This inactive blog will be closed soon. Yes I have not been writing for quite a while now. But, considering where I will potentially be in a few months, I think I'll be tapping away on the keyboard a lot more than I used to.
Watch out for the new and improved rant-space from moi.
Au Revoir....
Monday, November 22, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
GOT CAFFEINE?
Well now that Raya is over, I'm definitely making full use of the ability to drink by having a cup of my favorite home brew everyday. I know this cant be good for me but hey, I've been caffeine free for a month.. bagi la can... not like im planning to give up caffeine anyway. :p
Let's see... what's been going on... (obviously don't have a specific topic to this entry)... Aside from the sizzling story of the make-up lady and her posse's tragic murder, and me getting getting fatter as I read up on the conspiracy theories and news clips surrounding it ,while gnawing through Raya cookies, rendang, chocolates etc, nothing much has been going on.
Not to say that I haven't had much to do during the holidays though; The room is spiffy clean except for one closet, been looking at a new car (thanks to a v. generous offer from beloved big bro which i still think is too much and unnecessary) and diving into a book about becoming an expert on using my Canon G10.
The G10 is definitely no point-and-shoot camera la. Although it can be set to AUTO to function that way, it's been doing wonders in my un-trained hands and compared to a buddy of mine's DSLR, the same image we shot came out with superior results from my nippy DSLR wanna-be. Hah!
Well I haven't even reached halfway through the book but I've already learnt stuff I never knew it could do before, like the face detection auto timer, the awesome flash compensation digital monitor, the stitch panorama and gosh, who the hell knows what more is in store..
I'm still working on the book but be sure that once I'm done, I'll show you what this bad boy can do. Of course, if you can't wait go ahead and google G10 reviews and you'll see some of the mad awesome shots from professional shooters. In the meantime, here's a couple of self portrait shots of yours truly using the auto face detect, of course, while not knowing what the heck I was doing.. very basic shots. hehe.
and this is a video i call "the blue car" ppffftttt..... nevermind... video took too long to upload....
Let's see... what's been going on... (obviously don't have a specific topic to this entry)... Aside from the sizzling story of the make-up lady and her posse's tragic murder, and me getting getting fatter as I read up on the conspiracy theories and news clips surrounding it ,while gnawing through Raya cookies, rendang, chocolates etc, nothing much has been going on.
Not to say that I haven't had much to do during the holidays though; The room is spiffy clean except for one closet, been looking at a new car (thanks to a v. generous offer from beloved big bro which i still think is too much and unnecessary) and diving into a book about becoming an expert on using my Canon G10.
The G10 is definitely no point-and-shoot camera la. Although it can be set to AUTO to function that way, it's been doing wonders in my un-trained hands and compared to a buddy of mine's DSLR, the same image we shot came out with superior results from my nippy DSLR wanna-be. Hah!
Well I haven't even reached halfway through the book but I've already learnt stuff I never knew it could do before, like the face detection auto timer, the awesome flash compensation digital monitor, the stitch panorama and gosh, who the hell knows what more is in store..
I'm still working on the book but be sure that once I'm done, I'll show you what this bad boy can do. Of course, if you can't wait go ahead and google G10 reviews and you'll see some of the mad awesome shots from professional shooters. In the meantime, here's a couple of self portrait shots of yours truly using the auto face detect, of course, while not knowing what the heck I was doing.. very basic shots. hehe.
and this is a video i call "the blue car" ppffftttt..... nevermind... video took too long to upload....
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
raya
Tonight, I thought, for once, the Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-Raja might suprise us all. But, as usual, he didn't. But anyway it was nice to see hime again :)
Raya is here and I can't wait. I desperately need to restart my gym sessions and get my daily caffeine fix. Yes, I have been using the fasting month to not go to the gym. Shame on me. But honestly, there wasn't any time. Hehe.
Anyway, today I finally managed to submit my short story on receiptstories.my. Go an check it out and see if you can figure out which one is mine. But honestly writing a story in 100 words is actually quite a daunting task. I envy those who can do it, especially those who do within a short amount of time.
But more importantly, Selamat Hari Raya to all and do stay safe no matter where u are. MZB!
Raya is here and I can't wait. I desperately need to restart my gym sessions and get my daily caffeine fix. Yes, I have been using the fasting month to not go to the gym. Shame on me. But honestly, there wasn't any time. Hehe.
Anyway, today I finally managed to submit my short story on receiptstories.my. Go an check it out and see if you can figure out which one is mine. But honestly writing a story in 100 words is actually quite a daunting task. I envy those who can do it, especially those who do within a short amount of time.
But more importantly, Selamat Hari Raya to all and do stay safe no matter where u are. MZB!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
from the berry
Well halluuu...
It's been a while. Haven't been able to find the time to sit down and write for the past few weeks. Thus to improvise and revolutionize how I work, I am trying to put in this entry via blackberry, and it seems to be going quite well, I must say.
Okay, now that it's established that this can be done, be sure to expect more entries from me on a more timely basis now that I don't have to sit with my laptop or steal work time to write. :)
Till the next one, keep it real :)
It's been a while. Haven't been able to find the time to sit down and write for the past few weeks. Thus to improvise and revolutionize how I work, I am trying to put in this entry via blackberry, and it seems to be going quite well, I must say.
Okay, now that it's established that this can be done, be sure to expect more entries from me on a more timely basis now that I don't have to sit with my laptop or steal work time to write. :)
Till the next one, keep it real :)
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Moving Office
Today marks the last day I will be coming into work at 3rd Floor Hangar 3 Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, Subang. Fortunately, I still have a job but I will just have to move to the airport office in Sepang permanently due to a restructuring exercise.
So apart from the sadness, and dissapointment of having to move to the further office permanently (without compensation), I'm kinda bummed to have to leave this very spot that I have been going to for the past 4.3 years. I've gone through a lot while sitting here. Many people, issues, drama, joyful and idiotic moments, boring periods, time-wastage, hard work, long hours, weekend hours, haunted sessions, laughter and even tears happened here. And it will forever be a very important part of my life.
Goodbye my cube. You will be missed.
Let's hope this change is for the better yeah?
So apart from the sadness, and dissapointment of having to move to the further office permanently (without compensation), I'm kinda bummed to have to leave this very spot that I have been going to for the past 4.3 years. I've gone through a lot while sitting here. Many people, issues, drama, joyful and idiotic moments, boring periods, time-wastage, hard work, long hours, weekend hours, haunted sessions, laughter and even tears happened here. And it will forever be a very important part of my life.
Goodbye my cube. You will be missed.
Let's hope this change is for the better yeah?
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Money money money
In case you haven't heard (in which case I gotta ask you where the hell have ya been?) RedFM is giving away RM 60,000 just like that. Yup. Just like that. And you read it right. It is Enam Puloh Reeeeebs. You just hefta listen out for our 60K Music Takeaway Song... and if you follow the instructions, BAM, you're rich. Checkout the details on www.red.fm
RedFM is your ultimate bank. Just check out the amount of money we've given or are giving out right now:
1. We just gave away 20K on the FB Frenzy.
2. We got over 9K on Word Up
3. We got over 3K on What's the movie
4. And now, we got 5K EVERY MORNING for a limited time, one RedFMs RM5000 Minute on Breakfast with JD and Dilly.
AND MORE...
All this on top of the 60K Music Takeaway thats going on right now.
Haiyoh... if you guys don't tap this i'm speechless la.
So make sure you're tuned in to Red FM every minute of every hour of every day (yes, even when you're asleep) and check out www.red.fm. Then when you're all richer, contact me for a night out, on you. :)
On another note,
I hate it when things get complicated. Period.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Urut kaki
I went for a foot massage yesterday. Must say it was one of the better ones I've ever had. Even compared to the ones i tried before. Even when compared to the ones I did in Thailand and China!
The interesting part was that for the first time, the guy doing the reflexology was a Malay guy from Terengganu. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It was just interesting because usually reflexology massages are not practiced by Malays. And to find one who does it so well... interesting indeed.
Unfortunately since he was from my hometown area, we chatted a lot and it kinda disrupted the whole 'zen' atmosphere of the place. Even got a "eh hello?" message from the friend i was with. LOL. Sorry bout that.
But anyway, go and check him out if you wanna try a good foot massage. His name is Mat in the massage parlor opposite HSBC in Damansara Uptown. I really cant remember the name but something tells me its called S8.
Later...
The interesting part was that for the first time, the guy doing the reflexology was a Malay guy from Terengganu. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It was just interesting because usually reflexology massages are not practiced by Malays. And to find one who does it so well... interesting indeed.
Unfortunately since he was from my hometown area, we chatted a lot and it kinda disrupted the whole 'zen' atmosphere of the place. Even got a "eh hello?" message from the friend i was with. LOL. Sorry bout that.
But anyway, go and check him out if you wanna try a good foot massage. His name is Mat in the massage parlor opposite HSBC in Damansara Uptown. I really cant remember the name but something tells me its called S8.
Later...
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
There ain't no Karate in Karate Kid.
Here's my summary of the Karate Kid: it was an over the top effort from Jada Pinkett and Will smith to put their son in the limelight and on the fast track to Holywood.
First of all, if your looking for some good ol' Karate action that you would think would be in a movie called Karate Kid, then don't watch this movie. This was purely a Kung Fu movie.
Don't worry no spoilers here. They did maintain the same storyline, but this was purely based on Kung Fu ( of course la Jackie Chan, right?). So honestly, if it wasn't for the Smith's paying a whole load of money for the rights to the name Karate Kid in hopes of making more money and getting the most air time fir their son, this flick should have really been called Kungfu Kid. But we all know that won't sell right?
So as expected, lots of Kungfu action in this movie, (although surprisingly not much from JC) and lots and lots of unnecessary airtime for Jaden. Aside from that and the bits of humor here and there, I gotta say this movie was slightly a bit to kiddy for me. Definitely a good family movie to watch with your siblings or kids or nieces and nephews but for you martial arts junkies out there, don't waste your money on movie tickets for this. You know what to do instead ;)
But I think JC's performance in this movie is definitely worth noting. Aside from his usual action work, he actually seemed to have put extra effort in getting into character for this movie and it shows. Not exactly Mr Miyagi, but good enough to pull it off.
Okay aside from that I still have lots of movies to catch up. Haven't been watching anything much at the cinemas for a while. Time to start things up again especially when the summer session is about to start. Just gotta stay focused to avoid the snack counter. LOL
Later.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Looks, Personality or Wealth?
Hi everyone!
If you didn’t manage to catch me last Sunday, you missed an excellent topic we discussed. On our Facebook page @ Red FM (Malaysia), I asked the question; “In finding a partner, what is the most important element; personality, looks or wealth? I was amazed to see so many responses and opinions. The original post and responses are still there on the page so do head there and check it out!
As expected, almost everyone, especially the majority females who responded, went for personality; kindness, responsible, big hearted etc. Sure, of course this is all good and ideal. But is it really the case?
Let me put this into perspective. Say you (a female) were out on the town socializing. And say, a guy comes up to you and says hi. He doesn’t look good and is penniless. But he has a great first impression personality-wise. Would you actually entertain him and continue the interaction? It’s a big maybe right? It’s a big maybe because personality can’t be judged so quickly. You need to get to know a person quite well before understanding his personality. But to get to that point, surely he needs to meet certain requirements for you to actually consider his personality.
First impressions are actually not really about personality, it’s about what stands out immediately about a person that catches your attention and then coerces you into wanting to get to know him a little better. This is almost always (of course arguably) about looks, and to some extent, wealth.
The key phrase in my question is “in finding a partner”. Finding. I’m talking about the point where your attention is whisked away buy a guy or girl you see. The point where you go “Oh wow!” or “hmm interesting” or “WHO is THAT?” Don’t deny it. This is usually because of how hot a person looks (applies to both males and females at both ends), or how rich he seems to be. (And never forget that beauty is in the eye of the beholder: to each, his own)
Sure, personality is important in accepting a partner and knowing whether or not he or she is good for you. It’ll actually determine whether or not the relationship is sustained etc. But, in my opinion, it’s starts after the point of meeting, after he or she has caught your attention. And what usually catches attention? That’s right. Looks and probably wealth. Personality too, but to me that comes a little later.
I’d love to hear more from you so if you have an opinion on this, find our facebook page @ Red FM (Malaysia), find this wall post from me, and leave your comments there okay? J
If you didn’t manage to catch me last Sunday, you missed an excellent topic we discussed. On our Facebook page @ Red FM (Malaysia), I asked the question; “In finding a partner, what is the most important element; personality, looks or wealth? I was amazed to see so many responses and opinions. The original post and responses are still there on the page so do head there and check it out!
As expected, almost everyone, especially the majority females who responded, went for personality; kindness, responsible, big hearted etc. Sure, of course this is all good and ideal. But is it really the case?
Let me put this into perspective. Say you (a female) were out on the town socializing. And say, a guy comes up to you and says hi. He doesn’t look good and is penniless. But he has a great first impression personality-wise. Would you actually entertain him and continue the interaction? It’s a big maybe right? It’s a big maybe because personality can’t be judged so quickly. You need to get to know a person quite well before understanding his personality. But to get to that point, surely he needs to meet certain requirements for you to actually consider his personality.
First impressions are actually not really about personality, it’s about what stands out immediately about a person that catches your attention and then coerces you into wanting to get to know him a little better. This is almost always (of course arguably) about looks, and to some extent, wealth.
The key phrase in my question is “in finding a partner”. Finding. I’m talking about the point where your attention is whisked away buy a guy or girl you see. The point where you go “Oh wow!” or “hmm interesting” or “WHO is THAT?” Don’t deny it. This is usually because of how hot a person looks (applies to both males and females at both ends), or how rich he seems to be. (And never forget that beauty is in the eye of the beholder: to each, his own)
Sure, personality is important in accepting a partner and knowing whether or not he or she is good for you. It’ll actually determine whether or not the relationship is sustained etc. But, in my opinion, it’s starts after the point of meeting, after he or she has caught your attention. And what usually catches attention? That’s right. Looks and probably wealth. Personality too, but to me that comes a little later.
I’d love to hear more from you so if you have an opinion on this, find our facebook page @ Red FM (Malaysia), find this wall post from me, and leave your comments there okay? J
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Praying for Bangkok...
Just wanted to leave a short note here in honor of our neighboring country. Praying for the very best for them, and the rest facing the same situation. It's so sad to see how politics can bring down a city and community albeit only in certain parts. I am so thankful to be a citizen of, and living in Malaysia.
Learn from what we see. Be thankful for where we are. And pray for those in peril...
Learn from what we see. Be thankful for where we are. And pray for those in peril...
Saturday, May 22, 2010
PerGo
It's a Friday night.
And after a long hiatus, I finally brought myself to go out again.
I owe it to my friends, near and far, who happen to be in town this very night.
And so I did. Bringing myself to the epicenter of the city, where the dwellers crawl through the night, reveling into the morning, living life to the fullest, the way everyone should.
And there I was. Standing. Smiling. Being the person who should and ought to be there.
But I wasn't there.
I was with you. In a place when time moves neither backward or forward. In a place where everything was perfect and there wasn't a worry in sight. In a place that has now become my most beautiful memory....
The last time I was here, it was with you. The last time I actually smiled, it was with you. The last time I was where I should and ought to be, it was with you. And here I am again, without you. And thus, me being here, is not really true.
How did we get here? How did we end up living my worst fear? The answer for me will never be clear. How you are, where you are and whether or not your okay. Questions that I ask myself every single painful day.
As I was driving back tonight, this song was on air again. How apt. I'm not sure if Aizat himself wrote it, but whoever did, you got it right for me right now buddy...
Sayu terpisah
Hikayat indah kini hanya tinggal sejarah
Berhembus angin rindu
Begitu nyamannya terhidu wangian kasihmu
Sepi tanpa kata
Terdiam dan kaku tak daya kau kulupa
Apa pun kata mereka
Biarkan kenangan berbunga di ranting usia
Hujan lebat mencurah kini
Bagaikan tiada
Kaulah laguku kau irama terindah
Tak lagi kudengari
Kau pergi... pergi...
Pergi...
Missing you, are merely words. They don't come close to telling how I am feeling right now. Im still there. MTYEK...
And after a long hiatus, I finally brought myself to go out again.
I owe it to my friends, near and far, who happen to be in town this very night.
And so I did. Bringing myself to the epicenter of the city, where the dwellers crawl through the night, reveling into the morning, living life to the fullest, the way everyone should.
And there I was. Standing. Smiling. Being the person who should and ought to be there.
But I wasn't there.
I was with you. In a place when time moves neither backward or forward. In a place where everything was perfect and there wasn't a worry in sight. In a place that has now become my most beautiful memory....
The last time I was here, it was with you. The last time I actually smiled, it was with you. The last time I was where I should and ought to be, it was with you. And here I am again, without you. And thus, me being here, is not really true.
How did we get here? How did we end up living my worst fear? The answer for me will never be clear. How you are, where you are and whether or not your okay. Questions that I ask myself every single painful day.
As I was driving back tonight, this song was on air again. How apt. I'm not sure if Aizat himself wrote it, but whoever did, you got it right for me right now buddy...
Sayu terpisah
Hikayat indah kini hanya tinggal sejarah
Berhembus angin rindu
Begitu nyamannya terhidu wangian kasihmu
Sepi tanpa kata
Terdiam dan kaku tak daya kau kulupa
Apa pun kata mereka
Biarkan kenangan berbunga di ranting usia
Hujan lebat mencurah kini
Bagaikan tiada
Kaulah laguku kau irama terindah
Tak lagi kudengari
Kau pergi... pergi...
Pergi...
Missing you, are merely words. They don't come close to telling how I am feeling right now. Im still there. MTYEK...
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Oh Shanghai
Hi everyone!
It's been a while since I managed to update my blog. Been out of the country in April. I actually tried to blog from there but apparently China prohibits anyone from entering blogspot from there. So here was what was supposed to be blogged the last time.
It's good to be back! Missed y'all!
It's been a while since I managed to update my blog. Been out of the country in April. I actually tried to blog from there but apparently China prohibits anyone from entering blogspot from there. So here was what was supposed to be blogged the last time.
It's good to be back! Missed y'all!
Hi from 39000 feet in the sky
Yup. That’s right. I am writing to you from 39000 feet as I cross the South China Sea for the third time this month.
Hi everyone! It’s been a while since I wrote here. Work has been keeping me busy and honestly, every time I think about making an entry here, some other work thing manages to swarm and flood the cavities of my mind and wash the thought away. And I end up forgetting about it up until the next time it pops up.
Yes I’ve been away for a while. I haven’t been on air basically because I haven’t been in town. Day job’s been keeping me busy in a place which I recently discovered to be a mega-city called Shanghai.
It’s been a long trip. So long, that I actually had to celebrate my birthday here and miss out on my sister’s and Amy’s in KL. And it’s not even over yet. Yessirree, I am typing this from 39000 feet above the city of Hong Kong, and heading NORTH! For the second time this month, I’ll be stepping on the grounds of Mainland China. To be exact, the crazy city of Shanghai.
In what was originally a business trip which I went with much hesitance and reluctance (I thought Shanghai was more of an old school china kinda town), the realization of the sheer magnitude of this city, with the millions of its inhabitants buzzing around in what is seemingly a very foreign lifestyle for me, has brought me to the realization that there is so much more that I haven’t seen in this world. And for our lifetime, more often than not, we will never get to see everything anyway. So I guess we’ll just have to enjoy whatever comes our way. One by one. From one portion of the earth’s surface to the other. Embracing each of them through all our senses so that the memory will remain with us forever.
Here are some shots from over a thousand that I took while in this enormous city, with a population close to that of our country. Enjoy:
So I finally got myself the telephoto lens for my G10. That pretty much burned more spirit for me to go out and take more shots. Seems like the cease of my mission to actually discover the full potential of this camera is still further away with my new tele-lens. In fact, I’m actually considering to get the flash as well.
Anyway, aside from the camera, there’re lots to say about Shanghai. I’m not gonna go through every detail but here’s my personal top 10 to-do items when in Shanghai. If you don’t manage to do at least half of these, you haven’t seen Shanghai:
1. Take the MAGLEV train to and from the airport to downtown. Speed of up to 461 km/h
2. Walk along the Bund and Pudong riverside
3. Go up Jinmao Tower or Shanghai World Financial Tower (Highest observation point in the world to date on the 100th floor. Best part, the floor is made out of glass and you can see below. There goes the “don’t look down” part).
4. Shop at either the Yu Yuan Gardens, 580 mall on Nanjing, Science Museum underground bazaar or the underground bazaar on Nanjing road. Good stuff here (especially if you’re looking for too good to be “not real” items)
5. Have a late-night drink on top of the Shangri-La Pudong
6. Visit Xintiandi district
7. Take a evening and night walk on Nanjing road.
8. Take a taxi ride on one of the many multi layered elevated highways in downtown – don’t be surprised to find 5 different highway levels at one time. You can even drive from downtown to the airport without touching the ground level.
9. Take a taxi ride to anywhere to experience how people drive here.
10. Have a hand-made noodle soup or Shanghai hairy crabs – whichever is easier to find.
Do any three of these, and consider yourself to have truly visited Shanghai. J
On another note, I just finished watching The Blind Side on this flight, and I find this movie truly amazing. Considering it’s a true story, I would have never imagined that such kindness exists among the richer Americans living in a more “red-neck” part of the country. (I’m not talk more about the plot in case you haven’t seen it for yourself).
And for Sandra’s Bullock’s character, oh wow. That is my definition of the perfect wife. Perfection, in my opinion, from every possible aspect. That person exists, and to whom that she belongs, truly that man is beyond lucky. J What a beautiful person….
Anyways, I’m still gonna be away for a while. Will be in and out of the country and more importantly and unfortunately, off-air for a while longer. I miss you guys. I miss KL. I miss my family. I miss Amy. All this missing is making me depressed. And when I’m depressed I eat. And now I am FATTER!!!
But I’ll keep that for another entry. Stay real. Adios!!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Google Schmoogle Frooooogle!
I've been spending the whole week in a meeting with a group of Germans, so pardon the title for this week.
I've started working again yesterday after a week of the gym bag sitting and waiting in my car. So at the moment I'm all Gung-Ho about working the everlasting fat off. For some reason the intensity of this determination has fluctuated quite a bit since the past few months. Don't really know why. On some reasons I just feel like, okay diet all the way and get to my ideal weight. On some days it's like" yeah whatever, that burger and fries dripping with oil looks good". Bottomline: dieting is hard, continuously being pumped up about working out is even harder.
My biggest problem aside from the hopelessness of losing the gut, is the excess fat in the pectoral area, or better known as manboobs.
So, in order to motivate and strategize my gym sessions, I have compiled the top workouts to target the pectoral area to eliminate moobs, For all us males out there with some bosom’ical issues, here’re some actions that may help us out:
1- Seated chest press: Sit with your back flat against the machine and slowly push the weights straight out in a horizontal motion, then return to the starting position. Keep your breathing controlled and the movement steady. Perform four sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.
2- Cable crossovers: Attach the handles to either side of a pulley station and stand with your arms extended at shoulder level, your elbows slightly bent and your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly bring your hands together in front of you and cross them. Return to the starting position and repeat. Concentrate on using your pectoral muscles to generate the power needed to perform this action. Do four sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.
3- Incline flyes: Sitting on an incline bench at about a 45 degree angle with the dumbbells held above you, lower your hands out to the sides (but not lower than your shoulders), then bring your hands back together above you, mimicking a hugging action. Perform four sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.
4- Bench press: Lie with your back against the bench and slowly press the barbell directly upward. Make sure that your back does not rise off the bench, and that you are breathing out on the upward movement and inhaling on the downward action. Perform four sets of 8 to 12 repetitions
2- Cable crossovers: Attach the handles to either side of a pulley station and stand with your arms extended at shoulder level, your elbows slightly bent and your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly bring your hands together in front of you and cross them. Return to the starting position and repeat. Concentrate on using your pectoral muscles to generate the power needed to perform this action. Do four sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.
3- Incline flyes: Sitting on an incline bench at about a 45 degree angle with the dumbbells held above you, lower your hands out to the sides (but not lower than your shoulders), then bring your hands back together above you, mimicking a hugging action. Perform four sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.
4- Bench press: Lie with your back against the bench and slowly press the barbell directly upward. Make sure that your back does not rise off the bench, and that you are breathing out on the upward movement and inhaling on the downward action. Perform four sets of 8 to 12 repetitions
5- Incline bench press: The first exercise you’ll want to focus on is the incline bench press. Most gyms have a machine that focuses specifically on your upper chest; this is the incline press machine. A greater amount of muscle mass in the upper chest will tighten some of that flab around the nipples. Remember that building muscle mass with a weight training regiment requires fewer reps with greater weight.
On another note, the Google phone is out. Can it challenge the likes of the Blackberry and the iPhone?
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Sluurrpp
I have a mad crave boiling inside me right now. It is causing an emotional turmoil within my skin without showing an end. I have succumbed to addiction that is beyond normal means of detoxification. It may end up, that I, a pathetic, self-admitting and self-loathing addict, will have to commit to rehab for this substance, this magical creation of human kind, as I will surely head nowhere but down should I not address this addiction and nip it in the bud.
Meet the substance that has put me in this addictive trance and destroyed whatever sense of reality I had within me…
STROOPWAFEL
According to Wikipedia, a stroopwafel is a waffle made from two thin layers of baked batter with a caramel-like syrup filling in the middle. They were first made in Gouda in the Netherlands, in 1784. Large versions are sold in the streets as snacks.
I was first introduced to these heavenly wafers back in 2007 when a Dutch colleague brought it over for an aircraft oven demonstration. At first it didn’t seem like that big of a deal. But now, a few years after I first tasted it, I started craving for it like a junkie looking for a fix.
Praise God, and as if Fate has already written it as my destiny, my responsibility in my day job has carried me across the oceans and mountains to the land of the Orange, where this heavenly, mouth-watering, perfectly sweet, satisfying, orgasmic, tongue-teasing dessert was first created.
These circle-shaped bites of paradise can’t be healthy; gooey caramel sandwiched by two rich waffles can only mean a detrimentally ridiculous sugar and calorie count. But in a single sitting, I can finish 10 large Stroopwafels. Large sizes are usually about 3-4 inches across. Believe that!
Whoever you are, regardless whether you know me or not, if you end up in Amsterdam, or any other Dutch city for that matter, I ask… no, I beg you to please bring back a pack of these mystical, disc-shaped cookies for me to indulge and entertain my craving. If you do that, I will love you for life!
Oh, if you haven’t had a chance to try it for yourself, believe me, you will not regret it! Sllluuurrrppp! I can imagine it already… Alamak! Saliva dropped on laptop keyboard. How?
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
1 hour to show you care
It’s coming. This 27th of March, we should all participate in what originated as a media stunt in Australia for the WWF that has evolved into one of the biggest phenomenons on environmental awareness the world has ever seen. Earth Hour is celebrated world-wide at exactly 8.30PM for exactly 60 minutes.
Though I’m not much of an environmentalist, I have started to put more effort in reducing my carbon footprint like using less or no plastic bags, avoiding driving whenever I can and conserving power by using less lights (not air-conditioning though… it’s too friggin hot here). These may not be a lot, but I thought it’s better than nothing. And if more people started with these little steps, I guess in no time it would have an impact on conserving the environment.
If you haven’t started worrying or caring about the environment, Earth Hour is definitely a good start. With the slightest effort, you can make an impact by spreading the word on the event. Tell everyone you know to switch off everything for 1 hour on the 27th of March, 2010 at 8.30PM. Tell anyone you know, spread it on Facebook, Twitter, Buzz or whatever it is that you roam with in Cyberspace. Tell your colleagues, family members and friends. Plan to get together with others that night and celebrate the hour together.
What we’re doing here is simple. It’s a message. It’s a joint statement of the people of the world, telling the leaders of the world that we care. And it’s a 60-minute wake up call to each and every one of us to start thinking about the environment and to show a little more respect for mother earth. The more awareness spread, the more people will be considerate and careful, which will lead to nothing but a reduction of carbon footprint from each of us.Join us as we will be celebrating Earth Hour at two separate Skool Daze parties, one at G Hotel Penang and the other in Zouk KL, happening at the same time on the said date. Not only will you be having a good time celebrating earth, you will also be making an impact on the environment by joining many others under one roof, sharing the same electricity instead of each of us being at home, before and after the hour. Win exclusive invites to the party by tuning in to us until that date.
It’s a Skool Daze party so come dressed up in your school uniforms. Make it an environmentally friendly challenge by wearing your old school clothes, or creatively making something out of what you already have, instead of buying something new to be used that one time.
But don’t forget, party or not, spread the word on Earth Hour as part of your contribution to our precious mother earth.
See you there!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
I love KL... but...
I’m proud to be a city dweller in KL. I’ve had the privilege of travelling to many places through my day job and college days, most of them to major metropolitans around the globe. I must admit I have the habit of comparing each and every thing I see in these cities to KL. Although from most aspects, nothing beats home, I have to say that KL still leaves a lot more to ask for. Hey, I’m not complaining. Its part and parcel of being a developing city, having starting a little later than the rest. To be fair, I’m proud of where we are today. I just want us to be better.
When travelling to other cities, I usually use the public transportation system within the city especially their buses and trains. Same goes for KL whenever I need to travel around the city, especially during rush hours. So here, I think I have some ideas that KL City Hall and I guess the federal Government should consider and implement onto our public transportation system to take our level up a notch.
Buses – 1Malaysia, 1 Bus System?
Although I’m currently not a bus user, there was a period of my life where I used the bus to move around. And to be fair, with our horrid traffic conditions, our bus system is pretty damn good. But to be at par with other developed international cities, I think we need to work on a few things.
First is definitely streamlining the bus system to be completely integrated with the city. And the only way to do this is to have ONE bus system. No more MetroBus, Selangor Bus (which use really old buses too) etc. We need to remove these different bus systems so that a completely integrated and streamlined bus system can be developed to ply the streets of KL and the surrounding suburbs. This way, a dynamic and wholesome bus route map can be developed and posted at each and every bus stop, so that users, both local and foreign, can easily move around the city. On top of that, since we have only one bus operator, the system can be easily maintained and further enhanced should it be needed.
Along those lines, our bus stands should also be upgraded to a more user friendly (and more importantly – provides more shade and seats) to further welcome users from every level of the society pyramid. Yes it’ll cost, but as this will also play a role in making KL more visitor-friendly, it’ll be beneficial in the long run.
Rail - Time for better connections
I like our rail transit system. However it’s far from sufficient for KL and I think it’s time for us to start working on it. The Ampang and KJ line is good for sure, but we need more links to areas like TTDI and Mutiara Damansara. How about adding another line through Subang Jaya and USJ? These are residential hotspots with major road congestions. Investing in another MRT/LRT system here will bring back money in no time as it will give a very viable option for KLites in suburban areas to get to downtown. There has been talk of connecting the newly vibrant SkyPark in the old Subang Airport via Komuter. Bravo! This is great news! But might as well connect more with this line! Go all the way USJ & Subang Jaya. Why not include Puchong as well? I really hope these plans are on the table. Even if they are too costly to implement now, we should start planning on how we can achieve this target when it does become affordable.
Midvalley. MID valley.
Almost everyone if not everyone has been to Midvalley. I personally love it because it’s a one-stop spot to get everything I need in a mall, especially since it’s so close to my apartment. But one thing almost everyone hates about this place is the parking. Though there are thousands available, they’re almost non-existent come weekends. Prepare to spend about an hour to find one on any given Saturday.
The funny thing is that MID Valley sits right in between to major rail lines; the KJ Line and the Komuter. But up until few years ago, non were connected to the mega mall. Sure, they finally built a bridge to connect the komuter station but it’s still quite a walk to get there. Since its an open air walkway, walking from the station to the mall at midday can get quite sweaty.
Even more amusing is the KJ line which runs about 500 meters away from the mall. Yet there is absolutely no walkway connecting them. Why don’t we build a walkway from the Abdullah Hukum station to Midvalley? The station is so close that I can see the people milling around the mall from there. But to walk there… phew.. you actually have to walk around Kampung Abdullah Hukum, cross the bridge and illegally cross the Midvalley ring road. Even then, it’s quite a walk to get to the mall entrance. I don’t know who overlooked the plans when all three monuments were built but c’mon, build that bridge! Just imagine how much road traffic and parking congestions that can be eased when these malls are accessible through the rail lines!
I have more ideas to help our public transportation system. If I were to write them all, it will take me all weekend. But I welcome more ideas here and together maybe, hopefully the City Hall or Federal Government will take note some day. This will make our city that much better, and more importantly, become more internationally friendly. I know that huge funds are required to make our public transportation system better. So I really hope that the relevant groups are starting to plan for it including how to get the funds. It’s time to make this city live up to everyone’s expectations. It’s time to put a stop on how the notion that everything is perfect down south but not up north on this Peninsula. We can do this.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
50 Gs!!
Yup. It’s that time of the year again. It’s not Christmas just yet, but Christmas might come early if you take part in Red FMs Forty Minute Fortune and walk away with your share of 50,000 bucks. Yessirreee. 50Gs is up for grabs.
Unfortunately for me, I won’t be able to win that moolah. Instead I can only wish and dream about it. So to make the pointless wish and dreams and thoughts actually worthwhile, I have decided to share with you 50 things I would do with RM50,000. Here it goes:
1. Obviously, I would clear off all my debt and outstanding bills.
2. Put a down-payment for a new apartment or house.
3. Investing in a new car is not very good as a car is a liability (can’t make money from it). Instead, I will repaint, overhaul and redo my current car including upgrading the cabin. This does not necessarily mean it is a better investment than buying a new car.
4. Open my own restaurant to make even MORE money. Help would be needed here.
5. Hire someone to be at my day job daily. He will just have to be there to attend meetings, take calls, get blasted by my boss etc and channel everything to me at the end of the day so that I can work on it at my leisure.
6. Enroll in a scuba diving course
7. Enroll in a smoking cessation course. This may be a prerequisite to Number 6.
8. After passing #6, spend a few days diving in Sipadan.
9. Buy my family a nice dinner and a nice gift for each.
10. Buy a new IPod. You should see the condition of the current one.
11. Donate to charities and funds etc.
12. Hire someone who can do this list better than I can. How on earth am I gonna get to 50.
13. Oh… buy a new BLACKBERRY!!!
14. Get myself to the next Kings of Leon concert, wherever that may be.
15. Get myself a whole new wardrobe and donate the current one.
16. Well, obviously throw a giant bash for winning 50Gs in the first place.
17. Open my own Starbucks so that I can have any amount of Dark Mocha Frappe that I want. I can also stay as long as I want without having these people give me the look for having a glass of water and using the net for half a day.
18. Get a new sound system with a 50 inch TV to boot.
19. Subscribe to B’yond.
20. Go to Maldives before it sinks.
21. Learn how to sail and hire a yacht to travel around the beautiful islands here in South East Asia.
22. Visit my college and watch a football game in the newly completed TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, USA.
23. Visit Egypt & Switzerland, for obvious reasons.
24. Visit Alaska before it melts.
25. Enroll myself in cooking school, so I can fall back on being a Chef when my 50Gs run out, and everyone I pissed off while spending it won’t give me my job back.
26. Get myself a personal trainer to work off the weight I will put on eating the results of #25.
27. Enroll myself in pilot school.
28. Oh Oh!! Buy World Cup Tickets in South Africa, if they haven’t sold out yet.
29. Buy a machine to travel through time to tell myself not to start this list. Or at least don’t go for 50.
30. Invest in the development of converting fart into energy. This is no joke. Can you imagine the amount of energy we can get?
31. Probably buy a Segway.
32. Get myself a Mac Book.
33. Enroll in a drums course.
34. Get Ke$ha to hold a concert here in KL.
35. Start a sugar cane and coconut farm near a calm beach somewhere around here.
36. Build a nice getaway house with kampong style décor on that farm.
37. Help Burger King start a Home Delivery service with a direct route to my apartment.
38. Get myself a Tag Heuer watch.
39. Order a computer generated image of me to show how I would look like in 10 years. I will then know what to work on to avoid looking like the photo.
40. Re-book that time travelling trip to slap myself before starting this 50 list.
41. Open a Chipotle or Burrito Loco in KL.
42. Design a tool to lock laptops to a random desk so you can go to the loo when in a starbucks/coffee bean. (eeeppp!!!)
43. Set up a group to burn down each and every pair of those kids shoes with the built in skates in them. I’m sorry they’re just annoying.
44. Go to Hawaii
45. Go to a Lady Gaga concert, wherever that may be.
46. Invest in something that can get me another 50Gs. At the rate I will be spending, I’m gonna need this.
47. If it is probable, donate towards finding the cure for cancer.
48. Buy a lazy boy.
49. Hire a masseuse for the perfect Thai massage on a weekly basis (clean)
50. Throw another huge part y for finishing this list!!!!!
So there you have it. It’s not easy to spend 50Gs. Or at least to come up with a list for it. But it’s much easier to win it on Red FM through our Forty Minute Fortune. So make sure you pay attention and listen carefully on the hour every hour!!!! Check out Red.FM
Time to look into those bills… sigh.
Unfortunately for me, I won’t be able to win that moolah. Instead I can only wish and dream about it. So to make the pointless wish and dreams and thoughts actually worthwhile, I have decided to share with you 50 things I would do with RM50,000. Here it goes:
1. Obviously, I would clear off all my debt and outstanding bills.
2. Put a down-payment for a new apartment or house.
3. Investing in a new car is not very good as a car is a liability (can’t make money from it). Instead, I will repaint, overhaul and redo my current car including upgrading the cabin. This does not necessarily mean it is a better investment than buying a new car.
4. Open my own restaurant to make even MORE money. Help would be needed here.
5. Hire someone to be at my day job daily. He will just have to be there to attend meetings, take calls, get blasted by my boss etc and channel everything to me at the end of the day so that I can work on it at my leisure.
6. Enroll in a scuba diving course
7. Enroll in a smoking cessation course. This may be a prerequisite to Number 6.
8. After passing #6, spend a few days diving in Sipadan.
9. Buy my family a nice dinner and a nice gift for each.
10. Buy a new IPod. You should see the condition of the current one.
11. Donate to charities and funds etc.
12. Hire someone who can do this list better than I can. How on earth am I gonna get to 50.
13. Oh… buy a new BLACKBERRY!!!
14. Get myself to the next Kings of Leon concert, wherever that may be.
15. Get myself a whole new wardrobe and donate the current one.
16. Well, obviously throw a giant bash for winning 50Gs in the first place.
17. Open my own Starbucks so that I can have any amount of Dark Mocha Frappe that I want. I can also stay as long as I want without having these people give me the look for having a glass of water and using the net for half a day.
18. Get a new sound system with a 50 inch TV to boot.
19. Subscribe to B’yond.
20. Go to Maldives before it sinks.
21. Learn how to sail and hire a yacht to travel around the beautiful islands here in South East Asia.
22. Visit my college and watch a football game in the newly completed TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, USA.
23. Visit Egypt & Switzerland, for obvious reasons.
24. Visit Alaska before it melts.
25. Enroll myself in cooking school, so I can fall back on being a Chef when my 50Gs run out, and everyone I pissed off while spending it won’t give me my job back.
26. Get myself a personal trainer to work off the weight I will put on eating the results of #25.
27. Enroll myself in pilot school.
28. Oh Oh!! Buy World Cup Tickets in South Africa, if they haven’t sold out yet.
29. Buy a machine to travel through time to tell myself not to start this list. Or at least don’t go for 50.
30. Invest in the development of converting fart into energy. This is no joke. Can you imagine the amount of energy we can get?
31. Probably buy a Segway.
32. Get myself a Mac Book.
33. Enroll in a drums course.
34. Get Ke$ha to hold a concert here in KL.
35. Start a sugar cane and coconut farm near a calm beach somewhere around here.
36. Build a nice getaway house with kampong style décor on that farm.
37. Help Burger King start a Home Delivery service with a direct route to my apartment.
38. Get myself a Tag Heuer watch.
39. Order a computer generated image of me to show how I would look like in 10 years. I will then know what to work on to avoid looking like the photo.
40. Re-book that time travelling trip to slap myself before starting this 50 list.
41. Open a Chipotle or Burrito Loco in KL.
42. Design a tool to lock laptops to a random desk so you can go to the loo when in a starbucks/coffee bean. (eeeppp!!!)
43. Set up a group to burn down each and every pair of those kids shoes with the built in skates in them. I’m sorry they’re just annoying.
44. Go to Hawaii
45. Go to a Lady Gaga concert, wherever that may be.
46. Invest in something that can get me another 50Gs. At the rate I will be spending, I’m gonna need this.
47. If it is probable, donate towards finding the cure for cancer.
48. Buy a lazy boy.
49. Hire a masseuse for the perfect Thai massage on a weekly basis (clean)
50. Throw another huge part y for finishing this list!!!!!
So there you have it. It’s not easy to spend 50Gs. Or at least to come up with a list for it. But it’s much easier to win it on Red FM through our Forty Minute Fortune. So make sure you pay attention and listen carefully on the hour every hour!!!! Check out Red.FM
Time to look into those bills… sigh.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Amazing Thailand
Sawadikapp!!! Yes I just came back from Amazing Thailand. Phuket to be exact. And yes, I am still on vacation from my day job (hah!). Unfortunately, my fantastic 2-week vacation is coming to an end.
This entry is not gonna be about Phuket. I’m still speechless on the beauty of that beach-haven (but serioiusly, I’m proud of Redang too… it’s slightly better) … and it’s gonna take a while before I can find all the right adjectives for it. So you’re gonna have to wait for that one.
I’m more interested in talking about Thailand as a whole and how far it has gone when it comes to tourism.
I’ve been to most of the major towns and tourist spots in Thailand, namely Bangkok, Haadyai, Songkhla, Chiang-mai, Koh Samui, Phuket, and the southern regions of Pattani and Narathiwat. So although I haven’t been to all the major cities in Thailand, I have been to most of them throughout my life.
The one thing I noticed about Thailand no matter which city I am in, is the value they put on each and every tourist that arrives in their country. They have a profound respect on how much a tourist can bring, and they will go out of their way to make sure that tourists feel welcomed and will experience a stay that they will never forget.
For example, Thailand has now a rule that the Airport Authority has enforced, whereby free local simcards are given out to each arriving passenger at the airport. Not only that, a guide will be standing there to explain how the Thai telecommunication system works, the charges that apply, and why they are giving away these simcards for free. That’s one thing I haven’t seen here in Malaysia (or any other country yet for that matter) since each Telco here is still pushing for their sales and trying their best to make profit out of each person they see, regardless if it’s a local or a tourist.
The Thais are also of a different level when it comes to service. They seem to put an extra amount of effort in whatever services they offer and I keep seeing that for whatever services both our countries offer, theirs is always slightly better and of higher quality. For example, I once took a taxi when in Bangkok and we were kinda lost in getting to my restaurant. Even though the driver couldn’t speak English, he actually took the initative to park the car, took out his map and actually went through the route with me in order to figure out how to get there. Whereas here in Malaysia, I was recently following a tweet string of a fellow KLite on how a taxi driver actually refused service to a tourist when he was asking for directions. The driver just waved him off and actually said “Ini KL la. Takde masa aku nak tunjuk jalan. Kalau bayar lain la” (This is KL. I don’t have time to give directions, unless there’s payment). Sad isn’t it? A compadre’ of mine told me that it’s because the service industry in Thailand survives and thrives on tips and gratuity. OK sure. But honestly, so do we… so why the difference?
The other thing I noticed about Thailand is the cleanliness of their country. Sure it’s not as insanely clean as it is in Singapore… and I’m not talking about metropolitan-like clean sidewalks and streets… even in the rural areas or a small town like Phuket, everything is clean and it looks like someone just swept the ground at any moment of the day. And believe it or not, that is actually the case! There’s always someone sweeping the grounds to make sure that everything looks good! And when I was in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Phuket, it was amazing to see the locals actually sweeping the public beaches to remove garbage, right at the break of dawn. Hence why their beaches actually have golden or white pure sand… that basically ends up in a breathtaking view every single time! They care... and continue to care… naturally… without any law enforcement or campaign… which is truly remarkable. Sadly, I don’t see that attitude among us here… except for a few… who sincerely want preserve and protect what we have.
I also believe that another reason behind Thailand’s success in the tourism industry is their pride in their heritage and tradition. They are not just proud of it, they FLAUNT it. They push it and they sell it like mad. And, unlike us, they don’t charge a premium for it. It’s just part and parcel of visiting Thailand. It’s almost as if one can’t get away from it as soon as you get there. Yet, they still manage to be internationally friendly to ensure that the tourism is sustained throughout. Let’s take their language for example. Thai language is almost the one and only language spoken there. There’s no English in their basic education system and communicating with a Thai is actually close to impossible without the assistance of sign language. But, they adapt… they ensure that each and every major sign are also written in English and those in the tourism industry (from guides all the way to the roadside peddlers) are able to speak English (though minimal) in order to communicate with the tourists. They go out of their way to get it done. And it’s only because, like I mentioned earlier, they value the tourists that much and they know how much their lives depended on them. I’m not saying we don’t. But we’re not as serious about it as they are.
There’re still many other factors leading to Thailand’s success in tourism, namely freedom from religious and traditional limitations and less strict laws for tourists. I’m not going to comment on that but it does have a profound effect on tourism.
The reason behind my strong salutations to our northern neighbors is only out of experience and nothing else. Each and every time I visit Thailand, I have nothing but good things to say about it. And it’s unfortunate when I compare it to the comments I receive from friends and colleagues who visit Malaysia. It seems that things are always better up north.
What’s amusing is that the numbers don’t show. According to Tourism Malaysia’s statistics, we had 20.9 million tourists in 2007 while Thailand had only over 14 million in the same year, according to their Tourism Authority (no solid data yet for 2008 and 2009). So the numbers don’t add up to what I’m saying I guess. But somehow, I see more tourists there than I do here, anywhere I go. Hmm… One wonders when it comes to statistics.
Photos from Phuket in the next entry! Already on FB!!
Won’t be around next weekend but will definitely see you guys in March. Don’t forget, you’re share of 50Gs is just waiting for you. Here’s a tip. Brush up on your song knowledge!!
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