, I am looking at all these fitness attires and accessories. Oh, no! However, that’s beside the point. I just want to say,

Bye HTC Touch HD, you have served me well for almost 2 years. You were loved. Blame iPhone4 for your demised from my collection. Gah!

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I got my PADI Open Water diving license last December, as a partial Christmas present from my cousin/good friend. AND much to her disappointment, I’ve never gone diving again after that. It’s not because I didn’t want to, I just had to be careful with my expenses as I was then, JOBLESS.

Fast forward. September 2011. I got a dream job, so to speak. I get to do things that I do most online and I get to pursue my interest in Scuba Diving. BAM! I got to dive almost right away too, FOR FREE! Now, I guess you’d be able to imagine my joy when I was presented with the news then. I was sent to the resort, off Mabul island as my ever so nice employer wanted me to have the feel of the place, understand the whole operations and all the amazing marine life that one get to see when they come to stay and dive with us. When I was there, all I needed to do was gear up and we have this great house reef right under our foot to dive at. Off we go with the lift, and I was amazed by the marine life around me. Not because of the fact that I’m still a novice scuba diver, but seriously, it has been acknowledged by any divers that has been there!

My first photo taken underwater after “graduating”. Yes oh yes!

A crocodile fish camouflaging itself on the bottom of the sea. Look at the unique eyes!

After 2 days of diving at Mabul island and the house reef, I got a call from my friend/colleague from the HQ. She asked me whether my buoyancy has improved, knowing that it was my first dives after I got my license. I said I thought so, then she said this, “go for one more dive so that you’ll be okay when you’re diving in SIPADAN TOMORROW!” A diver’s joy to have the chance to dive in Sipadan! Oh boy, oh boy! Was I excited! Though I was quite tired from diving earlier in the morning, I managed to convinced the Divemaster that has been my good company throughout my diving sessions to go diving with me again.

A school of Juvenile cat fish. Mesmerising!

Chromodoris Iochi, a nudibranch species. The dive site are rich with muck critters. This was one of my favourite thing to see there!

Holding on to the cable guide as the current was quite strong for a beginner like me, but hey, I was okay!

The very next morning, I was up at 4.30am and ready to dive the day away at Sipadan. We left the resort at 6am and was greeted by the beautiful sunrise. What a way to start the day! After the registration at the Sipadan island, we first dived at the Coral Gardens. Oh, the beautiful corals and marine life that I saw … too bad I’m not ready to have any underwater camera with me just yet.

After the break at shore, we went to the Barracuda Point. I thought the current at our own house reefs was strong enough for me, but geez, I could have been swept away easily by the current at this place if it weren’t for the other colleague which is also a Divemaster. He had to hold my hand to help me get to one point to another. And yes, we were lucky! We saw the school of Barracuda and we were right smack in the middle of them! Awesome!

Another break and off we went for the 3rd dive of the day, The Drop Off. Saw mating turtles, again, I was told that we were lucky since this was not something that one get to see all the time. Sharks, yes, I saw White Tip Sharks, so close that I felt as if I just wanted to jump up and down, or do a somersault or something! Though I have no pictures of my experience in Sipadan, I have all the beautiful memories etched in my mind forever, or until the visit that is!

Would love to tell you where and to which company I work at, but somehow, I wish to keep my blog personal, and hoping no one from work would get a Google alert out of it. If you would like to know where is this place, leave me a message with your email address or Twitter ID and I can tell you the location and more info in regards of the place if you are interested. Ah, I love my job!

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It is now raining heavily coupled with strong wind here in KK. At times like this, I’d think about the poor cats and dogs out there in the rain, without the shades, and of course, the homeless too. I can give shelter to some cats and dogs, but unfortunately I cannot do much for the fellow humans. The least that I could do is to pack up my old clothes and give some to the charity homes. Hopefully I’ll be able to do that this weekend.

Though Christmas is about 2 months away, the neighbouring country, Philippines is now merry with all the preparation. I hope someday I will be able to visit the country during these few months and better yet, in December to experience the Christmas spirit that they have there. I’m not sure if they celebrate Boxing Day too like the western countries, all I know is that Malaysia does not. Isn’t it nice to have a day and dedicate the day for the poor? Sometimes I wish that I have plenty of money to go around so that I can do more for the animals and also the people around me. But I guess that is not meant to be…. just yet! Have faith, Mel, have faith!

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As of this month, there are 8 birthdays that have been celebrated and 1 more to be celebrated in our circle of family! If we were all to celebrate the birthdays at one go, geez, imagine how big or how many cakes that need to be cut! Oh come to think of it, I think there were 4 cakes at a time last year. But as of this year, the family reunion was only to celebrate two birthdays, my 12-year-old cousin and my uncle, never mind his age as he wasn’t really excited getting a cake from his older brother! I think that uncle would be more than glad if someone went to check for Mens Gift Ideas and give him something practical instead of a sweet cake. Not that he was ungrateful for the cake though.

2kg of Fresh Cream Cocktail Fruit Cake … first choice was Yam Cake, but the bakery was out of yam o.O

It was a good get-together for the family, and of course the food was fantastic! We are so lucky to have a great cook in our midst, a cook that does catering too.

Look at the food, and it’s not a bias opinion when I said the food are great. The aunt get the same feedback from her customers too

November will be here soon, and it’ll start with birthday get-together for 2 persons! Another good reason to religiously hit the gym daily to build up the muscles so that the fat can be burnt faster.

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It’s been a while since I last went shopping, especially for a pair of shoes. I used to go for the oh-so-sexy high heels, but not anymore. Since my knee injury about 1.5 years ago, I can no longer stand wearing a pair of high heels for long now. So it’s the ballerina flats or the types now. No matter which type, shoes would be one of the things we human, especially the females, would always want more than one. With Christmas around the corner, shoes could be one of your best christmas gift ideas for girlfriend apart from jewelries.

Speaking of gifts, I’m actually thinking to get my 12-year-old cousin a pair of sport shoes for his upcoming birthday next week. Maybe I’ll bring him to the shop this weekend, for helping me with feeding the cats daily. I just hope I’m strong enough to resist the temptation of getting another pair for myself though. Those shoes on display that I passes by daily seems like beckoning to me, calling out to me to touch and feel them. *Chants* I don’t need them, I don’t need them!

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