Happy Birthday!

I celebrated my birthday 3 days ago! Till today, I’m always thankful to God for taking care of me for the past 33 years. Life has always been kind to me, Hallelujah!

Last year, I was home celebrating with a big table of relative singing birthday song to me. (Damn awkward!) But, proud of their guts (for a group of seniors singing birthday song to a full grown like me)

This year, I spent my birthday on board working. No, I wasn’t sad at all, as long as I could count my blessing everyday.

I was on an almost 14 hours duty of work flying across the pacific ocean from GMT -7 to GMT +8. The flight number was 001, on 20Jul pass midnight and arriving on 21 July, 0500hours. Flying across the pacific indeed loose a day, which means I “lost” 20 July.

Fortunate enough, I didn’t loose 21 July.

Upon landing into Hong Kong, our crew-in-charge paged all of us to gather in First Class. I thought there was a briefing for all the crew. To my surprise, Captain N G Harrison has taken the lead to hand me a lovely small gift that he bought from the DFS shop. He has also handed me a DIY birthday card, self-made by the First Officer, Frank.

The card was signed by the whole set of 21 crew. I’m truly flattered. It’s not all about the gift, but it’s the thought that count. It’s the little gesture and great effort that count.

Everybody asked how am I going to celebrate it. My reply was, I’m looking forward to a durian treat when home. Out of humorous mood, I asked Captain Harrison whether he likes durian. He replied in an apologetic tone saying, no cause he can’t bear the stench.

To break the seconds of embarrassment, he asked what is durian good for?

“…hmm…well, durian is basically good for ...nothing, Cap."

It’s simply a king of fruits that Asian loves. Voila!

Upon switching on my mobile phone after duty, sms-es were flushing in with all the birthday wishes. Although I’m not a famous celebrity under the limelight, but I’m certainly a “little star” to myself when I get all the attention, care and concern from my beloved ones.

Birthday girl, Happy birthday! And wishing you more happy moment to come…

27years Vs 2months Vs 4hours

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Past weeks, I was very lethargic. Other than completing my scheduled flight duties, I was multi-tasking and settling several outstanding  personal matters.

My body almost given way as it aches all over especially my neck and shoulder. As a result, it causes headache and sleeping pattern was haywire.  It was unbelievably a physical torture.

On the contrary, although my body was in pain, but my heart was of all time warmth.  *wink wink*

There are three persons worth mentioning here that crossed or crisscrossed their path in my life.

The first to highlight is my relationship with my sister of 27 years has taken a turn.  I have never build a strong bond with my sister as we spent our childhood, teenage-hood and adulthood mostly apart.

Recently, due to job re-location, she has moved in and staying with me.  I do welcome her presence but some how, I was struggling to adjusting to “an additional person” who is ripping off a little of my space, my privacy and some “me” time.

After living together for merely a month, spent several times dining together and ongoing sisters’ talk, I realise our sisterhood of 27 years has finally taken-off which it has pulled us much closer than before.

I came to know that she has been looking up upon me when she feels weak and needed moral support. For what I don’t know, there is indeed a protective-elder-sis character that is living within me. Just like the Chinese proverb says: Blood is always thicker than water (Nothing is more important than family).

I finally begin to understand my sister better, after a good 27 years of ‘knowing’ each other. Wow!

The second person that oozes my heart is my 2 months old, Online-pal.  I have had enjoyed exchanging emails with him for a month long. Reading and re-reading his emails is always entertaining and addictive that I religiously replying his emails with breaking records.  (Sorry my dear blog, for I have neglected you!)

When I finally met this person, the vibes were great and connection was instantaneous.  He is so easy to talk to, as our level of intellectual and understanding are mutual. Occasionally when he speaks his mind, it sounds like echo of my voice. It’s amazing.

My only doubt is how long this chemistry would last or when the rose is no longer rosy over the passage of time when the law of diminishing sets in. Or is my gut feel fooling on me?  

Never mind all the obscure trivia, I simply wish to enjoy and savour the moment. Cool!

The third person that cheers my heart is my 4 hours flight passenger: An 8 year old Hong Konger. She is a long-haired girl, with angelic smiles and speaks in a sweet and melody tone. No other names that can better describe her: Angel.

She has a distinctive pleasant personality that catches my attention on her.  Every request from her is being asked so politely with a sweet smile.  

As I was busy throughout the flight, she has waited patiently from ground (before take off )till almost the end of the flight (before landing) to snap a picture with me.

Out of guilt for making her wait, I stole some time chit-chatting to her and got to know that her ambition is to become an air-hostess (with no other secondary ambition). I enjoyed our small talk although it was a short one. I do find her absolutely high in EQ (Emotional Quotient). (I notice I'm always drawn to people with high EQ than IQ)

Besides, her parents are also humble and carry themselves well.  It forms a happy and blessed family picture of them in my mind. Her mannerism is superb which can beat most of the adult passengers.  (She is so far the only young pax who responded to me with a word of “You’re welcome” each time when I say “Thank you” to her)

My last word for her was to encourage her to study hard in order to achieve her dream job which she nodded her head (with a little effort) in return.  (Good job, FlyMe!)

By looking at the 3 persons that has captured my heart, it truly doesn’t matter how long I know the person, be it 27 years… 2months… or even 4 hours… time is not the essence.

May be all is about TIMING.

i'm loving it! (Part II)

Yesterday I was bursting with good energy as I go about doing my regular flying routine. I was eager to serve and all time hyper running around the cabin exchanging words with passengers. I do enjoy the role as a host in the airplane, at times I feel like I’m a butterfly fluttering in the pressurised cabin.

Or may be I’ve been looking forward to a coming date (I don’t know). Even so, that doesn’t deter my spirited-self when comes to working. Generally speaking, I (not always but most time) enjoy doing what I do (my flying career).

Every flight is new and every experience or encounter is different. I’m still learning, coping and better myself. That’s what keep the drive going perpetually.

Frankly, working evolves most part of our adult life. Choosing the right job thereby respecting and whole-heartedly contributing towards it. I always like the saying: Have pleasure in your job and you don’t feel like you’re working a single day.

I see my job as part and parcel of my daily activity, it has incorporated to my system so well, as if an early “morning motion”. If I don’t “do it”, I’m feeling uneasy for the rest of the day. Often than not, I look forward to dolling up myself in that my glamorous uniform. Am I insane? Never mind.

A colleague once asked how to make a flight attendant sleep when suffering from jetlag. The answer is: Wear our uniforms. Just because work is mundane and the uniform induce fatigue and weary imagination. I, however, dismiss such a tale.

Last week, I read Sumiko Tan’s column (Working gives life meaning) and can’t agree more with her philosophy towards work. Her amusing anecdote goes:

“There are those who point that no one in his right mind would say on his death bed that he wished he had spent more time at the office.

I disagree for, to me, the office is where so much of what matters in life emanates.

Call me a fool, perhaps. But at least I’m a fool who likes hard work.”

I highly admire her pride and respect for her job, mainly because she enjoys her work that brings a whole lot of self-satisfaction in her life.

Last month I was in Rome, searching around for Long Champ boutique along central del Corso where most of the luxury brands are housed along the famous street. When I was about to give up searching the store, I went forward to Burberry boutique, greeted a doorman/security personnel in a smart wear.

I simply brushed aside the idea of presuming he may not understand my Asian accented English and politely asked him whether he can tell me the location of Long Champ but in return he gazed at me with a cold short reply.

“I’m not a seller”

?????

May be what he meant was he is mainly a doorman/security personnel and nothing more. My heart whispered quietly: “It’s what you chose to be and let’s be happy of being a doorman and be merry ever after!”

Geez, he simply put me off. May be if he replied by saying he doesn’t know would be more appropriate so as not to make me form any negative impression and hence mentally scrutinizing him unfairly.

Obviously, this chap is setting boundaries in his job and does nothing more that his job is required to. So sad.

Life long enjoyable career that provides satisfaction, happiness, financial security, social circle and status, personal development and so on is never easy to find. So, I better enjoy and savour every moment of my working day.

It may be a love and hate relationship; nonetheless, I chose to love it more than I hate it. I’m loving it (job)!

i'm loving it! (Part I)

It’s another beginning of a new month again and I keep reminding myself to squeeze in some time to update my blog.

Yes, it’s July, the month of my birthday. Not that I’m looking forward to turn another year older. July, however, is the month of a big pay month to reward my whole year of hard work: BONUS.

While some of my colleagues have already smiling all the way carrying their dream designer bags out of the boutiques, in reciprocal, the luxury retailers are ringing their tills and laughing to the bank. Hence, I should think the happiness is mutual between the seller and buyer.

As for me, I’m also actively thinking of how to spend my handsome reward as well and thus be a happy consumer. *Wink*

Having said that, some happy spending however diminishes over time, meaning you’re only happy at the point of splashing and happiness subsides eventually. With such an ‘intelligent’ and logical thinking, I sure want to reward myself with a long lasting happy memory so to make my money well spend: HOLIDAY!

I certainly deserve a breakaway from work, therefore, it’s time to crack my head and pick a destination. If clueless, may be it’s about time to open up my world map.

It gives me a reason to smile! And I’m loving it!