tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-129255422024-03-13T13:58:09.520+08:00A Place In The SunPathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.comBlogger175125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-79115376982583063072014-11-10T23:29:00.001+08:002014-11-10T23:45:26.940+08:00Keep on RunningMuch has happened in my running journey since my last post. After the weird FM that was Singapore Marathon 2012, I was determined to try again. Not only did I want to do more FM's, I wanted to finish them strong.<br />
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So, I decided to try a new plan - the Hanson Marathon Method (HMM). Competitor.com had been featuring articles on it, and I was suitably intrigued that I bought the book and actually tried to follow the plan.<br />
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<img 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" /><br />
<br />
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Boy, was it hard. HMM calls for 6 days of running, most weeks I could only manage 5, sometimes 4 , due to work and personal constraints. The Thu tempo runs grew ever longer, and since I usually ran in the evenings, some days my runs finished at 9:30pm.<br />
<br />
But gradually I began to feel stronger. I felt more ready for the KL Marathon, the race I targeted. But the heavy haze in June 2013 forced the postponement of the race to Oct. I was frustrated but kept at the plan, although the runs dwindled to 3 to 4 per week. Finally, it was time to see if all the hard work paid off.<br />
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And it did! Well, partially. I did manage a 10 minute PB from the Singapore Marathon (4:41). I ran strongly up till km32, but I ran out of fuel. Luckily, I had gels with me which managed to keep me going till the end.<br />
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On a whim, I decided to try an ultra 2 weeks after that - the Back 2 Endurance at KL Lake Gardens. This is one of those events where you try to run as much as you can in 12 hours. I figured I'll just go at a very easy pace and see how long I can last.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihwLtOdzFp8HrGVVKJQ4RvKLVIRF9hokEuxkklglGlAFnwPypsBU9xSrzm5V33wzmayKBEud0idAS8wYuZ2dRVrJN9UO_ODZm8EQKX3Dz_pkeAVycRam_o4xhzFusLQ3pBoX7Wg/s1600/1400372_737683379590945_717695378_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihwLtOdzFp8HrGVVKJQ4RvKLVIRF9hokEuxkklglGlAFnwPypsBU9xSrzm5V33wzmayKBEud0idAS8wYuZ2dRVrJN9UO_ODZm8EQKX3Dz_pkeAVycRam_o4xhzFusLQ3pBoX7Wg/s1600/1400372_737683379590945_717695378_o.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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The race was quite fun - the ultra community in KL is quite small and close knit, there was plenty of food and laughter as we ran loops round and round Lake Gardens (2.3km per loop). My legs ached like mad after 50k and I finally stopped at 63k.<br />
<br />
Suitably stoked, I crazily signed up for another ultra in March 2014 - the Gunung Nuang Ultra. Little did I know that this required running on very technical trails up a steep mountain. Surprisingly, it was not the climbing that broke me, it was the coming down. This is because going downhill really trashes the quads. The first 30k was fun and exciting, but the last 20k was just trying to survive.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OXDC7UEFAd6yhnVgUfRMxZMjATXiBGqgUar98KV4nFPMa1FyeQT7SxJ4LhpTjJ4hqqHO_3NfJW9MFnD4XGZl_8zp8fwun2kzVW7RZvPaIlisrXcDUNp_PME9mLABPds8qFLPVw/s1600/Nuang+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OXDC7UEFAd6yhnVgUfRMxZMjATXiBGqgUar98KV4nFPMa1FyeQT7SxJ4LhpTjJ4hqqHO_3NfJW9MFnD4XGZl_8zp8fwun2kzVW7RZvPaIlisrXcDUNp_PME9mLABPds8qFLPVw/s1600/Nuang+7.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
I got hit by a sciatica injury after that, and had to go for treatment by a chiropractor. Luckily the lady doctor that treated me knew what she was doing and after 4 therapy sessions I felt much better.<br />
<br />
But in the midst of that I had already signed up for the Borneo International Marathon in KK in May. So, I decided to do a slow and steady race in KK. I was under-trained, and by the time I reached 25k, I was already alternately walking and running. The weather in KK was super hot towards the end of the race, but I survived it and finished in 5:16.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5PFuVEr3N_SGygCNy6K06_YDttpC6W6lX0kkY8XEG9dN5wPPqY9JSEvkWVKe5qYAXl_IwTvXegXEC6qXZM1l9eWNElRPLdxS7LT4ahCK2T0ohsv27R8kUJhez0bIQC1J83uBmQ/s1600/E1121_IMGM3888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5PFuVEr3N_SGygCNy6K06_YDttpC6W6lX0kkY8XEG9dN5wPPqY9JSEvkWVKe5qYAXl_IwTvXegXEC6qXZM1l9eWNElRPLdxS7LT4ahCK2T0ohsv27R8kUJhez0bIQC1J83uBmQ/s1600/E1121_IMGM3888.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
I took stock of my running, and decided that my aerobic base was weak, and with that, I went for the Maffetone method. This is where most of the mileage is at very easy paces and the heart rate is kept low. The idea is that this will stimulate mitochondria growth and enzymes which enable better usage of body fat as fuel.<br />
<br />
I was aiming for the KL Marathon in Oct 2014, and about 4 weeks out, I realized that I was a bit under-trained. I decided not to try for a PR, but instead try to see how far I could go in running a strong but sustainable pace. Unfortunately, I made a mistake of eating late night supper (1 am in the morning?!), which caused major stomach upsets along the way, and I ended in the portable loos twice during the race, losing about 6 minutes in the process. But I surprised myself by running strong throughout and only walking less than a few hundred metres in total (on some steep slopes in the dreaded Bukit Tunku stretch). My last 5k was strong and I managed to finish in 4:54.<br />
<br />
After some thinking and analysis, I've come to the following conclusions:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>After doing Maffetone this year, I realized that I've been doing the Hanson plan all wrong. The main problem was I have been doing the easy runs and the tempo runs too fast. The easy runs have to be Maffetone pace, while the tempo runs has to be at the lower end of the HR range.</li>
<li>Mini Mars bars, PowerBar gels and Gatorade works best for me for refueling. I need about 6 gels and 2 mini Mars bars to get me through 42k :)</li>
<li>There was not enough consistency in my mileage to make a difference to create a training effect. Between 45 to 60k a week is required to nudge the needle.</li>
<li>Using shoes 1.5 sizes larger makes for less black toenails and toe blisters.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, I've decided to switch back to HMM, and this time I'm determined to follow it more closely. Let's see if it'll help me to finally crack 4:30 in 2015 :)</div>
Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-47405913136128035982013-02-26T23:44:00.003+08:002013-02-26T23:46:38.301+08:00The Most Magical 20 kmAnother post about running :)<br />
<br />
After my terrible marathon experience at the 2011 edition of the Singapore Marathon, I was determined not to repeat my mistake so I put in more effort for the 2012 race. I even managed to complete two 30k runs during my training.<br />
<br />
One of the key decisions of a marathon race is deciding which pace you want to run at. Aim too low and you feel demotivated that you might not get a PB. Aim too high and you set yourself up for a crash and burn second half.<br />
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<img height="424" src="http://whywerunn.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/dsc_00771.jpg" width="640" /><br />
<br />
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According to all those running calculators online, I should be able to do a 6:20/km pace. So I was really tempted to go for a 6:15 pace. In the end I decided to play safe and went for 6:30.<br />
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<br />
<img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5246/5232888619_a7e852286f_z.jpg" /><br />
<br />
So, on the morning of the race, I looked out the for the 6:30 pacers, and moved to the front of the crowd so that I can tail the pacers as early as possible. The pacers have colour coded balloons tied to them so that they are easy to spot. This time around, things really went to plan and I was following the pacers within 1 km after the start.<br />
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<img src="http://scms2012-web.hivelocity.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Pacer.jpg" /><br />
<br />
And thus began the most magical 20 km of my running life so far.<br />
<br />
You see, there were about another 20 to 30 runners who also decided to follow the 6:30 pacers, and it was evident most of them have trained well for the race. So, after 1 km or so from the start, all of us settled into a rhythm.<br />
<br />
We didn't say much to each other, everyone was just concentrating on maintaining their pace, although the pacers were joking with each other (the pace is obviously too easy for them).<br />
<br />
And for the next 20 km, there we were, just gliding along in unison, the only sound the rhythmic soft landing of our shoes on the asphalt. And I was keeping up comfortably with them. I was elated and just wanted it to go on forever.<br />
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<img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_581DBSfGn2g/TQI6BJ5P_nI/AAAAAAAACLs/kEtvw-Js-Vg/PC050071_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" /><br />
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Alas, after 22 km, I started having IT band pain and had to drop off from the group. The remaining 20 km was an exercise in perseverance.<br />
<br />
But that first 20 km remained in my memory long after the race was over.Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-71701895654420639022012-10-01T22:58:00.001+08:002012-10-01T22:58:41.253+08:00Running (healthily) againAfter my posterior tibial tendonitis injury in 2009, 2010 was a year of recovery for me. I ran less than 400km that year, and every run was accompanied by pain and the fear that it would flare up again.<br />
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2011 was another year of slow recovery, but things finally picked up towards the end of last year when I managed to match my half marathon PB (which I set in 2009) at the Penang Bridge marathon.<br />
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Then came the disaster that was the Singapore Marathon, where I screwed up my hydration and threw up at km 10. I didn't recover after that and finished in a total of 6 hours by walking most of the way.<br />
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Finally, in 2012 I was able to run almost injury free, and have hit almost 750km to date.<br />
But through all this, I believe the one thing that really helped was improving my running form, specifically how <a href="http://www.chirunning.com/">Chi Running</a> teaches it. It wasn't easy to get the hang of it at first, but once the basic concepts are grasped, running felt more effortless, more natural and flowing, a bit like tai chi, you might say.<br />
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Of course, changing running form is not for everyone, if you have been running pain free all this while then there is no point in taking the risk to change your running form. But the ideas shared in Chi Running make a lot of sense and it may be worthwhile checking out their Youtube videos to find out more.<br />
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By the way, I'm not affiliated in any way to the Chi Running folks, just sharing my personal experience :)<br />
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Here's one Youtube video on heel striking:<br />
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<br />Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-23852739500218550382011-01-27T12:05:00.000+08:002011-01-27T12:05:59.194+08:00Saying Tak Nak to The StarMy blog has been gathering cobwebs recently, but something has been getting my goat for the last few weeks that I cannot resist putting in an entry about it.<br />
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I have been reading The Star for almost 25 years now (since 1986), and in all those years, while there has been a slight bias in their news, it was definitely not as bad as NST.<br />
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But the since late 2010 till present, I couldn't help but notice the way their op-eds have been bashing/running down certain political parties, and making certain other parties look good instead. Not only that, I also began to notice the way they filter/place their news to make certain folks look good/bad.<br />
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Take the news on Jan 27 2011 that a Commission of Inquiry will be set up about Teoh Beng Hock's case, for example. On page 2, there was an article about how MCA has been lobbying the PM to get the commission set up. My foot!! This totally ignores the selfless efforts and countless hours that have been put in by folks like Gobind Singh Deo and countless others in helping Beng Hock's sister gather support to find out the truth. Its as if MCA is the only one who has been helping.<br />
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So, since a few weeks ago, I have been thinking a lot about quitting my daily habit of reading The Star every morning together with my morning coffee.<br />
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And the more I think about it, the more I realize that I don't need it any more. I mean, news wise, I am a subscriber to Malaysiakini, and there are countless other portals such as The Edge Daily, Malaysia Today, etc, etc where I can get news. For classifieds, I realized that I have been buying stuff from lowyat.net forums for more than two years now. Heck, mudah.com.my and carlist.my has much more Car for Sale listings than The Star! Even buying/renting property, there are countless portals you can go to. The Sun even offers their paper online for free, if you can't pick up a copy from your office building.<br />
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So, I guess the only person who will be unhappy is my "paper lama" man. So, The Star, goodbye to you and your self serving articles and op-eds, goodbye to your selling out of your integrity to serve your political owners. It has been a great 25 years, but sorry to say, you have lost your soul. Adieu.Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-24526228220743389102010-08-18T01:26:00.002+08:002010-08-18T01:38:21.579+08:00Visit to AnfieldOne of the highlights of our recent UK trip was definitely the visit to Anfield, the home of the Liverpool football club. Despite being an Arsenal fan (!), its hard not to be moved by the rich history and heritage of LFC. My friend Siva and his wife kindly treated us to a tour of the stadium :)<br />
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<a href="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/Anfield/?action=view&current=Anfield-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/Anfield/Anfield-1.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Outside the impressive entrance to the Museum and Tour Centre</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<a href="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/Anfield/?action=view&current=Anfield-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/Anfield/Anfield-2.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">At the main stand of the stadium, with the Kop visible at the back</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><a href="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/Anfield/?action=view&current=Anfield-3.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/Anfield/Anfield-3.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The team dressing room - imagine the words of the famous managers that used to echo around here :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><a href="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/Anfield/?action=view&current=Anfield-4.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/Anfield/Anfield-4.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Sitting in Rafa's spot, now occupied by Roy Hodgson</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><a href="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/Anfield/?action=view&current=Anfield-5.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/Anfield/Anfield-5.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The tin in front definitely reserved for Fergie when he comes visiting!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><a href="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/Anfield/?action=view&current=Anfield-7.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Anfield" border="0" src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/Anfield/Anfield-7.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The famous sign that visiting teams see when they come out to the pitch</div>Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-29635706813500880122010-08-10T01:44:00.001+08:002010-08-10T01:46:03.461+08:00BreakdownIn 12 years of driving, I've had my fair share of breakdowns, but they are often few and far in between.<br />
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But in a period of 4 months this year, I had three car breakdowns, which should count as a record of some sort.<br />
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The first was in April, when my car battery went dead near a friend's house in Serdang. AAM, which was usually fast and reliable, came after 4 hours.<br />
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Then our rental car suffered a snapped fan belt somewhere in Donegal, Ireland during our recent UK trip. It was a surreal experience, being towed back to Belfast on the night England played their most dire World Cup match ever (no prizes for guessing which one :) )<br />
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Last Saturday seemed like the usual, albeit slightly packed weekend. Fetched the wife to see a lawyer, then a doctor (!). Met an old friend at Sunway Pyramid. Then down to KL Pavilion to meet my classmate to discuss a class assignment. This was followed by a productive trip to PC Fair at KLCC :)<br />
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I decided to go back via the Maju Expressway, exiting at Putrajaya then heading towards the Nusaputra Interchange. About 2 km from the interchange, I suddenly heard a pop. Then I felt the car wobble. Then the dreaded klunk klunk sound. I had blown out my left rear tyre.<br />
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No problem, I thought. I called my wife to let her know I had a puncture. Took out the spare tyre and the jack. Getting the car jacked up was easy enough, but trying to take off the wheel nuts was another matter. As I put both feet on the wheel brace to turn the nuts, self doubt began to creep in. They were not even budging, let alone turn!<br />
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10 minutes later and drenched in sweat, I weighed my options. My phone battery had died, so I couldn't call anyone. Suddenly I felt alone and isolated, despite the vehicles zooming past me.<br />
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For some reason, I thought running back home via the Nusaputra Interchange was the best option and set out. But a short distance later, a car stopped and the guy asked me where I was going. After explaining matters, he offered to change the tyre for me. Halleluiah! But then came another twist. After loosening three of the nuts, the last one just wouldn't budge. The guy took out a walkie talkie and explained that he was speaking to someone at the Putrajaya toll, about 3 km away. Then he said help was on the way and I should stay put in the car.<br />
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And so I waited. And waited.<br />
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Finally, I decided help wasn't coming. The thought of trying to wave someone down never crossed my mind. I just thought Malaysians would be too suspicious to stop.<br />
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So I ran to the Putrajaya toll. I knew they had a PLUS Ronda that can help. An old man met me at the toll office, and agreed to send the PLUS Ronda, but warned that it could take a while. I ran back to the car.<br />
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As I waited in the car for PLUS Ronda to come, I suddenly realized that its been a long while since I really had nothing to do. I mean <b>really</b> nothing. Nothing to read, nothing to watch, no one to call, nothing to surf. Just me and nothing.<br />
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As I sat there taking in this unfamiliar sensation, I realized its been a long while since I prayed without any distractions. And so as the words tumbled out, my thoughts began to gain exceptional clarity.<br />
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PLUS Ronda came 45 minutes later, and two nice gentlemen worked together to undo the stubborn nut.<br />
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As I sat in my living room after some food and a cold drink later, I reflected on the experience in the car. To be helpless before the Lord and without any distractions is indeed a rare experience, and something that we seldom voluntarily create for ourselves.Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-82336012331593897572010-07-20T12:15:00.000+08:002010-07-20T12:15:31.585+08:00I've Got HSBB!It all started when my phone line went down due to lightning, and TM took ages to fix it. Strangely enough, my Streamyx was still running.<br />
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So, when TM announced that Unifi is now available in Puchong, I bit the bullet and rushed to the nearest TM shop to apply for it.<br />
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The turnaround was very fast - they called back within 3 days to make an appointment, and the installation was done within one week of application.<br />
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But be warned - the installation is quite lengthy, so be prepared to apply for leave. Four guys came to my house at 9.30 am and got to work. First, they pulled a fibre optic cable from the telephone pole to the back of my house.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQpDe6SUtp82GaRxmrPhuxcDK3MdgFyOpJtQPe86HHSsxNDNVWTyMCvMyb-mtQhgy4G6N42mWzJkfdfq5PgvjauVMjMML4hjxJid4MG7xLx-w90w1_hK2DVRIrhyphenhyphenGMC_qC235uw/s1600/HSBB-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQpDe6SUtp82GaRxmrPhuxcDK3MdgFyOpJtQPe86HHSsxNDNVWTyMCvMyb-mtQhgy4G6N42mWzJkfdfq5PgvjauVMjMML4hjxJid4MG7xLx-w90w1_hK2DVRIrhyphenhyphenGMC_qC235uw/s320/HSBB-2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Next, they installed the fibre termination box. Due to the delicate nature of fibre optic cables, up to this point the installation had taken 3 hours.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuY10WoP2sCj38JwFX8JDFWnQM_V6Fixv0kNC3tORT_upaIzbEOk9Ju7PD1h3IPrdioLqFIddr4CMzTDWv2biL1GW8D59r4PegSbDgJ0SEux4gXZb1dg5VzYMrbZvW84zkerD7zA/s1600/HSBB-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuY10WoP2sCj38JwFX8JDFWnQM_V6Fixv0kNC3tORT_upaIzbEOk9Ju7PD1h3IPrdioLqFIddr4CMzTDWv2biL1GW8D59r4PegSbDgJ0SEux4gXZb1dg5VzYMrbZvW84zkerD7zA/s320/HSBB-3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
After that, they drilled a hole in the wall and pulled through the cable into my study room. They then set up the Broadband Termination Unit, the Wireless Router and the IPTV Set Top Box. Since this is during a promotion period, the BTU, Wireless Router, DECT Phone and IPTV Box are all FOC. A good deal!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnqHh4Xk7khjtHg4PEqYE8hwU1_5PzMCCK4MHeqeXqhTgZWrIa2hNy_M1jqNfksIK9BPkP2ML_K0HB4h-8szsfBp02bmEoLa19Q0ehEkv8sBJqv8CAYHUPCm_hstyGE1Jdt47kQ/s1600/HSBB-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnqHh4Xk7khjtHg4PEqYE8hwU1_5PzMCCK4MHeqeXqhTgZWrIa2hNy_M1jqNfksIK9BPkP2ML_K0HB4h-8szsfBp02bmEoLa19Q0ehEkv8sBJqv8CAYHUPCm_hstyGE1Jdt47kQ/s320/HSBB-4.jpg" /></a></div><br />
And I have HSBB! So, now I have - a 5 Mbps line, a new phone line (I get a new number), and extra channels to watch on TV. They also have Video on Demand, although the selection is limited at the moment. For now, you get 100 points per month free to spend on VOD - a movie is 10 points for 24 hours.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyW8VWdpdHTIsiihUvqG8hP0I95nwAscQUKR8J74UNbfZI9PJJ4rBm3MkRUvpWXVOfxc0NWFSnuH_1rgVqmlRLEppTadG9yvMcUZn9UwMbohBbAjn24iVwSwmZF2wSvPUTx9XfA/s1600/HSBB-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyW8VWdpdHTIsiihUvqG8hP0I95nwAscQUKR8J74UNbfZI9PJJ4rBm3MkRUvpWXVOfxc0NWFSnuH_1rgVqmlRLEppTadG9yvMcUZn9UwMbohBbAjn24iVwSwmZF2wSvPUTx9XfA/s320/HSBB-1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
How fast is the line? I got the entire season of Glee in 4.5 hours :)Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-43340755065740508712010-06-28T23:22:00.008+08:002010-06-29T00:05:09.143+08:00London Trip - 1Those of you who follow <a href="http://www.simontalks.com/">Simon</a>'s blog must by now heard the full account of our trip to London and gay Paree. Here are the links if you haven't: <a href="http://simontalks.com/2010/06/15/london-paris-day-1-2-arrival-buckingham-palace-city-tour-westminster-abbey/">Part 1</a>,<a href="http://simontalks.com/2010/06/17/london-paris-day-3-arsenal-british-museum-chinatown-west-end/"> Part 2</a>, <a href="http://simontalks.com/2010/06/18/london-paris-day-4-london-eye-tower-of-london-st-pauls-church-and-oxford-street/">Part 3</a>, <a href="http://simontalks.com/2010/06/22/london-paris-day-5-eiffel-tower-seine-cruise-the-louvre/">Part 4</a>, <a href="http://simontalks.com/2010/06/23/london-paris-day-6/">Part 5</a>, <a href="http://simontalks.com/2010/06/28/london-paris-day-7-8-portobello-road-covent-garden-camden-town/">Part 6</a>.<br /><br />So, just a few extra thoughts and pics from our end :)<br /><br />Day 1, we headed out from Hounslow during rush hour, so it was a bit cramped during the journey. But as I pointed out to Mei Yan, in London folks have an unspoken understanding of how they need to behave, from letting people get out to moving to the centre of the carriage to accommodate more passengers to standing on the right on escalators (ok, that one is a written rule), so on the whole, it was still pleasant enough for us.<br /><br />We had been praying hard for clear weather, as I pointed out to Simon that British weather is two third grey skies and one third sunny. I took everyone on the route I went myself back in 2005, i.e. from Waterloo station towards Westminster Bridge, then northwards to St James Park and Buckingham Palace. It was cloudy when we came out of Waterloo, but lo and behold, the sky became more blue!<br /><br /><a href="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/London%20Blog/?action=view&current=London1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/London%20Blog/London1.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Simon and Wai Yin relaxing by the Thames!</span><br /></div><br /><a href="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/London%20Blog/?action=view&current=London6.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/London%20Blog/London6.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Our first dinner at a pub in central London</span><br /><br /></div><a href="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/London%20Blog/?action=view&current=London2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/London%20Blog/London2.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Crossing Westminster Bridge</span><br /><br /></div><a href="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/London%20Blog/?action=view&current=London3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/London%20Blog/London3.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Big Ben on a clear day</span><br /><br /></div><a href="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/London%20Blog/?action=view&current=London4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/London%20Blog/London4.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Cheeky squirrel at St James Park</span><br /><br /></div><a href="http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/London%20Blog/?action=view&current=London5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/plingsc/London%20Blog/London5.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">En route to the changing of the guard</span><br /></div>Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-30679183702411037602010-05-17T14:02:00.006+08:002010-05-17T15:33:04.970+08:00Sibu - Stand Up and Be CountedCaution - long rambling post ahead :)<br /><br /><br />For as long as I can recall, the people I share a place called home with had always had an independent streak. Coming to Sibu out from the famine and poverty in China, the first generation of Sibu folks knew they had to rely on themselves to build new lives in a remote jungle in the middle of Borneo island.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBB14PZfYiOS-66dHz8BIPhULk1r3PUoOpA3xDRYplZuStt5RbBCoR8nDIiOxP8v1-QvLs8oBUd68YdqgUVkXsqnjhtGAZpLxR-bd9ViTywhH29Ostxhg_jqBN4SL7GLOWkCxk-g/s1600/batang-rejang-sibu2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBB14PZfYiOS-66dHz8BIPhULk1r3PUoOpA3xDRYplZuStt5RbBCoR8nDIiOxP8v1-QvLs8oBUd68YdqgUVkXsqnjhtGAZpLxR-bd9ViTywhH29Ostxhg_jqBN4SL7GLOWkCxk-g/s320/batang-rejang-sibu2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472122272498911298" border="0" /></a><br />And build they did. From barbers to tailors to farmers, each one toiled patiently and ceaselessly, was thrifty with their money and gradually accumulated wealth for their next generation. They ensured their children have the best education, and any old folk you meet in town today will probably have at least one child who went to university, some even to overseas.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgynOhAShCTp1qS0zQnjE-p6oJYA_mF8oEbiJfXdTOUSFt1YDjPsmVb5ZpFL7oNckZYNoEkLw_5kz6AnqLpQvqm5XmrkeTQhZ0ybs9h519qmrhHZ5jbBwm_UdLvAD-NN1AcJD8DiA/s1600/360px-Sibu_composite.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgynOhAShCTp1qS0zQnjE-p6oJYA_mF8oEbiJfXdTOUSFt1YDjPsmVb5ZpFL7oNckZYNoEkLw_5kz6AnqLpQvqm5XmrkeTQhZ0ybs9h519qmrhHZ5jbBwm_UdLvAD-NN1AcJD8DiA/s320/360px-Sibu_composite.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472121848216241618" border="0" /></a><br />Most of them were also God fearing, the pioneers of the town having been in contact with Christianity.<br /><br />And so, they owed no one for their lives, and apparently someone forgot to tell BN that in the last few weeks. Gifts and grants are all well and fine, but to tell Sibu folks to be grateful (?!) and to return the favour was just laughable politics.<br /><br />Sure, there were issues that needed the government's intervention, such as flooding and land lease renewal premiums, but they had been disappointed by the government so many times in the past few decades that when the goodies finally came, there was just a muted response.<br /><br />In the recent vote, they had been given an opportunity to say something, and I have to say that unlike many of the Semenanjung folks, they did.<br /><br />As I looked at the results streaming in on the Malaysiakini website last night, my thoughts turned to those hardworking folks of Sibu, recalling the faces that I saw whenever I wandered around town. In their wisdom, they had looked beyond the cynical and destructive politics of West Malaysia, and sent a loud and clear message - we are standing up to be counted.Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-39171131634151074912010-05-13T22:51:00.004+08:002010-05-13T23:40:06.805+08:00Sponge<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNoEDIeMVQ4YZFFPAP81A85E_5DPoR2DmoxY72yG21Miq997BzR5NOXNzba9hsu87vuYb4m2jWUvtr73Lsz7bydOJkvjxrCUIomghmNDnF47GFUeg_JQhprQaX2_XGfw4ArPTjA/s1600/Sponge.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNoEDIeMVQ4YZFFPAP81A85E_5DPoR2DmoxY72yG21Miq997BzR5NOXNzba9hsu87vuYb4m2jWUvtr73Lsz7bydOJkvjxrCUIomghmNDnF47GFUeg_JQhprQaX2_XGfw4ArPTjA/s320/Sponge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470779402234075394" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My three year old is a sponge.<br /><br />The other day while watching tv, when the adverts came on, she casually rattled off the names of the tv series being promoted - "Pao Tai Yan" (Justice Pao), "Ah Sien", "Jiat Pa Pa".<br /><br />That got my attention, and I began to notice what she's saying. It seems like she's been absorbing everything that she sees and hears. After my wife's car accident earlier this year, Cynthia gets scared whenever I do any sudden braking. "Daddy, 撞车“ (Daddy, car colliding), she would say.<br /><br />She would pretend her toy's a handphone and repeat verbatim phone conversations that she overheard.<br /><br />I now no longer watch violent or scary shows like CSI in front of her - she gets disturbed and starts asking awkward questions.<br /><br />All these made me realize the heavy responsibilities that parents carry - who your kids become do depend, to a large extent, to what you fill them with.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUXR87Ue-evzjelFJ4fl2264IdnzYRLtE7m6PvxR8g3lcZzWulwK-F-9nqcVt4Dnae0euoVBUCBMvvWks5m4Z28Ak8C8KonaPGbbRMwP7zI3y6Tab_mr2wcqr5HLwzZLXO5so9Q/s1600/Cynthia-2010-01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUXR87Ue-evzjelFJ4fl2264IdnzYRLtE7m6PvxR8g3lcZzWulwK-F-9nqcVt4Dnae0euoVBUCBMvvWks5m4Z28Ak8C8KonaPGbbRMwP7zI3y6Tab_mr2wcqr5HLwzZLXO5so9Q/s320/Cynthia-2010-01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470779796479339938" border="0" /></a>Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-29664665034797250472010-05-10T23:14:00.008+08:002010-05-10T23:42:30.689+08:00Long Live The EmpireEarly on in our friendship, <a href="http://www.simontalks.com/">Simon</a> noticed an odd obsession I had with a British movie magazine called <a href="http://www.empireonline.com/">Empire</a>. Despite earning barely enough to survive in the early years of my working life, I always bought the magazine every month without fail.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2oazD3GRRG4855X4n_FScRiibGRU1XIWxIwYK9o9DnJb1qzfUx3nQqD_9Ka5dFGezTGh_dOTqnoHcHmZcmNPqASeUEgTwYBMocnIw6pNaOzE58d0Pv3aznHNMcYbQNEjFsPJnTg/s1600/Empire+Dec+1991.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2oazD3GRRG4855X4n_FScRiibGRU1XIWxIwYK9o9DnJb1qzfUx3nQqD_9Ka5dFGezTGh_dOTqnoHcHmZcmNPqASeUEgTwYBMocnIw6pNaOzE58d0Pv3aznHNMcYbQNEjFsPJnTg/s400/Empire+Dec+1991.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469664994823749234" border="0" /></a><br />I bought my first copy of Empire in Belfast in December 1991, and was instantly hooked. It costs £1.85 then. In 1995, I shipped my 4 years worth of Empire back home in a tea chest, along with some of my uni books. I can't recall where my uni books are now, but my Empire collection now takes up 25% of shelf space in my study room. Yep, all the way from 1991 to 2010.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggezYlRAW_plGBc2Xq6QN5x0wTXaer3mzygHedO4_9bclzHIfeFGkenqBYMGfRrYO-L-bo4yX90imtiQO88g8aIaqE6Zy6Bn33N8e4pS2_2REaC-oN2Ht2KeDXcbsEVWrbSZgRZQ/s1600/Empire+Jan+1996.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggezYlRAW_plGBc2Xq6QN5x0wTXaer3mzygHedO4_9bclzHIfeFGkenqBYMGfRrYO-L-bo4yX90imtiQO88g8aIaqE6Zy6Bn33N8e4pS2_2REaC-oN2Ht2KeDXcbsEVWrbSZgRZQ/s400/Empire+Jan+1996.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469665307285597970" border="0" /></a><br />What prompted this post was the surprise I got when I purchased a copy recently. In 1996, Empire was RM 15 a copy. In 2000, it went up by a third to RM 20, and it peaked at RM32 a few years back. But on Saturday, I was surprised to see RM25 starring at me on the cover of the April 2010 edition.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwS_nvHxKPiVQgSnIEAy1lUqQcxjNW9Vx4csKTBg1SOTNW5yA0zYi9Qj0zU7iIUqi3jLUV6HUyZW3Q9lCDMDjNExjIEoCnvwT-3_7iut09j3MreRVpLOX2YpWqA2atp8qhHmldQ/s1600/Empire+April+2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwS_nvHxKPiVQgSnIEAy1lUqQcxjNW9Vx4csKTBg1SOTNW5yA0zYi9Qj0zU7iIUqi3jLUV6HUyZW3Q9lCDMDjNExjIEoCnvwT-3_7iut09j3MreRVpLOX2YpWqA2atp8qhHmldQ/s400/Empire+April+2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469666271150370786" border="0" /></a><br />Over the years, editors and writers came and went. Some writers like Kim Newman, Ian Nathan and Angie Errigo had been around for so long it felt like listening to an old friend talking when reading their movie reviews.<br /><br />I think what made Empire last so long was the genuine love its staff had for movies. That, and a great sense of fun and humour.<br /><br />Nowadays, I've made a fan of Simon, who shares my copy every month.Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-18376039900218257762010-04-24T22:32:00.002+08:002010-04-24T22:42:31.930+08:00Help YourselfBeen having this song on repeat recently - Help Yourself, written and performed by a guy who called himself Sad Brad Smith specifically for the movie Up In The Air.<br /><br />The movie was both about the personal devastation caused by layoffs all over the US, and the character played by George Clooney who chose to isolate himself in the cocoon of constant travel, distancing himself from both friends and family.<br /><br />So, the song's lyrics, in a way, is directed towards the people who had been laid off, but is applicable to George Clooney's character, too.<br /><br />Have a listen :)<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/E6PAqnhIK9s&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/E6PAqnhIK9s&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />I know you'll help us<br />When you're...<br />Feeling better and we realise<br />That it might not be for a long, long time...<br /><br />But we're willing to wait on you<br />We believe in everything that you can do<br />If you could only lay down your mind<br /><br />I want you to try to help yourself<br /><br />Take the time to take apart<br />Each brick that sits outside your heart<br />And look around you<br />There's people everywhere<br />No they don't always show<br />They're just as scared<br />And we'd be more prepared<br />If we pulled on through...<br /><br />I want you to try to help yourself<br /><br />Oceans of water underneath our feet<br />Terrible design<br />Dusty rooms you cannot sweep<br />Clouding up your mind<br /><br />I know you'll help us when you're...<br />Feeling better<br />And we realise that it might not be<br />For a long, long time...<br /><br />But we, we lend the weight on you<br />We believe in everything that you can do<br />If you could only lay down your mind<br /><br />I want you to try to help yourself...Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-39431515468359129592010-04-13T21:02:00.003+08:002010-04-13T21:11:24.931+08:00J PlatesThe other day as I was driving around my wife's hometown Kluang, I spotted a car with the number plate JFK, and suddenly realized how lucky Johoreans are with their number plates.<br /><br />Apart from showing off that you are part of the Kennedy clan, you also get number plates like JET. My friend <a href="http://www.simontalks.com">Simon</a> used to own a car with that plate, and I relished those days when we could say "Let's take the JET" with a straight face in front of our friends.<br /><br />Then there's JEW (??!!), JAN (for January babies?), JAL (Japan Airlines employee), JAM (for the masochistic). Add the number 5 to JAW and you get Steven Spielberg's classic summer blockbuster.Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-63707511814761046992010-04-10T22:15:00.003+08:002010-04-10T22:30:32.449+08:00That Thing Called RunningMany friends and relatives ask me about my obsession with running in the last two years, and I often have a hard time trying to articulate what it really meant to me.<br /><br />But a few months back, I stumbled upon Haruki Murakami's "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running". A memoir of sorts, Murakami explained the role of running in his life as a novelist, and I found myself gobbling up half the book at a cafe within one hour of buying it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9GqigGF6B0PZFNxMeUGhPp3zfhix6JlOY5QqTdE9-iLs0pQcLDYvroyHUJccfYC9TMWr3X4CuMbgiOgWWhRDxmKwMnUJU3St-OevlhG3JgMMncURFxs7K4RJ2rghoxwtIhBeeg/s1600/haruki-murakami-running.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 277px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9GqigGF6B0PZFNxMeUGhPp3zfhix6JlOY5QqTdE9-iLs0pQcLDYvroyHUJccfYC9TMWr3X4CuMbgiOgWWhRDxmKwMnUJU3St-OevlhG3JgMMncURFxs7K4RJ2rghoxwtIhBeeg/s400/haruki-murakami-running.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458515779425617906" border="0" /></a>A lot of people assumes that people run in order to think, but actually the opposite is true. Murakami described it as "running to create a void", which is exactly what happens to me when I run. There are barely any thoughts when I run - just the focus on moving forward, on the pace, on the breathing.<br /><br />Running is also about finding yourself - how far you would go to get anything done, how much pain and suffering you are willing to endure. That sounds masochistic, but its actually quite enjoyable :)<br /><br />Murakami captured all this and more in his little book. He also explained how running impacted the other aspects of his life, especially his writing career. He went so far as to say that he would have produced something very different if he had not been running.Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-35442698844781588272010-03-08T22:31:00.004+08:002010-03-08T22:50:14.064+08:00Customer ServiceIts been a while since I shared customer service encounters and well, what better story to tell than to share my encounter with the famous third player in the Malaysian Telco market :)<br /><br />My brother gave me his old Blackberry recently, so after so many years of admiring them from afar, I finally became a Digi customer!<br /><br />First, the good news. The registration was quite painless, just filling up a simple form at the dealer, and the line was active in 2 hours.<br /><br />But this morning, my line stopped working. I've been noticing missed calls from the Digi Helpline, but gave them no heed as I usually kept the phone in silent mode. I mean, I use it ONLY for email, and no one has my new number, so it would be weird for anyone I know to be calling me on it.<br /><br />Anyway, I called the Helpline. And was put on hold. Now, I usually have nothing against holding, but since I've been used to <span style="font-weight: bold;">not</span> holding whenever I call Celcom, I have to count it against Digi. Next, the nice Filipino lady (yes, her accent was obvious) asked for my line number, which I remembered wrongly. She told me the line is registered to another person, then stayed silent. My mind was racing by now - how to get the problem resolved?? Then I blurted, "Can't you just find the number by my IC?" Luckily, the lady obliged, and found my account.<br /><br />Then it was explained that Digi was supposed to make a verification by calling me on the number. Since I never picked up their calls, my line had been barred. I guess that's fair enough, but wouldn't it have been great to also send me an sms as well? I would have called back pronto to do the verification. Secondly, the dealer never mentioned anything about the verification.<br /><br />But I have to say the Filipino lady did her job well, and the verification was quickly done. My good impression of Digi was slightly dented, but overall, I have to say I'm impressed.Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-11378809128021003482009-12-29T21:48:00.002+08:002009-12-29T22:04:54.273+08:00The Miracle of AlvinOn Sunday, someone shared the most powerful testimony I have ever heard in my life so far. It was a first hand testimony of someone whose life was literally saved by the Lord.<br /><br />Alvin was a young chap who was doing some renovation work for one of the church members when he suffered sickness that resulted in collapsed lungs.<br /><br />Ending up with 2% lung function, he had to be put on a lung machine in the hospital to help him breathe. Pastors and church members alike prayed for him, but there was no improvement. Put on sedatives, he ended up in a 2 month coma instead, and became a shriveled 40 kg of skin and bones.<br /><br />One night, the lung machine failed. He stopped breathing and his heart stopped beating.<br /><br />Alvin found himself looking at his body on the hospital bed and the nurses rushing in to check on him.<br /><br />The nurses called the doctors. They took a look and asked the nurses to wait another 30 minutes. Alvin tried desperately to go back into his body, but to no avail. He prayed to God to help him, but no answer came.<br /><br />30 minutes passed. The doctors came in, and pronounced him officially dead, at 11.45 pm. They switched off the lights in the ICU room and left.<br /><br />Alvin was left alone in the room with his body beside him. He prayed to God to take him to the better place, since his time has come. Suddenly, a bright light came out from the wall.<br /><br />Alvin walked towards the light. And woke up.<br /><br />The next morning, the doctors could not believe that he was alive.<br /><br />Months later, they also could not believe that he had recovered 90% of his lung function.Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-51953358091655014862009-12-16T16:39:00.002+08:002009-12-16T16:55:31.071+08:00Leadership & ObamaAn <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/can-the-obama-white-house_b_391843.html?alacarte=1">article</a> at the Huffington Post today caught my eye, and I think succinctly sums up Barack Obama's leadership of America so far.<br /><br />I have never thought much of him during the campaign last year, when I was actually rooting for Hillary Clinton, who, despite labels of being a bookish technocrat, actually showed much more passion and conviction.<br /><br />True, Obama often tend to speak more eloquently than Clinton, but does he have it inside? Is it in his bones? I have more than enough first hand experience of leaders who can speak really well but clearly is unable to follow them through with real, preserving action.<br /><br />His actions thus far has been too data driven and too reality driven, not that data and realism are bad things, but if they are the only considerations, then he is not leader, just a mid-level manager.<br /><br />Vision, passion and beliefs are all things that come from the gut, and not from dry data. Out of these things come courage, conviction and boldness to act. And most important of all, it is critical to get a sense, a feel, if you will, of the people that you are leading, otherwise leaders will end up barking up the wrong tree.<br /><br />I really wish Obama well, but I am afraid he will end being remembered for being too cautious, too timid, in a turbulent time in the world where bold and courageous leadership were needed.<br /><br />I end with a quote from the article:<p>"...a transformational president has to move the Congress -- and the public, if need be -- beyond the limits of where they thought they were prepared to go."</p>Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-58989330333343791802009-12-16T09:21:00.005+08:002009-12-16T12:48:51.090+08:00MisdiagnosedI guess in this age of overcommercialization, my story is not really such a surprise after all.<br /><br />It started innocently enough. On Sunday I had a slight sore throat, but was beginning to get the chills and body aches. Come Monday morning, I decided to see a GP at Pusat Bandar Puchong. The lady doctor I met seemed skeptical of my condition, it sounded like she thought I was just trying to get an MC to avoid work on a Monday morning :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBlGVTtEIgYi6ficAqQUSvhLB0wJe0dX3Y_Pg7M6_iOUSFevGqZEDt0nMJqDubkSpkc0g22Lcwq129DRto70iMQRvNumKZp2p66ZWBvtyhyG7xCGGR2sqneNui3QAfZ1fVhqo4Q/s1600-h/Stethoscope.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBlGVTtEIgYi6ficAqQUSvhLB0wJe0dX3Y_Pg7M6_iOUSFevGqZEDt0nMJqDubkSpkc0g22Lcwq129DRto70iMQRvNumKZp2p66ZWBvtyhyG7xCGGR2sqneNui3QAfZ1fVhqo4Q/s400/Stethoscope.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415643451754348738" border="0" /></a><br />Nevertheless, she declared that I had a viral infection and gave me some Panadols and NSAIDS. Now for those of you who do not know the difference between viral and bacterial infections, in terms of treatments what it means for the case of bacterial is that you get to have antibiotics to help you, while for viral you basically have to rely on your body's immune system. She even checked my throat and declared it "nothing".<br /><br />I was miserable the whole Monday despite the medication, and on Tuesday, decided to go back to the same clinic. This time it was a male doctor. Again. he took a look at my throat and didn't think it was serious. He thought the NSAID I was prescribed was not suitable and gave me another type.<br /><br />So, again, I spent the whole of Tuesday with body aches and fever, cursing my immune system for not doing its job. Finally, at 6 pm, I decided to go to a hospital to do a blood test (just in case its dengue) and a second opinion.<br /><br />The lady doctor took a very close look at my throat, and said "You have very bad tonsilitis, can already see pus coming out". I was like, huh? I told her my GP said it was viral infection. She just smiled and didn't say anything. The dengue blood test confirmed that I was fighting a bacterial infection.<br /><br />So, finally armed with some antibiotics, I suffered for another 1 hour before it kicked in. Relief, at last!<br /><br />So, lesson learned. Don't trust your GP 100%. If you have doubts, always get a second opinion, after all, its your body and your health.<br /><br />But I still don't understand how two different doctors from the same clinic can get it wrong. Maybe they think alike? Maybe they were just too overloaded and had mentally formed certain opinions about people like me? Anyway, having lost my trust, I doubt I will be going there anymore.Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-82814684502467610242009-12-09T22:39:00.004+08:002009-12-09T23:04:35.844+08:00T3No, not promoting an old Terminator movie. but something that I have been involved in for the past one year :)<br /><br />I think a lot of us grew up with more questions about the meaning of life, God and the hereafter than we could manage to cope. With the busyness of our lives, they tend to stay in a corner at the back of our minds, to be taken out and thought about once in a while.<br /><br />I was in this same boat, until I encountered someone who decided to fearlessly take on these questions. If dinasours lived millions of years ago, how can we reconcile it with how God supposedly created us? Does science make belief in God irrelevant? Is there a God, and if there is, why should we believe and worship Him?<br /><br />Dr. Ron Choong is one of a kind, someone who dared to face these questions head on and was able to gain clarity and understanding to them.<br /><br />If you've ever been haunted by any of these questions, why not take the opportunity to hear what Dr. Ron has to say? He will be in PJ, Malaysia in January 2010 to do a series of seminars that covers these topics. You can get more details and register at the <a href="http://act-asia.org/">ACT Asia website</a>.<br /><br />Just in case you're wondering what T3 stands for - its Thinking Things Through. So be warned, the seminars are not the usual Christian talks, they will really make you rethink your ideas and presumptions :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6c0KC9P-7AHw7Zm40vDNIomlLJ7JcW3Oi4oy_QZ4p9wdyc8hPetzZywchPt6wCTXUEOVnhoE83QweIN9h3qoPZSn6hDpXK1NkNCMPE3MSPG7qBl7eym0xN4KlNxnqVgVzflTSw/s1600-h/800x250_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 125px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6c0KC9P-7AHw7Zm40vDNIomlLJ7JcW3Oi4oy_QZ4p9wdyc8hPetzZywchPt6wCTXUEOVnhoE83QweIN9h3qoPZSn6hDpXK1NkNCMPE3MSPG7qBl7eym0xN4KlNxnqVgVzflTSw/s400/800x250_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413250167507323970" border="0" /></a>Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-25740248751631202672009-11-27T23:13:00.002+08:002009-11-27T23:26:37.173+08:00Singapore Marathon (Not)For the first time since I took up running last year, I am going to miss a race I have registered for, and it was down to my own foolishness.<br /><br />I injured my right foot at the end of August, and instead of immediately resting and letting it recover, I kept trying to run again every time I got slightly better. In the end I prolonged the injury to three months, and even as I write this I am still only 80% recovered.<br /><br />Desperate at one stage, I even went to a sports clinic, where I found out I had something called <a href="http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/footproblems/a/posteriortibial.htm">posterior tibial tendonitis</a>, which in layman's terms meant I have strained one of the tendons on my foot. After some treatments and custom orthotics (thanks, <a href="http://drastonsportsclinic.blogspot.com/">Dr Aston</a>), I got slightly better, but foolishly, I kept trying to get back to my training, even trying to supplement it with some cross-training on a stationery bike.<br /><br />Finally, I saw the light, and to date I have stopped running cold turkey for three weeks. Not being able to run is quite depressing, but I realized if I don't rest until it is 100%, I will just keep prolonging the issue.<br /><br />Hopefully, there will be more discipline in managing my injuries in the future :)Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-88163999918434067532009-10-11T23:07:00.003+08:002009-10-11T23:09:52.207+08:00Whitney RevisitedWith the return of Whitney Houston to the music scene with her latest album, some music commentators took the occasion to revisit her finest hour - the 1992 soundtrack to the movie The Bodyguard, which even today remained the best selling soundtrack of all time.<br /><br />The movie itself was so-so, but the theme song I'll Always Love You struck a chord with a lot of listeners, and lent the movie an extra level of poignancy which was lacking in both the script and the acting (Kevin Costner tried very hard to go for the stoic look but ended up looking wooden instead).<br /><br />I remember the song well, for I had fallen hard for someone around the time it was released. The song had been playing for a few weeks on the local FM station at Belfast before the film's opening, so most people were already familiar with the song when they went to see the film.<br /><br />As Whitney walked away after saying her goodbyes to Kevin at the end of the movie and the acapella first verse started, suddenly, the girls in the cinema started singing along! The guys in the cinema squirmed, but the girls grew bolder and louder. Of course, not everyone made it to the iconic chorus, but the whole incident was oddly moving. The song was about loving someone but not being able to be with him/her for some reason, and the girls were pouring out their own set of circumstances into their impromptu karaoke.<br /><br />Even today, the opening verse still gives me the goosebumps, as I remember the voices of those girls in that dark cinema many years ago.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DO3cSXgeVCk&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DO3cSXgeVCk&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-52807769412632041352009-09-11T14:26:00.002+08:002009-09-11T14:38:59.966+08:00Eight Years OnLike the baby boomers who remembered where they were when they first heard about John Kennedy's assasination, I guess most of us Gen-X'ers remember where exactly we were when we heard about what happened eight years ago today.<br /><br />I was having supper with some friends in Section 1, PJ Old Town. The whole group of us were just hanging out and gossiping about other friends. One of us got a call from her sister that CNN had reported that New York was "being attacked". A bit bewildered and somewhat worried, we quickly paid up and headed home. On our way to our cars, we passed by another mamak stall that had CNN on, but couldn't really make out what was going on.<br /><br />When I got home, my cousin was watching her usual Cantonese serials on Astro. I asked her to switch over to CNN, and we watched silently in horror for about 20 minutes to what unfolded before our eyes.<br /><br />I went to bed that night thinking that the world will never be the same again. <br /><br />Fours year later I had a chance to experience it first hand as I was in London one week after the underground bombings, and there was a bomb scare.<br /><br />A lot has happened as a result of that fateful day.Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-75340277041410034602009-08-07T13:44:00.004+08:002009-08-07T14:58:45.105+08:00LibrariesI went to the Royal Lake Club, located within Lake Gardens, for a seminar last week. Just as I came up from the underground carpark, I caught sight of something which quickened my pulse and brought back a flood of memories.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnq3IAV7E695nTR7dbqqACx0ennP6H5M3RWKX6b5Hx44j_iP9LoGPrExG222zVry1QM9QMOP1k2C7JrNZEAxQaJWuyJ8Hv7w2qrjhQkTNUGCt-0DufbU2gnwkV3fKM_mQYtLaL2A/s1600-h/Lake+Club+Library.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnq3IAV7E695nTR7dbqqACx0ennP6H5M3RWKX6b5Hx44j_iP9LoGPrExG222zVry1QM9QMOP1k2C7JrNZEAxQaJWuyJ8Hv7w2qrjhQkTNUGCt-0DufbU2gnwkV3fKM_mQYtLaL2A/s400/Lake+Club+Library.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367112056718912002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Lake Club Library<br /></span></span></div><br />Located on the ground of the club was a library. Not the modern type with metal shelves and bright lighting, but one with nice wooden shelves and a cosy atmosphere.<br /><br />My love affair with libraries began when my dad first took me to the Sarikei public library when I was eight years old. Abridged Ladybird books were then the staple of my reading.<br /><br />When we moved to Sibu, the SMC library became my regular haunt, and I read Tolkien's The Two Towers long before I realized it was a classic.<br /><br />Sarawak was luckier than the other Peninsular states in Malaysia, because up till the 90's, the British Council was a significant donor of books to the public libraries there. Thus, I learnt BASIC programming without even touching a real computer, and had access to a wonderful collection of British magazines.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIy9cSpbjBI1FVGjrWUoUGqYnrbx8i71YIUFCkRtbPGGa7zh9Y-GiiGW1VeZkZvOtoJGNyTmgEfi6Qkn-_SjouhZ4Q4nOtqVOX2w3K6OYnCZXt-qR0cGY8Zy-6WHycfulmXDoXWQ/s1600-h/Sibu+Library.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIy9cSpbjBI1FVGjrWUoUGqYnrbx8i71YIUFCkRtbPGGa7zh9Y-GiiGW1VeZkZvOtoJGNyTmgEfi6Qkn-_SjouhZ4Q4nOtqVOX2w3K6OYnCZXt-qR0cGY8Zy-6WHycfulmXDoXWQ/s400/Sibu+Library.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367112515396394786" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Sibu Library<br /></span></span></div><br />When I came to KL to study in 1989, the National Library was at Jalan Raja Laut, and together with the British Council library at Bukit Aman, became my favourite weekend haunts.<br /><br />Things got better when I got to Queen's in Belfast, for they had a <span style="font-weight: bold;">10 storey</span> main library and a 3 storey science one, not to mention Linen Hall library at the centre of the city. I felt like a man trying to gulp down an ocean of water, borrowing books like crazy.<br /><br />Back to KL in 1996, the British Council library became my regular again, together with the KL Memorial library at Dataran Merdeka, which I felt was the only decent government funded library in West Malaysia apart from the National Library.<br /><br />It was also at the British Council library that I found the perfect excuse to "bump into" my future wife, as she was studying for her MAICSA then :)<br /><br />Sadly, after shifting to Wisma Selangor Dredging, the British Council library is now closed down for good.<br /><br />After witnessing the terrible collection at the MBPJ library in 2000, I gave up visiting local libraries, and nowadays prefer to haunt Kinokuniya and MPH instead.<br /><br />However, I was glad to find out that Puchong is finally going to have its own library at Bandar Puteri, which I think will be open sometime this year. Here's hoping it will have a decent collection.<br /><br />With the pervasiveness of the Internet, Wikipedia, etc nowadays, do libraries still have a place in our lives and our kids' lives? If we want to go beyond consuming snippets of info, plentiful though they may be, I believe physical books will still continue to have a future. Let's put it this way - consuming info from the Internet is akin to eating a McDonald's Chicken McNuggets, convenient, fast, but insubstantial. Reading a book, on the other hand, is akin to tucking in into a nice steak, something to be enjoyed slowly.<br /><br />My little Cynthia has been observing her daddy always having a book in hand in the evenings, and my wife would sometime catch her intently studying a copy of the Reader's Digest, even though she can't really read yet. When she does, I look forward to share with her the wonderful world of libraries.Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-62203739506945885022009-07-29T23:39:00.003+08:002009-07-30T00:00:34.338+08:00RIP, YasminTonight, as I sat starring at my monitor, I thought of Yasmin Ahmad's untimely demise, and decided to gorge myself on her works on Youtube.<br /><br />Like Lat, she was one of a very few persons who really understood the essence of who we are, in this beloved country of ours, whatever our race may be.<br /><br />My heart aches for the fact that we will never find out what else she had in store for us. But I guess we should also celebrate the fact that she also left us a lot - a legacy of reminders to us on what means to be, well, who we really are. I share some of my favorites below.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/v66VMFBPq8E&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/v66VMFBPq8E&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cqDdhloTLM4&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cqDdhloTLM4&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/s2XLZsiCBsA&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s2XLZsiCBsA&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/v9E76c5uvBM&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/v9E76c5uvBM&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dP-j6vUGwK4&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dP-j6vUGwK4&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/C-M1rZAYMM0&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/C-M1rZAYMM0&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12925542.post-75400101309411314742009-07-14T00:17:00.004+08:002009-07-14T00:48:04.018+08:00The Last of An EraThe <a href="http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/6/21/nation/4166098&sec=nation">retirement of Brother Paul Ho</a> recently as principal of XXI in Penang marked the end of an era. For he was the last of the La Salle Brothers working as headmasters or principals in Malaysia, private schools aside.<br /><br />I attended these Christian schools from the time I entered kindergarten till the day I left for college. I started at St. Clement's Kindergarten in Sarikei, which is still standing today! There's a fantastic write up about it <a href="http://sarikei-time-capsule.blogspot.com/2009/07/scenes-sarikei-st-clements-kindergarten.html">here</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxR6U2lJzU70qmiupfFa43pnjgEai6-u89Q0tDOsrdPiaCivFqv0BZnG5hrtcS9twRKIlwf8K7QN96A6Q9F847moaX6JnRp5kuENSFObXBIb1PhAZ5SMOp-bmxeYI8tZxynVCtw/s1600-h/Sarikei+St+Clement%27s+Kindergarten+2007.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxR6U2lJzU70qmiupfFa43pnjgEai6-u89Q0tDOsrdPiaCivFqv0BZnG5hrtcS9twRKIlwf8K7QN96A6Q9F847moaX6JnRp5kuENSFObXBIb1PhAZ5SMOp-bmxeYI8tZxynVCtw/s400/Sarikei+St+Clement%27s+Kindergarten+2007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357986488317894802" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Half of my primary school years were then spent just a stone's throw away from St Clement's, and that's St Anne's primary school.<br /><br />When my family moved to Sibu, <a href="http://www.shssibu.edu.my/">SHS (Sacred Heart School)</a> was my alma mater until Form 5.<br /><br />Throughout all these schools, the same tenets remained - discipline, respect, strong work ethic, pride, love. All the Christian Brothers and Sisters that were there poured out their heart and soul to educate the children the best that they can.<br /><br />And today, I dare to say many who have passed through the gates of those schools have continued to rely on those principles to make their lives a success.<br /><br />As I write this, the songs that the Sisters at St Anne's used to make us sing during morning assembly echoes through my mind. Even after 30 years, they still remain vivid:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We Stand For God</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">We stand for God and for His glory</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Lord Supreme and God of all.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Against his foes, we raise His standard,</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Around His cross, we hear His call.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Strengthen our faith, Redeemer,</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Guard us when danger is neigh</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">To Thee we pledge our lives and service,</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Strong in a trust that ne'er shall die.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">To Thee we pledge our lives and service</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Strong in a trust that ne'er shall die.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">It's A Long Walk to Freedom</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">R- It's a long road to freedom,</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A winding steep and high,</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />But when you walk in love</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />With the wind on your wing</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />And cover the earth</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">with the songs you sing</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />The miles fly by.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />1- I walked, one morning by the sea</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />And all the waves reached out to me</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />I took their tears, then let them be…</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />2- I walked, one morning at the dawn</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />When bits of night still lingered on</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />I sought my star, but it was gone…</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />3- I walked, one morning with a friend</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />And prayed the day would never end</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />The years have flown, so why pretend…</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">4- I walked, one morning with my King</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />And all my winters turned to spring</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Yet every moment, held it's sting…</span>Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349230818320418811noreply@blogger.com0