I need some rest...

After a night of indulged in alcohols, finally today my head was so severely painful that I need to have pain killer and sleep for 3 hours in the afternoon. At wake up, the body especial the back was aching. It made me another hour of slow motion so as not to twist the back.
I never aware that my body somehow responding so awkwardly to alcohols now as compare to some years ago. It was a lesson learned that I could not be drunk again!

I am old!!

The night is quiet and calm tonight. And so I turned on the songs softly. Those are the songs in 80s and 90s where some of the singers were gone...

陈百强 - Danny 一生何求
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYT6sGfDsmQ&feature=related
冷暖哪可休 回头多少个秋 寻遍了却偏失去 未盼却在手 我得到没有 没法解释得失错漏 刚刚听到望到便更改 不知哪里追究
一生何求 常判决放弃与拥有 耗尽我这一生触不到已跑开 一生何求迷 惘里永远看不透 没料到我所失的竟已是我的所有
一生何求曾妥协也试过苦斗 梦内每点缤纷一消散哪可收 一生何求谁计较赞美与诅咒
没料到我所失的竟已是我的所有
寻遍了却偏失去 未盼却在手
Is this life?



周華健 - 朋友
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JrtgSoYM-8&feature=relatedv=1JrtgSoYM-8&feature=related
这些年 一个人风也过雨也走 有过泪 有过错 还记得坚持甚麽 真爱过 才会懂会寂寞 会回首终有梦 终有你 在心中朋友 一生一起走那些日子 不再有一句话 一辈子一生情 一杯酒 朋友 不曾孤单过 一声朋友 你会懂还有伤 还有痛还要走 还有我

这些年 一个人风也过雨也走 有过泪 有过错 还记得坚持甚麽
I almost forgotten what I had been looking for and my ambition. Friends, how are your guys and gals' doing?




張國榮 - 共同渡過
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVkhqTB2U5Q
垂下眼楮熄了燈 回望這一段人生望見當天今天即使多轉變你都也一意跟我共行曾在我的失意天 疑問究竟為何生但你驅使我擔起灰暗勇敢去面迎人生若我可再會活多一次都盼再可以在路途重逢著你共去寫一生的句子若我可再會活多一次千次我都盼面前仍是你我要他生都有今生的暖意沒甚麼可給你 但求憑這闕歌謝謝你風雨內 都不退願陪伴我暫別今天的你但求憑這愛火活在你心內分開也像同渡過嗯分開也像同渡過









每一个晚上林子祥
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3LMzonnB8Y
我突然无言静了下去细心把你望 只想再看一次令我暖暖的眼光 在漫长漫长路上 你我未重遇那天 今天的目光天天我会想千趟 已淡忘从前共你度过几多风与浪 只知过往欢笑大半数也因你起 在漫长路途莫论你我未来在哪方 一天风在飞一天我不忘掉你 每一个晚上 我将会远望 无涯星海点点星光求万里星际 燃点你路 叮嘱风声 代呼唤你千趟 友谊绵绵无尽 你共我纵使分两岸 此生也永跟你 共往远远的那方 寂寞时倦时 若你要热诚目光共需 轻轻把我去想一趟






每一个晚上 我将会远望 无涯星海点点星光求万里星际 燃点你路 叮嘱风声 代呼唤你千趟 友谊绵绵无尽 你共我纵使分两岸 此生也永跟你 共往远远的那方 寂寞时倦时 若你要热诚目光共需 轻轻把我去想一趟
Hearing these songs reminded me of my age now... and why am I worry now.. I am deeply blue and depress!



Since last night, the acquarium has had its population reduced by half. More than 30 guppies had been killed, including my favourite Betta in blue. It really made me upset and I could not yet figure out what could be the reason behind.
I was told that fish die for no reason could signature of a bad omen to be on the way.May be it could be due to Sunday is approaching and I do not quite like this week's Sunday.

Today was rather emotional and moody. And so I locked myself to my study room (Wow, old man still has a study room. COOL!) fumbling some old albums and records. I compared the photo taken at secondary with some of my best mates - at 1988 or so, Uni life (again with some of my best mates) - 1993 or so and lastly the millineum year at US. These images could be well a snapshot at age of 18, 24 and 29.

1988 - 1991 (Form 5 - Form 6)
These are some of my best mates at school. Those were the age of SPM with student life of studies besides bully girls. I remembered I only weighted ~40kg and skinny like a Malay boy. Those years were full of enjoyment and excitement.





1992 - 1996 (Uni-life)
I admitted to USM in 1992 after I quitted from MAS (to be trained as Aircraft Maintenance Engineer). I spent 4 years in USM for the degree in applied science (major in industrial chemical science). I had quite a number of companions during the 4 years. I also learned to cook, clothes washing, tolerate to different friends (with diff background). Those years were as well without worry.





Y2k - Working life
In year 2000, I traveled to a foreign land that is at least 10,000 miles aways from home. I was in the 2nd year of employment to Intel and that year marked my 5 years anniversary as working adult. It was not an easy trip after all as there were growing responsibilities and commitments. I also had the first image changed where I kept the long hairs and also experienced the first hairs lost.

海闊天空

今天我 寒夜裡看雪飄過 懷著冷卻了的心窩飄遠方 風雨裡追趕 霧裡分不清影蹤 天空海闊 你與我 可會變 (誰沒在變) 多少次 迎著冷眼與嘲笑 從沒有放棄過心中的理想 一剎那恍惚 若有所失的感覺 不知不覺已變淡 心裡愛 (誰明白我) 原諒我這一生不羈放縱愛自由 也會怕有一天會跌倒 背棄了理想 誰人都可以 那會怕有一天只你共我 仍然自由自我 永遠高唱我歌 走遍千里



光輝歲月

钟声响起归家的信号在他生命里彷彿带点唏嘘黑色肌肤给他的意义是一生奉献肤色斗争中年月把拥有变做失去疲倦的双眼带着期望今天只有残留的躯壳迎接光辉岁月风雨中抱紧自由一生经过傍徨的挣扎自信可改变未来问谁又能做到可否不分肤色的界限愿这土地里不分你我高低缤纷色彩闪出的美丽是因它没有分开每种色彩年月把拥有变做失去疲倦的双眼带着期望今天只有残留的躯壳迎接光辉岁月风雨中抱紧自由一生经过傍徨的挣扎自信可改变未来问谁又能做到今天只有残留的躯壳迎接光辉岁月风雨中抱紧自由一生经过傍徨的挣扎自信可改变未来问谁又能做到

These two songs have been my favourites since 90s and whenever it was played, they always reminded me of my youngster days. I used to be arrogant (不羈) and care-less for others but mainly self centric as well as over confident.
I did not mind others are laughing and critisizing as long as I am happy and satisfied..
I would not calculate the risks of the actions..
I did not bother failures..
That was me at 20 years ago. But now (with my age to be soon passing 40), I do mind others' comments; I do calculate the risks of actions and consequences; I do bother failure. I become more timid and conservative in some sense.

Who has stolen my confidence, risk taking and dare to fail spirit?

These could be due to too much of burdens and may be one day after I have shedded off all the loads, I can go back to the wide open space to regain the spirit.
I hope I can do this soon

仍然自由自我 永遠高唱我歌 走遍千里
原諒我這一生不羈放縱愛自由

Beyond has been and always be my favourite band. But how many will still remember this band and their glory years (光輝歲月) I bet the youngster now will see me as alien if I were to sing these two songs again in k-box. After all, I am no longer 17 but 37... how many more 10 years I can have before I can regain the spirit?









Last Friday before turning off my laptop and called for a day of the office week, I manage to spot that a fellow manager was wearing an audemars piguet watch (AP. Pls this is not approved permit for cars or mobile phone) and he told me that it was bought at RM6k and now perhaps worths about RM7k.

Phew! a RM6k watch. This is overkill to me as I will be worry if someone will be after me for the watch. After all, the most pricey watch I ever have now still remain the two Seiko I have. Both are as well under utilized as they are more often in the closet rather than on my waist. Perhaps you can also tell from the images here which I took just moment ago and the date of the watches are typically not reflecting the correct date.
May be I will start develop a collection hobby for watches soon besides only being a mobile phones tried-out freak! (as most phones only last 1 week on my hand, with shortest record of 3 hours)

Split between office and personal life

Shown here is a typical office cubicles layout for most companies. The staffs will spend most of the times in front of PC, phones, paper work (any more paper work???), chats, gossips or relaxing.
I three questions that yet I cannot answer and there are:-
1) would it consider not profesional if one uses the office phone to call home for checking parents's illness, kids school works etc?
2) would it really matter if one returns to office at 2pm while the official lunch break ends at 1.30pm since all of the rest still walking in to the office like everybody else?
3) would it be ethical for virbal warning if one was found taking longer tea break time of 15 minutes while another can be allowed to take a break of smoking typically longer than 15 minutes and more than once in a day?
Office is commonly a place of mix cultures, values and believes. It is also a place with politics although there may not be party or opposition as obvious. Human likes to practise preference and will most commonly tolerate to above mentioned minor wrong-doings on one staff while picky on another. It is also called double standard!
I found absolutely ok for all the three wrong doings as mentioned above. What do you say?

Fashion phone : LG KS20

Last night, a friend of mine passed me a fashion phone. It is the LG phone in Prada design-alike with windows mobile profesional 6 interface. I believed it is also the first trial of LG to be in smartphone with WM6.
The phone is really light in weight but to my disappointment that it is too plastic and feel as if a toy in my palm. Although I am quite impressed with the slightly modified WM6 interface which seems to be a bit responsive as compare to other older WM6 phone. The battery also not to my liking as 1 days usage with no more than 2 hours incontinous phone usages drained at least 50% of the juice.
This phone will be on my list to sell now....haha although it was only on my hand less than 1 day.

Do you have a lunch mate?

A friend of mine asked me if I have a lunch mate during the lunch break. I was puzzled but did not have a good answer for this simple question.
"Do I need a lunch mate?"
"Do I have a lunch mate?"
I have almost forgotten that ever since I moved to this town, I do not have a lunch mate. I will either go lunch by my own or do not eat. This was, however totally different as compare to my two previous posting. I have a bundled of friends (I do not consider they are colleques at all but friends) who would be planning or calling me out for a short break for chit chat during the lunch hours. I might not even have to bother if I would need to drive or where to go for eat.
Sometimes, I felt tired in some sense during the work hours as sometimes I am feeling alone in work and break. I do not know for how much longer I can go on in this style but I believed this could be the grown up pains that I must learn to adapt.
Perhaps I will need to advertise for another opening offer (besides the jobs I am offering) that I will need to "hire" a lunch mate as companion during work. It will be some one that can help me in some advices, offering some carings when I felt blue and miserable at works, share some jokes to me etc. etc.

Sleepness nights

Recently, there have been countless of sleepness nights; either the mind are loaded with work or "remembering" some old memories. I have to drink some vodka prior to the bed times to ensure at least I can be soundly asleep at least for some hours before the day break.
Most commonly, if not the alcohol, the mind will be "awakened" with some dreams at 3 - 4 am.
Is this a sight of old age? I do not know but I do need for some good sleep now! May be I should get myself drunk!

There is two new additions to the proud of Kampar (Come on, it is just a small town, all right!)
First being the new 3-STARS Hotel that has the first lift and tallest building in the whole town...whoa!

Second, the Tesco is building its outlet and offering close to 500 jobs to the locals. whoa!!
It was not at all imagined if you asked some of the old timers in Kampar. It is just a left over town of tin mining. Who would have ever think of a university, a 3-star hotel, a hyper market! It only proved one important concept : Dare to dream on. It is the dream that make it a reality.
Keep Dreaming !

Old Glory of Kampar : Electronic Factory!

There were three electronic firms in Kampar which had shifted its main operation to China or elsewhere leaving the plants here with minimum operation or total ceased. At the peak, there were over two thousand employees serving these three factories and there were head hunters everywhere to attract local to be the management teams. The busines at Kampar at those time (1991 - 1996) were excellent as every hawkers stalls were seen full with customers. All of these were history when the economic crisis stalked the world. There was no exception and these firms were badly affected with trimming down of work force to almost 95%. I still remembered I can see at least twenty or thirty blue factory buses queuing to take the employees but no may be at best only one or two still in operation.

Kampar has 8 primary schools, 5 secondary schools, 1 college and 1 university. It also has a Chinese funded private school for secondary forms. They are 3 Chinese national type primary school and 2 Indian national type primary school (SRJK) where all the subjects will be taught in native mother tongues besides English and Bahasa. Six of them are shown here except SRJK(C) Pei Yuan and SK Sentosa.









There are 5 secondary schools (and 1 privately owned) in Kampar with 3 of them had my name engraved as one of the top students for the respective form. However, I had the most wonderful school life in SM Pei Yuan as in those years, Form-4 and Form-5 students were given amble of freedom and a dedicated classroom so the students can virtually spend the whole days in school for studies, activities or "dating"










Kampar marked its name on the national news where the town was selected as the site for the University Tunku Abdul Rahman. I could not remember when was that annouced, but even myself could not believe that there will be a university in the town. The building of the U is still in progress here I included some of the best spots of the Kampar's pride. At the the Uni site is the college. The U is in grey while college in oranged building... color coded?













On the way to the hometown, I stopped at Kuala Dipang to capture these photo of the lotus pond.
It is always a common Chinese wrong doing... I tossed a coin to lotus pond and made a wish : May there be more survivals of the quake can be rescued and there will be no more such disaster in any coming ages.

To some foreigners of the country, this will be an awkward scene as there are people enjoying some "Lok Lok" at the road side under the hot sun. Lok Lok is a steamboat style eatery where one will dip the food (in the form of a-stick with sausage, clamps, meat, vege, etc.) into to the boiling soup and will eat them upon guessing that the food are cooked. There are also a choice of gravy either in favours of satay, sambal, chilly, ketchup etc. as the dressing.
I still remembered I used to enjoy these food while they are selling at RM0.20 per stick. The sticks also will be color coded to reflect the price of the stick. When I check today, the minimum price of the stick is RM0.60 which is 300% increase in price.
Althought the Lok Lok is great to taste, but one should avoid due to hygience reason. In addition, all the servings are high in cholesterol.
I will need to avoid seeing such road side Lok Lok as the doctor has adviced me for diet control of cholesterol

X-connect : Another Iphone Killer

The Iphone influences have really inspired quite a lot of "copy-cat" to copy its touch screen type interface and button-less features. Just after a week or so of the Touch Diamond's announcement, here comes another contender. It is the Phillips X-connect. It was rumoured to have 3G features and others as similar to the upcoming 3G Iphone.
There has not be full specification announced for X-Connect, but the appearance seems interesting. At least I am willing to try when it is launched and available later

USM Konvokesyen ke-25

I graduated from USM in 1996 on the 25th convocation. In arranging for some old documents, magazines and books, I came across about this booklet of 25th convocation. I browsed to the page that read "Sarjana Muda Sains Gunaan Dengan Kepujian" where I could see some of the well known names who were the top scorers in 1996 and were crowned with First Class Degree.
Where are all of these top scorers now? Are they serving the nation in the arena of science and technology sector?
The list are " Alvin Hee Kah Wei, Foong Swee Yeok, Khaw Lay Hong, Koay Hooi Ling, Lee Yoke Horng, Ng Chor Onn, Ooi Kean Heng, Quah Poh Eee, Tan Bee Nah, Tan Kian Wee and Wee Suk Ling"
Well, for sure I am not in the first class degree list as I was not as smart and hardworking as these top scorers. I remembered at final year, I only played "Big-D-2" at Desasiswa Damai and supper in "Kampungku"

Last night received a rather upset sms at midth of the night. It was not because it had awaken me up from sleep since I was preparing to return to office for some conference meeting at 2am. This SMS was indeed from a very good ex-friend of mine. It was nothing wrong on the contents of the SMS as the ex-friend was indeed trying to convey regards ensuring I am doing fine and "recovering"
The problem was that I had texted this ex-friend some times ago (more than 7 days) without getting a response when I was deeply depressed. Why bother to pity on a donation of response after this long, while one could easily have replied with a sms, email or even a short call! The most upset follow up was that when I replied this morning to tease that no need to have empathy of responding after this long period of time, this ex-friend furioused that this is what a friend for and let keep a distance... huh??? excuse me, if you do not like to response, please do not choose to react at all.
I do not need your donation or empatyh. I will permanently delete for sure such contact from my bio-memory. It will be from my bio-memory not to say about removal from SIM. May god bless you and please continue live in your own isolated manner.

I am hiring now... Anyone interested?

I had been busy interviewing for the past three weeks on two of the job positions I am offering. I had been also interviewed not less than 10 persons either as newly graduated or experienced. However, I am not satisfy with their performance during interview. Some of the profiles seem excellent on papers, but it was quite disappointing during the interview.
Position 1 : Cadet Engineer with degree in electronic and electric or applied science (Physic).
Position 2 : Failure Analysis Engineer with degree in applied science (Chemistry), science, materials or mechanical engineering.
Anyone who interested on this position, can drop me an email. But, if you are really interested, better to prepare yourself during the interview session. Please show that you are qualified for the position, not just on the paper, but also demonstrate you are the choice.

Fire! Fire!! Fire!!!

Look whose house was on fire? Where was the "BOMBA"?
This was indeed a scene where the local authority was spraying DDT for Denque control. Denque is a deadly disease.
The mosquito responsibles for Denque is Aedes and can be easily identified with its black-white stripes on its abdomen. The Aedes commonly launches attack to human at late evening (after 7pm)
Everyone be awared! It could be a season of Aedes now as there are commonly rains in the evening every now and then. The rains had provided a habitat for Aedes reproduction. A small container may be already the best habitat for hundred of Aedes. Let's clear up all the containers that can contain water.

This small street was one of the "old places" when I was still a teenager. I used to be spending hours at one of these stalls enjoying the herbs tea under the cool open air for chit chat every weekend with some of my old mates. At those time, there was no mobile phone yet. Even if there was, it would be huge like a battery box and only a few wealthy folks can afford. However, we still can "date" for the almost same time and same spot for night gathering after the break of studies.
I do not know how these stalls are operating now at night as I rarely can have night gathering with my fellow old mates. Everyone seems to be busy with their life. It was really an old day when we only care about the exam but nothing else.. Those were the days with a lot of fun and meaning.
The more one grows up, the less time one can spend with one's old friends.
Is this life?

I had been living at the side of a river ( I believed it is called Sg. Rasa) which easily over flow and causing flash flood whenever after the heavy downpours. It was quite a common scene to me having a muddy flood at butt-height. It would be once every week during the rainy season or once every two months for the rest of the years.
The cause of the problem was that the river always clogged and with its two-side banks fully grew with grasses. The image here is seeing the river banks being widened and cleared up. It is now looks more like a stream of water rather that a river. In contrast, some 20 years ago, this river would allow kids to swim a little and catch quite some big fishes with its water height at the belly. Seeing this river reminded me a lot of those old days...The scene is totally changed now. Btw, how are you my fellow old time mates?

This is an illegal site of dumps where some locals happily throw away theirs and some even set fire on these dumps. Instead, when I was taking this image, there was a local still transporting their dumps to this site and staring at me.
How come the people can be so much irresponsible on their dumps!

I am born and grew up in a small town name Kampar. It is a small town with quite a number of housing estates around making a total population of approximately 10,000. I believed 90% are chinese who are mostly speak in cantonese. Kampar is a town where gained its name because of Tin, if I am not wrong. It was once famous of tin mining and everywhere wherenever there was river, you can likely see some ladies will be busy "dulang-ing" Kampar used to have 5 cinemas which could house more than 200 audients. But now, there is none of them still operating. Some years back, Kampar also has one of the highest numbers of banks branches around (almost 15 of them) due to extremely high inflow of foreign currencies. These were all the "jump aeroplane" funds which made Kampar on the top ten list. (Jump Aeroplane = cantonese way of saying illegal work at overseas). There after, Kampar again gets another great name... the old folk town as there isn't jobs for youngsters. All its glory had been gone with the winds.



This is the railway station in Kampar. It used to be a hotspot for morning joggers. But it is now closed. Although it is still maintained but the access road is now full with shoulder-tall weeds. Locals no longer jog here. There was also no train! That is why there is a no entry site at the entrance of the station.







This is the NEWLY built railway station. It is also not being used or opened for public. It has been CLOSED for years. Well done, KTM! I still perfer to old station as compare to this new station.








Kampar has added a new work-out facility and had annouced spent over million of ringgit to have this "RAKAN MUDA" sport utility buildings. These will be a great place to visit if you are keen for work out.



Next are the TAR college, UNITAR and the new town ship, taman bandar baru kampar and btw, Tesco is building its outlet there now. To be continue...