2nd Chance

This is a year of 2nd Chances for many of us. Some have renewed faith in work and relationships. A friend of mine have finally crawled out of the web of debt and slowly embarking on a better career path. Another friend has a renewed self confidence after shifting to a sales job. Another is finally taking the big step into marrying her longtime boyfriend of another race -despite a few family members' protest. Another is finally getting his PhD after MUCH revision... 2nd chances don't come easily these days. It's a matter of recognizing it and seizing it. Because if you don't, you'll never know the outcome. If you doubt it, you'll never fully appreciate it. So embrace it and make full use of it.

Come Around Again

You promised me you'd always be

When I wake up please come around again

Come around again

You promised me you'd always be

When I wake up please come around again

Come around again yeah- COME AROUND AGAIN (Jet)

Has anyone significant crossed your path before in your many years of existence? Someone who has in their own ways touched your heart or left an imprint in your mind? Someone perhaps you've met briefly but made a huge impact in your life? Someone perhaps maybe you've lost touch with because of distance or technicalities? Someone maybe you used to be close with but no longer is because of some circumstances? Just someone you wish would come around again and visit your life again? It's weird sometimes when you're just driving and you have flashbacks of people you've met, or voices you've heard or just brief encounters and moments you cherish....... Life works in funny ways.

ROAST PIG

This CNY my mom butchered 2 roast pigs. It seems that we have a roast pig for EVERY OCCASION. Be it a marriage, a birthday, CNY, even XMAS....alamak. I'm not really a fan of it actually. Somehow the image of people squatting around while they watch my mom slicing it up and shouting out the parts/spare parts whatever that they want is really enticing. And amusing. Some people quietly munching on the crispy roast skin. Some people happily tarpau-ing to make 'chap choy' for the day after. If you think about it, every part of the pig is made edible by the Chinese. Ears, kidneys, liver, intestines...just about every 'spare part' available. My favourite part is the ears......What's yours?

Diamonds Are Forever

Just recently I've heard news of 3 of my buddies in the midst of getting engaged or getting married. I think my fren TzeWei would be glad to know that the curse on our ipoh gang is finally broken. And what better way to announce the good news by flashing their new diamond rings. I'm not a fan of rocks...but I guess no woman would argue that diamonds are symbolic to the love shared between 2 people. Whatever. To me, it's just a rock :) Check Engagement Rings this out. Priced reasonably for great designs. You can hardly find any good designs here in Malaysia. There's a range of diamond rings priced at under USD999, USD1000-2000, and so forth to suit the customers. Clever idea I think. Not everyone can afford a giant rock, but if given a range to suit them financially, I think consumerism is made much easier. Just make sure your rock is not a blood diamond :)

Mahjong-ized

I think my first mahjong experience was when I was 13...a friend attempted to teach a few of us to master it. Never did. Then went to uni and some of us attempted to teach my Canadian landlord and another gwailo mahjong..and well they loved it. But they quickly lost interest in it after about a month. Then about 3 years ago when I came back, I paid *tuition fees* to my fren's grandma and aunties while they taught me how to play the 3-kaki mahjong. The game was much faster and more fun actually. But since they can calculate so fast, I've yet to learn how to really really 'kira' the 'fan'. Well, at least I know what's north, south, east, west. But really, Mahjong to me, is really fascinating. SERIOUSLY. It would be the ultimate table game. Beats poker anytime.

Keeping the Essence

So my family is not the most traditional Chinese family, but every year we celebrate the 'Pai Tien Kung" in good ole Ipoh. Family and friends gather waiting for the time to do prayers. While doing so, the house is with a CONSTANT supply of food. My mom mentioned something not long ago that it's always good to have abundant food and not lack of food because it shows generosity and happiness. When I arrived in Ipoh at 2pm, there was already some homemade Lam Mee (ipoh style) and Wu Tau Kou, my mom's friends happily playing mahjong. The day stretched on and some aunties brought more food. By night time, there was too much homemade stuff and 2 roasted pigs waiting to be butchered by my mom. It was nice to see familiar faces, my mom's ex-colleagues and got somewhat acquainted with my dad's mahjong kakis. It wasn't really about gambling, I guess waiting to do prayers in a group is better than doing it alone. The celebration in my place is pretty small scale since my family is not business-orientated anyway. The cleaning up was horrendous , and so we (the kids) rant and rant, but we gladly do it anyway. So, if anyone drops by in Ipoh next year during this time, feel free to visit me.. or for some free roasted pork!

CNY SARANG GAMBLE

OK..admit it. Who hasn't buka sarang gamble yet this year? CNY and gambling comes together like bread and butter. Maybe the gambling bit came about after everyone's done with the greetings, drinking, eating 'kam' etc and then they sit around having nothing to do so people start playing cards and mahjong. Or perhaps because of the ancient story of how the people stayed in because of dragons outside so they keep themselves occupied with games. Or maybe because Chinese just simply love to gamble. Popular games for CNY:

1) CHO TAI TI

2) BLACK JACK

3) VOMIT

4) MAHJONG

5) DOMINOES

My cousin's husband from Hongkong taught me another game - card game years ago, that's pretty cool. It's called SPEED. The game came about I think during the time when the movie was out. Objective is see who finishes his/her deck the fastest using one hand only. OH WELL, HAPPY CNY AND GAMBLE AWAY!

I'M A JUNKIE

I'm a junkfood-junkie. I used to eat junkfood for lunch (still do occasionally). Yar, chips and chocolate bars. With Snapples to boot. Junkfood junkies are either into sweet stuff or the salty stuff. I'm like in between. And well, here's my list of favourite junkfood...

1) Snyder's

2) Kettle Chips

3) Lay's BBQ Chips

4) Mars Bar

5) Sneakers Bar

6) Seneca Apple Chips

7) Chickadees

8) Twisties tomato

9) Kacang puteh (anyone knows what's what called?)

Really, kacang puteh was my first real experience in junkfood eating. Cheaper mar. And it's good stuff really. Everyone had their own 'kacang puteh man'. Mine was at my secondary school's canteen.

10) ANYTHING AT THE LOCAL PASAR MALAM

Gawd, anyone who goes to pasar malam would know...the amount of junkfood you get there...and RM5 for 3 packets of junkfood...life doesn't get better than that.

SO WHAT"S YOUR POISON?

Reunion Dinners

I believe in gatherings and well, reunion is sorta iffy for me. I don't mind going for reunions really, family or friends reunion meet.. Meeting people you've not met for over 10 years can be interesting. I must say, thank gawd for Chinese New Year and Xmas or whatever- or else, there wouldn't be an excuse to have a reunion dinner. But if you really think about it, we don't really need to have an excuse to have a reunion. Just a matter of having someone to organize a gathering once in a while, trying to group everyone up in one spot. You would think with friendster and all, we would be better at 'korek-ing' old friends up. Problem is finding that one person to be the 'organizer'. I think I was the 'organizer' for a while, especially friends' side, and really I think it's time for me to retire. Everyone just take it for granted that I'll round them up, or call them, and when I don't, they ask me why I didn't. Hullo? Everyone's busy as well. I do have other 'commitments'. A reunion dinner can only happen if everyone chips in. It's meaningless if it's a one-man-show trying to make it work.

Expectations

I've learned since very young (thanks to my mom) that we should never expect anything. When you do good, you don't expect anything in return. It really makes life much easier, trust me. Just give it away if you've got it. But well, after a while, it does make you feel like you're some 'idiot' who just likes to give. And not take. I think my mom hardly taught me how to 'take'.

But in all, I do learn that when you don't expect at all, people around you may not be able do the same. People around you will expect something from you. Be it something simple, like showing up for dinner, or indulging on a phone conversation, or lending a shoulder to cry on. SO I CAN always not expect anything, but people would always expect something from me. How can I ignore that especially if these people are people you love the most. And yet, it's quite exhausting and a real adrenaline chase trying to please everyone around you. There's only so much I can do. So this year, for reunion dinners, tried to mix the 'those who don't talk to each other' up, because I'm expected to meet 'those who don't talk to each other' separately, but I can't anymore, because my staying period in Ipoh no longer allows the luxury of meeting one person at a time. From now on, only people that matters, matters.

Rude Farks

Hey, what makes people think that just because they are customers they can be rude farks to their suppliers? What's with the I'm high&mighty attitude? People just don't get it that it's just a job. A job that helps to pay your bills. Why does bringing down a person's self-worth makes another person more powerful? What's the purpose actually? Does that really satisfy someone? What's wrong with telling someone most appropriately just what you require and save the sarcasm and belittling of people. We are all only human. People make mistakes, you don't fark someone up just because he forgot to prepare certain documents for you. At the end of the day, we all just doing the work to 'cari makan'. Why can't we live WITH each other? Just be considerate? And not make a big deal out of everything. Why make life so unnecessarily hard for yourself? Syiok meh like that? Anyways, I believe in karma. It'll come back and bite you sooner or later!

After-Hours Activity

I dunno about you, but i'm usually "ALIVE" like after working hours. During working hours I'm basically a walking talking zombie just trying to get by the day. Just want the day to be over kinda mode. And well, after-hours activities vary for different people.....

1) YUMCHA- probably the easiest, fuss-free, cheapest activity ever...but you gotta have good kakis, and some regulars...but once a while welcome a newcomer..gotta have some variety.

2) SUPPER- guilty of major indulgence in supper, just about any damn thing to rid the itch for some grubz

3) MERAYAU-RAYAU- ronda-ing at night in KL can be quite nice. Especially when you're the type who can't sit still over a long long yumcha session.

4) DRINKING- ok for a change and a more economical approach, try drinking beer/stout at the kopitiam....maybe the 'view' is different...but you still get your daily intake of booze..

5) COOKING- maybe my most favourite past time...but you gotta have a guinea pig in line, midnight cooking is great because no one's like hungry waiting for u to finish up cooking

6) BLOGGING- ahem ahem....most ppl are inspired at night???

WHATS YOURS?????

My Take on Valentine's Day

Yo people, please do not buy flowers, or CHOOSE to get flowers.....C'mon, flowers are best when it's still rooted to the ground. That's why I've always hated flora fest. It's like a flower-killing fest. I'll rather get a plant. Seriously. You spent a way-over-limit budget on flowers just to have the girl dump it on a vase, let it rot well enough before she eventually chucks it away in a dustbin. Some would even attempt to dry 'em but then even those eventually ends up at the dumps. So, this Valentine's Day (might be a little too late for a warning), do not be a FLOWERKILLER. Peace.

About Amanda....

What did I do on the eve of Valentine's Day...well, I met up with my friend, Amanda. Probably the greatest friend anyone could ever have. We weren't that close when we first met in secondary school. Only when I came back from overseas, and herself from Singapore, that we rekindled the friendship. And thereafter, it was a whirlwind being with her. I must say, she was always there for me through what most of the time are bad, unhappy times. I try to do the same for her. We were the losers who pretend to buy dogs so we get to hold 'em at the doggie shop. We used to joke about living our lives as spinsters and then we would knit away our lives in a house tucked in good old Ipoh. Seeing her yesterday, we both shared our happiness for we've both found what we were looking for. And so, here's wishing dear Amanda, best friends for life, a Happy Valentine's Day.

Worry Worm

Are you one of those worry warts who just can't get enough sleep? Just can't shake it off you? Well, I used to be a worry wart. The slightest thing gets me worked up and my thoughts would be practically running a railway station the whole night.... couldn't sleep at all. But then now I have a strategy. I think most of us are bothered by really stupid and trivial things. Eliminate that. Filter that OUT. Pass the problem to someone else who cares enough. Then, you're left with your real problems. Ok now, decide which problems can be solved quickly - do those first. Solve them. ASAP. Now, you're probably left with the really major, 'kik-sau' problems. Decide, which problems are within your control and which aren't. Things you can do something about. Why fret and worry over problems you cannot control- you can only wait and see what happens right? Like death. Problems that you CAN still do something about them, you'll just have to make extra effort to do so. Take a day off. Get a time-out. EVERYONE NEEDS A TIME OUT ONCE IN A WHILE. Problem with us is that we sometimes take tooo much time worrying, trashing out at the mamak then actually solving it. Cis. Blame in on the teh tarik. Hehe. And if you're out for some fun, leave the worry baggage ok. This is the Worm signing off.

Bugs About Beatles

You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (1965)

Here i stand head in hand, Turn my face to the wall, If she's gone i can't go on,Feelin' two-foot small. Everywhere people stare, Each and every day, I can see them laugh at me. And i hear them say, Hey you've got to hide your love away.Hey you've got to hide your love away.

Can't Fight This Feeling

I cant fight this feeling any longer

And yet Im still afraid to let it flow

What started out as friendship,

has grown stronger

I only wish I had the strength to let it show

I tell myself that I cant hold out forever

I said there is no reason for my fear

Cause I feel so secure when were together

You give my life direction

You make everything so clear

And even as I wanderIm keeping you in sight

Youre a candle in the window

On a cold, dark winters night

And Im getting closer than I ever thought I might

And I cant fight this feeling anymore

Ive forgotten what I started fighting for

Its time to bring this ship into the shore

And throw away the oars, forever- Reo Speedwagon (Can't Fight This Feeling)

I've always loved this song. Yar, I'm one of those who even know for a fact that Red Box has this song..but without the lyrics! Always believed that I was a fighter. But as Reo puts it, can't fight this feeling anymore. Taking the plunge and ready to abandon my cocoon of hate and doubt that I've used to shield myself from disappointment. I feel a change from within. Felt my heart dishardening gradually. Feeling even giddy sometimes. Drunk with love, if I may say. Love songs never sound better these days. It's putting back a smile on my face. :)

The Story of a Relationship

Interlude: The preliminary stage, where everything seems damn good. Songs sound better than ever, irregardless what music you were listening to. You find yourself smiling to yourself a lot unconsciously. Some people get disorientated, losing sleep and crazy sial. But what's most important I guess, that this is certainly a realization that an adjustment is about to take place. From singlehood to WE-hood. This is just the beginning.

The Relationship: It's all about maintenance. Once you've done all the preliminary verification and check, it's about keeping the relationship alive. Trust comes into play a lot here. Family also plays a part. It's really about sharing a life together- one should compliment another.

Exitlude: A relationship usually ends because of perhaps it was necessary, a sacrifice for the sake of the other. Or a 3rd person. But you shouldn't take the exit without having fought for it- I mean a real good fight :). Or else, what was the point of having the relationship anyway if you're too lazy to fight for it?

The Very Thought of You

The very thought of you and I forget to do

The little ordinary things that everyone ought to do

Im living in a kind of daydream

Im happy as a king

And foolish though it may seem

To me thats everything

The mere idea of you, the longing here for you

Youll never know how slow the moments go

till Im near to you

I see your face in every flower

Your eyes in stars above

Its just the thought of you

The very thought of you, my love- The Very Thought Of You (sung by too many people)

Isn't it odd how when you're idle, you tend to think of the thing that sometimes catches you off-guard? When you're lying on your bed, what are your last thoughts before you snooze? Do you sometimes have flashbacks? Or you think of the most unthinkable person/place/time? Some people say, your thoughts are the most genuine when you're about to sleep. Maybe a longing for someone, or a hope for something. Maybe that's why some of us drink ourselves to sleep, perhaps they are afraid to remember, or to be haunted by those memories. Perhaps that is also why some of us don't really sleep much...not because we don't want to, but maybe it's because there's just too much thoughts running a trail in our minds.....to and fro and pusing-pusing. How to sleep? Can't even nap. I look at my 1 year old niece, and it's amazing how fast she sleeps....and how she can sleep while I dreamfeed her... But if you're one of those, who's thinking of someone every night before you sleep, maybe you oughta do something about it. Life's too short to be in such agony.

About Death....

Just last Sunday, a friend of mine had a bad dream- something about himself dying. Asked if we ever have that fear of death creeping up at us. And yesterday, a good friend of mine's dad passed away. The thing about death is that my fear is not so much of myself dying...it is really the fear of my loved one dying, how I would cope and get over it. Perhaps that is why some people don't really let themselves fully love someone, or too many people. Just the thought of being heart broken time and again when someone dies is just too depressing. The thought of someone not 'being' anymore, not being able to go through phases of your lives with that someone. Perhaps that is also why I don't believe in farewells. Even when one dies, the memory still haunts, and you remember vividly certain things that you just don't want to let go. The little things. Like his/her smell. Laughter. The grip of his/her hands. I remember distinctively in Good Will Hunting :

To have the love be there for her forever. Through anything, through cancer. You wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in a hospital room for two months holding her hand and not leaving because the doctors could see in your eyes that the term "visiting hours" didn't apply to you. And you wouldn't know about real loss, because that only occurs when you lose something you love more than yourself, and you've never dared to love anything that much...................

My wife's been dead two years, Will. And when I think about her, those are the things I think about most. Little idiosyncrasies that only I knew about. Those made her my wife. And she had the goods on me too. Little things I do out of habit. People call these things imperfections Will. It's just who we are. And we get to choose who we're going to let into out weird little worlds. You're not perfect.

Strong Enough

Hold on, be strong AIDS, earthquakes

Cause when it's on it's on

but Muggings, carjackings

Hold on, and be strong

Yeah we got problems

Cause when it's on it's on but

But believe me when I tell you

Hold on, and be strong

Things always get better

Cause when it's on it's on but

God don't like ugly

Hold on, and be strong

And God don't like no quitters

Cause when it's on it's on -Hold On Be Strong(no one says it better than 2Pac)

So you've been looked down upon and dissed at and humiliated before. So you've been laughed at. So you've been diagnosed with a disease. So you've been disrespected. So you've been disappointed by someone u care, even abandoned... If you're strong enough to have passed the test, you're left unfazed, unchallenged and ready to take on the world. Every hurdle and obstacle just propels you to a better, stronger you.

Underneath It All

There's times where I want something more

Someone more like me

Theres times when this dress rehearsal

Seems incomplete

But, you see the colors in me like no one else

And behind your dark glasses you're...

You're something else- Underneath It All (No Doubt)

This post is dedicated to an 'adik' of mine, who's caught in the web of love. As a person with such calibre, really, be fair to yourself. Underneath it all, the love is very much there. It's really up to one to take the chance and make it happen. Love does come with a price. It is best to have tried than to never at all. So you won't look back with regrets of an abandoned possibility. Should he not feel the same way, then so be it, move on. One must also learn when to let go. When it's time, it's time. Don't become a "Before Sunset" story. It's not all that glorious. Have no doubts- love is truly agony.

Gotta Appreciate

Things we tend to take for granted.....
1) your mother's cooking
2) a guy/girl who loves you more than you do....
3) a friend's time
4) coins (accumulated coins can be very worthwhile)
5) air-conditioning
6) a phone call from your parents/relatives
7) electricity -TNB
8) 24 hour mamaks- whereelse can you go for food in the middle of the night!
9) public toilet- had a funny incident yesterday, I've never appreciated the toilet more...
10) free internet service at work
11) your parents' love

12) toilet paper
What have you taken for granted lately?

Naive

Hey hey I saved the world today
Everybodys happy now
The bad things gone away
And everybodys happy now
The good things here to stay,please let it stay
- I Saved The World Today (Eurythmix)

When we were kids, we were taught that we must listen to our teacher...until you get crappy teachers who gives you " Masa Sendiri" like every period. When we were older, people tell us to respect the "system"....that is until you start paying duit kopi like it's a regular payment. When we are working, you assume your boss and your colleagues are your most trusted comrades vying for more money...until they stab you from behind coz they are vying for more than just money. When you fall in love with someone, you dream of a life together and etc(all the works)....when the guy's probably just looking for a non-committal one-two-night-stander relationship. So there, why trust so easily anyway....why be naive? It's good to trust people, but trust the right people.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Just a few weeks ago, I got tipsy and started swearing like hell. Yar, that's probably the real me. Trying to vent all the suppressed anger and rage in me. Total wrath. But then again, there's many layers in one's personality. One will choose to reveal perhaps the most appropriate and acceptable personality. Even with best friends, sometimes you cannot predict what one may do- perhaps that's their Mr. Hyde coming into surface. And have you noticed how some people change when they are in a different group of people. I think most of us are chameleons. When I'm with my family, I'm different. When I'm with friends I met in US, I'm different. And with certain friends, especially one on one, I tend to reveal more about myself.....my thoughts and rants. In a group perhaps we all try to blend in, some of us don't bother and just try to be ourselves. Knowing someone for a long time does not necessarily enable you to see the Hyde in that person. The Hyde in a person is more raw, more genuine sometimes, and more intriguing too. Some say we are all born good, no one's born evil, but I think we all carry some evil in us. How can we not? We're influenced by many things. We're touched by many things. I think it's good to bring out the Hyde in you once in a while, coz if you don't...you might just explode one day, and Hyde becomes irreversible! Having said that, some people show the Hyde in them, and suppress the Jekyll in them. They may act cool or most likely anal too, but I believe that's just them trying to suppress Jekyll. :) Whoever we are, Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde, it's alright to be both. Just a matter of balance.

Ignorance is Bliss?

Some people just don't wanna know. Or maybe they just don't give a damn. Or maybe they just haven't got the space in their mind to worry about what's happening around them- perhaps engrossed in their own problems. People diss others who do not know where Zimbabwe is, or who Lenin is, or who Ernest Hemingway is...but really, it's good to know a lot of things, but it's not a crime to be ignorant. Some people just like to give others a hard time. It's more to satisfy their sick need to step on other people. To be powerful. Think about all the kids in poverty, you think they have access to lovely binded books of all sorts? Or even an old man, who's more worried about getting food on the table than how the hell Saddam looked like when he got hanged. Who are we to judge who's ignorant or not. What they lack in know-how, they might know more than u in other aspects. And a wealth of experience is worth more than a million books.

LOST

Known too many to know that most of us are LOST. Some have no direction, not knowing where they're heading to...Some are just basically going with the flow, whereever the wind takes them. Some are just totally lost in the world of loveshits. Some are just lost cause they're caught in a big big rut, that they're STILL struggling to get out from. I think first, recognize that it's not wrong to be LOST. It's OK to be LOST. It doesn't mean that it's time to start looking for a religion to belong to(strangely, some people cling on to that). And recognize that you do need to give yourself time to sort yourself out. Take a few years if you have to. And it's OK to take a TIME OUT sometimes. Go mad or crazy once in a while. So what if we're lost. Everyone's lost at one point of their lives. Why we need to conform to having a structured, 2kids-marriage-is-my-life anyways- that's not how everyone HAS to live. Just saying that it takes time to get UN-LOST.

Time....is on my side.
Yes it is.
You're searching for good times.
But just wait and see.- Time is On My Side (Rolling Stones)

Self Pity

Self pity is no pity at all. Why don't people get that? Sure you can rant (and pant for all I care), I can tolerate like one or two sessions, but seriously, get over it. Some people rant so people can give their advise or opinion or try to find a solution- well, I think that's fine...to talk it over and try to make things right. But some people just rant just so they be heard, and they don't expect your feedback, I'll be thinking what the hell I'm doing there in the first place. I would rather talk to someone in a bad rut, who really just needs a listener....not someone who self pities themselves every 5 minutes of their lives. Then there are those who pities themselves for like years...and don't do anything about it! Self-pitying gets you nowhere...it's doing something about it that MATTERs. SNAP OUT OF IT.

Changes

I still don't know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me but I can't trace time- (DAVID BOWIE-Changes)

People who know me would tell you that I've changed like a yo-yo, up and down, with rough and smooth ends. Although the essence of my personality is still very much the same but certain perspectives in my life have certainly changed. What I use to perceive as boring and mundane, more than ever has become a hobby of mine. What I used to worry about when I was younger, perhaps now I don't really give a damn anymore. When money used to mean the world to me, is now just a number-well, to a certain extent. While some friendships I may have felt I've lost, perhaps now I perceive as a memory deeply embedded in my mind, cause friendships come and go.... Maybe it's the age catching up (*ahem*..damn), but I feel that I've finally know who I am. Even through much changes in my life, at least I know the core of me is still very much there.

My Iron Ring

This is no ordinary ring, to be precise it is actually a stainless steel ring but it's called the IRON RING- worn by Canadian engineers. Upon graduating, the engineer students go through what they call the Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer. We are given an obligation number- it is a hush-hush and solemn affair where the event is not to be spoken of. Legend has it that the iron ring was made from steel from the Quebec bridge that collapsed because of poor engineering (civil to be exact :)) so...the Iron Ring means much more than just a graduation ring, it is symbolic to the engineering ethics and our obligation to society. It is usually worn on the little finger. I sometimes wear it as a pendant.... But no matter how we wear it, wear it with pride :)

Sex Appeal

Some people are just oozing with it and some people just dont have it at all! And what may appeal to one might not work for another. I speak for the ladies when I say that I think men do not necessarily have to be buff and muscular to have sex appeal. Some women hate it. Sex appeal could come in the form of (for men)

1) A grin- a real nice one, the Jack Nicholson /Andy Garcia grin

2) A smile- the kind that comes with eyes that twinkle

3) Broad shoulders- there's just something about broad shoulders.......

4) Rough hands- I think women do checkout men's hands, I dont think any woman likes guys with baby-soft hands...

But well, those are just sex appeal based on appearance. I think women do find more sex appeal in a man who has confidence and knows where he's heading to. I read in some polls somewhere that women love men with English accent. But some women find any accent appealing anyways! For a while, I thought Puerto Ricans were really hot. Carefree and fun. And so, I wonder what appeals to men....feel free to jot down a few here. :)

Weird

I'm a weirdo,
What the hell I'm doing here...
I don't belong here.- Creep (Radiohead)

I've been said that I'm weird time and time again. Even yesterday, a friend of mine said I should have been born a guy. So maybe I don't show my feminine side but I looked through some of my pics when I was in US, and gawd I was feminine then with long locks and makeup and whole lot of skirt-swishing-days. And so yeah, I've been branded as weird. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Rather be weird than be branded as boring, predictable or mundane. Rather think being weird is being unique (cheywah). And weird people like me attracts funny and memorable weird experiences- that are noteworthy :). Maybe it's because being weird, we have no qualms about taking the plunge- in any aspects. Career or love. So I have certain eccentricities- like my obsession with music, movies and perfume, or my obsession with food, at least I KNOW WHAT I WANT. At least, I can say that I know myself very well. Don't need to soul-search, I have my weird obsessions and that's OK. I would say everyone has their weird side. You know it, but you're afraid to reveal it. Really, no one cares, cause everyone has their dirty little secret. So be weird and celebrate it!

Accepting Gifts

What is the most expensive gift you've ever received? But what is the best gift you've ever received in your life? May not necessarily be the same thing. Some women I know, are used to accepting expensive gifts. Doesn't matter that it came from a married man, they justify it by saying that they have loads of money. Or that it was the man's choice to get her the gift. Sure, she may have dropped a few hints- window shopping together at the jewellery store etc. It is a woman's prerogative to accept gifts, irregardless how expensive it is. But... it is also a woman's choice whether to accept the gift or not. I have a friend who's in China now, and he bought a ring card for a girl he's courting in Malaysia. The girl accepted the gift, but despite all that, tell friends that she has no interest in him, that he's too boring for him. And so, I wanna know why she's accepting the gift? Put him on the KIV list? Or is it just plain GREED? Most people would not admit that they are just that, GREEDY. Maybe people just don't find satisfaction in buying something with their own bloodsweat money anymore. But well think about it, the best gifts are not necessarily the most expensive one. It's just more exciting for them to wrench a gift from a sohai (don't think there's a better word for this.) What goes around comes around..anyways :)

Say What You Mean & Mean What You Say

These goes out especially to people who are unable to express themselves clearly and appropriately. Some people just say something to be heard. Talk cock and sing song shit is fine, but at the end of the day you don't wanna leave the impression that talk cock is all you can do. When you don't say what you mean, you also resort to ALL SORTS of things to try and get your message across. Passing the message through a friend, leaving innuendos, dropping hints, etc, I dunno why the hell people dont just come outright and say it out. All that effort when you can just say it out loud. The other type of person is the type who never mean what he/she says. He/She would say that he loves you when he/she is really just looking for a non-commital relationship. Why not just be upfront and say so? Saves a whole lotta time and money, I'm sure. Or they refrain from telling a friend that she's wrong because they don't wanna cause a scene. Why not just be honest and tell the friend off? Isn't that what friends are for? Many people feel that we should always 'jaga hati orang' but I think concealing the truth only spoils that person. That person will never learn. Give the fella the brutal honesty and let him decide what he wants to do with it. You can be straightforward without being blunt. You can be honest without being cruel. Just choose your words carefully.

EatTrip- Ipoh

Went back for a short one-nighter to actually spring-clean the house, but really, I missed Ipoh food. Ipoh food makes me realize how bad KL food is...haha. For Ipohians like me, we don't go for the much-hyped Ipoh eateries, would rather go for the roadside or the stalls tucked in the lorongs of Ipoh. And so, we hit the Ipoh kopitiams over the weekend.....

1) Asam Laksa- in some lorong in Tmn Ipoh Jaya, only cost RM2.00...been eating there when it was RM0.50, so you can imagine. Been eating there for nearly 20 years. No frills, just some tables and stools with the Ah Sou and standard leung cha shuet.

2) Dry Curry Mee- basically any dry curry mee in Ipoh is way better than the KL shit- has real charsiew and siewyuk with fat taugeh.

3) Chee Cheong Fun and Sui Gao- corner kopitiam opposite Canning Gdn Market- the uncle the other day was just counting the years I've been eating there- freaking 21 years... *gulp*, the chee cheong fun grumpy fella has people patiently waiting in line for the noodles. (self service sometimes)

So, if you want good Ipoh grub, grab an Ipohian to show you around, where the good stuff is.

Leave the Originals Alone

I think I wrote sometime ago about original version of a song vs the new /pop/ remix versions. Some remakes are wonderfully done like Marty Casey's attempt to do Creep by Radiohead. And then just recently over a karaoke session, found many English songs being re-sung by Chinese singers. I do have the utmost respect for Chinese singers, but really, they should not touch the songs at all. They should really stick to what they're good at, singing Cantonese/Mandarin songs coz that's their forte. Chinese singers have a tendency to sing the words syllable by syllable. Our stress marks on the words differ, or we don't have it at all. Our intonation is also different. Not even talking about the accent just yet. Stephanie Sun's attempt to do Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough, Hey Jude, Silent All These Years is commendable, but the originals were way better, I'm sorry. And Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough is a duet song! And Hey Jude's meant to be sung to a woman! And that pretty much sums up what is lacking - PASSION. You can't fully grasp a song if you don't mean or know what you're singing! And here's leaving you with one of my favourite song...Just When I Needed You Most: original artist~Randy VanWarmer. No remakes by any Chinese artist I hope....

You packed in the morning
I stared out the window
And I struggled for something to say
You left in the rain without closing the door
I didn't stand in your way
Now I miss you more
Than I missed you before
And now where I'll find comfort,
God knows
'Cause you left me
Just when I needed you most
Yes, You Left Me Just when I needed you most

Stir It Up (bobmarley)

Music stirs different emotions in me....somethings music just says it better than words. Especially when I'm in a bad mood, I just blast the cd player in my lil' kelisa and sing to the tunes of whoever (has been Annie Lennox' Beautiful Child lately). Really can't imagine my life without music. Just imagine clubs and discos and pubs without music. Grew up listening to Air Supply and Carpenters on those long rides from Ipoh to Teluk Intan or to Cameron Highlands on my dad's car. So yeah, I pretty much know all the fuddy-duddy songs by them. All the Jambalayas and Making Love Out Of Nothing At All and Lost In Love. :) And I probably have different songs to remind me of different things: friendships, love, a moment in time of your life. One of my fave oldies is actually Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, only because my dad sings it really well :) . And I've had a song or two that has made me cried sometimes, weird aye, but Ella Fitzgerald's These Foolish Things is quite a song, lyrics are simple but the voice is haunting. I even had songs that I used to listen to when I cleaned my uncle's apt years ago. Beatles, Eagles and Jacky Cheung. HAHA. So I didn't pass up the chance to see Eagles live in Singapore few years back. My favourite Eagles is not Hotel California though (overplayed!) but it's I Can't Tell You Why and Best of My Love. And so...thank gawd for the Neways, Redboxes, Galaxies we have here, where conversations don't apply, only music matters, and Whole Lotta Fun. :)