Go Shopping

Today, I went down to Hartamas - for another Bazaar Fashion Flea Market experience...again! :) Eep! Oh no! It was just to accompany my Baby Sis to this small event. I didn't buy anything at all as I have spent all of my money on my Bandung trip.

Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia; and the country's fourth largest city and the second largest metropolitan area. Basically, Bandung is a shopping & spa tourist destination. The city lies on a river basin and is surrounded by volcanic mountains.

The Bandung shopping experience is pretty much one long stretch of shops after shops after shops :) Popular places are the Rumah Mode, Paris Van Java, Jalan Dago, Jalan Riau and Cihampelas Street. They sells mainly women's fashions, accessories, shoes, bags, jewellery, maternity wear, kids wear, lingerie, sleepwear, shoes and men's clothes. Best things about them: is their massive range of clothes and accessories, they stock up lots of familiar brands, they have lots of sales items, they have a wide range of styles and their styles covers different ages from 18 - 45. These products are tagged as sisa export (rejected or over-produced export quality items) and these shops are called factory outlets.

We also visited the distinguised truncated flat-peak shape of the Tangkuban Perahu Volcano (Tangkuban Perahu literally means up-turned boat). The sight is just breath-taking. I loved it! I truly enjoyed my holidays...eventhough I came back with diahrrea :( Which I later spread the virus to my Mom & Baby Sis. Thank GOD, we have since recovered.

I'm Happy :)

face/off

It's really difficult to get back into the momentum of work after 9 days away from it all. I had approximately 100 odd emails waiting for me today. Plus, I have discovered that the appraisal season is coming soon and eveyone is rushing to be in Iron Butterfly's good books :) There are certain people who have been working extremly hard to get ahead of the game - backstabbing, bullying, taking advantage of the weak ones...sigh :( What a pathetic sight. Some people can stood so low. I know where I stand and where I rank :) Not up there with the Greats.

Even with all the staring into space, I've managed to do some work (the important stuff) thanks to the wonders of Chocolate Malt; I salute you :)

Concord Fair - RM28k
Intex Fair - RM42k
Children's Fair - RM52k
Rain, rain - please go away - it's really affecting my department sales very badly :(

through my window

There's nothing I fear more than Death right now. I'm more Death-Fearing than GOD-Fearing. Everyone gets old. That's how life works. You're born, you grow into a kid, then an adult, then your body gets older and then one day your body will stop working. Lots of people are scared when they have to die. They are also very sad and upset when others have to die. Those feelings are normal...which I'm not ready for it yet. I'm still young. They are still young. The days are still young. I seek for GOD's healing, blessings and grace upon us.

Runway Couture

American Tourister Collection, By Samsonite; The Gardens Ballroom Level 5, The Gardens Hotel & Residences, Mid Valley City.
I didn't know that a new luggage collection product launching event can be so sexy, posh & elegant. It definitely captures the very essence of the Samsonite's re-branding culture.
It was a preview and a luncheon session, everyone stroll through the luxuriously plush carpets under the flashing spot lights, feted on a 5-Star-rating dining buffet, the products were on display very minimally on the limited podiums because the main display was being done by the attractive models themselves. They came out on stage; accessorize themselves with the many types of bags & luggages (of different styles, functions & colors) from the new collections and began to walk from one table to the next table for the guest to see & inspect the goods up close and personal. Not only that, the guest get to see how to carry the gear with style; just like the professionals. Impressive!

Juan was also in the audience (what a nice surprise!) - manage to chat up with Juan for only 7 minutes. Quick updates on life & work :)
Samsonite has been extremly generous as well - every guest who attended the event was given a free 24" Expandable Luggage from the new collection :) Thank you to Rufus for bringing me along. The luggage's texture is so superbly crafted. It's simply gorgeous, dark, edgy and confident :)

pinky & perky

I just came back from my Bandung, Indonesia holiday. I had a brilliant week. I was completely at ease, not stressed at all :) I was beaming with a relaxed glow. I could feel all of my bones in my body soften and my heart rate plod along at what I like to call, Ice Cream Speed.
I definitely want to travel more. Experience more places and all that is out there that the world has to offer. I don't want to get so comfortable in my day job that I forget how to experience life :)

new invincibles

The days have been getting more and more hectic as I venture in deeper into my business plans...have to start planning and strategizing the road map, the categories direction, the portfolio clusterization and the suppliers negotiation for 2010. Truth to be told; I'm almost afraid to look at what's coming straight at me right now, but if my eye's are shut, they're going to hit me right in the face. Haha! Consequences and responsibilities that comes hand in hand with business growth which shows no mercy. Especially to unsuspecting little lamb-first timers like me. I'm going to be okay...I know it :) Here, life is a journey, not a competition.

This department is not easy to handle, even Atticus took the most drastic decision to eliminate the Big Fitness & Adult Bicycles lines. There are just too many problems & issues ranging from display, decote, breakage, high stock days, huge stock value, customers demand, spare parts availability, repair, services & maintenance etc. Headache! Arrgh! :)

Only another 2 more months left...but this November & December are the most critical months for D33. I have been motivating, pushing my people to do as much sales as possible. My bonuses are all gone because I failed all of the KPI :) but I do want them to get their well-deserve rewards. I know that their confidence have been bruised, dented and even dissappointed. Mine too. No matter how much we do, the effort does not produce the desire results. I am doing as much as I can. I don't even know what else to do anymore. I am being rational and logical here - customers will buy A4 copier papers more or fitness bike more? Which will generate more sales - RM9.90 plastic storage box or RM99.90 12" Children BMX Bike? Fast moving items flying off the shelves - Papermate blue pen or sleeping bag? Bazaar Seasonal Alley Planning - everyone overlook the School Holiday Event this year...instead the plan was for Christmas Toys, Back To School and 2010 Chinese New Year. I even have to fight for floor space! Iron Butterfly can even suggest that I should give way! Yeah, I'm not Iron Butterfly's pet like Celtic, Matte-Marit, Stewart and Trix are :)
I'm slowly learning on how to deal with difficult situations and squirm away from crummy people who are being disturbingly unkind. Iron Butterfly thinks that I'm not doing anything at all, all day; I just sit on my ass and only do paper work stuffs. I'm not aggresive enough, I'm not demanding enough, I don't push hard enough. Perhaps, I do not know how to promote myself, I do not highlight my acheivements openly, I don't know how to polish other people's shoes :)
If the job is not well done - I will take the full responsibility, it is my fault, perhaps there are some skills that I am lacking, some new opportunities that I did not grasp in time, some areas that I overlooked...I will step down. I take the blame...but I'm not going to carry the whole weight of the stress. If I do...I'm going to get a heart attack very soon :)

Pisau Cukur

Breakfast with Rufus & Sumen yesterday morning...and then it was back to work in the office :( Everyday I work till 8pm and I'd be back at work in the weekends (if necessary). Not because I wanted to stay back and work for longer hours (i don't get any overtime pay at all). It's more because that the job required me to stay and return in the weekends. I love my job. But I do realized how it's not doing any good to me, my health and my social life. Our time is limited to just 24 hours a day, and so how we spend it...is crucial. Because I feel that once in a while, we do need a reminder or two to bring us all back on the right track and to see what's really important in our life.

As busy as my professional life may be; I have to find the time to focus on doing the little things that makes me a complete person. Because at the end of the day; the pursuit of a sucessful career isn't an entity that I can rely on for happyness; but my life is :)

lost in transit

Rufus,

Underneath the moon, underneath the stars,

Here's a little heart for you,

Up above the world, up above it all,

Here's a hand to hold on to.

But if I should break, if I should fall away,

What am I to do?

I need someone to take, a little of the weight,

Or I'll fall through.

You're just the one that I've been waiting for,

I'll give you all that I have to give and more,

But don't let me fall.

Take a little time, walk a little line,

Got the balance right,

Give a little love, gimme just enough,

So that I can hang on tight.

We will be alright, I'll be by your side,

I won't let you down,

But I gotta know, no matter how things go,

That you will be around.

Don't let me fall.

Underneath the moon, underneath the stars,

Here's a little heart for you,

Up above the world, up above it all,

Here's a hand to hold on to.

You'll be the one that I'll love forever more,

I'll be here holding you high above it all,

But don't let me fall.

-Don't Let Me Fall: Lenka-

True Renaissance Soul

Lately, there has been too many office politics going around - mainly coming from Celtic, Trix, Stewart and Matte-Marit. I just go with my own style :) No one can really tell me to do this or that - I have to be true to myself and do things at my own speed. Moreover, it's important not to model behaviors you didn't like or that you don't feel right because that's what ultimately gives you ulcers and heart attacks :)

Right now, I don't expect anything anymore. I just do my thing. Whatever they want to comment; be it positive or negative...no problem. I take in the compliments and try to improve from their critism. This is what I call professional :) I'm not like some people who merajuk and in denial. Or like some people who like to blow a small mistakes into a big proportion. And yet these mistakes will not necessarily stain my reputations or dash my career aspirations.

I think by handling top-priority task well and getting the word out to the right people, my ocassional missteps will be overlooked :) I learn to live with the mistakes that I have made and learn to move on.

Soldiering on as best as I can; as fearless as my heart deems possible....with GOD looking out for me, my family in my hands and my dear friends on my back, it's solid ground I'm standing on. I thank GOD for putting where I am today, for shaping who I am today...in all those hardship stages, difficult times and trying moments - GOD have ensure that I pull through each time and that I manage to sustain everything.

Life is going great! Although a little hazy :)