The land of Crunk'D!

No idea

2007-08-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

Why is it that I only blog when I'm tied down studying? Is it cos I'm trying to procrastinate from the inevitable boredom that accompanies the textbook? Or is it cos my mind starts exploring those thoughts deep down inside, that get masked by the hectic schedule that is, work, gym, dance and study?

I'm not really sure what the answer to the question is, but during the last few weeks, when I've tried to really start focussing for the exam, I've just reflected on a few things...

Now that I'm reaching the stage when quarter-life crisis kicks in, I've started to think about what I really want in the future..career, investment options, friendships, relationships, etc. It's hard cos everytime I even think about defining one of those areas, I get drawn back to the need to study.

I just feel frustrated at the moment, about the fact that I'm plodding along on a daily basis, without any real focus for the long-term.

Anyways, enough rambling for tonight. I'm out..

This point in time..

2007-07-01T06:11:00.000-07:00

Refer to below post. A few months later and things are still status quo..stuck in this never-ending cycle.

- Unsettled -

2007-02-24T17:44:00.000-08:00

As I sit here trying to push myself to study, I get distracted...So many things are going through my mind, but none of which mean anything to me. They say that everything comes in cycles, but I didn't expect the way that I'm feeling to be coming around that quickly.

The feeling of emptiness, the desire to do nothing, the lack of motivation to succeed, and the loss of passion for the things and people I love. I thought my holiday would rejuvenate me, but that has not happened. What is it that's missing in my life at the moment? Do I need a new interest? A new goal I can strive for?

I’ve noticed that the word “quit” has been creeping into my vocabulary the last couple of years, something which before then, was unknown to me. But recently, this thought has appeared again and again in everything I do - CA, work, dance et al….

I hate feeling this way, so I’m hoping that someone or something will give me the strength and motivation I need…

Malaysia Part 2 - KL

2007-02-11T03:38:00.000-08:00

With no more wedding duties and most of my shopping done in Penang, KL was the place to party…

Steamboat
The first weekend in KL was another huge family reunion, and we did what we always do best..and that’s EAT! Enduring the heat of the kitchen and with the fans blowing full blast, we celebrated with a steamboat dinner.

Clubbing
Just like the good ol’ days, except this time we had 2 special guests, Su Lynn and Eileen. Dancing with you again was a privilege and something that I will cherish for a long, long time. Who knows when the next time will be, when we can rock da floor together again?

In his usual fashion, Derrick engaged in a battle against the locals. Similar to the encounter between David and Goliath, they needed three of them to even provide him with a challenge. And most of the time, they would be biting moves from U Got Served. How original?

Karaoke
On my last day in KL, it was a Flare reunion like no other. It’s been such a long time since the “oldies” outnumbered the “newbies”. But on this occasion, there were 3 “Footnotes” dancers, compared to the 2 from “Rhythmicity”. It was great not being the oldest for once *someone glaring at me*. A big thank you to Jinnee, Grace, Derrick and Joon, who were willing to travel all the way to Subang to see me one last time. I had to have a karaoke session, which only cost RM10 for 3hrs of fun and a buffet lunch. We sure did make a few people deaf , but hell, we had a lot of fun doing it…from Bon Jovi classics to the Pussy Cat Dolls, and our “sexy” rendition of the lyrics and dance moves. Having these guys around really made me realise how much I miss them, and how much fun we used to have together. Let’s hope that we can share this moment again in the future.

After 2.5 weeks of celebrating, eating, shopping and partying, I was totally exhausted. It felt as if I needed a holiday to recover from my holiday. Before I go, I must thank all my family members who welcomed us once again, the 3 lovely dancers, and a special mention to Derrick and Jojo, who were my chauffeurs and accomodaters (if that’s a word). This has been the most rewarding holiday I’ve had in a long time. I even got to try Klang Bah Kut Teh….

Malaysia Trip Part 1 - Penang

2007-02-11T02:13:00.000-08:00

Wedding
The purpose of this trip was for my cousin's wedding, where I had to fulfill best-man duties. As soon as we hit Penang, it started. I was briefed on the events for the following three days of celebration - the tea ceremony, the negotiations required to see the bride, the wedding speech, and the scheduling of the performances. In addition to that, I had to coordinate the arrival of the dancers from Flare Dance, who are now internationally renowned :p Thanks to ness, XY and jojo, who travelled from as far as Singapore to make it to this event. You guys were the bomb and definitely did not disappoint. After not dancing together for 3 months, we only needed one rehearsal the night before the gig to put it together.

However, the celebrations were hampered by a planned theft that occurred when the power was deliberately shut off. We were sitting right next to the table it happened at, and didn't even notice.

Reality TV
If you thought Flare only had one TV star amongst its ranks, you're wrong! In the 5 days I was in Penang, I managed to get myself on Malaysian TV too :P I performed a dance "demonstration" (wearing Flare tshirt of course..so international exposure for the group) for a new reality TV show that will be aired on channel TV3 from 24 Feb 2007 (7pm every Saturday). A relative of mine is starting her own dance school in Penang as part of the Nescafe Big Break competition, and so I joined in on the fun (which was recorded for TV!!!). Please give her all your support and wish her the best of luck for her new dance school, Lets Dance!.

Two Worlds Apart

2007-02-11T02:00:00.000-08:00

During my brief 2-week stay in the place I call "home", I contemplated, more than ever, the possibility of me being able to live there, and the chance that I might actually move back some time in the future. Would I survive the long working hours? The constant heat? The language barrier, although my hokkien improved? The not-so-developed infrastructure?

But what was it that I was attracted to?

I think the most important factor would have to be the people back there. This trip has made me realise how special you are to me. I could not have been treated any better. Could it be the oily, but mouth-watering food? (At $1.50 per plate, you eat till you go silly). Or maybe the fact that I feel more comfortable there; a place where where I belong, and not get looked down upon cos of the colour of my hair or my skin.

A thought that has never crossed my mind until now: should I stay or should I go? As I suffer from the effects of withdrawal, I remain torn between two totally different worlds.

The final countdown (updated)

2006-11-12T03:15:00.000-08:00

12 days till I get to rest :p
11 days till it's time to PARTY!!!!
10 days till Xmas holidays
~~Division Xmas party~~
~~CA exam~~
~~Great Victorian Bike Ride~~
~~Organise my cousins' wedding entertainment~~
~~Organise my division Xmas party~~
~~2nd mock exam~~
~~Last CA focus session~~
~~Last internal CA class~~
~~1st mock exam~~

Why am I commiting myself to so many things again? You'd think I would have learnt by now. I completely understand you Joon.

Lets just hope I get through this to see the new year (without having to pay $500 for a supplementary exam) :p

*17/11* Arrghh, my studies are coming along so slowly. Been so tired after work that I can't stay awake while studying. What do I do?

*21/11* My 1st mock exam does not look too promising. Reviewed the answers and realised that I had raised only half of the points that were required. I guess it's a consolation that it was a good attempt, considering I hadn't revised any material from the first time I saw it some 2 months ago. I'll find out on Friday whether or not I passed this one :p

*4/12* Just came back from the Great Vic Bike Ride, where I had so much fun. Will be dedicating a whole blog about it after my exam. The highlights included conquering all the hills, winning the talent quest with a hiphop dance act (which made us famous), and consequently, being reported about in The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/sight-for-sore-eyes-and-respite-for-sore-bottoms/2006/12/03/1165080818740.html. To view a short clip of the dance routine, click http://youtube.com/watch?v=c3fFE0BVV8w. Now back to reality, and I must study my ass off for my CA exam.

Unforgettable Quotes

2006-09-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

I know we can create a book with these...but here is a list of what I remember. I'm sure most of you will know who said what.

1. You drink water, like water.....(the most famous quote)
2. Hey, how many toes does a human foot have?
3. You know, they can smoke salmon, so they can also smoke maltesers.
4. I can retire soon, cos I rely on other people....I suck them dry!
5. You (sister) can do him, and then he can do her.
6. I haven't had a haircut since the last time I cut my hair.
7. I'm making lamb tonight...OINK!
8. A sleeping bag without a bag is just a SLEEPING..
9. I'm a nerd by day, dancer by evening, philosopher by night, and nutcase all the time
And the associated controversy:
kel: Guess who??
jojo: most prob gracey =)
jumbo:cannot be...must be someone more nut...i wonder WHO...donut.
gracey: ahem jo. pot calling kettle black. tsktsk. =P
gracey: why would i call myself a nutcase??? uh huh..who me, yes you, couldnt be, then who?
jel: *bimbotic huh???*
jojo: nutters stick together. in this crazy world.
shar: stuck together by peanutbutter
10. Context: Shar has just said that she might get a Honda Jazz soon, and Am said, "I wanna be different, and get a RAV4." Then this particular person says, "oh yar, it's more expensive cuz it's 4 wheel...." :s (No prizes for guessing who said this)
11. Girl to guy: I wanna head you
12. This drink tastes like Ribena with spunk in it.

And to sum it all up, she came up with this gem:
"I'm NOT stupid, I'm just not too smart!"

That's all folks :p

The Art of Change

2006-08-28T08:09:00.002-07:00

In Lewin’s model of change, there are 3 phases that one goes through: un-freezing, transitioning and re-freezing.

A basic tendency of people is to seek a context in which they have relative safety and feel a sense of control. However, there always comes a time when a person is required to ‘unfreeze’ from their comfort zone.

This journey of change is never simple and the person may need to go through several stages of misunderstanding before they get to the other side. Transitioning requires time and is usually difficult for the individual. The hardest part is to start; even when a person is unfrozen and ready for change.

At the end of the journey, the final goal is to 'refreeze' by establishing calm and stability.

Having said all this, 2006 has been my biggest year of change so far...a change in lifestyle (the start of work), a change in social group (with people coming and going), a change in motivations (or the lack of), and a change in interests. Despite each being quite distinct, they are all inter-connected.

It has taken me so long to ‘unfreeze’, as I have been holding onto the past, something which has provided me with so much joy over the years. Being in denial that things do not need to change only makes the journey tougher and longer. Change is not an easy thing, change often instils fear in the best of us.

I have spent many hours thinking of why I feel particular ways towards certain people, things and situations. And I can attribute them all to CHANGE. I think I’ve reached the transitioning stage of change relating to the things mentioned above. This journey has definitely not been easy, and trying to find stable ground is not yet within sight. I still encounter misunderstandings within myself, volatility in moods, and the prospect that many aspects of my life are still uncertain. Many of you thought that my post on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 “So many things remain unexplained...” was a very random post. However, after reading this, I hope you’ve gained insight as to why I might have written that four months ago.

I know that a lot of you are undergoing your own form of change, whether it be transitioning from uni to work, moving from Melbourne to home, or undertaking new responsibilities. But you must remember that it is perfectly normal to feel the way that you do – lost, upset, de-motivated, uncertain, scared or even angry – as these are the result of CHANGE. So, the best plan of attack that I keep reminding myself is, to embrace it and to enjoy every single moment of the journey.

May-July...the missing pieces

2006-08-12T18:02:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I last blogged, and some are expecting something big. Sorry to disappoint...

To summarise the last 3 months in a nutshell:
May: spent the entire month travelling to Newcastle, Townsville and Darwin, while also flying home every weekend to see my loved ones. This might sound glamorous to some, but when you're staying in cheap 3-star MOTELS (with ants as roommates), waking up at the crack of dawn (someone in particular refers to a 6am wakeup as 'against the law'), and working ridiculous hours into the night, you might re-consider why you signed up for this in the first place. The only highlight from this month-long period of 'torture', was our ride in a tank....What an experience!!!

June: spent my hard-earned money to watch a "world-renowned" group of dancers at BREAK!. What a disappointment. Imagine how much food we could have eaten with that 40 bucks? I've seen better breakers at local dance competitions and parties. June remains a blur to me, as it went by so quickly. Being back in Melbourne, I was able to return into the routine of what my life was before I went away for a month: dancing and eating :p

July: a colleague of mine recently reminded me of a road trip that we were hoping to plan for all the new starters this year. However, during July this is where I've been for work: Dandenong, Altona, Derrimut, Broadmeadows, Mt Waverley, Ballarat, and Traralgon Gippsland. For those that don't know where these places are...this has pretty much taken me North, South, East and West of the city. Hence, my own little road trip around Victoria. One of the most memorable events of this month, was my work's Annual Ball at the Palladium in Crown. The decoration, theme, and surprisingly food, was first class...photos coming soon.

I'm sure I've forgotten many events that have occurred during those months, but that pretty much sums up the things that have consumed most of my time.

More posts to come...

Why?

2006-04-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

So many things remain unexplained...

MX Feature

2006-04-02T00:21:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when you're being stupid..you get caught on camera!!

A memorable gig!!

2006-03-25T19:55:00.000-08:00

3ZZZ fm presents Voices of Diversity…a celebration of 30 years of ethnic broadcasting. As part of the celebration, I was there to perform a “cultural” hip hop dance. This was the most rushed gig I have ever done. With only 2 weeks notice and 4 rehearsals later, a routine was born.

There were a couple of “highlights” from this performance. Firstly, was Jimmy’s innocent walk into the ladies restroom, where he claims he thought no one was in it. And secondly, my stupid wardrobe malfunction. Now I know had Janet felt at the Superbowl. No, my Mohawk wig did not fall off, which I would have preferred, but worse…my zip decided to miraculously fall down towards the end of the performance. Recapping the moment on video, it was damn obvious the instant the zip fell down, exposing my bright-coloured underwear to the general public. By the time I noticed, it was too late, and the performance had already ended. We were all bemused as to why there was so much laughter at the end…but now we all know!! At least my embarrassment was for the entertainment of others..hehe

Thanks to all who came to support me.. Am, Jel, Derrick, Ginnie, Cindy, Ness, Ian and J to the WIN!

National Graduate Induction (NGI)

2006-03-04T20:36:00.000-08:00

Date: February 22nd - 24th, 2006

There's been a lot of hype surrounding the KPMG (my employer) NGI, especially from the previous years' videos we've seen. And after experiencing the 3-day extravaganza, with all the bells and whistles, I was completely stuffed. This was a training camp like no other.

Day 1
After arriving at the KPMG office at 9.30am we were taken into the training room for a brief overview of the firm and what to expect over the next 2 days. We had a chance to mingle with the other 160+ graduates entering the Melbourne office, and also catch up with old buddies from vac work. It only seemed like yesterday when I was there working as a vacationer.

At 1pm we checked into the 5-star Grand Hyatt Hotel, where we would be for the next 2 nights. KPMG certainly does not hold back on their expenses when it comes to this sorta stuff. From there, we had free time until 6.30pm when we would have dinner.

Dinner was an experience in itself - a grand introduction into the very BLUE world of KPMG. For those that don't know, blue is the firm's colour...(I'm sure I know someone who would be very happy about this :p) The table decorations were elaborate, as was the entrance into the room..will try to get photos soon. Our guest speaker was Lauren Burns (Olympic gold medalist in Taekwondo), who captivated us with an inspiring speech of how she transformed from someone who was non-competitive, into someone who was driven by her determination to achieve her goals in life. Her story about competing at the Olympics, and all the trials she went through, was something that I could definitely relate to. To top off the night, we also had the comedic duo, Lano and Woodley to entertain us. Those guys are so goofy that its funny...hehe

Post-dinner, the grads headed out to a bar near the hotel, but I returned to my room quite early (12.30am), because of the early wake call the next day.

Day 2
6am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and the alarm goes off. This is not a normal waking time for most people. Even the partners were complaining about this early kick-off time.

Bitterly walking down to the breakfast area, our moods were slightly lifted with the publication of all our names in the Australian Financial Review that day (Feb 23rd edition). A hot buffet breakfast was also the perfect remedy. That was the beginning of a long, long day......

7.30am All 500 grads from around Australia headed to Flemington Racecourse.
9am Official precedings commenced. We heard speeches from the CEO about the firm's values and positioning, saw actors portraying different types of new grads and showing us how to be "professional" and heard about risks and independence that we have to adhere to. In between all that, we had to gulp down as much coffee as possible, in order for us to stay awake during all the sessions.

6.30pm Dinner!!! By this stage, we were all starving and ready to chomp down on some good food. But instead of going in straight away, they made us wait outside to have pre-dinner drinks until 7.30pm. When the doors opened, it was heaven...the airconditioning saved us from the 30+degree heat outside and we all sat down and got stuck into the ONE bread roll each of us had. Entree was served at 8pm, and main meal finally come out at 9pm!!! By then, my stomach had contracted to the size of a pea, and half way thru the salmon, our entertainment had begun on stage. Emily Williams from Aussie Idol was there to sing for us....and so we all rushed to the dance floor to see her properly, while leaving the half-eaten food on the table. She's an amazing singer!!! After I returned to the table, to my horror.....the main meal was cleared up!!

Dinner finished about 11pm, and we were all in the mood to go elsewhere. The destination was Club Odeon, where it was rnb night. Our group of 12 got down on the dance floor...it was good to be dancing to rnb/hiphop again. It's been awhile... We finally retired at 2.30am and headed back to the hotel, with the prospect of another 6am start the next day.

Day 3
To tell you the truth, I can't really remember what happened this day. But the only 2 thoughts on my mind was 1) I had to stay awake, and 2) I was counting down the time till the day was over, so that i could head home and sleep.....

What an introduction to KPMG...

Cliches

2006-01-31T20:30:00.000-08:00

- Everything happens for a reason!
- What doesn't kill you will only make you stronger!

I hope these are true......

(haha...my shortest post ever!!!)

The Great Expectation

2006-01-25T19:19:00.000-08:00

When it comes to how we perceive things in life, expectations play a key role in this. How do we know if we have done well, or if things are good or bad? It all comes down to the level of expectation.

A typical example is a movie. If you walk into a cinema not knowing what the film is about and what special effects it might have, then you might be pleasantly surprised at the end. Recently, I went to watch a film called Russian Dolls. At first, I had no idea that it was mainly spoken in French, and secondly, it was an arty sort of film that I would not usually go for. By the end of it, I thought that the way the story line was told was quite clever and despite it not being my thing, it was surprisingly enjoyable. On the other hand, had I gone into Deuce Bigalow 2 expecting it to be the best comedic experience of my life, I would have been bitterly disappointed.

Expectations can also apply to oneself. While studying at university, you place expectations on yourself to achieve certain results. These can stem from intrinsic or extrinsic motivation. If your expectations are too high, then you will be constantly under pressure to perform well. This sort of pressure can often lead to a breakdown, but on the contrary, it can also provide the kick-in-the-butt that you need while at uni.

Finally, you can have expectations of other people, whether it applies to friendship or more importantly, in a relationship. This relates to the amount of effort both parties are putting into the relationship. Other expectations in a relationship might include a goodnight call/kiss every night, open communication, time spent together, and constant re-affirmation of love. If one party is constantly trying to organize time with the other, without reciprocation, there are different levels of expectations in play. Consequently, this can lead to conflicts about commitment to each other, with one party often feeling short-changed. If expectations of your partner are high, then you will only be delivered disappointment when they are not fulfilled. If you DO NOT expect your partner to do anything, then disappointment will never be an issue. But do you really want to be in a relationship where there are no expectations of each other? No guide as to how you should act?

This issue of EXPECTATION has been constantly explored by me over the last couple of years, and more recently, in the last few weeks. In the past, I have set very high expectations of myself in whatever I do, whether it be karate, dance or university/school. As a result, the pressure I placed on myself was immense. Despite this, I would not change any of it, because during that time, it really brought out the best of me. This was the case until recently, where I lowered my expectations of certain aspects of my life…of myself and of other people. Not sure if it was caused by disappointment or some other factors. But the point is, I don’t like the way that it’s heading. By lowering expectations, I am actually degrading myself and the friendships/relationships I have developed. I WANT to revert to the same level that I had once achieved, but there is one thing stopping me…fear…the fear of being disappointed again. I guess the best solution is to take a balanced approach, and one that will maintain my integrity, but also avoid huge disappointment in the future.

A little thing called trust

2006-01-19T05:56:00.000-08:00

Most of you would agree that money can almost buy you anything. However, no amount of money can ever buy a little thing called trust. Trust by definition, is the “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone” and “one in which confidence is placed” (Merriam-Webster).

No price can be placed on one’s character, ability, strength or truth. Instead, this can only be determined by the experiences that we share with other people. Through time, we learn about different types of people, and how each of them will act. Although this can form sometimes incorrect generalisations, it is not until you place TRUST in someone that you can really tell what they are like. When it comes to deciding whether or not you should place trust in someone, it’s a bit like fishing. You use certain bait to reel in the fish that you desire. When you are seeking someone to trust, initially, you will trust them with information that is sensitive (bait) but not catastrophic if leaked. From there, you use judgement about the trustworthiness of a person’s character. This can be a long and tedious task, if someone requires many “tests” before being approved, or it can be quite quick, if a person has a trusting character.

TRUST is about placing confidence in someone. Someone you know that will keep your secrets; someone you know that will not use this knowledge to betray you; someone you know that will offer you advice; and someone that will share the best and worst moments of your life. Whenever trust is placed in someone new, they start with a “full bar of trust”. The moment that a person deviates from any of the above, their trustworthiness value (not price) diminishes, and it is something that money cannot buy. Deviation causes doubt, a reduction in the communication of sensitive information, and if below the minimum satisfactory level in the “bar of trust”, total communication shut-off.

How many times have you heard someone say, “don’t tell xxx I told you this, but they said blah blah”? Is that not a BREACH of trust of the other party? How will you be assured that this same situation won’t happen to you if you trust the same person?

TRUST is a very tricky issue. There have been many times in my life where I have misjudged who to trust. I have let certain people into my life who have used everything they know about me to highlight my weaknesses, and to manipulate the way I think. Others have caused minor breaches of trust which have made me reconsider how much I tell them.

Is there anyone out there (apart from my family) who has the ability to retain a “full bar of trust” and someone whom I can TRUST my life with?

The year that was 2005

2006-01-12T17:43:00.000-08:00

That concludes my summary of the year 2005. In just under 6000 words, I've tried to squeeze as much detail as possible to describe and give you an insight of what I've done and accomplished during the year. Hopefully most of you haven't fallen asleep by this stage :p

I'd just like to thank everyone for making 2005 the most enjoyable, challenging, and rewarding year of my life. Looking back, I can't believe the amount of stuff that's happened and I owe it to you guys. Thank you to those who have gave me their full support in whatever goals I chose to chase. Bring on 2006!!!

The Best Christmas Present

2006-01-12T17:36:00.000-08:00

No fancy gifts. No extravagant Christmas party. No Santa climbing down the chimney.

In fact, the best Christmas present I received was the presence of my aunt and cousin from Malaysia. It’s been a long time coming for my little cousin to visit the Land Down Under but the time had finally arrived. In the 2 weeks she was here, I can’t believe how much of Melbourne we managed to squeeze in for her. For that period of time, I also put on my tourist hat, and we went around taking photos in places that I usually wouldn’t.

Melbourne is such an awesome place! I think most of us take it for granted, as we carry on with our daily routine. It’s no wonder why it was voted the Most Livable City 2 years ago.

City Sight Seeing
As we walk along the streets of the city, with our heads bowed down, or deep in conversation with a friend, we are missing some of the most amazing buildings. It was only when I went around with my cousin, that I realized this. Apart from landmarks such as Flinders St Station, the new Spencer St Station, and Federation Square, we also saw antiquated churches and cathedrals, the National Museum (which I never knew existed) and the Old Melbourne Gaol….all within the city precincts. It was definitely an eye-opener for me to observe my surroundings a bit more closely.

Crown Casino and Southbank
Crown is a place not to be missed. We went there to watch the Christmas lights display they had on and then walked around visiting some shops (even though it was totally out of our price range). Unfortunately, we didn’t get the chance to eat at the infamous Greco’s. This was followed by a walk along Southbank and then to the Exhibition Centre. My cousin thought the exterior design of that building was actually quite unique.

Melbourne Zoo
NO…we do not have kangaroos and koalas in our backyards. But, we do have them at the Zoo, so this was a must-do thing for my cousin. An added bonus, was that she got to see penguins too, which saved us a 3-hr car ride to and from Phillip Island just to see the little creatures.

Melbourne Aquarium
Monsters of the Deep have invaded Melbourne. Well, at least at the Aquarium that is. There were stingrays, huge grey nurse sharks, starfish, turtles, jellyfish and an array of colourful fishes. We found out that when male sharks are attracted to ones of the opposite sex, they tend to bite them, as a sign of affection. Hmm…that’s something to think about fellas. However, the biggest, and I mean biggest attraction was the World’s Only Giant Frozen Octopus. Check it out for yourself below.

Universities
Melbourne is also the host of 2 internationally renowned universities, Melbourne and Monash. Because of that, my cousin really, really wanted to have a walk around. I guess it would just be like me visiting Harvard or Oxford if I was in those countries. Anyway, my brother and I showed her the hot photo-taking spots for our respective unis, which made her happy :p It was something she could take home and brag about to her friends.

Christmas Lights
Something that I guess is not experienced in Malaysia is people decorating their houses for Xmas. After a quick Google search, I managed to find a list of places that had the best Xmas light decorations. A few nights were dedicated to this adventure, as we tried to hunt down the best house in Melbourne. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to travel to the supposed best houses in Vermont and Canterbury, but we did manage to find some nice ones.

Mornington Peninsula
Even though we have hit summer, my relatives would beg to differ (excluding New Year’s Eve, which was the hottest December day in so many years). Despite that, we all went for a day trip along the east coast, to Mornington Peninsula. Our lunch stop-off was at Nepean Country Club, where the oldies prepared the BBQ while the young ones indulged in some table tennis and canoeing. After a fly-induced lunch of chicken wings with flies, hot dogs with flies and salad with flies, we hit the pool for an afternoon swim.

On the way back to Melbourne, we made a few stops are various look out points and just viewed with awe at the scenery that was before us. Blueish-green clear waters, filled with wind surfers, swimmers splashing around and the golden sand stretching around to encase the water.

World Karate Championships

2006-01-04T07:03:00.000-08:00

Date: November 2005

How fast does 4 years pass by? It only seemed like yesterday, when I was preparing for my 1st World Championships in Perth; first year uni was ending, I had made a bunch of new friends, training at least 4 times a week and I had not started dancing yet.

4 years on and the feelings of stress, fatigue and excitement had been rekindled, as preparation for the Championships in Holland was quite intensive for me. It wasn’t the fact that karate training took up a lot of my time, in fact, I would admit that I was quite under-prepared this time round. However, it was the combination of completing uni, dance commitments and the mental battles that took place, that really caused the fatigue.

After what was an exhausting and rushed swotvac and final exam period, I flew off to Holland the day official exams started, with an attitude that I could not change the past, and tried to maintain positive. Being stuck in a foreign country, where there was a limited source of support, and feeling weary from the long flight and post-exam period, it was extremely difficult to stay positive. The only saving grace was a good luck card written by friends and the phone calls from loved ones at home. Without these, I would have been an absolute wreck, and might have received more bruises than I did :p

Some Victorians from the Aussie team in front the Rotterdam bridge

The Australian team arrived in Rotterdam, Holland on Tuesday after 24 hours of flying, and after a few hours rest, we were summoned for a light training session. This was a great chance to meet the other Aussie karatekas from interstate. It was an awesome feeling to have the whole Aussie contingency in the same room for the first time.

Wednesday and Thursday were very similar: 6am wake up call, 7am breakfast, 9am squad training for a couple of hours, 12noon get back to hotel and shower, and 1pm onwards was free time.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday were competition days. The kids took to the arena on Friday, and we were represented very well, with 5 of them from our club getting medals. Saturday was my first day of competition, and it was one that I would like to forget. My first event was demonstration (kata), which is usually my pet event. It basically involves performing a set routine of attacks and defenses. Despite having done the routine 100’s of times during practice and at other competitions, I still stuffed it up. I donno why, but there are a few explanations: not used to the mats, tiredness that day, loss of concentration, lack of spirit!!!! I was quite pissed at myself. I had plummeted from 9th in the World at the last championships, to getting knocked out in the 1st round. What a disappointment, not only to myself, but also my coach, teammates and country!!!

I guess things couldn’t have gone worse than that. And from there, I made a promise to myself that my fighting the next day would make up for that disgraceful performance. I had a long, hard think that night about what I was doing, and where I was going with karate. I could have easily taken the weak option and not care about my fighting, but that would only be cheating myself; cheating me of all the years of training I’ve had, the early Sunday training sessions throughout the year and most important of all, cheating myself of who I am. For those that know me, I don’t put in a half-assed attempt. It’s either all or nothing. That’s just the why I’ve been and I hope to remain that way.

Sunday was definitely a brighter day for me. I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I knew that it was nearly over..only one more day of competition. By this stage, my brain was at “low battery” and I had to muster every last little bit of energy to feed my arms and legs so that they were fast enough to evade and attack. As I entered the ring, I could feel the aura of the crowd. Looking up at the stands, all I saw was a sea of green and gold with flashes of the Australian flag, and I also heard the distinct cry of my name. If I felt lethargic, it was all forgotten at that moment in time. The sensation of representing my country, the crowd, the adrenalin of the fight and the sound of the final buzzer... I still remember seeing the final 10 seconds of the fight count down, and the draining feeling of relief (as if bricks had been lifted off my shoulders), when the sweet sound of the buzzer went off. The icing on the cake was the podium presentation of our medals. Another Aussie won gold, so we were up there (Gold and Bronze for Australia) on the podium singing the national anthem. This was one of the most patriotic and proudest moments of my life. I don’t think I will ever get that opportunity again. It is definitely something that money can’t buy, and I will look back on it when I’m old and frail, and remember forever.

Gold and Bronze Medalists for Australia

Monday was spent doing a technical seminar with the grandmaster of our style. We trained for nearly 4 hours, learning from the best. This guy is nearly 60, but I’m sure he can still whoop my ass. The rest of the day was spent traveling around Rotterdam.

Tuesday was HOME TIME! We had to wake up at 5am for early breakfast and then head off to the airport, which was an hour bus ride. HOME SWEET HOME!!! There’s no better place than home!

Eating Burger King at KLIA before our 7-hr from KL to MEL

Home Sweet Home!

Final Univeristy Exams

2006-01-03T05:55:00.000-08:00

Date: 3rd & 4th November 2005

It’s been 5 long years and 36 exams later, I have finally completed my undergraduate tertiary education. What a relief, but at the same time, there is a feeling of disorientation. As the focus shifts from study to work, there are so many uncertainties (even though I have a job lined up), and I’m just a little ant in the open world.

Anyway, back to my final exams. I needed to push forward my exams to the week during swotvac, as I was heading off to Holland the following week. This was not the ideal fashion I intended to complete my final exams. Because of this, I needed to start my cramming sessions 2 weeks before everyone else, while also completing my Industrial Project, marking assignments and training for karate. To make it worse, apart from the intensity of my cramming, I needed to complete my exams in a tiny little consultation room in the Commerce building all by myself. I know I might sound geeky, but the whole exam experience should encompass the pre-exam stress period when you’re doing final revision with friends outside the REB, and also the post-exam discussion about how hard it was…etc. Instead, my final exam was one that I could not fully complete, nor did I fully understand how to answer the questions. It would have been one of the worst exams that I have completed in my 5 years. What a way to finish!! Anyway, it’s all over now, and there’s no point reflecting on “should have”, “would have” and “could have”. In the end, I managed to get an OK mark for that subject and I have now officially graduated (minus convocation).

Industrial Project

2006-01-03T05:51:00.000-08:00

Date: July – November 2005

As part of my degree, all students need to undertake a semester of Industrial Project. What happens here is that for one semester, a group of 6 of us, are assigned a real-life client, in which we have to develop an IT-related solution to their business problem.

Our client was CCREID, a clinical research centre that specialized in infectious diseases, and our mission, team eMinence, was to create an organizational website and logo for them. Although the actual task was not difficult, the majority of our time was spent analyzing and documenting the progress of the project. Just to give a rundown on the workload that was required: 3 weekly meetings (client, team and mentor), weekly updates of team website, documentation of all meetings, development of various project documentation (charter, project plan, testing reports) and website design. All this equated to at least 15 hours of work each week.

Luckily for me, I had an awesome group of people that I worked with. Each of us had our unique strengths, and I think I couldn’t have asked for a more cohesive group. There will always be bickering in a group situation, but I think it was mitigated quite well. This was reflected in our final mark, the client’s final website (which gets an average of 300 hits/week) and logo, and most important of all, client satisfaction. Team eMinence…what more can I say? :p

My Poor Students...

2006-01-02T05:25:00.000-08:00

Date: August – November 2005

At the start of the year, I wanted to give myself new challenges, as I felt the need to be pushed. One of these was to become a tutor at uni. The opportunity arose when I received an email asking for interest in tutoring Information Systems subjects. I had performed relatively well in this particular subject, and it was one that I really enjoyed and thought was practical. After a brief interview, I had been appointed a lab instructor for this subject (there aren’t tutorials, only labs).

My decision to pursue this has given me one of the most rewarding experiences at uni. Working with the head lecturers, it gave me their perspective on how subjects should be taught, and I was also able to contribute by discussing how currents behave/think. More than that, it gave me satisfaction to think that I was helping these kids get through their uni life. My duties included supervising lab classes, attending weekly meetings, and marking assignments and exams. I fully recommend anyone thinking of tutoring to go ahead with it. Other than the good pay, I believe that it is justly gratifying.

Flare Dance presents Limelight 2005

2006-01-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Date: October 2005

I had told myself that last year’s production, Rhythmicity, was going to be my last, as I needed to concentrate on training for karate this year. However, I am so glad that I decided against that idea. Life without dance would have been unbearable, as most of you can see when I’m trying to sit still. It just doesn’t happen…

The Flare experience just keeps on getting better every year, this being my third. This can be attributed to the ever-lasting friendships that I’ve developed throughout the production preparation process. For eight months, 2 or 3 nights per week, we are dedicating our time to a common goal.

The icing on the cake was the reception we received for the production. A few days before opening night, we had declared it a FULL HOUSE for 2 out of our 3 performances. This was something a performer always dreams about and for us, it had come true.

What a way to finish!! With the reality that I will be completing uni this year, I know that this will be probably be my last production for Flare. It is the one thing that I will miss about uni. Once I start work, everything is unknown. I will not know when I can leave the office, as this depends on the workload and deadlines, and I will not know if I’ll even be in Melbourne during production week. So although it is with sad realization that I may never experience being in a production again, I get to take away with me 3 year’s worth of unforgettable memories (and stress).

For more photos, click here

The Birth of Crunk'D!

2005-12-31T09:00:00.000-08:00

Date: October 2005

One Vision. One Dream. Twelve Dancers.

Under the direction of our Master Choreographer, 12 troops had been selected and prepared for our moment of glory at the Peninsula Crew Challenge. We would gather on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis at base camp, the Dance Studio, to discuss strategy and movement. It was there, that the inspiration came for the name of the group, Crunk’D! There are 2 meanings to this word: “crazy and drunk”, and “to cry like a crane”. How appropriate!!! :p

No one could anticipate the journey we were about to embark on, which began all the way back in June. The experience of Crunk’D was one that will be very hard to forget. During the winter holidays, much of it was spent in the Studio conditioning our bodies for what would be a grueling 3 months of dancing/training on top of Flare Production commitments. The countless hours of dance, which was matched by the amount of time we spent eating after-practice, the pain, the fatigue and the injuries. My 4 nights of dancing was also complemented by 2 or 3 nights of karate. This ultimately led to a deterioration of my knees, shins, ankles and feet, much of which I can still feel now.

BUT all the pain and sacrifices made throughout that period was justly rewarded. No, we did not win, nor did we come second or third. We actually placed 5th in fact, out of 16 crews. This was a result that everyone was extremely proud of, given it being our first major dance competition we’ve entered. The reason why I felt on top of the world after our performance was based on the journey, rather than result. Twelve individuals (who had brought their own unique characteristics and dance backgrounds) had jelled to become such a tight unit, that we had become each other’s ‘family’ and support group. On stage, we were dynamic, energetic and in sync. As we approached the final turn of the journey, and hearing the last few beats of the song - the adrenalin rush, the feeling of accomplishment and the relief that it’ll all be over soon – I will always remember the huge roar of the crowd as we stood there in our ‘victory’ pose (choreographer’s idea :p). It was a moment of intrinsic satisfaction, something that whatever place we came, can never take away. Thanks guys for making it such an awesome experience!

Bro's 21st Birthday

2005-12-30T06:33:00.000-08:00

Date: September 2005

My brother threw a big shindig to celebrate his 21st birthday. I know that older siblings usually give a speech at parties, but I had heard nothing about it throughout the whole planning process. You can imagine my surprise when my bro asked “so do you know what you’re gonna say on your speech?”. My first reaction was “WHAT THE??”. After thinking about it, and taking into account my dislike for public speaking, I decided to do a RAP instead. Looking back on it, I don’t know which option was worse. I had never rapped before in my life, and definitely not in front of 100 people.

This song is sung/rapped to the instrumental of I’ll Be Missing You by Puff Daddy. It took me 2 days to write, one day to record and produce, and one day to practice for the performance. Special shoutouts to Am and Cindy, who provided their voices for the chorus (which was done on the day of the party after dance prac), and BboyVinny, who provided the backing soundtrack and assistance with the lyrics. If anyone wants to hear it, email me :p

This one goes out to you bro….

K-E-L to the V-I-N (that’s me)
BBOY V to the I-N-H (what up?)
A-M-A to the B-E-L (Ya’ll ready for this?)
C-I-N to the D-Y

What I’m gonna do now, is give a little rhyme,
21 years, its been a long time,
1984, September 27
Was the day you came down from heaven
We did not know what to expect
Yo my lil bro, You made a big impact
You gave us love, You gave us pain
But after all that We still love you just the same

CHORUS
I’ll be there for you, whatever you go through
By your side we’ll be, as a family, we’ll be loving you
Everyday you grow, all the seeds you sow,
We just want you to know, that today’s your show, Happy Birthday to you…

For y’all that dunno, Imma tell ya bout Rodney
Yo this boy is a lil weird, and funny
Once a upon time, his lifetime goal
Was to be the fittest FAT man in the world
One look in his bomb struck room
You’ll be thinking to yourself, boy you need a broom!
As you climb over mountains to his bed
If you can get there, then you’re well ahead

CHORUS

Yeah we shall be, like you see
In the 21 years, with you and me
We played sports, badminton, cricket, and footy
All the fights we’ve had, although regretfully.
He’s a ladies man, he be creeping through the night
Girls watch out, Rod – you know I’m right!
But Despite all that, He’s smart, he’s kind
A good friend in him, you’ll always find

CHORUS

This is what the parents have to say
We are proud and happy to this day
Shared the last 21 years with you
Our love for you is nothing new
By your side we’ll always be
As a family, we shall be

Strange and cruel, cold winds may blow
You have your highs and your lows
By your side we’ll always be
As a family, we shall be

We wish you all the best
And Reach success before, you rest
By your side we’ll always be
As a family, we shall be

You brought happiness and joy
We love you very much, our boy
By your side we’ll always be
As a family, we shall be…

My Birthday Surprise

2005-12-30T06:26:00.000-08:00

Date: 6th / 7th September 2005

It was a regular Tuesday night with dance practice until about 9pm. I said my goodbyes to the dancers and trammed to the train station to head home. Everything was routine…come home, eat dinner, check email, start work. I was frantically trying to finish work that I needed to complete before a meeting the next day. So much so, that when my mum called me to go into the lounge room, I shouted out to her that I was busy. Then she actually came into my room to drag me to “see something on TV”. As I walked to the lounge room, I saw lit candles on a cake. My immediate reaction was to tell her off, cos I told her not to bother with a cake for my birthday :p But she insisted that I walk into the lounge room.

Then…in a pre-mediated fashion…SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! People jumping from behind tables, couches, chairs and under pillows. Hilariously, the biggest guy present decided to hide behind a jacket and a puny little lamp.

I was FOOLED! The dancers had traveled all the way from the city (and even the other side of town) to my house, which is not close, just to surprise me as it clicked over to midnight. It was the best surprise I have ever had, and one that I did not expect at all. A couple of them had tests at 8am the next morning, and everyone was busy with assignments. I cannot thank enough, the people that were involved in that ambush. I was left truly speechless.

Looking back on it, I reflect on a few things that did seem weird, but never occurred to me that something like this would happen. Firstly, the entrance to our house was completely clean (maybe dad went on a cleaning streak and just removed it all). Secondly, there was party food in the fridge when I raided it for dinner that night. I knew they must be for something, so I even asked mum if I could eat one of them, not knowing that they were for MY party..haha Thanks so much again to all to guys!

Flare Gigs (Syn Celeb-Asian)

2005-12-29T08:16:00.000-08:00

Date: July 2005

This year, Flare has propelled itself into the dance community, by being recognized as a performance group for Melbourne’s top nightspots and various major events. One of the major turning points for the group was our gig at Next Blue, for SynFM’s birthday celebrations.

Given the circumstances of how this performance came to fruition, it is definitely one of my favourites. The hurdle we had to overcome was me going back to Malaysia for 2 weeks, with the gig happening only a week after I return. Therefore, the choreography was divided between me and another choreographer. There were intensive daily rehearsals while I was away, and at the same time, I had to choreograph whenever I had a free moment in Malaysia, such as waiting for a bus. My choreo was videotaped and emailed to the dancers, hoping they would get a feel of the routine. When I returned, we continued with our daily 3hr practices until the day of our performance. Despite the feeling of lacking sufficient preparation (which is normal with most groups), our performance impressed the organizers of Next Blue. This was the opportunity that we had been waiting for all this time. The sense of achievement of being discovered and representing the name of Flare is something that I will always cherish. For more photos, click here

2005 was a HUGE year for Flare. We had 18 performances throughout the year, out of which I danced in 13 of them. For more details, click here. Dance prac after dance prac, this occupied a lot of my time, but the trade-off was heaps of fun, camaraderie built between the dancers and meeting a group of fantastic people that I would not have been able to go through the year without.

Malaysia…Truly Asia

2005-12-26T20:41:00.000-08:00

Date: July 2005

For the first time in 3 years, I went home, back to Malaysia. I had been yearning to see all my cousins, nieces, aunties and uncles. Quite a lot has changed since I last went back. The thing I missed most during that time, other than the food of course, was seeing my 2 nieces grow up. They had transformed from 2 young, innocent children into 2 smart, beautiful girls, each with their own discerning characteristics.

For the first time, we ventured to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah. It was only a short 3-day trip, but in that time, we managed to taste their exquisite seafood, climb up a mountain and along a rope ladder (scary stuff), and also get lost while trying to find a restaurant. The restaurant incident was quite funny. Our gang of 10 decided to head to this restaurant that had traditional Malaysian dancing on stage, while you eat. The only problem was that we forgot to write down its address, but we knew roughly which suburb it was in. In the process of finding the restaurant, we were conned to pay for a bus ride that took us only 2 stops, then we had to walk another 15mins to another bus stop, which would supposedly take us to the location. With the next bus driver never having heard of this restaurant, he just drove us to the last stop on his route and dropped us off. Needless to say, we were quite freaked, cos he dropped us on this dark road that seemed to lead to nowhere. However, I think the smell of the food must have led us to the right place, cos after taking a punt and walking 10mins in a certain direction, we saw the LIGHT….the lights of the restaurant sign that we had been searching for over the last 1.5hrs.

Our trip back was just as bad, as the last bus that headed to our hotel had already gone by. We were stranded, all 10 of us, waving to anything that resembled a bus and hoping that it would pull over. Luckily, one bus driver promised to take us back to the hotel, after he finished with his normal route. 10…20…30mins had gone by, but no sign of him. At least while we were waiting on the road-side, I had managed to choreograph 2x8s of the routine we used at Next Blue :p He finally came and was kind enough to drop us off right in front of our hotel. Totally exhausted!!

The rest of the 2-week holiday was spent between Genting Highlands, KL and Penang. I even got to meet up with a friend that I had not seen for quite some time. It was great to be able to go back and just spend time with relatives. I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to travel back there again once I start work.

My New Baby

2005-12-26T19:12:00.000-08:00

Date: March 2005

After going through countless arguments and negotiations with my bro for the lil’ Seca that we shared, I decided that I had had enough. I remember at one stage, I had to book the car like 4 weeks in advance, cos I knew that I would need it during production week. It was a constant tug-of-war, as to who would have the rights to the car. And I also got tired of having to pay for petrol, only to find that my bro leaves me less than half a tank to use when I get it back.

I went out on a limb, and decided to make my first major purchase in life. All this while, my aim was to own a house by the age of 23, but I guess that goal went down the drain. After 5 long years of saving – part-time work every week, full-time vac work every summer – I finally “invested” in my new baby….a HONDA PRELUDE.
Ever since I saw this beautiful, slick piece of work when Holly Valance drove past me in it (I’m talking about the car, not Holly..haha), I knew it was something special. At nearly every car yard that I saw, a Prelude would be selling for approx $26,000, which was way out of my budget for a 2nd-hand car. But then, as I was leaving this particular yard, there was a burgundy baby that called out to me. When I saw the price, I could not believe my eyes…under $20,000!!! And the rest is history. And you would not believe the car yard I found it in…surprisingly enough, it was called “Melbourne’s Cheapest Cars”.

Vacation Work @ KPMG

2005-12-26T19:00:00.000-08:00

Date: December 2004 to February 2005

I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to work for KPMG during the summer break. KPMG is one of what they call the “Top 4” in the accounting profession. They also provide services in tax, corporate finance and IT-related issues.

During my time there, I worked in the Information Risk Management (IRM) division, which primarily deals with anything IT-related. I performed checks in financial models, analysed the security of systems and completed internal audit reports. The main “bread and butter” of IRM is to support the financial audit team, by auditing the IT systems that are used to generate the financial reports. Now you guys know what I’ll be doing for most of next year :p

What amazed me was the age of my fellow colleagues. Having completed 4 years of uni at the age of 22, I felt old. But with age, come knowledge right? WRONG! Most of the employees that were in senior roles were around the 23y.o. mark and seemed to be so knowledgeable in their craft. I felt really SMALL (despite my size..haha). It made me realize that no matter how many years of uni you have under your belt, experience is what counts. It is something that you just can’t replace.

The 2 most memorable events during my vac work would have to be the firm-wide Xmas Party and IRM’s Karaoke Night. The Xmas Party blew my mind! It was undoubtedly the best and most grandest, expensive and unique party I have ever been to. They rented 3 huge function rooms at the Rod Laver Arena, each decorated extensively into different Australian themes. These included: Kakadu, Bondi Beach, the Great Outback, as well as the outdoor BBQ. Each area had its own unique type of food and drinks available. To sum it up, it was 7 hours of unlimited food, alcohol and gelati :p We even had Killing Heidi play for us. The Karaoke Night was memorable, cos it saw the debut performance of the IRMstreet Boys. Because the boys knew that I danced, they asked me to be the master-in-charge of choreography and movement to the ever-popular BSB song “I Want It That Way”. They took it quite seriously, with a whole Monday night after work dedicated to rehearsing for this special “gig”. I can proudly say that the crowd went off when the boys performed. Presenting to you: Phil, Tom, Nathan, Kelvin and Dan the Man….

Introduction to the Crunk'D Clown

2005-12-20T07:32:00.000-08:00

As the end of the year 2005 approaches, I have started this blog to take the opportunity to reflect on some of the major happenings, achievements and events that occurred throughout the year.