price hike for The Star's weekend papers

I went to buy The Star just now and I didn't know they are increasing the price today from RM1.20 to RM1.50. I thought they said will start this weekend. Oh yeah, Saturday is weekend too.

I don't know why The Star have to increase price on weekend since they are making the most money on Saturday's advertisements.

Guess I have reason to stop reading The Star now. To be honest, I gain more information through reading blogs and online news than reading The Star's shit.

Nadal vs Federer: bizarre battle on mixed surfaces

Thanks to FL Sam for letting me know about the bizarre battle of the tennis court surfaces. I missed the sports news and of course no sports channel show the exhibition match between the clay court king, Rafael Nadal and grass court master, Roger Federer.

It doesn't matter who wins in this match. The players sure have fun playing in this court while ready for the next clay court championships in Rome in a couple of day. Nadal who beaten Fedex last year will defend his title to win three times in a role.

3-month job contract

Today is my first day going back to normal working hours due to a 3-month job contract.

It's been more than two years working on my own, alone. Sometimes I do miss working with a group of colleagues, going lunch together, chit-chatting during working hours, etc.

And today it feels a little bit weird because I have to wake up early in the morning and beating through the jam. In fact I couldn't sleep last night thinking how today will be.

So here I am today, blogging through my lunch hour. The staff here are nice but sad thing is the admin people never do a proper orientation or at least introduce me to the staff. Perhaps it's because I'm a contractor here.

Hopefully during this 3 months, I'll save up enough money and start travelling in September to Yogyakarta and Bangkok. I've already booked air tickets and accommodation to take a tour to Borobodur and Prambanan. After that I'm planning to watch tennis games at Bangkok Open by the end of September because Rafael Nadal is playing along with Andy Roddick, Marcos Baghdatis and many other professional players.

Happy Wesak Day - words of wisdom by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche

Happy Wesak Day to all Buddhists!

Since I'm back in hometown I have the opportunity to write a blog based on piece of writing by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, who is also better known as Khyentse Norbu in the filming industry for his work on The Cup and Travellers and Magicians. Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche is the first Rinpoche I met when I was just a small kid and he is the reason my family take refuge to become Buddhist followers.

This piece of writing was written by Rinpoche in 1984 in Sydney, Australia. Here it goes:

Your Own Wisdom Is Your Own Best Teacher

It is important to know how precious our human life is for now we have the chance to choose the correct path. We should not waste time - time goes while you wait. We must make sure that we do not fall into the trap of samsara in the next life. Karma rules our life - our incarnation - and all. Karma will follow you as a shadow wherever you go and wherever you are reborn. It does not matter which sect you follow, you must know who you are whatever you are doing. Buddhism teaches you the essence reality of yourself and the reality of phenomena. The reality of phenomena is never dualistic. There is no effort or difficulty to abandon or adopt - our ignorance obscures this. We ourselves create our own difficulties. We fight and waste much time and energy for nothing. We gamble our life - our own life - for nothing. If you know reality everything is pure and equal - there is no I and you. There will be no suspecting or fighting each other for appearance. Enjoy your appearance and don't criticize others. Fish don't blame us for not seeing the water as their home and we don't worry about what fish think of water. There is no dualism truly existing outside - it is just a creation of your mind.