A new posting, on Christmas day. I think my last post was about 11 years ago. Many things have happened. No, I'm not going to talk about ALL of them in this one post. :)

Why did I suddenly decide to post again? Hmm, an old music video for an old YouTube performer whose life was tragically cut short due to gun violence.

Christina Grimmie was an up-and-coming YouTube singer that I kinda of followed during that time. Hey, she was cute and she sang very well. I'm simple like that. Then again 11 years ago, I was also a simpler man.

Christina's life was tragically cut short when she was murdered by an obsessed fan. She was 22 years old at that time.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/voice-singer-christina-grimmie-shot-after-florida-concert-n590161

What amazing, wise and insightful words I have to share in this post? Actually, nothing. This post has nothing to do with learning something new. This post is a tribute to emotions that makes us human and the art that stirs those emotions. Perhaps also a way for me to come to terms of my own emotions as a man.

Christina, in another world I'd be streaming your music over Spotify while relaxing on this quiet Friday evening. Rest in peace.

Consistently inconsistent

I'm extraordinarily ordinary, with an amazingly mundane ability to talk circles on the subject of squares. I swear politely at wonderful idiots and am one of the many to be able to clearly speak gibberish.

My wonderfully articulate mumble has charmed many. Those who are angelically bitchy are treated to a graceful extension of my perfectly malformed middle finger. I then walk away, glancing back and ignoring their hurt expression at being praised.

I always leave them wanting to smother me with disaffection. On my bad days, I allow myself to treat them like the princess that they aren't. One of us always end up joyously unhappy but I can always figure out who.

First posting for 2009! Happy new year!

Ok, so I missed the new year mark by a few days (weeks, months). That's still not a good enough reason to not celebrate, so pop the champagne and drink up!

Yes, I'm extremely lazy to update my blog. Penning (typing) down my thoughts are not exactly high in my list of priorities. Heck, I do this mainly so I can laugh about what I was thinking a few days (weeks, months, years) ago!

Hmm...how about some updates, eh?

Let's see...Japan trip was an utter snooze-fest. There I was, a highly-trained network consultant (ahem!) and as I went for my first meeting with the project team, they provided me the detailed network design, configuration script and acceptance document. All neatly typed and formatted. My role? To do acceptance testing for 2 new network nodes. Timeline? Oh, about 3 months! To be honest, all projects should have this sort of buffer and I have to say that I was quite lucky since no major problems were experienced during the project phase. It was still boring though.

Important Japanese words I learnt:

kyukei = break (ie. let's take a break)

omori = large (ie. gimme large portion of food)

okawari = refill (mainly used for whatever free refills they give at that place)

kawaii = female human with wonderful personality (used when complimenting a girl, focusing only on inner beauty and not touching on any physical aspect at all)

With those 4 words, my stay in Japan was made so much more pleasant. I also didn't die of boredom (lotsa kyukei, conflict in middle-east and an Israeli Jew colleague made for interesting discussions in between those rare moments where I actually do work) and safely returned to my motherland where the first thing I ate was nasi goreng and some bbq stuff while surprising my dad with my return on his birthday.

It was awesome. I finally got to say "My presence is your present!" in real-life. That's one less item in my list of things to do before I die. I'm still having trouble with "Have a threesome with identical twins". Anyone here knows anyone who can help me with this?

No rest for the wicked though. About 1 month later, I'm off to Hanoi, Vietnam for some actual design work (instead of losta kyukei where the common topic of discussion was conflict in middle-east). Fortunately, a colleague of mine got married and I managed to satisfy my cravings for a decent nasi minyak before I'm stuck for 2 months in a country where dogs are considered a delicacy and pork's the main source of protein. For those who've never tried nasi minyak tanam before, I pity you. You have no idea how heavenly the taste is when the dish is done well. That wedding didn't disappoint at all. Succulent beef cooked in special gravy and spiced hard-boiled egg buried in special rice, all cooked together in one pot. Ahh....the aroma...

Bloody hell! I'm getting hungry! I guess I'll continue writing when my stomach's not complaining.

Cheers!

Disclaimer: Due to past track record of the writer's amazing ability to procrastinate, do not expect a continuation anytime soon.

I am evolving!

I just vacuumed my apartment. Ok...you may stop laughing now. C'mon! I'm not THAT spoiled! Sigh...

Anyway, I just cleaned up my apartment. Notice I said 'clean'. My apartment is still untidy!

I also bought fruits for myself. I have to admit that the quality of food I'm eating here is close to garbage. Ok...I'm exaggerating but seriously, I'm used to way better quality of food back home. The sushi's fine I guess but the good stuff is more expensive than I'm willing to pay. Sure, you can get a meal for 500 yen. However, that meal will consist of rice and some meat or fish (being cooked is optional). No vegetables, which means no source of vitamins and minerals. A really crappy diet. Hence, me with my bag of grapes. I'd buy apples or oranges next time once I find a nearer fruit stall to my apartment. I'm *not* going to carry a big bag of apples/oranges across 10 train stops...

As the food is generally cheap and horrible or good and expensive, I'm now spending my free time checking out search results for "cooking for 1" on google. Yup, I'm independent, standing on my own two feet and all that crap.

I think I might be succumbing to the dark side and actually become a 21st century man who cooks and clean. Holy shit...

Selamat tinggal Malaysia!! Konichiwa Japan!!

I'm now in Japan. Assuming everything goes according to schedule, I'll be here for the next 80 days or so.

The last time I came to Japan, I was 13 years old. I learnt how to use chopsticks and developed a taste for green tea while I was there.

15 years later and I'm here again. Time sure flies! This trip should be interesting. Hopefully I have some extra time to do some sight-seeing in between my work. Don't expect much photos though. I don't have a camera. I *may* buy one over the weekend though. :)

News quote of the moment!

Reaction of the world after Obama was voted as President:

Within minutes of the results, American television viewers were treated to what have become rare images from abroad: large crowds happily waving - rather than burning - American flags.

I laughed out loud when I read that paragraph! :D

Read the whole news article over here.

Sia - Breathe Me

I love music and I love discovering amazing music that is not well-known. Check out the video below. Amazing voice and atmosphere!

Handlebars

I was chillin' at the living room earlier when I saw/heard this excellent song on MTV. Amazingly enough, MTV now don't really suck and play stuff besides boyband crap! Anyway, thought I'd share it with everyone. This is not the original video though but I think it fits the song very well.

Woohoo!! Vacation time!!

I gotta admit, I haven't been as excited about traveling for a long time! In 2 days though, I'll be drinking in the sights at south america. :D

Flight leaves sometime tonight (not sure exactly when...) and I'll have a stopover at Amsterdam (not sure how long...) while waiting to catch my connecting flight to south america (not sure which country...).

Hmm...I've a feeling I should've paid more attention to the itinerary! Now where did I put the damn piece of paper...Sheesh, I'm not even sure when I'll be back! All I know is that it'll be before fasting month.

Anyway, I've got a new pair of boots for the amount of trekking I'll be doing. The old one is literally falling a part. Served me well though! Heck, I did a lot of shopping yesterday so I should have enough clothes to last me for 3 weeks or so.

I think the highlight of the trip for me is probably Machu Picchu. If you have no idea what the hell that is, check out the following link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_picchu

I won't be bringing a camera as I figured I've spent enough money yesterday buying clothes and didn't feel like spending the same amount on a camera. Not to worry though! My sister's a shutterbug and a few days back in Malaysia, you'll probably see me tagged in some photos in facebook.

Cheers!

Well...I had nothing to do the other day so I decided to take a personality quiz!

You Are An INTP

The Thinker You are analytical and logical - and on a quest to learn everything you can. Smart and complex, you always love a new intellectual challenge. Your biggest pet peeve is people who slow you down with trivial chit chat. A quiet maverick, you tend to ignore rules and authority whenever you feel like it. In love, you are an easy person to fall for. But not an easy person to stay in love with. Although you are quite flexible, you often come off as aloof or argumentative. At work, you are both a logical and creative thinker. You are great at solving problems. You would make an excellent mathematician, programmer, or professor. How you see yourself: Creative, fair, and tough-minded When other people don't get you, they see you as: arrogant, cold, and robotic

What's Your Personality Type?

The Square Root of Three

I’m sure that I will always be
A lonely number like root three

The three is all that’s good and right,
Why must my three keep out of sight
Beneath the vicious square root sign,
I wish instead I were a nine

For nine could thwart this evil trick,
with just some quick arithmetic

I know I’ll never see the sun, as 1.7321
Such is my reality, a sad irrationality

When hark! What is this I see,
Another square root of a three

As quietly co-waltzing by,
Together now we multiply
To form a number we prefer,
Rejoicing as an integer

We break free from our mortal bonds
With the wave of magic wands

Our square root signs become unglued
Your love for me has been renewed

- Dave Feinberg

And I was craving for pasta the other day...

Went to 1920s in The Curve a coupla days back. I wanted something Italian but with a spicy twist. Hence, an arrabiata would be perfect!

I called the server to order and the conversation went something like this:

Me: I will have the penne ala arrabiata.
Server: You'll need a tray...
Me: Do you know who I am?
Server: Do you know who *I* am?
Me: This is not the game of who the fuck are you...for *I* am Vader...Darth Vader...Lord Vader. I could kill you with a single thought.
Server: You'll still need a tray.
Me: No, I will not need a tray, I do not need a tray to kill you. I could kill you without a tray...with the power of the force, which is strong within me.

(The rest of the conversation can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv5iEK-IEzw)

PS: Btw, I really did get the penne ala arrabita. ;)

I YAM AH MAAN!

I just reaffirmed my manliness. After a year of driving a car with an automatic transmission, I drove a stick shift earlier tonight. No stalled engine makes me a happy man. :)

Random thought for 15/05/2008

I'm currently attending Cisco QoS training and this training involves some mathematical formula to calculate stuff. Outta the blue, it made me think about maths.

What is zero divided by zero? Is it zero, one or infinity? :P

April!

Ahh...April has come and gone. I keep planning to write a blog entry but work, WoW and procrastination kept me from doing so. Ah well...

Anyway, some updates are required I guess.

I celebrated my 28th birthday (grudgingly!) but some friends were determined to make it an event to remember. Thanks a lot! I haven't received a balloon since I was 10! :P
Lotsa happy memories for me that night, though I gotta admit that things got a bit blurry after a certain pink cocktail!

My car has acquired a new battle scar as I combat Malaysian roads (and road users!). It's painful, but I keep telling myself it's necessary. It help build the car's character. Heh! The car's still a wonderful drive though. One of the best ways to de-stress for me. Music and long drives...nice! I think once I've got some extra cash, I'll make my car look beautiful again. :)

Work continues as usual. Sometimes I get damn tired though. Working nights is taking a toll and I don't seem to recover as fast as I used to. I think I'm just getting old! I continue learning new things, though I gotta admit it's at a slower rate then I'd like. I keep wondering if I'm getting stagnant. I'll be spending some quality time deciding how I want to proceed with my own career and professional development for the next few weeks or months.

Can't think of any more personal updates so I guess I'll end it here. Cheers!

There are days...

...when I wished Lacuna Inc. really existed.

How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd;

Hello there...

I'm still alive.

Maybe I should write a bit more, eh?

Recent highlights (in no particular order)

• I saw Incubus live. Let me say that again. I SAW INCUBUS LIVE!! :D
• I have an original Real Madrid jersey with Zidane's name on it. It's a bit pricey but then, it's not like I have anything better to spend my money on...
• I now have a CCNA. Go on...laugh!
  
• I now have a PDA phone. Nope, I'm not better organized. Dammit, I thought technology solves everything! >.<
• I've become a semi-addict of World of Warcraft. It's an excellent way to escape from the real world.
  
• I've been catching up on my reading. Fave genre is still sci-fi and fantasy though I've been reading some other stuff. Reading's such an excellent escape for me. (Hmm...I'm beginning to detect a pattern here...)
• I've been listening more to trance music. Melodic, hypnotic and euphoric! When you close your eyes, you can just forget about everything, even if only for a moment. (Yup...definitely a pattern!)
• I'm still going to futsal. One of these days, I shall have the stamina as Edgar Davids and the skill of Zidane in their prime. Uhh...this is a 50 year plan, by the way... ;)
• I haven't been going to the gym lately. Can't seem to summon up the mood. The fat dudes get all the hawt chicks anyway so I should work on getting the right shape. >.<
• To add to my growing library of books (thanks for the bookshelf, mom!), I bought a hard-bound book containing the complete works of Shakespeare. I'm currently going through A Midsummer Night's Dream. I wanna see what Shakespeare has to say about the folly of love...

Have a good life

Relief. Sadness. Disappointment. Longing. Acceptance.

Ahh...what a myriad of emotions. Was I being an idiot? Some say, the signs are obvious and are for all to see. Perhaps I was blind. Perhaps I wanted to be blind. Wise people once said, Hope was the worst thing that came out of Pandora's Box. I'm inclined to agree.

Regret. Bitterness. Malice. Anger.

Such pettiness...such idiocy. May I never succumb to those. Given the same choices and opportunities, I'd still do what I did. Maybe I'm just stupid. Maybe I'm just naive.

I'm trying to put on a brave face but I can't deny the truth. I am sad, but I'm not bitter. I am disappointed though I have no regrets. Despite the situation, I'm not angry nor do I have malice in my heart. There is a sense of relief as I'm no longer somewhere in between. I don't think the longing will ever go away completely. Above all though, there is a sense of acceptance. Perhaps this is how it's supposed to be.

Thank you for the memories. Thank you for those moments of happiness. Thank you for making me feel alive.

May happiness envelop this garden of clarity, purity and nobility.

The dice has rolled. The decision has been made. This chapter is now closed. It's time to begin a new one. Have a good life.

Oog...

I've come to this wonderful conclusion. The best drink in the world is water. Plain 'ol H2O. Nothing beats water. It only took 4 trips to the toilet bowl for me to come to this revelation. I'm a fast learner.

Sadly, I'm also a fast forgetter! :P

Graphic novels anyone?

I have a confession. If I see anything with the name Neil Gaiman on it, I tend to buy that stuff without a second thought.

My latest purchase? Neverwhere and Marvel 1602. Both of them are graphic novels and wonderful graphic novels at that! Neverwhere allowed me to re-visit one of my favourite books of all time, in its illustrated glory. If I thought Neverwhere was good, Marvel 1602 blew my mind away. The story and art is simply stupendous! Brilliant! I think it fully deserves winning the 2005 Quill Book Award for Graphic Novels.

Ahh...wonderful stories and wonderful art. I'm happy! :D