applealoeism

*sweeps off dust as usual*

Just felt like stopping by here as it feels like the write place to spill everything that is on my mind.

Can't believe its almost August 2018!

So much have changed since I last written here.

My favourite coffee place is no longer Three Little Birds or RINSE.

I got myself a car in January 2018 after months of contemplating to get one or not, was a little too early in getting a car. Should have only done so after the election where I could have saved RM7 to 8k but oh well! Bought myself a Honda City without even test driving it wtf. Previously was driving the Jazz and I didn't want to get a newer version of the same car.

Mom and Dad sold the old car and they took back the proceeds of the car. I paid for the down payment of my very own car, and am paying for the instalments myself, hence, I'm very overprotective about my car.

The function that I was most excited about my car has to be the bluetooth radio function so I can FINALLY play my own songs in my car! My friends laughed real hard at me when I told them that this was what I was most looking forward to for my new car. But yeap, haven't listened to the radio ever since getting my car.

Apart from that, been travelling back and forth from Malaysia and Vietnam for an overseas engagement. I'm here in the financial hub of Vietnam, Hanoi. But pretty much explored most corners of Hanoi already. Or checked off all the obligatory touristy things to do, been to the church area, Halong Bay, travelled to Nin Binh and took the two hour boat tour, walked around Hoan Kiem Lake. Had more than enough Pizza 4P, countless bowls of pho and bun cha, probably exceeded the quota for the year already. There is literally nothing much to do in Hanoi, no malls like our regular neighbourhood One Utama and nothing much to eat, not much thirdwave coffee places to visit, nothing that feels like home. Been surviving on packet Milo that Jasmine kindly brought over for me, as well as our nation's trusty Mamee cup noodles.

I've been living like a broke person without savings for a few months while waiting for my claims to be reimbursed, because we have to pay for our hotel first (for a period of two weeks stay each month).

Being a consultant is not as great as it seems, can't believe I'm saying this but can't actually wait to be going back to being an auditor.

Speaking of that, I've been working in my current company for 3.5 years already. How time flies, from A1 days till now. Lately haven't been as passionate as before about my job. Been contemplating and wondering whether it is time for the next step, but what next? I'm not so sure about that.

Been having a lot of these sorts of conversations with people around me. Like how at this age, career progression is not the main priority, more of also, spending time on things you want to improve on, want to try doing, spending time with people that matters and taking care of your own well being.

When I was in Vietnam for work one or two months ago, I had a scare. One night, I was watching Jared and Marianne's cancer reveal, and telling my friend, "Oh how life is so unpredictable, they may not have kids at all in their life."

The next morning, I woke up with a text from my sister, saying my Dad was on the bathroom floor, feeling giddy, vomiting (usually a sign of a stroke or when a heart attack is about to happen), and saying that he cannot even stand up to walk anymore wtf. And she was casually telling me that she was making lemon water for him. I was like, "CALL A DAMN AMBULANCE. This doesn't sound right at all!"

2nd sister immediately bought a plane ticket to be on the next plane home from Singapore.

But I was here, three hours away. And I just arrived in Hanoi like a day or two ago. If I got on the plane home, what happens after that? Do I have to come back to Hanoi? So I waited, for the ambulance to come and get Dad and to see how the situation was like.

It was not like I don't care. I was just far away and feeling so helpless about it. I broke down in my room, but still had to get dressed and ready for work. And waited for either mom or sister to update me again on Dad's condition. She sent me pictures of Dad on the stretcher, Dad being carried on the stretcher and it just.... Broke my heart to see Dad like that.

In the ER, Dad was still puking his guts out. They ran a test to see whether are there any signs of a heart attack happening and did a CT scan, but it was both clear. But they had to admit him because they didn't know what was happening to him. That day, I couldn't work, I was running on auto pilot. At night, I was talking to my sister, how worrying this is. What if Dad didn't make it? What if Dad was really really sick? How would life go on? I couldn't sleep that very night. I tried video calling Dad on that night itself, but he was already asleep, but the image of him on a hospital bed and on drips made me very very upset.

The next day, they ran an MRI scan on him and thank god it was the all clear. Had to wait half a day for the results, but I did manage to video call Dad on the 2nd or 3rd day and the first thing he says is, "Oh, I going to mati liao."

How do I not get freaked out?

In the end, the diagnosis is vertigo. Dad still takes medication up till this very day because it takes awhile to heal.

It was then I realized, my parents are not young anymore. It is time to take care of their health and spend more time with them.

Lately been in a phase too, think I've mentioned before that I have been spending more time with people who share the same values as I do. But lately, been feeling as if I'm obligated to spend time with someone else, I just don't have time for myself. I just want to stay home and do nothing. Especially after travelling for two weeks, only having 1 full weekend to myself in KL. It's emotionally and physically tiring to be honest. I just want to not show up but also don't want to be disregarded as being anti-social or not putting in any effort. (maybe because I really am not putting in any effort)

I just really miss being in one place and being able to live in my routine of waking up, going to work and feeling passionate about my job, going to the gym after work, having dinner after work, and the cycle repeats.

I'm telling myself to be patient and hang in there for another month or so till this project ends so I can finally be in one place again, and finally take a much needed break after working for 8 months straight.

And hit the reset button and go back to being an auditor, being able to do things my way and actually feeling valued about my job.

Oh, I haven't told you about my new favourite coffee places yet.

The first, is this coffee place, where I have been visiting over a year or so. He started as a booth in Publika, selling black or white coffee, for RM5, and it just so happened that my uncle happened to be selling things in the same bazaar and they became friends. Mom was the one who told me about this coffee place, and every time I dropped by at Publika, I was sure to drop by at this coffee booth. Soon after, got to know that he expanded to his booth to a few booths, but I still frequented the one at Publika alot. I loved that the coffee comes with motivational quotes on the cup, but I guess he soon got too busy to write any more quotes on the cup. At one point, he moved outside of Publika, because the BIG management wasn't happy on how the regulars frequented his RM5 coffee booth, even BIG's staff itself. They soon after lowered their staff price to RM5.

Sometime this year, this guy expanded to become a shop. And he still maintained his coffee at RM5 and is a person who is very particular about the quality of his coffee.

That time, my company had this entrepreneur award, and I genuinely think that this guy, is a truely inspiring entrepreneur who was so passionate about his ideas and never gave up, so I nominated him.

Dropped him an email, and he replied that he was busy with the store. Soon after, I guess he kind of forgotten about it, at least I did........ Until one day, he posted an image thanking this person who nominated him for the entrepreneur award, and I got in touch with him.

Although he didn't submit his entry for the entrepreneur award, I managed to let him know how I was interested in making coffee one day, and he even gave me a free t-shirt! He even gave me a few recommendations of places to go in Hanoi. Haha, anyway, if you guys wanna get RM5 coffee when you are around at Publika, with a quick snack of healthy salads or cute small bakes, check out Room 203 Coffee in Publika!

I really didn't expect anything out of the nomination. Like I did not expect that I will get a reaction like that.

 Another place I have been going to a lot is One Half x ilaika. I first fell in love with the hipster style of this shop, but my friend got me to try the long black here where you can actually choose what type of beans and taste of long black you want, and I was hooked!

Haven't personally tried the brew by the owner yet, Keith Koay, who represented Malaysia in the World Barista Championship, but am already very very impressed by his cafe.

A few weekends ago, I went to One Utama to watch the Malaysia Open Barista Championship. At that time, watching the barista championship was really eye opening. It's not only about making a good cup of coffee, it's also about educating your customers about the coffee you are serving.

On that day itself, Keith Koay spoke to the crowd about his experience at the WBC, and how he and Joey Mah had this vision of improving the coffee culture in Malaysia, so that one day, the coffee culture here will be something like Melbourne's coffee culture. He said that preparing the WBC took months and months of hard work, tasting coffee and enduring gastric pains, sometimes till the extent of sleepless nights. And he didn't do it alone. He had always been, along the way, preparing for the competition with his team. Hearing him speak really really inspired me, and I came home and watched his performance at the WBC and was very very impressed!

Also love it that this cafe also sells a lot of artsy stuff - MUJI inspired clothes, things made out of leather, pottery, and candles, all by local designers.

I'm still very noob about coffee, and do hope to learn more about it some day, who knows, one day you see me working as a barista.

Apart from the above, have nothing else which is worth highlighting for now, maybe another time I'll write about our trip to Gua Tempurung, but yeah, let's hope my next post will not be in a few months/next year. Hoping to keep the habit of writing more often here.

Struggling with adulting, but I guess I'mma keep y'all updated on my progress every now and then.

xx

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