When you buy a product, what are the expectation you should be having? An awesome user experience using the product. When I decided to go for wireless mouse in 2008, I bought those cheap mouse, ranging from RM40~RM60. After the few months usage, it fails. That was when I rant it to Jason not long ago. He told me to go straight for the best. It shall last me few years. I took his advice and opted for the Logitech Anywhere MX. The one with the dark field where it can go through the glass and yet still functioning.

It comes with the USB Unifying port. Logitech decided to consolidate all their devices into one receiver, rather than having different receiver for different devices. It was a noble idea. In fact, I very much agree to it given that the USB ports on the notebook not enough. Last year, the USB Unifying receiver start to giving me some problem. Unable to detect all sort. I gave up and change to another Unifying receiver which I had at home. A secondary receiver for my wireless keyboard also from Logitech.

Towards end of last year, the second started to fail. Left with no choice, I got to go search for replacement. It was pleasant to see that the Logitech online store do sell the USB Unifying Receiver. To my dismay, it was only available in the US region. Thus I called up the Sales Office in Malaysia.

Logi Computer Peripherals
(Malaysia) Sdn Bhd A-F-02A, First Floor
Perdana View Condominium
Jalan PJU 8/1, Bandar
Damansara Perdana
47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor,
Malaysia

Again, it let me to disappointment where there is no one picking up. Kind of a letdown. I resorted back to the online support and finally after a few weeks of waiting, the support team reverted telling me I should be getting a replacement for my USB Unifying receiver. Thanks to Woah for the support. I believe this should be because the mouse I am using comes with 3 years warranty? The UPS parcel was sent out all the way from Taiwan. Wow…!

My question to Logitech would be why we can’t get it in Malaysia when the company direction is to promote Unifying and Harmony to consumer market? Being in a principal company myself, I do understand that we need to have a certain market coverage before able to bring in the replacement. Since most of the devices are powered with Unifying, I believe it should do just to bring the USB receiver for the replacement market. Unless judging from the sales point of view, if everyone go for the USB replacement, what will happen to the new devices? Sales will be definitely affected one way or the other.

This leads me to believe that Logitech as a global company believes that a good customer care. Especially from a consumer point of view.

If anyone from the Logitech reading this, please take it as a letter of recommendation to Woah [Incident: 111224-002943]

Thanks!

In 2012, I will be making my thirty mark soon in nine months time. I don’t know what come over me but i had a feeling. Something came over me and I had a pondering time. I looked back at my life. Sort of a flashback of my life but not that significant as I was facing the life and death situation.

It was somewhat how I felt. People come to this Earth to do their things before their time has up. What are the lasting contribution one has to make for the next generation. Deep inside me I was feeling a little uneasy.

Then I began to ponder about those people around me. People that was once in my life. Now, they are no longer. Either by my wrong doings or how I mistreated them. There are times in my life that I was such a mean person. A bad crooked person. We make mistakes. I did.

To come out with reasons to justify my actions was very simple. Just pass the bucket to others. This should not be the case. I am truly blessed with these people coming into my life. Short it was but they were the smaller force that shaped who I am today.

I admit there were ups and downs in our walks together. The bittersweet memories that we shared together. I thanked for your presence in my life. Even we aren’t talking anymore, I wished all the best for you.

Yours Sincerely, Dale

January holds the turning point in me. First I moved to new house. Great neighborhood. By October, got to know some awesome neighbors who willing to cook you a meal whenever he is available. Where to find! I was also changing my job after 5years with former company. It felt good when finally walk out from the comfort zone. The new territory was scary but it worth the try. It wasn’t a good choice to jump into a Singaporean company but indeed it was a blessing n disguise when I joined a MNC in July.

February was the Chinese New Year. Not long after that I had a major accident. A victim of careless driving and surprisingly Snoopy was caring enough to understand. Nothing happened much in these few months until May.

Snoopy was giving both of us a chance in March. To date we are going strong. <3. Work was getting stale and was hunting for jobs. It seems that period was the lowest period in my life. By end of June, I left that Singaporean company. Glad I was enjoying my mid year holiday too.

I joined the Netherlands company in July. What can I say. First of all, the shocking experience when in a MNC. The differences in culture and management. Great company, nice lot and awesome colleagues. I love it here. I guess I will enjoy the stay here.

I had great time this 2011. I see many of my brothers got hitched. Daniel, Jerald, Mex and Darren. I am truly happy for them. Some was a proposal to his gf and I am glad I was there to make an impact. To me, life is short. And it’s not often we got the chance to be friends, bonding for brotherhood and that we need to cherish. I am blessed with friends like them. Not to forget my brother Jason. Without him, I won’t be able to get into the Netherlands company.

Wingz and Kok Foo played important part in my life these recent years. Especially this year. I learned that sometimes wealth mean nothing when you need to forsaken the relationship. Why severe the ties? Just for some wealth you can’t bring with you? We reap what we sow. So we should sow a good relationship. Love. That’s why I rather stay true to my friends. After all, these great men walk in when others walk out.

That’s why the presence of light can only be felt when there’s darkness engulfing. These people in my life where there for me when I am at my darkest moment. It wasn’t fun but it was surely an eye opening. In few hours time the year 2011 shall come to an end. Then we shall embark on the new journey in 2012.

I wished anyone who read this….a happy new year. Remember, it’s going to be a good good year.

Overcoming the Hurdles in Life

Earlier this year, I told myself these are the few things I am going to sit it through. I guessed I wasn’t ready for these list then.

1. G.O.O.D.
It is still a continuous progress. Slowly, I shall inching there. It’s just a matter of time. Somehow I think this will ended up rather the same every year. Well, it’s a big project & big resolution. What can I say?

Pick up new instrument
It didn’t turn out to be true with tons of commitment here and there. So, instead of picking a new thing, I am opting for a next step. Grade3. *cross fingers*

Home System for audio and visual
I can hold it back for another year or two. Unless I can get Santa to give me one since I have been a good good boy this year.

A new lappie
Another similar and slimmer version. Can get tax exemption or not?

Bring mom on a flight, not fly her kite
Her list of clients forbid her from traveling. Should keep it in mind to arrange it again next year.

Annual Reading? 2011 seems to be a slow year. What Jonson said might be true. The mind was closed and wasn’t ready to accept the information flowing in. What’s for my 2012 resolution? That I need to do after the New Year’s Eve. Besides, doomsday in 2012 Dec 21 right?

Now, they (my uncle and aunt) wanted to relocate two of my nieces to study in Bukit Mertajam. The reason given was that these nieces of mine can’t study as long as they are in KL. Bullshit! The are few other reasons and I know exactly what is in their mind. They want to send them away from KL so that the kids can’t meet up with their mother. Yes. The parents are separated. Secondly, no one is managing the well-being of these kids. Everyone is busy with their own things. Not even the parents.

Coming to that question I posed earlier, that the action of sending them away does not bring just. In fact, by now it is too late to undo and undone what has been a lifestyle. The way of living, passed on by my uncle and aunt has deeply rooted in these kids. It might take some time for my cousin to nurture them well. In which, I have my own sharers doubt.

The discussion I had earlier at Stevie’s place was essence of this incident. The home was not a right environment to grow in. The foundation, the base was screwed. You cannot blame the kids for not able to study or doesn’t want to study. They are what they are today because of the actions the parents, the grandparents and everyone around them instill. What they are today is the byproduct of the actions accumulated along the way.

I don’t know what the kids are thinking but I think I need to spend some time with them. I love them so dearly to think they are being ignored of their feelings.

It brings me back to my first encounter of such kind. It was in 2007 when blogging still at its infant. Few of us (bloggers) were approached to setup a similar kind. A body or board that registering all the Malaysia bloggers. Back then the PPS still alive. Luckily it doesn’t go through. We wouldn’t want to be associated with any political motives.

Now when this CPB appears, I realized the same intentions as previous encounter. Furthermore I personally thinks that the system is created not for crony but also to protect the government investment…. In a good way. I guess the approach to this is rather wrong.

Why I would say that? In year 2008-2009, I was working on a tender for a government project. It was so huge the amount that there were many parties aiming for that chunk of pie. It begins with a proposal to digitize the ministry. So a consultant was engaged. That was way before I joined the company. The consultant proposed an overview and a blueprint of that solution. Then when the proposal got up to the ministry, it was siphon out to cronies. They came back with another
proposal. Similar to the initial proposal but was from different company.

A tender was called. Few months later, cancelled. Then the project was re-tender for the second time. This time it doesn’t go through again. Another intervention. By the third tender was out, it was compiled by a person without background of IT. He was simply cut and paste of all the proposal submitted from earlier tender.

By then, it was awarded to a company which was newly setup. A company without any track record. Most of the pieces of the credentials were borrowed from their sub-contractors. The thing was these sub contractors does not have the required license to bid for the project. For example, any government tender requires the participated company to have a MoF certification. These certification usually means they have to be a Bumi status company.

When my company was approached to work for the infrastructure based on the earlier proposal, my consultant was having the time of his life. The proposal was 2 years old and by then it has been replaced with newer technology. It was no longer valid or make sense to run on the older technology platform. We have to spend a lot of time to provide variations on the obsolete products.

Luckily in then end, the project was called off even they have awarded it to that 2-dollar company. I not sure what happen next because the guy who was the director of that company went missing in action. We even joked that he seems to be exiled to neighboring country.

Still, with this kind of fiasco it make sense that why the relevant parties wanted to have this bill so dearly. First is to ensure their market protected from any 2-dollar company. Secondly, they want to make it harder for smaller and capable company from gaining an access to these projects. This is just a roadblock to certain decent company and it is a huge roadblock.

Imagine that you have to hire a CCNA, CCIE or whatever Cisco, SAP, etc… That already cost oh a bomb. Any private corporation nowadays require their vendor to be certified in any of their field. Likewise, even I was able to advise and consult on the design on the network infrastructure, I still need to engage my vendor who are certified in their field to support as well as be involved for the design & deployment.

Coming back to that CPB, I am strongly oppose the bill. In fact, I believe there could better way to manage it. Nonetheless, we need to consider the national interest especially when they have MyIX deployed or for example the network infrastructure of the KWAP. =p Or else there will be another wikileaks.

Lets hope for the best and pray for the worst. We all gonna die!!!!!!!!!!!

Being the usual us, we doesn’t feel right if we aren’t ok. Usually we will reply ‘Good’ or ‘Ok’. Else, we might even say ‘Nothing’. Typically we will just take it as it is as it is often easier than digging for the truth. Sometimes, it even takes a lot of effort to pry their mouth to tell what’s inside their mind.

People smile when they want to cry. Often to hide themselves behind the wall. Their mask. They laugh when they actually want to scream and shout. We pretend like nothing is wrong just because we don’t want to face the truth. Moreover, we don’t want others to know what’s deep inside us. A shell of protecting ourselves.

When things go bad. I often try to tell myself that it’s okay. Shit happens. We are not in control of everything. Yes, we can plan but let the Lord take the stewardship and sail our course. Things are not always rainbows and butterflies, sometimes you gotta scream and cry your anger and sadness to the world, because you can only hold it in for so long before something in you snaps.

We can’t control what is happening around us most of the time. However we can often control how we react to things. I told Snoopy that I only know that I need to do what I am suppose to do. I can’t control what you will do nor I want to do take control of your every single action and reaction. Everything begin with self.

When things happens, don’t put up the fake smiles, it’s ok to not be alright.

So there is this man, going at the peak of his career cheated behind his wife. Reason was simple, he hang out with the wrong crowd. His peers are the dodgy joint goer. He get along well with his peers and soon, hook up with the working lady there. It then continued with the phone calls, text messaging. Sort of sneaking around.

Wife found out. Drama ensued. The in-laws comforted the wife. Patch back the marriage. A new life begins. It was as nothing has happened. To put these all behind, the couple decided to leave this country for a greener pasture. One year down the road, they came back. The business venture died. Money lost. It was a disaster.

Resuming the what supposed, the husband and wife had jobs. The bad economic situation has affected their lives. Few years goes by. The husband lost faith and no longer motivated to make a decent living. It seems to be a daily motion. Routine tasks while the wife putting all she had for the family. The wife wanted to improve their standard of living rather than going through the motion. Along the way, there are some guys hitting on the wife. Temptations. Separation for a while. Then they patch back as like nothing happened.

A few years gone by then. The wife can’t take it. Decided to call it off. Husband has no say. The paper was signed. Now, all I get to see was the random music video on my Facebook wall. The husband couldn’t get back up. He was defeated from the very beginning.

In the beginning, I thought I wanted to write about the cheating in marriage. Ended up I was feeling devastated to see the husband this way. A man lost his sight. If you look upon a man, look up in his value system first.

He kept talking about the putting his head on the chopping board. Taking risk and so. It makes me think for a while.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
— Mark Twain

Then on Friday night, I was out with my client drinking. He told another guy about taking risk. Of his man to put up his neck of having to keep a certain level of stock. Whether it will go through or not that is all together another matter. His point was he want his man to make a mistake. It’s fine as he can bear with his man mistake. He took a calculated risk and he look highly on his man to perform for his man never make a losing money deal. Just that he plays too safe.

“Progress always involves risk. You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.”

Like they say, if we want to progress ahead we need to take a risk. At least a calculated risk. That way, you can minimize the losses. The quote above really do make sense. In my recent venture, David told me that I need to risk by pulling a plunge. Taking this entire thing into my own hands. Not that I haven’t thought about it before. It did. The point was I have too many to lose by taking that risk. However, I also do agree that nothing ventured nothing gained.

There is always a choice to be made. The question is which path will lead you to growth. If there is no way you can change or grow then that choice should not even be considered.

So I urge our Malaysians to take a risk putting our lovely country into a stranger hand. Of course I do think they are the lesser of two evil. Maybe not. We don’t know. There’s always a risk right?

What are you risking today?

Somehow, since the morning I kept thinking about the chili padi incident. The memory of hanging out with my dad when I was just a kid. Our favorite spot to go was Chow kit since we stayed in Setapak. So it was just few stops away. I grew up fancy the mushroom pan mee, Hankyu Jaya, Batu Road and what not. Those were the place I go for my Chinese New Year clothing.

It was sometime in the evening during one of the weekend my dad brought me and my sister there. After the shopping, we ended up at a Malay stall. Back then, my dad like to frequent these place for food. It was located outside the Batu Road. The place wasn’t brightly lit. Just decent enough. Anyway, dad ordered Sup Ayam to share. Me and my sister drank the soup leaving some of the onion leaves that were sliced into smaller pieces. Together were also the sliced green chili padi. Since it was alike and blend in, my dad couldn’t differentiate them. He assumed it was all sliced onion leaves and finished them.

My sister and I really thought, “Wow… dad is so cool. He can take the spicy and hotness of the chili padi” Just as my dad put the bowl down, he took my drink, scoop the ice and placed into his mouth. He asked us why we never told him there’s chili padi inside. Well, my sis and I can only laughed back then.

Thinking about this, it makes me miss him more dearly.

Jalan Chow Kit

It is the time of the year, marking the 11 years of his demise when he finally lost the battle against cancer. I miss you dad and I love you.