Going to Langkawi in a Short While

I am going to Langkawi by Firefly which was booked and confirmed last night. It takes about 30 minutes to arrive from Penang Airport to Langkawi's Airport. We need to take measurement for a sports court for a customer before flying back the next day on Sunday. Most likely, we will stay overnight in Langkawi after doing the necessary. This is a short business trip. And I just found out from my sister that a return trip by boat is about RM100 plus. Had I known that earlier, we would have taken the boat and save us about RM620 for 2 persons return by flight plus airport tax.

Financial Meltdown

Since late last year, we have been bombarded with a slew of news of job cuts, credit crunch, lay-offs and financial meltdown of big institutions like banks that have been around for more than 100 years. Millions will be jobless this year as more and more companies retrench their staffs especially in USA, Europe, China, Singapore, etc. Malaysia is not spared from this punishing economic woes though the government refuse to admit that recession has come to our shores. Every day, as I read the newspapers in business section, I see more job cuts everywhere and people are getting desperate. Families with young children to feed are turning to the parish priest of our local cathedral of the Holy Spirit to share their stories in the hope of securing new employment. According to Pastor Joseph Prince, prosperous economies previously will be awakened while developing nations will rise up.

Happy Chinese New Year 2009 to All

This Chinese New Year, I will be in Haadyai with my family for 4 days 3 nights. My second sister came out from Suchou in China to be with us this CNY and to celebrate as a family doing things together. We plan to do some shopping for clothes and go for massages which are so affordable. The three of us will treat our parents sumptuous dinner, one for each night during this occasion. A chartered van will come pick us up from our home in Penang and drive up north to the same hotel that we have stayed last year, also for CNY. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my Chinese readers, "A Happy Chinese New Year 2009"!

Life is too precious

When you are over the age of 50, go for blood pressure check up to see the systolic and diastolic figures. It should be 120/80 which is normal. Anything above and much higher than this figures spells CVA (cardiovascular accident) which may lead to stroke or heart attack. Life is too precious to take chances and the risks are increased if you are a smoker, above 50 years of age, drink alcohol or have high cholesterol levels. You should also go for complete blood test to check for cancer, blood glucose, liver function, etc. As we age, we need daily medication to keep us going and to keep the engine in good condition.

Missed Church Today

Today is Sunday and I missed church service to recuperate at home from a stubborn 1 month flu. After 2 rounds of anti-biotics and 3 times of visiting the doctor, my cough is still not fully cured. I have to watch out what I eat and avoid things like chocolate, banana, nuts, fruits and cold food. While my cousin is out from Japan and treating the family to set Chinese dinner in a restaurant, I have to also fore go the dinner as I have to travel to KL for business. Wish me journey mercies tomorrow.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my readers a very Merry Christmas 2008 and a Happy New Year 2009. As I am currently down with flu and taking medication that makes me drowsy, this blog will take a 1 week break. I will be off to somewhere later today and then to a mountain resort for the holidays for 3 days 2 nights. After that, it will be a busy week with many calendars to send out for 2009. Wish me journey mercies for the trip and speedy recovery for my flu. Till then, have a good holiday!

Christmas Eve Event in my Church

There is going to be a service at 9:00pm on 24th December 2008, on the eve of Christmas and thereafter proceed to the ground floor to sing some carols. I am sure there will be the Christmasy heartwarming feelings of all participants. It will be held in my church in Georgetown Baptist, just opposite Dorsett Hotel in Larut Road. It will be good if you can invite your non-Christian friends, have dinner with them and then come for the 9:00pm service. It has been many years since I last sang Christmas carols traveling by bus from one hotel to another as a young teenager for a local church. And we get to sample the refreshments that are prepared for the carolers by the various group. So, if you have nothing on during Christmas Eve, why not come to my church and attend a service plus singing some fun-filled carols on that night?