All the free time

Long holidays normally pose a problem to me in terms of how am i gonna spend all that time. Of course its not much left after discounting doing your chores, sleeping and going out to hang out with friends. Well, over the last few days i managed to cover these activities:

Eat
What can i say? its the festive time of Deepavali and Hari Raya and glorious food. Had a good outing at a good friend's house in Klang for Deepavali and as with previous years, the mutton curry still rocks! The adventure continues on the 1st day of Raya yesterday where i was treated to some good Johor style cooking at a colleagues house for lunch and one more time in the evening at an old friend's home. Good food and good times, that's what Malaysia is all about man and no one can take that away....unless the chef decides to move elsewhere.

Sights
Lets start with the stuff i watched over the few days. After reading bout it in Joe's blog, i went and bought 'The Devil wears Prada' from the friendly neighboorhood DVD shop in Seapark. Its a good watch and although it may look like a chick flick it isnt. Its a good movie and Merryl Streep gets my applaud for her excellent performance here. After watching the movie, i actually thought about my work and where i want to be in my career and it seems to me that when you are at the top, life is boring and you are alone.Hmm.Anyways, check out Joe's entry on that movie for more or lurk up at IMDB.com

P.S: 'City of Blinding Lights' never sounded so good before...hehehe

Sounds
I also managed to watch G3 Live in Tokyo: Satriani/Vai/Petrucci on DVD. Now this was a recording of the G3 concert last year in Tokyo that featured ny favorite guitarist Steve Vai and his buddy Joe Satriani along with John Petrucci of the DreamTheater fame. Its a godd concert DVD and i think i liked this more than the previous one featuring Malmsteen as the guest. Well, below is how the cover of the DVD looks like and you can get it from Amazon.com.



Read
I did also read a book. Yes i do read and even though i dont get to do it often i love reading. This time around a friend of mine whom i catch up with over the weekend recommended me to read a book by Paulo Coelho titled The Alchemist. Now i have heard about this book for a long time now since i was in shcool and it never occured to me to read this book until that friend told me the book is good as the story is inspiring and yada yada. So i bought it at Borders (it aint cheap at Rm 33 for a book less than 200 pages. Like they said, 'Dont judge a book by its cover' and to my suprise the book is really an interesting read! Its a story about a boy who dreamed about a hidden treasure and his adventures from Tangiers to Egypt to search for the treasures. It deals with the topic of how one finds his destiny or purpose in life and what can be learned from your journeys and the observation of nature.Its fun book to read and i recommend you to read it as well. Its quite short and i finished the book in a few hours (suitable for a 4 hour flight). Below is how the book looks like and again you can buy from Amazon.com or your local bookstore near you.



Talk
And finally of course, talking. Its what i do best and i spend some quality time with some friends doing just that over coffee/tea/juices. The topics can range from Rm30 shoes in a pasar malam, life at work, cars, chicks and money but the thing is that time was well spent catching up with one another in this fast moving life of ours. I feel good doing so.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri

Salam Aidilfitri diucapkan kepada semua member-member Muslimin & Musliman!! Mohon maaf zahir & batin!! Tidak lupa juga untuk mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya kepada keluarga pakcik ku di Kedah. Lets all have a very good and blessed Hari Raya.

Happy Deepavali!!

Happy Deepavali to all of my friends that are celebrating!!! the festival of light is here again with good memories of mutton curries and of course hanging out with friends. Well, i'm looking foward to these memories again tommorrow at a friend's house.

My two years of working (in Technicolor)

Yeps, October 18 marks my two years of actual work after graduating from MMU. From my days in HSBC until today in Pharmaniaga Solutions, i have come a long way in terms of maturity as well as gaining extra kilos on the sidelines. My bank account aint swelling as much as i thought it will be initially and defenitely my credit record aint that lovely either. On the serious side, the past one year has been a big learning curve for me. Exposure to managing people and business has opened up my eyes and mind. I am more aware of people now in terms of how snaky they can be and some deals are just aint what it seems. Importantly, i realised that good colleagues are hard to come by and its been a blessing here in my current workplace. Work environment is important to motivate you to come to work in the mornings (money too). There is so much knowledge and experience i have that i cant put to words (some classified others my vocabulary limited my thoughts) but i have some pictures from the time i started in 2004 till now 2006. It kinda shows how i have changed.



( my pai kia pose in 2004 )


(cleaned up my act and got myself a new job in 2005 as a conman)


( conned some mat salleh in jakarta in 2006. Sorry Martin!)

Words from my speakers: Ozzy Osbourne

was listening to some old songs in my library till i came across a song by Ozzy Osbourne titled Dreamer. Now, when i listened to it years ago i wasnt really understanding the lyrics but today it suddenly sounds meaningful looking at how screwed up the world is at the moment. Here are the lyrics for the pondering but remember to download the song and listen to it. Oh yeah, dont forget to support Ozzy by buying some legit CDs or through iTunes. Cheers!

Dreamer
Gazing through the window at the world outside
Wondering if mother earth will survive
Hoping that mankind will stop abusing her, sometime

After all theres just the two of us
And here we are still fighting for our lives
Watching all of history repeat itself, time after time

Im just a dreamer, I dream my life away
Im just a dreamer, who dreams of better days

I watch the sun go down like everyone of us
Im hoping that the dawn will bring a sign
A better place for those who will come after us this time

Im just a dreamer, I dream my life away, oh yeah
Im just a dreamer, who dreams of better days

Your higher power may be God or jesus christ
It doesnt really matter much to me
Without each others help there aint no hope for us
Im living in a dream, a fantasy
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah

If only we could just find serenity
It would be nice if we could live as one
When will all this anger, hate and bigotry be gone?

Im just a dreamer, I dream my life away, today
Im just a dreamer, who dreams of better days, ok
Im just a dreamer, whos searching for the way, today
Im just a dreamer, dreaming my life away
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
- Ozzy Osbourne

Red Alert!!!

I felt dizzy and nearly threw up when i saw this on apple's website. I just bought the 2nd Generation iPod nano 2 weeks ago and now they release a red one. If i knew this earlier i would have waited. Dont get me wrong on this, i love my silver nano which is fine but i would have bought this one!!! goddam it, damn youse apple! damn youse all to hell!!! ..oh yeah, guess who's idea this was?




Nope, not Oprah but Bono. The red ipod nano is part of the (red) initiative to combat AIDS in Africa and apple is donating USD 10 to the fund for every red nano that is sold. Its noble enough to support and to find out more go ask Terry who i think knows what this www.joinred.com thingy more than me. Cheers!

the old grunge me

I was watching TV the other day and the Foo Fighters video that was playing made me think about my school days, my uni days and of course now.In a way, i grew up along the time from when Dave Grohl was drumming for Nirvana till Kurt killed himself and also from when Dave formed Foo Fighters and of course today they still rock the charts. I think that is a long time ago and for Dave to be rocking today is just amazing i think (with all the youth gone soft and emo).Grunge defined me during my formative years in school and i still feel so connected when i listened to Foo Fighters these days, kinda relates to me ( the old rocker from 90's soldiering on). The teenage angst has mellowed so has the wild days. To think bout it,the 90's was good man, it was so good.

The Wait

We wait,for the bus,for the plane and for some cases the boat.But when a delay occurs we would ask ourselves will it arrive? or is it gonna arrive at all? We see other bus/plane/boat arrive one by one to other destination but ours have yet to arrive. We wait, till we lose our patience and start being agitated for we dont know when it will arrive and we dont like unknowns for an answer. we lose all control of ourselves till finally it arrives. It arrives. For all the waiting & mess, we will in the end reach our destination. Dont ask when or how long, just wait.

- conceptual emo

Wine Tasting @ Denise

Its takes alot for one to agree to go for wine tasting on a wednesday night in view of the next working day plus the factor your home is at least 1/2 hour drive away as opposed to the 5 minutes drive for others. So i took up the offer by a colleague to join him and 2 more office mates for some mid-week wine action at Denise Wine Shop @ SS2 PJ and the results was rather relaxing which comes as a suprise.

We tasted a few bottles of wine that day but the ones that stand out are Famillia Zuccardi Reserva Malbec 2004 reds which is perfect for the beginner who wants something light bodied and the other one was some Orzaba Cardignan reds ( cant remember the full details, ask me when you go wine shopping) which is more full bodied and is suitable for those who loves Cabernet Sauvignon type of wines. Its was a lovely to end a working day with some friends and of course good wine. Some pics below:

Its Ramadhan again!

One year ago around this time, i was a junior in my company and now fast forward today i am a senior in a company that is looking more empty as the days gone by. Oh well, what can i do bout people leaving (might consider it next year though). As usual, Ramadhan means some of my frens will fast and miss the lunch sessions, massive after work traffic jams, zombies walking around due to the lack of vitamin C (cigarette withdrawal syndrome) but it also means food galore every evening (kuih-muih etc)for us that dont puasa hehe.

Anyway, i dont have much to bitch about this time round so i'll just wanna wish my Muslim frens Selamat Berpuasa & have a good Ramadhan.

Lets Pray for the 'Hamster'

As a regular follower of the BBC show 'Top Gear', i am actually quite shocked and saddened by the Richard 'The Hamster' Hammond's accident and i really hope and pray that he makes a quick recovery from his injuries. We seriously dont need another TV show host death ( its bad enough that the Croc Hunter is gone ) and let's all pray together for Hammond.

Links to latest updates:

A night out at the theater

I managed to catch Puteri Gunung Ledang : The Musical on Thursday night, this time after missing out on the first one. This time there was no qualms that we paid good bucks for good seats ( Stephenie said it was on only 100 bucks!) and a good performance by the cast. The cast led by Tiara Jacquelina (Gusti Putri) & Stephen Rahman-Hughes (Hang Tuah) were excellent in delivering their performances on stage but i must say that A.C Mizal ( Gusti Adipati) was the star of the night as the Majapahit emperor where he exudes charisma on stage and brings the character of Gusti Adipati to live (albeit dramatic). The singing and song arrangement was good although the surtitles on top of the stage could be better placed ( we have to strain our necks to read it) but i can see that the second time around everyone seemed to be comfortable in their roles and enjoying it to full measure ( Adlin Aman Ramlie seemed to enjoy his tyrant Sultan Mahmud role ).

On a more serious note, i think this production has shown that a locally staged play/musical in Malay language can succeed as well or even better than the usual suspects such as Cats, Miss Saigon etc. It was done professionally and it was fantastic to think that the creative crew were all Asian with Tiara being the driving force behind it all. If only more future local Malay language plays/musical can be as good as this, i think we can expect to see more support as what we have seen with Puteri Gunung Ledang : The Musical.

Never Gone

After being away from Earth for about 3 months, i am back again ( i wasnt in Marijuanaville searching for my roach clip on a rope, i swear). So what did i missed out? oh yeah, the World Cup which Italy triumph and i wont talk more about it as everyone else has done it. Not forgetting also the political turmoil at home (old man vs. successor) and also some fudge brownies.

So here i am writing again inspired by the taught and the fact that i am 25 but i felt like 30. Is there a reason for this? Perhaps its a sign of burnout like the one suffered by Michael Owen & Nicolas Anelka both which are still young but seems like they have been there for a long time and now is fading. Am i fading away or is it that i am losing focus on my ambitions? Maybe its all of the reasons and at my age i should be on top of my form and nearing peak but here i am still sturggling to get back on form with some flashes of brilliance now and then but inconsistent throughout the season.

But what i like to do in the near future is get my life sorted. Maybe i should find someone and get involved in a relationship again. Its been too long i guess and it always leaves a bitter taste whenever a girl breaks your heart and leaves for another guy. But i didnt sulk like Jose Mourinho and moved on but at times i do feel that perhaps i dont want to experience the deja vu again ( i've been hit twice) and want to be on safe side. One day perhaps things will change, till then i'll continue to blow bubbles in the air.

Words from my speakers: Ada Band

I found words from this song 'Manusia Bodoh' by Ada Band interesting and thought wanna share it out. Dont get the wrong ideas.

Dahulu terasa indah
Tak ingin lupakan
Bermesraan selalu jadi

Satu kenangan manis

Tiada yang salah
Hanya aku manusia bodoh
Yang biarkan semua ini permainkanku
Berulang ulang kali

Chorus:
Mencoba bertahan sekuat hati
Layaknya karang yang dihempas sang ombak
Jalani hidup dalam buai belaka
Serahkan cinta tulus di dalam takdir

Tak ayal tingkah lakumu
Buatku putus asa
Kadang akal sehat ini
Tak cukup membendungnya
Hanya kepedihan
Yang selalu datang menertawakanku
Engkau belahan jiwa
Tega menari indah di atas tangisanku

Bridge :
Semua kisah pasti ada akhir
Yang harus dilalui
Begitu juga akhir kisah ini
Yakinku indah

Discovering Hong Kong

I am now writing this piece about my trip to Hong Kong(HK) for an ICT & Electronics Expo which i just got back recently while i am still recovering from the lack of sleep and chili padi.

First Impressions
Hong Kong is well connected by public transportation ( it's the current issue most Malaysians talk about) and pratically you can get anywhere without the need to own a car (unless you want to show off your new Merc or Porsche). Its like Singapore but slightly dirtier and less restricting in its laws. The people here are quite friendly to my suprise and are willing to help but the only thing slacking or lacking is pretty girls. For my whole duration of stay I only saw about 2 pretty girls and i think they are from Mainland China (maybe all the cun chicks are at TVB). Oh well.


Sights
Well, in my cramped schedule i managed to take a ferry ride from Kowloon to HK Island (great view at night but more expensive too) , visited Disneyland at Lantau Island (you should go visit the giant Buddha in the morning and then only explore Disneyland till night), thronged various shopping mall around Central & Causeway Bay, visited the Peak and walk around Mongkok. Seriously you can cover alot in a short amount of time.

Food & Beverage
Well, what can i say that the food is good! the wantan mee is great and nothing beats the roast duck rice there. Its abit pricey though costing around HKD 23 - 30 (RM 12.50 -15) per meal but large portions are assured. A great place to start is at Kowloon although the food is consistently good around HK's various 'char chan teng'. As for drinks, skip Lan Kwai Fung as its very much like Bangsar and get a good place at Soho (where the escalators are). The drinks are about RM 25 per glass and you cant drink much if you are on budget.

Overall
There is nuthin much else for me to add here which you cant find in the internet and furthermore i was supposed to be working. But feel free to drop me a line if you want to know more as i have lots of comments which i kinda lazy transferring to words.

A small step to end Fatman's reign

I have finally join a gym nearby my house after all the procastination that lasted months. perhaps after this, my pants wont so tight anymore.

Something brewing in my mind

Hmm...after a long break here i am again at this page. Anyway this week has been great in a whole, a good effort by the CFMMU for their Easter Event and also meeting up some old friends at that event(CFMMU seniors just keep coming back for these events) , and of course a great movie out with some good pals.

This year's Easter Event by CFMMU was an event to subsitute the usual CyberChristmas and its a refreshing experience. Although they had a good story to tell, i still felt more can be acheived with less. I shall not comment further on what my critical mind (too much movies & being in theatre does that to me) as it wont be fair for the great effort and hard work they have shown to get it done (hats off for that!) but like what i said to Terry, it has given us at least some ideas to toy about for our upcoming MVA project. Oh yeah, we spotted some talent could use for our project as well (theatre has always given many their first motion picture break).

Movie wise, 'Inside Man' by Spike Lee is a good movie to catch. It may be your usual heist movie but great acting and also tight directing made this a pleasureable experience. Also being a Spike Lee effort the movie exposes the viewer to the soul of New York, all kinds of characters from diverse ethnicity that co-exist (New York puts Malaysia to shame with their Muhibah spirit). Catch the movie if you can, its great.

Fading Flames of Patriot

It is true that in today's world, its hard to make a honest & decent living. The honest & decent have no place in the realm of deceit, lies, dishonesty and agendas. It does send a piercing arrow to the ones that work hard everyday when they are defeated by those to flew above. But the challenge lies in holding true to one's principle and believe that our turn will come. One way or another.

Broken Wings

On broken wings I'm falling

And it won't be long

The skin on me is burning

By the fires of the sun

On skinned knees I'm bleeding

And it won't be long

I've got to find that meaning

I'll search for so long

Cry ourselves to sleep

We will sleep alone forever

Will you lay me down

In the same place with all I love

Mend the broken homes

Care for them they are our brothers

Save the fading light in our souls

In my opinion seeing is to know

What you give

Will always carry you

And who's to say

We won't survive it too

Aint Losing It Yet

Being under work stress is quite worrying. It causes one to talk cork and sometimes look delirious. Friends will give you the look as though you have lost your marbles. Yeps. Alot of shit happend man but all is under control (i'm not denying). I have been through worse though, there were times in the past where i was lost and questioned the meaning of life but faith changed me. At times or peril or troubles, you dont have to look far for inspiration as He is right there. Tough times are there for us to reflect on things and to stregthen our weaknesses. Our burden is no more than what we can handle. Believe it and keep the faith.

Get Rich or Die Trying...again

I live in a third world country where discimination is openly practiced and the country's economic riches are controlled by a few. Not only that, the goddam government is wiping off the decent wealth of its people by imposing unreasonable taxes on imported goods. Oh yeah, i dont live in Africa either.
Damnit man, if the government wants to save money then just remove the bloody fuel subsidies and make cars cheaper by abolishing the high taxes. Oh..they cant becoz bloody factory that aseembles cars called proton will be killed if that is done. Well, it aint gonna live long too i tell ya. With the sweeping wave of globalization comes the cleansing tides change. Actually, why am I ranting about this country, heck i wasnt even born here anyway. But the people around me are and thats the only reason why i continue to bitch instead of moving my bum back to where i came from far up north.

What drives me?

It seems vague these days for me. I used to have the fire within and the hunger for ambition but I dont seem to see it now. Its those questions you ask yourself now and again "what am I doing?". Are my ambitions dimmed? Has the burning fire gone cool? What drives me? I seek definition.

Immanent Demon Blues

Man, i hate working with retards. This is the problem when you are involved in government projects when there is a huge gap in mentality. On one end, we the private company would bust our ass to complete a project by giving full cooperation and autonomy to our partner but what you get as a result is a back stab and the blame for their own incapabilities and incapacity to solve problems. So what can you do? take all the blame and hope all ends well.
Professional issues aside, these days my inner demon is surfacing again. All this while i thought i have locked that side of me away but somehow time and again "he" started appearing. My darkside has returned and i need to find a way to seal it. Either that or harness the full power of my inner demon (i might not return normal if that happens) i'm in for a rough time.

The Valentine Posting

Yeps, its inevitable that this kinda crap will show up in my blog. Normal blogs will go and say how the day or night has been great or even how it sucked big time and shit. As for me, i'm joining the bandwagon but with a question "Whats the fuss all about?". Truth is i never had a chance to "celebrate" Valentines Day as all of my relationships somehow ended before Feb 14 and spared me from financial disaster. It may be novel when you are like in your teens and the gal in the tuition class seems hot but as you grow up, its just passe. Now instead whining around and in true Hi-Fidelity fashion, i'll give you my top 5 list of Valentine's Day songs:

1) Black Eye Peas - Where is the love?
2) James Ingram - Just Once
3) Dewa - Pupus
4) Rascal Flatts - Bless the Broken Roads
5) Nirvana - Seasons in the Sun

The CNY Posting

Whew, i have been eating and eating like mad since CNY (Thank God for the plentyful bounty). After this i must remember to exercise otherwise i'll end up looking like Jabba the Hut. Anyways, this CNY has been quite a low key affair as on the 3rd day when the usual 30 over odd friends go visiting my house as well as a few other homes were skipped due to us gambling overtime at the few houses we went. But all is good, i managed to get some time off from work to regenerate and refresh my energy and cells. I have spent good time with my family and though most of my hometown friends are busy its still great to hang out and catch up with them once in a while.

Its a great start to the Year of The Dog and i pray to the Lord for Him to keep continue His blessings to me and my family. Gong Xi ! Gong Xi!

Dreamtheater Rocks in Singapore!!!

Yeps...i have just gotten back from down south with my regular Singapore and Concert kaki Mr. Ong and made it for my family's CNY dinner. What can i say, Dreamtheater and Singapore rocks!!. Here are the highlights:

1) Upgraded our concert tickets from SGD 120 to SGD 150 at Kallang Indoor Staidum straight away when we reached Sgpore (we are kiasu to get infront of the stage and hopefully infront of John Petrucci).

2) We stayed in a cheap hotel at Geylang where you can get hookers legally. ( nope, we didnt)

3) Shop, Shop and Shop the whole two days till i'm broke.

4) Singapore girls are damn chio!! ( i like)

5) Somehow everyone thought we were Singaporeans. (damn)

6) Concert rocks!!! ( we were right infront of the stage and John Petrucci)

7) Deep in my heart, Singapore is like an alternate universe of how KL can be. ( its every Malaysian's dream that we can be like them someday hopefully)

8) Bloody JB taxi drivers charge us RM25 to get to Larkin Station from the Train Station.

9) Double Bonus in the bus. (kekeke)

10) Home Sweet Home

January Updates

Yea, i'm lazy and busy alltogether. You can definitely tell by how my blog is iregularly updated. But since we are in 2006, i guess i can try and fix things abit eh. Well, here's what happened so far:

Resolutions
Like a true champion, i achieved last year's resolution just days before 1st january. Its was just something i needed to say to someone and i did it after 4 years of procastination and nearly missed it after i set it as a new year resolution (yeah, i had to turn it to a resolution after 3 years to get it done). This year my resolution is to Get FIT! Its about time i trimmed down so i can fit my new clothes better (its more like i dun want to buy new sizes) and i believe from experience resolutions can be achieved at the very nick of time. So, do remember to ask "Why you still Fat??" whenever you meet to remind of my resolution.

Career
I am now a confirmed executive of Pharmaniaga Solutions, a Supply Chain Management Consultancy and recently i have been given more responsibilities in my portfolio which will augur well in my plans to climb the corporate ladder (i'm still on track to be a Tan Sri) . I also very much hope to get about RM 5 million worth of projects for this year. It aint easy but thats what i am hired for. Its gonna be a great year for my career! (with rants here and there)

Financials
With the year ending 2005, my financial standing is that i am in deficit (about RM 30, 000 in red) so i guess i will be working towards black.(just like Idris Jala of MAS only my number is far less than his)

Life
For 2005, i have done what i set out for and i am glad i did it. Sometimes the outcome is not what you expected or even wanted but the important thing is to keep the faith (God has His plans for us, so be patient). But i believe that you miss 100 percent the shots you didnt take so i just do it.For this year, i'm gonna be a bit more laid back and let things take its course. I've found my inspiration and I'm all fired up to acheive my dreams.

So thats the summary of what i think i'm gonna do this year. It aint gonna be rosy all year long though, so expect some bitching and ranting here and there (hope its not often). Be Blessed and Yosh!!

Happy New Year 2006!!

Yahoo!! its a new year again!! and i am still recovering from the party fatigue i had last nite. Had a great time at Ryan's wedding dinner where i did some catching up with some friends which i havent met for years. And after all that party, i still managed to catch some theater action today at the Actors Studio where Actorlympics was the show of the day. And to cap the day off was chilling out at Chilli's BSC with Joeboy, Terry and Kelvin. I guess with blurness, this is all i can write so far. All in all, the new year starts with a bang!

Congratulations to Ryan & Joanne!!

One of my best buds, Ryan is having his wedding today on New Year's Eve and what a great day to party!! All best wishes and may God bless you and Joanne always!! Congratulations!

Is the stars out of reach?

It is often said that we must reach for the stars but there are times that i think the stars may be out of reach. Theres not a lot of them on streets either but the not reaching what you aimed for aint the best feeling in the world. At work i am pressured to perform and the financial market out there aint looking that encouraging for me to convince clients that investing in IT is the thing to do to max their ROI. On a personal front things aint looking so rosy either. I felt like i got a cross to bear but sometimes during times like these i wish i can get someting for this pain. The bleeding of disappointements is indeed painful and I do wonder what will happen when it dries and theres no more to bleed. What will I become then? will the fabric of my being change? will I fall to the darkside which is always enticing me with glitter? or will i hold out my essence till my rescue? The only inspiration i can get into my mind is the trials of pain and suffering of another only son that was sent to deliver us all. I think its enough for me to go on through the tough times.I hope i hold out long enough.

A quiet Saturday slumber

Finally after a week long of hard work, its time to rest. Its rarely that i stayed home during weekends and thats been the case for the last 3 weeks. So today i decided that i am gonna recuperate at home watching a stack of DVDs that i havent watched. Oh yeah, the time of the year is also around the corner. I can already feel it in the air. Can you feel it too?

Been Burnin Purple Haze

Its almost one month since i posted anything here. I'm having a hectic schedule for the past weeks due to report writings and all. Till now I'm not having enough sleep and slowly i can feel myself being buggered by fatigue. I'm testing my human treshold time and again by doing this.Is it that i spend so much time for others i dont spend some for myself? Maybe, or perhaps its just part and parcel of life. I got so much to tell here but i'm just to stoned to bother. Remind me of what could have been in this space.

Planetshakers Conference 2006

Planet Shakers was birthed out of a vision that Russell Evans received from God, instructing him to start a youth conference that would change young people, and inspire them to make a difference in their world.

The Planet Shakers Conference began nine years ago with about 300 delegates. Since then, we have seen incredible growth with numbers doubling every year. It is held every year in January, seeing thousands come from all over Australia and different parts of the world.

In 2004, the conference was held in five venues over three weeks. Two weeks in Adelaide, our inaugural week in Perth at Challenge Stadium and two venues in the one week in Brisbane (at Garden City Christian Church and Citipoint COC). Up to 16,000 came along to the night-time meetings. The aim of the conference isn't to entertain but to facilitate a worship encounter with God. 2004 also saw the start of our own Planet Shakers Conference in Malaysia which had a significant impact on youth ministries and churches in all states.

The conference included Electives on Worship, University Outreach, Overseas Missions, Holy Spirit, High School Ministry, and Business & Leadership. The conference had a tremendous impact on the thousands of youth with a strong message to hear the cry of their generation and to respond with the message of Jesus.

DATE: 9-11 November 2006

VENUE: Grand Pyramid Convention Centre, Sunway Pyramid, Bandar Sunway

Find out more here

just a feeling

Nobody knows who I really am

I never felt this empty before

And if I ever need someone to come along,

Whos gonna comfort me, and keep me strong?

We are all rowing the boat of fate

The waves keep on coming and we cant escape

But if we ever get lost on our way

The waves would guide you through another day

Nobody knows who I really am

Maybe they just dont give a damn

But if I ever need someone to come along

I know you would follow me, and keep me strong

And every time I see your face

The ocean heaves up to my heart

You make me wanna strain at the oars,

and soon I can see the shore

I want you to know who I really am

I never thought I'd feel this way towards you

And if you ever need someone to come along,

I will follow you, and keep you strong

~just feelings inside me that needed to be let out~

all is good in the hood

well, to sum up the missing weeks:

"work-lepak-work-lepak- work- deepavali-lepak-aidilfitri-lepak-lepak -lepak-work"

...sounds like alot of fun eh....

In Penang!!

yeps..yeps...i'm blogging this while surfing at Starbucks Gurney Hotel! well, i have to come down here for work reasons and i'm gonna go back to KL tommorow.Sighs....good food, good life and also quite a cool rainy nite. Wish it could be like this every day.

Sheesh...

I am slightly slacking in the office these few days, dont know why or how. Its like i'm out-of-form and my goals are sluggishly achieved. I gotta pick up and buck up before it affects my performance. Sighs....

Congratulations to Mike Woon& Alicia Ng

Congrats to my colleague Mike and his wife Alicia on their wedding on the 8th of October 2005! Had a great time at the dinner last night as well as the karaoke session after dinner with the rest of the office. May God Bless Always, Cheers!

Jakarta Journals (part III): A Cook's Tour + Thristy Traveller

Now, I am passionate when it comes to food and drinks whenever i travel. Among the first rules i like to observe is never to eat at tourist joints and try as much to eat as how the locals do. This is what i did exacly in Jakarta.

Food

In Jakarta, the culinary experience is very much Malay influenced with abit of Chinese influences here and there. For starters, their Nasi Padang is a must try at Jakarta. Just chose a decent and clean eatery and treat yourself to some authentic Indonesian cooking ( I ate at Sari Bundo near Alila Hotel). Its unique as the cooking is not so spicy but the add on sambal is. Recommended are the chicken dishes as well as beef rendang. To wash it all down, there is the ultimately delicious "Alpukat" or Avocado juice which is thick and sweet not unlike a fruity milkshake.

Another thing that you should try is the night warungs that they set up around some parts of Jakarta ( my hotel is strategicly near these joints) and i tried one of those for dinner. In these warungs, the recommended dish is the Ikan Gurame (which is very delicate in texture and tastes sweet) which is cooked in a variety of styles. You will never go wrong with the fish.

Not to be missed is the 'Bakso' or Beef Soup with Noodles ( some sort of Beef Kut Teh with meat balls). The one i tried was at the Jakarta Convention Center, Senayan (some restaurant near there, looks quite dodge) it was killer!!

Beverage

Well..err...Indonesia has its own beer too, its call Bintang Beer! its quite smooth and suprisingly nice. But if you wanna binge in Jakarta, be warned it gets expensive if you venture beyond 2 drinks ( USD 10 per drink) . As for clubs....well, look for me and i'll give some more info...cant do it here. ;p

Jakarta Journals (part II): Financial Jakarta

On the way to the Jakarta Convention Center, we drove into the financial district of the city and wow, i'm impressed. They got banks everywhere and these are banks with big buildings ala Sinagpore's Shenton Way area. There are alot of buildings and most are modern. This sight is a impressive contra view to slums and other areas of Jakarta. It seems that their financial market is much more matured than ours and very much dependent on foreign dollars ( from Sgpore & US) . But what you see is only part of the city which has a population of about half of Malaysia, the other parts of the city are not desireable and is very much advised to stay away from. I have seen that part of the city through a short-cut taxi ride which brought me through the squatters of Jakarta under its railway line. Its a real ghetto and the only thing that saved me from unwanted stares is that i am black/biege/colored. If i was a mat salleh, i would have been an easy target for robbery there. Here you can see the poor side of things and the huge income dispairity between the rich and the poor ( as with all metropolis e.g Bangkok, New York, Los Angeles). Seeing all that leaves very much food for thought as well making me hungry.

Next: A Cooks Tour + Thirsty Traveller

Jakarta Journals: First Impressions

Okay, when I first heard that I will be going to Jakarta for an expo together with the team at the office I was cold and not really keen so much on it. I was like what can Jakarta offer (I had different picture of that place then) but after spending six days there and got back I think I have a much improved impression of the place.

On day one, the moment you step out of the plane it feels like you have just turned back time and go back to the eighties. The Jakarta International Airport has the look and feel of Subang Airport long time ago. It seems time didn’t change much here in this place. On the trip to check in at the hotel, i noticed that most of Jakarta looks very much like KL back in the early 80's with lotsa squatters, i mean alot. The scene is very much Asian with motorcycles squeezing for space with cars and everything else on the road. Even in the cab itself, you will get the idea how hot and dusty the city is. With the air-con at full blast i still sweat and trust me its worst in the open.

We checked in at our hotel which is Alila Hotel at "Pecenongan" area of Jakarta Central. Its a nice boutique hotel with minimalist designs and setting. Its zen for some and plain simple for others (if you are the Four Seasons type) . With our bags chucked at the hotel we went for lunch and also explore our exhibition site at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Next: The Financial Jakarta

Interesting facts on Oil Reserves

If you think Malaysia is lucky to have at least an oil reserve, just ponder at these facts..

- There are countries with huge oil reserves that are in poor shape: Iraq, Venezuela and Nigeria to name a few.

- Read somewhere, and i might be wrong but after oil, Iran's second largest export is pistachio nuts. That cant be good. ( I asked someone before what does Iran had otehr than oil. He said "We've got carpets." That doesnt sound good either.)

- Do you know that Norway has a very large oil reserves but it pretends like it doesnt have any?
Hmm...maybe if we can pretend like them??

Spaced Out

Different day, same questions. Still seeking the answers. Pardon me while i burn into flames.

Good Times are Over?? - (paranoia hits me)

I think i have been covering this topic quite often in this blog huh? This piece of news confirms that due to low interest rates and high inflation, our rolling good times of afluenza is over. Some said its due to the high energy prices but i think its a combo a few things. First, our import bill is higher than our exports says here and therefore we are not earning as much as we are buying (on a macro level) Second, we are depending on consumer spending to move the economy and as always a low interest rate for loans and non-upward adjustment to incomes will just last as much as it is now. Thirdly, not many investors are keen on investing here in Malaysia due much better competitive edge offered by Thailand and Vietnam here in SEA and of course India and China globally(less FDI flowing in). Mix these 3 plus energy prices and you get the gist of times to come in the near future.

So what happened you may ask? 2004 was a good year yes it was but 2005 was different. This year more and more Malaysians are on debt and the ones paying the debt that has been spurring the local economy (automobiles,properties, non-essential goods) is having a hard time financing his daily essential purchases due to reduction in fuel subsidies and a not so good macro economic overview. Its a tough year for many lower and lower-middle but how bout the middle and upper-middle income class? Are they feeling the pinch yet? I dont know but from my position i am feeling quite concerned that my investments are shrinking faster due to the high "unofficial" inflation rate of about 6 percent. Damn, the more i process the more confused i have become....

Living a Blessed Life

Are we living a blessed life? Am i living a blessed life? these are questions i ask myself time and again just to keep my feet on the ground. I know i am living a blessed life with all of His loving grace and i dont want to forget that. I am thankful to God that i have good friends and i am in the fellowship of worthy people which i can count on and they can count on me. I am also blessed with a great family that never fail to support me as well blessings in terms of the riches i am able to enjoy. So what can you do when you have all these goodness? well, share the way to achieve it of course!!

There are many people out there that are lost in the darkness and dont know of a better living. I come across these people now and then and i always wonder what if they discover the love of God and change their lives. We have only one chance to live and it would be a waste if we dont do it right. But we who are blessed should extend our arms to the lost ones and try to show them the light. Change things not by preaching through words alone but walk the talk and live life the way He would himself. Be the living example is what i dream to achieve and i hope i can inspire my surroundings to do better for their lives.

Thy Word is a lamp to my feet,

A light to my path alway

To guide and to save me from sin

And to show me the heavenly way.

wish you were here

I'm down and tired, gotta pay my sleep debts....but this is goin on my mind. Been thinking alot about my life lately and while listening to my mp3s i came across this song and its words that reflect my feelings. Ponder it.

So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell,

Blue skys from pain.

Can you tell a green field

From a cold steel rail?

A smile from a veil?

Do you think you can tell?

And did they get you to trade

Your heros for ghosts?

Hot ashes for trees?

Hot air for a cool breeze?

Cold comfort for change?

And did you exchange

A walk on part in the war

For a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.

We're just two lost souls

Swimming in a fish bowl,

Year after year,

Running over the same old ground.

What have we found?

The same old fears.

Wish you were here.

-Pink Floyd

Selamat Hari Merdeka!!!

31st August. What does Merdeka Day means to me? Well, for starters a holiday and second my friend's birthday. But more than that, its the date our country gained independence from the Brits. Yeps, for our forefathers it was a day that they have dreamed and fought toe and nail for. Those days were hard but somewhat tough days makes us much more united than it is now.

I still remember the National Day parades back in the 80's and early 90's. The highlight for me was when the Police and Army took their turn at the Dataran Merdeka and i definitely love the flybys from the Air Force jets. As a kid growing up then, i was excited by the affair mostly because school was out and the jets that took part in the parade will fly pass my house. It was an awesome sight of jets above your head outside your home. It was the good old days where 20 cents aiskrim potong rules with Chicadees. It was fun then and how i wish we can return to the good old days where people work hard and actually do things for the country rather than for money and race.

I believe all of us have a dream of a better Malaysia and of course we dont expect Utopia but at least a throw back to the golden days of the 1980's. For my part, i'll do what i can and if all else fails i will still be proud that when i was a kid i loved my country. Happy National Day guys!

Merdeka Speacial: My Top Ten Wish List

For our country's 48th birthday this year, i have drafted my top ten list of what wish could happen or should happen. Its an open list which i have long thought about and want to share with you all.Here goes nothing....

10. Make me a rich crony so i can help my fellow buddies..i mean fellow citizens.

9. Say 'Tak Nak" to ciggies. For real.

8. What happened to the AP issue? ( not Approved Permit but Ayah Pin)

7. I want some APs too and leave Naza alone. He is kind enuff to make cars cheaper for us to own. You rock man!!

6. Better service from Government Hospitals. Its about time man, its about time.

5. Save the Tigers! No, not the beer but the real ones that can be found waiting to be cooked in dodgy restaurants in places like Puchong and Broga. Burp!..soree...heheh

4.Perodua to continue making us Malaysians proud to own quality cars. It not cheap mind you.

3. Proton to make quality cars instead of the cheap plastic rubbish now. We love ya but even love got its limits. If younger bro Perodua can, you can too!( If Proton quality like Nissan, i sure buy wan)

2. Policies that favour the hardworking and the intelligent (even if its for Ahmad and Ali.. Ah Kow and Muthu can still JV with Ahmad and prosper ;P)

1. God Bless Malaysia!, Its has been a long and tough road to get here and its not gonna be any easier ahead. For everything and nothing else, i pray to God to shower His love and care to Malaysia and shield its people from suffering and to continue the prosperity that we have enjoyed. And oh yeah, continue to give Pak Lah the strength and the will to fulfill his promises as Prime Minister.Amen.

*** Disclaimer****

This list is in no way intended to be political and is done with humour in mind. Also, I am a staunch supporter of the current Government and Prime Minister. All rights reserved and no part of the article may be reprinted or published without the author's consent.Peace Y'all.

These Days

These days - the stars seem out of reach

But these days - there ain't a ladder on these streets

These days are fast, love don't lasts-in this graceless age

Even innocence has caught the morning train

And there ain't nobody left but us these days

-Bon Jovi

It doesnt take a genius to know whats going on in my mind.Its just me.

seeking heaven

Its one of those days again, broke and bored. Weekends arent really an exciting prospect these days with almost all entertainment cost money(movie,theater,shopping,makan and minum) so i should be thankful that i stay at the grounds this weekend and prepare for next week's. Is this the world we live in today? need to spent to enjoy? to some extent it has, even going to church cost money (car fuel). What happens when i dont earn? what happens when i run out of money? would it be nice if i am rich? Yes, being rich is the heaven many is seeking. I wont deny i harbour hopes of being rich but to what extend? The dangers the road of riches are known to plunge unsuspecting blokes to the hell of being drunk with money and power. Once you tasted it, you crave more and more. The hunger will leave you devoid of your soul. You will forget the love and ways of God.
I still cant find the heaven i seek but i do believe its assured if i maintain what is close to my heart and not lose my focus. Patience is key and success is not assured in finding heaven of wealth but it is for health.

How Can We Have The Assurance Of Heaven?

Recognize our sinfulness (Romans 6:23).

Believe Jesus died for us (Acts 16:31).

Receive Him as Savior (John 1:12).

Trust His promise (John 20:31).

questions and answers

"..........this has been going on in my mind for sometime now, maybe days. Is it the right thing to do? One part says i should forget it and another says gamble away. The stakes are high especially when emotions are involved. I have been trying to forget it and only heaven knows how much intellectual reasons i tell myself this plan wont work out. Its still here in my head. The problem is what i feel is honest and i cant find any reasons to justify it. Its there when i wake up and its there when i sleep.

Madness happens when you fall for someone. I am experiencing it right now.I didnt want this to happen because it i am tired of how things end up for me. I always lose, all the time. Maybe its me, maybe i dont have what it takes. I ran away from it for more than a year until now. Deep inside i want to gamble it but burned hands and fears is holding me back. I dont wanna to make a fool of myself again. All i wish for is that what i feel disappears into thin air and save myself from losing what is dear to me. Losing a relationship is painful. It still hurts till today. "

- Tales of a Secret War

I can feel the heat now

Now, for the proper entry of the day. My job at Pharmaniaga is just gettin exciting. I am now tasked with finding suitable companies to meet during our exhibition in Jakarta this September( which i will go barring problems) and it aint easy seeking good companies in Indonesia because they all go with a different name on the Internet and the language is kinda hard to understand. But its all so newto me and today has been very hectic trying to sort out this and few more other stuff. Its gonna be fun these few coming weeks, i can feel it coming. Watch this space for more.

Lost it....

I blow my DDR RAM last nite. As a result i lost a whole long entry i was writing here and i'm still pissed. It was a long economic article expressing my views and thoughts which i had in my head that time. Its lost now along with the darn RAM, and i have to spend 200 bucks gettin a replacement. Such is life.....

Drops of H20

yeps....rain on the streets. its not much but at least it rains and i hope that a thunderstorm will come our way. Its been a long day and Thank God its a fine day! Clearer skies in the day, and drops of jupiter at night....sweet.

BioHaze-ard : State of Emergency

Well, looks like things are getting serious...Port Klang and Kuala Selangor are now in the State of Emergency where all schools, offices and businesses are to be closed. Those exempted are shops selling food, supermarts and clinics and those essential services. I think if things dont change, Cyberjaya and Subang will be the next in the list as things are not looking good in terms of the wind direction as well as the absence of rain. As i met with some folks from Jabatan Kaji Cuaca, they confirmed that chances of respite is quite slim at the moment.
As chronic as it may be, be thankful that other areas like Ipoh, Penang, Melaka are not affected yet by the haze so there is still a chance of an evacuation to these holiday spots. Its time to plan a weekend holiday guys. Its not Game Over just yet.

BioHaze-ard : Dawn of the Red Sun

Damn, the haze is getting worse it seems from yesterday. Everyone is buzzzing around regarding the haze as the air quality has detiorated badly and it seems that we cant do anything much. When i drove to work just now, the sun was just a red dot in the sky....bad omen.....its just twilight zone out there with an API that could be around 200 in Kajang and close to 390 in Cyberjaya. Its not good....just not good.

Hopes and Dreams- Another dude's going on Eurotrip

Man...i havent seen Yee Shin for weeks and now he is going on a tour in Europe this Thursday. I mean this dude followed the example of another friend of ours by quiting his job and just board the plane to UK. Just like that...wow....
This means i have lost another kaki for mamak sessions..sighs... but i really hope he finds his calling on this trip of discovery and fulfill his dreams. I will be following his steps too...soon i hope.

OMG !! I cant believe it all over!!!

Yahoo!!!.. I am now an official graduate student of MMU, yeps yeps....now i'm a qualified ninja after close to one year finishing my studies and working. Its funny that my convocation took place at a time where my career is starting to bloom. I'm happy that after all the playing and disregard of my studies i managed to get my piece of paper qualification .Thank God above!!

This batch of students that graduate will be a promising future for the country as i believe all of us are armed to the teeth with IT knowledge and with the His grace , we will rule one day!! But on the same note, i am sad too that finally my campus life comes to an official end. I never thought my 3 years in MMU will bring so much meaning in life to me. No more skipping classes and waking up late, no more crazy adventures in my Batmobile, no more noises from HB 1, no more gang and most importantly no more carefree days. I know I gotta let it go and look foward to the future but it sure feels like the last episode of Friends, if you know what i mean. Sighs....Thank You and Goodbye MMU, you are the best times of my life.

Another Sunday Jotting

Sundays are always bittersweet for me cause one one hand is still a weekend and on another hand, Monday is just round the corner. Fuel prices are up again...sighs....that means another $4 increase for my full tank. The reason why we are all gloomy when it comes to fuel increase is not the fuel prices itself but the effects of it. Some MF will take advantage and raise their price of goods by 10 cents or 20 cents..biacthes...we all know that 20 cents extra in diesel prices dont transalate to 20 cents on other stuff. You can see all these MF traders around us, the mamak stalls, restaurants and many more shops. I hope these people burn in hell.

Enough of anger management, its time to party!! Next week in convo weekend and i think i can smell party from here...eheheh...Most of my homies already agreed to stay over on friday night and i reluctantly agreed. At first i was thinking of driving up and down the PLUS highway for two days but because i'm gonna end up lepaking till late night on friday, might as well just bunk in. Afterall, its not often that it happens. Cant wait for the party and oh yeah, if you guys think that our scroll is gonna be a nice piece of paper with designs on it ( like all other degrees recognize or not) forget it....MMU's degree scroll is one piece of shit i tell ya, just one piece of A4 paper that can be printed by anybody. So if anyone wants a nice fake scroll with a design based on RMIT scroll, I'm taking orders. Gonna print myself a fake degree.heheh ...nuff said.

just a song...

"Then the rainstorm came over me

And I felt my spirit break

I had lost all of my belief you see

And realized my mistake

But time through a prayer to me

And all around me became still

Through the rainstorm came sanctuary

And I felt my spirit fly

I had found all of my reality

I realize what it takes

I need love, love's divine

Please forgive me now

I see that I've been blind

Give me love

Love is what I need to help me know my name"

Hopes and dreams - My American Dream

What a week it has been, Audiowarfare on Thursday night and lotsa talks on the street on AP's and other political stuff that dont matter to me. Theres also talks of dreams of going abroad to start a new life and most of the time Australia and UK come up tops as choice destination. Deep inside me, i have always dreamt of going to the United States (where dreams can come true) and make it big there, to live the American Dream just like most immigrants that arrive at Lady Liberty's doorstep at NY Harbor once a upon a time long ago. At this moment of time, i'm a bit hesitant of that dream. It seems that right here in Malaysia i might just get a little lucky if i try hard enough and might just end up rich. Also the global situation is just not so conducive for living in the big US of A ( Damn that Redneck President!)
Sighs, bad timing that all these has to happen now when i am eager to venture out and when i have nothing to lose. Or do i have everything to lose? I dunno. But if a better life quality that i am seeking, then the bold move must be made no matter what. The only stumbling block is recognition, a degree from MMu just dont cut out outside Malaysia, know what mean? So my ticket will be an Internationally recognized qualification which i have to take in the near future.
So there's my plan for my hope and dreams. I have a dream but as always the opportunity costs are just to difficult to calculate. Or maybe its time for me to sleep?

Rainy days....

Its been a boring day with a great wheather...yes..i love the rain actually...playing football at the MMU rugby field this evening does bring back some good memories of my good 3 years there. I cant help but miss my uni life and its mostly cause my life is not as happening as it was those days...which ended a year ago...now i have no life, so to speak. I miss hanging out with crowd and also living the hostel life with loud music, Warcraft and Coke, etc....

As this point of my working life, i feel like there is whole range of mountains to climb...if the past 24 odd years have been like Mt. Everest, then this is the K2 summit we are talking about...tougher to crack even for the pros who can climb Everest. Its humbling to know that all the achivement and past glory count for nothing now, its so sobering to think about it when you do at times like today. But despite all this there is one thing that wont change and still counts no matter what happens....His love from above still counts and He is my guide when night falls on my path. Its the truth and by the way, enjoy the wheather...

Clouds...

If you ever bothered to read up my blog once in a while, you will notice that i have gaps in between my post. Well, ever since i left HSBC i seem to be not getting enough time online to update posts and also to get some good sleep. I think i need to revamp my life totally....get more online time and hopefully some life...

Binge Weekend

Man,...its a long time since i enjoyed my self drinking and eating carelessly. On friday night , i had like one of the best weekend night in this year!! Imagine dinner with colleagues at Kelab Golf Negara Subang with 2 bottles of red wine, one 1996 Vintage Dom Perignon champagne, one Martell Cordon Bleu, one Macallans' Forties and of course a cuban cigar. That is what i call enjoying fine moments of life..when you are fortunate to have great colleagues that have memberships to exclusive golf and country club and fine fine alcohol.

Words cant explain the pleasures of that weekend but i think it was partly contributed by the fact it was a mixed feelings week. I had fun at the SAP SummIT 2005 conference and got to know a few chicks..hehe but also some sadness on the London bombings. One moment you are carefree reflecting on a good day and another moment thinking of the events that happen in London. Some people wont be fortunate to celebrate weekends and some will be left with bad memories but i belive that London and her residents will be resilient and overcome this. With my pleasures on the weekend i also extend a prayer to the Lord for His blessings and also for Him to always protect us Malaysians.Amen.

Sunday and Live 8

Yeah man, Bob Geldof organized a hell of show last night from London, Berlin , Moscow, Philidelphia, Paris , Tokyo and a host of other places i cant recall. Live 8 rocks !!...but will it really give an effect to G8 to do something about poverty?..i really hope so. We are living in totally materialistic society here in Malaysia or shall i say Klang Valley. All we do is complain that we dont have BMWs and Evos or that we dont have enough money to buy that RM 400 shoe or clothes at KLCC or One Utama so its a bit hard for me to imagine that they are really people out there who are dying cause they cant afford Panadol or some flu and cough medicine. But its true that some kid in Africa is dying every 3 seconds...yeps. All because they are too poor and all we do is complain that our lives are not fortunate enough. Its sad but i really hope and pray that at least something can be done by powerful nations to eradicate poverty with their billions of dollars that are currently being used to wage wars and to conquer some third world econoy. Damnit G8, its time you put your dollars to some good for once.

Thank God its Friday!!

Well, it has been a very long week indeed. Since Monday, I have not been able to get enough sleep and due to that, my thinking process was a bit affected by it. Oh yeah, I got my car dented by a motorbike too during this week. Sighs, its bad enough the whether is not good at all but these obstacles just do push my patience to a limit. I’m beginning to feel like the global economy where I has been subjected to bad whether and high oil prices with the prospects that US consumer spending wont be increasing soon. Talk about high oil prices, are you one of the people fooled by the rumor that prices are gonna increase? If you are, don’t you know so far all the price increase was announced on Wednesdays? Yea man chill out…petrol price would only increase after the cabinet meets on Wednesdays and the announcement will come on that evening itself via radio and TV. Come on guys, you should know better than trusting some SMS or internet rumor. Have faith in the mainstream media for once in these kind of news.

As i met with Kameeni and Charveen during lunch at Cyberia, i realized that since i have entered MMU back in 2001 till now i have not joined any organization outside of Cyberjaya...MMu...HSBC...now some company at Century Square....wow...i love Cyberjaya!!!
hahaha...and good luck to all my friends that are on a job search, i wish you all the best and may you land the job of a lifetime so we can have a nice chat sometime...kekeke

mid week ramblings...

Its close to 2 weeks since i started work at my new work place and i have settled down quite well and its now all about my performance. I am feeling a bit of pressure from myself as i am not used of not getting any flak and unreasonable work duties. I am supposed to develop new businesses and also seek new projects for my company but somehow it is not happening as yet.

This week theres gonna be a GT race at Sepang and at this point i have not decided to go or not yet and i am depending on the crowd within my gang and if they go i will go. Its been a while since i went to a GT race and it will be nice if i can be there again.

Damn..sleep creeping in like a melodic tune and i'm blacking outzzz..............

The Return of the Jedi!!!...not!!!

After more than a month of silence, i am back....like how Batman has returned to the big screens after a long absence. Throughout the whole missing month, a whole lot of stuff happened which i would not elaborate here as i want it to be like the Clone Wars. It happened but the story will be told some other time.

Abstract of what happened?:

1) Soul searching up north

2) Star Wars

3) Got a job offer from Pharmaniaga

4) Got another job offer at PriceWaterhouseCoopers

5) Declined PwC and joined Pharmaniaga

6) Batman Begins!!

And all of this happened with a lot of bumming goin on as well interesting stories in between but we will talk about it next time. I'm back and it feels good, if you have been looking at this blog previously and thought i was dead after May 9th.....too bad, I'm back stronger and badder than before and i'm here to stay!!

Of last week......

It was quite an uneventful week last week barring my second interview with a pharmaceutical company and also Mother's Day. The whole week was spent chilling out in various locations in Klang Valley with some friends that was free. Its boring but imagine you have nothing worth writing to capture a week. Sighs

Long Long Weekend

Long weekends, how often does it occur?..not much i guess butr when it does , it promises fun time and a broke wallet. With some interesting sales on such as the one by adidas and also Isetan , the thoughts of blowing some cash haunted me and luckily i managed to restraint from buying useless stuff. Phew! Ok, back to the weekend. Couple of friends came down from JB and being on leave until further notice, i joined them and hanged out around KL chilling out until late. Its quite hard nowadays to hang out in a big group as opposed with last time when everyone shared common timetables. But the one thing that prevailed was that everyone can blow a bigger amount of cash than last time. I guess sacrificing time for money is a fair trade and how i wish i can trade my time off in the next coming weeks for some cash. But for now, its late nights for me until further notice....

The City Life : Coffee and Books

I spend the whole afternoon simmering under the sun doing Malaysia's number one pastime, lepaking. More or less but for once there is a destination and also purpose..Borders KL and to browse and if possible read and digest some books for free ( Malaysian Style). The place is a haven for readers and the choice of books you can get here is enormous and puts Kino the Bookstore to shame. The reason why i left out MPH is because they carry some good books cheaper than these global bookstores. After browsing books after books, i settled for some marketing books which was Secrets of Persuasion by Roger Dawson ( MPH carries his books way cheaper) and Cold Calling Techniques ( That Really Works!) by Stephan Schiffman. I really spent my time reading and digesting these two books and once i get a marketing job, i'll get em cause they are that good! I just love bookstores and i think if i try and read every book available there i will take my first step to become a "Superhero" or "Wira Kota"...eheehhee...its just enormous!!..every bookworms' orgasmo or sorts...

Next thing to clear my head of books is drinking coffee at a joint that replaced McDonalds as the symbol of American Capitalism and Globalization, Starf$%ks. Oops , i mean Starbucks. (sorry)
Now, because the dude that came with me smokes, i have to forgo the comforts of the plush seats inside with air-conditioning for the sweet smell of fumes and sweaty exterior of Times Square. Sitting out there got looking at people of KL get by and got me worried that despite having superb infrastructure, the Malaysian society still has a long way to catch up in terms of mentality and conduct. There is something wrong out there and you can see it but you cant put to words. Actually i'm just lost for words for the toughts i have. Are we forsaking bigger things in life for the pursuit for material wealth? Or is it the rat race that actually consumed us and made us living life the way of the rat? ....Wanna know what i'm talking about? spend some time stoned with enough coffee and just stare to the pavements in front of any Starbucks in KL and you might just get what i mean.

Disclaimer: The writer of this blog do not endorse any psychotropic drugs or any sort of laced coffee. Drugs are bad. Nuff said.

Alive!

Wowee, being jobless has it bright brief moments too! After being a peon for months, i got a chance to re-live my lifestyle of a bum these few days by hanging out with old friends and also last night chilling out at Latte @ 8 which featured Roger Sanchez ( he's playing a set tonite at Sepang F1 circuit) and 2 local acts Pop Shuvit and Love Me Butch. It was a great time chilling out drinking some weird coffee + soy milk courtesy the creative people at Starbucks, listening to live music and of course enjoying God's fine creations ( if you know what i mean ;P) . I havent been doing these things since i graduated and working in a 24/7 environment dont help either. Being jobless has its perks once in a while and i'm gonna live every second of it!

Unit Trusts anyone?

First day being jobless feels good man. Waking up late , i start the day slowly with the thoughts of how the folks at office are doing. Smiling wryly, i think its not soo fun..hahahah...Then the next thing i did was to call up some close frens and to have lunch with the limited cash that i have due to my own doing ( gatal berenti kerja) but all was good in the neighbourhood when you stomach is full of Nasi Beriyani.

After chilling out the whole afternoon, i went out just now at night with another fren to attend a Business Opportunity Presentation by SBB Mutual. Its the same tactics used by MLM companies and insurance agencies keen on recruiting new downlines. The reason i was there was because a good fren of ours who is working there has some extra tickets and gave them out.
The place Eastin Hotel was a nice place and the talk they have is really good if you wanna get motivated by a couple of people that is happy they earn soo much money by venturing into SBB Mutual and is shouting to the world that joining the venture will make them rich too. Sheesh.

But all said and done, its an experience where i got to observe how sales people operate and what distinguished the good , the bad and the ugly. Its like going to the Safari and learning about animal behaviour, interactions in the wild and getting to the edge of being victims. Not bad for a jobless former banker ehh?

P.S: Want to be rich? Gimme a Buzz and I'll change your life!! :P

Freedom, Hope and Dreams

Today, i gave back my HID tag and walk out the doors of HSBC for one last time as an employee. It was a mixed feeling of sadness and also happiness at the same time. I was sad because i could have achieve the heights in the company with no sweat next year but i'm happy that i have found my calling. I have decided what i wanna become in the future. I want to be filthy rich with moolah to spend and drive my BMW with Bling Bling rims. hehehe.... It's gonna be a real struggle for me i believe in my hard work and potential and its gonna pay off one day.
Its sad to leave a company with such reputation and also to leave a department in which you are a pioneer member and you experience the hard times and good times and knowing that things are gonna get better just makes leaving abit harder.

I guess its normal when you have a comfy job and so secure about income, you will feel reluctant to leave for better oportunities. But i believe in the One Life philosophy where you only live once so if you wanna do something , do it and dont regret later that you didnt do it. If opportunity dont knock on your door, go find it and knock on its door instead. The road is paved with gold, but if you dont bend down to pick it up , the gold wont float up and go into your pockets.

I walk out the doors of the world's 2nd largest bank by market value with the pride of a young lion and full of confidence that with a lotsa sweat i will make it in my life, with His blessings.

Dark side of the moon

Its been more than a week since i wrote anything on the blog thanks to the 3pm - 12am shift which i worked throughout the period. During these time, i have gone on a roller-coaster ride from the resignation of my job to the trip down to JB to visit my late friend's grave. It has been eventful and and here i am writing the recounts of these events and its effects on me.
Resigning wasnt an easy thing, you give the letter and tell yourself that theres no turning behind but the not for the current employers that i worked for. Just when i was planning my holiday plan and a backup plan , the AVP offered me a fast track promotion to Assistant Manager if i stayed and at this moment, i'm waiting for the black and white on regards of this. Life is full of choices and sometimes when you are lucky, you spoilt for it ( this time i'm lucky enuff to get a taste of it). Its an open road, but i believe God will guide me through no matter what comes.

Just yesterday, me and some close friends went down to JB for brief vist to my late friend's to pay respects after more than a year since he left the world . It was a quiet trip which had a tinge of sadness and also closure. There was relief that we have lifted a burden which was to graduate from MMU as promised to him and also the sadness that he isnt around anymore. Life went on but took a different turn as the realization of how fragile life is and how death can affect negatively on the balance of things we took for granted. It was a hard way to learn a lesson of life but i have learnt its better to embrace it than trying to navigate it around or pretend it didnt happened. I have also learnt that faith in God is important not only in bad times but also good times. We have to remind ourselves that we are lucky that we have His love and no matter what He will be there for us. We are blessed and be thankful for it.

Keep on rocking the free world!!

Hmm..looks like its the time of the year again, graduation time for most people i know in MMU. I can see that alot of people are feeling nosltalgic and some the feeling hasnt sink in yet. Reminds me on how i feel last year when during my final exams back in august. Felt sad and yet happy that i will finally take a step to conquer the world outside. After 7 months down the road i didnt feel anything anymore. Life changes but we gotta adapt to it. Come May and i wont have a place to hang out in Serdang and no more laughters with close friends that will embark on their own adventures there on. I am feeling the heat a little now but i'll wait till it comes. So much has happen in 3 plus years and finally i am gonna officially graduate this coming august, 1 year after i finish my last paper in MMU. To all the funky people in MMu that is gonna convo with me this year, keep on rocking the free world as you have rocked in MMU!!

Makan - makan @ Marriots Putrajaya

Today was quite an adventure for Tuesday. I had to skip my work for like extra 1 hour than the given 1 hour and rush for a buffet dinner with friends at Marriots Putrajaya, a place i often hang out some time ago and boy it was worth all the trouble getting there. The food was great but most of all, the people that went. Its great meeting up with Dr. Ali , Dr. Mohan and Dr. Ahasanul whom all have taught me tricks of the trade in my course. By meeting them and exchanging ideas, i discovered opportunities and also fresh ideas. Its hard being the working grad but i wont be alone soon, as the jokers from the class of 2005 will graduate in a few weeks time and b thrown into the real world. People like David Ng (of roomart fame) and Peng Yew( sessionist terkenal) are already beginning to shine in their talents of conning people and music. I will take my time to shine and i know most if not all will in their due time.

I owe my knowledge gained in MMU partly to the cool lecturers that have trained me from Padawan to full fledge Jedi and now its up to me to be the Sith..hoor..hoor..hoor.... Had a great lunch and too bad i gotta leave early to go back to work otherwise i believe i will continue to hav more fun. To the good people of MMU Marketing Major past and present, i toast to our impending success ! Cheers!

Sunday jottings

First thing i heard when i stepped in the office this morning was that the pope has passed away. Not exactly the thing you wanna hear early in the morning on a Sunday and in the office (i hate my work) but did anyway. I may not be a Catholic but the the passing of Pope John Paul II is a loss to the cause of peace worldwide and also to cause of spreading God's love. There may be a lot of differences between ideologies but the pope did not let that difference to hinder his efforts to spread love and peace around the world. May his soul rest in peace with The Lord above and lets hope that the efforts put by this man inspire us to be a better citizen of the world and also continue our effort to spread God's love to each other.

Earth Rocking!!!

Thank God we are saved from doom caused by the 8.7 richter scale earthquake early this morning. I wasnt the many lcuky ones that felt the tremors but i dont think so i want to. Its quite disturbing that an earthquake that happened about 330miles from home can actually shake up KL. I am worried that if these things happen more often , our high rise buildings would be structually stable. This is because our buildings are not quake proof in design and the soil in Klang Vally is not so solid if any serious quakes were to happen. In a nutshell, we are all sitting ducks for major catastrophe to happen. Oh well, it can happen and it might not but these thoughts are substantial enough for someone to voice out and hopefully something can be done to save our individual asses if it happens in the future. We are quite screwed as we live in apartments and condos so if you are planning to book that fancy apartment in Bandar Utama think twice and if already own a fancy condo at Mont Kiara, God Bless you!!!.Peace and lets pray that the World is spared from more disasters.

Thinking out of the box: Superheroes style

I am inspired to write about creative thinking in this post today after i received my monthly newsletter from The Actors Studio and there is this article from Mark Beau regarding "superheroes" in his hometown of Penang. Who are these "superheroes" you may ask? They are no other than the "orang gila" patroling the streets near you. These people are "superheroes" because they do things we'd never do and we mere "orang biasa" wont understand them. But if you take a minute to observe them and their antics, you will be suprised on how the heck they can think of doing what they are doing. In creative thinking, we all are keen to come out with something new but it is hard to be "super different" because all of us are confined to our logic and decency. By oberserving TrafikMan and his fellow "superheroes" perhaps we can unlock the constraints of convention and think from a very different view. For artistic purpose only larr, dun go be a superhero yourself.

Support Malaysian Theatre, visit http://www.theactorsstudio.com.my/

An Easter reflection

Am i worthy of His love? is a question that most of us will ask some point or another in our lives. Why a sinner like me and you is loved by God and He is willing to forgive us for our sins. Its love thats why. Love for His children propelled Him to do what He has did for us. I have been enduring alot of hardship these days but whenever i think of what He has gone through for us, i felt ashamed that i cant even have patience and the faith in God that all will be well in the end. His story has inspired faith in my heart to love instead of hate and be patient instead of haste. It says it all and let us all reflect on ourselves this Easter and pray that we continue to receive His grace and unending love so we can share it with the world.

"When others we will not forgive,

God's blessings are denied;

We must forsake our stubbornness

And banish sinful pride."

Ground that is filled with roots of bitterness needs to be plowed by the grace of God.

Wrong display of leadership

Earlier this morning i witness a classic example of a weak leadership. Imagine your team being run down by the manager at 7am in front of new staffs. Not so motivational huh? the results are clear, attrition is high and despite the steps taken by the VP nothing mcuh seems to work and i guess its just too late for anything to be done to reverse the damage inflicted to the crew.

As a manager, we expect to see encouragement, we want to see guidance and examples, we need to see compassion and fairness and also we have to see a captain of the ship. If these qualities are missing, then expect mutiny or abandonment as loyalty is as good as dead. I have heard stories but none beats witnessing it yourself a humilation to people working around and with you. I may be an observer but i do have my principles and it has tested my patience. Its gonna be a bloody battle for all of us but i'm afraid the captain just steered his ship into the cluthes of doom.

P.S : I'm just venting out a censored and edited version of the article. The full article may not be suitable for Malaysians of all ages as we all cant think and need to be guided properly by the censors of the esthablishment. Up yours censorship board!

Afternoons & Coffeespoons

Waking up at 5.15 am in the morning is something i'm not used to do. Its hard to wake up in the morning but its even harder to stay awake after 1pm. Working in this shift has made me a coffee addict again after reducing my doses for the past year. I think i took like 3 cups of strong black coffee in the afternoon today and if it keeps up i might just end up with shivering hands one day. I'm gonna go cold turkey tomorrow and see how things go. At this point of time , i am sleeping awake and its just a matter of time before i shut downnn......zzzzzzzz.

A rough ride monday with a foggy tuesday ahead

Its been a tough day and i foresee a tough week ahead....all i got to say is :

"If some darker lot be good,

Lord, teach us to endure

The sorrow, pain, or solitude

That makes the spirit pure."

To you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. —Philippians 1:29

No trial would cause us to despair if we knew God's reason for allowing it.

A day at the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix 2005

Sunday, March 20 is an incident filled day on and off the track and it all happened during the race day. This year i was fortunate that i managed to get my hands on a Grandstand ticket worth RM700 for only RM150. This means after 3 years of watching the races from the sidelines of the Hillstand, i get to sit down properly under the shade. Sepang circuit today was happening and is crawling with people all over ( not forgetting the hot chicks around) and it was great to be there on a fine Sunday morning. At first, it looks like its a good day but it didnt and it became a nightmare for a good friend of mine.
The day turned into a gloomy one when the very car that my friend drove us to the circuit was stolen right at the carpark of the circuit. To make things worse, the car that was stolen is a 19 year old Nissan Sunny. Amazing huh, an old car parked beside a Satria and a Waja got stolen. Damn, I think the car thief is a stoopid one. With all the expensive cars available at your expense why must it be my transport home.Goddam it! i felt pity for my friend as he lost his working shoes in the car as well as a few racquets, a few can of beers (13 cans to be exact) and also brand new Ferrari cap and a Montoya Mclaren cap worth Rm 350. Its a sad day indeed and the thought that somewhere out there exists such dumb people that steals a Nissan Sunny instead of another Mercedes belonging to a rich guy that can afford a few Mercedes's anyway. All said and done, the only thing i can do is to pray that the cops can find his stolen car and that justice be done to the thief ( not the law but hopefully he dies a slow and painful death someday).
I may be a pissed man today but i can only imagine how my friend is feeling right now. Lets all pray for a good ending to this incident.

Phd at 24?

I did some catching up with my friends last nite. I met up with friends from high scool that i havent met for a very long time, some for years. Its good to be catching up with everybody and it seems that everyone is doing fine in their lives, most working and there is one that is doing his PHD now. Wow or what, at my age he is already doing his Phd and by a few years time he will have the title Dr in front of his name. These days people are getting smarter and they are achieving things young. Is it a good thing or a bad thing? I dun know but at least there will be a negative effect of burnout for some people ( like Owen in Liverpool last time). It will be subjective and the debate will stretch far but for now I'm proud that at least some friend of mine is doing the country and the society some good ( hope so ) by getting his doctorate researching on Fuel Cells ( holy crap i have no idea what it means). As for me , the time will come....one day.

Flip the coin!!

To leave or not to leave, that is the question i'm asking myself everyday. I have a job that pays quite okay for my lifestyle but the problem with it is I'm not learning anything at all. At my age and with my intellectual capabilities, i should be working my brain cells out on a job that has a steep learning curve and hopefully emerge a professional one day. Time is ticking now and i dont think i can wait anymore. But what can i do? apply and keep praying one of it succeeds. I believ i can and i can only hope and pray that I can see the way. Patience is indeed a virtue in situation like this and mine is running thin. My mantra ..

"When men closes a door, God will open another"

Faith and patience shall reward me...i hope.

Fatman Begins

Damn man, i need to lose my kilos and i need to do it quick. Since CNY, i havent been getting any decent workout as i have lost my previleged use of a gym and i need to source for alternatives. Why this fuss you must be saying? well, its like this, just now after work me and some homies went and do our cholestrol testing at South City Plaza ( the National Heart Foundation is having a roadshow there till Sunday) for just 10 bucks ( the nurses there are kinda cute too) and the test results shows that i need to work hard to keep my levels at where they are. Well, i needed a new motivation and i got it now ...to stay alive when i'm like Keith Richards' age!!

A night at the movies: Sepet

After a weekend watching OScar winning movies and all, I decided to taste some local flavour watching our locally produced movie , Sepet. What the $@#% ? you may think , but trust me this is one local movie you must not miss as it brings a fresh air to otherwise stale air of local movie industry. The movie may not have a big budget but what it have is a good script. Even though the movie deals with a love story (whats new ?) between a chinese ah beng VCD seller and some cool Malay girl, the focus of the movie is the script that the actors follow. No fake Cerekarama dialog here but the realistic mixture of Malay, Chinese and English that all of are guilty of speaking everyday. Watching the movie is enjoyable with the two new actors in the lead roles shining through their debut ( the suppoting actors are great as well). Despite the poor post production due to low budget , the movie is one movie that the country has been long waiting for, a movie that doesnt have fake dialogs that only we can see or hear on TV, a movie that has a multiracial cast and also enjoyable to watch. Its a small step, but small steps lead to bigger steps and hopefully one day, we can have a movie as good as what Hong Kong and Thailand produces. Wanna know more, go catch Sepet today!!

Making sense of consumerism

Hmm....are we living in good times? people dont seem to think so but judging by throngs of people at the malls, i guess we are doing quite well economically. But how long will the self fuelled expenditure last for the country?. Currently we have a high rate of liquidity in the market and therefore the interest rates are low and government are encouraging people to spend their disposable income instead of saving up. Its a double edged sword as with current depreciating US dollar and also rising prices of crude oil, the reversal of spending trends might spur a higher rate of inlfation than the 2.7 percent at present. Are our savings enough for our rainy days ? I dont think so unless we repeg the ringgit to a higher rate against the dollar or refloat it totally. The temptations of buying and also the low rates of credit and loans are prying our hard earned ringgit away from our hands to the hands of merchants and also contributing to the overall economy. Is there something we can do about it? Well, if you can spare 30 percent of your nett income for savings and try to keep your debt to below 30 percent of your income than you are on track for a better rainy day. I think i need to get a better instrument than mutual funds if i were to grow my funds. Anyways, i think i'll keep on spending my disposable income before the costs escalate and i cant afford them anymore. What a Sunday rambling ehh?

A weekend at the movies: Million Dollar Baby

Looks like before i could visit my friendly neighbourhood pirate, i went and watch this movie at the cinema at MidValley and boy its a good movie. First impression of the movie was that its just another master and student training to win ala Rocky and Karate-Kid but noo...this movie is not another Hollywood glamourization of sports but more like a movie that has it feets firmly at the ground, more reality than glitz and more emotions than blood. It feels like one of those good B-grade movies that you catch on Hallmark channel except the A-list actors in the movie( totally devoid of effects, you wonder if its shot on a buidget). I cant tell you much here cause it might spoil your viewing but do be warned, its a movie without the conventional ending for story. A good watch and deservingly movie of the year. Nuff said and go watch it a cinema near you.

Work: Fade to Black

Work it seems, will fade away
Drifting further every day
Getting lost within myself
Nothing matters no one else
I have lost the will to work
Simply nothing more to give
There is nothing more for me
Need the end to set me free
Things are not what they used to be
Missing one inside of me
Deathly lost, this can't be real
Cannot stand this hell I feel
Emptiness is filling me
To the point of agony
Growing darkness taking dawn
No one but me can save myself,
Now I can't think, think why I should even try
Yesterday seems as though it never existed
Joblessness greets me warm,
now I will just say good-bye
- my take of Fade to Black by Metallica

Chronicles

I was just browsing through my MMU yearbooks and thinking to myself that alot of things and events have occured since those days in university. Three years have gone since i came to MMU and in that short period of time, i have learned my lessons and also observe changes around me.If i were to put my story into words in detail, i might as well start a manga series revolving me and my life. But the point is i realised i have had better days in the past than now. Life was much simpler 3 years ago but along the way things have to happen. A friend has to leave this earth to be with the Lord and remind us that life is fragile. We may enjoy our lives now but it come to an end anytime. Better days of old, where there was less animosity around the air. Now the air of animosity corrupts the bond of fellowship that once was forged. Forgotten now are the days where single minded fun ruled the day, the smell of Marlboro Lights that evaded the room with the background music of System of a Down. Things are different now, time changes everything even the fibres of the universe. People have changed as well, some became good some were lost to the dark side. I wont know where i stand but people around me do. I guess the winds of change blows hard and like fallen leaves, the old will be forgotten and the new will take over. I guess life goes on and the memories of the past will remind me of who i am and who i was if i ever were to be tempted by the dark side.

Boston rain melody

The title of this post is actually a song by Steve Vai that describes the beauty and the majesty of a storm or a heavy rain. It has been raining since Staurday and it is indeed a blessing from above that we get some respite from the heat and enjoy some rain.Its wet but i dont care coz i'm having a good time. Its things like this that reminds me no matter what we can do, there are some things which is out of our control and we are at mercy of. The searing heat is one, when it gets so hot we would do anything for rain to fall but is there anything we can do? Only hope and pray right? We are indeed at the mercy of the mighty power above us, but despite all our failures He still loves us. Funny how the rain can inspire such thoughts and also brings out the beauty in life. We may be facing some draughts in our life, but the rain we are waiting for is just a prayer away. Be blessed.