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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