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Monday, May 31, 2004

I need a JOB

Woke up today, feeling the urge to get a job

I am still writing for Faces magazine but since I quit my day job almost 2 months ago, it sure feels like I need to pick things up a bit. I need to get back on the fast lane... Start looking at the classifieds for a day job

Writing for the FACES magazine is good but I need to get back to where I see myself going in 10-20 years time. Retail marketing

Plus, I will be in Singapore more often these days. Oh, I applied for a job at Tangs Dept Store in Singapore last couple of weeks. No reply. So I guess that's that

Sunday, May 30, 2004


A cloudy day driving just about 15 mins out of Kuala Lumpur

ASTRO


OK. Michael Schumacher won the race. But here i am left bitter and bitching. As I sat there waiting for the race to start on StarSports channel, the clouds gather and the rain pours. I was left stunned in disbelief of the timing. When it RAINS there is simply nothing on television. My connection to the world without getting out of the house or even the couch

But coming out of that feeling, I was disgusted by the fact that the satellite content provider increased its charges lately. The Malaysian satellite tv provider called ASTRO has increased it's monthly subscription by RM5/a month. Partly due to "supposed" increase in channels over the years (since 1996) and the subsidy they have provided to make their set-top boxes and receivers affordable to the Malaysian consumer

Well, firstly, ASTRO can be offering 1,000,000 channels for all I care, it doesn't matter because I cant see SH*T when it's very cloudy and absolutely nothing comes on the television when it rains. The technicians from ASTRO will tell you to go into setup and re-download services and check the satellite signal strength but it doesnt work, i know. I tried. So why don't put their thinking caps on and see how much technology has evolved since 1996, when they started ASTRO, to overcome this shortcoming because it is utterly ridiculous to claim you can offer 80 channels when I have to check the weather report or take a 'raincheck' to see if I am going to have anything interesting to watch on television

Secondly, I dont care if the set-top boxes are made cheaper or if ASTRO is giving away the receivers for free. This does not justify me paying extra for the same service I've been receiving for the past few years on ASTRO

SCREW YOU ASTRO. Malaysian consumers should not be complacent and accept this capitalist steamroller's bad practice. I'd be switching to another pay-tv provider the first moment it's launched. I am of course talking about MiTV. The rumored new pay-TV station by Tan Sri Vincent Tan. It's said to be aired on digital terresterial television (DTT) technology, which is described to be cheaper than satellite technology and will probably offer better and reliable television content than ASTRO

Oh well, what do I have to do to just be able to watch some television? sigh

You may think that is a storm in a cup over RM5 but you see, when we're talking about over 1,000,000 ASTRO subscribers forking out an average of RM90 every month, it's translated to 90,000,000 million ringgit by just sitting pretty behind the desk and making sure business is as usual every month. With a price increase of RM5, it is easily 5 million extra to ASTRO every MONTH, 60 million extra a year from the increase alone


A picture I took of Michael Schumacher's Ferrari on my Nikon CoolPix 775 Digital Camera at one of the more recent Malaysian GP. Ahead of JP Montoya

Formula One in Europe

It's a great day

Michael Schumacher is on pole position for the European GP in Nurburgring! The flawless lap he put in and the pole position that was garnered from a 0.6 second advantage over the next fastest driver, Takuma Sato of BAR Honda was mighty impressive. It's Michael Magic, as they call it

Michael Schumacher is as fast as i expected he'd be here. Medium downforce circuit with a good mixture of fast, medium corners shows what a balanced car the F2004 is. I am just worried he qualified with a low-fuel strategy. Oh well, BUT its good to see Michael back on his "usual" pole position

Overtaking is definitely possible on this track. Rain is not expected on race day according to the weather forecast. Will be home watching the race live. My friends asked me out and suggested i recorded the race and watch it later. But i declined because after Monaco I'd really like to watch Michael win this

It's a Beautiful Sunday!


Auguries of Innocence
TO see a World in a Grain of Sand

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour

-William Blake

Friday, May 28, 2004

MUSIC

What am i listening to right now

J-Kwon - Tipsy
Mario Winans ft Puff Daddy - I Don't Wanna Know
Hoobastank - The Reason
Craig David - World Filled With Love
Linkin Park - From The Inside
George Michael - Amazing

Formula One heads down to Nurburgring

Racing-Live.com - F1, WRC, Rally, MotoGP, Live

I'm a big Formula One fan. Also a supporter of Michael Schumacher.... and Ferrari.I don't support them because they are the winning team. A lot of people think that. I am not into it just to be "cool" or "hip" by associating myself with a winning team. It's just that Michael has got real talent. If Ayrton Senna is still around, i am sure the battle is going to be fast and furious. I've been a supporter even before their winning days.

I've been to every Formula1 race in Sepang since the Malaysian GP started in 1999 (except for two years; one when I was still studying in Australia, and one more because I wasn't feeling so well). The sound of a 19,000 rpm revving engine and the sweet sound of it going down the two long straights in Sepang Circuit is just pure ecstacy (with earplugs) on. You can feel the noise even. And it's really a technological marvel. 900+ bhp from a 3.0 litre V10 engine... weight of around 600kg... the facts could go on. Ok, if someone isn't into technology and gadgets, he may just find F1 boring because the cars just go 60-70 laps like a procession... Well, if you knew more about what's going on, it may just be interesting for you...

How the tyre degradation works, why they are not fast enough, what tyre choice the competitor is making, the sound of the engine cutting in and out for traction control, looking at the aerodynamic bits... the pacing rhythm of the cars, seeing how the drivers attack/overtake and follow the lead, how to keep a safe distance from the "wake" created from the aerodynamics of the car in front and maintaining downforce... slipstreams! It's just amazing.

Heading down to Nurburgring for the European Grand Prix, where Ralf Schumacher won last year, I think Ferrari is going all out for vengeance this time around. I know I am ready for some quality action this weekend. Although last weekend's race in Monaco didn't turn out to be a Ferrari red-wash, and there isn't any testing this week due to the proximity of both race dates, all they had time for was just a shakedown by Luca Badoer. The Ferrari F2004 should be more suited for the medium downforce circuit of Nurburgring. It should be relatively fast and a as seen before in races prior to "maximum downforce" Monaco street race, Ferraris are the ones to beat.

The scarlet Ferraris didn't do too badly in Monaco, if you see the best lap times and the position Michael Schumacher was in before he was hit by JP Montoya. Posted a lap record for Monaco... four fastest laps in a row before he came in for his first pitstop. Wow.

But in retrospect,one has little blame for Michael over what happened. It has always been known that under safety car procedures, you are to follow the lead of the car in front. Just like the formation lap process before the race start, you have to abide to what the front person is doing. Even if the car in front of you is a Minardi, you have to watch what the car is doing. He can warm up his tyres by swerving left and right... he can go 20kmh and suddenly accelerating. You just follow your leader. No complaints about him going to slow or too fast in the formation lap. Its the same behind the safety car. Too bad that the incident happened in the tunnel because there isn't any rule that states any location exceptions for this rule.

You should watch your front... Maybe Montoya is just feeling a little too prideful to admit that there is a possibility he may have just made a mistake, crashing into the Ferrari. Especially after the Imola incident... Where he was jumping his pants off when he had a clash with Michael Schumacher.

Won't be going out much this weekend. It's Formula One weekend. Six races in eight weeks... There just isn't any time for much testing in between so we'll see a status quo of machinery from now till 8 weeks later. Go Ferrari.

Oh well, thats life. You win some, you lose some.

Thursday, May 27, 2004

Gadgets

I love gadgets if you don't already know.

I find it difficult to be using a mobile phone for more than 6 months. Some of the pictures I send to the blog are from my Sony Ericsson T630. It's a nice phone. Nothing to bitch about the phone except it's a little slow, the memory isn't exactly huge and the biggest problem i have with it is that it's not the black one! That shiny, beautiful and mysterious black one.

I like the smell of new gadgets. It's like the smell of a new shirt... like the smell of a new cologne you're putting on for the first time. Yum.

I also have a Palm Zire 71, which i take pictures for the blog from. And a host of other devices... but next on my list is a Sony Ericsson P900.

I think it's time to buy lots of lotteries

Yesterday

Gym, Gym, Gym

"One of the few words that I know of that doesn't contain a single vowel"

I went to the gym yesterday. For the first time in my life, I was really inside the core of "manufactured looks". This is the largest FitnessFirst gym in Malaysia so I really am in the core!

Getting past the guest relations person who looks more interested in signing us up and earning our commission than really talking about how good gym can be for you. Thats the first mistake, I am already turned off. I haven't even stepped into the gym and this guy is all pretentious with me. I was disgusted at this person who shared the same name with me. At least he's Ken and I am Kenny. You see, mine is LONGER

I had two friends with me. One was already a member at the gym and the other wasn't. The one who's already a member apparently signed up for the gym through this Ken guy. When Ken asked him "Are you also a guest?"... My friend replied "No, I am already a member. Don't you remember me? You signed me up! In ??? outlet. Remember?" with a big smile... thinking this guy would remember

Ken just kept quiet and said "Oh, I'm sorry... Really?" Turned back to the both of us (guests and not members) and said "oh, let me explain to you the packages and rates for our gym... " bla bla bla. I have already turned my ears off from listening to this hollow person and someone who's nothing but a hangar for the clothes he's wearing. You can see right through a person so easily, it's scary. It looks as if he's not enjoying his job. Just doing it to earn a living. All I can say is, well, if you're not enjoying your job... JUST QUIT IT, damn it.

Give someone who actually has an interest in people, in the well-being of others, who are actually as concerned about reaching sales targets as he is about carrying out his job with utmost professionalism and most importantly 'someone who bothers more than you'. If he clearly did not remember, he coudl at least have handled the situation with more tact.

This is not the end of the gym bitching. Well inside the gym. I see people. Troubled people. They are clouded by this perception that they have a problem. I don't think they do. But seriously, I am all for people who work out to feel good and for health reasons. But standing right smack in the belly of the beast, I see guys with huge arms flexing their muscles in front of the endless mirrors. What the hell?!

Gee. Narcissus never quite existed in my reality till now. These guys actually look in the mirror, scrutinizing their biceps triceps whatever, and looking very very focused on their own body. I was watching for a few minutes and I have to say it doesn't look like the guy is going to stop any time soon.

I was surrounded by gym-bunnies. There are lots of people who are going to gym just because of peer pressure and their deep insecurity of losing out in terms of looks in the beauty game. These people just walk into the gym, holding a bag and walking confidently,almost to the point of floating, into the gym and come out injected with confidence. Well, whatever works for you

Some other ladies and men are on the treadmill. One of them looked like he's sweating a bucket. They had a "body combat" class at that time and it looked really fun albeit a bit on the wussy side. I mean who goes to the gym to do "new-age aerobics"? But Shhh.... don't tell anyone I said that it looked interesting to me.

For me, I really do feel better coming out of the gym. It wasn't so tiring... I expected to be pooped after gym because I havent moved my muscles this much since reaching the peak of my channel surfing habits last year, in front of the telly. Getting the sweat out of me was quite fun actually. Not a single moment in there did i stop to look into the mirrors, mind you.

Maybe it's just me. I don't like to be surrounded by people who have "problems". Frankly, I have a issues with motivational books and courses. I have a problem with self-discovery "training". I have problems with motivational songs. I don't need to be motivated, I just need a better incentive to do things. If I am waking up to a job that pays peanuts, do you think I would be as concerned about punctuality as a job that pays diamonds? I know theoretically I should give as much damn as I could for both, but frankly...? On the other hand, if it's not a tangible incentive, i must search for an intangible incentive. If your confidence problems are reaching a new-low... take a break. Look within, not outside. Personally, I dont think I have a problem with anything... I live a life that's full. Everything in life is a "work in progress"...

But the one big guy i saw flexing his muscles in front of the mirror is still there... after what must have been over 3 tiring hours looking at himself and lifting weights occasionally...

The Things People Do.

Wednesday, May 26, 2004


Another picture of Kuala Lumpur... these pics were taken on my Palm Zire 71. It's my ol' faithful. I can't find any serious reason to give it up for a Zire 72 with 1.2 megapixel camera and video recording function just yet. I mean let's face it, who's going to care about 1.2mp when it's got a fixed focus lens?


A picture taken in January, the scene of KL at dawn... I wish I was in bed at that time. This shot was taken while I was at a photo shoot for an ad. I was working in an advertising agency prior to this.

HOLY GOOGLES!

HearMeBitch!

Its 4:30am and I am bored stiff. A quick search on Google for my name turned out a few accurate hits. Including one article on New Straits Times on a photography exhibition I did a long time ago. I themed it "Decadence". It was a proud moment for me to show my photographs to the National Unity and Social Development Minister Datuk Dr Siti Zaharah Sulaiman. Surprised to see the page turn out in the Googling process. It's at
http://adtimes.nstp.com.my/archive/jan29.htm


And here's something to bitch about... I found on page 3 of the search results, my name and address postes on some GeoCities site together with what seemed like a thousand other names and email addresses on a page that was called WIN Myanmar Systems. It tells people that they are free to use the email addresses but warns against abuse by spammers.
What nonsense. Its like giving Hannibal a knife and saying "oh, i'm giving you a huge sharp knife but don't hurt anyone with it, alright?" Jesus!
What the hell is WIN Myanmar Systems?

Oh did i mention it has an option for anyone to add their own email for spammers and junk mailers to use freely in the site? How thoughtful.

Have you tried Googling your own name lately?


Oh, a recent picture of me. I'm going to archive this picture here so you can see how much I've changed from time to time. Notice those dark eye circles? It's my natural trademark, so don't expect those to change in future pictures. :) Posted by Hello

Tuesday, May 25, 2004

My maiden post.

Ok, so I am a latecomer to this blog thing BUT better late than never.

This is going to be the place I am going to bitch about everything and nothing at the same time. I'm going to sing about the things i like and verbally barf at the things I don't.


But let's not get this maiden posting space to waste. I am going to start by bitching about.... blogging. U know what, they said it was going to be easy, no frills and painless. Well, guess what, I think my blogging start is a pain the the f***ing ass. I can seem to get my sidebar updated. Blogger is way too simple, i click on the tabs and nothing happens, or at least nothing more complex than "pleas type your post here and press PUBLISH!".

I decided to take on blogosphere after reading countless articles in In.Tech section - (TheStar newspaper) today (25/5/04). It raves about how easy it is to blog. Yawn. Let me take some time and learn more first. Hmph but definitely not as easy as the media claims.

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  • Fashionista. Computer Geek. Movie Critic. Music Lover. World Traveler. Foodie. Tennis Zealot. Mac Evangelist. Goss Junkie. Bitch.
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