Truly there are difference when one kept a journal. In my case, a blog per say. Looking at the archives since January 2008 till December 2008 which contains the parallel blog @ frostier.net, I learned that 2008 as it seems yet another year passed.

Quarter Life Crisis

During the first quarter of the year, things were aplenty to mention about apart from the General Election. Along the way was the Together Gather Party 2008 which failed to kick off due to commitment issues. Glad that it is finally up and running, with new committee members in place.
The second quarter gave me a fair share of shit. At least I painted it this way. I began to undergo what people called it ‘quarter life crisis’. Comparing to some very successful people, I am still nowhere to be found. Am I still searching for my true self, a question that I pose to myself unanswerable?

QLC

Tracing back my posts, I realized that I am not a bad writer myself. Through these posts, I rediscover myself and my thought processes. If it not for the blog, I never knew that I had once look at the life and its beauty in this perspective. This is totally awesome. When we recount back the trials we had been through, these phases we might call it, “striving, hurting, missing and even happiness”. Watching the movie In Pursuit of Happyness reminds me that everything in life is just a phase. It is part of the plan.
Still, when today my kheh mak tagged me over the facebook I read the note she left. It was heartwarming post that filled my eyes brim with tears. The love. Her love. Reminds me how I miss his presence at this moment in my life.

And as I go along the archives for 2008, I realized that I make a lot of friends. Online and offline. Far and near. Different kinds of them. I get acquaintance and the bonding starts. I found the brotherly love that I found amiss among my blood brothers. Perhaps the age gap and distance had it between us. This has been a truly blessing in disguise and for the first time, we went out lepaking @ Centro and for the International Extreme Autoshow in Bukit Jalil. Thanks dSaintx.

Brother

I have attended funerals, weddings, birthday bashes and even reunion in this 2008. Throughout these events, I reflect it upon myself how I want things to be like. With that, I begin to open up a new chapter of my life. I wanted to start fresh again by dropping off this old hizecool.com blog and move on to frostier.net.

Wedding Dinner

I read books that I never think I would. I found strength and courage; inspirations and determinations. I see myself differently. Whom a person dSaintx keep saying I full of emotions that I am being. Yes, I agreed to the max. With all these in place, I am able to feel hurt, pain and aghast. Nothing can be done but to endure. Only endure.
“Endure, master Bruce. You can take it” – from the Dark Knight

In the final quarter of the year, frostier.net was truly my haven. A few old posts were removed and some minor changes on the outlook of the blog. It was to make it cleaner and simpler. Hence, it is no longer a “crying child” as translated from hizecool but struck it as my own identity. Even that the last week someone over the ucpro commented that my nick sounded gay. Who cares when I have lived with the nick for years?

World Cyber Games

I was so down that I needed something more to remind me of life is not just about my own personal stuff but rather, the whole. The final quarter of the year had it coming. I had seen it coming and knew it is going to hit me hard. Went on few road trips just to put things behind but I learned that it is not that simple. You still need to face it when you back to reality. It is the same kind of shit. Just different places. At the same time, I had a kick of reality. How to deal with things when it turn out never be perfect? Like the fiasco of hotel booking, submerge in the sand and stuff? That is when we laid back and laugh at own misfortune. It is great to have friends like this. It bring the best and the worst in us. It built characters.

Friends

Recounting the days, I turned out to be grumpier and much hostile when the whole turn into the pieces during Ryan and Connie pre-wedding dinner night. It was my birthday that day and it was mid-autumn eve as well. Fairly to say it sticks with me till now. I have to let it go. It seeps into every single cell and killing me softly.

Wedding Registration

and when you think, the worthy of your causes and how to inspire you to act you need something far more greater, far more bigger. You begin by search within. What happened next is you wanted something for yourself. You owe yourself something. A dramatic life otherwise not even the actors want to be part of it. If Huei you are reading this, yes… camwhore with you if you coming for the next meeting.

Cake

As to end the year of 2008, attended Daniel and Jamie wedding dinner on the New Year eve. Everyone I knew barely asked me where am I going to celebrate and ushering the 2009. Simple. With my Latkyoks, we started the 2009 with everyone getting drunk. Bottles of Hennessy VSOP were emptied as the clock ticking strike 12 midnight. I wanted to get wasted so much that I fear of losing control. Knowing that it is not nice having to troubles the brothers to get me home, I contained myself despite the fact that I have all the valid reasons to do so. It was the second time that my request goes unfulfilled. It was my bros big day and there is no ‘I’ agenda that day. Bros come first.

Nibong Tebal

With that the year 2008 has ended. It was a closure which gives me a hanging ending. At least much more better way for 2009 to start with.

The unwritten ones
I recalled the day when I was having a TT with Francis. He asked what my achievements in 2008 were. I told him that I have no idea and probably no achievements since I had no resolutions for 2008.
The best thing is that he had a great view of things. Through him, I came out with some ups and some downs.
the ups
• started to pluck some strings
• getting a much decent means of transportation
• getting the new communication device over from a friend
• get to know more friends – from blogs, utopia and facebook
• able to take more alcohol inside my bloodstream
• more road trips (Cameron, Kuantan)
• minor promotion plus minor increments (have to mention since my ladyboss checking me on my facebook/blog nowadays and hope that she will increase more this year)
• kheh mak adopted me
• managed to read some books (cannot remember how many)
• got my first paycheck from adsense (April 24th)

the downs
• unable to start pirate radio station
• failed to get tgg2 to kick off in 2008
• getting called noob in dota still
• failed in buying a house
• pp, 916 and schemers plan failed

Given the above, I would say Year 2008 is a good year. Not bad but Year 2009 can be better. At least that by looking at it, I knew the ups is more than the downs.
So thanks for everything 2008, and Goodbye.

And Hello 2009!

As we moving towards hedonism, there are more celebrations, countdowns, whatever that these people can get. So, as we are ushering the upcoming 2009 some of my friends asked where to go where the crowd is but there shall not be any traffic congestion.

The truth is these crowds and traffic congestions are inseparable. Live with it. A good friend send me a press release stating the road closure around the city centre of Kuala Lumpur.

I myself will be going to my buddy wedding dinner tonight which is located at the city centre. For those who wanted to get a copy of the press release from the police traffic, do click here

Woot. 7 minutes to strike 4am in the morning, when my mind suddenly playing the song “4 In The Morning” from Gwen Stefani. I could not sleep yet. Practically still sober and wide awake after watching the movie “WANTED” taken from Caine in his house gathering.

Time to put up some snapshot taken from the International Extreme Autoshow, which I try to make believe it is a typical scam event.

In the event to test the protected post against the more features, it might be futile.

let just see how it goes.

more…

Holiday. Good thing this holiday I have jam packed events and activities. Thanks to my brothers…

Speaking about it, a trip to Kuantan proved one thing. Friends come and go. But the memories they brought along is to stay. With CKYeo came with me all the way to Kuantan, I ended up 0-1 versus Cherating.

The next day back to KL, I have another open house to attend to. Due to the previous mischievous act, I have to foot for the chicken wings bill. Eve, do get the money from me. Just in case I forgot about it. thanks.

Waking up sober the next day, I rush to meet up with Wei Bing to work on some of his stuff. By 12 noon, I headed to International Extreme Autoshow. A scam event that got nothing to see. Malaysian modified car? Perhaps I go too early. Ben, next time we go at night sure got stuff to watch. Malaysian do not come out on a hot sunny afternoon.

Since I got off between the IAE and Pre-Wedding Dinner for 3 hours, rendezvous to Rock Cafe located near Sunway University for a quick Dota (CM Mode) with the usual gang from UCPro. I became ultimate feeder. Nuff said.

During Pre-Wed Dinner, we ought to finish twenty over cartons of beers. Hick! Hick!

Now, just in between the Daniel Jamie wedding reception and the togethergather2009 party meeting, I take this short chance to do an obligatory update. Else people might think I am not a consistent blogger.

… cannot get the pictures/photos up. Later.

Sitting here alone in the midst of the breeze cooling night, with occasionally listening to the ah beng in their “wiralution” breaking the silence of the night.

With the century old Jacky Cheung cd playing as background, I am wondering about the movie I just watched not long ago. It was the Get Smart starring Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway. It is just a DVD I took from Ivan when I dropped by his house this evening.

I have been sleeping the whole evening and wake up with something worth mentioning. I think the dream had its hidden message. I cannot even recall what I am dreaming of but rather a message pretty obvious inside my head.

Jotted it down in a notepad, it reflecting on the William Shakespeare famous sayings,” Life is nothing but a stage. And we are all actors in it” Hence, it is okay to be a drama queen or drama king. Sometimes when we choose the path of our choice, there is no right or wrong. I always there to believe that the moment we make that choice, it ought to be the best option we have at that particular moment. That spilt second thing. Of course when we looked back and to ponder that matters again, we might one asked ourselves why we decided on it back then. Often, we tend to forget that particular moments there were various factors or shall I say variables that constraints our choice making options.

So if I were to walk down the path of lesser, it should be the best option I ever had. Being it a drama king or just plain ol Joe, I would say it is for the best. We only lived once. If my own personal life is not that dramatic and entertaining as I wanted it to be, then there shall be no more reason I keep looking forward for the next sunrise. I shall not want to be part of this life. Neither had I wanted to life to see another day. If I ever to look it that morbidly, it should because I lost focus.
On the other hand, I am grateful that Tad came to my blog and commented on the post “making one counts” as I learned from him that it is crucial to make a lasting contribution. How did I make a lasting contribution? I have yet decided but I shall let those that know me to say something about it at my funeral. I am pretty sure that these people I cherished over my life will make a beeline to get their fair of chance to talk about it.

While having enough of procrastinating and pondering over the issue here, it is very important for me to get my ass to work on the upcoming tender submission. Tomorrow will be a very hectic day for me.
As this post reaching its own ending, I would like to end it with a simple closure.

When I begin to understand the role I am playing, I know that there is no NG and only take one. Play it with great pride and no regret. An actor whom had the script knows the ending and what is coming ahead. It is a challenge and always bear in mind that the role has impact on something greater and significant.

I echoed thoughtfully, - “The Man most man
Works best for men, and, if most man indeed,
He gets his manhood plainest from his soul;

While obviously this stringent soul itself
Obeys the old law of development.
The Spirit ever witnessing in ours,
And love, the soul of soul, within the soul,
Evolving it sublimely. First, God’s love”

“And next,” he smiled, “the love of wedded souls,
Which still presents that mystery’s counterpart.

Sweet shadow-rose upon the water of life,
Of such a mystic substance, Sharon gave
A name to 1 human. vital, fructuous rose,
Whose calyx holds the multitude of leaves,
Loves filial, loves fraternal, neighbor-loves

And civic, - all fair petals, all good scents,
All reddened, sweetened, from one central Heart! ”

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s works

Happy Birthday Dudes. *back date to 11/12/2008*

Why ? The reason was three of them, their birthday fell on the same year, same month and same day. Coincidentally they are in same secondary school. Used to be classmates and what not, friends.

I never did anything for them, collectively so the other day I was pretty down myself. I learned that in order to feel good, one need to share. Making other happy and only then you will be. So I guess that will have to do with giving out present.

I then searched high and low at the Mid Valley City to look for suitable presents for them. Was in fact looking for the presents that can link the three guys up, in a way literally. From the Ground Floor way up to the Fifth Floor, I was unable to find anything until I saw a kiosk. It was selling tees.

taken from lowyat

Tees for Picasso

Look see look see, ended up talking to the sales girl and she managed to convince me to get three tees from her. I thought it look plain till I decided to ring Cassie up. She suggested she can put the name on the tees, with much to my delight.

Here’s the outcome. Except for the Ivan. Been hunting him down to pass him the tees but always manage to escape from me. But he promised me next week, he will come out and have a drink with me.

Birthday Tee for Wilson, Sam and Ivan

Wilson with his tee

Sam with his tee

I just got back from Zeta Bar, I log on to my MSN Live Messenger when the first message popped up from my colleague.

C (Caine) : So late.. what time already?

f (frostier) : Just got back from the dinner and Zeta Bar. What is up?

C : See why you so late and no need sleep.

f : heh. How about you?

C : I am testing out the rubberband with Sam’s on it.

f : huh? *i believe i read that from the MSN window.* reads again….

C : I am testing the broadband with sam’s unit.

I almost thought that the two of them were on it, with the rubber and on MSN. Perhaps live webcam broadcasting? Hehe. Anyway, we were then talking about the tattoos and stuff while I am blogging this post.

At the same time, my schoolmate IM-ed me. He was asking me if I will be attending his wedding dinner if he invited me. I told him that if he inviting me, I am surely be there. How about be my brothers to pick up the bride? If you wanted me to be part of it, I am gladly obliged. Then he added it will be in Sg Petani, Kedah. I only said, “I am ok”

That is what we do right? The code of brotherhood.

It has been the last 12 hours since the incident. I still could not forgo that issue. After watching the movie Bolt at the Pavilion KL, we left to collect our cars located at the Level 01 car park. As usual, we need to make the payment for the car park via the automated machine placed at few strategic places.

Pavilion Christmas Decoration 2008

As I took the escalator down, behold the automated payment machine in front of me. As we walk towards the machine, there is a couple was in front of us. They were making the payment as he inserting the ticket. The screen displayed RM8.00. The guy wearing a white colored polo-T, at the height of 168cm do not have the small amount change of RM1. He got 4 notes of RM1 while the girlfriend have only 2 notes of RM1. She wanted to insert the RM50 note into machine but stopped by the boyfriend. We overheard that the boyfriend mentioned about the machine giving out changes in 50 cent coins. How to carry?

In a country like Malaysia where we promoting courtesy and hospitality, this guy was doing the Uncle Murphy Law. It was totally the opposite. Instead of withdraw the ticket and allow us to go ahead first, he was standing there waiting for the girlfriend to call another friend to bring the small change. At that moment, the look at the boyfriend face … )*&^%$#@$#%$%

I wanted to beat the daylight out of him, literally. Given that the girlfriend was apologizing and really felt bad for hogging the machine, his expression like he own the mall. When the friend came, the first thing he did was to shove him a note of RM10. Again, the boyfriend talked in hakka dialect whether the friend have RM1 notes or not. He was again complaining about the coins and stuff until the friend searching high and low for 2 notes of RM1.

When they finally did with the whole damn thing, for God sake they are like coming from the jungle. Probably from Seremban. My instinct always correct. Yes. It took us extra 10 minutes watching the entire drama. Like I had not enough from the Bolt, I wanted to see the so-called boyfriend hero drama.

As they left, we were condemning literally about the asshole who think today the automated machines still dispensing the coins for change. Not all. Not all. Most of these machines nowadays capable of dispensing the notes. We inserted RM10 and get back RM1 notes in change.

Again, I wanted to borrow a quote from Ck, “Sky Keep You Lar”

As i am preparing to leave the house, i was cleaning up my car. Discard the rubbish from the car. Suddenly i was approached by a man. He seems to be in a quite hurry. I looked about where he came from. He was riding the motorcycle. I took a look at the direction he pointed and saw a lady carrying a baby. He told me that he was in a hurry to the clinic or something. Need some extra cash. Specifically needed rm34. I obligate and gave him the money he wanted. He promise to return the cash by tuesday. I gave him my name card. Only if he will return the cash. Or it could be a scam job. Not sure but always to look the best in others.

As I stumbled upon the article from wired, I was fascinated by the things we often take it for granted. In this case would be the DNS engine, BIND9.

In June 2005, a balding, slightly overweight, perpetually T-shirt-clad 26-year-old computer consultant named Dan Kaminsky decided to get in shape. He began by scanning the Internet for workout tips and read that five minutes of sprinting was the equivalent of a half-hour jog. This seemed like a great shortcut—an elegant exercise hack—so he bought some running shoes at the nearest Niketown. That same afternoon, he laced up his new kicks and burst out the front door of his Seattle apartment building for his first five-minute workout. He took a few strides, slipped on a concrete ramp and crashed to the sidewalk, shattering his left elbow.

He spent the next few weeks stuck at home in a Percocet-tinged haze. Before the injury, he’d spent his days testing the inner workings of software programs. Tech companies hired him to root out security holes before hackers could find them. Kaminsky did it well. He had a knack for breaking things—bones and software alike.

But now, laid up in bed, he couldn’t think clearly. His mind drifted. Running hadn’t worked out so well. Should he buy a stationary bike? Maybe one of those recumbent jobs would be best. He thought about partying in Las Vegas … mmm, martinis … and recalled a trick he’d figured out for getting free Wi-Fi at Starbucks.

As his arm healed, the details of that Starbucks hack kept nagging at him. He remembered that he had gotten into Starbucks’ locked network using the domain name system, or DNS. When someone types google .com into a browser, DNS has a list of exactly where Google’s servers are and directs the traffic to them. It’s like directory assistance for the Internet. At Starbucks, the port for the low-bandwidth DNS connection—port 53—was left open to route customers to the Pay for Starbucks Wi-Fi Web page.

So, rather than pay, Kaminsky used port 53 to access the open DNS connection and get online. It was free but super-slow, and his friends mocked him mercilessly. To Kaminsky that was an irresistible challenge. After weeks of studying the minutiae of DNS and refining his hack, he was finally able to stream a 12-second animated video of Darth Vader dancing a jig with Michael Flatley. (The clip paired the Lord of the Sith with the Lord of the Dance.)

That was more than a year ago, but it still made him smile. DNS was the unglamorous underbelly of the Internet, but it had amazing powers. Kaminsky felt drawn to the obscure, often-ignored protocol all over again.

Maybe the painkillers loosened something in his mind, because as Kaminsky began to think more deeply about DNS he became convinced that something wasn’t right. He couldn’t quite figure it out, but the feeling stuck with him even after he stopped taking the pain pills. He returned to work full time and bought a recumbent stationary bike. He got hired to test the security of Windows Vista before it was released, repeatedly punching holes in it for Microsoft. Still, in the back of his mind, he was sure that the entire DNS system was vulnerable to attack.

taken from wired, things that I have learned from this incident are not limited to the advancement of the technology today but also how dependent we are on the network itself.

As I am blogging this post, I just recall that I miss out a lunch meeting with a customer of mine. It slipped through my mind. Severely. I ought to make a call the following week to reschedule the lunch appointment. Luckily it was not fixed.

I need to sleep.

Michael Learns To Rock - 25 Minutes

After some time I’ve finally made up my mind
she is the girl and I really want to make her mine
I’m searching everywhere to find her again
to tell her I love her
and I’m sorry ’bout the things I’ve done

I find her standing in front of the church
the only place in town where I didn’t search
She looks so happy in her weddingdress
but she’s crying while she’s saying this

Chorus:
Boy I’ve missed your kisses all the time but this is
twentyfive minutes too late
Though you travelled so far boy I’m sorry your are
twentyfive minutes too late

Against the wind I’m going home again
wishing me back to the time when we were more than friends

But still I see her in front of the church
the only place in town where I didn’t search
She looked so happy in her weddingdress
but she cried while she was saying this

Chorus:
Boy I’ve missed your kisses all the time but this is
twentyfive minutes too late
Though you travelled so far boy I’m sorry your are
twentyfive minutes too late

Out in the streets
places where hungry hearts have nothing to eat
inside my head
still I can hear the words she said

Chorus:
Boy I’ve missed your kisses all the time but this is
twentyfive minutes too late
Though you travelled so far boy I’m sorry your are
twentyfive minutes too late

I can still hear her say…….

In the attempt to draft a blog post, I could not make up an opening but rather to begin with …”after some time, I have finally made up my mind….” which leads me to copy and paste the lyrics up again.

It is just because I have few ideas to blog but again as I have shared before that I am the ultimate procrastinator. Been pondering for some time now. I do not know what I want to blog about finally. Either to rant about a recent incident at work whereby there is a guy in the group finally give up the tough battle.

On the other hand I notice that this evening when I went to have dinner with cousin and my mom, the maid was required to wait till we all finish taken our dinner only then she can dine. Is it because this is the norm and the hierarchy? I wonder….

I am dead tired. Mentally and emotionally. Drained well enough.

Taken from John C. Maxwell

On the first day, God created the dog. God said, “Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes by and I’ll give you a lifespan of 20 years.” The dog said, “That’s too long to be barking. Give me ten years and I’ll give you the other ten back,” and God agreed.

On the second day, God created the monkey, and God said, “Entertain people, do monkey tricks, make them laugh. I’ll give you a 20-year lifespan.” The monkey said, “How boring. Monkey tricks for 20 years? I don’t think so. The dog gave you back ten, so that’s what I’ll do, too, okay?” And God agreed.

On the third day, God created the cow. God said, “You must go out in the field with the farmer all day long, suffer under the sun, have calves, give milk to support the farmer. I’m going to give you a lifespan of 60 years.” The cow said, “That’s kind of a tough life you want me to live for 60 years. Let me have 20 and I’ll give you back the other 40.” And God agreed.

On the fourth day, God created man. God said, “Eat, sleep, play, marry, enjoy your life. I’ll give you 20 years.” Man said, “What? Only 20 years? I’ll tell you what, I’ll take my 20, add the 40 the cow gave you back, the ten the monkey gave you back, and the ten the dog gave you back. That makes 80, okay?” “Okay,” God said. “You’ve got a deal.”

So, that is why the first 20 years of our lives we eat, sleep, play, and enjoy ourselves. For the next 40 years, we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next 10 years, we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. For the last 10 years, we sit on the front porch and bark at everybody that goes by. You have just had life explained to you.

“Don’t let other people put limitations on you.”

It was 10 past 1. I just woke up from the sleep and was hungry to the fact I slept throughout the evening skipping my dinner. Attempt to login to the Internet but futile since the U-Mobile go corrupt on me. Damn it.

Called a friend. He told me he is leaving soon and I decided not to join him but sending a sms to CK. He was online at home after returning from watching the SMM Dota competition at the Berjaya Times Square Kuala Lumpur. Knowing that when I making him this offer, it is always an offer that he cannot resist. I asked him if he wanted to go for supper? Note that I placed KFC for supper. He replied and the rest was history.

We on our way to the first ever KFC outlet in Malaysia. It is the famous KFC located at Jalan Raja Laut. I am confused by the statement that said the first outlet was at Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman. All I know that this outlet has been operating 24 hours since I was young. For many years.

As we devour the pieces of chicken, CK and I commented about the history of Chow Kit. It seems no one really knows the history of Chow Kit and what it meant. Hence, a little wiki manage to provide the update on it.

Chow Kit is a sub-district in central Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is located around Jalan Chow Kit (Chow Kit Road) and is enclosed by the parallel streets of Jalan Raja Laut and Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman. It is named after the tin miner and municipal councillor Loke Chow Kit. Today the area features a large Indonesian community, and more recently, a small African community. It has a daily wet market known as Bazaar Baru Chow Kit which is arguably the largest wet market in Kuala Lumpur.[1] It also features a night market also known as Bundle Chow Kit along Lorong Haji Taib which is known for the sale of used clothings and accessories.[1] Chow Kit is also known for its red-light district as well as for its nightly gathering of transwomen. It also used to be a popular haunt for drug addicts.[2] The Chow Kit Monorail station is situated in this area and the PWTC LRT station is located nearby.

The police withdrew their beat base in Chow Kit in late 2008 on the grounds that the presence of criminals and contagious diseases was a danger to police officers. [3]

Flashing back 20 years, it used to be majority of Chinese community here with the establishment of Hankyuu, Batu Road Complex and stuff like that. I used to hang around after school with Josepha at his parent apartment till late night. It was located next to the Chow Kit Wet Market. It was the residence for the firefighter. I recalled i got punished by dad for coming home late one time.

Back then whenever my mom or dad brings me to Chow Kit, we definitely will walk to the stall behind Hankyuu for the “pan mee”. Till today, it is pretty hard to find the rich flavor soup “pan mee” and it is still boiling the moment they serve it. Hot, mind you.

It was a funny topic because I start to realize that our education failed us. Miserably because we failed to learn to study in depth, about the history. Be it the leaders, places, and what so ever. Just that when I was in that KFC outlet and you look over to the opposite, you will see the old cinema complex. It was the breathtaking moment when you recall back the May 13.