tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17291203031104099912024-03-05T03:06:29.886-08:00Of Guitars, Coffee, and Everything ElseAnandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-87197633011227883372008-09-13T07:52:00.000-07:002008-09-19T09:36:10.335-07:00<div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"><strong>It's Been a Long Time</strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">That one statement will forever bring back one memory to me.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">AFC Talent Show, one year ago. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">A play on the stage. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">A cowboy. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">A lady.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">A single spoken line.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">"It's been a long time, missy."</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">That one, single line was delivered with such raunchiness, such perversity of tone, that it would forever be ingrained in my mind. Not to mention the look on the fellow's face, which, from where I was sitting, looked positively sleazy.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">In any case, I digress.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">It's been two months since my last post. Why? I'm not sure. Time, perhaps. Or, more likely, I just never got around to it. No matter. The past two months have been pretty... standard, I'd say. Sure, there were lots of assignments (late nights, procrastination, long college days staying back) but I guess it was bound to happen eventually. No more easy college work. Wait, that's not right, the work IS relatively easy, its just... well, as I said, procrastination. Wonderful thing eh?</span></div><br /><div></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Various things have occurred over the past two months. Due to unforseen circumstances, my sister and I had to spend a few days without power. Candlelight, stuffiness, mosquitos... makes you realize how precious such simple comforts like electrical lighting and fans are. Not to mention entertainment. Time was pretty at that point. And when the power came back on... It was... Amazing. Aside from the lack of power... well, nothing that <span style="font-style: italic;">notable</span> happened. And you know me, I'm not going to tire you out with the day to day "today I went to college; for lunch had food <span style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;">x</span>, went home, had food <span style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;">y</span> for dinner" nonsense.<br /><br />Time's a wasting, and it's time for me to go. Not much this time, I know, but expect more... eventually. No worries, I'll get around to posting. Nowadays I only go online when there's work to do, so no more somewhat daily postings like before. In any case, you all know I'm still alive and kicking.<br /><br />Cheers.<br /><br /></span></div>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-64522686241663468942008-07-09T05:32:00.000-07:002008-07-09T05:57:18.312-07:00<strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;">Sleepless Night.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Went 36 hours without sleep yesterday. Advertising assignment in which I had to create three different posters. Now, the work itself, in a pure, solid chunk, only took at most 4 hours. The reason I had to go through Monday night without sleep was s</span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">imple. Procrastination. Tuesday being the due day, I had to rush. </span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The Adobe Creative suite DVD my friend passed to me wouldn't work on my laptop, and so I had to go to the cybercafe (thankfully its only 1.50 an hour), download the program, install it, then, since I was there, do it. They turned out well enough, and in fact, I was quite pleased with the second one.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">In any case, the whole thing was done and finished in time, although printing was something of a rush. Went home at 9, took a bath, changed, then headed out again. Somehow I think this won't be the last occurance of late night grinds through assignments. The whole thing reminds me of my computer project back in Form 5... Had a long grace period of two weeks after the deadline to finish it. Me being me, I left it until the last day, then rushed through it the whole evening. My database didn't work as planned, and most of the stuff I typed was mindless drivel. All that being said, I got it done.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Imagine my surprise when the teacher passes it back and says: "Anand, I'm very disappointed." Got my project back, and bam, 38/50. For rushed, last minute work that doesn't function the way I wanted it too... 38/50 was a good grade. Heck, I got higher than the majority of the class. Like then, I'm reminded of the lesson I told myself I'd learn.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">If I just do my work when its given, rather than at the last minute, I'm pretty sure it'll end up pretty damn good. At least, so I hope, considering that I've never given that a shot. I find that the only way I can work, and work efficiently, is under pressure. Hopefully that's not really the case, as, frankly, I'd hate to go another 36 plus hours without sleep.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Ah well. College.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Cheers.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-62711910284941000112008-07-02T05:29:00.000-07:002008-07-02T05:53:49.994-07:00<strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;">Food. Good. Good Food. Unhealthy Food.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The dates on the calendar fly by. Numbers are altered, figures change, and my wallet gets smaller and smaller. And through it all, the weighing scale tells me that I'm gaining weight. Me, the bone-thin boy of old, finally getting a bit bulkier.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Fat?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">No, no, nothing like that. It makes a nice change from having a visible rib cage, and a figure that looked like one could snap it in two. That being said, all the weight I'm gaining (admittedly, not that much; I've met my target weight) seems to go straight to my stomach. Now, my being heavier's not an issue, but having a pot-belly is. Then again, I COULD just start working out, instead of coming home and vegetating in front of the telly. But we'll see. What do I blame?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The food.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Malaysia (well, KL) is chock full of food and eating options. Whatever you want, there's a high chance you'll find it. Western, Eastern, Fusion... All the flavours of the wonderful world we live in. That's all well and good, but you know, when you're on a budget, the only steady option available is the mamak. Or standard Chinese food (of which I do not usually eat). Sure, going to the mamak and grabbing a meal and drink is a way of life here, but... You get sick of it after a while.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The food's good, make no mistake. But the amount of oil and whatever else they put in it can't be healthy. And there's not much I can do about it, because cash is a bit of an issue. Heck, if I had it my way, it'd be Starbucks for breakfast, Carl's Jr. for lunch, and Chili's for dinner everyday. Ah, such joy. Such luxury. Of course, that would probably be even more unhealthy, but hey. Besides, you know me. Never was one to bother about weight, just so long as its not overtly visible.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">And all the coffee? The way they make it here, its 75% coffee, 25% condensed milk... Sweet, sweet goodness in a cup... And really quite sweet. Couple that with the roti bomb (sweet bread), its quite a ticket to diabetes. Bwahahaha. The sacrifices one makes for the sweet stuff. That being said, I really should cut down. We'll see how that goes.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Just another random rant... Been a while since the last one too.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Cheers.</span>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-3335732451367788932008-07-01T02:04:00.000-07:002008-07-01T02:55:22.328-07:00<strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Seventeen! Different? No!</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hello hello. Been a long time eh? Two, three weeks, perhaps? In any case, I turned 17 yesterday. Good food, new threads, another year older. I have to say I feel exactly the same. Nothing special. A thought hit me just the other day... I realized that when I finish the course, I'll be... 19? Now, 19, and (hopefully) working's no problem, but I'll still be considered underage for quite a lot of things. And I'll be the age of the majority of my batch mates now, which... is actually kinda cool. Seems like I'll be the youngest almost wherever I go, not that I'm complaining.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Anyways, to sum up the majority of my life since the last time I posted...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">No more edu-lite. College finally got pretty busy. Double lectures for most of the day, assignments are starting to come in... It's nothing compared to most other people doing their higher education, but hey. The benefits of taking a communication-oriented course. Two new lecturers, all pretty good. Made the right choice coming to IACT. It's a good place. The whole batch of us get on well with one another, no conflicts or television-worthy dramas. At least, not yet. But at the rate things are going that shouldn't occur for quite some time. That being said, back in school, the dramas DID make it a heck of a lot more interesting...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">In any case, that's all for now. There's a lot more, for sure, but my mind's too frazzled to word it out. So yes. Soon.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Cheers!</span>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-43165931411706135222008-06-11T09:08:00.000-07:002008-06-11T09:26:20.012-07:00<span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">An Adventure in Kuala Lumpur</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Its 12:11 in the morning. I'm at my sister's office. Annoyed. Aggravated. Ticked off.<br /><br />Why?<br /><br />The story starts with me meeting up with two old classmates: Sophia and Jun Jie after college (which ended at 6). Now, Sophia and I hadn't seen Jun Jie in ages, so the three of us had quite a lot of catching up to do. Which we did, until about 11. Now, the bus (82) heads to KL Sentral from where I was. Considering that the bus system here has so far seemed pretty dependable, I got on.<br /><br />That was a mistake.<br /><br />The bus driver took a convoluted route to locations I didn't recognise, then ended up at One Utama and proceeded to say that it was the last stop. Leaving me far from home with not enough cash to get home. Stranded, basically. Stranded and pissed off. My sister came up with the solution of taking a cab to her workplace (she's working OT), whereby she would pay. Hailed a cab (the only cab there) and took a 30 buck drive.<br /><br />30 bucks.<br /><br />So here I am at my sister's office. I'm just glad there's no (am lesson tomorrow. Bleargh! Now, other than this, the whole day was pretty good. Strangely though, good days have a curious way of messing up at the end. Like today. Well, in any case, I'm heading home now. What an utter waste of cash.<br /><br />Cheers.</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span></span>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-67099710501972985042008-06-07T09:22:00.000-07:002008-06-07T09:56:50.627-07:00<strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;">Routine Makes Most Things Bearable</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Travelling. Lots and lots of travelling. Travelling an hour to go to college and have a single, three hour lecture. And then proceed to take a one and a half hour trip back. By the time I get back I'm bone tired. I'm surprised that standing in the bus-LRT-bus can be such a fatigue-inducing experience. College and the lectures themselves aren't that bad, and are actually quite enjoyable. Everyone's participating, and (unlike school) there's no hesitation to answering questions. Although that may stem from the fact that participation in class nets 10% of your total grade in a subject...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Anyways, there're 45 minute breaks midway through a lecture. Usually use this time to grab some coffee and a bite of food. Interludes such as these are always welcome, and they make the three hours spent on one topic a lot more bearable. Plus, after our return, the lecturer shows us videos of adverts. Good, bad, whatever. Personally, in my opinion, if you want whack, weird, strange ads... Search for some Japanese ones. And even a few Thai ones. If I ever go into advertising, I seriously hope that I won't one day get a client who wants ads like those. Can you imagine having to purposely do something campy and having your name stuck to it? Hmm.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I've come to the realization that once you settle down into a routine (i.e. travelling, college, getting up etc) everything becomes a lot more bearable. You get used to it. I'm pretty sure if the elevator died and I had to go up 12 flights of stairs just to get back, It'd be fine, given time. Perhaps its simply your brain and body doing the same things over and over again so many times its instinctive and doesn't require much thought. At least, not as much as before. So yes, I'm sure (well, hoping, really) that I'll get used to the travelling times and what not.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">We'll see.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">In any case, college has yet to turn out bad. Quite the opposite really. Of course, all that being said, this is still the first semester, so it's kinda too soon to come to any solid conclusions regarding the rest of my two and a half year course. Then again, life would be pretty boring if everything was certain and set in stone. Uncertainty adds a kind of excitement...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">'Till next time.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Cheers.</span>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-83923433232477464622008-06-04T06:02:00.000-07:002008-06-05T01:41:56.076-07:00<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Edu-Lite! The Very Best in Education!</strong></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Why Lite, you ask? Well, put it this way. In a five-day college week, I have 15 hours (17 on a fortnight) of education to undergo. Now, I'm not complaining. Far from it. After hearing alot of you speak of your A's and how much work you all have to do, I'm enjoying my Edu-Lite lifestyle (well, one lecture so far really) as much as I can. Its a free way to live. My lectures (barring Friday) start around 12. I plan to leave the house somewhere around 9, maybe 10. It takes me around an hour to get to college. This leaves me with time to sit down, have a nice cup of coffee (COFFEE!), relax and zone out a bit.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Great way to start the day.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Travelling gives me time to think, prepare... A tad bit tiring though. Especially going back. Put it this way, after orientation (which ended at 12) I only got home at 3. Blast the rather confusing public transport bus routes. That being said, once you've got them noted, travelling's much simpler. Unlike Brunei, here in KL, I can go where I want, more or less whenever I want. A free place.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Anyways.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I've got four papers this semester. Mass Communications, Advertising, Communication English and Research Methods/Presentaion Skills. As I said before, the hours are very manageable. No hassle, no tears. And my batch members seem like nice people. We all had to introduce ourselves today, so I got to know a few of them. In my current batch, I'm both the youngest, and the only foreigner. Not really that much of a surprise.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Today's lecture was VERY laid back. Quite enjoyable too. Asked around, and apparently all the lecturers here are good. As in, really good. So that's a plus. Am no longer feeling envious of canggih campuses and large facilities stocked with hordes of other people. Looking forward to going through the course. Sure, there'll be work, but hey, nothing good ever comes easy eh? </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">That's all for now. There's more, but I'm on a bit of a time limit. More to come!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Cheers.</span>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-66319119851476521802008-05-30T20:51:00.000-07:002008-05-30T21:27:14.011-07:00<strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">College!</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Set! Everything's set! FINALLY, its time to roll up my sleeves and actually get something done. Phew. Went to IACT this morning. Had to meet up with the college's CEO. A bit much, but apparently (as we're paying in installments) there have been a few cases where foreign students pay a minimum, get their student pass which enables them to stay in Malaysia, and then bugger off without having paid the full semester fee. So yeah, had to meet up with him and ensure that I wasn't going to run off after getting what I need to stay in this country. He's a nice man. Anyways, I am now OFFICIALLY enrolled at IACT college. Nothing left to do now but do the course. I must say, its a great relief. Realized last night that half a year has gone by. Half a year, and what do I have to show for it? Well, not much. Seems like quite a waste. Ah well, at least now that'll change eh?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Also took a tour of the college. As stated before, there're no frills. Just what's needed, which is enough. Nothing fancy. As it was an open day, got to see some of the students. They seem like a nice bunch too. Well, at least, so it seems, taking into account the fact that I didn't really speak to any of them. Got more details on my Mass Comm course too. Now, instead of taking a major and focusing on one, IACT's given students the flexibility to choose which classes they want, from ALL the branches. Basically, this means I can (if I were so inclined) take a paper in Creative Writing, Public Relations, Advertising, Broadcasting, whatever. Which is good. The only hiccup is, if there aren't enough students who want to take that particular paper, the college won't do it. But that shouldn't really be an issue.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Done, then. I'm looking forward to it all. Meeting people, forging bonds, getting things done, using my brain, working, studying, learning. All sorts of things. Man, after six long months, any sort of strenuous mental activity is welcome. Now, that being said, a part of me realizes that I will probably never (until retirement) get a chance to spend such a large chunk of time doing nothing. It'll be work work work from now on. Well, maybe not THAT bad, but... something along those lines. Only time will tell.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Here's to a new beginnings.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Cheers.</span>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-49482714073389154792008-05-27T23:18:00.000-07:002008-12-11T09:00:49.795-08:00<div><br /></div><br /><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Socialising in Kuala Lumpur</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Starbucks is a wonderful place, no? Good coffee, great atmosphere... even that aroma of freshly ground coffee. My kinda place. At least, if it weren't so exorbitantly expensive... Anyways, am here at Starbucks with an old friend. Sophia, who paid for my last haircut. And a couple of new</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> friends too. In a sad way, this is the first time I've been out and about in KL with contacts of my own, considering that its been what... two weeks since I've been here? In any case, went about and paid a visit to HELP university first. Its... an interesting place. Quite big, full facilities, lots of people. Made me a tad bit envious in regards to IACT. Which is, basically a shop-lot.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I don't mind, really. IACT's got a good reputation in the working world, its got (apparently) good lecturers, and it produces (again, apparently) some of the best advertisers in Malaysia. And frankly, as long as I get the education, skills and training I need, make friends and contacts, and do what needs to be done, Its all good. Facilities and such aren't that big a deal anyways.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">All that aside, here are the first photos ever on my blog. Its a few of me and my new friends, taken using the MacBook's spiffy in-built camera. Ah, the wonders of modern technology. How I wish I had a laptop. Well, it'll come eventually. Ahem. I think I should stop rambling now.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Here they are:</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:42px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:14px;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4P00lxQAQqsU99qeRG_5KndrYbu2OMIpA9MeT4OXz5cpWE3bJjxgrO-0l9u0iEDeIbGcKzK2fKmIzlk8yFFZ0YocW2HAxda1N6V7GZLiIqtqLrb4QckXi1D7IiH0Cpns9xCf4-JJOB0/s1600-h/Photo+816.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4P00lxQAQqsU99qeRG_5KndrYbu2OMIpA9MeT4OXz5cpWE3bJjxgrO-0l9u0iEDeIbGcKzK2fKmIzlk8yFFZ0YocW2HAxda1N6V7GZLiIqtqLrb4QckXi1D7IiH0Cpns9xCf4-JJOB0/s320/Photo+816.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205317433743994706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">From left to right: Me, Sophia, and Angeline</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCr31dEuMRBs5EIPpbjWH4vI7MfKfFxIulm-_R1weU_1VWgxkhZORpOXMY5W7HByZ09ePNlFgvEt-_sYNSt0pfkDmQ-0qQKrKWKAA-T-s8i9f85yBroUw7TfK2QLnISll58RbYym9XhVk/s1600-h/Photo+815.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCr31dEuMRBs5EIPpbjWH4vI7MfKfFxIulm-_R1weU_1VWgxkhZORpOXMY5W7HByZ09ePNlFgvEt-_sYNSt0pfkDmQ-0qQKrKWKAA-T-s8i9f85yBroUw7TfK2QLnISll58RbYym9XhVk/s320/Photo+815.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205317433743994722" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " /></a></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1-pAqdFuZvEiAl4kNGk_f0yUx2nggLWcr54d16R2DAQWQNmQW7K4aDZYCg8uiMq0KIxyHiMF7OpW5YTmBlMNspy5Bh0VR5xfv8y1fIAtgmChyqYWwPy9METVmREYwUU61Iac6YLdrKQ/s320/Photo+814.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205317433743994738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:42px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Again, Me, Sophia, Angeline and Ali.... soph here; omg anand looks like a ZOMBIE</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qPMq3Xqk-5F36x57qr5YVrXASaYarNNdg7O1Lt-xCRla0Kagt_k3Jj_wZQ3zvZh9lBKasHj-7vRhSiODBKLGLEfpgH1MFUsBqtVweQsFJP7my1impGRKxqJigvCECBDd3K9lpRfISG0/s1600-h/Photo+811.jpg"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qPMq3Xqk-5F36x57qr5YVrXASaYarNNdg7O1Lt-xCRla0Kagt_k3Jj_wZQ3zvZh9lBKasHj-7vRhSiODBKLGLEfpgH1MFUsBqtVweQsFJP7my1impGRKxqJigvCECBDd3K9lpRfISG0/s320/Photo+811.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205317438038962050" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " /></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:42px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:14px;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmv1HSsrVlgtIYkW3TvGegacgBBOgtCCK_oXh_-7jkpabMjq4dZ8jPnZdU3iq2r93T4zihjG-dE6BpnByaI2nzz7jR7kxp7JtQdjQirr7s6EmphteEUkKdhrKujg2eTYi3cVdEQgRqR_s/s320/Photo+813.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205317438038962066" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">yes i HAD to put a preety picture of myself..... go die anand!</span></span></span></span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>_________________</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ignore Sophia's posts. Anyways, that's all for now. Still not that much going on. That'll change soon enough, I suspect.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Cheers.</span></span></div></div>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-62246557151547147422008-05-26T06:55:00.000-07:002008-05-26T08:19:16.653-07:00<strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">An Unexpected Homecoming</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">After 7 years away, I went back to Thailand 5 days ago. Well, Phuket really, but it still counts. Sister decided to take me for a holiday with family friends, and what better place than a popular tourist destination with (apparently) beautiful beaches, cheap shopping and what not. So we left on the 22nd, and after being gone so long from my homeland (nationally speaking) I was looking forward to going back.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">For those of you who've travelled with me, you'll know that sometimes my Thai passport has caused me to wait longer at the immigration counters. For example, it undergoes close, close scrutiny, repeated computer checks, stares back and forth between my face and the photo within, and a UV check (once). Suffice to say, I didn't expect my passport to cause me any trouble in Thailand, what with me being a Thai national and all.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">How wrong I was.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">We got off the Air Asia flight, and frankly, it felt good to be back. When I got to the immigration counter, that all changed. Apparently, when they ran my details into their system, I did not exist. There were no records of me ever entering Thailand, thereby putting my nationality into question. I was taken to a separate office along with my sister, whereby the immigration officials tried to sort everything out. The mess happened because the last time I was in Thailand (for my father's cremation) I was using a temporary passport, as I was waiting for a new one. Thereby leading to my current passport having no record of me entering Thailand. </span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">All in all the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth and I was pissed off for about a half hour after that. Everywhere I go, there's some minor hassle regarding my passport, but nothing as major as this (potentially being sent back to Malaysia). And in my own country. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Anyways. On to the rest of the trip.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Phuket is an island in Southern Thailand. As I said before, its a major tourist destination. The hordes of Westerners in the main town came as no surprise. You know, you hear all sorts of things about Thailand. Although I WAS expecting it... the reason why most of the tourists were there did sadden me a bit. Thailand (well, the tourist areas, at least) has a reputation for being rife with prostitution and such. And its true. Over the course of my 5 day stay there, there were white men accompanied by Thai ladies all over the place. And considering that the one street we had to walk almost everyday was flanked on either side by go-go bars, pubs and such, It was... quite an education. Nothing overtly dodgy, of course (i.e. no naked ladies in the street or couples making out left and right), but still there.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Other than that though, the trip was good. Food was excellent. The term service with a smile really does hold true in Thailand. During my trip, I got a 2 hour long authentic Thai massage. My body was twisted and contorted, there were snapping sounds numerous times, and it got a tad bit uncomfortable at times. That being said though, when I came out of it, my body really did feel better. Oh, and you know how people are always mentioning how the ladies at the massage parlours go "massage, massage" in that nasal thai accent? Its true. </span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">In addition to the Thai massage was the para-sailing. Basically you're latched on to a parachute which is connected to a boat. The boat moves, and you're pulled up into the air and given an excellent view of whatever happens to be below you. Great fun, but I wouldn't recommend it for those who are afraid of heights.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Other than that, we didn't do much except eat, shop and explore. A good 5 days of rest and relaxation, at least before college starts up. Before Phuket, the last actual holiday I went on was to Langkawi, two, maybe three years ago. Exploring new, foreign lands and meeting new, interesting people is always fun. Every trip brings new lessons, insights and knowledge. And that's always good.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">To cut things short, my trip to Phuket was fun, interesting and... informative. I'd definitely go back, given the chance. That being said though, I think its just the fact that I'm somewhere new, somewhere different from the status quo of daily life. Change after spending so much time in a routine is great. Hopefully it happens alot more eh?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Cheers.</span>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-73368620304538694782008-05-21T08:57:00.000-07:002008-05-21T09:50:10.224-07:00<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"><strong>Green Smoke and a Shower Room. And no, nothing illegal.</strong></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Was going on YouTube again. Decided to look up movie scenes that I remember from my younger days. You know, the ones that always stay with you? The classic ones you can never forget? Anyways, due to the fogginess of my brain at this point in time, I only ran a search on two scenes from what has to be one of my favourite movies.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The Rock.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">First, the Shower scene. While that MAY sound quite a bit dodgy, its all action and drama. <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nh8AO64JKx0&feature=related">http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nh8AO64JKx0&feature=related</a>. Even today, so many years down the line, I can still lining up my plastic soldiers and somewhat recreating the scene. The green men were down below, the tan men up above. And then of course, the afore-mentioned sound effects (gunfire, death cries, shouting etc) and the green men falling down. All these years later, I can't say that I've ever seen a scene in an action movie that comes close to this one. Drama and a gunfight. I think I even felt a bit sad when the Navy SEALs got shot to pieces. Of course, any one with a scene they think is better is always welcome to make a comment.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Lastly, the Green Smoke scene. <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=oPdukhSNrW8">http://youtube.com/watch?v=oPdukhSNrW8</a>. The part where Nicholas Cage shouts just before the lead F-18 drops its bombs is just... unforgettable. Maybe its because I also have a thing for fighter jets, but this has to be one of my favourite finales. Oh, did you know, the actor that plays the lead pilot is actually James Caviezel? Unless memory has failed me, I recreated this scene too, again with my toy soldiers. Well, of them at any rate, and one of my plastic toy jets... Ah, childhood. Amazing how we remember little things like these years after their occurance eh?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Whatever happens, my future son will have two things. LEGO, and plastic toy soldiers. Sure, there'll be advanced game consoles by then, but... there's something to be said about moving inanimate objects around and letting your imagination take over. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">On the topic of a son, if, by some chance, I either:</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">a) do not have kids (whether from not getting married or otherwise)</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">OR</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">b) end up having no sons and multiple daughters...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Then I will be very, very disappointed. So much so that I can imagine treating the guy my daughter dates (provided I HAVE a daughter - option A nulled-) as something of the son I never had. Of course, if he's a decent enough fellow. Which, I think, would freak him out a lot and chase him away. Ah well.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">But I digress (that seems to happen a lot eh?). And I shall do so some more, with again, yet another update on what's been going on (or lack thereof) in my life.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Paid a visit to the college. Met up with the lady who would put the application through. Learned a number of things from that visit:</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">1)There are an awful lot of Ching-Chong-Chinese at IACT. At least, at the room that I went to. Didn't take the full tour. By Ching-Chong-Chinese, I mean the typical Chinese you get at school. Dressed up like those Oriental clebrities you see on TV (i.e. Rain, Jay Chou, all the other bands and artists I can't be bothered to remember) with hairstyles to match. Reminded me quite a bit of the days in SAS.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">2)There are usually around ten people in an intake. That's... quite a small bunch. Combined with the May intake, that's around... twenty plus people? Not bad, but this means that I have no choice but to get along with most, if not all, the people in my intake. That shouldn't be a problem really, but hey.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">3)The place really IS quite small. No frills. Again, its not a problem. Frankly, as long as I get the education I need, meet people, do work and enjoy myself, size isn't really an issue. As a bonus to being at a shop lot, IACT's close to lots of places to eat. Reportedly good food too. And that's always a bonus.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">4)Although the application isn't through per se, according to the lady, its a guaranteed yes. With so few students in an intake, they're (in a sense) ready to jump at anybody willing to apply. So yes, that's taken care of.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Will be having a final visit on the 27th, along with a tour of the place. Hopefully my first impressions in regards to the student body turn out to be ungrounded eh? That being said, I have a feeling I might just end up being the only Thai guy there. But this IS KL, and that will most probably end up being false. We'll see. All that's left now is to do the course.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Its about time.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Cheers.</span>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-16044840793534409242008-05-19T17:07:00.000-07:002008-05-19T18:11:50.384-07:00<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"><strong>Intro Themes from the past. Magical. Absolutely Magical.</strong></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Greetings again. Was going through Youtube yet again (it seems I'm online quite a bit eh?), when I searched for the opening theme of...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Hawaii five O.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Ever since I stepped out of the shower that day, humming that tune (probably thanks to that one time where Tim played it on his mobile), I've felt a somewhat irresistable urge to listen to it. And watch the video.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">And I did.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Resultantly laughing my head off in the internet cafe I'm currently at. If you're interested, just run a search on "Hawaii five 0 intro" or somesuch and it'll pop up. Listening to it further prompted me to run a search on the intro themes of old, old shows. I'm talking A-Team, Knight Rider, an Eddie Murphy movie called "Beverly Hills Cop" (from which that Crazy Frog got one of its tunes), Centurions... Oh, and undoubtedly, one cannot forget the Mighty Morphing Power Rangers. The list goes on. If you're looking for a laugh, search them up... Its a pity they don't make them like they used to.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The intro themes, the shows, the cartoons... Its all come a long way in the decade that I can remember. Even longer since the my sisters' time. Gone are the unclassifiable theme songs of old. Banished to the winds, are the after show lessons of old cartoons. And the attempt to imprint principles and moral values through television shows? Somewhat unheard of now. Whatever happened to the narrator talking during the intro? I mean, sure, nowadays, it would seem really, REALLY cheesy if someone put that in a show now... but hmm...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">In any case, I'd have to say the theme songs from the Bond films of old, even the current ones, are still good. The closest thing I've seen is, surprisingly, from a game. Metal Gear Sold 3. "Snake Eater". Excellent. Oh, and one final one from me, one that will ALWAYS be implanted in my head... Is the theme from the movie "The Rock" (a movie that contributed to the urge to play paintball) by Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage. <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=3COwYvE_458">http://youtube.com/watch?v=3COwYvE_458</a>. Man.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Randomness over. I guess I should do more constructive things with my time eh? Since I'm posting, may as well update you all. Visiting my college today. Get myself properly registered and all that, have a look around (of which there is not much; its really a shop lot) and finally, finally, get everything sorted at last. At which point there will be no more concerns save actually taking the course. We'll see how that goes.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">That's all for today, my friends.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Cheers.</span>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-30980587511686144332008-05-18T10:36:00.000-07:002008-05-18T10:56:16.824-07:00<strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Paintball. Live out your childhood dreams.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Yes. Paintball. A rather random post, but I was going through Youtube when this video caught my eye. <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=VKEOFVCqZZY&feature=bz301">http://youtube.com/watch?v=VKEOFVCqZZY&feature=bz301</a>. If only I could do that in real life. Anyways, paintball's in essence, a sport of shooting the other person before he shoots you, with balls of paint, fired from a marker (the term gun is... apparently offensive) and propelled by compressed gas. Suffice to say, while not lethal, getting shot by one hurts. That being said, in no other sport will you get the opportunity to actually physically shoot another human being without penalty. All this being said, paintball is reputadly the safest sport in the world. Bear in mind though, that I gained this info from a study made to make paintball look legal (not that its not) so its veracity is not guaranteed.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">As you may or may not be able to tell, I like paintball. If it were free, I'd play everday. Maybe it was all the war movies I watched as a child, or those small plastic soldiers I used to play with, moving them around and providing sound effects such as "BOOM!" and "Aaaarrggghhh!". Not to mention rather the sounds for gunfire. Admittedly, back in lower primary, I always wanted to be a soldier. The idea of blowing things and people up (at that age, death was not yet understood) was... intriguing. Even today, war movies, action, guns and such, I've still got something of a thing for them.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Thus paintball.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">It allows one to live out childhood dreams and fantasies. Want to be Rambo and charge wildly? Go ahead. Want to hang back and take a calm, cool, aimed shot? That's an option too. Want to live out your John Woo gunplay imaginings? You can try. Its a great way to spend an afternoon. While the actual rounds are pretty short, they're intense, and for once in the whole week or month or even year, you actually have to be alert and on your toes. The fact that getting short actually hurts provides incentive to actually play properly and make an effort to not get shot.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Surprisingly enough, its not as expensive here in KL as I thought it would be. An online check revealed that prices were a tad bit higher than in Brunei, but not as high as I expected. Am considering going off to play perhaps once a month or what not. We'll see how that goes.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">'Till next time.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Cheers.</span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;"></span></strong>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-25604162534050969712008-05-16T06:46:00.000-07:002008-05-16T07:28:40.075-07:00<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"><strong>Kuala Lumpur</strong></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">After six long months of sitting around and doing nothing, I've finally made it here. It's about time, I say. Sure, it's struck me (not that hard, admittedly) that I won't be seeing everyone back home for quite some time, but I'm looking forward to seeing how things go. I have a theory that the reason I'm not the least bit crushed by my departure is because of all the bumming.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">See, bumming provides time. Lots and lots and lots of time. And in that time, without a job or proper task on hand, I thought a lot. About what? Many things. A great many things. Thereby leading to an eagerness to leave. And so I have. So yes, end of theory.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Anyways. The plane here, an Air Asia flight, was... decent. And surprisingly pleasant, considering all that you hear and experience with Air Asia. Even the in-flight travel magazine done by them was rather good. It's come a long way since it first started out. No delays, good service from good-looking stewardesses (always a plus) and quite a few empty seats. No crying babies or whatnot. Landed at the LCC. What it stands for, I can't say, but I'm sure there's a low cost in there somewhere... Its in KLIA, just... rundown. And stuffed with Air Asia flyers. All that aside, landed, sister wasn't there, made a call, and bought my very first Malaysian purchase.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Coffee.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Good coffee, from Coffee Bean. And it cost me ten ringgit. A vanilla cafe latte. Small too. But I digress. Sister finally came, and I went to my new home. And then went to sleep. One thing I'll say about my room is that it has an air-conditioner... A blessing I've not had for a long time. </span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Got up late, sister left for work... Had the day (yesterday) to myself. Bummed around at home for a bit, then went to Midvalley Megamall.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">It's a big place, my friends. Again, Brunei's "Malls" will never ever be considered a mall by any tourist from most any other developed country ever. Went there, and bought an Aunty Anne's pretzel. For 6.50. Not bad. The food in KL (and food's always close to my heart) is excellent. The food at the malls is expensive, but good... Whenever I make a purchase here, I wince as I pay. The bills here can reach pretty high. Anyways, went around the mall. There is an abundance of clothes shops here. The shops are something like this: clothes clothes clothes restaurant clothes clothes something else clothes clothes clothes. Well, maybe not that bad, but you get the picture. All in all a good day. My final purchase for the day was...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">A Carl's Jr. burger.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">If you don't know what that is, ask Tim. The prices range from 11 to 25 ringgit for a single, huge, meaty burger, that tastes absolutely excellent. I felt bad after buying it, but when its that good... who cares?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">So yes, went to the Mamak after that, had a drink and chat with my sister and Pravind (the guy she's been with for a long, long time). Mamak food's good. And affordable too, at least, compared to food at the malls. I have a feeling Mamak food'll be what I subsist on for... a long time. Went back and slept.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Today, I am alone. My sister left, and she'll be back on Monday. Alone in KL for the weekend. I think I'll be fine. Took a walk around the area, but other than that, not much happened today. It was during lunch that I decided to go ahead and start a blog. So yeah.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">That's all for now. Alot yes, but expect more like it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Cheers.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;"></span></strong>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729120303110409991.post-88210849474636071752008-05-16T06:36:00.000-07:002008-05-16T06:46:00.107-07:00<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">So It Begins</span>...</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Well hello hello. I've always said I'd never really start a blog, but... I think this is a more effective way of letting people know that yes, I am alive, and yes, I am doing well (perhaps). Along with, for once, giving a glimpse of what actually goes on in my day to day. Nothing depressing though, so no worries there. What you WILL see is random, random stuff that pertains to what's happening to me. Opinions on things, views, thoughts, all that.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">So yes, introduction (somewhat) aside, I think I'll move on to my very first (not counting this) official post.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Tally ho.</span>Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607801587335093003noreply@blogger.com1