Devolution Workin' Man Blues

The following is my To-Do list from July19th - July 25th 2010.

1. Interview respondents for Teenspeak.
2. Get respondents to send me their photos.
3. Nag Michelle and Wee Sheong for the diary account.
4. Nag Michelle and Wee Sheong to send me a sexy photo of themselves.
5. Edit the diary account.
6. Edit Teenspeak responses.
7. Prepare for presentation on the world's political systems due to last minute unforeseen circumstances.
8. Study for Political Science Mid Term.
9. Complete assignment on the "Allah" issue.
10. Edit group members' report.
11. Put together all parts of the assignment and print out.
12. Pretend to be oblivious of Calyn's birthday...
13. ...then throw her a surprise party at her house.
14. E-mail in all written articles and photos to editor.
15. Pitch new proposed story to editor.
16. Try not to breakdown while juggling the million and one other things not mentioned on this list.

The thing is I am actually enjoying the stress of work. I've discovered recently that I get very restless when I've completed all task. Maybe I'll take 24 hours to rest and go for a jog and listen to Rachael Yamagata. But when the 24 hours is up my brain just HAVE to find something to do or something to worry about.

 Two possible hypothesis. Either I'm turning into a workaholic or I'm just being sadistic :/

Like Whoa (Part 3)

This is NOT an advertorial

My friend Julian Theseira will be heading off to the States soon to further his studies.
This is why I was ecstatic when I received news that iTalk Whoa is having a special promotional call rates to the US, UK, Canada, Australia and China which runs from 15^th July to 31^st December 2010.

Apart from calling up JT, I will now have more reason to call up my cousin in the UK, distant aunty from Canada, old schoolmate in Australia and...hmm I don’t really have any relations in China, but this promotion is too good to let slide! So maybe I’ll dig up my old family scrapbook and look up for long lost relatives or something.

Anyway, here are the special rates drafted up by the good folks at TM.

Country	iTalk Whoa
	Fixed	Mobile
China	0.07	0.08
U.S.A	0.07	0.10
U.K	0.07	0.85
Canada	0.07	0.14
Australia	0.07	0.81

Interested and want to know more? Well feel free to browse through some of the FAQ letters I received on my non-existent ‘Ask Chester’ column.

1.       Dear Chester, can any other Ah Beng and Ah Lian enjoy this promotion?

Well not just any Ah Beng and Ah Lian! You would have to have signed up as an iTalk Whoa user first before you enjoy the special rates.

2.       I am an IT bimbo. So how do I go about making calls from iTalk Whoa?

Aww...I’m an IT bimbo too! *high five*

But seriously you don’t have to be Bill Gates to make calls using iTalk Whoa. The process is relatively simple. All you have to do is login to www.italkwhoa.com. Click on the “Phone” tab, choose the international destination and enter your phone number. Click “Dial” and enjoy the conversation. Do ensure that you have sufficient iTalk Credit before making any calls though.

3.       Can I enjoy the promotion rates if I make calls out of the promotion period?

Sorry to break your bubble but no. The promotion only runs from 15^th July till 31^st December 2010.

4.       Do I enjoy special rates if I make iTalk calls to other countries than as listed above?

Again sorry to break your bubble but nope. Any calls made to other countries than mentioned in item 5 are not eligible to enjoy the special rates

5.      Can I enjoy these rates if I am residing and making calls from the countries listed above?

Since iTalk Whoa is a web based portal, you can virtually make your call anywhere in the world. All you need is an internet connection.

6.       I am a Home Prepaid and iTalk for Mobile customer. Do I enjoy the iTalkWhoa Promo Rates?

The promotion rates are only applicable for iTalkWhoa users. To enjoy this great deal, register yourself now at www.iTalkWhoa.com.

Promotion ends 31^st December 2010. So if you haven’t signed up as an iTalk Whoa user yet, go ahead and do it now!

Better Than You

Finding a designated parking space within my university compounds is a bitch. Heck, I think I will have better luck getting a parking space at Mid Valley.

*gasp*

Yes, I said it! I mean just look at the photo below (courtesy of Ms. Grace Chia):

Just to reiterate my point, bicycle parking at UTAR is a bitch.

Apart from being called Universiti Tak Ada Rehat and "military university", we Utarians have a questionable mentality too sometimes. In case you're wondering why I'm spoofing my own university, it is because I've noticed that all university/ college-going students regardless of race and religion (really 1Malaysia, Najib must be so proud now) have a tendency to compare their institution with yours and pick up flaws (even though they tend to bitch about their own institution with their university peers) in the groves of acadame you're enrolled in.

So yup, I figured since I'm not tagging along in this eh-why-your-university-like-that-one-ah-so-cham-not-like-my-uni-we-are-so-much-better-than-your-uni bandwagon and getting all defensive when someone passes a negative comment about my university, I figured I might as well spoof myself :)

Anyway yep back to this "questionable mentality", UTAR students have this tendency to park 5 bicycles in a plot meant for 2 bicycles. Very economic hor? In case you're wondering why UTAR produce such high quality business and accounting students, I honestly believe it has to do with this "ability" of "maximizing space usage".

If you'll excuse me, I have to go hide before the students from the Business Faculty hunt me down.


To be continued... (If the Business students don't get to me first!)

BookSneeze Review: 'Mystically Wired' by Ken Wilson

Let me just begin by saying that I am not a Christian. Neither am I a very religious person (unless you count superstition as a spiritual devotion). So why on earth, you might ask, am I doing reading and reviewing a book on Christianity?

I honestly don't know. But what I do know is that I am drawn by the notion of viewing prayers through a scientific eye view.

The main idea of Mystically Wired is relatively simple - our brains are biologically wired to pray.

Ken Wilson, a senior pastor and author of Jesus Brand Spirituality proposed that each and everyone of us are equipped with the capability to pray in this "how-to" book. The hypothesis here is that the innate inclination to pray is embedded within one's brain synapses rather than being a purely cultural thing.  Prayer here is scrutinized on a scientific background rather than one of the religious approach

The book is divided into two parts. In Part 1, Wilson tackles the meaning of what it meant to be mystically wired and explored the many facade of prayer while providing references to scientific data and journals. On the second half of the book, Wilson presents practical advice to get into the habit of praying through means such as meditation and praying at intervals.

Mystically Wired starts off ambitiously with Wilson drawing references to the brain-imaging studies that scientists conducted on monks and nuns. The comprehensive research of scientific date and intense prayer experiences done by the author is impressive. However, Wilson failed to keep the momentum rolling after the first few chapters.

Some of the ideas which he presented on the book seemed a bit far-fetched albeit the fact that they are supported by a scientific basis. It is also unfortunate that the book tend to get too wordy at times. The idea is clearly there but they are not constructed in a way which casual readers like me would comprehend.

What that I do like though, is the cookbook-esque way which Wilson presents the practical ways to cultivate the praying habit. But this one saving grace is just not enough to propel the book in the ambitious direction it was heading to.

I approached the book with an open mind but the execution just didn't make it for me.  Truth be told, I'm still waiting for the great revelation. Unfortunately, Mystically Wired is just not it.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Chester Endorses... 'Aphrodite' by Kylie Minogue

NPR's Amy Schriefer couldn't have come up with a more apt analogy when she compared Kylie Minogue to football. She is worshiped in most parts of the world except the United States.

Named after the Greek goddess of beauty and love herself, the album is the diminutive Australian diva's 11th studio album and one of her best thus far. There is not a single ballad here which is fine really considering Minogue's magic work best when she purrs her way through heavily synced dance tracks.

Listening to the album was a pure euphoric experience. It is pop fluff minus the frivolity. It is a record for the weekends without much care for Monday mornings hangover.

From the anthemic beats of 'Better Than Today' to the haunting Europop-esque sounds of 'Cupid Boy', this is Kylie at her best dance floor bliss.


'Aphrodite' is out July 5th in record stores and distributed by Warner Music Malaysia.