Customer for 3 generations

Roseline ordered new specs this afternoon because she wasn't able to see clearly. After check-up the prescription was her near-sightedness has improved with age! I was impressed! But Albert the good optometrist quickly cautioned that her far-sightedness and astigmatism checks could yield different results.

The shop is International Optical, located at Soon Hup Tower. You may be surprised - yes, you guessed correctly - my dad, me, my sons had our eye glasses made by the Tiongs.

I remember my first pair of glasses was made by Uncle Tiong (founder, the boss) 34 years ago in his shop at Wong Nai Siong Road, Sibu. Our family members are so used to Uncle Tiong's impeccable service; and now his son Albert (in the pic, writing) has done an equally good job!

Albert's other two elder optometrist siblings are based in Sibu.

The Tiongs are truly unique. Humble and professional too. Excellent people skills. New customers quickly become their friends easily. I won't be surprised many families like mine are loyal customers to the Tiongs for three generations or more!

Do you have a similar story like mine to share too?

More good news!

More good news!

Two days ago I received a surprise present - a set of 6 coffee cups complete with saucers from my church member! Yes, I'm a kopi drinker and I really appreciate the original design (and thickness) of these cups! Thanks a million, Chang Yi!


I also received a wonderful email today from another church member's daughter telling me that she's a recipient of the prestigious Public Services Department (JPA) scholarship!
She will do her Cambridge A-Levels in West Malaysia soon before going abroad to study Dentistry. I called Lynthia up immediately to congratulate her! Yes, the ex-Head Prefect of SMK St Columba is the other outstanding youth in my church whom I mentioned last week that I would blog about.

I take this opportunity to also congratulate Frederick and Nora, the parents of Lynthia. All glory to God as several our GMC youths have done well.

Sharing at SMCGC

Angeline, my cell group member called me last week to remind me about May 30.

Angeline and Duan host the English-speaking cell group (mostly Curtin undergrads) at SMCGC (Senadin Methodist Campus Gospel Centre). Earlier this year the husband and wife team had extended an invitation to me to speak at their gathering.

I will share on a topic I believe it is important for young adults as they embark onto the real world after graduation.

Also my cell group leader William Ting will deliver a sermon on June 2 at the same centre.

We are glad to be able to serve SMCGC in a small way.

Visitation

The last paragraph of page 143 in my Discipleship class study manual requires the participants to do a special assignment.

Photo credit: James Wong

It states: "Because the commands are clear in Matthew 25, make one visit during the week to one of the following places or persons ... Don't do all the talking; be there to listen ... Go to a situation you have never been before ... Tell your group members next week about your experience and what you learned about yourself."

Rev Law Hui Seng was facilitating my class yesterday when he suggested a visitation to a cancer patient he baptized last month.


We agreed to go this morning as today is a public holiday. The good shepherd was seated in the front passenger seat in our church van with Soh Pei as the driver.

The destination was Tudan, outskirts of Miri. It wasn't easy to find the address had it not been for Soh Pei's help. It was my first trip and I wasn't aware that there were so many houses and artery roads in that area. Yes, it's easy to get lost there especially driving at night.


Taking a group photo upon arrival.


To the house.


We also brought along some food provisions as encouraged by Rev Law earlier.


Our brother-in-Christ was bed-ridden. The signs were not so encouraging either. Rev Law noticed and remarked that Linteng's condition had deteriorated since the last visitation.


But I found strength in the faith of Linteng's wife. Despite of her present circumstances, Selia showed warmth and hospitality in her words and deeds. She also told us that she found much comfort in our Lord now Linteng was baptized.

All of us prayed for the family before we left.

Tonight I will share the tale of my visitation with my family over dinner and then write an email to thank Pastor for today's lesson.


We also stopped by to view the piece of land which Tudan Methodist Church will be built. This church is close to our hearts because it was planted by GMC.


After the visitation I went to Mei Ann Centre where Roseline was attending her Boys' Brigade 2-day E.O.T.C. I managed to take a group photo of them, with the three facilitators seated.

On my way out, I noticed the impressive 40DOP buntings and poster at the church foyer. Later I was even more impressed to find that Mei Ann Church was targeting 1000 participants from their strong congregation of 600 members.

All glory to God!

[Edit 21.05.08] Received news from Rev Law this morning that Linteng was called to the Lord last night around 8:00pm.

On target

I went to watch Judy train yesterday. Located next to the tennis courts at the Miri Sports Complex, the outdoor archery range is presently still under construction.

Photo credit: James Wong

Judy is the daughter of my church members Peter and Jennifer Yong. She's a good Christian whose fine qualities make her parents, family, friends and church proud!

I was amazed to find out that the current national champion only picked up archery four years ago when she was in Form Two! You can read more of Judy's story here.


As a model student, Judy's talent is not only confined to archery skills; she also excelled academically in the SPM exam last year, scoring 8As and 4Bs. I understand she's already been offered a 3-year nursing scholarship. Awesome!

Come June 2, Judy and her team mates will be leaving for Terengganu to represent Sarawak in the Sukan Malaysia (Sukma XII).

We will be cheering (and praying for) Sarawak team all the way!

Next week I will be blogging on another outstanding youth from my church. Do drop by!

New laptop

My new laptop with matte black finish and dark chrome accent was delivered to my doorstep.

Dell Penang stated 2 weeks for delivery and as expected, they always under-promise and over-deliver! The laptop arrived on the 7th day - they are really good in marketing!

It was the 3rd Dell laptop I've bought in the past 14 months; the other 2 units were for Aaron and Abel.

I had to incur this extra cost (or investment?) because my old laptop's fan has ceased functioning. Sent it for repairs. My technician responded after 1 day, "Sorry - I called up Acer. They said this model is obsolete."

Hoping for a "spare part replacement" miracle, I next sought the expertise from the computer geek - the son of my cell group leader. After examining my old laptop, Jonathan politely said, "Uncle, maybe it's time you changed your laptop." In a way Jonathan helped me make the decision to get a new one.

So XP or Vista? Most brands do not bundle XP as the operating system anymore as it is being phased out.

I chose the model Vostro 1400 because it has the OS option of XP or Vista (can upgrade to Vista in the future).

With XP, of course.

Basic specs - 14.1" widescreen, Core 2 Duo Processor T7250, 2.0GHz, 2MB Cache, 800 MHz, 3GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM, 120 SATA HD, 8XDVD,+/-RW.

How to beat rainy day blues

The rain was incessant this morning; I think it started before dawn. This was how it was at 9 am when I was going towards town.
No rain could dampen my spirits for the day!

Because Roseline made me a great breakfast before I left the house.

One of my favourites!
2 slices of homemade mixed fruits bread (which Roseline baked last night)
2 half-boiled eggs
Butter and kaya
A cup of hot coffee

A good breakfast is a sure way beat rainy day blues!

Don't you think so? xD

Yang Zhong Wei

Never heard of this gifted singer until yesterday. During breakfast Aaron and his cousin Abbie were praising Yang Zhong Wei for his sterling performance at the Taiwan's One Million Stars. It's a popular singing competition that rewards the ultimate winner NT$1 million and a recording contract. My son also commented that the standard of singing was higher than those of the finalists in the American Idol 2007.

Zhong Wei's rendition of Wan Fang's New Endless Love 新不了情 was awesome! He knocked me out completely!

Enjoy the clip and see what the judges had to say!


What do you think? Wasn't he brilliant?

Brunei trip

Was in Bandar Seri Begawan for the past two days. One shop I won't miss is this one. From fresh salmons to coffee machines, this speciality shop has what others don't have, and it always has what I am looking for. I think it is the only one of its kind in the island of Borneo.



I bought a packet of Bonito (500g - B$27) to garnish the fried tofu I'm going to cook for my cell group tonight. The paper-thin smoked fish flakes from Japan are used as garnishing for many dishes and soups.


One example is fried lamb ribs. Notice the topping? Tip - sprinkle the flakes and serve the dish immediately. The flakes will 'dance' with the steam rising. Your guests will be WOWed!


I also bought Norwegian Black cod (1kg - B$38) which Roseline loves. Many people confuse Snow fish (1kg - B$28) with Black cod. Some like pan-fried but we prefer it steamed.


I was very impressed when the shop even stocked Alaskan king crabs (1 kg - B$62). Remember the tv series Deadliest Catch that was aired in the Discovery channel? The crabs are really humongous!


You can find so many kinds of fresh herbs. The owner told me he even has customers buying the herbs for therapeutic baths.


Less sugar is good.


Ok, ok, I know by now you are desperate to find out where this shop is located!

Guan Hock Lee
Blk M-2, Pengakalan Gadong
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
Tel (+673) 245 4607

Some useful price references for you:
Norwegian Salmon (fresh,fillet) - B$34, frozen - B$24
Norwegian Salmon (whole) - B$24, frozen - B$12
Japanese scallops (frozen) - B$55
Escargots (frozen) - B$52

Brunei is not only known for its rich natural endowments and warm hospitality of her people; there is another outstanding product - nasi katok! This is the food I cannot miss to order takeaway. Steamed rice with sambal and a piece of delicious fried chicken. Price? B$1.00. No kidding, I'm floored by it's real value for money!


Do you know of any similar food that costs only $1? Tell us please!

Now reading

Now reading the book 'HAPPIER' by Tal Ben-Shahar. Like it so much that I've added it to my lifelong learning collection of books.



This self-help book came highly recommended from my good friend Hun Pin in Singapore. Tal Ben-Shahar is one of the popular lecturers in Harvard University. His classes attract 1,400 students per semester - about 20% of all Harvard graduates! CNN, CBS, the New York Times and the Boston Globe have featured the famous author.

Excerpt from page 168:

A happy - or happier - life is rarely shaped by some extraordinary life-changing event; rather, it is shaped by incrementally, experience by experience, moment by moment.

Take a sneak on a review on Happier by Kate Bohner.

A person can endure emotional pain at times and still be happy overall, writes Dr. Ben-Shahar.

Really? Do you agree?

Sunday misc

We were so glad to see the girls from KL (now doing their national service at Kem Miri, Sungai Rait) for the second time in our church yesterday morning. Thanks so much to our church member William Law and his wife Siew Ha for their warm hospitality and taking good care of the girls. I am eagerly looking forward to visiting the Kem Miri Open House this weekend with William. It'll be my first time visiting a national service camp. Do you have any camp stories to share with us? Do leave your comments.

Did our weekly shopping. CNY decorative items were on sale everywhere. But we didn't feel the chaos and excitement present. What about you? Do you think Sibu has the most CNY umph? Or Kuching?

Wanted to take some sunset pics at Lutong beach. We were there too early. Couldn't wait so we took pics of 2 guys having fun doing motorized parachuting.

Moto parachuting at Lutong beach

S$2,000 hair cut

It is not often that I come across hair cuts costing S$2,000. Four to five hundred yes, but S$2,000? Our money RM4,600.

There was a write-up in the Sunday Times (Dec 9, 2007) on Daniel Ng, a celebrity stylist of the Le Salon, Singapore. The line that caught my attention was "...a hairstylist who charges up to S$600 for a haircut?" The article further dwells on Daniel Ng's professional background and his nomadic life (born in Hong Kong, grew up in the UK, etc) before he came to Singapore. I searched for more information online. Indeed Daniel Ng not only charges from a few hundred to an astronomical S$2,000 for a hair cut, he was also invited to give a talk at the Singapore Polytechnic.

The hair entrepreneur describes his salon as a high class French restaurant instead of a McDonald's.

Now back to earth.

So often business leaders tell us the strongest form of marketing is advocacy by a trusted friend.

This is my barber Ah Fatt. He operates his Jo Salon at Pujut 5.


And I don't think he has had any nomadic life story to tell. Have been his customer for the past 10 years. Very fastidious, very professional. RM15.

Never mind French restaurant or McDonald's, as long as you are happy!

Happy 2008!

Happy 2008 everyone!

Don't laugh. My two sons and I were pampered to a botanical masque early this morning at home! You should rejuvenate and revitalize your complexion on the first day of the year, said my wife. No smiling, no talking while the masque is being applied. As you can see, we were very obedient.

As I surfed the net for fresh ideas on New Year's resolutions earlier on, I stumbled onto a new word 'wordsmith'. Interesting! It is what you become - a 'wordsmith' when you have failed to meet the first goal in your New Year resolutions, according to Lake Superior State University's annual List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness. Alamak, I immediately realized I have been a 'wordsmith' all these years.

Christmas in Sibu

My family and I were in Sibu from Dec 22 - 25 to celebrate my father-in-law's birthday. Roseline's siblings and their families from Brunei and Kota Kinabalu were there too. It was a beautiful family reunion. My parents-in-law were beaming from ear to ear when four of their six children were home to honor them. Though they did not openly express their joy, I could sense their happiness and pride.

The mee suah is a traditonal Foochow dish that is a must-have during birthdays to ensure longevity and vibrant health. The white noodles are served in chicken soup with bite-size chicken pieces, shitake mushrooms and boiled eggs. Foochow red wine is added for those who like a stronger soup base. This dish looks simple to prepare but I've yet to taste a perfect mee suah other than the ones cooked by my mother-in-law. As her favorite son-in-law (I think), my mother-in-law has given me her secret recipe; showed me how-to-do-it, yet I can't master cooking the favorite noodles of every Foochow!
For the first time it dawned on me that Christmas in Sibu was so special! I really salute the people of Sibu. They are overcomers! A week earlier Sibu was overwhelmed by a massive flood. When faced with another potential 'mother-of-all-floods', Sibu people were like a rock and carried on to hold three consecutive nights of Christmas celebrations. Someone I met at the padang told me it was a combined effort of all Christian denominations to make the project a reality. There was a stage where performances were held. My wife was excited to know that there were 100 participants for Praise Dance. Beautifully decorated Christmas trees and floats, and stalls of various kinds were erected on site. The presence of Jesus was warmly felt. God bless Sibu always!

Here's a clip at the padang on the night of Dec 23, 2007:
On Christmas eve, we attended a cantata in a very packed church. The Christmas musical by the Wesley Methodist Church ensemble was awesome! Dr. Rev. Tie King Tai delivered a very meaningful Christmas message of 'Amazing Gift'. He spoke on the challenges that Sibu people faced from beginning to the end of the year, and encouraged all to pray collectively for a better 2008. I was pleasantly surprised to meet my ex-athletics contingent manager Stephen Yeo whom I've lost touch since 1977! Stephen and his wife are now serving full-time in Cambodia. What a pity we missed taking a pic together.

Here's a clip of the Wesley Methodist Church ensemble doing the AMEN medley.

No visit to Sibu is complete without savoring the famous kam pua! This delicious dried-tossed yellow noodles is the envy of many, including the Kuching kolo mee that tries to claim to be Sarawak's signature noodle dish. It's a subjective topic that could be argued for a whole week without any resolve! I only know that my sons and I love it! Even my wife who is so disciplined on food choices caves in when it comes to kam pua! Don't be fooled by preposterous claims from eateries all over Sarawak or even in Singapore - yes, the authentic kam pua can be found in Sibu only. RM2.30 per plate now. Two thumbs up!

Last and certainly not the least - kom pia! We will never miss this guang bing whenever we visit Sibu. It's like French bread except that this bun tastes better with sesame seeds sprinkled on top. According to legend, the kom pia was the brainchild of the Foochow General Qi Ji Guang who strung a row of kom pia through a string that was worn across the chests of his soldiers. The intent was two-fold; 1) to replenish energy from the high carbohydrate content during long battles and 2) easy-to-carry convenient food. Wow, it's amazing they also thought about fast and convenient food back then. Nothing has changed on how's it been baked. The kom pia can be deep fried and stuffed with stewed soy minced meat. However the fried version is too oily for me. I prefer it plain served with stewed sauce or sardines added with sliced big onions. The kom pia is best eaten freshly baked. RM1.00 for 4 pieces. Last year? 7 pieces!

Can't wait for our next trip to Sibu!