life-trek

Peekaboo

2012-01-26T01:56:00.000-08:00

We were blessed that mummy & baby were in good health after a 12 hour wait.

It all started a wee bit past midnite while mummy and i were watching football. Stoke City had just beaten Spurs 2 -1...sadly. Mummy was hungry and i decided to join her for a couple of soft boiled eggs. It was then that the pains started. It was 15mins apart and that was the sign for us to go to the hospital. We decided to eat the eggs first and so we arrived at SDMC at about 0300hrs.

Approximately 12hours later and a lot of pain on mummy, you arrived. Mummy had to push the last 30minutes with a lot of pain. Mummy is a trooper, she didn't want the epidural, all she took was the laughing gas, but neither of us were laughing. She was in pain. Daddy was helpless. All the plans of videoing your arrival was scrapped as i decided to focus and support mummy. Dr Delilah was real nice and calm after all you must be the gazillionth baby that she has delivered. It helped that she was calm and nice...eased mummy's pain, and then your head popped out. Daddy couldn't hold his tears from flowing. I don't know if it was at the joy of seeing you for the first time or the relief that mummy didn't have to be in pain anymore...I guess it was both.

If you asked mummy she would tell you that it wasn't that painful...she's tough that way, but i know it hurt a lot. I experienced her being in a lot of pain, but that's her story to tell. I am just glad and thankful to the Gods in Heaven and on Earth that you were both healthy and well.

Gaea...welcome to our lives.

Look What the Stork Brought Us?

2012-01-15T17:50:00.000-08:00

The end of 2011 was quite an amazing moment for Joey and I.

The stork brought us an early Christmas present. We were blessed with a little princess weighing in all of 3.25kg of love. She was conceived somewhere between Krabi & Salang, Tioman. Made with lotsa love and then some. Looks like 2012 will be a whole new journey for us and especially for me now that we are 3. 2012 is a whole new package!

Change is again in the air. :)

2012-01-01T21:42:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!! 2012 is here...

Our annual ritual of trekking to FRIM's 1000 kaki and popping out a bottle of red is not much different than before, other than the addition of a few new faces it has become a place of sharing as well. While we reminisce about the year that was we were also geared up for the year that is.

My 2011 was chaotic to start off but out of that chaos came a new possibility. Bitching and moaning was human to say the least but thru calmness and reflection i found a new path. One that would feed and serve my passion. I was beginning to see the light of my new path. As that was getting clearer i was blessed with the acceptance of my proposal to Joey as i got down on bended knee on the sandy beaches of Pulau Redang followed by the birth of Gaea. So to sum it all up, 2011 was a rather good year for me where i became husband and father all in the same year. In 2011 i also saw and experienced the support of my fellow friends who would encourage and motivate me on my chosen path. It was a year of learning too. Learning to create an effective way to make a difference to others and me, learning to be a good husband and learning to be a father. Thank you 2011 for giving me such an awesome experience.

Now 2012 is a huge challenge for me. It will be about stepping out of the box and creating results and living an extraordinary life while creating extraordinary results with others out there. And to this end, i hear the words of my Brother in the Sun at the back of my head saying, " Seek above all, a game worth playing!"

It reminds me that My Life is a game worth playing for! Welcome twenty12!!!

Antara Koh Lipe & Tioman

2011-12-18T20:41:00.000-08:00

Somewhere between Koh Lipe & Tioman a surprised was gifted us. It was between these two Islands a little heartbeat was growing steadily by the day. We dived and holidayed while silently she grew, this was to be a new beginning, a new experience, a new journey for us both and a blessing to our love.

Technically you could say Gaea grew up in the seas.

Yonder Horizon

2011-12-18T20:02:00.000-08:00

At times when all seem lost or uphill, as i was, i would seek solace in the peace and serenity of nature and ponder the predicament that i am in. I do my best to withhold judgement and observe it from all angles and perspective. It is by no means an easy feat as i sometimes react to the circumstance and I bitch and whine. When calmness settles in I look yonder and I see the lovely ship called MY LIFE anchored by the bay waiting to haul anchor and sail on.

My strength lies in the calmness that i can call upon when chaos visits me and this has averted me from taking hasty actions and throw all caution to the wind and react to circumstances. It has also given me the opportunity to explore other options available to me, possibilities which may have been left unexplored were it not for the predicament i find myself in. So now i have swam towards the good ship MY LIFE and am charting a new course. I am pulling out "my maps and charts" and working on the next direction/course which i will sail towards, at the same time doing maintenance works to MY LIFE.

Works are in progress and i can't wait to set sail on this new course...borne out of an appreciation for MY LIFE.

Into The Deep

2011-12-18T19:10:00.000-08:00

Change was the flavor of the year for me.

June celebrated our birthdays, Joey & I that is. I chose Pulau Redang to celebrate our birthday as this was the place that I first came with Joey and it was also the very first place where I took my Open Water diving license. I'm a sentimental fool i guess... I like to revisit and celebrate special occasions in memorable places that are special to me & US. Apart from just celebrating our birthdays, unbeknownst to Joey, she was about to be proposed to...on this very Island.

It all happened on a moonlit nite by the beach, with the band from a neighbouring resort singing WHEN YOU SAY NOTHING AT ALL followed by Yeh Liang Dai Piau Ni De Sing thru to FOREVER LOVE by LeeHom...I went on bended knee and asked, "Will you marry me?"...and the rest, as they say is history.

That my friends is another story.

Change

2011-12-18T06:37:00.000-08:00

2011 seems to be the year of change for me. After the turmoil of the year that was, i decided a change would be good for me, actually this is more of an afterthought. I read in one of Robin Sharma's books that change occurs when something drastic happens in one's life. My something drastic was my job which i had served with pride. 13 years on the job, one would probably think a...Gold Rolex (a little fantasy in the corner of my mind, actually a Tissot would have be fine) but i guess i got the wooden spatula. So began a couple of changes in my life.

It started with the letting go of my Wira of 10yrs and replacing it with the Avanza. It was a sign of things to come, by this i mean there was CHANGE in the air and i could smell it.

A Faithful Steed till the end.

2011-03-30T06:40:00.000-07:00

10 years and 8 months my trusty steed has served me without fail. It has brought me as far up north as Alor Setar and as far down south as Johor and it has also travelled the east coast to as far up as Kuala Terengganu. It has been a friendship that has withstood many a test. Four break-ins, one engine change and no major failures, has brought me to beaches, mountain trails, forest reserves and river banks. Served in many an eco challenge as transport and one stupid treasure hunt. We had many happy times together ferrying all sorts of of people and things. Now it's time to let go, to move on. She will have a new master to serve and hopefully treats her well. I will miss thee my friend, with heavy heart i bid you adieu and wish you well.

May your new master treat you better than I.

Memories remain of our many escapades. Adieu mon ami.

Reunion Dinners and Gatherings

2011-02-07T06:14:00.000-08:00

Reunions dinners and gatherings are the highlight for me during CNY. This is the time "The Family" gets to gather and ask silly and stupid questions like, "When are you getting married?" by 25 different people from brothers, sisters to uncles and aunties and the occasional invited guest. That is one question nobody tires of asking or is it the only thing that comes to mind when wanting to make conversation.

I thought it was a "thing" with my family but from conversations with friends i have come to realise "IT" is the universal question of everybody, anybody and busybodies wanting to say something and the pitiful singles people become their unwanted victim. At the end the unmarried still end up the winners when they walk away with "ang pows" in hand. So i say unto thee...let them ask away as we walk away with "ang pow" in hand.

I love reunion dinners and family gatherings just cos i get to meet up with my brothers & sisters, my cousins, nephews and nieces and of cos my moms and dad. It is a time to catch up and be surprised at how the other has grown and matured and sharing tall tales of yesteryears and new added tales to our lives and eat good and some not so good homecooked food.

I'm glad this year i had plenty of opportunity to catch up and visit the rest of my family. I also had the opportunity to host a gathering at our new place too. This is a tradition i hope to preserve and continue. To be able to share a meal, a conversation and laughter is a blessing.

I am blessed.

Spring Cleaning 2011

2011-02-07T05:33:00.000-08:00

Speaking of traditions...it is tradition and common sense to spring clean the house come Chinese New Year and this year is no different, the only difference being the house.

It is also good karma and auspicious to have the house clean so the God of Fortune will happily visit and hopefully drop in some gold ingots and such during the chinese lunar new year. The things we do for an added advantage in the receiving of good fortune. Oh i also forgot to mention the decorating of the house with red and things auspicious and synonymous with good fortune.

Spring cleaning leaves nothing unturned and uncleaned hence the furry animals hanging out to dry after a tumble in the washer.

Traditions

2011-02-03T19:04:00.001-08:00

Jan 1st, 2011 began with Kit & I keeping to our tradition of trekking to FRIM's 1000ft above sea level peak and toasting the new year.

It is never my habit to drink atop a mountain or hill or in the forest for that matter but i make an exception on this one day to toast the company of friends and to bring in the new year together with good cheer and blessing. This is our tradition which we will keep for a long time to come. Whirlwind Wendy was back in her hometown and so it was just the 2 of us. It is also a time when we look back at the year before and look forward to the year ahead. Sharing ups and downs and sketching the future ahead. The colors to our sketch to be filled in thru the course of the new year.

2011 fills me with excitement, perhaps the dark clouds of yesteryear is but a dark memory and the bright skies and fresh breath of the new year fills my lungs with promise of a new adventure and a new journey waiting to begin. Exciting and challenging times await those who chose to explore.

An adventure begins...

Visiting Porn

2011-02-03T08:05:00.000-08:00

The need to clear leave has led me to visit Porn Resort in Koh Lipe (pronounced li peh). It's a budget resort with colored sheets, mosquito net and a bathroom attached fronting the Andaman sea. Complete with guard dog and bed bugs. It's just the kind of vacation i like. Simple, frugal and beautiful. It's a beautiful island to visit and relax. I love the simplicity of such destinations. I am expecting a yearful of more such getaways as i have a partner who loves life under the sea more than on land.

I'm beginning to wonder if she is a mermaid...

Beginning 2011 in Abundance

2011-02-03T07:22:00.000-08:00

It wasn't too long ago that the 2011 fell upon us and now we are in celebration of the new lunar new year. Gone is the year of tyhe Tiger to be replaced by the Hare.

I am compelled to write of the beginning of 2011 and leave the lunar year for later. Much of 2010 and it's ups and downs are a thing of the past. I came into 2011 dragging a heavy weight of burden from 2010. Much of it is due in part to my job, one which i have been working in for 12 years, but as the clock struck midnite much of that burden was miraculously lifted off my shoulders. How did a burden which i was literally carrying for 10 months of 2010 just dissapear like that? Much of the whining, whinging and bitching about it has brought me lots of pain and unhappiness and as the clock struck 12 it just dropped from my list of things to do. I guess i was tired of it and i decided to focus on ...what's next?

I ended 2010 in abundance. Steaming away over steamboat with a couple of friends over an abundantly spread table. Closing that chapter was important as it was unhealthy for me. This is not to say that 2010 didn't have it's wonderful and great moments, only that i was walking with a dark cloud over my head. The wonderful moments were a blessing and a distraction from all that darkness. 2011 began and we celebrated it in abundance.

Quietly i celebrated the abundance in my life as i noticed the shift. Quietly the dark clouds drifted away.

As The Sun Sets in Sipadan

2010-12-13T03:22:00.000-08:00

The sun sets early in East Malaysia. The heavens change colors as the sun heads back for a rest at days end. A cool steady breeze blows in from the sea as the crystal clear waters makes a lapping sound at the stilts of our chalets bringing to life a symphony of serenity as the colors of gold transforms to a calm blue hue.

The colors of night begin to come on stronger as a cobalt blue takes over the heavens and envelopes the skies with its coldness. The day rests as the night comes alive with it's own symphony to accompany the rising of the moon.

Another day is almost at an end, but it does not go without a fight as it gives off its final brilliance that one may remember it as BEing a beautiful day.

SWV Dive Centre

2010-12-13T02:54:00.001-08:00

Here is where we gear up and head for the many dive sites around the area. In the day this place is a hive of activity with divers from all over the world. Big ones, small ones, yellow ones, white ones...they all there, armed with their underwater cameras hoping to shoot the next coffee table book or even the next National Geography documentary.

Tanks and tanks of compressed air with enough air even for me to last long enough under water. I don't believe in wasting or should i say i consume every last bit of air that i pay for. :) I always surface with enough to inflate my BCD and also sufficient to do my safetyh stop.

The shower area...which in the day looks more interesting with bodies attached. This was shot at around dusk when most divers are up and changing in their rooms to get ready for dinner or some doing the evening dives...in search of the notoriously elusive mandarin fish. I guess everybody would like to see how the male mandarin fish mates with 40 females in a day or is it a night? Powerful mo-jo there.

A peaceful dive centre with a host of very accommodating divemasters awaiting the the break of dawn.

Sipadan Water Village

2010-12-13T02:23:00.000-08:00

Located an hour plus off the town of Semporna, Sabah, East Malaysia by boat is this pretty little resort of SWV. A resort built atop a reef connected to the island of Mabul via a wooden jetty.

A paradise and haven for divers and holiday makers alike. There's nothing much to do here apart from basking in the sun with a cocktail and a good book, snorkeling and mainly diving.

Once you get off the boat/ferry you will be greeted by a welcoming committee comprising of the resorts' staff. When a boat with guest is seen heading their way a gong will be "gonged" and the staff will drop all that their are doing and await patiently to greet their guest. Much like Fantasy Island...only thing missing is Mr Roarke and Tattoo with his famous yelling "The plane the plane". We are at once greeted by smiles and a pleassant "selamat datang".

This is a view of the building that houses the reception area.

These are the chalets linked by a very long wooden walkway and surrounded by crystal clear waters of the South China Sea. One can even see the myriad of fish that swim below.

This little building houses the mini-mart which sells everything from souvenirs, toiletries, tit bits and most importantly...Beer!

When In Stress...

2010-12-03T03:44:00.000-08:00

...take a break in Paradise!

As the stress at the office built up and working life was becoming a real pain in the neck, i took a break to Sipadan Water Village, Sabah. Joey's insistent and persistant enrolling got me on the plane. The sea has always had a calming effect on me. Nature has. The resort itself was quite a sight to behold with crystal clear waters just beneath our chalets on stilts. We both needed this break. Me with my stress and Joey with her workload.

So...to Paradise we came.

Life is Beautiful & Mysterious...

2010-11-07T19:11:00.000-08:00

Like the jellyfish, such a graceful, beautiful, mysterious and yet possibly lethal being, treat it with care and the respect and you will enjoy and experience it's beauty in all it's awesomeness and wonder. Life is like that too. There's much we don't know that we don't know about ourselves but if we learn to listen & respect ourselves... mind, body and spirit we will begin to experience the beauty that is in everyone of us.

Sailing...

2010-11-04T01:45:00.000-07:00

Last week saw me embarking on a new journey...taking up a course in Neuro Linguistic Programme. Sounds deep? Well that's b'cos it is deep. Kinda like understanding the bodily functions and life of a jellyfish. The week that was, covered approximately 28hrs of cerebral stretching. This week will conclude the programme which will take another 28hrs and by the end i will be a certified NLP practitioner.

Hmm...sounds like one more step to being a Sorcerer's Apprentice.

ReTreat

2010-10-28T22:13:00.000-07:00

Once calmed, I have chosen to retreat. I am not giving up my fight for what i believe in nor am i giving up my dreams. Merely this is a redirection of my energy. I have decided i will not waste time spending my energy being angry and being pissed with the powers that be and redirect all that energy to doing something useful...laying the cornerstones of my foundation. I enrolled in an NLP to further expand on my knowledge/learning of self and to also learn more about coaching people. So away i will be for the next 4 days to seek knowledge and to learn from a master.

I ReTreat that i may come out stronger to take on the challenges ahead.

It's Been Crabby

2010-10-27T04:14:00.000-07:00

The past two months or so has seen me in my crabbiest of moods. All's not well at work and i've been victimy about management etc.When things don't go well we tend to go on the defensive and i am no different. I guess i went full frontal with my defense and reacted to the onslaught of my management's displeasure of the results i was creating or not creating rather. I was all "armed" and dangerous. I was at a stage where it would take very little from management to provoke me, i was like a big standing sore thumb. Touch me and i would hurt, prod me again and i will burst. I was that close to just blowing my top and throwing everything and 12years out the window. I was vulnerable to say the least and i was and am willing to just drop it all and take a walk on the wild side.

A moment of calm swept by me and once again i am stilled and the wildman chills...

As I Lay Dying

2010-10-13T05:50:00.000-07:00

Death they say is a new beginning.

As i was sinking to my lowest & deepest depth, darkness overwhelmed me. I was engulfed in guilt, anguish and victim stories began to surface in my minds eye. It was like watching a flashback of old movies but this was a reel of my last 12 years flashing thru my mind. The highs, the lows, the joys, the frustrations...all flashing in front of me as i faced my firing squad.

In one moment...I snapped out of it. Not that it had stopped, my judge, jury & executioner was gaining his momentum and nothing was going to derail him...but my "horrible" moment stopped. I stopped from being in a place of pain, guilt and anguish to relief. This was feedback for me. He needed to get it off his chest. I needed to hear it in my face. I acknowledged my failings and shortcomings. I took a deep breath...

I chose to Live!

The Day I Got Killed

2010-10-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

On monday i Got Killed!

This being the last quarter of the year, my boss usually makes his annual presence felt. He would come in and as usual go thru our performance for the year and impress upon us his projections for the year. He would pluck figures from his skilled calculations and projects the coming year's targets and he would have us accept his declarations. Somehow i don't experience a unanimous acceptance of the declarations but everybody "agrees". This year, no different from any other.

I for one have underperformed on all fronts and i am aware of this matter. This is my lowest performing year. This is my worst performance of the 12 years i have served and i was KILLED. I had nothing to say but nod in agreement as my judge, jury and executioner plowed away at my performance and i took it like a man standing in front of a firing squad. I felt my body riddled with bullets. It hit hard. Right to the core. I felt the core of my BEing shaken. I felt the medals on my chest ripped away. I felt worthless. I felt numb. In the end i felt nothing!

I just died!

The Warrior Knows...

2010-09-14T02:52:00.000-07:00

"The Warrior knows that he is free to choose his desires, and makes the decisions with courage, detachment, and sometimes with a touch of madness" Paulo Coelho.

Sometimes when i think long and hard at the choices i have made, it makes me wonder if i made the right choice... It is during these times that things are a bit crazy and i replay my life choices over and over in my head and moments like these gives me down moments, and yet at the same time this little voice reminds me..."It is a choice you made, nobody put a gun to your head...oink!" Immediately it removes the downer and i stand in the present and look at the choices i have ahead of me.

Today and the many days before this i am living this moment till i chanced upon this quote by one whom i regard as a master and my heart stills...

GUILT

2010-08-11T03:24:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend i had the pleasure of my mom, jesse, maddie and kakak's company over at my place.

Since we moved in we have been wanting to bring mom over to stay for the weekend so that she can go do her marketing in a wet market just like back in Taiping. She still loves the bargaining and the sweet smell of a traditional wet market just like me. They came over late sat afternoon and we went nearby for dinner. We had katak porridge, fish porridge, ham tan sau yuk porridge and satay. We had a good evening filling ourselves up. I had promised to bring jesse swimming the next day.

We got up early and headed to the market for breakfast and marketing. By the time we came home, the sun was up and sunny. It was sunday after all and somehow the sun always burns on a sun. As was expected Jesse kept asking when we were going swimming and he kept pestering me and asking me... "when are we going swimming?", I told him we will go down at 4o'clock when the sun is not so hot. So the next repetitive question was..."Is it 4 o'clock yet?"....and a kid can go on and on tirelessly without letting up and drive you up the wall. I was halfway up there, patient as i am. So i told him... "Don't ask anymore, i will let you know when it's 4o'clock and we will go swimming." He gave in and he went to lie on the sofa and ultimately fell asleep. We tried waking him at 4 but he wouldn't budge, gave him another 15mins and it started to rain, so mom said, "let him sleep" and he slept till 5 which was the time mom wanted me to send them back home. We finally got the boy up and packed them all home.

I came home that evening and felt like shit. Guilt was gnawing away at me. I had broken my promise to my lil nephew. I had a restless nite and this continued on till the next day right up till evening when i couldn't take it any longer, i called my mom. Find out how she is and the kids and she mentioned if i had noticed that jesse had tears in his eyes when i sent them home. As if my guilt was not bad enough, He shared with his mamma that he enjoyed staying over at uncle jeff's place and was sad to leave. At this point I just had to talk to him...asked him how he was and I told him how sorry i was that i did not bring him to swim and launch the rocket and if we could do it another time...and he said, "OK!"

Moral of the story...keep your promises (be they to a kid or an adult) or i promise you will feel the GUILT that i felt, and it's no FUN i tell you.

The Kaleebso

2010-07-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Kaleebso is a pleasure boat for divers, fishing enthusiast as well as for those adventurous enough to take on sea legs for a couple of days and more so for those who are tired of holidays on land and want to try something different.

Pull on your eye-patch and be a pirates mate for the week. You gotta have a good pair of sea legs or you might just buckle over and of course worst would be if you get sea-sick and hurl all over. Well you don't really need a stomach made of steel cos there are pills you can pop to keep your stomach in.

Imagine doing nothing but eat, sleep, tan, dive, fish, snorkel or just go skinny dipping in the deep blue sea...in our beautiful South China sea. Just the sun and sea for company.

That's the life.

A Dream

2010-07-27T05:44:00.000-07:00

Like a dream she rocks on the waves, bobbing up and down. I was trying to hold down my breakfast lunch and dinner. It's been awhile since i went out to sea. Now it was to live on board for the next 2 nights. I have lived in the jungles of our Peninsula for 6 nights, lived on a kelong in the Malacca Straits for 10 days and now I am about to live on board the Kaleebso (which i have heard nothing but good things from Joey since she lived on board it in Aug last year). Another new experience to notch on my life post. Another adventure to add to my list of adventures.

I feel my stomach churning...

Light at the End

2010-07-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

This was the weekend right after we moved into our new place. Everything was still in a mess back home but we had pre-booked a date with The Kaleebso.

I was torn about going as there was just so much to do at home and yet here we were on the road driving 300 odd km through palm plantations and dark winding roads to Penyabong Jetty in Mersing. After driving about 4 hours plus we arrived at a dark and quiet little village at the edge of Mersing. I finally stepped out of the car to stretch my sore legs and numb bum. The familiar smell of the sea filled my lungs as i took a deep breath and stretched my limbs. In the distant i hear the yelling and cheering of the village people in a shack built to house a stall. There were a couple of people surrounding a 20inch television cheering on their favorite teams as Brasil & Nederlands play for a place in the last 8. I arrived to see Sneijder head in the winning goal in the closing minutes of the game. The World Cup infects all of us, near and far.

As the rest of the divers arrived at the jetty and were ready to board that i felt that this was perhaps the right thing to do even though there was much to be done at home. I never realised how stressed out i was in the moving and needed this break till i got on board the fishing trawler.

I took another deep breath as the salty sea air blew in my face as we sailed out to the awaiting Kaleebso.

A New Dawn

2010-06-29T04:43:00.000-07:00

Waking up to a new dawn, a new place, a new environment...a new chapter in my life.

It could not have been more graphic than this. I have been living my life experiencing the very moments and conscious of the very changes in the environment that i live in. I experience the great divide between where i was and where i am in this very moment. I experience the fear of letting go, the excitement of the unknown...well i lie, i feel the fear of the unknown too, and OWTF...here i am! Stepped out of the box, feeling the cool chilly air breezing through my hair folicles, caressing my skin which transports the chill up my spine. I breathe... I am not dead yet. I am...alive. I sensed it in my partner too but she says nothing. She is the cool, silent type...well actually more like GI Jane. She will grit her teeth and do what she wants and then...

We are slowly adjusting to this new environment, well i am. So is Charlie.

My New Garden

2010-06-29T04:18:00.000-07:00

Wow! Never knew so much time has passed since my last blog. It's been one long hiatus. Lately have been busy with moving.

Moving is never one of my favorite thing to do. It's a struggle to let go of old things, of things that i have been comfortable with for more than a decade. It is a struggle to leave my humble abode even though i am moving into a nice new place to call home. I guess i'm lousy at letting go of my comfort zone, so lousy that it literally took me right up to the very last minute to pack my things. I still have some more things there which i have not taken and i know i can't take them all even though i would love to. I know that letting go of some of the stuff will not be easy but eventually i will have to surrender and let them go.

I guess i am not the only one that feels this way as Charlie has been roaming our new place as if lost. The few plants that i managed to bring is the only reminder of his once vast Kingdom. We now both have to start building our new Kingdom. We have now both stepped out of our comfort zone and into the wild blue yonder.

A new journey awaits. A new garden to build.

First Trip of 2010

2010-02-19T03:55:00.000-08:00

I have never been much for travelling even though i have an adventurous spirit. It was always work, tied down by work, no days off, can't get leave and oh...no money la!!!

Last year i did quite a bit of travelling as many of my friends have been generously informing me and at times i hear a tinge of envy. I almost did a trip every 2 months. Almost. Even my boss was thinking..."Darn! How come you still got leave?" The secret to this was having a partner who loves travelling and who was more than excited to show me around and bring me around and she was also the one checking up AirAsia every now and then for best buys and interesting destinations to go to. Most of the trips that we went on were all on best buys...like Macau, Phuket, Jakarta and the one we did not get to go on...Manado. So i sort of have a travel advisor, she advices me when there is a best buy and once we agree on dates, we book em!

That is how my first trip in 2010 was booked way in July at the stroke of midnight before we left for Redang at a very affordable RM380 return trip for two to Hainan Island on Jan 29th, 2010.

Me and My Maos' are off to Hainan

2010-01-28T03:30:00.000-08:00

Me and my Maos' are off to Hainan tomorrow morning. This is one trip that has me very excited cos i will be visiting the land or rather Island that my ancestors came from. I am always excited about visiting new places but this is no different, but as i am nearer to actually landing on the Island i am beginning to get goosebumps. I mean this is the place where my ah kong & ah por was born and lived till they migrated to the then MALAYA to create a better future for themselves. This is also the place where as a kid i listened to my ah por speak fondly off. How the fruits and vege tasted so much better and were more fragrant than the ones we get here. The fish in the sea was abundant and the waters were crystal clear. Now i have an opportunity to smell and breathe the air that my forefathers breathed and walk the earth that they walked upon. In fact i have asked my aunties for the name of the village my grandparents lived in cos i intend to find and visit the village. Wish me luck!

This hailam brother is coming home...

Reflections

2010-01-23T06:11:00.000-08:00

Days pass me by as i travel this road of life, i count my blessings that i have people in my life that care for me deeply and want the best for me. There are those who are angry at how i let my life BE at times and there are those who will support me for what i choose and they let it be known to me that they will be there when i stumble and fall. Some may not agree with my choice

but they remain close at hand. This I know and I also know these are people that i can count on whenever, wherever.

I just wanna say, I appreciate YOU and i am blessed that you have Got my back!

Namaste.

Tempoyak!

2010-01-23T05:42:00.001-08:00

On friday as i was finding my way through Gombak's Taman Greenwood I saw a durian stall by the roadside. I have not had durians for a long time so i was looking longingly at the thorny king of fruits and seated prettily on a collapsible table beyond that were some opened-up durians in styrofoam containers (some of us are too lazy to pry open the thorny shell to get to the delicious

fruit within) and some yellowy gooey stuff in plastic containers. I preened my eyes on it and realised that it could be...TEMPOYAK! Since i was at a traffic lights i was frantically searching for a place to turn around or park.

Why the sudden excitement? Well it's my 25%'s favorite, a city girl with a taste for the Kampung. She fell in love with the smelly thing while on our last day in Gunung Tahan when the guides cooked it for us. So i had to look for a parking to go buy it! Resourceful as i am and with a good sense for direction i found myself beside the stall neatly parked and jumped out to get it. After much questioning of the pakcik who sold it i bought one for my 25%. And my car smells like Tempoyak for the next 2 days till i delivered it to her house.

Now i sit quietly in anticipation for my 25%'s call. That would mean she has found out how to cook it and we will be dining at her place again. Such is the joy of Life!!!

Conversations

2010-01-23T05:27:00.000-08:00

Conversations are important in a relationship i belief, it is nurturing to the relationship and it helps in the understanding of one another.

I think i have had more arguments in my current relationship than any of my previous ones. I come to realise that it is because i am more adamant at making my stand and being firm in having certain things in my life than to just give in. It is more tiring to fight with oneself than it is to fight with another. It was tiring to suppress myself from BEing who i am. After realising this i decided to make my stand for ME. Hence my conversations are about having the other person see my point of view as well as appreciating their point. It is the same thing at work. I have come to see the point of my superior and not fight the establishment once i realised i was reacting and being so victimy.

A level head, keeping tempers in check and a conversation clears the air and allows forward movement.

Solitude

2010-01-23T05:11:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it is nice to be alone, to have one's own space to think, do one's own thing or do nothing but just BE with oneself.

I think it is important for each and everyone to have alone time to spend with Oneself. There is no stress of deadlines or appointments. It could be a trek in the jungle by oneself, sipping a cup of Latte at StarBucks and watch people and life pass by or even browsing in a bookstore and allow the answer to One's question pop out in the array of books displayed. Perhaps you will find that which you are seeking if you had earlier asked of the Universe.

Whatever One's intent, just let it BE and allow the Universe to speak. I enjoy my moment alone every now and then not because i don't like the company of another but it is refreshing to BE with Oneself.

Losing ME.

2010-01-10T01:29:00.000-08:00

2009 was also a time when i lost a part of who i am. As i got more and more involved in my relationship i began to lose out on the man that i am.

Over the course of 365 days much have i lost in myself. I have become less of who i was. Aren't relationships meant to add on to one's repertoire of BEingness? So why has this robbed me so much of myself? I have trekked less. Met up with people i love...less. Lost much of my spontaneity and i have been bugged down by schedules not of my own. Everything depended on another. I could not decide an appointment without consulting the other. Being in a relationship has somewhat became a chore for me. It became tiring. I was not planning ME into the calendar and hence it made me resentful. I became a victim of my relationship.

This year the Fire Horse in me will gallop the plains like i used to albeit with a thought for the other, after all when One is in a relationship One has another to think off too but i promise myself that I will have my day in the Sun too!

2009 - It's A Wrap!

2010-01-10T00:25:00.000-08:00

Another year passes us by and another year has passed me by. In my mothers' eyes it's another year her son escapes getting married again and it's another year gone for the asking. In 2010 i'm sure both of them will find new and more creative ways to ask me the same old question again.

Reflecting back on 2009, much have i experienced and done in the last 365 days. It was a year of Firsts' for me. I learned to breathe compressed air, snorkel like how it should be done and not drown myself, coordinated an LP...and what a ride it was for all concerned, ran a mini-marathon, swim competitively and almost bloody drowned myself in doing so, ran a jungle trek race, bowled, played Dodgeball and found out the HARD way that the concrete floor is actually harder than one's head and tho Rome may not be built in one day, the "ha-mou-lau" (bungalow in cantonese i think) grows in less than 10secs and that when one's head hits the ground it sure makes a loud noise! Hahaha...thank god my head didn't split in two. All these games that i participated in competitively was only made possible due to the 2009 AWLympics organized by LP Connection. It was also the first time i visited P. Redang, P. Tenggol to swim with the Whale Shark as well as swim with black tip sharks (small one la...approx 1m) in Langkawi. It was also the first time i stamped my passport in Macau & Hong Kong and a dream of many years (leads all the way to my childhood) came true, I visited Disneyland. That it was in Hong Kong did not matter. :) Oh...i also had my head shaved clean and bald for the first time in my life! That one is for my 25%.

My stepmom had a relapse of her cancer but the tough old lady is fighting it with a brave heart while my mother in Taiping has finally sold the old family house where she grew up in and slowly but surely is relocating herself here in KL. Hmm...does this mean she is closer now can bug me about marriage without opening her mouth but just giving me the Look?

Dancing with Whale Shark

2009-12-23T09:52:00.000-08:00

Life goes on immaterial of what transpires in it. Life does not care or bother if you are doing it right or wrong, life just flows. We...i believe we are meant to swim in it an experience it.

Just like my Pulau Tenggol experience in Sept. Joey and i jumped at the opportunity to head for the East Coast upon hearing from my Divemaster Lynn that whale sharks have been spotted there. Without much thought we applied our leave and away we went, excited at the prospect of seeing a whale shark... Live! We drove in the middle of the night to Terengganu so as not to miss the boat to Pulau Tenggol. When we got onto the island the whole entourage was eager to jump in and catch a glimse of the big mother. On our very first dive we spotted the huge mother of a fish. I being a newbie to the underwater world was struggling most of the time with breathing compressed air and was fortunate catch a glimpse of the tail end of the of the magnificent lady, but like life it wasn't gonna wait for me and before you know it, it was gone.

It was only on my 4th dive that i managed to see the graceful whale shark swimming right in front of me, oblivious to the many thrashing legs in the choppy waters of Tenggol Island, like life it passed us by, oblivious to the thrashing legs and muffled screams of divers and snorklers alike. Thank god that she only feeds on planktons and not nosy, screaming humans. It was an awesome experience for me. I gaped in awe at this huge creature of god swimming ever so gracefully albeit it's size.

Video is courtesy of Joey who was committed to shoot this awesome creature by hook or by crook and by George she did it!

As I Look to The Stars....

2009-11-17T16:07:00.000-08:00

As i look to the stars i go deeper and deeper in search of my own truth. Seeking for what i don't know or pretend not to know, but seek it i must. Whether in clear blue sky or deep plankton enriched sea i search for that answer that would set me free. The search for me has not always been easy or perhaps i have made it a task for myself. Life they say is not meant to be difficult, we live some and we...live some more. Maybe that's what i say. All i know for sure now is to experience it as it flows me by just like in a dive...when in a cool current experience the coolness of the waters and when in a warm current BE warm. Warm or cold the current will pass me by and so will the beauty of the sea and the fishes, hence I experience it and take it all in.

I take it all in a breath cos to me living life is about the hot & cold.

Ahoy There...

2009-10-11T23:20:00.000-07:00

Oh Capt my Capt...

Where do i go? Shall i hoist anchor, set a path and sail towards it or do i set out the sails, look to the stars and let them lead me to the wild blue yonder with the wind behind my back and the open ocean of life in front of me?

Where or where? Let me look to the stars...

The Ugly Truth

2009-10-11T23:09:00.000-07:00

Let’s begin with the ugly truth. This came about after watching the movie with the same name…The Ugly Truth…starring Katherine Heigl & Gerard Butler.

As is always after a movie we share about the movie. The movie was hilarious but there was also a tinge of hard truths that many amongst us would refuse to see or rather choose to avoid....i am one guilty of such. Topics about relationship always have been interesting and this movie was one such movie and many a time the content hit home. We shared about stuff way into the night and I guess some hard and ugly truths came up. Realizations of one reality may not always be the path that we choose for in that path lies great courage and strength to muster taking action. Therefore steadying the course may not be easier either because in that path too lies great strength and courage to forge ahead and make things work.

In the end I guess it’s how far are we willing to go before we decide to change course. When is it an act of love and when does it become an insane endeavour. Wither ends love and insanity begins?

The Journey so far...

2009-09-18T02:36:00.000-07:00

The journey thus far has included an LP, the 128th LP after Legacy, a celebration in Langkawi, an adventure through Gunung Tahan and a dive with the Whale Shark in the waters of Pulau Tenggol.

The past three months has been one hell of a rollercoaster ride through work, relationship and an LP journey. Why oh why would one choose such a crazy life to begin with? Why not? What is life if it were not to be lived? I chose this stretch! Much was the learning but only after the fact. Such is the demands of experience. Highs and lows are but the thrills of a life well lived...i guess it's not a bed of roses all the time besides how can the Good exist without the Bad to accompany it? How then would we experience what good is in the absence of what’s bad? Now comes the time for me to once again document the highs and lows of an adventure & lately...drama ridden life. Where do I begin after so many moons of neglecting this space?

Where do i begin...

Turbulance

2009-08-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

As i mentioned it has been a crazy week and i don't think the craziness will subside anytime soon. It has to go though it's own rite of passage and i have to go thru mine. It's coming wave after wave and i stand and listen & hearing the murmurs of the heart, the voices of one and also the voices of the many and i take it all in and wonder...

What do i do next?

Conversations

2009-08-18T20:21:00.000-07:00

Talk talk talk talk...there's been a lot of it lately. No good no bad...just loads of feedback. Much information to process and much to ponder on. Much to reflect and new choices to make.

It's been that sort of a week for me. There's been much of venting, bitching and all that shit by me too...much is there to clear from this system of mine. Everybody has their opinion of how things should be, ought to be and only way to be and I have Mine. Conflicting as it may seem and will always be thru time eternal. Thing is we will always have our own opinions based on our life history cos that is where our learnings and experience has brought us.

Be it right or wrong is left to the experiencing.

Fearless Roo

2009-08-10T22:53:00.001-07:00

It's August in a blink of an eye and 9 months have past since i met this Fearless Roo. In this time i have been to Phuket, Redang and it's depths, Langkawi & even Jakarta...which i would not want to go back again unless it was absolutely necessary.

Much have i wanted to blog about the destinations and my experience but i can't seem to sit still long enough to do so. I am now doing my best to blog as much as i can but alas some of the experience is as they say...moment over, hence it will probably not see the light of day unless some moment of inspiration evokes in me a desire to do so otherwise...it will be as it is. Most of these places and experiences are in a part of my relationship with the Fearless Roo. Just as in the picture, she is in real life...Fearless. She would nonchalantly jump off a waterfall, a yatch and swim round the house reef of Redang Reef Resort without fear. Shark dive with the Great Whites is not a bother, what more chasing after 5ft long white tips to get a shot on her underwater Olympus. The Sea is her passion. I love the beach but she has opened me to the beauties of the sea and i owe my diving to her. She has expanded my world.

Is there anything she Fears...i wonder.

As Beckham Watches.

2009-07-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

After my visit with the Doc and the minor surgery that followed, i went to the barbers to hav my head shaven. This is a stretch for me. My first thoughts of having a shaven head came when i was 16 but i only got as far as a crew cut. This time i had to have it clean shaven cos i gave my word. It began with a conversation about my Tahan trip with Baby Kangaroo and she asked if Her Royal Pinkness was following and i told her that if she did i would shave my head. HRP is a supermom but the outdoors is something she resist. She is not one to get all hot and sweaty...by trekking in the jungle that is... otherwise i don't know la. She gave me a shock and thus my hairloss by calling me one day a couple of weeks ago and asked me stuff about Tahan and said that the LandRover Guy asked her to come along and she agreed! Hahaha I'm glad she is joining us but i'm still in shock.

I kept my word and hence the visit to Kedai Gunting Ananda.

A Piece of My Head

2009-07-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

It all started with a bloody pimple which i ripped off with my grimy fingers and unknowingly infected one of my blood vessels and this mutated to the little lump you see below. I tried removing it by pinching the damn thing but it just wouldn't budge instead it starts to bleed everytime i towel off after a bath. So i was walkin around with a bleeddin head. It bleeds when ever i accidentally nudge it. Finally upon multiple insistance by Joey i went to the doctors. This then led to my visit with Dr Karpal Singh at Pantai Medical Ctr who lobbed it off and cauterised the root of my vein. All in all it took 30mins and i had a hole in my crown but the bleedin head was successfully arrested.

It was so uncool having that nipple looking thing sticking out of my head. It looked like a reset button. Was a fraid that a mouse or rat may mistake it for it's mom's tits and come suck on it so i was better off having it removed besides it was difficult looking good with that damn thing sticking out of my head. :)

Clowning with the Clowns

2009-07-07T21:35:00.000-07:00

One of the most recognizable fishes in the sea next to the shark that is...is the clown fish, better known as Nemo. They are definately friendlier than the shark or i would not be messing with them. My first encounter with deep was pretty cool. Getting up close and personal with the Clowns and basically it's kinda like National Geographic Live! One more fear handled, just as Robin Sharma ordered...Run to your Fear! I did and i am enjoying it. Now i look forward to more dives.

Am i still scared of the Deep. Oh yes i am but life is for the experiencing is it not? Here i come...

Lynn's Patience

2009-07-07T20:58:00.000-07:00

Beyond the frolicking Clowns hovers my trainer...Lynn. She is patient, caring and very nurturing. My pool sessions with her were very calming session. You see i have this fear of being underwater. I can swim but being underwater and breathing through my mouth is something very unnatural for me. I am a trekker and i breathe thru my nose. Lynn's patience gave me confidence to take one more step into the unknown. During my first few dives she always kept a watchful eye on me which made me feel safe.

Thanx Lynn.

Distress Calls

2009-07-02T20:20:00.000-07:00

A month ago today, I came home to a house filled with shrill chirpings. I thought Bonnie & Clyde was having a squabble. Maybe he didn't do the dishes or she didn't make the bed or probably let Jr play in heavy traffic, but as i opened my door i saw what the commotion was all about. Jr must have tried to come out of the nest and got his tiny claws trapped in the fibrous material that mummy & daddy used to build his crib. Worst off was when i noticed his tongue was also entangled in the material. I quickly went in and grabbed my pen knife to cut him loose. It was a delicate situation cos his tongue was entwined in the fine sharp threads. I ever so carefully sliced through the threads while cupping the tiny little creature as gently as i can and finally released the poor screming things. All this while mummy & daddy stood watch. Helpless and scared for their only child. I did my best to remain as inconspicuos as i can so that i don't add to the new parents grief.

Jr was safed that day but a couple of days later he passed on and went to the Great Big Sky in heaven. Now and then Bonnie & Clyde still fly in and chirp for their Jr.

Feeding Frenzy

2009-07-02T20:18:00.000-07:00

Jr was born to Bonnie & Clyde not too long ago. They both were very excited and both risked their necks to take turn and roost in the nest that they built. I don’t know when Jr was born but I only noticed it when mummy and daddy came back to feed junior they would chirp out loud and Jr would reply with a single…cheep! Bonnie or Clyde would then cautiously sneak a peek through the branches and leaves of my ficus, with morsel of food in beak, and make a break for the nest and shove the food down Jr’s throat. Once fed Jr would be silent lest he be found out.

It was quite a sight to behold especially on a weekend morning when I laze about my humble abode.

Deep Blue World

2009-06-28T19:56:00.000-07:00

As i step in amidst my fear of sharks and anything that bites and thinks of me as food, i sink in deeper and deeper into the wild blue yonder. The weighlessness and the cool currents that envelope my partially covered body is a wonderful feeling as compared to the blazing hot sun above.

Once in the deep blue waters, my fear of sharks was the least of my concerns. Getting used to breathing compressed air and thru the mouth is a challenge for me. It is a bigger stretch cos when climbing up the mountains i have trained to breathe thru my nose and not gulp for air with my mouth so it was totally the opposite down here. While all this was being manually processed by my brain and carefully registered, my senses were tingling much like Spiderman's as lo and behold a whole new world opened up to me. My visual senses was going crazy at the sight and beauty that lay around me. All the stuff i see on National Geographic came to life right in front of me. Suddenly this fear slowly ebbed and i was in the moment experiencing the beauty of this new world.

Fear has always been a hurdle to the experience one wants to create and the only way to conquer it is to just... JUMP IN! This of cos does not mean that i am fearless and that i have made new friends with the sharks... far from it. I have also realised that smaller fries like the Trigger Fish is quite a bitch too and that my fear is more about not being in control of my environment than some fish in the sea.

Gearing Up for An All New Adventure

2009-05-28T22:05:00.000-07:00

Much has gone on for me since Dec 2008. Life has been pretty much on a fast trek since then.

Sunshine had asked me what new adventures or challenges will i be taking on for 2009 and at the time of her asking i just had no idea. Nothing seemed new anymore. Everything was pretty much done and dusted and what else abounds for us 40 somethings. More of the same i guessed, that was until i took a risk and went on a date which was to open my world in more ways than one. Suddenly 2009 became a year of new discoveries. A new journey was ready to take off. It all happened when a baby kangaroo came into my life and opened my world to new discoveries and enticed me with adventures of which i had only dreamt and fantasised about.

As i stand on the white sandy beach of Redang Reef Resort for my first open water dive i know i am stepping into the unknown with a brave new heart.

"Honey... I'm Home"

2009-05-22T05:11:00.001-07:00

There's Bonnie perched amongst the branches at dusk awaiting for a safe moment to fly back into her nest and roost for the night. She is still a little scared to come home especially when there are "Us" humans walkin about in the house. Can't be too careful now can we. So she waits till it is safe to come home. Even birds have a sense of security. Even birds have a place to call home and when that home is built he or she will then have the honor or yelling or chirping...

"Honey... I'm home..."

Permanent Residents

2009-05-22T04:48:00.000-07:00

Finally the new tenants moved in. They are none other than Bonnie & Clyde my favorite and long time visitors to my garden. They must have loved my garden a lot such that they decided to build their own home here. I actually bought one of those wooden hut bamboo wind chimes for them but they decided that they would rather live in a home that they build with their own hands...err beaks i mean. These two have been pak tor...ing for quite a while now and finally they are settling down to start a family.

Hmmm...

Clutter of Debris

2009-05-22T04:35:00.000-07:00

One evening upon arriving from a weekend away to Taiping I think, I came back home and as i was on my way to my toilet i noticed this clutter of "stuff" atop my pot of ferns. My immediate reaction was to remove it as it look like some windblown debris had attached itself to the hanging plant. Upon closer inspection i realised that it was a little too "constructed" to be debris and i decided to leave it be. After a week later this clutter of debris look suspiciously like a nest and one fine morning i saw the culprit or rather culprits...

Calmed

2009-05-09T05:13:00.000-07:00

Dramatic as i may sound (must be influenced by my 25%), my soul is calmed. I am now ready and prepared to forge on and fight my battles with the many competitors out there. I am recharged to create new results on the battlefront. I am ready to do battle!

Hooya!

Rolling Stones Gather No Moss

2009-05-09T04:25:00.000-07:00

As the saying goes but Rocks do gather a heck of a lot of moss especially when they go nowhere. They just stay there.

Much like myself...I have been like a rock at this company that i am currently working in. 11 great years of my life has been in service of this one entity and at the moment still in service to it. It was rather rocky to say the least for about a year already when i started reacting towards the way the bosses wanted to have everything so in control. It stiffled my existence and i was willing to uproot and roll away to other greener pastures.

A confrontation a couple of days ago brought upon by months and months of frustrations and pain has finally released most of that pressure and also allowed me to see how much of a victim i had been in reaction to a situation that i did not like. The confrontation was also an opportunity for me to voice out my unhappiness and pain hence allowed me to further move away from that stance and take on a more responsible role and further take ownership of my ship once again.

Once again i am at the helm. Will the rock be moved? I know not at the moment but as at this moment i remain steadfast.

Existence

2009-04-18T22:56:00.000-07:00

How is ones existence dependant on others? Such is the question that muddles my puny mind. Ponderings have concluded that such existence is temporal...ESPECIALLY when one's existence is at the whims and fancies of others.

I am experiencing the life of a butterfly...to live in grace and beauty for a short period of time and on a whim my existence ceases. I become Nothing! What do i do? Do i blow away on the winds of time and be a memory or do i melt into the soil and BE part of the recycling process and create again...

Either way life flows...

Tides of Change

2009-04-15T01:04:00.000-07:00

Change comes to all. It doesn't choose it's victims nor is it biased. When she blows in we will just need to embrace it and how we deal with it is what makes the difference. Be it the economic climate, loss of a loved one, relationship status you name it. It affects everything and yet it is not responsible for anything....We are! We are responsible to move on from the situation and what we choose will demand the greatest of our strength & courage, but move on we must or we will just stay and wilt away.

Strength & Courage!

Planting a Forest for My Princess

2009-04-15T00:36:00.000-07:00

Princess and family came too. Her Royal Pinkness & the LandRover Guy wants their children to BE and also to experience this massive greening event.

HRP really went out of her way to show to her 2 babies that IS for them! As in my element as i am in bogs, waterways, jungles, hot blazing sun, sweaty armpits and nether regions...THIS is SO NOT HRP's element, but i salute her for her commitment in making a difference for her babies and the future generations...and SHE still doesn't get her white tee dirty!!! Damn! How does she do it??? I give up!

The LandRover Guy, HRP (look at her tee...) & Baby Kangaroo planting for the future.

Tree Planting at Bukit Tagar

2009-03-31T09:43:00.001-07:00

Muddied and sweaty from the sweltering heat of a mid March afternoon sun and standing knee deep in brackish water in a middle of a peat swamp is my kinda high. Many say I am in my element and from the smile on my face i can attest to that. I was part of a tree planting contingent organised by Eco Warriors to replant our depleting forest and in this case replanting a forest reserve specifically the Raja Musa Forest Reserve in Batang Berjuntai. It is depleted because it was illegally cleared for a plantation.

"Alamak! How can this happen?" you say. Well... some pegawai was blind to the clearing that took place i suppose. This happens throughout our jungles apparently. All you need do is lift your head up towards the hills or mountains and you will notice tracs of forest being cleared away. Somehow the pegawais can't see this. Strange isn't it?

Well i am glad i am joining this band of people called Eco Warriors to replant trees for our future generation and also to give mother earth a fighting chance...for US.

Silence

2009-03-31T09:26:00.000-07:00

It has been months and months since i last blogged. No... i have not gone on a sabbatical nor have i been hiding in my cave meditating about life and shit like that. In fact in my silence, my life has been flowing.

It is in the flowing of my life that i have neglected my blog. I am now clawing my way back to this passion of mine by this insertion. Many are the stories i want to tell, many are the messages that i want to convey & many are the thoughts that i want to share. I can slowly feel it flowing through my veins now. Allow me then this moment to experience the flow of words that are awaiting a picture to tell their story.

I am back!

Lighting Up for Lost Ones

2009-02-10T20:57:00.000-08:00

As the sun sets, Thais young and old together with the tourists lit up the beach and as the candles lit up prayers were muttered as families of lost ones and bystanders alike quipped a prayer to the deceased.

It was a solemn sight as the beach was almost silent as people went about lighting their candles and holding hands.

A sand monument to the lost...

A message of love...

A family mourning and remembering a lost one perhaps...

A couple lighting up a "hung meng tang" remembering loved ones and sending of blessings...

4 years ago i was at the Buddhist Vihara in Brickfields with many caring Malaysians loading up containers of food, clothes and medication for all the affected areas. It was heartwarming to see so many Malaysians coming together giving food, money, supplies and giving of themselves to assist our neighbours in need. It was the one time i experienced giving at such magnitude.

It was a moment when the world got together for a common cause.

Dec 26th Tsunami Memorial Day

2009-01-22T05:35:00.000-08:00

4 years ago to the day... i was among the many who was listening to the news of the devastation that took many a life on this beach in the morning hours of the day. All the sunbathers and holiday makers were caught unawares when a Tsunami hit this beach and destroyed lives and property. I was just too stunned at the time witnessing on television the rising death toll which caught everyone by surprise. 4 years on, i am standing on the same beach that took the brunt of natures' fury.

Students are digging the beach sand and building a memorial to those that they lost 4 years ago.

Students from different schools were allocated sections of the beach to create their own memorial.

Even this little fella was busy digging holes in the beach for the lighting of candles.

Christmas Getaway

2009-01-16T22:59:00.002-08:00

Christmas 08 was a spontaneous getaway for me. On a suggestion and a spontaineous response i am on my first flight out of Malaysian airspace and beached at Phuket for Christmas.

I wasted no time in getting undressed for a walk down Patong Beach. The whole beach was decked with rent-a-chair and what a myriad of colors. I was early so the beach was practically deserted as most of the tourist were probably still asleep from their late night parties and rendezvous. While walking along the beach i realised that i am standing on the same beach that experienced nature's destructive force of the Tsunami. A tourist taking another tourist taking a shot of the Tsunami Evacuation Route sign that is placed along the roadside.

After 2, no make that 3 crazy months at the office I needed a break and a getaway. Things were so crazy i was so stressed out at work. I have not reached such levels of stress in my whole entire career. If some fucker had decided to push my buttons the wrong way it would have been adios amigo but i am glad that i also have my ragtag team in KL that has kept me sane. Our craziness keeps us sane. Not something many can understand but necessary. I was very much a bundle of nerves at the end of the day. I was proffesionally a wreck.

Someone comes along and gives me a nudge and i landed in Phuket...a rendezvous with life!

Sawadeekap from Phuket

2009-01-16T22:59:00.001-08:00

Much of what i write today is news of yesterday or even yesteryear. Life kinda picked up at the tailend of the year. One last wedding for the year, a chance meeting of a decades old friend, a new acquaintance and a fresh start to a jaded old life.

At an age where i think i have seen most of everything, meet people from all walks of life, dated the many, romanced even more, broken the hearts of most and come through bearing scars of my own in the many failed relationships. Such was the devastation in my path that i have even pondered a solitary life, be a lone wolf, enjoy the company of many and live a free and easy life commiting myself to no one. Such was the pain of my guilt till life throws me one last rope. I could use this rope to pull myself together and climb my highest peak or hang myself with it. I was given a lifeline.

On Dec 3rd (My 123...now i know the significance of this number in my life...no accidents eh?) my world took a left turn. On what was to be one LAST date as commited to one other decades old friend, my life took that turn with my world and we both stepped left and know that a new choice, a new journey, an adventure awaits.

I took a deep breath...

In Search of The Sup!!!

2009-01-16T22:59:00.000-08:00

It's not like the wedding food is bad but it's just that when one is in Penang, Ipoh or even Taiping ones' appetite becomes...gargantuan in nature. We just wanna makan, makan & makan the local food.

This time...Datin had this sudden dying desire for "The Sup" and hence immediately after we left the wedding dinner we went in search of "The Sup". Our search began at 12:15am and we landed in our very first mamak and they are known for having sup so we were happy cos after that we can go back and sleep.

But i was not to be. This mamak had no SUP. The only bloody sup he had was maggi sup. We got up and left...Datin...disappointed but no worries, we will go find another stall and off we left.

We reached Gurney Road happy and smilling from ear to ear cos there were so many stalls here, we should be able to find some soup. We found this Penang Best Char Koay Teow or so it proclaimed and b'cos of the smell of fried eg i could not resist. I ordered one and well...i wouldn't say it is the best cos i have tasted better. A little too much Aji. Brother James would definately protest. It would not pass his stringent QC. Don't diss him cos he thinks he is the expert where Char Koay Teow is concerned.

This mini rojak tho.. is pretty interesting with it's honey infused hae ko (prawn paste). It was tasty but a little sweet for me.

It does taste as good as it looks. Still we could not find any Sup in this place as quite a lot of stalls were closed by then. So after the side show we left in search for one more place for The Sup. This is our 4th stop by now. By this time Datin's face has lost much of it's cheer.

We then reached Jalan Masjid Kapitan Kling with it's beautiful mosque in sight. I was more interested in the architecture of the mosque while i let Whirlwind and Datin go check out this joint called Nasi Beratur.

People actually beratur (queu up) to eat this nasi. The time was 1:10am in the morning and you can see throngs of people queing up to eat this nasi. I wonder if it is all worth it but i was too famished with the wedding dinner's 7 course meal, supposedly best char koay teow and mini rojak in my belly to try. I promised myself i shall one day return to try it. The girls came back with Datin deeply disappointed that there was no bloody SUP!!! Then she declared...let's go back but Whirlwind was not about to give up on her and declared that we shall find the bloody SUP or she shall not return. Then we went to the 6th destination and still no frickin Sup. This time Datin was very tired and so was i but Datin was sad...cos no SUP.

Till finally the Gods decided that he had our patience tested and proven that this 3 musketeers of sorts was not about to give up yet, he put before us the 3 most beautiful stainless steel pots we have ever seen will steam blowing out it's covers. Immediately we pulled to the left, parked and ran across the road oblivious of the late night traffic to see the mamak nodding affirmatively that YES there is Bloody SUP in his pots! Datin could not contain her joy. It was as if someone just propose to her on bended knees.

The SUP you see above is as good as it looks and that is why you see that beautous face smiling like the Joker. Moral of this story...Never give up and especially never give up on your friends goal. Nothing like seeing that satisfaction knowing you stood by and made a difference. We got a parking summons for all the trouble too...but to quote Whirlwind, "It was a small price to pay, it was worth it."

A Luk Chat Wedding

2009-01-01T16:13:00.000-08:00

The tail end of the year had one more celebration for us and that was the wedding of our very own Luk Chat's energizer bunny...Kimmy!

She married this chunky lunky guy from Penang and Whilrwind Wendy, "Datin" Azlin & I made a road trip up to the very jammed island. Her wedding was filled with lotsa beautiful ppl with beautiful bods as both of them run a fitness certification program and prior to that they were trainers at a quite a few gyms. So we 3 KL langs feasted our eyes on all those bods, food was secondary to us at that moment. Nice bods ma...besides i was not the only one looking... Datin & Whirlwind was oogling as well. :)

After the wedding we realised we did not eat as much...so our hunt began!

No Cakes for This Lady

2008-12-06T08:37:00.001-08:00

For all the celebrations in November i couldn't leave this out. It's a special celebration for a special sumandak...olumis suda tuu..

Pork knuckles.

Cakes wouldn't do, not that she doesn't like cakes but wogok is a treat for this sumandak. So i thought lets celebrate her with a wogok feast!!!

e scampi with squid ink spaghetti...the only halal dish.

Salad with bacon strips...pork bacon not any other bacon wannabes'

We were too famished after this meal to have any cakes or ice cream so rain cheque on those two eh...

11 years On

2008-12-06T08:37:00.000-08:00

11 years and counting. I joined this company in Nov 1st, 1998. One hell of a long time serving one company and i received this gold pendant in recognition of that service on the 25th Anniversary of our company. There are of cos ups and downs in any organisation and this company is no different but fortunately for me I have the Basic which i did 10 years ago.

I know i have a left to step to and explore a new Choice...

Two Hailams went up a Hill..

2008-12-06T08:01:00.000-08:00

Two hailams went up a hill in the hopes of finding a waterfall but instead found a piece of Peace which was food for the soul. I know not about my hailam brother but my soul which has endured much torment of late, courtesy of my job is much soothed and calmed.

We found these red colored ladies finger though...

If ever one finds oneself stressed out of one's minds due to work, relationships or whatever messes one up...just step off your rails and get onto the beaten track. Perhaps one may find one's sanity if not one's heartbeat.

Listen to that heartbeat...

Life's Bend

2008-11-25T08:09:00.000-08:00

A growling sound greeted us at a bend in the forest road, a tiger or bear it wasn't but a tractor like the one that we took a ride on earlier. It was driven by a rather elderly lady. This must be their mode of transport for their farm produce.

Just as at life's bend we never know what to expect till we come bumping into it one fine day. Life's full of surprises that way. Sometimes we hear it coming, sometimes we don't. We heard the tractor coming and i'm sure the driver must have been pleasantly surprised to find 2 charming Hailams greeting her with a smile. :D

Morning Glory in white...one of those itsy bitsy things i am always on the lookout for. They sparkle the long and draining journey.

Morning Glory in purple...and it always cheers me to find such beauty amidst the bountiful greens of the forest.

Vegetable plantation on the hillsides and nestled to the lower left quarter of the picture is a river running thru from the hills above.

We could smell a waterfall not far away.

Promise of Rain

2008-11-25T07:40:00.000-08:00

As we trekked along the man-made seeking our waterfall we were swarmed by lots and lots of hungry mozzies. They must have been deprived of red hot blood for quite a bit as they stung us at the peril of their puny little lives. Our blood must have been sweet as they risked their lives to get a sip of our precious blood. I was oblivious to their incessant piercing of my skin as i enjoyed the cool calm serenity of the forest around me.

I breathed in the forest and as i looked skyward pass these giant fronds, i noticed that the heavens promised rain and a smile emerged from my weeks' long frowning face and the creases on my brow began to fade away. I welcomed the rain. Perhaps it shall wash away my stressed out weeks at work.

And droplets of rain began to fall...

Two Hailams Searching for A Waterfall

2008-11-23T02:32:00.000-08:00

As we left the WOW day we decided to go in search of the waterfall we saw from Karak Highway when we came back from Kuantan.

We decided to be a little adventurous and venture in search of our waterfall. We headed uphill and drove as far uphill as we could on the beaten path and found a place to park. We got down and heard the sweet sound of a running river and we looked over the side of the hill to assess where the river was but we could not see it but we knew it was down the ravine. So we took our stuff which was nothing at all really as we had not planned this. We didn't even have water or food with us. We were only armed with our handphones.

As we trudged along the long and winding road we were hooted by a tractor coming up behind us. We asked the ah pek if he could give us some directions to the waterfall and since he spoke mandarin which we both so expertly Don't Know...bananas we is mate, he asked us to hop on an he will give us a lift to as far up or in to the jungle as he was going and so we continued on tractor.

Along the way we were followed by this smilling Nepali carrying something up to his taukeh's farm. He kept asking me to take a picture of him. He couldn't stop smilling which i thought was really rather enrolling and so i obliged. Finally our tractor ride came to an end and the ah pek dropped us off to continue our search on foot.

The Hills Breathe Me Life

2008-11-23T01:57:00.000-08:00

After weeks of craziness with running up to Penang two weeks in a row and the office situation, an LP121 WOW day was all i needed. Raymond and I went up Selesa Hill Homes to support these giving people. We were very much observers as they had many people supporting them already so we spent a couple of hours mingling with the kids and LPs and we were off. Being amongst people and amidst the hills was a blessing, as it brought me some much needed peace after the "war zone" in the office. No accidents the event was held in the hills.

Bananas

2008-11-23T01:34:00.000-08:00

The past couple of weeks since Deepavali has been crazy. Work has literally driven me bananas.
Life at work has been about sales, managing my boys and the whole shitload of admin work to handle and i HATE admin work!!! Do it i must for the wheels of survival shall stop turning and we will all rot in the office doing nothing.

What drives me apeshit is when the phone rings while i am typing the DO's or keying in the sales orders. See my office calls have been diverted to Penang HQ hence i can't divert my maxis line to my office, means i gotta pick up the call and maxis service in my office sucks...BIG time! I get so frustrated and i'm tearing my hair out! One thing a customer hates is not being able to get to their service people and i can't afford that to happen and my maxis line is driving me nuts! Still can't understand why Digi & Celcom reception is better. Damn chibai...now i gotta pay more cos i need to call my customers back which is fine but the explaining is lengthy & costly.

So i cherish getting out of the office and i especially cherish my weekends, now more than ever.

The Knowing Tree

2008-11-04T01:18:00.000-08:00

A little wisdom i found at the Chettawan Temple in PJ.

Girl Friday

2008-10-29T04:53:00.000-07:00

I am humbled by the experience of being a girl friday. Don't get me wrong. I did not put on a skirt or dress. No such thing. I'm straight as an arrow remember?

Things at the office has been crazy of late. Right after our sumandak left us for greener pastures, the office has never been the same. She used to handle all the admin stuff in the office for 5 good years of her life. Just a couple of days ago my operations guys was pretty upset with the new girl and complained how she didn't know this or that and i realised that it is not a personal attack on the new girl but it was kinda like he was experiencing the "Missing Sumandak Syndrome" just like i was too. We were both kinda lost without her. She used to be the link that connected our whole operations with HQ, our clients & amongst us KL staffers, we were left just to fill in the blanks. Now that she has left, we are left to scratching our heads.

What has made things more chaotic was our technical gal "bombed" right after the Raya weekend and our new gal that just joined us a week before techy gal bombed is currently on Deepavali leave for 2 days. So i have been the "girl friday" for the past 2 days. Doing quotations, printing & keying in DOs, checking prices, answering calls and attending to customers, keying in collections...the whole nine yards. It is one hell of a stretch! I have only been at it for 2 days and i feel the stress and our sumandak has been at it and through it for 5years!!!

I salute you...Superwoman or should i say....SuperSumandak!!!

One Last Goodbye

2008-10-05T04:08:00.000-07:00

Past 3 days has been quite hectic for all involved, especially for Aunty Julie and mom, one losing a husband and companion and the other a brother. Uncle Wah leaves behind a brother, sister, a wife & father and a whole bunch of nephews and nieces.

He has always been the most jovial of the uncles. He loves kids and sadly he has none of his own. We were all his "kids". He would always muck around with us no matter how old we are right up to his very last days...when he was still healthy. Sitting at the church's funeral parlour and receiving his friends & ex-colleagues at the wake i realised that he is a man that will be fondly remembered by them. Some of his younger colleagues even call him 'papa'. They shed tears freely for him. He was as loving and caring with them as he was with us. We will all miss him at our family dinners, gatherings, wan lup & tai tee sessions especially during CNY.

Aunty Julie shared that when he was in pain while going through his cancer treatment sessions, he hated the pain of not being able to Hope, Dream & plan What's Next... more than the pain of the treatment he had to go through. Such was the struggle that he had to go through till his very last breath. Finally today we lay him to rest and commit his soul to God.

A loving husband, son, brother, uncle and friend...we will miss you. Thank you for all that you are and Goodbye...

Questions...

2008-10-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

After we left mom and uncle wah at the hospital we headed for dinner. Barbi was cancelled on account of the events that lead to this dinner.

Joshua was asking mummy (sue) why Uncle Wah was sick. Sue mentioned that Uncle Wah had cancer of the liver and he is very very sick that's why we had to go to the hospital and that's also why we did not have the barbi tonite. Accepting all this joshua had one more question...

"What's a liver mummy? What does it look like?"

Mummy couldn't explain it to Joshua's satisfaction hence he kept asking many more variations to this one question. Even small ee (jo) and Uncle Jeffrey couldn't explain or draw it for him. We were hopelessly trying to manouver out of it but he would not give up. We wished...I wished Uncle James was around. He would know how to confuse and satisfy Joshua's question. Only Uncle James could have saved mummy, ee ee & Uncle Jeffrey the blushes.

Who asked you not to pay attention when in school???
Hor hor teacher mary scold...

Emergency

2008-10-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

As my muslim friends celebrate Hari Raya today and i was about to head for Jo's barbi gathering at her pad...she called.

My immediate thought was that she was calling me to chase me about buying ice and drinks etc. She can be quite naggy at times, but this time she didn't sound bitchy and demanding but sounded rather solemn. She had just received a call from our aunty that our Uncle Wah Wah was very ill. He has been fighting with his cancer for about a year now and his condition was not good at all this very moment. We rushed over to his place to see him. He looked very frail and i don't think he could recognise us at all. He had hurt himself and we were trying to get him dressed and bring him to the hospital but he refused.

Sue, Andrew & Mom had got there ahead of us. Seeing him and my mom was rather gut wrenching as my mom spoke to Uncle Wah to calm him down and try to get him dressed. She is the eldest in her family. She has already lost one brother many years ago and now she is about to lose another. Prayer has made her strong and yet I could feel the pain she was going thru seeing her brother like in this condition and in pain. Looking at mom and Uncle Wah brought tears to my eyes as i could feel her pain. I know it would hurt as hell if i have to experience this with any one of my siblings.

As we are born, so too shall we die. It is inevitable. Between the two...life flows. Much is said about how life should be lived, how we should appreciate our loved ones, yet how many of us truly cherish our lives and our loved ones? Seeing the fragility of life & the inevitability of death...let us not leave anything unsaid or undone with our loved ones for when they are gone...only angels hears us. Speak while we yet live so that those of us alive can listen and experience all of who we are. Be we brothers & sisters, fathers & sons, mothers & daughters, we all have but one life.

Let us cherish each other...this lifetime!

Overexposed!

2008-10-01T01:01:00.000-07:00

This overexposed picture was taken in Teluk Chempedak, Kuantan at 0133hrs. We were just sitting by the beach enjoying each other's company after Allysa's wedding.

I realised that when i'm with my friends from elpee there's not much i can hide or rather much that we can hide from each other. We can sit and chat the night away and if something is amiss someone will notice. It's not that elpees are clairvoyants or shit like that but i realised that elpees are more sensitive to one anothers' Being and can sense if something is amiss with another. How do i know? Well...last nite as i was downing my Guinness Stout, Jyn pops me a question... "So what's been goin on? You seem down of late..." Before this i did not think that i was...but that was definately my experience. It was like i was awaken from my gloom as the faery princess snapped her fingers. Made me Stop & Look into Me. A flurry of messages of support and more questions as to the WHY of my current gloom came across my Maxis supported phone made me look deeper into myself as i seeked my answer. My experience was exposed.

Now...would i have thought of it if not for her questioning? I don't think so. Sometimes it takes someone or something to stop us in our treks in life and pops us the question and have us BE in the Question such that we will have the opportunity to STOP, LOOK & CHOOSE. Do i now know what Bugged me? Yes i do and it's a WIP.

I thank God for the friends i have and elpee for bringing us together.

Pinkies Revisit Kuantan

2008-09-23T22:22:00.000-07:00

Sept 20, 2008 The Pinkies invaded Kuantan for the 3rd time. This time was to celebrate Allysa the fastest girl in LP109's (Kuantan -KL in 90mins) wedding.

A thing about elpees is that... no wedding, birthday or celebration is too far, so long as we get-to-gather, we would go any distance. There are always the crazy few who would do whatever it takes to make a difference for another person. I use the word "crazy" respectfully in that most people would think us crazy to go that distance...but most people have not "been" to distances that we have gone with each other and for each other. We missed the other "crazies" that could not make the trip.It is always great to see the smile on the face of the person we are celebrating or visiting knowing the joy we bring by just making the trip and being present at their special moment of celebration. Such is the joy i experienced as we gathered at our favorite beach Teluk
Chempedak. The Pinkies seem to have claimed this as our very own beach for the memories that it brings us. The bride & groom came right after they escaped the clutches of family and well wishers to spend time with us by the beach till late into the night.

It's another beautiful celebration for keeps.

Am I Proud To BE Malaysian?

2008-09-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

As I was about to gobble down my Nasi Lemak with beef rendang at Chawan, this question was asked of me. The acids in my stomach were screaming for that spoonful and when that question came up...the rendang almost fell off the spoon and onto the floor.

It stopped me and for a long while as i thought about it... even after our lunch date. It was not that i was not proud to be Malaysian but the question of what have i gotta be proud about had me in mm land for a bit. Conclusion is...What have i not to be proud about? We may never have been the first to send someone to the moon or conquered nations or beat another at football or even win the Olympics gold in badminton in Beijing nor is it about waving the jalur gemilang either but we have each other...Melayu, Cina, India, Punjabi, Kadazan and many more.

Our country, My beloved Malaysia may in a shambles right now but that is an expected chaos brought about by the want for change when the few make a stand for the many. Such are the ripples felt across the nation. Such is the price of change. I may not be politically savy nor am i politically inclined. I...like many, watch the news, read the blogs and the local media not knowing who is lying or who is telling the truth but as i shared with my deep thinking friend that we are perhaps choosing a lesser of two evils to lead the nation into the next millenia.

What then can i contribute towards a better Malaysia? How can i contribute and make this a nation we/i can be proud off? This had me thinking...Who am i, to be able to do such a thing? I know not about politics and i care less about it though i acknowledge it's importance and relevance. I do know that my dream is to live in a Malaysia that is truly muhibbah! I am committed to have such by creating intimate relationships with my brethen of all race and creed and together we will be proud MALAYSIANS! Like ripples we too shall break the monotony of what IS.

Negaraku,
Tanah tumpahnya darah ku...

Day of The Dragons

2008-09-06T20:13:00.000-07:00

A bright sun shiny day brings out the best of everything and everyone...from elpees to dragonflies. As LP119 and the grad elpees were creating on land...the dragonflies were creating just above the lake.

I am no biologist, in fact i just barely passed my Biology paper scraping thru with a C6 but instinct tells me the dragonfly above with the slightly different tail fin from all the other dragons is a male. I had tried to shoot him since morning but he won't sit still. He was flying up and down the coastline (till i find a better word) of the lake as if to check on all the other dragonflies perching on a blade of grass, a stump of a very dead tree or brush. Flying aggresively as if to mark it's territory from harmful elements. He seemed to be patrolling the lakeside the whole morning. I finally caught him taking his afternoon siesta. Doesn't he look fierce?

These ladies were just perched and basking...just like women they are all out to keep themselves pretty and fabulously gorgeous.

This one look a tad tired, must have been a long saturday nite out while the other looked like she had a great saturday nite.

This princess on the right here is so prima donna. She so want the attention that she stayed so still and glamorous just so i can shoot her up close. In fact i manage to shoot her with my macro application like for the longest time. She didn't even budge. Not even afraid of her life...after all i could have eaten her, i was hungry.

It is very gratifying to be able to shoot airborne creatures cos it's never easy to get them to sit still. Makes it more satisfying. Hmm... I wonder if that's why we...I, go looking for the unattainable creatures called women especially that elusive one!

Dangerous to think out loud especially when i'm surrounded by ball cutters!

Reflecting

2008-09-06T19:54:00.000-07:00

In the calmness and serenity of the lake she reflects...as i am.

Somebody's Watching You

2008-09-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

A bask in the sun on any given sunday must be heavenly for this dragonfly till i came along and shot it...with my Olympus SP 560Uz.

In the relative safety of it's own world, perched 2 feet away from the banks of the lake she must have felt pretty safe. She must have been happily watching her 42million inch "TV" viewing the beautiful heavens with no worries other than be ready in case a fish decides to jump up from the lake and make her the happy meal of the day.

Unbeknownst to me...as i was shooting my catch, i was shot by LP119's Kuey. I had my prized catch, Kuey had his and somebody else...Ng had us! This is like a pictorial observation on life. As in life...we are being watched every moment of our lives. Somebody is taking "shots" of us as we are of others. So beware...

Somebody may be watching you...right now!

Shooting 119

2008-09-05T06:24:00.000-07:00

Merdeka Day was spent shooting LP119 and supporting them in their WOW Day event at Bukit Cahaya (once known as Bukit Cerakah. They probably changed the name cos most chinese was pronouncing it as Bukit Cilaka). LP119 brought children from a couple of homes on an outing of fun in the sun.

The day started with a race by the children and elpees. The children of cos looked the fitter of the lot.

The young uns were standing to attention and singing the NEGARAKU after which they were entertained to a couple of songs from Kob of Thai descent who hand an excellent voice.

The children were also involved in a cut and paste activity and later entertained to a Bhangra cum Bollywood styled dance routine by the elpees.

The day started as early as 5am for the elpees and ended approx at 6pm way after the children had been sent home.

LP119 created a WOW Day that was not only enjoyed by the children but also the volunteers that came to support and lend a hand. I could not describe the day in so many words but more pictures can be seen in my facebook. I can only describe the fun i had by the exhaustion i felt after the event.

I was knocked out the whole of the next day too. What a WOW!!!

Eye on Me

2008-09-05T05:29:00.000-07:00

Old people have a saying that sometimes things (cars, house, trinkets, cats, dogs and tattoos even) choose us and it is not WE that choose them. We may have...set our minds to have something and yet the end results show that we choose something totally different and unthought off and we walk away happier for it. Such is the case with my koi which lies on my right arm.

It is at the moment unfinished, so be patient and she shall be revealed in all her glory to all soon enough.

Story of a Tail

2008-09-05T04:54:00.000-07:00

The past few months have been quite a stretch for me handling my break-up and the guilt that comes with it. I don't speak much of it cos it's not a celebration of a "new found freedom".

I am not free of my issues with commitment as it is, otherwise the clanging of wedding bells would have been the result of such a breakthrough. I have had much advise, coaching, listening to and all forms of support from friends and family. Ultimately it is still me who has it all to DO. Many are the thoughts that have gone through my mind. Much searching i have done with my heart and more is being asked of myself and yet elusive is the answer. I know the answer i seek is within. Perhaps it's the mountains i need to head for to seek the answer from the wise man.

A month plus ago i decided to tattoo a heart on my arm to signify the struggles of this battered and embattled heart of mine. I initially chose the sacred heart complete with thorns strangling the heart. I decided that it speaks of my struggles and i was pretty set on it till one fine morning when i had a pisang kukus for breakfast with my 25%. We were surfing for designs for her anniversary tattoo when i came across the koi's symbolic meaning which spoke to me of my journey and...

...a tail was borne.

Inking my Tattoo

2008-09-02T05:34:00.001-07:00

Here's my tattoist Lina, stencilling my tattoo so that she can transfer it to my arm before she hurts me. She's quite the conversationalist, telling me how bad a day she just had as she was drawing my tattoo and preparing my transfer and she sounded pretty pissed too. I was actually wondering if it was good timing to be getting my tattoo done by her...today. I was actually considering if i should change my appointment to another day.

I decided to take a risk, after all it was not easy getting an appointment. Took me a month to book the date, besides 28.08.08 seemed like an auspicious day to get my tattoo done. So i calmed myself and heard her out as she was drawing. She has been doing this for the past 9 years and she still looks pretty darn young. She shares the same craziness as her brother Simon, who was ever so eager to lob off my dick the day before. I decided that she was pretty nice too and it would be quite safe to put myself at her mercy. She is quite funny and quite a character i must say... You would not have a dull moment with this woman, especially when she has that vibrating needle in her hand and she has quite a colorful personality too.

The moment she first touched me, i cringed in anticipation of the pain and half expecting pleasure as she caressed my skin with her tool. The buzzing of the tool was quite hypnotic as it lulled me into numbness and as the pain began to tear at my flesh her voice seeks to calm my frayed nerves and once again i succumbed to the gentle voice of hers telling me to relax, relax ..."Relax or you will really piss me off if i have to tell you a third time!" rather strongly. I always liked my women and my coffee strong. That seemed to turn me on...to the realisation that i was in no position to piss her off or my koi will look like an ikan bilis or worse a tai thou pet, those little fat guppies you find in the longkang (drain).

I was at her mercy as she whispered softly to me... " Why do you pay me to hurt you?"
Less than 5mins with this petit woman and she has already hurt me. My ah por used to tell me, "Pretty women will hurt you my grandson."

Now i understand what she means.

My 25% Going 100%

2008-09-02T04:59:00.000-07:00

Aug 27...now that's a date i remember as one of my ex's birthdays but on this one day i wasn't celebrating her...I can't even find her. That's how her parents would want it. Ha ha ha

Well...I was at Borneo Inks to see my 25% and her husband put ink to skin. They were celebrating their 5th anniversary and they wanted to commemorate it a tattoo. They were supposed to get matching tattoos but somehow that changed at the drawing board. I was there for moral support. You see tattooing can be a rather painful experience, besides i was to get mine done the very next day so i just wanted to get a feel for the place.

My 25% got a headphone with wings to commemorate the day she met Greg till present day and Greg...got Hello Kitty & the Boyfriend, one on each leg. Hello Kitty is my 25%'s all time favorite pussy. I couldn't believe it! When i heard that i exclaimed, "I'll cut my dick off!" and to that Simon the tattoist shouted, "Bring the knife! The blunt one!" I mean Greg is like...a rather macho sorta character you know and you wouldn't believe it either! You can cut my dick and i still wouldn't have believe it till i saw it with my own eyes! Take a look!

All said and done and thank god i still got my dick in place...I think it's such a beautiful gesture by both of them putting ink to skin to celebrate one another on their anniversary. And I swear I'll never put my dick up for anything that you guys do...cos you guys are CRAZY!!!

Happy Anniversary and lotsa love!

Durian

2008-08-20T19:19:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago i was back in Taiping and before leaving we got this huge mother of a durian from my aunty...mother of this durian holder in the pic.

All the way back from Taiping we were thinking of the durian. When we reached KL we went straight for dinner, all the while thinking of the durian. Once home we immediately ripped the thing apart and salivating in anticipation of it's succulent flesh. Now it was huge as you can see and it smelled damn good. There was a hole by the side and you know what they say about durians with a worm in it...It is supposedly damn good la, that's why the worm also wants a piece of it. So as we thought about it we were salivating. Once opened we saw a worm-eaten seed and we thought ok...we still had the rest of the huge durian.

Then we caught this fucker in one of the seeds, fat & in the pink of health from eating the durian. Unbeknowst to us, the fucker and his friend had most of the fruit and left us with only 2 seeds to share between us...and the 2 seeds were far from ripe.

At the end of the day, we had the unripe seeds and since we were so pissed we let the pink worm share our aquarium with our lampam. So much for waiting...all the way from Taiping.

Moral of the story... Time and tide waits for no man and in this case, the pink fat little fucker didn't wait for us either.

LP16 Babies

2008-08-15T20:19:00.001-07:00

Aug 1998 was the month i signed up for the Basic and then went on to LP16. Through elpee i met this bunch of people whom i have the pleasure and honour of calling friends and we have been so for 10 years!

Wow! 10 years...from strangers to being great friends. A bunch of us still keep in touch and much has happened in the last 9 plus years amongst all of us. Much has been created by one and all and the above picture is one of the many creations. Everyone of the above kids had parents who were all single at that time in Aug 1998. They were merely excited little spermatozoans swimming in daddy's family jewels. Today...they are cute, noisy and still very excitable little people...the pride and joy of their parents. There are a few more who were absent on our gathering last week. Last weekend was a gathering to meet up and catch up amongst each other but behind it all is the purpose to create a 10th anniversary weekend gathering for LP16.

Well our motto is GIVE, LIVE...WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Dinner with Dad

2008-08-15T20:03:00.000-07:00

Dinner with dad is a rarity these days. The red tape he has to go thru is ridiculously difficult or so he chooses to believe and hence true for him.

Last week was a good weekend for him as he managed to get his "Visa" approved or perhaps he just made an illegal dash from the shackles that bind him. Anyway it was good to have a day with him and the boys (the blog brothers). Managed a couple of hours window shopping and managed to squeeze in dinner too. It was especially nice that the old man bought us dinner at the San Francisco Steakhouse. He loves a good steak and it was just wonderful to have him buy us. That was the best of all, better than the steak. Having dinner with him was better than the dinner itself. Best of all was catching him having an intimate moment with our "little man" Jesse. A rare moment that can only sit in my memory as i wasn't quick in my draw for my camera.

These are moments i cherish for it happens much too far and few between.

On Bended Knees

2008-08-08T21:05:00.001-07:00

No no...Whirlwind, it is not what you think. I ain't getting there yet.

I paid a visit to Erik last week and had him look at my battle scarred knees. These knees have held me up and brought me higher in the past 42 years. Shit...everytime i say this, Shamini feels so old and Matt knows he will get there too...It's just a matter of months my brother!

I had a bit of a strain on the left knee and had Erik massage and put it back in place. Apparently both my knees had suffered sprains before and i left it at that once the pain was over but in actuallity the bones were out of place and Erik put it back in place with a pop! Imagine walking around all these years with my bones out of alignment. No wonder i sometimes can't walk straight and i thot it was the bloody flamin lambroughini that Raymond bought me. Ha ha... :) After popping it back to place he put hot herbs and bandaged them. Only set back is there is this whole list of things i am suppose to stay away from for 2 weeks. No tea, kofi, bak kut teh, sour pickled vege and a whole array of stuff. A price i am willing to pay for my beloved knees.

There are many more mountains that await these pair of knees and I.

Nostalgic Dinner

2008-08-08T20:03:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a stretchy couple of weeks for me with lots on my mind. Physically i'm fine but my mind is all over the place in a land called relationship and commitment. During times like these it always is great to have friends around and about to lend an ear or even just to chill out and one of those evenings was the very Wednesday the Aug Basic walked in. (Don't know what this is? Come...let me bring you to the guest event.)

A bunch of us went for dinner as is the norm after any event that we have. There was the ever-knowing Raymond (mutt lan tou sek putku ngo mm hai sifu), The angelic Jynnie who is ever so excitable and innocent, The Matt who keeps insisting that he is younger and taller than me and Khun "chicken wing" Rudy who is a thai boy trapped in a malaysian man's body...no no he is not a lady boy, this one is all man based on his drooling capacity when girls are around. We went to this chinese restaurant which i can't remember the bloody name but it is decorated with lots and lots of teapots which i did not take a shot of hence i used this cd cover pix...u will know why later.
We had a rather light dinner considering the heavyweights at the table...namely Ray, Rudy and Matt la. Jynnie and i eat like birds in a park. Dinner was rather tasty with soft unitrusive piped in music from days gone by...days of our granfathers and then it started with me mentioning how these songs used to be played on LPs and gramaphones. That was all it took! From there we went down memory lane. We went back to the days when our side parting or centre parting was combed and how the good boys and the bad boys were recognised by the comb we carried in our back pockets, the carrot cut pants that we wore, the bottle cap games, 5 stones...yeah yeah we played them too. Great way to get into the girls good books. :) Marbles...the big white ones to the little see thru ones, patung...figurines where we throw at each others little heroes, pictured cards, ice cream sticks, saga seeds and Game & Watch. We went on and on about the mini buses, bus tickets and ever skilled bus conductors and their ticket clippers that hung around their pinky. We even tried to remember the names of the cinemas that used to be our sole source of entertainment...Cathay, Pavillion, Tai Wah, Lido etc and of cos their tickets and the ticket sellers pencils which did not require to be sharpened...just pull on the string/paper and it reveals new lead.

We had such a good time laughing, laughing so loud that the uncles and aunties at the next table must be wondering what is wrong with the youth of today? We just laughed and laughed and had a good time. A good meal, great friends and a memory that is still serves us well...oh and the right piece of music to start things off.

These are the moments that are priceless to me. :)

Waterfall

2008-07-18T20:29:00.000-07:00

From Up High,
I come crashing down,
Making a Cry,
What a beautiful sound,
Calming & soothing...PEACE abound.

Thru rocks of ancient times I make my way,
From tops of mountains to the bay,
Cutting paths along the way,
Nothing can stand in it's way.

Tho soft and gentle my water flows,
Oft times great are my crashing blows,
Abundant life swim wild and free,
Frolicking & flourishing with glee.

My water brings life to the banks,
Never need i their grateful thanks,
For the people that come to my banks,
From their PEACE & calm i find my thanx.

Wild & free my water flows,
Up & down it goes through it's throes,
To the ocean wide it goes,
How deep no one knows..

JT
Nov 4th, 2007