Happy Independence Day Malaysia

I did not intend to celebrate independence day as I never did physically celebrate it in my life. Never been to any of those gatherings. Never stood (or sit) in a field watching fireworks. Never braved any traffic jam (except for once) to get to an independence day celebration.

So, it was the same last night. I don't actually know how to appreciate Merdeka (Independence in Bahasa Malaysia). Most leaders will say the youth of today do not know how to show it. I will ask back, how do you actually show your appreciation? Countdowns? Traffic jam? Party? 

I am thinking of going to a celebration, after a very long time, this afternoon called The Merdeka Train Party, but I am actually still thinking. Maybe I will. Maybe I won't. 

I can easily answer how do I show my appreciation of Merdeka. I never left this country except for holidays. I studied here and even have another degree coming from a Malaysian institution if I can just finish my final assignment. That shows I believe in Malaysia education system. I make my money in  Malaysia for the past 10 years by opening up my own legal firm. I deal with all sorts of Malaysian and pay my taxes (including zakat) every year. I have foreign clients whom I convince to do business in Malaysia. I married a Malaysian and bought a Malaysian home and drive Malaysian cars (once). 

I just don't believe you need to go far to be Malaysian and the need to celebrate it by doing stuff usually associated with it. I think the best way to show your independence spirit is when you are willing to die for your country. How many of you will be willing to do that? 

Anyway, have a Great Independence Day, Malaysia and here's to many more...

Gatherings of not so old boys

All of us will be 35 this year. Some of us meet every year during fasting month for breaking of fast since six to seven years ago. Some rarely come to it. Some was never seen until two nights ago.

The meet-up was supposed to plan for another meet-up. A proper one where everyone can bring their family. That was the plan until everyone see who came. Some of those who was last seen 20 years ago. 

The sum may not add up. We left our school days when we are 17. 35 minus 17 will just be 18. 

But you did not count on how 'well-behave' were we during our school days. So 'well-behave' that we lost nearly a quarter of our number by the time we graduated from school.

 

The gang at 11.45pm

 

  

  

  

The final picture was at another place, where the number was already halved. And I arrived home at 4am after nearly 5 hours of an impromptu reunion. That would-be meet-up? May not happened, but that night was enough for a bunch of us to exchange what has been happening in life.

All is fair in love and war

Someone mentioned to my wife and I that we are fun to be with as we do not agree with each other all the time. 

Huh? Yep, that was the statement. 

The explanation was in contrast with all those lovey dovey couple who keep on agreeing with each other (or one of them will be agreeing with the other who seems to be the life of the party), we always have our own opinion. Those lovey dovey couple can always be agreeable but then after a few years (even months) breaks up and go their separate ways.

Yes, we argue or held our own opinion in a lot of things. We do not always see eye to eye and we will make a stand on certain issues even if that means we are on the opposing side. We tease each other about our shortcoming and we know each other likes and dislikes.

We are together as one couple but we treasure our individualism. We fell in love with each other due to this. No one among us is trying to change that. 

I hope we will be like this until our old age...Just like the movie Up! (which is another matter to blog about on another day)

The car beside you

 

Don't you ever wonder somtime who is driving that car beside you?

Or what do they do for a living?

Or where are they going?

Or what life are they living?

Just a thought. Everytime I am driving alone with nothing to do.

Other than singing songs loudly or picking at my nose....

Does a car really makes a man?

If anyone have been following my tweets at Twitter.com/kruel74, they would have known I have been riding public transport for the past few weeks. It is by choice though it is also out of curiosity and necessity. Let me explain using a pictorial.

I have sold my car :

... dream of replacing it with this car :

Yep, that is a rare Bentley, seen on the Malaysian road, and own by one of the royalty, hence the dispensing of any form of car registration number (I guess). It was driving in front of me quite slowly one day and just couldn't resist to snap while driving.

I am actually currently going to a lot of meetings (even high profile one) using this :

This is a picture in a Monorail, one part of Malaysia's public transportation

Will it make me any lesser of a man or a businessman? My wife did not think so and even said, surprisingly she did not miss the BMW. 

I don't too.

Staple diet

The problem with me is that I don't really like my country or most of Asian countries staple diet. It is not a problem in the current modern time as we can get any type of food anywhere in Malaysia as even our past time is known to be eating. Yep, that is what we do most of the time. Eat! We eat during all mealtime and we plan for the in-betweens. Heck, we are so into eating that other than golfing, most business deals are closed at the lunch or dinner tables.

Everyone will eat rice at least once a day in Malaysia. There are so many types of food made from rice. White rice. Rice noodles. Sushi. Tapas from rice. All sort of rice based food. I basically do not have this tendency.

It is not a problem in my household as my wife and I basically love eating out. My wife even had to look for other people like my mother, her's and her friends if she had the craving for real Malaysian food. As for me, I stick to my diet which can consist of bread, chicken which is cooked in basically any which way and meat. Once in a while, I eat like any Malaysian and have rice. It is even worse if my wife want those meals which have durian in it. She has to ask permission and look for other companions.

So, during this Ramadhan, while people line up for their favourite food which can sometime only comes out during this special month, I just eat whatever my wife cook or buy. Even my parents do that and does not bother with anything special. I eat what they eat. Unlike if any one of my brothers come home. Then all their favourites will be there. As they usually asked for it. 

There is no one meal is my staple diet, except maybe the chicken. 

How about you?

Compromise during Ramadhan

I have been writing a lot of posts regarding Ramadhan this past few days. Like all other religious celebrations, Muslims tend to have their own routine when it comes to this holy month. We do tend to get carried away here in Malaysia as all the stops with regards to eating. As Malaysians are known to be eater (ask any expatriate who has the chance how much we eat), it is important for us to schedule our first few days of fasting around where we will be breaking our fast.

For the past few years, we have come to a formula to satisfy both us and our respective parents. As they usually expect us to break fast with them, we tend to divide the first day and the second day of Ramadhan between them. 

This year, it was just perfect. First day of Ramadhan was a weekend. We prayed with the neighbours on the first night (Islamic day starts at dusk and we prayed a prayers which can only be done within Ramadhan the night before the first day of fasting). On Saturday, which was the first day of Ramadhan, we went back to break fast with my parents. I went praying at the local mosque in my hometown that night. On Sunday, we went back to our house before going off to my wife's parents house in greater Kuala Lumpur (Ampang) for breaking fast in the second day of Ramadhan. I then went of to the local mosque there.

Basically, we have both parents covered and we managed to taste the food cooked by our parents resepectively. Some of our favourite tapas (kueh) and some of our favourite drinks. 

Now, we can go back to our daily routine of Ramadhan at our own house...

At one of the eating session with my family

Waking up for sustenance

Every morning, before the first light of dawn, during the fasting month, most Muslims will be waking up to eat some food. In Malay, the word to describe this eating before dawn is sahur and everyone has a story of how the learn to do this during their childhood.

My family consider sahur as a must. Some family choose to not do it at all as they will be eating whatever needed to sustain them during the day much earlier which is before everyone going to bed. As for my  wife and I, we do try to wake up at 4.30am for us to properly eat and drink. Unless we had a late supper.

I remembered the time when I was still a kid trying hard to wake up like I was taught to do. Even sat by the bedside as if I was awake but still in the throes of sleep. Or going to the table and then slept with my food in front of me. The trial of fasting is always deeply felt by kids more than adult.

Nowadays, fasting is just a month which we tend to take for granted except for the abundance of food we can acquire. I actually have limited myself since I was in my twenties to ignore the tradition of buying and eating too much. 

This year, with me managing to lose nearly 8 kg after a diet I followed, I am determined to stick to my usual way and eat lesser. And to add more activities which will be beneficial to me in the other world.

Happy Ramadhan...

 

Food rarely seen during other months

Gaydar, a tool...

I learnt of this term when my wife and I were following L Words which is basically about the homosexual community in Los Angeles.

I have a few gay friends in Kuala Lumpur, which may not be as open with others and one of the topic which they usually brought up is the issue of identifying those who are gay. Of course, in a conservative country like Malaysia, being gay is a no, no. But they are around and in a modern city like Kuala Lumpur, it is not that surprising.

Like what Jack of 30 Rocks once said, "He is not just powerful, he is gay...", meaning to say, some of those who are powerful are gay and there are certain business where they have cornered the market.

Back to my friend. He is always hoping for signals to know the availability and the sexual preference of those he fancy. Some do respond and some brush him off.

And yes, even in Malaysia, the issue of "Where have all the good men go?" do play a part in the dating scene. Much like Sex and the City...

It is the first day of Ramadhan

As an adult Muslim, I have been doing this for quite some times. Fasting, I mean. From 6am to 7pm, give an take. It is actually not that hard on a working day as the work will keep you occupied. On weekends and holidays (this year we have two 3-days weekend), mostly all will sleep. Even my mother who rarely sleep during the day.

In my early years, I did try to do it at my best behaviour but my grandmother, whom I live with will know whether I am really fasting or not. A piece of chicken (or two) will go missing. I look much 'energetic' for a 10 year old who just started to fast. And other tell tale sign...

I remember during my school days when a few of my friends who couldn't take it asking non-Muslim friends to buy McDonald's and eating it on the way home.

 

As an adult, the bad thing about Ramadhan, especially in Malaysia is the food. The abundance of it. Even the non-Muslims enjoyed it. They even join in our break fast buffet at hotels which nowadays are being labelled as taking advantage of those who are willing to spend. The prices go north year after year. 

It will be a great Ramadhan and greater Eid Fitr. It usually is.

To all my Muslim friends, have a good Ramadhan and may Allah bless you as you go around in your ibadat and prayers...

Hot Fuzz

After all the summer movies that has been shown and as much as I know I will enjoy Up!, which may be due to the hype or even if it is true that it is a good movie, I still think one of the best movie ever made is Hot Fuzz (2007). A story of 2 cops in a small town unravelling a very old and mysterious conspiracy ala Murder on the Orient Express.

This movie was already a cult favourite long before it was released in the States. The Ain't-it-Cool.com website was abuzzed months ahead before it was released officially and it was a case of up-manship of who had watched it before another.

Who were in it? Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright. Who? Then you are not that savvy my friend...

Go Google it. I am not even going to steal an image for your benefit....

Okay, maybe a link to the IMDB page of Hot Fuzz here 

Then watch it. You will never view Point Break the same again....

Going out sober can also be tiring

For the past 3 to 4 weeks, my wife and I, have not been staying at home (except for a select few) as we have events after events. Just this week, I have a launch of short films commissioned by a broadband company. Check them at http://15Malaysia.com.

Then, the day after, I have to choose between watching a movie named Orphan and an event which was a talk by a CEO of a Malaysia's Government linked investment arm. I missed the second event as I couldn't juggle well both events as the screening was brought forward to 9pm.

Then, last night, on Wednesday, we were at the second KL Comedy Club event at Petaling Jaya Live Art Centre. It was enjoyable and deserve a post by itself.

Today, we have a friend's birthday party which is held in the middle of town. 

Just look at that. Full calendar.

Hope this coming Ramadhan, there will be less activities....

Melody or Lyrics?

Sounds like that movie title where Drew Barrymore was partnered with Hugh Grant right? But, what I want to know, when you hear a song, which will you be listening to. The melody or the lyric?

My wife said the lyric of a song is important for her. She considered some songs are emotionally written like most of Pink's song especially her current hit "Don't leave me..". She even hated certain songs which seem to condone adultery or other 'crime' of passion.

As for me, the tune is as important as the lyric and as I can also enjoy music without songs, which my wife can sometime appreciated, I tend to gravitate towards a song if it has a catchy tune.

But, sometimes lyric can be the clincher too. For me. So, in short, both are important to be the hook that make me like a song. How about you?

A cartoon depicting the dillemma of either the song or the lyrics by a Malaysian artist by the name LAT

They say I look like the kid from UP!

Do you think this is true?

My wife and my business partner seem to think so. They say being bald and looking a bit like a person of Chinese origin, which as far as I know is not the case, I have an uncanny resemblance of the kid from Up!. Which is a movie I really want to catch this coming week. Maybe even this Thursday, when it open here in Malaysia.

What do you think?

Here is a picture of me beside the poster of the movie :

Men rarely plan to have affairs...

...it is just that the women they bed usually want more than just a fling.

I really believe this you know. Unless the men is really not married or is still looking for someone to share his life, men usually only want to have flings where they can run to whenever they want some personal attention which wives sometimes neglect to give. Some men can only think with the brain between their legs than those that are on their head and they will do this just to have a session with their flavour of the month.

When they managed to get a girl who wanted more than just sessions in bed, these men will do whatever they can to keep the affair goes on. They will promise (the first sign that they are not honest) then promise some more. They will never say the real thing until they have sunk into a pit which they cannot come out of.

Then they start to say the wrong things...

I sold off my wife best ever gift

Two years ago, as a kind of a gift, my wife paid for the deposit of brand new car.

Earlier this month I sold it off due to certain personal reason. 

Yep, the car is a BMW. Though it was just a 3 series, it was the best car ever. I am still in love of its handling and though I have driven a few Mercedes from the smallest to the highest range, I don't know why I am still in love with BMWs. 

I don't know yet what car I am going to buy and if you follow me in Twitter, you would know I am currently advocating public transport in Kuala Lumpur and we only have one car among us to use. I may stick with this arrangement for a while as I want to do a few restructuring in my life and also to shop around for a very good car before I commit to new debt commitment.

I may have said it offline a few times to her but I treasure the gift while it was in my hands and I am sorry to sold it off but I will make up for it, soon. Bye love (meaning the car, not the wife)

How I love to work in a resort like where I have been...

The title says it all. Just drop everything and work in a resort. Either at the front desk, at the bar, at the restaurant or even as a housekeeper. As hardwork as all these maybe, when you are in a resort, the feeling will be, well, resort-like. They give you a place to stay, food, time off and even some which give you the opportunity to travel to their other properties around the world.

In the place that we have been called Tanjong Jara, last weekend, we saw other nationalities working hand in hand with the locals. When we were at their property in Pangkor Laut Resort last year, we were accompanied to our room by a Japanese guy who was doing his internship there. There were also a few Americans, some Chinese from China and a few others which we can't really place their origins (read my post about seeing others as one generic race).

When seeing people doing these things and seem to be loving their job, I sometimes wish to be doing what they are doing. I know a few people who had travel the world and is willing to take the risk of getting caught by working to be able to pay for their travelling fares and lodging. I respect them as I never did something as such.

Maybe, one day...

Would you let them watch?

You are feeling frisky and turning to your partner, you give her a look. She smiles back and then you start to give her a kiss. The kiss leads to more intimate touching and then one thing led to another. As all these moments happened on the coach, both of you start to move toward the bedroom.

You start to take off your clothes and then got on the bed. Both of you are ready for it. Then you say her. She was just sitting there on the computer table and looking at you intently.

Would you just let her watch you two getting it on or would you shoo her out of the room?

Having 4 cats like me, if I am just lazy, as long as I know where she is, I would just let her be....

Blogger Party, Blogger Boy promo and Josh's birthday

On Thursday, 6th of August, I had the opportunity to join a group of bloggers in a party which was thrown by Advertlets. It had tagged itself as a Malaysia Bloggers Evening.

We were promised quite a few highlights but the organiser did mysteriously say we have to come to know what it was all about.

I invited a few friends who asked me about what it was all about when they saw my Twitter update saying I will be going to the event. I asked Josh Lim, one part of the Advertlets team whether it was an open event and he said that those guys could come as my guests. They were Julian Hopkins and Serge who are basically bloggers who are kind of loyal to another internet advertising company. 'Kind of' as they never really been invited to an event by Advertlets before. Me, being the torchbearer of both advertising companies invited them and they seemed to have had some fun throughout the evening. Julian already did a piece on the evening.

Here are some pictures :

 

The club, Envie from outside

 

 The inside of the club

  

 The birthday boy

  

The host and Blogger Boy's actors

  

  

 The RM250,000-00 dance floor being utilised

  

Some of the bloggers that night

  

The birthday boy giving a speech

  

Girls trying to amuse the birthday boy (pictured intentionally blurred less I will be killed)

You can read a hilarious account of the happenings that night in Euveng.com here. He has a DSLR, has better pictures and better sense of humour.

Walking on the beach in the morning

One of the pleasure in life which I try to enjoy every time I am on holiday at the beach, which you can say is one of my favourite place on earth to have a holiday is to walk up and down the beach early in the morning watching the sun rises from wherever it has been the night before.

I sometimes marvel at that natural phenomena and wonder the life of those who woke up so early in the morning such as fishermen that I see at sea already doing their work. As an urbanite, sun rising and setting is just a sign of time for me to go to work and back. How nice it is to just leave it all behind...

 

  

  

  

 

Wildlife in Tanjong Jara

I woke up early on the second day of my weekend getaway last week and I was greeted with a few wildlife sightings that day. As the day progress, amazingly, the place is teeming with various wildlife which reminded me of the time I was living with my parents in another part of peninsular Malaysia. These sightings reminded me of my blog friends Ratty who runs the blog The Everyday Adventurer. In part, this post today is dedicated to him and I apologies beforehand of my failure to really get to know the name and nature of these animals.

 

 

A small frog known as banana tree frog at the resort's library

 

 

 

 

A small bird which was nice enough to pose for me early on the second day

Not really while as this monkey is brought to demonstrate 

how to pick coconut from its trees by one of the villager

 

A small monitor lizard roaming the ground of the resort

  

  

If you look hard enough, there are a few squirrels on the bamboo trees feeding on the saplings

How nice it is to see sunrise everyday like this

Here are some pictures of how the sun rises for the past few days at the resort which I had my weekends anniversary getaway (and I bet it look like this even when I am not around)

 

I think the sun at my housing estate also rises beautifully too but just because it is in an urban area, we tend to forget such beauty. At somewhere where there are no buildings to block your view, it is nicer.

The moonlit night looks like this :

Just makes me want to move near a beach...

Breakfast in bed

I actually never tried it as I love to do more than having breakfast in bed. 

Just maybe for today, which this post is trying to prophesies, I may be eating breakfast in bed... Especially at a hotel where someone else have to worry about cleaning up the mess

Just maybe...

p/s - Didn't happen. We had our breakfast at the resort's nice big dining area where there are cooks to cook whatever we fancy from two sunny side up cake, nasi dagang, nasi lemak and even juices as we ordered. Eating in bed is so overated and we need to get out of bed less we may go for another round....

Today is our 6th Wedding Anniversary!!!

Yep, 6 years ago today, we solemnised our marriage at the mosque.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY DEAR!!!

 

 This was last year when we celebrated just a few miles out of town

in a Shangri-la property

 

Going for a weekend getaway...

As tomorrow is my marriage 6th year anniversary, we are going away for a weekend getaway to a place in Malaysia called Tanjong Jara Resort, a property owned YTL Luxury Resort. We seem to be going around the properties they owned around the world and this is their 5th property that we have been too.

Go see the place's website at Tanjong Jara Resort.

We have been to their Bali property. A sunset picture from there as I enjoy their hospitality in Terengganu, a state at the north-east of Malaysia :