In the Name of LOVE

Love, can mean so many things.

When we speak about L-O-V-E, layman will always think nothing but just lover's love, which is a real no-no. Love can be anything -- Love to your family, to your children, to your lover, to your friends, to your co-workers, even to your pets. So many variations. Don't you just love being in love?

A friend of mine recently mentioned about investing in love, love to a great friendship, which I think it's great! But investing is a word means nothing more than time & money. Expectation, he said, what crosses the finish line does matter. It made me wonder, what about the process of being in one? Of course, it is equally important.

What if the relationship turns out to be rotten, sour? Lesson learnt and move on. If it leaves a sweet memory, cherish it. I think that's what love is about: give and cherish.

It reminds me of an idealist friend of mine, who think love should be unconditional. Well, for perfectionist or author, yes. But, for a true flesh and blood living in this modern society, I can say that that is not possible. Every bonding you have with another person spells reciprocity - give and take.

Give some examples:

Son: feed me and put me to school
Father: be good and contribute to society
Lover: treat me well, I will do so too
Friends: extend your smile during sunny days, extend your help during rainy days
Co-workers: reward me for the work I have carried out diligently
Dog: feed me, walk me and I will take good care of your house

Everywhere you go is the same. Love can be unconditional, but how many are there now?

With these conditions, that's why opportunists created "commercialised" love, where you can see malls stock up piles of chocolates during Valentine's; carnations during mother's day and so forth. It just made me feel repulsed for what love has turned out to be. Love has eventually turned into opportunity for business-minded persons, which spells $$$$ to everyone, buyers and sellers likewise.

Love, what is it all about? You go find out youself, afterall, it's a good thing. Love, leads to sweetness, joy, laughter, push up one's adrelanin level.

Love is everywhere! If everyone has love, don't you think the world would be a better place?

Negara Ku & 48th Merdeka

Negaraku, Tanah Tumpah Negaraku
Rakyat Hidup, Bersatu Dan Maju
*Rahmat Bahagia, Tuhan Kurniakan
Raja Kita, Selamat Bertakhta

*repeat

As Malaysia soaring to its 48th Anniversary, take this opportunity to wish all Malaysian "Happy Merdeka Day"!

花錢像水流

我不是一個很會花錢的人。可能因爲生活中出現了一種叫做“萬事達”，即“萬事都可達成”，花費上也逐漸有上升的趨勢。

我也頓時變成花費節節上升的天后了。是什麽原因？生活習慣的改變？誤交損友所致？

慘！光是這個月卡已刷破了。可悲!

不要緊，失去的一定可以賺回來的。

真的可以嗎？會不會太愚蠢了呢？有點吧。

怎麽辦？

別想它了，既花了，也是於事無補。 就乖乖呆在家裏，不出閨門，應該可以多少幫助節制的。

錢，好重要。

減肥與我

近來，感覺好像好多人都跟上減肥風。所謂減肥，即文雅一點 是 瘦身或纖体。

其實，說得準確點，是我開始接減肥的這個抉擇，也應該說，不得不減肥。加上老闆“施壓”，不時暗示我那肥胖的身軀， 以及M的鼎力推薦，看來還是得花些錢來擺脫跟我多年的油脂。不知道我多餘的肥油可以值多少錢呢？哈哈哈。

原本，對減肥這門東西完全沒想過。既然胖了這麽多年，多難聽的外號都被叫過，我也覺得沒有所謂了。真完全被我打敗吧！可能早都習慣了，又何必耿耿於懷呢？

回想起來，自己瘦的樣子是怎麽樣的呢？連我自己也不太清楚。因爲從小學發胖到至今已是屬正常，看來應當反省，反省。

可是，要不是金錢所在，我看減肥的事也是遙不可及的。

現在，天時地利人和一一齊全。還是減肥去！我也好想感受一次擁有窈窕身段的模樣。

應該是很漂亮吧。

Me on the swing

Come swing wih me ...

Child at play.

How I wish I could be her, swinging happily without worries.

When I look at the picture, it reminds me of my childhood, my time at the playground with my brother. There was this particular swing, made from steel chain and wooden planks. Unlike those in plastic or even with a fabric seats, this particular wood swing has its own magic. The magic to make you fly!

I remembered vividly that I was on the swing, which my legs were too short to reach the ground. I just started to move my big fat butt. With much effort, it moved. And the stronger force I had it on, the more movement the swing had. And I just listened to the friction sound coming from the joints between the plank and the chain. The higher frequency the sound made, the faster the swing was.

Swing and swing, I just sang a tune to the swing!

Wow, the momentum had gathered, I could feel like standing on this wooden plank with my heavy body weight. It's so exciting!I transformed my force from my buttock to my legs and waist. I lowered my upper body, climbed up on the plank, and stood on it, and swang harder by moving my legs. It had become much faster. Faster, speed up! I said to myself, and the swing just went wild. The next thing, I was flying, though it's more like a Pendulum swing. Imagine, my full body is at the total horizontal position up in the air. I just laughed out loud and shouted excitedly to everyone at the playground, "I have made it!". The experience was just so amazing!

It was fun and pleasant! How I wish to be on the swing again, laughing and swinging with a tune.

Graduation & Convocation: My Version (or Everyone's?)

2005: a year of my friends' convocation.

To me, convocation is something way way too far away from the point I am at. Suddenly, I feel so uneasy being in this school-thing anymore. So odd, and yet so familiar at one point of time. Am I missing something?

I had total 5 graduation ceremonies. One in kindergarten, one in primary, one in high school, and the rest were my college and university. Well, to be frank, none of these ceremonial events mean anything to me. To me, it's just a proceeding of marking an end to a great adventure in that particular academic institution, and farewell to these people whom I have shared great laughter and enjoyment with. It's a happy event though. It's not an end to the life journey, just that particular moment.

My graduation was just a normal one, presumably, the same as the others who BTW reading this. Parents/ guardians were there, sitting behind the backbench looking on. Graduates in front with their graduation cap and gown on. (Why do we wear a Cap and Gown for graduation? read more ... http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/graduation.asp) and the once-in-a-blue-moon chance to meeting with the chancellor, who happens to be either a political personnel or a royalty. Graduates would then be singing the national, state and school anthems. And the ceremony of giving out scrolls will be in the process. Of course, special awards come in and speech by grauates representatives, bla bla bla ... In a think tank, the most profitable persons in this whole convo would be the florists and the photographers.

Nonethelessly, friends would be waiting patiently with flowers and presents outside the hall, and shouting at your name once you come out, and hugs and kisses would be exchanged. Of course, photo session is not to be missed. How touching, you would say. Yes, I must admit.

Maybe there were too many of them at one go. Nothing interesting enough for me to look forward to. But, to look at the satisfaction smiles on my friends' face, it's priceless.

Really looking forward to some extraordinary convocation or graduation ceremony. In my dreams, perhaps?

Treasure Hunt to Fraser's Hill - 20-21 August 2005

The first time joining treasure hunt was two years ago. It was a Merdeka Hunt to Kuantan.

So, this time, it's a revisit hunt to Fraser's Hill and I was excited about it.

The agenda for the day was as follows:

20 August (Saturday)
0700 Hr Registration at Menara Sunway Lobby
0800 Hr Flag Off at Menara Sunway (Hunt Begins)
1530 Hr Hunt Ends (Check Point at Foot of Frasers Hill)
1600 Hr Arrive at Fraser's SilverPark Resort (Check In can be done after 1400 Hr)
1700 Hr BBQ Dinner
2030 Hr Prize Presentation Ceremony
2130 Hr Free & Easy

21 August (Sunday)
0730 Hr Buffet Breakfast
0930 Hr Free & Easy
1230 Hr Buffet Lunch
1400 Hr Free & Easy

The tulips and the hunt questions were tougher than the last time I had. At least something new. The hunt was interesting. No one was late to arrive or got lost. I must say, well done to this hunt master.

Our team (me, my brother and my mom) managed to answer 20 questions correct (out of 33 questions) and 1 treasure question correct. We ended up with 70 points / 124 points, giving us a 14th standing. Not bad, I though.
The night of the prize giving ceremony was great! We had so much laughter and fun. To me, everyone is a winner that night. What's more surprising to know that a couple with two young children can top the hunt. Really amazing! I really salute them.

I like Fraser's Hill. Fresh air, nice breeze, most importantly, it is on air-cool mode due to the cooling weather uphill. It's beautiful! It reminds me of spring in Japan, I visited few months back. It's really nice and I did enjoy myself very much.

Sport & Game

Yesterday night before headed to dreamland, I asked my brother a question, "how to differentiate sport and game?"

I didn't get any answer, so I decided to look up the dictionary. It says:

Sport: an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment

Game: a form of play or sport, especially a competitive one played according to rules and decided by skills, strength or luck

Well, I still can't figure it out, as Olympic Games (a kind of sports event), or for instance, badminton game (a kind of sport too). I am kind of puzzled all a sudden.

My personal view to this would be, sport is a physical activity, while game can be in form of physical or intellectual activity. Although it's kind of lame, but, at least it's more acceptable, at least in my terms.

何謂幸運？

我覺得自己是個蠻幸運的女孩。

有個美好的家，至少是三餐溫飽的那一種。兄弟姐妹也非常和睦，父母也非常明白事理。相比窮困的同胞們，我是幸運的。

記得有一次，我的友人一個人的運氣要看到底你的腳趾了。怎麽一回事？原來，大腳趾越是長過二腳趾，那麽，那個人一定是命中注定的好命， 即幸運。我當時恨不得把我的大腳趾拉長，頓時有種拔苗助長的衝動。回想起來，我的舉止也相當好笑。

一個人的運氣真的這麽容易被注定嗎？

我媽常說, “一個人要知命，不要認命, 不然發奮的心就沒有什麽意思了。” 這句話也蠻有它的道理。

只要奮鬥，問心無愧，我相信即使多不幸的命運是可以改變的。上大學的時候，老師也曾說過，“luck is preparation meets opportunity"，只要肯努力，幸運的花還是會開的。

幸運的孩子，加油！

My brother

My brother is a maven. What's a maven you might ask. Well, according to this book recommended by my brother, it says, Maven is a person who is knowledgable, and would connect people by sharing his knowledge. An educator, perhaps.

He has this unique character which at times I find it amusing.

When he introduces some cultural events, or a historical site, he would tell the history of it and he would narate it with most possible entertaining way, that you will straight away want to go to the place or the event that he had pitched through. Unfortunately, when you really visit there yourself, it would be another side of the story all together. Strange isn't it?

Though I know my brother since he was born, I still find him interesting even till now. He never stop surprises me with new knowledge, new piece of gossips, or new information input that he has laid his hands on. How I wish he wouldn't stop filing me with this fun stuff that he has ventured through.

Of course, the things he does may not mean the things I have interest in it. Sometimes, the things he was trying to do are things which I labelled as boring. But somehow, I will just heed his story with great amusement. Maybe it's the way he delivers his message, or his cynical smile, I really don't know. I think that makes him unique, or strange, you might call it sometimes. Until now, I still can't fully understand what he is doing nor thinking.

He has this thing for computers. I vividly remembered that during school days, he used to join only one club, which is the computer club (~duh). No sports, no outdoor, just cosy air-conditioned computer room is sufficient to make him happy. (No wonder he is so fair, while I am the opposite, total opposite!)

During his college years, he used to join those unpopular clubs so he could have more time to pursue the things he wanted instead of going with the flow. He is just a lone ranger, like doing things his way, researching every details he could possibly have. His energy level was just amazing.

To me, my brother is perfect! Perfect with the knowledge he has gathered.

Other than that, he is just a selfish brat that I hated. (I think unique person has a character of an artist = strange)

Well, he can't be perfect, afterall, he's my brother, a flesh and blood too, not a six-milion-dollar-man.

My brother, a person that resonates my love and my hatred the same time. Love and hate collide.

"Indey" musicians

Came to know the word "indey" from my brother and a mutual friend. It simply a short representation for independent musicians.

My brother once told me about English independent musician weekly chart in the UK, and how these talented musicians got a chance to emerge from being underground to the top of the world. At least more exposure and chance for these people to play their music for a wider audience. Pretty amazing!

I got to know "My Little Airport" from M. The music is very refreshing, away from those commercialised music I heard over the radio. When she played another group, 自然捲"Natural Q", it seems somewhat familiar. I heard some of their songs over Wa FM, if I am not mistaken. The songs which I vividly remembered were "C'est La Vie" and "Natural Q". Something different and yet entertaining.

I reminds me of 海螺新韻獎"Hai Luo" new artist performance award during my high school years. First heard 梁靜茹Liang Jing Ru's "Qi Dai"期待, it was really touching. I can still remember the lyrics. I think it's a starting point for her career as a perfoming singer. Her commercial works are popular, however, I still like the voice who sang "Qi Dai"期待, so memorable, and I felt so good.

As this example said, I wonder whether these indipendent musicians would end up being too commercialised until it losts its original pursue of promoting their original genre of music?

I just wonder.

ニューズの女日本ドラマ

上個星期從朋友那兒借來了ニューズの女的一部日劇。在二000年的時候，本地第三電視曾播出的一部精彩的日劇。現在乃是借來重看並回味。故事時介紹麻生 環，一位出色的新聞播報員的人生經歷。我喜歡這部日劇，不只限於它好聽的插曲，還有它的故事的啓示。總的來說，超好看！（我一口氣在兩天内看完此劇，太有 意思了！）

演員陣容：

麻生　環・・・・・鈴木保奈美
北原　龍・・・・・滝沢　秀明
星野　夏美・・・・・藤原　紀香
秋吉　直人・・・・・吹越　満
日向志津夫・・・・・小野　武彦
蔵原　圭二・・・・・伊藤　俊人
紺野　徹・・・・・野村　宏伸
久保田六郎・・・・・長塚　京三

幕後工作人員：

脚本　　　　：田渕久美子
プロデュース：岩田　祐二
演出　　　　：小椋　久雄・高丸　雅隆
音楽　　　　：本間　勇輔

主題歌：

JUDY AND MARY　『散歩道』　（EPIC・ソニーレコード）

配樂：

本間　勇輔 「ニュースの女」オリジナルサウンドトラック
国内盤 CD EPICソニー ESCB-1864 4988010186425

1998年02月21日 販売

劇情介紹（日文）：

　アンカーウーマンの椅子をゲットした女・麻生環、30歳。彼女は幾多の困難を乗り越え、いまテレビジャーナリズムの頂点に立った。人は彼女をこう呼んだ・・・・「ニュースの女」と・・・。
　この物語は、数々の試練に襲われながらも立ち向かい、そして克服してきた彼女の活躍をヒューマンタッチで描く感動のドラマである・・・はずだったが、それは、番組開始10分で終わってしまう。
　この物語は、頂点を極めたかに思えたアンカーウーマンが、数々の災難に遭遇し、せっかく登ったはずの山から、どんどん落ちていく話である。
　災難の元は、何を考えているのか判らない高校生との同居。また、変な弁護士と知り合いになったことも災難の元凶。彼らと関わることによって、今まで、やっとの思いで気付きあげてきた栄光や名声・地位もどんどん地に落ちていく。
　今まで信じてきた価値観や大切だと考えてきたことをすべて失ってしまい、当初の颯爽としたアンカーウーマンとは似ても似つかない女になってしまう、でも、最後に、彼女は彼女にとって一番大切なものにちょっと気付く。それは・・・

Double Standard

What makes me for frustrated to know that I am not VIP, but received which I think it's an ill treatment by guards without having to afford a Mercedes or a Jaguar is ridiculous.

Recently, I was stopping my car at the usual spot for dropping off a cheque to the office before signing off to my posting at the site. I realised that I was chased away by the security personnel at the office. He told me that the in-house carpark is free for first 15 minutes of parking, and no one, I repeat, NO ONE, is allowed to park outside.

And you know what? When I got out from the carpark, all the big luxury cars, Mercedes, Jaguar, Pajero, you name it, were all lined up outside the spot which I have just mentioned.

I cynically told the guard off, "Oh, Mercedes, Jaguar boleh park sini. Saya punya Iswara tak boleh-lah." And I walked off from there, feeling pissed off.

It really infuriates me to know that to know this. And, in fact, it happens in the world everyday. Double standard it is!

A piece of advice for you who is reading this: get rich and drive big cars, no one will stop you from parking illegally or at any spot that you laid eyes upon.

Hazey day

hazey day spells lazy day ...

(picture from Private Washroom site)

The days are numbered! The haze attack is back!

Every August, dark clouds would form and the sun was camoflaged by these dirty smoke particles that sheltered us from the shine. It's horrible.

Eyes are soared and mouth is dried. Looks like more business for clinics and hospitals.

Friends have been sms-ing me on the API (Air Pollutantion Index), advice to consume more water and fruits, etc. Can't keep track of it all, there were too many, just like the smoke particles.

Getting lazy too.

Waking up smelling fumes from the fogging activities early in the morning made me puke. Oh, my, more pollutants? I just couldn't comprehend the reason behing this.

My younger sibling has called a day off from school, which spelled joy for him.

Today's haze has worsen. The tipping point for Klang Valley. In Port Klang and Kuala Selangor, it's the worst! Reported API reading of over 500 there, which the government called on an emergency state. No outdoor activities, all stay home and keep masks on.

Forecasted too that by another week or two, the situation would be worsen. I hope not.

How I wish the rain could come and wash these haze away, leaving the earth smell of greens.

馬來西亞人

我很好奇。怎樣才可以成爲一位稱職的馬來西亞人？

我深深為這個問題而思考多時，始終給我找到幾個合理的解釋。

第一，盜版猖獗，世界爲首
第二，貪小便宜，盡可免費
第三，官字兩把口，說不盡
第四， 駕駛快速，意外重重
第五，設施具備，民意不在
第六， 效率不在，遲到早退
第七，好管閒事，袖手旁觀

想罷，我看我們還得加把勁改掉這些坏習慣，以免變成後患，那就後悔莫及。

晚安曲

讓我們互道一聲晚安
送走這匆匆的一天
值得懷念的請你珍藏
應該忘記的莫再留念
讓我們互道一聲再見
迎接我們新的一天
把握那美好的前程
珍惜你錦繡的人生
願你走進甜甜夢鄉
祝你有個寧靜的夜晚
晚安 晚安
再説一聲明天再見

道別

很快的，我的朋友們一個接一個回到他們的奮鬥歸宿去了， 都是在國外。這個星期也品嘗了不少美味佳肴，讓我目不遐爾，實在太愉快。當然，我的荷包也大出血，唉~

道別畢竟是不捨，也難免。不知道就此一別，何時再相逢？

無論如何，但願你們錦綉前程，學成歸來。

開始想念你們起來了。。。

哭是什麽樣子的呢？

剛剛我的同學問我： “你哭的樣子是什麽樣子的呢？”

好奇怪的問題。

可能因爲我都給大家一種很愉快的感覺，總是不停地帶來歡樂，無憂無慮的緣故吧！也可能，我也不想你看到我哭的樣子也説不定。

那，我哭的樣子是怎樣的呢？

肯定不是悲傷的。而是，憤怒，委屈，不平。。。

我哭的樣子，眼睛紅腫，難看極了。 還是保持一貫的笑容比較可愛，不是嗎？

我，還是不讓你知道我哭的溴樣，畢竟，我還是一個愛笑，愛閙的女孩。

Taming of the Shrew - Post viewing 29/7/2005

Went to The Actor Studio in Bangsar to catch a theatre "Taming of the Shrew" with Woei Ming, mom, Hee Xiang and Yin Foong. It was Yin Foong birthday, so consider a treat from me.

I was already late arriving at the scene, leaving my work site at Bandar Menjalara at 8:15pm, while the show is going to commence in another 15 minutes. So, drove in acceleration of 120km/h. What a record! Luckily the traffic went smoothly. Thank god!

The show kicked started with Lucentio (李承運） and his fellow companion bracing the outside. Then, follow with argument by love pursuers wooing over a beautiful girl, Bianca, which everyone started to fall in love with instantly. However, the condition for this beautiful girl to be married is to get a soul mate for the eldest sister, Katharina (呂愛瓊）, who is fearsome by many men.

So, the pursuers in return for the hand of marraige to Bianca, are secretly seeking ways to get a groom for Katharina. In the end, Petruchio (黃囯強）married her by force, and the moral of the story is: marriage is about reciprocity, Taming the Shrew or Being Tamed too?

The story line was alright, just that I felt it was unnecessary too draggy and long-winded. The humour snowballing effect has lost its magic after the intermission. Making the momentum falls to its valley altogether for me. Good start though. I think it should cut the unneccesary parts to reflect a greater side of "How to Tame the Shrew, and In Return". The joke just got lost somewhere.

I particularly like the part played by 李承運 as he is really good with the Indian dance. Thumbs up for him.

Anyhow, the show was a "so-so" to me. Keep it up, folks!

石油又漲價了！

美國石油價格再創新高 USD$62一桶。

難免，我們也難逃面臨石油價格調整的宿命。人人喊苦! 唉~

看了朋友寄來的網址： http://www.lifeafteroilcrash.net 裏頭的報道，相信世界末日來臨時，必定是石油被慘遭挖光命運的那一時刻。我實在不敢想象那天的到來會是怎麽樣，有點毛骨悚然， 不寒而慄。

難道，有別的解救方法嗎？

隨著，政府都大力推動省電計劃，並呼吁所有的私人界同仁一同響應。省電，即指午休時間關上冷氣空調，関燈； 下班前一個小時關上冷氣等等的號召。

看來，我們也應該極力響應，好讓我們可以省下不少的能源，造福社會。