The earthquake and its resulting tsunamis have taken many many lives and property. We mourn and pray for all those who have lost their families, homes and livelyhoods. You are in my heart and may God bring you comfort and peace.
Looking at the TV reports and seeing the devastation, it brings tears to my eyes. I walked on those streets in Phuket, mingled with its people, bargained hard for their ware. Most of you who read this blog will have similar memories of your own. Lets make it a point to remember them fondly, and to put the people you have met in the top of your thoughts.
We may be safe in our homes... but we have all been effected by the tragedy.
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Yo Ho Ho..
This must have been the most carollling I have ever done in one season. Lets see.. I must have sung White Christmas more than 10 times! It was quite good fun going to rehearsals again and then on to perform, albeit singing with a different group meant that I had to be slowly accepted by its members. I knew them, some of them very well, but as a group, barriers still needed to be overcome. I was very glad when they did... They are a remarkable bunch and I had a great time.
Thanks guys!!
Thanks guys!!
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Chui's Birthday!
No.. don't ask me how old she is.. but all I can say is, she hasn't aged a bit to me since we've met. (Not to mention she is sitting right behind me as I write this). We had a little impromptu get together for cake and "candle" (ahem.. in this case lighter, since the person in charge didn't bring it.. strange considering they bake cakes for a living!).
It was a really short gathering, but still quite good fun. Just click on the photo to see the rest of the set.
It was a really short gathering, but still quite good fun. Just click on the photo to see the rest of the set.
Monday, December 13, 2004
La Residence - Bangkok
Chui and I stayed in a neat little hotel in Bangkok, called LaResidence. Comprising of only 24 uniquely appointed rooms approximately 10 minutes walk to the BTS Skytrain near Patpong. Like a complete spaz am, I forgot to take pictures of the room itself, but here is a quick peek at their library.
Friday, December 10, 2004
Eventful Year
2004 is coming to a close, which leaves me to reflect a rather eventful year. I sit here in relative isolation. Working at home leaves me with many many hours all by myself, and it does sometimes leads to melancholy. So, I sit here and ponder the things that has happened in the past 12 months or so. And wow.. did I do and experience a lot, and it surprises even me.
This year saw me becoming a contractor of sorts. Took me the first four months of the year to supervise the renovation to my current abode. It was difficult. But well worth the effort. Chui and I now have a place we call home, and I hope some of our friends also feel like it is their home away from home. We have had more social visits in the past 6 months than ALL the social visits I had in my old condo. Excellent. To borrow Hannibal.. "I love it when a plan comes together!"
We have also become fast friends with CM. Unfortunately, we may now lose him to his grand master plan next year, but that is another story. But for what its worth, we have become pretty good friends and do load of stuff together. Its been a treat.
Holidays. What can I say. Somehow, I have managed to squeeze out quite a few trips this year. Lets see.. went to Phuket with the boys. Great fun as usual. Its funny how familiarity can be part of the fun. Considering we have been to Phuket at least 4 times now as a group, there must be something to be said about being familiar with the going ons that keeps us coming back. Ah.. and then there were the two excellent dive trips. We did Perhentian early in the year. It was good to return to the island where I got certified on being able to discover new things about the island, having been restricted to lessons the last time. And off course, we capped the year with another excellent week in Mabul's Sipadan Water Village. Again, there is something to be said about the famialirity of the destination. This time round, the place felt even better, and the people friendlier! Even managed to get invited to my only badminton game this year on the island. What can I say, but it was bliss. Would I return. A resounding YES.
Then there was Shanghai. I wrote a little about it in an earlier blog entry. The best thing about this holiday, is that it wasn't! Huh? Well.. it was a sponsored junket by Honda. Another friend of mine who is the editor of a big motoring magazine, sent me as his writer as he was unable to go. So.. here I went to one of the most expensive cities to visit in Asia, flew business class, was given money to spend, and was feted at every meal. What else could a guy want. Oh.. and off course I got to watch the inaugural F1 race there live, walked the paddocks and visited the BAR garage.
Chui and I finally made a trip (all by ourselves) to Bangkok. Had to plan early for this trip. Bought the tickets a few months earlier at the Matta fair and basically waited as the days counted down till we got to go. The trip was a little like the happenings over the past year. HECTIC! How we managed to cram in 3 massages, one spa treatment, meals, sightseeing, hours and hours of shopping and commuting into 3 and a half days is beyond me.
Ahh and then there was the whole episode with my partners at work. What can I do but heave a big huge sigh, and say, "it is finished". It wasn't a very good year at all when it came to my business. However, I believe the story is not yet finished. Things all happen for a reason, and the reason willl soon reveal itself..... I hope. But seriously folks, it is for the better, the wallet may be empty, but the resolve is still there. With the support from Chui, its still been a pretty good year despite the setback.
Off course there is much more that happened over the year. There is things that has happened with Chui, my extended family has become bigger with the inclusion of Darrel, and a smaller part James (Asha, my ex wife's new baby), hobbies, new people I met, stuff I bought... Many many things... but I shall not bore you any further.
This year saw me becoming a contractor of sorts. Took me the first four months of the year to supervise the renovation to my current abode. It was difficult. But well worth the effort. Chui and I now have a place we call home, and I hope some of our friends also feel like it is their home away from home. We have had more social visits in the past 6 months than ALL the social visits I had in my old condo. Excellent. To borrow Hannibal.. "I love it when a plan comes together!"
We have also become fast friends with CM. Unfortunately, we may now lose him to his grand master plan next year, but that is another story. But for what its worth, we have become pretty good friends and do load of stuff together. Its been a treat.
Holidays. What can I say. Somehow, I have managed to squeeze out quite a few trips this year. Lets see.. went to Phuket with the boys. Great fun as usual. Its funny how familiarity can be part of the fun. Considering we have been to Phuket at least 4 times now as a group, there must be something to be said about being familiar with the going ons that keeps us coming back. Ah.. and then there were the two excellent dive trips. We did Perhentian early in the year. It was good to return to the island where I got certified on being able to discover new things about the island, having been restricted to lessons the last time. And off course, we capped the year with another excellent week in Mabul's Sipadan Water Village. Again, there is something to be said about the famialirity of the destination. This time round, the place felt even better, and the people friendlier! Even managed to get invited to my only badminton game this year on the island. What can I say, but it was bliss. Would I return. A resounding YES.
Then there was Shanghai. I wrote a little about it in an earlier blog entry. The best thing about this holiday, is that it wasn't! Huh? Well.. it was a sponsored junket by Honda. Another friend of mine who is the editor of a big motoring magazine, sent me as his writer as he was unable to go. So.. here I went to one of the most expensive cities to visit in Asia, flew business class, was given money to spend, and was feted at every meal. What else could a guy want. Oh.. and off course I got to watch the inaugural F1 race there live, walked the paddocks and visited the BAR garage.
Chui and I finally made a trip (all by ourselves) to Bangkok. Had to plan early for this trip. Bought the tickets a few months earlier at the Matta fair and basically waited as the days counted down till we got to go. The trip was a little like the happenings over the past year. HECTIC! How we managed to cram in 3 massages, one spa treatment, meals, sightseeing, hours and hours of shopping and commuting into 3 and a half days is beyond me.
Ahh and then there was the whole episode with my partners at work. What can I do but heave a big huge sigh, and say, "it is finished". It wasn't a very good year at all when it came to my business. However, I believe the story is not yet finished. Things all happen for a reason, and the reason willl soon reveal itself..... I hope. But seriously folks, it is for the better, the wallet may be empty, but the resolve is still there. With the support from Chui, its still been a pretty good year despite the setback.
Off course there is much more that happened over the year. There is things that has happened with Chui, my extended family has become bigger with the inclusion of Darrel, and a smaller part James (Asha, my ex wife's new baby), hobbies, new people I met, stuff I bought... Many many things... but I shall not bore you any further.
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Humbled in Bangkok
We must have walked for hundreds of miles.. OK.. I exaggerate, but we sure put in quite a few hours a day on our feet. Bangkok is a shoppers paradise. Its retail industry is quite literally a few heads above ours in good ole' KL. It’s all there in Bangkok, from the very quaint and cheap, and the hyper expensive, lies many many shades of retail experiences that needs to be experienced to understand. Chui and I spent literally hours browsing through hundreds of shops. Like pirahnas on a blood trail, we blitzed Bangkok.
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