Picture Book

Pindah Rumah...

2009-09-17T22:20:00.002+08:00

My mom thinks that I have a restless spirit. She says that if I'm not talking about traveling, I'm talking about looking for a new place to move to.

Well, looks like that restlessness has found its way into my virtual life.

This will be my last post on blogger. New blog at Any Other Business.

Of Happy Dogs and Happy People

2009-02-28T23:49:00.008+08:00

This is Kuro, my brother's little black mutt. I've grown quite attached to this dog. She's a happy dog. So full of energy that she doesn't walk or run, she either bounces or scurries. She doesn't get along very well with other dogs and her best friend is Sparta, the acrobatic cat. Yes, she's a little odd but she loves her humans wholeheartedly and trusts them completely. The perfect dog in all ways except one: she's rather dense.

I like smart dogs. The quality that endears me most to the German Shepherd breed is their ability and eagerness to learn. However, I have found that Kuro is nothing like a German Shepherd in the brains department. She's not interested in learning commands or in figuring out tricks but what she lacks in learning ability she makes up for in congeniality. The expression you see in the photo is the stock greeting all of us get when we approach her. One that practically yells, "You're here! You're here!" Sometimes she gets so excited when she sees us that she can hardly sit still.

It's made me wonder if perhaps the thing that makes her so lovable is the one that makes her inferior to smarter dogs. Maybe she's such a happy dog because she hasn't got much going on upstairs and therefore the highlight of her day is when we appear. Of course, this results in her being terribly boring, though good humoured, company. Aren't the human parallels here obvious? The most interesting people are also usually the grumpy, stand-offish ones. The most affable people, on the other hand, make for pleasant company but only if taken in small doses. There's the risk of the awkward silence that follows when the conversation runs dry after pleasantries, small talk and exchange of news is done.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this. It's just got me thinking about happy people and grumpy people. Would happy people (or happier people) be the ones who are unconcerned/indifferent about things outside of their immediate existence? Or maybe they're not unconcerned, but they've somehow come to terms with the way things are and have decided that they'd rather focus on happy things. Kind of like some sort of Zen Buddhist life philosophy. Imagine a world where everybody had that kind of mindset. John Lennon's "Imagine" paints a fairly good picture of what it could be like. Though, it also asks the question of who then would pursue change? How would we advance? Change happens because people are dissatisfied with the status quo. That's why people wage wars, start revolutions, invent things, push boundaries and all those other things that make us superior to other life forms. A lot of bad comes with the good but that makes the mechanics of change all the more important.

Scumbags Sent Home by Mommy

2009-01-07T10:49:00.011+08:00

Picture from snorgtees

Just read this in the news and had to post. Three guys posing as cops forced their way into a house in KL. After cleaning out the money and jewellery, one of the guys decided that material goods weren't enough.

When one of the men tried to force himself on her 28-year-old daughter, the enraged woman kicked and punched the men. Seeing her getting more violent and aggressive, the men fled.

- Mum Beats Up Three Bogus Cops, The Star Online, 7th Jan 08

LOL! Good for that lady! Taking money's one thing, but those idiots forgot that Momma Bear's gonna take care of her cubs.

On a more depressing note, however -

"... the men were seen speeding off in a Proton Wira Aeroback which had been reported missing in Johor."

The scumbags seem to be moving north. :S

Friday Morning, 3 A.M.

2008-12-19T03:45:00.005+08:00

There's a word to describe insomnia. Crushing. That's right, crushing. There's a weight in that darkness you see when you close your eyes as you try to fall asleep. The more frustrated you get that sleep is just out of your grasp, the heavier it becomes. I know that weight. I know it well. Do you? It's OK if you don't. Really, it is. Just don't pretend that you do. 'Cos I'm irritable when I can't sleep or haven't had enough sleep. And you pretending that you get it when you don't just makes me want to scream.

Don't tell me that lack of sleep shortens my life span. 'Cos all I care about when I can't sleep is actually getting some sleep and not what may or may not happen in the next 20 years to come. Don't tell me to go see a doctor. I have before. All I got was drugs that made me feel like someone other than myself the next day. Maybe I'm seeing the wrong doctors? Maybe so. But I don't particularly like them. So the thought of having to wade through a whole throng of them just to find one that'll help isn't particularly appealing. This especially when I'm irritable and half-witted from lack of sleep. Don't tell me what to do to help me sleep better. It doesn't matter if your aunt's cousin's co-worker tried it and it worked for him. I don't even care if it worked for [pick your favourite celebrity]. I refuse to listen to quacks. This even more so when I'm irritable. I might humour you if I'm in a good mood but that's rarely the case if I haven't been getting enough sleep. So please, please just keep your suggestions to yourself. It's most likely that if it's worth anything I've probably tried it before in the past 10 years of this plague. And don't, whatever else you may do, suggest counting sheep. This, I beg of you.

Above all, please don't tell me to go to bed. It just makes it worse. What do you think I've been doing if not tossing and turning IN bed? You mean well, but you just got me out of that semi-conscious state I've been in for the past hour and a half to read your text message. Now I'm fully awake and blogging. At least I still get some rest in a semi-conscious state. Now I'm getting none.

Right now, I need to be up and about in about 3 hours and have had a cumulative total of about 7.5 hours of sleep in the last 2 days. I yawned once 4 hours ago. I wish I would yawn again. The problem is, I'm feeling more awake now than I've been feeling all day. It's not that I'm not tired. I am. There's a weariness in me that's eating at my bones. I feel a strain in my neck and my eyelids feel heavy. I'm just not sleepy. Yes, they can be 2 different things. So do you understand yet? I like sleep. I enjoy it immensely. I like to think that insomniacs are the people who enjoy sleep the most. There's nothing I'd like to do now more than to bury my face in between my pillows and drift off to slumberland.I want to sleep but I can't. Sometimes I drift in and out of semi-consciousness but it's not sleep. It's even more frustrating than being fully awake. Please understand, I'm not trying to be mean and I don't like myself when I'm like this. But you being you when I'm like this makes me even worse. *Sigh.*

It's nice to know that you care. I'll probably appreciate it more once I come out of this bout of sleeplessness in a couple of days. But for now, thinking of you creates knots in my neck and increases the acidity levels in my stomach. I know I'm being unreasonable and I promise I'll be a better person once I get some sleep in a couple of days time. For today though, I'm struggling under a crushing weight. So just for today, please bear with me. Distract me with talk of inconsequential things. Preferably funny. Let me have my coffee and sugar-laden foods without lecturing me on what they do to me. I know what they do. They help me gather some of my wits about me during the day. They make me less crabby and feel less like I want to scream when you tell me that I should do something about the insomnia. Sorry for being self-indulgent. I promise to be better in a couple of days time.

I'll go back to tossing and turning now. See you in a few hours.

The Summer of Our Discontent

2008-11-09T23:15:00.004+08:00

Yes, it's in full swing.

Over the past few months, I've had the chance to sit down with a few friends who are about my age and started their first professional post-undergrad-studies job around the same time I did. The general feeling that seems to be weighing us down is this sense of discontentment. About, say, 4 years ago, most of us would have been raring to take on the world, excited at the prospect of job hunting and calling ourselves engineers, lawyers, accountants, marketing executives, etc. Fast forward to the present, these same people are sitting down at the end of the day asking themselves, "Is this it?" "It" being: go to work, get shafted by crafty colleagues, shit on by boss, stay late to file seemingly redundant paperwork, go home, eat dinner, watch a little TV, sleep and repeat from top. On top of this monotonous routine, there are bills to pay, loans to try not to default on, the current recession, the only-now-slowing inflation, the possibility of being given the axe at work, the rising unemployment rate (i.e., the how soon will I be able to find another job if I'm given the axe question) and most pressing of all, the question: "Will I go mad if I keep at this?"

I know what my father would say about all this. He'd say that that's adulthood. What's my point? I don't really have one. But if I did, I guess it would be... life sucks.

Talking about points, even as I'm typing this, I'm wondering if there's a point to blogging. I don't have anything profound to share with the world. I'm not particularly articulate with my thoughts. And I certainly have no interest in telling everyone what I did today. Does anyone even read this? And I'm surprised at myself. Why the sudden rant? It's almost beyond ranting, it's becoming whiny. Yikes...

The needle on the mood-o-meter entered the red zone a few hours ago. It's Sunday night and I'm dreading my weekday routine. Then again, maybe it's hormones. Maybe I should just delete this whole post, shut down my laptop and go to bed.

But I don't want to be that kind of person. The kind of person who just whinges about things and expects the world to provide an answer. So the problem then becomes, how do I NOT be that person? For all our higher education, my generation was never really taught how to grapple with big issues or really hard times. We were never forced to confront them, the way our grandparents' generation was with events like WWII. We take everything for granted. My parents' generation doesn't take industrialisation lightly. For them, this was what propelled the economy and created jobs. My generation thinks working in a factory (even at executive level) is for dweebs. Afterall, only bankers and consultants make big bucks, right?

ugh.. it's too late to be playing devil's advocate with myself. I think I really will shutdown and go to bed.. maybe I'll continue this another day. It's weird that after such a long hiatus from blogging the first thing to come out from me is a rant which I can't even finish... pathetic.

Pie, anyone?

2008-07-19T19:53:00.003+08:00

I love pie. Apple, blueberry, chicken, beef, mushroom, pumpkin... Haven't found one I didn't like yet. I usually keep a couple of those frozen pies in my freezer for days where my fridge is empty and I don't feel like going out. Today was one of those days. But a small chicken/beef pie hardly makes a meal so that's where my frozen veggies come in. A bit of EVOO, vinegar, oregano and pepper and voila! An excellent side to my pie. From freezer to table in 20 minutes. Now who said fast food is no good for you.

Motorola Kills the Future (from Evolving Excellence blog)

2008-05-25T13:50:00.002+08:00

Came across this interesting article on Evolving Excellence. Looks like "Seamless Mobility" is a concept that's lost on Greg Brown. No wonder Motorola's catch phrase is no longer "Intelligence Everywhere".

Exit Music

2008-04-26T00:58:00.010+08:00

Finally got my copy of Ian Rankin's Exit Music. Can't wait to start reading it. Am putting it off until I get some household chores done (I know I won't be doing anything else for at least a few hours once I start).

Apparently, this could be the last Rebus book, which is kinda sad since John Rebus is the kind of character that grows on you. But then again, one of the things that makes him so endearing is that fact that he grows. He's not a static character. He ages, has his ups and down and he learns from them. (Well, sort of. Johnny Rebus never really learns.) What I like most is his ability to admit his mistakes - albeit aided by the whiskey - and his ability to find humour in the oddest of situations. A friend of mine, also a fan of the Rebus series, once remarked, "... I just wish it wasn't so.... dark." But I kinda like this character's edge. It's what makes him real or at least as human as a fictional character can get. He's not a know-it-all like Sherlock Holmes or so ridiculously likable like Hercule Poirot or the brooding poet-detective Adam Dalgliesh. I mean, no offense to Baroness James but seriously, poet-detective? Real detectives listen to the Stones and drink single malts. And when the shit hits the fan, Rebus just deals with it. No whinny gripping, no "It wasn't my fault!!".

I got my copy at Times Bookstore. They're having a sale on Ian Rankin, Tami Hoag and a couple of other crime/mystery writers' books. 20% off on all titles published by these selected authors. They're also giving 20% off for all business/professional titles until 4th May. Check it out if you have the time.

Related post: Seen at the Zoo

I Covet

2008-04-20T14:18:00.007+08:00

My S80 is over 2 years old. My friend E recently bought a G9 and the picture of the sleek, black bundle of photography goodness has been stuck in my head ever since. I have no idea what it costs now, but E bought it for about SGD900 a couple of months ago.

But my S80still serves me pretty well.

Why I Love My S80

- it's small but it's built like a tank. About a year ago, I dropped it from a height of about 3 feet onto the steel base of a traffic light. It resulted in quite a big dent on the bottom left corner of my camera but it still works fine.

- it's feature packed but still user-friendly enough for my Luddite mom to use. I love my mom, but sometimes I really wonder where I got the geek gene from.

- for such a small camera, it has an excellent lens. No where near as sharp as my gold ringed Sigma or HSM Canon SLR lenses but good enough for me. Some of my best shots were taken with this camera.

- It's just the right size for my hands. I do wish it were a little slimmer, but most cameras of this quality are at least a little bit bigger than it.

- at 240gms, its light enough for me to chuck into my daypack and forget that I have it with me and also, almost 100gms lighter than the G9.

- at it's widest, it has a focal length of 28mm (35mm equivalent) with only mild vignetting at the 4 corners. Most digital point-and-shoot cameras start at 35mm.

Why I Want a G9 to Replace the S80

- it has a min. focusing distance of 1cm. I've always had a problem with the S80's macro function. It's almost like it doesn't have one.

- it has optical image stabilization. 'Nuff said.

- it has a hotshoe for an external flash. I doubt if I'll ever need to use it, but it is a nice feature.

- it's got a 3" LCD

- I've had a thing for Canon's G-series cameras ever since the G5 was launched about 5 or 6 years ago.

- it's so pretty :)

Yeah.. that's pretty much it. I don't NEED the extra 4MP's of resolution. I don't NEED the extra 2X of optical zoom (never use digital zoom) or the faster processing and other new fangled features of the DiGiC III chip. I just WANT them.

Waiting for the Storm

2008-03-26T21:54:00.003+08:00

Ever felt like you've been waiting for a storm that never comes?

A: I'm just gonna sit here and do nothing.
B: Why?
A: Because nothing works. So I'm gonna do nothing.
B: But you've got to do SOMETHING.
A: Why?
B: Because that's what people do. Stuff.
A: Like?
B: Anything. Something.
A: Well I've already tried a lot of things. So for now, I just want to do nothing.

Bravo to the Penang Malays!

2008-03-16T23:19:00.003+08:00

I knew more highly evolved Malays existed. And I'm so glad they come from my home state. I'm so proud to share a similar heritage with these broad-minded and progressive people.

BUTTERWORTH: The Penang Bumiputera Petty Traders Association is appealing to state Umno leaders to not politicise the state government’s intention to practise an open tender policy for contracts and projects.
Its chairman Alif Abdul Mutalib Kader, 64, said such a policy would benefit all races, including the Malays.
“Through an open tender policy, we believe there will be equal benefits for all businessmen to have a share in the state’s economy pie.
“The state Umno leaders should think twice before demonstrating in the streets. They should give the new state government a chance to be transparent and fair in its administration,” said Alif who came to The Star’s office in Prai on Sunday to air the association’s views.

- Bumiputra traders back open tender policy, The Star Online

I was so sure the Malays I grew up with had more dignity and pride than the childish louts who've been dominating the news. By speaking up, these people have demonstrated the desire of the Malays to see a great changes take place in our society and our government. To have a government that is transparent and accountable to the people. To see a true Bangsa Malaysia.

Sore Losers and Sour Grapes

2008-03-14T23:17:00.009+08:00

PENANG: The state Umno will “persuade” the Federal Government to scrap all the mega projects in the state in view of the people’s clear rejection of Barisan Nasional.
Since Penangites do not want development, the Federal Government should not force it on them, said state Umno liaison committee secretary Datuk Azhar Ibrahim...

- Call to Scrap Mega Projects, The Star Online (emphasis mine)

It is really time the UMNO leaders grew up. This display of petulant sulking just goes to further show that they have no business being leaders of any kind, much less running a state or country. Instead of cleaning up their act, they get rid of leaders who have more than half a brain and the guts to speak his mind. Instead of hearing what the rakyat is saying with this election result, they make threats and in the same breath... claim that they are not out to punish the rakyat for choosing as they wish. Who do they think they are talking to?? How short-sighted can they possibly get?? Do they even realise how silly they sound?? If this is the caliber of UMNO leaders, I cringe at the thought of all this incompetence wielding so much power at the national level. I cringe even more at the thought of the number of people who have willingly entrusted the future of the country into their hands. Yikes...

The Mentally Unstable Dog

2008-02-22T22:01:00.012+08:00

Been reading John Grogan's "Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog". It keeps reminding me of Max at home and making me homesick. Was reading chapter 18, Alfresco Dining, while on the commute home from work a couple of days ago. I could really relate to the part where Mr. Grogan talks about reading Barbara Woodhouse's "No Bad Dogs: The Woodhouse Way". There's this line that goes, "Although you may love a subnormal dog..." As I read it, I remember thinking, "How can you not love them??"

I've blogged about Max before. The good news is, he's still alive but not kicking so much. His hips are still a real bother to him. Sometimes you can see his hind legs shake as he gets into that semi-squat position to relieve himself and on really bad days he has a problem even dragging himself up the step into his dog house. Sometimes, when he tries to stand up after lying down for too long, his hind quarters give way while his rear is still half way between the floor and full standing height. When this first started to happen, it used to take him by surprise and his eyes would pop open and his head snap around to look behind him as if he's thinking, "Who tripped me??"

The only thing that's keeping this feces-eating (yes, it's true), garden-hose-chasing, perpetually hungry dog alive is his manic bone-headedness. Take for example, his obsession with the garden hose. He has always had a thing for it. Anytime we want to use it he has to be locked up in his dog house (actually it's more of a really large cage. Both my dogs can stretch out comfortably in it together and do so on a regular basis.) Seeing the water come spurting out of it drives him insane. He'll start jumping around the dog house (imagine a dog that thinks it's a kangaroo) barking his head off. And the barking isn't even his normal baritone bark. It's the half bark half yelp of "LET ME AT IT! LET ME AT IT!" When he does manage to get a hold of it, he gets this crazed look of determination in his eyes and absolutely refuses to let go. It's quite scary to come nose-to-nose in a tug-of-war with a German Shepherd with that look in his eyes. There's always that nagging feeling that he's going to chomp down on the hand that brushing his lips with every tug of his favorite item. No amount of smacking, yelling, tempting (I've gone as far as to smear dog food on his nose) or pleading (do this and he starts whining pathetically as if he's trying to bargain with you) will loosen his vice-like grip on the hose. The only success I've had with any type of food in the battle for the hose was to shove a glob of chili paste into his mouth. The shock of the spice caused him to drop the hose but that happened only once. He was ready for it the second time.

My mom, being the dignified lady that she is, never bothers fighting him for it. She just turns off the water and goes back into the house, leaving Max temporarily triumphant. The first one of us who gets home after that usually gets this greeting: "The dog's got the hose. Go deal with him." The privilege of being the matriarch. By this time, Max has already chewed off a 2-foot piece and is working his way towards making another 2-foot long section. So the quickest way to get what's left of the hose back from him is to trick him into taking the 2-foot piece by fake lunging at it then grabbing him around the chest to restrain him so that he can't get at the longer piece once he realizes he's got the wrong piece.

The only way to get him to drop the hose is to feed him dinner. And he only drops it just before his snout dives into his bowl of chow. Don't get me wrong. He is not distracted by food. I've tried dropping whole globs of dog food on the floor in front of him and smearing dog food on his nose. The only thing that distracts him from the hose is to have his dinner served, at the usual time, with his usual food, in his usual bowl and in his usual spot. It's as if he has a strict rule regarding dinner that supercedes all other obsessions. You've gotta give him props for discipline.

It's his indomitable spirit that keeps him going. It keeps getting him to force himself up from a sleeping position to go to the gate to inspect odd sounds, it keeps him in anticipation of next time the garden hose is going to be unwound and it keeps him getting up to go to his bowl to have his dinner. I wish I had his sense of purpose, never mind that the logic of his purpose is lost on the rest of the world. I wish I had his doggedness and maybe even some of his crazed determination.

If you've ever had a dog that was even just slightly off his rocker you'll really enjoy reading Mr. Grogan's book. It's funny, heartfelt, overflowing with compassion and very honest. If you're thinking of getting a dog, please read it. Seriously. It will give you an idea of what you're up against. Take note in particular of chapter 18, where Mr. Grogan describes his thoughts as he reads "No Bad Dogs" and discovers that his dog could have been a lot more of a handful than he already was.

Ideas Are Bulletproof

2007-12-22T18:47:00.000+08:00

Found this video by Chong Zhemin

(In case the embedded flash doesn't work go here)

Brilliant stuff. Very appropriate for the times.

If you haven't watched "V for Vendetta" yet, it's a great movie and definitely worth a watch. Here's another clip from the movie "Network" (un-embellished):

I am mad as hell
Uploaded by stangrof

Living in a Shoebox

2007-11-04T14:07:00.000+08:00

Was reading this discussion thread on facebook (WARNING: you need to have a sense of humour to read it!). I don't agree with everything, but all of it is really funny. I can relate to #99 in particular:

99. Because their houses are so small.
They open their front door to get home and they run the risk of
falling out of their kitchen window!

LOL! It's not just the flats that are tiny.. Seems like common Singaporean beds are smaller too. Normal Malaysian queen sized mattress: 5' x 6'. Singaporean queen size mattress: 4.5' x 5.5'. I find myself waking up some mornings with my head against the headboard. I wonder how taller people manage to get a good night's sleep.

Well Whad' Ya Know...

2007-10-07T22:42:00.000+08:00

What Kind of Drink Are You?
	You are a part Pint of Beer. You're happy with who you are. Sure, you may not be the 'sophisticated' and 'refined' type, but at least you're real. You don't let the little things get to you, and you have a good time no matter what life throws at you. Keep it up.
	You are a part Whiskey on the Rocks. You are tough and you know it. It takes a long time for people to get to know you but you wouldn't have it any other way. You don't care what people think, but sometimes that turns people off of you.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

2 of my favourite drinks :)

When All That I've Known Is Lost and Found

2007-10-07T21:58:00.006+08:00

February Song

Where has that old friend gone
Lost in a February song
Tell him it won't be long
Til he opens his eyes, opens his eyes
Where is that simple day
Before colors broke into shades
And how did I ever fade
Into this life, into this life

And I never want to let you down
Forgive me if I slip away
When all that I've known is lost and found
I promise you I, I'll come back to you one day

Morning is waking up
And sometimes it's more than just enough
When all that you need to love
Is in front of your eyes
It's in front of your eyes

And I never want to let you down
Forgive me if I slip away
Sometimes it's hard to find the ground
Cause I keep on falling as I try to get away
From this crazy world

And I never want to let you down
Forgive me if I slip away
When all that I've known is lost and found
I promise you I, I'll come back to you one day

Where has that old friend gone
Lost in a February song
Tell him it won't be long
Til he opens his eyes
Opens his eyes

(Josh Groban/Marius de Vries/John Ondrasik)

I (heart) Malaysia

2007-09-02T17:19:00.001+08:00

When I told one of my friends a few months ago that I would be moving to Singapore, he passed a comment that implied that I was somehow betraying my country. I think this is something commonly thought of of people who've decided to settle down in a country other than the one that they were brought up in (unless you're some sort of refugee).

For me, Malaysia will always be home. Being a fourth generation Malaysian, I am Malaysian first, Chinese second.

If anything, being away from home has given me an even greater appreciation for the childhood and life that I had in Malaysia. Be it growing up and later working in Penang or studying in the Klang Valley, I have so much to be thankful for. For friends I made from across the whole country, for being multilingual and multicultural, for being a part of the broad spectrum of the Chinese diaspora and for the unique heritage I have as a child of Penang. (Any true Penangite will tell you that there are certain character traits that will mark you as a true Penangite. By the way, it's prudence and not stinginess. It's being careful and not being skeptical, it's being self-sufficient and not being an individualist.)

For all that we have to be thankful for, for all the advancements in the past 50 years, there is still much room for improvement. If we really want to be a "masyarakat majmuk" and to have a true spirit of "muhibbah", cultural evolution should be allowed to take place in its own way. Too much is being done to protect individual race culture. Sadly, all this is being done out of fear.

Our heritage as an ex-British colony should be embraced instead of being swept under the carpet. It may be embarrassing to have a heritage of "ketuanan putih" but in the case of many Malay states, it was the Malay sultanate that invited the "ketuanan" by having them aid in resolving petty quarrels, selling their birth rights by asking outsiders to help solve family problems. And it can't be denied that the ground work for all the modern infrastructure was laid out by the British, however self-serving those initial acts of modernisation were. So instead of changing road names, build better roads and better infrastructure. Instead of blaming the British of harvesting our natural resources for a little more than nothing then, make sure the profits of this harvesting today go to the people who need them the most. Instead of blaming the Chinese of monopolising the economy, develop a business culture that will attract the interest of all people.

What do I hope for the future? I hope for a government that is accountable to the people. Enough of this cronyism and nepotism. I hope for law enforcement bodies that work for the good of the people and not thugs in uniforms. I hope for "muhibbah" and Malaysia for Malaysians. Surely it's time to be recognised as one people.

Happy belated birthday, Malaysia.

Museum or Propaganda Machine?

2007-08-19T15:42:00.000+08:00

Back by popular demand.

I actually received requests for more posts, which I found odd since I didn't think that people were even reading my blog. Anyway, I have been meaning to blog about this for weeks but just didn't have the time or the resources to do so (my room is supposed to have WiFi but my landlady is in breach of our contract concerning that item).
_____________________________________________________________________

Went to the national museum a few weeks back. Generally, I love museums but this one struck a wrong chord with me.

The first display/exhibit (if you can call it that) in the History Gallery is a circular room on the 3rd level with an A/V projection on the walls. The projection is a video montage of local scenes in Singapore with an audio commentary (via the audio companion and headphones) that begins (predictably), "Singapore..... City of possibilities.. ". From that room on the 2nd floor of the building, visitors will have to exit onto a curving footpath that leads down...........
to.............
the GROUND FLOOR! The next exhibit is a room similar to the 1st except that it isn't round. Didn't bother much with either of these rooms. I have a low "cheesy-ness" tolerance limit.

From there, the gallery starts to become interesting, focusing not only on Singapore but also on the history and culture of the surrounding islands. Then again, if they focused only on Singapore, I doubt if they would have enough stuff to fill a museum since they already seem stretched as it is (Ever seen bolts of modern fabric in a museum?). I particularly liked the section on WWII since this is a part of history that is shared with Malaysia and is therefore something that I can have an emotional connection with. The odd thing, though, is the way the colonization of Singapore by the British is presented very superficially without much mention of the whys and wherefores of Raffles' easy takeover of the island. The communist problem wasn't mentioned much either, considering that was such an interesting time in Singaporean history.

From there on, of course, the section on the merger with Malaysia and the subsequent separation (Lee Kuan Yew sobbing on TV footage presented too). There's a part of the museum where small LCD screens are mounted on grills, playing short documentaries about the HDB programme, the 1964 riots, etc. One film in particular, really caught my attention. It was an interview with an old Malay lady who'd moved to Singapore from Malacca while Singapore was still part of Malaysia. One of the questions asked was (paraphrased.. can't remember verbatim) "Do you think your life would have been significantly different if you hadn't moved to Singapore?" The answer was that if she hadn't moved she would have grown up to become an "orang jahil" (an ignoramus). I couldn't believe my ears when I heard it, so much so I stood in front of of the LCD waiting for a replay to see if I had heard it right. An IGNORAMUS!! Good grief... . Malaysia may not be the cosmopolitan hub that Singapore is, but at least it was built on the shoulders of Malaysians. Even Singapore's own S. Rajaratnam (ex-Deputy Prime Minister) is an ex-Victorian.

It was always my understanding that a museum's aim and purpose is to document, archive and present history in a way that is accessible and unbiased. And one would also expect that after 40 over years, these damn Singaporeans would have gotten over being kicked out of Malaysia. What's with all the air bases in Thailand, Indonesia and Philipines? Seriously, get a life! Haven't you people enough on your hands what with the dengue problem and an unemployment rate of 2.9%?

And to imply that all the people who were "left behind" in the separation grew up to be morons.... . I'll have you know that the oldest English school in South East Asia is Penang Free School in Malaysia and Universiti Malaya (formerly The Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School) is a good 14 years older than NUS (formerly Raffles College and a sister school of UM). Heck, my own grandfather quotes freakin' Shakespeare. Come to think of it, so do my father and my brother.

Furthermore, if their beloved MM was in the 60's so bent on Malaysia for Malaysians, why doesn't he feel the same way about Singapore and Singaporeans now? The Singaporeans I've talked to all feel marginalized by foreigners. Just this morning a PhD candidate from NUS mentioned to me that the graduate committee at her school is made up of mostly Chinese nationals and is turning into a mini China. So what exactly is Singapore? A place where Westerners and Australians wanting an "Asian" experience go to? A place where Chinese nationals who fail to get into their own Beijing and Tsing-Hua Universities come to? A place where Hong Kongers who are victims of their's home's 4.(something)% unemployment rate find jobs? The longer I'm here the more baffled I become.

Kinda obvious that I'm in a bad mood today, isn't it? Blame it on my crazy landlady. She is another person who's painting me a very bad picture of Singapore and Singaporeans. Some people are so poorly brought up that even at the age of 70 they don't understand common courtesy and simple manners. Maybe I'll blog about her another day. Enough ranting for a day.

Sick, Broke, Homeless and Loving It

2007-06-21T12:36:00.000+08:00

OK, so maybe I'm not quite homeless.. but I still don't consider my current lodgings to be home. Still looking for a place of my own.

This place does have a great view, though..

Not quite loving the runny nose.. at least my head's feeling like it's got a brain in there instead of a cloud now. So yes, it could be worse.

Broke... I can live with broke. It'll soon be back to the desk and stuffy office for me so a little bit of "broke" in exchange for a little bit of freedom is nice.

Humongous Giganticus

2007-05-16T12:23:00.000+08:00

Was listening to one of BBC World Service's documentary audio recordings. It was about infinity and its mathematical, cultural, religious and social significance (would put in a link to it but I can't find it on the website anymore). One of the commentators said something about a sudden moment realisation of infinity and its relative proportions that people will experience at some point in their lives. And how sometimes these moments inspire and sometimes they lead to despair.

Why despair? Isn't it more comforting to know that you're part of a bigger picture? That what you see around you isn't "it"? That there's more out there? I think it's cool :)

Home

2007-05-14T17:03:00.000+08:00

My mum was telling me about a conversation she had with a Greek lady. This Greek lady was born and bred in Greece but migrated to the States in adulthood and is an American citizen. The lady told my mum that she was going home in a couple of weeks and my mum asked her, "Where's home?"
And she replied, "Good question."

I've heard it said that home is where the heart is. But what if your heart wanders?

Symmetry

2007-04-20T17:54:00.000+08:00

Reciprocal? Rotational, translational, helical, rotoreflection, glide reflection?

I've heard of verbal diarrhoea.. but mathematical diarrhoea? Or should it be constipation?

How Far Can Anyone Get?

2007-03-31T15:01:00.000+08:00

Some people feel the need to escape their surroundings. Could it be that they're trying to escape themselves? What is it about humans that seems to produce these feelings of self-loathing or self-fear?

Most negative feelings, e.g., guilt, inferiority, envy, etc. are largely felt by humans alone. Dogs don't feel guilt. At least not the way humans do. I've seen dogs acting remorseful for short periods of time, but never with the long, drawn out pangs that people suffer from. My dogs get jealous of each other sometimes but never to the point of envy. Never with malice. They remain, always, best of friends.

And then, there's the running. The need for escape, to metamorphize into something else. Where does that come from? I wonder how many people are willing to entertain the thought that there could be something inherently wrong with the human race. And perhaps... maybe.. this is something that can't be fixed.

Decision making tools: Induction, deduction, crystal balls and tarot cards

2007-03-04T16:26:00.000+08:00

The basic rules of decision making are:

1. list your options
2. weigh them against each other
3. pick one

But what happens if all the options are in conflict with each other? What if all the options cancel each other out during the weighing process?

There are those that look to mysticism for guidance, like how Taoists will consult fortune tellers for auspicious dates to marry on or compare birth dates of people planning to get married. So what happens if your fortune teller predicts that you will never marry and will eventually die some sort of slow terrible death? Do you submit to the prediction and resign yourself to a miserable and pathetic existence? Or do you thumb your nose in the face of so-called fate and soldier on, hoping for the best?

What if all choices lead, eventually, to the same conclusion? What then?

This is the Life - Annie Dillard

2007-02-26T13:22:00.000+08:00

People look at the sky and at the other animals. They make beautiful objects, beautiful sounds, beautiful motions of their bodies beating drums in lines. They pray; they toss people in peat bogs; they help the sick and injured; they pierce their lips, their noses, ears; they make the same mistakes despite religion, written language, philosophy, and science; they build, they kill, they preserve, they count and figure, they boil the pot, they keep the embers alive; they tell their stories and gird themselves.

Will knowledge you experience directly make you a Buddhist? Must you forfeit excitement per se? To what end?

Say you have seen something. You have seen an ordinary bit of what is real, the infinite fabric of time that eternity shoots through, and time's soft-skinned people working and dying under slowly shifting stars. Then what?

-- Annie Dillard, This is the Life
Image, spring 2002 (9/11 issue)

Perspective

2007-02-23T17:11:00.000+08:00

Changing your perpective doesn't change the essence of the object in view. You just see another side of it and learn more. Life isn't 2-dimensional but it sure looks that way if you don't shift your frame of reference from time to time.

Happy trails, Babe..

2007-02-22T10:28:00.000+08:00

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. May your rivers flow without end, meandering through pastoral valleys tinkling with bells, past temples and castles and poets towers into a dark primeval forest where tigers belch and monkeys howl, through miasmal and mysterious swamps and down into a desert of red rock, blue mesas, domes and pinnacles and grottos of endless stone, and down again into a deep vast ancient unknown chasm where bars of sunlight blaze on profiled cliffs, where deer walk across the white sand beaches, where storms come and go as lightning clangs upon the high crags, where something strange and more beautiful and more full of wonder than your deepest dreams waits for you --- beyond that next turning of the canyon walls."

- Edward Abbey

De-evolution of Man

2007-02-06T13:55:00.000+08:00

No photos today. Have been catching up on my reading and just had to post a rant.
________________________

I really have no idea why, but one phrase that's constantly being thrown about my office is: Being gay is not a sin. We haven't any homosexuals working among us (or at least none that we know of) and yet I keep hearing that phrase. I'm not going to start spouting Bible verses since most people don't believe in the Bible anyway, but one thing really needs to be said: There is nothing wrong with having a conscience and a certain set of beliefs. Now THAT is a basic human right.

Most people believe that saying homosexuality is a sin is wrong. Most of these people believe that gays are "born that way" and that science proves it. These people have never bothered to look up the facts of the issue themselves but will willinging believe anything the media tells them. Here're some people who did do their homework before making claims of knowledge.

Others believe that sans the religious and cultural arguments, theres is absolutely nothing wrong with being gay. I.e., it won't kill you. Maybe not directly, but there is a corelation between being gay and higher risks of contracting STD's (Stolte, G., Dukers, H.T.M., de Wit, J.B.F., Fennema, H., & Coutinho, R.A. (2002).).

Others still believe that all this aside, surely there is some allowance for people to do as they please in the privacy of their own homes. Sure. This just makes everything peachy. Except that people who don't condone homosexual behaviour are expected to embrace it with open arms. So much for freedom.

Where is all this leading to? It's leading to this. So much for civilisation.

The question at hand is values. What are your values and what are they based on? Saying you believe in humanity isn't good enough because humanity can't save itself. If anything, humans are self-destructive. If your values find no solid ground on which to stand, then they will surely fall. Think about it. What is the foundation for your values and how strong a foundation is it? Afterall, aren't our values our defining characteristic?

Hidden Places: Undiscovered Penang

2007-02-02T14:38:00.000+08:00

When my relatives from overseas come to Penang (calling Penang home would be stretching it for most of them even though some of them were born here), one of the first things they do is head for the local coffee shops and food courts to indulge in the local fare. My first meal when I got back from a month in the States was a big bowl of my favourite Perak Road gu bak kwei teow. That's how irresistable Penang hawker fare is.

A friend of mine came back home from a 2 year stay in Newcastle, UK a few months back and, as is the custom, we met up to chat. So when I picked her up at her home, I asked her where she'd like to go to and if there was anything that she missed and would like to indulge in. The reply..

"Anything but hawker food."
"Wha.." (Too dumbfounded to finish my sentence.)
"C'mon Ling.. I lived in UK for 2 years. I'm not used to that sort of food anymore."

It seems to me that quite a few urban middle class Penangites seem to "see no up" our local culture and society. A lot of us were brought up with English table etiquette (I'm not using the word "western" because from what I've noticed, the Americans and the English don't have the same dining practices) and speak English at home (and thus western culture becomes glorified even in our homes). The only non-domesticated animals we've seen are in the zoo and if we meet anyone from a less developed area, e.g. Temerloh, Pahang, the usual reaction is:

"Oh.. from Pahang." Inaudibly: "Kampung boy, lar.."

It's not a matter of small pride for us to say, "I'm from Penang." When my KL friends start belittling my little island I remind them that when KL was still just a muddy little mining village, Penang was already a centre of trade and commerce in the early 1900's. To most urban Penangites, Georgetown says it all. Built from ground up by the British who established a culture of Anglo-worship, most of this culture still remaining today. In another conversation with another friend, I asked:

"Does it bother you... that a lot of us from ____ are.. kind of... um.. Anglo-fied?"
"No."
"You don't think we're..."
"No, we ARE Anglo-fied.. It just doesn't bother me."

So we go about our daily lives thinking how developed we are, then to my surprise, I discovered a "kampung" just 7 minutes drive from my very middle class home.

And so I discovered that there're still places on this island that have lived on seemingly oblivious to the hustle and bustle of development taking place just a stone's throw away. They've not remained untouched by "progress", though. If it hadn't been for development taking place just a couple of blocks away from this village, I would never have known that this place existed. Still, going there is like entering a time warp where time has been standing still for 60 years.

It's a Malay fishing village just on the southwest tip of the island. Little plywood and zink homes dot the waterfront. Families sharing a cookout and children running around barefoot. Fishing boats parked at the water's edge after a day out at sea.

Fishermen mending nets while watching the sunset. Uncomplicated, simple lives. No rat race to run, no coporate ladders to climb, no promotions or bonuses to fight for. This is Penang too. A Penang most of us have either forgotten or chosen to ignore.

The sun went down on Teluk Kumbar....

And I had to go home to my very middle class, very urban terrace house, leaving behind the peaceful village and the barnacles on the posts of the pier.

Seen at the Zoo

2007-01-30T13:05:00.000+08:00

Rebus imagined a role reversal - cages filled with children, peered at by - passing animals as they capered and squealed, loving the attention. Except the animals wouldn't share a human's curiosity. They would be unmoved by any display of agility or tenderness, would fail to comprehend that some game was being played, or that someone had skinned a knee. Animals would not build zoos, would have no need of them. Rebus was wondering why humans needed them.

- Ian Rankin, Dead Souls

View from the driver's seat

2007-01-28T17:37:00.000+08:00

This is what traffic in Penang is going to be like come the 1st...

Me? I'm getting out of here before the Thaipusam hoardes arrive. Goodbye, cruel traffiiiiiicccc!!!!!!!

I Had a Conversation Today...

2007-01-24T22:04:00.000+08:00

I talk to my dogs a lot. This is Sam, a rough collie who is inexplicably perpetually happy. I was talking to him today while giving him a good scratch behind the ears. Talking about life and how, in his case, the term "a dog's life" really isn't all that bad. 2 square meals a day, shelter, space to run about, cats to bark at, birds to tease, the occasional bacon treat... Makes me think, maybe being the superior species isn't all it's cut out to be...

Fluffy

2007-01-18T16:15:00.000+08:00

This is Fluffy. He was one of my brother's patients and had a skin problem. My brother brought him home to board with us for a while during his treatment period and when he first came, he had so little fur he looked ridiculous.

This photo was taken a few days before he was sent home with a clean bill of health.

I miss this little bundle of fur. I call him Beans because that's what he's full of. BEANS! If I got home from work early I'd let him out of his cage to have a run and he would tear around the front porch like he was on fire.

Never been quite fond of little dogs, but this one made me feel like getting one for myself :D

Hancock Observatory, Adler Planetarium and more scenes from downtown

2007-01-05T19:39:00.006+08:00

Finally, a clear day in Chicago..

This was Christmas Sunday and I was drawn to this building by organ music. This is the First United Methodist Church's spire. That's the main entrance below:

And just around the corner from here, Christkindlmarket on Washington and Dearborn. They had a pretty big Christmas tree..

and a street muscian entertaining the crowd..

There were quite a few street musicians scattered around town plying their trade. Out in all weathers, even when the wind was blowing so hard, you either floated down streets or had to struggle against it.

All this was actually on my way to the Art Institute. From there, I headed out to the Hancock Observatory on the free trolley. Got there about an hour before sunset..

There's this cool looking church just across the road from the tower. It looks a little out of place among the skyscrapers..

Chicago cityscape viewed from the west window while facing southwest...

I wasn't the only person waiting for the sun to set :D

And then finally..

Later still....

Went downtown again a few days later to go to the planetarium. It's a nice place and quite interesting. The sky theater's the coolest part of the planetarium. Only second to that though, is the great view from the top of the steps leading up to the entrance..

The planetarium itself has some pretty cool architecture too..

Note the moon at the top of the photo :)

And then another stroll downtown..

This is a shot of the Monroe St bridge seen from Adams St.

State St. from the traffic light across from Macy's.

Shedd Aquarium and Field Museum

2007-01-02T13:04:00.000+08:00

Only spent about an hour at each of these places. The Field Museum was a bit of a disappointment and I'm not that into fish.

The best thing about the Field Museum is its architecture...

OK, the T-rex skeleton's pretty cool too. It just didn't seem to fit into any real part of the museum.

The aquarium was surprisingly small but very well laid out and well maintained.

I was just in time to watch the beluga whales being fed..

This one's a bit of a show off. It kept coming up to the surface to turn pirouettes and blow air out of its blowhole..

Like I said, I'm not much into fish.. but I thought this was cute...

The back of the aquarium viewed from the lawn in front of Adler Planetarium at dusk

Art Institute of Chicago

2007-01-02T12:10:00.005+08:00

I love this place. Spent so much time on the European masters alone that I had to rush through the other mediums and regions.

A guide explaining Seurat's Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.

Outside, there were people picketing against George Bush.

Suzanne Loebl on the AIC:
"A well-rounded, encyclopedic museum renowned for its French Impressionists and Old Masters. Also glass paper weights, Chagall windows, Thorne miniature rooms, Sullivan's Chicago Stock Exchange."

The Art Institute of Chicago

Millenium Park and a Night Time Stroll Downtown

2006-12-26T04:58:00.001+08:00

Day Time Stroll in Downtown Chicago

2006-12-24T12:58:00.000+08:00

Walking from Ogilvie Metra Stration on Madison and Canal to Washington CTA rail station...

Saw a few navy guys at Ogilvie. They have ear muffs that match their uniforms :)

Lots of shiny glass panelled buildings...

... right next to victorian era looking buildings. This is the nicer part of town though. Was a bit too chicken to take out my camera in the shadier areas of town except for this shot of the underside of the rail tracks across from Garfield Station:

Not that shady a view.. but the view to the left of this had a lot of litter and shady looking characters walking out of a liquor store. I think I'm becoming too paranoid. :S

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - Longfellow/Sargent

2006-12-23T03:29:00.000+08:00

I'm not big on Christmas but I thought this was nice.

Day Trip Downtown - MS&I

2006-12-19T11:13:00.000+08:00

Spent Saturday in Chicago in with a - relatively new - friend. First Stop: the Museum of Science & Industry at Hyde Park.

One of their featured exhibits on display now is the Christmas Around the World exhibit. The exhibit consists of over 50 Christmas trees decorated with cultural themes from around the world. The main attraction of the exhibit, however, is the grand tree:

The exhibit includes live performances by various cultural groups and we managed to catch part of the performance by Classic Act Choral Ensemble.

The museum is geared more towards children but is interesting for adults as well. One of the exhibits on the main floor is "The Great Train Story", featuring a 3500 square foot layout mode railroad, complete with replicas of downtown Chicago and Seattle.

For an idea of how big the model buildings are, compare the tall black building (Sears Tower) with the man in the black jacket. The model of Seattle's Space needle was approximately 3-4 feet tall.

The exhibit also includes a replica of a control cabin of an old locomotive engine.

This exhibit was my favourite exhibit in the entire museum. The attention to detail in the replicas was unparalleled.

There was also an section on robots that had a replica of one of the Sentinels from "The Matrix" movies.

Outside the museum...

GEESE!!!! (or ducks.. I can't tell) Their droppings were scattered all over the pathways too. And behind the museum...

These, I know, are ducks.

While walking round to the back, we also found this ancient looking fire bell. Must be from a time before telephones.

Next installment: Millennium Park and a stroll downtown...

Sunset over Mot: 4.50pm

2006-12-19T09:51:00.000+08:00

Sunset today seen from Motorola's facility in Schaumburg

Sunrise Yesterday: 6.30am

2006-12-10T00:43:00.000+08:00

Sunset Today: 4:00pm

2006-12-04T22:41:00.000+08:00

Viewed from McConnor Parkway, Schaumburg, IL.

Max: German Shepherd, owner of big white fangs

2006-11-21T18:19:00.001+08:00

This is Max. The love of his life is the garden hose, but I think I come in a close second. A lot of my friends think he looks scary but he's very sweet and his fur's really soft for a GSD(cue Bon Jovi's Misunderstood).

Also, Max is sick (segue to Matchbox 20's Unwell) and the vet hasn't quite figured out what's wrong. That's always a bad sign so I thought I'd immortalise him on the net while I can.

Related post: The Mentally Unstable Dog

Bald Tree

2006-11-16T18:55:00.000+08:00

Found this tree at a rest stop off the BKE (Butterworth-Kulim Expressway). Who says you need winter for bald trees?

I like driving. There's always lots to see. Like this tree. Work keeps me indoors a lot, which probably explains my weird facination for trees. I so need to get out more.

Singapore Visitors' Centre

2006-11-09T11:50:00.000+08:00

Singapore must think its visitors are blind. Either that or it couldn't find anything appropriate to adorn the facade of this (rather small) building. I couldn't find this marked on my "visitors" map so I'm thinking... it must be the latter. "Uniquely Singapore". No kidding.

Is it just me or is the wall missing an apostrophe?

Friends

2006-11-08T18:12:00.000+08:00

It's nice to have at least one friend in this big big world.

Prison

2006-11-06T18:26:00.000+08:00

Ever felt like you're trapped even though there's nothing physically restraining you?

Monochromatic Kaleidoscope 2

2006-11-03T17:57:00.000+08:00

A tree just outside my backyard lit by a street lamp.

Chaos City

2006-11-02T15:44:00.000+08:00

A busy intersection at Middle Road in Singapore. Photo taken a couple of weeks back.

Singapore Biennale - Tanglin Camp

2006-10-30T15:59:00.000+08:00

Tanglin Camp

Would you have thought that this is Singapore if I hadn't told you?

Vandalism or art? This whole room was painted this way, including the floor.

I really like this exhibit. Titled "Directions", the artist had coordinates, times and dates painted on planks of wood which he set a drift at sea. The photo was taken in a mock up that simulates what these planks might look like at night. The mock up is in blue but I converted the photo to B&W.

Tanglin Camp consists of a few huts and bungalows scattered across a huge compound. Some of these are on stilts. For this particular exhibit, what you see in the photo was laid out on the floor of one of the buildings on stilts, with a hole bored through the floor. Had to go under the hut and stick my head (and camera) up through the hole to view this. Pretty cool, eh? The black thing with whiskers down the other end is suppose to be a seal's head. Talk about a change of scenery.

On the whole, I really enjoyed viewing the exhibits. Just not sure how many of the pieces really tied in to the theme. Pretty cool all the same.

Singapore Biennale

2006-10-29T15:36:00.000+08:00

Managed to visit a couple of exhibition sites of the inaugural Singapore Biennale while I was in town recently. Only had time to check out the displays at City Hall, SMU, the National Museum, SAM and Tanglin Camp. Some photos of the exhibition:

The National Museum at night.

Was staying within walking distance of the museum so I managed to get a shot of it after dark. Taken from across the road at SMU. Gave the bushes in the foreground a small pop of flash for clarity :)

There weren't a lot of pieces on display here and photography was allowed for only one exhibit.

Only one piece at SMU, titled "paper house". I had a hard time finding it until one of the exhibition volunteers hopped in front of me with her arms wide open and yelled, "This is it! Welcome!" Me: *blink* "This?" Turns out that the paper house I was looking for had more plastic (recycled, the volunteer assured me) and metal (apparently recycled too) than paper. And the paper was in the form of huge paper cores (yup.. the kind you buy your cellophane tape rolled around). It looks pretty at night though :).

Went back at night to get this shot of the "Paper House".

Next stop, City Hall.

Was supposed to join the guided tour but the tour guide didn't show up. The organisers got one of the volunteers to guide me through instead, which was very nice of them :). Quite a few interesting pieces there. I particularly liked the room with the charcoal mural, the court room scene about South Africa's judicial system and Donna Ong's (the only artist's name I remember) "Hidden Spaces".

Next installment: Tanglin Camp

Everything I Have Ever Wanted

2006-10-14T12:21:00.000+08:00

Found this sarcastic cartoon on Gizmodo and followed the links to Dave Walker's site.

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

hehehe..

Signs

2006-10-12T20:52:00.000+08:00

Sometimes the signs are so obvious.. but they don't necessarily register upstairs.

Monochromatic Kaleidoscope

2006-10-09T09:51:00.000+08:00

Ostriches -> dangerous animal classification in Australia

2006-10-04T20:40:00.000+08:00

Was thinking about a photo my brother has of himself astride an ostrich. They're curious animals, aren't they? I looked up the Wikipedia entry for them and the last line of the description read, "Their legs are powerful enough to eviscerate large animals." Yikes..

Picture details
- Langkawi Bird Park Jul '06

A Longing for Childhood

2006-10-01T12:37:00.000+08:00

When we are children, we dream of adulthood. When we finally get there and the world forces its burden on our shoulders, childhood becomes that mummified dream we wish we could return to.

Travelogue: Haadyai

2006-09-26T19:32:00.000+08:00

Terrorist bombs in the south, a peaceful military coup in the centre and bird flu in the north. All within a span of one and half weeks. All eyes are now on Thailand as they transition into a new government. While the world focuses on Bangkok, local tour operators are canceling trips to Haadyai (or Hat Yai), which has become a ghost town.

View of Haadyai from a hotel room in Lee Garden Hotel

Hopefully, this new government can do something about the unrest in Southern Thailand since Haadyai thrives on its tourist industry. Shopping's a real treat there as everything's so cheap and everyone's so eager to sell. The night markets are great and remind me of places like Chi Chung Kai in KL and Lui Yan/Lam Yan Kai in Hong Kong minus the rude hawkers. Of course, imitation goods abound, but what else can one expect at those prices? Chiplak's aside, the normal original brand goods at the supermarkets are also cheaper than what we'd find locally and some supermarkets, like Central, even carry brands that are a little hard to find locally.

The market area in Haadyai is another must-visit place for most visiting M'sians. Zebra brand stainless steel pots, rattan furniture, leather goods, preserved & fresh fruits (ever tried preserved kiwi?) and CASHEWNUTS!! All kinds!! Raw, roasted, coated in syrup and sesame seeds, baked into candy bars....

Cashewnuts in a Haadyai market

Getting around is easy with toot-toot's. From the front they look like vans but from the mid-section to the end, it looks more like a pick up truck. It costs about 10 baht per person for a 10 minute drive. They're a fun ride and really cheap but be sure to haggle with the drivers. They know how to take advantage of unsuspecting tourists.

Toot-toot's at the market

The low costs of things and friendly people have created many a frequent visitor to Haadyai. Besides shopping and food, some people like going for traditional Thai massages or visit just for a change of scenery. For many Penangites, Haadyai's a fun weekend get-away that's just a few hours drive north. Hopefully the fun will resume soon.

Of Cameras and Art

2006-09-22T17:51:00.000+08:00

Just read a brilliant article by Alain Briot on The Luminous Landscape. Briot's article is a response to some very common responses to good photography and the general public's views on photography as an art (or not).

Reminds me of when I got my first SLR. Everyone thought that I would take beautiful photos just because I was using "one of those cameras where you can take the lens off wan". Imagine their disappointment when most of them weren't very different from what they would normally capture with a cheap point-and-shoot.

Now that my skills have improved a little bit, the typical response to some of my better photos is, "Wah.. That's the difference a professional* camera makes." Yeah.. and I bet the poor, impoverished Van Gogh bought brushes worth thousands to paint his masterpieces.

*Disclaimer: I have never made any claims as to having a professional camera. This is just a common statement made by people around me. I personally think that my camera is a piece of crap, but a it's piece of crap that I love :D

BBC News: Photographer of the Year 2006

2006-09-20T19:28:00.000+08:00

BBC News' Photographer of the Year voting is open. Voting closes on 22nd Sept so vote soon!!!

The I-Wish-I-were-a-Model-but-I'm-Just-a-Lowly-Engineer Collection

2006-09-19T21:14:00.000+08:00

- Models courtesy of APCO ME (except for the bald guy)
- Langkawi 2005
- Canon S80

Rainy Days

2006-09-18T12:44:00.000+08:00

Rainy season these days. Wonder how long it'll last. I generally like rain but going to work on a rainy day's a real drag.

Picture details
- Taken while waiting for my brother at the jetty. Darned ferries are always late.
- Canon S80
- levels tweaked in Picasa

R. M. Rilke on Solitude

2006-09-17T18:49:00.000+08:00

"...there is only one solitude, and it is vast, heavy, difficult to bear, and almost everyone has hours when he would gladly exchange it for any kind of sociability, however trivial or cheap, for the tiniest outward agreement with the first person who comes along, the most unworthy. . . . But perhaps these are the very hours during which solitude grows; for its growing is painful as the growing of boys and sad as the beginning of spring. But that must not confuse you. What is necessary, after all, is only this: solitude, vast inner solitude."
-- R. M. Rilke, Letter 6 of Letters to a Young Poet

Letters to a Young Poet on "Go into Yourself"

Empty Chairs

2006-09-11T16:14:00.000+08:00

Sometimes the best part of the show is after the curtain falls.

Of Blue Skies

2006-09-06T21:00:00.000+08:00

I want to be where I can see miles and miles of blue skies.
I want to be where automobile fumes won't.
Where the breeze isn't blocked by big concrete buildings.
Someone take me there?

Little Monsters

2006-09-05T20:47:00.000+08:00

It's ok to be scared of little things.
As long as there's someone else there to get between you and it.

MSN IM Personal Messages

2006-09-04T18:44:00.000+08:00

Seems like a lot of the personal messages on my MSN contacts list are pretty depressing lately.

P: A restless stranger in this game of life...
B: I am confused.. Please give me some directions..
N: The day my roses died, I mourn... (the rest of this message is even more depressing).

Makes me wonder why people wear their hearts on their sleeves like that. The odd thing is, when they're asked what's up/wrong, the answers are usually evasive. Hmm.....

Picture details:
- Max (German Shepherd) trying to escape from the sun (mid '05)
- Canon EOS 33 & Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 EX on Kodak Max Versatality 400
- Negs scanned at local photo shop; colour temp and contrast tweaked using Picasa

Curiosity

2006-09-04T10:39:00.000+08:00

I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity.
-- Eleanor Roosevelt

Rough collie puppies up for adoption!!!
4 puppies now about 1+ weeks old. Should be ready to follow new owners home in about 8 weeks. Puppies are now in BM. Beep me for details.

Movie Review -- Half Light

2006-09-01T11:30:00.000+08:00

The good: The tech crew were brilliant at making Demi Moore look incredibly well preserved. She's even more well preserved here than in Charlie's Angels 2.

The bad: Slow, predictable, too many loopholes, not that scary, etc. .....

In a nutshell: Total and absolute crap. Save your RM9 and wait to watch it on Astro (if you actually want to watch it)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This movie was just released in M'sian theaters yesterday even though it was released to video in the States in January. Why are M'sian cinemas even showing movies that were released to video??

Anyway, the movie started out pretty well until the husband walks in (about 5 mins into the movie). From there on, everything gets very predictable right up to the last 20mins.

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

Patrick aka Angus goes back to the island to retrieve the film canister he popped out of Rachel's camera. While there, he notices lights blinking in the lighthouse so he goes in to check it out. Here, it's filmed in a way that leads the viewer to believe that he encounters the real Anguses ghost and the ghost kills him (supposedly). A few scenes later, someone who looks like Patrick appears to Robert and kills him. What follows is very confusing as this person gives Rachel the mother of pearl shell (from their "romantic" walk) and then kills himself ala Angus.

*** SPOILER END ***

At the end of the movie, the viewer is left with more questions than answers. The questions are more silly than intriguing. So, watch this only if you are extremely bored or have a thing for cheap thrills.

Let's Go

2006-08-30T18:00:00.000+08:00

We keep building for a better future.

Infrastructure. Constuction. Build, build, build..

Keep up the pace. Don't stop moving.

W h e r e a r e w e g o i n g ?

Can we stop to smell the flowers?

Sit back and relax?

Park it. Get out of the rain. Ask for directions.

=D

2006-08-30T11:27:00.000+08:00

It's a rainy day.
I like rainy days. They make me happy =D

And tomorrow's a public holiday!



Picture details:
- Taken in Nov '03 in an Orand Asli village in Temerloh
- Canon EOS 300 Fuji ISO 400 film ( can't remember what type exactly)
- Negs scanned at a local shop; converted to B&W and levels tweaked in Photoshop

B O R E D O M

2006-08-29T18:01:00.000+08:00

This blog is the result of boredom. It's a slow day at work, so I thought, "Hmm.. What the heck.."

"Take rest; a field that has rested gives a beautiful crop."
-- Ovid