In Loving Memory of Esther Wong Peak Kuan

Esther Wong Peak Kuan
1986-2005

We Thought Of You Today

We thought of you today,

But that is nothing new.

We thought of you yesterday

And will tomorrow, too.

We think of you in silence
And make no outward show.
For what it meant to lose you
Only those who love you know.

Remembering you is easy,
We do it everyday.
It's the heartache of losing you
That will never go away.

Dear sister,

5 years has passed, yet
it's so hard to believe that you're really gone
and to know that we'll no longer
see your smiling face,
or hear the sound of your laughter.
You left so many memories, which'll never part.
You'll always live deep inside our hearts.
We're thankful that God graced us
with someone as special as you.
It's just hard to believe
your life on earth is really through...

In Loving Memory of Esther Wong Peak Kuan
Who Went Home To Be With The Lord
on 20April 2005
May The Lord Bless Her Soul
Amitabha Buddha

Kaiji:The Ultimate Gambler 18 Apr 2010

Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler, is a good movie. I didn't know about the movie until my student told me the synopsis of the movie. This movie involves a group of desperate people who are considered failure in the society. Most are heavily in debts and they desperately need for money to renew their life. Opportunity comes when these people are given a chance to board a gambling ship Espoir ("hope" in French) for one night to clear the debt. One of them is Kaiji Itō, a graduates from a university.They gamble their way to new life but little do they know that this is actually a scheme to recruit cheap labour for some underground resort project. While they toil the land day and nigh to pay for the money loan from the consortium to these people during the Espoir gamble, Kaiji and with another guy names Sahara decide to try their luck on the second chance to freedom from horrible labour work by playing a life threatening game which drives adrenalin up to their brain. Along the way there are few life threatening card games which will definitely glue the audience to the big screen.

It was a rush afternoon. We moved things into Betel Nut.By noon, it was done. We had a quick Pan Mee breakfast at Seri Kembangan. I didn't know it was vegetarian pan mee until I saw some funny looking anchovies (ikan bilis) in the bowl. It was a made of flour. You chose the 'peeled' type and sometimes I wonder if the 'peeled' type taste better.

This is the 3rd time we catch a movie but it seemed every time we also need to rush. The first time was my fault as I swayed into the wrong road. During the 2nd time, we waited for your friends to complete their work. It was still fine but this time, we missed 15 minutes. Luckily we only missed the short introduction. We will not be late anymore next time=.=" enough of last minute... haha.

I loved the Japanese dinner at Sushi Zanmai. The Caterpillar roll with Avacado was nice,luckily this time it was available. I didn't know that you had never eaten Avacado and salmon roe (Ikura). Hope you enjoyed them today^^

Guessing game

Playing psychological game is no child's play. The longer you guess, the eager you are in getting to know. It's only a Yes/No answer, but to get the answer is not as easy as it looks. Sometimes, the situation seemed to be Yes but most of the time, the situation seemed to be No. I'm confusing myself with thousand and one possibilities of why am I not getting an answer. I've asked myself if the situation favours me, yet, I still cannot get the answer.

You have a rather special character. Sometimes you are warm, talking with you feels comfortable and jovial. But sometimes you are cool, and I refrain from advancing. I sense something but I'm not sure if you feel the same? You are unique, you are special, I'm fond of you. It hurts to see you but not being able to tell how I feel. Am I thinking too much?

Getting you answer is like searching for the holy grail. The more I think, the more confusion I have. Am I Husky? Am I IT? Or perhaps I'm none of them? I don't know. I wish there were magic mirror. I can then ask 'Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the person you've mentioned before?'

I hope one day you would be able to tell me.... I will wait... I will...

Old Town Guys aka OTG, part 1

Friendship is a bond held sacred by people who value it. It is based on the sincerity of the heart and the action of the mouth. As the saying goes, a friend in need, is a friend indeed. I'm very fortunate that I've a group of kakis whom I regarded them as my bros since high school. Even though modern science has come up with cloning process, each of my friends are unique in their own ways.

The Old Town Guys aka OTG

Introducing.... The Old Town Guys aka OTG. This has nothing to do with the Old Town White Coffee. In fact our name was coined back in 1998 before anyone knows about Old Town White Coffee. Our name was born out of the fact that we loved to loiter in an old coffee shop named Kong Heng every Saturday before the band practice started in the morning. Kong Heng is situated in the Old Town of Ipoh aka Pekan Lama. That was how OTG started.

Kin Yan's Birthday at Crazy Ice-Cream, Ipoh (circa 2000)
*the small kid on the right was Issac Wong Seong Yoong, our junior

Delvise's creativity in this picture, sense anything weird?

OTG consists of 8 people ( in alphabetical order):

1.Chan Yit Wei@Michael
2. Chung Khai King
3. Chung Kuang Huei
4. Lee Jun Qing@Derek
5. Neoh Wai Loong@Rodney
6. Ngeaw Chun Wah@Delvise
7. Wong Weng Yew@Jeremy
8. Yap Kin Yan

Yuen's Steamboat, Sunway

Our gang was formed based on one common interest: we love music. We were members of the mighty Michaelian Military Band (MMB) back in St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh. We were the Excos for MMB term 1998/1999.

Musicians, The Desert Song, SMI school play

2010 New Year at RedBox, The Gardens

We've gone through many ups and down together, especially during our tenure as Excos in MMB. There were time when we disagree with each other but that 's part and parcel of life. Eventually we will still sit together and laugh at our shortcomings. That's life, we forgive and forget, let bygone be bygone...

Huei's wedding day, Ipoh

9 April: How to Train Your Dragon-3D

Traffic was so jam tonight. Luckily I reached MidVal on time before the movie started. How to Train Your Dragon-3D: It was a funny and entertaining cartoon. That little dragon named Toothless was an adorable dragon. It has lots of antics, all sorts of nonsense that it never failed to melt your heart with an adorable character. When I got out of the cinema, I saw a poster featuring stitch. Suddenly I realised that Toothless actually resembled Stitch!! Perhaps the artist was looking at Stitch while drawing Toothless.

Toothless the Dragon

Having McD in cinema is a normal thing. But I was rather surprised when you told me you've never had McD in the cinema =.=". Strange indeed huh? ! 1st time 3D and 1st time McD in cinema, and you are watching a Dragon movie, so many Ds... haha.... If not because of that stupid jam, perhaps we wouldn't have eaten McD. =.="... anyway, it was not the worse dinner I ever had though, I still quite enjoyed the Chicken McDeluxe anyway, haha...

I had an ugly Friday noon experience that affected my work a little but that pleasant night movie was kinda soothed the awful afternoon. I enjoyed the night and I hope you've enjoyed too. I assume watching 3D for the 1st time would be a nice experience, huh?

Ching Ming Festival 2010

Damansara Chinese Cemetery, Subang

Chinese all over the world are observing Ching Ming this week. It's a tomb sweeping day. Ching Ming literally means Pure and Brightness is a celebration of filial piety, a day or the Chinese to show their respect to their ancestors by cleaning the tombs and offering them food and paper paraphernalia. It usually falls in the 3rd month according to the Chinese Lunar calender, which is between March-April according to the Gregorian calendar.

My 5th Pak's (5th uncle) tomb

This event has been an annual family affair but nowadays, younger generation begin to shy away from this event, thinking that it's only another ritual and rites that seemed outdated. This is indeed sad as younger generation no longer appreciate their culture and the living legacy of Chinese civilisation.

Bro and my aunts

They failed to see the significance of such celebration. If we look beyond superstitious perspective, Ching Ming is actually a time for family gathering, a time for family reunion after a hard day work. It's a time to share with family members. In the olden days,the family members will gather at their ancestor's tomb and clean it together.

Mum and dad offering joss stick and candles

5th Pak's altar

The spirit of togetherness, helping each other with the sweeping chores is what strengthening the bond with each family member. We foster closer relationship, we work and we laugh together. After the mass prayer is the time everyone has been waiting for since morning: Food!!!

My ah koo (aunt) from Ipoh

Myself posing with 5th Pak, haha

Everyone will savour the offerings made to their deceased family members. Chicken, duck, roasted pig, chinese cakes, cookies, fruits, and even rice: Each of them will grab their favourite snack (I think this term is a more suitable as we'll take a little bit of everything). It's a tradition to eat a little as it's believed that the ancestor will bless their family members good health and prosperity. I think it's just a way to get everyone eating, as it's a courtesy to eat a little when food is served by the host, not to waste any food.

Treasure chest for 5th Pak, with his name on the yellow seal

This was how we delivered the treasure chest to him, the fastest and most reliable delivery service, Royal Hell Post

Mum, bro and aunt idling while delivering the chest to uncle

Another reason is because eating is the way to get everyone together and chat, no matter where you are or who you are. After all, we love food, don't we, ^^?

Bro, 5th Pak Leong (5th aunt), 5th Pak Leong's sis and I

Chinese is an ethnic group who treasures family ties, so much so that they are group themselves according to clan and place of origin. As such, festive season is the time to foster closer relationship, catching up with the relatives who have not been in contact for long time.If we study the Chinese festivals, one thing you could point out out is family reunion.

Mum, dad, Ah Koo, 5th Pak Leong, and her sis

Listed here are the major festivals and the get-together activities

1st month: Chinese New Year; reunion dinner.
3rd month: Ching Ming; tomb sweeping day.
5th month: Dragon Boat festival; dumpling-making activity.
7th month: Zhong Yuan Festival aka Hungry Ghost Festival; mass prayer to the King of Hades and wandering spirits.
8th month: Mid-Autumn Festival; prayer to the Moon Goddess Chang Er and Moon-observing.
10th month: Winter Solstice Festival; tangyuan-making and reunion dinner

Understanding the significance of these traditional chinese festivals gives us a clearer picture of the roots of Chinese culture and thus helps us to appreciate what makes the Chinese a unique race throughout their long history and civilisation.

2 April 2010 surprises...

Last Friday was kinda surprise for me. Things just happened without putting a thought to it but I quite enjoyed all the surprises. It was a fun day, 2 April 2010.

It started off with room surveying. Looking for houses was rather funny. The one who wanted to look for a room just kept quiet but the one who accompanied actually discussed the details with the landlord. At one time my friend and I really thought that we were property agent, looking for room for this lamb, lol... We surveyed and finally decided to pick betel nut.

So sorry that we didn't go to Sushi King, but to the hawker instead. I should have remembered that parents are coming over and that I must have dinner with them... Hope the impromptu meet up with parents was not an embarrassed one. The char koey teow didn't spoil the mood I hope, haha... I just got to know that normal restaurants ( not mamak) also serve Teh O' Ais Limau, one drink that I all this while though was only available in in mamak stall =.="

Sometimes impromptu plan would work better than a pre-arranged plan. At least you wouldn't have high expectation. Clash of Titans, I didn't even know whether it was an animation or a movie but I just told my friend that ' Yea, count me in, I'm coming for the movie'. Because of that, we ended up in GSC cinema, IOI New Wing. It was a nice movie experience because the theater was new, and the seat was comfortable. But the best part was watching with a lamb, @.@. strange huh? ^^

Clash of Titans tickets, as usual, I keep ticket

What a tiring but an enjoyable nite....