And so it seems everyone and their neighbour is writing something about Michael Jackson in some blog site or on facebook. I, too, am going to write something about the Gloved One. Why? Well...honestly, why not? MJ touched so many of us is so many ways that it would be a travesty not to write about an experience, or a memory, linked to MJ or one of his songs.
This all started a few days ago when my youngest daughter asked me, "Papa, who is Michael Jackson". For those of you who don't know, my youngest will be turning 6 in October later this year. So it is excusable that she doesn't know who MJ is....or, more appropriately, was. A simple question by a 5 year old got me all excited. I whipped out my trusty laptop and punched in youtube.com and started my youngest daughter on MJ videos. My darling wife helped out also. One particular song really got her attention. Thriller. Why that of all songs still baffles me till today. Whatever the reason, i must admit it is one of my all time favorite songs too. Actually, maybe it's not one of my all time favourite songs but rather the video made it what it is. So here we are, sitting with eyes glued to the sight of MJ walking her girlfriend back home, through the dark misty cemetery. Bare in mind that when this song/video was first released, i wasn't even married, let alone have 2 kids. In fact i wasn't even dating yet.
So, then comes time for the Rap. Yes rap. Back in 1983 when Thriller was released, before there was Eminem; or 50 cent; there was Vincent Price. Thriller featured the Vincent Price Rap. My daughter heard the rap and there was i, rapping in the background. For some reason my daughter got such a kick over this. So now every 5 hours or so, she will ask to watch Thriller with Papa rapping in the background. See what effect MJ has on people? Even a 5 year old.
Which brings me to another fond memory. I had this very close friend...still have. To ensure his identity remains secret, i shall name him Hank.....until such time i obtain permission from him to use his real name. Hank, like I, was totally emersed by MJ, his songs and especially his dance moves. Now granted, Hank was just a teeny bit more gifted when it came to putting some moves together. I was good (yeah right) but he was better.
Hank could do an MJ like no one else i knew. The leg kick, the spin and yes....the Moonwalk. Now the moonwalk was a whole other phenomenon. I vividly remember my standing before the TV, preparing to learn the seemingly gravity defying walk. There i was...moonwalk....run to the VCR to rewind....moonwalk....run to the VCR. For you young-uns out there, there was such an invention called the VCR. You could think of it as the grandfather of the recordable DVD of today. So, back to the story. He was so good that now a natural progression would be the wardrobe. Yes, Hank went out abd bought a bright red-ish orange-ish jacket with black stripes, just like the one MJ wore in the video. Now that Hank's image was complete, we went and got ourselves into a band competition and performed, on stage, billie jean (because Thriller was too difficult for the band members to learn).
There we were, in the hall of Bukit Bintang Boys Secondary School, playing away with Hank leading us to glory. Everyone waited for the moment. It was not Motown 25th but it was a moment. Hank spun and prepared for the Moonwalk. I forget if he tossed the hat like MJ but he moonwalked on stage in front of hundreds of screaming fans !! we had arrived. Not sure where were supposed to be going but we had arrived.
I sometimes wonder if Hank still does MJ as it's been a while since we last caught up.
So, Hank, if you ever get the chance to read this, do pen some comments down.
To MJ, you may never know how much you have touched our lives. Even the ones in a small town like Petaling Jaya.....not unlike Gary, Indiana, where you grew up. Where kids used to emulate your moonwalk and your spins.
I was going to end by quoting Al Sharpton's speech at the MJ Memorial but seems more appropriate to quote one of MJ's long forgotten songs...
"People say i'm not okay
Cause i love such elementary things
It's been my fate to compensate
For the childhood i've never known" - Michael Jackson, from his song "Childhood"
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Happy Father's Day
Happy Father's Day to all !! What a joyous celebration indeed...for those who remember. I find it quite ironic that Mother's Day is a hugely celebrated day accross the globe, akin to New Years Day while Fathers Day is also hugely celebrated, akin to Independence Day in Papua New Guinea.
Some useless facts: did you know that the idea for Fathers Day was mooted back in 1909 but was only made an official celebration by President Nixon in 1972? In stark contrast, the roots for Mothers Day may be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honour of Rhea, the mother of the gods. But more recently, another US President, Woodrow Wilson, made it official on 9 May 1914.
(Note: i have absolutely no idea as to the accuracy of the historical facts presented here since these were like the top search results from Google, like you know?)
Don't get me wrong, i will be first in line to echo the sacrifices that mothers all over the world have made over the millenia. Hence the saying "syurga terletak dibawah tapak kaki ibu" or roughly translated "the path to heaven lies beneath mothers feet". This is a metaphor as opposed to a literal translation. So don't go digging beneath your mom's feet as she stands whipping up her secret recipe in the kitchen.
For me, both Father's Day and Mother's Day are extremely special. Let me start with Mother's Day. That falls in May, which is oh so close to my wife's birthday. Double celebration in May !! Now, on to Father's Day which falls in June, which is oh so close to my birthday. Double celebration in June !! I'm sure Ripley would find that rather intriguing. And the creme de la creme: Our wedding anniversary is on 26th May !!! Smack in between Mother's Day, my wife's birthday, my birthday and Father's Day. Now isn't that something.....
It is around this time of the year that love penetrates every nook and corner of our house. Not to say it is any different any other day of the year....oh man, i never learn. Men in general never learn. There are somethings that you just should not bring up. Like trying to be all sweet and romantic by saying this like ".....love penetrates every nook and corner of our house". Yes, you men know what i am talking about. And we all have played Russian Roulette with the wife. Lots of times. "Honey, do you like the dress i am wearing?" "Dear, does this dress make me look fat?" When you hear these questions or ones similar to them, head south !
But seriously, i love my wife tremendously and although i joke with her lot, i believe laughter can bring us closer together then many other traits. Life would be boring if laughter was left in the closet a lot. Speaking of laughter, remind me to tell you about my two lovely daughters first attempt at telling jokes....
Some useless facts: did you know that the idea for Fathers Day was mooted back in 1909 but was only made an official celebration by President Nixon in 1972? In stark contrast, the roots for Mothers Day may be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honour of Rhea, the mother of the gods. But more recently, another US President, Woodrow Wilson, made it official on 9 May 1914.
(Note: i have absolutely no idea as to the accuracy of the historical facts presented here since these were like the top search results from Google, like you know?)
Don't get me wrong, i will be first in line to echo the sacrifices that mothers all over the world have made over the millenia. Hence the saying "syurga terletak dibawah tapak kaki ibu" or roughly translated "the path to heaven lies beneath mothers feet". This is a metaphor as opposed to a literal translation. So don't go digging beneath your mom's feet as she stands whipping up her secret recipe in the kitchen.
For me, both Father's Day and Mother's Day are extremely special. Let me start with Mother's Day. That falls in May, which is oh so close to my wife's birthday. Double celebration in May !! Now, on to Father's Day which falls in June, which is oh so close to my birthday. Double celebration in June !! I'm sure Ripley would find that rather intriguing. And the creme de la creme: Our wedding anniversary is on 26th May !!! Smack in between Mother's Day, my wife's birthday, my birthday and Father's Day. Now isn't that something.....
It is around this time of the year that love penetrates every nook and corner of our house. Not to say it is any different any other day of the year....oh man, i never learn. Men in general never learn. There are somethings that you just should not bring up. Like trying to be all sweet and romantic by saying this like ".....love penetrates every nook and corner of our house". Yes, you men know what i am talking about. And we all have played Russian Roulette with the wife. Lots of times. "Honey, do you like the dress i am wearing?" "Dear, does this dress make me look fat?" When you hear these questions or ones similar to them, head south !
But seriously, i love my wife tremendously and although i joke with her lot, i believe laughter can bring us closer together then many other traits. Life would be boring if laughter was left in the closet a lot. Speaking of laughter, remind me to tell you about my two lovely daughters first attempt at telling jokes....
Friday, June 19, 2009
TGIF
Yes, thank God it's Friday. To those of us who belong to the sad group who actually have to work for a living, it means the end of a work week and the beginning of two days of rest. In case you may be wondering, there are two other groups.
One is the equally sad group who does not have to work because they do not have a job. Ideally you should not want to find yourself having a membership to this group. Although there could be many reasons why you find yourself belonging to this group: downsized, retrenched, made redundant, etc etc. The final group is, conceptually, similar to the second group; but with a twist. This is the group who does not have to work because they just have so much money they don't know what to do with it. There are literally fields of trees in their backyard. In the morning when they wake up from their slumber, they head out to these fields to pick up money that fell off the branches during the night. But hey don't get me wrong, it would be nice to be part of this group. Though not permanently, but perhaps an extended membership.
Yes, an extended membership would be ideal. First thing i would do is head over to the neighbourhood Aston Martin dealership and pick me up a DB9 Volante. Then it's back home to pick up the wife after a quick drive round the block...yes on the NKVE for a quick 300km/h cruise to KLIA and back. Why? Well....because the DB9 is practically begging you to floor it. Yes, why? why the hell not? Oh yes, back home to pick up the wife.
The wife also need a set of hot wheels. In this case a sleek and sexy BMW 3 Series Convertible complete with an i Phone docking station and leather upholstry by Tods. Once done we need to make one more stop....your friendly Bentley Outlet to pick up the Bentley Arnage Final Series. This is a must have car to be drive around by Alfred, the british chauffeur.
With both cars safely deposited in the air conditioned, humidity controlled garage, it's off to the boatyard, driven by Alfred the british chauffeur no less. A 240ft Nobiskrug Mega Yacht to be parked at the Port Dickson Yacht Club.
These are the tools of the trade for the rich and famous. Ah...brings back memories of the classic tv series "Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous" with Robin Leach toasting "champagne wishes and caviar dreams."
And as always, it is at this point that the kids wake you up just as Robin Leach is about to toast you !!!!
But did you know that as of 11 March 2009, Bill Gates is still the world's richest person albeit with a declining fortune according to Forbes. Yes can you imagine that Bill Gates' fortunes are declining !!! and after the massive decline, he is still worth $40BILLION
Anyway, the point is that it's Friday and i am going to enjoy the weekend with my lovely family. After all, a rich man is nothing more than a poor man with money; according to W. C. Fields
One is the equally sad group who does not have to work because they do not have a job. Ideally you should not want to find yourself having a membership to this group. Although there could be many reasons why you find yourself belonging to this group: downsized, retrenched, made redundant, etc etc. The final group is, conceptually, similar to the second group; but with a twist. This is the group who does not have to work because they just have so much money they don't know what to do with it. There are literally fields of trees in their backyard. In the morning when they wake up from their slumber, they head out to these fields to pick up money that fell off the branches during the night. But hey don't get me wrong, it would be nice to be part of this group. Though not permanently, but perhaps an extended membership.
Yes, an extended membership would be ideal. First thing i would do is head over to the neighbourhood Aston Martin dealership and pick me up a DB9 Volante. Then it's back home to pick up the wife after a quick drive round the block...yes on the NKVE for a quick 300km/h cruise to KLIA and back. Why? Well....because the DB9 is practically begging you to floor it. Yes, why? why the hell not? Oh yes, back home to pick up the wife.
The wife also need a set of hot wheels. In this case a sleek and sexy BMW 3 Series Convertible complete with an i Phone docking station and leather upholstry by Tods. Once done we need to make one more stop....your friendly Bentley Outlet to pick up the Bentley Arnage Final Series. This is a must have car to be drive around by Alfred, the british chauffeur.
With both cars safely deposited in the air conditioned, humidity controlled garage, it's off to the boatyard, driven by Alfred the british chauffeur no less. A 240ft Nobiskrug Mega Yacht to be parked at the Port Dickson Yacht Club.
These are the tools of the trade for the rich and famous. Ah...brings back memories of the classic tv series "Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous" with Robin Leach toasting "champagne wishes and caviar dreams."
And as always, it is at this point that the kids wake you up just as Robin Leach is about to toast you !!!!
But did you know that as of 11 March 2009, Bill Gates is still the world's richest person albeit with a declining fortune according to Forbes. Yes can you imagine that Bill Gates' fortunes are declining !!! and after the massive decline, he is still worth $40BILLION
Anyway, the point is that it's Friday and i am going to enjoy the weekend with my lovely family. After all, a rich man is nothing more than a poor man with money; according to W. C. Fields
Friday, June 12, 2009
Blast from the past
I must apologise to the thousands who follow my writings religiously for not writing more often....oh, ok, i know, fine. I must apologise to the 17 people who follow my writings religiously (thanks Honey, I love you too). I didn't realise over a year had passed from my last entry. This is clearly unacceptable. I therefore have to make it up and write lots more. You can now expect about 2 articles a year :)
But seriously, lots have changed since i last wrote. It is sometimes fun to look back at change over the past 12 months. For instance, i was in a different industry all together !! Yes, it has happened. I took a leap of faith and transported myself away from the world of Information Technology, or IT for those abbreviation-spewing techies. I am now in the world of telecomunications, mobile telecommunications to be exact. Yup, i went and joined a celco.....apologise for the abbreviation. Some things never change. After well over a decade in IT, old habits die hard. But now, there is a whole new world of abbreviations to learn and start spewing....3G, HSDPA, ADSL, AP, ARPU, CDR, and on and on and on. And not to mention the new internal abbreviations that were created by this celco which i am professionally prohibited to pen for fear of identification.
Which brings back fond memories of my previous place of employment, IBM, where there were lots of abbreviations...there were really lots of it. There were so many of it, a special department was created to supervise it's creation and usage (DoACU) which stands for Department of Abbreviation Creation and Utilization. This also brought about plenty of standard responses from people upon official introductions (gazoontite was quite common). But seriously, IBM (note that even the official name is an abbreviation), was quite a fun but complex place to work in. It was so complex, scientists found an extinct species labouring away in front of a computer in a back office in basement 17 of the Almaden Research Centre. Peers called it a Manager.
In fact IBM was so big and powerful in its hey days that it announced at one point that it would outsourse 200% of its workforce to India and China. They have devised a strategy to reduce costs and provide IBM with a backup of every person in the company. Every job in IBM will be duplicated in India and China.
But seriously, my time in IBM was fun and most educational. A lot of people say others who leave IBM for other jobs become very successful. Now when did i leave IBM....
So, where was I......oh yes, i left the comfort of IT and took a leap of faith. Joined a celco. Didn't know what to expect (yes yes, everyone who moves to a new industry says that but scientists recently have proven that it is indeed a blatant lie).
Now it has been 6 months since i came on board and i feel very at home. I hope my other colleagues feel the same. However i do miss my IT abbreviation-spewing days. Now, i spend many hours trying to master celco specific abbreviations. Here is where i am at moment:
"we have ALU equipment as proposed by Jim Bates before (SDP by ALU). As such we need to remove ALU NODE B inside the COW"
haha, eat your heart out Dilbert !!
But seriously, lots have changed since i last wrote. It is sometimes fun to look back at change over the past 12 months. For instance, i was in a different industry all together !! Yes, it has happened. I took a leap of faith and transported myself away from the world of Information Technology, or IT for those abbreviation-spewing techies. I am now in the world of telecomunications, mobile telecommunications to be exact. Yup, i went and joined a celco.....apologise for the abbreviation. Some things never change. After well over a decade in IT, old habits die hard. But now, there is a whole new world of abbreviations to learn and start spewing....3G, HSDPA, ADSL, AP, ARPU, CDR, and on and on and on. And not to mention the new internal abbreviations that were created by this celco which i am professionally prohibited to pen for fear of identification.
Which brings back fond memories of my previous place of employment, IBM, where there were lots of abbreviations...there were really lots of it. There were so many of it, a special department was created to supervise it's creation and usage (DoACU) which stands for Department of Abbreviation Creation and Utilization. This also brought about plenty of standard responses from people upon official introductions (gazoontite was quite common). But seriously, IBM (note that even the official name is an abbreviation), was quite a fun but complex place to work in. It was so complex, scientists found an extinct species labouring away in front of a computer in a back office in basement 17 of the Almaden Research Centre. Peers called it a Manager.
In fact IBM was so big and powerful in its hey days that it announced at one point that it would outsourse 200% of its workforce to India and China. They have devised a strategy to reduce costs and provide IBM with a backup of every person in the company. Every job in IBM will be duplicated in India and China.
But seriously, my time in IBM was fun and most educational. A lot of people say others who leave IBM for other jobs become very successful. Now when did i leave IBM....
So, where was I......oh yes, i left the comfort of IT and took a leap of faith. Joined a celco. Didn't know what to expect (yes yes, everyone who moves to a new industry says that but scientists recently have proven that it is indeed a blatant lie).
Now it has been 6 months since i came on board and i feel very at home. I hope my other colleagues feel the same. However i do miss my IT abbreviation-spewing days. Now, i spend many hours trying to master celco specific abbreviations. Here is where i am at moment:
"we have ALU equipment as proposed by Jim Bates before (SDP by ALU). As such we need to remove ALU NODE B inside the COW"
haha, eat your heart out Dilbert !!
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