Events

The all new Toyota AE86 Hachi-Roku!

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ae86

This truly iconic car from the 80’s is probably one the most recognizable vehicles in the world. Fans of Initial D would immediately recognize the AE86 as the car the protagonist Takumi Fujiwara drives. If you’ve ever read the manga or watched the anime and live action movie (featuring Jay Chou) you’ve probably dreamed of having one to drift with.

keiichi tsuchiya

One interesting fact that I gleaned during my obsession with everything Initial D is that there really is a “Drift King” who popularized the drifting style of racing and downhill driving. Keiichi Tsuchiya is a real life racer who started out in underground and street racing and the character of Bunta (Takumi’s dad) is actually based on him.

toyota 86 black

He drives a Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno and has appeared in Initial D as a special guest. He also had a cameo role in Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift. He actually said “This is fun! I wish that Toyota could make cars like this again!” when asked about the AE86.

toyota 86

His wish just came true.

I was at Sepang International Circuit for the all-new Toyota 86 and Camry launch and was suitably impressed with the launch gimmick.

toyota 86 launch

They drove the original AE86 and Camry into a garage and the new models came out amidst smoke and much fanfare. The car is beautiful. It’s a work of art.

hachi roku

It’s the new Toyota 86 “Hachi-Roku”!

I also went on a drive on the all new Toyota Camry with Rachel. 🙂

tetsuya tada 86

The chief engineer of the Toyota 86, Tetsuya Tada, came down to talk about the features of the brand new car. I had a lot of fun listening to him talk about the 86 – it’s illuminating to hear why certain things are done that way and the heritage from the man who designed the 86.

86

The Toyota 86 is the “spiritual” descendant of the original AE86 – I first saw photos of it in 2009, it was designated FT (Future Technology) then – a concept car. It has gone through some changes and there’s a lot of “86” features in there – the tailpipe is exactly 86mm, the bore and stroke of the engine is also 86 mm.

toyota 86 engine

It’s supposed to be a fun-to-drive sports car instead of a full-on competitive muscle car (though it excels in the latter too). I’ve talked to a lot of people about the Toyota 86 and all of them fell in love with it.

toyota 86 interior

Bucket seats, key-less ignition and advanced aerodynamics considerations makes this a beautiful car that performs excellently.

me 86

I just came back from Jakarta and brought the brochure along (it was in my bag when I packed) and it was the object of much lust from everyone who read it.

toyota 86 front

There’s a lot of technical specifications for you to gawk at – too many to list here, so surf on over to the Toyota 86 site for more information.

The 86 comes in six colors (love the Crystal Black Silica) and it’s priced at RM 243,000 for the manual transmission version and RM 249,000 for the automatic version.

toyota 86 back

The latter has a VSC SPORT mode for a more adventurous semi-manual driving experience.

toyota 86 usb

This is my dream car. I can’t stop talking about it and I want it sooo badly that it’s not even funny. I wish this is the real key to the 86.

toyota 86 pit girl

It’s a legendary car that I can’t wait to save up and buy for…drifting. 🙂

Father’s Day @ Payung Cafe (and the best Father’s Day present)

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fathers day dinner

17th of June is Father’s Day for most of the world with some notable exceptions, namely Australia and New Zealand. I guess that’s why my sister was a bit puzzled when I told her that we’re heading out during her usual Skype session with my parents.

payung cafe sibu

I asked my dad where he wanted to go, giving him a couple of suggestions like Tom’s Too. Arthur, being the resident food expert also contributed to the list. My dad wanted to go to an al fresco dining area where people doesn’t smoke and he hasn’t been to Payung Cafe yet so I brought him and my mom there.

payung sibu

Payung Cafe is one of the little known eateries in Sibu – the owners are friendly and the ambiance is great, with little touches like freshly cut flowers on the table and off-the-menu specials written on a chalkboard every single day.

payung cafe

It doesn’t have a large menu but they have an admirable aim of having cuisine from all over the world, with a focus on Asian countries.

myanmar vegetables

Myanmar Sayur (RM 8)
Sayur means vegetable and this dish is a kind of salad that contains an assortment of raw and cooked vegetables mixed together rojak style. The sprinkling of sesame seeds and the raw vegetables provides a nice texture that goes very well with the gravy.

payung jelly pisang

Jelly Pisang (RM 7)
Jelly Pisang is a dessert that used to be very popular in Sibu back in the days. It went the way of dinosaurs when I was born and to the best of my knowledge this is only one of two places that still serves it in Sibu. The other one is at a hotel (see link). Payung Cafe’s interpretation comes with loads of jelly and thinly sliced bananas.

I asked my dad if this seemed authentic enough and he mentioned that back in the days it wasn’t really served like this but…

close enough

Heh.

lamb masala

Lamb Masala (RM 17)
It doesn’t look like much but this one was the first dish to go – the lamb is flavorful and tender with none of the gamey taste usually associated with this particular animal. It was a hit with both my mom and dad. The portion is a bit small and I only had one piece but other than that it’s highly recommended.

payung otak otak

Otak-otak Fish with Rice (RM 13)
This is the most popular dish in Payung Cafe, bar none. It’s one of their signature menu items and it’s hand made otak-otak! One of the proprietors actually does this each evening and it’s fresh and very different from the usual mass produced otak-otak. People with a sensitive palate beware! This is not for the faint-hearted for it’s quite spicy.

turkish milkshake

Turkish Milkshake (RM 8)
It came highly recommended from the proprietor and I have to agree – it’s quite good. It’s one of the specials on the chalkboard so this is a limited time menu item. What is a Turkish milkshake? Well, it’s based on the drink called Salep in Turkey. It has ground dried tubers of the orchid flower (!) with spices topped with cream and chocolate flakes. The owners travel around to add new stuff to the menu.

indian red beef

Indian Red Beef (RM 17)
This is a rather spicy affair which was the special of the day. It was quite spicy and I ended up eating most of it. I didn’t like it as much as the lamb masala.

pineapple ginger soda

Pineapple Ginger Soda (RM 5)
I wanted the Durian Milkshake I had last time I was here but they ran out of durians (it’s not the season anyway). I asked for a recommendation and got this one – it’s apparently one of the most popular drinks and the combination of pineapple and ginger works surprisingly well. I like the sediments at the bottom, which contains a bit of both ingredients. Lovely.

belimbing pasta

Belimbing Prawn with Spaghetti (RM 16)
I also had this dish last time and was quite enthralled by it. Belimbing is starfruit (or carambola) in English and it’s a fusion dish that works very well. The type of starfruit they use is known locally as belimbing asam and it’s a very sour variant of the fruit used in cooking. It’s served with prawns and I wanted everyone to try this. It’s a very different dish that works very well. 😀

The total bill came out to RM 99 which is very reasonable for a dinner for three that had us struggling to finish the dishes.

fathers day

However, the best Father’s Day present that I gave my dad (and mom) happened to be a totally random act while I was talking to them the night I came back in the living room. I was showing how swipe typing works on my Android phone and my dad casually asked what app I was using. I didn’t know he’s unfamiliar with Whatsapp since my parents are pretty IT savvy, navigating the maze of social media pretty well.

whatsapp

Anyway, I found out that my sister is on it (coz she was on Skype with my parents at the time) and I gifted the app to my dad’s cell using my iTunes account. I added myself and my sister to the contacts list and showed my parents how to use it. They didn’t know there’s an option for free texting (although they use Viber) with quick photo, video and audio file sharing.

fathers day 2012

The look on my mom’s face when my sister snapped a photo of my newborn nephew and instantly sent it over followed by the smiles on my parents faces was worth the USD 0.99 I used to gift the app a gazillion times over. 🙂

A private dinner at the penthouse of KEN Bangsar

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private dinner

KEN Bangsar has exactly four penthouse units with an amazing view of the Klang Valley. It is also the highest residential building in the entire Klang Valley. This one spans three (3) storeys and has it’s own swimming pool and lounge area complete with a wet bar and a steam room. KEN Bangsar also has 76 apartments for a total of 80 units with 4 design styles and layouts and incredibly good security. The basement car park is rather unique too – it has perforated walls to allow better wind flow so you won’t get the stuffy “ambiance” common in traditional car parks.

dinner

This is where we had our private dinner of various savory and sweet canapes cooked right in the kitchen of the penthouse.

canapes

I particularly liked the Green Vegetables Risotto with Herbs Emulsion…

king prawn ravioli

…and the King Prawn Ravioli with Melted Leeks and Cardamom Sauce. Sorry for making you hold the platter so long, anonymous server.

lap pool

This is the private lap pool at the penthouse. I would love to stay here. Your very own pool, imagine the legendary parties you can throw.

Here’s a video tour of the penthouse to coax the good ol’ green eyed monster out of its lair.

pool

Okay, starting from the beginning, KEN Bangsar is built as an ecologically friendly green residential unit. I love how their swimming pool has in-pool lounges. I was staying at this resort once and fell asleep in one. Very comfortable, if you like the water. The premium KEN Bangsar also has 18 carat gold mosaic pieces embedded in the bottom of the pool!

lobby

There are boring looking corridors that actually provides an important function – it’s a wind tunnel to displace the hot air and provide cooler air into the lobby lounge area. There are no fans in the lobby, the use of natural wind is used so the result is a staggeringly low condo maintenance electricity bill of just RM 2,000 per month (!!!).

living room

This is made possible by the complementary system that conditions and recycles condensate water into an evaporation feature wall. I don’t know what exactly this means except that it reduces the temperature using technologically advanced systems.

This acronym explains it pretty well:

THE CHEEL SYSTEM
Condensate water harvested from the management office air conditioner, a
Heat pump drawing heat from the air-conditioner compressor and providing
Energy for hot water to the common toilets and cool air piped into the
Evaporative waterfall at lift lobby to
Lower the temperature of the double volume lounge and lift lobby for additional indoor thermal comfort for the residents

water feature

This means the water feature isn’t for show either, like most of the things here. The interesting textured facade inside the building is made of excess recycled tiles – note the uneven surface, it’s an aesthetic consideration that took place before KEN Bangsar was built so they can have enough excess tiles (these are the odd sized ones you cut off at the end of the unit – look at the corner of your floor) to use as a decorative feature.

ken bangsar

The windows are tinted with a special coating that makes it invisible (so there’s no dimness associated with traditional car tinting – all light is preserved) while providing 100% UV protection. You won’t have to worry about someone running into the glass and breaking it too coz it’s strengthened laminated glass.

view

This is the very same KEN Holdings who built Ken I and II beside Tropicana City Mall – I thought the name sounded familiar. KEN Bangsar is their first foray into green and ecologically friendly developments and they also have another one in Shah Alam called KEN Rimba.

ken rimba

This time KEN Holdings used their experience constructing a green building (KEN Bangsar) to develop an entire green township – KEN Rimba! It’s the first one in Malaysia and the guarded community has ecologically friendly features which includes:

  • Breathable roofs to keep the interior cool and lower energy costs
  • Rainwater harvesting for reuse in lawn irrigation, car washing or janitorial purposes
  • Extensive landscaping with lush gardens surrounding a pool for the corner units
  • North-south orientation and louver windows angled to admit light and air but to keep out rain, direct sunshine and noise

ken rimba legian residences

KEN Rimba is a two-phase development with the first (Legian) due to be handed over next month. Legian Residences has 328 terrace homes and with all the ecological features, it’s set to be the new gold standard for true green living! They’re preparing to launch the next phase of houses – Jimbaran Residences (love the Bali vibe) – it’s open for registration so contact them if you want to embrace a green lifestyle!

Website: http://kenholdings.com.my/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KEN.Greenbook
Twitter: http://twitter.com/samCS10

penthouse

It’s interesting to see that more development companies are going the green route with technological implementations that makes it ecologically friendly without sacrificing functionality and comfort. I personally wouldn’t mind living in KEN Bangsar – the units are beautifully designed and if it contributes to the environment, then all the better.

me

…now if only I don’t have a really bad habit of draining my condo fund consistently at the most random moments when the urge strikes me.

Shock and Awe

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gung ho

I was rather intrigued by this device. It has grown men grunting and groaning. I just *had* to investigate.

This gym-worthy device pits you against a counter-weight that you need to sign an indemnity form to even attempt. I tried it at the default setting and just managed to press it down. *ego deflates

There’s also a harness to test your strength which I managed to pass with a bit of effort at full power. It’s all part of the All New Ford Ranger roadshow which had contests galore, including the main Ford Ranger Challenge.

girl kid

(girl and kid are optional extras not included)

…and now, the finalists has been announced!

The voting phase for the best 5 videos from the Ford Ranger Challenge contest will be held from 21st May to 22nd June 2012. There will be three (3) winners chosen from these five finalists and they will receive:

ford ranger prize

Grand Prize
A brand new 2012 Ford Ranger XLT 2.2L Manual Transmission with the approximate value of RM 100,000 plus merchandise

First Runner Up
RM 9,888 in cash and a RM 10,000 voucher to purchase the All New Ford Ranger plus merchandise

Second Runner Up
RM 3,888 in cash and a RM 5,000 voucher to purchase the All New Ford Ranger plus merchandise

Anyway, if you didn’t win, all is not lost. You’re still in the running for some awesome prizes!

What has that got to do with me?
Well, you have been vested with the power to decide who wins by casting votes. 🙂

Why would I want to do that?
You’ll stand a chance to win special merchandise like a G-Shock watch, Ford t-shirts, thumb drives (I want!), caps, tumblers and so on.

This won’t be a popularity contest so it’s all down to your skills (and a bit of luck) – voters will be chosen at random (50th, 100th, 150th etc etc) and you will need to answer a tie breaker question to win the G-Shock watch.

ford ranger crew

The voter with the most creative answer will snag the G-Shock watch while the rest will get one item from the smorgasbord of Ford merchandise.

Do you feel like your wrist needs a bit of accessorizing? 😉

Well, register at http://fordrangerchallenge.com.my and start voting now to get a chance to win that G-Shock!

PIKOM ICT Mall CapSquare Grand Launch

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starbucks

I’ll be honest with you, I don’t go to CapSquare Centre that often. I usually just park myself in Starbucks and find someplace to eat dinner before heading for a movie. I’ve got this Top Gun: Star Access card by TGV Cinemas that allows me to watch movies for free, and even though CapSquare has a relatively small number of screens, it’s a lot easier to find a parking space compared to Suria KLCC!

tgv cinemas

I’ve been there a couple of times a few years back and when I started going again this year, the mall totally changed on me.

diablo 3

Watch out Low Yat Plaza and Digital Mall – there’s a new player in town!

media briefing

CapSquare Centre is now known officially as PIKOM ICT Mall CapSquare and I went to the media briefing a couple of days ago to check out what they have in store for the grand launch – you just can’t argue with the tag line “We’re opening with a bang!!!”.

capsquare tour

The mall is just one part of the integrated CapSquare development by BRDB – there’s 6 CapSquare, the second residential project that’s under development, after CapSquare Residences, which is already occupied, and two completed office towers.

pikom ict mall capsquare

However, what’s really interesting about the place is that PIKOM, the National ICT Association of Malaysia, has chosen to align itself with CapSquare. I asked about their unique selling point, being so close to Low Yat as it is and John Sironic, Head of Group Retail Operations and Darrell, Senior Manager from Centre Management couldn’t have replied more succinctly.

  • It has 2,000 car park bays
  • There’s plenty of F&B outlets serving a wide array of cuisines from Western delicacies to Asian delights
  • They have a cinema
  • They will soon have a supermarket
  • The rent is relatively cheaper so that should translate to lower prices for customers

I usually just go straight up to the cinema so it’s like an educational trip, walking through the mall with Li-Ann, as she explains the existing layout and future plans. There are about 60 shops occupying the centre with room for 200 kiosks (not 20, I asked twice coz I was afraid I misheard) more.

challenger

PIKOM ICT Mall CapSquare is already pretty well represented in the technology arena – there are huge anchor tenants like Challenger, which is the largest IT mega store in Malaysia…

istudy

…to specialty premium shops like iStudy by Apple. Epson has a presence here (first concept store in Malaysia) and so does Canon and other competitors in the printing and imaging department.

gps

TomTom opened up their first concept store in Asia right inside CapSquare so naturally Garmin took up the shop lot beside it. I also saw a PaPaGO! kiosk so that’s the holy trinity of GPS navigation devices right there. 🙂

robotica toys

The major telcos also have stores and kiosks inside CapSquare. It’s really a mixture of everything tech related down to the relatively niche Robotica Toys, which sells original PC games, merchandise and collectibles!

gadgets

One thing that PIKOM ICT Mall CapSquare is offering is a premium IT shopping experience. There will be no dodgy shops with cigarette smoke wafting in the air while feng tao music is blasted out of speakers as the latest Hollywood movie plays on a TV overhead as a “preview” while runners get your pirated DVD/Blu-ray for you.

Not. Going. To. Happen.

shops

PIKOM ICT Mall CapSquare is going to be a premium retail experience – a one-stop tech haven with the latest and greatest genuine IT products and electronic gadgets. Add “competitively priced” to the list and you have yourself a great tech mall in the making, with credible and reliable stores, minus the wild wild west elements.

food court

There’s even a food court if you want to grab a quick bite without going into a full service restaurant.

exit

Head down during 25-27 May for their grand opening! Parking will be free on the 26th and 27th and there’s performances galore, everything from ManHanD to Upin & Ipin with fun and games and prizes to be won!

promos

The retailers have banded together and come up with incredible promotions that’s too long to list – grab the flyer above when you go in, whether it’s a broadband subscription or a printer, they’ve got it covered.

outdoor cinema

There’s also going to be an Outdoor Cinema with six sci-fi flicks being projected on the huge facade of the building right at the photo above. It’s geek heaven, back-to-back screenings of:

25th May
8 pm Star Wars Episode 1
10 pm Real Steel
12 am Transformers

26th May
8 pm Monsters Inc
10 pm Iron Man
12 am Avatar

seats

You’ll be sitting here so bring a blanket or a sleeping bag. 😀

restaurant

Check out the Spend & Win contest too – spend RM 100 at any store in CapSquare (including F&B – asked about that) from 15-27 May, submit your receipt at the Information Counter and come for the grand launch on the 27th May to win prizes that includes an Alienware laptop (!!!), MacBook Air, the new iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Blackberry 9810 and vouchers!

spend win

It’s geek heaven, yo!

capsquare launch

There’s so much going on during the launch on 25-27 May that it’s impossible to list everything down. Surf on over to the PIKOM ICT Mall CapSquare Facebook page to check out all they have in store for you this weekend!

Jo Kukathas as YB

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Did you know that Jo Kukathas is female? She’s the person that plays a grossly inappropriate and stereotypical YB (Yang Berhormat) while Carmen Soo looks on. This was the best skit I watched last night at the Boh Cameronian Arts Awards 2012.

yb1

yb2

yb3

yb4

yb5

yb6

The photos I took of YB’s range of emotions and gestures is ripe for an exploitable, like the scene where Hitler completely loses it in Valkyrie. Heh.

Here’s a short video clip that had me in stitches. Hilarious.

HB to HB

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birthday 2012

It’s my birthday today! Well, it’s technically yesterday, on the 5th of April but what the heck. You can only write about something after it’s happened right? 😉 I got inspired by someone who wished me happy birthday with a simple “HB”. Happy Birthday (to) Huai Bin, geddit? Heh.

Anyway, I was out at a “surprise” birthday house party the previous night and was just chilling last night when Masako asked me if I was free for dinner. I don’t celebrate my birthdays per se, at least not in the traditional sense – look through the archives – I was either messed up or in rehab. 😉

masako lee

I didn’t expect you to actually buy me dinner so cheers for the wonderful Japanese food Masako!

A big thank you goes out to each and every one of you who sent me cards, gifts, Facebook and Twitter birthday wishes! It’s much appreciated! 😀

I’ve turned 31 but there’s still plenty to do in the road ahead. As Ji San put it – Life is LIFE! 🙂

What are your social media habits?

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Type #1

fb iphone4s

Prefers to text and call. Goes on Twitter once in a while. Updates Facebook occasionally.

Basically, if you’re on a bit of a budget and you want to have free SMSs and call time thrown in, this is the plan for you. There are two to choose from – Value Plus Internet 50 and Value Plus Internet 30 – both with a very low monthly commitment fee, starting from RM 30.

maxis iphone4s plan budget

They both come with 250 MB of data allocation and either 100 SMS + 100 call minutes or 50 SMS or 50 call minutes depending on the plan.

You can get a iPhone4S 16GB for as low as RM 1,950 with a 24 month contract with this new iPhone4S plans from Maxis! 🙂

Type #2

social apps

Heavy data usage. Updates your social media apps each time you’re out with photos or videos. Constantly on the social media sphere and communicating with you takes a few seconds at the most. Foursquare, Google+, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, you’re on them all!

We’ve been talking lately about how to boost your business marketing with Instagram. Contrary to what many people still believe, Instagram isn’t just a fun app where you can post food, holiday and family pics.

Instagram has become a powerful brand-building, audience-building and content-marketing tool for businesses. It has over 200 million active monthly members sharing 60 million images and 1.6 billion likes per day.

A note of caution: there are plenty of people out there who promise to grow your Instagram followers by the thousands, but beware. Most of them use fake accounts created by bots to inflate your numbers.

These types of followers have zero value. In fact, they can even be dangerous, wanting to steal your password or photos or infect you with a virus.

According to the data security company Imperva, these bad bots account for 28.9 per cent of bots on Instagram.

The best way to build your Instagram followers is to check out,how to buy real Instagram followers.

You’re always online and consume large amounts of data from YouTube and frequent Apple Store app downloads. Skype video calls is what you look for when you think of communicating with someone. You need Internet Value 50 or Internet Value 75.

maxis iphone4s plan heavy

The latter allows you a very comfortable 3.5 GB of data per month and with this plan, you’ll get an iPhone4S 16GB from only RM 1,990 with a 24 month contract. However, if this describes you, a 16GB iPhone4S won’t be enough, will it? 😉

All those apps you download needs to go somewhere so go for an iPhone4S 64GB from only RM 2,690!

Type #3

www maxis

You already have a plan with Maxis. Now, all you need is Internet so add Mobile Internet to your existing plan and get an iPhone4S from as low as RM 1,750!

There are two plans to choose from – depending on your data usage habits – Mobile Internet 1GB and Mobile Internet 3GB.

maxis iphone4s plan internet

You can tether your iPhone4S to your notebook for instant HSDPA access when you’re out and about or use it as a Wireless AP so keep that in mind when you’re an existing Maxis Value Plus user adding on a Mobile Internet plan. Find out more about the new Maxis iPhone4S Rate Plans.

wireless ap iphone4s

It’s very useful both for work and play, being able to have your very own wireless hotspot so you can be connected using your notebook or tablet anywhere 24/7. 🙂

Old friends, new friends

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welcome

Welcome to the Friendliest Day of the Year!

st pats girls

I went bright and early to the St Patrick’s 2012 celebration at Changkat Bukit Bintang. It’s my third St Patrick’s Day celebration – to which I’ve rallied every single consecutive year since 2010. 😀

hie ming

…and guess who I bumped into? Hie Ming, a classmate of mine from Sibu which I haven’t seen since I went to NZ in 1996! A meeting of old friends is always a good portent of things to come.

st pat 2012

The street started filling up as the night went on…

drinking guinness

…as we enjoyed pints of Guinness on tap.

arthurs lounge

Arthur’s Lounge – I was quite excited to go in, since someone told me there will be a nice surprise inside. There was in fact, more than one.

perfect pint

I had a go at pouring the perfect pint…

workshop

…while personalized Guinness pint glasses with our names engraved on it were made.

personalized pint glass

It’s like Santa’s workshop for adults! There were heaps of people involved in the making of my very own pint glass.

personalized pint

I can bring this around to pubs and fill it up with the black stuff and it’ll never get lost coz…it has my name on it. It says “Huai Bin”. 😀

poloroid

There were street performers and buskers and people going around snapping Polaroid photos. It was a very merry experience indeed.

rachel

I bumped into Rachel…

harleys

…and beheld the wonder of a procession of Harleys driving into Changkat Bukit Bintang with a troupe of performers bringing up the rear.

next year

The night ended with an awesome display of fireworks and I have to say, I haven’t had this much fun since the last St Patrick’s Day. The Friendliest Day of the Year? I would say so. I met old friends and made new ones, and that’s what this year’s St Patrick’s Day is all about! (and also getting into the Guinness Book of Records)

why so serious

What about the record? Check it out for yourself!

evelyn

I raise my (currently empty) personalized pint glass in anticipation of next year’s celebrations, where I aim to bring it and fill it with drink. 😀

FML moments in life

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I have been recognized and talked to at the most unexpected and weirdest places since I’ve started blogging in 2002.

toilet

I remember one guy who thought it was perfectly normal to talk to me while I was in the middle of taking a leak with him doing the same at the next stand up cubicle.

There was no privacy barrier in that toilet.

He said he has always wanted to meet me and finally managed to. I thanked him and we shook hands. I don’t remember if the shaking hands part was before or after we washed our hands.

I have a strong suspicion it was right after we respectively relieved ourselves.

I appreciate everyone that reads my blog, I just thought it was really funny.

Since then I have learned not to wear my tatty, comfortable clothes out and always brush my teeth even if it’s a short walk to the corner grocery shop to get some milk.

I once bumped into someone eating at the restaurant downstairs right before the convenience store. I just woke up and thought I’ll just change and brush my teeth later.

tatty shirt

I literally froze and was tempted to run away when I saw this hot girl waving enthusiastically at me and calling out “Hey, you’re the Sixthseal guy right?”

(This reminds me of how everyone can manage to remember my blog name but not my real name but that’s another story)

Anyway, I reluctantly walked over coz I was very self-conscious with my two day old body odor (didn’t shower the night before after partying right after work) and said hello. I had bak jui sai (eye gunk), bad breath and I stink all over.

I’m quite sure I made a really bad first impression.

bloggers

It’s quite normal to be recognized by readers and photographed while out and about if you’re a public blogger. I’ve had anything from bank tellers to flight attendants to cinema ticket booking counter clerks saying hello and telling me how they like my reading my blog.

I thank everyone who comes up to me and says that, it’s nice to feel appreciated. It has also made me more conscious about my appearance so I dress properly, brush my teeth and put on deodorant before I head out.

The problem with the last bit is that it tends to leave an ugly stain on your clothes. Even most of the ones who claim not to stain your clothing does. I want to be confident and be my usual self while I’m out, not trying to hide my deodorant stain while pretending to listen to the conversation when in actual fact I’m trying to think of ways to explain why I’m shifting around and keeping my hands around my body to hide the stain.

I’m not trying to act cool okay. I’m actually a very nice and friendly person in real life. Really. 🙂

The problem with using deodorants
(below is an over-the-top reenactment ;))

white stains

Deodorants produces white marks on dark clothes (directly after application) and yellow stains on light colored clothes over time. The latter will never wash off. You should see the amount of my white shirts that has a yellow patch under my armpits!

This happens because deodorants creates a coat on the skin that does not absorb instantly. Thus, when it is mixed with sweat, it stains white and black clothes. However, the new NIVEA For Men Invisible For Black & White Deodorant has a formulation that allows for quick absorption so it does not stain black OR white clothes! 😀

Thus, I’ve found a solution to the deodorant problem and its name is NIVEA For Men Invisible For Black & White Deodorant. It’s a new product and the only one that can prevent white stains on black tops and reduce yellow stains on white or light colored shirts.

I have seen people scrutinize photos at blogger parties and laugh in offices while they gather their coworkers, with everyone looking at that stain in your armpit. It’s very visible in flash photography. You don’t want to be one of the people in the photos. I’ve heard very mean things said about them. 😉

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