Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Internet speed record!

This is what happens with a little bit of luck, and when everything is in the right place.


My Prison Break download summary = "Average download rate: 507kB/s within 11 minutes 47 seconds"

Hard to believe? Me either. But this is not the first time I suddenly get insane burst speeds from Streamyx, the last highest I achieved was 318kB/s. Last only about 5 minutes or so, totally forgot to take a screen shot.

But this is the first time I achieved such insane speed, over 500 kBytes! It just proves that Streamyx HAS the ability to supply us with fast 10 Mbps connection if they don't concentrate too much on trying to cut out throats. But for this download, I also have my 3G connected at the same time, so it is downloading through Streamyx and Maxis 3G. AND I was also using a local tracker, yes, the tracker server is IN M'sia itself.

Friday, January 26, 2007

Nothing seems right since 2007 started..

A new year, a new beginning?! For me, is more like a bad beginning, infact a VERY bad beginning.

This whole week has been a very dark and hard time for me. Infact, I think it is one of the worst period of time ever -- as far as I can remember. Everyday, I only get more and more bad news, or more and more bad things happening to me. And when I always thought it will only get better the next day when I wake up, well, I'm totally wrong, it only kept getting worst, and worst.

If you actually bother to read the post below about my jinxed trip to Cameron and not only view the pictures, you got a glimpse of what happened over my weekend. I forgot to also add a few more things. That weekend I also found out that someone whom I love and care about alot started smoking. Now she is the last person on earth I would expect to fall like this, and it really tore my heart apart to learn about this. Beside this, my wisdom tooth, which actually stopped growing for half a year already and never gave me any problem so far, decided to start growing again out of the blues. And amazingly, it grew so darn fast in just 3 days, pushed out from my gum almost 2mm! And yes, it is giving me lots of pain!

Below I mentioned that the mechanic couldn't fixed my car at the end, and I had to drive back all the way to KL without air cond. I had no choice but I still had to pay him, since he already order that part. To be fair he did install it, but only found out it is more major and I couldn't wait anymore. So yeah, I wasted almost RM1000 on that 3 day trip to Cameron. And the drive back to KL was one hell of a experience I can never forget. Worst thing is I can't really put down my window all the time, because the rain decided to come the moment I start the journey. So at times, I've to put the windows all the way up and suffer with hot air blowing through the air cond vent. Imagine this, you're in a car, your air cond is dead, you can't wind down the window cause is raining. Only hot air is blowing through your air cond vent and if you turn if off, you would probably die of suffocation. So it's stuffy, extremely hot, and the air is polluted with carbon monoxide...all this...plus the fact that you are so sleepy you can knock out the moment you touch the bed. That's how I suffered for almost 2 hours!! Only thing that kept my awake and alive -- I kept praying and praying and praying all the way. And I can honestly say I totally relied on God strength to take me back safely!

When I thought it's all over, and when I thought things can only get better, the following days only bring me nothing but more bad news and bad things. If the week is not bad enough, I got rejected by 3 Universities, all in a single day. Followed by screwing up a client's computer, and because of me, lost a few important documents for my him. Have to run a very tedious process of file recovery so I hopefully can save my ass.

Well, that was only this week.

As I think back, the first few weeks of 2007 wasn't great either. I found out my dad has a growth growing in his leg, and his practically limping all over the place until he has time to go for surgery. My dad business here in M'sia is also going down the drain, thanks to our wonderful PM who cancels so many projects. Now my dad has to keep on travelling overseas to set up a new overseas export devision.

As for me, I spent the first 2 and a half weeks of 2007 with a very bad flu. I couldn't taste, couldn't smell and my hearing was so bad I had to kept on using the word "pardon" when I'm talking to people. I also recieved my wonderful MUFY results, and as expected, I failed. Currently wasting so much time trying to appeal to get a university to accept me, did I mentioned I just got rejected by 3 Uni in a single day?? In financial terms, nothing is right for me either. I got myself into a RM1.5k debt in this first week of 2007 because of a business deal that went bad. I had not much new projects and have been turned down by a few very interested and potential customers, well, at least they were, last year. I also lost more money here and there, losing alot of money that I painstakingly earned last year. All this and is only January, infact is not even the end of January yet!

You think all this is bad enough? Well... My r'ship with her just ended as fast as it started. The only thing, the only one, the only person that kept me sane all this while. The only thing I kept thanking God for after any discouraging things happened, is gone. She was the only one that helped me cope with all the stress and pressure during times when I've to organise and handle the logistics, like Caroling. All I needed that time was just a glimpse of her face and I'll have renewed strength from beyond this world. And when I get to see her smile, is at that very moment, it seems like everything in the world is at it's right place. For a second, everything would be perfect! But now, is like my support column for everything has been taken away. It was only because of her I could still go through days like these..and now...I'm all alone again. Is amazing how can someone fall for another person so deeply and so much in such a short time. And another amazing thing is how fast a person could learn to love another person so deeply in such a short time. Even though it couldn't worked out, even though it was only for such a short period, but it was all worth it. Like what Seth said in "City of Angels" -- "I would rather had one breath of her hair, one kiss on her lips, one touch of her hand, then and eternity without it". I thank God He has blessed me with her, even for such a short time. And I thank God for the memories that is left with me.
The only good thing of 2007, is, I had the chance the spent the new year with her. =)

Satan can poke at and take everything that I love and care about away. I don't care, because I know God is in control, and I know He will help me through this time. Satan can torture Job, take totally everything away from him, give him sickness from head to toe, but Job still managed to bow down and give praise to the Lord. That is who I want to be. It says in Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.



I loved her..more then I ever thought I possibly could..and it was beautiful.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Cameron trip...

*Update:
(1) I know alot of people couldn't load all the pictures on this blog, that is because photobucket.com is not very happy with the fact I have 738 pictures uploaded on to their site.
(2) So I got a proper webspace by a proper server to host my pictures. So now everyone will be able to load all my pictures in a much shorter time. And all this is thanks to Eric Cheong. You've no idea how much I appreciate this!! =))


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This is one of the worst weekend getaway/retreat/holiday ever in my whole 19 years on this earth! It is as though I have walked under a ladder just before I start my journey up to Cameron on Saturday evening! Since then, nothing seems right and I've never been so unlucky and jinxed before.

A day before the trip I suddenly lost all interest to go because I found out some things from someone which is personal and I shall not talk about it here. But at the end I decided to go mainly for 4 reasons:
1) Driving up Cameron road at night
2) For the cold air
3) Pancake, Apple pie and jambu (Tapah)
4) Photography

At the end I really regretted going, ok maybe not really regret that much, but it would be alot better and I could have saved alot of hassle, time and money if I chose not to go. Here's a summary of my sad story:

1) It was pouring all the way as I drove from DJ to Cameron.
2) Almost got chase by police in Perdana, "lucky" I was going too fast.
3) About 3km before reaching Tanah Rata, suddenly noticed that there's a very weird smell, but we ignored it and thought it was the surrounding smell.
4) Then noticed loud and sharp scratching noises from the front left of my car, but we ignored it again and thought is the sound of my tires running over water (sounds exactly the same).
5) When we're 1km away from Tanah Rata, rain became too heavy, so I put up my windows and turn back on my air cond and noticed the smell became worst, and my air cond wasn't cold at all. I suspect something wrong, so turn it back off.
6) When finally reached Tanah Rata and park my car at the steamboat where everyone else is, only then we realised the loud scratching noise is from my engine, and my car smell like one huge charcoal!
7) Turned off my engine, and then tried starting it again, but engine couldn't cranked. Panic!
8) Ben ask me to chill first and sit down and rest first, let my engine cool off first then try later.
9) After awhile, pop my hood to check my engine and found the problem. The ball bearing of my air cond compressor moved out from it's original position and it scratching against the side wall of my engine chasis. Can see melted metal shavings everywhere. Realised I can't do much then. Prayed that I could start my car again and drive back to the hotel and only find a mechanic the next day.
10) After makan, surprisingly my car managed to start and made it back to the hotel.
11) Next day, found a mechanic in Tanah Rata, and later he tells me that he only can fix tomorrow (Monday) because he doesn't have the parts. So I got Henry and Ben Yue to teman me stay another night.
12) Got a room in Pines resort. Room is nice but I feel really cheated, for the price I'm paying, is not even close to a average 4 star hotel service. Don't even have Astro or WiFi compared to the RM300 pent-house apartment we stayed in the night before.
13) On Monday, the mechanic only got the parts at 1.30pm, said he only need half an hour to install, but knowing mechanics, I gave him more time and only go at 3pm. As expected, haven't fixed finish so have to wait there.
14) Waited for another 2 hours there, having alot of complications. At the end he couldn't fixed for me, because only realised that the whole compressor is spoiled. So he just removed the ball bearing coil for me, so at least the belt can spin through it without running the compressor. Means, no air cond all the way back to KL! (you've NO idea how suffering it is until u tried it, especially when u're sleepy! There are a few times I couldn't even wind down my window cause it was raining heavily!!)
15) Start my journey back to KL around 5pm+, and...yes, it started to rain!
16) Finally reached home 2 hour 45 minutes later, so slow cause I couldn't really speed and I've to put my window down.
17) When I thought it was all over, the moment I reached home and enter my house...poof..electricity went off! Hallelujah!

So that's my wonderful weekend. Seriously I felt like I was being jinxed, through out the 3 days other smaller things also happened to really irritate me. Kept stepping into pool of water and mud and my stupid slippers with holes didn't help much as I walk around when it's raining!

But despite all this, I also have many things to thank God for...

1) I thank God that my car didn't die half way when I'm coming up Cameron. Or else things will be much worst if I got stranded on the hill, with the rain and fog.
2) I thank God that my car managed to start again and was able to drive to the hotel and to a mechanic.
3) I thank God there was a mechanic in Cameron, even though he charged me abit too expensive, but at least I could drive back safely.
4) I thank God that it only rained when I have my car and it didn't rain when we've to walk around Tanah Rata for food and etc.
5) I thank God I was secure financially in Cameron and my dad managed to transfer money to me even on a Sunday.
6) I thank God I found a comfortable place to stay the extra night even though it is expensive.
7) I thank God for Henry and Ben Yue for teman-ing me for the extra night.

And also I did experience all the things I wanted that I came up for. I did have a very fun time driving up Cameron on Saturday night. It was one of the best driving experience ever! With the rain, dark road and foggy weather, made every turning so much more challenging! I also really enjoy the cold weather there. I managed to eat pancake and the Apple pie ice cream thanks to the extra night and I also bought 3kg of jambu on the way home! And lastly, I did have fun with photography and I've a few satisfying shots which ALMOST make the trip worthwhile. =)

And so..here are the pictures I want to share with everyone..

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p/s: There are 62 pictures, so please be patient for it to load. If some pictures doesn't show, just right click on that empty slot and click on "Show picture".
p/p/s: Some pictures (not all, only pics like group photo or landscape pics) can be enlarged to 640x426. Just click on the image.








This dood spend a long time on his hair!






18 of us excluding me.


Husband and wife enjoying the scenery.






















This is what happened when you let a real amateur use a SLR camera with a large aperture lens. Poor Ben is totally out of focus. I shall spare the embarassment and shall not announce who took this pic. (Please, not me!)












Who's that woman??




Our rock star!






Wern Eik, amazed with my lens blower!










You won't get a prize if you can guess who's car is this.


Range rover!










Henry's dream.


A classic mini cooper's engine.


Poser.


And more poser.


Oh man..


Oh mann..





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And now for my favourite shots..
p/s: There are 3 pictures of cats (the real animal cat, not Catherine), so for those who are afraid of cats like Melissa, scroll down at your own risk.



Sungei Pilas in Berinchang.














Ben Yue took this pic on the way back. Cropped already.









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This is the stupid ball bearing coil that caused all the problem.


This is a brand new coil.


And this was mine!


Thanks for viewing. Please leave your comments, would really appreciate tips, critism, or anything that can help me improve =)