"Learn mistakes form others, we can't live long enuff to do it all by ourselves"

Such a strong and essential tips especially to those whose life had just 'begun'. Many people says that - man's life begins at 30.. some says 40.. some says 50. so I think as soon as the person reach maturity as a person (attitude & thinking) not by age - he/she should be handling his/her life with extra careful - after all life is so fragile - we can't be 'too careful'. To make sure we can handle our things and life much much better - we need to learn more lesson from everyday life.

Few months back I went to the cemetery in my kampung to pay a short visits to my father's grave - then I went around to see some other new graves I noticed. There were numbers of names on the grave that shocks me - they were my friends whom I still feel their presences and I can still picture their smiles and jokes, but they are actually 'no longer existed' . Then I recalled most of them (if not all) died of accidents and health problems (cancers). My father passed away due to cancer too - colon cancer. Life is so fragile - I learned lessons from their life story.

What attracted me to blog about this title isn't really because of that went-to-the-grave experience, but it was somehow related in a bigger picture. Actually I want to make a topic that everyone can share their 'mistakes' so that everyone can learn and get improvised generally.

If the word 'mistakes' sounds too bad or the experience is just too embarrassing to be shared - try to just produce the 'lesson learned' or the 'tips' so that others (or at least myself) would gain the benefit. I think people will appreciates that a lot. After all that's what the wise says;

"learn mistakes form others, we can't live long enuff to do it all by ourselves".

and furthemore;

"Lessons are repeated until it's learned"

I just hope that any sharing here are originals - it is easy to find nice "I've learned this and that's... copy pasted from the net.." (that is welcome too but please re-word it :P), but original stories / tips would be most welcome.

I'll kick off sharing (all sharing from comments will be incorporated in this post bearing your tag. & will be updated regularly)

Lesson 1 (By DA)
(Happened to me a while ago) When you planed to re-finance your car or to buy your spouse car (ini biasa orang laki-bini buat untuk dapatkan extra cash). Do it 1 month or few weeks before expiry dates of the car's road-tax. This is true specially when dealing with family car where the main point is just to get some cash n not to really sell away the car. By this you will be able to save from paying extra cash for the insurance purposes, because a new car owners MUST buy a new different insurance. Jadi jangan kena double payment for insurance. In my case I have just renew my road-tax last months and this week I plan to re-finance my car - akhirnya I have to pay a new insurance coverage again (walhal baru last month sia renew road-tax and insurance - bengong). So avoid it.

Some extra consideration - if that car has some 'bruises' and 'scars' here and there, just sent your car to 'accident' and then send for touch-up or fix anything broken/not functioning, UNDER insurance coverage (mcmana mo buat tu pandai-pandailah :P). You are actually optimizing your insurance. Because once change ownership, the car will have a new insurance and you will have to pay the premium without any discount. So when you plan to re-finance a car, make sure you really re-NEW the car :D.
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Lesson 2 (By DA - added on 7 Nov 08)
I remember my only digital camera................ which is now R.I.P :(
It happen after I sent it to the Service Center for minor fix, but instead of repairing it 'they make it a major blow!' It was my only Sony Cybershot. I send to Sony service center in Damai, they sent it to K.L, and when it back to Sabah, it's dead!. I query and complaint - they sent it back to K.L, and later K.L told me to pay RM 600 to fix it.. zzzzzzz they blow it (and they don't want to admit it) and now I have to pay for it.. waaa =/

Since I can't afford it (sebab kalau RM 600, bagus lagi beli baru..), they don't want to fix it! At the end I lost the cam. Wherever I go now, I only have my eyes to capture the images... sob sob sob.. /sigh

Becareful when sending your things (especially electronics) for fix, make sure you show to the counter 'what really working and what not'. Sometimes they might end screw-up and don't want to admit it. Better still bring along a witness and let him/her sign any documents as well. Kalau mau lagi bagus, kamu bergambar-gambar lagilah sana dalam tu center for more proof :P.

Haiya I seriously need a digi cam now....





* This post is also posted here.

Gained any insight from my sharing?

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My Film review : Lust and Caution N-17 rating!

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DRAMA/THRILLER
United States/China, 2007
Running Length: 2:37
MPAA Classification: NC-17 (Explicit sex, nudity, violence)

Cast: Tang Wei, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Joan Chen, Wang Lee-Hom
Director: Ang Lee
Screenplay: James Schamus, Wang Hui-Ling, based on the story by Eileen Chang
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Last night (8th Nov 08) I watched Lust and Caution after successfully downloading it for 3 days non-stop. The film is banned in many countries including China and Malaysia hence downloading it via torrent is the only possible way (btw, I use bitChe and bit torrent for my movie/film download).

I downloaded the film after reading the review about it. Some give 3 stars some reach 4.5 stars ^.^

I consider my self as a big movie/film fan. In fact my dream initially was to become a movie producer (but apakan daya, keluarga nda merestui.. ). I can watch 6 movies in a row simultaneously-no-rest, but of course must be a good movie lah, and I'm open to all genre. Genre is not important to me. I value the storyline and how well the actor and actresses play their roles. However, I truly love movies and films that can give a strong impact to its audiences, where not only the message crossed to them but the exact feeling and the total different 'world' portrayed in the movie are felt and creates temporarily to long lasting behavioral changes to the audiences. I'm talking about movies like The Godfather, Exorcist I & II, The train, Schindler's List, It's a Beautiful Life, Antara Dua Darjat and etc., just to name a few. I'm a collector of controversial movies too, got plenty of that must-have collection ^.^

Anyway, lets back to Lust and Caution. I think the story line was very dramatic and intense. After watching it, I was very satisfied with the quality and equally very disturbed and (little) depressed as it ends. The Director, Ang Lee have proven again his ability to plant the desired impact to the audience effectively. I am equally stunned with the daring actor, lead by Hong Kong heart throb Tony Leung and the impressive lead actress a new comer named Tang Wei. Tony Leung is of course an experienced actor but I didn't quite expect that Tony will be that 'explicit in details'. It was their gruesome+acrobatically+long intense love making scene that makes China and many countries.. decided to banned the movie (beside the assassination plot in the story line).

I think the intense explicit scene was necessary to provide significant weight of the 'sacrifices' endured by the lead actress. How bad it is to allow someone that you really hate-to-the-extreme, to 'enjoy' your body as his likes, and pretend that you really want it too. If she play as a hooker roles it will be totally difference and much easily to be accepted. But, we are looking at a decent girl who have easily and honestly sacrificed her 'womanhood' physically and mentally - again and again and again (I actually thought that she really 'sacrificed it' in her real life for this debut movie :P).

What really 'moved my heart' was that - after all the sacrifices she delivered, at the end she is the one who failed the whole assassination plot on the very last second. (I was thinking.. this is it, and suddenly..... auch!). It puts you in a 'stress painful disappointment but to no choice' situation.

Later, I got a little carried away by it and had a difficult sleep.. and that's my hint for a very good movie/film. For that I would recommend it to all (just remember it's a N-17 rating, so certainly not for youngsters and children and might not suit those 'traditional conservative' minds too :P.

Ok, that's my personal review on the film. Actually I feel a bit funny too, prior to this I watched Tropic Thunder and Bangkok Dangerous (after a strong recommendation from my friends), to me it was okay lah.. sorry folk but I was quite disappointed with TT and BD :P.

Till then guys. Cheers!!




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The Dusun Aroma - Kids!!!

:D
Kids and 'kid's times' is one of the precious things in life - but often taken for granted. I remember when I was a little kid, I always want to grow up fast. I'm curios about the 'things that the elders do' and I want to do it. But now I'm 32 (tua butul kah nie? inda juga bah kan .. :) wish I can be kids again, especially when I browse through my nieces and nephews pictures. It looks so awesome! no problems and everything is fun including crying :D. So for these 'round' and perhaps for the next few rounds, I like to dedicate it to all the kids, parents with kids and those who miss those days.

Btw, I'm in no means to portray that getting older is not a nice things. We are growing and we should be enjoying that (especially to ladies :P) - but least not forget to make full use of our kids' time. For those with kids, have a quality time with them, the moment will come too soon that kids are no longer kids, no matter what.

Alrite, lets roll!


1. On the foreground from left to right - Nun, Bibie, meimei and lady. All the kids now are in their 20s.



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2. Among my favorite! it was taken during a family picnic at Tikolod, Tambunan. From left - right Ciddy, Bonnie, Roy, Meimei, Lady and Rudy who was looking to his left water-shooting someone else. Family picnic was always our weekend agenda.



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3. Hehehe they will be mad at me if they find this. It was Christmas in 1996 or 1997, and as a new varieties to the yearly celebration - family organize a little competition. The girls compete for beauty Queen and the boys compete for Ratu Pondan - what else :P.
From right to left Junior (the winner), Roy, Bonnie and N'Rule. All of them are now in their diploma and degree studies. Mother is seen on the far left, can't help but laughing. Oh boys..



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4. Another interesting shots of children with some elders :D. Another family trip to Tikolod Tambunan. Tikolod then was our favourite spot for picnic as the river's formation is more safer and most of the time it is clear. However, in this pic. the water looks brackish - perhaps it rains heavily a day before. From left - right Liza with Ciddy, Aaron, (2 boys cannot be identified - blocked), Bedah (lady with black-whit stripe shirt), Dear (kids with black shirt), Roy, (another un-identified boy and girl, Rose (girl on red shirt), Aymon, Marryane or Bibie (not sure :P), and **** (I don't know remember her name :P), and last one Darlene or Nora (they look similar *.*). On the background most probably my bro. Idus with daughter tubing.



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5. Last photo for this post. Lots of smiley faces of the kids with styles. They don't do all those funky moves now even if you beg them. From left - right Nun was looking at Rudy (shouting), Bonnie while giving 'peace', Dear (blue shirt) smiling handsomely, N'rule with innocent smile, Junior (red shirt), Roy also giving 'peace' sign, Meimei looking seriously, Bibie smiling and giving another peace and last one Lady (in red).


That's all for now.
Cheers folks!

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The Dusun Aroma II

Here are some more photos form my old albums. All this photos are taken before digital camera age.

All Photos are copyrighted. Feel free to contact me if you want to use/reproduce any or part of the photos. Thank you.

1. This photo was taken during 'Kaamatan' Festival which means Harvest Festivals. Kaamatan is one of the grandest and oldest cultural and traditional celebration in Sabah (Malaysian Borneo).
In this photo was a simple Kaamatan at church level. Notice well the traditional costume worn by some in this photos. My wife is actually one of them.

The grandest of Kaamatan is the State level which is celebrated on 30 - 31st of May yearly. During the celebration 150-200K peoples stormed at Hongkod Koisaan in Penampang to witness and participate many events, competition, contest, food fiesta, singing and dancing etc. The main event will be the Beauty Queen contest. More history and information on Kaamatan can be found in the net.


2. 2nd photo is another shot of my mother harvesting the ground peanut. While ground peanut takes longer time to reap, the Dusun's usually will plant along different fast growing veggies and fruits such as cucumber, tomatoes, etc. and maize - as seen in the photos. The produce form the ground peanut trial planting was not bounty, hence the field was used to cultivate the normal paddy on the following years.



3. A very old photo (and comes in a very small size about 2 x 2 inch). I collected this photo from old family album. This is a photo of a wedding celebration (however, this is few days after the real wedding night celebrations. This is what the people use to term it as Second Round :P)
In the fore ground you can see at least 1 jar with bamboo straw and a person is sipping it. That is the famous local rice wine brewed by the Dusun. It is called Tapai. Notice as well the bamboo floor/wall. What a joyous day.


4. This is a picture of myself plucking and preparing the paddy seedlings before transferring it to the muddy paddy field. At the background is my sister in-law Emma. This process is carried out during early in the morning to avoid higher mortality rate of the seedlings.


5. Last but not least for this post. Authentic local barbecue of whole pig. This I must say was among the best barbecue I ever tested. It was for my farewell celebration before I took off to continue my study in UPM Selangor. Kids on the background are my nieces and nephews. I remember well the barbecue took about 5 hours to get done and the results was fantastic!. Soft juicy, no single hair or hair's root left on the skin. All fall off after a very long slow barbecuing process. Yummmy!!!!


That's all for now. Cheers!

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"Thanks for viewing!
Please feel free to support The-Dusun-Aroma.
Donate thru www.paypal.com to allvey@yahoo.com
or visits the advertisement of your interest. Trimas :D