A new year will come in just a few minutes. I'm staying in. After all the time spent with feverish companion, I too caught some of the virus.
Happy New Year!
Showing posts with label 2008. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2008. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Happy Holidays
My packs were ready (packs as in backpacks, not as in 6-pack-abs). Annual leave approved. Off I went on the bus to the rendezvous point.
Day 1 (23/12/2008) - Bus ride
Or rather buses rides. Thinking that I could rest in the bus, I decided to leave my car in the office. I was greatly mistaken. What could have been at most two hours drive turned into four hours rides in two buses and a train. That's what would happen if you don't have direct bus to your destination in Malaysia. By the time I reached the rendezvous point, I was too tired to continue traveling.
Day 2 (24/12/2008) - The drive
We left around noon. And three hours later, we reached our destination - Johor Bahru. It would have taken the whole morning and noon to get to Johor Bahru had we chosen the public transport.
We checked in Mutiara Hotel, Johor Bahru. Our room had been upgraded to "Executive Suite"! The room was spacious. The bed was comfy. There were complimentary fruits. A DVD player was also provided. Too bad I forgot to take photos of the room.
We would be spending a night at JB before crossing over to Singapore. But it was not meant to be. At mid night we were awaken by the shivering of a travel companion. We had to send him to the nearest hospital. As fate would have it, he puked in the examination room. He had to be admitted to the ward. And thus, we all spent the night in the hospital on the hard chair - forgoing the comfy bed at the hotel room!
Day 3 (25/12/2008) - Yet another day
I woke up early. Or rather I hardly slept. The chill-to-the-bone centralized air-cond and snoring from other people in the ward didn’t exactly help me to sleep.
I returned to the hotel while the other two remained in the hospital. I passed by the coffee house. The allure of freshly cooked breakfast was too much to bear. I fastened my pace and reached the room in no time. I quickly freshened up and went for a breakfast in the coffee house.
Tiredness caught up with me. Soon after breakfast, I dozed off in the comfy bed. Around noon, I took a taxi to the hospital. Note to travelers in JB, taxi might have meter but the taxi driver hardly use them. Negotiating the price before getting into the taxi is a good idea. For the two days traveling to and fro the hospital, I got fares that ranged from RM 5 to RM 7. One taxi driver asked for RM 8 and wouldn’t budge. Needless to say, I didn’t get into his taxi.
Our traveling companion was to be warded for one more night. His body temperature did not stabilized. So they need to monitor him.
Thanks to the invention of smaller microchips, I was able to bring a laptop and a PSP to kill time. Not to forget, thanks to Celcom 3G, I was able to play online game!
Day 4 (26/12/2008) – Leaving
Finally the doctor allowed our traveling companion to be discharged. However, looking at the hospital bill, I was thinking that it was more of “miss-charged”. Thanks to a thin rectangular plastic called credit card, I settled the bill. We left the hospital after lunch. Actually I ate the lunch since my travel companion had no appetite.
At the hotel, we quickly packed our things and got ready to cross the border. We waited for our taxi at the lobby. After a while the doorman called us. We put our bags in the black Proton Perdana. It wasn’t really a taxi. It was more like a limousine service.
I was glad we decided to take the limo service and not the normal public bus. That saved us from having to get down from the bus to have our passport stamped and luggage checked. We just sat at the back seat and showed our face at the drive-thru’ counter.
It was around 6 pm when we finally checked in the hotel at Balestier Road. Everyone was tired and decided to just stay in. I was tasked into buying dinner. I went for an evening walk along the Balestier Road. I found Shaw Plaza, right next to legendary “Jalan Ampas”. Shaw Brothers were the legendary filmmaker during the heyday of “Jalan Ampas” studio.
Day 5 (27/12/2008) – Staying in and going out
We were joined by fourth travel companion who was flying in from a business trip in Jakarta. Our feverish companion was too weak to travel. Our fourth companion was also tired from the flight. So they decided to stay in and rest.
While they rest, I decided to go for a walk. I went to the “Jalan Ampas”. A few years ago there was a furor over the demolition of historical site “Studio Jalan Ampas”. This studio was were many legendary Malay film actor, actress, and directors was born. I was surprise to find the building in No 8 Jalan Ampas was still very much in tact (even though it was in a sorry state). The lot is now use by a Singaporean company as a storage area.
Next I proceed to “Jalan Boon Teck”. According to the information ‘stone’ in front of No 8 Jalan Ampas, the actor/actress quarters used to be in this road. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the said building.
In the evening, when our feverish companion’s condition improved, we went out to the shopping district: Orchard Road. With the Christmas sales and abundance of shopping complexes, Orchard Road would most probably be a shopping heaven for shop-aholics. Original branded goods (imagine Gucci, Prada, Bonia etc) were sold at great discount.
Me, being me, didn’t shop at all. I did, however, enjoyed the sight and sound at the area.
There were even buskers along the street. What I enjoyed most was this group of percussionist. These youngsters were performing on the street for charity. They were lively bunch of kids.
Day 6 (28/12/2008) – Adam’s Food court
We took taxi to Adam Road. I was told that there is a famously delicious “Nasi Lemak” sold there. The stall that we bought the “Nasi Lemak” had all sort of certificates displayed to certified that the food were indeed delicious. Unfortunately, my taste buds couldn’t agree with who ever that awarded those certificates. Having tasted far more delicious authentic “kampung style nasi lemak”, the Adam’s “Nasi Lemak” was nothing special to my taste buds.
Later that day, we caught a taxi from the hotel to a taxi station across town. Apparently, the taxies to Johor Bahru are not allowed to pick up passengers at other places except at the station. We had to cut our trip short. Our feverish companion was still feverish.
We spent one more night in Johor Bahru before returning home the next day.
Day 1 (23/12/2008) - Bus ride
Or rather buses rides. Thinking that I could rest in the bus, I decided to leave my car in the office. I was greatly mistaken. What could have been at most two hours drive turned into four hours rides in two buses and a train. That's what would happen if you don't have direct bus to your destination in Malaysia. By the time I reached the rendezvous point, I was too tired to continue traveling.
Day 2 (24/12/2008) - The drive
We left around noon. And three hours later, we reached our destination - Johor Bahru. It would have taken the whole morning and noon to get to Johor Bahru had we chosen the public transport.
We checked in Mutiara Hotel, Johor Bahru. Our room had been upgraded to "Executive Suite"! The room was spacious. The bed was comfy. There were complimentary fruits. A DVD player was also provided. Too bad I forgot to take photos of the room.
We would be spending a night at JB before crossing over to Singapore. But it was not meant to be. At mid night we were awaken by the shivering of a travel companion. We had to send him to the nearest hospital. As fate would have it, he puked in the examination room. He had to be admitted to the ward. And thus, we all spent the night in the hospital on the hard chair - forgoing the comfy bed at the hotel room!
Day 3 (25/12/2008) - Yet another day
I woke up early. Or rather I hardly slept. The chill-to-the-bone centralized air-cond and snoring from other people in the ward didn’t exactly help me to sleep.
I returned to the hotel while the other two remained in the hospital. I passed by the coffee house. The allure of freshly cooked breakfast was too much to bear. I fastened my pace and reached the room in no time. I quickly freshened up and went for a breakfast in the coffee house.
Tiredness caught up with me. Soon after breakfast, I dozed off in the comfy bed. Around noon, I took a taxi to the hospital. Note to travelers in JB, taxi might have meter but the taxi driver hardly use them. Negotiating the price before getting into the taxi is a good idea. For the two days traveling to and fro the hospital, I got fares that ranged from RM 5 to RM 7. One taxi driver asked for RM 8 and wouldn’t budge. Needless to say, I didn’t get into his taxi.
Our traveling companion was to be warded for one more night. His body temperature did not stabilized. So they need to monitor him.
Thanks to the invention of smaller microchips, I was able to bring a laptop and a PSP to kill time. Not to forget, thanks to Celcom 3G, I was able to play online game!
Day 4 (26/12/2008) – Leaving
Finally the doctor allowed our traveling companion to be discharged. However, looking at the hospital bill, I was thinking that it was more of “miss-charged”. Thanks to a thin rectangular plastic called credit card, I settled the bill. We left the hospital after lunch. Actually I ate the lunch since my travel companion had no appetite.
At the hotel, we quickly packed our things and got ready to cross the border. We waited for our taxi at the lobby. After a while the doorman called us. We put our bags in the black Proton Perdana. It wasn’t really a taxi. It was more like a limousine service.
I was glad we decided to take the limo service and not the normal public bus. That saved us from having to get down from the bus to have our passport stamped and luggage checked. We just sat at the back seat and showed our face at the drive-thru’ counter.
It was around 6 pm when we finally checked in the hotel at Balestier Road. Everyone was tired and decided to just stay in. I was tasked into buying dinner. I went for an evening walk along the Balestier Road. I found Shaw Plaza, right next to legendary “Jalan Ampas”. Shaw Brothers were the legendary filmmaker during the heyday of “Jalan Ampas” studio.
Day 5 (27/12/2008) – Staying in and going out
We were joined by fourth travel companion who was flying in from a business trip in Jakarta. Our feverish companion was too weak to travel. Our fourth companion was also tired from the flight. So they decided to stay in and rest.
While they rest, I decided to go for a walk. I went to the “Jalan Ampas”. A few years ago there was a furor over the demolition of historical site “Studio Jalan Ampas”. This studio was were many legendary Malay film actor, actress, and directors was born. I was surprise to find the building in No 8 Jalan Ampas was still very much in tact (even though it was in a sorry state). The lot is now use by a Singaporean company as a storage area.
Next I proceed to “Jalan Boon Teck”. According to the information ‘stone’ in front of No 8 Jalan Ampas, the actor/actress quarters used to be in this road. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the said building.
In the evening, when our feverish companion’s condition improved, we went out to the shopping district: Orchard Road. With the Christmas sales and abundance of shopping complexes, Orchard Road would most probably be a shopping heaven for shop-aholics. Original branded goods (imagine Gucci, Prada, Bonia etc) were sold at great discount.
Me, being me, didn’t shop at all. I did, however, enjoyed the sight and sound at the area.
There were even buskers along the street. What I enjoyed most was this group of percussionist. These youngsters were performing on the street for charity. They were lively bunch of kids.
Day 6 (28/12/2008) – Adam’s Food court
We took taxi to Adam Road. I was told that there is a famously delicious “Nasi Lemak” sold there. The stall that we bought the “Nasi Lemak” had all sort of certificates displayed to certified that the food were indeed delicious. Unfortunately, my taste buds couldn’t agree with who ever that awarded those certificates. Having tasted far more delicious authentic “kampung style nasi lemak”, the Adam’s “Nasi Lemak” was nothing special to my taste buds.
Later that day, we caught a taxi from the hotel to a taxi station across town. Apparently, the taxies to Johor Bahru are not allowed to pick up passengers at other places except at the station. We had to cut our trip short. Our feverish companion was still feverish.
We spent one more night in Johor Bahru before returning home the next day.
Monday, December 22, 2008
I got to see Australia
No, not the country. At least not yet. It's "Australia" the film. And, as usual, I will not write much about it. It is still showing in local cinema.
One thing that really sets this film apart from other "Hollywood" film, is that it tells the story as it is. It lacks the propaganda-like-self-glorification that many "Hollywood" films share ("Black hawk down", "Pearl Harbor" - just to name a few). The story intertwines with real historical events. These historical events were not distorted just for the sake of self-glorification. They even have the 'lost generation' depicted in the film. And all these was done tastefully and skillfully, so much so, the 2hours 45minutes just breezed away!
To sum it all, this is a down to earth film about the land 'Down Under'.
One thing that really sets this film apart from other "Hollywood" film, is that it tells the story as it is. It lacks the propaganda-like-self-glorification that many "Hollywood" films share ("Black hawk down", "Pearl Harbor" - just to name a few). The story intertwines with real historical events. These historical events were not distorted just for the sake of self-glorification. They even have the 'lost generation' depicted in the film. And all these was done tastefully and skillfully, so much so, the 2hours 45minutes just breezed away!
To sum it all, this is a down to earth film about the land 'Down Under'.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Rusa Masuk Kampung
The title of this entry translate to "deer went into a village". No deer was harmed in the making of this entry. It is actually a Malay idiom. A similar idiom in English would be "fish out of water". Again, no fish was harmed in the making of this entry.
Ma Hen asked me to come along to a friend wedding invitation. The wedding was to be held in a house in rural area. The kind where the house have no number on a nameless road. The only address given to Ma Hen was the "kampung". I telephoned a colleague and got the rough direction to the "kampung".
So off we went, driving along the narrow winding road. Turning back wasn't an option. There was no area to make a safe U-turn. So we continued driving. We slowed down when we saw cars parked along the road. I spotted a little yellow signboard "Kampung Juasseh Hilir" on my right. I made a right turn into a small one-lane road. Ma Hen asked if the car being able to fit into the road. Yes, if you are used to driving in those small-barely-fit-one-car "kampung" road.
I drove slowly passed a man. Ma Hen wound down the window and asked:
The drive back was great. Green trees left and right. We switched off the air-cond and wound down the window. Who needs air-cond when you have fresh air!
Ma Hen asked me to come along to a friend wedding invitation. The wedding was to be held in a house in rural area. The kind where the house have no number on a nameless road. The only address given to Ma Hen was the "kampung". I telephoned a colleague and got the rough direction to the "kampung".
So off we went, driving along the narrow winding road. Turning back wasn't an option. There was no area to make a safe U-turn. So we continued driving. We slowed down when we saw cars parked along the road. I spotted a little yellow signboard "Kampung Juasseh Hilir" on my right. I made a right turn into a small one-lane road. Ma Hen asked if the car being able to fit into the road. Yes, if you are used to driving in those small-barely-fit-one-car "kampung" road.
I drove slowly passed a man. Ma Hen wound down the window and asked:
Ma Hen: Pakcik, tumpang tanya. Ni wedding siapa? (translation: Excuse me, uncle. Whose wedding is this?)My dear Ma Hen was like 'fish out of water'. Having lived and worked in concrete jungle for many years, and attending lots of hotel-weddings, the "kampung" wedding was a welcomed change for Ma Hen.
Man: [Gave blank look]
Me: [Trying hard not to laugh my head off, but couldn't think of what the right word]
Ma Hen [repeat]: Ni wedding siapa? (Whose wedding is this?)
Man: [Yet another blank look]
Me [From the driver seat, finally found the word]: Pengantin siapa? (Who is the groom?)
Man [smiling]: Zulkarnain
Me & Ma Hen [Smiling because we found the house]: Terima kasih.
The drive back was great. Green trees left and right. We switched off the air-cond and wound down the window. Who needs air-cond when you have fresh air!
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Changes
While driving in Perak, I received a phone call. There's a 'job-opening'. It wasn't my first choice (I applied for other places too). Needing some changes, I accept the offer - only to have the other job offered to me a day later. And so with a little regret, I boarded the bus to the main office to collect my offer letter.
Two months had passed since I started my new job. Still adjusting and trying to cope up with the changes. To put it in another words: I traded concrete jungle and traffic jams for a proper jungle and different kind of traffic jam.
The road to my office cuts through a forest reserve area. And best of all, regardless of whether they are hogging the lane or even in the wrong lane, these road users always have the 'right-of-ways' and will not get punish for showing their 'hairy-backside'!
Two months had passed since I started my new job. Still adjusting and trying to cope up with the changes. To put it in another words: I traded concrete jungle and traffic jams for a proper jungle and different kind of traffic jam.
The road to my office cuts through a forest reserve area. And best of all, regardless of whether they are hogging the lane or even in the wrong lane, these road users always have the 'right-of-ways' and will not get punish for showing their 'hairy-backside'!
Friday, November 28, 2008
Auto Assist
That was what I needed just now. Thank fully, I was spared the agony a fellow blogger had to suffer.
While driving with my window shut, air-cond blowing at full speed, my car suddenly had a little hick-up. The car began to jerk a bit. I looked down at the dashboard. The fuel gauge was a pointing to "E". I had noticed it earlier. Remembering that I had fueled yesterday, I paid no attention to the gauge. The car was known to have given false alarm every now and then. But this time "E" meant "Emergency Stop"! As the car glided, I maneuvered it to the emergency lane. I hit the brakes when the car reached a well lit area.
I looked out of my window, trying to figure out where exactly I was. Had I passed the R&R? Or is it just a few kilometres away? I pondered. Should I started walking to what I thought would be a R&R? It was dark. I don't want to risk my safety by walking.
I called Uncle Jack for help. He gave 1001 excuses but promised to try to find solution. I half expected what would be his solution: called another uncle for help. As expected few minutes later, he called, help is unavailable and said he'll try to find other way. After he hung up, I pretty much knew, I couldn't count on his help and problem solving skill.
As I stared blankly at the highway in front of me, I noticed a sticker from my insurance provider on the windshield:
"Auto Assist... 1800-xx-xxxx... 24 hours breakdown..."
Cool! I dialed the number and was immediately connected to a human being (and not the some-times-very-anoying-IVR).
Two friendly guys in police uniform got out of the car. I moved to the driver seat. Instead of winding down the window at the driver seat, I wind down the one behind the driver seat. The policemen were puzzled! Anyway to make this already long entry short, I hopped into the patrol truck. One of the policeman steered my car while being towed by the truck. Then Zarina called for the third time.
While driving with my window shut, air-cond blowing at full speed, my car suddenly had a little hick-up. The car began to jerk a bit. I looked down at the dashboard. The fuel gauge was a pointing to "E". I had noticed it earlier. Remembering that I had fueled yesterday, I paid no attention to the gauge. The car was known to have given false alarm every now and then. But this time "E" meant "Emergency Stop"! As the car glided, I maneuvered it to the emergency lane. I hit the brakes when the car reached a well lit area.
I looked out of my window, trying to figure out where exactly I was. Had I passed the R&R? Or is it just a few kilometres away? I pondered. Should I started walking to what I thought would be a R&R? It was dark. I don't want to risk my safety by walking.
I called Uncle Jack for help. He gave 1001 excuses but promised to try to find solution. I half expected what would be his solution: called another uncle for help. As expected few minutes later, he called, help is unavailable and said he'll try to find other way. After he hung up, I pretty much knew, I couldn't count on his help and problem solving skill.
As I stared blankly at the highway in front of me, I noticed a sticker from my insurance provider on the windshield:
"Auto Assist... 1800-xx-xxxx... 24 hours breakdown..."
Cool! I dialed the number and was immediately connected to a human being (and not the some-times-very-anoying-IVR).
Lady: bla... bla... bla... (Introducing her self as Zarina)... How can I help you?A few minutes later she called.
Me: My car stopped at the highway.
Zarina: Do you need to be towed?
Me: No. I think it's the fuel. Can you send someone to bring fuel?
Zarina: Fuel? Hold on. [I could hear her asking her colleagues and her colleagues saying yes]. Yes we can arrange. Where exactly is your location?
Me: [Describe my location as best as I could]
Zarina: Are you alone in the car?
Me: [In a very calm and collect tone] Yes. That's why I'm calling Auto Assist.
Zarina: [In a very panic tone and sound very urgent] Okay. I'll arrange immediately. Please stay in the car, lock all doors and windows.
Me: [still in a very calm tone] Thank you very much!
Zarina: I've called highway patrol. They'll come to your location. They will ask for money to buy fuel for you. Please wait for the highway patrol, and not other people.With windows shut and no air-cond, it was getting stuffy. I took off my jacket and sat at the passenger seat. I took a stack of my office files and started to go through them. 8 files later, the highway patrol truck came.
Me: Thank you very much.
Zarina: You're welcome. Be careful and take care!
Two friendly guys in police uniform got out of the car. I moved to the driver seat. Instead of winding down the window at the driver seat, I wind down the one behind the driver seat. The policemen were puzzled! Anyway to make this already long entry short, I hopped into the patrol truck. One of the policeman steered my car while being towed by the truck. Then Zarina called for the third time.
Zarina: Has the highway patrol car came?And so I arrived safely to my destination. I felt very insured! Thank you UniAsia!
Me: Yes. I'm in the truck right now.
Zarina: How long have it been?
Me: About 15 minutes.
Zarina: [With genuine concern voice] Is everything okay? Are you safe?
Me: Yes. I'm okay and safe. Thank you very much for calling.
Zarina: You're welcome. Take care.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Selamat Pagi Cinta
"Good Morning, Love"
No, no one said that to me, though I wish some one did. It's the title of a local film currently aired in local cinema. And since it is still in cinema, I will not write long reviews.
Similar to Gubra, this film suffers a "Sembilu Kasih" syndrome. I much rather have the subplot about Julia (Fazura) and Ilham (Pierre), be properly evolved and explored. I feel that Suci (Armani) and Azam (Que) were distractions in the film. However, I had to agree with a fellow cinema-goer (who made loud comments from the seats behind), that Suci character was cute.
Cinematography wise, I like the camera angles. And all the important things are properly 'in-focus', a great improvement from "I'm not single". Script wise, spot a certain person's favourite cue-word!
(p.s. To date, this is probably the shortest review from me!)
No, no one said that to me, though I wish some one did. It's the title of a local film currently aired in local cinema. And since it is still in cinema, I will not write long reviews.Similar to Gubra, this film suffers a "Sembilu Kasih" syndrome. I much rather have the subplot about Julia (Fazura) and Ilham (Pierre), be properly evolved and explored. I feel that Suci (Armani) and Azam (Que) were distractions in the film. However, I had to agree with a fellow cinema-goer (who made loud comments from the seats behind), that Suci character was cute.
Cinematography wise, I like the camera angles. And all the important things are properly 'in-focus', a great improvement from "I'm not single". Script wise, spot a certain person's favourite cue-word!
(p.s. To date, this is probably the shortest review from me!)
Friday, October 31, 2008
Unfinished
If you don’t already know, unfinished is the one word best describes Kelly’s Castle. The owner built the house for his wife and children. Unfortunately the wife died before the house was completed. The owner continued to build the house. He was on his way to pick up what would be Malaysia’s first lift (or, if you are an American, elevator) when he fell ill and died.
The were no one there but me. The courtyard and the corridors were equally deserted. A breeze followed by windows slamming sent shiver down my spine. I had lived in one of those colonial 'government-owned' mansion. It was creepy, even when it was constantly inhabited. So imagine the creepiness of this unfinished and abandon structure.
However, even in its unfinished state, I could imagine the grandeur of the castle, had Kelly finished the project. Dark wooden floor. High ceiling. Hidden escape staircase. And even rooftop tennis court! I could almost see the company and parties that he might have thrown there.Alas, the project was unfinished and abandon. And so, like the owners, I too left the castle.
(p.s. pictures uploaded.)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Eerily deserted
The parking lot was eerily deserted. It was midday when I finally reached Kelly's Castle.A sensible person would have told me to stay indoors or at least where it is cool and shaded. A serious photographer would have told me that the lighting is too harsh for any good photos. But I was pressed for time. Armed with a fisherman hat and a DSLR, I walked to the ticket counter.
The ticketman had his ear plugged with earphones. He wasn't expecting any visitor for he was looking the other way and singing his lungs out. I called him. As he turned, I could see that he was embarassed. The little 'concert' wasn't meant to be heard by anyone but him.
I paid the entrance fee and made my way to the castle. I had to cross a non-descript concrete bridge. Underneath the bridge was a river with rapid current and brownish water - signs that it must have rained somewhere upstream. Then, I had to climb a small hill.
I followed the walkway. Before I knew it, I reached the main 'courtyard'. It was more deserted than the parking lot!
(p.s. Photo added!)
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Test entry
I had to change to a new (secondhand) phone. I couldn't get my trusty ol' T5 to go online with the new (secondhand) phone. So no updating blog from the T5.
After searching high and low, I finally found a software to update blog directly from my new (secondhand) phone - Samseng SGH I600. The typo was intentional, quoting a lady selling handphones.
However, I still prefer to update my blog using my T5. Maybe because I'm used to scribbling on its touch screen. On i600, I have no choice but to use the tiny QWERTY keyboard. It will take some times to get to use to it.I'll continue my previous story as soon as I get the hang of this new keyboard. Stay tune!
After searching high and low, I finally found a software to update blog directly from my new (secondhand) phone - Samseng SGH I600. The typo was intentional, quoting a lady selling handphones.
However, I still prefer to update my blog using my T5. Maybe because I'm used to scribbling on its touch screen. On i600, I have no choice but to use the tiny QWERTY keyboard. It will take some times to get to use to it.I'll continue my previous story as soon as I get the hang of this new keyboard. Stay tune!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Harrasted?
Sorry for long delay. And NO, I was not harrasted on my way to the hotel. I got back to the hotel safely, got ready for work and checked-out. While driving to work, something happened that cause the long delay in updating this blog. I'll get back to that later (maybe?).
While work is not the scope of this blog, here what I've overheard during work that day:
I was aghast! Not by the remark, but from where it came from. From old man who should have had more maturity. As I drove that day, I wondered if the remarks was considered as 'sexual' harrasment.
p.s. It is still in the Islamic month of Syawal (the 13th). If it's not too late, Happy Eid Mubarak. I'll continue the story. Stay tune!
While work is not the scope of this blog, here what I've overheard during work that day:
Man [to woman]: Cik or puan? [translation: Miss or Mrs / another way of asking woman marital status]
Woman: Cik [another way of saying I'm single]
Man [laughing and talking to another man]: Kecik lagi [another way of saying "tight!"]
I was aghast! Not by the remark, but from where it came from. From old man who should have had more maturity. As I drove that day, I wondered if the remarks was considered as 'sexual' harrasment.
p.s. It is still in the Islamic month of Syawal (the 13th). If it's not too late, Happy Eid Mubarak. I'll continue the story. Stay tune!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Good Morning!
The next day, I woke up early for an early morning stroll in the park. I had wanted to watch the sun rise. At the jetty were boats ferrying people to and fro the islands. An old grandma had just parked her old bicycle laden with the day's newspaper.
I began to take photo. Then I realized, I had made the greatest mistake in digital photography - not having enough power supply!
I had to rush back to the hotel. Get a fresh set of battery. Unfortunately, like this old man (photo will be added later), the magic hour had passed. The jetty and the park was empty. Those people were commuters communiting to work. Nevertheless I continued walking, enjoying the soft morning breeze.
Before long a man stopped me for a chat. He wore a simple clothes. He had a little bag under his right arm. He had noticed me taking photos earlier. The park was a little deserted. I was a little alarmed. As I told him that I used to live here (trying to give the impression that I'm not exactly a tourist), I moved slowly so that I had my back to the more 'populated' part of the park. I was ready to flight should it was needed!
But nothing untoward happen. I told him that I need to get to work. The guy continued his journey. I made my way to the hotel. I really did need to get ready to go to work.
(p.s. I'm updating this post while on the bus to work. Pardon me for any grammar / spelling mistakes.The traffic is amazingly smooth! I guess it is because everyone else is already in the office.)
The next day, I woke up early for an early morning stroll in the park. I had wanted to watch the sun rise. At the jetty were boats ferrying people to and fro the islands. An old grandma had just parked her old bicycle laden with the day's newspaper.
I began to take photo. Then I realized, I had made the greatest mistake in digital photography - not having enough power supply!
I had to rush back to the hotel. Get a fresh set of battery. Unfortunately, like this old man (photo will be added later), the magic hour had passed. The jetty and the park was empty. Those people were commuters communiting to work. Nevertheless I continued walking, enjoying the soft morning breeze.
Before long a man stopped me for a chat. He wore a simple clothes. He had a little bag under his right arm. He had noticed me taking photos earlier. The park was a little deserted. I was a little alarmed. As I told him that I used to live here (trying to give the impression that I'm not exactly a tourist), I moved slowly so that I had my back to the more 'populated' part of the park. I was ready to flight should it was needed!But nothing untoward happen. I told him that I need to get to work. The guy continued his journey. I made my way to the hotel. I really did need to get ready to go to work.
(p.s. I'm updating this post while on the bus to work. Pardon me for any grammar / spelling mistakes.The traffic is amazingly smooth! I guess it is because everyone else is already in the office.)
Thursday, September 18, 2008
On the Road
On Tuesday, not long before the office-hour supposed to end, my boss telephoned.
Wednesday was a public holiday. Used the break to run some errants. In the evening, re-read the e-mail to reconfirm the meeting venue. Then saw the finer prints - a site-visit was also in the agenda. And the site visit is on Thursday! I frantically called the e-mail originator. His plan was to leave KL early Thursday's morning and reach the site around 10am. Since I live out side of KL, I had to leave extra early! Anyway, this morning, I managed to caught up with him at the highway. And we made our way to the site.
Googling [is there such word?] "Batu Gajah Perak", you'll get URLs on Kelly's Castle. I had thought that it was located somewhere remote. It is actually located right next to a main road, Jalan Gopeng. Unfortunately, we were rushing to meet another people, so we just zoomed passed the landmark. I made a mental note to myself to stop by the landmark on my way back to KL.
Completing our site visits, we were faced with a dilemma. We had not arranged for our accomodation. We pondered. Ipoh, the capital city was nearer (because there were less traffic light). But Lumut and the sea was more inviting so we decided to head to Lumut.
We drove to Teluk Batik. A very nice secluded small bay. Other that us three, the place seemed to be deserted from any tourist. The beach was very clean. The breeze was very refreshing (sorry, I forgot to take photos of the beach). If I had come alone, I would have taken a room there and take the opportunity to clear my head. But it was not meant to be.
The guys, concern about food (or rather lack of place selling them), decided that we should try Lumut Town. So, off we went. I once worked in Lumut. It was years ago. Things have changed. Nevertheless, I managed to locate the hotel around the corner.
While travelling, I'm not particularly fussy about my room. I could have taken a cheaper room, but I felt like I was in need of open space, so 
I opted for a room with a window. The room was spacious enough. There's a nice view from my window. The plumbing, air-cond and television works. I was satisfied. My colleagues, as I found out later, had a few complaints.
When the sun was about to set, I went for a little walk in the small town. 
The sun was warm. The town was very laid back. It was just nice for an evening stroll. I was strolling along the bay, taking some photos, when my colleagues telephoned. I joined them for break fast. Again, if I was alone, I would have done things differently. I would have eaten at one of those tables along the bay and watch the world pass-by.
Soon after dinner, we prepared some presentation slides, then retired to our rooms.
Boss: Ryn [actually my boss called me by my firstname and not by my short/nick name], can you attend a meeting on Friday.
Me: What is it about?
Boss: It's... bla... bla... bla... [I won't dwell about work here]... It's in Batu Gajah, Perak this Friday. Can you arrange for transportation?
Me: Err... Yes.
Boss: Okay, I'll forward you the e-mail.
Wednesday was a public holiday. Used the break to run some errants. In the evening, re-read the e-mail to reconfirm the meeting venue. Then saw the finer prints - a site-visit was also in the agenda. And the site visit is on Thursday! I frantically called the e-mail originator. His plan was to leave KL early Thursday's morning and reach the site around 10am. Since I live out side of KL, I had to leave extra early! Anyway, this morning, I managed to caught up with him at the highway. And we made our way to the site.
Googling [is there such word?] "Batu Gajah Perak", you'll get URLs on Kelly's Castle. I had thought that it was located somewhere remote. It is actually located right next to a main road, Jalan Gopeng. Unfortunately, we were rushing to meet another people, so we just zoomed passed the landmark. I made a mental note to myself to stop by the landmark on my way back to KL.
Completing our site visits, we were faced with a dilemma. We had not arranged for our accomodation. We pondered. Ipoh, the capital city was nearer (because there were less traffic light). But Lumut and the sea was more inviting so we decided to head to Lumut.
We drove to Teluk Batik. A very nice secluded small bay. Other that us three, the place seemed to be deserted from any tourist. The beach was very clean. The breeze was very refreshing (sorry, I forgot to take photos of the beach). If I had come alone, I would have taken a room there and take the opportunity to clear my head. But it was not meant to be.
The guys, concern about food (or rather lack of place selling them), decided that we should try Lumut Town. So, off we went. I once worked in Lumut. It was years ago. Things have changed. Nevertheless, I managed to locate the hotel around the corner.
While travelling, I'm not particularly fussy about my room. I could have taken a cheaper room, but I felt like I was in need of open space, so 
I opted for a room with a window. The room was spacious enough. There's a nice view from my window. The plumbing, air-cond and television works. I was satisfied. My colleagues, as I found out later, had a few complaints.
When the sun was about to set, I went for a little walk in the small town. 
The sun was warm. The town was very laid back. It was just nice for an evening stroll. I was strolling along the bay, taking some photos, when my colleagues telephoned. I joined them for break fast. Again, if I was alone, I would have done things differently. I would have eaten at one of those tables along the bay and watch the world pass-by.Soon after dinner, we prepared some presentation slides, then retired to our rooms.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Value of Life
A dear friend lost a loved on earlier this week. Attending the funeral, I was reminded of my previous post - on how there's no guarentee in life, but death is certain.
An unrelated event that happened in this week makes me wonder if a person is valued for being his / her true self or for having tonnes of money? If someone values you for your money, can they see pass the material layer, then see and value you for who you truly are?
Anyway, what ever others think about you aren't really important. Ultimately, what important is that you have lived your life the way you want, right?
p.s. I'm back to riding bike to work. This time the distance is longer!
An unrelated event that happened in this week makes me wonder if a person is valued for being his / her true self or for having tonnes of money? If someone values you for your money, can they see pass the material layer, then see and value you for who you truly are?
Anyway, what ever others think about you aren't really important. Ultimately, what important is that you have lived your life the way you want, right?
p.s. I'm back to riding bike to work. This time the distance is longer!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
31 / 08 /2008
It's 31st of August - Malaysia's Independence day.
I don't know if it is just me, or it is actully the general public, but seemed to me this year it was not as hyped as previous years. Unlike previous years, there seemed to be less cars displaying the Jalur Gemilang this year. Nevertheless, this morning on the highway, I saw a convoy of classic cars each have at least one little flag. There were a lot of classic cars of different years, brands, and models. Sorry no photo as I was behind the wheel. I almost hit the highway divider because I was too busy looking at them.
Other than driving on the highway, how did I spent the day? Installing operating system, software and stuff in my new customized CPU (for non-computer-savvy, it's that box where you have the on button for you pc). Except for a missing 10gig of hard disk space, everything seems to be working. Now, from my new machine, I proudly type this entry and wish you:
Happy Independence Day and travel safe!
for Muslims readers,
Happy fasting!
I don't know if it is just me, or it is actully the general public, but seemed to me this year it was not as hyped as previous years. Unlike previous years, there seemed to be less cars displaying the Jalur Gemilang this year. Nevertheless, this morning on the highway, I saw a convoy of classic cars each have at least one little flag. There were a lot of classic cars of different years, brands, and models. Sorry no photo as I was behind the wheel. I almost hit the highway divider because I was too busy looking at them.
Other than driving on the highway, how did I spent the day? Installing operating system, software and stuff in my new customized CPU (for non-computer-savvy, it's that box where you have the on button for you pc). Except for a missing 10gig of hard disk space, everything seems to be working. Now, from my new machine, I proudly type this entry and wish you:
Happy Independence Day and travel safe!
for Muslims readers,
Happy fasting!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Packing
I’m not packing my bag for another trip just yet. But my officemate is. He is going for a work-related trip this Saturday. Having never travel before, he is clueless on what to pack. Since I went on a similar trip last year, he asked me for ideas.
Close friends would testify that I some times packed the smallest bag when travelling! So here are suggested things to pack in your bag:
1. Clothes:
· 2 sets of day clothes – to wear during the day
· 2 sets of night clothes – to wear for sleeping. To be kept dry at all cost. You wouldn’t want to be sleeping in wet clothes
· 2 pairs of socks
· 5 sets of under wears – don’t laugh but it is essential that you have enough!
· 1 set of sarong/kain batik – this versatile fabric can be used as towel, blanket, or be worn like skirt
If you are travelling to cold countries, you might want to add long johns and additional warm clothing. I avoid packing denims into my bag because they took up spaces. Denims are also heavier and take longer time to dry. If I really need denim pants / jacket, I normally wear them.
2. Toiletries (wrapped in waterproof plastic bag to avoid spillage):
· Toothpaste + toothbrush
· Soap bar – some would say shower cream/gel is more hygienic. But liquid has tendency of spilling all over your clothes in the bag. Get soap bar that is ‘gentle’ on the face so you can use the soap instead of facial cleanser.
· Detergent bar – to wash clothes. Rule of thumb in washing clothes is: 1 set to wash and dry, 1 set to wear and 1 set for spare
· Deodorant – unless you have no problem with smelling all-sweats
· Hair Shampoo – only bring this on long trips or trips that would make your hair dirty. Otherwise, shampoo you hair before going away.
· Razor blade – unless you don’t mind some hair growth
· Facial cleanser – optional if you can use the soap bar
· Sun blocks – I hardly bring this as I don’t go for sunbathing. Very important if you plan to spend time out in the hot sun
3. Utilities:
· Swiss army knife – make sure you check-in your bag if you have this item. Mine comes with can opener, and a little torchlight.
· Torchlight – very important if you plan to go camping / walking at night.
· Ponchos / rain cover – get one of those that can be open and served as a mat.
· Flip-flop / selipar jepun – I don’t normally bring this. To be use in places where you can’t wet your shoes or when you just want to walk small distance and don’t want to wear your shoes. Alternatively, you could get one of those expensive water-repellent-sandals-that-function-like-shoes, and wear it
· Waterproof plastic bags – to protect things (clothes/gadget/etc) from getting wet or to carry wet clothes.
· Zip lock bags – to be use to pack food. Can also function like plastic bag
· Fork and spoon – optional if your Swiss army knife comes with fork and spoon. If you bring the steel kind, make sure you check-in your bag
4. Electrical / electronic gadgets:
· Power adaptor – important if you are going to countries that have different kind of power socket than your electrical gadgets’
· PDA + charger – I use PalmOne Tungsten T5. I use it to record my travel details, store maps (in JPEG format) and phrase book, listen to MP3, watch films, blog, and some times surf internet and write e-mails. PDA with touch screen where you can scribble notes is very useful when you need to do a ‘pictorial’ translation
· Memory card for PDA – have enough space to store everything you need.
· Handphone + charger – check with your service provider if they provide roaming at the country/ies you are heading. Otherwise, get one of those handphones with multiple bands so you can buy local prepaid card
· Digital camera + charger – since I upgraded to dSLR, I have extra back just for the dSLR and its accessories. I also bring my compact digital camera as a backup camera
· Memory card for camera / Portable hard disk – to store photos from digital camera
5. Food rations (Only if you think it would be hard to find suitable food for you. Quantity depends on travel duration):
· 3in1 nutritional drinks sachets
· Instant noodles – I hardly brings this because I’m kind of allergic to the instant seasonings
· Sardines – If possible get the one with ‘built-in’ can opener. Bear in mind the cans will add additional weight.
· Serunding (packed in zip lock bag) – a local dish of shredded meat/chicken/fish in coconut milk and spices cooked till dry.
· Brahim’s instant food – a local brand that have a variety of instant foods
· Microwave-able food container with cover – to ‘cook’ instant food. To save space I normally put the 3in1s and Serunding in the container before packing them into bag.
Happy packing and travelling!
Close friends would testify that I some times packed the smallest bag when travelling! So here are suggested things to pack in your bag:
1. Clothes:
· 2 sets of day clothes – to wear during the day
· 2 sets of night clothes – to wear for sleeping. To be kept dry at all cost. You wouldn’t want to be sleeping in wet clothes
· 2 pairs of socks
· 5 sets of under wears – don’t laugh but it is essential that you have enough!
· 1 set of sarong/kain batik – this versatile fabric can be used as towel, blanket, or be worn like skirt
If you are travelling to cold countries, you might want to add long johns and additional warm clothing. I avoid packing denims into my bag because they took up spaces. Denims are also heavier and take longer time to dry. If I really need denim pants / jacket, I normally wear them.
2. Toiletries (wrapped in waterproof plastic bag to avoid spillage):
· Toothpaste + toothbrush
· Soap bar – some would say shower cream/gel is more hygienic. But liquid has tendency of spilling all over your clothes in the bag. Get soap bar that is ‘gentle’ on the face so you can use the soap instead of facial cleanser.
· Detergent bar – to wash clothes. Rule of thumb in washing clothes is: 1 set to wash and dry, 1 set to wear and 1 set for spare
· Deodorant – unless you have no problem with smelling all-sweats
· Hair Shampoo – only bring this on long trips or trips that would make your hair dirty. Otherwise, shampoo you hair before going away.
· Razor blade – unless you don’t mind some hair growth
· Facial cleanser – optional if you can use the soap bar
· Sun blocks – I hardly bring this as I don’t go for sunbathing. Very important if you plan to spend time out in the hot sun
3. Utilities:
· Swiss army knife – make sure you check-in your bag if you have this item. Mine comes with can opener, and a little torchlight.
· Torchlight – very important if you plan to go camping / walking at night.
· Ponchos / rain cover – get one of those that can be open and served as a mat.
· Flip-flop / selipar jepun – I don’t normally bring this. To be use in places where you can’t wet your shoes or when you just want to walk small distance and don’t want to wear your shoes. Alternatively, you could get one of those expensive water-repellent-sandals-that-function-like-shoes, and wear it
· Waterproof plastic bags – to protect things (clothes/gadget/etc) from getting wet or to carry wet clothes.
· Zip lock bags – to be use to pack food. Can also function like plastic bag
· Fork and spoon – optional if your Swiss army knife comes with fork and spoon. If you bring the steel kind, make sure you check-in your bag
4. Electrical / electronic gadgets:
· Power adaptor – important if you are going to countries that have different kind of power socket than your electrical gadgets’
· PDA + charger – I use PalmOne Tungsten T5. I use it to record my travel details, store maps (in JPEG format) and phrase book, listen to MP3, watch films, blog, and some times surf internet and write e-mails. PDA with touch screen where you can scribble notes is very useful when you need to do a ‘pictorial’ translation
· Memory card for PDA – have enough space to store everything you need.
· Handphone + charger – check with your service provider if they provide roaming at the country/ies you are heading. Otherwise, get one of those handphones with multiple bands so you can buy local prepaid card
· Digital camera + charger – since I upgraded to dSLR, I have extra back just for the dSLR and its accessories. I also bring my compact digital camera as a backup camera
· Memory card for camera / Portable hard disk – to store photos from digital camera
5. Food rations (Only if you think it would be hard to find suitable food for you. Quantity depends on travel duration):
· 3in1 nutritional drinks sachets
· Instant noodles – I hardly brings this because I’m kind of allergic to the instant seasonings
· Sardines – If possible get the one with ‘built-in’ can opener. Bear in mind the cans will add additional weight.
· Serunding (packed in zip lock bag) – a local dish of shredded meat/chicken/fish in coconut milk and spices cooked till dry.
· Brahim’s instant food – a local brand that have a variety of instant foods
· Microwave-able food container with cover – to ‘cook’ instant food. To save space I normally put the 3in1s and Serunding in the container before packing them into bag.
Happy packing and travelling!
Friday, August 08, 2008
Hoi...
"… tak takut mati ka?" [translation: (are you) not afraid to die?]
If you have been using Malaysian roads long enough, you probably have heard somebody yelling something like this angrily to someone.
I’ve been in many situations that could have caused my demise. Close friends would remember how dangerously fast I used to drive. And what with the solo wanderings in foreign lands. Yet, I’m still alive. Bumped, bruised and wounded, maybe, but I’m still very much alive! Which made me think that the Almighty has bigger plan for me. If my time has not come, no matter what I do, I’ll continuously cheats death. And if my time is up, nothing could ever stop it.
Experiences have thought me that there are no guarantees in life. No matter how hard you plan, there’s no guarantee that things will work the way you want. Every now and then you will fall and have to get up. There’s no guarantee that everyone will have a good life. The only guarantee that we have is that we all will die, eventually. Logic tells me that we should be afraid of things that have no guarantee. So, we should be afraid to live and not to die, right?
Which reminds me of a sensible advice I got years ago: live life as if you will die tomorrow.
If you have been using Malaysian roads long enough, you probably have heard somebody yelling something like this angrily to someone.
I’ve been in many situations that could have caused my demise. Close friends would remember how dangerously fast I used to drive. And what with the solo wanderings in foreign lands. Yet, I’m still alive. Bumped, bruised and wounded, maybe, but I’m still very much alive! Which made me think that the Almighty has bigger plan for me. If my time has not come, no matter what I do, I’ll continuously cheats death. And if my time is up, nothing could ever stop it.
Experiences have thought me that there are no guarantees in life. No matter how hard you plan, there’s no guarantee that things will work the way you want. Every now and then you will fall and have to get up. There’s no guarantee that everyone will have a good life. The only guarantee that we have is that we all will die, eventually. Logic tells me that we should be afraid of things that have no guarantee. So, we should be afraid to live and not to die, right?
Which reminds me of a sensible advice I got years ago: live life as if you will die tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
I'm Not Single
I wish I could say that about myself, but this entry isn't about myself. It is the title of a local film currently screening in local cinemas. Or should I say cineplex? With so many cineplex mushrooming in almost every shopping complexes, who watches films in cinemas anymore?
Anyway, back to the film. Contrary to its English title, it is actually a Malay film by young director Pierre Andre (again, contrary to foreign sounding name, he's a Malaysian). Since the film is still screening in cine(mas/plexes) and I have the tendecies of describing things in great details, I shall not comments on the story line.
Suffice to say that the whole story line relies heavily on its two main characters: Adam (played by Farid Kamil) and Maya (by newcomer Lisa Surihani). Suprisingly Farid and even newcomer Lisa managed to pull it off. I have to say, their strength lie in their appropriate facial expressions and body gestures. Lisa was able to convey anger, disgust etc. just by rolling and squinting her eyes. However, if Lisa could somehow improve her intonation and the way she says certain lines, we will be able to 'feel' even more.
I like how the film subtly explore multitude of topics ranging from sexsuality, wet dream and even pornography. I loved what Adam did when he picked up 'My Sayang' calling Maya's phone. l loved how the camera focused on certain part to subtly get the 'message' accross. Unfortunately, in some scenes, shallow depth-of-field sort of marred the film. The supermarket scene, for example, has Maya slightly out of focus. The depth-of-field problem is worst in 'out-on-a-bench' scene where Maya facial expression (or whatever left of her face that was 'cut-off' by the frame) is completely blurred in the foreground. Credit goes to Lisa who nevertheless managed to convey Maya's emotion solely via her voice!
This film is classified as 'U' (for general public), but sadly, due to remarks from immature audiences, this film should be classified as '18sx'. Don't get me wrong, it is those immature remark that you wouldn't want you kids to hear, not the things screened. It was similar to the remarks I herd when I watched "Suami, isteri dan..." - which I think is the same genre - in cinema, eons ago.
Anyway, it is a good film to watch. Do look out for Maya's 'cue-word' to Adam, which is the same one used by Iman of "Sepi"! Coincidence? You decide.
p.s. Photo taken from here
I wish I could say that about myself, but this entry isn't about myself. It is the title of a local film currently screening in local cinemas. Or should I say cineplex? With so many cineplex mushrooming in almost every shopping complexes, who watches films in cinemas anymore?
Anyway, back to the film. Contrary to its English title, it is actually a Malay film by young director Pierre Andre (again, contrary to foreign sounding name, he's a Malaysian). Since the film is still screening in cine(mas/plexes) and I have the tendecies of describing things in great details, I shall not comments on the story line.Suffice to say that the whole story line relies heavily on its two main characters: Adam (played by Farid Kamil) and Maya (by newcomer Lisa Surihani). Suprisingly Farid and even newcomer Lisa managed to pull it off. I have to say, their strength lie in their appropriate facial expressions and body gestures. Lisa was able to convey anger, disgust etc. just by rolling and squinting her eyes. However, if Lisa could somehow improve her intonation and the way she says certain lines, we will be able to 'feel' even more.
I like how the film subtly explore multitude of topics ranging from sexsuality, wet dream and even pornography. I loved what Adam did when he picked up 'My Sayang' calling Maya's phone. l loved how the camera focused on certain part to subtly get the 'message' accross. Unfortunately, in some scenes, shallow depth-of-field sort of marred the film. The supermarket scene, for example, has Maya slightly out of focus. The depth-of-field problem is worst in 'out-on-a-bench' scene where Maya facial expression (or whatever left of her face that was 'cut-off' by the frame) is completely blurred in the foreground. Credit goes to Lisa who nevertheless managed to convey Maya's emotion solely via her voice!
This film is classified as 'U' (for general public), but sadly, due to remarks from immature audiences, this film should be classified as '18sx'. Don't get me wrong, it is those immature remark that you wouldn't want you kids to hear, not the things screened. It was similar to the remarks I herd when I watched "Suami, isteri dan..." - which I think is the same genre - in cinema, eons ago.
Anyway, it is a good film to watch. Do look out for Maya's 'cue-word' to Adam, which is the same one used by Iman of "Sepi"! Coincidence? You decide.
p.s. Photo taken from here
Thursday, July 24, 2008
S3X and the City Cocktail Party
Typo in the title was intentional so that this entry would not appear under the same category in search engine. Anyway, thanks to Ma Hen, I got to tag along to the cocktail party. The party was held in conjunction with the premier of the film “Sex and the City”.
It was a last minute thingy, Ma Hen’s colleague couldn’t make it so I stepped in. I was concern about being under dress. After all I went to the party straight from work. Lucky for me, no matter what shirt (or in yesterday’s case t-shirt) I wore, I almost always wear a blazer to office. The blazer is not only for the cold office, but also to camouflage my skinniness. Ma Hen assured me that my office attire was good enough. Among those glitzy and glamorous people (a.k.a. celebrities), I must have looked a bit formal.
The event was held at GSC mid Valley. Great food! I was too busy filling my stomach with the scrumptious food that I forgot to take photos of the food. Food was followed by a brief fashion show modelled by DJs from a certain radio station (name of the designer and radio station shall not be mentioned).
The radio station also held some quiz related to the tv series. The crowd was a sport. The selected audience had no qualms fulfilling the DJs request. In turn, the participants won a bottle of perfume each.
The highlight must have been the girl who won an ‘outrageously’ expensive shoes simply because the shoes fits!
Among the guest are familiar faces in local entertainment industries. Me, being very ignorant of the entertainment industries (local or abroad), avoided talking too much. Don’t want to be outright obvious that I was clueless. Without Ma Hen, I wouldn’t even know how to pronounce a local entertainment magazine (we shared table with a pair of reporter from that magazine).
Thanks to my dSLR, I didn’t have to talk much other than to say “SMILE…”.
This rookie photographer learned a thing or two: 1) Need to be careful about ‘chopping off’ people’s legs. 2) I need one of those original expensive flashgun if I were to shoot these kind of events more often!
More photos here.
It was a last minute thingy, Ma Hen’s colleague couldn’t make it so I stepped in. I was concern about being under dress. After all I went to the party straight from work. Lucky for me, no matter what shirt (or in yesterday’s case t-shirt) I wore, I almost always wear a blazer to office. The blazer is not only for the cold office, but also to camouflage my skinniness. Ma Hen assured me that my office attire was good enough. Among those glitzy and glamorous people (a.k.a. celebrities), I must have looked a bit formal.
The event was held at GSC mid Valley. Great food! I was too busy filling my stomach with the scrumptious food that I forgot to take photos of the food. Food was followed by a brief fashion show modelled by DJs from a certain radio station (name of the designer and radio station shall not be mentioned).The radio station also held some quiz related to the tv series. The crowd was a sport. The selected audience had no qualms fulfilling the DJs request. In turn, the participants won a bottle of perfume each.
The highlight must have been the girl who won an ‘outrageously’ expensive shoes simply because the shoes fits!Among the guest are familiar faces in local entertainment industries. Me, being very ignorant of the entertainment industries (local or abroad), avoided talking too much. Don’t want to be outright obvious that I was clueless. Without Ma Hen, I wouldn’t even know how to pronounce a local entertainment magazine (we shared table with a pair of reporter from that magazine).
Thanks to my dSLR, I didn’t have to talk much other than to say “SMILE…”.
This rookie photographer learned a thing or two: 1) Need to be careful about ‘chopping off’ people’s legs. 2) I need one of those original expensive flashgun if I were to shoot these kind of events more often!
More photos here.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
All the Small Things...
"... work sucks, I know..." - a song from Blink?
You see, the power-to-be up in the corporate ladder decided to relocate the whole office to a relatively new town outside of KL. Compared to KL, the new town, devoid of everything. I admit that I’m beginning to miss the little things that I’ve reluctantly come to enjoy in KL.
What I missed most are the things that I was able to do during lunch our. I am no longer able to have lunch in KLCC park . Or visit the Petronas Art Gallery in the twin tower. Or read books in the National library. Or break away from office madness and go for a ride on the ‘Eye Of Malaysia’ (which still available at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa till 31st August 2008)
I am also no longer able to enjoy the bus ride home (and little naps while on the bus ride). The new office is not as accessible by public transports as the old office. I tried taking public transports (a combination of a train and two connecting buses), and found out that it would take me more than three hours to get to the office (the new office is actually about 1 hour drive) Hence, I had to drive to the office.
Driving meant that I have little time to blog because quite a number of entries in this blog were done on (or concocted while waiting for numerous public transports). But all was not lost when one day, I saw my first complete rainbow (I could see the two ends) while driving on the highway to work.
That day, with the song ".... some where over the rainbow, the skies are blue...." ringing in my head, my otherwise grim morning became somewhat colourfull!
To my regular visitors: thank you for returning to this blog and sorry for long overdue updates.
You see, the power-to-be up in the corporate ladder decided to relocate the whole office to a relatively new town outside of KL. Compared to KL, the new town, devoid of everything. I admit that I’m beginning to miss the little things that I’ve reluctantly come to enjoy in KL.
What I missed most are the things that I was able to do during lunch our. I am no longer able to have lunch in KLCC park . Or visit the Petronas Art Gallery in the twin tower. Or read books in the National library. Or break away from office madness and go for a ride on the ‘Eye Of Malaysia’ (which still available at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa till 31st August 2008)I am also no longer able to enjoy the bus ride home (and little naps while on the bus ride). The new office is not as accessible by public transports as the old office. I tried taking public transports (a combination of a train and two connecting buses), and found out that it would take me more than three hours to get to the office (the new office is actually about 1 hour drive) Hence, I had to drive to the office.
Driving meant that I have little time to blog because quite a number of entries in this blog were done on (or concocted while waiting for numerous public transports). But all was not lost when one day, I saw my first complete rainbow (I could see the two ends) while driving on the highway to work.That day, with the song ".... some where over the rainbow, the skies are blue...." ringing in my head, my otherwise grim morning became somewhat colourfull!
To my regular visitors: thank you for returning to this blog and sorry for long overdue updates.
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