Today I received my very first certificate from Coursera for the course NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR HEALTH taught by University of Pittsburgh.

It was through the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, that I discovered Coursera. I volunteer as a teacher and currently there is no teaching opportunity at my location, but I look forward to the day I could start. Meanwhile, on their recommendation during an orientation session at their Kuala Lumpur office, I signed up for the course Foundations of Teaching for Learning taught by the Commonwealth Education Trust.I’m thankful to UNHCR for showing this alternative way to lifelong learning […]

“The reality is, I blog in order to clarify my thinking and archive my best ideas. In short, I blog for me. (But you are welcome to read along!)

It shouldn’t make any difference whether you have ten readers or one hundred thousand. [...] If you are writing, you are achieving greater clarity about your life, your work, and what matters most. That’s enough. And more than most people have.” —Michael Hyatt

Hasan, my taxi driver invited me to his house today to celebrate Hari Raya Haji. He lives just across the road from my apartment. At 10 a.m. his wife and almost-2-year-old daughter were waiting for me downstairs at their block and ushered me up to their home. They are no strangers to me because sometimes they accompany him when he fetches me or his other customers.

The phone in the house rang. When she’d hung up, she informed Hasan called and sent his apologies for not being there because he has customers. Public holidays are the best time for additional income, I remember he told me this some time ago.

I’m bowled over by the simplicity of their living space. No furniture—[...]

I’ll be taking a day off from work on 12 October to attend a book talk and meet with author Joan Hon. Such bookish events are rare in my part of the world (Malaysia), so when Jo Lau contacted me about the author, I was excited! The Internet brought Jo and I together in July this year in a blog event. She is a Singaporean living in Penang with her husband. Jo told me she found me through my blog and I’m really glad!

Here’s more on the bookish event: […]

I’m moving to Penang! Very busy days ahead and I’ve started packing. I’ll be joining a new company for a new and expanded role (regional platform manager) to be based at the client Intel. The main thing on my list is finding an apartment to rent […]

I have received yet another invitation to speak in an upcoming Executive PA Forum organized by VMAC in March 2010!

This will be my third speaking gig and even so I’m still feeling a bit anxious. My first was the Marcus Evans Executive PA Conference in Kuala Lumpur and the second was the ABF 8th Executive Secretaries and PAs Conference in Singapore—both in 2009.

The VMAC Executive PA Forum will be held on 11 and 12 March. I will be speaking on the first day on the topic Executing Excellent Non Verbal and Verbal Communication Skills to Avoid Miscommunication.