JD's Rants

SETTING GOALS

2010-09-22T20:55:00.000-07:00

Wow !!!

Aly’s turning 30 this weekend … it’s a huge turning point in your life.

Terry recently turned 30 as well.

Me ? … I turned 30 a couple of years back and it just makes you think about how your life has progressed … how there were things you wanted to do but didn’t get to because you didn’t have enough time … no money … no one to do it with … so many excuses … so little done !

The next big one for me is 40 … and I’m NOT gonna let it happen again !!!

So … what do I wanna do before I’m 40 ?

Here’s my to do list …

- Go watch a Manchester United match at Old Trafford
- Go to ALL the Grand Slam tournaments i.e. Australian, French, Wimbledon and US
- Go to the Grammys … and the Oscars
- Act in a Hollywood movie
- Rock it out at Wembley
- Get a Grammy with my band
- Play tennis with Pete Sampras and Roger Federer
- Go to the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt
- Go skiing in the Alps
- Explore Europe for a year
- Own a BMW

Let’s see … I’m 33 now … fast approaching my 34th … that’s 6 years !!!

What do you think ? … can I make it in time ?

I have to try …

What else do you think I need in my list ?

TENNIS IS COMING TO TOWN

2010-09-22T20:47:00.000-07:00

There’s so much tennis to be seen LIVE in Malaysia in the next couple of weeks !!!

At the end of the US Open (where Nadal completed his career slam) … I thought … OK … that’s it for the next couple of months and for a tennis junkie like me … I kinda get tennis withdrawal. Of course you get the end-of-year Championships where only Slam winners, Masters winners and high achievers get to play but that’s far off still !!!

But I gotta give kudos to event organizers in Malaysia for bringing in some tennis legends to our shores … Boris Becker, Ivan Lendl, Goran Ivanisevic, Pat Cash, Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova will be coming down for the Showdown Of Champions “A Night Of Aces” and the best part is … I get to emcee the event AND … I get to meet Anna !!! … oh the things I need to ask her !

But that’s not all … the Malaysian Open is coming around again !!! The top players on the ATP will be coming down to pick-up as many points (and the cash prize) to qualify for the year ending Championships.

If you’re a TRUE tennis fan … I hope you’ve been tuning in to Red FM cos we’ve been giving away passes to the Showdown of Champions and I will see you there ! Bring your memorabilia for the stars to sign … and you know what I really wanna try ?

I wanna try to return one of Goran’s serve … he was (after all) the Ace Machine !!!

I think this is gonna be an annual event … so which champ would you like to see make it to our shores ?

Oh tennis … tennis everywhere !!!

PUASA IS FINALLY HERE !!!

2010-08-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

Contrary to belief … I actually love the month of Ramadhan !!!

Dilly fasts so as her buddy … I fast along with her and it just makes the experience of looking forward to Hari Raya Aidilfitri that much more exciting !

It also makes the daily experience of fasting from sun up till sun down very rewarding with our annual trek around the Klang Valley in search of the ultimate pasar Ramadhan !!!

So today was day #1 of fasting and we head to the one in Bangsar ...

… I’m not sure if it’s 1st day blues or the fact that my expectations were too high …

… Bangsar’s pasar Ramadhan did NOT rock !!!

… it lacks variety … it lacks atmosphere and did I mention it lacks variety … no kuih-muih … did I mention it lacks variety !!!

IT LACKS VARIETY !!!

Overall … we could only give it a rating of 1 out of 5 lemangs.

We’re heading to PJ Section 14 tomorrow … look out for my post !!!

I DID IT !!!

2010-08-11T19:06:00.000-07:00

FEAR !!!
Nothing but mind numbing … muscle freezing fear !!!

It’s 2pm on Saturday and I’m driving to pick up Dilly for our challenge at Sunway Lagoon.

We’ve been doing challenges as part of our “Red FM 60K Music Takeaway” campaign and for the final “Gone In 60 Seconds” challenge … the bosses picked THE BUNGY @ SUNWAY LAGOON !!!

OK … so I call Dilly to tell her I’m picking her up … she says she’s not ready … that’s not good. I’m already so nervous … it’s amazing I can still figure out which pedal does what in my car !

So … she’s NOT ready !!! WHAT DO I DO ?!

I head to Sunway Giza … and puke my guts out !!! Butterflies in my stomach all taking a “porcelain cruise” right now … and do I feel better ?

HELL NO !!!

So … I pick her up … we drive to Sunway Lagoon … and meet up with all the listeners who won all-area passes (thank you Sunway Lagoon) and we head to the …

EXTREME PARK !!!

… we’re walking … and walking … and then I see the suspension bridge … and then … I SEE IT !!!

THE BUNGY PLATFORM !!! … I CAN’T DO THIS !!!

But I’m not gonna chicken out as well !!! No way am I gonna give Terry bragging rights !!! … so up the stairs I go to the suspension bridge … and you know how they say “once you get there … you’ll be fine” … that’s all a load of BULL !!!

We sign in … get our weights … and strap in and who goes first ?

DILLY !!!

Before the Red FM group … we see other people jumping off … and it doesn’t seem real until Dilly steps unto the ramp and then …

5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … BUNGY !!!

… and her head disappears below the bridge and then I know … THIS IS FOR REAL !!!

… all I can hear is Dilly’s screams !!!

I’m freaking out here … who’s next ? It’s Terry and Aly in tandem … she’s freaking out !!! Not helping my nerves I tell ya !!! … and they jump … Aly screams hysterically !!!

AND I’M NEXT !!! O … M … G !!!!

They strap me in … and I say “I want water” !!!

WHAT AM I SAYING ?!?! … it’s weird what comes outta your mouth when you’re freakin’ out !!!

… and then I’m standing on the ramp … DAMN IT’S HIGH UP !!!

… and then they start counting … WHAT THE **** AM I DOING HERE ?!?!!?

… 5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1 … BUNGY !!!

… and I jump … I see the Sunway hotel … I see a the Red FM listeners … I see water … BOOOM !!!

I’VE DONE IT !!! I’M SOAKING WET … BUT I DID IT !!!

What an experience … now I wanna do it again !!! Wanna join me ?

FOOTIE FOOTIE IS BACK !!!

2010-08-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

No … not footsie !!!

Footie … as in football … soccer … the beautiful game … whatever you wanna call it la !!!

This year has NOT been as bad as most off-seasons since we did have the FIFA World Cup in South Africa … but still … if you’re a footie fan … you want weekly club football !!! That’s what it’s all about and if you’re an English football fan … the traditional opener to the season is something most don’t exactly wait in anticipation for … THE COMMUNITY SHIELD !!!

What used to be a match between the League champs and FA Cup champs for charity with the 2 sharing the spoils if it’s a draw at the end has become more of a view on who’s going to win the league at the end of the season. Since Chelsea won both the League and the FA Cup … it’s gonna be between them and the league runner-up Manchester United.

Traditionally … everytime Man U plays … and LOSES … we win the League … we’ll see how it pans out this season.

But … here are my predictions for the season :-

Top 5 teams in the league (in no particular order) :
Manchester United
Chelsea
Liverpool
Manchester City
… and let’s throw in a black horse in there shall we … NEWCASTLE UNITED !!!

What are your predictions ?

LEAP OF FAITH

2010-08-04T19:51:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe I’m gonna do it this Sunday !!!

It’s something that every bone in my body tells me NOT to do … yet I HAVE to do it !!!

WHY ?

… cos the bosses have forced me … and the other Red FM jocks to do it !!! … so what am I talking about here ? … this Sunday … at 3pm … I’m gonna be …

BUNGY JUMPING !!!

We’re ALL heading over to Sunway Lagoon for our little leap of faith … and thanks to Bungy Malaysia for making this jump possible.

So why are we risking life-and-limb here ?

If you missed out on it on-air … basically what happened was the bosses have been unhappy with our challenges so far … the first was “The Big Shrimp Off” between Terry and myself … and then it was Aly and Dilly getting “Bowled Over” … they (the bosses) felt it wasn’t exciting enough and decided to up the ante !!!

So now … there’s a strong possibility that we might need new pants after the challenge is done … but I’m determined to go thru with it anyway … who knows … it might even get me over my fear of heights … MAYBE !!!

If you wanna watch us do the jump … Sunway Lagoon has graciously offered us all-area double passes to Red FM fans and all you gotta do is log on to the Red FM Breakfast Show Facebook page and PM us your details … and we’ll see you there !!!

Have you ever bungy jumped before ? … what’s it like ?

I LOVE MY ZIGS !

2010-07-21T20:30:00.000-07:00

No … I’m not talking about the ziggy-zigs that the Spice Girls sang about !

I’m talking about my new Reebok ZigTechs !

First of all … lemme just say it’s one of the most unique shoes I’ve ever worn and it looks so darned cool !

According to the manufacturer … it “delivers a wave if energy while working out … working out just became more efficient” … it reduces wear and tear on key leg muscles by up to 20% … delivers a wave of energy along the length of the outsole … creates a lightweight, flexible and stable ride …

AND IT LOOKS SO FRIGGIN’ COOL !!!

Then one I got (see picture above) is the black and yellow one … sorta like a bumblebee !

I wonder which one Thierry Henry or Lewis Hamilton got ? … they’re Reebok’s worldwide sports ambassadors and hey … if Henry and Hamilton’s got Zigs on … I figured I’d definitely wanna get one !

OK … besides it’s totally awesome look … I’ve tried it out for real already meaning … used it to run and I gotta say … they’re mighty comfy ! I’m SUPER particular of the way a show grips my foot while I’m running … I like it to hold my feet … but not strangle it. That’s what a lotta shoes do … in order for them to feel snug … you have to tighten the strings to the max … not these babies.

I’m also very particular about impact … my knees aren’t what they used to be … and as I’m on the tennis court a fair bit … I really wanna have shoes that pamper me while I’m doing strenuous exercises … I wonder if they’ll ever do a ZigTech version for tennis shoes … that’d be rad !

Trust me … if you’re in the market for a new running shoe … or just a pair of sneakers that you can walk about town or in the malls and you wanna look super cool doing it … I’d get one of the ZigTechs ! ZERO COMPLAINTS from me my friends !

I’M DONE WITH “THE HUNT” FOR THE PENANG MAMAK MEE GORENG

2010-07-14T20:19:00.000-07:00

OK … it’s almost 4 weeks that I’ve had a craving for Penang-style Mamak Mee Goreng in the Klang Valley … and how’s the “hunt” going ?

Not good at all !!!

In fact … it’s getting worse !!!

I’ve been EVERYWHERE !!! … PJ … Shah Alam … Subang … USJ … Puchong … Cheras … right smack in the middle of the Golden Triangle …

NOTHING !!! NADA !!! ZIP !!! ZILCH !!!

I cannot believe how un-Penang the Mamak Mee Goreng in the Klang Valley is … it’s NOT spicy … it’s NOT dry … it’s NOT MAMAK MEE GORENG !!!

So … as Locutus of Borg said “resistance is futile” … and I have to agree … no sense resisting it … I’ll just eat it and try my best to enjoy it.

I think I’ll move on to Mee Rebus now … and I know what you’re thinking … why give up so easily ?

I’m NOT giving up … I’m just saying there’s no sense in trying to flog a dead horse cos Penang-style is Penang-style … and the Klang Valley has its own style.

But for Mee Rebus … I KNOW I can find good ones around … honestly … the ones in the “corporate” nasi kandar places like Pelita and Kayu are pretty decent … in fact … there’s a really good one that I like near my neighbourhood … it’s called Wau Penyu at Solaris Dutamas !!! … they have a HUUUUGE piece of meat in there … I’m sold and I go there all the time !!!

Can someone explain to me the difference between Mee Rebus and Mee Jawa ? … they pretty much “taste” the same … but they kinda “look” different.

Drop in your comments ya !

THE HUNT GOES ON

2010-07-07T19:30:00.000-07:00

In my last post … I spoke about my new obsession … authentic Mamak mee goreng.

I sure ain’t gonna drive back up to Penang to my favorite haunts in Swatow Lane, Bangkok Lane or padang Kota for the delicious (but potentially artery clogging) delicacy !

So I started searching for it in the Klang Valley … anything even close to a Penang styled Mamak mee goreng would suffice … what I didn’t realize was how tough the search would be.

I’m not proud of it … but I headed for the chain “Nasi Kandar” places around the Klang Valley … so to Pelita … to Kayu … to all the chain ones la … NOTHING EVEN CLOSE !!!

I’m not saying the food wasn’t good but when I ordered mamak mee goreng … I expected this plate of dry fried fiery red noodles … what did I get here ? … it looked like any other fried yellow noodles … it was brownish … wasn’t spicy … no sotong (unless you requested) and it was just … unexciting !

I’m gonna broaded my search this week … we’ll see what turns up but if you’ve got any suggestions … drop me a line … the only people benefiting from this little “treasure hunt” of mine are the petrol companies and parking attendants.

MY NEW OBSESSION

2010-06-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

TV … is dangerous !!!

I’m not talking about the radiation … not about how the vibrant colors can mess with your eyes …

NOPE !!! … none of that !!!

TV is dangerous … to my waistline !!!

After watching an AFC show recently that had the host cruising around the streets of Penang looking for the best hawker food … and he found a classic one … Mamak Mee Goreng !!!

The host had a very in-depth session with the proprietor of the stall at Lorong Bangkok … I initially did not recognize the place but the moment he spoke to the guy behind the enormous wok … I was like “I KNOW THIS PLACE … I’VE EATEN THERE BEFORE !!!”

There’s something very unique about Penang style Mamak Mee Goreng … you can go to any nasi kandar chain here in KL … you can go to “Penang styled” makan places … nothing … and I mean … NOTHING … comes close to the original.

Is it the water ? … the weather ? … the people ?

Who knows ?

But now … I’m on a mission to find the BEST Mamak Mee Goreng in KL that can closely match the mediocre ones in Penang … let’s not even talk about trying to match the best la !!!

It’s gotta be spicy … fiery RED … dry … and has “sotong” (calamari) and the works !!!

If you know of any place like this in the Klang Valley … tell me about it … I’ll have a taste test and we’ll see how it matches the ones in Penang yo !!!

Leave your suggestions in the comments bin y’all !!!

AFTER 4 YEARS ... IT'S BACK !!!

2010-06-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

Footie fan or not … you can NOT deny the fact that the FIFA World Cup is one of the biggest event on the planet !!!

Everything revolves around it … commerce, news, entertainment … food even !!!

So what is it about this competition that fans the flames of rivalry between fans around the world ? … I mean … look at us here in Malaysia … our national football team has as much of a chance of making it into the competition as a salmon has escaping a Grizzly’s jaws !!! … so what is it ?

I think … it’s got everything to do with MARKETING !!!

I think the World Cup is one of the best marketed sports competitions in the world … even surpassing the Olympics … everyone (and I mean everyone if the Americans now want a piece of the pie). If girls watch it (and we know how much most Malaysian girls despise football) … then you know it’s been marketed to them as well … how ?

2 words !!!

Handsome men !!!

Suddenly … women are fans of the beautiful game (happens every years la) … they’ll be able to name players like Iker Casillas … Christiano Ronaldo and possibly one of the Italians … tell ‘em about Carlos Tevez … they go blank !

Guys are just plain football freaks la … we support national teams of other countries like we lived there … and every 4 years … we risk the wrath of our bosses (if you’re working) or our teachers/lecturers (if you’re a student) by either going in to work/class late or just not plain going at all (I’m sure production of MCs skyrocket during this time).

So … I hope you’ve been prepping for this … we have been waiting 4 years for this … and it’s happening in around a week … I’m excited … are you ?

Who’s your pick for this year ? Italy again ? … or do you fancy Brazil again ? … or a dark horse perhaps !

RIP OLIVE

2010-04-21T18:34:00.000-07:00

I kinda knew it was gonna happen … it’s been a couple of days and my favorite hamster Olive hasn’t looked her usual self.

She’s usually very affectionate, very active (she runs the wheel like she was possessed) and eats a heckuva lot. On Saturday … she seemed a lil under the weather … which happens to hamsters so I wasn’t overly worried. So … to make her comfy … I moved her into her other cage (she has 3) and gave her new bedding, fresh water and a lot of food. Evening came around and it didn’t seem like she touched the food nor the water and she kept changing positions to sleep … she seemed really uncomfortable.

Sunday morning … I wake up … check on her … and she’s asleep … which is odd cos in the morning … she’s usually (as usual) running the wheel. This time … she wasn’t. Her breathing seemed a little shallow and her eyes were closed tight … a little teary. I’m getting a little worried now.

So Sunday’s kept aside for her … my buddy … Olive … my favorite. I take her out of her cage and hold her in my hands (which she loves) and she’s out cold in my warm hands … I hope she’s comfy. “I hope she can sleep this off”.

Monday comes around … and I’m off to work again after a couple of days off and I’m busy with work … running around after that for an event and I’m home late … a little after dinner. I’m exhausted but I check up on her … she’s still asleep … good news is that she managed to drink some of the water I gave her but her food bowl is still full. “I’ll just let her sleep” I thought and went to bed hoping that she’ll be fine tomorrow (Tuesday).

Then Tuesday comes around and as usual … I’m up at 4am … I shower, have a bit of breakfast and check up on her … she’s AWAKE !!! Yay … but she still looks a little groggy … I pet her … and she gave me an approving nod … which is always her signal to me to say “I like that” (I assume). So I’m off to work … with a renewed hope that my best friend … a hamster … might just pull thru and recover from whatever illness she had.

I get home in the afternoon after work … excited to see how she’s doing … and what do I see ? She’s sleeping again … waitaminute … she’s not breathing. I open the cage and pet her … no response. My WORST fear … Olive has passed away. The time we had in the morning was the last time I got to hold her and pet her while she was still alive.

Not realizing how close I’ve gotten to this tiny hamster … I felt a sense of loss I haven’t felt in a long time. When my other hamster Pepper passed on … I was sad … but this time, with Olive, I was literally floored. I can NOT begin to tell you how much I miss Olive … I’ll miss the times she walks on my computer table while I’m happily typing away … or how she comes to me after letting her roam my living room floor … she was more than just a hamster … she was my best friend … and I’m gonna miss her !

ON A BREAK AND AGEING !!!

2010-04-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

Been looking forward to this break for a while now … Dilly and I are taking some time off from The Red FM Breakfast Show and thanks to our producer Yin and to Terry for covering for us.

Also … something else happened recently … yesterday … I celebrated my 33rd birthday. I got to celebrate it the way I liked … quietly ! Hehe … I’m not big on birthdays these days. When I was a kid … 33 seemed like such an old age. Now that I’m approaching my mid-30s … it ain’t no biggie. I don’t mind a small do with my family and close friends but having a huge party … I dunno.

I just don’t see the point of celebrating anything that isn’t significant at the moment … for instance … going from 19 to 20 … big deal … 20 to 21 … even bigger deal cos it’s “from a boy to a man” time … then nothing really significant happens between 21 and 29 … except for the fact that you’re in college and you just look for an excuse to party !

When I turned 30 … I thought it was kinda huge … so I celebrated. But then I also got a little freaked out cos I was leaving my 20s behind and it was time to be a “responsible adult” (which hasn’t really happened yet by the way).

So … from now till I’m 40 … I’ll be happy with small birthday celebrations … but (expensive) gifts are always welcome hehehe !!!

Right now … I just wanna enjoy my break and I’ll be back on-air next Monday !

See ya !!

I GOT TO MEET EDDIE JORDAN !!!

2010-04-07T19:36:00.000-07:00

Eddie Jordan … the very mention of his name in motor racing brings forth memories of the Formula 1 champions he’s brought into the sport … Aryton Senna … Michael Schumacher. I always thought he never got the respect he deserved especially considering what a great team Jordan Racing was.

So how did I … JD … a fan of the sport get a chance to meet the great Irish racer ?

Well … it’s Formula 1 season and everything in Malaysia around this time revolves around the sport and while it’s a great money spinner for retail outlets but it’s also a great time for organizations to think of the less fortunate … and think of them they did. By “they”, I mean the wonderful folks from the Shangri-La group in Penang (Rasa Sayang, Golden Sands and Traders).

Sulaiman TAR (the Director of Comms for Rasa Sayang) spearheads this charity drive for The Lighthouse in Penang where they offer food and clothing to the under-privileged and homeless on the island. Great job by him and his team in raising funds to help out the folks at Lighthouse but with the F1 race in Sepang rolling around … there’s always an opportunity for a big name to add glamour and exposure to this calling … and in steps the great Eddie Jordan.

He was cool … he was a charmer (as Dilly will attest to) … and along with his band The Robbers … he entertained the crowd with a medley-after-medley of cover songs. They absolutely rocked the crowd and as emcees for the event … Dilly and I got to get up close with the man.

We hope we helped the Shangri-La group in Penang with their fundraising drive for The Lighthouse charity and also thanks so much for having us there as well … and giving me a chance to meet one of my heroes when I was a kid !

2 CHALLENGES DOWN … 2 TO GO

2010-03-17T08:39:00.000-07:00

So Aly’s done her horse doo-doo challenge …

and we’ve “haunted” Jeremy !

So who’s next and what shall we do to ‘em ?

It has been decided by the powers that be (the listeners) that Nisha will be the next to face the 40 Minute Forfeit challenge and what’s better for Red FM’s Queen Of Hearts than to go for a blind date ?

Excellent suggestion from a listener and things just kinda rolled into place naturally with Dilly’s cousin suggesting her “friend” as the date.

OK … so now … what needs to go down ? So much to plan … so much to do … where to do it … when ?

And then there’s Terry’s challenge … what should we do to the little man ?

We’re taking in suggestions.

ANOTHER FEATHER TO MY CAP … FEEL LIKE A PEACOCK !

2010-03-10T08:37:00.000-08:00

I can now (kinda) call myself … a video editor.

Well … a director/producer/scriptwriter and now also … a video editor.

After having 2 days (straight) trying to figure out how to put together a simple 5 minute video (which ballooned into a 9 minute video) … I finally did it (albeit missing hours of sleep) !

After all those years of watching my (now former) colleagues at Vision Four, Double Vision and Channel [V] … sitting and absorbing everything they did like a sponge on Final Cut Pro and other video editing software … I managed to eke out a pretty respectable video ! So YAY to me !

If you’re reading this and you either work for Adobe, Apple or DigiDesign … just want you to know I love your hardware and software and will be using ‘em in my further works … HINT HINT HINT !!! (if you didn’t get that hint … all I’m saying is that if you wanna use me as your poster child for your marketing or advertising … do email me at jdredfm@gmail.com … would love to hear from you hehe)

All joking aside … I have to admit that this was a fun experience mucking in the process instead of just saying what I wanted in a video and hoping the editor gets my vision. This way … whatever I imagine … I can achieve (so to speak) … so James Cameron … if you’re looking for someone with vision and know-how (limited they may be at the moment) … gimme a call when you’re doing Avatar 2 !

Hey … check out the vid on red.fm ... and before you judge … remember … this was my first project. They will get better ! PEACE !

GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY AGAIN

2010-03-03T08:24:00.000-08:00

In case you haven’t heard … Dilly and myself will be embarking on another adventure … this time … we’re getting all the Red FM jocks involved as well.

We’re doing Red FM’s 40 Minute Forfeits and this time around … we’re not the ones doing the challenges ! Finally !!! Some payback !

Let’s see … previously we did the Space Shot ride in Genting …

... that was for Dilly (who screamed her a** off by the way) … and then it was my turn with the G-Force-X ride at Sunway Lagoon (it’s basically a reverse bungee where you’re launched upwards in a ball and you bounce around for hours … well … it seemed like hours to me anyway) …

... then we both had to do the last 2 challenges together.

First came the climb (yes … climb) up KL Tower … all 2000 over steps … TIRING YO !!!

… and then the “invasion”. Yup … Dilly and I had to do the colonic irrigation challenge … we had to get water pumped up our ... well ... you know !

So we’ve decided that … NO ! We will NOT be subjected to this torture … so we’re gonna get the other jocks to do it !

It has been decided that Challenge #1 would be for Aly … our resident supermodel. She’s elegant and we heard that she’s quite a horse rider. It was an amazing twist of fate when her sister Cheryl called up and suggested that we get Aly to clean up horse stables ! Sounds like a plan to me ! … and apparently it sounded good to you too so thank you for voting for this challenge over Dilly’s “get her to dress up like a baby and walk around KL” challenge.

So off we go to a stable with loads of horse doo-doo for the lovely Alison Victor to clean. Where exactly ? You gotta keep tuning in to Red FM to find out how it goes or log on to red.fm to watch the video of the “dirty deed”.

Lots more challenges coming up tho so keep following my blog posts to find out what they are and keep tuning in to find out who’s our next victim !

WHAT’S YOUR SPORT IN THE WINTER OLYMPICS ?

2010-02-24T08:17:00.000-08:00

If you yelled out CURLING … man do you need help !

Unfortunately … I have to admit that … I enjoy watching curling as well … WHY ? No idea !

If you’ve never heard of curling … it’s a winter sport that is kinda like lawnbowling … but on ice. The difference is that you’ve got 1 person who slides the stone towards the target (or to knock the opponent’s stones as far away from the target as possible) and the other members of the team polish the path of the stone to increase its speed by “smoothening” the route.

It’s not the MOST exciting sport to watch but it’s interesting cos it does require skill and teamwork.

So what else have I been watching this Winter Olympics currently being held in Vancouver ?

Well … you can’t beat ice-hockey ! You can’t beat watching the skills on the ice, the speed and control that these athletes demonstrate is the ONLY reason why I watch this sport … well … I guess not the ONLY reason !

In ice hockey … strong-arm tactics are expected and players from both sides body-check (crash into) each other in a bid to win the puck. It’s fast paced … there’s always a threat of tempers boiling over and a fight could break out right on the ice and because the rink is surrounded by a protective clear (and hard) screen … if you’re a spectator right on the sidelines … you can catch all the action (and possibly some blood spatter) close-up ! Exciting huh !

Of course … there are other staples that you HAVE to watch during the Olympics like figure skating, speed skating, the slaloms, snowboarding action and also the luge and bobsledding.

… and speaking of luge … a tragedy occurred right before the start of this Olympics when Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili died during a training accident. There’s still some controversy over whether to shut down the luge track or not but as they say … the Games go on. If you watched the video … you’ll know how disturbing it was.

What other sports did I miss for the Winter Olympics that you found exciting to watch ? Tell me about it … I wanna hear from you.

WHAT’S IN STORE FOR THE SNAKE IN THE YEAR OF THE TIGER ?

2010-02-17T18:07:00.000-08:00

The year of the Tiger has well and truly started and what have I been up to ?

I’ve gotten my usual Feng Shui books for the new year for the Snake man !

So what’s in store for me (the Snake man) in the year 2010 ?

So far … business and money wise … it seems the Tiger year is good for everyone including lil ol me … BUT … I need to be wary of people around me who are (apparently) close to me who could cheat me. ALAMAK !

Hmmm … health doesn’t seem to be an issue overall except that I need to stay healthy. DAMMIT ! There’s goes those Domino’s take-outs ! Hmmm … maybe I’ll take the Veggie Lover … that’s healthy right ?

Oooh … everyone’s favorite section. Love and family life.

Let’s look at family life first … hmmm … all good here !

OK … let’s do love … DAMN ! I AM DA MAN !

Apparently … I’m quite a ladies-man although I’m shy. Hmmm … shy I agree but not the other one. Not lil ol me ! Good partners … almost anyone in the entire zodiac can hang with me but not the Tiger apparently. Dragons, dogs and fellow snakes are awesome. Hmmm … who do I know who’s a Dragon, a Dog or a Snake ? It also says here that I’m an awesome lover ! Hehehe … any takers ?

Hey … if you’ve got other "prophecies" for the Snake … please do comment ya !

IT’S VALENTINE’S ALREADY ?!?!

2010-02-10T18:02:00.000-08:00

Dang ! That was quick !

Valentine’s this year is a lil different though. It coincides with one of the biggest celebrations in the world … Chinese New Year !

You know what that means right ? Shops are gonna be closed for a whole week and I heard that florists are gonna be losing up to RM20K profits cos most folks will either be celebrating V-day on a small basis or NOT AT ALL cos if you’re Chinese … you’d probably have to do your yearly trek back to your respective hometowns for the reunion dinner and that means (if you’re not married) … you might have to be apart during this time.

If you’re married … not much issue la ! Traditionally … on the 1st day of CNY … you visit the guy’s side and on the 2nd day … you visit the girl’s side. Regardless of where you’re gonna be … you’re gonna be together anywayz … and isn’t that what’s important during V-day ?

If you’re single and have a partner … it’s a good time to test those bonds you have. If he/she loves you … they’ll have to understand that it’s CNY and you may not be together at this time … but at least can collect ang pows right ? That’s one heckuva consolation isn’t it ?

But seriously … guys … don’t mess up your relationship also la … during this time when you’re probably gonna be apart … make sure you get her gifts that can keep her occupied (and hopefully pining for you) for the duration of the holidays or the time you’re apart.

Now remember … if you’re not gonna be “romancing” this weekend … make sure you get all lovey-dovey after the CNY holidays ! It’ll be on your own time, on your own terms and also … WAAAAAY cheaper !

Happy Valentine’s and Happy Chinese New Year !

TO CUT OR NOT TO CUT THE CABLE

2010-02-03T17:52:00.000-08:00

Without putting any brand names in this post … I shall attempt to share with you my experience of “cutting the cable” (so to speak) !

Having been a loyal customer of “the cable” … from the days of dial-up (we had to use a software called Trumpet Winsock to dial up the internet) … I’ve been slightly peeved that my connection’s been crap of late. So what did I do ? I succumbed to advertising … I “cut the cable” !

Excited at the prospect of not having to be “tied” down (there are a lotta puns in this post huh) … I headed to the nearest mall to look out for one of these vendors selling the wireless package … and lo and behold … FOUND ONE in Kota Damansara !

Speaking to one of their (overly) enthusiastic “customer service” reps (he’s really just a part-timer) … he assured me that … “Boss … your area ar … the signal ar … very powerful wan the signal … got station next to your apartment ma” ! So I was like “WOAH !!! SIGN ME UP NOW !!!” … and I did. He also assured me that I had a 7-day trial period and if I wasn’t happy with the service … I’d get my RM100 back.

Excited as a dog with a bone … I drove home as fast as I could (within the speed limit Mr. Policeman) … I tore apart the wrapping and hooked it up … and it booted up … first the red light comes on (manual says it’s initializing the internal hardware … ok cool) … then the orange light comes on (manual says it’s still initializing … ok … no problem) … and then FINALLY … the GREEN light comes on … oh wait a minute … the manual says all the lights come on in sequence when initializing and it doesn’t reflect the signal strength (dammit !).

OK … nooow it’s searching for the signal and the signal strength iiiiiissssss … ORANGE !!! Alamak … why so weak ?! Aik ?!?! Now it’s RED ! WHAT’S GOING ON HERE ?!?!?!

They said the signal in my area was gonna be strong … and furthermore I placed the terminal facing outward at my window ! Maybe I’ll try it somewhere else in my apartment … my bedroom … the kitchen … the living room … in another part of the living room … in the bathroom … above the water heater in the living room … ok … last resort … the balcony … YAY ! It’s … orange … why isn’t it green ?! So what do I do ? I stick it out further … and further … and further out till I’m holding the terminal in my hands with arms stretched out as far as I can and I’m on my tippy-toes already … and finally GREEN !!!

What gives ?! I’ve got to go thru SOOOOO much trouble for a strong signal ?! This blows !

What do I do now ? I’ve already said I was NEVER going back to the “wired ones” !

So now I’m in a dilemma … I’ve returned “the terminal” and I’m currently Internet-less at home.

Drop me a comment … should I go back to the “wired ones” or should I keep searching for another broadband provider ? I need one ASAP !!!

A NEW YEAR OF MOVIE SEQUELS AND … RE-IMAGININGS (SHUDDER)

2010-01-27T17:56:00.000-08:00

The last one always gives me the shivers cos it always worries me.

Remakes OK la … they take the original script and they just get new actors and stuff. “Re-imagining” a movie is worrying cos there’s only 1 of 2 outcomes … it’ll either suck big time or it’ll be awesome.

Take Halloween for example. Rob Zombie reimagined it and it was amazing … amazingly bloody and violent in certain parts … but amazing nonetheless.

They sorta re-imagined “The Hills Have Eyes” from the Technicolor version … I liked it too.

Miami Vice was “reimagined” … the TV series got a makeover session with Colin Farrel and Jamie Foxx but it just didn’t work for me. It was just weird.

There are a couple of “re-imaginings” coming up I’m worried about though … Conan and A-Team. Clash Of The Titans looks good though.

Let’s talk about what movies are coming up :-

Sequels :-

Tron Legacy … most of the original main cast member are back. (Expectations : HIGH)
Iron Man 2 … War Machine is introduced. (Expectations : HIGH)
Wanted 2 … how the h**l are they gonna bring Angie Jolie back to life (Expectations : BOLEH LA)
Wall Street 2 … some movies shouldn’t have sequels … still … (Expectations : BOLEH LA)
Toy Story 3 … the kid grows up and the toys are left to rot … OH NO !!! (Expectations : HIGH)
Chronicles of Narnia : Voyage of the Dawn Treader … I’d enjoy it so sue me (Expectations : HIGH)
Shrek : Forever After … their world is turned upside-down (Expectations : HIGH)
Sex and the City 2 … what ?! another one ?! (Expectations : NOT GONNA WATCH IT … WHO CARES)
Rambo 5 : The Savage Hunt … another one ?! (Expectations : BOLEH LA)
Little Fockers … Bob DeNiro and Ben Stiller are back ! Yay ! (Expectations : HIGH)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows … I’m excited … are you ? (Expectations : HIGH)

Well … there we go … we’ll just have to wait and see how these movies pan out !

Did I miss anything ? Leave a comment.

Pets Are Like Family

2010-01-20T19:02:00.000-08:00

Do you have pets ?

They’re like family aren’t they ?

It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a dog … a cat … birds, fish, reptiles … or in my case … HAMSTERS !

I’ve been having hamsters since I was a kid. I’ve had Golden hamsters and now I’ve got Winter White Hamsters … they’re the cutest things.

I’ve got 2 girls … one’s named Olive while the other is Pepper.

Olive is the more docile one … she’s a huge eater, rarely runs the wheel and loves to be held … much like me.

Pepper on the other hand is more rambunctious … she’s VERY much like me. If she doesn’t like you … she’ll bite you. She doesn’t eat a lot but runs the wheel like an athlete possessed.

You know what they say about getting pets ? … don’t get too attached to ‘em cos they’ll pass on eventually. What do I tell these people who say these things ? I thank them for their concern but really … why wouldn’t you wanna get close to your pets ? They’re an extension of you (in some ways) and they are family. They live with you don’t they ?

I’ve had a dog (Marco) who lived with us for over 15 years … that’s REEEEAAAAAL long for a dog. I’ve had cats. I’ve had turtles. It’s no different with hamsters. You’ve got to have an emotional bond with ‘em cos they’re your friends.

Unfortunately … all good things must come to an end.

I noticed yesterday that Pepper looked really “under the weather”. Her eyes were “bengkak” and she had lost soooo much weight in a day. She was fine the day before. Once hamsters get sick … it’s pretty much it. So what could I do ? I tried to make her as comfortable as possible. I held her (amazingly cos Pepper hates to be held) and she snuggled up in my palm. She fell asleep in my hands. I gently placed her back in her cage on her “bed” and hoped and prayed for the best.

Today … Pepper rests in peace. She no longer feels pain. She has passed away … and I will always miss her.

BRAND NEW DECADE … SAME OLD FASHION ?

2010-01-13T00:03:00.000-08:00

You know what they say ? … History repeats itself.

In the 90s … the fashion and music of the 60s were the “in” thing and everyone started pulling out their tight pants, Fender Stratocasters and thick-rimmed glasses. It was fun, care-free and it made hanging out at the Peach Pit (a la 90210) type places cool. My parents found it interesting that young people were dressing they way they did back in the day.

Then came the noughties … actually even towards the end of the 90s … young people were starting to dress a la the 70s … bell bottom pants, psychedelic colors on shirts, afros, head bands and the like. Even the 70s music came back in fashion … from Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd to Hendrix and Joplin.

So here we are … at the dawn of a new decade … 2010. What will this new decade bring us ? Well … to start things off … we have 80s music already back in fashion and that’s not all. Even new acts are very 80s-esque. Don’t believe me ? Back in the 80s … you had flashy frontmen of bands who dressed up in gender-bending clothes (think Boy George) … you had solo artists whom you couldn’t figure out if they were “playing on this side of the field or the other” like David Bowie … and then here we are … a brand new decade … and we’ve got one of the most exciting solo artists for a while in Adam Lambert. Everything about him is flashy … very much like the 80s.

So what did we have in the 80s that I think might return to excite us (or haunt us) ?

Mullets … short spiky hair in front and a long mane at the back … HAUNT !!!!
Leg warmers a la Flashdance … excite (maybe cos it reminds me of Michael Sembello’s Maniac)
Huge earrings … Nisha’s been wearing ‘em forever so she’s waaaay ahead of her time.
Strong makeup … HAUNT !!! No one wants to wake up next to a kabuki doll !
Music … EXCITE !!! Retro is the new “in” thing now … so break out your Tears For Fears, Johnny Hates Jazz and Nick Kershaw records !

Did I miss anything ? Drop me a comment.

IT’S A BRAND NEW SPORTING YEAR

2010-01-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

I figured since it’s a new year and the start of a new decade … I thought I’d be a little bit of a sporting Nostradamus and see how far my predictions will go.

It’s a brand new year and most athletes have had a well deserved break having spent a tiring season grueling it out in various weather conditions against various oppositions in various continents. The fans have been waiting patiently for their heroes to return to their arenas … well … all except football where a season runs between 2 years.

Let’s start with Formula 1 and the return of Michael Schumacher. Much is expected from the legendary German champion and much is expected of the team he races for (of which part of it is Malaysian owned). My prediction ? … he will NOT win the championship and Jensen Button made a terrible decision to switch teams. Who’s gonna win ? I say it’s either Hamilton or Vettel.

Moving on to football (or soccer as the “Yanks” like to call it). Who will win their respective leagues ? Barca in Spain, AC Milan in Italy and much as I hope Manchester United will win the league in England … I doubt they will be able to with Chelsea looking strong … the big question is … who will win the UEFA Champs League … my money is on AC Milan. Why ? I dunno … it’s a gut feeling.

2010 will also see the World Cup played in South Africa … let’s put in a prediction here as well … I say Italy. Why ? Gut feeling.

Let’s move on to tennis shall we ? While I’m writing this … I’m watching a Roger Federer match where he’s playing at the Qatar Open … a traditional warm-up to the Australian Open. New racquet … same dominance. I think he’ll win at least 2 Grand Slam trophies … and what about the other 2 ? It’s between 4 players … Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin Del Potro, Andy Murray and Nikolai Davydenko. Where’s Nadal you ask ? I think 2010 will be a torrid time for Nadal.

What’s everyone saying about the once invincible Rada Nadal ? Is it about his fitness ? Is it about his lack of match practice ? His family life maybe ? If you didn’t know … his parents divorced … he travels with his mum and girlfriend while he is still being coached by his Uncle Tony … who is his father’s brother. Tense ?! YOU BETCHA !!! But NO ! These aren’t the things that are being mentioned about Nadal … what are they muttering on about when the favorite son of Madrid walks on court ? The color of his outfit ! That’s right … way to get your priorities straight. Orange and pink are his colors of choice (apparently) this season … and while professional athletes are anal and superstitious about what they wear on court … let’s focus on more important matters please !

So NO ! I don’t think Rafa has a chance at winning any Grand Slam trophies this year. Could I be wrong ? Sure ! What happens if I’m right though ? What will happen to the already brittle confidence of the Spaniard then ?

Think my predictions are off by miles ? Tell me about your predictions and we’ll compare notes at the end of the year.

WOW … WHAT A YEAR IT’S BEEN !

2009-12-16T00:05:00.000-08:00

So much has happened in a year … while it may seem like 365 days is a long time … it hasn’t been for us.

Seems more like a flash !

December 15, 2008 … that’s when it all started. Wanna know what really happened ? When we were told that we’d be on in the mornings … we sorta freaked out cos … #1 … waking up early wasn’t exactly our forte since we were (at that time) doing the (old) Red Evening Drive slot from 4pm to 8pm and #2 … could we shoulder the responsibility ?

One year on … we still question whether we can shoulder the responsibility but the “waking up early” bit has gotten easier. Still not the easiest thing to do waking up before 4am but it’s my life now.

We’ve done some crazy stuff over the year and without a doubt … Shake Our Hand To Win 10 Grand was the best (and the worst). Worst because it really took a toll on our physical bodies … our voice got all scratchy from the non-stop screaming, yelling and laughing we did at each and every venue (which was an everyday affair by the way) and our bellies grew from all the weird food we stuffed in. But it was the BEST cos we got to meet our loyal listeners every single day … we played games … we gave away prizes … we partied. What a blast ! While we were doing it … we used to wonder “how much longer can we last ?” … it seemed we lasted throughout the 10 weeks (and more).

To everyone who met up with us at all the SOH locations … we love you.

Then there were the crazy stunts that we pulled … from interviewing Taylor Swift to doing the 4Play 4Feats … and thru it all … you were there with us.

Thank you so much and may there be many many more fun things to do and we hope you’ll be along for the ride !

WHAT'S THE POINT ?!?!?!

2009-12-09T14:15:00.000-08:00

Driving around KL (and I’m guessing other parts of Malaysia as well) … you’ll see certain things that just make you go … “what’s the point ?!”.

#1 – Driving home

I’m a routine type of guy. I’ve got a certain way of doing things, I have to do it at the same time and it’s got to be my way.

So every day, I use the same route to go to work … I go at the same time and I see the same thing.

The street lights near my place don’t work. The lamp post is there … the bulb is there but there’s no light. It’s always at the corner, U-turn or at the blind exit ramp that goes to Jalan Duta from Jalan Kuching. Accident and after accident has happened in these separate places but there’s one common factor.

No one can see the danger cos it’s just so friggin’ dark there. What’s being done to sort this out ? Apparently nothing cos the lights still aren’t fixed and no one seems to care. I care … so what do I do ? I call up the relevant authorities but I’m given the run around.

So what’s the point ? … of caring … of putting up street lamps and not use it … what’s the point ?

#2 – Driving in Hartamas

If you go to Desa Sri Hartamas as much as I do, you’ll know that there’s a perpetual traffic jam at around lunchtime and around dinner time aka “habis kerja” time. The jam is caused by EVERYBODY leaving work at the same time … understandable. Also … it’s caused by a couple of numbnuts who seem to enjoy double parking their cars near the 7-Eleven-Devi’s Corner block and also the BlackHole-Pelita block (right across the fire station).

The authorities don’t seem to give tickets to these people, don’t tow their cars away … hell, these people don’t even get as much as a ticking off … whereas, in other areas around the Klang Valley, you see the authorities towing away cars that aren’t blocking anybody.

So you have to ask … what’s the point ? … or more appropriately … what’s the f**king point !!!!!

Any thoughts anyone ?

COUPLE OF THINGS …

2009-11-25T13:55:00.000-08:00

Just a couple of things this week …

#1 – What the hell is wrong with my football club ?

Selling Cristiano Ronaldo might have been an amazing business deal but on the football pitch … we’re looking rather “dodgy” as the Brits say. We lack firepower up front and with the impending departure of Nemanja Vidic … our backline’s gonna look “dodgy” as well.

Over the years … all Man United fans have grumbled about how Sir Alex handles these “dodgy times … we’ve gone thru it before. The old guard is well “getting old” and he’s offloaded the oldies before in times past and there’s always been a couple of seasons where we’ve under-performed but our youngsters eventually grow up and we dominate the English and European (and World) leagues.

So … I guess this season’s gonna be one of those “trophy-less” seasons … but in Sir Alex we trust I guess.

#2 – What’s up with Malaysian drivers on weekends

So we headed down to Malacca for the weekend (a bunch of us from Red).

Great trip …great food, great conversation, great shopping at Jonker Street and we even did the whol touristy thing visiting the historic sites. But then … there’s a downside. You quickly realize how slow Malaysians drive.

It doesn’t matter what their license plate says where they’re from (Penang, Perak, the Klang Valley or even Malacca) … Malaysians in general drive INCREDIBLY slow on weekends … and to top it all off … they seem to be oblivious of folks who are trying to get by ‘em and who don’t have all the time in the world … what’s worse is when you do get by ‘em … they give you “the look” i.e. as in “you’re so rude trying to force your way thru and messing up my leisurely drive”.

Ahhh … Malaysian drivers.

#3 – Telco spam SMS

This has been going on for awhile … and I understand that it’s a marketing exercise. I can respect that it’s a tough market out there … any marketing is good marketing.

BUT DON’T SMS ME AT 3 IN THE MORNING … ON A WEEKDAY !!!!

Thank you … just wanted to get these things off my chest. Did I miss anything ?

VAMPIRES GOING SOFT ?!

2009-11-18T16:02:00.000-08:00

What happened to your unfriendly neighborhood vampire ?

They’re falling in love with their food … that’s what ! … and Stephenie Meyer is messing around with centuries old vampire lore !

Vampires don’t need to breathe ?! ... C’MON !!!!
Vampires don’t sleep ?!?!?! ... C’MON !!!!

Rule #1 … don’t mess with the lore !
Rule #2 … don’t add to the lore !!!
Why issit that the Twilight vampires seem to have this uncanny ability to “walk in the day” ? What are they ? … Blade ?
Don’t get me wrong … I love horror movies … obsessed with ‘em actually.
And one of my all time favorite genres of horror is the monster genre.

I’m a fan of Nosferatu … I love Interview With The Vampire … I love Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

What was one common denominator in all this ? They seduce … and then they eat you. Plain and simple. They don’t fall in love with humans and then pro-create. What the hell is that about ?

If they had to pit Robert Pattinson’s “Edward Cullen” against Tom Cruise’s “Lestat” in a “loser dies” fight … who do you think would win ?
Let’s not even get to a “day walker” fight … Blade would have demolished the namby-pamby Ed Cullen in less than a second.

So what’s the deal folks ? Why are the chicks lining up to fall in love with these “new aged” vampires ?

What’s next ? Werewolves are cool and they wanna “get it on” with ‘em ? … imagine “getting it on” with your German Shepherd. That’s what it’s like.

To be very honest with you … I’m sick and tired of hearing these Twilight fans claim to “know all there is to know” about vampirism based on the books. I guess they’re the same ones who claim to know everything about being a wizard cos they’ve read all the “Harry Potter” books.

I wonder what’s next ? … a sexy zombie ? Last I saw … Mila Jovovich had her hands full blowing the heads off the undead cos they were slobbering all over her shoes and … OH YEAH … THEY EAT PEOPLE !!!
I can’t wait for someone to write a book about the “suave Cyclops” or the “desirable Frankenstein monster” … last I heard … nobody’s “done the horizontal mambo” with the Hunchback of Notredame nor the Elephant Man.
Don’t get my point ? … ok … let’s localize it a little shall we ? Imagine “falling in love” with the Pontianak or the Orang Minyak. Get what I mean now ?!!
If you think Twilight is crap … please feel free to comment and add to this rant … if you’re a Twilight fan … you’re probably a Liverpool fan as well … you don’t have that much taste in quality.

I DID IT MY WAAAAAAY

2009-11-11T19:08:00.000-08:00

The other day … I was having a chit-chat with Dilly about what we did over the weekend and when it came to my turn to say what I had been up to … I proudly said “thank GAWD that the rain stopped long enough for my laundry to dry” cos I had been a little upset that I couldn’t wash my clothes cos of the bad weather … I don’t have a dryer.

Dilly then said to me … “you love doing your laundry don’t you” ? … apparently that’s what I say every week when she asks me what I did over the weekend.

Actually … I do my laundry 2-3 times a week. One day for whites, another for colored and then another for handwashing … some nicer (and more expensive) clothes deserve the special treatment.

This got me thinking. I’ve been living on my own for a heckuva long time now and I’ve been taking care of myself rather well I think. Of course, it wasn’t smooth sailing from the get-go but you eventually get the hang of it.

So here’s what I thought … if you’re about to embark on an independent life i.e. living on your own, you need to have a couple of skills to help you get by. Now I know a lotta folks living alone pay to get these things done for them … my advice is for you to try doing it on your own at least once … just so you know what it’s like.

Ok … so here we go … you need to :-

1. … know how to do your laundry !!!
Whether it’s washing by hand or using a washing machine … you need to separate your colored from your whites … otherwise … hullo pinky tighty-whities. Learn how to iron correctly also !!!

2. … know how to sweep and vacuum and mop and …
You don’t want friends and family members coming over to see you living in a dump and most importantly … YOU DON’T WANNA BE LIVING IN A DUMP !!!

3. … know how to cook a full healthy meal for yourself
NO INSTANT NOODLES !!! A balanced meal consists of a meat/fish dish and vegetables and also cook rice or something. If you’re a pasta fan … make spaghetti. If you’re a curry fan … make curry and eat with naan or something. You’ll never go hungry … trust me !

4. Pay your bills, rent, insurance, car payments, taxes, etc.
Hey … if you’re gonna live on your own … you need to know how to pay your utility bills and other services that you use … whether it’s online, at the post office, at the utility payment office itself, at the banks, etc.

5. Take care of your pets … this is the next step la !
Make sure you clean ‘em, feed ‘em and play with ‘em. Do this step only after you’ve sorta mastered the first 4.

Trust me … if you can do all the above …

… if you’re a guy, chicks will dig you cos they’ll say “you’re sooo independent”

… if you’re a girl, non-independent dudes will dig you cos they’ll think that you’ll handle all the important stuff while they hang out with their friends and watch TV … but the independent dudes will dig you even more cos as they say … great minds think alike !

What’s the moral of the story here ? The guy and girl who can take of themselves need to go out together and guys and girls who can’t take care of themselves need to grow up !

Did I miss anything here ? Please do comment.

WHY HATE MANCHESTER UNITED IF YOU DON’T KNOW ‘EM

2009-11-04T19:01:00.000-08:00

Let’s get something straight and out in the open … I am a HUUUUUGE Man United fan.
I’ve been a fan for as long as I can remember.
Been supporting ‘em before they were successful … I’m still supporting ‘em now that they are successful and will continue to do so win-lose-or-draw.

I get it when Liverpool fans say they can’t stand us … hate us even. It’s cool.
I get it when Arsenal fans say that refs give us special treatments on the pitch. It’s understandable.
I can even accept the jeers from Chelsea fans.
Let’s not even get started with how the Man City fans feel about us since Tevez left.
That’s all cool with me.

I’ve got friends who support these teams and the myriad of other teams in the BPL and lower divisions.
It’s all in fun that we taunt each other.
It’s all in fun that we “give each other’s team stick”.
It’s all in fun when we say their teams suck.

So Man United lost to Liverpool. No biggie.
Liverpool fans around Malaysia latched on it like bees to honey.
I always like to say that we may lose a battle but we’ve always won the war.
Who knows what happens at the end of the season … the journey’s the fun bit of being a footie fan.

But what’s the deal with non-footie fans giving me stick about how Man United lost to Liverpool … what’s worse … some of these people don’t even play any sports.

There are rules that govern how much stick you give someone … if it’s about football :-

You CAN give me stick if …
• … you actually support a football team
• … you have actually played football
• … if you play any sport and can explain the offside rule
• … if we lose to the team that you support

You CANNOT give me stick if …
• … you don’t support any football team
• … you don’t really watch football … the “I only watch the World Cup crap don’t cut it”
• … you don’t play/watch any sports … and just watching Sports Center don’t count OK !
• … the only footballers you know by name are Christiano Ronaldo and David Beckham.
• … you can’t explain the offside rule … if you have to ask “what's offside ?” … you can &%$*# off

Everybody clear ? Thank you !

The Jonas Brothers ... another Hanson ?

2009-10-28T15:04:00.000-07:00

Lemme ask you something ... has anyone NOT heard of The Jonas Brothers ?

You might not know their music … never seen ‘em before … don’t know ‘em from Adam but you probably would’ve heard of ‘em. The 3 brothers are a cultural phenomenon. Never seen anything like ‘em before … or have we ?

Over the decades … there have been musical groups comprising of nothing but (or mostly of) family members … from The Beach Boys to Bee Gees to The Osmonds and The Jacksons and more recently Hanson, The Moffats and now (of course) … The Jonas Brothers.

Do they last ?

History has shown that they do NOT.

More often than not … the band/group either disappears into oblivion or one of the members become more famous than the others … which makes family home a little uncomfortable. Ask Donny and Marie Osmond, Michael Jackson and now probably Nick Jonas who is branching out on his own to do his solo thing. Their management has confirmed that the band The Jonas Brothers are NOT breaking up but we all know where this is going.

One hopes that he makes it big and not slip into obscurity.

Just in case you’ve forgotten the ones who also disappeared … lemme refresh your memory.

Anyone remember BROS from the 80s ? One of the brothers has branched out into acting in movies like Blade and also Hellboy. Not bad … rather respectable.

What about the group Nelson comprising of the twin sons of Rick Nelson. They only had one major song … “(I Can’t Live Without Your) Love & Affection”.

The only group that I can think of that stayed true to the cause is probably the Bee Gees albeit without one brother who recently passed away.

What about bands comprising maybe just 2 brothers (or more) ?

Oasis is currently having a tumultuous time (did they ever have a peaceful time?).

Nickleback are doing good with the Kroeger brothers respecting each other’s fame and talent.

30 Seconds To Mars … with the elder Leto brother on drums and Jarod on lead. Just wanna mention that Jarod Leto’s probably one of the few actors who can actually rock out. There have been many pretenders.

Kings Of Leon … they’re just coming out so let’s hope success don’t go to their heads.

Van Halen … Alex and Eddie are cool with each other. Can’t say the same for their relationship with their formers bassists and lead singers.

The DeLeo brothers of Stone Temple Pilots had a respectable grunge career.

Credence Clearwater Revival’s Fogerty brothers ruled the 70s.

Pantera’s brotherly alliance was cut short when Dimebag Darrell was murdered by a fan.

… and who can forget the Greenwood brothers of Radiohead … they’re doing good.

But back to the topic at hand … what do you think’s gonna happen to The Jonas Brothers ?
Do you think they’ll disappear like The Moffats or Hanson ?

I think so … nuff said I guess.

VANDALISM STILL HAPPENING

2009-10-21T16:05:00.000-07:00

What’s the deal ?

Here I am … walking around Pavillion and head into an elevator. A very classy elevator I might add cos Pavillion is a classy place. No muzak … even better. It’s fast … it’s efficient … but then … what do I see at the back of the elevator (where tenants advertise their goods).

The advertising board (which shows a woman enjoying a drink) has been vandalized ! Someone drew glasses, a moustache and fangs on the poor woman ! WHY !? WHY ?! WHY !?

It pisses me off everytime I see some public facility messed up.

It makes me wonder … what’s the appeal of vandalizing something beautiful ?
What’s the vandal’s motivation ?

So what did I do ? I decided to drive around at night and spy on some would be vandals. I figure their MO is to hit bus stops, public phones, public toilets, malls, etc. I hit the nail on the head apparently cos after just a couple of minutes of driving around KL city at night … I happen upon a group. Dressed casually … they hang out (at midnight mind you) at a bus stop near SoGo … talk loudly … laugh … and what happens next … they start kicking the rubbish bin that’s attached to the hand rails. Happy with what they’ve done … they move on to the public phone booth nearby (which wasn’t in good shape to start with) and they yanked out the receiver.

What the heck !

I’m traumatized at this point … so I decide to drive on and get a closer look (and do a drive-by) and what do I see ? … it wasn’t just guys vandalizing the stuff … there were some teenaged girls, some men (probably in their late 30s) and some really young boys (in primary school probably).

First and foremost … what the heck are kids doing out at midnight (weekend or not).
What are the parents doing ? Where are the parents ?

I just hate the fact that these things still happen.

Who do we report these hooligans to ? The cops ? The public works department ? Dawg The Bounty Hunter ? Can someone please tell me cos I’m furious !!!

REALITY SHOW FAMILIES

2009-10-07T22:22:00.000-07:00

It’s no secret that I enjoy watching TV.

Some of my all-time favorite shows are all reality based … I like the element that anything could happen. You’ve got burly fishermen in Deadliest Catch who literally go up against nature.

You’ve got Bear Grylls teaching us the techniques to survive in different wild environments.

You’ve got Mike Rowe figuring out first-hand how dirty some jobs can get in Dirty Jobs (and there’s even a European version featuring former Man United goalkeeper Peter Schmeicel)

Shows like these open your eyes to things you can only imagine and then thru the magic of TV … you’re sort of experiencing it yourself but then there are other reality based shows.

You’ve got American Chopper which could very well be my all-time favorite show on TV right now.

If you’ve never watched the show which is shown on Discovery Turbo … lemme give you a quick rundown.

It’s about a family-run custom chopper (bike) business where they design some of the coolest bikes on the planet. From humble beginnings, Paul (Sr.) Teutel built OCC (Orange County Choppers) in New York state with his son Paul (Junior) and is later joined by youngest son (Mike). They’ve got great people around them which makes OCC a great company but what makes the show so great to watch is the tense moments between Senior and Junior. In the past … they worked it out and OCC grew to be this monster of a company but recently … arguments between ‘em have gotten so bad that Junior has now left the company. WOW !!! Serious stuff right ?

Another amazing watch these days is Jon and Kate Plus 8. There’s a lotta controversy and dirt on the Gosselins these days but back then … they were just another very interesting American family.

How did it all start ?

Jon and Kate meet. They get married. They have twins. 2 years later … Kate is pregnant again. No biggie right ? WRONG !!!

Kate is pregnant with sextuplets i.e. 6 kids. From then on … it was a rollercoaster of a ride for the family of 10. And it was all for us to see with a camera crew stationed at their home almost 24/7. From massive diaper changes, kids growing up, kids throwing tantrums, mom disciplining the kids, mom disciplining the dad (a lot) and it all seemed like it was working out.

Then the unexpected (although many expected it) happened. Jon and Kate go thru separation and divorce cos of his infidelity. The case is still going on but they’ve been super parents still (despite their circumstances) … making sure the kids were not adversely affected by this development.

What am I trying to get at here ?

I’m thinking … what started out as a great idea to make money and gain publicity (and celebrity) for these folks (the Teutels and Gosselins) has now taken a turn for the worse with (basically) their dirty linens for all to see. Is the money (and fame) really worth it ?

I know (at this point in my life) that I wouldn’t consider having my life invaded by camera crews and television viewers the world over. But then again … there’s still a steady stream of folks who would love to have their lives on camera.

My advice to them is to make the Teutels and Gosselins as your example. What you do after that is up to you but realize that EVERYTHING is for public consumption.

What’s your favorite reality show ? Drop in your comments and suggestions. Would love to hear from you.

WHAT’S MY OBSESSION WITH FOOD SHOWS ?

2009-09-30T15:16:00.000-07:00

Hi … my name is JD and I’m a food-show-holic !

If you find yourself watching repeats of food shows and find yourself repeating the hosts lines or you know the recipes by heart … you’re a food-show-holic ! I am happy to tell you though, that you are not alone.

I can’t seem to stop watching repeats of Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” and “A Cook’s Tour” … and he doesn’t even do any cooking on the shows. I’m not watching it to learn recipes or new cooking techniques … I’m just completely entertained by this guy.

Recently, Keith Floyd passed away and there was an endless stream of Keith Floyd repeats from his Fjord Fiesta, Far Flung Floyd, American Pie … I realized that we’d never get anything new from this charismatic man.

Who loves the BBQ guy ? I do !

Who loves Surfing The Menu ? … well … I preferred it when it was Bender and Curtis (who has his own show called Take Home Chef … love that too).

Who loves Iron Chef ? Don’t you love it when the guy says “Fukui san” ? LOL !

Whatever happened to Gordon Ramsay ? I liked his no-mistake-no-nonsense attitude.

What food-show-holic would I be if I didn’t give props to the man himself.

The original superstar chef … Jamie Oliver. Naked Chef revolutionized how cooking shows could be made interesting, humorous, informative and not stuffy. Of course, Mr. Oliver has moved on from his younger days taking on causes close to his heart from taking in problematic youth to his 15 Restaurant charity programme worldwide, taking on the British government with his School Dinners programme, getting people to start cooking more at home with their own produce in Jamie At Home and of course his Great Italian Escape (where he needed to recuperate) … if you don’t love Jamie … you’d better check your pulse.

You thought I was done huh ? … My list of loves would definitely not be complete without the voluptuous Nigella Lawson. Yummy ! Don’t really watch her shows for the cooking … you know why I watch it don’t you ? Hehehehe.

Before I finish up … can someone tell me this … why is that Sizzle guy still on ?

If you’re a food-show-holic like I am … tell me your loves and hates. Would love to hear from you.

ADAPTATIONS … GOOD IDEA OR BAD IDEA ?

2009-09-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you really enjoyed a comic book adapted movie ?
I’m guessing most would answer … Transformers 2 was OK right ?

I agree … Transformers 2 was awesome … if you’re a Transformers fan. I recently watched it again and I watched it from a non-fan point of view and, to be honest, was a little disappointed with it. I’m starting to see what everybody else has been saying … Jerry Bruckheimer messed the movie up. Great visual effects (except for the robot chick with the tail that molests Sam Witwicky) and great sound and all that but the story … COME ON !!!

This got me thinking.

What other comic book/cartoon series adaptation movie promised a lot but bombed big time at the box office cos of bad production/storyline/directing/acting. Here’s my list of the 10 worst (I’ve got a ten best as well coming up so relax la !).

- League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen
- Daredevil
- Superman 3 and 4 (was there a 5 ?)
- The Watchmen
- Fantastic Four
- Phantom (waaaaay too campy … Billy Zane in purple doesn’t work for me)
- The Hulk (the one with Eric Bana)
- Batman Forever (with Val Kilmer) and Batman and Robin (with George Clooney)
- Bloodrayne (if not for 1 particular “scene” … the movie would be unwatchable)
- Catwoman (what was Halle Berry thinking)

There have been some really good ones though. Here’s my favorite 10 (in no particular order) :-

- Iron Man
- Transformers
- X-Men series (not Wolverine)
- Spiderman
- 300
- Batman Begins
- The Crow (the first one … so sue me if I enjoyed it)
- The Hulk (the Edward Norton version)
- Road To Perdition
- The Rocketeer (also campy … but I thought it was cool)

There were some which were kinda in the gray area … wasn’t sure whether I liked it or not but worth mentioning :-

- Masters Of The Universe (kinda like it)
- Flintstones (boleh la)
- Garfield (can’t hate a cate with Bill Murray’s voice right)
- Mortal Kombat (the first one … so cool)
- Supergirl (oh yeah)
- GI Joe
- … did I miss any ?

Then there were those bad video game movies :-

- Alone In The Dark (starring Christian Slater)
- Far Cry (man this was bad)
- Doom (with The Rock … no way no how)
- Street Fighter (the old and the new … both suck)

There were some good video game movies too :-

- Silent Hill (creepy)
- Resident Evil (c’mon Mila Jovovich)

I guess there are just 2 more coming out that everybody’s excited about cos we hope they’re gonna be good …

Prince Of Persian (starring Jake Gylenhall) and Thundercats (no cast yet).

Check back with me when these movies come out and see how these 2 did and for the rest of my lists … if you don’t agree with ‘em … please do comment … I may have missed a few.

OUR ICONS PASSING

2009-09-21T15:41:00.000-07:00

It's been a strange few months.

Our favorite artistes have been singing their hearts out ... belting out hit after hit.
Our favorite actors have been lighting up the silver screen with Oscar worthy performances.

The youngsters have also proven their worth with Miley Cyrus the undisputed queen of the youngster stars with Taylor Swift and maybe even The Jonas Brothers in there as well.

OK ... that's one end of the spectrum.

Here's the other end. The sad end.

In the past 6 months alone ... we've lost a good number of award winning celebrities ... names we grew up with. Names that conjur up images of magnificance and a life full of vitality. That's the side the world sees. What the world doesn't see is the private (and family) side of these superstars we've grown to love thru the decades. Some struggled with drug addiction. Others with medical issues. And some with psychological troubles.

I'm not pulling skeletons from any closets here ... just wanna make sure these names stick in your head cos these were icons of the industry and they deserve to be remembered.

Date of Passing	Age	Name	Field
09 / 14 / 2009	57	Patrick Swayze	Entertainment
09 / 14 / 2009	65	Keith Floyd	Entertainment/Food
08 / 25 / 2009	77	Ted Kennedy	Politics
08 / 13 / 2009	94	Les Paul	Music
07 / 17 / 2009	92	Walter Cronkite	Journalism
06 / 25 / 2009	50	Michael Jackson	Music
06 / 25 / 2009	62	Farrah Fawcett	Entertainment
06 / 23 / 2009	86	Ed McMahon	Entertainment
06 / 03 / 2009	72	David Carradine	Entertainment
05 / 04 / 2009	75	Dom DeLuise	Entertainment
04 / 25 / 2009	86	Bea Arthur	Entertainment
03 / 18 / 2009	45	Natasha Richardson	Entertainment

... and then there was also Heath Ledger who passed away in January 2008 ... who died tragically at a young age at the height of his career and leaving behind a young child.

You will always be in our hearts and minds and we'll recall the happy times as if you were members of our own family because in a way ... you were in all our lives.

We'll miss you.

WHAT’S UP WITH THE ROTI JOHN ?!?!

2009-09-02T20:25:00.000-07:00

I’ve recently started fasting along with Dilly for Ramadhan and part of the fun of the fasting month is the festivities and fun at the pasar Ramadhan. You see the most amazing spread of food and it’s been well documented on the “Food Network” overseas that Malaysia has one of the more diverse selections.

What I’ve noticed over the years that I’ve been fasting and also visiting the ‘pasar’ is that there’s always one item that becomes this “phenomenon” that’s seen in every single pasar nationwide. You still do get the staples like ayam percik, nasi campur, satay and a myriad of kuih but that one item add to the variety and it’s everywhere.

A couple of years ago, it was the mini murtabak … then it was the deep fried popiah (springroll), then the tube drinks came along (with the multi level ingredients) … then last year kebabs were a huge hit but what do I see this year ?

ROTI JOHN !

You can get it a la Subway … short (which I think is a 6 inch) and a long (foot long I guess) and all with different 'inti' (filling) !

In case you’re wondering what the heck ‘Roti John’ is … here’s how it’s explained in Wikipedia :-

“essentially an omelette sandwich, is a popular Malay breakfast and snack item … The ingredients include minced meat (chicken or mutton), onion, egg, sardines, tomato-chilli sauce and a baguette-type loaf.”

I know you’re used to having me rant on and on but not this time … I ain’t ranting. I’m just wondering … how do they (the bazaar stall owners) come to this agreement that this year they decree ...

“we’ll all make Roti John and we’ll flood the markets”

I’ve been having Roti Johns everyday during Ramadhan trying out different stalls at different bazaars. There’s only a slight variation and they’re mostly delicious. Mostly. There were 1 or 2 stalls that had questionable ingredients which made it taste weird but all-in-all … my experience with the Ramadhan Roti Johns have been quite satisfying.

I think, however, that I will need to broaden my horizons for the last 2 weeks of the fasting month so I guess I’m gonna leave the Roti John behind and try different things. Any suggestions and where I can get it ? I’m willing to drive to anywhere within the Klang Valley although I do miss the pasar Ramadhan in Penang’s Bukit Jambul … which I think rocks !

Anyway … send in your suggestions and comments … would love to hear from you ! Sorry ... too much Roti John I think :)

They're Back !!!

2009-08-26T19:01:00.000-07:00

Well technically … they really didn’t go anywhere but I’ve just been trying my darndest to avoid them and ignore them.

Who am I talking about ?

The night illegal parking attendants !!!

They’re everywhere … like the ghosts in 6th Sense !

Damansara Uptown, Hartamas, Solaris, Bangsar … you name it … they’re there. It’s amazing that they do this blatantly and everyone knows they do it yet no one does anything about it. We, the public, can’t do much cos :-

#1 – if we’re hard-up for parking, we pay ‘em … not to look after our cars but so they won’t do anything to our cars
#2 – they’ve got gangs and they’ve got a boss who is scary looking

So what do we do ? We either pay ‘em or we try to find parking in some other place far away from where we wanna go to. And it’s gotten worse these days.

How ? ... you ask ...

Just go to Hartamas or Solaris. They’ve cordoned off parking lots for their “business”. They act like enforcement officers and I’ve seen ‘em threaten the public who complain to their faces that what they’re doing is illegal. Some will even “help” you out by taking the keys to your car cos they offer “valet” services. Here’s the surprising part. These guys look dodgy and dangerous and folks actually hand over the keys to their cars !

WHAT IS GOIN’ ON HERE ?!?!?!

Why aren’t the authorities doing something about this ? This is out and out burglary !

I tried to get some video evidence but unfortunately to catch them in the act meant me getting up-close … which I tried … and they didn’t seem pleased that I had my phone camera on them. Damn that red light on my phone. They were “apa lu buat ?”.

Scary right ?!

Anyway … hopefully something can be done cos it’s been going on for far too long.

More rants from me soon so keep checking in with me and if you’ve got any comments or you know of any location or if you’ve had enough with these illegal parking attendants problem, please leave your thoughts here as well.

The Ugly Side

2009-08-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

We’ve all watched An Inconvenient Truth.

We celebrated Earth Hour by switching off all non-essential electrical items.

We celebrated World Environment Day.

Supermarkets are urging us to use less plastic bags when shopping.

We’ve got more hybrid cars being produced to reduce carbon emissions.

So much is being done for us to save our planet … and we can’t even correctly throw our rubbish away into the right waste recycling containers.

I have seen it with my own eyes … I don’t know if this is the case all over the world but I know for a fact that certain Malaysians (remember the term one bad apple spoils the whole basket) don’t know their plastics from paper from glass from aluminium.

Just walk around any mall in the Klang Valley and chances are you’ll have bins specially marked for recyclable goods. From Ikano Power Center to One Utama to Bangsar Village to KLCC to Pavillion and MidValley … saving the environment by recycling is no longer just a tagline … it’s a regular routine for some (I’m hoping most) of us and I’m glad the malls (where most of us go to most days) provide such facilities to us. Like in MidValley … you can drop off your old newspapers, cardboards, plastic bottles, etc. at the Alam Flora booth at the basement parking area near the autopay machines.

Ikano has some nicely (and clearly) marked bins for your recyclable trash. What did I see just a couple of days ago ? Malaysians (from the selekeh ones to the well dressed ones) were all dumping their plastic bottles in the paper bin, throwing flyers and other paper products in the plastic bin and you got all other manner of things in the glass bin.

What is going on here ? Are we that ignorant to the fact that every little bit helps ? Are we that aloof that we feel “argh … the cleaning staff will sort it out for us” ? Are we that high-and-mighty that we think we don’t need to do anything but everybody else owes us everything ? … including cleaning up the environment ?

Wake up folks … it’s time we watched An Inconvenient Truth again ! At the rate we’re going … we’re not gonna have a planet to call home soon. It’ll be just one giant trash ball !

Do your bit ! Every person has a role to play and every little bit helps. The environment’s not getting any better and with you not recycling only makes things worse. They’ve done their part … they’ve got the facilities to help clean up this ravaged planet … it’s time to change our attitudes because ultimately … we’ve only got ourselves to blame when we complain about the weather and how “it’s not how it used to be”. It’s how it used to be that caused this problem in the first place.

Come one people ! Let’s get to it ! It’s time to save the planet !

Parking Parking Where Art Thou ?

2009-08-12T18:21:00.000-07:00

Anybody been to Bangsar recently ?

Driving around Bangsar’s Telawi area on a weekday during business hours is a nightmare … and looking for a parking space near the shops … even worse.

Well guess what ? It’s even worse now.
Remember the little alleys near the houses … remember we could park there ?

NOT ANYMORE !!!

They’ve shut them off to cars and now we’re left with no option but to either park near Lucky Garden (good luck … park near the front and your car gets pelted with bird poo) or to park at the Bangsar Village car parks. Menyusahkan la !

Not complaining about the parking lots in Bangsar Village though. They’re clean, safe and well lit.

I’m just saying that we’ve lost some ample parking space because of this exercise and also we’ve lost our escape routes whenever the Telawi area gets jammed up.

I know a lotta folks are saying, “What’s the big deal ?” … it is a big deal if you go to Bangsar often. Bangsar offers almost a one-stop area to pay your bills, get your bank stuff sorted out, go grocery shopping, makan-makan a bit and probably get some exercise in at the gyms or a massage at a reputable Thai massage place. We’re losing options to park where we want to.

I can only hope that this is only a temporary measure and they’ll open up the alleys again for parking and drive-thru.

Now where else do I have an issue with ? Oh yeah … Damansara Uptown and Hartamas ! If you’re one of ‘em who double park and cause jams … beware … my next posting on parking, cars and the Malaysian traffic system might just involve you too !

But for now … tell me what you think about the parking in Bangsar. Feel the same way ? Maybe not ? Please do comment.