27th of August 2008

How time flies. It especially true when one is equivocally persuing one objective in mind, which is work, work and work. At times i wonder why work like what I am doing now?

I am 37 years old, which translates into 37 x 365 days of my sad existence, 37 is a figure that I want to be contented with, as I constantly remind myself that I am a saggitarius, which invariably means that I am born at the tail end of the year. I reckon it's at least some sort of feel good inner mechanism that I ditch out to pacify my pysche.

Many a times I reflect and ask myself one singular question. Why work, and work so hard and long hours at that too? It's not that I have a dependant to take care off? It's not that I have some offspring to bequeath what I have accumulated over all these years, right? Sometimes I just feel like closing this chapter of my life and moving on to some place where I can do what naturally makes me happy, to be away from all those persuit of all things materialistic. I really really wonder.

Coming to Robert Herrick's poem which I posted just earlier this morning, It basically exults a person to seize the day, or "carpe diem" in latin. Why isn't I seizing the day I wonder? Can I see myself doing the same thing day in and day out in the next few years? As much as I don't want to, I am unsure about it. Which invariably directs me to the basic question, whatever for?

I reckon I am giving myself 5 years before I call it quits, perhaps even earlier, since I am alone and doesn't need so much to maintain my lifestyle. I reckon this canine will be destined to roam the far reaches of this world alone.

Ironically Robert Herricks' poem which I quoted in my earlier post, "To the virgins, to make much of time" was written by Robert in his latter years as a testament of his regret of not "seizing the day" and getting someone to settle down and marry. Perhaps I am reciting the same old 'tune'.

The thrill of a by election

The past few days have been spent reading about goings on in the small northern constituency of Permatang Pauh. This backward and tranquil area would be the battle ground of ideology, of new and of old politics, of clean and dirty tactics. This rustic and laid back area would determine the future of our country.

During the course of the campaigning, it was referred to being the dirtiest in the history of our country. Corruption, sex, scandals, phantom voters, vote buying, vote rigging, postal votes; you name it, you have it. It's an epic battle between people's power and a government that would stop at nothing to win this seat. It was as intense a campaign period as any campaign can be.

Alas, this by election of P44 has come and gone. I as many was keen to see the outcome of this election and with abated breath. This being an apolitical blog I reckon it's suffice to say that the overwhelming results put a sense of exuberance and a broad smile on my face that is ever present now even when I am typing on my keyboard.

Enough of all the racists taunts and dirty politicking by the government of the day, the signal and message brought and highlighted by the constituency of P44 is loud and clear. Ship out now.

I want to extend my sincerest congratulations to the winner and hopefully the impending onslaught to Putrajaya should be started soonest possible.

I end this by taking 4 lines from Robert Herick's "To the virgins, to make much of time"

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,

Old Time is still a-flying:

And this same flower that smiles today

To-morrow will be dying.

Carpe Diem and onwards to a better political landscape!

Of Banks and high blood pressure

Today the 20th of August is considered pretty bad for me, business is slow, possibly due to the wet weather, and the amount which i had collected is not even enough to fill up my thirsty ride. It's as bad as that, but I reckon this is not what that riles me up, but a banking incident that did it outmost best to push me over the edge.

You see, I have an account with a foreign bank and i usually bank in my takings for the day, cash or cheques that I have received into this bank account. Something went wrong which makes me fume and push my blood pressure to the roof. Allow me to reiterate and elaborate what has transpired just barely half and hour ago.

In this time and age, everything is about automation. It's some automated that everyone including yours truly is reliant on "it". So naturally I banked in my cheques via the numerously tailored machines known as "Automated Teller Machines". I slotted in my ATM card and gingerly waited, up came the flashes registering the words "Your Transaction is Being Processed, Please Wait". Damn I was interacting with a hardware. As the seconds ticks on and minutes replaces it, my gaity and smile quicky turns to frowns. it became increasing clear that this crap monstrosity has obviously "Hanged". My predicament exactly one month back has reared it's ulgy head once again.

A month ago, the same exact thing happenned to me and now, a few weeks on, it has struck again. Unable to contain my disgust, I asked the security guard if he can turn the machine off. Well frankly I already knew that he can't but in that state of mind, I don't mind asking again, just for the sake of "asking"!.

I called the call centre and was made to wait for a few minutes before this customer service representative or 'telephonist' answered. I can swear by God's name that she merely whispered and that's it! I was like wtf! could you speak louder? With the ambient and background noises, it is impossibily to hear that she is talking. I reckon people like this doesn't have a clue as to how noisy Banks are.

I immediately introduce myself and told her about my predicament. Prior to taking my complaint, she started by asking me some prelimary questions and wanted my telebanking "PIN" number. I don't have one and she starts asking my account number. I was lucky in the sense that I had the cheques which I wanted to bank in with me and behind I had written the account number. I gave it to her, after asking me many more questions, my IC number(s), postcode she then proceeded to ask me about the figure which I last transacted using this account. I was like "huh"?, as if people memorize how much money they draw and withdraw from a bank account! It would be reasonable to assume that many people have more than one bankers and I am no exception. I seriously cannot remember, since it was a few days ago. Anyway I told her I couldn't remember and asked her to ask me another question. Finally after ding donging and dilly dallying I authenticated myself as the real account holder and proceeded to tell her the my problem. Mind you this is already more than half an hour from the whole episode of slotting in the card.

My God, she doesn't understand what I was trying to tell her. Perhaps my powers of explanation is deficient, perhaps my communicative skills is impaired or perhaps she doesn't process a good enough cognitive skills but whatever it is, it is beyond my comprehension. The issue is simple enough, "MY CARD IS JAMMED IN THE MACHINE!!!" . All this compounded my already boiling anger and rapidly ascending blood pressure. Being attended by a friendly person in times of irritation is one thing, but being attended by a less than expected level of intelligent person is way too much for someone like me to tolerate.

I raised my voice and I told her whichever it is, my card is stuck and I don't want to be waiting in this stupid place hoping that the card, by some divine intervention, be ejected. Mind you if the ATM card has been totally "eaten" or detained by the machine, it's fine, but the thing about the paraphase of "Your Transaction is Being Processed, Please Wait" would automatically mean that there is still a chance, however remote that it might be processed and the card ejected out. Would anyone want to take the risk? I proceeded to ask her to cancel the card. She had the balls to tell me that It would be chargeable to issue a new card. I protested to her that it wasn't due to any fault of mine, but she insists that it's the banks policy. WTF. I told her to cancel the card as I don't want to be bogged with the possibility of the card being in another person's hands. I have quite some dough in this account and I wasn't prepared to play "Big Balls" with this.

Come tomorrow, I'd have to take time off again from work to visit this fucking branch to sort out this problem again in the span of one month. ONE MONTH!! I reckon my blood pressure will be registering red levels tomorrow yet again. I need a break, barely one month from my trip to Bangkok and here I am feeling the effects of stress. I wonder how long can I take all this shit anymore? Aarrgghhh!!

after

and here are the pictures that includes the plaster ceilings, downlights with curtains and blinds....

hopefully with all these fittings, I can sell it or rent it out with some positive returns...

before renovation

The past few weeks have been spent running around buying, and appointing contractors to renovate certain portions of the apartment. I need to thank Jesmine for hooking up and helping me with sourcing for the appropriate contractors.

here are some pictures to show you the before although some minor repair works needs to done to rectify some damages by the contractors. I only did some minor renovation which is to put in plaster ceiling and downlights and curtains.

reno madness

As everyone would probably know, I have been doing some minor renovations of my property. Frankly it's the worst possible decision of my life. Allow me to elaborate about it in entirety.

I engaged a plaster ceiling chap thinking that he has appropriate experience in dealing with high ended properties, Boy was I wrong! I have time and time again reminded him to cover the wooden floor with a plastic sheet and paper to prevent scratches on the floor. Imagine my chagrin when he never even bother to any basic measures to protect the floor.

I went again and to my utter dismay, my floor was scratched rather badly. What the hell, how can someone not even bother to at least cover the floor appropriately to prevent damage? I called him today and fired him. I think I will withhold any payment to him pending damage assessment. My walls are dirty, and there are stains on the walls, on the marble floor and also it was deplorable workmanship.

It seems to me that I have made a huge blunder engaging a half past six twit like this. My friend used him before and he was supposedly "good". I told him about that and he gave me loads and loads of excuse of "subbing" my unit job to his friend, I was like WTF! if I would have known I wouldn't have given you the job. These fellows are morons to say the very least.

I reckon I will have to see what can be done to salvage the floor, maybe i should talk to the developer's people to see any remedial measures can be taken?

Fact remains that everything has been screwed up from the word "GO". From taking more than 2 weeks to do up the ceiling to damaging my floor, and my walls. Contractors like this ought to be shot. Seriously I reckon there should be some registers to register contractors so as we can complain and have their license revoke if need be. Am so tired and fed up with all these pricks.

Olympics and my dad

The second hand struck 8.08 pm and fireworks set off what is officially the first Olympics in Chinese soil. After so many years or bidding and doing what they can, it has finally reached the middle kingdom. It is a great honour for all Chinese people especially those in Beijing, who has toiled and work tirelessly over the past few years. When the ceremony started, I couldn't contain my elated sense of proudness and my happiness.

I am Chinese and it's not unreasonable to say that I am happy to the brink of tearing on this momentus occasion. I don't know why I shed tears but maybe it's the sense that at least we, Chinese are somewhere. It was just over 60 years back when we were being vilified as "Sick men of Asia". I am sure people who has watched Bruce Lee's "Fist of Fury" would know what I am talking about.

I reflected on the fact that, if my dad is alive, he would be brimming with joy, smiling and grining not to mention jumping around elated. Whenever he speaks of China, the country where he was born and raised, he would be so proud. I could scarcely remember my old man, it's been so long. He passed on when i was 13. I have written a lot on my mum but for my dad, I reckon I'd write more in time, but back to the Olympics.

I wish all the participants all the best of luck, and to the organisers, I am so proud of all of you, you all have indeed made the opening a spectaculat Gala, with Zhang Yi Mou helming the direction of the opening. We are no longer the "Sick men" no more. To those that is making an issue out of Tibet and what not, please do remember that the Olympic movement transcends nationality, polical, religious and racial divide.

May the best man/ woman wins! let the games begin!

what the hell!

My first post for the month of August, the month where the Olympics will commence in Beijing, as a Chinese I should be proud that finally the "games" has make it's presence felt in the middle kingdom. Alas this is not the topic of my post today.

August is also the month of many uncertainties, including diabolical conspiracies and dubious sodomy charges againsts a 61 year old man. Nothing makes sense, well at least to me. It's also the month where spirits from the netherworld descends into our streets, the "Ghost month".

But all these is nothing compared to my small worries. Yup I am a normal chap and has normal worries. I have been busy with renovating my apartment. I had engaged a plaster ceiling contractor to fix my ceiling and it has been already 10 days and nothing has been done yet. I lost my cool and I started firing the fellow. I reckon irrespective of race or creed, no one can be trusted. At times I think chinese are the biggest snakes. Well, I am chinese, and I don't know if I am a snake, but seriously, for a fellow Chink, i never like the way business is done. What am i supposed to do? My schedule is tight as my curtains needs to be up by Monday and this chap is nonchalantly taking his own sweet time to install the ceiling. I made sure things are set in motion today, hence my absence from work for a few hours.

I have to monitor and go check on them once a day, whoever said Chinese are responsible people has got to be kidding me. I think responsibility doesn't automatically comes with a specific race, nor meticulousness or hardworking virtues. It is individualistic.

Another thing that has been bothering me is that my shoe has been stolen this morning. My shoe that is bought from Bangkok barely a few weeks ago. I reckon the issue is not about the price, or the cost of the item, but the very fact that we don't even feel safe in our own house. It's irritating to think that society has descended into this state, no thanks to the excellent job the Polis Diraja is doing. When every conceivable manpower to employed to investigate a allegation of sodomy against a former DPM, it goes to speak volumnes about the priority of those who walks the corridor of power.

However, just in my wicked and most inappropriate way, I hope and curse that prick that stole my moccasins that he will developed severe allergic reaction when he wears the shoe. May he suffer the conseqences of his action. I stop short of saying 'Fish Your Mother Shoes', for his mother has got no part in his misdemeanor.