will i am's delayed diary

MeeJawaInt Originally uploaded by williamnyk . I'm really not a fan of Mee Jawa , but I made a right choice when I decided to try out Mee Jawa at Plaza Puchong ( it's not a building, just some shoplots, beats me why they call it that ). The first thing one notices about this new eatery is its signboard. Not just for it's simple and straight-forward name, but for the fact the words are senget and it has a thatched roof out front. This Chinese-owned halal food establishment has an overall Malay village feel to it with bare cement floors, bamboo and ropes used liberally in its decor, unshaved and untreated wooden doors, chicken baskets as light hoods and woven trays hung on the walls bearing the names of the local delights served. Wow, that was a mouthful. Anyway, the place has a killer "Prawn Mee" and "Assam Laksa", but the signature "Mee Jawa", "Rojak", "Mango and Squid Salad", "Char Kuey Teow" doesn't quite c...

no me ames Originally uploaded by weerat . Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's No Me Ames has struck a chord with me recently. Prompting me to be interested in all things Spanish. Spanish Fly, Spanish Inquisition, ... Anyway, my colleague LC and I have gone to the extent of memorizing some of the lyrics, much to the chagrin of my other colleagues: Me : Dime porque lloras (Why are you crying?) LC : De felicidad (Because I'm happy) Me : y porque te ahogas (Why are you so choked up?) LC : por la soledad (From loneliness) You get the idea. The cute thing is that LC does it in a nasal Parit Buntar Hokkien twang. Hehe. From the music video I saw ( you have my permission to roll your eyes ), it seems that Marc Anthony's dying and doesn't want J. Lo to love him anymore, hence No Me Ames (Don't love me). Check it out, people. PS: If it ain't Spanish, feel free to flame me. I was too lazy to check. Foreign languages aren't really my forte. Wanted to take tagalog ...

ed Originally uploaded by williamnyk . Note: SK's been bugging me to put this up because she wants to read the article. So here it is, ahead of the other posts sitting in my post cache. For the uninitiated, I'm a "banana" who can't read Chinese. I can speak pass-able Mandarin, but it has a Cantonese twang to it and stumble for the words at times. However, this didn't stop me from finding this little gem in the Chinese daily Guang Ming . I'm making an educated guess here, so please comment if I got it wrong. Apparently, the guy in the photo is holding some kind of erectile dysfunction test strip. It has some cute cartoons on it, and I'm sure it's simple enough to figure out. 1) Take the strip, afix it to your flacid penis 2) Go to sleep 3) Results in the morning If the strip broke, Hallelujah! Your equipment is in tip-top condition. If the strip just teared a little, beware... Lastly, if the strip is as it was from the night before... jeng...

leemuffler Originally uploaded by williamnyk . A short one today. Snapped the pic with my trusty camera phone while waiting at a traffic light at Jalan Puchong . It's the wall of an exhaust service center apparently owned by a Mr. Lee aka Mr. Muffler . Sounds more like an assassin to me. Heh.

GoodEveBKK Originally uploaded by williamnyk . In addition to Amarin Heavenly Thai and Bangkok Expresso , Good Evening Bangkok at One Utama is the third restaurant I have visited from the SEA Cuisine restaurant chain and it does not disappoint. I was there with a bunch of colleagues to celebrate HSW's ( bubbly girl who never fails to look 3 8 in her photos. Hehe. ) birthday. Actually, we didn't decide on Thai food initially, we wanted to get a table a Chilli's . We didn't book a table and the lousy treatment we got from the seating staff made us decide to take our business elsewhere. The staff was really brusque: I cannot guarantee you a table for 10. If got table also ar, need separate one ar. At the "Good Evening Bangkok", the service was really good. The head waitress attended to us and she was very helpful and humourous at all times. Our dinner consisted of Mien Kam (an appetizer of some kind of herbal leaf, chillies, dried shrimp and garlic which was r...

haze Originally uploaded by williamnyk . Note: A little late, but not *too* late, right? A nice hazy view from the 14th floor of a apartment block in Serdang Perdana . One can just make out the el cheapo fairy lights decor at Mine's Wonderland below. Though I spent a year in the choking smog of Jakarta, the haze still irritates me. It's different from the wafting smoke from clove ciggies and the uncontrolled emmissions from vehicles that should have been "put to sleep" years go. It's a different type of suffocation. In Jakarta, one can look forward to going home to KL for relatively fresh air, but if the problem is back home, mana lagi nak pergi ? 15 years back, when my family used to travel to KL from the east coast during school holidays ( I remember visiting Hankyu Jaya and Yaohan as a really thrilling experience ), I found the air burnt. Today, I can't really tell the difference between fresh air and city air. Still, the haze is too filthy not to notice.

SSLStage Originally uploaded by williamnyk . In just one month, I have visited Taman Titiwangsa twice. Don't get me wrong, it's no after dark, sordid cruising in the bushes, but yet another community function. This time it was an inter-faith prayer session to build a loving and caring society cum anti-crime campaign launch. The whole show was run by Buddha's Light International Chapter / Fo Guang Shan with the help from the Catholic Archdiocese, Taoist Association, Sikh Council, Hindu Sangam and 22 NGOs. Among the dignitaries were Dato' Tan Chai Ho and IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan. Overall, the whole thing was quite a flop. Obviously, spreading the seeds of love isn't exactly how most urbanites plan to spend their Sunday evenings, and the horrendous rains and flash floods just before the start of the event was an extra nail into its coffin. Anyway, after braving the rain and floods, I arrived on time to see that there was no crowd (The Star reported 3,000 atte...

mask Originally uploaded by williamnyk . As I mentioned in my birthday post , SK bought me a facial as a birthday gift. Yes, folks, my face has been de-virginized. She couldn't stand the blackheads that have taken residence on my nose since my adolescence, so she decided to issue an eviction order, by force. Warned of the pain, I was given a small vial of sebum-suppressing gel to use ten days prior to the appointment. Truth be told, I don't think it helped alleviate any of the pain, or maybe I have a low pain threshold. We drove me to South City Plaza and she ushered me into the Cellnique beauty salon. I was told that they normally don't do male clients, but since I'm considered a "trusted" friend of a regular customer (SK), they made an exception. Upon looking at my skin, Janet (the beautician), decided that the "Renewing Facial Package" would be most suitable for my skin. I just, "Uh, OK"-ed since I wasn't paying. Being the...

Dehydration Originally uploaded by williamnyk . In the picture, you see a framed glass vial. In that vial is ashes. And you know what? It's supposed to be art. I snapped the photo of this piece of art at an exhibition themed "Water and the Environment". Just below the frame is a plaque explaining the artist's vision. According to the plaque, the artist drew a sketch of running water on a piece of paper. The artist then burnt it and put the ashes into the vial. The concept of this piece of art is "dehydration".--the removal of water through heat. It's supposed to show the fragility of our water supply and create a play between art and science. Does it make any sense to you? I'm sure the sketch of running water was very nice .

Jambatan Seri Wawasan (?) Originally uploaded by williamnyk . After many months of futile scheduling, I finally had dinner with KK and Cla on a Saturday. KK suggested Putrajaya Lake Club for the food and scenery. We agreed since he said he would drive, woohoo! We arrived around eight, and found the place bustling. According to KK, that was abnormal. Bad sign. Walking in, I found that we were the only Chinese there, sesatlah katakan . However, we ended up not eating there, because during the fasting month, the only thing available at night is the Ramadan buffet. Not wanting to subject ourselves through serving after serving of sambal, lemak or curry, we decided to switch venue. There isn't much choice really. Nothing much else for miles around. Practically a ghost town at night. The only logical choice was Alamanda . Ended up eating at Cozy Corner . The food is decent, mainly western and local delights. I ordered "Baked Seafood In Shell". I thought they had mix...

warung KL Originally uploaded by jangan takut . Have you noticed that roadside eateries have a homogenous look to them? Forgive the stereotypes: Ethnic Malay Joints: 1) Name: Usually is Warung something, or Tomyam . Normally comes with the owner's name, e.g. Haji, Kak. 2) Decor: Wooden or bamboo fance. Lampu lip-lap . Multi-coloured fluorescent lights. Quranic verse plaques or Kaa'ba pictures. 3) Special Mention: Garish colours Ethnic Chinese Joints: 1) Name: Kee, Ah, New or Sun something, or the more trendy numero-madness of 88, 388, 777 and whatnot. 2) Decor: Altar. White lighting. Smoke stained walls. Stainless steel counter tops. Beer posters. Last year's CNY decorations. Tiled walls. Toothpicks and soy sauce on tables, steaming bao 's out front. 3) Special Mention: Migrant workers. Where are the owners? Anything to add?

marriot-tiramisu-macro Originally uploaded by williamnyk . Last Monday, I celebrated my 26th birthday. Past 25, I can't help but think it's a downhill tumble to 30 and beyond. But then, I'm just being a bit dramatic. Looking back, I wonder I've achieved after a quarter of a century on this earth. I didn't: 1) Come up with a new internet protocol that would've revolutionsized cyberspace 2) raise USD3,000,000 for underprivileged children in third world countries 3) have a tumultuous love life that was ridden with sordid side-affairs 4) start a cult I did: 1) finish school 2) get a job 3) spread some love for family and friends 4) find some spiritual direction Time well-spent, or time down the drain? It has brought me to where I am today. Who knows what will tomorrow bring. Enough of this self-reflection and philosophical. Let's move on to the festivities. This year's birthday was kinda like the past years-- Cake, dinner, hooker. Standard fare. OK...

Tekka Udon Originally uploaded by williamnyk . Had a farewell dinner for my colleague the other day as she was leaving for Dubai. Earlier in the day, some bosses already organized a farewell lunch for her as well. The lunch was predominantly non- halal as they were preparing her for the 'dry season' in Dubai. Enough to make you swear off meat for a month. Dinner was held at Matsuba, Desa Sri Hartamas . I ordered my usual, the Tekka Udon set-- Udon on ice; maguro maki; misc. sushi; misc. sashimi; and a salad. We were boisterous as usual. Lotsa gossiping and being nonsensical. At one point, we even whipped out our laptops for a Happy Tree Friends viewing. It was after dinner, so no worries about losing appetites, just perhaps concerns of keeping dinner down. I hear that Dubai's a land of ridiculously-starred luxury hotels and a shopping paradise. The sales are genuine, especially for branded goods. I wonder if I can expect a souvenier from Hermes, Ermegenildo Zegna, Prada, ...

The Colonel Originally uploaded by adampsyche . I have finally found the most annoying radio ad-- KFC's Hot and Spicy Xtra . The chicken is supposed to be so spicy that you'll go fwaaaah! when you eat it. I feel like fwaaaah-ing the idiot who thought up the idea over the head. The radio jingle is fantastically creative. It uses Jay Chou's theme song for "Fearless" . In the original, our lazy-tounged singer uses the surname "Fok" repeatedly in the chorus. In the ad, "Fok" is replaced with "Fwaaaah!". The result-- an annoying little jingle that makes you feel that someone is clawing the insides of your brain. Fwaaah Fwah Fwaaaaah. Tada!

1eja Originally uploaded by williamnyk . TV3 has done it again with Seputih Qaseh Ramadan . This series was specially poduced for the fasting season and is currently airing 3 days a week. The story revolves around Qaseh, an ex-convict who was separated from her husband and children by her diabolical mother-in-law. For unknown reasons ( can anyone enlighten me? ), her husband Riduan remarried-- a b*tch of a wife named Maria. Maria's the loud-mouthed type who loves to go shopping, high teas with Datins and conspiring with her mother-in-law, Ummi. This adds contrast to Qaseh's character who is resilient, pious, soft-spoken and loving. After searching for years for her lost family, Qaseh finally meets them, and Riduan begins to try to mend things with her ( apparently he's still married to her ). There are other difficulties abound, namely Johan who is smitten with Qaseh, and Qaseh's adolescent son who is quite uncomfortable with her status as an ex-con. Her son ca...

My co-workers think they're hilarious Originally uploaded by Matt Stratton . When I hear a song I like, I normally play it over and over ( the repeat function is so handy in such situations ). I will listen to the song ad nauseum . Then I will just chuck it aside. My current favourite is Massive Attacks's Future Proof . The song is very moody and dark. And it has been used to good effect in several TV series. Here's an excerpt of the lyrics: Borderline cases Reinforced glass Absent friends Passport photos an elastic past What the hell Robert Del Naja is mumbling about you may ask? I don't know either. Enjoy. PS: I splashed loads of water on my laptop yesterday and thank God it's still alive. Supposedly clear traffic on Tuesday ( Nuzul Quran ), and I chose to jam on Old Klang Road. But I'm cheerful as heck anyway. Heh!

Rose Petals & Tea Originally uploaded by williamnyk . Over the weekend, I attended my ex-housemates' wedding. The apostrophe is not in the wrong place. I know both of them from Jakarta. It was held at Crown Princess Hotel, Jalan Ampang . Dinner was to start at 7:30PM, and I only left at 7:25PM. You know what, I made it there before 8:00PM. And as expected, dinner only started at 8:30PM. So, being fashionably late paid off. Before I get any angry tirades about the vicious cycle of tardiness among KL folks in making it to wedding dinners, I waited for my ride since 6:30PM. On to the review- the place is quite nice. Each table was strewn with rose petals. Normally, I see that on the floor, but hey, anything goes. Its staff is attentive. The food is of hotel standard, but I think the happy couple chose an above average dinner set. Among the items were a lobster starter (complete with exoskeleton), shark fin with scallops, cod fish and sea cucumber. Wine was flowing freely...

Horn and Yam Originally uploaded by williamnyk . During my childhood, the Mid-Autumn festival was a time of cheap mooncakes (those that came in stacks), nightly lantern-toting sessions and playing with candles. Now, city kids only eat mooncakes that cost more than $10.00 per piece. Gone are the simple flavours of read bean, lotus paste and mixed nuts. Buying mooncakes these days is a confusing affair of brands and 'innovative flavours'. Many new manufacturers are joining the fray now. 10 years ago, KLT and HWT were considered premium brands. Fast-forward today, you get many new players from bakeries, hotels and restaurant out to grab a piece of the mooncake market. Flavours are also getting stranger and stranger by the day. Durian, green tea and chocolate used to be special, but now we get wolfberry, ginseng, black sesame, dragon fruit, haw flakes, ginger, spirulina, mochi, tiramisu, coconut, cheese, berries, cofee... you name it, they've got it. In addition to the...

Tan Soo Suan Originally uploaded by williamnyk . Let me start off by saying that I'm no fan of romantic movies, romantic ballads, romance novels and any of its ilk. So if that confession somehow cuts my chances of snagging any of my readers who may be smitten with me, so be it ( come on, a guy can dream and it's my blog ). As you can guess, my review of Dama Orchestra's Butterfly Lovers: The Musical might be a bit biased due to my lack of appreciation for such storylines. However, it is a classic and it features the talented local soprano, Tan soo Suan , so I had to get tickets. She caught my eye ever since I saw her in September Tales: A Tribute to Theresa Teng sometime last September ( in case you don't know, Theresa died in September ). As usual, this Dama performance was held at the KL Performing Arts Centre, Sentul Park . The place is fantastic. A great place to take photos ( I forgot to bring my camera, so I had to resort to my cellphone ). A haven in t...

Storytime Originally uploaded by Flamejob1 . No matter how tired I am after work, I find that my alertness increases the closer I am to my bedtime (I try to sleep before 1am, but it's usually 12:30-ish). Felines circle the ground the sleep on for a couple of times before dozing off, but I on the other hand like to read. Anything will do, but it's usually books or comics. And I have this habit of re-reading. Recently, I had exhausted my reading material cache, so I had to resort to digging up my boxes (untouched since I moved over from OUG so I practically had to wrestle them from the dust bunnies). I found many issues of graphic novels my brother (my source of reading material as I am too cheap to actually buy books) left behind coz his place was overflowing with stuff. Even his shelves sag in the middle. Good for me. So, I re-read issues of Lone Wolf and Cub , Preacher , Blade of the Immortal , Books of Magic and . But those didn't last me too long, so I actually...

My source code / database / workflow server was moved to another location today and you know what? The OS died on me. F*ck!!! Lesson: Don't move the server without first consulting a Feng Shui expert to make sure that the stars are correctly aligned. Anyway, the problem was solved. Turns out that the monitor resolution was too low to support the OS settings, hence causing the Windows 2003 Server to crash. Elegant, right?

fsktmupm Originally uploaded by williamnyk . Here's a pic of University Putra Malaysia's Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology . FSKTM in short. Specially posted for Vengelyne . For me, I had just recently visited University Malaya . It wasn't planned, I was en route from PJ to MidValley Megamall . A shortcut. Hehe. Didn't turn up to FSKTM, but I saw that the Economy Faculty has a spanking new building now! Bukan main futuristik lagi rekaannya. Not much changes overall really. Just that the speed bumps have gotten ridiculously higher (it's like they're trying to slow down monster trucks) and Dewan Tunku Canselor has stained-glass windows now. They also erected a 100-year anniversary thingy. Just another place to snap photos during convocation I guess. Kinda miss my undergraduate days, but that's history now... Even most of my friends from university days have disappeared. Both sides need to make an effort, but kalau dahlah mengada-...

Sushi Originally uploaded by williamnyk . Karaoke madness again on Saturday at RedBox Sunway Pyramid . A solid 4 hours of melalak and melolong . Can't say I did much of the singing as my grasp of Chinese is quite sendirian berhad . The chorus has some English phrases?! Give me the mic! The highlight of the afternoon was a rousing rendition of yet another Therese Teng hokkien folk classic, Sky Black Black . Nearly brought the house down, and made some friends 'vomit batteries'. By the time we were done, it was raining cats and dogs. Well, I guess the Malay idiom Katak memanggil hujan has some truth to it. In the evening, we were entertained by SK and HP's place again. But this time, most of the cooking was done by FK. Nippon ryori no less. She prepared several types of sushi (sake, tamago, unagi), maki, miso soup, salmon teriyaki and tempura (prawn, aubergines, ubi ). Too much sushi rice. Couldn't move after dinner. Post-dinner was tea, mooncakes and wa...