My Blog

Did it ever happen to you that when you meet someone new you have a feeling that you’ve known them for all your life? What about you recognize a place even though you’ve never been there before? Or, you have this flash of memory which tells you that certain things happening right now actually happened before?

This compelling sense of familiarity, and maybe for others, the sense of eeriness, strangeness, or weirdness, is termed déjà vu. Déjà vu, also known as paramnesia, is the French word for “already seen” (Wikipedia). It describes the experience of feeling that one has witnessed or experienced a new situation previously. The "previous" experience is most frequently attributed to a dream, although in some cases there is a firm sense that the experience "genuinely happened" in the past.

Well I don’t know about you but I certainly have had this déjà vu experiences before. Yeap, experiences, more than one. There were more than one time that my mind told me certain event was a reoccurrence, apparently. Mostly what I felt was that I have done the same thing or been in the same situation before. It even occurred to me that I believed I was having the same conversation again.

Every time it happens (once in a blue moon though), I feel puzzled and yet amazed that I will kind of give it a thought for a while at first, and then tell that to my friends. Many of them will just laugh it off because they don’t think there is a chance that the thing I told them could have ever happened before, or simply because they have never experienced déjà vu.

I believe that the déjà vu is neither a dream (you can’t dream of tomorrow, can you?), nor your mind playing tricks on your tired brain, but rather it is a resemblance of your life or past life, which means that you have seen yourself (or the people around you) gone through the stuff before and you don’t remember it, but the memory is right there in your conscious mind and the seconds the same situation happens again, it triggers your brain and the old memory slips out of your mind to give you that feeling of familiarity.

Today apparently, scientists have found ways to recreate this sensation of déjà vu using hypnosis. But, is it really just a dream or it is in fact a memory from the past, no one can really answer that right now. I have always wondered, what if the feelings were actually warnings sent from the past or clues to the future?

When everybody else didn’t want to play with me,

You said, "Hey, I want to be your friend."

I asked what did you see in me,

You said you saw angel in me.

And then we became inseparable,

For years and years that I thought would never end,

But then I realized I was wrong.

Slowly I began to understand,

Ambitions and dreams would take you away from me someday.

But I was never angry or sad,

For I knew you would always be safe.

You told me not to be afraid,

Because you said you would always be my friend.

Thank you my dear friend,

I wanted you to know that,

Miles may separate us, but our hearts would never an inch apart.

May all your days be richly blessed,

Each and every one until the very end.

I believe that many of us or the people around us had been the victims of pickpocket before, perhaps not just once.

Pickpocketing is one of the most unbeatable as well as undetectable crimes in the world because the pickpockets are so skillful that by the time the victims realize they have lost their things, the pickpockets are already long gone.

In the case where you are taking the MRT, LRT, KTM or bus, there is actually something you can do to avoid being the easy target of pickpockets. Make it a habit to keep your important stuff like wallet, purse or cell phone in your pocket instead of your backpack or handbag (the ladies especially), and touch or feel them occasionally, or constantly if you are in the red zone or crowded area, because that will make the situation a little more difficult for the pickpockets to “perform” their actions for they have to actually touch you to get to your stuff.

Also, beware if someone accidentally bumps into (literally, I mean) you because your pockets might have already been picked. Remember that back pockets are not as safe as front pockets, because it’s fairly easy for a pickpocket to sneak up behind you and take your stuff just like that without you noticing it.

It’s difficult or almost impossible to identify these pickpockets because they are just normal, everyday people. They are very good at camouflaging themselves so as not to fit the common conception of typical criminals.

I think that pickpockets are going to be around for a very long time, and there’s not much law enforcement can do about it. Being informed and prepared all the time however, put you on the “hard target” list. Chances are, they’ll most likely just forget about you and move to a better target instead.

As much as I want to send all the pickpockets to jail, I think I would prefer their pockets being picked by other thieves. Well, they say the best way to understand pain and misery is to suffer the pain and misery yourself, isn’t it?

There’s no way that I will ever leave a buffet meal so fast, not before I’m overly stuffed or the time’s up that everybody’s being chased out of the place, but last week’s buffet experience turned out to be otherwise.

Last week, my friends and I went for an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet in Damansara. I haven’t had any sushi "experience" before because I don’t like the taste of raw meat in my mouth but since friends insisted my going with them, I thought I would give it a shot. Like the mobile says, time to change, I told myself.

The buffet restaurant was a place where you could partake of all the sushi, and other delicacies you could eat. The restaurant was classic in its own sort of way and the environment was good, you know, got all that reservation and welcoming stuff that made one feel privileged.

There were hand-tossed salads, and a soup bar with different kinds of soups. There was a seafood section which they served unpeeled shrimps and small crabs. At the teppanyaki section there were snails, scallops, chicken, beef and assorted vegetables. The American section had fries, grilled asparagus spears and chicken. The center of the buffet was the sushi section and certainly the longest line of the buffet. They served different kinds of sushi and sauces. The Chinese section had stew duck, chicken and fish and they’ve got cheese cakes, cocktails, ice creams, fruits and soft drinks at the dessert section.

When it comes to oyster, I don’t know how many of you out there managed to like it but no offence, I was nearly puked having one and it made my stomach gross (I don’ like raw meat, remember?). I had no comment for the sushi (judging from other customers’ reactions I could tell they liked it) because like I said I personally didn’t like it that much, but I had to comment on the meat they served. All of them (chicken, shrimp, duck, fried, not fried, stewed…) tasted indescribably bland and insipid. For 50 bucks, it was definitely not worth the price.

To the restaurant, I would say, hey, time to change. To myself, time to change back.

I have known my roommate Mason for nearly 4 years by now. In a couple of weeks he’s going to leave university and work as an auditor in a prestigious firm back at his hometown. I guess it’ll be hard for me to see him again.

Room 8-321 was where I first met Mason. He just sort of popped into my life on the day I began my freshmen year in university. This room number will forever stuck in my memory as it brings up a lot of sweet and bitter moments I had with him as freshmen.

I recalled that the first few weeks in the university was a complete nightmare to me. I will spare you the details of the terrifying junior orientation. I got lost in campus a lot, and most of the time I felt that I didn’t belong to the place. The new syllabus, the new faces and the new environment, everything was just…new. It was as if you were back to the kindergarten where everything had to start all over again.

At that time in my life when I needed someone the most to help me with my homesickness and traumas from the orientation, he was there to help me get through the hard times. After the freshman year, we moved out, rent a house outside the college and became roommates again.

Mason is different from most people, not in a physical, mental or emotional way. He just has this knack to be able to be what you needed most at the time you needed it. Behind his voice of humor there is always a voice of comfort. When you are way off base and the world seems grey to you, you will find your mood lighten by just talking to him.

He is unique in every way. His clothing isn’t stylish, but fits his personality. When his ideas are set; he will argue them, but they obviously withstand many arguments most of the time. He talks loud and fast whenever he is engaging in a conversation and his eyes widen and twinkle when he enjoys the subject he discusses.

He likes a lot of strange things, from Britney to tiny T-shirts which I never thought he could possibly fit in but he did. He talks to strangers like he’s known them for ages, sings wherever he goes despite his always out-of-tune vocal and says exactly what is on his mind.

He likes to introduce me to people he knows. Being a friend to someone so popular in school back then was not easy and it took me quite a while to get used to. Despite his popularity, he is never Mr. Arrogant. He does not turn down on people who matter less important to him. He treats everybody equally well, and treasures every friend he has. That is what makes him a very likeable person.

I miss being in Room 8-321 with Mason and I know that we will never be able to just talk all night in our room again once he left. Fortunately, he and I will always have the memories of Room 8-321 and the years we’ve spent together as roommates.

I might not be able to say goodbye right in front of him on his leaving day so I guess I will do it here instead.

“Mason, guess this is good-bye for us if you are seeing this right now. Thank you for putting up with me and you have been the best friend that anyone could ask for. I don’t know how my life would have been different if it wasn’t you who walked into Room 8-321 on the very first day, but I’m sure that whatever it could have been, it couldn’t be any better than the way it is right now. Come and visit me in PD or UKM if you are free. I would love to see a familiar smiling face. Good luck for your future undertakings.”

                                                                                                Your roommie,

                                                                                                     Michael.

I came across a Yahoo article, "Words That Weaken Your Resume" by Caroline Levchuck the other day. It was about writing a good resume and I felt that everybody should take a look at it. As you know, a strong resume gives potential employers a concise, clear picture of your skills and experience. And, it’s the crucial first step in securing an interview and hopefully a job offer.

Here are some dos and donts in writing a good resume according to Levchuck.

1. Keep your resume as concise as you can. You need to include all your achievements in only one to two pages, so don’t waste space on meaningless words. Plus, an employer doesn’t want to spend time trying to understand vague phrases or decipher confusing jargon.

2. An employer won’t know what you did if the wording on your resume is too vague. Words like "assist," "contribute" and "support" all say (or don’t say) the same thing. They say you helped, but they don’t say how. They beg the question: Exactly how did you assist, contribute or support a person or project? Use these words sparingly and always follow them with a description of your role and responsibilities. Let an employer know the part you played and how you affected the outcome.

3. Of course you want to show all that you’ve accomplished on your resume. But your achievements will be more impressive if you give concrete examples of what you’ve done and how you’re been successful. You don’t need to use words like "successfully" or "effectively" to show an employer that you’re a good worker; your experience should speak for itself. Instead of explicitly saying that a project was successful, state your achievements clearly and factually. Then give examples of how or why the project was a success.

4. The phrase "responsible for" can make your resume feel like a laundry list. Instead of just listing your responsibilities, try to stress your accomplishments. Your resume will also have more of an impact if you quantify your accomplishments. Use figures to show how you affected growth, reduced costs or streamlined a process. Provide the number of people you managed, the amount of the budget you oversaw or the revenue you saved the company.

5. Don’t flower your resume with fancy words. By trying to sound intelligent or qualified, you may end up annoying or confusing your reader. You don’t want an employer to need a dictionary to discover what you really did at your last job. Avoid buzzwords that have become cliche and words that are unnecessarily sophisticated. "Synergy" and "liaise" are examples of buzzwords that have been overused and abused. Say what you mean plainly and simply. For example, instead of "interface," say "work." Instead of "impact," say "affect." Instead of "utilize," say "use."

I think you have got the idea now on what to avoid and what to emphasize in your resume. Buy me a lunch or dinner when you’ve got the job. I’m not used to waking up early so you can forget about the breakfast. =)