Ximplicity v2.0

goodness, i can barely keep up with the updates of wordpress..

if you’re already using 2.3.x, you’d have already realized the annoying message “A new version of WordPress is available! Please update now.” on the top of your dashboard.

while i am still trying to get used to the 2.3.x, WordPress 2.5 was officially launched 2 days ago on the 29th March, 2008.

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according to the launch info,  here’s some of the tempting latest features:

1. Customizable and Widgets based Dashboard !!!!
2. one-click plugin upgrades
3. Friendlier visual post editor
4. Built-in galleries
5. multi-file uploading
6. salted passwords and cookie encryption
7. media library
8. a WYSIWYG that doesn’t mess with your code
9. concurrent post editing protection
10. full-screen writing
11. search that covers posts and pages.

for full upgrade information, you can check it out at the official release info blog here:
http://wordpress.org/development/2008/03/wordpress-25-brecker/

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i’ve already downloaded the latest WordPress 2.5 and am ready to upgrade all the blogs i’m currently managing to the latest version. but i guess i’ll put ximplicity on the bottom of the list as this is my main blog and i wouldn’t want anything happen to it until i see the rest of the blogs have successfully survived the transition..

if you still don’t know what’s WordPress yet, it’s by far the most popular web publishing tool. get it HERE

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Now Listening: James Blunt - Shine On

Vietnam, my first ASEAN country. i’ve always wanted to visit the neighboring ASEAN countries. to my personal opinion, though most ASEAN countries are still labeled as third world and developing countries, they are so rich in culture no developed countries could ever match. especially the Indochine mass, sitting right in the middle of 2 of the oldest civilization India and China, i bet we would be able to see one helluva scene.

On The Way to the Halong Bay Cave, i thought this view can only be seen in China

The Confucious Temple in Hanoi

A Pagoda by the lake

Influences of China, India, American and French cultures molded today’s Vietnam.. Chinese Temples that are still in use today, French styled buildings in the French quarters, Indian believes, culture rituals. the influences from these 4 main culture are very obvious from its architecture, buildings, people’s culture and even their daily livings. if you are ever a culture traveller, it’s a country you shouldn’t miss. torn apart by the bloody civil war, Vietnam has a painful history, but has given the world a very good lesson on how important peace is, and how war could bring a country down, by poverty.

“A Painful History”

“HUNGRY”

though it’s only Hanoi and Saigon, it’s already an eye opener and i had a minor culture shock… one thing i’ll never get used to is its traffic.. i can guarantee you it’s a million times messier than KL, being so expensive to get a car, the 2 wheelers are the main mode of personal transport in Vietnam. it’s so popular that there are 2 millions motorcycles in Hanoi and 4 million in Saigon. and practically there’re no traffic rules in Vietnam, it is not for the faint hearted, trust me. i was on it and it was a LIFE AND DEATH experience to me. at that very moment the kid who was pillaining me brought me through streams of bikes and cars that stampeded towards me, i thought Mat Rempit’s way of rushing through the traffics and do stunts on the street are actually nothing, kid’s play, or you can say, rubbish la!! totally no kick ah!!

Bikes, Bikes and more Bikes

Even Motorcyclists’ helmet has fashion too

“LOST” - An Old Lady caught in the middle of streams of Bikes

the one thing i know i could never pick up is the Vietnamese language which consists 6 different vocal tones, blardy hell!! Chinese language’s 4 tones can already be pretty confusing, imagine 6!! there’s one last thing i really need to say is that, Vietnam has incredibly beautiful kids. they are so beautiful i had a very happy time snapping the faces of the kids…

Run Boy, Run!!

School Kids in Assembly

The most beautiful face in Vietnam

The Mother and The Son

well well, let’s hope there’ll be a chance i can pay a visit to Central Vietnam, where most of Vietnam’s histroies took place, ancient ruins of historical kingdoms and a 20km coast line with beaches that have pearl white sand. frankly speaking, 2GB card was never enough for such trip, i’ll make sure i’m getting myself at least an 8GB CF card before i depart. all the images below are a small fraction from the 600 images i snapped from Hanoi, Halong Bay and Ho Chi Minh City(Saigon). if you’re interested, here are the links to the albums..

all sceneries are from Hanoi, HalongBay and Saigon
http://ximplicity.net/gallery/vietnam

my personal favorite album, the “faces of Vietnam”, where you see the people, their lives and their culture..
http://ximplicity.net/gallery/facesofvietnam

Halong Bay Cave Special
http://ximplicity.net/gallery/halongcave

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Now Listening: James Blunt - One of the Brightest Stars

finally i get to see my little non-biological nephew Eason, my brother’s son..

WHAT A CUTE THING !!!

goodness sake, he gave me that “umpph” to get married and have a little boy of my own immediately

damn, bringing him around in my arms, playing around with him, making him laugh, talking to him all made me felt like a daddy..

Cavin, darn it, soon you’ll have this sort of fun man !

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he has totally no fear of his first met uncle Ken and was happily lying in my arms him strolling around midvalley..

his only response to my ugly face was laughing, giglling and trying to grab my specs all the time.

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no matter how bad your day was going to be, once you see this cute little angel staring at you, smiling, giggling and laughing, all the blues will be swept away INSTANTLY…

looking forward for more meeting ups with this cute little thing and not to forget, snap his photos to make it into an album..

man, he just melt my heart away

Little Eason at Starbucks, Midvalley

Now Listening: James Blunt - Cry

heard a lot about Nintendo’s Wii, the revolutionary gaming console that has brought gaming onto another level, unlike the convenional game consoles, Wii is so much more than just pressing buttons on the controller pads. however, due to the not-so-popular factor of Nintendo, i’ve yet to have a chance to lay a hand on a Wii..

Finally, yesterday was my first ever time layed a hand on a Nintendo Wii…

and frankly, with that little thing on your hand…

once you start, you just can’t stop, the experience is so un-conventional !!

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playing duel-fighting game is no longer remembering how you gonna move your D-pads and memorizing the button sequence but punch forward.

running forward in a sports game could mean physically running..

swinging a racquet or a club means you really need to swing your hands while holding onto the controller.

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gaming has become so energy draining and so much fun with Wii..

and with all the swinging, moving, running, dodging, you are actually exercising even without you knowing.

i was blady sweating like mad after playing an hour with Wii in a fully Air Conditioned Room, imagine that !

i think i should put serious consideration into trading in my PS2 for a Wii..

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Wii ROCKS !!!!

i was seriously wondering why is Nintendo Wii is named “W.i.i.”,

at first, it doesn’t really sound right..

however, after yesterday night, i finally know why it’s called a Wii..

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because Wii makes you go Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee !

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Now Listening: James Blunt - Give Me Some Love

每一個人都有追尋自己夢想的自由,

也應該要有撇下牽掛, 踏出並衝向那段嚮往的生活的勇氣

更何況是一直以來本就已習慣了漂泊的人?

無論是再堅固的關係, 始終都得向生活的牽扯作出一個讓步

能夠放下牽掛大膽地邁向生命裡那未知數本身, 就已經是最大的勇氣

所以, 我們應該推, 而不是拉..

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縱然有著再深厚的感情, 然而我們卻也不得不認同..

人與人之間的感情, 因時間而堅實, 也因時間而虛化

人, 畢竟也只不過是一頭再實際不過的動物

一萬句深情款款的問候, 遠比不上一個堅而實的擁抱..

時間和距離, 究竟也可把最堅固的愛情變質,

更何況這是一個大家都知道”永遠”只不過是童話故事專用詞的歲月..

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“天下無不散之宴席”

這應該是一句每一個認識中文的人都應該會知道的諺語..

重點, 不在於即將散去的宴席和最美味的奇珍希餚, 而在於那宴席的過程

再不捨, 也沒有人應該在散去的宴座上留戀一片杯盆狼藉..

應該緊記的, 應該是那久散不去的菜香..

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飄, 也始終得有片落葉歸根的土地..

我絕不承諾我會駐守在這片土地上..

我不會, 也不能夠, 因為我也有我的路要走

但我一定會在這片土地上種一棵記憶的樹, 做一個印記..

能讓另一條路上的人在回首時, 遠遠就能看到那棵大樹, 並認住這片大家曾經的土地…

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我並不是他們說的特別冷靜, 更加不是冷血..

我不哭, 我不留, 我不喊..

卻不代表我不會不捨

只是, 太慣於權衡利弊的天秤性格告訴我:

“不捨, 應該是一種心境, 而不應該是一種心情.”

《馬陵道》 裡說過, “送君千里, 終須一別”

哭, 留, 喊只不過會讓一段送別更沉重..

讓離開的人多一份牽掛, 留下的人多一分苦澀

既然如此, 又何不笑著說珍重?

至少, 在往後的日子裡,

沒有人會只記得那段肝腸寸斷的送別, 而是在真切的期待下一次聚首的喜悅

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因為我始終相信:

“再見, 不應該是個句號, 而應該是個逗號, 因為我們要用感嘆號來完成我門的故事”

Touched down and got home, it’s been a week away from home…

taking transit train and getting in and out of KLIA seemed to be part of my life now..

i’ve already forgetten the excitement when i first embarked on this little job that requires me to fly all the time..

the motivation now i have is how much shutter count i can kill, and the rich culture i’ve always wanted to see

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home, is such a beautiful name.

and it become even more beautiful when it means i could see you.

going away has been so heavy..

and going away has never been so energy draining..

not the work, nor the stress level..

but the energy needed to miss you

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all the time..

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Now Listening: Shayne Ward - Breathless

In less than 5 hours time, i’ll be on the plane again..

This time to the Emerald of the Orient..

once torn by the bloody civil war and brothers of the north and south were seperated. yet ironically, it took down the world superpower and gave them a very hard time.

i just can’t wait to take pictures of this beautiful country and its beautiful people

See you guys in 6 days time !!

have a great weekend !

You are like the brightest light in my darkest night.

because you lit up my every single moment.

what you’ve said made me realized whatever it’s gonna take, it’s gonna worth every single strength and effort i’m going to put in.

it’s a great motivation for me to proceed and push myself further in life, and for sure, it’s for a better and a worthwhile one.

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frankly, there’s nothing much one ever need to do but just sit down comfortably and listen to what you’re saying, even a quiet moment seemed such a beautiful moment.

you know? you’ve made me feel that my presence was very much appreciated, no matter how long or how short it was. and that was the one sweetest thing one could’ve ever done.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING SUCH AN ANGEL.

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and did i tell you that you have the most beautiful pair of eyes i’ve ever seen?

you’re curious why was i stunned for a while. i didn’t tell you because at that brief moment, i was wishing..

and what i actually wished for was that time could be frozen at the moment your sight caught mine.

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today, is going to be a day i know i will never forget..

oh my, what a beautiful day it was.

Thanks for making my pre-departure day such a beautiful day.. that was all i ever need for a safe trip.

Thanks…

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Now Listening: Sade - By Your Side

Sorry, due to my ignorance and some other issues, Ximplicity was down for quite a while.

during this period of time, i received quite a number of messages asking me about why ximplicity was downto my realization, Ximplicity does have its readers..

but, i haven’t stopped writings, i have been doing the usual writings on google documents while the site is on its recovery process. am backtracking all the entries currently

you can find them HERE and HERE

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at the mean time, i would love to tell everyone who reads ximplicity,

THANK YOU very very much..

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i promise…

I WILL NOT LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN

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Now Listening: 楊宗緯 - 讓

可能是這幾天的天氣吧?
也可能是阿楊的哭腔吧..
這幾天一直重複又重複, 不停地在重複播著他的歌
連那同一個身影也是, 揮也揮散不去
重複又重複, 不斷地在侵蝕著我的思緒

幾天下來的心情, 總是好不起來,
想必是那個下微雨的晚上開始的吧?
為了一個沒有被兌現的電話..
雖然, 在那之前總已有預感會失望而歸
但我依然懷著一顆姑且的心, 滿懷壯志赴約..

已經忘了有多久沒有試過自己一個人呆坐在路邊攤, 等著一個不知道會不會響起來電話..
縱然明知道那應該會是一個沒有結果的晚上, 但我依然等著…
可我始終是忘了問自己:
等的, 究竟是什麼?

響, 電話在最後倒是響了,
當我看到了妳那一段話, 知道我希望落空的那一刻
我終於知道我等的是什麼了..
原來, 我只不過是想
見一見那重複又重複, 不斷地在侵蝕著我思緒的身影…
聽一聽那身影和我說話, 好讓我能有一點的時間去了解這一個身影…
也原來, 失望的酸楚竟然來的比其他任何的感覺都真實..

在車子裡飛馳著回家的路上, 當微雨打在臉上時..
我竟然不敢相信, 我再也分不清的是..
那, 究竟真的是雨水, 還是淚水..
還有, 那股失望的無力感, 真的很實在..

多少次了, 我很想說, 真的很想就這樣和妳說..
可是, 我真的提不起勇氣..
害怕的感覺, 腐蝕了我..
我沒有資格, 也沒有能力
我還看不見自己的未來, 又怎麼敢把妳也放進來?
難怪他們說
承諾, 不要隨便說出口
幸福, 應該是被兌現的承諾
在這一刻, 這一切竟然都是那麼的沉重
因為我不知道
我, 到底要怎麼給一個折了翅的天使一片能過翱翔的天空?

寫了一堆有的和沒的
突然覺得..
怎麼連提起筆寫我最拿手的方塊字, 再怎麼樣看起來都好像不太行
這麼多年來的寫作習慣告訴我..
我的腦子裡, 根本就是毫無頭緒, 根本就是亂的
所以, 方塊字也選擇了在這一刻, 離棄了我
更可笑的是, 我知道你有在讀我寫的文章, 可是當妳在讀這一篇文章時, 妳或許不知道這是寫給妳的..

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在天快亮之前, 我想說的只是:
洋蔥, 是我的歌, 不是妳的…
害怕的, 是我, 而不應該是妳…
因為, 承諾, 應該是我給妳的…
妳需要給的, 只不過是: 你勇敢的愛…

Now Listening: 楊宗緯 - 幸福的風