The One With The Visits : Hungry Ghost Anthology 

In conjunction of Hungry Ghost Festival, four directors Low Ngai Yuen, James Lee, Ho Yuhang and Ng Tian compiled their own ghost story in one movie.. Last night, we managed to catch the last show of The Visits : Hungry Ghost Anthology..

What can I say? Money is not everything.. with a small budget and simple short storylines, these four directors managed to create a huge impact to the movie.. Each nicely-continues-between-others story, "1413", "Waiting for them", "Nodding Scoop" and "Anybody home?" comes with different plots and different techniques, .. "Anybody homes?" by Yuhang for instance, was the most creative one.. Just by "using some shots from certain angles of CCTV cameras and spy cameras", and without much dialogue by two main characters Jackie Lim and Adlin Aman Ramli.. However the ending was a little bit fuzzy..

The scariest would be Yuen's "1413" (Read in Mandarin : One dead, one alive) but I like Lee's "Waiting for them" the most since it was nicely done, overall.. Oh.. BTW, some TGV's technical errors spoiled the night as we had to watch the ending first before the actual movie begins..

The Visits is not just a typical scary ghost movie.. It is something different.. (I can't say it is unique.. I remember Aziz M. Osman made a mysterious thriller triology for a "Cerekarama" slot when I was still in primary.. ) Definitely worth to catch..

PS: I received an email from a friend.. Not even "The Visits" can beat this scary news..

The One Where OU Is Complete 

This gonna be a short one..

When OU2 was still under construction.. i was like -> "Let there be a bowling alley.. Let there be a bowling alley".. As the nearest alley so far would be the Old Crappy Alley of Bangsar Shopping Center and Megamahal Alley of Megamall..

Now OU2 has been completed.. Shd rename it as One "Damn Big Mega Shopping Mall' Utama.. With many additional shops, Giant, Parkson etc.. only without my top wishlist : Bowling Alley.. demmm.. Plus they still got those SUXXed 7 screens TGV Movie Theatres!!

Yesterday we drove to OU for lunch.. I saw a big banner saying.. ermmm.. Guess what!

COMING SOON at One Utama
1. BOWLING ALLEY!! - Yeah baby.. that's the way.. ahaks ahaks.. i like it..
2. 13 screens GSC - TGV no more..
3. Mount Climbing Stadium - Not a big fan, but still can try..

Haha.. finally a dream come true.. Although i was thinking to build an 'Ed's Stuckeybowl'-alike myself.. maybe some other place and some other time then..

The One With What Goes Around, Comes Around 

Huaghhh. such a sleepy morning.. we slept after 2am last night, watching 2 hours Amazing Race 5 Finale.. weren't a big fan of reality TV shows, just followed since the last 5 teams.. furthermore, when u're in your third trimester of pregnancy, ur there are tendency for you to become like a bat/owl.. sleepy during the day, and fully awaken during the night.. ehehhe...

In the end it was Chip & Kim, a married parent of 3 edged pass the other two teams, Colin & Christie and Brandon & Nicole, (both dating couples), first to arrive at the final Pit Stop at Trammell Crow Park, Dallas, stepped onto the mat and won the million dollar jackpot..

What interest me the most was.. Chip, 46, an IT company owner and Kim, 44, a recruiting company owner from California are somehow not dying that much for the money (since they have a lot, I supposed) compared with the other two finalists.. Chip enjoyed tipping throughout the competition, they gladly paid 120 when others paid 100.. Up to one point at Dubai, he ran short of 10 bucks to pay for the cab fare.. luckily the driver just 'cincai kira' it.. Chip & Kim, 2 decades older than the other two teams, also displayed themselves as an icon slash role model.. they never quarrel against each other, *(although it was only the husband who got to do all except one of the roadblock tasks).. hehe.. I guess their maturity was the key factor..

As for Colin & Christie, I guessed many would dislike this couple.. Although being extremely competetive, won 1^st place in 6 out of the 12 races, they (esp : the guy) were hot-headed, arrogant, mean and penny-pinching.. they nearly got jailed in Tanzania coz he refused to pay 100 dollars to their cab driver.. He insisted to pay only half of the amount. Reason : the driver drove the car without a spare type resulted them to lose their lead.. Moreover, despite deeply in love, they often argue and blame each other.. (so did Brandon & Nicole..)

Colin & Chiristie, narrowly escaped the elimination in the Philipines after being YIELDed before by Chip & Kim, did catch-up and lead in Canada, almost hours in front of their rivals.. however, major break for Chip & Kim, being the last to arrive at the airport and informed flight straight from Calgary to Dallas which booked by previous two couples were delayed for two hours.. Secretly, they booked other flight, via Denver.. Sneaky! .. (they did bump with other two couples with a devilish face.. haha..)

Well.. I wasn't sure whether their kindness or cruelty made them win.. One thing for sure they reminded me to Klaus Meine & Rudolf Schenker of the Scorpions, who put these words in their song, "What you give, you get back".. In short, it was an amazing end to the amazing team of the amazing show..

Chip remarked, "Running THE AMAZING RACE taught me that no matter what, you can't quit." Kim added, "It was our dream and our destiny and we made it." About her partner, Kim said, "I love him even more. I didn't think I could love him as much as I love him now." As a final thought, Chip added, "She cried tears of joy. That's my happiest time when she does that. It makes us even stronger to know that nothing is impossible."

ps : Additional facts, Chip finished college at the age of 38; Amazing Race 4 winners were Chip & Reichen, also a married couple.. only they are gay..

The One With The Campus Politics 

I did say that I graduated from a local public university, didnt I? For almost 8 years, the so-called “pro-opposition” candidates had firmly maintained their seats in student representative council elections.. This year however, it won by the "pro-governments" slash "aspirations" candidates.. Mostly unchalleged..

Heck.. I'm not at any side of the team, even back then when I was a student.. but what's with the front-page hype here and there??

"Penguasaan besar calon proaspirasi kerajaan di seluruh institusi pengajian tinggi awam (IPTA) pada pilihan raya kampus 2004/2005 semalam membuktikan kematangan golongan pelajar dalam memilih pemimpin yang mampu menjamin kesejahteraan dan kebajikan mereka. "

Haha.. What a Bulls**t.. capital B..

Unchalleged?? That's sooo weird..

FYI, rule of the thumb to become a student representative candidate, you need to have approval by VC, somebody who's working with government.. and likely to be a "pro-government"..

For students out there, learn ur lesson from those pros.. "If you can't beat them, block them.."

The One With The Spending Urge 



I dunno why I bothered when reading above article.. It is actually a good call but my memory kept recall back an experience of a friend of mine, once a lawyer of a District Municipal in Selangor.. He did his previous bar practical (what do you call 'practical training for lawyer'?? ) in a private firm.. He was so damn shocked when joining government sector especially in the matter of spending money or shd i rephrase it as wasting money..

You see, for a government ministry, department or agency, every year there will be a specific budget allocate to them.. and at the end of the year, they must cleverly spend the budget very well.. every single penny of it! For instance, in stationary handling.. his staff would casually used new piece of blank paper for any occasion without thinking of recycling it.. from printing a draft note, faxing, etc.. Wrongly printed paper would end up crumbled / shredded inside the waste paper basket.. Whole rim of A4 paper might be used upon completing a 20-page final report..

The reason, they still got a lot of papers and it is within their budget.. To make it worse, if any of the department failed to spend their money accordingly based on the budget, they would have to prepare a report for upper management on why can't they spend it..

I'm not sure whether or not such practice happened in all government sectors but if you do work or ever worked with government, care to share some light, please..

Ironic when department of environmental urge Rakyat to recyle and many other departments happily wasting papers.. Wasn't there any auditor doing their homework?

I'm working in a private company.. the attitude is way much different.. everything is based on profit vs loss.. therefore, every single penny counts.. wherever / whenever you can cut the cost, you cut.. It will affect company's annual reports which later impact your annual bonus..

Many claim they are underpaid when working with government.. and government claimed they don't have sufficient money to pay these people.. like in the song "Bangau oh Bangau"..

The One With Serendipity 

Ever watch movie Serendipity (2001) starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale? I bet many of you did watch it.. coz it is one of the best romantic comedy movie ever.. this is not a movie review though.. however if u havent watch it.. here are some clues..

About the word; taken from Dictionary.com

ser en dip i ty n.

• The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.


• The fact or occurrence of such discoveries.


• An instance of making such a discovery.

[From the characters in the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip, who made such discoveries, from Persian Sarandp, Sri Lanka, from Arabic sarandb.]

About the movie; taken from Rottentomatoes.com

New York City, just before Christmas. The last pair of black cashmere gloves in Bloomingdale's is on its way to the counter. As the gloves arrive, Sara (Kate Beckinsale) and Jonathan (John Cusack) claim them simultaneously. And so it begins--Sara and Jonathan go to a little coffee shop, named Serendipity, to decide who gets the gloves. They skate in Central Park. They look at the stars--the Cassiopeia constellation has the same pattern as the freckles on Sara’s forearm. She writes her phone number in a book, saying she'll sell it to a random bookstore tomorrow. Jonathan writes his number on a five-dollar bill and she gives it to a street vendor. If destiny means them to be together, the book will find him, and the five-dollar bill will find her.

Enuff with the clues.. now back to reality.. well.. I got one friend.. lets call him Mr. T.. Hmmm.. he's still single and available.. bad experience with girls made him kinda not aggresively look for one.. for him.. the best yet to come.. One fine day, he met a girl at his client office and all the sudden, at first sight he felt she could be THE one.. However, for some reasons, it took him six months to write one liner email to ask her out.. The best thing is, on that day, his zodiac reads "Do something different and you will find yourself involved with someone or something new, that will give you much happiness":

Mr T keeps his finger crossed waiting for her reply.. however.. he couldnt access the internet for the whole day since his company havent paid the internet bill.. hmmm.. what a bad sign ha.. Should I call this a serendipity or should I rephrase it as just pity.. heheh..

As for you guys.. have you ever come across to this co-incidence that bring you happiness.. Do you believe in such things? Should we sit down and hope for the thing to well work-out by itself.. let time send your soulmate to your doorbell? Like Dharma & Greg who got married on the day they met.. Or you prefer to make things as the way you want it to be.. Like Ed Stevens with his shining armour, video clip and writings on the sky..

Share some thoughts..

ps : I know somebody who heard a name over the radio.. then she met a guy.. the guy mentioned his name.. she remembered THAT name.. straight away, they became close.. and now happily married ever after..

The One Where I May Ban U 2 (part 2) 

I received a phone call from a courier service this morning to confim my availabilty at office.. They're sending a parcel to me.. Hmmm.. I wasn't expecting any.. So just now, a man arrived at my office lobby with a parcel from Maybank.. It was a credit card.. opps no, no.. TWO credit cards..

Flashback : When I started working, I was interested to have a credit card of Maybank since it provides many advantages etc, etc.. I compiled all required documents and sent in my application to the bank.. I did apply twice.. And twice it got rejected.. I discussed with a friend of mine.. he said it's not easy to get one since Maybank is quite strict on approving any application.. so be it.. I gave up and looked out for other CC..

Today, I received two cards from Maybank..Mastercard & AMEX.. WIthout any hassle to apply.. I called the card center to confirm.. they said I was selected to receive pre-approved Credit Cards.. hmmm.. I wonder.. So, is this an appreciation? My friends received their cards after secured housing or car loans with Maybank.. That made some sense.. For my case.. What did I do? What criteria they based on to select their so-called lucky customer?

As far as I concern.. The only thing I did was complaining about their bad customer service.. Is this a way to say we are sorry? Or is it a silent way of revenge? Let me use their waived-annual-fee cards for a year.. Then, automatically deduct all money from my savings account if I failed to pay the debts on time.. Hmm.. Interesting..

The One With The 1st Anniversary 

Hi Sayang,
Do you mind if I show my public display of affection over here? Hehe..

At exactly a year back, I was busy 'cuak'ing myself.. who won't when you found yourself without a Baju Melayu with the wedding ceremony's gonna be in just another 2 hours.. haha.. it was mistakenly worn by my uncle.. luckily we realised that.. hehe..

On my way to work, Mix.fm aired one very familiar song.. a song u dedicated to me during our early courtship days.. ehehe..

Head Over Feet - Alanis Morissette

I had no choice but to hear you
You stated your case time and again
I thought about it

You treat me like I'm a princess
I'm not used to liking that
You ask how my day was

You've already won me over in spite of me
And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn't help it
It's all your fault

Your love is thick and it swallowed me whole
You're so much braver than I gave you credit for
That's not lip service

You've already won me over in spite of me
And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn't help it
It's all your fault

You are the bearer of unconditional things
You held your breath and the door for me
Thanks for your patience

You're the best listener that I've ever met
You're my best friend
Best friend with benefits
What took me so long

I've never felt this healthy before
I've never wanted something rational
I am aware now
I am aware now

You've already won me over in spite of me
And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn't help it
It's all your fault

What a perfect day.. I dont feel I really wanna work today.. Wanna be beside you.. Oh btw.. dont forget anniversary dinner @ PJ Hilton tonite.. *wink*

Happy anniversary dear..

The One With The Princess of Mount Ophir 

* Mount Ophir is now better known as Mount Ledang *

Many stumbled to this blog in their way to seek out for review on Malaysian latest big-hype most expensive ever movie Puteri Gunung Ledang.. thousands apologies since we just managed to watch it last night while we tagged our blog "Puteri Gunung Ledang - Review to come" months back.. so, here it is review of mine, like it or not :

Puteri Gunung Ledang (2004) - PGL, a production of Enfiniti Productions started its journey in 2001 when the idea first came up. It is definitely a different adaptation compared to 'Puteri Gunong Ledang' produced by Cathay Keris in 1961.

The movie PGL sets in 15th century Melaka Sultanate and the grand Javanese kingdom of Majapahit. Gusti Putri Retno Dumillah (Tiara Jacquelina) of Majapahit, fallen in a forbidden love with Malacca's most influential warrior, Hang Tuah (M.Nasir). Promise made between each other to spend their lives together at Gunung Ledang, a sacred land, untouched and full with beauties..

"Kalao Kekanda tidak kembali, Adinda berjanji akan menyusuli Kekanda"

So it be.. Gusti Putri leaves her enchanted land of Majapahit without consent to his brother King Gusti Adipati Handaya Ningrat (Alex Komang), to Gunung Ledang awaits for her lover Hang Tuah to come. Soon after, powerful Kingdom of Demak attacks Majapahit. Gusti Adipati initiates a plan to marry his sister to the prince of Demak. As he knows Gusti Putri already arrived at Gunung Ledang, he changes his plan by trying to forge an alliance with the mighty Melaka Sultanate, asking Sultan Mahmud Shah of Melaka to marry his sister.

The Sultan of Malacca agrees and orders his loyal warrior Hang Tuah to lead the the royal proposal delegation to Gunung Ledang. Hang Tuah finds himself lost at a cross-path to choose between his lover or his leader.

Well.. it is not hard for me to say PGL simply the best Malaysian movie in this century.. (read : 2000-2004) - haven't watch many Malaysian movies though.. (looking forward for Uwei's Buai Laju-Laju)..Still it is one of the best all-time..

However at some point the storyline was too slow and heavy.. dreadfully dragging.. 2 hours and 45 minutes would be too long for some.. (especially a young lady with a baby kicking inside her stomach :P) idea of combining 'artsy' and 'action' isn't work very well... from my personal point of view, an action movie may go up to 3 hours while 'artsy' movie should stop an hour less.. Movie sets were brilliant.. made us thinking where in the world of Malacca got white clean beach.. Customes were also nicely designed to give a real feel of 15th century Malacca & Majapahit..

Too many good scenes in the movie to share coz its cinematography is stunning.. except.. IMHO, fighting scene between Hang Tuah and Gusti Adipati.. simply the worst.. a major turn-off.. Other than that, 2 thumbs up from me! Casts, despite their older age, M. Nasir and Tiara Jaqueline managed to spark the chemistry between each other.. I would also say Datuk Rahim Razali shall win Best Supporting Actor in FFM18.. Sofea Jane as Tun Teja still can give a little ERK¹.. for me.. Mamat Khalid did a brilliant job..

I vote PGL for 2004 best epic movie.. nuff said.. * I hold this until I watch Alexander*

Read on the legend of Fairy Princess of Mount Ophir

¹ERK(n) = situation where you find yourself speechless, stunned, shocked with amazement.

The One With The Real Merdeka 

I just received a note from my colleague..



*Still speechless*

Well, I didn't see it coming at all.. At all.. I believed many would think the same too..

Once upon a time, Lord Justice Tun Salleh Abbas was very known to the world as the wisest man among many others.. and again.. It was a long time ago..

For the past few years I've been really disappointed with Malaysian's Law and Order.. Those judges, AGs and IGPs had really scratched too many black marks over the Malaysian Book of Law.. Big clear marks that couldn't simply being erased by just releasing Anwar.. It will remain there for like FOREVER.. World justice has had a good laugh at us.. especially in Anwar's case, he was clearly given a "Guilty unless proven Innocent" whereas it should be vice versa.. It took years until those two out of three judges turned his conviction around.. Again. I didnt see it coming..

For all I remember, to name one true believer of Anwar would be Raja Petra Kamaruddin better known as Pete.. head of Free Anwar Campaign.. I read many of his postings.. Touched and respect.. He never give up that justice will still be prevailed and Anwar shall be released.. and September 2nd, exactly 6 years after being dismissed from cabinet, 2,174 days behind the high walls.. Palace of Justice announced, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim is a free man..

Our school's great teacher cum historian who passed away early this year once reminded... "Justice may be delayed, but never denied.".. Al-fatihah to Cikgu Muzaffar Tate..