Starter Prize

Finally! My car number plate came out as a Starter Prize and I won RM 200!!! That and Liverpool just beat Manchester City 1-0 away from home.

Sugar, We're Going Down - Fall Out Boy

Am I more than you bargained for yet?
I've been dying to tell you anything you want to hear
Cause that's just who I am this week
Lie in the grass, next to the mausoleum
I'm just a notch in your bedpost
But you're just a line in a song

Drop a heart, break a name
We're always sleeping in, and sleeping for the wrong team

We're going down, down in an earlier round
And Sugar, we're going down swinging
I'll be your number one with a bullet
A loaded God complex, cock it and pull it

Songs on my MP3 player

Here's my own compilation of top 10 songs on my MP3 player (in no particular order) :

1. Mixtape by Butch Walker
2. Glad (Acoustic Version) by Tyler Hilton
3. The Good King by The Wreckers
4. Just Like Honey by The Jesus & Mary Chain
5. Empty Apartment by Yellowcard
6. California by Phantom Planet (OC Theme Song)
7. Eleanor by Low Millions
8. Feeling A Moment by Feeder
9. Stars And Boulevards by Augustana
10. Street Map by Athlete

And the current album that's been playing is Lost In Translation : Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack. A truly marvellous serene album to have playing in the background while working, with its fabulous instrumental pieces. The scores from this album transcends time and should be in all serious musical collections.

Thai Girl Show

I always thought went someone said Thai Girl Show, it was a Tiger Show where there were real tigers being whipped around by woman dressed in tight leather clothes. It was nowhere near the one I catched a few days ago, but its close enough to be just as interesting.

For 400 baht we were treated to a Thai Girl Show at this place called Inter Club or something like that. It looked very seedy, and other than the 4 of us there were 2 other couples in the lounge. Since the audience was very small, we were seated right in front of the stage.

It started out innocously enough, with 4 ladies dressed in traditional Thai costumes and G-string underwear doing a traditional Thai dance. Then came this voluptous woman who started dancing to a pop song, and stripping off her clothes and performing a striptease. This was followed by more dances, and some circus acts like eating a fire stick, pulling fire crackers from the private parts, and it ended with a shower scene. Poor girl must be feeling very cold taking a shower in front of us. She wasn't naked then so my friend joked that she must be washing her clothes at the same time.

Unlike the cabaret show during my trip to Bangkok 2 years ago, this one featured real ladies (the other was transexuals), and since the place was very seedy, everything is chargeable. My friend had to pay 100 Baht to use the toilet, while myself and another guy was conned into forking out another 200 Baht for some cheap pearl necklace which we draped over one of the girls. I was a bit pissed then as the waitress who instigated this kept asking me to buy her a drink, for tips and so on. After the necklace fiasco, I told her off and she left presumably thinking I was a cheapskate. Later though she did came back and apologize, and hoped that I had a good time during the show.

After the show ends, the dancers were strutting along the stage, possibly hoping for more tips like slipping a 20 into their G-strings. We left hurriedly though before they settle down as while the show was nice enough, the additional services was not the thing we were looking for.

Hot Nights In Hat Yai

I always remembered Hat Yai from this Singapore album "Why You So Like That?" where one of the skits was called Hot Nights In Hat Yai. I had never been to that part of Thailand before, well at least not until last week.

It was a simple weekend getaway where the only thing confirmed was our flight ticket. Nothing else was booked beforehand, since we will be there from Sunday to Wednesday, knowing that there will be plenty of empty rooms in the hotels around the town. Ended up staying in Lee Garden, a 33 storey shopping complex cum hotel.

Hat Yai is like a huge Taiping where everything is within walking distance though I suspect the population is much larger than Taiping. One thing I really like was that the groceries are 10% - 20% cheaper than Malaysia (my kind of groceries anyway like instant noodles, chewing gums, soft drinks, etc.). Next time will come & stock up on more stuff to bring back.

So what are the hot nights in Hat Yai? Well Hat Yai is known for its 'escort' service. Here, young boys or old men go about in search for the perfect evening with one of the many Thai (there were some from Myanmar & Indonesia as well) ladies in service. For approximately 2,000 baht, this ladies will be at your beck and call for up to 24 hours (supposedly from around 10 am till the next morning). Of course all other incidentals are purchased by the guys during that 24 hr period. I won't go into details but suffice to say these ladies are at the men's beck and call.

I did have the chance to speak to one of them over supper. She was 27 years old and is the youngest child in a family of five (with two older brothers). Coming from the north, she came to Hat Yai to look for enough money to start her own business though she is not sure what business she wants to dabble in. Accordingly she doesn't come too often, only when money is tight, but she's been in the line for almost 2 years. Anyhow, she mentioned she will settle down before hitting 30 back in her hometown, hopefully with her own family and business venture.

Now I don't speak Thai but actually in Hokkien with the majority of the Hat Yai population. Its like the 2nd language here, and I ended up being the translator for my colleagues when we were travelling around town. Not that my command of Hokkien is any good, but at least its good enough to bargain for prices, negotiate taxi fares, ask for directions, and discuss about personal life. Its no wonder I noticed a few cars with Penang number plates on the streets.

One other thing which is great about this city is that the massages are super cheap. Only RM 24 for a 2-hr Thai massage. Furthermore the place we went looked very professional (not the parlors with extra services), and the massages were very good. If only PJ have a parlor like that, I would have visit it every other day.

Hurt

In tribute to Eddie Guerrero.

I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real

Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here

What have I become?
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know
Goes away in the end

And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

If I could start again
A million miles away
I will keep myself
I will find away

When the stars go wrong

If all the stars & Feng Shui & predictions & are pointing me towards the supposedly love of my life, why do I still have hesitations?

Why Malaysians resort to watching pirated shows

I've been looking high & low for Liverpool's 2004-2005 Season Review DVD, where they became European Champions, but until now it has not showed up in any of the retail outlets since its launch back in July. I would not have mind paying up to RM 100 for an original copy of that disc, but checking with the outlets they have no idea when it will arrive. Of course the fact that it sold out within weeks of release and was the No. 1 Sports DVD in UK (and the whole of Europe) may have something to do with that.

Feeling fed up, I went & download the whole show (took me a few days for the 4.5 GB file), and now I can't wait to relive that memorable night in Istanbul.

Champagne For My Real Friends, Real Pain For My Sham Friends

I just watched One Tree Hill Season 3 Episode 7 which aired over US on Wednesday night. After the fantasy boy draft, things got better for Nathan & Haley while, it got worse for Lucas & Brooke. I won't spoil it for those who is waiting like a year or two for Astro to bring it over (even Season 2 is not on yet, and Season 1 just ended on Star World), but suffice to say the show is just as intriguing as ever.

One of the finer things about the show is their episode titles like the one above. Every episode title is the title of a song from an underground band (e.g. Keane before they got famous). Of course there was an episode from a Sheryl Crow song, but mainly they come from indie bands like Fall Out Boy, Athlete, etc (oops, I think they just got famous recently).

Unfortunately the next episode, titled The Worst Day Since Yesterday, will only be aired on 30 Nov 2005, as they will do a re-run next week. Which is probably a good thing as I will probably be dead tired after my Hat Yai trip.

The Life & Times of Eddie Guerrero, 1967 - 2005

I was just surfing throught the web, visiting the homepage of the World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. when I come across the news that Eddie Guerrero had mysteriously pass away ... at the age of 38. He is survived by his wife, and three children.

Well I did not follow Eddie earlier in his career, I was aware of this Latino superstar back when I turned on WCW programs. Normally, charismatic wrestlers would then to get more airtime, and he was one of them with his latin accent, cool struts, and incredible acrobatic maneuvers.

It was when he came to the WWE earlier this decade that I started to followed him. From a middle rank wrestler in the program to a full-fledged superstar, I always loved to see him appear in whichever guises he has.

I remember when he started breaking out. The entrance music will play "Mamacita (pronounced as Ma-ma-see-ta), here comes the Latino Heat", and I would hum along as it was a very catchy tune. At that period, he was playing a blue-eyed Latin boy trying to impress a fellow female wrestler. It was both hilarious and cool and the way he pulled it off meant that he would soon get further recognition in this business.

And recognition did he get. Just last year at Wrestlemania XX (or XXI, I can't recall), he won the WWE championship while his best friend, Chris Benoit won the World Championship belt. It was an emotional sight, seeing two grown men hugging each other, crying tears of joy, and the crowds cheering on. For both of them, it was a culmination of more than 10 years in the business, and that they had landed the ultimate prize.

Eddie would then switch his persona from a Latino kid, to a more grown up Latin version of James Dean. As he was performing on Smackdown, I did not catch much of his antics, though I would regularly read up on the website of the things he did. He would adopt the motto "Cheating Death, Stealing Life", and his latest entrance music was another classic. Even when he tried to turn into a bad guy, the crowds would still cheer for him, for they know deep down, that Eddie's journey is another case of from rags to riches.

It's sad not able to see him spew words in a Latin accent, performing the Five Star Frog Splash, tackling the ladies, and overall causing mischief in the WWE. His one of a kind and will truly be missed.

The Return of the King - Extended Version

Eowyn : The city has fallen silent. There is no warmth left in the sun. I grow so cold.

Faramir : It's just the damp of the first spring rain. I do not believe this darkness will endure.

And that's how Faramir tackled Eowyn, and probably washed her earlier feelings for Aragorn away.

The trilogy is truly an awe inspiring film, with its majestic orchestra score, exceptional battle scenes at both individual and army levels, strong characterization, excellent script (even though some are a bit cliche), all serve to really define what movie making is all about.

The extended edition adds almost 2 hours of additional footage to the trilogy, making it almost half a day to sit through the whole show. I did sat through once, though the Return of the King was not the extended version at that time.

With the extended version of the Return of the King, some questions posed by LOTR fans were answered. What happened to Saruman, the battle between the Witch King & Gandalf, a showdown between Aragorn & Sauron, additional trials Frodo faced across the plains to Mount Doom, and many more.

Now if only someone will pick up the Dragonlance trilogy.

Return To Me

In a universe where I was flat
You hunkered down and lived the past
You're leaving soon
It's 10 till noon
I see a black car
I'm moving through time
When will we part

I have been the worst of kinds
A sorrowed heart
A cluttered mind
And I'm thinking that I could change this
That I could change this
But I can't change this

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me
Black as the Pit from pole to pole
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloodied, but unbowed

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me unafraid

It matters not how straight the gate
How charged with punishments the scroll
I am the master of my fate
I am the captain of my soul

- William Ernest Henly (1849 - 1903)

Re-offender

Keeping up appearances
Keeping up with the Joneses
Fooling my selfish heart
Going through the motions

But I'm fooling myself
I'm fooling myself
Cause you say you love me
And then you do it again, you do it again
You say your sorrys
And then you do it again, you do it again

Everybody thinks you're well
Everybody thinks I'm ill
Watching me fall apart
Falling under your spell

But you're fooling yourself
You're fooling yourself
Cause you say you love me
And then you do it again, you do it again
You say your sorrys
And then you do it again, you do it again

Empty Apartment

Call me out
You stayed inside
One you love
Is where you hide
Shot me down as I drove by
Crash and burn
I think sometimes you forget where the heart is

Answer no to these questions
Let her go, learn a lesson
It's not me, you're not listening now
Can't you see something's missing?
You forget where the heart is

Take you away from that empty apartment
You stay and forget where the heart is
Someday if ever you love me you'd say it's okay

Waking up from this nightmare
How's your life, what's it like there?
Is it all what you want it to be?
Does it hurt when you think about me?
And how broken my heart is

Take you away from that empty apartment
You stay and forget where the heart is
Someday if ever you love me you'd say it's okay

It's okay to be angry and never let go
It only gets harder the more that you know
When you get lonely if no one's around
You know that I'll catch you when you're falling down
We came together but you left alone
And I know how it feels to walk out on your own
Maybe someday I will see you again
And you'll look me in my eyes and call me your friend

Take you away from that empty apartment
You stay and forget where the heart is
Someday if ever you love me you'd say it's okay
It's okay ... it's okay ...

One more episode to go

Finally, I'm one episode download away from the whole collection of One Tree Hill Season 2.

Already downloaded partially some episodes of The OC Season 1, but 27 episodes, I think its a bit too much. Better to just buy the DVD collection.

At least now my Streamyx bill is paying off.

Story Behind A Great Passion

During my cleaning, I found a poem written to me by someone special as a Christmas gift. It is a tragic story, and it goes like this ...

He saw her once in just a glance
A moment's glance in meeting eyes
His heart stood still in sudden trance
He trembled with a sweet surprise

All in a waning light she stood
The star of perfect womanhood
On that summer eve his heart was light
With lighter steps he trod the ground

Since then life was fairer in his sight
And music accompanied every sound
He blessed the world where there could be
So beautiful a thing as she

There once again as evening fell
And stars were peering overhead
The summer sun gleamed faint and red
It was time for both lovers to bid farewell

Long time since the memory of that night
The hands that clasped
The lips that kissed
And she slowly faded from his sight

Then after many a years he came back
A wanderer from a distant shore
The street, the houses was still the same
But the one he wished to sought was there no more

A search was on for many a years
He failed but tried to keep away his tears
Sadness embraced him like warm sunlight did
He ended his life course life was incomplete

Yet now on his grave she knelt
He heard no step but she was there
Simultaneously, the misery she felt was higher than mountain
The reflection in her eyes told a story of great passion ...

Solitude

Octavio Paz once wrote,
"Solitude is the profoundness fact of the human condition.
Man is the only being who knows he is alone."

It's been a quiet holiday week, though I did drop by the office one day to submit my claims. Other than my Vietnamese friend bunking over earlier in the week, it has been a relatively solitary life which I am leading so far.

Didn't know my place would be too difficult to clean since my parents were in Japan for the whole week. Gave up when I encountered too much junk around my house so I just settle for rearranging my room for the umpteenth time.

Tried out the new washing machine too (not really new, but its the first time I'm using it). Couldn't find the manual so just program to the highest settings and hit the START button. Next time when I'm in my new place, will remember to pull the water pipe towards a drain or something as almost created a mini flood in my yard when the machine was draining out the water. Also to check the pockets for tissues or papers. Otherwise, it was fun playing with it.

Taking out trash, collecting letters, I wonder if that's how its gonna be later. As an old friend once told me, we are all alone in this world after all.

The AIESEC difference

I try not to generalize but unfortunately, there is a difference between an AIESEC trainee and your typical foreign tourist/worker in the country.

1 : An AIESEC trainee will genuinely care, respect & learn more the countries culture, customs, way of living, community, etc. The typical foreigner would pretend to care, while trying to either subtlely or openly impose his/her nation's values, way of living, etc. or just plainly ignore the whole thing altogether.

2 : An AIESEC trainee generally is willing to try everything. Food, places to go, way of living, and would try to be one with the locals. A foreigner would tend to stick to their preferred style, ways, culture, etc.

3 : An AIESEC trainee is generally would willing share his/her own country's culture, way of living (that's the 4th time!) with the locals without imposing them or saying its better than the locals. A foreigner may sometimes not know what's happening in their own country (unfortunately that can be said to some of us including myself, but I try my best).

Again I do not like to generalize since I know some foreigners who are great people to hang around with while there were some trainees who sometimes we wondered how they'd become trainees.