by | May 21, 2009 | Uncategorized
Whoever wins American Idol won’t affect me. No I won’t be shrieking over the loser like these girls (their mom secretly taped their reactions in the 2007 American Idol season), but thinking and considering about the people around me gets me all soft and dewy hearted.
You see, Dad hasn’t been working for more than a year now and even Stepma has been docked at home for the past few months. I’m not entirely sure how both manage to get through with their dailies but its quite evident that they’re working on a shoestring budge, ever since they’ve enrolled for the Haj or pilgrimage package. In fact, they were supposed to go last year, but situations in Arab denied them and thus they’ll have to endure for another year.
Dad part-times but I can see that he’s growing weary trying to make ends meet — and I see him tired and weary most of the time! I try to help him whenever and wherever I can. I never ask him for anything cos I do not wish to add to his todo-list anymore, but I do advise him time and again on starting out on his own, which in a way he did, for a short period of time, with his friends in their KL-Singapore logistics venture. For now, I think he’s just focusing on his Haj plans. Keep it simple, he says.
And then there’s my brother who is preparing for his wedding next year. I help him with his expenses now and then, over the years and I’ve never asked him for them back, because I know its going to be difficult for him to repay them. Not that I really bother about getting them repaid, I just hope he gets through the wedding and settles down sufficiently. If someone dear needs my help, then I’ll help. Whether the loan gets repaid or not, that’s their prerogative. I guess that If I were a licensed moneylender, I’d be out of business in no time.
Like how I financed my sister-cousin’s diploma at MDIS and not really expecting anything in return. Mind you, its a hefty sum but I’m proud that she got through the year successfully and has achieved a decent certificate with her life. Although I am now a little concerned that she’s showing a lack of ambition when it comes to knocking onto any career doors. You see, there are doors opening but I guess she’s yet to walk through any of them.
I haven’t seen any laudable efforts and maybe that’s why my concern as a brother kicks in. I mean, watching videos of boybands and serial dramas, or window shopping online and regularly participating in forums doesn’t really pay the bills, eh? I’m already doing my part to support her and Godma for a while now and I hope it doesn’t come to a point where I ask myself ‘Is my spoon supporting the future or only feeding for the day’? I’m sure she can do much more and be an inspiration to her younger sis.
And what about my step-sis, who half the time seem to be plagued by her dreary outlook everytime she’s home? She’s finishing her poly tenure mid next year, and despite her moans and complaints about schoolwork, I think she’s going to get on well. She’s got ambitions, loads of it and nothing malign about that, but of which can cripple her capabilities at times. She’ll come to me for advice and help and it seems to me that this one wants to be able to do everything, like me, and to not being able to achieve a target is truly disappointing. However she’ll appear moody when that happens, unlike me who’s hell bent on being positive and to find a lighter, brighter side of things. I suppose I need to teach her how to Dota as an escape?
Wow, I’ve yet to reveal the whole iceberg and I’m already so wordy on its tip. Gee, I’m ranting like I’ve never ranted before here, and I suppose being squeezed financially makes me blurt. You see, commissions aren’t coming in like they used to. The economy isn’t looking great at all, and still I’m still glad about where I am at the moment, but here’s something that reeks: I’ve been resting on my laurels for many months now and somehow I got a kick on the butt via a song. Yes, a song woke me up. The song’s playing on my blog right now, thanks to David Cook.
You see, it’s a song dedicated to the passing of his Cancer strickened brother, Adam Cook. On my birthday 8 years ago, I got a wake up call with the passing of my late mum. That event led me to being positive and determined on working hard and to continue living against all odds. Today for the first time I listened to the song ‘Permanent’ and quite contrary it strucked me that nothing is really permenant. What if Jacky Printing went out of business? What would I do then? What if my loved ones pass on and I’ve never really got to shower them with the kind of life that they’ve been dreaming of? Then it strucked me again on another level that I’m not even through with the adult stage yet, where marriage and having children kicks in, sweeping you along with all the lovely problems that raising a family could bring. Let’s take things one at a time eh?
Arrghh.. Though I’m not even close to spiralling out of control (and neither are the people around me) I wish life could be… simpler? I’d sure would love to see more pro-active mind sets, firm decision-making, and plenty more smiles to share around. Why make life harder for someone else right?
Oh well, what a way to introduce my latest project. Tsk. Angry Little Fish. His name is alf. He is a fish. An angry fish. I’ve yet to post any pictures of him, but do peek back for more updates on Alf.
I think I have a good quote to end this post, which goes like this. “Why.. So.. Serious?” Bah.
by | May 21, 2009 | Uncategorized
No, not the frail economy or the flip flops of Obama, but rather the surprise victory of Kris Allen over Adam Lambert on American Idol. Yes, thanks to social media, we’re deliberating on who won AI instead of pressing world issues. Isn’t that great? <– note my sarcasm.
Anyway I have yet to watch the finals so I have absolutely no idea how they performed and despite recognising the talentsand charisma that Adam possess, I was quite certain that Kris’ best could only see him get runners up spot. If AI was a course in one of the local polytechnics, ADAM would have excelled with a Diploma with merit, thanks to his consistent and memorable performances, week after week. I’ve yet to see an AI contestant this good. I thought even David Cook’s charisma lost out to Adam’s!
Still, kudos to Kris for being younger, able to carry the guitar, sit behind a piano, being baby-boyish looking and choosing the right sexuality path which probably swooned all of America’s giggling teens’ handphone bills his way. In credit, Kris never appeared intolerable but played it safe all throughout the competition. He’s quite talented and sings well, but he comes off as a karaoke champion at times, compared to Adam’s stage dominating enigmatic solos.
Oh well, upsets do happen time and again. Not that I’ll be weeping 24/7 or wail over Adam’s lost, but I’m just a little irked that a better artist (imho) lost out.
If its any consolation for Adam, history has gone to show that the runner’s up for AI always sells way more records than the winners.
So congratulations to Kris. (As if he’s even reading this, in which case the congrats goes to Kris’ fans, but as if they’re reading this… so.. bah, forget it..)
by | May 21, 2009 | Uncategorized
I love this! Love this! Love this!
But too bad my card declined when I tried to get it online. Hehe. I’m such a sucker for good looking AND playful stuffs.
Its an intelligent shirt design isn’t it? Not your average skull and roses and guns and dead cat in the middle of the chest, but something rather playful and undull.
Well if you can’t find enough love for it, perhaps you’ll find it useful during your occasional lunch when you spill that coffee onto your shirt. With this shirt, you can hide that stain as part of its design! Brilliant!
Decaf-Disaster. Love it or hate it, it’s brilliantly intelligent. On sale for the next…. 1hour from now? Find it here (or its archive if 1 hour has passed.)
by | May 19, 2009 | Uncategorized
Overall a tedious and labourous show. The tension took too long to pick up and build up and when it does, there’s not enough punch to the climax to make it worthwhile. If not for Russell Crowe’s belligerent and stubborn character and Ben Affleck’s slick dialogues and occasional tensions, the movie, ‘State of Play’, would have lost its charm on me.
Its easy to get lost in the plot as the various notions and national conspiracy gets thrown around aimlessly, and I’ll admit that I was lost towards the middle of the story. I don’t easily get lost, but perhaps the script failed to get my attention, although I was glued at the end, where Crowe’s character faces off with the so called ‘mercenary’ of the show.
I’d actually thought his Crowe’s character would be killed off to provide some sort of sentiment to the plot, but faced with a semi automatic weapon and backed by a growing pool of police officers, indeed just a lunge onto the floor saved him from the eventual spray of bullets. Corny, imho. The killing of Crowe’s character would’ve provided the right emotions for a mundane plot, but it was not to be.
Oh, just for the records, I do not endorse any killings of any living things, and these suggestions I have here are purely for fictional entertainment purposes! Bah! (End all wars!)
What’s up with Hollywood and all these wordy shows? I’ve yet to catch Tom Hank’s ‘Angels & Demons’ but I’ll probably catch that in a movie-thon — *nudge-nudge-at-Dils*. At the same time, I’ll probably stay patient while Transformer 2 creeps towards the local Silverscreen.
If you had to watch a movie, and in this case ‘State of Play’, for once I won’t be recommending it because, though I don’t hate it (the director did pretty well), I didn’t like it either. Just my 2 cents here. So watch it for the sake of watching, and you’ll probably not get too disappointed either.
by | May 18, 2009 | Uncategorized
As if a calculated prank, I rode in my rain gear, having stopped a few minutes into my ride home to put on the rainjackets/raincoats, all the way home, wet. Wet, not because of the rain, but because of my sweat. It was a stuffy, hot and uncomfortable ride home. So much for the rain clouds and foggy skies. I guess I got punk’d.
Its like there’s this malay saying “Bunyi guruh di langit, air tempayan dicurah”. Loosely translated it means, “Thunder heard in sky, water in vase poured liao”. Well that’s Singlish speaking actually, but I reckon you get the point. It infers to something like someone hearing he’ll be getting a pay raise this month, and he starts spending all his money already. The moral of the story here is, what if the pay raise don’t come?
So how many times have we been caught in this situation? Come on now, admit it. You’ve been in situations where a friend offers to get that thing done for you, and then you carelessly forgot to remind him thinking he’ll keep his words, but in the end he forgots and you end up getting the stick for not getting it done? No? Okay, maybe its just me then.
Anyway, about the earlier situation I wasn’t being careless but rather careful about the impending rain, which turned out to be a losing situation nevertheless. Still, its good to be careful ‘cos I never knew if the rain might suddenly pour on me while i’m in the middle of the expressway. Now getting wet and wild in the middle of the expressway is far worse than being hot and stuffy. Plus it’s really, REALLY cold when you’re drenched and riding along the expressway. Not recommended definitely.
Oh well, it all doesn’t matter anymore now that I’m home sweet home. No more hot and stuffy, just refreshed and comfy at the moment. And thank goodness it never rained. I’d just washed my bike. \m/
by | May 16, 2009 | Uncategorized
Statistically Liverpool has a very slim chance of landing their record 19th English League title, but realistically — And let’s be realistic shall we? — they have absolutely zero, nil, kosong chance this season.
Man Yoo is on course to land their record title too. An 18th title and why not? They have been one of the best team on the planet for the past few seasons and deservingly, the title rests in their hands now. Just like any great character, noone else but they themselves decide where the outcome of the English Premiere League 08/09 Champions’ Trophy resides.
I will try not to get carried away with the wonderful football form that Man Yoo plays with and instead pay a tribute to the Rafalution.
As this season ends, it will be Rafa Benitez’s 5th year at the helm and odds are looking good that this is going to be his best league haul to date. With a possible 86 points in the bag, it will also be the most Premiereship points that Liverpool ever has and yet not win the league. It could also be the season where Liverpool beats the Champions twice, loses less games, scores more goals, have bigger goal difference, and yet not win the league.
In season 06/07 Liverpool finished with 68 points, scoring 57 goals and losing 10 games. In 07/08 Liverpool finished with 76 points, scoring 67 goals and losing 4 games. In 08/07 it could yet be 86 points, scoring more than 72 goals and possibly losing only 2 games.
The Rafalution is kicking in finally and to think what season 09/10 would bring is simply dangerous, and only because thinking about the next level of improvements that Rafa would bring to the table will only make me wet my pants. Yes, any pants-wetting situations are highly dangerous situations. Like where can you hide that stink along the way to the mall as you buy a new pants?
Then again I don’t wear pants, jeans mainly and I doubt Liverpool will even have, if improvements are proportional yearly, 96 points and scoring 84 goals — but who is to say that its impossible? Chelsea did finished their season with an all time high of 95 points before, so hey, it IS possible.
Before I get carried away again even further, I suppose the improvements will depend on how other teams acquire new players, and more importantly, what new blood will Rafa decide to shuffle into his paper thin squad.
Yes I mentioned thin squad because that is what it is. There’s only a handful of classy players. Really! Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso, Daniel Agger, Jamie Carragher, Javier Mascherano and Pepe Reina are simply not enough to land the 19th title.
Polished players like Skrtel, Arbeloa, Riera, Kuyt, Benayoun and Aurelio adds gloss but they lack lustre at times. Unpolished gems like Babel, Lucas, Insua, Plessis, El-Zhar, Ngog, Dossena, Degen, Darby and Cavalieri are just not making the grade when called upon. Let’s not forget that Hyppia will be off to Germany for their beer next season, though Voronin and Pennant will be back from loan next season.
That’s it. There’s really no one else to call upon at Liverpool football club and thus we witness how missing key creative players like Gerrard, Torres and Alonso greatly affects the team. Its critical that Rafa gets another game-winning, ultra creative, mature and polished player at his disposal.
Perhaps a certain Kaka, Villa, Ribery, Eto’o or Diego might be the catalyst that the Reds have been waiting for? Maybe players at their peak like Barry, Tevez, Valencia, Downing or Santa Cruz might bring more depth to the squad?
Well whatever personnel that the Rafalution brings, one thing for sure is that I can barely wait how season 09/10 unfolds with most of the players reaching the peak of their career.
*salivates incessantly*
by | May 15, 2009 | Uncategorized
A good friend of mine gave me a question to consider: Is it harder to make friends as we get older?
Here’s my answer: No.
Okay, so that was a dumb and quick answer but allow me to deliberate on the similes involving friends.
First there’s Conversances. Then comes Acquaintances. Next up will be Friends and last but not least would be your BFFs (Best Friends Forever) or DBs (Drinking Buddies!!)
Some people, you talk to them once in a while, either along (more…)
by | May 14, 2009 | Uncategorized
Nah, nothing’s wrong with em but they were extremely, and surprisingly, sleepy this afternoon, after lunch — and I had an extremely quick lunch on my own, where my customer didn’t believe that I’d already taken it. He thought I was off to the toilet and reckoned that I couldn’t finish my lunch so fast. Seems like NS at Tekong has taught me well in cutting short your meal times~
Even as i write this, they (my eyes) are looping the eyelids incessantly in an effort to get me to sleep, but I’ve only reached home and I’ve yet to DOTA for the day! I’ve targeted to get at least (more…)
by | May 9, 2009 | Uncategorized
I’m a little disappointed approaching this holiday weekend.
3 Reasons. 1 — that I’m not gonna have a proper holiday as I’ve to come back to work, since my colleagues are all back in their hometown in Malaysia. 2 — that one of my cusomers project got stalled due to my supplier’s ignorance and then proceeding to blame me for not giving proper instructions. Yeah right. And 3 — not being (more…)
by | May 7, 2009 | Uncategorized
How fitting it is that the showdown in the finals of this year’s UEFA Champions League will feature the year’s contendors for FIFA Player of the year.
Indeed Christiano Ronaldo has already pipped Lionel messi to the title but critics will argue that Messi is a much more worthy holder of that title — as reflected in his performances this Barcelona season.
A few days back Ronaldo showcased his brilliant talent as he almost single-handedly crushed Arsenal’s dream, capped by a wonderful and delectable 41yard screamer of a freekick.
This boy has immense ability and talents, no doubt about it, but unfortunately he also has this cursed ability to remain silent and anonymous especially when the referee isn’t on his side, unlike previous winners of Player of The Year, who justify that tag with world class performances week in and week out.
Still I’ll be expecting a spectacle come May 27th, as Barcelona entertain Manchester United, who are on their second successive Final appearance and determined on defending their status as champions of Europe.
Even though Ronaldo VS Messi will steal the headlines approaching this game, I reckon the game itself will be bigger than these 2 wonderful footballers, and exquisite passing, swift counter attacks and beautiful goals will dominate the morrow’s headlines instead.
Though I would have loved to see Liverpool VS Barcelona instead, this is arguably the next best thing. Game on.
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