2. ommo Ommo Oppo

“Iphone or Samsung?”

This question kept replaying in my mind of late. Especially when WT (White Tiger – our Dept Asst Manager) starts griping whenever she hits a rut with her newly purchased … Yup, you guessed it, Iphone.

She was one of those few “brave” people to make the switch from Samsung. Unfortunately, she is also one of the handful who has been complaining about how hard it is to use the Iphone. (A sidenote here: Mostly, the issues arise from her ability to adapt to the Iphone functions. It is interesting to note that she is already thinking of switching back to Samsung when re-contract is due in… 2023 onwards.) Legend has it that she has successfully switched back to Samsung S24 (See? She planned far ahead already) and will still be griping over the same issues though. Ha!

I am using neither an Iphone nor a Samsung at the moment. If you are not ready for a long rant, you can skip ten paragraphs ahead. But if you are ready for some entertainment (at my expense); buckle up your seat belt and giddy up! Thanks but no thanks, my Z Flip decided to have an epiphany one fine day to live up to its name and flipped out of life. Literally.

Like a troublemaker it was, Flip could have chosen like a few weeks or months before my telco re-contract was due. But no. In the middle of an early hotpot dinner with Elthiyat in Clementi Mall, this rascal picked that exact moment to flicker continuously while freezing the screen, disabling me to even back up to Google. I remembered breathing quick breaths, slightly panicking about not being able to back up Abah’s last messages or some screenshots of DPQS notes my classmates might have taken.

Initially; when the rascal started its normal flickering, I did not give it much thought. This was not the first time it flickered before operating as per normal. Besides, it barely passes the six month mark since I owned it. Sure, a straight line formed in the middle of the phone due to constant folding and unfolding but since the telco’s contract was for two years, the phone would hold out.u

As the flickering continued and I spotted dark ink (Ed: Korang-korang jangan pula tanya bau apa ink tu eh? Dah ink.. takkan bau Chanel Nr. 5 pulak, kan?) spreading out from the line in the middle, annoyance seeped in as I realised the screen did not budge no matter how and what I swiped it. Anger surged as I realised whatever media I saved inside that rascal might possibly be gone. I kept rethinking on the day I first got the rascal. When I remembered this rascal was the first phone that I even had to top additional hundreds upon recontract. Worse, this rascal did not even have additional memory card storage – a factor that I always consider whenever I purchase a new phone.

In the midst of it all; as the rascal started going into its Techno flickering glory, I must have gone crazy too. This was evident when I still defended the rascal even though Elthiyat commented about how pretty flip-phones serve its functions like… never. I kept telling him it had been happening of late (unneccessary flashbacks of me accidentally dropping the rascal several times conveniently replayed in my mind), it was just a momentary glitch and needed to re-start. I mean, some devices were like that, right? When they were due for software updates, they would go all glitchy before being reboot.

To which, my bestie cast me a look and said, “I might not be an IT expert but your Flip is glitching like a bitch on PMS and it’s not looking good.” I had to go and tried restarting the rascal just to prove Elthiyat a point – which was the worst move ever. As the ink spread out in the centre of the phone screen; I could no longer make out what was on the screen. So, by pressing the side button hard to restart, I switched it off holding on for that tiny spark of hope still.. that the glitch was just temporary and everything was going to be sunny and rosy once the phone was switched back and running ok again.

For good.

Needless to say, an unpleasant feeling lingered. I could feel my stomach sink, the weight of the fact that I confirmed plus chop plus guarantee have to buy a new phone to sustain until… 2022. And this meant… Money. It was even more disheartening when I realised I might not be able to recover Abah’s last message. Ever. What about the games I have been playing? I have yet to input my email for backup in case issues like this arise (in my case, it already happened). Oh shoot! My login to certain worksites that require Google Authenticator. Die la.

This phone is supposed to last until the next recontract. This phone is expensive but in the end, become like that and for what? Wah lau, Samsung is one of the best leading retailer for smartphones leh but its first flip phone cannot make it. Flip ni cepat jahanam, mesti mana-mana Samsung Development Team yang developed this Flip mesti bodoh. May whoever create this Flip have their phone exploded in his/her face. Actually, the last thought did not cross my mind at that point of time. It was more of an afterthought that came as I was penning this post. Muntah darah, babe.

There was no mourning ceremony for the rascal. I just placed its body at the tv console; to remind me to forget about even going for repair – AJ who had the same Flip ended up trading for another non-flip phone model of Samsung after an unsatisfactory after-sales follow up from their Team (Ed: Hi Samsung Support Team, are you taking notes? Yet?)

… you thought I would swear off all flip phones after this fiasco? I initially thought too. Maybe it is the fact that transfer of apps between All Android phones are always smooth. Or maybe, the complacency of being able to retrieve previous messages. Until, Samsung announces Z Flip 4 is in the works and that the new gen is going to be even better. (Ed: Additional storage card? Bigger internal storage capacity? Or have they invented a programme where the Flip will politely prompt the user of its pending lifespan and will let you do all the backups before hasta la vista. Even; Motorola (Ed: the OG of all flip phones!)is hinting of a comeback. That has not stopped me from forwarding the link to anyone (or someone) who takes it upon themselves to share in my random (over) enthusiasm. I am not surprised at the response. Encik just shook his head and kept nudging towards the dearly departed rascal still lying lifeless at the Tv Console, waiting to be disposed of. TJ nodded her head and let me go on before finding an opening to change the topic for good. MC will just straight out tell me to forget it, saying that this kind of phone is not created for women like us (Ed: When she meant strong, she meant not the sopan santun, gentle type ie not me) before she proceeded to advocate for Iphone.

I do not deny there is something about alluring about Iphone. Its IOS system, its enduring battery usage makes it so exclusive. Its simple design itself magnifies stylish chic. Its curved corners do not stand out like sore spots compared to the squarish Samsung phones. The fact that Iphone is not compatible with Android phones and a third party service needs to be purchased in order to transfer all data from Android phones is a big minus. (Ed: It does not help that I sit in front of WT everyday in our workplace, watching her going on and on about how most of her apps did not get transferred to her Iphone and most of her messages lost. This itself, makes me re-think about the decision to switch because I do not want to lose Abah’s messages.

With the current covid restrictions, it was hard to walk in to the main telco outlets. Sure, I still have my ace card but I foresee issues of getting them to replace a new Flip phone. I mean, the Flip is one of their latest phone promotions. While I have added value service which enables me to exchange or get the same phone in case of lost, spoilt, malfunction etc, what makes me think there will not be hidden costs? Already, I have to top up extra when I recontract for the Flip. Importantly, what makes me think history will not repeat itself considering my bochup nature?

Also; choices of smartphones with optional additional storage memory cards are getting lesser and lesser. sB repeatedly explained phone makers will be phasing out this particular as they aim to push their users to their own storage services i.e. paying to save your pictures, documents and other media in icloud, Google Drive, cloud etc. Tsk!

I ended up getting neither.

As I was finishing this entry while glancing at my Reno 5, I realised how funny things came to a full circle.

My first ever phone was Nokia 3210 before it got stolen (Ed: Yes, Kecik. i am looking at you, you rascal). Momentarily I was loaned with Nokia N-gage before I finally got a Nokia flip phone which the model is now lost to me.

Yes. Nokia was the GoAT back then.

Then, I found myself falling in love with Blackberry and got a Bold as a birthday pressie. I continued using it. In fact, I remembered resisting getting a touch-screen phone because I love the feeling typing my replies on Blackberry’s qwerty board. The feeling was akin to watching those Muk-bangers (Ed: Not sure if I am using the correct term here?)finished up their food, while ASMR the audio away… It was so satisfying.

I can’t remember how I started using Samsung though. But I am aware there is a period that I switch to Oppo. I believed it was this particular incident during our Canopi trip where my Oppo was the only one unable to detect Wifi, that someone gave me another Samsung phone. That was when I got the Flip when I recontracted and due to budget constraints, I made do with Reno 5.

Even though Oppo can’t retrieve menus or detect check-in from barcodes, but for all those times when I am using Oppo, I rarely encounter issues. Except with people who call it an Iphone knock-off, something I am not ever aware of.

No lagging issues when I am killing some mages/minions in Mobile Legends. Or when I am rushing out food orders in Cooking Master. The extra storage memory card means I can easily transfer from the external drive to the SD card within the phone itself, instead of scrambling to find a hard drive and transfer via computer. I am happy with the camera functions and the phone did not redial or dial another number while I am in a teleconversations (Ed: I kid you not. It happened when I was in between Samsung phones. I was not the only one with such issues. Grumpy – one of our Team members – encountered the same issue with his Samsung phone, hor.)

I have been eyeing Reno 7 and can’t wait to recontract come this October. Although there is Reno 7z and Reno 7 Pro, I am still sticking out for Reno 7 for obvious reasons. While patiently waiting for the time to arrive, I have been consoling myself watching Youtube’s reviews for Reno 7.

Until.. Have you seen the Reno 8 reviews? 😛

Ps: I am sure no one has ever posted a lengthy post about phones. I might be the only one though.

Pps: Lols. Until the next post.

1. Working Title

To write  off as a ‘it’s been awhile’ is an understatement.

My last written post was in 2019 and many saved drafts piled up since. Great ideas would just drop by in my head but silence themselves when I tried putting into words.

I re-read my first post to the last one. Smiled a lot. Laughed a little. Cried a little. Cringed most of the times but I was amazed at what I wrote, remembering the efforts and thoughts put into every post since 2007.

I used to think career and motherhood are two separate paths for a woman, you can’t have both of them. I mean; both require full dedication. You can’t be a working mother if you want to nurture good kids. You can’t be a career woman if you have distractions, ie motherhood.

Yet, here I am juggling both fifteen years later. Being a mother to two primary schoolers while roughing it out at a certain repair specialist company.

Though I still aspire to be a writer, I am taking a notch, or notches as some will say, these days. On a side note; I did complete the story but

Motherhood. It was funny because in my head; I thought I had it all planned. I planned to be the cool mother who always kept her cool and remained level-headed whenever her kids tested her patience. I planned to be that gerek mother who was on best pal terms with her kids. Basically, I planned on being the best mother ever.

Plans schplans.

Safe to say; I neither possess Mariam’s patience, Asiah’s tenacity nor Fatimah’s wisdom. I don’t think I possessed Khadijah’s sensibility or consideration.

I wondered how Mama did it. Mama seemed to make it seem so fulfilling. She knew the right things to do and say. She easily called her kids out on their BS. She did not falter when her kids act out, nor did she give up when they started going astray. She did it so well, it made me forget.. she & Abah are kids trying to raise their kids too.

At times, in the midst of my rants/outbursts, I feel disappointed in myself too. After all, my kids are just kids. Why am I giving them hard time for being… Kids?

Suffice to say; I have been doing my best in taking things slow when it comes to them. I forget that I am a millennial raising Gen A kids. It is not going to be easy, albeit a slow process, I am willing to wait it out just to have the best endings.

Family. When the two kids came a lot, my family was complete. Though we lost Mama when her cancer relapsed in 2011. Abah held on and saw through my two pregnancies and later when Nenek Hawa passed on several years later. His heart attack came in 2019 and though he survived, he finally passed on in mid-Nov 2019. Just like it was with Mama, I did not get to see him on his last day. And I was the first to receive the call.

To say I miss them badly is an understatement. It is something that a simple Whatsapp or phone call can’t convey. At times, it is so bad, I will get a bad headache and swollen eyes after a cry.

We welcomed an additional family member in Dec 2021 and expecting another new member (hot in the oven!) this year.

Career. I am not sure if it is the belated indignancy of suffering premature retrenchment (thanks, but no thanks to the vulgar politics at previous workplace) or being too grateful at clinching a job weeks later, but I have passed the six-year mark at the current workplace.

This, itself, is a feat, surpassing my longest stint in STA, something I did not expect. But of late, I am beginning to think, maybe the pond is getting too small with an additional member in my team.

Don’t get me wrong. I like my team. A lot. of late, I realised it might be another repeat of CBTL or even CDSS. My outpokenness – a trait that ensures either you hate or love me, sparked off comparisons which magnifies my flaws. In spite of me trying hard not to, but at times, it is hard to not get swept away by words.

Ya. Some people might beg to differ and say Words are just words. This always happens when colleagues transcend into friends when they know you on a personal level. I am not comfortable when certain traits of mine are laid out bare. When I am just content being quiet doing my work, people think I am into one of my tantrums, sulking away. When I am trying to make jokes; they don’t get it. Most times. Because I tend to be self-deprecating but people thought I was just being negative.

When they can’t see I am trying my best to improve myself, sometimes I wonder if this was how my previous colleagues felt before they realised this was it. I mean, even Snow White’s stepmother was not an evil person in the beginning.

Next year will be the game changer though when it hits the seven-year mark. Yes. It is the seven year itch. Actually, I have been entertaining resignation thoughts for the past two years. Almost did it but got retracted. But I have yet to decide which industry to jump next. Hint: Definitely avoiding the same or related current industry.

Writing. I still aspire to be a writer though it seems everyone is still not taking me seriously. It is evident no one commented or said anything or even criticised when I passed them the Wattpad link. And again, when I intentionally post the same link on my social meds. I am not sure if it is a blessing or a curse but I do complete my first Wattpad story of Kanchen and Neil. Only for me to delete it.

These days I am taking down a notch – or notches as some will say, and just write leisurely. The comfort level of knowing I have completed telling a story and that I can do it, is relaxing me a lot. I am currently drafting another story. This time around, Ily and Adit have to wait as I am prepping up for the main trip.

Education. I took up a Diploma in Quran Studies. Now in second year, I am entertaining thoughts to take up Diploma in Pengajian Islam ever since they open an online module for it. Since it’s an online course, I think I can juggle both Diploma courses. But then there is another course I am contemplating; Assistant Therapist course. By now, I am sure it is obvious which industry I am considering to jump next.

I need to consider before choosing my final (or second last) calling before I can decide how high I want to jump. I will be forty this year. Sure, it is very scary to be starting afresh in a new industry, but I don’t want to live my life wondering what will have been.

Forty is not the end. It is just the beginning. We will see how once I come back from Umrah trip this Dec.

Social. From my last posts, I know usual names like Hazeline Snow, Bubble Boy, Queen Bee, Red Rulz, Inq, Starkopi etc have been missing. It is not that we are no longer in contact. It is just that Life happens and everyone is just dealing with what they can at the moment.

At times, it is just silence but I am not worried about the silence being permanent. They are the people who have the right mindset and we always pick up where we left things whenever we talk or meet.. Though my social circle has not increased, I am just happy with the status quo.

Maybe it will get worse. Maybe it will stay the same. Maybe it will get better.

But to take the words out of Nightshade from AGT, I can’t wait until Life isn’t hard anymore to be happy.

فَاِنَّ مَعَ الۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا

“Verily, with every difficulty there is relief. (Surah Inshirah, Ayat 6)”