Lives of the not so rich and not so famous!

Get Ready

2010-01-10T04:48:00.000-08:00

Part of my new year resolution this year is to start blogging again. Cannot remember the last time I blogged. Anyways......GET READY!!!

Alvin

Happy Year of the Ox!!

2009-02-07T15:33:00.000-08:00

Gong Xi Gong Xi!! As usual after the New Year comes the Chinese New Year! It's the year of the ox this time round and lets hope it brings glad tidings to all! My English mate and I were debating on what the difference was between an ox and a bull as he was commenting "why not year of the bull?" Well turns out that an ox is a domesticated male (without a certain reproductive organ 0_0) while the bull refers to the wild male. So you know which one the guys prefer, ehehe. Go, Year of the Bull!!

Anyway, it has been pretty quiet here in Sydney. Nothing much going on except the regular Chinese New Year Parade and some lion dances in China town. I do miss the Chinese New Year atmosphere back home where all the malls and even the streets get decorated ages before Chinese New Year arrives. I wonder what Megamall is looking like - I suppose it would be sort of painted red with decorations. Hmm, will Bangsar have ang pow decorations on the street ? I know they had the ketupat ones hanging on the lamp posts during Hari Raya and they looked quite nice. Well, lets see how far the government goes to promote racial unity and festivity.

Lucky for us the first day of Chinese New Year falls on a public holiday! Apparent it is the first time in years so - Go AUSTRALIA DAY!!! I went over to my aunt's place with the rest of the family and had loads of food!! We had aussie style bbq to celebrate australia day for lunch and the traditional multi course chinese dinner for our reunion dinner!

Family at the dinner table :)

Yummy food! Check it out. Someday I'm going to attempt to make that Char Siew!

HAPPY (BELATED) NEW YEAR 2009!!!

2009-01-10T15:54:00.000-08:00

Wow, another year has gone by. Time really flies. It seems not that long ago that I was posting on the 2008 new year fireworks celebration at the Harbour Bridge. Well it's time to recount the year gone by again. 2009 has been another year of change for me, a year of transition.

This is the year that I decided to move to work in Australia on a more permanent basis. Making new friends, meeting new people and facing new challenges, haven't had a shortage of those this year - sort of a new beginning. It was not an easy decision, but I think it was important for me to have had the courage to make a decision and follow through with action. The process was made easier with the support of my friends and family - thank you everyone! I find that many people (myself included) are often lulled into complacency in life and sit on their hands with fear of change - often missing the many opportunities and experiences that pass by them. I think a little of this sense of comfort and complacency has once again got to me, and my new year's resolution will be to do more and wait less!!

And of course ... an exciting new addition to the family! Little Rhea Ayling! The whole family has gone goo goo gaa over this new bundle of joy! The addition of Rhea heralds a the dawn of a new generation. She is such a cute little thing. May the Lord's blessings be with her always and with Su Yen and Tim, to bring her up as a child of the Lord. Omg .. i'm officially Uncle Jason now -_-"

Rhea Ayling : You know you are cute :o). Can see she is going to be a heart breaker!

Tonnes of congratulations to my many friends who have gotten hitched last year and also early this year! Sorry I wasn't able to attend all your weddings :( . Its come to a time where these things are almost weekly events 0_0! All the best - khoo, andrew, choon yau and su jin, ruoh jiin and kim hoe, and also congratulations to Oois for having Ooi Jr!!! "Saya cintai HL!! oops , it was "Saya cinta VI!" hehehehe. We will never let you forget that one :o) There are so many happy events this year, too many to recount so I might have missed some out but - you know that my congrats are with you :)

Ahh and for my tanahair Malaysia - what has the year held for you. "For a man to change it is monumental, for a country phenomenal" - something that came to my mind. That's just me being cynical. But thank god, some of my friends back home have said there have been some changes for the better, slowly but steadily. I really hope that it is true and not just an illusion put in place to garner more votes for the next election. Malaysia - show us that the phrase "Malaysia Boleh" is not just all talk.

2008 will also be well remembered as the year that Warren Buffet lost more then 30% of his wealth value. Even the great Sage of Omaha was caught out in the economic downturn, how many more average joes were done in. Coming into 2009, things are still uncertain and many people are still out of job. I pray that things will turn around in this new year and God be with all those in need.

Wow, haven't written so much in a while. Anyway more pictures to come after all these words in the next posts. Mum and Dad, love you guys and Happy New Year!

What in the world is going on ...?

2008-12-04T02:45:00.000-08:00

Times are so uncertain now, with the stock exchange going up and down like a yoyo, global economy heading for a meltdown and terrorism on the rise, perhaps it is only fitting that we see this ....

Sky : What are you guys doing down there!! :o

Perhaps when we get our act in order ... we can see this instead

Ok .. the eyes are a little squinty but that's supposed to be a smiley face in the sky.

The eyes are venus and jupiter and the mouth is the moon. Australia's suppose to be one of the few countries where people can witness this event and I was fortunate enough to take a snapshot of it.

Sometimes thing seldom turn out the way we expect it to ... I went out with some friends to actually spot this event but the moon turned out to be a no show , we were sort of disappointed - but discovered a brand new place (Balls head is a very nice place with great views!) - and had fun shivering in the wind :p) But the very next day , voila! the emoticon in the sky shows up .. visible from the balcony of my unit! So is life, you never know what to expect : the ups and downs. I guess that is what makes life interesting.

Pictorial Update!

2008-11-14T04:25:00.000-08:00

Since there has been a drought of picture posts on the blog lately, I've decided to do a pictorial update on life in Australia!!

P.S. actually a lame excuse for me to be lazy and not write too much :p . So without further ado !

Picture 1: Front entrance of the unit I am renting

Picture 2: From Left to Right : Me, Weite and Suko at Darling Harbour
(Don't ask, real names have not been published :p)

Picture 3: At Circular Quay, pretty good shot taken with a Canon Ixus camera

Picture 4: Adorable koala at Taronga Zoo - See no touch though....

Picture 5: Me and baby koala checking each other out!

Picture 6: A nice shot of the Opera House from the Harbour Bridge

Picture 7: Night shot at Circular Quay with the Opera House in the background

Picture 8: Buffet at the Suminoya restaurant, Martin's Place. At AUD 50 per head, it is not cheap but it sure is yummy!

* Pictures courtesy of Ms. Suko dlp

Twisted ankle!

2008-11-11T21:09:00.000-08:00

Oh well, finally no excuse not to update. Last Sunday I fell down and twisted my ankle (still remember the crunching sound when I landed >_<) ... Reminder to self - don't jump for the shuttle again. It was pretty bad and I don't think that I can walk for a week. I went to see the doctor yesterday and thank god it looks like nothing is broken. Had to hop around on one leg before I got some crutches and even then it was pretty tiring to move around on one leg. At the moment my left leg looks like a water balloon. I would post a photo but can't get my photo transfer cable which is sitting in a bottom drawer at the moment.

Thankfully I've got family and friends in Sydney to help me out through this period, if not I wouldn't know what to do, not being able to walk and all. So nothing to do but to wait it out and pray for speedy healing - thanks to those who have been keeping me in their prayers :) . Luckily work isn't too busy at the moment, but I don't know what my boss thinks about me taking so many days of medical leave in advance =_=".

Anyway need to keep my foot elevated and typing is a pain in this position. Got to lie down in a more comfortable position. To all my friends and family everywhere ... keep safe and take care !

Short Update 1

2008-10-04T05:44:00.000-07:00

Quick update: Found a place in Chatswood!! Wow after all the hassle we got a pretty nice place :) . Today was a busy day - went shopping for all the essentials like bed, washing machine, fridge, tables and the works. We were so fortunate that Cory (a friend from badminton) offered to chauffeur us around to get all the stuff ! Cheers! Update more later when I get the internet connection set up, hopefully with photos of the new apartment. ;)

Short update from Oz

2008-09-29T01:14:00.000-07:00

It has been almost 2 weeks since I've arrived in Sydney and has been surprisingly cold over here, dipping to a mere 7 degrees on the day I arrived. Since arrival it has been a bit of a transition period- opening bank accounts, sorting taxes and insurances and ... FINDING ACCOMODATION! I've been looking at properties available for rent and the amount of people turning up at the viewings number almost 20-30 people! Its like a frigging lottery draw or something, you have to put in an application to rent the place and keep your fingers crossed that you will get picked ... hopefully I can get a place before the current apartment lease that is paid by my company runs out, else I will be homeless :( .

Work has been slow - the usual when starting out in a new job but I have a feeling that the Australian economy might be running a little slower than before, from what I have heard out on the street. Hopefully things will pick up soon. Work environment is good, there are some people whom I know and worked with before and also have the opportunity to make new friends everyday! :)

Anyway not having home internet access is a pain and i can scarely find the opportunity to check my regular reads and facebook! on the net. I just managed to scrap in some time to do a short update now, since I am at my aunt's place and by some stroke of luck had an unexpected holiday today. I have been meeting up with old friends in Oz, and settling back into some sort of routine. I just pray that the accomodation will be sorted soon as that is the biggest headache at the moment.

Update: I just recieved some good news ! Looks like one of the properties that we (me and my future housemate - Shong) looked at and got rejected earlier came back and re-offered the place to us!

Leaving for Australia .... again

2008-09-06T07:56:00.000-07:00

Wow ... it's time for me to leave again. Time really flies by and you often wonder what is really important to you in life (didn't even write 1 measly blog post!!) . I am going to leave for Australia to work there now and this is a different story all together from my previous stints. The last arrangment was a 50/50 Malaysia / Australia sort of working time but now I am working in Australia with a more permanent basis. I will probably be able to come back to Malaysia once or twice a year ?? And maybe only a week or two each time.

I've struggled quite a fair bit with the decision but I do see much better prospects over there, and after much support from family and friends, I made the difficult decision. Frankly, I find it hard to give up being close to my family and friends, the local lifestyle I grew up with and leaving a place that I've called home for 20+ years. Even though I have been travelling so much during the last few years, I always get this "ahhh.. it's good to be home" feeling when I land at KLIA and make my way home in the taxi. I realise with the change I am making now, things may never be the same again and that makes my move tinged with a hint of sadness. I really hope that the move is worth it but than again I am not the type who makes decisions to look back in regret.

I was just having a post badminton dinner session with some of the guys and we were just joking away with the usual crap at the local eatery until midnight. It was filled with laughter and there was this guy who could really talk ... I don't think that I will find that type of atmosphere and scenario in Australia. Given, I will definitely make new friends but this is a typical Malaysian night out at the mamak/eatery that we are talking about here - some locals would term "talking cock".

On a more positive note, I am definitely looking forward to the challenges I will face over there. New job, new environment, new start and new challenges - definitely will help me become a "better" person and it also gives you a chance to look at life with a fresh perspective, some might say "to make a fresh start". I thank god that I have friends and family there to support me with this change. And to all my family and friends here in Malaysia - love you guys, best of luck and do keep in touch! I have also made a resolution to actively update this blog, so do check now and then to have a look and I would love to hear any comments from you all.

As a side note, I really hope that the Malaysian leaders can get their act together. Perhaps one day, I can come home to a better place, one day.....

Back from down under!

2008-07-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

Yup, finally back home again. Need to dust the cob webs off the blog and start blogging again. Will do so once I get round to sorting out all my photographs and enjoying good old Malaysian food!! Look out for updates soon!

Long due update - Back in down under again

2008-01-05T17:38:00.000-08:00

Wow, it seems to have been ages since I've last posted on the blog. I guess we have all been pretty busy since the move to australia (and having limited internet access doesn't really help). But heck it is the new year, got to do a year in review post like every other blogger does. Just came back to aussie before the new year after a short break back home, time really flies when you have been away from home and moving around.

Anyway managed to squeeze in a short trip down to good old singapore and visit some friends. A short thank you and shout out to Suko and Terbie for being so accommodating. Got to come up to KL sometime soon on a eating fest again (or perhaps up north for an inspection of your millenium towers, hehe )! And cheerios to Ron, Mit and MH - really nice to meet you all in person (well Ron, nice seeing you again :p)

Oh well, here we go - Year 2007-2008 in review:

1) Starting a blog :

Haha, somewhere around the mid of 2007, 3 of us guys came up with an idea of starting a blog where we could just write whatever we wanted and have some fun. I think at that time, Origor already had a photography blog at wordpress and Alvin, our Mr. Friendster had a blog in friendster. So hence came about the blog of the 3chipmunks. Obviously contrary to what some people believe as just logging in and writting some nonsense, it takes quite a fair bit of time and effort to continually come up with fresh stuff and update a blog. Hat's off to those who manage to do so regularly despite hectic life schedules - (here's looking at you Mr. Kenny Sia, can always get a few laughs at his blog! http://www.kennysia.com/ )

2) Working in Aussie:

Well, with the current arrangement, I am spending about 1/2 my year in Australia and 1/2 in Malaysia. It has been a really enriching experience working down under - Sure I've been learning a lot in my job (engineering wise) but it was also knowing how the working and social culture in Australia is, sure is different to what we are used to back home. Managed to squeeze in the usual sightseeing as usual and wow, the fireworks at the Sydney Harbour for New Years Eve was definitely a highlight, worth the squeeze with the 1 million odd people in Sydney. If you ask me, I would definitely go for it again (well at least once more ... after that hmmmm)

Asides from all the excitement and stuff, I do find that there is a very dear price to pay. Sacrifices like not being able to be with your family and friends, especially my parents and grandparents - they are not getting any younger and I would like to spend more time with them but as you get older there seems to be so many things that you are preocupied with (that are sometimes not as important) - resolution ~ prioritize time management. And to all my old friends and mates, I hope we do not drift apart even though we are separated by the vast oceans, Keep in touch!

3) Wedding in the family:

Well, all the best to my cousin who just got married this year. The first wedding for our generation and I think my cousin definitely got a good guy :) - Cheers to you Tim! I didn't manage to show for their wedding in the UK so I came back this Christmas to make the one they had in KL. A very nice private function held at Passionflower in Jln. Ampang (sorry- no pictures)

Anyway I'm glad that there has not been any "pressure" on me yet "phew!" but there have been comments like "baby soon" dropped within earshot of my cousin, haha . Good LUCK!

The wedding also was a chance for the family to get together. I believe it has been a long time since that many family members got back together - couldn't even fit on one table! and all the little cousins that we used to play with when we were kids, all grown up. It's a bit sad that we have all gone off to our own corners of the globe and were not as close as we used to be but some say that's life .... resolution ~ keep in touch more! (ahaha, i've got Anthony, my younger cousin from australia on my msn now :p - think he is still in France even as I write)

4) 1 year mark in new company!

Well this year, I've passed the 1 year mark in my new company! I have to say I like the opportunities offered and the way my boss is so supportive of the staff. As always, there have been ups and downs but overall, I am glad that I made the move.

5) and many many more memories !

Uh, this seems to be growing into an overly long post so I will stop here for the moment. Oh ya and Happy New Year Everyone and God Bless!! :D

Off to badminton at Mcquarie Uni!

生日快乐！

2007-10-11T02:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Jason!

:)

A post from down under

2007-10-04T01:43:00.000-07:00

Well it is been a long time since a post has been written. Well the weather down under has been pretty unpredictable lately. Cold and hot .... yesterday was 35 degrees but today i think is close to 15 degrees, and poor old Su Ann has fallen victim to the weather ... came down with a cough and running nose.

Anyway this weekend plan to go down to the fishmarket and EAT EAT + EAT. Hopefull i got some time to post some pictures. Signing off :)

P.S. those lazy chipmunks!!! do some bloggin already!

Short picture update from down under!

2007-09-28T02:19:00.000-07:00

Yahhhh, finally some proper internet access. Well after a long break of silence, I thought I would upload some pictures of us, just a few though ... not much time. I have been very busy with work lately but hopefully this long weekend will provide some respite! Long live the labourers! :)

Mooncake Festival

Mooncake on Weet-Bix?

View from our apartment (1)

View from our apartment (2)

Where are you guys!

2007-09-24T06:31:00.000-07:00

Wonder how's everyone doing by now...

Vegetarian restaurant @ SS2

2007-09-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

I went to a vegetarian restaurant cum cakehouse at SS2 on Tuesday evening. The food there is not bad.. actually has been there for quite some time - almost more than a year i think. Unfortunately, due to my failing memory I can't recall the name at the moment. I think it is called "Tian Yan"; it has a big green neon signboard, and is located near the goldsmith shops, at the inner road facing the houses in Chao Yang ( just the road behind the bus stop where u see all the ppl waiting on the fringe of the ss2 golden square) Ok, enough talk, on to the pictures!

Vegetarian Noodles - Clear and yummy

Assam fish - actually seeweed with bean strips

Orange Plum Drink

????

Digital Camera Bought!! (short update)

2007-09-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

How did I ever go from wanting to buy a stylish sleek fashion icon, the Canon Ixus,

into buying a dufus looking camera ... 0-o".

One word, good salesmanship and me being me .. *boggle*

Pre-farewell Dinner?

2007-09-12T07:55:00.000-07:00

Went to the company's bowling session on Tuesday night.
Hasn't been to one for quite a long long time - thanks to the all famous ***ll.

Well, it was a good game - minus the heavy bowling ball.
Being the small size me, I usually opt for the 9 pound ones.
That day, it was all seized up by other players and I'll just had to make do with a 10 pound one.
Scored a lot of zeros too!

After that, we went for dinner - sort of like a Pre-Farewell Dinner.
You see, there's only 4 of us in that dinner.
Jason & Su Ann's leaving very soon - like in a week's time.

Benny will be following soon too.

Cos...

I'm the only one left - hanging around in KL.

Well, all geared up for the official farewell dinner!

(Now, is it confirmed adi?)

Food for thought

2007-09-12T01:32:00.000-07:00

曾经在美国住过一阵子，他们的社区里，每到下班时间，就看到一家家的先生开车回来。回来后可没闲着，衣服一换，不是除草修自行车，就是遛狗整理庭院。夜幕低垂，全家一起看电视，很早就上床睡觉，很少人会去喝酒应酬。周末假日，不是在院子里除草、烤肉，或在车库办个小型旧物拍卖，就是全家出门旅行。他们回家，是把心和身和爱，都一起放在家里。

反观我们这儿，卖命加班、努力应酬、拚命喝酒、用劲唱歌，把实验室当家、把 PUB 当家、把朋友家当家 , 你的家只是摸黑回去了，管他是沙发是地板是浴室，倒头就睡。醒来迷迷糊糊的，梳洗一番又去上班了，没跟太太说上一句话，没跟孩子打过一个照面，搞不好跑错人家，你都不知道。做爸爸的如此，儿女上行下效也如此，做妈的心想，你们都不回来，我也出去吧！ " 家 " 就变成了一个空壳子。不论你家谁是一家之主，不妨率先示范：

※ 每周最多一晚去应酬；不管是谈生意，跟朋友聊天，或是跟主管笼络感情，一周最多一次，其余时间应该留给伴侣谈话，和孩子聊天，跟家人建立感情。

※ 即使晚归，也要清醒；醉酒开车要重罚，真是一个福音，至少大家都不敢在夜里喝酒。最好是连出租车也拒载酒醉之人，说不定能挽救不少形同陌路的婚姻。因为没喝酒，回到家，至少还能清醒的跟家人说说话。

※ 回家以后，不以自己会赚钱自夸，照样乐在家事中；家事是全家人的事，在外奔波虽然很辛苦，但是在家忙碌，也不轻松。互相体贴，付出爱心，随手做家事。

※ 不要把一生心血精华卖给公司，留给家人的却是破铜烂铁；为公司卖命，赢得高薪与高职，确实很有成就感。但随着你的退休被淘汰，这些都成过眼云烟。然而你给家人的爱，却是一辈子不会变质，他们会回报你以更多的爱。（ Be home with your heart) 看完这一封信，不知道你是否也和我一样有相同的感触，我们每个人似乎都将工作的顺位给颠倒了，总是工作第一、应酬第二，忽略了家庭的重要性。甚至未婚的年轻男女，也许因为过于卖命的工作，而失去了许多结交男女朋友的时间与机会，而已婚的男女，亦常常忽略了家人的重要性，不要以为结了婚就是保证，殊不知现在离婚率这么高，每五对夫妻，就有一对离婚。

也许我们都应该停下来想一想，我们工作的目的是为了什么？是为了改善目前的生活，让家人过好日子呢？是为了要让喜欢的人得到幸福而事先做好准备呢？还是毫无意义的工作，只因为自己已长大了？抑或是在权力和地位上的追求，满足自己的虚荣心？不要管任何人怎么想，真实的面对你自己，正视你所要的是什么，也许将脚步放慢点，你会发现我们要的不仅是为了赚很多钱，而是为了自己的理想在努力奋斗，为了实现对你所爱的人的承诺，没有什么是不能舍得，因为有舍才有得。

Quote from: Unknown

不能说的秘密 - afterthoughts

2007-09-09T04:52:00.001-07:00

First and foremost, even though I do enjoy listening to some of Jay Chou's songs, I am in no way his "ahhhh(high pitch scream)-Its JAY!!"-frenzy type of fan. By a long stretch, I would say. To tell the truth, after his lack-lustre performance in his Initial-D debut, and given the "lovey dovey" nature of the 不能说的秘密 film, I did not have very high hopes for the movie.

But I was mistaken .. I actually came out of the movie feeling that I got more than my money's worth (maybe having low expectations actually brings your standards down a bit but I left the cinema with a little "wow" factor and with a little something etched in my memory - basically that is what every film maker strives to do isn't it?) Sad to say, Jay Chou's acting skills did nothing much for me. He was still as emotionless in his acting as ever, albiet a little better then his previous efforts, i.e. Initial D cool look the whole movie. He tries hard but pales very much in comparison to the ever affable Anthony Wong. Anthony doesn't win awards for nothing, he injects humour and light moments to what could have potentially been a dull and boring film. I have to say that out of all the actors/actresses in the movie, he was the most impressive of them all.

Jay and Anthony in one of the lighter moments in the movie

Well basically the actresses provided the eye candy for the guys :) Both of the main actresses exuded charm and "sweetness" (okok, accounted for by the fact that they are both very attractive looking) Alice Tzeng (Sky) could just stand there and look pretty with her smile all day long but I think Kwai Lun Mei (Rain) actually gave the extra "ummphh" to her character with her acting skills. After doing a quick search on the net, I realised that I'd seen her in a movie before but she looked really different in that movie (Blue Gate Crossing - about a young girl discovering her sexuality) If Anthony Wong was the soul of the movie, Kwai Lun Mei was the heart of the movie. Her portrayal of the character actually gets the audience pulled into the movie and emphatize with her character.

Kwai Lun Mei in one of her many "secret" moments

Kwai Lun Mei in Blue Gate Crossing

Cast aside, what really made the movie for me was the story and the plot. It was all your regular love movie and all that "feel good" stuff until the secret starts unravelling ( I am referring to the actual secret, not the secret that Rain told Jay about) , I was like what the ....! Although some people think that the movie actually copied a number of others, I found the implementation quite interesting and infact quite entertaining, low expectations may have something to do with it but I don't see why that should have effected my view on the movie.

Another highlight of the movie I forgot to mention was the impressive "Piano Battle". After that I came back and practiced my "puny" organ playing skills, but sadly sounded nowhere near to what I saw in the movie. I was a little disappointed that Jay's song for the movie was not played until the credits started rolling. I was trying to play that song but unsuprisingly didn't sound that nice (hey- gimme a break ok! I haven't played regularly for like over 10 years :p)

The piano battle from "the legend of 1900". An old movie but as impressive as the one in 不能说的秘密

If I say anymore, I might spoil the movie for anyone who hasn't watched it yet so I will stop here. Pretty long post too, A mega blogbuster weekend! Definitely a thumbs up movie for me, just don't try to disect the movie logically or it will spoil the experience. A lot of "bonus" points if you go and watch with your "significant other". Guaranteed hugs and cuddles after :D

Surviving in a zombie apocalypse - aka Resident Evil style

2007-09-08T21:47:00.000-07:00

I stumbled on an interesting page just moments ago. What are your chances of surviving a zombie holocaust? You know,typical movie scenarios where those people end up screaming as zombies break into their houses trying to eat their brains. Find out more at http://mingle2.com/zombie-quiz

This was my result, looks like I am just brain food for zombies :( .

44%

不能说的秘密

2007-09-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

不能说的秘密, a movie I am going to watch today :). Enjoy the music MTV from Jay Chou. I find him quite a talented musician, considering that he writes his own lyrics and scores.

Timing and Life

2007-09-07T07:01:00.000-07:00

Though I probably realised this long ago, certain recent events have reminded me that all things are in God's hands. Sometimes, you think that you have the right to make choices through your actions and words, but then you realise, you are who you are and those choices would have been made anyway (well sometimes it is not so clear cut but... maybe it is reality).

Another time, another place, I might have thought differently - I still believe that your life is in your hands but certain choices are not yours to make, particularly with respect to the timing of events; things happen when you least expect it.

Anyway, I am thankful, I consider my life blessed and I am satisfied (but never complacent, there is a big difference there people! - we can continuously seek for better things even when we are satisfied, contradicatory perhaps, but my believe is so). Perhaps, it is how satisfied we are with life that drives our choices and "happiness".

Enough of this deep cryptic stuff already :) , anyhow it fills up the blogspace since the two other chipmunks are a bunch of lazy nutters !

Travelling again ...

2007-09-03T09:39:00.000-07:00

As I prepare to go over to Sydney again, the excitement like what had preceeded the first trip I made down there is kind of dampened. There is always nothing like the first time, as the saying goes. Well, at least I've got good company :) Alvin is down there already eagerly awaiting our weekly badminton sessions, and I've got Su Ann (a.k.a. the giraffe - still can't figure out her fascination with giraffes -_-") and good ol' Seng going down as together as well. A good chance to try out Seng's trademark homecooked dishes!

I've got my pre-travel arrangements sorted out, flight ticket booked and accomodation on the way, bought my brand new S41 joybook that is supposed to bring me hours of joy (just found out that my supposedly performance joybook can't run Microsoft's Lost Planet at above 15 fps with all settings at minimum :*( , well I guess I can't ask for too much ....). So what's left, packing I suppose - getting all my gear together and all those essentials for keeping self entertained and occupied. Don't know what the internet access opportunities will be like in the apartment, Alv has commented that it is pretty costly to get it set up privately, maybe can "borrow" a neighbour's line :p . Pretty funny tho, the coffee shops over there don't seem to offer the free wireless internet services that is so common over here in Malaysia.

Probably need to start looking for the stuff to bring over ... I think I've pretty much sorted all my clothing and sporting gear, maybe have to shop a little for foodstuff. I got a weird look from the customs guy the last time when I opened up by bag and cheerfully took out and declared bottles of --- chili sambal! (hey, don't laugh .. those are highly priced commodities over there, ok!) O ya, almost forgot. Next on my shopping list is probably a point and shoot digital camera. I've got a semi-SLR digital camera but it is just too bulky for casual photography, like those quick candid shots that I want to take for blogging. Well look out for a camera review soon. I don't know whether I will pick it up before I go though, that was some hefty spending for the joybook.

Melbourne Trip

2007-09-02T16:00:00.001-07:00

Hi guys......nice to see you all contributing to the blog. Sorry if i had not been taking part in the contribution. Been rather busy. Spent the weekend over in Melbourne. I must say that the place is very unique and peaceful as compared to Sydney. When i reached there last saturday i felt like i was in a place rojak between British and Australian culture and architecture. Nice indeed......Personal preference.......Melbourne....Why????? Not so crowded........Asian food a plenty.

BenQ Price Drop

2007-09-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Curses ... BenQ announced a RM200 price drop on the S41 Joybook, the very next day after i bought it -_-"

Goodbye.. again?!

2007-08-29T08:17:00.000-07:00

Woah... Jason's leaving next month.
And next month's like - 2 days from now...
Sobz... from the last chipmunk...

p/s: guys, make sure u continue to post here.. now, where's Al?
----------------
Now playing: 王力宏 - 落葉歸根
via FoxyTunes

Buying a notebook

2007-08-28T09:48:00.000-07:00

After getting confirmation of my trip down to Sydney next month, I had to draw up a list of things to do. One of the things was - get a notebook to keep self entertained over there :p ... ok, no life but I don't care. Everything is just so expensive there, even to play badminton costs 3-4 times as much as it would here , and that is the cheaper club. I've evaluated a few options and shortlisted my choices. Greedy as I always am, looking for everything in a notebook - performance, reasonable price, portability and some style. Trying to look for something that will replace my old desktop and will last me a couple of years to come.

Evaluation:

Green: Pass with flying colours

Blue: Acceptable Pass

Red: Not Pass

1) Dell XPS M1330

Performance: - Coming with the Dual Core 1.8 GHz processor and a Geforce 8400M GS. Definitely enough power for me. Sound is ok but I don't really expect superb surround sound from a notebook.
Price: Ouch, checking in at just over RM5k for the basic set definitely will put a huge dent in my pocket.

Portability: Weighing just under 1.8 kg with power features, fantastic portability. I can effortlessly carry it every time i go to Starbucks for a drink of coffee.

Style: Surprisingly, looking at the XPS it is sleek, and exudes style and class. Though not as stylish as the macbook designs, definitely an improvement over previous dell units.

2) Dell Inspiron 1420

Performance: Coming with similar specifications to the Dell XPS M1330, same verdict. Sufficient performance for me.

Price: Priced at more then RM1k cheaper than the XPS, definitely more reasonably priced and at the price range that I am looking for.
Portability: Weighing at 2.6 kilos, definitely a bit on the heavy side. With accessories and charger, definitely not something I want to be carrying while on the move.
Style: Bleh ... nothing exceptional about this unit, typical Dell - not very well known for styling of notebooks

3) Acer Aspire 4920G

Performance: Sports similar processor speed to the dell units and an ATI X2500 card instead of a Geforce card. Although graphics performance will be a little worse compared to the Dell units, still acceptable for me. I don't expect to be doing any F.E.A.R gaming at highest detail settings. Sound shines with this unit, would be good when watching dvd's, etc. but not very high on my list of requirements. A good earphone or set of speakers would solve the sound woes.

Price: Priced slightly higher then the Dell Inspiron 1420, still more than RM1k cheaper than the Dell XPS unit.

Portability: Weighing a bit more than the Dell Inspiron 1420 at 2.7 kg, too heavy for my liking.

Style: Curvy "Gemstone" design by BMW, some people like it, some people don't. For me personally, definitely better than the Dell Inspiron design.

4) BenQ Joybook S41

Before I get into the mini review, I hear some people saying "What! BeeennnnQ??!! You sure about considering getting a BenQ brand notebook?" I am not really taken in by branding as such, proven reliability is more of a concern to me. I've surfed around for opinions from owners of the S41, besides the common problems of optical drives with notebooks, all seems fine.

Performance: Similar processor to the rest, but coming with the Geoforce 8600M GS (DirectX 10 compatible, with DDR3 and HDMI output! - and with turbocache expandability up to 1GB) Graphics wise, this notebook blows the rest away. Sound is reported to be soft and without umphh, but as mentioned not a very big dent for me on the performance of the notebook.

Price: Priced similar to the Acer Aspire unit, reasonable pricing but for the performance, definitely good value for money.

Portability: When I first looked for the weight specifications, I was expecting something similar to the Dell Inspiron and Acer notebooks due to the high end performance components of the notebook. I was blown away when I saw - 2.05 kg with battery. Hmm, light weight and with performance.
Style: Unique design, some say looks good on the inside but yucky on the outside, but hey looking at the pictures, I like it. Not as yummy as the Macbook design but acceptable for me.

Conclusion: After going through various other factors besides those mentioned (I am going to be spending a fair bit of money, so I look through all the other specifications and expandability options, but just too lazy to write them all down), I am leaning towards getting the BenQ Joybook. Just found out there is a BenQ service center down at Wollongong, Sydney - so there is a rescue center nearby, just in case.

Jazz Festival with Sheila Majid

2007-08-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

Day 3 of the Jazz Festival.
Went there with Alvin, just a night before he flies off to Sydney.
That night, Sheila Majid was the highlight of the night!
And here she is!

#1: Close up of Sheila Majid

#2: Performing arts!

#3: Guitarist #1

#4: Guitarist #2

#5: Backup Singer

Last minute arrangements

2007-08-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday night I received a phone call from Alvin. The phone call went something like this:

Me: Yo, bro wassup.

Alv: Hi. I have to ask you something.

Me: Yup, shoot. Hey aren't you suppose to be on your way to Sydney by now?

Alv: Ya. I'm at KL Sentral now, on the way to KLIA. My flight is at 10 pm. Hmmm, aren't you supposed to be at the fireworks thing at Putrajaya?

Me: (-_-)" .. something came up so had to ffk.

Alv: When you went to Sydney you had to have a Visa right?

Me: (0_O!) Of course. I travelled on a business visa. But I checked for you when Mike called from Australia and you have got a ETA business visa already, so you should be A-OK.

Alv: Erm .. ok. Thats all, right ? I don't need anything else?

Me: You should be fine. Don't worry about it.

Alv: Ok, thanks. See ya you in Sydney 3 weeks time! I've brought all my sports stuff and ready for action.

Me: Ya, have a safe trip :)

Half an hour later ... *ring *ring

Me : Hey! aren't you suppose to be getting on the flight already?

Alv : Err, soon. I have one last thing to ask you. When you arrive at Sydney, do you need to show them anything? I don't think, I have printed or prepared any documents at all!

Me: (0_O!) It should be alright i think .. It is all electronically in the system (though I did bring a whole bunch of printed Visa forms and letters just in case - you never know with all these computers - but I don't think that information would have done anything to help settle Alvin's realisation he didn't really know what was required to enter good old Aussie moments before he was boarding!). They probably wouldn't need anything more from you unless you are caught stashing some dodgy items in your luggage.

Alv: Hmmm (silent for a short time - I also went hmmm - I could visualise him going over the things in his luggage: dodgy item 1 - check, dodgy item 2 - check!) Things like drugs or explosives. Yaya all those terrorists nowadays. Ok, see you in Aussie. Bye!

Me: Yup, take care dude. Bye!

Sigh, one word - "UNCERTAINTIES". People who know will understand what that means but I won't elaborate more on that. Hopefully I don't see Alvin back in the office on Monday :p. Anyway I've got some news that I "will" be on the way to Sydney soon, so will see how it goes. Safe trip and all the best, Alvin!

TMNUT downtime...

2007-08-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

I wanted to update yesterday but unfortunately I couldn't even sign in. I was wondering what was happening when i went to tmnut's website and ... - lo and behold,

"TM will be performing system maintenance to upgrade our network from 22nd August 2007 to 24th August 2007, from 12:00 midnight till 6:00 a.m in the Klang Valley area."

sigh ... hail monopolisation, all hail Tmnut!!

Penang food pictures!

2007-08-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

It is about time that i posted some pictures of the penang food that I have been raving about. Not many, but enought to get my mouth watering :)
The first few dishes out of the seven we ordered at the seafood restaurant; Steam fish, kerabu prawns and the chili sotong.

This is "THE" Hor Fun, absolutely sumptious, and healthy to boot! The shop is supposed to be famous for the fish head noodles (which was cooked with green chili, super spicy!) The following two shots are of food that I didn't personally eat so I can't stamp the ho jiak stamp on them but just looking at the pictures just makes me go yum yum! Presenting the salmon fillet and the roast chicken special, true home cooking at its best (We were eating this at this family's house that was converted into a restaurant - some people were eating in the living room -_-")

Bookmarks of Life...

2007-08-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

Some songs are just that - songs.
Some songs represent certain stages of life.
It becomes a bookmark of life.
Reminding you where you'd left life.
Reminding you where to continue life.
Do you have that song in your life?
- Origor

那就这样吧

不要哭了吗该哭的人是我吧
你都坦白爱上了他我有什么办法
我也同意啦记然你提出了想法
我们不要拖拖拉拉就从明天开始吧
那就这样吧再爱都曲终人散啦
那就分手吧再爱都无需争扎
不要再问我怎舍得拱手让她
你走吧到了记得要给我通电话
那就这样吧再爱都要Sayonara
再给抱一下闻闻你的长发
不要再哭啦快把眼泪擦一擦
这样吧在再爱我有缘的话
快把东西收拾一下再耗下去都天亮啦
这里的钥匙妳先留着吧
假如妳有东西假如你有东西忘了拿

Dota Heroes

2007-08-18T23:57:00.000-07:00

Well after all the dilly dallying, I have managed to come up with a wholesome "ONE" picture. I am quite pleased with the results considering that I have almost ziltch experience with photoshop CS2. It is taking me some to come to grasp with the functions and tools. I must say that it is one really powerful package, hmm maybe it is worth doing a review on photoshop later when i have used it a bit more, for the benefit of wannabe amateur photo-editors who like me are starting from zero. So without further ado, behold the result of my efforts!

I've got the captioned version, which might have been more entertaining for some of you, but looks a bit more cluttered then this one. PM me if you would like to have a look at that picture.

Bye, Al!

2007-08-18T23:27:00.000-07:00

Went to Poppy with Ben, Su Ann & Alvin for his 'farewell' before he leaves for Sydney for a short 6 months' stint. Too bad Jason was down with - whatever problem it is.. (sorry, Jason - I just can't remember!) Then again, I guess I may just have a bit too much to drink - I only took 3 shots and only one was with Alvin in it! Paishe, Al! :D

KL Sunrise Digi Jazz Festival 2007 @ Mont Kiara

2007-08-18T22:42:00.000-07:00

Guys, it's quite fun - but a wee bit noisy and drunk... too much beer.
Nevertheless, we should all go for a night out. What do ya think?

More photos at: Origor's Blog

T-MAC Basketball shoe

2007-08-14T19:20:00.001-07:00

I was on the way to meet up Debbie at the Curve on sunday. A picture of Deb is posted a shown (Sorry Origor....she has a boyfriend already......too bad...................)
I was also pretty lucky to find an empty lot at cineleisure damansara as the whole area around the Curve and Cineleisure will be jam packed with cars and living organism. As i walked up the escalator i stumbled upon a sports fair. Since there was still plenty of time, i had decided to make a pit stop at the fair. All these while i was looking for a pair of basketball shoes to replace my old one.

When i was browsing around at the shoe section, my eyes lit up when i saw a few basketball shoes selling at hot cakes' prices. What caught my attention is the T-MAC shoe that i currently own (sorry guys......will post the photos later on. Lazy to upload pictures). Elegant yet simple in design resembles some similarity to my adidas basketball shoe that i had own previously. The best part is the price. RM129.90 only..........Without thinking further i tried it on, went to the counter and checked out. The only thing remaining is to try the new show on the court and see how the shoe fare. I will definitely post a separate posting with regards to the shoe's performance. Beware ADIDAS............your fate is in my hand.............Muhahahahaa...................

P/S: I regretted to have removed the playa from my previous blog about Origor..........

Penang Photo Preview

2007-08-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

From left to right,
Top row: YY, Chen, Techo, Weite and Suko
Bottom row (Look like parents @ a wedding!) : Me, Pillowcat

Got the first batch of photos from the Penang trip. Editing photos is more effort than I imagined it would be (need to get the software installed properly in the first place!). As a teaser, I've posted one of the pictures taken at the seafood restaurant - the photo editing work that I so shamelessly plagarised off my "certified" source. That's me in the picture trying not grimace due to an overly full stomache! Hopefully I can get my photo editing software installed properly and collect the rest of the photos from my "certified" source. So please bear with me while I process the photographs of the Penang trip. I will try to post them up ASAP. Meanwhile I am counting on the other "chipmunks" to keep things interesting around here ... lazy pair of rodents!

HO JIAK

2007-08-12T23:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, just came up with the 3 chipmunks "seal of approval"

<---------- The official "Ho Jiak" seal (may be subject to changes)

Back from Penang

2007-08-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Back from a food filled trip from Penang. Everything seems a blur and all the food just clouds out everything else. Must have put on a couple of kgs! Time to go a sensible diet once more. The food frenzied glutony was almost more that my body could take (You'll see what I mean later). On a more serious note, it was great to see the guys and gals from Singapore, Finally can get to put 2 more faces to who you pawn or are pawned by haha - nice to meet Techo aka Hairylegs, Chen (when he smiles, everyone records it as an event on their diary .. hmm) and YY. Yup good to meet up with Suko and Weite as well, the crazy gal from Pineapple town and the quiet, handsome guy from SG (no BB remarks here har!) Kudos to Pillowcat for running around being a tour guide, chauffeur and letting me be a cheapo by staying at his place! I was with him most of the time so I know he must have really been zapped of his energy these last few days, but instead of recuperating after we left, he just went out to watch rush hour 3! Cats have 9 lives; I guess that applies to Pillowcats as well.

Well sorethroat's a little better, so hopefully by tomorrow I'll be at 100% and fully recharged for work. Before I forget, I better update the captain's food log.

Captain's Food Log : Penang,
Stardate 9th August 2007
Lunch: Assam Laksa, Pasembor
Dinner: Seafood Restaurant- Steam fish, Sweet and Sour Crabs, Cili Sotong, Mantis Prawns, 4 Heavenly Kings Vege, Minced Meat Taufu, Kerabu Prawns, Yummy drink of Empala Assam
Supper: Sup Kambing (no one dared to take up the challenge of the infamous Sup Torpedo)

Stardate 10th August 2007
Lunch: Assam Laksa (Famous one), Penang Chee Cheong Fun, Soya Bean, Apom Banana and Jagung
Dinner: Ikan Bakar (the only yuck food I had in Penang), Big Prawn Char Koay Teow, Lobak, Fried Lobak Kou, Hokkien Char, Chendol, Popiah, O'chien. - If you don't call this overkill, I dunno what is....
Supper: Famous Prawn Mee and Half-boiled cockerels

Stardate 11th August 2007
Brunch: Chili Fish Suah Mee, Steam Fish Hor Fun (this is one of the most unique and yummy dishes I tried in Penang), Hokkien Char Maggee, Honey Chicken
Tea: Roast pork rice, Char Cheong Mee
Dinner: Chicken Chop Oriental and Mushroom soup with Garlic Bread

Stardate 12th August 2007
Breakfast: Nasi Lemak, Roti Telor, Tapau 3 persons' worth of Roast Duck and Roast Pork.

Short update from Penang

2007-08-10T07:48:00.000-07:00

Food in Penang is just sumptiously delicious!! I think i might have an overdose of Penang food .. too much of anything is bad :( Just developed a sorethroat and keeping my fingers crossed that it will miracalously go away. And the plan is to go for pork ribs prawn mee for supper tonite, arrrggghhh!!!!

Off to Penang!

2007-08-08T17:48:00.000-07:00

Morning chaps! Off to Penang it is. Have a good weekend! :)

Life and screensavers

2007-08-07T18:56:00.000-07:00

Bill Gates dies in a car accident. He finds himself being sized up by God.... "Well, Bill, I'm really confused on this call. I'm not sure whether to send you to Heaven or Hell. After all, you helped society enormously by putting a computer in almost every home in America, yet you also stole DOS from IBM. I'm going to do something I've never done before. In your case, I'm going to let you decide where you want to go." "Well, what's the difference between the two?"Bill asks. God says, "I'm willing to let you visit both places briefly, if it will help your decision." "Fine, but where should I go first?" "I'll leave that up to you." "Okay, then," says Bill. "Let me try Hell first." So Bill goes to Hell. It's a beautiful, clean, sandy beach with clear waters and lots of beautiful women running around, playing in the water, laughing and frolicking about. The sun is shining, the temperature is perfect. He is very pleased. "This is great!" he tells God. "If this is Hell, I REALLY want to see Heaven!" "Fine," says God, and off they go. Heaven is a place high in the clouds, with angels drifting about, playing harps and singing. It's nice, but not as enticing as Hell. Bill thinks for a quick minute and decides. "Hmm. I think I'd prefer Hell," he tells God. "Fine," replies God. "As you desire." So Bill Gates goes to Hell. Two weeks later, God decides to check on the late billionaire to see how he is doing in Hell. When he gets there, he finds Bill shackled to a wall, screaming amidst hot flames in a dark cave, being burned and tortured by demons. "How's everything going?" he asks Bill. Bill responds, his voice filled with anguish and disappointment, "This is awful! This is nothing like the Hell I visited two weeks ago! I can't believe this is happening! What happened to that other place, with the beaches and the beautiful women playing in the water?" "Oh ... that was the SCREENSAVER."

Well that was an old joke that has been around for sometime. But thinking about it, how many things in life are actually screensavers, some put up by others, some put up by ourselves and some are just there. The longer we stay stagnant (i.e not move the mouse), we will just get caught up in the screensaver. Some of the screensavers are so mesmerizing, we don't really want to move the mouse... sigh.

Ok enough of that stuff. Alv is leaving soon to good old down under so all the best to him and I am pretty sure he is pretty excited to go ---> in more ways than one :p As for me, PENANG! here I come. Haven't done any packing at all, need to bring lots of stuff there, things for friends, things for me! Still looking around for a digital camera so I won't miss out the candid camera moments in Penang. Looking forward to my first official holiday since starting my new job. Hope that dumb Pillowcat doesn't leave me stranded at the Penang bus station.

We & The Simpsons Family!

2007-08-07T06:46:00.001-07:00

Come and Go

2007-08-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

Time come and go. Money come and go. People come and go. Almost everything in our lives come and go. Just got the news from BOSS that i might be heading to Sydney for secondment. I do not know how to say this. Partially i am happy that i am going over soon as my baby is over there but on the other hand i am sad to leave. Reason??? My colleagues. I know it is only going to be 6 months but things might change while i am not around. I am afraid that most of my colleagues will resign from the department as they feel demoralized from lack of things to do in the office. Furthermore i would not be able to attend two of my closest friends' wedding dinner. Sorry Ah Chan and Brian. Can we have the bachelor party before i depart to Sydney? Pretty please. I do not request much. Just a pretty stripper and free flow of booze. Not much wat..............kekekek.........

3 chipmunks

2007-08-06T21:29:00.000-07:00

hi.....this is alvin (real name) from the 3 chipmunks blog. I think it is fair for us to introduce ourselves before you. An idea came into light last friday when 3 of us decided to start up our blog as a mean to make ourselves famous (can or not???). The 3 chipmunks consist of the following members:

Alvin - The crazy sarawakian who loves kolo mee
Jason - The badminton loving KL-lite that knows all the best food in town
Origor - Code name CHEEKY and multi-talented photographer from Kluang.

These three chipmunks will be one of the forces to be remembered and recond with in the blogger world provided that they each contribute to the posting. Those who wish to meet us in person can do so as well. Just log on to our blogs or send us an e-mail. We will get back to you in a matter of seconds.

Today the faithful day..

2007-08-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

An icon of significance to us, in more ways then one. I'll just leave that one at that. You may like it (or not) but it's here to stay!

Today we just had a session of ping pong with the the rest of the chaps (4 of us to be exact). It would have been more fun and less tiring with more people but at least we got enough people together to play! It is a welcome break from the day in day out things and the invigorating sweat it brings is kind of blissful (ok, that is exaggerating - invigorating and blissful aren't the exact words that i would use but ...) Even though we've just sort of played twice since a long while, we are kind of getting the hang of things, except when Alv gets carried away and we end up picking balls that drop to the ground floor. Still haven't had any incidents of the ping pong balls hitting people in the badminton court below. I wonder whether the day will come when that happens ..

Reminder to self: Get a small digital camera and publish a video/pictures of the world class ping pong battles between Alv & Peter ASAP.

Penang Trip Countdown

2007-08-04T23:26:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to a break in life's monotony, going on a trip to Penang next week! Going to meet up with some friends from Singapore and Penang. I'm going be 'kiamsap' and just bunk in my friend's room but that just means I'm going to have to bear with the dreaded attacks of the infamous "Pillowcat". Hope it is worth the money I save -_-", and it doesn't rain too much when I'm there.

Penang has it all ... hmm, we'll see how true it is. Picture courtesy of Penang tourism Malaysia. Hope I don't get sued for pinching their picture.

test

2007-08-03T19:04:00.001-07:00

test