Lines of Communications

Commemorating Sila’s birthday on the 29th, we have here a series of screencaptures taken from Skype on Atok Irfan & Alya’s computer in Sitiawan The proliferation of the internet and its communication applications has been one of the most amazing things to be invented in the last decade or so. I remember in the early 90s, when my sister’s vacation was over and she had to return to the States, it was the saddest time ever for me. Nowadays, or at least the last couple of times Sila and Vin were  on their way out of here, I was all like, “Going? OK, see ya when you get home.” So here are Alya, Alya’s Mom and Dad in webcam view. Alya catches sight of the webcam and is intrigued. Perhaps it tastes good. Grab the sucka! [[image:alya-skype-jan2009-01.jpg:Incoming flyer!:center:0]] [[image:alya-skype-jan2009-02.jpg:Attempting to acquire target:center:0]] Who are these strangle people crowded in the […]

Continue reading

Allie’s 6 Month Birthday

It happened! Last Thursday, January 22, 2009 (also Yong’s birthday, happy birthday Yong!), Allie was six months old! She is filling her (and our) waking moments with giggles, squeals, chuckles and lots of love. She is an excellent hugger and cuddler, but hasn’t quite yet mastered kissing, and she can be quite the babbler. She still enjoys tossing her toys overboard and making us pick them up for her, and she is getting quite good at manipulating toys, books and such. Vin’s and my glasses are rarely without her fingerprints on the lenses somewhere. Some biggies: she rolled over on her own steam! Yayyy!! She can practically sit on her own (we need to help her balance a little but she holds herself upright quite well). We are done with the stories of Ambrose Bierce (the Civil War short stories turned out to be too disturbing for us) and we […]

Continue reading
Sathyaseelan, Koh Kuan Wong & Gnanapragasam

Objects At Rest

Comrades, some since Standard 1 in ACS Sitiawan way back when the town had one main road running into it and there were swathes of rubber trees between small clusters of houses and stores and buildings. 20 years after I officially left the school, it’s time for another gathering in Sitiawan, this one precipitated by none other than Chinese New Year. Apart from Gnana, Sathya and Alvin, I haven’t seen this bunch for at least 18 years or so. Coincidentally Alvin and the Chipmunks was playing on Star Movies or Cinemax or whatever they had running on TV. When we arrived it was just beginning. We left just after the credits rolled. In between, we talked of old friends and old times, some of which shall not be reprinted her for posterity’s sake. 😉 There were lots of laughs too. Perhaps more gathering of the old crew should be planned.

Continue reading
Modelling with the squiddies

The Exercise of Vital Powers

Another month, another new year – making this the third new year in two months. What’s a new year – especially Chinese New Year – without a vital trip to the nearby FELCRA seafood restaurant, as previously seen in this entry from a couple of years back. As usual, the highlight of dinner is the fried calamari a.k.a. sotong celup tepung. The crew depicted above is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the squiddies. However, Irfan is easily distracted as shown in the following photo. When the stingrays were done, Irfan fed its gristle to the cats, who as far as we can tell appreciated the food. Above, Ain happily shows off the batter-fried calamari, which is the best we’ve had the pleasure of tasting. The dinner commemorated group of three birthdays and one anniversary, some of which had just passed and some has yet to come.

Continue reading
Irfan drinks everyone's drink but his

Intersections in Real Time

The counter ticks up for Ain every year on January 22nd, which makes this the thirteenth year I’ve been around her to hear the counter tick. This year also marks first year Irfan contributed to his mother’s birthday card. We, including Cik Ma and Cik Su, travelled to The Mines to consume some chicken at Kenny Roger’s Roasters. However, there was a chicken shortage there. So instead we invaded Nando’s instead for some peri-peri chicken. In conclusion, I loved the peri-peri sauce and Ain did not. More for me! Happy birthday, Irfan’s mom.

Continue reading
On the floor

And Now For A Word

We interrupt your regularly unscheduled pogrom (you know the one I’m talking about) to bring you the latest news. It’s more of a picture of where I’m working, rather than the news. It’s a photo of where I’m currently working from… at this moment… while monitoring stuff. Now that’s roughing it. Also, don’t ask how I’m connected to the interwebs.

Continue reading
Sector 2814 & Sector 674

The Corps is Mother, The Corps is Father

Roll call for the members of Green Lantern Corps that appeared in the pre-credits teaser of the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode “Day of the Dark Knight!” I’ll bet Green Lanterns Bzzd (a tiny fly-like alien), Leezle Pon (a super-intelligent smallpox virus) and Dkrtzy RRR (a sapient abstract mathematical formula) are also present but invisible to the naked eye in the scene. 🙂 Notes: Droxelle – I’m not certain if that’s her. RRU-9-2 – At first I thought it was Stel of Sector 3009, but this robotic GL has larger shoulder pauldrons and the U-shaped recess behind the Corps emblem on his chest. There are also a bunch of other GLs in the background that I couldn’t identify. Bonus point: Kilowog calls someone “Poozer”.

Continue reading
Working on the first school homework

Moments of Transitions

In anticipation of Irfan’s schooling days, we bought a new desk for him, which came by pretty cheap at Carrefour. After hauling the furniture, allowing it to percolate for 2 days before assembling it last weekend, Irfan finally had a Homework Desk. However, he didn’t seem too interested about it… until his first homework was assigned. Comparing with some of his photos in the rotating, blue-tinged header images on this blog, it seems like he’s really changing fast from being a little kid to a big kid. We see him hard at work, in the picture above. He learned what the colour ochre looked like just minutes earlier. After his homework, he planned on doing his Ben 10 jigsaw puzzle which is current favourite activity. He’d already done it twice before working on his homework. But before he could start on the jigsaw puzzle, there was a knock on the […]

Continue reading
The Geometry of Shadows

The Long, Twilight Struggle

With preschool ending last year, it’s now time for Irfan to experience actual public school education, warts and all. Waking up earlier than he is wont to, Irfan took a bath, suited up and had some breakfast to eat, namely some freshly fried noodles. The previous night he tried togo to bed with wearing his tie. Unfortunately, he fell asleep at the table before he could even grab a bite: Then he rides down the elevator where the car awaits to take him to school. (Of course I had to drive the car, not him): He kisses his mother goodbye in his class before saying, “Mom. You and dad can go home now.” : During the assembly, it’s not too difficult to spot Irfan in the crowd. It’s like he’s surrounded by Nelwyns: We very much hope at this point he won’t captured by brownies, accosted by trolls and incinerated […]

Continue reading