white fang

I had the story somewhat read to me (in fragments) when I was a kid.  Many decades later I finally read the unabridged work.

It really grips like a wild python.  Every episode of the wolf dog becomes etched in my mind as it is conveyed by masterful story telling.  The fight will the bull dog is soul shakingly well portrayed.

Kids and Juveile alike stay away.  This is dark, grim and disturbing.  A full grown adult can appreciate and associate with the apathy and the merciless of the wild, or life for that matter.

murder on the orient express

Such an intriguing and lovely read.  Great twists in the end.  Hercule Poirot is such and unlikely and assuming protagonist but the story was tight, smart and congruent till the very end.  Now let's watch the movie and compare. I was surprised that Johnny Depp was not case as Poirot because his eccentricity fits perfectly.

my sister's wedding

They are now married after 16 years together.

LAMP

I set up LAMP on Google cloud (whee.!)

Unix is a pain but Ubuntu is tight, I have to give it that.  However it's still Unix, 'nuff said!

mma

Of all the places,  this took place in medini mall.  I witnessed the brutality and I vouch this was not staged.

housekeeping down to a fine art

Danny is a friend who is a globetrotter/globetrekker (I have lost track of what they call themselves these days).  To facilitate his frequent travels,  he lives out of a suitcase; literary.   He has all his belongings in a suitcase (small).  He lives in hotels and has no fixed abode.  He seems to have only one pair of jeans and one pair of shoes.

He however travels round the world constantly.  His flexible job allows him to do so.  He's been to all the mainstream locations as well as the exotic locations which are off the beaten path.  He has endless amazing stories to tell all the time.

I will never be Danny.  I need my running shoes,  work shoes, hiking shoes, loafters, etc.;  amoung other modern conveniences.

I can however try to be as much as Danny as possible.  For the past 6-8 months I have self imposed an embargo on the stuff that go into my apartment.  All things except food are prohibited, I turned down free gifts from supermarkets, I threw away gifts, I threw away stuff belonging to other people and feigned ignorance.  I govern the stuff inventory of my own place of stay with an iron fist.

As an add-on,  being a stout antagonist in regards to housework (I have written extensively about this,  previously published as 'all housework is evil' on a blog post which was eventually closed down),  I established some rules. Things simply stay where they are
 I make no effort to makes things tidier yet I make sure with absolute certainty and with no amnesty and no compromise all things stay exactly where they are.. I have even cordoned off areas where no man shall pass.

I feel better.  I no longer clench my fist and shout to the skies on thunderous nights on my zeal to abnegate housework.  The current situation is not perfect but it is manageable (for now).

Yes some may scream psychopath but Danny will probably just frown and tell me I can do better.  Ah... It's all a matter of perspective isn't it.

how to make a guy chase you

My last post delved into complicated social dynamcics of chasing a girl.  Let's flip the script this time round; here you will find the formula to make a guy chase you (yes you female reader)

As a recap,  to chase a girl here are the 3 steps
- Buy her a small gift
- Do her a small favour
- Give her a compliment

A girl simply needs to initiate the same transaction from her end
-  Demand a small gift. If he is having a meal demand some of his sides, if he is having a drink demand a sip.
- Demand a small favour. Ger him to help you with the necklace, ask him to give you a ride.
- Demand a compliment.  'So how do I look? ' will work nicely.

If he doesn't read your signals or doesn't move things forward after all your hard work, he is either too thick or too shy.  Just move on and use your charm on another worthy soul.

how to chase a girl

Express interest.  This can be done in the following ways,  not necessarily in this particular order.

- small gift.  The key is something with small monetary value but stands out amoung its peers.  For example Starbucks coffee or California dates, not regular coffee or a packet of cheap snacks.
- small favour.  Again the key is small.  Proof reading an university assignment is a good example, completing the whole assignment is overdoing it.
- compliment.  Be specific, be creative.  For example 'you are pretty' is no good; 'you have pretty eyes' is not bad ; 'some girls have looks but no style, some girls have style but no looks,  I think you have both ' is amazing.  Saying a good one once is enough to have a permanent effect. Saying it too often backfires and makes you a pandering wimp.

And then what?

If a girl digs you she will start the interaction. Give her the pleasure to do the rest of the work.

If not it doesn't matter what else you do,  it won't change anything.  Find another target, rinse and repeat.

Macau + Zhuihai + Guangzhou

Went on a family trip.

Met for the first time and bonded with many cousins. They generosity knows no bounds!

Eyewitness to the lavish lifestyle of today's rural China

Had geoduck and many other exceeding expensive delicacies excessively for the first time.

Village chicken farming was eye opening.

Macau people seem chilled and friendly.

People try all things under the sun to make money

Caught my flight by the skin of my teeth.

It was a nice trip!

passport photo

The devil is in the details.   Because of the impressive clarity,  passport photos can be a sore sight and they make people look away .   Well it is what it is .. This is watered down because of lost in digital translation of some of the resolution

pedometer

on days when i do my weekly run i hit 25000 steps on my pedometer.

wink hotel

Bloody hell,  locked myself out of my apartment,  resorted to spending a night at a nearby capsule hostel.

The little place is tastefully done up.  I got a berth/compartment instead of a air tight capsule I had imagined.  Although the curtain safeguarded my privacy,  it was not sound proof at all;  spending a night at such a place meant you'd get only REM sleep as you'd be constantly awoken by fellow backpackers going in and out, chatting, crying, turning on their beds,  etc.

I did note that white girls wore very little when they slept.

thinking about it only makes it worse

It took me a very long time to slog through this book my David Mitchell.   While it is a proper book it is just a unrelated collection of articles ranting about popular culture and current affairs.  As it was written 4-5 years ago a lot of it has become rather irrelevant.

I admire and thoroughly enjoy the sacarsm and witticism,  it's Bristish to the core.  I am tempted to re-read it just to make some of the outrageously smart and funny lines mine.

Or perhaps I should let it go and read a new one,  I have a long reading list after all.

The Ceroc and I

Ceroc is French for 'let's rock';  a popular partner dance in Europe particularly the UK.

I have been grappling with dancing for an embarrassing number of years.  While I knew enough moves to complete a dance which may even impress non dancers,  my timing was all off as I paid no attention to the music beat.  Without musicality dancing is just prancing.  I couldn't call myself a dancer, hell no.

After a hiatus of self discovery in that department I think I finally hear the music.  I think I may have come to terms with dancing to the music.  My ceroc dance after months away was mostly on beat.  Feeling kind of excited to see how the rest unfolds.

Some action from last year.  I was such a non worthy participant.  I scored top marks in the fun department though.
https://vimeo.com/195082776

Birthday #4x

Just like the year before I have been under the weather for a few days.  Currently fighting hard to shake off this cold which I suspect I caught inhaling haze while doing a run (how ironic).

Went to work and was generally grumpy as usual.  Currently on the plane waiting to take off;  in flight music is sprightly and it lifts my mood.  All in all a reasonably good day I guess..

I don't feel I need a pretentious excuse (like my birthday) to celebrate.  I'll go out and have a jolly good time when I feel better.

distatefully fun

Just finished reading Ron Jeremy's autobiography.  He tries hard to distinguish himself as a comedian but the witticisms are really neither here nor there,  neither good nor bad,  neither game changing nor deal breaking.  

His comedic efforts and the stories from the porn industry aren't enough content for a proper novel so there's quite a bit of fillers and chapters that don't quite deliver any points.  I somehow slogged through from cover to back.  It could have been a good read as a mini novel or short story.

Raleigh assessment 97

Top students

Live seafood

I never truly understood the meaning of live seafood.  To me it just meant fresh seafood.

The fateful day came when the supermarket fish counter person suggested I get some live prawns instead of the frozen ones.  They cost twice as much but I didn't get it much thought.  While I was at it I got myself some live clams;  I steamed them later for dinner.

I couldn't help but notice that the seafood platter somehow tasted different;  it tasted good and I craved for more.  That was unusual as I usually find eating a chore and I eat to live but not the other way round.

It then hit me like a train;  live seafood meant the sea creatures had been living almost until they were cooked (sometimes cooked alive).

I now crave live shell seafood platter.  I am indeed harvouring this evil thought.


Many weeks later. ..

I have not done it. I don't crave for it anymore.  I am not a killer afterall.

Japanese speech contest

The levels of proficiency of the participants are impressive as ever. Impressive by any standard. They are worthy of the tag of the best the country can offer.

Some of the school girls touched on philosophical subjects that would make adults like myself ponder about life,  all delivered in a foreign language.

I could have gone to YouTube and watch this stuff online but live immersion is just different. Is it the air?  Is it some chemical particles that are not visible to the naked eyes? Or is it the surrounding sound effect?

12km/h

I have been unashamedly considering myself a runner since completing a half marathon in 2008/9(?) with a pathetic time of 2hr30m.  I did look upon non runners around me with disdain and contempt and I tried my best not to let it show.

For years I had been trying to go beyond the 10km/h mark with a 2.0 incline on the treadmill without risking a cardiac arrest.  After years and years of perseverance I finally achieved that breakthrough today by going 12km/h for 2 full minutes.

A breakthrough is a breakthrough.  I embrace my mediocrity and I will continue to do better.

prisoner of time

Finished reading Jeffrey Archer's Prisoner of Time; this book is a tribute to Count of Monte Cristo.  I love the borrowed elements from Monte Cristo and equally love the surprise court battle twists ala 'A few good men' at the end.

I had been shamelessly professing my love for Mount Cristo since I was a teenager
 It's true that I read the opening chapters of the abridged version but I never penetrated the revenge plotline that was French aristocracy and politics themed.  Nevertheless I never stopped recommending the book to people around me;  planting the false impression that I had read it.

Decades (!) later I think I am ready to redeem myself.  I just got hold of the original work which was published in 1845. It's going to be a long and interesting journey..  I will relish the linguistic challenge.

mcse

https://mcp.microsoft.com/authenticate/validatemcp.aspx
Transcript ID : 709686
Access code : citrix12

Chinese food

其实我好钟意食吃东北菜

Excellent Japanese restaurants in Singapore

According to Abiko san

L

Passion

I have progressed beyond following examples blindly with my mini android development project.  It will be just a matter of time before I start building stuff now with most of the development components in place.

It is sheer pleasure. Relatively simple things please relatively simple minds.

Beer, seafood and gossips

Oyc and I had another after work catch up.  We usually share one beer and we would both struggle to finish our half pint (or so).  There is just no substitute for lameness!

10000 hours

Thomas enlightened me with his life motto in a long due catch up....

To be good at something, anything, you need to put in 10000 hours. At least.

I seldom go beyond 10. Not counting console gaming in my younger days.

'How do you become good at something? ' asked the ancient one
'Through study and practice, years of it. '  realised Dr Strange

Exactly.  I just don't do enough rinse and repeat.

君の名は

Through sweat, tears and blood I finished reading the recent Mega hit novel

It's incredible,  I'm incredible.

I think my reading speed has improved.

I finished reading a foreign language novel.  Still trying to come to terms with that.

baclalava

Wednesday night at Baclalava Suntec
I had almost forgotten how much fun it was hanging out with the Ceroc dance junkies

They / we just terrorised the dance floor. I am certainly no competition material but I guess I know enough to dance socially and have a jolly good time.

Where were you in my younger days Ceroc?

Day 25 - 办年货

Sunny Friday

'年货是在过年前买的一些好的物品，而采购过程则称为办年货，例如贵价的鲍参翅肚用来煮一顿好的饭菜，来慰劳一下辛苦工作了一年的日子 ...'

We bought 
- one box of 'distilled water'
- one box of ice lemon tea
It all comes to a grand total of RM34

That's not the funny part.

This is record high in recent years. Last year we had only distilled water.  This is a major step up.

Day 24 - The big flight

Sunny    Thursday

I had a good night's sleep the night before.

Boarding MAS flight 122 to KL.  Let the ultra movie Marathon begin!

Day 23 - Night time landscape photography

Sunny   Wednesday

Last chance to snap several shots at the most sconic scenes in Sydney (arguably Australia)

Day 22 - The big meal at Chinatown

Rainy   Tuesday

We went out for a meal at a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown after work. We ordered a lot of seafood dishes which are 'seasonal prices'.  I rarely do that because I know they are exceeding expensive.

I didn't pick up the bill and my work mate who did refused my order to split the bill.  I guess  it's not my time to get intimate with these tourist trap dishes yet.



Later I ventured to the 'The Argyle' at the rocks; they were having a Latino night.   I must say I was mightily impressed with the two-level dance floor and not to mention the number of people who turned up for their mid week salsa fix.  It's impressive, very impressive to say the least


Actually the other highlight is I finished reading Jeffrey Archer's Kane & Abel.  I would never have appreciated books like this in my younger days.  I find it absolutely delicious now having had a fundamental understanding of some key historical events.  Such things are very much watered down and conveyed in a slightly childish manner but that's exactly what this genre needs.  I was never a fiction reader but now I think I'm slowly becoming healthily obsessive with them.  What a read! I'm still shaking after the finale.

Day 21 - Another fine and leisurely day at Sydney

Sunday   Monday

Nothing fascinating today.

Had a relatively long run around harbour bridge area between north and south Sydney.

I recently started doing longer runs than before. I spoke to a heavy drinking friend who maintains a fantastic figure; she spends hours in the gym and does Marathon.  She just puts me to shame. I'm often touted as the healthy and fit man at work, what do they know?

Very often people around you may inspire you inadvertently in unexpected ways. You may do the same to others too.

Day 20 Hunter valley

Very Sunny     Sunday

Hunter valley is one of Australia's most famous wine production region.

Basically wine is produced like so
- Grapes are planted and harvested. Surprisingly grapes can survive high temperatures (38 degrees Celsius but they shop growing at that temperature)
- Grapes and mashed and fermented
- Fermented grape juiced are stored in barrels for years.

Wine tasting started at around 10:30am.  By noon I was very disoriented; it's.confusing to have so much alcohol so soon after breakfast.. I had a good nap on the journey back to Sydney.

Day 19 - Sydey Fish market

Sunny  Saturday

Sunny    Sunday


Lots of reasonably priced seafood.

I had oyster with sea urchin (roes I think; they just tasted very salty, I couldn't identify the distinguishing taste hence I didn't understand the hype associated with this delicacy )

Later I went to some Chinese garden. 

Day 18 -2016 social life review

Drizzly in the evening

Nothing much got going today. It's the second wasteful day in the wonderful city of Sydney.

2016 was a socially active year for me.  It was the year  I explored the world of social dancing and made many friends.

Apart from that there were the odd night out with friends.  Didn't so much/enough traveling though.