Thank you for keeping the events at a minimum since the crazy sleepless two weeks that was the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting. I’m glad you realised that the YBs are probably as tired of the endless days and nights of writing and delivering speeches and debates, as we of the press are of listening and cobbling it into something of consumable quality for our readers.

The early days and late nights of the office was part and parcel of our job description and nothing we can complain about in earnest.

So it’s somewhat startling to come to work and realise you actually get to go home that day while there is still daylight. Or realise that you can actually sleep in a little longer or do morning chores that are usually impossible before heading off to your sole function in the afternoon.

It’s nice to be able to chat and go out for drinks with colleagues, or go eat a nice lunch without having to shove everything down your throat quickly and risk indigestion. It’s also nice to finally have time to sort out my claims, or cart the pile of old newspapers out, or whittle the crap I haven’t gotten around to moving off my desk.

In the few occasions when I had to stay back to finish something, it’s also nice to be treated to this view from my office window:

I appreciate little moments that result from things like this, like my colleague agreeing that this view should be documented and opening the window for me while I haul out the camera.

I don’t expect it to last. Eventually everyone will come back from their holidays and people will be organising things again.

But in the meantime, there’s nothing wrong in living for the moment.

Full of love,
Me.

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Note to event organisers

By now, most of you know that I’m with the news desk. But what is the difference between that and what I did before? Isn’t it the same thing? I still write for the newspaper, if you’re thinking about it in that context. Otherwise, my schedule and what I write is different.

At the Feature Desk, we write longer articles with a ‘soft‘ approach. This includes but is not limited to articles about interesting people, places and events. We fix our own schedule. Most of you already know that I used to write movie reviews (until it got discontinued), book reviews and the food column. I am no longer doing all that.

At the News Desk, we do the daily stuff that makes up a bulk of the main section. There will be a certain number of events that the media is invited to. Depending on the nature and time of the event, a reporter will get one or two of them in a day. The pace is a lot more hectic than the previous position, but it’s a rather welcomed change.

You need to turn the articles in within the same day, barring unusual circumstances. I’m a bit slow due to the luxury of being able to take it easy at the Features Desk, but with so little wriggling room, I’m learning to write faster.

So far, I’ve covered press conferences, launchings, ceremonies, community and charity events that may or may not include a YB or assemblyman/woman. I’ve gotten a decent number of bylines since I started in June, and one front page news.

Front page news may seem glamorous but it scares the crap out of me. It’s big and obvious and if you misquote or make a mistake, everyone will see it and be misled. It’s a psychology thing. If it’s inside and misquoted, people will still see it and be misled, but you take solace in the fact that it’s not the biggest news from yesterday.

One thing for sure is that you get out a lot more. The Features Desk can be a sheltered cove of your own making, but you don’t have much of a choice at the News Desk. This can be a good thing if you keep your mind open.

You quickly learn that the event itself is secondary if a YB is present. You learn which YB dispenses their opinion liberally as long as you’re willing to ask and which one sticks to the speech written for them. You soon figure out which photos you will need to go with the news and wait for it, instead of stalking people with you camera for hours.

You’ll travel to places you’ve never heard of or have only seen in passing but never had a reason to venture into, meet people you otherwise won’t run into or have a reason to talk to, and learn of things you never knew about.

Due to the English paper covering events in both English and Malay, my Malay is slowly getting better. But I must salute the people from the Chinese paper. Chinese is optional when you work for an English paper, but you need to know all three languages if you write for the Chinese papers.

I’m learning the ropes, getting some real feedback about my work and learning how to be a better reporter and writer. I’m enjoying my new colleagues and new environment. I’m looking forward to going to work for the first time in years. And I’m rediscovering the joy of taking photos again.

On the flip side, I don’t have as much free time as I used to. I haven’t made it to voice class in over a month, and I have no time for any of the side projects that I was involved in before. I haven’t had dinner with my parents in weeks because I never get home before 7.30pm. I dropped my bellydance class due to lack of time and energy. However, I keep my yoga mat and clothes in the car so that in the event I get to finish work before 6pm, I can pop over to the nearby yoga studio for class.

I must say that I’m very glad I did something about improving my fitness this year, because I don’t think I’d have the stamina to cope with this kind of schedule otherwise. My health is up, my endurance is up, my sleep cycle is less screwed up and I don’t rely on coffee to sustain me through out the day. The cuppa you see me holding in the first photo is an indulgence I allow myself a couple of times a week. Freshly Brewed Coffee, no milk or sugar.

Well, that’s my update of the past month. I hope you’re doing well.

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A Day in the Life

When embarking on a new chapter or a new life, it is best to start with thanksgiving.

I’d like to thank the handful of people who knew exactly what was going on with me in the last few difficult months, and stood by with willing ears, long lunches, pots of tea, and nights of doing nothing but sitting around talking about everything that pisses us off and how we’d love to retaliate but never will because it’s just wrong. But the conversations leading up to the discussion of how to build an effective and improved shitbomb will remain in the mental funny archives as a testimony of how crazy and creative my friends are. If I need help moving bodies in the future, I’ll know who to call.

To the people in my super secret quote group on Facebook, I am always surprised by the fact that you are willing to help out. Some of you even go above and beyond to make sure I have everything I need. I know that if I don’t hear from anyone, it’s more likely that Facebook delayed my message rather than everyone deciding that today isn’t my day. I wish I’m rich so I can buy you something you need, but since journalists don’t get paid like rocket scientists, I can only offer my gratitute and a promise to help you out in anyway I can when you need it.

To the people who saw me one day and found that I dropped off the face of the earth the next, I’ll get in touch again… eventually.

I have seen incredibly bad and ugly things that nearly broke me, but I’m going to cautiously say that I’m past that now. I have my own principles and integrity and I’m not going to let anyone make me feel foolish for choosing to be a good person. My happiness will never be at the expense of someone else’s misery.

You’ve seen me write that I’m not the same person I was last year. I’ve grown up. I’m standing tall just the way I’m supposed to be.

(Screenshots are of my character in Free Realms. Check it out!)

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A New Chapter

It doesn’t take rocket scientist to tell you that books are expensive items if you live in Malaysia. Here are some tips on how to get best value for your money.

Buy ‘em pre-loved

Locate the used book stores in town. Book Castle at Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce sell novels from between RM8 – RM20. Some book stores also have a section dedicated to secondhand books. Books and magazines also prove to be popular items at charity drives and boot sales, if you don’t mind them a little moth-eaten or outdated. For collectors, you may end up finding a real treasure – like early editions of classics, or a 94-year old book.

Buy sensibly

Being sensible about your book purchases will reduce regrets that come from spending money on something that wasn’t worth it. Before you buy, borrow a copy from a friend or get an opinion from someone who have read the book and have a similar taste in literature. You can also check Amazon.com or books.google.com to see if they have the first few pages available for preview.

Look out for warehouse sales

Major book stores have warehouse sales once a year. Books are really cheap then, and people can be seen shopping by the boxful. Selections range from popular to obscure, and the quality varies, but book lovers should realise that they are getting what they pay for. It’s a good time to let your hair down and let your instincts take the lead without breaking the bank (not too much anyway).

Give yourself a time limit

If you’re one of those people who can go crazy in a book store, give yourself a time limit. This will also help you prioritise where you want to browse. Set the alarm on your mobile phone to go off in 15 minutes or half an hour. When it does, head straight to the counter if you have purchases or out the door if you don’t. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200.

Hard covers are for hardcore fans

Harry Potter books were released in hard cover at an astronomical sum of around RM100-120 locally. In about a year, it would be available at a fraction of the price, but no true fan will wait that long.

Books by popular authors are released first in hard cover, then in trade paperback to soak up the money of hardcore fans. Mass paperback come later, and normally go for between RM30-40. If you think paying RM32 is tough, leave the early editions to the fans and collectors.

Know where the deals are

Some book stores have a few trade paperbacks and hard covers that are sold at a vastly discounted rate. Industry people suggested that it is due to over-supply, something that is common within large book store chains.

It is usually cheaper to get a trilogy compiled into one volume instead of buying the books individually or in boxed sets. There are also offers like a bundle of three books for a lower rate.

Get a membership

If you love your books, it’s worth getting a membership at your favourite book store. The standard rate is 10%, but there are bigger discounts when sales and promotions come around. MPH doesn’t give out discounts to members of the MPH Reader’s Circle, but the amount you spend go towards a rebate that they send out to you twice a year.

Make a deal with friends

Every avid reader is a fan of a particular author, series or genre. Let them buy what they’ll end up buying anyway. You can look into collecting books that matter to you and swap with them later. More reading and less spending for everyone.

Get a library card

This should be obvious, but many readers tend to look down on library books because they’re not up-to-date enough or they don’t carry material they are interested in. While our libraries are probably not the best place to find Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, they usually have a wealth of beautiful coffee table books and reference books you can bring home and enjoy for a couple of weeks.

Go digital

To many bookworms, electronic books are as wrong as turkey ham. But e-book converts will point out several things. You don’t really need a specialised e-book reader like Amazon’s Kindle. Some e-books come in versions supported by PDAs, so you may already have a suitable device in your possession.

Websites like Project Gutenburg (gutenberg.org) have over 28,000 free books available on their site. If you prefer more current titles, they are usually some good titles available online for a reasonable price. Some authors, notably Paulo Coelho, author of “The Pilgrim”, make some of their work available to download for free from their websites.

Plus, you can carry an entire library in your PDA or reader without the additional weight.

Similarly, audiobooks are available for free at sites like librivox.org or for a price at audible.com. While the pricing isn’t any cheaper than picking up a dead tree version of the book, audiobooks are great for moments where you can’t hold a book but your brain is otherwise unoccupied (i.e. driving or doing chores). But that is a whole other article.

Go Online

There are websites that gives you a platform to trade or give away books with like-minded people.  Sites like paperbackswap.com and bookmooch.com has a fairly comprehensive swap system that makes sure the exchanges are fair to both parties.

Bookcrossing.com lets you literally give away your book by “setting it free” at a public location, and allowing you to track its movements using a unique identification number… that is if the person who picked it up bothered logging in at all. But members have been known to arrange book meets or request books specifically, rather than leaving it to chance. Chances are you’ll never see the book again.

Buying books online tend to be cheaper, but watch out for the shipping rate. Most online stores offer free shipping if you spend a certain amount. It’s worth it if you’re buying a few titles you can’t find here, but if it’s one book, you might be better off hunting it down at your favourite bookstore or getting them to order it for you.

Meet & Swap

People who read most likely have friends who read too. Organise a book swap meet among your friends and ask them to bring their friends. Bring along books that you don’t mind giving away or lending off. You might go home with a few new reads and make some new friends in the process.

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How to save money on books

Get involved!

“S’up?”

Ducky has a new hat and is looking mighty pleased about it. I have a new hat too, but I’m too lazy to model it right now. But it fits, which is wonderful and unusual because I have a big head and everything perches on it. Thanks, Andrea and Joyce!

To non-Muslims, Ramadan is all about the food. Take, for example, the food hampers that keep arriving at the office. A couple of days before Raya, we opened all 7 or 8 of them and had a huge sugar spread in the conference room.

Crazy, but I suppose that’s the only way you share the bounty with the whole office. Except those who were not in.

I’m not much of marathon Raya visitor so I went to a grand total of 3 houses, all either close friends or people I only see once a year.

But this October, I’ll be mostly occupied with making some Halloween costumes because we’re all project-powered at dresshack central. Fun!

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October!