And We're Back In Business!

I finally got my contract sorted today. There is no change to the original one but I figured I kicked up enough of a fuss to make my stand. I feel better for having given my two cents worth on the situation in this country for my profession. I now have to figure out if it is illegal to work while waiting for my new visa as there is a lapse of eight days between the two visas. I am assuming its okay as they didn't specifically say I couldn't, just that I can't leave the country. I do love living life on the edge... And if I do get caught and dragged to jail, please send all correspondence to this jail in Stanley. It's by the beach and absolutely lovely!

The day before I signed my contract, Krispy Kreme filed for bankruptcy. The banker called me up to make sure I was okay so did the lawyer. My boss called me up to check on me... I was not okay as my local store had no one picking up the phone when I called five times to verify. Apparently I don't buy enough donuts to sustain them. They have the airport branch still open and I am banking on my compassionate friends buying donuts for me on their way back from trips. It doesn't take a lot to make me happy, and if you give me pretty, shiny pieces of jewellery I would be even happier. =) I really should consider moving to a Krispy Kreme secure country or find a surrogate donut.

I wonder what other cruel joke fate would throw at me? Since things come in threes, I don't want to think about it as it is too depressing. I can't go out of Hong Kong for eight days. It takes little things like this to make you realise how much freedom you have. It is a sobering thought as this is nothing compared to the oppression some people have to live with on a daily basis.

One silver lining in the clouds is the letter I received from the Custom and Excise Office today. As I have already flaunted widely, this year the government has given everyone a tax rebate of 75%. Which means yours truly is paying peanuts for tax. My eyes almost popped out of their sockets when I read the sum which included a forecast sum for 2008/2009, I am paying a grand total of....*drum roll* Three hundred and ninety Hong Kong Dollars only... And of that, HKD110 is for next year. It is a farce! Why bother collecting tax if that's all they are going to get?? It works out to less than HKD50 a month or three pounds. The paperwork costs more than the actual tax!!! However, this was only for six months of the year. I doubt I would be so smug this time next year. Still, three quid a month for tax is pretty amazing huh? I think I like this country after all...

Howdy Ma' Mates!

Aloha!! :) I know I have been very out of touch. You know how things are, the computer calcifies and leaves you stranded on a desert island. Then your boobs start sagging and taking the line of least resistance ie: downwards. Okay, so maybe things aren't so radical yet. But one day they may turn out that way.

My contract is still leaving me unclear as to where I will be for the coming year. The guy at HR is to be credited for working his ass off on my behalf. However, it is unlikely there will be a happy outcome. Nonetheless, one can always live in hope or rather sit in limbo and twiddle thumbs. I had rescheduled Thursday and Friday in anticipation of a day at Immigration, heck, I even called up lunch buddies from amongst the bankers. However, I was in clinic on Thursday and will be there this morning yet again. I have the afternoon off to go do bank stuff. It is depressing when you have to take annual leave to sort out bank stuff. =(

The weekend will probably see me wasting away yet again. Last weekend was spent worrying about my contract and my flights back for Chinese New Year. I thought I could beat the system and fly Airaisa to Kuching via Macau thereby saving me transit time. But noooo, Airasia decided to scrap the route and I had to find another flight with a transit. Then they happily resurrected the route after Chinese New Year. Arrrghhh!!

I am seriously considering Botox. I wake up every morning with frown lines between my eyebrows. It is not healthy for a twenty four year old...

Two Cycles and Counting...

A year older is a year wiser. I would like to thank everyone who sent me presents/cards, wined and dined me, entertained me, called me, texted me, prayed for me, posted on their blogs for me, facebooked me as well as those who pretended to forget my birthday. Thanks ever so much for your thoughtful words. Thank you for making the effort to brighten my day and set a smile on my face and a twinkle in my eye and a lot of Hello Kitty memorabilia in my room.

Note to all: I don't like Hello Kitty, I tolerate the thing.

I am grateful for the family and friends I have. I continue to seek God's blessings for each one of you in everything you do. Thank you for your loving words and kind thoughts and actions. You make my world a better place to live in. I am now two Chinese Zodiac cycles into life, may there be many more to come.

Birthdays Come in Threes

This is a public service announcement... Happy 21st Birthday to Fat Eagle! =)

As much as I would love to fly out to Newcastle to bake you a cake, the flight tickets are pretty expensive.. :( However, since you are such a capable copy-cat and can copy my cake recipes without my prompting, I shall let you get on with it!

I am sure you will have a lot of time to study hard this year. You will not go out and play too much neither will you eat too many White Rabbit sweets. One can only hope anyway... May God guide you and keep you, may He give you strength and wisdom. May peace reign in your heart and joy be ever present.

Don't work too hard. Life is too short to live with regret, though maybe systematic revision will help.

Lots of Lamby love,

Your bestest big sister

xoxox

Happy Birthday

This is a public announcement. I would like to wish my littlest brother a brilliant and amazing 15th birthday. May he be happy in what he does, take every opportunity presented to him to the best advantage (including kicking Lambib when the chance arises), live with no regrets while hopefully studying as hard as he plays.

The past year has been a journey of self-discovery for him and I continue to pray for God to provide him with strength, preseverance, peace, love and joy. And if that doesn't satisfy him: Yes, Jie will consider paying for your school fess... happy?