Serving at 3 in the Morning

Life here has been getting pretty monotonous and routine…I realized that I have really nothing much to talk about these days aside from work…which to me…really really sucks…I hate it when life becomes rather predictable…like knowing exactly what I’m going to do next…Hence, I decided to take matters into my own hand…armed with a can of Dunlop tennis balls and my trusty Wilson Hyper Hammer, I took to the courts at 3am in the morning…it was dark, but fortunately for me, these was some ricochet light from the lamp post…fueled my desire to break from my routine I set a personal goal for myself…“Don’t leave this you get your serve to hit your sweet spot”…It was tough, I had no idea where the ball was heading or even where my ball toss was, coupled with the frustration of hitting too many framers…but I persevered…tweaking little things like my grip, posture…etc etc…until “Pop!”…by golly (who says by golly anymore), I think I did it…I hit couple more just to make sure it wasn’t a fluke…I retired to my room after that, rewarding myself with some milk and cookies for the task I've just completed…Man…life is sweet again…

I realized I haven't been updating my blog...well, I will in the near future I suppose...well I get more organized with my stuff...In the meantime...check out these couple of videos...If you don't find it funny...there must be something wrong with you...hahahaha

Famous rats

Some well-known people born in the Year of the Rat.

Galileo Galillei, Italian scientist, 15 Feb, 1564

William Shakespeare (right), the bard himself, April 23, 1564

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Austrian composer, Jan 27, 1756

Charlotte Bronte, English writer, April 21, 1816

Leo Tolstoy, Russian writer, Aug 28, 1828

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Russian composer, May 7, 1840

Claude Monet, French Impressionist painter, Nov 14, 1840

Jimmy Carter, former US President, Oct 1, 1924

Chin Peng, outlawed secretary-general of the disbanded Communist Part of Malaya, Oct 21, 1924

Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, Works Minister, June 30, 1936

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, Nov 14, 1948

Gwyneth Paltrow, American actress, Sept 27, 1972

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor (left), our first angkasawan, 27 July, 1972

Eminem, rapper (real name: Marshall Bruce Mathers III), 17 Oct, 1972

Amir Muhammad, writer, filmmaker, 5 Dec, 1972

**Is it me, or did the pool of talent got watered down over the years...Looks like we're in dire need of a Saviour...Fear not my friends...

Paul Lee Hann Ker, Born on a Monday, 8 Jan, 1985

The Lost Whisper

WARNING: Spoiler to the movie 'Lost in Translation'

Man...'Lost in Translation' was a pretty bad movie...made absolutely no sense...what worse was the whisper in the final scene in the middle of busy Tokyo...
Anyway thanks to some fanboy with limited access to technology was able to decipher that last scene...stoke of brilliance or plane crashing...you be the judge...

People Getting Punched Just Before Eating

Common'......you know you want to click 'PLAY'......

Everything Changes...A Multimedia Digital Retrospective Presentation...

I was really inspired inspired by one of mom's earlier post about 'December' babies...how one has grown and the other ones journey just beginning...etc etc...So I was flipping through some old photographs...and I was just taken by how much things has changed over the years...plus I found pictures that I never even seen before...you know what they say..."everyday is a new adventure". I know I know, there are tons of pictures when me and my siblings were younger…looks like a cheap plow to get people to read my blog…but hey…my blog my rules…besides…it’s fun

So I present to you...the new old and improved 'Multimedia Digital Retrospective Presentation'... Enjoy...

P.S: Wini…I searched high and low and still can’t find this mysterious knee high socks of which you speak of…I beginning to doubt the existence of these pair of garment (for the feet…to the knees)

1) The kids change...

I really like this picture...it's the first time I've seen this picture...I like how the boys are carry a tommy gun and a rifle, while the girl is holding a barbie doll...the only question is...was this picture taken spontaneously...or was it staged...

I actually vaguely remember this one...I think it was some of the nick-knacks from the Christmas eve celebration gift bag...Zorro was huge at the time...not kidding...

This one was taken in Ranau...hot springs i think...correct me if I'm wrong...although...I'm never wrong...anyway...still no sign no knee high socks...

This one actually had a date...which meant I was 16 at the time...aaahhh....to be young...we became much larger...maybe even larger than life...we always seem to think so...

2) The neighbor changed

We used to be good mates at the time...we used to hang around and play after school...that was until I realized she was a girl and she realized I was a boy...harsh reality of life...

After years and years apart...since she had her life...and I had mine...we collaborated once again to host/emcee my sister wedding...needless to say...it was a success...thanks to the sharp improvisation skill of the emcees...

3) The housing estate (taman) changed...

There used to be a hill in front of our old house...but to us...it seemed like a mountain...during some evenings...before we were allowed to scale the 'mountain' ourselves...our dad would hike up the hill with us carrying his trusty pocket knife...he would then carve objects upon our request from mudstones...we would say something like "Papa, can you make me a boomerang, a gun, a horse, a dog....etc etc..." and he would...although thinking back....they all curiously looked like 'L's.....hahahahaha....although...through a kids' imagination...nothing is impossible...good times...

Well...today...the hill was flatten to make way for a new luxury condominium...ironically, the boy in the red car had something to do with it...talk about preserving childhood memories...

4) The Christmas tree changed

This was our old Christmas tree...it looked pretty 'lightweighted'...lacked omph...although it more than made up with the sheer amount of gifts under the tree...these days...the tree is replaced by a much larger, more life like version (refer to previous post)...sadly...the gifts have somewhat extincted over the years...

5) The living room changed...

This was our old living room...those days...it had a 20 inch?? TV that had to be controlled manually...which meant someone had to go up to the TV and changed it themselves...that job usually fell to me...it also had a VCR and a single deck cassette and radio player...the two decorative plates at the back were brought back from my father from England as a souvenir from his time there...it was later broken by the kids who were playing ball in the house when it was strictly prohibited...bottom line...nobody follows rules...

Today...it is replaced by somewhat state of the art technology...32 inch flat screen TV, DVD player, double deck cassette, triple VCD and CD player with build in radio with surround sound... also a VCR and...satellite TV...How technology has raced through time...

Part 2

Any room for my parent?? You bet there is...Anyway, this first part I was torn between two titles...'The Evolution of a Socialite' or 'The Ascension of a Socialite...hhhhhmmmm....you be the judge...although they both sound good...I tried my best to make a historical timeline...which was hard...since there was no date stamped on the photograph (except that from my rehabilitation using the old digital cam)...so i went by the size of the kids...

Fresh grad...the year was eeeerrr 197_...this was the look that defined a generation...the fairly straight/ wavy shoulder length hair coupled with the thick rim,ed glasses....ahhhh, so full of hope.

This one....eeerrr don't really know what that is...but best describe as a motorcycle helmet with fringes...I'm aware it sounds a tad bit insulting...but most of the 70s and early 80s was ( i was born mid-80s)...hahaha, kidding...if someone knows a better way to describe that, then do enlighten...anyway...having said that...it was a good long...i think it'll still pass as a good look today...again...you be the judge.

This one I call the Marge Simpson perm...Why? because this hairstyle definitely defies gravity.

Then came the return of the shoulder length straighten hair...but the thick rimmed glasses were left in the 70s...along with Carol Carpenter...

This...this is a cross between the straight and the perm...and the rest is history...mom pretty much kept that hairstyle from here on out...albit minor modifications here and there...so there you go...a picture of a jet-setting socialite mom with 3 kids....


This next section...I call..."Bell Bottom Blues"...

First came the clean shaven and short hair look...fresh out of university...the year was 197_ +1. Dad graduated a year after mom...

Then came the addition of 2 children and a moustouche and the side parting the the right...other wise known as the Ringo or Lobo look...minus the long hair of course...Legend has it that Moses was responsible for that hairstyle...

Another kid rolled into the frame...but the moustouche was long gone ...the parting though, stayed...guess the Israelites haven't made their way across...

Then...eeeerrrr...well, you get the picture...when you have a winning look...you keep it...

Day 3 in Paradise

Two post in a row…that must be some kind of record…someone should seriously pop open the celebration, cause this frequency in blogging should be rewarded. Another lazy day as usual…but who says lazy days are bad…anyway, ‘Heroes’ is only up to season 1 episode 15 here…which baffles me, since like the series aired here on January, and was up to episode 5 when I left for Newcastle in February…strange…maybe it’s a mystery we can get Mulder to solve…you know…I was planning to get some reading done during this break…particularly my mini book project ‘In Cold Blood’…but man, this house has been way way to comfortable…the living room is a definite no no, since the TV is always turned on…I tried reading in the patio, but the chairs were uncomfortable, and my butt just hurt after like 15 minutes…so I tried the living room upstairs…but after like 5 pages…I just dozed off and ended up napping…challenging reading has taken a whole new meaning…boy I can tell you that…

Anyway, I was watching a documentary about the London sewers which was build during the 1850s…part of a 7 series documentary titled ‘7 wonders of the industrial world’, which reminded me of another episode that I watched about the Brooklyn Harbor Bridge…of all the 7 episodes…this one was my favorite…the bridge is truly a modern marvel, the way it was constructed was simply stunning…the amount of detail and lateral thinking involve…it’s a story of passion, perseverance and courage…but above that…it’s a love story…about a wife’s enduring love and unending devotion to her husband …check it out sometime…it has something for everyone…action, romance…you name it.

Home at Last

Yes people…I’m back…‘The P’ is back in town…man…it’s so good to be back…the sights, the sounds, the taste and the smell…everything…it just feels so…eeerrr…home. Well, first thing’s first…I didn’t really plan to blog so soon…I was going to put this off for a bit, however, with Christmas looming, and Sam’s impending return plus the family’s new desktop (which translate to less time for me on the comp)…which is sad, cause I’ll have to relinquish the ‘position of power’…the home office…we have one of those ‘Dr. No’ chairs…which makes me feel very important every time I sit on it…

Anyway, KK is very different now…well, true to nature, the place has once again increased in development after 10 months…the streets are wider and brighter now, and that just in the Damai area, who knows what it the city looks like now (I mean besides the KK folks who have been around for those 10 months that is)…

Anyway, I have to say…mom has again increased her socialite (apologized in advance for calling my mom a socialize…she does very very serious and important stuff) image by driving a new car and spotting a new handphone…seems like all the new things in the house belongs to mom…hahahaha…good one her…and my room is just as comfortable as ever…so much space to roll around…it’s a luxury often taken for granted…specially to those who don’t appreciate the subtle art of sleeping…oh and Astro has a ‘food’ channel…man…think about the potential of this new TV programming...like you can lock up a obese criminal and play make him watch the food channel 24-7…hahahah…

Anyway…here are a few things around the house which I had to archive…

Hot cocoa and some fresh bake chocolate cookies with some Christmas music at the back ground and it would be perfect...ahhahaha, though I wished the family continued the presents under the tree tradition.

I found this picture very interesting...reminds me of the ATP's old 'New Balls Please' campaign when they tried to market some of the up-and coming tennis stars. It's a picture of I guess, the people involved in Sam's company with the marina thing...I was actually very interested in the whole thing...unfortunately I have to confess, I didn't actually read the article, since it was too long and *ahem* boring, plus I only wanted to read the piece on 'Team Sam' rather than all of the other contestants...Look at them man...hahaha, the next generations of young architects in the forefront of the industry...

Man, Sam wasn't kidding when he said Buddy was obese...my gosh she's fat...she's like this huge tub or lard...gigantic ball...kindda like Jubba the Hutt...I don't know if this picture does justice but believe me...she's huge...

The 'Plan' view...hopefully it'll give you a better idea of how big she is...although i still think this picture doesn't do any justice...

This is going to be a great break…although there are tons of stuff I need to do…besides catching up with friends…lots of administration stuff, like renewing my passport, going to the bank…and see a doctor…hahahaha, last time my throat swelled up…the diagnosis was that I’m allergic to KK…so I’’ll need to get medication for that…tough love…

When in Doubt…Go Where The Money Is…

I don’t know how to describe the feeling I have now…I just found out today that I could have earn a considerable more amount of money over the summer…long long story…but all I can say that it was a horrible misunderstanding…oh well, just have to satisfied with what’s on the table on the moment…still $500 a week has a slightly better ring than $375. Shame…Anyway…work has been eeeeerrrr…good I suppose…same old good routines…same old good work…same old good day…same old, same old…So…should I use this time for some sort of reflection……nah……I’ll pass……

Anyway…I found this video by accident…I think it’s really funny…10 bugs to the person who guess what spoof is this…

Oh, did I mention I went down to Canberra for the weekend, with a bunch of people for a Christian conference. It was eeerrr…good (for a lack of a better word)…Anyway, one of the speaker used this video as an illustration or statement…whatever makes more sense…I’ll explain it more perhaps another time…at this point of time…too lazy…think of it as a preview…

P.S…I did a personality test which says that I’m the next Bono…hahahahah…or at least one of the next Bono, depending on how many people actually did the test and got similar results as me…

Long Hiatus Over

Man…I just realized I haven’t updated my blog in about 3 months, cause it felt more like a month or so…anyway, no more excuses…schools out for a duration of 3 months (it seems like I start every post with some sort of an apology). So yeah, I’m in cruise control now, holiday summer break has just begun and it has barely sink in yet, I’ve mostly just been chillin’ and hanging out with my homiez. Most of the ‘hanging with my peeps’ have been involving food…usually free grub…hahahah, can’t turn that down…but I must say, I’ve done some pretty productive stuff as well, like cleaning up my room…it’s so clean now, you can eat off the floor…really, I’ve never seen it this clean since I moved into the room…oh, we (as in FOCUS group) finally manage to fly kites. It’s been a long project in progress which had been put off countless of times due to either weather or exam commitments…but when those suckers finally were air-borne…man…it was worth it… kite flying was naturally my idea, hahahhaha, cause I remembered making kites and flying them at Tg. Lipat when we (Serene and Sam) were younger…good times…

Anyway, I accidentally stumbled onto these videos while I was ‘You-Tubing’, they’re highly addictive, once you start you can’t stop…well, at least to me…so here are some of the best ones (but honestly, they’re all good, check them out yourselves sometime).

And the WINNER IS…….!!!!!

For those of you who don’t know already…I’m a sucker for romance movies…specially the ones with very good, corny, happy and sappy endings…ahhahahahaha…not, but here are a couple of really them with really really good endings in my opinion…

N’ways, my summer research programs starts tomorrow…I’m quite excited…wish my luck…

Oh, and a word of advice for all the people out there whether young or old, male or female, ‘thick’ or thin…BE ACTIVE, BE BRAVE, MOVE FORWARD…

P/S, advice is not from me…hence I’m not responsible for the outcome of any event if users decided to heed those words…

Oh, and I PROMISE to TRY to keep this blog as updated as possible.

The Crying Game

Man...I don't know what it is...but lately for some reasons, I've been really into the 80's tunes...I've been listening to a lot of Sinead...I must say...the 80's did produce some rather memorable music...I hope my pal Speedo doesn't get hold of this post...considering I was verbally bashing him (in the most respectable way of course) about his love for the 80's...seems like he recalls a lot of the 80's considering he's only a year older than me...oh well...the only thing I can remember from the 80's is "Wacko Jacko"...good times...anyway...it's not that I don't acknowledge that the 80's produces some of the finest music of our time...but calling it the "golden age of music"??? Man...that is just wack...you know what I'm sayin'?...'high five from Sam...he knows what I'm talking about'...so yeah... I've been listening to Boy George's 'Crying Game'...I can't seem to get that tune out of my head...I catch myself humming that tune whenever no one is around...it's a nice song none the less...I remember how that song was constantly on repeat over the high-fi system like it was yesterday...so...enjoy...

Don't want no more...of the crying game....

The Inevitable Update

Mornin’ troopers…how’s the fort holding up? Anyway, just to get formalities out of the way…I sincerely apologize for the lack of updates…I don’t explicitly know why I’m doing so…because…maybe life is really mundane here…not that I hate mundane…in fact, thrive in it…just that sometimes I lack the skills to juice up the unexcitable stuff.

So it’s now week 4 (or rather the end of…) which means works has been steadily pilling up…which is always a bummer…somehow my mind tells me that work load should increase as I get deeper into the course, but my body just is unable to keep up…but like always…by God’s grace…I will cope…

Well, week 4 is quite an extravagant event for NCS (Newcastle Christian Students/Society…don’t really know)…it’s typically known as evangelical week…so as the name suggest, the NCS members will be frantically promoting their evangelical events running throughout the rest of the semester…so, as FOCUS is part of NCS, we too are helping to promote those events…more specifically…our Friday talk entitled “Why didn’t Jesus come to my country”…which is not really a talk aiming at evangelizing…but more as an introduction to Jesus…hopefully, that will get them curious enough to join the other organized evangelical programs…

Anyway, our FOCUS group decided to set up a free coffee/tea stand in front of the library’s computer lab to facilitate our promotion of the bible talk on Friday (did I say it right….sounds funky)…anyway… like mom ordered…I took some pictures (actually I gave the camera to a friend and told her to go crazy)…so enjoy

P.S, I think I write more than necessary…I must learn how to compact my writings…

That's Tana, she's a pretty cool chic...she does a mean "talk to the hand" gesture

Penny Lane a.k.a Rockstar and The D-Man (FOCUS worker) having a chat

Yoong doing the stereotypical "asian pose"...I put this up to illustrate a point...oh and she's quite a fan of Dad (as in my Dad), because I told her Dad liked Duran Duran, Backstreet Boys and trance music

Matt filling up the thermos

Yours truly indulging a Tim-Tam cookie with a nice cold polystyrene cup of fresh milk...oh and that's Ruth to my left

Oh, by the way...it's just a coincidence (or maybe not a coincidence, depending on how you look at it) that there were mostly girls in the pictures...First, i didn't take the pictures...someone else did...but really, Matt was effectively the only guy helping that night, I was just there to take some snap shots (did my shift on Tuesday)...so there you go...

Blast From The Past

Top of the day gov’ner!

Well peeps, another semester has gone by…and I’m here alone in my room alone finally able to reflect on what was a rather eventful and hectic semester…looking back…I have so much to thank God for…for one, I guess it was my semester results, I pretty aware that I’ve been quite visibly paranoid about it…but at the end…somehow, I manage to surpass even my own expectations…I felt somewhat undeserving at first, but after listening to George’s (he’s the lecturer for one of my subjects this semester…again) explanation which in essence was that our results reflected our comprehension on the subject…but, I would be rather blunt to think I did it all on my own…so, not through formalities or force, I thank God for not only my results, but all the experiences of last semester…

Anyway, contrary to what people might think, I do think about home more than ‘once in a while’, and I do miss home and the familiarity of it…I was just browsing through some of my photos, and I realize I have quite a decent sizable archive of pictures…Anyway, I was just reliving all those moments in my mind (and it still brings a chuckle or two)… So, allow me to share some of those moments with you guys.

This is Newcastle beach during the winter...the breeze always ensures a smooth surface

That's dinner at TEDS (at the dining hall)...during my freshman year...good memories, but i rather no go through that all over again. Oh, and that Lina to my right

I don't know the deal with the pose...but i think this picture was taken in a McDonald's where Jia Meng did her placement...I think it's funny how a McDonald's found its way into a hospital

That were some of the guest for my 21th birthday...the funny thing was that I knew it was coming, but it still took me by surprise...at least I had my shirt and pants on when they barge in my room...anyway...it was fun...

There's something to be said about our brotherly relationship...somehow we seem to enjoy ourselves at the expense of the other's suffering...hahaha

The thought of more surprises was petrifying

Lazy Sunday afternoons...the best kind

You know who they are...the folks...heheheeh, boy have they aged gracefully...seeing my parents is always a sight for sore eyes...

The patio has become somewhat a prominent feature of the house...perfect for those lazy days.
Baby Ryan (or not so baby anymore), will always have the distinction of being the 1st 5th generation of the family...that's quite an honor.

Two of my cousins...I put this picture simply because I was telling my some of my friends over here about the time I prank a highschool friend into thinking Caleb was WanWan...which by the way, was true...good times.

Man, I remember this picture like it was yesterday...in my last post, I elaborated on Serena's courage...I think this says it all about Dad (affectionately known as the "fighting cock")...despite having his shoulder disc dislocated, and for the better part...looking like Quasimodo, he was still out there attending business commitments and hanging with the family.

This picture is prove the man can experience both happiness and pain at the same time...or rather...that joy can be the best suppressor to pain...Dad loves spending time with his nieces and speaks highly of them...which is a good thing...

'Christmas by Candlelight'...this has always been one of my highlights of the year...man I just love Christmas...such peace and serenity...there's just something about a large group of people gathering together and singing/belting Christmas carols and remembering the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ...or should I say...the unveiling and fulfillments of God's plans...

Serene's rookie year as a wife...need to ask for her current stats to see how's she going now...

This was a small gathering of friends to celebrate Christina's (chick to my right) birthday.

The reason i decided to put this picture; I think Sam looks like Tom Green...oh, this was in Kinabalu National Park.

The last Chinese New Year I celebrated back home...well, I have nothing against Chinese New Year, but it's always feel so monotonous and 'too festive' for my taste...besides, it's CNY is essentially a celebration of 'ME'

Next Gen civil engineer...soon the future of some of the world's infrastructures will be thrust unto our hands...

Is it me, or does Samuel seem to have an uncanny ability to know when the camera/spotlight is on him...I think this shot was suppose to be candid.
Family gathering to celebrate grandma's 74th birthday...I remember it as a day that the family seem extra bonded for the occasion...I think Dad said it was the 1st time the whole family gathered to celebrate grandma's or any member for that matter birthday.

Not to brag...but i think I had my share of achievements in high school...just a little slice of the cake...

Last day at wintercon (organized by the Newcastle Christian Society,NCS camp). For some reason, some of us decided to brace the chilly breeze to watch the sunrise at Foster beach.

And here's the sunrise...I particularly like this picture...I think the Sun puncturing the skies beyond the horizon was quite a spectacular sight.

Picture of some of the boys at wintercon...from left: Brendon, me, Homo and Johnny Boy...

Well, I have to apologize for not taking more pictures...but you know...I was more in a spontaneous mode and definitely there to enjoy things at the spur of the moment...so, yeah... was hard to like say "Playing Ball? Hold on, let me take a picture before i join ya...". I mean, i could, but it just wouldn't be me...anyway...wintercon was a great camp to relax and have fun... but more importantly...get refreshed and recharge for the following semester...this one week i guess help me get re-acquainted, relearning the Gospel and the cross...or rather...to see the bigger picture of the concept of the cross...I say concept because i don't have the proper word to describe it now...Oh, and the teachings also allowed me to be clearer on prioritizing and equipping myself to answer the hard questions that being a Christian demands...

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the picture...and Mom...does this warrant my ownership of the camera