Not fast, nevermind... but must shiny

What do you do when you’re on medical leave, and the weather is good?

Wax your car!

Here are some waxing tips for dummies. From a fellow dummy. You may find it helpful.

Pre-wax preparations:

1. Wash your car first. Any type of car wash shampoo will do. No need to waste money. Buy the type that says “car wash”, not “car wash and wax”. It’s better to wax your car separately.

2. Dry it fast! Before hydrophilic dust starts to stick to your car again. Use a rubber towel. It does a much better job than dry cloth.

During waxing:

3. Wax on. Use a soft, dry cloth (or a special applicator) to apply the wax. Do not use a sponge! It will soak up the wax when you’re applying in on your car.

• You don’t need to polish (as in, rub and scrub hard) when you’re applying the wax. Just apply it.


• Don’t be too stingy with the wax. Don’t apply too thin, until you cannot see the wax on your car. Don’t apply too thick, until it looks like your car kena colgate.

4. Wax off. Now, here is where you need to do the polishing. Use a microfibre cloth to “polish off” the wax. Use one side of the cloth to polish off the wax one time, and use the other side of the cloth to polish off another time. You should be able to see the gleam by the second polish.

• Point to stress: Waxing off is more important than waxing on. Firstly, the shiny gleam effect depends on how well you can polish off the wax. Secondly, if you don’t polish off the wax properly, the residue will make your car look stained.

Post-wax precautions:

5. Do not park your car under any trees! Or you will kena chiao sai! The last time I waxed, my car got bird poo-ed within 24 hours.

Birds always love to pang sai on clean, shiny, gleamy cars. Why? Lemme ask you la... When you go public toilet, do you look for a dirty toilet or clean, shiny one? Of course the clean, shiny wan, rite? Use your blain! Use your blain!

Waxing can be quite time consuming. Make sure you have a lot of time to spare before you start. The first time I did a wash + wax + window job, it took me more than 2 hours. Yesterday, I did it in only 1.5 hours! Vast improvement. I believe I can go much faster when I get used to it. Yesterday was only my second attempt.

This post was sponsored by Meguiar's Gold Class wax.

To my brethren, whom I love

We are the Brethren. The world knows us as the Brethren. We do not want to be called a denomination, because a denomination is an institution governed by the laws of man. We believe that man has no right to make rules and regulations that institute a denomination. We believe only the Bible determines how believers should conduct ourselves.

Therefore, we strive to be denomination-less. We call ourselves the assembly. As in the assembly of believers.

However, the fact is, there is nothing we can do to shake off our denomination tag. No matter how we try to change our name. The way we name our churches gives us a distinctive in itself. Even if we call ourselves the “nameless church,” we are still a denomination, i.e. the nameless church.

We have an identity that we have put on ourselves ever since we were founded. We are who we are. We are the Brethren.

The world knows little of us. There are relatively few of us in the universal body of Christ. What pains me is how we see other Christians who are not from our assembly. Eight things I have to say to us, nine that sorrow my heart.

1. Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh… that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:11-12)

The barrier between the Circumcision and the Uncircumcision have been brought into the same commonwealth, as partakers of the same promise, through the blood of Christ. A barrier of such a great magnitude that extends across cultures, races, languages and spiritual background could be reconciled by Christ.

But yet, we see other Christians who are not from our assembly with a highly prejudiced eye. Even those who are of the same skin colour, who speak the same dialect, and are already citizens of the kingdom of God.

2. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. (Ephesians 2:14-16)

Christ Himself has put to death the enmity between Gentile and Jewish Christians by His own flesh. But yet, we erect walls of separation among fellow Gentile Christians who are not from our own.

Christ has made peace for two very irreconcilable people groups who profess to follow Him. But we keep our distance from Christians who are from outside our assembly, and do not even want to be seen with them.

3. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If fthe whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. (1 Corinthians 12:14-18)

We interpret this as a teaching for the local church, but fail to see it extending to the universal church. God has set each of us in our places just as He pleased “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:12-13)

But we see other types of Christians as though nothing good can come out from them.

4. Paul exhorted us to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)

But we think as though we are exclusively correct, and better than everyone else.

Once I visited a Baptist church during one of my dark patches of my life. The head pastor came and spoke with me. He asked me where I was from. I said I come from a Brethren church. And he said, “Thank you for being gracious to us.”

Can we find such humility from among ourselves?

5. Jesus prayed, “…that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me” (John 17:22-23)

If Jesus’ prayer cannot be interpreted as a prayer for all believers in the universal body of Christ, I don’t know how else it can be interpreted.

6. Paul wrote, “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”

Have Christians from other denominations caused any evil to us? And yet we see other types of Christians as though they are the source of defilement to the sanctity of the body of Christ.

What regard do we have for them? If there are two ways to see something about them, we do not choose to see the good side of it.

How peaceable are we with them? Have we even tried?

7. Paul also wrote, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…” (Romans 8:16-17)

We, together with other kinds of born-again believers, are joint heirs with Christ! We inherit every blessing that Christ inherits, together with Christians all around the world!

But yet we treat other kinds of Christians as though we don't share anything with them at all.

Are we pompous enough to say that they are not joint heirs with Christ along with us, when the Spirit Himself bears witness? Unless we go far enough to say that other Christians from outside our assembly are not the children of God. Have we gone that far?

8. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)

There are 31,103 verses in the bible. And we have made every effort to ungraciously divide ourselves over 82 verses in the bible.

9. We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. (Romans 15:1)

Given the assumption that we are doctrinally strong, do we bear with other Christians who are weak? We have preferred to not be associated with them because they are theologically inferior.

We who are strong in our theology… How strong are we in our application of it? For as long as we always think less of Christians who are not similar to ourselves, we are crippled babes in the practice of our faith.

We may have gotten our apologetics right in all areas in Scripture. But woe befalls us if we are found to fail badly in how Christ teaches us to live.

I am born a Brethren, bred a Brethren, serving as a Brethren, and intend to remain a Brethren. But one thing I strive is not to be denomination-centric. I believe it will do well for us to think likewise.

I love patriotic songs

Buruh, nelayan dan juga petani

Gaya hidup kini dah berubah
Anak-anak terasuk mindanya
Tengok benda apa mereka pandai

Pakar IT, pakar ekonomi

Jaguh sukan, banyak juga pondan
Berkereta jenama negara
Beli Myvi lagilah bergaya!

Alam cyber teknologi terkini
Ahli Cabinet tiada email lagi
Biar di kota ataupun desa, kita semua
Pasti nak terketawa!

One true test of maturity is the ability to laugh at ourselves - Someone-say-wan-I-can't-remember-who

De-fabrication hypothesis

My thoughts this merdeka: We no longer know what it means. And that is the cause of the de-fabrication of racial unity.

We keep hearing the point emphasized over and over again that we must appreciate our independence, and what it means to us. But I guess for third generation Malaysians, it is very hard to see it any more than a lot of pomp, or a holiday. Why is that?

Simple. Because we were not there. And we can't go back and try to appreciate merdeka experientially. Even if we camped overnight in school and ate ubi kayu ala Japanese occupation. Because first of all, our ubi kayu tasted good. Secondly, we had barbeque chicken, catfish, and lamb to go with it. And thirdly, we weren't around during 1941-1945.

Third generation Malaysians wake up, and get a social contract from their forefather's time forced down their throats. That doesn't help in their appreciation of merdeka either.

It is a fact we have to face. We weren't around during the British occupation. We weren't around during the Japanese occupation. We weren't around when the British regained occupation. And there is just so much we can appreciate something of the past without going through it experientially.

Anyway, let me digress...

Did anyone ever wonder how Tunku Abdul Rahman managed to negotiate our way to independence? Don't you think that is something monumentally difficult to do, that borders on impossibility? What did he actually say? What did he actually do? If you were a Brit, why would you want to leave Malaya permanently, in a win-lose situation?

My colleague commented that Tunku Abdul Rahman bought a fruit as a gift for the British at the negotiating table. And consuming the fruit affected their judgment.

???

Sometimes you can never tell if my male colleagues are serious. Cos they can really talk nonsense with a straight face.

Now, back to my point. We can't fully appreciate something, or be good at something, before going through it experientially. Think about the value of working experience. Think about your conversion experience. Do you think you'd be equally as appreciative, if you have not seen the before and after?

Our forefathers who had lived through the pre-independence era seemed to be able to get along better with other races. I put it to you that it is because they understood and accepted the social contract back then. Third generation Malaysians see the fabric of racial unity falling apart. Because we no longer see how that same social contract applies to us when we have not been there to be part of it.

Abdullah Badawi mentioned some time ago that the social contract will be reviewed. I think it's a good effort to be reviewed. But I doubt it will be amended.

To see why we possibly won't want it to be amended, we have to put ourselves in a Bumiputera's shoes. We will look to Australia. Do we want the same fate that has happened to the aborigines to fall on us too? We will look to South Africa. Do we want people from a different color skin to become the dominant race in our own land?

No, we don't. They can live in our land. But they cannot live off our land. When they first arrived, they were tin miners and rubber tappers. Since they stuck around until merdeka, we offered them a social contract. They were very happy with it anyway. So we keep it at that. And that is the way it should stay.

There isn't any logic to give absolute equality to people who came to our land just to work, isn't it? Would you want to give equal status to the Indonesian maid who lives in your house? If the maid gets married, has children, and her whole family continues working in your house, are you going to elevate her family's status?

It actually makes a lot of sense to maintain the social contract the way it is... If we were in their shoes.

On the other hand, we stand in our own shoes... Here's how I feel.

We always hear things like "Cina babi." Or "Cina balik China." Truth be told: If I am made to return to China, I will be grieved. Why would I want to return to China? I wasn't from China in the first place. How do I return to a place I didn't come from?

If Malaysia is taken away from us, we have nowhere to go.

So stop seeing us as immigrants from China. We are not from China. We are from Malaysia. We are Malaysians.

It is something hard for westerners to understand how you can be Chinese and not be from China, or how you can be Malaysian and not be Malay. Ask anyone who has gone for student exchange in foreign countries.

I am hoping that we, as Malaysians, can understand this better than westerners.

MERDEKA!! MERDEKA!!! MERDEK...

Eh, actually how many times did Tunku Abdul Rahman say merdeka ah? Until now I also dunno...

Eradicate poverty, or develop human resource?

Our Dasar Ekonomi is to mengurangkan jurang antara yang kaya dengan yang miskin, dan membasmi kemiskinan. Our Pelan Induk Pendidikan is to membangunkan modal insan. How does the two go hand-in-hand together?

Theoretically, by membangunkan modal insan, we will equip more citizens to find jobs. Eventually, it will lead to membasmi kemiskinan.

Theoretically, that is.

There's this girl in my class. Let's call her J. She just became a prefect. But her grades are bad. Because she works everyday after school.

There's this other girl in my class. Let's call her N. She just became a prefect too. And her grades are just as bad. She works in a hand phone shop everyday after school.

There's another girl in my class. Let's call her U. Her grades are sad. She travels to KL after school everyday to help her parents at a traditional medicine shop.

I have a boy in my class. His grades are sad too. He works 3 times a day, loading and unloading cargo.

I have a girl in my class who got transferred out from my school. After a month, she came back. Her mum came to see me, asking me to allow her to join her classmates again. Her mum is a single parent. She has many children. She couldn't pay up her zakat. She just lost her house, electricity got cut, and water supply got cut. She got evicted. She doesn't have anyone who is big enough to take all of them in. So, her family is torn apart. Each of her children have to bunk in with other kind families at separate homes.

Poverty is a real problem. I see it everyday. It is important to ensure that our education system can effectively equip students to become wage-earners. Education is the only way to break the vicious cycle of poverty.

And how have we done that?

We have made public exams easier. Or lowered the passing grade. Notice how easily the 'As' come nowadays?

By doing that, we increase the number of people who can get a passing grade. Therefore, we churn out more SPM holders to the street. Does a bigger percentage of SPM holders become decent wage earners?

No. Because deep down inside, they know they are far from equipped.

Yes, we have "developed our human resource". We have produced more people who can pass public exams. We have churned out more degree holders than never before. But guess what. The problem of poverty is still there.

Why? Because we are merely fooling ourselves. Any employer from any reputable local company knows that a student's exam grade today may not truly reflect his intelligence. It gets worse overseas. Any employer from overseas sees our academic credentials as a twisted yardstick.

When you look at it critically, membasmi kemiskinan and membangunkan modal insan, in our context, cannot go hand-in-hand.

You wanna membasmi kemiskinan? Ok. Lower the standards of education. So more people can be employed locally. But that will mean our nation will become progressively under-developed. So much for membangunkan modal insan.

You wanna membangunkan modal insan? Ok. Raise the standards of education. So more people of real quality can contribute to society. But that will mean the poor will still remain poor, because they probably won't make it. So much for membasmi kemiskinan.

It's either one, or the other. We can't have it both ways.

Between membasmi kemiskinan and membangunkan modal insan... We have chosen the former.

Bike modification of the day

Raised my bicycle seat by 2.5 inches. Tilted the seat forward at a gradient. Power output increase... Incredible! The wonders of bike-fitting. Let's take on Empangan Batu tomorrow.

Oh yah, guess who pulled up in the parking lot yesterday evening. It's Sunshine! It finally arrived.

The strange thing is, I don't feel a thing. Maybe it's because the wait has been much too long, until I hati tawar already. Or maybe it's because I'm more captivated by a 2-wheeler than a 4-wheeler.

If there's anything that I feel, I think it's the feeling of paranoia. Of how long will it be before somebody tries to break into it. Hence, the car steering lock. The car body cover. Tomorrow, I'll fix the car door security plates. To prevent the door from being opened by merely sliding a metal ruler down the window.

Oh yah. Did I forget to mention that the car interior design totally rocks? It has a glove compartment. But the compartment is actually a lubang, without a lid. What kind of things can you put in a lubang without a lid?

There is this panel under the steering wheel. Dunno who's bright idea it was to put it there. Because it keeps hitting my lower leg whenever I step on the clutch! One day, my leg is gonna bengkok.

The best part is... The steering wheel blocks my view of the speedometer! I literally can't see how fast I'm going. If I get stopped by the police, my lips ain't lying when I say, "Sorry encik, saya tak tahu saya speeding! Betul punya!"

Looks like my Merida 904 isn't gonna arrive. Not if I have to foot RM363 per month for the car, for the next 7 years. I guess it's true what they say. Buying a car is nothing but a liability.

If I continue waiting for a road bike, my triathlon dream will never happen. I guess my only option is to race on a 300-dollar mountain bike. I'm all heart and lungs, man. Just heart and lungs.

Gee... I wonder how long will it take before someone says, "Hey, let's rob this chink. He's got 10 wheels!"

What am I gonna do with so many wheels...

Change your job, or change your goal

There are three things you cannot change from bottom-up. Corruption, poverty, and education.

I'm getting bored of my job, to the point of giving up. I feel like I don't have a real goal. I'm glancing at my watch once too often, hoping that I can leave the class as soon as possible. I don't feel like staying back one minute longer after school hours. I feel like I'm living an empty, direction-less life.

Gone is naive aspiration, of "giving kids a better shot at life." Here's the reality check. Kids aren't getting any better. And they are never gonna get any better, if they are not allowed to get better. They are not gonna get a better shot at life, if all they have are blanks to shoot from.

The bottom-up approach works in some contexts. But not in schools. You got to grab the bull by its horns, and do it top-down.

There is just so much you can do if you're at the bottom. Whatever you say, or whatever you do, no matter how good it is, will be coming from a nobody. "Home-schooling? What are you talking about? Are you a Datuk? A dean? A pegawai from the Pengarah's office? If you're none of those, then shut up and suck it in."

Hence, I postulate:

• If you want change, you got to be a somebody.
• You want change.
• Therefore, be a somebody. Do what it takes.

From what I observe, it's possible to make it all the way to the top. If you really want to.

First, you'll need a platform. You're going nowhere if you get stuck teaching in a kampung school that nobody hears about. "You got a bright idea? Which school are you from again? Err... that place doesn't sound bright..."

I've got good cables in Penang Free School. As soon as my 4-year tenure is up, I'm going back to my Alma Mater. It's a Cluster School now. (Cluster what? Cluster of under-performing students from a privileged people, that is. Ask the canteen auntie who sells fried bee hoon mee. Her business has dropped so bad, that she has stopped selling after school hours. Why? Because there are too few people who are not from the privileged people who stay back after school.)

Anyway, whatever "cluster" means, cluster's good if you're looking for a platform. If you come out tops there, that will put you on the grid.

Next, you'll wanna get involved with the Pejabat Pendidikan Daerah. Get involved with their meetings, seminars, whatever. Volunteer yourself to do things for them. Get yourself a name among them.

Then, slowly ease yourself in to the Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri. Be a good guy first. Earn their trust, win their favor. Play some politics if you have to, as long as you don't compromise on your convictions. You gotta be wise. Because if you start launching your agenda before you make it to the top, you'll fall flat and your grand plan will go bust.

After that, you wanna do some research. One thing I regret is that I did not put in enough effort to become an academician. How does someone do real, actual research? How does someone publish a paper? Those folios we did for Sejarah and Geografi PMR wasn't too helpful, was it? I guess I'm a victim if a system I grew up in. Even after university level, I know nuts about doing real research. "You only do research if you take Masters? You poor things. My boy already published papers before he graduated. He's not from here, of course..."

Now we also have folios for Pendidikan Moral. I wonder which big guy came up with that idea. I wonder how he made it there too.

Anyway, as I was saying... I'll need to do a research, and get it published. I'll need to learn how to do it. How to go about it. And how come I never learned any of those in my student life.

I'll need friends who can help me with it:

Journalists - I want to be the brain, I need them to do the story.

Media people - I got the idea, I need them to communicate it well.

Statisticians - I want real data, I need surveyors to do the job.

Teachers - I got a new working environment for them, I need to see if they're rolling with it.

Academic consultants - I need to know the existing structures of home-schooling in the West, and how to make it work in Malaysia.

Funding - How do you get research grants anyway? And whom do you get it from? And after the work is done, where do you go to get it published?

I'll keep the friends that I know real close. One day, they'll have important parts to play in the grand plan. Is that grand plan possible? Somehow, something tells me that if you soak in enough nonsense, do it for a time long enough, and not get numb while doing it... You can actually make it. A real difference, that is.

There. Now I feel better about going to school tomorrow.

Backwaaaaard, march! Hup, two three four...

A student from another school told me he has an exchange student from Belgium in his class. His name is Tom something-something. They called him Amir.

Once, the teacher was teaching about ogives. The Belgium guy looked nonchalant. Thinking that maybe he couldn't follow the lesson, the teacher asked him, "Can you understand what I'm saying?" The Belgium guy said, "Yeah. I already learnt that since... ummm... 5 to 6 years ago?"

*Shocked silence*

Well. That means, in their "UPSR", they are already doing our SPM questions. What do they do for their "SPM" then? Our college or university level questions.

The Belgium guy explained that for them, when they reach high-school (something like our secondary school), they already start specializing their subjects. Say, for example, you are interested in engineering. So, you take the subjects that are geared towards engineering since high-school level.

How progressive are we in our public schools? We'd like to think that the subject matter gets increasingly difficult as you progress. But the fact is, things don't really get much harder. Try to think back to your primary school years. In Maths, as you progress through each year, you basically deal with bigger numbers. That's all. From puluh, you deal with ratus. From ratus, you deal with ribu. From ribu, you deal with puluh ribu. Mathematical operations remain the same. How much math do you really learn over 6 years?

While we're busy tackling bigger numbers, kids from the West are already dealing with elementary calculus.

How much choice do we have in our public school system? Everyone has to take their UPSR. PMR doesn't give you any choice of subjects. You may choose the Science stream or the Arts stream for SPM. But even so, there is too little specialization to be called a "real choice".

How do we view the "great divide" between the Science stream and Arts stream? We have not understood the concept that intellectual abilities come in different aptitudes, and none is superior over the other. In our system, we put the smart ones in the Science stream. Because smart = Science. We put the not-so-smart ones in the Arts stream. Because not smart = Arts. And we look down condescendingly on Arts students. (Now Arts does not mean drawing, painting and dancing class. Arts also means finance, commerce, accountancy, literature, humanities, etc. Even law! Are all those types of knowledge inferior to that of Science geeks?) We have not matured in our thinking.

How many students do we have who can get through their SPM, and still do not know what they want to do? Hordes. Why? Because our system does not encourage people make proper choices, just general ones. "Better to be safe and don't choose now, so we can have better options later." Our system produces people who can score strings of A's in its exams, but yet be as directionless as a person who never went to school.

Speaking of A's. The standard of our A's mean nothing anymore in the international scene. Our A's are helpful only if we wanna work in our local kampung. The last reliable yardstick we had to represent a student's academic prowess was the SPM. Now, it no longer qualifies as a yardstick.

Think about it. Our Form 5 Add Maths today is actually the Form 5 Modern Maths syllabus, way back then. Our Form 6 STPM Maths today is actually the Form 5 Add Maths syllabus, way back then. How would other countries dare to give serious credibility to the standard of public exams in Malaysia?

Not only that. The questions we have for SPM gets progressively easier every year. I've compiled a collection of past year questions for SPM Add Maths questions. The trend can be clearly seen. The newer the questions, the less analysis is required. You can even see the answer before you start solving the question.

So, are we moving forward, or backward?

What do you think Amir will do when he goes back to Belgium? If I were him, I will kutuk lah! Surely wan, rite? Here, smile smile first. When go back, kutuk la... "Hey, you know what those guys in Malaysia are learning at age 16? Hahahaha..."

Here's what I think. If it's true that the West is always a decade ahead of Malaysia, then what is happening now in the West will happen in Malaysia 10 years later.

Currently, home-schooling is already very developed in the West. It is an option that many parents take for their children's best interest. There is nothing left in public schools that are more advantageous, compared to home-schooling.

When we finally realize the rot in our public school system 10 years from now, we may start to have a home-schooling system. If those guys up there don't realize it... Then I'll home-school my own kid.

There is too little hope left in our public schools. Even today.

Biathlon of the night

Tried to do a bike-cycle-bike session today.

• Lugged the bicycle down 10 flights of stairs.
• Cycled to the pool at Kompleks Sri Siantan.
• Swam just over 1 km.
• Cycled back home.
• Lugged the bicycle up 10 flights of stairs.

My gosh, it has been too long since I hit the pool! I used to be a speed machine in the water. Now, I have difficulty getting my elbows up. My strokes are all out. Ended up doing stroke drills. Got to clock in more training hours to get my groove back.

Pool entry costs RM3. If I go there regularly, it's gonna cost me a bomb. I never had to pay to enter swimming pools before. I guess this would require some getting used to.

Unless, I go to En. Azahari again, and ask about becoming a life guard. Or if they need any instructors or coaches for the swimming club he was trying to build. Then maybe I can get to clock in my swimming hours for free.

Next time, I'll wear my swimming trunks as I cycle to the pool... Get into the water as soon as I reach... Get back on the bike as soon as I'm done... And cycle back home straightaway. I wanna do a T1 simulation. (T1 is triathlon slang for Transition 1 - the transition from the swim leg to the cycle leg) I read that the swim-cycle transition is supposed to be tough, because the blood from your upper body will rush to your legs as you start to cycle. That gives quite a "blacking-out" feeling.

I'm cycling on high gears everywhere now. No more low gears. Yeah, I may end up mashing. (Mashing is triathlon slang for "struggling with too high a gear selection") But that will keep me from the bad habit of cruising effortlessly, and wasting time on the bike. Every ride on the bike can be maximized as a training session. Be it a ride to school... a ride to the bicycle shop... a ride to the post office... a ride to the bank... a ride to buy dinner... or a ride home. Every time I mount the bike, I should focus on getting stronger and faster.

I think I'm making progress every day. I'm feeling fitter. My pants feel tighter. My legs feel firmer. My bike feels lighter as I carry them up. I feel less crabby nowadays too.

Maybe it's because I'm finally going back to what I used to do. Being who I used to be. Maybe it's true what they say. You can't change a leopard's spots.

I'd like to think that life in Selayang is toughening me up. Struggling everyday without a car. Going everywhere on a bicycle. Weathering out the storms on two wheels and a rain jacket. Fighting off lyin', thievin' crooks. Dealing with work in school. Taking care of my house. Finding my own food. Making ends meet. Making my keep. I'd like to think that all these are making me into a hard-as-nails triathlete.

One day, I'm going to become a triathlete. I'm gonna train, not to participate. I'm gonna train... To win.

When you have Rambo-ngitis and Alzheimer's...

... you'll waste a lot of water.

The weather was too nice to have a bout of Mat Rempit paranoia. So I went cycling to Empangan Batu. To face my foes. If they are there :)

I wanna eat that uphill stretch up Empangan Batu. Bonked halfway at my first attempt. Bonked with just a few metres to go today. (By the way, bonk is triathlon lingo that means "to reach a state of total exhaustion and sharply reduced ability to perform") Will conquer that hill on my third try.

I'm not sure what it is...

Is it my bike? Maybe it's ill fitted to me. My knees are still bent at an angle even when the pedal is rotated all the way down. Maybe that's why my power output is limited.

Is it the gears? I lowered the gear all the way down, thinking that will make it easier for an uphill climb. Even though less strength is used to pedal, the bike moves at a snail's pace. Maybe I've tired my muscles out for an unnecessarily long climb? Maybe I can make it to the top if I use a higher gear, pedal harder, and get it over with faster before my muscles bonk?

Is it my biking position? Maybe it is easier to climb a hill if I cycle off my seat? But that's one thing I can't do yet.

A skill to learn before I get my new bike: Hill climbing.

Anyway, when I got back, it was already 6 o'clock. I was out for 2 hours. I didn't even realize I was cycling for that long!

I turned on the water filter, and waited for it to fill the jug. The water was coming out really slow. The filter was clogged up. It needed to be cleaned. I've been putting it off for the umpteenth time.

While waiting, I went to my room, turned on the laptop, talked on the phone and checked my emails. I must've been tired. I went to nap.

The nap turned into a 5-hour nap. I slept right through dinner and woke up at 11:30pm. The dinner that I tapao since lunchtime started to smell bad already. And guess what... I left the water running!

Good thing the water filter was clogged up, and the water was coming out real slow. But even so... over 5 hours?? My gosh!

Good thing I wasn't boiling soup over the stove or something.

Lesson learnt: NEVER leave the water running, especially if you live alone. You may drown in your sleep. If the water is coming out too slow, then CLEAN THE FILTER!

Rambo-ngitis and Alzheimer's... A deadly combo.

Rambo-ngitis

Nor was there anyone who among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each one as anyone had need. (Acts 4:34-35)

I attended a church Bible Study today. About church fellowship. James Khoo deliberated that the practice above should be seen in its context. The early church, when it first started to bloom, was under great persecution. Therefore, it was a prudent thing to do - to sell all your belongings and share it with the church, before you die prematurely for your faith and the government seizes your property.

However, I read in Richard Lamb's book, Following Jesus In The Real World, that such communities can actually exist. Some people make the choice to move to a vicinity together, serve the community through the same church, live in the same house, and share everything with everyone in the house, as though no one really owns anything. They literally pool their resources together. Instead of loss, they actually have much more in excess to give to others, than if they have lived separately.

Imagine you put everything you earn into a common fund in the house. Anyone can use it for whatever they need. If you have put in more but have used up less for yourself, then you are a blessing. If you have put in less but have used up more, then you are experiencing God's providence in how community is supposed to be.

Radical hor? Imagine the kind of trust and accountability that must exist within that kind of community. One guy's need can be easily seen as another guy's luxury. How are they going to iron out the tensions that may arise when one is seen cooking every meal to save costs, but another guy is ordering Pizza Hut for late night snacks? One takes the bus to work, while the other is thinking about buying a Merida 904 bicycle?

Coming to think of it, I haven't experienced that kind of community. I've always lived alone. Or don't like living with them.

First year in USM. I stayed at Gemilang. Kelantanese room mates. They are often found sleeping on my bed, putting their feet where I put my head. When I shift position so my face would not be sniffing at where their feet were last night, they also do the same the next time they use my bed. It's baffling. They eat in the room, and they don't take the trash out. And the stench of their clothes! I often wake up with a sore throat from the air that went through my respiratory system the entire night. I seldom sleep there, unless I was too dead tired to drive home.

Second year, Cahaya Permai. Malay room mate from Penang. That guy's nice. Good hygiene, well-mannered. I didn't get to spend much time with him though. I was always out early, and back real late. Most of the time, he wasn't around too. Being a Penangite, I'm sure he always went home. I had the room to myself most of the time.

Second year, second semester. I shifted to Tekun. I had a Sarawakian room mate. He stayed around for a week. Then he shifted out. I wondered if I was that bad...

Third year. Tekun. I saw my Chinese room mate once. The very next day, he was gone. Hmmm... Am I really that bad?

Fourth year. Tekun again. Yuen Thern was my room mate. I guess he was the best one I had compared to all of the previous ones. He actually stayed on for a whole year! He's strong :)

The thing is, I think I'm a loner most of the time. I like to eat alone. I like to go places alone. I like to watch movies alone. If given a choice, I'd rather live alone.

I hear stories about how some people live in the same neighbourhood, grow up together, do a lot of fun stuff together, and still remain as good friends in adulthood. They are always seen as a group. It must be quite cool, to be always associated with a group. Wherever you go, whatever you do, you're always in a group. It almost feels like a gang. I always wondered how would it be like to belong to a gang...

How do I train? I have always trained alone. I don't really have any training buddies. I kinda excelled better that way, going solo.

However, in triathlon, I somehow have a feeling that I can't do it alone. I'll need a partner, or a group, to stay motivated. To learn from each other. To check with one another if we're training correctly. To keep in tune with what's going on in the triathlon world. To hang out together after each long bike ride, looking cool in our gear, and chill.

I kinda found this group called "Empowered By Jesus". Sort of like a Christian triathlon group. I was hoping that one day, I can hook up with them, go on bike rides together, and train together. But somehow, I have a feeling it won't happen. They are already a clique by themselves, and I don't think I'm "in".

Well, alternatively, I can join other "godless" cycling groups. From what I hear, they are mostly married men. They will go on bike rides on Sunday mornings, and talk dirty afterwards. I'm so gonna look "uncool". I don't want that either.

Guess I'm gonna have to do it old-school anyway. Train solo.

I think I have a disease. It's called Rambo-ngitis.


My friend.

Good things come to those that wait

Things I must buy when I get my new bike:

• Super soft, super ergonomic seat. Fertility is a factor.

Things I must do before I get my new bike:

• Build myself up to be physically worthy of it. You don't wanna get on a pro bike but ride like an amateur.

Things I must do after I get my new bike:

• Sign up for a duathlon. Or sprint triathlon. Having one white elephant at the parking lot is enough.

Things I must do so I can get my new bike:

• Get a credit card. In 3 weeks' time, I'll have a CIMB Gold card.

Things I must do before I train or race with my new bike:

• Get a personal insurance policy. I'm now protected by this guy for RM200 a month:

So how does all this tie in with my reading diet for today?

When God made a companion for Adam, He did not bring her to him immediately. If He did that, Adam would not appreciate it. Instead, God brought every beast of the field and every bird of the air to Adam. He gave him the task of naming them all.

After Adam had done that, and still could not find a helper comparable to him...

Then God brought Eve. (Genesis 2:18-24)









You know, it is said that to be a good cyclist, a rider has to "be one" with the bike. Hmmm...

Semangat muhibah

Once, back in Penang, my car had a punctured tyre. I asked a Chinese mechanic where is the nearest car tyre shop. He pointed to a shop, way around the other side of the block. As I went towards that shop, I saw another tyre shop just a few doors away. "How come the mechanic missed this one?" I thought to myself. I went in and saw the mechanic. He was Malay. The tyre shop at the other side of the block? That mechanic was Chinese.

A boy beats up another boy at school. The boys don't go, "Sir, ada orang lawan." Or, "Sir, Ah Chong pukul Ahmad". They go, "Sir, Cina pukul Melayu."

A boy gets beat up at school. He calls his gang from outside the school. A crowd gathers at the gate after school. The crowd is clearly seen to be from two groups of different races. The police came.

Oh, and did I mention that my school just got out from the police black list this year? Yeah. How was the school black listed? For racial fights.

I went to buy some chicken ham at Giant. I bought just 200g of ham. I explained I didn't need much because I lived alone. "Jangan banyak cari duit sampai tak makan," the Malay lady said.

PIBG meeting. They were discussing how to get parents to come for a seminar on parenting. "Yang Cina itu, susah sikit nak panggil mereka datang," said the YDP. "Mereka itu lebih business-minded."

I was talking to my colleague about the socio-economic background of the students. "Budak sekolah sini miskin. Family mereka pun, tak pentingkan pelajaran. Buku pun tak mampu beli," I commented. She replied, "Tapi, orang Cina, tiada yang miskin. Kalau susah macam mana pun, tidak ada Cina yang miskin."

I was telling my colleague that I went cycling to Empangan Batu. "Sana berhati-hati lah. kadang-kadang, ada Mat Rempit nak minta duit," he said. I replied, "Pergi cycling, mana ada bawa duit? Bawa air ada lah." Another colleague interjected, "Yalah. Tapi kamu seorang saja. Sebab mereka nampak Cina... Kalau tidak ada duit, basikal pun nak bawa pergi."

We are reaching our 50th year of independence. But ask yourself, how far have we progressed socially? Do people have genuine friends from other races nowadays? Do people feel safe when they live as a minority in certain areas? What do people tell you if you get into a car accident at a kampung area?

If given a choice, would people of different races make the conscious effort to get together, other than for the purpose of politics?

Here's to Malaysia. A happy independence day.

Sometimes, when it comes to certain things... We just don't wanna say it.

Bike adventure of the night

Cycled to Batu Caves. Ate dinner at Chitti Nadu Restaurant. Banana leaf! Unlimited food for only RM6. The workers there were very fascinated with my bike lights. They kept asking and playing with it.

On a full stomach, continued to Sri Gombak. I should've just cycled to Sri Gombak back then, when I was still teaching tuition there. It wasn't as dangerous as I thought. Could've saved a small fortune on taxi fares.

Stumbled upon... Gin Huat bicycle shop! Now I know they have a branch there.

Also stumbled upon... Encik Azuan! He took his family to Sri Gombak for dinner.

One thing I discovered: When I wear my fluorescent reflector jacket and cycle fast, it flies like a cape. And I look like... Spaceman Spiff! Sigh... Can somebody help me get me a biker name already...

My bicycle is starting to give me back problems. Maybe it's the seat position. Most mountain bikes have the seat on the same height as the handlebars. My seat's a little lower. Or maybe Abraham Choong was right. My bike has bad geometry. I don't know how, but he can see it the moment I showed him a picture of my bike.

I think I know why I like cycling. There's a sense of freedom, traveling around with nothing but me, my bike and my electrolytes. That's the kick.

This song was ringing in my head when I first wheeled my bike out of the store:

Back to Genesis

Now that I'm tuition-free from centers, I have more time to read.

The center's boss met me while I was cycling home the other day. She and asked me how I was doing. My students have been asking about me. Well, I guess it's the center's loss. And also the students' loss. The boss knows she can't easily replace someone who works more for less, and works to bless. The students know that they can't easily find someone who treats them more than just a money object. My student in 4 Earth knows that it's not usual for him to find a teacher who would go great lengths to get him a decent education outside the school.

But nevertheless, I think it's a good move to quit.

So, besides being Math geek by day and bike racer by night, I have more time to read. My daily reading diet is like this:

1. Complete Triathlon Book in the morning, while sitting on the throne.

2. A portion from Genesis, NKJV version, at night.

3. The same portion again, Malay version (To make up for the lost opportunity. Will be ready the next time opportunity presents itself).

4. A portion from Systematic Theology.

Found these verses interesting:

This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground. (Genesis 2:4-6)

At the same night, I read this portion from Systematic Theology. The chapter on The Necessity of Scripture. About the certainty of Scripture:

Thus, it is appropriate for us to be more certain about the truths we read in Scripture than about any other knowledge we have... This concept of the certainty of knowledge that we attain from Scripture then gives us a reasonable basis for affirming the correctness of much of the other knowledge that we have. We read Scripture and find that its view of the world around us, of human nature, and of ourselves corresponds closely to the information we have gained from our own sense-experiences of the world around us. Thus we are encouraged to trust our sense-experiences of the world around us: our observations correspond with the absolute truth of Scripture; therefore, our observations are also true and, by and large, reliable.

It sounds like a slap in the face for empiricists, or for any decent scientist who dare calls himself a scientist. The purpose of science is to investigate the truth about the world around us with our senses. Not let some other source dictate it for us.

But the Christian worldview defines the purpose of science as an attempt to investigate the truth about the world around us, period. Not just by our senses. By any means possible. Which means, without ruling out the possibility of the God factor.

To take it one step further, here is where the attitude of a Christian scientist differs from that of an unbelieving scientist. The Christian scientist sees science as an affirmation of the absolute truth about the history of creation, as already stated in the Scriptures.

On the other hand, the unbelieving scientist calls this approach a "scientific captivity". The assumption that the Bible is absolutely correct in everything about the world, and drawing on that assumption to investigate the world, holds scientific truth captive from what it really could be.

Well, the bible says in the history of the heavens and the earth, there was no rain. A mist merely went up and watered the ground. The water cycle was not like what we see today - Evaporation, condensation, rain fall, evaporation, etc. The Bible says when our planet was in its infancy, water existed at equilibrium with gas (That is, if I'm interpreting it correctly). The air was "wet" all the time. So, no need rain.

So, how Christian are we?

After dy/dx = 0, the only way to go is up

Got my payslip today. Gaji corrections rectified, cola allowance finally in. Extra big paycheck this month.

This is my third payslip. Any credit card company will welcome me with open arms now.

Yesterday, I told the deceptiproton salesman I don't want a Iswara anymore. I told him I wanted a refund, to get a Myvi.

Today, he called. He said I can get my Iswara... before the 3rd of August! Now you know what to do when your car salesman toys around with you. Don't give him under the counter money. Show him who's boss.

Oh, speaking of which, today's the second day I wore my new belt to school. The brand is BOSS. Hugo Boss. I think got magic wan.

"Ya, selamat pagi..." Cekak pinggang, stand up at full height. *Can see BOSS* All silence.

"Sir, you punya belt ada Boss."

"Ya, saya boss. You bukan boss. You tak boleh lawan saya. Jadi, you diam."

Got my good ol' Ford Laser back from the workshop today. One car in, one more to go.

That fellow who banged my car? He never stopped lying up to today. He still lied when the car workshop girl asked him who's the real owner of the car. He even said the police summon "belum ada keputusan lagi." No remorse at all. He's still trying to mess with my insurance claim. Some people never change. I'm staring at the official report that says he has been slapped the maximum penalty of RM300. And he's still trying to lie.

The best part is, the car workshop girl gave me a photocopy of the police report. Now I know his full name, his address, his phone number, his IC number, his date of birth, his age, his car's insurance, and the real owner of his car.

Now, I can send him all my love, everyday in a letter. Write him cards every Deepavali. Give him birthday cards every 28th of December. Cycle to his house. Pay him a visit. Or ask him out to mamak. Now, you wanna see who's boss?

BOSS... Hugo boss... You should try it.

Ang ang, hai see lang!

My bike purchase advisor found me this:


Merida 904, for RM3000, at KSH Bicycle (TTDI).

He said he can press for more discount, if I really want the Merida 904. He said its parts are semi-pro, better than the KHS Flite 500:

Sizes	[XS45-S48-M50-L52.5-XL55-[XXL57.5]
Speeds	20
Frame	Road Lite-Single
Colour	1. red/metalic white 2.D.silver/Black
Fork	CARBON ROAD
Derailleur	Shimano 105
Shifter	Shimano 105 2
Brake lever	Shimano 105
Brake	Shimano 105
Chainwheel	Shimano R600 50-34
Hub	attached
Rim	Shimano R500
Freewheel	Shimano CS-5600 11-25
Tire	Maxxis Xenith 23 Kevlar
Stem	XM Comp OS -8
Saddle	XM Comp
Seat post	XM Comp SB20 27.2
Weight	8.6 kg

He said its frame geometry is better too. Merida is German, while KHS is American. He said he has ridden a Merida before, and he recommends it. I'll have to take his word for it, because I'm a newbie with bike technology. Anyone has any advice?

Which bike would you go for? Merida 904, or KHS Flite 500?

My deceptiproton agent said I can get a refund if I cancel my order. I'm gonna tell him he has one week to get me my car... Or my money back.

I don't really need a car anymore nowadays. With my tuition classes canceled, I only need a car twice a week. To get to church on Sundays, and to Young Adults meetings on Thursdays. I can get around to most places with my bike. So I don't see why I should be paying more than RM300 a month for the next 7 years for a vehicle that I won't really use. I may as well wait for my good ol' Ford Laser to come out from the workshop.

If I get my money back from deceptiproton, I'll be RM3k richer.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? :)

Bike adventure of the day

I cycled to Hospital Selayang. No problemo. Then cycled to the bank to put in my cheque. My last one from the tuition center. Sad...

Tested out my yellow rain jacket in the rain. It flies everywhere like a cape. I look like... Spaceman Spiff! Tsk, Calvin's got that one already. Help me find another alter-ego biker name.

I went to my RN Samy store to get my bicycle gear fixed. Now it's more responsive at a twitch. It's all in the lubrication. Hmmm...

A few guys hang out there to talk basikal. Dunno how long they've been hanging around, or if they have day jobs. They can just hang out and talk basikal on and on and on.

I'm eyeing this KHS Flite 500:


KHS BIKE - Specifications

FLITE 500

• Sizes - S, M
• Color - Blood Red, Silver
• Main Frame - Alloy 700S Replaceable Derailleur Hanger
• Fork - Carbon Blades w/ Alloy Steerer
• Crankset - Truvativ Touro 50/36T, 50T Chainring in 7075AL
• Front Derailleur - Shimano Tiagra
• Rear Derailleur - Shimano 105
• Shifter - Shimano Tiagra
• Cassette/freewheel - SRAM PG-950 12-26T, 9-Speed
• Rims - SHIMANO R500 Wheel Set
• Brake Set - Tektro 423AG Dual Pivot

RN Samy is selling it at RM2600. That's RM424 cheaper than advertised in the website. Dunno about Samy's bike-fitting skills. But he says it's my size. It's in my colour theme too. Killer red! Ang ang, hai see lang!

If my purchase advisor okays this one, it will be locked on target.

Anyone who knows hard-core bikers, or triathlon enthusiasts, hook me up. Need training partners.

I have a need, a need for speed
Don't bust my line, cos I got rhyme!

If you had "aha-ed"

Let them not rejoice over me
who are wrongfully my enemies
Nor let them wink with the eye
who hate me without a cause.

For they do not speak peace
But they devise deceitful matters
Against the quiet ones in the land.

They also opened their mouth wide against me
And said, "Aha, aha!
Our eyes have seen it."

Let them be ashamed and confounded
who seek my life
Let them be turned back and confused
who desire my hurt
Let them be turned back because of their shame
who say "Aha, aha!"

Let all those who seek You
rejoice and be glad in You
And let those who love Your salvation say continually
"Let God be magnified!"

(Psalms 35:19-21, 70:2-4)

I've moved...

... to shootsimply.blogspot.com.

Seven woes

Citibank rejected my credit card application. Because I am a Guru Sandaran Terlatih. Dunno what they would prefer. Guru Sandaran Tak Terlatih? They wanted my payslips for the past 3 months. A 3-months-in-1 payslip isn't enough. They must have 3 payslips for 3 consecutive months. They said I may not be teaching in school, although I say I am. I already gave them my offer letter. But they didn't even call up my school to check. The first woe.

My salary's cola allowance is messed up. I was supposed to get 3-months' worth of cola allowance in my 3-months-in-1 paycheck. But I only got 1-month's worth of cola allowance. Last month, lagi best. No cola allowance at all. The kerani's visit to Putrajaya to rectify it was of no avail. The second woe.

My ancient Ford Laser is still at the workshop. They still can't find the spare part for my rear signal light. They are playing dirty with my insurance claim. They want me to open an AmBank account, hand over my account book, give them my ATM card, and also my PIN number. So they can bank in the insurance claim into my account. If not, I have to pay RM400 deposit, minimum. The car is already half done, so there's no way I can change to another workshop. I can see that my rear bumper is as unoriginal as chee cheong kai. It was the police who recommended that workshop to me. The third woe.

I called up my Proton Iswara's agent. He said his boss was away, so he would check with him tomorrow. The next day, he said he was in a meeting. The following day, he said the car was not ready yet, and he'll "try again". I guess it wasn't a good idea to give the down payment before getting the car. The fourth woe.

Someone from my neighbourhood cut my bicycle's rear brakes. He must not like the way I park my bike at the motorbike shed. Well, he could've left a note on my bike. But nooo... He had to go back to his flat, find a pair of pliers, go back to my bike, and cut my brakes! Now, my bike is chained with the thickest, 4-foot iron chain I can find from the hardware shop, locked with a solid metal padlock, and secured with a bicycle lock. It's a caveman world. The brakes cost RM8. The chain and lock cost RM40. The fifth woe.

Today, someone in school tried to cut my bicycle lock. I could see the marks on the bicycle lock. Tomorrow, I'll have to buy another iron chain and lock, and put it at the school's motorbike shed. It's not safe at home. It's not safe at school. It's not safe anywhere! The sixth woe.

Also today, my kitchen tap started to leak. Now, I have to look for a plumber who won't cheat, or lie, or make me change the whole pipe if I don't have to. The seventh woe.

My perspective on people have changed. Trust no one. Not the government. Not the police. Not anyone who bangs your car. Not the workshop man. Not your car salesman. Not your neighbours. Not your students. Not the plumber.

You can trust only those whom you have known personally for more than 6 months. Anyone else down the street, in your neighbourhood, or at your workplace... They can be crooks, liars, cheaters, or thieves.

If I had my way, I'd round them all up, lock them in an iron cage, and drown them. I have no mercy for people such as these.