It’s A Tag...

Received this tag from Yipguseng and this was something similar to Viral Tags.
~~Begin Copy~~
This is the easy way and the fastest way to:-
1. Make your Authority Technorati explode.
2. Increase your Google Page Rank.
3. Get more traffic to your blog.
4. Makes more new friends.

Rules:-
1. Start copy from “Begin Copy” until “End Copy” to your blog.
2. Put your own blog name and link.
3. Tag your friends as much as you can.

1. Picturing of Life
2. Juliana’s Site
3. Hazel-My Life, My Hope, My Future
4. Jeanne-The Callalily Space
5. Shower Your Children With Love - The Right Way
6. Life’s a journey, not a destination
7. Simple Life
8. Life is beautiful; Life is love
9. This is a miracle…
10. Project Heavy Traffic
11. UTOPIA
12. Boonage
13. Life's Happenings
~~End Copy~~

Now the passing part…i will tag this to the few people i met during the Pajama Party!
1. Curryegg
2. Skyler
3. Liyin
4. Yvonne Lee
5. Akira
6. Ione
Tags: Viral Tags, Tag, Blog Rank, Technorati, Matrix, SERP, Google Page Rank, Blog Traffic

Weekend Life in Kuala Lumpur

This morning, Poslaju, a national courier company, delivered this Apacer USB flash drive to my home courtesy of Citibank Malaysia under a credit card promotion. Thanks!

Went for a late breakfast and needs to be in church to move the music equipments over to the International Youth Centre hall located at Bandar Tun Razak for my church's Easter service tomorrow morning.

Was supposed to be at church by 3pm but the heavy thunderstorm was too much. Went in my friend's car and traffic was overwhelming at the Middle Ring Road with flash floods happening on both sides of the road.

Loaded the keyboards, mic stands, percussion set, wirings only into 1 van.

Forgotten about taking photos.

After setting up the necessary equipments, it was about 5pm and the weather was still bad. I'm sure there would be some places that would be flooded by now. Went back to church to see other teams having their last practises for tomorrow's service. Two groups of dance teams and the youth team (drama) were there.

Few of us came to my housing area and dropped by at Tasty Recipe restaurant and ordered our dinner. I ordered a Curry Fish Fillet and finished it off with two places of white rice. Everybody seems to be full until someone mentioned "Why not we go for durian?"

Well, my stomach has some remaining spaces left just for the durian. We hopped over to the durian stall just over my condo's perimeter brickwall.
Our lady friend from Hong Kong just wanted to show this big durian to her friends back in Hong Kong.










The stall owner was opening the durian for us and we just dug in finishing off five durians, right after a heavy dinner. How not to grow fat?














Out of five durians, only two were nice with the other three not up to our standards.

Until today, I still wonder why westerners couldn't cope with the durian smell. Westerners considered the smell as real pong.

In Malaysia, the durian is not allowed to be brought into hotels or airports due to westerners' smell sensitivity......hehe. It's true!

Cost - a friend treated us to it. Should have eaten more if we knew it.




The nice yellow juicy durian.
Tags: Kuala Lumpur, Poslaju, Apacer, USB Flash Drive, Citibank Malaysia, International Youth Centre, Easter Service, Bandar Tun Razak, Middle Ring Road, Tasty Recipe, Durian

Good Friday

Love this man

No one falls in love by choice, it is by CHANCE.

No one stays in love by chance, it is by WORK.

And no one falls out of love by chance, it is by CHOICE. He did something for you, now do something for him. Spread his word. Matthew 10:32 'Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will acknowledge him before My Father in heaven. But whoever disowns Me before men, I will disown him before My Father in heaven.
Tags: Good Friday, Jesus, Father in Heaven, Christianity

Another Party Theme?

On Thursday morning, I had a 3 hours sleep only due to staying up for the English Premier League match between Manchester United and Bolton. Worth staying up as Man Utd won to top the EPL, 3 points ahead of Arsenal. At 9am, went for a dim sum breakfast with my group of friends before embarking to a brainstorming session in organising the church's 20th Anniversary dinner.

Venue was at Kuchai Entrepreneur's Park. That restaurant's business was so good that even getting them to collect money as we wanted to leave took ages.













As the restaurant was not condusive for the brainstorming, we went to Amandesa condominium's poolside cafeteria (at Desa Petaling). One of the committee member stays here.
When we reached the cafeteria, we started to put four tables together as seen in the picture but the person-in-charge told us that we can't do that. HUH? Why?

He said we have to sit at different tables even though we were friends as his boss would reprimand him for allowing people to move those tables / chairs.

Really weird, isn't it? We told him that we were all friends and wanted to sit together to talk and would put all the tables / chairs back to its original positions when we are done.

Then he nodded his head and said "Oh, you all wanted to sit together but please help me put back all the tables / chairs later on".

The meeting proceeded just before 11am and went into serious discussion. With this group, however serious, ridiculous suggestions / ideas would come out from their brains. All talk only but those things would be unachievable.....haha.

Well, we like to dream and when we dream, we dream really beyond what humans could do.

As we went on, we talked about the souvenirs, ticket pricing, venue for the dinner, menu, programmes and lastly the dress code.

Just attended Nuffnang's Pajama Party on 15 March 2008 and did enjoy myself with their programmes / activities. Fresh from that, the committee wanted to have a party theme for it too. Wow, another one?

Various ideas came out:-
* Purple colour theme
* Pink colour theme (pink panther costume accepted)
* Pirates of the Caribbean theme
* Malaysian Culture theme
* The 80s theme
(at this moment, all crazy ideas went way beyond human intelligence)
* Pajama theme (my eyes rolled and nuffnangers may storm into this party)

I told them that I'm very sure that the response may not be good. The church comprise of people of all ages and those uncles / aunties (aged 60 and above) would come in their pajamas? Besides that, some could be conservative and could spoil the night by coming formally dressed for the function.

At last, we settled with this theme - Sports Theme. Immediately, the person staying in this condo went up to her apartment and came down with a shirt. She told us this shirt belongs Lin Dan from China (top badminton player).

Ok ok it would be such dress code that would be allowed.

One fella wanted to come as a chess player. We told him we would ban him from coming in.

Alternatively, a swimmer is also acceptable but you would freeze to death in the restaurant.

I thought of coming as a scuba diver but it could be boiling hot within the scuba suit.

Frontal of the shirt. Must be filled with Lin Dan's sweat too....hehe

We also decided that all committee members would have to be dressed in various sports' referee dressing. Easiest would be football as it would be all black but must come in real football socks / boots.

Referee? Which sports referee has a nice dressing? Baseball?






The meeting ended around 2.15pm and a few of us went up to our friend's house to chit chat. There goes my sleep.

What a view up from the condo where you could see the KL Tower and the Petronas Twin Towers.
On this supposedly nice day, we were supposed to enjoy the public holiday and went straight home for a rest.

As there was some rain between here and there, at one point I ran a bit say 10m - 15m distance. Do you know what? That day was the dog shit and now, the short distance slow run just to avoid the rain. I pulled my left thigh's muscles again. Oh no!

When I went for dinner, was walking as if one leg was in pain. Can't even take a full stride when I walked. My friend said "You are getting old lah". Must admit but then how could it be when I go to gym regularly. This is terrible. How am I going to participate in the dance drama this Easter Sunday?

That was my day on a public holiday. Told you that busy days are coming up again.

Related post:-
* Busy Days Coming Up Again
Tags: Dim Sum, Kuchai Entrepreneur's Park, Amandesa, Desa Petaling, Church Anniversary, Party Theme, Sports Theme, Lin Dan, Pulled Muscle, Easter Sunday

World Will Be Silent for 4 Hours

The Bali Non-Government Organisation (NGO) Collaboration for Climate Change is appealing to communities all over the world to switch off electronic appliances for four hours on March 21 to tackle global warming.

When I opened up the World Silent Day's website, I saw the following screen. They really practise what they say. Never heard of this day before, only today, after reading that the Malaysian Qualifications Agency would be participating as well albeit for two and half hours.
My office will be joining this event right after office hours ;)
Tags: World Silent Day, Bali Non-Government Organisation (NGO) Collaboration for Climate Change, NGO, Environment, Global Warming, Malaysian Qualifications Agency

Busy Days Coming Up Again

Good Friday and Easter weekend is here again and I'm involved in the dance drama. Not headed by me this time but by lady who's quite creative with choreography owing to her passion for it only. What? Johnny is involved in a dance? You didn't know that I could at least move my butt?

On Monday, the housing developer's lawyer, for my new house, called me up about the sale and purchase agreement for the new house and he was nice in emailing the draft copy for my review first. Normally you don't get to read it but sign on the spot. I remembered when I first bought my current condominium, buyers who had selected the condo unit was required to walk to another room where lawyers from the housing developers' panel of legal firms were waiting for buyers. Was given the sale and purchase agreement to be signed on the spot. Did ask what was the rush and the lawyer said it was usual for such launching event.

You got no choice but to sign it otherwise your unit would be given to another purchaser as my all the 450 condo units were sold off on that launching date itself. Take it or leave it. So, this time was something different. Even though the sale and purchase is a standard agreement, I rather read through to have the comfort of what I would be signing later on. I'm sure many of you have the same experience.

Well, the lawyer sent me a soft copy of his invoice too. How convenient. A staggering RM9,000 bill? Oh my my. I'm gonna faintttttttttt ...............

With that almost in the bag, I have to source for a financier now. Approached UOB Bank, CIMB Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Alliance Bank, Hong Leong Bank and ING Insurance. Have to be melancholy as it involves a big amount that would tie me down for next 28 years. Thought I was smart in getting many proposals so that I could make good judgement but a bit confused now with the various interest rates offered for different years by different banks. Need to meet those bankers to overcome the dizziness.

Managed to get two of the banks to send me the quotation for legal fees just for the home loan and could come up to RM6,700. I have gotten three friends to take a look at the legal fees and wondering whether I could get further discounts from those charges imposed.

Need to settle it fast as a friend of mine who bought at the same area has told me that the developer has issued a letter requesting for the payment of the second 10%. The house is expected to be completed next March 2009. Twelve more months to go.

As at todate, I have not been to the gym for last three weeks. Reason - I pulled my left thigh's muscle. How it happened - you won't believe it. Stepped onto some dog shit in a public garden and went back to the roadside to scrape those shit off my right slipper. Left leg was holding steadfastly on the ground while right leg moved rigorously, trying my best to get those shit off my slippers. The pain the day after and lasted for three weeks now albeit much much better now. Should be jumping back into the gym by early next week.

Well, tonight was a rest day and while watching the English Premier League match between Manchester United vs. Bolton live, I typed this blog entry. Man Utd was leading 2-0 at halftime and would definitely, read the words here, top the league three points ahead of Arsenal. Man Utd's year again? Hopefully (toes are crossed now).

Match will finish by 6am and I'm supposed to meet up with few friends for breakfast at 9am later on to discuss / plan for our church's 20th anniversary come August 2008. Huh? Everything 8 8 ??? Too bad 8.8.08 is on a Friday. We haven't fix the exact date but August would be the month. Dim sum breakfast at Sri Petaling ............... yummy!

Good thing the meeting would be held at a restaurant for a some brainstorming session. If it was to be held in a meeting room, I guarantee I would go zzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzz. Would come back to sleep after the meeting and hopefully those fellas don't plan for anything else that could tempt me.
Tags: Sale And Purchase Agreement, Home Loan, Legal Fees, Dim Sum Breakfast

Malaysian Style

A simple guide to Malaysian Style for foreigners in Malaysia in which Malaysians could vouch for it:-

Lesson 1
You have just landed in Kuala Lumpur International Airport and the first thing you want to do is to call your Malaysian friend. If you're calling him at home or at the office, the first thing to say on the phone is "Eh, what you doing?". If you're calling him on the handphone (cellular phone) the standard greeting is "Eh, where are you?"

Lesson 2
Your Malaysian friend has graciously offered to pick you up from the airport. He said "Give me half an hour...", be prepared to wait at least one and a half hours. This is probably your first encounter with Malaysian Timing. There's no need to adjust your watch. Whatever time a Malaysian tells you, just add another hour, and you won't go wrong.

Lesson 3
You have no friends in Malaysia (yet) and you decide to take a cab from the airport. You'll soon realize that the one-way taxi fare is more expensive than a night's stay at most decent hotels.
(this is still prevalent even though the government has said it again and again that illegal cabs wouldn't surface again)

Lesson 4
If your friendly limo or taxi driver, says "Sir, you want to try some Thai chicken?", he's definitely not suggesting a good place for Thai food. If you encounter the word "chicken" in a taxi, hotel lobby or street corner, it usually means a lady who charges you a fee in exchange for pleasure.

Lesson 5
If you're a newbie expat, your colleagues will definitely introduce you to the mini Beverly Hills of Kuala Lumpur, Bangsar. Believe me, there are other more interesting places to shop, eat and drink. And by the way, get the pronunciation right! It's "Bar-ngsar" not "Bang-sar" as in "Bangkok".

Lesson 6
Why do Malaysians call all Caucasians "Mat Sallehs"? About a hundred years ago, drunkard sailors from the West were a common sight in the Port Klang area. The locals used to call them "Mad Sailors". Somehow, it got corrupted into the Malay name "Mat Salleh". The Chinese will still call you "Gwai-Loh" or "Devil". To the more polite Hokkiens you're a "Ang Moh" or "Red Hair".

Lesson 7
If your Chinese friends invite you to join them for a Chinese meal like "Hokkien Mee" or "Bak Kut Teh", eat as much as you can. You're never gonna get it anywhere else. Not even in China, Taiwan or HongKong. There's another Malaysian invention, the "Yee Sang" or raw fish salad (served during the Chinese New Year). Before I forget,if you're the queasy type, avoid ordering "spare-parts" when you're having "Bak Kut Teh", unless you fancy all the internal parts of a pig.

Lesson 8
When you're in a restaurant, always "pop" the disposable tissue packet as loud as you can. Don't worry, nobody will get annoyed. Usually, at the end of a ten course dinner, there'll be one "Big Bang" as everybody "pop" theirs. In order to express your appreciation to your generous host, remember to throw in a loud belch as well. Although it may be normal in your own country, don't ask the waiter for a separate bill (check). Either you pay for everything or just keep your mouth (and wallet) shut. If you feel bad about it, offer to pay the next time. Anyway, don't worry too much about it as most locals know that most Mat Sallehs are "stingy buggers".

Lesson 9
Don't like to be a stingy Mat? Take your friends to a Mamak "fish-head curry" restaurant. Order the prawns and the crabs as well. Be totally reckless, don't ask about the prices and don't check your bill as well. I guarantee you'll find a big hole. The one in your pocket, not the ones you're always chasing in Bangsar. Whether you're in a five-star hotel or at a roadside stall, always ask for the "bill". Nobody will understand when you say "check" or "tab". Need a paper napkin or serviette? Just say "tissue".

Lesson 10
Every Wednesday or Thursday night is Ladies' Night at the "fun pubs" and discos. That's the night when most club operators get rid of all their stale and unwanted alcohol. They mix it into some strange cocktails and give it away free to the ladies. Ladies' Night is actually Men's Night! That's the time when all the predatory "buayas" (crocodiles) go out in full force. Stick to normal nights, you'll find less competition. If you're a lady, stay away from the "buayas" and the free drinks (unless it's pouring brands).

Lesson 11
Stop hassling the street vendor who sold you a 3 VCD set of "The Titanic" that didn't exactly meet the ISO 9000 specifications. C'mon, what can you buy for US $3 back home? Besides, you should listen to your own government and not buy pirated stuff. But from what I see at Imbi Plaza, pewter and batik are no longer the favorite souvenirs. By the way, when you're at Imbi Plaza, don't forget to check out another distinguished landmark of Malaysia; the world's first and only permanently static escalator.

Lesson 12
Malaysian drivers tend to slow down when they come across any road accidents. They are not being cautious nor are they intending to give assistance. They must catch a glimpse of that ever important "Nombor". Even if the number (license) plate is broken into a million pieces,* *the passersby will patiently re-assemble it just to obtain that "lucky" number. Then, it's off to the 4D betting shops. If the numbers don't come this way, they do some quick interpretation of their dreams through the handy Chinese Dream Book. It looks like a Clip Art Visual Catalog.
Nightmares are included as well.
Tags: Malaysian Lifestyle, Malaysian Style, Funny, Humour, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, KLIA, Malaysian Timing, Bangsar, Caucasians, Mat Sallehs, Hokkien Mee, Bak Kut Teh, Yee Sang, Disposable Tissue Packet, Mamak, Fish Head Curry, Ladies' Night, Buayas, Imbi Plaza, 4D