The Perfect Man

The following missive arrived at my inbox one fine day.

As Kyle's life and career coach I actively encourage him to seek out new opportunities and nurture productive relationships with other people. One recent initiative he's taking is looking for a life partner. To facilitate his search, I've ... blah blah blah

PL, please advise when you've written the personal ad for him on your blog.

Best wishes,
Kyle’s life & career coach


The thing about my life is that I have really interesting (read whacky) friends. Never a dull moment, eh? Hehehehe … In this case, I have been tasked with a heavy responsibility to create a personal ad for this friend, Kyle. And for the sake of his future, I dare not fail. (I shall ignore the fact that I had joked and volunteered for this during one of our trekking trips.) I hope I still have two friends after this. No regrets Kyle & Kyle’s coach. Regrets are for sissies! :p

I ain’t no personal ad writer, so here goes nothing …


Kyle Seto
-------------------------------------

Canadian citizen, Chinese born,
Canadian accent but he ain’t no blond.

A rojak influence of East and West,
Dare I claim that he comes from the best?

A steady income, a noble profession,
In education, he shares his passion.

House keeping skills, that’s a probability,
Green card options, perhaps a possibility.

Not too young, not too old,
Just ngam ngam thirty five years old.

Not too tall, not that short,
No bag of bones, certainly not bald!

Cutesy in purple, snazzy in blue,
Watch out for the smile that he flashes you.


Cutesy in Purple ...


Snazzy in Blue ...

Is he what you are looking for?
If yes, then wait no more!

The queue is long, the time is short,
His fans are beating down his “fort”.

Clear your calendar, book his time,
Catch this social butterfly at his prime,

Quick! Drown him with photos, drop him a line,
Grab this perfect man for he is a real find!

------------- The End -------------

From the creative juices of Leanne’s shrinking muse

P.S. Hey Kyle, if this really works for you, I get finder's fee ok. You better make it a huge one! :P

For Money or for …

Career.
Happiness.
Job Satisfaction.
Security.
Etc., etc.
What do we work for?

These thoughts have been on my mind a lot lately. Not because I am in a dilemma (although it’s worth taking stock of our situation every now and then) but because the people within my circle of influence are.

My eldest sister for instance, finally handed in her resignation, after much prodding from us. It is not because she dislikes her work; it is because of the untenable company system she works within which she has tried to change but failed in the last few years. She has finally given up on hitting her head against the brick wall.

My younger sister on the other hand has an opportunity to move to a position that she has dreamed of for a long while but … she has to sacrifice quite a large sum of her current fringe benefits to attain what she wants. We shall await her final decision.

My cousin, who has just graduated and joined the rat race, has resigned after a month in a research company and returned to the world of academics as a lecturer. Many would have said that career wise; it’s not such a good move. But knowing my cousin, the job of a lecturer would probably be perfect for him. His musings on education can be found here in his blog.

Then, there’s this friend, who has recently given up on a cushy job and decided to work full time as a gym instructor.

And another friend who has refused to take up a high paying job with an investment company in KL because it would mean she has to uproot herself from her comfort zone in Penang.

One friend, despite her unhappiness, has not moved from her job because she wishes to complete her MBA first.

There are two Canadian friends who have forsaken better remuneration lecturing elsewhere for an experience to work in Malaysia.

And if I dig deep enough in my memory bank, there would be many more instances and examples.

What really motivate all of them? Obviously not merely money.

For me, remuneration would always be part of the total package but it is not THE top priority. After all, I have taken a tremendous pay cut to join a dotcom company once upon a time. Job satisfaction, social circle, company culture, company politics, and remuneration ~ all these play a part in the final decision.

My philosophy is simple. There is no perfect job (at least not within the realm of my experience) and there is no perfect company. When I am very unhappy and dissatisfied with the job and/or company, I’ll go through the following line of thought.

“Can I change the situation? If yes, I stay. If no, then … can I change my attitude/ perception and accept the situation as is? If yes, I stay. If no, I’ll leave.”

Some say the reality is not as simple as that. Sometimes we are stuck with responsibilities that make leaving the job more difficult. (This is in situations where we do not have a better option.) But again, the choice is ours. We could sacrifice on certain part of our lifestyle if we really cannot stand the situation. Or if we really want to continue with our lifestyle (that clearly shows where our priority lies), we have to adjust our thoughts and attitude and accept/ tolerate the situation.

So perhaps, it is really that simple after all.

From the mouth of babies!

Recently, a friend forwarded me an email on letters from kids to God. I found the following letter and thought that it was a gem of a letter from just a kid. Profound isn't it?

kid's letter to god, originally uploaded by Leanne's shots.

Another failed attempt

Why am I blogging at 6 in the morning? Good question! It’s because this is the second failed attempt to go biking and I can’t go back to sleep.

Sometime back, a few of the siau gang considered going on a cross country road bike (as in bicycle) tour later in the year. Needless to say, I was tempted.

Nevermind that I didn’t own a bike.

Nevermind that I might not have enough leave to go on a cross country road tour.

Nevermind that I am not an RPM fan in the gym and that those who are planning to go are either RPM instructors or RPM hardcore riders.
(Note: To the uninitiated, RPM is a cardio class offered in the gym where one spends 45 minutes on a stationary bike simulating hill rides and races.)

“After all, what the mind can conceive, the body can achieve.” Yeah! Yeah! Will have to relook at this quote later. :P

Just a couple of weeks back, the siau gang decided that the first trial would be to cycle to Port Dickson and back. Now, that is over 100kms one way. I was sceptical. First attempt for a non RPM goer and a non biker. That’s like committing physical suicide! :p It’s a little over the top even for me. So, we decided to go on a short trial ride to Bukit Jalil and back. I am told that it’s about 20kms but I stand corrected.

And thus, a couple of weeks back, I went to a bike shop to borrow a bike to go riding with these siau friends of mine the next day. The guy at the shop took one look at me and said that he did not have a bike my size on loan. Ehhh … to the unitiated, a bike my size would mean a smaller frame. After all, not everyone is born to be more than 5.5 footers!

What to do? No bike and I desperately wanted to try biking again. My first attempt was in 2002 and I have been considering this sport ever since. However, I resisted as I did not want another “white elephant” in my “closet”.

I digress. In any case, I made a rash decision and bought a spunky new bike! I blew RM1,300 on it and another RM470 on accessories. Yup! Rash decision it was. But look at my spunky new bike. He’s a darling, ain’t he? :D


My new baby!

Peik Lean Y.

I am now fully equipped to go biking!

Unfortunately, the next morning dawned cloudy and rainy. And it rained and rained and rained. Thus the trip was cancelled. The next few attempts were not as disappointing as I did not have to get up as early as 5.30 am to have it cancelled again.

But today … well, another failed attempt! :( The only male member in today’s riding trip is down with a sore throat and had to opt out. After hearing all the scary stories about women biking on their own, we decided to call it off again until we get more male muscle to join the trip. Sigh! At this rate, I fear my bike is gonna be another white elephant.

Oh well, what the mind can conceive, the body can achieve. I just have to keep bugging my siau friends to fulfil this part of the bargain. Hahahaha …

Dang! And it’s such a beautiful looking morning too!

When ignorance is not bliss!!!

Warning: This post is neither politically correct nor diplomatically written. It may be offensive to some and vulgar to others. Therefore, read at your own peril. If you can’t take it, ditch it!

Safe sex and preventive measures ~ who is responsible? Do we even know what that entails?

Recently, a friend broached the subject and I was a little shock at her ignorance and blind trust. She left it entirely to her boyfriend to take care of the matter. (As the relationship has only recently developed and he is rather the dark horse, there was some cause for concern.) He told her that she would be safe as long as he ejaculates outside her womb. As she was told the same thing by another friend, she felt safe. I was appalled.

In this time and age, pregnancy is only one concern; the other concern is the number of diseases a person can contract if her lover had indiscriminate sex prior to that. Thus, it is important to at least try to find out where his “dipstick” had … well, dipped. Otherwise, check if he had a recent health check and been pronounced “clean” by the doc. Ultimately, if all else fails and one must still get on with it, then using a prophylactic would likely be the safest.

Ejaculation outside the womb at the end does not mean that leakage would not happen while in the process. And to paraphrase the following line “a single drop of water and the desert blooms”, well we could literally say “a sheer drop of semen and your womb blooms!” Dramatic as that might sound, it is always better to be safe than sorry. There is a Cantonese saying that is very appropriate, “mmm pah yat maan, hai pah maan yat!” Translated, it means “fear not of the 10,000 consequences but be fearful of that ONE out of the 10,000 consequences!”

Being a woman is no excuse to be ignorant about sex and its consequences. It is no excuse for women to leave the preventive measures solely to men. Because ultimately, the person who stands to lose the most is the woman.

Sex education … It’s no more a matter of should we or should we not. It’s a matter of when. It’s appalling how ignorant we are and that is not limited to teens. Being pious and religious is no excuse to be ignorant. Being part of the decision makers on education and censorship policies is no excuse to bury our heads in the sand like an ostrich. We could no longer pretend that if we do not talk about sex, write about sex, watch sexual acts and teach about sex, we would not have sex! Just like if we do not teach the young preventive measures, they would not have sex! Ridiculous as that may sound, that’s precisely what the actions taken by certain powers that be are propagating.

But the power is in our hands; especially when it concerns our ultimate well-being. Do not leave it to others to dictate our own safety because ultimately, ignorance is NOT bliss!

Dad & Mom, I have not said “thank you” enough.

A recent event triggered this post. How often do we take our parents for granted? And yet do we realise how often their actions have our best interests at heart; whether we appreciate it or not?

Sometime last year, we decided to purchase a new car for our parents. We felt we are financially stable enough to withstand paying off another loan and since this one would be shared among the three of us, we encouraged our parents to get a better car. Suffice to say they started to worry that this purchase would be a huge burden to us, even before they placed a booking.

After some nagging, they finally took the plunge. But then we discovered yesterday that when they calculated the repayment value, they included a portion to be paid off by them. When asked why, mom replied, “Your dad and I feel guilty about burdening all of you with a huge loan repayment. You have other responsibilities and commitments.”

Consider this; my parents were the ones who helped us get started when we first graduated by paying a large down payment for our first cars. And now, they who are pensioners and are getting a monthly pittance from the government are willing to fork out money to pay a portion to lighten our supposed financial burden. I am humbled by that thought. Suffice to say, we talked them out of that hare brain scheme.

Looking back, there have been so many instances in our lives that they have sacrificed and influenced. If not for them, I might not have developed a love for reading which has allowed me to explore a whole new world. If not for them, I might not have known and appreciated the value of money. If not for them, I might not have learnt that there are values that one just can’t compromise. If not for them, I would not have challenged the status quo and pushed the limits of acceptance.

My parents brought us up on a government servant salary and while we have no trappings of great wealth, we grew up relatively comfortable, psychologically well-balanced and physically healthy. We are no rags-to-riches story but I am thankful to my parents because their influences have shaped my past and present, and they will hold me in good stead to face the future.

How often would you venture that our parents’ thoughts and worries are for us? How often do we show our appreciation in return? How often do we put their interests at heart? My struggle has always been to maintain a balance between what I want to achieve and what they need, and that has not been easy. Because when we get down to the bottom of it, all they ask for is our time and our presence. Is that too much to ask for? Probably not.

Dad & Mom, thank you and I am trying.

Of Gay and Lesbian relationships

There have been many conversations centred on gay and lesbian relationships (especially gay) since I met the siau gang. I could only accord the interest to several reasons. One, since we joined the gym, we have been exposed to a large number of gays who seemed quite obvious and open about their sexual preferences. Two, it is human nature to be curious about things we do not know and cannot comprehend. Three, the gang is curious enough to engage in open conversations on these relationships. When we say we are ok with these relationships, are we truly accepting them or are we merely paying lip service? After all, talk is cheap but do we walk the talk?

Two years ago, I was in London on a project which stretched over two weekends. Coincidentally, I spent one weekend with a gay friend and his partner, and the subsequent weekend with a lesbian friend and her partner. In my mind, I have never referred to them as that gay friend or that lesbian friend. They are just good friends of mine who have moved to live in a country that is more accepting of their sexual preferences and way of life. They have never made me uncomfortable before regarding their sexual preferences.

In any case, it was in London that I first spent more than a few hours in the presence of gay and lesbian couples. It was truly an eye opener. Knowing something about your friend is one thing. Seeing that something in action is an entirely different experience. There were no obvious moves but like any normal couple, there was a lingering touch here and an intimate look there.

The nature of these relationships truly hit home when during a conversation regarding my lesbian friend’s ex-husband (She once tried to lead a normal life; i.e. acquired a husband and the whole works but it didn’t work out!), her partner laughingly said, “But he has something that she doesn’t want.” The obvious reference to the male anatomy was not lost on me. And the seemingly innocuous remark stopped me in mid conversation for a few moments as I quickly recollected my thoughts. I hope I looked sufficiently blasé and did not gape like a fish. :p

The second incident was at the gay couple’s residence. We were watching a movie when a bed scene of a heterosexual couple appeared. The “female” gay partner suddenly remarked, “Look at those hanging boobs! It’s so disgusting!” And he promptly changed the channel. I was stunned for a moment and suddenly felt so inadequate about having boobs. Thinking back, it was hilarious. I was at a total lost for words and at that moment, I wished the earth would open up and swallow me whole.

My point, it is easy to say that we accept gay and lesbian relationships but when faced with the reality of those relationships, it is more difficult to handle and accept them. One of the siau gang recently caught the movie “Brokeback Mountain” and her comment was that she was uncomfortable with the scenes between the two gay lovers although these were only kissing scenes and there was no humping and pumping. She wanted to pass me the DVD but I was reluctant to take it. I told her that it’s because I couldn’t bear to watch such a manly guy like Heath Ledger playing a gay role. But could it be that I am, unconsciously, unable to accept such a relationship? Hmmm ….

I remembered watching “As Is”, a theatre production on a gay relationship, between characters played by Jit Murad and Zahim Albakri, more than a decade ago. It was a very controversial piece at a time when gay and lesbian relationships were not publicly discussed and HIV/ AIDS were universally feared. But it was a wonderful piece of work that probably changed some of my outlook on these relationships. A review of this play which was performed in another country can be found here.

I have walked through an entire emotional roller coaster with a friend who had to decide between conforming to norm by sticking to a heterosexual relationship or throwing caution to the winds and following her heart. It was no easy choice for her at that time and love is love irregardless of whether the relationship is hetero or homosexual. It doesn’t make watching her pain then any less real. And it doesn’t make watching her happiness now any less joyful. How then can I object to or censure such a relationship?

Yet having gone through all these experiences, I am still unsure of where I stand. A part of me (that part which was brought up in a convent school and was used to conforming to society) would like to take the moral high ground by saying that this is not normal! Another part of me (the one that has travelled much and had gone through that emotional roller coaster with a friend) feels compelled to defend these relationships. After all, they can’t help their sexual preferences.

Or can they?

I shall leave the morality issues to those who think they know better; because I know not. All I can do is to sigh with regret when I am told that a delicious-looking man that I have been eyeing is gay.

“Nothing that looks that good is straight!” A friend told me repeatedly.

Darn! Putus steam saje! And another one bites the dust! Life is tough. Not only are our choices dwindling fast but we have to “fight off” the womenfolk as well as the men folk. Who says life is fair? But despite all these trials and tribulations, I shall still stick to my personal motto, “a plug must go with a socket”! Hahaha …

Have a good day ahead!

YES! I DID IT AGAIN!

OK. Confession time. Part of the reason I was Missing In Action for so long was because I was also on vacation recently. And yes, I was up in the mountains seeking for my muse, my inspiration and another triumphant tale to tell.

Three years ago in May, a group of friends and I climbed Mount Kinabalu via Timpohon Gate, and we (the whole group) emerged triumphant.

A week plus ago, another group of friends and I climbed the mountain again, this time via Mersilau Trail. And this group too made it to the top!

Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in South East Asia, @ 4,095m! Three years might have passed, but the beauty of the mountain has not changed. Below are pictures from both occassions.

The journey up Mount Kinabalu via the Mersilau Trail, a week plus ago

Water falls found along the trail


Streams found along the trail


Bonsai Trees or Sayat-sayat along the trail


The Mersilau Trail joins the Timpohon Trail
about 2km before Laban Rata


Laban Rata


South Peak


At Low's Peak


Low's Gully



The journey up Mount Kinabalu via Timpohon Gate, three years ago

Sunrise at Low's Peak


At Low's Peak


St John's Peak

Time ~ those fleeting moments

I have been blog silent recently. My Slovenia account was stalled for awhile but I have just updated it. My apologies that it is slow in coming but it is after all at the mercy of my muse and of course, time!

Truly, being busy is only part of the reason that blogging has almost come to a halt. The other reason is that blogging has lost its initial lustre. More and more, I find myself struggling to prioritise my time between work, activities and the people who matter in my life. I wonder if it is only me that has this problem. Perhaps I am totally hopeless at time management.

Time flies, doesn’t it?

I just found out that an ex boss of mine has been posted to Taiwan. I have not met him for years. We have been talking about meeting up since forever but we never really got round to that. Now, he has already left for Taiwan.

Another friend called recently asking if I have dropped off the face of earth. The last I met her was just after she had given birth to her second kid at the end of last year. The kid could probably crawl by now.

How fleeting these moments are and how soon they are gone. It made me think perhaps I have not made as much of it as I should have.

How do you measure time?

I was chatting with a friend recently. His work is marked by the period of each contract and he just got into another three year project in Saudi Arabia. To him, time is measured in blocks of weeks that he gets to come back to Malaysia.

Another friend works as an engineer on a vessel. His job requires him to go out to sea for four months at a time. When he returns to land, he gets a four-month rest with absolutely nothing to do. For him, his time is measured in blocks of four months.

For me? Time seems to be immeasurable. I seem to fleet from one thing to another and before I know it, six months have passed. Somehow I find myself unable to take control of it.

Can you?

I leave you with this beautiful piece on …


Time
(from The Prophet)
by Khalil Gibran

And an astronomer said, 'Master, what of Time?'

And he answered:

You would measure time the measureless and the immeasurable.

You would adjust your conduct and even direct the course of your spirit according to hours and seasons.

Of time you would make a stream upon whose bank you would sit and watch its flowing.

Yet the timeless in you is aware of life's timelessness,

And knows that yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream.

And that that which sings and contemplates in you is still dwelling within the bounds of that first moment which scattered the stars into space.

Who among you does not feel that his power to love is boundless?

And yet who does not feel that very love, though boundless, encompassed within the centre of his being, and moving not from love thought to love thought, nor from love deeds to other love deeds?

And is not time even as love is, undivided and paceless?

But if in you thought you must measure time into seasons, let each season encircle all the other seasons,

And let today embrace the past with remembrance and the future with longing.

The Project

When I first started blogging, the idea was to blog about my travels. But along the way, the project died down because it was such a huge undertaking. In any case, I promised myself I shall get right to it once I completed my studies. And so here they are.

Check them out on My Travel Experiences on the sidebar of this blog. Check out my first travellogue on my trip to Slovenia.

How to be rich?

Money makes the world go round or so it seems. Those who don’t have it wants it, those who have it wants more of it. It’s an endless vicious cycle.

In Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Robert T. Kiyosaki wrote “The Rich don’t work for money. The Rich have money work for them.” Which simply translates to, money makes more money. But how to get THAT money in the first place before we get it to work for us?

You might want to check out Mr Kiyosaki's book where he divulged secrets on What the Rich teach their kids about Money - that the Poor and Middle Class do not!

Peik Lean Y.

In the mean time, you could also check out the following advice from a very philosophical colleague. In all seriousness, he told us,

“Young ladies, you can’t choose your father BUT ... you CAN choose your father-in-law!!! Please do not waste that choice like me. I can’t do anything about it now that I am committed but you … you still can. So, while you still can, choose wisely!”

Ahah! That’s one way. Marry a man with a rich dad.

In any case, during an extremely "stressed out" at work period, a group of us ladies gathered and discussed ways to become women of leisure. We concluded that we could only do so if (in addition to the above) :

1) We marry a filthy rich old man who adores us and lavish tons of money on us. That could only happen if a) we are extremely beautiful and b) we are willing to become trophy wives. Then again, there are so many SYTs (sweet young things) around that one day; someone would surely supplant us in that position.

Or 2) We have a filthy rich dad who dotes on us and grant us our every desire.

Or 3) We get a sudden windfall from a filthy rich relative who has no descendants and we are the next in line.

Or 4) We win the national lottery BIG TIME and become filthy rich all on our own.

However, being practical people, we saw no possibility of achieving any of the above. Thus, we will have to settle for slogging away to earn our keep and live a humble and peaceful existence. :p

Dang! What a pity! Any one has an extra million dollars to spare? I promise I’ll make that money work for me!!! :D

I can resist anything except temptation!

Bubble Shooter

Peik Lean Y.

It all started more than a week ago when I finally gained my freedom from the self imposed prison (herein known as "that episode" in my life). I met up with my sis for dinner and she showed off her brand new PDA. While messing around with this "new" toy, I discovered "the bubble game"!

Now, I know it's not new to the tech savvy and the "in" folks but as I did not aspire to be an "opinion leader", this toy is kinda new to me! Ya! Ya! I am a marketer's nightmare! I refused to be trapped into keeping up with the Joneses by buying all these costly gadgets which would become a white elephant in no time! :P

I digress. In any case, I started playing that game on the PDA throughout dinner. I was so hooked. I only returned the PDA to my sis on threats of dismemberment. Bleh! Anyway, being the smarty pants that I am, I had this great idea to google the game and download it on my computer. And so I did!

Thus began the journey of succumbing to temptation and getting drawn into total addiction. I have been playing that game every night and I played it till the wee hours of the morn. Every time, I would tell myself it's only for an hour, but I ended up playing like 4-5 hours! My god! I was soooo hooked.

However last night was the last straw. Once again, I exceeded my allocated one hour of play. The game was taking over my beauty sleep. It was taking over my time to blog and to reply emails. It was taking over my life! Goodness!

I finally took a huge step in prevention and self preservation! I uninstalled the game. Oh boy! Temptation is sooo difficult to resist! So far so good today. I have yet to download the programme. I best go off to bed now while my will power is still strong.

Good night Malaysia wherever you are.

Disclaimer:
The link for the game is at the top if you want to check it out. However, I shall not be held responsible for any addiction and temptation. You are on your own. Try it at your own peril! :P

Old Man’s Club

Running out of ideas on what to do on a Friday night?

Tired of the endless rounds of hanging out at a “meat market”? That’s what one of my ang moh IT contractors called Beach Club and the likes. He claimed that folks go there to “trade their wares”. He also claimed to have been approached by quite a few SPGs (Sarong Party Girls, to the uninitiated).

Getting sick of watching American Idol on national TV? Need a dose of a little more excitement?

You can try the old man’s club at Rain Tree Club! For those who are old enough to have heard of the club during its heydays, yes! it is still around! A friend has been raving about this old man’s club he has joined in recent times. He said it’s the best place to de-stress and talk his troubles away. He claimed that his “old” friends there (literally old) have been a fountain of advice and good cheer.

In any case, you would understand my lack of enthusiasm when my trip to JB was cancelled yesterday, and another friend called me up and asked me to join them to chill out there. Chill out on a Friday night at the old man’s club?!!! I’d rather spend Friday night watching the hunks in the gym having a go at the weights or watching the gorgeous “Ace” belting away on American Idol. But, went there I did. After all, what are friends for if not to give way some times to hare brain schemes? : )

But enjoyed the night, we did ~ drinking and karaoke! We (my other girlfriend and I) caused a bit of a stir when we walked into the pub. Understand this ~ the club is a hangout joint for retirees and semi retirees and they are mostly men. So there! For certain, it was good for the ego and of course, one feels very young there. : ) But what is interesting is the regular patrons there. Beers and conversations flowed easily in an intimate setting. And everyone seems to know everyone else. And if they don’t, they warmly welcome you to the pub. It reminded me of the sitcom “Cheers”, where everyone knows your name.

Now, that’s the way to live after retirement! : ) Cheers!

Liberation!

Fair Warning:
This is not a post on political affiliation or the fight for freedom and liberation. This is a post for my own self gratification after a 3-month long hiatus on a self-imposed prison!

Gosh! Finally the sword of Damocles is off my neck! I have finally completed my dissertation. Will be submitting it this Monday once I have it bound.

I am so giddy with relief and elation that some friends thought that I am high on marijuana or something. Bleh! It's just good old liberation my dears! Now I understand how imprisonment feel although mine is a small matter compared to the real McCoy.

I have been out of the "doghouse" since Wednesday. Had a small dinner celebration with the siau gang. I was off to a badminton game last night with my fellow MBA coursemates. Woo hoo! Life after dissertation is simply perfect! After months of no exercise, ze ol' bones and muscles are finally getting a real workout! Luckily they are not in as bad a shape as I thought. I only feel a wee bit of ache today. Hehehe ... We shall see about tomorrow. Seems like there's a whole line up of activities in store this weekend. Woo hoo! Look out world. Here I come!

Alrighty! Gotta leave now to catch up on some shopping and a combat class. It's a Fly day after all.

Good weekend ahead folks!

Demonstration at KLCC

The gathering crowd


The recent fuel price increase has proven perhaps too much for the rakyat. At approximately 2.30pm today, a crowd gathered in front of KLCC to protest the recent fuel price increase of 30 sen per litre. This is the second demonstration since last Friday although that demonstration did not appear on national TV or national news.

It was a peaceful demonstration by the rakyat holding banners in protest of the price increase. The FRUs were at the scene of the demonstration and there were press taking photographs although I suspect these were foreign press. A helicopter also hovered around the building during the period of the protest. Looking at the various banners, it was obvious that the demonstration was led by the opposition. The people were carrying PAS and Keadilan flags and banners. There was a spokesman speaking through the hailer although we were unable to hear much of what was said.

The protest lasted perhaps about an hour to an hour and the half before the crowd dispersed.


Below are three messages seen on the banners:

Ten things NOT to do when you are on leave to finish your dissertation!

1. Wake up at 11.30am as you are catching up on weeks and weeks of lost sleep!

2. Download and answer office emails. (You might as well go back and work!)

3. Have a teleconference with your regional bosses to settle some issues. (See comment no. 2)

4. Channel surf the idiot box.

5. BLOG!!!!

6. Read other people's blogs!

7. Chat with friends on yahoo messenger.

8. Try to figure out how strangers found your blog.

9. Watch DVDs. (OK. I have not done that yet. Just a reminder to myself not to do so! :P)

10. Get Online. (That's the start of most of the above chain of events! :P)

Alrighty! I better get back to the dreaded "thang"! Don't think I can stand much of this self imposed exile. Will surface later if I actually get some work done!

Ciao. Good day Malaysia!

I want to thank ... blah blah blah blah

Have you ever been put in the spotlight and suddenly your memory draws a blank and you can think of nothing witty to say? Have you ever wished that you are able to woo your audience with such eloquence? Have you ever dreamed of being witty, funny and serious all at once? Have you ever wanted to be able to say so much with so little?

For me, yes to all the above!

And that's what I love about watching the Oscars. It can be a pain watching speech after boring speech after boring speech ... zzzzz. But once in a while, you catch a glimpse of such eloquence and brilliance, that touches not just your mind, but your heart as well.

Tonight, what stood out for me were two speeches. One by George Clooney and the other by Ang Lee.

George's speech encompassed the three ingredients that I wish I could have made so effortlessly as he seemed to have done. He managed to sound witty, funny and serious all at the same time. The following is an excerpt from his speech.

The part that drew the chuckles ...
"Wow. Wow. All right, so I'm not winning director. It's the funny thing about winning an Academy Award, it will always be synonymous with your name from here on in. It will be Oscar winner, George Clooney. Sexiest Man Alive, 1997."

The part that made one feel proud to be a part of Hollywood ...
"And finally, I would say that, you know, we are a little bit out of touch in Hollywood every once in a while. I think it's probably a good thing. We're the ones who talk about AIDS when it was just being whispered, and we talked about civil rights when it wasn't really popular. And we, you know, we bring up subjects. This Academy, this group of people gave Hattie McDaniel an Oscar in 1939 when blacks were still sitting in the backs of theaters. I'm proud to be a part of this Academy. Proud to be part of this community, and proud to be out of touch."

And as for Ang Lee, I have only the deepest respect for him ~ to be able not only to cross the racial and cultural divide, but to be able to direct a movie that has nothing to do with his Asian upbringing. Here, I am talking about the cowboy and the gay bits. Although if we consider deeper, love is universal. And despite all the countroversy of gay cowboys, Brokeback Mountain is first and foremost a beautiful love story.

Despite and in spite of all his achievements, it's a pleasure to hear Ang Lee speak as he still managed to come across as that humble Chinese man. In the words of a friend, "... the really great thing about Ang Lee is that you can still see him as that Ah Pek sitting at the Kopitiam"!

And his speech is equally eloquent. The following is an excerpt that I like.
"First of all, i want to thank two people who don't even exist. Or I should say, they do exist, because of the imagination of Annie Proulx and the artistry of Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana. Their names are Ennis and Jack. And they taught all of us who made "Brokeback Mountain" so much about not just all the gay men and women whose love is denied by society, but just as important, the greatness of love itself. Thank you."

Here's to great speeches and public eloquence. May I be bestowed with them from herein onwards! :)

Of "quality men", mama's boys and "Fly Guy" ...

Pardon moi! I just can't get over the NST article last Saturday on the reasons why women are not getting married ~ one of which is because of the lack of "quality men" in Malaysia! Hahahaha ...

In any case, over the Big Bang Breakfast show this morning, the topic of discussion is "what should a woman do if her boyfriend turns out to be mama's boy"! I am sure you notice by now that I am a fan of "Fly guy"! I used to listen to "Fly and Little Kev" on Hitz FM until their contract ended. Then, I tuned in to Richard and Shaz on Mix FM for the Mix Breakfast show. (Can't stand the trio of Hitz FM morning crew.) But ever since Fly FM got on to the radar, I am back with "Fly guy" again. I admit I do not quite like his song selections but I love his brand of zany humour!

Anyway, I digress. Back to the mama's boy topic. A lady caller called in with her "Dear Abby" question today regarding what to do with a boyfriend who is a mama's boy. (I believe it's a planned gig.) In any case, listeners were asked to call in with their opinions and advice. One guy's advice was to dump the said boyfriend. Another male listener said that it's ok as long as the boyfriend in question knows when to draw the line. I had a feeling that he's a mama's boy! :P

But the real kicker was this lady. She called in and mentioned that the girl should perhaps act like the boyfriend's mother so that he would like her ... etc. etc. Seems like the lady caller is facing a similar problem and that's how she tried to resolve the issue. And the strategy seems to be working, according to the lady caller! This drew a loud protest from Natalie, another zany radio personality and Fly's partner in crime! Natalie was worried that the boyfriend might start thinking that the girlfriend is the mom! Hahaha ...

But the ultimate one liner came from Fly! He said that looking at the issue of quality men here (I bet you he has read THE NST ARTICLE!!), one might just have to make do! Hahahaha ... Don't you just love this guy?! He comes up with the greatest lines! And that's why I am still a Fly fan today!

Marriage? No way!!!

Now, before I continue blogging and before someone cry "man hater", let me put in a disclaimer.

Disclaimer:
The title of the piece and the piece itself do not represent this author's (meaning me) opinion, in any respect or form. It is merely an unbias journalistic endeavour to bring to this author's (meaning me) blog readers an article published in the NST last Saturday ~ which this author (meaning me again) had missed, and which this author's (yeah, me again) dear friend had "kindly" seen to "educate" the said author (yeah! me! me!). :p

The survey suggests that "women professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 prefer to marry after 30 or not at all."

Now, that is not the farnie bits yet. What brought a chuckle to my lips is the following. Get this, "...the reasons given for this: A lack of sexual desire, career priorities, infertility and a search for rich husbands."

And further more, " ...while they want their husbands to spend on them, they refuse to share their salaries with their husbands." Did I see a couple of male heads nodding or was that purely my imagination? :P

And get this! This is the statement that top all statements in the article, "women were not interested in marrying because "men of quality" were lacking in the country." Eh! "Men of quality"? Err..is the article suggesting that there is a serious lack of quality men in Malaysia? Hmmmm ...

Oh! Oh! The article did define what this lack of quality men is about. Read on! Quote: "Many men now are involved in drugs and are gay or soft." Hmmm! Influences of Hollywood in the form of Brokeback Mountain? :P

Wait! Another two excuses coming up! "Another problem for professional women, he said (he as in University Malaya lecturer and counsellor Hushim Salleh), was that men had inferiority complexes and did not like marrying women more qualified than them."

And, "Parents are now more understanding when their daughters don’t marry as they know they will be able to take care of themselves."

Hahahaha! I had a ball reading this article. Check it out at the above link. Just click on the title. True or not, you be the judge! I remember writing something along the lines of why more women are still single. Something to do with, "Why buy a cow when you can find milk everywhere?" and a friend replied, "Why get a whole pig, when all you want is a little sausage?" :P

This has made an otherwise frustrating day at work bearable! Have a blast! I now have a host of extra excuses in my arsenal waiting to be dispensed in the next CNY gathering. Three cheers for ze single ladies!

Hip! Hip! Hooray!
Hip! Hip! Hooray!
Hip! Hip! Hooray!

Friedman, Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon, Spearman, ANOVA, t-tests ....

Alrighty! If you know half the gibberish I have written above, then welcome to the world of statistics and do read on ...

The last four weeks have been an exercise in frustration as I had to redo my research tests over and over and over again. I put the fault squarely on the shoulders of my statistics lecturer who taught us only parametric tests and did not teach us non parametric tests for ordinal data! (If you are still wondering what I am going on about, just google it!) In fact, we used parametric tests on ordinal data in her class which is a big NO NO for pure statisticians! What kind of education standards and lecturers are we paying for these days? Grrrr ....

Or perhaps I should put the blame on the researcher whose published work used parametric tests for ordinal data! The publisher who published his work should be blamed too! How can they publish work that use the wrong kind of tests??? What happened to data and research integrity? Makes me wonder if the research companies we hire to do consumer research actually pays attention to data integrity?!

And the worst of it all is that after all the tests and retests, my findings are still the SAME!!! Blardy hell .... four weeks of pure torture. Running tests after tests after tests and looking at the endless data. I am almost cross-eyed by now! And the results? It's the same! What the heck is wrong with this scene? Geee, can't the higher ups in the learned society simplify statistics? If it ain't broken, don't fix it! And don't invent something new to confuse the issue!

Goodness ... I don't think I want to see another Friedman or Kruskal-Wallis or Mann-Whitney or Wilcoxon or Spearman or ANOVA or t-tests in this lifetime!

Begone with thee!