2010 WC Update

The group phase is over and the elimination process begins. So far the matches were mostly boring, sadly. I fell asleep halfway through England vs Algeria and Portugal vs Brazil. Thankfully, Italy vs Slovakia initiates the adrenaline flow, especially the final fifteen minutes and personally favouring the Slovaks.

Slovakia players celebrate after thumping the Italians.

As I mentioned on the previous post, I always loved to see the underdogs pawning (or at least frustrating) the favourites. Algerians holding England to draw. New Zealand keeping Italians out of bay. Swiss shocked the mighty Spaniards. I also liked to see Christiano Ronaldo falter. Too bad he got it right in the 7-0 thrashing of North Korea.

This World Cup also showed that with the globalization of football, the traditional powers of football are not guaranteed their place through. Read: Italy and the utterly disgraceful fiasco-ridden France. Finalists in 2006, they traveled back with much grimace. And while the Africans did not live up to the Waka Waka hype, they (mostly) showed that they live to fight. Thankfully, Ghana is still flying the flag for them in the knockout stages. Asians meanwhile made themselves proud, with South Korea and Japan into the last 16.

PJS lead the line for South Korea.

And then there were the frequent complains of the vuvuzela and Jabulani, especially from the European so-called big stars. They should save their breath in whining about disruptive noises and unpredictable ball flight and focus on playing.  And personally I liked the vuvuzela.

 




Jabulani ball and vuvuzela

As the competition progresses into the knockout stages, the excitement heightens to a new level. Off to watch England vs Germany.

D-Day

It was serene as usual. Little or close to no small talk or chit chats. Never mind heated discussion or debates. He and I just spend the day as usual, doing the usual stuff. In the morning, he went for his usual jogging, I was still lazing in bed. In the afternoon, he was taking his usual afternoon nap. I was surfing the internet. We had lunch together. No conversation. Then we had our durian session, with a few comments on the tastiness of the king of the fruit. In the evening, he watched the TV, I played football. We had dinner, commented on the taste of the chicken chop. The trip to and fro from Jalan Tengah was also a quiet one. Then we watched the World Cup together. Had a in sync shout of goal. Two times. Paraguay 2 Slovakia 0.

I gave him a McD glass cup as a present. Happy Father's Day, I said. Thank you, he said. That's all. Despite the sombre portrayal of our relationship, we had the deepest utmost respect for each other. Probably of this fact, we see no need of having too much conversation. Heh.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

Cup Fever

Friggin' four years. And now time for the kick-off.

We the fans are of course thrilled. During my college years, there were two groups of people that watches the World Cup: The fanatic gender (read: Boys) and the you-make-me-go-OMG gender (read: Girls). The boys were in for the thrill (though the less fanatic ones just tag along) while the girls were there to bitch around which team has the most charming line-up.

Thanks to the abundant media coverage and promotion, there are always much hype. Its of course a different set of culture for fans from countries that do not (and don't even dare to dream to) participate in the World Cup. For us, we can simply choose to fancy a team and switch alliances when the favourite team did not go through. Which is so much unlike inhabitants in those participating nations. Imagine a German fan walking into an English pub for that matter.

And apart from the real showpiece, we have the sideline desserts to savior. The English media always like to focus on the footballer WAGs.  I still prefer the Latin America fans.

Sorry for digressing. Now come the big question: Who will you support in the World Cup?

Traditionally, I have always fancy England. This time is no exception. Yea they are overrated and all, but still. Teams that I would prefer to see winning (or at least go further than group stages) are Spain, Holland and Brazil. Meanwhile, I have always like watching David slaying Goliath, and I am expecting some surprises from the underdogs. So go North Korea! XD

And um, enjoy the football month!

Quiet Drive

I almost hate driving since working. I was largely clueless as to how contradicting it is to my previous nature of being a kaki kereta. Not until an hour ago that I realize that why it is as such.

Since taking up the job, I have been driving with purpose, destination and deadlines. The bright shiny helluva huge ass ball of fire adds in as the kick-in-the-teeth factor.

An unusual urge ushered me out tonight to JUST drive my car. And the long-gone familiar joy of driving started to reemerge. Instead of the boisterous need to rush, I am driving at the pace of my own liking. Instead of trying to reach a place safe and sound, I have no aims to achieved. Sounds very zen-ish eh?

So I also realize that although the joys of life can be easily murdered by the hectic and chaotic world of work, it can also be rediscovered. As long as we find the initiative to do so. Hmm. Ok, end of reflection period. Ciao.

Luke Fabregas

Its epic LOL-ness when the worlds of science fiction and sports can combined to give you the ultimate laugh.

Prologue: Fabregas seems to be all set for Barcelona from Arsenal, but now something seems to change his mind....

Fabregas: I'm off!

Wenger: There is no escape. Don't make me destroy you. You do not yet realize your importance. You have only begun to discover your power. Join me and I will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy... er... I mean football.

Fabregas: I'll never join you!

Wenger: If you only knew the power of the Arsenal. Pat Rice never told you what happened to your father.

Fabregas: He told me enough.

Wenger: I am your father.

Fabregas: No. No. That's not true! That's impossible!

Wenger: Search your feelings. You know it to be true.

Courtesy of D. Raynor from Soccernet.

Wenger: This way to the Force

Wish I

While leaving the hectic highways of the capital, my thoughts hardly strayed from the blast I had the previous night. After so many years, I still hold this company as the dearest and most influential in my life. Its always hard to leave friends behind. This one bunch being the hardest. At times like this, I wished I am Hiro Nakamura or Nightcrawler, traveling between two places frequently.

Alas, I have my obligations. Although pretty much tempted to the callings of "Come to KL lar..", I had to deploy firmly to my duties. At least for the foreseeable future. Nonetheless, I am chuffed to be at the gathering, even its four hours away from where I supposed to be. Hopefully, we will have more. And Happy Birthday to a certain Anakin fanatic. XD

Quick Babblings

Time past so effing swift that Friday comes faster than I could say TGIF. Not that I said that often. In fact, I preferred Mondays, where workload is the least. I digressed.

And its already half of 2010. Well, almost. And come to think of it, I am in the rat race for more than half a year. It didn't occur to me until I sit down at a hard cold bench outside the factory waiting for the bunch of usually hardworking minions to come out, that I was drifting within my own thoughts and suddenly: Hey, half a year liao wtf fast.

And one of my ex-school mates interning there came and said hello (and also bye as its already going-off time). Said he: This is my last day here. Asked me: What now? Said he: One week break and I am going back to study. Aahh, study. How nice. I miss those thrill-seeking days. I told him like some 55-year -old veteran worker: Enjoy school life while you can. Priceless period no kidding.

I don't know how long I can go. Work ( and life in general) is not mundane. Not at all. In fact, sometimes it dropped too many surprise-factor bombs. Then again, I will survive. How fitting to write this post while Cake was hard-covering that song.

Down and Out

The body struggle to surge forward. The brain was spanking it to move. After several nano-seconds, only the body reluctantly moved to the desired position. But by then, the ball had already pass through me. Hell, even the person that are supposed to be marked pass through. Then, the pain of changing position frustrates me. By the time it managed to twist and turn and decided to slide in, the ball had struck the net.

Gah.





















You get these when your occupation consist of 24 hour stand-by and limited movements such as walk, sit and drive. Mostly drive. There is no time for more physical stuff. And the occasional be-physical-period comes in weekends. But if it rains, then there is none.

So what leads to the fatigue and slow reaction is almost one month without exercise. God, I miss my college days. Then again, c'est la vie.

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