Thursday, November 30, 2006

Rasa Malaysia

Check this site out. I reckon I'm going to try some of these recipes real soon. A great change from the constant pasta that I have.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Toying with Design

Nemu just told me last night that the site looks a little plain. I felt about the same way, though my working behind the current site design is that I would want to concentrate more on content, rather than on presentation, though he does have a point. I'll accept any future criticisms on display and whatnot.

Oh, and the previous testing post with lorem ipsum text innit? Just implementing a reference text. Should I make it italic?

Currently listening to: Slay Radio (Internet Radio ftw)

Just testing

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean quam nunc, suscipit sed, ullamcorper id, condimentum in, nulla. Nulla turpis. Nam orci ligula, scelerisque quis, hendrerit at, consectetuer sed, leo. Sed adipiscing felis vitae nisi. Morbi sagittis. Suspendisse potenti. Donec a metus. Suspendisse ante metus, sodales at, feugiat eleifend, dapibus et, sem. Proin dolor. Nulla commodo varius mauris. Fusce convallis, nunc sed tincidunt porttitor, tellus augue rhoncus arcu, quis aliquet ipsum quam at dui. Suspendisse potenti. Maecenas mi arcu, placerat a, suscipit at, lacinia sit amet, ligula. Morbi tristique cursus lorem. Aenean ut elit et purus gravida viverra. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Suspendisse ut lacus. Aliquam a eros.

Quisque sed turpis. In nec velit. Phasellus pretium urna ut sem. Aenean ut dolor nec magna iaculis ullamcorper. Morbi velit enim, porta in, posuere id, bibendum vel, arcu. Cras sit amet tellus. Quisque rutrum. Duis a magna. Mauris nonummy. Maecenas sollicitudin suscipit lectus. Suspendisse id diam. Aenean orci nunc, placerat non, blandit ac, mattis in, nibh. Vestibulum aliquet lacinia neque. Nunc lacinia magna a nulla. Nulla commodo pharetra justo. Quisque porttitor augue eu lectus. Nunc viverra orci adipiscing enim. Cras eleifend magna et quam.

Sed posuere, dolor non imperdiet dignissim, arcu tortor varius leo, nec tempus quam odio eu ipsum. Sed congue volutpat risus. Sed urna enim, ultrices ac, viverra quis, aliquam lacinia, tellus. Aliquam ac augue. Sed semper est vel sapien. Proin gravida nibh eget erat. Etiam gravida ipsum eget enim. Aliquam erat volutpat. Aliquam risus. In velit urna, sollicitudin ac, imperdiet quis, pellentesque id, dui. Pellentesque congue purus in neque.


Donec sit amet augue vitae lacus convallis blandit. Vivamus placerat felis id est. Proin sodales consequat magna. Duis non mauris. Praesent neque eros, mollis vel, mattis eget, dapibus sed, lacus. Phasellus volutpat dui ut neque. Morbi est velit, varius id, hendrerit imperdiet, imperdiet sit amet, odio. Ut tristique, nibh at suscipit luctus, velit urna fringilla justo, dignissim malesuada elit lorem a nisi. Aliquam pellentesque tincidunt purus. Morbi mi dolor, eleifend non, tincidunt quis, dignissim consectetuer, sapien. Donec erat. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Donec ligula augue, ultricies vitae, rhoncus ac, rutrum ac, turpis. In gravida eleifend nisl. Praesent placerat, libero ac tempus eleifend, erat quam varius tellus, ac gravida tellus nulla ac dolor. Duis a lectus a elit mattis sodales. Sed ac libero nec velit tristique fringilla.

Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos. Mauris porta pede sollicitudin nunc. Mauris venenatis purus id orci. Maecenas vehicula tempor dolor. Donec eu sapien ut diam interdum mollis. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos. Fusce rhoncus dolor eget tortor. Sed nonummy convallis nulla. Nam dui.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

I Hunger

I just recently had to dispose of 800 grams worth of prawns from my refrigerator. Why? I feel that I may have kept it too long, more than a few days, two days more than I had kept the yearling beef that I had procured from the wet market.

I was disturbed (actually, am, since this event occured not more than a few minutes ago) by what I did, but I had no choice, as I wouldn't risk myself to eating meat/seafood that I looks and smells funny. Experience tells me that to smell first before tasting. If it's off to your nose, chances are that it'll also be off to your tongue. I learnt this the hard way, having made hot chocolate out of spoiled milk one too many times.

Disturbed over a small thing, why are you, you might ask. Well for one, I was raised from childhood never to waste anything on my plate, so long as the food was cooked properly and all that, and perhaps my thinking was also reinforced by the images on the television of the hunger in Somalia (circa Black Hawk Down, not the movie, but the real event). To make sure that I was nourished without having to waste, as my parents never believed in waste, and because of that, neither do I. Because wasted food also constitutes wasted finances.

The end result? Ten dollars, 800 grams of prawns wasted. And I'm going to have to have bread for lunch, because I'm out of meat. And cheese. Next time I'll just put it in the freezer.

Currently listening to: Three Days Grace - Pain (Internet Radio)

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Not That Intrigued

I'm going to have to agree with this statement. It's occured to me that while I spent time with my friends in high school, I would be the one left out whenever it came to any discussion of the English Premier League. The Liverpool fans would jump up and say how Manchester United sucked, how the Man-U fans said vice versa, what the Arsenal fans thought, and all the while everybody would take potshots at Chelsea or Blackburn.

And the thing was, that I loved to play football (soccer, for you Aussies and Americans), and still do, playing with my friends every weekend, or whenever we could. Whether it was in the indoor futsal courts of Malaysia to the fields in Australia, I always make sure that I sweat my worth and have my fun. And make every moment worthwhile, stealing balls, tackling, scoring and whatnot.

Yet, I cannot bring it within me to support an European team, wear an affiliated jersey and well, get into the mood that so many of my peers emulate. Yeah well, I would admit that I would look into the play of the game itself, how the players score, their footwork and et cetera, but to follow closely behind the player itself, what club they're playing in at the moment, what position they are at the moment, heck, even remembering their names is something that I could never bring myself to do. I find myself more detached from the subject as well, a man going shoe shopping with his significant other.

I get excited by a lot of things, but not by a bunch of rich guys playing. Oh, and don't bring up the analogy of music bands playing on stage. It's just not the same.

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Sunday, November 19, 2006

First Impressions of EVE Online

EVE Online first came to my attention about a year or two ago, when I had read the comments of some fellow gamers from TDZK talking about it. That, and I had seen it proliferate around the Internet, here and there in many areas, on discussion boards, articles and the like. At the time, I had not invested myself in a non-textual MMORPG, as I did not really have the means and my local connection made me doubt about getting many an online-based game.

So, for the moment, I had to contend with the cybercafes that were spread out in all parts of Petaling Jaya, and thankfully, my friends and I preferred to play games that did not revolve exclusively around Warcraft III and Counter-Strike.

Then about a month ago, one of my friends, Nemu mentioned that he currently invested his gaming time in EVE Online. I asked him what was so good about this title that he was willing to borrow a friend's credit card to subscribe for the game. He told me that it was something akin to a better-looking Freelancer with the elements of a much more complicated TDZK. Then he showed me a few screenshots, and I was intrigued. He sent along the activation code for the trial, and after a week or two of procrastination, I went along and registered two days ago.

And I was just blown away. I for one, had been a fan of anything related to the fantasy genre, attracted to titles such as the Warcraft series, Battle for Middle Earth, and literature revolving around the likes of Terry Brooks, Richard A. Knaak, Robert Jordan and so on. Sci-fi greats such as Stephen Baxter and Frank Herbert piqued my interest here and there, but not enough to attain my attention for more than what I would have to call a phase.

Perhaps it is the concept behind fantasy, that authors of the genre are more likely to enforce empathy and the human (or nonhuman) feeling amongst their characters, whereas sci-fi would generally concentrate around jargon and technobabble (excuse my French, sci-fi fans), or just huge amounts of infodump. If you're a fan of physics, you'd be in luck.

But anyways, back on to EVE Online. First impressions? Something like Freelancer, though you're not as free with the throttle/controls as you would in a flight simulator. Something like X3, in the sense that you exist as a tiny speck in a massive, boundless universe, and you are responsible for whatever glory you wish to aspire to. Something like TDZK, where you know you're not alone, and that there are others, just like you, engaging in an environment where trade and war rule.

Elements of all combined, I therefore find myself drawn, and would very much like to continue with my character. Though this would mean that I would have to give up World of Warcraft. Not a problem, if you ask me. I've had enough of the grinding routine anyway.

Here's some screenshots:

Tutorials.
Training
Flight of the Jointed Pipe (my ship's name).
Flying
The beauty of warp, shifting through the fabric of space and time.
Warp


Currently listening to: Sonata Arctica - Gravenimage

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Saturday, November 11, 2006

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2)

Just click on this link and read the plot outline.

I'd pay to watch this film. Any day, brother.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Of Pens and Snowstorms

I've always been fascinated by the Blizzard creation that is the Warcraft Universe. The first PC game I had owned on a CD was Warcraft II, and though I had cheated for the most of it, just to see how things turned out for the orcs or the humans (or just clicking on the critters nine times for the fun of it). It seemed to take on a side that was both serious and truly amusing, and it appealed to me, as it set the footing for which I would charge my inspiration in my later years.

I also read nothing more than the manual for the game, a small book that probably wasn't larger than 60 pages, but every bit of it captured my attention. From the incredible storyline to the impressive artwork by Chris Metzen and Samwise Didier.

Then I came across Warcraft III a little over 6 years later, and as soon as I got my hands on the manual, I also read through it avidly, wholly interested in the history of the world of Warcraft after conclusion to Beyond the Dark Portal, where the last heroes of the Alliance sacrificed their lives to ensure that the rest of the world was not affected by the cataclysmic aftermath of Draenor.

Imagine my surprise to learn that the orcs had been subdued to prison camps, their spirit sapped. The Human Alliance strained after the long years of war, and the emergence of new races that added to the Chaos of the world. Yet they were not assailed by a great war that was raged between two races (them and orcs), but that of the driving force behind all that was evil, and that was the Burning Legion.

I was further intrigued to know that the orcs were more trustworthy than the humans, honored in their ways, when they weren't under the corrupting influence of bloodlust. And the appearance of the last Guardian of Tirisfal to Thrall, which set about one of my main inspirations in a good lot of the fiction that I have written.

Though oddly, I find myself more fascinated with the myth and legend that is behind the universe of Warcraft. I delved into the Internet, searching for every bit of chart, map, pictures, information. It was a thirst for knowledge, even as I discovered games that may have been released (Warcraft Adventures anyone?), and books on the characters of the games, that were previously only regarded as mere pawns to be used in satisfying the virtual desires of obtaining victories over each other. No, these characters were no longer just made out of 1's and 0's, if you look at it from a very pedantic computery way. They began to take on personality, expressions of imagination by authors.

And it was not just a game anymore. It became a fantasy universe, much like Tolkien's and perhaps Robert Jordan's. The events surrouding the history of the world of Warcraft ranged from sad to victorious, and at most times, the price was dearly paid. From a fan, as well as a writer's point of view, it was a bonus, to be able to emphatize with fictional characters as they went about events that were larger than them, from the small things that they were.

Funny though, how I am more interested with the way things turn out in the story, than I would if I would let's say, play the game. A friend of mine commented that I knew a good lot of WoW even though I had not touched the game (at the time), and she had been doing so for more than a year. Even now, as I walk my various warriors and whatnot through the world, in an attempt to fuel to the inspiration that I would use for my expressions.

How did I come up with such an idea? , you might ask. To be truthful, I had picked up a title I had long seen on shelves, though I didn't have the courage to start to read, as how I am with every book that I come across. I am loathe to turn the pages at first, but as soon as I become engrossed, I neglect everything else. The Well of Eternity (WarCraft: War of the Ancients, Book 1), by Richard A. Knaak.

Though I consider myself largely inspired by the works of Robert Jordan and sometimes Terry Brooks, Richard A. Knaak has not disappointed, especially with the first one that I picked up on him - Day of the Dragon. Like most respectable authors, he creates a buildup so that the last major events can take place in the end, mostly in the form of a massive battle. I followed closely the exploits of the maverick mage Rhonin and his enigmatic master, Krasus, and was interested to see how they would fare in a world different, yet not too far from their own.

I would have two more books to go through before I would be done with what is called the War of the Ancients Trilogy, but I can already say that I'm going to have to raid my local bookstore for the next two titles.






Currently listening to : Howard Shore - Helm's Deep (The Two Towers Soundtrack). I really adds to the imagination, listening to LOTR OST.

Saturday, November 04, 2006

The Chinese don't like this number

4 things many don't know:
-I like girls with big eyes. The kind that you can swim in. You know what I mean.
-I write fiction. And quite seriously too.
-I had a string of half-girlfriends, yet I never had a real one.
-I also drink more tea than I do beer. Like 5 to 7 cups a day.

4 movies I could watch over and over:
- Band of Brothers (Not exactly a movie, but eh)
- Lawrence of Arabia (favourite all-time for me)
- Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail (best comedy. Ever.)

4 places where I've lived:
Chur, Switzerland
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Melaka, Malaysia
Melbourne, Australia

4 TV shows I love:
- The X-Files
- The Simpsons
- Sliders
- Battlestar Galactica

4 places i've been for vacation:
-Sydney, Australia
-Oregon, U.S.A
-Sungai Golok, Thailand
-Ravensburg, Deutschland

4 of my favourite food:
from my previous meme...
- Curry/Indian food. Extra points if you serve it atop banana leaf.
- Swiss Chocolate. :P
- Steak, done medium rare.
- Most types of pasta, considering that I grew up on the stuff.

4 places i would rather be:
- Switzerland. Most beautiful country on the face of this earth.
- Jungles of Malaysia. There's just something about the jungle that hints towards nostalgia, and the untouched beauty of a lost era.
- Petaling Jaya. Been home for a long, long time.
- Uh, Coruscant?

4 favourite songs:
U2 - Where the Streets Have No Name (greatest song of all time)
Queensryche - Eyes of A Stranger
Blind Guardian - Mirror Mirror
Soundgarden - Spoonman

4 others I wanna tag:
4 people whom I will tag, not randomly though:
- Brodie
- Patrick Teoh
- Nick
- Iris

Thursday, November 02, 2006

What Must Be

6But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord.

"1 Peter 1:6-7"


I lied when I said once that I did not consider myself a religious man. Nothing could be further from the truth, for in reality, I actually am a deeply religious person. Not like the zealots who scream trivialties that you must follow so that you might become a good enough person to enter Heaven. Quite the opposite however, though that does not mean that I do not take my God and my beliefs seriously. I do, and I have for a very long time.

For a while, I was discouraged in secret, as I had been exposed to the ugly side of humanity more than once, though most of it was not directed at me, but rather at a close friend, who seemed to take the brunt of everything bad in his life. He tried to make the best of what he could through whatever struggle that came his way, and noticed that those that he once called brother or elder, turned their backs on him, and left him by the side, as they would go on to think themselves worthy of His attention.

Naturally, my friend was discouraged, for these were not strangers that gave him a hard time. No, these were people that he had known for years and years, people that he had come to know through the body of Christ that is the church that I was going to for a while. He was deemed an outcast by some, and sneered at by others. And I was reminded by a verse in Matthew somewhere that went along the lines of this:

"What you did for these people, you did for Me. What you did not do for these people, you did not do for Me."

Yet, my friend did not give up on life just yet. He fought on, and is still fighting today, his every effort to better the church that we grew up in together rebuffed by leaders who pushed him away, until he took off and left, and went to serve elsewhere. Still, he got a call from God some time back, and he was told not to give up on the church that we grew up in, for the Almighty still had a plan for that place.

At the time, I was discouraged as well, because until then I did not think that men that worshipped the same God under the same house could turn on their brothers and sisters for the littlest of reasons, or for the smallest amounts of power. I thought that those things only existed in broken homes, war-torn countries, ancient history or even in the hearts of misguided men who led millions to the slaughter because they did not like the colour of another man's skin. Surely not in the church, where men and women were taught to love and care for one another in a platonic way, of course.

I was wrong, and as a result, I began to lose hope in a certain branch of mankind -those that practice politics within a church. I began to doubt, and doubted for a very long time until I came to Melbourne and settled down within Planetshakers. It was they that were not afraid to offend, so long as it was the truth and that it was from God. They were optimistic in their actions and rightly so, for they involved themselves in God's will for a dying world, wasting away with petty things, searching for the answer when it was right in front of them. An answer so simple to understand, yet so difficult to grasp. And my faith in God and man was restored.

Yet, I could not help but feel down when the men and women of God of my previous church disheartened the other members of the congregation (not just my friend, many others too). I was discouraged again, and saddened that brother would turn against brother, as if it were the beginnings of Armageddon, though in much, much smaller doses, and less open, sometimes behind a facade of a smiling face.

And week after week after that, I have lived a life of a Sunday Christian, who comes to church to praise God, feel happy and socialize, then forget everything that was said for the rest of the week until I come back. I lost sight of things, and thought it was best to put my priorities above His will. Funny how things don't work out when He is not in your plans, or your thoughts, or how things don't feel right when He is not there.

Then I had a chat with one of my other friends, who after a long discussion, told me, hinted me towards what I was feeling, that I should just forgive and pray. Forgive and pray!? I was slightly annoyed at the idea. How could I forgive man when those in power and in control did nothing, or did not use their power responsibly? Or like the quote goes, "Evil flourishes only when good men do nothing." Prayer? Believe and hope that all things will become happy and shiny and whatever? Foolish notions! We must act upon what we believe in, lest it become just mere empty words. Why do we sit by and do nothing, and believe that circumstances will come out for the better? Frivolous!

Though, there is one gift, an awareness that I believe the Supreme Creator has given to me as I grew older. I was a questioner in all things, even that of my own actions. I think deeply of many things, and through experience I choose my words carefully, even when I care not sometimes and just let loose because I want to feel comfortable. Sometimes. I knew that as I was talking to my other friend, that I had not been without blame too. I was lax in my ways. I had not kept my devotion with him, and had concerned all affairs to be with me. I refrained from reading the Scripture that He gave to us, and alienated myself from the ways of a follower of Christ. I did not even make an effort to better myself from my harmful idiosyncrasies.

And there I saw myself, a man who thought he could change the circumstances around him, when at the moment, I knew what I was turning into. A bitter, cynical pessimist, who saw only the ugly side of people, who hoped too much for himself, and one who stopped listening to the sometimes small voice of God. Had I really kept myself away from his will? I began to see it so, for God knows that I am not a thoughtless person.

I began to read a small booklet called the "Pocket Encourager for Young Adults", and flipped through to the part where it talked about discouragement. And I found much of the words within to be synonymous with the way my life was running. It is not a battle of fists that I fight, but one of the mind, body and soul, and I did not know that I ignoring Him. Such a fool I was!

Therefore, I will believe, hope and pray. And then, and only then, I will act. For though prayer without action is useless, action without prayer is even worse. For if God can forgive my fellow man, then so can I.