Belog untuk awak, Malaysia Negara Saya

For English viewer, this post will be in Bahasa Malaysia, Malaysia language. This is for 5xmom and to keep the Malaysia spirit.

Macam biasa, I sudah bangun pada tepat waktu 10 minute sebelum 12 pagi dalam malam sebelum hari merderka. Tak tahu kenapa, mungkin kerana darah yang mengalir dalam badan aku tetap adalah darah warganegara Malaysia. Walaupun kebelakangan ini jiwa dalam hati ku macam tak berapa beryakinan terhadap beberapa dasar yang telah dikemuka oleh orang yang sepatutnya melindungi hak warga Malaysia. Aku tetap buka TV untuk melihat suasana riang di tempat seperti KLCC, bukit bintang, sunway dan lain lain. Ini adalah perkara perkara yang saya selalu laku kan untuk mengingatkan saya sendiri yang saya masih adalah orang Malaysia.

Pada Hari ini, adalah hari Kermerdekaan Negara saya Malaysia yang ke 48. Hari ini adalah hari yang sama 48 tahun yang lalu di mana kita telah menjadi Malaysia yang bebas, bebas dari jajahan Mat Salleh. Di mana kita telah menglangkah tapak pertama dalam perjalanan untuk mendirikan Negara kita untuk kita sendiri. Sehingga hari ini kita masih tetap dengan semangat yang kuat untuk terus perjuangan, walaupun saya berasa ada golongan yang ada pandangan lain seakan akan sama dengan Mat Salleh pada masa itu. Harapan saya adalah untuk kita tetap sama sama berjuang untuk Negara Kita bukan untuk Negara mu atau ku atau Negara lu. Mari kita bersatu jiwa dan menghadapi larangan larangan yang selalu ada sama sama untuk Negara kita, Malaysia.

Merdeka Eve

I am not sure why this year my “feel” of a Merdeka or Malaysia National day celebration is lesser than the past year. In the past years I have even put a few flags (small one) in my house but I am not sure why this year the festive feel is not there. It could be due to the numerous news reports which I think it’s not so Malaysian, I do not wish to say which news but it somehow has dampens or lower my Malaysia Boleh feeling.

Or it could be this is the first Merdeka celebration that my dad is not around. I just could not explain. However I am still a Malaysian and I am in Malaysia, I guess I will again wake up few minutes before midnight to see the fireworks splashing across the late sky and the honk from cars signalling the Merdeka spirit. My wish for this Merdeka is that I hope Malaysia will be truly Malaysia whereby all of us are Malaysian…..

Civic 2007

I was talking to my friend on the possibilities of buying a honda. He told me the civic 2007 will be in Malaysia early next year. I search Google and I got some photos from Motortrend and some additional photos from Honda Club in europe I guess... I have put some here also. I am also looking forward to Camry 2007, another possible entry into our market early next year. My saliva dripping...slurp! slurp!... Someone knock me on the head or slap me please I am dreaming again....

QuickCam Pro4000

I got myself a webcam to replace my beat up one. It is a Logitech QuickCam Pro4000. It cost Rm275. I bought it in MidValley IT centre as today I went there to have my haircut. What prompted me to replace my current webcam? My wife bought hers, a new QuickCam Zoom to replace her beat up one yesterday in Bangkok. I saw the difference in quality between hers and mine.

She looks more beautiful and my “ugliness” was magnified with the “Hazy” video churning out of my old webcam. This is made worst with my long hair which zig zags across my big face and neck. Hence I went and have it cut to the spiky look that I love. As for the webcam I was interested in another model called Logitech Orbit or Sphere. It cost Rm600. Its one of those, which will physically follow your face within a 180% turning radius.

After looking at my wallet, I finally decided to buy the QuickCam Pro. It is not as high tech as the sphere but its churns out pretty nice looking video of me with my newly cut hair. I guess that is good enough as I do not think the sphere will makes a Tom Cruise out of me hence no point wishing a miracle….

New Addition to my blog roll

I have added the following blogs to my blog roll.

**Ches_Ca, with her blogs called "Just Dream" and her profile says "It takes gut to approach me...but don't worry, i won't eat you"

**Consuela, with her blog called "My So Called Ramblings" and her profile says. "Here I am as perfect as I'm ever going to be. You'll see, love me for me. Stick around, I'm not the kind of girl you wanna leave. You'll see, love me for me. . ".

What were you like

I got tagged by adiejin.

20 Years Ago: (1985 - I was 18)
I was fresh from school. My butt was still hot from seating in those old wooden stools when I started to work as a Trainee Draughtsman. This year was my first year in the survey office. Those were the days where I was out on the fields, carrying loads of equipment to just survey a piece of land or roads. The days whereby I hammer down screws on the streets, paint it, sit around watching the world goes by and I was back for lunch in the house before 2 pm. I was also driving my old car which is a mini manor aka Flintsone car.

10 Years Ago: (1995 - I was 28)
The previous 10 years is fill with events. My mom dies, I shifted house, give away my dog to SPCA and etc. When my life reaches this point in time, I was flying in and out from Thailand frequently. It was fun, my first overseas assignment in my current company. It was also the first for my company hence the benefit was quite good. This is the year where I catch a glimpse of my wife in Bangkok. I was the tester that conducted a programming test for potential employees. My company will screen them by groups.

5 Years Ago: (2000 - I was 33)
I went to Switzerland for 2 weeks, spent one of the most memorable vacation ever. I went there as a sick and worn out “puppy” but came back as a rejuvenate and I can kill a few tigers human. I was in a local project in one of the pioneer bank for Islamic Banking where I could see the Reformasi activities for almost a year right in front of the High Court building. My wife was with me in the same project. The year, I bought my current car which is still running fine until now, touch wood.

3 Years Ago: (2002 - I was 35)
I was in a Jakarta. I was involved in a turn key project for the biggest bank in Indonesia, which I have come to regret. I witness the 9/11 in a hotel in Jakarta. This is a project whereby I almost suffocated with work. My team was planned with 7 to 8 members (including me). I ran with only 2 (including me) for almost 4 months. I scream for help but the answer I got is “coming” same as when you ask the noodle vendor about your orders.

Last Year: (2004 - I was 37)
In the early part of the year I was enjoying myself, there is a trip which I started from flying to Bangkok to Hong Kong and then I spent few days with my father, sister and my wife in a space of 2 weeks in Langkawi. It was my last vacation I have with my Dad. In the 3rd quarter of the year I was diagnosed with Kidney cancer and after 2 months plus my dad passed away suddenly. My life was totally changed from a 210 lbs elephant to a 165 lbs quite ok looking guy. My eating habit transformed from frequent KFC to steam fish and vegetables only. I started this blog after the tusnami.

This Year: ( 2005 - I am 38 )
This year is the year whereby my wife moves into the Bangkok house. Money was going out like running water from a pipe. I am still sticking to a strict diet and I have gone through 3 follow up checks. Occasionally I went out and dine but its in organic eatery or eatery that does not use MSG. And so far everything is fine although now I am on medication for “Heart Burn” which was diagnosed after an endoscope. Just got my increment and it’s the worst so far after 12 years in the company. I guess it could be that the economy is bad or finally they realise that I could no longer contribute as I used to. That is fact of life as I am now under the deadwood category.

Next Year:
To drive a above Rm140K car and still breathing. If I could find a nice place to stay, I will buy it.

10 Years From Now:
I hope I am still alive and enjoying my fruits of labour.

Best 'Out of Office' Reply of the lot

>>1. I am currently out at a job interview and will reply to you if I fail
>>to get the position. Be prepared for my mood.
>>
>>2. You are receiving this automatic notification because I am out of the
>>office. If I was in, chances are you wouldn't have received anything at
>>all.
>>
>>3. I will be unable to delete all the unread, worthless emails you send
>>me until I return from holiday on 4 April. Please be patient and your
>>mail will be deleted in the order it was received.
>>
>>4. Thank you for your email. Your credit card has been charged £5.99 for
>>the first ten words and £1.99 for each additional word in your message.
>>
>>5. The e-mail server is unable to verify your server connection and is
>>unable to deliver this message. Please restart your computer and try
>>sending again.'(The beauty of this is that when you return, you can see
>>how many in-duh-viduals did this over and over).
>>
>>6. Thank you for your message, which has been added to a queuing system..
>>You are currently in 352nd place, and can expect to receive a reply in
>>approximately 19 weeks.
>>
>>7. I've run away to join a different circus.
>>
>>AND, FINALLY, THIS ONE TAKES THE CAKE:
>>
>>8. I will be out of the office for the next 2 weeks for medical
reasons...
>>When I return, please refer to me as ' Margaret ' instead of 'Steve'.

Sexy Singer

I guess every year in the seventh month of Chinese, the hungry ghost festival; I always see this particular new item, singers and dancers performing sexy routines. I am not sure how come there is a big fuss about it. Some comments I heard (from early 30’s reader) so far is that it is not appropriate for them to wear such outfit in such occasion whereby the main theme is Ghost Festival. However the remark by 71 years old women (refer to news article) really make my day, she finds it enjoyable and fun.

I guess maybe “IT” might also be enjoying the sexy dance and routines being performed. I do not think the costume they wore is that revealing. “IT” might have been looking forward to this type of shows as it could be quite boring on the other side of the world, not that I have been there. I seen worst one in MTV and Channel V, boobs were popping in and out of a dress synchronising with the drum beats. Up and down it goes with each “Bomb! Bomb!”. I could even see some girls with thongs parading around and all this is from reputable and famous singers.

As for the singers in the ghost festival, they need to wear that type of dress to spice up the show and also to entice the audience. Bear in mind this singers is not as famous as Siti Nurhaliza who can just moved thousand ships with her voice and face. If they wore plain clothes and stand still, they could have been booed off the stage. To me as long as the dress is not that revealing, it should be fine, it just add some spice and fun to the festival.

Your own private space and time

Human live in a community, where everyone shares its space, is there such thing as own private space and time? Even if there is one it will not be permanent. As we sat in the toilet conducting our business, we have the whole four walls to ourselves. However once you flush, wipe your ass and walk out the door, you are back to the open space. Even at that most private moment you are actually using a space which is meant to be shared.

A small window of time whereby you are by yourself, deep in thoughts, thinking the next big plan or in solitude after a long day putting on a false face. It is just you and the by product from your body that is being pushed out. Some wish that time is a time where you could be left alone with your own thoughts. However most of us will ultimately think of the things that were happening or have happened outside the toilet door. As we are still human we care and shared our everyday lives.

The only way that you can really be alone is how you can really control the tiny little brain of yours. Once you mastered that you are your own master of your soul. You can be alone in whatever place imaginable. However some have overdone it until it has breached that level of “loss contact” with the outside world. We should have our own private space and time, however we are human we live in a community, we interact to stay “alive” although there are times we need that space and that time. When and what do you deem to be your own private space and time?

Wireless in BKK

I managed to setup the wireless router at my friend, Chat’s house yesterday. So my wife was surfing happily. I did surf a while until sleep bug bites me. It was quite tiring as I need to walk across the road, set it up, goes back to my house, test it out at the first floor. Then walk 3 flights of stairs then test it at the master bedroom. It was fun though, the joy of seeing the wireless signals lighting up.

Initially we were quite skeptical if the signal can really reach the house as it needs to travel across the street, passing my friend Toyota Hilux which is a tall car which could actually block an elephant if it’s needed, hahaha just joking. So when we went to the mall, we did not go to Panthip as it was quite far and I was still feeling a bit sick (feverish). Hence we went to the nearest mall instead. We were shown with 2 brands and multiple models to pick from.

First there is the Belkin model which could actually transmit up to 900 meters. Believe it or not but of course the price is approximately Rm890. The next available model or shall I say cheaper model could transmit up to 200 meters and it cost around Rm450. We then look at the D link models. There is one which could transmit up to 200 meters which cost around Rm420 and another Rm390 which could transmit up to 300 meters. The curious thing is that the model that transmits less is more expensive.

After comparing the features, it seems it’s a 104mbps model hence the word extreme is part of the model name. Anyway we are just looking for a model that is cheap and can be use, hence we finally bought the model DSL-G604T and I am now using it, in my bedroom on the 3rd floor…

Second Home

I will be going to Bangkok tomorrow. I will be there until Monday. Bangkok has become a second home to me. This trip my main priority is to look for a wireless router that is if I have the time to shop around Panthip Plaza, a place similar to Malaysia Low Yat plaza. I am looking for a router that is strong enough to transmit across the street, a distance of approximately 50 meters. Why some might ask?

The reason is that now my house in Thailand does not have a phone line. We have applied for one and it has been almost 2 months already and there is no news at all. A friend of mine has waited for a year for his second phone line and he is still waiting. According to the phone company the ports have been used up hence they are waiting for a certain number of applicants before they install another exchange or whatever they called it.

I am trying to use my friend broadband to access the internet. We intend to have a wireless router install at his place which is just across my house. We hopes that the router is strong enough to transmit the radio signal across the street, possibly by passing a few SUV, jeeps, dogs, cats and a few walls before reaching my house. Or anyone has any suggestion as my wife is desperate and hunger for some net surfing activities……