Of Nerds and Bimbos

First of all, I have nothing against nerds and bimbos. Really. People who grew up as nerds, well, in later years, well into their 30s especially, those people are considered smart, intelligent, intellectual. Women appreciate that kinda intelligence. It means that those nerds are gonna go far, and up the corporate ladder. And you can always rely on the nerd's advice for directions, map-reading, insurance, income tax (especially), career choices...etc. And bimbos, well, they are sometimes branded as vainpots who are brainless and just out there trying to hitch a good catch. But, hey, they know how to take care of themselves I must say. Working girls don't know how to pamper themselves like they do. And yeah, so they're out there to hitch a good catch, but aren't we all looking for THE ONE anyways, the bimbos just choose to work harder on it. And well, these bimbos might not know a lot, but they sure know how to work the room. PR and style rank high in their list. Fun is their forte. Who minds fun? And so well, let's not stereotype nerds and bimbos so quickly. Get to know them. Learn a thing or two.

The Flaming Lips- At War With The Mystics (2006)

This is a special album. It's Pink Floyd meet 70s funk- and it's all about what we hate today- George Bush, popstars like Britney & Gwen Stefani, superficiality, ohwell, it's complicated! I love it that each track is unique-and it's really about Flaming Lips getting their point across. The tracks are somewhat erratic but unique , great lyrics and leaves you astounded. Noted for their pyschedelic music, elaborate live performances and unique song titles, this band made it to the list of 50 Bands to See before You Die! Notable tracks: Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung, The Sound Of Failure, Free Radicals, It Overtakes Me. My favourites are Goin' On and Haven't Got A Clue. Words just can't describe this album. Listen to it. Savour it.

Tags: The Flaming Lips, At War With The Mystics

Badly Drawn Boy- About A Boy

Went through the list of 50 Bands to see before u die- and am surprised to find Badly Drawn Boy on the list! I've had some of its tracks for a while since I saw the movie. The movie dates back to 2002- one of those indie Brit films that I really thoroughly enjoyed- quote: "I used to think two was not enough. But now things are great; there are loads of people... I don't know what Will was so pissed about. I don't think couples are the future. The way I see it now, we both got back-up now. It's like that thing John Bon Jovi said: 'No man is an island.' The movie has a lot of reference to ' No man is an island' thing. But the soundtrack is phenomenal. Badly Drawn Boy, an indie songwriter and singer does an incredible job making the soundtrack singlehandedly. Awesome - some of the great tracks worth mentioning are: Silent Sigh, Something to Talk About, File Me Away.

Tags: Badly Drawn Boy, About A Boy

Los Lonely Boys

Los Lonely Boys-The Garza brothers have actually been around for a while- one of those bands that didn't get its break until a hit song. From Texas, their music is mixed elements of blues, guitar, Tejano, country, but I love the guitar solos in this album and I dunno, some Spanish thrown in the lyrics just gives the music more flavour. They don't have complicated arrangements- purely bass, drums, vocals-easy listening for sure. They're biggest hit was "Heaven" and "More Than Love". But, my personal favourites are "Nobody Else" and "Velvet Sky". Their music reminds me of Ritchie Valens/Gypsy King/ Los Lobos- vocals compliment well -band that you wish you can hear them live.

Tags: Los Lonely Boys, Music

The Killers- Sam's Town (2006)

Boasted to be one of the most awaited and greatest album. Based on Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall in Las Vegas, where they were from. This album is not like HOT FUSS- it has stripped off the commercial vibes of HOT Fuss, and each track is unique, skillfully woven to entice. The album is slick, mature and different. I wouldn't have it any other way really, some expected the same kinda energy from HOT Fuss, but what would be the point of a 2nd album then? I love the way the album was presented: with the first track Sam's Town, and then and enterlude and the album ended with an exitlude. I thought it was very clever and makes the album all the more special especially to the fans. Just like Hot Fuss, you have to listen to Sam's Town probably about 2-3 times before you make a judgement. First time listening to it, honestly, I dunno what to make of it..the different assemble of sounds (trumpets, sax, violin) giving it an orchestral feel. I think that's what makes The Killers special. Consistently out to surprise u. Notable tracks : Sam's Town, When You Were Young, Bones, Uncle Jonny

Tags: The Killers, Sam's Town

50 Bands to See Before You Die

1. AC/DC 2. Ash 3. The Beta Band 4. Tony Bennett 5. Pink Floyd 6. Kraftwerk 7. The Who 8. The Pogues 9. The Fall 10. Oasis 11. Hundred Reasons 12. The White Stripes 13. D’angelo 14. The Flaming Lips 15. Femi Anikulapo-Kuti & The Positive Force 16. Badly Drawn Boy 17. Ian Brown 18. Guns’n’roses 19. Bob Dylan 20. New Order 21. The Rolling Stones 22. Neil Young 23. Prodigy 24. Kilie 25. Paul Oakenfold 26. Fatboy Slim 27. Mr Scruff 28. Osymyso 29. Eddie Halliwell 30. Dj Hell 31. Erick Morillo 32. Tom Stephan 33. High Contrast 34. DJ Yoda 35. Primal Scream 36. RL Burnside 37. PJ Harvey 38. Slipknot 39. Radiohead 40. Red Hot Chilli Peppers 41. Fairport Convention 42. U2 43. The Vines 44. Madonna 45. The Soundtrack Of Ourlives 46. Ryan Adams 47. The Strokes 48. Outkast 49. Orbital 50. The Hives
You've gotta at least hear their music

MOVIES TO WATCH BEFORE YOU DIE

See how many you've scored.

1 Apocalypse Now 2 The Apartment 3 City of God 4 Chinatown 5 Sexy Beast 6 2001: A Space Odyssey 7 North by Northwest 8 A Bout de Souffle 9 Donnie Darko 10 Manhattan 11 Alien 12 Lost in Translation 13 The Shawshank Redemption 14 Lagaan: Once Upon A Time in India 15 Pulp Fiction 16 Touch of Evil 17 Walkabout 18 Black Narcissus 19 Boyzn the Hood 20 The Player 21 Come and See 22 Heavenly Creatures 23 A Night at the Opera 2 4 Erin Brockovich 25 Trainspotting 26 The Breakfast Club 27 Hero 28 Fanny and Alexander 29 Pink Flamingos 30 All About Eve 31 Scarface 32 Terminator 2 33 Three Colours: Blue 34 The Royal Tenen-baums 35 The Ladykillers 36 Fight Club 37 The Searchers 38 Mulholland Drive 39 The Ipcress File 40 The King of Comedy 41 Manhunter 42 Dawn of the Dead 43 Princess Mononoke 44 Raising Arizona 45 Cabaret 46 This Sporting Life 47 Brazil 48 Aguirre: The Wrath of God 49 Secrets and Lies 50 Badlands

THE MAN

Dewey Finn as played by Jack Black in the movie School of Rock defines The Man thus:
"The Man. Oh, you don't know The Man? The Man's everywhere: in the White House, down the hall, Miss Mullins; she's The Man! And The Man ruined the ozone, and he's burning down the Amazon and he kidnapped Shamu and put her in a chlorine tank! Okay! And there used to be a way to stick it to The Man, it was called rock 'n roll. But guess what? Oh no! The Man ruined that too with a little thing called MTV! So don't waste your time trying to make anything cool or pure or awesome 'cause The Man's just gonna call you a fat washed up loser and crush your soul. So do yourself a favor and just give up!"

Best Cafe for A Chat...

Preferably clean, quiet, surrounded by luscious trees and great coffee and scrumptious cakes...

1) Kiwi Express- Sri Hartamas

2) Delicious- Bangsar Village (berrilicious chocolate pavlova and chocolate cake!)

3) Marmalade Cafe- Mont Kiara (food is so-so, but nice patio-like outdoor tables)

4) Suchan Deli-(the first one) tucked far away near Jln Universiti (behind University Towers)

5) Decanter - Bukit Damansara (near Jln Setiakasih)

POSERS

Here's my list of POSERS that I've met

1) Women who dress posh but is foul as hell with bad manners/food etiquette

2) Know-It-Alls whose knowledge is really confined to certain subjects

3) Teenagers who act adult-like but really come off as being ridiculous...

4) People who show up at gatherings sulking and quiet because they think the group they're hanging out with are losers. Really, why even bother to show up?

5) Adults who sit around and compare whose job sucked more- there's some sort of triumph for those whose job sucked more. Who needs to talk about all that after work?

6) Malaysians who went abroad for studies for some years and come back faking 'culture shock' and phony accents- it's NOT COOL. Lived all your life in some ulu town like Kulim and now rude Malaysians give you culture shock? Pls.

7) Old people trying to be 'young'. It's fine to be young at heart, but old haggard men dressed in leopard print shirts with leather pants/tight jeans and dyed hair is a bit of a stretch :)

Can't stand posers.

Of Kids and Adulthood

In Kids, I mean teenagers and 20 year olds.... Had a good dose of interaction lately and can't help but made me feel much older HAHA. And then there are just some incidents that stretches the generation gap just a little bit more. How do you relate to someone who doesn't know where Taiping is? The "Kid" asked me if it was in Taiwan. From what I perceive, kids of that genre dislikes Malaysia..and would rather not have anything to do with it. I don't particularly LOVE Malaysia, but as a friend of mine quote: "We oughta know our roots". I was even once asked how the hell chicken shit looks like. Omg. I told her to make a trip to the nearest wet market and order herself a live chicken. Then 'sembelih' it at home. But, for one thing, these "kids' know a lot more than you think. I blame it on the Internet. Then, there's the "older" bunch whom I've found to be much charismatic, well, the wealth of experience gives them that flavour I suppose. I've met a bunch of ladies who are ever so boisterous and yet elegant and poised. Always quick-witted without being rude at all, sarcastic but funny. Well, so, I'm actually stuck in the middle. Absorbing the best of both sides.

Asian Teacher Vs Gwailo Teacher

I've had my fair share of Asian Teachers and Gwailo Teachers to compare unbiasly. Sad to say I think there's a vast difference. Just this weekend I got to again sample the teachings of a gwailo teacher and it was really a relief. We had a Singaporean teacher for the past 3 months and it was
1) boring, to the point of unmotivating and it was somewhat a struggle getting through the entire class without falling asleep
2) the teacher was bit rigid on the syllabus
3) having us adults students were a bit of a handful as we all had our opinions and the teacher at some point lost control of us...
4) the lesson was too exam-orientated...adults'objectives are quite different-we're more looking for self enhancement and how to better use the knowledge we are PAYING for
And how did the Gwailo teacher fared?
1) well for one, the class was really interesting despite having a really boring module to go through, she somehow managed to make us master the module
2) the teacher was flexible as to what best suit our interest
3) we were allowed to give our opinions but she would always bring us back to the core of the subject
4) the lesson was enriching as the teacher relates her personal views and experience to better equip us to face the challenges we might encounter
Well...i'm not saying there aren't any good Asian teachers..but somehow some mindset has made the Asian teachers to fall victim to society norm, for esample making the lessons all tooooo exam-orientated..because we Asians were brought u to carry with us lists and lists of As...etc.. I remember some really mundane piano lessons I had when i was doing my Grade 7-I was forced to learn ONLY my exam pieces for the whole term! Stripped off every interest I had on the piano!
What say u?

BAD SONGS THAT MADE IT BIG

If anyone listen to the radio, you'll find a lot of songs that I cannot comprehend why they are so big here in Malaysia, getting more airplay than they should...baffles me sometimes....

1) London Bridge- Fergie (I think she should stick to Black Eyed Peas)

2) You're Beautiful - James Blunt (yucks, yucks, yucks)

3) You And Me- Casey (the lyrics is so bland)

4) Unfaithful- Rihanna (frankly, it was just awright....nothing great, I think the radio stations killed it by overplaying it)

I keep switching stations until at one point 2 radio stations were playing Casey's song simultaneously. Gave up and listen to my The Killers' Hot Fuss CD in the end. A better trade anytime.

They're Older and Better

Some men are just timeless. The older they get, the more irresistable they become. They've become icons that will haunt us forever....

1) Sean Connery

2) Dennis Quaid- checkout The Rookie, he still reeks of sexiness

3) George Clooney

4) Michael Douglas- (well..not everyone digs him)

5) Kevin Costner

6) Brad Pitt -

And then there are just some women who never seem to age. Their beauty surpasses time.

1) Catherine Zeta Jones

2) Michelle Pfeiffer (Best Catwoman!)

3) Ashley Judd

4) Shania Twain

5) Courteney Cox

Nothing like the Originals

I must say even with many songs remake with more sophisticated music arrangements, I still prefer the original versions.

1) Bohemian Rhapsody- Queen vs Lauryn Hill

2) Big Yellow Taxi- Joni Mitchell vs Counting Crows

3) Mandy- Barry Manilow vs Westlife

4) Uptown Girl- Billy Joel vs Westlife

5) Knocking On Heaven's Door- Bob Dylan vs Guns 'N' Roses

6) How Deep Is Your Love- Bee Gees vs Take That

7) Superwoman- Karyn White vs "That disgusting chinese version"

8) Dyer Maker- Led Zeppelin vs Sheryl Crow

9) First Cut Is The Deepest- Rod Stewart vs Sheryl Crow

10) Don't Dream It's Over- Crowded House vs Sixpence None The Richer

11) You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman- Carole King vs Celine Dione

So, GOT ANY?

Tags: Music, Original Music

ChungDinh- One Bangsar

ChungDinh Vietnamese Restaurant made me realize that I've been duped by Vietnamese Kitchen and Sao Nam all these while. For fine dining, this place is not really that expensive with quality service. The waitress who served us was a Vietnamese. I probed and found out that there are 3 chefs hailing from Hue, Hanoi and Ho Chin Minh City. And true enough, the food was excellent and authentic. The selection was recommended by the waitress and was unique indeed. Steamboat beef in vinegar broth with ricepaper rolls with vege(DIY style), Okra and Prawn soup, Fish Stew, Crackers with Young Jackfruit Salad dipped with spicy sauce and steamed eggplant with chilli sauce. The desserts were interesting enough too- Caramel custard with dash of Vietnamese Coffee to make the caramel both sweet and bitter. The name ChungDinh means palace, and it seems chefs from Hue are highly acclaimed for its royalty cuisine.

Tags: Vietnamese, Food

The Prestige

It's not about magic, it's about Illusion, and how far you'll go to create the ultimate Illusion. I stepped into the cinema without expecting much. This movie certainly reeks of Oscar. Giving you the dark side of magic, what great lengths people go to mystify, to dazzle and puzzle...An obsession that soon drives both men in a vengeance pursuit. Hugh Jackman was great, but Christian Bale (The Machinist) performance is articulate and convincing. And then, there's always Michael Caine, just his voice makes the whole movie damn great. And, David Bowie plays an interesting character who would 'engineer' and create illusions. Scarlett Johannson kinda decorates the movie prettily- makes the movie just all the more interesting, aye? But make no mistake, this is a dark movie. The movie gives a buildup of intrigue, hatred, and vengeance. Definitely a must-see this month!

Tags: The Prestige, Movies

I LIKE IT SHORT

I love Sharon Stone. She's my hero in short hair. I remember I once took a picture of her to the hairdresser and said that I wanna have short hair like her. That was years ago. I still sport short short hair, occasionally leaving it long and then to chop it again anyways. And everytime, people say that it's too boyish, too short, too unladylike. Well, I love short hair. As opposed to looking like any other damn Ah-Lian with long straight (rebonded) hair dyed or not dyed...I prefer this anytime. It's a stereotype that women must have long hair to be desirable. Must have long hair to look demure. Must have long hair to be feminine. Well, I've not conforming to such narrow-minded, senseless, kuno-fied stereotype. Hail to all women with short hair! We rock!

Tags: Hair, Life

Breaking Up With a Friend

I think this is a rather difficult task. You can tell your bf/gf that the relationship is over, but how do you tell a friend that you dont want to be friends anymore. I've had occasions when some friends call to go out for a drink/makan/yumcha whatever, in which I would politely decline but they still call you. It makes me feel guilty, and it's not really their fault or my fault. There's various reasons why friendships fall out

a) Friends drift apart - different lifestyles and thinking can be a major factor.

b) People change- that's inevitable. And sometimes friends change to something you dislike. Tell me how you can spend time with someone you already dislike.

c) Needy friends. Really, I dont mind to be a shoulder to cry on, a friend to rely on, blah blah blah, but if it gets too frequent, when the friend is constantly in need of attention, it gets pretty annoying.

d) Some friendships are somewhat obligatory. Childhood friends especially. When you meet only during birthdays/weddings- I really don't see a point.

I always believe life is short. Focus your energy on friends that matter and friends that is really in need of you. Friends made because they just wanna hangout with you, have fun with you, well it'll never last. Listen to : You've Got A Friend by Carole King

Tags: Friends, Life

L.O.S.E.R.

Personally, I think it's cruel to call someone a LOSER. Unless you're always a WINNER in everything you do, then you can call someone a loser. A person is not a loser just because

1) he is in a dead-end job that pays very little. Hey, not everyone's lucky to get a great job that he/she likes. How do we know that he has not tried his best, but still end up in a deadbeat job?

2) he doesnt have any friends. Some of us are just lone rangers, maybe he/she is comfortable just by being by himself/herself. Not everyone has to be in a gang or a clique. Individuality rocks!

3) he/she is stuck at home on a Friday night. Well, not everyone has to be some party-goer that comes home late every night trashed and drunk.

4) he/she doesnt have a boyfriend/girlfriend. I think some people just need to have a partner all the time, it also shows how insecure that person is. Frankly, it's alright to be without a partner than to be stuck in a pathetic relationship that is going nowhere....just so you don't appear to be such a loser for not having a partner.

So..the next time you call someone a LOSER, look at yourself, you maybe be at your prime in all your glory, but everyone will fall, so be humble, Dont Be Cruel.

Tags: LOSER, Life

What You Do Is Not What You Are

Has anyone ever asked you what you do, and you'll answer you're an engineer, a manager, business owner...blah blah..Well, if you think about it, you DO spend most of your time at work (especially when you're in your 20s). You eat breakfast/lunch sometimes even dinner with your colleagues...You're rushing to meet deadlines at WORK on a daily basis. You spend more time on the phone about workstuff than talking to your family and friends. But sadly, I do think that what you do is not what you are. These past few days I've been working my ass off, and I wondered if this is what I really want to be. To be a slave to my job for the rest of my life. Don't I want something more from life than this? Don't you want something more than just working like a dog? Sadly, to achieve our ultimate goal (to not work and make loads of money hehe) we DO have to work our ass off. But I've had a good tip from a friend lately. He has set aside 2-3 hours per day to put on his thinking cap and PLAN. Plan what he has to do today. REFLECT on mistakes he made the previous day. That way, he actually saves time and goes off from work at 5.30pm. THEN, he has more time to do things that he LIKES. You know, the next 20 years down the road, what you do doesn't matter anymore, its really the LOVE that you've build around you that matters.

Tags: Life, Work

Damansara Village-SS23 Damansara Jaya

This is a Seafood Steamboat joint. I would say it is a reasonable place with fresh seafood, except the fish I had was so-so. But...my favourite find here is TODI! RM8 per bottle only...and with some Guiness Stout(yay!). You don't have to go all the way to Klang for a dose of TODI anymore!

Tags: Food, Food Review

Thai Express -The Curve

Rm12.90 for Beehoon in Beef Broth - too salty and stinged on the beef slices. Rm6.90 for a limeade- too expensive I would say. The portions are too small , my friends ended up getting additional rice. And they mixed up our drinks......hmmmmmmm. Avoid at all costs.
Tags: Food, Food-Thai

World Trade Center

Story of two Port Authority cops who braved the flaming WTC to save people only to have the building crumble on them minutes later. The start of the movie shows the hustle bustle of the city just minutes before the tragedy that would haunt Americans forever......the slow and calm ferry from Staten Island, the congested Bus Terminal at 34th Street, the clatter of Chinatown...The brave firemen and cops all went downtown to save people moments after the 1st tower was hit. The moments when it hit McLoughlin and Jimeno that the building was gonna collapse were chilling. I was commuting there before for 4 months and left NY one week before 9/11, kept thinking that it could have been me. I guess different people would 'see' the movie in a different light. Right after the collapse, it was a matter of survival for McLoughlin and Jimeno, quite different from their initial intention. I liked the part when they hummed to Starsky and Hutch opening tune. HAHAHA. Then, the movie became wishy-washy with all the wifey bits....but we must remember that this is a true story, and was told by the 2 survivors. They were kept alive by the love for their wives and family. The movie got a little draggy that you almost wish that they'll get the rescue over and done with it. The movie gets a 6/10 for the insights of these 2 brave cops.

Best Music Video

JohnnyCash-Hurt is the best Music Video ever Here. I really liked Walk The Line, and I can see how magnifying Johnny Cash is- Joaquin Phoenix was probably the only person who could have carried off the portrayal. My favourite Johnny Cash songs are Folsom Prison Blues, Ring of Fire and Jackson. 2nd Best Music Video was Thriller- Michael Jackson, it seems kinda corny now when you watch it. I much preferred Billie Jean which ranks at No. 5. And has anyone seen Praise You- Fatboy Slim. I thought it was phenomenal, ranks at No 19. I liked Weapon of Choice- Fatboy Slim's starring only Christopher Walken! Hey, beats any Britney videos anytime!

Pan Mee - Taman Miharja Cheras

Omg. This is the Pan mee of Pan mees! Admittedly I went twice last weekend, Sat and Sun mornings. The good news is that there is plenty of parking. And the 'Big' Pan Mee, is really big- I just had an argument with another stall vendor last week when the 'Big' and "Small" noodle didn't differ much. Tmn Miharja Pan Mee also has this incredibly spicy chilli sauce. The fella is generous with the garnishing (loads of parsley and fried shallots). Oddly, the small stall also sells pork balls. Get your share today!

Waikiki Bar- Kelab Syabas PJ

Sat nite was some Waikiki experience. I've dined at Out of Africa many times and always wondered about the noisy bar above called Waikiki Bar. Told all my friends that we'll just grab some beer and catch the supposed fantastic live bands that plays there. If anyone doesn't know, Kelab Syabas is a shabby little place same row as the 24H A&W. When we got there, my friends were immediately skeptical, the shoddy walkway to the bar, the pathetic decor of the bar, one little pool table, and old MTVs playing on the screen. Frankly, I loved it that they play old MTVs....it's kinda rare and you gotta be a real oldies fan to have those. We sat down and wow, RM32 per jug ! Loaded in 4 jugs immediately- happy hour style. But I was in it really for the music, and waited patiently. The band SWV came in at about 9.45pm, and man, played all the great rock songs- Dyer Maker- Led Zeppelin, Born To Be Wild- Steppenwolf, Have You Ever Seen The Rain- CCR, etc. The place although small, is a gem in the heart of PJ.

Hey, They're Human Too

I was having a drink with a friend last night at a kopitiam and this is what I saw. A big family with kids, aunts, the works...and then there was this maid. She sat on another table far from them, observing the noisy chatter and chaos.. Occasionally, her boss brings food over for her. My friend asked how we would feel if we were in her shoes. It's hard to imagine. I've seen on occasions some Indon, Myanmar workers working in kopitiams who get hit on the head, they eat crap for their meals. Some maids are forced to work for 2-3 households. Or engineers talking about who are the smartest amongst all the foreign workers, Nepalese, Myanmar, Indon etc. It can't be helped I guess, it's only human nature. But has anyone of u stopped ever wonder who these people were, stop and ask how they are? We say how do you do to friends and business acquaintances, don't we? Some tend to think that these people are paid for what's their worth, but hey, it doesnt give you the 'license' to abuse. Emotionally or physically. One day, who knows, the roles could be reversed.

The Way It Used To Be

I'm an oldie nut. NO matter what people tells me, I can't help but compare TV series when it used to be. See if you agree...

1) Cagney and Lacey

2) Three's a Company

3) Airwolf

4) The Wonder Years (remember Kevin Arnold)

5) 30-Somethings

6) Growing Pains

7) Family Ties (Michael J Fox and Justine Bateman)

8) Moonlighting (Bruce Willis!!!)

9) Murder, She Wrote

10) The Andy Griffith Show

11) Remington Steele (the beginnings of Pierce Brosnan)

12) The A Team

Best Vocals

There's a debate going on in Daniel Franklin's Blog on who has the best ROCK VOCALS ever. Here's mine
1) Steve Tyler- Aerosmith (sings with passion and hard to imitate- try karaoke)
2) Axl Rose-Guns N Roses (it's either you like him or you don't :) )
3) Tom Chaplin- Keane (a special voice i would say)
4) Jakob Dylan (son of Bob Dylan)- The Wallflowers ( since Bringing Down the Horses album- haven't heard much from him)
5) Justin Hawkins- The Darkness (most praised for his soaring falsetto)
And Best Female Rock Vocals should be a whole separate category, but I ain't got a lot of favourites so...here's my list
1) Deborah Harry-Blondie (most memorable for Maria)
2) Ann and Nancy Wilson- Heart (..Alone..I've always gone by on my ownnnn...)
3) Annie Lennox - former Eurythmix member ( listen to her in 'Why" & "Beautiful Child')
4) Dolores O'Riordan- The Cranberries (one of a kind- Faye Wong tried to imitate her-eww)

5) Tina Turner- can't believe i forgot to put her in (courtesy from Daniel Franklin)

Pampering Yourself

I have to tell you, lotsa people don't know how to pamper themselves. Men especially. Not because they don't want to, but because we're all constrained by finances, work..etc. Although I would recommend that we reward ourselves at least once a month with.....

1) A hearty fine dining meal, with a group of buddies or family

2) A body massage(shiatsu,tui-na, oil, hot stone, whatever) or foot massage

3) A manicure/pedicure- it's a relaxing ordeal in its own way

4) A facial treatment- believe me, men are already doing this...there are free trials everywhere so take advantage of it ;) or some RM50 trials.

5) A short trip - this could be anywhere, if budget is limited, Air Asia is a good option

The thing is that we gotta take time to pamper ourselves, or else what the hell are we working so hard for?taking all that crap from your manager for? get the hell up so early for work for? A lot of gwailos take one or 2 years off and take a vacation job...might seem preposterous to Malaysians but it's actually taking a breather...from all the hustle bustle of life. Good time to do reflection. We hardly do that anymore what with all the deadlines to chase. The key is we've got to Live In the Moment. A little self indulgence needs no justification.

Best Movie Soundtrack

Best movie Soundtrack...i'm talking about good songs for throughout the whole movie....so...the Academy awards may have their own, but here's mine
1) Kill Bill Vol. 1
2) Reality Bites
3) The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico
4) Walk The Line
5) Joe Dirt
6) Catch Me If You Can

Worst Jobs Ever

There's a new TV series called The Worst Jobs In History. See here. Some people might say that an airline job RIGHT NOW is just about the worst job ever after 9/11. Some Malaysians think that they are having the worst job ever. Well, before that, are you....

1) a Faeces Collector- in some rural places this occupation still exist in places where sanitization facilities are still limited.

2) a Toll Collector- seriously, I think this must be the most boring job ever- the routine is right hand out..and right hand in...imagine if you were a toll collector in some ulu place like Kulim!

3) a Security Guard- it's quite a ridiculous job when they sleep most of the time. And just weeks ago, someone stole my company's signboard right under the guard's nose. *faint*

4) a Tea Lady- really, tea ladies in Malaysia are so exploited, they sometimes have to be janitors too. and you gotta remember what everyone in the company drinks!

Can you beat that?

Best Mamak

Malaysians' all time favourite haunt! Place to grab a bite, to chitchat, to watch football, etc. Here's a list of some of the best Mamak stalls here...

1) Steven's Corner in OUG

2) Raju's in Jln Gasing

3) Kayu Nasi Kandar- SS2 Cheow Yeang

4) Sri Neela (in Tmn Desa) - i like it only because it has the best Neslo Shake and Cucumber Juice- goes well with its thosai masala :)

5) Chanai N Such - many outlets, used to be better when it stood alone in Subang Jaya a long long time ago.

Where's your favourite haunt?

Worst Movie Ever

As a prelude to Worst Song Ever, I checked out IMDB Bottom 100 for the Worst Movie Ever ...and this is what i found

#26- COOL AS ICE- starring Vanilla Ice.....

#14- GLITTER- starring Mariah Carey....

#31- GIGLI- starring Jennifer Lopez...

#91- SPICE WORLD- starring the Spice Girls..

I see a pattern, don't you? When's Hollywood gonna learn that not all singers can act?

Lonesome Jim

Finally got the DVD for this indie film. It was worth the long search. Every 20-something person should watch this movie. It's about Jim Roush who's just like us, sometimes lost, bit of a loser-kind, hates his parents, and really just a depressed fella. The movie brings about his self-realization and of him moving on to better days in the end. I think all of us needs something like that at one point or another. He question why we even try at all when we never achieve anything, how anyone can go on when life is so bleak. At the end though, he realized that just like basketball, we just got to keep on trying or we would never know. The movie's directed by Steve Buscemi (yay), so you can expect the sly humour and sometimes of situations so real that it gets u. This is one movie where you really got to read between the lines. Great script!

Worst Song Ever

Everyone has a personal song that they really hate. Recently I found on USAToday that some of the worst song ever are;

1) We Built This City- Starship

2) Ice Ice Baby- Vanilla Ice

3) Dont Worry Be Happy- Bobby McFerrin

4) American Life- Madonna

I thought that Bobby McFerrin song was great- reminds me of Tom Cruise in Cocktail, and really liked Madonna's video for American Life. Here's my list of songs that I really hate:

1) Don't Call Me Baby - Madison Avenue

2) I'll Never Break Your Heart - Backstreet Boys

3) From The Bottom of My Broken Heart- Britney Spears

4) Angel- Shaggy

What's your most hated song?

Malaysia's Favourite Sayings....

I must say, we Malaysians are actually quite creative...here's some of the sayings that still ring fresh in my mind.

1) Minum Milo anda jadi Sihat dan Kuat!- Milo Ad

2) Macam-macam Ada- also another ad...

3) Celcom:It's In Your Hands- nationwide marketing for Celcom

4) Singer...menawan keluarga bahagia - ring a bell?

5) Malaysia Boleh- overplayed and overused motto..

6) Tak Nak!- most recent one. I wonder who came up with this???

I've got a few I can think of now..."Penangites: No longer Kiasu"......"Malaysia: Unity for REAL"..."Why Proton? Choose Perodua."

Foot Reflexology

I'm a massage freak. Body massage, hand massage, foot massage.....My favourite being foot acupressure. One cannot phantom why anyone would want to pay for such sadistic ordeal that is without question excruciating and agonizing. But I love it. So does many other Malaysians apparently. It's a booming industry, where people are more health conscious and rewards themselves a bi-weekly massage in between their hectic schedule. Well, here's some of my recommendations on where to go so you get your money's worth, coz it's really not cheap, ranging RM40-RM50 per hour.

1) Chow Yang (Bangsar Baru)- newly discovered..it is the best for the price of RM50 per hour. If you're picky like me, look for Max.

2) Ashi (Taman Danau Desa) above 7-evelen- look for the sifu Mr. Soong for RM40 per hour, or get the package price for RM33 per hour.

And no worries, these are 'clean' joints.

Rob-B-Hood

I told myself I would never pay to watch Chinese flicks. I don't give them enough credit maybe. But I went to the cinema to watch the premier of Rob-B-hOOD FREE! Has all the usual cliches and plot seems to be a cross between Ocean's Eleven and Three Men & A Baby. So the plot's nothing original. But this flick has Jackie Chan. If anything, I doubt there is any other stuntman in the world who's as dedicated as him. I take more delight in watching his choreography in his fight scenes than watching lousy performance of the supposed HK heartthrob, Louis Koo. Check out the scene of Jackie Chan hoping from one conditioner unit to another from the top floor of a building.

Tags: Rob-B-Hood,

Bf/Gf Misconception

I was rather baffled to read of another's blogger article on what she perceives her relationship with the bf is. Friends query why she puts him as 1st priority, and she admits she does and finds nothing wrong with it. If someone told me that I was 'losing myself" I would say it calls for a reality check. To be so clingy to her bf, which she finds defensively there's nothing wrong, friends would of course ask what happens if they broke up. In her defense she says that she shouldn't think of what might happen- I mean, migod, how naive can you get. The whole article is a reflection of the kind of woman I do not want to be. It's good to have a stand, but if you're standing up for a right to be naive and to be a 'oh-mi-god-my-bf-is-my-life" woman, you're pathetic and you don't even know it. I think independent woman of today should strike a balance between career and love. Stop making your boyfriend's life your life. (by request, you can ask me for url of the article )

NEP vs Vision 2020 Forum.

If you had caught the announcement in The Sun paper, chances are you would have attended this audience-packed forum organized by the DAP at the Chinese Assembly Hall in KL. Must salute DAP for putting together an interesting panel of speakers, they were;
1. former UN and World Bank economic advisor, Prof. Dr Lim Teck Ghee who gave us the facts and figures from his independent research.

2. former Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd Chief Executive Director, former PNB CEO,Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, interesting perspective as a Malay with a corporate mind and affirming’s Parti Keadilan’s stand.

3. Opposition leader, YB Lim Kit Siang, the take on the political impacts of having the governing body misusing the NEP policy.

4. DAP Secretary General, Lim Guan Eng, who gave his opening remarks, with the notion that everyone is truly against the continuation of NEP Policy.

5. UKM Political Science Professor, Dr P Ramasamy, giving his academic view and lending his voice for the Indian community.

Need to know what NEP is? It stands for the New Economic Policy or Dasar Ekonomi Baru. Wikipedia gives a very good historical background on this. An important point was that this had came about to address the issue of socio-economic disparity of the Malays, a brain-child you can say as an aftermath of the May 13 incident. Read it here. Speaker P. Ramasamy equates it to more as a “Never Ending Policy” or a “Not Enough Policy” indicating how this has benefited only a small group of people. Read on and you will know the reason for his stand. (Just managed to scribble through the speakers’ speech, so hopefully it’s more or less accurate.)

Some interesting points (some modified based on my perception and opinion) from Prof. Lim’s informative presentation:-

1. There were some success in this policy from the period 1970-1990, mainly due to the Felda schemes and Free Trade Zones. However, these economic achievements are not unique to Malaysia, other Asian countries, Latin America and Africa were also experiencing the same. It’s not a direct cause from NEP policy.
2. The Human Development Index, which measures the effectiveness of investments in Human Resources and our competitiveness level show that Malaysia has fallen from being at position 50 in 1975 to position 61 in 2005. This indicates that Malaysians are indeed flagging behind.
3. The NEP has benefited the “Distributional Coalitions”, ie a small influential group of selects who aim to close ranks against competition. They are namely Political (UMNO/MCA/MIC), Bureaucratic (PNB), Military (LTAT), Religious (LUTH). There is usually an overlapping membership and this translates to a rough figure of 3000-4000 people only who profiteers from NEP.
4. NEP instruments are privatization (privatized gains and socialized losses) <- this simply means that when there are gains, only a small group enjoys this but losses are shared nationally. Everyone pays but only a select few gains, corruption/nepotism/cronyism, multiple directorships and unsecured loans. Some notable bail-outs: Bank Bumi, Renong Group, Lions Group, TOTO, NST, Pantai, etc the list was some 3 pages long.

5. Poverty rates have not improved much and are likely to deteriorate. Widening gap of the rich and the poor. Inter-racial harmony is worsening.

Solutions: Need to replace racially-biased economic entitlements, corporate share equity with a more needs-based selective process. Dismantling of entrenched bodies that have basic self interest for example the GLCs.. Inter-ethnic partnerships based on merit should be preferred for better harmony of racial groups. Focus on development on SME instead of the already rich and self-sufficient big corporations.

Hope this has been useful information for all of you. I’m about only half-done. Will probably have a Part 2 to this when I have time or if it generates enough interest for a continuation. Hehe..

P.S. if you are interested in what other dialogues DAP might organize, please visit this. Have to make it clear that I'm not an advocate but just think that it'll be good to have different perspective of things aside from what we are fed by the mainstream media.

Music Tagging

I learnt this from other bloggers where you can tag other people to find out what they're listening to. What a wonderful idea..best way to share music, don't you think? So here's a list of what I've been listening to. Feel free to tag yours here (no restriction to genre and music type)
1. Wish You Were Here- Pink Floyd
2. Midnight Show- The Killers
3. Love Is Only A Feeling -The Darkness
4. Crystal Ball -Keane
5. Every Rose Has Its Thorn- Poison

6. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own- U2
Let me know what's your list!

Bangsa Malaysia?

Something's been clouding my mind for the past few days. Caught by the hot Harry Controversial Comment on Sept 15, I reflected on our identity this past weekend with my folks. Who am I? Who are you? What's my race? Whats your race? My religion? Your religion? Makes me wonder and reflect on why this is still happening. Why are we still so caught up with racial issues in our country? It's going to be 50 years after independence. What have we achieved? Certainly not racial harmony. Come to think of it, has it gotten worse since independence? How can we concentrate on the real development of the country like healthcare, education, infrastructure, economy ... etc when all the energy of the nation is channeled towards what belongs to which race and how to get more for MY race and MY religion? Why do we still have the 'race' column in all application forms? And what the heck is 'dan lain-lain'. Does it mean that if you're not a Malay, Chinese or Indian, you're a 'Miscellaneous'? And does it mean you're insignificant? trivial? since you don't even have your own category? Heck we're all Malaysian, why can't we just be Malaysian? Malaysians are so used to the Malay-Chinese-Indian notion that when they go abroad, they still call themselves a Chinese or Indian and these poor angmos get so confused as to why someone from Malaysia calls themselves Chinese or Indian. Sigh. What's wrong with us? What can we do to change this mindset? Read more and open up your minds: here and here? Then, just sit back and reflect on it. Sleep on it. Think about it. THINK DEEP ... on what's happening.

Tags: Malaysian

The Cider House Rules (1999)

"Good night, you Princes of Maine, you Kings of New England!"....Based on a book by John Irving, I can't believe I missed this movie. Chanced upon it when the dvd went on sale for RM12.90. Has all elements of a great story- Michael Caine's wonderful performance, abortion, orphaned kids who capture your heart, slavery, and of course love. The story brings you to a journey in the life of a Homer Wells, who defied everything to 'see' the world. My favourite scene was of Dr. Larch and Homer naming the newborns, there was no mother or father to name them, and so it was up to them to do so. The script is simple but clever. The end brings him back to where he started. Check out Erik Per Sullivan as Fuzzy.

Bapa Malaysia

Politics Comic

B.I.T.C.H.

OK, no ones likes to be called a bitch. But really, some of you are already a bitch, you just don't know it yet. It's nothing to be proud of but perhaps we can't help it. It's our nature. And come to think of it, if there weren't any around, life would probably be pretty boring:). Let's do a self-check and see if you are a bitch.

1) Do you treat your boyfriend badly -check his cellphone ..going through his sms and registered calls? Do you make a face everytime he says he wanna spend time with his buddies?

2) Do you give the young freshies at work a hard time?...because you think you have a right to 'teach' them how the real world works? Or you just can't stand their incompetency?

3) Do you throw a fit or file a complaint because you get poor service in a mediocre restaurant because you think you're paying and jolly well should get tip-top service?

4) Do you accept gifts from guys whom you probably don't give a care about?...but if he was stupid enough to get you anything, you think you're doing him a favour by accepting his gifts? Out of pity?

Well..that's just some to begin with..there's more of what maketh a bitch. Let's just say if men can be bastards, why can't women be bitches? Right or wrong? You decide.

Tags: Bitch, Women

Thirst Quencher

Gulp. Best bottled Iced Tea ever! That's because it is the only iced tea that comes in a bottle. Keke. Marketed for its true original flavours. Some favours the Peach Tea...but this is definitely one of my favourites. It was so common in US that it is available through the vending machine everywhere. Went to the local supermarket- its almost RM8! Gosh! Think I'll have to settle for the regular mamak's Teh O Ais Limau. Sigh..

Chips Ahoy!

I can't explain my addiction to Chips Ahoy! Maybe it's the more than usual dose of chocolate chips in one cookie. I just know once I get started on one pack, I can't stop. Sinful, but I think we're allowed a hearty indulgence once in a while :)

Be Positive

Just the past few days, I have noticed how negative some people can be. It's not really their fault,but I recommend to do a self check. Are you constantly complaining about how a friend never does enough for you? Or do you sit around in the mamak and complain about how poor/underpaid you are but not do anything about it? Do you throw a wet blanket at friends/family who takes up an unorthodox career move or even a course? Do you laugh at friends who enrols themselves in some self-help classes, yoga, gym saying that it's rubbish and a waste of time? Are you refraining from pursuing a relationship with someone you like because you think you're never good enough? I think being negative sometimes prohibits one from progressing forward. Although staying positive sometimes takes a lot of effort and determination whats with all the negativities around you. It's really about taking charge and being responsible for your life. You'll find yourself appreciating life more.

Tags: Life, Negative

freaks and weirdos ...

Maybe the world is made up of weird people. Maybe everyone is suppose to be weird. Maybe everyone has to be different to balance things out. Maybe everyone has to like different things so that you don't end up having to share or fight for the same thing. Maybe everyone's gotta have differnt skills and talents so we could cover all jobs out there. Think about it, everyone is weird in a way. I'm sure everyone has their secret little obsession or fetish or something. And I'm sure they keep it a secret because they're afraid that people may think they're WEIRD.

So, why are they so frowned upon? Why are people subject to being branded as freaks and weirdos when they're different? Aren't we all just different kinds of weirdos? And isn't it weirder trying to fit in or blend in to a society that's already weird or is suppose to be wierd? Isn't it weird to try to un-weird yourself?

Tags: freak, weirdo

bad karma? ...

Is it bad karma to invest into tobacco companies? or the gamble businesses like Gentings and Magnum? or firearms/weapons research companies? They could probably make some good money for you, but is it bad karma though? I wonder ...

Tags: karma

Traffic Woes

What’s annoying is when you’re stuck in traffic, and all of a sudden you hear that ringing siren and the traffic police in their huge bikes are waving the rest of us to somehow magically create extra space in between the already sardine-packed roads, for some “Government Official” or some “Royalty” whom, for all you know, have decided to use that same road, at that same time, when the rest of the rakyat are heading home after a long day at work, for I don’t know.. maybe get their fix of roti canai? A tea break at some glitzy hotel? Meeting with some other dignitary who is probably “splitting the road” at some other jam-packed road? For heaven’s sakes, we can’t do what Bruce Almighty did ok? And it’s darn dangerous sometimes to have to swerve to the side just to avoid those damn superbikes. And you have these opportunist drivers who tail behind the orang kenamaan’s vehicle, thinking that other cars will actually think that they are also part of the entourage, and we would somehow also let them fakers pass. PLEASE!! Gosh! Don’t these orang kenamaan(s) have helicopters? Private jets? Why can’t they use those and just leave the road traffic to the rakyat? Why can’t they pick other more ‘godly’ hours to do their stuff? Either that, or those dignitaries, who have nothing CRITICAL to achieve, will just have to suffer the traffic like the rest of us tax payers! We have enough traffic woes as it is!

SHUT UP PLEASE

This is a holler to people who:

1) don't have any REAL or subtantial opinions.....

2) don't have anything nice to say

3) don't have any constructive comments...I mean if you're just gonna make fun or take light of what other people have to say.

4) just wanna say something to be HEARD

5) only have negative attitude towards EVERYTHING

6) can't stop giggling like it's the funniest thing that ever happened to them

7) speaks softly...c'mon, if you don't want to be heard, you might as well not say anything.

Let me rant for today ya....

Aphrodisiacs Agent

I've got this friend whom I shall not name has this pheromone spray thing made in USA that apparently is making women approach him. Amazing huh. Imagine all the time (&money) you can save on countless dates. Aphrodisiacs Agent or Libido Lift have long invaded humankind. If you're not using it, you're bound to use it sooner or later. Some of the edible aphrodisiacs that's easily available and edible are for instance chocolate, bananas, mussels, onions (???) etc. And then there are drugs as aphrodisiacs like Viagra, cannabis, weed that acts as a catalyst. There's also sensual oils that's easily available nowadays. Who says Malaysians are conservative? :)

Tags: Aphrodisiacs

Thai Coup

ThaiCoup power struggle between Thaksin-Sonthi sounds oddly familiar to our Badawi-Mahathir spite. It's just that we haven't reached the critical state Thailand is in now. But who knows? It's not too soon to ponder I think.

Tour of Duty-Lebanon

Malaysian Army to Lebanon.. PM's sending 360 soldiers to Lebanon to help ceize the unrest between Hezbollah-Israel. A bold move. My question is that is KJ gonna join the army? I mean, he's brave enough burn a flag at the Embassy..I'm sure joining the 360 men in Lebanon won't be an issue.

Tags: Hezbollah-Israel

Album of Friends

What you think of Friendster, Tickle, etc? A way of making friends? A way of keeping in touch? A way of collecting friends even? Well, there used to be a time when E-CIRCLE was the most widely used until it went kapoot. Helps us to keep in touch, well virtually I guess. But to me, it's a good way but it's missing something very important: the human touch. Oh sure, we are all so busy now that we can't even make a 1 min call to a friend.... The thing about these "ALBUMS" is that it minimizes interaction- so this benefits people who are generally quiet. Even the MSN Messenger is a way to collect friends-chat when you want to, and block the person if you don't wanna talk to that person...All I'm saying here is that while these "ALBUMS" may help, it must be said that the relationships forged virtually cannot last without some human touch. It doesnt matter if your Friendster shows you have 300 friends. It doesn't mean anything if you dont REALLY know those people that well.. It takes only a short phone call, an occasional drink or a quickie meal. Get in touch.

Of HK/Korean/Japanese stars....

I can't seem to understand how anyone in Malaysia can idolize HK/Japanese/Korean stars. But you see it everywhere, girls trying to look like Ayumi, men sporting hair like that F4 fella and girls imitating the cutesy image of Twins. Friends' been trying to get me to watch a Korean series which I find totally soppy. Plus, granted that it's indeed really fantastic, I can't read the Chinese subtitles or understand Korean language. How can one fully appreciate a show/movie if you can't understand the language? And, is it just me, but why are the young boys in Malaysia looking more and more feminine imitating their HK/Japanese stars. Checkout Andrew Tan, the guy who just won the HK singing contest. I rest my case. Some people are also beginning to really annoy me while they are beginning to input Jap in their speech...like "oh, so ka", "ChottoMate" etc. Last month I went for a haircut in a shack near my place. Kept telling the lady I just want a trim..and she end up giving me this weird, outoftheworld HK/Jap cross haircut. Said trying to give me the Sammi look. Argh... I'm not even a fan! All I can say is that, calling all Malaysians...find REAL role models.

I am NO BUSINESSWOMAN

I'm a first-timer attending my company's month Sales Meeting. Its' a meeting where people tore on their business issues and the management gives constructive comments and strategic solutions. I sat there listening to all the hooks and bends in business- in awe really. I wonder if everyone in the meeting understood what was being said at all. Then I looked all around and saw most of them with their eyes half-shut. Kekeke. I realize that I really don't have the business sense...I'm just not sneaky enough, too honest even, I hate doing customer support, not bold enough I guess to be a business person. All this sales mumbo-jumbo gives me more headache than the drive. I mean, the product is there, take it or leave it. Simple as that. Imagine how much simpler life would be if the a product is sold~ politics-free, bribe-free, hassle-free, and sold purely based on its exceptional quality. I mean, if the product is lousy, no fking incredible salesmanship could make ME buy anything.

Lets Celebrate Individuality ...

I will be on a business trip to another country for a while. The manager called me up and gave me the names of the other M'sians from other depts who's already there & those who will be there as well. So that I can meet my fellow M'sians overseas and cling on to them in the terrified unknown territory. Hmmm, sometimes I wonder ... Is it wrong if I don't want to meet them when I'm there? I don't know them and I don't work with them anyway. Is it wrong if I would like to mingle with the locals and learn about their culture instead of sticking to my own kind? Will my manager think that I'm arrogant if I don't want to spend all my time with the M'sians over there but rather venture out and explore the new city/culture on my own?

Having individualistic traits in an asian country sucks. If you like to be alone sometimes, do things by yourself, do not like to discuss your daily schedule with people or do not like to 'go to the washroom' in a group, you are perceived as stuck-up, cocky, unfriendly, etc. Whats up with that? Whatever happened to the respect for other people's time and privacy? Asians, the family-oriented bunch do not appreciate individuality in their society. They can't accept the fact that you'd say no to dinner with them for a night at home with a good book. Although you probably have dinner with the same group of people ALL THE TIME. You must conform, you just can't be different! Somehow, doing things by yourself is perceived as ... you don't have friends? you don't belong to a group of friends? you are not being able to fit into a group? there are no group that would accept you as a friend? or just plain unfriendly .... And being seen in a group means that you're a nice person? everyone likes you? you are being accepted? ... Unfortunately, most people here thinks that you should be society-oriented and whatever you do will reflect on your family, yada yada. Yes, it's a good practice to always think of your friends and family - but definitely not to the extend that you need to do EVERYTHING together.

It is okay to do things by yourself. It is okay to go shopping by yourself. It is okay to travel by yourself and spend some quality time alone, burried in your own thoughts and reflection. It is okay to have hobbies or interests that are different from your friends'. It is absolutely okay to be different and to like different things. Not being like the others does not mean you're weird. It'll be so boring if everyone were the same. I've had enough of the same kind of people and would like see some diversity please. Lets embrace individuality with an open mind. It's not wrong to be different ...

Tags: individuality, asian

I'm ANNOYED

A lot of things annoys me. I can't stand girls who giggles. I can't stand girls who act cute. I can't stand girls who follows rich men around like puppies. I can't stand girls who constantly crave attention. I can't stand it because it really shames the rest of us women. While the rest of us are fighting for equal rights at work, these women choose to act like ditz. While the rest of us work hard for the money, these women prefer to just leech it out of (no doubt) willing men, & it doesnt matter that these men are way older than them. I remember once I was in a club in Bangkok and saw some beautiful women prancing in their bikini in a HUGE BATHTUB- they posed while men oogled and snap pictures. I was watching this and perhaps poverty has forced them to work as such, but I think no money in this world SHOULD ever buy one's dignity and pride. I'll rather earn less as some stupid engineer than to exhibit myself in public like a piece of meat. It's condescending enough to have men think that women like me have no whatsoever substantial opinion, that our only goal is to get a guy and be married with kids, that bahhhh-we don't need to aim so high at work..... Women in the past have fought so hard for that freedom of choice that it's a shame to take light of those effort and throw all that away for some bucks. We're more than that.

Nationwide Salary Adjustment

".......Private sectors are urged to increase salary scale due to the higher living cost in Malaysia...". Caught that on Hitz FM this morning. It can't be MORE appropriate. Private sectors have time and again bullied the rakyat, forcing us to accept a sometimes ridiculous salary what with the higher cost of living here. Can barely pay for a decent meal these days. RM1300 for a fresh grad? To do the work of 3?4?5? And then there are those execs who do not get Overtime allowances despite working round the clock way over midnight. This is a form of abuse happening in all companies, big or small. It really aggravates me even more when those politically-wiser most often than not are the 'older' staff gets paid more, while we are doing the shit for them! What about the clause in the appointment letter that says "Job responsibility- yadayada...AND whatever that is required from your superior or management"......unlimited abuse I would say! My philosophy is that I will do any shit for you as long as I'm paid reasonably. If I'm doing the Senior Manager's shit, give me his salary- Fk the title.

Of Bahasa Melayu and Mandarin.....

Just spent the whole morning TRYING to communicate to a Malay engineer speaking Bahasa Melayu. How the hell do you say "pressure resistance" and "supply chain management" in Bahasa Melayu anyways? I compromised with rojak Malay/English...And just recently, I was a judge for a convention, where the powerpoint presentations are in English but the aural presentation is in Bahasa Melayu! Talk about brain synchronization! Hey, I have nothing against Bahasa Melayu, but what should be the medium of language to be used- thought we're going towards globalisation..aiya. Speaking of Globalisation, nobody can deny Mandarin being also on of the most dominant language now. My cacat Mandarin still needs some polishing. I have to. You see, I met this Malay lady who sent her kids to a Chinese Primary School! Very foresighted decision..and so, I think it's important for the 'bananas' to start 'pro-yellowing'. In 2o years time, as predicted by linguists, English will no longer be THE 2nd language of the world. Oh well, as least it's Mandarin and not Hukkien. Sheesh.

Judge Dread

I was a judge today!- in a convention held in my company. Some judgement criteria were already set, all I had to do was just fill in the score. Even with the judgement criteria, I contemplated and revised the scores several time. Maybe I'm just fickled or just plain indecisive. That's because I've made bad judgement calls before. You ever made one before? Trust the wrong person? Nothing's more cursed than being a bad judge of a person. I envy those who can tell apart the good and the bad immediately. I often realize too late. How can you have great friendships if you can't trust anyone. How about making a wrong career judgement? I remembered when a few of us undergraduates went to US to work during the summer. Some never left US and continue to work in restaurants after that because the money was so good. Wrong career judgement? Some will beg to differ. Judgements in life is not so straight forward as like that little convention. As I get older, nothing's right or wrong anymore. As I get older, I have more maybes, mights and ifs THAN yes and no in my judgements. It's always easier to judge than to be judged.

Professional Services

My medical report states that I need to get Hepatitis B vaccination. Need 3 jabs. Naturally, being a working person, with budget constraints, living in pretty bad times, I need to know how much it would cost? How much I need to put aside, maybe plan out when to even take the jabs so that I can kinda spread out the costs. The clinic willingly told me that it would be RM55 per shot. Wow! But I know I have to get it done. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my medical report. Darn. So, after work I went to the neighborhood clinic. Thinking that I had better check the price again, just in case it’s more than what I was told. The nurse at the reception was not too sure how much exactly. She went to the back to ask the doctor. When she came back, she told me that the doctor said that this clinic is not a ‘kedai runcit’, if I want to take the jabs, just make an appointment. WHAT THE HELL??!? I’m sorry for not being RICH like the damn doctors, I can’t just blindly take up something which I may not afford, alright?

Emotions aside, it has dawned on me that there is something quite wrong with the way people perceive themselves. Sure, you may be a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, a pharmacist, a dentist, what society label as “professionals”, but let’s not forget that you are also providing services to the public. And services are no different from buying groceries from the 'kedai runcit' because this 'kedai runcit' is also offering services, ie they sell goods which you need. I don’t really see why I can’t shop around, like how I would in a ‘kedai runcit’, when I need to engage professional services. Haven’t we all gone to a referred lawyer because they might charge less? Haven’t we gone to a certain pharmacist because he’s known to offer extra services like checking your blood pressure for free? Haven’t we gone to a dentist, oh because she’s so and so’s daughter who may be able to give a discount on those hefty-costing braces? Don't the engineers also send out quotes to customers for comparison?

I just don’t think there’s any need to define ourselves so much. I’ll be fair; the doctor was peeved because he feels his work is really about saving lives and not about selling his services. But if you let your “professional” work define you, than you’re nothing more than your work. Your whole being is about work. Geez, what a bore! Furthermore, let’s not forget that I’m also a patient/customer. If I don’t like you, the almighty doctor, I can just as well take my jabs somewhere else, where they’d tell me how much I’m paying for first.

Harrassment at Work

What would you classify as harrassment at work? I once got so mad at this operator where I worked because he called me AMOI. I told him "Apa Amoi, I got a name, ok?". I consider wolf calls and AMOI-ing harrassment at work. How about a promotion without an increment? What the *&^*&% is that? Think it's gonna pacify ppl to stay at that company? What about making you bring your own freaking toilet paper- as part of the company's conservation plan? What about promising a salary adjustment that eventually never happened? Malaysian companies can do just about anything they want...or they think they can....check this out. Go to Buruh Dept and enquire if you can actually sue the company for ill-treatment. Get smart.