My Writings. My Thoughts.

The vicious cycle: The Rat Race

// September 21st, 2009 // No Comments » // Thoughts

It has been a while since I have last updated my blog. The reason for my lack of updates is because I have been busy with errands. As you may know, I am finally out of the “unemployed” status. Yes, I am on an active payroll which means I wake up early in the morning (very early mind you) to go to work. I then leave work around early evening to go home. In short, I got myself a decent and honest 8am to 6pm job. Gone are the 9 am to 5 pm jobs in this modern world. Well, I am lying about the 9 to 5 jobs. In this economy where unemployment lingers around 10%, I would settle for any jobs, regardless if it is a 8-6 or 9-5 job. Thank heavens!

As soon as I started my job, the same of feeling of being in the Rat Race dawns upon me. The feeling of “what the hell am I doing with my life” keeps poking my mind. The question remains unanswered and I remain a man who is chasing his dream. Many of us are either chasing the dream or the money. “Show me the money!!”

The feeling can best be conveyed by Rowan Akitson’s (Mr Bean) movie, The Rat Race. If you haven’t watched the movie, you should pick it up from Netflix or you local Wal-Mart.
Here’s a preview of the movie.

Well, I wish you all the best in getting out of this race. I hope I will get out soon…..by whatever it takes!

-Boon

Nizar’s fiery speech in Penang

// September 14th, 2009 // No Comments » // Politics

Are you in high school?

// September 13th, 2009 // No Comments » // Thoughts

“Are you in high school?” I was asked by a girl in Flushing. I was waiting to be seated at an underground, yes, underground, hot pot place in Flushing. You must probably be thinking that “underground” means the place is shaddy and dirty. To be honest, the underground noodle place is not too bad. They offer many north-eastern food ranging from “Ma Lat Tang” (Spicy Noodle Soup) to something that i don’t even remember. Anycase, you should check it out the next time you’re in Flushing. The place is located at the corner of 40th Ave and Main Street. I will update with the name of the mall the “underground” network of food shops are part of.

Back to the part where I was mistaken for a high school student. When the girl asked me the first time, I replied saying, “No. I’m not in high school.” After hearing my response, she was curious about my age. So she asked, “So, are you like in Middle school?” Ok lady. At this point, I wanted to thank her for making me look so young, but come on lady, Middle school….really? I started to think that she smoked something prior to getting some hot pot underground.

So, there you have it. I was asked if I was in High school and middle school. Lady, whoever you are, you made my day. Well, I found out that she’s Korean and works around Wall Street. If you happen to stumble upon this post, holla up!

ps: Rob Thomas music video in front of One CMP.

-Boon

We Remember 9/11 – 8 years later.

// September 11th, 2009 // No Comments » // Events, News, Thoughts

8 years ago, the world was shocked at the horrifying attack on American soil. The World Trade Center, represented New York City’s pride as the world’s financial powerhouse, fell down after two airplanes flew into its two towers. It was one of the saddest days in the history of our country and it reminded America that terrorism is alive and it threatens the safety of everyone. 9/11 changed the course of world history. As a result, Americans were united even more and we are at war with terrorism . Today on September 11, 2009, we remember the tragedy not with bloodshed nor anger but with solemn and unity. We shall stand together as one nation under God, preparing ourselves for the future. We shall educate our young ones, reform our health care system, create more jobs for everyone, ensure our freedom and safety are protected and most importantly, uphold the Constitution.

America, on this day, let us remember that we are citizens of the world but most importantly, you and I are the Citizens of the United States of America.

United We Stand.

May those who gave their lives on 9/11 rest in peace.

Star Spangled Banner by Whitney Houston – SuperBowl XXV

Spotted: Rob Thomas on Wall Street Sep 10, 2009 – filming MV for Someday

// September 10th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Entertainment

New York City, Sep 10, 2009: Rob Thomas was spotted on Wall Street, in front of One Chase Manhattan Plaza, shooting his latest music video for his new song. The title of the song is Someday (Thanks Jessica). Rob was filming together with a bunch of passer by in the video. Below are some of the pictures I took during lunch break. I was so excited because Rob Thomas was my first celebrity encounter after living in New York City for almost 8 years.

Here’s the song from IMEEM: Rob Thomas – Someday

09102009042

09102009043

Here’s Rob Thomas’ latest song, “Her Diamonds”

Love it, loath it? Comments appreciated.

-Boon

President Obama’s Speech to the students of Wakefield HS, Arlington, VA.

// September 7th, 2009 // No Comments » // Education

Below is the transcript of President Obama’s speech for the Back To School Event at Wakefield HS in Arlington, Virginia. A very inspiring and motivating speech.

barack-obama-bw1

-pic from http://datelinebucharest.com

Taken from Whitehouse.gov

Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Back to School Event

Arlington, Virginia
September 8, 2009

The President: Hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today? I’m here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through twelfth grade. I’m glad you all could join us today.

I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.

I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday – at 4:30 in the morning.

Now I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, “This is no picnic for me either, buster.”

So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.

Now I’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I’ve talked a lot about responsibility.

I’ve talked about your teachers’ responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.

I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.

I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working where students aren’t getting the opportunities they deserve.

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world – and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

And that’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.

Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.

Maybe you could be a good writer – maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper – but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor – maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine – but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a Senator or a Supreme Court Justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

And no matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.

And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You’ll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.

Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

I get it. I know what that’s like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn’t fit in.

So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I’m not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there’s not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying.

Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.

Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn’t speak English when she first started school. Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr. Jazmin Perez.

I’m thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain cancer since he was three. He’s endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer – hundreds of extra hours – to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind, and he’s headed to college this fall.

And then there’s Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she’s on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren’t any different from any of you. They faced challenges in their lives just like you do. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.

That’s why today, I’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education – and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you’ll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, I hope you’ll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don’t feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.

I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work — that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you’re not going to be any of those things.

But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject you study. You won’t click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

That’s OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures. JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, “I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

These people succeeded because they understand that you can’t let your failures define you – you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. If you get in trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. If you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

No one’s born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don’t hit every note the first time you sing a song. You’ve got to practice. It’s the same with your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it’s good enough to hand in.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust – a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor – and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you – don’t ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

The story of America isn’t about people who quit when things got tough. It’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.

It’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

August 31st, 2009 – Happy Merdeka Malaysia

// August 30th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Politics, Thoughts

tunmerdeka

August 31st, 2009 will mark Malaysia’s 52th year of independence. Half a century has past for this developing country in the heart of South East Asia and I wonder what achievements have we made as Malaysians.
Well wonder no more. Below are the achievements that we have made since August 31st, 1957. The list includes both the good and the bad.

Feel free to add to the list through the comment box.

1. Gained independence from the British (Good)
2. Creation of national schools or Sekolah Kebangsaan – to establish unification of Malaysians (Good)
3. Creation of Vernacular schools – Malay, Chinese and Indian school (Some say its good, some say its bad)
4. Creation of NEP (National Economic Policy) – establishment of quotas for the Malay (60% of the population) because they were lagging in the economy (It was good before the heavy abuse by the politicians as a vote gaining tool)
5. A country where her people can live harmoniously together, until the Politicians started using “Race Politics” for their own gain (Good at first, bad because its the main political tool nowadays)
6. Establishment of the Royal Malaysian Police (Police Diraja Malaysia: PDRM) – Well the History of the PDRM goes back to the 1400’s during the Malacca empire (according to Wikipedia) but PDRM are making headline nowadays for their action against peaceful demonstrators. PDRM loves to fire tear gas at them. Their reason, to calm them down. IMHO, the PDRM is the one that needs to calm the f down. (Good before, Bad now)
7. The building of Petronas Twin tower, once the world’s tallest building but has now be taken over by Taipei 101. – (Good. To show that Malaysia can actually build an office building commissioned by Korean and Japanese Engineering firms)
8. Creation of KLIA and Sepang F1 (Good)
9. The lost of majority seats in the Parliament by the ruling national party (Barison Nasional) – (Good)
10.After 52 years of independence, Malaysia is still harmonious albeit the many social unrest – robberies, snatch thieves, car window smashing robberies, illegal immigrants (Good, considering we have problems that need to be solved. Freaking goverment and PDRM are just playing the race politics and firing tear gas)
11. ISA (BAD..BAD…BAD)

After all these years, I am still proud to say, AKU ANAK MALAYSIA. Bukan Cina, Bukan Melayu, Bukan India atau Lain-lain.
AKU ANAK MALAYSIA!

Selamat Merdeka MALAYSIA!

A must watch Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai3_12z_BdU

Love it, Loathe it? Comments appreciated.

-Boon

May death strike those thieves at Pos Malaysia!

// August 24th, 2009 // No Comments » // Thoughts

For those dishonest workers at Pos Malaysia who has stolen or thought of stealing other people’s mail.

Go Screw Yourself!

You are not alone…..

// August 24th, 2009 // No Comments » // Health, Thoughts

loneliness

There is a song by Michael Jackson that goes.. “You are not alone, I am here with you..”. The title of the song is “You are not alone” and the lyrics assure listeners that they are not alone and that someone will be by their side. The truth of the matter is that Americans are slowly becoming a lonely society. Younger generations have substituted face to face interaction with Instant Messaging, Emails and social networking sites. Those mediums were meant to be a supplement of our normal interaction with others but have become the prime obsession of many. According to an article by Newsweek (Read here), [Thanks Kin L for the link]

-[that the encroachment of digital communication into our social lives can amplify feelings of isolation. He describes texting or Twittering in the presence of others as a "prescription for loneliness." Such behavior, he says, sends the message that someone somewhere else is more important. "The human heart is suffering from lack of authentic interaction," he says. "Just being able to engage genuinely and politely with your neighbors is a better fix than Xanax could ever affect for mental stability."]

So the next time if you feel like checking your Facebook or Twitterring during a meeting, think of the loneliness that may loom within your heart. Is it time that you find a soulmate?

p.s. Match.com and jdate.com are the last place you should look.

Love it, Loathe it? Comments are appreciated.

-Boon

109 days of unemployment later

// August 19th, 2009 // No Comments » // Thoughts

unemploymment

It was Tuesday,April 31st, 2009 when my manager (Mr X) scheduled a faux meeting with me to discuss the project which we only discuss on Wednesdays with the team. I smelled something fishy when I was pulled aside by his manager ( I will call him Mr Y) as I went to meet up with Mr X. My suspicion just got deeper when Mr Y asked me to meet with him on the 11th floor. With the many re-orgs and lay offs happening around the firm, the 11th floor is the floor many will try to avoid by all means. Even the word “11th floor” itself is taboo and gives many employees the chill.

Taking the elevator to the 11th floor, I tried to comprehend what was coming my way. I confronted Mr Y about what’s going to happen but like a dumb, he just kept his mouth shut and assured me that the discussion will only commence on the 11th floor.

Reaching the meeting room, I saw the HR Rep or I would like call her ”The Jack The Ripper of Lay Offs”. For that moment, my mind was jumbling with questions such as how am i going to pay my rent? what will i do next? why me? I stopped paying attention to Jack the ripper the moment she handed me a document that reads “Employee termination Agreement”. When you’re presented with such document, you know your time at the firm is up – GAME OVER buddy.

When you’re laid – off, it could be a boon or a misfortune, depending on how you make the best out of it. For me, it turned out to be alright. Within the 2 months of lay off, I studied my ass off for the GMAT and pass the test with a score that I was proud off. I also managed to escape New York and flew to the Land of the Rising Sun with my gf for a week – that was a fun getaway.

Now, after 109 days of unemployment, I start work with my new company, which I am not going to name because of privacy issues, as a “Special Employee”. In an economy where unemployment is at 9.7%, I am just glad to have a job. Besides, I am still working on those bschool apps, which reminds me that I have to get back to my essays.

“I ran so hard to chase the bear that took off with my gr-ubs. I killed and took it to the citi and sold it to Mr Goldman for $2.” – The Dead Bear, Boon 2009

Love it, Loathe it? Comments appreciated.

-Boon

Boon's Basement

My Writings. My Thoughts.

The vicious cycle: The Rat Race

Nizar’s fiery speech in Penang

Are you in high school?

We Remember 9/11 – 8 years later.

Spotted: Rob Thomas on Wall Street Sep 10, 2009 – filming MV for Someday

President Obama’s Speech to the students of Wakefield HS, Arlington, VA.

August 31st, 2009 – Happy Merdeka Malaysia

After all these years, I am still proud to say, AKU ANAK MALAYSIA. Bukan Cina, Bukan Melayu, Bukan India atau Lain-lain.
AKU ANAK MALAYSIA!

May death strike those thieves at Pos Malaysia!

Go Screw Yourself!

You are not alone…..

109 days of unemployment later

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My Writings. My Thoughts.

After all these years, I am still proud to say, AKU ANAK MALAYSIA. Bukan Cina, Bukan Melayu, Bukan India atau Lain-lain. AKU ANAK MALAYSIA!

Go Screw Yourself!

Recent Posts

I follow

Archives

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After all these years, I am still proud to say, AKU ANAK MALAYSIA. Bukan Cina, Bukan Melayu, Bukan India atau Lain-lain.
AKU ANAK MALAYSIA!