Thursday, April 19, 2007

Musicman

I am a music nut, but I'm not particularly gifted in anything. I can play the guitar, but not well enough to warrant special mention. I can sing, but only to myself and when no one is listening. Though I've karaoke-d before, no one has complained. I think I'm more of a Jack of all trades (yet master of none). Prolly they are too nice. But one thing for sure is, I need to listen to music all the time. I listen to it on the train rides to and fro work everyday, I listen on the car radio, I listen on the WinAmp when I'm home. I listen to many varying genres, it's hard to pin my taste down. Generally, it's rock. But I do listen to dangdut even when the mood strikes me. Yeah, people who knows me as the banker wouldn't believe this. Cufflinks and matching ties does not really go well with dangdut, does it?

Anyway, these days I've been listening to a few bands I'm not familiar with before. Some friends recommended them to me, and I decided to take a plunge. Turned out, they're not half bad. So do take a listen to Acceptance and Boys Like Girls. I would recommend So Contagious by the former and Holiday by the latter. Then if you like it, listen to their other songs as well.

Back to my guitar, I own a 5-year old cheapo electric which I frequently refers to as my girlfriend. Well, I do touch and stroke her more than anyone or anything else. Anyway, it's a bloodred number, with 24-frets. Maple neck and headstock, rosewood fretboard, 3 single-coil pickups, and sounds decent enough for a starter guitar. Plus it was very cheap. Now that I've played for a bit, I can discern the flaws in the sound. So I am looking for a new one. I've been eyeing SX GG1 at Chambers Music in Sg Wang, have tried it as well. From all the reviews I've read, it's apparently better than Epiphone Les Paul (which cost more than twice of SX). I've tried it, and it plays well. But the colour is not what I wanted. If they can order one in black for me, then I'm sold. Still looking though, not ruching into any purchases. Am also getting the Marshall 15W amp to go with it as well.

Someone wanted me to write more about my love life. I'll give it a thought. I don't want this to be some soppy preteen diary that talks of getting heartbroken all the time. I guess I have a different view of the situation now. More rational? Perhaps. Not really looking for new ones now, but I'm not counting anything out. Just keeping my options open. Love is the melody of life, is it not?

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Overcoming Obstacles and Others: A Collection

Today I was invited to a luncheon talk by Sir Chris Bonington at The Westin. Yes, one of the perks of the job is getting invitations to the best places and the best events. It was organized by the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce. The talk was called Overcoming Obstacles, where the mountaineer shares his experience when he climbed Mount Everest aged 50 back in 1985, and he drew parallels between his adventures and the challenges that we managers face at the workplace. I find the talk very inspiring. It made me want to find mountains for me to climb as well, on scale with my experience (read: naught) of course. But then, Sir Chris is the type of guy who says things like "I was lucky I only broke some ribs" and "Mount Everest is not the most challenging mountain for me". Let's see, I heard someone mention Gunung Jerai and Gunung Ayam just now after the talk. Are those climbable for office rats like me?

The food was good, for starters we had pastries and mushroom and chicken soup. The main course was baked fish in cream sauce and some greens. Okay, I'm not Anthony Bourdain, so I don't really know what fish or what greens. The desert was passion fruit sorbet with mango sauce and some pastry thing with cream. But of course, someone like me likes his food in sumptous volumes. Haute cuisine is nice, but nasi goreng ayam at the mamak nearby the office is the definitive feel-good food.

The nasi lemak stalls behind Pizza Hut nearby Menara Genesis in Bukit Bintang sells some of the best nasi lemak in town. I feel like dropping by everyday after work now that I've tasted it once last Thursday.

I watched Jangan Pandang Belakang last night at One Utama, with several colleagues. Honestly, the movie hasn't got much of a plot. However, the scenes are quite disturbing on their own. It should have been called Jangan Pandang Belakang: a collection of horror moments. Yes, I think it is worth watching. Pierre Andre is a good actor and Intan Ladyana needs to work harder to make herself appear more natural on screen. Jalaluddin Hassan, well, I think someone should just shoot him. He can't act, he can only do the Dato'/CEO role and a pitiful one at that too. Listen to him giving a financial analysis of his company in the movie. Kejap August in in 3Q, kejap in 4Q, I would quit my job if that's my boss talking incoherently like that.

I am going off tangent very quickly, which I tend to do quite a lot as well.

Anyway, have some more work to do and calls to make. Life goes on as usual in my little corner of the office. What life? This is life, my friend.

Thursday, April 5, 2007

A Note To You

Hey man,

How are you holding up? This is kinda awkward. Let me just give it to you straight, okay? I'm better at that.

Look, it is not the end of the world. I know how you feel, I felt that 7 years ago too. I felt it over and over again when I was slogging away in college, doing something I never wanted to. I felt like a failure all the time. But look at me now. I'm making more than what dad makes after so many years of working. I am looked upon with respect and for some with perhaps a touch of envy by my friends. I love what I'm doing, not so many people can say that.

And where did I start out? With a mediocre SPM result, with a halfbaked desire to do the degree, and with a heart burning with ambition to make up for all the disappointments. The end will justify the means, believe me. I know mom and dad was more than just a little bit disappointed that I did not get to go for a degree overseas, but they hid it well. In hindsight, it's a blessing. What if I was 10,000 miles away when dad was hospitalized, and not be able to come home to take care of the household while mom cared for him at the hospital? See, God moves in mysterious ways.

I'm glad Sis got the perfect score, got to do what she wanted and lived up to everyone's expectations. She made them proud, much more prouder than I ever did. I have a lot to thank her for. At least it eased their worries some more.

Now at 24 I have a good paying job, have bought a house of my own, planning to buy my dream SUV soon, and ultimately able to live on my own without burdening mom and dad anymore. God knows how much I've squandered away in college. To whom I attribute all these too? To their support. Mom might not know much about Calculus, but she knew enough that it's not peanuts and always have the right words to say whenever I felt like giving up. Look out for it, pretty soon you'll be treated more as a man than a boy like before. But earn that respect from her, no more fooling around so much. Or rather, don't show it to her. Been there, done that.

It's your time to shine. Me and Sis have been through the paces, gone to good boarding schools, took respectable degrees and have shined in our own way. The stage is set for you. There's no other way than up from now, trust me. Slog away if needed be, do away with sleep if you have to, but always remember that this is your time to prove the doubters wrong. For what it's worth, I'll be with you all the way.

Love,
Along

P/S: Mom and Dad doesn't write any of us off when we strayed. Don't you worry about that, they are most supportive (why did you think mom nagged so hard for 2 years to get you to study?) and most of all, their love does not rise and fall like a tide. It's a constantly enveloping mist. Always around, but barely seen most of the time. After 24 years of them, I think I know a thing or two by now.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Episode One: 3x3

He's got a girl that he feels a lot for. She's hot, she's naughty and she is everything he ever hoped for. But she's a thousand miles away. Yet she's still a stranger after all.

He's got a girl that he feels a lot for. She's wild, she's unpredictable and she is everything he ever hoped for. But she's not one to be pinned down. Yet she's still a stranger after all.

He's got a girl that he feels a lot for. She's clean, she's different and she is everything he ever hoped for. But she's not sure. Yet she's still a stranger after all.

3 guys, 3 girls and 3 potential heartbreaks.

Who needs drama when we have this in our lives?