The one about playing catch up...

Gosh! I'm so far behind in this blog that I have to just start listing activities and posting photos. So here goes:

Jan 4th - Mum's appointment at GH for her scan results. The specialist said things seem quite ok with the other organs unaffected. Looks like it'll be a fairly good operation - simple. Thank God. The doctor scheduled her operation for Jan 11th.

Jan 10th - Its Hari Raya Haji but more significantly, mum was admitted for her operation today. She seems in pretty good spirits after the meeting with the specialist. The operation's tomorrow.

Jan 11th - The day of mum's operation. I was in hospital early and saw mum before they wheeled her in at around 9.20am. Aunt Florence was there and stayed outside to wait. I left to do some errands and was back at 1.00pm. Still no sign of mum. It wasn't till 2.40pm before I caught sight of mum being wheeled out of the OT. She looked pretty good and was aware of her surroundings. Felt very happy about that. She was put into the HDA (High Dependency) ward - I decided not to spend too much time with her so as to let her have her rest.

Jan 14th - With mum recovering well in hospital, Jo & I could finally relax and look forward to a good party tonight. It's Melvin & KH's birthday function. Mel's birthday is on the 15th and KH's on the 16th but we decided to celebrate on a Saturday at the newly formatted Brasil 68 Restaurant. We had a great time with plenty of protein (predominantly meat buffet) and the alcohol flowed freely at dinner. We were serenaded by "Bruno" a Cuban who it seemed was skilled in Salsa and other Latin American dances.

The music plays on...

Naomi's starting a Brasilian Wave...

The two birthday boys...

The guys...

The girls...

Opening their pressies...

Not to let a good night die out, we progressed to a Karaoke session at the Swimming Club. Needless to say, the alcohol poured, the rhythms got us, the vocals were inhibited and the juices flowed. It was a memorable night for us all indeed!

At the Swimming Club, just warming up...

Hey, there's too many candles!!

Yan crooning away... help!

Discussion amidst the soothing voices...


Jan 16th - We met up at our house to have a much lower key and small celebration for KH's birthday. Since it was his BIG 40th, we thought a simple gathering of good pals on his real birthday was the way to go.

All cosy on the carpet...

Sue posing by our brand new bar!

Jo & Jinny

KH turns 40...life begins!

One for the album...


Jan 18th - My bowling league starts again. We have a new member Roger Foong. So its Simon Tan, Jimmy Gay, Chirt Kye, Andrew Lim, Roger & myself who make up "Priority Lane".

Jan 22nd - After a quiet Saturday with the Tans (KH & Jinny), Sunday was significant cos mum was to be discharged today! After making sure mum was comfortable at home, Jo and I headed off to Brasil 68 for our...you guessed it...Salsa dance class. It was kinda fun. Wished I had taken some photos but then they may have been embarassing too! Still, Jo was picked by Bruno to be the best dancer. Always knew my sweetie had the rhythm and style! We ended with Bruno and his girlfriend Kelly giving us a demo of some Latin moves.

Jan 28th - The week leading to Chinese New Year had been hectic to say the least. That had made the holiday break all the more desirable. So as that sense of urgency hightened and slowly subsided, and as the roads emptied, we got ready for our annual steamboat dinner. Perhaps I'll leave it to the next post to tell more...

The one about new beginnings... (Part Two)

New Year's Eve (31 Dec)
The gang had planned to meet at Mel's uncle's apartment for a "house" party. However, on the day itself, Carolyn called up with an invite to her place for dinner. As Stacy & Mel were bringing Naomi, we thought staying indoors was best. We all then decided to accept Carolyn's invite but would adjourn to the apartment as planned later on. After all, it was just across the road. Sue & Yan were joining us for dinner but have another party to go to after. So it would just be the few of us at the apartment.

We arrived at Carolyn's then the guys (read Mel, KH and me) went over to the apartment to drop our stuff (read drinks, chips, dip and board games). We got there easily enough and after locking up, we waited for the lift. When one arrived, we walked in but it was unfortunately, then that Mel drop the keys. You guessed it, the keys fell right down the elevator shaft! With no keys, there would be no party after! This was like, one heck of an unlucky thing to happen.


Well, to cut a long story short, we called a locksmith, he came, took him nearly 40 mins to get it unlocked - blood, sweat and nearly tears flowed. The three guys then stumbled across the road, tired and hungry only to find our women kinda high on "pre-dinner" drinks. The food was heated up for us, we ate more out of necessity than desire and finally had the opportunity to catch our breath.

Soon, we were on our way, plodding across the road and into the apartment. No plans for any entertainment but what was important really was spending these key moments with good friends.



And, so it arrived... the new year of 2006. So much for us all to be thankful and so much more for us to look forward to.

The one about new beginnings...(Part One)

Hello there! This is my first entry since we welcomed the new year 2006. In fact today its the first day of Chinese New Year. For the more astute among you, you will see a changed template giving this blog a fresher and more vibrant look. I wanted things to look new for the new year... Yes, the Year of the Dog is upon us. What will this new year bring? We always hear this question, mostly rhetorically asked than otherwise. Still there's such a need to know what the future holds.

Since its been so long since my last entry, I suppose a quick summary of events would be good. I take it up from the last entry and begin with our trip to S'pore for Christmas...

Christmas in Singapore (22 Dec - 27 Dec)
Christmas in Singapore brought about a mixture of emotions. We had fun, doing the high life style shopping and meeting Jo's relatives again. It was a decidedly traditional Christmas set amidst the backdrop of a distinctly modern setting. Jo's cousin Francisca and her husband Bill built a brand new home and had just moved in some two days before we invaded their space. Everything felt rather new and Bill's penchant for technology prevailed as a theme throughout the luxurious abode.

Shopping was good, we managed to pick up gifts for friends and a few things which were not available back home. Not much sight seeing was done but we figured that Ethan's probably too young to appreciate it anyway. Maybe next time we are down.

Ethan adapted well and was making a pain of himself as usual. Still, he was cute sitting on the dinner table for Christmas supper. Made me wish then that my mum could have been there to see him. More on that later.

Jo & Ethan on Orchard Road

At the dinner table

The Family

On the plane...

Ethan back home and posing with his presents!


The day we were to go home was the 27th December. I remember it vividly cos a few weeks back, my mum had gone for a medical check-up and the results were to be out on the 27th. I had wished there was someone to go with mum to the hospital, knowing full well that she didn't take to these things easily. I called her from Singapore after the scheduled appointment but her silence and refusal to say the results meant it was not good news. The trip back was pure horror. I felt all sorts of emotions churning around in my stomach. Ethan causing a commotion didn't help at all.

When we arrived, we decided to just go about our tasks normally until I could speak to mum later. After dinner, she sat down with Jo and I and told us. They had found a growth in her colon and it was cancerous. They did not know how bad it is yet but she would have to be admitted the next day for a CT Scan. After that, they will be able to determine the extent and the next step.

There's really no way to describe how i felt then nor the rollercoaster of emotions which I went through. The worst thoughts filled my mind and I had sleepless nights since. Thats the one word that brings out the worse in people. The fear, the insecurities, the disappointments... it was Cancer.

Post Christmas (28 Dec - 31 Dec)
The next morning we got to the hospital and mum was admitted. The whole thing was surreal,like its not happening to us but rather watching a movie... Anyway, to cut a long narrative short, mum had her scan and tests all done and was sitting in the hospital bed doing nothing all day. The results would be out only on 4th January and the new year was coming up. I decided to bring mum home from the hospital. No point in her staying there throughout the New Years celebrations.

I woke up the morning of the 29th December with cold sweat, having had vague dreams of the worst kind about mum's illness. It was then that I decided that there was no use being miserable about something we do not know about yet. It was in God's hands and He has always been there for me. I shrugged off the heaviness within me and stepped out of the bathroom a very different person.

We were planning to have a gathering the evening of the 29th December at our place. The gang was coming over for a Christmas event and we spent the day getting ready for it. That night they all came over, presents were exchanged and there was fun and frivolity all round. Did mum some good too to have laughter in the house. We managed to take a complete group photo for my collection. Was planning to do a CD for everyone and maybe even a calender for 2006. We'll see...

The one about wishing you all a Merry Christmas...

Feliz Navidad. Selamat Hari Natal. Merry Christmas.

It had been a hectic and sometimes stressful lead-up to the big day. Now, Christmas Day is over. Boxing Day beckons though there's no real explanation yet why its called "Boxing". Maybe I'll go do more research...

Anyway, I'm blogging from Singapore here. The actual celebrations have been busy and a little chaotic but I have enjoyed the opportunity to wind down and release the pressures of the last few weeks. A real rollercoaster of emotions and its come to a rest. I won't go on and on and I won't post any photos as yet. There's a lot of activities coming up in the next week. Am really looking forward to it!

So meantime... I'll have a Singapore Sling on your behalves! Compliments of the Season to one and all...

The one with the spirit of Christmas...

Yes, its almost upon us - the season to be jolly and other icky semantics.

Now, now, I'm no Scrooge and I do love Christmas. Not really into the gifts and the constant eating though. Hate to sound cliche and a tad sappy but its really the simple things which imbues me with that special spirit. That cool soft breeze we get this time of the year which I can feel whenever I stand outside my house at night; the strains of carol singing in the distance and that sense of urgency we get when we realise its coming to the end of another year. To me, Christmas isn't about the traditions cos we make our own traditions. It isn't about giving or receiving; many have none to give nor anyone from whom to get. What then, you may ask, does Christmas mean to me?

Well, its been a hectic few weeks. At work, there's the usual rush to clear things before the new year beckons. Then there're travel arrangements to sort out - with us heading to Singapore for Ethan's first Christmas outside of Penang. There's my Mum's health matters and her deciding to spend Christmas alone at home. Now that hurts.

Things seem to happen when you least expect and problems seems to occur when you least need them. Such is the story of the last week or so. Still, the inevitability of Christmas looms. Often we get caught up in the intent to celebrate that we forget to actually celebrate. Sometimes I wish I could just stop and smell that Christmas breeze. The memories that'll bring back...

We've had carollers come to the house. A neat group of youths who tried hard to inject the festive mood into our home albeit 10 days early. Ethan was a little curious at first as to why there were so many people suddenly singing in our porch. He embarked on his usual runs up and down doing his level best to "sing along" in the manner only he knows.


So far the little fellow's coming along just fine. Doesn't really talk yet but makes hell of a lot of noise. Also has taken to screaming lately. A right little terror he is. I must say, he's improved a lot at his play gym sessions with Tumbletots. We take him most Sundays and he loves it; sometimes too much!




Last Sunday, a few of us had afternoon tea at the E&O Hotel's 1885 Restaurant. Sounds posh eh? It was a nice change to the fast paced meals we've been having of late and what with Jo's voucher, we got it at 50% off! Nice selections and thoroughly enjoyable.


After tea, we decided to hang on to the "lifestyles of the rich & famous" mode - as we ventured to the Marine Show at the new Church Street Pier Marina. Sleek and playful looking boats for sale along with the exhibition of other indulgent opulent vices. We soaked in the atmosphere and tried to blend in...


We're off to Singapore this Thursday. I'll be dragging along my trusty laptop although I don't know how much blogging can be done there. Pretty sure we'll be soaking in the sights and probably a bit of shopping too.

So... the more astute of you out there will still have that lingering question in mind - what DOES Christmas mean to me? Well, Christmas is about sharing. Its about family and its about love. I thank God that I have all that this Christmas. I wish you all the same...



God Bless!

The one about new experiences...

Almost two weeks since my last post. Much has happened so guess this'll be a long post. Will spare you all the photos to keep it reasonable though!

The family and I went down to KL on the 2nd December 2005. Stayed at Jo's aunt's place in God-Forsaken Bukit Jelutong. Man, that place is far from anything! The toll charges on the NKVE alone could kill you. Still, we expertly manouveured our way around all the "must-go" places and got most of the "must-buy" things. The evening we got there (Friday) we met up with Sue Khoon & Yan who were also there for the weekend. We had planned to pay "Cilantro" a visit to savour its famed cuisine. So we left Ethan nicely tucked in bed and headed off into culinary mainstream.

Its simply amazing how a place named after a cheap herb can be that expensive. The place came with a raving reputation and after emptying nearly half my bank account (yes, I exaggerate), I must say it was well worth it. Now, first and foremost, let me say that I'm not an expert on gourmet foods. In fact I probably can't tell good Char Koay Teow from bad Char Koay Teow (they're all basically good in Penang anyway!). However, that meal that night - was the best meal I have ever had. No kidding. The fusion of flavours were nothing short of spectacular. Every bite was like a burst of surprise. Sublime, simply sublime. The ambience of the place was sadly not in concert with its high quality food. Tucked away in a corner of the mid-range MiCasa Hotel in an unassuming neighbourhood, one can be forgiven if one clutched on to one's handbag tighter as one makes one's way to the restaurant. Seating was acceptable but we had the unfortunate displeasure of being seated opposite a couple of those rather loud and snooty KL aristocrat wannabes. From their unnecessarily audible "muah muah" kisses to their pre-meditated phone calls about where their next holiday would be, they simply irritated everyone within a six-kilometer radius.

We survived the experience which was harrowing to say the least not alleviated by the arrival of local model Carmen Soo at our neighbour's table. Desert proved as good as the meal and we stuffed ourselves silly before continuing our night along the pavements of Bintang Walk.

The next day, we found out the hard way why its never wise to go shopping at a phenomenally large place like KLCC with a toddler. Ethan was a handful and we had to run after him as he tried in vain to stamp his mark on the corridors of the mall. Still most of the shopping was for the little fellow although Jo did get to pick up a few sought after things. Dinner that night was courtesy of Jo's sister Abby and her boyfriend Warren - two members of the soon-to-be famous independent pop group "Ferns". Think their first album is due out soon! I'm serious!

Somewhere in there, we visited The Curve, Ikea & the Ikano Power Center and 1-Utama as well. We left KL Sunday sometime before 3pm and arrived safely at 7.30pm. No unusual happenings there and I must say Ethan was reasonably well behaved throughout the trip.

After our KL trip, I had hope for a quiet week to kinda revitalise but it wasn't to be. The Penang Bar Treasure Hunt had to be organised, an IT Talk on "The Role of the IT Lawyer" was planned and of course plans for Christmas was to go ahead.

Christmas this year will be in Singapore for Ethan, Jo & myself. The trip alone would cost us and arm and a leg as we decided to fly direct in to Changi. The bus trip from Senai (Air Asia's destination) thru the causeway would be far too tiring for the little fellow.

Friday 9th December - the eve of my cousin Priscilla's wedding. The family is out in force for Priscilla's wedding on Saturday. That night though, its dinner at the Penang Swimming Club. Was good to meet up with the cousins whom we seldom see. Much banter and laughter ensued. The next day, the wedding proceeded without any major hitches. The church ceremony was simple and Jo and I were the sponsors.

Dinner that night was kinda fun. Small gathering of family members and again the chance to touch bases with those we hardly have the chance to see. It was especially poignant for mum as she rarely gets the opportunity to be with her siblings. Mum has a medical procedure at the GH coming up tomorrow (Monday 12th December) and I pray all will be well.

So, as Christmas creeps up on us, the scurrying to buy presents and the feeling of urgency sets in at work, all contribute to that "year-end" reminiscing and reflecting season. So far its been a hectic and eventful year but there's a good three weeks left on 2005. All I want is to make the best of it.

The one about the start of Advent...

Yes, its upon us again... the season of Advent.

It simply means Christmas is coming and soon after that, a new year 2006! Whatever happened to the year that was 2005?!! Time does fly when seen in retrospect.

Last Saturday night, Jo and I had a nice dinner together, just the two of us at the Tiffins Restaurant, Grand Parkroyal Penang. The food was at its usual best and the Sous Chef even came out to say hello. As Jo had a voucher, the meal didnt cost us an arm and a leg, so it was an enjoyable time all round.

Sunday, we did the usual family day out - taking Ethan to Tumbletots for his playgroup. After that, it was a quick trip to the Paradise Hotel for the International Womens' Association's Christmas Bazaar. This annual event has grown from strength to strength every year; altho this year the location seemed a little cramped. The place was packed and we did pick up some small gifts.

That night, we had our gathering with the gang. It was Buffet Dinner at Sigi's Golden Sands Resort. We were told that the chefs from La Bodega in Bangsar KL were up here and were preparing a selection of Tapas. Funny thing was, couldn't really see anything resembling Tapas at all. Only thing hard-core Spanish was the huge pan of Paella. Yum! Stacy & Mel brought little Naomi there and she attracted the attention of an elderly couple on the next table. They were in Penang on a stopover heading to Australia to see their grandchildren. After we all filled ourselves, we then proceeded to KH & Jinny's place to watch the new series "Rome" on HBO.

We then got around to discussing what we would do for New Year's Eve. KH rummaged thru his things and brought out two microphones. Jinny immediately whipped out her collection of 100 Karaoke Love Songs! Help! Looks like its going to be a noisy New Years Eve at the Tans' residence!

Our Christmas this year will be in Singapore and I'm looking forward to a relaxing holiday season. Advent means so many things to different people but to me - the memories of the cooling and refreshing Christmas Breeze blowing as I stand in my garden; the anticipation of meeting up with relatives and the usual hustle and bustle that accompanies that; the happy faces on those we will never see again; the presents, small and insignificant it may have been yet meant the world to me then; the lights, the music, the atmosphere. Christmas was always something personal to me and will always be. It's an important time to me, a time to re-collect my thoughts, my achievements, my failures for the year.

May this season be the best one yet for everyone out there....

The one about a bar and Taboo...

"Taboo" is a board game la.

Anyway, we had a comparatively mellow weekend. Saturday afternoon, Jo and I went out to do some banking and proceeded to a spot of furniture hunting. We've been putting off getting an oven for the home but lately Jo has been checking out the options. Either a microwave/convection/grill such as the Panasonic Genius range or a built-in full oven/grill by either Faber or Electrolux. You see, if we get a built-in, then the exact spot where the oven will be is currently holding all my alcohol/bar stuff. Which means, if we go ahead and fix the built-in, I will, once and for all, have to get a bar for the home.

Ages ago, I had been eyeing a compact, expandable wooden bar but didnt get it. So the whole of Saturday afternoon was spent hunting for something similar since we dont have a sizeable home to recreate a pub scene in one corner. Gotta tell you, very few furniture places sell bars or anything similar. At least not for reasonable prices...

Later that evening, we had went for Mass at the Church of the Assumption and then proceeded to this new restaurant "OZ" on Burmah Road, next to Edgecumbe Road. It boasts to be the first Australian Fusion Restaurant in town. What is Australian Fusion, you ask? Well, your guess is as good as mine! The dishes were hardly familiar and can't say is strictly Australian. The names were surely Aussie...with the Freemantle Fish & Chips coming close to the real fodder you can pick up at the corner shop in Perth. The menu tries to live up to its tagline but for those who book a place there hoping to find Ostrich, Witchety Grub or even Barramundi, they would be disappointed. No exotic meats or ingredients here, just the same ol' stuff cooked in an Aussie Fusion manner...which strangely enough resembled any other western style cooking.

In my humble opinion, here's the good and the bad of it -

Good: Ample & Easy Parking; Quite & Fairly Good Ambience; Menu items - Freemantle Fish & Chips, Peach Melba; Beverage - they have VB!! (Victoria Bitter - oft regarded as the best beer in Aussie).

Bad: Intrusive & Distinctly Poor Service; food temperature was mediocre; Menu items - Mushroom soup, steaks (all of them). Missing menu items especially the desserts.

We did have a good time though with our dinner companions - KH & Jinny, Chean Hong, Tek Wooi & Priscilla.

After dinner, it was off to Mel & Stacy's for drinks and leisure. Mel & Stacy couldn't get out this week cos Mel's folks were away and they had to watch little Naomi. So we brought the night to them, unknowingly causing little Naomi to stay awake wondering what all these uncles and aunts were up to! We eventually got to playing a game of Taboo which for the record was won by the guys! It was KH, Mel, Yan & myself versus Jinny, Stacy, Sue Khoon & Jo. I got to say it was close though a mere 2 points separate the teams at the end. Needless to say, the usual array of goof-offs were present giving us a fun, laugh-filled end to a pleasant night.

Well, a new week begins, hopefully a useful and productive one. It's leading into the Advent season and there're not many weekends left before X'mas. With the Penang Jazz Festival up on Dec 3rd and my cousin's wedding the weekend after that, doubt we have that much time to shop. Still, tradition must prevail. Just hope we can find that bar...

The one about de-stressing...

New de-stressing method invented by none other than little Ethan Adam Cheong, age 18 months and a bit...

Try it at home folks....

Works for me!

The one about charity...

Well, its been some week.

Last weekend was my party and I had hoped for things to slow down but this week has zoomed by at the speed of thought. Mainly work kept me tied up but for Jo, she was caught up with the organising of the Bar Council's Legal Aid Scheme's 25th Anniversary dinner. Due to some last minute changes and hiccups, they had to meet three days in a row.

Anyway, Friday came along soon enough. We had decided to use up Jo's free stay at the E&O...yes, the dinner was there... and so we took half day off. In the morning we brought Ethan to the office and after lunch, we checked-in at the hotel and let the little fellow run around the place a bit. Later we took him home, got dressed and came for the dinner.

Our Organisers...

The Ladies at our table...

The famed "Makcik Gang"...


It was supposed to be a "smart casual" affair but most people had the sense to dress up slightly seeing that the dinner was at the E&O. The crowd gathered early, and the early fears of the organisers that a major mess up would occur, proved to be unfounded. It was for the most part an enjoyable night. People participated where necessary and they managed to raise some money for a good cause. I felt there was a bit of misunderstanding about the auction but, hey, no one seemed to care too much, so be it.

Among the services auctioned were an hour long consultation with Mr Sitham, a strip and song routine from Bar Council Chairman Mr Yeo, Nazriah's famed beef rendang and a ride with Carolyn in her convertible. All fairly tongue-in-cheek yet a worthy cause was supported.

Those who stayed back discovered that it started to rain heavily. So, our planned trip to Soho was out of the question. Many left but the few that stuck around moved the party to the Farquhar Bar (at the E&O itself) and there, lively conversation plus an impromptu performance by our earlier entertainer Sam Ponnudurai dotted the rest of the night. It was almost 2am by the time we headed to our suite. Mel came up with us to see the room and ended up taking a short nap on the sofa.

All in all, I had a good time and must say it was a good start to the school hols (not that school hols mean that much to me right now). Its usually a pre-cursor to another round of festivities. Christmas. This year it'll be in Singapore for us. Although I'm looking forward to a great bang to usher in the New Year.


Just a note here, Peter Tan has achieved his target of collecting RM5,000 for the Hospice at Home program and he has honoured his word and shaved his head. Kudos to him! Clearly the charitable heart of ordinary people at work.

And on a special note, Happy 15th Birthday to the Internet... for my money, the greatest innovation for humankind.

The one about the holidays and the party...

Ah...Monday. So much more a bad six-letter word if it comes just after a long and restful holiday break.

Tuesday last was Deepavali and it was fairly quiet. The afternoon was spent at Jinny & KH's place for a "Desperate Housewives" marathon!! I had earlier seen the DVDs with Jo, so didn't partake fully in the "event". Was online and surfing the net on Jinny's computer instead. They stopped after three episodes and as we were about to leave...my car wouldn't start! Dead batteries. So, I jumped the car using Jinny's car batteries and luckily we found a workshop that was opened. All's well that ends well...

Wednesday, Jo and I went to work. Was uneventful. On Thursday, we had planned a dinner and Karaoke session. Jinny, KH and Chean Hong joined us for dinner at Copthorne while Mel and Stacy added to the crowd at the Swimming Club Karaoke. Wasn't the best Karaoke in terms of selection of songs, equipment and service but the gang made it an enjoyable time. Laughter abound when Jinny tried her hand at old Chinese songs, attempting odd sounding duets with Mel. Then Mel and I decided to give a Hindi song a shot - our choice...of course the evergreen "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai". Safe to say, we were all in stitches. Here's Mel, our most prolific singer!!


KH giving Mel a strange look...



Friday proved to be a boring day for me as Jo, Jinny and Celina went for their girls' day out at the Danai Spa. Met some clients and basically just sat around at the office. The highlight was going home to have Lemak Laksa which my mum prepared.

This all lead to a nice "lull" before a hectic Saturday. In the morning, Jo, Ethan and I went to Nazriah's place for a Raya lunch. Ethan as usual, after a short cautionary preview of his new surroundings, traversed all over the place making his usual noises! Nariah & Mazri's young daughter Mia Sara tried to make friends but the little terror wasn't about to let anyone stop his "task" at hand.

Nazriah & mini Nazriah...



The delicious spread...



The little ones having a bite to eat...


A little later, we were joined by Hooi Lin, Kenzu and Zerlynde.

That night was our big nite out. The gang celebrated my birthday - albeit a week late - at the E&O Sarkies Corner. We then proceeded to Soho's, the usual hangout, for some subdued drinks. We were joined by Lynette and Claude, both looking good as always. Poor KH, lost his handphone in a kinda bizzare incident, but, well, you just had to be there...

Jo & her birthday boy..oops...man...



Lots of chatting going on...


All in all, a memorable week and although we start a new work week, there's a fun night out this Friday - the Bar Council's Legal Aid Centre's 25th Anniversary dinner at the E&O Ballroom. More about that later on...

The one after the birthday...

Just took another step towards the "big" four-0.

Yesterday was my 39th birthday - yes, yes, it was also Halloween. Guess you can say I was kinda a "kooi kneah" (ghost child). Anyway, after all these years I'm just praying that I had equipped myself with enough common sense, intelligence and kindness to bring up Ethan in a way which would ensure he knows always what's right or wrong.

Well, yesterday was kinda good for me. Got up, went to work, went out for lunch, picked up my 3rd Prize for the Big Puzzle contest from Gurney Plaza (shopping vouchers)..the usual... ;-)

Last night, Jo and I spent a lovely evening at 1885 (E&O) and had a great dinner.

The lovely wife & I...


We had planned to later adjourn to "Bed" at Pulau Tikus for drinks with our friends. Sadly, earlier, Stacy & Mel had been waiting for us at Coffee Bean Bellisa Row when Stacy's handbag was snatched from the seat next to her by a thief! It was shocking to think that such a thing could happen at a place which is usually crowded with people and so bright at that. It did happen, put poor Stacy through the hell of making police reports, cancelling her cards etc. It really wasn't about the loss in monetary terms but the hassle that comes with it.

So beware people, if you are having a nice, relaxed cup of coffee at any coffee joint, make sure you keep a tight hold on your belongings. I was made to understand that the management of Coffee Bean and Bellisa Row prohibits the putting up of signage to warn unsuspecting customers about the possibility of such snatch thieves. Scares the customers away, it seems. Well, mine is not to criticise their methods, however little I think of it, but mine can be to do whatever I can to warn people about it.

I have been pretty quiet, blogging-wise, lately. Partly due to being busy on the work front and partly due to being at complete awe with the world of blogging.

I'm talking about the "Battle of the Blogs" which had been dominating our regional blogging scene. It was started by a blog by one Wendy Cheng, who commented on the use of disabled toilets by the able-bodied and how one disabled person was "rude" about it. The short of it is that she basically pissed a lot of people off and lost a couple of sponsorship deals on her blogsite. Spearheading her attack was Peter Tan, who was of course offended by Wendy's manner of expression. This lead to a full-on battle between "supporters" of both sides and a tremendous influx of comments on various Blogs.

Now what really made me sit back and read in awe was the amazing impact blogging has had on people's lives. Many were defending their position with gusto and energy, many wrote with finesse and eloquence. Most had a determined point of view and held to it steadfastly. Given that the average blogger is between ages 18 - 30, I was proud, yes, proud to read the disagreements, the voices of dissent and the strength to stand up for what they believe in. As I said in my comment on Peter's Blog, what's important is that people have a right to state their point of view. We should all be able to agree to disagree. Is this then the direction of our youth and community towards a more knowledge & information driven world? If so, then blog on people, blog on....

There were a few comments about the difference between privileges and rights in between the debate. I just want to state here my definition on that. Rights exist when there is a duty on someone to allow it. So, if there is some statutory or regulatory requirement for something, then a right is created. Privileges, however, depend on the good sense of people. Since not all people have good sense, that's why we have the "under-privileged". Question is: do we want to impose a duty on everyone so that those who need it, will have rights? Or do we want to leave some things to the good sense of people to grant privileges? Too much of one or the other will expose us to some defect in our socio-economic strata system. Perhaps to borrow a concept from our Buddhist siblings, the middle road is the one to trod on...

Ponder on it.

The one about pot luck...

Wow, once again I've gone off on one of my long silent spells. Guess, there's not been enough time for this luxury. Take last night for example...

Met up with our usual gang of friends for a pot luck dinner. Its been ages since we last had a pot luck. Our famed "themed" pot lucks were a usual occurance some two years back but what with the arrival of Ethan and all, they faded away. There was a bit of a revival last night, as we kicked things off with a "Northern Indian" do.

Kinda adventurous I thought, to start on something pretty involved after such a long hiatus. However, I was pleasantly surprised as everyone stepped up to the plate and knocked a couple of home runs each (using truly American metaphors here). Sue & Yan did Murgh Makhani and Dhal while Jinny & KH did Tandoori Chicken with Biryani rice. Jo and I prepared Rogan Josh, Palak Paneer and Ketchumbar. Finally, Mel & Stacy brought Naan and a Raita. May all sound rather foreign but it was fun and we all certainly had our fill.

Dinner was at Jinny & KH's so we then adjourned upstairs for drinks and a game of "Cranium". For those who have not played "Cranium" before, its hilarious and fun. Its a board game much like Pictionary but with a difference. There are four separate categories which require you to either act out, hum, draw, sculpt (with plastacine) or figure out (puzzles/trivia) the clues. So everyone can really participate. We had a hoot of a time as the girls battled the guys and beat us twice. Gotta say the last game was close.

Anyway, last Friday (15th), we celebrated Stacy's birthday at Sweet Tamarine, the so-called London-style Chinese Restaurant. Food was good and we adjourned to Mel & Stacy's after. Anyway, here's a couple of photos from that dinner...


Dinner Guests 


All getting red in the face!! 

The one about catching up...

Been slack in blogging lately. Caught up with a bit of work which I managed to sort out just yesterday. So now, to catch up the happenings...

Oh yes, I went to the Penang Bloggers' Meet at the Starbucks E-Gate and met my old friend Peter Tan. Also met up with SapiensBryan, Reallybites, Lilian(5xmom) & teh-o-ais-limau. Strange that bloggers are more known by their URLs. All very friendly people and made me feel pretty comfortable despite the fact that I was the "newbie" there.

The one thing we all have in common is that we all support Peter's Hair for Hospice Campaign...



Really, what's important isn't what they are doing, who's having their hair cut and whether that's a big deal to them or not. The whole point is the Penang Hospice-At-Home program and how its basically a no-brainer that we should support this genuine cause. These are people who bring hope, joy and comfort to those diagnosed with end-stage cancer. Their work is selfless and their energy boundless but folks, their bank accounts are not bottomless! So every little bit will be very much appreciated. Go on to Peter's blog or to the Penang Hospice-At-Home site for instructions to make that very much needed donation. Don't forget to mention that your donation is part of the Hair for Hospice Campaign.

*** == ***

Meanwhile, much has happened round the world and in our own backyard. Recently there've been a spate of natural disasters which ought to shock most of us into thinking maybe, juat maybe the end is nigh. Well, Amargeddon aside, people over the world are suffering and what do our politicians do about it in Parliament? Well, they're debating the AP issue and of course the great "sin" of a singer singing our national anthem in a jazzy manner. Hey, you elected them in too...

Closer to home, the little terror (all 33 inches tall) that lives under my roof has been getting naughty lately. Screams when not given what he wants and getting kinda choosy about his food too. Still, how long can you stay angry at this ...


Cheeky 

Hope to be blogging more often in future. I must say, meeting other bloggers has opened my eyes to the sheer volume of bloggers out there and the extent of how this phenomena has gripped the world and communication as we know it. Keep it up, bloggers and keep us all in the know.

The one about old friends...

Caught up with an old friend recently.

Albeit through the wonders of email, I managed to contact my old school mate Peter Tan. Peter's somewhat of a celebrity in the Malaysian blogging world. Many years ago, at age 18, Peter had an accident and suffered severe spinal chord injury. He became paralysed from the chest down. Now for those of us who knew Peter way back then, the thought of seeing him confined to a wheelchair seemed so unlikely; what with Peter being one of our top scouts, traffic warden and all round active guy.

I guess what I could not understand then was that, as difficult it was for any of us to believe that Peter was paralysed, just imagine how much more difficult it would have been for him to accept that fact. Like many of his friends then, my immaturity made me incapable of handling the news.

Well, we have all grown up in so many different ways. But coming in contact with Peter again, although not face to face yet, was a revelation indeed. I realise that we continue to learn throughhout our lives. This time, it was the simple truth of Peter's present life that has taught me something.

Peter's weblog entitled "The Digital Awakening" puts many blogs to shame. He has shown the true power of the digital word. Not only can it bring recognition and respect to a simple person; but more importantly it enhances life, supplements knowledge and gives reason. Its truly his awakening. On a wider perspective, it was mine as well.

Despite his many trials, Peter's concern for other PWDs (People with Disabilities) and the general public's awareness of them shines through. The causes he champions grows because of him; and he because of them. A natural symbiotic relationship which I can only sit back and watch in awe.

My previous blog on Bessie Stanley's poem about "What Constitutes Success" is worth reflecting upon. All I can say right now is, Pete my friend, you have succeeded.

****

I hope to meet Peter at the Penang Bloggers Meet @ Starbucks, E-Gate (next to Tesco's) this coming Sunday 9th October, 2.00 p.m. Anyone out there who can make it, do go along. Bound to be fun!

The one about what it means...

Sometimes I feel that we are just so insignificant in the larger scheme of things.
I remember a famous quote which has been often though inaccurately credited to Ralph Waldo Emerson, about success. The original, a poem on "What Constitutes Success" by Bessie Stanley reads:

"He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who has left the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who has never lacked appreciation of earth’s beauty or failed to express it; who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had; whose life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction."

I guess the yardstick of my success has always been based on this simple quote. Many times in the recent past I have succumbed to the feeling that my life is going nowhere and that I have not achieved much.

Well, just the other day, I drove home with Jo, feeling that deja vu feeling again when we turned into our driveway; and there was this short but whole person running towards the front door screaming at the top of his lungs, as if it meant the whole world to him that we were home. Believe me, there's nothing more that I could have asked for at that very moment. This was what it all meant.

There will be times when we get bothered and hassled by our relatives; there are times when we feel our friends are not there for us but this was always one thing we could count on.



I'm pretty sure I will do anything for him.

Now to the latest controversial issue at hand. Malaysian Idol.

This year's series just ended in a somewhat farcical result of the clearly less impressive singer being crowned the winner. Don't sweat folks, this will probably be the last year anyway, cos news has it that Freemantle has asked for sky high license fees to air the show for a third time.

Clearly too, Malaysians are NOT mature enough to handle an audience interactive competition like this. Votes are made based on relationships, popularity, emotions and ...yes, sad but true, race. The Akademi Fantasia series further strengthens that claim. We vote and sometimes we vote many many times but do we vote for the best person or the person whom we like? Still, in the end, its a clear contest of "voting power". Daniel's fans (statistically the largest users of SMS) all fervently pounded away at their handphones and got the result they craved. Nita's fans (the vocal minority) tried to keep up but obviously were not in the same league when it came to sms-ing. Those who weren't fans of either but who felt that Daniel shouldn't win, all sat back, nodded their heads in intelligent agreement and said that Nita was the better performer. They then went to bed. When they woke up, a small, likeable but less talented young guy from Penang became the new Malaysian Idol. Probably the last Malaysian Idol too.

Anyway, I wish both of them great careers, as I'm sure they will have.

The one about kids...

Just got back from a night out at one of Penang's new nightspots - "Bed". A shameful copy of Bangkok's unique Bed Supperclub. Anyway, it was crowded, small and noisy. So typical.

Before that Jo & I took Ethan to our friends Nazriah & Mazri's daughter's 1st birthday party. Lots of people there and we decided to go without our maid. So the inevitable task of following our little terror around fell to his dad. Anyway, it was kinda fun till one of the kids - pretty bratty one - decided to leap at Ethan and bit him on the shoulder! Yes, you read right, bit him! Naturally, we were pretty upset as this has never happened to us much less to poor Ethan. Our boy cried his eyes out - more so due to the shock of the "attack" rather than the pain.

Thinking back, I did feel that I wanted to knock that bratty kid's head off right there and then. Luckily, my common sense told me to respect my hosts' dignity by not causing a scene. On hindsight, it was the right thing not to do. That kid, bratty as he may be, is but a kid. Still, I hope that his parents do consider what he did seriously and do something about his attitude when playing with other kids.

When we got home after that party, I bathed Ethan and later put him to bed. As we said together Ethan's usual bedtime prayer, I asked Ethan to pray for that kid. May he never hurt anyone else that way again. My boy didn't seem too bothered about the incident then. Children, perhaps we should strive to be like them...


Ethan & his mum... 

The one about the Bar Dinner...

Twas a hectic week. Now sitting here lazily on Sunday night/Monday morning, I partly miss the crazy rush to get things organised the last week, what with Jo's birthday and the Bar Dinner both within four days of each other!

Well, its all over now. There'll be a deafening calm for a few weeks, socially anyway. However, I have been known to be wrong about these things. Anyway, we can only wait and see...

So, the Bar Dinner Saturday night! Gosh, I must say, its my sixth year helping to organise this annual event and I do believe this one was one of the better ones. I had fun and it was truly fun organising it. Still, I do know there's no pleasing everyone. Bound to be a few brickbats thrown my way. Oh well, am used to it.

We stayed over at the Shangri La Hotel where the dinner was held. The room was reasonable - certainly not the five star standard of international destinations. Got to say, the banqueting department held up well to the pressure and in the end it was a good job by all. My organising team was great as always - Jo, Jaishree, Saw Hooi, Karen, Lynette, Reza, Dev, Taryna & Selvi all did well and were instrumental in keeping the night moving along. Pam, our emcee was poised and delivered what was needed. Couldn't have asked for anything more.

We had Harith Iskander for our function. The verdict - he was totally hilarious! Best damn act I have had the pleasure of seeing for a very long time now. The whole hall was in stitches and I dare say they all enjoyed the show tremendously. So, the booze flowed freely, the music was pulsating and the people captivating. At least the ladies anyway! Must say, the standard of dressing was kept up and the girls made it a wonderfully elegant yet sexy affair!

Most people left early as always. What with Dave from Soho's there, he managed to garner a crowd to adjourn to his place but a few die-hards stayed on and made it their night to remember. We stayed till around 1.30pm and left the hotel for a late supper of Nasi Lemak and Sup Kambing! KH, Jinny, Sue, Jo and myself stumbled (alcohol induced) to our table at the Ayub Cafe on Argyll Road amidst strange looks from the patrons. Either they were wondering where we were from or the horny guys were just leering at our hot looking ladies...

Anyway, I must say I had a great time myself and this Bar Dinner is the perfect one for me to sign off from the organisinng team. Next year, I shall leave it to the younger ones to inject some fresh ideas into the event.

Once again, I leave you with some photos of the night. I didn't really have time to take many pics but will post more when the official photos are out! Meanwhile, take care!



Ladies deep in conversation... 


Jo stressing a point! 


Posing during cocktails 


Jinny, Celina & Jo...all in a row!