Decisions....

I don't know what the future holds, but I do know who holds the future.

That's what pastor Daniel always says, and in uncertain times like this, I know that I can always rely on God for directions.

A few days back I received an email from the Securities Commission (SC) saying that JPA gave them a list of potential graduands so they can contact us to see if we are interested in joining the SC.

That got me slightly curious. While it has crossed my mind some time back to consider applying to the SC, I never really gave it much thought seeing that it is semi government, and that the working culture there will be pretty slacky and stuff. Which is why I never really took actions to apply for a position there.

But after I told my parents about the email, they took it pretty positively. They have friends who are working there and are doing pretty well, and their children are on scholarships provided by the SC. I also contacted Winnie to ask her heaps of questions about the SC and she managed to shed some light on some areas about working at the SC.

And the HR person at SC seems to be pretty nice. My emails have been responded to professionally, and it's all starting to change my perspective of life in SC.

I'm guessing it's not that bad after all. Maybe life in SC won't be as hectic. Because of that I may be doing less work than if I were in PwC, or gaining less experience but I think the bright side would be that I will be able to spend more time at home and get more free time to go dating do what I want to do.

And since they are one of the few Authorised Training Organisation for the ICAEW Professional Qualification which I intend to pursue, it's an added plus. Well, I'll still have a 6 year bond with the SC instead of JPA, but looking at the bright side, I will be bonded to PwC for 4 years anyway if I want them to sponsor my ICAEW paper. It's just 2 extra years. But in the SC, there's an investigators department, which deals with forensic accounting stuff - exactly the area I intend to venture into in future.

But I'm not sure if I'm qualified enough to join that department just yet (I may need a background in law maybe? But I do want to do a masters in law anyway....Right direction I guess).

The other bonus would be that SC will sponsor the ICAEW paper in full, not just up to RM15000 offered by PwC. And the starting pay in the SC is rumoured to be higher than in PwC, and that I won't have to work from 7am to 3am.

And to those who were nice enough to respond to my Facebook status message, thank you. I've been getting comments and messages telling me that the SC is actually a good place to get some foundations and build my career. It is very encouraging and helps me change my perspective of the SC.

So now I'll need to sit down and update my resume, fill up the application form, scan and email it back to the SC. Be interviewed and pray for the best.

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On a side note, I've got a friend whose starting pay is RM3500. It's obscene. Another one who will be starting in Singapore receiving an annual salary of SGD96000. Even more obscene. This is for a fresh graduate with only a Bachelors' degree summore....

BGA - Board Games Anonymous

Hi, I'm Chi Yao and I'm a board games addict.

I have a confession to make. I just bought another board game today.

Manila. I walked into the shop, I saw from the corner of my eyes the word "Manila" on the 50% off table.

My eyeballs almost popped out. But ya, I grabbed it, and went and look for what I really wanted to get: The Settlers of Catan expansion pack.

But they ran out of the expansion packs (it is THAT popular OMG) and won't have any more coming in till January coz their suppliers are on holidays as well. And since the expansion pack is $40 and Manila is $45, I went ahead and bought it.

So yealo. Lydia, if your brother has Manila withdrawal symptoms and both Mage Cafe and Toy Box is closed and you can't track where Ryan is, you can drag him to my house and play. Or something like that.

An interesting fact, the very nice and knowledgeable lady that works in the board games shop owns over 150 board games. I seriously wonder where she keeps all her stash, but I guess I'm on my way to catch up to that figure. Hahaha.

So adding to my list:

1. Cranium Wow
2. Settlers of Catan
3. Ticket to Ride Europe
4. I'm the Boss
5. Betrayal at House on the Hill
6. Scotland Yard
7. Manila

OK FINE. 7 is FAR from 150. But it's still......

My wife must be willing to let me take one room in the house just for board games, my kids are probably going to burn millions of hours playing board games, my friends probably never need to go to Mage Cafe ever again.

OK time to sleep.

You get a car! You get a car! You you you get a car!

Having driven a Hyundai Elantra in Aussie while y parents were here, I have sort of fallen in love with this car. It looks pretty good, it isn't an oil guzzler at all. In fact, unlike other Hyundai cars, this one is actually VERY fuel effective. It has been picked by the US Environmental Protection Agency as the second most fuel efficient car in 2008, and is the most fuel efficient car that isn't a hybrid car.

Pretty good I reckon. Using less fuel is always good.

Well, the only thing holding me back is the price tag. I checked online, and the recommended on-the-road price is a whopping RM91000. WAY over my budget. And by the looks of it, I won't be able to afford it with my fresh graduate salary.

MEH. Second hand, maybe?

Randoms

I CAN'T SLEEP. URGH. MUST BE ALL THE TEA I DRANK BEFORE BEDTIME.

And so now I'm awake blogging in the dark. Not that I can't turn on the lights, but it's more fun when 2 people is sitting in front of their laptops typing away in the dark.

Hahahaa. Yes my sister can't sleep too.

And darn it, MacBooks should come equipped with ThinkLights. I can't freaking see ANYTHING coz the keyboard is BLACK. Gah.

Oh ya, Apple should steal Lenovo's keyboard design. The Lenovo keyboards are SO MUCH better. More bouncy, more nicely spaced, more better. And while they're at it, they should add a trackpoint too. Nothing beats a trackpoint. Not even a multitouch touchpad. Well, not that a multi touch touchpad isn't awesome, but a trackpoint makes chatting and surfing much easier.

Anyhoo, I'll be off to Sydney in a few minutes, then send my family off, then come back to Canberra again.

6 plus hours of travelling. Aiks. Sien.

And I think my sister is very sien of all the Mamma Mia songs coz I keep on playing them...=D

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...

Havoc at Woolworths Dickson: Everything from the Delicatessen & Fresh Produce slashed 50%.

So I ended up buying 3kgs of grapes, a truckload of chickens+hams+frankfurts+salad.

I even bought a whole roasted chicken for $4.

Havoc havoc havoc.

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Tomorrow will be the first time I'm celebrating Christmas away from Malaysia. I'll surely miss the exchange of gifts that has become a tradition among the youth of DUMC. I'll miss Enoch & Rachael's Gingerbread man. Christine's freshly baked [insert something freshly baked here]. And the very many cutesy stuff I'll get from various people.

But on the bright side, here in my little room, my parents, sister and myself will be cooking up a storm. There's gonna be a turkey, and there's gonna be lots of cooking.

OMG so excited.

And to my friends who stalk my blog oh-so-very-often (you know who you are), have a Blessed Christmas

Pichers

Picked up the graduation pictures yesterday. There were a couple that had some with specks on it so I requested them to have it reprinted.

They gladly reprinted the 3 photos that were slightly damaged. I also wanted an extra family print so I asked them to print an extra print. (Which I today found out, was complementary coz that person didn't want to take my money. Awesome.)



While it's great being a graduate, I'm faced with the cold hard fact that working life begins in a couple of months.

Back in Canbo

Ayam bag in Canberra.

Like so good to be back here.

Getting back to Canberra from Hobart was excruciating. Even that is an understatement.

I was lucky enough to catch a cold with the occasional headache (that always manifest itself at all the wrong times), mucus production at full swing overdrive so my nose is like drooling all the time, and coupled with the long hours sitting in the car exploring Hobart and probably the lack of water.

So yes. Do pity me.

Did I tell you I had a terrible headache in the flight all the way from Hobart to Sydney? I almost wanted to crack my head open. Gosh.

And I miss the internet. Oh so much.

I'll update with more when I am more jolly, but till then, you will have to make do with this post. :)

Horeedeh....

Off to Melbourne till the 16th then off to Hobart till the 21st.

With internet being a rare commodity in Hobart, I guess there won't be much updates on my blog.

Ta...

3 Years

It's funny how
You work so hard for three years
Just for that 30 seconds of fame on stage
When you receive your testamur

It's funny how
All your hard work
For three whole years
Is just to receive pieces of paper on your graduation day

Well, it may be funny. But heck, I got my testamur, I got my pieces of paper. I threw my mortarboard, I took my graduation pictures, I walked across that stage at Llewellyn Hall, I got my graduation bear (thanks mummy!), I took silly pictures with friends.

Yes, I'm officially a graduate. An ANU alumni. University life draws to a close, working life begins.

Gah. I sound so old. And my goodness...I'll be starting work soon...

Oh ya, about the lack of updates, I have so much to do la. Fly to Aussie la, drive to Canberra la, layan parents la, rush to city to buy ice cream cake to surprise parents la, graduate la, bring family around la, play games la, learn to use a Macbook la. So if you want updates go to my smelly sister's blog. Here's what we did on day 1 of arriving in Aussie. And she's blogging about day 2 now. So you go check it out yourself la....

Macbook

Guess who crossed over to the other side

Photos

While I could upload all my pictures on blogger, why do that since it already is on facebook.

So if you're interested in seeing pictures from my brother's wedding blessing ceremony and wedding banquet in Malaysia, head on HERE and HERE.

I have some videos to upload too, but facebook is acting gay so I guess I'll just wait till I get back to OhJee to upload them.

Your Love

It's not the flowers, wrapped in fancy paper
It's not the ring, I wear around my finger
There's nothing in all the world I need
When I have you here beside me, here beside me

So you could give me wings to fly
And catch me if I fall
Or pull the stars down from the sky
So I could wish on them all
But I couldn't ask for more
Cause your love is the greatest gift of all

In your arms, I found strength inside me
And in your eyes, there's a light to guide me
I would be lost without you
And all that my heart could ever want has come true

So you could give me wings to fly
And catch me if I fall
Or pull the stars down from the sky
So I could wish on them all
But I couldn't ask for more
Cause your love is the greatest gift of all

You could offer me the sun, the moon
And I would still believe
You gave me everything
When you gave your heart to me

But I couldn't ask for me
Cause your love is the greatest gift of all

You could give me wings to fly
And catch me if I fall
Or pull the stars down from the sky
So I could wish on them all
But I couldn't ask for more
Cause your love is the greatest gift of all
Your love is the greatest gift of all
Greatest gift of all

MAdagascar 2

Madagascar 2 is OMG funny. I laughed SO SO much.

King Julien is SO funny.

Alakay is OMG cute. SO CUTE.

Mort is very funny too.

Gosh...I'd give this movie 153069/10.

A must watch.

Paint Madagascar

On my way back from Singapura hor, we stopped by this restaurant to makan.


I didn't know my Dai Sou has a restaurant in Johor.

OK not funny.

Anyhoo, painted the chairs yesterday. Will paint the fan today. My house looks more pretty now.

Finally going to watch Madagascar 2 today. Like. Finally. None of my Aussie friends except Shuey watches cartoon in cinemas. So no life lo those people

Prison Break

OMG I'm addicted to Prison Break.

While Seasons 2 and 3 have been pretty draggy and lousy, Season 4 is so kan chiong. Much like the kan chiongness of Season 1.

I'm just glued to my computer...

Aaaahhhh.....

Chiox hearts Guardian Angels

I was rudely awoken by the sound of screeching tires. My dad had jammed the brakes to bring the car to an emergency stop. The only thing that prevented me from slamming into the windscreen was my seat belt.

My eyes quickly assessed the situation. Debris on the road. There was smoke. I also saw an orange light (possibly from the oncoming cars) not too far ahead.

All these happened in a split second. By the time my brains interpreted the orange thing as something burning, the car was still coming to a halt. The tires were still screeching, I was still feeling the force from the emergency brake. I though we were going to head straight into the fire, that the car was going to burst into flames and we would all perish.

It felt like a scene from a movie.

The car slowed down enough to prevent us from crashing straight into the lorry metres away from us. Dad drove on past the lorry.

I saw a lorry. As we drove on, I saw a passenger car - what looked like a Toyota Unser or that sort. Something of similar size. I saw that the car has fused with the lorry, the left side crushed into the lorry. I also thought I saw someone pin up against the lorry, like someone was thrown out of the car and pin up onto the lorry, vertically. I thought I saw a head, and a body, stuck to the lorry. And when my dad said he saw liquid dripping on the road, possibly blood from one of the bodies, that image became even more believable. To me, that is. Someone pin onto the lorry, blood dripping isn't unrealistic at all.

To think that we were metres away from such an accident, I was absolutely grateful to be alive.

Most of all, I am grateful that God has been faithfully watching over us. Prayers do work. My mum, being the prayer warrior of our family, always prays that we will have a safe journey and that we will get to our destination safely. Usually, when our family embarks on a journey, we would get someone to say a prayer as soon as we head pass the toll booths. But yesterday, we were more frustrated with the Malaysia immigration person that we forgot to say our prayers. But my mum did say a silent prayer in her heart. And God answers prayers.

God rocks.

God - 153093282, Chi Yao - 0

And today, looking at the news report on the papers, I really am thankful that God kept us safe on the road. I still can't believe that this...


...happened mere metres away from our car.

Rejults out....

Am back in KL.

Results out. Did very well. Except getting my very first Credit isn't cool at all. Spoils my D and HD streak. Bleh. 2HD 1D 1CR. Did exceptionally well for my INFS2005 paper. Although I still don't really know where I did right. Hahaha. Praise the Lord I guess. =)

Accounting Theory paper was also pretty good. Higher than expected which is always good.

My public sector accounting paper was expected la. Glad that I didn't get a CR for that paper.

And Sociology. Sigh. Sort of expected la. All my essays were CR. Obviously the final one also CR la.

But I guess I'm in no position to complain. I am truly blessed that I am eligible to graduate and that graduation is going to happen.

And as for me, I think it's going to be mage cafe for me today. Board games galore. Woot woot!

On another note, I may or may not blog about the tragic accident I witnessed on the way back from Singapore.