The E & O Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony 2011

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Philip

Another tumultuous year has zipped by and before I knew it Mazeta was asking me to accompany the E & O Nightingales for the annual Christmas Tree lighting ceremony on December 1. Of course there were a few changes—we have a new boss, signor Marco Battistotti (who gave a rousing welcoming speech), we had the Chief Minister of Penang pay a surprise visit and he also gave a brief speech. The Nightingales had different personnel from last year, and the guests adjourned to the new Sarkies in the new Victory Annex after the choir thingy was over. I would like to thank Mrs. Fong for kindly loaning me a Yamaha PSR-E423 keyboard, because I can guarantee you one thing never changes as far as this event is concerned—the cacophony produced by the guests reaches stratospheric levels. It’s all in good fun and this event does herald the beginning of the festive season for the hotel. I lugged along my Canon 550D and Speedlite 580EX II to take some pictures. The first picture above is of the glorious Christmas tree on the morning of December 1. I shot this using bounce flash from the 580EX II and again words fail me—I love my 580EX II.

(Below) Here I am, posing with my Yamaha. I’m a wee bit underexposed because Eugene (the photographer) doesn’t know how to use AE-Lock on my Canon. He’s a Lumix guy, duh!

(Photos below) As usual I snuck into the Bombay Shop before the choir sang and took some pictures of the beautiful items on sale. Setting the 580EX II to bounce flash gives all these pictures a soft, natural look.

(Above) This year’s choir was splendid—they belted their hearts out and had a good time. A guy with an EOS 60D was present so I asked him to take some pictures of us. Fill-in flash saves the day, otherwise our faces would be in shadow.

(Below) Another picture of some choir members and myself. We were in a more relaxed mood now that the ceremony was over, ha ha.

(Photos below) No lack of beautiful women either, heh heh. The shot immediately below was taken with the ever-beautiful Beatrice (aka Mrs. Saxon. Mike, don’t come after me) and the following shot was taken with the lovely Marilyn and Mazeta.

After the event was over the choir members and myself adjourned to a restaurant for some dinner. It was fun and here’s looking forward to the next December 1!

The WLM Story

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Philip

Oh how I wish I had WLM (Windows Live Messenger) while studying in the States in the early eighties. I remember how I used snail mail to correspond with my parents. A letter would take about ten days (count them) to reach me from Malaysia. If I had something urgent I would have to use my land line to call them (no cellphones in those days) or send a cable through Western Union. Ugh, ugh, and ugh. It would have been nice to have WLM then or even email, at least. I’ve been using WLM for almost eight years and there’s absolutely no way I would give up on it now. So what is it that makes me feel at home with WLM? Plenty.

It’s free. This is a no-brainer. All you have to do is download and install it in your computer, and it’s yours. Period. And while we’re on this, Hotmail—the wonderful program for email, is free too and so much more user-friendly and fast now. And look what comes with the rest of the Live Essentials suite: Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Live Mesh, Writer, Bing Bar, Mail, Family Safety, Outlook Connector Pack, Messenger Companion, and Microsoft Silverlight. You can customize what you wish to install, or install all of them. The choice is yours!
It’s easy to use. Invite your contacts in your Hotmail or any other list to add you to their WLM. Choose your font (or use the default) and type away. If you’re an emoticon lover you’re in for a treat. WLM has a pretty cool bunch of emotes and you can add third-party ones as well.
Video capability. All you need is a webcam and away you go. Talk to your friends and loved ones and see them in a flash. I’m using the Logitech C510 webcam which is a great HD webcam with a built-in microphone. If only I had this in the eighties!
With WLM you have the best of everything. You can choose either to type, to make a voice call, or make a video call. Needless to say these three options aren’t mutually independent. For instance you can still type stuff in even though you’re having a video conversation with a friend .
WLM gives you time to think. In a normal phone call we normally talk. And talk. And talk. Sometimes we do it without collecting our thoughts first. The thing I like about instant messaging is that you can type at your own pace; you don’t have to give an instant reply, and as long as you don’t hit the Enter key your message remains with you (of course once you do hit the Enter key your message is on its way)
WLM allows you to put up a display message. Not only that, you can set your status to any one of these—Available, Busy, or Away. There is one great feature too. WLM now allows you to appear offline to all your contacts, or you can choose specific contacts (very handy when you don’t want a certain someone to know you’re online)
Busy? On the go? Fear not, because you can do the WLM thing on your cellphones and other devices. Just download the Messenger App for your device and it’s easy as pie to chat on WLM when you’re moving around. You can download the mobile app for Windows Phone, iPhone, Android, Nokia, and Blackberry.
What if I encounter problems? Help is just a click away at the Messenger Help Center. There are also plenty of websites that offer help free of charge, like BigBlueBall, of which I’m a staff member. Generally each new version of WLM gets better and more reliable, so much so that you might not require any help at all *wink*
What if I get tired of chatting? Game time then. Choose from a plethora of games to play with your friends when you’re online. You can even indulge in a video call at the same time you’re playing games. Great for really getting visual!
Get all your social updates in one place.WLM can directly connect to Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, Blogger, MySpace, StumbleUpon, Multiply, and a host of other sites. This is so useful if you’re into the social networking thing.

So there you have it. Windows Live Messenger is a godsend to me because it really is a jack of all trades. I can’t wait to see what they’re going to include in the next version!

Time Out

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Philip

We all need to take a break every now and then. So it was with me. I decided to head down to Kuala Lumpur (KL) for a quickie—3 days, 2 nights. I flew this time and stayed at The Gardens Hotel, which is linked to two huge malls: The Gardens Mall and Mid Valley Megamall. I wasn’t planning on shopping—just browsing through the two big bookstores there—MPH and Borders. I really wanted time by myself to think, to contemplate…It was a very restful and enjoyable trip as the following pictures will attest.

(Above) I had a very nice room on the 20th floor, equipped with all the amenities I could ever need. The king-sized bed was very comfortable and most importantly wireless broadband was available at no extra charge.

(Below) The bathroom and shower area. Just look at that huge basin! There were mirrors everywhere for the narcissist in me, LOL.

(Above) On my first night I decided to give Tony Roma’s a try…and I wasn’t disappointed. I ordered the 8oz Fillet Mignon with broccoli and loaded mashed potato with ham, rice, and all kinds of goodies. Washed it down with bottomless iced tea—yeah, I decided to stay sober, heh heh. I was so full I couldn’t order any dessert.

(Below) I requested a morning call at 7 in the morning. After a quick shower to wake me up I headed to the 6th floor for my buffet breakfast at The Spread. This is a very nice all-day dining restaurant; the food was good and the staff pleasant and attentive. I even spoke to Sahadi, a tall girl who was interested in photography but was too shy to have her picture taken. Look at the goodies I’ve availed myself here—guava juice, black coffee, yogurt, some dim sum dumplings, sausages, hash browns, baked beans, mushrooms, and Danish pastry. Needless to say, I skipped lunch and spent the afternoon walking in the two malls.

(Above) I was tired out after doing so much walking so I was looking forward to putting my feet up on this wonderful couch made for one. I then realized that I had to take some self-portraits, otherwise who would believe I was there? My Joby Gorillapod SLR-Zoom came to the rescue. This little fella is ideal when travelling due to its light weight and portability. I know this isn’t my photo blog but I’m going to give you the details anyway: I used my Canon EOS 550D with the Speedlite 580EX II in bounce mode. The little white reflector in this amazing flash puts some catch lights in my eyes. I took around a dozen shots, this one was the most likable.

(Below) A shot of the lobby area in the hotel. I took this handheld without flash, and was amazed that it came out so well. The horizon is perfectly level (yeah, I’m boasting) and at the wide-angle end of my Canon 18-135mm IS zoom lens, it’s pin sharp. The pretty lady walking by was an added bonus!

(Above) Here’s Bel (on the left) from Pakistan and Vicky from China. They both work at Tony Roma’s and I had the pleasure of talking with them. They made me feel so at home I decided to return again for more on the second night.

(Below) Here’s a photo of me and Vicky. Direct flash from my Speedlite 320EX was used since the ceiling was a tad high and dark brown in color.

(Above) Second night at TR’s and this time I’m on to a 10oz New York Strip. The beef was tender and succulent; coupled with my favorite broccoli and a baked potato for a change (loaded with goodies). I had to give their desserts a miss again, I was so full after this fabulous entrée.

(Below) On my third and last day I was so glad I could meet up with Emily, a fellow blogger that I hadn’t met before. She was so kind to take a day’s leave just to meet up with me (thank you, Emily). We headed to Chili’s at Mid Valley for some Tex-Mex food and had an enjoyable time chatting like old friends. I was still reeling from the hotel’s buffet breakfast but I put on a brave front and decided to give it my best shot, ha ha.

(Above) Emily chose the fire-grilled Chicken and Portobello mushrooms while I sheepishly ordered the Caesar Salad with grilled chicken (below) The portions were American-sized, meaning huge! It was delicious through and through.

(Above) We threw caution to the wind and ordered a dessert monster, the Molten Chocolate Cake. Fortunately we ordered just one. Shamefully decadent dark chocolate cake with a large dollop of vanilla ice cream on top, smothered with tons of thick chocolate sauce. Both of us could barely finish this dessert so Emily took the rest of it home. It’d be a shame to waste it, no?

Soon after lunch I had to say goodbye to Emily, check out of the hotel, and make my way to Subang Skypark Airport. Till the next time—arriverdecci, Gardens!

Oasis

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Philip

I decided to check out a restaurant in Batu Ferringhi last night. A few friends had commended on this fine establishment and I was game to expand my list of favorite restaurants in Penang. I originally planned to dine at the Ferringhi Garden (the name of this establishment) on October 26 but due to unforeseen circumstances I ended up here two nights earlier. Armed with my Canon EOS 550D and Speedlite 580EX II I went for it. The restaurant was pretty quiet since it was a Monday night—I didn’t mind though. I was so glad they didn’t have any live band or nonsense like that—the piped-in music was good for a change.

I ordered a Caesar Salad and what arrived on my table was visually alluring and had my taste buds all fired up.

The Caesar Salad was exquisite—it had a hard-boiled egg which looked like a clove of garlic, there were some potato wedges and some BBQ chicken strips. Not to mention the shrimps—yummy. Next up, I ordered the Rack of Lamb but I was so hungry (some things never change) I tucked into it and was about to finish it before I realized I’d forgotten to take a picture, blush. The waiters and waitresses were attentive without being overbearing—my glass of scented water was topped up regularly and I felt very well-treated. I had had a glass of Merlot earlier on in the evening.

For dessert I opted for the Dark Chocolate Walnut Cake with vanilla ice cream. In a word, this was good. There was so much to pick and choose from the menu that I must come here again, heh heh.

After this excellent meal I walked around, taking pictures. The thing I like about Ferringhi Garden is that the owners have spared no expense in giving the establishment a very unique look. Each section is different. There’s an air-conditioned dining area, or you can opt to sit outside al fresco. A mini waterfall and a long pool containing Japanese koi (carp) add a soothing touch to the ambiance. Here’s the lounge area where one could opt for a pre-dinner drink (I can just picture myself with a Merlot) or after-dinner coffee. The warm reds of the sitting area and the nice pictures on the wall truly make one feel at home.

(Below) There’s even an exquisite art gallery tucked away on the second level. I forgot to ask whether the paintings were for sale.

(Above) All the flowers in this restaurant are real. No plastic stuff here.

(Below) I couldn’t resist taking a close-up shot of these cute little teddy bears after paying the check. I chose not to use the Speedlite 580EX II for this; instead I shot with ambient lighting and hand-held the EOS 550D tightly and shot with a shutter speed of 1/15s at f/4, ISO 400.

In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, “I’ll be back.”

Be still my beating heart

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Philip

The smell of fresh yellow lilies lingering deliciously in my suite has remained with me until today, even though the flowers themselves have faded and wilted. They were a gift from a student of mine and it was one of the loveliest birthday presents I have ever received. Flowers are such a marvelous creation—so lovely to see, to touch, to smell. There were moments during my stay when I just set and watched them—lots better than watching the idiot box. They remind me of people whom I consider fortunate to call friend. I am filled with joy to see them, to talk with them, and to touch them. Yet, when they are silent—like flowers they still radiate their own warmth and kindness. We can see and appreciate the beauty in this world only when we still our hearts—by doing this we filter out all the incessant noise that clogs our thinking minds during most of our waking moments. We are so caught up with work, schedules, meetings, emails, blah blah blah—the only time when we begin to appreciate all this natural beauty is when we are lying incapacitated in bed, breathing our last breaths.

I am thankful for life—and the abundance of it. Not the material things (although we need them) but the things that are just present. Each morning when I wake up and open my sleepy eyes I marvel at seeing things around my room, thanking God and the universe for the sense of sight. Thanking my ophthalmologist for his exceptional skills in operating on my cataracts. Being so grateful that I can still move my ten fingers and toes (I need the former to play the piano). The sense of touch as my feet establish contact with the floor—and on and on. Blessings are all around us if we would only stop to look and wonder in amazement and gratitude.

I have learnt so much about this glorious present or Now after reading Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now, A New Earth, and Stillness Speaks. I was really too caught up with the problems and the noise of this world until the essence of these books became etched in my mind. I can’t quite remember but one day I just decided to order them—and I haven’t regretted it. Of course they are books on spiritual enlightenment. Of course they demand that you read them through very carefully and slowly (like learning to play the piano well and not just being a kitten or monkey on the keys) The nice thing about Tolle’s books is that while they are spiritual, they are certainly not religious. Tolle quotes from the parables of Jesus, Buddha, Rumi, Zen masters, etc. but these are all interwoven with precise care into his writings. I would recommend starting out with The Power of Now first, before reading A New Earth. Stillness Speaks is comprised of very short chapters and is simply great for refreshing the soul. I’m not kidding.

Nowadays, I wake up and thank God and the universe for another wonderful day. I tell the universe, “I expect great things to come my way!” Don’t get me wrong, I’m not asking for a windfall in the lottery or stuff like that. Just remember this—blessings come in so many shapes and forms. It could be the smile from a friend, or even a stranger. A check in the mail (thank you, PayPal, for giving me a full refund…yay!) Driving through a whole row of green lights. Finding the perfect parking spot. Reaching home just as the heavens start to pour. Getting a Facebook compliment. Opening the door for someone. Listening to your favorite song. Saying thank you. Getting a cheery text message from someone you love. Etcetera, etcetera.

We all need to take time to recharge, to rejuvenate. Going for a vacation is good (my birthday vacation was superb) but even spending 15 minutes in silence at home (turn off that darn TV) or walking in the garden, contemplating and admiring nature, listening to birds singing, the sound of raindrops falling on your head (ah, Burt Bacharach). Be still—and take in the good things the universe is wanting and waiting to give you.

The Benevolent Universe (Part 2)

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Philip

Today my mom and I went to the E & O Hotel to meet up with Karin Carter, a lovely Australian journalist who is planning to write a book about Penang. Just a normal interview, right? What I didn’t know (oh okay a little bird did drop a hint) was that Karin had a surprise for me, in the shape of a bottle of rum Baileys. I was ecstatic, to say the least. She also included a card that read, “Dear Philip, This proves that I have studied your blog!!” LOL.

That’s Karin in the middle, with me and my mom. Thanks to Eugene for snapping these great pictures.

(Below) Here I am, with my vice, ha ha. I’m a happy camper now. And being the nice guy that I am, I’m going to share it with my friends.

You can call me new agey or spiritual or you can call me nuts, but I believe in this: It’s funny that when you expect good things from the universe, you very often get it.

The Benevolent Universe

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Philip

The more I think about it, the more I believe how interconnected we are—whether it’s people we meet, life situations, our travels, etc. Buddhists have believed this all the time and now physicists can confirm that it’s true. I won’t go into the deeper aspects of this, but I don’t think there’s such a thing as coincidence…things have already been planned for each and every one of us by a supreme Being (you can call it God, Jesus, Buddha, whatever…it doesn’t matter) Sometimes I just like to call it the Universe.

Step back in time to December 2010 when I was really in a depression pit. And God sent along these two kind souls who were visiting Penang all the way from Tucson, Arizona. Yes, I’m referring to Marg and Steve Swink (see picture below). They were featured in a blog post here.

A very valuable lesson that I learnt from Marg is that while it is true that good friendships take time to grow, sometimes someone comes along who just makes you feel good in the blink of an eye. Marg is that kind of person and I’m so glad that we’ve kept in touch all this while. And today this fantastic package arrived in the mail. I was so happy, I almost cried!

My eyes did a double take when I saw the airmail postage—a whopping $36.25USD (RM116)! I opened up the envelope and there was this beautiful gift and birthday card inside.

I opened the gift wrapping carefully (I’m not one of those who tear the wrapping apart like a rabid dog…how uncivilized) and inside were four beautiful calendars. Thank you so much, Marg! I love you. Now I’m going to cry…waaaaaaaah! Although we’re 9000 miles apart, I still feel your presence and your laughter here…take care now.

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