In Heaven

Grandma has passed on.

My travel agent managed to get me a seat on Tuesday.

It was the earliest flight and somehow Kuching new international airport felt even colder that morning.
On the flight, I reminded myself, throughout the 35 minutes flight, what I told myself the day before; grown man don’t cry. Beside, I can’t remember the last time I did. I was prepared.

The plane touched down at Sibu airport as scheduled. The place is not foreign to me as I seen the place improved over the years and it got bigger
but something never changes.
Once I got outside, I was quickly whizzed away in one of my cousin's 4wd. I was later told Grandma passed away at the old house, it was her wish.

The old house used to be grand place in the olden days but it’s now neglected even though it’s still being occupied.
After I paid my respect to Grandma, I took a walk down memory lane,
visited the place where I used to play, bath and drink
sat on the family’s favorite bench and tried to remember the many things I did and threw down below.

The view of the Rejang river from the balcony is still as magnificant as ever.
And without realizing it, the day went by so quickly with throngs of relatives and friends that came from near and far to pay their last respect.

*****

The next day, at the crack of dawn,a simple ceremony was held at the Church
before everyone

accompany Ah Ma to her final resting place.
And I was wrong earlier as no matter how I prepared or how strong I thought I was, I shed tears on all occasions…

Ah Ma, we know you left us because Jesus love you.You will always be remembered and missed...

A simple update

As you can see I have revamped my blog’s template again. Finally I found one that I really like (Hmm... did I say that the last time?) This one somewhat felt like myself, simple and crude. I have also given the header a shade of green, which reflect the characters in my name.

Just hope that this will be the last change; fingers and toes crossed.

There also haven’t been much updates of late, not that I have nothing in mind, I have plenty of things to jot down but by the time I get to my workstation, they just disappeared into thin air.

For the past weeks, I found myself having more spare time, hence this blog, which is a bad sign. The economy seems to have suddenly halted as if it hit a huge brick wall. Most businesses are awfully quiet and are bracing for the worst. These are times when sometimes I wish I am a regular white collar person, earning a regular income with less worry.

With escalating oil price, the economy is indeed on a scary downward trend. Where is our economy heading? Is this the result of ill management, preferential treatment and corruption that have plagued the country? I surely hope not.

Maybe it is just me or am I being over paranoid?

Clamp that Shell

Shell seriously need refining themselves, especially with their latest radio advertisement.

I was surprised that there were no public out cry over their recent bonus link point commercial.

What is the advertisement trying to achieve by calling people useless for working late and earning so little? It obviously suggest and degrade people that work hard to make a humble living and radio stations are also guilty for cooperating in such humiliating dealings.

Ironically, the supposedly witty advertisement truthfully depict the bad side of some Malaysians. However Shell Malaysia as a global entity should be more sensitive to what they employ and immediately discard the offending advertisement off the air, as it is demeaning and disseminating wrong value to the society.

To let them hear your opinion, click HERE.

Night outing

Good Friday golf was washout midway as rain came like clock work. Hence an early dinner was planned at BarZing, Travillion.

Although I haven't been out for ages, I heard plenty about Travillion, the latest buzz in Kuching, great food, nice shopping and plenty of gangsterism? The new establishment is getting a bad rap with unpleasant rumors, most probably started by business rivals out of jealousy. Words of caution earlier also add uneasiness before my visit to this so call gray area of Kuching.

When I arrived, the place was quiet and not rowdy as I have imagined. BarZing, like the other businesses there, have modern setup and hip looking place. The surrounding was awfully quite for a public holiday. Maybe the rumors have kept people away or was I too early?

After a few drinks and with things not happening, we adjourned to SoHo. SoHo is located at the front edge of Padungan Road, a stone throw away from Tom's. Now SoHo’s atmosphere was the complete opposite from BarZing, it was already pack when we got there at 10 pm. I was then quickly ushered up to the first floor via a guarded side entrance.

Oh my, an exclusive private club away from the loud music, a bar counter with every drinks imaginable and a huge projector screen showing EPL, now that’s more like my style. The crowd was great and it's a nice comfortable place to socialize, at least from the point of view of this homely not so young 30 something.

A good change from the routine, but there is nothing compare to the comfort of my own home.

Dolphins Ahoy

Amazing! There are dolphins found in Sarawak river!!

Its not that I have never seen dolphins before. I have seen them during my numerous oceans fishing trips and in commercialized captivities as well. But dolphins right at my own backyard? It's hard to believe and it made me proud to know that Kuching is still a sanctuary for wildlife albeit it's rapid modernization.

Go read Pesut's website, which I found through KennySia where they went kayaking with Francis.

Dolphins are aquatic mammals, yeah the ones with tits and breast feed. No you perverts, they are not half naked mermaids with succulent firm breasts. Now go wash your face in Salak River. Yes, the species known as Irrawaddy dolphins are found there in Salak River, near Santubong. Beautiful smart creatures, I just hope nobody after reading this, will hunt them down for barbeque or make exotic soups out of them.

Yes, it's an irony that many people that live here, take wildlife conservation and awareness for granted. It will take a lot of effort and most probably it will be too late before we realized it, just like most things in life.

Please help conservation by doing your part.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

Thanks to LH for the extracts of letters written to various councils/housing associations:

1. I want some repairs done to my cooker as it has backfired and burnt my knob off.
2. I wish to complain that my father hurt his ankle very badly when he put his foot in the hole in his back passage.
3. And their 18 year old son is continually banging his balls against my fence.
4. I wish to report that the tiles are missing from the outside toilet roof. I think it was that bad wind the other night that blew them off.
5. I am writing on behalf of my sink, which is coming away from the wall.
6. Will you please send someone to mend the garden path, my wife tripped and fell on it yesterday and now she is pregnant?
7. I request permission to remove my drawers in the kitchen. 50% of the walls are damp, 50% have crumbling plaster and the rest are plain filthy.
8. The toilet is blocked and we cannot bath the children until it is cleared.
9. Will you plea! se send a man to look at my water? It is a funny colour and not fit to drink.
10. Our lavatory seat is broken in half and is now in three pieces.
11. I want to complain about the farmer across the road, every morning at 6:00am his cock wakes me up and its now getting too much for me.
12. The man next door has a large erection in the garden, which is unsightly and dangerous.
13. Our kitchen floor is damp. We have two small children and would like a third so please send someone round to do something about it.
14. I am a single woman living in a downstairs flat and would you please do something about the noise made by the man I have on top of me everynight.
15. Please send a man with the right tool to finish the job and satisfy my wife.
16. I have had the clerk of the works down on the floor six times but I still have had no satisfaction.
17. My bush is really overgrown round the front and my back! passage has fungus in it.
18. He's got this huge tool that vibrates the whole house and I just can't take it any more.

Played with a Pro.

Tuesday was a public holiday and I had to work. Damn, it was a busy day but my mind was obviously not there after G told me about a professional player joining our afternoon golf game.

After closing up at noon, I rushed to the golf course and I was late. However I managed to catch up with the gang on the second tee box and met Kev the pro. To my surprised he was a small built guy and not as what I have imagined. An American born Chinese, Kev played in American Amateur Golf Tour in his younger years before trying his luck on Japan tours for several years. Struggling on tour is no fun and not a way to make a living he said. He is now making a good living with a salaried job but is thinking of trying for the tour again. Golf tour is in his blood I guess.

We played off the black championship tee box and Kev, considering his height and explicit foul mouth, was amazingly long with his driver. It was rather a relief after he told us that he was rank among the top driving distance when he was touring. Coupled with strong compact irons shots, he made the turn at 35 (-1) with two birds and one bogey. His putting feel is commendable especially when he never played the course before. His home run was however blemished with 3 bogeys after he couldn't recover from a few unavoidable errant drives.

I played reasonably well that day and didn't felt intimidated as I have played with a few golf professional before this. What I noticed from all these outing is that the professional are no different from low handicap amateurs. They are not prefect like what we see on televisions, just that the professionals hit higher percentage of good shots and make less mistakes.

We will be playing again on Friday before he leaves and I am going to beat him this time round. Maybe I should start swearing like him to play well? Hehe..

Cobwebbed

I haven't been dinning out for ages, until last evening.

We were invited out for dinner with a couple of friends. CY actually wanted us to meet her newly found love after her break up. Good on her and it's good to see her beaming again.

Before hand, I have been warned not say anything, not because the guy is from the capital city but he is young. Very young in fact. I have nothing against women dating younger men, I even dated a few older women myself, but this one just gave me funny vibes. I could be wrong and maybe it was just me.

It was my first time at the much talked about Magenta. The food was great and so was the ambience. The stilted old wooden house was tastefully renovated and decorated with ala Bali style. Old me obviously blended well with the old structures.

The first few minutes of the meeting was a bit awkward but as the night progressed with a few jokes thrown in here and there, made the evening more palatable. I just couldn't figure out why but I just had this funny feeling about this younger guy. Maybe I am being prejudice but I rarely misjudged a character.

We later adjourned to Tom's, a dessert place down at Padungan Road. First time there for me as well. I was told that they are well known in Kuching for their killer cheese cakes. Darn nit! they were right as they were all yummylicious! We also had wine and coffees to go with cakes. So much for my strict diet regime.

I later had to excused myself as I had to work tomorrow. Yeah it's a Saturday but someone had to work... After a few quick goodbyes I left them to enjoy themselves. I am sure they felt better without me, as I definitely felt old last night.

NAP just screwed us

I had another hair pulling fit after reading this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/02/automobiles/02AUTO.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Plenty of nice cars. Only RM70,000 for a brand spanking new Camry. However I was suddenly shot down to earth when I reliazed how much we Malaysian are paying for. Through our nose!

The news is not new and the policy have been anticipated even after years after years of delays. It's dissapointing and I am pissed at the recently announced National Automotive Policy, or better known as NAP or National Account Pilfering, as it did nothing to ease the pain and burden that Malaysian consumer have to carry.

As tax payer to the government that is elected by the people for the people, cars including national makes still remain expensive in Malaysia. Citing an example like the above, a Toyota Camry will still cost twice as much compared to other country that have efficient coverage of public transport. Excise duty remain high, ranging from 65% to 125% paid to Malaysian Custom, add import duties, road taxes to JPJ, escalating fuel prices and tolls to concessionaires; and yet car buyers are expected to pay more than the rest of world.

The day light robbery continues. Truly Malaysia Boleh.

Silent please!

Part of golf etiquette is to to stay silent when one is about to hit shots.

Have a watch at this hilarious golf video clip. The guy definitely takes the cake for having the quirkiest habits.

Don't understand Spanish? Don't worry, golf is an universal game and language is not a barrier.

I hate tourist

No, I don't hate all tourists. Maybe only on somedays!

Kuching is a hidden tourist's heaven.

The people here are nice, maybe too nice and we are often taken advantage off and not the other way round. It's understandable as we can't blame tourists for being over cautious as it's not a norm that people to be warm and good to them. It can feel to be too good to be true hence many are taken aback or caution when dealing with the local.

Travel magazines and books are no help as most of the information are inaccurate and outdated. For instance, shopping in Kuching, readers are often advice to haggle for price. It depends on what, where and how, not everytime!

Don't people know that there is an art to bargaining without making a fool of themselves? And I do not know where the idea of bargaining down to more than 80% price came from but it's darn insulting to the seller and buyer if they feel it at all.

And whoever wrote or gave that idea should be shot, twice in the butt!!

Sigh, I am too piss to write. Stomping away angrily... brb when I cool off.

Whoring the Masters

Who will win or screw up in this year golf Masters?

Golf analysis are banking on the big five; Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen. But I will not put my money on any of them. Woods is currently the number one player in the world and the clear cut favorite but I just wish someone else can beat him. No doubt he is the best player now but the game felt a bit like the previous years of F1 race where Michael Schumacher dominated the field.

Ernie Els my personal favorite and idol will not make it either this year. Although his fitness is up to par after his knee surgery last year, his thirst for the green jacket will be his worst enemy. Mentally challenged and will be subjected to his flat stick performance.

Phil coming in with a high from his recent triumph at Bellsouth Classic, will have to be patient at Augusta. If he continues with his fine putting last week, he will be the one to watch and so is with Vijay. Poker face Retief will be even more difficult to predict especially when he is currently struggling with his driver.

So how to pick the winner? Tough decision but my money is on the Spaniard, Miguel and either one of these Australians, Adam Scott or Robert Allenby. May the best putter win.

Slow Play Suxs

Slow play kills golf. It's not like having sex.

Enough said.

How to score an ass

I have forgotten about yesterday incident when I received an email this afternoon.

It was from one of my golf kakis and here's an excerpt from the mail:

You wouldn't believe what happened yesterday. I almost killed our Champion Sia in the 5th Hole (Par 5) of Matang! My ball hit him right in the butt whilst he was standing far to the left of me in the fairway, waiting to play his second shot. But that shot has certainly bolstered him to get a birdie in that Hole. Incidentally that was my fourth shot after having found my first tee shot in the pond. Sorry again Sia and congratulations to your well deserved birdie.

Haha... lawyers!!

So remember, in order to get kill in golf or get your ass plugged, try to stand in front or near a golfer who is about to hit their shot.

p/s. I was rather hit behind the hip/waist area and not the butt area as claimed. He couldn't be that accurate to his this asshole! lol

Sullivan patents

When I first switched from Strata Ultimate to Titliest ProV, I thought I was crazy when my mind imagined that the two golf balls felt and played the same (The only obvious different is that the latter plays longer off the tee due to improved material and dimple design).

That's until I read this article.

At issue is a series of patents referred to as the "Sullivan patents," a reference to Michael J. Sullivan. Sullivan is the former vice president of golf-ball research and development for Top-Flite who left that company in 1999 and is currently Acushnet¹s vice president for intellectual property.

The patents in question were used to develop a multilayer golf ball under the Top-Flite brand in the mid 1990s called the Strata that became popular on the PGA Tour and was the precursor for the move away from wound balls among tour players. Those patents were subsequently acquired by Callaway in its purchase of Top-Flite in 2004.

Callaway filed its lawsuit alleging patent infringement in February. Suggesting the Titleist Pro V1 line of golf balls "embody the technology of the Sullivan patents," the complaint alleges that Acushnet attempted to have the patents in question re-examined by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and that Acushnet belatedly attempted to seek patents on "virtually the same technology" four years after the Sullivan patents were originally filed.

And why the sudden lawsuit? Hey maybe they just realized that it's a 1 billion dollar business by just making golf balls! And it's making me poorer by the week. Donations to my golf balls relief fund much welcome.

An Eyeful

This is an important information sourced from the web.

An Eyeful a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
by Jonathan Hayter

Staring at women's breasts is good for men's health and makes them live longer, a new survey reveals. Researchers have discovered that a 10-minute ogle at women's breasts is as healthy as half-an-hour in the gym. A five-year study of 200 men found that those who enjoyed a longing look at busty beauties had lower blood pressure, less heart disease and slower pulse rates compared to those who did not get their daily eyeful.

Dr Karen Weatherby, who carried out the German study, wrote in The New England Journal of Medicine: "Just 10 minutes of staring at the charms of a well-endowed female is roughly equivalent to a 30-minute aerobics workout. Sexual excitement gets the heart pumping and improves blood circulation. There is no question that gazing at breasts makes men healthier. Our study indicates that engaging in this activity a few minutes daily cuts the risk of a stroke and heart attack in half. We believe that by doing so consistently, the average man can extend his life 4 to 5 years."

She added that sexy stars like Dolly Parton, Heather Locklear, Anna Nicole Smith and Demi Moore had proved to be especially good for the men's health.

So ladies, please don't mind if we men stare at your bosoms ya.

And for men, feast your eyes. Remember, it's good for the heart!!