This blog is simply about anything that my mind tells the fingers to jot down. Many times they come late at night, others at work and occasionally in the toilet heading for that big drop. Most entries are about life in the "land of chocolate" and things that I love to do - mountain biking, photography, snowboarding and a bit of running.

Tuesday 17 August 2010

The Shoddy 1Borneo


Managing house / apartment renovation is not easy. It's freaking headache, and in my case, it's just interior works with simple built-in cabinet, kitchen cabinet and small area of floor tiling. I can't imagine myself dealing with bigger, more complex works. To make matter worse, I'm thousand of miles away from Malaysia and the contractor that was presentable and looked like someone you could rely on is far fetched. He's obviously a trustworthy person, no doubt, but I guess he just takes things too easily and over relies and trusts his workers (who are with questionable skills). While on a business trip in KL recently I managed to find a time to quickly check out my place in KK. It's in a mess! The whole place was simply a dump site. With torn light wrappers and boxes all over the places, and left over food etc., it was disgusting. The cabinets which I had hoped to admire appeared to be as good as used units - it was dissapointing. I was quite surprise when the contractor himself, when asked, replied "shocked to see the shoddy workmanship". How could you be shocked of your own people's quality of work, unless they had been picked up from the street just for the job.

After getting a mouthful from me, he promised to clear the place, and at final inspection, if I'm not happy with any parts of the cabinets, he will replace them. Fine, but I doubt I would get better replacements.

The whole quality of the apartment workmanship also sucks! I was hoping to see all the defects I'd reported to be fixed. Far from it. In fact none of it. What the f. That's 1Borneo for you (http://www.1borneo.net).

Saturday 14 August 2010

messing around with wordpress

It's 4.32 AM and I'm still messing around with my wordpress.ORG hosted site. So flexible yet, so many things you need to know .. but I'm getting there. But, it's fun I have to say to be able to install different plug-ins and messing around with the themes etc.

Tuesday 10 August 2010

Selamat Berpuasa / Happy Ramadan / Ramadan mobarak !

Turn this on, close your eyes and listen ... even if you don't understand the words, concentrate on the melody .. simply beautiful.



Dedicated to all Muslim friends and families around the world.

Ku mengharapkan Ramadhan
Kali ini penuh makna
Agar dapat kulalui
Dengan sempurna


Selangkah demi selangkah
Setahun sudah pun berlalu
Masa yang pantas berlalu
Hingga tak terasa ku berada
Di bulan Ramadhan semula


Puasa satu amalan
Sebagaimana yang diperintahNya
Moga dapat ku lenturkan
Nafsu yang selalu membelenggu diri
Tiada henti-henti


Tak ingin ku biarkan Ramadhan berlalu saja
Tuhan pimpinlah daku yang lemah
Mengharungi segalanya dengan sabar
Kita memohon pada Tuhan diberikan kekuatan
Ku merayu pada Tuhan diterima amalan


Selangkah demi selangkah...
Dengan rahmatMu oh Tuhanku...
Ku tempuh jua

A mosque on the ground-zero site? Why not.

There are debates whether permitting construction of a mosque on the ground zero site of 9/11 is the right thing to do. Some seems to have the opinion that it will wreck the heart of those having love ones died in the atrocity. I'm with the remaining who think that there is nothing wrong with it. Mosque is associated with Islam / muslim, but the atrocity of 9/11 has nothing to do with of the religion. Al-Qaeda does not equal Islam and vice versa. To say that building a mosque is illustrating support to the terrorist group is totally wrong. Bear in mind that there were also many Muslims who succumbed to death in that terrifying terrorist attack.

The debates and location where the construction is proposed to take place - http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2010/08/ground-zero_mosque

Stop pushing me sister!


Oppss
Originally uploaded by arylana
My two little ones .. one with "Mommy loves me" and another "Daddy loves me"; you can guess which is which with one already labeled. Setup: Both standing on the table in balcony with background of the outside.

Friday 6 August 2010

My most popular YouTube video

This was captured during my visit to Prague a couple of years ago. Scary little thing that sounds good.



Visit Arylana Channel @ http://www.youtube.com/user/shreky69

Opps .. my Blackberry is a Crackberry in Dubai

This is interesting, some countries are getting pissed off that they can't break Blackberry data encryption. The UAE has recently announced that it would ditch Blackberry services other than normal phone calls unless the company, RIM, being more open with the encryption the device's data transmission encryption to give the government ability to access the content. There seem to be a suggestion from some analysts that the reason for such threat is a result of impression that RIM has been more open to some countries such as US but not others. Thus, they demand the same level of playing field. Hearing this, India has also decided to follow suit, likewise Saudi Arabia .. and today, a colleague told me he'd read somewhere that Indonesia will also like join the club. Irregardless of the reason behind it, and whether rumours about RIM being double standard toward some countries are true, the threat that now attracts other participants needs to be looked at very seriously by RIM. UAE being the a large transit hub for air travellers, and India and Indonesia with their huge population could bring quite serious implication to RIM's sales. Or will it?

Well, transits in Dubai usually take only around 3 hours, and those longer are usually in small numbers. Users could live without Blackberry services for the few hours - it won't bring any business to a halt. Those who will need to be in Dubai for longer duration could always boot up their notebook and shoot out emails. So, it will not be the end of the world. For India, Saudi Arabia and China, well ... they will just let it be. Users / corporations will start moving to different gadgets. At the end of the day, RIM will be the sole loser. Thus, it needs to be really cautious about this, and start talking to the UAE's communication authority.

another one .. beautiful song .. good luck girl



Is your favourite colour blue?
Do you always tell the truth?
Do you believe in outerspace?
And im learning you

Is your skin as tanned as mine?

Does your hair flow sideways?
Did someone took a portion of your heart?
And im learning you

And if you dont mind

Can you tell me
All your hopes and fears
and Everything that you believe in
Would you make a difference in the world
I'd love for you to take me to a deeper conversation
Only you can make me

I let my guard down for you

And in time you will too

if you dont mind

Can you tell me
All your hopes and fears
and Everything that you believe in
Would you make a difference in the world
I'd love for you to take me to a deeper conversation
Only you can make me

if you dont mind

Can you tell me
All your hopes and fears
and Everything that you believe in
Would you make a difference in the world
I'd love for you to take me to a deeper conversation
Only you can make me

4x

Deeper Conversation
let me

Thursday 5 August 2010

Is this the end of summer ?

Since I came back from Dublin last week the weather has been unpredictable here. For many days it was rainy, a couple of days of sun and heat and today, back to rain. The thoughts of cold, wet and gloomy sky doesn't encourage me to see the end of summer. Nevertheless it will come, during when I will again ask myself, what are you still doing here?

Guess which one is the bitch?


Guess which one is the bitch?
Originally uploaded by arylana
This is funny. Look at the little dog and the tiny thingy popping out below it's stomach (you have to click on the pic to see the bigger version). You obviously know which of the two is the bitch lol! unless the little man has problem with his sexual orientation.


Picture taken in Dublin.

Wednesday 4 August 2010

Dan Sebenarnya ... dialah Yuna

Since moving to Switzerland 4 years ago, I have really been out of touch with the entertainment industry of Malaysia. Yuna who? That's the reaction my a friend was telling me about the girl below. Then I listened to this song, and oh Yes, I heard this before ... she's the singer, now I know. What a beautiful melody.




Monday 2 August 2010

Next course paid B820

For the past 9 months I have been undertaking the first module towards my MBA with the Open University Business School (OUBS). This "initial suffering" will end on 13th October when I will sit for the exam, but to be followed by 4 tougher modules.

I just paid close to CHF ?K for the second module ... sigh. In the next coming 1 to 2 years I think I will be busy counting dollars. Too many things to pay highlighting the criticality of selling off one of my apartments in Malaysia. .. quick agent! get me some buyers.

I need a second job.

Sunday 1 August 2010

how to start windows XP in safe mode??

Keep pressing F8 when computer starts up ... it'll take you the menu to select start up options and safe mode is one of them.