Birthday post 2007

Time flies and its another year.

Normally I will compose a short poem to commemorate this day as well as to motivate oneself with a clear objective for another year.

My poem for this year birthday:

Marching forward steadfastly,
Filled with inner renaissance and youthfulness,
Creating unlimited glorious triumphs each moment!

Again, you will find that the theme of the poem lies with being Youthful & Advancement. Received lots of SMS wishes, Friendster's comments and messages, MSN messages plus phone calls wishes. Thanks a lots to all my friends. Wishing all of you a happy and nice day too.

In addition to a colleague who share the same birthday with me (he used to sit beside me for almost 2 years), today I found out that there is another colleague within the same department also sharing the same birthday with us. 3 persons within the same office celebrating birthday together, not bad right.

Birthday post 2006 and 2005.

My wish list is:
World Peace and A Culture of Peace!

There is an ongoing exhibition entitled: "From a Culture of Violence to a Culture of Peace: Transforming the Human Spirit" currently being held from 1st to 16th September at Wisma Kebudayaan SGM, 243, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-2141 2003. For more information, logon to the website.

Being busy lately

It has been quite some time I did not update this personal blog. Most of my time are spent on the other blog - My E-commerce.

Its already the end of week 13 of the May semester. Tomorrow will attend the Convocation Ceremony of my students. I have lost count of how many times I have attended convocations since my last personal's convo in year 2000.

Next week will be a great week to challenge - Merdeka Day performance is at its peak. Watch out for Gymrama's performance on the 31st August night, live from Stadium Merdeka. That's what I'm been busy for the past 2 months. Of course, I'm am not the one who is performing on the field. I'm part of the working committee team. There is a blog on the whole project - Project 50 SGM, where photographs of the practices were posted. Its a really good blog to describe the project in a pictorial format as well as in editorial formats, from beginning to its latest updates.

Happy Convocation!
Happy Merdeka 50!

Winning Badminton Team Gold Medal

1st ever Inter-department badminton competition was held on Saturday among colleagues. It was a fun day and time during the badminton competition. There were 3 teams competing in the competition namely Accounting Department, Management Department and All Starts Team (consisted of Finance, Marketing, English and Faculty office).

The format of the competition was each team will play each other in the round robin format before the top two meeting again in the final. There were 5 pairs of doubles game namely 2 mens doubles, 2 women doubles and 1 mixed doubles.

Group matches results were Management beat both Accounting and All Stars, while Accounting won their matches with All Stars. Thus the two team of Management and Accounting met in the final.

In the final, Accounting department team won by 4-1 against the Management team.

I'm played for Accounting as the 2nd pair of mens doubles. During the group match against Management, our pair lost but we managed to beat the All Star players. In the final, we managed to revenge our earlier defeat by beating the Management players with straight sets.

Although it was a tired day, but it was fun to have lots of colleagues participated in this event. Kudos to the organising committee for all the hard works.

MASUM 2007 Table Tennis (4) - Training and 1st Day Group Matches

Another round of light training was held in the morning at the competition venue, Dewan Utama, USM Kampus Kejuruteraan as for the players to get themselves acclimatised to the competition venue.

Light training at the Dewan Utama, USM Kampus Kejuruteraan.

The first match involved UTAR team was the Men’s Group D match against Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) which UTAR won by 5-0. The format of the competition is two singles games, followed by a doubles game and ended with another two singles games. All our players won their matches.

1st singles (left) and 2nd singles (right) matches against UTHM.

Doubles (left) and 3rd singles (right) matches against UTHM.

4th singles match in progress.

(Left) Full support was given by all team players during the matches
(Right) A group photo of UTAR and UTHM Men’s players

In the same group, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) received a walkover from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), which did not turn up for the competition. Both UKM and UTAR are heading the group with a win each.

The ladies team was having a rest day as their matches were scheduled on the second day of the competition.

Next entry:
MASUM 2007 Table Tennis (5) - 2nd day group matches

Previous Entries:
MASUM 2007 Table Tennis (3) - The day before the competition
MASUM 2007 Table Tennis (2) - Journey to Nibong Tebal
MASUM 2007 Table Tennis (1) - Pre-Competition

MASUM 2007 Table Tennis (3) - The day before the competition

Kompleks Sukan, USM Kampus Kejuruteraan

The team managed to have a light workout at the Sport Complex in the morning for almost 3 hours as the actual competition will only starts the next day.

Light training in progress.

It was a small venue as there were only three tables available in a small room with a few teams sharing the facilities. The setting for the main venue will only be done in the evening.

At first, there was only a team practising at that moment. We managed to get a table for the team to practice. Later, players from other universities such as UTM and UM also joined in the practice in this humid small room.

Light training in progress.

However the practice was abruply brought to an end when the campus was experiencing electricity blackout, which lasted for more than 9 hours, starting from 12.30pm until 9.30pm.

Under such circumstances, everyone was still able to maintain spirit as we gathered at the hostel’s cafeteria for our meals.

Posing for the romantic torch-light dinner.

A romantic group candle-light (torch-light) meal was experienced during the dinner as the electricity failed to be restored by then. Players from other universities were seen leaving the campus by their own university buses to destinations unknown to us before we realised that we were the only group of people left behind in the dark campus.

The team continued with their team talks and discussion for the next game tomorrow. Once the electricity was restored, everyone went back to their respective rooms to have an early rest.

Elsewhere in Wembley Stadium on the same night, Manchester United was defeated by Chelsea 0-1 in the FA Cup Final 2007 by a late Drogba's goal after Giggs goal was disallowed. Anyway, I'm neither Chelsea nor MU supporter. So this result wasn't excite me at all.

Next entry (coming soon):
MASUM 2007 Table Tennis (4) - Training and 1st Day Group Matches

Previous entries:
MASUM 2007 Table Tennis (2) - Journey to Nibong Tebal
MASUM 2007 Table Tennis (1) - Pre-Competition

MASUM 2007 Table Tennis (2) - Journey to Nibong Tebal

The team departed from Pudu Raya to Nibong Tebal on the 18th May (Friday) afternoon by public transportation. It stopped at the Jalan Duta Station to pick a few more passengers before hitting the North South highway.

The journey took about four and a half hours (4 ½ hours). Although it was a long journey, everyone was in high spirit and excitement as they were looking forward to represent UTAR for the first time in such competition. The bus driver treated us with a comedy movie first - Mr Bean, before showing a horror movie - Jangan Pandang Belakang.

It was already dark when we reached Parit Buntar Bus Station. We decided to fill up our stomachs first. After our dinner, we took three taxis to USM Engineering Campus which is situated about 15 minutes drive from the town. Upon arriving at the campus, we checked-in immediately and had an early rest. I spent another 30 minutes cleaning up my room as it was a bit dusty before hitting my bed.

(Left) USM Fakulti Kejuruteraan (Faculty of Engineering)
(Right) The MASUM 2007 Table Tennis banner

Next entry (coming soon):
MASUM 2007 Table Tennis (3) - The day before the competition

Previous entry:
MASUM 2007 Table Tennis (1) - Pre-Competition

MASUM 2007 Table Tennis (1) - Pre-competition

As mentioned in one of the post earlier, UTAR table tennis men's team emerged as the Gold Medalist and ladies' team won the 4th placing during the recent MASUM (Inter-Varsity Games) 2007.

Here are the detailed stories part-by-part on the preparation and experiences encountered during the MASUM 2007.

We started with the pre-competition first before moving on the actual competition, highlighting each groups matches, quarterfinals, semifinals, 3rd & 4th placing (ladies) and final (mens). The 1st part relates the pre-competition.


Pre-Competition: (February 2007 to May 2007)
Table Tennis Competitions were organised at each faculty, FAM (Sg. Long), FAS & FICT (PJ) and FES (Setapak), prior to the MASUM to unearth talented players during the months of February to April.

Players from each faculty who performed well during the Faculty’s table tennis competition were then being invited to participate in the centralised selection process, which was conducted at the Petaling Jaya Campus. A total of 12 players were selected comprises of 7 men’s and 5 ladies.

Players (Ladies):
1. Kan Zu Jane (FAM) - Team Captain
2. Kok Cai Ping (FES)
3. Teh Teng Sim (FICT)
4. Tay Ai Shan (FAM)
5. Yap Yin Yee (FAM)

Players (Mens):
1. Tan Cheng Keat (FAS) - Team Captain
2. Tan En Yi (FICT)
3. Tham Chee Hui (FICT)
4. Kan Yew Joe (FES)
5. Lee Wai Kit (FAM)
6. Seow Yen Ming (FAM)
7. Lim Nah Teng (FAM)

Centralised Training (Setapak Campus) 15^th - 17^th May 2007.

A 3-days centralised training was held at the Setapak campus prior to the departure for the MASUM from 15^th May to 17^th May 2007.

Raring to go for the competition!

Part 2 - The Journey to Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang.

Bianca Ryan - a professional 11 years old.

Introducing the winner of America's Got Talent 2006 - Bianca Ryan. Fantastics voice and professional performance for a 11 years old.

Pirates of the Caribbeans 3

Watched this movie at the comfortable GSC Cineplex at the 1U new wing.

It was a nice and entertaining movie with lots of comical and exciting story line. Jack Sparrow with his insanity and funny expressions, the little monkey and the parrot, Chow Yun Fatt's plus other pirates chief antics during their 'round table' discussion were enough to convince me that I have no regret selecting this movie.

Worth of watching it. For those who haven't watch it, give it a try and you will start loving Jack Sparrow, William Turner and Captain Swan.

And I also love Simon Cowell from American Idols. Watch this performance and I really sure that it will blow you up beside seeing Simon smiled - http://youtube.com/watch?v=i0dzZTPWrSM

Sunday night in city center - Terrible jam

Can you imagine that KL was so jammed on Sunday night? And it was 11.00pm. Of course, this was true as I was stuck in the jam after a heavy downpour around 8-9pm.

The notorious flash flood hit a few places but I got stuck at the infamous Jalan Tun Razak. there was flood in front of the Maxwell school. Well, students coming back from their holiday will be greeted with surprise visitors - MUD. Then the underneath tunnel before the SMART tunnel was closed - I guess it was flooded too causing a long line of cars up to National Library, may be.

The is a report of flash flood in KL in today's TheStar.

This is where I got stuck - Jalan Tun Razak. (Photo from TheStar)

Surprisingly, after entering the SMART tunnel, it was a smooth drive all the way to Bandar Sg. Long. By the way, I have been using SMART tunnel for 8 times since it started it one-month free trial. Coming Friday 15th June, a RM2 toll will charged for the motorists, very much lower than what has being anticipated earlier.

New Template, New Layout

How's the new template and layout? No intention to change but somehow just want to upgrade the blog to the newer version. So, I decided to change the template and reorganised it a little bit.

I will put up more post in this blog soon. In the mean time, you can visit my E-Commerce blog.

Beat Box from Worldwide Idols

Thanks to rojaks that I got to know about Beat Box - is the art of vocal percussion using one's mouth, lips, tongue, voice and more to create drum beats, rhythm and musical sounds.

Need examples? Here are a few video clips from YouTube.com.

This is from French Idol - Joseph BeatBox.



This is from Australian Idol.


This one beat box with Flute.



Anyone can do this here in Malaysia?

Blood Donation - 6th time

Yes! Today I donated 450ml again at the Bandar Sg Long campus during the blood donation campaign. This is my 6th time. I wrote an entry during the 5th time donation previously.

Duration taken for the donation was short and everything was completed very fast. After the donation, went to cafeteria to have a tea break.

Well, I did trying to encourage my students to go for this campaign. At the end of my class today, I asked my students whether they are interested to have a cup of milo later. Some did ask whether its on me. Of course I replied yes. Just go down to ground floor, follow the 7 steps listed and upon completion of the 7th step, then a cup of hot milo will be served! That's the blood donation campaign.

New Semester - May 2007 & Ping Pong Champ!

Today is the beginning of a new semester - May 2007.

This semester I will be lecturing E-Commerce as well as tutoring Managing Information in Financial Services (new subject for me). Looking forward for all these classes especially the 1st lecture and tutorial session.

Last semester was enjoyable because I had 3 subjects - E-Commerce (Year 3) , Managing Information Systems (Year 2) and Information Systems (Year 1). Managed to meet up with a bunch of nice and happy students.

I was away for almost a week from 18th May to 23rd May to accompany a group of students to the Intervarsity Games (MASUM) in USM, Engineering Campus. I will write more on this topic on the other entry but just a quick note - our Ping Pong's Mens managed to win the GOLD Medal and our Ladies team was fantastic to clinched 4th place. Bravo and Congrats to them!

UTAR Men's (GOLD) & Ladies (4TH) Ping Pong Team

There will a blood donation campaign from today (Monday 28th to Thursday 31st May). Thinking of going to donate my blood for the 6th time. My 5th time was during November. Come , lets us go together to help those in need!

Happy New Year 2007

Hi all,

Although it is a bit late to wish all of you Happy New Year 2007, guess better late than never. It has been quite some time I didn't blog here. Well, I can give all sort of excuses but save it for this time.

Things are getting more challenging now at work and study! Happy blogging for everyone!