363: Less than a year and counting.

This is a photo of our friends' wedding in Ampang last year. Photo by Matt Gan


The countdown has officially began. Even with a year away, the planning for wedding both Melissa D and me has began.

We've drafted out a very brief plan for the wedding. The date has been set. One (or rather, two) which is somewhat suitable and low-peak on the Chinese superstitious calender. Parents from both side of the family have met up to clear the air on uncertainties, though some parts still need to be discussed in detail.

Honestly, if i was given a choice, i don't mind going to the National Registration Department, get registered, and *BAM*, we can legally and morally live in cohabitation. Why am i of such opinion? Because i believe in a life-long marriage, not a one-day wedding ceremony; an event where money is splurged unnecessarily to be bigger, grander and better than their friend's wedding. Ridiculous, i may say.

But this, of course, is not fair to Melissa D, her family, my family and many other friends and church leaders.

After all, there're still many things we need to cover, like where do we stay once we're married? How do we manage our shared finance? Our courier, etc.

We've got so much more to learn, ask, listen and observe from those who went before us into this chapter of life. There's very little time left, and God help us.


Love & Peace!~

BC?

Go East!

Don't you love how the sun hits you in the eye when you wake up early in the morning?

Last Saturday, Melissa D and myself participated in a mall hunt, the Charis Hospice Hunt for Charity Mall Hunt in Queensbay Mall. It was fun, and tricky, cracking our head as we move from one place, or rather, shop as we answered the questions given to us.

We finished third, but due to two careless mistakes, we landed in sixth place. But we had fun! Honestly, the questions given were slightly challenging, but it was easy to figure them out.

We'll enter in next year again. After all, it's for charity!


Today, both of us were at a wedding of her friends in Sg Nibong. It was good lah, as it gave us a lot of data on what we can plan for our own wedding. And at the same time, it was several eye-openers... like i always thought the best man should be an unmarried guy, and there should be grooms men and maid of honour present at the alter. Hmmmm....

And yeah... although we plan to get married next year, planning needs to beginning now. And just thinking about the matter exhausts me. God, give me strength... and wisdom!


On Monday, both of us and several people in church, predominantly the school leavers participating in the School of Youth Ministry (SYM) will be heading off to Sabah!

We'll be there for the next two weeks, moving from one church to another in the interior of that state as we carry haversacks and move through the jungle.

I hope to blog more when we return from the state in the east. Have a good weekend everyone!


Love & Peace!~

BC?

Losing it

I believe many viewers were glued to the TV last Tuesday as the first ever winner for Asia's Biggest Loser was announced on air. And BAM, it was a shocker to everyone that David Gurnani emerged the winner!

I looked at the pictures on the newspaper twice, trying to see if it was the same person.

"He looked to thin to be fit!" I thought to myself. And this thought (i believe) resonant with many of those who watched the live-telecast on TV or read about it in the newspaper the next day.

Losing almost half his weight to reach 81kg, this 25-year old Indonesian took six months off work to train 8 to 10 hours per day to achieve what his current weight.

And besides the title, David walked away with USD100,000 as well.

But everyone else were rooting for the other contestant Carlo Miguel, who was determined and when he appeared on the finale, he DID look fit... but then again, about the loser being the winner (hence the title), not about how healthy you look.

Maybe David thinks its all worth it. And he added he's planning on adding weight and muscles to his body.

Click HERE for more details about the Biggest Loser Asia and other things, including health and dieting tips.

Hmmm... maybe i should join in then?


Love & Peace!~

BC?

Chicken chicken!

I believe not a lot of people know this, since it did not come out in the newspaper, but People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) was here in Malaysia last week!

PETA who? That group of people who champions the rights of animals all over the world, protesting against fur and leather industry, butchery, animal cruelty, etc. While they pop up in the media, for both good and bad reasons, every now and then, they rarely appear here in this country!

While, a group of these supporters decided to gather outside the KFC outlet in Larut Road at about noon on last Thursday, as two of them decided to cage themselves in a 'chicken coop', waving around placards which states "Confined, Tortured, Scalded: Boycott KFC".

After staying put for about an hour, the trio then left the place, wondering if they have left an impact on onlookers. Well, it somewhat left an impact on one person here.

Unfortunate, i don't think this piece of news saw the daylight here. But it makes you wonder, how you get your food, doesn't it?



Love & Peace!~

BC?

Tired, tired.

Physically and mentally, i'm tired. Add in procrastination and voila - things that i'm suppose to accomplish are not done on time. Blogging is one of them.

Last weekend, Melissa D and i stayed over in church for training. What training? It's the training before we leave for Sabah on a mission trip with the church's School of Youth Ministry members. Yup, we'll be heading down to interior parts of Sabah in less than two weeks.

It was really a energy-sapping experience, trying to get the know the time better as well as understanding what we should be doing for the mission trip. I have to admit that it's challenging, but we're excited about it! And there's a lot to do.

And i'm physically fatigue, that this means i would need to rely on God more (and of course, rest as much as possible!)

As stated in Psalms 55:22, 'Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.'





Love & Peace!~

BC?

The Penang Bridge!

One can't help to be pass through the Penang Bridge as they enter into the Pearl of the Orient, unless you prefer to use the ferry.

This 13.5km will be celebrating its' 25th birthday this year, and here's an article written about it:

PENANG: When veteran politician Dr Lim Chong Eu (now Tun) spoke about building a bridge linking Penang Island to Butterworth on the mainland way back in the 1950s and 60s, there were many sceptics.

They felt that such a massive infrastructural undertaking may not be feasible as no such bridge had been built in the region before.

But Dr Lim, who went on to become Chief Minister of Penang between 1969 and 1990, persevered with the idea of this important linkage.

Finally on April 13, 1985, a 13.5km bridge, with four towers in mid-span and standing 33m above water, was completed within four years after the federal government pumped in RM850mil for the project.

Before it was built, people mainly relied on the ferry services to cross the Penang Strait, making the conception of the bridge one of the most important developments in the history of Penang.

Click HERE for the rest of the story.

I have to admit, living here on the island, the bridge is crucial in getting me to places on mainland. And as much as i would want to take a relaxing ferry trip back to the island, the bridge is the fastest way to return to the island (unless you have a jetpack or an aeroplane to go).

This bridge have appeared in the news on several occasions in the past, include traffic congestion, accidents, and marathon events.

Well, with the second Penang Bridge project on the way, which would make lives of those living in the southwest district of the island easier.

Anyway, here's to many more years for the Penang Bridge!


Love & Peace!~

BC?