A couple of years ago, I won a Cybershot Camera because I participated in a Honda contest. The camera was good. Honda was good. So I figured freebies from Honda just to participate in a survey was a good thing.

Wrong.

Well, actually, I don't know if the survey was good, but I DO KNOW that the company (Planet Pulse) that conducted this email survey has demonstrated they are champions at the art of pissing off customers.

Here's how Planet Pulse pissed me in the face.

The survey starts off politely by thanking you for giving them 15 minutes of your time. Actually, I think what they mean to say is "Thank you for giving us the opportunity to piss you off".

The first question itself is misleading.

Reading that, you'd immediately think of all your pals, uncles and aunties who work in the industries stated right? After all, you WANT to be as helpful AND cooperative as you possibly can in the survey, right?

So I checked 2 categories : Advertising and Healthcare (although I pretty much knew people who worked in every category).

Then it happened. They pissed me in the face.

Huh? I thought.

This can't be right. I then hit the back button and tried a different category. This time I made it to the next question. It seems that if you check certain categories, they tell you you are a pariah and they will spit you out of the survey.

"Go away. Quit. We don't want you're shitty participation".

No... I won't go away.

The next question. Select "male" or "female".

I selected "male" and made it through. Then I thought... hang on... let's try being a female instead. Hit the back button and selected "female". True enough :

Okay... they've just pissed off half of the world's population.

Oh what the heck. Let's go on to the next question :

Decided to be honest. After all, my grey hair is a dead giveaway.
WT Fish!!!! Rejected Again???!

Oh what the heck. I'm a sucker for punishment. Let's see if they piss me off again. I back-tracked and lied. I took a couple years of my age and Voila! their survey is too dumb like them to know that I'm lying! Lying my way through that question then brings me to the next...

I answered honestly "I can't recall".

So since I said "I can't recall", they told me to go piss off again.

Now... I tell you...

Sure, you hope that you might at least win a freebie by participating in the survey, but heck you ARE giving them your time you know. Planet Pus (oops sorry... pun VERY intended) must either have morons OR insensitive jerks OR BOTH employed in their research and promotions dept.

Hey Planet PUS. You DON'T tell people to PISS OFF in the middle of a survey. That's like asking people to come into your restaurant and half-way through their meal, telling them to get the hell out because they said "salt" when you wanted to hear "pepper".

Okay... so I don't fit the demographic that you're targetting, but the least you can do is LET ME finish the survey and PRETEND that I'm in the running for a freebie.

Okay maybe you jerk heads don't know how to conduct a survey. Here's a couple of tips :

- If you really don't want folks who are not in your targetted demographics to participate, then for pete's sake STATE the pre-conditions for the survey BEFORE you get people all pumped up. That way, if I read that you're NOT looking for hunky dudes over 40, I'll just skip the whole damn survey.

- A survey is a golden opportunity to gather data. So what if I'm not in your demographics target this time round? Why not collect my data anyway and store it in your stupid database? You never know when you're going to have a client who WANTS to target hunky 40-somethings in the future. What you gonna do then - piss off ALL the under 40 non-hunky idiots who are stupid enough to participate in your idiotic survey?

- Okay, so let's say I answer question #2 and immediately you know I'm not in your targetted demographics. Why not set up a series of questions that probe what my interests are for future use? Come to think of it, why not ask me the damn questions anyway, but just file my participation as "N/A"? I don't have to know. You don't have tell me what you do with my survey. Why do you have to piss me off half way?

Can you imagine how many people would have taken the survey and after 14 minutes and reaching the last question, that stupid "reject" screen pops up telling you to go fly kites? Wouldn't that be piss off your participants?

Planet Pulse, you truly are from the Planet Pus!

[there... rant complete... adrenaline rush achieved]

My family and I decided to carry out and experiment over August and September. We did this because every year without fail, our customer base dips beginning September. I don't know why - maybe it's the weather, maybe people just don't like eating in September, maybe there are lots of holidays in September. Whatever the reason, Sara, Sam, Mum and I decided to prepare ourselves for the slow months by trying to save as much as possible. I suggested that we try eating at home as much as possible.

You know how it goes. Even though we're in the food business and there is ALWAYS delicious, home cooked food at the end of the day, the kids (me included) like to eat out once in a while. Well that "once in a while" eventually became :

• KFC on Friday afternoons after school
• Wednesday evening at the Food Court because Sam would come home from school activities late and it's easier to just eat out and let someone else wash up
• Saturday dinner after our regular trip to the mall.
• Sunday dinner because it's Sunday

Then there would always be one excuse or another to grab a snack once or twice a week, and these snacks would eventually end up costing as much as a dinner for four.

We decided that other than our weekend meals, we would eat at home. Each meal we ate at home allowed us to save at least RM25 to RM45. At the end of two months of eating at home, I calculated (based on our average eat-out bill, 3 times per week) that we saved RM905! Whoa! That's RM450 a month just for eating out and snacking. And that's only eating at my kids' favorite budget places like McDonalds, KFC etc. Imagine how much we would be spending if we were in the habit of snacking at more fancy restaurants.

So the whole point of this post is this. If you think you've got it tough trying to make ends meet, try looking at what you're spending to fill your tummy.

We've decided to keep eating in. At an average of RM400 savings a month, it adds up to RM4800 a year! That money would be better off in our holiday piggy bank or in the children's education fund.

Think about it. Eat in and save. It justs takes a little self-control!

Image from Sausagewars.com WHAT'S good for your penis is also good for your heart. That's what health industry sources are finding out. Consultant urologist Dr Peter Ng Eng Pin says chest pains used to be one of the only outward indications of heart disease. But now, erectile dysfunction (ED) is the new warning sign of underlying vascular problems. "The penis is a dipstick to your health. When that is down, your health is down as well. "In many studies in was reported that more than 50 per cent of men with ED developed a heart condition within three years. "It used to be the other way around, where people with heart problems had ED. Now, we're learning that ED is a warning for more serious diseases." ED is an early manifestation of the blood vessel damage caused by high blood pressure, diabetes and other heart disease risk factors.

Well all I can say is this is really good news. If this article is true, then I am far from having vascular problems. Every time I look at my wife proves it.

The Chinese Hungry Ghost Month usually falls in the month of August. As a Christian, this is not supposed to be of any significance to me, but let me share my experience with you.

On the eve of Merdeka seven years ago in 2001, while we were on our way home from the mall, I was driving across the Kota Bridge. There was a power failure and the street lights were not lit. As we were quarter of the way across the bridge, I looked over to the GoldCourse Hotel on my right which seemed so beautiful in the darkness of the night. Next thing I knew, there was a sickeningly loud crash and my head smacked into the steering wheel. I greeted my first car accident with a loud "Aiyooooh...S**T! What am I going to do now!".

It was the seventh month. I didn't take notice of the fact back then.

In 2002, while on our way back from the mall again, there was a loud squeel from the engine. Then the air-con died. The compressor was shot. I figured it must have been because the night before I had to rev my engine through 100 metres of flood water. Co-incidence perhaps but it was the seventh month.

The following year (2003), driving home again after visiting a friend, there was a loud explosion followed by a "ketak... ketak... ketak" sound. Stopping by the side of the road, I found my left rear tyre flat. What made it flat? A stubby bolt. Not a sharp one mind you - a stubby bolt. I thought it must have been because I had this habit of over-inflating my tires but it was the seventh month.

In 2004, the squeel came back suddenly one morning. Quick as lightning, I turned off my air-con, braved the heat and shot off to my air-con service centre. It could have been the air-con compressor they said, but fortunately this time it was just the fan that died which caused the engine to overwork. It cost RM100 plus to fix, and at least it was cheaper than replacing the compressor, but it was the seventh month.

2005 saw my engine overheating. It wasn't the radiator. It wasn't the thermostat. It was a very simple but expensive-to-fix engine gasket. RM500 down the drain to fix it. Seventh month.

Then in 2006 while happily driving near my house, there was suddenly a "click-clack-click-clack" sound. Drove home and checked underneath my car. There was an 8 inch wire that pierced the side of my right rear tyre. Not directly into the flat surface of the tire mind you - it was the SIDE wall of the tyre. If it was a seven-inch wire, I would truly have freaked out.

So before every seventh month since 2002, even though I have spared NO expense to service my car to make sure nothing goes wrong, it has. I wondered how long it would go on.

Then in 2007, I had an encounter with the devil himself. You guessed it... it was the seventh month.

BUT... I think that was the final song and this year, (shhh... don't say it loud) I have managed to go through the seventh month without any problems. Could it REALLY be a coincidence that last year's encounter with the Devil himself was the SEVENTH and perhaps the last???

No I won't sell my car. I've promised I will give it to my son when he turns 18. I also didn't want to admit I lost to a supersitious belief. Anyway... I'm NOT supposed to believe that these things happened because of the seventh month! Thinking back, I wonder if all these were caused by my subconscious... knowing at the back of my mind that it was the seventh month.

How's that for a story huh? I swear... it's true. No bluffing.

Every August, my kids will come home singing Merdeka songs that they learnt in school. Sara came home one day and asked if I could find the lyrics to the song "Warisan" written by Sudirman Hj. Arshad who in my opinion is the greatest Malaysian lyricist.

Anyway, after downloading the song and playing it, my mind immediately recalled this beautiful, emotive love song for our beautiful country called Malaysia.

As we go through the pains of rediscovering democracy, let's not look at the color of our skin but look at our hearts. We are ALL Malaysians, brothers and sisters on earth - equally loved by God.

Warisan (Heritage)
Sudirman Hj. Arshad (1954 - 1992)

Disini lahirnya sebuah cinta
Yang murni abadi sejati
Disini tersemai cita cita
Bercambah menjadi warisan

Here a love is born,
Noble, eternal and pure,
Here hopes and dreams are sown
To blossom into a nation's heritage...

Andai ku terbuang tak diterima
Andai aku disingkirkan
Kemana harusku bawakan
Kemana harusku semaikan cinta ini

If ever I am rejected, unaccepted
If ever I am left by the wayside
Where would I take,
Where would I sow this love of mine

Betapa
Dibumi ini ku melangkah
Keutara selatan timur dan barat
Ku jejaki

Wherever on this earth
Should I walk,
To the North, South, East and West,
Should I travel...

Aku bukanlah seorang perwira
Gagah menghunus senjata
Namun hati rela berjuang
Walau dengan cara sendiri
Demi cinta ini

I am not a warrior,
Bravely going into battle,
But my heart is willing to fight
In my own way
For the love of my country...

Ku ingin kotakan seribu janji
Sepanjang kedewasaan ini
Ku ingin sampaikan pesanan
Aku lah penyambung warisan

I will fullfil my promise
Through all my life
To declare that
I am the a child of My Country

Please excuse my unqualified translation to English.

Happy Merdeka Malaysia...

I've been meaning to write this for a long time now, but I've never written a politically motivated post before. I originally wanted to title my post "Why I would vote for Anwar Ibrahim"... but being always behind time is not a good way to write anything constructive.

In any case, my reason for writing "Why I would vote for Anwar Ibrahim" was to get things off my chest. Talking to friends and acquaiantences is okay, but I figured I might as well shoot off my mouth for once about how I feel all over the Internet. Perhaps the high-and-mighty-nose-in-the-clouds people in Parliament will somehow read.

To tell you the truth, my reasons for "Why I would vote for Anwar Ibrahim" is not really because of support for him or for PKR, but because of my growing disgust with Barisan Nasional.

I can go on and on, spouting my half past six political views which can easily be shot down by a half drunken, money-power-and-sex maniac MP, so I will just state some of the things that have made me fed up of Barisan Nasional :

• Rising fuel and food prices. Ordinary folks are struggling to keep their heads above water but we see obvious mismanagement of public funds and politicians getting fat living the good life. No, not just the politicians - even people we know who are well connected are sharing in the plunder. No need to state specifics. Just look around and you will have your own story to tell.
• One particular moron ex-Minister turned unwitting porn star in particular disgusts me. After years of cheating on his wife, he dares to declare that at least has the "moral courage" to admit what he did. Yeah... so if he becomes the leader of one of the biggest parties in Malaysia, he's telling everyone "Hey... look at me! I screwed around behind my wife's back for years. I was caught, but heck I'm sorry... I'm still a good guy... next time round I'll check for hidden cameras. For now, vote for ME!". I dare say this is one of the major reasons I would vote for Anwas Ibrahim. If a senior Minister who's fairly decent and responsible on the outside is actually is actually enjoying the "fruits" of his position, I can't imagine the other lesser "leaders" who don't even look half as intelligent. What kind of message are we sending to our children if such a person leads a major party in this country?
• Another ex (now dead) MP who "allegedly" built a palace without approval right in the midst of people struggling to make ends meet. This is just the kind of arrogance and greed that we hard working souls are tired of.
• A growing arrogance exists everywhere - from the management of local town councils to the administration of schools. They don't have to say anything. Their actions scream "Hey... I work for the BN government. I can do anything I like" and they continue to rub salt in the wounded pride of hard-working folks with policies and inefficiency.
• Morons who keep shouting "ketuanan Melayu". Look, before you go and stick voodoo pins in a doll, I love and hate Malays, Chinese and Indians equally. I believe there are as many idiotic Malays as there are Chinese and Indians. But I'm tired of having to explain to my children that there are some things that they cannot say to their friends even if it's the truth because somewhere, somehow, there is an unwritten law that a certain race must always be protected from "sensitive" issues.

Hey BN... I was born in Malaysia. I am a living breathing Malaysian. I want EQUAL rights. After 51 years of Merdeka, we are still afraid to talk to each other openly and honestly. Now, all the feelings of frustration and hate have come to the surface and threaten to explode in another May 13.

So let me relate a small incident that tells me why this country is in the state that it's in. An ex-colleague of mine once asked me to join the MCA. I replied that I wasn't in the least interested in politics and I didn't think I could serve the community. His reply?

"Hey man... you think I and all the others joined *** to serve the community? Podah man... I joined because I can make contacts with other businessmen. Now whenever there is a project, we are the first to hear of the opportunity so we get to make money. I scratch my back you scratch mine lah"

So that got me thinking... this is why Malaysia is going down the drain.

In any case, I digress. This post is titled "2 Ugly Durians And The Permatang Pauh By Election". Here's the reason for the unusual title.

2 nights ago, my inquisitive children Sam and Sara asked me who "Anwar Ibrahim" was. I explained who he was and why he was now in the news almost daily. I tried to explain the problems with our present government as best as I could in simple terms they could understand.

They asked me "If Anwar was in jail years ago, doesn't that make him a bad man?"

Followed by "So, why do we want him to be a leader now?"

I almost pengsan at the question. How to answer? So the first thing that came to mind was durians. I asked them "Imagine we have 2 durians. We open one and find that it's full of worms. The other one also looks just as ugly from the outside and everyone also says that it's ugly, but we don't know for sure. What do you think we should do? Should we just throw away the second one away?"

Sara, my smartie-pants 8 year old quickly said "No-lah! Why so stupid. We already know the first durian is full of worms we can throw away lah. But just because the second durian looks ugly on the outside doesn't mean that it's really bad on the inside. We have to open it and see for ourselves lah. Only then we will know for sure mah..."

And so my dear friends... for all my life, I have lived and tolerated a durian that grows uglier by the day and is so full of worms it has rotted to the core. I now have a choice to try another durian that may be beautiful inside although it looks just as ugly on the outside.

Life is about making decisions. And sometimes you have to take risks.

I've had enough of the present ugly durian called Barisan, thank you.

I run a home based catering business, manage more websites than I can handle in addition to being a driver cum homemaker to my kids... and what do I go and do? I set up an online store... that's what.

Something had to give while I was scrounging for time to set up my online store, so it was HomeWithAndrew, then my other websites. When I first started working from home, starting an online store was always on the cards. I just never got enough motivation to get myself off off my ass and do it. Bad example to set for a work-at-home Dad. Yeah.

If I had kept to the schedule I set five years ago, I would have already set up 3 online stores. But who can predict the future. I never knew that running the catering business would take up soooo much of my time. It's a vicious cycle of sorts. The more my catering business grows, the more time I have to put in, which means I spend less time on my online money making. But the original plan was to build my online network to a level where we would NOT have to depend on the catering business.

So why would I go and set up and online store when I already have too much on my plate? Well, it's part of my strategy to NEVER depend on only ONE or TWO sources of income. My online store is a long-term plan to always diversify.

CoolCat t-shirts is a culmination of everything that I love : art, designing, web development, coding and t-shirts. I'm still learning the ropes, managing my store, but CoolCat t-shirts has brought me full circle. Ever since I was a small boy, I loved drawing on my old t-shirts. When I became a teenager, I would make simple templates and printed one-color designs on t-shirts. I experimented with all sorts of t-shirt printing techniques - even potato prints and t-shirt crayons! Then when I was in secondary school, I learnt the art of making silk-screen blocks, which was so addictive that I started a small t-shirt printing biz with a friend after school. The business didn't fly. My partner had other plans and she was the one running the business side of things. So my t-shirt dreams were put on hold. Now almost twenty years later, the wonder of the Internet is making me salivate.

From my research, the secret to Cafepress success is patience. That, I have lots of experience. It's took many years of patient building before my websites started to make substantial money. I plan to set up a few more stores and will probably pass on the designing tasks to my wife and daughter who thankfully share my passion for designing.

Anyway... I'd like to invite you to visit my new online store :

So here I am with my plate overflowing and I'm piling on more. And people say I'm so lucky I don't have to work so hard. Yeah. Right.

The first year we were in business - when we didn't really have a lot of money coming in from my websites - we were on the verge of panic. It was the first time we really felt the effects of the balik kampung exodus. That year, we were left with less than ten customers during the Chinese New Year month. Thank God we were still holding on to our day jobs - albeit part-time.

After 5 years in the home catering business, we've come to accept the CNY month income drop as part and parcel of our business. That's why we're thankful that our online income keeps things stable.

From day one of being full-time work-at-homers, we decided that we would NOT rely on our online income to sustain our family. There are just too many variables that can swing against your website(s) which will ultimately affect your income. So we work hard and make sure that our home catering business pays the bills and keeps food on the table. Our catering business is also a heck of a lot more predictable than search engine mood swings and their ever changing algorithms. So despite receiving a healthy income from my websites, we ONLY dip into our Google Piggy Bank for the extras during low months like Chinese New Year. Thankfully, December's Adsense payout was a fat one and came in via Western Union just in time for our CNY shopping.

So like it or not, Google has been putting the "Happy" in "Chinese New Year" for our family the last five years. So I guess what I'm trying to say is this - unless you are prepared for the erratic ups and downs of earning an online income, I strongly suggest you keep your day job and save your income from Adsense, Kontera etc for those rainy days (especially if you have a family).

I can't help it. It takes me a long time to get over the school holidays. The hols mean crazy late nights playing board games with Sam and Sara, midnight snacks and ice cream, then late breakfasts and totally screwed up schedules. When you run a home based catering business, that translates to total madness in the kitchen. And don't even mention my blog. You know how they say if you're gonna start a blog, don't leave it unattended for more than a week? Well the people who say that obviously need to spend a month in my shoes.

Since the new school year started on 3rd January, I miss the whining and bickering and the squeels of laughter when Sam and Sara are up to mischief. I miss having Sam looking over my shoulder to see what Papa is typing on the computer then being a nosybody asking about this and that. I miss Sara busily rummaging for stuff for her latest impromptu art project. I miss her slowly sidling up beside me asking, "Waaaaatcha dooooin?". I am a total kid addict. I anxiously wait for the school bell to ring so's I can be with them. I must be the world's most sorriest looking Dad in the world when I'm not with my kids.

Anyway... like it or not, the kids are back to school and that is good news for my business, websites and (hopefull this blog). I got in 2 solid hours of work on my websites this morning although I absolutely hate the silence. And now that the kids are fed and napping, I'm typing this. It's the calm before the daily storm. In ten minutes, it'll be off to the kitchen to cook, pack the food into tiffins and I'm off on my delivery route.

I wish it was still the school holidays.

"Aren't I like almost 5 days too late?"

"Yo! Andrew! Are you chronologically challenged or what?"

Heh... No... I'm wishing you a Merry Christmas on the 29th of December because to me, everyday is Christmas! We were driving to our regular hangout - One Utama - for last minute shopping when Sara sighed.

"Papa... it's almost Christmas! I'm so excited! I can't wait to open my presents... but then you know what?"

"What?" I asked.

"After that, I'll be sad. I'll have to wait another year till Christmas again!" Sara said in her most serious voice... "Aren't you sad?"

I didn't even have to think before answering that question.

"No" I said.

"Why?" Sam and Sara chorused.

I told them, "You see... everyday is like Christmas for Papa as long as I can be with you and Mummy. Christmas carols don't sound as nice as your laughter. And everytime you say 'Papa I love you', it's like getting a Christmas present. And my bestest Christmas presents are kisses and hugs from you"

"Yah... but you're OLD already... we're still young. We wish everyday was Christmas." Sam said.

"Aren't you excited about getting presents?" asked Sara.

Well, for one thing, when your present for the last five years has been nicely wrapped underwear, it kind of gets predictable you know. Sam and Sara probably won't understand how I feel, but I'm sure you do.

Now that your presents are opened, the (artificial) Christmas tree packed, the Christmas CDs stored, think about it - when you have the people that you love with you, doesn't that make everyday like Christmas?

Christmas isn't Christmas till it happens in your heart, and when it does it doesn't just happen on the 25th of December.

So Merry Christmas everyone.

It hasn't been a bed of roses I can tell you. Being my own boss calls for lots to sweat (literally) and grit. If we want to make money, we have to literally work hard.

As a full time work at home Dad, there is :

• no more automatic salary banked in at the end of the month.
• no more paid annual leave.
• no more medical benefits.
• no more annual increments.
• no more executive benefits.
• no more free broadband.

But what I do get is :

• More time with my family - literally. I'm at home ALL the time - which is good for me since I'm really a home-body!
• Peace of mind. With my wife and me running the show, there's no chance we'll retrench each other.
• Full stomach. In our line of business, there is NO way we won't have food to eat... and with my role as senior quality control, I must say the job is very satisfying!
• Freedom to set my own schedule. This is really crucial. Although I'm really like a cartoon Monday to Friday trying to juggle business, family and web needs, I love NOT having a boss and deadlines.
• Stress that translates directly to money. Don't kid yourself. Running a home based business and my websites is no piece of cake. However... all that stress pays off in the end by money flowing into our bank account!

But as they say... life begins at forty. And I can feel it in my bones - I have just begun to paaaarrrteeeey!

We've been planning this trip for months. Our home catering business pretty much ties us down so 300 days of the year so family getaways are usually planned during weekends. This will be an extended weekend for us. We're taking 2 days off on Monday and Tuesday, which means that we will need to refund a total of approximately RM700 to our customers!

Fortunately for us, our room has been paid for by earnings from Kontera, our Genting food bill and Annual Passport for year-round rides at all theme parks will be courtesy of Google Adsense. The cost of refund and other miscellaneous expenses is paid for by other online earnings. I really looooove making money online!

We're getting an early start today. In fact, I'm typing this at 4.35 am in the morning! In half an hour's time, the kids will be up and we'll pack them into the car. We'll stop at McDonalds for their favorite Big Breakfast before taking a slow leisurely drive up to Genting Highlands. Along the way, we'll make many photo stops for me to play with my new toy - my shiny new Video Recorder. But the trip will be over before we know it and we'll soon be back in our kitchen cooking as usual...

So Why Public Bank's Visa Electron Debit Card?
After some Googling, I narrowed down my search to 2 local banks - Public Bank and Al Rajhi Bank. Since Public Bank is nearest bank that offers a Debit Card I figured I might as well apply for it. I heard a lot about Al Rajhi's Debit Card, but there are 3 reasons why I opted NOT to go with AlRajhi.

• First, they require Debit Card holders to open a savings account. Although the process would have only taken a couple of minutes, I decided not to go with AlRajhi for my next reason.
• Second, I read a couple of bloggers encountered problems withdrawing their funds to their Al Rajhi Debit Card. I'm sure it was minor technicalities, but at that time, there wasn't any update as to the problem being solved.
• With all due respect to Al Rajhi Bank and all my Muslim friends, I remember a heated discussion some time back in an online forum (I cannot remember which) where people were expounding on their theories about why Paypal refused to allow withdrawals to Malaysian banks. We discussed the possibility that the "political and religious ideology" of affected countries was a major factor. Now, I don't know if this has any truth in it, but I figured that I'd rather play safe and go with a Malaysian Bank with a solid reputation than one with a "middle eastern" sounding name. In the event "something" happens and Paypal decides to restrict withdrawal to certain cards, I want to have a card from a "safe" bank. If that sounds like I'm a chicken, then yeah... I like to play it safe, especially when it comes to MY money!

The Long Wait For My Visa Electron PIN
Hong Leong's Visa card arrived 2 weeks after application since I already hold their Mastercard. But the Visa Electron application process was a real pain. I've heard a lot about how slow Public Bank is and I must say that I now agree. It took a total of 29 days from application to receiving my Visa Electron and in the process, while checking on the status of my application, their call center staff left me with a very bad impression of their standards of service & quality control. But what the heck... I have my Visa Debit Card now, ready for action!

Now On To MORE Money Making
Paypal's decision to allow funds withdrawal has opened up a flood of opportunities for me. I gather all Malaysians who make money online feel the same. My Visa Electrom PIN only arrived today and I have yet to use the card to verify it works. I have a couple hundred dollars stuck in Paypal from last months earnings, and I'm expecting 3 more payments early December, so I'll probably only make my first ever Paypal funds withdrawal after I get back from our short trip to Genting Highlands this weekend.

I'm am soooooo excited.

I love Paypal...

... and I love my shiny new Visa Cards. I think I'll sleep with them under my pillow tonight... so I can take touch and smell them first thing in the morning!

So, what's a girl to do with all that nail polish and no more nails to paint after she's done hers? Why, look for other "victims" of course!

Yesterday, she asked in her sweetest voice (that she knows always gets her into Papa's soft spot), "Papa, would you like to try my nail polish?". Next thing I know, I'm lying on the floor, spread eagle and my junior manicurist is deep in concentration painting my nails.

My very own personal manicurist in action

Notice the steady hands required in the art of painting nails?

Ten minutes later, my nails are shining with a beautiful array of glittery colors. Please excuse the photos... it's quite, quite difficult trying to get good photos when your nail polish is drying...

My favorite - my left hand finger nails are now coated with glitter

My right hand fingers are now a trendy shade of purple

Look how pretty my toes are now - in blue glitter and pink!

No, I did not wash off the nail polish after that.

Yes, I did go to to the mall with my finger nails all decked out in their finest.

No, I was not shy about it.

Yes, a couple of ladies noticed my nails and gave me that "look".

No, no guys noticed and gave me that "look" - thank God.

And Yes, I highly recommend every Dad have your nails painted by your daughter. It's truly an enriching experience!

It's all in good fun. I quite enjoy being Sara's test subject. I wonder what I'll have to do when she's a teenager!

"What grind... you work at home!" I hear you ask...

Well, it might come as a surprise to you, but work-at-home-ers are not immune to stress. For us, stress-time starts at about 3pm, when we actually start to cook. If everything goes smoothly, then it's pretty much routine, but if something goes wrong (there are a hundred and one things that can go wrong), then things can get really hairy between 3.30 and 4.15. That's packing time... getting ready to send the food to our customers.

Still, the bills still need to be paid even if you work at home. Kids still need attending to. Chores still need to be done. Customers need attention.

Here are my mini stress-busters :

• Music - I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and listen to music for five minutes. One of my favorite pieces is Palchabels' Canon in D major. Long title, but give it a try. I found one piece with really nice accompanying scenes. Hope you enjoy.

• I play video games. Simple games. Complicated ones just gets my mind all twisted in a knot!
• My favorite stress-buster is horsing around with Sam and Sara - crazy jokes, pillow fights and non-sensical conversations.

Remember to take time off for de-stressing. Makes a world of difference.

I'd love to know how you de-stress amid the tornado of activity on Mondays and throughout the week... tell me!

Sara, Mummy and Sam

I remember when I was a wee little lad, the journey to the zoo was a long and winding journey that was free except for the petrol in your car. Today, it is a leisurely one-hour drive from Klang using the Kesas Highway and costs RM13 in toll (to and fro). The entrance fee is RM15 for adults and RM6 for children.

I really can't remember how much has changed in the zoo from the time I visited it as a boy, but the excitement and look of amazement on the faces of children is still the same. However, today, I noticed that there are just as many monkeys OUTSIDE of the cages as there are IN them (if you know what I mean).

Our last visit to the zoo was about a year ago and I must say that there are many pleasant changes :

• The train trips are now more informational with each train having a trainee guide who would brief visitors on the interesting aspects of the animals and zoo as we trundled along.
• The multi animal show is still entertaining, with the addition of a new sea lion named Dawbi (if I heard the host pronounced his name correctly).
• The aquarium has received a nice new facelift.
• The zoo's website looks great now with lots of information.
• Zoo Negara by Night is open on Saturday, Sunday and Malaysian Public Holidays from 9.00am – 10.30pm which must be really thrilling although we have not made a trip there at night.
• More food pitstops which is important to us.
• The toilets are cleaner and seem to be well maintained.
• Zoo Negara seems to be more brand conscious. They've started branding some souvenier items with their logo. More revenue can only mean a better zoo. I say "Yay" to that!.

Some things have not changed though :

• The smell of poo and wee is really overwhelming in some areas and my city kids need their emergency "hong eui" (minyak angin) handy when we go into these areas.
• The host of the multi-animal show still spoke only in Bahasa Malaysia although I noticed that they proclaim to be one of the more popular zoos in the world and I notice foreigners at EVERY animal show that I have attended. Surely the Zoo realizes this is a weak point.
• There are many animal shelters and walkways that could do with a major sprucing. I can't blame the zoo for this though because I'm sure the zoo is not running with a fat budget.
• The main waiting area for the train ride needs a shelter really badly. I wonder why they don't see it?
• I think they could help themselves a whole lot by including a small souvenier goodie pack for every visitor. Perhaps a button badge, bird whistle or stickers would make a great keepsake for the kids and help market themselves.

Sam and Sara have a couple of friends that they simply MUST visit every time they come to the Zoo. There's Wizard and Hobbit, the 2 miniature ponies at the petting zoo, Ottie (we gave him that name), who lives in the otter enclosure, and Manja and Bud, the orangutan and aging (but lovable) sea lion at the multi animal show.

My favorite thing in Zoo Negara is the train ride. It was a busy weekend, and there were many school groups plus Petronas organized a function for hundreds so kids, so we could only go the train ride 3 times. Dang...

The other thing I really like about the zoo is it's natural surroundings. After over 40 years of existence, the trees and foliage give you an almost jungle like feeling - somehow, very calming for me. Perhaps my inner self longs to go back to my hairy roots and live in the trees?

All in all, Zoo Negara is a great place to bring your family for a day-trip. A couple of pics follow below. Some are a bit grainy because I screen captured them from the videos I took.

Sara loves Hobbit, the miniature horsie

Wizard's more affectionate though - likes to snuggle close to you

Manja - the orangutan at the multianimal show. People say I look a lot like her...

The new seal Dawbi. Really lovable fellow. He's set to replace the aging Bart

Bart is the star of the animal show but he's due for retirement pretty soon

Sam was really hoping the parrot wouldnt poop on him. I was hoping he would!

Sam and Sara always look forward to visiting Ottie.

We're now into Transformers jokes, some of which I'd like to share with you. First, some I found on the web :

Question: What do you call the female sibling of a Transformer?
Answer: Tran-sistor

Question: What do you called a screwed up Transformers?
Answer: Trans-vestite

Now, jokes we made up while driving to the mall :

Question : What do you call the leader of Kangaroo Autobots?
Answer : HOP-timus Prime

Question : What do you call an Autobot leader that squeeks?
Answer : Opti-MOUSE Prime

Question : What do you call an itchy Autobot?
Answer : Rash-chet (if you don't catch this one, you're not a Transformers fan

Question : What do you call an Autobot that goes muzzz... mzzz... mzzm?
Answer : Mumble Bee

Question : What do you call a clumsy Autobot that flies?
Answer : Fumble Bee

Question : What is Megatron's favorite snack?
Answer : Decepti-CORN

Question : Why is Megatron so strong?
Answer : Because he always has Decepti-CORN FLAKES for breakfast

Question : What is IronHide's favorite game?
Answer : I-RUN-HIDE and seek...

Happy a happy Sunday!

And if you happen to be hanging out at Ikano or OneUtama this weekend, and you see an overweight 40ish dude doing the Cockatoo Jiggy, it might very well be me!

Have a happy one!

Saturday 13 Oct 07:
Well... I seem to be set with this new theme from BlogginPro. However, there are a couple of kinks.

• The top right corner images for the search box at the top don't seems to align for Firefox.
• Can't seem to get optimum placement for the second right column that holds the calendar and BlogRush widget. Again, Firefox seems to be unaccomodating.
• Also can't seem to get the Recent Comments line separator to appear ABOVE the commentors name so that each comment appears in its own segment. Had to add a space above the name as a temporary fix.... but if I didn't tell you you'd think it was okay right?

So if you're using Firefox... a thousand apologies....really... . I wish theme developers would include notes in their read-me or in the code itself about what their variables do. I have to test one variable at a time to see how it affects the whole theme and if it screws up, I quickly undo and revert to one before.

Monday 15 Oct 07:
I've added a new plugin to display the popularity percentage of individual posts and also a list of the most popular (commented) posts. The figures won't show accurate figures for the first couple of weeks as the counts for each post only begin today...