Melaka...

Well, it was the weekend of the month again. It has been quite a while since I last went back to Melaka to visit my folks. This time, I had to come earlier than usual as I was helping out in the P&W and music for the Thanksgiving Service of the late Mrs. Cecilia Chung. We (Tasha, Caesar and myself) left KL at about 9.30am and we reached Melaka at sharp 11.00am. I was in a rush, so Tasha dropped me at the Church for the practice and went to visit Auntie Rani. After practice, I headed back home to enjoy some gastronomical delights prepared by Amma. I gave Amma the menu 2 days ago. The food waiting for me were : White rice, fish curry, potato sambal, french beans cooked with prawns, pappadam and some pickles. Oh boy, I ate and ate and ate - till I was so full, that I had to rest for a while before going to sleep.

Had a short snooze then Tasha came back and woke me up. I had another practice session in the Church at 4.00pm. So she dropped me off and went to get some canned food for Caesar. By the time, she came back to fetch me, I was done with practice. Went back home, got dressed and rushed back to the Church for the Thanksgiving Service. Everything went well. The songs went well. I was rather suprised when I got there as I had to accompany another singer on the piano as well. But as I said, it all went well, thanks be to God.

Anyway, after the service we all headed to Hi-King Restaurant in Melaka Raya. It was hosted by Mr. & Mrs Ong Kim Cheng and Mr. Chung. It was a nice dinner. We had good company. Our table was strictly reserved for youths and young adults - by Clarice (grand-daughter of the late Mrs. Cecilia). She made sure no parents sat on our table. So, it was fun, reminiscing some of our old school days experiences. She had a lot to tell, so we were her ardent audience. It was interesting. Anyway, after that we headed home as we had to visit Auntie Rani. We went there for a while. Caesar was the one having the most fun - running all over the neighbourhood and playing with Sheeba and Snowy (Auntie Rani's doggies). As it was getting late and since I was not feeling too well (the heat in Melaka is unbearable - I got this massive head-ache, still having it actually). So, upon getting back, had a cold shower, had some more of those fish curry and bread, took them paracetamols and I am heading for the sack in a while. So just as I am about to end this day, I thought of penning down how it went.

I have posted some pictures taken @ the dinner. More to be added tomorrow.

Myself, Tasha, Pearly and Dham (we are also known to be twins, he being the better looking one, of course!)

Shobie Shobs & Balla

Anto' ever so jovial

Nancy, Clarice & Richmond

And yet some more pics....

Pictures courtesy of Ming Yan...

Jam, myself and Dan

Myself, Ming Yan & Jam (please don't ask why my eyes were shut)

And since it was shut, another shot was taken. Didn't make much of a difference though!

A group shot of Jam, Alicia (Ming Yan's friend), Dan, Ming Yan & me

More Pics From Miri....

This was taken while we were flying over the South China Sea

Our tickets for the Festival

KCP4 doing their stuff!

This was 'THE' Lluis Coloma CD that we were so lucky to get - and as you can see it is autographed by the man himself {With a lot of Boogie Woogie from Spain - Lluis}

I'm getting an autograph from Mandolas, the conga player from the Habana Sax Quintet

Me'self at the Parkcity Everly Beach as the sun is setting

Charlie and Eugene having a light moment......hehehe!

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band strutting their stuff!

The scene at the hotel as the sun has set on the background. Check out those clouds - how the rays of the sunlight amplifies it

Myself and Jay - this was taken at the Tanjung Beach

Wembley Here We Come....

Man Utd v Chelsea! What a game it will be. For the Red Army it will be the highlight of the entire season (although we have already won the Premiership), because this is the first game that we are playing against Chelsea for an honour (FA Cup). It will be an interesting game. I have this gut feeling that the Reds will just edge this. It will be close, possibly by 1 goal.

Can't wait to see Christiano Ronaldo (winner of 4 accolades this season namely, PFA Player of the Year, PFA Young Player of the Year, Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year and Fans' Player of the Year) & Wayne Rooney, tear down the defence of Chelsea in the pursuit of beautiful goals.

Will be watching it with my fellow Red Devil fanatic - Sir'Surins.

Glory Glory Man Utd!

Greetings...

To all my fellow ladies & gentlemen, boys & girls, kudikarens & kudikarees....greetings!

The past week has been a very interesting. Lots of eating and drinking, meeting a lot of new people (or rather characters!), exploring new lands, hehehe, etc. Anyway, it has been fun. Sad that it all had to end. Now it is back to work and getting ready for a whole new year. It is strange, but I just feel that the year has begun for me. I know that it has been almost half a year, but for me, 2007 has only begun. I've got a lot more to do this year. I'll have to achieve something more than just a Law degree.

As always, I have a new story to post. This article was written by an anonymous writer. The story below should always remind us that whenever we see someone in need, never ever do you walk away from them. For they may not only return the favour to you one day, but someone more important or precious in your life may reap the benefits of your earlier done good deed - if you did not understand it, just read it again. So the message this week is, HELP! Help whenever you can help. Do not expect anything in return. For when you do, and when it does not come, you will be hurt and you will be hurt for a long time. So, just help.

Sowing A Good Example

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog (slimy river bed). He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck (quick sand), was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the boy from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotman’s sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved. “I want to repay you,” said the nobleman. “You saved my son’s life.”

“No, I can’t accept payment for what I did,” the Farmer Fleming replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer’s own son came to the door of the family shack.

“Is this your son?” the nobleman asked. “Yes,” the farmer replied proudly. “I’ll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the boy is anything like his father, he’ll grow up to be a man you can be proud of.”

And that he did. Fleming’s son graduated from St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin. Years afterward, the nobleman’s son was stricken with pneumonia. What saved him? Yes, you guessed it, Penicillin. The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son’s name? Sir Winston Churchill.

Miri International Jazz Festival....

Absolutely AWESOME! That is all I have to say about the entire trip.

11th May 2007 (Friday) - We (Jam & I) arrived in Miri@ 10am. Took a cab to our hotel - Park Hotel. We were rather sceptical about the hotel as it seemed rather old. But when we got in, it was everything we hoped for. It had all the basic amenities, all shops were nearby (within walking distances), banks were around the corner and even our pick-up point for the Shuttle Service to the Jazz Festival was nearby. So, upon arrival and checking in, we took a walk around town. Bought some Coke and bites, got back to the hotel for a drink. Oh yeah, by the way, CHIVAS followed us as well. So, we kept 'her' company. Hehehe!

Anyway, after a few drinks, we rested for a while, got ready and headed to our pick-up point for the Shuttle Service. Bus was there on time, and we headed to the Jazz Festival - Parkcity Everly Hotel. The picture below was taken upon arrival at the Hotel. Ready to partyyyyyy!

Upon arrival at the hotel, we got our tickets checked and got our passes. Then it was off to the festival. There were so many stalls, souvenir booths, hustling and bustling with people talking, jazz music playing on the background and a beautiful sky falling on the sun as it set on the beach. The ambiance was absolutely beautiful. The picture below was taken just as the sun had set, before the festival began.

Anyway, as the Jazz Festival started, we had to move between the Pavilion (Indoor Arena) and the 2nd Stage (On the beach). We had the priviledge to meet some of the best jazz musicians in the world. We managed to get their autographs and even take a few pictures with them. It was absolutely amazing. Right from the David Gomez Jazz Sextet, the KCP4 (now, this was unique and very good - imagine a combination of Classical Indian music with a flav of Contemporary Jazz). So very good, that's all I have to say. I was waiting for my favourite of it all, Lluis Coloma - the Boogie Woogie genius from Spain. I was in awe. As I play the piano, this was my main attraction. He was burning the keys on the piano. And when I say burning, he was literally doing that. People were dancing and enjoying the boogie woogie that he was giving. While it was going on, I had to run out of the Pavilion to the souvenir booth to get his CD. Thankfully, it was the last copy. I ran back in to get it signed by the maestro. Such an amazing musician, but so very humble. He obliged for autographs from anyone who went up to him. Now, after Lluis Coloma, came the Dirty Dozen Brass Band from New Orleans. They were fantastic. They played songs like 'When The Saints Go Marching In'. So everyone was singing, dancing and clapping their hearts out.

We thought the night would end young - as we were on our way out of the hotel, I saw my old time friend from Ipoh, Jay. What a suprise it was. I had been trying to get in touch with him for so long. Anyway, we met up and the rest was history. He took us to so many places in Miri. Started our at Cheerie Berries a local Miri pub located in the heart of Miri, where all the famous pubs and bars are located. Then for some food and we headed back to our hotel.

12th May 2007 (Sat) - Had a good nights' rest and upon waking up at about 12 noon, Jay called me. He wanted to take me to his house and to drive around the coastal roads of Miri. So, we went to his house. It was beautiful. The guys (Capt. Harry and First Officer Charlie - both pilots with Air FAX, the local airline in Borneo and Jay) stay together in this huge bungalow, located at Luak Bay. This bungalow is situated about 300m from the sea. So as we open the balcony doors, you can see the views of the sunrise and the sunsets. Amazing sight. Anyway, we left early as we had to get ready for the 2nd night of the Jazz Festival. Headed back to the hotel, got ready, charged a bit of the CHIVAS and left for Parkcity Hotel. Upon arriving, this time, we had all the guys over. They had a certain connection at the hotel so, they brought in about 4 bottles of Jack Daniels. So, the night was a night of bourbon.

Just before we got the bourbon started, we had a round of beers. On the picture, from left to right: Eugene (from Lithuania), Charlie, Harry, Jam and Jay

The 2nd night was even better. We had lots to eat and drink. But I was not missing out on the JAZZ. Music was awesome. As I said earlier, the bands that came were very very good. Their performances were flawless. On the 2nd night we had the oppurtunity to watch the George WashingMachine Quartet, Habana Sax and again the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Their performances were absolutely amazing - and yet, very humble - hanged out with us and with everyone at the Festival. This was a tiring night as we were singing and dancing 'like mad'. So, after the night had ended at the Parkcity, we headed to the 'Mini-Bangsar' of Miri. Chilled there for a few hours, drank some more, played a lot of pool and headed back to the hotel to rest.

13th May 2007 (Sun) - After 2 nights of good music, we thought today we would give it a rest. So, we rested for a while longer at our hotel. But not for too long, Jay called us for a drink. So, we headed out for a while. Ate one of the best satays I have ever eaten. Drank at the beach. Now, picture this - sitting by the beach, beautiful sunset, sea breeze blowing, with a glass of Jack Daniels. If that is not good enough, I don't know what is, hehehehe!

After that, we headed back to the house, chilled with the other guys, drank a bit more and headed for some food. But we had to come back early as Harry and Charlie were flying the next morning. They had an early flight. So, we came back and slept.

14th May 2007 (Mon) - I've never felt this pissed off ever. I was about to leave Miri. Miri was absolutely awesome. Met a lot of good friends, enjoyed the music thoroughly, good and cheap food, cheap beers - oh yeah, I almost missed it - On the 1st day, Jam and I went to this chinese shop for some food. So, I thought of having a beer. I asked the waiter, how much is a can of Tiger, she said, "We don't sell by singular cans, if you want, we have 3 cans for RM11". Now, for a guy from KL, 3 cans for RM11 is 'freakin' cheap. So, for those of you beer drinkers, you will enjoy Miri, hehehe! And by the way, it is the same price for any beer - Heineken, Tiger, Carlsberg, Stella Artois, etc. So, if you're going to Miri - Chinese shop la, apa lagi!

Anyway, we woke up early on Mon, got ready, Jay picked us up for lunch. Then, we went back to the hotel, packed our bags and checked out. Upon doing so, we went to his house. Chilled there. Till about 4.30pm, then we left for the airport. @ the airport we met Harry and Charlie who were just back from their flights - we had a drink with them and they left, poor guys were so tired from their hours and hours of flying. Anyway, our flight was scheduled to depart early. We were in the plane by 6.45pm (supposed to be 7.00pm) and we reached KL by 8.50pm. It was a smooth flight. We took the SkyBus from the LCCT to KL Sentral and then our PUTRA back home.

Upon reaching home, we were still missing Miri. But we have decided to go again. So, Miri, till then, take care and WE WILL BE BACK!

Here are some of the pictures taken :

Jam and myself - picture taken from the beach of Parkcity Everly Hotel

David Gomes and the Jazz Sextet mesmirising the crowd

David Gomes, myself and Junji Delphino

The sunset on the 2nd day @ Parkcity

Jay and myself at the Tanjung beach

A sight to be reckoned with. Taken at the Tanjung Beach.

Well, that is all for now. I will be posting more pictures soon, so please be patient. Cheers!

Miri....Here We Come!

Wow! I can't wait for our Miri trip. Jam and I have been talking about it for the past 2 months. It is not so much the trip to Miri, but we're more excited about the many jazz artistes' we will be meeting at the Miri International Jazz Festival. Among the stars that will grace the festival are : The Dirty Dozen Brass Band from New Orleans, Havana Sax Quintet from Cuba and my all time favourite Lluis Coloma the genius of a boogie-woogie pianist from Spain.

Jam being Jam, is so fussy that everything is done properly. He has printed out all the details, travel schedules and everything to its very detail - to ensure that nothing goes wrong. I hope and pray everything goes according to plan. We will be leaving KL on the 11th of May and returning on the 14th. In fact the festival is only for the first 2 days. We thought, since we are going so far, might as well, go around a bit and explore the town. I'll be posting after the trip with pictures. So, do look forward to posting next week.

For those of you who want to know about this event, kindly click the URL below. Cheers!

http://www.mirijazzfestival.com/2007/en/about_miri_jazz_festival.htm

Happy Mother's Day...

Some of you may have read the posting earlier on parents - however, this entry is to wish all the mothers in the world, especially my dearest Amma a very Happy Mother's Day. My mum has been my pillar of strength, my source of encouragement and my ever so loving friend. She, in fact has been the only TRUE friend I have ever had since birth. I can talk to her about anything at all. Whenever I go back home to meet Appa and Amma, I will always cherish the time we spend together. We sit down and have a drink together (she sips her favourite red wine - Lambrasco, while I'll have my Tiger beer) while we watch the weekend Man Utd game or a Tamil movie that I only watch when I'm with her - I have never watched a Tamil movie on my own. We chill at the dining table talking about how our week had been. We humour ourselves with all the strange characters that we may have encountered during the week and so on. Some of the lads at work will be able to testify - Amma's cooking is THE BEST in the world. Everytime I go back to Melaka, she always cooks something different - from the mutton perattals, to the chicken varuvels, to the power-pack rassams not forgetting the assam pedas fish (her recent speciality). But whenever I go home the only thing I look forward to, is that warm hug and kiss she showers us with, as we enter the house. Then of course it is straight to the dining table, hehehehe.

It is such a pity that I can't spend this year's Mother's Day with Amma. I'll be off to Miri for the International Jazz Festival (will post about the event once I get back - 11th & 12th of May 2007). But I have promised her to be back the week after that. Can't wait for that.

Mums have always been the strength of a successful individual. I know my mum has not only been my strength, but also the only one who has been able to put up with all the nonsense that I have been up to. Now, when I say all the nonsense - I mean ALL the nonsense. I can proudly say that no other mum in the world would have been able to put up with me. But Amma, not only put up with me, she changed me through her prayers and her ever so abounding love. Thank you Amma.

Amma & Appa

During one of my reading sessions, I came across this story. A display of a mother's love for her child. Enjoy the read...

Love, Paid In Full…..

A little girl came up to her mum in the kitchen one evening whilst she was preparing dinner. She handed her mum a piece of paper she had been writing on. After drying her hands on the towel, her mum read it, and this is what it said :

For washing the car - RM8.00
For making my own bed this week - RM2.00
Going to the provision shop - RM2.50
Playing with little sister - RM1.50
Taking out the rubbish - RM2.00
Getting a good report card - RM20.00
And sweeping the corridor - RM5.00
TOTAL - RM41.00

Her mum looked at her standing there expecting payment. A thousand memories flashed through her mind. So she picked up a pen and turning the paper over, this is what she wrote :

For 9 months I carried you, growing inside me - No Charge
For the nights I sat up with you, doctored you - No Charge
For the toys, food and clothes and wiping your nose - No Charge
When you add it all up, the full cost of my love - No Charge

Well, when the little girl finished reading what her mum had written, she had great big tears in her eyes. She looked at her mum and said, “Mummy, I love you.” Then she took a pen and in great big letters, she wrote……..”PAID IN FULL”

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY AMMA!

Glory Glory Man Utd....

The Red Army has finally sealed the Premiership crown that we lost for the past 2 years. This was one of the toughest seasons ever. I would conclude that we have won the toughest league in the world. Sir Alex has concluded that, "This is the one". This was what he had been working towards. Not the FA Cup and not the UEFA Champions League. Although it may have been nice to have won all 3. But, in today's football world, we have to be realistic. To be honest, this is a much bigger win than the FA Cup or the UEFA Champions League - because without a doubt this is the BEST & the TOUGHEST league in the world.

What a season it has been? With Chelsea dominating the first few months of the season, some of us were sceptical about the earlier performances of our players. But we kept pressurising the Blues again and again, one game at a time. Eventually, we started telling ourselves that this is ours for the taking. We are not going to concede defeat again. Not this time. We have proved our critics wrong, that we are unworthy to win the Premiership again. 9 TIMES, that is the number of times we have proved our critics wrong. Anyway, it was not an easy win. It was a kick on the tooth when the Blues equalised against Arsenal in the late game last night. But when the result ended in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates it was impossible for Chelsea to chase us anymore.

It was a gritty performance by United in the derby when we won it 0-1. If not for a beautiful save by van der Sar, the title would have gone to the wire. So, now with the Premiership out of the way, it is time to save our best players for the FA Cup finals at the new Wembley and to give our juniors a chance to feel the intensity of the Premiership.

GLORY GLORY MAN UTD!

Man Utd....

The Red Army was humbled by a side that was eager to turn the 3-2 deficit to a romp at the San Siro. Yes. AC Milan played the match of their lives. It was hard to watch The Red Army failing to hold possession of the ball, giving away passes and not converting in the limited chances they had. Well, if you ask me, AC Milan played so well, that they were not so much interested in beating Man Utd convincingly (although they did), but what motivated them was to avenge the loss in Istanbul. So, congratulations to AC Milan on their splendid victory at the San Siro.

This year's Final would be an interesting match to watch. The Pudlians will want to win it to make them the 6 time winners of the competition and the only silverware they can ever win this season. Where as the Rossoneris are aiming to revenge the loss at Istanbul in 2005 and of course to win their only silverware this season. So, it will be a mouth-watering encounter. I will not miss it for the world - in my MAN UTD jersey!

My best wishes to Liverpool as the only surviving English team. 3 teams from the English Premier League and 1 Italian team qualified for the Semi-Finals. It will be a major let down if the Italian outfit win it. It would turn out to prove that the English are unworthy of Champions League pressure. I do hope Liverpool will salvage the pride of English football.

A lot of football fans across the world supporting different football clubs come up with so many excuses defending the pride of their team, whenever their team loses. I have heard: "The manager had the wrong choice of players" ; "This player didn't play well" ; "The referee was bias" ; "It was raining" ; "The team burned out too soon" and a whole lot of other nonsense. But if you ask me, why did Manchester United lose yesterday? It is simply because AC Milan was a better team - PERIOD. We lost to a better team. There is no regret in losing, because we have been playing well in all competitions (Premier League, FA Cup and the Champions League - till yesterday). So, let this loss motivate us to keep charging at the remaining 2 possible silverwares we could get out hands on.

Still and always Glory Glory Man Utd!

Love Your Parents...

Right after work, before I lie down to retire for the day, I will always read. During one of my reading sessions, I came across this story which tells us ir rather reminds us that we owe a great deal of gratitude towards our parents. I know, most of us will immediately acknowledge that we do love our parents. But think about it. How much time have you spent with your parents lately? When did you last visit them? Or better, when did you call them last? For those of you who haven't done any of the above, may the story below be a strong lesson for you. Remember, what goes around, will definitely come around one day.

Once there was a feeble woman whose husband had died and left her all alone, so she went to live with her son and his wife and their own little daughter. Every day the old woman’s sight dimmed and her hearing grew worse, and sometimes at dinner, her hands trembled so badly that the peas rolled off her spoon or the soup ran from her cup. The son and his wife could not help but be annoyed at the way she spilled her meal all over the table. And one day, after she knocked over a glass of milk, they told each other that enough was enough. They set up a small table for her in the corner next to the broom closet and made the old woman eat her meals there.

She sat all alone, looking with tear-filled eyes across the room at the others. Sometimes they spoke to her while they ate, but usually it was to scold her for dropping a bowl or a fork.

One evening just before dinner, the little girl was busy playing on the floor with her building blocks, and her father asked her what she was making. “I’m making a little table for you and mum,” she smiled, “so you can eat by yourselves in the corner someday when I get big”.

Her parents sat staring at her for some time and then suddenly both began to cry. That night they led the old woman back to her place at the big table. From then on she ate with the rest of the family, and her son and his wife never seemed to mind a bit when she spilled something every now and then.

Think about it …. BIRTH, OLD AGE, SICKNESS & DEATH COMES TO ALL … Until you know what old people are suffering…fearing…Until the time when your age is catching up…you will know that old people do not actually wish to go through what they may be going through… Try to understand them and splash them some happiness to break their suffering… Know that older people get more lonely…and just how many days will they be with you??? Take care of them like the way they did…love them like they have always loved you…before they are gone forever.

Appa & Amma (Dr. S. Batumalai & Mrs Elizabeth Batumalai) - Am I blessed to be born to the both of you. You are both God's greatest gifts to me.

Nut-Cracker

Today the Red Army face a very important game. We face AC Milan @ the San Siro. We are currently leading the aggregate with 3-2. But this will not be an easy win for us. We will have to fight it out till the final whistle to ensure ourselves a place in the Final. Congratulations to the Pudlians for getting through early this morning when they humbled Chelsea on penalty kicks. A scoreline of 1-1 (on aggregate) and 4-1 in penalties was simply too much for the Blues to bear (I'm sorry Rems!) Anyway, today we have to win.

I am rather happy with the overall performance of Man Utd. They have been steadily overcoming all games. For those of you who watched the last away game at Goodison Park - you know what I mean. If we can carry on with the same performances throughout the entire season, with only approximately 3-5 games left (I am assuming we qualify to the Finals). We will win the treble. Lets just hope and pray.

Glory Glory Man Utd!

Melaka.....

Saturday:
Was in Melaka last weekend. It was fun, fun, fun. We left KL in the morning. Shobs, met us @ the Asiajaya LRT station and we convoyed. Tasha hopped in with her, the boys drove with Caesar. Oh yeah, by the way, Jam came as well. We left KL at about 8am and reached Melaka just before 10am. It was a slow drive, stopped a couple of times.

Upon arriving, we headed to TESCO to buy all the stuff we needed for the BBQ later that night. Upon buying everything, headed home, cos mum had to marinate all the meats. After that we headed to the Stadium Tun Fatimah, Tasha's cousin Natasha was running. She is an athlete in the making. She is currently representing Melaka in 4x100. Her favourite events are the 100m, 200m and 4x100m. She reminds me of myself. How I used to be so active in the athletics team in my school. She did well, this being her first state outing and she was way younger than the rest of the runners. Jam took quite a few pics. They are posted below.

Anyway, got home to rest for a while and it was time to prepare for the BBQ. I got the fire started and we started cooking @ exactly 7.30pm. We had chicken drumsticks, lamb steaks and fish marinated with assam pedas. Tasha also made some lovely potato salad. Well, I started warming up for the night with a 6 pack of Tigers, Jam joined me later. The night ended @ home @ about 11, then we were off to Ringo's. Ringo wasnt around, so we drank till about 12.30am and left back home to rest - church the next day @ 8.30am, and I'm playing the piano for P&W.

Sunday:
After service, we went for bfast at Selvams - the best 'uth-appam' in the country. It was delicious. For those of you'll who don't know what 'uth-appam' is - well, it is a very thick thosai, but small, garnished with onions and chillies - nice. Goes very well with fish curry and a special chutney only found in Selvams. So, if you want to try it, come to Melaka, hehehehe! Moving on, after bfast, we went back to the stadium again to watch Natasha. It was over by the time we got there, but nevermind. Spent some time with Uncle John & Auntie Rani. Hans was @ church so we couldnt see him this time around. Anyway, after that we headed back home for a well deserved sleep, had a late lunch and headed back to KL.

So I can say that Melaka was absolutely awesome!!

Melaka II

Tasha and myself @ Pulau Melaka

Happy Birthday To You!

Anto' (Pastor In The Making) praying for me

My mum and my sister (Shobie Shobs) giving me a group hug

Shobie Shobs & Balla enjoying the lamb

Tasha, Uncle John, Natasha & Auntie Rani @ the Tun Fatimah Stadium

Our future 'Malaysian Queen of the Tracks'

Last Gasp Winner.....

Thank you Rooney! It was a game that was so high pulsed right from the kick-off to the final whistle. Well, the Rs did it again. This time it was Wayne Rooney who stole the limelight from Christiano Ronaldo. Watching it in the office with the guys as usual. Some sectors were Liverpool, some Chelsea, but most of us were the members of the Red Army. We were rallying our boys to grab that last minute winner. The scoreline was tied at 2-2. Goals from Ronaldo (5'), Kaka' (22') & (37') and Rooney's equaliser in the (59'). The pressure was beginning to pile up and Milan already have a 2 goal advantage going into the San Siro. The wonder boy delivered when it mattered the most. Rooney did it with sheer magnificence. It was a goal that one will find it hard to forget, looking at the circumstances. The final scoreline was Man Utd 3 AC Milan 2. Anyway, now it is all about holding the Milan defence in San Siro and grabbing an early goal to ensure our route to the final. Our first final in the last 8 years.

Anyway, more over the weekend. Will be going back to Melaka. We're having a small birthday celebration for the old boy. Possibly some pics to be updated this time. It has been a while since I posted some pictures.

Man Utd....

Man Utd should have beaten Boro over the weekend. I knew we were heading to victory after the first goal by Richardson. But when Ferdinand got injured, I thought to myself. Why now? Damn! It was his injury that allowed Viduka to equalise. Anyway, that is football. Well, now we have only 12 fit first-team worthy players. Can we win the treble? I will still say we can, provided we continue to play how we played throughout the season. Every game has to be played as if it is final of the UEFA Champions League game.

Well, I only hope and pray that we do not suffer any more injuries - because any more injuries will only damage our entire campaign plans.

Now that we have that out of the way, lets talk about the PFA Players awards. For the first time in 30 years, the accolades of PFA Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year went to the same recipient. CHRISTIANO RONALDO. The lad has been a real joy to watch throughout this season. The way he freaks the living daylights out of goalkeepers, defenders and midfielders with his ever so frequent step-overs and sprints.

Notably, in the PFA Dream Team of the Year, 8 players in the team were from Man Utd, namely: Edwin van der Sar, Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Christiano Ronaldo, Steven Gerrard, Didier Drogba & Dimitar Berbatov. Do I need to say more?

Glory Glory Man Utd!

A Year Older....damn!

Well, another year has passed. Getting older, hopefully wiser. It has truly been an interesting year. I'm sure this year will be the same as well. A lot of events to look forward to. I hope and pray everything goes according to plan.

As I was reminiscing my past birthdays, an article that I was reading yesterday struck me. I still remember how 'whacky' birthdays used to be. I remember smearing birthday boys with eggs, flour and water. A deadly concoction which sticks on your hair and school uniform for days if not soaked in hot water and soap instantly. It was fun though. Everyone got it. No one was spared. Boys from 4 / 5 Science 6 from St.Michael's Institution, Ipoh should be able to testify to this. Anyway, a year older is what we will all go through. So lets not complain about how older we get or how much of wrinkles we are seeing on our faces or how forgetful we are becoming, but think of how precious life is and how lucky we are to experience life for a whole new year. Remember, life is short. Enjoy it to the best!

A good read:
Since every year of age can be seen as a minor transition, this can be accompanied by some traditional initiation rite such as a birthday spanking, after which the honoree may in some traditions receive a "pinch to grow an inch." It is also traditional in schools in some areas of Britain to 'bump' people on their birthday. This involves them being hoisted face up by arms and legs and allowed to fall; pulling on the limbs restrains the fall so that the victim does not quite hit the ground. This is repeated for the number of the times when equaled to their birthday age. On one last hoist the celebrant is often allowed to fall to the ground on their backs. A less painful way is to be lifted in the air while sitting on a chair. Then the last lift is usually made higher than the others.

A similar tradition in schools are 'birthday beats' or 'birthday bashings' in which the birthday child receives a number of punches on their arm that equals their age (for example, 14 punches on the arm for a 14-year-old). Usually it is followed with a 'one for luck' punch which tends to be harder than the rest. Birthday beats are not often malicious but sometimes can be considered bullying and may ruin a child's special day. All hits can be given either on the day of the birthday, or the day following the birthday (in which case it would be called "belated birthday beats").

Glory Glory Man Utd!

Any ManUtd fan who did not watch the game early this morning is unworthy to call him/herself an MU fan. The game was AWESOME! Manchester United 7 and AS Roma 1. Yes, it is not a typo. 7-1 was the scoreline. Manchester United won with an aggregate of 8-3 to book ourselves a place with the Semi-Finals of the UEFA Champions League. Braces by Carrick & Ronaldo and singles by Rooney, Smith and Evra. What a night it was at Old Trafford - where dreams do come true. The Theatre of Dreams was again the venue for yet another glorious win for the Red Devils.

I was watching it in the office with a group of ardent football fans - some Liverpools (Raj & Kamal), Chelsea (Rems) and my fellow warriors of the Red Army (Shamsuri & Jay). We were the 'so-called' underdogs going into the 2nd leg of the QF match-up. But after the first goal, I had this gut feeling that we were going into the semis. The forthcoming goals after that, pretty much silenced the duo (Raj & Kamal). Hehehehehe!!

While we were glued to the tele, my friend Mark who is on work in Manchester, smses me and tells me that he is watching the game at Old Trafford. Arrrrrggggghhhhh!!!!!! To make things even more irritating, he is an Arsenal fan. Damn! How lucky some people are.

A new star is born in the midfields of the Red Devils - Michael Carrick. An awesome display by Giggs and Ronaldo. I believe, they mastered the entire attack for Man Utd. We hope to see the same performances in all three tournaments (Premiership, FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League) from the Devils.

Glory Glory Man Utd!

HE IS RISEN!

He Is Risen! What a celebration! Easter is such a meaningful celebration, because Jesus Christ died for all our sins and rose again 3 days later. You see, there is Crucifixion & Resurrection - how on earth did Easter bunnies and Chocolate covered eggs find its way to Easter. There is no meaning whatsoever. I hate it whenever such meaningful celebrations are commercialised. Anyway, that is Easter. He came, He died (for our sins) and He rose again. Thank you Jesus for giving us new life.

Anyway, the entire weekend, [which started on Friday for me], has ended. I am back @ work. It is so strange, the entire week of work moves ever so slowly, but the weekend, just ends in a second. Arrrggghhhh! Anyway, I am so proud of myself for completing the time of Lent without any consumption of alcohol. I vowed that I will not drink any alcohol throughout the Lent. I managed to do it. But, just to take it further, I will not drink for one more week. It was a good 46 days without any alcohol. You guys should try it too - we need to detox every once in a while you know.

More tomorrow. I will be visiting Ah Meng, my VW specialist in the morning. The beauty will be going in for a full restoration soon. So, till that happens, need to compile some ideas, get the engine running well and so on. So, tomorrow for a regular check up.

Cheers fellers!

Yummy Yummy!

I am in Melaka today. Just got back for the Easter weekend. It was a rather fast drive. We left Sec.14 at approx 7.30am and we reached our house in Melaka @ 8.55am. It wasn't jammed, so I enjoyed the morning drive. Upon arriving, I had to go to the Church to get the songs done. I am doing P&W trow. So, I am planning to introduce a new song. {Please click on the link below to watch the music video}. One of the most meaningful Easter songs I have ever come across [thanks Ems]. Upon getting the PPS done in Church got back to have lunch. Now, this was awesome. Mum cooked : Sambal assam pedas fish, frech beans with prawns, rassam, papaddam and some lime pickle. Awesome, simply awesome! I ate and ate and ate. It was so delicious. It is true that one does not appreciate the best of home cooked meals, until he/she leaves home for a while.

Anyway, we have P&W practice later today. I've got 2 other musicians helping me out - a bassist and a drummer. So, that's all for now. More later tonight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFmu1eUouaA