Bangkok Part 1 (reason why I was on pause mode)

Bangkok is hot and humid this time of the year. Yes Mama Sarah, that was what Bea presented me with for my last birthday - a holiday in Bangkok!! She knew that I had such a great time the last time we were there, and that was December last year. We had such a wonderful holiday with the whole family (except for my eldest), in Bangkok last year and I have not stopped talking about it. Bea must have sensed that I wanted to go to Bangkok again, and that would have also been a good opportunity for me to take my eldest son with me for a holiday cum bonding session. Unfortunately that was not to be, for my son had to be back in College for some programme.

Ah well…you guys would know me by now. I don’t really need company to have a good time all by myself. In fact my entry of Saturday, August 19^th, was to mentally prepare readers of my blog for what’s coming in this entry. Yes, I was all myself holidaying in Bangkok for one whole week!!

(That was my hotel in Bangkok)

Grand Tower Inn Rama IV is situated on prime location with easy access to major business and shopping areas. Visitors can take full advantage of easy access to the expressway with Rama VI exits both northbound andsouthbound nearby. In addition, BTS sky train (Saphan Khwai Station) is within a few minutes walking distance.

I find travelling by BTS sky train so convenient.

They have bigger and more spacious trains.

I bought myself the unlimited day-travel ticket, and that will take me to any of the following destinations:

(For a mere 100 bahts, you can travel to any of the above destinations the whole day long)

On Sunday, 20^th August, Chatuchuk market was my first destination.

This has to be any serious shoppers’ priority itinerary in Bangkok. It was so hot, and I sweated so much, but it was okay because it was so much fun, and I got so many great deals. This market is indescribable - you really can't understand the enormity of it until you see it yourself. Essentially, it's just a bunch of stalls that you can find good deals at (if you know how to bargain), but really it was so much more because you shop with the locals. It isn't like shopping at the souvenir stalls on the street. I expected to see many more tourists at the market, but really, the locals seemed to outnumber us by far. You will see things that are so odd and quite hilarious and unexpected. I’m not going into the details of that. My advice: Try to arrive fairly early - it'll be less busy and slightly cooler; Drink lots of water; Don't be afraid to bargain, but if that's not your thing, you'll still get a reasonable deal. Believe me,you’ll have lots of fun!

(To be continued...)

Happy Birthday Bea...

A True Love Is The Only Rose Without A Thorn

Thank You For Being Everything I Could Ever Want. You've Filled My Life With Joy. I Am So Glad You're A Part Of My Life…..

Happy Birthday Bea…..

Dont Worry....Be HAPPY !!

"If I do not want what you want, please do not try to tell me that my want is wrong.

Or if I believe other than you, at least pause before you correct my view.

Or if my emotion is less than yours, or more, given the same circumstances, try not to ask me to feel more strongly or weakly.

Or yet if I act, or fail to act, in the manner of your design for action, let me be.

I do not, for the moment at least, ask you to understand me. That will come only when you are willing to give up changing me into a copy of you.

I may be your spouse, your parent, your offspring, your friend, or your colleague. If you will allow me any of my own wants, or emotions, or beliefs, or actions, then you open yourself, so that some day these ways of mine might not seem so wrong, and might finally appear to you as right – for me. To put up with me is the first step to understanding me. Not that you embrace my ways as right for you, but that you are no longer irritated and disappointed with me for my seeming waywardness. And in understanding me you might come to prize my differences from you, and, far from seeking to change me, preserve and even nurture those differences.”

I was so moved by the extract above, taken from an old book as I was browsing at the Pay Less Book at their Amcorp Mall branch, yesterday. You guessed it right. I just have to buy the book entitled: Please Understand Me, a book about character and temperament types, written by David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates and I am reading it right now.

In my last entry, I gave you a list of the things which made me happy. And if you remember, I put “I’m going to be very VERY happy end of next week. Don’t ask me why cos I’m not telling you” as the last point on the agenda. Yes, I did. If you don’t believe me, you can look back.

Well, it’s already nearing the end of the week and I’m starting to get giddy with the feeling of joy. Don’t ask me why cause I’m still not telling you. However, I will let you in on this much: I will be on pause mode for a week *wink*wink*

In the mean time, please ponder on the extract above and tell me what you think of it. I will be so busy and so HAPPY till end of the month.

Till then, have a happy week everybody!

Happiness is....

Hiyoshi in his latest gloomy entry appears to be so doomed. I am not going to allow the contents of a pessimist’s entry affect my happiness. I chose to be happy and there are so many reasons for me to be happy. I am happy because:

1. I’m attending a short course in Port Dickson this Thursday 10th – 12th August 2006.
2. This is Rejab. Soon, it’ll be Shaaban and wonderful, wonderful Ramadhan. Let us fast and be happy.
3. My children may not believe this, but I am happy and so proud of them.
4. I’m surrounded by many good friends. You guys made me SO happy.
5. I’m fit and taking good care of my health…tak boroi, and that makes me happy too.
6. True that I am busy, but I’m not bored. Happiness is having something to do, kan?
7. I’ve expressed my anger and unhappiness to someone yesterday. He/she may not be happy now. So what? I am happy. I got that out of my chest, and I told him/her politely. If he/she can take it in the positive spirit, he/she can be happy too.
8. And, I’m going to be very VERY happy end of next week. Don’t ask me why cos I’m not telling you. ;)


So Hiyoshi, unhappy, pessimistic people tend to believe that they are a toy of fate, whilst happy people are characterized by the belief that they are able to control their situation and destiny. YOU pick your choice!!

Care to share with me your happiness?

P/S: BTW, happiness is also seeing Mama Sarah’s parading ‘bilis’ on her plate of Nasi Lemak..hehe...


<>Happiness Story: Why do so many of us delay happiness

>We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get
>married, have a baby, then another.

Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are.
After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with.
We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.
We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.
The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now.
If not now, when?
Your life will always be filled with challenges.
It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.
One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D Souza. He said,

"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life.
But there was always some obstacle in the way, Something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid.
Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my "life".
This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness.
Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time...and remember that time waits for no one.

So, stop waiting until you finish school,
until you go back to school,
until you lose ten pounds,
until you gain ten pounds,
until you have kids,
until your kids leave the house,
until you start work,
until you retire,
until you get married,
until you get divorced,
until Friday night, until Sunday morning,
until you get a new car or home,
until your car or home is paid off,
until spring,
until summer,
until fall,
until winter,
until you are off welfare,
until the first or fifteenth,
until your song comes on,
until you've had a drink,
until you've sobered up,
until you die,
until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

Author Unknown

Fresh from the cauldron…

Thanks to my blogger friends, I’m 'forced' to come up with an entry. Much as this may be fresh from the cauldron, it was hurriedly prepared. Oh wait….there’s not much preparation really. I’m simply tapping away on the keyboard, hoping that I will get some inspiration as I go along.

Now let’s see what I have been up to the last couple of weeks. There was no dreaming, nor were there nightmares disrupting my sleep. Thank God!! No birthday parties either, (except kenakelayan’s birthday brash we had over cyber space). Otherwise, I’ve not been invited to any parties, not even to a Tupperwear party….huhu….that’s how popular I have been. I’ve been doing some kite-flying though, which is unavoidable, really. The little kite that we still have with us can be a real challenge at times. Other than that, there have been a series of meetings. One of such meetings was held on Friday, 4th August 2006.

That particular meeting was held at the PDRM College, Jalan Cheras. It is the first time I had a meeting there. My, the place is pretty impressive. We had to first climb this flight of grand staircase. Once in there, we were greeted by some police personnel who gave us the salute. To be honest, I don’t know how or what I should do when given this kind of salute. Usually, I will just nod and smile back to acknowledge. That may not be the right or proper etiquette, but somehow I can never bring myself to salute back.

The meeting was not only well attended, but there was also a good presentation and I must admit I was quite enlightened with all the explanation. Mind you, I just hate it when meetings are long winded, with many people eager to speak, but ended up not making much sense. Not this meeting. It was not too short, nor too long. Well chaired by the Commandant of the College, and members invited were all perfect gentlemen, Pycno including…ehem…ehem…Now wait, Bea attended the meeting too. Apa kerja si Bea and Pycno ni ye? Keep guessing folks…..(Ikelah and DITH, keep smiling)

After the meeting, we were invited to an early lunch (that being a Friday, and many of us had to rush for our Friday prayers). Now, just before lunch, a gentlemen with greyish-balding hair came to greet me and ask if I am Tun/Tan Sri/Dato/Tuan/Encik so-and-so, and if I can still recognise and remember him? I was stunned, and for a moment I was lost for words and was so embarrassed. There he was, this man, who remembered me from my London days ages ago, and he used to call me ABANG then. And I swear to you that you would pardon me had I called him Abang now. Mujur lah Pycno tak tersasul and ask him, apa nama Abang ye? In terms of age, I know that he is much younger than me, but I realised that he can no longer bring himself to call me by that title. I was cursing myself for not remembering his name, up till this very second I’m typing this entry. You think I should ask him at our next meeting? Tapi segan lah…our relationship was such that I’ve been to his place in London and had spent nights there and all, just as he had been to mine. How can I not remember his name?????? (See Mynn, your awet muda secret recipe can be a curse in this case ;)

All in all, that was one of the best lunches I’ve had for a long, long time. The food served was simple. Ikan Bawal Goreng Berlada, Sayur Kobis Cina, Sweet-Sour Big-Fresh Prawns, Chicken Curry, Soup Ekor and Plain Rice. Dessert was Fresh local fruits and plain Kopi-O.

However, meeting that long-lost-‘brother’-friend of mine was like finding a jewel that you thought you’ve lost forever. Even Bea said that he seemed a nice man. Now, I’m looking forward to our next meeting, which we will be hosting. I sure hope that we’ll be able to serve a decent lunch. More importantly though, I have to remember his name by then. I cannot keep calling him brother, much as he has been a dear brother to me, a long, long time ago and still is.

For now, I’m still scratching my itchy-less, non balding head in search of the name of that goody-baldy friend of mine…..Haiyya……HELP ME!!!!

Am I still single?

I came across this simple quotation:

... No man is truly married - Until he understands
Every word his wife is NOT saying ...

Can that possibly be the common trait in women????? (yes Hiyoshi, I'm referring to your latest entry).........i.e. NOT saying, and and then expect us, MEN to understand your silence?

If that is the case, then I'm still SINGLE......;)


p/s: Before anyone here jumps to ANY conclusion, I'm still on speaking terms with Bea, though she does give me the silent treatment from time to time. :(

An all-time favourite of mine....