RIP OLIVE

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 !!!

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 !!!

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 !