Oh Africa* - Akon featuring Keri Hilson

I'm no fan of Pepsi but this ad is really really good stuffs!

*One of the official theme songs for the World Cup this year!!!!!

Change my heart* - Crystal Lewis

RENEW MY LIFE, LORD JESUS

Renew my life, Lord Jesus,
I never want to be the same.
Renew my life, Lord Jesus,
place Your heart inside of me.

In my life and thoughts,
there are so many things.
That need the change that,
only Your love can bring.
And I need to be transformed
into Your likeness O Lord.
Change this heart inside of me.

(I tried to search online but i cannot find who wrote this song)

*Taken from her album Fearless which was nominated for a Grammy in 2001

Don't know what you've got (till its gone)* - Cinderella

Woo who?

Where did that line came from?

Yup, it's from Donkey in Shrek Forever After!!!!

I loved it!!!!! It was so so so good!!!!! I dun know why the critics were not to kind to it. I think their problem was that they had their own ideas of how it shud have been but because the movie was different from what they wanted, they did not like it! Well, too bad. That's the reason why they're just film critics and not film makers! Who cares what they want?

I dun. i just go to the movies - and enjoy meself! And movies like Shrek Forever After is just the movie for that!

What's there not to like? Great characters return (some very different!!!!)...

... great characters introduced...,

...funny lines (cat-tastrophe amd ri-donkey-lous!!!!!), hilarious scenes (think fat Puss in Boots trying to persuade Donkey with its large eyes, Donkey trying to woo the dragon with Lionel Ritchie's Hello) - and a nice story!

Yes, many have complained about the story line - and said it's too much like "It's a Wonderful Life". Well, It's a Wonderful Life had a brilliant story - so why can't they take a leave from that? At the end of the day, how many movies have really original storylines? Good vs Evil, Cop v Murderer, Monsters kill and get killed, Boy meets Girl, Underdog wins, Man vs Nature... you get my drift?

This may be a minor spoiler - so look away quick if you still haven't watched it yet and dun wanna know any small details - but i thought the story was nice and touching! Shrek goes thru the predictable married life and longs for the good old days when he was a feared ogre. So he does a deal with the crafty Rumpelstiltskin and ends up almost losing everything he has!

Sure it's been done before. And it's a cliche everyone knows - you dun know wat u've got until it's gone. But it's so true, isn't it? Dun we all take people and things for granted? And the way it was done in the movie was really good too.

And i really love the closing lines of the movie:-

Shrek: You know, I always thought I'd rescued you from the Dragon's Keep.
Princess Fiona: You did.
Shrek: No. It was you who rescued me.

Pics taken from various sites online

*Taken from the 2nd album of this glam metal band, it was their biggest hit.

Say it again* - Marie Digby

I found these wonderful quotes from a random blog online. I love them all - some are familiar to me but u can say them to me over and over again and i doubt i'll get tired of hearing them!

A sad thing in life is when you meet someone who means a lot to you, only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be and you just have to let go
生命中令人悲伤的一件事是你遇到了一个对你来说很重要的人，但却最终发现你们有缘无 份，因此你不得不放手

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had
最好的朋友就是那种能和你促膝而坐，彼此不说只字片语， 分别时却感到这是你有过的最好的一次交流

It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives
的确只有当我们失去时才知道曾拥有的是什么，同样，只有当我们拥有了才知道曾经失去了什么

It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone but it takes a lifetime to forget someone
迷 上某人只需一分钟，喜欢上某人需要一小时，爱上某人则要一天，然而，忘记某人却是一辈子的事情

Don't go for looks, they can deceive, Don't go for wealth, even that fades away, Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright
别倾心于容貌，因为它具有欺骗性，也别倾心于财富，它也会消散，倾心于那个能带给你笑容的人吧，因为一个笑容 能使漫漫长夜如白昼般明亮

Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do
做你想做的梦吧，去你想去的地方吧，成为你想成为的人 吧，因为你只有一次生命，一个机会去做所有那些你想做的事

A careless word may kindle strife, a cruel word may wreck a life, a timely word may level stress, a loving word may heal and bless
无心快语可能引发争执，无情之词可能折损生命，适时温语可能消弭压力，而关爱 之声可能治愈心灵

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything they just make the most of everything that comes along their way
幸福之人并非拥有一切，只是尽力享受生活的赐予

Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, ends with a tear
爱情以笑开始，以吻转浓，以泪结束

No man or woman is worth your tears, and the one who is, won‘t make you cry.
没有人值得你流泪，值得让你这么做的人不会让你哭泣。

The worst way to miss someone is to be sitting right beside them knowing you can‘t have them.
失去某人， 最糟糕的莫过于，他近在身旁，却犹如远在天边。

Never frown, even when you are sad, because you never know who is falling in love with your smile.
纵然伤心，也 不要愁眉不展，因为你不知是谁会爱上你的笑容。

To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.
对于世界而言，你是一个人；但是对于某个人，你是他的整个世界。

Don‘t waste your time on a man/woman, who isn‘t willing to waste their time on you.
不要为那些不愿在你身上花费时间的人而浪费你的时间。

Just because someone doesn‘t love you the way you want them to, doesn‘t mean they don‘t love you with all they have.
爱你的人如果没有按你所希望的方式来爱你，那并不代表他们没有全心全意地爱你。

Don‘t try so hard, the best things come when you least expect them to.
不要着 急，最好的总会在最不经意的时候出现。

Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one, so that when we finally meet the person, we will know how to be grateful.
在遇到梦中人之前，上天也许会安排我们先遇到别的人；在我们终于遇见心仪的人 时，便应当心存感激。

Don‘t cry because it is over, smile because it happened.
不要因为结束而哭泣，微笑吧，为你的曾经拥有。

My fav is the last one. What's yours?

*Her first hit song from her debut album

Again and again* - Jewel

To be honest, i din expect it - but i've been falling for tGiF over and over, again and again!!! :-)

He's been hitting me a lot lately!

*The lead single (and brilliant song!) from her Goodbye Alice in Wonderland album, i first heard it when i was at UoE.

Home* - Michael

Been stuck at home. The reason? This:-

Yes, while the students rejoice and enjoy their new found freedom, i cry and end up imprisoned in my own house so that i can finish marking the endless pile...

*One of my fav songs of his, this was released in 2005!!! Was it so long ago edi?

Some might say* - Oasis

Oh, well, this would be one of those circumstances that people unfamiliar with the law of large numbers would call a coincidence.

Sheldon Cooper (Big Bang Theory)

Well, i am unfamiliar with the law of large numbers! Basically (from Wikipedia, of course) it is a theorem that describes the result of performing the same experiment a large number of times. According to the law, the average of the results obtained from a large number of trials should be close to the expected value, and will tend to become closer as more trials are performed.

Nvm. I am happy to be classified as one unfamiliar with such law!!! So people like me would say that when certain things happen, it is a coincidence!

There were 3 incidents recently which was really coincidental!!!

Incident #1

The other day, i was having this particular song in my head all the time - and i saw this status on Fb where my student had the very same song in her head too!!!

And it was a pretty random song - not one that is being played on the radio a lot these days. Coincidence?

Incident #2

I was chatting with tGiF about going over to London if i could get a free ticket - and it doesn't matter if i only get to spend one full day there. She asked wat would i do if i only had one day there. I replied that i would go and eat the roast duck and roast pork belly rice at Wong Kei.

Later, i saw this photo on another student's FB:-

Yup, it was a pic of roast duck and roast pork belly rice at Wong Kei. Coincidence?

Incident #3

I was surfing the net with tGiF and we were mainly looking at this pretty good local food blog, Motormouth From Ipoh. I came across a write-up about this Hakka pork chop which is found in Klang - and i was telling tGiF that i had really wanted to go eat that for a long long time. In fact, some students had offered to take me there too but it never materialised.

I went to sleep shortly after that but discovered that at about the same time, another student wrote on wall:-

Yes, it was about the very same pork chop!!!! Coincidence?

Well, with the number of students i have taught increasing more and more, and with the more prevalent use of FB these days, some might say that these incidents are not coincidences but merely the law of large numbers in action. Other will prolly agree with simple ol' me by saying that these are examples of coincidences in our lives.

*A track from their brilliant album and one of my all time favourites, (What's the story) Morning Glory?

Celebration* - Kool & the Gang

Haven't had much time to blog properly. This will not be much of an exception - just photos and collages to describe an 8-day celebration early this month to celebrate my mom!

It was her birthday celebration!

We wanted to take her out for a really nice meal, something special! A lot of ideas were floated - mainly by yours truly. One even proposed to take us all to another state!!! In the end, we settled for somewhere nearby which was more convenient.

We ordered stuffs we normally dun eat:-

To be honest, the food wasn't that great. Some dishes were really good but they were in the minority. Still, it was a most enjoyable time as we had our own room - and free karaoke!!!!! :-)

All of us really had a good time - perhaps the best moment was when Mamma Mia was chosen and everyone sang along happily. It was truly a fun and wonderful time together as a family!

On the actual day itself, we had a more simple affair, seeing that it fell on a weekday nite.

Pizzas followed by a wonderful chocolate cake (bought by tGiF) - and ended with the opening of prezzies! :-)

The celebration ended on Mother's Day itself - with me sis making spaghetti, my bro's wife making the mashed potato (with the help of me niece) and me buying the KFC.

It was a special time for all us - and it was for a special person! She really enjoyed herself :-)

*A classic! But when i listen to it, i always think of Ross trying to play this tune on the bagpipes in 'Friends'!

Mistake* - Nickelback

Amazing how a mistake like this can be made!!!!!

p/s - no you won't find it on their site anymore. Thank me for screen-capping it!

*Their cover of Big Wreck's song which is found in their "Live at Home" DVD

Two is better than one* - Boys Likes Girls

So two iron-suited superheroes are better than one?

Well, no, that's not wat i meant. What i meant is more controversial - i am of the view that Iron Man 2 is better than the first part!!!! No, no, i'm not saying the first one wasn't good. It was. And yes, yes, i know i am prolly in the small minority who thinks 2 is better than 1! But i really liked it - and as far as i can remember, i liked it much better than Iron Man!

What's there not to like? This movie has Robert Downey Jr!!!!!!

He carried the entire show on his own. If not for him, i doubt Iron Man would be as good a movie as it is now. Yeah, he was in the first one too and he was just as brilliant there! But in the sequel, i felt that i saw more of Tony Stark. We could see him being caught surprised, being beaten up, getting drunk, misbehaving, vulnerable.

We oso get to see him in this 'portable' Iron Man suit!!!!

I also thought the 'final battle' was much more satisfying than the first movie.

Some felt it was too easy, how he destroyed all the drones with his laser thingy. Maybe it was easy but is was really cool, wasn't it? Some felt destroying Whiplash was too easy too. Not really, IMHO. He used his brains - much better than how he destroyed the Iron Monger in the first movie. Some felt it was too fast - i dun think so. The final battle was when the drones started to activate. It was sufficiently long for me!

And finally, this is the main reason why Iron Man 2 is better than the first one:-

Pics taken from various sites online

*Brilliant song - one of the best songs i've heard in recent time!

Don't be a stranger* - Dina Carroll

I've been thinking a lot about you recently. Well, no one knows about it - cuz it (may) sounds so gay!!!

But little little things have been bringing u to my mind lately. The Coffee Bean where we had a drink, the cinema where we watched movies together, the restaurant where we had great pasta for lunch (and for 50% off!), the holidays we took overseas, the road trips, the things we used to do in chapel, our interest in photography and many others. Yeah, we had great fun together - some of the things i did back then were dreams coming true - and i was glad tt u were there to share those moments with me.

It saddens me, tho. Cuz things are just not the same again.

I've been thru life a lot - and i know that frens come and go. I have to leave. They have to leave. We take different paths, pursue our own dreams, go separate ways.

But altho frens come and go, they never stop being frens. And to me, the test of a true frenship will be one when we meet up again after such a long time of total separation - and we just pick it up where we last left off, as if the weeks or months or years that separated our meeting just melt away. Things changed, of course - we grew fatter (or rather, i grew fatter), we moved, we have new additions in our lives - but our frenship remains the same.

A great example of what i'm saying is my Greek fren Michael (not the 'you' in this post):-

Early autumn 2007, Colchester

Early autumn 2009, Taipeh

Some things never change! :-)

So i perfectly understand it that things dun seem the same between us anymore - u have started a new phase of yr life, a most exciting one, for sure. We are involved in different things. In fact, we hardly see each other anymore. Sometimes, i cannot help but feel that the frenship is not the same anymore...

But when we get a chance to get together again - be it for a meal or a movie or perhaps a holiday again - i hope that you will not be a stranger.

*The song which was a huge hit when we first arrived in London in the cold autumn of 1993 - and it's one of my fav songs to date.

Respect* - Arethea Franklin

So i'm a bit late watching Ip Man 2. It's alright - wasn't too keen with fighting with the others over tickets and sitting in a full house cinema - chances of annoying people in the cinema increases! Was happy just to go watch in a relatively empty cinema the 3D version of 2 movies for 1 ticket!

Anyways, i finally did. And like everyone else, i was blown away by the kung fu in the movie. The first set the bar really high - the sequel lives up to. And some might even say raised it even higher!

When asked if i prefer this over the first one, i would say it is really close. Perhaps the sequel pips its predecessor strictly on the basis of one reason - one big reason!

His character was fleshed out pretty well - credit to Sammo Hung! And it was a really interesting character. To top it up, his character had an exciting table-top duel with Ip Man too! Good stuff.

When asked if i prefer Ip Man over Jet Li's Fok Yuen Kap in Fearless, i'd say yes.

Perhaps the reason is the cool calm character of Ip Man that appeals to me. He really personifies the principles of kung fu! A student even asked if i thought Ip Man was too composed for a human being!!!! Perhaps so. It would be incredible if someone could be like him - not impossible, tho.

It was best summed up in the end when he gave his speech to the gwailos. He wasn't there to show that Chinese kung fu was better than the western boxing. He recognises that people may have differing statuses in their lives - but everyone shares the same dignity. And because of that, we should all respect each other no matter what status we may hold.

Well said!

p/s - Ip Man could have been a great human rights activist too!

Pics taken from various sites online

*Some say this is her signature song and few would argue with that.

Push* - Matchbox 20

For the past few mornings, i've been listening to this song just as i'm about to leave my room - it never failed to get me going and give me that little push needed to start off the day. I'd find meself humming the tune thruout the day - and it never fails to put a smile on me face. Try it!

*Their first hit which introduced me to them - been a fan since!

Say (what you need to say)* - John Mayer

Many people like to give their views. They feel a need to say something about anything. Yes, i am guilty of that - tt's why i have blogs!!!!

But i feel that some people are misusing their liberty and their basic human right to express their views. This is highlighted recently in the issue of the fatal shooting of a 15 year-old boy by the police.

The police are have given their account of the story but criticise the victim's fren when he gave his. That's not fair - and it's not right either. When the victim's fren gave his account, the police alleged that it was unethical of his lawyers to do so!!! But when the Bar Council president gave a statement that it was not unethical, the reporting did not get the same prominence as when the police claimed otherwise. Now who's view is more reliable when it comes to legal ethics?

Others are talking about it and making statements in the press when they are not in any position to do so (see previous post)!!!! I would give my views on legal matters and human rights issues but if the press comes to me to ask my views about medical matters or fashion or biology, i will refrain from doing so.

We can - and some say should - say what we feel is needed to be said. But we should do so responsibly - something which i hope i've been doing.

Another journalist gave his views today - he made sweeping statements, he highlighted allegedly 'important' 'facts' which the public has ignored and he gave his conclusion that the policemen in question are innocent of wrongdoing. You can read his article here. Again, i've responded to it and again, i doubt it'll be printed - so here it is:-

Dear sir/madam,

I refer to the "Why Not?" column of your journalist, Mr Wong Sai Wan in his article, "In the line of fire" which is reported here - http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/5/7/focus/6211913&sec=focus

In his article, he alleged that "everyone pointed the finger at the four policemen, concluding instantly that they were guilty". I have to disagree with such a sweeping statement. I can easily name a few people who did not come to such a conclusion.

Further, he accused the public of ignoring the following facts:-

1. that there was a lengthy car chase;
2. that the boy kept on driving despite the car being fired at;
3. that the two patrol cars had their sirens blaring and lights flashing, and yet the boy refused to stop.

I would like to respectfully disagree with Mr Wong on that account too. But in any event, these facts does not change what a lot of people want - to know what really took place and to know if the policemen acted in accordance with law when they open fire at the car. Those facts referred to by Mr Wong does not support an act of self-defence by the policemen.

Finally, while Mr Wong is 'saddened' that allegedly everyone concluded the policemen were guilty, he himself had concluded that the policemen were not! How can he make suce a conclusion when the conclusion of the investigation has not been made known yet?

Making conclusions on the matter now is not going to help - whether you think the policemen are guilty or otherwise. Let the legal proceedings take its natural course.

Mun Onn

*His highest charting single to date, it was also used in a Hallmark commercial.

Who's that guy?* - The cast of Grease 2

This is the transcript of a letter i e-mail to the editor of The Star newspaper today. The title of this post refers to the "expert" in the article referred to in this letter.

Dear Editor,

I was shocked when i read the article "Minor at fault in shooting incident, says expert" in your papers today - (http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/5/6/nation/6202592&sec=nation).

In the first place, according to the said article, the so-called expert is a "clinical psychologist" "who is the Head of the School of Natural Health and Sciences in Sunway University College". This is actually incorrect as there is no such School in Sunway University College. Your journalist must have been referring to the School of Health and Natural Sciences. The expert is also a "former journalist".

While he is probably learned and an expert in his field, is he an expert in the area of law and of police powers?

In my personal view, it does not appear to be so based on what he has said in the aforementioned news report. The learned Assoc Prof was reported to say that the "most important issue" is the fact that the unfortunate victim in this case was allegedly committing an offence. The learned Assoc Prof concluded that the victim was at fault in the shooting incident.

With all due respect, that is not the issue in this matter. The issue I would submit is whether the police discharged their firearms legally or not. Even if the policemen were faced with hardened criminals, there are laws and procedure on how a policeman uses his gun against them.

Furthermore, this is a matter which should be decided by a legal tribunal - hopefully a properly constituted Court of law. By coming to such a conclusion, the learned Assoc Prof appears to have already pre-judged the matter. Let the matter be decided in a proper Court.

Mun Onn

*This song was taken obviously from the lessor known and much inferior sequel to the Grease - but i still liked the songs from the sequel.

Superwoman* - Karyn White

My mom is the superwoman. No doubts! Beyond a reasonable doubt, beyond a shadow of a doubt!!!!

I've always known that - but the fact hit me hard again in recent times. I've been wanting to blog about it for some time now. This post has been sitting in the drafts folder for months. I wanted this post to be done really well.

When i was discharged from the hospital, i was kept indoors for almost a month. I was weak and still recovering from the effects of having gone thru a major surgery. In that time when i was 'locked-up' at home, i began to see again wat a wonderful woman my mom is.

She never seems to tire from doing work. She is disciplined. She has a routine and she sticks to it. She has a diet and she sticks to it too. She never procrastinate (how did she ever have a procrastinator son like me is still a great mystery) - i would just tell her about this button which came off a shirt and the button will be sewed on and the shirt hung back in my room in no time. Even once when i just mentioned about a tear in my shorts (and did not ask her to do anything about it), it was mended when i got home from work later!

She goes thru her daily chores without ever complaining! Not once have i heard her done so. When i was housebound, she would insist that i get as much rest as possible and would literally slave over me. I remember one incident when she was younger, she would sleep on the floor in my room when i was sick so that she could be close to me in case i needed anything in the middle of the nite.

Even when i was at the hospital, she would take time and trouble to get to the hospital to spend as much time as she could with me - despite of all the work she needed to do at home.

And to top it all off, i have been a terrible son in recent times. I was hardly around, i never chat with her, i tell her off, raise my voice to her and complain about her and about the things she would do. Yet, in an exhibit of true mother's love (and a wonderful illustration of God's unconditional love for us), she never stopped loving me.

I've never seen such love before. It was especially so clear some years ago when my father fell ill. She put up with everything - taking care of him, cleaning the mess that my father could not help causing, going with him for dialysis 3 times a week (sitting with him for hours at the hospital each time), taking care of the rest of us and the house chores at the same time, etc. I can't go into details - but to me, the love she showed to my father was one that was pure and unconditional. It was something i could not understand - and something which i pray that i'll be able to exhibit in my life.

Here is a small illustration of what she had to go thru at that time:-

The photo on the left was taken in December 2005. The one on the right was taken around slightly more than a year later - you can see how much she aged and how much weight she lost. Relatives were worried for her at that time. But it did not get any easier on her and eventually, my father's life on earth came to an end. i cannot imagine how hard it must have been for her to see my father slowly slip away and went home to be with the Lord.

Yet, she pulled thru. Today she is healthy and strong. She would rather walk back home from USJ 6 (we live in USJ 2) under the hot sun instead of asking me to fetch her cuz i was still recovering from my surgery. She works almost non-stop daily, cooking, cleaning, ironing, the works - even changing fluorescent light tubes high on the ceiling!!!!

All this is even more amazing when you consider that she is 70 years old!!!!

Yes, she is 70 years old today! Praise the Lord for her life, for her health and for the joy, love and peace she has today.

She is also such a wonderful person - recently she got so stressed up trying to help out my aunt who is deaf. When telemarketers call up, she would patiently listen to them even if we would be telling her to just say no and hang up. On Earth hour this year, she was rushing to finish her ironing so that she could turn off the lights on time.

I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful mom. I believe that today also, i am a much better person because of her. Thanks to her example, i believe i'm beginning to complain less and be ever willing to help. When tGiF was ill recently, i slept on the floor next to her bed just in case she needed anything in the middle of the nite - just like how my mom used to do for me. I have a live object lesson of what it means to truly love.

If you ask me today what my greatest fear is, i would tell you that it is the fear of seeing my mom getting even older and not being able to do what she can do now - and eventually to see her slip away. But there will be the comfort of knowing that she will be reunited with my father and be free from all tears and pain and suffering forever. And to wait for me in God's presence where we will one day be together again forever.

*One of her biggest hits and the memorable song from her - altho whenever i hear the song, i remember my former classmate Tina talking about how one of her uni mates adopted this song the song about his (yes, not her) life!

Come on over* - Olivia Newton-John

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. - Matt 11:28

*The title track of her album released in 1976, written by Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees.

Because of you* - Kelly Clarkson

I was back at the old campus yesterday, to adjudicate a debate there. It was fun and the guys did really well (it was a guys vs gals thing)!

The topic was about whether the death sentence is an effective deterrent. The guys were proposing - and before it started, i was almost certain the gals will win as personally, i'm against the death sentence.

So credit to the guys who managed to convince me - no, not to believe the death sentence is an effective deterrent but at least to think about it. The gals missed the point completely most of the time - they may have won if the topic was whether the death sentence should be abolished or not.

But the real highlight of the whole afternoon was being back at the old campus for the first time this year! I spent some time walking about, looking around - and as i did that, memories flood in. I walked passed G1 and LT4, went to the SAM garden and looked around, saw Rooms 1.1, 1.2, and the rooms on the 3rd floor, walked past the old programme office and even used the staff toilet! The debate was held in good ol' DR2. I peeked inside the Green Room (which wasn't occupied!!!!). It was fun.

Still, there was no heavy heart as i left. The place brought back memories - but wat is important is the people who made those memories sweet. Without them, the campus is just a cold aging building, nothing more.

So here's to all my students, past and present, who made my time there at the old campus a memorable one.

*According to Wiki, by the summer of 2008, this song had become the song second most played over all of the last five years on television, radio, the internet, and live venues combined, in the UK.