100 things about myself

I have seen so many blogger like to list down about themselves. So, I thought it will be kinda nice to do that to myself and see if I can write 100 things about me or not.... lets see...
I ...

1. enjoy driving fast on highways. But not breaking the law of course.. I am a good citizen.. ;P
2. like listening to music.
3. like sleeping.
4. enjoy swimming.
5. taught my gf how to swim.
6. enjoy playing futsal - indoor football and badminton.
7. enjoy good coffee.
8. enjoy reading newspaper, "Ping Tan" comics, jokes,"Reader's Digest".
9. enjoy trying new restaurants for new type of food.
10. like the smell of soil after watering it on hot day.
11. enjoy watching movies in the cinema.
12. love seeing my gf making funny poses / facial expression, especially they way she "scratch" her nose.
13. enjoy helping people in need.
14. enjoy hanging out with my friends in "mamak" at night.
15. enjoy "teh halia".
16. like to learn about medical terms or in a way enhancing my knowledge in medical line.
17. was frequently ask by medical doctors am I myself a doctor when I consult them.
18. wanted to become a doctor but due to some reasons, I ended up studying engineering instead.
19. enjoy good beers.
20. love spending time with my gf, even doing nothing, just sitting and looking at each other over a cuppa coffee.
21. waking up late in the morning.
22. like the 'cheap trills' whereby I will set the radio alarm on weekend to wake up and switch it off again and going back to sleep knowing its weekend.
23. like Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Italian, Malay, Javanese, Hainanese etc Food... as long as they taste good, I will never hesitate to try them.
24. like travelling. Good thing is that my work does required a bit of it, so I have been to many "lovely" place that I might not want to pay by myself to go... hehehe..
25. have worked in Kuwait, Pakistan and Sri Lanka before. When I tell people this, they eyes looks as thought it will drop from their sockets.
26. tried SCUBA diving once in the Philippines and will want to take it up professionally later together with my gf.
27. like small kids and babies - not too young ones though.
28. like watching the medical series - "House".
29. really hate to be accused for the things that I have not done.
30. hold an engineering degree with honours.
31. hold a MBA.
32. wanted to do LLB after completing my MBA but the fees is too expensive. Also because I just spend a fortune on the MBA.
33. like to learn everything I need to learn on the area I work in.
34. eat only chicken, pork, mutton and seafood.
35. don't eat beef.
36. don't eat satay, but I enjoy the "ketupat" and peanut sauce.
37. don't eat any other meat than those mentioned above.
38. enjoy vegetarian food as much as non-vegetarian food.
39. dislike traffic jams.
40. enjoy watch Cantonese serial movies.
41. speak Hokkien at home with my family member and relatives + my gf's mom.
42. can converse in Mandarin, Cantonese, English (of course), Malay.
43. can understand Hakka, but can't converse with it fluently.
44. can read and write simple Chinese words.
45. know how to write my name in Chinese.
46. can count 1 - 10 in Tamil language fluently.
47. like dogs better than cats.
48. wanted to keep dogs but most likely it will be either my mom's dog or my wife's dog after a few weeks / months. So better not burden them too much.
49. dislike ironing. I don't do a good job generally.
50. like well pressed shirts and slacks.
51. always holds to the principle "Honesty is the Best Policy" and do it in all ways of my life e.g. earn a honest living, be honest to friends and families, never tell lies etc.
52. can eat the same food for days and days and never get bored with it as long as it is freshly cook.
53. am more a technical person than a sales person.
54. don't do sweet talks, but i know my gf would disagree... ;P
55. initially think this world it is either right or wrong, black or white on all matters, until when I came out to work, there were so many grey areas and learn to adapt to it.
56. keep my promises when I make them.
57. can eat with my fingers pretty well.
58. find it difficult to throw things away cause in my mind you mind need it one day later.
59. collect miniature models of cars, planes and would like to collect anything that comes in miniature as long as it is within my budget.
60. believe in gender equality.
61. am a 1st Dan Black Belt holder in Tae-Kwon-Do martial arts.
62. use to have squirrels, rabbits and fish as pets before.
63. always think that guys that beats up girls are useless and hopeless guys and should not be forgiven.
64. wanted to take up photography and own a SLR camera, unfortunately, until now not able to stand firm on the brand of camera I should buy due to the ever dropping prices.
65. have my own room in the office to work in total peace and away from disturbances.
66. like the "rojak buah" sold in the night market or "pasar malam".
67. dislike office politics and gossips. Will normally walk away when hearing ppl gossipping in the office.
68. dislike fishing as I think it is very cruel to hook the fish by the mouth and also its a waste of time sitting there to wait for the fish to bite the bait.
69. enjoy orchestra performance and have attended my first orchestra performance in the Petronas Philharmonic Orchestra Hall with my gf.
70. enjoy good cakes and muffins.
71. enjoy seeing my gf laugh and smile.
72. enjoy roller coaster / trill rides.
73. dislike salesman who is not familiar with their products and try to sell it to me.
74. dislike people that 'hog' the road.
75. had my car hijacked however, lady luck was with me, found it back about 1 month later in perfect condition.
76. believes in 'cause and effect'.
77. think I have higher IQ and EQ.
78. am not very good in drawings, my parents always says that my cat looks like dog, however, to my surprise, I manage to score a distinction for the government exam.
79. have a very bad handwriting and most of my teachers always tells me my handwriting looks like doctors handwriting.
80. find it difficult to write 100 things about myself.
81. have not won any lotteries before, but still hope to win it one day.
82. plan with my college mate to celebrate our 40th birthday by going to Germany for the October Fest.
83. flew all the way to India with my gf just to attend a friend's wedding.
84. knew my gf through mIRC chat while I was in the UK in 1998 and now we are couple.
85. made some good friends in the UK where until today, after 10 years we are still in-touch with each other.
86. lost weight drastically after 2 years in the UK, but gain it back when I came back here to "Food Heaven".
87. scored straight As in my standard 6 exam and my Dad gave me a "Lerun" 18 speed mountain bike as a present and also allow me to follow my relatives for a tour to Haadyai & Songkla, Thailand.
88. went to Singapore for 3 days just to buy jeans to go to the UK.
89. don't wear jeans until I went to the UK.
90. had a White Christmas in 1998 when I went Glasgow for holidays.
91. took a 10 days, 10 countries Europe tour in the summer of 1999 for a 'glance' of Europe from Brussels until Venice, Italy and back to London.
92. attended my gf convocation twice, once in the UK and once in Malaysia.
93. got my promotion news over a discussion / drinking session with my boss in a hotel.
94. designed, over see the manufacturing, lead the installation and commissioning of the tallest and longest gantry crane my ex-company ever build.
95. am a pro insecticide user in which when i see a cockroaches, the first thing that comes to my mind is the roach kill insecticide.
96. have most of my T-shirts in white.
97. have been wearing the same watch since 1992 until today.
98. always put family first in everything I do.
99. am glad that I finally can reach my last thing about myself.
100. misses my Dad a lot!!! Never one day have passed that I never thought of him. I Miss You Dad!!

There you go... 100 things about myself finally completed. MERDEKA!! MERDEKA!! MERDEKA!! Happy Holidays to ALL!!!!

Interesting journey

Yesterday while I was driving back home, I notice something interesting. As I was passing through the toll, one side of the toll is dry and sunny.

However, just as I entered and pass the toll bar, the sky is pouring heavily until I can hardly see the road in front.

This gives me the feeling like I am in the movie where I drive through a tunnel and a the end of the tunnel is another different world. Well, the nearest movie I can think off for now is the "Stardust", the only difference is that in the "Stardust" movie, they walk through a fence to see a different world while I pass through a toll bar for a change in the weather.

Interesting journey and wonderful weather pattern.

Great Saturday

Last Saturday was really an enjoyable day for me. It is unlike my routine Saturdays. Last Saturday, we broke our daily routine by doing shopping all afternoon and still manage to grab a good seat to catch an evening show of the "Harry Porter and the Half-Blood Prince".

It gave me the feeling as though we had started dating again. It had been long since we last watch any movies in the cinema. I nearly forgot how the cinema looks like. The movie was nice and its long. Almost 2.5 hours.

It was also our lucky day that day. After we decided to watch that movie at 1800, we were lining up at the queue. Then, out of curiosity, I just told my gf to wait in the line while I go and check out on the booking section if the person there will allow me to buy the tickets at it left only 15 minutes before the movie starts. Just trying my luck out, however, I got lucky, the counter guy was kind enough to sell me the tickets without queuing up.

Then, in the cinema, as usual there were so many advertisement, happens that one of the advertisement by bank advertising about using their credit card to buy movies ticket and no queuing required, happens that the cinema number shown on the advertisement was also cinema 5, same cinema as we were in for the movie. So I told my gf, the guy in the advertisement was me.

The day was perfect. My gf manage to get what she was looking for, we watched a movie where we both wanted to watch, timing for all the event was perfect.

Great Saturday...

Persistent Mom

My mom is a very persistent person. When she try a new recipe, she will just try and try until she gets it perfect and right.

There was once she was so into making "ang ku kuey", literally translate to red tortise, which is use for prayers, she had tried it so many times until she gets it right and now she can make near to perfect "ang ku kuey". Just in case anyone of you don't know what is "ang ku kuey" below is a typical picture of it.







She had attempted at least 3 times with changing the ingredient a few times until she gets it right.

There was once she tried to cook a type of Thai curry chicken, learning part of the recipe from my Aunt, she had experimented with it almost on weekly basis and she is still not getting it right. There must be some ingredient that my Aunt would have forgotten to tell her and hence, the curry tasted different.

Why I write this posting? It is because, when ever she experimented a new recipe, we will become her guinea pig. Just imagine eating not so Thai curry chicken every Sunday or try her disasterous 'ang ku kuey' so many times. At times, it turns out too hard, at times it turn out too soft, at times the 'ang ku kuey' don't even look like anything close to the picture above. Just balls of red dough covering the sweet yellow paste inside.

However, having said all that, I don't mind being her guinea pig. At least it will keep her occupied and keep her active. Good way for her to spend her time and if it was a good successful attempt, I have good food to eat.

Whenever we took her out for dinner and tried something new, e.g. japanese noodles - soba or udon, after a few mouthful, she will say "... I also know how to cook this at home what".. sounded like why you all spend the money to eat it outside whereas she can cook it at home for the fraction of the cost?

Therefore, when we go out for dinner, when we order something new, we (my brother, my sister-in-law and myself) will always tease her, see, you also know how to cook right. So eat more now and keep the taste in your mind so that you can cook it for us next time and we will end up having a good laugh.

Mom, keep up the curiousity and persistent and hopefully by the time we shifts to our new house later, we will have an oven to allow you to bake, instead of just steaming now and there will be more recipe for your to try out. Perhaps if you learn to make cheese cakes, marble cakes, over baked chicken, salt baked chicken, etc, I will be most happy to be your guinea pig.

Fully booked night

For this week, all the days after work is fully booked. Why I say that? Well, started from Monday, my futsal friends called, we played from 7.30pm to 9pm.

Then, on Tuesday, I joined my friend for a badminton game from 8pm to 10pm. Yesterday, which is Wednesday, normally it is futsal day, but yesterday I did not go for the futsal. Instead, I went to meet up with my friends for dinner as one of my friend is leaving back to the US and no one knows when will he be back here again.

Tonight, which is Thursday night, normally I am quite free. However, tonight I will be meeting my ex-housemate when I was in the UK. He is now working in our neighbouring country and he is back for a holiday and happens that he stays very near to my house. We will be catching up for the events that went by this year. Last met him is sometime before Chinese New Year early this year. In fact, we have a custom whereby normally one day before the Chinese New Year Eve, we, i.e. myself, this housemate and there is one more guy, the three of us will meet for a cuppa tea or meal.

Then, as usual, tomorrow night, I will be having dinner date with my lovely gf.

So you see, Normally I don't have so many activities at weekdays night. For me a typical weekdays night, except on Wednesday and sometimes Thursday I will play some sports, and Friday dinner. Monday and Tuesday typically I am free and lazying around at home after work. So happens that this week, all the weekdays night is occupied with activities.

Well, time to punch my card and call it a day in the office too...

Mom's Birthday

Yesterday (9th August) is my Mom's Birthday. She did not want to celebrate it, hence, there is no grand dinner, no birthday cake, no birthday song etc.

Yesterday in fact was just simple packed lunches for lunch and dinner so that she need not to cook. My day started early yesterday. I drove to pick my gf from her house to go for the volunteer work. Half way thru the work, she suddenly felt uneasy and hence, we left the place half way thru.

After sending my gf home, I came back to my house and took my shower and went to the temple to pray as yesterday was so happen to be the Birthday of The Goddess of Mercy - "Kuan Yin". This is a very old temple, which the reconstruction had taken place for a few years now but was not 100% completed, maybe due to financial constrains. However, the main buildings and perimeter walls have been fully completed and the architecture of the main building is really good. The painting on the ceiling of the main building is impressive.

After the prayers, I drove my mom to try some new fast food with a joint newly opened near my new house. This fast food chain have good food but it is a bit more expensive then its competitor. But no worries, not that we have it everyday, never mind a few extra dollars. Just something new for my mom to try. And I knew my mom appreciated it when she can comment that the food of this fast food is tastier then its competitor.

Then, we rested at home by just lazying around the house and taking the Sunday afternoon naps, by the time we woke up its already 1900 and its dinner time. Here again, I told my mom not to cook and we went out to pack some food for dinner. So, both the meals she need not to exert her energy, just resting at home for her birthday.

Again, the usual me, I did not wish my Mom Happy Birthday yesterday as I know she did not want to celebrate it due to the passing of my dad less than a year ago. So, I just can wish her in my heart and may all her wishes comes true... Happy Birthday Mom!! Many Happy Returns and May You Have All the Health and Longevity.

Learning at work

There was a Chinese saying, "Life until old, learn until old". The first time I heard this saying, I truly appreciated this saying. And ironically, I heard this saying from a very senior (in terms of age) person in my old company.

Therefore, in work, I always seek new things to do. I will easily get bored and tired with repetitive stuffs. That is one reason I have been interested with project and design works from the very beginning of my career.

Some might say, project also repetitive work, but I can tell you, not one single project is the same. Thru my 10 years of working experiences in project, I have never came across 2 identical projects. Each project is unique in its given way. It can be the engineering application of it, it can be the economical point of view, it can me from efficiency point of view etc.

I have side track from what I have in mind for this posting. Back to the learning. I have been using a Computer Aided Design software since day 1 of my working life. All the while I was only able to do plans and 2D views. This is not due to the limitation of the software, it is due to the limitation of my know-how to use the software.

I was planning to design the new kitchen of our house, hence, I was busy drawing the plans of the house and front view of the kitchen from various angles. I was really keen to learn how to draw isometric drawings from the day I learned to use the software.Isometric drawings actually gives you an almost 3D view of the drawing.

I have seen my colleague did it and I am sure he knows how to do it well. So without hesitation, today I ask him how do do that drawing and he showed me some new command and there I was happily drawing away the Isometric drawings.

Now, the lesson learn here are 2 main ones. First, never be too shy to ask for guidance. I always have this philosophy in me that I rather become a stupid person for one time by never be shy to ask someone to teach me of the things I don't know, then becoming a stupid person for a lifetime by being shy to ask. There is a Malay saying to this that is translated to be "If you are shy to ask for direction, you will lost your way to your destination." Even Chinese have a saying that translate to, "Direction of the destination is always beside the mouth"

The second lesson is the saying, "Life until old, learn until old".

Volunteer Work

Last Sunday, I went to an Outreach volunteer work near where I stay. Actually, I am not suppose to attend for this work as I only participate on 3rd Sundays with this branch.

The outreach utilize a Church area to organise their services. Again, basic medical and dental care are provided with 2 medical doctors and 2 dentist came to extend their services.

However, since this service is provided via a makeshift mobile setup, everything is down to the very basic. The dental chair is the common "lazy man" chair. However, the other setup e.g. vacuum, drilling with water jet etc are the custom build mobile unit type.

The setup is so basic that at times, the light provided is not bright enough that dental assistant have to hold a torch light to shine into the mouth of the patient.

However, one this that I am really impressed is that they never neglect hygiene factor. Everything single equipment are properly washed, sterilized and packed. This is one thing that is crucial as any contaminated tools / equipment will lead to serious negative consequences. Hence, it was not taken lightly.

The event started as early at 0730 and when I arrived, there were so many volunteers already in action already. By 0800, the morning briefing starts and it was adjourn for simple breakfast. Buns, fried noodles, vegetarian curry and some coffee.

Then patient started coming as soon as 0900 and the whole activity went until like 1000 and no more new patient waiting on queue. All the volunteers there were just sitting around and chit-chatting as there is nothing much to do.

Then, by about 11am, the doctors decided to leave since he had waited half and hour and no patient came along. So, we started cleaning the place and packed up everything. By 1230, the lorry came along to take everything away and the place were left as we came in this morning. There is even a group of volunteers sweeping and mopping the floor.

Well, its kinda nice to spend half a day a week to extend your arm to help those in need. Everyone there are all on volunteer basis, hence, you can see everyone there work with a wide smile on their face.

We took our lunch pack and headed home and by about 1245, I am home and taking my shower already. This weekend is the volunteer work in the other branch that me and my gf use to go, it should be another day of fun at the same time helping others.