Present a speech

For years now, I have fantasised about presenting in front of my colleagues. In our monthly safety meetings, we have a section called "About Me" and what it is is a 5 minutes blurb about oneself. It is a really good platform for us to get to know more about our colleagues.

And yes, I have fantasised about it. About how I would present it. About the supporting visuals. About the information that I would include. I simply love everything about presentations!

The only problem was that the presenters were always people who held more senior roles. Not your average joe blogg of a worker. Like me. But it did not stop me from dreaming.

And then came along Alicia Curtis.

Alicia is the facilitator for the Young Women's Leadership Program. I joined the three month program earlier this year and have since made some profound changes in my life.

One of which was presenting a speech. Alicia posed the challenge to us. To step out of our normal day-to-day routines. To promote what we believe in. To build our professional social profile. To be a leader in our own right.

And so, with the support of the Young Women's Leadership Program behind me, I asked the coordinator of the safety share meetings if I could make an "About Me" presentation. Lo and behold, there was a slot available and it was only weeks away.

And so I prepared.

And presented.

 

And the response was amazing. Quite a number of my workmates said that they really liked my presentation. That it was refreshing to have someone be so genuine about themselves.

Since then, people have started calling me Mon. They stop by my desk and ask me how my day is. They tell me about their lives. About their stories.

We deserve a place in this world. We deserve to be where we are right now. And it is okay if we do not feel like we belong. We cannot pretend to be someone that we are not but we must at least give it a go. Give ourselves a chance to be someone. To step up.

Here's to a gratifying 104.

Travel Alone

Somewhere in Birmingham, UK

Spring flowers in Manchester, UK

So I just got back from my first trip to the European continent last Saturday. I spent about 3 weeks in England, UK, where I headed to Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, York, London and Windsor. Initially, Paris was supposed to be in the plan but prices went up as I looked too late. But its alright, London needed a lot of touring!

I decided on heading to the UK all of a sudden because I found that I had trouble moving on in Brunei after a 10-year relationship I was in ended just last year, and I'm glad I made the travel. In a way, it had helped push the moving on process a few steps further.

Manchester United Stadium, Manchester, UK

In Birmingham and Manchester, I had my cousins who brought me to Liverpool and York, but I was by myself for about 10 days in London and met an old friend in between.

I loved London the most, and went mostly a heritage tour by myself. I loved the Royal Parks and Kensington Palace. Photos will be uploaded onto my facebook account. I took about 3,300+ photos but if I took out the lousy ones, I'll probably be left with about 2000 reasonable ones.

Touring by yourself is good because you can take your time at places you like without worrying about the other. I really recommend it – travelling alone.

At Madame Tussauds, London, UK. I wasn't feeling good on the day and the crowds were massive in there so I looked a disaster in all the Madame Tussauds photos.. but nothing some Photoshop work can't fix now, can they?

She Loves You!

  I've also added a new 104 Thing to do, which is to do the splits. I think I can.. Mon, you should take part too :)

Shit Perth People Say

I know this is not a 104 post, but I really miss Perth. And one of my 104 things to do is to head to down Perth to meet the left side. – Hanah

"A lighthearted look at some of our Perth peculiarities. We asked our friends and family - you'd be surprised how often some common themes came up."

Go to a swap meet

It is no secret. Where there is a sale or a place of bargain, it can almost be guaranteed that there will be Asians. Which was why I was hesitant at first. I have a deep seeded [Asian] complex that imagines the worst. Of either being shunned by Asians or being shunned because I am Asian. 

But I woke up bright and early one Saturday morning and realised that my life was passing me by. That I was not going to get a second chance and it was ridiculous to be living by my fears. So I went home, cleared out all the stuff that was building dust in the cupboard and packed them in suitcases for the swap meet.

Swap Meet: Where people will give you money in exchange for your junk. Also known as a flea market. 

The trick to swap meets is to get a good spot. And to do so, you have to be one of the first cars in line. But when I woke up at four that morning, I still asked myself: "Why Monnie why??" You know I love my sleep.

Sarah: "my patience is running thin..." 

[insert evil chuckles here]

We were the seventh, eighth and ninth in line so we were given really good spots. The crowds were starting to build as we were setting up our stalls and even before I was done, Lauren was already making a sale. In fact, she was killing it!

A couple of people came by my table [Asians included] and I was really stoked about that. My first sale was a bag that was given to me years ago by a friend who, funnily enough, was clearing her wardrobe at the time.

Sarah was at the swap meet for the first time too. And she was working it!

At one point, I was selling my things for as low a dollar just to get rid of them. I felt terrible because these included gifts that were given to me. But I [honestly] had no use for them. It is insane how much we pay for things that will someday [soon] be of no use to us.

We are such  wasteful beings.

It forced me to come to terms with my spendthrift ways. If there is one thing that I spend on, it is on gifts. I ♥ shopping for people. But maybe it is time to start asking people what they want rather than guessing. The surprise element is great but it would be a real pity for gifts to go to waste.

Oh, if you must know, the Asians were great! They were friendly, like everyone else. And at times, super friendly. Tis refreshing to have a change of mindset!

Plus, it is not everyday that you [or rather, I] can sit back on trunk of your car and just relax under the summer sun. Watch as the crowds go by.

I thoroughly enjoyed this 104. Big thanks to Sarah for the suggestion and to Lozza for the detailed planning [down to the muesli bar]. I left with less junk in my trunk, a new appreciation for the simple yet, valuable things in life and with an additional $23 in my pocket. Noice!