Taxi Invasion

Parking lots in KK is scarce... we have been fighting each other for a lot at the Jalan Padang car park field every morning... but now, there will be no more fights because the entire parking field has been taken over by DBKK as a taxi station.

We all know how brainless the authorities are... but it is still very frustrating to know they can be this stupid!

Just loo at the empty spaces left...
those could have been money for the DBKK as parking fees are chargeable... and know they gave those all up to the taxi drivers who have well been better arranged with a rotating taxi stand with the taxi queuing up instead of parking there...

Borneo Golf and Country Club

The church organised a one night retreat at the Borneo Golf and Country Club some where near Bongawan.

The resort was a pleasant surprise as I didn't expect much...

Just the entrance and the lobby...

Crossed the "jetty" to the left and right are the chalet type rooms... and I definitely didn't expect the room to be like this:

Although some have complained that their rooms have no hot water, muddy water from the tape, water flooding to the room... and the toilet that won't flush properly... the stay has been pleasant. The rooms are clean and very comfortable.

There's a safe, a fridge, a LCD TV, and hair dryer!
Oh yeah, and room service!

 

This is a panoramic view from the balcony of the Club House:

Not much of a view... just green green grass of golf course!

I ate the Hut

I ordered online and had my lunch specially delivered from Pizza Hut today!

This "extravagant" Creamy Carbonara cost me RM16.60 and took nearly an hour to reach my dining table (ie my office desk)...

I was looking forward to the promised shitake mushroom but found only green peas in my pasta!

Life... you will never get what you were promised!

Christmas Canon in D

 

If only we could have a children's choir like THAT!

Fujifilm Finepix Z200fd

Behold the Fujifilm Finepix Z200fd 

This model looks really similar to my present Minolta Dimage Xi...
Just my type of design... :)

The specs?
Since I don't know much about photography, if you want to know Click here 

The price?
Still no idea yet...

I never fancy DSLR cameras... I think DSLR should be left with the professionals... I'm just too simple-minded to own one!

And why LX3 never appeal to me?
Just the design and the fact that it's a Panasonic...
To me, Panasonic means fridge or washing machine never camera!

Okay, I know I'm shallow, just let me be, ok?

Now, let's see those recommended by daruma (apart from the Panasonic Lumix LX3 he recommended earlier):

Nikon D90 ~ RM3,800 (body only)

Canon Powershot G10 ~ RM1,700
 

Canon EOS 1000d ~ RM1,800

Fuel Rebate @ posonline

I am driving my brother's car which is still registered in his name. The car is with me in KK while my brother, the "genuine"  owner is in KL... so after I paid for the insurance and road tax, there is the question... how should we go about claiming the fuel rebate.

Claiming cash by my brother personally at any pos office in KL is out of the question as the car registration card is with me in KK. Even if we managed to courier the car registration card over to KL, my brother thinks it's too troublesome for him to go to the pos office, queue up to get his thumbprint affixed for the RM625. (He doesn't think RM625 is worth that much troubles!)

Then we thought we could do it online by using myeg website as advertised on tv/radio. Now, that is the most annoying website! After I keyed in my contacts, it does not proceed to process fuel rebate claim, instead indicate that their staff will be calling to verify the information given. When they finally called, this guy asked my brother to purchase a certain named insurance (linked to myeg) first! That time, we have already paid for the car insurance with another insurance company.

So, we gave up on myeg (not the mention they charge RM6 for processing, and RM2 "convenience fee") ~ not convenient or user friendly AT ALL!

Then, I found out from a blogger that you can claim fuel rebate from posonline for FREE! So I quickly get myself registered as a user... But when I key in the car plate number to make the fuel rebate claim online. It responded with "IC does not match" ... can't proceed. Apparently my IC has to match the IC on the car registration card. OK, in that case, I had to get my brother to register himself as a posonline user and make the claim himself. But even with my brother's correct IC number, the system will revert with "IC does not match".

I later checked the car registration card and found out that it was because the IC number recorded on the car registration card is my brother's old IC number. So my brother inserted his old IC number into his posonline account details... still "IC does not match"... arrrrrrgh!

Then I logged into my brother's posonline account and solved the problem by replacing my brother new IC number inserted in the column for "New NRIC" and left the column for "Old IC" blank...

Just as I expected, the system is designed only to read the IC number from the column assigned for "new NRIC" to match the JPJ system! So only by keying in the old IC number into the "new" NRIC column can the system match the IC on the JPJ record.

OK... now, we shall wait 3 working days to see if RM625 will be credited to my brother's bank account. :)

the brass family

Introducing the brass family...

 

Would you be able to name each of these instruments?

I'm searching for the musical scores for the Christian song, "Little Drummer Boy" for my mom's choir and came across this musical score for a brass ensemble... then I realised I only know what's a trumpet... and wonder what's a trombone, tuba or horn?

So I googled it up...

EQ minus

I think some people (a certain majority Chinese clan from S'wak) are just born unfriendly!

Today, right after my happy lunch break, I got a call from a certain managing director of a company... the first few things he said on the phone was, "Why do you take so long *#$&#*&$*#$...". As usual it's an unhappy bank customer who is blaming the firm so the late release of the loan.

Fact is, we got our client's instructions in April but the customer only managed to send us the signed documents in August!

And I realised the Sale and Purchase Agreement signed for the acquisition of a piece of property to be charged to the bank is not properly signed! No common seal and not signed by directors at all!

When I asked who were their solicitors the customer gave me a name that I can't find from the SLA directory. When I enquired again, I was told they don't have any lawyer!

Fujifilm Super CCD EXR Sensor

Fujifilm's Super CCD EXR Sensor... EXCITING!

Fujfilm’s ultimate aim is to “produce a sensor that works as close to that of the human eye as possible.”

Looking forward to this new tech compact digital camera...
Uh huuuuuh!

To pro or not to pro

 

 

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Guess how much? 

 

 

 

Compared to a Panasonic LX3

 

 

 

And to a Fujifilm S602Z (Semi Pro)

They look very similar don't you think?

That's why if (IF okay) I get myself an LX3, I will definitely opt for the silver one, the black one is just too PRO-looking!

All I want is a simple point and shoot blogger's camera!

Mario Puzotti

The defendant was accused of assault with a firearm and the robbery of two chickens and six eggs. Despite the testimony of four witnesses, the discovery of hundreds of feathers in his house, without speaking of a stew pot full of chicken bones and an old frying pan with leftovers of an omelette, the famous lawyer Mario Puzotti, at the end of an eloquent defence, managed to persuade the jury of his client’s innocence and to convince them that the true guilty one was society. The accused was freed ipso facto and, under thundering applause and cries from the public of “encore, encore” the talented lawyer was obliged to return several times to bow to his frenzied audience.

 

Wondering why I post this nonsensical story about a make-believe lawyer? It's because this little statue is the "latest recruit" to the firm! One of the senior partners bought it from his Aussie trip...

On Mario's desk, there is a pistol... and I wonder what case he was arguing there and why he held out his palm like that... so I googled him up and found the little story above... the story doesn't tell much, and surely doesn't answer my doubts about this guy!

Mario is now facing the firm's main entrance... with his head high up and both eyes shut... and his palm held out (for his unpaid legal fees?)...

Turning Point

Practice in KK is getting mundane...
day in day out same thing...
no excitement... no sense of achievement!
I'm defeated...

Time for this "rolling stone" to turn!
Where to go, what to do next?
I have no idea...

There is this very interesting opening in Singapore:
foreign lawyer.

I think I should apply... most attractive fact about this position is that as a foreign lawyer, I am "not allowed" to appear in the Singapore courts... (that's just what I don't want to do, ie court appearance!)

The question is, am I ready to leave Sabah again...
practising in KK has really been a bliss (minus the penguin suit days)... although Singapore was part of my three step dream to Japan... since I'm back to the laid back Sabah, I really wonder if I would still be able to "endure" city life...

But at the end, I guess, it comes down to the question, whether I'm still willing to change... and whether there is still space there in Singapore that would allow me to "occupy" (oh, this sentence sounds so Chinese hor?)...

 

Nevermind me... I guess I don't even know what I'm writting here...

Just when I thought our chance has passed

Sometimes the snow comes down in June... Sometimes the sun goes round the moon... I see the passion in your eyes... Sometimes it's all a big surprise... 'Cause there was a time when all I did was wish, you'd tell me this was love... It's not the way I hoped or how I planned, but somehow it's enough... And now we're standing face to face... Isn't this world a crazy place... Just when I thought our chance had passed... You go and safe the best for last... All of the nights you came to me... Some silly girl has set you free... You wondered how you'd make it through... I wondered what's wrong with you... 'Cos how you could you give your love to someone else, and share your dreams with me... Sometimes the very thing you're looking for, is the one thing you can't see... But now we're standing face to face... Isn't this world a crazy place... Just when I thought our chance had passed... You go and save the best for last...  ladada...ladada... Sometimes the very thing you're looking for, is the one thing you can't see... Sometimes the snow comes down in June... Sometimes the sun goes around the moon...Just when I thought our chance has passed... You go and save the best for last... You went and saved the best for last...

 

The song suddenly start to sing itself in my head...
I really like this song... the lyrics flows with the melody, and its just so natural... and well sang by the singer Vanessa Williams!

Why am I a monkey?

You Are a Monkey

You are a very fascinating creature. People are interested in every little thing you do. You are smart, curious, and clever. You are naturally witty, and you have a great sense of humor. You can see things from many different angles, and you always have an interesting perspective on life. You are likely agile and playful. You stay physically fit simply by staying active.

What Animal Are You?

 

This is so not glamorous... a monkey...

Why can't I be a Lion like LM?

 

So I took the test again... still a monkey...

 

And again... this time, I choose to be a vegetarian (although I was but no longer is)... woosh... now I'm a COW! Goodness, this is worse...

 

You Are a Cow

You are strong and very determined. You can remain stoic when times are tough. You are stable and patient. You are able to do mundane tasks without resentment or boredom. You are a caring, nurturing creature. You are willing to sacrifice a lot to take care of those you love. You are smart and very observant. While you may seem passive, you are just taking in everything around you.

What Animal Are You?

 

Although... the characteristics seems fitting...
Nah... I don't want to be a moooooooooo...

The Penguin Week

It's not the court I dread to go...
it's the early morning ironing my white blouse...
it's the colorless outfit I had to endure...
it's the waste of time in wait... 
and the scoldings I had to "stand in" to take... 

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh

So please forgive me if I'm a bit grumpy these few days...

Get our of my way when I am blasting loud music in my "chamber"!

something's wrong...

Sad... heart breaking... devastating... but I had to accept the truth that my Minolta Dimage Xi has expired.

I initially thought that it was just memory card problem...
having replaced the SD card with a new one but the problem persists so... that means I had to give it up...

Then again although the camera can no longer take good indoor photographs, outdoor as long as there is enough light and I need not use the flash, it could still take good pictures...

A new camera is unavoidable... but I have yet to find one that I would sacrifice my "sweat and blood money" for... I will definitely get a Polaroid (on of the fujiflim instax mini series) but an instance photography is also definitely too expensive to be a blogger's camera... I need a lighter, smaller and user friendlier digital camera for my blogs (ahem, yes with an 's').

I've been using Minolta Dimage Xi for my blogs since I bought it from Sim Lim Square, Singapore back in 2002 and has taken over one thousand pictures with the small camera. I have not leave the house once without my Dimage Xi... it's been with me all the time... everyday, everywhere for 6 years!

... Time for it to rest in peace... as a monument!

I will miss my Minolta Dimage Xi for sure...
no one has ever made such a wonderful camera ever since...

the polaroids...

There were those days when having a polaroid in hand is so "in"... despite its bulky looks...
 

Then came Fujiflim's instax mini 7

Cute right? Really hope to get one for myself!
When everyone is talking about DSLR, pro this pro that...
I just wish photography can return to its simplest from of:
shoot and get picture!

Owning one is not expensive, the camera cost less than RM300.
It's the film that's expensive... about RM5-6 per pcs!

Still... I wish to have one!

Look at this one.... cute cute cute!

This white model, I think only available in Japan...

Another model is the Fujifilm Instax Mini 55i
   
Which allows zooming and even taking two shots in a single shutter! And claim can take good pictures under dim light.. but the design not as cute as the Mini 7

Another model is the mini 25 which is not featured in the Fujifilm global website so I don't have information about it except this picture:
 

walking

I know I need to start exercising...
looking for a form of exercising that suits a lazy person like me can be difficult...
but I've found walking!

Walking is just like going window shopping...
That I can do for hours non stop!

Locked on the form of exercise... next is to get a partner!
This I think is the most difficult task...

 

Next is to find a nice place to walk and the time... these are big problems...

Conclusion... lets forget it!

 

WALKING DON'TS Common mistakes made by walkers...

1. Do not over stride

2. Do not use too vigorous arm movements

3. Do not look at the ground

4. Do not hunch your shoulders

5. Do not carry hand weights or place weights on your ankles

Driving up the Crocker Range Park

Magnificent scenery... steep roads all the way up... very exciting drive!

This road building project must have cost the people a lot of money... Rocks moved, earth cleared... mountains were cut up like taking out a piece of cake...

But first, you might get yourself lost before getting on to this road!

This "new highway" (no one seems to know what its name) is hidden somewhere after Papar and Beaufort... I took the new KK-Papar road, reached Papar town, no sign of this "new highway"... so I continued the journey up to Beaufort... there at this roundabout where the road sign says turn right to Beaufort town and turn left to Crocker Range Park... yep! That's it, I've found the entrance to the "new highway"!

After that, just follow the road... and enjoy the "new highway"....
till you reach a point where there is this little lodge on the left side of the road... it's actually a coffee shop where you can stop for a drink... nothing much to do there but the most natural thing of all...

ie loo

There are no houses, chalets or make shift toilets along the whole journey, this is the only chance for you to do your business, so cherish it!

After that, play with their cat a bit...

And lets not forget to let you know that it's cool up here... yep!
Just like Kundasang!

Enjoy the plants...