Semua tentang kita

Semua Tentang Kita - Miasuraya

I can't pluck so I strummed, but I hope it's okay Syaida :)

And Asna's birthday is today. I'll post pictures up tomorrow!

See, I'm very good!

I can't seem to stop getting drinks from coffee chains ever since I realized that I can differentiate how different coffee, hot chocolate and whipped cream tastes from home and various shops. Ridiculous how overpriced they are and one coffee is equivalent to one hour's pay! But today, I get to redeem a drink because I've gotten enough stamps on the patron card :) Another hot chocolate, which later spilled on my green bag. LOL.

Now back to the topic.

Since the first day of work, I've met a couple of my lecturers a few times. My IB lecturer would wave or give a warm smile from far. I know my law lecturer would do the same, say hi, or even chat with me for a while.

These do not apply to my Finance lecturer. The almost grumpy 60-something guy.

Few times of bumping into him I'd give a respective nod. He'd just look at me. Once, he replied by raising his eyebrows, with a very kerek face. If expressions could talk, I'm sure it's translated to:

"What is your business here?"

On Thursday I saw him again in the cafeteria, just after lunch. Instead of the usual nod, I stopped by his table and said hi to him. He initiated the first conversation.

"You seem very busy lately"

"Oh I'm here every weekday, Sir. I'm a research assistant now"

"To whom?"

"To Dr. Jane Tong"

"Oh, very good"

He said that with an acknowledging nod. And that made me happy, because he wasn't easy to please in class (he's sort of emotional). To get a positive comment from him is something!

The first sort of "good job" I got from him was when he told the whole class that he wanted us to write neatly in the finals. Apparently I'm one of the very few who wrote neatly in the mid-exam!

"Only Suraya and someone else wrote neatly"

I like to be praised by lecturers, so what? Haha. Doesn't everyone?

The blue bangle and the costly shipping rate

House of Harlow 1960 Aztec bangle from Revolve Clothing. He told me to go get it. But I'm tempted to get the black one, too. For stacking's sake.

One thing I hate buying from sites in the US is the shipping charges. I mean, $30 for the shipping of a fat bag, due to arrive within four days is alright, but $38 for a single bangle? I know that's the standard price for signed Priority Mail (where signature is required upon delivery and trackable), but the fact that Pos Laju charges international packages cheaper (and gets them delivered more promptly) makes me sigh at the shipping costs listed on these sites.

Of course, they do offer the $10 option, First Class Mail- but don't be fooled by it's name. First Class Mail is just normal airmail with tracking number which is useless once the item's out of the US. If you're super lucky, your item will arrive in six days. If you're not, it'll arrive within weeks and weeks- worse, it might not arrive at all.

Sites will say that with this option they can confirm delivery, which means their responsibility is limited to when the item is still in US. If after boarding the plane and your item is lost, risk will be all yours. You can't track either.

From experience, I've lost two items via normal airmail and one that took roughly 4 weeks to arrive. So to play safe, l would choose the $38 signed mail. Rather than lose a $75 bangle altogether, better spend another $28, no?

And this is much late, but I finally found the ad for one of Mama's bag. I swear I was in awe when I saw it in the magazines, when suddenly she came home from work carrying it.

Pretty thing. Starring Rinko Kikuchi.

This is why I don't think I'll ever get a Chanel bag in five years. Because they're too expensive and because I have my Mama ♥

I send 600 mails per day, have you?

"Suki na hito ni suke tte tsutaeru sore wa kono sekai de ichiban suteki na koto sa"

Translation: I can tell the person I love "I love you" and that's the most wonderful thing in the world.

I love the bit before the final bridge of the song.

Work has been okay. Right now all we're doing is mailing out the questionnaires. Each of us have our own workstations and rotate jobs to avoid from getting bored. So what I do daily right now (since it's just in the early stages of the project) is stick addresses to envelopes, stamp large envelopes, insert cover letters, explanatory letters, questionnaires, smaller "return" envelopes and small Monash notepads inside the large envelopes.

Sounds too easy? NO! Not when you're dealing with at least 10 boxes of large mails per day. I dare say I prepared more than 600 mails today. And the letters inside the envelope have names on, so checking each one to match with the receiver's name is a bit of a tedious job.

One day's work.

To angkat all the boxes to the delivery room every few hours is another matter.

And then there's calling of directors and managers of big organizations as follow-ups to the questionnaires. I haven't encountered a single person who was willing to give input- but I heard those from UMW are very open and supportive. Most hear the word "questionnaire" and they'll turn auto bitchy.

But I'm being paid RM10 to RM15 per hour so I'm not complaining :)

p/s: On Monday my dad dropped by Monash before heading North, handing me a tin of Alpha Lipid powdered drink, supposedly to heal my stomach. My aunt is distributing the drink. Back home I saw the price tag, RM180 is he SERIOUS?! I looked for info and read that it cures macam-macam types of illness. This reminds me of some products of MLM firms, like this facial bar which claims that it can cure hair loss when people wash their foreheads using the bar. Ok, seriously, some things sound TOO good to be true that I have difficulty believing them. Marketing fail!

Anyway thank you Babah for your kind thought. I will finish the tin up and hope my stomach aches will go away. And if the claims are true, I'd be looking younger and have acne-less face, be cured of asthma, gain weight, get high distinctions in exams and have higher libido LOL.

Once upon a time I was a self-proclaimed royalty

LOL. I was just irritated that everyone wanted to be "princess" at that time- why not be something more superior? You can't blame a 15-year-old. People go through phases :)

Currently reading...

Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu at Onemanga.com. Revolves around the relationship between Takuma, a guy who will die by the age of 20 and Mayu, a girl he promised to marry since they were kids. More like his many attempts to ignore her after finding out that he's going to die, in order to avoid hurting her long term. Read synopsis here. Sappy story but I'm really enjoying it.

The gorgeous Inoue Mao (Makino of Hana Yori Dango) and Masaki Okada (Sekime of Hana Kimi) will both star as the lead actors of the manga's live action adaptation.

Thank you Muni for the info :)

p/s: Can someone please please translate Nana #85? It's been six months now!

First day as a research assistant

First day as Jane Tong's research assistant. She's conducting a research on Malaysian Work Life Values- I get to learn how a university research is done, from compiling letters and envelopes to mail out and calling firms to get responses. I'm working with three other girls from the business school who are very helpful and efficient.

Jane is pretty cool, we learned a lot just by having lunch with her (her treat). She shared her recent findings on Malaysia- it's amazing what statistics can tell you.

I wore the jeans Ekha got me, supposedly for my birthday. Lovin' it thank you Ekha!

Apart from that, I stole borrowed my mom's nude Ferragamo heels for work because I couldn't find mine in the morning. Ok, BIG mistake. I can see blisters waiting to reveal itself...

Why can't I wear flats to work in the future, why?? I don't want ugly feet :(

p/s: Reza is AMAZING :) I just wish I could embed the video here, kan Aishah?

Time for a wardrobe change

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. About my age, where I’m going and the things I wear. I think I am young now, but by time, that will not be the case. By next year I will be graduating again and by next year I will have to support myself. By next year I will start having a real job, which equals to bigger burden on my shoulders.

This stemmed from a conversation with my mom yesterday, when she wanted an opinion regarding a bag she was planning to get at Ferragamo (which she got, later). Before we hung up, I just had to ask her about the flats I’ve always intended to get ever since working there two years ago, the Varina.

I've never gotten them since I thought spending that much on flats didn't make sense- until lately.

Varina.

“Are there anymore Varina flats and how much are they now?”

“Are you planning to buy them? Why would you want to buy flats? You’re going to be working (for real) soon. You should work now, get some money on your own and buy high heels instead, like the Vara the girls (the SAs) are wearing now or this one. Flats aren’t for work”

My mom has a point- I’ll be entering the real life soon, my life is gong to be revolved around work and I need to be equipped with heels and appropriate clothing. Not flats all the time. Not fancy headbands. Not studded bracelets. Definitely NOT cleavage-revealing tops, too.

I need to look as appropriate as possible and flawless, considering the industry that I’ll be in and not forgetting to be taken seriously.

Hence, there is need for a HUGE spring cleaning of the wardrobe.

Yes, I know I’m supposed to save, but this is an investment and rest assured that I won’t be throwing money for nonsense. Investing in style is better than spending on fashion pun kan? And of course I'm not going to get these heels right now. Work work work!

These are Carla. They are crazy comfortable and will not go out of style :) You can get them online at Neiman  Marcus.

 
Both jackets are from Miss Selfridge.

Do you think I should let my LeSportsac bags go? People think I'm 15 when I'm carrying them...

p/s: Ferragamo is on sale!

Waking up in Vegas

Waking Up in Vegas - Miasuraya

The most effortless cover yet. Click "Play full song here". Good guitar is still not with me and I haven't been playing for a while so just give it a listen :)

Twilight: The mourning after

From Lamebook. Glitter and bite marks, get it?