Slow way to end 2006

2006 has ended.

I think the last days of 2006 ended with meaning since it was spent with the important people in my life …

My friends, family & myself

Had dinner with the UPM gang before going to Penang … it was Polar’s b’day and LLL, DL & Mama who made the group … and come to think of it … it’s almost 9 years since we 1^st met in uni … how time flies huh? But true friendship endures … and it’s good to have a couple of laughs & smile … oh yeah … the cake was humongous …

Took a drive to Penang with my mum & dad … had some nice lunch with them … hung out at my aunt’s place … then off to meet EC … had good chat & dinner at Nando’s … and it was interesting to be posed with questions she asked me … it’s like I am getting closer to a solution for myself … and knowing what I need to do. It was a lot about communication, trying to understand the other person more …

Then went for a drinking party at Andy’s place with his colleagues … and contrary to my reservations … his gang were a fun lot … but since he dunked me with several rounds of Chivas … I passed out at 2am … but just in time to finish Liverpool’s win … great night, but not enough sleep … partly the alcohol in me … sigh …

Sun was slow … just the way I liked it … checked mails, went for breakfast, then tea at Island Plaza … then home to lunch with mum, dad, Ed, Pam & grandma …

Then off again for my haircut with Andy … then hung around at Borders at the new Queensbay mall … before dinner at TGIF with Kucing … she brought me my Hot Wheels …. Hooray!! That’s very nice of her …

Anyway, we had some fun calling up KF, and also sms-ing New Year wishes … except our feline friend who in her kiasu-ness, sent all of it in the afternoon … Penang people, haha!

Didn't go for any countdown ... just went home by 1145pm ... had wine, then off to sleep ... long drive the next day. But had some time to reflect about my trip ... and also about the year ... then KO

Left for KL yesterday … stopping by Ipoh for lunch with my aunt, uncle & cousin … and got home by 4pm. Quite tired … and driving in hot afternoon is straining on my eyes … sigh … but the sleep was good … then just lazed around …

Too bad had problems with Multiply … so doing my blog here … hehe

New year, new haircut ...

Some friends have long asked me to get a new haircut ... but due to procrastination & also expensive saloon charges in KL ... I hesitated at length ...

Anyway, I finally got to it in Penang when AQ took me to his regular place ... and voila! You got a new look me ... not really what I am used to ... but even Kucing said it's more cool ... so we'll see what other frens say ... hahaha

All on 31st Dec 2006 ... hehehe





















Front look ...






















Left angle




















Right angle

Movie: Talladega Nights

Will Ferrell’s movies are mostly dumb-ass and this is just another of it to be lumped together with the other Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler stuff …

So it’s about a NASCAR racer who come out of nowhere to become a champion. But Ferrell’s character portrays the most extreme character, where he builds himself around a façade of people in his life, where he’s not true to his friend, he gets an bimbo-success-leech wife … and his kids are just bad ass spoilt.

As people say, you reap what you sow and his bad attitude in public, with his boss, with his best friend and others … he just one day got displaced & lost everything he ever had … including his self esteem & fire to race. Got dumped by his vixen wife who went for his best friend. Double-cross, the best kind.

Ok, what happens? His long lost dad came out of nowhere to straighten his act.

You don’t need me to tell you how the story ends. He won right? Actually no. But he did win his self esteem & understood finally the rules of the game & life. But don’t for this in the cinema, not worth your time. Cheers.

Note - Read the 'Four agreements'

My old guru, Abid dropped me a mail today. He recommended me to read this book …

“The four agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz

He has not recommended any book to me lately, so it must be good & I think I shall put this in mind when I finish Coelho’s ‘Like the flowing river’ … let's see what this is all about …

Anyway, did a little check out & I kind of liked what the book is about … check it out …

Excerpt taken from Oprah’s link

According to don Miguel Ruiz, everything we do is based on agreements we have made—agreements with ourselves, with other people, with God, with life. But the most important agreements are the ones we make with ourselves. In these agreements we tell ourselves who we are, how to behave, what is possible, what is impossible. One single agreement is not such a problem, but we have many agreements that come from fear, deplete our energy, and diminish our self-worth.

In The Four Agreements, don Miguel reveals the source of self-limiting agreements that rob us of joy and create needless suffering. When we are ready to change these agreements, there are four deceptively simple, yet powerful agreements that we can adopt as guiding principles. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, The Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love.

The Four Agreements are:

BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD.

Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the of truth and love.

DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY.

Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS.

Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST.

Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are tired as opposed to well-rested. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

The Four Agreements sound simple, even simplistic. But try keeping just one for an entire day!

Ramblings - Chicken & egg situation

I realize I missed out on some perspectives being who I am.

I am ambitious. I am greedy. I am a little power crazy. Since 2003, I’m now in my 4^th company … and each time I moved … it’s for better career prospect or higher pay.

In some ways, people told me it’s envious to progress quickly, so I enjoyed the acclaim. But each time I joined a new company … I started asking where I’d go next … least for HP, Marcus Evans & ABF. But the thirst & greed for more power & money leaves me moving all the time … and perhaps I am making money …

But emotionally … I’m sucked dry because I spend so much time building relations … and at some point where things don’t work out … I simply bailed out.

It of course does not help to have ready suitors offering me positions … or headhunting me, especially when I just joined my new companies as in for ABF & now.

It’s programmed somewhere that I have escape chutes ready whenever I’m ready to bail … and with more money. And because of my greediness for money & power … I’ve often thought of moving on to Singapore … lured by the pull of the hard Singaporean dollar.

Take my friend, KF.

He’s been in his company for the past 3 years (think almost 4). He has steadily grown there … he has built his network … and if we look in terms of emotional reserve, he has a lot in there. And he’s less greedy as me. Furthermore, he’s got a house, he’s engaged … so there’s a lot of certainty & direction in life than me.

At times … I feel lost … because although the direction is certainly up for career … but I can’t be certain of where & who because there’s the niggling thought that someone may tempt me with a bigger & better offer. And we aren’t even talking about solidity in personal life yet.

Hard as it may to admit, everything is linked to each other … being unstable in job is part of the reason why I was hesitant to engage in relationships. Being unstable in relationships, I was hesitant to be stuck in fixed jobs.

Being a chicken & egg situation … I think the perhaps best way is to make a decision & stick with it. So … as per my previous post … make commitments …to job … & settle into my own house soon.

Then perhaps I can cease envying KF & have my own space & hopefully enjoy the nice feeling of settling into a more certain direction …

Has to start somewhere … why not here & why not now?

BSB capers – Polar loses his wheels

Jingle bells

Grizzly smells

Baby laid an egg

The polar bear, lost his wheels

The ding-dong got away …

It’s like any weekend when I went home to Subang and especially that weekend I had more reasons to vacate my pad in Serdang Hill cos Mrs. Polar (aka LCY) was in town … so better leave those lovebirds to (ahem) enjoy the privacy …

So I can’t remember exactly what’s going on, but he was in Sunway Pyramid (in those days, it was one of THE places to be) … and I thought ok … these 2 having a good time & romantic movie …

I got a call around 3pm … and I thought … hmmm, a little too early for night outings, no? hehe, time for the tragic news … kekeke

Well … Polar lost his bike keys & by the time he walked back to the crime scene … his ride wasn’t there anymore … and now this guy needs to make a report. Those days Pyramid did not have their small station, so needed to get him to the one in PJ …

And what a drama … cos by the time he made the report & all, things looked topsy turvy … he was wondering if he dropped it or he left it at the ignition …

But all in all … damage was done … so thought of sending him back, but think in the end, someone came to get him (either that or they took a train back to Serdang)

So LCY went back … & our fren depended on Baby to go to class … but within a few days … the cops gave him a call … said they caught the guy (he was dumb enough to use the stolen bike in the vicinity of Sunway & using it for a snatch crime) … again, you can see that Malaysia was already BOLEH back then … typical Malaysian stupidity.

So he had to go to court, do some testimony, bla bla … then got his bike back. At least that’s what I thought I remembered from it. (Anyway, if my version was distorted, I’m sure he’ld drop come komens here)

BSB Capers – The bogus lucky draw gifts

This was towards the end of 2^nd year … and there was a mini LC dinner in place of the usual glitzy AD&D … (but we're not here to talk about why that decision ... so let's move on to the story)

So anyway, since my job in the board was to deal with companies & to garner sponsorships was one of the tasks for this dinner … so me had to come in …

Now, some gifts for the lucky draw were easily sourced out as some parents / family members of the organizing committee gave stuff … which made the job easier …

Me? I just called up some alumni & got quite a few stuff in … but I can’t help noticing that some from the alumni were coming from their own ‘housing excess’ … like very old (but unopened) CDs , shirts & stuff.

At that time, I had won some CDs from some contest a few years back, but one was a Satanic verse CD, another was a heavy metal shit … coupled in with a few classic CDs from the Hitz Cruisers … AND one dumb Independence Day 2 movie … in other words .. stuff I didn’t want … always thought keeping them would be for SOME purpose …

Of course … then was THE PERFECT MOMENT!

Now Baby (being the usual observant guy around) he asked me what were these stuff doing on my desk? And I told him that I planned to ‘dispose’ them off & donate them as gifts to the OC … then he burst into one of his classic laugh stances … him holding his stomach, throwing his head backwards & laughing with his palm on his forehead …

Of course the laugh continued with a few more ridiculous jibes, but the best that I remember until today was … ‘I wonder who would get that dumb Independence Day 2 VCD? Semoga tuhan merestui nya … ’

It’s really a turkey of a movie … & NOTHING like the original Independence Day flick … and we thought … what IF I got one of them back?

‘Then, ah, it’s meant to be that I own these crap’ was my wistful exclamation ...

The best laugh came during the dinner … these guys opened their wrapped CDs & when we heard Vincent saying that ‘Hey, I got Independence Day 2 VCD’ … I just sat at my corner, looked at Baby & we laughed away for this ridiculous moment …

There you go ... a proud VCD owner ... Enjoy the movie man!!!!

PS. I wondered who got the Satanic verse CD … hehehe … cos I didn’t get any of them back … hohoho

House of glass – where dreams take you

‘Can I join you?’

‘Sure, if you don’t mind the cold’

‘So, what are you looking at?’

‘The snow, the village, the people, the serenity of this place … it’s a great morning isn’t it?’

‘Is it? Then you must come to my village, you’d enjoy it’

‘I’m sure I’d’

…

‘So tell me Jayko, what brought you here? Who are you really?’

‘Haha.’ Typical Slovak trait … diving straight to the point, but I like that. ‘ I dunno, just followed my heart, a voice inside told me that I should go somewhere’

‘What did your heart tell you?’

‘Be different, seek different, seek deeper, seek meaningful paths’

‘That’s really deep’

‘Haha. I grew up in my town being one of the less rich people. Most people I know went overseas as children & told me wonderful stories of America, Europe, Hong Kong & many others. I’ve only been to Singapore & Thailand at that time’

‘Mmm … ok’

‘I loved seeing new places & I told myself that one day I shall go to all of the places they went & even more …

‘And you are here, right now … at this moment. And I think its great cause that’s what I want to do’

‘Ok, just do it’

‘Oh, I don’t know. Can I?’

‘You can, just take 1 thing at a time. Every step you take opens a door to further opportunities’

‘How?’

‘When I took my 1^st job, I never thought I could do it. Sales! How can a nerdy kid sell when he’s not a good talker?’

‘Can’t imagine you like that’

‘Long story. Anyway, I took the job & the job changed my life because I learnt many things school cannot teach me. But, at that time I had no idea where the job will take me. I just followed my heart.’

‘And your point is?’

‘Look, I never planned to be here, right now, right this moment when I joined AIESEC. I could have been somewhere else, like working in some company back in Malaysia’

‘Hahaha’

‘But I am here now, sharing with you this story … maybe a moral … because …’

‘What?’

‘You can be telling the same to someone else in the future & continue to pass this magic forward.’

…

‘The heart does not lie does it?’

‘No, it’s what you want deep inside. It’s the light that glimmers when everything goes dark & murky’

‘Amazing, I will remember this … always ’

House of glass – where dreams take you

‘Can I join you?’

‘Sure, if you don’t mind the cold’

‘So, what are you looking at?’

‘The snow, the village, the people, the serenity of this place … it’s a great morning isn’t it?’

‘Is it? Then you must come to my village, you’d enjoy it’

‘I’m sure I’d’

…

‘So tell me Jayko, what brought you here? Who are you really?’

‘Haha.’ Typical Slovak trait … diving straight to the point, but I like that. ‘ I dunno, just followed my heart, a voice inside told me that I should go somewhere’

‘What did your heart tell you?’

‘Be different, seek different, seek deeper, seek meaningful paths’

‘That’s really deep’

‘Haha. I grew up in my town being one of the less rich people. Most people I know went overseas as children & told me wonderful stories of America, Europe, Hong Kong & many others. I’ve only been to Singapore & Thailand at that time’

‘Mmm … ok’

‘I loved seeing new places & I told myself that one day I shall go to all of the places they went & even more …

‘And you are here, right now … at this moment. And I think its great cause that’s what I want to do’

‘Ok, just do it’

‘Oh, I don’t know. Can I?’

‘You can, just take 1 thing at a time. Every step you take opens a door to further opportunities’

‘How?’

‘When I took my 1^st job, I never thought I could do it. Sales! How can a nerdy kid sell when he’s not a good talker?’

‘Can’t imagine you like that’

‘Long story. Anyway, I took the job & the job changed my life because I learnt many things school cannot teach me. But, at that time I had no idea where the job will take me. I just followed my heart.’

‘And your point is?’

‘Look, I never planned to be here, right now, right this moment when I joined AIESEC. I could have been somewhere else, like working in some company back in Malaysia’

‘Hahaha’

‘But I am here now, sharing with you this story … maybe a moral … because …’

‘What?’

‘You can be telling the same to someone else in the future & continue to pass this magic forward.’

…

‘The heart does not lie does it?’

‘No, it’s what you want deep inside. It’s the light that glimmers when everything goes dark & murky’

‘Amazing, I will remember this … always ’

just me ...