A Muse Man

Where to find help

2010-09-03T01:07:00.003+08:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed to find information about a certain issue but you were not too sure of where exactly to look? I suppose most of us have, and apart from family and friends, many of us would eventually turn to the Internet. Yet, how far is what we read on the Internet reliable?

The National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA) is perhaps the best place to find information and advice on mobility equipment if you're looking to purchase one for a loved one with a disability. The association is strictly non-profit and it is the only association that promotes safe driving and equipment for people with disabilities. All of its members are required to adhere to the safety standards of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration so you can be assured the recommendations and advice they provide are trustworthy.

A personalized 'in-person' evaluation helps determine the best driving solution that meets a certain person's specific lifestyle and needs. If any additional refinements or training is needed, the NMEDA dealer is able to assist. And if, because of these, you think that NMEDA dealers already have a high-degree of professionalism, the NMEDA goes one better. They also have Quality Assurance Program (QAP) dealers. Dealers with this accrediation are held to extremely high standards in serving and meeting consumers' transportation needs. in case you didn't know, the Quality Assurance Program (QAP) is the only recognized accreditation program in Canada and the United States for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. It is based on the principle that in order to satisfy customers consistently, companies must have a systematic and documented approach to quality.

How's that for impeccable service and assurance of safety?

Flying time

2010-09-03T00:01:00.000+08:00

My oh my...how time flies.

A look at my last post and it was over a month ago! I suppose that's to be expected. I have other things occupying my interest now and blogging here is not really high up on my priority list at the moment. But, for the time being I'll still leave this blog here while I sort things out with the current project that I'm working on. And when the time comes, I'll announce it here and we'll see then where we'll go from there.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to the school holidays which begin tomorrow! That's 2 weeks! That means more time to do the things that I want to do and it's a much needed reprieve from the daily grind of teaching.

The Hong Kong Children's Choir

2010-07-25T23:50:00.003+08:00

(Last night, the Hong Kong Children's Choir performed at Star City Exhibition Hall. I'll be writing my experience of attending this show in two parts because I feel that I wouldn't be doing justice to the spectacular performance presented by them.)

The weeks before the performance of the Hong Kong Children's Choir, I got to know about their show here in Kota Kinabalu through the several banners hung around town. I had never heard of them before, but I supposed the fact that they were performing internationally at our shores meant that they were probably good enough.

I had no intention of attending the performance, but just last week my neighbour had been talking about it to my wife saying how her daughter had been wanting to go and watch the performance. At the same time, the organisers had been promoting the tickets for the show at my wife's school as well, and that sort of got my wife interested and she in turn got me interested. So, in the end we decided to go and brought along Adelle as well. Our neighbour's daughter came along as with us as well.

We arrived at the Star City Exhibition Hall just after 7 pm without having taken our dinner because we thought we were running late. We bought our tickets and proceeded to take our seats. We sat at the second row from the front so that we could have a pretty good view of the choir. But since there were no signs of the show starting yet, I took the opportunity to have a bite together with Adelle. My wife had packed some food for us to eat so Adelle and I looked for a suitable place to eat. By the time we finished about 15 minutes later, the show still hadn't started. In fact, it didn't start until it was 8 pm. That was a whole hour delay from the time printed on the tickets.

Despite the hiccup, when things started it was smooth sailing all the way. The emcee got things rolling with the usual reminders - silencing handphones, no flash photography, too keep to our seats during performance until intermission - and then invited several VIPs and their spouses to come up on stage to do a ribbon-cutting ceremony. With that out of the way, the choir came in followed by the conducting to enthusiastic applause and my surprise. The troupe is called the Hong Kong Children's Choir so I was expecting to see children. But, the first thing I noticed was that these people didn't look like children - more adolescent than primary schoolers. But it was a small matter - semantics one might say.

We were given a programme sheet for the evening's performance and it'd say we'd be treated to both English and Chinese songs with the intermission dividing the two. The first two songs were hymns and they were followed by several more secular songs. The song selection for the first part of the performance was a mixture of slow and upbeat songs which kept things interesting. But, what proved outstanding were the quality of their voices and the well-choreographed movements. No, they didn't just stand still while they sang, they were moving all parts of their bodies and at certain times, even walking about exchanging places and in what looked like utter chaos! It's a wonder they didn't bump into each other and fell onstage!

Here are some of the photos I took during the performance.

The host for the evening, a Rotarian.


The choir's opening act.

Noticed this girl crying - wonder why...


The group's largely made up of girls.

Singing and movement - perfectly synchronized.

Action during one of the more upbeat songs.

Sometimes, choir members would say something to introduce a piece or provide information about their group.

They dance as well!

Reminds me of a scene from the Sound of Music.

Awaiting their turn to come in - all eyes fixed on the conductor.

You get some really funny actions in some of the songs!

The crying girl becomes a happy, graceful girl.

Different parts of the choir would be doing different actions - all perfectly polished!

The Fourteenth Letter

2010-07-18T23:51:00.001+08:00

So, without saying them out loud (and without using your fingers to count), tell me what's the fourteenth letter of the alphabet? Just right off the bat, what is it?

It's the letter N.

Now, why am I thinking about this particular letter? Well, it's the start to a word that perfectly describes this blog's situation right now: Neglected.

I see my last update has been over a month ago. It's been slightly over two years since I first started this blog and in that span of time I've written just over 150 entries. Not exactly a wordsmith kind of scale by any means. But, I've made a few friends along the way, and a few bucks which made for some motivation. But, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to actually sit down in front of the computer to write here. Not that I don't have anything to say, mind you. There were many times where something happened and I told myself that I'd put that up in my blog but I just never got round to doing it.

So I'm just wondering - wondering if this whole feeling of wanting to blog will actually finally leave me. I'll leave that to time to provide the answer.

Nine hours

2010-06-10T00:00:00.000+08:00

As I write this, the clock on my computer tells me it's exactly midnight. I should probably be getting to bed. After all, in nine hours' time (hence, the title of my post) I'll be sitting behind a desk in some secondary school, a black pen in my shirt pocket, four 2B pencils and a rubber laid out in front of me, awaiting my question paper to be handed to me.

Yes, I'm sitting for an exam.

At precisely nine o'clock (GMT+8) on the tenth day of the sixth month of the tenth year of the new millennium, thousands all across Malaysia will be in the same situation as I will be: holding a blue question paper consisting of forty questions before them, and quite possibly be exhibiting one of two kinds of behaviours described below:

The more diligent ones would probably be smiling to themselves and already thinking about what new things they can buy with the new pay increment they would get once they aced the paper.
The ones on the opposite side of the spectrum (like myself) would also be smiling to themselves and wondering why they even bothered waking up that morning.

Being a teacher, I understand that exams are a necessary part of life. How else would you be able to measure your understanding of a certain topic or discipline. Besides, I like shading those tiny oblongs on the answer paper. It feels quite relaxing.

If only this exam didn't determine your supposed competency at doing your job...

Caffeine fix

2010-05-25T15:15:00.004+08:00

How do you like your coffee?

Ask any coffee drinker that and you're bound to get very different answers. For me it's simple. I like mine thick and with enough condensed milk to just provide that lift to the flavour of the coffee. If I don't get what I want, I'd just have a few sips of the coffee and call the waiter for them to add whatever it is that was lacking. Of course, the coffee I'm talking about here is your kopitiam variety, not one of those fancy-schmansy designer places you pay top dollars for. While your local coffee shop may not have the extensive menu of places like Starbucks or Coffee Bean, you're not exactly short of choices. Just think of the ways you can order your coffee:

The base:

Kopi O - Your locally brewed black coffee served with either sugar or no sugar.

Then, you have the add-ons to the basic drink:

Kopi - The same coffee as above but with the addition of condensed milk. My kind of drink: smooth, and sweetish with just a hint of bitterness to it.
Kopi/Kopi O Kaw - The same as either one of the drinks above, just with a bit more oomph. The 'kaw' literally means 'tall', which indicates you want your coffee to be stronger, thicker.
Kopi/Kopi O Pok - Again the same drinks, but this time the opposite of 'kaw'. 'Pok' means 'thin', and so you want your coffee to be thin or weak, almost watery. (I can't understand how some people can actually drink this! You might as well be drinking water!)
Kopi Susu - The same local brew served with milk instead.

All those choices are for the local brew alone. Now, if you're more the Nescafe kind of drinker, well the same choices are open to you! And let's not forget that highly original Malaysian concoction called Neslo: Nescafe and Milo.

Oh, if you're interested and you're in Kota Kinabalu, a Gloria Jean's Coffee outlet has just opened at Jesselton Point and is currently running a buy-one-free-one offer. The flyer says the promotion's on for a month.

Cup of hot java. I like.

One day past

2010-05-18T00:03:00.003+08:00

Yesterday, May 16, was the Thomas Cup Finals, and as expected the Chinese were unbeatable, and so China get to hold on to the trophy for another two more years. But, yesterday was also another special day of sorts because it was a day to celebrate teachers - it was Teacher's Day. Unlike Mother's Day or Father's Day, there's no great fanfare when this day comes around. For most, the day almost seems...normal.

I did a search on Wikipedia and apparently there's no standard date for this day - every different country celebrates Teacher's Day on different dates. Also, some countries mark this day as a holiday (now, THAT would really be my kind of Teacher's Day). But, since it's just about exam season right now in many schools I suspect most will only hold some kind of celebration at before term breaks.

Adelle made a Teacher's Day card for all her teachers at her playschool and I'm quite proud that she managed to draw and colour it all by herself. It's her first real piece of artwork and I must say she's rather proud of her achievement as well.

Adelle showing off her masterpiece

So, here's to all teachers - God bless you as you continue your struggle in educating the minds of the nation.

The Thomas and Uber Cup - whither are we to go?

2010-05-15T17:25:00.000+08:00

Well, that's it. Malaysia's out - again. Three games to nil. What a whitewash considering all the talk during the build-up to the competition. So, it'll be another two-year wait before the chance comes again for Malaysia to attempt to win the Thomas Cup. And when that time arrives, it'll be more jittery nerves and tension, and maybe even a few more finger gestures directed towards the crowd.

I have not been able to watch a single game of the on-going Thomas and Uber Cup matches until today. All this while, my only updates came from friends and the daily news reports in the papers which, while they allow myself to broaden my imagination by picturing the games when they happened, is hardly heart-stopping and exciting stuff. So, when I finally managed to find a web-link that offered live streaming of the games, that just made my day. If you're interested you can find the live-streaming of the games here. It's actually linked to TV1, so it comes with all the ads (and news) that come with the channel.

I wonder if this link will continue to work right up till the time of the World Cup...imagine all those games.

*rubbing hands in glee*

Oh, just in case you're wondering why I don't just watch the games on television, well it's like this. The idiot-box I have isn't connected to the aerial. Thank God for the internet.

Cause for worry?

2010-05-10T21:57:00.000+08:00

I was talking to my dad over the phone just now and he mentioned something which I found to be quite disturbing - disturbing because this is the first I've heard about it, and also because many people in this country, including myself occasionally, use it. The worrying news has to do with mouthwash.

Do you use it?

If you use Listerine, Plax, or any other mouthwash that contains alcohol there is a potentially higher risk of you developing oral cancer. Yes, you read that right - using those brightly-coloured, minty (or citrusy, take your pick) flavoured liquids may lead to cancer. I was rather skeptical when my Dad talked about it, so I looked it up and true enough, there have been reports about such a claim. The Australian Dental Association had apparently published a paper concerning the use of mouthwashes and this was what was said:

"There is now sufficient evidence to accept the proposition that developing oral cancer is increased or contributed to by the use of alcohol-containing mouthwashes."

You can read more about it in this article from the Daily Telegraph, an Australian newspaper, which was published way back in January 2009. The actual paper may be read here if you're interested.

Having said that however, a supposedly comprehensive study along the same lines published in the Journal of the American Dental Association (ADA) in 2003 claims that there is no link between alcohol-based mouthwashes and oral cancer. The ADA even recommends that such mouthwashes be used as part of your oral hygiene regimen.

Conflicting conclusions means nothing is conclusive yet. So, the ball's in our park - do we err on the side of caution, or not?

The Inevitable

2010-04-22T16:00:00.000+08:00

Have you ever thought about how much the typical Malaysian eats?

If the government courses that I occasionally have to attend were to be taken as some kind of norm for the average Malaysian, then the only conclusion that anyone can come to would be this:

A lot! A whole lotta lot!

Take your typical full-day government-sponsored course or conference: you start off the day with breakfast (whether at home, or at the venue of the said event if the organiser so generously provides it). The course then begins promtply at 8.00 am and after oh about two hours, there's a break and with it comes...tea, coffee, some cakes or pastries, and maybe even some fried noodles or vermicelli. After thirty minutes of nibbling, then comes lunch, just two hours later.

After lunch, it's back to more serious matters and perhaps around mid-afternoon at about 3.30, tea break commences with more finger food. And so you continue your sessions some more and before you know it, it's the end of the day and then it's time for tea, then later in the evening, dinner! Count it - that's five meals a day! And if you have night sessions, there will also be supper so that will make it six! Isn't it any wonder then why the circumference around your waist continues to grow larger?

I for one am growing - horizontally. I think I'm larger than I've even been before, and the sight of all that folded flesh and skin when I sit is not something I'm going to get used to. It must be because of me sitting too much in front of the computer. Sigh.

I've heard crunches are supposed to be good...

Trading fairs

2010-03-23T15:23:00.000+08:00

We all like the occasional trip to the funfair when it comes round to our neighbourhood. You get to go on rides that may leave your heart permanently in your mouth, shoot hoops all for the sake of winning some ridiculously cheap prizes, and even be covered in that icky, sickeningly sweet candy floss. Still, funfairs are great fun even if you only go home with your hands empty and your head in a spin with all that nauseating rides you were in just a few moments ago.

But, there's another kind of fair my wife and I will try to visit at least once when it happens, and that's a trade fair. Each year in Kota Kinabalu, there's this Sabah International Expo which brings in not only local companies but also companies from other countries. I think such fairs are equally interesting as you get to see all sorts of new products you never knew existed, you get to witness demonstrations of some modern appliance, and you can even sample some of the products when it comes to food. For all this, I think such trade fairs are definitely worth a visit.

Apart from that, visit this kind of event, and you're bound to see all sorts of trade show booths all around the venue. And the way each booth tries to make itself attractive is something else to wonder. You'd see trade show displays of all types with the range of products a company offers displayed in neat panels, and I must say, some of them can prove to be quite effective in getting your attention. But, I say if you're going to make yourself known, you may as well go the full distance and smother (albeit, tastefully) every bit of available space with your company logo and product info, no? I've seen some companies use logo floor mats and hang banners from the truss standing over the exhibit area. That's in addition to the displays they have already put up.

But, I don't mind all that. I find such trade fairs quite interesting and informative, and who knows, you may even find a bargain or two, or it may even be the place that sparks that long-thought-about business opportunity.

A smoother drive?

2010-03-21T02:28:00.004+08:00

Let me just say on the onset that I'm not a car expert. I can tell different models or makes of cars apart, but if you asked me how powerful a car was, or what year model a certain car is, I wouldn't be able to tell you. Neither am I an engine expert. If I took apart my car's engine, I might as well buy a new car as I'd never be able to put the engine back together. Oh, and one last thing - I'm in no way affiliated to any of the brands I'm going to mention later in this post, though I wish I was so that I'd get paid megabucks for it.

Okay, now that that's out of the way - let me ask in introduction what petrol brand do you use? When I first got my car about 9 years ago, I was a Shell user through and through. I guess it was because my parents used it and nothing else, so I was just sort of continuing the tradition. Yes, yes...lousy reason, I know but that's what it is.

But, then a friend told me about how Esso fuels were much better - your car had more power, and the drive was smoother. I didn't try it then and there, but I eventually did. And what did I find out? True enough the car responded better, and the drive was smoother. It was almost as if I had just had the car serviced. And ever since then I used Esso almost exclusively. But, just last week I filled up with Shell again as no Esso stations were open on my way to work, and the car was running dangerously low on fuel. And since I'd pass a Shell station on my way, so that's where I filled up. No perceptible difference...

until...

with the tank about half full, I filled up again at Esso yesterday. So, in my tank was half Shell, half Esso. I can't say whether the drive felt any different then, but just this evening, it did - quite perceptibly. The car was quieter, and smoother. I told my wife that it felt just like the first time I filled up with Esso.

So, here's the thing. Each fuel company promotes its own fuels saying how good they are and I suppose each adds their own special formula of fuel additive as well. But, I'm just wondering if mixing those two will actually give 'better' performance. My wife suggested that I try filling up using alternate brands next time. I suppose I'll try just to see if this continues.

Now, I must say that what I've said is just based on my observation and 'feel'. It'd be interesting to know if anyone else has a similar experience. Drop me a comment if you do or don't think that mixing different brands of fuel has resulted in better performance for your car.

It could be just that I'm imagining things.

P is for Pizza

2010-03-18T22:55:00.008+08:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Tony's Pizza. All opinions are 100% mine.

Okay, raise your hand if you've never ever eaten a pizza? Thought so. Apart from that other famous Italian export - think long thin rods or strips - the pizza is a firm favourite for a lot of people. That includes me!

But what happens if you get a sudden craving for one late at night (guys get them too, you know!)? The restaurants are closed, and all the delivery guys have gone home. Well, that's when the frozen variety like Tony's Pizza makes a more than equal substitute. Want to feel that gooey cheese and those full-flavoured pepperoni slices tickling all those taste buds at just that instant? Nothing easier than just opening the freezer, taking the pizza and popping it into the oven. Almost instant gratification. Man, I'm making me hungry!

And that's just the savings in time. Those frozen pizzas can also save you some money. Think about it - you don't have to drive your car to the restaurant (saving on fuel and hence, money) and you don't have to pay whatever service charges the restaurant includes in the bill. Lip-smacking food at a lower cost. That's a great combination.

Now, a pizza's nice enough to be enjoyed on its own. But, what if you pair it up with something like bowling? I'd say that sounds like double the fun. And that's just what Tony's Pizza is offering right now - free bowling along with the pizza. Between throws, you can munch on a slice or two and plot your strategy for conquering the lanes. Who knows? That pizza may just be the needed extra boost for your game.

Did I say that Tony's pizzas also great for a movie night? No? Well then...I think it will!

Where has it gone?

2010-03-12T23:24:00.003+08:00

Where has what gone you may ask?

Something known as "common courtesy". If you don't know what that is, then my point is proven: common courtesy isn't very common anymore. It refers to your etiquette, minding your Ps and Qs, and treating other people politely. But, increasingly I see this thing called courtesy becoming more and more uncommon.

A very common scenario: What do you do as you push open a door to enter or exit a building? As a lot of people are wont to do, they push open the door, walk through it, and let go of it - and in the process, smashing the swinging door right in the face of the poor soul who happens to be walking right behind them. How hard is it to just have a quick look behind you as you're opening the door, and if you see someone approaching, to hold the door open for them? It costs you nothing, and in return you may even get a thank you and a smile that's sure to warm you right up.

Another example, what do you do when someone kindly signals to you that they are giving you way to turn out from a junction? Increasingly, people just drive on without even so much as a glance at the person who offered the kind deed. Would it be so hard to just lift your hand and smile at the person for being so thoughtful as a means of thanks before driving off? I think not. If it hadn't been for him, you'd still be stuck where you were hoping for some break in the never-ending traffic.

I could go on but I think you can think of more examples yourself. I don't think any of us would like to live in a world where being polite and courteous had ceased to exist. That's why we need to

rock the boat
buck the trend
stop the rot.

Educate our young people on how to be polite and courteous. Don't just tell them, show them. After all, it's often said that action speaks louder than words.

Zee Avi Live in Malaysia

2010-03-09T14:55:00.006+08:00

Those of you who've been following this blog (all two or three of you...haha) will probably remember that I've posted about a Malaysian singer who made it quite big on youtube not too long ago. If your brain cells have somewhat depleted since then and can't quite remember what or who I'm referring to, here's the link to the post to help you remember again.

Remember now? Well, why am I talking about her again? Well, I just received an email from AirAsiaRedtix.com (in case you're wondering, yes...it IS related to that now-everyone-can-fly airline company) and they tell me that no other than Zee Avi herself is coming to perform right here in Malaysia!

It's about time, I say.

Taken from AirAsiaTix.com

A quick check on the ticket prices and it seems that they have an early-bird promotion going on. For the first 1000 tickets sold, it's RM42.50 for the main deck (I suppose that's like the generic seats that you get on Airasia flights)) and RM80 for the upper deck (I guess that's like the hotseats...). Not too expensive, I must say.

But, for people like me staying 'overseas' on the other side of Malaysia, I think the cost would still be a bit too prohibitive. Another quick check on the Airasia website and return tickets would cost me over RM600. I think I'll take a rain check for this one. But, that doesn't mean you have to, especially if you're on the other side.

Update: I've just found out that every single ticket for Zee Avi's Live Concert here in Malaysia has been sold! Amazing. For those of us who missed it, we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed that she'll come by this way again.

Grilles, deadbolts, padlocks and alarms

2010-02-25T22:10:00.002+08:00

When I look at the houses of today, I sometimes cannot fail to notice how different they are from those from about 25 years ago. For one thing, architects nowadays are more bold in their designs. So, while you still get the more conventional four-side box designs of old, you also get the more updated ones (which are essentially still boxy, but with more play of different box shapes) that look quite refreshing.

House designs aside, the other difference you're bound to notice is the security features that any typical house has nowadays. Grilles, deadbolts, and padlocks have become the norm rather than the exception nowadays. Twenty five years ago, you'd be hard put to spot a house with any of them. You just had bare windows and doors.

And it's not just grilles and deadbolts and padlocks, too. Closed-circuit television, and even motion sensors are becoming increasingly popular among house owners from my observations. I suppose nowadays some would consider an autogate, grilles, and a home security system the bare minimum to have for any house.

Of the three perhaps the most important is the home security system. So, I was curious and searched for one and I found HomeSecurityTeam.com. While they do not offer their services in Malaysia, the security system that they market is one many are familiar with: ADT Security System. While I'm not a subscriber of any of their products, I've noticed more than a few houses sporting the ADT logo on the alarm attached to the exterior walls. A look at their website says that they have been in operations since 1874 and have over 7 million customers worldwide. I suppose many potential customers would put their trust in a company with a reputation like that. I think I would put ADT Security high up on my list too, if ever I was looking for a dependable provider for home security systems.

This was brought to you by your friends at Homesecurity.com.

A New Year's Post

2010-02-23T23:02:00.006+08:00

Let me see.

It's been 10 days since the first day of Chinese New Year, and that would make this post on Chinese New Year more than a bit late. But, since celebrations actually last for 15 days then I'm not overly late so I'll just go ahead and wish everyone a Happy New Year. Don't let all the roaring (it is the year of the Tiger, is it not?) make your voice go hoarse.

How was your celebrations (and the off days that went with it?)? For the first time ever, the whole family managed to go to Klang to celebrate this auspicious occasion. That's thanks to cheap airline tickets and a rather long-ish school break. It's a nice change from the usual routine during New Year celebrations here in Sabah.

Anyway, apart from the customary New Year's eve meal (which my mother-in-law single-handedly prepared!), we managed to visit a friend's house and also make our traditional 'pilgrimage' to Mid Valley Megamall on the second day of Chinese New Year. We were expecting the place to be rather quiet, and at first when we arrived there it seemed that way. Quite a number of the outlets were closed, and the place wasn't as crowded as usual.

Mid Valley's Centre Court with its Chinese New Year decorations. I like!

Decorations at The Gardens.

But, after walking around The Gardens and deciding to have lunch after that, we found that we couldn't find any restaurant to eat that wasn't already full! So in the end, we ate at the food court at The Gardens which was not too bad. And after that, it was more window-shopping.

The next day, it was reunion time with my brothers and parents (who also decided to fly over). This would be the first in a number of years as well that my brothers, my parents and I would be reunited for Chinese New Year. Can't find a better opportunity than this to have a family portrait together.

One ~~big~~ moderate-sized family.

Happy New Year everyone!

What you want, when you want it

2010-01-28T00:14:00.005+08:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Charter. All opinions are 100% mine.

How would you describe your habit when it comes to watching TV? Would you say that you are:

a. the couch potato: you breathe, eat and sleep TV!
b. the seat warmer: you spend a few hours on the TV, but life still excites you more.
c. the hit-and-runner: you only watch a specific show and then turn the TV off

I wouldn't say that either me or my wife are TV addicts, but once we get interested in a particular show, then it's hook, line and sinker. But, what we don't like about watching television series is that we'd have to wait a whole week (that's seven 24-hour days!) for the next episode to find out what happens next, and that, by any reckoning is so frustrating sometimes. Then, of course you'd have to actually be around the TV on a particular day at a particular time to enjoy your favourite show. You miss it then you're just going to have to figure out what happened. Wouldn't it be great if you could just watch what you want when you want?

Now, apparently you can. Having a service like Charter digital actually allows you to watch your favourite shows when you want it. There are no schedules, and that means no more waiting. That also means no more squabbles among family members because of missed shows. Now, everyone can just tune in whenever they want. Imagine over 6000 movies and shows available to you right at your fingertips. Talk about On Demand, this just rocks!

If you're interested, you can learn more at charter.net/ondemand or you can even get updates and fun extras on Charter’s Facebook page.

Now, if only this service were available here in this country.

The hardest words

2010-01-27T22:55:00.006+08:00

What would you say is the hardest word or words to say that you've ever come across in English? And when I say hardest, I don't mean the most difficult to say in a given situation (the words "sorry", "thank you" and "please" come to mind). What I mean is the most difficult to produce by your tongue and mouth - the hardest to pronounce, the most laborious to produce. You may think of some tongue twisters like:

Red lorry, yellow lorry; or
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?; or (try this one for size)
The sixth sick sheikh's sixth sheep's sick; or (if you're really good)
The sixth sick sheikh's sixth sheep's sick so six slick sheiks sold six sick sheep six silk sheets!

But, I'm veering off topic here. Anyway, I'm a teacher and a teacher, well, teaches things. And in my ten or so years of teaching, I'd say many things have astounded and bewildered me. But, year in, year out, one just keeps me amazed. I'd say one of the hardest words in the English language for my students to say are these:

"May I come in, please?"

If I'm assigned a Form 1 class to teach, then one of the very first things that I do with them is to get them accustomed to asking for permission to leave and enter the classroom in English. And boy, do some of them really struggle, especially with the coming in bit.

You'd think that it's simple - five words, not very hard to pronounce, quite easy to remember. But, a lot of my students have great difficulty in uttering those supposedly "simple" words. They'd get the structure all mixed up, or they'll leave out one of the words, or they'll mispronounce a word or two, or they'll even draw a blank even after I have repeated the question over and over.

I've tried almost everything that I can think of - breaking up the sentence into short phrases like "May I", followed by "come in", and then "please", and they are able to follow. But, when I ask them to repeat the question on their own they become lost again and the whole drill restarts. From my experience, this is usually a year-long affair - you have to keep reminding them, and keep them practising. They'll sometimes try to cop out and ask for permission to leave the classroom in Malay, but I insist that they ask me in English.

Now, I'm not complaining about my students nor am I condemning them. I'm just wondering what it is that has made them like that. Lack of stimulation? Lack of nutrition? Lack of proper training? Just five simple words to remember and repeat, but they can't.

It just baffles me.

Noisy nuisance

2010-01-25T22:10:00.003+08:00

Check your calendars and you'll know that Chinese New Year's just under three weeks away. As a kid, I enjoyed this occasion tremendously, and why not? I get to eat scrumptious food that I'd get to eat only once a year (since that's the only time that I actually get to eat some of my aunts'and uncles' cooking), but more than that there's the ready supply of fireworks! One of my uncles would be the supplier and my cousins, brother and I would rub our hands in glee over the precious loot. And we'd play to our hearts content.

But, it seems that some people nowadays are in an overly early celebratory mood. For the past couple of nights, I've been hearing the sounds of fireworks going off around the neighbourhood. Now, I wouldn't mind so much if it were already Chinese New Year because it's to be expected. But, the New Year's still so far away!

So, I find all these high-pitched whistles and mini-explosions a nuisance and an irritant - more so since these people seem to get itchy fingers past 9pm when Adelle's already asleep. Adelle's not especially fond of all these fireworks going off when she's awake, more so when she's asleep - they wake her up and disturb her sleep. So, whenever these things explode I'd stop whatever it is that I'm doing and wait and see... whether Adelle would wake up or not. If she does, then I'll have to go up and pacify her and reason with her saying how 'naughty' all these people are who play fireworks when it's not even Chinese New Year yet. Only when she's convinced then Adelle will go quietly back to sleep...until the next bang wakes her up, then it's the whole process again. It can be quite tiring - for me having comfort Adelle again and again, but also for Adelle because of her disturbed sleep.

I'm all for celebrating special occasions, but let it be done in consideration for others, especially if the celebration involves loud noises.

Expiration introspection

2010-01-20T23:56:00.004+08:00

I was reminded again of our how mortal we can be just this morning when I was reading the local newspaper. Every day we read of obituaries, news of natural disasters, accidents, murders, wars, and I think I've read so much of all these tragedies that I have somehow grown somewhat desensitised to it all (which can be dangerous). I may think to myself, "Oh, it's another earthquake...how terrible", but promptly proceed to forget about it a few hours later.

But, something made me take notice of this particular news item. "Taiwanese Man Dies After Watching 'Avatar', the headline said. Apparently, the victim had a history of high blood pressure and having watched the movie, he complained of being unwell and by the time he reached the hospital, he was already unconscious. Eleven days later, the man died from brain haemorrhage, which the emergency-room doctor said could have been triggered by over-excitement from the movie.

What was meant to bring enjoyment, instead brought death.

I've personally heard numerous stories of people engaging in activities that they enjoy only to suddenly drop dead the very next second. I read as well of supposedly fit people like professional footballers suddenly drop dead in the middle of the game. I know this sounds like a morbid subject to talk about, but I guess sometimes it's helpful to have such reminders to actually slap me in the face and tell me that hey, you never know when you're going to leave this world so why not make every second that you have, count.

But even more importantly, make doubly sure that I know where I'm headed after that.

Not so funky

2010-01-17T00:55:00.008+08:00

I've previously posted about what I think are the three essential characteristics that a restaurant should have in order to attract new patrons and more importantly, keep customers returning. I think this is especially important if the restaurant or stall was new. You just need to make that great first impression on the customer, and if you pass that hurdle, then chances are he or she may just come back and bring their friends even. Nothing makes a business prosper like word of mouth. People like what you offer, they'll come back, they'll tell their friends about it, and those friends will come, and tell their friends about it, and so on.

Well, this evening the whole family decided to try out a new eatery here just in Damai. We got to know about it because, one day, as we were walking to another restaurant for lunch a couple of doors away, we noticed this new place and started looking at their menu. The owner happened to be sitting outside and started talking, telling us how his restaurant's prices were good. From the menu, I thought the prices were pretty standard, but since the place looked classier (not the coffeeshop variety), then it offered slightly better value - the ambiance being considered.

So, I filed this at the back of my head (this was maybe a month or two ago) and finally today, we decided to check out this new eatery. And the place is called Funky Town. If you know where Maple Cafe is, then Funky Town is just two doors away...I think.

We decided to sit inside and what greets you soon after you go in is a whiff of something strange. I couldn't quite put my finger on what the smell was: it was a mixture of something damp, and cockroaches. Not very pleasant. But we later found out it was nothing of the sort. It was the remnant of the smells of one of their offerings: Fried Sambal Meehoon. Apparently, customers had complained about the smell (it was actually the sambal) and so they decided to take it off the menu.

So, anyway we look at the menu and my wife decided to go for the fish and chips, and I decided to try out their lamb chop. Order done, we sit down and relax and I check out the place. It had pleasantly dim lighting, soft background music, and with not many customers at that time, the place was cosy enough to have a decent conversation without having to stress your vocal cords.

The first surprise of the evening was when the fish and chips arrived in front of my wife in about 5 minutes - that was fast! Before Adelle or my wife could lay their knife and fork on it, I whipped out my camera and snapped a few pictures of the dish. Here it is:

Fish and chips - wish they were bigger

First impressions. The fish pieces looked a bit on the small side (as I'm typing this, my wife's eating some instant noodles saying that the dinner wasn't filling at all), but probably the size of the plate didn't help either. The amount of food didn't cover the plate adequately so it looked a bit empty. Perhaps they could have added a lettuce leaf of something together with the coleslaw just to fill in the empty white spaces, or use a smaller plate, or better yet increase their portions! So, presentation was not quite there.

Taste? My wife took the first bite and said, "Frozen dory". I knew what that meant as I still remembered the time we bought home some and attempted to make fish and chips. You see, frozen dory is more or less tasteless, and I suppose the batter didn't help add much to the taste. Luckily there was the tartar sauce. The chips were a bit soggy as well, and the whole dish was a tad on the oily side.

So, that's my take (or rather my wife's take as I only had a small bite) on the fish and chips. How was the lamb chop? Well, I'm still wondering. My lamb never arrived. After waiting for about half an hour (and my wife and Adelle were finishing the last bits of their meal), I see a plate of lamb chop come out of the kitchen window, the waiter takes it, and proceeds to give it to a group of young people seated next to us who came and ordered much later. It was then that I decide to ask the waitress (the one who took our orders) to check on my order and also another order of chicken wings that we had made. She goes to the kitchen and checks and never informs me what has happened.

I wait.

Twenty minutes later, my food still hadn't arrived. Food was coming out of the kitchen so I know the cooks were preparing food, just other people's and not mine. The order of chicken wings finally came and I decided to cancel my order. He apologised. When the waiter put the chicken wings on the table, I stifled a laugh. Before us was a small serving plate with two pieces of wings and nothing else. No garnishing, no sauce, nothing...just the two chicken wings sitting on the plain white saucer. Here it is:

The very airy plate of chicken wings

The three of us shared the wings, and though they were tasty enough they were not enough to lift my mood. Just then, my neighbour and his family walked in. I was almost tempted to tell him to find another place to eat but decided against it. Perhaps their experience would be more positive than mine.

Experience and training were clearly lacking in the staff: a lack of experience in handling a clearly disgruntled customer because of a huge mistake on their part (if I were the proprietor, I would have offered a free meal or if that were too much, offered a free side dish or something for the whole family. After all, you're new and you desperately want your customers to come again!); and a lack of training because an experienced staff would have noticed that my order wasn't filled yet even after so long. The restaurant wasn't very busy, so if the waitress who had taken my order had been alert she would have noticed me just sitting and looking at my wife and Adelle eat and would have checked my order with the kitchen.

Just before we got the bill, the waitress who took our order came and gave us something on the house - a pot of frozen yogurt. She offers her apologies saying that the kitchen had forgotten about my order. So, the yogurt was offered as "compensation"- a peace offering. My wife and Adelle ate some, and I was left the task of finishing off my "meal" while my wife went to pay for the meal. The person in-charge (who happened to be my wife's ex-student) asked my wife how I was and my wife's reply was, "Well, put it this way. A hungry man is an angry man."

The giant and the dwarf - the "peace offering" that was given
next to a standard-sized mug of water.

How apt.

My wife's ex-student went on to say that the kitchen messed up the order, and I suppose she may have apologised again. We walk out of the restaurant, and I was thinking, "Should I ever go there again?"

Maybe, maybe not.

Verdict:
Service - Below average (especially after they dare charge the 5% service charge!)
Food - So, so. Portion could have been better. My wife thinks Fish and Co. offers better value if you want fish and chips: a bit more pricey but a whole lot more tasty and portion is larger.
Value: RM12.90 for the fish and chips and RM4.50 for the wings - not the best value but not too expensive as well.

Update: Well, what do you know? It looks like my boo-boo wasn't a one-off thing. My neighbour whom we met at the restaurant also had a similar experience. Telling my wife this evening, my neighbour said that somehow the waiter/waitress had forgotten to punch in their order of fish and chips, so that dish didn't come out until the error was pointed out much later. They also ordered a lamb chop but this one came out fast. Must have been my order...

Tis the time for sickness

2010-01-14T21:17:00.003+08:00

Not me, but Adelle.

I suppose it was just a matter of time before Adelle would get it. It's something that's not quite within our control as parents to prevent, more so if your child mixes with other children at a playschool or nursery.

Adelle developed a slight fever two days ago after coming home from playschool, but my wife and I thought nothing much of it. She had just developed a runny nose, but it was nothing serious so we just gave her some paracetamol (Adelle says this in the cutest way. Para-city-mall. She just has this thing about City Mall!) and didn't make more fuss about it. The next morning it was off to playschool as usual, but in the afternoon, my wife must have gotten a call from the principal because she messaged me saying that Adelle had a fever and asked me to take her home after I was done at work.

So, I got her home, got her cleaned up and rested. Then we took her to the doctor, and we were told that Adelle had two things bothering her. One was the flu and cough, and the other (which the doctor suspects is the cause of the fever), hand foot and mouth disease. Apparently, it's in season again.

Adelle had a few small red spots on her legs, and her bum. She also had an ulcer at the back of her mouth, so that more or less confirmed the doctor's diagnosis. She'd have to stay away from school for a week. So, I'm staying home till the end of the week to take care of her. But, you'd be hard pressed to say that Adelle was actually sick. She's still her active talkative self. Her appetite's taken a slight dent (must be the ulcer), and she uncharacteristically napped a few times during the day, but other than that, she looks quite normal.

Which is good.

I much prefer this to the whiny fussy side of her that can sometimes surface when she's uncomfortable or sleepy. Praying that there will be no complications from this episode of illness, and that it'll just run its course and go away quietly.

A spreading dark blot

2010-01-11T22:21:00.007+08:00

Not bad.

One entry per month for the past couple of months. Well, at least that's something rather than nothing at all. But, being silent and being hardly here wasn't the push that motivated me to finally write down something. It was something else totally, something more serious.

The hottest issue in Malaysia right now has got to be about the use of the word "Allah". I hadn't realise how hot this whole matter was until a friend told me about the first attacks on several churches in West Malaysia a few days back: a church literally got burned, and two others were also in for the same treatment except that thankfully, the Molotov cocktails that were used didn't quite set off as expected. But, such attacks are still continuing. To date, eight churches around the country have already been targets of vandalism or attempted arson.

It just goes to show how shallow the minds of some in this country are, and the depths they have sunk to to even allow themselves to carry out such cowardly and despicable acts. It seems to me that, rather than moving towards acceptance , some are hell-bent on edging towards anarchy and chaos. Their reasoning seems to be, "as long as I (we) think what I'm doing is right, who cares about the sensitivities of other people". How else do you explain the latest happenings and the cow-head incident not too long ago to name just two? And all this amidst the government's grand vision of making a One Malaysia.

Yet, even in such saddening times, there are still things to be thankful for:
+ that the government seems earnest in stopping and preventing further attacks
+ that no one has been hurt
+ that, while terrible acts have been committed, there is still forgiveness
+ that God is still in control of everything

Stay safe.

Music of the night

2009-12-12T00:51:00.004+08:00

Right.

It's been like one month ten days since my last post, and I can already see the cobwebs around this page. I suppose that's the thing when the current year is coming to a close, and we teachers are off on the long year-end break. We slow down....really slow down. We stretch out our legs, cup our hands behind our heads, shake off whatever else that is niggling us, and...

relax. Just relax.

But, I just wish that this relaxation isn't interrupted at night. You see, every other day the garbage truck does its rounds around here collecting all the refuse from each road around the housing estate. The service is usually reliable, so that's nothing to grumble about.

What irks me though is the time it comes: right smack in the dead of night. That's usually between two to four in the morning. And when the garbage collectors come, four things happen:

1. Dogs howl: This is about the first thing you'll hear, as if in welcome of the approaching blue truck. The many dogs from various houses in the neighbourhood start barking one by one, starting with one from afar, and slowly coming closer, building up to a crescendo.

2. The truck growls: Soon after the first few dogs start barking, then you'll hear the garbage truck - a deep, almost guttural sound that seems to come from the very bowels of that heavy truck. And just for greater effect, the driver seems to enjoy stepping on the throttle a little longer before shifting, making that low growl turn into something like the stampede of tens of pigs.

3. The bins thud: Not just one thud, mind you. But, if there were ten houses on your street, then that's ten thuds. And let's not forget the dragging of these bins to the truck (the wheels on these bins don't seem to be very hardy).

4. The collectors chatter: These worthy men are quiet most of the time, but occasionally they shout out orders or chat, or laugh, or do whatever it is that normal people do for communication. It's just that it's in the middle of the night.

And what's the outcome of all these four sounds coming together? A racket that's bound to wake you (and maybe even the dead) up. But, thankfully it lasts for only a short period. And then, it's back to listening to the more pleasant sounds of the night: snores.

Extra-terrestrial Signals

2009-11-02T21:05:00.005+08:00

No, I'm not going to talk about the search for intelligent life that comes from deep space (although it is an interesting topic - just type out SETI in google and read all about the work in this area). What this post is about is something closer to home, but not less extra-terrestrial: satellite television signals.

I wouldn't have known it if I didn't have to write this post, but did you know that the first satellite television signal was relayed over 40 years ago, and that the first direct-to-home television programming was launched way back in 1976? I would have never imagined that such technology had been in existence for so long.

But, while analogue television (the usual kind we have at home) is still the most widespread, satellite tv which is digital in nature, provided through companies such as Direct Satellite TV, is becoming increasingly popular. And why not? You get to enjoy higher quality transmissions, and you'd be spoiled for choice with the choice of programming that is available. And even if you were to move hundreds of miles, say from Texas, you would still be able to enjoy uninterrupted Direct TV in California!

Direct TV sure looks tempting. Now if only it were available here, then maybe that would entice me to try it out.

The Golden Rule

2009-10-31T21:50:00.003+08:00

I'd say just about everyone thinks about money - from the poorest soul, to the world's richest person. It allows you to live comfortably, and it's one of the best motivators. How else do you explain you being willing to go through myriads of inconveniences (to put it mildly) just to get to that place called an office?

We're usually consumed by thoughts of how we can get more of it (either by doing more work, or by investing in something that offers good returns). But, how many of us think about how we can safely store it for use in times of need? I've been told that one of the best ways of doing so is by buying gold. Buying gold is often seen as a hedge against any sort of crises. The often given reason why buying gold is a good choice is that gold retains its value even when the usual monetary forms do not. After all, it's been used for ages!

And if you're like me, you would probably already have started a bit of that investment in gold - there's that gold ring that you may have as your marriage band, or that gold necklace that you wear round your neck, or those gold earrings. But, apparently you can also buy gold coins, actual coins made of gold, as a form of investment. These coins are sometimes referred to as bullion, but I think they refer to the same thing.

But, as usual, there's always the usual caveat: make sure you understand what your investment is all about and see whether it fits with your whole portfolio. Whether it be gold bullion or stocks, let your hard earned money do the working instead.

How good is your memory?

2009-10-29T21:47:00.001+08:00

We've each got about 100 billion neurons (that's brain cells to you and me) in our brain. But, how do you explain that some people have better memory than others? Is it because, for the rest of us (or me, at least), a lot of those information-transmitting cells have been damaged? Or is it because people with good memory have somehow trained themselves to remember better?

Just this evening as I was putting Adelle to sleep, I was reminded of the remarkable organ enclosed in our head that is our brain. Part of the routine before Adelle goes to sleep is the bedtime story. She has one particular story that she likes very much, and that is the story of baby Moses. I've lost track of the countless times either my wife or I have read that particular story to her, but Adelle just doesn't seem to get tired of listening to it over and over and over again.

In fact, she's listened to it so many times, that you can just start off by reading the first word, and she'll continue telling you the story! And the amazing bit is she does it almost word for word. My wife told me that she could do this not too long ago, but I hadn't witnessed this extraordinary feat (to me at least) until today. She does miss out or changes certain words as she goes along telling the story, but still...

She hasn't quite memorised the whole 5 half-page story yet. I figure the last page hasn't quite assimilated into her being yet...hahaha. But, that's hardly what describes me. I see, and read the words. But, I don't remember much of them. The only bit I remember very well is the rhyme that's in the story which I've turned into a simple song to the tune of "Twinkle, twinkle little star". Adelle likes it, and she sings along whenever we come to that part:

Little brother in a boat,
God and I will watch you float,
While the river breezes blow,
Rest well in your basket low,
Little brother in a boat,
God and I will watch you float.

Putting words into song is always a good memory-helper, but I can't go round singing everything I need to remember, can I?

Getting pampered

2009-10-27T21:41:00.011+08:00

Once in a while, it's nice to get away from it all and just go somewhere else to get pampered for a change. For the last couple of years, it's been a tradition for me, my wife and Adelle to go to a hotel somewhere to just spend the night and enjoy all there is to enjoy about staying at a hotel. We find it a refreshing break from the daily routine.

Anyway, if you're planning on doing the same thing somewhere really soon, Accor Hotels is here yet again with a massive Accor Hotels 3-Day Super Sale Asia Pacific - that means you get to enjoy the great prices as well right here in Malaysia! Of course, if you plan to travel to other places, you can also enjoy the same great price in Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore...well, wherever you can find an Accor Hotel.

There are over a million rooms nights available for sale so there's more than a high possibility that you'll get the enjoy the offer, but you still have to make up quick because the offer is good only from the 27 October till 29 October - that's today, tomorrow, and the day after only! You must book within this period! Hotel stay is between December 9 this year till April 10 next year.

Quick plan your Christmas holidays and enjoy the great stay at a lavish hotel!

Update (29.10.2009): It seems that this fantastic promotion has been extended for a further 24 hours! That means you can still make you bookings on the cheap till 30 October. How great is that?

Doh! Nuts!!

2009-10-20T22:27:00.002+08:00

I got burned.

Not my money, but my skin. Last Saturday, the whole family went for an outing with other church friends at Karambunai Lagoon Park, and the end result was that I was as red as a lobster and my skin was rather sensitive to the touch. Blame that condition on the banana boat ride (which was rather mellow this time round, as the boatman went slow because of the number of kids during our ride), and kayaking (about an hour's worth). But, now that I think about it, I guess the whole reason I did get sunburn was because I forgot all about slapping some thick white sunscreen on my body....

So, to prevent all the unsightly skin peel, I smeared some Johnson's cream (the one with vitamin E) all over the red parts. Now, if you've never known this, it really does work. Rub in the lotion a few times and it should work. After three days, the redness has more or less diminished and there's no sign of skin peeling anywhere. The wonder of it all...

Oh, also last Saturday Big Apple Donuts had some special offer: a 52% discount on their box of a dozen donuts. That basically means that you only had to pay RM13 for twelve donuts. Not a bad deal. So my wife and I went over to their outlet at City Mall, queued for about half an hour (!), and got our dozen. I think that day must have been their busiest for a very long time.

Wonderful (if, a bit pricey) donuts. Mmmmmm....

:)

Ouch!

2009-10-13T22:23:00.003+08:00

The pest control people came over yesterday to treat the house with some pesticides to prevent roaches and ants. So, a few hours after they left, I did the mopping up just to clean up whatever residue was left. And that was when I got it...a crick at my left waist.

I thought nothing much of it at first, but as I was finishing up, I had extreme difficulty in even wringing the mop. I cleaned up and went up for my shower, and suffered some more. Taking my shorts off was a painful ordeal, so was reaching for the shower cream which was on the floor. So, rather than just bending down and picking it up, I had no other choice but to squat, slowly.

Dressing up was as painful. I had to sit down to do it, and even that act electrified my pain receptors. Ugggh! I tried stretching, thinking that it would help, but the pain was too much to bear. Thankfully, sleeping wasn't much of a problem, but when I woke up this morning, my left ear was feeling a bit numb and sore. I had probably stayed in one position for much of the night to cause that.

It's amazing isn't it? Just one tiny part of your body is at unease, yet it discomforts the whole body. But, I'm glad to say that the pain has subsided quite a bit since then, but it's still there. At least I can bend down at my waist now without having to howl in pain.

Which, in my book, means I should be fit enough to play badminton tomorrow!

Pots and pans and other things grand

2009-09-30T01:09:00.004+08:00

This is a post about me and the kitchen.

I suppose in general, guys and kitchens don't usually pair up very well; the traditional view would be that the kitchen is the abode of the fairer sex. But, if you don't already know I love eating. And I must say I do sometimes spend a bit of time in the kitchen. Apart from the dish washing, which is my usual duty, I do a bit of cooking when my 'expertise' is needed. I also know what to look for in cooking utensils to get your food cooked properly (here is a great source of information for all things kitchen and dining). But, just in case you didn't know, here's a quick tip: a pot or pan that is pure stainless is basically rubbish for good cooking since heat will not be distributed evenly. What you need is one which has a layer of some other metal like aluminium or copper at the bottom of the base for good heat distribution. On this website are other considerations you may want to think about before your next pot or pan purchase.

But, I must say I'm not very good at baking. I think I've only ever baked...err, attempted to bake once. This was during my college days and in my student residence we had those cookers that came with an oven. I saw a recipe for profiteroles (sort of like a puff) in a supermarket magazine one day and I thought, hey, that seems simple enough. But, instead of getting a soft puff, what came out of the oven looked more like a cookie- flat and hard. That was the end of the wannabe baker.

But, at least my wife's into baking a bit. Ever since we bought an oven (which was quite a decision since there were so many different kinds! I wish we saw this advice for ovens earlier - it would have made our decision-making so much easier) my wife has ventured into baking and successfully come out with more than edible cakes. She has yet to emulate my cookie success though!

But, if I had to make one purchase for the kitchen it'd have to be a blender. I have one but it's now used more for making fruit juices, one thing it can but doesn't do very well. So, if I were to get one I'm wondering if I should get a dedicated fruit juicer or should I go for a hybrid which blends and also juices (sort of like a better version of my current one)?

I guess more reading is in order.

Withdrawal symptoms?

2009-09-28T21:42:00.004+08:00

Last week, we celebrated Eid ul Fitr (apparently that's how it's spelled in English). For many, it was a very welcome long weekend. For the privilege few (i.e. teachers like me), it was an even longer holiday - a full 10-blissful days of not having to go to school. Yet, a big celebration such as this (the other one being Chinese New Year) does have its drawbacks.

Among the citizens of Kota Kinabalu, we are proud of the tea-time culture that we have here. Go to coffee shops between the times of 3 and 5 p.m. and you'd have a hard time finding a place to sit. The popular coffee shops would be crowded with people - all having one common purpose: sitting down munch the many mouth-watering tea-time snacks on offer and chasing them down with their favourite cup of coffee or tea. One of the most popular would be Fook Yuen, which serves the best toast bar none, and one of the best places to go to for hot drinks - the coffee's strong, the tea with milk's just nicely smooth, and the Milo's just thick - the way I like it!

But, the thing is, when it comes to Chinese New Year, or the Hari Raya celebrations like last week, this shop closes. That's the drawback. Favourite eating haunts close during such occasions and for Fook Yuen, it closed for a week (even longer for Chinese New Year!). So, what happens to all those tea-time happy hours? What becomes of the people who need their fix of the bread and drinks?

I suppose we'll have to make source for other means of getting it especially during those 'those trying' times.

15Malaysia

2009-09-24T00:00:00.003+08:00

My wife showed me a couple of interesting short films just now and I must say I was quite impressed. Both had a rather strong message they wanted to send across, and the best thing was, both all had to do with Malaysia. If you didn't know already, there's a website showcasing 15 short films made by 15 Malaysian film makers and it's called 15Malaysia.

I haven't watched all the films yet, but the ones that I've seen (five, so far) deal with a broad range of topics, from public apathy, politics, to social issues and even religion(!), all told in our very own Malaysian context, so you'll find more than a smattering of Malaysian-ness in all these films.

That's not all. You'll also see quite a number of very familiar faces in some of the films. See if you can recognise the many Malaysian celebrities, all lending their talents and voices for these sometimes humourous yet very insightful commentaries on life in Malaysia.

Who knows? This nifty film-making project might even help the way we Malaysians see our true selves.

Go watch them already.

The Grandaddy of all ships: The MV Doulos

2009-09-19T23:48:00.008+08:00

Just a word of warning: this post is photo heavy, but if you'd just wait a bit, I'm sure it's worth it. :)

Today was a rather special day. My family and a few other friends had the opportunity to visit the MV Doulos. Now, I know that to some of you this is nothing out of the ordinary, but I'm sure you'd change your mind if I said that all of us managed to get a tour INSIDE the ship. How many of you have done that?

The MV Doulos is here

GBA - Good Books for All

Okay, okay. I'll stop bragging. But, the few times I've been onboard the Doulos, my experience of the ship was merely restricted to the bookshop and nothing else. So, I was pretty excited when I was presented with the opportunity to actually go inside the ship and see for myself the different parts of this sea-going vessel.

My passport in

Did you know that the MV Doulos is the oldest ship still in operation? It was built just two years after the more infamous, more illustrious Titanic (which has long before sunk to its watery grave) in 1914. It went through several incarnations in its long history of service: firstly a cargo ship (Medina), then as a ship in the service of the US Coast Guard, after that a passenger ship (SS Roma), then a luxurious cruise ship (MV Franca C.), and finally, just when it was to be decomissioned and sent to the scrap heap, it was purchased and made into a floating bookfair (MV Doulos, Greek for 'servant').

Hong Youn Sook, an 8-year crew member, giving us the history of the ship

It's for real: This ship is really old! 95 years now!

So, our tour round the ship started with the brief history of the ship in the main lounge, and then we moved along to the VIP room which housed the original key of the SS Medina (when it was till a cargo vessel) as part of the glass table in the centre of the room.

The VIP room - notice the ship's wheel? That's the original from when it was first built!

As we moved from place to place, we noticed on the walls in various parts of the ship some colourful pieces of paper pasted on them, usually proclaiming someone's birthday or just saying what a wonderful friend so and so is. All this lends a cheerful atmosphere to the place.

Colourful notes adorn the walls in several sections of the ship

The next stop was the laundry room, where articles of clothing and others are separated before washing. Just look at those commercial-sized washing machines! The laundry for almost 200 people on board is done in this room.

Commercial-sized washing machines!

You gotta keep 'em separated!

Along the way to another part of the ship, we were introduced to Delilah. Delilah holds a very special position among the crew of the ship. She's the one who makes sure that the safety crew are up-to-speed in their rescuing skills. You see, Delilah is the resident training dummy. All new hands with the safety crew will undergo training with her; she's thrown overboard, and it is their job to 'save' her.

Help wanted: Hero

Delilah seems happy about her role on the ship. Just look at her!

On the way to the bakery, we passed the clinic and this very intersting door. I couldn't help taking a picture of it as it was just so colourful.

International door

The bakery is where all the food is prepared and where crew members go to get ingredients if they wanted to do a little cooking of their own. We were told that all the fruits and vegetables to be used would be sourced locally from whatever city the ship was docked at, but meat was supplied directly from Germany. I don't recall now how they actually transferred the meat to the ship. Sorry!

Need for food

Spick and span kitchen: the place where tummy meets yummy!

Then, we had the opportunity to look inside one of the cabins. Compared to the room I sleep in, this one was like a sliver! The usual arrangement is that you'd be given a room with two bunk beds. So that's four to a room, and each room mate would be from a different country to encourage intermingling and to get to know each other's cultures better.

Next stop was to the heart of the ship - the engine room. It was a dark, noisy and humid place. Manna, the person on duty, showed and explained to us the various places in the engine room and the work that the people stationed here had to do (maintain, troubleshoot and fix - basically, to ensure that the ship keeps running). Apparently, if the ship developed an engine fault while at sea and needed a part to fix it, the engine crew would have to fabricate it then and there. So, these people not only have to keep the engine running, they also have to be blacksmiths!

It's a very noisy place!

Personalised ear-guards

The life of the ship

The workshop cum R & R place

Giant cylinders - all 16 of them

Controls for gohead-gostan

A spot of colour in the otherwise drab-looking surroundings

And then he showed us the CO2 alarm. Manna said that if you heard this alarm, then you'll only have 20 seconds to escape from the engine room before carbon dioxide is released into the room to put out any fires inside. Failing which, he said, then it's off to see your Maker, which is a good thing. How comforting...

The death knell? No, but you'd better escape in a hurry when this sounds!

Our final stop was the dining hall for a rest and a drink. This hall used to be the banquet hall when Doulos was a luxury cruise, the MV Franca C., while the place where the bookshop is, used to be where a swimming pool was. We even spotted the original but tattered menu from the cruise ship - the date reading October 4 1958. Cool, huh?

The original menu from the MV Franca C.

Having rested a bit, we proceeded outside and browsed the bookshop before heading home. It was a very rewarding and informative tour. It almost makes me want to go onboard and serve...

Almost.

The expansive dining area

p.s. The next port of call for the MV Doulos is Pasir Gudang, Johor before heading for some repairs at the dry dock in Singapore.

Swatting flies

2009-09-16T22:53:00.006+08:00

We Malaysians love food, don't we? I think eating can easily be considered one of our most favourite unofficial pastime. But, having said that, we don't just gobble up everything that is laid before us. We choose, we pick, we select what is good and what is not. How else do you explain the fact that one restaurant can be bursting to its seams with customers when just a few doors away, the staff just spend their hours looking at the floor?

There has got to be something about that popular restaurant. I think it's all a matter of three very simple qualities:

1. Good food
The main reason you go to a restaurant or an eatery is to eat. You spend time, energy and money to get to a particular food joint and the least you expect is to get some good food in return. I mean, why bother going out for a meal if all you're going to receive on your plate is some crummy food which ~~you could have cooked yourself~~ is worst than your cooking?

2. Good service
The food served at a particular place can be the best in Malaysia (and some even say, Singapore), but if the service is horrible, then in my book, I'd rather spend my money elsewhere. How are you every going to enjoy the food if you're constantly getting frustrated by the inept staff that is supposed to attend to you?

3. Good value
You pay a certain premium for the food before you and you expect to be rewarded with a taste that is in proportion to or beyond what you have paid (although it is possible to get extremely delicious food at very affordable prices if you know where to go). Anything less, and the probability of you ever stepping into that restaurant decreases exponentially very quickly.

There you have it - three simple attributes for keeping your food business thriving. But, I'm sure you've patronised a number of eateries that don't quite achieve that mark. I know I have and there's one place in particular that I've visited not too long ago.

It's hard to say no to a delicious plate of chicken rice. And I'm always on a lookout for restaurants that offer great-tasting chicken rice with a decent price to boot. However, Jesselton Chicken Rice wasn't one of them. I've only ever visited that restaurant once, and that was more than enough. I had ordered a set which meant a plate of chicken rice with a drink, all for Rm8++.

The verdict: the chicken that arrived was cold, and not especially tasty. The drink, which was supposed to be some fruit juice, turned out just to be a poor syrup substitute. My wife's wasn't any better as well. If we had gone to a respectable chicken rice shop, we'd have gone out satisfied with spare change. We vowed that that would be the first and last time we ate there. And I thought, it'd be only a matter of time before this joint closes down.

When the whole family visited City Mall (where the restaurant was) yesterday for dinner, lo and behold, the prophecy has come true. The restaurant was dark, and on it's swinging doors was stuck a piece of paper which read "CLOSE" in red ink. Permanently,

I know I sound bad, but when it comes to food, I guess that's just the way it is. If your food tastes terrible, then people won't come. And when people don't come, well...it's just ta-woo-ying time (pardon my Cantonese. It's as bad as my Greek!) and an inevitable end.

p.s. Just in case you're wondering why the title to this post is "Swatting flies" - well, that's what ta-woo-ying means, and if my wife has taught me correctly, it refers to a situation where there isn't any work to be done. Hence, all you do is swat flies. :)

Roller coaster weather

2009-09-08T22:01:00.002+08:00

The English always seem to find the weather a good topic to start a conversation on, so let's be English for a moment.

The weather here has been quite topsy turvy (is that spelled with or without a hyphen?). Last week, it was thunder, lightning, strong winds and lots of rain. So strong were the winds that the trees in front of my house fell over and obstructed part of the road. Twice! The trees had rather thin trunks and were not all that strong to begin with, but to have trees toppled over by the winds on two separate occasions within a space of three days is something. Fortunately, I have a rather civic-minded neighbour two three doors away who voluntarily hacked up the trees and cleared up the roads. Thanks neighbour!

And it was so wet that at least one main road at a hillside just outside the city collapsed due to a landslip. There's another similar road which I use occasionally to get back from work if traffic is a bit heavy, and these past few days, I have been seeing men doing some kind of project along that road. My guess is they're trying to prevent a similar fate happening to the road.

But, that wild wet weather has gone, and in the space of a few days, has been replaced by heat and dryness. And the haze is back though the air quality hasn't quite deteriorated yet.

I'm just waiting if the weather will come full circle and we'll be greeted by more thunderstorms and wet. Then, many people will have a whale of a time falling sick...

Adding fuel to the fire

2009-09-05T09:34:00.005+08:00

I have been sick the whole of the past week - the most major being the cough (I'm quite sure it's not due to H1N1). This has got to be the worst cough I can remember. The typical day would start off with hardly any signs of my cough. Yes, I'd cough here and there throughout, but if you didn't know, you'd think it's just the usual cough that sometimes normal, healthy people get as well.

But, come evening that tickle in my throat would start every now and then and it gets increasingly more frequent, and as a result I'll cough more often. When bedtime comes, I'd be coughing every 5 seconds or so and try as I might to sleep, even after having taken medication that's supposed to induce me to sleep, I couldn't.

I'd cough, and I'd cough, and cough, and cough...until the wee hours of the morning. I'd eventually get maybe an hour or two's worth of sleep. So, you can imagine how tired I'd be when I do get up. Fortunately (or is it unfortunately for me...), my wife was able to sleep through all the ruckus without any hint of disturbance! How comforting...

So, last night I decided to go against all reason. I drank cold water, I ate a lot of spicy murukku, ate some chocolate - all food which would usually be considered pantang (forbidden) for people with cough.

And what do you know - I slept like a baby last night.

Go figure.

52 years of freedom: But how free are we?

2009-08-31T14:18:00.006+08:00

As I'm writing this, I'm waiting for my flight back to Kota Kinabalu. After a week-long break from school (and an even longer break from this blog!), a bit of spare time has provided me the perfect opportunity to leave a little of my thoughts again in this long neglected blog of mine.

Oh, before I forget: Happy Merdeka! Yes, that yearly celebration of that great momentous event in our nation's history is here once again. And after 52 years of independence from foreign rule, more than ever, this day is perhaps the best day to reflect and ponder about how far we have actually come.

As far as physical development of the country is concerned, I would say it has changed dramatically. Even in the rather slow pace of life in a town like Kota Kinabalu, you'd be hard pressed to find anything that hasn't changed even in the last 20 years. Tall, modern buildings have shot up; spacious shopping complexes are mushrooming left, right and centre; massive projects to improve infrastructure like roads and water supply and housing are constantly seen.
Yet, I can't help feel that such tangible advances haven't quite gone hand in hand with the less tangible, perhaps more important aspects of the nation.

For example, how much more progressive is our attitude now when it comes to using a basic facility like the toilet as compared to years ago? How about when it comes to common courtesy like giving up your seat in a bus or train for those who need it more, or even when it comes to boarding such a vehicle - do we line-up and patiently wait our turn?

Do we try our best to turn up on time for an appointment, or do we think why bother when other people will only be late anyway? How good are we at saying a simple word of thanks after others have helped us no matter how small the favour, or even when it is part of their duty to do so?

When I think of these and other things, I see how far Malaysia still lags. During my recent trip to Thailand, a total stranger who runs a shop offered to drive the five of us to a restaurant which was at least a five-minute drive away. And we were not even customers! All this done with a smile.

We may bowl over people who come to this country with the tallest towers, the most beautiful beaches, the most delectable foods, but I think what leaves the deepest impression is the people of the nation. And in this respect, we can be a whole lot better.

I suppose, ultimately, we're still not free from one aspect that still shackles us- fear: the fear of losing - position, comfort, money, votes are some I can think of right now. I'm sure you can add a whole lot more to the list.

So, this Independence Day, what would you like to be free off? And where can one start? Just before boarding the plane, I'll sign off with a line from one of the late Michael Jackson's songs:

"I'm starting with the man in the mirror."

The box

2009-07-30T21:32:00.004+08:00

I think of the most fundamental electrical appliances that people in just about any household is that one that possesses the ability to provide you with endless hours of entertainment: the television. Sure, with all broadcasting stations slowly moving towards digital transmission nowadays, I guess more televisions will be sold to be on par with the technology.

But, what's a television without a good and reliable service provider, right? Here, we have several pretty reliable free-to-air channels, but I think that's hardly enough for programming for the discerning tastes of today's tv viewer. Of course, we have our very own satellite tv provider, but the kind of service is still somewhat wanting - just look at what happens when it starts raining.

Wouldn't it be great if we had more choices than the seeming monopoly of our single service provider as in the US? Then, we can sign up with companies such as Direct Satellite TV and at the very least provide some much needed competition. From their website, they offer free equipment, and free installation! Nothing boosts the quality of service like a little competition. While I'm no television fanatic, the service provided by the likes of Direct Satellite TV sure makes me want to stay in front of the tv, though that may not be entirely healthy.

But, the best thing (if you just can't live without your daily dose of tv) is that you don't have to worry about moving even to a different state. You'll have your uninterrupted Direct TV in Florida, even if you moved from New York!

Now, I wonder if our sole nationwide satellite tv provider provides this kind of service.

Hmm....

Gallivantings: Part 1

2009-07-27T23:19:00.003+08:00

This new post officially means that I'm back from my roadtrip. In case you're wondering where it was that I went to it was that town in the east coast of Sabah that was once dubbed "Little Hong Kong". Know which town I'm referring to yet? It's Sandakan. Since my in-laws are here, and my wife and I have been toying around with the idea of driving to Sandakan for quite some time now, it gave us the perfect reason to go.

I think this is the furthest I've ever driven anywhere in Sabah, though not the furthest I've ever driven. A one-way trip from my place to Sandakan town is about 350km, so the round trip means that I've probably clocked 700km in within three days. And that's not including the day trips to the various places of interest around Sandakan. what can I say about the drive there? Nothing short of bumpy. Really, really, really bumpy. There were a few stretches along the road where putting my foot down on the brake pedals was an almost minute by minute affair because I would suddenly see a depression ahead of me. But, once we got to within 40km of the town, the roads are actually quite good. I'd say the roads around Sandakan and its suburbs are even better than the ones I find around Kota Kinabalu!

We made only two stops along the way. The first was at the cool highland town of Kundasang. We made the Pine Resort our resting place to get something to bite and to also enjoy the refreshing air. After that, we made our way until we reached a small row of shops (I don't remember the name of the place now) which was probably about an hour's or so more to reach Sandakan. By the time we reached our supposed place for lodging, it was almost 4 pm. That made it almost 7 hours of travelling. Whew!

Our initial plan was to stay at this interesting place we found on the Net which is situated very near Sepilok, that renowned spot for orang utans. My wife chanced upon it while reading up on places to stay in Sandakan, and this place sounded intriguing and received some good reviews. So, we arrived at Paganakan Dii and the place looked just like in the pictures on it's website: a one-of-a-kind place.

Place for happy times

Paganakan Dii - The Family

But, and this is a big but, the place was full! Thinking that since it wasn't a public holiday, or a school holiday, there would be no need to make any reservations, we just went there confident that rooms would be available. Not only were there no rooms available there, there we no rooms available at the other resorts around Sepilok as well! Not one single room. Everything was fully occupied.

So, that basically laid to rest our plans of seeing the orang utans first before heading into Sandakan town the next day. So, we asked the person serving us if their sister hotel, Nak Hotel, in town (we read up on this as well) had any vacancies and they had one left - thankfully for us, a family-size room that could fit all five of us. So, since our accommodation was settled and there was nothing much else to do, we got back into the car and drove to town. But not before we got a tour of the place first!

Unique embellishments decorating the whole place

This is the place for some serious R & R!

White drapes provide shade at the open-air viewing deck

Clever use of the kuali as a washbasin!

The whole place is surrounded by these views!

Kamsan who kindly showed us around the place

We're definitely staying here the next time we visit. Stay tuned for the next post!

Road trip

2009-07-23T23:37:00.001+08:00

I'll be away. See you when I get back.

A run in the sun: Sutera Harbour 7K Charity Run 2009

2009-07-19T13:33:00.008+08:00

I wanted to blog about this yesterday but I was too pooped to do so. So, after a good night's sleep, I thought I'd write about it this morning before the details of yesterday's event became fuzzy.

We arrived at the Sutera Harbour for the run just before it started, and boy, the place was absolutely full of people. Many were wearing the official t-shirts, but quite a number as well were not. I suspect they joined the run just for the fun of it. The Sutera Harbour 7k Run is a yearly event, and I'd say it's almost like a big community event. It's basically a charity event: the recipients of the proceeds from the event being the Sabah Chapter of the Special Olympics and the Sabah Thalassemia Society. And while this is only my second time joining this, I think the turn-out every year is huge. This year, according to newpaper reports, more than 10,000 people showed up in support of the event!

The event has some interesting traditions in keeping with the number 7 theme. It starts at 5.07 pm, that's 1717 hours, and if you finish it in 77 minutes, you're eligibile for a lucky draw. I remember the first ever time it was held, and it was held on the 7th day of the 7th month in 2001.

Anyway, we brought Adelle along for the run and she was pretty excited about it as we had been telling her about it before this. But, surely you can't expect a two-and-a-half-year-old child to walk the whole seven kilometres would you? So, being the smart parents that we were, we brought along her stroller - for her to sit in (which she did most of the time any way). My wife did the pushing since I lagged behind trying to take some decent pictures of the event (which I didn't). I tried to catch up, mixing a brisk walk with the occasional short-distance trot. The funniest thing was, as I was making myself out of the hotel grounds, I already saw a number of people returning!

I was quite surprised by the weather. It had been raining the past two days in the evening with strong winds but the weather was just perfect yesterday: no sight of dark clouds, and not a single drop of rain. The sunset was quite beautiful and it wasn't very hot, so conditions were just about perfect. I finally caught up with my wife and Adelle just past the half way mark, and we walked together after that. All of us reached the finish line but I think it was past the 77-minute cut-off time, since there was no where to register ourselves for the lucky draw when we finally crossed it. Oh well, another time perhaps.

There was other programmes lined up for the evening: a concert by several local artistes, a lucky draw, foodstalls to buy food from, and others, but we didn't stay. We just helped ourselves to some of the free drinks that were available (Adelle has discovered the good taste of 100 plus!) and then left. Since I parked the car quite a distance from the starting line, I had to walk another kilometre or so to get it and pick-up my wife and Adelle.

It was a fun-family outing, and I'd highly recommend it for a healthy family do-together activity if you've never joined it before. For more photos, please visit my photoblog.

Adelle getting into the swing of things at the start of the run.

Things that go bump in the night

2009-07-14T22:13:00.005+08:00

"Do you believe in ghosts?"

That was the question I was asked during an interview a long time ago. I remember that situation quite vividly. There I was sitting down in front of a panel which comprised of four interviewers. My hands were clasped together feeling quite clammy, and my legs quivered as if they had their own built-in motor. While waiting for my turn, I had prepared myself to answer factual questions, questions that would test my knowledge and logical thinking, questions that would enable the panel to make precise decisions based on the organisation of my ideas, the maturity of my answer, and the depth of my analysis.

But this?

"Err, no. I don't believe in them," I blurted out. "But, I do believe in spirits."

As soon as those words left my mouth I knew I had to think quickly of what exactly was the difference between those two. I don't remember now what my exact answers were but that question has stuck with me because of some recent events. So, is there such a thing as ghosts?

Popular culture would seem to confirm that there is such a thing as a ghost. You are told about it on the tv, in the cinema, in magazines, in books; you sometimes hear ghost stories from friends as well, events that seemed to have affected people closer to you.

But, if you asked me, then I'd have to answer the question with another question: what's your understanding of the word 'ghost'? Does it refer to the spirit of someone who's died? Or is a ghost, a spirit being?

If you're Christian (or even if you're not), consider this passage from the Bible:

Hebrews 9:27
And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment...

The Bible declares that man dies only once, and after that he is judged. There is no mention of an in-between state. You die, then you're judged. But at the same time, the Bible also teaches about spirit beings who can somehow manifest themselves in our world and connect with it. Of these there are two: angels and demons. Angels are servants of God, faithfully serving Him. Demons on the other hand are evil, deceptive and destructive. Their primary modus operandi is that of trickery: disguising themselves as servants of righteousness (2 Cor. 11:15). And while such spirits can sometimes seem to do good (as in giving some useful information or a warning), it is their nature to deceive. Their intent is only one: to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).

That's why Christians are called to test the spirits to see if they are from God (1 John 4:1). And how do you know whether a spirit is of God or not? Read 1 John 4:2.

So, after all that lengthy explanation, do I believe in ghosts?

No, I don't believe in them. But I do believe there are spirits.

A talk with a stranger

2009-07-11T22:33:00.004+08:00

I woke early this morning. Extremely early. It was even earlier than the time I'd wake up to go to school. And what would drive me to wake up at such an insane hour on a cool-sleep-inducing early Saturday morning? A photoshoot.

My cousin Alvin had asked me last week to help him out with a family photoshoot at Tanjung Aru this morning, and never having the experience of such a task, I gladly agreed. So, I got up when everyone else was still in dreamland and got ready and drove to Tanjung Aru. The shoot was at Shangri-la Tanjung Aru Resort and it was a blast. If you're interested you can check it out at my photoblog.

But, the reason I'm posting is that when we arrived, a lady was looking at the swallows which kept flying near the windows of the reception area. Then as we wanted to go to the garden grounds below, out of the blue she talked to me and said how amazing the birds were and how wonderful it was to be in Sabah. Not wanting to be rude, I said it was. Then she asked me if I was a guest and I answered that I was just visiting. I bid her farewell and thought nothing more of it.

After we were done with the shoot, we were leaving on our way up the stairs when we chanced upon the same lady again. Again she asked where we were from, and I guess she remembered because she blurted out the words 'KK'. Then, seeing that we were holding cameras she went on to ask questions about who we were and so on. And after talking about her life in British Columbia, Sandakan and Singapore (all in a span of 10 minutes!), my cousin and I found ourselves being persuaded about the benefits of becoming a yoga practitioner. By this time, all three of us were already sitting down. I guess my cousin and I were just being too polite. We actually wanted to go somewhere to review the pics we had taken, and so we 'endured' and made polite conversation with this lady. Towards the end, she gave me a photocopy of this supposed master, and asked me to read it. She even offered to possibly meet up in Canada if we ever headed over there.

We managed to excuse ourselves soon after and then went to Coffee Bean for some fake cool-air comfort and some ridiculously expensive drinks. That encounter with the woman got me thinking: she was basically hot-calling: strike up a conversation with anyone and introduce them to something that seems worthwhile. And she was doing it with all earnestness, too.

She's got guts.

And the verdict is...

2009-07-10T02:12:00.003+08:00

That Maths and Science will not be taught in English beginning 2012. This will be a huge sigh of relief for a number of people, while others will lament a lost opportunity. Well, it has been said often enough and I guess I'll be saying the same thing that's on a number of people's mind: be ready for changes whenever a new Education Minister takes office. It's been proven time and again.

I remember when Anwar Ibrahim used to be Education Minister since I was in seconday school then. He was the guy who introduced that silly idea of starting the schoool academic year in December. Then, it was reverted to its original start in January when the next minister came in. I don't remember what Najib did when he was Education Minister after that as I was already in college, so that doesn't count. When the non-politician Musa Mohamad took over, English for Maths and Science was introduced. When Hishamuddin came into office, it was the introduction of a compulsory but non-examination subject called Civics and Citizenship in 2005. And now we have Muhyiddin with the scrapping of the teaching of Maths and Science in English. Oh, and the talk is he plans to introduce subjects like grammar and composition and English literature as well. And that's in addition to the plan to increase the number of teaching hours, too!

While I'm not against change, but when that change is not calculated carefully and not planned with a long-term eye, it can only be described as haphazard and will ultimately be detrimental to the students and the teachers who have to face more headache and (in this case, potentially) more time doing even more paperwork.

It really makes me wonder where exactly it is the education of our young minds is heading...

Eventhough teachers may rant, complain, and whine all we want, but at the end of the day it just boils down to one thing:

"Saya yang menurut perintah."

Sigh.

Movie day

2009-07-04T21:40:00.004+08:00

After more than half a year of not going to the cinema (the last movie we watched was Beverly Hills Chihuahua), my wife and I were finally able to go again today. We asked a close friend if she could help babysit Adelle for a couple of hours and she was more than happy to take up the offer (how kind!). So, that enabled my wife and I to go to the cinema and watch a movie in relative peace; I say relative because we found out that there were other young children in the cinema. And you know how it is with young children and attention spans.

I have been wanting to watch the second installment of Transformers, but we decided not to go since the show time wasn't right, and it is such a long movie according to reports. So, we went to watch Ice Age 3 instead. I found it entertaining enough, and so did my wife, but it wasn't uproariously funny as some would have it to be. But, I guess our funny bones all tickle a different way as I found out during the show.

In front of us sat a family (whom I guessed were made up of a mom, a father, children, sisters, and even grandmother!), and during one of the sequences in the movie, I noticed how this young lady in front (one of the sisters) giggled and laughed throughout that part. I looked at her, then I glanced at my wife. She only had a half-smile on her face. I thought the sequence only mildly amusing at best as well. I thought to myself: what a contrast in response to the same movie!

But, we enjoyed the movie nonetheless. However we both thought the first was the better one.

Eat to live, live to eat

2009-06-30T21:39:00.002+08:00

The subject of food never fails to interest me - especially if it concerns new locations where you can find great tasting food. We Malaysians are willing to go to great lengths to search out that sometimes elusive motherlode of delectable delights. I mean I've heard stories of people who drive all the way to Ipoh early in the morning from Kuala Lumpur just to treat themselves to some dim sum there. That's a two-and-a-half-hour journey! Ridiculous? These people certainly don't think so.

While it is possible to get 'replicas' of those famous foods just about anywhere in Malaysia, there is nothing like the original. That's one statement I can heartily testify to. My in-laws live in the royal town of Klang, where a certain river that runs through Kuala Lumpur gets its name. It's renowned for a few things - like crows. Lots of them. It's also famed for it's seafood. But, as far as I'm concerned, Klang's most famous commodity should be its bak kut teh. It's simply second to none.

Now, you may snicker at this, but trust me, if you even have a slight liking for bak kut teh, even the tiniest, itsy-bitsiest fondnest towards that soupy herbal preparation, then you owe it to yourself to at least drive, fly,walk to Klang and try out the bak kut teh there once. It should be on the "100 things to do before you die" list. Every other bak kut teh I've ever tasted just pales in comparison.

So, when we had bak kut teh for dinner this evening, it was just a foreshadow of the real taste of the real thing when we go back there. My wife said that there was no satisfaction eating the bak kut teh here just now. And I agree. It's not like the bak kut teh was bad (after all, the shop we went to is one of the more famous shops here in town), it's just that we've tasted the best! So, every time the family goes back, my in-laws make it a point that we feast on bak kut teh at least once during our stay.

In case you're wondering, no, chicken just doesn't cut it.

Kota Kinabalu bak kut teh - good, but no where close to Klang's!

p.s. My wife also commented on how different people eat bak kut teh here in Kota Kinabalu and in West Malaysia. I think KK people generally eat their bak kut teh with big chilies, garlic, and a dollop of thick black soya sauce to eat with the dish. However, this doesn't happen in West Malaysia. There is chilli but it's the small variety, and there's not thick soya sauce - only the light one.

Sabahan-style eating with chilli (left) versus West Malaysian-style (right)

Michael Jackson: RIP

2009-06-26T23:41:00.007+08:00

(August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

Not having read the papers or listened to the radio today, I was shocked to see that the eminent entertainer, Michael Jackson, has passed away. The last piece of news I read about him was about his preparations for his big comeback to the music scene. But, it looks like it's not going to happen no.

I'm not a very big fan, but I've more or less been following on the fringes his life and his music. While his eccentricities have often dominated news about him these past many years, I've listened to enough of his songs to know that he was a very capable song writer and singer, and dancer to boot.

So, the world has lost a great entertainer - perhaps one of its best. Goodbye, Michael Jackson, the King of Pop.

A time to reminisce

2009-06-24T23:20:00.000+08:00

I'm not sure about you, but sometimes I feel as if time seems to move faster nowadays; so much so, that sometimes life just becomes one great long blur. You don't remember what happened just a few days ago, let alone a few months back. Having said that however, I'm sure there are those moments in your life which somehow just stays in your memory, despite happening ages and ages ago. I have quite a few, but I'm not going to pour them all out to you!

I do have one thing to share though, and it happened more than 20 years ago, way back when I was still in my first years of secondary school. It was not a dramatic or a life-changing experience - nothing of that sort. Rather it was the more mundane act of filling in a form. Surprised? Let me explain.

Now, during my time here on earth, I have filled in many, many forms (as I'm sure you have, too), and I'm quite certain that there's still more to come. But, I don't remember much of anything about all the forms that I have ever filled - except this one a long time ago.

You see, what was so special about this form was that it was about the only form you'd ever find where it asked you this for this piece of information: your ambition. All the other forms had the usual details: name, address, occupation, and yadda, yadda, yadda, but I've never come across another form ever where it asked you what you'd like to be when you finish your education. And of course, as is normal with guys (at least those whom I know), I put soldier, police, fireman, Then, I think it was the second year when they gave the same forms, just to update the schools records, and I wrote the same things, just that I remember this time that I even put in musician!

And what was the outcome? I'm nowhere near any of those supposed ambitions, except maybe the musician as I play in the church music group. How differently I have turned out from what I pictured myself to be all those years ago. Such were the days of innocence.

I wonder what I'll write in now, if a similar form appeared and asked me of my ambitions. Hmmm...

Not just your common flu

2009-06-22T22:13:00.000+08:00

What started out as a problem that was considered only "foreign" a few weeks ago has now progressed to become quite local; so local in fact that over a thousand people have been affected by it all at the same time. If you have been following the news, you should already have guessed what I'm talking about by now. It's about Influenza A, or more popularly known as the swine flu caused by the H1NI virus.

I guess it was only a matter of time before a resident of this country contracted the disease, and so start a local transmission of the disease. Even a country like Australia which, if I remember correctly, was spared the avian flu epidemic a few years back, and is quite isolated from the rest of the world due to its geographic location, is not spared this time. In fact, Victoria, one of it's biggest and most populous states, has earned the distinction of becoming the H1N1 centre of the world due to the rapid transmission of the disease there.

And now with a whole school closing with several others to be possibly closed, I wonder how far this virulent disease will spread in this country before effective containment is achieved. I'm sure it's not going to be easy. I was just chatting with my colleagues today, and one of them talked about her experience of going to one of the health clinics here. There was a large white tent at the clinic which was set up for operations dealing specifically with Influenza A. What a medical staff told my colleague was if they detected that you had the symptoms then you would instantly be held there and be whisked away to the quarantine centre here. You cannot go anywhere else. All you had were the clothes on your back. You didn't go anywhere till you had been cleared of the disease.

Now, that is bothersome. So, it's understandable when some people do not wish to report if they had come into contact with suspected cases recently. I'm not saying it's right and that it should be done that way; I'm just saying that I understand why some people do it, or in this case, don't do it. But, as far as Sabah is concerned, people are still generally undisturbed by the issue. The popular eating places are still pretty much crowded, and so too are the shopping malls on weekends. I just hope this is not a show of apathy on the part of the people here.

Be safe.

Between the shoe and the sandal

2009-06-20T01:09:00.003+08:00

I wonder who was the first person who ever wore a pair of shoes; and who invented them? I've searched the net and no ones seems to know. But, they are certainly a beguiling item. Imelda Marcos, the wife of the late Phillipines premiere Ferdinand Marcos, reportedly had over a thousand pairs of them. Most celebrities I'm sure have hundreds of them. Even I, myself, not exactly a shoe fanatic, have more than a pair of shoes. I have my work shoes, my sports shoes, my wear-once-a-week shoes, my...

And the fashions that shoes come in nowadays are just limitless! I mean just go to a shopping mall and you'd see several shoes stores. And in every shoe store there are at least a hundred different designs. And I'd say that that's just a conservative estimate! I remember a time some years back where platforms were all the rage. Now, those Converse All-Stars or their copies are quite the in thing. Or have they ever gone out of fashion?

I tend to buy shoes based on three criteria: the look, the comfort, and of course, the price. I'd say all three are of equal importance though I suspect some people may think that as long as a pair of shoes looks really good, then that's the only thing that matters. But, I say why kill your feet (and yourself) just for the sake of looking good, right?

Which is why a proper fit is important. I think one of the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever worn was a pair of Hi Tec walking boots I bought many years back. They just fit my feet so snugly, and they're a real pleasure to go around in. The cushion in these shoes are incredible. I still have them with me, but they're in really bad shape now. The soles are coming off though I suppose I could just bring it to the cobbler to have it stitched.

But, now I'm thinking whether there is a need for another pair of shoes. My sister-in-law is getting married in August, and it's going to be by the beach. So, what's the best bet? Shoes or sandals? Is there even such a thing as wedding shoes for men? What if it rains? Do I get boots instead?

Decisions, decisions, decisions...

But no harm doing a little reading up before buying, is there?

Gobsmacked

2009-06-16T15:02:00.001+08:00

Has it really been two weeks? Boy. I guess the school break really was a break from any sort of brain work!

But, now that school's started again, I will have to dust off all the cobwebs that have appeared inside my head and get those juices flowing again...which is not a hard thing to do after what happened at work today.

Just before the holidays we had our mid-year examination as is the norm for many schools, and the two-week break was supposed to be time for us teachers to finish marking our student's scripts. I had already marked several classes that had their exams earlier, but for the later ones...like I said, my school-side of the brain took leave as well during the break so none of the papers were marked and I used whatever free time I had at school yesterday and today to finish off.

And I discovered a curious thing about one of my classes. I was marking their objective paper, and everyone of them except one, scored more half right. I would have been overjoyed, except that this particular class was one of the weakest, and their scores suggested that they were better than the best class in the same form which I also taught!

I was gobsmacked!

Could a miracle have happened? Could it be that my students in this particular class were suddenly proficient in English? Then I marked their essay paper and reality came crashing down - none of them could answer the paper properly.

Which begs the question - how was it that they were able to obtain such high marks for the objective paper? I know that teachers are supposed to think good of their students, but the first thought that came to mind was that they had somehow gotten hold of the question paper along with the answer prior to the test and distributed them during the examination. I couldn't think of any other scenario.

So, when I went into their class today, I confronted them asking if any of them had copied. None owned up. So, I decided to do a simple test. I took an clean question paper, and asked them to give me the answers orally . My reasoning was if they really understood the questions then they'd be able to give the correct answer - as was in their answer sheet. After all, it was the same question paper.

But, none were able to give correct answers for all. Out of the 7 questions I asked (seven consecutive questions where more than half the class got all correct), the most they could give me were two or three correct answers. So, what's a teacher like me to do?

I reprimanded them for cheating in the exam and said that I'll deduct marks from their score. That was the end of that.

Or so I thought. The plot thickens! :)

Back in the staffroom, I was talking to a colleague of mine when another colleague approached me and asked me if I had accused a class for cheating. I said yes. And she then proceeded to tell me that they hadn't actually cheated but that she had translated the questions and answers for them so that they could understand.

WHAT???!

I was gobsmacked again. I blinked at her, not knowing what to say or do.

Finding my voice, I asked her what I was to do with the marks. She didn't know. All she could say was that she was sorry. I told her then that I would stick to my decision of deducting the marks. She offered her apologies again and left.

My head was turning then. Not in a million years would I have thought of a teacher going to such lengths in helping a student during a school exam.

Well, now I know better.

p.s. But that still doesn't explain how all the students answers are all similar. Surely, they don't share the same brain as well, right?

The Ka'amatan: The spirit of merry-making

2009-06-03T12:20:00.007+08:00

This is going to be a long post, so I suggest you set aside more than your usual time in reading my usually bite-sized postings! :)

Every year, Kaamatan, or Harvest Festival, is celebrated by the Kadazandusuns of Sabah, Borneo on May 30 and 31. A similar celebration is also observed in the neigbouring state of Sarawak, called the Gawai Festival, but that is celebrated on 31 May and 1 June instead. For brevity's sake, here is the extremely condensed version of the story behind this celebration of the rice harvest:

According to Kadazandusun folklore, this event is celebrated in thanksgiving to Kinoingan, the god who created the Kadazandusun and the world, for a year's bountiful rice harvest and also for blessings for a better harvest the following year. It is also in remembrance of Huminodun, the only daughter of Kinoingan, who was sacrificed to become the first seedlings of rice so that people may plant them and have food to eat.

If you want to read a more detailed background concerning much of what the whole Kaamatan festival is all about, you can go here.

The Kaamatan Festival is perhaps the most famous among all the tribal celebrations here in Sabah. It usually starts at the kampung (village) level, then it goes on to the district level, and finally it climaxes with the state-level celebrations on the two last days of May. If you visited the Kadazandusun Cultural Association building here in Penampang, be prepared to be a witness to lots of fascinating events: there will be the stilt-walking race, tug of war, arm wrestling, finger wrestling (!), and catapult shooting competition. Those are just some of the competitions held in the quest to see which district in Sabah is tops. Those are in addition to the many cultural performances like dancing, singing, gong-beating. You'll also get to savour some traditional food and drink. The climax of the whole celebration is the crowning of the lass who wins the Unduk Ngadau (beauty contest).

But, be prepared as well to face throngs upon throngs of people. But it's well worth it if you've not experienced it before.

But, there is perhaps a darker side to this whole cheerful celebration. You see, a rather indispensable element for this whole merry-making activity is the drinking of spirits. As mentioned above, rice is the whole reason for the celebrations, and so the traditional brew tapai, or rice wine, is common company as far as Kaamatan is concerned. You'll often see people drinking tapai with long straws from earthen jars where they've been left to brew for months. And since such merriment often starts from day and continues on till late, what you get is a whole lot of drunken people. Such people are fine on their own, but the danger arises when they go to the roads, whether as drivers or pedestrians. They pose a danger not only to themselves but other road users as well.

You've probably read about Tong Ju, that Chinese national, who had dreams of trekking through 193 countries recently in the national papers. He was killed three days ago, and police have classified his cause of death as a hit-and-run incident. His body was found by the road side along one of the village roads in Penampang. The police have appealed to witnesses or the driver of the vehicle to come forward. If and when that happens, I would not be surprised if alcohol was part of the cause.

I remember driving at night in a residential area and I came to a part of the road where it was somewhat darker because the street lights were not working. I wasn't driving very fast and it was a fortunate thing as well because I suddenly saw a black heap in the middle of the road right in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and I stopped just in time. I was wondering what the heap was when it rose and started walking wobbly, oblivious to my car which was less than 5 metres away! That guy was drunk to the core, and to make it worse, he was wearing all black! Just imagine what would have happened if I hadn't even seen him lying on the road and just ran him over...

I like these kinds of celebrations for they are a wonderful testament to the uniqueness and diversity of the people of Sabah. The only thing that puts me off are the people who seem to lose all measure of self-control when drinking, and so put other people at risk.

When you drink, stay off the roads, please!

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

2009-05-28T15:22:00.002+08:00

I couldn't help but notice this the moment I picked up today's edition of The Borneo Post. Here's the front-page headline that greeted me in big bold letters when I read the local paper today:

Watch your tongue, hubby: Telling your wife she is not pretty will be an offence

That sure catches your attention doesn't it, especially if you're male and you're married (and I suppose, even if you're female or you're not married!). My first reaction on reading that headline, of course, was: Huh? What's this all about?

Here's the opening explanation:

"A husband telling his wife that she is no longer pretty in an attempt to humiliate her can be classified as an emotional violence offence if ammendments are made to the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) 1994.

That made things slightly clearer but even as I read the rest of the news article, I couldn't help but think of how such an inclusion in the law can be misused and go against the very spirit on why the powers that be deemed it necessary. But, I suppose that would also be true of other laws in the country if you're cunning and resourceful enough. According to the article, the whole idea for the expansion of the definition of domestic violence is to include not only physical abuse, which is visible and therefore easily identifiable, but also emotional, mental and psychological forms - the kinds that are often not as visible and therefore, not as easy to identify.

What drives a person to despair? What triggers someone to hurt another person? What causes people to take their own lives? I think it's the unseen things, the inner workings of the mind that pushes people to do things that they would not normally do. And such people need all the help and support they can get, especially if such mental, emotional and psychological torture is not of their own doing as in the case of domestic violence.

So, I applaud the efforts of the government for looking into increasing the protection of married women against violence at home. I just hope that there will be clear markers within the amendment that will enable it to function effectively.

Love your family, peeps.

Poetic amusement

2009-05-27T22:38:00.008+08:00

Tonight's the night
The Red Devils play the Blue and Red,
And while no one quite knows
the kind of scoreline the game will show,
One thing's for sure
my dear footie fan:
That many a person, I assure
Will hurl abuse at that poor referee man

Come tomorrow
many will be bleary eyed,
'Cos fans in the world this side
will be dog-tired and mystified,
For how in the world
Could their team so strong
Be so humbled
by a side not quite on song

(so they grumble)

So, be wary
my dear footie fan
the wrath of the win-deprived-sleep-deprived
brand of a man
for quick is his temper
and sure is his hand
to point a finger at you
and say, "Just shut up. Can?"

Enjoy the great football game that I'm sure it's going to be between Barcelona and Manchester United tonight. It's not often that you see two champions of the respective domestic leagues slugging it out on the same field for the greater glory that is the UEFA Champions League crown. Just in case you don't know, the match starts at 2.45 am local Malaysian time.

For me, I'll be dozing in my comfortable bed then.

You can tell me the results tomorrow...

Facebook musings

2009-05-24T23:28:00.010+08:00

Not too long ago, keeping track of your friends from your primary school and secondary school days was next to impossible. I mean how do you even begin to search out for that long-never-seen friend of yours if you don't even have an inkling where in the world that person is right now?

But, times have changed...oh, boy how times have changed.

The social-networking website phenomenon that is Facebook is radically changing the way we connect to people. Long-lost friends suddenly appear out of nowhere, and before you even realise it, a friend you know is a friend of a friend of a friend. Then you begin to realise how small this world actually is. Sure, great distances may separate physically separate you and your long lost buddies, but in cyberspace, that's nothing. Your friends are only a poke away!

I'm no Facebook nut, but I find it a usefool tool for looking for people whom I've lost contact with, and vice versa. Through it I've come into contact with people whom I've not met for over 20 years! People who I thought I'd never ever meet ever again; people who I've basically stored in the "Perry's Past Friends Box".

Like I said in my previous post, technology never ceases to amaze me.

Yet, despite all its wonderful bells and whistles, technology is only as great as the people who created it. And there lies the problem. People are flawed, and so technology can only be that way as well - flawed.

How else do you explain the reason for the mighty Facebook to lump people from all parts of Wales under England? Facebook says it was due to a 'bug', which is a pretty convenient way of saying that it was a technical glitch, and error in the programming code, in short, it's all the computer's fault.

But, I suspect the 'bug' was faulty human beings in the first place.

You can read the whole story about this 'error' and people's reaction to it at the BBC website here.

What's in a name

2009-05-22T23:01:00.002+08:00

This is one has been sitting on the boiler for some time but I thought this is a good time as any to talk about it.

I'm not sure what it is about Sabah and building naming, but there seems to be a tremendous dearth of creativity among the developers here. Originality is something I find sorely lacking here.

Take for example this building called the KK Times Square. You'll find a building with a similar name in Kuala Lumpur, the Berjaya Times Square. We will also have a Megamall here (though it's still in progress), just like the more illustrious one in KL as well. And Putrajaya? Well, we have a Putera Jaya here. We even have a Bandar Utama (of course, that's in Sandakan...but still)!

But, the lack of creativity doesn't just stop at names of places. It extends to road names as well. Take for example this hilarious excuse for a road name - Muntahan ('vomit' in English). Well, a road with a name like that is rather sad, but imagine having a few of them (Muntahan 1, Muntahan 2, Muntahan 3, etc.). Sounds like a really bad series of sequels to an equally terrible horror flick.

And the un-originality (is there even such a word?) of the road naming doesn't end there. There's a district in Sabah called Penampang, and one of it's major towns is called Donggongon. And guess what the name of the road that runs through this town is called? The 'Road in front of Donggongon Town'. Exact words, no kidding! And we also have the 'Access Road to Family Planning Centre', which leads you to (yep, you guessed it!) the Family Planning Centre.

With all these howlers for road names, I hope someone high up in the Public Works Department will elect somebody with at least a minute spark of creativity to helm the road naming committee, so that we'd get at least more 'normal' names.

Just chillin' tunes

2009-05-20T15:19:00.005+08:00

You've heard of youtube, right? It's that ever popular website where people from just about every corner of the globe share videos of either themselves or other people or of some other interesting bits. So, I was browsing youtube yesterday, and you know the home page where it shows you what people are watching at the moment, right? I saw this thumbnail of this person called Zee Avi (she goes under the handle KokoKaina), and it seemed to have been viewed quite a number of times. So, out of curiosity, I clicked and what greeted me was this sweet-looking girl playing her guitar. Nothing extraordinary right? I mean, you'll get lots of sweet-looking girls toting their guitars on youtube.

But, once she started playing and singing - I was fascinated. Her playing style is extremely simple and her music is very laidback. It's the kind of music that you can just listen to on a lazy afternoon, doing absolutely nothing but getting comfortable on your favourite piece of furniture. But, that's not all. Her voice is quite good. Hers is not like those Mariah Carey-esque strong, high vocals, but those quiet, peaceful, come-listen-to-me kind. Almost like Norah Jones.

In one of her videos, she tells how she started posting videos on youtube since 2007 and then one day, she was highlighted on youtube's front page, and was discovered by a recording studio in LA. And so, she's just recorded her first album and it has just been released in the US. I read that it's available at the ITune's store as well.

But, the most interesting bit is another thing I learned about her. She's Malaysian, born in Miri, Sarawak.

So, if you're looking for some relaxing music to listen to, in exchange for all the guitar-crunching, drum-beating that you listen to daily on your music player, try listening to Zee Avi on youtube and see if you agree with me whether she's one talented girl.

Techno-wonderment

2009-05-20T15:17:00.002+08:00

The wonders of technology.

It just keeps reminding me every now and again how amazing are the myriad of technological stuff we surround ourselves with every day. Take for example the hand phone. I remember the time in the not too distant past when hand phones were still not very common, and about the only common variety was the one where you had to carry a box-like base which served as both the battery and the transmitter. My dad had one and on more than a few occasions I had the "privilege" to carry it, and boy, compared to the mobile phones we get today, those things weighed as much as a tank!

The tank

Then, came that tank of a phone evolutionised. It shrunk. Still a whole lot chunkier, and boxier than the phones of today, these phones were never less much much more lighter and mobile. I used to call them the "water-bottle" mobile phones. I don't remember now what gave me the idea to give them that name, but that's how I knew them. My dad had one, and I think the only manufacturer of such devices was Motorola. By all means, these things were tough and solid. I think even if a car went over them, they'd still be intact!

Do you still remember one of these? It was all the rage then!

But, nowadays, mobile phones are all about sleekness, rounded edges, simplicity in design, and killer functionality. No more is a hand phone just a means for communicating. I think we've passed that threshold a long time ago. Now, your average phone is a picture taking-music playing-life organising-alarm ringing-movie playing-digital file storing-web surfing-message sending-game playing little piece of wonder. And that's just your mid-range phone. The high-end ones, I'm told, are even more spectacular.

But I like having devices that are meant for what they do best. Having all the other extras a cool. And sometimes I get a bit green with envy when I look at all the cool phones that my friends (and even my students!) have. But I figure, I wouldn't use all those extra functionality very often, and so it wouldn't justify the extra cost in getting such phones. So I'm pretty contented with the one I have currently - a sub RM100 phone. It does what it's supposed to do pretty decently - to call and send sms-es.

And then it came

2009-05-17T20:49:00.002+08:00

What a relief! What a blessing! What a joy!

I had braced myself to endure the really dry spell till at least the month of August before there was even an iota of hope for rain. But, apparently God had different plans.

Three days ago, I heard the pitter-patter of raindrops on my roof. What started out as a slow tapping eventually built up to an incessant drum roll. It was raining, really really raining! And it continued till evening. And the next day, it rained again during the day and at night as well. And it rained today as well! And the whole place is just so cool!

After church this morning, the three of us went for lunch in town with several church members. After lunch, a few of us couldn't help but notice that we were not sweaty at all, even though we were sitting under a marquee-like thing which, under usual circumstances, would have been quite warm.

So, the weather's absolutely lovely right now, especially after weeks of bearing the scorching heat.

I'm cool. Hope you're cool, too!

The circus

2009-05-12T21:00:00.001+08:00

And so the circus that is the Perak political situation continues.

Yesterday, the High Court ruled that the Barisan Nasional government that is currently in power was void as the means of dissolution of the previous opposition government went against the state constitution. The ruling also required that the current state assembly members who formed the government relinquish their positions immediately and vacate their offices. Many saw this as a triumph of the law.

Yet, just this afternoon I received an sms from a friend of mine who is from Perak saying that the Court of Appeal has granted a stay of execution. That basically means that the current people in office get to stay until a further verdict is issued concerning the High Court ruling. I have just confirmed this from The Star web page.

And who would have thought how quickly the appeal would have been granted. I'm no judge or lawyer, but I would have thought that it would have taken at least a few weeks. But from what I gather, the appeal was submitted at 9.30 am just today, and granted before even lunch time was over. That's within 24 hours of the High Court ruling. Amazing speed.

So, yes, it's another twist in the political drama that is unfolding in Perak.

And finally, I can't understand why the whole Perak State Assembly can't just be dissolved and allow fresh elections to take place. It seems the most efficient and logical way of solving this political impasse but it's not being done. Why?

Only reasons I can think of are negative ones: 1) somebody has a personal agenda to fulfill in this whole thing, and 2) someone is just afraid of losing if elections are called.

Politics.

Sabah Fest 2009 - A Night of Colours Part 2

2009-05-09T22:48:00.004+08:00

Okay, finally I'm posting the follow up to my previous post about Sabah Fest 2009. It's been exactly a week ago since this event. But, it doesn't matter because I can still remember quite vividly what happened. Yes, I know. The show made such a strong positive impression on me! :)

Anyhow, after mulling about outside for quite some time, the show finally started at 8 pm. So everyone was ushered inside, and everyone was treated to the rather mysterious opening video about the Bobohizan (priestess) and their rituals concerning the rice spirit. The opening was excellently done, and that goes for the rest of the evening as well.

I was really impressed by the quality of all the presentations. The music, the lighting, the costumes, the dancing all made for a sharp performance. Various ethnic groups presented their traditional dance, but I thought the most eye-catching and interesting was the Rungus dance - the Mongigol Sumundai. It simply had me entranced!

I suppose many people would be more impressed with the now-really-famous Magunatip, but I guess I've seen it way too many times to be awed by it anymore. But, the Mongigol Sumundai, well, I was attracted to the movements and just the way the men, especially, were dancing - it was really unique. A man led a line of ladies in the dance, and they basically zig-zagged this way and that on stage. Apparently, the whole line is supposed to represent a dragon, with the man being the head, and the women the body of the dragon.

Interesting, eh?

It was a thoroughly enjoyable one-hour plus of performance. I guess what made it all the more better was that you could see that the performers were enjoying themselves as well. So, I guess that made us enjoy watching them as well. At the end of the whole thing, the floor was open to all in attendance to joing the performers in a dance, and I'd say many people really had a blast letting their hair down!

So, if you happen to be in Sabah around this time next year, make sure you catch this show! And if your haven't yet done so, what better excuse to visit Sabah!

Some more photos taken of the night. Hope you enjoy them.

Dusun women - part of the opening act for the night

The Suluk dance

A dance called the Pangalai Agung of the Suluk people

Song presentation using the gambus (a lute)

Rungus women performing their dance the Mongigol Sumundai

Raised-arm shot of the same women above

How can you not be enchanted when the performers smile like that?

The Magunatip of the Murut people

Children were also involved. This was the closing performance.

To wrap it all up, a photo of the beauties of the night in their wonderful costumes.

Night of Colours: Sabah Fest 2009 - Part 1

2009-05-05T22:28:00.007+08:00

This post was actually due four days ago. But, even so, I'm going to have to break this into two parts as I don't have a lot of time to write at thei moment. So, wait for the continuation, ya?

Last Saturday, I attended the opening of Sabah Fest 2009 at the Sutera Harbour Resort. It was a thoroughly enjoyable night. I was sans my wife and Adelle as my wife thought that it'd be a bit too late for Adelle. Too bad, since I was sure that both Adelle and my wife would have enjoyed the whole show. Just in case you didn't know, Sabah Fest is an annual affair and it's the event to witness and experience what Sabah is all about. It's basically a showcase of Sabah's very colourful and numerous unique ethnic groups: their costumes, their culture and their dances.

Tickets were sold for RM30 each, but I got in for free! Yippee! Special thanks to Melissa Leong of the Sabah Tourism Board for putting me down under the media and giving me a free pass for the evening! Amazing, huh? I must admit I was kinda proud to wear that pink media tag round my neck. I popped into the Tourism Office in the morning to get the tag, and I arrived that evening at around 7pm. I thought I was already late as the tag said that the even started at 7 pm, but when I arrived, people were still milling around, and all the performers were still outside in the foyer standing and welcoming people. There was already a sizeable crowd then, and since I had time to kill, I went around snapping pictures of things that interested me.

Around the foyer, there were stalls selling various ethnic products as well as demonstrations in native handicraft making. Interesting stuff! I was totally drawn to all the wonderful colours, not just of the crafts but also the costumes of the various ethnic groups. So, to end this rather short post, here are some photos to share of the moments before the show.

Detail of the costume of a Rungus woman

Rungus man and woman in their resplendent costumes

Handicraft making by one of the exhibitors at the event

Another exhibitor: complete concentration in doing his craft

Fine craftsmanship: making a miniature boat

Making a traditional hat (sorry, don't know the name!)

Some of the colourfully unique things on display in the various stalls around the foyer

See you in my next post for more pictures and the continuing story!

Cheerio!

Good golly, Miss Molly

2009-04-28T20:28:00.003+08:00

You know what? I just realised when I logged in just now that my last post was actually my 100th post! Woohoo! That's certainly a milestone for me. I've certainly surprised myself with my persistence in this whole blogging thing considering my previously aborted attempt after less than 10 posts. So, a pat on my back for myself on that point.

Another thing that I've realised is that as I'm typing this post out, I'm feeling all icky and sticky. There's a heatwave of some sort that we are going through right now. It's scorching dry! There hasn't been a single drop of rain for at least a week now. And the sun's relentless beating on the poor denizens of Kota Kinabalu during the day doesn't make things any more bearable either. I'm convinced that even if I just sat still, and do absolutely nothing, not even twitch a finger, I'd still start to perspire in a short while. It's that hot.

And just yesterday, I read in the papers that the Malaysian Meteorological Department expects this current spell to last till July! Some even predict that it'll last till August! Gasp!!! I'd expect we'd all turn into dried-up fossils by then.

I wonder if the weather is the thing that has been causing me to be a bit short on my fuse lately. Hmmm....

Stay hydrated people.

Another one of those days

2009-04-24T22:29:00.004+08:00

Remember the incident where I locked myself out? Well, it happened again today. The whole situation wasn't exactly the same as the last time, different place, different door, different circumstances, but the bottom line is that I was just that: locked out again.

Well, it all started when Adelle and I decided to leave the bedroom after having an afternoon nap (more me rather than Adelle, actually), and Adelle was first at the door. I asked her to wait for me and I followed and holding the door knob, I closed it. Come to think of it, I don't quite remember whether it was me or Adelle who closed the door, but in any case, the bedroom door was closed and we both went downstairs. We said hi to my wife who was downstairs just finishing her noodles. Not long after that, my wife decided to go upstairs for a shower (it had been a very hot day) and it was then that we realised that the unthinkable had happened: the bedroom door was locked and we were locked out of it!

My immediate thoughts were: here we go again.

Since it is generally the responsibility of the man to get such things sorted out, I was in charge of finding the means to get that door open. No problem, right? With the availability of the World Wide Web, you can find and learn just about anything there is to learn right? So, I googled how to pick a lock, and I was rubbing my hands in glee when there were so many hits! With video tutorials even! What luck, I thought.

Since I had neither the tools nor the expertise to pick locks, I searched for videos that specifically used home items, and with clear instructions. It seems that, minus the actually lock-picking tools, the tool of choice for picking locks is the paper clip. Then, as I watched each video, one thing especially became awfully clear: that many of the people giving the tutorials were children! These 10-15 year olds were picking locks like a fish swims in water. I watched in utter amazement as these young people dazzled me with their lock-picking skills on just about anything: padlocks, doors, and even deadbolts! (Scary stuff!)

Ha, I thought, it's kid's play then, child stuff. I'm an adult, and so therefore am more than capable to do something even children can do. No problem. I'll get that door opened in no time.

Or so I thought.

I earnestly started my quest to unlock the bedroom door at about 7.30 pm. After numerous attempts (and more than a few mangled paper clips), I finally got the door opened slightly past 9 pm. And just in case you want to contact me and ask how I did I do it with just paper clips, well, don't bother. Because they never did work.

I used a shoe.

Secured

2009-04-23T01:25:00.002+08:00

I've seen the following on more than one occasion: a single adult driver in front driving the car. There's nothing unusual about that. We see lots of single occupancy vehicles on the road, in spite of the government's efforts to get the nation to carpool many years back.

But, the single adult driver is not my concern here. Too many times, it's the other person I see that makes me shake my head in amazement and wonder, "What is it about these people?". What am I talking about? It's that two or three year old kid who's standing on the front passenger seat beside the driver - that child who's not restrained in any sort of way. That child may as well be standing or sitting on the bonnet of the car for the kind of protection that he or she is getting in that manner.

For the life of me I can't seem to understand how parents can go round driving their vehicles all safe and buckled up while their children are standing beside them! Reminds me as well of the many times that I see motorcyclists (some of whom are parents as well, no doubt) who ride their bikes with their helmets on but the children who ride pillion go without any such protection!

What gives?

The first impression I get when I see something like this is that these parents obviously value their lives more than their children. How else do you explain such phenomena? The second is that such parents are probably ignorant, or just callous in matters of child safety in vehicles. Don't they know that if they only applied just a slight sudden pressure on those brakes and their child (or children) will go flying, smacking their fragile heads against the windscreen?

I'm no expert but any educated person can tell you the simple law of physics that an object will continue to be in motion unless there is a force in the opposite direction that stops it. That's why we buckle in front, and recently, buckle at the back as well - so we're not propelled and become paste in front of the car.

Children should be in restraints as well. But since, it will take some years for them to grow into the standard belts in the cars, baby carseats are the way to go to keep them safe while you're driving.

But, having said that, some of them can be quite unwieldy. Since Adelle was born, we've gone through two now. The first was a combination of a baby carrier and carseat for infants, the second was a proper carseat for when she was about a year old until about two. She has a third now, a booster seat which should last her till she's able to use the standard seat belts.

While the first two took less than 5 minutes to anchor to the backseat of the car (of course, the first time took longer) this current one is a real time-hogger. The first time I installed it in the backseat of my wife's car, it took me at least half an hour. By the end of it all, I was all sweaty. And since my wife recently sent her car in to install the middle lap belt in the backseat, that meant that the booster seat had to be taken away.

Just this evening, I attempted to reinstall the booster seat. To do it, you have to loop the car belt round the seat so that it is secure. I had trouble with this the first time I did, but this time it was not the same. It was worse!

The car seatbelt wouldn't give me enough leeway to loop round the booster seat, and try as I might, it just could be done. I enlisted my wife's help and we finally managed to secure everything after one hour! Just to install the seat!

Phew! I hope that seat doesn't need to be unsecured in a long while.

Stay safe.

Freedom of Entry to the City

2009-04-20T23:27:00.004+08:00

I wanted to write about this event the day it happened but some things prevented me from doing it which I'll tell you a bit later.

If memory serves me correctly, this would be the second year that this event took place, and since I didn't witness it last year, my wife and I thought why not this year. It was actually by accident as well that we attended this event. My wife wanted to buy some fish at the main market in town and so we had decided to go there early so that the fish were still quite fresh. The market was crowded as usual, so I double-parked somewhere and waited in the car with Adelle while my wife went about doing the shopping. She was to call me when she was done, and I'd go and pick her up.

So, I received the phone call and instead of just telling me to pick her up, she told me that the stretch of road in front of the main market (I was parked at the back) was closed, and she was wondering why. So I went to pick her up, reversed into one of the parking spaces on the empty street, and we all got out and walked ahead to see what was going on at the marquees that we saw had been put up. It was then that it occured me that it the day of the Freedom of Entry to the City. My wife enquired from one of the navy officers what the programme was like and he gave us a programme sheet, we looked at it and it sounded interesting. We decided to go home first to keep the fish in the freezer and also to get my camera. We still had time because the opening event, the parade, was only going to start at 10 am, and it only about 8.30 then.

So, went home, got ourselves ready, picked up a friend whom we called, and went to the event. I parked the car slightly further away just in case we'd have a hard time coming out of the place because of the crowd the whole event was going to generate. By the time we reached there, the parade was just about to start. The different contingents were already in line, waiting for the start. I, of course, started clicking away. Here are a few photos to share.

The Indian Navy doing their thang!

The US Navy strutting their stuff

Malaysia's very own Terminators in white!

The Indonesian Navy marching band - the most animated among all

A sharky member of the Indonesian band (you see the walrus in the background?)

The might of our fast attack ships

Head on collision! Not!

After the whole parade and some naval demonstrations, and numerous cups of free milo later, we boarded a free shuttle service to go on board a naval ship, the KD Kedah, which according to the guide on our ride, is the most advanced warship in the southeast asian region. The ship was quite impressive and the officers onboard were ever ready to explain the workings of the ship. We then went to visit the another ship next to the KD Kedah which belonged to the Brunei Navy, called the KDB Pejuang.

All hands on deck. Captain on the bridge!

The KD Kedah

There were other ships docked at the port but they were a bit far away, and we were quite tired then plus the weather was extremely hot and sunny. And it just happened that the coach back to the city came at that moment when we were done with our visitation of the two ships. So, back to town it was. And then to lunch, then then back home to the sweet comfort of the air-conditioning after a nice, cool shower.

But, that didn't help the sunburn that all of us got, especially Adelle and me. We had forgotten all about putting on sunscreen (probably due to the excitement of the whole thing). And this daddy fell sick yesterday, partly due to the heat as well.

Hence, this late entry. But, I've recovered...mostly.

p.s Oh, did I say that my wife and Adelle appeared in a local paper as part of photo coverage of the event? No, well they did!

Exterminator

2009-04-15T00:37:00.003+08:00

Today, the pest control people came. Yep, this house has a pest problem: ants, cockroaches, and mice. After months of putting up with our nocturnal guests (and sometimes swiftly sending them to meet their maker - for the cockroaches, of course), we finally decided to call for some professional help.

Ants is a major problem. They are the black ones, and they seem to be coming from outside from the garden. Actually, the black ones are not the only ones. We used to get rather big red ones as well. I notice that they are seasonal: over the course of a few months, the type of ants that we see in the house changes - black ones, big red ones, small red ones, and then it starts over again. But recently, it's these black ones that are a nuisance. You kill them, more come. Kill some more, and even more come.

Cockroaches (eeeuuuuuwww!) are the next thing. Although they don't show themselves pretty often, we know they're there from the droppings that we sometimes see. They are not quite a problem unlike the ants but they're absolutely disgusting! I can't stand the sight of them, and I actually have a slight fear of them (blame it on some forever-scarred childhood experience that involved a certain "brushing" incident with a cockroach's legs....shivers!). But, my hate for them is far greater and so there's always my trusted slipper to swat them putrid creatures.

And finally, mice. This has been a rather recent phenomena. Almost on a daily basis, we hear the sound of scurrying feet above our heads. And if we're lucky, we even get to listen to their excited squeakings. Mice running between the roof and the ceiling above us is not too bad. But, seeing one running about in your kitchen is!

So, control was the only answer. The technicians came, sprayed some stuff along the corners of the whole house, which were to repel and kill ants and cockroaches. They then threw some poisoned pills randomly outside at the back of the house - this was for the mice. They had wanted to leave it at that, but my wife asked whether they could set a trap as well, and they did.

So, the whole of this evening was spent cleaning the whole house hence this late post. I also repositioned the trap. At first it was in one of the kitchen cabinets, but I put it out on the kitchen floor. And as I was writing this post, I head a snap!

My wife and I checked, and there inside the cage was a mouse - rather small, maybe still quite young, and quite scared. The mouse in the cage is now outside the house, perhaps still eating the bait that we put (pumpkin bread, you know!). In the morning, we're going to call the experts to take it away.

Problem's not solved yet though. Just heard some more scurrying in the roof. But, we'll rid them soon enough.

You'll see.

A good day

2009-04-10T22:11:00.011+08:00

Mommy: Did you have a good day today?
Adelle: Yes.
Mommy: Why do you say you had a good day?
Adelle: Because it's Good Friday.

That was part of the conversation my wife had with Adelle just as we were putting her to sleep just this evening. Such an innocent, almost simplistic answer, but once I thought about it, how much truth there is to it. Indeed, today is a good day for the simple reason it's Good Friday. It's a day of remembrance of the greatest act of courage, and love ever demonstrated. I've always wondered what it was that made someone call this day Good Friday. But, no one (I've checked) seems to know exactly. Anyway, just to share something I've been thinking about and have learned more about.

"And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. "
Matthew 27:51

This event occured as soon as Jesus died.

If you've ever gone through any of the clauses in an insurance policy, then you would proabably have come across the phrase "acts of God". I'm not entirely sure what exactly these "acts of God" encompass, but I suppose they refer to something totally beyond the control of human actions, like natural disasters and the like. And they are usually something the insurance company isn't willing to cover, unless of course, you're willing to pay a substantially large premium for it.

But, I digress.

As far as acts of God are concerned, the happening in the quote above is clearly one. Why?

Just a bit of background information first. The temple refers to the Jewish temple, a place where the Jews go to offer prayers and sacrifices. There are different parts to the Jewish temple, but the only part that is separated by a curtain (or veil) is between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies (or some would say The Most Holy Place) is the most innermost sanctum. It was where the Ark of the Covenant (which contained the two stone tablets of the Law and was a symbol of God's divine presence) was originally was placed and the place where only the High Priest could enter but once a year to make an offering to God for the forgiveness of the sins of the entire Jewish population.

So, the veil or curtain that separates the two places rips. Nothing unusual about a ripping curtain, but the thing is, it rips from the top to the bottom. A human act would be the opposite: from bottom up.

The curtain was almost 20 metres long, and about 10 metres wide, and apparently made of seriously thick fabric (I can't even begin to imagine how thick is seventy-two twisted plaits of twenty-four threads each that are made of linen and wool). I've just learned about these bits of information as I was studying the verse, and I say, it's made the whole event even more amazing.

But all that still falls short of the significance of this act of God. With the curtain now torn into, there is no more hindrance nor limitation nor restriction to the forgiveness of sins. There is no more a need for a high priest to give an offering on our behalf. Jesus has become the High Priest, offering His own blood as the sin offering. The way has been made clear, opened and made free for every one to come into the very presence of God and ask God Himself for forgiveness and receive it.

Thank God for Good Friday.

A round belly

2009-04-05T16:51:00.005+08:00

It's been a long while since I've written something about one of my favourite activities eating. And since I'm actually feeling a bit peckish at the moment, I guess that this is the perfect reason for me to write something about food...just to build my appetite that much more (and maybe get your own mouth salivating in the process, hehe).

I've actually been wanting to write about one of my more interesting dining experiences at one of the local restaurants here in Kota Kinabalu but I've been putting it off till now. Sometime last month, we decided to try out some provincial Chinese cooking at a restaurant called Moon Bell. It's not exactly new; it's been in operation for at least two years now and that's what piqued my wife's and my interest. You see, the few times we walked past this particular restaurant, we always saw the empty tables inside. The restaurant was open, there were just no customers. You and I know very well what happens to empty restaurants, right? Be empty long enough and the owners will have no choice but to go out of business. Unless of course they are rolling in money.

Anyway, so this restaurant was quite empty every time we passed it, yet it had survived all this time. The restaurant two doors away which opened about the same time as this particular one is already into its third owner! So, my wife and I figured maybe people do come just that we don't see them at the times we actually pass by. So, we decided to try out the food.

Their speciality is this deep fried (or was it roast) lamb with a dip. I remember it being quite delicious though the portion was fairly small for the price: only four smallish pieces, I think, for about RM20. Then we ordered another of their speciality, some stuffed brinjal. This had a rather sweetish taste to it, but it was something we had never tried before and it tasted quite good as well. The price was in the teens, I think, and the portion, like the lamb wasn't very big as well. Anyway, I had rice to go with the dishes while my wife ordered plain (as in empty) soup noodles. The lady owner said that they made their own noodles so it was supposed to be better. We found it to be nothing special, and the price of RM4 for just a bowl of noodles with some flavoured soup didn't justify the cost, I think. And again, the portion was not up to expectations.

The lamb...small portion, but yummy!

A different kind of dish: the stuffed brinjal

Despite all this, we enjoyed the meal tremendously (what little there was of it, anyway!) and thought that maybe we'd come back again, minus an order for the noodles, of course.

Now, that was the Chinese restaurant. Just last Thursday, we went Japanese. It was at Hana, at one of the shopping complexes here in Kota Kinabalu. The food here is quite good, and the portions are reasonable. So, my wife ordered Chicken Teriyaki, which she shared (or rather, traded) with me; I ordered some beef thingy, and we oredered Adelle a kid's bento set. Adelle enjoys coming here as she can eat and be entertained by the train that goes round and round the track bringing plates of sashimi on its carriages. This translates to needing less attention by the parents, and hence, allowing the parents to get some decent enjoyment of the food before them. :)

Chicken Teriyaki

This is my beef dish. Don't remember the name, though.

There was a spot of trouble with our order, however. The picture in the menu for the kid's bento set showed a yakitori, but when the order came, they gave deep fried chicken instead. My wife didn't want Adelle to eat too much oily stuff so she queried the staff about it. They said that the menu was old and that they had replaced the yakitori with the chicken a long while now, Wife said they should have informed us when we placed the order, and asked for the chicken to be changed. The staff (a more senior one) refused. So my wife asked to cancel the order, and she also refused! Threatening to report this to the hotline made the staff to consult her superior (I'm assuming) and it was only then that they'd change the chicken with the yakitori.

This is the kid's bento set. That's the deep fried chicken on the right.

All this for a stick of chicken pieces.

But, we enjoyed our meal nevertheless, and this father was full at the end.

Burp!

One of a kind

2009-03-29T16:26:00.002+08:00

When was the last time you attended a birthday party? I haven't been to one for a long, long time. And I don't pretend to remember any that I attended as well. But I do remember my best birthday party ever, err...highlights of it, at least.

I don't remember the age I was then (but I remember I was in primary school then) but that's beside the point. It was not a surprise birthday party because my parents had told me about it earlier. I had the privilege of inviting my very own friends but of course, my parents invited their friends, too. I remember feeling all excited; I kept looking at the clock wishing that it'd go faster so that the party would happen right then. And then when the first guests arrived I was all shy! But, not enough to shy away from receiving all those presents with glee, of course!

I remember the table absolutely covered with all the food that my mom and aunts had helped prepare, and right in the middle of it on one side was my birthday cake. I remember cutting the cake with everyone else singing 'Happy Birthday' to me. But I guess the best part was when I went into my bedroom, with all my friends in tow, and I opened my presents one by one. I was absolutely delighted! Those were the highlights. I can't really remember the rest.

I remember attending a few of my friends as well. There would be the usual eating, and singing and sometimes even games thrown into the mix. All in all, I guess I pretty much enjoyed birthday parties.

But, I guess that times have changed. A lot.

Like I said, I haven't attended a birthday party in a long while and I'm not too sure what goes on during such occasions nowadays, but from my experience they don't vary a lot.

Or so I thought.

My wife received an invitation to attend a birthday celebration of her colleague's son the other day. And with it came an invitation card. There was a smirk on my wife's face when she handed me the card and I wondered why. And then I looked at the card and understood.

Here's the card.

Grace before meals, lunch and cake-cutting are pretty standard for birthday parties, but dance performances and beauty contests?

How's that for a birthday party? Not even an adult one mind you, but a one-year old's! I'm sure it was a very memorable one. I remember a friend's wedding reception which was nothing short of a cultural festival as well, what with all the cultural dance performances during the reception, and that memory has stayed with me because it was one of a kind!

But, is this really a one-of-a-kind birthday party or is this the norm nowadays? Perhaps, since you're into this kind of things Nick, you can enlighten me.

Men and clothes

2009-03-21T15:18:00.005+08:00

How often has this situation happened to you?

You open you closet, look at the neatly arranged lines of clothing hanging there and then you exclaim, "I have nothing to wear!"

I can't say it has happened to me very often, but the thing is it has happened. In spite of having a closet that at this moment is really, full of clothes, there are times when I cannot quite find the kind of attire that I had in mind to wear. A feature of wanton human greed?

Perhaps.

But, really although my closet is quite full, I'd say a good number of my clothes are over 2 years old. It's only when I decide to give away some, and find that I actually need some new ones to replace them that I buy new clothes for myself. But, of course there are spur of the moment kind of purchases - I'm sure you know the kind. :)

But, most of the time it's all about finding new ways of mixing and matching the clothes I already have. While I'm most comfortable in just shorts and t-shirt (even a singlet!), the times I do need to wear better-looking clothes are a daily requirement. So, I just found that this website provides some really helpful hints on choosing and matching your clothes (I'm talking men's clothes here, but I'm sure you can also find tips on women's clothing). It covers just about anything concerning men's clothing: from choosing your shirts and ties, choosing the kind of trousers (or pants if you insist on going American) to wear, to selecting suitable suits for those once-in-a-blue-moon kind of occassion, well at least for me. If that's not enough, then there are also guides on getting the right kind of accesories for yourself: you know, watches, sunglasses, hats, belts, shoes - those kind of stuff.

All in all, a very comprehensive place.

I haven't quite read all the guides they have available, but the little that I've read has opened my eyes: I now realise how much about dressing up I don't know! I would never have thought that the kind of collar of the shirt I wear should flatter my face! I always thought it was just their rather stylish way for the labels to be different.

And I finally know what an inseam is! LOL!

The crunch

2009-03-08T23:42:00.002+08:00

I have been wanting to post something but just couldn't bring myself to sit in front of the computer to do so...until now. Actually, I was compelled to do so.

I was reading the local newspaper just this evening, and what do I see on the front page? A picture of a throng of people with several smoke trails descending from the sky. Yup, it was another demonstration. And of all things, the reason for the demonstration was about the teaching of Mathematics and Science subjects in English?

Huh???

It's absolutely mind-boggling! A protest because English is used instead to teach these two subjects? If there were something that really would make us a laughing stock for the whole world (as some have pointed out about a certain gathering under some certain trees recently), I think that this would be the icing on the cake!

It seems to me that certain quarters of the Malaysian population really have a penchant for politicising issues. The usual scenario: a politician speaks his mind about something trivial and then other people start jumping on the bandwagon giving their sometimes uneducated opinions, and suddenly it becomes a national agenda! Incredible!

Forgive me for sounding so negative, but I cannot see the reason for such happenings. How is it that we call ourselves a developed nation, yet our thinking is still lagging so far behind. A few years back, I heard an absolute stranger commenting on our nation's apparent lack of forward thinking despite all our achievements: "first class facilities, third class mentality."

If anything needs to be politicised, why not politicise the extremely poor healthcare facilities that are available in some states in Malaysia especially Sabah? We don't even have a proper hospital anymore because the current one, the Queen Elizabeth hospital (supposedly the state's main hospital) has been found to be unsafe for operations. So, what happens? Sick patients have to sleep on the floor, doctors and nurses are unable to treat due to unavailable equipment. Who suffer? The people, especially those of us not fortunate enough to afford private healthcare.

What is being done? Discussions, discussions, and more discussions. No Action, Talk Only. I am told that we'd be lucky if Sabah gets a new one within 5 years. The more realistic projected time for the building of a new hospital would be between 10-15 years. What happens till then? People suffer.

It's a sad time.

Progress

2009-03-02T22:01:00.003+08:00

I've told you before that Adelle is now attending playschool haven't I? Well, we never got a chance to have a chat with the principal of the school to find out how Adelle was doing. The routine's usually either my wife or I would show up at the school and just get out of the car, take Adelle from one of the teachers, and be on our home. We don't quite have the opportunity to just spend some time to chat then because all of the teachers and the principal herself would be busy keeping an eye on the children as they wait for their parents. I know I wouldn't have time too if I had take care of over 20 active children with only a handful of adults with me!

Anyway, my wife suggested that we call the principal today just to get some updates on Adelle's progress at school. And she happily volunteered me for the job. How nice of her! So, I called the principal and asked how Adelle was doing at school and she said that Adelle's progressed a lot since the first day - from crying every time she'd lay her foot on the school grounds right out of the car to the almost weep-free day nowadays. Adelle is eating well, she's learning well (quite advanced for her class I'm told), and is generally obedient.

But, I was also told that her temperament still needs some fine tuning. I didn't pursue what the principal meant by that but I can guess. I was also told that she isn't quite interested as well when it comes to colouring, probably a result of my wife and I introducing crayons to her quite early. But, the principal tells me that the teachers still try to keep her occupied and on task which I felt was good.

Adelle looks as if she enjoys school. When we pick her up, we'd ask her what she did and she'd respond quite positively. No more tantrums of not wanting to go to school. I think she is also rather fond of a particular Teacher Kevin there as she always mentions his name whenever there is talk about the teachers at the school.

I'm actually amazed sometimes at the knowledge that this two-year old daughter of mine has, especially in her language ability. I think some of the words and sentences she uses can even rival a kid far older than her.

But, that may be a biased opinion of course. After all, I'm her dad. :)

Mr Fix-it

2009-02-27T22:11:00.003+08:00

Well, I'm back.

Got two things fixed today. The first is the leaky tap in the kitchen. And I'm proud to say that I did it all by myself. You see, I'm not exactly a handyman when it comes to fixing things around the house. I remember the more than a few times when I actually tried to repair things I only made it worse. For example a dripping shower which I was faced with once. Easy right? Just take a wrench, tighten whatever nuts or bolts there are and you're done right?

Well, that didn't solve the problem. What was a steady dripping became a constant trickle. So much for fixing things. In the end, we called a plumber to get the job done.

But, today, I was smarter. I researched first how to do it. And what better place to get knowledge than from the Internet. So, renewed once again with all the positivity that one gets from a clear sense of mission, I went to it - and actually fixed the drip. I didn't have to replace any parts as it turned out, that all it needed was a little cleaning.

That's the first. The second is my computer. My graphics card konked and that was the one that was causing all the trouble (and frustrations, I might add). But since it was still under warranty, ths shop people helped me claim it. But it's going to take some time - 3 months they say! So, today, I bought myself a new one in the interim period. So, all's rosy right now...except for the irritating high-pitched sound that seems to be emanating from the card.

I'm probably going to have a look at it after this and see if I can do anything to get rid of the noise. If not, it's back to the shop and see if they can do anything. But, at least I can get some work done now.

Hope things are good with everyone. Cheerio!

It's official

2009-02-20T17:09:00.000+08:00

Just a short post for this entry. I am now without my computer. Remember me complaining about the BSOD that keeps stopping my computer? Well, three days ago, I decided to get rid of it...by sending my computer to the shop for a check.

The technician says that my graphics is the culprit and since it is still under warranty (I actually don't remember if it is) he's helping me claim the warranty. But it'll take time. Arrrgghhs!

I wonder how long it'll take. I find myself really handicapped without my computer.
Withdrawal symptoms?

p.s. I'm actually using my wife's laptop from school to do this. It's slow, small, but at least it's bearable...considering the circumstances. Sigh...

Spotted

2009-02-18T00:00:00.004+08:00

It seems like the chicken pox virus is going around town at the moment. I know of at least two people who've got it recently, well in their adulthood. So, I guess the marks will be slightly slower in going away.

I'm not overly worried. I got mine when I was in secondary school. Actually, I still remember it vividly. Small spots appeared all around my body one day, and upon checking it with the doctor, he confirmed that it was that dreaded chicken disease (actually, why is it called chicken pox anyway?). I had a week off of school so that was nice, but having all these extra sensitive points all around my body wasn't very nice. But, I must say that the heightened sensation was rather interesting: I've never knew (and hopefully, never will again) that my body could be so acute in feeling the slightest touch. I actually still have some of the scars on some parts of my body, though you'd have to look very closely to see them.

But my wife is quite worried when she comes into proximity with anyone who's recently had it. You see, she hasn't got it yet. Though I hear that some people have an immunity to it. I wonder if she's one of them.

Here's to all who've recently had theirs. Happy healing!

Do you smell what the Rock is cooking?

2009-02-13T00:31:00.005+08:00

Some people never leave home without it.
Some people even go to bed with it.
Some people use it only for special occasions.
Some don't even believe in such things.
But, it's got to be said that some people are really in need of it.

Just what exactly am I talking about? I'm sure you know it. It's that ubiquitous thing that seeks to make us more alluring, more appealing, and some would say, more classy. But the English translation "toilet water" certainly doesn't conjure any kind of glamourous image for me. But, it is what it is, despite the rather odd name.

I was just persuaded to check this website touted as one of the UKs leading online shops for perfume and I was quite shocked. I'm not much of a perfume kind of person, but I know a few brand names. Immediate names that come to mind would be Davidoff, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Chanel, Ralph Lauren...but who would have known that there are over 120 design houses of perfumes? And while I know that Jennifer Lopez has her own line of perfumes, but I never knew that Kate Moss had hers as well! And Gwen Stefani?

But, I guess what's important is how it wears on you, right? Doesn't really matter whether it is a designer perfume or not, I think. Oh, another thing is how long it stays on you as well. I mean you wouldn't what to keep spraying that liquid gold on you just because it wears off so quickly, right? But, I suppose if the store you're getting it from offers you some really cheap perfume, you wouldn't mind spraying a bit more often, just so you'd smell nice all the time.

I've never bought perfumes on-line before, but now at least I know of a pretty good place do it if I ever decide to make that purchase to smell like a million bucks!

BSOD

2009-02-13T00:06:00.004+08:00

Updates are slow in coming. Partly because my computer has been on the blitz. I've been using this new-ish computer for slightly over a year. No problems whatsoever. Then last Friday disaster struck...

Yep, it's that infamous Windows Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). And somehow, it's got to do with my video card. Ever since D-day (that's Disaster Day), every time I boot up, I'll come face to face with the blue screen saying that this file nv4_disp.dll is stuck in a loop and so, Windows has done the honourable thing by stopping my system before any more damage comes along. Either that, or the computer just decides to hang on me, not so much as even a nice blue screen to inform me that my machine's stopped working (even though it's all garbled nonsense to me anyway). I'm currently running without my video drivers and it's a less than enjoyable experience, but at least no more blue screens.

I scoured the net for solutions to this problem, and the suggestions are numerous and range from the more technical like changing the power supply unit to a more powerful one, updating the drivers (which I've done about a gazillion times by now to no avail), or trying out the card on another computer; to the more zany ones like switching the positions of the RAM modules in their slots and even changing the monitor connection to a different port (both of which I've done...who knows, it did work for the people who suggested them).

So, short of wiping my hard drive clean and reinstalling everything (something I'm not very keen on doing since that means I've got tonnes of backing-up to do!), I'm actually stuck for solutions.

Any computer wizards out there who can help me with this one?

Excess baggage

2009-02-03T22:59:00.001+08:00

After the week-long break for Chinese New Year, it's finally back to school time. But, I think the holidays (and all the eating that came with it) have taken its toll on me - I'm now noticeably a lot bigger round my waist. And my wife just won't let me off quietly.

Yes. Perhaps I've eaten a bit more than my fair share of food the past year end holidays. Yes, perhaps I've been snacking a bit more. But, I can't help it. I enjoy eating! So, shoot me! (that's just a figure of speech, btw.)

My wife has just told me that I need to lay off rice a wee bit because of my growing paunch. She says I eat too much rice. I sometimes take my breakfast at school (rice with a meat dish and a vegetable dish) and usually eat rice again for another meal (either lunch or dinner), but sometimes I'll eat rice for all three meals. She says that three meals (even two) with rice is too much. She recommends I substitute a meal with either a Milo and milk, or an oats with Horlicks diet.

Now, while I have nothing against the diet she is suggesting, I'm thinking all this talk about my spare tyre really just boils down to the fact that I've been rather inactive. I usually get my weekly exercise through badminton games twice a week and for the past year, that more or less kept my weight (and tummy) in check. But, since it was the year-end hols and I was away, not to mention the Chinese New Year holidays as well, I wasn't able to get my weekly dose of work-outs.

So, I think it's just about getting back into the rhythm of things once again, and once that's accomplished I'm sure that whatever excess baggage that's clinging on to me will disappear as well.

Won't it?

It's a new year!

2009-01-26T00:05:00.002+08:00

Happy Chinese New Year!

As I'm writing this, fire-crackers are going off left, right and centre. We just came back from my family reunion dinner not too long ago, and it was great to just meet up with my cousins and uncles and aunties. Tomorrow will be another round of visiting - this time the paternal side of my relatives, so it's going to be a long day. So, just a short post to wish al of you a blessed and joyous new year.

May we take time in the new year to enjoy the simple things in life, as Adelle is doing in this photo.

A night out in town

2009-01-24T02:11:00.003+08:00

Chinese New Year's just round the corner and that means several things:

1. My wife and I and will be giving out ang pows to my yet-to-marry cousins and nephews and nieces.
2. We'll be getting some ourselves (of course not us personally, but through Adelle, which we promise we'll save!)
3. We'll be doing our rounds meeting up with family members over the course of several days.
4. There'll be some shows being performed in town as a run-up to Chinese New Year.
5. There'll be that massive yearly pre-Chinese New Year open-air market which will be absolutely crowded with people.
6. Around now, town will be absolutely crowded with people (...and with that crowded with cars).

I won't lament point 5 although I was stuck in one just this afternoon since I think I've done enough complaining about it already previously. Neither will I talk about the Chinese New Year market in town (btw, just in case you didn't know it's on Saturday Jan. 24 starting as early as 1 pm and it'll last till 3 am the next morning!) since I went there last year and I don't plan to go there this year. Rather, I'm more interested in point 4, the shows.

My wife and I, with Adelle in tow, decided to check out the Chinese New Year variety shows that were being put up in town. It's been going on since last Sunday and tonight was the last night. We're not very keen on going to really crowded places because it can get quite hard to move around, but since we'd never been to the Chinese New Year shows, we thought we'd just go and have a look. We went there quite late, though. We arrived in town at about 8.15 and it was already quite crowded. But by sheer providence, we managed to get a parking very near to the event venue.

The event was well in full-swing by then but we managed to see some good performances from children. Wife was with Adelle while I took the chance to go nearer the stage to get some shots since there were no restrictions. I was particularly impressed with this primary school girl who could really dance and sing, and in tune as well. While her plastered smile didn't really melt any hearts (at least, not mine), her presentation was enjoyable enough.

After a few performances, I rejoined my wife and Adelle and decided to walk around the area since there was a night market there as well. There were hundreds of stalls and quite a number were selling Chinese New Year decorations. But a good number were also selling other things: knives, sunglasses, drinks, foodstuff, bags, shoes, cds, health tonics...it almost seemed like the usual Sunday Gaya Fair, only this time this was at night.

Anyhow, didn't buy anything so went back to the stage area to catch a few more performances before heading home.

I rather enjoyed the whole thing. Think I should go to more of these events in the future.

Below is a shot of one of the performances of the evening. I've got a few more pictures of the event here.

Wet, wet, wet

2009-01-21T23:20:00.002+08:00

Looks like this bratty wet weather's going to stay with us people here at the Land Below the Wind for a few more days...so says the Malaysian Meteorological Departmet. Wet and windy. Of course, in the mornings, it's just fine and dandy (which is good for me since I do have to take a speedboat to my workplace!). But come evenings, you see the trees shaking, the rain pelting on the rooftop, and sometimes you see the flash followed by the rumble.

Yikes! That was lightning...think I'll better sign off! Wouldn't want to fry my computer from power spikes!

Hope the weather at your end is better...

Work those legs

2009-01-19T22:58:00.002+08:00

You remember those times when you were in secondary school and there came that time of year when you had to run who-knows-how-far just for the sake of picking up some cut-up pieces of card and perhaps, getting a point or two in the process? Sure, you do. And the tradition of putting one leg in front of the other over and over again for countless miles (it sure seems like it was countless then) still continues to this very day. Apart maybe from the route you take.

Just in case you're still wondering what I'm talking about, it's the annual school cross-country race. You know the one. You gather with the entire school body in all your running gear (what little you have of it), and at the sound of a horn or something of that sort, you shoot off (or is it lumber) through the arduous circuit that has been laid out before you and, hopefully, reach the finishing line still breathing, still living.

Well, those days are long past me now, but I get the gleeful pleasure of watching other people doing all the hard work! My school just had its cross-country race last Saturday (I know, this post is a bit late) and being the yearly affair that it is, we did that one-in-a-year thing as well: motivating students to run for the respective sports house. Most did so quite willingly, but there were also the few who didn't quite see the whole reason for it and opted for a leisurely stroll instead.

Now, if you are in my generation, then the only cross-country race that you probably know about isn't very cross-country at all. I mean how is running along roads with traffic police in tow to divert traffic cross-country? If you want cross-country, come to my school. Here, students run on sand, run along footpaths (as opposed to roads), go past streams, go up hills and go down them - this is the real cross-country race. And my students go through this every year. Actually with all that rough terrain to negotiate, I'm surprised that the first aid people on duty don't have more casualties to deal with. But I guess my students are all used to that.

So, I'm wondering: how would their more urban counterparts fare?

Did I mention I was the designated picture-taker? If you're interested, I've got a kind of photo-essay of the whole event in my more photography-centric blog here.

New year...new aspirations?

2009-01-18T00:04:00.006+08:00

Two weeks have passed since the new year, and quite frankly I don't feel any different. Maybe it's for the want of a new year's resolution, but I've never really ever made one. But, one thing's for sure...this blog has been highly neglected. I've been wanting to write, but just haven't the resoluteness to sit and get down to it. So much for a new person for the new year...

Anyway, life's been pretty good. Adelle's attending playschool now. She's been going ever since the start of school term and though it's already been two weeks, wife says she still cries when she gets there. But, she's slowly adapting. And my wife and I are pretty much resolved on the matter.

The school holidays were great and the trip back to KL was pleasant. I didn't take as many pictures as I had hoped but at least I got lots of practice and fell in love again with a rather disused lens I have, so much so that it's currently my favourite! I hope to get a lot more practice with this manual focus lens and I think with Chinese New Year less than two week away, I think I'll get it no?

Time for me to sleep. Thanks for visiting. I'll share a couple of flower shots I took while at my in-laws.

Two years ago something happened

2008-12-14T23:35:00.003+08:00

I can still vividly remember the day Adelle was born. It was just past 5 am when I received the phone call from my wife that she was going into labour. When I arrived at the hospital, she was already being rolled into the delivery room. I was allowed to go in as I had attended the pre-natal classes with her. I fondly remember how I, as her breathing coach, simulated the kind of breathing exercises for my wife to follow...only to be told as soon as I started by the mid-wife that what I was doing was wrong! I remember chuckling to myself and telling my wife how what everyone thought what the baby was going to be was wrong. People thought the baby would be a boy (gleaned through the sophisticated means of looking at the shape of tummy), but what arrived was Adelle, a girl.

That was 2 years ago, yesterday. When I look at Adelle today, I realise how much she's grown; she talks quite a lot, she enjoys singing (or rather getting Mommy or Daddy to sing), she's cheeky when she wants to be, and for the most part, she's quite adorable (unless she gets into one of her foul moods due to sleepiness).

Adelle was quite happy (not to mention excited) when her birthday came. Throughout the day, several uncles and aunties called to say their birthday wishes. Also, wife had promised that they'd bake her birthday cake together, so Adelle had a hand in making her own cake though I think it was only limited to putting the flour into the mixing bowl. Anyhow, Adelle was very excited about seeing her birthday cake once it was all ready.

The chocolate birthday cake my wife and Adelle baked

We had a simple celebration after dinner with my parents, and Adelle got her wish to blow out her candles - twice! As you can see from the pic of the cake below, it's decorated with biscuits of Disney cartoon characters, and Smarties. It was the first time Adelle ate Smarties and what can I say...she loved them! We usually don't allow Adelle to eat sweets but since this was her special day, we made a slight exception.

Of course, we made sure we brushed her teeth before bedtime to get rid of all those sweet bits.

A walk in the park

2008-12-10T22:18:00.002+08:00

One of the things Adelle likes best is playing. The other thing is swimming in the pool. Yesterday, the weather was good enough to go to our favourite park nearby to let Adelle get a bit of exercise and also to allow her to release all her energy (she hadn't been doing much y because we pretty much stayed inside the house the whole day). She's just rediscovered the joys of the slide as well as climbing bars again. So, she was extra enthusiastic about doing both at the playground at the park. Another of her favourites is playing the see-saw.

Talking about see-saws, do you even call them that nowadays? I mean, I hardly see the 'original' - the ones that are made up entirely of a long piece of thick flat wood with a fulcrum in the centre. All I see nowadays are those bouncy ones with springs. So the movements aren't exactly see-sawing are they? Adelle's still not too keen on the swing, but she's slowly warming up to the idea of swishing through the air.

Of course, as usual, Daddy would be lugging his photo gear along to get some shots of his usually more-than-willing model. The park's actually a good place to meet people. Once, I met an ex-colleague whom I hadn't seen in years for two days consecutively! And yesterday was no different. We met friends and chatted for a while and then we went for a short trip to the local supermarket. When it was time for Adelle to go to sleep, she slept like a baby!

Perfect!

More pictures here.

The night

2008-12-06T22:48:00.006+08:00

Remember the concert I talked about in my previous post? Well, everything turned out quite well. Though we did start later than scheduled (there's that Malaysian time creeping in again), but things moved on pretty smoothly when we did start.

I was told before the concert started that there was a possibility of the auditorium overflowing with people as the response to the tickets was overwhelming. But, in the end, there were enough seats for everyone. There was also the possibility of heavy rain (like the previous evening), but thankfully, it stayed dry. It was a cool evening, though.

The evening started out with carol singing, which was followed by performances by one of the beneficiaries of the concert. The first consisted of several children using large black bins which were overturned and used as drums. Then there was a Bollywood-style dance number (which I thought was quite hilarious), and finally, group singing. Of course, all these acted as a prelude to the highlight of the evening which was the choir singing. Yours truly was narrator, and I must say that the point just before you start talking is always the most nerve-wracking. But, thankfully, there were no slip-ups, and the choir performed splendidly.

Well, only 20 more days till Christmas, and this whole thing just sets up a nice mood for it.

Thanks to all who came, and hope you had a wonderful evening!

For more photos, click here.

The day the cars stood still

2008-11-28T21:22:00.001+08:00

Was there something special I missed about today?

It seemed like everyone else in Kota Kinabalu knew about it except me and my wife. What am I talking about? I'm talking about the JAM! It was ridiculous! It seemed like every household in KK decided to go to town today and so, jammed the whole city up. I wanted to go to the post office to pick up a package (which was delivered when I wasn't home, btw. Why do they always come when no one's at home?), but all my running to the post office from my parked car (it was almost five) was in vain. Upon reaching the counter, the lady said that that section was closed already. Apparently, they close at 4.30 pm (why?). The worst thing was, she also said that I could only collect my package on Monday. Aarrrrgh!

After that fiasco, we headed to Wawasan Plaza because my wife wanted to go to Parkson to exchange her member points for some items. So, we were approaching the place, and we faced a jam into the entry of the complex. Knowing another entry point, I drove round and was enjoying a smoother ride until I faced another standstill. And we stayed in the queue for half an hour, just to get to the parking. Aarrgghh!

So, when we finally got to the parking, we went to Parkson. Wife got her items, and we decided to go to Giant (yes, that same leading low-price leader I talked about before) to get some diapers for Adelle since it was on offer. So, wife took one pack and we proceeded to the counter. And the cashier scanned it, and the price was not the one on offer. Wife told her about the offer price we saw in the newspaper advert (the offer price was RM39.99, usual was RM51.99), but she didn't seem to know anything about it. So, without saying another word she left her counter, and went somewhere (to see her superior, we hoped).

And so, we waited. And waited some more. It was a good 15 minutes I think by the time she came back, and she told us that the offer was for a different range of the same brand. But we insisted that it wasn't. Anyway, wife mumbled about cutting out the advertisement to show her the next time and that ended our rather unpleasant affair at that place again (I never learn, do I?). Right after that, we left, got into the car...

and faced another jam!

AAAAAARRRGGHHHH!

Foul-mood-inducing outing today. Sheesh!

Tis the season to give

2008-11-28T14:33:00.004+08:00

Hi peeps.

It's been a long while. I know I'm on a long break right now, and I 'm supposed to have all this free time on my hands, but that's just it...the holiday bug has gotten to every bit of me, especially my brain and fingers. I've been wanting to post so many times, but boy, the transformation of that desire into actual action is downright tough!

But, something's moved me to post today. My church is organising a Christmas concert next week so I'm just doing my bit to promote it. It's called "Festival of Hope", and though I'm not exactly sure what is going to happen in the concert, you'll definitely be enjoying some Christmas carols sung by a full-fledged choir. You'll have to pay to get in (RM30, RM50, RM100 and RM15 for students) but the proceeds will all go to several children's homes here in Sabah. All in all, it's for a good cause and what better time to show the spirit of giving than at Christmas time right.

Just to share with you a video my church did to promote the event.

Shopping blues

2008-11-06T22:09:00.006+08:00

Have been wanting to check out a new landmark in Kota Kinabalu but was not able to do so until today. That landmark is KK Times Square. It was opened not too long ago, though it has been completed for many months now. The architecture is not too shabby, and the whole place has a kind of regal feel to it but one thing that it clearly lacks is the one thing that makes such places come alive - tenants. During our short tour of the place, it seems that the entire place has just eight! And there are hundreds of lots!

Probably it has something to do with the accessibility to the place (you can only get there from one side of the road. You'd have to make a u-turn if you're coming the other way. And the u-turn is a long way off), but I think it has more to do with the glut in the commercial buildings here. KK is booming, no doubt. Shopping complexes are being built left, right and centre, but more often than not, a lot of the shoplots in these complexes are empty. You see, Kota Kinabalu is a small city and there are only so many people who can visit these places at any one time. Already, we have a few examples of these - even shopping complexes right within the city perimeter.

Yet, still more shopping complexes are coming up. There are at least 4 more big projects in progress that I know of within a 20km radius of Kota Kinabalu. So, I wonder - where are the shop owners going to find their customers?

Trying to get back on track

2008-11-03T23:57:00.005+08:00

Gee.

I've really done it this time. It's been two whole weeks since I've written anything substantial here. It had nothing to do with the lack of material, nor was it due to the lack of inspiration...it was just, well, not done.

So, I thought I'd drop a little something here just to get things started again. Some two weeks ago, my sister-in-law who's in Melbourne tells my wife and I that she's going to get married (finally! Congrats to you and Tim!) and now she's all busy trying to plan for the big, momentous occasion. Well, I've been appointed the wedding photographer, and I must say that I'm pretty much excited about it already, though the wedding is still pretty far off. I'm already starting to think of what kind of shots I'd be going after. And they so kindly offered to buy me a book on wedding photography as my Christmas present (which I will gladly take, thank you!) and so I've been browsing which one is worth buying. And I think I've found one...

Closer to home, my wife just got her exam results today. It was for the test all government servants have to sit for to measure your competence in discharging your duties. The method for measuring your capability? Multiple choice questions! But lest you think that the exam is a piece of cake, it took both me and my wife three tries before we could get a distinction (required for a pay increase). I got mine last year, and she got hers today. So, it was reason enough to celebrate.

We went to Kampung Nelayan Seafood Restaurant. It's a floating restaurant, and it's specialties are steamboat and barbecue steamboat. We opted for the original steamboat since it's been quite some time since we last had it. So the food came, and it was pretty ordinary. The stock in which you boil your food was almost Evian-like: sparkling clear (that would mean pretty much msg laden without actual stock). But, we enjoyed it anyway.

Adelle had the greatest fun. There is a live cultural show every night at about 7.45 so we were in the middle of dinner when it started. We had told Adelle that there would be dancing earlier, and when she heard the live traditional music starting, she became all excited! She quickly wanted to go nearer the stage (our table was not too far away, but it was at an awkward viewing angle) and asked me to carry her there. She was nothing short of memesmerized by the whole performance. The show consisted of several traditional dances from the various indigenous tribes here in Sabah, and at one point, my wife actually had the opportunity to try out a blowpipe! Her prey - a bright yellow balloon. She missed the first time, but a loud pop rewarded her the second time she tried.

We stayed until the end of the show before leaving home. It was a simple, relaxing and enjoyable dinner all in all.

p.s. School holidays are coming soon!!! Only 9 days of school to go!

No updates here

2008-10-26T23:46:00.002+08:00

This is a community service message.

Forgive me while I try to sort a few things out.
Meanwhile, if you're interested you can head up to my photoblog.
I've just updated it.
Will write more when I'm not so sleepy!!!

Catching forty-winks in...

5...4...3...2...1....

It's just one of those days

2008-10-19T22:43:00.003+08:00

Guess what?

I was locked out of the house today. In case you're wondering, no, my wife and I didn't have a fight. Rather, the whole thing started from a pile of dirty laundry. There we were, lazing in bed on an early Sunday morning (it was just past 6 am). Adelle was already up and was actively trying to get both my wife and I involved in her games. Then, wife says that we should put in the pile of dirty clothes into the washing machine so that we'd be in time to hang them up before going to church.

Being the dutiful husband that I am, I groggily got up from the bed, went downstairs, picked up the heap of smelly clothes and proceeded to put them into the washing machine. So, I opened the door to the side of the house (that's where the washing machine is placed), stuffed the clothes into the machine and started the wash cycle. Now, at the same time I was doing all this, the door decided to close on me. But, I hardly took notice of it. Satisfied that the clothes were in the good care of the machine, I turned back to go inside and turned the door knob.

It was locked.

I turned it again, just in case the knob was stuck or something. Still, it didn't budge. No matter I thought, I'll just knock. My wife would surely hear the knocking. After all, it was still early in the day, and the whole neighbourhood was still relatively quiet.

So I knocked. No response. I knocked again, harder this time. Still no response. I knocked harder still. Again, no response. I could hear Adelle squealing in the room upstairs, but as far as my wife was concerned, there was no response. So I went to the back of the house and started knocking on the back kitchen door. I looked at the time. It was 6.20 am. After a few minutes of knocking without receiving any sort of response, I stopped and went back to the side of the house. You might be wondering why I didn't go to the front of the house and just shout out to my wife. I wished I could, but we have a grille door that blocks the side walkway that links to the front part of the house. And I didn't have the key.

So, back to the side of the house it was. I knocked again, hoping this time that my wife would hear me since it was quiet then. No luck. I overturned a big pail and sat on it, thinking. Then I saw the piping that connects to the toilets upstairs. And in front of me, leaning against the wall were several chrome-plated bars that we had wanted to use as curtain rails but never did. An idea formed in my head. I could use the bars to knock on the piping. Since the piping would amplify the sound of the knocking, my wife would surely hear it. And what better knocking sound than the SOS - three quick taps, followed by three slow taps and ending with another three quick taps. Perfect! I was quite pleased with my self for thinking of such an ingenuous idea. So, I eagerly took the bar, raised it above my head and knocked it on the piping.

Tingtingting, ting-ting-ting, tingtingting.

I did this several times. But after each time, my good spirits slowly stated deserting me. Still, there was no response.

The next hour saw me doing either one of three things: sitting, knocking on the door, or tapping the pipes with the bar. When the washing cycle was finally done, I hung out the clothes to dry. Just then, my neighbour came out of her house. I said hi, and asked if I could borrow her phone. I quickly explained my predicament but leaving out the detail that I had been stuck out there for a long time. As it is, it was already an embarassing situation for me and to give her that extra bit of detail would have forever put me in her long-term memory filed under dimwits. She laughed as she passed me the phone.

Oh well, the embarrassment was more than worth it - my wife opened the door and I was inside my house again! When I was finally inside I looked at the clock. It was 8.40 am. My entire ordeal had lasted more than two hours!

Later in the day, I asked my wife if she heard any knocking. She said she did. Then I asked her, wasn't she curious that there was this incessant knocking that was going on? Her reply - she thought that it was the neighbour's kids who were up to some mischief as they are wont to do. She said she was actually irritated because it woke Adelle up. Then I asked her again, didn't she find it odd that the knocking was in the form of an SOS. Her reply - what's that?

What a way to start the day!

All happy

2008-10-19T22:32:00.003+08:00

Last Friday, the whole family went to 1 Borneo (supposed the largest shopping mall in East Malaysia). My wife was interested in visiting the Sabah International Expo which was being held there. We had visited the same expo which was held a few years back, and we enjoyed the experience. After all, it was free for visitors.

So, after school we went home and changed right away. Then we headed of to 1 Borneo and we had difficulty finding a parking. The car park was packed! After going round a few times, we decided to stop and wait instead for people to leave. Not too long after we managed to get a parking lot. All of us went straight to the expo.

We met my uncle there who was with the Sabah Tourism Promotion Board promoting Sabah handicrafts. After a brief chat, we explored the whole place. The expo was quite big. There were many booths to see and lots of free food-tasting as well! My wife bought a few fashion accessories, Adelle was given a balloon and a small piece of sweet which she was absolutely fascinated with, and I got to take a few pictures and eat a few things. So, all in all it was a happy time for everyone. We spent more than three hours there.

Sabah handicrafts on display at the expo

One of the many booths at the expo

After the expo, we decided to walk around the mall a bit more. I previously spotted some nice-looking exotic sports cars which were on display when we first arrived and I had already told my wife that I wanted to take a few shots of them. There were models too, but I didn't shoot any of them because none of them were there when we came back. Adelle got to pose with some of the sports cars so she became my model. Finishing with that, we walked around a bit more and then, we went home - tired but happy.

Adelle's very own super car!

Beauty and the beast

Quick, run! Before they catch you for going beyond the boundary!

Ocha on my mind

2008-10-15T21:19:00.005+08:00

Edited: Pictures of food inserted!

This week is PMR (that's the Form 3 examination) week, so for my school the students in all forms except those sitting for their examinations are off on break. But, we teachers still have to come to school. It can be quite boring since there's nothing much to do, but at least we get to go back slightly earlier.

Anyway, the moment I arrived home today, Adelle calls me from upstairs. "Daddeee! Get readeee!". I ask her why and she reponds, "Go lunch!". So, I go upstairs and ask my wife what kind of lunch did she have in mind. Then, she replied by asking me if I had anything in mind (don't you think replying a question with another question is so normal?). I said no, and then she said she was thinking of going to City Mall (that's the place where I bought my Code 10 gel from. If you haven't read that story, click this). I immediately knew what she had in mind.

Earlier in the day, as is usual at school, I read the local newspaper which our staff club subscribes to. Among the many advertisements I saw, I saw one about Hana (a Japanese restaurant) having a promotion on some of its menu items. I remembered that my wife had been wanting to try it out but we just never had the chance. And since Hana is located at City Mall, and that's where my wife wanted to go for lunch, so logically, that's where she'd want to go right? Of course, I was right. And of course, I agreed. A gaping chasm was already forming in my tummy due to hunger, so all of us quickly got changed and drove to City Mall.

At the restaurant, we both browsed through the menu but I decided to leave the ordering to my wife. I told her I was hungry and that she could order anything - just as long as it would fill my tummy. So, she ordered three different dishes, and in addition to that, she took a plate of salmon sushi from the conveyor belt. Our dishes arrived quite quickly, so that was good. And as is usual, I also took pictures of the food, but right now, I can't share them with you. I usual do a bit of processing to my pictures before putting them here, but now I can't. You see, my monitor's screen has turned all greeny on me. I'm not too sure what's the cause. I've checked the connections from the monitor to the cpu and they seem okay. So, I'll just leave the monitor as it is for now, and see whether tomorrow, thing's will be whiter and brighter so that I can upload the pictures for all of you to drool on (hehe!).

The interior deco of the restaurant

My thoughts on the food? I would say the overall quality is quite good - except for the sushi. We found them quite hard to eat. The rice that makes up the rice balls don't stick together very well. And it doesn't help that you are using chopsticks to eat them. So when we try to put the balls into our mouths, the whole thing just breaks up. Probably the skill of those making the sushi is still not up to par? Also, my wife commented that the meat on one of the sushi balls was not very fresh. So, if I was looking for sushi, I'd probably find better quality elsewhere.

Food on wheels

But, we enjoyed the rest of the food. The sushi tempura bento was quite good, apart from the disingtegrating sushi, of course. The set came with rice, the tempura, the sushi, and a side dish of salad. We also found the ebi kushou don quite nice. This was rice served in a bowl topped with gravy, onions, sweet pea sprouts, and prawns. Appetizing.

Sushi Tempura Bento

Ebi Kushou Don

But, we thought the best dish was the watani gani maki. They looked like their sushi counterparts, but they were much bigger and they had different fillings (not too sure now what exactly those fillings were). They were also covered in bits of tempura which was a nice touch of adding some extra oomph to the whole thing.

Watani Gani Maki

At the end of it all, my wife was very full, and I was satisfied. We went to the 'low price leader in Malaysia' after that because my wife wanted to buy some french loafs. They were on offer at 99 sen each, but when we reached there my wife was told that the offer was only till 2 pm. It was already 2.45 pm then. So, we just bought 2 cartons of fresh milk and headed home and we did the the best thing to do on a full tummy.

We slept!

:)

The vanishing

2008-10-12T22:47:00.004+08:00

I know, I know. I've done a vanishing act again. Could it be that after three months of blogging I'm already walking down the road towards bloggers limbo? I certainly hope not. I'd be very disappointed with myself if I ever came to that. I had made a promise to myself that this time round, this blog was going to last way, way, way longer than my first - and since aborted - attempt at blogging. And while I've more than surpassed the space of time it took for me to abandon my first blog, I still want to continue...

So, here are the latest updates:

Yesterday, Sabah celebrated the Head of State's official birthday. It was supposed to coincide with Malaysia Day on September 16, but since it was the fasting month, the governor decided to postpone all celebrations till yesterday, 11 October. My wife and I didn't initially plan to watch the celebrations and parade at the town field - we had earlier gone to the morning market near our house to buy some groceries - but my wife suggested that we go to town to have breakfast. We wanted to eat at our favourite bun shop (all sorts of buns there and the price is very reasonable as well), but it turned out to be closed when we drove past it. So, we settled for beef noodles as well, which was quite nice. Since this particular shop was just across from the town field, and we could hear the marchin band playing their songs, I suggested that we bring Adelle to go have a look and experience the whole thing. Wife agreed and off we went.

Of course, lucky me, I took my camera along (actually, I secretly wished to go and see the parade!) so I managed to take a number of shots. There were performances and all, but I wasn't very interested in them. What caught my attention were the palace guards (yes, the official residence of the governor is called the palace or better known as the Istana). They looked quite smart in their uniform and so, they were my main focus.

Look! I'm part of the parade!

That was yesterday. Today, Adelle woke all of us at around 6 am and then we got ready to go to the beach. We brought along her beach toys and we got her into her swimsuit so that it'd be easier to clean her up later. At the beach, Adelle was quite reluctant to walk on the sand at first. She also didn't want to use her toys to make sandcastles, but after I made a couple she became interested in what I was doing and went on to play by herself while Daddy and Mommy enjoyed a couple of sandwiches that my wife had packed. We didn't stay long as it was getting hot, so we left right after snapping a family photo.

Adelle enjoying herself playing with sand

Family photo at the beach

Just now, our Malay neighbour invited us over for dinner and we went, ate , chatted and came back. I'm feeling rather tired and sleepy right now so I'll stop writing here for tonight.

Have a good week ahead.

The long wait

2008-10-05T21:08:00.003+08:00

Okay, okay. I'm guilty. I'm a procrastinator, and it shows. I've probably taken the procrastinator's battle-cry "Don't do today, what you can put off till tomorrow" a bit too far. I just had a look at the post date of this post where I said I would share with you the pictures I took of my friend's wedding and I was shocked to find out that it was over a month ago!

It certainly took longer than I had hoped. But, okay, enough dilly-dallying. Here are the pictures then in all their pixelated glory!

...

Wait. I forgot to mention that you won't see them here. I've posted them on my spanking new photoblog (erm, not new actually...it's been in existence for over a month but the procrastinator in me has not been as diligent in updating it. No fear, though. From this moment on, I will! Procrastinator's honour :p).

Point you mouse here.

Ain't nothing low here

2008-10-04T23:48:00.006+08:00

You see it almost everywhere - that green cursive writing against a yellow background with a red dot dotting the 'i'. I even see it when I look out of my bedroom window. But the low price leader it isn't. I mean, how dare they call themselves that when so many of their things are way so much more pricier than the local supermarkets? Even when their items are supposedly on offer!

I am actually ticked off by their whole charade especially today. You see, this afternoon the whole family went to 'the low price leader' to get a few things - among others, hair gel for myself. So, I was comparing prices between the different brands and seeing which ones would be the best value for money. I decided to buy the biggest packing of the Code 10 Strong Hold gel (what can I say, I'm an old-fashioned kind of guy). The cost - RM8.90. I was quite pleased with myself since I had stood there in front of the rack with all those colourful jars and tubes of gel for quite a while calculating the whole weight/price ratio before making up my mind.

But, then later in the evening, my wife and I went to another shopping complex (after my friend so kindly volunteered to take care of Adelle) just for a bit of window shopping and as we were walking around, we decided to enter one of the local departmental stores here in Kota Kinabalu. We were passing the personal grooming products, and out of curiosity I went to look for the same gel that I had bought. And lo and behold, I saw it - the green 250 ml tub of the Code 10 Strong Hold Gel. And what greeted me when I turned it to look at the price tage? The price of RM7.70!

What???!!!

That was a RM1.20 difference! Not 10 sen, not 20 sen, not 30 sen but RM1.20! That's preposterous! How in the world can a smaller, with limited purchasing-power, local, one-outlet departmental store be selling this 250 ml Code 10 Strong Hold gel for RM1.20 cheaper than the so much bigger, and with so much more capital for bulk purchases, and with dozens and dozens of stores all over the country? Maybe I'm missing some kind of advanced accounting principles that are involved in all these price differences, but to the average consumer like me, that kind of price gap is absolutely absurd! It's totally illogical!

And they dare call themselves 'the low price leader in Malaysia'? Low price leader my foot! I can understand a few cents difference in products between different stores but RM1.20 is just way too much. Isn't there a law or something against proclaiming something you're not?

Well, at least now I know one place NOT to shop for the Code 10 Strong Hold gel.

Sheesh.