A broken heart, a broad smile ;)

Pain, painfulness...

Ever lived your life a certain way and when circumstances changed abruptly you find yourself being a little lost?

Sometime a year ago, a flame in me died. It might sound harsh to word it so, but indeed a light which I built my life around and which kept me warm and guided me through almost 5 years of my life dimmed and doused itself out.

I felt excruciating pain, pain beyond words, pain which only time would heal and after that an emptiness, a void in my heart.

As daft as it sound, it was as if the sky just crashed down on me.

It was not that I did not see it coming. I read the signs well, I even tried my best to change the outcome, but I was in no power nor position to change it. I had to keep my word, and by doing so, let her go.

But once the reality sunk in, about a week or so after the last kiss at the terminal, a hug and best wishes, 'Bye' was the word last spoken, not 'See you', the love of my life is no longer mine, and I had to accept it, be it I like it or not.

Love = pain. Correct?

Excruciating, emptiness, void, very negative words, for what to many was certainly an event to forget. Most would expect words like hate, never again, distrust and cheat to litter the rest of this article, but you shall not see these words :)

Feeling pain on separation is proof that I did love. Not only I loved, I was loved. Let me explain. I see love as something like a poker game, when you do not risk everything, it just doesn't feel right, but when you do, it has the tendency to hurt you.

And I indeed gave and risked everything for our relationship and thus the pain I felt, pain as described above.

Forget how much I committed to the relationship, and forget the pain, more important is what happened next? Read on.

Looking back with a smile :)

Before I go any further, I am an optimist. Even in the worse of situation I will look for the positives and always draw strength from them to carry me forward. I believe that if you look hard enough, you could find some good in everything and everyone. Also, life is too short to be negative, bitter or hate.

For the reasons above, I could now still look back at our relationship and smile :) Yes, not a conventional reaction, but one that I chose. Why look for the negatives in a past relationship? A relationship is between two human, two incomplete and imperfect human, where one or the other or even both would make mistakes. Forgive, forget and move on. Which I did.

However, I held on to the sweet memories, memories which even now, a year on, when I look back at I could afford to smile. I am grateful and thankful that we met, that we spent some wonderful time together, stuck through thick and thin and in the end when things did not work out, we did not end it in an ugly manner, we met, we talked, promises were kept and we said goodbye. It was a beautiful relationship, one which left a mark on me, pretty much like a tattoo, there was a period of pain, but thereafter, sweet memories which would stay forever.

Thanks for the sweet memories :)

Regards,

Ben Lai

When the tidak-apa-attitude meant a loss of a young life...

Justice for Gary Robert <--- Click here
On 2nd August 2009, one Gary Leon Robert went for a run, and never made it home.

What a tragedy, that a life, only 22 years of age was taken in such a crude and lackadaisical manner.

Just reading the article kills me. Clearly someone erred in the duties and Gary paid for it - with his life.

My heart goes out to Gary and his family, the cause of death was put down to severe dehydration, but it stills beggars belief that no one knows his whereabouts and was found at a remote tunnel. How could someone who has to be stretchered on arrival at the finish line go missing by himself? And this is an event organised by Adidas, impossible is nothing? You would assume an event organised by such a renowned would be well equiped and well planned out.

Clearly someone failed in discharging their duties and no one is owning up to it. May God bless your soul Gary.

When common sense got an upper hand against capitalist - Courts rule in favour of McCurry against McD!!!

A victory against unethical capitalist

As many of you know, I do not in any way like McD. I have not had a McD burger or fries in ages and I do not plan to have it in the near future.

Put it this way, McD are an unethical company not only in how they market themselves but also in disclosure of what is actually in their food.

Unethical Marketing Practices

They market to kids, with their Happy Meals and "free" latest kid-flicks toys. Untrue? I am pretty sure many of you have seen kids going "Mommy/Daddy I want toy!" at a McD counter.

The question now is, are they selling food or are they pressuring parents to give into the demands of their kids?

I for one feel that this is in no way ethical marketing. How can you be claim to be ethical when a choice of meal is influenced by the "free" toy it comes with and not the question if the meal is healthy or not.

Are McD fries vegetarian?

The second issue revolves around whether McD fries are actually vegetarian. Rumours were circling that McD includes beef fat in their oil to make their fries taste and smell better.

This is not a new issue, it was first raised in the 90's and after a huge public outcry, especially in India McD issued a statement saying that since 1990 they only use vegetable oil to fry their fries. How did they change their oil but still maintained the flavour of their fries? That's where their unethical practice came into play.

What McD did was to remove the beef fat from the oil and include it in the fries! Smart move? No, under immense pressure, they admitted to their underhand non-disclosure of the presence of beef tallow in their fries and they agreed to settle. Please click here for more details.

A victory for David?

Not quite. What's US$10 million to a mega-billion company like McD? PEANUTS!

On a personal note it just strengthens my resolve not to consume McD. It shows how unethical and bias Americans and their corporations can be, for as long as it doesn't hurt themselves they don't give a damn - even when they infringe on others' beliefs. America a liberal and free country? No. A country which respects others? Double NO NO!

I am Dhammarakkhita

Ben in a saffron robe

Suprise suprise. To those who wondered where I disappeared for 2 weeks in December, here's my confession.

I gave up my identity, assumed a new name and lived a life of abstinence for 2 weeks.

Yes, that is indeed Benjamin Lai (and Amy Lai, my sister who paid me a visit).

Shocking to some, but yes, I fulfilled my vow to spend some time in a monastery, a vow which I made when I was 19.

It was a long time coming and I have been putting it off for quite some time because there was just no opening in my life which allowed me to do so. I finally got my chance when I resigned from my job and pretty much had plenty of time in my hand.

I applied and was accepted into the Brickfields Buddhist Mahavihara Novitiate Programme and it was indeed something which I should have done much sooner than later.

Why?

Sometime way back when I was 19, I cheated death.

Some might say what transpired is open to interpretation, but whether it is an act of God, destiny, Karma or just pure coincidence, the one thing that I am very thankful for is that no one was hurt.

Back to the story, it was all the annual all night chanting event at the Seck Kia Eenh Temple, Malacca. Back then I was pretty much part of most major events held at the temple and a regular at the weekly Sunday morning puja session.

Life was much more laid back then and much more less complicated but it still could spring surprises.

I was asked to carry the flag for the walk around the temple ground before the chanting session started. It took me by surprise. Although I was a regular at the temple, I was quite anonymous, I do mingle around, but I am not too involved in any material capacity. A sleeping member? Pretty much so, until that faithful day that is.

Everything went well, and I was at the temple until approximately 11 p.m. and then I headed out to meet a few friends for a drink. That went well too, a few drinks, lots of laugh and as with any Malaysian after a late night outing, we decided to get some food.

We left in 3 different cars - myself, a friend of mine and an outstation friend of my friend. Somehow in the calm silence of the night I noticed a "thumb-down" gesture from someone in a car which I recognise as the the one driven by the "outstation friend".

Ego took over, the race is on and from thereon it is winning the race and nothing else mattered. I was bang on leading the "race" and the conclusion was no where soon on the horizon. Halfway through, one of my passenger, one Mr. P, told me to slow down, he felt uneasy and he asked me to let the car I was racing through. Uncharacteristically I took his advice and his uneasiness was proven true.

Right before my eyes, the car I was racing lost control, swerved and avoided an oncoming car, spun three times, smashed head-on into a lamp post, split a roadside barrier into half, sending one half tumbling 10 feet into the storm drain beside it and finally rested above the remaining half of the barrier.

In that short moment, when I realised what I had just caused, still not knowing the fate of the 4 occupants of the other car, I made a pledge to spend some time in a monastery.

I realised that had I not taken Mr. P's advice it would have been me in that crash, not the car I raced.

Thanks for the advice Mr. P.

As I rushed over to the mangled wreck, I could just pray that no one was killed or seriously injured. Guilt would kill me if anything was to happen to them, it was a huge relief to find out that for my stupid actions no one was seriously injured - the occupants in the wrangled car was safe, the only injury was a small cut to the forehead of the front passenger. 4 lives could have been lost and even more if the driver did not swerve and avoided the oncoming car, a moment where life and death was separated by such a fine margin.

A life changing experience

For the first time in my life, I felt calm, I could close my eyes and see nothing, just plain calmness, such the realisation that no life was lost. The same feeling that I felt when I was in the monastery, it felt really good leaving the worldly temptations behind and the pure sense of detachment from the world - knowing that I was doing no evil or contributing to the worse of the world.

It took quite an event to jolt me into realising how precarious life could be and that it all could have been so different on that not so eventful night.

An act of God, destiny, Karma or just pure coincidence...

Join the pact and pledge not to drink and drive with Johnnie Walker

What irony eh? Mr. Johnnie Walker asking his fans not to drink and drive! And for that you might find yourself in the company of either Lewis Hamilton or Heikki Kovalainen!!!

How to win?

Just log on to the Johnnie Walker -Join The Pact website, sign and then provide your contact info. It is that simple and I must say the promoter of this competition has been very fair and in the terms and regulations they have even included a "Transfer of prize" clause! That means that you could either (a) Enter on behalf of your friends or loved ones OR (b) Make your friends or loved ones enter the competition and transfer the prize to you when they WIN!!! I particularly like option (b), any volunteers kind enough to enter the competition and give me the prize when you win? I promise I will get you a nice souvenir :D

What's the prize?

So what's exactly included in the prize pool? The prize list in the terms and regulations reads as below:

Grand Prize (One Prize) includes the winner’s name printed on team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes drivers helmet at the Singapore Grand Prix 2009, 2 return flights to Singapore, twin share accommodation, 2 Grandstand tickets, 2 invitations to meet Lewis Hamilton and 2 invitations to the Johnnie Walker Grand Prix party.

Runner Up Prizes (Three Prizes): 2 return flights to Singapore, twin share accommodation, 2 Grandstand tickets, 2 invitations to meet Lewis Hamilton and 2 invitations to the Johnnie Walker Grand Prix party

*“Winner’s name” means the winner’s name printed on both Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1™ team drivers Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen helmet visor at the Singapore Grand Prix 2009. (This is one cool thing that I would like to be noticed for during the Singapore F1 GP! Imagine having your mates rubbing their eyes thinking, "It can't be...?")

*“Grandstand tickets” means grandstand tickets to the 2009 Singapore F1™ Grand Prix on both Saturday, 26 September and Sunday, 27 September 2009. (I don't know how much these would cost but I bet putting a SGD1k price on is a very low figure)

*“Invitation to meet Lewis Hamilton” means an invitation to an exclusive Johnnie Walker event attended by Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1™ team driver Lewis Hamilton in Singapore on Saturday, 26 September 2009 subject to team and driver availability. Event time to be confirmed directly with winner. (This is surely a once in a lifetime money can't buy opportunity!)

*“Twin share accommodation” means accommodation at a 4-star non-track side hotel room (on a twin share basis) for 3 nights from Friday 25 September 2009 to Monday 28 September 2009 (includes service charges, taxes and airport transfers but excludes any incidentals including but not limited to meals, phone calls, laundry and room service.) (Hmmmm... Why would I need a track side hotel room when I already have the grandstand tickets above???)

*“Flights” means economy class flights from the nearest capital city international airport of the winner’s country including airport taxes. (Since it is free there is nothing much to complain right? A tip, chat up the air steward/ress and see if they would give you an upgrade, promise in return you would get Lewis to sign on a bottle of Johnnie Walker and give it to her in exchange for the upgrade! Would it work? Never try never know right???)

CAUTION!!!

*Residents of all other eligible countries: The winners will be subjected to any restrictions due to mandatory local laws and regulations. (i.e. you have to settle your own travel visa if needed and/or if you are not allowed entry into Singapore because you are blacklisted as a terrorist, it's not their problem)

*As part of the entry process, entrants make a pact not to drink and drive. In the event that any winner is caught or charged for drink driving at any time from when they enter the competition to such time as when the winner enjoys the prize(s), which includes during the course of the events, the Promoter reserves the right to disqualify such winner and withdraw the prize(s) from the winner. (Make sure you keep your promise ya? I do not think they will check, but being such a well known company, I feel that they will be able to check your driving records if they want to. You would not want to win and then lose it cos you got a ticket right? Double WHAMMY!!!)

Closing date

All complete answers have to be submitted online by 2359 hours Singapore time (GMT +8) on Tuesday, 1 September 2009, thus you have a few more days to try your luck! Actually your luck to hit it is much more higher than you striking the Jackpot and it does not cost you a thing! You basically kill 2 birds with one stone, support a good cause and get a chance to have a great escape in Singapore, not too bad eh?

So what are you waiting for??? Register yourself quick!!!

Of Family & Friends

**This post is in response to the many enquiries through MSN and facebook that I got after my initial post**

By now, most of you would have realised, I am 13 hours by plane, 7 hours behind from my family and friends in Malaysia. For those who just found out, I left Malaysia on 2nd April and have been doing a little travelling and searching for a job at the same time.

Back to the topic, having spent my entire life in Malaysia prior to leaving, this is of course a huge step for me, something that I was both very excited and worried at the same time.

Part of my concern is that I will forget my roots, not that I will forget that I am still essentially Malaysian, but those people who made me - family & friends.

Being the rebel that I am, I decided to step out of my family's norm by getting a tattoo. Yes, that particular tattoo that you see above. It's a heart with the words family and friends etched on it. Painful? Nope. Irritating? Yes...

You see, I kinda have a high tolerance for pain. When the needle first went in, I did not feel anything, nor did when the artist was layering the colour.

It is however, quite irritating, it felt like someone was running their finger nails deep into my skin, the type of feeling where you would not go "Ouch!" but rather feel like flipping and throwing a punch at someone! But I can't do that, my tattoo artist is a she, and hitting someone while they have a needle in your skin is not quite a wise thing to do ;)

The meaning behind the design

"Why the design?", you might ask. Family and friends are the most important people in my life, those who will always be there for me come rain or shine and who has touched and shaped my life in more than one way.

I keep them very close to my heart and even more so now that I am so far away.

I must say the artist did capture what I had in mind very well - all I brought along was a coloured heart (something like those you get in your high school text books)! The rest was left to the artist to do her magic and she did not disappoint with the masterpiece on the left.

I chose my left shoulder as there is no way the design would fit onto my left chest, and also as a sign of the non-conditional support they always give me. If ever I forget what's important in my life or ever lose my way in life, I just have to look into the mirror, and I will see the reflection of my tattoo, a kind reminder of what's dearest to me - Family and Friends.

Thus the summary is as follow:

Family and Friends - The most important people in my life

Heart - A place where I keep my family and friends

Location - Back of my shoulder, sign of support

Comments are much appreciated :)

Etching a permanent potrait - A Tattoo

Dear all,

As you all know by now, and for those who still does not, I got a tattoo in November, nothing fancy, but quite an intricate and detailed one.

The end product after 5 hours (YES! 5 hours lying chest down!) and RMXXX (PM me and I will let you know) and I must admit it turned out much better than I expected it would be! It still looks as good as day 1, 9 months after and no touch up was done on it - a testament to how good the tattoo artist is!

It was not an impulsive decision, I had always wanted a tattoo but I just did not have the time, nor was the opportunity available for me to do it.

What? Where? How?

Beyond the usual stigma from having a tattoo, there is also the question of whether getting a tattoo is safe. Getting a tattoo involves getting your skin pricked with needles, thus blood transferred disease is always a cause to be concerned of. Below were the steps I took before getting my tattoo:

1. Ask friends for recommendations

I am pretty sure everyone has a friend who has got some ink (seen or unseen) on their body. My recommendation came from one Ms. Freda Wong who pointed me to Borneo Ink. Funnily enough Ms. Freda does not have a tattoo.

2. Do a google search to come up with a few more names

There are plenty of pages and tattoo forums which are listed on the net, Tatoo Joy is one such page. Just choose a couple of them and proceed to step 3.

3. Refine the data gained from (1) & (2) above via google search

Insert words like “complain”, “unclean”, “botched jobs” and “sterilisation” into your search. This is by no means a full fact finding step about the parlour, but in this age of technology, everyone would blog or post in a forum if there is indeed a case of any of the above in any of the parlours. It would help eliminate the hassle of visiting a parlour which is unsafe!

4. Nothing beats an actual visit to the parlour

Check on their webpage or make a call to them to find out their operating hours. Arrive at about mid day and hopefully you could see the artist in full flow, working on a someone else's flesh, which might be yours if you decide that the place is the one. Try to speak to the artists if you have the chance, find out who is best at what (colour, tribal, etc).

5. Ask if it is alright that you spend some time there

Observe a few jobs done, especially before they start tattooing, see if they use new unopened needles, change the equipments after each job, sterilise the equipments and most importantly, dispose off the needles once it is done. View the video at the end of this post for more info on the processes in preparing the equipments for a tattoo job. Spending some time there also helps you accustom yourself to the place, depending on how large your tattoo is, it might take 30 minutes to God-knows-when to get it done. You might well be spending quite some time there.



6. Now that you have decided



Make an inquiry with the artist about your design. It is advisable to bring along a sketch/photo of what you want. Do keep in mind, that getting a sketch from the artist might cost you a small amount of money even if you decide not to pursue further. I think it’s fair, these guys are professional artist, and as with any appointments with any other professionals e.g. lawyers, accountants, doctors, etc. a consultation charge is nothing new right?

7. Get a design/sketch

Ask if you could view the final sketch of the tattoo. Borneo Ink obliged and I was given the sketch on the day of my appointment, there was even some time to make a few amendments to it before getting it on my body.


8. Sign forms

You are then required to sign some forms about your general health conditions e.g. not pregnant, not taking certain medications, indemnity against the artist and of course, you are above 18 (you need a parent’s/guardian signature if you are not).

9. Get inked

Sit back (or lie down in my case) and enjoy the process. I for one did not feel pain, for me it felt like someone was running their fingernails deep into my skin, a slight tinge and no pain although I found it to be very very very irritating!! Hahahahaha. Precautions however, that there were cases of people fainting while getting their tattoo done!

10. Post tattoo care

It is still not over yet after you leave the tattoo parlour. There are certain precautions regarding the care of your fresh tattoo which includes no sunbathing and no swimming for 2 weeks or at least until it is fully healed. To help with the healing process, you will be given certain ointments to apply on it.

11. DO NOT!!!

Your tattoo would peel just like any other wound with scabs of skin coming off bit by bit, DO NOT PEEL!!!! It was a nightmare trying to sleep on the first night as it was still quite sore but subsequently there was nothing to it, just have to resist the temptation to peel off the scabs or scratching the itch!!!

12. Follow-up Procedures

You might have to go for a touch-up (See! They are professionals and take great care in making sure your tattoo comes out great!!!). Most of the time it’s just to touch up the lines or just to add some colour here and there, I have not had mine as Lina, the artist, did a great job and I am very happy with it. I did a subsequent search on Lina and found a documentary on Lina Ng, the artist which did my tattoo (be warned that the download is quite slow)

That's 12 steps to get an eternal potrait on your skin. Anyone feel like getting one? Feel free to comment or share your own experience of getting a tattoo done, I for one did not regret mine and I will not rule out another tattoo ;)

It's back! The party of the year and it's free! Hennessy Artistry II

Want to have a great time with your friends with a list of international and local acts thrown in? All that for free??? Wonder no more, Hennessy Artistry is back!!!

This is the 2nd leg of the KL installation, the first was held on 4th June at Phuture @ ZOUK. Details are as below:

Date: 25th July 2009

Time: 9.00 pm onwards

Venue: Bukit Kiara Indoor Arena

Tickets: Register here

Q: Is it a hoax?

A: No it is not.

I was at 2 events last year, the one in Bukit Kiara, with the main artist being one Flo-rida and the subsequent one at Orange, featuring The Day, and I must say it was pretty impressive.

For one, yes, the drinks were indeed free, but free flow? Not really. The drinks were a little slow to reach the guest, taking into account that everyone were just drinking themselves silly! I know for one as I was in charge of my allocated floor section during both the events (I had tickets to them, but since I had already promised my friend that I will help him out with the floors I had to give them away!). You couldnt event take the drinks pass the first line of table in front of the bar! The guests were basicaly grabbing the drinks of the tray!

My solution: To use two trays, one under the glasses, and a 2nd one above them which acts as a roof to shelter the drinks from those very very quick hands! Finally drinks were delivered to the guests further away from the bar. Ok team! Roll on! :)

The acts didnt disappoint, the drinks were good, particularly Miami and Shanghai and the girls, need I say more?

So, register yourself, get your friends to do the same, arrive early (lines started to appear at 7 pm although gates only opened at 9!), let your hair down and have a great time.

A good tip is to get a non-drinking (no orange juice or coke served in the venue!) dedicated driver or pre-book a taxi to take everyone home after the event. The roads around Bkt Kiara is well known for road blocks thus please dont attempt to outwit the police, you shall fail :)

That said, I will not be there this year around, thus some updates in the comment section would be much appreciated!

Movie Review: "Looking for Eric", King Eric of Old Trafford

June 12th, my first day of being 26 and I was a little bit of a mess really. A year older, but a year wiser? Questionable.

For those who do not already know, I left a good paying job with one of the Big 4 of the accounting world and pursued my dream, a dream that would lead me to Europe, in search of a job. I must say, the bloody credit crunch is proving a real mess, I have been rejected no fewer than 4 times in my job search, it's demoralising but need not worry, I am still positive!

Thus I decided to catch a film. A film staring one of my many football idols, Eric Cantona, an artist, philosopher and a footballing genius. I have the reviews for this movie and it's positive, and knowing Cantona, he would always go for the spectacular, the unexpected, he is after all the last player who felt that he has the responsibility to entertain the crowd and that he owes the crowd a performance.

It was a mid-day screening, thus there were only 5 of us in the 200 seater cinema! It does matter in this part of the world as there are no allocated seating, and with so many empty seats abound, I snuggled myself into the most coveted seat of them all, the central one - well balanced view of all angle of the screen! Ah.... And the journey begins....

I must say, you need to be very attentive while you watch this movie, very very attentive, as many of the scenes which unfolds early on does not conclude itself. For example, the start, it's a little confusing and rather messed up but it will make sense as the movie progress further.

Billy Davies, Sinatra, Castro, Gandhi, Mandela and Cantona?

Being Cantona, expect the unexpected, his talent on the field undoubted and his antics off it, an equal match. There was a scene where everyone in the room has to name a person they admire and want to be, names like Billy Davies, Fidel Castro, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Frank Sinatra and of course King Eric himself. Not too bad a group to be with, but I would have preferred if someone has said Che Guevara in place of Sinatra, as it would fit perfectly into the rebel/associated with rebel theme. Still no sight of Cantona YET!

The much anticipated appearance of Cantona

How did Cantona make his much awaited appearance? Eric (The postman, not Cantona) starts hallucinating after he took a spliff (which I do not encourage or feel comfortable with), he starts talking to a poster of Cantona on his wall, turns around and Cantona appears!

Let me side track a little from the movie here, I do feel the presence of weed in this film is one of the reason why some critics put his movie down a notch. The movie is rated 15+ here, which I feel is a very generous rating. The spliff smoking is also the very reason why I express concern that the movie might not be shown in Malaysia (Don't worry, I think you can get a copy soon enough from the DVD pirates).

Back to the movie, Cantona's much anticipated appearance didn't disappoint, seconds after his appearance on the screen, he was at his philosophical best again, with an opening quote of "C'est la vie" (That's live) in response to Eric's current problems, he opens up Eric's past, asking him to face his problems instead of running from them. He changed Eric, made him shave and face his ex-wife.

All of that just because he smoked a spliff? Again, I depart from the movie to address substance abuse - even if a spliff could change one from contemplating suicide to facing one's fear, I still would not encourage it!

Cantona - The truth behind Cantona

But it is not all about Eric the Postman, Cantona too, gives a glimpse into his life, he doesn't enjoy being idolised it seems, he is scared, he's scared that one day it might stop. Of course, as we know, he plays to entertain, to surprise the crowd, but first by his own admission, he must surprise himself first. I guess it is true, before you can surprise others, you should first surprise yourself by departing from the norm. One such example from Cantona was a perfectly dinked pass over a static Spurs defence with the outside of his all so reliable right foot, straight into the path of Dennis Irwin (another United legend) and GOAL! Apparently, it was Cantona's favourite moment, neither Liverpool - scoring the winner late in the game, nor the 360-pirouette after scoring against Sunderland. Again, King Eric surprises us all! But surely such surprises could even surprise his own teammates? To which Cantona leaves it to believe and trust. Believe and trust in his teammates, again another philosophical classic, trust in your mates, trust :)

The other Eric - The Postman

The movie moves back to talk about Eric the Postman, how he patches up his relationship with his ex-wife. I would save the details of what happened between him and his ex, just not to spill too much of the film. Touching, that's all I can say, and Cantona played a large part in it. Another memorable quote from The King "When you learnt how to ride a bike or kick a football, you don't forget it", again, very true. Cantona was trying to get Eric the Postman to dance again, once his favourite past time and with a point of his finger, surprise surprise, the music plays and both Eric started dancing! I was stumped, seriously.

Overall performance for 116 minutes

Cantona was at times crude, quite raw with his comments in this movie, with reference to Eric's wife, he said "She has balls". An unlikely metaphor for a women, but nonetheless the message was delivered. There are also some very strong scenes, both motivating ones (E.g. The "No" shouting part) and disturbing ones (Not to be disclosed here). But that's where the realism and the suspense ends. The rest of the movie was quite cheesy, even bordering being ridiculous (Especially Operation Cantona), but again, it's a movie. All in all, it was very entertaining, inspirational at times, dramatic and touching. A great movie, but as Cantona would have said himself could have been better :)

Regards,

Ben Lai

Looking for Eric was released in the UK on the 12th of June after it's premier at the Cannes Film Festival. The last I checked (13th June) there was no mention in the Asian press of the date of release in the said region. Best of luck in getting a copy, from you know who!

Amazing Singapore!

Dear Blog,

I had the pleasure to travel for the few weeks prior to my departure, some were planned trips, some impromptu and borne out of necessity.

One particular one did stand out. There is this little feisty little island just south of Malaysia, Singapore. Well known for its multicultural society which includes a good mix of Caucasian and people from all 5 corners of the world, being a city which pride itself of being a civic society and often unfairly branded as a granny state.

I do feel the granny state moniker does not fit the billing for such a vibrant city. Far from being, jaded, old, conservative and haggard, what greets you is a city bustling with activities. The busy MRT service ferries shoppers and office workers in great efficiency, shopping malls very packed to the bream and everyone around seems very comfortable in flaunting their own styles. Everywhere you look, there is a hive of activity going on.

I might sound like I was overawed by Singapore, but overawed I was not, more of the acknowledgement that the place is pretty much alive and very trendy for a weekend visit. No wonder my brother and sister chose to make this country their place of work/study-a-calling.

Notwithstanding the above, I picked to visit the Jurong Bird Park instead. I had arranged for dinner with my brother, sister and come friends later in the evening and spending a day shopping alone was not on the cards at all, would prefer some quite time, some chirping and colourful feathers hopping around would not be too bad a plan.

How did I end up spending a day with some feathery (penguins too have feathers!!!) friends? An event on the 2009 Reason to Visit Singapore facebook calendar caught my eye. For those who fancy spending a weekend away from the shopping malls and the hustle and bustle of the city, Jurong Bird Park is a place just for you. Show proof you are Malaysian (those holding student visa or working pass excluded) and get 50% of the entrance fee, add on a lucky dip just for the weekend of 14th March, it was a deal which I could not say no to.

Getting there was pretty easy, get off at Jurong Plaza MRT station (correct or not???) and hail a cab, a fee of approximately SGD5 was paid for my trip and off I head to the ticketing counter. A few snapshots of the entrance and I got a little bad news from my often so reliable Olympus FE-230, the battery went flat! That didn't dampen my spirit thou. I headed to the ticketing counter and presented my passport (the lady at the counter went through every page of my passport to check that I did not cheat, even asked for the disembarkation card too), SGD9 was the amount I paid and through the gates I go! (From this moment on it will be a test of my photographic memory rather than photographs to describe what I saw as the battery of my usually reliable Olympus FE-230 went flat...)

First up! The Penguins, according to the schedule, feeding is at 10.30 am, I am way passed that, but it seems like the penguins are still quite hungry for some bites – wave your hands in front of the floor-to -wall display glass and the swimming penguins would come close to you. Cute little beings.

There were a couple of parrots on the Talking Birds exhibit but I chose to give that a miss, have seen quite a few of these talking birds over the years. I am way too old to be impressed by some talking birds, kids would surely love them thou.

Fancy some photographic evidence of your visit to Jurong Bird park? Can't get into the enclosures to be close enough to the birds? Just drop by the Photography with Birds area. Colourful parakeets, Brazilian macaques (with their wings clipped) are well trained enough to perch on your hand and they seem to have an eye for the camera too, ever so obliging to pose for a great shot. Don't be spooked by their claws, they wont grab firmly to your arms and leave holds in them, they are pretty harmless.

No camera, no photos with rainbow coloured friends : ( Next up, some very magnificent creatures, flamingos! The vibrant pink coloured birds are native to the Amazon and obtain the pinkness of their feather from the food they consume. Talk about the cliche “You are what you eat”! A quick look at the map and there is another group of flamingos around the corner. The Flamingo lake contains a larger group of birds, cant really put a number of these birds in the pool (their bobbling head looking for food and the fact that they are quite far from where I am) but it seems like the flock numbers about 30 or 40-ish. They seem very accustomed to human as some inconsiderate visitors applied flash for their shot but the birds were not spooked at all. Shame on you (hopefully not Malaysian!) “flashing” photographer!

I took a short walk on the wooden platform running along the bank of the lake and saw something that I am sure we are all pretty much accustomed to, pelicans! How I wish I had charged my camera! There was one looking at me, with it's wings slightly spread out and body and beak tilted at a South East direction, it was a pretty sight indeed. I think it was mocking me, others were busy snapping away while I just stood there. I could have got a copy of the shot had I got the guts – there was this cute girl with a DSLR taking a few shots, had I been a little more courageous I could have asked for a soft copy to be sent to my email :) In the end I did not, I wished I had, not so much for the photo, but the girl was really quite adorable ; )

Back to our feathery friends. I gave a few other attractions a miss (e.g. Swan Lake, Parrot Paradise, Waterfall Aviary) as I was not dressed best for walking around (talk about Ben's weird fashion sense!) and took a detour to see something I love and adore – Mandarin Ducks (Yuen Yang in Mandarin). These cute little beings (I detest calling them ducks as they are just too pretty to be compared to those ducks we serve on tables!) are considered in Chinese culture as the symbol of fidelity. Not in the lovey-dovey mood? You often too see them on China at traditional coffee shops. Do a google search for photos of these beautiful creatures, those painting on bowls and plates just don't do justice to their beauty. If their beauty is not enough to captivate you, Yuen Yang (Mandarin ducks??? Yuck! What an insult!) mate for life, thus shouldn't we adore a creature of which devotion and faithfulness to the other half is of no comparison to that of our human society nowadays. Food for thought my friends :)

I rejoined the route at at the Dinosaur Descendants exhibit, but I also gave this a miss and proceeded to the Lory Loft. I am not talking about those smelly noisy vehicles on the road but rather colourful miniature parrot-like birds :) It's an aviary of lorys (lorries???)! Imagine having hundreds of lorys flying around and feeding right in front of your eyes! It's just like a rainbow on the horizon broke into pieces! What a spectacle!

Another bird which always draws my curiosity is the Bird of Paradise! What beauty, with it's flowing feathers and the fact that it could fly, I would rate it as much more beautiful than a peacock! It's elegant and at the same time, just like the peacock, a shy creature and the 10 or so minutes I spent gazing at it, it just perched there! Some in-flight actions would be nice!

As I was chasing time, I ended my tour here. Worth SGD9 (Apprx. RM23)? YES! Especially if you have kids and a family, or just an outing with friends or loved ones. There are strategically placed food and beverages outlet places within the park, but do mind your litter, from what I heard, you can be fined in the park too for littering!

Regards,
Ben Lai

2nd April

Dear all,

Some are surprised of the switch of my departure date, some express joy, in any case, it was because of certain obligations rather than any changes in circumstances.

Actually, I was so into leaving on the 14th of February. Yes, the previous date does coincides with Valentines and I chose the date so no one sends me off as most of my friends would be busy with their other half or hoping that cupid would strike on that day :)

I even made a 10 hour round trip (5 hours Mlk-Singapore-Mlk and 5 hours hanging around) to Singapore to bade farewell to my brother and sister in Kiasu-land on 12th Feb!

But as fate has it, the trip was rescheduled and I will meet everyone in the family in Malacca before I leave.

In any case, I am still firm with my decision to leave for England, the ticket has been changed and April 2nd shall now be the revised departure date.

To all whom I promise to meet (you know who you are!) I shall do my best to meet all of you before I leave.

Last but not least, there might still be a final twist to this, something good I hope, stay tuned for hell of a ride!!!

Regards,
Ben Lai

The countdown begins...

Dear blog,

Today marks exactly 10 days from the day I would depart Malaysia.

Barring any 11th hour hiccups, I would be on board MH4 departing Malaysia at 1045 hours for Heathrow EAT 1415 hours (Local London time).

If you guys have calculated the days, 10 days from now would be Feb 14, and yes it is Valentine's.

I will be that lonely traveller, leaving everything he had throughout his 25 years of existence save for one single suitcase of clothes and some cash, in Malaysia and trying his luck in England.

The past week's news has been encouraging, at least I know there is still the real possibility that I might be greeted with snow when I step down from my flight, let's just hope it is not so bad that it diverts my flight to some other airport :) Even then, Paris might be a nice alternative as my first port of call ;)

Will be spending these few days with family and friends and also taking photographs of all things Malaccan and Malaysian which I would dearly miss. From the unethical drivers, the ever so warm and humid weather to the sinful but oh so delicious hawker food, sigh, it will all be 13 hours away soon.

I hate packing. Would love to rent a commercial container and just ship my whole room over. The comfy bed, my boxes of books, countless pairs of shoes and sneakers, 1/2 a wardrobe of clothes, but I guess with the limited space in my luggage, I just have to prioritise and just bring the essentials and purchase the others when the need arises.

One thing for sure, a packet or two of "bak kua" is in there, just in case I feel homesick :)

I guess this would be the penultimate if not the ultimate post before I leave.

Dear family and friends,

I will make it there, being Ben, he's stubborn, unwilling to listen and at times too positive, but he means well and see this as an opportunity to gain some experience overseas and return a better man.

Rest assured that the erratic behavior of yesteryear's would be left at the departure hall in KLIA and shall no longer be used to define Benjamin from that moment on.

It's crazy, leaving everything behind, for a foreign land 13 hours away, with no job offer in hand and living off goodwill of friends until I get a place of my own.

Let me go, make the mistakes, learn and grow. I believe this is for the better of all and it will work out fine.

Last but not least, there is no need for anyone to appear at the airport to send me off. It's Valentine's, spend it with your loved ones instead ;)

Regards,
Ben Lai

One step closer

Dear blog,

I finally obtained my Right of Abode, and I can hereby trully declare myself as a British-Malaysian-Chinese. As complicated as it might sound, to cut the story short, my Mom is British Chinese, I made the application to the British High Comm and it was approved :)

Other than THE British status, what else is in store for me?? Below are a few (or what I might assume):

1. Home student fees for higher education in the UK - Ever notice the distinction made between Home Students and Foreign in your UK Varisity fees brochures?? Yes, the difference is between the bracket of 10 - 25% depending on the courses and varsities which offer it :) So, I am now considered a Home Student and I would enjoy that discount :)

2. Unrestricted access to UK and beyond!: My application coincides with the move by the Her Royal Majesty's Government to tighten entry requirements for 11 non-EU countries and Malaysia is one of those included in the revised procedure list. For one, entry is now based on a merit basis, with XX amount of points given if you are professionally qualified and further pointers if you are etc etc... I bypassed the requirement as I am now considered a British subject! Hooray!!! No hassle to prove that I am qualified (not that I am not!!!) :)

3. Discrimination: Here I assume, I am not too sure whether it is true but according to relayed experience from friends in the UK, employers would prefer not to hire a foreigner who requires a working visa. I would understand their position as you would need to process the visa, get all the documentation sorted out and always be reminded at the back of their heads that the bugger might not see through his contract after all the troubles you went through to secure his visa in the first place. Sounds familliar?? It happens in the EPL all the time!!! :)

4. Doing what I like and not be discriminated: I have a dream, to work for a certain company. It is quite well know, the working environment is nice, the wages acceptable, but there is no glamour in it when you announce it to your uncle and aunties :) Which company is it? What job? I would make an announcement when I secure it. I know, I might still not get the oooohhs and ahhhhs when I let them know, maybe even a little bit of ticking off, but at least I could proudly say I am buying my own place in KL after only 1 year of working in England. Now that's an achievement isn't it? Eventhough I am holding an unglamourous job :)

I think I said enough. This is my first post, plenty more to come :)

Regards,
Ben Lai