Malaysia and Chinese New Year
Tuesday February 27, 2024
Just over three weeks ago, I had departed Barcelona for Kuala Lumpur via Doha. The first leg of the journey was uneventful, though my entertainment system had some very bad lag issues and I couldn’t watch any movies. The second leg from Doha to Kuala Lumpur was handled by Malaysian Airlines, and I took advantage of the free wifi on board by chatting with some friends in Toronto and my workmate Pete in New Zealand. Suddenly Pete’s tone changed to that of panic, saying we’d been sent an email halting production immediately and that we’d been furloughed - that is, suspended from our jobs temporarily without pay. I spent the next 90 minutes of the flight hyperventilating.
A few days later, the company found out that it is illegal to furlough Canadians, so they laid us off instead. We’ve engaged an employment lawyer to help us through the proceedings and we’ll have to wait and see what happens next. For the Americans, it’s even worse because this is an underhanded tactic to lay them off without severance, which is contradictory to all the messaging about care and respect that the CEOs have been spouting on social media.
We’re finding it difficult to reconcile what’s been happening. No one saw this coming, no one expected it to be done this way, and no one could believe the lengths that Jeff and Annie have gone through to escape responsibility for their critical failures. Soon after we were furloughed/terminated, Prytania general staff and Game Science were let go as well. We set up a couple of Discord servers for everyone to discuss their options and provide support, and the way that we’ve come together in this month of dire need is testament to how amazing our team was.
I think that’s what hurts the most. That we had such a cool project and talented team but we’ll never be able to bring everyone together again to finish what we started. The Strains have gone completely silent and haven’t fronted media at all, let alone had the decency to talk to us directly, and instead have deleted their LinkedIn profiles as well as the Prytania one. And why? To hide all the posts they made about layoffs being the fault of leadership?
What that has meant in the short term is that suddenly my time in Malaysia freed up. In spite of the stress and lack of sleep, I’ve been able to enjoy the delicious food and catch up with family. The festivities of Chinese New Year were awesome to see as well, with lion dances and dragon dances, dragon displays, and of course, all the different kinds of food and goodies available during this time - yee sang, pineapple tarts, peanut cookies, almond cookies and more. And yet, on an occasion where I should have been celebrating success and prosperity, I could only fight to hold back tears, disappointed that all this had to happen during Chinese New Year.
In amongst all the eating, I’ve been doing interviews and practicing code tests. Live coding - where you solve a coding problem while your interviewers watch everything you type - is an incredibly stressful method of interviewing that is absolutely not indicative of the kind of conditions that programmers normally work in, so why do we continue to subject each other to such torture?
The last few days have been a flurry of fooding as I’ve tried to tick off the last remaining items on my list. On chap goh mei, the final day of Chinese New Year, we were treated to an exquisite meal at Copper Mansion, with suckling pig, abalone and prawns. I’ve been spoiled silly by family, as usual. I’m on my way back to Spain now, and things are looking up. I’ve got some time to travel and take a breather, and I’ll definitely be making the most of my time in Europe.
Posted by Jeremy at 9:03pm on Tuesday February 27, 2024 :: 0 comments :: 
Onwards
Saturday December 24, 2022
My time in Malaysia has come to a close, and with it, just over three weeks of what I consider the best cuisine in the world. I’ve enjoyed constant 25C to 30C weather, much preferable to the horrendous snow, rain, sleet, freezing rain, freezing wind and weather bombs back home in Toronto that have grounded several flights across Canada and the US. I do not miss that one bit. There’s been a fair bit of rain and thunderstorms here, but nothing has prevented me from enjoying my holiday.
I’ve been successful in my decadely clothes revamp too, with bargains to be found everywhere thanks to the strength of the Canadian dollar. On Thursday, I had the day to myself since my parents were invited to a lunch, so I started the day at Pasar Seni, the Central Market, before heading to Sungei Wang, Lot 10, Pavilion and KLCC. There, I walked around the gardens, admiring the gigantic Christmas trees and the even more gigantic Petronas Twin Towers. I spent some time catching up with a family friend in Cheras before finishing off my last bit of shopping at KL Sentral’s NU Sentral shopping mall. It was a great opportunity to do some touristy sightseeing as well as get some exercise - I clocked 25,500 steps that day!
With all my newly acquired clothing, I was worried that my luggage would be marked as overweight but thankfully the check-in process was quick and they didn’t even bat an eyelid at my 24.6kg bag, or my giant laptop backpack. Customs and security were a breeze as well, almost as if no one cared. In New Zealand, I’ll be offloading all my maple syrup and trading it for every kind of Whittakers I can possibly fit in my bag.
I continue to be thankful for the hospitality of everyone I’ve seen this trip, especially those who gave me a place to stay, took me for delicious food or drove me around the city. Can’t wait to be back!
Posted by Jeremy at 5:19am on Saturday December 24, 2022 :: 0 comments ::
Gluttony
Saturday December 17, 2022
Just over two weeks of being in Malaysia and I'm loving it. Normally I'm quite flustered by the heat and humidity but for some reason this time, it's been quite pleasant. I wonder if the intense Toronto summers have trained me for this? Certainly don't get that kind of heat in New Zealand. It has been pretty wet here though, a consequence of the convectional rainfall that occurs almost every day.
My time here has basically been eating, sleeping and seeing family. I have a lot of family to see. I have a lot of things to eat. There's been a little bit of time to do shopping as well, which is great because the CAD to MYR exchange rate is so good at the moment. A few days ago, I bought four pairs of shorts and three t-shirts from Sunway Pyramid for less than CAD$100. Food, of course, is also cheap after conversion. I've had my share of nasi lemak, char kuay teow, curry laksa, assam laksa, yong tau foo, Hokkien mee, prawn mee, wan tan mee, banana leaf rice, cendol, ice kacang, nyonya kuih, apam balik and more. CAD$30 can feed four of us easily. Almost every day is an exquisite reminder of why Malaysian cuisine is so special.
In amongst all the eating, I've been trying to go to the gym as well. I haven't found anyone to play badminton with though, but my days have been busy anyway. I've definitely put on a little bit of weight around the tummy but surprisingly little for the amount of food I've been eating, which pleases me because it means my metabolism is still pretty good.
In another week or so, I'll be on a plane again, bound for the land of the long white cloud.
Posted by Jeremy at 2:03am on Saturday December 17, 2022 :: 0 comments ::
Flights
Wednesday November 30, 2022
The last few days have been very busy. I’ve caught up with a ton of people who were keen to see me before I go, and had a blast seeing all the friends I have lament the coming months without me.
I find airports stressful. Being around so many people who are also stressed, watching people have meltdowns at staff…the logistics for travelling are so complicated and exhausting. My luggage was overweight as well, but I managed to get around it by putting my Switch and battery packs in my jacket pocket and wearing my jacket. That’s one advantage of travelling in winter, at least.
I’m on a 17 hour flight to Taiwan, with 4 hours layout before another 5 hours to Kuala Lumpur. This will be the longest flight I’ve ever taken but I’m already tired from all the worrying, so hopefully I’ll nod off for a few hours, providing I’m not sitting next to jerks.
Posted by Jeremy at 4:55am on Wednesday November 30, 2022 :: 0 comments ::
Off to Japan
Thursday February 2, 2017
The remainder of my Malaysian holiday has been spent answering the question, "so what haven't you eaten yet?" We went to Klang for bak kut teh, went for a Japanese buffet, and had satay, roti and steamboat. We had a big dinner with dad's side of the family on Monday and I caught up with mum's side of the family on Tuesday.
My time here has been pretty quick but I've enjoyed it immensely. It's quite odd seeing Kuala Lumpur during this time - the shops are all closed for the festive season and the traffic within the city is actually pretty good while people are outstation. My family have spoiled me - they always do - and I will be forever thankful for that.
For now, I'm at KLIA2, the budget airline terminal, where I will be off to Tokyo in just under 90 minutes.
Posted by Jeremy at 5:16am on Thursday February 2, 2017 :: 0 comments ::
Chinese New Year
Sunday January 29, 2017
Food is love, food is life. That's pretty much the message being driven home at the moment, as we celebrate Chinese New Year in 2017. The first meal is always reunion dinner on CNY Eve, where I spent it with my father's brothers having a very lavish meal. In between, we followed the epic semifinals tennis match between Rafael Nadal and Grigor Dimitrov - what a game!
For the first day of CNY, all of dad's side of the family gathered for an epic lunch at my uncle's house - 28 of us in total. So awesome to see everyone again, and really a special time with family enjoying some delicious food. At night, we went to a friend's house in Tropicana where again we ate and drank like kings in an opulent house, perfectly designed for entertaining dozens of guests.
As we drew closer to midnight, we set off some firecrackers and fireworks - and what a show, much better than what Auckland Sky Tower puts on for the Gregorian new year!
Posted by Jeremy at 3:48am on Sunday January 29, 2017 :: 0 comments ::
Gluttony
Wednesday January 25, 2017
It's been pretty wet since arriving in Malaysia, which is odd for this time of year. Nevertheless, this of course has not stopped the steady flow of delicious foods into my mouth. My day is basically eating and sleeping, and it truly feels like holiday mode right now.
The flight from Auckland to Singapore was fortunately good. The people sitting next to me relocated to seats with more leg room, leaving me with the whole row to myself. I caught a good four hours of sleep, and felt quite refreshed upon landing at Singapore airport. I had a two hours layover, and there's lots to do there, so I busied myself wandering around the terminals, looking at the various gardens and koi pools. I had a quick squizz at the Butterfly Garden, but it was still dark outside, and it was raining, so I didn't stay for long. There were also several Pokemon decorations around as part of a promotion, and the main feature was an offer to get a plushie for $10 after spending $120 in the airport.
Singapore to Malaysia was pretty rough, and though we departed slightly late, we landed on time. However, the air train between KLIA terminals suddenly broke down, and immigration took far longer than expected, so it wasn't until close to noon that I actually got out of the airport. First meal - fried rice and wat tan hor!
I've never been back to KL for Chinese New Year. It's quite chaotic actually, there's much more traffic on the roads as people rush to buy last minute gifts or food, or head out station to their hometowns for reunion dinner. The rain has made the temperature quite bearable during a time when it is supposed to be over 30C, but of course, exacerbated the traffic jams.
The plan for the next few days will basically be just eating and catching up with family, though I managed to catch one of my ex-colleagues and his wife today. They took me out for banana leaf rice in Puchong, and, as greedy as we were, also went for lau sar bao, the golden duck egg yolk bun. Almost impossible to find in New Zealand, the authentic lau sar bao is salty and sweet, and has a slight grittiness from the duck egg yolk. The bun must be soft and almost cakey, and the inside should look like molten gold, spilling out as you take your first bite. So gooood.
Posted by Jeremy at 9:40am on Wednesday January 25, 2017 :: 0 comments ::
The Last Teh Tarik
Friday May 9, 2014
I have had an amazing three weeks here, absolutely blown away by the hospitality of my family. They have spoilt me so much, taking me around the city to see the sights and eat the best food, as well as opening up their homes for me to stay. I am well and truly blessed to have them here in Malaysia and I have thoroughly enjoyed this holiday.
The last few days have been quite relaxing. I went to Malacca to visit my auntie after returning from Singapore. I still remember the landscape around her house from many years ago, and was surprised to see the beach that used to be there had been filled in, and the newly reclaimed land had started sprouting apartments and shops. Nevertheless, the day was well spent eating some great nyonya food and catching up with family.
Yesterday was just a flurry from shopping mall to shopping mall, getting some last minute gifts for various people. I even went into an IKEA store, just to see what the fuss was about. We ended the day with a swim at the Tropicana Country Club and then some Thai food from myElephant.
Sitting here sipping my last teh tarik at KLIA, it's almost time to head to the gate. Thank you to all who made this trip so memorable, I have had a great time.
I'll be seeing you New Zealanders soon.
Posted by Jeremy at 12:04am on Friday May 9, 2014 :: 0 comments ::
Singapore
Tuesday May 6, 2014
Finally got a bit of downtime again to do some blogging. After returning from Penang, my sixth uncle hosted us at his house for a couple of nights, treating us to decadent delicacies from his restaurant chain. We had Kobe beef, Iberico pork ribs, salmon, Peking duck, foie gras, Kingfish head... truly amazing food, the quality unsurpassable by anything in New Zealand.
On Saturday, we went for a walk around the Forest Research Insitiute of Malaysia (FRIM) and explored their famous canopy walk. In the evening we gathered for a big Lai Family feast - Chinese rojak, Nasi Lemak, Hokkien Char, banana and sago cakes, kueh muih, tapioca cake and to top it all off, a rich chocolate cake to celebrate my auntie's birthday. Of course there was too much food, but it was awesome and fun to see everyone again.
We flew to Singapore early on Sunday, with a few dramas at the security checkpoint over the body wash and hair gel in my bag (Jetstar offered to check in my bag for free to avoid me having to throw all of those out, which was extremely fortunate. Hopefully I can do that again). I caught up with Kheng Yong and Ted and we went to Gardens by the Bay to see the last day of the tulip festival. The domes are so nice and air conditioned, if only my leg would have stopped playing up, it would have been much more enjoyable.
We had some Satay by the Bay and some stingray too before playing another Escape Room, which, after three hints, we managed to complete with a minute to go! Ted had to leave us for dinner, so the remaining four of us went to a chicken rice place on River Valley Road to eat, before heading home after a long day.
Yesterday we went to the zoo and walked around for a while in the blistering heat. The last time I went to Singapore zoo was about 14 years ago, and this time, having been to Washington DC zoo and Central Park zoo in New York, I wasn't that enthralled. The animals are all lethargic, probably from the heat, it really is quite unpleasant to walk around, and there weren't many animals that I hadn't seen before. The best enclosure was the polar bear's because it was so well air conditioned, lolololol.
That night, my cousin took us out for some famous Singaporean chilli crabs at the No Signboard Seafood Restaurant in Vivocity. The gravy was rich and spicy and tasty, it was so delicious and I had such a good time slurping the sauce up and sucking the meat out if the crab shells and licking my fingers like a savage. Between the three of us, we had a chilli crab, a white pepper crab and cereal prawns - just perfect.
Today I need to find some plastic bottles for my "airplane prohibited liquids, gels and aerosols" and I'll probably end up wandering around the shopping malls for gifts too. Then it's back to KL for a few more days only :(
Posted by Jeremy at 1:37am on Tuesday May 6, 2014 :: 0 comments ::
Back in KL
Thursday May 1, 2014
Our last full day in Penang was pretty relaxed (which is why I had time to blog about the previous week). We picked up Kiel and Connie for lunch and went to the famous Lorong Selamat char kuay teow place, with the auntie in the red beret. Considerably more expensive than your regular meal in Malaysia but the prawns were huge and the noodles were delicious. Besides, it's still super cheap by New Zealand standards (RM11 = NZ$4!)
We also went to Khoo Kongsi, a large heritage building that is the family house of the Khoo family, and enjoyed a fondue set from Haagen Dazs before trying another exciting room from the Break the Code Escape Room place - this one we actually manage to complete in time! So happy.
We had a short walk in the Botanic Gardens before it started raining heavily, so we waited in one of the huts for the downpour to finish while Kiel remained trapped under one of the bridges. By the time the rain stopped, it was time for dinner anyway, so we had some curry mee from one of the roadside food stalls in town. Yummo. My last night in Penang was spent wandering around the night markets in Batu Feringghi - much better merchandise than Petaling Street and more variety.
Also, I hate bargaining.
Now we're back in KL and waiting for dinner and karaoke. My uncle partially owns a fancy restaurant chain so I am guaranteed a good time. Woohoo!
Posted by Jeremy at 10:16am on Thursday May 1, 2014 :: 0 comments ::
Penang
Wednesday April 30, 2014
I've finally got a bit of down time to blog. It's been almost nonstop sightseeing and eating for the past few days.
On Friday my cousin took the four of us to Klang for some bak kut teh, then to Batu Caves for some views of the city and the giant statue out front. We were quite amused by the monkeys running around, grabbing any fruits and water bottles they could find as they clambered around the 200 steps to the entrance of the caves themselves. The caves weren't that spectacular, Waitomo Caves have more interesting features and structures, but there are some quaint temples in the deepest section of the cave. I think what disappointed me the most were the cheap touristy souvenir shops at the entrance to the cave, which made the place kind of tacky.
On Saturday, we checked into Park Royal KL and had a wander around town for a bit. I met my aunt on mum's side for an amazing Peking Duck dinner. I ate too much, but it was so goooood.
We were looking around the block for breakfast foods in Sunday when the police started cordoning off the roads in anticipation of the US Presidential Motorcade passin through. Sure enough, "the Beast" - the heavily fortified limousine with Barack Obama - passed through, accompanied with several support vehicles including caterers, bodyguards and an ambulance. Pretty exciting!
We headed to KLCC for a tour of the Petronas Twin Towers just before lunch. The views from the top were spectacular, the observation deck is pretty high up and offers a fantastic view of Kuala Lumpur. Slightly startling is the fact you can look over at the other tower, matching the first's height and aesthetic. It would be cool to see a thunderstorm from that level - especially if lightning hits the second tower - but I think the observation deck is closed during storms for safety reasons. Unfortunate!
We walked around Pavilion and Berjaya Times Square, and took a ride on the roller coaster there before heading back to Pavilion's Tokyo Street to meet Sabrina for dinner. Soft shelled crab tempura for only RM20 (NZ$7)! After dinner, we took the monorail to the Petaling Street night market for a walkabout, but my legs were starting to cramp from all the walking so it was a brief excursion. The shops there are pretty tacky and samey, so there wasn't anything that interested me anyway.
We saw Brobama again on Monday morning just before we left for the airport for our flight to Penang. I must have been so tired because I just conked out for the entire flight, only waking for the drinks and the arrival. After sorting out the hotel and rental car, we picked up Kiel and Connie and headed for some food. Unfortunately it was quite late so all the popular places that close when they run out of food were actually closed, but we found a nice place that had good assam laksa so we settled for that.
Yesterday, we managed to get the famous Air Itam assam laksa before going to the Kek Lok Si temple and Penang Hill. We also caught the uncle famous for his roadside char kuay teow stall on Jalan Siam, and had a look around the snake temple too before going for some satay. We also tried another of those escape rooms before heading down Jalan Burma to the Old Green House for some delicious prawn mee.
The itinerary for Penang seems to revolve around where the best places for food are, and it's no wonder that I am getting fat. I am thoroughly enjoying the food and experiences here, and I am looking forward to the next 11 days.
Om nom nom.
Posted by Jeremy at 2:38am on Wednesday April 30, 2014 :: 0 comments ::
Driving in Kuala Lumpur
Thursday April 24, 2014
We had quite the driving saga today (is saga copyrighted? Can I use that word?) It turns out Malaysia roads are horribly complex and it's difficult for Google Maps to discern the correct route, especially when there are several off ramps criss-crossing over one another. For me, this meant a 7 minute trip from Bukit Jalil to Sri Petaling LRT Station turned into a 30 minute tour of the Putrajaya Highway.
We met up with Kiel and Connie eventually, and because the rain was absolutely bucketing, we decided to go to Sunway Pyramid instead of checking out Batu Caves and the Forest Institute of Malaysia. After successfully turning the 20 minute trip into an hour, AND finding a park, we wandered around the mall for a few hours, enjoying the bargains and sights on offer.
Driving is exhausting.
Apart from that though, my relatives are spoiling me sick, it's awesome to be back home (Home #3) and the food is as good as it's always been. The weather is hot and humid, but thankfully quite wet so it's cooler than usual.
It's going to be great!
Posted by Jeremy at 8:46am on Thursday April 24, 2014 :: 0 comments ::
Easter
Tuesday April 22, 2014
Sitting in Auckland Airport waiting for the cleaners to clean the plane. It's been a great Easter, as usual, seeing family and friends before my trip to Malaysia. Just catching with people, playing 7 Wonders and digital darts, watching the Lego Movie, sharing meals and having a good yarn is incredibly satisfying and fulfilling.
As usual, plans in Malaysia have started filling up already. I've also booked flights to Singapore so that should be cool too. It seems like there isn't a lot of time but I will definitely be making the most of it and seeing as many people as I can. Also food. Eating all the food. I am looking forward to the food.
It appears the excitement of travelling has finally hit. Wheeeee!
Posted by Jeremy at 1:14am on Tuesday April 22, 2014 :: 0 comments ::
Excitement Intensifies
Sunday April 13, 2014
The excitement of going on holiday is often stifled by things tying you to the "real world". It's been terribly busy at work, trying to plan for the three weeks I'm away as well as finish Flick Kick Football Legends v1.2 (iOS version is now out on the App Store, whee!). It hasn't particularly hit me yet, but I'm planning to do some packing this evening and hopefully that will remind me that, hey, you're going on holiday and the plane tickets are free, and you're going to have a good time seeing family and eating to your heart's content. That's plenty to be excited about. It's time away from work, I'm going to relax and enjoy the three weeks away and I'm not going to let anything spoil it.
They still haven't sorted out my domestic flights to Auckland though, but if they can't get me flights up before Easter, I'll just use my air points to buy a ticket back on Good Friday or something. It's been quite a hassle trying to correspond with MediaWorks and Malaysia Airlines over this, but I guess I've been pushing the limits and have been quite fussy over the terms and conditions of the prize.
I'll shut up now.
Posted by Jeremy at 1:23am on Sunday April 13, 2014 :: 0 comments ::
December
Monday December 9, 2013
Man... it's almost the end of the year. Things have been so busy in the last few months that I've once again neglected my blog. Why do I blog anyway? I guess it's a kind of historical document that I can look at in 50 years time when I have Alzheimer's and think of all the great memories I had at the time. Even looking back at how I write and what I blog about makes me cringe!
So since my last piece about flights to Malaysia, I've managed to secure tickets back home but unfortunately not for Christmas or Chinese New Year due to full flights during this peak season. I spent a lot of time negotiating with Malaysia Airlines, but to no avail. It's understandable though, just a bit disappointing. It would have been nice to go back for my cousin's wedding and see everyone again, but no matter, I'll still have a good time when I go back in Easter next year.
The game I've been working on has finally been released - it's Flick Kick Football Legends for both iOS and Android. We're looking at churning out a few more updates so stay tuned for extra content and more amazing user interfaces. It's been a tough project but the team have worked extremely hard on it and I think that we should be proud of what we've achieved and how polished the product is.
I've been deep in the Pokemon as well. Pokemon X has been a great game - I've clocked over 150 hours on it already. I've caught almost all the Pokemon available without the Pokemon Bank service to transfer Pokemon from previous versions. I'm thinking of moving onto Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies soon - looking forward to more [OBJECTIONS]!
In short... I've found a replacement flatmate, we had the work Christmas party, went out to Makara by myself to watch the sunset and the stars, saw the fireworks on Guy Fawkes Day, tried to bread Smudge, had the degustation at the Whitehouse on Oriental Parade and had an amazing meal at the new Little Penang, which has expanded to the place next door! We have affectionately called it "Medium Penang", and the food is still as delicious as it ever has been.
Life in the past two months has had its ups and downs. Sometimes I've felt lonely or frustrated about life - one time it was so bad, I was awake at 3am in the morning having an existential crisis. Other times I've felt a lot more anti-social than normal, or distant from my friends, like I need solitude to clear my head. In those times, I usually retreat to church to play piano, and I've found music to be so calming and therapeutic. It's probably just a phase though, so don't worry about me. People come and go; so do friendships. They say the only constants in life are taxes and change... and I should learn to be more adaptable and flexible in life instead of dwelling in the past all the time.
Dear future Jeremy. Count your blessings and be thankful for them. Cherish the friendships you have and be good to the people around you. Don't worry so much and don't let life get you down all the time. Never forget who you are and maintain a strong sense of integrity.
Posted by Jeremy at 8:16am on Monday December 9, 2013 :: 0 comments ::
Thirteen is an unlucky number?
Friday September 13, 2013
I was rather tired on Monday morning, having had an action packed weekend celebrating birthdays at Dragonfly and the Larder, and watching an improvisation show. As usual, my radio alarm clock went off at 7.50am to More FM's Breakfast Show with Marc Ellis, Hayley Holt and Stu Tolan. I was drifting in and out of consciousness when suddenly a mention of "Malaysia" snapped me awake - it turned out that they were running a competition to give away free flights to Malaysia. The idea is that each day, a question about Malaysia is asked and one person who correctly answers the question goes into a draw at the end of the week to win free flights, making the odds 1 in 5 if you manage to get said answer. Furthermore, the winner must be able to provide the answers for all five questions of that week if they get drawn on the Friday. Fortunately the answers are posted on the More FM website and on their Facebook page, so it boils down to mostly luck, and it would so happen that my answer to "Which reptile has a temple dedicated to it in Penang" of "Snake" enabled me to get this 1 in 5 chance of winning flights to Malaysia.
Throughout the week, I was meticulously noting down each answer, and last night I was so excited I had trouble sleeping. I got into work at 8.15am and immediately tuned into the More FM live streaming on their website, getting increasingly agitated and nervous and excited as time ticked down to 8.45am.
Then, my phone rang.
A garbled mess of words blurted out of my mouth as I leapt out of my chair. I answered but they hung up. Dejected, I returned to my chair, only to have the phone ring again. Even more nonsense spouted from my mouth. My workmates began gathering around my computer, listening to the radio broadcast through my speakers as I systematically chanted through the five magic answers. As the radio hosts let out the final confirmation of the win, I fist pumped and victoriously pointed at nothing in particular. The guys listening to the radio cheered as I babbled nervously on air, in complete disbelief at what was going on. I was so stoked, the biggest grin erupting from my face as I thanked Marc, Hayley and Stu and began spreading the news.
I went to sit down and everyone on the floor clapped and congratulated me. It was quite the moment. I was completely jittery and every time I tried to calm down, I'd get a Facebook notification and I'd get all excited again. It was a magical day, and no one could wipe the smile off my face. To top it off, the announcement of my promotion went public today, so there was cause for much celebration - four tequila shots later and I am feeling like this:
Posted by Jeremy at 11:00am on Friday September 13, 2013 :: 0 comments ::
Back at Changi
Wednesday June 5, 2013
I'm sitting spitefully outside the Changi Qantas Airport Lounge because they denied me entrance since I'm only "business class", not "business max". What the hell.
The Thai food last night was delicious, especially the tom yum soup and the mango salad. Thankfully I didn't overeat on this one, because one of my cousins called me up to go for a second round of badminton. After a quick rest from food, I headed off to the courts.
And boy did I get sassed :( I'm just not used to playing in the heat like that, I was sweating buckets and my serve was bad and I lost all three games that I played. Two were close, and though it was disappointing, it was fun and a good learning experience. The players there are super hard-out, as you can imagine, and their precision and judgement is amazing. With talent like that, it's no wonder Malaysia is the best at badminton.
Another two hours to wait before the departure gate opens. I haven't found anything worthwhile at duty free and I need to charge my electronic devices for the 11 hour flight ahead. I might grab some food around 5pm so I don't have to eat too much of Jetstar's crappy meals.
Home soon!
Posted by Jeremy at 8:05am on Wednesday June 5, 2013 :: 0 comments ::
My Last Night Here With You
Tuesday June 4, 2013
I was wondering around Mid Valley Mega Mall on Monday in an effort to burn off all those delicious things I had eaten in the morning. I had curry laksa and some home made glutinous rice, as well as some red bean sesame balls and an egg custard tart. My main purpose for being at Mid Valley was to pick up my overpriced glasses, which I found out were made from the same materials they use for aeroplanes and it's super strong and amazing and yadadada. Despite the price, I really like the lightness and look of these glasses, and given its durability I think I can justify paying that much for them.
On the way home, we stopped by a fruit stall and bought some local produce. We continued home when I spotted a roadside durian stall and we quickly pulled over. The durian was expensive but so deliciously creamy and rich in flavour! The best kind of durian. So good. And if that wasn't enough, I continued stuffing my face with cendol and rojak, also from a roadside vendor. Yummo!
Today I went to my uncle's country club where I played badminton with my 16 year old cousin, who prompted beat my ass down. It's very difficult to play in the heat here, and it was made worse by the fact I've been lazy for the past two weeks and I'm so fat now. I cooled down in the pool for a bit and we went for lunch soon after.
We're heading out for Thai food soon. It's my last night in Malaysia and I've had an amazing holiday, seeing so many of my aunties and uncles and cousins, and eating all these awesome things and getting fat etc. It'll be somewhat refreshing to come back to the cold, but I doubt I will be enjoying it for very long. I'm looking forward to coming back home, and though I will miss all the things I've enjoyed, I know that I can always come back to family in Malaysia.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:40am on Tuesday June 4, 2013 :: 0 comments ::
Back in KL
Monday June 3, 2013
I spent my last full day in Singapore just wandering aimlessly around various touristy spots like Little India, Chinatown, Suntec City (which was under renovation and completely boring) and Raffles City. There was a lot to see, especially around Chinatown, and despite the heat, the walk was pleasant and relaxing. I didn't end up buying anything except food and drinks during the day; given the Singapore dollar is one-to-one with the New Zealand dollar, the better bargains are in Malaysia where our dollar is worth 2.45 Malaysian ringgit.
I made my way back to Orchard Road and went around a few of the shopping malls I had missed on my first visit. It had begun to rain but these smart (yet still crazy) Singaporeans have linked all their shopping malls with underground passageways so you can stay dry and air conditioned. I ended up at 313@Somerset where I had dinner with my cousin who I had been staying with.
After dinner we went to Gardens in the Bay, a large park on the south side of town by the Marina Bay Sands hotel. At night, the canopy is lit up with some amazing light structures and every so often there's a musical show accompanied by some synchronised light choreography. The night view was pretty interesting and much more tolerable in a cooler temperature, but most of the attractions there had closed. Maybe next time I should visit early in the morning.
After a brief flight the next day, we were back in KL just in time for lunch and my auntie and uncle took me to eat some delicious char kuay teow. I didn't want to stuff my face too much because there were some big dinner plans!
Last night for dinner, we were treated to a fantastic dinner at Jaya Palace. Five of dad's six siblings were there, along with various children (my cousins - I counted 10 present from 16 possible). The food was amazing, especially the deep fried duck egg prawns and of course, the abalone, which I love. My uncle had also brought some French wines and some Japanese whiskey for some added joviality, and once dinner had started to wrap up, we busted out the karaoke machine!
I'm hungry now. I think I'll be doing some shopping today and catching up with another one of my cousins who I missed last night. Only a few more nights to go before I return to New Zealand so I guess I should be making the most of it. Eat all the things!
Posted by Jeremy at 12:51am on Monday June 3, 2013 :: 0 comments ::
Blerg
Wednesday May 29, 2013
Yesterday: went swimming. Got out. Lazed about on the deck chair. Fell asleep. Majorly sunburnt. Went snorkelling. Saw heaps of fish and corals. Had a great time. Had to tow my cousin to the boat because she was being swept out by the current. Went to bed at 6pm with no dinner. Was suffering from exhaustion.
Today: woke up with food poisoning. Having a bad time. Tired and lethargic. No appetite. Saw the doctor. Pumped up on drugs. Feeling better. Went for reflexology. Sore.
Tomorrow: leaving for Singapore. Back to civilisation.
Posted by Jeremy at 8:36am on Wednesday May 29, 2013 :: 0 comments ::
Stars and Lights
Monday May 27, 2013
I had yet another buffet dinner today, but thankfully I didn't feel too obliged to stuff my mouth silly on this one since it's part of the Tioman vacation package. I am however, pretty full, but at least I didn't over eat.
It's nighttime now and being in the middle of the South China Sea, light pollution is low and I was interested in what the constellations would be like here. On one side of the sky I can clearly see the Southern Cross and its pointers, and it reminds me of home. On the opposite side of the sky sits Ursa Major, the "Big Dipper", but unfortunately Malaysia is still too far south to spot Polaris, the North Star. The night sky here is interesting because the constellations are different, but it's definitely not as clear as what you'd get in Wellington. I can't see the Milky Way at all and the chances of seeing shooting stars is slim.
There's something else on the horizon that's catching my eye, though. There's a tropical storm all the way west, over the mainland. I can see the thick thunderclouds illuminated against the pitch black night sky from continual lightning strikes - we're looking at close to three or four strikes per second. The brilliant flashes of electricity pierce the darkness and reflect off the water, yet unfortunately my iPhone camera isn't good enough to capture any of the action.
Stunning.
Posted by Jeremy at 2:04pm on Monday May 27, 2013 :: 0 comments ::
Pulau Tioman
Monday May 27, 2013
I slept three hours last night. I would like to blame the delicious Japanese buffet from Midori at the Marriott Putrajaya. I've been there three times in total (that's twice on previous trips back to Malaysia) and have always overeaten to the point where it's hard to breathe and move.
Anyway, we took a plane from Subang to Pulau Tioman and arrived just before noon. The island has some fantastic beaches and the water is invitingly warm. Temperatures are still hanging around the mid thirties. We're overlooking the west side of the island so tonight when it starts to cool down, we'll watch the sunset and have an explore. I've got a snorkelling excursion planned for one of these days too!
I am not missing the weather in New Zealand right now.
Posted by Jeremy at 8:44am on Monday May 27, 2013 :: 0 comments ::
Eat, Sleep, Eat
Sunday May 26, 2013
The title pretty much exactly sums up what I did yesterday. We went to the market in the morning for a quick browse at the local produce and brought back some fresh mango, jackfruit and lychee, as well as some beef and sotong nasi lemak and some tofu fah (everything was sooo goood). I took a brief nap in the afternoon to prepare myself for the night's dinner.
Last night we were at Five Sen5es at the Westin Hotel to celebrate my cousin's wedding. I had not seen her in 15 years and it was amazing to be there with my extended family to enjoy a wonderful meal in honour of the bride and groom. Like a typical Chinese wedding dinner, there were eight courses of decadent and exquisite food, including abalone, pork belly and Peking duck. It was a night to remember and it was made even more special because of my family.
The dinner was quite late so I had a few hours to kill beforehand. I walked around Pavillion Mall with my cousin's husband for a bit, and he showed me Tokyo Street, a collection of Japanese shops on the top floor of the mall, as well as a multinational alfresco dining alley with restaurants from Ireland, Italy, Spain, Turkey and more, lining a whole walkway. We wandered down to Starhill as well - the sheer opulence of the products on display were matched only by the ridiculousness of the male toilets. It seems fitting that a shopping complex that sells necklaces and earrings for over a million dollars should have two employees in the bathroom who operate a large bamboo lever system to deliver water to the hand basin.
So unnecessary.
Also, I love being five inches taller than everyone else. Malaysia should totally be a heightocracy.
Posted by Jeremy at 12:52am on Sunday May 26, 2013 :: 0 comments ::
Thunderstorms
Friday May 24, 2013
We rarely get thunderstorms in Wellington. I'm not a meteorologist but I'll say it's probably because of our geography and the wind that disrupts any huge thunderclouds from forming. We did have that one thunderstorm at the beginning of the month but it wasn't until driving back from Mid Valley Mega Mall today that I remembered just how powerful and thrilling tropical thunderstorms are. The lightning just keeps on coming, several air to ground strikes that produce continuous explosions of thunder. It's amazing, to say the least, but it is sadly disrupting my afternoon nap.
As I mentioned, I was at Mid Valley Mega Mall today, snapping up some amazing bargains. I got two pairs of jeans for NZ$40! There were heaps of other sales on, ranging from 10% to 70% off various items of clothing. I may have to return at a later date once I figure out what I want. There's a really nice batik shirt I was eyeing too, for only NZ$30...
And of course I was spoilt for food today. We had nyonya kuih and Penang prawn mee. I also got a drink named "Passionfruit QQ" from a place called Chatime. The size of the food courts here continue to surprise me. I swear there are more people in this mall than there are people in Wellington.
Time to get some shut eye. Big dinner on tonight!
Posted by Jeremy at 8:41am on Friday May 24, 2013 :: 0 comments ::
Change at Changi
Thursday May 23, 2013
The last time I was at Changi airport would have been more than ten years ago when I was here with my father. I've been here for just under two hours, just waiting at the gate to board my flight to Kuala Lumpur. Changi Airport is as flash as they say; there's some fantastic shopping options and an even more impressive array of food stores. I opted for a mango and pomelo sago pudding to see me through to KL where I will undoubtedly begin my epic food journey.
The flight was okay - surprising, especially since I was flying Jetstar. I highly recommend bringing your own food because theirs is rubbish. Seats were pretty comfortable and I was playing games on my iPhone and Nintendo DS to pass the time.
Oops, gotta run, boarding call!
Posted by Jeremy at 11:14am on Thursday May 23, 2013 :: 0 comments ::
Checking Out and Checking In
Wednesday May 22, 2013
I forgot how hard it is to blog with my phone. Maybe the webmaster (i.e. me) should look into enabling some kind of mobile-friendly interface.
After wrapping up some rather hairy issues at work, I had begun to mentally check out around 4pm. The euphoria of going on holiday didn't actually hit until I was out of the building and walking home in that familiar Wellington damp and darkness. I find travel exciting, even by myself, and I'm looking forward to all the delicious Malaysian food and of course, seeing family and friends whom I haven't seen in three years.
Oh food. The holiday has already started out well on the food front. I got a Zinger Double Down from KFC last night. I should get some KFC from Malaysia too, they have hot and spicy all year round and the chickens are much bigger and more succulent than what you can find here. Of course I will be wanting my laksas and cendols and kuihs too!
Sitting here in the middle of the check in plaza surrounded by all the duty free shops is somehow surprisingly serene. Some sound speaker is emitting native bird chirps every ten seconds or so. Unlike the last time I was here for my US trip, my flight plan is pretty straightforward and documentation is minimal. I've got people to take care of me at the other end so I'm not really worried about anything going wrong.
Unless there's some of those waterspouts that were over the harbour yesterday.
Okay I just checked, the weather is looking pretty good at the moment.
I'll try to blog a bit and I'll post some highlights on Facebook. Stay tuned for more!
Posted by Jeremy at 9:26pm on Wednesday May 22, 2013 :: 0 comments ::
Not Long To Go
Sunday May 19, 2013
The word "home" in English commonly means one's place of residence or a geographical area that one identifies with as their place of belonging. When I talk about home, my home is in Wellington, where I work and live. When I talk about home, my home is in Auckland, where I grew up and lived for 20 years of my life. When I talk about home, it's odd because I'm using the word in a way that many Malaysian expats will use it - our "home" is Malaysia. When we go back "home", we're returning to the motherland; and though I am officially a New Zealand citizen, Malaysia will always affectionately be "home", because it's where I was born.
The last time I was back in Malaysia was Christmas 2009/New Years 2010. It was full of fond memories... much of it spent enjoying the fantastic food, but also a great excursion to China and Hong Kong, and of course, seeing family that I had not seen in over 7 years. I'm always looking forward to long haul trips, and I can't wait to catch up with everyone and eat everything. People often have a list of things to buy or things to see when they go overseas - when you go to Malaysia, you have a list of things to eat. Whether it be the aroma of durian from pasar malam, or the anticipation as your favourite roadside cendol is prepared, or cooling off with some barley water as you wait for the bak kut teh or yong tau foo to arrive, or playing mahjong while your auntie prepares her famous nasi lemak - my favourite memories about Malaysia are often associated with food. It is such an important part of our culture and who we are.
It's been a while since I last blogged... Robot Unicorn Attack 2 has been out for almost a month now and is doing very well, with over three million downloads the last time I checked. We also released Turbo Racing League, a snail racer based off the DreamWorks Animation movie due out in July. Work has continued to be busy as I wrap up my duties before I leave for holiday.
At the start of the month I was in Auckland for Reuben and Shereen's wedding. Though the rain was torrential, the ceremony and reception were fantastic and it was great to catch up with people and celebrate the marriage of two of my good friends. I got to play piano at KCC's Sunday service and had a great time, and I got to see my nephew as well. It was a rushed weekend, but thoroughly enjoyable. The following weekend, Surya had made his way down to Wellington after graduating in a Masters of Science, so we went out for dinner at Ozeki and milk tea at Noah's Ark.
Finally, a decent milk tea place!
I went ice skating last night with Amy, Mitchell and Chloe. I was surprised at how good they were - it never really occurred to me that they had such hidden talents! The last time I had been ice skating was probably 10 years ago, at Sunway Pyramid in Malaysia, so it was a very awkward start to getting back on the ice. I've never really been one to ice skate or rollerblade or do anything graceful like that, so for most of the hour I was clumsily flailing like a moron around the rink. Despite my frantic yelling and panicked expressions, I had a good time and was proud that I bailed only once during the time I was there, and furthermore, only Mitchell was around to witness my elegant barrel roll, from which I recovered quickly and nonchalantly resumed skating.
It's now only four more sleeps until my flight back "home". Still many things to sort out and people to catch up with before I leave - exciting times ahead!
Posted by Jeremy at 11:42am on Sunday May 19, 2013 :: 0 comments ::
Malaysia Trip Photos
Sunday January 24, 2010
It's only taken me a whole week, but my gallery now supports subcategories so that I can easily classify the food and non-food photos.
In addition, I've also resized, rotated and cropped several pictures from my Malaysia trip, and 570 of them are available for viewing in the gallery. If you would like the original, let me know via the Contact Form.
Phew!
Posted by Jeremy at 8:22am on Sunday January 24, 2010 :: 0 comments ::
Eat Frequently or Eat Lots. Pick One.
Monday December 21, 2009
My relatives don't seem to understand such a concept. Yesterday I had four meals and understandably didn't eat that much at each meal because I knew they would try and stuff me full of food anyway.
But hey, that's what I'm here for!
It's a pretty relaxed day today, and there's a nice tropical breeze blowing through to keep us cool. I'm supposed to be playing badminton this afternoon with my cousin, and then going to my uncle's country club for a swim.
Country clubs are strange things. They aren't as accessible in New Zealand, and they're more perceived as some kind of exclusive place out in the remote wilderness where the membership fee is a bajillion dollars and you play golf and drink pink champagne from a dainty little wine glass. Well no, they're not like that in Malaysia. They're more like oversized gyms or big recreation centres. It's common for a country club to have a swimming pool, a tennis court, probably some badminton or squash courts. Some of the classier ones will have libraries, restaurants, bowling alleys, and so on. So generally they're a place to go to for a bit of sport or to relax after a long day's work - which, by the way, happens a lot in Malaysia.
In any case, I need to go there to make sure I don't become morbidly obese at the end of this trip.
Posted by Jeremy at 3:35am on Monday December 21, 2009 :: 0 comments ::
Safe and Sound, but Melting
Friday December 18, 2009
Arrived safely last night at just before 8pm local time into the humid awesomeness of Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The flight was quick, only 10 hours, and felt shorter by the fact so many good movies were on! I watched 101 Dalmations (nostalgia), G Force (adorably cute), Up (entertaining and heart warming) and half of Bolt (got cut short by the end of the flight). There were so many kids on the plane though, it was really annoying. This kid in front of me kept looking back and throwing his toys on the ground so I had to pick them and I just wish I could have backhanded him, or something. Sigh.
Anyway, the work Christmas party was on Wednesday at Park Road Post out in Miramar, and while I couldn't stay for very long, it was cool just chilling out and having some delectable snacks (eg, grilled prawns) and a bit of wine to accompany. I had to leave before the movie, but I was told it was 500 Days of Summer.
And yes I have Internet access, yay! So I'll probably be online in the mornings while I'm waiting for things to get in motion for the day.
Posted by Jeremy at 12:44am on Friday December 18, 2009 :: 0 comments ::
Over Overtime
Monday August 31, 2009
It appears that overtime is slowly phasing out, so tentantive rejoicing. The game hasn't shipped yet because we're still waiting for some issues to be resolved on the publisher's side, so in the meantime, most of us are just sitting at work, testing and playing the game and fixing bugs as they come through.
Boooorrrrrrring.
Derek's last day at work was last Thursday, so we farewelled him with lunch at Viva Mexico, and then Friday Starcraft, Friday drinks (2 for 1 at Blend lol) and Karaoke at New Kor. While it was all really fun, I prefer my karaoke to be a bit more "structured" per say - I can sing, but I can't yell and it pretty much turned into an alcohol-fuelled yelling match. Which was not optimal, but hey, we had some good group singalongs with Eye of the Tiger, Bohemian Rhapsody and A Whole New World.
I was involved with the Youth Band at church last Sunday, where we led the service. They sound really good and just need some polish for perfection. I switched music teams, so this coming Sunday I'm on the piano again (for the third Sunday in a row). Not that I mind, I just lose that extra hour of sleep on Sunday mornings!
Oh yes, I'm also looking to go back to Malaysia over Christmas/New Year's because my grandparents are celebrating their 90th and 80th birthdays in January. It's going to be great, I haven't been back to Malaysia since the beginning of 2003, and I'm eagerly awaiting the chance to taste all the delicious food back home.
Speaking of food, thanks to no overtime, I've been able to cook for the first time in what seems like a month. On Saturday night I had steamed tofu, stir fried bak choy and carrots, and apricot chicken! And because I could, I bought some bacon and had that for lunch on Sunday. By bacon, I mean the deliciously crunchy kind, not the soggy types you get on burgers or whatever. Soooo good.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:41am on Monday August 31, 2009 :: 0 comments ::
Objection!
Thursday December 6, 2007
My hair is getting long, so I thought I'd try to spike it out the back and see if it bore any resemblance to Phoenix Wright.
Not too bad I'd say. A bit of hair spray or gel would make it look really good. All I need is a blue jacket, a white shirt and a red tie, and I'm all set. I already have the attitude :3
By the way, my jumper isn't actually that colour. I just photoshopped it to make it look a bit more bluish for the Phoenix Wright thing.
My auntie left for Malaysia today. I find it amusing that whenever relatives come over, they always take back groceries..my auntie managed to stuff a 2kg cabbage and 1.5kgs of avocado into a box and take it home. Her luggage was overweight so she left behind some clothes. I'll miss her awesome cooking and stuff. It was really great having her around, and it's just a pity that the hot water cylinder had to flood her room like that >_o
I have finally finished the long-awaited Graffiti Wall, so you can stuff that lame urFacebook site and come and draw stuff on my wall instead. Hooray! Comments and suggestions and bug reports are always welcome.
Oh yeah, I fail at relationships. ^_^
Posted by Jeremy at 5:32am on Thursday December 6, 2007 :: 5 comments ::