Service & such...

Like children for children...

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 00:33:00 +0000

Retailers should know their market better. But then I guess with the current situation in regards to the availability of quality manpower, maybe they don't have much choices.

We went shopping yesterday afternoon for the children's non traditional clothings for Aidil Fitri. Traffic was not that bad, maybe because pf a 3 day weekend in most states and in Selangor, many had chosen to "balik kampung"...

First it was for shoes...Raziq almost blew his entire budget on a pair which everyone of us liked, and especially him. Thankfully, on trying out both sides of the shoes and walking about in the store, we realised it was 1 1/2 sizes too big. The sales personnel were helpful and friendly and equally apologetic when we had to hand back the shoes and depart...

Then it was tops and this is not an issue with either of them. When it came to pants...ahhh...here we go...

Raziq had issues with the waist line and thighs...Raihanah was more of a length matter. We finally got them the right match from a shop that specialises in children's clothings. Unfortunately, the sales girl who attended to us for Raziq's pants wasn't child-friendly. Raziq only tried on 2 pairs and already she was grumbling about how difficult he was! He actually asked for a pair that would have fitted him but she had insisted on a size smaller...when that didn't fit him comfortably, of course he had to ask for another, which fortunately did fit him.

And in his usual way, he had been a tad playful when he was trying out the pants, with his witty comments...more to downplay the fact that he had to buy pants 2 sizes bigger than his age group would! And there were no other buying clients in the store, either so she shouldn't have to grumble about having to wait a bit when he changed back to his own pants...

Fortunately, Raihanah had a sweet and obliging girl attending to her; else I would have walked out the store, pantless...for Raziq, anyway!

Hooked - line and sinker...

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:02:00 +0000

I got hooked. On facebook. Am still learning and enjoying every moment I could get to update, upload and the likes on my page.

Not bad, actually. For a forty something heading fast towards the fifties, and able to pick up new technology and play with new toys. Still yet to get a blueberry...I mean, a blackberry...or any berry for that matter. Now that I don't yet see the need for, unless someone would like to give one to me as a gift...

Through facebook, I reconnected with friends from school, friends whom I seemed to lose touch with for so many years. On facebook, I caught up with their latest goings on with their families, careers and fave past times. We "see" how we have grown and grown gracefully into matured and elegant women from our scrawny teen-age looks of thirty years ago...yeah, right!

I also make new friends and new discoveries...and maybe, just maybe I will achieve my dream state sooner than I imagined. Yes, giving a face to the book of networking...

And this is only 3 days...

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 05:25:00 +0000

Raihanah had her first real away-from-home experience when she participated in a community programme organised by the District Education Office of Gombak. It was an activity of the Pandu Puteri Tunas or Junior Girl Guide and participated by 6 primary schools under the district.

She was among 4 guides selected to take part - in fact, she was thrilled and had insisted on going when the teacher in charge asked if she would like to take part. As parents, we had to subsidise some of the costs involved in this excursion, which was not an issue for me. As long as Raihanah wants to take part, is eager to take part, we will encourage her with whatever means we can. We hope she would gain valuable experience from this activity, and of course, this would also look god on her resume!

I felt sad, though for not being there to help her pack and send her off. Coincidently, Hanafy and I were away in Seberang Jaya, Butterworth delivering a programme to a corporate client there. It so happens that the community service activitiy involves an Adoption programme where the students have to stay with families of the local community for the 2 nights of the programme.

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:48:00 +0000

Tiny's mum gave birth to a litter of 4 kittens about a week already. And she is such a devoted mama cat. This time round, all 4 are male kittens and she is making sure they all survive.

The last time she gave birth to 3 kittens, only Tiny survived. And to think that Tiny was the least that she cared about then. One of the kitten died of suffocation - mama wanted to keep them warm so she had cuddled them close to her body. The next day, one of Tiny's siblings stopped breathing - mama cat had accidently slept on it the whole night. Tiny's other sibling died from undernourishment.

With only Tiny to look after then, mama cat made sure she wasn't out of sight. And we helped in any way we can, including building a shelter for them to sleep in right outside the kitchen door. On cold and rainy nights, we moved the basket of mama cat and Tiny, then an odd looking scrawny fur ball, to outside the front door where it was warmer.

I had not wanted to start the habit of keeping them indoors - they were after all still 'strays'. And I'd like to keep to the relationship we have with them now. In the day time, we feed them. Sometimes we allow them in to play around, But night time, its strictly outdoors.

The cats that seemed to favour our house and taken to us, and vise versa, somehow know not to soil the house inside and outside. If there are droppings found on the front lawn, that would most probably be the work of other strays or cats owned by others in the neighbourhood or some of the 'tame' cats' "friends"...

Jogging shoes in use...

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:17:00 +0000

Upon our return from our short 'balik kampung' holiday to Singapore during the recent school holidays, the first outing we did was to a mall to get running shoes for Hanafy. As promised.

Today, 1 July, marks the second time the shoes were worn and for the purpose of the purchase. The first time was last Saturday when we were in Penang to deliver our talk to a few schools there. We stayed at the Gurney Hotel along Persiaran Gurney, fronting the sea and with a wonderful stretch of concrete walkway point to point, connecting the hotel to Gurney Drive, and suitable for avid joggers and brisk walkers alike to partake their interests mornings, evenings or nights.

We brisk walked point to point and back. I am very sure we covered an area of about 4 km in total, judging from the amount of sweat that poured out of our pores. Once we got back to where we started, that is right in front of the hotel, we walked right up the 1 flight of spiral stairway to the coffee house for breakfast. A healthy one, mind you.

Ahhh....I had 2 bowls of their oatmeal and mixed dried fruits in milk plus yogurt, chilled and ready to scoop. Have always wondered how they did the mixture - whenever I tried to concote this tasty serving, it just did not come out the same delicious way! I had a few crackers with cheese. I had coffee and a glass of manggo juice. I had 2 half-boiled eggs, grade C in size.

The Gurney...I am sure their buffet breakfast spread is one of the best I have ever tasted. But then since we have been staying here regularly for the past 3 years, the spread never seemed to change. Not that I am complaining; as long as the oatmeal and mixed dried fruits in milk plus yogurt is there...eemmmmm...

50 years together, and still going strong

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:23:00 +0000

May God always be with the two of you and the all of us.

Love you both smuch!

Happy birthday, Raziq

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:48:00 +0000

Raziq turned 10 today, 8 June 2009. We have been in Singapore since Friday, 5 June 2009 and I had gotten him almost all on his wish list. Well, the list according to me, moir, mummy.

He got his sports shoe, sweat pants (and a couple of normal pants), a couple of plain colored t-shirts AND he got his football. And we as a family have been going down to the park in front, or could that be behind, Aunty Chah’s house for our 45 minutes brisk walk cum light jog EVERY day. Great, huh? Lets’ hope this continues when we get back to KL this Wednesday.

According to Raziq’s list, I still have to get him a football jersey – which I always referred to as t-shirt, pardon me. The GSS is on and we got some good bargains on his other stuff so perhaps we could get his ‘jersey’ at bargain prices. I did find a cool t-shirt that has a football club name printed stylishly in the front and at the back, ‘The Next Number 10’. He didn’t fancy that so it went to Raihanah, lucky her.

And according to HIS personal list which I specifically told him I am ignoring, there’s a super cool toy car top of the list. Dream on, dear…

The family that walks together...

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:06:00 +0000

Yesterday, we shopped around for sneakers or jogging shoes. The family aspired to start jogging together at least 3 times a week to stay healthy. And loose unwanted weight, if possible and of course! Worst case scenario, if we can’t jog then take brisk walks BUT as a family!

We figured, since we all love food and eating out at fancy spots, and we wouldn’t want to give all those up, then we’d start exercising to help us maintain healthy physical presentations, if you know what I mean. Over the past few moons, I noticed my pear shape turning very peary and Hanafy walking with his head forward to balance his, ehem, pronounced tummy.

Raziq, too has become very rotund – well, with the last few weeks of no prancing around the playground due to the mid-year exams and all, he hasn’t been able to turn those babyish fat into healthy sweat. The only one who has remained slim is Raihanah, and that is equally worrying.

Raziq spotted and fancied a pair of Puma’s and the cost was something I could afford for him, considering his birthday is just a few days round the corner. However, the lack of service (read: attention) from the many sales assistants loitering around the shop floor trying hard to look busy made us walk out with a loud “well, if they don’t want our money, we’ll go elsewhere”. And we made sure some of them noticed us walk into the sports shop just next door!

Poor dears, what they desired didn’t come in their sizes so I strike a deal with them. We’ll get ourselves ordinary no-brand running/exercising shoes. And if we remain true to our family pledge of 3 times a week of brisk walk and or jog, we’ll treat ourselves to those oh-so-very-branded shoes. Every one of us.

And mummy will throw in a pair of branded sweat shirt and bottoms for herself! Hey, I’m paying maaahh…

More goodness than un-good...

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:10:00 +0000

Today is a day of more good than un-good, for wanting of a better term.

We took the kids out to a movie at our favourite theatre in 1U – watched ‘Night at the Museum 2’. True to its critics, this sequel to NATM is better and more hilarious, with little resemblance to its predecessor. The kids had fun and so did we the grown ups.

The movie started at 2pm which meant we had a good 2 hours to have lunch and perform our zuhur prayers. As a treat to Raziq, a pre-birthday celebration, we left the choice of restaurant to him. And so it was at The Gardens we sat and enjoyed a sumptuous luncheon amidst ‘lush greeneries and wild flowers’, all plastic, of course.

We were served by Laila – superb and fantastic service indeed. The others, including the Floor Supervisor (I assume) also ensured we were served and waited on. I noticed this superb level of service is standard for every patron is treated the same. Laila was such a fantastic service provider that we ended up ordering dessert even though I had not particularly budgeted for that!

The ambience of The Garden really made us felt like we were at a garden wedding; who would believe this place is in fact on the lower ground level of a shopping mall, nestled behind some known labels.

After the movie, Raihanah and I went shopping for linen to be given as a wedding gift. Again, we were treated like royalty by the sales assistant who, from his physical appearance, should be resting at home playing with his grandchildren and not here, attending to people like me. Because of his warmth and friendly nature, I ended up buying more than what I had planned.

Ahhh…all good things must come to an end. This string of ‘goodness’ ended with deplorable service from a very rude store-owner where my children had walked in to buy computer games. Original ones, mind you.

I guess the store-owner didn’t think we could afford the more than RM150 games sold at her shop…well, pardon me for not carrying my original designer hand-bag. But after spending more than RM200 on lunch, what is RM150 for a computer game, eh?

It feels like the pits...

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:35:00 +0000

My jubilant mood on getting word that payment for some jobs I had done turned turtle just as fast. It seemed the end clients were not thrilled with what I had produced. Now that was, is, a balloon deflated.

I had been concerned and anxious with the assignments – I suspected some of what I had done may not meet clients’ expectations. But to have one of the assignments totally rejected…well, that certainly is enough to more than bruise one’s ego.

Another one of the assignment I’ve been told is being reviewed and revamped here and there. Which part or section exactly – I wasn’t informed. It did not help that I was only told of this when I text message the middle party for notifying me of my payment.

Somehow, it didn’t feel right; that I was not told of what or where I did ‘wrong’, and that I was not given the opportunity to correct what might have been my ‘wrong-doing’. The manner of this all seemed so ‘wham bam thank you, maam’.

And I do feel so bad, a tight knot in my tummy in fact, thinking that this could have an adverse impact on the career of the parties that got me the assignments.

For now, I can only pray that everything will turn out right. Eventually. Hopefully. For everybody. Don’t I always believe that everything happens for a reason?

Pants and under pants

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 10:08:00 +0000

So many years ago, I attended a training program on personal grooming conducted by a well known social figure who also writes for a local English newspaper. Her columns provide tips and guides on personal etiquette, manners and such.

I remembered distinctively the esteemed presenter giving us all a tip that I have since been sharing with my classes. We were told that in order for our shirts/blouses to stay neatly tucked in our pants or skirts, we had to first tuck them into our…under pants!

In other words, the order of dressing up is to first put on our top garments, then our underpants – pulling the waist band on top of our blouses/shirts, and then only do we put on our pants/skirts. That way, regardless of the number of times we move about in the office or wherever, our blouses/shirts stay neatly tucked in our pants/skirts.

Today, I again had the good fortune of being given some more tips and guidelines on personal grooming, or rather, professional corporate grooming. And today I learnt that the rule of thumb in tucking in your shirt/blouse into your pants or skirts is to ensure that the portion of your shirt/blouse that is tucked in is about 6 inches from your pants/skirts’ waist band.

In other words, NEVER TUCK IN YOUR SHIRT/BLOUSE INTO YOUR UNDERPANTS! Remember, waistbands of pants nowadays are not what they were during the first grooming class I attended. And what do you know; underpants of recent years are certainly not what they were before, either…

Imagine trying to tuck in your blouse into flimsy strings and what-have-you…now, wouldn’t that be challenging?

In a bit...

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 02:34:00 +0000

Good golly miss molly...it has been a long while since I last penned my few cents worth here, hasn't it?

Not that I have not been dropping by; every day or so when I do, I tell myself this is the day I am going to share what's been going on in the past few days...and the days got longer and more spaced out.

I eventually started my field work again, going round the country on business...and before you know it, the country has had a change of leadership (power is too strong a word in this case, for me...and power is almost always associated with abuse. Heck, maybe thats why the media and our leaders kept on using that word! Go figure...)

Anyway, I went for an out-of-the country holiday, and this time am not refering to the usual trip back to Singapore. The children and I went to Indonesia; more specifically to Bandung, Puncak and Jakarta during the 1 week school break. All of 5 days and 4 nights. And we flew on Garuda Airlines. Which means, we went through KLIA, real international travel, if you ask me.

We had a ball - the sightseing, the hospitality, the food, the excitement and of course, the shopping.

We all felt like millionaires; you would too, if everytime you spend, you have to take out their currency in the thousands and millions. And usually when you convert the price of an item back to Ringgit, and you realised how much lower priced that item is in our home country, a sudden rush of guilt envelopes you - even then you still haggle with the seller for a much bigger discount!

Ah, well...I need to re-install my bluetooth thingy in this laptop so I could download the pictures taken on my hand-phone. Then we'll share more of that. Meanwhile, we'll chat on other issues...in a bit.

Silver state

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 12:20:00 +0000

Almost a year since what was termed the tsunami that shook the nation, we are again faced with some turn of events that again, altered the course of history in our country.

Early in the year, we were in Perak courting schools to our financial education program that is funded by a known foreign bank in the country. Last week, we were in the silver state again to deliver the program to a residential school in the state. In a matter of that few weeks difference, the state administration seemd to have changed hands.

One minute we were meeting the school Deputy Principal in PR-led Perak and the next time round, we were delivering the program to their students in BN-led Perak. Woosh...just like that.

Can't recall if the school had hung pictures of the Menteri Besars on their office walls, like most other government funded shools...now it would be pretty challenging if they had to keep on changing pictures every other month, eh!

The makings of a great person...

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:55:00 +0000

Thursday nite before her bed-time, Raihanah was busy finishing a poster she wanted her class-mates to read about the next day. I took a peek at what she was so bent on finishing way past her bedtime, and my heart stopped a beat for a splint second. I felt so touched and proud of my little miss muppet's mission!

She had read of the sufferings of the people of Palestine and especially of the violence taking place in Gaza. She saw pictures of young children with blood streaming down their faces, agonising over the pain inflicted on them and their people. Senseless, terribly unjust...and she read of what the international communities are doing to try and stop this carnage from continuing. She also read of the drives to collect as much as possible so the people of Palestine can be aided.

And she decided that she must do something, anything that she, at this tender age of 10 years going on 11 in a few weeks, can possibly do. So she intended to rally her friends on a fund raising drive for the chiildren of Palestine. And that was what her poster was about. Urging her friends to donate. Campaigning for her friends to put aside some money for these children who have nothing compared to her and her friends.

So how did it go? Her bff and family had planned to contribute over the weekend. Other friends claimed they don't have any money to do so (uhuh...and they can afford to buy expensive gadgets, observed Raihanah). Yet there are a few who claimed no knowledge of whats happening in Gaza...pretty sad, isn't it?

Yesterday, we went to the bank and she proudly took out her RM50; one hand holding her poster, she punched in the account numbers of the Gaza Fund as advertised in a major newspaper. When the machine printed the receipt, I couldn't help feeling proud of my little angel again, for that is what she is to me and hopefully to those suffering children in Gaza, an angel.

And I am proud for I see in her the makings of a great and wonderful and sensitive person. Beautiful. Thank you God for this precious gift.

Oh, as we were about to walk away from the ATM, her brother decided that he too, wanted to contribute. And he did, with RM10 he borrowed from Raihanah...

Endurance test for real

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 16:08:00 +0000

Today starts the real test of endurance for our family. Today, this morning to be precise, we sent our maid off to Kangar, Perlis on the 9:15am Transnasional bus with my dad. There after, our family is again without a maid for another three weeks, give or take a few days.

Unlike in December of last year (yup, that was last month...) when she went back to JaTim (Jawa Timur) for a months' holiday, this time round, school is on, my husband and I have some training programmes on, I am into my 2nd month as a full-time freelance translator with tight deadlines and both Raihanah & Raziq are in the morning session.

This time, it will be a real test for all of us as I attempt at being a wife + mum + home-maker + entrepreneur, at the same time, full-time. Today is not a good measure, though; it is after all a Sunday and a day where we can take our time in all that we do.

Now, tomorrow, Monday, first day of the week...well, that is a different ball game altogether.

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:44:00 +0000

This school year, both Raihanah and Raziq are in the morning session. For Raihanah, the more experienced one, the year is no different from last year except that she is now in a higher grade.

But for her brother Raziq, well its something else altogether. He's not just moving up to any higher grade but a higher grade in Level 2 (Tahap 2). Translation - tougher subjects, UPSR oriented exams questions, tougher and more serious (and stern) teachers, more writing subjects...yup, writing essays, writing narratives, writing...long sentences, punctuation marks...

Already subjects like Bahasa Malaysia (Penulisan) is a challenge for him since he was in Primary 1. Now, to have to write essays and karangan, and maintain a journal. Phew! Enough to freak him out, and freak him out they did.

He had an anxiety attack...that triggered an asthma attack. He started coughing, caught a flu and was feverish when we dropped them off on their first day in school. By the time he came back, he had thrown up and was wheezing so bad we took him to the doctor's where he was given his dose of vantolin gas (nebuliser)...

That night, he slept early due to exhaustion and from the effects of his medication. But at 2:45am next day, he woke me up for a glass of water and just couldn't go back to sleep, thinking of his new teachers (cekgu BM garang, class teacher garang, science teacher garang...) and friends who now are no longer in the same class...

We know but...

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:41:00 +0000

10 days into her new, healthier diet of white meat (fish mostly and skinless chicken, steamed, souped or poached, low salt and low sugar), vegetables cooked in the same manner and one scoop of rice per day, my mum lost 4 kg.

And judging from the way things are going, we are pretty sure she'll discipline herself to eat healthily for the sake of her hypertension, cholesterol and aching-joints conditions. The trigger? That hospital stay which saw her diagnosed with a heart condition.

I don't know about the rest of the family, but for me this was also the motivation for me to start and stay on a healthier life-style, especially in regards to my eating habits and perspective on life.

Human nature, I guess. This trait of knowing how not good things are but not doing anything about them until something happens...well, I plan to stay on this path if not for my own sake, then to cheer mum on.

A window opens

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 09:38:00 +0000

The window into 2009 opened 3 days ago and will remain so for another 361 days or so.

Here's hoping and praying for a breeze that brings all things good for all of us in every aspect of our lives, to blow in through the windows.

I stopped listing down resolutions for the "new" year a long time ago; not that I stopped having resolutions. Only nowadays I don't wait for a new year to begin, to start having one.

And if I ever need a time frame to measure the "start" of any of my resolutions, well, I now would rather use the Hijrah year if not my turning of age which falls in January, anyway.

Hijrah in every sense

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:29:00 +0000

Monday, 29 December 2008 coincided with 1 Muharram of the new Hijrah year of 1430. It was a day the family will remember for a long time.

True to the meaning of Hijrah (Migration), the time for one to assess oneself and resolve to migrate to be better, this particular Hijrah day for me at least, really hit the nail on the head.

Mum had a heart condition referred to as angina...and that scared the hell out of me, my sister, my brothers (I think!) and though not obvious, our dad. This is actually a gentle tap on our shoulders, reminding us of so many things.

More importantly for me, is of how precious this being called MUM that most of us take for granted.

That Monday, 1 Muharram 1430 Hijrah, as mum came home after 6 days in the hospital, I feel so much for her I pray God give me every means possible to provide for her, and my dad, more than she did for me.

Mak, I love you as I know you love me, too.

When push comes to shove...

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:01:00 +0000

It goes to show how much the average Malaysian family comes to depend on the services of foreign maids in their daily lives.

Our Indonesian maid returned to her home-town of East Java for a month's holiday after more than 2 years of her stay with our family. While my in-laws offerred to help out - mum-in-law especially was all prepared to come over from Singapore to ease our burden in Bibik's absence - I figured this would be an opportune time for our family to be independent.

We have been pretty dependent of the services of maids since our son was born in 1999. The first one was from Pattani, Southern Thailand, the second from Acheh, Indonesia and now, this one from East Java, Indonesia.

So it was that we all now have to chip and put in our two cents worth around the house. Well, we still haven't really gotten the hang of total independence yet; hardly a week into Bibik's leave from duty, we will be travelling down to Singapore for a 10-day vacation.

But in these few days of being maid-less, we seem to be doing pretty well...goes to show that push comes to shove, anything can be achieved!

Wan (One) Thai, anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:50:00 +0000

Our first night in Langkawi, my brother took us out for dinner. He had wanted to take us to this fantastic Chinese restaurant but then it was closed to public - a party had booked the entire restaurant for a private function. Well then, maybe next time.

Next option was a Thai restaurant nearby, by the name of Wan Thai. Thankfully, this place was not yet packed although a few tables had been reserved. Ah, the school holidays...and from what we understand, the island was also packed with government officers there attending seminars and all.

The service provided as good - we were seated and handed menus promptly. The food came fast and one can see through to the kitchen so you can see the cooks busily cutting and stiring ingredients in woks, with flames from the burners occassionally rising high over the woks as the chefs turn up the gas.

In the centre of the restaurant, a pretty young server was kept busy mixing ingredients for a famed Thai salad called Som Tham. It seemed almost every table ordered that particular dish, except for us.

The house specialty I haveto say must be their Otak-otak served in a young coconut fruit with its flesh intact. The children loved their Chicken in Pandan - I managed to take a bite from my daughter's plate and yes, tasty!

So if any one of you out there has plans of a vacation in Langkawi, the Wan Thai is a food outlet not to be missed. The prices of every dish are also reasonable, by KL's standards. And the owner @ boss lady comes out to greet every patron at every table, ensuring orders were served briskly and asking for feedback on their food quality. Fantastic...

Langkawi Today

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:12:00 +0000

Baskin Robins at Jetty Point, Kuah, Langkawi

If I can remember, the last time we were in Langkawi was more than 3 years ago. And so it was that when we found ourselves on the legendary island again last week, what we saw surprised us.

This island paradise has developed significantly where buidligns are concerned. We were there for 3 days and that to visit my brother who had just relocated there on account of his work. My husband and I had just completed a series of back to back training programs the day before, we were pretty tired and had not really planned to zip off to Langkawi soon after.

But my brother was pretty insistent and there's also the question of needing someone to bring over his daughter, Nena to visit him there. So we figured, why not and so there we were - Hanafy, Raihanah, Raziq, Nena and I, on a 3 days and 2 nites stay at the CHOGM Villa in Kuah, Langkawi.

The apartment that my brother's employer rented for him at CHOGM Villa is one of those 3-bedroomed units with all the services provided. Maintenance, security, gardening and a beautiful pool with life guards. The landscaping work on the place was tastefully done and the gardeners that the management employed take great pains to ensure each unit's lawns are kept that way. The only setback, albeit a minor one, is that the apartment blocks - built at the foot of a hill and surrounded by nature's green, was frequented by our sometimes friendly and sometimes not "cousins", the monkeys.

And so for the next few months, tenants will have to walk a bit to the guardhouse to throw their household refuse. The management has taken away their internal refuse collection bins as a means to discourage these primates from entering the premises in search of food.

Its about the challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:08:00 +0000

This is the last year my son will be Level 1 of primary school. Next year, he joins his sisters’ rank of the morning session in level 2. Next year, he will be the junior amongst the seniors. Next year, he starts a tougher part of his primary school days.

Nonetheless, he ended his level 1 academic life in a very commendable way.

From the beginning of the year, he has been asking me to get him an X-Box…or a PS3…or a PSP slim 3000. He began the year pretty good, getting good results in his 1st monthly test…and the 2nd monthly test. Come to the mid-year exams, his results were rather deplorable. He dropped to the bottom 10 of his class! That didn’t rattle him much for come the next monthly test following the mid-year exams, his results dipped further.

Now, under normal circumstances, I would have freaked out and screamed my head off at him for this state of affairs. But I became realistic and have to admit to some degree of responsibility over his showing. It so happened that the past 2 assessments coincided with a period when my husband and I had to be out of KL. Hence, we were unable to sit through with him on his revisions; we also did not pay much attention to his dietary needs as we had done for the previous tests in previous years.

So this time round, I decided to play his tune. I challenged him to beat his own “record” and dangled the carrot for him to bite. Top 5, he gets his PS3, top 10, an X-Box and top 15 he gets the PSP slim 3000 model.

However, we couldn’t wait for the results to be tabulated as we had taken both he and his sister with us outstation. So our communication with their class teachers were limited to short text messages on our mobile phones. Thank God for technology.

A week into their early school holidays, I contacted his class teacher, a young single male teacher who taught him Math. When I didn’t get an immediate response, I grew apprehensive. It wasn’t until late evening the next day that I finally got a reply to my query.

Guess who now has to go get a certain young man his PSP Slim 3000 model? Let you in on a secret, he traded the earlier promised PS3 for the PSP….

Standards of service

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 11:46:00 +0000

Last week, we accompanied my father to the Legend Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. He was in town for a meeting and was checking in to the hotel where the meeting was held.

At the check-in counter, my father (and his “entourage” consisting of my husband, my nephew and I) were led to the Executive lounge for VIP registration. It seemed as a Board member of this statutory body, my father was entitled to an Executive suite on their Executive floor, hence his registration in their Executive lounge.

My husband and nephew followed close behind my father while I lagged behind, busy responding to a sms from a consultant friend. Also a bit hesitant about stepping in to the room but the young man at he door kept them opened and seemed to be waiting for me, so not wanting to disappoint him, I followed suit.

This is supposed to be service at its best. The guest relations person never forget to refer to my father by his designation, “Dato’” this and “Dato’” that. I guess she was trained that way but I can’t help thinking she could have been a bit more warmth in her service delivery. Term of reference is one thing, but to smile graciously AND genuinely is totally something else. It shouldn’t have been hard to do.

Or did she perhaps feel that it is a burden to attend to people with titles, especially one as old as my dad and obviously not in the same league as the CEOs of the nation’s top corporations. Well, excuse us if my dad had on his less expensive wrist watch – his gold Rolex is undergoing its scheduled maintenance service.

Real Achievers

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Rashid) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 01:49:00 +0000

Recently I was invited by AmCham to be one of the judges for their Young Achievers best selling product final competition. We were to score not only the products but also the reports submitted together with the products, and indirectly the Achievers’ commitment in ensuring sustainability of their enterprises.

These are 16 year old Malaysian secondary school students, venturing into the “real” world of business, with guidance and support from the Advisers – representatives of their sponsors. The school administrators play an equally important role in determining the success of their venture for these Young Achievers actually represent their schools.

The 4 of us judges were unanimous in our decision when it came to which groups deserved high scores….we were allowed to discuss the products and air our views on the reports, but scoring was an individual decision. Yet, the 4 of us were of the same opinion when it came to the top 3 scorers.

While I will share more of this in a later post, what I want to put down here is, in whatever that our young people do, given the proper guidance and support, they will shine. It was obvious from the 3 groups that they had the strong support of not only their sponsors, but more importantly their school. From their Principal, their teachers and down to their fellow students.

2 of the judges were Achievers themselves so many years ago. Look at them now, successful in their careers and very positive in their outlook. And they attribute this program as one of the platform that helped make them what they are today…