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.