Belated 15th anniversary to my blog!

Posted on October 1, 2023 by vincentloy

If it was not for the reminder notification from WordPress, I would have really forgotten that it was my blog’s 15th anniversary 3 days ago (on 28th September). Happy 15th anniversary to my blog! What a milestone!

15 years later, I am still here actively updating my blog (or online journal as I would like to personally call it). I do really have to praise my dedication in blogging after all the years. I guess it is really my long-term hobby to jot down and share things that are of my interest. And years later, this journal would be the place I can recall most of the great memories I had or the major events the world see in the past through all the countless pictures and write-up I have posted. That would be pretty awesome.

In conjunction with the anniversary, here’s a quick report card for my blog which has started since 28th September 2008. As of today, my blog has received close to 3.9 million views, over 1.3 million visitors and accumulated over 440 subscribers. I have written close to 2500 posts and for this year alone, I have written up to 48 000 words. There will be only up for these figures as I continue to observe my blog’s 16th, 20th anniversary and so on in the future.

By the way, it’s already October and we have entered into the last quarter of the year. I ended September 2023 with not only a new iPhone 15 Pro but also a new AirPods Pro (2nd generation) to use. It originally costs SGD363 but I had a 100 dollars discount voucher from a friend. Hence, I got it at only SGD263 (that’s about RM900; still expensive but feel better with this reduced price for the wireless headphone). Extra damage to my wallet last month. Haha….

Before ending the post, I would like to extend a belated Mid-Autumn Festival greeting to my family, friends and my blog readers that are Chinese as well. I treated myself a box of very delicious durian snow-skin mooncakes on top of few other mooncakes given by my office and friends. This is the only period I can indulge on mooncakes which I quite like (especially the durian flavoured ones, traditional lotus paste with yolk or even jelly mooncakes).

Went to ARCHIDEX 2014 on its last day today.

Posted on June 28, 2014 by vincentloy

The 15th International Architecture, Interior Design and Building Exhibition (ARCHIDEX) 2014 took place at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (usual spot every year) this year from 25th to 28th June. Organized together with the exhibition are the DATUM Design Conference, Eco-Building Exhibition, some forums and also a newly held congress themed ‘Rejuvenation’. This is the annual event I have been continuously attending, and this is my fourth time visiting the exhibition.

So, I’m quite familiar with what I shall do in the exhibition; going around all the booths in the exhibition halls and getting all brochures and catalogues, and if possible, together with goodie bags and some free gifts like pens or note books. It has also been made easier for me to enter as I do not need to complete any registration as I already received express tag earlier. This year, I think there are more companies involved in the event, and hence the greater number of booths and also bigger areas of halls covered for the exhibition. Here’s the official website of the exhibition: http://www.archidex.com.my/.

As usual, there are booths promoting doors, windows, glass, hardwares, softwares, outdoor and indoor elements, tiles, finishing, wood, roofing, paints, sanitary fittings, books, and all the other related products or technologies related to architecture, interior design, building construction and engineering fields. Me and my colleague were getting tired as time passes as we took more and more bags and brochures. Now, I’m taking some time to read through those catalogues we have taken and to check on which ones are interesting. However, the most delighted thing would still be the free gifts we can find from those bags.

We spent about two hours for the exhibition. Hmm…many booth’s staff approached to us trying to brief us on their products but we just don’t have time for most of them. Sorry…Lastly, we also managed to glance through some of the presentation works (finalists of some kind of architecture competitions) displayed outside several exhibition halls before leaving. Then, only after that, we thought of going for movie ‘Transformers 4’ (just out yesterday) at Suria KLCC. You can check out my movie review of that particular film in my previous post. And for all that, the worst thing is that I have spent RM30 alone for the parking fee. That’s shockingly high and unreasonable. I’m not like parking my car there for whole day!

On the other hand, tomorrow marks the beginning of Ramadhan, the fasting month for the Muslims before celebrating Hari Raya. Here, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all Muslims (particularly my Malay friends and colleagues) a wonderful Ramadhan! Raya is coming soon….

Happy 15th birthday to MY FM.

Posted on August 17, 2013 by vincentloy

If you are not a Malaysian, for your information, MY FM is a very popular Chinese radio station in my country. It first started humble way back in 1998. Before that, many were used to listening to 988 fm. But once MY FM is introduced, there is a major shift that pushed MY FM to the success it has today. Not to look down on 988, but MY FM truly proves to be coping well with the current generation. This year, the radio station that has made its name as the biggest Chinese radio station in Malaysia will be celebrating their 15th anniversary.

(Image source: https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/1069411_10151581211527569_1657294205_n.jpg)

There will be a birthday bash show or concert to be held tonight at Putra Indoor Stadium, Bukit Jalil in conjunction with MY FM’s 15th anniversary. Themed ‘Fantastic Fifteen’ (promotional poster shown above), the show will features performances by all the DJs and invited guests (singers) from locals as well as from oversea. I’m not a big fan of a particular radio station, but I would have to accept the fact that MY FM has done impressive job so far. I used to listen to this station every morning when I am driving to work. Its morning programme involving Jack Lim, Mei Yan, and Jeff is the most interesting one and usually provides me with a great start to the day with fun and laughters.

Since the station has been established for 15 years, my best memory linked to MY FM would be like in a decade ago when I was still a kid. On every Saturday’s morning when me and my two sisters (all are still kids) woke up but still lying on the bed in the room, my sister would turned on the station through her phone. They never missed a week of not listening for that particular time slot to check out the top 20 music chart broadcast once every Saturday. Nothing unique, but still an unforgettable piece of childhood memory in my mind related to MY FM.

I never attended MY FM’s annual birthday show which is getting larger and larger every year, proving its present success and established history. Previously, it is usually held in Genting’s Arena of Stars. Last year, it moved to Bukit Jalil Outdoor Parking Area that gave the opportunity for fireworks display. This year, it’s in an indoor stadium that could hold up to 10 000 audiences. The only disappointing part is that in recent years, the organiser could only invite singers that are not famous (basically unknown) and most guests are locals. No big excitement then. But anyway, if you are going to the show tonight, hope you enjoy it too! To MY FM, happy 15th birthday to you!

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Time for mooncakes!

Posted on September 30, 2012 by vincentloy

It’s the time of the year again when the Chinese celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the eighth month in lunar calendar when full moon is observed. This year, the festival falls on this day, 30th September 2012 and it’s a Sunday which gives no excuse not to have this day with family particularly. What’s usually emphasized by Chinese families especially on ‘big’ day like this is the family gathering and dinner together. So, there should be no reason not to allocate little of your time for it unless you are far away from your family. Have a great time with your loved ones!

This Mid-Autumn Festival, or famously known as Chinese Moon Festival, Mooncake Festival and Lantern Festival is considered to be one of the very important festivals in Chinese tradition. Of course, the festival is closely related to eating mooncakes and playing with lanterns and candles particularly to the young kids which can be quite fun too. I remembered those time when I was a kid playing those with my neighbours in front of my house. Too bad, I couldn’t buy many lanterns to hang around as my parents see it as a waste of money, if not, the atmosphere would be very cool with many bright lanterns surrounding you. Such a nostalgic feeling.

For mooncakes, I would never miss this delicacy which are only available for a month every year around this period of festival. In fact, mooncake is my favourite, on which I prefer more on the snowy one which has to be kept in refrigerator. However, on this year, the sale of snowy mooncakes had been greatly reduced and it’s so hard now to find place selling that. But still, I have already had almost 3 full snowy mooncakes bought from Mid Valley in my stomach earlier already. Haha…Yummy. Couldn’t afford to buy any more as mooncakes are now getting much more expensive. In average, a mooncake now costs over RM12 (so a box of four usually exceeds RM50), and when you cut it into four pieces, one piece which can be finished in only a very few bites already costs RM3 alone. Not worthy to buy a lot. Price is a bit unreasonable.

In concern to that and the sudden desire of my eldest sister to try out on her own, she made jelly mooncakes for the first time this year and her works are quite successful. She made a lot, and we finished them very quick too, which means that her mooncakes are even qualified for sale which many others are doing now as well. But she made quite an effort on it, buying all the necessary stuff and ingredients, then spending a long time in the process. Thanks for her lovely jelly mooncakes, and now I’m actually craving for more of that. Haha….anyway, last but not least, I would like to wish every Chinese a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival for the year 2012!!!

(Image source: http://www.chinatravel.com/focus/mid-autumn-festival/cards/card-4.html)

It’s the last day of CNY for the year!

Posted on February 17, 2011 by vincentloy

Ohh…is it? Let me take a look at the calendar, the small chinese words at side of the date today. Ahh, yes..it is! It’s the 15th day of the Chinese New Year, which is the last day of the celebration every year. Can’t believe Chinese New Year is coming to an end. I still haven’t get much angpows yet! For this CNY, I did not visit any of my relatives, but still do get angpows from them due to the major days I’m off for my trip.

Actually, there are many terms referred to this day. For the Malaysians, the most common name for this day is Chap Goh Meh, which is actually originated from Hokkien dialect. Another better term that is accepted all over Chinese world is Yuan Xiao Festival. However, for China, there are two more names for this day; Shang Yuan Festival and Lantern Festival (it’s different with Mid Autumn Festival which is also known as Mooncake Festival and Lantern Festival).

It is a bit unique for Malaysian Chinese as we are celebrating this day like Valentine’s Day in Chinese version. Single women would write their contact number on mandarin oranges and throw it in a river or a lake while single men would collect them and eat the oranges. The taste is an indication of their possible love: sweet represents a good fate while sour represents a bad fate. However, for now, not many people doing this kind of stuff already. It just becomes another typical day in Malaysia! Everyone is already back to work or school much earlier….

Anyway, today still marks the end of Chinese New Year or Spring Festival.

A hotel near CCTV Headquarters Tower burnt…

Posted on February 10, 2009 by vincentloy

Quite a shocking news, the newly- built and almost- completed Mandarin Oriental Hotel situated right beside the architectural masterpiece, CCTV Headquarters Tower is being burnt seriously last night…