My Mini Holiday…

It’s been awhile since my last post, yours truly has been busy as a bee. Work has been taking a big chunk out of me. I was really exhausted until the extend I used to ask myself when I wake up, do I really need to go work today. It was bad, working 12 hrs, working weekends. I was running low, until the extend, I decided, I cant take anymore of 12 hrs work each day, I needed a mini holiday… And I took one, been missing Penang a lot, its actually been like 3 years since I actually had more than a day visit to the island, so I decided, why not visit old friends, relive those care free semester start college days.
Flew there last weekend and had the time of my life, food was great as always. Nasi Kandar in Rafi and Shauban, reminded me why I don’t eat nasi kandar in KL at all. The Nasi Kandar in KL sucks big time, the closest I have got to Penang food was not in a nasi kandar shop but in a byrani shop in Taman Tun. I also had a visit to Gurney Drive’s (its beside gurney plaza) hawker stalls, where I use to have my dinner during the 3 years I was in Penang. Also managed to have lunch in the small Thai restaurant opposite Sheraton Hotel where I took my best budz Kelvin, Reena and Khairul when we went on our day trip to Penang. Each time I ate, I stuffed myself. Im on a diet now.
Meeting up with all my old mates was great, me and Dennis had great time playing Battlefield and Counter Strike. We used to do that a lot after classes a few years back. Had drinks with Lucas Ah Bai and a few others. Mange to catch up with them, most of them work in different ends of the island and don’t meet often, so it was a good opportunity for all.
I was able to let loose and let go of all the stress work and life brings. For the 4 days, I was in Penang, I felt free as a bird. Doing as I like, with no care of time, it felt good.
I would suggest a mini holiday to everyone, revisit the place that you miss. Hometown, the town/city you studied, a holiday location you really liked, just take a few days off work, and go. Life is too short to live in constant stress. Break free and enjoy life for abit!

Home

Dont we all love and miss our hometowns? Especially now when we are far away from home, i wrote the poem below, when i missed Taiping the most.

Home is where i long to be,
A serene place up north,
Where life goes slow and easy,
Friends stop by,
Spend more than a minute to say hi,
A cozy small town,
That bears peace as its naming crown,
A small town up in the hills,
Thats the place where i call home,
Taiping.




Thanks to reena for asking me to post this. :)

Random Acts Of Heroic Love

Love inspires. It does wonders even when someone is facing a difficult patch in life in this case, losing someone you love, someone you want to spend a lifetime with. Most of us have never been through this and most of us never will, at least not at a young age (We should thank God for that). Losing someone you love is unbearable as I found out in Danny Scheinmann’s novel : Random Acts Of Heroic Love, which comprises of two stories with a real twist. I feel it is one of the best novels I have read so far. Especially like the the way Leo Deakin looses his girl friend in the first story and the way he never could get her off his thoughts, was exceptional for me. I felt myself living the character while I was turning the pages of the novel, feeling Leo’s pain, his despair, his love for Eleni. I was not sure whether it is an interesting story or not when I started reading it, but from the end of the first page I was hooked and now when I finished it, I am not having any regrets. The second story is about Moritz Daniecki who fights with the opposing conditions in the prison of Russians and travel by foot for nearly 3 years just to meet Lotte the love of his life. I was also not expecting so many twists in the story which gave me wonderful surprises at times.
Random Acts Of Heroic Love is a must read, its full of real life struggle and inspiration. I cant wait for Danny Scheinmann’s next release. Do check his websit out www.dannyscheinmann.com

United: Kings Of Europe

Follow...Follow...Follow... Man Utd's going to Moscow..!

I was overjoyed, jumping like an insane man, when Van Der Sar saved Anelka’s penalty. Again I wished I was at the Luzhniki Staduim to witness The Great Manchester United lift the Champions League Cup for the 3rd time. Watching it on the tube was not enough. I’m going to start saving to watch a final, wether it be the FA Cup, League Cup or the Champions League. I’m definitely going to be there, hopefully I can do it by the end of next season. It’s a must for a United fan to sing, drink, and cheer while watching their team from the tier in a Cup Final or in Old Trafford. All I can do for now is rejoice and sing , we are champion, champions of Europe!

Champions!!

Manchester United have clinched the BPL title again! A great feeling swept over me when i saw Ronaldo slot in the penalty and when Giggs gave a nice low drive to beat Chris Kirkland, to win Man Utd the League title and to mark his record equalling appearance. At the final whistle, i saw Sir Alex jumping in joy, that was a sight to see.
Such a memorable day, i was overjoyed as i watched the whole team celebrate the title, i had only one wish in my heart at that moment, which was to be at the JJB stadium to celebrate with the fans and team, but alas here i am sitting in front of the tube.
As much as they celebrated the team knows, the job was half done. One more win is needed to sign off another great season. Man Utd vs Chelsea, the Champions League Final in Moscow. I'll definately be sacrificing my sleep for that match.

The Stamford Bridge Hiccup

Being in the contendment of the treble before Portsmouth stripped Manchester United fan of another memorable treble. Then the double beckoned, a win over Liverpool, a win over Arsenal meant that Man Utd needed a win in Stamford Bridge to wrap up the BPL title and work on the Champions Leauge. Sir Alex decided to start without Ronaldo and Tevez. Nani, Anderson and Fletcher started instead. Chelsea pushed into top gear from the start, with Drogba, Kalou and Joe Cole leading the attack. Man Utd defended well enough to escape conceding a goal for 45 minutes but just as the announcement came for stoppage time, Ballack hit a well placed header into the left of Van Der Sar's post from a nice pass crafted by Drogba.
The second half begin like the first half did with Chelsea did the early running, but this time Man Utd did arrange attacks as they pushed for an equalizer, and it did come as Ricardo Carlvalho's blunder gave Wayne Rooney a perfect one on one chance and the English striker did manage to put this one into the goal, unlike many other one on one's he had this season. But this match was far from over. Chelsea was determind to get another goal to bring them level on points with Man Utd, and they eventually did as the linesman gifted a undeserved penalty againts Carrick as he tried to block Essien's cross into the box. The English FA should review the gray area in the ball to hand decisions in the modern game today. Ballack took the responsibility of the penalty and converted it, to the joy of the Blue fans that packed Stamford Bridge. The fight for the BPL title carries on.

Gunners gunned down

Title deciding match number 1. Manchester United Vs Arsenal. Arsenal are hoping to keep their title dreams alive by beating Manchester United at Old Trafford, but Old Trafford is Manchester United's fortress, only a hand full of teams will be able to steal points from United at home. The starting line-up suggested that it would be a full attacking match, but when the match started it was Arsenal with the most attacks with United trying to get a momentum for attacks. First Adebayor's run was halted by Rio Ferdinand on the edge of the area and Fabregas hit a powerful drive just over Van Der Sar's post from a ball that was gifted by Wes Brown. United's first crack at goal was Cristiano Ronaldo's free kick which hit the wall.Ferdinand was again called upon to block an Adebayor effort and another attempt from Gilberto was stopped when the second of two Arsenal corners in quick succession was punched less than convincingly by Edwin van der Sar. The Dutchman did better on the deck when Adebayor next threatened, diving to his right to hold a low shot.

With all Arsenal attacks, United manage to hit them on the break, when Ronaldo beat Song on the byline and pulled the ball back to Rooney who was 3-4 yards out but Rooney shot was saved by Lehmann's legs. There was a couple of missed hits from Arsenal with Adebayor and Gilberto missing. It was open season for shooting, with Arsenal’s lack of accuracy perhaps the saving grace for some generous defending on United’s part. Even when Adebayor’s albeit tame shot was on target after being put through by Hleb, van der Sar claimed it. It was a nervous second for United's Stretford End when they saw Adebayor through, but thankfully Van Der Sar saved it.

In the second half the awaited goals came. Arsenal was the first to struck, Adebayor met van Persie’s left-wing cross to give Arsenal the lead from close range. It appeared at first glance to be a clean header but TV replays suggested the ball went in off the striker's arm. United was fast to respond when Ronaldo hit a penalty 6 minutes later after Gallas's hand ball in the box. The celebration roar was deafening. Sir Alex made a double substitution, on came Tevez and Anderson to replace Park and Scholes. Both of them contributed to the game immediately, Anderson was scythed down which earned Adebayor a yellow card and Tevez had a bullet of a shot that just went past the post, if it would have hit the back of the net what a goal it would have been.

United nearly embarrassed themselfs, twice, once by Brown when he deflected Clichy's effort on to the post and the second was from Ferdinand who has Van Der Sar to thank for the safe he made. But these near embarrassments were all forgotten when Hargreaves struct a beautiful free kick to put United .

Arsenal tried in vain to keep their title hopes alive when they brought on Bendtner who had one header saved by Van Der Sar and another that hit the post. But Manchester United held on the lead to collect all 3 points and to end Arsenal's title dreams.

And it was a great news on the following day when Wigan held Chelsea to a 1-1 draw, with Hasselbaink scoring in injury time to secure a point for Wigan and to give Manchester United a 5 point gap. Next big match Chelsea vs Manchester United.