October is Tomorrow!

My initial post was too depressing. I can't even finish the whole thing. I was crying like a baby as I go along. It was a departing letter that I wrote to my parents. Yes finally I am leaving Sabah again, and this time its for real and not just talk the talk only.

It was so last minute, and I don't think both of my parents have the time to digest it yet. They look super calm to me and I was the one that couldn't hold my tears. I love my parents, very much. Growing up as Daniel Chiam, life can be very lonely almost every time. My family is all I have.

Enough about making myself look bad! I'll post the mail soon once I get the chance to finish it. As for the moment lets enjoy some beautiful pictures! Haha its a treat for the guys.

October will somehow remind me about the German's Oktoberfest! Booze booze and more booze. I think thats the only common culture between the Germans and the Sabahan, haha.

So for the occasion we will have Miss Kim Kardashian to parade with some Oktoberfest outfit!

-Kim K in her other outfit-

Are You Ready For Marriage?

by Daniel Chiam

A few friends and I bump into a teacher who used to teach us back in high school. So we spend a few minutes of our time to catch up with him and guess what... all three of us get more than what we ask for, haha.

He took the opportunity to give each of us advise about getting married, life and money. It was a very fruitful conversation and tho I disagree with some of his opinions but its still make sense and understandable.

Cikgu noticed that a lot of his former student is getting married at a very young age, and most of them didn't end up well in their marriage. So he was telling us to take our time, to experience life and at the same time to build our own life first before even thinking about getting married.

Finding the right one is important. A pretty face alone wouldn't help much in a relationship. Yes you can brag about it but all of us will eventually gets old, and by then you will have nothing to brag about when the only thing you choose them for had already fade away.

We need to be smart in choosing the right partner. Your significant other could either pull you up or drag you down. Remember, if you have a filthy rich parents, you have all the rights to choose whoever you want, haha. Being in a relationship will not be all lovey dovey all the time. Love will conquer all, but if you have no money in life, you will not be able to support a relationship, and what more - a family.

In a relationship, it can't be only one person who do all the sacrificing and while the other only enjoy the ride. In order to make things work, both have to contribute. Seriously I really think that's how relationship should be working.

Money can't buy happiness but it could contribute to happiness in a relationship.

Cikgu just wanted to make sure that all of us is capable of standing on own feet first before deciding on taking on someone else in our arms. Carrying another person will not be easy if you have a shaky legs. Worse to come, you'll drop that person that you are carrying, or both of you will fall to the ground together. Eventually one or both will get hurt.

So at the moment all of you youngster, make sure you build a strong foundation of your life first before deciding on getting into a relationship. If you are not capable, then make friends first. When the time comes, you will know that you are ready for marriage and for a family.

So what about you? What made you decide to get married? Is there anything that you would do differently if you could turn back the time? Its not about regret, its about helping other to see it through. =)

"Seize the day, Caper Diem"

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My Working Life

Dear Kevin:

I guess I'll be mailing you my update on every weekend. Its something I usually do back in CG last time. It didn't go on long enough to become a habit back then, hopefully it will be one this time, cause its really a great way to keep track of myself.

Nothing much happened to me this week considering that I'm still jobless. Looks like the Samsung has switched to a different company which handles its HR department, and they gave me a call again about the opening for their new branch here in Keningau. She asked me to send in my resume. So I did and then thats that. No news after that.

Not putting my hope so high on Samsung, I did went to look for other jobs. I went back to my previous workplace and the job that could have been mine is already been given away to someone else. Well, its not a surprise to me since it took me awhile to give them an answer, but whats shocked me is what my previous HOD comments about me getting back my job there.

They had a small farewell for me when I decided to leave the company and my HOD gave a short speech about my work there. She gave out all the good stuff, about how hardworking I am, how willing I am to learn, my quality of work, and I am so moved by her speech. I do believe I am THAT good, haha.

Well I thought she really appreciate my work there, not until I heard what my friend in the office have to said to me. The HOD completely trash me in front of our manager, saying how worse I am and how my work is all half hearted. Its a complete bullshit, all my colleagues know that! I am really glad that someone stood up for me.

The only reason why I think the HOD did that is because I am way qualified enough to take her place. I am a treat to her. I am not bragging but thats what I think and what everyone there thinks too. She's been there for so long, no improvement and yet more feud than ever.

Its too bad that she already had some sort of mutual agreement with the manager about how she could hold on to the position no matter how terrible her work is. I know it makes no sense but thats the story that goes around the company. So by default, the HOD is untouchable.

She's the one who in a hurried recommended just about anyone to take up the opening there, just to prevent me from going back into the company. You know, the funny thing is that I always stood up for her no matter what all the bad things that people said about her in the company, cause I don't judge a person just from what people are saying about them. Seriously, no heart feeling Ms Alisiah. Thanks for teaching me a valuable lesson in life.

So, Kev... talking about in the world and not of the world... reality is never easy. I end up filling a form to work in a place like 7E, for RM450-RM500 a month and I might have to work a graveyard shift. I guess its much better than staying at home with no income at all. Well, still didn't know if I got the job or not.

Pray for me brother, and hopefully I could save up enough money to buy my way out of here, haha. I guess that's just about it this week.

Until the next mail, bye for now =)

Yours truly:

daniel chiam from room8five

New Born Baby Boy

Dear visitor:

Yesterday, another friend of mine just gave birth to a new baby boy. He is so adorably cute!

In fact, last week I just went to celebrate a friend's baby full moon, which I was the one who accompany the dad to fetch baby Carson out of the hospital last month :D

So, lately I've been around a lot with babies and toddler. Being around them I do have a lot of fun. I get to play with them, do all the silly thing, make funny faces and sometimes talks funny too. I get to do all the fun stuff with them and I don't have to change their diapers, feed them, or handle them when they are crying, and that makes it so much easier for me to enjoy a presence of a young one, haha.

It would be a lie if I told you that I don't want to be a dad, but seeing how fragile these little one are, and how cruel is the world out there, I do have some fear on how to raise a baby nowadays.

God will show the way, and I don't plan to give up on being a father just because of some fear. I want to be a great dad. I don't know how but I just have that sort of vision that my children will be someone great in the future, and I will be there to give them my support all the way.

I wish for a baby girl as my first born. A girl is more responsible and they could take good care of the rest that comes after, haha.

Well, before going too further in the future of becoming a great dad, I must get through this stage of single life first. Work hard and do well in life. Find a girlfriend, haha. I guess thats about it for today.

Until the next mail, bye for now =)

PS: So how does it really feel like to be a first time mom or dad?

Yours truly:

daniel chiam from room8five

--------------------- Attached Pictures --------------------

The new born baby boy with no name yet at the moment, haha.

Very Much Pissed Off

Dear Kevin:

I'm really pissed off with whoever person in charge of the interview between Samsung and me. They are really a son of a gun!

One phone call after another they keep passing me around like a ball, and finally I've reached someone who doesn't know a shit of what's going on. So I stop calling and refuse to be treated like a desperate college dropouts who's willing to die for a job.

That was somewhere in July, and I only found out that their branch here in Keningau is not going to open until somewhere at the end of September, which is somewhere around this week period. Now only the representative busy calling me back for interview.

He said he'll call back on Monday, and when he didn't call me, I called him. Guess what? He asked me did a phone number from KL called me before this, and I said no. So he asked me to wait for that phone call first.

Today is Wednesday. So its only after two days, but seriously I am very much agitated cause I could get another job somewhere else, but of course the pay is a lot cheaper than what I could get with Samsung.

The feeling of insecurity is very much SUCK! I need to know that I have a job before the start of next month! I don't want to wait anymore and its sucks to deal with phone call that kept giving me false hope. So I'm going for the low pay job. Beside, its only for a few month just to get back on my financial feet.

I'm migrating for sure. Just needed to settle a few things here. Especially debts and identity crisis, haha. I guess that all for now. Do write back to me :D

Until next mail, bye for now =)

Yours truly:

daniel chiam from room8five

Steve Jobs the Scrooge

Dear visitor:

Until yesterday, I really didn't know that you can actually send an email to Steve Jobs and that he would actually reply your mail. I am very impress that a man in his position really care so much about what do people personally have to say about his product.

I mean he could have hired an 'impostor' to do the work for him (well he does have a PA) and yet he choose to do it personally. So how do a super busy guy like him actually reply all those fans mail? Short, not sweet and super simple!





Most people wrote to complaint about a certain dissatisfaction about the Apple product or services. People expect answer that could satisfied them. You know, apologize, try our best, yes you are right, we will look into it, what we will do, bla bla bla. Well Jobs style is the coolest!

A customer wrote to Jobs to complain about the new iTunes logo, which he believed isn't as good as the old one. Jobs's two-word reply: "We disagree."

Haha, how cool is that?! Well you can read Jobs's replied to some of the mails at www.emailsfromstevejobs.com . In a way, its very entertaining to read. I'm still on my way to own my very first Apple product and hopefully its the iPhone or Mac, haha.

Here's another one of my favorite reply from Steve Job.

Mike wrote:

Is Apple moving away from Desktop and laptop computers and more towards mobile devices? I love using a full Mac computer when I am at my desk and then use mobile devices when I am on the move. I think it is still important for Apple to have both computers and mobile devices, yet Apple hasn’t recently made any major updates to their computers for some time, especially the Mac Pro. I love the mobile devices but, I still like having a desktop or laptop computer too.

Mike Gdovin

Steve's reply:

Yep, we agree.

Notice that he use 'we' instead of 'I'. He does treat everyone in his company as a team and its not all about him alone. Great leadership characteristic! I guess that all for now.

Until next mail, bye for now =)

Yours truly:

daniel chiam from room8five

Persimpangan Jalan

Dear visitor:

Kadang kala perjalanan hidup boleh menjadi sangat menakutkan. Terutamanya bila kita berada di persimpangan jalan. Keliru dengan pilihan yang ada dan gentar dengan kesilapan yang mungkin berlaku.

Kita hanya inginkan kepastian, kepastian bahawa kesilapan tidak akan berlaku, kepastian yang segalanya akan berjalan baik dengan pilihan yang bakal kita buat.

Namun apa yang pasti adalah ketidakpastian itu sendiri. Kita hanya mampu merancang, namun hanya Tuhan sahaja yang boleh menentukannya. Kita hanya boleh membuat pilihan yang bagi kita adalah terbaik namun hasilnya tiada siapa yang boleh menduga.

Tabahkanlah hati wahai perantau sekalian. Perjalanan hidup hanya akan menjadi lebih mudah jika kita tabah dan redah dengan pilihan yang telah kita buat. Jangan sesekali menyesal dengan keputusan yang telah dibuat, kerana itu adalah pengajaran hidup yang amat berharga buat diri kita.

Jika tersilap jalan, baliklah ke pangkal jalan. Jika tersalah kawan, tinggalkanlah mereka. Jika terlupa daratan, carilah semula diri yang sebenar.

Kesilapan pasti akan berlaku, walaupun hanya sekali dalam seumur hidup. Namun apa yang penting adalah keazaman kita untuk berdiri dan bangkit semula, dan meneruskan saki baki perjalanan hidup yang ada.

Jangan gentar jangan risau, kerana anda tidak bersendirian, kerana aku juga sedang berada dalam persimpangan jalan hidup. Sama-samalah kita mencari jalan yang terbaik buat diri kita sendiri.

Until next mail, bye for now.

Yours truly:

daniel chiam from room8five

Raya 2010 | A Letter to Yann

Hi Yann:

Lama dah kita tidak berbalas surat. Rasanya tulis menulis surat tu sudah menjadi 'things of the past'. Haha, walau macam mana pun, saya tetap happy dapat berkenalan dengan kawan macam yann melalui surat. So, nak update la sikit tentang kejadian Raya tahun ni :D

Raya tahun ni taklah semeriah raya-raya tahun yang sudah. Sedih juga hati ini bila mengenangkan kembali apa yang terlah berlaku. Dulu kalau nak beraya, kawan-kawan pasti ramai yang berkumpul, malah kami membuat rombongan untuk melawat dari rumah ke rumah kawan-kawan yang lain untuk beraya. Kadang-kadang tu 10 orang pun boleh sumbat dalam satu kereta, haha.

Time tu memang best, memang enjoy berabis. Jumlah rumah yang nak dilawat tidak pernah berkurangan malah semakin hari menjadi semakin too much to handle. Guarantee kenyang sangat-sangat time raya. Berat badan mesti naik!

Makanan tu taklah menjadi agenda utama bagi saya, tapi perasaan beraya bersama teman-teman itu yang paling saya look forward to. Kalau tiada rumah untuk dilawat pun tidak apa, janji dapat berkumpul bersama teman-teman lama. Time Raya sahajalah teman-teman lama yang telah lama terpisah dapat berkumpul semula, dan aku rindu dengan mereka semua.

Tahun ni, aku cuma melawat 2 buah rumah kawan sahaja, jumpa pun 2 atau 3 orang kawan lama sahaja. Ahad ni akan melawat rumah seorang kawan lagi. Harap-haraplah dapat terserempak dengan teman-teman lama yang lain.

Kalau di atas kertas kira-kira matematik, tahun ni dah jatuh 99% untuk masa yang diluangkan bersama teman-teman lama jika dibandingkan dengan tahun-tahun yang sudah. Sigh, sedih sangat-sangat.

Raya tahun ni, banyak masa yang diluangkan bersama kawan-kawan Davies. Percutian ke Simpang Mengayau, Tenom dan Mahua. Nak dikatakan enjoy, memang enjoy juga, tapi ni kan Raya. What I have in mind was totally different than what had happened.

Changes is the only unchangeable thing in the world. Perubahanlah satu-satunya benda yang akan kekal dan tak akan berubah. Hari ini dah tak sama lagi dengan hari kemarin, begitu juga besok yang pasti tak akan sama dengan hari ini.

Time di KL, sakit hati ini bila tak dapat pulang beraya dengan teman-teman. Bila dah di sini, hampah pula jadinya. Hati ini dah tawar dah. Never again would I have such expectation for a reunion. Lebih baik aku terus menjadi lone wolf. Hidup tanpa sebarang attachment, bebas dari segalanya.

Entahlah Yann, maybe I just have to accept the changes that happened. Tiada benda yang akan kekal selama-lamanya. Rasanya, selepas kejadian ini, aku dah tak ada apa-apa perasaan yang membuatkan aku harus terus kekal lagi di Keningau. Haha, sekarang ni dalam perancangan nak berhijrah ke tempat lain.

yann, kalau senang-senang tu email la aku ni. inbox4daniel@gmail.com. Facebook pun ada. Bukan aku kedekut kredit nak phone atau sms, tapi yann tahulah aku ni, gagap, always have no idea on what to say on the phone -_-

Oh ya, apa sudah jadi dengan yann dan Davies? Ceritalah sikit! Davies pun suruh tanya Yann. Adei kamu ni. Anyway, take good care of yourself. I really hope to hear from you soon Yann. God bless!

Until next mail, bye for now =)

Yours truly:

daniel chiam from room8five

--------------------- Attached Pictures --------------------

Raya 2010 bersama teman-teman adik ku.

My First 3D Movie Experience

Dear Kevin:

How are you bro? Its been a busy week for me lately. A lot of travelling and hell lot of expenses too, haha.

So last week just before we went to Simpang Mengayau at Kudat, we spend a night in KK and after a super long while I've been absence from the cinema, I manage to persuade everyone to go for a movie that night. Resident Evil: Afterlife in 3D baby!

The sad case is, it was a last minute decision so the only available seat that we manage to get is the front row. Yes, the first line, the one where it will either get your neck hurt or your back pain. I just don't care anymore cause all I want is MOVIE in the cinema of course.

It was my first time watching a movie in 3D so I'm really excited about it. Super excited :D

You don't have to wait for the actual movie to start to enjoy the 3D experience, the trailers itself is magnificent! Especially the 'Legend of the Guardians' trailer. Its animation but when you put on the 3D glasses, its just become so surreal. It is as if you could touch the things that pop out from the screen. I know I did reach out my hand and try to see if I can really feel it, hahahaha.

The first 10 or 20 minute of  the actual movie, I was busy dodging bullets and hira-shurikens. After I get used to the whole 3D thing, I was busy being startled by the girls' screaming somewhere behind me, when each time a zombie pop out suddenly. I think most of us is trying to avoid the huge axe that was thrown 'right at us' by the giant zombie, haha.

All in all, watching movie in 3D really gives a whole new experience in the cinema. I love it, and I would be so damn sure that I will come back for more. I guess movie in 3D is like a roller coaster, you can't take a ride on it if you have a heart attack! Haha.


Until next mail, bye for now =)

Yours truly:

daniel chiam from room8five

 --------------------- Attached Pictures --------------------

Simpang Mengayau, Kudat, Sabah

Dear visitor:

Simpang Mengayau also known as The Tip of Borneo is one of the most beautiful place to visit in Sabah. Its located almost 15km from the town of Kudat and almost 3 hours drive from the city of Kota Kinabalu. It could be a very tiring journey but the view is to die for!

Simpang Mengayau itself is a station and a landmark which indicate that you have already been to the tip of Borneo. The view there is astonishingly breath taking. The sea is as blue as the sky and the breezing wind is so refreshing when it touches your skin. Close your eyes and enjoy the moment, for which at that moment I really felt the place is heaven on earth.

Do not missed the white sandy beach and the crystal clear water. Its mother nature at its very best! Diving into the ocean blue, building sand castle or just sun bathing, everything is very peaceful there. The only downside for me is that there is no place for shower and you have to go back up to the station in order to do that.

If you choose to spend a night there, you can rent a chalet there from RM100 to RM200++ per night. There's also a few places you could visit while in Kudat. The bee farm, Rungus long house or Bak Bak beach. We didn't have much time to visit all the places, but Simpang Mengayau is already good enough to cover it all.

Do visit Simpang Mengayau, the tip of Borneo at Kudat, Sabah when you have the chance. It is one of the must go places in Sabah. I also attached a few pictures here from our first trip there.

I would love to go back and visit the place again with better camera :D

Until next time, bye for now =)

Yours truly:

daniel chiam from room8five

----------[Attached photos]----------

SELAMAT HARI RAYA from room8five

Dear visitor:

I just wanted to personally wish each and everyone of you,

May the spirit of 1Malaysia fill us all in this in this wonderful celebration of Aidilfitri. 

Saya juga ingin memohan maaf jika selama ini ada tersilap cakap dan terkasar bahasa. Maaf Zahir dan Batin. 

You all have fun! Visit those open houses of friends and family and forget not those who is unfortunate. Be good people =)

Until next mail, bye for now =)

Yours truly:

daniel chiam from room8five

You CAN Make A Difference!

Citizen of Keningau:

I think most of us know what actually is going on around us. Why do the city plant trees and then cut them down again. Why is the weather unbearably hot during the day.  Why trees just disappear from the forest and no one really care about it.

That's right we know but we just don't care about it. When its time to take action, when it time to educate ourselves about the importance of preserving and improving the environment, we would just give up and tell ourselves that its no use, that we are powerless against the people who are responsible in causing the damages.

Why do we have to be so negative about ourselves, about our own ability? REMEMBER, you are not in this alone. Its a pandemic problem that's effecting everyone in every corner of the world. We are in this together and it is important for us to work together to resolve the problem.

We don't have to march down the street with banners and loud speaker in our hand to prove that we love and care about the environment. We could always start off with something simpler, something to kick in the spirit of go greener inside of us.

Chegu C has started planting in order to support the go green campaign. 

Daniel Franklin Gomez makes sure to unplugged every electrical appliances that is not in use. 

Even Daphne Iking is sharing her knowledge about wasteful things that we could live without.

Self educating is important, its the first step to every major action that will follow later. We need to be able to do everything first before we can go on and telling people that you can actually do this and this and its very easy to do. Its hard for people to buy your words if there is no conviction.

Get started from your own backyard. Plant something, do something and share about it. We need to support each other so we all could make our town a much better place to stay. Stop cutting down trees and start planting one.

Find out and learn what you can do to improve the environment.

Today you CAN make a difference!

Yours truly:

daniel chiam from room8five

Rahmadan is Bliss

Dear Zummy:

Its almost the end of the fasting month already and everyone is super excited about celebrating Raya, but before that, Rahmadan is definitely a bliss to me and at the same time it has done a lot of damages too, haha.

Its a good thing if I tag along and join our Muslim friends to fast during the day. I read a lot that its a good method of dieting because it allow the stomach to have a rest and at the same time you reduced your food intake from what you normally do.

Well, that's not the case for me. I didn't fast and yet I ate twice as many as I normally do. Look at what they sell at the Bazaar Rahmadan. Food... food... and more food! They even bring out the good stuff that you don't normally see on a regular night market.

Everything is so delicious and everything is so tempting to me! If its was just for me alone, I don't think I would eat 'that' much, but since I am a very friendly person, and I like to share the wealth with my friends, 'sungkai' became an event that I just have to make it big.

Usually I would break the fast with a friend's family, and we will have around 9 or 10 person at the time. Its great to have so many people around, and the kids, they are just playful. I really enjoy the warm family atmosphere like that.

Well, it don't usually stop there. Sometimes we do hang around until its time for 'sahur', and thats where it gets worse for me. I ate too much and then I straight away headed for bed. So yes I gain a few pound during this wonderful month of Rahmadan.

I'm afraid its going to get worse during Raya. The number of houses that I have to visit has enough food to get me through for a couple of months! Perhaps by the end of the month, I could be eligible to join in The Biggest Loser Asia. All the best Daniel! :D

Well, I'm going down to KK to meet up with you tomorrow. Please don't be too shock when you see how larger than life I am now.

I love you Zummy and I can't wait to see you. Happy Birthday my dearest friend, and may God be nice to you and grant you all your birthday wishes. Amen.

Bye for now =)

Yours truly:

daniel chiam from room8five