...Roses

What's in a name?

That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet

- William Shakesphere, Romeo & Juliet

Photograph taken in Hotel G, Galway, Republic of Ireland

...Thin Gray Line...

Alrite, alrite - I shall admit it...

Yours truly, the rabid cow is a sucker for... yeap - you guessed it...

Fairytales
Indeed, I think I have a remarkable appetite for fairytales and a remarkable capacity to want to believe in them.

It was rather unsettling - as you know most 26 year olds usually consider themselves beyond the age of fairytales... but I have had almost 8 hours to think about it as I travelled between Paris and KL just earlier today (yes - I am back in KL).

Flying Singapore Airlines for the 1st time in yonks - I was treated to the new Krisworld entertainment system (which is miles better than MAS Select!!!) of which I happen to choose the movie "Stardust"

It was a simple tale - one of which I could predict the ending from a mile away... a story of a hapless hero becoming a seasoned prince in shining armour, falling in love (not with the lady he intended to marry) with a heroine-damsel in distress... escaping from evil princes, dark witches... running into honourable buccaneers... with magic, warped realities and falling stars thrown in with equal measure...

In all honesty, the simple story somehow affected me deeply. The clear delineation between evil and good - no grey areas, just black and white that is ever present in fairytales seems to appeal to me at the moment (or rather all my life).

It is this almost far-fetched simplicity that makes fairytales... not the unicorns, flying ships or hidden princes... not the beautiful princesses, perpetually honourable handsome princes and impossibly tall palaces and castles. The essence of fairytales that set them apart from reality is the fact that good and evil are so tangible and clear cut. Reality is so much different - half of the time I question whether my actions, be it at work, in my family, in romance and relationships are right or wrong... it seems that my life is painted more grey than anything else, with murder, pillage and plunder the black band on the far end, prayer, church and respect the white bar on the other end.

Watching this refreshingly simple tale made me wish and pray that one day that the life I choose to live will have more black and more white - with only a Thin Grey Line seperating them. That this confusion I seem to be always in on recent days be in the past.

*sigh* Fairytales...
If only...



If only life was that simple.

and everyone can live... Happily Ever After

The above pic is actually taken in my office of one of my 'castles' to test out my new 50mm lenses :)

More travelling...

Greetings from Changi Airport - in transit on the way to Paris CDG... this time in a way for work (or rather babysitting) @_@

Hope I can put up pictures (as I always promise but fail to deliver)... *sigh* I don't know why but a sense of foreboding depression seems to have crept into my outlook as I look into the faceless mass of travellers in Changi...

A nagging questions begs to be answered...

Everytime I came into an airport the feeling is different - as well as the outlook, the opinions and the state of mind. The last time I transited Changi - it was almost 1+1/2 years ago on the way to Frankfurt. I realised that since my dreams have been amended, my prose of life have been edited... my outlook irrevocably changed, my heart have shifted...

The only thing that seems the same - is that I have yet to find the purpose of my life...

Man, I am bloody depressing...

:P

Not Another Traffic Post...

Really... this is not another traffic post :)

A close friend of mine, Fergs (GCB) happen to mention today that my blog is starting to sound like roadkill central - so I will take up his suggestion to post some piccies up.

Well, now that I went back to my photos - I realised that there has been a tremendous backlog of pictures I have not yet 'processed' - reaching back to January!!! So here is some pictures from June-July 2007...


Street Fellowship
The WAJR cell visited the Street Fellowship on Petaling Street (or rather very close to Petaling Street)...

The Street Fellowship in Petaling Street

Reena leading worship in 3 languages (or rather 4 languages if you count dialects)

God's presence was in the house!

"You are my everything... You are my Lord..."

YJ sharing...

Cell Leader FY leading Word Study

Nightscapes in KL & Putrajaya
This is a random selection of nightscapes around Putrajaya and KL taken between June and July 2007...

The fountain located in front of the Putrajaya Mosque

One of the bridges leading to the administrative centre of Putrajaya

KLCC Fountain at dusk

Everything...

Well, its 2:08 am but I am still wide awake - the aftermath of too much coffee and a drink with my very old frens Yin & Su-Li...

Checking my email just b4 bed - I came across a site that is worth visiting - Godtube with a video that touched my heart tremendously...

It is from a song called 'Everything'... and I would like to thank God for allowing for such creativity to spread his message as well as people like Reena (which I got the mail from) for spreading it...

It truly touched me.

Of Trust... and Friendship

I have around 5 minutes to write (my own allotment - I need to sleep in 5 minutes to wake up around 4:40 am tomorrow (or rather later today)... but somehow I need to have a release from the fright I just had.

It was raining heavily and as I was proceeding back home - I ran into a partial accident - partial that nothing much was affected - accident that my car received a knock... It is all attributed to my tiredness *sigh*

I literally press the accelerator when I went over a bump - instead of the brake - dun know why I did it - but it was scary. I knocked some thingy over (thank God it is not a wall) and went over the bump in a crash... the rain was not helping... so basically I hit the undercarriage of the car, and swipe my bumper... no biggie - except that I am now worried about leaving early tomorrow to Singapore.

Thus, I am sleeping at home - not over at a friend's. Because I need my sleep and to calm my nerves. I just need to be trusted to turn up at the appointed time (5:45am) and proceed down to Sg. So... I go to bed with this prayer.

Lord,
Grant me peace and calm my nerves. Let me have a good sleep so that I may be refreshed on the morning.
Grant me strength and the ability to wake up early tomorrow... and grant me the will to fulfill my friend's trust in me.
Grant us journey mercies and safe passage... and protect us from all harm.
This I pray in the name of Christ Jesus.
Amen!

A friend once quoted to me - "Relationship is all about trust..." So is friendship...
So Lord, please please help me out!

A Crime Story... in living daylight

I received this email today from a close friend of mine working at a company in Petaling Jaya. So, anyone reading this - especially ladies - please take NOTE!!!

My boss almost kena carjacked yesterday. She sent out an email to the entire department telling her story - as a caution to all single women drivers. It sounds damn scary. Can not imagine what I'll do if I was in her position. I've pasted her email here in its entirety. Girls, please be careful and be wary of your surroundings - bad things can happen DAY OR NIGHT - bad guys don't CARE anymore.

Here, her email:

Colleagues,i was chased and attacked by a group of men in 2 cars trying to hijack my car in the afternoon yesterday. I was driving my husband's car alone on my way back from mid valley at about 4.30pm and only noticed these 2 cars as I was turning left into jalan beringin, damansara heights. They came awfully close and fast which I thought strange as it was a residential area and full of road humps.

Then the first car (which was a E class Mercedes) came to my side and the passenger (had a policeman's hat but not in uniform) had a walkie talkie and was gesturing for me to stop. When I didn't, he overtook and parked in front of me and the second car (which was the new 3 series BMW) was parked right behind me. the guy came up to my window and using his walkie talkie again, was frantically asking me to wind down - it was that split second that I realized that they weren't undercover cops (yes sounds silly now when one is rational!) and I just reversed and drove off. Both cars were chasing me trying to swerve and corner me.

I was stopped 3 times by them - the second time was the road downhill between SC and the Science Centre and the same guy from the Merc came out - this time with a parang. I reversed as far as I could - these people were definitely professionals and didn't want their cars damaged cos everytime I reversed, the bmw at the back also reversed. I thought I'd be safe going onto a public road so I went on the sprint highway - they continued to chase and managed to stop me again- and I was on the fast lane of sprint highway (right between the SC and Bukit Kiara) and there were plenty of traffic - and this time - they parked so close to me - one in front and one at the back and the guy with the parang came out and this time was smashing with full force at my driver's seat window. Another guy came from the black bmw and started hitting on my passenger seat window - there were plenty of cars but no one stopped or honked despite seeing these 2 men smashing my car. I just reversed not caring if my car got knocked and trying to get some space so that I can drive out and finally managed to. I lost them when I turned onto jalan damansara highway.

It is absolutely traumatizing as I, like many, only read about this.. but the audacity and desperation for them to be doing this in broad daylight and at such a public place is unimaginable. I am so thankful that I am ok but I have to write this because i know many of us take it for granted that it would not happen to us.. but it has happened and it will happen again.

Please please be careful - one can never be vigilant enough. you've read it all:

1. ladies - don't drive home alone at night - they will target women driving alone - day or night.

2. don't stop when you're being chased

3. know that they're not the real cops when the proper police cars are not being used

I was given this no. by the inspector - 2274 4465 - it's the Bilik Gerakan in Brickfields and if you think you're being followed or chased - call this no. and they will send a mobile team who's nearest to where you are.

Needless to say - I am appalled by this happening - and that the fact that no one even attempted to help this lady... The least we can do is to honk or CALL THE POLICE ON HER BEHALF. SO EVERYONE - take the number 2274 4465 down or just dial plain old 999.

Remember - Safety demands our eternal vigilance... same as Freedom :)

Stupid... Stupid.... STUPID

I really don't understand Malaysia sometimes...

A friend of mine just got rammed but an idiotic driver at KM 29.9 of the Sg Besi Expressway... which is just NORTH of Putrajaya and NORTH-EAST of Kajang... But, it appears that it belongs to the Sepang district of the Royal Malaysian Police...

She went down to Putrajaya - and was turned away and SENT TO SALAK TINGGI. OMG!
Salak Tinggi is SOUTH of Putrajaya and SOUTH-EAST of Kajang... why not to a nearer police station?

This is just another sign of the utter bureauCRAPcy and red tape of Malaysia today? When will we get a reprieve?

I do have to say that I was impressed with the RMP when I made my report in Kajang over an accident (I got hit by a mosquito... aka motocycle) - I just have to wait 4 hours for my turn (buka puasa was in the way - understandable...) and got my report done in just under an hour...

Which makes me the lucky one...
At least I am not being sent on a wild goose case to tiny towns in the Selangor hinterland... we need to rationalise... really do...

I hope that one day I can report a traffic accident at any police station - no matter where my accident occured...

*sigh*

...Passionate about everything... and nothing at all

I always fail in the concept of consistency...
My heart and mind are both inconsistent...
Within and without...

I am inconsistent in my blogging
in my philosophy...
in my interest...

I am scientific, yet kinda artsy
I define idealism - yet I compromised faith and principles
I strode down the path of righteousness, yet dogged by side trips into the alleyways of the wicked...

I love moderation, yet excited by radicalism
I am a capitalist - yet I hold social ideals
I belong in the world of western thought and western ways - but cling to my eastern tradition and long for equilibrium in the eastern thought

I love the morning, adore the night
I quote shakesphere, wilde, virgil and confucius - but expresses profanities to many who crosses me in my path
I listen to Rachmanikov, Beethoven & Dvorak - together with Metallica, Beyond & Pink
I believe in ascendency of humanity, but worry about our godlessness
I revel in high technology - but feel comforted by simple pen and paper

I attend church and go to cell - but lives in a house of idols, alone in the darkness
I speak of christian principles, yet conveniently forget them when it suits me
I shout for the Lord to come on Sundays, but have no time for Him from Mondays to Saturdays...

I am confident, yet holds a great doubt in my heart
I am filial - giving up my dreams for my family, but holds them responsible for the destruction of my aspirations
I love to be challenged by my companion, but longs for someone who accepts my every move
I am capable of great love, but I fear the darkness I can bring to bear

I am inconsistent... ever changing...
Without root - without foundation...

Who am I? What am I?
I am human... and my heart is heavy
I am human... but my arms are tired
I am human... with a million opposing thoughts clashing in my head...

But in this clarity of the night - in this moment of despair... one thing rings out that comforts me...

"LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." -Psalm 18:2

Amen.

...Through Heathrow in different eyes

The bane of all travellers...
A zone of paranoid security,
A locale of smug, petty power hungry more British than the British immigrant officers,
A mad disorganised chaotic nightmare...
Heathrow Airport

But this time I travel through this place via different eyes...

On the way back from my brief (although not altogether happy) respite in the Mediterrainean - swinging through the most 'stoic' and classical of cities - Athens, then the raw volcanic beauty tempered by romantic quaintness that is Santorini, ending with the bustling Renaissance city of Venice... I finally got what I wanted...
The claiming of points for an upgrade to Business Class...

And it make hell a lot of difference...
Check-in in less than 15 minutes (instead of the usual 1 hour)
Whizzing thru security in 10 minutes (instead of the usual 30 minutes)
Now having internet access from the lounge...
(This is despite the fact I landed into London at 2pm plus and having so little time (even to enter London to visit favourite haunts and friends - waited for check-in for 4 hours)
For once, I actually enjoy going through Heathrow...

But it is with a rather depressed attitude and mood that I am flying directly into a storm brewing in Malaysia - @ work, @ home and personally...

But nevertheless - I am going to savour all I can from these 14 hours... *grin*

Greetings from Santa Irini

*grin*
Am writing from a cybercafe in Santorini - am here because the taxi stand has a major argument - or rather a major jam...

it appears that some people were jumping queue and the cab driver go prissie *grin*

Will be in Venice tomorrow... hope to write then - promising pictures of Athens and Santorini over the week (I hope)

...commitments & obligations...

Once again I am using this space to express emotions and feelings that are best left in the woods... but this seems - in the darkest of nights, in this most gloomy of morning - the one and only recourse.

My thoughts span the world... from Ireland to Melbourne, from Kuala Lumpur to Eberbach in Germany, from Bangi to Shah Alam, from Damansara to Bukit Jalil (yeah... not really spanning the world - but close enough)... Life is indeed complicated.

God tells us that we cannot serve two masters - that we are not of this world but only living in it for His name. But it is the world part that gives me the biggest problems - as both my heart & head is serving two masters at the same time. I don't want to explain the salient details - nothing juicy about it but family, career & love occupies most of my mind at the moment.

Funny enough - it is the physical pain in my stomach when I woke up this morning that set my mind clearer today than it was yesterday. I made up my mind this morning to be fair to all that is involved and but with a difference... I need to do it in my own way and by my own judgement and my own desires and dreams. I will not abandon anyone or anything and will not regret anything that has happened since last Friday and Saturday. I will only look onto God for guidance - and for the next three weeks I need to set my mind free to think about everything and everyone, and make my decision solely on His wisdom and strength...

Sounds easy enough - but it will be the hardest thing I have ever done in my life - It will be hard to acknowledge that only God is my helmsman and let him steer the ship but I shall pray thus...

Lord, lead me to a quiet place with no distractions, remove my hands from the tiller - pry if away if you need to... and steer this lost ship to the shores of Your KINGDOM - so that I can be whole again and bring abundance and grace to everyone - just as I have Your grace and Your abundance.

And all God's people say... AMEN!!!

Contrarians...

Time is long overdue for me to rant about Malaysians - but this time I would like to highlight two equal and opposite incidents of Malaysians in traffic.

Firstly - its about this gentleman in Petaling Jaya. I saw his grace while being stuck on the LDP in the morning. This guy - who was driving down a side road actually stopped - got down from his car to help an old lady who was trying to cross the road carrying a very large shopping bag. He actually stopped his car in the middle of the road (of course there were no cars behind him) and help the lady by taking the bag into the lady's house. I do not know if they know one another - but this kind of behaviour is what our country needs - not the ridiculous scenario I will rant about in 2 minutes. (of course he could be robbing the old lady - but I doubt it :P)

Now, on the contrary - I present the story of Mr Chow Ah Beng and Ms Chow Ah Lian in Bukit Jalil. There was a police roadblock in front of the National Stadium. This roadblock was temporary to facilitate traffic from the stadium (due to an AFC Cup match - quarters or semis - can't remember). Now Mr Chow insists that he can go straight - even with the gesturing of the police for him to turn or u-turn. Ms Chow, with her fake blond locks and what can be best described as a 'tu-lan' face emerged from the little Punto she and her Ah Beng boyfren was holding up traffic with and started arguing with a traffic cop - which looks like he was about to pull out a gun to shoot her (too bad he did not). The cop insisted no way that they could go straight - so Ms Chow returned to her car - AND THEY DID NOT MOVE. Meanwhile, all the cars - who want to follow the policeman to turn or u-turn was honking and flashing for this small annoying little Chow Punto to move out of the way. It took around 4-5 minutes of honking, flashing and gesticulations before they deigned to move the 1 meter it needed for traffic to flow.

After I made the U-turn, I can see that traffic was backed up for almost 2 km because of our dear Mr & Ms Chow.

Amazing how much you remember about the bad - and how vague the good sounds :P

Contrarians indeed...

Think before you build...

Hmmm...

What is flesh/cream coloured...

Comes in Pairs...

Looks perky and rather sharp...

Topped with sharp brown tips?

The answer often surprise you...

Come on architects - you can do better than that! There are kids about... Taken outside Sunway Pyramid...

Of Rocks & Hard Places...

Its 2.30am and I am still unable to sleep...

Things seem to have gotten more difficult lately - and I am increasingly being caught between (a rock and a hard place) x1000 times. And this happen everyday!

Why is it so difficult you may wonder?
Why does things sound so bleak?
or rather so depressing...

All I can say is that the worst problems in this world are those that have multiple reasons requiring multiple solutions to the satisfaction of multiple parties. Most of all it means a slow and painful journey towards what potentially be a dark deep bottomless abyss...
It means that everyone will not be happy... whatever the outcome you get...

It means that you are caught between worlds... between the hammer and the anvil. Knowing that the pain and end is coming - but unable to do anything about it...

In support of an old friend...

*holding bated breath*

I did not have the time to blog since last week - mainly due to some commercial related problems and also family matters (somehow both are interlinked...)

But in this day, at this time I am waiting for news for the release of a very old school friend - Nat of which I have been monitoring his progress via the website of both his younger sis and girlfriend...

I hope everything will be fine buddy - and thanks for reminding us to hold to our principles, ideals and views! Although I have never supported Keadilan (and unlikely I ever will...), I really do hope that this unpleasant situation is cleared up and support your release!

*breaking news*
As I was typing this (yes - it took me around 4 hours to do so - being at work and having meetings) - Nat has been released from custody but will be due for a revision tomorrow! *grin*

*smile*

*Cracked*

Well - all I can say is that today is an eventful day... 1st we managed to get (or rather the registration and hosting of... not the actual contents) http://www.themakingofsherlynchua.com/ online but I also ran smack into the side of a wall, literally - almost surely concussing my head in some way or the other...

It was just a direct 'crack' and now I have a beautiful bump around an inch and a half above my forehead just above the hairline.... I just hope I have not demolished any part of my frontal lobe - but then... it would not make me any more insane rite?

Maybe I am just a wee bit paranoid - after consuming the entire Season 2 of House... *sigh* *ouch*

Coming out of mourning...

Today is a similar day to when I heard the news of your passing, grandma... it was overcast and once again small droplets of rain fell from the sky.

Grandma, I will miss you and I will remember you in my heart always... You have indeed led a full and wonderful life and I am so blessed to have been under your guidance and your love.

Thank you - and I will try my best to live up to your expectations... and your legacy.

Baby on Board...

I am back... well - almost back (once again on a long blogging hiatus).

And rant I shall *grin*

It was in the traffic chaos in Seri Petaling a few days back when I noticed an amazing sight - of what is best described as an ironic parent - in a *drumroll* Kancil! (the quintessential malaysian crazy driver containing small excuse of a car)

This Kancil - proudly displaying the sign Baby on Board, with another bigger kid visible on the back seat (sandwiched between what appears to be his grandparents) and what appears to be a pregnant (or very fat, take your pick) wife, holding a baby in her arms - darted out illegally from a side road, travelled a short distance on the oncoming traffic lane and right into the small space in front of my car.

I think he should move the sign, right smack in front of his nose, to remind him that he has women and children on board - then maybe he would not be so gung-ho and trying to kill his entire family in one proud self destructive utterly Malaysian driver moment. Maybe then he can improve his sorry excuse of driving. But I digress.

I do not say that I am a saint on the road, or a really careful and law abiding driver - but the least they can do is to have some consideration to the safety of their own young families. Horror stories of an entire family of 8 or 11 in a terrible accident in a Kancil may be long and far in between but they do happen - and now I have a personal experience on how they could happen and why they happen... Irresposible parents and utter gross stupidity.

Really...

Of Old Friends... Part II

The blokes at the pharmacy @ Western. Basically the entire crew of the 2003/2004 batch with our preceptors.

Hmmm... What can I say - a bunch of inane huns at a barbie in Melbourne. Please note that Joshua is not really retarded - he is just really bored.

Me at the YAA Exhibition - no - I did not have a beer gut then... now it is different. Besides, we swept the YAA awards that year *grin* all the way to the national level. Really wonder how is everyone doing...

OMG - it is Brochure Boy and GrowthChart Man - somebody get the broomstick!

Vernon overseeing the bread haul at Pita Bread Bunch - we were about to distribute bread door-to-door at the Flemington Council Flats. I really miss those days *grin*

Sue Lee, Drey and Kai Kai at breakfast - somewhere on Smith street (I think) or maybe Nicholson. Man, Melbourne breakfasts are still the best!