happy birthday old girl...

Hey Dutz... how come your phone never pick up ah? Chey, people want to wish you happy birthday pun susah... Macam tau-tau saja akan dapat satu entry tribute to you, hahaha...

Ok now click on the special birthday note I've written just for you, kalo ko tiak nampak la...

Luv, arteo

truth and honesty...

In response to an entry I read from another blog...

...Honesty is such a lonely word...
Everyone is so untrue...
Honesty is hardly ever heard...
And mostly what I need from you....

Even before the question was famously popped during biblical time, few hours preceding the death of our Lord, philosophers of various school of thoughts have already been debating the subject... What they may get out of such intellectual discourse probably is only a scientific way to explain truth as it is, but far from being philosophers and great thinkers, we know, even as normal people, the concept of truth and how important it is in our life...

Unfortunately, much more than a few of us have been pulled into lies and deceit, even if we admit that it is beyond our will. Most of the time we are afraid of the truth itself, more so if knowing the truth involves looking inwards into our own hearts. Many a times I had to, like I said, look inwards and admit to what I find there. Not many times I love what I find inside, and many a times knowing the truth has caused so much unpeace. Having said about the unpeace that comes with realisation of truth, I have to admit also to the freedom that comes later...

So about truth, be it in friendship or in love, or any human relationships for that matter, I have learned that truth and honesty cannot and should not be compromised. Most of the time, truth can be painful to accept, but the pain after truth can never be compared to the pain that comes after deceit and dishonesty...

What have we got to lose. if we choose truth? Probably short term benefits, but we'll never know the freedom that it promises. Only a true friend or a true love will tell you what you really need to hear, and that is, in fact, the truth...

you know when you're ready...

I came across this advertisement and I thought, wow brilliant! This is a reproduction of the adv because I couldn't find the advertisement on the net...

So farnny! Ha ha ha ha ha.....

the canon eos 40d challenge... am i ready?...

I was surfing through for Canon EOS 40D and I was invited to a challenge to see if I am ready for it... what the heck...

Question1: What is the F stop?

Question2: What focal length would you most likely use to capture a group indoor?

Question3: What would you most likely use macro lens for?

Question4: What is a bounce flash?

Question5: What does 1/8000 means to you?

Ah.... apparently I am ready... but am I ready to fork out RM5000+++ to indulge in this camera yet?

the new route...

Ah, it seems like I won't be getting off from Yogya but Solo, but who's complaining... My flight to Jakarta only costs RM108.90 plus all the (hidden) taxes and charges while coming back from Solo is RP251,499 which is almost equivalent to RM90.00, making my total flight expenditure only RM199 minus 10cents. Since I have a free ticket to KL and back, that part is also taken care of... ah, wonderful...

I was walking around Wisma yesterday and wanted to see how far RM100 would stretch... quite a good rate this one particular money changer was giving...

Just like Monopoly money in my pocket...

Hmmm... My RM89.54 converted to two hundred and fifty thousand Rupiah, that is two five zero zero zero zero (whoa) but alas, since the colour of the notes did not register as money to me (yet) I don't feel particularly rich seeing these notes... or maybe I should change them to smaller change like RP1000 then I'll have 250 pieces of those little buggers to make me feel rich! Muahahahahaha..... Sot!

from my last visit to tungku...

I finally went over to Lahad Datu by flight after a few attempts to get another government vehicle authorised for the trip... I guess the SLR and all the tripods would have to wait in line for the next outing, and what more fun it is to get to go to Jakarta... hehe...

We took the first flight over on MasWings aboard a Fokker-50. Not quite a bad view although I had to cram into so little space and I had to crouch down to be able to see out the window... Thanks God I had H9 with me which allows for multi angle viewing...

The meeting was short in Lahad Datu, we kinda finished everything within a day. Since we had off for the whole of Friday I decide to go early to Tungku to meet up with Dr Peter, a replacement they got for the Tungku after I left it vacant for more than seven months.

The trip back was kinda emotional for me, because somehow there is this feeling that I no longer can say that this is my clinic, now that it's Dr Peter's. However I still got a very warm welcome, especially from the kids... some of them I've seen since birth and got the honour to christen the with their name... quite an honour, really! I don't know if I'd ever get to do that again (other than on my own kids) or have my glorious days, my Pax ARTEo gone pass without me knowing its ended? sigh...

Anyway, it was a photographic journey, I took in as much as I could.

Left to right, Natasha, Adam Zachery (I gave him the name), Jikon, Fahmi, AC, Josephine Emily (I gave her the name), Jonathan and Jessie.

Kak Ani, Dr Peter, John, myself, Setiah and Rosnah


Kak Ani, John, Rosnah, myself, Setiah and Hemron.


In my former consultation room with Setiah and Kak Ani.

A view from the walkway connecting building A and B of our huge Clinic Complex.

Tungku was the time when I had the opportunity to do the wildest things, well, probably not as wild as some others, but I am already known as a person who'd rather sit on the car bucket than inside the cabin. Knowing that I may not have much chance to do that anymore, I decide to sit behind throughout the journey from Lahad Datu town to Tungku which will take about 1 hour (72km to be exact).

Nescafe in the wind...

That night they prepared a barbecue for me, too bad Dr Peter couldn't join us, he was away in KK for the weekend. I doubt I will get this close to my staff in KK, the lifestyle is different and usually there's a huge gap between doctors and other staffs...

Then the bad luck continued... My old junk broke down like a dozen times and drained away 6 newly charged batteries not including the numerous times we had to jump-start the car on the roadside. I'm in no mood to write about another automobile mishap that occured in the same week, so I'll just post the pictures here... go buy the numbers, if win please share!

Imagine having to wait for rescue under the afternoon sun...

We came home only after 19 1/2 hours on the road, that even that we had to abandon the car in the reserve forest in between Telupid and Ranau... not goood... don't want to talk about it...

The next day, dad had to get my uncle, my brother and cousin to go retrieve the car... in a nutshell, all is well. Sigh...

what i did today...

Today was another unconventional day at work. Since our Health Inspector has gone for a course for 3 days, the boss Dr Praba and myself are left to man the unit, and since most of the technical works are done by the HI, we were pretty much paralysed other than making phone calls, planning for the next meeting and... yea, pretty much that was it.

So I decided that I should take this opportunity to get some banking done and visit my Pharmacist friend to get some medicine. I followed the department vehicle down town and had a mind of going around Wisma Merdeka to see if I can get a camera backpack that I can carry along in Jakarta.

After I was done with the banks, I went over to a few photography shops and very much to my disappointment I didn't see anything I like, in fact there was a few but the price range is absurd. Then I came across this shop which also sells overpriced camera bags, but I was caught by something else... a telephoto zoom lens for only RM800! I was eyeing on a 200mm zoom lens which costs about the same, but this one I am talking about is a 300mm lens! How can it be so cheap? After calling my uncle to ask for his opinion, I decided to walk home a poor-bugger today.

It would be crazy not to fall in love instantly at this...

I figured to survive my mindless spending spree, I would have to resort to bread and water for the next month... Bread I sure did have, but it came today with a sunny-side-up, smoked salmon with side salad and a refillable coffee... Gosh. Dr Praba is right. I need to get married fast to stop all this madness...

I could have called the driver to come back for me (I was carrying a very valuable cargo anyway) but suddenly I thought of taking the bus back to work, since the last time I took a bus in KK was probably, no, definitely more than 10 years ago. So I took a walk across town to the bus stop.

KK is already all laced with banners and posters on plywoods reminding people who to vote for during the upcoming election.

Amidst all this campaigning, political struggle and sweet manifestos being thrown around and about, I know at least some people are happy to make money out of it...

KK town... some snapshots:


Ah, I think RM100 has stopped being a pinch quite a while ago... Nowadays we need to fine people by the thousands to have any impact at all..


To make way for the election campaign posters, the red lanterns have to be taken down... There are hundreds of these lying around KK...


My new home... Klinik Kesihatan Ibu dan Anak Pekan Kota Kinabalu.


I saw this column of black smoke, probably some buildings are on fire... or it could be from the apposite island - Pulau Gaya. We'll know tomorrow...


This buflfllo doesn't seem to be very happy that I come over to take their picture...

The view from inside of this ancient bus - one of the myriads of busus with unique characteristic, typical to Sabahan buses... along the way you can hear the whole bus rattling katakatakatakatakata all the way...

And from where I was sitting, there used to be a bell to alert the driver that you want to come down at the next stop. I hope I'm not the only one wanting to get down at the hospital... the bus ride costs as little as 70cents. Really.

There are 6 arrows on this short stretch of road... how much directions do people need to go up and the hill?

Shamelessly I think I am turning into one of those cam-whores I once swear I will not be...

limbo at work...

For the past 2 weeks I have been running on low morale at work... Usually work requires a lot of my attention and planning as all that needs to be done today would have been meticulously (well, not as often as I would have it though) planned a couple of weeks before and since I am counting my days in this department, I see my role in the whole drama is on an exit...

Days get spent on clearing up baggages I don't want to leave behind; calls to make, appointments to follow-up, monthly returns to verify... and since I don't do much planning anymore, I have too much time at hand and hence, the prolific blogging and photographing...

Not that I am complaining, I kinda enjoy being laid back, with not a care in the world (yea, right) and most exciting of all, planning for my trip to Indonesia... actually mom did a lot of that planning, even to checking out cheap flight days...

Today the highlight goes to the outing with Ewann for another pitch-bashing kara0ke session at KKBox, Karamunsing... 3 hours of choral abuse on the poor microphones mercifully confined by barely soundproof walls....

Hahaha, I'm talking for myself, of course... Ewann can sing.

I was lugging my camera all the way in and out of the karaoke but yet I forgot to organise a pose for a shot at KKBox... well, here taking a break from all that singing, easing our sorry throats with good coffee was the way to end a fine, fine day...

A toast, buddy, to life, and all that it throws to us...

doing my citizenship responsibility...

8th MARCH 2008
12th MALAYSIAN GENERAL ELECTION

This is going to be my first time fulfilling my duty as a "responsible democratic citizen", lending my voice to form a government by the people, for the people; after years and years of complains and whining about the Government... Honestly I doubt it would change much, we're voting for a Government that we would whine and complain about for the next 4 years anyway!

Check out for yourself where are you going to vote... give special attention to the Polling Stream and the Serial Number to help with the process...

http://daftarj.spr.gov.my/

So what the heck exactly is this thing we call democracy?

In political theory, Democracy describes a small number of related forms of government and also a political philosophy. A common feature of democracy as currently understood and practiced is competitive elections. Competitive elections are usually seen to require freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and some degree of rule of law. Civilian control of the military is often seen as necessary to prevent military dictatorship and interference with political affairs. In some countries, democracy is based on the philosophical principle of equal rights.

Majority rule is a major principle of democracy, though many democratic systems do not adhere to this strictly - representative democracy is more common than direct democracy, and minority rights are often protected from what is sometimes called "the tyranny of the majority". Popular sovereignty is common but not universal motivating philosophy for establishing a democracy.

No universally accepted definition of 'democracy' exists, especially with regard to the elements in a society which are required for it. Many people use the term "democracy" as shorthand for liberal democracy, which may include additional elements such as political pluralism, equality before the law, the right to petition elected officials for redress of grievances, due process, civil liberties, human rights, and elements of civil society outside the government. In the United States, separation of powers is often cited as a supporting attribute, but in other countries, such as the United Kingdom, the dominant philosophy is parliamentary sovereignty (though in practice judicial independence is generally maintained). In other cases, "democracy" is used to mean direct democracy.

Though the term "democracy" is typically used in the context of a political state, the principles are also applicable to private organizations and other groups. Democracy has its origins in Ancient India, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Europe, and North and South America but modern conceptions are significantly different. Democracy has been called the "last form of government" and has spread considerably across the globe. Suffrage has been expanded in many jurisdictions over time from relatively narrow groups (such as wealthy men of a particular ethnic group), but still remains a controversial issue with regard disputed territories, areas with significant immigration, and countries that exclude certain demographic groups.

Read more on Democracy in Wikipedia here

going indonesia .....

Ah, suddenly there is this urge to shed the workaholic suit I was wearing and really treat myself to a vacation I never had since work started... Jakarta, Yogya, here I come!