status change

I am now officially a nuffnanger :)

bb

bb never fails to cheer me up, even when I am in a very foul mood >_<

see... so cute...

This little one is my friend's bb, only 6months old, yet so big d :)

I didnt see my friend, this bb and his wife in person, but I grab this photo from one of my friend's blog. Glad to read this post :)

http://carmenparadise.blogspot.com/2007/11/tomorrow-is-monday.html

burn

Yeah, I totally admit that I am evil when the topic about "intel" is raised, and I am just plain stubborn about it.

Why am I evil? Because whenever I heard something bad happen at intel or to intel, especially PDC and especially the singh, the magnitude of jubilant is INFINITY.

For instance, the news about a car burning at intel car park this morning has set the adrenaline gushing into my system. While I am happy, my mind alertly speculating. Might be the stupid and bad decision made by the higher management for removing the stationary security guard and replacing with mobile patrol (whom I never saw one when I roam there oftenly using its facility). Or might be someone drank too much yesterday at PDC night and somehow has offended someone or had an affair that resulted in burning revenge. Or might be just a plain stupid person that doesnt maintain their property. No matter what the reason is, it is just some/many of the more evil than me stupid idiot black sheeps in intel that do exist there that make intel such a damn good place that I couldnt resist to resign.

Why am i stubborn? Because the period of imbalance, hurting and finding the many reasons why but not able to make a difference (all because of the one and only person i hate most - the singh) had shaped and etched who I am today. No way a bad ROM can be erased.

With the current status, intel malaysia is well on it's course towards a "better" place. Looking forward to that if a life time is already enough.

held

"Most of us has experienced the death of our love one,
or we watched somebody that we know or love,
experienced the pain of losing somebody that they love...

Maybe this is even happening to some of you right now,
or to somebody that you know in your circle of your friends,
at school or at work, maybe inapproriate...

My friend Christa Well wrote this song,
after she had lost two people very dear to her in the span of 48 hours...

I recorded this song,
in the prayer and hopes that it'll bring comfort to a lot of people...

The first time I heard it...
honestly it just made me to tears...

Christa found a lot of comfort in it's message,
and my prayer and hope is that you will too."

- Natalie Grant -


Very recently, I was struggling with mix feeling for a couple of time in a single short span of moment. For a moment, I was in a very good mood. But the next moment you know, you have no reason to be happy...

While I share the happiness and witnessed the union of many of my friends around me towards a new chapter of their life, I have heard of bad or not so good news about people around me too...

There is one night I got an sms from a uni friend, annoucing her marriage with her husband, whom I know too. I am excited and happy about it, because for ages, I havent seen them and many of friends that probably will be there too.

However, the next early morning, I got another sms that a friend of mine has lost his father... I am totally lost of what to tell or how to respond. Starting the day with a sad news doesnt feel great, but it is insignificant as compared to my friend's feeling. Only until the end of that day, I finally managed to send him a message expressing my condolence...

This post and song are dedicated to Ming Yang who lost his beloved father, and to Coach/Sir Eng who lost his wife fighting cancer...

Two months is too little.

They let him go.

They had no sudden healing.

To think that providence would

Take a child from his mother while she prays

Is appalling.

Who told us we'd be rescued?

What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?

We're asking why this happens

To us who have died to live?

It's unfair.

This is what it means to be held.

How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive.

This is what it is to be loved.

And to know that the promise was

When everything fell we'd be held.

This hand is bitterness.

We want to taste it, let the hatred know our sorrow.

The wise hands opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow.

This is what it means to be held.

How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive.

This is what it is to be loved.

And to know that the promise was

When everything fell we'd be held.

If hope is born of suffering.

If this is only the beginning.

Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?

This is what it means to be held.

How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive.

This is what it is to be loved.

And to know that the promise was

When everything fell we'd be held.

movie time

Since August after watching Die Hard 4.0, I have not step into cinema again until recently. I was recuperating, was busy at work and there wasnt any good movies of my preference (i think).
The excitement of going for a movie appear out of no where again recently, and I went for "Hitman" and "The Kingdom". While the "Hitman" wasnt that nice at all (pity my colleagues for having to accompany me to that consider lame movie), I like "The Kingdom" a lot. Over here, wanting to write a short review why i like it :)

Before I watched it, i thought it would be a spy action movie (Jennifer Garner is the culprit), but it turn out not. The movie started with a history lesson on how Saudi Arabia become a Kingdom, describing the relationship between The Kingdom and US during the process it becomes #1 oil producer in the world, shows how the world now is so dependant on the sky-rocketing oil price, and how terrorism has complicated the ties between Kingdom and US. Then the movie starts. Totally different kind of introduction that i wasnt expect.

I will not talk about the movie's story line, but will excerpt a couple of points in the movie that i like most. First, is how the movie is filmed. Anyone knows why "NYPD Blue" was a hit and unique series previously? Is because of the shaking camera angle of zooming in and out technique (this i how i term it, not sure how to pro term it). Of course, if too much, this will cause much annoying migraine to many, but i personally think that this movie had achieved the balance.

Secondly, while the movie takes off with terrorist attacks tied to islamic extremist, it later does highlight the true islam culture that love peace. There are emotional (camera shaking again) scenes where the Kingdom's Colonel Al-Ghazi returning home and spending time with his children, and another Kingdom's police returning home injured, yet taking care of his elderly father. They struggle everyday to root out terrorism in their Kingdom so that their love one would live safely. I suppose this is the strongest point i like about the movie.

There are some funny scenes too relating to language barrier between FBI Special Agent Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx) and Colonel Al-Ghazi. Then there are action scenes too.
Everything is great except one tiny lacking, that is how the movie ends with "kill them all"

All in all, i like the movie, and if i were to watch it again, i will. Recommending it too to those who like action movie and yet to watch it :) Coming up next in my list for recent movie craze is "Enchanted", heard a lot of good review about Enchanted. But after Enchanted, not really sure what is next.

weekend

It is just a mere 2 days weekend, but many things in my thought.
Felt guilty for rejecting a friend request to be his "heng dai" on the upcoming Thursday, merely because i felt reluctant to take leave last minute. i understand that i totally let this friend down. As of now, i cant revert what i said, although i felt guilty...

Felt great to be at home yesterday, as i have not been back to home for quite a while.

Felt mildly guilty again ignoring all the work emails flying over here and there, and went straight to reading personal mails and reading blogs. There is a major issue at work, and it is going to be a hectic Monday tomorrow.
Felt momentary relax after playing basketball this evening. After dinner, surprisingly to see the big and bright moon hanging on the night sky. Apparently, it is mid of the month today according to chinese calendar.
Felt worry for a friend who is hundreds of miles away.
Felt tire, and going to sleep soon. Good night -_-

bon voyage

It has been 2 days since one of my close friend has departed for UK for a newer experience. Only now, i felt totally disconnected from this friend. I smsed my emails and mailing address before she departed, but forgotten to ask for one, totally blunder...

By nature, this friend is small in size, but knows what she wants, just lack of self confidence at certain time in certain things. She is fragile in health too. Cant do much as a friend, but i always give her words of encouragement and confident shots, hoping that she would stand tall, but at times, i am not sure whether my message got through or not. I wish that she is doing fine in the foreign land, and dont take too long to learn using a PC and will email me soon. Take good care my friend, and happy exploring :)

tweety bird big day

WARNING: read the blog post at your own risk. Author might be drunk...

Today is Mr "tweety bird"

alias "lim pek" a.k.a "uncle lim"

alias "chicken little"

alias "x-man"

alias "sarawak HORNyBILL"

Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday uncle Lim

And all because of this big day, me and SY come out for lunch far away from neverland to have lunch with tweety.

And all because of this big day, all of us got tweety a yoga mat, expecting tweety to entertain us with his yoga stands while we having lunch, yet our wish didnt come true ler.

And because of of this big day, major part of Penang black-out at approximately 3.30pm just to give way for this tweety bird to blow the candles at another celebration. Consequently, server down, router down, connection down... everything is down. Caused major traffic jam on the penang bridge and many areas too, really a BIG day for tweety bird.

And because of this big day, (but actually is because of knocking off early due to blackout), me and colleagues get ourselves mildly drunk with the tuak (sarawak authentic rice wine) that i kept for a while at my cubicle.

Btw, for those who dont know tweety, can anyone guess how old is this Sarawak's tweety bird? No prize though for the correct guess :)

Lastly, HAPPY BIRTHDAY again to Mr Tweety BIRD :)

doing my part

some call it illegal, some call it bersih, some call it the biggest demonstration in a decade...
Anyway, sharing this interview coverage. You do the thinking and you make your decision wisely
btw, 2 on 1, fair hor!

interesting flow chart

I came back from work early today, was intending to work after dinner, because work starts to piling up again. However, the "lazy" syndrom starts to set in... I ended up reading emails and blogs, especially the one that related to Bersih march last Saturday.

About the Bersih, am dissapointed how the general media has kept mum about what have really happened, only to realize it from bloggers and malaysiakini site. General media has indeed become a manipulated content to control the general public, especially those with "sikap tak acuh". Dont want to comment much about politic, as I dont really like politic, yet couldnt seperate ourselve from it.

Sharing an interesting flow chart that i got from a forwarded email. Indeed very interesting flowchart :) have fun.

bsb & hiking

Part1:
More than a week back, I am fortunate enough to get a VIP seat ticket (all thanks to Ah Beng for having some connection), to the Chief Minister International Basketball Invitation final, between China Tianjin & Iran's National team, Else, I have to fork out RM35 for a ticket. Thanks dude.

It has been so long since I last saw such a spectacular basketball skills display, probably more than 10 years ago. They are so agile, skillful and professional. They make slam dunk look so easy. 1st half of the game, both teams were tied neck to neck, with slight 6pts lead by the China team. But Iranian coach changed strategy for a full court press in the 2nd half, giving the China no breathing space, and swiftly overtook the China team. At the end, Iran won by a huge 20pts lead. Anyhow, the China team is only Tianjin Province team. Couldnt imagine what the result will be if the actual China National team was here.

China Tianjin Team during warm up

my camera phone response was damn slow and miss the slam dunk seconds back...

The tall Iranian walking by

Part2:

Yesterday, I said to myself "If it is not raining tomorrow morning, I will go hike the Penang Hill"

And today, I am glad that it didnt, but until after my hike.

Yeah, I really have a great time hiking today. I dont feel tire, probably I have a good rest last night, and totally left the thought about work back in the closet. I totally enjoyed the breathtaking view of the morning skies.

Penang Bridge at distance far away

Georgetown under the clouds

The pair of white Nike which has gone through thick and thin with me

Slow Down

Read this from a forwarded email, and think that it is good to share.

I am not a slow down person, but occasionally, I do alternate the fast with slow and vice versa, probably making it more suitable to me and distinctive :)

Here's how the story goes...

It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working forthem has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It'sa rule.

Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate,debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slow down scheme. At the end, this always yields better results. Said in another words:1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo , a state in Brazil .2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.3. Stockholm , has 500,000 people.4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.

The first time I was in Sweden , one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance(2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked, "Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, and who ever gets in late willbe late and need a place closer to the door." HOW ABOUT THAT!.....Imagine my face.

Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.

Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness"generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity"(life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the"quality of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours perweek, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US's attention, pupils of the fast and the "do it now!".

This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality,productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time.Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous.It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.

It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter andmore productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do.It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit. In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they dance to a tango.

Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it whenwe die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time.Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live thepresent, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equaltime throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment.

As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busymaking other plans".

Congratulations for reading till the end of this message. There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this globalized world.

Tweetie Bird's Advice

"I Taut I Taw A Puddy Tat"

I always love Tweety Bird. It is small, but still able to handle/fool Catstello very well.

Indeed smart Tweety Bird.

Here are some "advice" that I got from a forwarded email from a friend, sharing it :)

Anyhow, the best part is, I have a friend who looks really like Tweety Bird...

Or maybe like Chicken Little....

Not sure though, let you be the judge :) hehehe

Doing some advert for him, hope that he dont mind :)

This is how a Tweety Bird looks like...

And this is Chicken Little...And... this is...

Maybe the eye is a bit smaller "p

China's kid

I read this article by coincidence.
These kids are so young, yet they have to be burdened with such high hope and expectation from parents, grandparents and other adult relatives...
Unless the kids are happy with it, I think being a China's kids is really hard under the one-child per family program.

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=ap-chinese110507&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

cube dreaming

it's been blogging frenzy tonight :)
sharing a youtube video, like it a lot, nicely done by Ivan Lim. Thanks Ivan ^_^
enjoy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CDiqVjzDYk

it's official

remember the b4u basketball tournament that i participated a few months back...
thinking that it will bring me a lot of traveling and good food
thinking that it will earn me some pocket money
thinking that it will still make me feel i am aint that old (am i?)
thinking that it will bring me fame and glory... bla bla bla...

Well, it is official now that the organizer has "gulung tikar", BANKRUPT...
instead of traveling, i ended up staying in hospital for more than a week
instead of pocket money, i have to fork out some money for the medical fee
instead of not feel old, i feel damn old as easily got injured >_<
instead of bring me fame and glory, it bring me the news - brankruptcy...
(it did bring me some food though)


The organizer (Ozone Event Sdn Bhd) owes a lot of money to a lot of people, including all the players, coaches, managers...
It owes me RM2k... Did think of sueing the organizer, but there is no collective action from the team. The orgarnizer asked all of us to give them half a year time, for them to try to settle all the debts. Half a year man, that is next year! And no guarantee of having it at that time too... Think about it, really damn "suay"
Well, nothing has no risk, i just made a bad decision this year based on limited info...

Is kinda old news already too. I knew about the bankruptcy around a month back, only thought of it again today and want to blog about it, to make it official >_<

otaku

"おたく" "otaku"

なに? nani? (translate: what?) I pick up this "otaku" term from the "guess guess guess" tv show last night. very interesting.

It is a japanese term for people who is very avid into things like anime, video games, or computer and rarely leaves home.

Note! "rarely leaves home". Very interesting! These people can just stay at home for weeks and up to months. Totally unimaginable. For me, unless i have a basketball court as my backyard, swimming pool, gym, spa, home theatre, high speed broadband etc, something like a dream house with everything, then probably i will be an "otaku" :p

Anyhow, i still like to go out. Travel to places, see and experience everything. A lot to miss if we were just stay at home. Like this evening, i wasnt planning to go out, since my car parked outside. But, i just remember that i need to buy breads for tomorrow, so i took my bike for a walk. >_< Coincidently, meet an ipoh spice friend at the "tau hu fah" shop. Really long time didnt see this friend :) Said hi and chatted for a while. On the way back, while i was waiting at the traffic light, met another friend, basketball junior, who coincidently brought his bike out for a walk too :) Had shouting chat over the motorcycle noise, got to know that tomorrow night they will have a basketball tournament near my work place. Probably i will go there after work tomorrow to watch the game, also do some catch up with some of the other players :) See, a walk outside from home does bring surprises.

So, dude jlaw, do go out more often, know that you hate hiking and shopping, but hiking is good for health, and shopping will bring your friends more present :p
dude Beng, come on, time to find yourself an female activity partner, dont just always find me :p although i dont mind, im not gay you know :p
dude julian, know that you busy going out also, but where is the road trip to kelantan, wild things that we want to do that you used to talk about when you are still sxxxxe... :p
dude etc etc etc
So, everyone, time to dream, dare to dream, go for outdoor, hahaha :)

Of course, sometimes home is just like "home sweet home", very comfy, resting, and give a sense of belonging. You balance it, the indoor and outdoor.

Adios, time to taste my "tau hu fah" :p

where'd you go

some rap for the day :)

gamble

"saya bukan Along, saya cuma nak tolong"
(translation: i am not loan shark, i am just trying to help)

Not long ago, i got an unidentified call from a lady. She called many times, because the first few calls got disconnected. She spoke hokkien, and her first question is "lu si dai yi long bo?" (are you loan shark?). I was "wat da..." How did she get my number? I was totally speechless at that time. I tried to explain myself many times that i am not, but she still cant believe me. She then explained her son gave her the number. Apparently, her son, who is still schooling, owed some loan shark some money, probably through some football result gambling. The mother intended to negotiate and settle the debt. Before ending the conversation, the mother still asking the same question. Shaking my head, why dont she believe me that i am not a loan shark. My name is "zhen long", but not "along" lar >_<
Anyhow, this incident, coupled with many stories that i have heard, coupled with the loanshark menace & many financial dispute all over the newspaper, coupled with incidents that i personally encountered, all these have shown a sign that our society is getting "ill", probably still not reaching the critical stage yet, but is sick enough and getting contagious...

In the last one week, 2 person that i knew very well has come to me and ask for help financially.

One is a friend that knew for many years, never ask for such favor, but this time, with undisclosed reason, he came forward urgently.

2nd person is an elder that I respect in basketball, he is an ok person, a loving father and husband, just had a bad habit, which is gambling on the football result. He come to me with an sms of financial problem urgently too, asking for help...

Me, on one hand, i just want to help, on the other hand hate this kind of situation. Why? Because i have heard, seen and encounter situation where money will destroy years of friendship, relationship, life and even bloodline in a heart beat... if not managed properly...

I dealt before with similar kind of situation a few years back with a best friend of mine. At that time, i was quite naive. I just couldn't figure out why a person could/easily go to people that close to them and asked for money for their own pursue, such as business and dragging friendship into risk. Me, even if i am in a hot wok, i would try to fix it with my own bare hand, rather than asking for help. Of course, the con is i might demolish myself along the process. Probably i have an ego issue. But this is not about me, is about people that i care.

I probably found a reason why - "desperate people will often certainly goes for desperate measures, or even tempted to take the easy way out."

When it comes to financial pressure, they will not be comfortable in disclosing the real reason, especially when they knew that their ugly gamble habit has bring them down to their knee. Some people dont even learn after the same encounter for many times. For some, they knew that the people around them will be there to help. If person A not willing anymore, they will move on to person B and so on in their list, some conciously or unconciously trying to exploit this bond between people. It is sad to see this, especially reading notice on the newspaper declaring termination of bloodline in the family for some person...

When it comes to borrowing, they will always give a dateline of repaying back that they knew for sure they cant meet. I had heard of "i will pay you pack within a month", ended up getting it back after more than a year (at least i got it back). Again, i was too naive at that time, and it really made me frustrated after couldnt get it back after a month, because I had my financial plan at the time i lend it out with tight buffer, and i have bills to pay too...

In these 2 recent cases, i see the same 2 symptoms - undisclosed reason & with dateline of repaying. After giving some thought, and have a head-ups of what i can expect, i just couldnt see myself not helping them, at least for the first time. However, i am worried about the probability that things would go the wrong way in the future. It is really something that i dont wish to happen, but chances will. I really hope they would understand the pressure i have to go through, appreciate it and not not exploiting it anymore. I still wish for the repayment, because i need it for a purpose. The help would be a once in a life time thing, there would be no 2nd time for gamble reason. I do hope they would understand and discipline their gamble habit. It is hard to ask a hardcore gambler to quit, i just wish them not to go to far with that habit.

"I am just trying to help, not to spoil you with the help."

The best friend that i help last time is doing ok financially, at least for now. This works out ok. Although I know that at times, he does take some risks in businesses to acquire more, because nothing is enough. At the moment, he never mention about borrowing from me anymore. Instead, always remind me that if i have any financial problem, dont hesitate to go to him. Seems like he think that he "owe" me at least something since then. If he knew me best, he should know i wouldnt, even if i am in trouble financially. I would work my own way out, and also because i dont want the cycle of borrowing and lending keeps on going. Chances are, one of it would spoil our friendship.

Seems like my post turns out to be a community message... I wrote it to spill out my feeling, and my disgust for the society that getting sick...