My Own Happiness Project

My Own Happiness Project
because happiness begins inside and flows out...

20080430

updet... updet... updet...

reporting from Solo at 1453, 3 hrs to departure...
30 APRIL - homeward bound...
  1. okay, honestly I feel I've been away for too long, and glad to be going back home today...
  2. started morning with the most touristy thing to do - decided I'd give in to becakman and get onto one...
  3. paid him extra tips - kesian the man, more so the speda (bicycle) creaking under my weight, hehehe... (sengeh tersipu-sipu)
  4. visited the amusement park and garden
  5. visited the museum of I can't remember who...
  6. visited the Kraton (old palace)
  7. had ayem gudek for lunch
  8. bought myself a Javanese headgear called Plangkon, will show you a pic of it later...
  9. my bag gave way earlier and my camera dropped on the floor (in the bag)
  10. my heart stopped for few seconds
  11. revived to find out its still okay...
  12. going to get a new bag now...
  13. will reach LCCT at 0930pm
  14. all is well... probably have to pay much for extra weight cargo... sigh...
Goodbye Indonesia, it's been good and well, had much fun...
...but there's no place like home...

ah, work on Monday....adusss...... sigh...

what the fghijklmnopq...

(venting my irritation)

How long can a conversation between 2 strangers last? This one lasted as long as about 30 m...

On the way here (to the wartel)...

becakman: becak om...
arteo: smile and gave a gesture of "no thanks"
becak: becak om, keliling, kraton...
arteo: gak apa, terima kasih...
becak: pergi mana, om..?
arteo: gak apa, terima kasih (no eye contact with the becakman)
becak: om... om...
other becakman: shui... shui... (in the manner one would cat-call a whore) om, becak..

After, say 15m, thinking that the first becakman has given up...

becak: om, cari apa, om.. liburan?
arteo: jalan-jalan... (smiling but walking on)
becak: saya hantar om, cari liburan...
arteo: gak apa, saya jalan sendiri...
becak: cari liburan, om?
arteo: gak...
becak: cari cewek om? Mari om saya hantar'in cari cewek...
arteo: gak...
becak: cari cewek, om?
arteo: N'GAK!!!
becak: hahahahaha (cycling away)

Bloody hell! What did he mean by that?

I wish I have said "Hoy, kenapa sih? Ko' lihat muka saya ini macam muka apa? Muka cari-carian pelacur, ya? Brengsek!" Too bad the words came to my mind only 2 seconds after the loud N'GAK!!

And no Sabahans like to be called Om, I guess...

20080429

updet... updet... updet...

reporting from solo - 1759pm
29 APRIL - Yogya --> Solo
  1. woke up to get breakfast
  2. walked in Malioboro to get souvenirs - nah, ada yg mengharap tuh kan...
  3. tried to get batik for myself, but they don't make much 5L size - cilaka...
  4. even when they do, its always brightly coloured -- salah konsep bah diorang nih...
  5. watched some more tv
  6. caught a train at 0330pm
  7. reached Solo at about 0430pm - checked in to Solo Inn, Rp313,000 per night
  8. now thinking of going to just leisure in the Grand Mall, had enough of all the touristy stuffs...
  9. maybe karaoke tonight... feel like singing some "local" songs, hehe...
  10. maybe not if most karaoke only offer dangdut and old drunkeds... ulgghh
  11. tomorrow must go to take picture of Bengawan Solo
  12. flight back to KL is at 0630pm
  13. will lose another hour on the way back...

20080428

wow... wow... wow... wow... wow...

macam anjing pula kan....

Actually I'm excited that I have some earnings from Nuffnang already... won't pay for my trip to Indonesia, but still lah got some, hehehe

Keep on coming, people! Make me rich!!.....

updet... updet... updet...

updated 28/4 - 1941pm - Ibis Hotel, Yogyakarta
28 ApRIL
  1. trip to Borobudur started at 0430am - thought I was going to get sunrise
  2. reached there at 0530am - but no allowed to come in until 6 - so scrapped off sunrise
  3. waited for 20 minutes at the gate for foreigners
  4. saw some people at the other gate - for locals - and made friends, decided to try to put my Indonesian malay to the test
  5. Passed through the language test, until I had to declare my camera, which I called "kamera"... local people say "foto", so the guy asked where I am from, I quickly said kamera foto, and from Jakarta. He sneered a bit, repeating "kamera foto" under his breath... cilaka the guy, think he didnt believe me, but I got through
  6. I know for sure I can pull off talking like an Indonesian...
  7. Foreigner entrance USD11.00, Local Rp9,000 (about 10% of the foreigners' price) cilaka
  8. took pictures like crazy at Borobudur, Mendot, Pawon, Silver Workshop, Batik workshop
  9. went back to sleep after lunch
  10. woke up to walk along Malioboro
  11. had KFC for dinner - specialty of KFC Indonesia: pecedel - like potato kueh with spice... nice
  12. GOT MYSELF A BALINESE DJIN MOTIVE TATS!!!!!! called leak. Temp saja bah...
  13. going to do some more walking, till tomorrow - afternoon to Solo
lesson of the day: camera in Indonesia is called foto, and videocam is called fideo

27 APRIL - evening
  1. went around Jakarta the last time before going back to the hotel to fetch my bags and straight to Gambir Station
  2. over-helpful porters at the station trying to help me carry my bags - for tips - but I'm not quite a tipper so I carried my own
  3. the station is so super over-crowded - scary to imagine bird flu spreading here -- or even TB
  4. the train arrived 15 minutes early - got myself a seat beside a family, also going to Yogya
  5. the executive coach included a meal on the way - stiff omelet with pecel, rice, a piece of fried fish and a banana. And oh ya, kropok. Plane-food is cuisine next to this...
  6. arrived Yogya at 0110am - scheduled at 0105am.. not bad at all...
  7. got myself checked into a 2 star hotel for Rp275,000 per night... but it's just right in front of the station @ Hotel Mendut - nama bida... but okay
  8. booked a chartered van to Borobudur for Rp300,000

20080427

updet... updet... updet...

updated 27/4 - 1334pm
27 APRIL
  1. phone died and unable to charge because of different plug adaptor
  2. woke up via wake-up-call, went down for breakfast "buffet"
  3. went to Stesyen Gambir to get a ticket to Yogya - RM170,000 for executive class
  4. Departure at 0500pm - expected arrival at 0230am
  5. Going to Borobudur first thing before sunrise..
  6. took some pictures at Indonesian National Monument at Monas
26 APRIL evening
  1. found out that when I say kereta it automatically means train - and got confusion about transportation to Bandug - apparently only takes 3 hrs by train - I was advised not to go by taxi which will take about 5-7 hours, damn it... never mind, maybe next time...
  2. last night had special fried chicken and duck - the bones can be eaten!
  3. thought I'd have a stroll around jakarta - but rained heavily...
  4. saw big groups of youngsters going up a building to attend a concert... followed them and bought a ticket - Rp 20,000 = RM6/++
  5. some of the dressed normally, some dressed perculiar - gothic style, the concert is called Close to Perfect, went in without much expectation - better than getting trapped in the rain outside
  6. Turned out to be underground music - punk alternative type - tried my best to appreciate this kind of music but failed after 2 songs - went back out to the rain a bit before retiring back to the hotel

20080424

updet... updet... updet...

Hello! This is me reporting from wherever I am right now... Not going to make ful sentences because connection sucks and super-slow... and no pictures until I get home... All is well here, people are nice and hospitable, food also agreeable. Starbucks tad bit expensive tho...

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

(updated 26/4 - 1855pm)
26 APRIL
  1. had supper late last night at roadside - nasi goreng
  2. woke up late - getting used to it, its a holiday afterall, missed thehotel fried rice / noodle "buffet"
  3. breakfast at roadside canteen - soto betawi, otak-otak and coconut water - which right after that felt my stomach growling... ?could the roadside nasi goreng last night a mistake?
  4. went to Gunung Agung to change money - better rates than in Malaysia
  5. went to the biggest street books flea market - Jalan Gunung Agung - mostly ciplak but really, can you imagine Gaya Street selling only books?
  6. Bought some more CDs - cannot be found in M'sia
  7. started having diarrhoea around noon - had to shit in a bookshop, bloody hell
  8. tried updating in a wartel in Gunung Agung - bad connection
  9. went back to hotel for nap, watched some TV, Indonesian Idol - succumbed to reality show because nothing else better to watch
  10. tonight's dinner may be sticking to McD or KFC... or Chow King...
  11. decided to scrape off Bandung - bad timing to go on Friday or Saturday according to locals because of jam... maybe next time
  12. going to Jogja tomorrow by train... station is just down the road from the hotel...
(updated 25/4 - 2033pm)
25 APRIL
  1. since I'm on my way to the hotel and have to pass by this warnet - warung internet - I'd better do some update lah...
  2. the jam in Jakarta is CRAZY, just TOTALLY CRAZY!!!!!
  3. just came back from kelapa gading, yep the shopping mall
  4. got my luwak coffee - sampled a cup on the spot, Rp82,500 = RM29.46... and that's just a cup... of literally cat-shit coffee
  5. bought the novelty packed 200g luwak beans - Rp495,000 = RM176.79 --- free a cup... bah siapa kuai-kuai nanti sya belanja catshit coffee okay, sedaaaapp kriuk kriuk...
  6. going to hotel nowto shower and catch the jazz show... late! late! late! bloody jam!

(updated 25/4 - 0945am)
25 APRIL - tentative
  1. more street photography
  2. going north to kelapa sunda to continue hunting for luak coffee
  3. thinking of watching a movie
  4. get laundry done - or else have to do side A side B already
  5. another jazz festival tonight - kemayoran jakarta pusat, featuring new talents and professionals, lead by Beben, the chairperson for Kemayoran Jazz Assoc.

24 APRIL-update
  1. walked to Plaza Indonesia
  2. Saw a strike along the way - took some pictures, will show later
  3. Got some books on photography - more portraitures
  4. Did coffee tasting at Starbucks, got myself Indonesia Bearista
  5. Luak coffee hunting failed, advised to go to north
  6. more street photography
  7. had nasi padang for lunch
  8. went back to hotel to rest - overshot sleeping till evening
  9. watched Robin Williams' latest movie ?title on tv - about running for US president
  10. walked down another street, got myself 3 Indonesian movies - 15,000/pieceDVD how could I resist? That's about RM5 for original Indomovie
  11. sat at roadside cafe - people watching
  12. Some people thinking I am korean came over to strike up conversation, surprised to hear me speak "almost" Indonesian - being friendly? apparently offering massage and "sensual" companionship - 2 young ladies and a guy (reminds me much of Malacca)
  13. In case you're wondering - NO - to whatever you might think happened last night. Hahaha
  14. went back to read a book i bought - FILOSOPI KOPI - dang, I have to get a domain for philosoffee asap...
********************************************************************
(updated 24/4 - 1040am)
24 APRIL-tentative
  1. More sight-seeing
  2. Heard about the big bookstore at Plaza Indonesia - of course going there
  3. Coverage of Jakarta Street food - Jalan-jalan Cari Makan style
  4. Must remember to get charcoal tablet for later as prophylaxis
  5. Mission today: look for Luak Coffee
(more update later)... ... ...

23 APRIL
  1. Took the Air Asia RM9 Shuttle to LCCT
  2. Flight delayed again till 1140am bloody hell
  3. Reached Jakarta at 1240pm local time after a 2 hrs flight - 1 hr difference in time zone
  4. Taxi to Jakarta Tengah Rp170,000
  5. Went through 5 diff hotels before getting a vacant one at Hotel Paragon (3 stars)
  6. Sight seeing along Jalan Wahid Hasyim parallel to famous Jalan Jaksa
  7. Bought 5 CDs forRp225,000 - all local Jazz
  8. Night - went to live Jazz gig at Starbucks by famous Jazz composer - Beben
  9. Met wife of Beben - Carolina - celebrity from Dewi-Dewi - jangan jeles...
  10. Had McD for dinner at midnight

22 APRIL
Sehari lagi di Kuala Lumpur, menunggu saatnya mau berangkat besok. Hari ini rancangannya gak banyak, kesantaian saja. Bangunnya juga lambat, sudah tinggi matahari baru bangkit, tiada breakfast terus lunch saja. Sebelah malamnya baru berjumpa Tony selaku hos penginapanku di KL karena dia sibuk dengan oncall...

20080422

happy birthday sheena......

I know, I know... there's little relevance between birthday wish and the pieta, but just as you've related me to the pieta, I also also think about you whenever I see one.

Hope you will have a a wonderful year ahead and many more to come!

random juke: breakfast at tiffany's.....

I heard this song in a live band once and the tune got stuck in my head. Really catchy. I heard of the classical novella with the same title, and it's been made into a movie. This song is written, talking about the movie version...

The novel (and of course the movie) talks about a young lady by the name of Holly, who has had a bad childhood and consequently suffers from intimacy disorder and fear of commitment. She lives off shallow relationships with wealthy men and yet fails to return them any affection. Her fear of commitment is so severe that she didn't even name her cats because that would be too much commitment to a relationship. Her life changed when she met her neighbour, Paul, a non-productive writer who was maintained by a desperate but rich woman. Finally Holly would discover her true self and find what really makes her happy. In the movie, the song Moon River was first popularized.

The song version, however, talks about two young people in their rocky path to find love, and while she thinks that they both share nothing in common, but he thinks, that knowing and liking the movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's" together is a good common ground to start from.

DOWNLOAD BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S HERE
mp3 / 3.5 MB / 4m 11s / 112kbps
BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S
Deep Blue Something

You'll say, we've got nothing in common,
No common ground to start from,
And we're falling apart,
You'll say, the world has come between us,
Our lives have come between us,
Still I know you just don't care.

And I said, "What about 'Breakfast at Tiffany's?'"
She said, "I think I remember the film,
And as I recall, I think, we both kind of liked it."
And I said, "Well that's, the one thing we've got."

I see you, the only one who knew me,
And now your eyes see through me,
I guess I was wrong,
So what now? It's plain to see we're over,
And I hate when things are over,
When so much is left undone.

And I said, "What about 'Breakfast at Tiffany's?'"
She said, "I think I, remember that film,
And, as I recall, I think, we both kind of liked it,"
And I said, "Well that's, the one thing we got."

trip: day 1 ... take-2.....

After making that change in flight schedule, I went for a haircut and did a bit of last minute shopping... And packed the stuffs I thought I'd left behind yesterday, and quite glad because I got to know that the plane finally took off at 0630pm. Those poor buggers have waited 12 hours plus to get on the plane. MAS is really remarkable these days... I wonder how much worse can they actually go...

So today morning I rechecked the same luggage into the plane, and was hoping to have a nice peaceful trip ahead, until I found out I forgot to bring 2 of the most important stuff to carry along -- no, not my passport, although that would be really silly if I do... but my 2 phones... And I was unreachable, and can't call anyone because I don't remember phone numbers!

I checked in early (actually yesterday) so I managed to secure my favourite seat 25F. The view from where I am sitting, just before take-off.

Apparently MAS don't serve sausages and noodles for domestic breakfast anymore, the menu has been changed to sandwich, a piece of fruit cake and fruit yogurt. Not bad at all... and it comes in very stylo-mylo packaging.

KLIA Express still retains the RM35 per way fare. I guess they don't use petrol that's why they don't have a price increase.

Masin mulut, don't speak too soon...

Brickfields...

Mid Valley Megamall... home. I had to buy a phone and open a new prepaid line to be able to communicate again. It's remarkable also how much the hand phone has been internalized to become part of human's normal anatomy, just like spectacles and dentures. You just can't do without it nowadays.

Watched a movie: The Forbidden Kingdom. Comical. That's all I'm going to say about the (adjective) movie...

The Selangor / KL boundary. Nostalgic. UM Medical Faculty and Hospital is just next to this landmark.

Okay, I can't stand it... the movie didn't have a great plot and the Chinglish is funny... can you imagine Jet Li speaking in Shakespearean dialogue? Don't have to imagine... watch it only if it's the last movie on show... and your TV broke down.

After the movie we sent a couple of people back, and then went to SJMC to visit a friend's dad who's quite critically ill in the hospital CCU. This brought me back to some years ago when I had to resuscitate a friend's dad in the ICU when he collapsed and passed. Not a nice feeling to see your friend in that state.

Then we went off to meet another lady in Puchong. Got a chance to pray my 3 wishes since it's my first time going to Puchong Lady of Guadalupe Church. It's one of the most beautifully structured modern churches I've ever seen in Malaysia. They have 3D station of The Cross too... nice.

2 of my favourite stations: St 2, and St 10. One talks about accepting the cross and the other humility.

These 2 nights I will be bunking over Tony's place but unfortunately he's on-call tonight. So it's a restful evening for me, and a late supper with Tony's house mate Ryan, also a fellow Sabahan.

Ryan -- muka fascinated with the capability of dSLR... kidding.

20080421

random juke : hey jude......

John Lennon and his first wife, Cynthia, got divorced in 1968. Their son Julian was very devastated from the break-up, and McCartney composed a song to comfort him. Intended originally to be titled "Hey Jules", it was later changed to Jude for better commercialism.

DOWNLOAD HEY JUDE HERE
(mp3 / 5.9 MB / 7min 04sec / 112kbps)

HEY JUDE
(Lennon/McCartney)

Hey, Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better

Hey, Jude, don't be afraid
You were made to go out and get her
The minute you let her under your skin
Then you begin to make it better.

And any time you feel the pain, hey, Jude, refrain
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
Well don't you know that its a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder

Hey, Jude! Don't let her down
You have found her, now go and get her
Remember, to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better.

So let it out and let it in, hey, Jude, begin
You're waiting for someone to perform with
And don't you know that it's just you, hey, Jude,
You'll do, the movement you need is on your shoulder
Hey, Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better

(mp3 / 2.04MB / 2min 58sec)

DOWNLOAD INSTRUMENTAL HEY JUDE (PIANO)
(mp3 / 2.21MB / 2min 45sec)

20080420

alone......

Alone and in pain, I sit in the dark.
Unhappiness grew and lit up the spark,
The flames start to grow and warm up my fear
Around my heart, flames of despair leer.

But steady flames hold a calming effect,
Hypnotize and grant more time to reflect.
Fire warms the chill of love's past regrets,
Icy chains and locks are what love begets.

Emotional fire burns in my head,
Flames of betrayal or love instead?
Without the cool breath of love's sweet caress,
Without knowing wintry love's happiness.

I'm trapped in the fires of loneliness,
Looking for the cool calm waves of kindness.
Choice is ahead, do I love or still yearn?
I decided to be alone and burn.

miss sabah / world 2008......

Our state's finest selection...
Miss DEVENNA JAIKOB

pictures stolen from Bobby
who stole it from
Benny Liew
photox by ARTEo/PicHarmonics

trip: day 1.....

maybe make that -1

Two months ago I was impatient for this moment to come, but today I felt a slight heaviness in leaving KK while some works are still not settled. I probably have to make few phone calls from KL and send a letter by email to be printed and faxed to the districts. But I am glad I took this decision to just let things down for once and enjoy myself.

I had the feeling that few things were left behind when I left for the airport. On the way I realised that I've forgotten my travelbook, my sunglasses, the extra CF cards and I still haven't gotten my haircut.

The flight to KL was at 0605 am so I had to be at the airport at about 5am. Usually the first flight to KL would be relatively empty, and I usually get my favourite seat 25F that looks out at sunrise from the East. However, occasionally there would be a huge group traveling together, most of the time kids going for sports tournament somewhere. They would come really early, make a lot of noise and I don't get to sit on 25F. That's what happened today, but that was not the worst...

We were called to board the plane like usual, and having seated comfortably I put on my Walkman and decided to sleep-off the whole journey. It's a good thing I got myself noise blocking earphones - the type that sits right inside the ear canal - or else I would surely be irritable the whole trip - I've got kids chirping away their excitement traveling by air to my left, right, front and back -- and the one on my left was even getting physical... with her elbow.

The plane was taxiing off already when it suddenly stopped. Few minutes later the air-cond was gone and the lights flickered. Then the announcement from the co-pilot telling us to disembark. I don't have to make a guess at what was wrong, it's always technical, the magic excuse.

So we got down grumpily and told to wait while they try to fix the problem. While at that, we were served cold baguette and lousy coffee at the airport deli.

If you think plane-food is bad, the ones on the ground didn't quite make it either - cold baguette and cardboard coffee -- the perfect peace offering they can come-up with to appease an angry mob told to wait indefinitely while missing their connecting flights in KLIA.

After 2 announcements of indefinite delay time, I decided that rather than spend the time in the airport, I'll just make the trip tomorrow. Anyway I still got some things to settle back home. And probably a haircut in the afternoon...

The KK International Airport under reconstruction...

Well, I'm in no hurry.... I'm on holiday, anyway, right?

random pics........

Still can throw in a few entries before going to Jakarta... These few days in KL would also be quite packed. I'm already booked for a visit to the Sii family, catching up with Adrian, hanging out with Tony and friends et cetera et cetera... I think my schedule would be filled up and I'd be left wondering... Is this really my vacation...?

Anyway, meeting up with good friends is never a chore...

View from the rooftop of KK Plaza, looking down at the carpark in front of KK Marketplace

The dolphins water-fountain in front of the new office complex of Sabah Ports

Taking a stroll at the beach adjescent to Sipitang Resthouse, Sipitang

Another KK Plaza rooftop shot, overlooking Sinsuran Complex. Further away is the Hyatt International Hotel.

20080419

random juke: silence is golden

Saturday nights are usually not spent at home but since I'm going off on the first flight to KL tomorrow, I must not indulge in the Saturday Nite Fever. Talking about Saturday Nite Fever, I came across this 70s evergreen while randomly rearranging my music files in my computer...

It talks about a guy who likes a woman but she happens to like someone else. He knows that the other guy isn't exactly faithful to her, and he wants to tell her about this but decided otherwise because the truth may hurt her... The title of the song comes from a German proverb "speech is silver, but silence is golden"

DOWNLOAD SILENCE IS GOLDEN HERE
MP3 / 2.55MB / 3m 11s / 112kbps
SILENCE IS GOLDEN

Oh, don't it hurt deep inside
To see someone do something to her
Oh, don't it pain to see someone cry
Oh, especially when someone is her

Silence is golden, but my eyes still see
Silence is golden, golden
But my eyes still see

Talking is cheap, people follow like sheep
Even though there is nowhere to go
How could she tell, he deceived her so well
Pity, she'll be the last one to know

Silence is golden, but my eyes still see
Silence is golden, golden
But my eyes still see

How many times will she fall for his line
Should I tell her or should I keep cool?
And if I tried, I know she'd say I lied
Mind your business, don't hurt her, you fool

Silence is golden, but my eyes still see
Silence is golden, golden
But my eyes still see

random juke: buksan.....

Remember some time ago in March I posted an entry of song lyrics called Buksan, which means "Open..." in Tagalog... okay I've got the file ready for downloading. It's very easy, just click on the link, and if it requires that you become a member to download, just do because it's so easy to enroll. If not, well, lucky you....

DOWNLOAD BUKSAN HERE
wma / 3.31MB / 3m 35s / 128kbps

Buksan is sung by Fr Mimo Perez, a Catholic Priest in the Philippines. The song is basically talking about being open to God, but I still am yet to get help from anybody to translate the whole song...
BUKSAN

Pinid ng pintuan
Mistulang dingding
Walang sinuman ang maaring tanggapin
Anong pumipigil?
Anong nagbabawal?
Sa sariling mundo
Ba’t di ka lumaya?

Buksan ang iyong mga mata
Kahit may luha
Ay mamahalin pa rin kita
At tutulungang
Lumaya

Basong may tubig
Lagyan mong muli
Aapaw dahil wala ng silid
Ang pusong may galit di maaring umibig
Bulag sa wasto
Alipin ng isip...

Buksan mo at mamahalin parin kita...
p/s: If you'd notice that I've taken down the fake i-pod that starts playing automatically when you come to Patch, one thing is because waiting for the whole song to stream is extremely nerve challenging, and secondly, why just listen to it when you can keep it right? Just don't expect songs from reality shows because I usually download ripped music from the original cd that I bought.

Enjoy now..

nosce te ipsum......

"Know thyself......"

Knowing doesn't guarantee we will like what we know about ourselves..., but most of the time we under-credit our self-worth. I thought I was going to fail this test, but a B is quite an achievement.

See if you give due credit to yourself...

20080417

judgement time.... am i up to par......

I got visited by the Most Eligible Judge for the Eligible Bachelors, giving off some points on what does it mean to be a bachelor...
First of all, what does it mean to be an eligible bachelor?? Please enlighten me!! Cuz as far as I'm concerned, an eligible bachelor must have AT LEAST these qualities (in random order):

A great sense of humor, and I don't mean being 'loyar buruk' or else Din Beramboi can be an eligible bachelor too!
Hhhmmm... I consider myself witty, not funny, but definitely won't be the last comic standing...

A decent job...
Well, stable job I do have, but would you classify looking out for and taking care of transverstites and commercial sex workers as decent? Hmmm.... subjective. Of course this is not all I do, being in Infectious Disease Control Unit (AIDS/STD) of Jabatan Kesihatan we do a lot of preventive works and health education. But it's cool to see faces change when I tell them I am taking care of prostitues!

Good looking. He doesn't necessarily hafta be a hunk of a guy. Just easy on the eyes, you know...
Hunky definitely not, but easy on the eyes... well, I can say that I'm definitely not fugly either..! Hehehe...

Intelligent... you gotta at least speak fluent English!
Okay la, pass...

Articulate...
I have 340 - 360 points of articulation, depending on which textbook you read...

Good Manners. Respectful! To the ladies, to strangers, to parents, basically a real gentleman.
At least I'm sure I'm not kurang ajar lah...

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that an eligible bachelor needs to be some kinda prince charming from a far far away land who never has the urge to burp or snore or fart!
Ah, that's fortunate... 'cause the only music I can make is the burp-snore-fart symphony...
Nasib baik I didn't get bashing from her, hehehe... but she did some kaw kaw bashing on last year's Cleo dudes, read her comments here!

what the.... the.... the.....

I saw this cool widget while blogrolling that makes witty acronyms of your name, just type in your name and gender and choose a picture, easy...

why does mine have to be so.... sexual? Yikes!



Adonis Rendering Thrilling Erotic Orgasms


Get Your Sexy Name

wah lau ehh.....!!!!!!

20080416

tag -- eligible bachelors........

Every April (I think) Cleo Magazine will be presenting 50 of the Most Eligible Bachelors (they think) in Malaysia, and as an introduction and self promotion for themselves, they are required to answer a set of standard questions. I always like to go through their answers and (feel good about myself). Undeniably there are some (maybe less than some) good ones, but mostly are just pure mindless ramblings which only serves to magnify their lameness, and and a confirmation of their himbodity.....

I meant to list down their lame answers here for our enjoyment, but decided otherwise, it's pretty shallow to put others down just to feel good about ourselves, so rambled someone in his random thoughts.... So I'll make this into a tag game -- put a picture of yourself (at work, or while doing something you enjoy most) and answer the questions below... if we don't get it to the magazine, at least we' make it into the blogsphere... Then, end by tagging 5 other bachelors that are most likely to accept your tag... married cannot join!

Note:
1. Questions are copyright of Cleo Magazine

2. You can choose to post saucy pictures of yourself, but at own risk lah...

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A.R.TEO
29, health personnel


Three things you can’t live without: self-respect, love and inner-conscience..... What is the sweetest thing a girl has done for you? Agreeing to marry me..... The most daredevil thing I’ve done is… to learn swimming from the books -- no kidding, I went to the library and got myself 3 books on swimming, then headed to the swimming pool and jumped in...... What’s one thing you’re glad you’ve outgrown? I used to wear pants-suspenders in first year medic... friends saw my pictures from that year and thought I had Halloween everyday...... Your biggest mistake is… letting go of my interest in O&G just because of one lousy senior I couldn't get along with... but I'm now happy doing Public Health, so that remains as a mistake, but not the biggest..... Which actor would play you in a movie about your life? Robin Williams..... Why do women… wear a t-shirt blouse and that's formal to work, while guys need to put on a tie and a dress shoe?..... If you were a product, how would your advertising campaign read? I'll be a mirror, and my tag line reads "are you ready for the truth?"..... Would you date a good friend's ex? Not impossible but I tried that once with disastrous consequences..... A woman makes me nervous when... she sorta know I took her last piece of chocolate..... Your most annoying habit? I'll tell you tomorrow... or maybe later... after I'm done with other questions... actually it's procrastination..... What makes you cranky? Phentermine 30mg OD in the morning with lots of water.... What could a woman do more of? Fight for their own rights without coming on too much like a feministic bitch..... My life mission is to... teach someone about life, after I've understood a bit about it myself..... The best thing I've done for myself (till now) is... to forget about work and purchased a ticket to Indonesia for back-packing.....

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Other bachelors (at least I think you're still acting like one, hehehe)
  1. bobby - jaga ko kalau nda buat ni!
  2. john
  3. junior
  4. mesh - jangan marah....
  5. vic - do this before your membership expires!

how to 'chus'...... next time, ku-ci-pa....

I was being commented as melancholic (which I am) and depressed all the time... (I'm soo not!)... Anyway to prevent this blog from being a depressive melancholic literary tragedy, I'll inject some humour in... from none other than Scott Meyer. Learn something, kiddo....

20080415

a tribute to the sii family.....

I'M GOING TO REALLY MISS YOU GUYS!!!!

Yesterday I received a news that almost went past me, and if I were not to know about it until it's too late, I'd probably hate myself for having such a short antenna... you see, Paulus and Jo are migrating to Australia, and of course Joshua and Claire too... I went speechless for a while when I found out, almost lost and have to take a while to recompose myself before throwing a tantrum for being told so late...

Well, I'm kidding about the tantrum part, but I was sad... emotional even, and while alone in the clinic (thankfully) I was actually teary.... no, if you're wondering, teary is not the same as crying... it's a much more macho version of crying... hehehe.. but teary I did.

Migration sounds so final... so conclusive... so never-coming-back... well, I'm definitely being over-dramatic, but if you've known the family like I did, you'd probably understand what I am going through...

I've known Jo and Paulus ever since I got baptised, joined Lifeline Youth Ministry and saw through their wedding day. Their personalities are a clear testimony to the fact that 2 identical piece of jigsaw will not fit into each other, and they can tell you so much about holding a marriage together, about giving & taking and about true love bearing all. They were there through one of the biggest crisis in my life, and though I may not be ready to talk about that here, it's enough to say that when I could not even pray, they were the words and directions that helped me through that difficult patch.

Joshua came at the most God-incidental time as well, when I was lost in faith, and at the same time needed a baby to follow up through 2 years of my continuous Paediatrics assessment. Bound to the assignment, I had to keep constant contact with them so I can chart Josh's growth and write a report on it. At the same time, I was also lured back to church. How convenient, God! But that was one of the best blessing in disguise I've ever gotten. I was given pretty good marks for my report on Josh.

I remember one time when Jo was busy at the Youth Ministry and Paulus had to do something, so I offered to carry Joshua. He was irritable at that time, but after a while he fell asleep on my shoulder (probably too tired already)... That was the first time I had a baby sleeping in my arms and the calmness of the rhythmic breathing of a sleeping baby is just so therapeutic... good for the heart and soul.

Twice I had to babysit Joshua to let the parents to have a Valentine's Day out. First was with Sheena on a night, and we spent the whole evening watching Prince of Egypt (which Josh pronounce as Gygypt). The second was with Mirina, on a day trip to AmCorp Mall -- also on a Valentine's Day -- to have McD. What melted my heart most at that time was, at the bookshop Josh would randomly bring me a book and ask me to read to him - I think i read like 4-5 book within that time. After putting the last book away, he came back to me, gave me a big hug on my leg (I was standing up and didn't notice him) and said "Uncle Rorry, I love you!" (now everybody... aaaawwwwwwww........., yea, he used to call me "uncle rorry")

I blushed! and stammered through a reply "I -- lo -- love you -- too!" Hahahahhaha.... silly.

The euphoria stayed the whole day, the feeling was like better than winning a jackpot -- until Jo had to rain on my parade, telling me that he says that to every other people that's been nice to him... Aaarrrggghhh, what a big burst to my pride... I thought I was THE ONLY ONE!!!

And for his 6th birthday, I was fortunate enough to be around (yep, I was the fortunate one!) so I could bring him out for a movie. We watched Happy Feet, and throughout the show he went on with his running commentaries of the show, and real-time questioning on parts he couldn't understand. I had to hush him a few times because he was competing with the Dolby Stereo Surround Sound System to be heard.

Claire was born right in the year I had to come back to KK after finishing my studies, so I was not elected to become her Godpa because of the distance. But when I came for a visit when she was 1 year old, I remembered getting her a doll with big curly hair (which people aptly named Anne Doll for obvious reason) when she first saw it she was afraid of it (Anne Doll was this lanky doll with really long skinny arms and legs) but later warmed up to it, to my relief...

There was then a big gap between my visits and when I saw her again, she could already talk! There was once in church when I sat with the family, and Claire came to ask her big brother:

Claire: (whispering loudly) What is Uncle Roddy's name?
Josh: Uncle Roddy's name is Uncle Roddy lah!

And I will miss the cuteness of her morning prayer that the parents taught her... On the way to school she would recite a prayer in the car, and she was giving thanks to God for everything, among others - the flowers on the roadside. Now if that is not cute, I don't know what else is.

There were a few times I followed to send them off to school, and during one of those times she was negotiating with her big brother:

Josh: Later I want to hold Uncle Roddy's hand.
Claire: (parroting Josh) I also want to hold Uncle Roddy's hand...
Josh: I hold this hand and you hold this hand okay...
Claire: Okay... (again, everybody... aaaawwwwww........)

Now tell me, is it too much to be teary when they're all going away to live in another country for good?

tag from urangranau... finally...

A) TOP 5 PRESENTS YOU WISH FOR:
1) Canon dSLR 40D
2) A new Sony DSC T-10
3) Motorola RAZR2 V9
4) Lensbaby 3G
and perhaps something more realistic...
5) Membership at Borders Bookstore / Kinokuniya

B) THE PERSON WHO TAGGED ME: UrangRanau

C) YOUR 5 IMPRESSIONS OF HER :
hhmm... I've yet to meet her, so I'll not assume anything la kan, but she's fun, passionate about life and... bubbly I think.

D) MOST MEMORABLE THINGS SHE HAS GIVEN/DONE FOR YOU:
Rajin kasi tinggal shout di chatbox...

E)THE MOST MEMORABLE WORDS SHE HAS SAID TO YOU:
she said something nice in the comments on the lady who wanted an abortion, go check la...

F) IF SHE BECOMES YOUR LOVER, YOU WILL:
become her lover too...

G) IF SHE BECOMES YOUR ENEMY, THE REASON WILL BE:
can't think of any...

H) PASS THE QUIZ TO 5 (sya kasi lebih-lebih saja ni...) PEOPLE THAT YOU WISH TO KNOW HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT YOU:
Alamak... ni yang sya malas ni mau tag-tag, bagus kalau kena buat, kan?... Bah I tag people in my blogroll lah... kalau ada termiss, bukan sengaja ah...
  1. alex
  2. anak jagung
  3. anderson
  4. budak hutan
  5. bobby
  6. fredo
  7. frisco
  8. gidong
  9. guranggak
  10. jaco
  11. john
  12. junior
  13. lihing
  14. mesh
  15. molly
  16. nebucha
  17. nova
  18. pirut
  19. reno
  20. sheena
  21. swordie
  22. syel
  23. vic
  24. yolie

the miracle we seldom ponder upon.....

After waiting for a full 9 months, Nel finally felt the continuous contractions and the urge to push... we got her into the ambulance right away and sped through the 70km between Tungku and Lahad Datu town, all along the way encouraging her to take short deep breaths and not to push... although the ambulance is equipped just enough to allow a proper child delivery on-the-go but you don't want to imagine the clean-up afterwards...

What usually takes us 50 minutes took us only a bit short of 40, and even the baby came out as soon as the nurses got Nelly prepped for delivery... it was short and sweet because she came fully dilated but can't imagine how she can go through all that full 10cm without as much as complaining of pain...

Baby came out healthy and pink. What I treasure most while working in Tungku is the relationship I've had with the staff -- made up of mostly from outstation, we bonded very closely -- and the best part about it, I was honoured to name a few of their babies.

Wow, naming babies -- christening them with a mark, an identity (not to be confused with personality) that stays longer than a lifetime... first time I got this assignment I felt as if I had the task of creating the world...

Nelly's firstborn I named ADAM ZACHERY.

Babies are such a wonderful miracle... considering all the risks that could have turned disastrous throughout the period of pregnancy, it is really remarkable how much these little ones have fought through just to see the first glimpse of light.

After suctioning the airways to clear it from embryonic fluid (those days they used to hang the baby upside down and pat on the bumbum to make the baby cry and clear the airways) Adam was cleaned and dried. There is a list for the nurse to go through to make sure they don't miss anything during the first baby assessment, like counting the fingers, the toes, checking for cleft palate etc...

The the head would be measured, then the chest and the length (we don't say height until a child can stand up to be measured).

I the little stares that babies give you unknowingly when you look at them. Then they'll just jeling, turn away and continue with their own business -- mostly sleeping. It always make me ponder, this wondrous bunch of potential, that is barely the size of my thunder thigh, with hands so small that wraps around my little finger, will one day grow up and be somebody. If he were to see me again, what would he say to me?

We celebrated Adam's full-moon slightly late, but we still had the welcoming party to initiate him into this stage we call World, and this play we call Life.

Adam and Nelly at approx 6 weeks.

Arteo, Adam and Nelly at approx 12 months...

Adam and Jesse at approx 12 months...

Adam and friends at approx 15 months...

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Adam Zachery,

I have missed much of your growing milestones, and though not intentionally, would probably miss much more... I wish so much to see you through your first words, your first steps, your first tricycle ride, your first homework from school, your first school concert performance. I want so much to be there for your first fall, your first bruise, when your baby tooth falls off...

Before I knew it you'd probably grown up to be a handsome, strong man, a total heart-breaker, hehehe...


Before you break any hearts, these words I borrowed from Shakespeare for you to ponder...
And these few precepts in thy memory
See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue,
Nor any unproportioned thought his act.
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.

Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel;
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment
Of each new-hatch'd, unfledged comrade.

Beware of entrance to a quarrel, but being in,
Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee.
Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;
Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.

Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy;
For the apparel oft proclaims the man,
And they in France of the best rank and station
Are of a most select and generous chief in that.

Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

This above all: to thine ownself be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Hamlet, Act I, sc III
love,
Uncle Roddy

random pics from the past......

I miss my own crib at Tungku. Having stayed alone in a 3-rooms house for almost more than 2 years it was kinda awkward having to move back to my folk's home when I was transferred back to KK... hope I'll get myself another crib sometime soon...

I myself don't really know the meaning behind this composition, but this was taken at a petrol station at mile-32 Sandakan road on my way to KK following an office trip for a course here. The background is a stretch of miles and miles of palm-oil plantation, all the way to the horizon.

True Malaysian idol, I have this picture framed in my office to motivate me on humanitarian cause in doing Public Health. Dato' Dr Narimah was the former Director of Family Development Unit and she delivers wicked speeches that captures even the shortest attention span and always give me goosebumps. Currently she is retired from the Ministry of Health, but now working for WHO. She's one of those who just cannot stop doing good stuff in the world. When I grow up I want to be like her.

I LOVE YOU, DATO' !!!!! (jangan jeles..! hehe)

A shot taken at Maghrib prayer-time during a rehabilitative camp in Lahad Datu. I was captured by the serenity and solemnity of the environment that enveloped the boys that were otherwise a real headache to control. Boys will be boys...

A trip to Pulau Gaya during MMFO - Malarial Management of Field Operation course - where we learn to manage malaria outbreaks on the managerial level. The field trip was the best compared to sitting down analysing data, cramming our eyes with statistics and beating our brains silly trying to make sense of the numbers.

Final day presentation for MMFO. Each team was to come up with a proposal on how to increase the detection of malarial cases in the districts and improve on service delivery to the most affected people - mostly in the logging estates and remote villages.

old bard's sonnet xviii......

One of my favourite Shakespearean sonnets, which came 18th on his list of 154.
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this and this gives life to thee.
Sonnet 18 is perhaps the best known and most well-loved of all 154 sonnets. It is also one of the most straightforward in language and intent. The stability of love and its power to immortalize the poetry and the subject of that poetry is the theme.

The poet starts the praise of his dear friend without ostentation, but he slowly builds the image of his friend into that of a perfect being. His friend is first compared to summer in the octave, but, at the start of the third quatrain, he is summer, and thus, he has metamorphosed into the standard by which true beauty can and should be judged.

The poet's only answer to such profound joy and beauty is to ensure that his friend be forever in human memory, saved from the oblivion that accompanies death. He achieves this through his verse, believing that, as history writes itself, his friend will become one with time.

The final couplet reaffirms the poet's hope that as long as there is breath in mankind, his poetry too will live on, and ensure the immortality of his muse.

20080414

get well soon, yuni......

I have been seeing hundreds of babies and children with febrile fits throughout my working life as a general practitioner, and after my first few babies, it has become quite common for me to not worry too much because most febrile fits will not recurr and all the baby need is a good dose of antipyretics (or anti-fever medicine) usually inserted through the anus, and the more important thing is actually to find out what gives the baby a fever in the first place. It could just be a throat or urine infection and with antibiotics usually the infection will go away.

More importantly also is to know what to do when a child gets high fever - is to sponge the child with tepid water. I've seen mothers bringing their child in clad in wet towels, all wrapped from top to toes... This is not usually the best way to reduce temperature as tightly wrapped wet towel will further insulate the temperature rather than bringing it down.

So febrile fits were just a problem of 'other children' and easily handled by talking to the mom, reassuring her of what to do and when to worry (usually not now) until I got news that today my 2 years old cousin Yuni got it... my heart actually skipped a beat when I heard it from my aunt...

Yuni is well now, she's only got a simple seizure and the likelihood of it happening again is quite low. But somehow it's different when it happens to someone quite close to you....

Get well soon, Yuni...

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The article taken from wikipedia about febrile seizures.

A febrile seizure, also known as a fever fit or febrile convulsion is a generalized convulsion caused by elevated body temperature. They most commonly occur in children below the age of three and should not be diagnosed in children under the age of 6 months or over the age of 6 years. In many cases, the first sign of fever is the onset of the seizure. It has been theorized that the seizure is triggered by the rapidity of the rise in temperature, rather than the actual temperature reached.

Febrile seizures represent the meeting point between a low seizure threshold (genetically and age determined) - some children have a greater tendency to have a seizure under certain circumstances - and a trigger: fever. The genetic causes of febrile seizures are still being researched. Some mutations that cause a neuronal hyperexcitability and could be responsible for febrile seizures have already been discovered.

The diagnosis is one that must be arrived at by eliminating more serious causes of seizure: in particular, meningitis and encephalitis must be ruled out. Therefore a doctor's opinion should be sought and in many cases the child would be admitted to hospital overnight for observation and/or tests.

As a general rule, if the child returns to a normal state of health soon after the seizure, a nervous system infection is unlikely. Even in cases where the diagnosis is febrile seizure, doctors will try to identify and treat the source of fever. In particular, it is useful to distinguish the event as a simple febrile seizure - in which the seizure lasts less than 15 minutes, does not recur in the next 24 hours, and involves the entire body (classically a generalized tonic-clonic seizure). The complex febrile seizure is characterized by long duration, recurrence, or focus on only part of the body. The simple seizure represents the majority of cases and is considered to be less of a cause for concern than the complex.

It is reassuring if the cause of seizure can indeed be determined to have been fever, as simple febrile seizures generally do not cause permanent brain injury; do not tend to recur frequently, as children tend to 'out-grow' them; and do not make the development of adult epilepsy significantly more likely (less than 3-5% which is similar to that of the general public).

Children with febrile convulsions who are destined to suffer from afebrile epileptic attacks in the future will usually exhibit the following:
  1. A family history of afebrile convulsions in first degree relatives (a parent or sibling)
  2. A pre-convulsion history of abnormal neurological signs or developmental delay
  3. A febrile convulsion lasting longer than 15 minutes
  4. A febrile convulsion with strong indications of focal features before, during or afterward