I just browsed through some of my posts for the past 2 years and realised that I had a few un-recorded major events! How could I do justice by not having these important momentos put to paper. This will serve as a memory jog when I am old and gray and my memory fails me..
1. Gua Tempurung Trip
2. Salsa adventure
3. Road trips to a few places
-- and a few more that i will be sure to write down when I remember.
Friday, July 09, 2010
On Bamboo
BAMBOO
- Bamboos seldom and unpredictably flower, and the frequency of flowering varies greatly from species to species. In fact, many bamboos only flower at intervals as long as 60 or 120 years.
Preparation of lemang - cooked over coal fire
- Textiles: Bamboo fabric is known for its softness and boasts strong absorbency and anti-microbial properties, though the chemical process in bamboo rayon destroys any anti-microbial quality.
In addition, the fiber of bamboo has been used to make paper in China since early times. A high quality hand-made paper is still produced in small quantities. Coarse bamboo paper is still used to make spirit money in many Chinese communities.
- Musical instruments:
Bamboo's natural hollow form makes it an obvious choice for many instruments, particularly wind and percussion. There are numerous types of bamboo flute made all over the world, such as the dizi, xiao, shakuhachi, palendag, jinghu, angklung. In India it is a very popular and highly respected musical instrument, available even to the poorest and the choice of many highly venerated maestros of classical music.
- Is part of the grass family
- The fastest-growing woody plant on Earth
- Unlike trees, all bamboo have the potential to grow to full height and girth in a single growing season of 3–4 months
- Bamboos seldom and unpredictably flower, and the frequency of flowering varies greatly from species to species. In fact, many bamboos only flower at intervals as long as 60 or 120 years.- Once flowering takes place, a plant will decline and often die entirely.
- Bamboo's long life makes it a Chinese symbol of longevity, while in India it is a symbol of friendship. The rarity of its blossoming has led to the flowers' being regarded as a sign of impending famine.
- In Japan, a bamboo forest sometimes surrounds a Shinto shrine as part of a sacred barrier against evil. - The pine tree, the bamboo, and the plum blossom (song zhú méi 松竹梅) are also admired for their perseverance under harsh conditions, and are together known as the "Three Friends in Winter" (岁寒三友). The "Three Friends" is traditionally used as a system of ranking in Japan, for example in sushi sets or accommodations at a traditional Ryokan (inn). Pine (matsu 松) is of the first rank, bamboo (také 竹) is of second rank, and plum (ume 梅) is of the third.
- In Chinese culture, the bamboo, plum blossom, orchid, and chrysanthemum (often known as méi lán zhú jú 梅兰竹菊) are collectively referred to as the Four Noble Ones. These four plants also represent the four seasons.
USES of Bamboo
- Animal feed (i.e. Panda)
- Commercial Timber: Timber is harvested from cultivated and wild stands and some of the larger bamboos, particularly species in the genus Phyllostachys, are known as "timber bamboos". 
Bamboo timber (image)
Bamboo timber (image)- Construction: In its natural form, bamboo as a construction material is traditionally associated with the cultures of East Asia and the South Pacific, to some extent in Central and South America.
In China, bamboo was used to hold up simple suspension bridges, either by making cables of split bamboo or twisting whole culms of sufficiently pliable bamboo together.
- Ornament: collectors desiring to grow specific bamboo typically obtain their plants as divisions of already-growing plants, rather than waiting for seeds to be produced. Furnitures are also made of bamboos and sprayed or painted with shellec to give it a shine
- Culinary: The shoots (new bamboo culms that come out of the ground) of bamboo are edible. They are used in numerous Asian dishes and broths, and are available in supermarkets in various sliced forms, both fresh and canned version.
Preparation of lemang - cooked over coal fireLemang
- Medicine: Bamboo is used in Chinese medicine for treating infections and healing
- Textiles: Bamboo fabric is known for its softness and boasts strong absorbency and anti-microbial properties, though the chemical process in bamboo rayon destroys any anti-microbial quality.
In addition, the fiber of bamboo has been used to make paper in China since early times. A high quality hand-made paper is still produced in small quantities. Coarse bamboo paper is still used to make spirit money in many Chinese communities.
- Musical instruments:
Bamboo's natural hollow form makes it an obvious choice for many instruments, particularly wind and percussion. There are numerous types of bamboo flute made all over the world, such as the dizi, xiao, shakuhachi, palendag, jinghu, angklung. In India it is a very popular and highly respected musical instrument, available even to the poorest and the choice of many highly venerated maestros of classical music. Transportation
Several manufacturers offer bamboo bicycles & can be knitted together to form a "rakit" - In asian regions, drifted on rivers
Well I learnt something new from this research. Hope you did too! Thanks for reading.
Note: ALL IMAGES IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES.
Note: ALL IMAGES IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES.
Greener fresher look ;)
I couldn't stand the sight of my blog one day. It's had the same look since it's inception. Boring.. Why not give it a facelift I thought. And thanks to blogger, there was a small message box with added features and new designs on bloggerdraft. I ventured a little, custom-picked the design I wanted. But the spread of choices left me with Hobsons choice! How to choose. Re-align your thoughts, I told myself. Back to the core of the blog - Caught in the forest of life? Forest, green, nature.. These were some of the themes that came to mind. I initially wanted to create a background myself from scratch but I never got around to doing it so this was the next best option and then I stumbled across this forest full of bamboo trees. Looked up some facts about Bamboo from Wikipedia & a few online sources and I'm putting it together in my next entry called On Bamboo..
It would be great to get some feedback on the new look. If you are reading this now, and have something to say about my blog, new look or any of my entries, please feel free to comment. ANY comments will be accepted with a pinch of salt.
It would be great to get some feedback on the new look. If you are reading this now, and have something to say about my blog, new look or any of my entries, please feel free to comment. ANY comments will be accepted with a pinch of salt.
Thursday, July 08, 2010
On my way to work
Thursday
My new route to work for the month of July =
MRR2 -> Mahameru -> Jalan Bangsar -> Jalan Kerinchi -> Federal Highway -> 3rd exit up to Asia Jaya LRT station, right turn into Section 13
Time: 8:10am
Usual traffic along Mahameru was clear.
Time: 8:15am
Road turning into Jalan Bangsar has a long queue lined up. I immediately swayed into my left road and took back into Jln Mahameru. I had no clue of an alternative route I could take. Followed the road into Jalan Duta and turned into Pusat Bandar Damansara.
Thank GOD the road was clear.
Followed the road into TTDI, KGPA and took that road. I've made this mistake too many times to not remember - if i'd gone straight, I'll come to a toll. I keep to my left and I arrive near Section 16. The Star building is ahead of me. From this point onwards I am familiar of the route. I follow the road ahead and I find myself at the traffic light I usually wait at on my way back from work. My new office lies a few stone throw away.
Time: 8:35am.
Arrived at parking.
Not bad at all. Was that luck or coincidence? Either ways, Thank you God.
My new route to work for the month of July =
MRR2 -> Mahameru -> Jalan Bangsar -> Jalan Kerinchi -> Federal Highway -> 3rd exit up to Asia Jaya LRT station, right turn into Section 13
Time: 8:10am
Usual traffic along Mahameru was clear.
Time: 8:15am
Road turning into Jalan Bangsar has a long queue lined up. I immediately swayed into my left road and took back into Jln Mahameru. I had no clue of an alternative route I could take. Followed the road into Jalan Duta and turned into Pusat Bandar Damansara.
Thank GOD the road was clear.
Followed the road into TTDI, KGPA and took that road. I've made this mistake too many times to not remember - if i'd gone straight, I'll come to a toll. I keep to my left and I arrive near Section 16. The Star building is ahead of me. From this point onwards I am familiar of the route. I follow the road ahead and I find myself at the traffic light I usually wait at on my way back from work. My new office lies a few stone throw away.
Time: 8:35am.
Arrived at parking.
Not bad at all. Was that luck or coincidence? Either ways, Thank you God.
Damages of being bold on social media
I just read the World News on CNN.com and was sad to read this piece: CNN Editor Sacked Over Teary Terrorist Twitter Tribute!
If she, Octavia didn’t explain further to defend herself that the statement she made is not a reflection of how or what she felt over the terrorist life work, I wouldn’t have a clue. But the damage has been done. Whether she likes it or not, she has to step down as CNN does not take her reasoning. Twitter has become a very powerful networking tool. Most influential figures – political or rockstar alike subscribe to a twitter account and they tweet about their daily life, whereabouts etc. Ardent fans who wants to keep up to date on what their super stars have been up to add them to their twitter account and follow them very closely. Octavia is one leader in a sense as she did contribute to the entire world a glimpse into the Middle East series of events. And the one who passed away is not exactly a pro-govt or the nation or US, in fact, he was very much against it.
Now, I don’t know the entire full account of what happened out there but this piece of news is somewhat an eye opener to corporate figures out there. Akin to posting private pictures on Facebook only to be discovered by your boss and senior management, I think Twitter tweets pose similar threats. Personal stands, views and ideas posted on any social networking media needs to be filtered. A few days back, my own corporate communications guideline on dealing with media was released internally and some of the points I came across was rather shocking to me.
Being consultants representing the organization, we are not allowed to speak on behalf of the organization in views relating to the field of expertise. This can either be to a personal friend or a reporter or anyone at all who might quote our names without permission and land us in trouble. Likewise if someone intends to put you into trouble, all they’ll need to do is to hack into your system and type something that totally damages your career and reputation. In this progressive world of media revolution, it doesn’t hurt to be wary of our actions as these speak louder than words.
So the next time you post a remark or update your status – think again… is this remark really necessary? What will the consequences be if your boss reads the comment you’ve just posted? Do you risk losing your job? Pause and think for a moment before you click on the send button!
If she, Octavia didn’t explain further to defend herself that the statement she made is not a reflection of how or what she felt over the terrorist life work, I wouldn’t have a clue. But the damage has been done. Whether she likes it or not, she has to step down as CNN does not take her reasoning. Twitter has become a very powerful networking tool. Most influential figures – political or rockstar alike subscribe to a twitter account and they tweet about their daily life, whereabouts etc. Ardent fans who wants to keep up to date on what their super stars have been up to add them to their twitter account and follow them very closely. Octavia is one leader in a sense as she did contribute to the entire world a glimpse into the Middle East series of events. And the one who passed away is not exactly a pro-govt or the nation or US, in fact, he was very much against it.
Now, I don’t know the entire full account of what happened out there but this piece of news is somewhat an eye opener to corporate figures out there. Akin to posting private pictures on Facebook only to be discovered by your boss and senior management, I think Twitter tweets pose similar threats. Personal stands, views and ideas posted on any social networking media needs to be filtered. A few days back, my own corporate communications guideline on dealing with media was released internally and some of the points I came across was rather shocking to me.
Being consultants representing the organization, we are not allowed to speak on behalf of the organization in views relating to the field of expertise. This can either be to a personal friend or a reporter or anyone at all who might quote our names without permission and land us in trouble. Likewise if someone intends to put you into trouble, all they’ll need to do is to hack into your system and type something that totally damages your career and reputation. In this progressive world of media revolution, it doesn’t hurt to be wary of our actions as these speak louder than words.
So the next time you post a remark or update your status – think again… is this remark really necessary? What will the consequences be if your boss reads the comment you’ve just posted? Do you risk losing your job? Pause and think for a moment before you click on the send button!
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Race Day
We were up as early as 530am. Breakfast is served from 6am onwards. We were among the few early birds who were up so early. Boat-uncle has been waiting for us since 630am - he told us afterwards when we met. We had a hearthy breakfast as we needed all the carbs, protein and energy we could ever have. We were given a banana each from the kind chef :)
I was having small butterfiles in my stomach on my way there. But the wind against my face somehow blew those uneasiness away. I enjoyed the boat-ride till we reached the race pit.
We ran 2X around the field and did some more warm ups to get started 30minutes before flag off time. The track was pretty straight-forward as explained but we learnt the hard way that it is not as easy as mentioned.
There were altogether about 3 main tasks in the race: 1st leg: Run for 2km until the foot of the jungle.
2nd leg: tracking into the jungle. In this leg there are many other challenges such as climbing, going down-hill, passing river and more. And mind you, this challenge is in a virgin-jungle. There is no track or trail. Red-white plastic ribbons were tied around trees as landmarks to follow. If one loses track of any one of these, for sure you will be lost and there were at least 20 over people who were lost on the race day.
Thankfully Sumi and I stuck through it together. We met a few of them along the way at times when we needed some help i.e. when we were totally clue-less, not able to find the next marker or to get over a huge boulder. But we were alone most of the way. We were not aware of what lay ahead of us. There could've been snakes / monkeys or even tigers for the matter but this is a case when ignorance is bliss. What we didn't know didn't hurt. We climbed up tree roots, wen over a river full of rocks, stopping by for a drink, climbed over huge boulders with no foot-holds to step on. And we thought the worst is over... Until we arrived at the 5th checkpoint! I couldn't see flat ground anymore - where we were supposed to continue and the marshalls at this pit stop told us that the next leg of the journey is to climb all the way where your knee will come up to your chin!
That totally put me off. We or at least I was not prepared for a climb as such. My feet by then was already aching very badly as I put too much stress on my feet whilst climbing downhil earlier. My Nike shoes were made for running not climbing and they were not particularly helpful in my up and downhill attempts.
We sat for a while, and I analysed myself honestly from all perspective. (Bad)
1. My mind was willing but my feet was really weak.
2. I knew that I will get myself bruised and hurt since my feet was pressing against my shoe front and was aching.
3. Time then was already close to 1pm. The sun was high up my head and I was very dehydrated. My rate of dehydration was faster due to the loss of energy along the way.
4. The next pitstop for water station is at least another 5 km. I didn't have proper tools to carry my water bottle. And since the next leg is climbing all the way, i will need to use all 4 limbs and no space for water bottle!
(Good)
1. I MIGHT be able to finish the race & receive a certificate BUT I MIGHT be too hurt or bruised or worst - DEAD to take it
2. Bragging rights - Won the first ever race in my life but again I MIGHT not be alive to brag about it
Having gone through all the pros and cons, I decided to call it quits. I and Sumi walked down another route - a road that led us to the Berjaya Resort grounds again.
On the way we were given a ride by one of those managers who was on his way to pick up some food for his workers. We picked our bags, chatted with the organizers for a bit and then left. This' not the end. Initially our plan was to stay back for the night of Dinner and Prize Giving where the Sultan will be present together with the media etc. Since we didn't complete the race, and it was still early then, Sumi suggested to walk back instead of taking a boat ride to Paya beach. Now that we knew how the tracks connect to the beach.
I agreed without realising that the way to Paya also had some climbing to do, which meant going back into the jungle. I was cursing and swearing that Sumi made me go through the jungle all over again despite my deteriorating feet condition.
However, I was relieved at the end of the journey when we arrived at Paya beach in no time. She saved us both RM40 each per boat trip! The money which we used later on for a decent meal.
I was having small butterfiles in my stomach on my way there. But the wind against my face somehow blew those uneasiness away. I enjoyed the boat-ride till we reached the race pit.
We ran 2X around the field and did some more warm ups to get started 30minutes before flag off time. The track was pretty straight-forward as explained but we learnt the hard way that it is not as easy as mentioned.
There were altogether about 3 main tasks in the race: 1st leg: Run for 2km until the foot of the jungle.
2nd leg: tracking into the jungle. In this leg there are many other challenges such as climbing, going down-hill, passing river and more. And mind you, this challenge is in a virgin-jungle. There is no track or trail. Red-white plastic ribbons were tied around trees as landmarks to follow. If one loses track of any one of these, for sure you will be lost and there were at least 20 over people who were lost on the race day.
Thankfully Sumi and I stuck through it together. We met a few of them along the way at times when we needed some help i.e. when we were totally clue-less, not able to find the next marker or to get over a huge boulder. But we were alone most of the way. We were not aware of what lay ahead of us. There could've been snakes / monkeys or even tigers for the matter but this is a case when ignorance is bliss. What we didn't know didn't hurt. We climbed up tree roots, wen over a river full of rocks, stopping by for a drink, climbed over huge boulders with no foot-holds to step on. And we thought the worst is over... Until we arrived at the 5th checkpoint! I couldn't see flat ground anymore - where we were supposed to continue and the marshalls at this pit stop told us that the next leg of the journey is to climb all the way where your knee will come up to your chin!
That totally put me off. We or at least I was not prepared for a climb as such. My feet by then was already aching very badly as I put too much stress on my feet whilst climbing downhil earlier. My Nike shoes were made for running not climbing and they were not particularly helpful in my up and downhill attempts.
We sat for a while, and I analysed myself honestly from all perspective. (Bad)
1. My mind was willing but my feet was really weak.
2. I knew that I will get myself bruised and hurt since my feet was pressing against my shoe front and was aching.
3. Time then was already close to 1pm. The sun was high up my head and I was very dehydrated. My rate of dehydration was faster due to the loss of energy along the way.
4. The next pitstop for water station is at least another 5 km. I didn't have proper tools to carry my water bottle. And since the next leg is climbing all the way, i will need to use all 4 limbs and no space for water bottle!
(Good)
1. I MIGHT be able to finish the race & receive a certificate BUT I MIGHT be too hurt or bruised or worst - DEAD to take it
2. Bragging rights - Won the first ever race in my life but again I MIGHT not be alive to brag about it
Having gone through all the pros and cons, I decided to call it quits. I and Sumi walked down another route - a road that led us to the Berjaya Resort grounds again.
On the way we were given a ride by one of those managers who was on his way to pick up some food for his workers. We picked our bags, chatted with the organizers for a bit and then left. This' not the end. Initially our plan was to stay back for the night of Dinner and Prize Giving where the Sultan will be present together with the media etc. Since we didn't complete the race, and it was still early then, Sumi suggested to walk back instead of taking a boat ride to Paya beach. Now that we knew how the tracks connect to the beach.
I agreed without realising that the way to Paya also had some climbing to do, which meant going back into the jungle. I was cursing and swearing that Sumi made me go through the jungle all over again despite my deteriorating feet condition.
However, I was relieved at the end of the journey when we arrived at Paya beach in no time. She saved us both RM40 each per boat trip! The money which we used later on for a decent meal.
Ragging-issues-rugged up again
Todays newspaper had at least 5 to 6 articles on the issue. Ragging - an ongoing issue that has always been undercover has surfaced up. If you notice, ragging issues are most prevalent in the local universities. Or maybe the incidents in the private U-s don't surface due to the strict rulings and "expensive" consequences they might need to face.
Relating to my own experience, entering into a well-known local uni, I was told the scariest stories about how seniors will rag the juniors, things they used to do, and I was even told to bring along punjabi suits (traditional Indian costume) to be worn throughout my 1st semester. I was horified at the stories - not so much for the ragging bit but for the part where I have to wear punjabi suits everyday for the next 3-6 months??
The bigger problem was - I didn't have that many suits to use. My cousin sister offered to pass me some of hers. So, 1 bag full of suits and another full of my own things. Being the rebel that I am, I wasn't at all bothered to adhere by the punjabi suit rules. I wore my baggy jeans on day 1, 2, 3, 4, until the end of orientation week and then at my faculty, I did the same. I only wore my own punjabi suit (I took a personal favourite just in case) for the Malam Suai-Kenal - a get-to-know dinner night with speeches from the top management & lecturers.
Looking around me, majority of the Indian students were clad in Punjabi suits. Most of them came from the small towns of Ipoh, Malacca, Kedah, Pahang etc.. They all spoke in Tamil all the time, giggled at the sight of any Indian male and was very shy - looking to the ground.
I wore my fav one on Fridays alone when I had 1 class and we had to meet the Indian seniors for a get-to-know session. Out of respect and to have a feel of the group, I wore my red suit. I sat aside a friend who ended up glueing herself to me throughout most semesters and eventually dropped off.
Then the orientation took place - where everyone was supposed to think of a joke or sing a song or act out something. When it came to me, I had no joke, no song to sing and coming to think of it, I can't even remember what I ended up doing. I think I was told to think of a joke in the next meeting which eventually went forgotten.
And then, the Indian male seniors will crowd our supper stalls at night. All the Indian female students were required to be present during this "supper-stall-session" but I always had my excuse.. stomach ache / gone back home / sick / exam or assignment etc etc.
I finally came down one day - to check it out for myself. The female seniors were not notorious at all. They were very kind in fact, some of them. Some others were rather rude or cruel. But there'll always be good and bad apples.
I used to wonder if the seniors had nothing else to do since they were all so free to be there at that hour to get to know us. But those who were very quiet and submissive had a bulk of their teasing. I was rather bold, probably too bold in fact that they didn't quite find me an interesting subject for teasing. They did attempt to ask me to follow them out with them in their cars etc. But I knew it better not to follow any stranger, at night, alone in a car!
The fact that I came from Sentul - which is known as a very notorious area in town did help me quite a bit. Some of them were cautious to tell me to do stuff or tease me too much in fear of being beaten up by thugs from Sentul.
Only I knew the reality of the matter as those stories were not exactly true. Sentul has been stripped off its mafia-status many years back. And as for me, growing up in the area where drug addicts roamed by and street gangster-wannabes drove about teasing and disturbing girls, I have seen the worst of teasings and learnt the art of avoiding them.
I made some very good friends during this time. Some of which I am still connected to. I think when the rod comes out from the furnace, it is made stealthier and stronger than when it went it. This was my experience. I was trying to reason out the logic behind every event that took place then but to no avail. I suppose God above all else has his own plan in the work of it all. We are merely the players.
Perhaps mine wasn't the worst case of rag that can be. The worst is being locked in a room with 3-4 seniors in my faculty and all my other friends were told to go back. Probably locked was not the right term, I didn't attempt to run out or try opening the door. I just sat in the room, bravely looking them all in the eyes, watching them do their work, some were merely playing games, asking questions etc.
When they were done asking me questions and trying to get to know me, I was allowed to go back. In fact i asked to be excused due to an exam i had the next day. One senior even offered to send me back when he was on the way. That's it. In fact, the next days and week, we were back to normal. No teasing or disturbs. In fact, they appreciated the fact that we looked them up whenever we needed some help. Occasionally when we bump into them we exchange the usual hellos, how are you. Apart from that, campus life was back to normal. Majority of the events were forgotten.
The ones we clearly remembered were those in which we were actively involved or played a role. One particular friend was always the bait to knock at the senior door whenever we were there to ask them anything at all. She was the most outspoken one among us who didn't mind the attention and speaking up. I on the other hand, couldn't really be that bothered about any one of them. We all had our own strength and weaknesses.
But if there is any one thing I can go back and change, it will definitely be to take up my studies more seriously as I wanted to do initially.. Some things might have changed, as I am at present at a junction where I am knocking myself hard for not paying much attention to score the 3pointer. Anyway as I've mentioned earlier, God has better plans for me. I thank you Lord for the wonderful gift of life and eventz in it.
Relating to my own experience, entering into a well-known local uni, I was told the scariest stories about how seniors will rag the juniors, things they used to do, and I was even told to bring along punjabi suits (traditional Indian costume) to be worn throughout my 1st semester. I was horified at the stories - not so much for the ragging bit but for the part where I have to wear punjabi suits everyday for the next 3-6 months??
The bigger problem was - I didn't have that many suits to use. My cousin sister offered to pass me some of hers. So, 1 bag full of suits and another full of my own things. Being the rebel that I am, I wasn't at all bothered to adhere by the punjabi suit rules. I wore my baggy jeans on day 1, 2, 3, 4, until the end of orientation week and then at my faculty, I did the same. I only wore my own punjabi suit (I took a personal favourite just in case) for the Malam Suai-Kenal - a get-to-know dinner night with speeches from the top management & lecturers.
Looking around me, majority of the Indian students were clad in Punjabi suits. Most of them came from the small towns of Ipoh, Malacca, Kedah, Pahang etc.. They all spoke in Tamil all the time, giggled at the sight of any Indian male and was very shy - looking to the ground.
I wore my fav one on Fridays alone when I had 1 class and we had to meet the Indian seniors for a get-to-know session. Out of respect and to have a feel of the group, I wore my red suit. I sat aside a friend who ended up glueing herself to me throughout most semesters and eventually dropped off.
Then the orientation took place - where everyone was supposed to think of a joke or sing a song or act out something. When it came to me, I had no joke, no song to sing and coming to think of it, I can't even remember what I ended up doing. I think I was told to think of a joke in the next meeting which eventually went forgotten.
And then, the Indian male seniors will crowd our supper stalls at night. All the Indian female students were required to be present during this "supper-stall-session" but I always had my excuse.. stomach ache / gone back home / sick / exam or assignment etc etc.
I finally came down one day - to check it out for myself. The female seniors were not notorious at all. They were very kind in fact, some of them. Some others were rather rude or cruel. But there'll always be good and bad apples.
I used to wonder if the seniors had nothing else to do since they were all so free to be there at that hour to get to know us. But those who were very quiet and submissive had a bulk of their teasing. I was rather bold, probably too bold in fact that they didn't quite find me an interesting subject for teasing. They did attempt to ask me to follow them out with them in their cars etc. But I knew it better not to follow any stranger, at night, alone in a car!
The fact that I came from Sentul - which is known as a very notorious area in town did help me quite a bit. Some of them were cautious to tell me to do stuff or tease me too much in fear of being beaten up by thugs from Sentul.
Only I knew the reality of the matter as those stories were not exactly true. Sentul has been stripped off its mafia-status many years back. And as for me, growing up in the area where drug addicts roamed by and street gangster-wannabes drove about teasing and disturbing girls, I have seen the worst of teasings and learnt the art of avoiding them.
I made some very good friends during this time. Some of which I am still connected to. I think when the rod comes out from the furnace, it is made stealthier and stronger than when it went it. This was my experience. I was trying to reason out the logic behind every event that took place then but to no avail. I suppose God above all else has his own plan in the work of it all. We are merely the players.
Perhaps mine wasn't the worst case of rag that can be. The worst is being locked in a room with 3-4 seniors in my faculty and all my other friends were told to go back. Probably locked was not the right term, I didn't attempt to run out or try opening the door. I just sat in the room, bravely looking them all in the eyes, watching them do their work, some were merely playing games, asking questions etc.
When they were done asking me questions and trying to get to know me, I was allowed to go back. In fact i asked to be excused due to an exam i had the next day. One senior even offered to send me back when he was on the way. That's it. In fact, the next days and week, we were back to normal. No teasing or disturbs. In fact, they appreciated the fact that we looked them up whenever we needed some help. Occasionally when we bump into them we exchange the usual hellos, how are you. Apart from that, campus life was back to normal. Majority of the events were forgotten.
The ones we clearly remembered were those in which we were actively involved or played a role. One particular friend was always the bait to knock at the senior door whenever we were there to ask them anything at all. She was the most outspoken one among us who didn't mind the attention and speaking up. I on the other hand, couldn't really be that bothered about any one of them. We all had our own strength and weaknesses.
But if there is any one thing I can go back and change, it will definitely be to take up my studies more seriously as I wanted to do initially.. Some things might have changed, as I am at present at a junction where I am knocking myself hard for not paying much attention to score the 3pointer. Anyway as I've mentioned earlier, God has better plans for me. I thank you Lord for the wonderful gift of life and eventz in it.
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
A check list on trust
I came across this article on TheStar dated 8th June 2010 - Lifestyle Section; taken from McClatchy- Tribune Information Services. Found it very useful as a check list for myself. In the advent of this new age, where rates of marriage and divorces are on the rise, perhaps we should take a step back and think before getting onto a straight "YES". And 5 months down the road, realise that you can no longer stand the smallest details such as BO or lateness or his pets! And this was you = 5 months earlier going all puppy-doll-eyed at his lil' chihuahua.
Women are more liberalised at this age and time, with the freedom of speech, and doing what they will. Imagine having had your way all your life and suddenly there is this one man who walks in, sweeps you off your feet and before he had put you on the ground, it is already too late to realise the blunder you have made. It's good and well if you were not all that blinded during the courtship period but when reality sinks in and you are not too happy about the outcome of it then your life is at stake.
Anyhow do read on and you might find it useful if you've missed out the news article... It is not the entire article but excerpts from it.
1. Have I observed this person in many situations over an extended period of time?
(from the paper) For the trust-wary, there is no substitute for time. you have to see someone in many different situations over a long period of time before you know what kind of stuff they're made of. Let a new love interest know you need a lot of time to get to know who they are and who you are together before you are ready to commit. The right person will appreciate where you come from and won't push you.
(from me) The journey together as a couple shouldn't just consist of happy and joyous moments but a bulk of it has to be stressful, pain-staking with loads of arguments and disagreements. I believe that arguments are good in a way to iron out issues. I always believed that dust swept under the carpet doesn't disappear into thin air.. It remains until the carpet is lifted up one day. So, the best is to sweep it away while you're at it.
2. Is this person available for family events and holidays?
(from the paper) If not they may already have a family they're not telling you about.
(from me) In my case, I find it hard to make any social plans which include my other half as his weekends are usually packed with classes which usually stretch till late at night, However, when there are the occasional, important events, if and whenever he can he makes it a point to turn up. Holidays are to be planned way ahead prior to the date so adjustments can be made. And when he is flexible to allow room for these adjustments, it reassures you that he is responsible and serious enough to make room for family time.
3. Do they frequently work late/ weekends / take business trips?
(from the paper) Hmmm... perhaps you should find out where they're going and what they're doing.
(from me) Well, we share almost every detail of our daily life with each other at the end of each day and if we really can't talk over the phone due to travel reasons or whatever, we will make it a point to sit through a long detailed gossip session to tell all about the week that has passed or events that transpired. Transparency helps.
4. Do they tell you the important stuff right up front or do you find yourself being blindsided by deal-breakers?
(from the paper) Telling the whole truth, whether it's about sex or health or money problems builds trust.
(from me) Totally agree. Being "best-friends" helps the process as you would naturally confide in your bestfriend in every thing you do, right? That's how we have become. Important stuff, not-so-important details, the whole lot of information is shared. I was listening to a talk on the local radio station this morning about a colleague who gossipped about her co-workers to their boss. And the question was on how and what she can do to make ammends. A caller made a good point = not everyone can take the entire truth. Sometimes if you have to tell 5 facts or truths, tell the whole 3 and tell the rest 2 diplomatically. Which dampens the effect in a way.
5. Are they sincere or do they placate you by telling you what they think you want to hear?
(In the paper) While this tip is closely related to tip 4, it's more about how they operate in the present than whether they've messed up in the past. Learning to ask for what you want and need right now, rather than merely parrot back what you think the other person wants you to want and need, allows you to be transparent in a relationship.
(From me) I firmly believe that transparency is utmost crucial in a relationship. Crucial being the word i've chosen to use due to the weight of the consequences should this rule be broken.
As someone with a history of other bad-apples-experience, I have always felt inadequate and had the need to tell him all about it so he knows it from the start. But the other half thinks otherwise, I love you in the NOW not your PAST. It took me awhile to comprehend this statement. I've learnt to live by it now. By being the best you can be in the present, leaving behind your past and truly doing it, not merely saying that you will. This further builds your firm relationship foundation
6. Are they reliable?
(from the paper) Do they call/ arrive when they say they will? if they say they're going to do something, do they actually do it? This shows respect and consideration for other people. Reliability is important and is very very sexy.
( From me) - totally agree. If anything, I should be the one guilty of non-reliability. Being someone with a high sense of discipline and keeping time, I am the total opposite.
7. Do they share their emotions?
(from the paper) If so, they;re comfortable in their own skin. A good sign they have nothing to hide.
(from me) Not too sure if we can expect much of this from the men in our lives. Being Asian makes it even more hard as Asians are generally not very verbal with their feelings or emotions.
8. Do they remain rational?
(from the paper) No ranting, raving, yelling or screaming, please. Such out-of-control behavious is a smokescreen and what's behind that smoke-screen isn't something you want in your life.
(from me) - Rising to the occasion is definitely a very sexy thing, I feel. Women might want to be in control of everything they can have their say in but deep down inside, at some down point or another, we do want to take a back seat and let someone else drive. In any crazy-hectic-demanding situation, when I am out of control, I need someone to cool me down so another negative charge will definitely be bad news to me.
9. Do they think in terms of "me" or "we"?
(from the paper) In the world of the narcissist, everything is about "me" and that leaves no place for "you" or "we". You want someone who is over themselves. Look for someone who can focus on, care about and make choices based on the well being of other people while at the same time, honoring their own needs.
(from me) Very true, the last thing you need is a mirror or bathroom hogger. Genuine concern will go a long way especially when it comes to golden years.
10. Are they willing to earn your trust?
(from the paper) New relationships are wonderful opportunities to find love - don't hold them captive to the sadness of the past. At the same time, once you decide you're willing to consider trusting someone, remember: he/she has to be willing to earn your trust
(From me) Transparency leading to trust as a basic element is definitely important.
Women are more liberalised at this age and time, with the freedom of speech, and doing what they will. Imagine having had your way all your life and suddenly there is this one man who walks in, sweeps you off your feet and before he had put you on the ground, it is already too late to realise the blunder you have made. It's good and well if you were not all that blinded during the courtship period but when reality sinks in and you are not too happy about the outcome of it then your life is at stake.
Anyhow do read on and you might find it useful if you've missed out the news article... It is not the entire article but excerpts from it.
1. Have I observed this person in many situations over an extended period of time?
(from the paper) For the trust-wary, there is no substitute for time. you have to see someone in many different situations over a long period of time before you know what kind of stuff they're made of. Let a new love interest know you need a lot of time to get to know who they are and who you are together before you are ready to commit. The right person will appreciate where you come from and won't push you.
(from me) The journey together as a couple shouldn't just consist of happy and joyous moments but a bulk of it has to be stressful, pain-staking with loads of arguments and disagreements. I believe that arguments are good in a way to iron out issues. I always believed that dust swept under the carpet doesn't disappear into thin air.. It remains until the carpet is lifted up one day. So, the best is to sweep it away while you're at it.
2. Is this person available for family events and holidays?
(from the paper) If not they may already have a family they're not telling you about.
(from me) In my case, I find it hard to make any social plans which include my other half as his weekends are usually packed with classes which usually stretch till late at night, However, when there are the occasional, important events, if and whenever he can he makes it a point to turn up. Holidays are to be planned way ahead prior to the date so adjustments can be made. And when he is flexible to allow room for these adjustments, it reassures you that he is responsible and serious enough to make room for family time.
3. Do they frequently work late/ weekends / take business trips?
(from the paper) Hmmm... perhaps you should find out where they're going and what they're doing.
(from me) Well, we share almost every detail of our daily life with each other at the end of each day and if we really can't talk over the phone due to travel reasons or whatever, we will make it a point to sit through a long detailed gossip session to tell all about the week that has passed or events that transpired. Transparency helps.
4. Do they tell you the important stuff right up front or do you find yourself being blindsided by deal-breakers?
(from the paper) Telling the whole truth, whether it's about sex or health or money problems builds trust.
(from me) Totally agree. Being "best-friends" helps the process as you would naturally confide in your bestfriend in every thing you do, right? That's how we have become. Important stuff, not-so-important details, the whole lot of information is shared. I was listening to a talk on the local radio station this morning about a colleague who gossipped about her co-workers to their boss. And the question was on how and what she can do to make ammends. A caller made a good point = not everyone can take the entire truth. Sometimes if you have to tell 5 facts or truths, tell the whole 3 and tell the rest 2 diplomatically. Which dampens the effect in a way.
5. Are they sincere or do they placate you by telling you what they think you want to hear?
(In the paper) While this tip is closely related to tip 4, it's more about how they operate in the present than whether they've messed up in the past. Learning to ask for what you want and need right now, rather than merely parrot back what you think the other person wants you to want and need, allows you to be transparent in a relationship.
(From me) I firmly believe that transparency is utmost crucial in a relationship. Crucial being the word i've chosen to use due to the weight of the consequences should this rule be broken.
As someone with a history of other bad-apples-experience, I have always felt inadequate and had the need to tell him all about it so he knows it from the start. But the other half thinks otherwise, I love you in the NOW not your PAST. It took me awhile to comprehend this statement. I've learnt to live by it now. By being the best you can be in the present, leaving behind your past and truly doing it, not merely saying that you will. This further builds your firm relationship foundation
6. Are they reliable?
(from the paper) Do they call/ arrive when they say they will? if they say they're going to do something, do they actually do it? This shows respect and consideration for other people. Reliability is important and is very very sexy.
( From me) - totally agree. If anything, I should be the one guilty of non-reliability. Being someone with a high sense of discipline and keeping time, I am the total opposite.
7. Do they share their emotions?
(from the paper) If so, they;re comfortable in their own skin. A good sign they have nothing to hide.
(from me) Not too sure if we can expect much of this from the men in our lives. Being Asian makes it even more hard as Asians are generally not very verbal with their feelings or emotions.
8. Do they remain rational?
(from the paper) No ranting, raving, yelling or screaming, please. Such out-of-control behavious is a smokescreen and what's behind that smoke-screen isn't something you want in your life.
(from me) - Rising to the occasion is definitely a very sexy thing, I feel. Women might want to be in control of everything they can have their say in but deep down inside, at some down point or another, we do want to take a back seat and let someone else drive. In any crazy-hectic-demanding situation, when I am out of control, I need someone to cool me down so another negative charge will definitely be bad news to me.
9. Do they think in terms of "me" or "we"?
(from the paper) In the world of the narcissist, everything is about "me" and that leaves no place for "you" or "we". You want someone who is over themselves. Look for someone who can focus on, care about and make choices based on the well being of other people while at the same time, honoring their own needs.
(from me) Very true, the last thing you need is a mirror or bathroom hogger. Genuine concern will go a long way especially when it comes to golden years.
10. Are they willing to earn your trust?
(from the paper) New relationships are wonderful opportunities to find love - don't hold them captive to the sadness of the past. At the same time, once you decide you're willing to consider trusting someone, remember: he/she has to be willing to earn your trust
(From me) Transparency leading to trust as a basic element is definitely important.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Eco-Challenge part 5 - The journey continues
Ferry was to take off at about 5pm. Our briefing was between 5pm till 7pm the same evening. We still had about 30 minutes before our ferry takes off. We walked into the waiting area to wait for our ferry. We paid RM5 per person for the island wildlife conservation fund. This fund is supposed to manage the wellbeing of the island, keeping people away from poachers and illegal fishing. However, from what we hear of from the few locals we met, nothing much has been done for the past few years to preserve the island. In fact, it has become quite dirty on the contrary over the past few years. We witnessed this ourselves while on our ferry trip as there were plastic water bottles floating around.
Whilst at her office, our agent explained to us that we will need to charter a water taxi to commute to the berjaya resort on Saturday as there is no land transfer there. The thought of a water taxi was fun minus the cost! Its cost ranges between RM30 to RM5o each trip!! What a rip off I thought.
Not an option to skip though, as we have already booked our accomodation at Paya and we need to be at Berjaya by 8am the following morning. We agreed to talk to the boatmen once we reach Paya we thought. While waiting for our ferry, another thought struck my mind. Our drop off point was Paya which is stop #3 and Berjaya is stop #4. If we continued on we will be doing a pit stop at 3 to drop our bags off, get a water taxi for stop 4 and once briefing is done, head back to stop 3! Thats an additional RM80 per person in one single night on water taxi alone!
Too much a rip off I thought and we checked with Ms Lim (agent) if we can get off at Berjaya with our luggages, go for the briefing and then check in at Paya once we were done. She said that is fine and advised us that the taxi rates might be more expensive for travel at night. We took that into account & got off at Berjaya stop. Once there, we asked one of the boatmen for a water taxi and thankfully a boy lead us to his brother who ran the water taxis there. He even offered to send us to the school for our briefing while he contacted his brother.
We took his offer, landed at the school, midway through the briefing and listened out to as much as we could. We were faced with a moment of decision again. After registering, we enquired about the timing to be there the next morning and possibility of having any accomodation at Berjaya for one night alone. We were put into contact with the liaison person for the race who called some of his contacts to check on the availability of rooms. Unfortunately there were no rooms available on such short notice and he advised us to find any other motel rooms on the berjaya side itself for convenience the next morning.
We toyed with the idea and thought about it for a while. At the end, we decided to go back to Paya and take a water taxi back the next morning. When we told him our decision to stay put with our original plan, he was kind enough to even offer us to bunk in with the organizers at the Berjaya if we changed our minds as he was very concerned on the travel time and safety at that hour. Given that the accomodation in Paya is already paid and we have already fixed all plans at that time, changing or looking for a last minute bunk-in place didn't sound viable. We told him that and thanked him for his help, agreed to meet him again the next day for the race.
Whilst at her office, our agent explained to us that we will need to charter a water taxi to commute to the berjaya resort on Saturday as there is no land transfer there. The thought of a water taxi was fun minus the cost! Its cost ranges between RM30 to RM5o each trip!! What a rip off I thought.
Not an option to skip though, as we have already booked our accomodation at Paya and we need to be at Berjaya by 8am the following morning. We agreed to talk to the boatmen once we reach Paya we thought. While waiting for our ferry, another thought struck my mind. Our drop off point was Paya which is stop #3 and Berjaya is stop #4. If we continued on we will be doing a pit stop at 3 to drop our bags off, get a water taxi for stop 4 and once briefing is done, head back to stop 3! Thats an additional RM80 per person in one single night on water taxi alone!
Too much a rip off I thought and we checked with Ms Lim (agent) if we can get off at Berjaya with our luggages, go for the briefing and then check in at Paya once we were done. She said that is fine and advised us that the taxi rates might be more expensive for travel at night. We took that into account & got off at Berjaya stop. Once there, we asked one of the boatmen for a water taxi and thankfully a boy lead us to his brother who ran the water taxis there. He even offered to send us to the school for our briefing while he contacted his brother.
We took his offer, landed at the school, midway through the briefing and listened out to as much as we could. We were faced with a moment of decision again. After registering, we enquired about the timing to be there the next morning and possibility of having any accomodation at Berjaya for one night alone. We were put into contact with the liaison person for the race who called some of his contacts to check on the availability of rooms. Unfortunately there were no rooms available on such short notice and he advised us to find any other motel rooms on the berjaya side itself for convenience the next morning.
We toyed with the idea and thought about it for a while. At the end, we decided to go back to Paya and take a water taxi back the next morning. When we told him our decision to stay put with our original plan, he was kind enough to even offer us to bunk in with the organizers at the Berjaya if we changed our minds as he was very concerned on the travel time and safety at that hour. Given that the accomodation in Paya is already paid and we have already fixed all plans at that time, changing or looking for a last minute bunk-in place didn't sound viable. We told him that and thanked him for his help, agreed to meet him again the next day for the race.
Eco-Challenge part 4 - The journey in a nut shell
I left on Friday morning at 7am for my bus which was scheduled to leave at 9am. I've made my ticket purchase online and had my e-ticketing receipt as proof with me. Took an LRT to the Bukit Jalil LRT station and walked across the road from there to the temporary bus station. Stopped by at the kedai runcit on the way for 2 Snicker bars.
Upon arriving at the temporary ticketing counter, I found out that there was no electricity. It was already 8:45 and to my horror, electricity was still not up yet. At the counters, the agents were already issuing manual tickets to walk-in passengers. I went up to the counter and asked again and they just told me to proceed to my bus with my e-ticket proof and board the bus. Thankfully, there was a Transnational staff member who was standing next to me who asked me to follow him and he took me to the bus and asked his boss to acknowledge my ticket. The boss was even nicer to explain the situation, apologize and allowed me to board and told the bus driver to ensure that I have a seat on board with no issues.
I thanked God for their kindness and for not giving me any issues on the matter. Since I didn't have a proper seat number, I sat on the single seat at the back of the bus on alert to make way if anyone comes over to sit there. As i've guessed, a malay girl came to claim her seat with a proper ticket with the seat number on it. I quickly moved over to the 2-seats next to it. When the bus took off, the back row was only filled with 2 people and since no one came to claim my seat, I had both seats for myself. Excellent for leg space I thought and i slept all the way through the journey.
I was supposed to meet Sumi at the bus station at about 3pm and my bus arrived shortly after she arrived. Met her as planned at the Mersing bus station. Upon asking around, we found out that the jetty was about 500 metres away from the bus station and our ferry was leaving at about 4smtg. WIth ample of time in our hands, we decided to grab some food. We walked from the bus station to the main road, and came to a row of shop houses and restaurants and even a Public Bank! 
While Sumi went to withdraw money, I waited by the side of the bank with a few police officers who were in the lookout for some pick-pocket guy who escaped them.
What more security can one ask for?
The safest bet for food we could think of was KFC which was 2 doors away from the bank. It was about 38 degrees hot by this time so air-cond was a good option. We had some burger, fries and drinks at the fly-infested place but no further complaints as we didn't have any stomach problems after that & the toilets were also clean. Beware when walking up to the upper floor or the toilets as the steps are rather steep and narrow.
After recuperating from the extreme heat, we continued our journey and continued walking towards the jetty. We were supposed to meet the travel agent there as well. As we were reaching the jetty area, our agent spotted us and called out for Sumi. Good guess I thought. After a brief introduction, we proceeded to her office to collect our ferry tickets, accomodation tickets and settle outstanding payments.
Eco-Challenge: Part 3 - Confirmation
Over the weekend of 1st of May, Sumi & I were frantically searching for hotel bookings online and packages we can take. Countdown by now was - 6 days to race day!
We resorted to travel agencies & I ended up bumping into one contact online who offered us a package at an affordable price but was rather sticky on the fine details such as arranging for bus transportation and other logistics we enquired about. By now, Sumi, on the other hand also had the Paya beach resort hotel contacted and she found another contact who offered us the same package but were more flexible to changing details.
As her contact person was able to confirm the details on Monday, I held the booking I had initiallised with my contact and waited for SUmi to finalise her finding with the resort contact. On Monday, she came back with a better deal with the flexibility of giving up the snorkelling and packed lunch option which came together with the 3D 2N package. So we confirmed with the same lady who later turned out to be more helpful in so many ways and made our entire trip smooth and easy.
By then I've already booked my Transnational bus tickets to go to Mersing or else she would have been able to book the same for me. As a point to note, if you are considering Tioman as your holiday destination with no frills and a smooth ride, she is one person worth considering. From the booking of your bus tickets, up to the bus station in Mersing, she arranges for transit to the island via ferry, gives you valuable information on the island itself and most importantly friendly and conversant in English.
Why Paya Beach Resort?
Well, we knew tat the race was to flag off from the Berjaya Hills resort in Tioman. Of course accomodation at Berjaya itself was rather pricey for us so we looked for other alternatives. Paya Beach resort became our mutual choice for a number of reasons, namely
1) good reviews for me
2) decent toilets for sumi
3) affordable prices for both of us
The map shown online had land connection between Berjaya resort and the other neighbouring resorts in the island. Little did we know how this land connection was until we arrived at the island.
The adventure is about to begin..
We resorted to travel agencies & I ended up bumping into one contact online who offered us a package at an affordable price but was rather sticky on the fine details such as arranging for bus transportation and other logistics we enquired about. By now, Sumi, on the other hand also had the Paya beach resort hotel contacted and she found another contact who offered us the same package but were more flexible to changing details.
As her contact person was able to confirm the details on Monday, I held the booking I had initiallised with my contact and waited for SUmi to finalise her finding with the resort contact. On Monday, she came back with a better deal with the flexibility of giving up the snorkelling and packed lunch option which came together with the 3D 2N package. So we confirmed with the same lady who later turned out to be more helpful in so many ways and made our entire trip smooth and easy.
By then I've already booked my Transnational bus tickets to go to Mersing or else she would have been able to book the same for me. As a point to note, if you are considering Tioman as your holiday destination with no frills and a smooth ride, she is one person worth considering. From the booking of your bus tickets, up to the bus station in Mersing, she arranges for transit to the island via ferry, gives you valuable information on the island itself and most importantly friendly and conversant in English.
Why Paya Beach Resort?
Well, we knew tat the race was to flag off from the Berjaya Hills resort in Tioman. Of course accomodation at Berjaya itself was rather pricey for us so we looked for other alternatives. Paya Beach resort became our mutual choice for a number of reasons, namely
1) good reviews for me
2) decent toilets for sumi
3) affordable prices for both of us
The map shown online had land connection between Berjaya resort and the other neighbouring resorts in the island. Little did we know how this land connection was until we arrived at the island.
The adventure is about to begin..
Eco-Challenge part 2: The training
The training
Training for me was tough as I have been physically inactive for more than 5 months by now. The eco-challenge race which came around was a kick-start motivation for me. I was visiting my 2 gfs at Desa Kiara pool for a "float session" irregularly on Wednesdays so I converted those floating sessions to a jogging session instead at the Taman Tasik Perdana. So there I was on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays jogging and on the few Sundays we had, we hiked up to Frim and Mont Kiara Park.
Sumi left for Singapore on last week of April which left me to train alone on those days while she did her set of training back home.
Due to my lack of stamina, I pushed myself to an extreme out of fear.
Fear of being left behind during the race. I had to keep up as I knew that Sumi had the strength and long-lasting ability like that of a Duracell-battery.
When I first started, I could hardly mover 5 metres without stopping and grasping for breath.
During training, I was also not allowed to drink a drip of water until I finish the entire course around the lake. This helped me a good deal as I am usually as thirsty as a lark!
By the end of my 2nd week of running I could already complete half of the lake without stopping. This boosted my motivation further and I kept pushing myself to achieve more. My goal then was nothing else but to complete a full round about the lake without stopping at all.
Something new which I also began to experience was sweating and a faster heart beat. I experienced palpitation and I was excited with this new change. I checked with my GP on whether this can be of any danger to me and he told me there was nothing to be worried of unless I was fainting or felt nausea or anything to an extreme, out of the norm. Thankfully none of those happened to me and on the contrary, I was feeling healthier than ever! Training continued till day 0 - race day!
Training for me was tough as I have been physically inactive for more than 5 months by now. The eco-challenge race which came around was a kick-start motivation for me. I was visiting my 2 gfs at Desa Kiara pool for a "float session" irregularly on Wednesdays so I converted those floating sessions to a jogging session instead at the Taman Tasik Perdana. So there I was on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays jogging and on the few Sundays we had, we hiked up to Frim and Mont Kiara Park.
Sumi left for Singapore on last week of April which left me to train alone on those days while she did her set of training back home.
Due to my lack of stamina, I pushed myself to an extreme out of fear.
Fear of being left behind during the race. I had to keep up as I knew that Sumi had the strength and long-lasting ability like that of a Duracell-battery.
When I first started, I could hardly mover 5 metres without stopping and grasping for breath.
During training, I was also not allowed to drink a drip of water until I finish the entire course around the lake. This helped me a good deal as I am usually as thirsty as a lark!
By the end of my 2nd week of running I could already complete half of the lake without stopping. This boosted my motivation further and I kept pushing myself to achieve more. My goal then was nothing else but to complete a full round about the lake without stopping at all.
Something new which I also began to experience was sweating and a faster heart beat. I experienced palpitation and I was excited with this new change. I checked with my GP on whether this can be of any danger to me and he told me there was nothing to be worried of unless I was fainting or felt nausea or anything to an extreme, out of the norm. Thankfully none of those happened to me and on the contrary, I was feeling healthier than ever! Training continued till day 0 - race day!
Eco-Challenge
Date: 16th of April 2010
As usual I was early in the office and was waiting for someone to open the door. While waiting, I flipped through the morning papers and came across an interesting cover on something called eco-challenge. Reading on, it was about the 2009 Challenge which was held in Tioman Island and the one this year was to be held in about 1-months time!
The write up was interesting enough for me to google them up and upon gathering more information, I was already keen to sign up. Registration fees was only RM30, location in Tioman, and hey why not! Firstly I was interested to be part of the race, secondly, I wanted to visit Tioman since I have not been to an island off the coast before. In the excitement, I rang up my good girlfriend (gf) and asked her if she was keen. She was having her holiday break at hometown then.
Her initial response was - no... I've got a meeting at my centre the next day and I have to register for my next semester by then. Ah well, got to do it alone then, I thought. Continued on with work afterwards and applied for my leave the very same day!
Sometime later the same day, my gf calls and asks if I have found someone yet. I said no. Told her that i've promoted it to my office mates by then but no one seems to be solid keen to take part. So I was probably going to do it myself and she said she can come with me afterall, given that the trip was to return the same day after the race. I thought for a bit and said, yes. Why not. The actual race is on Saturday morning. Scheduled to finish by 4:30 pm. And we can take the next ferry back and catch the next bus back to KL. See, that does sound do-able right?
If you are not already laughing at me at this juncture then you must still be clueless as to what exactly we were looking at. Well, read on & in the next few entries, you will know why the wish-ful thought was not so practical after all.
So all agreed on, I went online to register for both myself and gf to go for the eco-challenge the same day during my lunch time. It was too much excitement to contain and without wasting any more day, I decided to start a jogging-routine for at least thrice a week.
We held off the logistics arrangement until we had a black and white confirmation from the organizers that our participation is confirmed. Confirmation email came in 2 days later. By then our exercise plan already took off and we were already scouting for a hotel and to confirm other details.
As usual, the procrastinators that we are, confirmation of hotel, transport and all other details we only done 4 days before the race day - 3rd of May!
As usual I was early in the office and was waiting for someone to open the door. While waiting, I flipped through the morning papers and came across an interesting cover on something called eco-challenge. Reading on, it was about the 2009 Challenge which was held in Tioman Island and the one this year was to be held in about 1-months time!
The write up was interesting enough for me to google them up and upon gathering more information, I was already keen to sign up. Registration fees was only RM30, location in Tioman, and hey why not! Firstly I was interested to be part of the race, secondly, I wanted to visit Tioman since I have not been to an island off the coast before. In the excitement, I rang up my good girlfriend (gf) and asked her if she was keen. She was having her holiday break at hometown then.
Her initial response was - no... I've got a meeting at my centre the next day and I have to register for my next semester by then. Ah well, got to do it alone then, I thought. Continued on with work afterwards and applied for my leave the very same day!
Sometime later the same day, my gf calls and asks if I have found someone yet. I said no. Told her that i've promoted it to my office mates by then but no one seems to be solid keen to take part. So I was probably going to do it myself and she said she can come with me afterall, given that the trip was to return the same day after the race. I thought for a bit and said, yes. Why not. The actual race is on Saturday morning. Scheduled to finish by 4:30 pm. And we can take the next ferry back and catch the next bus back to KL. See, that does sound do-able right?
If you are not already laughing at me at this juncture then you must still be clueless as to what exactly we were looking at. Well, read on & in the next few entries, you will know why the wish-ful thought was not so practical after all.
So all agreed on, I went online to register for both myself and gf to go for the eco-challenge the same day during my lunch time. It was too much excitement to contain and without wasting any more day, I decided to start a jogging-routine for at least thrice a week.
We held off the logistics arrangement until we had a black and white confirmation from the organizers that our participation is confirmed. Confirmation email came in 2 days later. By then our exercise plan already took off and we were already scouting for a hotel and to confirm other details.
As usual, the procrastinators that we are, confirmation of hotel, transport and all other details we only done 4 days before the race day - 3rd of May!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
an act of kindness and who's fault is it anyway?
It's officially approaching 1 year since i started driving on the streets of KL. It has been a barrel of mixed feelings to describe, one i can't quite put a finger on and say aha--
Since i started commuting to Subang for work since 2010 started, i am out of my home by 7am. Latest i've left home is at 650am with the intention of heading on to Federal Highway before the crawl starts to build up. The early hours work fine with me, dealing with sleepy and slow-ly annoying drivers on the road has helped to build up my patience.
The only times I am stopped on the roads are when I don't make it to the traffic light in time before it turns red. During which time I usually ponder and wonder about the things around me. Mornings work great for me. I am most alert, happy, resourceful and peaceful during these times. I don't even feel the stress of the traffic jam or honking drivers unless I am absolutely late which I try to avoid at all costs.
This morning I was driving behind this motorcyclist - an uncle who was delivering papers. He was driving extremely slow and was in the lane I was driving on. He had some space on his left lane but he kept swerving to the direction where my car was heading to. The traffic on my right was full of vehicles. So with no choice I followed him behind. Traffic light is about 50 m ahead of me and the moment I was reaching, the light turned red.
The motorcyclist now, already swerved to his left lane continued on his journey as he made it there when the light turned yellow. Alas for me... I was stuck till the light turned green again.
This situation struck me like a bolt! I was trying to be kind enough to not honk at him and when it was convenient for him, so conveniently he swerved on to his lane and he was well on his way. Where does that place me?
What could I have done differently to change the circumstances and in turn made it on time at the traffic light?
Would that have affected the motorcyclist and even if it has or not, would I have stopped to even think twice about it?
And last but not least... why do I have to be so kind and allow these people to go ahead of me?
Would the law of Karma turn around and work in my favour at times when I need it?
Since i started commuting to Subang for work since 2010 started, i am out of my home by 7am. Latest i've left home is at 650am with the intention of heading on to Federal Highway before the crawl starts to build up. The early hours work fine with me, dealing with sleepy and slow-ly annoying drivers on the road has helped to build up my patience.
The only times I am stopped on the roads are when I don't make it to the traffic light in time before it turns red. During which time I usually ponder and wonder about the things around me. Mornings work great for me. I am most alert, happy, resourceful and peaceful during these times. I don't even feel the stress of the traffic jam or honking drivers unless I am absolutely late which I try to avoid at all costs.
This morning I was driving behind this motorcyclist - an uncle who was delivering papers. He was driving extremely slow and was in the lane I was driving on. He had some space on his left lane but he kept swerving to the direction where my car was heading to. The traffic on my right was full of vehicles. So with no choice I followed him behind. Traffic light is about 50 m ahead of me and the moment I was reaching, the light turned red.
The motorcyclist now, already swerved to his left lane continued on his journey as he made it there when the light turned yellow. Alas for me... I was stuck till the light turned green again.
This situation struck me like a bolt! I was trying to be kind enough to not honk at him and when it was convenient for him, so conveniently he swerved on to his lane and he was well on his way. Where does that place me?
What could I have done differently to change the circumstances and in turn made it on time at the traffic light?
Would that have affected the motorcyclist and even if it has or not, would I have stopped to even think twice about it?
And last but not least... why do I have to be so kind and allow these people to go ahead of me?
Would the law of Karma turn around and work in my favour at times when I need it?
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Thanks to the ignorance of....
- the road contractors who forgot to remove the road barriers at a construction site, a massive traffic jam is created (The overhead bridge along Jalan Bangsar)
- the level 2 technical support who refused to attend to my query on improving their service, they've lost a potential client
- and more??
- the level 2 technical support who refused to attend to my query on improving their service, they've lost a potential client
- and more??
Monday, March 01, 2010
On the different rivers we stride on
The wind and tide decide where the current takes us to. Who controls the wind? What about the current?
What if there is a huge waterfall ahead of us?
Usually, once the boat hits off the waterfall edge and drops all the way down to the connecting river below. For sure the boat will sink in due to the impact of the fall and might even toss out a few of the boat passengers.
If one survives this fall, manages to find the boat again and crawl onto it, the next set of sail is smooth for sure. This is the reality of life and the best analogy that nature can offer us.
The hidden message or "isi-tersirat" (as we used to write in our malay karangan during school days) God is trying to convey is straight forward in His creation.
Wonderful and magical indeed... for those who go about in life looking for miracles, they are simply overlooking simple miracles that take place before their very own eyes...
What if there is a huge waterfall ahead of us?
Usually, once the boat hits off the waterfall edge and drops all the way down to the connecting river below. For sure the boat will sink in due to the impact of the fall and might even toss out a few of the boat passengers.
If one survives this fall, manages to find the boat again and crawl onto it, the next set of sail is smooth for sure. This is the reality of life and the best analogy that nature can offer us.
The hidden message or "isi-tersirat" (as we used to write in our malay karangan during school days) God is trying to convey is straight forward in His creation.
Wonderful and magical indeed... for those who go about in life looking for miracles, they are simply overlooking simple miracles that take place before their very own eyes...
Thursday, January 21, 2010
On those who lurve to 'hog' and 'block' our roads
HOG Definition: To take more than one's share of.
Being on the road more frequently, being exposed to Malaysian drivers and the whole works has opened up many ideas and thoughts in my lil head. Thought provoking-important-matters that is such as - WHY this and WHY that.
Looking out the window from the 18th floor of my office, i get a birds eye view of the Kesas highway. What I can see more clearly in the usual morning jams are very long unending queues of people on the roads. all 3 lanes will be filled with cars. But one important point to note will be the fast / 1st lanes. In that view, one can see gaps in between a few cars ahead of the others. Behind them there'll be 100s' or even 1,000s of cars but these drivers wouldn't budge. As a result, those who get on the fast lane for the obvious reasons - to be fast are stuck! Since they can't even move to the left, considering that all 3 lanes are literally sandwiched.
I go through this in person every morning when I am on the Federal Highway and on my way back on the Jalan Duta. So, be it a free-way or a high-way paying toll, you still face the same bunch of drivers. I don't understand why do people even hop onto the fast lanes if all they're wanting to do is cruise along...
All i do know is that these people need to be more sensitive to the other drivers on the road with them. Remember you're not alone. There are reasons why the roads are built for all and not one person alone. Unless you pay more tax than the rest of us, or bought over the road, i think it's unfair that you hog and block roads meant for use by general public.
Have some driving-sense...
We'll move on to the signal light usage in the next post.. till then ;;
Being on the road more frequently, being exposed to Malaysian drivers and the whole works has opened up many ideas and thoughts in my lil head. Thought provoking-important-matters that is such as - WHY this and WHY that.
Looking out the window from the 18th floor of my office, i get a birds eye view of the Kesas highway. What I can see more clearly in the usual morning jams are very long unending queues of people on the roads. all 3 lanes will be filled with cars. But one important point to note will be the fast / 1st lanes. In that view, one can see gaps in between a few cars ahead of the others. Behind them there'll be 100s' or even 1,000s of cars but these drivers wouldn't budge. As a result, those who get on the fast lane for the obvious reasons - to be fast are stuck! Since they can't even move to the left, considering that all 3 lanes are literally sandwiched.
I go through this in person every morning when I am on the Federal Highway and on my way back on the Jalan Duta. So, be it a free-way or a high-way paying toll, you still face the same bunch of drivers. I don't understand why do people even hop onto the fast lanes if all they're wanting to do is cruise along...
All i do know is that these people need to be more sensitive to the other drivers on the road with them. Remember you're not alone. There are reasons why the roads are built for all and not one person alone. Unless you pay more tax than the rest of us, or bought over the road, i think it's unfair that you hog and block roads meant for use by general public.
Have some driving-sense...
We'll move on to the signal light usage in the next post.. till then ;;
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Christmas Tree OH Christmas Tree...
It's the time of the year again to put up the decorated holiday tree & deck the dolls at home. Having kids at home, the joy of celebrating is even more felt compared to previous years. After 3 years of having a white Christmas, it was time to get back to the natural way of the festivities - a green one! What i mean here is the Christmas Tree. We're used to using "real-live" trees as we were growing up. Anya always made sure we had our tree up on the Eve of Christmas and sometimes, if we're lucky, 2 days before the day.
This tradition carried on till 4 years ago, until his physical strength started giving up on him. We had to endure this painful period with a heavy heart and this was when i decided to break the tradition and bought a white tree for a difference. The tree stood for 3 years, with the exception of the year anya passed away.
Now it's turned brown and the stand is nowhere to be found and this has made us get back on the road to look for a replacement tree again. Charlie decided to sponsor the tree and with a budget of RM150 i got on the road to find the 'right tree' for our home this year. It's 3 days before Christmas now so time is not on our side either.
With a list of errands to run, my first stop to look for a tree was in Petaling Street. My first time driving there, I found a parking a little further away across the road and walked into the street. The first time I bought my tree there, i literally carried the tree on the LRT trains till home.
I thought my search will not be so long but I was so wrong. The first few shops had trees which were exhorbitantly priced. Prices were ranging from RM199 till RM599. Some even had fully decorated trees and the price before and after are RM255 & RM699 respectively!
My ordeal doesn't end here as i continued walking further into the streets of Chinatown, eyeing on ANY shop that had more than 1 Christmas tree on display for sale, walking in to check the price and the tree itself.
Most shops were already filling up their door fronts with Chinese New Year decorations while a handful still had their Christmas deco in the fronts.
Some were not very friendly to assist, so much to an extent that one shop helper asked me to check the price on the tree itself. She insisted I checked the tree even after I've explained that the price tag was not attached.
Sigh... I even walked up till the top floor of UO (Uda Ocean) to no avail.
After walking into at least 15 shops, I finally bumped into this one last shop called M&K Party house. This was on my walk back, the last leg of my journey since I was running late to run my next errand.
Although it was a chinese shop, they still had Christmas decorations in the front and welcoming helpers. The price was reasonable for a 6 ft tree, at RM100. It was similar to our previous white tree and I even found nice white ornaments and lights to match.
And then i'm off... till the tree goes up, i'm leaving for now
This tradition carried on till 4 years ago, until his physical strength started giving up on him. We had to endure this painful period with a heavy heart and this was when i decided to break the tradition and bought a white tree for a difference. The tree stood for 3 years, with the exception of the year anya passed away.
Now it's turned brown and the stand is nowhere to be found and this has made us get back on the road to look for a replacement tree again. Charlie decided to sponsor the tree and with a budget of RM150 i got on the road to find the 'right tree' for our home this year. It's 3 days before Christmas now so time is not on our side either.
With a list of errands to run, my first stop to look for a tree was in Petaling Street. My first time driving there, I found a parking a little further away across the road and walked into the street. The first time I bought my tree there, i literally carried the tree on the LRT trains till home.
I thought my search will not be so long but I was so wrong. The first few shops had trees which were exhorbitantly priced. Prices were ranging from RM199 till RM599. Some even had fully decorated trees and the price before and after are RM255 & RM699 respectively!
My ordeal doesn't end here as i continued walking further into the streets of Chinatown, eyeing on ANY shop that had more than 1 Christmas tree on display for sale, walking in to check the price and the tree itself.
Most shops were already filling up their door fronts with Chinese New Year decorations while a handful still had their Christmas deco in the fronts.
Some were not very friendly to assist, so much to an extent that one shop helper asked me to check the price on the tree itself. She insisted I checked the tree even after I've explained that the price tag was not attached.
Sigh... I even walked up till the top floor of UO (Uda Ocean) to no avail.
After walking into at least 15 shops, I finally bumped into this one last shop called M&K Party house. This was on my walk back, the last leg of my journey since I was running late to run my next errand.
Although it was a chinese shop, they still had Christmas decorations in the front and welcoming helpers. The price was reasonable for a 6 ft tree, at RM100. It was similar to our previous white tree and I even found nice white ornaments and lights to match.
And then i'm off... till the tree goes up, i'm leaving for now
Thursday, November 19, 2009
What goes around comes around
I believe in the title statement above. But what is the time frame of the "return" really?
OUM 7th Graduation
An exciting day for all of us, two people from home will be receiving their scrolls on this day. Sharal & Charlie (sis & bro). Of course it took much persuasion to get Charlie to attend the event but he eventually made it and it was great to have them both there!
The whole event gave me goosebumps and memories of my own ceremony came flooding in. Felt honored and special to be present there, even more special if i was the one walking up to receive my scroll.
My education aspirations have not come to a halt, in fact, they've developed even more! I am more inspired to continue my studies at some juncture in this lifetime. Be it in any part of the world, this is a sure reality, yet to come true.
Education is lifelong, not a full stop at any juncture. From the cradle to the grave, we are all forever studying. This is amazing. EVen more so when I do it myself.
Pics of the graduation is to come. Look out for it.
The whole event gave me goosebumps and memories of my own ceremony came flooding in. Felt honored and special to be present there, even more special if i was the one walking up to receive my scroll.
My education aspirations have not come to a halt, in fact, they've developed even more! I am more inspired to continue my studies at some juncture in this lifetime. Be it in any part of the world, this is a sure reality, yet to come true.
Education is lifelong, not a full stop at any juncture. From the cradle to the grave, we are all forever studying. This is amazing. EVen more so when I do it myself.
Pics of the graduation is to come. Look out for it.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Tony has his first "orange-feel"!
"
Yummy... since no one is watching, I might as well savour every bit of the orange..."
Yummy... since no one is watching, I might as well savour every bit of the orange..."Caught in the act (Below)
An angry - WHY-ARE-YOU-STILL-LOOKING-AT-ME look!
Tea-Break-Snack : Minced Meat Patties
Result of my tea-time-snack : Baked Minced Meat Patties. It was a mixture of a few readings on other recipes but with a few added ingredients here and there, it turned out tasting fantastic!
Ingredients include: potatoes, carrots, chiilies, spices
Healthier tea time snack option than the usual famous goreng stuff ;)
Monday, November 16, 2009
A well said article - For the women of ages 30 and above..
CBS - 60 Minutes lemondrop:
Here is a piece written by Andy Rooney - CBS 60 Minutes.
As I grow in age, I value women who are over 30 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why:A woman over 30 will not lay next to you in bed and ask, "What are you thinking?" She doesn't care what you think.
If a woman over 30 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do. And, it's usually something more interesting.
A woman over 30 knows herself well enough to be assured in who she is, what she is, what she wants and from whom.Few women past the age of 30 give a damn what you might think about her or what she's doing.
Women over 30 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you, if they think they can get away with it.
Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated.
A woman over 30 has the self-assurance to introduce you to her women friends. A younger woman with a man will often ignore even her best friend because she doesn't trust the guy with other women.
Women over 30 couldn't care less if you're attracted to her friends because she knows her friends won't betray her.Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 30. They always know.
A woman over 30 looks good wearing bright red lipstick. This is not true of younger women or drag queens.Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 30 is far sexier than her younger counterpart.
Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk or if you are acting like one! You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her.Yes, we praise women over 30 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal.
For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed hot woman of 30+, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year-old waitress.
Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free." Here's an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage, why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire Pig, just to get a little sausage.
Here is a piece written by Andy Rooney - CBS 60 Minutes.
As I grow in age, I value women who are over 30 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why:A woman over 30 will not lay next to you in bed and ask, "What are you thinking?" She doesn't care what you think.
If a woman over 30 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do. And, it's usually something more interesting.
A woman over 30 knows herself well enough to be assured in who she is, what she is, what she wants and from whom.Few women past the age of 30 give a damn what you might think about her or what she's doing.
Women over 30 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you, if they think they can get away with it.
Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated.
A woman over 30 has the self-assurance to introduce you to her women friends. A younger woman with a man will often ignore even her best friend because she doesn't trust the guy with other women.
Women over 30 couldn't care less if you're attracted to her friends because she knows her friends won't betray her.Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 30. They always know.
A woman over 30 looks good wearing bright red lipstick. This is not true of younger women or drag queens.Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 30 is far sexier than her younger counterpart.
Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk or if you are acting like one! You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her.Yes, we praise women over 30 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal.
For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed hot woman of 30+, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year-old waitress.
Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free." Here's an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage, why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire Pig, just to get a little sausage.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Tony in action
Ann looks out for lil bro as much as she can. Childlike behaviour - is what we all need sometimes..
caught off guard
Friday, October 09, 2009
Mud-Fun @ Sepang Gold Coast
Too much mud to handle in a few hours! Ann completely drenched in mud being washed by mummy.
ATP World Tour 250 Series
This is probably the worst way to start this blog - I'm NOT an ardent fan of tennis but I went for the recent ATP World Tour tournament. With very little or no time for research into what I was going for, I relied fully on my pal, Sumi to be my narrator.
Our tickets placed us on the front row. Which was too close for comfort even coz the balls hit the spectators a few times. But I'm not complaining... It was good exposure - physically during the game and for my 1st time in a real-life-international-tournament.
With a basic understanding on scoring system used in badminton games, I could grasp the game enough to enjoy the show. With wanting to really know more about this game which has driven my pal crazy, I decided to google it up. Some of the basics I feel I should know be4 watching the game itself are the info as below.
To begin with, the ATP is the Association of Tennis Professionals (1972). Since 1990, the association has organized the principal worldwide tennis tour for men, the ATP Tour, which was renamed in January 2009 and is now known as the ATP World Tour. (source - Wikipedia)
The ATP Tour comprises Grand Slams, ATP World Tour Masters 1000, ATP World Tour 500 series, ATP World Tour 250 series, ATP Challenger Series, and Futures tournaments. The ATP tour also oversees the World Team Cup, played in Düsseldorf in May, and the ATP Champions Tour for seniors.
Now, the one held in KL this year was one of the 250 series. Being the first time Malaysia hosted this event, the reviews were good as in no player drop out, organized well enough to keep out trouble. HOWEVER, there's much much more to be improved for future events, from the court management, to ticketing, marketing and the event itself. But kudos to the organizers for a good start!
Here's the player ranking since September 28, 2009
1) Roger Federer
2) Rafael Nadal
3) Andy Murray
4) Novak Djokovic
5) Juan Martín del Potro
6) Andy Roddick
7) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
8) Nikolay Davydenko
9) Fernando Verdasco
10) Gilles Simon
11) Robin Söderling
12) Fernando González
More about the game will come up in the next few entries. Below are some pictures for the memory..
For some1 whose not seen or known or heard about F Gonzalez, it will come as a shock wen he smashes his racket or sits down in the court, waiting for his opponent. Yet, he was adorable..
Truly an unforgettable memory!
Our tickets placed us on the front row. Which was too close for comfort even coz the balls hit the spectators a few times. But I'm not complaining... It was good exposure - physically during the game and for my 1st time in a real-life-international-tournament.
With a basic understanding on scoring system used in badminton games, I could grasp the game enough to enjoy the show. With wanting to really know more about this game which has driven my pal crazy, I decided to google it up. Some of the basics I feel I should know be4 watching the game itself are the info as below.
To begin with, the ATP is the Association of Tennis Professionals (1972). Since 1990, the association has organized the principal worldwide tennis tour for men, the ATP Tour, which was renamed in January 2009 and is now known as the ATP World Tour. (source - Wikipedia)
The ATP Tour comprises Grand Slams, ATP World Tour Masters 1000, ATP World Tour 500 series, ATP World Tour 250 series, ATP Challenger Series, and Futures tournaments. The ATP tour also oversees the World Team Cup, played in Düsseldorf in May, and the ATP Champions Tour for seniors.
Now, the one held in KL this year was one of the 250 series. Being the first time Malaysia hosted this event, the reviews were good as in no player drop out, organized well enough to keep out trouble. HOWEVER, there's much much more to be improved for future events, from the court management, to ticketing, marketing and the event itself. But kudos to the organizers for a good start!
Here's the player ranking since September 28, 2009
1) Roger Federer
2) Rafael Nadal
3) Andy Murray
4) Novak Djokovic
5) Juan Martín del Potro
6) Andy Roddick
7) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
8) Nikolay Davydenko
9) Fernando Verdasco
10) Gilles Simon
11) Robin Söderling
12) Fernando González
More about the game will come up in the next few entries. Below are some pictures for the memory..
For some1 whose not seen or known or heard about F Gonzalez, it will come as a shock wen he smashes his racket or sits down in the court, waiting for his opponent. Yet, he was adorable..Truly an unforgettable memory!
a mini reunion @ the Gardens
A yummy-licious food fiesta at the Gardens.. No price for guessing but this is a very famous Taiwanese food restaurant @ The Gardens.
We had to queue up for our turns and even whilst eating, the queue was getting longer. Take note it's only cash term accepted here...
Below: The girls dig in (PW & KW --> clockwise)
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
a day out at the mall - ANN
~i'm Ann Rhittika... Here are my pics on a day out at a mall. Not many kids my age can get to drive one of these vehicles. I could. YAY :)
kept looking around to check if i've missed out any passengers who are waiting to get onboard :)
based on rock solid Foundation, here's my finding...
A phone booth is uprooted from the ground! This scene is near the boulevard office area in Sentul...
Now, imagine yourself as the telephone booth. Built on an iffy foundation.. Anything or anyone leaning on you will surely fall together with you.
Gunung Datuk Climb
21st of March - Gunung Datuk Climb with Roc & her Kinabalu climbers troop. It was a steep climb and for me - it was an impromptu trip. I have already quit gym during this time and the only physical activity I was involved in actively was yoga.
But the climb was worth it. Here's some pictures to show for it.
(1) wrappin' tape around one of the boys shoe sole. (2) 200m above sea level
But the climb was worth it. Here's some pictures to show for it.
(1) wrappin' tape around one of the boys shoe sole. (2) 200m above sea level
(1) & (3) at the peak (2) a small stream at the foot of the hill.
After tat, we drove back to Roc place in Malacca. After a hot shower, i took a bus back to KL while the sisters stayed back to rest at home. As how we used to write in our karangan during school days... walaupun letih, saya berasa sangat gembira...
Phone overload!
It's about time!
Finally transferred all images from my trustable Sony to the pc after what seems like months!
Why after so long?
Misplaced the transfer cable AND the card reader. But haven't quite got to looking for it till today :)
However, I still need to locate the transfer cable to take the pics from the phone memory since I've only managed to clear the memory stick. Well, another spring cleaning is underway i suppose. Now i need to start documenting each images be4 my memory fails me. adios!
Finally transferred all images from my trustable Sony to the pc after what seems like months!
Why after so long?
Misplaced the transfer cable AND the card reader. But haven't quite got to looking for it till today :)
However, I still need to locate the transfer cable to take the pics from the phone memory since I've only managed to clear the memory stick. Well, another spring cleaning is underway i suppose. Now i need to start documenting each images be4 my memory fails me. adios!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
On drivers in Malaysia
I was forced to buy my first own vehicle when we moved office this year. As a "new" driver on the road, I came across many F1 drivers wanna-be. They all are merely living their dreams of what COULD-HAVE-BEEN and cheating themselves by practising their old "road bully" tricks on regular roads, populated by the vast majority civillians - women and men alike and occasionally children.
Some of the irky moments i have encountered on the road so far are as follows (take note this is an inexhautible list):
- tail gaters, flashing their lights on any lane you're on, cutting into many lanes with no indicator light
- perhaps most cars here don't have a functioning indicator?
- driving up so near to my bumper so close you can kiss the bumper - which I have no issues of because I can always make a police report and make the driver face the music
- bullies who threat to see your IC or driving license as if they're working with the police force! (Although they are at fault in the case)
Then there is the long-end debate on women and men drivers - who is better? I don't think this debate will have an end to it. But most of the times, the ones who tail gate or flash at my car are the men. & there has been an equal number of women and men who has given way to me when i'm at a junction or so. Which gets me to think - at this age and time, when humans are generally more civilised, a single act of driving on the road, using the vehicle man-built, with good road manners shouldn't be that difficult can it? Why should we allocate gender discrimination to the tab of "bad drivers" when the traditional men and women roles are interchanging these days?
this remains a puzzle...
Some of the irky moments i have encountered on the road so far are as follows (take note this is an inexhautible list):
- tail gaters, flashing their lights on any lane you're on, cutting into many lanes with no indicator light
- perhaps most cars here don't have a functioning indicator?
- driving up so near to my bumper so close you can kiss the bumper - which I have no issues of because I can always make a police report and make the driver face the music
- bullies who threat to see your IC or driving license as if they're working with the police force! (Although they are at fault in the case)
Then there is the long-end debate on women and men drivers - who is better? I don't think this debate will have an end to it. But most of the times, the ones who tail gate or flash at my car are the men. & there has been an equal number of women and men who has given way to me when i'm at a junction or so. Which gets me to think - at this age and time, when humans are generally more civilised, a single act of driving on the road, using the vehicle man-built, with good road manners shouldn't be that difficult can it? Why should we allocate gender discrimination to the tab of "bad drivers" when the traditional men and women roles are interchanging these days?
this remains a puzzle...
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Saturday morning
It's a wet Saturday morning. Rushed out to run some errands n now checking my mails at the famous old town kopitiam. It's been a fruitful day so far, with some flips but it's all turned out to be fine. It's pouring out there, rain is getting heavier. So cosy and nice to cuddle now... And be under blankets. How i wish, i could. Hey wait a minute, i actually can... It's the weekend :)
Friday, September 11, 2009
Choices we make...
Our daily lives are results of choices we make.
I choose to sleep in early to get enough 8-hour sleep. Wen I open my eyes in the morning, I can choose to continue sleeping or jump out of bed. I can choose to sulk and stay home or I can go to work. I can choose to take the NPE and pay RM1.60 or I can take the Sungai Besi road. I can choose to be negative and talk nonsense all day or I can start off my day with a list of things to do and do it all with a positive mind. Even in writing this post, I can choose to sit or I can stand.
For all the above, I choose the latter... & that makes all the difference.
I was inspired this morning wen I made a choice, turned out to be a "bad" choice. It was a simple choice of taking a route to go home. Had to drop by the office in Kuchai for a bit to collect some documents and head to KL. Took the NPE instead of the other 2 roads - Jalan Istana & Mid Valley. Paid the RM1.60. Not very far from the toll, all cars were stalled.. How could I have forgotten?? It's heading towards KL. Of course Bangsar will be jammed. Unfortunately, whether I like it or not, I am already there. I need to get thru the jam somehow.
Switched on to Serena C & Piedro. Sat back on my seat and didn't think about the jam at all & I was in Jalan Bangsar in no time! How relieved I was. Eventually reached home in time to run my errands and start off my day. What a wonderful experience on choices...
I choose to sleep in early to get enough 8-hour sleep. Wen I open my eyes in the morning, I can choose to continue sleeping or jump out of bed. I can choose to sulk and stay home or I can go to work. I can choose to take the NPE and pay RM1.60 or I can take the Sungai Besi road. I can choose to be negative and talk nonsense all day or I can start off my day with a list of things to do and do it all with a positive mind. Even in writing this post, I can choose to sit or I can stand.
For all the above, I choose the latter... & that makes all the difference.
I was inspired this morning wen I made a choice, turned out to be a "bad" choice. It was a simple choice of taking a route to go home. Had to drop by the office in Kuchai for a bit to collect some documents and head to KL. Took the NPE instead of the other 2 roads - Jalan Istana & Mid Valley. Paid the RM1.60. Not very far from the toll, all cars were stalled.. How could I have forgotten?? It's heading towards KL. Of course Bangsar will be jammed. Unfortunately, whether I like it or not, I am already there. I need to get thru the jam somehow.
Switched on to Serena C & Piedro. Sat back on my seat and didn't think about the jam at all & I was in Jalan Bangsar in no time! How relieved I was. Eventually reached home in time to run my errands and start off my day. What a wonderful experience on choices...
Thursday, September 03, 2009
On dis-illusionment
When a man is overcome by emotion and clouded by huge ass "ego", he'll only "listen" to things he wants to hear....
This leads onto losing focus on the goal at hand, in the best interest of all parties involved. Why do human beings become selfish and self centered, refusing to think of the others in the battle field - the innocent ones?
These are classic psychology profiles of power crazy humans who refuse to give in until they win - explains why war never ends and never will. As long as humans as such exist.!
---- disillusionment.
This leads onto losing focus on the goal at hand, in the best interest of all parties involved. Why do human beings become selfish and self centered, refusing to think of the others in the battle field - the innocent ones?
These are classic psychology profiles of power crazy humans who refuse to give in until they win - explains why war never ends and never will. As long as humans as such exist.!
---- disillusionment.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Business Ethics
Practise what you preach! Do not tell others to do something which you will not do yourself.
It's been an amazing 9 month long journey since I left the arms of an employer and became one myself. It was not easy and it still isn't easy yet. It has been a long struggling period for everyone and we still are.
However, in the midst of it all, I have learnt that there are many lessons to be taken away from this situation. Changes in people, attitude, behaviour and character which all sums to relationships with fellow humans. Surprisingly, so-called ethical and decent people I have come to know has turned around to a 180degrees and become somewhat Godzillas - people I wouldn't want to have known in the first place. But, I guess this is part of the lesson too. We all need to thrive through the pace and win the race.
One main thing to remember is - the sea water only looks calm on the surface. But underneath it there is a whole world of chaos going on. And getting to the centre of the ocean cannot be done without proper equipment and clothing. Armed with the right tools, one can surely conquer the ocean too. The same applies...
Preparation is the key to any battle. Without it, a soldier can be wounded and dead within seconds if not minutes in enemy' hands.
It's been an amazing 9 month long journey since I left the arms of an employer and became one myself. It was not easy and it still isn't easy yet. It has been a long struggling period for everyone and we still are.
However, in the midst of it all, I have learnt that there are many lessons to be taken away from this situation. Changes in people, attitude, behaviour and character which all sums to relationships with fellow humans. Surprisingly, so-called ethical and decent people I have come to know has turned around to a 180degrees and become somewhat Godzillas - people I wouldn't want to have known in the first place. But, I guess this is part of the lesson too. We all need to thrive through the pace and win the race.
One main thing to remember is - the sea water only looks calm on the surface. But underneath it there is a whole world of chaos going on. And getting to the centre of the ocean cannot be done without proper equipment and clothing. Armed with the right tools, one can surely conquer the ocean too. The same applies...
Preparation is the key to any battle. Without it, a soldier can be wounded and dead within seconds if not minutes in enemy' hands.
On caning and pointing fingers
I was shocked to learn about this girl Kartina who has been sentenced to caning because she was caught drinking in a club! I guess the religious authorities managed to find a scape goat to point their finger at.
My only thoughts on this matter was a chapter from the bible about the crowd which wanted to stone a prostitute woman to her death because of her "sins". And at this point, Jesus asked the one who has never sinned amongst them to be the first to throw a stone. And the crowd dispersed.
This story was a lesson - which makes sense even at this age. I find it very much related to what is happening these days - finger pointing and blaming game. A classic application is the above mentioned story of Kartina. Any club in any part of the world surely has patrons of all race and religion. WHat is to stop them from drinking? Religious authorities don't sit around the clubs screening the patrons to put a stop. Clearly they are trying to set an example and show the world what happens if you are a muslim and caught drinking at such public places.
One question I have to everyone out there - can you all testify that you are all clean from the so-called sin of "drinking" or "smoking" or "adultery"?
Everything done in moderation should be good for the soul. Eccessiveness is what causes the pain. A very simple teaching I follow which is only for the short time we spend on earth. Why point fingers and blame the other when we don't even check ourselves first?
Another sentence comes to mind - why do we humans constantly try to remove the speck from our neighbours eyes when we can't even see the log in our own eye? Think about it...
My only thoughts on this matter was a chapter from the bible about the crowd which wanted to stone a prostitute woman to her death because of her "sins". And at this point, Jesus asked the one who has never sinned amongst them to be the first to throw a stone. And the crowd dispersed.
This story was a lesson - which makes sense even at this age. I find it very much related to what is happening these days - finger pointing and blaming game. A classic application is the above mentioned story of Kartina. Any club in any part of the world surely has patrons of all race and religion. WHat is to stop them from drinking? Religious authorities don't sit around the clubs screening the patrons to put a stop. Clearly they are trying to set an example and show the world what happens if you are a muslim and caught drinking at such public places.
One question I have to everyone out there - can you all testify that you are all clean from the so-called sin of "drinking" or "smoking" or "adultery"?
Everything done in moderation should be good for the soul. Eccessiveness is what causes the pain. A very simple teaching I follow which is only for the short time we spend on earth. Why point fingers and blame the other when we don't even check ourselves first?
Another sentence comes to mind - why do we humans constantly try to remove the speck from our neighbours eyes when we can't even see the log in our own eye? Think about it...
Monday, August 31, 2009
A true merdeka celebration
I recall writing about the merdeka celebration I had for the past few years (ref to my previous posts). This year, one of my 1st cousin (dads' youngest sis son) tied the knot during the Merdeka weekend. This led us to travel up north - the whole bunch of us, including sis n her babies - all of us jumped in to my baby car and went on our long road trip.
It was a great trip. The function went well despite the low number of guests. Dinner was at Cinta Sayang Golf Resort. Theme was traditional. The best part of the entire function was we could spend some good quality time with our long lost cousins, aunts, snapped loads of pictures, and ate a lot.
Booze came as an after party exclusive invitation only... I went home and slept with 2 cranky babies :)
End of Day1
the next day started with mass at the Christ the King Church nearby their home. Following that, an excellent breakfast for a king served at home - food from the function last nite and some of us went to the hotel for breakfast.
Packed and ready to leave, we left their home at around 12. Headed towards Tambun Ipoh to visit mums side relatives. Her eldest sister lived ter with her son and daughter in law who happens to be my cousin and her 3 children my nieces. Haven't seen them since she got married - which is more than 18 years ago. Now, the eldest is around 18 and the youngest 10.
A good quality bonding time with them took us to 5pm which is when we left for KL. Since it was tea time, we decided to go to the original old town coffee shop in Ipoh town. Unfortunately, the shop was closed. Of course! How could I have forgotten? It was a Sunday evening!
Anyhow, we walked up to another shop which was a few steps away and had white coffee nevertheless.. Not what we wanted exactly but a substitute for that moment.
Left shortly after and reached KL at 8pm. Excellent and fulfilling trip. Can't wait for the next one.
It was a great trip. The function went well despite the low number of guests. Dinner was at Cinta Sayang Golf Resort. Theme was traditional. The best part of the entire function was we could spend some good quality time with our long lost cousins, aunts, snapped loads of pictures, and ate a lot.
Booze came as an after party exclusive invitation only... I went home and slept with 2 cranky babies :)
End of Day1
the next day started with mass at the Christ the King Church nearby their home. Following that, an excellent breakfast for a king served at home - food from the function last nite and some of us went to the hotel for breakfast.
Packed and ready to leave, we left their home at around 12. Headed towards Tambun Ipoh to visit mums side relatives. Her eldest sister lived ter with her son and daughter in law who happens to be my cousin and her 3 children my nieces. Haven't seen them since she got married - which is more than 18 years ago. Now, the eldest is around 18 and the youngest 10.
A good quality bonding time with them took us to 5pm which is when we left for KL. Since it was tea time, we decided to go to the original old town coffee shop in Ipoh town. Unfortunately, the shop was closed. Of course! How could I have forgotten? It was a Sunday evening!
Anyhow, we walked up to another shop which was a few steps away and had white coffee nevertheless.. Not what we wanted exactly but a substitute for that moment.
Left shortly after and reached KL at 8pm. Excellent and fulfilling trip. Can't wait for the next one.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
On the realities of life
It's a rude awakening to the truth of the moment... the world in all its cruelty. How can i survive this jungle of wild life?
Monday, July 13, 2009
On a rough sea at the moment
The waves and tides are pushing me into the deeper end of the sea... It's so overwhelming, i'm struggling to keep my head up high. But my will is too strong, I will not give up too soon. As long as my eyes are on my Saviour, he will bring me out of this storm. Of course, I have to keep paddling and swimming for effort on my side.. I'm not expecting a rope to drop down from heaven, but a boat will do...
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