Capturing A Dewy Morning

I've been having fun playing with my new toy. The photo output is in JPEG format, and video output is in QuickTime movie format. The first thing I want to do is to combine all the short videos taken during 'raya' into a long one. Found some useful tips here. QuickTime Pro is required to combine all the short movies. Managed to do that but I'm still hunting for a software where I can add special effects and background sound to my movie.



The photo quality is fantastic. Here are some taken early this morning. Click on the photo for larger image. However, the original photos have been resized so it won't take ages to view them.

End of Ramadhan Thoughts

Drive carefully at all times. Always think of your loved ones. Be responsible parents. Know what your children are doing. They might be playing with firecrackers and endangering their lives and others.



All these reminders are becoming so common that people might have just blocked them out as noise. Yet, we still hear of many fatal accidents and children wounded by firecrackers. Who should we blame?



Should we blame the impatient driver? Or maybe, the slow vehicle on the right lane or on the only lane is at fault? Maybe what you do or don't do can cause accidents to other people. An example would be giving a signal too late when you want to turn at a junction. Other people will speed since they thought there are no reasons for them to slow down. How would you feel if what you do or didn't do causes other people's accidents?



Should we blame the seller of the firecracker? Or maybe the children themselves are to be blame since they know bad things can happen with the firecrackers. They should know better since they must have seen all those children already wounded from firecracker mishaps shown on TV. What is the responsibility of the parents then? Maybe they are too tired with daily chores that having their children playing outside the house is a great relief. Don't care what the children do, as long as they come back in one piece.



So many questions and maybes there. Only YOU know the answer. If you feel at peace with yourself, with whatever that you're doing, and your conscience are clear, good for you. Otherwise, you're existence in this world is a nuisance and I don't think such people are fit to be living in the society. These words maybe too harsh in the approaching Syawal with its spirit of forgiving and seeking forgiveness. But that is what I feel every time when the news of fatal accidents and wounded children are shown on TV. A numbing sadness, robbing the place of the festive cheerfulness.



Lastly, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Aidilfitri and Maaf Zahir Batin. Be happy and be safe.

My New Toys

It has been quite some time since I last write something in this blog. Several things happening in the last few days has been making me quite busy.



I have a new super duper notebook :) My old one is a Toshiba Satellite 1800. I'll really miss my Toshiba. I didn't give it a name, so I just called it Toshiba. I've been using it for almost 2 years now. Aside from the BIOS problem in the beginning, it has been quite reliable. But my new IBM Thinkpad R40 really makes me drool with its 40Gb hard disk, combo drive, 15" screen, Centrino and few other cool features.



I also have another new toy. Look at picture :) Both will keep me busy during the long holiday apart from the normal things people do during raya.

The Joy and Agony of Telecommuting

Telecommuting : The practice of working at home and communicating with your fellow workers through the phone, typically with a computer and modem. Telecommuting saves the employee getting to and from work and saves the employer from supplying support services such as heating and cleaning, but it can also deprive the worker of social contact and support. (1995-01-05) Definition by: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2003 Denis Howe



Telecommuting : To work at home by the use of an electronic linkup with a central office. Definition by: Merriam-Webster Online

How many of you dream of working in the comfort of your home? I'm among the lucky few in the country whose company practices telecommuting. It has not been that easy explaining what I do to my friends though. The first time they heard I'm working at home, their first question would be whether I'm doing tele marketing or worse, spamming other people's mailboxes with unwanted advertisements. I'm also not doing freelancing work. I'm working for an IT company doing real business with real projects and get paid a monthly salary. Communication is done mainly through the phone and email, and also there's the weekly discussion where we have to meet in the office. I still have to go and see the clients for demo, training and consultancy at times.



Working at home has its joy and agony if I may say.



There's no streamyx in my area yet so it can be quite painful when downloading large files. I also have to put my feet down to get the space I need sometimes. If I'm not careful, I'll feel like I'm working 24-7.



First is a telephone rule. No calls after 10 p.m. and during weekends. My boss argues that since we didn't see each other that much, he wants to be able to communicate any time he needs to discuss something. My argument is, even though we didn't see each other that much, I still put in 9-5 everyday unless I can't help it. Luckily, my logic prevails. And my conscience dictates that I replace the amount of time I was away from work on personal matter unless I'm taking leave. Anyway, the general rule is to complete the work before the deadline, no matter how we manage our time. Discipline is the key.



We must also ensure our family members know that even though we're at home, we have to work. I can't go to the supermarket or anywhere at their whims and fancy. Its a bit difficult at first but after sometime, they know when its working time.



Sometimes it is quite difficult when you have to run some errands, which can be done over lunch hour for most people like paying bills, or buy one little thing from the supermarket when you're already so comfortable at home. So lazy to dressed up and go out even if its a short distance and only for a short while. I normally save that to the time when I really have to go out. And thank God for Maybank2u too.



It can get lonely working alone sometimes. Luckily we have the at least once a week internal meeting/discussion aside from going to the client's place. It can also get very hectic. Sometimes I've to work from morning up to midnight with only few short breaks for meal and prayer in between. And sometimes I have to go out for meetings or training almost every day of the week too. When things slowed down a bit, I'll have shorter working hours then. You have to be ready to give some and take some in this case. The job is definitely not suitable for people who are very particular and calculative. And I don't claim for mileage if the client's place is in a reasonable distance since I don't have to go out everyday.



Some advice on telecommuting is to have a special room set aside for work. That way it will be easier to leave the work or end the office hour. My office is in my bedroom. Luckily I don't have any trouble blocking out work when I want to and the bed is not a big temptation too. Sometimes I even forgot to lie down for a while to rest, and occasionally I'd almost forgot lunch too until mom reminds me to stop for one.



The good thing is since I stayed quite far from civilization [Read: There's no streamyx service in my area]; I really save up on petrol and car service, and less strain due to the traffic too. I have the experience of going to work everyday for about 2 years (while staying so far) and the mileage hits 5000 km in every 2 months and I only work a 5-day week then. Can you imagine that!



And working at home means I can do the laundry while working, take a break to hang them and again take a break to collect the clothes if it rains. I can also go back to sleep after prayer and wake up at 8.30 to start working at 9 and take a late bath if I want too. When there is no tight deadline, I can take a break to watch Oprah in the afternoon while having home-cooked lunch and shorter working hours :) I also don't have to think of what to wear to office everyday. Isn't that nice?



I can never imagine having to go to office everyday now. So in terms of loyalty, I'm stuck with the company unless there are other companies offering similar deals. In terms of job satisfaction, yes the job satisfaction is there with every completed project and every technical challenge faced in our work. My satisfaction is in doing a good job and not to be seen doing a good job, be seen with branded and brand new whatever... so I'm quite OK there.



I wonder sometimes whether there are any other companies practising telecommuting in Malaysia? If there is, what kind of business are they in. Do you know anyone who is in one? Are you one? What is your experience?



Related Article: What is telecommuting: is it for you?

YES!!! I want Streamyx

I know people have been complaining this and that about streamyx but I believe what ever you get with Streamyx, it is still much much better than dial-up. Streamyx gives problem every now and then? So is TM Net especially recently. One reason I have Jaring account as backup. I was thinking of not topping up my Jaring account after the merger announcement but the so unreliable TM Net connection changed my mind. The crux of the matter is, I must be living in a very ulu place since they can't provide the streamyx service here but not ulu enough as I'm able to receive numerous email promotions about the service. What are they thinking tempting me with something they know I can't get.



On top of that, did I mention how ugly the email is. For a promotion, I'm sure I can do much better than that. My reply to them below. Some info 'encrypted' :) Don't want to be getting calls from secret admirers there. I've been getting some even without any promotion.

----- Original Message -----

From: *******

To: custcare@tm.net.my

Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 12:38 PM

Subject: Re: Tmnet Streamyx Promotions - Adopt a Broadband Today



I'm tired of getting Streamyx Email Promotion. Yes! I WANT streamyx. If you can provide one for this number 03-********, then we can talk. Otherwise, STOP sending me promotion emails.



----- Original Message -----

From: Postmaster

To: TMnet Valued Customers

Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 2:29 PM

Subject: Tmnet Streamyx Promotions - Adopt a Broadband Today



Free Modem Promotion



Dear Valued Customer

• Subscribe to tmnet streamyx Basic 512kbps package from 1st November to 31st December 2003 and you will get a FREE modem.
  
  
• Hurry! Promotion valid until 31st December or while stocks last.
  
  
• Minimum subscription period of 1 year

Sign up and enjoy!



To start enjoying the new rates and promotions, head over to Clickers, the TM Net outlet located at Kelana Park View Tower, No. 1, Jalan SS6/2, 47301 Kelana Jaya, or at all Kedai Telekom and Primatel outlets as well as tmnet streamyx authorised resellers. Meanwhile, customers who would like to subscribe for the basic packages can also register online by logging on to www.tm.net.my or www.bluehyppo.com and enjoy a rebate of RM50.



Further enquires on tmnet streamyx can also be made via our Customer Interaction Center at 1.300.88.9515 or by e-mailing us at custcare@tm.net.my.



blablabla...

.................

.................



Thank you.



General Manager

Marketing & Sales

TM Net Sdn Bhd

From My Inbox: Woman, What Do You See?

Age 3:

She looks at herself and sees a Queen.



Age 8:

She looks at herself and sees Cinderella.



Age 15:

She looks at herself and sees an Ugly Sister (Mum I can't go to school looking like this!)



Age 20:

She looks at herself and sees "too fat/too thin, too short/too tall, too straight/too curly"- but decides she's going out anyway.



Age 30:

She looks at herself and sees "too fat/too thin, too short/too tall, too straight/too curly" - but decides she doesn't have time to fix it, so she's going out anyway.



Age 40:

She looks at herself and sees "clean" and goes out anyway.



Age 50:

She looks at herself and sees "I am" and goes wherever she wants to go.



Age 60:

She looks at herself and reminds herself of all the people who can't even see themselves in the mirror anymore. Goes out and conquers the world.



Age 70:

She looks at herself & sees wisdom, laughter and ability, goes out and enjoys life.



Age 80:

Doesn't bother to look. Just puts on a purple hat and goes out to have fun with the world.

From My Inbox: Friends, Love and Happiness

Happiness is like perfume, you can't pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself .



Love has its own time, season and own reasons! You can't ask it to stay, you can only embrace it as it comes and be glad that for a moment in your life it was yours!



True love doesn't have a happy ending. That's because true love doesn't have an ending. A heart truly in love never loses hope but always believes in the promise of love, no matter how long the time and how far the distance.



As long as we have memories, yesterday remains, as long as we have hope, tomorrow awaits. As long as we have friendship, each day is never a waste.



Friends are like stars. You can't always see them, but you know they are there. Have great hopes and dare to go all out for them. Have great dreams and dare to live them. Have tremendous expectations and believe in them.



The recipe of friendship :



1 cup of sharing

2 cups of caring

1 cup of forgiveness and hugs of tenderness



Mix all these together to make friends forever.

News : On What Really Matters

Come on people. "Work WITH me, not FOR me", and among the advice given are as below.

The Prime Minister also had another piece of advice – all future government events and launches should be simple and moderate. Some ceremonies, he complained, were “way too elaborate,” adding that such functions not only took up much time, but also involved great cost.



These events, he told secretaries-general of ministries and heads of department, should be held moderately as what was more important was how a particular project was going to be implemented.



For a start, the public and private sectors should do away with the kompang bearers and lion dance and nadasuram-mirthangam (Indian trumpet-drum) performers when our leaders go on routine visits to states.



It is their job to inspect projects and meet the people. Such practices are unheard of in other countries as they are reserved only for visiting dignitaries. But in Malaysia, the kaki bodek (apple polishers) have turned such extravagances into a compulsory ritual.



It is commendable to show off our cultural richness from every major ethnic group, but these seem to have become permanent features at every function now. In addition, women and children are made to stand for hours, sometimes under the hot sun, by the organisers to be “petal sprinklers” for a VIP who most times walked by without even showing any sign of appreciation.



School children definitely should not be dragged in to make up the crowd, often in uncomfortable situations. If politicians and members of political parties and social organisations want to show support for a leader, it is fine, but leave the children out.



Pak Lah is right in suggesting there was no need to spend a lot on fancy corsages, which he jokingly said “poke through our clothes when they are placed on us.” It is the same with garlands, if we may add. It is time for Malaysians to discard our obsession with forms and rituals and to focus our energies on substance and action. Expensive ceremonies, which take up our productive energy, do not correspond with calls to make ourselves more efficient.



The new leadership has made it clear – wakil rakyat and officials should be spending their time serving the people and not following him around, especially when their presence is not needed. They will be judged on their performance and results and not on how grand and elaborate their gatherings are.

Source : The Star Online: Pak Lah doesn’t need apple polishers (Wednesday, November 12, 2003)



For the true spirit of 'Malaysia BOLEH!', I'd like to see things changing for the better.



Related reading : Netizen Nades (Sun2Surf)- Implementation that counts (Nov 7, 2003)

News : PM Directs Treasury to Settle Bills with Suppliers

Its about time for the PM to mention something about this. Not all government suppliers have cash to spare. For some, every single cent is crucial for the business's cash flow. And yet we often hear payments are only made after 5-6 months if you're lucky. And for those who rendered the service in the beginning of the year, too bad for you as most of the time payment are only speeded up at the end of the year. What do you do? You wait loh!

The Treasury has been directed to take immediate measures to settle all outstanding payments to government suppliers and ensure that future payments be made within 30 days of the delivery of goods or services.



Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the Government must be a good paymaster and not delay payments for goods supplied and services rendered.

Source : The Star Online - PM directs Treasury to settle bill with suppliers (12 Nov, 2003)

I'm A Strawberry

Have you ever wonder if you're a fruit, what fruit would you be? Would you be a succulent strawberry? A lonesome pear? A jolly banana? Or a bitter lemon? Take the quiz below :) Did your quiz result matched your desired fruit?



The graph below shows the fruit quiz - personality test results so far in percentages:



 28.2% (Strawberry)

 35.9% (Banana)

 4.5% (Pear)

 13.3% (Lemon)

 18.1% (Tomato)



My Result:



Take the What Fruit Are You? test by Ellen!

Marketing 101 For Spammers: The 5 Tips

1. Potential clients will get pissed off when you change their email address to some rubbish like @#$xc%@#gjkl. Email address is like a name, an identification people use in the cyber world. How would you feel if people change your name from Joe or Jane to svxt^&$%#@w where you can't even pronounce it properly. Don't ever think that your potential client will warmed up to you with such tactics.



2. Only sell products that people will need or perceived they would need. A good marketer should at least try to find out the gender of the potential customer, to sell gender based items. Telling a lady that she needs to 'lengthen' a certain part of anatomy that she didn't have; or telling a guy he needs a 'larger' breast is a big NO-NO. In real world, consider yourself lucky if you only get bashed in the head for that.



3. Suggesting your clients are stupid enough to have a huge, mounting, out-of-controlled debt, or worse, even stupider to get someone who didn't know their real name to sort out their problems (even if they have one) is another big NO-NO. Customer is king, customer is always right and customer is intelligent. If your potential customers have even the slightest feeling that you don't regard their intelligence very highly, your chance is a complete zero. They will not buy things or services from someone with 62A8H8We567kDJ65G5BR8Uh8tso@T010bp0g5f8.etscape.net as a business email address. Get a real one so it'll be easier for your potential clients to blocked them.



4. They don't need your travel plan or free tickets either. The tele-marketing people with real name and real contact number they get from the name cards people leave at conventions in hotel still have a hard time convincing them to fall into their free hotel accommodation scheme. What chances do you have if you call your customer svxt^&$%#@w and advertise yourself as UR62S8H7Pe5MGN3QM@38.ycos.com?



5. Thinking that people will get all excited by your offer of free single password to porn sites is like believing you'll get the big break from that one particular lottery ticket. It'll never happen... not now, not ever. For those who want it, they have better options from the RM5 vcd peddlers. Yes! Your direct competition is still around, stronger than ever.



The ULTIMATE TIP: Stop sending me email. I'm getting tired of deleting them all.

The Wrong Slash

I've email them at perkeso@perkeso.gov.my on the 3rd November 2003 about this, informing them about the not working FAQ link and making an enquiry whether the SOCSO deduction schedule is available somewhere in the site since I couldn't find it. These are among the info that I'd like to see as a user and contributor. No reply so far... didn't really expect one actually but I'm waiting for them to prove me wrong. Even if they are too busy to reply me, the least they could do is to fix the website don't you think so?

?? Which Ultimate Beautiful Woman Are You ??

:) Just something fun to do this tuesday morning.




You are a true nature girl!



Which Ultimate Beautiful Woman are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

From My Inbox: For Beautiful Woman

Beauty of a Woman



The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,

The figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from her eyes,

Because that is the doorway to her heart,

The place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,

But true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.

It is the caring that she lovingly gives,

The passion that she shows.

The beauty of a woman

With passing years -- only grows.



Beauty Tips for Beautiful Woman:



1. For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

2. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

3. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

4. For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

5. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.



Smile for Beautiful Woman:



An English professor wrote the words, "Woman without her man is nothing," on the blackboard and directed the students to punctuate it correctly.



The men wrote: "Woman, without her man, is nothing."

The women wrote: "Woman! Without her, man is nothing."

Right Brain vs. Left Brain

Find out if you're a left brain dominant or right brain dominant here or here. Being a right brain or left brain dominant person does not mean you're good or bad. It just shows how your brain processes information. Knowing this means we can improve the way we do our thinking and learning by strengthening our less dominant side.

The left brain is associated with verbal, logical, and analytical thinking. It excels in naming and categorizing things, symbolic abstraction, speech, reading, writing, arithmetic. The left brain is very linear: it places things in sequential order. We have been traditionally taught to master the 3 R's: reading, writing and arithmetic -- the domain and strength of the left brain.



The right brain, on the other hand, functions in a non-verbal manner and excels in visual, spatial, perceptual, and intuitive information. For the right brain, processing happens very quickly and the style of processing is nonlinear and non sequential. The right brain looks at the whole picture and quickly seeks to determine the spatial relationships of all the parts as they relate to the whole. The right brain has been associated with the realm of creativity.



Source: Brain Differences : Creativity and the Right Side of the Brain

The basic right and left brain characteristics are also explained here. I responded as a right brained person to 14 questions and left brained person to 5 questions. According to the Hemispheric Dominance test, I use my right brain the most. My complete test result is here.

Invigorating Brains Product

RM2 Shoppe or any similar shops do have many interesting products at really really low price. Didn't know I can find sisal bath sponge in one. At least to me, it looks like the sisal sponge found in well known pharmacies or shops selling spa items. So I bought one just to give it a try. Not too bad for RM2 but what really interest me is the product description found on the labels shown below. I find the whole description, especially the'invigorating brains' part very hilarious. The sisal sponge image is not the one I bought though. I have no digital camera yet so I look for 'sisal sponge' image from Google Images.

From My Inbox: Don't Grow Old

Many people are afraid of growing old. I'm afraid of growing old and be a bore. Many people are afraid of growing old, alone. I'm afraid of growing old, insane, senile. Many people are afraid of losing their looks, curves. I'm afraid of losing my dreams. Many people are afraid of losing their youth. I'm afraid of losing my soul.



When you're 15, 35 seem ancient. When you're 35, 15 seem juvenile. A turn-around in a split second - two decades zoom past and before you know it, it's only a mile to the next millennium. Don't' fear age - it's a right of personhood. Don't fear death - its God's greatest jest. Don't grow old - you don't have to.



Don't date because you're desperate. Don't marry because you're miserable. Don't have kids because you think your genes are superior or you need someone to take care of you in your old age. Don't separate because you think it's fashionable or you think there's no more romance.



Don't drink because you have troubles. Don't gamble because you think winning is inevitable. Don't philander because you think you're irresistible. Most likely, you're not.



Don't associate with people you can't trust. Don't cheat. Don't lie. Don't pretend. Don't try to buy your way into the kingdom of God, because no matter how rich you are you can never pay your dues. Don't dictate because you're smarter.



Don't demand because you're stronger. Don't sleep around because you think you're old enough and know better. Don't hurt your kids because loving them is harder. Don't sell yourself, your family or your ideals and principles.



Don't stagnate. Don't regress. Learn a new skill. Find a new friend. Start a new career. Don't live in the past. Time can't bring anything or anyone back. Don't put your life on hold for possibly Mr. Right. Don't throw your life away on absolutely Mr. Wrong because your biological clock is ticking and you can't afford to have your eggs harvested before the new millennium.



There's always a mad rush to something, somewhere, someone, but victory does not always belong to those who finish first. Sometimes, there is no race to be won only a price to be paid for some of life's more hasty decisions. You can't always go with the throng who could be wrong. Sometimes, you have to be alone to be enlightened.



To terminate your loneliness, reach out to the homeless. To feed your nurturing instincts, care for the needy. To fulfill your parenting fantasies, get a puppy, adopt an abandoned baby. Don't bring another life into this world for all the wrong reasons. To keep yourself warm, buy a jacket. In the long-run, it will be less complicated and less costly. To make yourself happy, pursue your passions and be the best of what you can be.



Simplify your life. Take away the clutter. Get rid of destructive elements - abusive friends, nasty habits and dangerous liaisons. Don't abandon your responsibilities but don't overdose on duty. Don't live life recklessly without thought and feeling for your family. Be true to yourself. Don't commit when you're not ready. Don't keep others waiting needlessly. Fall in love - it's the greatest thing on earth. But take care and remember, after the fall must come to rise.



Go on that trip. Don't postpone it. Say those words. Don't let the moment pass. Do what you must, even at society's scorn. Write poetry. Love deeply. Walk barefoot. Hold hands. Dance with wild abandon. Cry at the movies. Take care of yourself. Don't wait for someone to take care of you. You light up your life. You drive yourself to your destination.



No one completes you - except you. It is true that life doesn't get easier with age. It only gets more challenging. Don't be afraid. Don't lose your capacity to love. Pursue your passions. Live your dreams. Don't lose faith in God. Don't grow old. Just grow up.

Almost One Month

It's hard to believe but this is the new month which means my blog is almost one month. And I've managed to post something every now and then despite being busy with work. This means nothing to other people but really means lot to me. I hope I'll be able to continue blogging even if its not daily like I wanted to.