[WhatNext] Wanderlust Bug Biting

The last "vacation" I had was back in 2003 Dec. Instead of going to Langkawi with the family, I wsa stranded at home watching VCDs and bumming out.

Had to miss a flight to Langkawi out of my sense of responsibility to a campaign ... well at least thousands of mainland Chinese got this e-mail blast from Fido Dido.

The wanderlust bug has been biting again. I am itching to go solo, or travel with a friend somewhere.

Any good destinations to suggest?

[WhatNext] Smiling

You can be stuck in that Bangkok jam, but nothing beats some good news and a hot cup of Starbucks COD at hand.

Lean back, take a deep sip, and smile.

[WhatNext] Cemetery

I have a cemetery of memories. Its a dark, damp and desolate place. It wasn't like that before. I've frequented it in recent past, and let its ghost haunt me. Tried to exorcise the regrets, anger and dissapointment but they keep on resurfacing.

And I needed to suffer in solitude for a long while, for I thought that some form of penance would help me rationalize. And for that long while it did not.

Yet I continued because the sense of loss was so bizarre, so underwhelming. And once you get used to misery its not that bad really.... Well, actually it is, but you make do with how bad life can get sometimes.

Ever tried to plea, bargain, or barter?

Yet with some changes, perhaps a sense of peace is closer than I ever imagined. But I said perhaps.

[WhatNext] Lonesome Day

Lonesome Day

Baby, once I thought I knew
Everything I needed to know about you
Your sweet whisper, your tender touch
But I didn't really know that much

The joke's on me, but it's gonna be okay
If I can just get through this lonesome day
...... lonesome day

Hell's brewin', dark sun's on the rise
This storm'll blow through by and by
House is on fire, viper's in the grass
A little revenge and this too shall pass

This too shall pass, yeah I'm gonna pray
Right now, all I got's this lonesome day
...... lonesome day

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright (yeah)
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright (yeah)
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright (yeah)
It's alright, it's alright

Better ask questions before you shoot
Deceit and betrayal's bitter fruit
It's hard to swallow, come time to pay
That taste on your tongue don't easily slip away

Let kingdom come, I'm gonna find my way
Get through this lonesome day ...... lonesome day
Lonesome day ......lonesome day

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright ~ yeah
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright (yeah)
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright (yeah)
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright (yeah)
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright (yeah)
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright (yeah)

Lonesome day ...... lonesome day ...... lonesome day

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"It's Alright" Keen - discovering good stuff from Springsteen
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[Work] War Room Discussion

Project managing "enterprise software" is no bloody joke. It's much tougher and challenging than I ever imagined.

Hauled the project team into a stuffy room at around 0200hrs BKK time. Air-cond had long since been shut down hours ago.

Pic: The aftermath @ 0330 BKK time

We had to brainstorm some symptoms and action items (taken and to be taken) to address system performance issues. Lots of possibilities and things discussed. Felt like some CSI episode for web apps actually.

But the good thing about this is you learn a lot. And it is also a rewarding experience when your team is dedicated, talented and simply a great bunch of folks to work with.

Launch date = 27 Sept 05 @ 0800hrs BKK time
Right now = 24 Sept 05 @ 0035hrs BKK time

[BBall] Heat Wave 2005/06

It's gonna be a scorching season ahead. This is the year of the Heat! Heat is gonna burn everything down to the ground, and season 2005/06 is just a formality to hand over the trophy to the Heat.

Why the others will fail
- Love that mean defense but this year don't belong to the Pistons. It's fate don't argue.
- Rockets - limbo team in neutral gear - can't do much coz even if McGrady sizzles, Yao Ming's too stiff and cannot contribute no matter how many jerseys he sells - Hakeem he is not.
- The Suns were hot in offense last year, but roll over the Heat will dominate tempo and temperature!
- Timberwolves how could you screw up so badly over the past 2 years ... and with all that talent?! I howl in dissapointment Cassell and Sprewell should have been better for Garnett. Couldn't even secure the playoffs last year :(
- Dammit Spurs are damn strong and you can't hate them for being good. But I will dare to dismiss them this year.

Weird I am supporting Shaq in Heat coz I really disliked him when he was in Lakers; but then again I thought his combo with Penny back in Magic was awesome.

Heat also has Dwane Wade whom I managed to catch a few of his games last season (awesome!); Zo - who deserves a ring; Eddie Jones - who I thought was always good but has been bounced around teams; Payton just got on board too (but not sure about how well this will work), and that strategist Pat Riley (still think that Miami-NY tussle years back was a deliberate tactic that worked)!

Heat vs Spurs in 6.

[Unwind] Risk Godstorm

Keen's a relatively hard fella to please. But what else can he say to a dude who got for him RISK GODSTORM all the way from USA?

KC - Marlboro man, Marlboro!!

A highly anticipated upgrade of Classic Risk that starts off declaring that ".... table talk, including alliances, threats, coercion, whining, pleading, backstabbing, invocation of the divine wrath of your ancestors, and other verbal tirades, is not only allowed, but also encouraged ...." has got to be hell of something to look forward to.

Check out:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/prod/RISKgodstorm
http://www.wizards.com/avalonhill/gs_demo/godstorm_demo1.asp

For the folks already in battle gear - wait for me but readup the manual & when I get back - we have definitely got to spend an afternoon or two to explore this new realm, over some damn good coffee @ Starbucks!

[WhatNext] My Place

Just a quick snapshot of my condo unit. Was part of a dream which has since died, but you need to make do with whatever happens in life.

Pic: Inside view

Anyway, it's the most expensive thing I ever bought. And on top of that I am piling one fortune after another for it. Tentatively have decided to stay in it for a few months then maybe decide if I want to rent it out or not.

Should be moving in sometime end of the year, but that is if I ever get to stay home in Malaysia to sort things out in time!

For the folks who are interested - lemme know if you want to join in some housewarming sometime end of this year.

Keen

[Family] One Cool Ah Kong

My Ah Kong passed away on 14th Sept 2005 at 10pm. I was working in Bangkok at that time, when he left to embark on another journey.

Ah Kong was always a kind, unassuming gentleman. He was independent and would walk around whichever neighborhood he was visiting in…. on his own when I was younger, and later on with a cane towards the late nineties.

Age never did seem to be able to stop him from his constitutional; and even when he had a stroke years ago he bounced back within weeks strolling around … though with a slower trot.

Me and my siblings returned on 9th Sept 2005 with the fear that Ah Kong would not make it over the weekend. While Ah Kong had started to deteriorate over the past few months, it was more on dozing off in the middle of a café, and his sudden condition was quite a shock to many of us. Even when he was frail in bed, I just hoped against all hope – that he would be able to recover.

Such is the impermanence of our being and our world … life is the symbiotic antithesis of death, all that is young will age; and where there is gain there is also loss.

But there was never any doubt of the genuine love Ah Kong had for his family, and each and every one of us loved him too. According to my mother, Ah Kong passed away peacefully with many of the immediate family at his bedside.

My sister summed it very well when she said in tears - “Ah Kong was cool, and I miss him already”. My generation grew up adoring Ah Kong. He was always there to take care of us – be it simply getting some roti canai, ballet lessons, frying papadams or simply being in our midst.

It will take getting used to – to not see him over for dinners over the weekends anymore, to not see him squabbling with Ah Mah once in a blue moon but knowing he adored her, to see him walking somewhere around my place, and to simply call “Ah Kong” and giving him a quick hug.

Thanks for everything Ah Kong,
Your loving grandson – Keen Soon.