ALL GONE!!!! :((

Can't believe I've wiped out all my old datas in my old Palm - and I have no back-up!!!

Yes, they're ALL GONE!! Addresses and phone numbers of old friends and contacts - especially those overseas.. old sermon notes.. and other (not so important) things and memories..

Gosh, I'm so upset and I feel I'm crying inside though I can't physically cry.. sigh..

I haven't been using my Palm for the longest time.. reason being the contacts I use often are already in my handphone (only phone nos) I'm not worried about those contacts - friends and work-related - locally. But what I have lost are the addresses and phone nos of friends living overseas - U.K., Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore.. etc..

Thankfully for some of them I am still able to get in touch with.. via Facebook and common friends. But I know there are some whom I have lost contacts altogether.. unless they get in touch with me first..

So you're probably wondering how I could just lose everything.. I think I've just been taking my good old Palm for granted all these years.. It was actually sold to me second hand by my brother-in-law. At that time, Palm was the thing and I was quite impressed by the colour screen..and the simple but functional features.. I have painstakingly input many contacts - including work and general ones.. I used it as a diary until I swapped over to my phone.. and I have input sermon notes and other important stuff and details in it.. There were to-do-notes, even my `feminine cycle' record and others.. Basically it served me well..

A few years back with the change of hard disk, I was unable to SYNC it anymore to the PC (even my technician could not help). I know I was taking a huge risk but somehow naively I still went ahead using the Palm, updating stuff. Then in the last couple of years, I have used it much much less, and almost only when I needed to look up friends contacts overseas (like when I go overseas..)

Since I am going to Singapore tomorrow and I have many friends there, and it seems we will have some spare time besides my cousin's wedding solemnisation and banquet, so I thought of contacting some friends. Even if I could not meet up at least just chat with them.. But when I tried to turn on my Palm (which has not been touched by many months) I could not at all, nothing came on, it was like totally dead..

So finally I did something I really regret now.. but I had done it before last time. Which was to RESET it. When I did this last time when it hanged, all my data was in tact.. But this time..... when it worked again, it was like a brand new Palm - with nothing in it.. :((

I guess maybe it was already dead for too long - I had not charged it for the longest time. The data was probably already gone!!

Sigh.. no use crying over spilt milk now I know. But I felt like screaming out loud..and I just had to let it out..

Yes, it feels so painful to have lost for good memories and contacts from the past that I have cherished all this while..

:((

Maybe it's about time.. for now..

Somehow I just don't have the inspirations to blog anymore..

No, life is not uninteresting.. in fact, many things are happening this month. Singing, travelling, family time, more singing.. and my `social calender' (no not that type of social but..) looks pretty packed till end of the year too..

And then there's the dreaded milestone to come.. trying not to think about it.

Fact is, less and less people are reading this blog.. some read cos i link it to Facebook and I happen to have many friends there.. to think of it, has FB killed my blog? :S

Maybe I should go back to doing a private diary of sort.. only between myself and God so I can be free to write whatever I feel like it and not to worry what people think of me.

It's kinda pathetic. I have started writing at least three posts and feel there's no steam to continue..

Well.. just see how long this `hiatus' will last.. maybe my Shanghai trip will be exciting enough to spur me to do a proper post.. else I'm just ranting and blabbering again.. and I call myself a writer.. sigh.

Taking the `Mac' plunge and loving it!

On Monday night, I bid farewell to my PC of six years and spent a couple of hours tidying the quite messy contents in the hard disk.. ready for the `big change'!

The thing is, it was getting very slow, always hanged and worse of all,because of piracy reason (ahem, i didn't have an original Windows software as it was a clone), I couldn't even access some of the programs anymore!

And Since I `shifted' to my new SoHo, even dad has commented that perhaps it's time to upgrade my desktop computer.. The monitor looked quite dwarf on the large table.. but of course the main reason I decided to change was that I felt it has served its due.

So for the last week or two, I was scouting around and researching for a new desktop. To be honest, I had not thought of switching from Microsoft to Mac as I've been using MS Windows since the day I owned a PC - and although I had tried a Mac before it appeared a bit too `complicated' to me.. Though I must admit I think it's pretty cool.

Then early last week, I stepped foot into Machines - a store that carries only Apple products - and fell in love instantly with the iMac!

Yes, its appearance and design is simply genius and beautiful - like all Apple products. But after speaking to the staff there, I realised the advantages of using a Mac (no worries about virus, almost crash-proof..) basically a more superior technology than Windows. Well, I didn't just take his words for it and proceeded to read up on the Net from reputable tech sites. Reviews of similar all-in-one desktop all point to the fact that the best IS the iMac.

Still not convinced because I was just afraid of taking the `big plunge' switching over, I posted a question on my Facebook status and was a bit surprised by the response! EVERYONE - and there were quite a lot who replied (save one person) asked me to get the iMac. And many of them were happy `converts'.

So by end of last week, I made up my mind that yes, I am gonna get the iMac! To save my worry, Machine's technician agreed to help me transfer my datas from my old PC hard disk to my new Mac! I went to purchase on Monday and left my pc there for the transfer.

Yesterday afternoon, my brand new iMac 20 inch arrived on my doorstep!

I then unpacked the contents and placed the iMac and all the rest on my table.

As I started to use it, I immediately knew I definitely made the right choice! Of course I only know how to do the basics as there're so many applications/programs I've yet to learn.. but whatever I tried out, I found everything to be so cool, and better still,very user-friendly! For a Net freak like me, I was instantly able to be connected to the Net! :))

And of course, the images are so sharp and powerful and the interface is just so slick and I love even working on a document as I could view all the pages together!! (Errr..I don't think i need to elaborate as any Mac user would know and testify to it!)

Am so excited.. there are still much more to explore for it's only the 2nd day... :)

In short, I just HEART my new iMac - never before I was so in love with a `machine' hehe.. and then I was wondering to myself - why did I wait so long before using a Mac? (I guess I was mainly concern with it being the more `niche' with less compatible software.. but as far as I know, Mac has evolved with times and with new MS compatible softwares, that's not even a problem)

Oh well, better late than never.

The only problem now is.. gosh, I will become addicted to my new iMac!!

Once-in-a-thousand years

09-09-09

Ya, it's that kind of a date. Remember last year - 08-08-08 - had illicit quite a bit of excitement and buzz esp. among the Chinese? (coz 8 in Chinese sounds like a very auspicious no.)

This year when it comes to the turn of the 09, it also signifies something very special. Because in Mandarin - 9 is pronounced as jiu, and that's the sound-alike of another word meaning `lasting'. Thus, we can imagine the nos of Chinese couples tying the knot today - ie their marriage is `chang chang jiu jiu' (long and lasting)

Actually I was only reminded of this `special' day when I interviewed the people from the KL&Selangor Assembly Hall for a story I'm writing. I was told that they're organising a mass wedding on this date! Originally they aimed to get 99 couples (again, playing the auspicious no.) but due to overwhelming response, they now have close to 110 couples or so! And mind you, this is just ONE of many venues / organiser that's conducting such mass wedding in the Klang Valley or nation wide!

I'm not a stickler for nos and the sound-alike. I am perfectly at peace and happy to stay in hotel room that's no. 444 (4 sounds alike to death in Cantonese). But since I'm just running out of things to blog about besides telling people of what I do, buy, work etc.. (how boring!) Might as well just commemmorate this day since after all, it does ONLY happen ONCE in a life-time. ie. The next 09-09-09 would be in the year 3009!!

So may we all have a happy `lasting day' today.. ;)

My 3rd junk sale and the biggest!

Today I'll be taking part at The No Plastic Bag Bazaar as a vendor - sharing a stall with my friend Hazlin.

Organised by The Recyclists and with a little help from the expert of junk sale Threadszoo, it's a pretty big event that includes the participation of many local celebs (performing, auctioning) as well as a huge area for vendors. Mind you, most of them I can see are in the businesses..

So I really hope among all the `competition', some people will be buying our preloved junks! :p Anyhow I'm glad to be part of it as the event is for a good cause - to remind people to go green and to raise funds for Furry Friends Farm and Malaysian Nature Society.

This time round, I'm still selling things like clothings (ya.. there're loads I don't want anymore and also many that're now way too big for me!) , handbags and accessories - the latter took quite a lot of time to sort out! On top of that, I'm also selling books - mainly novels, and thanks to the contribution by my Italian teacher.. she had read so many books esp chick lits (in English, not Italian :p). And then I'm also selling some unsued knick knacks like handphone pouches, key rings etc...

Here's just a brief summary of my products for sale:

• Close to 30 or so dresses/blouses with hangers (to be hung on my friend's cloth rack)
• A small suitcase full of tank tops, t-shirts, shirts and blouses
  
• A large box full of handbags of various sizes
• A large box full of skirts and a few pants
• A huge basket containing accessories in various boxes - earrings, necklaces, bracelets, hair clips etc etc.. pouches to give away
  
• Two boxes full of books - chick lits and others
• Another bag containing the knick knacks
• Not for sale: a huge bag with money box, stationary box, cardboard, small plastic bags and pouches, mirror etc..

Ya, as you can see.. that's quite a lot to bring! Quite relieved that my parents were so sweet to want to company me and help me to transport the stuff and to set up the stall! In fact my maid will be coming too.. hehe, at least there's something for them to do on Merdeka Holiday!

Actually packing the things weren't so bad thought it took up quite a lot of time.. the worse was when I had to take out old books or other stuff, the dirt made me sneeze so badly the whole evening.. used up so many tissues!! :( Thank goodness, I'm done and just had a cup of hot honey lemon plus a Clarinese pill.. so finally the runny nose has improved a bit..

So hope to it will be a fruitful and fun day.. more updates later!!

My Four `Entertaining' Weekends..

It's been a month of Chinese entertainment overload..!! Ya, I think I've had enough of Chinese live-shows and concerts for a while - for the last four weekends, I've attended four shows! Half of them for work and half for leisure.

This should be the record since I left my life as a entertainment (read: Chinese entertainment) journalist with the paper almost three years ago..

No, i'm not complaining - it can be tiring but I thoroughly enjoyed almost all of them.. and would have wanted to watch it anyway and ended up I didn't pay a cent for it.. :p

1.
The first one - Astro Star Quest Finals - would not be something I would have watched live - maybe on television. And this year I didn't even follow the competition at all... Then just a day before the finals in Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil, an ed called me up and since I do need jobs and money, of course I made myself available..

I was seated in the comfort of Putra Stadium press seat with a table.. and it was actually quite entertaining and enjoyable despite I had no knowledge of these up-and-coming youngsters were. Must say I was quite impressed in particular by two of them - Kah Fai and Min - who eventually emerged as first runner-up and the winner!! The only grouses was the whole thing was pretty long as there were many rounds of contests - and all those commerical breaks in between since it was aired live on Astro.. And as the responsible (ahem) writer that I am, I also stayed back to interview the winners although I had not much space for the write-up anyway..

2.
Then the following weekend.. was a show I really wanted to watch. Although no one asked me to review it, I was fortunate to obtain two comp tickets from the organiser of SuperBand - that's made up of four unique and talented musicians/singers from Taiwan - Lo Ta-yu, Jonathan Lee, Wakin Chau and Chang Chen-yue.


My sis in HK has watched this concert and told me it was really good (and she is the picky type when it comes to concerts) and so I was really looking forward to it and definitely I was not disappointed. In fact, I rated it as the best concert I've been to this year and maybe even in recent years!! Their repertoire was splended and nostalgic (ok, I'm from some their eras) and they really showcased what they could do with their voices and instruments individually and as a band. And boy, just loved the way they jammed together.. Their combined age was 190! But to me, they beat any young hot boyband hands down. :) And so ya, myself and my friend really enjoyed it.. the bonus was I daringly mingled myself into the press seats (which were better than my ticket seats) after there were extra seats there!

3.
I attended the Michael Hui's press conference a few weeks earlier and was quite keen to catch his talk show in Genting Highland. Unfortunately, the editor I was contributing to did not want a review but fortunately I know the organiser's boss whom I've covered quite a no. of his shows and he has asked me to just go. But because it was a hot sold-out show - Michael Hui's first ever show in Malaysia or outside HK for that matter - I was told in the last minute that I could get into the stadium but there were no seats allocated for me!!


But again, my lucky (entertainment) star was shining and my friend and I who specially drove up to Genting were `rewarded' with seats - quite good ones too - among the photographers. And we had such a good time laughing our heads off with his jokes. Michael Hui has many interesting stories and anacdotes to tell.. The audience loved it so much that he obliged by even singing a song at the end.. And like I put on my FB, it is a refreshing change from the usual concerts! Great show :)

4.
Finally.. (I really hope I don't have any concert next week.. :S) I thought I would have given Eason Chan a miss this time as I mistakenly thought the concert was on Saturday and I was on worship duty on early Sunday morning. But turn out I was asked to do a review and the concert was Sunday evening.. at Sunway Lagoon Surf Pool - the same stage of MTV World Stage Live the night before.


For once, I was shocked to find out that they did not allocate any areas, let alone, any seats for the press! I was ushered to this `red zone area' - already jam packed with people right in front of the stage.. I squeezed myself through but guess what, I was blocked by a few tall guys and hardly had space to move let alone jot down notes for my review! The speakers were blaring and made my heart thump. Seriously, I'm not fit nor young enough to stand in such condition for 3 hours!!

To cut a long story short, I squeezed my way out of that crazy zone and stood at the side where some reporters were.. but 20 mins later, I already felt tired and spotted some chairs by some food stalls so there was where I sat by myself the whole night..

Fortunately, Eason's wonderful performance and music redeemed that earlier terrible experience.. Although i could only see the screen from side way and hardly the stage.. I still enjoyed the concert. He even did a medley of the 80s classics including Alan Tam's Love Trap and his own beautiful numbers.. It was even better than his first concert I watched I felt.. so much so I stayed till last song and as I walked out, fireworks broke into the sky.. a very long and elaborate one.

I guess Eason's concert - plus all the three previous ones had inspired me to blog despite my tiredness.. (got up at 6:50am this morning!)

What a crazy life for a aging freelance (entertaiment) writer who should actually settle for less `exciting' jobs :p But no, I'm not complaining.. :)

What a `Tit Tar' experience!

Usually my dad has pretty good recommendations - especially when it comes to food. But this time, I hoped I hadn't taken his advice..

You see, because of my sprained foot that was getting move painful overnight, i was planning to go to a professional tit tar place which i went before in Sea Park, PJ when i sprained my foot/ankle two years back.

But then my dad said I should go to the one `near' our place. They are very good and professional and always have lots of customers (or patients?)

So I took his advise, thinking that PJ is a bit far to drive all the way.. but.. the whole tit tar experience turned out to be quite an ordeal..

First, it wasn't exactly near.. it's almost 20 mins drive (just 5 more I would reach that tit tar place in PJ! ) Can you imagine just to see a tit tar, I waited a whole TWO hours before getting treatment. When you enter the place, you feel you're in a time warp - that you've entered a 1950s Chinese shoplot. Maybe it was older even. And ya, the whole place was quite dingy andd run down.. they even boil their medicine (i guess its for application) in the toilet!

(I wished i had taken some photos!)

I know what made my dad think they're so good. Cos the place is always full with people. It's extremely popular among the local folks - especially middle age and elderly men and I guess for that reason I thought i was in the right place..

When we reached, we had to pick a card with a no. and then just wait for your turn. My no. was `26' and after quite a long while, someone came out from one of the rooms and a woman shouted `10'. I knew I was in for a loooong wait... and true enough..

After making some important calls, poured all through the Chinese papers my mom brought (good thing I have her company) and doing some sms, went to toilet twice, I began to feel impatient.. It was nearly 1pm and we had been there for almost 2 hours!!

FINALLY, my turn came.. I was greeted by a grouchy-looking man whom I figured out was the sifu going to treat me.. After taking my seat and as I began to relate what happened to me (I fell, and hurt my left foot etc) he just didn't seem interested but started doing some `massage checks' on both my feet, calves and even body.

Being the outspoken person I am, I just asked why was he checking other parts of my body but instead of replying he snapped at me and ordered me to turn around and even checked my back. To be honest, my intention wasn't to question what he did (he surely has a reason) but just want to know more. But instead, he just snubbed at me saying that I had no idea of what he does so there is no point he wants to answer me.. Now I can't remember exactly our conversation but some ppl may think we were arguing.. But I just wanted to clarify my point..

And when I said why was he so grouchy, he admitted it and said how could he be in a good mood just after a fight with someone. And I was unlucky to be treated next!!

Inside I was rolling my eyes big time. Ok, now I guess I know whey he was in a foul mood was pretty rude. Anyways, although we didn't get off in a good start, at least he took quite a long time to massage my left foot and leg.

However, as I tried to seek his advise, he wasn't being helpful and gave ambiguous answers. He didn't tell me what was wrong with my foot.. I said some ppl think it's better to go for x-ray then he would ask why I decided to see them. And whether I think I should need X-ray?

You can tell he was not professionally trained.. and he never admitted he was. In fact, he later disclosed he learned `tit ta' from his father-in-law and brother-in-law, who were the founders of this tit ta place. He also said their tit tar style is unique in that no one else in KL do it this way.. And that the amount of people who come to them is already a testimony..

Anyways, at least the `urut' part wasn't that painful. And after asking him again, he just said it wasn't that serious and I just should walk fast. But when I asked him whether he thinks I should go to Genting this Saturday (going for Michael Hui's talk show), he said just try to `adjust'.. he was saying I can walk and function normallly, but later he sorta contradicted himself and said I better rest my foot more..

At one point, another man (he said was the sifu of this place) came in and just touched my legs/feet and stepped on my left foot (where the swell was but surprising, it wasn't that painful)

He did spend quite a lot of time massaging my foot and leg. In the last part, I was asked to lie on my tummy on a bed - for him to urut the foot and leg form another angle. And there was a pillow there and I couldn't help wondering how clean it was but too late I was lying on it!!

I was given the `tit tar jau' and also some `tit tar pills' (even my dad said he was sceptical and didn't take those last time). And before I could say anything he said it's up to me as many of his patients couldn't be bother to put on/ eat medication at home. I said i wanted to heal fast so I will but he still said the same thing..

But finally, after paying (it was a reasonable RM35) the man suddenly softened and said he felt he was a bit in the wrong in the beginning.. To which I said no worries..

When we got home, it was 2pm. We left house before 11am. I could have done or rested with all those waiting time wasted!!

Ok, I know I should give them the benefit of the doubt.. maybe the urut and the medication really work.. But, even so, I doubt very much I would ever go back there shall I need a tit tar agan!

another foot disaster...

Just as I am getting busy with quite a few things going on - work and others - this has to happen..!!

Sigh. I think I've sprained my left foot. And it's quite painful now.

I fell down.

I was going to my vocal class this afternoon and spotted a empty parking space by the roadside (normally I would park inside but sometimes hard to find parking and is charged) Thinking that roadside parking was free so I was quite happy.. and then as I walked on, I saw parking meter on the roadside and I was thinking and contemplating whether I should pay. And also when did they put up the meters? So as my mind was focused on the meter, I didn't pay attention to my feet.. I didn't know that was the end of the pavement and I stepped onto the uneven and muddy ground and fell, landing on my butt!!

I immediately got up (kinda embarrassing) and in a way relief there was no one near by.. My peddle-pusher got muddy and i felt some sharp pain on my left foot. Nevertheless I could still walk..

As i needed to climb two flights of stairs to my class and was running late, I sat down at the mamak stall nearby and called my teacher. He was kind enough to come down and see me.. And since I seemed ok, shortly after, we walked up and proceeded for class.. but i felt the left foot a bit strained and sometimes sang sitting down!

I know I should have gone home and attend to the foot after class.. but then I didn't think it was serious.. and I had a prior appointment at the centre for my final rounds of (slimming) treatment. If I didn't go today, I won't have time to go this week again.. So I thought never mind, I just needed to lie down most of the time anyway..

But, when I finished about two hours later, I realised I was already limping. The pain on my left foot was more.

After reached home and showered, I rubbed on some `Zhen gu shui' (famous Chinese ointment for sprains) and even bandaged up my left foot. I also skipped my choir practice.. in a way I'm glad I did.. Coz from then onwards, the foot just got more and more painful.. so much so that i find it hard to walk even.. I had to walk really slowly and quite awkwardly. But thankfully when the foot is still, there isn't too much pain.

I got advise on Facebook that I need to see a `Tit Ta' sifu as soon as possible.

But what bothers me is not so much the pain.. yes that too, but this stupid sprained foot would probably jeapodise my tomorrow's schedule! I have quite a busy day coming. I don't think my interviewee (who seems so busy and impulsive) is happy that i have to reschedule the appointment tomorrow. And then I have my Italian class which I always look forward to.

And then, in the evening, I have booked to watch KakiBlue musical with my friend! We already paid for it... and if I really can't go, it's a bit hard for my friend to find someone else to go with her. And on top of it, while collecting the tickets, I need to produce my credit card (which I used to book over the phone!) How..?

So now I just hope and pray that tomorrow it will not be worse..

All because of that stupid meter.. (ok, and I was careless myself) :(

Finally, the paint is on!

My SoHo has been set up for quite a while now. But it's not until today that we finally had the walls painted!

Of course the whole thing is not quite completed. We still have to do up the window blinds and most likely take away the grills of the doors so that what is left is just plain glass door that open up to the garden outside. :) I also have a beautiful red oil painting to put up in place of the poster on the olive wall.

But in the meantime, I'm pretty happy with the warm olive green and silver mist shade. It surely makes working more cosy and pleasurable.. ;)

Spot the dog!

The wall at the entrance has also been painted.. spot the dog!

Festival of Incidents

What a trip!

It was a truly unforgettable first `Rainforest World Music Festival' for me - well, not for all the right reasons unfortunately. And some of the incidents would probably be stuck in my mind..

Maybe because I've heard such raves about it and had conjured some kind of expectation.. Or maybe I'm not a true lover of world/ethnic music after all.. But what really put a damper on it was our choice of accommodation..

Living in the long house was a terrible experience for me. So I ended up forgoing the second and third night stay (which was paid) and checked into Tune Hotel in Kuching instead.

To post the whole account of the three days would probably end up like a loooong article that no one will read.. So I shall just share some highlights here:

The Dampers:

• The shuttle from Kuching to Sarawak Cultural Village (where the RWMF was held) was pretty badly organised - the staff could not speak English and worse, gave different instructions everyday making things so complicated and frustrating! Sometimes we were told to book beforehand while other time just buy tickets at the bus.
  

• Since my friend and I are virgins at Kuching, we did a boo-boo ended up taking a cab from a hotel to another that is just opposite side of the road!! And the sly cab driver charged us RM8 for that ride!

• It started pouring just before the shows began on the first night - we ended up watching more than half of it on the screen at a sheltered place. The ground in front of the stage was so muddy and hadn't dried up by the 3rd day!
  

• This would take the icing of the cake - the deplorable condition of the Iban longhouse! - we're charged RM120 a night for a double room - and what we got were

1. really basic (read: primitive) room with just two beds - a hard pillow and thin dirty-looking blanket, a cupboard and a wall fan that could not even rotate..
   
2. a wet, dirty-looking toilet downstairs to be shared by four rooms. Cold-water shower, tiny basin and a WC. what's worse was there was NO water during `peak periods'! The first night, most of us bathed by scooping water from a a big pail - while the second night there was no water from 9pm to 3am - but by then I was gone.

• There was an opening that overlooked the common area and a large group of people were chatting and laughing away till about 4am! Sleepless first night for me..

• Staying in three different rooms for the three nights! Well, at least the second and third nights were in the same hotel though different rooms.

• Not used to oily food, I suffered stomach ache on the first night - causing me to miss the finale which is one of the best bands!

• My friends' room next door was `broken into'. Thankfully they didn't lose anything - we still unsure if it was a drunkard guest from outside or the longhouse who claimed to see that who was the culprit. They lodged a report and since I was the witness - who saw the worker coming out of their room - I went with them and also missed a good band playing.

• There were more incidents but better not rant on...
  

The Delights

• The Cultural Village was pretty - with a lake, mountain and forest, and the two concert stages had tall trees of rainforest as back drops. In the night with lighting, it looked romantic and surreal in a way.

• The atmosphere was quite vibrant - it had a multi-national, multi-racial crowd, there were craft bazaars and various activities and festivities going on. Managed to buy something for mom and my nephews and niece, and even had henna done too!

• Got some time to explore Kuching but just around the Waterfront touristy area and ate some local food (but suffered stomach problem :(

The photos by themselves are pretty interesting and `exotic' though..

Two other longhouses up for visits

Outside our Iban longhouse

the activities that go on in our longhouse

Our very basic room

The pathetic toiletMy room for the 2nd and 3rd night at Tune Hotel

Finally, if the music had been awesome, I think that would have cheered us up a bit.

Unfortunately most of the music, especially by Malaysian and Asian bands, were so monotonous - perhaps something you see in a cultural show! But there were some pretty good ones too - like the French, the NewZealand and Hungary were some of my favourites. The Tanzania group's bongo dance was a riot though music there was hardly any.

Overall I think I only enjoyed less than 30 per cent of all performances.. the final night was the best of all and our Malaysian band from KL - Akasha - was great and most enjoyable! :)

The finale show

nb. wanted to upload more concert pix but Blogger fails me!! maybe later..

Longhouse, rainforest and world music

I'll be in the Sarawak Rainforest for the next three days!! :)

After hearing so much about the annual Rainforest World Music Festival, finally I'll be experiencing it first-hand! Being the kiasu Malaysians we're , we planned this almost a year ago and I secured the air-tickets, accommodation and tickets all well in advance.. So, I'll be flying off tomorrow morning and four of us will be staying in a long house! It's part of the Theme Stay in Sarawak Cultural Village - right in amidst the forest.

So it'll be my first time staying in a long house, in the rainforest, and attending an world music festival! Cool music with great atmoshere.. but to be honest, I don't really know what to expect but I know it would be fun, and an experience of a life time!!

Got to go and pack now.. oh yes, i will remember the insect repellent :p

Michael Joseph Jackson: August 29, 1958 - June 24, 2009


I know this post comes a few days late.. but the news frenzy is still going on following the death of The King of Pop, a phenomenon in the entertainment world and arguably the most recognised man in the world.

I must admit I'm not really a fan, though I'm pretty familiar with his music especially from his 80s album. I mean, being a teenager, Michael Jackson's songs were some of the biggest hits ever.. and yes, I grew up dancing to his music! And some of his MVs still stuck in my head.

And his death is probably the biggest news this year that everyone talks about. So I thot I should `document' it in my blog..


Yes, he's a genius - brilliant in his music and dance move..and his explosive performances on stage just leave you breathless. I just re-watched the MV of Smooth Criminal on TV and was totally amazed at what he could do!! Till date, I can't think of artistes who could match him.. MJ is irreplaceable.

I had the opportunity to witness him live in concert when he came to KL for his concert tour in 1996. But because of the huge huge crowd, I was also quite away and by now could not recall most of it.. Nevertheless, at least I could say I was there..



Despite all this unprecedented success and achievement in the entertainment world, sadly MJ was a tormented soul inside. His personal life was so controversial and `colourful' - in the wrong way. From his repeated plastic surgery that had practically disfigured his face to his uncommon relationship with young boys and his many weird and perculiar affinity.. there were much flaks and negative reports on this great entertainer.. he even earned the non-flattering moniker `Wacko Jacko'.

Already for more than a decade, his career has not really revive. And although his death is untimely - he's scheduled to hold 50 concerts in London next month! - I somehow feel the sudden departure may have saved him from more disgrace.. afterall, his health has been detiorating..

But now in his death, as said in so many reports, MJ shall be remembered for his iconic status in the entertainment world and the legacy of some of the most popular and well loved music of all time.

To be honest I am still a bit baffled at the non-stop coverage of all media following his death, and the out pour of his fans grief was also quite incredible. MJ is probably the only artiste who has legions of fans in every country and continent.

So it just point to the fact that Michael Jackson is truly THE King of pop, and the biggest superstar of our generation, and ever-living legend.

RIP, MJ.