Remove the Junks

The other day, I was having tea at the bread shop with two friends. One of them was saying how difficult it has been this year to get hold of the traditional 365-sheet tear-a-sheet-a-day calendar for 2010. He has been using this type of calendar since time memorial and found it inspiring and even soothing to tear a piece and read its content everyday.

He was proud to have collected boxes and boxes of all the screws he removed from the paper clamps year after year. At that moment, I was reminded of the typical hoarder who would just love to keep things (or junks as some would call them) under the usual pretext:

"Keep this as it may become handy one day" or
"This holds sentimental value" or even
" May be useful for the next generation".

The end result is that huge built-up area of the home meant for comfortable living becomes dead space piled with junks.

I remember in one of Oprah's shows when her invited guest who helps people to overcome hoarding problem has this to say:

"The question to ask yourself is not whether you can use the object, but whether you really will use the object. A good rule of thumb is that if you haven't used an object in over a year - say, you didn't even know it was there until you found it on the bottom of a pile - you probably can live without it".

One resolution for 2010: Stop the hoarding and get rid of the junks. May be easier said than done! Still, there is no harm trying.

Last Day of 2009

The last day of 2009 was spent in Keningau helping the "Pengarah" to inspect some of her projects. One item to look at was this flying fox.

Earlier, with the incident of the collapse of a steel-cable suspension bridge just two months ago in Perak still fresh in the mind (Read here), I advised the Pengarah to make sure the contractor who was commissioned to build the flying fox to have his design endorsed by a Professional Engineer. Mind you, that collapse cost the lives of two innocent young students! That was another typical case of "Malaysia Boleh " or rather "Tidak Boleh" !

Had it not because of the lack of pulley, I would have probably swung into action ^-^ Just like the picture below!

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We also inspected the new Jungle Trial which I think will be nightmare for many incoming freshie trainee teachers. There is this single-person survival camp (spend a night in the "jungle" with 3 matches, one egg and a handful of rice only) which hopefully will not discourage aspiring students from pursing teaching career!

Imagine what it would be like if those young ladies and men drop into this larvae and tadpoles-infested pond while trying to cross it by hanging onto the suspended pipes!

The Pengarah was contemplating how to set up a rope trail across this bamboo grove.

 

One thing came to mind: Becoming a teacher is becoming more and more challenging but hopefully also fun-filled!

For adventurous visitors to Keningau, you will be assured of exciting time !

2009 is Ticking Away

Dong Zhi, Winter Solstice (冬至)

"Dong Zhi indicates the “arrival of winter”. Coinciding with the winter solstice, it is an occasion for the family to get together to celebrate the good year that they have had.

Unfortunately, we did not have the sweet soup of glutinous rice flour balls- Tang Yuan. It was said that eating Tang Yuan is symbolic of family unity and prosperity.

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Maintaining Christmas tradition and remembering old time

Christmas Eve Thanking Dinner

Coming of Age : Tai Chi Master

".......recently one of my contractors has been shooting emails trying to blame the architects for the cause of delay in their works and evade from their responsibilities. Assessing such erroneous claim is a very tricky thing. In some ways... it could be a trap"

When I read this, I knew that a professional has come of age. This also reminded me of the movie "Just Follow Law".

 

Some call this management skill, some call this tai chi skill... One thing for sure, you do need this some time to survive!

And what is a professional: One who tries his best and works hard, no guarantee on the reliability of the product, fee is chargeable no matter what !

My Blood is Boiling

It can drive you nut when you call and call and sms and there is no response. Wonder what's the point of having a hand phone !

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Then there is this case of a total stranger keeps on calling and bugging me through the hand phone. It all started when a site staff of one of the site offices who drove the company's vehicle and knocked one unfortunate fellow's car.

This victim must have called our staff countless of times for the police report and for his insurance claim but without success. Then there is another staff who chose the easy way out of passing the boss' hand phone number to the victim to allow him to pursue his case all the way to the top. The funny thing is that this staff has since gone silent and was unreachable when he also conveniently decided to switch off his phone.

I told the person-in-charge in no uncertain term to get the report from him by whatever mean by Monday morning latest so that the poor soul can have his case settled.

I hope the ringing will stop.

Hand phone, a curse and a blessing !

PR Role

The PR job that I have to do as the "better half" of IPKS' Pengarah turned out to be more demanding than expected.

Not only you have to be able to converse in BM, smile non-stop, you have to sing and dance as well. Mind you, I was invited by a lady lecturer to go on stage and dance while my wife was to dance with her Deputy. With more than 200 pairs of eyes watching, that was really a challenge. The only complaint from my partner, "Why do you keep on switching to dance with the Pengarah, I am your dance partner not her!"

I played my role really well, as least that's what I hope I did ^-^.

Annual dinner as well as birthday celebration for those born from June to December.

Here we were - singing our hearts out to the delight of the whole crowd.

Dancing the night away - unfortunately, the photographer didn't capture us.

Fashion show of those who wore traditional costumes.

Posing with the king and queen of the night.

No Souvenir...Food Aplenty

This trip, we didn't buy any souvenir as this is not the agenda of the tour. Food being the number one target and sight seeing as the little side kick.

On many occasions, we wished we have the stomachs of camel so as not to miss out the many attractions we found on signboards.

This "Fabric Washing Bridge Kay Si Wan Than Mee" which was found immediately after the Laksa "under the tree" in Penang.

This Black Feet Mountain Chicken in Bidor.

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There were also occasional surprises. For example, in Kuala Lipis where credible Chinese food is hard to locate, we found this Low Kwan Restaurant which is in Jason's recommended list. Main attraction is the Patin fish.

There was this impromptu birthday party hoisted at the little lobby of Hutton Lodge, Penang which was totally unexpected. A cake with toothpicks as candles! Thanks for the ingenuity.

Hutton Lodge: Plenty of memories.......

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My special thanks to Hui Min for her generosity for making available the Lexus to make this trip so much more convenient and hassle free. For me, this trip would have been less fun if I were not on the wheel. I thoroughly enjoyed the driving. No hesitation to do it again.

Teochew Chendul, Penang Road

We were there twice. We had wanted to have a final round the morning we left Penang for KL, unfortunately, it was not yet opened.

Even operating by the road side, 5 people were seen manning the store in full uniform. A little shop lot nearby is for those who would like to savour in the comfort of seats and fans away from sunlight.

Alicia was so fond of it that she was eyeing what little left in her sister's bowl after she finished hers!

 

The little shop is proud of the celebrities who have patronized their outlet. Among them is Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang.

Chief Minister of Penang Lim Guan Eng
Characters of Phua Chu Kang

Ms. Garmin the Navigator

The West Malaysia trip turned out to be far more interesting and rewarding then expected. With GPS, Ms. Garmin as the navigator, it has set a new standard for land traveling particularly in searching for food and lodging in unknown territory. With Ms. Garmin, tension between spouses would be a thing of the past.

 

"Yup, it's the navigating part that can be contentious. I confess that at one point at the start of the trip, the tension between the navigator and the driver got so bad that tempers were flaring up to breaking point".

The photo and quote above illustrate my point. (Sorry for using the photo without prior permission! ^-^).

Of course, there was moment of distress when Ms. Garmin failed to perform. One morning in Penang when we were ready to go after breakfast at Hutton Lodge, Ms. Garmin suddenly failed to load the map despite repeated trials. I really had cold sweat. "How are we going to continue the journey and to go back to KL ?". Not to panic, I made a few calls and finally my Garmin supplier called from KK to give me a few hints of solving the problem. After a few pushing of button here and there, the map finally appeared. What a relief! The adventure could resume.

Ms. Garmin is rated to have done a good job of navigating even with occasional interference and rivalry from the 3 ladies - back seat drivers!

I am sure everyone in the trip has thoroughly enjoyed the tour. I have never heard and seen so much laughter from the 3 sisters. Many untold stories of yester-years were revealed for the first time throughout the trip. I was really touched to see the bond they share and that they are still so opened and frank with each other even after all these years! I wish all siblings can be like this.

At Hakka Restaurant, KL

At Km 0, Kuala Lipis. Interestingly, this point which was first established by the British is regarded by tradition as the centre of Peninsular Malaya.

At entrance to Gua Tempurung, Ipoh

At Istana Kenangan, Kualau Kangsar, Perak

At Bidor

Already, there is talk of another similar tour, may be to the east coast up Kelantan and Thai border or even touring New Zealand.

Just wait and see.

090909

At the stroke of midnight, my hand phone buzzed and I found a greeting from a friend for this unique day.

Many would choose to wed on this 999 thinking it would ensure long lasting and happy marriage. For many, lives just go on as normal. May be it's good time to pause and reflect.

Tennis is in the Gene

After going through some of the old photos, I now realise that tennis in fact is in the gene....

At a tennis court in Fraser's Hill in an
overnight stay in 1973.

At a tennis court in Fraser's Hill in an
overnight stay in 1973 with KC Ho .

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The "tennis coach" in cap back then in the old photo as he is seen now.

 

Ex-5th Collegians Reunion -We Were Given Time to Meet Again....

The reunion of the Ex-fifians Christian Fellowship at the NECF Office premise was punctuated throughout with laughter. We had good food and talked about the long gone years of group funs, outings, celebrations, day-dreaming of our future then .... Of course, there were also moments of sadness and tears especially during the closing prayer when some knew deep down in our hearts that by the next time we meet, some may not be around. In fact, a few in the group had already left to be with the Lord.

As we browsed through old photos, we couldn't hold our laughter and sighing at the same time.

At Fraser's Hill in 1973.

In 1973, we had an overnight outing to Fraser's Hill. In this group photo taken behind the place of accommodation, I was third from left. My future wife was at my left. Believe me, there was no spark between  them then. They eventually got married in 1978 and raise a new family.

In 2009, by coincidence, the 4 ladies captured in the earlier photo at the middle portion of the group in 1973 were captured together again. I am not in the photo as he was the cameraman then!

Colourized photo.

At the waterfall in Fraser's Hill in 1973, I am not sure whether the 2 ladies were "shocked" by the chilled water or by the sight of the couldn't-care-less half naked man happily taking a bath in front!

 

The 2 ladies now.