Three Seven and counting

Celebrated my birthday last week. A small affair like every year with just me and my wife. I don't harp about my birthday and actually hate celebrating it. However, my wife made it memorable all by herself. Here were the highlights :

Wife sent a balloon surprise early in the morning of my birthday

Wife brought me to dinner at Prime, a posh steakhouse in Hilton KL (she really knows my meat)

Wife took me to a spa the next day and we checked-in into JW Marriott KL where a cake awaited us

Had a tasteful dinner at a Luk Yu Tea House at Starhill Gallery

Drove back home on a rare sunny day at this time of the year

Had a simple lunch at home and spent 2 days holed up in the house

On Monday, was out in the newspaper in an article promoting my 1 and a half year book

Received a card from colleagues with sick sense of humour

All in all, I had a great birthday!!!

A simple memorable birthday celebration

I celebrated my 36th birthday last 27th October. It was a simple but memorable celebration.

 

Every year, I have to say I pity my wife. Trying to plan something memorable and surprising as in our own small way, we love to beat each other celebration. Meaning that we look for ways to surprise each other with the inventive way we can show our appreciation on a significant day for our other half. 

We are actually way past the surprise birthday party but I did once for her with her friends and she did it once with my friends. Both of us were surprised at the way it was done (I was totally surprised but discovered it 5 minutes before the event as 1 of the couple who are supposed to wait inside the karaoke decided to go and buy something and I caught them within the area).

So, this year, I appreciate all the small gestures my wife did as we did not have a one big celebration but a few of them. We had dinner with my wife's family at a place in Ampang where I was given this one big cake to blow candles. I can't remember the last time I actually blow candles. Then we celebrate it at home a bit later with those things married couple do. That was one memorable evening.

Then the next day, I had a birthday lunch with my staff as it was not just for me but for a few other October babies in the office. It was just a buffet lunch with no cakes or anything as that night we were going to a karaoke session at Red Box Puchong where they had cakes and all.

Before I joined that karaoke, I had a #makangang tweetup where I had chicken wings, just below my office area. 

Then, it was karaoke time where we arrived around 9pm where everyone is already enjoying themselves. We took pictures, blow the candles and cut the cake. That picture up there were all the October babies in my office except that guy in white is my Legal Assistant's fiance. Two cakes within 2 days. 

In short, it was enjoyable. Simple. And most importantly, with those I love and cherish...

Crazy, Busy, Lovely October 2010

Why?

Even before October 2010 is over, I can already say that October 2010 is one of the craziest moment of my life. I didn't go into office half of the working days in October. My partner may just contemplate to  cut me off from the partnership and sell my share with the amount of days I was absent.

Let me count the ways how crazy it was :

1) I had chicken pox and had to rest at home for 2 weeks. More like 1 and half as I break my own quarantine by going to the office and made my staff and partner cringed away from me. There was another staff who was down with chicken pox, exactly at the same time as I. Hmmm...Must be something in the air. And this is the fun fact - chicken pox is actually an airborne or more specifically an oral transmittable disease (you don't need to kiss the person, you just need to talk him/her to get it).

2) I graduated from my long-time part time course of Chartered Islamic Finance Professional degree which is equivalent to a Masters degree from INCEIF, the university by Bank Negara Malaysia. It took me 3 years to finish it and I had to revise my exemption papers twice as my earlier supervisor quits the university. I only new I graduated 2 weeks before the convocation ceremony and I had to go to my alma maters a few times to pick up the robe, mortarboard and make sure all fees are paid.

3) I went to my graduation in KL Convention Center with still healing scars from the chicken pox. I checked my parents into the Impiana Hotel as it is just across the road from where I graduated. Here's how busy I was the 4 days between 22nd October to 25th October :

a) Morning of 22nd October I had to finalise all the details for my convocation and some work at the office before I checked-in into the hotel in the afternoon. Took pictures with my partner and associate and pictures around the office with the robe.

b) I had to attend a rehearsal with other graduands at 3pm on 22nd October while my wife had to ensure my parents arrived at the hotel in one piece. The problem with the hotel is their parking which is closed due to some upgrading work and it actually used the KL Convention Center as their parking. I would have chosen Traders Hotel had I known that fact much earlier.

c) I took my parents to dinner around 9pm at a nice Chinese Muslim's restaurant in Bukit Antarabangsa called Haji Shahril Low Seafood Restaurant which they said was too far away from the hotel but then changed their mind when they have eaten as most of the dishes are delicious

d) I had to go for 2 meetings after that dinner with a few clients;

e) I had to wake up at 6am and get ready as I have to register for the convocation at 8.15am as we had to pose for a graduation picture and such before the event itself.

f) Between 9am and 12am, I was at the convocation and a reception where I most of those who had been taking the course with me after not seeing them for nearly a year. Took a picture with our Chancellor who is also the Governor of Bank Negara.

g) Sent my mother and my wife to the UMNO Assembly as it was the final day and they want to see whether the hoopla about getting cheap things from it is true or not. Their verdict? It was all just hoopla. While they were there, I took my dad to Taman Burung KL to have lunch with the birds.

h) Took the parents back to the hotel and off we went to #Oct23rdtwtup which is another story in another post. We managed to a lot of Twitter handles to their face that day at that event. We went off at 7pm.

i) Enjoyed the Kings and Queen of Comedy Show KL at KL Convention Center (yes, same place as my convocation ceremony, different hall) with a few of those twitterers we met earlier (coincidence). Kumar and Vir Das were the highlight of the show as we never attend any of their shows before but Douglas Lim's 'Babi' sang to the tune of 'Baby' by Justin Bieber was also entertaining.

j) Slept late and woke early as we sent my parents to Seremban and shot off back to KL so that I can attend the launching of the Association of Chartered Islamic Finance Professional at Lanai Kijang near Bank Negara. Catched-up with a few other friends who had graduated much earlier (we were the 2nd batch and last year there was 1 batch of full-time students from INCEIF).

k) Managed to rest a bit but went out to enjoy a jazz festival at Empire Shopping Gallery in Subang Jaya for a few hours. Catched-up with another old friend and a few bloggers. It was a great way to end a weekend.

l) Woke early on Monday to catch the launch of Global Islamic Finance Forum by the Prime Minister together with Tan Sri Zeti at KL Convention Center (again). You can read that report here.

m) Finally, that day ended with a Gala dinner at the Ballroom of KL Convention Center (again) with me being seated among insurance industry top management. A fellow CIFP graduand who is 59 years of age and a CEO of a re-insurance company regaled me a tale of his travels to safaris (3 of them at different places in Africa), Victoria Falls and a few other places.

4) On the eve of 27th October (my birthday) had a great birthday celebration with my wife's family, had a great celebration with my partner and staff at a restaurant near our office, then a birthday tweetup with the #makangang and finally a birthday karaoke session with the partner and the staff again. It was the most birthday cakes I ever received in my life (2 cakes ;P)

5) On the 28th, had to deal with a lost car key situation with me misplacing it and we couldn't find it with me having to tow the car to Honda Malaysia and replaced it with a new set as we already lost our spare key. As I said in my tweet, "We lost the only car key to our only car". All these happened while my wife had to chase an appointment in KL and I had to be late for office. However managed to spend some quality time with my partner and catch up on the condition of our office. Later that night spent some quality time with a school-friend whom I met again at a reunion earlier that month (which I will need to do a post too) then join another tweetup with my cigar group (yes, I have a lot of Twitter groups which I join occasionally).

6) Attend the launch of AOC's new flat screen monitor, Samsung Galaxy Tab (a tablet computer) and P1 Wimax new ad campaign.

And as I write this, I am with my wife at our weekend getaway which its intention to celebrate my birthday properly with the 2 of us. 

Pheww....and there is still 2 days left in October....

A unique birthday cake for a unique birthday girl

My business partner celebrated her birthday on 1st of February and as a surprise, I asked my neighbour who is a prominent cake maker to bake a special cake. We were holding an event at the legal firm that day and it was an apt event to celebrate the birthday too.

It was supposed to be a replica of a lady's shoe but try as he might (yes, he is a man), he just couldn't make the shoe to stand as I asked her to use an image of a 4-inch stiletto I downloaded from website as a sample.

Finally, he called me and asked me whether I have an alternative as a substitute to the shoes. We did discussed beforehand when I commissioned him the cake. He did say that a handbag is easier to do than a shoe. I asked him to try then but as the time grows nearer, I finally relented and agree to a handbag cake.

So, the final product is the cake below which is delicious according to the birthday girl (I was too absorbed with the event that I forgotten to taste it). As the cake was a pro bono effort (which I really appreciate), I am promoting my friend who is open to taking order of such cake again.

Visit his blog site at : Wonderful Touch by Dill Cake

If your street is too quiet, throw a street party at a neighbouring street

I have a very quiet street thanks to the fact that one half of my street is occupied by the original settler of my neighbourhood, which are the native of Kampung Air Kuning or better known as the Bukit Cerakah area. As I have been joining the neighbouring street for the past few years in their street party which get more and more happening, my wife and I never miss any one of their invite. I play futsal with them, go to various gathering and the street party is a must for us.

Last Saturday, I joined them again. It started tamely enough with people enjoying the two grilled lambs and the special sauce thanks to a real life chef who makes black pepper sauce so good that people steal off for their own use (me too!). We teased a neighbour of us posted to Korea with a direct to Facebook photo where we tag his name showing us eating the lamb.

Then, the game for the kids started with kids of various age until 12 years of age got the chance to win something. Then something for the ladies with a musical chair. Then a men only event where we had to find a few things such as a coin from 2000 (which is quite hard to find actually). Then the men asked for a musical chair event for themselves where the order of the day was pandemonium. The final three participants were brawling for the chair before a clear winner can be determine.

Then at 12am, we actually had a karaoke session after clearing the street of any debris. It was dun, it was loud and it was a bonding experience. I love the camaraderie and the way they accepted us albeit we came from a different street. I hope in the end it will be extended to all but as they say, a small start is a good start too.

Here are some pictures from my Blackberry but for better ones go to their own website at this link : U11-5 Bukit Bandaraya :

What has been happening here?

This is very rare for me as I have never really been away from blogging for so long since September last year. I did not even update or commented on any blog since one week ago which was one day before I went to Nuffnang Awards in Singapore. I know some of you have had enough of that award show but I do want to tell my side of the story. Let me give my perspective of it and it may not be as beautiful as some of the 'sponsored' post try to make it be. Heck, if you look closely between the line, you may even find a few disgruntle updates here and there.

Some of the post I need to put up is :

1) The people at the Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards on 23.10.09;

2) The tour of Singapore courtesy of Tourism Singapore on 24.10.09;

3) My stay in Tune Hotels Kuala Lumpur a day before the Nuffnang's Singapore trip on 22.10.09;

4) The disastrous Comedy Club Kuala Lumpur show outing on 21.10.09;

5) The free show at the new Actors Studio Kuala Lumpur on top of Lot 10 a week before that;

6) The launch of the Bob Dylan Oris watch;

7) My 3 days getaway at Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside;

8) The new John Grisham book which is made for movie more than ever;

9) My weight which is yo-yo-ing like a er....yo-yo?;

10) My birthday celebration and the 'present' that I got from my wife

That is the 10 that I can think of right now. There are still 3 hours before I have to check-out from this hotel in Putrajaya. I am going to make the most of it and catch on my blogging later. See you guys in a few...

Cheerio Day

Was invited to a birthday party of someone turning 21. As someone who is nearing 35 (Gah!!! That is just around the corner), never have though I will be coming to a birthday party of someone turning 21. I am the youngest in my family and my wife is also in the 3 series bracket. So, logically, I don't have friends in that age bracket. Until I joined the blogging community and meet all sorts of friends. Who is she? She is an awesome blogger who has a lot of friends. I was invited to her birthday and was just there to wich her a great birthday.

So, Missy Cheerio or Ellie in her real life turned 21. Advertlets was kind enough to throw her a birthday party and as you only turn 21 once, of course it was awesome. It was at Heritage Mansion. near Heritage Row ,Kuala Lumpur It started at 10pm until late. Really late. I left by 12pm as old people need more sleep than younger people. Read her postings about the event here and here.

Here are some pictures from my camera :

The place people can sign and leave birthday wishes

 Me and birthday girl

The cake

The special drink

Yep, flaming lambo...

 

 

Pictures of the awesome place, Heritage Mansion

This Blog Anniversary

Today is this blog one year anniversary.

Although this is really more of a diary especially with regards to my relationship with my wife, family and friends, I consider this as a place where I go just to chill and not being a lawyer. More of a human than a cold calculating machinated person lawyers are supposed to be. A person with feelings and understanding. My wife did say that a blog about men and women and relationship will never runs out of ideas. I hope so.

I have filled this blog with sexual stories which seem to be a favourite among a few of my friends. Some I got through experience and some are actually work of fiction.

One year is nothing. Like all relationship, it is just a number that you build year after year. As a celebration, maybe I will change the layout or something. Stay tune...

Here's to many more...

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...

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....

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.