Vizinity

iPhone yes!

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:48:00 +0000

Finally got myself a iPhone 3GS. not extremely excited about it as i was alreasdy playing with iPod Touch for some time now. it is just a iPod Touch with Phone and a shorter battery life. the upside is that i can be surfing virtually anywhere anytime for as long as i'm in Singapore (God bless unlimited bandwidth). As for the iPod Touch, i wonder what i should do with it since i've already resetted it. any takers? it is not free.

Will be heading off to Vietnam for my holidays with Yvonne (not (entirely) for work). Central vietnam to be more exact. will be in the mountains, enjoying the cool and fresh air part of vietnam which my work do not really provide. First oversea trip with Yvonne! something for our photo wall moments. :)

I'm getting married

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:37:00 +0000

it is hard to swallow, sometimes it may even seen surreal, yes, the wild man is settling down, with a girl of course. and well, for those who already heard this news, yes, you are my close friend. and yes, i should feel happy, am i happy? checking again, yes, i AM happy. married to someone whom i dated exactly 6 months today. i think i'm insanely happy.

that's about all the updates on Viz.

same old thoughts pending on whether this site should continue or should i just move on to facebook posting. i need an inspiration, a theme, a mission, i need to change the world! oh well, maybe not.

till then.

Down with fever

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:51:00 +0000

Viz is down with fever.. in cambodia, where there is just too many things to do, but blessed as he is, it is the weekend.

Viz is down with fever.. alone in the cold hotel room.. but blessed as he is, business partner called and send panadol, water and water boiler.

Viz is down with fever.. under 2 layers of clothing, he feels blessed that he is not feeling worse than now and it is probably not H1N1 virus.

Viz is down with fever.. though uncomfortable.. he is blessed with room service, remote control TV and working water heater for shower.

a new life

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:58:00 +0000

Trust can either be earned or given. Today, I learnt that trust can not only be given as a gift, it can also be given in an instant, quicker than making 3-in-1 coffee.

Giving trust liberates one's soul which is trapped in the shadow of the past, destroy the demon which casts doubts, and free the mind from indecisiveness. Trust is the currency for relationship growth, without it, we can't get anything fruitful from relationship.

chill.

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:57:00 +0000

viz couldnt find a suitable title to this post, perhaps he shouldn't have started a post without knowing what to write. viz got a new notebook, a netbook from Acer, Aer Inspire One. 10.1" LCD married with red coat of paint on the cover and keyboard. one word, nice.

long gone are the posts for food as viz is no longer living in the old house but now rented a room in vietnam, the most important cooking is in the form of cup. but the interest in cooking still runs in the blood. given any opportunity, viz will definitely cook. perhaps in ros's new kitchen he wonders.

viz is on a confirmed flight to cambodia next monday till sat. the old viz will without fail run a back-to-back iternary to vietnam for another week. but the new viz.. will have to fill half his life with another person who is losing half her life so that both of them can be complete.

Half year review

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:18:00 +0000

6 months have passed. Many things changed. I'm happily attached now, and yes, i broke the myth that i will die a happy bachelor. Guess God has a sense of humour, the good kind one i guess.

Career wise has not been very fruitful compared to the time that went into it. got myself investing in two new businesses which is sucking me dry, both financially and mentality. but signs shows that the businesses are gaining traction and i will just have to bite through this period. taking new portfilio keeps me in the job and have maintained my travel lifestyle, new challenges are exciting and i'm loving it.

Just got my medical report, the only good news perhaps is that the situation could be worse. my liver is failing due to excessive drinking, doctor has banned me from drinking, at least for the next 1 year and see if the liver will recover. guess i will have to stick to milk next time when i entertain guests.

last but not the least... i'm alive. i'm living my life full. i still have a job. I'm gaining wisdom (white hair!). My friends still talk about my farts and burps routines. Guess everything is good.

Shopping!

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 07:54:00 +0000

nothing really beats shopping isn't it? got myself some byford boxers and tees, hush puppies socks and lots of music CDs.. 3 doors down, David Cook, Green Day, Daughtry, All Amercian Rejects, Depeche Mode and Shayne Ward. Very obvious what kind of mode i was in. The rest of essentials like shaving blades and Davidoff Menthol lights.. all these and i'm 100USD poorer.

3 days earlier in HCMC, i was touched oh so softly down my back by the middle-aged lady whom in her store i sat for some breakfast. I was hungry, i can't go. The lady told my driver when he was paying the bill that i am a "dep trai" (handsome man). OooOooKkkKk. that explains the touch and the constant weird smiles. cant say that i'm not flattered by that comment. (cmon guys, i'm not brad pitt, i could use a little of encourage from time to time). hahah. but in the end i think it is the discount which make me hoped that the lady could have touched me further down. hahah. yes, i'm a breakfast slut.

work done!

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:08:00 +0000

over the weekends i did my unpacking and sprayed holy water at the four corners of my new room. the living condition is pleasant, not excellent, just pleasant but it is as comfortable as what a 4,000,000 VND a month rental could fetch. decent i say.

I am surprise that my body is still surviving from the constant beating of alcohol, tobacco and compounding all that with 4-5 hours of sleep. I take naps now, sometimes deliberately.

Will be in Vietnam till the end of this week before i start kicking some balls (to start them rolling) in Cambodia. I always prefer my weekends in Vietnam as it is still relatively vibrant with businesses still running. Market visits can be conducted pretty easily. Cambodia on the other hand, i will end up touching myself over and over again in the hotel room watching repeat telecast of friends 1000 times.

Did i mention that i will be out for the entire month of June? Yes, i just did. ok.

Moving house

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:45:00 +0000

after two years of staying in the house in Vietnam, it is time to move. Little that it occur to me till now, soaked in my own perspiration, i loaded tons to shit around. from chin-up bar, boxing bag to the forgotten Thai baht and Thai music CDs.. it is judgment day for those impulsive purchases combined with complacency.

i gave away as many stuff as i could in the past few months, brought back to Singapore appliances like blender, slow cooker and lots of air-tight containers (i have a fetish for air-tight containers).. but all those miserable efforts still amount to the now 5 big cartons downstairs which will need an army to move.

the best is yet to come.. unpacking.

back in Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Fri, 15 May 2009 09:37:00 +0000

For those of you who do not know, i am spending more time in Singapore nowadays. 1 week of vietnam, 1 week of Cambodia and 2 weeks of Singapore, or at least that is the official planning for every month.

I'm not trying extremely hard to fit in back to Singapore lifestyle again, but sure miss the 3 storey house with a full size kitchen which i can cook in, and car with driver back in Vietnam.

I kept my lifestyle in Singapore rather simple, revolving only around work, family, friends, gym and party. Oh, seems to be the same as most of you out there.

I contemplate briefly on whether i should continue to blog about nothingness while continue to hover my existence on twitter, blip and facebook. seems to be one too many already. then again, this blog says much about my decision. perhaps what vizinity.com needs a rebranding exercise.

I was told to look for enrichment courses in Singapore to continue enriching myself, which i find it easy especially i have 2 weeks in Singapore every month. I don't think i will have time for my degree program.

So all is all. vizinity will be revamped when i have time on my hand.

Not high

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:23:00 +0000

have not been high for weeks now; achievement.

sitting under the radiating diameter of the table lamp are my textbooks and notepads, subtle reminder that my next assignment quiz is coming up, and prepared i am so not. the train of determination did not stopped by for the whole of this week leaving me stranded on the platfrom, wondering when am i going to start studying.

perhaps i should start drinking again to catch that train.

Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 11:08:00 +0000

I'm on twitter! add me with "vizinity".

so not funny at all

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 12:05:00 +0000

lessons learned:

1) do not climb and jump of any gate when you are drunk.

2) check whether the gate is locked in the first place.

speeding bullet

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 18:27:00 +0000

the alcohol in my blood is speeding, breaking record speed so that the pain can be numbed, but in vain that i realised, my emotion does not bleed, it spurts like erratic water fountain. like the little pea which can be felt under the layers of mattresses, the feeling of lost could not be shut off.

Pride will be the strength i can gather, rounding bits and pieces of them forming a protective shield warding me from further attacks while i search in time for the antidote, any antidote.

I'm blessed, always, comfort comes in many forms, like a snake changing its skin, the morning sun with its subtle warmth and perceived hope, my battled skin shall be cast aside.

the simple word love, spins head and threw my unbalanced but stable life with its version of tsunami. i hate the disruption more than the void that now needs to be filled up once again. or perhaps all is the same. i yet to know.

health tip: eat your vegetables during sex

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 06:08:00 +0000

obsession of healthy living is a practical joke builds on the hypocrisy of man cheating themselves into something stylish.

we eat big mac meal even when we know it could cost us over 1000 calories but we eat it anyway, only to make ourselves feel better by ordering a coke light.

we eat lean boiled chicken breasts fillet with butter fat laden cream over them, only to make ourselves feel better by the green garnish occupying 1/1000 space on the plate.

for 10 hours a day, we rush ourselves through work and traffic, being rude to people around us, curse and swear just because it is a raining day, but we try to attain inner peace through our daily 50 min yoga class.

we eat everything our tongue wants and believe that 30 mins on the treadmill will transform us into magazine worthy creatures.

peanut size effort to conquer our mountainous ability of self denial. that is us.

in the middle of the night

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:41:00 +0000

Seated in the cloud of mumbling smoke where the silence of the night creeps strange messages into your brain. saying what the fuck? the blare from my yellow lighter lit yet another stick. a step closer to hell. each draw of nicotine through my cracked up lips sends the antidote for dysfunctional emotions to my blood. quenching the lust to feel. deadly as it is, it heals.

Driving the car of life journey. what is my rear mirror showing? we live in city of temptations, drifting and weaving through traffic of sins with half the headlights working. the road is long, filled with jingles and illusions to salvation. bells of angels and bongs of devils. where are we heading? who is driving? what is real? is real even real anymore?

The screens stares at me so blatantly, only me and my own words looking at me. what my fingers create through the qwerty is refreshingly mysterious to my brain. have i written all these? my brain is asking. or is the smoke mumbling again...

What's cooking in Viz's kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 02:24:00 +0000

This is a delayed posting with dishes i made in vietnam before i went cambodia.. first dish is stir-fried potato with pork and 'chai-sim'. my first attempt of my mum's creation. score pretty well with my unofficial food critic, moses. a very simple dish (and cheap dish to make.

the second dish is also a first attempt, salted-eggs with bittergourd. moses said, "cannot pass". haha. the salted-egg is too "loose" and not "sticking" on to the bittergourd. But well, i liked it. haha. though must say that it can be improved. :)

3rd dish.. 'kong bao chicken'.. got the recipe online and it worked out pretty well. Must thank ros for bringing me the dried-chilli from singapore. absolutely love it. hehe.

Its a New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:25:00 +0000

Perhaps, this is the most fulfilling one in the way that i've visited more relatives than any of the previous years. interestingly, they all know that i'm working in vietnam... which i'm pretty sure i did not broadcast it. the usual, "when are you getting married?" which i waved off with, "I'm gay".. did work quite well. hahah.

this year's horoscope says that it will be a stressful year for me and that it will take a lot more hard work to harvest what is potential for me end of the year and next year... duh.. which year is not stressful? which year don't have to work hard? hahaha..

Good news on the first day of work on the 3rd day of new year.. officially issued the certificate of shares holding for one of the company under our group. small shares, but i guess it comes across as a motivation for me.

this year outlook for me will be something like this:

- build up liquor marketing in vietnam and cambodia
- explore business opportunities in Laos
- manage retail and branding strategies for Osim

will be setting milestones for myself to achieve.. and last but not least, May this year of Ox be a fruitful year for everyone!

go slow

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:52:00 +0000

why is it that when we need to drive very slow it is call "dead slow"?

isn't dead suppose to mean motionless? no movement at all?

i think we should call it "snail slow" or "snake slow" or "slug slow". these will make more sense.

just like how we call the post mail these days as "snail mail", we don't call them "dead mail" isn't it?

transportation in singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:43:00 +0000

being away from singapore made me appreciate singapore's transportation system.. well, the high cost helped too..

a trip on the cab two blocks down the street will cost you an arm and leg, sometimes budget airlines can even be cheaper.

perhaps they should have promotions like budget airlines.. "one way ticket to takashimaya for just 40cents!".. which is why i don't understand why my trip from AMK to Changi Airport cost more than then my air tickets. they might as well put planes on the roads.

talking about roads, its seems that no matter what you do, building more roads, more ERPS, COEs.. the moment you drive your car out of the carpark, you are in the jam. they always say that for the rich, time is money, but why the rich are using cars to move around at a slower pace wasting more time. MRT beats them almost everytime.

Maybe all of us should convert to riding a bicycle, its clean for the environment, it is good exercise, and you can get off the road at almost any time of your trip. and if there is any good looking chick cycling along side, you get to stalk her by looking at the tight ass from behind..

There are a lot of work to be done with the MRT, the compartments are getting smaller. in the part, the trains are only packed during the morning and evening peak hours, but now, they are packed EVERYTIME! and the authorities still say that the MRT is capable to manage the growing population. Who are they kidding, if I have to wait for 2 trains to pass me before getting into the train, then we are not ready for 6.5million people.

And i also don't understand why MRT allows bicycles inside the train? as if the train full of human asses is not enough we have to use the train to carry another form of transport. And why those buggers are bringing bicycles into the train? cant they just cycle the entire journey? they have wheels to start with.. man.. hahaha.

cheers!

my eyes...

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:13:00 +0000

i wanted to type this post earlier but i couldn't as my vision could not allow me to do so.. i went for lasik, the first surgery of any sort in my life. a surgery which i thought will transform my way of life in more than one way.. and i was right.

having 24 years of my life wearing specs.. i woke up to a clear vision is almost a miracle in itself.. it is not the 'big changes' that makes the surgery worth it, but the small ones like.. not having fogging specs when alighting from aircon car, not needing to search for your specs in the wee hour of the night just to go toilet, no kissing of specs with a bi-specs girlfriend or boyfriend..

at this time of posting, i'm having about 85% of my vision back and i do not need to wear specs at all now..apart from words from the monitor still look blur.. the rest are ok. it is the after care that is a pain in the ass.. hahah.

Use people like wood

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:39:00 +0000

"yong ren ru yong mu", this was told to me by a senior in Cambodia. yes, everyone is useful in their on way, if a person is teak, you must not use it as firewood, that will be a waste of its talents. Even the most insignficiant wood has it use.

IMO, corporate management is about leadership and not managing. when our staff are not performing, as leaders of the company, we need to ask if we have used the "wood" correctly. have we task the right wood to the wrong job?

Most managers mistakes in today's business is that they think they can manage a person. but the fact is, do you need to? we humans are born to be respond in achieving our needs. If we are hungry, we do not need any one to tell us to eat. if we are tired, we do not need any one to tell us that we need to sleep don't we? so, the same habit will apply, if we want to excel in our work, your natural ability will creates the processes and milestones to achieve it.

managing people is an impossible task, but instead, manage on results. everyone will achieve results through their own ways because the simple fact is that we are all different. There is no best way unless it is your way. and it is the process (ways) which you have adopted vs the outcome of your results create in itseld what we call, Performance.

too many managers are micro-managers who believe that they can control everything by controlling every detail process. Wrong. Do you realise that how often we want to hold on to something but will still lose it? How often you get want you want when you let it go? it is a fact of life. Which is why delication of job to the right person is so important to a manager; by doing that, you are managing the results NOT the people which is simpler and more effective as now all parties are looking at the same goal instead of having any party having to compromise which another party.

Today's life gave us an illusion that things can be controlled... but fact of life is that if we look carefully into everything we got, they are results of what we do not control.. your promotion.. can you control a promotion? No, we can only work hard to achieve what the company wants and the rest is up to your boss right? Your life partner? No, it can't work just because you want it, it has to be mutual right? Driving the car? No, you can drive it, turn it left and right, but that is because the car is allowing it to move isn't it, what can you do when it does not feel like working today?

so.. bottomline is .. save yourself some headache but manageing results and not people.. people are creative creatures which will find that many ways to skin any cat when given the opportunity.

(no animals have been harmed)

Finally it is here

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 04:52:00 +0000

finally, after waiting for 1 freaking week, my box of WOW Lich King is in my hands now! *evil laugh*.

Baked Ribs again

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 03:06:00 +0000

Oh yes, i did it again. but this time round with a slight difference in technique. I actually "steamed" the ribs in the oven by covering it with foil for about 2hr before remove it from the tray.

Then drained the juices from the tray, brush dark soya sauce and spread sweet and sour sauce over the ribs and baked for another 1hr to get that charred colour and slight tight texture.

i think this is by far the most successful ribs i've made. yeah!

what a face..

noreply@blogger.com (Viz) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:06:00 +0000

this is a group picture of the TD gang during lawrence's birthday a few years back. how times fly.. i realised that when you get older, your group of friends' gathering gets smaller but your face gets bigger.. at least for me it is.

missed those days of mountain climbing, gyming and dragonboating. nowadays really can't find the motivation to do all those.