Unforgettable concerts

In no particular order, these are the best concerts i have had the privilege to go to:-

1. Sam Hui



The only Chinese concert - and the biggest! I think the build up was better than the concert itself. We were all so hyped up for it, listening to his songs over and over again, trying to learn the lyrics by heart so that we can sing along!

You can read about it here.

2. Sting



My first pop concert that i went alone! i was supposed to go with Mikes but unfortunately, he met with an accident on the way there so i ended up watching it alone. Sting was good. Such a veteran! You can read about it here.

3. Debbie Gibson



My first ever pop concert! What an unforgettable experience! Such a performer! And it was almost like a variety show! With dances and all. The musicians were brilliant too. We left the concert half deaf and i had a ringing in me ears for days after that! Well, worth it! :-)

4. SMV



3 legendary basses on stage. A wonderful venue - good view, excellent sound!

To understand how i enjoyed this, lemme tell you that me mates and i love the bass. Whenever we go for a concert one of the main highlights is the bass solo - that is usually a few minutes in one entire concert.

But here, the entire concert was like a bass solo!!!! they took turns, they played with each other, the jammed like crazy!

5. Jewel



This has to be the best concert ever! But then again, it's Jewel!

It started off slow, tho. We were all made to sit down and there were some stern looking security guards standing around. Even Jewel was perplexed at the seemingly restrained response from us.

Finally, she called those who were seated in the back rows to come up to the front, right in front of the stage. We din need to be told twice. We were all on our feet and crowding next to the stage, dancing and singing, partying! Excellent!

And she really connected with us. It was so fun and it felt warm. Seh wasn't up there performing - she was just having a good time with us!

Highlights of my East M'sia trip

1. Catching up with me mates.

Without a doubt, this has to be the biggest highlight of the me trip - not reaching the peak of Mt Kinabalu!

It was good to meet up with me mates like Augustine, Constance, Chris and Ru. I especially spent the most time with Augustine. It was really nice. We'd talk about everything - spiritual matters, politics, personal matters etc. There were many times when we'd just continue chatting after dinner till late.

It was also good to spend some time with Sam - not being a student of mine, i never really got to know her very well. But she took the time and trouble to meet up with me and i had a good time!

2. Meeting new people

Strange for an introvert like to say this is one of the highlights! But it is. It always is one of the highlights when traveling.

I trekked up the mountain with Allan and Jacqueline. And our guide, of course. Yata! Along the way, we met various people from different countries. There was this family from Netherlands who were really frenly. There was this french guy who always joke with us, telling us that we cannot overtake him. I met a couple from Hong Kong, another couple from Australia and one guy from M'sia - KL from PJ!!! Had a nice time chatting with him as we were in the same room and both on the top bunks.

Over at Sandakan, i got to know one of the employees at the hostel where i stayed. I also got the pleasant experience of meeting Sam's mom who was really nice and frenly - and din scorn at this scruffy looking fella who is supposed to be a lecturer at her daughter's college!

And finally, Kuching. Got to know a lot of people there thanks to Ru who made sure i had a different group of people to hang out with each night. It was really fun having coffee and getting to her frens. It wasn't too hard since they were lawyers, students in the UK, action figures collectors, footie fans, dslr camera owners and planning to scale up Mt Kinabalu!

And at the hostel where i stayed, i shared the dorm with one other guy - Ordi, a theology student from Germany. Swell guy!

3. Walking down from the peak of Mt Kinabalu

This was the only part of the trek that i enjoyed. Walking down, shoes with good grip, the sun up warming me, brilliant view ahead of me, guide chatting along the way.

4. Good food!

Me mates really treated me well! Had the best Japanese food in KK! Dim Sum. Roast duck. Home cooked food. Lobster. Coffee and cheesecake. Local specialties like Kolo Mee, Tomato Mee, beef noodles, pork noodles. On me own, i had great and fresh seafood at Sandakan too. And seafood bak kut teh.

5. Photos taking!

I did regret not taking my DSLR over - but that could not be helped. Still, i had fun wif me compact. And i managed some really nice shots too which made me really pleased. Check out my albums in me Facebook account. Here are some (click on the pic to see larger version):-

The 5 most played tracks in UK (2003-2008)

Taken from here. Interesting to note that 3 of these songs were released when i was living in the UK while the other 2 were released shortly before i arrived! So yes, all 5 songs brings back memories! :-)

5. Chasing cars - Snow Patrol



4. I don't feel like dancin' - Scissor Sisters



3. You're beautiful - James Blunt



2. Because of you - Kelly Clarkson (can't get the original music video)



1. Bad day - Daniel Powter

Happiness Bank - General

1. Walking out of the lecture hall/classroom after a class which went really well!

2. Receiving a text message from her.

3. Seeing her smile.

4. Hanging out at Camden Town Market.

5. Hearing me niece singing.

6. Breaking out into song wif me mates.

7. Walking and jogging in the rain.

8. Sleeping while it rains.

9. Watching the rain and/or hearing the rain fall onto the room or tapping on me windowsill.

10. Japanese food!

11. Seafood!

12. Being on stage, acting.

13. Waking up in the middle of the night only to find that it's 2 am!

14. Taking a really nice photo.

15. Lying down on the grass under the summer sun feeling the cool breeze.

16. Sitting on a comfortable arm chair next to the heater, reading a book while listening to the rain outside.

17. Finding money in the pocket of a piece of clothing not worn for a while.

18. Cooking - and eating - a really nice meal!

19. Watching footie at the SU Bar.

20. Tearing a witness apart during cross-examination!

21. Buying a book!

22. Exchanging smiles with random strangers.

23. Finding a parking spot under the shade.

24. Hearing a song with a memory attached to it.

25. Finding an empty cubicle next to the window overlooking the lake on the top floor of the library.

26. Going to London.

27. Driving aimlessly in the middle of the nite (used to do that often but not anymore - too expensive and there's an alarm installed in me house. if i go out i'll have to disable it and me mom can hear it).

28. Getting a stamp on me passport!

29. Finding someone has left a comment on me blog.

30. Eating duck rice at Chinatown.

31. Sitting next to the window with a warm drink in hand, in a cold and wet winter night, watching the howling and splashing outside.*

32. Seeing the moonlight spill into me room.

33. Walking in autumn with leaves falling down on me.

34. Going into the kitchen in Rayleigh Tower and finding someone there to chat with.

35. Reading a book in Borders.

36. Waking up and realising it is a public holiday/weekend!

37. Seeing the sun set/rise from the 11th floor of Rayleigh Tower.

38. Finding out that i'm duty at the Blues' Cafe during summer (the only place with aircond!).

39. Finding that she's on duty at Blues' Cafe together with me!!! ;-)

40. Jam session!

41. Hearing me dad's laughter.

42. Pork noodles at Pomander 'on form'.

43. Chatting with the check-out ladies at Tesco.

44. People laughing at me lame jokes!!!

45. Re-reading the text messages saved in me mobile.

46. Doing spontaneous things in the middle of the nite wif me mates - go shopping at Tesco, go down to see the frozen lake, break into the nearby park to catch a duck...

47. Walking along Chinatown and seeing me name high and exalted there! :-)

48. The feeling of Christmas in the air!

49. Conducting a trial/hearing before a judge who obviously knows the law.

50. Being put in charge of the coffee cart!

*Shamelessly plagiarised from a fren.

Happiness Bank - Specific

1. Playing frisbee wif me mates in autumn 2006.

2. Breaking out into singing (Queen's Don't Stop Me Now) wif the rest of the staff at Food-on-3 while preparing the food for convocation.

3. Dancing on the kitchen benches and table at our last party in Flat 11.

4. Receiving the results of the final exams for me masters.

5. Chatting until the batteries died.

6. Caroling under the stars in the jungles of Pahang.

7. Touching down on Stansted Airport last autumn.

8. Receiving that text message from her!

9. Completing 10 km for the first time.

10. Running thru a cornfield in Austria.

11. Chatting wif me mate at bed time until we both fell asleep.

12. Walking Shona, Heather and Hollie back home after church.

13. Having fireworks break-out just above us when we at the sports village during the Commonwealth Games.

14. Receiving the best X'mas present during X'mas 2006.

15. Watching Jewel live in concert.

16. Sitting in a gazebo next to the swimming pool, chatting with W while it rained.

17. Having fun in the sea wif the mission team to Kota Bharu.

18. Seeing the sunset at the tip of Borneo Island.

19. Singing along out loud to a commercial at a cinema in Romford wif me mates.

20. Driving me mom up to Ipoh.

21. Having a really good meal at a German restaurant after visiting Neuschwanstein Castle - the best pork ribs in me life!!!!!

22. Watching a movie wif 3 mates and having the entire cinema just to ourselves.

23. Coming face to face with a badger in Scotland.

24. Snow! For the first time!

25. Being at the All England Club for the Wimbledon Tennis Championship!

26. Sitting on top of the river boat going the rapids on the Rejang River.

27. Stepping onto solid ground after a harrowing ferry ride from KK to Labuan Island.

28. Being told that there are 2 more tickets available (for The Phantom of the Opera), after waiting in line for around 5 hours on the 3rd day!!!

29. Sitting on Square 3, sipping me macchiato under the bright winter sun, watching life go by.

30. Watching the sun rise from the top of Mount Kinabalu.

31. Reading students' blog where they make mention of something which i taught them before.

32. Singing crazily in Charles' van on the way in to the OA village.

33. Liverpool winning the Champions League in 2005.

34. Having a long - and free - telephone chat with me mate. I was on campus lying on the grass under the sun while he was at home ready to go to sleep.

35. The look on Ke's face when we surprised her with an early b'day cake - together with a makeshift candle (wooden chopstick dipped in oil!!!).

36. A total stranger who smiled at a tired me in Glasgow.

37. Playing pictionary at UIA.

38. Strawberry ice cream courtesy of Michelle on a hot summer day!

39. Seeing the brightest and most brilliant rainbow outside out kitchen window.

40. Playing back-up for Francesca Peters.

41. Hearing that me (crazy) ex finally found a new bf!!!

42. Playing soap bubbles wif me nephew and niece.

43. Playing the drums during the Fun Night of last year's youth camp.

44. Having a pint at an Irish pub in KL wif Stephan, Augustine and Ling, reliving the good ol' days.

45. Seeing me dad in Switzerland so excited at seeing snow for the first time.

46. Mona Lisa smiling back at me in the Lourve.

47. Walking in the rain in Fraser's Hill wif Shelby.

48. Being in Anfield!!!!!!

49. Caroling in Square 3 and freezing to me bones!

50. Jumping for joy in a PC lab at 2 am when she told me over MSN that she missed me!

Best movies of 2007

Here are the best movies for me in 2007 - yes, yes, some will be a big surprise to you all. And most will be shocked to find that Transformers is not on me list!!!!!

I can't decide which is better than the other so i'm listing them down in alphabetical order:-

1. Across the universe

A musical with the songs of The Beatles - a sure winner!!! I simply loved their version of "I wanna hold you hand". And the fact that i had the whole cinema to meself made it all the memorable... and so much colder!!!

2. Die hard 4.0

This satisfied the part of me that loves action and violence! I guess going in without much expectations helped. But i really enjoyed it - altho you really must suspend some levels of reality to enjoy it!

3. Hairspray

Brilliant songs, wonderful characters, had me tapping me feet away all thru the show and i left with this silly grin on me face!

4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Check out what i wrote bout it here.

5. Love and Honour

The only non-English movie on me list. Check out what i said about it here.

6. Pan's Labyrinth

Check out what i said about it here.

7. Resident Evil: Extinction

A surprise entry? Well to those who know me, they'd know how i love zombie movies. 24 Weeks Later almost made it to me list too!!!

8. Simpsons

Wonderful, brilliant! Only complaint was that it was too short!!!!! Watched it in Colchester with me mate, Michael, during the summer.

9. Stardust

Check out what i wrote about it here.

10. Sunshine

OK - the ending was a letdown. But the build-up itself was so good that it won a spot here!!! Real science-fiction stuffs here.

Just some "special mentions" - The Queen would have easily made itself into the list - but i have yet to complete watching it!!!! (see here). And if there was a number 11, it would have been The Pursuit of Happyness.

p/s - posters obtained from all over the web

p/p/s - I just realised that i forgot to include 300!!!!!