The frog croaks!

In unity....we walked for Freedom...

2011-11-29T16:25:00.005+08:00

Malaysian bar council supported by random members of the public walked today...to challenge a bill that will repress our rights to walk...Najib...wake up...we do not need an idiot to control the people...we need someone to govern us in a fair and good manner...

United as one...we chanted...Hidup Rakyat!!! Bebas Berhimpun!!!

I'll let the pictures say the rest...but damn am I getting prouder and prouder of my country... =)

BRAZIL IN KL ....CAPOEIRA FOR EVERYONE!!! AXE!!!!

2011-11-09T10:27:00.000+08:00

In the month of November 2011, the Bantus Capoeira Group will be having their annual Ritmo Do Brazil 2011 event.All those interested in the art of capoeira or some brazilian styled fun welcome!!! Please circulate!!!!

7 Billion People!

2011-10-31T16:16:00.005+08:00

An interesting piece of news caught my attention today on BBC. There is now officially 7 billion people in the world...that a 7 followed by 9 zeros!

When I was born on April 22nd 1980, there were only 4,437,950,810....I was the number 4,437,950,811 according to the special counter where you can insert your date of birth and see where you stand here

Wow...7 billion people....I guess it would be pretty hard to say I am one of a kind seeing that our unique traits will probably be coincidentally repeated by someone in the 7 billion...however,contradicting myself,it is truly a wonder that we are all still uniquely one in such a large number due simply to the fact that as a living being we evolve and mutate away from one another genetically becoming a unique one though having a common whole.

Doctors, Lawyers, Scientist,Teachers, Terrorist, Spies, Student, Filmmakers,Engineers,Botanist,Athletes,Prostitutes, Actors, Drivers...our species is truly unique in our sheer diversity in our work, fashion and food.I hope we celebrate our diversity...

I really hope being aware of how many people now share this planet... our species will clean up our act and be more environmentally friendly or we could really quickly deplete our resources resulting in our own suffering...

Cheers to all of you!!!!! My 7 billion friends!!!!

BRIDES MAIDS

2011-08-17T22:43:00.000+08:00

16th August 2011 Cineleisure
Distributor : Universal/UIP
Release Date: May 13,2011 (USA)

I am not someone who will walk into a chick flick voluntarily. I skipped titles like sex and the city, definately and made of honour. When the poster of this movie is a couple of girls against a wall dressed up as brides maids and the poster further emphasize the fact with a huge glaring title 'BRIDES MAIDS' I honestly thought of staying away...far, far away.

However, I was curious to see this movie as producer Judd Apatow was involved and he seem to have knack about portraying the most ridiculous scenarios into absolute comic gems like 'knocked up' and 'the 40 year old virgin'.

The movie starts very unassumingly...with an exterior of a house and a sex scene where our lead protagonist Annie is having sex with a man who requests that she cups his balls. It follows with a scene of the morning after where Annie is freshening up before sneaking back into bed pretending she's always this pretty when awakes in the morning. Desperate for someone to love she's hoping he'll fall for her but he asked her to leave the house instead. Annie's effort here outlines the rest of the film where she is just desperate to pull her life together amidst the sudden announcement of her best friend’s wedding. There is also someone new in the picture competing for the affection of her best friend since childhood to further bump her off her equilibrium.

The shots in this movie are also framed very conservatively, the camera and lights were not actively used to create the excitement as the spice of the show did not come from visual but the performances. The performances in the film were so strong that it seems almost deliberate that the camera should be as ordinary as it is. Kristen Wiig performance was at the brink of being comedically overbearing but she still managed a very subtle sincere vulnerability comedy aside which made her character immensely relatable and ever so watchable throughout the dialogue character driven film. The rest of the cast supported her well.

The film does not look expensive to make but it has already made an immensely profitable USD$265,321,170 worldwide which is not suprising seeing that I laughed, reflected and enjoyed myself wholly up to the very much appreciated heart-warming tinge of an end. I would admit that I actually enjoyed and recommend this chick flick!

9/10

Praying for Peace.Allahu Akbar

2011-05-03T01:37:00.008+08:00

I actually stood on the grounds of ground zero on the 8th aniversary of 911 two years ago... None of my relatives died on 911 but at ground zero...I knelt down and cried...overwhelmed by the overall outpouring of grief by friends and family of the victims of September 11th.
Osama Bin Laden is an evil evil man.Today he is dead.

Everything on TV is about Osama being killed today. Even though he may have promoted evil and the death of many...We should all pray for the soul of our lost brother Osama Bin Laden...we are all a family in God's eye...we should all learn to forgive and love...it is the only way we can ultimately have peace and bring foward the Kingdom of God....allahu akbar...

Please do not be too quick to kill a snake.

2011-04-28T10:06:00.008+08:00

English name: Paradise tree snake
Family : Colubridae
Species: Chrysopelea paradisi
Maximum Size : 1.2 metres

This is a paradise Tree snake. I just removed it from my neighbour's house.This morning, my neighbours rang my doorbell at about 8.50am and alerted me that they found a snake in their house.I was still half asleep in my night clothes but excitedly I proceeded to their house...I didn't expect to find a paradise tree snake as these snake normally live high in the canopy of trees but somehow this one managed to slither down into my neighbour's house.It is a beautiful snake...this one is slightly injured and thus very aggresive, probably because my neighbours were poking at it with a stick before they called me.

Though fast, when I finally got hold of it...I picked it up with my bare hands and removed it quite easily.It bit me twice when I tried to photograph it though...but that is no matter as the venom of these snakes are very weak and only enough to immobilize a lizard.Now that you know...Should any one of you encounter these snakes in your house in future...please do not hit it with a stick and kill it...a child's fish net is sufficient to catch these little snakes.Then place it in a jar/box/pillowcase and release it i where there are loads of trees.

It is unfortunate how snakes has a bad reputation with most people who would be too quick to just kill it.Often a snake attacks only because it is in distress and wants to defend itself or if it wants to eat. It should be noted that some girls would attack a guy unfairly too if they are unfamiliar with a guy and feel a threat. Now we don't go around kicking girls do we? Once a snake realizes that you are not a threat and you obviously do not qualify for dinner, they are wonderful companions who would just slither harmlessly around you...

Name: Monty
English Name: Reticulated Python
Species:Python Reticulatus
Family:Pythonidae
Maximum size: 9 metres

A snake slithered into the office of St. Francis Xavier church. It was initially aggressive and even bit the priest Father Simon Yong.However...with regular handling it gradually understood that Human meant no threat and could be friends. Today he is the church snake and bring alot of joy to the parishioners of the church. He has been named Monty.

Name : Blade (RIP)
English Name: Oriental Whip Snake
Scientific Name:Aheatulla Prasina
Family: Colubridae
Maximum size: 2metres

Blade which belonged to Carol Teoh and once lived with me also brought alot of joy to the kids at church.

English Name: King Cobra
Scientific Name:Ophiophagus Hannah
Family:Elapidae
Maximum Size: 5 metres

Some snakes like the king cobra are very venomous and could potentially kill you. These snakes I am not even ready to handle. The above picture was taken under close supervision by a professional handler. However judging all snakes by the reputation of a king cobra is like associating a kindergarten girl to a terrorist or a murderer. But even king cobras are in nature un-confrontational and would slither away peacefully if given the chance.

So next time you see a snake...please have some sense and compassion and don't be too quick to kill the snake.

If you really need to vent your frustrations...there are better things to kill...

I do really wonder though how the politicians in our country do terrible things and we can still find the compassion to let them live...

Blessed Good Friday

2011-04-23T01:16:00.000+08:00

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.

To all my Catholic friends...remember

"TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE"
(Luke 23:43)

Have a Blessed Good Friday and Easter Season. =)

SARAWAK ELECTIONS 2011.PEOPLE ALLIANCE'S (PAKATAN RAKYAT) RALLY.

2011-04-16T00:51:00.010+08:00

If I were Taib Mahmud tonite...I'd probably drop to my knees and cry...I think it is quite overwhelming to have over 30 000 odd people jeering at you and chanting how much they hate you and want you to fall.

The Pakatan Rakyat(People's Alliance) had a major political rally tonight; as it is the eve of polling day tommorow for the Sarawak Elections 2011. Giving no free gifts and having no cute singers to grace the stage but relying purely on politicians highlighting political agendas; they impressively pulled in a monstrous crowd of about 30 000 people. A friend had this to say..."I bet BN is frustrated that they have to pay alot of money and monkey with dubious gimmicks like 'lucky draws' to get their small crowd while PKR impressively draw out thousands of people without promising them gifts. They even get them to part with their money willingly in support of the party when they ask for campaign contributions from the crowd.

It was obvious that I wasn't the only one mesmerized at the sights of the flags waving and the crowd all cheering "Ubah! Ubah! Ubah!" when the police showed up as early as 8.00pm with the intent to stop the gathering. It was not the first incident aroused by an obviously jealous and fearful opponent. Earlier in the day Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan of Bersih 2.0(The Coalition For Free and Fair Election) was also denied entry into Sarawak.

Grabbing the flags, the police who jumped up on stage uninvited tried to usher Chong Siew Chiang off the stage and end the rally but they were outnumbered by a flurry of party supporters who also rushed up on stage to keep the flags flying and to defend the Chong Siew Chiang by any means.

This resulted in a short tussle and I actually saw a glimpse of confusion in a few of the policemen faces who were obviously caught unprepared by how passionate and willing everyone was in keeping the flag flying high.Those off the stage cheered "UBAH! UBAH!" ever louder! Chong Siew Chiang immediately asked everyone to calm. He then politely asked what do the police officers want? A representative of the police said that the rally had to be stopped.The speaker posed the request to the people saying, "The police wants us to stop tonight..do you people want to stop?" The crowd shouted "No!" The speaker then said..."Well, we do not hurt these policemen, they are only working...doing their job,doing what BN has asked them to do to stop us gathering here!" The crowd went "Boo" Then as quickly as they appeared...the policemen shamefully disappeared.For a moment,I stood at awe, marveling at how stupid BN can be to provide free entertainment and to further demonstrate their capability at abusing power, effectively firing enthusiasm and support for me to vote for their rival political party. The night went on smoothly from there...first up was Tony Pua.

As he began to talk it also began to rain but nobody ran off...umbrellas came out but cheers were as loud if not louder.Then they went on to some light entertainment with Violet Yong as she sang various improvised songs about how Taib is a fool and should go while the crowd sang after her...Christina Chiew also arrived on stage after.A thunderous "Karpal!Karpal!Karpal!" preludes to the arrival of one of the highlight of the night, Karpal Singh. He arrive with a huge smile. Karpal was followed by Sim Kwan Yang,See Chew How, Chong Chieng Jen, Nurul Izzah binti Anwar and Nga Khor Ming respectively.
The agenda of the night was obvious.Among the things addressed were...(and these are not in verbatim...i scribbled down what I can in between taking pictures)

1)How BN should be shameful that they stop us from having free speech and highlighting our problems by banning media such as Malaysiakini.

2)How BN still admit to making mistakes. If you have not learn to govern in 50 over years, they should no longer be given a chance.

3)PAS will not turn the country into an Islamic one like BN claims...PAS respect that the country is made by many different religions and will respect the religion of others unlike BN who tried to outlaw the Christians using Allah and defacing the bible! PAS cannot and will not touch the rights of christians to use the word Allah.

4)Koh Su Khoon is nothing but a cowering 'Kao-Tao' SUPP has no balls.

5)While the Barisan National is in a position to deceive the people, the people has woken up and now the people must show their anger,the people must protest by voting BN out!

6)Vote for wht you want.Not what 'white hair' wants.

7)We love our mothers and fathers so we will give a special ang pao to all retirees every year.

8)At Sibu, the prime minister famously said 'you help me,I help you'...how come nobody arrest the prime minister then??? It is illegal what he is doing. What we are doing tonight is legal and the police dare do something illegal like disturbing and arresting us?

9)As we all know,we must defeat BN and win our freedom and defend our rights before all our freedom is lost.

10)Tommorow we send 15 rockets against BN!

Remembered how I said earlier that BN had to pay or provide gifts for people to attend ceramahs? Well, the final tally of the contributions to PKR tonite amounts to RM51,406. The crowds extended all the way to the back where some brave uncomfortable grass and muddy grounds. More people would sit on small stools across the storm drain next to the main road attentively listening to the dreams that lay ahead for all of us.

I smiled tonite.My country may actually change...wait...let me put that more correctly...I may actually have a country soon. Seeing how BN treats the Chinese and Indians like the 'pendatang' , stamp a book I consider sacred and various other atrocities...I really don't feel like I belong to a country. All the whiles the Malays are too short charged while only cronies prosper...'Ubah!' means change...

Today...in about 5 hours...Sarawak will start voting. I will hold in my hands a vote...I will hold in my hand the future of my country. Democracy can be a very romantic thing...I get to have a choice in choosing what dreams I want... I am quite sure I will be making the right choice...

I hope others will do the same.

It's time...REFORMASI!!! HIDUP MALAYSIA!!!

Magnitude 8.9 earthquake rocks Japan

2011-03-11T16:47:00.003+08:00

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-japan-quake-20110311,0,1950058.story

Al Jazeera English: Live Stream - Watch Now - Al Jazeera English

Hold My Hand. Micheal Jackson

2010-12-10T08:31:00.004+08:00

This is Micheal Jackson's newly released music video....and a new song.

I think this is absoultely gorgeous and the King of Pop is so alive in spirit and good will...someday, if I die and have left something so beautiful behind...I'll smile to myself in my grave knowing that I have done well...thank you micheal, you are truly a legend...

I Hope My New Film 'Prayer' Provokes People

2010-09-28T23:42:00.007+08:00

I am sorry I have been away again from this blog. I have been busy dividing my day between client work and a new short film entitled Prayer.

Prayer is a my own personal response to how sad the state of affairs is in my country; a country that is quick to declare religious tolerance in its tourism brochures and yet it has, in the span of a year, demonstrated its intolerance on more than one occasion.

I respect Islam. How can I not when many of my friends are of the Islamic faith. In fact, Muslim law considers Jews and Christians 'protected people'(dhimmi)and does not encourage their conversion to Islam. Muslim persecution of the dhimmi was not only forbidden by Islamic law; the Prophet also warned: 'He who wrongs a Jew or a Christian will have me as his accuser on the day of Judgement!'

So how can the modern, educated, so-called peace-loving Muslims in my country be so ignorant as to torch a church over the Christians' use of the word Allah. Do they not know the word Allah is derived from the word al - 'the' and ilāh - 'God'? Allah simply means 'The God'. I am not picking on all Muslims, mind you. The Catholic faith has had, through the centuries, it's fair share of faults. It's just very sad to me that many are quick to be outraged and slow to learn about their religion and to actually pray.

When I asked a close Muslim friend of mine what she thinks of Jesus, she answered: 'I will not be a good Muslim if I don't respect Jesus for he is a prophet in Islam.' I teared immediately at her answer.
So what is my short film prayer about? Am I trying to provoke people?

When asked, I tell people that my new short film is about 'a ten year old girl going on jihad'. Almost immediately, I can see a weird expression on their face. To them, I may as well have said 'ten year old suicide bomber!' and admit to being the next Namewee. Somehow the word Jihad is synonymous with Terrorist. Actually the true meaning of the word Jihad means 'religious struggle'. Something I go through everyday as a Catholic, and something any God fearing person of any religion should go through in their journey of faith.

Insya-Allah, my new film prayer will provoke people... provoke them in a good way, and inspire them to pray for peace, hope and love. I think our country Malaysia desperately needs it.

KEEPING COCKROACHES

2010-08-15T14:36:00.002+08:00

Yes. Among my many hobbies, I keep cockroaches. I love them. I've kept cockroaches when I was young.Before the onset of playstation resulting in the stay indoor(perpetually forever infront of the LCD) kids nowadays, we kids back then had to amuse ourselves with various hobbies we would create.While some collected stamps and some that make jump rope out of rubber bands, I was the kid who tried to keep any little critter he finds in a bottle. The weirder the critter the better! So when my friend Dennis told me a few years back that he was breeding cockroaches...I was over at his house in a heart beat to see his cockroach collection. Then I couldn't resist but to start a 'cockroach box' of my own. What is a cockroach box? Well it's one of those RM20 plastic boxes for storing any miscellaneous items. We throw a few egg crate in to make a comfortable living area for our cockroaches and use it to store and breed them.

And whenever we want to spend quality time with our cockroaches, we simply open the lid and dip our hand into the box. The little dearies will immediately crawl up our hand lovingly.

Many of you probably think the cockroach box would stink.Well, in actual fact it doesn't.Just like any animals or humans...cockroaches stored ina clean environment and eating a healthy diet does not stink. The homeless prostitutes in Chow Kit probably stink but you don't stink do you? Get the picture? My cockroaches live on a diet of 'koko-crunch' and apples.

So why do I enjoy this hobby? Well there is something weirdly satisfying about opening your cockroach box to 1000 critters running about happily that makes it all worthwhile...also it is an awesome conversation piece.

Here are more pictures of some of my six legged dearies!

Yasmin Ahmad, The Storyteller 1958 2009

2010-07-14T03:50:00.000+08:00

Drinking Monkey Pee

2010-07-03T23:34:00.008+08:00

When any friend of mine look sad...I would always say ..."the best remedy is to drink and swim in monkey pee!" At this point they give me a weird stare. I mean it really...I am not a certified dietician and am not qualified to advise anyone on this but I believe drinking monkey pee, rotting leaf tea,fish shit and mud regularly really revives me...all these important nutrients for nourishing a more lively life is amazingly free and found in waterfall water. And true to that, me and my friend try to go for a dip in the water almost weekly! Here are the photos of my water moments...to convince you guys to try these therapy too... It's really as fun as it looks in these photos!

Here I am dipping in the famous agua azul in mexico

My dog always 'enjoys' the water with me.

Painting. Try it

2010-06-20T04:18:00.010+08:00

My girlfriend Carol cannot figure out how I can just sit and paint for hours; seeing I cannot wait a minute in traffic without my blood boiling. It's simple. Painting is incredibly calming and relaxing and I really urge any of you who have never tried it to pick up the brush and try it.

First, find a subject matter that you like to observe and paint. I reccomend something simple for first timers.

For my latest painting, I decided to paint a jungle scene from a hiking trip. It's a picture of a ginger flower growing in the midst of vines. Now this is the painting process.

Determine the composition of the entire painting. I never really draw with a pencil, I simply lay out all objects with a simple brush line. I then start by painting the shadow area dark.

I typically fill up the background first, so that I don't have to paint in the background in between the foreground later. As a general rule of thumb, use more subtle colours in the background so that the foreground will stand out.If you need to use a strong colour like RED in the background, I suggest lowering its intensity by diluting the paint with water or mixing it with a dull colour.

Also you can paint the background blurry as if it is 'out of focus range'. To blur the background simply omit details in your subject and paint it more liberally with blotches and no sharp brush strokes.

After the background is done, I start on the forground subject. With every painting, I am faced with new challenges to create the image by combining paint. There is no answer as to how to do this aside from experimenting.Your technique will develop as you gain familiarity with the brush and experience handling the paint. Also, sometimes you have to paint something in a few layers. What this means is simply painting multiple layers of colour that combine to become the richly coloured final layer. How do you do this?

Paint one layer of colour.Let it dry and then paint another layer on top, thinning the top layer with more water so it will have a transparent quality where you can see the bottom layer through the top layer.Look at the leaves two leaves. This is layer 1.

Now look at the same leaf after a few layers.

I was having trouble figuring out how to paint the main subject, the ginger flower.

Many at this point will give up. The best advice I can give here to anyone is to just proceed.Unlike colour pencils or crayons; with acrylic paint, you can always cover the bottom layer completely and redo a mistake if you do not like what you have done. Also sometimes, brush strokes that may not look 'correct' at the start will look much more better and 'correct' as you progress and you can see the picture as a whole.

Once you reached this point where the entire canvas is painted, sit back and take a look at your painting. Looking and criticizing yourself is a good way to teach yourself new techniques and fine tuning your painting skills.

Also start detailing the picture and believe you can make it better.

Although I have a proper easel and painting space; I much rather just use a chair to prop up my canvas and paint in my living room with my television accompanying me in the background. Other than that, you'll need a canvas (easily purchased in an art shop in one utama or ikea) and some paint. I typically use only four colours. Titanium White, Cadmium Red or Scarlet Red, Cadmium Yellow and Prussian Blue. I mix all my colours from these four basic colours.I do not use black. You need a brush and any bottle to hold some water and a board for a palette. the entire start budget should be in the range of RM 50 including canvas. The pet snake(notice sofa arm rest) is optional.

I hope you enjoy painting. =)

any question do ask in the comments and I'll respond.

Democracy Is You

2010-06-01T18:47:00.008+08:00

Hello everybody.

This is Linus, the director of house. I am here to personally invite you all to view a video I made about Democracy entitled 'Democracy is You'.I am sure you will enjoy it.

When I heard of the call to make a video about Democracy, I decided to make a video that will hopefully educate children on the values of democracy, while reminding us adults why it is so important to uphold it. I hoped to portray a childlike innocence in my video; if only we look at problems in a manner that is both open minded and unbiased, a very simple solution could often be found.

It has been selected as the top 18 video in the world out of 700 videos submitted for the Democracy Video Challenge. View it and if you do like it, please help me by voting for it.

To watch it either click here

or

1.Go to http://www.youtube.com/democracychallenge
2.Log into your youtube account
3.click on vote.
4.On the small search bar for video, type is the title. 'Democracy is you'
5.The video will appear.select it, watch it and vote by pressing the green thumbs up.
6.You can vote once everyday so if you can vote for it daily...

...with your vote, it could possibly be number 1.It is a democracy. Your vote count. thank you.

Please also do tell all your friends by posting this link http://thefrogcroaks.blogspot.com/2010/06/democracy-is-you.html on facebook,blogs,twitter or wherever....thanks.

Warm regards.
Linus Chung

bloody brilliant

2010-05-19T00:25:00.000+08:00

I think this is damn bloody brilliant

LUIS from diluvio on Vimeo.

Trail Trackers Classic

2010-05-09T02:30:00.000+08:00

For awhile we've been slowing down our weekly hikes to discover new waterfalls...but the good news is...

Aurelius is back to be the organiser of our trips...he being the unquestioned best organizer of the group...complete with his demands."Linus.where is my report on last week trip?"he growled.

Our trip today is to Lawing Falls.

It has all the hallmark of a classic trail tacker's trip...

First the narrow village road where all our drivers hold their breath as they trash their 'not so 4 wheel drive' through the thick undergrowth.

Then there's the human trashing through mosquito and leech infested jungle.

There's spotting nature at its best.

There's getting lost...

There's the friendly orang asli laughing at us for getting lost...

There's needless camwhoring...

and there's the thrill in flying!!!

also we have introduced something new, we pick rubbish left over by other idiots...our tribute to nature we love so much...

Lets all do our part in conservation....

U can join trail trackers but all trips are at your own risk...and no whining about long treks =or leeches.Add in comment...'i want in' with your email, details on who you are and why we should let you join us I'll contact you.

die sum die!

2010-05-03T00:41:00.002+08:00

Sum: Goodnite...I need to go...borther has school tommorow.....

Linus: Okie...Goodnite...

Sum and brother exit door. I proceed to the kitchen to prepare food for my dog...ten minutes later I come out to feed dog....sum is still outside my gate.

Linus: Anything wrong? (thinking something is wrong with his car)

Sum: Oh...nothing....just killing some snails....

Linus: You killed my snails!!!!???!!! FU((&YIMUI&IMI&I$UBRGFHJNUIN$EU%!!!!???!!!!

Sum: they are your snails?

Linus: Yeah...I feed them...

Sum:Okie...

Sum proceed to pick something up from the middle of the road...

Linus: what are you doing?

Sum: Some of them are not yet dead...

Linus: Then???

Sum: I put them in the middle of the road hoping to watch when cars run over
them....

Linus stands baffled for a while....

Linus: ...u know how you said you get bullied sum??? It could be karma...

Sum: what you feed them?

Linus: Vegetable scraps from my kitchen!!!!

Linus: my poor snails....

tuberoses...her favourite flowers

2010-03-23T22:14:00.002+08:00

Yasmin...in so many ways...i wish you were still here...to share your infectious smile and your wise and yet funny view of the world...hope you are having a good time in heaven...and thanks for everything yet again...i still miss u.

Dear Mc Donalds....

2010-03-11T16:53:00.005+08:00

Mc Donald is everyone's friend....we all roughly know the words to his song....Mc D-O-N-A-L-D-S...Mc D-O-N-A-L-D-S .....so I thought I'd write to him and tell him that his burgers are not up to par these days....

Well...the busy Ronald can't really be faulted as he does have a busy day making us all happy...and not to mention healthy, with his invention of reputedly 'wholesome' recipes. So, I decided to just tell him in case he was unaware of the recent drop in quality control....

The note read as follows....

Dear Ronald Mac Donald,
As your friend, I just thought I'd tell you that some of your products need more quality control....either that or you have one awesome photographer....cheers.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4040397&l=16275d0268&id=627896555

Linus

Do you guys wanna tell Ronald anything too? Let's speak up!

Linus

DAY 1 : Stong and Jelawang Hike : Nik Aziz's country here we come!

2010-03-06T13:47:00.009+08:00

Trail Trackers made our first camping trip of the year from the 25th to the 29th of February 2010. It was a trip to Gunung Stong in Dabong Kelantan. 11 people went for the trip, original number was 12 but 1 pulled out. The trip started with a KTM ride up north to Nik Aziz Country.
I've always loved train ride and the buckling of the train on its track that seem to annoy many is part of the romance of sleeping in a train cabin. I also like to squint my eye and let the light from outside that stream through my window become diamonds floating in the night sky.With that i slowly fade into a blissful night sleep and awaken to a misty morning at a small train station in kelantan. A picture of Nik Aziz and a ridiculously cheap RM2 but very good dish of Nasi Kerabu Daging welcomed us...After that we had a tour of three caves named gua Gelap, Gua Pagar and Gua Keris. The caves weren't particularly outstanding or interesting, just your typical serving of stalagmite, stalactite and various cave dwellers like crickets and spiders. After the caves, we proceeded to Stong Resort, the starting point where we begin our climb up to baha camp at the top of jelawang falls.
Within minutes of our climb, we were exhausted and honestly half an hour hiking uphill carrying our 20kg backpack really showed us how unfit we city folk are. I really must workout more. But the waterfall infront of us at the half an hour point looked magnificent and you do get somewhat charged up for the trek ahead. However, the worst was yet to come,the trekking pace became unbelievably bad towards the end of the two hours. Myself, Eddie, Sum, Henry were resting for 5 minutes every time after walking barely three. However nobody gave up and we all managed to get to base camp which was a rather nice spot with a great hilltop vista and nice pools where we can dip.
The day ended with a good game of werewolves at the ledge of the waterfall under the gaze of a full moon...

14 films for 2010

2010-02-17T04:06:00.003+08:00

The 14 films I watched so far in 2010

Chandi Chowk to China

Battle Royale

Legend of Chun Li

AVATAR

Girlfriend Experience

Merantau Warrior

14 blades

Valentine's Day

Shinjuku Incident

Jumper

Shoot Em Up

The Kingdom

Blindness

Ink

Conquerors of the useless!

2010-02-12T11:17:00.003+08:00

Conquerors of the useless!

This video is dedicated to my trail trekking buddies... =)

Aurelius....do note "It's not an adventure until something goes WRONG.Yvon Chouinard"

DEMOCRACY

2010-02-03T21:25:00.002+08:00

Fiqir fiqir

2010-01-27T22:38:00.004+08:00

Asked by my friend to appear in this video...as a thug who loves his hair...

hope....

2010-01-20T02:15:00.004+08:00

I asked Allah whether there is hope for the country in my prayers.

Yesterday, I went for my usual 4km thrice weekly run at taman tun park at 6pm. Anyone staying around the area will know it rained very heavy by 6.30pm. I was caught in the rain about 1.2km from my house. Exhausted from running 4km but used to the rain I didn't seek shelter but continued walking home along the road.

By the time i got home. I had a big smile on my face. There is hope for my country

On the way home.three cars stopped, the driver offered me a ride home. I declined because I was wet anyway. Two of three cars had the holy quran on the dashboard. One had a pendant with the muslim prayer for safe journey.

Thank you my muslim brothers. We are all one under the abrahamic religion. We all seek a good life, god's abundant blessings and peace. To Allah be the glory.

Malaysia Boleh

2010-01-18T16:44:00.000+08:00

we should all feel so'proud'. Malaysia Boleh.

I once said I believe. Allah.

2010-01-16T01:58:00.006+08:00

picture credits

Don't they get it? It's not about overzealous rhetoric or screaming your lungs out in a war cry at some mosque...it's about faith...personal...small and deeply burning....faith...a belief...in Allah. Amidst all the heated religious debacle in my country,Dennis recently asked me. "If you have to die admitting you are Catholic. Will you ?"

I answered yes.

He looked suprised...almost impressed.

I added..."Then maybe it's time to die. We all die anyway...better die for a cause."

I don't understand why am I being prosecuted for wanting to try and be good and by believing in Allah. Maybe it will help if I explain my Allah to others.So they can stop holding false accusations and saying things as stupid as "Allah takkan beranak..." making utter primitive primates of themselves.

I became a Catholic follower of Allah because my grandfather was the favourite child of his family. When his father(my great grandfather died) he was thrown out by his jealous brothers. He was in his early teens.homeless without a penny to his name

He went to many schools....the Anglicans told my grandfather...be an Anglican and we'll help you.

My grandfather refused to convert...

He went to a Catholic school....the priest told my grandfather...you need help,let us help u.

My grandfather ask if he has to convert. Priest says no, my grandfather took up the faith to follow Allah on his own accord many years later.

Today my family still hold the Catholic faith and believe in Allah.

Allah has given me many things...

Sometimes...I do loose my faith...but i keep on praying...even when i have to say...Allah, if you are there...please help me find you.
I am a sinner in many ways.
People get it wrong that it's about being sinless...it's about being forgiven.
People think it's about an answer...when it is about the questions.
People think it's about one word Allah...when it's all about faith in itself

Why are you dictating my faith...

May Allah's blessings be upon those firing the flames of religious hatred instead of promoting religious growth in understanding and learning from one another. Amen.

This is a the Our Father. The most important prayer in Catholicism in Malay.

Bapa kami yang di syurga, Dimuliakanlah nama-Mu, datanglah Kerajaan-Mu, jadilah kehendak-Mu diatas bumi ini seperti di syurga. Berikanlah kami pada hari ini rezeki kami dan ampunilah dosa kami, seperti kami juga mengampuni orang yang berdosa terhadap kami; dan janganlah membawa kami ke dalam pencubaan, tetapi lepaskanlah kami dari pada yang jahat. [Matius 6:9-13]

As you can see my friend of other religion...the prayer that I say above regularly is simply a pray to honour him and his kingdom, to ask him for his blessings, to forgive those who have sinned against me and to ask from an escape of prosecution.

I do not want to convert a Muslim...God is for him to find...and it is not for me to judge if he finds the right God.

I once said...i believe and i always will.

Gogs...

2010-01-13T22:23:00.002+08:00

I simply love this bunch of cavemen!Here see them finding fire....

building stone hedge

and fighting a kung fu dinosaur!!!!!

Suicide.

2010-01-12T05:35:00.004+08:00

Today over lunch...a friend showed me a message from another friend.

Half an hour ago... XXX(name withheld) passed away.

and when i asked why...another text message came in.She had committed suicide.No other facts known at this point.

Well, I don't know how to feel. I feel sympathy for my friend to whom she was dear to. And I wondered what would have been so bad as to drive someone to depression and then to take her life.She was a young girl only 24 with a whole life ahead of her . Later I found out she committed the act because a boy whom she love is behaving oddly.

Suicide is a major sin in most religion from Islam to Christianity to Judaism to Buddhism to Hinduism. see here.

I know how frustrating life can be and I like living ready to die, as not be be abruptly cut off when my time is up but but i find it quite sad that there are people who are so insecure about themselves or so unhappy to the point that they'll kill themselves. In this case I also find it equally sad that people have no sense of another's feeling even when in a relationship that they'll do something to hurt the one they are supposed to love...

Maybe I am blessed. To have friends, to have a life which makes me smile...to have work that I feel is worth doing.

On the departed's facebook wall, there's a flood of well wishes and rest in peace...but honestly...aside from comforting the grieving, what's the point now when a life has been lost.So I think in her memory it's more important to put something here...to possibly help anyone contemplating anything similiar...

Friend...should life ever get the better of you and you feel like ending it don't...for life to get better...you have to stay alive. If you feel particularly nasty...and the thought has crossed your mind, go to a window...look upon the sky. God, your creator is there.

Say this simple prayer...

Lord. I am unhappy and sad.please help me and bring comfort to my hurting heart.Please help me see joy and wonder where there is now but pain and anguish. Lord help me your child.
Amen.

Also call your friends...and talk things over.Very often...things are not as bad as they seem.

=)

Bukit Tabur East. Again, in Majesty's Threshold

2010-01-11T13:09:00.003+08:00

It's a funny thing in the morning when you are so hesitant to wake up and the thoughts of clambering up a hill at that hour just want to make you resign back to bed hugging that pillow. I have many a times felt that way. But I gradually make myself get up and brush off the night's lazy comfort and take my bag again ready to venture into yet another jungle and climb another mountain. Sunday, we were going up Tabur East. Approximately 1000 feet.

At the begining, I was still cursed with a few yawns and dragged my foot a little to get up and be on my way but as the adrenaline gradually kicked in. I felt so alive. Steep inclines that annoyed me as I had to push my way up now became a fun challenge.

Tabur East was much more challenging that tabur west and posed more death traps; edges where you could fall off to oblivion aplenty and sharp ragged limestone crystal rocks to cut you on the way down. I relished it.Didn't quite feel much fatigue as the promise of rewarding sights above supercharged me.
And it was majestic...beyond words as usual.
However, there were some rubbish strewn about even at this high altitude to remind me of the sad society that i live in. Come on people...the sweet wrappers does not weigh anything...just put it in your pocket and carry it down with you. Otherwise...may any pontianks on the mountain curse you to a deserving death from falling on your next visit.

Are There no More Good Samaritans?

2010-01-09T09:56:00.003+08:00

Are there no more good Samaritans?

Please be warned the following video is very gory.It's of a cop dying on the street after his two legs were cut off. Two ministers of state were there but did little to help. It's taken from NDTV.

My Freedom to have Allah

2010-01-08T18:14:00.001+08:00

My name is Linus Chung. I am a Catholic, has been for 29 years and will be.

I respect the Muslims and have many friends who professes the Islam faith.But please respect my freedom to choose my spirituality and to call my God whatever....be it Micheal Jackson, Mahathir or even Allah.It is the search for spirituality that is important and not the definition.Religion is just a language to understand Godliness and is not Godliness itself.

Nama saya Linus Chung. Saya beragama Katholik untuk 29 tahun dan akan terus beragama Katholik. Saya menghormati orang Muslim yang menganut agama Islam. Saya mempunyai ramai kawan Muslim. Saya meminta agar mereka menghormati bahawa saya mempunyai kebebasan memilih agama saya dan boleh memanggil Tuhan saya dengan apa apa nama sesuka hati saya biarpun ianya Micheal Jackson, Mahathir atau Allah.

Yang pentingnya kami semua mempunyai kepercayaan Tuhan bukan sekadar melawan satu sama lain kerana satu perkataan. Agama itu adalah satu cara untuk mencari Allah dan bukan Allah semata-mata.

My name is Linus Chung. I am a Catholic, has been for 29 years and will be. Problem is I am a Catholic in Malaysia.

2010-01-05T17:58:00.003+08:00

We are hiking Tabur East.

Challenging for some. I know friends who have vormitted.
Easy for others.I know friends who call it a piece of cake.

We shall meet at 9, Jalan Datuk Sulaiman 2,Taman Tun Dr. Ismail at 5.45 am and carpool to the site (20 mins drive).

We start hike at 6.30 am.

Please bring a good attitude, torchlight,a bottle of water(at least 1 liter) a change of clothes, your own breakfast(you can bring extra to share with new friends on the hike) and some bandage for first aid.

**optional** Please bring a small bag to help collect any small rubbish along the way and help save our environment.

The hike is free and at your own risk. Kids under 21, please get your parent's consent. RM 10 per person will be charged for petrol cost to be given to drivers.

We are limiting this trip to a maximum of 10 people.

Trail organiser is Linus Chung. call 0129331415 for more info. No sms will be entertained.Please note that confirmation cannot be cancelled without a good reason(i.e. family death or your death) or you will be blacklisted.

Trail lead is a new friend named Mr. Lim.

Frog 2 : Updates 1

2010-01-04T16:54:00.002+08:00

Some more pictures from Frog 2.

Blessed Christmas.

2009-12-25T04:51:00.003+08:00

One friend decided to spend his christmas at Euphoria. Another decided to go for a home party and worship at the booze altar while another was fighting with his girlfriend over where to eat dinner. Some friends actually told me they didn't know christmas was a christian celebration. Well, he is half right, christmas 'holiday' or more appropriately 'holy-day' doesn't feel very christian anymore but more another reason to indulge in alcohol and senseless partying. (Holiday originally referred only to special religious days and originated from the word holy-day)

I do not mean to be anyway preachy but I went to church. I went with Sum and Aurelius. Two of my regular camping buddies. Sum is trying to find faith. Aurelius has been a lapsing Catholic but tries to make it a point to go for church on Christmas at least.

My parish priest, Father Simon Yong, gave an awesome homily(priest personal commentary on a scripture reading). **this is my interpretation and is not in verbatim.**

He started saying that christmas. God becoming man so that we can share in his divinity and how profound that is that God has come into the world to make our faith; a factuality...a reality.
Jesus our savior came. Does our action of making ourselves less to christianity and the celebration of christmas makes Jesus any less Jesus or Christmas any less Christmas? It does not...but if we do give ourselves our chance to be embraced by him, who come that we can share in his divinity. Sometimes our desires for a greater world does not come in grandeur but in the mere bowing in reverence that we are a part of greatness. Creatures before a creator.

This post comes abit late....but blessed christmas everyone. Rejoice for the savior has come.

Maurice the Lizard

2009-12-20T00:27:00.006+08:00

Sorry for the delay on the fishkeeping post...still writing it and it's technical.

Anyway, This is Maurice the lizard. He was named Maurice because while I was preparing the film, I had a cat nap in the afternoon and dreamt that maurice came up to me and said,"hello, my name's maurice"
Maurice has a small role in my new film called frog 2, a sequel to my first successful short film demolition frog. I have wanted to do this sequel for so long but it was plagued with so many false starts...but i am happy it's finally off the ground.

Maurice is a pretty good ~~slave labour~~ actor and in the film he has to outrun this...which of course he'll probably fail. ~~But he has a small role anyway so it doesn't matter if he dies.~~

Still the good thing about directing a lizard is...if he does not listen to you...you can always pick him up and give him a good shake.

until the pleads for dear life.

It's really quite fun.In a sadistic way.

Fishkeeping : Part 1 My Hobby

2009-12-05T01:53:00.012+08:00

There is always an oil mark on the glass of my fish tank when I was young. It was where my forehead landed as i pressed my face to the tank to see the fish up-close. They never cease to fascinate me.

**The next three blog posts will be on fish keeping with an overview of the hobby and better instructions that most capitalist fish store would care to educate their customer. More fish die = more purchases = more business.**

Learning
I learned many things because of fishkeeping. I learn to love the dentist because I would be able to blackmail my mum saying, “I'll go to the dentist only if you will buy that RM 6 ringgit molly!” At that time, it was a premium for me to pay for a single fish.

With a container full of coins, I once bought a RM30 Arowana. Yes through fishkeeping I also learned finance and dissapointment. The Arowana jumped out and died three days later.

I also broadened my English vocabulary because of fishkeeping - I could always be found at the 'Mohd, Yahya and Sons' magazine store in Wisma Saberkas, browsing through the Practical Fishkeeping magazine. I will save every dollar I had to buy the magazine and I carried it everywhere I went. Eventually I started a pet club in my school for fellow fishkeepers from which I learned organization and people management, both of which still come in handy when I direct.

A hobby grows

From one single tank, my hobby slowly grew as I asked for a new fishtank everytime my birthday or christmas came along or even when I scored well in an examination.

Fishtank aside, any container that can be filled with water will do as a pet enclosure. It looked very makeshift but I think it’s much more fun to grow your hobby this way than to buy an overpriced mini aquarium with ready-set lights and filter package. You learn nothing from those. Eventually I knew fishkeeping so well I started building my own tank with filtration design. I was thought how to build a filter by N.C. Aquarium in carpenter street who taught me how a biological filter(more of this in part 2) works.. I also started to have a pretty good collection of specimens. As I grew ever more confident in the hobby, I would even buy sick fishes to enable me to afford expensive specimens which would otherwise be out of my range. Sometimes, I traded excess stock with friends who had equal fanaticism for the hobby. I always enjoyed showing friends my fish and telling them about curious observations I made. It was definitely more fun to learn science that way, and i also made some very close friends.

My hobby eventually branched to an interest in marine fish, birds and small animals. This took up half my porch, one spare room of my house, the garden and the back area behind the kitchen.

It became a hobby with about 28 fishtanks of various sizes, one 10ft by 10ft birdcage, one fiberglass pond, three 4ft by 3ft turtle enclosures. I had electric catfishes, salamanders, piranhas, lionfish, red eared sliders, kingfishers, budgerigars, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, seahorses, crabs …….the list goes on and on.

my marine tank.the technology wasn't available in kuching then but
i did whatever and it worked.I was about 15.This is 14 years ago.

an iguana swimming in my pond

my guinea pig run.they sleep in cages at night but are free to roam in
this movable grass deck by day.organic lawn mowing

Then fishkeeping do a few other things for me: I never took drugs, smoked, drank or mixed with the wrong crowd. My mother never even had to tell me not to, because I was always home tending to my pets. I also learned compassion for animals, which I have till today.

It’s unfair how environmentalists simply dismiss pet keeping. True, there’s the danger of wild caught specimens threatening wild population and also the danger of invasive species from pets freed to the wild. It’s a double edge sword I guess. I am willing to bet many environmentalist and ecologist, their love for nature probably started from pressing their head on a fishtank.

time to re-

2009-11-29T01:31:00.001+08:00

alot of people have either been wondering is this blog dead....or whatever happened to the frog...
i humbly apologise to any regular reader of this blog(if there's any) and i hereby pledge that i am back to stay blogging. this advert goes to show exactly what i have been up to....

not that my life is bad but everyone could use a rebirth every now and then.... = )

cheers guys!

7 guys, 1 girl and 1 dog at Lata Kedondong

2009-10-26T19:44:00.006+08:00

As soon as I touched down, home from Korea, I wondered if my group are making any trip into the jungle on the coming weekend. I called Eddie and he remarked " nothing, waiting for you"
So immediately said Lata Kedondong, a waterfall which the group made a trip to but i was too busy to follow as I was planning house at that time. But I itched to enter the jungle once again...it's an addiction...i somehow need the river and a good trashing through mud and a whole load of green to bombard my eyesight to feel alive and hence almost every weekend religiously i find myself in the jungle worshiping creation itself.

So on Saturday me and eddie made quick calls and invited friends for this impromtu trip. We gathered 7 guys, 1 girl and 1 dog. Lata Kedondong is a series of waterfall along a river near Ulu Yam.It's about an hour drive from KL.

Though the hike to Lata Kedondong is relatively short, it's 45 minutes one way it was quite a fun hike especially during this rainy season. It's uphill and downhill overgrown mud trails providing enough obstacles to slip fall, jump over, crawl under, climb up and negotiate around. However, it's just enough fun while being easy enough that should one get lost, one could just go towards the river and walk by the river down to the familiar parking lot.
Lata Kedondong has a pool for swimming but heavy currents requires one to practice caution. I didn't swim this time as I had my dog at my side and he needs the company. Still it's always fun to be apart of the jungle...and I was happy just roaming amidst the greenery and breathing the mist filled air that felt so lively fresh. Footstool was savouring it...

To any reader of this blog, should you want to join my group please just leave a note on who you are and why you are keen on joining us your email in the comment section and I'll foward you my contact and details of coming trips. We typically depart from taman tun dr. ismail(near one utama) at 5.30-7 am in the morning on sundays. Trips are free aside from sharing out any cost incurred, your safety is at your own discretion.

Come...new friends always wanted...

Carrying my Flag

2009-09-13T00:43:00.006+08:00

I humbly apologise to the government for not putting up a patriotic post celebrating Merdeka Day. How unpatriotic am I, that no Malaysia flag flies outside my home (but there is a big Sarawak flag). I pledged that I just saluted my flag justly and sang the following UMNO sanctioned song three times! I am now in tears feeling really patriotic...

But seriously guys...there are many things wrong with our country...time to act up...let's really carry our flag and let any unjust politician tremble in fear!

Also, is it just me or does it seem that there's hardly any hibiscus plant around whether in roundabout, roadsides, parks and etc. I could be mistaken that our national flower is the bird of paradise, spider lily or bougainvillea seeing how common those flowers are as opposed to the hibiscus...sad...

What i wonder is...what did the cow do wrong?

2009-09-01T03:27:00.001+08:00

Unity and Merdeka. Malaysia a beautiful multicultural and multi racial country.
Yeah right.

beauty and two questions to house answered.

2009-08-31T02:58:00.006+08:00

"The world is so beautiful...if only we can see that, share it and keep it that way."

I thought to myself as I sat next to a a wondrous roar of water rushing downstream to the sea.My girlfriend Lola, hugged me from the back saying she was cold...

The Yasmin Ahmad tribute is still on the way.It's taking longer than expected as it is not easy to decide what's best to put in or leave out and I do not just want to make an ad-hoc cut that i'll be half happy about.

That aside. I shall respond to two questions pertaining to house.

Why was the Yasmin scene silent?

The Yasmin scene was intended to show that whatever injustices or hurt occur in life, a little bit of kindness and love can bring about healing and we should all try to always give a little of ourselves and make it a better place for everyone because lets face it, we all have troubles and pains.

A trivia for you all is that when yasmin shot this scene, I actually just instructed her that the boy is sad...please comfort him as a passerby with a gift of kindness.
She jokingly said that if she do it her way, she'll hold up a cigarette to the boy and say "Life sucks doesn't it? Here...have a fag, you'll feel better."

But what she say in shot was actually...

Emak belum datang?
Kau sedih ke? Boleh saya teman sementara?
and then when she sat down she waved away saying 'eee...kerengga'

Her dialogue was removed because I felt that it was stronger.After a whole film of piling and noise, maybe I'll just give my audience birds and the kindness of a stranger. That aside, I thing it's also somewhat more poignant if yasmin's last words were not heard but felt.

Is there really such injustices?

The second question is about whether something like house could happen.Alot of ignorant people seem to be commenting that it couldn't.That if the government evict people, it's because the land wasn't theirs anyway.

My answer is yes it happens, sometimes in very big scale.The marginalization and exploitation of the poor has always been an issue since time began. And I am not against capitalism either, just that maybe we should all sometimes remember that we are all after all fellow human being, capable of hurt and pain; and with that knowledge perhaps we should all be more loving and kinder. Please watch the follow video which is an excerpt to a film that can be found here

My new short film House is out.

2009-08-24T01:24:00.001+08:00

I am sorry the promised tribute to Yasmin Ahmad has yet to materialise...I was really busy these past weeks.That video will be up in a week I promise.For now,this is my new short film. It is part of 15 malaysia. It does feature a cameo with the late Yasmin Ahmad.

This film tells a small story but one that's very close to my heart. How development and progress sometimes make us forget our kindness and humanity. I always feel a twinge at heart when i hear of people left behind and ignored; here is my small expression of how I feel.

It's a small film, but I am very happy with it...it was also the last time I had a chance to work with my mentor, teacher and friend.

I hope you enjoy my little film and do leave comments if any.

Like Clockwork - Yasmin Ahmad

2009-07-28T10:09:00.003+08:00

The following is a picture of Yasmin I took on a casual sunday afternoon in 2005. I was at her apartment in subang for a casual chit chat in and to browse her DVD. she was calm and we talked about everything from how her apartment was renovated really nicely to look very open and I love how she stacked her books on a step ladder leaning on a wall. She asked me about my girlfriend, my parents.We also talked about ghosts.I still can't believe she's gone now... I wish I had more sundays like that with her but as it is...it was one day.One precious day....

Sometimes in life, we don't realise how precious moments are really....

This is something written by yasmin on life and death four years ago on july 29 2005.I think Yasmin has alot of wisdom to share with us in it.

"Like clockwork it happens,
tick by tock by quick tick by hurried tock,
but quietly,
its decibel perceptible
only to the cat and the dog.
The watch on the wrist tries to warn us,
tapping its tiny untiring beat
against the hesitant pulse of our blood;
the clock on the wall tocks on,
in defiance to the time-honoured tradition of
silence in the school hall.
We were not listening.

The body was doomed to stop
even before it started.
Death has a life of its own.
Time marches doggedly
to the cliff of its own end.

We were not listening;
deaf to the decay of the planets and the suns.
Stars were exploding and dying in the night.
We were making love;
making life.
We saw it happen in the garden;
to the trees and the pets,
and still we watched our own dying
with blinkered optimism
- “Today is the first day of the rest of your life” -
oh yes, and by the way,
also one day closer to the end of it.
And curiously, when it happens,
everyone is surprised.
Everyone is visibly moved.
Eyebrows are raised, eyes are lowered,
mouths open like unsuspecting clams,
tongues click.
Surprised, as if we had no knowledge of it,
as if it were a newcomer,
as if it were a sniper.
And when it’s over, everyone walks away,
lamenting the weather and the price of fish.
The grave is forgotten
sooner than it was remembered.

What wisdom descends when I pause to listen to death?
Nothing really.
Except, my beloved’s eyes dance
when he tells me about his day,
and I must remember to kiss them
before they finally close."

posted by yasmin at 5:07 AM

more of her wisdom can be found at
http://yasminthestoryteller.blogspot.com/2005/07/like-clockwork-yasmin-ahmad.html

Goodbye Yasmin....see you again some day....

2009-07-27T15:57:00.004+08:00

Tuberoses. they are yasmin's favourite flower. Everyone was holding on to one standing in the rain as her body was taken out of the house after her wake and loaded into the hearse.Many have come to mourn her.It was a sad moment but beautiful.almost like a movie...perhaps it was God's gift to celebrate her one more time.

I've slept largely the whole morning after being up the whole nite at Yasmin's wake and then following her funeral proccedings.It was truly a sad day. I've lost my teacher. I felt even more sad at how much and how good she's been to me. Deeds that can never be repayed. But Yasmin would have wanted it that way as she was always kind and always giving.

I am currently preparing a short video, edited from some behind the scene footage I've collected during the filming of sepet and my latest short film house. I've never shown this video to anyone but I hope now to celebrate her spirit. Below are my other blogposts on yasmin.

Please do add any comments, thoughts or stories of yasmin here if you have any...i would love to have them accumulated and collected.Thank you.

http://thefrogcroaks.blogspot.com/2009/01/i-criedi-knelti-prayed.html
http://thefrogcroaks.blogspot.com/2005/03/sepet-little-wonders-and-how-we-became.html
http://thefrogcroaks.blogspot.com/2005/03/sepet-little-wonders-and-how-we-became.html

Please Pray for Yasmin Ahmad.

2009-07-23T22:10:00.011+08:00

Yasmin two weeks ago

In 2003, I had the blessing of meeting someone; who I feel so honoured to have been able to call a mentor and friend. Her enthusiasm for life and spreading love initially seemed coy; but eventually you'll understand that she is one of those very few people who really does see all the beauty this world has to offer, while dismissing the common modern stereotype that being cynical and cold is cool. She has no qualms about holding someone in a warm embrace, she had no reservations about telling you how beautiful you are and she never forget to tell you how much she loves you.

The sepet family 2003

Then,I was rather young and brash, she will actually catch me off guard without a response when she randomly ask me, do i love my mother and have I hugged her? Why would I be caught off guard ? Because it's sad but true that I am more open to voice my anger towards my mother than loving her for all she is to me. I can't bring myself to say a big resounding yes as I should.

She made me realised how important love is in a world that has largely forgotten it. "Love linus, love the world and you will understand the world"she'll say to me with a voice tinged with sweet sentiments.

Remembering all this, I really could not hold back tears today...as I was marching around aimlessly, almost like a ghost in the room just outside the hospital's CAT machine waiting anxiously for any news of yasmin who had collapsed just an hour earlier. Everyone was really anxious as to her condition and reciting the words pray pray pray....she's in a critical condition...pray for her.I did pray. I said the our fathers, hail marys and dedicate them to her...I looked upon god through the window and said God please...but I wish I could do more than to just pray. I wish I could just go up to her and wake her...but I can't and so I cried...

Just two weeks ago, Yasmin was acting in my short film for 15malaysia. She was all smiles and so full of life...I went up and thanked her for coming in for the part...and a suprised reporter asked her why she came...she just said..."i like Pete(pete teo-the producer) and I like Linus"...in a child like manner with a voice so full of joy you can almost hear a "they are my friends yay!" after... That's yasmin for you.So giving, so sentimental, so loving...it gets addictive...and you find that you can't help yourself but want to love and love with all your heart too seeing how much joy loving really can be .

This afternoon while having a meeting at TV3, Yasmin felt unwell and fainted. She stopped breathing for awhile. Everyone immediately jumped on the gossip bandwagon and started saying
that she's kicked the bucket, RIP Yasmin, Yasmin died and etc.. Facebook went wild.Nobody aside her friends ever try to just believe she could be all right. Maybe Yasmin is right to worry about how cynical the world has become. The emergency ward at the hospital was filled with reporters trying to photograph her in her dreary state.With no respect at all they marched armed with their cameras.It's crazy. They weren't praying for her to be well but trying to get the best angle...well maybe they are doing their jobs....but I bet if Yasmin could say anything she'll say "please don't report me being sick, please tell the story of the baby coming into the world next door..."

Yasmin was a true advocate of prayer. She had her telekung and prayer mat everywhere. She always excused herself to pray. She prayed with so much enthusiasm she could say I want to pray again right after finishing one prayer. I once inquisitively asked "do you pray to ask for more blessings?" to which she answered no. I quicky responded " To thank God for all his blessings" She smiled at me and said..."you finally got it."

Yasmin is still with us. She's critical but stable. She had a stroke due to a broken blood vessel in her head. Now you know. Please do not speculate...please don't just say the words pray pray pray. Please...kneel down...however you fell comfortable, light a candle if you want to....and in the quiet corner pray...pray for Yasmin that she'll shine her smile at us again, and pray to for everyone who needs a prayer."And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
James 5:15-16

Drawing(playing) with light!

2009-06-04T02:05:00.008+08:00

Even Pablo Picasso did it...It's a very old photography trick to go to a dark place, put a camera on long exposure and then use a light source like a torch or a lighter to paint in the air with light. The science is simple...the dark place ensure the photo entire photo takes along time to be exposed (and does not get overexposed) while the light source of much greater light intensity quickly expose a burn out light trail that is a line that can be shifted around to form a drawing when viewed on the resulting photo...

During our trip to Endau Rompin we had a dark campsite, friends, torchlights and digital cameras. what better way to pass time and have loads of laughter? Here are the the results.

Aurelius Teo dreams he's superman
The Beautiful Game
Eddie does a dalshim
Dennis likes cycling
An angel meets a devil
and recently in pulau redang...carol meets an alien creature.....

Feel like playing with light too? Have fun guys!

Tarzan is Home! Skytrex

2009-06-03T00:34:00.008+08:00

On the 30th of May, the trail trekkers made a second trip to skytrex to try out the newly opened extreme challenge...thanks to Aurelius who was kept in the loop and informed us all as soon as the new trail was ready. Upon hearing the news...I was smiling ear to ear and can't wait to climb the ladder and fly from tree to tree again! God Bless the wonderful wonderful people who started skytrex . God Bless them!!! What a wonderful idea...to have a place that

1) help someone conquer their fear of height
2) learn team building
3) test their physical skills
4) have so much fun
5) swing like tarzan
6) feel so alive...

May they make alot of money to make skytrek even more extreme trail 3

So what is skytrek? Its best summarized as a place where you scale really high up on trees and play tarzan, having a day of fun like no other. You'd probably are either get freaked out or you can't wait to go...after seeing this photos.
But I encourage you all to try it...afterall it's all about just fun...there's hardly any chance of danger as it's all about putting on a safety harness and enjoying the ride. As my brother said to a girl infront of him in queue who was hesistant to jump at a flying fox..."It's not like i can do this better than you...it's not like it takes alot of skill, just snap on the harness and jump..."Yes, alot in life is about jumping...or daring to and I feel that pushing the boundaries of fear is how you stimulate yourself to grow even more. For me...it was a fun ride...
At the end...there was a difficult obstacle that most of the group fell...until one of the girls came along and patiently she made it through.It's an obstacle of pipes and little rings like this.

The objective is to cross over.You have to hold on to the pipe which was hard as it swayed crazily, not a good size for a proper grip and was also slippery so the best way was to hug it. That effectively made it a physical test of your chest and biceps. The little ring at the bottom was too small for two feet so you had to shift your foot from ring to alternate ring without having the luxury of putting two feet on one ring and rest. You also can't move in a circular motion as your safety line will tangle if you were to spin around to get an easier leg shift to the next pole.
It resulted in having to really cleverly maneuver while keeping on one side of the obstacle..not easy...and at time very awkward...

I fell halfway through. Because I wasn't focused and I slipped. I climbed back up but my mind told me to just let go...you can't do it...you're too tired. I went pass dangling from the safety line...I did go back up and restart the obstacle again and am glad to say I did complete the obstacle on the second try.

This obstacle thought me so much...how to conserve energy, how to quickly learn and utilize techniques to accomplish a task, mental focus and strength when faced with something that felt both difficult and overwhelming...

sometimes it's really all it takes...just the mental capacity to say you can hang on and move along...not giving up... a big yay for skytrek...AWESOME! time to go carol! Mum, dad...you're coming too...A last shot of the gang!

Linus and Carol

2009-05-29T04:13:00.003+08:00

Guys...i am sorry i've been away from this blog...life has just went through rather dramatic changes...I got together with a girl, her name is carol...good catholic girl, 22, Eurasian(Serani -Portugese+Chinese) but I am back guys...

Two Version of a Beautiful Song

2009-04-17T03:37:00.000+08:00

I go by Pete Teo

So long, fare thee well
The dancer and the dancing days have taken leave and fell
So turn down this bed of stone
Quench me with the deadly nightshade from the rose that you belong

The long December rain is falling now
Running down on streets to nowhere
Music is my life youre my sweetest nightingale
But I cant hear it here no more
And I go
I go

Hush now, dont shake or break
Words have fallen silent like soldiers to the grave
No matter what they do or say
Lay me on the sleepy meadow by the tracks upon your face

Perfect imperfections

2009-04-07T11:38:00.003+08:00

I guess as people we are all flawed inside and we want to be loved in spite of these flaws...and hence we should love in spite of the flaws of others...

Again Yasmin.

Thank you for the kind prayer for all of us.

Linus

Chiling Waterfall

2009-04-05T11:32:00.005+08:00

yes...maybe i am a little perasan

Chiling Waterfall is situated slightly higher up the road from Selangor Dam, 21km after Kuala Kubu Baru. Take the NKVE from Damansara tol, head north following Ipoh but exit at Rawang , from there on you must take the old road all the way to Kuala Kubu Bharu. Then just continue from Kuala Kubu Baru to the Selangor Dam. The Selangor Damn road makes for an excellent drive...the roads are beside an awesome lake created by the Selangor Dam. Wide and and long curves at an angle that is a pleasure just to cruise your car while sticking your head out of the window like a dog. Slightly after the Selangor Dam, you'll notice a sign to chiling waterfall to your right.Park on the empty space to the left side of the road. The drive takes about 1 to 1 half hour from taman tun.
our usual 5 am meetup and breakfast

Chiling waterfall is an easily accesible waterfall and the trek is considered easy. The setback of this fact is that it is popular, so going early is a good idea to avoid the crowd.Hence the 5 am meeting time and 6 am kickoff. The fisheries department have set up an outpost there with regulations to protect the river. All of which are good, especially the availability of washrooms at a fee of 50 cents at the entrance of the park. The bad is no dogs are allowed into the park typical of our country's general religious dislike of that animal.Sorry footstool. I did really wanted to bring you. city folks river crossing 101
Aside from that...the trek is an easy walk that I highly reccomend using slippers as you'll be going in and out of water many times. It also has a few river crossing which makes for the amusing oservation of the less experience trekkers making all sorts of oos and ahhs...crossing them.After an hour...you are at the falls...from there...it's all the fun, smiles and re-CREATION offered by any visit to the wild...

do bring goggles as there are many fish to see Me doing a King Julian to my lemurs. a tower of dumbasses
two iranians joined us yesterday...
Pristine water...a nice wide shallow pool to swim with deep areas for the ones with balls to dive and do tricks, rocks to sit by the waterfall and just enjoy it's misty veil and shady areas for picnic really makes chiling an enjoyable trip.

Trail Trackers HooHAA!!! "going back to the insane city? suckers!" I almost heard a dragonfly say

On the way back...I saw an emerald green dragonfly that glowed in the sun...I think he was smiling.He lived there...For us less fortunate city folk...I guess all we can do is try make as many trips back to nature and salvage that part of us lost to modernity.guys...do comment!!!!!

Noda Hideki and my need to be still

2009-03-24T10:36:00.006+08:00

It's been awhile since I have attended any acting workshops...and like any car, the actor in me needed a tune up...I think I am a thousand miles away from being a great actor but honestly, this is a craft I love and something I so hope to excel in. Because acting teaches you so much about yourself, life, your surroundings and people. So when Noda Hideki(who is regarded by Yukio Ninagawa as the most talented playwright in contemporary Japan) was in town to give a 2 day acting workshop under the auspices of the Japan Foundation and ASWARA. I jumped at the chance.

I asked Noda Hideki early on in the workshop what is his best advice to any actor and he said "enjoy it and play" and that really summed up what we were going to do in the next two days.
The following are three of the games we played.
SEAWEED
A body movement exercise where one partner becomes a seaweed while another partner gives him a push her and there that the seaweed must react to and move.

SLOW MOTION
We were all given a situation to react to and we must do it in slow motion. We do it in a group. It really trains your focus as you then to break out of your focus and slow motion especially when trying to react to a movement by a fellow actor.

1,2,3,4,3,2,1
This is an exercise where the entire group walks and stop at hideki command. And then without any verbal or physical communication one person in the group at random start walking.When he stops, two start walking. Thereafter three and then four; then three again, two and one. Whenever there is more or less people walking that the intended number of the session, the exercise starts all over again. This exercise is to give us an understanding that as actors on stage we work as a group and we must strive to function as one sensing our surrounding and be aware of the collective whole.Our group being a very young and noisy group took one an a half hour to successfully finish this exercise.And even then, I think it's more by luck than actual awareness from a deep focus...

So running, jumping,rolling and all what did I learn? Personally the most important thing I got from the entire workshop was stillness. How important it is to have a self awareness of yourself and your surroundings and focus even when still and that stillness is a part of life. Expression as in the willingness to express with energy is never my problem but I really feel that stillness is. I am always the eager puppy always wanting to hurry along and rush things...someone will attest to that.

As told to me by Micheal Voon once, the performers of Japan evovled the usage of slow motion in their performance because it was the only was to address the terror, destruction, devastation that was the Nagasaki bombing.

In Hideki words...if you can walk in slow motion with total focus, you can do anything. I kind of understand and agree but I am no way close yet. I hope in time I will master that stillness and I think in a modern hurried life...we can all afford to be a little bit more still.

Thanks to all my friends at the workshop old and new, who peppered the weekend with so many laughs and smiles, ASWARA for organising and the japan foundation for bringing in Noda Hideki.

Tolong berdiri belakang...dia mungkin gigit

2009-03-19T08:00:00.002+08:00

One very very big privilege that dog owners have is that no matter how bad the world treat them or how shaken they are, they have their dogs. I was not that shaken, more a feeling of regress after what recently transpired in my relationship(that I have since gave up) and you know the feeling. Even though you are the one walking out there's is a deep yearning to stay because you that's what a relationship do...build a bond between two persons that ideally strengthens with time and less ideally break. So yeah, you get the picture.

So yeah, I popped footstool in my car, and a praise and worship CD into the player and went driving aimlessly singing..."I adore you...you're everything to me...you're all I long for, all I ever need and Lord I'm hungry for you...my savior, forever...i adore you..." Yes...it was a 'jiwang' moment I admittedly say but beautifully 'jiwang'.

Singing...while patting my dog at intervals at traffic lights healed me well and I was driving home already at about 2 am when there was a police roadblock...this being footstool's first roadblock, he actually looked quite confused as to who are these people stopping us on our journey and impolitely shining bright lights into the car right into our eyes and speaking in a tone of voice just slightly short of rude. I on the other hand was in mischievous mode thinking what I was going to say...I was planning on saying..."aku ada minta their guna tali pinggang tetapi their tidak mahu" and pointing at footstool.

The police at this point look bemused there was a dog and knocked at my window...gesturing for me to put it down.I said through the glass that my window has malfunctioned and doesn't open.
He knocked it again and said "turun kereta..."

I knocked back and said..."boleh bang tetapi you berdiri belakang sikit...dia(pointing at the most docile dog in the world) kadang kala boleh menjadi ganas dan gigit."

Police face change in tone from that regular 'pissed off I am a policeman with power over you haha look' to one apprehensive about what he just asked me to do...

He gestured for me to drive on saying jalan-jalan...

Footstool just looked confused....

anyway...the Lord's been great and lets just say since the incident...there were some inkling of colours in my life already and I smile thinking about it now..."I adore you...you're everything to me..."

Endau Rompin Part 2 - Buaya Sangkut

2009-03-17T15:32:00.006+08:00

Buaya Sangkut is the main attraction of Endau Rompin National Park. It's quite a something to behold in it's sheer height and vastness. Just being there and hearing the roaring water pass by, you feel that you are in the grasp of mother nature and that you are home...

In terms of numbers this waterfall is 30 meters wide and drops 17 000 gallon of water per second from a height of 120 meters. This is an aerial shot of the waterfall sourced from the net.

The three red dots on this picture denotes the points in which the following photographs were taken...

All waterfalls comes with interesting rockface by which to explore. I also suggest jamming yourself on a rock and let the rushing water thread your muscles giving you a good massage. Buaya Sangkut is offers all these but due to the sheer size of the waterfall, there is a need to remain in constant guard as not to be swept by strong currents that can tear you to bits with the sharp rocks or suck you down and drown you..

Endao Rompin part 1 - the Jungle

2009-03-11T02:11:00.007+08:00

I love the forest and jungles

For the last four days, I spent every living breathing moment surrounded by bloodsucking leeches, rain, no electricity and small meals of tuna sandwishes, maggi mee and chocolate...and yet I can tell you I am smiling from ear to ear...why?

Let me get more elaborate...

The team got together at 3am...in taman tun where we exchanged plesantries...before we boarded a bus...and had a journey of almost 9 hour to johor (the bus took a wrong road and we had a detour of four hours but it's okays as the company was great and the bus was very comfortable with an allocation of two seat to a person) .

Upon reaching Johor, we had to take another 2hour bumpy mud road ride on a Pajero to the PETA orang asli village where we wait to be transfered by boat to the interior. It was a 45 minute boatride upriver.
And if that is not deep enough...we went in another 2 hours on foot through wet and drain terrain, uphill and downhill. The wet get especially annoying when you are with shoes that will fill with water and become uncomfortable. We all also carried heavy loads of between 15- 23kgs each.

Upon reaching our destination we checked into a no star hotel where we had to set up ourselves like this...

At night, I only had absolutely no electricity so I filled my journals with a torchlight...

so why am I smiling?

am I demented?

well...it was really really great to be exactly 5 hour bus, 2 hour pajero, 45 mins boat and 2 hour hike...away from it all...and just be at peace....and to have sunrise like this...

swim in emerald coloured fish filled rivers like thisand run through an obstacle course of trees, wood and mud in the rain with an umbrella that gets you all drenched wet but is still damn fun like this

and explore fantastic waterfall terrain like this

So was I the only demented one happy? I don't think so...need I say more?

Today as we got out of the jungle...my brother's phone rang...the first time in four days...he picked it up and said...yes, I am back to reality...but then he quickly corrected himself...wait...I am back from reality...the last four days was real...what we have in the city is crazy...

I am so thankful to all my fellow trail trackers ...and to the Lord my God for bringing me there and I truly pray you all will one day be able to find time (I went over the two days weekend and monday's holiday plus an extra leave of work tuesday), find the money(the entire trip cost a mere RM 400), erradicate whatever excuses (there'll always be excuses) and really just go and find nature and reality again...

I am really sick and tired or presuading some of you that there are greater joys in life than making money, cigarettes, beers or the haphazard lights of the city...remember friend...we all came from the jungles...

I can't wait to taste the sweet fragrances of the jungle and drink sweet waterfall water again or bask in the glorious light of the morning sun!

Trail Trekkers...feel free to leave your experiences the last four days here... Hoo Haa!

i wanna run from a tiger

2009-03-07T00:48:00.003+08:00

Going to ENDAO ROMPIN for four days...my lucky unlucky t-shirt ready...here i come...hope I get to run from a tiger!!!!

2009-03-02T02:04:00.006+08:00

It was a cold...we arrived at night so I didn't see anything upon my arrival.Stepping out of my hotel room in the morning and taking a short walk out...I was blown away....you just hold your breath and say...am I really here?

I went to the Grand Canyon in August 2008 with my travel partner zhiling...we flew into Vegas, rented a car, took a one hour drive down to border city(where you see the Hoover Dam) and take another four hour drive to the South Rim. Please take note of the turning you are making because one wrong turn at a road fork will add quite a detour to the journey as the interstate signage are pretty far apart.

Walking along the grand canyon upper north rim is itself really a joy. Walking on the pebbled foot path, the serenity calms you, the cold gives you a slight chill outside, something that leaves the loving glow of the morning sun warming you in the deepest realm of your heart something most beautifully felt.You just want to squint your eyes, stretch your arms and just feel the place. Along your walk there are many souvenir shops. Artistically done and enclosed in wood cabins, these shops are like small museums to the observer or a little place to stock up with precious gifts for friends and family...

There are no fences except a short rock pile that mark the path's edge. A warning signs is all that stand between you and sitting on a limb like this.

And I didn't just sit there to cam whoar. It was genuinely something you have to try. At least a 10 storey fall if I were to slip and with no harness whatsoever you feel a tremble of fear that also strangely make you feel so free and so alive. everytime the wind takes a slight breath I get dizzy all over as fear rush through me....

But nothing was to prepare me for my upcoming mule ride down to plateau point where I was to look down to the Colorado river below. It started with a long brief by the master mule rider. He starts off by saying "This is not a pony ride at Disneyland." He then explains we are riding a mule and not a well bred horse so

1)a good whipping is necessary to ensure he doesn't fall asleep on the job and fall off the mountain bringing you with it..

2)Ensure the mule stays close together or he might suddenly become afraid and jump off.

3)Ensure you pull his head up and keep it that way or he may try to reach out for a leaf and fall off the mountain.

4) If anyone wants to quit please quit now because the trail is narrow and difficult to turn a mule...

And if you think the master mule rider was trying to make it needlessly dramatic, he's not. When it started, the mule ride was one of the biggest adrenaline rush I had in years...greater than when I rode the Kingda Ka, the highest fastest roller coaster in the world in new jersey. Don't believe me...see the video...whereas a roller coaster travel on a fixed rail and is only subject to mechanical failure, a mule can easily make a mistake and slip off the mountain. Where as the KingdaKa is over in 7 seconds a mule ride is three hours. Why is the mule ride so scary? Well...it is walking on a rather narrow path very very close to an edge that drops give or take 20 storeys...maybe more? Don't believe me? Watch the video here.

Crazy? Hahaha. I was freaking trembling for the first 3 minutes. But then you just go hell...I am already on and enjoy the ride...and what a ride it was. Along the journey, we have to drink alot of water and literally be be hosed down to our underwear at checkpoints because of the heat...I was reluctant to be wet as it feels terrible to be in soaked clothing but amazingly, as promised by my guide it went completely dry in fifteen minutes!

Upon reaching our destination...I really enjoyed riding and grew attached to my mule...it was a good mule. There are four ways to see the canyon. On foot, by mule, by boat(along the colorado river) or by helicopter. I chose the mule and think I made a good choice as the mule is the most immersive of the three. It is the same ride that President Franklin Roosevelt took many many years ago and it profoundly changed and affected him so much he proposed a National Service Act that became the basis of establishing many National Parks in the United States.

For me...it was...really beyond words....I think it will profoundly affect you too... so do mark it in your places to go...

Finally seeing it...

2009-02-22T15:49:00.009+08:00

I have since ammended this post...I wanted to write something while half sleepy at 4 am and reading through again...gee...i guess i make no sense...

In my conversation with a young friend on msn...I realized...how sometimes we fail to see that gem that life can be and see it later only in reflections. Now I see how wonderful my upbringing was, and all I have that made life wonderful. No...it's nothing about material wants...it's something immaterial...it's something incomprehensible really...

When I was young...I often wondered what life is. I would stare and wonder what is this cartoon and why I would laugh. It's funny though I don't know why. Walking around seeing things and wondering is that what life is? Is life about just that? Busying about being gainfully occupied with things that stimulate us?

As I grew up I remembered clearly being bored of my surroundings. I was somehow infused with the cult of wanting and like a true follower I wanted wanted wanted...I never could see the little pleasures that I have already in my grasp or the miracle that exist in the everyday... dunno what I am talking about?

Despite having food,water and shelter; despite my lovingly attentive parents bringing me on outings to catch fish, to movies and to the occasional trip to kuala lumpur. It wasn't enough.

I remembered troubled times when I felt sad. My mum was even willing to take a whole month leave of work, just to be with me. Daily, she brought me my favourite meal and waited for me at the school gate during recess. Still I wanted more...I felt that my life has to always be measurable to more...and it will... once I get this.This thing that was material....Funny thing is...I don't even know the word material then...

There were many a times when I wanted something and I couldn't have it...and I became frustrated.Very frustrated. So I demanded. In my heart I know it was unfair but I wanted it and I don't care if the world owed me nothing...I deserve to be pleased...and I am not pleased so I will howl and I will yell until occasionally I get it.

What happens when I get it? Nothing much really...it'll just be the item for the day until it pass its novelty...and what happen if I don't get it? I feel sore, but the feeling passes and I become okay forgetting about it. The worst thing about these material wants? I ended up not seeing the joy that is around me...the infectious joy that life can be by just being...just living...and you know what?

All that comes free; from a joke from a friend to a kiss from a lover.I am starting to finally see it now...things of true non material value. Guess that's why they say you mellow with age...and I guess I've slowly found my smile in the simple things that made material things not matter anymore.

In my opinion this is life...and this is what matters...

this video was shot one crazy nite when I was at bunny's house with bunny's friend azlan...the reason why we call her bunny is because she has a bunny soft toy 17 years old....azlan suddenly decided to grab and torture the toy much to my amusement...i filmed the commotion...there is something about that smile...

My dad playing with my baby cousin....The little joys in a kids laugther....

So do you see it?

I think that's life and I hope it for you...it's all around you...and it's free and it really in my opinion matter more than anything money can buy.

Funny as Hell

2009-02-21T15:25:00.002+08:00

Footstool..." I am going Kame Hame Ha!!!! with Dragonball Evolution!"

2009-02-20T23:13:00.006+08:00

In Malaysia...because under some Muslim understanding that dogs are dirty...you cannot bring a dog into a park...so footstool often has to sit and wait...while I do my push ups at the park.
He sits and wait patiently...he doesn't mind...
but I sometimes wonder what he is thinking...waiting...

Because as they say dogs are smart...and are capable of thoughts and dreams right?

Footstool ..."I am going Kame Hame Ha!!!! with Dragonball Evolution!"

POSTNOTE: hahahahah......just thot I write this for fun since I had abit of time and I always like to see my dog in various poses...and they are offering free tickets for the effort...but now figuring out how to get footstool in the cinema.

Living s Dream. Dying for It

2009-02-19T16:25:00.003+08:00

The following is an animation by Doni Permedi pulled of youtube. It has been seen millions of times on you tube. I love the animation but more than that I love the idea...do note that it has a very happy ending though alot of people would disagree with me and say it's unbearably sad..

It's about a kiwi fulfilling a dream and succeeding...and then he died.What's so sad about that? I think it's sadder to be living a long life but never finding your dream...never ever realizing a dream. And just staying alive kicking yourself that your life is just a mundane repetition of sleep,wake,work cycle.

I am living my dream...and if i should die I be happy. But truly...if I do one day make a 007 James Bond film under the Brocolli family...I am done and will be ready to face death with a smile the very next day!

Do you have a personal dream that if you are a success you be ready to go?

Linus

Majesty in a waterfall and a mountain

2009-02-15T22:37:00.012+08:00

tabur hill sunrise on 15th February 2009

Majestic?

I recently scolded a friend until she cried for drinking until she's drunk...I reported to her mum.She's 19, i felt it's neccesary.I then wonder why this same stupid friend would just go to a nightclub for socialising when it's full of cigarette smoke. she said she can control herself. But like I told her...anyone that get into trouble never realise their slip into trouble that's the tragedy.Friend you know who you are....

perting waterfall

Alot of my friends complain that drinking and smoking is due to a boring life and yet when I say "Be at my house at 4.45 am, we drive out there and start hiking at 5.30 am." they give excuses like 'WTF??!' and 'Linus, i need my sleep and don't be crazy'. However these very same people would spend the entire night out drinking or working...that I think is crazier still...and hardly as majestic.

With my group the trail trackers the past one year has been filled with early Saturday and Sundays. Alot of credit has to be given to aurelius who would routinely and efficiently call and remind everyone of the date as well as make the neccesary research and logistical planning. Dennis will become the resident boy scout, clown and weed whacker while I a fellow assistant tracker, clown and photographer.

On the 14th of February with merely a two hour sleep I got up and off we went to bentong where we trek to perting falls. Honestly like anyone...i do have trouble getting my engine started and sometimes a warm bed is hard to get out of. But I do everytime and have never ever regretted getting out of bed...Our ritual is always first having a good breakfast together. trek full of good cheer and silly fun. On this trip...We had a good laugh when our trail leader for this trip dennis jumped right into the river and freezed his balls off to realise that he was going the wrong way. We also discussed everything from lee priest(body building) to dennis irritating need to constantly fart and how it
might be a good idea to plug him up with a good stick. Among all this we trash through a forest that always let you feel remarkable alive as you negotiate through fallen trees and mud and sticks in your face not to mention free blood cleaning leeches.

Then we come up to our reward of a nice tranquil waterfall by which we have more sharing, chit chat and crazy fun with and without cameras.

this is our second trip to perting...pic above we came here
almost a year ago...notice the photo below

I cannot describe the joy it is to swim in the river and have the cold water soothe tired you while you explore the very interesting almost alien terrain below...
Then it was back to a good satisfying meal....got some work done and then later in the day, prime torch lights and neccesary equipment and again a two hour sleep before once again ascending a mountain...on the 15th of February, again everyone was on time to my house and again in good cheer, this one was a small group with me leading.

This time round, beginner tracker stephanie lee did start crying out within 15 minute of uphill hiking. "I can't take this anymore...leave me here...i'll wait" she said. We give her a four minute break and then we ushered her to carry on and telling her that she's okie...gradually her initial reluctance subsided and she managed it up too. and in her own words on an sms to me " never know kl hav such nice view place, thanks for inviting, highly appreciated and enjoy very much"

two cameras and an insurance policy =P

sometimes I feel we let too much natural beauty go to waste or we simply put don't see it....and then we gloomly say how life is gray. It's so easy to find inspiration on the mountain.... I am writing this blogpost with the hopes you guys start hiking too and discover the marvel of it all....I am so grateful for my hiking friends....

corny as it sounds .... there is so much beauty and life in nature...

grand canyon august 2008

so much much does the trip cost? Well a trip to the grand canyon would set you off alot...but a trip up tabur will cost you say RM 30 for the group...RM 15 for breakfast and RM 10 for petrol.

Sungai perting abit more for petrol and restaurant lunch at RM 33 per person.

lunch

Cheap huh? and much more stimulating than a silly night breathing stale cigarette air at a night club.

Friends...feel free to call me if you are keen to go on a trip. Oh and to everyone please don't be an asshole and if you go on these trips...have the decency to keep clean and carry trash out....

Kindness

2009-02-13T08:21:00.003+08:00

Sometimes....wait make that every time....kindness and love is its own rewards.I can only hope that life would put me into paths by which I too can be kind and I hope I would choose kindness in the moment.

This video is of a firefighter who saved a baby 40 years ago. She (the baby) has been looking for him just to say thank you.He's white, she's black. But that doesn't matter...all that mattered was that he saved her and she remembered. It is an emotional video that will touch your hearts and raise your spirits.Something we could all use.

Tarantulas

2009-02-06T01:38:00.003+08:00

Firstly I like to thank god for filling my life with all these weird instances that I truly enjoy...

It was two am in the morning, I was trying to get a bit more tidying up done before going to bed when i got a phone call. " Dude, do you have small containers?" Dennis said on the other side of the line. I immediately knew this was going to be an interesting night....

Dennis is my assistant, friend and tarantula boy extraordinaire...girls...he's still single and very available!!! =P

For the longest time dennis has been trying to breed tarantulas...and finally he had a successful trial. Yesterday...metaphorically, he became a father...to two hundred babies.

"I have alot of film boxes." I answered.
"Allright...I am coming to get them..." dennis replied.
"No...I'll send them over" I added...what the hell was that idiot thinking...I was not going to miss National Geographic 'Live'...and now if i die I can say that I have seen a clutch of tarantulas coming out from the egg sack.

Arriving shortly...i saw spider boy exceedingly happy his perpetual grin even wider than usual...out of courtesy I asked "I hope you dun mind me taking pictures..." "please take as many...and did you bring the video?"says a happy dennis

It was all very interesting...the mother tarantula even shook her egg sac to get the spiderlings out.

But shortly later...we had to settle to something important.We have to separate each spider into individual containers because

1)spiderlings eat each other.
2)spiderlings wander and may spread all over the room(they are small enough to fit out of the large enclosure...
It took an entire night because we had to pack up a small film box with peat and then gently nudging each spiderling in...one by one...

At the end of the night...the proud father has over 200 cases each with one spider. They will be reay for sale as soon as they stabilize...tarantulas anyone?

I am officially a tarantula keeper now...having been given two tarantula for helping out to package tarantulas from 3 am till 7am. it has been interesting to say the least....

ROSE - my first painting 2009

2009-02-02T01:29:00.003+08:00

TITLE : ROSE
ARTIST : LINUS CHUNG
MEDIUM : ACRYLIC ON CANVAS
SIZE : 43cm x 43cm
YEAR : 2009

This is my new painting entitled 'Rose' but before i get into it allow me to quickly say something...

Wait...didn't we just shout Happy New Year??? Whoever coined the phrase 'time flies' is a genius.We have only 11 months left into 2009. Like any of you, I am tired chasing time but January has been a great month for me...for one I kept to 7 resolutions and am aiming to be keeping to all my resolutions.Here are the 7 i managed to keep.

1.Find God -been regularly attending church and praying
2.Read More-finished two books in january Teh of Piglet and Midnight Clear
3.Charity-Raise a small sum for Gaza
4.Blog regularly-you my dear readers are testament to this
5.Diary -kept to an entry a day
6.Short film one per month - finished PO
7.Paint-one canvas a month

I intend to be even more fiercely chasing my set goals/resolutions because in this life sometimes you really have to just make aim and hit them...today I hit the last one before february...yay!

Sometimes if we let time go...it really just runs away...and it been a while since I painted, so I made a decision...set up a still life, invited a friend josephine over and discipline myself to paint over the weekend.

For me painting is very enjoyable...you look at a subject so closely that you really take the time to appreciate it...on the side, you are mixing colours and applying it on canvas creating a picture. The process of creating for me has always been so satisfying...

As you paint, the observations you have are delicious...You look at little details like a small fold on the paper or how powder dust collects...that really entices our sense to see. It is also a challenge as you mix colours to create just the right colours,tones and hues needed to paint the picture. This process both challenges you...while teaching you to appreciate how rich the colours in our lives really are.

Painting is also something that you can do that gives you a gainful distraction while leaving your mind to wander...to meditate about things in life or to simply enjoy a good conversation with a friend present...

Painting also literally gives you a new eye or train you to see more things...as I was explaining to my friend josephine who was my first companion in painting in 2009...look at the still life ahead of you(an arrangement of old fashioned mirror and face powder...look at it properly and now try to look at it from various perspective...you could see it as 'my grandmother's makeup' 'an excited young girl table in the 1950s' or maybe 'a prostitute's makeup kit in the 1950's'. 'You can even see it as the precious poccessions of a poor woman and that's all she sadly has' added josephine...I agree.

I intend to make one or two paintings every months of 2009...the sessions are on any saturday when I am free...if any of you are keen to join me for painting at my house on a weekend, call me...

2009-01-26T05:07:00.000+08:00

I cried...I knelt...I prayed.

2009-01-24T07:58:00.004+08:00

It struck me and I cried...I really cried...not a small tear drop at the side of my eye but a heart wrenching good cry...

And the thing is I wasn't crying for some endearing character's untimely demise nor was I crying for a really sad breakup scene. I was crying for myself. I was crying for the humanity I didn't feel in myself for a very long time. And as the film played, it aroused in me in me an emotion I cannot help but express in tears both painful and yet freeing.

In Yasmin's own words Talentime is about "A music teacher, who is herself a great performer is organising an inter-school talentime. Through the days of auditions, rehearsals and preparations, running up to the big day of the contest, the characters get embroiled in a world of heightened emotions - ambition, jealousy, human comedy, romance, heartbreak - all of which culminate in a day of great music and performances."

Yasmin also mentioned that the idea behind Talentime: That as humans, we have to go through a lot of pain and some measure of suffering before we can reach greater heights.

The film weaved a deceivingly simple but very honest tale of the celebration and affliction that is life. I admire how effortlessly Yasmin creates characters we love and then use them almost as prophets to show us in a most loving and endearing way how we've gone wrong and how ugly we can be; to how we all can still be beautiful angels shrouded in redemption and grace. I also love how in the film, Yasmin shows that irrelevant moments in life that we share with our love ones makes it all the more beautiful and rellevant.

It is truly one of the most affecting film I have ever seen if not the most...and I believe that all of us will be better for seeing it. This may sound overly dramatic but I found myself wanting to say sorry to an enemy I've hated for too long and I also wanted to tell my parents I love them so.

Talentime is Yasmin Admad's latest film to be released sometimes in March this year. And I tell you that even though I have seen it, I will be the first in queue at the Cinema come it's opening.

After the screening...I had an unfortunate bicker with someone I do care about alot that arose from nowhere...to her I say sorry. I was hurtful.

I want to celebrate the goodness in life and just love; but as hard as I try sometimes in this life, flawed as we are as humans we create afflictions and pain...but there's hope I guess, in our failing we can only aspire to be better through our daily lessons from tribulations and our prayers to a greater God.

After watching Yasmin film...I woke up this morning at 6 am happy and as the deep blue sky awaits the morning sun I walked to a corner of my room knelt and pray.

Yasmin is never ashamed of her admiration of great filmmakers. I honestly feel I don't deserve being called a filmmaker after watching this. Yasmin is the filmmaker and I hope she keeps making films like this...

A Short Film in Sarawak... =)

2009-01-18T01:40:00.015+08:00

I've made 16 resolutions this year I intended to keep. Two of them are...

1) I will update this blog twice weekly.I know I've said this many times before but well I am keeping to my word this time.I didn't blog for ten days because of only one reason, I wanted to hold Gaza high for at least a week.I hope some of you have helped. I write this blog for two reason, one it lets me reflect on my life. Two I love comments and interaction because don't we all? so please do help me tell friends and leave comments.I in turn will try to fill this blog with enjoyable writings.
2)I will make one short film every month.

I am a filmmaker and filmmaking should be an enjoyable thing as much as my business...so once every month I will make a short film, just for the sake of telling a story through film. I am glad so far this month...I've hit this resolution too.

On my holiday home in Kuching, I was at first lazy and reluctant...like how alot of people are in their hometown. But then I remembered my resolution. I decided to drive around town in search of a story. As I drove through the Batu Lintang Government Quarters, I remembered how I told myself I must come make a short film here because it is being demolished and cleared for new development. Why? Because it is old kuching...something I see everyday on my bus home from school. It's also where my grandfather once stayed and where my father spent part of his childhood. I want to remember it.

I have my location...now for the story. A old man talks to his son and reconciles with his own faults...I am done again. Now here's the hard part. Getting started on production and pulling things together. Scheduling a realistic shoot strategy, getting the neccesary actors, getting the equipment required and getting the permission to shoot at the location. Kuching has been hit by a wet spell. It's been raining almost 24 hours a day for the whole while I've been back!

So yeah, it's harder to get around in the rain not to mention shooting. It's also harder to even get up in the morning when it's so cold and comfortable under a blanket! But I kept telling myself to just get up and do it. So I did. With a phonecall to a friend David Ngui. "Friend...I want to make a short film...can you help me...can you maybe act for me? It's an impromptu thingy and I am only paying a very small angpow." He said "yes" I made another call to an old friend...Rambo. He said "yes, yes" A small momentum started...before long...a list start getting crossed out...yes there were no along the ways but well...if there is a no I just told myself...find another way...come on just get going...the hardest part of getting the old man...two relatives rejected me also met with a deceivingly simple solution...I walked into an old folk club (a bare 1 km from my house) and found one.

Everything together I was tired but it's time to go...and so I just tell myself, make the film! And I just went and went and went...the day before shoot...I was both tired and excited. But well I was happy.It's going to happen.

On the morning of the shoot - 16th January 2009. I had 2 hours sleep but I told myself at 5 am. Wake up and go give praise to God. I attended morning mass at Carmelite Chapel. Then it started with fetching the actors.My brother helped me with another car.

First location...it was raining...at a graveyard. I was in the car, even at the last minute I had doubts and was fighting them...we had umbrella and ponchos. Don't care just do...we were a lean group.One camera. one mike. three assist(one of whom is also an actor) two actors. Position actors. instruction.camera.shoot.repeat. Rain was everywhere. We tried to make do as best...wiping camera and dodging around tombstone with as much respect...

Done...next...get grandfather. *Flashback a day earlier* My grandfather doesn't or anyone to drive his car...a bummer as I wanted his mini in the shoot. I made a compromise and asked him to please drive it to location as I accompany him and we'll just shoot a static car...He agreed.

Everybody got to Batu Lintang.On the location, a van I wanted removed was still there.Owner told me he couldn't removed it as the battery was dead. I shout for jumper cables and as my good friends tried to start the van I tried to talk to actors and my grandfather in successsion to keep them happy. I also juggled the script in my head.

Half an hour, van still won't start. pushing time...not easy in the mud but well...just do it right?Got rid of van.Start shoot bus assuring kung kung no damage will be done to his car...got into the car. The two new actors were stiff but hey I can't complain...my job as director to find their potential...I spoke to them gently. I told them not to act as they have been acting for only a day and would suck at it...but as they have been humans for 27 and 62 years respectively I told them to just be human...they got a tad bit better. In my head I was trying to solve another matter.My whole idea was to be dialogue based and not intensive on blocking...but my actors didn't have the capacity to take the film on dialogue alone. Had to give them more actions...rethink blocking.
All this while...the rain started and stop...started and stop. The process was now like...shoot shoot shoot...a shout RAIN!...clear clear clear...run run run...wait wait wait...resetup and shoot again. Oh...and if you look carefully above there's a little dog chasing me...he was a fun and added a jovial joy to the shoot but oh boy, was he annoying when he shook tripods.He is also teething and like to chew...especially on my shins. But it's okay...I anticipated the work scenario early, okay maybe not quite the dog but I gave ample time to executing what is really a very simple script and was okay.

The family of the house were very nice...and I can say the shoot has its problem but went pretty well. Here's the lady of the house cheering me on!!!

We ended the day shoot at 4pm...and we sent our two actors back before going to hui sing for a drink and chill session. Next scene at 8pm. After the drink, I slept in the car a bare 20 minutes before waking up to entertain David and kept my own momentum going checking the chickens needed for tonite shoot etc. 2 more scenes... come on...i can do this...

8pm came.We reassembled in Batu Lintang. It's dark and soggy...but again "let's do it!" The scene was of a father rescuing his chickens in a heavy downpour as his son looks on. Me and Aaron discussed lighting setup. Though I was technically D.O.P. it was great help having another D.O.P. around to just discuss ideas and bounce possible lighting. We had one 1k. Awhile of waiting...and then it was a crazy shot that made the entire crew laugh heartily as water poured from a pipe and my actor was drenched to his underwear holding a chicken. Shot accomplished.

Move on to Sekama.Last shot...quite relaxed now...but when I arrived at Sekama coffee shop...there were quite a number of people...as it was an operating coffee shop. I was worried Rambo (my actor) will freeze up. I took a while to think things through...my brother even suggested if I don't like the scenario shoot another day. I said give me five minutes...then I decided to try anyway. I put up the lights...prep the sound. Rambo was brilliant. The worry was for nothing...

Now as I sit here and reflect writing this blog...I smile and am happy I did this small film. I enjoyed the time with my friends with many laugther and that mysterious bonding...I made a film that documented a location important in my family history and I basically just started my year well fulfilling my resolution by simply just starting...oh...and one last fact...I asked every of my friend on this film or do you want your small token or do you want to send it to mercy malaysia to help the people of Gaza? Everyone is giving to Gaza. Am sending the cheque next friday. =)

To end off...this short film entitled Pao(chinese for BROKEN) is my first short film in Sarawak in almost ten years! Thanks to everyone who did it with me!

There is a Way to be Good Again

2009-01-09T22:57:00.007+08:00

"There is a way to be good again. "
the kite runner

The atrocities in Gaza is now bewildering but lets not focus on the atrocities...let's actually try to make a difference.It's always so easy and so fashionable to pity and say "oh how sad" when we see victims of war but how often have we truly lifted a finger to help...

Dear All

I call out to all of you to please seriously donate some money no matter how small to the plight of the innocent in Gaza.Don't think about it...do it now. Call your friends and collect the amount...

Alot of you when contacted by me said to me"...no friend sorry...I am abit tight this month, I didn't receive a good end year bonus etc etc etc..." I feel so sad to know why are we so adverse to helping someone...other than ourselves

Please friend...all of us has monetary woes...but we still live in peace, we spend eleven bucks on cinema tickets, we spend good money on starbucks and most of us now are spending relatively immodest amount on buying our new year clothing.Don't say you don't have money...don't be stupid...spend less on lunch, resist buying that one more shoe that you don't need and send the money to help someone have another chance...

Please consider this...in the goodness of your heart can you give even if ten ringgit to help save a child's life...to buy medicine...to buy plaster...to help a child see another sunrise...help give him a hope for a future...

A jug fills drop by drop. Buddha

Imagine how grateful you will feel if you were on the receiving end...and your life was spared or your pain relieved...

I will be collecting from among my friends to send to Mercy Malaysia accounts. You can see me personally to put money into my collection box to be sent together or you can alternatively send the money directly yourself. Please make cheques payable to MERCY MALAYSIA. CIMB account number: 1424-000-6561053. For more information, please contact 03-2273 3999.

Please friend...together perhaps we can make a change and oppose the idiocity that is war and our very very flawed human preoccupation in fighting our own brothers....

"we must not sit still and look for miracles.Up and doing and the Lord will be with thee"
John Lubbock

War doesn't negate decency. It demands it, even more than in times of peace.
from the Kite Runner

The Grandpa's birthday

2009-01-09T06:16:00.005+08:00

The phone rings...."You have been summoned home to attend your grandfather's 85th birthday...even if it's for a day...buy an airline ticket and make your way back"
my dad says over the other side of the line...

Yes...I answered and solemnly I bought a ticket and boarded a flight...

The birthday was a quiet affair...the old man likes to think of us as proper grown ups...even as 3 year olds we were whipped to behave...

That's what my grandad's birthday will be like if a certain crazed uncle had his way...

luckily this is my other grandfather and he didn't so this granddad birthday was actually fun and a welcomed affair...

The two KL chung flew back the night before...the babies prepared their lively squeals...the uncles and aunties did their cooking...while dad bought some pizza...

Then it was good old family fun with lotsa noise...laugther and generally a good time regathering everyone...Here's hoping this for your family too...

Peace, Propaganda & The Promised Land

2009-01-05T22:58:00.003+08:00

Friends.please watch the following videos. It will give you a clearer picture of what is presently happening in GAZA and give up an alternative view of the war.The whole video takes about an hour and a half but please do try and watch even if you can see 10 mins. It is by understanding that we may possibly find compassion and in finding compassion probably peace...

Offer a prayer...

contact Mercy Malaysia at 03-2273 3999, or email to info@mercy.org.my and find out how best you can help raise funds for medical aid that can help save the lives of wounded children in Gaza.

Feel free to copy this to your blog...

Say Hello to Cutie!

2009-01-04T00:54:00.006+08:00

Meet my little cutie...yup...that's the name for my alligator snapper...

Among my christmas gifts I've got soft toys, decorative items and books...as much as I appreciate them...it wasn't exactly what i want...I guess sometimes when you want something you've gotta buy it as a gift to yourself...and hence i took out money from my own pocket and bought myself a baby turtle...it was an alligator snapper and a species I've seen and wanted since I was a little ten year old boy in a petshop growing my petkeeping hobby...it wasn't an easy species to find...I was actually asking around for it from my animal dealer friend hussien but the best he said he could get was a 6 inch or so specimen...I wanted a one inch (carapace length) specimen so when it grows up into a monster one day I can say that...it's my dear monster that i brought up from a little baby...

and for any of you who knows what's an alligator snapper you know what a monster this little 'cutie' can one day become....for those of you unaware...I've taken the liberty to search for some pictures from google and posting them here...

Some facts on cutie excerpted from wikipedia....
The Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world.There is an unverified report of a 403-poundAlligator Snapping Turtle found in the Neosho River in Kansas in 1937,^[2] but the largest one actually on record is 236 lb, and housed at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, Illinois.The Alligator Snapping Turtle possesses extraordinary bite strength, and can be quite aggressive when cornered. Alligator snappers are opportunistic carnivores.These turtles must be handled with extreme care.^[5]Though not a primary food source for them, Alligator snappers have been known to kill actual alligators they have been confined with.Though their potential lifespans in the wild are unknown, alligator snapping turtles are believed to be capable of living to 150 years of age.Due to their potential size and specific needs, they do not make particularly good pets for any but the most experienced aquatic turtle keepers.When antagonized, alligator snappers are quite capable of delivering a bite with their powerful jaws which can cause significant harm to a human, easily amputating fingers.
Like any parent to a child....how excited am I till cutie grows up...oh the excitement....

I am not sure whether it'll actually get this big tho...I am quite sure this picture is fake...but then again...i am hoping cutie will grow as big as possible!

I am feeding him well daily...

From discovery channel mike rowe....

2009! Auld Lang Syne

2009-01-01T22:10:00.003+08:00

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

That was a bunch of friends staying back after a simple party simply having fun...and wht fun it was simply singing an old iconic song...we were even calling friends so they can share in the merriment long distance...it's a wonder what simply coming together as friends can do...

Eugene typed me a sms message on the 30th December, it reads... 'what are we doing to welcome in the new year?' Having just come back from an adventure trip where we slept in caves and surf down gushing river on a board I really had no plans...so me, dennis and himself decided at his prompting decide to throw a New Year party we jokingly called... THE LAST MINUTE NEW YEAR PARTY FOR ANYONE NOT INVITED TO A NEW YEAR PARTY! =P

It was to be a gathering of friends...with food and just well chit chat...the thing that friends do to bring up the life in any party....

So it's 2009! a brand new year...happy new year everyone...make the most of the year and don't forget the simple blessing that we all have simply being alive!!! I wish you good friends and a great life for 2009!!!

pray for pax (peace) the dog please.

2008-12-31T02:12:00.005+08:00

This is pax (french word for peace), a friend valerie's dog...he is also footstool's friend and has went for walks with footstool. He is a very hyperactive dog...and alot of fun always seeking attention...and played a great game of fetch....

he is a lovable jack russell terrier but now he is very very ill....he has got scrotia hernia that lead to an internal infection.

He has been in the vet now for 3 weeks now...and has undergone three surgeries...he has also been on the drip...he is not eating...he is very weak now and hence only lie still not playing his ball anymore...but when his owner came to the vet...he loyally stood up to greet her with what little energy he had...

...tommorow, my friend valerie is taking pax home.He will be off the drip.If his stomach continues not to accept food he will die...

I am asking all you you my friends and strangers who pray to a God to please pray for dear pax...for he is still alive and has a chance at a miracle....

there's always a chance for a miracle...pray now as you read this...u can spare 10 minutes.

dog biscuits, milk and what? no santa???

2008-12-25T17:39:00.004+08:00

When I came back to church yesterday...footstool didn't greet me as usual like his pleasant self...he always is at the gate ready to greet me when I come home at night because he knows it's the best form of bribery he has...greet me...wag tail a little and I am helpless to his charm so I will bring him out to pee everywhere...to mark his presence...

Actually, I think something has been on his one track mind the whole month...he seems to be waiting for something....

Then yesterday...i found dog biscuits and milk under the christmas tree i knew what's the problem...so I sat down next to footstool...who was lying and waiting on the couch under the christmas tree...and gently told him...

"Footstool...there is no santa..." I said being as gentle and as consoling as I could....at that his eye became bigger...as if he had just had a shocking revelation and his heart was broken!!!! I can't believe footstool didn't know there's no santa!!! He's three years old for goodness sake...
The wide eyes...quickly turned to an almost sad depressed look...I continued to explain to him that Santa was a product of mass commercialism....and it's not what christmas is about...christmas is about more than that...it's the celebration of the love our God has for us, and the coming of our Lord Jesus who is born in a manger to save all of us...it's God made man!!! Emmanuel!!! God is with us!!!!!

My explaination though...was somewhat lost on footstool... he doesn't care for words too much...just food,walks(actually more like peeing) and laying around lazily while his staff runs his film production company he shares with me...

Ah well he jumped up and finished the milk and dog biscuits...There's nothing more horrible than seeing a sad dog....luckily I quickly thot of something...I bought something that was meant for footstool but I never gave him...so this is a great time to do that...everyone deserves a gift for christmas!!! especially footstool...."footstool i have something for you" i yell and I ran upstairs to grab a miniture basset hound toy i bought for him...it was from hush puppy...i know he will like it...but well...i guess i was more enthusiastic about it than footstool...who gave me this look of discontent...that's it??? knowing footstool he probably expected a ferrari...to all of you from me and footstool....Merry Christmas....and remember Christmas is from the heart you guys... cheers =)

reflections of the year that was

2008-12-24T11:25:00.009+08:00

Well...i have been silent lately because I have been trying to finish up everything for the year 2008, to start 2009 anew.

So have you written your resolutions? When I talk about resolutions, some people may passively say well...2009 is just another day and a new numeral in the calendar year...nothing much...on the other hand...i kind of like the new year as a marker point if you will to change things...it's always nice to have some time to sit back and reflect before kicking off again....

so before i share my resolutions...I like to reflect...2008 has been both good and bad for me...

on the good side...

- i had a momentous year and visited the grand canyon to mexico

- my dog footstool came into my life

- i had a wonderful time jungle trekking throughout the year with my trail trekking group

- i had continuous work that kept me going and work brought me from an oil palm estate to salsa fest in johor

-I met Rebecca.

on the bad side...

- I badly sprained my ankle in march, unable to work for quite a while and when i began work i had a backlog that needed alot of overtime work catching up meaning bad sleep patterns

- My relationship was shaky so my focus on life and work was at times off. I lost zhiling =(

- My dog footstool took to shitting and peeing where it annoys me most...

- I had a client from hell that even swore on my church...when i delivered to her lousy instructions, ah well she's a bitter divorced woman,I should be understanding

-I lost Rebecca =(

In hindsight...I didn't start the year 2008 very well and spent the year adjusting...

As a whole....I don't think I was productive in 2008 but was just surviving it through with enough work to get by but not really growing.

But looking on the bright side....i did survive... i did enjoy life and all of life's flavours...it's bitterness, it's sweetness...reflecting on it...i both want to laugh and cry...

hope you guys are taking the time off to reflect too...

For a Dog named Carpet.

2008-11-18T05:44:00.020+08:00

“A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, big or small, young or old. He doesn't care if you're not smart, not popular, not a good joke-teller, not the best athlete, nor the best-looking person. To your dog, you are the greatest, the smartest, the nicest human being who was ever born. You are his friend and protector.”
Louis Sabin

I got this picture and the accompanying poem from this flickr member here. And immediately it made me feel warm all over...and then suddenly sad all at the same time.

Why you may ask? Well recently...I got a call from a friend who asked if I'd like to have a cocker spaniel.It's black, about a year old and has been abandoned by a buyer who bought him and another dog from the pet shop only to leave it there in a cage for between 6 months to a year. The pet shop was frustrated and put the dogs out for adoption and hence both landed in my friend's hand who passed one to my hands as she lived in an apartment and couldn't keep two dogs.It was a gorgeous dog...and it was easy to fall in love with him...here's his picture...and as much as I loved him from the first hug...I almost hesitant at taking him trying to convince my friend to keep both by asking if she's sure she don't want to try and keep it almost repeatedly.I was hesitant because I know I couldn't manage the time to properly care for the dog as it is one that required much grooming...and I already had a dog named footstool.

Footstool is also a dog that I wrote about numerous times on his blog...as I said...I think he's intelligent but he often like to tease me until I am pissed at him. Here I am ironing a curtain...
so much of thinking well of his intelligence...that he so kindly marked his territory on. Peeing for him took 20 seconds...washing , drying and ironing the curtain took hours...footstool, if you secretly know how to read and are reading this know one thing...it's not funny. As much as my assistant Dennis love footstool, he doesn't think much of his intelligence, he likes to knock footstool head then look at me and say "see...it's hollow...see it's hollow"

As much as I hate to admit it....I question dennis's intelligence sometimes too...only an idiot would get into a wrestling match with a dog...

Yeah...keeping a dog is a big commitment. But I proceeded to say yes to the black cocker spaniel that I named carpet because I know he had no other home...and so I took him in.

Carpet was a warm and friendly dog and followed me wherever I went. So it was all good.

Problem only arose when Footstool began to get jealous that he had to fight for affections....
I wanted to let carpet sleep indoors while footstool outdoors. Because Footstool has obviously lost the privilege since the curtain incidence repeated twice...and footstool is quite a big fella so he can topple things.However, footstool gave me this look of "hey...you're being unfair"

I ignored it painfully with a broken heart...

That night, Carpet came with me to my workroom and sat on the floor. It was so cute...after a while he ran off. Suddenly, he came back with a durian shell...I was like ??? Upon going downstairs for inspection, I found my rubbish bin torn open and garbage everywhere...there was also there was land mines everywhere...With a sigh I walked out and came back armed with a box of tissue to clean up.

That night carpet slept in my room.All's good until he woke up at 3am and started scratching the door barking wanting to be let out...I had to claw myself up to let him out...go back to sleep...after half an hour, he was again barking and scratching the door wanting back in...I opened the floor to find that he didn't shit n the box I prepared for him and has instead shit everywhere...at that point i had it...and carried him to the toilet downstairs far from my room and locked him in. Finally I get to sleep.

A few days later...carpet got a slight running nose(a trip to the vet reassured that it was nothing really chronice but just that it was kept in a cage for so long it's resistance was probably low) and I worried for him too...

After two weeks...I finally said that I cannot manage carpet but the good news is my friend did find a new home for him...as he walked out of my house...I was at first relieved...but then he looked back with almost a puppy like smile and a nod of thank you...and I actually felt sad that he's going...in fact I am tearing and missing him dearly as I write this...

But to end this all...I just wanna say that...keeping a dog is a joy and I highly recommend it....you can immediately fall in love with one...but do not just make a decision on that impulse... dog ownership like any other thing is something that come with a commitment. And as dog owners, we are responsible for our dogs...so really don't get a dog unless you are really up to caring for it.
And don't buy a dog...go to your local RSPCA and give one a home...also ensure your dog don't get or give unwanted pregnancy...

That said...I need to go scoop up footstool's shit...

with a smile of course...

I LOVE MY JOB

2008-11-12T23:04:00.007+08:00

smile when you work

My friend recently ask me to upload my qualifications up on jobstreet. She said that there a chance of getting me a better job or something to that effect. I don't understand why...does she not know that I work and I love my job? Gee...

It becomes a scary trend nowadays it seems that everyone wants to keep leaving their jobs for a better job. What really is a better job really? Maybe it's because I've never suffered job trauma but I really can't tell what's a better job as that's an illusive term. Does better pay means better job? Well then why can't people just be specific and say that they are after better pay.

Are you happy with your job? If you are...congratulations!!!! I am too...

But to alot of people who are not happy...well I think the problem comes down to...

How do you define your job?

Alot of people it seems...define job as something they do just for money...security...well I guess you get what you want...they get money and security...hardly any happiness...

For me..I define a good job as something I can do smiling and that is a job that you constantly see new things, don't spend your time slaving over a computer all day and that you do silly things...and hence that is my job and I love my job...

What's my job you may ask?

Well occasionally when I get a chance to act...I act...
I am no great actor...and I am very much learning on the job so I appreciate all the great directors who's given me a chance to be in their film...thank you.

Acting is really hard work...for any idiot who think tom cruise is just a pretty face...try turn a video camera on yourself and feel how hard it is...see what it looks like on screen...it's hard...you know what you have to do and yet when you do it...you want to do it without the pretension that you are consciously doing it....be natural...2 words...but damn hard...I think sharifah amani is a great actress.

That aside...I write...for the fun of writing....because I can write without thinking and words flow easily....

But as for my main job...I am a filmmaker. I make films as in I produce them from raising the funds to getting the team together and executing the film.I am also a corporate video/commercial filmmaker in that I produce a corporate film for a company wishing to showcase what their company strengths and history or to increase market visibility and win market share. I will advise on the idea, organise the shoot and get it shot for you....anyone of us need my services...email me at aelea.films@gmail.com

hehehe...sorry for the brief advertorial...but anyway...yeah...back to i love my job.

I get to see different things everyday...recently on a shoot at an oil palm estate....I met a buffalo so well trained he can walk when you say "JALAN!" and stop when you say "DIAM!" I was like wow...it's better trained than my dog footstool! actually i suspect footstool is intelligent...he just wish to tease me often...
Honestly there are times when I am super frustrated at work...tell me who doesn't get frustrated at work? Even Paris Hilton gets hard time being just the blonde...so yeah...I love my job...I think I smile alot doing it....

Dennis, my friend, partner in crime and good assistant will attest to that...

Dennis...you do love your job don't you? I mean how often in a job, your daily work include kicking an owl box so that the owl will fly out and the camera man can film it... =P

Yeah...alot of people say a job in the arts...you can't earn much...good...nobody fights for my job I get to keep it more secure...hehehe...but if you do like my job, you're welcome....it's always nice to have new blood adding to the fray...but before you do my job...don't just love it because I love it...ask yourself...do you love this job.

I'll end my blabber saying this....you'll spend half your life at your job...better love it...

KING OF TENNIS AND THE ISA

2008-11-10T01:50:00.000+08:00

Maybe there is a use for the ISA...

I wonder is the organisers of the king of tennis tournament is going to be captured by the ISA?

Why for you may ask?

Well...they ruined the name of the country and penang for alot of people.Alot of people are going to be scared of buying tickets to a tennis event in malaysia again thinking...will it be cancelled. Any foreign tourist who has made travel plans and spent money to come to Malaysia for the event will probably not think very much of malaysia now.

I wonder...just wonder how many contractors were not paid or were half paid for their effort.

I wonder how many people will get their ticket refunded.

I wonder how many of us will have our tax money taken out by the government as a bailout to pay for the field that in a picture from the sun newspaper here looks like crap. I doubt the organisers can pay to repair that.

Raja Petra in this case was caught by the ISA for 'much less'...actually what did he get caught for?

maybe the ISA can finally do something useful...

arrest an over ambitious event producer who promised but never delivered and created a big loss for all...well...we all make mistakes...but seriously...

we pay for it...

Wait...not all of us pay for it....

It seems like the people up there and the people in politics can sometimes to borrow the english phrase 'get away with murder' =P pardon the pun...or at least get away with a mismanaged tennis tournament that tarnish an image of a country

Let's see how the government acts over this matter...

maybe there will finally be a use for the ISA =P

Linus

ISA

2008-11-10T00:59:00.004+08:00

Father Paulino was picked up by police during a candlelight rally against the I.S.A.
Please pray for him.

Please place this on your blog so others may also pray for him.

Gua Batu Maloi

2008-10-27T09:30:00.003+08:00

As soon as we arrived at Gua Batu Maloi, Aurelius jumped up of the car and immediately started cutting bamboo with his brand new parang like the consumate parang junkie that he is..." why you need such a long parang" a voice is heard a stone throw away. It is the voice of Mr. Nazri, our guide for the day.

He immediately explains our journey...

1)The cave is part of a living natural world.So if the weather changes,the river in the cave would quickly swell.Should that happen, he would need to evacuate us fast so do try to remain atentive and keep safe.

2)The caves are about a kilometer long and some parts of the caves dip down as far as 25 feet (about 2 storeys underground).

3)Believe it or not, these caves are occasionally the dwelling of orang bunians or orang halus(jungle spirit) and once we did lost a trekker. It took 70 policemen a few days to find her when she was just right there all along. Everyone believes that she was in another dimension.She claimed she had tea with some short people. So please keep respectful and aware.With that...on we go with our journey.There were three trekkers with us. Two of them were form four students on a school break but as Mr. Nazri assured us, they been trained by Jabatan perhutanan. The three trekkers would serve the following purpose. A leader to show us the way. A sweeper to ensure nobody gets left behind. A watchout above(Mr.Nazri himself) to ensure should any weather change occur he will signal for an evacuation.

Knowing there was such precautionary measures in place, I just set out to have fun...and straight upon the first stream...I jumped straight in immersing myself entirely...we are going to get wet anyway so might as well be wet from the start.There was a small jungle trek to start off the journey.It was quite a fun trek and wasn't a flat out walk. We had to negotiate terrain where we were required to jump in small pools, climb up on roots, hang alongside a root system on the side of a rockwall,cross sand pits which we took the opportuinity to wrestle and 'sand' each other, climb up slanted rocks, slide down slanted rocks. Within minutes, I realised my slippers were useless as they kept getting caught in rocks so I did the barefoot thingy. I advice anyone to do this trail barefoot. our blonde ai ling pole dancing....

The terrain consist of mostly sand and pretty well rounded rock that if anything prove to be a nice reflexology and free to boot.As we negotiate boulders after boulder...we suddenly became enveloped by darkness and that's where our cave journey began.Gua Batu Maloi is not so much a cave as in a carved out tavern in a monolith or mountain with thousand year old stalagmites but more like boulders falling on top of a river system that created this passage where you had to climb, duck,crawl and at some bit swim to cross. The water was cold and fresh. At some points we had really small crevices to squeeze through which gave us loads of hamster like fun while other pints small waterfall formation that stirred the water into natural jacuzzi formations that were just so nice to sit and relax or indulge in the real hobby of the trekking group - cam whoring.The group this time comprises of perpetually happy faces like eddie, legally blonde ai ling =P , the damsel in occasional distress audrey (who made us more experienced trekkers feel a little macho trying to help her) the sturdily built chow pinn, the lady li chiang and her man maxx, ken and chelsina our good organisers, aurelius our camwhoring kungfu panda wannabe, crazy cave vixen valerie, dennis our order shouting ~~commando~~ wannabe, myself the crazy loud frog, ~~yet another~~ dennis, moon, boyfriend and the rest of the gang.

After we finished the cave and everyone feeling fresh and elated...Gua batu Maloi had one more thing to please...a big rock...the batu maloi...it was fun as some of the more adventurous raced one another scaling up the rockface clinging to wines and roots...

But alas...it was finally time to go back...

Here's the sour note...As we started on the walk back,I actually asked the group to pick up any rubbish that they see on the way out... It was sad to say that while I was sweeping behind the whole group, there were still rubbish...and I actually saw some members of our party just conveniently walked pass it as if too good to clean up our jungle... one of them was dennis khing. I felt so sad as I thought more of him as a friend. Sorry dennis, you sorely disappointed and pissed me off...I actually had to call him to pick it up...What pride is there not to pick up rubbish and have things dirty....How shameful if we have the nerve to dirty but not the grace to pick up rubbish... malaysians and our damn third world mentality.

In the Presence of a Master

2008-09-14T13:20:00.005+08:00

When I was young, a man who died a good seven years before i was even born was a great influence to me...

His believe in the potential of each of us, the importance of self expression and of non conformity....

He changed the American stereotype that the chinese man was a meek man in a thin moustache saying in a high pitched voice 'you want fortune cookie?'

He had a million people lining the streets when his movie came out...

His film is still a cult bestseller in video stores today

He has a video game, a biography movie about his life and countless book after his name

and his call will echoes through time....as what you'd say when delivering a good kick...

He was my inspiration...to always live my dreams.

His name was Bruce Lee.

Me, marcus and my brother were avid fan of his...and not just of his martial arts but his philosophy as well. Not many of you would think of Bruce Lee more than a kicking killing machine...but the man is wiser than his macho outlook. Here are a few sample of his quotes...

on love
Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.

on learning
Absorb what is useful, Discard what is not, Add what is uniquely your own

“A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.”

and of course...on kicks
I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.

so as I walked through the cemetery, it was like a homage of sort...and when I sat there...reverence.

All the time I was there...cars come and go to take picture with the grave...there were Filipinos, Japanese, English, Americans...all coming and going one after another...one Japanese remarked...he's glad he's made it after 30 years and clicked so many photos...now 35 years after his passing... this attest to the height of his popularity. The cemetery even prepared a map for any tourist at the gate.

After an hour...I stood up...cleaned the grave with my hands...as I stupidly didn't have a cloth....i scratched off candle wax...and brush off some debris...I wished he gave me some profound revelation...but there was none...

I just looked at the grave and thought...I didn't feel his presence...I didn't cry...I was just staring at a grave...silent...unmoving...peering at the man....but then I smile....I guess the man has one thing to teach me yet...that in death we may be revered...but life is what matters and I should make the most of mine...

The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering...

With that I bowed...and walked off...

NOTE: Bruce Lee Grave is situated in Lakeview Cemetery Seattle. about 20 mins from downtown Seattle or take bus no.10

SEQUOIA

2008-09-04T14:30:00.004+08:00

I used to think really proudly that we have really big trees in malaysia...so when my tour guide said that we are going to see the sequoia and it was one of the biggest trees I'll ever see...my ignorant and arrogant 'malaysian kiasu' side was like yeah rite...it be nothing next to one of our big MALAYSIAN rainforest trees...

Then as we arrive and I jumped down from the van I was like okay...so these trees are pretty big and tall....

Then my tour guide brought me to see this monster...and I was like awe-struck....

yes, I ate my words....And that tree wasn't the sole tree in the park that size....there were many other gigantic trees in the park and there were some that even had a hole cut in the middle of it that you can walk through and it is still surviving....

Some of the facts of the trees were dumbfounding...

Some of the trees are 3000 years old, they were here before the pyramids, the birth of christ and before the mayans.

One single gigantic sequioa equates to as much lumber as an acre of oak....luckilly for the sequoia, it is very fragile and undurable wood...the wood can only be used for things like pencils and minor stuff.

The tree has a 1 foot thick bark that can withstand forest fires.

Yeah...it's a awesome sight to behold....so if you have the opportunity to travel and feel like seeing some awesome trees...look up the sequoia at yosemite national park.

SHAMU SHAMU

2008-08-24T01:27:00.005+08:00

I was initially hesitant to go to Seaworld because at USD 71 for a day pass including an backstage tour...it was a tad pricey after our 3.3 currency conversion which brings it up to RM234. I think you'll agree it's a tad dear especially for us poor Malaysian traveller...however in terms of USD, I think it's a reasonable price. So off I go to Seaworld. Off to see SHAMU!

Shamu is actually the original whale that performed at Seaworld until she died in August 1971 however Seaworld maintained the name Shamu as a stage name for all performing orcas. As I stepped into Seaworld, I rushed immediately to the Shamu show. Yes, I came all the way to see the killer whales.

The show was called 'Believe' and for me that word was a very powerful word that encapsulate passions and dreams. This show better be good. So as I sat down in anticipation...I could only expect to be moved...

I am very happy to say that the people at Seaworld really know how to put on a show...with a combination of storytelling, animal training, music and showmanship...the show Believe was in short, 'awe-inspiring'. They cleverly showed a video of conservation effort with uplifting music and that totally set the mood while bringing out the theme of the rest of the show which was about the meeting and the bonding of two worlds...that of the animal kingdom and us.

And maybe I have a soft spot for animals but i really think that it is beautiful almost miraculous
show with a good underlying message of bond between two worlds... What was being presented was a combination of skill, hard-work and incredible music/whale/performer coordination. More importantly, it was also a testament to how moving it is emotionally when you see the height of greatness passion and love can go...

It was a great reminder...to always be passionate and follow your dreams and as in the title of the show...believe...