My 2011, Bye 2010

For me, Year 2010 was a year with lots of fantastic ups and I-really-felt-like-giving-up downs. Of course no tears were shed and no blood was lost but somehow, I felt relieved it's finally over.

I did make hell lots of mistakes but sometimes when I looked back, I can at least knew who were beside me when I was down and who my true friends were. Sometimes too, I always wonder why life can sometimes be so cruel and unfair eventhough I knew it way ahead that life is never fair.

To friends who were there beside me, thank you. You really make my day and I will remember it till the very end. :) To the rest, thanks for making me into what I am today, without you (friends or otherwise), I won't be what I am today. At 21, I hope I am a changed man, no longer a teen or a "boy". hehe.



Anyway, I had actually made a New Year Resolution last year (I came to realize it while I am scanning my blog for any resolutions made). This is the link and I'm also pasting the one I wrote in February 26, 2010.

*Resolutions? Wth?*

"Dear Mr. Resolution,

I heard through watching TV that every new year, one has to make a list of what we want to achieve in that particular year. Is it really a custom or is it another scam? I found out that this idea of yours is only a mere time wasting tradition of writing unachievable goals. Undoubtly, there are some who can achieve their goals, wei, come on... they are the 0.00000001 % or even less..

So this year, I make a simpler list of resoulutions.

1. I wish I can sleep more. I slept at 1~2 am these days.
2. I want to look good and feel good. Isn't it great to feel good every morning?
3. Travel to other country while I am in Korea (actually I did that already! I went to China on Feb 12)
4. Study hard and ace the exam. "Be Optimistic! be Optimistic!"
5. Practice more Korean.
6.
7.

I can't think of it now... So I will leave no. 6 and 7 as the empty spaces which I will want to fill it someday. So do you think it's achievable?

Yours sincerely,

You-know-who

p/s shhhh... You want 1 sen? tolong me lah... (You want 1 cent? please help me okay...)"



I think I had almost fulfilled my 2010 resolutions (CLAP LAH!) except for no. 1. No. 2, I have no comment. lol. No. 3, I went to Thailand in August 2010. No. 4, maintain my CGPA even in Korea. Majority of grades were in upper rank. :) Wah, I suprised at myself too when I received my results. It was like I had won a lotto - first prize man! But I still have a long way to go especially improving my chemistry results. I am strong in chemistry when I was in high school but a bit "distracted" when I am in university. Ah~

That's another story.

Practice more Korean? Well, actually, I did! I went for extra Korean classes eventhough I had exams, sometimes having late dinners just to attend Korean language classes. I think my Korean is good but sometimes when I speak to people on the phone, especially KOREANS!! I don't get the f*** what they are saying. Lol.

I just say. "Sorry Wrong No." hehe

My 2011 resolutions are simple this year, I do not demand much from myself.

They are :

1. Again, SLEEP MORE! Back to my normal routine! *Term and condition applies*
2. Travel. This year hopefully, I wish I can go somewhere to hot countries like Egypt.
3. Bake cookies. lol. (Just for fun since I never bake anything before, guys mah)
4. Be a better photographer (since I already own a DSLR)
5. Be fluent in Korean
6. Take up another foreign language
7.
8.



Really hoping my Year 2011 will be fantasti-bulous! I hope your 2011 will be great too.

Thanks for reading. Have a happy, joyous, successful 2011.

Snowing, 28 Dec

It's been almost 2 years. I'm again away from home.



When it snows, I don't like the feeling of been away. But as a consolation, it's just nice to see snowing in Daegu (which is rare, but I had seen it 2 years consecutively. Yay!)




*I did record it but I'm not so sure whether or not you can see the snow, the video is not clear*



Last year, when it snowed heavily for the first time, I was so excited. I remembered that I was so happy and wore only short pants and a T-shirt to get out of room. It was cold but the excitement brought so much warmth to me :)

New Year is so close, guess I won't be home too. Neither will I be in Daegu, my city. Last year I went Pohang and this year I will celebrate my New Year in Seoul. If I do not have the chance to wish you guys, If I am busy then.

Here wishing you Happy New Year! Happy 2011!

ADV - The Times 50 Best Inventions of 2010

Introducing the geek's end of-the-year "bible"



The TIME magazine

I know you readers do not read this stuff. I myself do not read it but somehow I already knew what some inventions that had appeared in this magazine. I think you guys too knew them. As usual, we know iPad's a phenomenon. Of course, it's in the top 50 list. Aiyah... Apple's brand mah. But a Sony Alpha A55 Camera?? fark!



It appeared on that mag? You gotta be kidding me! How can a USD 815 Camera is comparable to D90!!!


*Click to BELIEVE*

"The Paris Motor Show, one of the world’s four major auto shows, was held from October 2 to 17, 2010 at the Paris Expo. If the Geneva Motor Show in March introduces newly launched cars of the year, then the Paris Motor Show in autumn showcases models that are to be launched the year after.

The theme of the Paris Motors Show 2010 was “eco-friendly.” Eco-friendly has now become a trend these days, especially with the EU’s strict reinforcement of regulations regarding carbon emissions control.

Eco-friendly vehicle invented by KAIST

The Online Electric Vehicle (dubbed OLEV) manufactured by the Korea Advanced Institute of Technology (KAIST) was included in the 50 Best Inventions of 2010 published by The Times, along with Apple’s iPad, Google’s Driverless Car, Sony’s Alpha A55 Camera and others. Also included was the English-Teaching Robot invented by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).



In the OLEV are embedded electric power strips that provide electromagnetic power to the vehicle, wirelessly, charging an onboard battery and powering the bus’s electric motor.

The Times introduced the OLEV as an advanced green growth technology that could speed up the commercialization of electric cars and also as the world’s one and only online electric vehicle.

The system’s creators at the KAIST say, “The technology not only eliminates pollution, but also alleviates the problems usually associated with hybrid vehicles such as heavy batteries, lengthy charging and limited range.”

Korean technology opens up a new horizon

The OLEV has been on a test operation since last March at the Seoul Amusement Park. It was also presented during the G20 Seoul Summit in November in front of COEX, garnering outstanding reviews. Furthermore, the vehicle is scheduled to be featured next month in the TV program “Into the Future” of Discovery channel..."

Edited until here. Do read more here!

Btw, this is wayyyy better



Introducing my real babe. The D90. Will be appearing in TIME's magazine soon. You wait and see. I will blog about my babe too. lol.

PS. I will be off to Seoul on the 30th. It will be my 2nd time to Seoul in this month. Yesterday it was snowing heavily in Daegu, will be blogging about it but I think it's not the right time yet. One by one.

ADV - Foreign Journalists Visit Jeju Olle Road

Before you read any further, what do you think of "Olleh"? In Korea, I can only think of really crazy advertistments by Korea Telecom. This advertisement always appear before a movie at the cinema. :O In Malaysia, Ole Ole is always football.

Olleeeeee olleeeee olleeeee!!!


Lets begin, shall we?

Twenty Seoul-based foreign journalists on last November 19 and 20 visited the Jeju Olle Road as part of their Jeju Press Tour program sponsored by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Traditional Jeju Culture and Haenyeo (sea women)

The twenty foreign journalists, though still somewhat fatigued from the intense reporting they had for the G20 Seoul Summit, participated in the Jeju tour with great zeal and curiosity, especially for the much talked about Olle Road and Jeju haenyeo.

On the first day of their tour, Jeju greeted the journalists with an unusually clear, azure sky and a picture-perfect coast line.

At the center of attention in the tour was, of course, the haenyeo – Jeju’s sea women. A journalist for Tokyo Newspaper expressed his special interest for Jeju haenyeo, saying although Japan also has something like sea women he had never seen the Jeju haenyeo. As four, five haenyeo dove into the sea and began their “sea-picking” routine, the group of visitors all flocked to the water in excitement to take photos.



Haenyeo dive into 20m deep into the ocean and collect sea products, holding their breath for as long as two minutes. Holding breath is hard enough; but doing that in the middle of cold sea water, swimming AND collecting things? What an amazing feat!

As one of the haenyeo, a 76-year-old sea veteran, pulled out of the water and showed a “domchi” which is a very rare catch, a big applause erupted among the journalists. The elderly haenyeo has been sea-picking since the age of 15.

But sadly, what used to amount to 15,000 Jeju haenyeo has now plummeted to a mere 5,600. And most of them are in their sixties and seventies. Those in their thirties are just a handful now, less than a dozen.



I think I/we will be more interested to know if she is :



*grins* lol.

Perfect Harmony of the Sea and the Cliffs

The foreign journalists were once again amazed and awed by the beauty of Seongsan Ilchulbong, a peak that rose from under the sea due to a volcanic eruption over 100,000 years ago.

Seongsan Ilchulbong is located on the eastern end of Jeju Island and there is a huge crater at its top. With the 99 sharp rocks surrounding the crater, it looks like a gigantic crown. While the southeast and north sides are cliffs, the northwest side is a grassy hill, forming a truly distinctive ambience.

The journalists concluded their first day with a visit to Chyeonjiyeon Waterfall, and their second day was finally the much anticipated Olle Road.

The Olle walking path opened its first route in 2007 and is now furnished with 22 routes of 357km. In the local Jeju dialect, “Olle” was originally used to refer to the narrow path between the street and one’s doorstep. The hiking trail was founded by Myung-Sook Suh who was inspired upon hearing from a certain English tourist that he had healed his hurt soul walking the Jeju roads.

(Note - I am planning to go Jeju Island before I graduate because I heard so much about this tiny little island. It's like if you visit Korea, you must visit Jeju Island. If you don't, you have never visited this island even if you had been there!)



The route the journalists trod that day was Route 10 which is a course a little more taxing than a leisurely walk. You will be able to enjoy a scenic view of cliffs and the ocean. This particular route was declared as “Jeju Olle-Switzerland Friendship Road” last April upon establishing an MOU with the Swiss tourism administration. After the good amount of exercise, they had a sumptuous meal composed of freshly-caught Jeju seafood and makgeolli.

At the end of the tour, the journalists expressed their wish for visiting more nature-oriented tourist spots like the Jeju Olle Road. Although Jeju islander may be somewhat less comfortable than those residents equipped with first-class technology and amenities, what they really want these days is for their homes to be preserved as they originally were – so that they can enjoy the nature and indirectly healing our tired minds.

(Edited from this link)

*I had mentioned a little on this theme too in my previous post. Do check it out :)*

26 December 2010

What a great day today. Woke up at 12pm, I know it is still early for some on Sunday morning but I make it a point to get up early for today but.. shit! I set alarms on my mobile phone and my desk clock but couldn't hear it. Maybe I had became immuned to alarms.. I knew once I slept over 3 am, it's almost impossible to wake up early (that's why I used to hate Monday morning classes so much!)

Ironically, sometimes, I can still wake up early when I have nothing to do in the early morning.

No plans for today but maybe I will be completing my resume or editing photos.

Felt my english proficiency is deteriorating fast in Korea. Though I always make it a point to speak english (it's my first language too... ㅠㅠ) to everyone, I seem to be more at ease in speaking Korean.

Something must had went wrong in me.

ADV - Korea on the Road to First Class

Chairwoman Lee Bae-Yong of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding on November 15 gave a lecture for the KBS program “The Road to First Class.”


The lecture was on the subject of Korea’s nation brand and the impact of the G20 Seoul Summit.

“Made in Korea” Impact

“Despite the increasing sales of Korean products globally nowadays,” Chairwoman Lee explained, “they still get about 30% discount compared to similar products made by some other nations because of Korea’s undervalued national brand.”

Giving examples of French perfume and wine which are products backed up by the country’s strong national brand, Lee emphasized the importance of national brand in generating economic profits.

“We need to work on increasing trust and preference for so-called “Made in Korea.” Also, it is getting more and more important nowadays to have strong “software” such as cultural content, human resources and spiritual values as well as hardware.”

Lee also touched upon Korea’s numerous timeless cultural heritages, saying, “I wish to share Korean values and spirits that are imbued in those historic and cultural legacies with the world. Korea’s astounding growth in the 20th century was made possible only because it was backed up by such virtues as harmony, sharing, communication, regards for life and nature.”

Do read more at this link

Malaysia is blessed too with great national branding, I believe among Asian countries, we have great tourism branding. "Malaysia Truly Asia" is really a fantastic catchphrase because I remember while representing Malaysia in 2007, I ended my speech about Malaysia with this "Malaysia Truly Asia" and everyone knew it.

Lets capitalise on it and instead of fighting on and on over politics, we should really get on and move forward. Lets not be satisfied on small little achievements but look ahead and make Malaysia a fair and just country, oh ya, a developed country too with first class mentality (especially our driving habits and toilets). :)

Coffee prince and princess?

With so many coffee shops in Korea, you are really spoilt for choice. *Click to enlarge*

In Malaysia, we had our famous Kopi-O but until now, I never tasted it. Either you can believe me or not, I never before taste black coffee in kopitiam and not even Nescafe (Korea really changes me in one way or another..). In Korea, coffee shops are common sights. From a place where you meet your friends, doing homeworks, studying, dating, to stealing free Wi-Fi, coffee shops in Korea are damn versatile!



However, it doesn’t come cheaply. The prices there are more like Starbucks in Malaysia for a small cup of espresso. Wah! It’s like highway robbery la wei! Since the "purchasing power" in Korea is quite high and since I am getting Korean money and had stayed in Korea for a long time, I don’t convert it to Malaysian money so buying an espresso at 4000 Won (RM 12) is affordable :)



I don’t fancy lots of coffee shops here, usually I prefer Da Vinci Coffee, Seven Monkeys and Vero Espresso. Da Vinci around my area is great, usually quite quiet so it’s great to meet up with close friends. Vero Espresso is because it’s cheap. I went there every day during exam week at night. Sometimes, to buy hot chocolate and sometimes, I am there to do small group study. It’s only 1500 Won (RM 4.50) for one, very, very cheap!!!



For 7 Monkeys, I am there usually with my Korean friends and sometimes, foreign friends. This is a place I did my last minute revisions and I had lots of fond memories there too. The only coffee shop that I had uncountable memories and so many firsts ^^ so I am pretty bias when saying this is the best place to drink. Nevertheless, I find 7 Monkey's a great place but sometimes I can’t differentiate their drinks, everything tastes almost the same - espresso, cappuccino, hot chocolate -_-“

Waffles? Ah can you smell it???

For waffles, this is my favourite place to go!!!



Highly Recommended!

So this is Korea lah. I have many things to blog these days but I am a bit busy. Well, I try to change my blog layout but blogspot.com has too many limitations unlike wordpress. I find the layout's okay but still, it is unstable sometimes (when you visit this blog, you will notice some contents are missing, especially the traffic counter) Writing my resume too takes lots of my time, but I will be try to update more.



Coffee at 7 Monkeys

PS. If my story about Korea bores you out... I hope not.. Haha. I had already created another blog, it’s squeaky clean and is free from things that are related to Korea. But you will still find some of it though :P Can’t be help. *Will tell more in due time*

PPS. I am currently writing for Korean Government, ah it's a long story, so I have to post so-called articles from them, I edited all of them but I have to post 3 more articles within this month but see, I left 6 more days! Editing takes lots of time and ideas do not come freely, and I don’t use Wikipedia in blogging other than in my studies ;) So for their articles, I might just as well cut and paste them. Only 3 articles. Informative ones so don't miss them out!