Michigan squirrel

Aren't squirrels cute? I just don't know why they are cuter than you...but that's the reality...

squirrels are running everywhere in Ann Arbor, and it's such happy moments when I see them and try to approach them but when they act stupid and ignore me then I chase after them...




And squirrels remind me of one special animal: cat!

is

Why? Because squirrels are so ubiquitous here...just like cats in Malaysia...

And let me introduce Nutty!

The candy-loving tree friend in Happy Tree Friends! And they are extremely cute...before it turns out to be bloodyful-not-cute...

So that's squirrels...

Bicycle & Motorcycle & Oh...Memories!

I have a driving license for car, motorcycle and also bicycle...

Frankly, I NEVER drive a car after I passed the driving test...oh yeah...I drove once trying my family's new Avanza (drive a round in my taman) and that's all...the reason: I love motorcycle and bicycle!


There are thousands interesting experiences to share but let's start with a story long long time ago...

Ok, my first bike accident...I have a vivid memory of this event because it happened in my favorite small town called Tanjung Sepat. Since I was small I always anticipating to go back my mom's kampung to visit grandparents and had fun with cousins...miss all those wonderful times...[out of topic la!]...Ok, the accident: My 表哥 gave me a ride and he bumped to a bumper and lost balance and I fell to road...and I remember it took me a very long time before the bruises on my knees disappeared...that was like 4YO

Then this is very funny! About 5or6YO...I crashed a motorcycle! Really! and there was one piece of blue plastic fallen from the motorcycle...and imagined I was riding a miniature bike and my sister ran beside me and I never saw the motorcycle coming from the corner and just banged into its side...and then I have no idea somehow I just got away like that...and this time I'm safe and sound...real Crazy...

Oh...it's so fun riding a bike and I just love riding it around my taman (taman = residential area)

When time passes, eveything changes...so then I have a motorcycle!

Interesting...I was watching my motorcycle banged into a Mercedez Benz by a friend who's trying it out...Ouch...my shiny black Modenas...and it slightly crashed the rear bumper of the mercedez which belonged to our boss! (we were working in a restaurant then...and the incident happened right in front the restaurant...luckily he didn't discover at that time...) and my motorcycle was amazingly tough...it survived with only a few scratches...and from then onward I never let anyone else ride my motorcycle.

and second accident...this was thrilling!
I was enjoying my ride and about to reach a junction...and suddenly I felt a strong force stroke from my right and then a man was thrown infront of me! at that seconds I was totally numbed...and his motorcycle was smashed and pieces falling off after colliding to my motorcycle...the only feeling I had then was the strain I felt on my arms which firmly holding the motorcycle handle...It was a really strong force and somehow i'm holding my motorcycle right at the spot without being thrown...the guy walked up...damn him holding a phone and continued to talk to his friend "I involve in accident la...call you later"! (the accident happened because he came from the opposite side of a one way road!) and I asked about his condition and he seems ok...[he really "fly" from his motorcycle, truth]

Apparently it was his fault so I tried to negotiate with him about compensation but then he denied to have any money and seeing his poor motorcycle I just let it be la...I spent RM70+ to replaced the front "fork" which suffered from misalignment....and some pain in my arms for few days. And I am still wondering how could I hold my motorcycle so firmly. Superman? Perhaps.

Universal truth: motorcycle is not that comfartable as car but I just love it because it's convenient to start, no parking hassle, can park anywhere including kaki lima...can squeeze through traffic jam etc...

but one biggest disadvantage: OH NO Please Don't RAIN!


It's freezing cold to ride in rain!!! and it's such a trouble...and always after I washed my motorcycle to shiny black it rains the next day and became dirty again...

Oh there's one more horrible experience when riding my motorcycle back to my home...it was a wonderful afternoon (so don't expect a ghost riding with me) and I fetched my sister back from friend's house...and when I turned into a road, 2 guys on another motorcycle who look like "stupid barbarians mat rempit bodoh otak sial tak siuman" started horning at us and intimidating us...and even fircely asked us to "berhenti...aku suruh awak henti! henti" (STOP right here) and kept closer to us...and I looked around for any vehicles in sight but to no avail. And I knew whatever they want I won't stop! And I stared at them like I don't care and keep speeding++++
and just fled those 2 idiots who had nothing better to do...at least go eat shit ma. Should have taken down their no. for police report...
and I seems pretty tough huh...actually I trembled after I reach home...what an encounter!

So if you want to ride motorcycle? after considering my cases you may consider to abandon your plan...

But other than that it was really a convenient transportation...

wait...I still have a story about bicycle, here's the link to it...in my old friendster blog :)
http://fong_5_5.blogs.friendster.com/fowarding/2007/09/im_cycling_to_i.html

and a motorcycle story. You can see the photo of my shiny black motorcyle!
http://fongforward.blogspot.com/2007/12/oh-o-tire-puncture.html
which is the first post on wah! live for fun.

My next bicycle story: riding around Malaysia! My dream! And I really thought of riding from Shah Alam to Melaka...but now ended in Michigan...or else 99.9% done that already...

I have green fingers

Today I received a certificate from Mayor for making his city flowerful.


Oh it was the first community work I've involved since I came here and usually I'm not keen on doing community works but flower + green = my favorites so I signed up at the second I received an email about the event!

And I never knew my friends were joining until the day before the event. Great:)

The tasks were easy...

First we got a green T-shirt and dispatched to designated location.
I love green!

Second we listened the instructions from the gardener...and introduced to petunia and another flower which it's not aunt Petunia's favorite flower so I forget its name...

So this is petunia


Third we dig holes and put in the plants...not blossomed like the photo shown above...but soon ;)

Finally we want to make the flowers happy by giving them cocoa aka chocolate...they love chocolate as much as we do! It was aromatic chocolaty smells in the flower beds when we poured in cocoa shell mulch.
and all done!

Hmmm...then we walked back to the gathering point and had drinks and pizzas...Instead of using
the city council used this
to put the iced drinks...wah...

So next time if you passed by here....

And happily ever after!

oh my dear friend

In the world, there are human beings. Out of so many people in the world, there are some we known as friends. Among the friends, there's always some friends which are very special. So this post is dedicated to a friend of mine who has interesting characters :)

He is certainly not the average Joe or average Abu Ah Meng Muthu, but he's above average.

Sometimes, you can find him "funny" but sometimes it can be irritating...

Let's see why he's so special...

When he sneezes, he says the room is overloaded with CO2, and he is very sensitive to it! Great, Al Gore can hire him to be the atmosphere CO2 detector.

And my friend is always hungry. And when he's hungry, he'll ask me: I'm so hungry...are you hungry?
Ok, imagine that's almost every second when he's with me...

But he's a concerning person... he always think of other people when he feels tired, dizzy, sleepy, hot/cold etc etc....yep, and he feels tired, dizzy, sleepy, hot/ cold every day, and almost everyday headache...
Some examples of his wise words:
1. I never sleep well last night, now so sleepy, want to get some sleep later...are you sleepy?
2. Wo, my head feels dizzy...I can't stand looking at screen too long
3. Wah, my skin is so dry, see yours

While we are enjoying the movie , he suddenly says: so hungry, are you hungry?
Oh your God, I say no! And he just go grab some snacks...

So every time when he's going to ask me those type of questions, I have an absolute answer: NO!

He: Are you hungry?
Me: NO! (even sometimes a bit hungry)

He: Do you feel the room is stuffy?
Me: NO!

He: Wah, it's so cold now...I'm trembling~~~Do you feel cold?
Me: NO! (in fact it's not that cold)

He: Huh...now I feel damn tired, don't you feel tired as well?
Me: NO! (why should I? I sleep so well last night...)

and...

Me: We go to mamak stall @ 11pm later ok?
He: Ok sure!
when almost 11pm...
Me: Let's go!
He: Oh I feel pening la...want to get some rest...
Me: ok...

But when he says he want to get some sleep early because he's tired, he's watching online TV @ 2am...

He's just a special guy to me...because he never wear shorts...and doesn't has any kind of shorts...and he wears slacks or jeans all day long...and all night long...

And I told you he's very concerning...so after every exam, test and quiz, he'll ask around for other people's score, either in person or online or phone...and even his scores are very good he never satisfied. Haha at least we never in same course/class so he never asks me...but I think others will be terrified by his overwhelming "what you get for the test ha?"

If you are curious who's him, I just tell you la...he is Pak Liong Peng...never heard? Never mind, you probably don't know him...
I've asked permission to publish his name. so no offense to him. And by the way, he's from Korea but I think he doesn't know Pak Ji Sung or Hyun Bin or TVXQ...

And he's quite worried about everything, especially worried that he can't go back Korea because he forget how to speak Korean after many years staying in Malaysia...

So, this is how friends lighten our lives! Hope he is with me in Michigan now...

disclaimers: above statements are all true except 2 elements. Name of the real person is never faked, so to unprotect his privacy. If you are Pak Liong Peng but the descriptions don't match you, it's not you. But if you are pak Liong Peng but feel like the descriptions don't match you but you know me because I know you, it is you. There's possibilities many people having same name. But please inform me if you are whoever Pak Liong Peng and found uncomfartable with my post.

Late for class...

For the first time in my life, I overslept and was late for the first class meeting of the new semester!

For some of you it's quite a norm but it was the FIRST time in my life I never wake up in time to get to class!

Alarm rang @8.30am but then just dozed off...and when I' was enjoying my dream suddenly my roommate called me up @ 10:04am and OH NO! My class starts @10am!

(*actually my roommate knew I'm having class @10 and he also has class @ 10 but only woke me up when he's ready to go...and the reason he woke me up only @10:04 = he thought I'm already out but obviously I was still at my bed, and he definitely couldn't have not seen me in bed because he must have seen me because he must pass by my room to go in & out to his room...confused? )


Then although it was late, I still arranged my bedsheet before rushing to bathroom to get my face washed and messy hair combed. I must keep my room tidy all the time, regardless rain or sunny, snow or sandstorm, day or night, left or right.

And with empty stomach I ran to Dennison Building which is 10 minutes away. And since I never went to the lecture room before, more time was wasted searching for the room...

And finally @ 10:21, I slowly turned the door knob and get into the lecture room as quiet as possible but to discover my professor was in front the lecture room and glanced at me...for a short while....ok...then I just grabbed a seat and sit down and pretended as though I was there since 10am...

But late only mah...in It's not really a big deal...there are a few more people later than me and just came in like it's their home...

But that's just not me...so this post is the first warning letter to myself! No more late for class. (although I skipped all the ungraded discussion sessions for CHEM210 last semester because it's @ the very early 8am...)

[Update] so far never late :)

Another Amazing Adventure @ America

This will be a very very long post...to save your time, just read the summary

Summary: I went to Washington DC, Philadelphia, UPenn, New Jersey, and Pittsburgh with a friend. Then I came back. The end.

Long story: A journey that confirmed & planned just a few days before the journey. After the finals, with limited money left, but with my enthusiasm of travel, I agreed with Sharon's invitation for a trip.

A backpack, a small one, but everything for 5 days' needs are fully loaded. A journey begins! in an beautiful evening, from a small town of Ann Arbor.

Holding my Amtrak tickets, eagerly waiting for first train. Upon announcement, we went out the station and discovered that a bus is waiting for us...not a train! Huh? Ok...thruway ticket = bus. A bus bring us from a train station to another train station to board a train...

Oh...it was Wednesday April 23 9pm. And we were heading to Toledo!

@April 24 12:30am, a delayed train finally arrived

And first time stepped in Amtrak, Capitol Limited.

Yeah, @ 7am I finally woke up. But actually I was awake most of the night...susah tidur
then I felt something strange...the train was at halt!

Why huh? but at least it stopped beside so at least could see the river flows with beautiful sun hanging(?) on the sky, with flowers blossom in the spring...

And 1 hour passed...finally announcement was made and the delayed was due to a freight train...ok. Then 2 hours passed! What, still not moving!

And finally! after they realized we were bored with the scenery, the train moved! Hurray! But wait a second! the train was moving backward!!! HUH? ok...they are so considerable they reversed the train so we can have different scenery...(real situation: the train reversed to change track, u'll know why later)

Then after almost 2.5 hours. We were moving forward again! And finally we saw the freight train moving @ 5mile per hour beside us...no wonder...but I wonder why they never changed the track earlier to pass the turtle train...

And after so much delay, we arrived in Washington DC @ 4pm!

And in the limited 5 hours (3 hours stolen by Amtrak), we walked to so many places:

following sequence: Union station > US Capitol > US Botanical Garden > The National Mall > Washington Monument > Thomas Jefferson Memorial > Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial > Lincoln Memorial > Bush Memorial...wait! where got?! > Vietnam Veteran Memorial > The White House > Chinatown > Verizon Center >McDonald > Amtrak to Philly!

And actually I met bush at the White House! and I kicked him! and I just left safe & sound...you know, the bush...not that Bush...

But actually I almost detained in Guantanamo Bay with Harold & Kumar because I left my bag unattended while taking photos...luckily I was wearing a green shirt so the police officer thought I'm just a Greenpeace member and ask me not to demonstrate in front of the White House, but the green house...with Al Gore the ex-Vice President to promote reduction of green house gases...what the craps I'm writing??
*the red words are truth [never leave your bag unattended, esp near bush and never pretend to be a terrorist, or else you'll be treated as terrorist]

Next, @12:00am April 25, Philly


@Philly I stayed in Ryan's room while Sharon in Yie Lyn's. And while they were busy preparing for finals we were having our holiday...

The first morning was just amazing :) while I was in bathroom looking at mirror wondering why I have so many pimples, a sweet girl walked in and I was stunned for a moment, and I "Hi" and she "Hi" back and basically I forget what I did while she washed hand and then "bye"...ok, it's Upenn, coed dorm...

And that started my first day (April 25) in Philly! With City Pass, We've ventured more places in Philly than our friends in Upenn did :) [2 days vs 2 semesters]


So, places we went: 30th St Station > Upenn > Franklin Institute > National Constitution Center > Reading Terminal Market > See the bell > Penn's Landing > Columbus Memorial >Korean War Memorial > Vietnam War Memorial > Chili's > Independence Visitor Center > Tour Philly with double decker bus > Eastern State Penitentiary (a really nice jail) > Philly the American 1st Zoo > Banana Leaf Malaysia Restaurant (nice foods) > A Hong Kong Restaurant or bubble tea & duck rice! oh I wonder why Americans don't eat duck but eat turkey > lots of parks > New Jersey (Adventure Aquarium) > See Rutgers @ Camden! + etc etc

And the last hour in Philly+NJ was truly an amazing race! We were across the bridge in New Jersey @ 11:45am @ Adventure Aquarium. Our Amtrak @12:42pm. One hour, enough la. But after we farewell with penguins, we discovered that the next NJ Riverlink train come @ only 12:18pm/ what! That'll be very late! We need to get to WalterRand Transit Center, 8th St Station before 30th St Station!

click to experience the journey!

Wah! After the amazing journey, goodbye Philly!

But the real journey is not ended!

Next: Pittsburgh!

@8:30pm April 27, we arrived in a quiet city of Pittsburgh. The streets are just empty at night and the only opened eatery was McDonald (again...)

At the scary place it's better to wait in the station until next train to Toledo to take bus, again...

And @ 8:30am April 28, back to Ann Arbor!

Wah...next adventure: New York!

Watch out!

So do you think technology help improve our living? In most of the cases, it's definitely positive. But in some rare cases, technology is really bad...

So let me introduce a technology which is disastrous: the GPS.

GPS=Global Positioning System.

Its novel intention is to guide drivers to navigate. Or for anyone who need direction to find their destination. But sometimes, we can never reach our destination by solely relying on the technology.

Let's see some of my findings

Case Study 1
Location: Arboretum, a place in USA
Time: the past Wednesday
Who: 21 Garfield High School (a school that enrolls only Garfield's fans) girls
A bus driver
A bus
A GPS device
A bridge
A warning sign

How: A bus is driven by a bus driver. The bus driver using the GPS device to navigate. There are 21 Garfield High School Girls on the bus back from a softball game.
And the journey was just like a normal bus ride...which (assumed) some girls reading Garfield comic books and watching the animation with iPod Touch.
Then a CRASH! and it's not a normal crash but the bus was plowed into overpass bridge!
The reason: The driver never use his common sense to look at the warning sign & what's infront of him...but he instead trust the GPS and just drove through the obviously low overpass bridge. What a great driver....My reasoning suggests the driver thought he's driving a VW Beetle.
The moral of the story: never drive with GPS.

Case study 2:
This is a short study investigating the unfavorable circumstance brought by GPS.
"Villagers in Carmarthenshire say they fear restoration work is being damaged by drivers using satellite navigation."Quoted from BBC.
BecauseAfter restored, the building will be damaged again...The culprits: drivers who drive giant vehicle using GPS. They never see how narrow the street...but as long as there's a way, it's a way.

So this is technology.

Username!

I assume you all know how to online...

When on the net, there are so many services...including Facebook, FaceBook, and facebook. And of course we have Windows Live, Yahoo, Gmail, Youtube and whatever...

The problem with all of them is a big problem: we need to register to use the services!

When registering, usually the first thing we have to fill in is username...and the real problem is with the username!

Sometimes, we just can't get our favorite choices...especially in Youtube where the whole Earth population has an account.

and when I try and try and still no luck...why just put my username as "username"!?
So I type "username" and check the availability....

Oh No! username not available!

If username is unavailable why we need to select any username??!! weird...

So inspiration suddenly pop up! since username unavailable...why don't I choose "without1username" and finally I have an available username! I have a username without a username...haha

So from now on I have no username!

No Money = No Food

Warning: article below contains ambiguous/confusing words/ phrases that might cause a syndrome called "whattheheckareyouwriting!"

Food is essential for life...you know that.

Money is a must for life...you also know it.

So food = money

Thus, no money = no food
The picture above already proven my statement. It's indisputable.

Here's another proof: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU

------- :)

That's my intro, now to main points.

Living animal needs energy, so human acquires energy from food. In order to get food, we need to buy food. Before you can have the food, you have to pay for the food (or you can pay yourself if you are the food producer).

And the current issue I'm discussing is insufficiency of money, which directly related to food.

As information researchers of Ministry of Public Service (MPS) in the states, we are now facing delayed allowance payment, which directly pose a great survivor threat for some of us, including myself. However, some reseachers are doing extra researches so they fare better in the crisis. Or some of them have a solid financial background who can live luxuriously even without allowance or extra money source.

As for me: a guy who eat so much and never grow taller; a guy who too preoccupied in eating until forsake the chances to do more jobs, the situation is critical.

Hope the relief will come soon so the I can continue to grow taller...my aim is taller than Yao Ming.

Durian . Dance . Dandiya . Dan lain-lain

It was a great Southeast Asia Night In UMichigan last Saturday! A great showcase for Southeast Asia countries!

Indonesia Malaysia Singapore Thailand Vietnam + Cambodia. Foods, band performances, cultural performances, sketch!

As part of proud Malaysia community in Michigan, I performed in an Indian dance! I just don't know why...I'm never been a good dancer but then I've danced in a few occasions, at least I never spoils the dances :)

So the Malaysian performance was about a Indian & Malay couple in long long time ago...their relation is disapproved by parents and reborn into modern Malaysia and continue their love story...with Dandiya(Indian dance), Ulek Mayang and Chinese Fan Dance to embellish the story.
Here's the video!

Southeast Asia=foods.
So we have our nasi lemak! And what we can have for RM1 in Malaysia = USD3
It definitely looks good and tastes great, but sambal can be more spicy...maybe it have been modified to suit non-Malaysians?

And nasi lemak always come with durian! (is it?)

Don't expect to get cheap durian here...1 = USD 10!
Other than durian and nasi lemak, there were chicken rice, rojak, beef rendang, Goi Cuon (Vietnamese spring roll) etc. And not to forget "Chi Kut Teh" from Malaysia! Huh? It's the chicken version of bak kut teh!

It was a real Southeast Asia night!

95% true about me. Figure out which is not :)

What Fong, Wai Khong Means

You are loving, compassionate, and ruled by your feelings. You are able to be a foundation for other people... but you still know how to have fun. Sometimes your emotions weigh you down, but you generally feel free from them. You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life. You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you. At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You are deeply philosophical and thoughtful. You tend to analyze every aspect of your life. You are intuitive, brilliant, and quite introverted. You value your time alone. Often times, you are grumpy with other people. You don't appreciate them trying to interfere in your affairs. You are very charming... dangerously so. You have the potential to break a lot of hearts. You know how what you want, how to get it, and that you will get it. You have the power to rule the world. Let's hope you're a benevolent dictator! You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life. You are also a keeper of knowledge - meaning you don't spill secrets or spread gossip. People sometimes think you're snobby or aloof, but you're just too deep in thought to pay attention to them. You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out. Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia. Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person.