Sze Jun's Wedding

SJ is getting married this Saturday, but there was a reception dinner on Thursday for all her friends and family back home.

I had the honour of being invited to her wedding dinner that night, and the hen's night the night before.

SJ had been a part of my troop when I was leading it at that time. It still amazes me to see them all grown up with careers and families of their own. I guess I would always consider them like I did so many years ago. :)

Congratulations!!! SJ!!!

May your days of married life be a loving and eternal one.

Me Underwater

I believe that many people who know me know that I love diving. Well, that could be an understatement. Diving has become a part of my life, something that I do whenever I had the chance, even if it is in the pool.

Wanna see how I looked like underwater?

Ta-da~~~!!!

Guess which one is me?

I came across this old picture while browsing through my archives. This was taken during my trip to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah in December, 2006. I had a great time there. I guess every experience is unique, and this trip especially, since it was the first time that I really did some hard-core diving, to the extend that I was looking more like a worn-out rag than a diving diva at the end of the trip. :P

That was a trip that I was supposed to blog a long time ago. But given the magnitude of it, the greediness in me to try to put everything into my blog, the whole thing got so huge that I finally gave up the whole project.

Well, not really. I decided that if the pictures did not go in my blog, at least they would be displayed to the public to view, at least for my friends, in Facebook. For those who are interested, you can find me in Facebook using my full name. :)

Or, to a lesser extent, in my Friendster's photo album.

For those who had waited for my blog on this trip, please forgive me. I apologize for the delay of nearly two years. :P I hope it could still bring back some good memories of wonderful times back then. It was really a fun time. :)

A New Friend

I met a new friend when I was in Miri. Cindy introduced us, and I was amused by her name.

Her name is, " Lulu Lu"

Cindy and Lulu Lu

Great name, eh? Never would one have to crack one's head to remember a name like that.

Simple and easy to remember. Her dad is a genius!!!

I was in Miri

I was in Miri city the week after the Merdeka day (Independence day of Malaysia) to do my first round of calls after joining my new company. It was a week of new exploration and also a time to meet up with my mate from Kuching, who had moved to Miri a while ago.

My Area Supervisor came down with me to show me the ropes and the ins and outs of the place. I was glad that he could make it this trip with me. If not, I was afraid that I would have wasted so much time just trying to figure out who to see and where to go in a very limited period of time.

My Area Supervisor noting down in a map all the important people to see.

Besides my work, I guess the next fruitful event during this trip would be to meet up with my good friend, Cindy, from Kuching.

Cindy has moved to Miri since the middle of last year after having decided that she would come and work for an oil and gas company as an accountant. And, being a true accountant, she is very good with figures.

We had spent many nights with other friends in karaokes and happy hours in pubs before she moved here. Since she left us, the gang soon dissipated and continued on with our own lifes. None of us was really sure whether this was due to her leaving, or us having our own ways to go in life. I guess both played a part.

My first night in Miri Cindy came and pick me up in her new silver Citra. I was surprise to see her in her new car. I had known that she was looking for a car back in December last year, but it failed to register in my mind that she could have bought a car months ago.

Cindy and I went to Halo cafe for dinner. I did not even know that there was one in Miri. Frankly speaking, I was both surprised and not. Surprised because I never thought that Halo would actually thought about investing in a city like Miri and not Kuching. Not surprised because I had always thought of Miri for being more productive in terms of singing cultures and bands.

I ordered spaghetti and Cindy ordered something that looked like nachos, but not entirely a nacho. I was quite doubtful about the food, and hesitated in putting them into my mouth.

Cindy with the spaghetti from Halo cafe, Miri.

There was a stage where young people, mostly students, would come by and sing for the night. There is a romantic notion to the idea of singing in one of the cafes like Halo. It is something that a student would think of doing to be romantic while earning some bucks for the semester.

That night, three boys performed on stage. They looked like they were in their late teens. One of them can actually sing very well. The guitarist seemed to like to echo whatever his other mates had just said. It was rather amusing to listen to them talk.

Cindy and I started to send in our dedications after dinner. It was fun seeing them trying to fish out the lyrics for some of the songs that we had asked for, and others they had to cover with other similar songs, since none of them knew how to sing it. I liked the voice of the percussionist. I thought that he had a better voice.

Cindy and I talked about our friends back home, and how each of us had fared since our departures. She is doing pretty well now, and I am simply glad and happy for her.

Happy Birthday, ML!!!

It is ML's birthday, and divers all around celebrated it with her on her birthday's eve.

Happy Birthday, ML!!!

The Gang, Bunch of Crazy Divers

The Master and the Protege, same dark skin...

Have a good one this year!!!

Monks in Coffee Bean

This was in the Kuching International Airport, when I was sitting idly waiting to board my flight. MAS was delaying my flight, and I was rewarded with another two hours of boredom.

I saw two monks walking in my direction and into Coffee Bean.

They have clean and well-shaved head, and spoke Mandarin in an accent which indicated that they were not local.

The waitress serving their customers.

They ordered in English spoken in words and phrases, and their voices were loud and clear. It made me smile, for only those with a bright and open heart would speak with voices like that.

The monk with a white cap was tall and humble. The short monk was a female (forgive me for not knowing how to address a female monk). She was the bold one. :) I knew that from the manner of their speech.

Friends I Have Not Seen In Eleven Years

Ee Chia and Lee Na @ the Food Court, The Spring

I never gave much thought about this, but friends of mine from High School just met up last night to have dinner and drinks together at the Food Court in The Spring.

Both Ee Chia and Lee Na I had not seen since I graduated high school. Heck! I had not seen them even before graduation, after we were seperated into different classes after junior high.

Ee Chia just gave birth to a beautiful daughter a month ago, and Lee Na is expecting in another two months' time. Two mothers from my year, and I am still walking around single. :)

Both looked the same as they had a decade ago. Time had not age them, but life had put them into different catogories now. I wish them well in keeping their families. :) I am always happy to see my friends having good things in their life. :)

Anna @ Rain

Anna was from my class too in junior high. She had been quiet in her younger days, and spent her time doing God-knows-what, for she and I had beed seated a distance away, almost a room across. But I had always this memory of me teasing her rather "sad" look, and she would always tolerate me in a big-sisterly way.

Now, eleven years later, she came back from the city, and could nail me back whenever I started teasing her. But at the end of the day, I was the one with the oppotunity of having the last say. Haha!!! I might be a little older than our times in school, but my cheekiness had never failed to strike home. And as we were when we were young, she would tolerate me in her big-sisterly way, with a smile.

It was great to have our friends home.

Happy Birthday!!! Shun!!!

It is the birthday of a friend, Shun, and I am writing this post to honour this day in which he was born 25 years ago.

He likes to photograph himself. Not a bad hobby, eh?

This is the Shun with the "executive look"

He can be cute at times...

His "specky-look"...

His "poster-look"...

And, His, erm..., "Greek-God look"....

:D HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Shun!!!
May your days be as bright as the sun shines!!! :-)

Pom Pom Island: The Group

9 guys + 4 gals = 13 in a group

This is us!!!

The Yoo Couple

Dr. and Mrs. Yoo C. Y. came visiting 13 September 2007. I was able to take this picture of them in Cafe Cino, Hilton, while having a cheese cake and cappucino. This was the second night of their stay. They left on 15 September 2007.

I was able to ask some questions, which helped me in clarifying some of the issues that was bothering me for a while. It was good to have someone experienced to guide you.

Always respect your elders, even though they may not be as strong as before.

Alwin

Dr. Alwin Lee Kim Peng
(1981 - 2006)

Six months has passed since Alwin passed away last Christmas.

I was lazing on the couch on Christmas noon, easing my hangover from the rowdy night before, when I received this sms:

"Dr Alwin just pass away 25/12/06 @10.44am...Thank you. Fr: family"

For two heart beats, I just laid there staring at my phone screen, before it finally dawned on me.

Alwin was really gone.

The few months counting down to Alwin's last moment, I sent him more sms's and called him more times than any other times in college. He was still the same him. A little naughty, and being himself. I guess I regretted a little for not making the trip over to KL to visit him when he was hospitalized. At least WM did make it on one trip, after I told her that Alwin was suffering from Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). My case, I had to fly over to his place, and that was not something I was willing to do at that time.

So, I made that up by calling him often, though not everyday, and prayed for him in the nights.

Alwin did a bone marrow transplant sometime in April or May last year, and was for a period at a slightly better condition. He even went home and had supper out in the market place with his family once. But AML was no easy disease. Every single effort was needed in order to fight it. It was one of the most aggressive and lethal malignancy that killed young people who was diagnosed with it.

Eventually, Alwin stopped replying my messages. He was getting too weak to even type a message on his cell phone.

I was getting more and more worried as the day passed by.

I kept another of his sms in my phone:

"still having discomfort & in hospital! will email u my progress later! dun call me now! can pray for me?"

It just broke my heart to read it.

Then, at 23 December 2006, I remembered another sms that told of him going into a coma. It was then that I knew that it won't be long.

Two days later, Alwin passed away.

Rest in peace, Al, and I hope that your stay here was good.

December Babies!!!

We had a simple celebration of December birthdays for both Chris and Kevin at Pizza Hut, Jalan Song, the night before.

We bought a cake for the two of them, and ordered four pizzas for nine persons. And because we were celebrating birthdays, Pizza Hut actually gave us an addition of two pizzas, for free!!!

Pizza Hut actually closed off the first floor, reserving it for the purpose of birthday celebration. We were one of two tables of customers allowed upstairs, and it was pretty quiet compared to the full house down below. I guess it was for better control and monitoring of such celebrations. Consider it a courtesy to Pizza Hut's customers. For birthdays, you get privacy for eating pizzas...

Chris and Kevin's birthday cake.

It was wholely made of chocolate, by Taka.

The elongated spikes makes me think of sea urchins.

Chris and Kevin

Kevin and Karen

Cindy and Chris

EL and Karen

CK and XXX

(I'm sorry but I've forgotten your name, again.)

Saturday Night Gals

I went out with two hot yet cool ladies last Saturday night. They were my school friends from high school. Looking at them I realised just how far along the road we have all come along since our schooling days.

We drove around the city after tea at Exza, which was something that I liked quite a lot.

Thanks for the wonderful night, gals!!!

KS and Annie N.

The New Gal....

Behold!!! The Black Beauty!!!

November 7, 2006. Tuesday.

Interview in the morning. Drove the whole way up to Kota Samarahan. Second in line, out of 90++ candidates. Asked about certain quotes by certain deputy ministers. Er..... Dunno...

Bad day. But at least one good thing happened that day. Put a smile on the face, and brightened the heart. The sms of the day. What do you know, things weren't all that bad.... ;)

Cheers, and good luck on your way...

Telok Melano: Candid Post

Welcome To Telok Melano!!!!

Where it took a couple of hours to reach by Adi's boat...
And the people shrivelled from the monotony of the ride...

With some knocked out cold on the deck...

And the children went cuckoo with the"staking-crab-dance"

And the devil falling asleep...

While her devotee prayed for her wakefulness....
( "Ai ya, mai car lar..." )
[i.e. " Don't bother me..."]

As the little pet watcher had a little break-time fun from the back...

Just another filler post....

Telok Melano: Dedication Post

This post is dedicated to those people who have been through all the trouble to make this trip a reality. We would like to extend our gratitute to them and may they all live with laughters in their life on a daily basis. :)

Kim, Adi the boatman and Edward "Dog-Chain" Yong

On their way to visit the other families in the village...

While Kim had a good bite of the mango she found on her way...

And Eddie falling 'pe-lang-ting' from the boat on his way out to sea...

Just filling the gaps with photos...

Monkeo

Monkeo is my friend.

I have known her since 1998, and we have been very good friends since.

Very good friends: def. A person or a group of people whom one shares a solid relationship(s), tied together by the same interest or a connection of mind, heart or soul.

Monkeo is small and thin, like a monkey. Short in her height and short in her hair length, she wears a pair of glasses. Hence, I cannot really remember what her eyes are like. I guess they are small, hidden behind those glasses. But hey, you don't need big eyes to see the world.

Monkeo and I went to college together. She sat at the back while I took the front seat. She was thin and I was fat. I walked up to her one day and decided we should be friends. That day, we went to Sunway Pyramid's McDonald and sat there the whole afternoon reading our texts and talked.

That was how it all started.

Monkeo and I liked to drink tea. Well, not the tea. We liked it when we could just sit in one little shop and talk the whole afternoon away. We would then have dinner at that shop too, and kept on talking until it was time to close.

We were young, right? Time was the only asset we possessed.

The time I spent with Monkeo, was the period of my life where I watched the most movies. We could catch two to three movies in a week. Most of my pocket money went into the Golden Screen Cinema. We would catch a bus in the afternoon right after class, and paid 50 cents to get to the Pyramid. Monkeo walked a fast pace, and I would always have to follow in an equally *pant* fast pace, with heavy knapsacks on our backs, and all our previous class materials and texts in them. I wonder now why I did not slim down with all those hard work?

When we finished college, Monkeo and I decided that we would like to be pharmacists. So, we started our university application. Monkeo got a place in a university near her home, and I got into another university which provided courses from overseas institutions. We went our seperate ways after that.

All throughout our university life we did not see each other. The next time I saw her, we were already pharmacists.

Monkeo came in her slippers and shorts looking exactly like a tourist in town, with that heavy knapsack on her back again. Her pace was still fast, and her talking faster. Monkeo was still the same. Time moved on, but there were things that would always be the same. :)

Monkeo is my friend, and I guess we will be even to the day we both passed on. Somethings will never change. Right, friend?