Finally Entered Mafia Wars: Bangkok!

via Snipping Tool

After months anticipating the Bangkok version of the game, I'm finally being allowed into the Beta version of it yesterday. 


There are 3 ways to get the passport. 


1. Find the clerk: Once you opt to go for this, you have to pray for the chance that you are allowed to go in. It will be frustrating if you need to wait for another 20 hours to enter Bangkok. 


2. Bribe the clerk: You need Godfather points in order to enter. It's a lot. I forgot the amount, sorry. 


3. Ask a friend: You send a Facebook post so that one of your Mafia friends allow you in. 


And thanks, Cheong for letting me into the new MW mode. I chose the 3rd option.


This new game has a similar system to the Russian mode, where you will choose a side (Triad vs. Yakuza). Your Business system here is also similar to the ones in Cuba and Russia. The Fight mode is currently under development, so if you're in the Beta version, do focus on the jobs. 

Approaching The Final Week in Tawau

Next week will be the final week staying here in Tawau, and gosh, it's been a while after 2 months being bored at home. 

Apparently, time passes so quick that you never know that next month is February. The next thing you realize is Chinese New Year songs begin to be played by shops around town. 

I don't feel like leaving here. There are still so many things I wanted to do, even if I was suppressed. And worse, I will return here this December, instead of June, which will be the next semester break. 

Coming back here is always a decision. Everytime I return here, I am expected to be "locked". And worse, I am not allowed to drive without "supervision". If this continues, you just imagine if a 25 year old man being banned from driving even he had a driving license for a very long time. It's feels like crap, you see? I knew a friend who was as if running away from home while finding his fortune in Kuala Lumpur. Like me, he was restricted much by his parents. 

I feel that parents should give their young adult children more space for themselves in order to find out their identities, as they are about to enter a sick society. If the children knows what they want to do for a living, then they are able to plan their future well according to what they want, even if they become like 50 Cent. 

Besides, if you tend to play God and continue to control their lives, one day your children will HATE you for it. You will be putting your golden age under stake, for if they can't forgive what you did as you made them missed many opportunities outside there for so many times, they will look at you as their extra burden even though you contributed to their growth a lot. 

In this 10 months period of leaving Tawau, I know that I might lose contact with junior people like Elaine and Rebecca. One will be entering PLKN, while another is waiting for a ticket to tertiary education. Plus, they will be leaving this place too. I got a feeling they will be studying in Sabah, right? 

I'm so glad that I met these ex-schoolmates here during the break: 

Lee Guojun

Teo Kai Peng

Fadhlan

Yee Tsemin

Ho Vui Chung

Angela Tay

Mason Hiew

Charlie Hii

Lee Mei Chi

Bazli

Silviana

Sun Tjet

Bee Gek

Lim Siau Yik

Jonathan Lo

Chen Yee

Kwan Shang Zu 

5 Months With Blogger

First of all, I would like to thank the Innit bloggers who nanged my Sunway Pyramid photography post, as it made its way to the 24-hour Most Popular column this Sunday. Never did I expected such a phenomenon to happen. I will promise decent photos from Melbourne and Sydney. 

I'm thinking of putting a gallery for this site entitled Through My Lens. Hopefully I'll manage to do that. 

Now, back to the topic. 

My move to Blogger can be expressed as my next leap ahead to blog in the online world, as Multiply.com is kinda limited in terms of features. Plus, my Sitemeter only recorded a few visits everyday with it. It is therefore not a popular site in Malaysia, as the rest of my friends were using Blogger. 

At the same time, Multiply limited my DSLR picture qualities and disallowed the music downloading features. Thus, I decided to switch to Blogger in August 2009. A few days later, I joined Nuffnang. 

Here's the previous and current header picture for this post with some descriptions of them. 

This photo of Tawau was taken in March 2009, the month when I first received my camera. Guess what? This picture was fresh from the memory card! That was the first photo that impressed me tremendously. And that made it my first header for my blog.


This header was taken around September during the first mid term break in the courtyard of Taylor's LCS campus. The sculpture of the picture and the vast space on the left gave me an idea to make a new header, as someone taught me the importance of managing picture composition (how you want things to be arranged in your photos). 


The third header will be ready by next month - after I select the most appropriate photo from Melbourne/ Sydney. 


So far, Blogger still impresses me. Ever since I joined Blogger, blog traffic went up higher. From the daily views of 30+, it currently skyrocketed to almost 60 views in average, and there were occasional days where the traffic went up to 200 views, specially the days after I entered the LG Chocolate contest. 


If I were to commercialize this site, then I will blog lesser about myself. Thus, the number of words in the posts here eventually become lesser when compared to my old posts in Multiply. Hopefully, in the future, this site will be a photoblog. 


A blogger questioned about the purpose of blogging to us - to impress or to express. I originally blogged to keep in touch with my old friends. Now that it became a hobby, at the same time being an online diary, blogging is now about both impressing and expressing to your audiences and "tourists" at the same time. 


P.S - If you like this site, do follow me in Google and NetworkedBlogs.com via Facebook. Keep in touch, readers :) 

Sunway Pyramid Sceneries - Collections from 2009

These were assorted photos in Sunway Pyramid that were taken during 2009. Some were totally unpublished in this site yet. Pics were taken from various events of gatherings and outings. 

I really miss that shopping mall. That's why I post this from Sabah, my hometown :)

So sit back, relax and enjoy these pictures. :) 

P.S - I hope the new watermark is more suitable for upcoming photos. 

Decisions and Destiny

This is a post of pure words, and it's the continuation of this old blog post of mine in Multiply.com  


If you do view the old post, I typed that out when I was deciding my elective course subject way back Foundation in Communication (FICM) course. However, it ended with a compulsory college decision for us to take Economics, which was to me a very interesting and useful subject in order to understand how the world goes. Plus, Mr. Boon was the lecturer suitable for that subject. 


Today, the decision is harder - The choice of spending the February staying here for Chinese New Year gatherings and open houses - our 5 Berlian 2006 tradition which I'd followed since 2005, as well as visiting old friends from other class groups (both juniors and seniors alike)....

Taken during CNY 2008 in Pang Yih Fui's house, from Cayenne's old Picasa album :) 

OR

Following the elder relative group to visit Melbourne and Sydney. Yes, I will be travelling to Melbourne first with people in their 50s, 60s and 70s as my family can't go along, and certainly we younger people will have conflict with them in terms of stamina and food. 
But in Sydney, things will surely get better with my beautiful cousin Melissa. :) 

It's been already 1 year after I saw her in Sunway Pyramid. Of course, I can't wait to see her again. The last time we met in Tawau made me felt that I had a girlfriend already, haha... Anyway, we both are still single to this present time. Oh ya, she'll be my model if I do photoshooting there. 


It's still a hard decision to make. It's harder than choosing Econs or Stats, taking up CMM or Journalism, and choosing my first path in the tertiary level in 2007 (which I regret now). Info - Taylor's wasn't my first path, as I chose Matrics, which I really regretted taking it. 


Why? If I go Australia, yes, I can go for the beautiful landscape in one of the places that I wanted to visit for a long time, but I will sacrifice a moment that traditionally enriches me with joy and comfort - specially during Chinese New Year. Who knows, the Australian posts will increase blog traffic? :) However, it will cost us thousands of ringgit as 1 Australian $$ costs RM 3 in exchange, while I will gain more cash in the form of angpaus here. 


If I stay here for Chinese New Year, even though I will feel embraced by the love and comfort of old friends, I feel that I will be wasting an opportunity of my entire life. People like Michelle Lau, Kai Chin and recently, Elaine had been travelling to places outside Malaysia. I'm slightly kiasu in terms of attitudes, you see. (Please help them increase their blog traffics at the same time, haha....) 


The TARCians old friends like Khoo CY, Tony and Eevee Shim are not affected by the decision, as I can still see them. But surely I will miss designer and newbie blogging celebrity - Cayenne Lim, the doctor apprentice - Hui Hwa, Fadhlan, Mason, Liau, Fang Yee and others, just to name a few. 


But this time, there are a lot of friends who are not back too - like Teo KP, Guojun, Yee Tsemin and so on. 


I'm still under this headache. There are 2 weeks more to February 8. And indeed, it's truly confusing. 


This time, it's more about decisions, you choose what story you want to live. It's confusing. 

CNY or Australia?

What a dilemma. The doors are reopen again. Should I join the group to visit the remarkable place, or just stay here with the old friends who are promising to give me lots of love and comfort? 

Wires

We're like the wires.
How ironic. We only care about ourselves though we're connected to each other. 

Anyway, there was rain for 2 straight days in Sabah. It's refreshing. The cold Siberian winds truly gave me a sense of serenity here. 


Sadly, I apologize to the ones who were affected by the flood. 

Blog Under Renovation.

Please be patient as Your.World.Pixelated is currently under renovation. Your patience is appreciated. Harap maklum. 

And there. So many stuffs to do. 


1. Find a Blogger template
2. Edit the HTML
3. Making some finishing touches. *partially done*

4. Replace the header. 
5. Add back the widgets. *almost done*

6. Relinking the bloggers. 


Sorry for any inconveniences caused.

Nuffnang Contest: LG Chocolate - Why I Like It Longer?

Well, since Nuffnang launches such a great contest with a great chance to own a state-of-the-art touch phone, the LG Chocolate BL40, why not I give it a try? 


And yes, this one, when compared to the recent price phone of Nuffnang, the Samsung Corby, it's  L  O  N  G  E  R  instead of being  w  i  d  e  r. And yes, being longer means a lot of things!


Being Longer means....more convenience!


With the LG Chocolate being longer, it does give people a great impression that this supermodel is going to give a lot of comfort and functions to its owners. 


It's going to accomodate more apps and functions, and oh! Not forgetting a more convenient web browsing experience if you go online with this gadget! 

Yes, with this babe, I can view my best friends' blogs EVERYWHERE without complaining that the screen is freaking small. 

Viewing photos, messages and movies will be more lively, specially if you view it landscape. 


Besides
Being Longer also means....more longevity!


In conjunction with LG's slogan, "Life's Good", I got a feeling that LG's gonna give more in this phone. Well, in order to have a good life, you need to have a long life! Agree? 
And yes, this concept surely symbolizes what a good and long life should contain - lots of experiences, knowledge and wisdom! 

Recreated for the contest. Not an ad. 

And I bet Feng Shui masters like Lillian Too will recommend such a phone as Chinese New Year is just around the corner. Who knows if I own this "long" phone, I will have a   l   o   n   g   e   r   life!


Good inspirations to celebrate and welcome the Tiger year, huh? :) 


Being Longer, too, means more memories to recall. 


Phones nowadays are not just for communication, they are more like people's diaries and a form of storing memories, as modern phones nowadays are fitted with image and video capturing devices, a.k.a. cameras. Well, with the LG Chocolate's HD widescreen, viewing photos will be a more remarkable experience, specially when you want to reflect to the happy times with your friends, relatives or family! 


And yes, I do miss my wonderful times with friends. Obviously, you need a larger screen to reflect back to the moments, right! Well, 4 inches is more than enough! xD 

Last but not least
Being Longer, means more attention!

Recreated for the contest. Not an ad. 

Well, even Lady Gaga says it so. So guys, be sure you get one of those for the ladies' attention! Like the saying "Silver is the new gold", being long is the new "big"! Well, LG Chocolate is designed to be longer for one great reason - appeal!!! Definitely, this supermodel phone is going to be more than just a technological disco stick! 


Same goes out to the ladies! 


Anyway, it's today's trend and yes! I like it to be longer! 


Conclusion - Let's just face it. Long is the new "big"! And that's why I like it   L  O  N  G  E  R  ! ! !  Being long means new trend, new appeal, and more longevity!  

P.S - Remember, don't plagiarize others' ideas people! If you want to win a contest, do win it with ethics :) Yes, the proud way of winning. Photos are accredited from various searches, particularly from Google Images! Videos from Youtube. "Ads" were done with Adobe Photoshop CS3 + a little bit of my advertising mix from my mind. 

Bejeweled Blitz On Facebook :)

Mafia Wars is my current favourite Facebook game at the moment, but it lacks something - the game only involves clicking! You'll only click without feeling the fun when you play a job, fight someone, making attempts to get a bounty, etc. 


So, whenever I spent all my jobs and stamina in MW, I leave the app and check my friends' status before I head myself into Bejeweled Blitz! Well, Bejeweled Blitz is a game where you were given a set of "jewels" in different colours and shapes and you have to arrange them into 3 in a row/column in order to get points. There many other similar games like this in Facebook, but I prefer BB because it has a time duration of 1 minute, making it competitive and thrilling! 

The ways on scoring. 

Anyway, I began playing this during the last semester of FICM, where most of my coursemates competed against each other to be the top on the scoreboard. And I can say, the best ones were Isabelle, Anna Tai and Christine. Mindy is also another great performer in the game,too. 


What amazes me is these bunch of elites are always in top shape every time when the scoreboard is reset. Some can even reach 500K, all just within 1 minute. The best I can only perform is 280K, sadly. 


By the way, I also realized that is the girls who always top my scoreboard. There is one even reached 600-freaking Ks and I was really flabbergasted with her results. 


Anyway, my tips to score high in this game:


1. Firstly, you need good scanning reflexes. The jewels can be very confusing if they are stacked together. So, do a few warmups before attempting to break the record. 


2. Second, you need the essence of luck. You need to score more 4-in-a-rows and Ts or Ls. 


And do remember....


3. Decision-making is also vital, specially if you have to make your move within a split second. That will also affect your final score. You'll understand when you play it. 


LAST BUT NOT LEAST


4. To the girls, you got advantage on this. Make sure that your profile picture is appealing enough to distract your male rivals :) Same goes to the boys, take gorgeous photos :) Distraction is one of the keys to win your opponents in the scoreboard. 


Recommending you guys to try this game :) It'll be better if your friends are in it, so that there will be fun competitions in it. 


P.S - Congrats to Lance Bong and May as they are now dating! xD Saw that in Facebook. 


Who will be joining the LG Chocolate contest, by the way? 

Things Will Be Brighter Within The Next 3 Weeks

The decision has been made and sadly, the trip to Australia has been delayed. 


But I'll rejoice that I'm able to celebrate CNY here :) 


Meaning, I can see Fadhlan, Cayenne, Kah Kee, Hui Hwa, and many more before leaving back for KL in Feb 21. Then I'll be waiting for 11 more days for the new semester. 


It's just a short update, though. This has been an unproductive holiday. Sigh. 

"Oh! Good." 

Does that sound like a compliment? Or it just shows that the person don't care?

Spirituality Is Real

Don't worry. I'm not a ghost yet. I just make this photo to look as if my "spirit" is detected by some paranormal electromagnetic device. Shutter speed: 8 seconds, edited with picture noise, B&W. That is how you make this out of a blur photo :)

Oh ya, make sure your camera is fitted into something stable like a tripod in order to achieve this. You need a clear background, otherwise everything will be blur. Viewer's discretion is advised, as this post is about supernatural stuffs. 

My parents returned home 2 days ago with lots of humours and stories to tell during their 3 weeks stay in the National Heart Institute. 


And a bizarre thing happened in one of the stories. 


It started out something like this. I was told that moments just before my dad entered bypass operation, he claimed he saw his old relatives that had passed away, asking him to join them. But thank God he eventually went through the operation successfully. 


And that's not enough, the other 2 patients that were warded with him also faced the same thing. One of them saw some visions that he was talking to Dad and his own wife, and after he looked away, both of them disappeared. My late grandfather, who left this world peacefully 6 years ago, also claimed to face such supernatural stuffs. There was once when he told Mum that he saw a child in the ward room, but there were only 2 person in the room at that moment - he himself and Mum. 


In National Service, I even knew somebody from KL who is able to see spirits around the camp areas. 


Some may say it's only hallucination. Some may argue that it's something else. According to a pastor, she said that these people were having near death experience (NDE) - a realm between the living and the dead. If you are weak in spirit, then you'll be joining the dead.


I believe that life is more than just being born, growing up, graduate from education, earning a living, and have children. If the supernatural realms are real, then it will affect your viewpoints about life tremendously. 


Today, most of our views of life are distorted by the media and the society, making us to only think about achieving materialistic success. What if you achieve your goals? Do you feel worth it? Do you think that there's something more significant? 


You may not believe in this "paranormal" event. Of course, there is no scientific proof that spirituality is real. The best evidence is when you yourself feel it. We are still young, thus we still need to seek more understandings of life. 

Bandar Sri Indah (BSI) Anglican Vision School: Through My Lens

These assorted shots were photographed and edited yesterday during the BSI Anglican Vision School dedication service. Instead of "covering" the event, I prefer to check on the landscape and scene over there.


A brief background on the school: This school is one of the many mission schools in Malaysia, and is one of the many projects of the Diocese of Sabah. Well, before this school was built, our church had financed and monitor the St. Patrick Anglican Academy and St. Patrick school. 

Hmmm....this sounds like a warm-up to cover the new Taylor's campus when I begin Sem 2 this coming March.










Panoramic view outside the school.











B
Believe it or not? This bell is used since the 1960s - my parents' school era.

Might be putting up more pictures of the school. But to the old St. Patrick schoolmates, do you remember her?



Yepp, Pn. Chew - one of the morning class teachers you wouldn't want to mess with. She's once our disciplinary head before Mr. Chua took over. And now, she is the new school's principal.


And to the Vision School students - do abide the rules and complete your assigned homework, or else.....

you'll be ending up in this room. :) muahahhahaha......

Last but not least, my dedication photo for the event. It's not much, I just tweak the best of it. :) 

We're Actually On Common Grounds, Why Still Fight?

You know about the recent headlines of Malaysia's newspapers nowadays - Three churches had been submerged into arson in the Klang Valley. And that caused an outrage among the people in this country of mine.


Yes, I am a Christian and a Malaysian, and sadly speaking, I felt affected by it and I am U.P.S.E.T. and sceptical as these events of infamy happened at the same time where the "Allah" issue was reheated around the news.


I won't comment much on the arson, but I want to speak something out important.


Regardless any religion, we do have a common ground. It's just that we have a lot of differences, and thus our views on others' religions are distorted, and filled with sectarian misjudgements. Most of us don't even fully understand our own religion. I quoted Noreagaa's words on these:

"It's easy to unite against others, but can you find it easy within yourselves to unite among yourselves?"
Note: Noreagaa is the founder of the Wake Up Project and producer of the infamous "The Arrivals" series in Youtube - a 50 episode series (each of them 10 mins long) composed to forewarn Christians, Muslims and Jews about the coming of the Anti-Christ/ Dajjal.



We both have declared that the Prophet Isa p.b.u.h./ Lord Jesus respectively as our Messiah, we have the same story of the Apocalypse, with the same enemy to face - the AntiChrist/ Dajjal. Why are we divided among each other? Why we still fight though we know we have a common ground?


WAKE UP! We have a spiritual war to fight against the evil ones. 

The Daily Life of A Complainer.

They say society is sick. One of the reasons is crystal clear: People love to complain. As I observed the people around me, they complain not just because something goes wrong. 


And thus, I created a fictional character to sum them up. 


The chronicles of a complainer in a weekday, all in dialogues, (in this fictional scenario: the complainer is a 25 year old employed man.) Vulgarities may appear ahead, viewers discretion are advised. 


Morning:
As he wakes up:
"Shit! WTF la, need to work. The same work, same boss, same salary, din change."


As he drives to his office @ 6am:
"MCB! Traffic jam! Faster la you stupid turtles."
"Diu la. Overtake and hon me for what?" *Hon the fella back* 
"Oi! Green light la, apek!" *hon hon*


As he reaches his office:
"What the hell la! New tasks again? FML, I hate my job!" 
"What kind of decision is that? Crap idea!" 
"This Amy ah. Want to backstab me ah?"


After 4 hours of work, he took a rest.


When he reads the news of the day:
"WTF la! Condom price up again ah? How to enjoy safe sex?" 
"Aiyo! Sugar naik harga. How to cari makan? Government's brilliant plan again la!"
"1Malaysia? Who cares ohh!"
"Stupid robbers. Rob banks also dunno. Die on the spot only."
"Terrorists again! Only know how to terror us only" 


Sports news?
"WTF? Liverpool lost again ah! Torres cannot play better ah?"
"CHELSEA! Why lost to some noob team?"


Entertainment news and songs?
"Aiya! Why this artist go date this kind of girl?"
"What kind of stupid song is that? This band sucks!"
"Sing so bad one horr, why become artist?"


Lunch?
"Kee xiao la the food. Not so nice one. 
"Why the seat so feakin' dirty?"
"No air cond one ohhhh, sial!" 


Another 5 hours of working, and he's done for the day. 


As he return home, he faced the same traffic jam.
And when he returns, he surfs the Internet. 
"Si beh du lan ahhh!!!! Internet slow! Screw you, Internet!" 
"WTH! Download damn slow"
"LAG!!!!!! Do something la government!" 


Surfing Youtube...
*spamming like a troll*
"Your vid sucks la!"
"Screw you! Wasting my 5 mins only"
*!#%$^$%$##!@@!@$#@$#@$@#$!!!!!!*


With the bills on his table
"Aiyo! Tax ahhhhhhhh!!!!! Pokai ah!" 


Going to the streets?
"Idiot people! Design stupid stuffs just to be shown to the public?
"Why One Utama is so dammmmnnnnnn big ohhh! Cannot walk finish AHHHHHH"
"The lights so dark here one ohhh. How to see?"
"Dumb la that fella. Dress like that show people ahh." 


And last but not least, when he sleeps.
"Shit la the pillow. Why so damn hard?"
"Why I can't sleep for tomorrow? Sial..."


And this is his complains highlighted in a random weekday. 


Back to this scenario. This bunch of people, they not only complain because something is so wrong, as you can see that. To the things that don't affect them real much, they complain to show their sense of intelligence. In other words, they want to seek attention from other people. 


Every time I faced this bunch of people who complains things that doesn't affect them a lot (e.g. other people's fashion style/ entertainment gossips/ political heat/ some other issues that don't matter on them ), I tend to feel a lil' bit of annoyed. If you complain, why not give some rational suggestions to curb the problem?


Complaining doesn't change things, and you will not learn anything from it either. It only just shows human ignorance. If you want to complain, do it constructively. Otherwise, people may just think that you're just another attention seeker. At the same time, cherish yourself and appreciate whatever you have, rather than judging others and critic them irrationally.  

Google Nexus One

"Sorry, the Nexus One phone is not available in your country".

Aww....hopefully it won't be another iPhone fiasco, where the Apple phone was officially released in Malaysia one year after it's main release at the rest of the world. 


Looks like iPhone is going to face another giant contender. From the beginning, Apple had faced challenges from Nokia, Samsung and LG as they released cheaper touch phones for people who can't afford the more expensive iPhone. 


Google has revolutionized the Internet lifestyle a lot. Now that they begin investing in phones, do you think the mobile world will change? 


I'm still satisfied with my Samsung Corby. I no need an iPhone as I feel that I have it edi, haha....

2010: New Hope, New Challenges - Are you ready? :)

Are you ready to take on the new world around you?  


A November 2009 picture taken while mountain hiking with Bazli, Fadhlan and Angela at the peak of the Lim Man Gui hill. 

Current Feeling

I'm just not okay. This holidays is really screwed up. Hope there's turning point. I really need it.