Where have my weekends gone to?

The past month of so, I don't recall having a weekend where I was dull wondering where to go. I was more like wandering, with lots of things to see and do.

In no particular order:

1. Kuala Koh, Taman Negara
2. P. Ketam/ K. Selangor (via Heli)
3. Tioman
4. Kuching
5. Tasek Bera
6. Ulu Geroh/ Gopeng (via Heli)

If it was not a trip, it would be some other event taking up the day.

Tiring but of the satisfied kind.

Story of Powershot G9

Thurs, 25 Oct 2007

Scenario - Canon Expo 2007
Special Price Sessions for max 40 persons per session giving up to 50% discounts on all Powershots, Ixus and printers.

Having missed out on the previous day, ct and i decided to try again today for the 1.00pm session. Today marks the last day of the expo. Arrived by 12.25pm and there was already a long line to the queue. Imagine that, a queue for a queue! Joining the line, it does not seem like we would make it into the 40 but we continued standing in line anyway. When they started counting for the cutoff, we missed out by a good 20 places. So, do we stay or do we give up? Checked with one of the staff and he mentioned that there were only 3 units of Powershot G9 left. What are the odds that there will be any G9 left after this session? Decided to lunch first then come back and check if there are any G9s left.

We were back by 1.20pm and the last few from the 1.00pm session were taking their spins on the wheel. Few of them struck the 50% discount... good for them. Checked with one of the staff and he said there were plenty of G9s in store. That didn't jive with what the other guy said earlier. Asked him to double check and he went to the back store and came out confirming that he saw a dozen units in store. Cool! So now it is like shall we stay or shall we go? After a few rounds of deliberation, ct & i decided to stay for the next session at 4.00pm. In the meantime, what do we do? We can't go off or we might miss the line again. So we stuck around, played with all the display units, went ga-ga over the L-series lenses they exhibited and tried some of the games they had.

At 2.20pm we went over to double check with another staff on the number of G9s available. They checked and told us 3. What?! Sure? *Slight sinking feeling* What were our chances of getting the unit then? If we were way ahead in the line chances would be good. By then I noticed some people gathering near the queue entrance. Line to the queue had started! I dashed over to book a place while ct inquired some more. Accidentally jumped queue but the very nice Iranian allowed me to stay on in front of him. Thank you sir! That gave us position 6 for ct and I am 7th in line. Now we were firm in our commitment for insanity. I could not fathom those who would stand in line for hours just to get some discounts, no matter what the quantum. Now I'm one of them.

Conversations were far and few as time seem to tick slowly by. At around 3.30pm, they opened the queue and handed out our queue numbers. We must decide then which product we wanted and they would determine if there's stock available . The G9s were the choice of those in position 6, 7 and 8! Ok, no more G9s for those who stood behind us. This made the time waiting seem worthwhile. 20% would be the least discount with 30% following it unless you struck the bummer deal of a free Powershot A460.

At 4.00pm, the first person spun and she stuck 50%! What a fantastic start. The next 4 took only 20% and one got the free Powershot A460. Next was ct and she struck 50%! I had a 50% through double luck and that moment, all the pain from standing on your feet just went away. Imagine the excitement to the extent that we could not speak properly. Sounded like 2 yodas conversing.

*Later*
Phone call-
DM: Do you want to meet up tonight?
LH: Can. Why?
DM: So I can give you the G9.
LH: You bought it?! *with the "Oh No" tone*
DM: With a 50% discount.
LH: You got it?!? (the 50% discount) *with the disbelieving tone*
etc, etc, etc

Lesson to learn? If situation permits, go for it!

The Ultimate Answer No More

The first and most special wish came in at exactly 00:00hrs.

I am now "Add 1 to The Ultimate Answer to The Great Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything."

The Law of the Garbage Truck

Beware of Garbage Trucks
by David J. Pollay

How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly he/she can get back her focus on what's important.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York Citytaxi cab. Here's what happened.

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space
right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches!

The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!'

And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally.

You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.

So this was it: The 'Law of the Garbage Truck.' I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, 'I'm not going to do it anymore.' I began to see garbage trucks. I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did this every day on the football field. He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best.

Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses. Teachers and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?

Here's my bet.
You'll be happier.

So.. Love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance , TAKE IT! If it changes your life , LET IT! Nobody said it would be easy... They just promised it would be worth it!

What was that again?

Sept 23, 2007 - Hong Kong (on a tour to Lantau island)

Tour guide [with chinese accent] : Welcome to Kong Kong! {I thought it was Hong Kong?}

Tourist#1: Is that how you pronounce Hong Kong in Chinese?

Tour guide: Yes, Kong Kong.

Tourist#1: Kong Kong?

Tour guide: Kong Kong.

Tourist#1: Shrugs shoulders and gives puzzled look.

Tourist#2: {Speaking out to give correct pronunciation} It is actually pronounced "Heong Kong" {Hey, he's chinese too}

Tour guide: Do you know that Kong Kong {still can't get it right} got its name because it was famous for good smelling cheese?

Moi: WHAT!? Did he say cheese? I didn't know that?

Tour guide: Yes, they bring the cheese and cut it here and they would put it in the ships to send it all over the world.

Tourist#1: What is this cheese?

Tour guide: Ahhh, errr... I don't know the name in english but in chinese it is *says-something-I-can-make-out*

Tourist#2: SANDALWOOD!!

Moi: OMG!!!!! TREES!!!

Pardon me?

Dec 24, 2005 - Mumbai, India - Outlet in Hyatt Hotel

Moi: I would like to get a pashmina shawl.
Shop-fella: Very good sir! {heavy indian accent}

Moi: What is this made of? {moi pretending not to know}
Shop-fella: It is made from the feathers of a burt {this is what i heard}

Moi: Feathers of a bird? {looking surprised from the revelation}
Shop-fella: Yes sir, it is taken from the feathers of a burt.

Moi: But a friend of mine said it was from the hair of a type of goat?
Shop-fella: No sir, from a burt.

Moi: And its made from the fea..the..rs? {speaking slowly to made sure}
Shop-fella: That is correct sir.

Moi: Ok... how much.... {etc, etc bargaining and I bought it. The shawl i mean, not the story}

Back home :-

Moi: Guess what! Pashmina is not from a goat but from the feathers of a bird!
Friend: Nooooo!!! Its from a goat!

Moi: But this was told to me by the guy in India who imports this stuff. He should know better right? <------ Wrong!!!

.... short debate that ended with Google search and facts presented.

Conclusion:

• Shop fella mistook fur/fleece and said feather. Honest mistake probably.
• I think he actually pronounced "goat" as "gert". Remember this was said in heavy indian accent.
• There never was any "burt" (bird).
  

They Grow Up So Fast!

Another year, another birthday approaches. With each passing year, they grow distant to the memory of the little girl that used to sit high upon my shoulders. They could still sit for I could still carry them (with the price of some aches but well worth it) but that is not what they wish for anymore.

Last year it was a watch. This year a cellular phone was the birthday wish. Yes, but only if she comes up with part of the payment. Cellular phones were once regarded a luxury item but in today's rapid developments for both better and worse, it has also become a necessity. So I pay for the necessity, and she pays for the luxury. Fair deal? Nay, I still end up losing. There's still the talk time to pay for.

Ramble on Extremes

Heart-moving poems...
Songs that being a tear to the eye...
Paintings that stirs emotions...

What do these have in common?
For what I can see, these stem from the two extremes in emotions i.e. Joy and Despair. Eric Clapton's a smash hit Tears in Heaven, was the grieving father's tribute to Conor Clapton, who died in an accident. Some of Vincent Van Gogh's best known works were in the final two years of his life, when he suffered from recurring bouts of mental disorder.

Coupled with talent, these people produced works that are highly regarded, and in cases where art is involved, given a high monetary value though unfortunately it is usually after the demise of the creator.

I have the extremes (note: not at the same time), but not the talent... so nothing to give to the world but this stupid blog entry.

The Mayonnaise Jar & Two Cups of Coffee

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle; when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember The Mayonnaise Jar & Two Cups of Coffee:

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.

Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - God, family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions -- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you."

So... Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play With your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.

"Take care of the golf! balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Apple - The Forbidden Fruit?

More than 2 decades ago when Personal Computers (PC) was in its infancy and when Windows was well, just a window, the Apple Lisa was introduced to the world in January 1983 at a cost of US$9,995 (equiv to $20,893 in 2007).


The interface then looked like something out of science fiction. Computers we know then were just a green screen with text and a keyboard (even that was advanced compared to the teletype). The Apple Lisa was a powerful personal computer with a Graphical User Interface (GUI). The heart of the system was a Motorola CPU MC68000 running at 5 megahertz with a RAM of 1MB (those days anything above 64KB was a WOW! factor). Dual floppy 5.25 inch 860KB drives and a Hard Disk Drive with 5MB... Another WOW! cuz most were still running OS & programs from two 360KB floppy drives. There's more; Detachable keyboard with numeric keypad and a mouse... now why is there a rodent with the machine?

The Lisa project was started at Apple in 1978 and evolved into a project to design a powerful personal computer with business users in mind. Contrary to popular belief, the Macintosh is not a direct descendant of Lisa, although there are obvious similarities between the systems and a later version of the Lisa was sold as the Macintosh XL. Although the documentation with the original Lisa only ever referred to it as The Lisa, Apple officially stated that the name was an acronym for Local Integrated Software Architecture. Since Steve Jobs' first daughter (born in 1978) was named Lisa Jobs, it is normally inferred that the name also had a personal association, and perhaps that the acronym was invented later to fit the name.

Why does everyone seem so transfixed with the "new" Vista? The technology in Apple exists long before windows was a single line of code and is far more superior in aspects that count... except for the cost then. Now its almost comparable but for what superiority Apple offers, the difference in cost has become negligible.

So now, looking away from the "dark side of the force", behold what lies ahead:

Affordable



Desirable


Now waiting for moolah and the Mac OS X Leopard to make its appearance.

What does it take?

Q: How difficult can it be to hold a meeting?
A: As difficult as getting the commitment.

If its not part of their job scope (i.e. they don't get damned for not attending) and if they are not paid for it, might as well ask for the moon. You are more likely to get the moon.

Music for the soul

Ever since Cusco Apurimac III - Spirit, Nature & Pride I was hooked to the sounds of the Native Americans.

Here's one from Alborada - Ananau. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did, and still do.



Ananau, ananau
Nispaniwashkanky
Ñuqallapiñam chay ña wiky.
Ananau, ananau
Nispaniwashkanky
Wiñaypaqchum ñuqa qawasqaiky
May runallam kakuchkanky
Kaycunallapy waqanaypaq.
Wañuptyqa ñakawanky
Manam munanichu chay pasayta.

Award conferred

Curryegg gave me an award! Read about it here.

Strange how the rants and ramblings of one can be conferred an award but that's the way the world turns these days. I say strange as one who grew up thinking diaries are private items. Today it is blog about it for the world to read. You might say it is also a form of therapy. As the saying goes, "A problem shared is a problem halved."

Well, if that is true it is bad news for the shrinks out there... haha. Speaking of shinks, here's one from the net:

"I've got problems. Every time I go to bed I think there's somebody under it. I'm scared. I think I'm going crazy."

"Just put yourself in my hands for one year," said the shrink. "Come talk to me three times a week, and we should be able to get rid of those fears."

"How much do you charge?"
"Eighty dollars per visit, replied the doctor."
"I'll sleep on it," said Bubba.

Six months later the doctor met Bubba on the street. "Why didn't you ever come to see me about those fears you were having?" asked the psychiatrist.

"Well Eighty bucks a visit three times a week for a year is an awful lot of money ! A bartender cured me for $10. I was so happy to have saved all that money that I went and bought me a new pickup!"

"Is that so! And how, may I ask, did a bartender cure you?"

"He told me to cut the legs off the bed! Ain't nobody under there now !!!"

And the moral of the story is?
Go figure ;-)

Yours...

For your sake, I will forgo mine
For your needs, I disregard my own
For your comfort, I will gladly suffer
For your joy, let me cry in your stead
For your peace, I will say nothing

My arms are yours ever willing to encircle
May it provide you the magic circle
For protection
And yea, for comfort

Yoda says...

Yoda: How feel you?

Anakin: Cold, sir.

Yoda: Afraid are you?

Anakin: No, sir.

Yoda: See through you we can.

Mace Windu: Be mindful of your feelings.

Ki-Adi-Mundi: Your thoughts dwell on your mother.

Anakin: I miss her.

Yoda: Afraid to lose her I think, hmm?

Anakin: What has that got to do with anything?

Yoda: Everything! Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. I sense much fear in you.

Regrets

When I was younger, I was advised not to do things I might regret later.
There are more regrets of "I should have..." then "I should not have...".

LOTR: Arwen's Song (Song of Healing)

A beautiful, haunting song. It never made it as the scene depicted in the video below but post-battle Pelennor in the Houses of Healing scene in the ROTK Extended Edition.

Arwen's Song was originally intended for her vision of Eldarion with Aragorn but was replaced with The Evening Star by Renee Fleming.



With a sigh
You turn away
With a deepening heart
No words to say
You will find
That the world has changed
Forever

And the trees are now
Turning from green to gold
And the sun is now fading
I wish I could hold you closer

Dreamcatcher for a friend

Whether your dreams were a manifestation from the strain of the physical world, or be it spoken as a metaphor, I send thee a dreamcatcher...



In Ojibwa (Chippewa) culture, a dreamcatcher (Ojibwe asabikeshiinh, the inanimate form of the word for "spider") is a handmade object based on a willow hoop, on which is woven a loose net or web. The dreamcatcher is then decorated with personal and sacred items such as feathers and beads.

The dreamcatcher, hung above the bed, is then used as a charm to protect sleeping children from nightmares. The Ojibwa believe that a dreamcatcher filters a person's dreams. Only good dreams would be allowed to filter through. Bad dreams would stay in the net, disappearing with the light of day.

Nature Strikes Back!

People just don't listen or perhaps, I should say people listen to the wrong things. We have all heard from years ago warnings on deforestation, global warming etc. Those in power listened, and heeded a different sound.. the sound of money. Who but our children that will suffer the consequences of greed. Lest we forget;
"We do not inherit the earth, but borrow it from our children."

The weather has gone bonkers. During this time of the year, it would be the dry-spell but now we get frequent thunderstorms and when the rain comes down hard and long, flash-floods hit the city. Yesterday, the Gombak river burst its banks.



Last night I heard it was traffic jams of nightmare proportions. The aftermath, parts of the city this morning was a mess with flood-hit roads chocked in mud. My sympathies for the shops affected. Its hard enough to run a business without having to endure calamities.

So what's with the SMART project? More like smarty-pants idea to spend taxpayer's hard-earned money building something for flood mitigation. Wouldn't it have been more prudent to curb destructive development that would have averted these situations altogether. You can't say this was "an act of God". God has nothing to do with wanton development.

No Fairy Dust Required

The dream I had last night was so clear and vivid. The dream was again along the lines of a personal desire, although impossible (for now at least). It was the ability fly with nothing more than just by thinking about it. In my dream, I could fly like how some super-heroes do, or Peter Pan (minus the fairy-dust) but perhaps, closer to Neo in Matrix. You fly, simply because you believe you can.

Back to the dream.

It was surreal.
"I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky"... and that's what I was doing!
I was in some highlands and there was a valley. In the valley were some ruins but more like junked items that had been discarded. They can junk entire buildings now?!? I was exploring the place and I recognized those items! Actually in reality I have never seen those things before but in this dream, it was something from my past. Photo frames with pictures that had been taken (from another dream?) Two of my ex-colleagues were suddenly there too, looking through the items, reminiscing the good old days. It occurred then that the whole place was one of my former workplace. We were rummaging through for sentimental items;

EG: I don't like the pictures in the photo-frame.

Moi: Then take the frame and leave the photos lah.
(Saying that while pulling the photos out of the frame. Then did the same to two other frames, keeping one for myself, one for EG and the other for PL)

There were wine bottles there as well. That's when Kali & Rama showed up. What the heck were they doing there? (in my dream that is) They wanted to take back a lot of stuff but can't carry all. I offered to deliver it personally to their homes (cuz I can fly remember?).

Rummage, rummage...

Next I was in my car, but it is more than that. I can WILL my car to fly... now that is something right? Fly, fly, high into the sky...

Scene shifts. Now we are flying over water and there some scuba diving activity going on. I think I was going diving but don't really recall now. From this point, recalling the dream becomes fuzzy as an incessant alarm becomes louder. I was back on my bed waking up to the physical-bound world.

Word Arrangement

Live and learn,
Learn, and live.

Just a matter of rearranging the words but what a difference in the message conveyed.

Stirred Memories

Was talking to a friend and suddenly the name Agnes Chan popped into my head. The song The Circle Game started playing and I just had to google her name and find out what had happened to her since then. What I found really took me by surprise. Its way too long for me to put here so:

http://www.agneschan.org/aghk/eng/agnes_main.html

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

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0150781/bio


Another memory popped in and this was a sad one. I don't think there was a dry eye in the theater at the end of the show: 'Haathi Mere Saathi' or Elephant My Friend.

While I was browsing for 'Haathi Mere Saathi', something caught my attention. The lyrics to one of the songs of the show went something like 'chel, chel, chel mere saathi...' but someone in a forum got it mixed up with 'chan mali chan'.

That's when another goldie oldie came up...
Dimana dia anak kambing saya,
Anak kambing saya yang makan daun....
Dimana dia buah hati saya
Buah hati saya yang pakai baju ...
chan mali chan oi oi
chan mali chan oi oi,
chan mali chan ketipong payung

Pinging for reponse

In IT, "ping" is a command that functions like a sonar. An echo response is expected from the target computer. When there's no echo, usually means something is wrong...

But WHAT!?!

*Frustration*

Patellar Subluxation = RM584.01

Not including transport, parking and other trivial expenses incurred. Part of the cost are for a pair of aluminum crutches which will probably sit and gather dust, while one hopes that it will continue sitting to gather more dust. After all, who really wants to depends on them.

Things like these happen, and one can be thankful it is nothing more serious.

More info: Orthopedics - Patellar Subluxation or Kneecap Dislocation

Almost 15!

Has it almost been 15 years? Memories of an infant cradled in my arms remain fresh as ever. She remains as I had named her. That is all that is the same.

Algebra for Everyday Life

After applying some simple algebra to some trite phrases and clichés , a new understanding can be reached of the secret to wealth and success. Here it goes:

Knowledge is Power. Time is Money and as every engineer knows, Power is Work over Time. So, substituting algebraic equations for these time worn bits of wisdom, we get:

K = P (1)

T = M (2)

P = W/T (3)

Now, do a few simple substitutions: Put W/T in for P in equation (1), which yields: K = W/T (4).

Put M in for T into equation (4), which yields: K = W/M (5). Now we’ve got something. Expanding back into English, we get: Knowledge equals Work over Money. What this MEANS is that:

1. The More You Know, the More Work You Do, and

2. The More You Know, the Less Money You Make.

Solving for Money, we get: M = W/K (6) Money equals Work Over Knowledge.

From equation (6) we see that Money approaches infinity as Knowledge approaches zero, regardless of the Work done. What THIS MEANS is: The More you Make, the Less you Know.

Solving for Work, we get W = M x K (7) Work equals Money times Knowledge.

From equation (7) we see that Work approaches zero as Knowledge approaches zero.

What THIS MEANS is: The stupid rich do little or no work. Working out the socioeconomic implications of this breakthrough is left as an exercise for the reader.

The Feb14 Message

Always Together, Never Apart

We are always together
Even though we are apart
Though distance may be between
We are never separate in heart

For when we are together
We make beautiful memories
So we are always close
Even through mountains, vales, or seas

Through the gentle whisper of breeze
Or stars on a moonlit night
Our love talks to our hearts
With words made just right

Our hearts are always one
Though they may be two
You are always here with me
As I am always there with you

- Ethel GG Kent -



Soul Mates

Man does not measure the stars.
It is a gift he cannot count.
So it is with my love for you.
How can I tell you of my love?
Strong as the eagle, soft as the dove,
patient as the pine tree
that stands in the sun
and whispers to the wind...
'You are the one!'

Invention or Innovation?

"If you can't convince them with facts, dazzle them with bullshit!"

I love that quote and whoever said it must be a master bullshitter.

I said something today on-the-fly that would have made sense or at least made me sound like some expert.. haha. If only they knew better. I asked some vendors if they knew the difference between Invention and Innovation. Invention is driven by need said I. Innovation creates the need. Now is that great taurus feces or what?!

One of those feelings

I yearn to hear your thoughts
My heart aches for it
I try to ignore but the silence is too loud
How much more must I endure?
My strength is finite
What must I do?
What have I not done?
Suffer as Wednesday's child I do

Weekends pass too fast

Wait for 5 days only to see the weekend whizz by.
We should collectively do something about this.