It's been a while since I last updated this blog. So what's been going on? I guess nothing too significant...there was a period when I was super stressed but now it is getting better :)

So this weekend I plan to take it easy & enjoy it with my dear husband :)

Eid Mubarak!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my friends and family Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri! Maaf Zahir dan Batin :)

This year like previous years I helped out in the kitchen to prepare Raya cookies and also the dessert menu. The only difference is that this time around, I have a little helper...none other than my husband hehe.

The weekend before Raya we did 3 types of biscuits, biskut arab, mazola and nescafe.

As for the dessert menu for the first day of Raya, I decided to make Chocolate Berry Tart and Pineapple Coconut Cupcakes :) The tart did not set as much as I would have liked it to, but it still turned out well :)

Biskut Arab

Biskut Nescafe

Chocolate Berry Tart

Pineapple Coconut Cupcakes

I survived!! :)

Last week was one of the most hectic week for me. I was very worried about surviving it and thank goodness I survived.

Why was it so hectic? Because I had 3 different trials back to back and the last one being in Muar, Johor. Trial preparations are very taxing and takes up a lot of time because over and above having to do extensive research to support your legal arguments, you have to interview witnesses, study bundle of documents in detail and also have evidentiary laws at your fingertips. You need to know the evidential rules because your opponent could suddenly object to your line of questioning or a document that you wish to tender in court as evidence, and you have to be able to rebut it there and then.

But having said that, trials are also the highlight of the job cause you get to conduct cross examination and this is where there can be some 'mini drama' :P The Muar trial especially was to me out of the ordinary with the opponent accusing our witness of perjury and witness tampering and the Judge giving numerous stern warnings to the other side's counsel not to provoke the witness.

As for the other sessions court matter, I was relieved that I was able to conduct the cross-examination in MALAY fairly decent. lol

All in all, I am happy that I survived this week :) I was so relieved that I even told the partner this on our way back from Muar :P She smiled and then straight away asked me, "so next week you will have capacity to do x, y, and z, right?" lol

My 6 years' anniversary weekend

This weekend I was away in Phuket for the Dispute Resolution Practice Group Joint Office Retreat. It was a 3 days 2 nights event with training on Risk Management and for us to get a chance to meet our colleagues from the Baker & McKenzie's office in Singapore and Jakarta. It was pretty fun except for the fact that it fell on my 6 years' anniversary weekend! >.<

When I got back on Sunday, Azmir came to pick me up from the airport with a white hydrangea!!! :D It was good to be back home :)

We then had our own little plan for the day and I took Monday off since half of my Sunday was gone in Phuket :P I had tons of work deadlines on Monday and Tuesday but I decided to do it remotely...at least that way I can still spend the day with Azmir albeit intermittently interrupted by bb e-mails and work related phone calls (sorry sayang!).

All in all, a good weekend! :)

Rainbow Cupcakes!

Yesterday we had a BBQ at Audrey's place to celebrate Jonie's and Audrey's birthday. It was a potluck event so I decided to volunteer to make the dessert and made cupcakes. Since it was intended to be the birthday cake, I decided to do rainbow cupcakes, with the aid of Azmir of course. It was a team effort :) I did the yellow, pink and purple icing and Azmir did the orange, green and blue ones.

We then used mini M&N's to spell Audrey's and Jonie's names on the cupcakes.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LADIES! :)

The Highlights of My Week

Many things have been going on and I just thought it would be worthwhile to jot down the upshot of the weeks before this:-

1) Laduree Macarons! - One of the attachment student went to re-sit for one of the Bar papers in London and came back with Laduree Macaroons for me :) She came into my room on a Monday morning to say that she is back and handed me a light green paper bag with macaroons...it made my day!! :D

2) Went for a family day at PD (with my relatives on my dad's side) - Each family had to perform so we did a puppet dance from my niece's gymboree class and we won! lol I think everyone was very amused by Aqil and Hannah dancing to the puppet song.

The winning performance was posted on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150196182985614&oid=109242149141048&comments)

3) Had a good performance review and been given a 'downline' to support me :) - The partner realised that I am close to collapsing with my workload and instructed one of the pupil to be my full time support and give my instructions priority. If any other lawyers need the pupil to do their work before mine, the other lawyer have to get approval from the partner first!

I can finally see the light :)

Time to Ponder

I think my post lately has been oscillating between work related stress and eating out...

I don't know whether it is just one of those random moments where you start to wonder if the grass is greener elsewhere or am I seriously starting to consider other opportunities...

Is it the change in dynamics at the work place that has somewhat affected me or have I not paid heed to advices given to me to slow down so that I don't burn out too fast? Or is it getting to me that I have missed out on so many friends and family time because of work? I'm always late for birthday dinners, have to leave early from functions, have to excuse myself from events etc.

When I'm not at work I'm thinking about work...most times I would be planning my work when I'm driving to the office or to court...I would consider how to respond to e-mail queries and mentally draft it so that when I arrive at the office I just type and send.

This can't be healthy. I think I really need to learn how to give myself more me time and figure out the best way to de-stress.