Active or Passive?

i couldn't help but to lock this example of active and passive form Mr Alinson gave in his class right into my brain. Recall it repeatedly and never failed to giggle at its hilarity.

It's not meant to be funny but the way he put it was just interesting and to be honest, i will never forget it.

In the Business Communication lecture, Mr Alinson was to give a lecture on how to write a good report, the writing style and stuff. We have always been told that Science Students or Engineering students are to write their report or EVEN speech in passive form. I rang the bell when we were to write our Physics or Chemistry or Biology report in passive form back in high school. Guys can you remember??

So he went on with his encounter or i should say tale-telling session where he wrote a speech to be presented on a conference for engineers (can't really remember everything but i think it's similar). He wanted to make things easier for everyone, both the speaker and the audiences, so he decided to write everything in active form. Believe me it's much easier to understand and much less boring. But the people in charge responded him by saying that everything had to be written in passive form, as it's the rule that has been abode for years.

As a result, Mr Alinson replied the email, sarcastically which went this way (roughly):

"I suggest a coffee is to be had by you and me this weekend. The matter is to be discussed and a conclusion is to be drawn after that."

(this is not exactly what he wrote i put it into my own words, but the idea is the same)

So active or passive? Rules are meant to be bent when it's not compatible with the society anymore!

Go past it

Every so often, things don't turn out to be the way you expected. and you don't take it out on somebody when that happens.

Depression hit, a while back, and i couldn't have shaken it off. It's the season i guess, when all the leaves turning yellowish and eventually..wither..life has been different, beyond bearable i would say. I remembered a friend of mine used to tell me this "the only thing that doesn't change is the constant change itself". So true.

I am doing the things i should never have done. So am i missing the person that i shy away from my life.

I've become a little bit anti-social nowadays. i couldn't be bothered to interfere my life with somebody else's when i myself haven't been able to sort mine out. It's just absurd! For once, my life is out of control. i lost track of my life. what's that supposed to mean? i don't kknow, but i am sure i will get back to my senses very soon.

Love taking pictures. Pictures sometimes help put things into perspective. You see something that others can't see at times. yeah, i am not talking about the picture above and i am not a paedo by snapping that picture. Different ways of capturing the picture show a wide range of mindset and how observing you are.

Love dancing. Joined the salsa class, paired up with different people, meant to be making you more sociable but that didn't help at times. I am too absorbed picking up the steps than to migle with people around.

Summer is almost over. or has it been over? oh well, the scorching sun isn't at all indicative of that. From spf30 to spf 15 but couldn't feel the difference, that's the indication i guess.

Conversation is mutual. it's always been since centuries ago. and we so often take it for granted. Until you actually find that you are waiting for that someone to converse with you. It's not mutual anymore, you are dancing the solo tango and never ever she will join you in the dance. So sad that you want to get a dummy to talk to (or a blown-up doll? that just sounds wrong). Never have thought i would screw up, but i just did. The irony of fate. haha. lol.

ごべんなさい。

20th birthday celebration

ok just a quick update. i should have been in bed but to save up the hassle of going to the toilet in the middle of my sleep because of the 200ml water i have just gushed down, i am going to update my blog before i go to the toilet to take a leak.

so we had a bit of celebration at Sherene's place last night which was definitely a heart-warming one. Dinner, cake, monopoly session, simple yet satisfying which suited my growing age. lol.

the greentea cake with a layer of red beans in the middle. it's just simply tasty people. i am never into red beans but trust me, i think i might have fallen in love with that already.

ok me and my cake. for those of you who haven't happened to see me before i left, i cut my hair short a month ago, i mean really short, remember what i was like when i was still in chong hwa? yeah you got that! the good news is it has now grown longer.

Sherene and I. Guess she has been marking her existence in my blog quite often. yeah she is the person i am closest to in Sydney. :)

wow, the cake with candles. lol. ok guys notice the candles??? they are tall, slim, and look def better???

Tom, me and Jason. sigh my head is still that small. maybe i should stuff more knowledge into my brain and it could then enlarge my head a little bit, maybe....

anyway, i am really glad that there was a little celebration in store for me. at least i am not alone. Sometimes i really wonder, does birthday still matter as much as it has always been when i grow older and older? and the same old answer i could get from myself is " yeah, it definitely does! no matter how old i am".

Thanks!!!!!!!! i really had a great time.

Saying good bye to 19~Happy Birthday!!

so yeah first of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to myself!!!! hahaha. ok that's pretty lame i know. However, after a long night sleep (sad case, i was sleeping the whole night and have already wasted half of the time on my birthday), i am finally heading out to Sherene's place. Will update you guys on what will be in store for me this evening.

ok people, i woke up with the first mission to check out the taylor's gang's blog, in which Sam offered to give her virginity (relax people, it's the virginity to start off the first post i am talking about) to me. *proud proud*. After the "tribute" last year from Qin ai de, i received yet another one this year. Reading through the whole post, awwww, seriously Sam, you did a good job in bringing back all the memories we have had back then. That has totally moved my heart.

SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh by the way, that's the most special birthday song i have ever heard in my life. ok, seems that we are talking about a variety of virginities here! lol. and no i don't have any confessions to make atm. :)

big big big thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! muacks......

and last but not least, thanks to those who wished me on time, and called me on time, the indescribable joys of having gotten your wishes is just heavenly.

anyway, if you are interested in reading the post Sam wrote, here it is...
http://wtfsaidthemonkeyss.blogspot.com/2008/03/to-my-one-only-racoon.html

ciao peeple!

p/s: it's Easter Holiday! and apparantly it's a public holiday, after all these years to have Chong Hwa celebrated for me, the whole Australia is celebrating for me now. lol. wow wow, ok stop being so self-righteous now.

It'll just be temporary

Back in Sydney. Same place, same people, but different views i have towards the city. Friends that i have been hanging out with are in sight, but are leaving sydney one by one sooner or later. Lesser passion. lesser excitement but greater affections for home really.

It's cold. The chilly weather hits earlier this year. I was carrying a laundry basket with toiletries hook and pillow inside that i bought for the new place i got. While everyone else was nicely dressed and ready to hit the bar in conjuction with the yearly event Mardi Gras. I was too beat to join the big event, let alone the party night.

Sherene is still the same, as eloquent as usual, that's what i like about her. A little gloomy though, think the current job is giving her a hard time. People tend not to have a choice to decide their own life, it's all about timing, all about what's available and what's the best to keep life moving.

Katherine is going back to malaysia to give the baby the best life. Gathered together yesterday for an hour, the family was brought together once again, but joyful moment doesn't last. It'll be another year before i can see her.

Suchada is going back to Thailand too after the end of the one-year-contract with the company. Haven't been able to catch up with her though. Going to have a farewell party for her in this coming saturday.

Tom is moving to north ryde as usual. Guess i will not see him often though.

When someone is leaving, there is always someone new to fill up the place. My cousin sister is joining me in Sydney this year. I haven't got her a place to stay, which is bad! When you are abroad, your own room and own bed are like a safe harbour, giving you a sense of security. So i will be spending the whole day to get her a nice place to settle down.

Missing my nephew already. The mornings will never be the same anymore without seeing his pleasant smiles first thing in the morning. Well, pictures would quench my thirst for the moment though. :)

Sing a song with your heart

The idea of venting out sadness and depressions through singing crossed my mind today i paid a visit to my vocal teacher. It's the first time i have seen him since two years ago. I didn't have any particular songs that i wanted to sing in mind that i chose a song among the song lists available (not many choices though). An old song "qiu niao" caught my attention that i decided to give it a go. It's a sad song anyway, was matched with my mood at that moment.

I wasn't familiar with the song, heard it a few times before when qin ai de sang it in Red Box. Neither the lyrics nor the exact rhythm. Got myself familiarized during the first attempt and started to sing it with earnestness. Except for a few notes that i went wrong it's a good try otherwise. Teacher said the key was not high enough that he couldn't hear the resonance of my voice so we tried a F major instead of the E major i sang along with in my first atttempt. I am fine with both but frankly speaking, i could really feel the power of my voice during my second attempt. That's so called the resonance i think.

This is the first time i saw myself singing with passion, with all the touchy-feely feelings from my heart. It's not very touching but well, the good thing is i could feel that myself. Wow, i felt really good after singing the whole song. It's like i have told a story, a story that has been hidden in me for long, all the feelings that i have been succumbing were vent out.

Anyway, i have uploaded the songs on to my blog. enjoy~

Nyonya Cuisine in Melaka

It was a few weeks ago when i paid a visit to the Restoran Bibik Neo, a restaurant serving nice Nyonya Cuisine. My ex-neighbour, who has moved to Melaka went along with me and my mum, and not to forget my nephew. Frankly speaking, despite the short distance from my place to Melaka, i have never had Nyonya Food before!! What a shame~~~

The exterior and interior design of the restaurant is kind of....antique??? The wooden door, ceilings that made of mats, and the old-fashioned curtains has definitely eased us off with a feeling of home! I think the design matches the home-made food they serve, all revolve around the theme of "home".

My mum and my nephew, bryvan. He was so busy looking at the food on the table.

Stir fried brinjal with belacan. I remember telling a friend about brinjal in Australia and he asked me "what's brinjal?". It's obvious that Aussies don't eat brinjal and they don't have it there.

The salty fried squid. There was a sauce/dip for it. It's the sauce that made it different from the normal fried squid that we can get in any seafood restaurant.

Spicy Chicken with Gula Melaka. Besides the spicy sensation, you can feel that it's sweet in some ways. Wow, don't worry, it doesn't not cause diarrhoea anyway!

Grilled fish with specially made topping. I think they mixbelacan with something else for the topping. I can't exactly tell you what're the ingredients used.

Anyway, people go for Nyonya Cuisine when they feel like having home-made food. Despite the nice food served, it's the feeling of home that prompts the second visit or perhaps more! The sincerity while preparing the food and the warmth you get while eating the food sum up the uniqueness of Nyonya Cuisine. :)

感动

很久很久都没用华文写部落格了。总觉得不管我英文说得再多，英文歌听得再多，不论澳洲的文化多么地根深蒂固，我还是离不开对华文的那股热忱。就是忘却不了。13 年正规的华文教育，总是扎实地屹立在心里，我不舍，也不会忘掉自己是那么地热爱这个语言。

有好一段时间了吧，我都没有收听华文电台，更别说听华文歌了。说真的，我差点儿就忘了自己以前对华文歌曲的那份痴狂，以及华文歌曲对于塑造一个多愁善感的我的那股力量。

刚刚听了萧煌奇深情地诠释 '你是我的眼'，我重拾昔日被歌曲打动的那种感觉，那份被因为感动而落下的泪烫伤脸颊的激情。对，眼泪在旋律的伴奏下，不自觉地掉了下来。或许是因为萧煌奇他唱出了自己的心声。撇开歌曲的催泪旋律和打动人心的歌词，只要能感受到萧煌奇演唱时的那份真诚，那种经历了多少沧桑及艰辛日子才有的历练，泪水就会簌然而下了。值得一题的是，林宥嘉也把这首歌诠释得很棒。

我们能够看到很多东西，就之因为我们有双健全的眼睛。相对的，我们 '用心去感受' 的那份能力也为之逊色了。萧煌奇恰好相反，他失去了视觉，但是他感受到东西，都比我们多了好多好多倍。虽然看不见，但是他看透的东西比任何人都多。多讽刺啊。

记得老师曾告诉过我，唱歌一定要有感情，把自己溶入歌曲里头。每个人都能唱，但是真正能够找到唱歌的感觉的并不多。好抽像, 也没能做到。但是从萧煌奇身上，我具体地看到了那些东西，开窍了。唱歌时情感要铺陈，要有层次，我也都领略到了。唱歌其实是在阐诉一段故事, 一开始是比较平淡的，唱的技巧也比较平淡，但语气与情感也要跟着故事的演变而有所变化。有了这些元素，再加上自己的唱功，以及一把好嗓子，就能把一首歌诠释得很好。


很想抱着你 给你个痛彻心扉
说我残忍 我欲哭无泪
缤纷的世界
霎时间 黑白交织
无能为力之际
我 选择离开
离开的 是躯体 不是灵魂

很多话想说 却不能脱口而出
想见你 却不知你的意愿
牛郎织女也会相见 却比这还苦情

消声匿迹 真的好吗
花凋了 也再盛开
我却一路冲向末路
柳暗花明何其有

望着苍穹 我的心静了 淡了

Sabah Trip: Kundasang and Kota Kinabalu

After three days in Sandakan, i set myself free from boredoom by getting a bus ticket to Kota Kinabalu. Yeah, i was on my own, six hours in the bus all the way to KK (Kota Kinabalu). I was planning to take a flight there but it's meant to be a budget trip despite the cheap flights offered by Air Asia.

The bus took off by 7.30 am. I woke up at 6am, you might think that is bloody early only if you're not told my cousins woke up at 5am. The sun starts to set by 5am and rises by 6am in Sabah. Therefore the time we go to bed and off the bed have to be adjusted there.

i stopped over at Kundasang for an hour or two. There wasn't much to explore round here, but at least i had left my footprint. :)
Kundasang is renowned for its vegetables and flowers. There is a row of stalls selling fresh vege and flowers.
It seemed like i was in Cameron Highland didn't it? yeah, Kundasang is like the mini Cameron Highland except that they don't grow strawberry and cactus there! lol. The weather is not that chilly either.

Nevertheless, it has a great view. The life in Kundasang is simple and peaceful. The kids there have no PS2 or Nintendo, but i bet they have the best childhood. They fly a kite, play hide-and-seek, helping out in their parents' farm. they are not in touch with the high tecnology yet living their life to the fullest.

After that, i decided to go to the National park which is in the vicinity. i took a taxi from Kundasang and paid rm10 for a short distance to the National Park. Well, i couldn't complain, the taxi driver will certainly take the advanatage of the inconvenience of the transportation there.

During the visit to the Kinabalu Park, i had a strongest urge ever to hike the mountain. but due to the lack of company, i couldn't help but to call of the idea. :(

I was asking around to get a mean of transport to KK. To get a taxi cost around rm100 for an hour journey. WTH!!!!!!!!!! A nice lady told me i could signal any bus on the road to get onboard that cost only rm10. They were those express buses from either Sandakan, Lahad Datu or Tawau that were going to KK. argh, i was blessed!!

Sorry for the bad picture. i couldn't get a nice seat to take a nice picture on the way going down the hill where Mont. Kinabalu was in sight. mountain hiking next year anyone???

Since i brought my laptop along, it'd be risky to spend the night in the backpacker~I stayed in a budget hotel instead for rm60. After leaving all my luggage (a backpack and a laptop) in the room, i went out to explore the town.

This is the famous Gaya Street in the city centre of KK. There is a big market every Sunday morning selling all kinds of stuff. I was there on monday therefore missed the chance to see the happening Sunday Market. :(.

By the look of it, KK is nothing different from the busy KL. It's the capital city of Sabah afterall.

This is the handicraft center in KK selling all kinds of handicraft made by the aborigins and some Filipino. i wouldn't want to miss the chance of getting some authentical handicraft at a lower price compared to those selling in the shops.

There are many skillful tailors along the handicraft center to help people with the editing of their clothes.

There is a night market held everyday (not sure if it's held daily) next to the handicraft center selling food, vege and fruits. People started to get ready for the market from around 4pm.

This is the only picture taken in the night market as the battery of the camera had gone flat. lol.

KK is a city by the seaside thus the torrid is inevitable. Exploring the city on my feet and exposed under the sun for hours had definitely given me a hard time. Coconut juice anyone??? oh yeah~~~~~~~~~~~

It cost me rm2 for a coconut much bigger than those in West Malaysia.

Last but not least, it's me savouring the refershing coconut juice. :)

I spent a night in KK and took a flight straight to Tawau the following day. This will be the ending post for the sabah trip as i didn't have any pictures taken in Tawau.

During this Sabah trip, i have seen the big contrast among the rich and the poor. Some of them are as rich as a millionaire while some of the poor will be more than happy to have their daily meals settled. The illegal immigrants from Philipines are leading a miserable life there and i could really imagine how crappy a life they had had in their own country. However, they seem to have found the contentment from their life. Perhaps as what people told me, the richer you are, the more troubles you will have to deal with in your life.

Happy Chinese New Year

It's Chinese New Year's eve, had my Reunion "lunch", but it wasn't as reunited as i had expected it to be. There were only 6 people gathered around the table having lunch together. Dad, Mum, Grandma, younger bro, sis-in-law and I, oh not to forget the little nephew (he wasn't at the table anyway, lol).

Not that i am upset about the lack of people having reunion lunch, it really made me wondered what's the point of having that "reunion lunch" as we have always had lunch or dinner together on a regular basis. I like the idea of us all sitting around the table and having meal together while chatting to each other happily. What makes a normal lunch different from a reunion lunch is that you have new people (people you don't always have lunch or dinner together with) to have lunch with!!

Yet, my reunion lunch has no difference from the normal one. and what has made it worse, my elder brother wasn't there having lunch with us. lol. However, i am cool with it and was happy as usual to have celebrated the CNY's eve. :-).

who cares about the number of people? and who cares about the absence of someone else? Appreciate those who have been there! :-)

Happy CNY everyone~~~~~~

Sabah Trip: Fish Noodle

One of the thing you can't afford to miss when you are in Sabah is the local "fish noodle". I was brought to have fish noodles on my second day in Sandakan. When i first heard about the noodle fish, my first impression of how it's like was funny yet typical, which was "just noodles with a fish inside (ikan kembung in particular)".

This is the fish noodle i had on that day. When the bowl was served, i didn't start eating right away, but kept on waiting for something else to come. So my uncle asked me "what are you waiting for?".

i looked puzzled, and the question marks above my head led to the question "Waiting for the noodle?".

"That's the noodle, what do you expect?" my uncle then said.

ok, i was so wrong! i thought that's just the fish, and the noodles were served separately like the normal noodle we usually have. Such an embarassment. Maybe you are still wondering "what's wrong?".

Ok, this is the noodle. It's made of fish, and you would have fish cake, fish ball and vege inside the bowl as well. That's where the name comes from, "FISH NOODLE!!!". So, the fish noodle actually tastes weird, the smell of fish of course, yummy nevertheless. :)

This is the fish noodle i had in Kota Kinabalu. They taste the same, but just different shape for the noodles. :)

i teased myself afterwards for being such a stereotype when it comes to interpret the name. We tend to muse in a more complicated way while the things couldn't actually be simpler.

Simplicity is a blessing. So just sit back and enjoy the fish noodle. :)

Sabah Trip: The Horny Proboscis Monkey

i am back, back from Sabah after 10 days integrating myself into a Sabahan's life. Went to my uncle's place in Sandakan for a few days before setting off to Kota Kinabalu and then Tawau.

My uncle took me to the sanctuary of Proboscis Monkey during my stay in Sandakan. Proboscis Monkey???? i was puzzled and totally intrigued to see how it's like since i have never heard of it let alone seen one. Sandakan has always been known as the biggest Orang Utan Sanctuary, but now it seems that Proboscis Monkey has gradually taken over~

The sanctuary is located in a very secluded place around 25km inside of an oil palm estate. Meandering through the muddy estate paths, i was more looking forward to seeing that mysterious Proboscis Monkeys. I actually wondered at times that do the monkeys actually worth of all the efforts? lol.

Ok, that's how a Proboscis Monkey is like! Give it a once-over, you would probably say that "oh well, it just looks like a normal monkey!" aha, that's what i thought as well when i first looked at the poster.

This is the place where the staffs feed the monkeys. The monkeys actually live far inside the jungle where nobody can find them and come over here twice a day during the feeding time. It really amazed me that they know the exact time to come over despite the fact that they don't have a watch and they don't use a watch! It's such a shame that we human beings always late for something even though we have watches! lol.

Here is something interesting story about the Proboscis Monkeys. There are two groups of them living on two sides of the land separated by a river. One is called the "alpha males" and their families (which includes his WIVES and babies). Another one is called the "bachelor group" which consists of all the male monkeys.

Alpha male is so called the strongest monkeys. The Proboscis Monkeys fight with each other and the winner will then become the alpha male and have female monkeys to reproduce. The loser is going back to the bachelor group and beating the time until he thinks he is strong enough to defeat the alpha male in a fight. If the current alpha male loses the match, he will then go to somewhere secluded and never show up himself again.

This is the bachelor group. Obviously they are all male monkeys. We have always known that "monkeys love bananas". But Proboscis Monkeys don't eat banana and they are not allowed to eat bananas either. Why is that so? Proboscis Monkeys can't digest sweet stuff that's why they are not fed with bananas but cucumber! Interesting isn't it? lol.

This is the close-up look of a proboscis monkey. sorry it's a little blurred out. I used the binoculars to help take the picture. I wouldn't otherwise get such a picture. The special thing about a proboscis monkey is its nose! Have a look, it's relatively longer than the normal monkeys'. That's why it's called "the longest nose in Borneo".

Look at the monkey. It looked like it is wearing an underwear. And look at its back, it looked like it has used wax to style its hair. lol.

oh yeah, this is the picture taken using camera with binoculars from afar.

This is another interesting fact of Proboscis Monkey. It has perpetual erection, in other words it will have erection all the time. Why is that so?? well i couldn't give you a precise answer. Maybe the bachelor groups don't have the chance to have sex until they become alpha male and that's why they are always horny. lol.

Proboscis Monkeys are very rare. i really respect the owner of the land that first noticed the monkeys and decided to conserve them instead of chasing them away merely to develope the land to make more profit. Or we wouldn't have chance to even see one at the moment.