and the person with the most powerful memory goes to...

I'm pretty sure that some people might be thinking einstein or hawkings, newton or some evil genius from a cartoon who always has some evil plan to take over the world, which never materialises anyway! Hehehe...I was just reading a blog sent to me by someone over the "torturous" life of being overworked and underpaid and worse of all, no minimum salary nonsense. well, imagine working like hell and only getting paid RM2.50, some companies PROUDLY display RM3.50 per hour, like as if all the hours can total up to RM3.5 k per month! Even if someone were to work 10 hours a day, which equals to only RM35 per day, and 7 days a week, which only totals RM 245 and works 4 weeks permonth which comes up to a grand total of (drum rolls).........RM 980. am i right? cos this certainly doesnt sound right at all. 10 hours a day for 7 days a week and 4 weeks per month only equals to that amount of money? ok, 'best' case scenario. what if the poor guy works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 4 weeks per month, which is a total impossibility, which also equals to working oneself to death. let's see, le grande total comes up to a sum of RM2 352 per month! that's the amount one needs to 'give his/her life for the company'! ok, i have managed to kill more brain cells by doing that! hehehe. but do you remember in malaysia, those coffee shops, with those old uncles or aunties who 'bancuh' the coffee behind the scenes? and the waiter will shout out, "kopi o see kao peng jia mai liao, coca cola O tarik kosong, koon chui o mai liao, seng kak teh mai seng kak..." and somehow, somewhat the drinks will (almost) 100% of the time come exactly as u have ordered it! now instead, when we go to the mamaks, as much as u ask for kurang manis, well you know the rest la! gosh i miss the mamaks and the kopitiams. i remember once going to mamak in sban, and someone ordered milo, EXCEL. and ta daaaaaaaaa, a really large glass of MILO came, XL sized!

i wasnt always the best when it came to maths, in fact i had hated it so much. people always tell me that sometimes the things a person says can affect you for life. well in some ways, i still remember back when i was 12. it was sometime during the UPSR pre examination period, whereby we had a math exam. and i was somehow, somewhat in the first class, where all the smart people were la. so being in the smart classs, ur expected to like get 99, 98, 100 marks for ur exams. and i remember, this teacher of mine, he said out so damn loud, 'the person with the worst maths in class is, ...you know who'. Hahahah. gosh that scarred me for life seriously. till today, sometimes i still have these dreams that tmrw, i'm having a maths exam, and i've not studied at all! and i try to 'read' and 'understand' the maths formula and it all seems so real! i also remember once when i was working in the hotel. and one of the managers scolded me, 'Kamu ni bodoh ke?' and i was like, excuse me? i think i'm more highly educated that u are...but of cos i didn't say that out! so from then onwards, i always try to teach my students, never to think that they're stupid or bodoh, cos no one actually is, and it is so humiliating to be scolded bodoh. and also, as much as u know and think that the person is not gonna make it, sometimes u never know that the 1% hope that u give them, will actually change the way they look at things! well, as bad as my maths is and as bodoh as i am, i am now doing my phd in melbourne university, attached to USM. so i guess i've done pretty OK after all!

well, it's been an awful, awful long time since i've updated this. well life has been hectic these few months, but over the past few days i've been reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaly slacking off. dunno la, the brain feels so tired and worn out, feels like as if i'm running out of brain cells as well! hehehe. but so far everything has been really really good. CNY came and went, and now we're in the season of lent, waiting for easter to come, then easter will come and go. oh! exciting stuff to happen in the next few months. i will be presenting a paper in Monash U in 2 weeks time and also another of my papers has been accepted for a conference in Bali. but the only prob is, i've not really written much for these conferences. OK la, ppl will say, cheh conference only ma, what's so exciting?! actually i also dunno what's so exciting bout it! maybe it's just nice to be able to visit Monash and Bali?! Hehehe.

right, i will be headed for my confirmation meeting soon as well...oh tensionnyer! but audrey keep saying, don't worry, you're doing well, don't worry, you will do fine. OK, i shall listen to her words! well, to a certain extent, life has been pretty good so far. the social life has been picking up well. thanks to COSDU whereby i always feel so welcomed! it is a catholic association, but then again, it's not all about praying. it's also about meeting other people, getting to develop bonds and friendships, sharing other people's problems and others helping carry yours. well, of course there are the more 'serious' postgrad societies and conferences and seminars. but i dunno, those just seem pretty serious and we only meet every now and then. to quote a friend, 'prosperity is full of friends', it is so true. sometimes i guess we just need to take a step back and appreciate all that we have, all that we know. these few months i like using the words, somehow, someone, sometime, somewhere, somewhat will....all in one sentence. hehehe. oh dear oh dear oh dear. that's another one i like using these few weeks, all thanks for ROY from the IT Crowd! Hehehe. Be happy la! I keep thinking of these words from Pearl Jam's song Alive, although it has a somewhat diverted meaning, but then...

I, I’m still alive
Hey i, but, I’m still alive
Hey i, boy, I’m still alive
Hey i, i, i, I’m still alive, yeah
Ooh yeah...yeah yeah yeah...oh...oh...

Now isn't that something to shout about?! one day when i was in church, and as i was praying and looked at the crucifix behind the alter, something struck me. and as i looked at jesus there, it struck me that no other god will so much humble himself to take all the pain and humiliation and suffering that he had gone thru. no other will actually go to the extent of such public humiliation and torture, and then for what? for all of us. so somewhat from then on i guess i start to look at things more positively in life, and also to appreciate my religion and faith and also god more than ever! oh well, in all, i'll like to share a verse from the bible i read the other day. well, it's not that i'm super holy or anything, just that it really did touch me and i believe that this applies for anyone, regardless of whatever faith they carry!

Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1-2

"Faith. To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see."

So the pics below are from the night market, i'll just upload the pics i have with my face inside la. one was from the pasar malam in uni i went to with leah, and the others were from the picnic i attended with my friends from cosdu. the rest will be on facebook la! anyways, they were both fun! makan makan makan! aiyah please excuse me wearing the beanie la, it was supposed to be a min of 12 degrees, but then it was so hot some more. i know, the face looks big!!! hahaha

oh yeah, today is the day we wind back our clocks cos of daylight savings. when i woke up, i was like, oh well, time for mass, but it was only 9am actually. then i turned on my laptop and saw, eh how come spoilt one? then i realised, oh daylight saving. hehehe. so in the end i managed to go for the earlier mass, which was all good in the end! well, to all, have a blessed holy week and happy easter!

"Proudly Malaysian, but I didn't buy any food from that stall but somehow, sometime, somewhat, somewhere, someone will i guess!"


"Hmmmmm....fear factor Malaysia? How to translate? Faktor Ketakutan?"


"Sataaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Not bad actually, just AUD5 for 3, or roughly RM15 for 3!"


"Hahaha....Hilary"


"Guess they were just too happy to see me! Hehehe...COSDU's stall"

"In true Malaysian spirit, Makanlah, apa lagi?!"


"Leah with someone that looks like me from the side"

"Leah with someone who also looks like me from the front"


"It was scheduled to rain, but then...I just love taking pics of clouds!"


"The chermin effect"


"Some of the food we brought. Uncle Meng provided the platter of pastry, sushi and sandwiches. I made the bihun.The one in the tupperware la!!!"


"Where is everyone?!"


"We had no money for FedEx or DHL. POSLAJU, well POSLAJU you know la. So this was the only way"


"Getting ready for take off"


"Where ah?!"


"There lah!"


"Someone wasn't paying attention in the group discussion"


"Hilary and I"


"Angela and I"


"Audrey and I"


"Amanda and I"


"The 3 A's!"


"Everyone else and I"

No Ang Power!

Hahahaha...I was thinking of posting this tmrw, cos I had counted wrongly. I thought tomorrow is Chap Goh Meh. Oh well, salah parking. Didn't even know it was Thaipusam yesterday. Until someone told me. Hehehe. Oh well, Happy Chap Goh Mei, aka, final day of the Chinese New Year, or how some will say NIU year! Happy Moo Year! Well, so far it's been a pretty good Niu Year so far, except that I've seen the huge drop in Ang Pow collection this year. Yeah, I guess some might be screaming to me, "So old d, still want to get ah?!" But then again, isn't it still my right, 'traditionally and culturally' to be eligible for that Red Packet, containing CASH! Hahahah...Ok, I shouldn't be talking too much about being so money minded. I just thought that it will be a nice way of starting this blog. Yet, many, many and I do mean many many many have left messages to me, asking for Ang Pows! Aiyah, I'm sorry la, but I'm not qualified to give them yet this year. Then they said, we will be PATIENTLY waiting for them sir. And so I reply, I guess I will be getting them from you sooner!

The CNY was pretty OK. I dunno, I guess as we or rather, as I, grow older, the 'Magic' of CNY seems to have lost its uh...magic? Of course it's really nice to be able to be with family members and friends etc, but then again, it would be nicer, if family members can all put aside their differences, conflicts, fights, I dont like you cos... etc etc, and come together as one family to at least have a makan-makan without the If he/she is there I'm not going laaaa. So, every family has their drama/soap opera to tell, mine not excluded! Of cos it was rather sad that I had to "spend" Cny with my family via webcam, but it was nice to see a more hilarious side of my parents, when they tried to "pass" me the ang pow over webcam! And also my mom, who kept "showing off" the new year cookies and delicacies, but putting them "close up" for me to see!

But then, from what I've observed, being an "foreigner" in this foreign land, most of the Chinese Malaysians or rather, most Malaysians I've met here have been rather accommodating and friendly. Of course there are those who're like, yerr....who wants to know you, another Ma-Lay-Sian, I'd rather know, more AUSsieeees kinda mentality la. Well, don't we need all sorts of different characters to make the world unique?! Oddly, I also feel more proud of my roots as a Chinese and Malaysian. I always thought that when you're over the seas, you become more, ang mo and more guailou. Of cos, at time I need to "switch" to a very badly imitated Aussie accent when speaking to the local, at times, it's really nice to use the lahs, aiyahs, mehs, mahs, haiyohs and adois! But truth be told, being here really teaches you about standing up for what you believe in and not being afraid to show it. I'll speak bout that in another blog. Now got word limit d. Hehehe.

In some ways, sometimes we are touched by what others do. No matter how small that person's actions might be, at times we are often affected by it. It then depends on whether we want to be affected by what the person had done, or not, to take it positively or negatively. Thus, in my life's (still comparatively short) experience, (some old granny's and grandpa's will say in Chinese, I've eaten more salt than you have rice!) I've got to learn that doing/saying something is a rather dangerous thing to do! So sometimes, better not to do/say anything, for it's seemingly impossible to retract it back later! Speaking of such, was such an incident last night which had touched me rather deeply. I was having an online conversation with one of my ex students, who had asked me, if I was affected by the Victorian/Melbourne bush fires. Now, living in a suburb in the city, I thank God that I am not, but the manner in which this person asked me, had moved me deeply. Not only was I touched by him asking me that, he also said thanked me profusely for guiding him and teaching him a lot during my days as an academician (not teacher la, I'm not a teacher! I'm not NOBLE enough to be a teacher!) and all I could say was, I didn't really do much, but you're most welcome. Of cos as an academician I'm not supposed to be looking forward to garlands of flowers and gifts strewn onto the street which I walk on. But, it was really nice to be occasionally thanked by those I have taught. As always, I still do get the usual questions and requests for guidance in how they should live their lives, and many come when they are faced with tough decisions and major crossroads in life. In that sense, I somewhat thank God instead that I am able to "comfort" them in their times of needs. Even some do come to me with such trivial matters as asking about the definitions of words and how to differentiate words which sound similar.

Speaking of the fires, just got a call that someone my aunt knows was definitely affected by the Victorian fire. Seriously, this is of no joke. The fires are really bad shape, from what I have seen in the papers. It's a firestorm, so imagine it's horror. For example, say someone is driving along the road, and the fire would just "swish" through his car from out of nowhere, and the car, passenger, all burnt. That bad. Whole towns have been destroyed. Forests burnt to the ground. Well, thanks for all the concern calls, sms and messages. I am fine. Thank god. Please pray for the Aussie affected by it.

Well, all in all, it was really nice to have widened my social network of friends! I did attend the Australian Open, it did feel rather surreal to be there, for I had often seen it on TV and read about it, but to be there was a different experience! Making new friends is such a great thing and I thank God always for the gift of friendship. So, here's a big YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM SENG! to the gift of friendship!


"People who could'nt stand the smell of malt!"

"James Blake vs Frank Dancevic"

"Hehehe"

"Hehehehe..."

"Hmmm...who's who ah?!"

"Feeling 'shy' at the entrance"

"The game begins!"

"Post match interview"

"Trying to bend it like Beckham"

"LOU SANG!!!LOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!"

"Sumptuous dinner prepared by Gerald"

Blessed New Year, this year WE CAN!

I've just read an anonymous e mail sent to me by someone I don't know. How the person had gotten my e mail address I don't know. No la, not virus and not XXX la. Hehehe. But I'd like to thank the person for sending that e mail to me. After reading the mail it had prompted me and moved me so greatly to start writing this blog, while recollecting what have happened in the year 2009. Yes 2009! Forget 2008, that is the past already. So Blessed 2009 for this is a year that many of our dreams will come true! So far the year 2009 has been one which has been rather inspirational and motivating for me, yes I know that only 10 days (rather 9 and a half days)have passed but to me there have been many incidences within these 10 days which have moved me deeply and changed me quite a lot. OK LA, I promise to keep this blog short.

Adelaide was really great, the people there touched me a lot and have changed me a lot. Pics? Check them out on my facebook! In Adelaide, the people and new friends I have found had made me believe again. Also not only those in Adelaide, but the people who surround me and who are in constantly in touch with me supporting me have made me BELIEVE, TRUST and be CONFIDENT again! In what? That's for me to know! I know sometimes people might just say, what did I do to make this change in you? Well sometimes, "the smallest things are the greatest inspirations" Ahem, trademark, registered, copyright! Hehehe. Thus, I'd like to dedicate this blog to my many friends, whom I know are facing tough times, friends who are finding it difficult to struggle with the studies, work and lives (and I do hope that you are reading this), facing huge boulders of obstacles to never stop believing in yourself and to never stop working towards achieving your dreams. Please do know that I'll be always supporting you, even if everyone were to abandon you. I'll always be there for you guys. This is the content of the e mail:



Father of the year
True Story ... A son says to his father : Dad, would you be willingly to run a marathon with me?The father, despite his age and a heart disease, says YES. And they run that marathon, together. The son asks : Dad, can you run another marathon with me? Again father says YES. They run another marathon, together. One day the son asks his father : Dad, would please do the Iron Man with me?Now just in case you wouldn't know, The Iron Man' is the toughest triatlon in existance; 4 km swimming, then 180 km by bike, and finaly another 42 km running, in one stroke. Again father says YES May be this doesn't 'touch' you yet by heart ... until you see this movie (put on sound!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJMbk9dtpdY



Now, I'm not sure if that had caused a little tear to your eye, but it certainly caused goose bumps to me and I am also deeply touched. I do know that somehow this video has some elements of Christianity in it, but please do not get me wrong, it is the message of believing in yourself and with help from GOD that we can! Anyhow, as I've always been a great believer in Christ, I'm not the type of person to stand on the mountain top and to convert people. I believe that actions speak louder than words. Also, whatever your religion is, we all do believe that there is the ONE GOD which watches over us, so why fight la? I did read once about an aetheist (person who doesn't believe in God) say that why believe in religion when it is the cause of most of the violence in the world? I'm sorry but I have no answer for that, rather I can only believe that through religion, people are stopped from creating even worse autrocities.



Anyhow, I know that I have been "heavily critisized" for this pic already, due to the size of something which seems (very) inflated, aiyah, I needed to breathe ma when I jumped so high, and so happen the shirt also terbuka d! Plus it was like take 10 or something already due to technical difficulties. Heheheh. But ultimately, I'd hope and pray that each of my days in 2009 will make me feeling like this, and I hold the same thoughts, prayers and hopes that your days will be like this too!

Blessed 2009, gong xi fatt chai is coming soon. So Xin Nian Kuai Ler, Gong Xi Fatt Chai...To my dad, mom, big and small sis, I am missing you all greatly. To all my friends back home, missing you all so much for sure I'll like to meet up with you guys when I'm back! Sorry, this year I'm still not qualified to give out ang paus! Hehehe.

Just for laughs

So the few weeks have just flown by like that. Been a bit busy to update my blogs. Sigh, feel sad with what's going on in my country as well. Last Sat I wept when I heard of the state my beloved Malaysia is in now. Yeah, I actually wept. Not the waaaaaaaa!!! crying la. Just tears in my eyes. Hope all will be better la. I always pray that God protects each and every Malaysian from any harm. No laughing matter this!

The few weeks have been pretty ok for me, still wandering around in a big maze called the PhD. Boy, it is tough! Well, no choice but to do it for career advancement! I still dunno how to make my blog look neat and tidy la. I mean, when I type and all that it looks ok. But when I publish it it all runs haywire. Any tips of dear fellow bloggers?

Well, my house in Penang is finally ready. YAY! or BOOHOO! Well depends on how I look at it la...YAY cos now I have officially completed the 5Cs of bachelorhood. (time to get married d? well the pressure groups of the yeemakujiehs inc and little sis inc are piling on the pressure!) Hehehehe...

Cash (not that much actually, but enough to open small nasi lemak stall la),

Car (small little Myvi with a big number!),

Credit Card (never used them already anyways),

Career (student ma!) and

Condominium (I think house also can la...) Hehehe...

And then boohoo cause I dont have a wife to spend all this money with...hehehe...kidding la. Well. guess this just leads to more responsibility and debts! Owning a house is seriously, seriously such a big thing. Small matters like cutting the grass can also lead to big headaches! Now I bought a house and not a condo for a few reasons. Small little reasons that will actually make you feel...ARRGGGGGHHHH!!! Like, when you have locked your car, carrying all ur groceries, went up the lift, open the door with one hand, lock the door with one hand and then, aiyah...left my phone in the car, or aiyah, did I lock the car? AAAAAARRRGGGGGHHH!!!

It's weird though, cause when some of us were young, most of us always said, well, I'm gonna get married at 26! And then when we're at 26, we're like HUH?! WHAT?! TWENTY SIX D?! SO FAST?! Remember when we were young and the age 20 seemed like such a big thing? Well at 24-26 I've just started working and don't really have any money! Salary kechik kechik only. Car also kechik kechik one, can rent a kechik kechik room in an apartment only (unless we had sponsors from MBF *Mak Bapak Finance or FAMA *Father/Mother to buy us nice cars or a place to live in) Makan economy rice only (which is quite expensive nowadays). Life's so tough at this time of our lives. How to marry?

So then we say, ok la, postpone to 28. Then some of us can nicely break up some more at around that age, which makes the chances even more slimmer. (And of course there are a few who have already gotten married. Congratulations to you all.) How to marry?!

And when we're 27 now and then next year at 28 will be the crunch time again, and then some of us realised, GOD! That means I need to propose this year already?! And some of us are still without a gf. How to marry?!!

Then we decide, ok la, postpone again to let's say, 30! And then when we're 30 some of the stupider ones suddenly realised, I haven't finished my PhD laaa. How to marry?!!!

But then again, we can't rush all this la. Imagine, someone had actually asked me before, why aren't u married? What's wrong with u?! Wah...stabbed me in my heart wei! It's weird though for at that point of time when I was younger. I had so much time but always didnt have money to do things. But now it's like got time and got money but no one to do it with!! Gosh, I hope that I don't start to sound like I'm really desperate already! Of cos I'm not. Well many people always say that guys do not have to marry so early! Hehehe! If all men think like that, how to marry then?!!!!

I did have a few conversations with friends regarding marriage this week. Weird, it was like marriage counselling week ler, only with people who arent married! I was just saying that well, if I do find the right person to get married to, I would like to settle down in the near future already. Well, if and when you're at that point of time in your life, you will feel like how I feel. It's nice you know, to have a wife and kids. And I really love kids. Kids here are really cute in Australia. Especially in the winter when they're all bundled up in their winter clothing! Some with little bunny ears some more! And some of kids really look like little dolls! Gosh, I can't wait to have a little Adrian Jr! Hehehe...That's another reason why I had bought a house. I want my kids to be able to run here run there fall down roll over have space to ride their little tricycles! Have some space la at least!

Oh yeah, speaking of kids, check out these funny pics someone sent to me. DON'T do the DON'Ts and of cos I DON'T plan to do the DON'Ts!

I especially like the ones, calming baby, massaging baby, exercising baby and fun games for baby. Imagine the small fella doing all that makes me laugh! Doing bench presses! HAHAHAHA!

The HCC graduation ceremony has also passed already. Seems like I'm just a fading memory there as well. Only ONE student contacted me to thank me for teaching her. Well, better than none. Anyway, congrats to all who have graduated. I'm proud of that you all have made it.

I've been having a few students, sorry, ex students, now I've also been upgraded to the student level as well. Well, they have been asking me for advice on where to go for the industrial training, and I was like, What?!! Training time again?! So fast one year has already passed! Oh the pain of going thru the calls and e mails and faxes and the, hey man, how's it going, can u take in my students? the tantrums (not by me) and merajuking and the crying and the "I dont want to talk to u sir cos u dont let me go there to train" and why no pay why no tranport provided why no hostel provided why no work to do one why so much work to do one why my company no leng lui why my company no leng chai why this why that why so late why so far why so dangerous why still got no reply why they are like that why kl food so expensive why my boss so bad why my boss so kiam siap why the system different one why 10 weeks only why is life so hard why I can't go to KL why can't I stay in Penang why I can't go overseas why KL food not nice one why KL so far one why Chinese New Year no holiday why Chinese New Year no angpao why didn't you send me there why didn't you send me to a different company why KL so big one why must I go for training why can't I go for training why can't I work for you...hmmmm...so this year I wont be there to answer the whys anymore, hence I've been upgraded!

I've been wanting to write about the places I've been to in Australia. But it's gonna be soooooo long a blog la. I know that the complains regarding the length of my blog being a equivalent to a thesis/bible/encyclopedia/manuscript so I'm just gonna find one time when I have nothing to say and then I will blog about it! It does seem that I've been travelling a lot already. Well, I might as well since I'm here. Plus, I don't go out all the time, just once in a while to the city and once a month for serious travelling. If I don't, I'd really get a Permanent Head Damage! Next stop, Canberra!!!