So I've gone viral.

If you read the above post, Paradigm Mall made the mistake of hiring an internet troll as their FB admin. The inevitable clash of the trolls happened, and thus sparked a slew of protest against them and their FB rep. 

Pulau Perhentian: Water and Sand (and Banana Pancake)

The last time I was in Perhentian, it was a spontaneous decision. A friend and I had decided two weeks before, that it was unacceptable that our plans for a getaway kept falling apart - we decided, by hook or crook, we were going to go to Perhentian with our friends, even though it was peak season and we had no prior arrangements. 

Despite the odds, (bus & flight tickets, accommodation were all sold out) we managed to have a wonderful retreat on the island. Coconut trees and wooden stalls scattered on the beach front, but the most beautiful thing about Perhentian was the water and sand.

Losing my day job (almost).

I have to admit, it's quite a feat for me to get to work on time. Getting out of bed takes some serious effort, and once I'm on the road, I drive 40kmh over the speed limit. It's because I've been spending quite a lot of time with the girlfriend, (and friends, I'm sorry if I've been neglecting you) but to be honest, even before I met her I was already bad at meeting that morning deadline.

The problem? I rationalize too much. Everyone here clocks in, (yes, we have a punch card system) before going out to spend a half hour on breakfast, so I reasoned that by forfeiting breakfast, I'd be putting in the same amount of work anyway, and I do - all my work deadlines are met. I'm usually never more than 30 minutes late, although there is the occasional 9/10 am entry (I'm supposed to be in at 8, sharp).

Manila: A lack of money, but an abundance of smiles.

Manila reminded me a lot of KL, with the exception that the city is a little more dirty, the traffic a little more congested, but the people, a little more cheerful. Which is weird, because there are some of the most destitute urban poor living in Manila, which really left an impression on me.

I remembered one night, on a bus coming back from Tagaytay, I saw a mother, her baby, and her children laying out cardboard pieces on an elevated road divider, going to sleep under an overhead pass. Despite their situation, they weren't crying, or sleeping uneasily; there was a sense of normalcy, like it was the only life they've known.

The less judgmental island of Perhentian.

I have a Muslim friend who lives under the constant terror of being caught drinking. Don't get me wrong, in Kuala Lumpur, everybody drinks, Muslims and non-Muslims alike; but it's usually a very hushed affair among Muslims, and if you're unlucky, you get the occasional raid by the religious authorities while drinking in a pub or club.

Naturally, drinking Muslims keep a low profile.

So imagine his surprise when an old Malay pak cik, donning a kopiah, casually asks him in English if he'd like to stop by his friend's house and buy liquor on our way to Perhentian Island.

The Hunchback of Hate

There's a lady in the office who hates me.

I was still new to the office back then, and I didn't know people who were in my department, let alone our neighbour's. As usual, my mornings began with a wasteful five minutes (I'm omitting comical exaggeration to let you ponder on just how ridiculous waiting for an elevator for 5 minutes is) of waiting for what must be the most inefficient elevators in the world, before one finally arrived.

Malacca's worst rip off.

My friends and I were staying at The Majestic Malacca two days ago, and we decided to go out for drinks at 11.00pm. We asked the concierge where we should go, and she suggested Geographer Cafe in the middle of Jonker street.

I've been there before, and it's a quaint little cafe that's absolutely lovely. Their foods are served MSG-free, so it's sort of healthy-ish - but I think it's a little irrelevant in the city that has plenty of fatty, culinary delights like the chicken rice balls, satay celup, (skewered/grilled meat) and cendol (shaved ice, coconut milk and palm sugar). Still, it's a great outlet, and perfect for a beer or two if you want to lose yourself in this historical city.