Crabbie Column

This is dedicated to my friends, who are married and about to start/ have started their own family.

Its a bit too far fetch for me, but things that happens lately sort of ticks me to think about this. If you have a child, when would you start to save for his/her furture? My sister just got pregnant and she is the cautious type. She has already started to plan on opening an account for the baby.

But then again, how many of us think of that. Those who are well educated probably have thought about it from day 1. But what happen to those young parents who lack of awareness in this kind of things, or worse those who ‘claimed’ that they don’t have enough to save yet?

Cost of raising a kid nowadays is on increasing trend, let alone the education cost. When people got married and start having kids, are they prepared to bite the bullet when it comes to future planning? Have seen too many bad examples in my family (own and extended) when it comes to the children education and rights for a good life.

For a start, open a saving account. Many choices nowadays, you can opt for private finance body (numerous choices for investment planning). There will be limitations for low income parents to set aside certain amount for the premium. And that is why government set up bodies such as SSPNand ASNB to help low income Malaysian (especially Bumiputera) to start saving/investing for future needs. Many people know this but not many act to what they knew (I am talking about Malay in general). I have friends and family who already have 2-3 kids and none of the kids have any kind of saving or whatsoever. Its sad though…how much they prioritise on what they need today (fancy gadget, clothes..etc..) over their child’s need for future and proper education. Its not like they don’t know, just some of them have no discipline to start and dedicated to save their money.

I did a rough calculation, if you save RM50 for a child in a month from he/she is born, without fail and never once withdraw the money, by the end of 18th year, estimated total amount of saving would be ~RM16,000. That is as much as what PTPTN loan for Diploma level student. (Am not even considering an oversea degree here). So the bare minimum a parent should do is at least be prepared to provide some kind of fund for the kids education.

This is all assuming a well balanced family, with both parents present. What happened when one is absent (divorced,died,sick…etc). Is another parent prepared for these kind of situation? Worth pondering….you think?

Assalamualaikum frenz…..

Just want to share my experience yang tak seberapa ni. A bit lengthy but the best that I can make out of my 10 days there. Will take more time to copy and paste here, so just go to my alternate blog and details are all in there

I left all the pics in my sis laptop so will update later.

Start from prologue to the reflection. You can also read the other way round. Happy reading

http://knitfreakcrab.blogspot.com/

I have a facebook profile and since then I have sort of neglected my FS profile.  I even ditch my FS blog for my other blog . Now that the company is restricting access, FB is blocked and I’m stucked. I thought they would have blocked FS as well, but apparently not. So here goes, an update after a very long stint
Updates….many things have been going on. I am going to celebrate my 3rd year here in PD and officially change my job profile next week. My parents have moved in our new home in SP. The developer decided to sell off the land, so eventually my house can become a corner lot!! Renovation and furnishing work are almost 80% done. Another sister is getting married this Sept and we are going to have our first ‘kenduri’ there.

I am going for Umrah mid June,alone..after strings of planning with some of my colleague and rescheduling, not to mention issues with travel agent, I am finally going!!!
Just the other night I was watching the Man U vs Barca EUFA Champions League match and only then I realised this blog has been active for the past 3 years as well. Recordings my experience, journey, hopes and dream and sometimes my frustration. I may have not been the most active in updating but browsing through my previous posts, I realised how much I have grown.

Yet there are many more to accomplish and future memories to be recorded here, and a big toast for that!!!

Well, actually we did our appraisal and we’ve already known the results. Mine is not so good. I managed to complete and perform well in some areas like the shut down where I was busting my butt off. But somehow I tend to slip few high profile items and that doesn’t look good on me.

As of today, we are supposed to list down our GPA (goals and performance appraisal for 2009). I’m sort of brain dead..hehehe…apart from copying my bos’s bos’s item, not sure what else to add in. A lot on my plate actually and frankly speaking, I’m drowned on where to start. High Priority vs Urgent? aaarrghh…..the quadrant is not helping!!

Motivation seems to oscillate up and down, up and down. It is an emotional roller coaster ride and if I’m not careful, I might fall. Found my pace, its just a matter of keeping the consistency. Its getting tougher by the day and sorrounded by highly motivated and competitive people, I tend to give in at times. I cannot be, really need a kick in the a**. Have to hold on and keep going strong…am looking forward for April, going back to SP, checking on my house and renovation progress. Well that should keep my spirit high!! InsyaAllah. Wish me luck!!

This time around, my summary of achievement is a bit delayed. Just recovered from very hectic schedule of organising a wedding. Not mine, but my younger sister..hehe…of course I get more of ‘the’ question, but I have developed enough thick skin to kow-tow most of it. Even my mom is not directly asking, I know she is worried its just that it has never came out from her mouth. Anyhow…..

Last year I had summarise these as my achievements in 2007….. For 2008, not sure what I have accomplished…I think its not much but I can say enough for now.

I know for sure that I have achived these;

1. Renovating the house in SP in progress : 50% done (not including the furnishing part..)
2. Holiday trip in Bali with frens
3. Gone through yet another Major Turn Around (plant shut down, without falling sick and managed to shed some 5 kg..hehehe..)
4. Celebrate Aidilfitri in our new home in SP. My sis and I even made our own dodol ;p.
5. Help Shaz organise the BBGS Class of 98 10th year reunion!!
6. Attended more than 30 weddings (not sure whether this achivement but definitely a record)
7. Drove all alone from JB to PD, from PD to Maran, and many other places..I am no fan of driving and would be prefer to be the passanger, but always the case I am either travelling alone, or with those who cannot drive, so no choice.

Other than that, not sure what I have proudly done during the rest of the year….am planning to accomplish few stuffs in 2009. Not listing here, will update as we go a long 2009. Can expect more spending…… sigh…..

Actually my new year starts at 1 Muharram 1430H, slightly earlier than the Gregorian calender..so that leaves me less day to pursue my wish. Hopefully I can become a better Muslim this year, insyaAllah…..

For all Muslims, let us pray for safety of the rest of Muslims in Gaza, let there be end of this inhuman massacre. Amin….

Ever feel like you really hate someone that you couldn’t even bear to see their name? Ever feel like burning the bridges that would see no chance to be build again? That is exactly what I am feeling right now.

Some people from work that you called friend. You go to movies together, sometimes eat lunch together and even have dinner at each others’ places. Most importantly someone who is of the same race and same gender as you…basically your sister of different family. Until one day, they stab you on your back!!

Who knows someone that you confide in your hopes and dreams, use it against you and get away with it. You must be guessing what happened? Me told this one girl on what is my next ideal career move would be. She at that time confess of not knowing what next to do . When the job that I want was advertised, me applied knowing that another person at the same time applied for the job (not knowing who yet). That person was accepted and I still don’t know who that person is. Later I heard rumours flying around that she the one I confided in gets the job.

Tell me, if you were in my shoe, how would you feel? I’m upset not because I didn’t get the job. But more because she has not being honest with me. What is wrong by coming up to me and said that “Hey, I would like to apply for that job as well, let see who is better?”

I wouldn’t mind if you challenge me face to face. If I am not good enough, so be it. But the most important thing is, why keep it secret? Up till this day, the person has not spoken to me yet, although she is coming up to work in the same offcie as I am come January.

As for me, I know her true colours now. There is no more room for trust and to be friends again, no way…will still say hi as I don’t wanna be among the munafiq but no more friendly gestures. Thats the end of it. I value integrity and honesty above all.

Last weekend was the most devastating ones for some. Especially for those who lives in Bukit Antarabangsa. Yet another disaster hit the area and to date it claimed 4 lives. I am not to dwell into details, just would like to highlight something here.

People are so focused on the victim that they failed to acknowledge the team who has been sweating blood and tears to attend to the problems. I am talking about the civil servants that has been onsite continuously since D-day. Be it from Police, Army,and local RELA (not to mention bunch of other volunteers) they all come together and work as a team to ensure that the rescue was done as fastest and safest way possible.

Some might say that its what they are paid for anyway, yup, agree. But what about the extra hours that they put away from family, giving all their strength to lifts blocks and blocks of concrete to save a fellow human albeit being strangers to them. Given a limited amount of money, would you do that?

RMAF did a very impressing job on building that bridge which has helped many stranded people to get out of the area and all I can hear on TV is the people are starting lawsuit against MPAJ. (not that I agree with all the approved development). But none thus far convey their gratitude for the outstanding work done to get them out safely.

Govt budget review every year does takes into account some merits to civil servants and the public being pain in the a** sometimes questioned that a lot!! Do you even know what a low ranking military personnel make a month? Have you ever think of their expenses as well? These are the front liners that put their lives be it at the national border, during disaster, rescuing people from flood, and many more catastrophe to be mentioned. And people can do is challenge the government.

I am not being a racist here, but take a quick look, what is the percentile of Non Bumi in the civil service? Don’t have the hard figure but bet you not even 25%. They attend to the public even if you are not Malay or Iban or Kadazan, so what is all this talk and nonsense that Malaysia is pro-Malay? especially in civil service? The kind of work and amount of comitment might not be favoured by some races whom is traditionally prefers other field such as business, commerce (dan yg sewaktu dengannya).

So why question the imbalance ratio in the first place? We have been living peacefully so far doing what we do best. Every Malaysians are a contributing factor to the stability that we have as a nation, irregardless what your race are. So stop all these sentiments that will definitely in time destroys us, Malaysians.

Time to acknowledge what others do, and find ways how we, ourselves can contribute. 

Those words uttered by Meredith Grey to Derek Shepherd in one of the early days of the TV series. Boy, if only you can quantify the amount of tears because of the statement, it can build its own dam.

This year I spent the most time with a bride to be on the night before their wedding. And being girls, there were pretty much talking done. I managed to dig their stories on how things get started. Each with their own version and I must say Allah has his own style in determining who gets who and how. Most of the time we hope for someone that is right to come along and majority only realise when the person is no longer with them. Opportunity missed and you continue to wait for that someone who will make you feel the same. But how long can you wait? for eternity? depends on what you are build off.

Some just can’t stand being alone, grab the opportunity that lies onto them. Some is more resistant and won’t settle until they found the right one..or until the right one found them. But for a woman to call for such avowal as the above would need really strong feelings and high courage as well. She must be able to handle rejection and move on. She also must be strong enough to face the consequences. In Malay culture it is labeled as ‘perigi mencari timba’ –> direct translation a well looking for a pail, which basically means the girl who starts the ball rolling, not the conventional vice versa.

Nowadays people just don’t care anymore, with woman being on the same level as man in many fields, more often than not we can hear these sort of story. As long as they are happy together.

So, will I pronounce these words soon? Not likely, time will tell.  ;)

Its been quite some time that I wrote something about football. Well its only been early of the season for most league. C.Ronaldo has not really strut his stuffs yet. One update, I LLLLOOOOOOVVVVEEEE MU’s new jersey for this season (yup, the blue one ;). I even get my fren that is currently studying in UK to buy the original ones for me. That will cost me 39 pound sterling, but I don’t care. Its not like I buy the jersey every season!!

I have been spending too much this year and I am getting brooke, will have to practice some budget control next year….sigh….p(^^)q gambate !!!!