Molested

On Monday, on the way to work, we were caught in a massive jam because roads leading to Dataran Merdeka were closed for Merdeka rehearsals. After being enclosed in a world of my own, I haven’t been reading papers nor listening to the radio on what’s been happening. Either that or the typical Malaysian way was to simply not inform the public of road closures. I reached work at 10am.

Next day, I decided to take public transport – the LRT. Because everyone was avoiding the jams, the trains were packed and when I finally squeezed in, I found myself wedged facing this foreign worker (I think he was Bangladeshi). After a few stations, my instincts told me this guy was trying to touch my groin in a series of natural rocking motions, which were not present during the first stations.

The space was really tight so I couldn’t move off. Instead, at the next station, I switched positions and had my back facing him. Next thing I knew, I could feel a fumbling at the fabric of my pants. I loudly said “Excuse me!” and whacked his hand away. Everyone turned and looked but because I couldn’t turn my head to glare at him, they looked at me instead.

I know I could have done much more, like shout “Pervert! Keep your hands to yourself!” but at that moment, I was simply frozen and boiling mad that I couldn’t kill him on the spot. There’s no one whom I can report to and know that he will go off scott free. Which he did.

It will be a very long time again before I will take the LRT during rush hour mornings. Someone suggested I carry a pin or needle with me the next time. Apparently carrying my Swiss Army Knife might get me into more serious trouble.

No DSLR

As explained before, it took me 2 years of talking, getting opinions etc before I finally got down to buying a new handphone, after the insistence of KS who couldn't take it anymore.

Hence, the decision making for a camera will likewise be as painful but hopefully take a shorter period because I need to get one before my trip.

I won't bore you and will keep the decisioning process to myself. Let's just say I'm now looking at a prosumer (probably the new Canon S5 IS). Why? Because, thanks to a website Grace recommended, clubsnap.org, an SLR requires:
1. Dedication - constant cleaning, keeping it moisture free, carrying a huge bag around. If you know me, I simply can't be bothered by dust.
2. Constant upgrades - tried my friend's D50 and already wasn't happy with the standard lens
3. Price - although it's only a couple of hundred more than a prosumer, a prosumer has more complete features. By the time you want to add on a better lens and a better flash for a DSLR, it would cost more than an entire months pay.

Ok, I promised I wouldn't bore you.

50 Years of Independence

Malaysia celebrates her 50th Merdeka. I was actually at the heart of the celebrations, right at Dataran Merdeka. Went there to do a prayer walk, otherwise I would never have gone there. Thousands and thousands of people were there. Didn't get to see much because of the wall of people lining the street.

School Choir Songs

Running through my head now is some choir songs I used to sing at high school. I can't remember the full lyrics and unfortunately, for once, Google fails me. "Rindu", some Japanese-sounding song... oh I can't remember the titles!

Hey Alor Star gang, do any of you still keep your choir song lyrics? I must go hunting mine down and immortalise the lyrics on the internet once and for all.

Ok, going off to PJ now. Another long week of work. Oh, by the way, Malaysia's 50th Independence is this Friday.

Snob

I used to be able to tolerate crowds but just now, at a brief visit to the hypermarket nearby, I was absolutely repulsed with kids running, screaming, trying to balance on the edges of the trolleys... It's a Sunday night, for cryin' out loud! Go home and sleep! Tomorrow is a school day, dammit!

And people speak in Hokkien and other forms of Chinese! Sigh... gimme PJ any day. I readily admit I'm a snob.

Decided - Somewhat

Yes, my indecisive nature is exhibited blatantly in my title today. I have somewhat decided that I WILL get the Nikon D40. Easy entry into the DSLR. Cheapest, upgradeable plus it's a Nikon. Nothing wrong with the rest, just that I guess I've always leaned towards Nikon since... ok, I don't have an answer to that.

Question is, when will I get it. Definitely before my Aussie trip, which is less than a month away. Plus, I'll have to practise how to use it. On top of my lovely project at work which is killing all my spare time.

Bring it on.

Parting Friends

Two good friends are leaving my social radius. One is my colleague, whom I am closest to, she's resigned. She's been a source of energy, changing the atmosphere at the office, spark of mischief and a cheerful coach, urging me on when I'm stressed. We're all going to miss her.

Second, is my uni mate, who has been my constant reliable support, my IT/techie chap, my on-the-spot mechanic, my event co-planner, my I'm-in-a-fix SOS call guy... he's migrating next year. I guess I always took it for granted that he'll be around always, our pivotal point to any uni mate around the world and it's devastating to have my strongest pillar of a friend not being easily contactable. He'll leave a gap that will be too big for anyone else to fill. I'll miss him tremendously.

Breaking Records

Warning: Boring talk about work.

I was out to break my record of staying late in the office but had to leave a 11pm last night because, well, because I was really tired and couldn't really think anymore.

At work, my boss is also breaking all sorts of records, and to that, hats off to him for living on the edge. I've told him whilst it is exciting, I have aged considerably over the last couple of weeks, have nightmares about my CEO writing nasty emails and dream about my business partner being very angry with me over this project. All in all, I'd rather not go through this type of boss-inflicted stress again, thank you very much.

I'm a bit worried that the delays will affect my trip to Australia. But I'm demanded that my boss permits me to take leave as my reward for all these late nights.

Actually, despite being ashamed to be known as the person behind my new product (because the design is oh-so-ugly, and that the partner is perhaps not the most suitable for the target market), I'm quite excited about the product I'm launching. There's so much potential for this product but it has yet to be marketed properly. Oh well, I'm building the foundation to launch similar products in the future and hope I can do another one with loads more improvement from this one.

Ok, will stop here about work. Wait, let me think if I had a life in between the late nights and endless nightmares.

Mini Breakthrough

Starting on Monday, my church started a 21 day fast and prayer. We attended the first 3 morning prayers at 5:30am. Felt somehow rejuvenated maybe because we had enough sleep and spent the morning praying which kind of uplifted the whole day.

This is in preparation for our shift to our new premise in Sept. In the meantime, it is also a good time for us to seek God in any area of our lives, putting away our pains and hurts etc.

What came out of that was already something which I felt was a breakthrough towards the end of the week. Managed to have a heart to heart talk with someone without causing offense to the other person while giving what I felt was really good advice. The talk was sorely needed for some time now, just that the opportunity never surfaced until now.

Then at work the next day, another colleague sought more advice, which I again hoped was useful to him.

James 1:5

Will attempt more prayer mornings this coming week.

gettin' my internet fix

'ave been back coupla hours now... eyes barely open, bloodshot but i'm lovin' it... fast internet connection!

just been intro-ed to iphone. readin'/watchin' up on it. the phone that will almost fly u to the moon. n the new microsoft surface. man. jes told ks dat i wish i were 10 yrs younger. then when i'm my age now, i'd be surrounded with all these gadgets.

hope to blog more after i sleep. tomorrow, tomorrow, i luv ya...

g9.

Holiday Stress

We're in the midst of booking our Australian flights and find it rather stressful. Credit card payment, has it gone through? The dates and timing, are they convenient for our hosts? Are the dates correct? Changing prices on Virgin Blue?

Our travel plan is also mad:

KUL > SIN > PER > SYD > MEL > PER > SIN > KUL

All within 10 days. Good luck to us both.

Coconut!

Over the last couple of days, my body has been very "heaty" so much so I'd had blood in my phlegm again. I swear, I consumed coconut taken two days in a row and this morning no more blood! But since I couldn't get hold of one today, I'll see if the blood has returned or not tomorrow.

*********************

Okay, so it's not true. No blood today.

Corrections

So the monkeys are called the Proboscis, the one with the long noses which depict size of the male genitalia. Of course, size matters.

Another correction is that I took more than 30 photos of my KK trip! Not that this is anything to shout about, but at least it doesn't sound as pathetic as 13.

Uploading more photos on my flickr account as I type. Gawd, I love broadband!

DSLR Or Not?

Last week at a work event, my colleague brought his new Nikon D50. I played with it for a while and was esctatic with taking all those shots with fantastic effects. I now know the name of the type of shots I always wanted, bokeh shots.

Feeling itchy, I went on a scout to the malls looking for a DSLR and was toying with the idea of getting the D40. Surfed the internet for more feedback, comments and reviews. Got the brochure. Talked to the camera shop guy. Weighed it.

After all, when I go to Australia next month, I'd surely want to take loads of photos, wouldn't I?

Then after my KK trip, I realised a few things:
1. I took a grand total of 13 photos during my 3 day stay.
2. Lugging around my Coolpix was fine as it fit into my handbag. The DSLR would have to come in it's own bag.
3. My photography sucks.

So, no bokeh shots from Australia for me. :(

Another Dinner, Another Headache

My company is sponsoring a dance competition soon and I'll be going, partly to work and partly to enjoy the ballroom dancing. Thus, my usual headache would be, "WHAT ON EARTH DO I WEAR?".

My shoulders have been scarred from the sunburn earned while I was in Singapore. So no slingky or shoulderless dresses. Which also means I have to go shopping since I don't have any other decent gowns.

Have I mentioned how I dislike dressing up? Sigh.

Kota Kinabalu

After weeks of stress at work, my body is finally breaking down. I'm on MC today and in PJ.

It's been so long since I last blogged properly that I'm actually having blogger's block.

Okay, let me blog about my trip to Kota Kinabalu. We now know that staying there for 3 days isn't enough. There are many things to do there, namely climb Mount KK, visit the Kinabalu Park below it, go to Poring Hot Springs nearby, take a river cruise to see the Probicous monkeys (I actually know what a Probiscous monkey looks like, thanks to a First Day Cover I worked on back in my old job!), go white water rafting, go island hopping and if you're a diver, visit the famous Sipadan and Ligitan Islands (also appeared on a First Day Cover).

So now that I've told you the things we DIDN'T do above, we actually spent the time walking around KK. The shopping malls around there remind me of the old Alor Star shopping malls, with cheap clothing stashed upon endless waist high shelves which are place narrowly together so you end up walking in single file just to cross the section. Why we went shopping was because we were searching high and low for souvenirs. We didn't want keychains nor do we drink tea so I was actually looking for Sawarak layer cake. Yes, while in Sabah. Well, I did see a poor collection of it in the morning market so I had hoped the shops would sell them too!

We went to 2 islands and because I wasn't very keen to add on damage to my already sunburnt skin, I just sat on the beach under the shade and enjoyed the different shades of turquoise and azures of the sea.

Other than that, KK is well known for its cheap and good seafood, which we had a sampling on both nights. Unfortunately, both KS and I are not seafood lovers and do not appreciate this as much. We think Klang has better prices too.

We will find our way there again one day, perhaps to climb Mount KK once all senses have left my brain.

Good To Be Home

Just got back from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Just went around discovering the town and found it to be quite similar to the many small towns in Malaysia.

Now just catching our breath before we pack as we're staying in PJ the whole week again starting tomorrow.

Will attempt to write more about my trip soon.