MSN's news article on the release of a politician and a Malaysian blogger, who were detained under the ISA, is a little misleading as it leaves out some very crucial information. The report claims that the "minister responsible for legal affairs resigned Monday over a series of arrests under the security law," which makes it sound as if he had to resign because people disagreed with his actions in using the ISA to detain these two, and a reporter who has already been released. In fact, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim is a minister in the PM's department, who prior to becoming a minister, was an accomplished lawyer with his own legal practice, and became the de facto legal minister. Datuk Zaid resigned of his own accord, as he was against the use of the ISA in this regard, and was at odds with numerous other ministers over various issues and the changes (for the betterment of the country) that he was trying to effect.
Not sure how this report was given a 4.5/5 rating by 340 readers, as itcould very well give an erroneous impression to anyone outside Malaysia of the current situation within the country.
Sunday, 21 September 2008
Rock climbing and plans for the rest of the year!
Went indoor rock climbing yesterday afternoon. It was the first time that I'd been climbing in the last 4 years, I think, and man, did it hurt. Physically, to know that you are not as physically strong as you used to be (and the day-after effects eg muscles feeling a tad strange and strained), and mentally, trying to push yourself but your body just won't listen. Also a slightly bruised ego :)
I would like to go climbing more regularly, though. And hopefully strengthen myself through that. Admittedly, it's not cheap. RM26 per day, which does not include rental of the equipment. Each piece of equipment, e.g. pair of shoes, harness, chalk bag etc, averages about RM5. So it does add up a fair bit. I had intended to start going for tap lessons after the Inter-firm games, but found someone who is an avid climber, and thought I'd take that up as well. But tap has been shelved for a bit, as has futsal, squash, a return to kickboxing, basketball and other higher impact sports for the time being, while I rest my seemingly bruised foot.
On Friday night, I caught up with 3 friends from high school, partly because one of them has finally got her American green card, and is finally able to move back to be with her husband. She claims that people keep asking her what married life is like, and her reply is that she has no idea, because they haven't lived together since they got married! But she finally will get the chance to experience it, and we are so happy for her, although it does mean that we will be losing another friend to the US of A and could potentially not see her for another 10 years! The great part about dinner was that the conversation was pretty good and easy, and we didn't spend too much time dwelling on the past, which is what can happen at some of these catch-ups with school mates. Don't get me wrong; memories are great, and it's ok to talk about them, as long as the whole night's conversation revolves around the past. Dinner was at a halal steamboat place, where everyone gets their own small pot to cook in, so Muslims and/or people who have qualms about communally-cooked food can still enjoy the camaraderie and the steamboat experience.
I have got to take a bit more control over my life, and I've decided to start by asking for a secondment into another department within my firm. I do not know whether I will want to move over permanently, but at least I am provided with the opportunity to experience something different. Who knows, it may convince me that the work I should stick to what I'm doing now; maybe not. With this, and the upcoming trip to Langkawi (of course, the upcoming public holidays in Malaysia are a plus point as well!), I have much to look forward to in the coming 2-3 months.
I would like to go climbing more regularly, though. And hopefully strengthen myself through that. Admittedly, it's not cheap. RM26 per day, which does not include rental of the equipment. Each piece of equipment, e.g. pair of shoes, harness, chalk bag etc, averages about RM5. So it does add up a fair bit. I had intended to start going for tap lessons after the Inter-firm games, but found someone who is an avid climber, and thought I'd take that up as well. But tap has been shelved for a bit, as has futsal, squash, a return to kickboxing, basketball and other higher impact sports for the time being, while I rest my seemingly bruised foot.
On Friday night, I caught up with 3 friends from high school, partly because one of them has finally got her American green card, and is finally able to move back to be with her husband. She claims that people keep asking her what married life is like, and her reply is that she has no idea, because they haven't lived together since they got married! But she finally will get the chance to experience it, and we are so happy for her, although it does mean that we will be losing another friend to the US of A and could potentially not see her for another 10 years! The great part about dinner was that the conversation was pretty good and easy, and we didn't spend too much time dwelling on the past, which is what can happen at some of these catch-ups with school mates. Don't get me wrong; memories are great, and it's ok to talk about them, as long as the whole night's conversation revolves around the past. Dinner was at a halal steamboat place, where everyone gets their own small pot to cook in, so Muslims and/or people who have qualms about communally-cooked food can still enjoy the camaraderie and the steamboat experience.
I have got to take a bit more control over my life, and I've decided to start by asking for a secondment into another department within my firm. I do not know whether I will want to move over permanently, but at least I am provided with the opportunity to experience something different. Who knows, it may convince me that the work I should stick to what I'm doing now; maybe not. With this, and the upcoming trip to Langkawi (of course, the upcoming public holidays in Malaysia are a plus point as well!), I have much to look forward to in the coming 2-3 months.
Saturday, 13 September 2008
Missing the footy; Night on the town
So happy - Saints beat the Pies to march into the preliminary finals, and Liverpool beat MU 2-1 tonight! The downsides were that I didn't get to watch the footy match, coz the 'Australia Network' decided that the Trinations rugby was more worthwhile viewing, despite the fact that another sports channel on our pay tv was already showing it! POoey!!!! And of all games, Riewoldt did really well today, apparently making all the marks and scoring five goals, unlike last week when he dropped almost every single ball that came his way.
And Torres didn't play tonight. Double poo.
Went clubbing last night, there weren't many people in the club, but we didn't care and were the first ones on the dance floor and stayed there pretty much the 2 hours til closing time. Then grabbed a tiny bite to eat before dropping a couple of people off and heading home myself. Did not take me very long to hit the sack. Was tempted to do the same tonight, but decided against it. Body too old to take the lack of sleep!! And futsal in the morning!! yay
And Torres didn't play tonight. Double poo.
Went clubbing last night, there weren't many people in the club, but we didn't care and were the first ones on the dance floor and stayed there pretty much the 2 hours til closing time. Then grabbed a tiny bite to eat before dropping a couple of people off and heading home myself. Did not take me very long to hit the sack. Was tempted to do the same tonight, but decided against it. Body too old to take the lack of sleep!! And futsal in the morning!! yay
Thursday, 11 September 2008
To the woman shouting from the far-away corner of the land
The reality of the situation is that if you spent the better part of the last hour shouting at me, telling me how crap my work is, then telling me at the end of it that I've done 'good work' is as hollow as choux pastry without the sweet filling.
Sunday, 7 September 2008
Injuries to professional players
Geelong are such a strong team and they have players that stand out all over the field. But Tom Lonergan, who had to have a kidney removed after a collision with another player, plays so courageously, though I also have to query how one plays with only half a mechanism that's supposed to filter the waste from your blood, and probably has to work even harder when one is so active and trains everyday. These days, Lonergan plays with a special kidney guard that the general public seem certain will be sufficient to protect his other kidney.
Lonergan apparently said after his comeback game to the AFL on 31 May this year that he would "celebrate moderately — having only one kidney prohibits him from drinking "endless amounts of alcohol"." I can't believe he would even consider doing it, let alone that a comment like that would be published! While it is great that he has decided not to let the 'injury' hold him back from achieving his goals and dreams, it is, as he said so himself, a very different injury from the more common joint or limb injuries. There are more potential implications to consider. Often, players who have decided, many since their early teens or even younger, to pursue professional sporting careers cannot imagine life without that sport/game, but there is one. It may not come easily or as naturally as sport, which has been the focal point of their energies thus far, but it may be sought and found.
I hope Tom knows what he is doing, what he could potentially be getting himself into, and wish him all the best. The way that Geelong is playing, he and his teammates could very well be holding the trophy aloft at the end of the month
Lonergan apparently said after his comeback game to the AFL on 31 May this year that he would "celebrate moderately — having only one kidney prohibits him from drinking "endless amounts of alcohol"." I can't believe he would even consider doing it, let alone that a comment like that would be published! While it is great that he has decided not to let the 'injury' hold him back from achieving his goals and dreams, it is, as he said so himself, a very different injury from the more common joint or limb injuries. There are more potential implications to consider. Often, players who have decided, many since their early teens or even younger, to pursue professional sporting careers cannot imagine life without that sport/game, but there is one. It may not come easily or as naturally as sport, which has been the focal point of their energies thus far, but it may be sought and found.
I hope Tom knows what he is doing, what he could potentially be getting himself into, and wish him all the best. The way that Geelong is playing, he and his teammates could very well be holding the trophy aloft at the end of the month
IAFG over, a new cycle in the year.
Guess it's time for another update. :)
The Inter-accounting firm games (IAFG) officially ended with the dinner and prize-giving ceremony the Thursday before last. Personally, I ended up with one first placing, 2 second placings, and two thirds. But it was not satisfying. The one I really wanted to win, and thought we would, we didn't. The one I did win, I didn't have to do too much for (unfortunately). The one I really had fun with, albeit with slight apprehension and nerves, was darts. Perhaps it was because of the lack of expectation on my part. Perhaps it was the elation of being the one that helped the team into the semi-finals. And being able to share that moment. Perhaps also it was the fact that my teammates seemed more happy than I did that we got through. Whatever it was, it felt good. Overall, the firm came 3rd, 8 points behind the winner and 4 behind the firm that came in second (contentious!).
Regardless, I'm glad I got to meet some wonderful people in my firm. I know that some of them may be friends more many years to come, and others may be friends for the moment. Whatever happens in future, I'm grateful for the chance to have, at one time or another, been in their company.
Following on from my last post, I guess I have to learn to 'let go'. I try to be a caring friend who is 'always there' when needed, but I can only say and do so much and I have to accept that eventually, as much as what I see pains me. With some people, reason just doesn't work.
On a (slightly) brighter note, I found out last weekend, after being back in Malaysia for more than a year, that there is a pay tv channel here that actually shows AFL games! It is good news, and I was stoked that I would get to watch St Kilda would take on Geelong in the qualifying finals match. I say 'slightly' because it took me only about 3 minutes after the start of the match to start talking to myself (i.e. shouting at the T.V.). I have missed watching footy so much, but it hasn't made it any less infuriating to watch St Kilda play the way they are playing against Geelong. At 4 minutes to go in the final quarter, the score is at Cats 119-Saints 52! Such a disappointment after hearing that they won by 102 points last week to make it into 4th position on percentage. But I love that this means that I will be able to follow the footy a bit more even though I am 6,000 km away! Exciting!
The Inter-accounting firm games (IAFG) officially ended with the dinner and prize-giving ceremony the Thursday before last. Personally, I ended up with one first placing, 2 second placings, and two thirds. But it was not satisfying. The one I really wanted to win, and thought we would, we didn't. The one I did win, I didn't have to do too much for (unfortunately). The one I really had fun with, albeit with slight apprehension and nerves, was darts. Perhaps it was because of the lack of expectation on my part. Perhaps it was the elation of being the one that helped the team into the semi-finals. And being able to share that moment. Perhaps also it was the fact that my teammates seemed more happy than I did that we got through. Whatever it was, it felt good. Overall, the firm came 3rd, 8 points behind the winner and 4 behind the firm that came in second (contentious!).
Regardless, I'm glad I got to meet some wonderful people in my firm. I know that some of them may be friends more many years to come, and others may be friends for the moment. Whatever happens in future, I'm grateful for the chance to have, at one time or another, been in their company.
Following on from my last post, I guess I have to learn to 'let go'. I try to be a caring friend who is 'always there' when needed, but I can only say and do so much and I have to accept that eventually, as much as what I see pains me. With some people, reason just doesn't work.
On a (slightly) brighter note, I found out last weekend, after being back in Malaysia for more than a year, that there is a pay tv channel here that actually shows AFL games! It is good news, and I was stoked that I would get to watch St Kilda would take on Geelong in the qualifying finals match. I say 'slightly' because it took me only about 3 minutes after the start of the match to start talking to myself (i.e. shouting at the T.V.). I have missed watching footy so much, but it hasn't made it any less infuriating to watch St Kilda play the way they are playing against Geelong. At 4 minutes to go in the final quarter, the score is at Cats 119-Saints 52! Such a disappointment after hearing that they won by 102 points last week to make it into 4th position on percentage. But I love that this means that I will be able to follow the footy a bit more even though I am 6,000 km away! Exciting!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)