The Constant Gardener

Watched the DVD I bought during my recent outstation trip. Having a few DVDs in hand is really a saving grace from the boredom during outstation trips. Normally I will stay in the hotel at night after work during outstation trips unless those trips were in my hometown where I can sneak out some time to meet up with friends.
So... The Constant Gardener. Like wat my buddy J said, the title didn't do much to spark any interest to grab the DVD but having faith in some reviews I read, I bought it last month.
I won't reveal the storyline here but the cast's performances are brilliant. Fiennes as usual is gripping to watch with his intense but not over the top expression (put in Nicholas Cage here) and gosh.... Rachel Weisz is just soooooo sexy not in Jolie's way but definitely sexy to the dot!!! She's sexy even with a pregnant belly!!! I didn't mean it in a sexual way but more to a healthy kind of sexy way... The ending is very sad... and "mou noi/wu nai" so it's kinda heart-breaking too....
Definitely one to watch, along with Syriana. And Rachel is definitely a serious award contender esp after her win in Golden Globe.

Room 415

Some day destined to be remembered. This is one...

Writer's Block II

The subsequent post is self-explanatory with the title.

Writer's Block

Syriana

It's a fantastic must-watch movie. Finally I saw a good movie with George Clooney (think of his series of flops e.g. The Peacemaker, Batman etc.... though he's good with directing) and Matt Damon (never his fans other than Good Will Hunting). Brilliant movie.
However, there's still one more lingering question.....why the movie called Syriana?

Chaotic State after CNY

Finally the CNY mood had to be toned down as it reached the 7th day of the whole month of celebration. However, CNY tis year was not as smooth as we hope it will be.
1st, we had some major disaster in the Red Sea and the stampede in Philippines. Both cases should act as mirror to us in Malaysia as the rescue team in Egypt only acted upon the incident some 18hrs after it occurred and I am wondering how fast will b our response if it happen let say in the Straits of Malacca. The incident in Philippines also reflected upon us some points to ponder. The pulling power of a TV show offerring huge prizes is never to be underestimated. Let's pray for the victims of the both incidents.
Let's come back to our own country. The recent 11 bald old men incident sparks off some public interest comparable to the nude squat incident. I was not surprised that it did caught the attention of other countries aside from Malaysia. HK Commercial Radio was discussing this issue as well, proving globalisation at its truest state. Let's treat this issue separately. If they did gamble and have more than 2 tables in the same premise, OK, it's illegal, black and white according to the law. However, the treatment that these old men received was way beyong comprehension and I was wondering why the police force was not alert that they were being scrutinized after the nude squat incident!!!!! We in Malaysia always proud ourselves for being such a harmony society which embrace the culture and religious diversity as our way of life but the law enforcer of our country didn't even think twice to shave the heads of these old men during CNY where even washing hair is a taboo during CNY!!!!!! I hope the officers of Kajang police station know this taboo of the Chinese since we had been declaring ourselves as a harmony society for 48 years!!!!! The fact that the foreign radio stations was discussing this issue is a solid proof of what Thomas Friedman defined as true globalisation. There'll be no more cover up can be done in this era of IT world. We have to wake up from our dream trying to suppress everything under the blanket and keep smiling portraying the usual muhibah spirit we shouted out and loud anymore. After the false alarm of the nude squat involving a Chinese national, I believe now every single Chinese media will allocate certain coverage of news in our beloved country. So buck up everyone!!! V r under scrutinize, like it or not!!!

Taking a Leave

I did sth called impulsive decision just now. Grab my backpack and go travelling hahahhaha.....
Will share the experience later....
Meanwhile, Happy Holiday!

TAIPEI

As I was listening to HK Commercial Radio Station just now, I fixed my coming next holiday destination. TAIWAN.
Sandra Ng in her late night program in my fave radio station, 叱吒商台 mentioned her holiday in Taipei. One thing stroke me..... the new opening of a WHOLE building of 誠品書店. Sandra Ng said she spent 2 days alone in that building itself!!!!!! I wonder how many days should I spend then........
Too bad it's only opened till 2am. So, still gotta visit the original one in 仁愛路 24hrs man!!!!!!

Countdown???

I understand why people do countdown for New Year... it's the symbolic act of ushering in the new beginning etc and celebrating the success/achievement of the past years. How about Christmas Eve countdown?

I heard over the following doubt in the HK Commercial Radio. The DJs were puzzled by the countdown of Christmas. Since Christmas is the birthday of the Christ, then the act of "countdown"ing it in some way means ushering the birth of Christ... how? The DJs felt that it's kinda inappropriate to do so (without any offense to those religiously devoted ppl). They even brought up the issues why people did not countdown for festival like Mooncake Festival, Duan Wu Jie etc????? They made a conclusion that countdwon for the traditional festivals above deemed to be uncool. Why you asked? Mooncake Festival.... we countdown the moment Shiang Er fleed to the moon? Duan Wu Jie...... we countdown the moment Xu Yuan jumped into the river? Hm.... this will be more interesting...imagine all the ppl celebrating the countdown queuing along the river waiting for the moment...... 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1, jump into the river...... (for those puzzled by this... who's Xu Yuan and why jump into river?.... go look for any chinese uncle/auntie over 70+ and they'll tell you why)

But what the heck? We countdown coz we like lah! Who said must have reasons? U dun like, you can go home @#$% yourself and dun disturb us hey, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.............. happy new year!!!!

After all the Gung-hos

OK, finally it is Jan 1. Apart from the fact that it's a welcomed holiday, it's also the birthday of my dearest............. my beloved mom! Happy Birthday mom! And as you always said, the whole world is celebrating for you and as usual, you'll decline any gift when I asked you what you want for your birthday. Though you said, "nothing lah.... every year also the same......." but I know deep in your heart, all you wish is just simple things like all your family and loved ones will be happy and healthy. Mom.... I love you.

Coming to Jan 1 means that all the anticipations will end, temporarily as we still have the coming CNY + Awal Muharram holiday extravaganza whisking around the corner..... folks, the hard-to-miss signature CNY tunes (esp those of the unmistakably once-a-year Long Piao Piao) were blaring in the airwave already. Starting from the Xmas bells which continued to the New Year buzz, it's the most unproductive days of the years. Of course, apart from those who took leave, whether to clear their accumulated leaves (we were good in accumulating this and only use it when we were being threatened that it will be forfeited and cannot be brought forward anymore......hey, maybe 3 yrs of annual leaves untaken we're talking about here), those stayed on in the office will spend the days lazying around, the most productive ones will sort to do some housecleaning, be it 5S thingy or do some overdue filing. The remaining colleagues will compare notes on the following:
1. Where to have the ever-so-expensive Xmas eve dinner...
2. Where to hang out and count down for the Xmas...
(both applied on the New Years Eve too)
3. Any new year resolutions..... (this is so stereotypical and I stopped having them... ok, it's my own discipline and will power problem)
4. Wondering how much will the bonus be....... (I hate those who gets 3 months and above)
5. Any increment or promotion...... (I dun care about the latter as long as there's a healthy increase in the earlier)
6. What's your achievement for the whole last year..... OR what had you done in the previous year...... (yeah... this should be left to your ownself cox it may contain very personal intimate thingy unless you are an exhibitionist who embrace the idea of sharing with the entire human kind)

As the radio blaring out those feel-good ear-friendly warm xmas tunes, you will hear "ohh-ahh"s around the office blurted by your lovely colleagues saying, "Oh.....this is my fave Xmas tunes"...."Oh....I remembered this tune, it was the first Xmas eve I spent with my bf/gf.....(with details those exhibitionists more than willing to flaunt)" etc etc.....

My all time fave xmas tune is "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by the great Ella Fitzgerald. My all time pathetic New Year tune is "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" by any heart-wrenching voice. Yeah.... I had developed a disease called self-pitying syndrome, which enjoy the feeling of self-pitiness.

So, it's Jan 1.... how about yours?

Island / Peninsula

“No man is an island; but some are peninsulas.” – Robin Williams

I find resonance in William's quote. I started to think that I maybe the peninsulas. Definition? Not entirely isolated but may opted for better choice being remote occasionally.
Laymen term? Part-time antisocial freak.

Wings Beneath My Feet

Dreamland

Brilliant Ad

i am a fans and sucker for good advertisement.
recently saw a brilliant one by durex. very brilliant. pics above is self-explanatory.

isn't that brilliant or what?????

P/S : sorry for those who dun get it. go to 7/11 and see what is durex.


MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

Stupid Lame IQ Questions

Q : What is a chicken outside and a fish inside? (Guess a type of food.)
A : Ikan sardin cap ayam (ayam brand sardine)

LAME OR NOT?

Free Tickets

Yeah.... the free airtickets from Air Asia are extremely tempting. However, money takde! That's the most frustrating part. With CNY around the corner, etc..... hmm.......

What's the Difference between a White Rapper and a Black Rapper?

A white rapper wouldn't rap till he dies like the black rapper. Think eminem and tupac.

Self Centred Me - I'm Trying to Change That

I am becoming more and more self-centred nowadays. I seldom notice what really happen to my friends, even those who's close to me and meet frequently. I will not be able to spot my friend's changed hairstyle or color. I can't tell if he/she's slimmer or put on weight. You may say these are trivial matters but I think it's a barometer to gauge my sensitivity to my friends around me.
I would like to change this. I would like to pay more attention to my friends and care about them more. I would like to listen more and talk less. I would like to go out more and get away from my little apartment world more. Haha.... sounds like I'm developing some symptoms of depression.....

Year End

Again, I was still bugged by the premature middle age crisis. I was complaining about my boring life in my previous post. Then the next question comes...... What kind of life I want?
It's a big question and it had become like a ritual for me to ponder about that question and the related ones when the yr end approaches. This will cause a lot of abnormalities to my routine life. I tend to sleep more, eat more, think more, keep mum more but at certain times, couldn't keep my mouth shut. My sleeps, though were more but of less quality which is obvious and can be seen from my tired eyes.
OK, I think it will be fine at the end of the days or rather at the end of the year. "Wake me up when december ends" I should be OK by then.

細路哥 - Jan Lam Hoi Fung

某一年，一班刚刚考完会考嘅同学约埋一齐唱K
流行曲唱到一半嘅时候 其中一位朋友问左隔离个位一个问题
喂，你估二十年后嘅今日我地会变成一个咩人？
What did I do when I finished my government exam? Tat was like 10 yrs ago. I had limited memory on that but I guessed after SPM, a group of us rushed back and had a battle on the square table. What a way to celebrate? By the way, I think we did the same also when we finished our PMR. 20 yrs after that? What I become after that?

二十年后，可能已经变成一个西装骨骨嘅中环人
手戴劳力士，银包有好多张信用card
放工嘅时候就一齐系酒吧度一边望住个烟灰盅
一边望住隔离台果个女仔 睇下距条裙几时会走光
Haha... I started as a normal working class employee... wearing shirt and slack and occasional khakis in a MNC manufacturing plant but not in 中环, not in the Malaysian equivalent of KL city area. Of cox, since it's only 10 yrs, definitely not a Rolex on my wrist. Well, I'll never don a gold Rolex cox it's too uncle. Haha.... chinese said, grapes not ours always tasted sour. Credit card? A few only but not gold card, though it's not difficult to apply for it. Happy hour after work? Not really a happening guy so never do this.

二十年后，大概终于买左个部好想拥有嘅汽车 但是仲有二十几期要供 Yup, bought a car but definitely need more than 20 monthly payment to settle off the loan.
二十年拉，应该转过好多份工 Changed a few jobs already but I guess it's still going to happen.
识做嘅野越来越多，但是同时发觉学识越来越少 This is spot-on.
系果个时间 间唔中可能会去下gym 但是做来做去都是减悟到个肚腩 This is another damn spot-on.
当然，二十年来你间唔中都会捻起一段一路都未能放低嘅感情
女朋友越来越多 但是爱嘅越来越少 Why this is not happening to me?


唱： 细路哥，你得到什么？ 你失去什么？ 你知道 what are you looking for？

独白：
大概系果个时候，可能会有身边嘅亲人离开
而是果阵时，你会有好多讲唔出口嘅遗憾
同时间，你会发觉，原来人生已经过左一大半 同年，终于结婚拉！This is still far.... not even a stroke of a word.
用左半生嘅积蓄 俾左一层楼嘅首期 有车位，有泳池、会所 Never thought of this at all.
娱乐越来越多，但是快乐越来越少 This is so right. We have lots of entertainment around, but does entertainment = happiness?
两年后，可能会离婚 回复单身之后嘅一个晚上 一个人系床上面，
抓住遥控不停甘转台 食左两粒安眠药 跟住点起支薄荷烟
然后淋左一滴自亲人离世之后嘅眼泪 When is the last time we cry or have a drop of our tears to break our hard-defended dam of our eyes?
突然之间你又捻起
系二十年前你是一个咩人
系果一晚，一大班同学约埋出来一齐唱K 唱到天光
仲记得系果朝早番到屋企嘅时候 打开门系台面 见到有一碗屋企人留低嘅汤碗汤，已经冻左啦。

唱： 细路哥，你得到什么？ 你失去什么？ 你知道 what are you looking for？

So, did you get what you're looking for? Or rather do you know what are you looking for? I hope I know what I'm looking for and wish you do too.