1^st June ’07 ~ The Visiting

Started the day early despite having slept less than 4 hours the night before. That’s what happens when the chicken coop is less than 10 metres away from your bedroom. Impossible to get any sleep past dawn. Talk about nature’s trusty alarm clock.

4x4’s are the preferred rides here. A spanking new Prado & an X5… I want, I want, I want!

That’s our trusty official ride; Brandon’s CRV

Rolling up in style with the huge entourage of 4x4s

The warm & grand reception made me feel so VIP… now, if I’d only remembered to bring along my dad’s batik, then I wouldn’t have to be known as the wardrobe-dysfunction dude =p

Exotic enough for you? I thought it tasted like kangkong. Have yet to try the juicy fresh ones though…

& the drinking goes on…

*lazy post, more to come

An Authentic Gawai Experience

This is one long overdue post. Almost 2 weeks on, the festive excitement is still abuzz, & so is my tuak craving. Have had the privilege of being invited to join the Gawai celebration at Rumah Panjang Gensurai, in Betong by our cheerful & bubbly colleage, Barbara. Indeed it has, been a memorable weekend ~ all the sights, sounds & taste of celebration; the camaraderie of the joyful dwellers… I shall always think of it fondly as Borneo’s Oktoberfest.

Here’s some photos of the trip I have been so excited to share, but only managed to haul my lazy ass to sit in front of my pc & start posting away, as of late.

Eve 31st May ‘07

The longhouse elders gathering for the Miring ritual to appease the harvest Gods

Yup, that’s the decorated machete used in the sacrificial ritual. No humans were harmed in the process though, just the sacrificial rooster.

Camwhoring galore ~ expected of typical city dwellers that have never set foot in a ‘real’ longhouse. Though, modern creature comforts like Astro, 29” TV with hi-fi sets, full sized fridge, washing machine etc. are not uncommon sight. You’ll be surprised.

Gabriel preparing my ‘maiden drink’

It says Label5, but is actually a pure-bred local rice wine; the tuak. Delivers the kick like hard liquor but goes much easier on the throat.

Bottoms-up is the way (only) to drink here

Barbara giving the thumbs up

Tan Sri showing us the prized centuries old pua kumbu master piece

There’s the DJ’s booth & the party’s just getting started. Got a host of activities going on; with all the vibes, it felt like chilling out in one of the most happening club in town.

Lil’ princess; ain’t she cute?

It’s getting hot in here! At least we didn't have to pay cover charge...

Stoned. Down to the last shot & still standing (we survived the 1st night)

to be continued…

Writer's block ~ is a phenomenon involving temporary loss of ability to continue writing, usually due to lack of inspiration or creativity. So am i having one? Heck, i'm not even one to begin with. Just another simple soul amongst the faceless crowd longing to be heard & understood. Self expression is an art form i have always been striving to perfect, earnestly & honestly; but remains something i can never be really good at. Perhaps i'm too prone to affirming negativity; i've seen my shares of despair & hurt. I'm just coping with it the best way i know how ~ breaking out of my own emotional cage. It's always comforting to have someone/anyone out there take time to listen & sincerely drop some kind words when it mattered. Thank you.

Life's never going to be a bed of roses, but i see brighter days ahead...

End Note

A sad thing about life is that when you meet someone who means a lot to you only to find out in the end that it was never bound to be and you just have to let go.

~ best sums up the greater part of my past 5 years. Each succesive fall stings just as bad as the 1st, & getting up never gets any easier. When one of life's harshest lesson gets thrown at you, you'll just have to suck it up & take it head on. Get up & move on. Always easier said than done. I'm like a stubborn mule on a steep learning curve...

Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried. For only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.

Will i ever learn? When will i finally get to end on a high note to put a close to this & begin the next great chapter in life?
Perhaps one day, someday...

Spending weekends off work are costly. Always have that insatiable urge to spend, spend, & spend during my offdays. But looking at the increasing hours logged in the sweatroom each week, this'll be a worthy buy. Physique fitness refinement efforts aside, the other 'physique' of mine that is in need of a bulk-up is my bank account... but with my increasingly diminishing drive to work OTs, it's proving to be yet another M:I. Whatever happened to my unwavering DRIVE? i wonder.

1^st Online Shopping Experience

Made my first ever online purchase sometime ago. The package was delivered to my door step a couple of days ago, after 14-long-awaited days from the initial order date during which, I’ve lost some sleep worrying whether my prized purchase had got lost along the way, sent to the wrong address, got swapped, etc. ~ $$ down the drain? Thankfully it arrived in one piece ~ in immaculate condition. Having heard of countless of online purchase horror stories – getting conned into buying counterfeit products, to receiving defective products/damaged packaging or actual product that is inferior as to what was described in the initial pre-order specification; I decided to stick with the bigger & more reputable online retail sites ~ Yesasia.com Global in this case to source for a foreign audio CD release, dating back to 2005. It may not be the cheapest bargain on the net, but the offered prices are relatively comparable (just don’t compare the local bargains at Kenyalang Park).

Most of the Japan music releases of the current years come in different versions; the Japan version for the domestic Japanese market (which, costs an arm & a leg) & the Overseas version for the general foreign audience. Opted for the premium Japan version, priced at whooping USD25.49 (x 3.402 exchange rate) over the USD17.99 Overseas version (is also no way cheap by local standards), because it qualifies for the free shipping that the latter does not. Standard shipping (6 – 14 days) would have costs USD4.99. With a few bucks difference, going for the premium is a no brainer.

Some cite that the Overseas version is inferior in terms of quality compared to the more expensive Japan version; though the only difference is usually in the printings, booklets ~ some extra stuff, & rarely in some cases extra song tracks, for audio CD. One thing to note is that when it comes to DVDs, there are fundamental differences: Japan uses DVD2 encoding format, whereas the rest of the SEA uses DVD3. So you definitely don’t want to buy a Japan version DVD release which will not be compatible with our DVD player, though both regions are sharing the same NTSC TV broadcast standard. Overseas version are usually manufactured, marketed & distributed by licensed regional recording companies to provide a more competent localized pricing. So it is definitely cheaper, but is quality compromised? Maybe, or maybe not.

An authentic Japan version ~ ￥2667 tag is quite unnerving…

Time to sit back & enjoy the tunes of my latest musical fad collection. I just dig contemporary classical music =)

Lap Time: 3.5km in 20mins

I have always toyed with the idea of trying out a full marathon of certain pedigree; i.e. the Penang Bridge Marathon (another reason for a vacation up north), held annually in mid-June. Coincidentally, I’ll be in Penang by then, to attend an old buddy’s wedding on the 24^th. Checking out the details of the marathon, is enough to make me chicken out. 22.3km for a HALF-marathon. Full marathon? I doubt if i can get anywhere close to finishing the 42.195km, before the bridge opens up for traffic. Sounds like a mammoth task to me.

So far, my cardio workouts have always been limited sub-6km in 40 mins sessions, max. On stationary treadmills. Perhaps I should go out to get some fresh air & find a running partner. And start by setting my sights on a less ambitious marathon conquest…

Souvenir from Prague

~ from a dear colleague away on a month long biz trip to Erfurt; been to places eh... Thanks, dude!
for being so thoughtful. I'm sure i'll put this gadget to good use someday =p

half-a-grand

~ how much it costed for a pair of brand new constant-velocity joint for the front drive-shaft (one that allows a rotating shaft to transmit power through a variable angle at a constant rotational speed), plus a reconditioned 1/2 drive-shaft (for that jammed front passenger's side) replacement. Lesson learnt: The next time the drive-shaft starts making noise, don't bother looking for a rebuilt job (supposedly cheaper alternative) ~ mine barely lasted 2 months; better to opt for brand new replacement parts (at least you'll get to skip the pray-for-it-to-work part), though it'll definitely put a sting in your pocket... ouch! still feeling it. Thankfully the gearbox was spared, otherwise i'll likely staring at a 4-figure repair bill. Got my ride back, after a week's idle in the workshop; she ain't whining no more. Time to put her thru some 'rehabilitation' =p

真の友達

You seem to have the oddest of a name, fitting for a real drama queen who’s always outstandingly outspoken. We’ve been course-mates in our uni-days but have never really clicked early on coz we don’t belong to the same clique. You knew very well that I belonged to the banana category, but you would only speak to me in hua yu; I found out soon after that you actually speak fluent hokkien at home. You practiced language discrimination against me! You were that intimidating to talk to, like most foochow-poh.

Having nothing much in common, we were hardly even on speaking terms. However, that changed when we became unlikely housemates during our internship term in a vibrant little island up north, known as the Pearl of the Orient. Oh, how it was real troublesome fun having you around as a housemate. Caring, sensible & reliable in character but hardly without the tendency to morph into a dramatic blur sotong any moment.

You & your dramatic tales, your bathroom-hogging antics, your sporadic thunderous laughter, your weekly mic-hogging hardly audible session at Redbox, your over-indulgence in your durian-flower dish (#-p… we had that for 1 week straight), & your hilarious squabbles with my beloved room-mate over the smallest & trivial-est of matters (I guess that’s some people’s way of showing care & affection; you 2 are 1 of a kind =p). Though, we were always at it, mercilessly poking fun at each other; you laughed at my near-non-existent fluency in spoken hua yu then (not anymore!), made fun of my retarded motor-skills at racquet games (bully, ah!), dissed my eating habits (you've got a personal vendetta against people who are prone to eating slowly isit??), & treated me like I was your personal chauffeur.

On getting even ~ we had a good laugh at your experimental hair-style change gone wrong, & started to affectionately call you ‘donkey’ eversince (Intel's donkey)… been missing your ‘elephunt’ dance moves during those frequent clubbing nights. Those were the carefree internship days when life was much more ‘happening’ & the feeling of friendship cheer felt so stronger, despite not having much to live by; meager allowances & bas mini was the only form of transportation. The fond memories will always live on.

Fast forward 3 years on, & at yet another major crossroad in life. Glad that you’ve finally secured a big-shot career opportunity that you truly deserved. Oil & gas = Bigtime $$ =) Though, leaving behind all that you’re familiar with ~ home, friends, family & the semiconductor field in general has not been an easy decision, I’m sure. Days spent in uncertainty, anxious waits, & long thoughts; pondering on what the future may be (i'm still)… After all we’re always seeking for greener pastures in life, & in the pursuit of our dreams sometimes there are tough decisions & sacrifices to make. But as always, you’ve got a clear mind on the direction to take in life, you’ll go a long way ~ Cheers, buddy! =)

It's Labour day, & i haven't got much to do, lazying around at home. Did not bother to volunteer myself for public holiday duty, despite the lucrative OT payback. With the kind of scorching hot weather outside, it'll be near impossible for me to continue hibernating without breaking a sweat. So i figured, spending the afternoon catching a movie at the cineplex would better. Bought the tickets well before noon; half the seats were already booked... catching a much anticipated movie on its opening day, on a public holiday somemore; large turnout to be expected... which means plenty of eye-candies too =p

Just hope this movie lives up to its hype

The Chicago Bulls ended the defending champions' reign by completing a 4-0 sweep of the Miami Heat,

& the 8th seeded Golden State Warriors, ringing Spartan war cry continues to dominate against the West's no.1 powerhouse, the Dallas Mavericks; yet another potential major upset?

This year's NBA playoff just got more interesting.
Photos from here

2007 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs Round 1:

Miami Heat (4th) Vs Chicago Bulls (5th)

Just watched the underdog Chicago Bulls obliterated the defending champs, Miami Heat in their own backyard in Game 3 of the best-of-7 round 1 playoff series. Pushed to 1 game away from the possibility of a humiliating 1^st round elimination, the insistent notion that a series does not start until the home team loses still rings out loud; despite the fact that no team in history has successfully fought back to win a series from a 0-3 deficit. Well, I’m not about to underestimate the heart of a champion for they never go down without a fight, & might just turn the table around.

Though I’ve never been a fan of the Heat, they’ve been inconsistent all season long ~ playing brilliantly one night & reduced to mere mediocrity the next; featuring a roster studded with stars past their prime (Shaq’s no longer the dominant force he once was), with the exception of D-Wade, who has yet to fully regain his Superhero form since his recent shoulder injury. On the other hand, the Bulls are much younger, faster & hungry for a post-season series win, which they have yet to achieve since the Air Jordan Dynasty ended in ’98 with a 6^th Championship. I just love watching underdogs pound the big shot teams & give them a tight run for their money. It’s the intensity & un-predictability that sets the playoffs apart from the regular season games. This is going to be an exciting series to watch; provided the Heat survives Game 4.

This is going to be yet another costly visit to the ‘engine surgeon’. What initially seemed like a drive shaft agitation problem is turning out to be some bigger shit. A quick jack-up check confirms the worst of fears; it’s coming from the gearbox – bearing problems of some sort on the final drive gear or worse, damaged gearbox housing. Fuck the gearbox. I’ve had some pricey lesson on gearbox before; not due to gear mis-shifts at high rpm run causing the gearbox to go kaboom, but rather some screwed-up job during the initial engine transplant. Sourcing for a B-series manual transmission gearbox in immaculate condition can be nightmarishly difficult; being highly sought after & ricer boys keep busting them.

My ride, well she’s getting old; her maintenance costs can run me up the wall at times, but for most of the time she’s quite well behaved. Still handles sweet, roars like a lion & runs like a race horse when I ‘feel’ it. She’d be going under the knife soon; it's going to be nothing short of a gearbox overhaul ~ i’ll definitely be missing my daily dose of VTEC fix.

Wannahaves~

A unique fusion of pop-rock & classical music which, takes on a whole new dramatic perspective & sounds almost magical. Tracks performed with Orchestre Lamoureux ~ Paris, conducted by Yutaka Sado.

Dri-Fit strength training glove ~ so workouts at the sweatroom no longer have to be a palm-bristling affair...

An iPod Shuffle ~ the worlds most wearable music gear to keep me plugged to my favourite tunes when i'm on the run.

A MacBook ~ simply coz it's cool... & gives me another good reason to hang out at Bing or Coffee Bean.

I seem to show deep affinity towards the brand with the half-bitten apple. However, my pockets still feel rather light, so i guess most of these will just likely remain on my wish list for the near foreseealble future...