Great Thai food @ Bukit Genting, Penang

Last Saturday, 11 of us became addicted to Thai food. We met up at about 6pm and headed down South of Penang island to try one of the well known yummy Thai food. Our South bound journey was somewhat exciting as none of us knew how to go there. With some directions given by a friend through the phone, we made our way there and managed to find the beautiful place.

The Thai restaurant is located at the hillside between Teluk Kumbar, Balik Pulau and Gertak Sanggul. I must stress that an experienced driver is needed to maneuver the car up the steep and narrow road. *Sweats*

Panoramic view seen from where I sat (before sunset)

The perfect moment when the sun sets

I wanted to show off the food, but unfortunately, I didn't manage to take any pics of the great Thai food. (Too hungry until cannot think! >.<) Anyway, if you intend to go there, you must not miss the Tom Yam soup. It's one of the best that I've tried!! See below for the short overall review of the Bukit Genting Thai Restaurant.

Price / budget: Quite affordable (11 of us had MANY types of dishes and it only costs approx. RM2xx ++)
Ambience: Kinda romantic, would be suitable for couples! But, like our group of friends, this restaurant can be a perfect place for unusual gatherings or dinner plans. :)
Service: Friendly waiters/waitresses.
Toilet: No worries....it is clean!
Parking space: Not a problem...but please make sure your car is in good condition and it can go up the steep and narrow road!
Disadvantage: Beware of mosquitoes! (You obviously can't expect a mosquito-free environment when you are in the middle of the jungle/hill, can you?)

A stereotypical community

Lots of people around me, particularly some of my friends and extended family members could not understand why I left the job even before getting a new job. I guess most of you would also deem me as a crazy girl and could have thought that I'm too much of a daddy's little girl character who couldn't suffer, or perhaps survive in the working environment. The impression on me wasn't really that important, but I reckon there's something worthy sharing here.

I may have complained a lot lately, either about the bloody company or the stingy and ego big boss, but the final decision of leaving the company was also due to personal reasons. Well, just a simple situational question to ask before we continue on this. Have you ever felt lost...feeling like there's suddenly no sense of direction in life? It's like, you've been diligently doing your best at work, just continue working, working and working, without realizing that you are actually not happy with what you are doing....and most importantly, you don't even know whether you are on the right track of where you wanted to go (initially) and where you are heading next.

You realized that all these while, you were too busy at work...waking up early to go to office and leaving the second home late at night. You seldom have the time to think for your personal growth or improvement coz when you reach home, all you can think of is the comfort of your bed. I thought taking a few days off will improve the feeling or rather the situation but it didn't help. I have probably overworked for the past one year and have stretched myself exceeding my own limits without realizing it. So, what I needed was a short break. Thus, I decided to put a pause on this journey and stop to ponder on what I have done and what I should do next...rather than continue working blindly, just for the sake of getting some money each month to pay bills (erm, don't get me started on the issue about low salary...!)

What I am not comfortable with was the questions most people threw at me when they hear that I am currently jobless. "So, have you found any job? How are you going to survive?" I understand most of them are just being caring and I am thankful for that but what I don't understand is why most people think that you are doomed when you are not working for other people? I may still be searching for a job and also doing something beneficial at the same time (will share with you next time...) but the issue of yours truly not being hired doesn't put a full stop to my life. Duhhh! I mean, can't we think it differently? Chances are, one could also be self-employed or explore more on other opportunities, right?

If you were thinking the same way as 95% of the people I mentioned, then you probably will continue working your ass out, slogging to death at work for the company you are working for, without realizing that you have wasted most of your time to get a small return just to pay bills and debts. The return is obviously important to all of us, but will it ever be enough to you? Are you happy to just continue earning this much till the day your kids greet you? Think again...perhaps, you will manage to find other routes that would further enrich your life, whether making you a happier person or even a wealthier person, that actually complements your current path (if this is the path you want to tread that will lead you to the destination you want to reach). After all, what is life without any improvements?

For me, I wouldn't want to regret and realize at the later stage of my life (when I become an old auntie?) that I have actually wasted years on something I don't like or on something that does not benefit me on the whole. Well, I actually don't regret quitting the job....but just feeling a little guilty! :P So, that tells me one thing. I should just focus on what I am currently doing now and hopefully, the outcome will be a good one. :)

Women often think too much...?

I guess the above title is kinda true, at least to me...for some reasons, and in some ways. Will your partner think of you as annoying if you show too much of care or concern, especially when he's far away from you? I know he won't think that way (I hope I'm right...hehe) but somehow, girls being girls, I don't know why I think that way.

Sometimes, when there's no reply after messages are sent, we often try to convince ourselves that he's probably busy or away from pc (Duhh! He does not need to be in front of the pc reporting everything to us right? I don't think that is the right thing to do). But, we can't deny the fact that we girls are actually worried or scared that he would get bored with the annoying messages and choose to ignore them... We are also worried that our messages would disturb them from work but then again, we still want to keep in touch, to know what's happening over there. I thought I was the only one having this kind of problem. But, when I spoke to a friend on this the other day, she was having the same nightmare too when her other half went on overseas trip previously.

Well, I guess this kind of situations does test one's patience and trust level? He was online, and he did receive my message yesterday. So, why was there no reply? I got a reply this morning when I logged in on Skype... It was his reply to my message but due to connection problem, the message was not sent. Part of the message written: ":( Message cannot be delivered".

So, it's simple. I was just thinking too much (due to PMS again?) and there's nothing to worry about. Solution: Just don't think too much! Hehe...I hope he doesn't have the time to read this... :P

Repositioning

It's been months since I last met or spoken to Joyce. So, we went out last night to catch up on the latest updates in our lives. Apart from our usual family/relationships topics, I was surprised that this girl has made a super fast act to enhance her career path in just a few months' time.

Previously, we have talked about this before and we had even planned almost everything, step by step. But, little did I notice that I have spent the last one year, slogging at work till I didn't have the time to even think or plan for my own path. Now that's what I call stupid! I am so happy and proud of her when she told me she has registered for a processional certification (This is part of my personal plan too...damn, am I too late?), enrolled herself for Masters and she has even obtained a license as a part time unit trusts agent. That's amazing, isn't it?

Well, honestly speaking, I am somewhat ashamed of myself. A year ago, I had a clear plan of my career path and I knew what I wanted. When I started this job and got stuck in the rat-race (in a way lah...), I got all so confused that I lost track of my own path. I didn't know what to do (other than work, work and work! Partly my fault because I was a workaholic?), where to go, where I was heading, etc. I just know, I had to continue working this way, and there will be no end. Most of us think that our boss or even the company would take a good care of our future. Come to think again, is it really true?

Oh be realistic, please! Even if you slog to death in this company, the most you can go is...erm, department manager? That's when your boss leaves or dies....and that's still long time to go (sorry, I am not cursing my boss actually! :P) So, how to progress if there's no plans or whatsoever? I don't know why but it suddenly struck me that it's been very stupid of me to have worked until falling sick, going in and out of the hospital and clinic without getting to grow in what I was supposed to learn, without getting whatever recognition or appreciation and also just for the sake of a bit of money. I don't think what I have gained would benefit my career path, even though I did learn other things that I have never thought of.

So, perhaps the fact that yours truly who is going jobless soon (I am not kidding!) would enable me to really think, think and think carefully and focus on what I have always wanted and reposition myself back to the right track again. In the mean time, I suppose a part time job or a short course of professional certifications would be beneficial...I hope so. Ohhh...I forgot to ask you, any job vacancies? :P

70 days of independence

It's been 15 hours since he left but I still can't quite figure out whether I can live the coming 70 days without him. Have I gotten too dependent on him? I wish I could deny that but I guess we have been too close to each other and since this is the first time he leaves after being together, it's really quite difficult to survive the coming days, let alone the first day itself.

All the while, I thought I could be independent (in fact, I have always been one!). But, this time is really exceptional. The first few hours or the first day of his absence have left me feeling so emotional (Yeah right...Blame it on the bloody PMS!), so blur that I really don't know what else to do. Honestly speaking, I have never expected the effect to be so huge... Could it be due to the long distance between us?

Until this moment of time, I am still trying to get myself acclimatized to his absence, to live without him, temporarily. Damn....now this line sounds so much like Le Ann Rimes' "How do I live without you?" >.< Oh yea...I have totally forgotten to upload my convo pics here. Sorry, but bro has not finished editing the pics but below are some of them. Hope I don't look too ugly in these pics. :P

Oops! I forgot to edit the size of the pics. Please don't focus and search for my pimples! :P Hehehe....only 3 pics for this round. Will upload more in my next post. :) Oh, just to revert back to the initial topic, I suddenly feel so useless ler.... It's only 15 hours ++ of separation, and I'm already missing him??? Just curious, will you feel the same way if you're in the same situation? Hmmm...