2010

Hmmm..... 2009 is fast drawing to a close and we are almost into 2010. What a year it has been…..no, it should be “what a dreadful year it has been”. And it could only be one thing; a new year is one year older for everyone. Think about it, you grow more wrinkles, and IF you can see them, it means you are not that old. If you can’t notice the difference, then you are really old.

Should ageing be a worry? I mean, in terms of appearance, wrinkled skin, flabby arms, bulging stomach, tiredness. I admit I could be one of them but then again I am sure I am much better than so many others out there who are worried stiff and anxious about their increasing age. So much so they resolutely resolve to find the best wrinkle treatment (yeah anti-ageing serum), botox (I like to have that jab but is too timid to puncture my face), face lift, etc. And all these hassles, just to look younger…but less vibrant. I don't know much about human needs and expectation but I reckon it depends on a person’s perception on ageing. To me, aging is a natural process ( ..I honestly can’t take the jab, nor would I succumb to lipo-suction). And although I hated the grey hair over my baldy head, I will have to look at them as a sign of wisdom beyond my years.

I am not going to turn this blog into the musing of an old man; I admit I have been rambling wee too much over the year. I blamed it on the stress and sleepless nights to deliver my projects; ending with my body finally gave way. I was down with the flu (good grief it is not the H1N1) and it came with a bad timing; to be sick during the X’mas holidays, when it’s supposed to be fun, fun, fun! But I am not going to digress….

Yes, 2009 has been an eventful year. The global economy took a better turn, the people are looking optimistic; at least it is true in Hong Kong. The US president was made a Nobel peace prize laureate (now why do they use the word laureate?); for not doing anything. It was also a year where the entire world met at Copenhagen in the name of saving the world; achieving only in principles, and with no fixed deadlines whatsoever. Mexico spread out the H1N1; WHO quickly escalated the Swine Flu to epidemic scale. Malaysia quickly renamed the Swine Flu to Influenza A; what a name!! PKFZ ballooned into an intangible scandal; causing chaos in MCA. The Art of War was put in good use; by the president and deputy president and the rest of the young pretenders. 1Malaysia became the slogan for all Malaysia; but none of us actually understood what it really meant. It degenerated into ManyMalaysia the moment it was introduced. MACC became the talk of the town; and you can’t be seen wearing black and definitely not seen mingling in groups in town. And whilst others waited to usher to coming of 2010, here is something for all of us to ponder. “Remember, not everything has a happy ending and endings have no ends; it’s just a way of telling us a new beginning has just begun. You should always be ready to predict the unpredictable, expect the unexpected and never troubled trouble with troubles. It’s easy to fall; hard to get up. Once you’re up; you will be a better man.”

HAPPY NEW YEAR, 新年快樂 and Selamat Tahun Baru.

A Kim-Chi Christmas

I do not know if it was due to the coldness, or it is a fact, but I found Seoul a very dull city. When I arrived on Monday evening, it was pitched dark as we made our way to the city in one of the airport coaches. I must say, it was rather entertaining for what I thought was a 30 minutes ride. But the ride went on and on as if I might be sharing my remaining years with the fellow passengers. I couldn’t sleep, possibly I was under-dressed to the minus zero climate, as the coach meanders itself through the city’s clogged sea of Hyundai cars (actually it reminded me of our Proton Sagas but slightly larger; looks and feels better). Everybody around me went into deep sleep some 5 minutes after the coach pulled itself out of Incheon International Airport. There are about 2 persons awake inside the compartment, I say ‘about’ because I suspect the driver was half sleeping and quite possibly dreaming of his Kimchi and other banchans.

Nonetheless, we eventually got to our hotel. Novotel Ambassador Seoul is located in the small district of Seoul, I thought. Everything inside reminded me of good old England except for the staff. Er……..not exactly, only the ladies…hehehehe. I have to say, I have heard and read much about the plastic surgeries; I spent my time observing in lengthy details while she checks over my particulars. All I can say is, with the exception of the hair, every single feature on her face has undergone a degree of ‘adjustment’. That same observation is more or less extended to the number of air-stewardesses, except the one who served my compartment is a bloke, an ex-weightlifter from Korea to be more precise. How unfortunate, but Asiana Airlines is highly recommended should one consider a trip to Korea. Just remember not to bring the wife!!!

Anyway, it’s not that I was surprise to encounter Christmas decoration in Seoul. I know many eastern cities celebrate the festivity. On a serious note though, I think all Christmas decorations are inherently bright, yes, some brighter than others, but overall, the Koreans made them more intelligent and informative. This was the exact feeling when I first arrived Hong Kong many moons ago. What happens over time though, is they became dumber due to commercial exploitation.


Whilst waiting for dinner, my curiosity took the better of me. I asked a waitress, and yes I took a closer look at her knifed marks…., what Christmas meal do Koreans take during Christmas. Her answer came as natural as the unmarked knifed marks on her face, and yes it is Kim-Chi and Dog meat. My eyebrows rose, “dog meat?” I said. To which she pleasantly corrected my accent, “duck, quack quack…duck meat”.

Passport or Pasport?

Fill what’s empty; empty what’s full; and scratch where it itches. I can only say, “How very true”. And I couldn’t help but feel this way when I went to the consulate to have my passport renewed. The crowd in the small room is always usually small, and hence an opportunity to observe fellow bolehland citizens doing what they don’t normally do at home. And yes, despite some idiotic remarks from our very own minister that English is weird, the language of communication is …. English. It amused me thinking what a silly comment that one cared to utter just for the sake of down-playing the commonest language.

The strange thing is when you actually spoke in English, the staff on the other side of the glass wall responded in English too. My guess would be the staff in the consulate got tired of negative responses whenever they ask a question in bahasa. And naturally, or unnaturally, resolved to use the weird language as a form of communication. I have to admit, both sides of the glass wall actually spoke immaculate English. I challenged myself by closing my eyes, and for a moment I thought …….what happened to our distinct accent? Where are the “lahs”, “one” and other forms of colloquialism?

The other oddity is the cost of renewing the passport. How come they charged us a bomb in Hong Kong but much lesser back home? Is it because they provide better services here? I guess not; they don’t serve me kopi-O or curry puff while we waited. They don’t give us any free WI-FI and no GST either. Why the difference in prices, I ask? I don’t have an answer for that except I felt the pinch……..urrgggh right there!

But the weirdest thing of all is the speed in which they prepared your passport for collection. You just have to give them credit for preparing your passport for collection. I guess the limited staff discouraged them from indulging in small talks, but kept them in focus on delivering their tasks.
But the best part is………when it comes to my turn, the system went dead! They tried many times, calling Putrajaya but to no avail. I guess Putrajaya is too busy to entertain them when our streamyx or whatever work at the speed of snail and that is, if you are lucky. Anyway, the system came back much later, probably after summoning 10 contractors who spent more time filling the correct forms and insisting it is not their responsibilities, ….you know the feeling of being sent on a headless chase. At for that one moment I told myself something just don’t change, even if they don’t admit it, there are certain traits of the old habits!