Archive | PermalinkIrfan the Photographer

Nowadays when eating out, Irfan asks for the phone so he can scamper all over the restaurant being an avant-garde photographer of sorts.

He just aims at something he likes and clicks. Next time I'm giving him the phone when we're out in the park or picnic or balik kampung. 

Here are some of the photos he took recently.

Archive | PermalinkAnd The SDF-3 Is Still Missing

Robotech Defense / Expeditionary Force is back in force in the form of the direct-to-DVD movie Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles.

And this time, they're continuing directly from the Robotech The New Generation (the third chapter of the series that was derived from the Japanese standalone series Genesis Climber MOSPEADA) episode "Symphony of Light". In fact the first 20 minutes or so is a retread of the Battle of Reflex Point from the point of view of the returning fleet. However, this also means that the aborted Robotech II: The Sentinels movie and novels (especially The End of the Circle) has been decanonized and considered never happened.

Returning characters include Scott Bernard, the Invid simulagent Ariel, Louie Nichols formerly of the 15th ATAC. Previously non-canon characters Vince and Jean Grant, General Reinhardt and Janice Em are also featured. New characters that pop up include Marcus Rush (brother of Marlene) and Maia Sterling (apparently the other daughter of Max and Miriya).

There are a couple of cameo appearances of Admiral Rick Hunter, leader of the Expeditionary Force aboard the SDF-3... which goes missing, but as I mentioned not as depicted in the novel by the gestalt entity Jack McKinney.

Thankfully, there are no Lynn Minmei shenanigans.

There is a brief "We Will Win" reference in the end though.

SPOILERS follow!

Archive | PermalinkTwenty Four Weeks on the 24th

I can't believe it. Four more weeks have passed since the Halfway Mark! We are now 60% of the way there. I think there's been more progress on the belly in the last four weeks though. What do you think?

I'm feeling pretty good, all things considered. Aches and pains that are considered "normal", sure. Lots of whining to poor Vin, of course, but on the whole both baby and I are doing well. Baby does a bunch of moving around these days, which is a cool yet bizarre experience. Seems like the "flutters" are growing stronger now.

(This post not brought to you from my cell phone since I refuse to get a phone that does all those crazy things! It will only be extra ways that work people can get a hold of me!)

Archive | PermalinkWriting From The Phone

Archive | PermalinkTwo Alien SWAG Requests

Archive | PermalinkGRRRRRRRR SNOW GRRRRRRRR BLIZZARD - Follow up

So those of you who romanticize snow, and think it's cool and stuff, sure it looks pretty until you realize that in order to get out of the house you have to shovel the entire driveway or you're stuck.

Here's poor Vin, shoveling first a path to the mailbox (so he can pick up the mail and his newspapers):

Archive | PermalinkA Night Out In The City...

... and the city is known as Tehran. Last week I spent a better part of a week (for work purposes) in Iran.

The first photo of the entry two days ago showed Azadi Tower of Tehran, close to Mehrabad Airport, which now only handles domestic flights.

Tehran was a bustling city, there were plenty of Peugeot cars as well as their national Khodro cars. It seemed to me that it's actually safer in Tehran than in Kuala Lumpur. I saw plenty of young women walking alone, presumably back from work with their briefcases, at night. I wouldn't walk alone at some places in KL's inner city. There were many malls in the city much like the ones in central KL, selling everything from Gucci to Versace. Families with infants and preschoolers walk the streets at night to have dinner at the many fast food outlets there.

Everyone was friendly, even when they couldn't speak English.

Prologue: The Homa Hotel

This is where I stayed in Tehran: the 16-story Homa Hotel, formerly the Sheraton. It's quite comfortable and the ratatouille they serve as part of their Western breakfast set is delicious.

The Streets of Tehran

The streets at night are rife with colour. Every band of the visible spectrum is represented by many neon lights.

Check out the script for the number four at the car registration plate, found at the twin double numbers at the right section of the plate. Interestingly enough, it seems the Persian "four" is "C" on a stick instead of the regular Arabic mirror image "3" that we usually use in Malaysia.

Archive | PermalinkGRRRRRRRR SNOW GRRRRRRRR BLIZZARD

OK, people! What is the deal? It is freaking March 8th, 30 miles north of Kentucky, and what do we have? A foot of snow on the ground! Blizzard conditions! WTF????

Look at this stuff!!!?!?!

Archive | PermalinkWhere Have I Been?

The last week or so, I have been on a trip.

Any guesses as to where?

It's in the Middle East, populated by friendly folk, and the food is fantastic.

Here are four photos all laid out to be more clues to the location.

Stay tuned for the answer as well as more photos.

Archive | PermalinkBoy or Girl? DON'T TELL US! - Part 2

So, seven weeks after the first ultrasound, we are at 21 weeks and 3 days for our next ultrasound. Again, Vin and I do not want to know the gender, so if you can tell from the pictures, don't tell us!!!

As of today, (s)he weighs in at 1 whole pound. I just checked the previous entry, and (s)he was 3 ounces only at the time! (S)he is growing at a normal rate. We will see the OB next week to review the progress.

Archive | PermalinkStay In School, Kids

At least he found x.