MBA: Entrepreneurship & Creativity - Session 1

Entrepreneurship and Creativity this semester is thought by Professor Nelson Oly Ndubisi. A well liked lecturer with the reputation of keeping the class lively and has an affinity with Durian.

His first session was held last Saturday 10-1pm as a replacement to his supposed KL Day debut for 2010.

This module of course takes us through the importance of entrepreneurship and its creativity, the theoretical approaches and behavior of entrepreneurs, six stage problem solving and many more.

This Module is a 50% coursework and 50% 2 hour examination of 2/6 questions.


He also emphasizes that everyone has creativity. It is more on how one expresses it. that makes a difference. Some may be creative in pre-conceptual creativity (Inventing innovations) while others are stronger in post conceptual creativity.

The session also encourages the students to identify our own strengths and weaknesses to better place ourselves in our team.

The Six stage problem solving process takes us through 6 roles
An Explorer, A Detective, An Artist, An Engineer, a Judge, and a Producer.

Each has its different approaches, and strengths to solve a problem.

Nelson takes a more light heart approach to things and plays around with the class. Encouraging more creativity I suppose as is the whole objective of his class...

...To tell us that all of us are creative.

First MBA Class - Innovation Management

The first Class of my MBA Wednesday 27th Jan 2010 held from 630 - 900pm ( We ended early this time). I noticed that quite a number of the students were full time students and that only a handful (Including myself) that were part time first semesters.

Veterans spoke freely and confidently from various backgrounds. R&D, Business, Law, accounting, Engineering. There were those with decades of experience but looked like teenagers.

Anyway my first class was on 'Innovation management', the lecturer, Dr.Rosniwati seem to do well as a moderator of the class, and i find that she was quite updated to the current affairs.

The class was more of an introduction; overview of the entire course. For this one, there will not be an exam, BUT there will be a group presentation as well as a 3000 short essay.

The Group presentation would be a 4-5 person group and would have to be an Innovation Audit on any company of which i would suppose will determine if they are of a steady-state nature or a discontinuous/disruptive nature, or a good mixture of both?

As for the essay, it would be on our 2-cents of how we would recommend some improvement to the Innovation department of that particular company.

Many issues and examples were flying into the discussion including, Air Asia, Apple, somehow Viagra came in as well, Virgin, Nokia, Toyota; many of which had their unique take in the business world.

In this context, an innovation would be an upgrade/evolution of a particular product may it be incremental or radical and would have to have to contain an economical value.

i suppose the gist of the first class was to open the minds of the students to what innovations can effect an economy, various models of which many of the Fortune 500 are based on. Only 60% of those who made it sustained through the decade. And What analyzing and recommendations could effect the outcome of each particular company.

Innovations are sometimes to the extent of braining the innovation team right to the resorts and away from restriction for they understand that creativity blooms with freedom.

During the breakout session, the Dr. came up with a small exercise. On whose innovation would be the best and how to think out of the box. We made paper planes. And the best would obtain the best revenue.

Which would be the case in the open market with plenty of contenders.

As a homework our team requested to come up with a Team name.

MBA Induction!!

The beginnings are always easy. No expectations, no background, full of hopes.....also its a Briefing so no pressure at all. But on the part of the organizers, a 1 and a half hour briefing turned out to be a 2 and an a half hour one.

Nonetheless, they were very accommodating and tried to shorten their presentations as much as they can without losing the gist of the presentation.

nothing much to say about the first day. Other than, I've decided to take 'Entrepreneurship and Creativity' and 'Innovation Management'. So my Mondays and Wednesdays will be taken up I suppose.

Till Wednesday then.

Cheers!

Juzzy Does MBA!

Happy New Year! Happy New Decade!

In a week's time, I will enroll as a student (once again) into the University of Nottingham in Malaysia to kick off my MBA course. Now I'm sure there are some who DO blog about their courses, so I too hope that this blog will keep me on track as I move along. Much like those video logs in Avatar. Which I think is an awesome movie :).

This is gonna be a 4 year course because I will be taking it part time. Hence i do hope there will be a difference when I graduate in the end.

On another note, I have also just joined the MII(Malaysian Insurance Institute) Toastmaster's Club. I figured if I had to go into the business/ management world, I should hone some public speaking skills too. Writing and speaking is two different things altogether. One cannot Backspace a sentence spoken. It'll probably also help with the communication for purpose of networking and future communications.

As for the Tricade? I'm in the midst of learning a piano piece called 'Way Back into love' from the movie "Music & Lyrics", Dad is taking me to the Driving range for Golf this Wednesday, and I'm locked in for a trip to Perth in April.

Tricade Challenge Kuuga? "Protecting everyone's Smile"? Well Ive been really good with One liners both on Sunday with the Outcast Group and yesterday with the Ex-Mumsu gang. And they seem to be ROLFing rather than just smiling,  so I must say I did a pretty good job. Still there's still the ultimate test of cheering up a down person. Its so difficult to not get sucked in too. But I suppose I'll have to workout the limits.

Well I guess that's progress for now. Hope to be updating more often on my MBA progress and hopefully getting feedback from more people. ^.^

Tricade Resolutions for the new Decade!

Heyas, its been awhile since I posted anything here. However, In the light of the new Decade,

and the existence of the 2012 end...I'm Challenging myself to make the best out of these final 3 years....IF it rains true.

If it does? I would have lived my life to the fullest!...
If not? 40 years down this path I will be able to say...I lived a fantastic Tricade!

Therefore my challenge is as such.... It will be divided into three Categories... Travel, Arts, and Life... This Tricade will be the founding 3 Year check list of Which I will spend this 3 years to the fullest.

Travel,

1) See the Great Pyramids of Egypt
2) Visit the Scrapers of Dubai
3) Sunset view of the Acropolis in Greece
4) Visit the Narwhals breeding @ Koluctoo Bay + the Aurora Borealis
5) Whale watching in Perth
6) Sakura in Japan
7) Snowboarding in Korea
8) Salsa and Tango in Argentina
9) See the vikings in Norway!
10) Romantic Dinner in Paris overlooking the Lourve

Arts

1) Learn 'Love Story vs. Viva La Vida' on the Piano
2) Learn ' Classical Gas' on the Acoustic Guitar
3) Learn '1 Kenny G song' on the Saxophone
4) Learn 'That Kamen Rider Kiva song' on the Violin
5) Learn to Free style with a 'Conga or a Djembe'
6) Play a solo on ShakuHatchi
Of course I'll need tutors... :P
7) Finish writing 1 novel
8) Toastmastery
9) Tango
10) Swing

Living

1) Conquer my fear of heights
2) Learn to Play Squash
3) Learn to play Tennis
4) Relearn swimming
5) Try golf again
6) Learn CPR & First Aids
7) 1 extreme sport
8) Finish my MBA
9) Watch the end of the World with a white puppy with black ears called Kiva from an unknown balcony overseeing the final city's skyscrapers...listening to 'Jon Schmidt'

10)and finally.. Learning what it is to be human....So when the time comes to face the one who determines whether I go to Narvana or Neraka....I can at least tell him.. the reason why human beings on this world ...no matter how innocent or twisted, no matter how selfish or selfless...should be spared the fate of extinction.

MBA practice Consumer analysis

Since no one reads this blog I shall make use of this to practice my MBA skills...So first chapter is marketing...

So according to this book...there are 7 steps in creating a marketing strategy.

1) Consumer analysis
2) market analysis
3) Competition analysis
4) Distribution
5) marketing mix
6) Econs
7) and revision...

so I suppose we could start from consumer analysis then...

So what is the need or use of a perfect man product?
Companionship, reliable, efficient, long-lasting, durable, compatible.

Who will obtain the product and who will use the product?
well since its an end product, I suppose the obtainer and the user is the same.

Ok involvement and all i guess can skip for now..lets move on to
demographic segmentation

Age - Young hehe prolly users between 18-24
Sex - Female
Income - I guess not really relevant
Martial Status - Singles required lol
Family Life Cycle - empty nesters or mate hunters lol
Education/Occupation - more matured the better but naive is okay as well
Ethnicity,religion, race: Asian, anything, Chinese or mixed.

haha dem this looks more like a dating recruitment than an analysis lol

Next up Marketing Analysis!

August 08 monologues

WARNING May be offensively funny!
You know my brother used to use this abbreviation a lot. SAD. Stands for 'Single available and desperate. Goes with Bad, Bi-available and desperate but thats a different story altogether.

SO anyway he recites this mantra like, well quite frequently and so it hits my muscle memory. So now I'm 'sad' most of the time. Only variable is not the S and A part but the D part.

And so Ive lived my life as a 'sad' person. Cause now, I find that women don't find me attractive at all. Don't ask me why. They don't find me hot, except for one, but thats cause she was curious why i didn't need a jacket to stay in the cinema.

Girls don't find me handsome, except aunties who of course dig young men. (Pause) watch out uncles lol.

But what i find that I can attract apart from flies, kids, gays and grandmothers, are people who have depressions in life. Regardless of gender.

Not because that I'm in a much worst state then them....well thats not the case ....usually. But because I somehow or rather am able to cheer them up.

How? u might ask? Don't ask me Im a comedian not a therapist for god's sake.

Measure of my ability?? cause i know usually when we measure a comedian we go like...hahaha this is hilarious this guy is good...or wth u suck. So theres only two grades, Good and suck.

But But I have testis!! 'Testimonials' for you dirty minded b*stards. I can proudly claim....That I can make a young girl, laugh! in 'I am Legend'. At the part where the zombies are huddling together in the building. Don't ask me dumb questions on why i was with young girls in a cinema, they were old friends k? And we were suppose to watch Alvin and the Chipmunks.

I can make tears of sadness turn into tears of joy within minutes! How? Again? haven't you learnt ur lesson? Im a dem comedian Dude!

But I do have my limits. Like every comedian, we only have a cup to drink from. Once we gypsies siphon off ur sad tears, we have to store it till we become full of depression ourselves. So thats why our jokes usually turn sour...at least for awhile.

But thats not the bad part. I find that usually, I have become a tears transfusion centre for most people. Its till the extent that they get on in their lives until something goes wrong, then they will find time to recharge and then head back in their life.

I mean...so where do I come in in their life apart from being a water treatment centre? Sometimes its so bad I feel like I must have lost my own life, cause in this one I feel like a spare.

Speaking about things that begin with the letter 'S'. I think my whole life's been surrounded by them. Im Single and straight, I dance Salsa, my favorite Superhero is Superman, Love sweet stuff, would enjoy sex if i weren't single i suppose, prefer skinny than chubby, almost everything to do with Ss. No 'ass' doesn't start with the letter S. But the act of does start with an...shoot! Mind U Im SAD not BAD.
- Juzzy Good Day!

Suffering and the Cause of suffering...

For years under the rule of "realistic" guardians who have both been scarred with the negative perception of making mistakes, one has been tainted with the fear of learning.

Years, of being brainwashed into thinking that mistakes are lethal and that one should follow the status quo of the ancient's wishes and not the wishes of oneself.

Years of being under vigilant watch on what is perceived to be the best path as if time and environment has not changed since 1969. Years of being chained under the rule of the grasping mind and the dead mind.

With so many chains and bolts that has wrapped over oneself who finds that he is alone in the middle of a snake pit. How will one survive when one day oneself finds that the chains are gone, and oneself is totally naked, unable to fend for oneself in the pit of limitless possibilities of death and suffering?

Not knowing that the 'best method' of protection is indeed signing the death warrant of oneself, when everyone else has been bitten by the snake and has started to receive immunity. Only terrible death will await oneself...or would it?

But with so much constriction and disability of being helpless in the pit. What of the benefits of being so fresh and delicious to the patient snake waiting to have it's meal?

Could the weigh of the chains actually allow oneself, to move faster and dodge the snake's advances? How does one reflect on the goodness of this protection? How ready would onself be to tackle the problems of the world when oneself has not had hands on experience of the deluded and polluted world? Let alone two guardians who unknowingly increasing the temptation of the snake to strike?

With a sigh, the snake is curling up for an attack, waiting for the fading chains to dematerialize....
How would oneself who has seen countless attacks but not experienced it oneself fend off such attacks when the moment of truth reveals itself into play?

Juzzy's Juz-Tech Christmas WIsh List! XD

CHristmas is just around the corner. Christmas trees are gearing up. Shops are bringing down their prices. PC fair is around the corner. Everyone is getting ready or will be jolly. So, I'll post my

10 JuzzyTech Budget Christmas WIsh-List!! In no Particular order! But for Countdown's sake...I'll start from 10

No.10 - IZZI(tm)

Now with this all new 4G capability. You can travel anywhere around the city..(KL for the moment) and still check you Email! Imagine, reaching the venue of your luxurious date without missing a dungeon quest your Guild leader ask you to attend!

Wireless connectivity is the order of the day using radio waves instead of copper phone lines. iBurst offers a new kind of portability and freedom that traditional wired networks cannot offer. Within the area of the base station network closest to you, you can maintain this connection in an always-on mode. You no longer need to wait until you get to a location which provides connectivity. - www.izzi.com.my

At the moment, iZZi has 4 main packages iZZione, iZZiyou, iZZipro, and iZZiteam. iZZione is for notebooks, while iZZiyou is a USB terminal where one can connect it to any PC. iZZipro is a desktop terminal that can be useful for a PC or a network of PCs. And the team package is basically you + pro. A pro package costs up to 1.5k a year. Pretty good for a unlimited 1MBps connection.

No. 9 Canon PIXMA i90v

Malaysia's most competent portable printer. My first experience with this kind of printer was with the i50. My Japanese colleague Mr. Wada-san always had it on his table connected to his laptop. I was immediately impressed when he took my picture, plugged it into his laptop, added some cool frames and dialogue bubbles and printed out a 4" by 6" borderless!

The i90v is similar, but with Vista capability among other things. It has 4800dpi and tiny 2pl ink droplet resolution, able to print a 4X6 in 81 seconds, 16ppm mono and 12ppm colour. Wireless printing using irDA and Bluetooth. PicBridge capabilities, 2 hour batteries as well as in-car support! This printer is truly amazing. But the price is currently RM888, of course a match with it's technology.

No 8 - Photo Safe From Digi Foci

A portable harddisk that you can safe your pictures in while on a photo shoot with memory sticks. It's like reloading gun Woohoo!! If only I had a DSLR. T.T

No 7 - 3rd Gen Laguna Renault

A Renault drove into the plant one day scratched and dented. It seemed to have suffered concussions and kisses with the guard rails. Inside was a whole new story. HUD with phone and GPS capabilities, a small knob for control, cruise control, keyless entry, sunroof. Almost everything a techie would want. I just didnt know the name of the car. But I have a big feeling its this car.

No 6 - Ipod 160GB

WHats there to say? Multifunctional mp4 player with a big capacity for love.

No 5 - Nikon D70

Another no brainer, cheaper than a D80, but what the heck, Im just a point and shoot son of a gun who is just starting out, a RM3k investment like this one is considered a high end. But do check yours out if you have the money to spend lol.

No 4 - High Definition Handycan Camcorder HDR-CX7

One of the smallest and lightest handycams that I have shown an interest to. 3.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor, High and standard definition modes, 10x optical zoom, built in intelligent flash, nightshot, even touch focus. Oh I just love it! Last time I checked, the hot promoter in Midvalley said it was RM4999. I want CAPEX! I want CAPEX!

No 3 - Mac Pro

Two things about Apple products, 1) they are user friendly 2) I don't have to explain why I want it. Its simply a no brainer.

No 2 - MacBook Pro

15" 2.2Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo with 1440 x 900 resolution, 2GB memory, 120GB hard drive, 8x double-layer super drive, NVIDIA GeForce 8600M with 128RAM with the new Leopard OS. Keyboard Light sensors and many other cool and safety features. I'd KILL to HAVE THIS! MY PRECIOUSSSS!!!! Going for about Rm7.5K

With the above techs, I can gurantee you, you'd feel as tech as techie can be. IF you have like RM50,000 budget to spend lol. The lower the number the Higher my priority to get it....well sorta.

Oh if you're wondering what's number one?

Wish no. 1 for a low-budget techie like me...will have to be "Pronstar android Riko Tachibana" Seating on my lap serving drinks and feeding fruits while watching me do a Raid in the lands of Lodaeron on my new MacBook Pro thats connected to the internet via izzi's 4G plan in my Laguna thats set on cruise control.
(no decent photo of her with decent clothes on so this will have to do.)
Anyway, As a Nissan-Tan Chong employee I gotta have at least one Nissan reccommendation. Revealed in Frankfurt 2007 The Nissan Mixim is the next gen electric car concept that looks really interesting.
Won't be heading to anyone's driveway real soon, but the Nissan Mixim has enough style to be the next BatMobile and enough electrics to charge an EMP forcefield against Sentinels!! lol

REVIEW: balls OF FURY!

Spoilers Alert! like it matters lol..

Known to Malaysians as one of the lowest rated comedies ever...(apparently the pontianak movies where the flying ghosts can be seen hanging on strings got higher ratings). These tiny balls of steel was what I thought was one of the funniest of its comedy-genre up there with 'Kung-Pow'. Lucky like FHM (who gave 3 out of 5), I beg to differ!

I think the two factors of which it got the lowest ratings was that

1) Malaysians are starting to become Singaporeans, dwelling only on Smart London-like sophisticated humor ie. Little Britain.

2) Censorship may have taken away some scenes of which maimed the show to a logic-less sea.

3) Maggie-Q giving her lips and leg-locks to a fat man Dan Fogler.... that lucky bugger! That makes me wanna gain weight, perm my hair and grow furry sideburns.
...ok then 3 factors.

But come on, the first time I saw the trailer, I laughed my arse off like literally. I knew at once, I had to see it. It was humor matched in Heaven.

Christopher Walken had his good shots...

but How could you do this to SHANG TSUNG!!! I mean from YOUR SOUL IS MINE to 'How do I get to the Freeway' was simply hilarious!
James Hong was hilarious! I love his Wit and blind-humor! Oh the part where he..shagged the male sex slave and had that smile on his face! Only a Koan-riddle could express such humor!

And Maggie Q...OMG thanks to her Im still loving Asians....after 2 weeks of Latino Exposure.
This sort of humor is one of which lies deeply on the Murphy's Law that 'Everything that can go wrong, will go wrong!' And those moments that the soundtrack grips your heart and transits to the next scene like they know where to go... finally gives you the "Finally a show that doesnt automatically assumes that the character knows South Africa like the palm of his hand" And I dont really know the palm of my own hand. Do you?


So anyway all you humor enthusiasts please Give Balls of Fury a Shot! I can guarantee you, your balls won't shrink 2 sizes after the movie....but maybe just a lil. Oh And Special guest from Heroes is there! SO TAKE THAT ZETA LU!!

P.S If you got time check out my other blog...thx ^.^

Countdown to the land of Chimichangas and Salsa!

Only 8 more days before "the exciting adventures of Trius Travels: Goes to Mexico and Cuba!" Can't wait. OR can I. Haven't started packing yet. Heard from sources that Mexico is gonna be dangerous. So the most expensive thing I'll probably bring is my coat and camera.

Luckily, Shiva Lord of DanceKL and Bachata got some contacts in Chimichanga land and Havana. So Hopefully it will be much safer to travel around with a local. THanks SHiv!

Of course that means, I'll have to join the male belly dancing thingy. THats okay. I'll come back with a better groove lol.

THanks to Maheen of Fitness First for the physio session. Was quite afraid to go to the chiro with my condition. THanks, I'll try your workout. Yea guys I have a lowerback injury that I need to recover from though it didn't stop me from yogooding lol.

To those going to Singapore International Salsa Fest! Have fun! I'll come back even stronger! muahaha. With my lower-back healed.

What else this week? oh yea I finished my novel, into heavy editing. So stay tuned. hehe. Though I better backup.

Okay tats it..

Too much Salsa or Too much ghost stories??

After that night in Salsa Havana, a day of physical exercise is very exhausting. Saturday finished at 12 in the morning. Which includes An hour of Rueda, an hour of Salsa, an hour of Gym, and a 2 hour session with Gavin at the Billiards (2 lousy games on my side..lol)

After that, My sleep took flight from 12 something till 2 in the afternoon. One significant dream caught my mind after the sleep. Usually my I don't remember my dreams, even seconds after waking up. And when it does i have to quickly write it down ..or it will be lost until it reoccurs again.

I shall tell the story as I understand the dream and with some probable reasonings of why and how it happened. Im involved as an audience of the story.

"The dream as far back as I remembered is having lunch in the Royal Lake Club. I see myself talking to my cousin Haosern and Uncle Ron. I have a laptop of which seemed to be on a facebook profile page of some girl who seems to be seated in the next table wearing a pink poncho.

After she walks away with another lady in black probably to the loo...I find myself looking into a baby's prem. Usually stories are told with words, this one is told by vision and thought...

Theres a girl who has a dog. Probably best of friends. As time goes on, the dog disappears from the scene. A small kid takes it's place. But not for long. The girl is trapped in a stage room. Guarded by a Chinese Guard in Red. The kid runs to the wall but cannot reunite with it's mother.

She is not alone in the room. There are many more like her. Dressed in patient white drapes. They seem to be pregnant. A machine pulls each baby out from their womb. (probably too much matrix). She is unconscious when they pull hers out and let it feed at her breast.

Her cellmate wakes up from a dream as a baby cries. Her cellmate's baby is on the floor must have dropped from the top bunk. But its headless with gore and blood. The other cellmates awake to find their babies dead as well.


She is the last to wake up, finding herself covered in blood, her baby is also mutilated. (like the scene in Godfather 1). Only a spirit stands beside the corridor to the next room. Tears in her eyes, She looks at me begging to tell her story.

She seems to be close to the girl. Always watched over her. When her baby was born, she was excited and went to the next room to fix the baby some food. So many ingredients on the counter. Salt and then pepper. The moment she shook the pepper, she sneezed and she found herself in another place.

There were two guards in blue and a old maiden next to a strapping bed. Apparently for feeding babies. WIth chinese cushions but seemed really cruel to the spirit. THey tell the spirit, "the baby will struggle when u try to feed it..and so we must strap it down to feed it."

She never shows wat happens after that, but the dead babies suggest that she tries to stop the three persons. But infact she never left where she was ..and her actions killed the babies in the cell. And when she came to....she saw the reckus in the cell."

Thats when I woke up. weird story huh? Things mind makes u dream while ur dead right tired.

Anyway tot of sharing it to the blog.....

Exploring the parallels of modern physics and Eastern mysticism

Just borrowed a book called 'The Tao of Physics' which caught my eye on Friday as Im doing an article on one small aspect on it for my fictional novel. This book is by Fritjof Capra. His first book 'Tao of Physics' (1975) relates how eastern systems are accurately parallel to science.

This guy seems to be a real interesting theorist. Though his book was criticized by some to be accidentally coincidental. I think its something to read before putting it down. Which I will do so very soon.


So yea...updates soon teeheehee

Till the day Salsa Clubs Are like this! ^.^

WHat a clip...woohoo!!! Salsa...SHines...Rueda!! Checkit out!

The sinusoidal Law of Life....

Happy MoonCake FEstival 2007!

In my perception...its a really important day. First and foremost, thank you Brenda for helping me empty my stress bar last night. You're such a darling.

Today, things made a full turn around.. as if the moon opened her eyes and shone clarity into our minds. The Full moon brings change no matter the linage. But it is always for the better.

This morning, my uncle passed away. He was in the bank when he complained of a dizzy spell. The bank called my aunt. By the time she got there, my uncle had passed away. He was 59(if im not mistaken).

Meanwhile, I was in my office, when Terence Chong, my colleague from another dept. came to me to offer me some advice about working life, as I was down from my recent appraisal performance.

He said "Bruce!"...yea this guy calls me Bruce. "Bruce, one thing you gotta do is to get to know the people in the plant office more. Spend your time mingling with us there maybe half an hour or an hour a day. Mark my words, in a month's time, you will be in a much better shape then where you are now!"

My Head of Dept. Called me in. He said, "You see, I sent your appraisal to my boss, and he said that my marking was too harsh. He said it maybe a bit discouraging to you as a first job. Now I have no intention of discouraging you, And I have been quite honest to you. I said you have room for improvement. But he seems to feel that this may scare you off."

"From my perspective, what I gave you is true. ANd through this you can see where you lack and then you can improve at it. But I dunno, (my company) has this thing of doing things to please the boss, which I believe is wrong. In fact we should be frank in order to progress."

"Now do you know what HR calls playing sports together as team building? Which I think is wrong. Team building should be getting ppl's trust. Two ppl seat infront of each other and say out straight what i dont like about the other person. That is team building."

"Now what you did that day (referring to the suggestive memo to a manager) in (my company) was perceived as bad here. But In other companies...ITs GOOD!! Its Team building!. I think the culture here is .... "

Pretty much went on and on about how he single handedly troubleshooted the entire plant when all the other engineers went home. And pretty much asked me how I felt about the appraisal.

I felt that his justification was for the benefit of our skills as young workers. So I was pretty much happy that he was honest about it. Sigh, 3 years to learn 10 years of experience. How will I achieve a feat like that for the Dark Lord?

It was after this that I heard about my uncle. He leaves a wife, 4 children and a grandchild.

My condolences to Aunt Shyan and family. If you need us, we'll be here.

So, Uncle Freddie, let the world's Chinese community light a Candle for your departure and show you the way to where you need to be.

Happy Mid-autumn Festival everybody subtle as it may seem.

Oooo...New Discovery!!! Los Van Van!

Yay now I know two bands that play nice salsa Songs....Sonora Carruseles and Los Van Van!!

First one is really like Heavy Salsa...pure sweat and salsa piano..Which Ive grown fond to. Since I cant do much variation of partner work...I can freestyle on shines lol...

But theres this other one, Los Van Van! Its not very heavy, in fact its quite laid back compared with SC...from my opinion. But the music. Oooo...you can still feel the music in your veins. Ur body feels smooth sailing in the rhythm...so nice....sigh... hehhe check it out

How would you spend a perfect Sunday Morning....

What do you do on Sundays? Sleep till the afternoon...laze around go for tea, dinner...hang out at the Shopping arcade and then back home on the comp and then procrastinate before heading to bed?

How about picturing a perfect Sunday....

You wake up to the morning breeze that moves your white curtains flapping in with the wind. In front of you is a set meal of a half-boiled egg, an omelette, strips of bacon, a glass of milk and an orange juice. Just the perfect breakfast in bed.

Finishing your breakfast, you head into your lavatory and wash up. Put on your jogging pants and top, a fresh pair of socks and your runners. After a couple of stretches, you walk out of your house and onto the path in front of you. Its 9 o'clock in the morning and the morning air is still fresh with the scent of morning dew.

You begin to head onto the jogging path and make your way around the first bend. Luscious trees that flank both sides of the path gives a nice sense of closeness to nature. In the far right corner you can just make out the golf course of which is about a kilometer or two away from your home.

Not long after you reach the club house. You head to the changing room and freshen up. Walking out of the room, some club dogs walk close to greet you. You crouch and give the dogs a good rub.

Its 10 O'clock. You head to the clubhouse to grab a cup of hot choco. Some frequent patrons greet you and make small talk while waiting for a friend to head into the green.


Your cup is empty. You begin to walk back to the path. You brandish your sunglasses considering the morning sun just set in. Your ipod on your arm plays your favorite tune. Jogging back mind rested, the empty blue sky greets you with a fantastic draft of fresh wind as you head back to your home after the perfect Sunday morning jog....

Pictures from Flickr.com

Hello again! It's time for your dental Check-up

Ever gone to the dentist, and 6 months after a gruesome experience...they send a postcard with bunnies in it entitled 'Hello again! It's time for your dental checkup!'?


SAMPLE: Mom stole my camera...so substitute with Elmo for now....

Three things freak me out....1) Heights... 2) hot chicks that make my heart skip 3) and going to the dentist. Give me a tall hot dentist chick and I'd have a heart attack/breakdown.

Anyway I got this postcard 2 months ago apparently....dunnno how did it manage to hide itself and then be revealed out in the open two months after.

Luckily i'd just be freaked out once..cause my dentist is neither a chick nor does he work in a tall building.

I never had a good experience with the dentists. If it were a Fear Factor Challenge to visit the dentist and let them play with the laughing gas...I'd lose. My first experience was with a lady dentist who was to pull out my two front teeth.

It was the most gruesome and painful ordeal ever. I had to suck on the red liquid thingy from morning to night before the bleeding finally stop. From then on I only relied on dental floss, strings, doors and my brother's knee to get my milk teeth out.

I so wish it would be the last of the dentist I had to deal with. Then this final miserable milk tooth had to come and spoil everything. Because of that tooth, my whole set were rearranged and crooked. ANd so I had to go for braces.

My dentist uncle in Ausy recommended this guy in Taman Sea, who was said to be the next best thing in workmanship after my uncle. Or so he claims....(ok ok its true.its true...sorry uncle Ang Sam hehe). Anywho, This guy happens to be a very cross person. The nurses ...are so well treated..I just wonder how high is the Clinic's turnover.

But though he is loud. He did a good job. Despite having to experience four teeth ripped out of their sockets.....What a horrible experience...especially if you've not eaten anything before that.

And now so many years later, they've been sending cards for 6 month interval checkups. Hopefully I dont get scolding for setting an appointment like 2 months after. Knees are shaking inside my trousers. Wah ..just how many more dentists will I have to deal with?

BTW thats the picture of the postcard I got. Just that the caption is different.

New York Style Salsa On2!!!

*Picture from www.art.com- Noche de Salsa

I just realized that after months of starting to get into this dance...I never really blogged about it. I first started 'On2' in March 2007 after coming back from my Penang/London/Michigan trip.

As a matter a fact, in January when I got back, I was cracking my brains on where I should start looking of a school. Then one fateful night, while hitching a ride to a mamak..I heard my friend's car radio playing some salsa music. I immediately recognized it and we started talking salsa ever since.

Sandesh, my acquaintance since high school said that he was learning salsa from this guy called Gavin in Dance Space. I immediately recalled the name as my ex-kungfu-mate! (Gavin, my bro and I go way back since I was like form 1).

Anywho, after some reunion sessions, I decided to join Gav after I got back from my trip every Monday night.

Just four lessons down the road, my life came to a messy corner, everything was turning bad, job, luck, love, computer...sigh...on the other hand my mom was so happy that she was going to retire soon. I didnt want to vent my frustrations.. So who do I turn to..?

Somehow, salsa kept me looking forward..new moves and all, Gavin invited me to the salsa clubs to practice my moves...introed me to the scene and Ive been dancing ever since...

And so must U! hehehe ...heres a lil tutorial...

IMPORTANT A
=============

1) Salsa music has eight uniform beats...1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8...but we use 1-3,5-7
So its 1,2,3 pause 5,6,7 pause and back to 1.

2) Basics...
For Girls and guys doing shines steps

forward with ur right on 1
forward left on2 and
replace your right foot back to the same spot on 3

Then back with ur Left on 5
Back right on 6 and
replace your left on 7

During partner work, Guys will mirror the girls.

3) New York style is danced in slots, or linearly so if u start vertically no matter wat you do..u should keep it vertically. And not end up ie. diagonally or crossed in the end.

4) Girls...U own the line.( hurray...=.=)....so if the guy wants you to move to the other side...he has to make way.

5) Handholds...guys will stick 2 fingers pointing down...like a torch handle...and girls, like the Statue of Liberty holding a torch...thats how u should hold.

IMPORTANT B
=============

1) For starters, Girls! (or Mu-heres) if u've never danced salsa before or any other dance...its easy..since you are not leading....theres only several things you need to know

a) Crossbody,
b) Right turn
c) Left turn
d) And Most importantly UR BASICS!

Everything else is just variation or additions to this items.

A) Crossbody
..u know your basics...so crossbody..is the same only thing is that you end up facing the other side in the end. So its a
1 RIght forward
2 left forward
3 Instead of replacing ur right back...step another step forward and twist 180*
5 , 6 ,7 is a back basic.

B) Right turn

...starts on the 1st Count...so the signal will be given on the previous 3 counts with a tension on ur connected right arm.
1 pivot on ur right foot 360* or as much as u can on one count
2,3 is a step step on the spot..
567 back basic.

C) Left Turn..
1 forward right
2 Forward left ..but put ur weight on it cause u wanna push off that foot on the next count.
3 push off and spin anti-clockwise..with ur right foot on the ground.
567 on the spot.

And there you have it...Girls u know enuf..to survive on the floor..guys...if u wanna learn to lead..go learn from Gavin! hehe

Sweet! so See you on the dance floor! muahaha!

*Other pictures by James Quah ...during The Dance Space Event in Times Square and Gavin's social in Bossa Nova, Park Royal

To those who feel in distressed or in hard times...including myself...

The following is a passage from a A3 sized poster on the back of my office wall that i never really took notice. But as God(to those who believe) is such a life teaser... things tend to present itself when u need it most. And so here it is...

" Here is a quote from Mencius, one that I think is very relevant in these hard times..

'Heaven, when it is about to place a great burden on a man, always first tests his resolution, exhausts his frame and makes him suffer starvation and hardship, frustrates his efforts so as to shake him from his mental lassitude, toughen his nature, and make good his deficiencies.

Confucianism. Mencius VI.B.15

Only then do we realize that anxiety and distress lead to life and that ease and comfort end in death."

Don't really get the meaning in the end part... i guess what it says is... suffering IS the learn process. Only through struggling can we perfect ourselves for it is tat process that we learn who we are and what we are capable of in times of need.

Hmm... no wonder...the immortals in Highlander series scream in agony while they try fitting the other guy's soul into his own. May it pay off soon....