Monday 31 October 2011

Top 10

This call I get every other day from London is always filled with different emotions. Those emotions in the voice is enough to tell me how the market is doing on the other side. The power of communication really.

So, I quickly ran through the highest profile US victims of bad debts on Eurodebts and it's finally updated! *gasps* As at September this year, MF Global has joined the gang, making it in the top 8.

Worrying indeed. As much as the bailout funds are finally out there, I'd say it's not close to being over just yet. However, they've definitely bought some time though :) These days any not-as-bad-as-expected news means good news. Plus, any good news don't necessarily mean that they've bought publics' confidence at all.

After all, the problem did not just start out because of those excessive borrowings during the good low-interest-rates times, but the fact that the Greece Government cheated on its borrowing statistics to qualify for the Euro in the first place. That's really not nice. That's like taking a lollipop away from a lil kid!

Karma hits right back in the face, no?

Thursday 27 October 2011

Puffer Fish


“Oh my God! Announcing the arrival of Bloat. That puffer fish from Finding Nemo!”
That’s my boss trying to make a joke early in the morning when I was all kelam kabut rushing for a submission and not all smiles when I came in to work. Haha! Sometimes, I just feel so proud of them for knowing their cartoons just so that they can communicate in ‘my language’.

“Why is your face swollen?”

“Don’t know. I think I dreamt I was underwater with Nemo and Dory and Bloat and then terlanggar ship besar. Bangun bangun je “POOF”. On a more serious note, I’m ok!”

(He laughed! Score!) You say It’s ok all the time and they have different meanings everytime too (everyone at work tend to shorten my name to just Ya, instead of calling me Alia sometimes). That, we all semua tau. But I also know that you say I don’t know to many things just because you’re nice when you actually know it, don’t you Alia? I believe you do that in meetings and you’re doing it right here right now as we speak”

*seriously shocked*

“Nice? Why would I wanna be nice? No lah. Maybe? I don’t know. You want to buy me chocolates to increase my happy hormones instead of playing detective perhaps?”

“There you go again. Standby time at 9.30. Meeting’s upstairs”

“mmmmkay”

Wow. He does know me oh-too-well. I just never realized.

On a different note, grilling session with the committee was worth it and the product proposal has been approved. Finally, eversince my first year joining the firm :) Well done team!! 2 more to go! Please let me have the energy to get through this with a lot of motivation and happiness.

Sunday 23 October 2011

David Foster and Friends

To shout like I will lose my voice the next day. To laugh like no one cares. To dance like no one was watching me. To cry and have tears rolling down my cheeks like a waterfall. To make new friends like it's first day of school...and to just be motivated, in love and happily me around people who knows me as me :) 

Nothing more I needed than that exact feeling I had as I watch David Foster, Michael Bolton (when I was small and he sang Hercules' song, I was determined to marry someone who can sing! :P), Charice, Russell Watson, Ashanti and Philip Bailey perform right before my eyes and the other thousand who were with me at Stadium Bukit Jalil last night! To decide on the ticket, to queue with the thousands of people just to get in and to get that seat inside the stadium. It was all worth every second of it.

The minute Foster started his piece from St Elmo (a song that never fails to motivate me especially during my final exams in Uni!), I CRIED. I was as good as gone. Lost in my own little world, singing my heart out to every song! :) Oh my god, if I could ever live that moment again, I would. It was too happy even I couldn't control it, my eyes just had to cry. Priceless tears of joy.

I realized that no matter how difficult or how demotivating a week can be, there's nothing that music cannot cure. Motivation and situation, checked! :) 


To experience a time when motivation was taken away from me was not easy. In fact, I now understand what it's like to work by force and not because of passion (I did not have the slightest motivation at all). It feels like crap. It even takes up more energy and more time to complete something. But one thing's for sure, it's colleagues like mine who'd come to the rescue and can put that smile back on my face and remind you why it's ok to feel what I felt. Bless them amazing souls who truly understand me :) and then there's David Foster and Friends who made my weekend a perfect one too!

P/s: It's the 23rd today! European Union Summit! G20 Finance Ministers supposed to announce a convincing solution to a deepening Euro Zone debt crisis. Let's see what's in store!

Saturday 22 October 2011

Once Broken Considered Sold

There is always a boundary, a limit when doing something. Fooling around doesn’t become funny when you touch on a very serious issue. Respecting others regardless of one’s age and intelligence level is common sense. And to think of the consequences before you do something, that’s back to basics. What more when the consequences affect others.

I’d often tell myself to always put yourself in another person’s shoes. If I don’t like it to be done to me, I am sure likewise it applies the other way around too. It may be small to one, hence you do it, but what you may fail to realize is the consequences that will follow. Ego is not a ticket for you to appear intelligent and smart whilst humiliating the others. Always always think before you do something. Once broken, considered sold.

Right now, I have just experienced something that has started out as small, but the after-effect may potentially be more than huge.

Sometimes, you’d think that some of them that are closest to you would understand you best. If not because they understand you inside out, it’s because you’ve made it clear to them your concerns on specific matters. Instead, they (still) do the opposite. Their reactions/actions mirror one who don’t know you too well and then the game of regaining trust starts back all over again for me. And usually in this case, whoever contributed to it would not feel like they have done anything wrong, and this is also the case when I cannot be bothered to debate. Let not your speech be given freely except to those who want to hear it and will value it. I just default back my trust level to sub zero (read: case by case basis).

So, never ever ever do something without thinking. Never. Not if it eats up into other people's 'periuk nasi'.

“The best type of leadership is taking lead of yourself towards truthfulness and balancing between inner convictions and outward application”

Friday 21 October 2011

Nothing's perfect

"Never take it away, for when you have, you take away the whole character"

Just when I thought that this week will turn out to be perfect, it did not. I woke up with  a fever and no motivation today but at the same time, part of me is still eager to go to work because maybe, once I step foot in the office the motivation will come rolling back onto my lap and the happiness will overwrite that fever. Maybe, maybe. This feeling of restless-ness is not very easy to juggle with the load of work.

Well, for a start, I have my honey nestum cereal and it's dress-down Friday for Treasury! :) I'm thinking pyjamas now and music. 7 days to full blast happiness and motivation too!

Tuesday 18 October 2011

I'm a Malay


Once last time, I picked up a call and my friend on the other line was all formal with me. I thought that maybe because she wanted to practice to be proper at work when talking about our project. So I continued on before I realized that she didn’t know it was me.

Apparently, I sounded very serious and formal but at the same time cheerful and bubbly over the phone. Simply put, I do not sound like an Alia Ishak (the playful Disney cartoon). Naturally, I speak in English, yes, who doesn’t huh? From then on, I observed that it happened more times than I actually realized it. Weird, but absolutely funny when it happens. Only because even at work I am very informal like that if I knew who was on the other line.

Let me clear this first. I DO NOT speak with an accent. But at times, I do slip it in when the time calls for it, for example if an investor from the UK calls. My ‘Hello’ does not determine whether I speak with an accent or not.

So today it happened again. Only this time, it was a lil awkward. Someone called my extension asking for a Nadia, and I pointed out that he may have gotten the wrong extension.

Hello
Hi!
Can I speak to Nadia please
Sorry, I think you may have dialed the wrong extension. There’s no Nadia here, or perhaps, she has moved to a different department? May I know what was the extension given to you?
Eh no la, it’s XYZXYZXY
Oh! That’s my extension! Hmm.
Last I called was in 2009
(Smacks my forehead) That’s quite a while back now. I haven’t been here for that long, so maybe she has moved by the time I came in. May I know who’s on the line please?
Erm…Who’s on the line?
Alia (with a smile on my face, I swear I felt it)
Oh! Melayu!
Err…yes
Not Chinese ke?
Err…no
Are you mix?
Err…no? Ok sorry, you might want to check that number again.
Oh sorry, you boleh cakap melayu la!
Err…boleh la
Ingatkan Chinese or mix tadi sebab sebelum cakap nama tadi, you started cakap English and your English tu ade british accent
Oh…tak la. Melayu.
Oh ok, takpelah. Thank you ye
Erm....You're welcome?

-____________-

Saturday 15 October 2011

Pawagam Duniaku


PRESS CONFERENCES

...and I swear there was never a Monday blue fever ever throughout the 4 months!!

“Tibalah masaku.
Mengejar angan angan.

Inilah masaku.
Tidak lagi berangan.
Suratan takdirku di dalam genggaman.

Pawagam duniaku.
Dunia yang gemilang.
Disini namaku.

Terang dan terbilang”

That was me 3 months ago. Up on Istana Budaya’s world class stage, dancing a dream I never thought I’ll ever ever achieve. *Butterflies in my stomach* I still get butterflies in my stomach when I think about it. One of the most beautiful dream come true for me. It was at that time and forever will be in my memory.

This time I was seated in the audience – watching The Secret Life of Nora.

But this time, it felt different. I believe Dreamgirls has taught me to appreciate every single detail of it. A production is not just about the story line in which if you ask, many would think so. I’ve learned to appreciate from the acting to the tech runs. The choreography, the casts. The people we don’t see from the audience such as the orchestra and the management  Sound engineer and directors of all sorts. The props and the crew working hard to make it perfect (yes, pushing those props to its exact location is not easy at all mind you). Spotting people I’ve been very lucky to be able to work with during Dreamgirls. At that time, it felt surreal that I have stepped foot on the stage.

I miss call times. I miss my Dreamgirls. I miss that time of my life as a performer. But at the same time, I also miss being a banker when I am performing. I can’t help but smile with the happiest feeling in me throughout the whole show, understanding how difficult it must have been prior to the show and being able to see how well they have executed it all :) I’ve never been this proud watching a local production before :)

I can only dream to be in all the productions out there, but currently work does not permit. I love both, being a Banker, being a Performer. Hence why the thought of what I got earlier this year, to be a part of a production, the first ever Broadway in Malaysia never fails to push me to keep on dreaming the impossible. It also drives up my motivation every single time I think about it

Right now, I just can’t wait till next weekend when I’ll be performing for a corporate event and watching David Foster with my music lovers!! The Asia Tour 2011 is coming to Malaysia and I have gotten hold of my tickets :) I just love David Foster and it’s a bonus that Michael Bolton (he sweeps me up straight to cloud nine everytime he sings Go The Distance from Hercules….ahhhh *melts*), Charice, Russell Watson, Ashanti and Philip Bailey! I am going to be so over-drugged with music that day, I so know it.


 My all time favourite who calls me Hammie, one who encourages me every single day to just give it a go eventhough I was having a hard time with vocals during Dreamgirls and one who'd give me random hugs every day and tell me a joke jus to get me going!! He just doesn't like it that I'm happy all the time.
Quote of the year: "Life's not a comedy Alia, so stop smiling!"
If you ever have the chance to bump into him, say hello. He'll stop and chat. He's awesome like that :) 

 One I've always been very proud of! If you know him, you'd know that this was his dream since the day I met him for the first time. He has worked hard, he has sacrificed a lot and to think that this 'abang senior' (that was seriously what he used to make me call him in Uni!) was the one who took care of me when I used to study in London, who'd come running by in his slippers and hoodies to my campus when I was homesick. Didn't know he was gonna be a big star! :)

...and this gorgeous Kimora-lookalike superstar, she's just superbly awesome! Watch her perform and you'll understand true definition of true love for performing arts. That's passion! This is one girl who tells me to quit everything, drop it and skydive into performing arts every single night, every single day after rehearsals when we walk our way back towards KLCC. Yes, because she did exactly that! She's a big believer who dreams the impossible every day and never fails to share it with me every single time! 
This girl is all brain and beauty :)

Stephanie, Aaron (our CC White in Dreamgirls), Aznil, Tiara, Ryan, Tony and Adibah Noor

So, if you can, go catch Secret Life of Nora - if you plan to watch passionate performers perform it for the love of the arts industry. I have so much respect for these superstars and especially
directed to Aaron! I never knew he could speak such excellent bahasa melayu. Throughout Dreamgirls, we only did english, and so I was very very impressed! Well, he did say he had to go through hell to get to that level, nothing comes easy :)

Remember, it's not all just about the story line. A production is more than just that.

Friday 14 October 2011

World of Sports (Part 2)

Straight after netball, I rushed over to slip in some mummy-daddy-me time for lunch before making it just in time for friendly soccer. The power of making more time when there’s no time to begin with is very satisfying :)

Maybank – CIMB – StanChart – Khazanah.
 
Khazanah vs StanChart whilst CIMB-Maybank waits for their turn! :)

If this was not a game that was just as crazily exhausting and filled with stress and pressure similar to listing an IPO, I don’t know what else to compare it with (especially when it was CIMB vs Maybank. Intense!). Investment companies are so very competitive at work and outside ok! What I loved most though was, to be able to be alongside Mr CEO and CFO down at the field on a weekend playing sports and to see everyone making time to represent the company. It gives me a very I-don’t-know-how-to-explain motivating feeling.

This motivation brought us through to the semis and finals and into the top spot in the end! Champions! Well played CIMB Investment and well done team! You guys are such superstars! :)

Funniest bit though was when I arrived clad in CIMB’s jersey, but I left with part of me covered in green for Khazanah. My ex bosses from Khazanah were playing and scoring for KNB! I can’t help but to cheer them on and spent a good time on the fields catching up with them!Them who I used to work with during the day and play sports with at night afterwards. Was shocked to see my boss’ son all grown up to be a big handsome boy. already Last I worked at Khazanah, he was just a very cute lil baby boy.

To top to the excitement, I thought Maybank had the best support system alright! With their cheerleaders and gendang-players clad in yellow baju melayu. Loved the spirit :) It was a really really tiring sporty Saturday for me.

Tuesday 11 October 2011

World of Sports (Part 1)


October 1st was the day that I still had no clue whatsoever on how to play netball. But was already given the allocation for these awesome gorgeous boots!


A week of training, scolding and more scolding, I managed to grasp the basics – footwork, body contact, chest pass, lobs, 3 feet blocks, etc. Tough love between the coaches and I, really. They had so much faith in me, they assigned me to Centre (C), when I myself was nervous for my feet and hands.

October 8th, I was more concern about being stuck in layers of long sleeves rather than get dark, training under the sun to prepare for the tournament. My first game was crap! All I could hear was “Alia!” “Come on Alia! Foot work check la girl! Don’t do ballet in the field!”…I have this habit of swinging my leg like playing futsal and it was not easy to switch! Oh the horror.

I came out and the first thing that was given to me was ‘Music’. I was told to just listen to my iPod till the next game. Haha! Too funny! The same thing happened when I represented the company for futsal a few months back. Apparently at times when they want me to be high, happy, cekap dan cilik (or basically to be doing what I need to, at my very best) is when I am in my own musical world. My colleagues know me oh-too-well.

 Oh so-stylo-milo la CIMB players!

Spot on! Picked up my second game and we led on till the end of the tournament. Semis and finals were the toughest when I could hear everyone just giving me the support to hang on and push through. My teammates are just smashingly awesome! Our team strategy to just play it slow, be calm and have fun paid off handsomely! Tough games, killer competitors only made the victory sweeter :)

Another Gold in the bag!

Well done CIMB Investment! I’d say all the exhaustion, sweat and damn a lot of scolding were worth it! My style of happy kinda stress :) Now, I’ve just got to get through a recovery phase with all this tiredness and wounds and blisters. Ouch!




 Btw...this darling of mine was so concern that she made sure everyone was very prepared the night before. Shoes packed, jerseys checked and nails cut. Come tournament time.... she forgot to cut her nails! LOL! Soooo funnny! Whilst she was shivering and panicking trying to cut her nails as fast as possible, I just decided to annoy her :P

Friday 7 October 2011

15 going on 16

That’s the average number of hours that I see my colleagues throughout this week and to be honest, I cannot be any more thankful than I am. There’s something about being around my colleagues that can cheer me up instantly, I don’t know what.

I figured that maybe because they’re not the typical ‘If I am your colleague, then let it be just that way. Address me accordingly. And no silly behaviours at work’, NO. In fact, it’s far from that. I can be very quiet when I’m stressed and they will know what’s up. I can be very hyper when I am happy and usually it’s because they did something to make me happy.

We work together, we debate with each other. We fight with each other and we spend work life balance sports-style together – rotating between futsal, badminton, tennis or bowling at night. They’ve become my very own family-at-work unit that fills up my comfort zone.

This week, work was just beyond crazy and to top that off, training for the upcoming Malaysian Investment Banking Associaton (MIBA) game every night was just as… *sweats dripping like waterfall* My boss even commented that I look worse than Po (the Panda from Kung Fu Panda)! So, what they conveniently left on my work table instantly lifted up my mood. Such pretty surprises on my table!!
  

Hello new football boots and new pink-coloured trainers (in their effort to make me more girly and less of a tomboy). I'm in love with you two! Thank you for the new gift CIMB!

...and this has become our second home too everyday after work!

There’s something about sporty stuff too that hits this happy button in my system. When I was younger I used to either wear snickers with baju kurung for raya (or any costume for that matter) or I keep telling my parents and abang that my hantaran when I get married next time will be a lot of sport shoes from Nike! LOL! Ish…memalukan betul. My dad used to joke and said “You were supposed to be a son. Can’t be helped anymore”…and I used to be proud when he says that! Oh dear me. Oh well….

Good luck to all Investment Banks participating in the tournament this weekend! Not forgetting the friendly soccer game too! Can’t wait to watch Mr CEO and Mr CFO show off their football skill :)

Good luck team, let's do this CIMB Investment!

Wednesday 5 October 2011

I long for

...a good break like this break :)

A happy weekend, with the happiest company and a break from work for a bit and just about us. It was all about us, us, us and happy times, having breakfast, lunch and tea over no-brainer topics!


Right now, I'm trying to fight against time, trying to tick all on my to do list and submitting that deadline and making more time to do other errands non-work related and getting to all those appointments!

Saturday 1 October 2011

Clash of the jerseys and work life balance

Happy kinda stress is when you're super exhausted and you're pushing yourself beyond what you usually do, but you get maximum happiness at the same time whilst going through the crazy exhaustion.

This month has got to be the start of all competitions between Banks and the start of regulators auditing us Bankers who develop products. Audit is always stressful. But when you can justify and sell your product, that stress becomes a satisfaction once you get through it.

It has been a crazy 2 weeks at work, and I don't see it reducing anytime soon. At least not for the next coming week. It's gonna be same ol too-happy-to-even-realize-that-working-hours-have-long-ended. There's something about working that just makes me so very happy, really! But between those busy times, I still went for sports tryouts this morning. The Bank is preparing for a netball team for our Interbank match soon! I no nuts about netball, I swear. So I thought, well, just for the fun of it. Why not?

Let's just say, I managed to google them netball rules into my head before going to bed, I made new friends, learned a few new things about netball and hey! I made it into the team :):) To be honest, for the past one year that I've been serving the Bank, I've been sponsored Futsal shoes and jerseys (for making it into the Bank's team), track shoes, jerseys and new attires (for making it into the Athletics team), badminton racquet and loads more jerseys for bowling team. It's a bonus to be sponsored another set of shoes and jerseys for netball this time! I surely am not complaining :)

So what do I have waiting for me next week?

A hectic-long-days week at work and approvals to be submitted. Netball training every night after work. Futsal training that will clash with some of the netball training sessions at night. Futsal matches on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Netball tournament on Saturday and Bowling on the 15th. I foresee myself moving from one tournament court to another and whilst driving, I'd be changing into different jerseys!! On top of that, musical rehearsals to attend in order to prepare for my upcoming show (no, I only do this part time now. Nothing like Dreamgirls), and work! Oh God, give me the energy. I don't know why I always do this to myself!

Well, one thing's for sure, at least I have lil Gutsy to teman me and be happy with me! :)


Well, why Gutsy and not Smurfette? It's coz my other better half has gone to so many Toys R Us and this was the only one left. Gargamel doesn't count and the rest of the other Smurfs were sold out! :(