Opening Minds

Playing with psychology is fun. Of course since its not actually concrete science, there are interpretations to what should and could have happened. But that's not the point.

Its all about making hypothesis and analyzing the outcome. Initially, I find it depressing because most of the time the predictions came out wrong. Then I realized that its not always about the results. Its the process that is interesting. After all, its something that deals with human mind. Which, in my opinion, the most complicated thing ever created by nature.

There is a reason that I think I find it depressing at first. Its because I watched too much TV. Well, the psychologists that are portrayed seems to know everything. It did not occur to me that its only TV. They have to make them look super-humanly amazing and us in real life, so much inferior. Then again, its not impossible to be as accurate as them. What is needed are more experience and education.

Ironically, I got that culmination from a TV show. In Bones, when Dr. Sweets showed frustration (time and again in the show) after unable to find a logical explanation to the relationship between Booth and Brennan, it just suddenly occur to me that psychologist are not gods. We can't always be right, even in our own expertise.

Phew. What a revelation. Ok then, back to work on Monday. Out for now.

Gemma

I know it sounds cliche. But Gemma Anderton is hot. Such pretty name too. She is partly (read: mostly) the reason I watch COTT for the second and third time. And I still watch St. Trinian's occasionally. And oh, I am glad Perseus chose Io instead of Andromeda. Wise choice.





















I don't mind the spanking.

Sorry to sound a lil perv. But I think its probably the stress. But still.

Hey Saturday Night

So whassup there on Saturday night?

Used to be crazy nights of boom boom pows, or adrenaline rush at mamaks, or popcorn and movie, or maybe just one big gathering of people doing nothing.

Those days are worth reminiscing.

Now all I ever really wanted for a Saturday night is a relax atmosphere without any interference from anybody. Here I am listening to Train (most relaxing band ever), being a busybody with Facebook, reads lots of self-helps and life-hacking tips, and also a few pages of thriller later. Totally me, myself and I.

After all, I deserved that after a week's hassle. Just one night is good enough.

Telephone

Today, I got to know how important and in demand I am to the company that I am stationed at.

Based on a telephone.

Apparently, I am speed dial number one. End of story.

Clash of the Titans

I had already anticipated this movie since the dawn of its production. Greek mythology had always been a fascinating obsession since I was a kid. And a dose of these intriguing fables will make my day. Believe it when I say I watched the 1963 Jason and the Argonauts 5 times when I was seven.



























On the other hand, I was ignorant to think that the Percy Jackson series was just another Harry-Potter-ish fantasy. Don't blame me. The movie posters did look so much akin. Ok, they do have very magical elements, but I kinda anticipating the PJ series now. Why? Just because they are Greek-ish.

On an almost-unrelated note, I witness some bona fide clashes in reality. Yes its ugly at times. Sometimes down right Medusa-like sordid when scenarios get aggravated. But, you gotta say: Hey that's work, that's life. Although not experienced first-hand, its still a valuable lesson. Painful, climacteric lessons.

And truthfully I would not want to be Perseus in such circumstances.

Same Same

What are the chances that a certain person wears the same Esprit T, similar pair of adidas shoes, uses a Motorola flip-phone, similar hairstyle standing right beside you at a bus stop? Pretty much normal right? The only thing that creeps me out is that he uses the same synonymous totally exact message tone. You then ask again: Pretty much normal right? Only if its not Kim Possible's alert beep.

I really don't know if there is a term for this kind of similarity stuff. Dono what deja something i guess.

PS: The only "posession" that we don't share in common is an attractive babe (which I would have gone for) standing right beside him and holding his hand tightly. FML.

Potong-ness

*Telephone rings*

*Look at screen for 10 seconds before picking up...*

"Lo..."

"Hello, you are the agent hoh? Your worker sick ar...she say cannot work liao...can bring her to clinic or home ar?"

"Oh, ok. Er....what about the clinic within the factory?"

"That one close liao.....let me know when you reach ok? Kthxbye."

Of course this is part of the job. Been there done that several times.

The only potong steam part is it happens at 12.47am. Yes, I vividly remembered the exact time.

A bit of fml-ness.

Food For Thought

via Focus (click to enlarge)

While this does not really apply in Malaysia, it still provide a detail guideline to which course your kid should go into field you shall go for in the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, on an almost unrelated note, I am glad to know that my boss appreciates our work. By adding perks for the team. She even decided to change our job title into something more classy and elegant. Don't know what it is that, but whoever had my previous name card can discard it. XD

Of course, with great power, comes great responsibility.....sorry, wrong context....with added incentives, comes added responsibility. But hey, I believe in what you give is what you get. So...yeah. That's that.

Misery Business

My colleague was jealous that I am holding a fort that is least invaded with issues. He can kiss that comment goodbye, and so can I. One day after the cursed conversation and I am doomed when civil war embroiled among the ranks and battlefields erupted out of nowhere. Verdict? FML, god.

Oh no I am not complaining mind you. In fact, I see this as a valuable experience for me. If not for the frail knowledge of coping, I would have committed suicide. Ok screw CS. Overkill. More like sinking into depression.

So I am still here, standing. Truth is, I am a tiny little bit impressed with me-self. And with new ammo sliding into the clips continuously, there are still 5000 waves to overcome. But with each victory, I acknowledge it. Hell, least I could do anyways.

Moral of the story: You must be strong no matter what comes and a self-pat on the shoulder after each achievement always work.



......That sounded too noble to be my MOTS. I prefer: Wei dai lou , time to change job liao lar!

XD

Keeping Up

I am trying my best to keep my parietal lobe in tact and functioning. Ever since coming out of university, that part of the brain had hardly been in use. When I started my daily grind, I promise myself to at least a few pages of a novel, but my determination and persistence had always been questioned since the dawn of my life.

But this time I am trying hard to keep it going. I try to forgo time spent on games - 2 major games left on my PC - in exchange for at least half an hour on a novel. And instead of facebooking, I am trying to read articles, posts and blogs more. And singalong helps too, with minilyrics attached to Winamp player.



















Nowadays, I also have urges to read articles and reports that I found dreadful during college and university lives. Too bad all those temporary subscriptions ended and I am still a cheapskate who is not willing to pay for memberships.

How long can this plan last remain to be seen. After all, I am still young and ambitious, with the now-elusive Masters still among my plans.

A Celebrated Milestone

It doesn't hit me as a significant achievement until the day comes and you are steps away from being congratulated, hands ready to be shaken firmly by the vice chancellor. And all the pictures that we took together with the restricting robe and mortar board remind me one thing: You have made it.




























Ok, maybe that's a little too sentimental already lar. All I want to say is : Hey there folks! I is degree holder liao. *Lansiness* XD


I don't feel like answering the question: "So what if you are a degree holder?" I just want to cherish the moment and remember all those moments where we, as college and university students, strive, grind, share, embrace, proof and enjoy together.

























After all, its a glorious moment. A celebrated milestone. And oh, by the way, thank you to all that I have crossed path with and made my 5 years of college and university life a thrilling one.

Myvi -hicle.

Supposedly a real outdated post (One month).

Simply put, I now own a car.

Say hello to me MyVi.

















I totally love Medallion Gray, but apparently Perodua kinda screw up their orders or whatever glitches in their colouring system. So here's Solid White. Oh well, I don't mind. Just that its so much easier to collect dirt.





















Got the Premium/ Full Specs package. And it added the USB port and handsfree Bluetooth function. Since I prefer USB sticks anytime to 3 piles of CDs, its very useful to have this accessory. And I totally utilize the Bluetooth device due to flooding calls while on the road.

I am not a great reviewer of cars. But I will try lar anyways. Since its the Premium model, it comes with a 1.3 litre K3-VE engine. And I don't know how significant it is to me. Just that, its, obviously, powerful than the 1.0 litre one lo. Additionally, there's the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), and also the Electronic Brakforce Distribution (EBD), which deals with amount of force automatically applied on the brake. Mmm. Uh-huh. Sounds deep enough.
















Premium version also gives a cool interior look to the meter panels. A blue background coupled with red needles pretty much gets my attention, especially on the speedometer.

And since I am hard-core all-action and gaya-ness manual transition fan, I took the M/T package. Save me 4K and tons of petrol, coupled with more power and most importantly, full-fledged control of the car.

FAQ: Does it save petrol? Well, I don't really know how to relate it statistically. But my gut says its moderately fuel-saving.

So, anyone for a ride? XD

Year of the Tiger

Its the Chinese New Year. Gong Xi Fa Cai, people!

Its the only time of the year that I'm going to have a week-long holiday. And that excludes stand-by calls. Thankfully, my colleagues are very co-operative to arrange each person standing by for one day of the first four days of new year. And till now, its safe to say everything is smooth.

I haven't count the angpow money yet. But as it is for the past years, the money is all going straight to the bank. Not that I am complaining. Its just the minor "urgh" feeling that I can't put the money into use immediately. Long term planning they say.

And the year of the tiger it is. I haven't seen my zodiac prediction. Hope its a good year. Its not a smooth year last time around.

I've seen so many tiger mascots on ads. But I like Astro's one best. Can't find an image online. Really a cute one. Its the same as the movie Tiger Woohoo (unexpectedly good local film anyway).





















Anyway, do wish all of yourselves with the CNY greetings you can think of in the year of the tiger. Keong Hi Huat Zhai!

Relax

Turbulent seems to be a little bit extreme to describe working life. But hey, its the first word that comes to mind.

So with all these frantic activities commanding life, what we need is to r.e.l.a.x.

It fascinates me that I just (re)discovered that the best way to relax comes in the form of we doing almost nothing. Normally, I would wind up the speaker and double click Modern Warfare 2. The adrenaline pump seems to kick start life, especially in the morning. But the glitch is that the aftermath: the downer period.

So today I decided to take dramatic measures. I deleted MW2. Impulsively. Downloaded a few songs, sit back and listen.






















Oh yes, just like that.

And oh god, that was the most relaxing past 2 hours since forever. I can't decide whether it has a downer period but, I haven't try doing almost nothing for a long time. Its therapeutic. I also found out that selection of songs is also essential. Anberlin, Three Days Grace and Nickelback are my favourites, but they don't cater the relaxing factor. I tried "happy singers" like Archuleta, Owl City and Train to feel cheerful. As for chilling out, Leona Lewis, The Script and One Republic helps. Then of course there are the total relaxation section like the classics and new age stuff. But that's for another time. And oh next in the list would probably be meditation and yoga. Maybe.

.......

Come to think of it, I am beginning to regret deleting MW2. *Go search for the Installer.*

What Nonsense Lah

Work has taken out the large chunk of my 24 hours that I realize that I....

...haven't explored my geeky side with sites such as Lifehacker, Gizmodo and Kotaku.
...had not bought my new year's clothes yet with deadline set at 2 weeks.
...don't wish people happy birthday anymore on Facebook.
...wakes up suddenly at 4am-ish imagining my phone ringing. (Sometimes they do. Yes. 4am)
...managed to watch just one episode of any selected series per night.
...touched a football just once a week.
...haven't touched Teh O' Ais, mamak style, for one month.
...haven't downloaded music since work started.

And the list goes on of course.

At 22, the best years of my life seems to be the previous 5 years. The hangover is still evident even now. Its not a comfort thought to say its one helluva good experience. I do appreciate the experience. But sometimes it can be over-taxing.

Geez. I think I'm blabbing nonsense. Ah well, thats what blogs are for sometimes.

Me out. Poof.

Reminiscence

There are times that I still can't believe that I've been there. I guess it happened way too fast.




























I still get the shivers when I think of the breeze during the long walks to almost everywhere.




























And of course the buzzing city centre where frozen foods are always on the top of the shopping list.




























But somehow, I miss this the most. The kitchen, the pots and pans and the ting ting food.

Geez. I need a ticket now.

Jerejak

It was fitting that the trip made was on the 10-01-10. After all, its been 10 years since our graduation from the school. I haven't made a return to that school in five plus years. Shall do it one day.























Although its just a few of us. But its a milestone that we ought to celebrate. And hopefully by coming gatherings, there should be more of us.

I digress abit.

As for Jerejak, its my first time there. It's embarrassing because for 22 years as a Penangnite, I had never step foot on it. And its a shame that the government did not promote much of it or even make an effort to transform it into a much more delicate and exciting place. I saw at least a potential of Pulau Sentosa. In fact, I would be very glad if they can emulate half of Sentosa.
















Nonetheless, its a fine place to relax and a (almost) perfect getaway from the hectic life. They have a nice resort with, surprisingly, good food. Outdoor activities included archery, fire...sorry...flying fox, cycling, camping, ball games, (tedious) jungle trekking and wall-climbing. Not to forget paint-ball. Unfortunately and regrettably, no water activities.





















Wheee....

As mentioned, I was surprised that there was no, zero, zilch promotion of Pulau Jerejak as a tourist attraction for Penang. Unless I'm pretty ignorant and blind.

End word: Worth exploring if you want a getaway and to shred some flab.

Halo Ineptitude Bye Bye Creativity

When I first saw the action figures, I suspected somebody stole my imagination while I was a kid and now they are billionaires with a smirk on how they come across the inspiration to architect this out.
























Image via Kotaku.

Seriously I was a creative kid back then who watches too many war movies and played too many strategy games. So after the show/game, i will try to create my range of universal soldiers on pen and paper. And those eerily resemble these Halo action figures.

How times had changed. Now I am just a person who can't figure out how I walked straight into a wall and knocked myself out.

Of Gatherings and...Well, More Gatherings

So its 2010. Its 5 years since my graduation from high school and geez....10 years from primary school. You don't really feel the years until you think and remind and talk about it. That was done when all these gathering invitations come to you and after the Hello part, the next exclamation would most probably be: Oh gosh, its like 10 years already can you believe it?

Its always interesting to have these gatherings, gossiping updating each other about each other or others that could not make it.




















High school small gathering. Emphasizing the word "small"

I always liked the surprises. You know, something that starts with this expression: "You know what? All these years.....blah blah blah" then you will go like: "Holy cow. How come I did not know about this?!"

Catching up is a determination. I am crappy at that honestly. If not for all these occasional impromptu small gatherings, I would have lost lots of contacts.





















Group photo for primary school reunion. In bars.

Its even more exciting after I missed a few years of reunions. Filling the wide gaps. The very significant changes and the aforementioned surprises. What are you doing now? Where is he now? How come she chose that path, eh? etc etc. My personal favorite is of course....What?! She is married?!

I appreciate the peoples who dedicated their time in making these gatherings happen. And all the updates. Its not easy and I am totally lousy in doing all these. Thank you.

And oh, happy 2010. Till then.

And A Happy New Year.

Its the end of the year. Everything needs closing closing closing. And that means hectic hectic hectic. Ok I shall stop with echo echo echo. Pek chek-ness sets in a swarm. Really they just don't come solo or in pairs. In swarm. And then you don't really realize it when it hit. Its the aftermath that triggers the pain nerves.

Ah yes coming back to end of the year. I am trying very hard to resist switching off my phone (company policy not to) during the festive seasons. Heck. I had missed two dates because of that. Then they have to downgrade my computer. Yes downgrade you see it right. Then again, the amateur geek inside me still makes my computer looks super high tech compare to others (lansiness sets in). But that will be for another post.

So 2009 gonna be over. Hooray. I guess. Its been exciting and challenging year. Looking forward to 2010. No new year resolution too for this year. Just hoping for a smooth sail ahead.

Happy New Year. In advance.