Tiok H1N1 Flu? (Affected by H1N1 flu?)

I came back from Manila exactly a week ago. I came back without feeling unwell, in fact I went to office on Monday (1st day) and had lunch with Mel, Dragon and Ringgit. I remembered after lunch I told them I came back from Manila which is one of the affected H1N1 area, they hold their breath in the car looking like dead corpses! Mel said usually parents are greedy because they need to protect their love ones.

Anyway, on Thursday itself (4th day)I starting to have running nose. Hence I decided to stay home and work from home. Just when I thought it was just an allergy, then following on (6th day) I have headache, and sore throat. I couldn't sleep at night and started to feel very cold.

Then that's where I told myself, I need to check myself into a hospital for screening. I went through a series of test and they had put me in an isolation rooms. They had even questioned me who I have contacted and my flight details on last Sunday. I gave all the information, and immediately, like a tsunami, nurses and a doctor went to examine me. I waited for 1 hour .. and the doctor called up the Epidemic control center for a discussion. Anyway, this is my H1N1 experience. It wasn't fun!

For those who has in contact with me for the past 7 days .. you need to find the answer posted in June 2008. I do not want to create any panick and bad reputation to myself !!!!! Those not affected, you don't need to know!!!

Goodbye .. Michael Jackson

The headline said 'Michael Jackson dead at 50'! I was thinking to myself, does it mean it's the ultimate end of his pop career or he was really dead?? As I read all the sources in the net, finally it was confirmed Michael is dead, due to cardiac arrest. He has sold out concerts beginning next month! Unbelievable.

I still remembered when he came to Malaysia, I met him twice. Once when we were shopping at 1Utama and he showed up at Toysaurus. He was buying toys for the kids at the orphanage home. There were human fence everywhere and the crowd went gaga over him. We tried to shake his hand, at least try to shake his diamond glove :P

The second occassion was his concert itself in Kuala Lumpur. I went there with Ringgit and his friend. It was drizzling, but the performance blew my mind away. Up to date, I can attest to you, there is no one performer who has such a good showmanship like he did!

I hope for those who loathe Michael, your wish has come true. I wish you can continue to function with your life without any problems with yourself or people around you. For me, thank you Michael, thank you for the memories ..

On and Off

Yesterday while I was having lunch, a colleague commented to me, if I have noticed in the company we are working, there are many ex-colleagues who left the company and return as a regular employee again. I can sense there was anger in his tone. I believe I will feel the same.

We have been working for the same company almost all our life. We see people who chose to walk out of the company because of better pay or career. We don't anticipate they will come back. Funny thing is, when they lost their job elsewhere or they can't blend in other companies, they start asking for a job in our company again!

The best thing they got the job!!! And probably at a higher pay and a better position!!! I wonder what is the rationale behind all these. I had asked the human resource department and apparently there are large number of people who came back especially now when the business wasn't stable out there. Sometimes life has full of things that makes you go hmmmmmm??

The Bodyguard in Manila

I signal to an in coming cab heading my way! I told him where I wanna go and he agreed to go to my destination. During my trip back to hotel, as usual, we had small talk, and later I found out he was driving cab as part timer only. His actual profession is a body guard. His previous boss who is a businesman has gone back to China and he lost his job.

He then went on telling me his experience, and most of the target for the kidnappers are mostly Chinese, American or British. In fact in Manila, the richest guy is a Chinese-Pinoy. Naturally, most of his bosses were from these countries and money was good. He explained that usually the kidnappers will study their target before they take any action. They will tail you see where you shop, where you hangout, basically to evaluate if you are worth the price and willing to pay the ransom!

After listening to him, I have decided to go to fastfood, wear simple tee-shirt, and do not shop at expensive areas! Keep it low may avoid all these unnecessary worries!

Kiasu Tips # 11 : Reliable cab in Manila

Everytime when I visit Manila, my colleagues local Filippino or foreigners would advise me not to take the private cab on the street. There are few big cab companies, however, I tried and the line is always busy. While the hotel cabs are extremely expensive.

Hence I tried to ask the local for tips on how catch a reliable cab. One told me to look at their face and if they look decent, then you may board!

I have a different view! It's very hard to look at the cab driver's face while you are trying to stop them. What you can do is to look in front of their dash board. If you see an idol such as the Cross or Virgin Mary, my bet is the risk is lower! After all, at least they are religious and so far my conversation with these drivers were decent and honest!

The Stalker ... Part II

I am still in Manila. I went to a supermarket to get some snacks and instant noodle in case I am hungry at late night. I was tired from work, and strolling slowly aisle by aisle listening to a pop song playing loudly in the supermarket.

As my eye was fixed to a box of Green Tea trying to doing a mind math converting back to my currency .. there is a tap on my shoulder. A total stranger! Smiling widely and he said hello, shook my hand and I said to him .. Do I know you? You may have mistaken who I am. He then said, it's me, the door man at the hotel! I had changed to a tee shirt. At the back of my mind, urrm have I noticed you before?? He said he opened the door for me everyday when I leave and come back to the hotel. He then asked how long will I stay in the hotel. I was very reserved but providing very limited information of myself.

He went on explaining why he was done so early today. He was busy shopping for his boy's birthday and will go celebrating tonight. I said to him say 'Happy Birthday' to him and have a nice evening. Then he said can you give me some tips so I can buy ice cream for my boy! Here I am, I don't even know him and the guy asking money from me. One part of me I felt bad because he's trying to get something for his boy, the other half of me told me he is a total stranger who knows me!! Should I give him the tips or shouldn't I??!!! Anyway, I won't tell you what I did next ... but I felt stalked! I think I need to move out from this hotel with all my might! Creepy!

The stalker in Manila

I came to Manila a week ago for some reviews. The weather is wet and humid most of the time. Due to some security reasons we are required to take the hotel's cab to the airport or to the office.

Usually during my trip in the cab, I will be start asking things like where can i get cheap DVDs or the place I must visit around Manila. My cabbie is called Butch has been very helpful and filled me with information.

Things are getting out of hand when Butch starting to "probe". He will ask where do I come from, or what's the salary difference in Manila and the country we come from, or where do I want to go during weekends. I did express my interest to visit the volcanic mountain at Tagatay about 4 hours from Manila.

One day I decided to take a public cab to the DVD shops near Manila with the concierge's help. Immediately on the next day Butch told me he knew I went there! It seems the concierge has been talking to these drivers. I started to feel uneasy. Then when we are near to weekend, Butch was trying to sell very hard on the Tagatay trip. I was trying to be nice and said I have to check with my other colleagues if they are interested. I will inform him if I want to go but for now I don't plan to go! (try to be politically correct) However, Butch tried to find out what time I go to work and what time I will meet my colleagues. Then try to estimate what time I will call him and he insisted he needs to know before 11am!

The whole thing was getting into my nerves, I felt like being stalked! The driver is trying to monitor my movement from going to DVD shop down to what I will do over the weekend! I understand most of the people here do not have big salary so they are drives to the brink of desperation. As far as I know for today onwards, I told the hotel, I need to change my driver!

Indian students in Australia

For the last 2 nights, the Indian students has been protesting and acting like a vigilante on the streets causing some commotion. The reason was because the students are very upset being bashed by the white. They claimed they were being a target of curry bashing due to rascism! The matter got escalated to the parliament in India and Australia.

Come to think about it, I am not sure anymore when do you call somebody a racist. First of all, during my college years, we the chinese got bashed before. However, these were due to some robberies but it's not just on students, it can be anyone who is an easy target.

Now, the students demanding the government provide security to them!! I started to wonder, are we talking about rights now? This is paid by taxpayer? Thanks to the greedy shanty colleges, I think this problem will never end, and neither I agree the taxpayer should pay for putting securities for this matter. To me rascism is everywhere including our very own countries. Ask yourself.

United ?

Everyday when I was walking around the cities or even at work, I noticed how people look at you. Some uses their nose to look at you, some with their head, and some seems to looking through you as if you are made of glass. I begin to feel we can’t approach anyone else on the street very soon. Most of them seem to carries this ‘air’ with them.

However, in Japan or even Korea, I noticed a big difference. The locals bow to each other, they even greet to each other on the street when they need something. In another word, it seems more approachable than the people I deal with in my own country. They show respect to their own countrymen.

I think at the end of the day, we always wonder, why certain countries are so united while some has so many problems. In my opinion, I come to realise that’s simply we don’t respect each other anymore. I tend to see people who like to look down at others even for their very own race. We heard so much complaint about racism everywhere. But have anyone ever asked; have your respect yourself, or your countrymen or even strangers on the street, before you expect others to respect you? Next time when you see at least to your own countryman, try to say ‘hi’ or smile to them. There is nothing to be shameful, if you are shameful where you come from, then please explain how you expect the others will give you their respect!