Jurassic Shark?

"Can you see me for a while?", Yee Boon asked me over the phone yesterday evening. Definitely a ruse to get me to give my 2 cents worth on some car or watch he's seen on the internet...
On his notebook screen, a display of this prehistoric-looking creature swimming gently passing what would seem to be a diver with an underwater videocam (I could hear the bubbles being expelled from a regulator). Opague, blue eyes, slimy skin and a cats shark-like tail. Reports has it that this creature lives anywhere between 600 to 1000 meters below sea level. It's a real wonder that this rare find reached the shallow depths.

It's head shaped like a 'fer-de-lance' pit viper with flared out gills. Sadly, it was reported that this fish died within hours after being caught...speculation has it that it was weakened by the shallow water and eventually succumbed to the environment...


Frankly, it looks like an eel, which would not be surprising, since eels are part of the shark family...I think.Check out the real time clip (click here) of this hideous but intriguing looking marine creature on Channel 4 news.

I'll be the scentific community is scrambling to get a chance to open this fish up. Marine biologists and naturalists alike...well, if only I could chance upon a find like this when I go diving...

Farewell My Dear Colleagues

Well, another friendly face leaves Khaw & Partners. Irene Yong, fondly referred by the rest of us as "Tai Ka Ceh" (big sister in Cantonese). Nearly 4 years in K&P, our senior conveyancing associate, now is on route to Sydney, Australia to further her studies.

Irene will be attending classes in Child Psychology at Macquarie University. A rather suprising choice, but only show's Irene's passion to work with children. Well Irene, UNICEF could use more people like you.

Today also marks the last day for Meera Marimuthu at K&P. She's going up, literally to Affin Investment Bank Berhad (formerly known as Affin Merchant Bank Berhad) about 8 floors above our office. Meera's been with K&P since Dec 02. Too long to see someone like her go.

Meera's the new Vice President, having a portfolio in Capital Markets and Private Debt Securities.

Dubbed as my "office wife", I'll really miss Meera, especially the occasional fights we have on the most trivial matters. Also my KFC-eating companion.

Well, I guess she'll be very close by in any event.

Anyway, I wish you gals all my very best. I am confident you will find much fulfilment and happiness in your new-found paths.

A prayer

I'm counting on the friends of Asther Lau to keep praying for her dad who is still in recovering from a stroke in Kuching, Sarawak. By that , I mean you...yes you. Now get on your knees and start praying. The Almighty will hear us if we do speak to him.

Asther's blog (to read more about it, just click here) reports that his condition has improved somewhat, but doctors are still monitoring his respiration.

Doctors have been trying to get Asther's dad to resume breathing without the assistance of the ventilator. We can only pray that he will establish independent breathing and his body can get used to it, as labourous as it is. His family is now staying vigilant by him, reassuring him that he is well loved and taken care off. If you are going to say your prayers, don't forget Asther and family too.

I have done my devotion for Asther's dad's sake. I encourage you to do so too. Just a few moments for His hand to descend upon Asther's dad in his time of need. Nothing more.

All said and done

Today, I learned a very important adage...actually, it just 'appeared' in my mind:

" You can make things idiot-proof, but you can never really idiot-proof people"

Eg. A colleague of mine had sent an affidavit to the US for affirmation. The counsular office did everything correct vide affixing his signature and the consulate's seal under this hand, but omitted altogether, his affirmation towards translation of the affidavit and the particulars of the translator...might as well throw the affidavit into the dump now... So, I suggested to render INSTRUCTIONS for the fresh affidavit prior to having it sent. As you would have it, the blanks and signing portions would be a give-away that something needs to be penned in those blanks, but NO... neither the consular office nor the deponent could draw a clue from the apparent spaces between the text it... geez...talk about "Go figure"

I also came accross a quote posted by our office manager, Eric on our email portals today which goes something like this:

"It is better to honest and say things to one's displeasure than to be misleading and say things to one's liking"

I suppose much credence can be lent to that quote especially applying it to the age-old idiom:

"the truth always hurts"

2007

Dawn of a new year...

Likened to discovering a new world out there...seems like that to me...I must say that I'm quite enthuthiastic to find out what's in store for me this year...I can only leave that to the man above...

Well, for starters, there's gonna be a few weddings involving my good friends:
i) Aindhy is finally getting married in February.

I guess my buddies in the Maldives will be busy making haste and ensuring that preparations are good to go. Really miss you guys, had heaps of fun when I was there last September. 8 days is simply too short... Hey buddy! If you're reading this, send my warmest regards to Nuzha... and tell her what a lucky guy you are to have her...hehe;


ii) Tony Lim and Nicky's wedding banquet in Hong Kong.

I've never been to HK, so, this gives me a perfect reason to be there. Already blocked off the dates in April to be there. Via Macau, maybe, at least, I get the chance to see the casinos where the 'Tou San' has stepped foot into... Just a little insight, Tony Lim was a colleague of mine who is now working in Hong Kong at one of the top derivatives firm in the country, is married and lives somewhere in Sha Tin (New Territories) ...aspires to get a Lexus IS-250...:)

Diving: I definitely want to make this year a good year for diving...hopefully...haven't been to Pulau Perhentian or Pulau Redang...simply must make a trip to one of them by this year, at least... I realize that nothing beats hearing your bubbles escape through your regulator whilst enjoying the splendour of the undersea kingdom....

More time to myself : This year, I really learn to take it easy. It was a hard and almost impossible year in 2006, I intend to take some days off in the year to just 'smell the flowers'... Asther tells me she's gonna organize another caving expedition to Gua Tempurung ('click here' to read about her exploits on her last trip) sometime this year...or was it this month? Anyway, I;m dying to try my subterranean skills and to ascertain once and for all whether I have claustrophobia...not to say I really want to know, but it gives me somewhat a goal to look forward to reaching...:

New Zealand/Sydney: This is something I will plan to do sometime in September or December 07...Sydney is going to be the new home for Irene Yong a.k.a. 'Tai Kah Ceh', must ex-colleague now, since she left us the end of last year...she'll be in Sydney, Australia doing her studies in child psychology...I will make it an endeavour to go over, then, via Sydney, to Auckland...have promised to go visit Bambi so long ago...must make a serious effort this year to do so...Bam, I will be in touch...

Well, the list is not exshaustive...only hope that things will go according to plan this year...

Anyway, definitely looking to a good two -oh -oh -seven.

With God's guidance and by His will, great things will beckon themselves to me this year...