Season 4, Episode 5: HOT RSF...

" Anything that's worth having, is sure enough worth fighting for,
Quitting's out of the question, when it gets tough gotta fight some more,
We gotta fight, fight, fight, fight, fight for this love,
If it's worth having, it's worth fighting for. " - Fight for this love, Cheryl Cole

It seems that, these days, my quotes are always from songs. Some songs simply have too good lyrics, that if i don't quote them, i feel that it'll be just left to waste as just a song. It has meaning, it has life and it is sometimes through these songs you gain inspirations and they evoke a sense of passion that nothing other than music can bring!

Resuming uni life after the break wasn't as difficult as the previous ones. Immediately after the rest of slightly more than a week, i had to get busy with events. This simply means that i have not much time to linger on my holiday mood but instead, instantly slipped into my high-speed shoes and get the events to roll.

First of is the Red Sonata Fiesta, RSF. It is actually a sequel to last year's Melodious Rendezvous, organized by my uni's Orchestra Chinese Musical. Having seen the success of the MR, i had thought this time around, i should be a part of it and go behind-the-scene. RSF is an event held to promote cultural exchange, particularly the Chinese culture to the public. As a member of the Games and Activities Department, we had to organize and run an entire night, Battles of the Maestros, that highlights Chinese cultural games such as calligraphy, opera, and chess among others.

Together with my other colleagues, trying to rush for the event night of ours.

I was a man-of-all-sorts during the peak of the event, One Night in Beijing. Here, i was the usher for VIPs as well as guests.

RSF is truly an experience that i will never forget!

Moving on are my other commitments. And for this sem something new hit the pages of my uni, the newsletter Heart of Tronoh, in short, call it HOT; and call us HOTties!

Interesting name for a newsletter, don't you think? And we have just managed to publish our first ever in the mid of March. Second edition is coming out real soon and i can't wait to see the end product of it. As a reporter and being part of this new adventure, the best prize you can certainly get is when your news comes out in the newsletter. Nothing beats the joy of seeing your own piece of writing on a paper that everyone will read. Even the higher authorities are reading and to me, that's an accomplishment for all HOTties.

Jubilant group of people! Fun and laughter blended together as we had lunch in Pizza Hut and a short meeting following the amazing treat! We're all holding a copy of the first edition of the HOT!

HOT is new and there is still so much room for it to continue to grow! I'm glad i have become a member of this exciting ride.

Becoming a member of HOT, particularly a reporter, i have actually gotten the chance to get up close and personal to performers of which i was intended to cover the news for. The most recent of all is FESCO. While the show was on-going, i was by the side of the hall, interviewing and having little chats with some of the performers. I was also given Facebook names and e-mail address to be added so that we can continue to keep in touch.

With performers from Walailak U, Thailand, after the show.

Another event that i attended, this time as an audience only, was the Child-Provision night. It was a fund-raiser cum event night, with on-going donations during the show. We were entertained by Vick, Liyana and Danell as guest stars alongside touching performances of the handicapped playing the harmonica and the disabled dancing to tunes.

In a picture here taken with Danell Lee.

And yeah, not to forget, i celebrated Earth Hour this time in uni together with other ELCians in conjunction with our Mass Gathering. It was lots of fun!

Just before 8.30pm, we prepared candles inside cups to be used when the lights go off. By 8.30pm, we switched off the lights and readied ourselves to join in and support this noble effort. Standing aimlessly, we wondered what we should do for the next hour. So, we decided to take a stroll in the dark to the Chancellor Complex. It's amazing to see that our uni also actually do support this effort too- the lights were off.

We reached the place and found a perfect spot for us to sit and wait. While waiting, we had our toasts to Mother Nature around the circle. Then, we started talking ghost stories- not the best thing to do in uni, but somehow, it kept us occupied and we enjoyed the night until after an hour, the lights went back on. Just in time when my candle finishes!

Cheers to Mother Nature!

These events are definitely worth experiencing and all i can say is that i have learned a lot. You get to meet new people, you get to handle situations that really tests your true capabilities. I have to admit, we are all still learning and from the mistakes that we made, it is what we have to correct and that will make us come back again, stronger!

Returning to hitting the books- these events really do buy time! wc10 smiles in exhaustion!

* Next episode: The Chronicler comes along with Flamin' Lips for a night flooded with humour!

Intermission: Enter the wonderland?

" Do I turn you on at all when I kiss you baby,
does the sight of me wanting you drive you crazy. " - Do I, Luke Bryan

On the night of my Birthday- which was also the start of the mid-sem break, we drove up to Penang's Autocity to have dinner with my family for the celebration. I was fed-up eating uni food and given the first time being in Autocity, i was really spoilt for choice. There simply was so much to offer. In the end, we ended up eating in a Western restaurant. The food was delicious and it was my first time eating in such cafe.

The place really comes to life at night. If we have such places in KL, i bet it'll be crowded almost everyday. If it's during a festive season, i can't imagine the pool of people. Certainly, an ideal hang-out place for people to meet up or have reunions.

We didn't stay overnight in Penang and instead, left to Sg Petani. The next day, we visited the Penang Island. And the first place we visited was the Kek Lok Si temple. We skipped the lower part because we have been there before and straight went up to the higher peak of the temple and laid eyes on the new bronze Goddess statue. It was really amazing!

Dad and i in front of the statue. It is big. There was some on-going repair work so we could not go any further inside.

There were statues of the 12 Chinese zodiac, and mine was the ram or goat or sheep. The garden is beautiful, although i felt that there is a need to maintain and repair some statues. With that, i would place my money on making Kek Lok Si one of the best attraction for tourists to the island, whether you're worshipping or on a visiting tour.

After the Kek Lok Si, i visited my friend who was doing her intern training in Hard Rock Hotel. Might as well take this opportunity to visit the place. Two words, jaw-dropping amazing!

Stepping foot onto the hotel instantly teleports you into another part of the world. You will not feel like you're in Malaysia. There was great entertainment, great deco, great ambiance.

I loved the whole concept of the hotel. Just sheer relaxation and entertainment to keep us all occupied. There was music playing by the poolside, pulling people to dance along. There are cafes inside the hotel and near the beach, serving pizzas. Swimming pool right in front of your doors for the first floor occupants! Wow, i'm overwhelmed in admiration.

I have set my target and raised my mark. I will spend one night in this hotel in the near future! It is expensive and exclusive, yet, with the facilities there are, i'm sure it's worth a one night stay in the Hard Rock Hotel Penang. The next time i return to the hotel, it would be for a stay and not just a visit!

Alice in Wonderland opened in the cinema on Thursday and for the first time, i watched it in the Grand Cineplex in Sg Petani. It is a newly opened cinema but the entrance was impressive. As for the interior, nothing much better to the one in MBO Ampang. Onto the show, it simply has too much Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's signatures, all over the movie. Yet, i thought that given the duo's success in the past, they could have deliver this movie better. Depp's role in the movie didn't differ much from Jack Sparrow, observing the way he walks and speaks. Anna H don't look as pretty as she is in the movie, given her the make-up. I thought they should have promoted and advertised more of Alice instead of the Mad Hatter, with all due respect to Depp, as this movie centres on Alice.

Nonetheless, this movie also has it's moments. Which movie can you hear someone shouting 'Pig!' or watch the cute pair of fat boys? It has a battle scene in the end but it was rather mild. May be it caters more to the less action-packed movie-goers. It has very colourful graphic, although green screen, but i liked the richness in colour of the movie. As for the story-line, not much variation to the original especially the eating of cakes to minimize Alice or drinking the potion to enlarge Alice. All in all, the movie isn't mind-blowing or fantastic, it was just alright, known it's Tim Burton, and it fits more into a mild adventure genre and good humour.

Finally, i completed The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. As many people would claim this book to be his best, i have, no doubt, that it is and it has the best concept or purpose in this romantic tale of two people. But my favourite still remains to be The Wedding.

The Notebook is written in flashback style, from the day he met the girl during a summer break and began to fall in love. They both come from entirely different background and social status. For the summer, they spent most of their time together eventhough the girl's parents were disapproving their relationship. And when the summer ends, they departed to separate ways.

Yet, they still thought of one another and he began to write letters to her almost everyday for years. But what he doesn't know is that the letters were not received by her and she did not read what he had written. Slowly he decided to stop writing. For the next thirteen years, the ghost of her started to appear again, showing up once again in his life. He was determined to have her back but she was then being engaged to a man whom she had also loved. The final choice came one day to her.

The love story in their past wasn't very interesting or nothing much spectacular. However, what i like in this book is how he dealt with her Alzheimer, trying everytime to defy science and believe in miracles. It simply shows his eternal and unconditional love to her. It shows that if we love someone so much, it comes naturally for us to simply do the right thing even if it means sacrificing other things. A beautiful love story.

I shall end here for this intermission and get back on track with my work. If you have noticed, once again, i was caught up and entangled with much other obligations. Now, they are finally over and i promise to go on with my series of uni life. Until then, wait for me, wc10, for time waits for no man!

Season 4, Episode 4: Becoming nineteen...

" Everybody needs inspiration, everybody needs a song,
A beautiful melody, when the night's so long,
Cause there's no guarantee, that this life is easy. " - When I Look At You, Miley Cyrus

The week before the mid sem break was simply hectic and i do not wish to relive that stressful moment. But on the Friday, it was my Birthday and it marked the start of the holidays!

The day before...

It was after our lecture at 3pm when I left for duty for one of my events. Later at 5pm, one of my friends sms-ed me to get ready to have dinner at Pizza Hut in Batu Gajah. She said it was to celebrate and meet up together before not being able to see each other for one week.

We ordered and waited, hungrily, for the new Pizza- the one in the advertisement S. E. is holding.

Big group, 18 people, and we sat in two long tables. This is the other one.

Pizzas arrived, grabbed slices and ate them.

Yummy, the new Pizza is not that bad after all. It's said to have 10 layers of flavour. Interesting...

After makan, we chatted...

Laughed...

And chatted...

And i think my friend purposedly diverted my attention onto talking and boom!

The surprise!

They brought out the cake!

I had experience cake-face and feared i may repeat history. I'm glad my friends didn't do that. Thanks, guys!

Before leaving Pizza Hut, we took a group shot at the entrance. If you zoom onto my hand, that's the card my friends did and signed personally. It was a small gift but it means a lot and i will forever treasure it. It's true, i still have the previous year's card in my drawer!

THANK YOU GUYS for the surprise celebration once again!
It was lovely and very thoughtful of you guys!

THANKS TO YOU too if you have sent me wishes in Facebook, sms or chat! Appreciate them lots!

And to add to my surprise, i received a call from my sister over in Australia, wishing me too. It was exactly midnight in Malaysia when she called, meaning it was about 3 am there. It was wonderful. Although it was just a call, it took her effort and i truly appreciate that.
Thank you, che for the call!

Growing another year older, i reflect back onto my life. What have i achieved? What have i not achieved? What are my dreams? What are my true dreams?

What do i really want?

I'm getting older and my teen life will be over in another year. Yet, i have so many things that i have planned for myself to experience during my teen. Sometimes, i sit back and think, am i in the right direction? Am i becoming what i want to be?

Very often, my answer would be 'i don't know'. I believe that there are reasons for things to happen and i will have to find them out sooner or later.

So, what i really hope for in my final year of being a teen is to continue enjoying life at the same time focusing on my future. Life is a story, and i'm writing mine.

On the day...

After class, i left for...

(to be continued)

wc10 would like to thank you again for the wishes!

Season 4, Episode 3: The rush...

" We need the Megazord Power now! " - Power Rangers (1995)

If you have noticed, i have not been blogging much lately. Time, as many would have said, is too little to be able to do stuffs that you like. Twenty four hours is insufficient. Don't you agree?

Over the past two weeks, or more precisely, the two weeks before the mid sem break, everyone was jam-packed. Everyone set a dateline for preparation of events before the mid sem break starts, and at the same time, tests crashed in.

That comes the challenge. Juggling between the work load of our events and the immense pressure for the upcoming tests. Sometimes, i just wonder how i was able to overcome them. Seriously, with back-to-back tests, day after day, as when now i'm typing these keys, i find it rather an accomplishment and all i want to do now is just relax. I'm not sure how i fared in the tests. As long as i did my best, i believe that hard work pays off.

I have not blogged about my courses yet so i'll take the time to describe them to you. Intro to Petroleum Geoscience. Studying rocks formation and the Earth, and relating these studies to petroleum. Vector Calculus, a unique combination of vector and calculus. RRFP, in short, is studying reservoir rock properties and fluid properties. Structured Programming is about talking in programming language. C++! Thermodynamics is about studying the systems and applying some formulas. Playing Gamelan for co-curriculum this semester.

In essence, the courses are alright. Beginning to like them and hopefully the results will be a motivator. Some lecturers are interesting and good. Very interactive, especially the ones that does not make me fall asleep during classes. And then there were others who just couldn't be bothered with us and all they know is to just come in and pass on the lecture, whether or not if we are following them.

Enough with that, i would like to resume my holiday mood. The holidays have just started and i'm on a mission to accomplish several more things:

1. Complete my The Notebook. It has been rather dry so far, i'm hoping Nicholas Sparks does not let me down.

2. Awaiting pictures from my friends to post in the next episode.

3. Preparing a post for the mid sem break this time. So far, it's Penang and Alice in the Wonderland.

4. Offline work with The Chronicler and Red Sonata Fiesta. DO visit the respective blog sites. Interesting isn't it, using technology as a medium for promotion these days!

5. Pursuing what i enjoy doing most.

Have i not said this- i just watched Power Rangers The Movie, 1995. The movie brought back such fond memories of my childhood. I pity those of today who does not get the chance to appreciate such amazing shows. As i watched, i remembered how much i used to like them, and to a certain extent, imitate their actions. That's when imagination was set free and wild, and children should have the right to express them! What do you get from today's programme? May be you can get one similar to this, but nothing beats the true values and sheer entertainment in the Power Rangers. You may say that i'm being childish, but i always believe that there is a child in every man. And it is that childishness creativity is sometimes sparked.

wc10 survived the rush of stress. The first big wave this semester just passed, and somehow, we should rejoice.

Fifteen...

" I wanted to run away, but you can't run away from your own feet. " - CWACOM

" Adventure is out there. " - Up

I was looking forward to CNY and now, it's over. Fifteen days, but it felt as if it flew by within a couple of days. This year, CNY was a little different. It was different because it was the first year we celebrated the CNY without my sister. She flew off to Melbourne, Australia to further her studies, how nice, early morning on the first day of CNY after the Reunion dinner. For her, it's a whole new adventure- campus life, exhange student; and i wish her all the best in her studies!

Back to CNY, i love the food! Food haven! I can say it over and over again, and i never get bored of it. I love to eat. Not like, but love. To be honest, i have definitely added weight and to my delight, i could fit into my jeans without the use of a belt. Not anymore. Not until i return to my uni and downsize again.

Night after night of scrumptious meals! Don't you like house visits? You get to eat their food, enjoy their decorated home for the CNY, casinos appeared like mushrooms- you get the picture. But what i like most about these house visits is that you have the time to chat and catch up with the lives of those you seldom cross. Friends that you seldom meet.

I have always like the spirit of CNY. Red and yellow. The lion dance. The cookies. The ang paos. The food- again.

Lion dance!

With an interesting twist. If you zoom in, you'll notice the beer can on the ground next to the lion. And here, the lion is drunk!

Meanwhile, the yellow lion entertains the guest with flying oranges!

Grandpa receiving the gift.

Cousin Sue A and I, after the lion dance.

Mother's side cousins. The gap is left for you che. We didn't forget you.

BBQ in Melaka was delicious! Talking about it makes my mouth water. Nasi lemak, sambal, hot dog, BBQ chicken, fish...

Seriously, it was house-after-house and despite being restless due to the late nights, we still enjoyed ourselves very much in every house we went. With the group, you can hardly not participate.

Since it was holiday too, my friends and i watched Wolfman. It was alright. Strong cast, simple story. Met my expectations, nothing mind-blowing though.

I watched Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Up recently. Pretty difficult to choose the better. Somehow i like CWACOM. Very creative plot and strong family values. It also teaches you to never stop chasing your dreams and believe in yourself even if others make fun of you. Like Up too. Never stop believing! Up felt to me much like Finding Nemo, given they are both from Pixar. No wonder Up has been winning awards- it's an amazing animation film too! Touching yet riveting.

I can go on and on on my CNY but i'd rather stop. It was wonderful, that's for sure. Another weekend with my aunt from Melaka wrapped up the whole fifteen days of celebration. Going back to uni, i need to readjust my direction and concentrate. The big wave is coming soon just before the mid sem break!

wc10 roars in the new year of the Tiger!

Season 4, Episode 2: Where is my concentration- Defying gravity!

" Something has changed within me,
something is not the same,
i'm through with playing by the rules,
of someone else's game. "

Glee. It has to be. You know it when you get addicted: everything you talk about or do is Glee. I completed the whole season 1 and hands down, this is the Best TV-Series ever! Why i get so hooked-up in this show is because it reminds me of my high school time. I felt myself transforming back into the years when we took home district champions for drama- and i can tell you that that is a joy beyond imagination.

" Too late for second guessing,
too late to go back to sleep,
it's time to trust my instincts,
close my eyes and leap. "

Just like in Glee when they are working their way into Sectionals. Another reason why i get so interested in this show is because it shows that singing can unite people. Where can you find the most popular guy, the cheer-leading queen, a gay boy, a self-established diva, a crippled boy in wheelchairs and an enthusiastic girl that dreams to take home a Grammy in the same room? It's Glee, again. Throughout the show, you will learn about putting differences aside and realize that we're not very much different.

" It's time to try,
defying gravity.
I think i'll try,
defying gravity.
And you can't pull me down! "

The third impact is about finding your true friends- friends that will continue to support you even if you have once did bad to them. Glee allows them to be themselves and it's not about pleasing others but to have respect for themselves. Apart from that, it's about the sacrifices we make for our friends, as the saying in the show goes, taking one for the team.

" I'm through accepting limits,
cause someone says they're so,
some things i cannot change,
but i'll try i'll never know."

Watching Glee somehow brought out an opposite self of me, one that i myself have not seen. The immense passion for singing! This, so much so, led to initiating a Singing team in our ELC and we are still recruiting members. If you're interested, come join in and i'm sure it'll be a splendid adventure.

"Too long i've been afraid of,
losing love i guess i've lost,
well, if that's love,
it comes at much too high a cost. "

Last Saturday, my friends and i went for karaoke to celebrate my friend's birthday. It was an amazing time together. Happy Birthday!

" I'd sooner buy,
defying gravity.
Kiss me good bye,
i'm defying gravity.
And you can't pull me down. "

Glee. Now that i have watched the show, i really need to dim the fire and start focusing on my studies. It's already two weeks past and i still find myself not in the mood to study. Everything needs to be reduced. I'm not saying it's gone, the fire will be there, but i just need to lower my 'high' energy and get back on track to something more real.

" Bring me down!"

wc10 needs to find his concentration, but with the CNY in a week's time, he finds his need too high to achieve!

" Oh- ahh ahhhhh!"

Season 4, Episode 1: Forward or follow?

" You are the butter to my bread, you are the breath to my life. " - Julie and Julia

Do you know what's difficult about starting a new semester? First, it's leaving home; second, it's the fine tuning back to studies after at least two months of holidays!

The first week had been, rather, comforting. There were only lectures. And meetings for club and upcoming events. In a way, it helped deviated the focus onto doing something to occupy time. I mean, who would really start to study in the first week?

Even my timetable had been, rather, messy- which leads to the title, forward or follow? Having under the belt is already 13 credit hours, which to me, is a little too little. So, my friends and i decided to forward courses from our coming semesters, bringing the total up to an incredible 21! But that, to me, was a little too much. Then we started dropping a three credit hours course, pulling it down to 18. And only yesterday, we received an email from the administration to drop another one two credit hours course. In the end, my credit hours for this season became 16.

The problem was not just on the credit hours, but the time slots to fit in the courses. Clashes here and there, and it took time to actually rearrange and finalize our timetable. Why can't our timetable fit in nicely?

In the meantime, watching movies filled in my leisure hours. The Lovely Bones movie is as good as it can get, and in some ways, i find it better than the book. The scripts from the movie reminded me of the time when i read the book- keeping true to the original lines was the right move because the lines were the one that turned this book interesting.

Julie and Julia, oh how unfortunate, while i was watching, i became hungry. Who could resist the tempting looks of the French cuisine? This movie is a real deal! No wonder it had won the Globes' Best Motion Picture- Comedy or Musical. Inspired from two books, they converged into an amazing story of passion and ambition.

The Passengers had a twist at the end of the story. Watching the end reminded me of Ghost Whisperer's Season 1 finale, so i wasn't really caught off guard to the outcome. It has a strong cast but it lacks in its dramatic plot. I would prefer it to be more of a mystery/drama than a horror movie.

Three-day weekend ahead- Thaipusam, and many people, me included, left for either to go home or to go on a short holiday before the real deal starts the next week.

The second week, and the weeks onward will be a roller-coaster ride!

wc10, forward one and follow the flow...

Glee-ful LEGION Locker

"When the last angel falls, the fight for mankind begins. " - LEGION tagline

"But provide what exactly? The understanding that money is the most important thing- or the idea that the only life worth living is one that you're really passionate about, Will? " - Glee

"War is a drug. " - The Hurt Locker tagline

With a few days remaining before i resume my studies, i'm really spending them to the max. Once i start, i won't have much freedom to do what i favour most.

Having said that though, it looks as if watching movies are the only thing i had been doing. I need to start crossing out more from my Resolution.



Legion. I watched the trailer and i thought this movie will be worth my money. Indeed, it's worth every cents paid, but if you're asking me to watch it for a second time, i'll rather save my money to watch other, new movies coming out this year. Once, for this show, will be sufficient to satisfy.


Excellent choice of casts. Paul Bettany, who played Silas in Da Vinci Code, suited the role and executed Michael brilliantly. Lucas Black, Dennis Quaid and Tyrese Gibson were impressive. The show was set in a desert, focusing much on a diner at Paradise Falls. A show about the apocalypse, a group of people along with the help of Michael, fought for the survival of mankind. Their only win was if the child inside Charlie is born. They had to fight against men who were possessed by angels and were determined to kill the child. That's about all i should say. If i tell you more, i'll ruin the suspense.



Another thing good about this show is that it's not draggy- the length was just perfect. It started off really well and climaxed at the right moment. Action-paced, lots of shooting. However (nothing regarding the show), after the show went on for 15 minutes, the sound system went off but the show continued playing. This is my first time encountering such a situation. We had to wait for the technicians to repair whatever the problem was and restarted the whole show. So, i actually watched the beginning of the show twice. Back to the show, it's very much what i had anticipated, nothing less. A good choice for the weekend.


Winner of the Golden Globes Best TV Series- Comedy or Musical, Glee has finally reached StarWorld. Unfortunately for me, i'm only able to watch the Pilot- my uni doesn't have StarWorld. Lucky there's a thing called 'download'.

Glee is a nice watch. Entertaining. Fun. Musical. It's also about bringing your true self out and reaching for what you're really passionate about. 'Don't stop believing'. Somehow, Glee rekindles some of my fond memories of my high school. Not singing, of course, but drama. 'Being a part of something special makes you special'. I'm sure to watch this, i mean, who can forget the line 'Glee brings out my inner Beyonce'! I wonder if my uni has a Glee Club to join?


Garnering much nomination and winning some of the Best Motion Picture awards, the Hurt Locker topped my must-watch list. I wonder why the movie is doing so well and what makes it so special.

It's about a bomb squad in Iraq, set during the war. The show begins with the replacement of one of the team members after a tragedy occurred. For days, they had to disarm bombs, placing their life at extremely high risk. Any wrong move could be lethal, any man could be dangerous. If you're expecting much war scenes, you'll be disappointed. It's a drama, and you'll watch several scenes that are far from shooting missiles and firing guns. What makes this movie good, in my humble opinion, is the story of life in the war time, how everyday is like a dice, rolling your luck to life or death. And the influence of war, to a person, could be like a drug.

American Idol Season 9 is coming up real soon. Hopefully they'll find the next Kelly C, Carrie U, David C or Kris A. wc10 watches as much as he can before filming for Season 4!

Paths of Glory meets Da Vinci

" I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing enough is not enough; we must do. " - Leonardo Da Vinci

"You can never be too early, only too late. " - Paths of Glory, Jeffrey Archer

" I'm sitting in a tiny tent some 27 300 feet above sea level, and almost 5000 miles from my homeland, seeking the paths of glory. Even if i were to find them, it would be nothing as, if i am unable to share the moment with you. " - G.L. Mallory's last letter.

It has been quite a while since i last updated my blog. But don't worry, it's not going to be dead; and writing has always been one of my passion. So, you'll expect that the year 2010 will be another year with lots and lots more writing.

At times, i wonder which direction should my blog take. Am i in the right path?


I have just completed reading Paths of Glory by Jeffrey Archer and i can tell you that i am much spellbound by his story-telling capability. It was my first time reading Archer and this had surely set me rolling onto his other books! What impressed me in this book is, it's not any ordinary fictitious story, but a story that inspires. The spotlight was on George Mallory throughout the story and as the story continues on, i felt myself being in the shoes of the respectable main character.

When the time came, he was caught between fulfilling his lifelong dream and to stay with the family he loved entirely.

This story opens my eyes to the life of a mountaineer. It gives vivid details of the ascend and descend of their expedition. George Mallory was reckoned as the best mountain climber at that time and he was finally given the chance to be the first man to step on the summit of Mount Everest. When the story unfolds, we will know what happened in the end. George Mallory's body was found in 1999, buried in the mountain, but there was no photograph of his wife, Ruth.

Towards the end of the story, we will know that George Mallory promises to place the photograph of his wife on Mount's summit. Here lies the big question, did he manage to reach the summit and place the photograph on top of the world? You have to read to believe.

Apart from his climbing enthusiasm, this story upholds many other elements. We can feel the friendship shared between George and Guy, and his other climbing members. His passion towards teaching and the importance of education, and the rights for females to education. His sacrifice for a friend in danger that had caused him to lose out the chance to be the man who reaches the highest level a man has ever achieved. His leadership skill while taking the role as a climbing leader. Despite all, it was his loyalty to his wife and the love to his family that touches the most. George Mallory loved his wife tremendously and to him, she was his 'waking morning and setting sun'. He writes to her whenever he goes on an expedition, leaving Ruth, two daughters and a son behind for about six months. It was the last letter that he sent before he died in the climb that really made me fall for this book.

In fact, the epilogue was so good that it summed up everything and leaves with a note that will be nailed to the memory. To be honest, the last letter displayed Archer's excellent potential to be a writer of love, head to head with Nicholas Sparks!



Leonardo Da Vinci is one of the man i truly admire. He was more than an architect, he's an engineer; more than a painter, he's a visionary. The National Science Centre held an exhibition about him and i took this opportunity to discover and learn more about him. I mean, who can ever be bored with the Mona Lisa?

They even had a gallery just focusing on the Mona Lisa, and i had learnt more than i expected.

As we entered, there was a short documentary about the Mona Lisa and that had elevated my interest. We were shown his life journey, his contribution to the aviary world, his sketches on the human body- unfortunately there wasn't the Vitruvian Man, his contribution during the war times and his inquisitive mind that pioneered much design for today.


It was RM 20 for a child, quite pricey, but the tour around the exhibition sure is worth the price! We spent nearly two hours around the National Science Centre before leaving for home.

Because of my visit to the Da Vinci exhibition, i had left out my chance to see the partial solar eclipse. But, no regrets!

wc10 is seeking for his path of glory and, as far-fetched as it sounds, to be like Da Vinci!


P.S.: My results for Season 3 had just released and i am ecstatic to say that it scored 4 stars!

Here Comes 2010...

" Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. " - Hal Borland

" Your general lack of hygiene or the fact that you steal my clothes? " - Dr. Watson, Sherlock Holmes

How did you celebrate the New Year's day? Did you go for any countdown celebration, be it in a private party or a public gathering? Realizing how time actually progressed, it marked the end of the decade, which means there will no longer be any two thousand with a single digit ending, and most certainly the year 2009.

It was planned within a day. I was free, and my friends had no plans either. So, we decided that it would be nice to get together for a cozy dinner. We had Korean barbeque in Beewon Restaurant, Korean Village. The food was nice, and so was the price. After dinner, we headed to UKRC to play basketball- yup, near midnight. And continued to play 'Big 2'- a little early for CNY may be. There was another private function held in UKRC and at the stroke of midnight, we counted-down together and blasted the poppers! From where i stood, i could see the fireworks display as far as to KLCC.

On the day before, it was another sudden arrangement to watch Sherlock Holmes. It was an entertaining watch. What's nice in the movie is the relationship shared between Holmes and Dr Watson. Dr Watson appears to be a doctor who is clean and proper. Holmes, on the contrary, appears reserved and messy. Along with witty lines and humorous jokes, i couldn't concentrate on some parts of the show due to my laughing. Apart from that, Holmes' deductive approach to solving mystery somehow tickles the heart and makes you go 'wow'. The movie was approximately two hours long, but it sure didn't feel like it then.

Sherlock Holmes!

Excellent acting...

Pictures from RottenTomatoes.

As for the storyline, it kept me guessing until the last bit. Thankfully, they revealed and answered all possible questions. It seemed like 'magic' was in this show for real. Conspiracies. Adventure. Sufficient action scenes like sword swaying and gun shooting to keep you entertained. Excellent casting- Robert Downey Jr fits into Holmes' shoe just fantastically and Jude Law as Dr Watson. Credits to other cast members too!

Weeks before, we organized a picnic to the Titiwangsa Lake. It was a nice outing as it was the time we could catch-up on each others' lives after separating into our own paths. We'll keep in touch!

A group shot after picnic. We played Ultimate and Bluff after that too, thanks to J for bringing.

Any new year resolutions? How many have you crossed out on last year's list? While we enjoy the new year, let us all reflect on what we had done over the year, the good deeds and the achievements. As for the bad, we should forgive but not forget so that we will never repeat the same mistake this year.

wc09 bids farewell and wc10 wishes you Happy New Year!