God Heart_RYGLE
One day, when I've found the missing piece in my heart, I will stand tall again - ANON
January 20, 2011
Quote for Day 19
January 19, 2011
Signposts - Are You Getting The Right Directions?
I couldn't believe it; I was out in Subang area somewhere, and could see from my passenger window, exactly how informative (and accurate) the motorcyclists’ signs were, then noticed that the signposts for the actual highway we were driving on were not so "user-friendly".
Fish Crossing Traffic Signs_OCAL
I did find this abnormality amusing though. I may be inconvenienced by having to reverse down the highway to take a missed turn, but at least someone, assuming they even look at the signs, is getting the right directions. I just wish it were us.
Bringing Light and Life to the Needy
Sometimes I think a lot of charitable acts for charity-inclined events for the deserving are forced. Not forced by the organisors of such charitable events and acts but “forced” response from the public.
Let’s be honest. How many of us “give” sincerely at charitable events? Most times, we hand out our donations under batted breath. Some are even thick-skinned enough to add: “I’m here already so have to give mehhh.”
Give, but give sincerely because whatever little you give are honestly appreciated by the needy. And perhaps, because not all of us have been in a situation that the needy have been in all their lives we will not understand how even the simplest effort we make to improve their life matters.
Light Up is an innovative charity project started by local indie web design company Immerse. And this project, launched to commemorate the start of 2011 is heavily associated to the kind of work that Immerse creates.
The idea behind Light Up is solely to help the needy and for a start, three charitable homes – Persatuan Warga Tua & Kanak-Kanak (Kepong, KL), Sinthamani Orphanage (Jinjang, KL) and Happiness Centre (Melaka) have been brought under Immerse’s wings.
Its online portal www.immerse.com.my/lightup was created and then launched on Jan 7 as the “home” for Light Up.
How does the Light Up project works?
“It is basically getting people to send New Year greetings from the site,” explained Kerry Khoo who is the Creative Director of Immerse.
To send a greeting we first have to choose a colour for our message. This colour will take the form of a light, which is then plotted on the Malaysian map to indicate where the message comes from.
Each colour light represents a home and the more lights a home has, the more money from the company’s fund pool, is contributed to the home.
“By choosing a colour for their light, people are directly choosing a home which they feel needs support,” said Kerry.
So please spare some time and participate by logging on to the website www.immerse.com.my/lightup
In one of the pages of the website you will find a map of Malaysia and scattered all over it are the lights in the different colours indicating the number of visitors that have logged in. If you'd like to read the New Year greetings sent by these visitors, all you do is click on any area in the map and the messages will pop out.
That is all that's required by visitors - just choose the colour light to indicate which home need the most help and the rest will be done by the team from Immerse.
Your contribution will go a long way and for a good cause. It is time to give back, the way Immerse is doing after being in the business for the past seven years.
The more people know about the plight of the occupants of these homes, the better it is. And this too will be proof to Immerse that all the effort and thought they have put into the Light Up project isn’t a wasted effort.
Let’s be honest. How many of us “give” sincerely at charitable events? Most times, we hand out our donations under batted breath. Some are even thick-skinned enough to add: “I’m here already so have to give mehhh.”
Give, but give sincerely because whatever little you give are honestly appreciated by the needy. And perhaps, because not all of us have been in a situation that the needy have been in all their lives we will not understand how even the simplest effort we make to improve their life matters.
Light Up is an innovative charity project started by local indie web design company Immerse. And this project, launched to commemorate the start of 2011 is heavily associated to the kind of work that Immerse creates.
The idea behind Light Up is solely to help the needy and for a start, three charitable homes – Persatuan Warga Tua & Kanak-Kanak (Kepong, KL), Sinthamani Orphanage (Jinjang, KL) and Happiness Centre (Melaka) have been brought under Immerse’s wings.
Its online portal www.immerse.com.my/lightup was created and then launched on Jan 7 as the “home” for Light Up.
How does the Light Up project works?
“It is basically getting people to send New Year greetings from the site,” explained Kerry Khoo who is the Creative Director of Immerse.
To send a greeting we first have to choose a colour for our message. This colour will take the form of a light, which is then plotted on the Malaysian map to indicate where the message comes from.
Each colour light represents a home and the more lights a home has, the more money from the company’s fund pool, is contributed to the home.
“By choosing a colour for their light, people are directly choosing a home which they feel needs support,” said Kerry.
So please spare some time and participate by logging on to the website www.immerse.com.my/lightup
In one of the pages of the website you will find a map of Malaysia and scattered all over it are the lights in the different colours indicating the number of visitors that have logged in. If you'd like to read the New Year greetings sent by these visitors, all you do is click on any area in the map and the messages will pop out.
That is all that's required by visitors - just choose the colour light to indicate which home need the most help and the rest will be done by the team from Immerse.
Your contribution will go a long way and for a good cause. It is time to give back, the way Immerse is doing after being in the business for the past seven years.
The more people know about the plight of the occupants of these homes, the better it is. And this too will be proof to Immerse that all the effort and thought they have put into the Light Up project isn’t a wasted effort.
January 18, 2011
Nightmares for the disabled
For the very first time ever, I visited Hospital Kuala Lumpur this morning, to take a wheelchair-bound person for a check-up/consultation. Whilst I won't bitch about the doctors or nurses (they were surprisingly helpful and accommodating - I don't believe I am being nice here), my bitch is with the car-parks.
There were no disabled parking bays anywhere near the unit that we were heading to! After 35 minutes of searching, I finally found one, a 10-minute walk from the unit I was heading to.
My gripe is not so much with this, but the only available bay was on rough rock interspersed with muddy pools. Imagine trying to push a wheelchair through that?
Artwork by NewsFlashMedia
Cliparts: http://www.openclipart.org/ & http://www.clker.com/
Now come on people, a hospital is for the sick. Is the car-park designed to create further injury to drum up business? It certainly seemed that way.
Common sense in providing more accessible bays for patients and caregivers is a very small step that could be taken, not to mention simple common sense, to provide better service for the elderly and disabled.
Ok, I don't want to be a rights activist for the old and the infirm, but be reasonable, have a bit of compassion, and provide better facilities for these people - they need a little help to make their already challenging life a little easier!
Knock-out Local Talents
This evening, Avon’s Public Relations Manager, Elaine Aisyah Abdullah rushed us some of the snapshots taken at the event and a brief account of what happened.
A lot of work had been put into the Sunday event and Avon Malaysia mentioned that only the first 300 registrations will be accepted. As it turned out, there were only 100 registrations. Therefore, the initial plan of picking 50 finalists from the 300 registrants went down to 34 selected finalists instead.
Now that isn’t bad news, really. If any of you people out there can sing but did not turn up at the talent search then it is your loss at a chance for the big win – a once in a lifetime to enjoy one-on-one vocal coaching by professionals in the business, rehearsals and in-studio recordings in the USA where you will be flown to as well as bathe in the luxury of attending styling sessions and Avon makeovers.
The 34 finalists selected on Sunday received RM200 worth of Avon hampers on top of getting their recorded performances on the day uploaded to www.avonvoice.com for the big win.
The contestants delivered all kinds of songs but the most popular according to Elaine Aisyah were How Do I Live (Without You), (You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Woman and I believe I Can Fly.
The panel of judges, who are all talents themselves, wooed the crowd with their very own renditions of How Do I Live (Alyah) while Marsha sang her own composition Bila.
Level 2 of KL Sentral attracted a lot of attention from the crowd present and many came over to Avon’s counters to claim their free makeovers and other special offers on some of Avon’s selected products.
Thumbs up to Avon Malaysia for encouraging our local talents and supporting them to participate in this international event.
For more information, go here:
http://www.avonvoices.com
http://www.facebook.com/avonvoices
http://www.twitter.com/avonvoice
January 17, 2011
Commiting to a commitment
Yes dear readers, I am committed to the Daily Bitch and you will be seeing a lot more of me here.
The commitment I am thinking about is "others" commitment to things, whether it be personal or professional.
A commitment is not a fleeting fancy, a fad, an optional experience. It is a long term obligation from one person to follow through on what they promise.
A commitment cannot be taken lightly, but seriously. Once you commit to something, man up and do it.
Don't Tread On Me (Banana Peel Remix)_NERD42
If you can't fulfil, don't run away, but own up and say "hey, I can't do this on time", or better yet, be humble (and earn some respect along the way) by saying, "hey, could I please have a little help".
A commitment is a promise.
Your credibility as an individual, regardless of the situation, is based upon your ability to uphold your commitments.
It is ok to fail, but it is never ok not to try.
Respect comes through trying, not only succeeding, but respect is always lost when someone reneges on a commitment without making an effort.
Quote for Day 17
You can't fight me, you're miniature. You fight like a hamster - No Strings Attached
January 16, 2011
Diary of an Istanbul Tragic
Story & Photos: kampunghouse
Diary of an Istanbul Tragic is written by kampunghouse. This article is part of a series of recollections of Istanbul, more of which can be found on the writer's website www.kampunghouse.wordpress.com
It’s been almost a month since my first ever trip to Istanbul, a dream 13 years in the making and the culmination of a year’s savings from my job as a waiter.
Sitting at my desk listening to a Turkish folk song, catching up on the news from Hürriyet Daily, the only reminder that I’m actually back in Malaysia is the view across my room – rolling green hills struggling to maintain their allure from the encroaching development of suburbia.
Lately my lazy daydreams of Istanbul have become longer yet more distorted, as I cling desperately to the fading memories of the time spent there – a criminally short five days.
How did I end up in this state of being, an Istanbul tragic in the midst of equatorial Malaysia? I hope to find the answer myself, as I jot down the details of my journey – retracing the steps like a latter-day Hitchcock – from an average guy to a tourist madly in love with a city he barely knew.
I remember reading about Istanbul, while researching through a list of potential cities to visit – Barcelona, Florence, Amsterdam, Stockholm – and being captivated by the intense history, a story of conquests, defeat, agony and victory built up over thousands of years.
I remember reading about the Ottoman Sultans, their ambitious conquests from the steppes of Central Asia to the gates of Constantinople, as Istanbul was known then; the privilege and excesses of court life and their obsession with tulips.
In particular, I remember coming across an article* about the final days of Sultan Ahmet III and the indulgent lifestyle that brought his downfall:
“Each spring the imperial gardens were filled with prize tulips. Songbirds in gilded cages supplied the music, and hundreds of giant tortoises carrying candles on their backs lumbered through the gardens, further illuminating the display. All the guests were required to dress in colors that flattered those of the tulips. The doors to the harem were flung open, and the Sultan´s mistresses stepped into the garden led by eunuchs bearing torches. The whole scene was repeated every night for as long as the tulips were in bloom, for as long as Sultan Ahmet managed to cling to his throne.”
I knew I had to visit Istanbul.
*Adapted from The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan. Pages 82-83. New York, 2001
Diary of an Istanbul Tragic is written by kampunghouse. This article is part of a series of recollections of Istanbul, more of which can be found on the writer's website www.kampunghouse.wordpress.com
Aya Sofya (aka Haghia Sophia) on the left and the Sultanahmet Mosque (aka Blue Mosque) on the right.
It’s been almost a month since my first ever trip to Istanbul, a dream 13 years in the making and the culmination of a year’s savings from my job as a waiter.
Sitting at my desk listening to a Turkish folk song, catching up on the news from Hürriyet Daily, the only reminder that I’m actually back in Malaysia is the view across my room – rolling green hills struggling to maintain their allure from the encroaching development of suburbia.
A vista of Istanbul's European side (Avrupa), taken from the Asian side (Anadolu).
Lately my lazy daydreams of Istanbul have become longer yet more distorted, as I cling desperately to the fading memories of the time spent there – a criminally short five days.
How did I end up in this state of being, an Istanbul tragic in the midst of equatorial Malaysia? I hope to find the answer myself, as I jot down the details of my journey – retracing the steps like a latter-day Hitchcock – from an average guy to a tourist madly in love with a city he barely knew.
An elderly man looking across the Bosphorus towards Dolmabahce Palace (not the palace mentioned in the article...the palace in the article is unknown).
I remember reading about Istanbul, while researching through a list of potential cities to visit – Barcelona, Florence, Amsterdam, Stockholm – and being captivated by the intense history, a story of conquests, defeat, agony and victory built up over thousands of years.
I remember reading about the Ottoman Sultans, their ambitious conquests from the steppes of Central Asia to the gates of Constantinople, as Istanbul was known then; the privilege and excesses of court life and their obsession with tulips.
The view across the Bosphorus to Karaköy (ancient name Galata), which used to be the quarter of the Genoese traders during Ottoman times.
In particular, I remember coming across an article* about the final days of Sultan Ahmet III and the indulgent lifestyle that brought his downfall:
“Each spring the imperial gardens were filled with prize tulips. Songbirds in gilded cages supplied the music, and hundreds of giant tortoises carrying candles on their backs lumbered through the gardens, further illuminating the display. All the guests were required to dress in colors that flattered those of the tulips. The doors to the harem were flung open, and the Sultan´s mistresses stepped into the garden led by eunuchs bearing torches. The whole scene was repeated every night for as long as the tulips were in bloom, for as long as Sultan Ahmet managed to cling to his throne.”
I knew I had to visit Istanbul.
*Adapted from The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan. Pages 82-83. New York, 2001
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