Saturday, July 31, 2004


between the ropes.


to some, mike tyson is an american icon. picked from the streets, he became the world's youngest undisputed champion ever. he rised to the top, earned fame and fortune, and then unceremoniously lost it all. he's came back to bite an ear off, disappeared, came back, disappeared, and then came back again to win (via knockout) within a minute. the man has gone through it all, and he came back again, time and time again, to remind us that he wasn't quite gone yet.

this morning, i was at li vern's, watching the tyson vs. williams bout, and i really wanted tyson to pulverize the guy. i wanted to see tyson back at his best. danny williams is a former british, and british commonwealth champion, who, up til today, hadn't fought anyone in the top 10. namely, we all thought that he would be a simple pushover. another 40 second fight. someone that tyson could easily dig into. and, y'know, during the first round, we could've been right. he didn't look that hot, and tyson was doing his thing the right way.

surprisingly, williams had added one hell of a scalp to his collection. i won't go so far as to say that he's ended the "era" of mike tyson...but i will say that he's pummeled tyson to a knockout victory. and what i really want to see next is a rematch, because i hope that tyson doesn't take this sitting down. i hope that people aren't predicting the fall of tyson, because we've heard it all before. despite tyson being at "40%", and how "his 40% is another boxer's 100%", williams still fought a man who was considerably older and slower than he was at his peak. in a way, it's unfair.

but he still beat mike tyson.

and tyson. the guy's a lot calmer than he's been in the past. and i'm not just talking about ears, here. prior to this, he was US$ 38 million in debt, and now he's managed to ease $ 6 million off it. but who knows what would've happened if he'd managed to down williams? it could've been lucrative, a whole potential "return of iron mike" scenario. the man, who at almost 20 years ago, became the champ, returns. it's beyond logic, but i guess everyone wants to see tyson succeed, moxt probably because it makes them feel that some things really are possible.

girlfight --- prior to the tyson vs. williams bout: laila ali vs. monica nunez. the daughter of muhamad ali vs. a dominican no-name. it was a bit slow at first, but it picked up. no doubt who would've won. ali was fighting in the same arena where her father made his debut. nunez kept on clinging to ali. annoyed everyone...ali, especially. everyone wants a good fight. it could've been better.

toast --- here's to mike tyson.

Friday, July 30, 2004


friday.


it's here...the end of a week.  granted, the week only started on tuesday, and that itself was a gift in itself.  even though classes really started on monday.  the last day of a long break, my ass.  anyway, just to let everyone know, the 3 subjects that i've chosen for this semester are relationship marketing [a second attempt], project management [i missed the first lecture yesterday because...well...i skipped it for lunch] and human resource management [because life should have management subjects to spice it up].  the problem with this being the first week is that you don't really feel that you're meant to do any work...the feeling of commitment and motivation doesn't quite sink in because...well...everyone else is still planning their semester.  in reality, it all starts in the third week...but i'd like to get over this as soon as possible.  it also doesn't help that matt and li vern came over on tuesday night...i almost missed RM...and it doesn't help that i slept for a few hours before class was suppose to commence [8 a.m.] on thursday.  brilliant.  but i made it.  just that it was kinda irresponsible of me.
 
life reeks of irresponsibility.
 
well, i guess that today's no different.  went to sign up for my tutorial groupings amongst this wave of people.  impressive, but i wish that they could've replanned the whole process.  they split accounting subjects and other subjects that had groupings into 2 separate time slots, as opposed to the normal time slots that correspond with our ID numbers.  this new method is good, but it could be better.  commiting more people to a subject would help.  plus, commiting more rooms to the signing.  a lot easier.  oh, well.  i'm not working for them.  i don't really plan to...though you never know.
 
precision is the power.  li vern's driving to hartamas from now on.  i don't care.  in today's world, saving ga$ is imperative.  yes.  i am the jackass.

Monday, July 26, 2004


making life count.


my last day of holidays was marked by a trip to hartz with li vern.  the last time that we'd gone to the begotten place was when he had first landed, more or less.  i suppose that nothing beats talking about life over [a few] plates of spicy and crispy chicken.  on another note, it's been a while since i've eaten more than 7 pieces of spicy chicken, and i managed a good 10 pieces today [far from the peak performance record of 12.25 pieces of chicken], but it was good, nonetheless.  on the way back, i think i sprayed some poor lady's pink dress with drainwater.  oops.  this was along the sunway main road, so...yea, oops.  my apologies.
 
vanity is golden.  uploaded all 21 vanity shots of myself that i'd taken with li vern's nikon digicam.  good stuff.  will be uploading images, though i might have second thoughts.  i've realized that my face is breaking out with moles, so it's a bit weird.  plus, my facial fat gets all over the place.  and posing isn't exactly one of my gifts, either.  i'm too stiff, too stoic.  still, it should be fun to see pictures of me.  as if.  i know that everyone [including myself] has better things to do.
 
makes you wonder why i'm still talking about this.
 
flayed.  should have gone to college today to at least pick up some stuff for the new semester, but i was busy sleeping after coming back at half past dawn from an emergency yum char/cigarettes + coffee session with elaine.  no, nothing happened.
 
lordie, i'm tired.  the chicken has gotten the better of me, i'm afraid.  onwards ho to college tomorrow; i've got no idea of what subjects i'd want to take.

Saturday, July 24, 2004


freedom is optional.


the last few days have been a woozy/doozy.  with keong coming back, and spending time with him on day one and day two, it was all good fun.  though he could've called to say goodbye.  i'm a sucker for sentimentality.  wednesday's mamak coming together was good fun.  helmi, matt, keong, fajar, sean (!) and i met up at spicy [after much deliberation on sean's part ], and the results were less than hillarious...probably because everyone was pissed at one another.  still, it was good seeing everyone together for another last time, and i hope that we're all set for another one for christmas...if anyone has the heart to call me by then.  but these last few days have made me realize one other thing...the holidays are about to crashland to a dead stop, and it's going to be back to work for your humble servant.  i guess that my plan for reading voraciously has been half completed [the dogs of war has to be completed but i don't have the mood].  amidst this, i have time to invite friends over to complete my games for me, so i guess that there's nothing wrong with that.
 
i am the bastard.  it's not everyday that someone sits you down and gives you a blow by blow of your character flaws and explains that life could be better if you're not a selfish bastard.  thank you, jo and nic,  even though you'll never read this, and never will.  i know that the two of you really mean well, and i'm going to try to change.  eventually.  soon.  the sweet hereafter.  or something like that.
 
a few degrees hotter.  but it's still raining.

Wednesday, July 21, 2004


you didn't have to know this, but...


it's a little over 4 in the morning and i'm eating koko krunch cereal + milk in my boxers.

Tuesday, July 20, 2004


fishermen?


this is fucking funny.  it's almost endearing.  my aunt and uncle are arguing loudly.  over fishermen.
 
it's almost 1 in the morning, for fuck's sake.  jesus.

Monday, July 19, 2004


off like a light.


it's quite funny.  my dad came back from out of the blue, and now he's gone in the precise same way.  it's hard to get acquainted to a new feeling, but i guess that's what it's like sometimes.  he said that he had to go back to rio, and that he'd be back by september or so.  well...he's left some things behind.  funnily enough, i miss him now, after assuming that i wouldn't.  in a stupid way, i guess that it's not fair on me.  not that it ever was.  as a kid, i didn't see much of him.  in many ways, i still don't.  he just lives his own life; we're just excess at times.  he doesn't tell us his plans, but then, does he really need to?  it's arguable, i guess.  still, i miss the guy.  oh.  it almost brings tears to my eyes.
 
coldplay live 2003.  call it an early birthday present.  the dvd rocks.  and we got it from tower records.  yep.  my dad's temporary farewell gift: an original, unbootleg'd dvd.  which i had to pick out, obviously.  question of the day: "are they popular?"
 
freedom?  so, basically, i can enjoy the last few days of my vacation in peace.  sort of.  this is...different.
 
 

Saturday, July 17, 2004

it starts with one.

 
in this case, three. three particularly large bottles of soya sauce. that was all that we were supposed to get last night. really. then it started to build up. my dad became aware of the fact that coconut milk was still needed. lots of it. cans of it. and then it was on to asam powder. pretty soon, we had instant noodles along for the ride. well, at least he's managed to pledge that our next trip to mph is going to accumulate more than RM 200 so that we can get the mph card. i have a vague idea of what to get, just to make my library look all the more impressive. the michael moore collection. though it doesn't mean that i'm going to read them all. though it'd be quite ridiculous, since the whole point of purchasing anything would be for the mph card. i think the cashier thinks we're a little crazy.
 
soong kee. the best beef ball noodles ever. my dad and i used to go there during late nights to catch up on each other. i guess that was how we used to bond: over supper. that and the mcD's in bangsar. we'd just talk about family, life and stuff. we went to soong kee last night, immediately after having dinner. that was the funny part. a meal that costs a quarter of whatever we'd spent at the more appropriate chinese restaurant hit the spot, instead of the food that you'd think would've made a difference. yea, well. life's funny that way. if all goes as planned, about an hour from now, we'll be going down to imbi road for the best pork ball noodles ever. yes, there is a difference.
 
here comes the sun. but i can still hear drizzle.


Friday, July 16, 2004


chicken rice and the bookstore.


well. went to 1 utama to see sabrina today. what i hate about myself is how old emotions get brought up upon seeing someone from my past. but to give myself credit, i was a good boy and didn't let the hormones take over. probably because i know that she would've given me a good tight slap to the face if i'd tried anything. and she misses chris. now, say it with me...awwwwwww. but really, she hasn't changed all that much...except for the pink neon top i saw her in, but, hey, everybody's changing...regardless of whether it's good or bad, change is change. we had [well, she had] lunch at nando's, and i helped her mom and her carry bags. i'm such a courteous, kind prick.

the drunken driver has the right of way. it's basically an ethan coen book of poetry that i'd laid eyes on during one of my solo sojourns to midvalley. it's brilliant, and i think that i'm one of the few in the country [if not the only one in the country] to have it. which means that i'm not lending it to anyone. ever. but you can come over and read it. it's brilliant, from the amount that i'd read...RM 72, but good, good, good. i'll be posting some of his work, if it's short enough. but it's brilliant, really. deserves to be read. get it if you can...i think it's available at mph 1 utama...though i really do think i got the last [if only] copy at the midvalley branch. dad bought 1421: the year china discovered the world, and plan of attack, as well as this badawi critique. good stuff, books. i also got fydor dostoevsky's crime and punishment. i've got no idea what it's about, but...hey...it's a classic. i'm ignorant. but i'd like to read something by a dead russian novelist.

down with nam heong. overpriced, underdone chicken rice. a classic, monumental name in malaysian [or at least kuala lumpur] chicken rice is bought over by the same idiots who gave us esquire kitchen. this is chicken rice ala capitalism. RM 50+ for chicken rice, char siew, and fishballs for 3 people. that's just wrong. rental fees are not an excuse. then again, when nasi ayam kampung become franchised, you know that something's amiss. boo, boo.

supermarket sweep #3. each trip to carrefour brings surprises. tonight, dad was buying stuff for other people overseas. coffee mate, tongkat ali [again], canned food, baked beans, coconut powder, curry powder, the works that malaysians overseas miss about home. except for maggi. though knowing him, that'd be coming soon. we've got 2 medium sized boxes filled with local crap. awesome. also, i bought a tub of nata de coco [still can't get enough of it, even though it's too sweet], some arnott's shapes [cheddar flavoured], a lot of orange juice [with sacs], and...apple juice with aloe vera! i've missed it a lot. awesome, blissful.

yes, i am a guy.

also bought some coco pops and oreos [watch that sugar, idiot]. oreos. c'mon. america's fucking favourite cookie. you can't resist. dad wants to go to tmc to find some layered cake...manufactured, not baked. yes. tmc has pop-tarts. must make use of his credit card as much as i can. lord knows when the next time will be.

i'm praying for adidas and converse next. one can only dream.

Thursday, July 15, 2004


a lizard lives beneath.


that's right. beneath the keyboard, that is. i've come to the conclusion that if i can't go out with friends for the time being, they can still come over all the same. not that [after all these years] anyone knows where my house is. but i guess that's all the more reason for them to come. the days are getting shorter, and my semester's going to commence in little over a week. so far, it's been less than fun. i want to go out and...lepak. i never thought i'd use that word ever.

he who has a headache, is the headache. at least i managed to get a group together for the chinese orientation. all 4 of us. whoopee. you'd expect people to be more enthusiastic. all in all, i don't want to shove the biz council into areas where it's not really needed. getting a group together over such a short period of time is bad enough as it is; the fact that the chinese students' club in college already has something planned is a headache in itself...but, seeing how they're all gonna eventually be the business faculty's students...i guess we don't have much of a choice. and seeing how i'm the standalone authoritative figure until helen gets back...i guess i can't say
"no"...not that i was given a choice.

it pours in southern california. i met one of our exam moderators yesterday. he's slavic, but based in australia. to quote him: "i've never seen rain like this before". but he had a smile on his face, and there was this expression of awe on it. his fifth time in malaysia, by the way. the group of biz councillers [that sounds lame] had a short chat with him and another moderator, during the time where it was disclosed that:

#1: i'm not exactly a purebred malaysian [but somehow, someone had the impression that i was mixed]
#2: i only fully utilize the accent when i'm around foreigners
#3: i'm an arse.

oh, well. i don't mean to be full of myself, but...good job, you. i think we managed to dazzle the moderators into thinking that we're wunderkinds of a different nature.

take me shopping, poppa. i need a sweater. more black t-shirts [i'm in that mood again]. and a pair of those funky wide-toed adidas trainers. but those cost a bomb. i also need more breakfast cereal [i'm addicted to frosties, for some unknown reason]. and, uh...yoghurt. i don't think i want to be seen with a family that buys tongkat ali in its convenience-powder form or its ginseng complement anytime soon.

tally ho.

heeeey...that newspaper collecting dude's got some funky blowhorn music.

Monday, July 12, 2004


chinky wee monday.


some retro 60's mandarin track [with those twangy electric guitar licks] is playing in the background, while my dad and aunt slowly make plans for world domination [or at least in winning a lawsuit]. he came back about half an hour after i blogged yesterday. would've been better if he'd taken a bit more time, really. all is well. all is good.

i realized that i've got this powerpoint presentation to submit to the business studies department later. it's just that i don't have powerpoint. awesome. have to call a meeting on wednesday for the orientation gig. haven't called anyone yet. i'm too timid. gotta work on that if i'm gonna get that girl.

ugh. stomach pang. had chow kuey teow for lunch, and mee yoke for dinner.

ferrari won again. drat that schumi. but kimi did good tonight. joy.

Sunday, July 11, 2004


the famous grouse.


sunday morning. dad hasn't returned from penang yet. interesting. anyway, onimusha 3 has been completed. we've got a D ranking, but managed to unlock the heihachi game, all the same. still, i'm quite tempted to do all that all over again...even if it's just to unlock all the good stuff. on a side note, pandora tomorrow is a very annoying game. which makes it rather fun. anyway, i'm in one of those seminal melancholic moods that i'm getting less and less into. so i guess that it's okay to feel a little sad from time to time.

i'm a sad, morose git.

Friday, July 09, 2004


ring my doorbell.


i'm not exactly stuck at home. i've got a car that i can drive around in, but there're just a few problems...the common ones. i'm down to next to nothing in terms of the fuel gauge. the best person who i can call along for a car ride is either having dinner or finishing up on calculus tuition work. and...i feel compelled not to get out of the house despite complaining about the homelife friday evening i've had so far. the same gripes, i suppose. spoke to sabrina for a little bit, and she's had the same problem, but most probably coz she can't even get out of the house. heartfelt admiration for my sister for bearing with it all.

i bought splinter cell: pandora tomrrow this morning. all i can say is, think spy. it's quite groovy, even though i've [unbelievingly] finished one mission. quite a feat, that, if you ask me. oh, well. back to the ps2.


women are from mars.


strike that. they're evil, repulsive, beautiful...you can't live without them, after all. in an desperate attempt to escape singlehood, i've put myself into the very awkward position of trying to wedge myself between an ex-ex-girlfriend and her ex-best friend. ooo boy, it gets better, but for now, let's just say that:

#1: absolutely no headway has been made towards the preferred choice

#2: i would sincerely enjoy the company of a girl who stayed nearby as opposed to damansara utama

#3: i have a stomach ache now.

#4: i guess i'm sorta comfortable where i am now. sorta. stomach ache and all.

as the darkness say --- love is only a feeling. or knots in the stomach, depending on how you look at it.

Wednesday, July 07, 2004


quote of the day.


marc anthony - "fame is addictive. money is addictive. attention is addictive. but golf is second to none."

Tuesday, July 06, 2004


vindicated.


hope dangles on a spring like slow-spinning redemption. the esteemed emo-rocker is at it again; check out vindicated from dashboard confessional, from the spider-man 2 soundtrack. blissful. even if it is emo.


tuesdays, wax without shine.


so, here we are, on a rain-trodden tuesday night. i wouldn't really say that it's a bad thing, but i'm just tempted to sleep early just to enjoy the rain. gotta discuss something later with boss helen about next week's orientation programe for the new students from china...check this out...these 28 chinese students are more or less being sucked up to royally. the malaysian education market is brimming with potential for foreign students...i guess that treating them like royalty makes you realize how many of us are truly left here. anyway, we need mandarin speakers...which i'm not, but i guess that i'll be overseeing the whole thing (silently).

dad's gone to penang for "product sourcing". for the life of me, i don't know what that is. he said that he'd be back by friday, saturday or sunday, but knowing him, it could be any time, really. besides, i don't really know under what pretense that he's back for, but, y'know...at least there's freedom for the next few days. not to say that i want to go out all the time, but not having the ever-present authority figure home is such a luxury [when he's around, that is].

i'm tired, tho. had a blood test yesterday morning [my dad wants a toxicology report, apparently], so...hurrah, dad, really.

the rain's dying down. bore.

Sunday, July 04, 2004


webs, fathers and video games.


it's quite unnerving when you wake up and then a moment later, find your father at your door. it's especially unnerving when he comes back unannounced. and it's stereotypically motherly of him to not allow you to go out and to spend more time with him, while he sleeps at night, but not before obliterating any chances for you to enjoy the date for the evening. no peace, i suppose. he's back here for about a month. it's quite agonizing. i hope he doesn't go back to college with me. lord. i might actually have to sneak out to go to college.

might be going to bukit cahaya, if that's the name of the place...there're apparently gonna be some shanghainese students who we'll be taking for orientation. perfect. i don't speak mandarin. dude.

on another bright note, finished the spider-man 2 video game 3 days after purchasing it...well, not really finished, but we've finished the storyline's major missions. now it's just about webslinging fun, in all honesty. yea, well.

i can't wait for him to go back home, as wrong as it sounds.