Slow update

Its been too long, and it made the keyboards lazier to type.
It has been a few countries and keyboards since the last update.

Have to update on quite a few of things.

• The braces (backyard invisalign) I haphazardly done, but Im content with the result - Will make more detailed posts.
• The oversea trips.
• The job changes.
• The marriage - deserves more extensive coverage.

Im sure there is more..but just to jot down a few important ones 1st. 

Easier to refer when the keyboards get rusty, and needing some pressing.

This entry is to motivate myself. 

To get myself started on a 30-day express diet for my Maldives getaway. Dont wanna ruin the scene/photograph with current self.

Finally did some searching, a lazy quick search on a regime to follow. I dont think I will dwell too much on the technicalities. I intend to follow 100% (if I can). 

Doesnt have those intend-to-know-all desire lately. Good for myself I think.

Doesnt have the luxury of time. Better focus on career-related stuffs.

Blindly following a "proven" regime is better than spending hours n days n weeks learning the curve to achieve a side "hobby". At this moment at least.

Well....hopefully the discipline stays for the 30 days.

Till the next entry ;)

A Hand in Need

I was travelling way way too much this few weeks. Up and down KL-JB-KL-JB several times in a week. It is almost like I am working in JB and living in KL. This of course took a toll on the body - dem bloody sleepy whenever I was on the road.

There was one day when I was totally exhausted. I bought a couple of Redbull at my usual R&R. The last and only time I ever take a redbull is when erm... SPM or STPM time. To cramp 2 years worth of 'learning' into that few hours I have.
So there I was, with my redbull, ready to get on the road again that night. When suddenly, "knock knock" and I looked, an Indian guy was knocking on my passenger window. I slide it open a lil to hear what he had to say.

He was explaining about his misfortune of his faulty ATM card, and he was on his way to see his ailing father, and how he is short of fund. He also explained that his family (inside the car, Exora) havent have any proper meal for days. I took a short glance and can see that there were 4-5 teenagers in the car waiting anxiously for their father's return. I also concluded that for him to be asking for money in an R&R, it is not your usual scam, but a case of pure emergency.
It also ran through my mind that he should have planned properly, and obtain his fund way before getting on a highway - which requires fuel and toll. While I can deduce all I want, it cannot escape my mind that it is still a pure emergency and sad case that can happen to anyone, including myself.

I planned to hand him a few red dollar bills. At least he can fill up some petrol. But as I scanned through my wallet, there was no red dollar bill. Plenty of 50s, and spare change of 9 bucks. I gave him all of my 5's and 1's; which is 9 bucks. I knew it will not be enough. But the devil in me didnt want to pull out a 50. A battle of conscience took place and the devil still won.
The guy said it was not enough, and he requires a 50. 30 for petrol and 20 for food he said. In my mind and heart, I said I know. At my mouth, I say I only have this much to offer. After a few minutes of pleading from him; he walked back to his car; and I continued my journey.

Remember I said I was very very very exhausted? I was ready to sleep n drive before the stop. But after that incident; guilt couldnt escape from my mind. I could've help the poor guy. I could've been a good Samaritan
Tears actually almost burst out. Yes he might be a scammer. But he wont resort to this if he was not stranded at the R&R. I could've pulled him out of that situation.
I couldn't stop blaming myself. For my selfishness.
What is the use of driving a comfortable car if you cant even help a person in need?
What is the use of dining in a nice restaurant if you cant even feed a person in hunger?
What is the use of living in a luxurious house if you cant even shelter a person in cold?
I know I cant help everybody. But cant I help a person who approached me?
I couldnt sleep however exhausted I was.
I couldnt stop thinking........what am I....why am I here? Am I...heartless. 

Vacations

I guess everyone needs a vacation every now and then huh? I cant say Im not a fan, but the vacation aroma doesnt really last long after I smells one. The taste dies off pretty fast, but it might be the reason I look forward for another in the future.
As I mentioned in the past, I tend to overplan and overschedule things. It might get you covering 'important' venues or attractions, but you can really miss out on the spontaneous part of a vacation. BUT without proper planning, you will miss some of the best things that particular place can offer you. BUT and BUT, I guess you can always relive the vacation again, if you really like it, and explore the unexplored part!! That will be the best way of vacationing. Alas, not everyone will have the time, or $$$ to live the best vacationing way huh?

I was thinking about vacations because everyone seems to be on, or has been or will be going to a vacation lately, in my circle at least. It gets me to think of my next vacation - Macao/HK in June. It has been scheduled down to the minutes and HKD which I dont think will run very far from the plan. For a vibrant city which has so much to offer, I guess its best to choose and select the preferred destinations and to-dos for us, me n the gf, instead of getting lost and dunno where to go. I am not sure we will repeat this route anyway.

This also gets me thinking about my previous vacations. And surprise surprise. I lost my Japan trip photos!!!!! WTFF!!!! And I didnt record down the details of my remaining days there!!! Oh no!!! I think its time for me to visit my trusted travel partner at that time, for backup of those photos - my mum. Im sure she has all of them....somewhere. Then I will finish up the stories where I left them.
And there is also the UK trip. Damn....I will have to finish them up too.
A total waste if I would let them die with my brain cells.

Ah, I remembered an incident when someone actually invaded my privacy by posting my FB photos to a public forum in an attempt to humiliate me. You know, keyboard warriors losing keyboard fights, thinking the keyboard winner has an ugly face as the keyboard loser scenario? So the keyboard loser thought by posting my photos in that particular forum, people will just flame me - "OMFG, so ugly", or "mah eye!!!! mah eyes!!!" kinda remarks. To his frustration though, and to my surprise, ppl were actually impressed with my photos. Hmm.....not bad ahBan....not bad....a pat to myself. One of the comment stuck in my mind too - "well traveled man". Heh, along with other not bad remarks too. Heh. *smirk*

But then again, what I really wish for, I mean my dream vacation, doesnt really involves too much of $$, or flying for that matter.
I enjoy a good timeout, with my buddies and friends, hanging out together on a common destination. Penang, Pangkor, Melaka, Pahang, you name it, Im there.
I am still very very very looking forward to drive round the peninsular Malaysia. Still looking for the kaki, and also the time.

Till the next update on my UK trip, and the missing Japan photos.... tata

New year resolutions?

Is there a need to wait for new year to come? I think not. This is because most of them are pending resolutions from previous years anyway. XD
At least for me la. Fail.........

Im thinking of starting small.....and then see how it goes when new year comes. Discipline has always been a problem for me. Sigh.....
So what are the small things I can do leh?

Sleeping before 11pm......
Eat dinner before 9pm....
Jogging every alternate morning and evening.
Basketball every alternate evening.
Save a certain amount of $$ in my bank....

Hmm.... I tend to add more "..." in the areas I am more likely to fail.....
XD
Well, the "pre-new year resolution" seems pretty simple and legit enough.
Lets get started.

Traffic Jam

Traffic Jam is one of those things I will do absolutely anything to avoid. The amount of stress and time wasted is phenomenal. Monetary waste is inevitable anyway, so meh.....
The thing is, its not only about infrastructure, where the common people place the blame on. Common people keep on complaining about the government, on how they are unable to provide decent (and cheap) infrastructures to combat traffic jam.
Well, this is only half correct. The government fell short in handling the issue, but the focus of blame is entirely off the mark.

The vehicles on the road kept on increasing, day by day. There is no development in this world that can cope with these numbers. Having 3-4 vehicles in each household is so common nowadays. Mine is guilty for 6+1. Mestilah Jam ini macam!!!!

I would propose a system where only "qualified" buyers can purchase a car. Not in term of distance to work. That is just another screwed up system. "Qualified" buyers mean - a person can only purchase a car if his/her income falls under a certain bracket. Lets say in Lembaga Hasil term, the 19%, 24% and 26% bracket.
Each bracket will only allows purchase for a certain number of cars.
19% bracket - 1 car. Once you reach 24% bracket, only are you allowed for 2 cars. When you reach 26%, you can buy your 3rd car.

Now, I am not trying to discriminate anybody. This method can solve hell lot of problems, and gives another hell lot of benefits.
For One, less traffic Jam.
For Two, people who wants to buy car, wont under declare their income - more revenue for the government.
For Three, more people will have to go for public transport - and this is where the hell of benefits come in.

We can imagine the influx of people going for public transportation if the above is implemented. This generates income for the Transport companies. This will prevent the stoppage of routes because of low passenger rate (reported in the news, if you read news). This is why I said I am not discriminating in this case. This will only help low-income people as their bus route can continue operation, and they can still go to school or work, cheaply.

When this happens, more than a few companies will want to have their hands in the cookie jar. Competitions will ensue and better, more affordable and comfortable form of transit will surface - directly benefiting the masses. The revenue will also generate more taxes for the government.

So if they are worrying about loss of revenue from car sales taxes, we are already providing so much more for them. Personal income tax declarations, and transport companies taxes.
The ONLY downside of this proposal, is we will see the fall of Proton in no time. Why?
If a sane minded people under this beautiful proposal can afford one car, in his income bracket, will he buy a Proton?

Plight of Malaysian Students

Everytime we hear about Malaysian students get good academic results, we rejoice. But does the result shows our real worth, intellectually? Refer to my previous entry.

Everytime we hear about MCA helping students, or chinese students who deserve but fails to get fair treatment from our Education system, we rejoice. But in reality, is MCA helping the students? Or are we in constant blackmailing from them?

For me, MCA didnt help the students. If they sincerely trying to help, the students, and us, will not be in such a humiliating situation in the first place. I feel like the Malaysia community is held under ransom by the very organisation  which supposed to be representing or help us.
"You dont vote for us, you wont get help"
"You dont vote for us, you dont have representative in the parliment"

Why did the students fail to get what they deserve in the first place? The students incompetence? Or our "wakil rakyats" incompetence?
Why did the students need help to get what they deserve?
Why you need to act like a hero, when you are actually the devil?
Ok, you might not be the devil, but you are the devil's konco.

I plead with the people who rejoice whenever they heard success stories on "MCA helped students blah blah blah" to stop their ignorance. Stop being naive and so easily manipulated by words.

Wheels

Its the same everytime.
When its near the ending, I will keep on looking back at the beginning.

Rabbit please be kind to me ya.

I am having a lot of new, and good beginnings in the year 2011. 2010 ended with a sad note just to make way for the happier events to happen. Its a good thing aint it? It certainly is!!!
:)

From all the small things, to all the big things.
Some are still in recovery period though. Certainly paving for better things to come. Not great, but good enough for me to be happy.

There are things which are close to my heart, some close to my touch, others to share with ppl close to me.
Many of these things are things I used to only able to wish for. So its sort of an accomplishment for me whenever I look at them, knowing I fulfilled some of my wishes.

I wonder when is that Tag Heuer is going to be wrapped around my wrist. One of my yet to be accomplish mission.

New Year liau ni

Eh, year 2011 liau ni.
New year liau, Apa boleh buat?

Saw some CNY forecast for CNY. Accidental though. Mentioned a fair bit of not-so-good points.
But the thing is, all the bad points mentioned happened to me last year.

So in theory, and practically, its time for the good things to happen right?
Good!!!!

New job, new career, new house, new car. Seems like a good start!
I mean good start as it seems that all the new things are upgrades, I hope.

Malaysia Students getting smarter

Better Best PMR results

PETALING JAYA: A total of 30,863 candidates scored straight As in the 2010 Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examination, a 0.65 percentage point increase from last year and the best PMR results in the past four years.
Education director-general Datuk Abdul Ghafar Mahmud said, however, that the results for candidates in the special category (kids with disabilites) saw a slight decline.
DG said the ministry would conduct an analysis to look into the causes.
A total of 479,675 candidates registered to take PMR, he added.

It seems like a positive news. If I am not a Malaysian that is. However, after going through the Malaysia Education System, I know very well this is just a cosmetic news. Syok sendiri as how we say it.

How proud are we for the Form 3 students to get  straight As? Meh, just another mediocre news for most. Even for the parents I assume. The response will be much greater for the parents if the child doesnt get straight As. They will be like - WTF!!! No straight As? This will tell you how cheap straight As has really become. I for one didnt and never feel proud to "achieve" such "feat". I know very well what is the agenda behind that enabled me to get the grades.

I wonder if it really feels so good to get As but to have the standards set so low. I am never the type to say - "blah, kids these days have things so easily". I am not jealous of their results. Heck, I even know and admit the examinations in my days were far easier than the days before mine. I wonder if we are getting dumber so the government need to adjust the grades to suit us.
Or they are clinging hard to their KPIs, giving rainbowish grades so that they will get a fatter bonus?

Increment, or decrement??

I overlooked something important before I jump to the new company. Well, I didnt actually overlook it, I just didnt know the impact of it.
Instead of having a huge salary increment, I ended up with a low one.

The culprit? Tax bracket.
It seems that my current tax bracket, is having a HUGE different with my previous one. So in maths, or accounting terms,
Instead of New Salary >> Old Salary,
it is now (New Salary-New Tax) little bit > (Old Salary-Old Tax).

The worse thing is,  I dont really feel what I am paying worth anything at all (to the government that is). I used to pay next to nothing (actually it is more like RM 0.00) to the IRB. Since I am paying shit, I am used to shitty environment and policies around me. In fact, I have little complains on National issues. I used to justify the lifestyle other countries are enjoying because of their high taxes, and that they are worth it.

Now that I am paying good money to the government, I am starting to feel pissed of on just about everything I can think of about my living condition there.
As if it is not enough being unappreciated, I am often accused, reprimanded, and assaulted for all sorts of allegations thrown by the a-little-earlier immigrant of this nation.

Can I choose where to contribute my taxes to?

I hate Academic Exams!!!!

Everyone experience nightmares. Many people experience similar repeating nightmares night after night. I am one of them.
When I was younger, it was free falling from the sky to a monsoon drain near one of my old house. For years I have had that nightmare, even long after I moved elsewhere. I dont think it count as a nightmare though. Not really scary in a way, and it has stopped long ago. I indeed physically dropped few centimeters to my bed when I wake up from this dream.

The most recent nightmare, which also happen from time to time, is me having to go through school exams again (SPM/STPM). Perhaps this is the balasan for not studying for them back then.
I take my future, or career advancement quite seriously. So failing in those exams, can be a major setback for me. And the nightmares being so real..........scared the shit out of me each time. Worse thing is, they get even more realistic each time.

The recent episode is that I am facing a week of exam. I am not sure if it was SPM or STPM. And as usual, I didnt prepare or study for it. Not that I didnt do any last minute preparation for the exam. It was more like, in my schooling years, I never did any studying at all!
In this nightmare, I even convinced myself that I am screwed. I told myself that this time, THIS IS REAL!!!! I told myself that I had all the similar nightmares, but this one is real. And that I am screwed. I regretted not to heed the warnings from previous nightmares. =_='
Scary shit wei.....

iPad

Yay, I got myself an iPad
stok aaaa

A certain uncertainty

In the past, I can almost offer anything to the future. Whatever future it may represent. Career, family and everything else in between. It might not be the case now. Everyone have their own shitty times. And I can consider myself lucky that my shitty period is not as shitty as how shitty would be. It is now considered as messy.

It saddens me the most that I cant offer anything to anyone in this very distant future. I wish not to give the wrong perception to anyone. I am capable however, to make things better.

Bukit Tabur (again)

It might seems that I am obsessed with this hill that I climb it again and again. The fact is, Im not. Well, maybe I am. Its just that I've yet to find a hill/mountain as interesting yet so accessible as Tabur. Kinabalu is not feasible in monetary terms, Tahan hard to find kaki, and Broga is just too sissyish.

I dont like to write so frequently about Tabur though, else there will be too many posts on it. Not that I take pics everytime I go either. But yet there's always a need for an update. There're so so much clouds lately that I am too devastated to post anything. Just so so much clouds. So much of my efforts or non-efforts going down the drain. Just like that. The positive thing is that I am still sane to remind myself that shits happen. I can start all over again. Its not the end of the world. The silver lining is that I can start over much much better than tonnes of ppl who faced the same predicament as me.

Wait.....whats the connection with the semi rantings with Tabur? Well, not everyone can notice a silver lining in shitty situations. certainly not me by myself. It helps when you have a friend pointing or pushing you to one. Giving you something to look forward to.
So I am looking forward to the next Tabur trip. Actually for any outing for that matters. When will be the next one I wonder. I hope its soon.

Oh ya....I remembered what I wanted to write initially. About my tabur guiding experience. the smallest group I guided before was 1 single person, and the biggest group I brought up before was more than 10 person. Strangers, neighbours, brother, close friends. Not all manage to go all the way up though. There's even once someone fell off one of the rocks in front of my eyes. I thought it was a gg the moment he slipped. Luckily he was stuck in between the rocks. That time was the biggest group I guided. More than 10. Most being 1st timers and strangers. There was like 4-5 different groups of kenalan bundled together to the trip.
XD

Im not sure if the next one can be a little small. Much more smaller.

Too many with too few

It has been a very very complicated end quarter for me. Too many things happened with too few updates here. Career-wise, personal-wise, love-wise, money-wise. More down than ups for all aspects. Everything came crushing down together at the same time. In some aspect, they are still tumbling all over.

Too many fresh beginning to welcome 2010.
One cant say they are not good beginnings. Maybe they are a mean to an end. End of the last quarter avalanche. I am not sure whether I am being slapped back into reality, or that I am being pulled out from reality. The blue pill and the red pill taste so similar.

I need a holiday.
A real backpack. I need to let go and let free.
Joe, interested? Come.

Happy Buttday to me!!! (belated)

Yesterday was my buttday. Weee!!!!!!!
Well, at this age, a birthday is not something that I should get too excited about. I know its just another day to me. Its just another day to others.

But the actual fact is, I did feel a bit humanised yesterday. I felt my existance, are felt by the people around me. And that gave me the reason to remain being me for years to come.

1st off is the concern shown by my sis, and also my mum on my presense in KL. Too bad Im having quite a few obligation here on the land of the dead; making me unable to go back on that weekend.
Family will always be family.

2nd off is the 'forced' birthday bash by my workers here. My kala-ok workers.
I even gave a lot of excuse just to escape the bash. But they insisted; and I gave in. Thats when I was humbled by their sincerity and attempt to shove in some joy into my life.

About my birthday wish. I thought of it for very long. I know what I wanted; and its not something monetary.
Eventhough I am now involved in some business needing lots of luck and effort, I never put in any wish in those matter. To me, monetary things are only a mean to achieve something else that I really really want in my life. And that thing, does not exist in my life yet. I am still hoping it will appear again.

So my wish - is for my next year's birtday wish to come true.
:)

Red Eye Peas

I cant believe I didnt spent much time looking on the monitor these few weeks.
I cant believe I didnt online much either.
So much more unbelievable things I did over the weeks too. Some were good things, some were not very good, but none was bad.

Well, there's one bad thing happened though. I got the red eye disease. Mata sakit like shit now. I think it will last for 2 weeks or so. So very the cham. Haihs.

Phoenix

I wonder if there's a male phoenix.
If there's one, I think I will be the one.

:flex:

Mini Malaysia Tour

Hei ho!! I am back from a mini Malaysia tour.
I covered 4 of the biggest state in Malaysia during my 3 or 4 days driving marathon. What I realised was, the life in those very different states are not very different after all. All that matters is the company you keep. After all, its just those few roads that separate us.

Well then, there has been quite a lot of things dancing in my mind, a lot of plans waiting in line to be kicked off.
Sometimes, it is extremely to difficult to choose which path I should follow.
Should I partake the path where I choose what I want in life?
Or should I walk the path where I choose what is available in life?
Both is very viable path and have their own multitude of followers. Many swear with their life over either one.

What I want is not necessarily good, or not necessarily suitable for me, or want me.
What is available is not necessarily bad, and might possibly suits me, and want me.

But then again, things can be completely vice versa. Aha!! The paradox of life. While the statement gives reasoning to walk the latter path, what about the former? Many will argue - what you want matters the most. But that same many, might not have walked my path before. That same many, might be still in their "Enid Byton" stage.