Views from the 4th floor..

Of drivers and motivation.

2014-06-04T08:19:00.001+08:00

You often wonder why folks behave the way they do. What drives them and why they behave inexplicably different from what you expect it them. You like to think that there is an element of commonality in human behaviour when it comes to certain things. Things like common sense and decency. Things involving ethics and moral behaviour.

You would like to think that there is a baseline that people thread on and you can count on them to toe the line.

You would like that very much.

But the reality of it all is much different. We are all driven by different things. There's that element of unpredictability in each one of us that allows us to surprise people every now and then. The more we expect people to behave a certain way, the more likely it is for us to be surprised when they actually do the opposite.

Maybe we shouldn't even bother. Let's just factor in all the uncertainties in life and just focus on what we can control. Yep. Let's just concentrate on our own action and behaviours and hope that by doing what we do we can start to influence those around us.

that time of the year again..

2014-04-11T16:10:00.001+08:00

there are few certainties in life. death. taxes. and the feeling that you can do no wrong on your birthday.

Saturdays are made for this.

2014-03-01T10:31:00.001+08:00

My saturdays are all pre planned. and its packed. mostly its time spent with the kids. yeah it is pretty much dedicated for family. after spending the week slaving at the office, weekends should be all about spending quality time with the family. it doesn't mean that you have to make a big deal out of it nope. sometimes even the simplest of activities can mean a whole lot.

so here's to spending more time with our families eh.

teh tarik satu..

Sometimes to start you have to stop.

2014-02-26T16:17:00.001+08:00

I hate generalization.

I hate the fact that people can form their judgement on you based on your religion and your race.

Without even bothering to know you for who you are.

I hate the fact that folks are more than willing to accept this as a norm and not bother to change because hey that's how it is just roll with it.

I hate how we feel powerless to do anything.

But the thing is we may not be as powerless as we think.

We can do something about it. We can.

We can start by stopping.

Stop generalizing.

Stop the mob mentality.

Stop being an asshole.

Stop asking for things that you don't need.

Stop imposing our views on others.

Stop demanding respect without earning it.

Stop making mountains out of molehills.

Just stop.

Yes, they can but you can't.

2014-02-25T15:47:00.001+08:00

So i have been a YES customer, 4 months shy of 2 years. I started off on a 98 per month plan and i loved them so much that i upgraded to the highest plan that was on offer at the time. 168 per month with a data quota of 10GB. i think this was way back in 2012. figured rather than pay for wired connection having a wireless option would allow me more flexibility with my data.

the service was fairly reliable. you had to be prepared for a very much lower throttled speed once u breach your quota. but that's all already covered in the terms.

now sometime late last year, i found out that YES have introduced newer plans that is more suited to my needs. they have introduced a plan with segregated peak and off peak data quota. and you basically get more GB per buck overall. so i called them up and ask if i can change my existing contractual plan and move to the newer plan.

their response was nope i can't "downgrade" to a new plan since i am already on the highest plan available. a plan that has since been discontinued. YES have this thing where they welcome you to upgrade your plan but they DON'T allow you to downgrade.

no downgrade.

i explained that my original contract which i signed up for 24 months was lower than the new plan that i wanted to upgrade to. so technically it isn't really a downgrade right? well they suggested that if i want to change to the new plan, i can terminate my current plan and subscribe. oh and here's the kicker, since it constitutes as early termination, i am required to pay the remainder of my contractual balance. and no ladies and gentlemen, this is not the original 98 per month x remainder it is now set at 168 per month x whatever months remain.

so basically they're asking me to pay the early termination charges, and then bend over and sign up on a new plan with them. right.

so i began looking through their terms and conditions and i found this clause at the part where they say early termination etc.

i read that, and i understood it as hey i have upgraded to a higher valued plan, why do they still insist on charging me early termination? I've asked around and folks are saying it actually means if i were to terminate because i wanted to upgrade to a higher valued plan - then the charges will be waived. now again maybe this is a matter of interpretation. i was talking to a Shaun from the customer service and asked what he understood from that clause, he couldn't give a more definitive answer apart from they've already highlighted to their management, and the recommendation was for me to suck it and stay for another 4 months before signing up to that other plan. and if i still want to terminate i need to pay 168 x 4 months.

i argued that why should i pay 168 x 4 months instead of the 98 x 4 months as per my original contract? they basically said that once i upgraded the contract is now 168. i can't find any reference of this anywhere in their T&C.

so i am in a quandary. do i a) pay YES the early termination fee and ditch them on principles. effectively giving them the money for nothing since i won't be able to use them anymore anyways and 168 x 4 is still a lot of money. or do i b) suck it in serve the remainder of the contractual balance and dump them then?

it is a sheer sign of arrogance in a company that they can get away with imposing ridiculous terms on their customers. i know that you always need to cover your ass and read the terms. but in this case even the terms are pretty much subject to their own interpretation and not yours. i see them as having no value for customer loyalty and basically do not care about u.

i for one will be more than happy to NOT be continuing my association with them. thanks.

and what off it.

2013-10-14T09:30:00.001+08:00

i always think that folks do things for a reason. i mean that's the rational thing to expect right? why would anyone do anything without having a reason. Purpose. Intention. Reasons why we do what we do.

Is it possible just to do shit without any reason?

The connundrum.

2013-08-13T12:43:00.001+08:00

Twitter timeline was filled with tweets about local film maker's frustration at having his latest offering fall flat in terms of box office receipt.

I kinda sympathize with him. On one hand it is always sad when you've put your heart into something and it is not appreciated by others. What is more sad is the fact that he still doesn't get how the malaysian movie going public think. There are proven formulas, and there are proven formulas.

You can't really trust the audience to give your movie a go just outta the spirit of faith in the local movie industry. You need to feed them what they want to eat. Unless you don't care about receipts or you get grant from FINAS la kan.

Entah la.

And then what?

2013-06-03T09:31:00.001+08:00

Results are out.

Challenges has already been filed.

Now we wait.

Or not.

Balls and using them when it counts.

2013-05-03T00:18:00.001+08:00

there comes a point in every relationship when you start to question where you are heading. yes there is the traditional expectations of the natural relationship progression, first comes love, than comes marriage and then the baby in a carriage. but if what you have is a good thing, why change it?

the best thing is to be clear with what your expectations are when it comes to relationship. if you want to settle down, but your partner doesn't, you need to know why. are these barriers something that can be addressed, is it a question of timing, is it a question of uncertainty, are they even serious to begin with. these questions need answers and the only sure fire way to get them is to ask. the caveat is you yourself need to be firm and sure of what is it that you want.

if u ask your partner and they tell you they're not ready. what is it. financially? emotionally? sexually? some folks are very structured in how they approach relationships. they need to know they can provide for the future. need to ensure they have what it takes to start a family that sorta thing. some are just clueless and use this as an excuse just to buy time. maybe they're unsure but don't have the balls to actually say it. so they wait and wait for a sign that may or may not come. but how do you know if it's the former or the latter? you don't. that's why knowing what you want is of the utmost important. if your partner say they need time, ask yourself how much time can you give him. if they say they need to amass a certain amount of wealth, ask yourself what do you expect him to provide.

if they however tell you that they're afraid of commitment and dunno what to do then you just ask them what the fuck are you doing wasting my time here then?

men in general are not afraid of commitment. nope. we are not. we just want to fully understand what is it that we are committing ourselves into. if we give excuses when it comes to the crunch then you know there's something else that's influencing us.

so what do you do? this is where balls come in. you need to have the balls to give them the push, or the shove to get things going. you need to be prepared to lose them in the hopes of setting them straight and come back stronger. think of it this way, you have nothing to lose. if they realise the error of their ways and come back all straighten up knowing what to do then it's all good. if the don't then you would have saved yourself the heart break much later in the future.

disclaimer: all opinions are mine and is not meant to be used to dump your existing clueless partners who are afraid of commitment and shit. writer does not take any responsibilities for a few months of heartache if a break up occurs.

It's that time of the year.

2013-04-10T17:24:00.001+08:00

Aku dah tua. Almost.

oh kaay..

2013-01-14T15:54:00.001+08:00

stick it in and twist it..

2012-12-31T18:30:00.001+08:00

What is it about women and their joy at sticking it in to men when we make mistakes? Even when they're more than capable to help in solving the problem? The need to make men suffer may come from not wanting the mistakes to be repeated. Or maybe there's just that sense of pleasure in knowing that hey I’m so fucking perfect i don't make no mistakes. They just want men to be more responsible. I get that. I do.

So you know what you need to do right?

Either don't make any mistakes or just suck it in when they say whatever it is that they wanna say.

The whole dynamics of a relationship is very unique. At any point you either can be so madly in love with one another or you just can't stand the sight of them. It’s true. It might be something they say or something they didn't. It may be something they forgot or something they didn't. And don't forget that we can also be contributing to the situation. The challenge is in weathering the extremes.

If at any point, one feels the need to just pack it up and call it quits, take a few moments to compose yourself and assess the situation properly. Decisions made in the heat of the moment often disregard a lot of key variables.

It’s always good to practice what we preach.

the return of the blog..

2012-12-31T11:59:00.001+08:00

i think 2013 would be a good year to start writing more. thanks twitter, it was fun.

long ass entry about relationships part 1.

2012-12-26T18:30:00.001+08:00

Introduction.

Every relationship is different. While some elements may be similar, the ultimate experience is unique to the person who experiences it. I’m just gonna wing this entry because i haven't been writing for a while but this topic is very close to my heart. I have written copiously about relationships. And nope i am not an expert. A lot of it is just common sense, some so common that folks take it for granted. And when they see it in action it will hit them smack dab on the nose. Now why didn't i think of that? Well it is always good to share. So anyways, here goes nothing.

Timing.

U can never talk about relationship without having to touch about timing. Timing is everything. It is the difference between perfectly browned toast and inedible charcoal. There’s no exact science to it. Really there isn't. Timing is directly linked to your own readiness. Some folks take charge and make their own time. Others just stand in the sidelines waiting for the right opportunity to arrive. But the thing with waiting is rarely are u ever in total control.

So best bet is to be flexible and take any opportunity as it comes. Having said that, it's always good to sort out your own life first. I’ve mentioned this before. It is more difficult to complete two sets of puzzles all jumbled up. It would be easier for the two sets to complement each other once they're already completed individually.

Opportunity.

The thing about opportunities is, u run the risk of not recognizing it in time. Many argue that they haven't met the "the one", but when asked what did they do to actually meet the one often the answers are lacking. Oh, how can one meet someone online?? All them online folks are desperate hussies. What?? Date someone off twitter? U cray-cray? No one takes shit seriously on twitter!! Because of this preset mentality and judgment we often deem some opportunities as not worth taking. It does boils down to one's own appetite.

It is important to take every opportunity but definitely not at the expense of safety. So blind dates? Sure. Twtups? Why not? Comic fiesta cosplay type thingy? Hey whatever works. It only takes one meet up to trigger something and u can always work from there. Detractors will label u desperate. Don’t worry. You’re the one who is living your life. Who knows? The first person u meet will be the last u will ever need.

Knowing what u want.

Some folks are lucky. They see something and immediately know that they want it. Some need a bit more time to figure it out. Some just like everything wearing a skirt. It is always important to know what u want. If u don't know what u want, please find out. And by finding out i don't mean trying everything out to see what fits. While that may be applied to clothes it shouldn't be applied to people. Knowing what u want is just the first building block. It gives u a starting point but it's shouldn't be carved in stone. U may discover that there are other things that u want. U may decide to prioritize and shit.

We are humans. We evolve. And what we want now may differ from what we want 5 minutes ago. This part is really tricky. On one hand u wanna have set criteria so that u can assess every potential partner. On the other hand u don't wanna limit yourself to whatever u just defined. U want someone who understands you. U want that person to look like Jessica Alba. U can't have it all. Prioritize. While it’s true, that not having any criteria would work too. U can be overwhelmed and lose focus on what matters. Knowing what u want helps u to focus, but be flexible enough to accept that things may change.

Communication is key.

Unless your partner is a mind reader, always tell them what u want. Hints may work for some, not on others. But clear communication negates the need for hints. I know, if u tell them what u want, it will not be romantic. But hey better to not be romantic if it means u can avoid misunderstanding. Many a relationships break because of miscommunication. Does that mean that u have to be honest and divulge everything? Maybe. Some relationships are matured enough to handle anything. Some, may be a little fragile. That’s when a judgment call is required.

How would the information affect the situation? Is it ultimately necessary to be honest? Do u really need to tell her she looks fat in them jeans? Or should u just suck it and lie? Again, we need to look at the end in mind. Yes, lies can't be the foundation on which u build your relationship. So maybe u shouldn't lie. But u may need to work on your information suppression skills. This is where the concept of misdirection is necessary. Maybe we can touch on that later. Way later.

End of part 1.

When you have it all and yet you still want more..

2012-12-19T08:13:00.001+08:00

You have all the rights to demand everything from your partner. Their utmost attention, unwavering support, comforting presence, shoulder to cry on, ears to listen etc.

That's what a partnership is supposed to be like.

Only that sometimes in our haste to demand all that, we overlook our own contribution into the mix. Have we given as much as we received? Or are we just too self-centred to notice?

We make time for everything. We make time for others to do what they want to do. And we expect nothing less in return.

Do we drop everything else then? Disregard everything else to put our partner on the top of the list? And even if we've done all that, is it ever enough?

Even when you have it all, everything will never be enough.

Sent from my Windows Phone

if the clothes fit..

2012-11-27T13:55:00.001+08:00

there was this lady from my old place. she was fairly attractive. wear skirts and tops that accentuated her figure. lately i think she gained weight. not much but noticeable. but she still wears the same kinda clothes that she worn before. in fact it may be even be the same size.

this of course have the impact of making you look like a very ripe nangka.

now the thing that i'm trying to ascertain is, don't her friends actually say something? would u let ur friend go out dressed in clothes that don't fit you in an unflattering way?

entahla.

and in other news..

2012-09-13T23:05:00.001+08:00

Twitter is a source of much frustration. Sometimes news comes in excerpts in ur left with commenting without the full facts. Yes you can find out more about the news but then again most of the time u just go with what little info that u read and comment or give opinions based on that. The latest bit of information that appeared on my timeline was about a supposed checklist of sorts which was endorsed by the education ministry with the view of educating parents on the tell tale signs of being gay.

Symptoms of gays:

Have a muscular body and like to show their body by wearingV-neck and sleeveless clothes;
Prefer tight and light-coloured clothes;
Attracted to men; and
Like to bring big handbags, similar to those used by women, when hanging out.

Symptoms of lesbians:

Attracted to women;
Besides their female companions, they will distance themselves from other women;
Like to hang out, have meals and sleep in the company of women; and
Have no affection for men.

The guideline in itself is full of gross generalizations which is not even funny. Like a half arsed attempt at trying to find common traits and to paint a generalized picture. The more worrying bit is the fact that the guideline exist in the first place.

Masking its intent as educating parents, the guidelines potentially are precursors to more discriminatory and prejudiced actions. Instead of understanding the issue and attempting to provide real solutions, we
have managed to simplistically assume that being gay is a disease and as with any disease it can be prevented if not even cured. The assumption that, yes, having identified the supposed traits, parents can just simply ask or force their kids to stop behaving such way will go a long way towards cleansing their children from being gay. This is just a load of bull.

Personally I think each one of us face our own individual battles and have our own demons to slay. We would do humanity a great service if we start to understand more rather than to assume and generalize.

The bieber hair flick.

2012-08-12T20:34:00.001+08:00

WP_20120812_115811Z.mp4 Watch on Posterous

Sent from my Windows Phone

Sony SmartWatch

2012-06-12T00:15:00.004+08:00

what's the time?

i have been looking for this smartwatch since they announced it. must have not been looking hard enough coz i never did find any shops selling it. the smart watch pretty much evolved from the liveview, but adds a bit more functionality and style to the whole package.

the smart watch, as the name imply is just that - a smartwatch. meant to be use solely as a companion to your smartphone, the smart watch provides access to important information on your phone without having to actually open your phone. there lies its apparent weakness as it is pretty much useless without a phone.

designed as a sony accessory, the smartwatch still plays nice with other android phones as well. i'm paring the watch with a samsung galaxy note. the only drawback that u have is in terms of incompatibility of some sony specific apps. but third party app pretty much make up for it.

different views

the watch has 3 main views. the watch face. widgets and apps selection. you need to install the liveware app on your smart phone before u can start using it. u also need to install the smartwatch app, where u can manage all the widgets and apps and other information that appears on the watch. there's a facebook, twitter and music control app. phone book and other stuff. if u use endomondo then the smart watch extension acts as a display to show your workout statistics.

there is a market for smart watches these days. some noted project like the pebble has been gaining momentum and will likely be a competitor to the sony smart watch.difference is display tech means that the pebble will have longer battery life and is also compatible with the iphone. personally for me, i just want something that can compliment my galaxy note. u don't need to whip out the phone all the time just to glance at some basic info.

old school vs new school

plus i just love gadgets. hehe.

What happened to our oil money.

2012-05-24T15:02:00.001+08:00

Rasa macam nak hujan..

2012-05-02T13:55:00.001+08:00

U think?

Derby day..

2012-04-30T16:34:00.001+08:00

Good luck to both teams.

Bersih.

2012-04-23T17:03:00.001+08:00

Hmm.

The ugly side of..

2012-04-03T11:15:00.001+08:00

Common sense..

2012-04-03T10:19:00.001+08:00