…everyone gets a ride. 
Okay let’s celebrate the middle of the week by coming up with lame jokes! What’s your favorite?
The Social Network (Facebook movie) ticket giveaway!
You don’t get to 500 million enemies without making a few friends.
I 
this.
I can’t wait to catch this movie. The Social Network is now the #1 grossing movie in Hollywood and it’s all about Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg. As with most people, I started out with Friendster and switched to Facebook. Despite the fact that this movie is based on a book in which no Facebook staff is consulted, including Zuckerberg, it still intrigues me.
I still remember the early days of Facebook – they had really awful banner ads in black and white that goes something like “Find Your Friends” but for the Google Images of me I can’t find it now. Nevermind! This is about The Social Network:
I don’t care if it hurts. I wanna have control. I wanna perfect body. I wanna perfect soul. I want you to notice when I’m not around.
The Social Network screening details:
Date: 1 Nov (Mon)
Time: 9 pm
Venue: GSC Mid Valley
Ticket collection: 8 pm till 9 pm
I’ll keep this short and simple. I’ve got 19 tickets to give away so if you want one just comment and say:
I Like This!
(insert why you want to watch The Social Network)
The ticket collection will be handled by Nuffnang so please ensure that your email address when you comment is accurate so I can email you and get your full name. Please state if you want a +1 so I can allocate two tickets for you.
I love Mark Zuckerberg’s take on the unauthorized movie – We build products that 500 million people see. If 5 million people see a movie, it doesn’t really matter that much.
FUIYOH! That’s confidence for you.
Don’t hate the playa, hate the game
I like to think of myself as a bit of a playa with the number of notches on my belt for my various conquests. It has come to the point that I can’t even remember how many people of the fairer sex I’ve done the horizontal boogie with.
However, one very special girl totally eluded me. This is Jestina and I’m not going after her for shits and giggles, I meant for it to be a meaningful relationship, which would hopefully culminate in holy matrimony. It took me over a year of effort, which ultimately proved to be futile.
I remember taking half day leave in my previous company just because she mentioned she was craving for a green tea latte. I went all the way down from SS6 to Berjaya Times Square to get her one from Starbucks. I didn’t have GPS back then so I took the LRT so I wouldn’t get lost and end up handing her cold latte. >.<
I think the problem with me is that I have approached the entire enterprise the wrong way from the start. I am used to playa moves and for this one I went the romantic route, which didn’t work very well. I have a very high batting average a.k.a. success rate when I’m in playa mode but I didn’t want to play her. Thus, I might have come across as too desperate.
BTW, in case you didn’t know, girls can smell desperation from a mile (or two) away. (!!!)
Anyway, still being friends, I decided to give it the good ol’ college try for one last time. We went out for lunch and dinner and hung out together. The last date was the most memorable one coz we were just sitting on the floor in MPH side by side, reading this huge dual volume compilation of creative advertisements and laughing and sharing together.
That was a very nice memory that I’ll keep forever.
Jestina is a very nice girl. She tries to make time for me even though I kinda knew deep inside that she wasn’t interested in me romantically. I just had a heart to heart with her after our date last weekend and she told me that she can’t see me as anything except a friend.
It took a lot of time and part of me was glad that she told me the truth at last.
I was out drinking last night and one of my friends asked me a question that was so obvious it would be the size of the Great Pyramids of Giza if I was not blinded by love:
Has she ever initiated conversation with you?
The answer is no! I have always been the one to call, text and MSN her. I knew it, and I willfully ignored it. Denial is not just a river in Egypt. >.<
Playa FAIL!
Thus, it’s time to move on and get my playa’ mojo back. Can’t be moping around when you’re in the prime of your life.
Incidentally, there’s a sexy party going on at Movida in Sunway Giza called Playa’. It’s on the 20th October and starts from 10 pm – 12 am. I reckon this would be the best time to socialize with the opposite sex over cocktails. There will be 4 different signature Encore cocktails at the event.
You can also create your very own cocktail with their Mixologists and experience how to shake, stir, mix and pour a proper cocktail. Join the Encore Facebook page to get the latest about their parties.
I have 20 drink vouchers to give out so if you want them, just drop a comment and say “I’m a player for life and I’m going to Playa’” and the first 10 will get a pair each.
Make sure all of you who commented turn up to cheer me up.
Dun be a FKK queen like Jestina. :p
Golden Palm Tree Resort, Sepang
Golden Palm Tree Resort is located in Sepang and consists ENTIRELY of water villas. This 5 star resort is a great alternative instead of Port Dickson since the drive is a bit shorter. To be honest I was a bit dubious about this when I drove down with Lainey bff.
I had expected an empty resort…
…but the place was PACKED with tourists, both local and international. We stayed in the Travelers Palm Villa and this is what the room looks like:
The double twin bed is Michelle‘s doing.
One interesting aspect about Golden Palm Tree Resort is that the place is exactly shaped like the fronds of a palm tree with the water chalets fanning out into the sea.
It’s a long walk from the reception to the dining area but fear not – there are heaps of buggies which you can hail down and hitch a ride from.
They all have interesting names too.
We arrived there slightly after lunch so we grabbed some tea.
There is a Club Med style package where all F&B is free so you can eat all you want without worrying about having to pay extra.
The one thing about Golden Palm Tree that completely trumps Club Med is that liquor is free too!
Gin and tonic? Vodka on the rocks? Neat rum? No worries, it’s included in the price! =D
Anyway, we chilled in our room for a while before heading out to the mangrove tour.
It has an awesome balcony…
…and a shower that I really liked coz you can sing while you soap yourself for all and sunder to see!
You can also jump from the balcony but I seriously do not recommend it. Do it at your own risk. 😉
The infinity pool! *refrains from saying “To infinity and beyond!”
Back to the mangrove tour, this is different from the mangrove tour I’ve been to in Langkawi – they have different species of mangrove over here.
I’m on a boat!
Doing our part! *proud
We’re planting mangrove seeds for it to grow.
Next on the itinerary was The Search for the Holy Ketam. I was one of the few to step off the boat and into the nearly knee high deep (at times) mud.
There are yellow crabs…
…and a very interesting crab with a immense left claw.
It took a while but we finally managed to find ourselves one of them. w00t!
It was back to the resort after that for dinner and an awesome show by the talents at Golden Palm Tree Resort.
It’s called GPT’s Got Talent and it’s an awesome and interactive night entertainment program. YMMV though, they have different events running at different times.
Me and bff Lainey kept on supporting the good ones but alas, it wasn’t enough.
We had a lot of fun though and met a lot of different people.
The latest way to take a group photo is via video.
Okay la, I set it to the wrong settings. :p
I particularly liked this photo. Heh!
We then adjourned back to our hotel where Nicholas and Lainey sealed the deal. *stamps I WAS THERE
I had problems with the Internet at around 1 am in the morning and two of their IT staff came over to fix it. At 1 fucking AM!!! (deserves more than 3 exclaimation marks to be honest)
Now this is what I call excellent service.
The next day…wah damn hard to wake up lor, Lainey was up and I took my time and had a couple of swigs neat from the Absolut Raspberry I brought up before I could properly wake up.
Lainey wakes up like this.
I wake up like this. T_T I could only drink a beer and eat a banana FML.
The eco friendly water sports were not running that day due to the lack of wind so we ended up…
…touring the place instead!
There was a massage session scheduled for us after that at escapade spa. I love massages and I opted for full strength as did Lainey bff.
It is a very relaxing environment and puts you at ease and takes all your stress away.
We got into the couples room and it started with a foot rub before the actual massage.
Here is Lainey semi nude. Lainey sez: WA who’s that hottie wei! I was wearing nothing but boxers too.
It was in this totally chill place where the masseuse worked her magic and I completely dozed off after she did my back and moved to my front.
It was an awesome massage though. First class treatment. It can’t get any better than this.
*contented smiles
It was a steamboat lunch after that before lazing around the resort and packing our bags to get back home. I had a huge backpack which I lug around when I travel. Lainey bff travels lighter than me! We really didn’t want to leave. It was such a chill place that we had a discussion about taking leave the next day and just chilling here for one more day.
I love Golden Palm Tree Resort – you can’t ask for more in this 5 star getaway just an hours’ drive from the city. I thoroughly enjoyed myself there. The drive back was quite sad though coz Lainey bff pasaut in the car and I missed the short weekend in Golden Palms. 🙁
It definitely warrants a return trip back if you want to chill and get away from the stress and hustle and bustle of the city.
Get more information at the Golden Palm Tree Resort official website. I <3 it.
Everyone needs protection
Protection is very important if you like to mess around.
I’m talking about a different kind of protection though. I went to the Trend Micro TITANIUM Internet Security 2011 launch a while ago and got the lowdown on how it works. I’m no stranger to technology, I graduated in Computer Science (don’t ask me why I’m in my current line now – long story) and the product had some very interesting features.
Before I go into the details, lemme just go through the awesome start of the event! The lights were dimmed and this dance troupe came on stage to perform a routine involving a lot of fabric waving.
The official launch kicked off after that and Trend Micro came on stage to explain how their TITANIUM suite works.
It’s actually very interesting for two major reasons:
1. It doesn’t require the virus/malware/Trojan horse signature files to be downloaded – it’s stopped at their server level using cloud computing – a good thing considering there’s 1.5 threats per second
2. It takes up very little processing power – gone are the days when you have to disable your anti-virus before playing games
Also, it has a very nifty feature for all you Edison Chen wannabes – it securely deletes files according to US government standards. Useful, eh? 😉
Lunch was served after that and it was a good spread which includes everything from starters…
…to soup
…and the quintessential fish!
I was stuffed by the time the prawns came.
There was no shortage of entertainment either – besides the lucky draw, there was a game where random items ranging from 4D stubs to a strand of hair was required and I am proud to report that our table won! We all got a Trend Micro umbrella which was rather useful the day after when I went to a client’s place and it was raining cats and dogs.
The dance troupe also went on stage periodically to do choreographed numbers.
The funniest game of the launch has gotta be this Girls vs Guys contest where they attempted to stack up the boxes of Trend Micro TITANIUM to the maximum possible height. The guys looks like they were winning but in the end the girls copied their technique with more finesse – they turned the box vertically instead of horizontally to achieve a greater height.
There was a lucky draw at the end where you get to win a smartphone too but alas, I was not one of the lucky ones.
However, it was an awesome event and Trend Micro was kind enough to furnish us with mooncakes, a jacket and a 3 license copy of Trend Micro TITANIUM Maximum Security when we went back.
I’ve tried out the product on my personal notebook and while I don’t need the parental controls (heck, at my age I’m supposed to be a parent) but the data theft prevention and web threat preventions works very well. I can even play Starcraft II (my current personal benchmark) while it’s scanning in the background.
It’s amazing how security software has grown by leaps and bounds since the last time I’ve bothered to install one. I think the best feature of Trend Micro TITANIUM Maximum Security for me is their validation of WiFi hotspots since I use my computer at all sorts of places.
You can’t go wrong if you shield your (USB) dong(gle).
My experience with the iPhone 4
I’ll give you a bit of history about myself. I’m an early adopter – my first PDA was a Palm m505 back in 2001 and I’ve used Pocket PCs, Blackberry and Windows Mobile smartphone but never one with an Apple OS.
I was determined to let the iPhone 4 be my first induction into the world of Apple and all that it has to offer so during the Maxis iPhone 4 launch, I got one and tested it out.
The iPhone 4 uses a microSIM, which is a bit of a hassle considering I have two Maxis devices. I switched to a microSIM for the review and used a microSIM adapter but in the long run I think I’ll get another SIM from Maxis.
I saw someone getting his Hotlink SIM card cut into a microSIM at the Maxis Center. You can probably do it yourself but Maxis has the proper tool to get it down to size.
That’s one option if you don’t want to go for a microSIM swap.
The first thing I did when I got everything up and running is to download iTunes and do an upgrade to iOS 4.1. It has a whole host of features ranging from a new HDR photography setting to video uploads straight to YouTube. I was surprised at the ease of a core upgrade – it’s just a click away. This review is done using an iPhone 4 running iOS 4.1.
Anyway, I have heard much about the HD video recording and camera capabilities of the iPhone 4 and it didn’t let me down. You can tap the screen to focus when taking photos and videos.
Here’s a video taken using the iPhone 4:
I like the crisp video recording and the easy to use camera (which boasts 5 MP with LED flash). It’s also easy to use and great for the times when you don’t want to lug out another digicam. All the photos in this post are taken using the iPhone 4 except for screengrabs and the ones which features the iPhone 4 in it (obviously).
There is also a geotagging feature which is very nifty for us but I imagine it’s not something members of Al-Qaeda would appreciate very much.
You can opt to turn it off though.
The iPhone 4 also has Retina Display which truly showcases the high resolution 3.5″ screen. It’s not just anti-aliasing but a true testimony to the rich and crisp display. You can zoom in to photos, games and eBooks and everything will still look awesome!
I don’t need it that much considering I’m not lacking in eyesight but it’s a useful feature to have when someone sends you a photo in an email with a high resolution photo of their friend and you want to…er, take a closer look, shall we say, at her features. 😉
The other feature I really liked which is lacking in all the other smartphones I’ve used is the auto WiFi detect feature.
The application that impressed me the most is FaceTime. I would even go so far as to call it the “killer app” of the iPhone 4. You know how the Blackberry has BBM? Well, this is like a souped up BBM that goes way beyond text and into the realm of real time video calls!
FaceTime only requires WiFi to work so you won’t have to go on roaming when you’re out of the country (unlike BBM). If you’re travelling and you have a work related call or just want to show your friends the place you’re at, use FaceTime! It’s free!
The iPhone 4 has two cameras like most video call enabled smartphones. However, what differentiates FaceTime is that you can instantly switch from the front camera to the back one with a tap of the screen to show the person you’re calling where you are. It sounds like a no brainer but it totally blew me away!
I’m a newbie to the iPhone as I mentioned and what (pleasantly) surprised me is the ease of which you can purchase applications and books. There is no need to muck around and sync stuff or manually enter your payment details. Your credit card details are stored securely via iTunes and you can just tap and purchase on your iPhone 4!
I know this sounds kinda jakun but hey, it’s my first iPhone okay! :p
It is also rather dangerous for me since I’m quite the impulsive shopper. I just tap and buy and the next thing I know I’ve got more apps than I need and a morbid fear of my credit card statement.
However, most of the essential applications are free so just grab those and you’ll be ready to go! Twitter, Facebook, foursquare, Messenger and more is just a quick download away so you’ll be able to communicate with your friends whenever, wherever.
I like how some of the applications have more features on the iPhone 4 compared to other smartphones.
YouTube works very well on the iPhone 4 due to the high resolution screen and I didn’t have any of the so called antenna issues while making calls so it’s all good to me!
I love the games they have on the iPhone 4 too! =D
It is a device that looks good (hey, it’s an important factor for some people). The sleek and slim design is aesthetically pleasing and you’ll be tempted to put your iPhone 4 on the table just to get admiring stares from people. *
* Not recommended in KL due to our sizable community of snatch thieves
The iPhone 4 is the epitome of Apple’s philosophy – a user friendly phone that packs a lot of technological features bundled into a sleek and sexy device. I’ve been using it since I got it at the Maxis launch and I’m lovin’ it! 🙂
Oktoberfest in Malaysia
O’ zapft is!
The legendary festival in Munich, which is a celebration of the amber fluid in Bavaria, Germany is originally not about beer at all. The first Oktoberfest was a sombre (I think la, I wasn’t there since I wasn’t born yet) affair to commemorate the union of two royalty whose names are now relegated to the annals of Wikipedia (and historians).
However, it soon grew to become the beer festival we all know and love today! =D
Oktoberfest was relatively obscure except to the ones who had more exposure but in recent years it has come to Malaysia and in a big way too!
It is not just about beer (although that is a main and important part of Oktoberfest) but the celebration of life! It has been a custom that Oktoberfest starts with a 12 gun salute and the tapping of the first beer keg to be presented to the Mayor.
Oktoberfest is all about entertainment, beer and more beer and I’m glad to see that happen in Malaysia now (so I don’t have to travel all the way to Germany to experience it).
I went to Souled Out for the first Oktoberfest celebration by GAB in Malaysia and it is a celebration that I’m proud to be part of – faithful to the Oktoberfest experience in Munich.
The best thing about Oktoberfest in Malaysia is that they have Paulaner! =D
If you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past 6 years, Paulaner is the #1 German wheat beer in Malaysia and it’s all imported in all the way from…MUNICH!
Yes, the birthplace of Oktoberfest! It’s also one of the official beers of Oktoberfest.
I’ve had Paulaner a number of times during Oktoberfest and the best part about it is the taste. If you’re a beer connoisseur, you’ll appreciate this brew – it’s not meant for the mainstream drinkers, but the more premium and discerning consumers.
The Oktoberfest event that I went to also had Munich inspired food which is always a good thing. Gotta line your stomach lest you become a bierleichen. There were sausages, pretzels and German food on offer – perfect to recreate the Oktoberfest experience.
I’m glad I managed to drink a real Munich produced beer during Oktoberfest in Malaysia.
Paulaner is an ale so if you’re a common Joe lager drinking person, it’s an acquired taste. I love ales since I’ve been studying abroad since I was 15 so I can appreciate a good one. Beer aficionados take note, Paulaner is going to be the next big thing!
That’s the highest accolade I give to a beer. 🙂
Image makeover!
Hello, I’m Chuck Bass!
I’ve gotten a lot of comments about that outfit – some said Korean singer, but I prefer Ee Ping’s comment that said I look like Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl. Heh!
There was a makeover session at Tang’s the previous weekend courtesy of Ana Consultancy. I’ve met up with Ana and Catherine before this at Starbucks and I was enlightened by their approach towards image consultancy.
I’ve always been a soap kinda guy but from that first meet, Ana and Catherine measured me, told me what shape I am (trapezoid, if you’re curious) and what I want to achieve. I was told that I can pull off both warm and cold colors but I prefer warm colors. It was quite interesting and educational.
The makeover session at TANGS had outfits preselected for us based on what we want. I want to look more professional at work, that was my only goal so my outfits were tailored to that effect. I look young for my age (29 going to 30) but I have no problems with that – it just means I’ll age gracefully.
Anyway, a bunch of us met up at TANGS at the unholy hour of 9:40 am on a Sunday and played dress up to see what looks good on us.
This is Iza! I like her outfits, they look really good on her.
This is the obligatory BEFORE photo. I came with work pants, a cotton shirt (which Ana said will bulk me up), dress socks and shoes. Of course, the Ah Beng t-shirt ruined the effect, but still. 😉
This is Jamie Liew! (who is 10 years younger than me)
We adjourned for lunch after that – we were all starving. There is a cafe right inside TANGS where we got our food.
Notice some familiar faces? 😉
Anyway, after that we went back and chose a variety of other outfits.
Here’s a photo I took with vain pot Michelle. I also have other interesting photos of her.
I can’t do a bow tie so Catherine did it for me. Michelle did my ties. FML, I suck at all this.
Ana Consultancy brought in some hairstylists after that and this is me getting my hair done. If you know me in real life, you’ll know that I have a perpetual bad hair day. I found the trick to doing my hair – apparently for hair wax, you need to rub it in between your fingers and then style. I’ve been doing it wrong the entire time!
Here’s the after photo!
Unwrapping the “present” – Jamie.
Doing the Mijel Pose (TM).
I had a lot of fun at TANGS that day and Ana taught me quite a bit of things about image. You know all about the 3 second first impression rule. I’m going to do something about it during important meetings and dates with Jestina.
If you’re interested in image consultancy, feel free to hit Ana Consultancy for more information!
I also did a video interview about the experience. I’ll post it up when I get the link! 🙂
Chuck Bass signing off.
xoxo
Oh wait that’s not right. I should be smoking a joint or something.
Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre is one of the places you must go to when you’re in Hanoi, Vietnam. The show costs VND 60,000 (about RM 10) and it lasts about 45 minutes but it’s well worth it. It might sound like a commercialized show to catch and it probably is, but it also gives you a dose of culture.
Water puppet performances started back in the days when Hanoi had periodic floods during the monsoon season. The preamble to the show states that the farmers started this as entertainment during those times and thus, most of the themes reflect life as peasants – agriculture, fishing, and the odd folk tales thrown in.
The Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre show can be pretty packed so I bought my tickets a day earlier so I can get good seats. Photos and videos are allowed – they use an honor system where you declare and pay to use your camera but no one bothered (which won’t be surprising considering most are backpackers) so I didn’t either.
I also met this solo traveller from Australia who told me she managed to get a room for USD 7 not far from the theatre. It comes with toothpaste and soap to boot, something I paid triple for but I can’t remember the name of the hotel for the life of me.
Anyway, Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre starts with a classic orchestra playing traditional instruments at the side. These people also double as the narrator and singers during the show.
The puppets that they use ranges from huge two foot boats to small balls but it was so well choreographed that you’ll be surprised that it can be done from behind a bamboo veil.
Agriculture skit
Funny fishing puppetry
Harvest Festival. A story about a student returning after graduation with themes of filial gratitude.
Legend of the Restored Sword is a myth about King Le Loi who triumphed over the Ming invaders with a magic sword and him returning it back to a giant golden turtle.
Master of Puppets!
They manipulate the puppets from behind and this is their encore!
The Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre is pretty interesting – you can see most of the footage here but it’s well worth a visit for the ambiance.
iHave iPhone 4
Yes, I was one of the people who went for the much anticipated iPhone 4 when Maxis launched it at Gardens, Midvalley.
I arrived there at about 10:30 pm on Thursday 23rd September and there was already a huge queue of people waiting to be the first in Malaysia to get their grubby paws on the iPhone 4. (The video is actually a tour of the inside before the crowd shots)
The iPhone 4 is due to be released at the stroke of midnight so all the Apple fans were there in droves!
I was there early so I could go around and check out the scene. There is an area inside where the features of the iPhone 4 is displayed and explained.
iBooks! I would so totally love this since I read a lot.
Check out the Maxis cupcakes!
The Maxis iPhone 4 launch had no shortage of entertainment – I really liked this violinist who played at the lounge.
I’m revealing my age here, but I love this song! It’s Rednex’s Cotton Eye Joe.
There were also food and drinks galore. I love this lamb kebab they had. It tasted delicious with the dip that went with it.
We were hanging out at the lounge until the press conference was slated to start.
The end (of waiting) is nigh! w00t!
The Maxis people launched the iPhone 4 right on the stroke of midnight and we went to the rooftop to catch the official launch.
I managed to get my iPhone 4 at about 2 am. I hear some people had to wait till 4 am and wore their next day office attire to get it.
iPhone 4. I haz it! I got the micro SIM last weekend and the initial impressions I have of the phone is very positive. I’m lovin’ it. Full review coming up soon!
It feels good to be the first in Malaysia to get my hands on it.
The only downside to it is that I have to beat back all my friends who want to buy it off me. 🙁
Get it yourself la can! Go to Maxis, they have stock. I want the iPhone 4 to complete my collection of smart phones!
