it's official

Hi! Well, it's official. The announcement that i have been witheld for the past week can now be revealed. I just tender my resignation letter today, of course with some difficulties and temptations, but once a decision has been made, that's it.

It is reluctant to leave a bunch of close friends here at Intel, but i am not happy at work and have not been getting anywhere for the past 3 years++. You will never know what is out there if you didnt take the first step. This is the first step i am taking now. It could be either good, same or bad, but is the risk that i am willing to take. Never regret since i had make the decision. Just learn from experience.

The call that i received last week when i almost lost my h/p is an offer call from a company that i applied. And the offer is attractive as well with a new job description that i am looking for as a challenge. That is why i am so happy. I am happy too to leave my current work and day to day stress as well as personal stress with the singh and pathetic treatment by intel.

The interview sessions with many people have been eye opening, learn a lot of stuff too. Got test, got problem solving question etc. interesting :)

Well, that is all for now. Signing off and will be offline for a few days. Long holiday over the weekend and will not be working too on next Mon & Tue for Labour day holiday :) Happy Holidays to everyone. Travel safely.

My Secret

Today, after a sumptuous "bak kut teh" dinner, me, Jules and Ah Beng decided to hang out at Borders at Queensbay :)

At Borders, Ah Beng was with his tips for dating book (he read it for Jules actually), me was going through the interior design books while Jules was at the Art corner. Then Jules showed me the book that he is reading, it was "My Secret" by Frank Warren, founder of postsecret.com. I found out later that the book is actually a collective of postcards from people all over the US, majority are from the teens and college students. Each card bears an intimate and powerful secret - at turns inspirational, shocking, hilarious, and poetic - that is told through original illustrations, photographs, collages, and other creative means. I gone through almost the whole book, and there are 2 pieces that stand out, Jules agrees as well :) Sharing with you.

Fridge Tale (Part 2)

20042007 random photo

calamity but lucky

Been a long day today, yet was a good day with certain lows and highs.

Due to the effect of sleeping late last night, was quite blur blur today. Did work as slow as a snail, had lunch at Sakae Sushi with CY, and left my W800i there... Yeah, calamity did almost happen to me... I only realize i lost my phone at around 4pm (that is after 3hrs). When i check my pockets, it was empty but keys and coins. Gosh, first thing that hit me is not how i can be so forgetful, but is how late i realized that i don’t have my mobile with me, that is after almost 3hrs. Seems like not many people call/sms me, or i am not fully utilizing the phone...

Then my 2nd thought was where i left it... It was clear in my mind that i left it at Sakae Sushi, either on the sitting place or the table. Darn "big head prawn" (translate to Cantonese and you get "empty minded").

post missing mobile chronology:-
> used jlaw mobile to call my number twice, cant get through. Very disappointed and lost of hope retrieving it already...
> called maxis center to suspend the line...
> called Sakae Sushi to check for the missing phone, the staff said would help me check and will call back...
> Sakae staff called back to jlaw and told her they have one h/p. Jlaw informed me. With hope again :)
> called Sakae staff and made appointment to be there in half an hour
> reach Sakae sushi and retrieved the h/p
> instantly went Bayan Point Maxis Center (which is nearby) to re-activate my line
> after 15 mins from activation, i am back online. Sent msg to jlaw to express my gratitude :)

Kudos to the Sakae staffs for their honesty and patient. Sakae sushi will always be my first choice now :) In the midst of despair, i found hope. Now i am taking care of my W800i with eagle eye :p

Well, right after i am back on the line, in less than an hour, i received 2 important calls. One is from my friend traveling from Johor to Penang for work assignment, a really long long time no see friend :) 2nd call is a call that would change my course in life soon. Is a positive thing to me. Cant reveal it now. Will reveal it soon :) Stay tune. If i really lost my h/p today, i would really miss both of these calls...

Tonight i am sleeping late again writting blog. Hope that tomorrow, history wont repeat itself again :p Good Night!

coins

is in the middle of the night, and i am stil not sleeping. I have company tonight who came over just to use the broadband to work. Is Jules the dude. Dont get us wrong ya :) He work, i boring, and since i dont do work and i have nothing to do, i just online to check mails, surfing, writting blog etc.

Well, it has been so long since i last stayed up late. I used to stay awake just because of rushing for work. Now, i would say that those are the stupid days. What was i thinking at that time? Sacrificing my rest, my health, my time, my youth just for work that gets me no where, i must be poisoned or what :p well, you get my message. Now staying late to write blog, this is what i should do for a long long time :)

Back to the title of the blog - coins :) When i was small, the family was financially tight. Allowances were rare and little. So, to satisfy my Tora or junk food or kite or gadgets/toys need, either i have to save very very desperately or i earned my own allowances. I find my ways in earning those allowances, and those were the day :) I did plant chillies before, and did pay me handsomely. Chillies sold at a good price among all the methods. I did catch pigeons too, catches a lot of them (catapult or set trap), although now knew that a bit cruel. 1 pigeon fetch RM1 at that time. I also remember that i used to collect coins/$$ from the street, any cents, any dollar that i can find, so you can imagine i always walk looking down the ground all the time :) If i remember correctly, the largest amount i collected once was RM5 gua. :) was happy. i piled the $$ collected in a container, at the end of the one year, see how much i collect, and that is what i get :) Stupid isnt it, but it get me through my childhood day :) So, you have it, the coin posting :)

got to sign off now. Jules already finished his work, and pressing me to sign off now :p Till then.

Fridge Tale

A few years back, I went to consult a chinese medicine practitioner at Farlim to fix my sprained ankle, injured during a basketball game. While I was waiting for my turn, I observed the small apartment.

The practitioner is a grandfather to a few young grandchildren who likes cars very much. They had many and varieties of small vehicle toys in a large bucket. There's probably more than a hundred of it :) The grandmother likes to sew clothes, may be for the residents in the neighborhood, or may be some for the family. Although the apartment is small, it has almost everything. Then, there is one thing that catches my eye - the refrigerator. On the fridge, there is a lot of colorful magnet sticking on it, mostly are free gifts for purchasing certain products in the supermarket. There are drawings too, probably drawn by the grandchildren. If I remember correctly, one of it is a sketch of father, mother, children and a house, telling the story of the family from the eye of a child. I suppose that is the most popular drawing theme by a child :)

From there, it starts to fascinate and amaze me that a fridge can tell a tale, and how a simple fridge magnet invention can sustain until today and for the foreseeable future. Although the modern refrigerator has achieved a lot of complexity & functions, the fridge magnet can still apply. With the simple magnet, one can stick messages, groceries list, reminders etc on the fridge, since everyone in the family visit the fridge everyday at a frequent manner. Have you ever notice that in a detective movie or real life detective, the fridge is the popular choice for the investigator to check? Opening up the fridge could also tell the occupants diet, habits etc

Well, next time you are at a stranger’s house, go to the fridge and you would know the family much better :) But don’t be rude by eating up all the food ya, haha.

Perfect

“Perfect” - is what everyone wishes for, or wants to attain, or wants to be. It can be the perfect moment; the perfect guy/girl; the perfect gift; the perfect scores/result and so on… Yet, what is perfect and what does perfect really bring?

(Story telling time, mimicking “Jules the dude” ^_^. Btw, characters are fictional)
This is a short story about a boy name Joshua. When Joshua first had a crush toward a girl, Joshua used to work very hard to become a perfect person for the girl. Yet, at the end, Joshua got rejected not just once, but a few times for the span of a few years. The girl fell for other people within those years, but just not Joshua. It hurt so much all the time that sometimes it just makes Joshua thinks that he would rather be imperfect, because being perfect isn’t always good.

Sometimes some things are meant to be imperfect in certain ways, so that that other could complement it, or forgive the mistakes that can't be undo… This is what life should be. Besides, how do you measure perfect? Everyone has different expectation of perfect.

Just my rambling thought for this posting. Till then.

Heart

A heart is a fragile thing.
That’s why we protect them so rigourously,
give them away so rarely,
and why it means so much when we do…

Some hearts are more fragile than others,
pure somehow,
like crystal and the world of glass,
even the way they shatter is beautiful…

(everwood s02ep18)

07042007 Penang Botanical Garden

Halo, after so much of serious posting, skeptical thinking, criticism etc in the past weeks, may be it is time take a u-turn to put some fun back into the blog :) may be it is a good sign a well to my mood swing :p

Last Saturday early morning, me, Julian, WM, LS, jlaw, CP & friends went for a healthy walk/jog at Penang Botanical Garden, hehe... It was a short but fun experience, although some calamities did happen >_<

When i got the chance to look back into the photos taken yesterday, felt even funnier because never thought many interesting moment got captured, especially me :p Never thought of i have so many expressions taken on that day, while maintaining the good looking, hahahaha... You guys dont puke on the keyboard har :) Anyhow, sharing it here with you all. Thanks for the companionship guys and gals ^_^

me masterpiece for Dude "Julian the Peace Saint"

started the walk with "Flying Jason" pose :p

meThumbnail

me and jlaw

Giant Lou and Tiny Jules :)

woommmm...

calamity did happen to naughty

painful and sad expression dedicated for calamity

the stone pose :p luckily i am stil dressed, hahaha...

the botanical conquerors

me and CP, cool or not :)

decent pose

From left: Jules, CP, jlaw, WM & LS

changes of perspectives

There are many ways to do things or to solve the same problem, just a matter of how we view the thing/problem, as well as how confident we are toward our own perspectives in executing our view. Life is full of options (old and new) and choices to be made, and what is the level of your trust toward yourself in making them?

Think out of the box, and broaden your views. Sometimes old methods/ways aren't necessary not the best solution in situations of crisis. In House MD, when a hospital is crowed with ER patients and resources were constrained such as the MRI scan machine, doctors have to come out with the solution to use the conventional scanner machine (used to observe the baby in the pregnant mother) to scan the patient head injury. It works although it takes more time, rather that letting the patient die because the doctor cant diagnose the injury.

In war/crisis movies, morse code always been used when all the means of high-tech comm is not available, that help altered the situations.

In our life, what if the emailing or all electronic communication system is down worldwide indefinitely? What would you do? How about revert back to the conventional postage system? It works, although it would take slightly longer.

If one day, what if the Penang Bridge did collapse? What if the power supply and water supply utilities that you have been enjoying had been lost forever? What could you do differently?

some food of thought in spare time.

burning

"burning" is the only word that i can think of now to describe my feeling. Is the word that used by KC Yoon this morning during the open forum (although the forum was meaningless), came through my mind when i just feel that i want to pen down something before today ends.

Today, i was brought down to the center of the earth abruptly from the highest point in the sky, and i am kinda lost and had the short moment of sadness without really understanding why.. But when think of it, it has been very long while since i have this kind of lapses. I would need this kind of moment to serve me as a reminder, to remind me of what i am now today, and to correct my thought if i have been doing some wrong thing or adopted wrong attitude or if i have wonder off from my course of life. From today's incident, the thing that i found that i had been doing quite wrong is that i have been too self-centered/selfish...

Anyhow, at time like this, my mind would be the clearest, my determination would be the strongest and my objectives would be the clearest. I will lock on to my renewed targets and would give out my very best for it.

To close this post, i remember someone i knew used to say something like this "life wont be always smooth sailing. But you know what, you are a better person after this darkest moment. You are who you are, dont let other people take it away from you..."

Sincere thanks to many of my friends for being there at this moment...

way back into love

Hi, this is one of the song from the upcoming movie "music and lyrics" played by hunk Hugh Grant & babe Drew Berrymore. The song sang by Hugh Grant & Halley Bennett. Love it the first moment i heard it on the myfm radio again while driving back after late dinner last night. Sharing with you all :)

btw, last night was a moody night because is the 2nd consecutive day lost volleyball game in PDC Cup :p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce_DxJFdgM4 OR
http://www.53t.cn/play/125222.html

I've been living with a shadow overhead
I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed
I've been lonely for so long
Trapped in the past, I just can't seem to move on

I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away
Just in case I ever need em again someday
I've been setting aside time
To clear a little space in the corners of my mind

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
Oh oh ohI've been watching but the stars refuse to shine
I've been searching but I just don't see the signs
I know that it's out thereThere's got to be something for my soul somewhere

I've been looking for someone to shed some light
Not somebody just to get me through the night

I could use some direction
And I'm open to your suggestions

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart again
I guess I'm hoping you'll be there for me in the end
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

There are moments when I don't know if it's real
Or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need inspirationNot just another negotiation

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart to you
I'm hoping you'll show me what to do
And if you help me to start again
You know that I'll be there for you in the end
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Everwood

Another series that I love. I watched the show a few years back on TV, that time was still season 1, and now it had a complete seasons of 4. I downloaded Season 2 & 3 just recently, and started watching it again. However, I was not able to find Season 1 & 4 to be downloaded… Anyhow, this will not hinder me from keep on searching. Worst come to worst, will ask friends who going to US and buy these seasons for me. I just love “everwood”. Or may be you can help me out if you do have them :)

The shows wonder around the family of Dr Andy Brown (Treat Williams), he used to be the top neuro surgeon in the field, always busy saving lives in hospital, but neglected his wife – Julia, his son – Ephram (Gregory Smith) and his daughter – Dylia. One day his wife got sick and Dr Brown couldn’t save Julia. Julia passed away…

This is where the story starts, Dr Brown decided to move to Everwood (a simple Colorado town) and started free family clinic practice there.

From series to series, the story always wonder around the life of Dr Andy Brown and his family in Everwood. The obstacles that they face; the situation where hard decision just have to be made, but there is no right or wrong for each choices that they have; the love story of young Ephram towards Amy (Emily Van Camp); the friendships that they made, the relationships that they made, simply touching; and many more. For some, it might be dull, but it touches me.

A brief intro on character Ephram and Dylia.

Ephram is a gifted pianist that plays good piano, and have a deep crush towards Amy. Yet, their love story never bloom, just like the relationship between Clark Kent and Lana Lane in Smallville. There always obstacles.

Dylia on the other hand is a girl being brought up by two men, who misses her mother - Julia so much, who wears a cap always and behave tomboyish. Yet in the story, she started to makes new girl friends and grew up as a girl. Although she is the youngest, sometimes she is more matured than Dr Brown and Ephram :)

I just finished S02e04 – “east meets west” tonight. Sharing with you some story lines from the episode, it is about “change”...

(at the beginning of the episode)

“From the frosting of the Rocky mountain to the carving down to the Great Canyon, Great change only comes from Conflict. But where nature’s greatest conflict consists of relentless pounding of water on rock, or collisions under the earth crust, for people to change, it takes other people”

(at the end of the episode) – Ephram wrotes
“The more things change, the more they stays the same”.

I am not sure who is the first who said that, probably Shakespeare, but at the moment, is the sentence best explains my tragic flaw. I have the inability to change…

I don’t think I am alone in this, the more I get to know other people, the more I realize it is kind of everyone’s flaw…

Staying exactly the same, for as long as possible, standing perfectly still. It feels better some how, and if you are suffering, at least the pain is familiar…

Because if you took that leap of faith, went outside the box, did something unexpected… who knows what other pain might be waiting out there. Chances are could be even worst…

So, you maintain the status quo, choose the road already traveled, and it doesn’t seem that bad, that is as far as flaws go, you are not a drug addict, you are not killing anyone, except may be yourself a little…

When we finally do change, I don’t think it happens like an earthquake or an explosion, or all the sudden we like this different person… I think it is smaller than that… the kind of thing that most people wouldn’t notice unless they look really really close, which thank god they never do…

But you notice it. Inside you that change feels like the world is different, and you hope that it is, and this is the person you get to be forever… that you never have to change again…

Mathew

Hi, today’s SUPERSTAR would be Mathew. See the photo above, he is so adorable and handsome. I have been seeing him grew up from the 1st day he is borned, and now he is 2 yrs old already :)

Mathew is actually the 1st son of Andrew Kang, my old basketball friend as well as good friends, and yesterday I have the honor to be part of this memorable moment, and to be part of Mathew childhood memory. I really appreciate it. Thanks to Andrew for inviting me over, along side with a bunch of basketball friends since secondary school. It was truly another precious moment. I am so happy until I broke my alcohol restriction and drink a can of Anchor, haha :p

Mathew actually has a younger brother, and he is going to be 1 yr old soon on 16 April. He still don’t have any English name yet, the Chinese name is “Zhen Onn”. Btw, Mathew Chinese name is “Zhen Yu” :)

I won’t write much over here today. Lets the photos speak for itself :)

p/s: now some of you know why i absent from the guitar session :p

@ Zhen Yu birthday party

Mathew with Yakult & his birthday present - football pillow

Mathew's Barney birthday cake

Happy Family

Mathew cutting cakes; btw, dunno what is Mathew's bro doing :)

Mathew and me

Mathew's younger bro (Zhen Onn) & papa

Zhen Yu growing up