Books i want to buy...

There are always things in my mind that i want to buy. Never ending story. How can i stop myself? Below are the 2 books that i am thinking to buy. Cant find it in KL. Singpore will have it.
Reef Fish SGD75;
Nudibranch Encyclopedia SGD110.
I have been buying too many things lately. And there are more i want...

Tioman Diving Trip Oct 24-27, 2008

Tioman Diving Trip Oct 24-27, 2008
Resort: Salang Pusaka Resort
Dive Operator: Fisherman Dive Center.
Group: Grace Lee, John Kuan, Dennis Chan, Wong Pek Kee, Patrick Tan, Jocelyn Hu, Elson, Adrian Wong (Ah Chi), Elson, Makko

My Niece

Jayme is going 5 months old now.... a cute little baby.

Justin Live Concert Oct 18, 2008

Great concert.
侧田能歌能舞， 能舞？还好吧... 声音具有爆发力，首首歌唱到点... 侧田还很会带动全场的气氛，encore了两次， 到最后全场一起唱起了歌，实在太动人了。这是他巡回演唱会的最后一场，所以他也用尽全力去唱，没有后顾之忧...
特别嘉宾：邓丽欣

Dungun Diving Trip

Last weeked, i went to a short diving trip again. It was quite a last minute when Kenzin asked whether i am interested to join him. I have no plans for the weekend, so i invited few more friends to join the trip. "Fishing" cum diving trip.

We leave KL on Friday night. Approximately 4 hours drive to Dungun Town, Terengganu. We able to catch some rest for the night before we start our diving trip early the next morning.

We have 9 divers on the boat and we will spend our whole day on the boat without resting on land. I thought i ca take the rocky ride on the boat. Right before we reached our destination, i started to feel dizzy, stomach felt blotted. Kenzin help me to gear up for the first dive. I manage to complete the first dive. We need to do our surface interval on the boat, the rocky boat. Oh gosh.... sea sick.... i try to close my eye and take some nap. But once i open my eye, i feel like want to vomit. It was torturing. The rest of the divers do theie 2nd dive. I cant help myself to get up. I dont even have the strenght to gear up. Eventually i throw myself out. I felt much better after that throw and i am awake. After the 2nd surface interval, i was hesitating whether to join the 3rd dive. John said just go for it. Under the sea is calm as compare on the rocky surface. So i joined them....

After the 3rd dive, i un-geared. People infront of the boat were shouting that there is a WHALE SHARK, a gentle giant.... i was so excited. I grab the mask, without any gear, jump straight into the sea. The whale shark swimming towards me on the surface, and then make a turn just next to me.... i am so near to the whale shark. I wanted to touch him, but i am afraid of doing so. I had hold my breath long enough.... what an experience. I did not get the chance to take any photos of it as the camera is not with me....
It is not easy to bump into such a big whale shark. And i am one of the lucky one...
If you are not sure how a whale shark looks like.... check this out...



On the next day, i did not join any of the dive as i am afraid of the sea sick. John and Patrick bump into the whale shark on the 2nd day, lucky them.

It was a great fish harvest trip....

My New Watch

October is our company year end, and of course our contractual bonus will be paid in this month as well. So i have been thinking how to reward myself....
I bought a watch today. The first time i spotted this watch was the time when i was in Hong Kong 2 years back. I wanted to buy that watch but i was out of stock when it in all the shop watches in Hong Kong Airport. Since then, i never think about this watch again. And lately, i really wanted to buy myself a new watch....and i did it today. Not an expensive watch, but looks good.

Rainbow

It has been sometimes since i saw a rainbow. Today, on my way back home i saw rainbow right in front of my office. It was still drizzling at that time. Outside of the office, i am able to capture few photos while i was driving.

I saw another rainbow, a different rainbow in KL. This is a fuller rainbow.

It was exceptionally jam today. I took 1 hour 10 minutes to get home today (from Damansara Heights to Ampang). But the rainbow has company me back home today.... feel better in the bumper to bumper jam.

Wedding Dinners

Oct 4, 2008 Kah Why Wedding Dinner @ Restaurant Loon Sing

Did not get the chance to take photos with the Bride. I was a bit lazy that night. Only manage to snap few photos only.
Dinner was delicious though... most importantly.... they serve pork... yummy



Oct 5, 2008 Jessica Tiong Wedding Dinner @ Nikko Hotel

I am one of the "ci mui" for Jessica's wedding.
Arrived at her house early in the morning to do some preparation to play the "heng tai". It was fun and funny.Games Played:
1) With a guy bitting a banana, another guy to eat the banana by doing push up.
2) Role an raw egg from left of his trousers and come out from the right of his trousers. WIth a heng tai helping another heng tai to roll it.... so funny.
3) Catch 2 golf balls and 4 pebbles in a pile of freezing cold ice water with a bare foot.
4) Collapse 3 can drinks with an orange hanging in between the guys leg....
5) Q&A for the groom. If groom answer correctly, the heng tai got to be punished. If groom answer wrongly, the groom be punished. Punishment: Stick a duck tap on the heng tai/groom hairy leg, then pull it..... Oooo.... this is a painful one.... but it was funny....

The Tea Ceremony was held at Nikko Hotel. After the tea ceremony and lunch. I was able to catch some beauty nap in the late afternoon.
Arrived at Nikko Hotel at 7pm.... There were ex-Deloitte folks and HP folks...
Great time.....

公司内部又重组

身在国际企业，必定会面对公司内部重组再重组，公司收购其他公司后又重组，streamline 后又重组的命运。短短一年的惠普生涯，内部重组不少次。还记得上一回的内部重组， 很多同事都面临不同的命运， 俜请我的老板走了，俜请我老板的老板也走了。现在公司正收购其中一家 IT Outsourcing公司， 这个收购，估计24,600 员工的职位难保。大家都对这数议论纷纷， 开始谈起Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) 的配套。24,600在Country Level 的影响会有多大，到现在还是个未知数。收购将会与今年11 月生效。对于我来说，我估计我有可能会是24,600 的一分子，但现在还言之过早。如果是VSS的配套好，说实的，我不介意被VSS，东家不打，打西家， 但受到风VSS 配套不怎么诱人，这可惨了！也担心不了多少，只可等着瞧了！
*****************************************************
HP set to cut workforce by 24,600


HP's hopes its takeover of EDS will help it compete with IBM

Hewlett-Packard (HP), the world's largest computer company, says it plans to cut 24,600 jobs, almost 8% of its workforce, to streamline its business.

The cuts will take place over the next three years as it combines operations with Electronic Data Systems, the technology company it recently bought.

EDS employees are expected to bear the brunt of the cuts.

HP hopes the acquisition will allow it to take on rival IBM and win more lucrative, long-term contracts.

Half of the jobs cuts will be in the US, with finance, human resources and legal departments expected to be affected.

The company said that it eventually planned to add about half the positions back as different jobs in different departments within the company.

HP's $13.9bn takeover of EDS is the firm's biggest acquisition since 2002 when it bought Compaq for $19bn.

Wakeboarding September 20, 2008

Participant:
Grace Lee, John Kuan, Dennis Chan, Danny Chan.
Rate:
RM720 for 3 hours (package price)or RM280 per hour (for weekend)
Venue:
The Mines Water Resort

Tension

Got this piece from a forwarded email. And would like to share with everyone.

The Moment you are in Tension
You will lose your Attention
Then you are in total Confusion
And you will feel Irritation
Then you will spoil personal Relation
Ultimately, you won't get Co - Operation
Then you will make things Complication
Then your blood pressure may raise Caution
And you may have to take Medication
Instead, understand the Situation
And try to think about the Solution
Many problems will be solved by Discussion
This will work out better in your Profession
Don't think it's my free Suggestion
It's only for your Prevention
If you understand my Intention
You will never come again to Tension



- Bill Gates

Diet Bet

I won my bet of MYR1,000. I was having this bet with John 2 months ago. If i am able to lost 4 kg in 2 months time, i will get MYR1,000, if not, i will lost MYR500.
Today is the due date for this bet. I lost 4 kg. In fact, i lost 2 kg in the first week. I maintain it for 7 weeks. Then i lost another 2 kg in the last week. 4 kg in 8weeks.
In fact, as long as i don’t over eat, eat 70% full. I need not starve myself, combine the diet with some exercise. Somehow, i still feel fat. May be need another 4kg. Will power to lost weight is something i don’t have. I am unable to resist the temptation of food. The least i can do is to maintain my weight.

Doctor Visitsss

I went to see doctor few days ago. I have been coughing and it has affected my sleeping at night. Sore throat for more than a week. This is the third time i went to see doctor in 2 weeks time. I don’t normally see doctor, guess i am afraid to see doctor and i don’t normally see the necessary to see them since i can get whatever medicine from the pharmacy. I kept telling myself that if i want to get well. I should go to see doctor earlier. Furthermore, it is our company panel of doctor. It is relatively convenient for me as i just need to walk to the next building. I have successfully persuaded myself to see doctor, bravo on this, not easy.

Besides seeing doctor, the second thing is to persuade myself to take the prescribed medicine. I am not afraid to eat medicine. I can swallow few big capsules at one time. But i just don’t have the habit to finish or take the medicine doctor prescribed. I don’t know why. It just like i purposely remind myself to forget. Doctor said, i need to finish the course of antibiotic. I did not do so in the first visit. But i left only 2 tablets, good enough. I did not really suck the sore throat medicine either because it tasted weird when i try few times. My tongue became tasteless after the sore throat sweet. Somehow, i deemed myself finish that course of medicine because i finished more than 70% of what the doctor gave me. Well done.
In my second visit, 3rd day after my first visit. My whole body aching, looks like i am going to have a light fever. I left office around 3pm to get some rest. After my rest, i feel better. So i decided not to take the medicines.

Few days later, all the problems just submerged again. Here come the 3rd visit. I told myself i need to finish my medicines, because i really have a hard time in the coughing and sore throat. The thing i really afraid of is the spraying thingy into my nose. I can take more than 15 minutes, holding the spray, hesitating whether to spray it into my nose. I just hate that water force into my nose feeling. What to do.... doctor said, i have to do it if i want to get well.... sigh.... Check out the medicines i got in the 3rd visit....

COWTOPUS

Me and John were walking in Pavillion on Sunday. We heard this announcement paging for Mr. Kau Toh Pes. I am not sure how to spell Mr. Kau’s name. But the name sounds rather weird. We look at each other with a funny expression when his name was repeated in the announcement. It was coincidence that John told me he read a comic, there was this character comes with a Cow head and an Octopus body. It sounds exactly Cow Topus, Cow plus Octopus. We laugh….

Here is how the Cow Topus looks like.. the 巨牛八尾... hehe

Grandma Passed Away

I was on compassion leave for two days.

My grandmother passed away on August 9, 2008. She was 93 year old. She has 5 sons and 3 daughters. In total, she has 101 of sons, daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren. 5 generations in her lifetime and I am on the third generation, grandchildren.

This is the first time I attended a formal grand funeral. Most of the relatives were there. It was a tiring ceremony.

I met my so called father (Mr. Lee) at the funeral. It has been 20 years since the last time I met him in Taiwan. I don’t know how to greed him and talk to him. I just node my head when I saw him. Feel rather uncomfortable as I have tried my best to avoid him. He did not come to talk us (me and my brother) as well. My second brother, Lester arrived at Tuesday night. He can’t recognised me. I walked to him and introduce myself. Lester went to Taiwan when he was 13 years old. I am only 10 years old at that time. I have not met him and talk to him for almost 20 years. I am really sad when I think about this. We did not get to talk as the ceremony is still on going. I just feel so strange with everything going on. I don’t talk to Mr. Lee because I choose not to and I don’t know what to talk to Lester but I hope we can sit down and talk the whole night. Later of the night, after the ceremony we get to talk a while. But it has been 20 years, too much thing has happened. I just felt Lester is trying to avoid us as well. He is my brother and yet I felt he is more like a stranger to me. I am really sad to have this feeling. He is going back to Taiwan on Thursday afternoon. I asked him to come to KL to pay a visit; we will give him a ride. He just finds much excuses of not going. I am sad….

Second day of the ceremony, in between the break, we exchange our number and email. I keep thinking, what is the purpose of exchanging those details. I have his email, and I have written to him before. He knew I was working in Beijing once. But why doesn’t he reply my mail. Exchanging details is just a formality. It is just an excuse for me to talk to him. I am sad….After exchanging those details, taken few photos, he excuses himself.

Every time I see him with his Taiwan sister (adopted sister) talking freely. I feel sad, very sad.

The ceremony still going on and on….. Standing for hours again, kneeling up and down, and walk under the extremely hot sun with only a pair of white socks on the leg.

After the ceremony, everyone is leaving. I don’t know when we will have chance to meet again. Probably in another big event. I don’t think wedding is a big event for Lester to travel to KL. I guess we will meet in another funeral. Whose funeral will this be?

When we were leaving, I was hesitating whether I should say goodbye to Mr. Lee, I was waiting my elder brother, Vincent to make the move. But all of us just don’t know where to start. We were standing aside for a while. At last Vincent makes the move, we shake his hands. This is the atmost I can do. I feel sad….. sad.

August 08, 2008 (08082008)

I am getting really excited about the opening ceremony of Olympic Games. I recall 4 years ago the Olympic opening ceremony in Athens was on August 13, 2004, Friday. I only get to watch 10 minutes of the ceremony and I need to start my journey for a diving trip in Tioman. I intend to finish watching the opening ceremony. If so, I would not able to reach my destination on time and will miss the ferry to Tioman Island.

This time of Olympic, I make I don’t have any appointments or activities. I make sure I stay in front of the TV and do the count down. Olympic in Beijing meant a lot for me. I have been staying in Beijing for 2.5 years. I know the place and culture and I feel closer to Beijing and hence this year Olympic.

Get to know that today is an announced public holiday in Beijing. Well deserved.

The first thing I am going to do after I am home today is to take out the Beijing Olympic mascot and put it somewhere obvious. (Pending attach photos).

Excited…..

Weird encounter in Gym

I have been working out in Fitness First for a year. Yesterday was the first day someone walks to me and talks to me.

I finished my RPM class (cycling class). Taking a 15 minutes break before I go for other class (Body Balance). Within these 15 minutes, I went to the weighing machine thinking to check my weight. When I am in front of the weighing machine, a uncle came to me and said. “Don’t you feel pain the way you clip your hair?” I gave him a weird looking expression, if he is able to read my face, I should be saying “Do I know you??? Your pick-up line sucks” Guess he did not catch what I am trying to tell him since he keep asking questions like, do you come here often, where do you work, where is your office, working as what, where do you stay, what kind of food you have for lunch around your office… I just tell him, nothing much to eat around my office, we just have food court in my office. He was surprise and said, then how should I ask you out for lunch…… Before he continues, I ask him what the time is, and act in a way like I am really rushing for another class; in fact I still have 10 minutes before the class start. If he is handsome, I might spend my 10 minutes talking to him. Too bad… UNCLE hehehe…..

KL vs Non KL

Those people who stay in Damansara, Bandar Utama, PJ (Non KL), have they ever think about the distance of travelling from those areas to KL and from KL travelling to those areas are the same?

When you are having some gathering in KL, KL folks will always get this kind of comments from non KL folks, “it is so far to travel to KL!” Sometimes, I just get upset when I got this kind of comments from my close friends. For non-KL folks to travel to KL is consider far, but for KL folks to travel to non-KL is never a far in their dictionary because we always try our best to accommodate our close friends. Let’s have some thoughts for your friends in KL. There are other nice places to visit beside One-Utama, The Curve….

Don’t give this kind of comments (is far to travel to KL) if you were invited for some gathering in KL. If you don’t feel like going just said so, but please don’t give this kind of shit comment anymore. Bear in mind that distance is the same for us (KL folks) to travel to PJ, Damansara or Bandar Utama.

FYI: Distance from Damansara, Bandar Utama, PJ to KL = Distance from KL to Damansara, Bandar Utama, PJ.

Grandma

My brother received an urgent call from relatives in Melaka saying that my grandma emitted to hospital and she is in bad condition. We were call to pay our visit. May be our last visit.

I took an emergency leave for 2nd half day yesterday and rush down to Melaka with together with my brother and sister in law. Approximately 2.5 hours drive.

When we arrived in the hospital, they were more 10 people standing beside my grandma. Some of them drive from Singapore and some from Muar. Nothing much we can do. My grandma is 91 years old and turning to 92 in this September. She has a hip fracture and is in pain. My aunt told me she refuses to eat and can’t talk. She thin like a skeleton. My aunt wakes her up to let her know that me and my brother are here to visit her. Grandma acknowledged our arrival and fall asleep again.
She is half conscious i guess. My aunt asked me whether grandma will recover or not. I am speechless...

After spending sometime in the hospital, we left and head to my uncle’s house.

Later at night, before we go back to KL, my brother, sister in law and me when to the hospital again. A lady staying in the same ward as my grandma told us that she wakes up and asks for water. To my surprise I thought she can't speak. My grandma actually speaking, but she only able to speak in single word. We have to guess what she wants. Apparently, she is hungry. We ask her whether she wants to drink some milk and water. She nodes her head. So we feed her slowly. She fall asleep easily and we have to call her in loud to wake her up. It is good that she drinks. My heart was in pain when I saw her suffering.

We left the hospital when she sleep quietly and soundly. By time I reached KL, is almost 1am.

Odie's Polyps

My rusty is doing well after his second operation.
Here comes my Odie again. Recently, Odie’s ear is really smelly and we suspect that his ear is infected. So we sent Odie to the vet.
Again, doctor told me that there are 2 polyps deep inside his ear and there is some infection in his ear too.

This is the definition of Polyps:

“A polyp is an abnormal growth of tissue (tumor) projecting from a mucous membrane. If it is attached to the surface by a narrow elongated stalk it is said to be pedunculated. If no stalk is present it is said to be sessile.”

Doctor gave me 2 suggestions:

1) Operation to remove the polyps:
I did not take this option as the polyps grown deep inside his ear and it is dangerous to undergo operation. Even after the operation, polyps might come back. Doctor said there might be complication before and after the operation since Odie is a senior dog. Doctor himself don’t really recommend this option.

2) A deep wash for the ear.
This is not the cure for that grown, instead it is just to slow it down. I choose to do this. There are further 2 choices for this option. It can do it with or without anaesthetics. The different of course is in the billing. I told the doctor that I don’t want my dog to suffer so I choose to anaesthetic my dog even I have to pay a little bit more.

Now Odie is under full time medication.
I will bankrupt one day if my dogs non stop giving me problems.