I really miss...

OK, I know I'm supposed to move forward and be grateful that I got this new job. I know I'm not supposed to have any regrets. Well, I don't have any regrets but there are some things about my previous job which I really miss...

I MISS...

1) confirming seats.

2) rejecting requests & typing those long remarks/SSR items.

3) managing flight inventory.

4) having people begging me for seats.

5) free parking at my office. Now I have to pay for parking (RM9 per day).

6) the freedom to eat at any time during the day. I could choose to have breakfast at 10am, midafternoon snacks etc. Now I need to have breakfast before I leave home and lunch must be at 1-2pm.

7) cruising on the highway. Now I'm always stuck in the city traffic and my average speed is 20km/h.

8) salary that came in on time every month.

9) cheap food. Now lunch costs AT LEAST RM7.50.

10) having a convenient surau with wudhu' facilities at the office.

Shopping for hantaran : makeup set

Mr.Y banked in some cash into my account so today I went to Sephora KLCC to buy some makeup for hantaran!

I spent quite some time there, trying to make full use of the budget. I had a hard time deciding what to buy!

Finally, I settled for these:


L-R: Mascara & Eye Makeup Remover set, Makeup Studio set, a bottle of bubble bath.

Front: Anti-shine primer.

I went only RM10 over budget!!! Not bad, right?

Sephora has this temporary loyalty program. My last visit there, I spent about RM300 and today's visit, I have reached the RM500 requirement for a RM75 voucher! So I redeemed the Burt's Bees lip shimmer which I love so much and the Soap & Glory Trick & Treatment under eye concealer.


FYI, the Makeup Studio set looks like this:

New look for the sofa bed

There's this bed in the living room of our house.

It used to be Mr.Y's sister's bed. Mr.Y suggested that we convert this bed into a sofa bed and leave it in the living room. My idea is to put this bed in any of the room but since this is OUR house, he has a say in decorating. So OK then, leave the bed the living room, but I wanted to change the sheet so that it will look better.

This is the BEFORE picture of the sofa bed...


Last week we went to Ikea and bought a light brown fitted sheet. Today we went to Ikea again and bought a few cushions along with the cushion covers. We bought dark brown square cushion covers (managed to pursuade him to buy dark brown instead of cream!) and beige rectangular cushion covers.

So here's the AFTER photo:


Looks better right?

Only thing is that we need more cushions to fill up the gaps.

New home

Rezeki always comes when you least expect it to.

Mr.Y and I already got our home!

He told me that I should start moving my stuffs bit by bit to our new house. My mum couldn't agree more, considering the current state of my bedroom (messy and crowded). So yesterday I started moving some of my books there and also a few random things...

L-R: The graduation bear that Mr.Y gave me, flower & vase from Ikea, the giant flowers Mr.Y gave me sometime during our first couple of years as a couple, pink Ikea vase with artificial roses from Lovely Lace.

I only brought the decoration that I like or has significant meaning to me.

Now I have a new (expensive) hobby - home deco and we've just bought the first item for our home, a light brown fitted sheet for the sofa bed in the living room. I am now obssessed with Ikea and moving my things to our new house.

There is a lot of rework to be done for this house but overall, I'm happy, satisfied and grateful that we got this house. It's landed property (people within our salary range usually buy condominiums).

Things to move next weekend: my bags.

My wedding card!

Today Mr.Y and I went to the shop where I ordered my wedding invitation cards. He wanted to order the invitation cards for his reception. After he has filled in the details in the order form, the shop owner looked at the names supposed to be on the front of the card, and he said 'Yasser & Nana' sounded familiar.

I said that's because I ordered the card for MY reception from this same shop.

He said that my cards are ready, he just need to glue the paper inside with the cover. Anyway, he glued one card for me and let me take it home to show my parents.

So here it is...the front cover:


The inside of the card:



Overall, I'm happy with the card but my parents said the guy did not bold the RSVP date as per their request.

Wedding shoes

OK, my wedding progress: yesterday I went to Klinik Kesihatan Cheras for HIV test followed by appointment with the ustaz at the mosque near my house. I've got his signature for the marriage form (yeay!) so our next step is to go to JAWI to get the final letter (I'm not sure what letter though).

Today, me and my mum went to Felda Villa (where the solemnization ceremony will be held) with my wedding planner/neighbour Aunty L. Aunty L wanted to take a look at the venue as she will be responsible for the flower arrangement, mini pelamin, deco and stuffs.

After the visit to Felda Villa, Aunty L dropped me and my mum at Ampang Park and we shopped for my wedding shoes.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to find the perfect gold shoes??? The theme colour for my reception is gold, my dress is gold and it's hard for me to find the right pair of shoes. A few weeks ago I saw this gorgeous pair of gold shoes at Guess, they had it in my size. Perfect right??? NO! When I tried walking in it, it's like being forced to walk on those reflexology stones. Very painful! So I didn't buy the shoes.

Err...there's no Guess store at Ampang Park. Situ paling 'grand' pun brand 'Princess' but I don't mind about the brand of my wedding shoes. In fact, I would prefer it if I can minimize the cost because post-wedding, I'm not gonna wear these swanky wedding shoes that often. To me, wedding shoes is a one-time thing and I'm not a very detailed person up to the point where my shoes have to match my dress 100% and that sort of thing. So I would happily settle for those less expensive shoes at Ampang Park.

This was what I bought for the wedding reception on my side, a pair of gold T-bar heels with sequins. Actually this was my second choice because it kind of made me look as if I'm going to a party instead of my own wedding. But maybe that's because when I tried these shoes on, I was wearing my usual day clothes. When I came home, I immediately tried this shoes on with my engagement dress (though the colour clashed). Thankfully, when worn with traditional wear, these shoes are OK for wedding.


My first choice was a gold shoes with sequins and glitters (at Princess) but lucky me, they didn't have it in my size.



For Mr.Y's reception (for friends and collleages), I bought a pair of metallic white shoes for RM116. Since it's white, I hope it's safe to match it with my peach dress. It's really hard to find peach wedding shoes!

For another one of Mr.Y's reception (for close family and relatives), I bought the most perfect shoes ever! Ivory shoes with platform heels that made me look 3 inches taller! To be worn with a matching ivory dress. Perfect!

My last FOC: Trip to London - Day 3

So sad…it’s my last day in my favourite city. This trip was fun but it was too short. I wish I had more to time to go sightseeing and shopping.

Anyway, on our last day, we packed our bags early in the morning and checked out of Langham Hotel.And I noticed something on the hotel dressing table…


I love the quotation and I think it’s lovely how the hotel update the guest about the weather using this piece of card. I took this card…it will make an awesome bookmark :-)

After we checked out Langham, we posed around the hotel area.


After posing around the hotel, we walked down Oxford Street again for some last minute shopping. That’s when I went crazy. Bought a few dresses at Next, H&M and this shop which I’ve been to for the first time, it’s called Miss London.

At around 5pm, we went back to the hotel (we left our luggage there), repacked and went to the airport by tube. I felt really sad about going back and I wished I didn’t have to.

We arrived at Heathrow Terminal 4 around 6pm, and checked-in. The Malaysia Airlines counter was handled Alitalia and the check-in staff was a total idiot. For this London trip, my parents and I were booked separately (2 different PNRs). Mine got confirmed first, then later my parents. The check-in staff asked my dad, “You and your wife same PNR, your daughter different PNR. Are you two booked separately?”

DUH!

Then my dad requested that we are seated three in a row. It didn’t matter where the seats are, as long as there is a three-in-a-row seat, then we requested to be seated there. The lady looked confused. She turned her computer screen towards my dad. We noticed that there were A LOT of empty three-in-a-row seats. She said, “You and your wife sit here. Your daughter at the back.”

OMG, it’s just a matter of cancelling my old seat assignment and assigning a new seat to me! I guess she didn’t know the entry to do that. Then she did another blunder – she sent us to the standby counter even though our PNRs clearly showed that we’re CONFIRMED passengers. Gosh, she didn’t even know how to read status codes! Her supervisor got really mad at her and finally the blur lady checked us in (separated seats, of course, because she didn’t know how to assign seats).

I hope Alitalia will send her to basic reservations training.

Anyway, then we went through the security check and…more shopping at the departure hall. Hehe. My parents bought MORE chocolates and I bought the Longchamp backpack in lavender. After we’re done with shopping, we went to the Golden Lounge. I showered and ate my dinner.

Then it’s time to board the aircraft :-(


It makes me sad that this was my last FOC with MAS. I remember my last trip to London in 2009, I was so grumpy when we were boarding the plane back to KUL because I thought that was my last FOC ticket with MAS since after that I would probably be graduating and working so I was no longer entitled. I was determined to work with the airline so that I can still get my FOC. Well, I did and after 1 year plus of working, I resigned. So (I think) this is my FINAL FOC ticket, and after this, if I want to travel to London again, I will have to stopover at Doha ;-)

My Last FOC:Trip to London - Day 2

On the second day in London, we went to Trafalgar Square.

These people were drawing all the flags of the countries in the world using colourful chalks.

Oh, and there's a giant clock to countdown to London Olympics 2012.

Full view of the giant digital clock.

Then, we took the tube to St.James Park.

St.James Park was very near to Buckingham Palace but my shoes were killing me (despite changing from a 3-inch heels to a 1-inch pump shoes) so I had to forget about taking photos at the palace.

And I drank more Innocent smoothies…

My last FOC: Trip to London - Day 1

Those of you who have read my previous entry would know that I have already resigned from MAS. My official last day was on 3 Nov but since I had annual leave balances, my actual last day was on 24 Oct. On 27 Oct, I went to London for a 3D2N trip to utilize my annual privilege travel. Yeah, a very short trip due to budget and my dad’s leave constraints.

We took MH002 to LHR and got complimentary passes to the Golden Lounge at KLIA.

On the flight, I had fish & potatoes for supper (not that nice) and then slept until 2 hours before landing when they would serve breakfast. Haha. Had omelet for breakfast and I hate to say this but the taste of the omelet had worsened since my last trip to London.

Arrived in LHR at around 5.45am local time. To avoid the peak hour traffic on the London Underground, we hang out at the airport first. Sat in front of WH Smith and my first purchase in London:

Innocent smoothie.

I LOVE Innocent smoothies and whenever I’m in London, this is all I drink. Guess that explains why my skin looks better when I’m in London.

After wasting our time hanging out at the airport, we decided to take the tube to hotel, drop our bags, maybe freshen up a bit and then walk down Oxford Street. We stopped at Oxford Circus station and the hotel was supposed to be a 5-minute walk from the station. My mum wanted to ask for directions but my dad said it’s OK, we can find the hotel on our own. Guess what? We walked for more than 5 minutes and could not find the hotel. My heels were killing me so I told my parents to ask for directions. Turned out that we were heading towards the opposite direction and had to walk a looong way to the hotel.

Finally, we arrived at The Langham Hotel and the hotel staff allowed us to refresh ourselves at the hotel gym’s changing room while they got our room ready. So I showered, washed my face and reapplied my makeup, and then I was all set to go!

We walked down Oxford Street and here are some of my ‘interesting’ purchases:

PINK Casio scientific calculator! I’ve been wanting this since my schooldays! Of course, this is not yet available in Malaysia.

Kate ring which I bought at Claire’s.

When our room was ready, we went back to the hotel and passed out on the bed.

The very welcoming king-sized bed.

Perfumes

Went to Sunway Pyramid with Mr.Y for one of my favourite activities - shopping for hantaran! This time it's our perfumes.

I had a tough time deciding which perfume to buy. FYI, I have a weakness for perfumes in nice bottles so I was torn between Vera Wang's Lovestruck (the flower + ribbon bottle cap is just too cute!), Marc Jacobs' Lola (purple bottle with colourful flower cap...so adorable!) and Vera Wang's Flower Princess + Preppy Princess combo.

In the end I decided to take the Flower Princess + Preppy Princess set because for the other two, the sets consist of EDT and shower gel. On the other hand, the Flower Princess + Preppy Princess set consists of TWO EDTs for only about RM350! Definitely worth buying! Plus, I already have the original Princess EDT so these 2 EDTs will make a gorgeous Princess collection!

Only when I returned home, I realized that the ring on the Preppy Princess bottle cap was missing :-(

Mr.Y offered to buy another EDT for me to replace the Preppy Princess. I said it's no big deal, it's just the ring cap, I can still use the perfume. But still...the set looked incomplete without the ring :-(

Anyway, I bought Mr.Y the Unforgiveable EDT set he had always wanted. When I was in London last week, I looked all around town for the Unforgiveable EDT set, hoping to get a really good price because perfumes are cheap there. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any sets (only individual perfumes) as the sets will only be available close to Christmas.

But nevermind, found the set at Parkson Sunway Pyramid. EDT + deodorant + shower gel = RM340.

I didn't expect this, but about an hour after Mr.Y sent me home, he bbm-ed me and said he had exchanged the Preppy Princess EDT for me! Now the perfume bottle comes with the ring and it looks complete! Thank you dear! :-D