First Blog Entry for 2012

This post was supposed to have the title 'Last Blog Entry for 2011'. Yeah so I was busy with new year wishes on Facebook (sebab Twitter jammed up), WhatsApp..alih-alih dah berdentam-dentum bunyi mercun and it's past midnight.

I wanted to say how I was satisfied with 2011...for me personally and also for AZ Gift Baskets.

I was watching reruns of The Oprah Show just now, and I was amazed when Ralph Lauren (loved his ranch..the tepee and all!) said that in what he does, he has these short stories behind everything he designed. That made me say to myself, "that's what I feel too..in fact that's what I wrote in my recent blog entry..I have a little story behind nearly every gift basket creation" (especially the customized ones).

And as I mentioned in AZ Gift Baskets' Facebook page, I measure that satisfaction or success not only by quantity but more importantly - by quality. I felt that I was still blessed with the opportunity to carry on with my business at a comfortable pace, while helping my part-time staff to assist in their household finances, while helping clients say their thanks and wishes to someone in a form of a gift. Yes I may have had to decline some festive gift baskets orders towards the end of 2011..but that doesn't mean that I have failed in any way (walaupun kadang-kadang memang rasa macam tak boleh cope) but it's more of me being in control of myself and successfully making a wise decision in managing my priorities :)

Personal achievements in 2011 - some were on track, some were not. So I'm trying to do something to address this..for the FIRST time in my life, I will write down properly-defined new year's resolutions (more like goals), in this little handmade notebook that I have...

A friend asked me on Facebook just now if I could share those goals. Errmm..I will only share one goal at a time, here, once they are achieved. Belum capai tak boleh la letak dulu. Kalau tak jadi ke tak terbuat atau tak tercapai rasa macam hot hot chicken shit & macam malu pulak nanti.

On the last day of 2011, The Papa & The Boyz had a rock climbing session late afternoon so they proceeded to have dinner outside. So while I was those watching Oprah reruns, this was my New Year's Eve dinner - scrambled egg rolled in capati and some butterhead greens topped with crispy chilli (tekak Negri Sembilan, mesti ada cili tiap hari). Terfikir yang mesti ramai kawan-kawan dinner kat luar celebrate NYE..but somehow I felt like Julia Roberts in Eat Pray Love pulak dah. Making a simple but filling meal and eating alone. And it felt blissful, actually!

(And by the way this was the new year's eve activity of the other lady of the house..entah apa yang ditenungkan tu I pun tak berapa pasti..dia paham ke tak lagilah I tak pasti..)

Anyway, for at least 2 years now, I have had these thoughts about 'taking one step back' with AZ Gift Baskets. Maybe it's because of what I think I have managed to go through and achieve. All these years, I was never aware of my 'hidden energy' that made me capable of handling family, home & work at the same time. Crazy+gila, and definitely not everything went on perfectly well. But I thank God I have my husband, family, part-time staff and friends who helped me sail through some storms. When I started in 2004, never did I expect to be called for TV appearances/newspaper interviews/product features in my favourite magazine. Terima kasih kepada Mr. Google :p dan juga kepada sesiapa yang meng-rekomen kan AZ Gift Baskets...!

Actually this morning started with a few uncertainties on my capability to handle next week..or next year. But as the day drew to an end, after getting in touch with some friends and sharing how we feel towards 2012..the uncertainties changed to drive and motivation instead.

So what if I won't be doing Chinese New Year 2012 gift baskets in full swing like before..? I still have clients trusting me with their wedding and engagement hantarans this month and next. And I'm sure there would still be those weekly flower baskets/muffin baskets/customized baskets orders..so I predict that I would still be sort of busy with work. Mana yang termampu, insyaAllah I can still do.

Work issues aside, 2012 will be an extra special year for me and family. I'll be entering my '4-series' this year..and there'll be a few other special events and hopefully personal achievements as well. And I think, finally (after 7 years of 'neglect' :P), these will have my attention much much more than my work.

InsyaAllah. Sebab kita hanya merancang dan berusaha tetapi yang menentukannya tetap Allah s.w.t... :)