Of Autos, Jobs and Urut Batin

Believe me, one of the abovementioned topics is by no means a way to desecrate the sanctity of Ramadan. On the contrary, it only goes to show how surreal life in KL can be. But now that I've got your attention.....

Before I delve further into my ramblings, permit me to share with you my undue felicity upon our MacBook's return to cyberspace. Since our arrival in Ampang, I'd to resort to using my hubby's PC-interface laptop due to connectivity problems via the Mac. I'm so accustomed to write on the Mac that I felt out of sync typing away on 'Toshi.' Even posting of photos took a lot of painstaking effort and tweaking. Hence, one of the OTHER reasons for my procrastination in updating this site.

Two nights ago, following a brief troubleshooting by hubby, Mac is back alive and kicking! Hurray! I feel like I've got my groove back. Step aside Stella! Hah!

I miss the dropdown bookmarks of Mac where I could easily find a host of favourite blogsites at one click. And don't get me started on the big LCD screen! Hehe.....

Let the spiel begins!
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My car nightmare resurfaced at the beginning of last week. This convoluted mess can be traced back to April 2006 when I sold my Kenari to a car dealer upon knowing that hubby would start his course in June. The dealership is the same one which handled my hubby's purchase of car of similar make.

It was raining cats and dogs when the two reps came over to Kota Damansara to get my signature since the car was parked there. It was quick and painless. I was upstairs in my old bedroom attending to my nursling while hubby handled the rest.

And I thought it was the last time I'd hear of my Canary baby.

As fate would have it, at the very last minute my hubby's Masters programme was postponed to September.

I didn't really mind being carless for the following two-and-half months since I'd be ensconced mostly at home. But I didn't count on the ensuing bad news that soon reached my ears.

Before we left for The Netherlands, a lawyer's letter arrived at my parents' house informing me of MY failure to pay the monthly installment of said Kenari. I was flummoxed and angered by this piece of news.

Little did we know that my car was sold to another dealer in Putrajaya but he had failed to make payments to the bank! How we'd been screwed! We demanded backpayments to be settled and warned that we would bring the matter up to the police. After much hassling with these incompetent parties, we prayed hard that it'd be the last time we heard about my sold Kenari.

However, the issue cropped again and again in Delft as and when we checked about the car payment status. Following a year of car sale, we confidently assumed that the car had finally secured a home with a rightful owner. As such, we didn't track any more matters pertaining to the car.

Yet, last Monday, the bank called my mobile to tell me the same news again. Three months of backpayment. My name might be blacklisted. That sincerely put a damper on our laidback Monday morning.

We instantly made calls to the original dealership to track the new car owner's particulars. Apparently, my car is now somewhere in Kota Bharu, without a proper roadtax! And the owner had changed hands once again. Both the second and third 'owners' are from Kelantan. The second one is a Guru Besar (Headmaster) in Putrajaya somewhere.....

Imagine what would happen if the car was pulled over by the police for traffic violations, or God forbid, got into an accident. The new 'owner' however assured us that the car is sitting idle in Kota Bharu somewhere. I guess for the time being, we have to take his words for it. Undoubtedly, we are devastated by this protracted runaround in settling my carloan. If the car is not properly handed over to a new owner, we threatened to have the car back.

Yesterday, a teleconference, arranged by my hubby, with both the bank and the potential owner hopefully set in motion a formal change in ownership. We have to follow up again I'm afraid lest the guy sits on this matter yet again. I am horrified to know that someone would merely continue paying for the car, under my loan, just because he or she couldn't afford - financially, criminal records or what-have-you - to get a bank loan, or worse too lazy to get his or her butt off to the bank and apply for a loan.

It's almost one-and-half year since I last said goodbye to my car. And its fate is still unresolved. Let's see how things unfold in the next month.....
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The first day of fasting saw me driving alone mid-morning on the elevated highway towards KL with tears brimming in my eyes.

I blame it on the onset of hormones and separation anxiety. And no, it's none of the marital strife variety.

Rather, I was on my way to a job interview whilst my hubby and baby stayed at home. Thanks love for holding the fort.

Aside from the lengthy form-filling and essay-writing process, I breezed through the interview with two gentleman and a female rep from HR. After experiencing that initial butterflies in my stomach, I calmly seated myself inside a tiny meeting room and answered their questions matter-of-factly.

I wouldn't say I was too persuasive, nor was I too diffident. I just wanted it to be over and done with.

You see, I'm at a crossroads mulling over whether I should go back to the corporate world or stay home taking care of my child. While it'd be nice to have an income at my own disposal and convenience, I simply feel guilty leaving Sadia behind after more than a year of 'home-parenting'. It's one thing that hubby had gone back to the daily grind, but it'd be another major adjustment, not to mention a setback, for Sadia if I were to go back to work.

Despite my misgivings, hubby had assured me that the decision is entirely up to me. God willing, we would still have enough money, as long as we live within our means. That should be loosely read as no more mindless, spur-of-the-moment shopping! Haha!

And there is of course, an alternative to going back to work. I could go back to school and take my Masters fulltime. That way, I can find a suitable schedule that are in consonant with my maternal undertakings. Hehe.

Work or otherwise, I still am on the lookout a great nursery to send Sadia so that I'd get a breather for a few hours in a day. Any suggestions for the Ampang area? Thanks in advance, I'm much obliged.

At current standing, I still haven't made up my mind about working. I know, I know - I can be so irritatingly wishy-washy. Nonetheless, I am more than happy if you could slip into my shoes and empathise with my situation wholeheartedly.

I will jot down more thoughts once a decision is made.
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Last Saturday, before we ventured to my grandma's in Kampung Bharu for Iftar, we brought Sadia to the KLCC park to let off some steam. After purchasing some presents for a birthday Do (scheduled after Iftar), we ambled along the serpentine fountains of KLCC towards the playground area.

Considering it was a weekend, the park was relatively sparse with a manageable number of children roughhousing and running around the soft spongey ground. Perhaps the Ramadan month discourages some folks from bringing their children outdoors.

Some of the recreational rides and contraptions were however still wet from the afternoon shower, causing us to be extra vigilant with Sadia's brisk movements. As we made our way to a drier and quieter section of the playground, we chanced upon a suspicious-looking behaviour taking place in one of the covered nooks meant for children. This shelter sat underneath an elaborate playground structure of slides, walkways, monkey bars, climbers, and playhouses.

Functioning like a makeshift tent for covert operations, kids could regroup in there for their make-believe combat strategy. Likewise, adults and teenagers alike covertly converged on this 'hallowed', uncorrupted ground and tarnished its image with scandalous activities.

This was actually the second time around we bumped into a couple. And each time at the same combination playground structure. Ironically, the habitually whistle-blowing parkguards often overlook this side of the playground in their overzealous enforcement of the park's rules.

The previous couple consisted of a Caucasian teenagegirl and her Chinese boyfriend, looking all mussed up after emerging from the shelter. This time we were stunned beyond words.

They were a couple of guys, one of whom lying inside the tent as the other guy massaged his temple in a suggestive manner. The one assuming the supine position looked, well how shall I put it, very turned on, while the other became uneasy upon our 'intrusion'. We could only imagine what else had transpired before we came to the vicinity. And they are Malays!

A group of young Malay males walked past shortly thereafter and hollered some words "Oi, buat apa tu?" (Oi, what are you doing?) and the like. We also chose to gradually move away from the playsite at this time since the sky turned a shade grey. Later on, we saw them coming out from the playhouse. One of them effeminate and the other quite straight-looking.

Well, I'll be darned!

I sincerely hope the guards would tighten security in the deceptively quiet corners of the playground so as to prevent anything untoward from occuring.
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Now, I'm off looking for that perfect, succulent sardine karipap for Iftar (or Buka Puasa)!


Note:
Urut Batin is a recently-coined phrase in Malay referring to massage service inclusive of sexual favours.
Buka Puasa is Malay for Breaking of Fast.