Missions

A greatly inspiring video of Mr. Narayanan Krishnan.

I love how he aptly states the core message of this video.

"What is the ultimate purpose of life?
It's to give. Start giving. See the joy of giving."
"Food is one part, love is another part. So the food will give them physical nutrition. The love and affection which you show, will give them mental nutrition."

I hope this video will stir many hearts and ignite the passion for missions within them.

There's no greater joy and satisfaction in the world than knowing that we are able to make a meaningful difference in the life of others, to be a vehicle of blessing to others.

Can't embed the video. But to view it, here's the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S74HuDIRa4&feature=player_embedded

Canonica Ixusia

My spanking new baby :)

(Bought : 8 January 2011)

Have always wanted to get my own camera for quite some time now, but the need for it was "expedited" due to the upcoming business trip to the States and the desperate need for a camera as mom would be needing the family-owned camera.

Definitely contemplated to get a semi-pro camera, like the Canon Powershot S95 or G12 as it would only cost a couple of hundreds more (like +500-1000) but as this year is foreseen to be a year with a lot of spending, I decided to just stick with the most economical and less time-consuming option - a point and shoot camera. I hope she proves to be a worthy investment and companion on this trip. Got to thank Tina and Josh for accompanying me to Low Yat and giving much insightful opinions.

On a side note...

It was 4 months ago when we planned for the technical conferences and exhibitions. And now, 4 months is up, and i'll be leaving this weekend. How fast time flies indeed. It is definitely going to be an intimidating yet interesting trip, as I'd be travelling with the Managing Director (my boss) and 2 Directors. Though we're all colleagues, yet the ranks do intimidate. I just hope i live up to the expectations the bosses have of me and return from the trip with loads of good ideas and inspirations that would help generate returns for the company in some way. I know i've been really fortunate to be given this opportunity and priviledge that no others have, and I hope it reminds me to be thankful of this blessing God has poured out for me.

There's loads to prepare and pack and the pressure of everything is just overwhelming.

Reminders to self:

- Be humble!

- Make the best of the opportunity!

- Make life count!

- Take great photos! And lots of them!

- Step out of the box and comfort zone!

- Be courageous!

- Be sociable!

- Don't whine and complain!

- Get phone card to call home! and call home every night!

And....

- Don't flirt! ;)

Ahhhh, the anxiety is building up! Better get back to work ...

Paragliding @ Penang

This will be ME someday.

And that day is coming soon :)

Can't wait !!

Counting down till that blissful thrilling day arrives...

Kuantan roadtrip (28-30 Dec 2009)

Finally, it happened. After several years of delay, I finally got to make it happen. Kuantan, there I went.

It was a semi-backpack trip since we had to explore the place on our own due to some unforeseen circumstance. But it was all good. Ideally, it was meant to be an adventurous roadtrip as well. And I mean adventurous in the sense of camping by the beach (within the designated campsite,of course) and eating all sorts of seafood. But due to unforeseen circumstances again, it became a not-so adventurous trip in the end. Probably more of a chilling relaxing therapeutic trip. But it's all good nonetheless..

Kuantan is known for their beaches, their waves, seafood, and the local Malay delicacies like Keropok Lekor. We were on a craze for beaches and so, we decided to check out each and every one of the beaches. Out of a list of 5 beaches, only 1 was good..that is, Telok Chempedak. Pictures below are taken from Telok Chempedak.

TC is basically the coolest hang out spot in Kuantan, at all times, day AND night. In the morning, you see family taking strolls along the beach, playing in the sand, sitting by the shore of the beach and by night, you see mostly couples and friends taking a night stroll along the beach. What makes it even more awesome is the fact that McDs and KFC are just a walk away! *drools*

The thing I enjoyed most about Kuantan was being hit by the waves. The waves were so crazy that no one ever swims in the sea. Only the surfer dudes along with their surfboard dared make entry to the fierce sea. It was almost like re-watching Discovery Channel's cover story of 2006's tsunami, but this time, live.. scary i tell you!
So what we did was sit on the part of the beach where the waves would ripple off, thinking it would be safer than being in the waters. And boy, did we underestimated the waves! Even at such a distance, the waves hit us so hard that we were never steady in one spot. The suction power when the wave subsided was also scary, because it pulled us into the water at such great speed and power. All my life, having been to so many beaches and islands, I've never seen anything quite like TC's waves. Awesomeness it was.

The other beaches were in stark contrast to TC. Dead, lifeless, dirty, boring. And we drove 30km just to get to it. Major disappointment. Road signs were hopeless too. And, Cherating was crazily far as well so we decided to give it a miss. Sigh.. I really wanted to see the turtle shelter, and make batik. Oh well, this means I'll definitely be going back next time! :)

The only regrets I have were not being able to take much pictures of the waves (since I was busy being hit by the waves and paranoid that people walking on the beach would just run away with my bag and valuables); and waking up early to catch sunrise on the beach and take an awesome photograph of it. It still bugs me.

Anyway, pictures below! :)

"For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go.

I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move."

Robert Louis

I love this Robert Louis guy. He speaks my mind literally.

(",)

Land of the Ascending Dragons

Darn, i can't recognise myself.

Hotness :)
Lol.

Mum&Dad with Voon look-a-like.
Man, carbon copy i tell you! ;p

Awesome shot #1 :)

The Choy's Angels trying to re-enact the plants behind us.

We got a kwai-lo stranger to take for us.

These turtle monuments were suppose to be a symbol of longevity and wisdom. Names of scholars were engraved onto the tombstone because they wanted to immortalize their achievement in some sense. Hence, the Vietnamese people believed that if one wanted to score academically, they are to touch the head of these turtles for blessings. Some even go to the extend of putting monetary offerings beside these turtles.
We only found out after the tour guide told us off nicely to NOT sit on them.
Our fault, cos we were too busy taking pictures without listening to him.
LOL.

* More to come in FB *

T-M-N-T

Introducing..

T H E T M N T

(to the tune of Kung Fu Panda's KungFu Fighting soundtrack)

Woooooooohhh....Hah!

Everybody wants TMNT

We're like the coolest groupie

We are karate-junkies

And pizza is for hi-tea

Wanna improve your kung-fu?

WATER is for you!

waaaaaatttteeeeeerrrrr!

We're lame.

But we're awesome AND we rock! ;)

I miss camp!

F.E.A.R

Ever since Jan 2009, i've wanted to go to certain places within Malaysia, and Bukit Tabur was one of the places i intended to go in my "to-do" list. However, as days draw closer to the weekend of which i am supposed to go hiking at Bukit Tabur, i can feel the insides of my stomach churning, and my heart is so not at peace, with daunting thoughts and images floating around in my head.

About a week ago, 2 experienced hikers who are doctors by profession fell to their death while hiking at Bukit Tabur. And before this case, there has been numerous cases of accidents and fatalities. However, on a positive note, there are also those who managed and succeeded the climb. Nonetheless, everyone offers the same advice. The Bukit Tabur hike is NOT to be taken lightly. No matter what happens, NEVER let go off the rope.

I'm really having second thoughts about this hike. I don't think i'm physically and emotionally fit to endure whatever lies ahead in this challenge. I know i have a weak upper body strength, and that worries me to the core! How on earth will i manage climbing steep and rocky mountain ridges and vertical drops? Compared to all my previous "adventures", I've never experienced such uneasiness before. Arghhhh!!

The view is going to be awesome. The experience, definitely worthwhile. BUT, the risk, is terribly daunting! I need this excapade, yet..it gives me more stress than it should.

Should i go for it? Or should i trust my instincts which tell me not to go?

urrghhh. i don't know.

O ye of little faith... (speaking to myself)

Look Out Point : Pictures

the entire view of KL from the observation tower

an upclose shot of KL

the view from the restaurant we ate in

me and J.Tiew. ;)

Mission Accomplished

Yay! Broga Hill - check!

Now, i;m down with only 4 more places to visit :)

Mission#1 accomplished and its a bloody good feeling. Not to mention, the company was great too.
Thanks (in no particular order) to :-

Ruth, Ben, Lois and Joseph

for accompanying me on this tiny excapade!

You made the experience all the more greater.

Piasau

Isn't the color amazing? So serenely picturesque

Aiyoh, im a real stalker..but i like stalking because it's amazing how much interesting information one can get by stalking because one information leads to another and it goes on and on! All it takes is a curious cat :)
Anyway, i've discovered another interesting place to visit!
Thanks to stalking :)
It's the Piasau Boat Club, Borneo's Premier Sports and Leisure Club in Miri.

I think PBC is a very nice place to take photographs and just chill-lax with friends or strangers..haha!

One day, if i really do plan a trip to Miri, i would want to take a similar picture of the scene at the exact spot.

Sometimes, i wonder if i'm in the right line of career.
A travel spokesperson.
I think that's what i'll do when i've made my money(God-willing) and my kids (God-willing also) are all grown up and independent of their parents.
Its easy money and maximum enjoyment and pleasure...

ahh...

*daydreams of the future

so now its 4 on my places-to-go list...yaay! =D

X-ploration

1st post for the year 2009! woohoooo!

* finally, i have something to blog about.. hmm..

Anyway...

I really like exploring new places, hence, the title to the post.

Why do i like exploring new places? Well, i suppose the adventure is exhilarating and somewhat motivating as well. I've come to realize that new places inspire me and give me a renewed enthusiasm for life. A positive outlook is what i desperately need now!

So what do i do when i have some free time off work but during office hours? I surf for interesting places to visit or go. I check out the reviews written and pictures taken of these such places and i realize how much i've been "hiding" in that tiny shell of comfort of mine, missing out on the many wonders of God's creation all these while. And these places are really close to home actually. Ignorant me!

So well, if there's ONE resolution that i have for this year, it would be to explore more. Currently, i do have some countries in mind..but nonetheless, or more importantly, i have some interesting places within Malaysia that i "die die also must go"..

Currently on the list, i.e. in the midst of planning :)

Sunrise @ Broga Hill

Apparently it is the place to go to catch the sunrise. Honestly, i have not heard of Broga Hill until a colleague told me to check out her Broga Hill pictures on her blog and seeing the pictures taken during the trek flamed my interest. Since it is considerably close to home, i have to check it out.

There are 3 summits altogether. The 1st summit is a great spot to catch the sunrise. The 2nd summit, is said to be much windier and offers a great view of the surrounding rolling hills. The 3rd summit offers a great view of the 2nd summit. It's a short and easy trek all in all. Estimated time of completing all 3 summits, to and fro is by afternoon. Sounds alright to me..hmm..

Bukit Tabur

Also known as Bukit Hangus, this hill is of quartz/limestone combination formation. The Gombak Forest Reserve and Klang Gates Dam are beside the hill so apparently the peak offers a spectacular view of the dam.

A challenging and rocky trek. Bring it on, man!

Mamutik Island, Sabah

Met a friend's boyfriend who is from KK, Sabah recently and so, i had to ask him about Mamutik, an island that i read of while stalking some famous person's blog. It's been bugging me for a while now why Mamutik isn't a famous tourist spot in KK. So this is what i discovered.. Apparently, Sabahans try not to talk about Mamutik so much because they fear it might end up being overused and overpopulated like Manukan. Manukan beach is overrated but Mamutik is definitely underrated. Apparently, it is also one of Sabah's treasured island..which explains why they want to protect it so much. Anyway, the place looks awesome just from pictures..so imagine the real thing! I need to check it out for myself. Beach, bikini, boys, booze.. ooolaaalaaa!

Pulau Tiga, Sabah

Here's where they filmed one season of Survivors. Nuff said.

** it's only 4 places so far, but i don't want to get too ambitious and fail to achieve NONE at the end. Set my goals reasonably and i'll be able to achieve them..God-willing.. :)

I'll have some pictures of the places when the real x-ploration begins!

Can't wait!

Cheers to 2009!

I Miss...

The 7 things I miss...inspired by Miley Cyrus's 7 things :)

I miss traveling.

Being in New Zealand was exactly what I wanted to experience and how I wanted to feel..away from my comfort-zone a.k.a. home, meeting new people, making new friends, feeling God's love and hungering for more of Him, at peace and feeling laid-back most of the time, and the list probably goes on.. Been going through some pictures of friends and acquaintances who are overseas and I don't know why but the crave of wanting to be in their position is suddenly so strong..they look so happy and the places look great. I am envious of their opportunity to be there, to the extent of even contemplating further studies overseas (the recent drop in the forex rates seem somewhat like a good sign of approval from above as well). I really want to be somewhere else rather than where I am now. I want the chance to have a fresh start elsewhere..cos' I know I need it and it'll do me good..I realize that it's part of my personality. It's hard for me to start afresh, without being in a different place.. Some may ask, "Why do you even want to start afresh? Things ain't going well enough for you?" To be honest, certain aspects of my life doesn't feel right. Everything is okay but it still doesn't feel right. I know I'm meant to do something better than this. I know what I'm passionate about. I know that I can achieve and give so much more. It should feel right but it doesn't. And that feeling itself bugs me...to the core.. Others say "It's all in the mind! Can't you just imagine you're somewhere else and still start afresh?" Hello! Easier said than done! If my imaginations and power of the mind were that great and powerful, I'd be writing novels, directing a movie and doing acting! But while writing this post, I realize that perhaps, it is my will for change that isn't strong enough. I mop around in emo-ness but I don't do anything to get out of that state. And this is something many of us actually do, consciously and subconsciously. But anyhow, to sum it all in a lighter note, before it gets too lengthy and emofying, traveling is definitely something I'm very much passionate about. It inspires me in so many ways..so many ways.. :)

I miss school days.

I had the best time of my life in school. Great environment, great friends, great teachers, great almost everything! but not in university, surprisingly! For some, it's the other way around. I suppose I never really made the effort to make my university days a blast. Possibly one of my biggest regrets in life is not making the most of uni days; not living life to the fullest when I could.
Back in school, it was all natural. We were naturally crazier, naturally closer, naturally fun people to be with..
Hard to believe but believe it. I was once so fun to be with! Everything we did always had a dosage of fun and laughter in it. I remember having a friend comment that I was a little too hyper too. Sadly, not anymore though..unless I'm with the right bunch of friends :) I really miss that part of me.. I really miss those days and friends back then..why do people change? why do circumstances change us? why is it so difficult to relive those moments and rekindle that connection once again? why oh why..

I miss eating KFC.

Enough said. It's been too long a wait. I shall treat myself TONIGHT, by hook or crook. Can't wait till' we're face to face again, oh KFC.. :)

I miss my teenage love affair.

Bitter-sweet moments. Nothing says it better than this.

"Can't wait to get home, baby dial your number
Can you pick up the phone; cause I wanna holla
Daydreamin' bout you, all day in school
Can't concentrate, wanna hear your voice in my ear
Till momma come and say it's too late
Cause the lights are on outside
Wish there was somewhere to hide
Cause I just don't want to say goodbye

Hey boy, you know I really like being with you
Just hanging out is fun.."

I miss Cambodia!

Cambodia Missions Exposure Trip, 2006. Great experience, great bunch of people I went with, had so much unexpected fun, great food and of course....great EXPOSURE! It's really a humbling experience to see how the Cambodian kids can still stay cheery and happy despite their predicaments. They showed such great depth of brotherly "agape" love for us, like we were never strangers in their lives, but brothers and sisters.. Being in Cambodia was a good wake-up call.
I wish I had a time-machine. Cos' I don't ever want to forget the lessons learnt, the times spent, and the friendship made. :)

I miss growing.

I've stopped growing taller! Any growth observed would only be sideways, how unfortunate. I think I had a growth spurt once in Form 3. Ai Ming, a classmate actually thought she was shrinking because I got taller than her! haha! Yups! Had that big glee on me when I heard her say that. Anyway, it was only that one time and then it stopped. I've been the same height for ages now. I really do miss growing :(

I miss having a flat tummy.

I've seriously put on some weight. Some say it's good cos' I look better, not like some scrawny bulimic person but I have mixed feelings about it. There's an extra burden. I now need to worry about concealing my "2-months" tummy. Haha! I'm too lazy to exercise too. And my appetite is crazy! My cravings are like raging hormones! My bad..

* Finally, it's done ...

Ahh..who doesn't like pictures? They speak a thousand words, arouse a thousand thoughts, and yield a thousand feelings. They S.A.Y. a thousand things! Anyway, pictures are courtesy of Soo's cam..some of the best shots i like :) Not too bad a place to visit after all..

And some syok-sendiri pictures of myself of course ;p

My Cycling Adventure

Soo : Eh, let's go cycling! Bukit Cahaya..want?
Ally : Can! *Yay, it'll be my first outing with my colleagues!*

So on Monday, everyone in the office was on Skype discussing on the right day to go cycling, a day that could accommodate everyone. As usual, it is just so difficult to meet everyone's timing. To cut a long story short, only 2 of us ended up going, carrying on with the cycling plan.
pathetic? yups!! ;p

Finally came Saturday morning, the day we were supposedly to go cycling. Went all the way to Bukit Cahaya, Shah Alam, paid the entrance fee and waited outside the bicycle rental shop. We waited for about 1 1/2 hours, still no sign of the fella who's suppose to buka kedai..so Soo's bf went and ask and the counter guys said that the fella probably balik kampung already. But hello??!! we called them before the Raya break and asked whether they'd be open on Saturday and they said yes! Arghh... ok, nevermind..be positive..since we're already there, might as well go have a look of the place. So we took a shuttle bus to the top and decided to walk down from there. Mind you, it was a really long walk because we didn't just walk along the main road.. we ventured onto some paths inside which led us even more deeper into the forest..into the 4 seasons attraction place and the watch tower oh so high up..

Again, to cut the long story short.. we finally made it down..and guess what we saw to our suprise? There was a bunch of people with bicycles!! Some were choosing, some already cycling.. ARGHHH..how dissapointing! that fella baru buka kedai! if it wasn't because we all had to rush of by noon for our next respective appointments, we would have cycled..the fact that we all set out so enthusiastically to Bukit Cahaya to cycle and we didn't manage to..sigh..but oh wells, to be positive..there's always next time! :)

On another side note, after all the walking and burning my fats, I rushed for BB.
Decided to have lunch with the band people so i called Seki up and he said they were in McDs.
So that was where i headed to.
Purposely parked my car in the Taman Jaya park and walk to Amcorp Mall to keep those fats burning but once i got to McDs, i ate like a pig (as usual)..
Thankfully, i had to walk back to my car situated oh so far from Amcorp. Haha, hopefully, that short walk burned away some fats..but i doubt so, because just like every other saturdays, i had trouble fitting into my uniform..
Mum says it's time to visit the tailor again :(

Pulau Perhentian Challenge 2008

Sounds interesting..

Thinking of joining..

It's so gonna be like "Survivor + OBS" i think..

It'd be fun and awesome..and it's the kinda thing i like doing..

It would be good therapy for the body, mind and soul..

Gotto confirm by tonight..