The Longman Online Dictionary of Contemporary English (http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/hooligan) defines "Hooligan" as "a noisy violent person who causes trouble by fighting etc". Typically, this is not a word that can be associated with Malaysians, as this is simply not our way. Unfortunately, this is just the sort of behavior to describe the antics of some party-goers during the recent Christmas Eve bash in the vicinity of Gurney Drive, a popular tourist spot in Penang, Malaysia.
As reported in The Star (http://thestar.com.my/services/printerfriendly.asp?file=/2009/12/27/nation/5372442.asp&sec=nation), RELA members who tried to break up some mischieve makers who were disturbing passing vehicles found themselves instead to be the target of an angry mob. Even a TV crewman on the scene was not spared the fury of the crowd.
More details on the blog of Lucia Lai, a local blogger : http://lucialai.org/2009/12/26/what-a-shame-rowdy-penangites-on-xmas-eve-again/
Apparently, its a case of deja vu, as this was not the first time that this kind of behavior has been exhibited. In 2007 the PDRM (Polis DiRaja Malaysia) were the unfortunate ones who bore the brunt of the violent riots, as detailed again by Lucia in her blog. (http://lucialai.org/2007/12/28/shameful-penangites/)
Now, there is no evidence to suggest that these rioters are all locals (Penangites). Since Gurney drive was a popular place for both local and foreign tourists. The ruckus could have been caused by anyone. So, don't hold anything against Penang or Penangites, who are usually quite friendly and are masters of food!
For those of us who are sober, do we realize that the RELA / Police are actually acting to protect both innocent bystanders as well as the "temporary-insane" hooligans? Imagine if this were an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. When confronted with a mob of hooligans / zombies (they all act the same, except maybe zombies are slower and don't carry beer bottles/helmets), the hero would most likely run over them with his hulking SUV rather than sit inside and endure the crowd bashing. Of course over here, we all tend to drive smaller cars, but even a Perodua Kancil in the wrong hands would make mince meat of a street full of people. So, do remember, if you don't act dangerously, there is no reason to take drastic action to protect those around you, including yourself. Cause and Effect.
Now, these acts of violence are almost always the result of loss of reasoning, brought about by the consumption of alcoholic beverages. People tend to drink more when with friends than when alone. In no time, it's easy to over-consume beyond ones limit. Alcohol itself does not cause violent behavior. However, it sort of turns off our reasoning and suppresses the sensation of fear. That's why some people find it easier to pick up the mic in a Karaoke bar after a few drinks. Once our conscience goes on vacation, people let go off their inhibitions and let their internal feelings out. Now, not all people act violently when high. Some are depressed and just sit there wallowing in sorrow, some hang loose and actually enjoy themselves more. It's those people with pent up frustration and anger that now unleash their fury. In any case, do remember, if at all you must drink, do it in moderation (make sure everyone in your group shares this determination). And get ready to make a quick exit once you see some people starting to go over the limit.
If you ever find yourself in the middle of a riot (don't as me how), try to either remain seated until the heart of the action passes, or slowly get up and leave the scene. Resist the urge to run like hell. This advice was given to me sometime before (can't remember the source, sorry). I believe that the reasoning was that, in the heat of the moment, there is no telling between a panicked innocent bystander who was trying to flee the scene and a crazed, high, hooligan who was charging to attack. The riot control police on the scene may mistakenly assume the latter and "whack-first, check-later" (can we really blame it solely on them?).
Well, having said my thoughts on this matter, I wish to remind everyone to have a good time during Christmas Eve / New Year's Eve, but always keep an eye out for signs of trouble. These riots don't only happen in Penang at the year end, but could happen anywhere (Bukit Bintang, Dataran Pahlawan) and any time (after a Liverpool vs Manchester United match perhaps?). May all of you have a Happy New Year 2010, and be well and happy always!
Blogging with Ethics
It's been a little over 2 years since my first blog post. Up to now, online behavior was self-regulatory. Indeed it was quite unheard of for any official (or even unofficial) guidelines for bloggers, who, unlike journalists, were mostly non-professionals who wrote as a means to reach out to society, rather than to put food on the table.
Of course, anything written on the Internet has great influence and power over society, whether or not there be any truth to the tale. In the hands of the irresponsible, blogging can be a dangerous tool that can cause chaos and confusion. Not to mention frustration and confusion. Imagine, Googling for information, if you found 3 articles saying one thing, and 4 articles with conflicting views, what is the final conclusion? Or, how do you know that the one and only article that you read is true, if you don't counter-check against another source? Ultimately, this would defeat the purpose of the Internet as an information-rich source / learning tool.
Well, so far, there has been no official / un-official guidelines. As reported in The Star, In his recent blog post, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, recently called out to Malaysia bloggers to adopt a Code of Ethics that was derived from the Society of Professional Journalists. The actual derivative was modified by Cyberjournalist.net and was still pretty long, so the shortened 10-point version listed in the PM's post should be sufficiently clear for most of us. Excerpt from his site:-
Bloggers should:
• Be honest and fair in gathering, reporting and interpreting information
• Never plagiarize
• Identify and link to sources whenever feasible
• Never publish information they know is inaccurate - and if publishing questionable information, make it clear it's in doubt
• Distinguish between advocacy, commentary and factual information
• Admit mistakes and correct them promptly
• Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity
• Explain each blog's mission and invite dialogue with the public over its content and the bloggers' conduct
• Disclose conflicts of interest, affiliations, activities and personal agendas
• Abide by the same high standards to which they hold others
Well, that sound pretty good, and should serve as a backbone for all bloggers out there. Of course, blogging in entirely self-regulatory, so it's up to each individual to practice accordingly.
Of course, in blogging we should also remember to respect the privacy of individuals and not to disclose sensitive / P&C information that would compromise ones security / and leave one open to identity theft. There is a difference between being factually accurate and being "open sourced". Of course, respect the request to have any content removed if there is any valid reason to do so.
Having said that, I wish all fellow bloggers out there, good luck and keep on adding value to your followers and fan base! :)
Of course, anything written on the Internet has great influence and power over society, whether or not there be any truth to the tale. In the hands of the irresponsible, blogging can be a dangerous tool that can cause chaos and confusion. Not to mention frustration and confusion. Imagine, Googling for information, if you found 3 articles saying one thing, and 4 articles with conflicting views, what is the final conclusion? Or, how do you know that the one and only article that you read is true, if you don't counter-check against another source? Ultimately, this would defeat the purpose of the Internet as an information-rich source / learning tool.
Well, so far, there has been no official / un-official guidelines. As reported in The Star, In his recent blog post, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, recently called out to Malaysia bloggers to adopt a Code of Ethics that was derived from the Society of Professional Journalists. The actual derivative was modified by Cyberjournalist.net and was still pretty long, so the shortened 10-point version listed in the PM's post should be sufficiently clear for most of us. Excerpt from his site:-
Bloggers should:
• Be honest and fair in gathering, reporting and interpreting information
• Never plagiarize
• Identify and link to sources whenever feasible
• Never publish information they know is inaccurate - and if publishing questionable information, make it clear it's in doubt
• Distinguish between advocacy, commentary and factual information
• Admit mistakes and correct them promptly
• Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity
• Explain each blog's mission and invite dialogue with the public over its content and the bloggers' conduct
• Disclose conflicts of interest, affiliations, activities and personal agendas
• Abide by the same high standards to which they hold others
Well, that sound pretty good, and should serve as a backbone for all bloggers out there. Of course, blogging in entirely self-regulatory, so it's up to each individual to practice accordingly.
Of course, in blogging we should also remember to respect the privacy of individuals and not to disclose sensitive / P&C information that would compromise ones security / and leave one open to identity theft. There is a difference between being factually accurate and being "open sourced". Of course, respect the request to have any content removed if there is any valid reason to do so.
Having said that, I wish all fellow bloggers out there, good luck and keep on adding value to your followers and fan base! :)
My first meditation retreat with Sayalay Dipankara
Funny how some things, no matter how improbable, manage to happen anyway....
A few months back, there was a meditation retreat conducted by Sayalay Dipankara in Ipoh (where my sister-in-law was the sole attendee from my family). It was quite hard to envision being able to pull oneself away from work for almost 2 weeks. And to spend all that time in meditation (something that I was vaguely familiar of, but never been practiced at this magnitude). Like going from a Sony Playstation console to the tracks of the Indy 500 overnight!
Anyway, as fate would have it, 2009 was the year of the economic crisis (or "cleansing", thinking along more positive lines). My company had pre-planned a series of shutdowns, infamously known as "short work weeks", throughout strategically time periods in the year. Well, at that point in time, the last two weeks of 2009 was gazetted as a plant-wide shut down. Well, I thought to myself, that meant that I had only to take an additional 3 days to join Sayalay's next retreat in Penang. So, work was no longer an obstacle (heh, heh - though sometime later, business seemed to pick up, so we shut down for only 1 week instead of 2. Too late to abort, though...!).
Honestly, my primary reason to come along initially was to spare my wife the stressful drive all the way up to Penang, a journey that took us 500km from our home. Secondary was my interest to experience first hand what meditation was all about. Prior to this, I had participated briefly in some on-the-spot meditation sessions conducted at local Buddhist establishments by visiting Sayadaws and monks. Apart from that, I did a bit of reading, but as there is a vast difference between reading about the taste of eating an apple versus actually eating one, I decided that there was just no better way to go than to experience it first-hand. The best thing is that Sayalay Dipankara was quite fluent in English - usually I stay clear of Buddhist activities in this country as they are usually held solely in Chinese (a language that I understand as much as I do German). Anyway, for those who require, there was a translation done into Chinese done after every few sentences from Sayalay.
It was a fairly large group of us that went for this meditation retreat. Me and my wife, mother-in-law, sister-in-law + husband, sister-in-law only, brother-in-law and husband of sister-in-law. All from my wife's side (you could say that the "Force" is strong on that side of the family).
The retreat was organized by the Vivekavana Buddhist Society (http://www.vivekavana.com), and held at the (co-sponsor) Butterworth Buddhist Association (http://www.bba.com.my) (many thanks to them for providing us with a good location where we spent our next 10 days). The event was from 16th Dec to 25 Dec 2009.
On the first day, we were briefed on the do's and don'ts of the retreat. First and foremost, we were required to adhere to the 8 Precepts during the entire course of the retreat. Not to be confused with the Noble 8 Fold Path. Well, you can find more details here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts
Another rule was to observe "Noble Silence" - that is, don't communicate with others unnecessary (except with the teacher, Sayalay). This encompassed all forms of communication, ie, SMS and e-mail for those who live in this tech-savvy age. So, during this time, as my out-of-office message said, I had no access to my phone or e-mail. Not to mention how distracting that would be, and counter-productive for the intended results of the retreat.
Well, to avoid more distractions, I left me camera back home. So, sorry, no photos for this blog entry...!
Sayalay was a great teacher. Throughout the 10 days, she guided us through interview sessions and Dhamma talks through the Anapanasati meditation techniques, which was to improve deep concentration. This was one of the core / fundamental meditation techniques to serve as a backbone / framework. There was apparently a few levels of meditation to achieve in this technique alone. As the retreat progressed, we found out later that there were in all 40 meditation techniques thought by the Buddha (40? I thought at first Sayalay said 14!).
We slept in separate male and female dorms. A typical day starts at 4.30am, where a member of the organizing committee goes around at roughly 4.15am to awaken the yogis (participants of the meditation retreat) with an unfamiliar instrument. I believe initially that it was a wooden block that made a "tok-tok" sound. Someday later, it changed into a metal chime "ting-ting", which was again unfamiliar. This was actually quite effective as an alarm, and by day 2, my internal clock managed to recalibrate so I didn't make use of my alarm clock.
Waking up, the first thing is to proceed to the meditation hall for a morning sitting. Right up to 6.30am, where we took breakfast. After that it was cleaning time (we were assigned duties. My task was to mop the meditation hall every alternate day. Was OK, considering I just moved into my new house, only minor hassle was that there were 14 of us, and only 7 mops. Also, due to "Noble Silence", sometimes the same patch of floor was mopped 3 times before someone highlighted it). By 7.30am / 8.00am, it was back in the meditation hall to meditate until 11.00am. Lunch time. Precept #6 is to abstain from solid food after noon. Yes, that meant that after 12.00pm, the next meal would be at 6.30am the following day! The definition of solid food was a little vague (considering what they had to eat back then in the time of the Buddha), but it was stated on the notice board that this excluded Milo, Coffee, etc.. Somehow, honey was allowed, but since I didn't share the same dietary preferences as Winnie the Pooh, I just made my way through the day with plain drinking water.
Food was served buffet-style. After taking our food and sitting down (again, at respective designated male and female tables), we silently contemplated on the food before us before starting to eat. We all washed our own eating utensils before leaving the dining hall.
After lunch, we had our bi-daily chores to perform, and from 12.00pm to 1.30pm it was the first rest time. At 1.30pm, "ting-ting" and it was off to the meditation hall for more meditation until the second break time at 6.00pm. At 7.30pm, almost every other night, Sayalay would give a "short" dhamma talk (which sometimes lasted right until 9.00pm). Otherwise it would be a final night meditation session. We turned in early at night, as the next morning the entire cycle would repeat itself (remember, wake up at 4.30am!).
In spite of excellent facilities, it was quite a challenge finding peace of mind and isolation in the meditation hall. Firstly, we were located somewhat close to an air force base, so quite frequently, there were jets flying low and overhead (from my days of playing video games , they looked like F4 or F5's to me). Also, the houses beside us were being renovated. The owners were probably in a hurry to move in, perhaps before the new year, as renovation work sometimes began as early as 3.00am!
While meditating, we alternated between sitting cross-legged and walking meditation. Even with the mats and cushions provided, sitting upright for hours gave me a lot of pain in my knees, thighs and lower back. Walking meditation was to alleviate this, but as there were roughly 80 of us in the meditation hall, I did not exactly follow the scheduled times for sitting / walking, as when everyone stood up to walk, we were too busy avoiding each other to focus on the breath, which was the object of meditation for these 10 days.
First day went by painfully and slowly (at least for a novice like me). As the days passed, I found it was getting more tolerable (doesn't get easier, but you cope with it better). On some days, the mind seemed focused and still. On others, it was an epic struggle to reign in wandering thoughts. Keeping the mind focused on a single object is much harder than it sounds. Especially that you need to keep it there for as long as possible.
It was a strange experience. Though there were so many of us around, there was practically no interaction as we observed "Noble Silence". Interaction with each other would only encourage wandering thoughts, and make it stray from the true objective. We only had direct interaction with Sayalay Dipankara in two scheduled interview sessions. Though there was a free interview session, practically all of my questions were answered either during the scheduled interviews, or during the dhamma talks.
On the second last day of the retreat, some of us were already thinking of going home, and started to interact for the first time. It was during this time that some of us exchanged e-mails and contact info, to keep in touch from then after. On the last day, we helped clean up the place for the last time before saying our farewells and heading home. After being away for so long, we did not stay on a little longer in Penang. Perhaps next time, as I wanted to visit Kek Lok Si temple where the pavilion that now shelters the large statue of the Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin) had just been completed. Traffic was quite smooth flowing all the way South, though the same cannot be said for the other side of the road.
Sayalay will be taking a short (6 month) break, but she would be back in Malaysia in October 2010 (Ipoh). Meanwhile, for those with a higher level of determination can sign up to attend a 2 month session coming up in Feb / March 2010 in Myanmar. My brother-in-law (yet another one of my wife's brothers) will be going for this, so we all wish him much progress in his meditation, and look forward to hear of his experience upon his return. More information on Sayalay Dipankara and the Cakkavala Meditation Center can be found here : http://www.cakkavala.org/index.htm
Well, I'm certainly glad that I took up the opportunity to attend this 10 day meditation retreat. It has provided me with profound new insight, and contemplation on many matters that I have not given such degree of thought before. Not sure if there is any truth to the Zen adage - "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear"....
A few months back, there was a meditation retreat conducted by Sayalay Dipankara in Ipoh (where my sister-in-law was the sole attendee from my family). It was quite hard to envision being able to pull oneself away from work for almost 2 weeks. And to spend all that time in meditation (something that I was vaguely familiar of, but never been practiced at this magnitude). Like going from a Sony Playstation console to the tracks of the Indy 500 overnight!
Anyway, as fate would have it, 2009 was the year of the economic crisis (or "cleansing", thinking along more positive lines). My company had pre-planned a series of shutdowns, infamously known as "short work weeks", throughout strategically time periods in the year. Well, at that point in time, the last two weeks of 2009 was gazetted as a plant-wide shut down. Well, I thought to myself, that meant that I had only to take an additional 3 days to join Sayalay's next retreat in Penang. So, work was no longer an obstacle (heh, heh - though sometime later, business seemed to pick up, so we shut down for only 1 week instead of 2. Too late to abort, though...!).
Honestly, my primary reason to come along initially was to spare my wife the stressful drive all the way up to Penang, a journey that took us 500km from our home. Secondary was my interest to experience first hand what meditation was all about. Prior to this, I had participated briefly in some on-the-spot meditation sessions conducted at local Buddhist establishments by visiting Sayadaws and monks. Apart from that, I did a bit of reading, but as there is a vast difference between reading about the taste of eating an apple versus actually eating one, I decided that there was just no better way to go than to experience it first-hand. The best thing is that Sayalay Dipankara was quite fluent in English - usually I stay clear of Buddhist activities in this country as they are usually held solely in Chinese (a language that I understand as much as I do German). Anyway, for those who require, there was a translation done into Chinese done after every few sentences from Sayalay.
It was a fairly large group of us that went for this meditation retreat. Me and my wife, mother-in-law, sister-in-law + husband, sister-in-law only, brother-in-law and husband of sister-in-law. All from my wife's side (you could say that the "Force" is strong on that side of the family).
The retreat was organized by the Vivekavana Buddhist Society (http://www.vivekavana.com), and held at the (co-sponsor) Butterworth Buddhist Association (http://www.bba.com.my) (many thanks to them for providing us with a good location where we spent our next 10 days). The event was from 16th Dec to 25 Dec 2009.
On the first day, we were briefed on the do's and don'ts of the retreat. First and foremost, we were required to adhere to the 8 Precepts during the entire course of the retreat. Not to be confused with the Noble 8 Fold Path. Well, you can find more details here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts
Another rule was to observe "Noble Silence" - that is, don't communicate with others unnecessary (except with the teacher, Sayalay). This encompassed all forms of communication, ie, SMS and e-mail for those who live in this tech-savvy age. So, during this time, as my out-of-office message said, I had no access to my phone or e-mail. Not to mention how distracting that would be, and counter-productive for the intended results of the retreat.
Well, to avoid more distractions, I left me camera back home. So, sorry, no photos for this blog entry...!
Sayalay was a great teacher. Throughout the 10 days, she guided us through interview sessions and Dhamma talks through the Anapanasati meditation techniques, which was to improve deep concentration. This was one of the core / fundamental meditation techniques to serve as a backbone / framework. There was apparently a few levels of meditation to achieve in this technique alone. As the retreat progressed, we found out later that there were in all 40 meditation techniques thought by the Buddha (40? I thought at first Sayalay said 14!).
We slept in separate male and female dorms. A typical day starts at 4.30am, where a member of the organizing committee goes around at roughly 4.15am to awaken the yogis (participants of the meditation retreat) with an unfamiliar instrument. I believe initially that it was a wooden block that made a "tok-tok" sound. Someday later, it changed into a metal chime "ting-ting", which was again unfamiliar. This was actually quite effective as an alarm, and by day 2, my internal clock managed to recalibrate so I didn't make use of my alarm clock.
Waking up, the first thing is to proceed to the meditation hall for a morning sitting. Right up to 6.30am, where we took breakfast. After that it was cleaning time (we were assigned duties. My task was to mop the meditation hall every alternate day. Was OK, considering I just moved into my new house, only minor hassle was that there were 14 of us, and only 7 mops. Also, due to "Noble Silence", sometimes the same patch of floor was mopped 3 times before someone highlighted it). By 7.30am / 8.00am, it was back in the meditation hall to meditate until 11.00am. Lunch time. Precept #6 is to abstain from solid food after noon. Yes, that meant that after 12.00pm, the next meal would be at 6.30am the following day! The definition of solid food was a little vague (considering what they had to eat back then in the time of the Buddha), but it was stated on the notice board that this excluded Milo, Coffee, etc.. Somehow, honey was allowed, but since I didn't share the same dietary preferences as Winnie the Pooh, I just made my way through the day with plain drinking water.
Food was served buffet-style. After taking our food and sitting down (again, at respective designated male and female tables), we silently contemplated on the food before us before starting to eat. We all washed our own eating utensils before leaving the dining hall.
After lunch, we had our bi-daily chores to perform, and from 12.00pm to 1.30pm it was the first rest time. At 1.30pm, "ting-ting" and it was off to the meditation hall for more meditation until the second break time at 6.00pm. At 7.30pm, almost every other night, Sayalay would give a "short" dhamma talk (which sometimes lasted right until 9.00pm). Otherwise it would be a final night meditation session. We turned in early at night, as the next morning the entire cycle would repeat itself (remember, wake up at 4.30am!).
In spite of excellent facilities, it was quite a challenge finding peace of mind and isolation in the meditation hall. Firstly, we were located somewhat close to an air force base, so quite frequently, there were jets flying low and overhead (from my days of playing video games , they looked like F4 or F5's to me). Also, the houses beside us were being renovated. The owners were probably in a hurry to move in, perhaps before the new year, as renovation work sometimes began as early as 3.00am!
While meditating, we alternated between sitting cross-legged and walking meditation. Even with the mats and cushions provided, sitting upright for hours gave me a lot of pain in my knees, thighs and lower back. Walking meditation was to alleviate this, but as there were roughly 80 of us in the meditation hall, I did not exactly follow the scheduled times for sitting / walking, as when everyone stood up to walk, we were too busy avoiding each other to focus on the breath, which was the object of meditation for these 10 days.
First day went by painfully and slowly (at least for a novice like me). As the days passed, I found it was getting more tolerable (doesn't get easier, but you cope with it better). On some days, the mind seemed focused and still. On others, it was an epic struggle to reign in wandering thoughts. Keeping the mind focused on a single object is much harder than it sounds. Especially that you need to keep it there for as long as possible.
It was a strange experience. Though there were so many of us around, there was practically no interaction as we observed "Noble Silence". Interaction with each other would only encourage wandering thoughts, and make it stray from the true objective. We only had direct interaction with Sayalay Dipankara in two scheduled interview sessions. Though there was a free interview session, practically all of my questions were answered either during the scheduled interviews, or during the dhamma talks.
On the second last day of the retreat, some of us were already thinking of going home, and started to interact for the first time. It was during this time that some of us exchanged e-mails and contact info, to keep in touch from then after. On the last day, we helped clean up the place for the last time before saying our farewells and heading home. After being away for so long, we did not stay on a little longer in Penang. Perhaps next time, as I wanted to visit Kek Lok Si temple where the pavilion that now shelters the large statue of the Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin) had just been completed. Traffic was quite smooth flowing all the way South, though the same cannot be said for the other side of the road.
Sayalay will be taking a short (6 month) break, but she would be back in Malaysia in October 2010 (Ipoh). Meanwhile, for those with a higher level of determination can sign up to attend a 2 month session coming up in Feb / March 2010 in Myanmar. My brother-in-law (yet another one of my wife's brothers) will be going for this, so we all wish him much progress in his meditation, and look forward to hear of his experience upon his return. More information on Sayalay Dipankara and the Cakkavala Meditation Center can be found here : http://www.cakkavala.org/index.htm
Well, I'm certainly glad that I took up the opportunity to attend this 10 day meditation retreat. It has provided me with profound new insight, and contemplation on many matters that I have not given such degree of thought before. Not sure if there is any truth to the Zen adage - "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear"....
Farewell to ...?
As mentioned last month during our little farewell dinner for Ee, just when you though it couldn't get worst, alas, yet another valuable member of the team has decided to look for greener pastures elsewhere.... :(
Did you manage to guess who it was?
Well, to make it easier, I've taken out from our group photo those who have ALREADY left, as well as the obvious exclusion of the little girl that is the daughter of Norfarazian.
Usually jovial and full of cheer, however glum and solemn tonight. Looking at the expression in his eyes, could it be him?
Candidate 2 (Zul):
He replaced Hasnol, who replaced Zoolfadli. Would it be his turn to be replaced?
Candidate 3 (Me):
Nothing worse than being at the helm and watching team members leave one by one. Like being the captain of the Titanic. Will I be leaving next?
Candidate 4 (Yan):
Seldom outspoken, letting actions speak for words. What untold tales lie behind that Mona Lisa smile?
Candidate 5 (Ju):
She's already lost a lot of weight, as a result of diligence and hard work. Are we going to lose her now?
And the answer is:
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
Candidate 2 (Zul)!
Yes, alas, so soon after saying goodbye to Ee, I now have to bid a fond farewell to Zul. In his brief time with us, he has demonstrated his willingness to work hard and flexibility in handling unexpected situations (and now finally giving my an unexpected situation to handle).
Sadly, as of today, I still know naught of his current whereabouts, though I'm told he still is in employment somewhere within the state of Melaka.
Well, wherever you are, my friend, I know that you will go far in your career, and hope that you continue to add value to your new team, as you once did when you were here.
Did you manage to guess who it was?
Well, to make it easier, I've taken out from our group photo those who have ALREADY left, as well as the obvious exclusion of the little girl that is the daughter of Norfarazian.
So, moving on, we start with Candidate 1 (Asri):
Usually jovial and full of cheer, however glum and solemn tonight. Looking at the expression in his eyes, could it be him?
Candidate 2 (Zul):
He replaced Hasnol, who replaced Zoolfadli. Would it be his turn to be replaced?
Candidate 3 (Me):
Nothing worse than being at the helm and watching team members leave one by one. Like being the captain of the Titanic. Will I be leaving next?
Candidate 4 (Yan):
Seldom outspoken, letting actions speak for words. What untold tales lie behind that Mona Lisa smile?
Candidate 5 (Ju):
She's already lost a lot of weight, as a result of diligence and hard work. Are we going to lose her now?
And the answer is:
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
Candidate 2 (Zul)!
Yes, alas, so soon after saying goodbye to Ee, I now have to bid a fond farewell to Zul. In his brief time with us, he has demonstrated his willingness to work hard and flexibility in handling unexpected situations (and now finally giving my an unexpected situation to handle).
Sadly, as of today, I still know naught of his current whereabouts, though I'm told he still is in employment somewhere within the state of Melaka.
Well, wherever you are, my friend, I know that you will go far in your career, and hope that you continue to add value to your new team, as you once did when you were here.
My Sony Ericsson W810i - still churning out tunes....
In this age where handphones are literally replaced faster than rolls of toilet paper, and end up as a major percentage of the world's electronic waste, I'm happy to say that my old and trusty friend, the Sony Ericsson W810i, is still in use, though not exactly for its main purpose.
Now, for those of you who have had, one time or another, used this model before, you'll know that this is from the "W" series of phones from Sony Ericsson, which focuses more on music. One useful feature here is the ability to function as an MP3 player without a SIM card inserted. Coupled with an above-average sound quality coming from its on-board speakers, you can use it as an ultra-portable music box.
It comes with an adapter cable that allows you to use a standard headphone to listen to your music in private. I have this connected to the AUX input of my FD2's ICE system, so I can just plug it in and listen to my music on long journeys.
The W810i uses the proprietary Memory Stick Duo as media, so in essence you are limited to the size of your memory card. However, as the size of your MP3's depends generally on several factors like bit rate and sampling frequency, you may not really be bothered by this. I have already a little over 100 songs taking up less than 500 Megs of space.
Via adaptor cable that plugs into a standard USB port, you can load songs directly onto the W810i from your PC without using a memory card reader, though the transfer speed seems a little slower than with a dedicated reader. I like the fact that while connected to the PC, the phone is charging at the same time. My Nokia N76 can't do this (though I believe most newer phones are already equipped with this feature as standard).
Lastly, though my current handphone comes with an MP3 player, I prefer to use it exclusively as it is originally intended - to make and receive phone calls, and send SMS's. And occasionally snap a quick photo. Listening to music takes a hit on battery life, and the last thing I need is not being able to use my phone (low batt) in case of an emergency.
Well, if I were to improve something, I wish that the camera would work without the SIM too, which is a pity, as the 2.0 Megapixel camera was autofocus capable and in my opinion was a notch above what the rest of the market has to offer!
More info on the Sony Ericsson W810i at their official site : http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/products/mobilephones/overview/w810i or at Wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Ericsson_W810
Now, for those of you who have had, one time or another, used this model before, you'll know that this is from the "W" series of phones from Sony Ericsson, which focuses more on music. One useful feature here is the ability to function as an MP3 player without a SIM card inserted. Coupled with an above-average sound quality coming from its on-board speakers, you can use it as an ultra-portable music box.
It comes with an adapter cable that allows you to use a standard headphone to listen to your music in private. I have this connected to the AUX input of my FD2's ICE system, so I can just plug it in and listen to my music on long journeys.
The W810i uses the proprietary Memory Stick Duo as media, so in essence you are limited to the size of your memory card. However, as the size of your MP3's depends generally on several factors like bit rate and sampling frequency, you may not really be bothered by this. I have already a little over 100 songs taking up less than 500 Megs of space.
Via adaptor cable that plugs into a standard USB port, you can load songs directly onto the W810i from your PC without using a memory card reader, though the transfer speed seems a little slower than with a dedicated reader. I like the fact that while connected to the PC, the phone is charging at the same time. My Nokia N76 can't do this (though I believe most newer phones are already equipped with this feature as standard).
Lastly, though my current handphone comes with an MP3 player, I prefer to use it exclusively as it is originally intended - to make and receive phone calls, and send SMS's. And occasionally snap a quick photo. Listening to music takes a hit on battery life, and the last thing I need is not being able to use my phone (low batt) in case of an emergency.
Well, if I were to improve something, I wish that the camera would work without the SIM too, which is a pity, as the 2.0 Megapixel camera was autofocus capable and in my opinion was a notch above what the rest of the market has to offer!
More info on the Sony Ericsson W810i at their official site : http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/products/mobilephones/overview/w810i or at Wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Ericsson_W810
A true tale of an outburst of anger and a lesson in stress management
Today I found out a little more about myself - about how stress affects me and the internal dialogue that transpires....
It was a busy day at work today, without my trusted aides Kek and Ee around. Throughout the day, I had a constant stream of colleagues stopping by at my humble door-less cubicle. Apart from just one guy who actually stopped by for a friendly chat, everyone one else who came or called wanted something to be done.
Now, all this was not without detriment to my own work. I was working on a 3 page checklist for an upcoming online meeting with my overseas counterpart (or rather, boss). What normally took me an hour to finish took me FOUR hours to complete. Nearing the end of the day, I was quite stressed out and unintentionally lambasted another colleague of mine who just happened to cross my path.
At the end of the day, leaving for home (at ~9pm), I thought over the events that had transpired today, how I felt and how I had acted. I realized that I had over-reacted and was wrong in my actions. Along the drive home, I made a silent emotional decision (silent as there was no one in my car to hear it anyway) to apologize to her first thing tomorrow morning when I came to work.
Side issue - halfway home, there was a car that came really close from behind. Tailgating was supposed to be a traffic offense, but unfortunately there was no one around to enforce this law. Almost certainly in the past, I would floor the accelerator and let the fellow eat my dust (or maybe not, since I had no idea what car was behind me). This would have resulted in two cars speeding through the poorly lit streets ahead, a risky affair that would continue until either one of us disengaged (or took opposing paths at a junction or fork). However, my brief by meaningful experiences on the tarmac of the Sepang F1 Circuit and the twisty Batu Gajah track have thought me just how close we can come to losing control when driving in an aggressive manner.
However, as I know now that the streets are not the place for racing, and the road up ahead was dark and under heavy construction, I did something different this time. I maintained my speed and kept close to the road shoulder to let the guy pass. Though, even at moderate speeds, it took him quite a long time to overtake me, so I took my foot off the gas so that he would be forced to swerve into my lane when an oncoming car approached. It was a silver Proton Waja, with a dented bumper and one of those Mugen-style rear spoilers that was as out of place as a Kangaroo in Antartica. Anyway, immediately after the offensive driver was ahead, I noticed that I was now calmer and peaceful. My pulse was beating normally, instead of jumping wildly. Why? It's because I no longer had a mad driver with a risk of collision at my rear end. 10 seconds was all it took to transform this stressful condition. I reflected upon my decision and noted the change in my mind, body and heart.
When I got home, I "upgraded" my earlier decision and gave my friend a call, even before I got out of my car.
An old friend and colleague, I was glad that she understood my predicament and heartily accepted my apology. Over the phone, I managed to get a clearer picture about the issue which cause the enormous ruckus. Practicing crystal clear communication from the start would have avoided my earlier outburst, as I would have understood the situation better and responded differently.
Well, when I hung up, I was happy that we were still friends, and I was lucky to have such an understanding friend who was unfazed by my brazen behavior.
From the episode today, I remember the lessons learned from various mentors, including my GM and the Chief Master Trainer:-
1. Don't take things personally. Nothing people do or say is because of you. No need to get emotionally tangled up in matters. Applies to the seemingly endless stream of colleagues coming to me for help.
2. I have to change before change happens. Doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results is insane. Do something different and look for the response. By doing something that I have never done when encountering a mad tailgater, I found a better way of dealing with a frequent stressful situation.
3. Make a silent emotional decision to do something, and go ahead and do it! I made up my mind to call my friend. Didn't need to tell anyone about it. Just had to pick up the phone and dial.
4. Crystal clear communication can help to avoid unwanted situations. Don't make assumptions. If I had calmed down and sized up the situation before jumping to conclusions, I would not have acted in this manner to put off my old friend.
Well, the story above is real and unscripted (of course, I have removed references by name, but you may be able to guess if you have a high enough degree of awareness). I just write about it as it happened, and would like to share these lessons that I have learned. Hopefully that has added value to you reading this in some way....
It was a busy day at work today, without my trusted aides Kek and Ee around. Throughout the day, I had a constant stream of colleagues stopping by at my humble door-less cubicle. Apart from just one guy who actually stopped by for a friendly chat, everyone one else who came or called wanted something to be done.
Now, all this was not without detriment to my own work. I was working on a 3 page checklist for an upcoming online meeting with my overseas counterpart (or rather, boss). What normally took me an hour to finish took me FOUR hours to complete. Nearing the end of the day, I was quite stressed out and unintentionally lambasted another colleague of mine who just happened to cross my path.
At the end of the day, leaving for home (at ~9pm), I thought over the events that had transpired today, how I felt and how I had acted. I realized that I had over-reacted and was wrong in my actions. Along the drive home, I made a silent emotional decision (silent as there was no one in my car to hear it anyway) to apologize to her first thing tomorrow morning when I came to work.
Side issue - halfway home, there was a car that came really close from behind. Tailgating was supposed to be a traffic offense, but unfortunately there was no one around to enforce this law. Almost certainly in the past, I would floor the accelerator and let the fellow eat my dust (or maybe not, since I had no idea what car was behind me). This would have resulted in two cars speeding through the poorly lit streets ahead, a risky affair that would continue until either one of us disengaged (or took opposing paths at a junction or fork). However, my brief by meaningful experiences on the tarmac of the Sepang F1 Circuit and the twisty Batu Gajah track have thought me just how close we can come to losing control when driving in an aggressive manner.
However, as I know now that the streets are not the place for racing, and the road up ahead was dark and under heavy construction, I did something different this time. I maintained my speed and kept close to the road shoulder to let the guy pass. Though, even at moderate speeds, it took him quite a long time to overtake me, so I took my foot off the gas so that he would be forced to swerve into my lane when an oncoming car approached. It was a silver Proton Waja, with a dented bumper and one of those Mugen-style rear spoilers that was as out of place as a Kangaroo in Antartica. Anyway, immediately after the offensive driver was ahead, I noticed that I was now calmer and peaceful. My pulse was beating normally, instead of jumping wildly. Why? It's because I no longer had a mad driver with a risk of collision at my rear end. 10 seconds was all it took to transform this stressful condition. I reflected upon my decision and noted the change in my mind, body and heart.
When I got home, I "upgraded" my earlier decision and gave my friend a call, even before I got out of my car.
An old friend and colleague, I was glad that she understood my predicament and heartily accepted my apology. Over the phone, I managed to get a clearer picture about the issue which cause the enormous ruckus. Practicing crystal clear communication from the start would have avoided my earlier outburst, as I would have understood the situation better and responded differently.
Well, when I hung up, I was happy that we were still friends, and I was lucky to have such an understanding friend who was unfazed by my brazen behavior.
From the episode today, I remember the lessons learned from various mentors, including my GM and the Chief Master Trainer:-
1. Don't take things personally. Nothing people do or say is because of you. No need to get emotionally tangled up in matters. Applies to the seemingly endless stream of colleagues coming to me for help.
2. I have to change before change happens. Doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results is insane. Do something different and look for the response. By doing something that I have never done when encountering a mad tailgater, I found a better way of dealing with a frequent stressful situation.
3. Make a silent emotional decision to do something, and go ahead and do it! I made up my mind to call my friend. Didn't need to tell anyone about it. Just had to pick up the phone and dial.
4. Crystal clear communication can help to avoid unwanted situations. Don't make assumptions. If I had calmed down and sized up the situation before jumping to conclusions, I would not have acted in this manner to put off my old friend.
Well, the story above is real and unscripted (of course, I have removed references by name, but you may be able to guess if you have a high enough degree of awareness). I just write about it as it happened, and would like to share these lessons that I have learned. Hopefully that has added value to you reading this in some way....
Farewell to Ee WC
Forgive me for the lack of variety on the subject matters of my posts. Lately, there seems to be a domino effect that results in a chain of events faster than I can think of some "non-related" events to write about....
Last Friday, I shook hands with my engineer, Ee Woei Chang. A move that is becoming well-rehearsed and almost instinctive, due to the amount of practice I've had in the past few days. Not surprisingly, young and vibrant individuals rarely find themselves without options - and as fate would have it, Ee did indeed have an ace up his sleeves.
As of this moment, I only know that he will be going to "KL" (which more often than once turns out to be somewhere in Selangor).
Thus, last week, we had a small farewell dinner, inviting along some of the former Engineers who once served under the banner of our department. Here we are, against a totally unrelated backdrop depicting the "Legend of the Barcelos Cockerel" (no prizes for guessing where this is). Due to the fact that our dinner was smack in the middle of the week (last-minute change of plan), it was not possible to extend our invitation to other members of the ever-growing "Ex-PD" group, as some of us really did go to "KL" and start a new career. Anyway, we managed to get Sean (seasoned Engineer), Kek (fresh out of the company) and Tai (who came also with Kelvin, not in the picture as he was holding the camera).
L-R (back row) : Asri, Zul, Ee (the VIP), Kek, Sean
L-R (seated) : Me, Yan + daughter, Juliyana and Tai
Actually, there is another (person leaving). Can you guess who it is? If you have no clue, don't worry, as you will ready about it at the beginning of next month.... :)
Well, tomorrow, I start another day in the office with less one man on board. Ee was with us for just over a year, but in this brief span of time has contributed immensely to our department goals and efforts. It was great having him on board, and so, like the others before him, I sadly close yet another chapter in our department's story....
Last Friday, I shook hands with my engineer, Ee Woei Chang. A move that is becoming well-rehearsed and almost instinctive, due to the amount of practice I've had in the past few days. Not surprisingly, young and vibrant individuals rarely find themselves without options - and as fate would have it, Ee did indeed have an ace up his sleeves.
As of this moment, I only know that he will be going to "KL" (which more often than once turns out to be somewhere in Selangor).
Thus, last week, we had a small farewell dinner, inviting along some of the former Engineers who once served under the banner of our department. Here we are, against a totally unrelated backdrop depicting the "Legend of the Barcelos Cockerel" (no prizes for guessing where this is). Due to the fact that our dinner was smack in the middle of the week (last-minute change of plan), it was not possible to extend our invitation to other members of the ever-growing "Ex-PD" group, as some of us really did go to "KL" and start a new career. Anyway, we managed to get Sean (seasoned Engineer), Kek (fresh out of the company) and Tai (who came also with Kelvin, not in the picture as he was holding the camera).
L-R (back row) : Asri, Zul, Ee (the VIP), Kek, Sean
L-R (seated) : Me, Yan + daughter, Juliyana and Tai
Actually, there is another (person leaving). Can you guess who it is? If you have no clue, don't worry, as you will ready about it at the beginning of next month.... :)
Well, tomorrow, I start another day in the office with less one man on board. Ee was with us for just over a year, but in this brief span of time has contributed immensely to our department goals and efforts. It was great having him on board, and so, like the others before him, I sadly close yet another chapter in our department's story....
Farewell to Boon GC
Sigh. I was just lamenting on how often I had to shake hands and say goodbye to my colleagues - today I got yet another chance to perfect my technique....
Boon Gaik Chu was a quiet and reserved lady, for as long as I can remember knowing her. So it came as no surprise that her decision to move to greener pastures was devoid of much "hoo-hah". It almost slipped my mind that today was her last working day (knowledge of this came to me through mostly unofficial channels, so the validity and accuracy of my sources left much room for improvement. Luckily, for this particular instance, my sources were spot on). Rushing back to our common office block from a really long meeting that held me up way past the official working hours, I was fortunate enough to find her just packing her things, logging off from her PC for the very last time....
As usual, she greeted me with a smile. Not uncommon coming from Boon, who, in spite of the rigors and challenges of daily working life, somehow always manages to put up a bright and cheery front. Where does her future lie? That's still a mystery to me. However, wherever she may go, given her diligence and great working attitude, I know that she will certainly go far (up the ladder, not far away).
In the rush to say goodbye, I did not manage to snap off a parting shot. So, I have here an older photo taken some time ago (actually, she still looks pretty much the same, albeit with a change in hairdo).
Well, my friend, Aloha ʻoe, until we meet again....
Boon Gaik Chu was a quiet and reserved lady, for as long as I can remember knowing her. So it came as no surprise that her decision to move to greener pastures was devoid of much "hoo-hah". It almost slipped my mind that today was her last working day (knowledge of this came to me through mostly unofficial channels, so the validity and accuracy of my sources left much room for improvement. Luckily, for this particular instance, my sources were spot on). Rushing back to our common office block from a really long meeting that held me up way past the official working hours, I was fortunate enough to find her just packing her things, logging off from her PC for the very last time....
As usual, she greeted me with a smile. Not uncommon coming from Boon, who, in spite of the rigors and challenges of daily working life, somehow always manages to put up a bright and cheery front. Where does her future lie? That's still a mystery to me. However, wherever she may go, given her diligence and great working attitude, I know that she will certainly go far (up the ladder, not far away).
In the rush to say goodbye, I did not manage to snap off a parting shot. So, I have here an older photo taken some time ago (actually, she still looks pretty much the same, albeit with a change in hairdo).
Well, my friend, Aloha ʻoe, until we meet again....
To Ipoh to meet Sayalay Dipankara
Lately, I've been using up my vacation entitlements. No, it's not for attending job interviews. Most of the time, it's due to the existing corporate top-down directive to take "short work week", which sort of helps clear annual leave balance by the end of the year (that's when annual leave "zerorization" occurs). This time though, I took a half day off plus the weekend to bring my family to Ipoh, for a rare chance to meet up with the great meditation teacher, Sayalay Dipankara (more information on here over at : http://www.cakkavala.org/SayalayDipankara.htm and http://www.bodhikusuma.com/metta/sayalay_dipankara.html)
This was a memorable occasion for us, as it was the first time that Charmaine would be traveling in a car for such a long journey. Setting off on a full tank of gas, we arrived at our destination some 5 hours later (adhering strictly to the legal limits, though I feel that I was the only driver that was doing so). Hah, Charmaine was quite excited, as she did not sleep at all through the journey. Consolation though is that she slept soundly all through the night...! :)
Wasn't any time to go sightseeing. We just managed to have a quick dinner at the Yishen Vegetarian Restaurant (co-ordinates N 04°35.932' E101°07.186') and put up a night at the Heritage Hotel. Incidentally, the Heritage Hotel underground car park does not have an elevator leading to the lobby, only stairs. If you have any elderly or disabled passengers, do drop them off at the front entrance before parking your car.
Anyway, the next day, I GPS-ed the way to the Pureland temple (that's what you have to type to find it on the map - actual name of Po Re Yan did not turn up on my Garmin Nuvi 300). Typical for temples in Ipoh, this one was built right up against a limestone mountain (some temples here were actually built INTO the mountains). Quite a distance off the main road (look for the sign that says "Taman Saikat"), it was quiet enough to serve as a serene mediation center to yogis.
We managed to meet up with the revered Sayalay Dipankara briefly after the yogis has their meal time, and made some offerings of dana. It was too dark to get a decent photo with my Lumix FX520 though. For occasions like these, I'd need my DSLR and sub F2.0 lens. By then, it was noon, so we had our lunch before setting off on our journey back home. Didn't want to leave too late, as that would have meant arriving late in the evening after sundown.
Just for reference and info, spending 90% of the time on the highway, my Vios (previous generation model, not the current one that looks like a "Dugong") managed to clock 620km on one full tank of BHP 95. This is with a full load of 5 adults + 1 child (and the trunk was full as well).
Well, for those of you who are interested, there will be a 10-Day Meditation Retreat by Sayalay Dipankara in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia from 16 to 25 December, 2009. Do contact them at the Cakkavala Meditation Center (Website is http://www.cakkavala.org/index.htm) if you wish to sign up. Depending on circumstances, I may sign up too, as it would be a pity to pass up such a golden opportunity to progress in one's meditation abilities....
Farewell to Audra
In the limited time that I have to indulge in one of my former favorite past-times (that is, writing), I choose to give priority to matters that mean the most to me. Friends rank amongst the highest, so I'll take this opportunity to bid a fond farewell to (yet another) colleague.
Now, it is a common misconception that only people from my department are leaving the company in droves like Israelites out of Egypt (during the Biblical times, that is). Last Friday I took the opportunity to go down to HR to say goodbye to Audra for being a valuable member of the team, as well as true friend, since she joined the company a little over a year ago.
In my impromptu "exit interview", Audra expressed that she would be taking some time off from working life to spend some quality time with her family, before seeking employment again perhaps early next year. Which is a great idea, that serves as a reminder to us all that family is one of the big, important "stones" in our life that we should put in our "jar" first.
Well, best wishes to Audra, with hopes that a bright future lies ahead for her and her family....
Now, it is a common misconception that only people from my department are leaving the company in droves like Israelites out of Egypt (during the Biblical times, that is). Last Friday I took the opportunity to go down to HR to say goodbye to Audra for being a valuable member of the team, as well as true friend, since she joined the company a little over a year ago.
In my impromptu "exit interview", Audra expressed that she would be taking some time off from working life to spend some quality time with her family, before seeking employment again perhaps early next year. Which is a great idea, that serves as a reminder to us all that family is one of the big, important "stones" in our life that we should put in our "jar" first.
Well, best wishes to Audra, with hopes that a bright future lies ahead for her and her family....
My FD2 "hospitalized"....
As mentioned earlier, I checked my FD2 into the Honda SC in Muar, Mr Lee later confirmed with me that the sound was definitely coming from my 3 year old K20Z2, with just under 40,000 k's on the clock.
Describing the troubleshooting procedure to me, I caught on that they'd have to remove the oil pan and peer inside first. If that turned up empty, they'll proceed with the 2nd block. Ha, ha. Never thought my engine would be taken apart in its lifetime....
The night before, I took my car round for a spin, for what I anticipate to be our last ride together for a long, long time. Once the revs rise, there's no tell tale sign of engine trouble. Only during idling and the first few moments of acceleration from standstill does the soft but sure "tak-tak-tak" whisper to me. Don't want to be caught dead in the middle of the road like the guy from Initial D when challenging the Evo (thought that would add a bit of drama to the story). Plus, delays would inevitably result in more damage and higher repair cost, not to mention a higher risk to me and my passenger(s)!
Side issue, while taking the roundabout at MITC (the smaller one with nothing in the middle), the car in front of me nearly "merged" with the car in front of it (looks like a near miss of inches). Luckily, trailing from a safe distance, I swerved to avoid the two (who were at that moment stopped right in the middle of the road, still on the roundabout). Even so, missed the nearest car by a foot. Accidents can happen in spite of our best driving practices, so we should always drive in a manner that would allow us to respond to a dangerous situation. Or, as my dear father advises, "assume all other drivers on the road are 'incompetent'". 'Incompetent' wasn't exactly the word he used (though it has a very close meaning), but let's use it to avoid offending anyone reading this....
Well, just out of interest, I'll be counting the days till my ride is up and running once again. I'm curious to know how speedy (or slow) Honda is when it comes to fixing cars. As my experience with the team at this service center has been nothing else but commendable, I reckon that the major bottlenecks would be a) the time to isolate the actual root cause of the problem and b) ordering spare parts (hopefully, not all the way from Japan!). The first one could be quite fast, having more or less isolated it to the engine block. The second, well, is really out of any of our hands.
In retrospect, I compare with my experience with my Digital SLR camera system. In that situation, the team performing diagnostics and repair was unfamiliar to me, and neither was there comprehensive feedback on the status of repair. To cut a long story short, my cumulative disappointing experience on service and support has resulted in my discontinuation of any further purchase from that particular brand of DSLR (and lens). But that is a different story - only after 6 months were me and my gear finally reunited. I hope that in the case of my FD2, it does not take half a year before I hear the sweet sound of the humble I-VTEC motor again....
Thus on this note, for the official record, DAY 1 and counting....
Describing the troubleshooting procedure to me, I caught on that they'd have to remove the oil pan and peer inside first. If that turned up empty, they'll proceed with the 2nd block. Ha, ha. Never thought my engine would be taken apart in its lifetime....
The night before, I took my car round for a spin, for what I anticipate to be our last ride together for a long, long time. Once the revs rise, there's no tell tale sign of engine trouble. Only during idling and the first few moments of acceleration from standstill does the soft but sure "tak-tak-tak" whisper to me. Don't want to be caught dead in the middle of the road like the guy from Initial D when challenging the Evo (thought that would add a bit of drama to the story). Plus, delays would inevitably result in more damage and higher repair cost, not to mention a higher risk to me and my passenger(s)!
Side issue, while taking the roundabout at MITC (the smaller one with nothing in the middle), the car in front of me nearly "merged" with the car in front of it (looks like a near miss of inches). Luckily, trailing from a safe distance, I swerved to avoid the two (who were at that moment stopped right in the middle of the road, still on the roundabout). Even so, missed the nearest car by a foot. Accidents can happen in spite of our best driving practices, so we should always drive in a manner that would allow us to respond to a dangerous situation. Or, as my dear father advises, "assume all other drivers on the road are 'incompetent'". 'Incompetent' wasn't exactly the word he used (though it has a very close meaning), but let's use it to avoid offending anyone reading this....
Well, just out of interest, I'll be counting the days till my ride is up and running once again. I'm curious to know how speedy (or slow) Honda is when it comes to fixing cars. As my experience with the team at this service center has been nothing else but commendable, I reckon that the major bottlenecks would be a) the time to isolate the actual root cause of the problem and b) ordering spare parts (hopefully, not all the way from Japan!). The first one could be quite fast, having more or less isolated it to the engine block. The second, well, is really out of any of our hands.
In retrospect, I compare with my experience with my Digital SLR camera system. In that situation, the team performing diagnostics and repair was unfamiliar to me, and neither was there comprehensive feedback on the status of repair. To cut a long story short, my cumulative disappointing experience on service and support has resulted in my discontinuation of any further purchase from that particular brand of DSLR (and lens). But that is a different story - only after 6 months were me and my gear finally reunited. I hope that in the case of my FD2, it does not take half a year before I hear the sweet sound of the humble I-VTEC motor again....
Thus on this note, for the official record, DAY 1 and counting....
My FD2 @ 40,000 km service
Last week, it was time to send my Honda Civic FD2 in for preventive maintenance after clocking in nearly 40,000 km in the span of 3 years. As usual, the excellent service and workmanship of Mr Lee and crew at the GS Tay Honda SC (Muar) made it worth the 1 hour drive over there.
Firstly, the key point - it cost me nearly RM1K, using fully synthetic engine oil from Honda. For those who like to get the the conclusion....
For the rest of you, note that this service took around 2+ hours. Besides the usual engine and oil filter swap, for this service, the brake oil and ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) were also replaced. Since this was a Honda SC, the replacements were all original Honda brand.
Also due for replacement was the fuel filter. This thing had the most perculiar location, just behind and under the rear seats, which made it necessary for the techs to remove the whole rear seat and move the boot lid (the piece under which lies the spare tire). For me, this was where my Blaupunkt active sub box was bolted on. Unfortunately, it was necessary for them to cut through the layer of soundproofing to access the fuel filter cover. They were hesitating to do so, and only after I came along and gave them the green light did they proceed with care!
Meanwhile, in the front, there was a squeaky sound which was traced to the auto belt tensioner. This was a spring-loaded device that took up the slack of the timing belt, so that it was tight enough to drive all the pulleys on that side of the engine (alternator, crank pulley, aircon, etc.).
However, even after the service, there was a persistent knocking sound coming from the engine at low revs (below 1,500 rpm) that meant that something was still wrong. In spite being as smooth as ever, with no "check engine light" coming on, no smoke or poor fuel consumption, I made an appointment with Mr Lee to send in my car for detailed inspection. Better not take the chance with a machine that brings you from 0 kph to illegal speeds and keeps you alive so you can blog about it later...! :)
Well, looks like I'll be using my spare car for the duration of the diagnostic. It would be interesting to know what was the cause of the problem, and get it fixed.
Any FD owners out there with similar experience? Maybe I'll try to look this up at 8GCC and the S'pore Honda Civic FD Club forums after this.
On a lesser note, I finally got my "plastic at the left triangle" fixed. This is a common problem for FD owners, where the piece of plastic on the left side of the dashboard (at the triangle shaped window) pops up, especially when after you park under the sun. This involved removing the entire panel and some discreet use of super glue (not to worry, they didn't leave any mess).
More updates after they figure out the problem and fix it, then!
Firstly, the key point - it cost me nearly RM1K, using fully synthetic engine oil from Honda. For those who like to get the the conclusion....
For the rest of you, note that this service took around 2+ hours. Besides the usual engine and oil filter swap, for this service, the brake oil and ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) were also replaced. Since this was a Honda SC, the replacements were all original Honda brand.
Also due for replacement was the fuel filter. This thing had the most perculiar location, just behind and under the rear seats, which made it necessary for the techs to remove the whole rear seat and move the boot lid (the piece under which lies the spare tire). For me, this was where my Blaupunkt active sub box was bolted on. Unfortunately, it was necessary for them to cut through the layer of soundproofing to access the fuel filter cover. They were hesitating to do so, and only after I came along and gave them the green light did they proceed with care!
Meanwhile, in the front, there was a squeaky sound which was traced to the auto belt tensioner. This was a spring-loaded device that took up the slack of the timing belt, so that it was tight enough to drive all the pulleys on that side of the engine (alternator, crank pulley, aircon, etc.).
However, even after the service, there was a persistent knocking sound coming from the engine at low revs (below 1,500 rpm) that meant that something was still wrong. In spite being as smooth as ever, with no "check engine light" coming on, no smoke or poor fuel consumption, I made an appointment with Mr Lee to send in my car for detailed inspection. Better not take the chance with a machine that brings you from 0 kph to illegal speeds and keeps you alive so you can blog about it later...! :)
Well, looks like I'll be using my spare car for the duration of the diagnostic. It would be interesting to know what was the cause of the problem, and get it fixed.
Any FD owners out there with similar experience? Maybe I'll try to look this up at 8GCC and the S'pore Honda Civic FD Club forums after this.
On a lesser note, I finally got my "plastic at the left triangle" fixed. This is a common problem for FD owners, where the piece of plastic on the left side of the dashboard (at the triangle shaped window) pops up, especially when after you park under the sun. This involved removing the entire panel and some discreet use of super glue (not to worry, they didn't leave any mess).
More updates after they figure out the problem and fix it, then!
LW Seminars - Leadership with Purpose
My kids finally asleep, now's a great opportunity to make a brief blog entry on my latest training seminar with Dr Lawrence Walter Ng - Leadership with Purpose.
Now, it was two years ago, specifically on 9th and 10th July 2007 that we first had the opportunity to meet up with Dr Lawrence, who was engaged by our company as part as a long term goal to transform our organization to the next level. I even got an autographed copy of his book on "Passion for Extraordinary Performance"!
Heh, heh. Actually, I've encountered him before, back in the days when I was just a school boy of around 14 or 15 years old (back when Dr Lawrence was just Lawrence). It was during a public course conducted by him to promote his A Star Student Program. Ah, who would have guessed, as fate would have it, for us to cross paths not once, but twice many years later. I have a strong feeling that this would not be the last time I met him.
Anyway, back to the present. Upon registration, Kelly, his assistant, handed me my copy of training material and briefed me on what to do next, that is, putting on name tags, writing name and initial on notes and file, and also a bit on "training fung sui" and "discussion fung sui" (which is basically the house rules for arrangement of table and chairs during the two key phases of the discussion).
We sorted ourselves out evenly between 5 tables, with roughly 5 people to a group. My first sitting partnered me with Steven Yan, Ai Ling, Jerry, Moey and Clement. In the last seminar, I was team leader of our team "Rebex" so this time I was happy to change to a supporting role. This was just a temporary group, as throughout the day, we would further change groups a total of 4 times. I guess that this was to simulate real-working environment where we'd get involved with different teams from time to time (the key was to learn to add value to each team all the same).
Dr Lawrence, right from the start, put on a energetic display of charisma that never gave the audiences' mind a chance to go astray. Full of confidence with a flawless delivery, with a real dedication to the seminar. Now as a Manager, I learned that we did our part in the preparation to provide Dr Lawrence with some personal details of our staff, so he could better identify with each individual on a personal level. And this he did and use throughout the course of the seminar, demonstrating a powerful memory and the ability to use the information at the right time. How else would a total stranger to the organization know about the fine details like Jackson's passion for his durian orchard, and my Six Sigma Black Belt qualification?
Well, throughout the seminar, we aimed to collect points in order to graduate by the end of day 2. Additionally, we had to ensure that the average points were above a minimum target as well, otherwise everyone would not graduate. The way averages worked, this means that no matter which group you were in, your contribution towards the entire class ultimately works to towards the success of the entire group (just like in real-life). The training material was new, though there was an exercise in the beginning to assemble a jigsaw of the motivational poster that we used in the first seminar (the yellow one). However, I can say all of the material here is new, so the new members who did not attend the first seminar would not feel left out, and the returning members would not feel bored from "more-of-the-same" syndrome.
We formulated our team "mission statements" and practiced team cheers, which made extensive use of hitting on the tabletop with our palms. This too, incidentally, was how we "applauded" our fellow team-mates as well as those from other groups. In general, we either applaud a successful effort with "GOT PASSION" cheer, or encourage a challenged team with cries for "MORE PASSION". This is a good exercise for team support.
We played a game, where everyone was required to cross over from one side of the room to the other. The only condition is that no one was allowed to walk the same way twice. So each one of us tried to be creative to hop, skip, spin, waltz, (and so on, I'm running out of verbs) to get across and earn points. I managed to moonwalk across (small tribute to Michael Jackson)...! :)
After morning break, I bid farewell to my team leaders Jerry and Ai Ling, and moved to a different table under the helm of Lye Yin and Thye (leaders were fixed, team members were mobile). I regrouped with Steven and Clement from the previous table, with a new member to the team (Mr Wee, our GM). Time to learn the new policy and team cheer. And of course, collect more points. It was with this team that we participated in the "break a pencil with your forefinger" challenge, which was easy once you knew the technique and had the correct mindset. Of course, you need to aim your strike, otherwise you would cause injury to your friend holding the pencil (as Steven and Lye Yin found out the hard way).
Throughout the seminar, Dr Lawrence made good use of video clips from various movies, like Patch Adams, Gladiator, Alexander, and Independence Day (those are some I could recognize). These served to illustrate demonstrations of good leadership skills (and also using a scene from Joe vs the Volcano to show an example of poor leadership. Where there is Yin, there is Yang, so you must always show both sides of the coin). Another example of good applications skills (knowing when to apply a certain technique is as equally important as knowing the technique itself).
In no time, it was time for our buffet lunch at the Sommerset Cafe on ground floor. We had a quick meal and proceeded back to our training venue on Level 7, for a chance to add value and earn more points for our team before the next "reorganization". Thanking Lye Yin and Thye for their guidance, we then changed tables once again. My next team was lead by Cheng KY and Elene, with Mr Wee coming along from the old table, and Ang CK as a new member to me. After the "orientation", we proceeded to play the "animal game" where each of us were assigned a different animal class. Well, I was going to be chicken for awhile....
The goal was to group with other members of the same species (after being double-blind folded, of course - you think it would be that easy in a Dr Lawrence seminar?). And this was to be done by making the corresponding animal sounds of course. So the chickens go "buck-buck", ducks go "quack-quack" (chinese duck apparently go "ak-ak"), cows go "moo-moo", cats go "meow-meow" and finally pigeons make a sound that goes some thing like "screw-screw" (try to keep a clean mind here). Obviously, with no pre-determined leader, and everyone making their own animal sounds, the result was utter chaos that would probably drive Old McDonald to the lunatic asylum in the long run. To make matters worse, some of my chicken group was confused by the actual chicken call required. To me chicken = "buck-buck" but to KS Ng, chicken = "cock-a-doodle-doo" (Rooster?). Ah well, if you can't beat them, join them, as long as this helps towards the team goal (I hope this doesn't break any rules). 2nd round, same game, we thought we got our strategies all figured out, but there some unseen forces trying to pull us out of whack (Chinese 7th month is over, so it must be the Seminar assistants). This goes to show that your team will always face challenges to pull you apart. Luckily, we have KS as the chicken leader to hug everyone closer to keep us from breaking apart.
Next lesson was on the 4 patterns of an individual - the King, Warrior, Magician and Lover. My initial impression (and misconception) is that every one was classified into either one of the four. I thought I was a pure warrior (judging on how Dr Lawrence described the car and tabletop of a typical warrior personality). However, we played a game where each of us went around and ticked on each others workbooks, on our impression of that person. Thus, we found out, at least in that group, what was the general opinion and impression about ourselves. I discovered that I was ~49% Magician, 26% Lover and 25% Warrior (0% King....). With this in mind, we all made our own commitments on where to improve. The secret is to be ALL FOUR at the appropriate time and situation, as demonstrated in a short video clip from the movie Alexander (starring Colin Farrell). This is what was known as the X-factor.
The last change of table for the day brought me to the table of CC Tan and KT Kong, where I was reunited with Steven from my first and second table. New member was NK Goh. This was a nice table - their team cheer only required us to hit the table 6 times.... :) Rack up more points. I got a chance to get involved by getting up on stage and speaking like either one of the 4 patterns, and changing on the fly at the cue from Dr Lawrence. Hah, something like changing channels on Astro, but I managed to adjust my speech accordingly (still need lots and lots more practice though).
We then also explored the topic of breakdowns in communication, which sometimes were unintentionally caused by our own accidental actions. After a voting session by our peers, I found out my biggest points were for "moody face", "silence" and "being to general". I totally agree with them.
Before we went home, Dr Lawrence conducted a quieter session for us to get in touch with one another. With appropriately selected soft background music, we told our partners what we liked about them, and apologized for any accidental wrongdoings in the past. Extended further to members of our family, in a moment of silent emotional decision....
Well, that was it for day 1. We all had our "homework assignments" to collect more points, which included adding value to someone we knew via SMS, phone call or face-to-face, highlighting key points in our notes, and making a write up (updating my blog is not the only reason I'm writing this, you know....).
Day two begins in less than an hour. Time to get changed and ready, and get ready for change!
Anyway, do check out more on Dr Lawrence's seminars at : http://www.lwseminars.com and his blog on http://drlawrencewalterng.blogspot.com.
Hari Raya at Zufri's house
A couple of days ago, Zufri hosted a small lunch at his (parent's) house, in conjunction with the 2009 Hari Raya celebrations. We're still within one month of Hari Raya, so "open house" is still applicable.
It was a smaller group this year, with me joining a few office colleagues (and one ex-colleague, Fazilah). Visits to Zufri's house was actually a yearly affair for me, though this was the first time we sat down and ate indoors. The interior of the house was larger than I expected - couldn't really tell from looking at the front, as it was rather longish than wide, and extended all the way to the back.
The food was prepare by Zufri, with minor assistance from his mother, so goes the "official story", so let's just go along with it.... :)
Due to my lack of recognition skills when it comes to food, I can only say there was mee, mee hoon with kuah laksa and some others, beside the assortment of cookies, both self-made and ordered. It was good and tasty, though, even if I really didn't know the name of what I was eating....
After we've had our fill, we hung around a while and checked out a couple of cats that were the house. I don't think that they actually belonged to Zufri, but nonetheless the cats were cared for and fed by the family.
After a couple of cuddles and poses for photos, we thanked Zufri and family for being a wonderful host and headed back to office (it was a working day, after all).
It was a smaller group this year, with me joining a few office colleagues (and one ex-colleague, Fazilah). Visits to Zufri's house was actually a yearly affair for me, though this was the first time we sat down and ate indoors. The interior of the house was larger than I expected - couldn't really tell from looking at the front, as it was rather longish than wide, and extended all the way to the back.
The food was prepare by Zufri, with minor assistance from his mother, so goes the "official story", so let's just go along with it.... :)
Due to my lack of recognition skills when it comes to food, I can only say there was mee, mee hoon with kuah laksa and some others, beside the assortment of cookies, both self-made and ordered. It was good and tasty, though, even if I really didn't know the name of what I was eating....
After we've had our fill, we hung around a while and checked out a couple of cats that were the house. I don't think that they actually belonged to Zufri, but nonetheless the cats were cared for and fed by the family.
After a couple of cuddles and poses for photos, we thanked Zufri and family for being a wonderful host and headed back to office (it was a working day, after all).
Family Expansion
It's no secret that I've been quite busy lately. So busy was I, in fact, that only now do I have some time to allocate for posting online again (ironically, due to the forced vacation as per corporate short work week directive)....
Besides my dwindling pool of engineers at work, on the other hand, we've welcomed a new member to my family.
Besides my dwindling pool of engineers at work, on the other hand, we've welcomed a new member to my family.
Christopher was born last month, same hospital and almost the same time as Charmaine. So now, I have a pair - one son, one daughter. As Charmaine's just 1.5 years old, she still required lots of attention, for the safety of those around her and that of her own. Even before reaching the "terrible twos" stage, she's already using her new-found walking skills (and also climbing skills) to explore her surroundings. Climbing up is easy, but climbing down has yet to be perfected, hence with this added mobility comes the need for someone to shadow her at all times. Well, I've lost 3 kgs already, possibly this is a major contributing factor.
My son, Christopher, is still lying down in the baby cot, spending most of the time drinking milk, sleeping and dreaming of things to come. Unlike Charmaine, most of the sleeping is done when the sun is up, and as night falls, Christopher shows his nocturnal character. I don't blame him, as when you have a stomach the size of a tennis ball, you'll have to eat (or in this case, drink) in small portions very, very frequently. And frequently does he cry out for milk indeed (~2 hours if not less).
Currently, due to a sensitive digestive system, we've put him on some lactose-free formula until things subside. We started out with a locally available brand, Similac, and then later switched to Alfar� (pronounced Al-Fa-Ray), which was "imported" from Singapore courtesy of my brother-in-law, Boon Hock. The pediatrician prescribed some medication for Christopher, which came with a warning on the box - "Keep out of reach and sight of children".
Well, with more components to juggle around in life, planning and resource allocation become more critical. That's what happens when you have a family expansion. Still, both my kids will get equal attention, so there will be more of Christopher and Charmaine to come....
Terence and Ai Lee's Wedding
Phew! It was a really busy Hari Raya for us this year, as it was so a coincidence that my cousin, Terence, planned his wedding ceremony to long time GF, Ai Lee.
As the bride and groom lived just 15 minutes apart (subject to traffic conditions), it was one of the shortest wedding convoys I've ever joined! :)
Wedding dinner was at Tiara Golf Resort, which allowed for plenty of parking and, being on the outskirts of town, meant that we didn't have to get caught in a bad traffic jam on the way there.
I'll be uploading my photos onto my Multiply site soon, but this time around, I was the designated Videographer. My cousin had entrusted me with his new Sony HDR-CX100E camcorder. It was so new, in fact, that he didn't really know how to use all its functions. So, I had slightly shorter than a week to figure it out in time for the big day....
Luckily, I had my "standard" S5 Pro by my side (and handy FX520 in my pocket), so I managed to fire off some shots between video clips. Maybe I'll post one or two video clips, once I figure out how.
Link to the photo album on Multiply is here : Terence and Ai Lee's Wedding - Sept 2009
Anyway, to the newly weds - may you live happily ever after!
As the bride and groom lived just 15 minutes apart (subject to traffic conditions), it was one of the shortest wedding convoys I've ever joined! :)
Wedding dinner was at Tiara Golf Resort, which allowed for plenty of parking and, being on the outskirts of town, meant that we didn't have to get caught in a bad traffic jam on the way there.
I'll be uploading my photos onto my Multiply site soon, but this time around, I was the designated Videographer. My cousin had entrusted me with his new Sony HDR-CX100E camcorder. It was so new, in fact, that he didn't really know how to use all its functions. So, I had slightly shorter than a week to figure it out in time for the big day....
Luckily, I had my "standard" S5 Pro by my side (and handy FX520 in my pocket), so I managed to fire off some shots between video clips. Maybe I'll post one or two video clips, once I figure out how.
Link to the photo album on Multiply is here : Terence and Ai Lee's Wedding - Sept 2009
Anyway, to the newly weds - may you live happily ever after!
Posting from Multiply directly to Facebook
Hmm, after being away from Multiply for so long, I noticed many changes. Apart from the new menu and Inbox, I also found this "Copy to: [ ] Facebook" option at the bottom of the "Compose Blog Entry" screen.
Now, getting it to work wasn't as straightforward as it seemed. On my default browser, Firefox, clicking on the check box opened up a window, prompting to install something. Alas it got stuck halfway through the installation procedure. Tried a couple of times, closing down the browser and starting again, still no progress.
Next, tried Opera. Again, unsuccessful.
Last resort, tried IE (which I only use at work and Microsoft Updates). Well, well, what do you know. It worked flawlessly on the first attempt. Hmm, aren't websites supposed to work right on all browsers? I wonder if there is some connection between Multiply and Microsoft....
Well, with that done, now it's time to make this test post.
If you see this on Facebook, then my successful installation is verified (BTW, I'm posting this on Firefox).
For now, I've not yet disabled the Facebook Notes Import function, so there may be a double post.
Now, getting it to work wasn't as straightforward as it seemed. On my default browser, Firefox, clicking on the check box opened up a window, prompting to install something. Alas it got stuck halfway through the installation procedure. Tried a couple of times, closing down the browser and starting again, still no progress.
Next, tried Opera. Again, unsuccessful.
Last resort, tried IE (which I only use at work and Microsoft Updates). Well, well, what do you know. It worked flawlessly on the first attempt. Hmm, aren't websites supposed to work right on all browsers? I wonder if there is some connection between Multiply and Microsoft....
Well, with that done, now it's time to make this test post.
If you see this on Facebook, then my successful installation is verified (BTW, I'm posting this on Firefox).
For now, I've not yet disabled the Facebook Notes Import function, so there may be a double post.
Sayonara, Kek-san!
Gosh - how time flies when you're busy! It's been nearly a full quarter of a year since my last post. There's going to be some out-of-chronological-order posting coming up....
Well, let's start with the present. September 11 was not a great date for America, and this year, it was a memorable date for me. Today was the last working day for my colleague and friend, Kek (the moniker "Kek-san" comes now to mind, as this was how our Japanese suppliers used when referring to us by name). I suppose that leaving for better prospects is always a good thing (for all except maybe the company being left behind), so we're all happy for him.
In this modern age of handphones and internet, you never really feel that you're losing touch with someone when they leave the company.
Kek, if you're reading this, it's been an honor working together with you. Hope to see you around sometime. And don't forget to invite me to your "big day" when it comes (soon, I hope)!
Sayonara, my friend!
L-R : Low Chung Lee, Tan Hwee Chuan, Kek Siang Ming, Chong Sew Chu, Lee Wan Inn, Lim Guat Choo, Phua Ling Choo
L-R : Same as above, except swapping Low with me
Well, let's start with the present. September 11 was not a great date for America, and this year, it was a memorable date for me. Today was the last working day for my colleague and friend, Kek (the moniker "Kek-san" comes now to mind, as this was how our Japanese suppliers used when referring to us by name). I suppose that leaving for better prospects is always a good thing (for all except maybe the company being left behind), so we're all happy for him.
In this modern age of handphones and internet, you never really feel that you're losing touch with someone when they leave the company.
Kek, if you're reading this, it's been an honor working together with you. Hope to see you around sometime. And don't forget to invite me to your "big day" when it comes (soon, I hope)!
Sayonara, my friend!
L-R : Low Chung Lee, Tan Hwee Chuan, Kek Siang Ming, Chong Sew Chu, Lee Wan Inn, Lim Guat Choo, Phua Ling Choo
L-R : Same as above, except swapping Low with me
Kam Cheng Session - May 2009 at Moey's Condo.
It's been a long time since our last "Kam Cheng" session (the last one being in January last year at Sibaraku). So, a couple of us pooled together and organized another gathering last week, in conjunction with the Chinese dumpling (Bak Chang) festival. What is a Bak Chang? Well, it can be best described as glutinous rice with various fillings ranging from beans to pork wrapped up in lotus leaves and tied in a shape of a tetrahedron. Um, better follow this LINK to get a better idea....
Apparently, there's a story to this. Sometime during the Warring States period, this festival commemorates the death of a famous Chinese poet named Qu Yuan from the kingdom of Chu. This famous poet is well known for his patriotism - he tried (unsuccessfully) to warn his king and countrymen against the policy of expanding his country's economy for their Qin neighbors. When the Qin Dynasty general Bai Qi took Yingdu, the Chu capital, in 278 BC, Qu Yuan's grief was so intense that he drowned himself in the Miluo river after penning the Lament for Ying. According to legend, packets of rice were thrown into the river to prevent fish from eating the poet's body. There is another version which states that the dumpling were given to placate a dragon that lived in the river.
No, we don't make these Bak Chang to throw into the river. After the enormous sum of money the Melaka government spent to clean up the Melaka river, dumping anything of the sort into the river would probably get you a night in jail and a lighter wallet....
Anyway, back to our party. The "mastermind" of the operation was most likely Koh LS or Cho LY. Anyway, we each paid ~RM20 to cover the cost of the food. Mr Moey was generous enough to sponsor the Satay, and chicken wings were the courtesy of Mr Law.
We ate heartily, a mixture of various types of food, ranging from fried noodles, steam boat, and satay + fried chicken mentioned earlier.
After eating, we retreated to the side of the pool where we listened to some soft music and chatted, leaving all our cares behind. The occupancy of the Golden Coast Condominium was really low, with most of the units owned by Singaporeans. Since it was a weekday, you could say we practically had the entire place to ourselves.
After awhile, when things were starting to get boring, Mr Moey brought out his indoor putting set and we started to play a game, each taking turns putting the golf ball into one of the two holes. Miss all 3 tries, and you have to eat Satay (initially, everyone was rushing to eat some, but after awhile, everyone's full, so this became now some form of penalty instead!).
Having much fun, we soon lost track of the passage of time, and finally came the time for us to go home. We helped tidy up and carry down the cooking utensils (we were on the 3rd floor) to Lye Yin's car.
Well, it was truly good that we have such people like Koh LS and Lye Yin to take the initiative to organize such events, that really helped us to release some of the tension from everyday work, as well as to foster closer ties amongst working colleagues.
Looking forward to the next upcoming event then (most likely the mid-autumn festival sometime in September)!
Check out the rest of the photos [HERE]
My first Studio Portrait Photo shoot (with Sara & Deep)
Last Saturday was my first time - shooting in a Studio (what were you thinking...?).
I chanced upon a class for Portrait Studio Lighting conducted by RS Digital Station Melaka. Actually, this was the 2nd intake for the class, as the first one had already been successfully conducted in early May. Each class was made up of 8 photographers max, to avoid overcrowding and to allow for ample time for each one to shoot the models.
Upon arriving, I saw two familiar cars belonging to my Civic buddies, Hanne and Nick. OK, at least I'd have some friends in today's class.
The class was conducted by Mr Heng Ching Chuan, who seems like a really experienced photographer and is quite friendly too. Most importantly, the class was conducted in a mixture of English, BM and Chinese - to suit the wide range of audience.
We started off with some brief slides on the various flash positioning techniques using studio flash. Now this isn't your average "hot-shot mounted flash bounced off the ceiling with diffuser" technique. We had the hands-on opportunity to dismantle and fix up the studio flash units and backdrops. Didn't ask how much one of those cost, but I'm sure each flash was really really expensive.
By the way, time to introduce the models - There was Sara, local Chinese lady and then there was Deep, from India. There was supposed to be a third model, but unfortunately she was ill on that day. No matter, as Sara and Deep were very friendly, experienced models who could offer a variety of poses should the photographer lack ideas or experience (like me, for instance....). Sara had on a sweet pink outfit, that she later swapped for a black dress when we put up the a pink backdrop. Deep had a good macho physique, but was really quite friendly despite some of the "killer" look in his photos.
Heng and Hoe (also working at RS Digital) were very helpful, giving pointers on how to position the studio lights (main, fill flash, barn door snoot) to achieve various photographic effects. The flash units were triggered wirelessly using a remote trigger that was mounted on the hot shoe. Good thing was that it worked regardless of DSLR model, whether Canon, Nikon or others.
I brought along my S5 Pro, with my D200 in the bag as backup in case my sole battery was depleted. Lens-wise, I was a little under-prepared with my 50mm F1.8 and 17-50mm F2.8 lens only (and the other guys were shooting with 80-200 type zooms). Well, in the studio, you'll quickly learn that besides the unflattering barrel distortion, wide angle lenses also include much more of the background that you'd like to see (like the air con, light stand, top of the backdrop, etc.). OK, lesson learned....
I did not shoot RAW at first, as my 1 GB CF card would only store 30+ shots (A RAW file from the S5 Pro at ISO100 is roughly 25Mb). However, towards the later half of the class, I noticed that we don't exactly shoot that many photos in rapid succession, since we spent time after each shot reviewing the results on LCD, repositioning the lights, communicating with the models on poses, etc..
Deep and Sara took turns in front of the camera, and at times, both were posing together. Now, these sessions are not all girl models only - in fact, it was good to have Deep on the set to add variety to the mix. Deep was a practitioner of Yoga, so he was able to pose in some yoga stances, like the Sun Salutation, etc..
Throughout the 4 hour session, light refreshments were provided at the side table, with hot water in the pantry for a steaming hot cup of coffee or mee-in-a-cup.
After the last shots were fired, we retreated back to the classroom behind the curtains for a post-mortem session. Each photographer could volunteer to have his photos displayed up on the wall via projector for some comments and constructive criticism. The models were on the scene too, and Heng gave some tips and pointers on how some poses could be improved, positioning of the head, lighting, etc..
Well, in the end, I'm really happy to have attended this class. A good return on my RM150. There's already a plan for another photography class - this time it would be outdoors. And you can bet I'll be signing up for it soon! :)
Check out some of the photos in my small gallery on Multiply [HERE]
Essentials of a successful camping trip
My recent excursion to the jungles of Sungai Mas with the Puma 4x4 Club have left me wiser, in terms of preparation. Some notes that I made and would like to share here.
Firstly, here's some of the ways to outfit your 4x4 to raise your odds of overcoming anything the jungle, weather and Mother Nature would be throwing your way:-
Firstly, here's some of the ways to outfit your 4x4 to raise your odds of overcoming anything the jungle, weather and Mother Nature would be throwing your way:-
- Centipede / All-terrain threads - these tires will give you that extra bit of grip you need to keep you moving through the mud (and also keep you FROM moving off in the wrong direction - say, off the side of a slippery log bridge).
- Winch - mounted on the front of the chassis, this will either enable you to pull someone out of a sticky situation, or pull yourself out of it, depending on the context. Also, you can use this to drag heavy items like logs across and up ravines and ditches. Caution, these draw lots of current, so the battery and electrical system will be put to the limit. In several cases, I saw smoke spewing from under the hood when the winch was in use.
- Jack - you'll never know when you'll need to raise your car up for repairs. Note that due to the huge travel of the suspension system of a typical 4x4 (more so for a modified one), you'll need a special jack with an extra long travel if you want to raise the wheels cleanly off the ground.
- Raised suspension - the higher you are the better, as this means more chance to clear all those nasty thing on the ground, like rocks, logs, fallen trees, etc.. Just remember that the higher the center of gravity, the less stable your ride is on normal roads, corners, etc..
- Downward tilted exhaust pipe - frequently, you'll be up to your tires (and sometimes even deeper) in water / mud / some other vile liquid. An exhaust that's tilted downwards means things work the way it should - exhaust gas flows out and nothing flows in.
- Snorkel - at the other end, the engine needs to breathe. A snorkel ensures that at least if you don't make it through that river, you'll have to blame yourself, not the car! :)
- Spare tire - make sure your spare is pumped with air before each trip and is actually compatible with the rest of your tires (makes no sense to fit centipede threads on your rims, and normal threads on your spare).
- Fog lights - both front and rear. Helpful to light the way for a buddy who has problems with his lights.
- Spare battery, jumper cables - you'll never know when your battery will die, especially when you start using those high amp devices like the winch.
- Spare belts - fan belts, alternator / timing / power steering belts all can and will snap eventually. Be sure you know what belts fit your model of 4x4 - nothing sucks more than having a Mitsubishi belt in your hands while staring under the hood of your Ford....
- Tools - wrenches, screwdrivers, etc..
- Hoe - you don't see any toilets, do you? This is useful when, um, answering the call of nature. Just a friendly reminder, please dig holes of that nature well away from the river or any water source - it's not nice to contaminate your water supply. Also useful to level the ground that's too difficult for your 4x4.
- Chainsaw / Axe - to chop down trees, clear fallen trees, carve up logs to make bridges, etc.
- Nails and motorcycle chains - they use these to hold logs together when making bridges, steps, etc..
- Sleeping bag / tent / canvas / poles / string / fold able bench - to shelter you from the environment. A matter of preference, some like to sleep in tents, others prefer to sleep on raised fold able benches. Your call....
- Vinegar / salt / sulphur / insect repellent - to keep the creatures of the jungle at bay. Vinegar is for the leeches, sulphur for snakes and insect repellent for the humble pesky mosquito. Scatter the sulphur and salt around the campsite to define the perimeter.
- Torchlight and batteries - you're not a bat, so come nightfall, you'll need some way to find your way around. Of course, don't forget the batteries.
- Generator with fuel - to provide power to the essential lighting system. Of course, if you have surplus power, you can hook up other non-essential system, like a karaoke set, for instance (really did this before).
- GPS - those days a compass and map were essential, though now they have been obsoleted with the introduction of GPS. Better get one with tracking functions, like the Garmin Etrex Vista that I'm using, since there are unlikely to be any real trails where you're camping.
- Good slippers - you don't want to be using your boots all the time. Just make sure they are reasonable good and won't slip while you're making your way to the river.
- Carbide lamp - if you don't have a generator, these will provide you with light.
- Cooking stove and gas - unless you take your food raw and cold, you'll need some means to cook. Works best if you actually know how to cook....
- Lighter - not everyone's a smoker. Fire is useful. Rubbing sticks together / hitting rocks - why not use the portable lighter that's in every smoker's pocket? Scouts, please take no offense.
- Raincoat - there are times that you will have to get out under the rain. Then again, in these hard times, no one really cares that they get wet. Still it's advisable to keep dry, as it's a real pain to get sick halfway through your camping trip.
- First aid kit - I've been on two occasions where someone got hurt and needed to be patched up. Always check that your supplies are not expired and fully stocked.
- Cooking - oh, yeah...!
- First aid - in case someone get's injured. Best to have at least two with this skill, as it wouldn't be nice if the only guy who knows first aid got knocked out himself....
- Car repair skills - this is a wide area, ranging from simple tasks like jumpstarting a flat battery to fixing a jammed 4WD differential.
- Setting up a campsite / tent - you'll be surprised how "easy" this is - in theory. Practice setting up a tent in your house first - you should be looking for the instructions only while in the middle of the jungle.
- Pathfinding - so you don't get lost in the woods. Sometimes, it's not so easy to go back the way you came, since overnight, virtually every direction may look like "the way you came".
- Making bridges out of logs, steps on steep slopes, etc. - the ability to improvise will get you out of situations where you find yourself lacking a bridge or facing a steep slope. Think MacGyver and you'll get the rough idea.
- Hand signals - Now, of course by now you know you should not go into the jungle alone. Setting up that log bridge, now you'll have to drive across it safely. You'll need to learn the basic hand signals to indicate when to turn the wheel, move slowly forward, stop, back up, floor it, etc.. Learning to follow instructions is also an equally important skill....
Puma 4x4 Club Officer Training @ Sungai Mas (May 2009)
My new hobby - camping in the great outdoors. Not as easy as setting up camp in the back yard - some of these places are only accessible by 4x4 off-road vehicles!
Now, my colleague, Jackson Goh, is an avid committee member of the Melaka Puma 4x4 Club. A couple of weeks ago, I tagged along on the club's Recon + Officer Training to a secluded area somewhere in Sungai Mas, Johor.
Getting to the start of the trail required us to traverse across a long stretch of unpaved road, through a palm oil estate. It was nearly an hour before we arrive at the place were red earth gave way to dense vegetation.
Now, this was no "ordinary" excursion - this place was unfamiliar to the team - hence the need to check it out for suitability. And really, it was a challenge, as we came across many obstacles in the form of V-drains (45 degrees down then 45 degrees up in the shape of a "V", of course), log bridges (it takes minimum 3 three trunks to make a bridge) and fallen trees.
We were stuck 4 hours at one point, as crossing it was impossible for all except a heavily modified jeep (which eventually made it across half covered in mud). We had to chop down a couple of trees to erect a makeshift log bridge in order to cross a deep ditch through which ran a shallow stream.
One by one, we pushed through these challenges until we arrived at the campsite at roughly 8.00pm+. The experienced team members wasted no time in setting up the canvas roof and mat to shelter us throughout the night. Went to sleep after a quick shower in the icy cold waters of the river nearby and dinner.
Now, due to excellent preparation and the culinary skills of one of our member's wife, our campsite dinner was not your ordinary baked beans and sausages. We had steamed rice with vegetables, chicken, etc.. These folks were well prepared.....
The diesel generator set that they brought along provided us with enough electricity to power the light bulbs spared the trouble of using our torches.
Next day, went swimming in the river and spent some time hunting for good macro photography subjects. After lunch, we broke camp and started on our way out. Unfortunately for us, it started raining, making the ground soft and muddy. Worse still, the log bridges were now really, really slippery - one false move away from certain disaster.
It was a good thing that we spent 4 hours on the previous day making our improvised log bridge - the heavy rain had caused the shallow stream to swell into a small river! With the last fallen tree chopped to pieces, we were finally "free" from the jungle!
Hmm, it was harder to get out of the place rather than going in.... Our journey out was made tougher as our chef's ride had a busted alternator (meaning his battery would never charge) and snapped the power steering belt. Also dealt with were a couple of punctured tires and a jammed 4x4 differential. The ability to make spot repairs makes the difference between getting out or getting stuck. By the time I got back home, it was nearly morning!
Well, it was a good experience - a little scary, but at least I know now that there are many skills needed in order to survive such an event!
More photos can be found in my Multiply gallery over [HERE]
G7 Opening Ceremony at Malim on 10 May 2009
It was a really busy weekend, with Wesak Day on the Saturday and Mother's Day on Sunday. "Great" choice of dates for GC to plan their opening ceremony....
Now the Melaka branch was situated at Malim Jaya, opposite the Shell Station, near Brothers. It's not exactly called "GC" - rather, being a JV (joint-venture) with another partner, the official name is G7 Auto Tinting and Styling.
Prior to the event, I tried to make some arrangements with the incoming 8GCC members, mostly from JB. Unfortunately, they didn't get back to me, so me and the Melaka 8GCC team left them to their own devices and arrived a little late at G7 (10.10am), after a brief breakfast at Air Keroh. We were greeted by Desmond from GC, JB and later made the acquaintance with Lester, the main guy at G7.
Surprisingly, we were the first on the scene. Later, we found out that none of the incoming convoy members were familiar with Melaka, and thus they all put their faith in their GPS systems. GPS is a good thing, but it would be better if you had someone escort you there. Some of them ended up coming through the Alor Gajah toll gate, I hear....
Now, it was a hot and sunny day. The organizers did set up tents, but omitted the crucial cooling systems (fans), so it was really, really unbearable. Most of us flocked to the air-conditioned showroom.
Basically, the opening ceremony consisted of a traditional lion dance (normality for Chinese-run businesses) and fire crackers. Our group photo shoot was briefly "hijacked" by a bunch of middle aged bikers (Malaysian equivalent of "Wild Hogs" (movie starring Tim Allen)).
Our Melaka team were just a handful in numbers, in contrast to the 20+ Civics from the visiting convoy. Our regulars Bro Hanne, Semisonic, Nick_123 and others were unable to make it due to prior commitments (it was Mother's Day, and before that was Wesak Day, after all). Though we did catch a glimpse of a car that looked rather similar to the one driven by Nick_123 driving by (which of course couldn't have been him, as I heard he was in Bukit Tinggi(?)). Halfway through, our Melaka Bro Boy_9669 did manage to stop by for awhile, but had to leave early, as he has just become a father! Congratulations to him! (so now should we re-designate him as Man_9669?
From there, we proceeded to Bukit Serindit, which sported the largest available piece of open land for assembling all the 27~28 Civics in our group, for yet another photo shoot. There were 4 of us from Melaka, and 20+ Civics from JB with absolutely no idea of how to go about Melaka, so herding them along without breaking the convoy (and without reckless driving) was a challenge in its own right!
Finally, we proceeded to Jonker street for some Chicken rice balls (famous food of Melaka). Unfortunately, the shop that was opposite Harpers, next door to Raffles, served some pork dish on their menu, so it was a no-no for our Muslim friends. Ended up joining them for lunch at a Muslim-operated joint nearby.
Well, it was a good successful event for 8GCC (apart from the getting lost bit, and gargantuan task of keeping the convoy together going through the streets of Melaka through the busy weekend traffic).
Glad that I finally got to meet up with Bro Alvin and Bro Melvin (better known as Keanu7997 in the 8GCC forum) face to face!
For more photos, do check out my small gallery over [HERE]
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