Kuan Chuen

The one where we continue (2)

2012-01-29T21:38:00.001+08:00

"Muda House is located in the centre of Georgetown, Penang and is a heritage shophouse where you can find authentic Antique Furnitures, Heritage Design Tiles and handicraft. Profits4Paws is an independent stray animals fund raising group that is also based here. All the handicraft profits goes to Profits4Paws."

The one where we continue

2012-01-28T18:20:00.001+08:00

The Chinese New Year eating binge.

With the Blue Mansion, and its 38 rooms, 5 courtyards, 7 staircases and 220 windows; as our base, we had, in 24 hours:

a full course Chinese Wedding Dinner at Penang's Grande Dame,

drinks at Farquhar's Bar,

supper at Masehi Burger,

breakfast the morning after,

Char Kway Teow at Penang Street,

lunch at The Sire Museum Restaurant on King's Street,

juice at Lebuh Cina,

coffee at Love Lane, and

Mc'D at the airport.

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (The Blue Mansion) - They say it's haunted, I think there are too many cats here.

We got the Old Kitchen room, must have been a pain to light those stoves.

Street Art - Wire diagrams.

Peranakan style tiles - but made in Vietnam.

The Sire Museum Restaurant - former house of Yeap Chor Ee, founder of Ban Hin Lee Bank.

The one where no gyms (2)

2012-01-24T14:37:00.000+08:00

The drive into Gambang pass its industrial estates remind me of that dusty Jalan Kluang.

The lorries, the heat, the food stalls by the side of the road.

The dividers in the middle with overgrown grass, catching the plastic bags in the wind.

The occasional road, branching out from this straight path, out towards a place I've never heard of, and would never go.

Then there are the numerous pedestrian overhead bridges, near schools, factories, and bus stops.

On hot, dusty evenings, that's my stairmaster. Up down, up down. 40 laps.

EBM would also join in.

We occasionally feel the vibrations of the big trailers passing below.

I occasionally remember those dusty evenings.

The one where one

2012-01-14T21:02:00.001+08:00

visit, is the last.

The 1 Malaysia store, where all packaging is the same white, with the 1 Malaysia logo plastered all over.

Kinda hard to find what you are looking for when everything looks alike.

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The one where every year

2012-01-12T09:28:00.000+08:00

and for the past few, we head to OO's place for X'mas.

OO blogs [here].

The routine - arrive lunchtime, say hello to parents, stay around for the buffet, and head up to OO's room for some movies and cheer.

Then, OO's youngest brother used to sneak to us to spike his and his friends' drinks; now, he's lubricating us and making sure every now and then that we are topped up. Hosty-Mosty.

OO was not in the country last X'mas, but we decided to follow the tradition, and went ahead with the entire process in para 3 anyways.

OO's dad getting used to the camera!

The one where they blend

2012-01-06T09:29:00.003+08:00

one season to another.

From poinsettias to cherry blossoms,

Santas to dragons.

Wonder how much the malls have spent this couple of weeks.

I brought out the good old lanterns.

The one where you go

2012-01-01T18:45:00.001+08:00

ahhh...

Damn cantiks.

Saw Bulthaup's B2 Kitchen Workshop at The Gardens. Read about it some time ago.

"With the b2 kitchen workshop, German kitchen manufacturer bulthaup has radically rethought the traditional concept of a kitchen. Starting from the philosophical origins of every living space – fire and water points – bulthaup has created an open and mobile kitchen that can be added to and composed to suit each individual’s personal requirements."

The one where you have to give credit

2011-12-25T10:16:00.001+08:00

To churches' A/V systems and their crew.

Feliz Navidad

Let men their songs employ

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The one where it's dark

2011-12-22T13:59:00.001+08:00

And cold.

Moonson and La Nina season is no fun.

It's twice the glum.

And, twice the waiting time for laundry to dry.

The first chance of sun, I'll be hitting the pool.

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The one where they drill (6)

2011-12-14T09:00:00.004+08:00

Two more to hang.

GG giving me the I-wanna-hang-quarter-draw-you stares.

So I guess enough.

The one where we say goodbye

2011-12-10T10:23:00.001+08:00

Over food. Over drink.

Over good company.

We say our farewells.

A friend was heading over to the UK, no plans to return. His partner, also a good friend, is not.

Both were carrying on business as usual.

So how do you celebrate this occasion?

By skirting around questions like when will you be leaving? where will you be settling? what are both your plans for the future? will you still be together?

The one where we shall

2011-12-08T23:22:00.001+08:00

curry.

The man seats us on long benches, and the serving and dishing out process start immediately.

The rice first, then the food in tall round quad containers - curries, dhal, mashed pumpkins. In between, the oily but so crunchy papadams. Last the mutton, fish, squid and veggies; served in small stainless steel plates.

In Brickfields, in Vishal Curry House, in food we forget the long week almost coming to an end.

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The one where we scaled the wall (2)

2011-12-03T22:23:00.001+08:00

The first snow falls.

5am till 3pm. 1.2 inches. The latest first snow in 60 years. The news stations are allocating prime time reporting this.

Traffic slows with the wet surfaces. Flights are delayed with the need to defrost the planes. We go out and write our names on the sidewalk.

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The one where we scaled the wall

2011-12-02T22:16:00.001+08:00

It was steep, cold, and tiring. Twenty minutes into the climb, we headed for coffee. Best decision. No doubt.

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The one where they drill (5)

2011-11-26T10:20:00.001+08:00

First weekend at new place. So many boxes in storeroom awaiting unpacking, kitchen needs stocking, and where are the maxis ftth guys.

But it's Saturday. And one needs breakfast. So in bed it is.

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The one where we bottle it up

2011-11-24T23:44:00.001+08:00

Terrariums can be fun to make, low maintenance, and a good conversational piece.

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The one where my people

2011-11-24T13:22:00.001+08:00

well, 1/4 my people, design. From furniture, lights, ads, and the occasional scary movie.

S got this yesterday, a pewter piece by Loyfar, a Thai company.

Their entire collection is awesome. Wish RS could do something like this.

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The one where you go

2011-11-21T11:21:00.001+08:00

seriously?!

The Atria's SOFO (Small Office Flexible Office) to be built at Damansara Jaya was launched last week.

At RM800 psf, it doesn't come with a car park, nor the usual sweeteners like kitchen cabinets, a/cs etc.

An hour after the sales office opened, MANY of the units were already taken up. My friend ST was just about to make a deposit with the panel lawyer when she took a step back to get some air, clear the mind before making the decision. A lady approached her saying - "it's a big commitment, 545 sq ft is small, difficult to rent out etc."

ST didn't take up the unit, as soon as she let it go, the lady commented "oh, should I? hmm".

And 2 seconds later, told the lawyer to assign the unit to her instead.

The one where it takes a while

2011-11-17T00:24:00.001+08:00

Me testing out the 1 Malaysia Email.

First go to www.myemail.my (www is a must).

Key in username & login.

You will be directed to a landing page. Click on messages.

A new window opens, and you will be taken into Windows Live page. Click on Inbox.

Click on the new message.

Read the message.

With all the controversy surrounding this initiative, I thought the company could have done better (tone & manner) in their announcements:

Kami di myemail ingin mengucapkan ribuan Terima Kasih kepada semua yang mendaftar untuk akaun myemail. Walaupun jumlahnya tidak boleh memenuhi Stadium Sultan Mohammad 4, di Kota Bharu...

Setelah mendengar berbagai tomahan, cacian dan kutukan dari pengguna dan juga ibubapa kami sendiri, kami telah merangka satu pelan pembaharuan untuk myemail.

The one where we run around leaving scars

2011-11-15T23:20:00.001+08:00

Placemats in the making. Heart for me. Did a stomach, intestines one on GG's, but I botched up the small intestines.

Initially wanted to embroider, but I couldn't get the first stitch in, x-ray film is real tough.

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The one where they drill (4)

2011-11-12T18:56:00.001+08:00

Royal Relocations seems to always under promise, over deliver.

In terms of time at least. Like the previous move, I get awakened an hour earlier, they are early.

The packing starts while I'm in my pjs.

Then it's loading, moving, unloading, unpacking, re-installing, all under 3 hours.

So here's the more or less, completed place. I have still boxes and boxes of figurines, masks and trinkets. But I guess they will have to stay in the boxes.

The one where we DIY

2011-11-10T21:53:00.001+08:00

Best electronic tool ever. Besides the vacuum cleaner. Close shave to 1.5cm guide.

Although I miss the Indian barber cracking my neck, I'm actually in control of my own hair style, and how short I want it.

Until the battery dies anyway, then I'm left half done while recharging.

The one where we overdo

2011-11-09T09:47:00.002+08:00

So little wall space. So much to hang.

Kuning padi di sawahan
Dingin bayu di banjaran
Kicauan burung di sudut taman
Indah satu ciptaan
Negeri Kedah jelapang padi
Kaya adat dan seni
Langkawi indah Seri Negeri
Jerai mengawan tinggi

The one where we are connected

2011-11-07T22:54:00.000+08:00

I got a BB, but I still think my HTC running on Android rocks!

The typing on BB isn't much easier, and maybe because of a lesser model, the touchless screen is a pain. And I can't even access my blog because dynamic content is not allowed.

And the apps, uuh sucky!

The one where it's a three day weekend

2011-11-06T10:37:00.001+08:00

PTL. And the weather has been holding up since yesterday. It has been raining daily for the past three weeks. 6pm without fail. So much wet weather can only mean hot dry months ahead.

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The one where we hang some

2011-11-04T09:18:00.000+08:00

scalded bodies in the guest room.

I don't know anyone close that likes Yue MinJun's work.

He is a contemporary artist from China whose painting (execution below) was once the most expensive sold (something like USD5 million).

He depicts himself in every picture, on every body.

I think he's a genius.

The one where something sits on you

2011-11-02T00:55:00.000+08:00

I used to have sleep paralysis quite often.

Had a Warcraft poster in my room during uni days. During my paralysis moments, I would just stare at the orc, and imagine it coming after me. Also had a Japanese curtain to my en-suite a while back, which was equally scary.

Apparently all around the world, sleep paralysis is associated with a mare/ghost/satan/jinn either sleeping/pinning/holding you down. Comprehensive list [here].

The one where CT gets engaged

2011-10-31T13:49:00.002+08:00

We planned to go to Klang using the Komuter, but then better sense and OO's late morning 'show face' appointment caused us to use the GPS instead.

In true 1 Malaysia style, all engagements / weddings of races are the same:
blaring - karaokae, kompang or in this case drums and trumpet and harmonium;
extended - adats, tea ceremony or " " " involved parents of both sides to perform rituals, my three Northern Indian, Southern Indian, and Pakistani friends which went together were hopeless in explaining what the one hour ceremony was about;
drama - as in all engagements / weddings.

A sad lost

2011-10-28T15:18:00.000+08:00

I read on FB Sunday that Billabing lost his kid.

Still feel down when I think of it.

Little ones leave bigs holes I guess.

Hate to think about their anguish now, and anxiety later.

I hope they both recover from this eventually.

The one where nothing good

2011-10-19T13:14:00.004+08:00

can ever come out of a team building.

Ever since the last trip where my puke hit my own face en route to Bintan, I have been weary of team building sessions.

Idyllic?

Until you get stung by a stingray.

Lost in the jungle.

Get a rescue boat sent out for you.

All separate occasions.

The one where they drill (3)

2011-10-17T22:41:00.000+08:00

The new place is 90% complete.

Just a few loose ends here and there.

Went to IKEA last night, they are having a sale of limited edition bright rattan furniture - sourced from India and Vietnam. See more [here].

The one where we get hitched, again

2011-10-14T23:42:00.000+08:00

Why are there people throwing rice at us?

And what about the red umbrella.

And the 'champagne' bottle opening with a toast to repopulate the Malaysian Chinese population.

And who is Jimmy, singing his lungs out.

Why is there still rice in my hair?

The one where we question

2011-10-07T14:35:00.000+08:00

Should I continue going there for lunch?

The nearest air-conditioned place with a good lunch menu... but,

Reggae Mansion Kuala Lumpur

We do not accept bookings by Malaysian, Indian and Middle Eastern nationals.

The one where we wonder

2011-09-21T17:48:00.003+08:00

What the fish were we doing in school memorizing entire essays and spewing them out.

We should have been creating, not copying and pasting. And then some wonder why we are followers and plagiarisers later on in life.

The stuff we had to memorize. I recall how I can't for the love of god remember Chinese poems or sayings, or Malay karangans. Even now, I can't even remember the lyrics of my favourite English songs.

What were we being tested on anyways?

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The one where we grow (2)

2011-09-04T11:14:00.001+08:00

Bucidas not doing too well; moved them out to get more sunlight. Papyrus yellowing too.

Now looking for luffa seeds to begin cultivation.

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The one where we grow

2011-08-28T12:33:00.003+08:00

After a 15 year hiatus from the garden, it's time again to grub it out.

Back from Sungai Buloh, with a Bucida, and a white flower shrub I'm trying to find out what it's called.

Bought seedlings, as a 5 foot tall Bucida costs RM500!

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The one where they are empty

2011-08-18T23:58:00.002+08:00

So there's the new Citta Mall at Ara, just down the road the Paradigm is being built, and across the LDP there're the SS2 and TCM malls.

Not to mention the other commercial centres like the Jayas One and 33, upcoming Glomac Damansara, the old FAM field, and the soon to be refurbished Atria.

10 mins further on, we have the BUs with the One Us and the old Centre Point ; Perdana, Kota, and Mutiara Damansaras, which include IPC, Giza, Curve etc.

And after the toll, new developments being built namely 8trium and the mega Damansara Avenue by TA.

Lots of shop lots, lots of empty lots.

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The one where they drill (2)

2011-08-08T22:53:00.002+08:00

Wanted this series of tiles that has a concrete finish for the kitchen top. Then thought why not just have a solid concrete slab coloured and polished.

Until I read the care and maintenance that is needed, namely repolishing every two years, making sure nothing hot comes into contact, quickly wiping off anything that can stain, not placing anything porous like ceramics that can draw the nutrients from the concrete, etc.

So tiles it is.

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The one where they drill (1)

2011-08-04T22:53:00.002+08:00

So the 30 yo house above is undergoing renovations, estimated completion time is 6 - 8 weeks.

The contractor broke ground this week (w/c 1 Aug 2011), hacking work so far.

Work to be done:

To separate dining and kitchen with sliding door.

Construct concrete kitchen cabinet tops, change kitchen windows and grille.

Re-tile dry/wet kitchen, yard, bathrooms, balcony, stairs & bedrooms.

Add louvers to facade, grilles to balcony.

Redo yard.

Water proofing bathrooms and balcony.

To install alarm system.

Realign bathroom door.

M&E works.

Paint entire house.

The one where there can only be one

2011-08-04T00:25:00.000+08:00

Arundhati Roy has her God of Small Things.

Adele has her Someone Like You.

I don't think both can ever top their masterpieces in their lifetime.

The one where the ETP introduces...

2011-07-30T15:08:00.000+08:00

1 Malaysia Email!

I believe they are telling the truth.

But the marketing people should be shot for underselling the service.

The one where we don't create

2011-07-22T17:44:00.001+08:00

Forwarding mails, retweeting, reblogging.

C & V kinda harms the creativity department.

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The one where it's more

2011-07-17T12:53:00.002+08:00

Decades back Moore predicted that techology will double exponentially, and this is likely to be true for another few years.

A reason why there would never be another Michael Jackson is because of technology - too many media sources (sat radios, mtv, torrents, itunes) encourages music trends to change too rapidly.

We would probably have less iconic images like the tiananmen student v tank thanks to fast connections for smartphones and cheap digicams. Think the thousands of Arab spring twitpics and mobile uploads on fb or those of the recent summer of discontent.

Newspapers and publishers, I imagine, are finding it harder to get advertisers. Part of the A&P budget of, let's say, an FMCG product would be used for online media. In-house marketers are now more empowered to connect directly with the customer. Even ad agencies are fast changing their orgs, adding online media / interactive media departments.

Interesting and very fast times we are in.

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The one where it hits the stands

2011-07-10T21:52:00.001+08:00

Always cool to see your creations out.

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The one where it's the case of the bandwagon

2011-07-05T19:22:00.001+08:00

Groupon
Milkadeal
My Deals
Everyday
Hahhah

And the latest I received that just cracked me up... Kuponan, by eBay nonetheless.

Herd buying has propelled Groupon into a USD30 billion ipo.

Wonder if they are going to sell their stock 60% off, in 3 days, with min 50 people to unlock?

See the rules that apply to all deals.

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The one where we audition

2011-07-03T20:54:00.009+08:00

A one-minute video submission for Prime Property.

An 8-week reality series.

To create an ultimate dream home.

& hopefully win the grand prize.

Lacking in ideas, made GG do the silly stuff :P

The one where no gyms

2011-06-30T17:45:00.004+08:00

Mean more parks.

7am alarms never work.

But 8 is still cool enough.

And better light too to watch out for dog poo.

Or one can always take a night stroll.

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The one where we run

2011-06-26T09:01:00.001+08:00

4am. 22 thousand others. First rain came from the skies, then from bodies.

10ks. 70 mins. This year we ran for the National Autism Society, NASOM.

Glorious morning.

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The one where we untag unflattering photos

2011-06-21T22:43:00.001+08:00

Too much time spent reworking blog posts? Cropping and recolouring pics for Facebook? Perfecting your online profile? The Economist explains so eloquently:

Social media, texting and e-mail all make it much easier to communicate, gather and impart information, but they also present some dangers. By removing any real human engagement, they enable us to cultivate our narcissism without the risk of disapproval or criticism. To use a theatrical metaphor, these new forms of communication provide a stage on which we can each create our own characters, hidden behind a fourth wall of tweets and status updates, of texts and pings. This illusory state of detachment can become addictive as we isolate ourselves a safe distance from the cruelty of our fleshly lives, where we are flawed, powerless and inconsequential. In essence, we have been provided not only the means to be more free, but also to become new, to create and project a more perfect self to the world. As we become more reliant on these tools, they become more a part of our daily routine, and so we become more entrenched in this illusion. As Jean Baudrillard might have put it, this alternative world is "more real than the real."

So it is that we live in an impersonal era, where names and faces represent two different levels of intimacy, where working relationships occur solely through the magic of email and where love can flourish or fizzle through text message. An environment such as this reduces interpersonal relationships to mere digital transactions. Social media, e-mail, text messaging—they all have that rare quality, like a narcotic, to be both the cause and the solution to a problem.

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The one where we shift cars

2011-06-20T23:58:00.002+08:00

A death in the neighbourhood.

A setup for the wake begins.

Residents peek behind blinds at the commotion outside. The hearse arrives, the casket is unloaded. The family starts making requests for cars to be moved. Not long after a canopy is erected by a team arriving at the back of a lorry.

Probably tomorrow morning, the caterer will come, maybe next the monks.

Death livens up the neighbourhood.

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The one where it was real quick

2011-06-17T19:35:00.001+08:00

Could be faster.

Like an isotonic after a run, a bath after deep frying chicken, the gents after a movie; it's Friday after this crazy week.

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The one where we move

2011-06-14T23:22:00.001+08:00

KJ, PH, SS2; we start boxing belongings again. Same things, different places, a similar trend emerges.

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The one where the little bird...

2011-05-26T00:22:00.001+08:00

The scene - Sarawak's Spell It Right Contest.

The setup - contestant A loses to contestant B. A declared winner.

The crisis - the judges made an error, B is the actual winner and declared so.

The climax - A's mum protests, saying that she had already tweeted her kid's win, and that all her friends and relatives have read the tweet.

Dénouement - The organisers declared both winners.

The dilemma - Who will represent Sarawak at Nationals?

This would never have happened a few years back, in a tweetless world.

The one where duck congee reminds me

2011-05-24T02:11:00.002+08:00

The drive along Route 50, Jalan Kluang. Dusty roads, dusty trucks.

Lara Fabian, Side A, Side B. Side A.

The never ending estates, rows of trees going on forever. Left side, right side.
Like in a dressing room between two mirrors.

Pass the stores of porcelain ware. Where porcelain of every shape and size are carelessly stacked, pouring onto the sidewalks, out of the sidewalks, collecting the falling branchlets of the Casuarinas.

Pass the tile factory, a green building almost camouflaged by the veterinary institute's green farms and dragon fruit fields.

Every landmark passed, is a landmark less to the sports centre.

Pool closed for private function.

Damn you.

Oh well, off to Yong Peng for duck congee.

The one where I usually just use the steamer

2011-05-20T21:12:00.001+08:00

There are Asian kitchens, then there are Kedahan kitchens.

Luck, fate, kismet; seem to strike it with lucky draws and contests that love rice cookers.

The one where we watch

2011-05-15T16:32:00.001+08:00

scenes from a Sunday storm.

The clouds appear, nature's pent-up fury unfolds.

We participate by observing.

The one where Japan needs a little love

2011-05-14T12:21:00.001+08:00

Raymond has always an interesting story to tell, most hôteliers do. Speaking Malay having grown up in Malaysia where he had his first hotel stint, he is now with the Fairmont Raffles Swissotel group in Japan. We met up recently while he was in town.

We all hear stories about Japan's 311. So global and connected we are that we get to instantly read first person accounts through Twitter and Facebook. Of friends on holiday who got stranded, colleagues' emails that stop halfway with "...the building is swaying...", and what about those hundreds of videos on Youtube.

A sad tragedy receiving bad press; the media disseminated news fast too. Apparently when Fukushima plant started leaking, and Japanese reports were coming out, the translation were not done fast and accurately enough, and some of the reports that came out of Japan were over-hyped.

So that may have contributed a little to the hotel and tourism industry not doing too well now. While prefectures further away initially receiving a spike in bookings with people from the plant's surroundings playing it safe, there has been a slew of cancellations since then.

There are always silver linings in situations like this, like Bali after the bombings, travel to Japan is now real cheap. A 5-day 7-night Golden Route package via SQ is now below RM3500, 50% less than what it cost last summer.

So Japan anyone?

The one where we play agency

2011-05-09T23:53:00.000+08:00

I thought it was award winning.

S & J say they don't get it.

><

The one where you can't get high anymore

2011-05-05T20:45:00.001+08:00

Except while actually boarding the bus.

No more fumes to inhale while waiting. Everything above the actual platform is pretty decent now at Pudu, recently renovated and just opened a couple of weeks ago. Nicely planned, good layout and clean.

Wonder if mega bus terminals are the way to go, in other countries, the trend is growing towards the 'Chinatown bus' model, kind of like a crossover between Airasia and public buses, where tickets for inter-city travel can be booked online for as low as USD1, and the buses use normal bus stops for pick up / drop off. In Malaysia, if I remember correctly, the trend started off with the KL-SG Aeroline bus picking passengers up at Jalan Ampang.

The one where we fly

2011-05-02T21:29:00.002+08:00

Before the storm, after a chapter of Unaccustomed Earth, before having to start work on a lazy afternoon, after the coffee has kicked in,

there's the pool.

The one where the keyboard is getting greasy

2011-04-30T00:24:00.002+08:00

They say writing can be rewarding.

But ask the copywriter who has made the 11th amendment because the client doesn't think sentences should start with a 'because'.

The journalist, whose work was censored as the editor thought the piece was batting for the other party.

The comms person, who has never met the CEO of the company but has to write his speech from his point of view.

The technical writer, who doesn't think anyone reads manuals.

The blogger, who wonders if tumblr and re-blogging is the way to go.

The one where we do blind tasting

2011-03-24T19:20:00.001+08:00

So Veg is back and we decided to meet up. EBM reads somewhere that no one can tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi.

I say I can. So do a few others.

The blind test ensues. First with two glasses, then with three. In short, no one could really tell any difference.

Turns out, the Pepsi Challenge (that there isn't a difference) is almost 40 years old. Link [here].

So why do people have a favourite and insist one is better?

The one where we got lost

2011-03-13T00:56:00.000+08:00

Tried driving to Setia Eco Park today for their open house.

Asked at least 8 people along the way. All gave different directions.

Drove around for a good 90 mins. Ended up in Bandar Botanic, Klang.

Road signs. Ergh.

The one where we meet up

2011-02-13T23:36:00.000+08:00

after 11 years. 5A3 class of 2000. I'm still amazed we had 18 graduating classes that year.

Ivan left, known him since standard one; Zhi Xiang right, since form two.

Ivan is currently a Facebook game creator, his mum was my form teacher in form 3; ZX was my best bud, but we grew apart after graduation.

Lately, these gatherings have turn out to be avenues to hand out wedding invites or exchange baby photos. Of course, gossip too. Every time someone goes to the washroom, he/she becomes the center of attention - Are they still seeing each other? Is she/he dating anyone?

This is the first year we had a lucky draw. It seems these reunions get more elaborate year by year. The reunions dad gets invited to by his ex-students give out t-shirts, towels etc.

Pn Khor, our form 4 & 5 teacher six from right - still remembers me sleeping in class.

Apparently, I didn't get a memo that we have to celebrate a big TWO FIVE reunion at school in 2025. It's written in some school charter or pledge somewhere. Oh well - fourteen years to go.

The one where we lau-ed

2011-02-03T23:07:00.002+08:00

in Penang.

Just a simple seafood consommé with homemade pasta, and of course yee sang.

You gotta love George Town. Staying along Light Street, it was an excellent base to explore the heritage section of the city at night - the banks at Beach Street, temples at King and Bishop, and those very long shop houses that are now cafes, travel lodges and galleries.

The one where one should look properly

2011-02-02T08:55:00.000+08:00

at property, or not.

I recently put my condo unit up for sale. Then came the viewings.

Most of the potential buyers turned out to be neighbours, or friends of neighbours, which can be an ugly thing. Because when you bump into them after, they try to get you to ditch the agent.

They also know your phone number, thanks to the guards who readily give them out! And they call you a liar, not believing for some reason you have sold your unit.

Shorty before the liar phone call, there came what I term the 5-minute couple, that's how long they inspected the property before they offered to purchase. I found that it wasn't such a crazy move two weeks later when I was looking at some houses. In PJ's property scene, one doesn't get too long to view and decide, being the second viewer of a house can mean you don't even get to give an offer for the person 10 minutes before you already did.

The one where it lures

2011-01-08T23:20:00.002+08:00

There's this Pachinko craze in Japan where something like 10% of the population is addicted to and the total of the operators' annual revenue exceeds the GDP of Malaysia (if I remember correctly Koji explaining to me).

Was curious enough to venture into a few - you can't help but walk into one with the bright lights and happy colours. Sadly, you mostly see old people with tired faces playing the game, carrying around big buckets of tiny pallets (chips). Blank expressions. I recently also found out the trend has reached Taiwan.

Then there's Genting. With RM4.50 shuttle buses, World Card, free hotel stays etc., how easy it is to get to and stay there. Maybe Singapore's decision to ban shuttle services from residential neighbourhoods wasn't such a bad idea, because when you see kids waiting for parents outside the casino, it's just sad.

The one where it's the season for food

2011-01-08T12:09:00.000+08:00

Reality-TV themes have progressed from surviving an island to song/dance, then abdominoplasty/augmentation mammoplasty/rhinoplasty, giving out roses/diamond necklaces to 'the one', showing 'fire' in eyes during photo-shoots, and currently Hell's Kitchen Nightmares Iron Top Chef Cafeteria Throwdown Ultimate HD (ok, this was a South Park episode, mocking the proliferation of reality cook shows).

So after 8 seasons of Top Chef, here's my amuse bouche/hors d'œuvre - with different textures playing out at each level, with a little vinaigrette on the tomato for acid, and some cayenne for heat.

The one where it scares (2)

2010-12-28T16:47:00.003+08:00

After the Bedouin [here], now comes the Peacock Devil, bringer of peace.

The one where it's like Mode

2010-12-28T16:10:00.001+08:00

At Blu Inc, a posse of make-up artists walks in, they start talking amongst themselves, a conversation centered around the latest magazine cover on the wall.

Then a lady walks to me, places a paper bag on the reception counter, points to a piece of paper and hands out a pen, I sign and she walks off.

High fashion meets highfalutin.

The one where it pulls forward in the opposite direction

2010-12-16T22:51:00.003+08:00

Months back, I think it was OO [his link here] who told me that KTM Komuter electric trains are breaking down and with lack of spare parts/expertise to repair the trains, the company is buying diesel engines to pull them.

It doesn't really hit you until you actually see it for yourself.

Interesting read [here].

The one where peace now reigns

2010-12-14T01:21:00.008+08:00

We seem to bring the rains with us.

Outside the departure gates, a swarm of taxi touts greet us, and outside the airport, bad weather greet us. The first day at Colombo, I find out that there has been unprecedented rainfall causing some parts of the country to be flooded. 100,000 are in evacuation centres.

So the entire day was spent at the grand old Galle Face, lunch at the Verandah by the sea, a quick session at the gym, and catching up on sleep. It’s wedding season in Sri Lanka, and there are easily 3 weddings being held at any one time at the hotel. Weddings here are as expensive as weddings in Malaysia, around RM80 per pax, but doubly grand. They even bring in those inflatable air castles for kids to jump around.

Kutta, over 90 years, is the oldest doorman in the world and has been at his job for over 70 years at the Galle Face.

Day 2 and the weather clears. Took a 3-hour drive to Galle Fort. Along the way, there are dilapidated houses and empty fields. The driver says that the Boxing Day Tsunami hit the area, and he witnessed some 1,200 bodies being piled up while taking a German tv crew to film the area. He offers to show pictures later, I didn’t remind him of this.

Abandoned after the Tsunami.

Galle Fort is the largest remaining colonial fortification in South Asia. 90 acres surrounded by a hexagonal rampart. Before a trading port, now holiday homes for the rich, old churches and graveyards, a court complex, shops and restaurants, and even an Aman resort. Much potential, but as in all of Sri Lanka, quite underdeveloped tourist infrastructure wise. The heritage preservation centre was relocated to a hidden corner of the fort, because, and this is ironic, part of the building they were housed in collapsed. Maps are also not readily available here, and the employee manning the centre had to use a torchlight to search behind some books for a map.

It’s the last day of school in Galle and throughout Sri Lanka, when the bell goes off; the kids are in full glee mode.

Day 3 and another drive, this time to Kandy. There are no highways in the country, so one funeral four towns ahead can cause a traffic jam four towns back. Kandy feels like an English town. Tudor buildings built around a lake. Met a group of HHH from PJ and Cheras who were in town, running around jovially like they always do.

Kandy City around the lake.

Royal Botanical Gardens of Kandy.

Food throughout the country is not cheap. RM40 onwards for a decent meal. Maybe it’s the island price factor, or we might be just gullible tourists. There are many things going right for the country, and to our driver, Rajapaksa is godlike and can do no wrong for ending a 3 decade civil war, but a plate of fried rice for RM30 is just plain wrong.

The one where we come up with inert songs

2010-11-20T21:02:00.001+08:00

Went along with the Starcom team for A&M / New York Times Cranium Challenge. Apparently, Cranium is a Hasbro game [here].

I guess NYT was tapping into A&M's media planner database.

Cranium involves various challenges from humming a song for team mates to guess, to writing down 3 words that come to mind when a word is flashed (2 other team mates must also have the same word to collect a point), and even anagrams.

Below, one of the team member's effort for the anagram round - "Neon Grits" with the clue "mobile" (answer "ring tone"). Guess the drinks didn't help.

I must have offended a few NYT people that night by defending The Economist: "But you people publish names of journalists! And how many prime ministers wrote for you?"

Guess that's loser talk.

The one where all is lost (2)

2010-11-13T16:14:00.003+08:00

Well not all, just the below.

Along every street, outside every house, at every road shoulder.

The one where we went for a run

2010-11-07T18:52:00.000+08:00

More like walked all the way.

Terrance Stanley "Terry" Fox CC OD, (July 28, 1958 – June 28, 1981) was a Canadian humanitarian, athlete, and cancer research activist. In 1980, with one leg having been amputated, he embarked on a cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for cancer research. Although the spread of his cancer eventually forced him to end his quest after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres (3,339 mi), and ultimately cost him his life, his efforts resulted in a lasting, worldwide legacy. The annual Terry Fox Run, first held in 1981, has grown to involve millions of participants in over 60 countries and is now the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research; over C$500 million has been raised in his name.

GG's employer is from Canada and this year, like the previous years, they sponsored the drinking water.

The one where all is lost

2010-11-04T16:25:00.002+08:00

The last time it flooded, it wasn't so bad - the water didn't even enter the house. Blogged about it [here].

This morning mum smsed saying water was a few inches high. And has been rising since. All furniture, the fridge, piano are now soaked.

The one where it's purple

2010-10-30T17:02:00.002+08:00

And the roads lined with columns and arches.

RM35 million later and a visit by Manmohan, Brickfields is now Little India Phase 1.

What better time to visit than a week before Deepavali. TBC (The Bombay Connections), Laashya, Vaani's were packed with shoppers trying on leather soled shoes, saris, kundan jewellery etc. Then there were the RM5 henna stalls, lotus and patchouli incense stores, and of course my favourite - Indian desserts.

Stopped for a kulfi and gulab jamun.

The one where we go digging (2)

2010-10-26T20:41:00.003+08:00

Before broadband / blogger / digital cameras etc., there was the diary.

Extracts from Dec 2002 / Jan 2003:

I love love love Stellenbosch!

After Die Bergkelder's RM12 wine buffet, V: I can't feel my legs.

We rented a VW Golf, the Yale kids got a Toyota.

OO blocked a sports car with the mini Golf, driver pissed. We had dinner after a day at the beach at a small town restaurant. They've never seen Asians before. Az didn't get her ice-cream down professionally. V shouts at street kids to get a job.

Az was emo at Cape of Good Hope, she threw some dolphin trinket into the sea. We didn't know why.

Had KFC at Dolphin Beach.

Hello my name is Gavin, I will be your server tonight. Is everything great? - Best service ever at Mt Nelson. They even set up a card table for us to play chor tie ti.

The one where tobacco companies must be spending a bomb

2010-10-23T16:54:00.000+08:00

And not much are going to 4As agencies.

This year alone have attended at least 4 dos sponsored by BAT/Philip Morris/JTI. From Alice in Wonderland themed nights to Greater Klang Valley competitions and drink mixing classes.

Well I guess they have to be pretty creative nowadays with illicit cigarettes flooding the market (something like 1 in 4?) and the recent increase in excise duties recently (highest in history?).

Anyways, meet Stockholmer Chris, his failed attempt to teach me to make a JD raspberry lemonade.

The one glam was late

2010-10-15T00:46:00.003+08:00

The line for the pit section was so long it was unbelievable. Even more so when there were no queues for other sections.

Then it was a wait with giant balls in between, some unknown singer doing Down, and Daniel Lee trying too hard to rock It's My Life.

So one hour later he decides to show up. At this time I've been standing for 2 hours. A little girl makes a heart outline over her head with her index fingers and thumbs of both hands, she maintains this the entire night. Everybody takes out their digital cameras and starts recording, even though their bags were checked (where did they hide them!). The man dressed in a geisha's outfit upfront starts jumping, the trinkets on his hair bouncing. The camera pans to the crowd, showing tears being shed. AND WHY IS EVERYONE SCREAMING?

I guess the show was okay, albeit only 1 hour 15 minutes long. I was more entertained by the backup dancers and androgynous bass guitarist whom he did not make out with this time. He allegro-ed all his slow tempo songs - I'm calling it lazy.

The one where we were between a projection and the tripod (2)

2010-10-09T22:29:00.003+08:00

I blogged about entering Awana Resort's contest [earlier]. We were shortlisted and were invited to Genting for the prize giving ceremony today.

Didn't know what to expect as I have not been to Genting since I was 10 when big glasses were in vogue and kids wore polyester Cheetah jackets. What a good start we got when we arrived there, the weather cool and sky crisp blue. So we just sat outside while waiting for the ceremony to start.

The set-up at Times Square - we decided to register earlier and proceeded to our seats. The Resorts World team was busy checking the videos and presentations up front and had a quick dry run. LOL, we actually ternampak the results that were briefly flashed on screen and knew who the winner was (it wasn't us!).

Anyways, the event proper proceeded on schedule, Carmen Soo arrived - she is more beautiful in person and I have the highest regard for her professionalism as she was smiling throughout the entire ceremony - even at the fashion show which involved models striking a pose every 5 steps.

GG exclaimed that she was as tall as Carmen, I replied "you are as short as her!"

Then came the results - we got the consolation prize (better than nothing) and proceeded to pig out on sashimi and cake later. Thanks Resorts World!

Before we headed down, I just had to try the Flying Coaster. GG was afraid she might give the crowd below a free show with her flared skirt so she passed.

Her (and the crowd's) lost, as it was truly truly awesome!

Exhausted. Time to hit the hay.

The one where we go digging

2010-10-08T22:15:00.006+08:00

James Seymour entertained us - the name makes so much more sense thanks to The Tudors

Before broadband / blogger / digital cameras etc., there was the diary. Reading back makes me laugh out loud, kinda childish throughout.

Greenwich

Warwick - me making sure I never forget how to pronounce

Holland Casino - lousy compared to Genting

Boring boat ride, only thing I remember was Helen Keller

Rajiv's (Metro Pass) - I lost mine the last day, had to jump over the (Metro) fence.

Extracts from November 2003.

Entry 1
Back from Europe

With a few surprises i) New HP ii) E for Electric

Note to readers: I bought a Siemens T-Mobile phone with OO and Az. The camera was a crappy 0.1 Mega pixel.

When walking around Brixton looking for a shop to jailbreak the phone, got an sms from Amy saying Az and I failed a paper! What a bummer.

Entry 2
What Not to do at Ruth's
i) Talk about husband
ii) Not inform her of Wembley (we went to Wembley market and was late for lunch she was preparing)
iii) Put coffee in a glass
iv) Scratch (non-stick) pans
v) Wet floor cloths
vi) Say anything

Note to readers: We stayed at OO's aunt's place in London. Ruth was the best host ever giving us two rooms, lots of ice-cream and pizzas!

The one where chickens go under the bed

2010-10-05T20:18:00.002+08:00

带路鸡 nowadays are replaced with clay chickens thankfully.

Should you need red basins, fake 带路鸡s, tea sets and xi lamps for that once or twice in a lifetime Chinese wedding, do visit my dear friend, Amy's outlet at SS2 (just above Watson's).

Officially opened last weekend, other services on offer include invitation card printing, bridal chamber decoration and tai kam jies for rent.

Visit her site [here].

The one where enough of Kin Kin and Super Kitchen

2010-10-01T23:00:00.003+08:00

Pan mee is easy enough to make, just a little messy and sticky.

Eggs + flour + salt + olive oil

Blend celery + 1 cup water

Mix + knead

Minced pork + mushrooms + dried chillies + basil + light soy sauce + dark soy sauce + oyster sauce + Lea & Parrins

Cook dough for 3 - 4 minutes

Add shredded lettuce, serve

The one where we peried

2010-09-25T17:00:00.004+08:00

Nando's is expanding.

Now at Ikano Power Centre.

Was invited for a simulation test by the other Tans. Basically each table was given a kit with a pre-determined order, some Chicken currency and a feedback form. I guess it's a way to train the staff and also gather feedback from customers about the new outlet.

So while a dead chicken hanging on the wall looked on (art), we ordered, waited for our drinks and food, had our meal, and paid the bill; all while rating the service, food, decor, ambiance etc. Way to go to beef up customer service/satisfaction.

The simulation was as close as it gets to a real world situation - after the billed was paid, we were given change in Chicken dollars!

The one where flood gates open

2010-09-23T23:41:00.002+08:00

I've resisted Facebook for the longest time ever - just because it's too out there (like a blog isn't!). For reasons I can't remember, late last year I caved in and opened an account.

Personally and professionally I dabbled in social networking e.g. Twitter and Facebook.

People and companies out there (especially in Malaysia) have for the past few years been leveraging on these networks to connect with friends/customers, send out invites, make announcements etc.

For personal accounts, what you have in cyberspace can cost you your job [here].

For companies, things can get wrong with limited censorship. And if you try to control the crowd, people get upset too. Read about Nestle's case [here].

Welcome to networking 2.0.

The one where we burn and roast

2010-09-22T23:16:00.003+08:00

Chang Er can hear them from the moon.

And Houyi's arrows would have strayed from all the kids screaming.

But once a year, why not. In the spirit of mooncakes that come in all flavours (e.g. Snow Skin Sweet & Sour Blend, Jade Delights with Coconut Silk, Snow Skin Honeydew Peach and Snow Skin Chocolate Mint with Nut Pieces), and Pomelos, and lanterns.

The parents strings up multiple lanterns, multiplying the work needed to light new candles when the old ones burn out, multiplying the screams of kids telling them to change the candles when the old ones burn out.

When I was a kid, I had an elephant shaped lantern. But after a few rounds around the neighbourhood - we would get bored and instead use the candles for more sinister activities - burning insects and snails, and even drowning worms in wax.

Kids, candles and fire - good mix.

The one where we meet at Happy Mansion

2010-09-20T19:18:00.007+08:00

Got to love the names of old developments in Section 17.

While we were busy with the menu and Thai jargon and what not coolers, Heart with her new camera decides to go all out.

So I entertained the shutterbug. As did Bear.

Then the mandatory couple shots ensued.

Note to self, never comment on how incredulous high waist pencil skirts with front zippers look, especially when there are two people in them. They gang up on you, ferociously.

See the front zipper? Rose says it's 'safer' that way. (?)

At last, the food, My Elephant has a wicked Tom Som and delicious (oily, but delicious) duck curry.

Happy Mansion has been going through a fantastic urban renewal. Remember a time not too long ago when one could get economy rice for RM2.30 - two vegs, one meat and a soup of the day (usually it's watered down Monk Jump Over the Wall). Besides My Elephant, check out 6 to 10 Grill, MM Cafe and Food Foundry.

The one where it's match point

2010-09-12T23:10:00.001+08:00

Full length windows to take in the vistas beyond.

3-tier security for peace of mind.

Strategically located within the bustling Subang business district.

Amenities aplenty. With one or two tennis courts to spare for an LRT extension [here].

The one where we were between a projection and the tripod

2010-09-07T23:41:00.005+08:00

It's been so long since I entered a contest.

Chanced upon one being organised by Awana. All one has to do is to submit the "best photo of you and your partner together".

The first attempt on Sunday night, which took a good 4 hours thanks to rusty Adobe and copy-writing skills, did not meet the rules and regulations I found out only much later and after I had submitted my entry to the organisers. Composite photos are not allowed.

All was not lost, found a way to circumvent that particular rule - just had to take GG and I out of the photo and add in a few props. So began take 2.

Monday night, removed all dining hall furniture except two chairs. Projected the image onto the wall and got GG to test the overall look and feel. The plane had to be shifted higher, the wine glasses tilted for a more natural look, certain images deleted so as to not be projected onto clothes...

The outcome:

See Awana's contest page [here].

The one where we have come a long way

2010-08-29T22:14:00.006+08:00

The party started almost a decade ago - from random sips at Bond and penny picking at Flinders Street to table breaking and pool polluting at Traders.

Today the group still meets, not as often, and twice as mellow.

Conversations nowadays center around detention on suspicions of being drug mules to congress internships, but occasionally return to the juvenile 0-5-10-15-20 games.

Last Friday was good. Not so much the painful reflexology session after, but more because the entire gang made it. Val even skyped in from Mel.

No one was on time though.

So in between thinking of what to ask the next late person to get (ice-cream, cigis, ice, mixers etc.); the group had another party, true iTHO style.

This would be my last as a bachelor.

This would be OO's last before he heads to the US.

This would be Veg's last as an employee of SCB.

10 years. A long way indeed.

The one where we do a walkabout

2010-08-27T19:23:00.001+08:00

I live my life insulated.

A routine of home – work – malls, the usual comfort zones.

Occasionally, I venture out.

Few weeks back, was at Petaling Street with GG. She needed to use a washroom, so we found a public run one at a parallel street. While waiting for GG, saw a guy heat up a spoon next to the building.

A week later, had a meeting at the National Mosque, after that, was going to catch a taxi on the other side of the road. So I used the underpass that connects to Daya Bumi. A group of drug users were getting high.

Then I had a meeting with a HIV/AIDS organisation in Chow Kit, walking around the area to find the office was a depressing experience. Between the dilapidated buildings and rubbish clogged drains, was the saddest part - the people off society's radar.

Just minutes outside KLCC and PJ’s commercial areas is a whole different world.

The one where we view some drink some

2010-08-18T22:52:00.002+08:00

KL has quite a number or art galleries cum spaces for rent for all other purposes.

Attended an Indonesian artist Sasya Tranggono's show case at [Zinc] in Bangsar. This place connects to a bathroom fittings showhouse next door, so many do wander off and view toilet bowls and sinks after viewing the art.

Also stopped by Sunrise's contribution to the arts - [MAP KL]. It's divided into Whitebox (lot's of sunlight, art gallery sorts) and Blackbox (theater, music room sorts).

But the biggest art gallery, can be best viewed from the Pasir Seni LRT station; on weekends, you get to see the artists at work too.

Another sad day

2010-08-09T17:25:00.005+08:00

Someone calls me this morning.

[Julia is dead, The Star]

She fell from the 12th floor of her condo, and hung onto an Astro dish on the 10th before plunging to her death. What a way to go.

I met her a couple weeks back and the last she said to me was: I hope you trip and fall. I kid you not, but she was kidding.

Now I can't get that phrase out of my mind. Don't wish bad things upon others, even in jest.

Treepenfall. How surreal. Rest in peace

The one where we take the MEX

2010-08-03T19:17:00.001+08:00

Canberra, Brasilia, Putrajaya. All built from a tabula rasa.

I visited our Administrative Capital twice last week, once to change the address on my IC, the other a family outing while dad was attending a wedding dinner at Cyberjaya.

Roads empty all day, hence the perfect choice for photo shoots; traffic lights regulating the few cars that drive along the winding streets, funny, not many hills in sight; a pasar malam looking lethargic with a few people walking past blue tents, "Pertanian adalah Perniagaan" written across them.

Alamanda, the only shopping center can only be summed up as rather special. Visit Parkson and you can bargain to pay RM50 for the Tefal, instead of RM60, a figure that the sales girl plucked out of the air since there was no price tag, and since she thought a fair price for it was RM60.

The one where it's an illusion

2010-07-29T12:32:00.002+08:00

I start so many drafts for blog posts but never seem to complete them, dug out this one from weeks back:

I got this invitation to the launch of Asia360. With the closure of the Far Eastern Economic Review, it hopes to bridge the gap of a shared Asian narrative. Fair enough.

Anyways it got me thinking, who decided which countries made up Asia in the first place?

Can there really be a shared Asian narrative - what does Myanmar have in common with Singapore have with China have with India have with Japan?

The Economist seems to have an answer what Asia has in common - money:

What a huge chunk of Asia does have in common is a joint adventure, namely the pursuit of materialism based on rapid economic development. The optimism is striking. Tomorrow may look different from today, but everyone agrees that it is likely to be better. The optimism is usually justified. Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan have joined, or are joining, Japan among the ranks of rich countries. Malaysia and Thailand, once dirt-poor, are now middle-income countries. China has lifted 250m-odd out of poverty. Health, a good education, the pursuit of happiness: hundreds of millions of Asians can now aspire to these.

The one where it's very peri yummy (2)

2010-07-25T17:54:00.001+08:00

The other Tans took us out to Nando's over the weekend. It was more like a food tasting session of the entire menu.

The new chicken espetadas were great - but nothing compared to the bacon and cheese version.

The one where you don't need things

2010-07-20T22:05:00.002+08:00

Until you see them being sold at a Japanese outlet. I'm such a sucker for these things.

Handphone cradle for when it's being charged.

85cm long clothes hangers.

One ring to carry all your shopping bags.

Fold your laundry, put them into this bag, vacuum out the air, 1/3 the size to store!

Octo apple cutter.

The one where what you don't know

2010-07-14T08:41:00.001+08:00

won't kill you. Just a stomach ache maybe.

Had a craving for trans-fat at Golden Arches yesterday. The lady in front of me in the queue had just ordered and was busy texting on her mobile. The server started putting her order together on the tray together with serviettes. Someone opened the doors and wind gets in, serviettes were blown off onto the floor, server picked them up and put them back on the tray. Lady was still texting.

Some months back, had a visit from a Japanese friend, we ended up in Pavilion for bubble tea. After making our drinks, the lady puts a plastic cap on them, while doing so, she knocks down a few caps onto the floor. She picks them up and stacks them back again.

Yesterday's instance was horror to me. The one from months back was probably on a different scale to my Japanese visitor.

The one where there is no co-relation

2010-07-05T22:37:00.001+08:00

It's been some time since I posted local news here.

Obviously we should emulate students in MIT and/or Oxford who concentrate fully on studies, thus excelling in them.

KUALA TERENGGANU: As many as 10 couples are caught daily by anti-vice volunteers along the Tok Jembal and Teluk Ketapang beaches, which are increasingly becoming favourite haunts for sexual trysts.

Many of them are said to be students from institutes of higher learning.

A volunteer, who requested anonymity, said most of the couples were caught “doing it” behind coconut trees, rocks, inside cars and even openly on the beaches.

“I have daughters and I feel sorry for the parents of these couples,” he said, adding that the youngsters had betrayed the trust of their folk who hoped their children would excel in their education.

Hokum.