It’s the brink of the lunar new year again. While thousands thronged the malls, Chinese or not during recent weekends making the malls almost impassable, more are doing it this final week itself during office lunch hours in the hope of getting greater bargains in time for the festival, creating massive jams and making parking spaces available exclusively for a fortunate few.

Merely a month ago, the same scenario for Christmas and less than 2 months earlier, Hari Raya.

So all in all, we dedicate an incredible quarter of the year to an almost back-to-back celebrations and festivals- and we haven’t include birthdays of ourselves, loved ones’, parents’, siblings’, best school mate’s, best college mate’s, favourite colleague’s, anniversaries and weddings. And then we have all kinds of government public holidays.

If you plan to make a trip within Malaysia, the odds of not getting surcharged under “Peak Season” are definitely low.

More celebrations?

Living in a ‘celebrating nation’ like this, some embrace it while others feel unproductive and fed up: Before you know it, it’s another new year and the fuss starts all over again. My friends in Canada and Japan envies me every time I told them while chatting on MSN that I’m on holiday for mostly somebody elses occasions. When it comes to Chinese New Year, many, including myself don’t see it as a holiday, break from work/school yes but the thought of house visiting, entertaining guests and lots of cleaning never failed to make the thought of skipping it altogether more appealing.

However, how many of us made it eventually? Well, at least the story from Skipping Christmas showed negative.

Perhaps it is the way of life there should be celebrations, fuss unavoidable. No matter  how much we complain about, these celebrations nevertheless made us feel connected with friends and family and the need we all desire- belongingness.

Perhaps these customs and festivities all meant one thing: Complain as much as you want for ‘troublesome’ occasions like the Chinese New Year; shed your tears and cherish moments with your loved ones in a funeral ceremony and realize how fortunate we are to go through the ‘fuss and hassle’ for a celebration.

Happy new year mates :)

The problems of the world seem so large. Terrorists, pollution, global warming, religious conflict, racism, human rights, the global financial crisis and the list goes on. But, before we get too carried away and overwhelmed by the grandness of such issues, I think it’s time we find out the fundamental reasons for such problems to exist in the first place.

It’s all about us.

The environment

The question is not why China produces so much carbon dioxide, it is how we as individuals reduce our carbon footprint by driving less, and buy less (even it is Chinese New Year)

The people

It’s not about the ongoing conflicts with races, religion, discrimination and war. Its about overcoming the ongoing conflicts of our own life and accept the difference in other people.

… and their health

It’s not about the rising costs of healthcare and healthcare reform which the Republicans and Democrats are fighting over. Its about us being health conscious and exercise as much as we can to stay fit and healthy.

***

I have come across many people during my tenure at Machines (the Mac shop) and Fitness First. Some turns my good mood 180 degrees upside down with the most unreasonable and intimidating demands while some cheers me up, not because they bought a product or helped me reached my work goal; but with respect and non arrogance with a touch of humour.

It takes that little effort to brighten up somebody elses day (and completely screw it). Just smile. You can’t help others smile when you’re frowning.

It starts from us, one person.

While pointing fingers at other people seem to be the most convenient and the most common way to address the problem, it is more productive to turn our attention inward and overcome our challenges amongst other issues. Only when we finally live a conscious life full of love, peace and understanding are we in a position for others to follow.

Remarks :

Rising costs of healthcare does affect members of the public whom require medical assistance due to sickness, injuries and other issues. The author is representing the idea of a healthy lifestyle which relates to the blog entry.

We know we’re in the second decade of the millenium when the first thing we do every morning even before washing up is to check for updates on facebook and twitter. With much convenience such as mobile facebooking on the iPhone, doubled with push notifications, nobody denies we spend a significant amount of attention in the virtual world and don’t get me wrong; I loved it since it’s a way (sometimes the only way) we connect with friends and family we don’t usually meet and find out what’s up with them.

I have kept a strict policy of adding/approving friends who are really friends of mine but I just realized yesterday night that wasn’t even enough when something bad happened to me- almost. A fellow colleague took a picture while I wasn’t realizing and happily tagged it and I hate the way I looked in that paparazzi style image. And then it hit me in my head- Anything posted there is immediately notified for all eyes to see: My friends who knew I am gay and were okay with it, the not-so-okay friends, friends who doesn’t know, and of course, relatives and my parents are on facebook too! Suddenly, for the first time I felt self-defendless and furious.

I have little control over stuff I want people to see, actually.

While social applications like facebook and twitter helps us get involved in bits of somebody elses life, it has created problems even more severe than I have mentioned, by people who abuse its usage. I think the only way we can control is to narrow down the list of friends since we’ve got too used to it and it is quite impossible to just hit ‘delete account’ and shut the notebook for good.

Here’s a good video from HappySlip about Facebook. Very funny!

Names like the iSlate and iTablet were the topic of discussion for many Apple fans, and I have got so many people coming asking me about it at Machines (this is where I work till 1/31). Apple has put the rumors to rest on wednesday morning in San Francisco by announcing the iPad. However, what is the purpose of the device and will it be a hit or a miss?

Here’s some features of this much talked about device and my views on them.

Halfway between the iPhone and MacBook

The starting of the keynote already emphasises that the new ‘creation’ is a little of both. Sounded too good but what is the rationale of buying an iPad if you already have both of the other?

Home screen

At first look it was a disappointment. Yes, it is an iPhone on steroids but does it has to be the same darn thing? Small icons just doesn’t look great on a large screen like that.

The internet is in your hands

Since it runs on an OS similar to the iPhone, and browsing with Safari on my iPhone have been the most pleasant experience than other smartphones like the Blackberry Storm, I am convinced its 9.7in screen will make browsing a breeze.

However, I was told that multitasking is not possible on the iPad like other netbooks Apple claimed to replace.

Mails, Contacts, Calendar, video and iPod

Another non impressive point Apple has repeatedly focused on. Somebody who buys the iPad would normally own other Apple products such as the iPhone or a Mac, because the iPad works like an iPhone and iPod which requires syncing with a computer. Viewing contacts on a larger screen just isn’t a wow factor.

iWork

Steve Jobs wanted to fit iWork into iPhones for the longest time ever but never did because the screen size didn’t make sense. Now there are plans to make iWork work on the iPad but come on… serious work on a virtual touch screen keyboard?

But no worries folks ‘cause Apple has also designed a series of accessories which of course includes the keyboard.

A major Amazon Kindle rival

Similar to the Kindle, iPad users can download e-books from the AppStore; only better because it has a brilliant color multi touch screen that supports also movies in HD format. News and magazines on the Kindle DX? why bother when you can get everything with the gorgeous Safari?

But for the real book reader, the Kindle should outshine the iPad because of the unparalleled battery life and the paper like display on the Kindle – You don’t wanna stare at more screens to read a book.

However, any of those circumstances might not even be applicable in Malaysia and many parts of the world as the iTunes Store and Kindle is yet to be available here.

Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity

Here we go again. Another exclusivity for mobile operators like AT&T, Maxis in Malaysia and SingTel in Singapore for the first 2-3 years? (3G enabled models)

Note* These are based on my observations on Apple’s website and my predictions may be wrong cause as like many, it is yet a hands on experience on the device itself.

While some stick to the uncreative, typical/traditional naming/signboarding method, some even tried to fool consumers with names of established companies and don’t be surprised, they don’t even need to be of the same business field!

This particular car dealer’s signboard I’ve came across last week while on the way to breakfast with my family had triggered my urge to write this up after a long list of business names I have stumbled upon in recent years. The owner had shamelessly copied computer giant IBM’s name AND logo for their auto reselling business. What was he thinking while making such decisions?

I am well convinced what I have seen was only the tip of the iceberg. Is there any guidelines and trade practices laws in Malaysia? Even if there’s not, why would people even do that?

So it was jezliah’s, a buddy of mine’s birthday on the 10th, we didn’t wish her nor bought her anything till a surprise party held at her home in Kapar (somewhere further in Klang) on Saturday.

Another part of us feel (and in fact) bored with the standard.. 1990s style of presenting the information. Most airlines have their inflight safety videos recorded when PTVs became popular in the 1990s, and they’ve never changed it!

Delta and Air New Zealand has done something different to their flight safety video and I find them interesting to watch.

Delta

Air New Zealand

… … and here we have SQ

They told me what is it called but i totally forgot the next minute.