Baptism Of Fire

Chapter 3 – Pavilion KL. 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur. We had KFC for dinner and then window-shopping :)
Pavilion KL is the anchor of a world-class urban development comprising two luxury residential towers, a corporate office and a proposed 6-Star boutique hotel that together adds up to a total gross built up area of 3.68 million square feet. The place is divided into 6 precincts – Bintang Circle, Gourmet Emporium, Couture, Connection, HOME and Seventh Heaven. It is also the first in the country to feature street-front retail shops. This is the current new marketing strategies of property developers in marketing their hub which is moving from product centric to customer centric, embracing a one-stop entertainment platform with very good mixture of tenants and leasing. And not to mention, everyone is going bigger and racing to become more upmarket.

I love it. The bigger the retail space means the retailers have more items on display and that means I have more pretty things to look at :) Malaysia retail industry is changing for the better. And Pavilion KL is an excellent example. The next few months are going to be pretty exciting for the local shopaholics, international tourist, suppliers, retailers and property developers. It’s the season where our local retail industry is all geared up for some new and exciting brands that are finally making it to our shores. To keep pace, existing brands are looking at bigger stores that will provide us with more choices. It’s a well known fact that true shopaholics prefer to shop across the causeway and elsewhere in the region because they have more brand choice. In terms of brand development, awareness and market share, we lag behind Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Japan. Pavilion KL aimed to bring the shopping experience of the world famous New York’s 5th Avenue, Tokyo’s Ginza and Milan to our Bukit Bintang.
On the other hand, I’m wondering how are these brands are going to sustain itself with their pricey items that only cater to the small & rich segment and very high retail rent? When it comes to spending money, we’re still not willing to splurge on clothes. How many of us are buying as opposed to browsing? Not many of us can fork out RM2K for a top? Perhaps it’s the tourist that will provide the profit margin. But then again, tourist arrivals are pretty seasonal as well. But I also have heard stories that by selling 3 branded handbags a week, it was good enough to cover the overall operating expenditures. How true is it? No idea.
It’s good to have some up-market fashion but the affordability is questionable. There were many foreign brands that I have never heard of such as Thomas Pink and Mandarina Duck. They sound cute but they have my favorite brands as well - Hermes, Hugo Boss, Diane Von Furstenberg, Banana Republic, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Ralph Lauren.
And The Gardens Mid Valley; another upmarket fashion-focused shopping gallery which will be opening soon will be anchor by Singapore’s Robinsons. Malaysia can now reinforce its attraction as a top Asia retail hub.

After shopping, we had a stroll at the KLCC Park. We talked a lot. Talk, talk and talk. It was the past and present but never the future. I was glad. I don’t know when I am able to learn to let go, have a bit of faith and remember that life is full of good things to learn and experience too :)

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival

MoonCake Time :)

Twenty-something female quirks explained....

Work Tales – The Bitch wants me to join her team. Of course she didn’t ask me herself, she got a third party to do it. I don’t like her. She doesn’t like me :) She is not sincere and having me on board is The Bitch short-term solution. One of her girls tenders her resignation. I have worked with this girl before on several occasions. And I find her to be very competent and efficient in her work. If this girl is delivering & performing; yet she wants to leave this company where she have worked for less than 6 months – that tells me that something is not right somewhere. The Bitch & I will just create more problems and headache for each other :)

Jobs are so scarce these days. I have been searching for ages – yet nothing fruitful turn up. I missed my M13 life. The pay may be peanuts but I was absorbing, learning and gaining so much. Here is lifeless. I guess I have to stick with what I have for now…even though I don’t really like what I’m doing and the situation that I’m in. I know that I must appreciate what I have and fully utilize the resources that are in front of me right now. But something is missing – I’m not happy. I have become very quick-tempered, impatient, aggressive, destructive and explosive. At times, I don’t even like what I see in the mirror. My soul is dying. I like to think that I’m a very strong, optimistic person with a positive outlook on life. I have no choice but to take full responsibility of my decision and its consequences.

The Call – The SMS and the calls have been less frequent now. I’m not sure whether it’s a good thing or a bad sign. You know, some people will just get bored, tired and they just finally give up and disappear from the picture. I’m not sure is it because I’m not the needy, clingy and dependent type or because I have not fallen head over heels yet :) I’ve been told that I have a lot of things to hide. Yeah, to a certain extent I do. I’m just not ready to share my private life. It is going to take some time to de-layer me :)

Quake

I know it’s a bit late to feature this article in this blog, but hey…better late than never :) As Malaysia celebrates her 50 years of Nationhood, many speeches, expressions, opinions were written but this article written by Rafidah Abdullah has truly captured how all Malaysians feel today.

Fifty years ago, the people who were domiciled in this land made a social contract with each other. I wasn’t around then, so I don’t really know what went on, but this was the result: The Malays, who until then had constituted a people, a polity agreed to become a community among several communities in their own land and accept the huge numbers of Chinese and Indian migrants as co-citizens in a wholly new country. In today’s terms, this would be roughly equivalent to, for instance, China absorbing a billion Malay and Indian migrants and agreeing to form an entirely new nation with them as equal citizens. The Non-Malays, in return, were to accede to the Malays certain privileges for a limited time, with regard to land ownership, scholarships, business licenses and civil service positions, as well as to a political system that ensured Malay pre-eminence.

Fast-forward fifty years. What does all this mean to my generation, a generation divorced from this contract made by national leaders, all of whom have since passed on? Thanks to the particular brand of communal politics born all those years ago, my generation has inherited a divided nation with one side feeling denied and frustrated and the other feeling insecure, and clinging desperately to a sense of entitlement. Very few understand why things are this way, or take a moment to pause and query why things have become this way. Don’t get me wrong; what was decided all those years ago was probably the best way for the country at that time. What is disturbing is that as a nation, we haven’t been able to move on from that starting point to create a real sense of belonging for our plural family.

Thanks largely to ‘ethno-nationalist champions’, we are still harping on how Malays get all sorts of privileges, at times entirely un-deserved, and how Non-Malays should just keep quiet and be grateful to be given a home here without even having to give up their culture and identity. Given that both sides have valid points, how many more years will it take for us to move on? We have such a long way to go still, and so many more issues to deal with. And this year, our 50th year as an independent nation, seems to be an opportune time for us all to take stock of what we have and set some goals for this dear country of ours…..

Sometimes I don't like the way my country is being run…till now I’m still very curious whether the Malays have already achieved their 30% quota of the economic structure. If they still haven’t – does that mean that all the government efforts, initiatives and policies all these years are a failure? Or if they have indeed have achieved that 30% - isn’t it about time that the truth be reveal and let everyone compete as equals? Can Malaysia have Non-Malays Prime Minister in the future? The next time I fill up forms – will I have to tick in the small box that says that I’m a Non-Bumiputra? What will happen to Malaysia & her rakyat in another 50 years time? By then I’m already 75…perhaps I will stay, maybe I won’t :)

* England beat Russia 3-0. Two beautiful goals from my boy Michael Owen. Whee :)

I am hiding, tentative

* I am very angry, very frustrated, very upset with myself, with my life, with everyone and with everything!

I’m broke but I’m happy
I’m poor but I’m kind
I’m short but I’m healthy, yeah
I’m high but I’m grounded
I’m sane but I’m overwhelmed
I’m lost but I’m hopeful baby
What it all comes down to
Is that everything’s gonna be fine fine fine
I’ve got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is giving a high five
I feel drunk but I’m sober
I’m young but I’m underpaid
I’m tired but I’m working, yeah
I care but I’m restless
I’m here but I’m really gone
I’m wrong and I’m sorry baby

What it all comes down to
Is that everything’s gonna be quite alright
I’ve got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is flicking a cigarette
And what it all comes down to
Is that I haven’t got it all figured out just yet
I’ve got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is giving the peace sign
I’m free but I’m focused
I’m green but I’m wise
I’m hard but I’m friendly baby
I’m sad but I’m laughing
I’m brave but I’m chicken-shit
I’m sick but I’m pretty baby

And what it all boils down to
Is that no one’s really got it figured out just yet
I’ve got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is playing the piano
And what it all comes down to my friends
Is that everything’s just fine fine fine
I’ve got one hand in my pocket
And the other is hailing a taxi cab

-Alanis Morissette: Hand In My Pocket-

* Owen scored another goal – England beat Israel 3-0. The Press reported that this is one of his finest goals of his international career. Owen’s 38th England goal; a sublime half-volley from 20 yards :)

I Exist

Last weekend as the Nation proudly ushers in its 50th anniversary, I was away at Damai Laut Resort with Torres, Damian and Celtic. The beachy outing was terrific – I enjoyed the sunset, the cheap, fresh & delicious seafood, the majestic sea view, the soft white sand between my toes, the strong sea breeze, the ferry ride, the sea and the bonding session :)

Chapter 2 – The appointment was schedule at 2pm. However, I was kept waiting for 75 long minutes :( Luckily I spent the time shopping and manage to find a very nice top from Giordano with a 50% discount. We had a light lunch at StarBucks. Then I was shown pictures of trips taken in Australia, Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The atmosphere was just BLAND. The chemistry wasn’t there today. We both just wanted to end it there and then. I say this is The End. You know how they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder? In my case, it's the complete opposite for me - out of sight, out of mind.

Goodbye Ole, Welcome Back Owen – My Norwegian cutie Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has announced his retirement from competitive football but would remain at Old Trafford in a coaching capacity and would also fulfill an ambassadorial role. I’m not really a fan of MU but I’m a big fan to some of the players that has been groomed by Sir Alex – Ole, Roy Keane, Diego Forlan, Teddy Sheringham, Paul Scholes, Peter Schmeichel and yes even David Beckham – passionate players with skills that are above the rest.
Owen scored a goal! His first league goal since September 2005 when he claimed an 87th minute winner as Newcastle beat Wigan 1-0. It’s such a relief because his injuries could really kill off his footballing career for good. And finally Liverpool is at the top of the EPL table when they demolish Derby 6-0 and strolled through to the group phase of the Champions League with a 4-0 win over Toulouse :)

Why Am I Here? What Am I Doing Now?
I give up. YOU win. When things are meant to be…they are meant to be. No matter how I resists, no matter how hard I fought…things were just meant to be this way. It’s the fates. You can’t go against them. I am really lost. I’m trying hard to find my way out but the harder I try, the more lost I am. I am running in circles, I am stuck and have no idea which route to take :(