Niki Cheong

Mamma Mia! I am thankful for the music

Oct 16, 2008 Sounds Like Pop Leave a comment

Guess which movie I finally watched last night.

And I did love it. Weak plot (but interesting concept), but oh, how camp and how, warped? Meryl Streep, in all her elegance as an actor, looked perpetually stoned. But what a high at the end of the show!

I have never been a huge fan of ABBA but I know some of their songs. So, I was quite surprised to find that I knew more of their songs than I thought! I had to turn to my friend and ask, is this really their song (he is an ABBA fan, see).

I didn’t even know that the start of Madonna’s Hung Up was sampled from their song Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (A Man After Midnight).

What I did realise too is that the popular songs that I knew - well, I didn’t know so well. I probably knew the first couple of lines of the chorus but that was it.

Take the chorus of Mamma Mia (the song), for example, which jumped out at me yesterday.

Mamma mia, here I go again
My my, how can I resist you?
Mamma mia, does it show again?
My my, just how much I’ve missed you
Yes, I’ve been brokenhearted
Blue since the day we parted
Why, why did I ever let you go?
Mamma mia, now I really know,
My my, I could never let you go.

I want to go watch it again! :D

Progress

Oct 15, 2008 Rantings Leave a comment

There can be no progress if we try to silence all our critics.

No one wants to do wrong. So when we do something, we always think we are doing the right thing.

Except how do we know when we are wrong if not for our critics?

Wa hiao kong Hokkien

Oct 15, 2008 Rantings 1 Comment

Apologies for the blatant murder of the Hokkien language, in my title above but, er, it’s the best I can do. Never mind that I am of Hokkien descent, I can barely say a word, let alone four.

Well, the same might not be the case for cops in Penang. Today’s The Star reports that police officers in Penang has been offered the opportunity to take Hokkien dialect courses to improve their communication skills. This is a fantastic idea, methinks, not only because personal development is so crucial for everyone but also because it will allow them to do their jobs better - after all, Hokkien is used widely in the state.

Apparently, 35 officers from various races have already undergone the training in August, and there is to be another course in November.

Bravo!

2.41pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)

Vote 1 Niki for US Congress

Oct 14, 2008 People Leave a comment

My friend Arion was Twittering this morning about who to vote for in the upcoming US elections (I’m assuming he got his postal vote documents, as he is currently living in Australia). So I suggested that he vote for me.

Well, he tells me that I got my wish. He’s put me up for Congress (over Steve Berren who’s aligned to the Republicans because anyone is better than the Republicans as well as over Jim McDermott - aligned to the Democrats - who Arion claims have done nothing for his district since he was first elected in 1979). Incidentally, I was born in 1979.

It’s not the Presidency but I’ll take Congress. Although, I don’t think I’m going to win, but thanks Arion, for the vote of confidence. :D

The picture was taken from his Flickr account, with permission.

4.24pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)

In the next five months, I will…

Oct 14, 2008 People 2 Comments

I’m turning this into a game of sorts. I was just reading Marina’s blog this morning and she had this post (from which I curi-ed that title). It was in reaction to a report which states that our Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, or Pak Lah, had set his agenda for the next five months (he will not re-contest in the Umno elections) which includes revamping the judiciary and police force, and step up on the fight against graft.

I can only assume Marina was being cynical (or realistic) - as I am, considering the story I just heard from a friend who had to deal with the higher authorities yesterday. How do you change a lifetime of havbit and ego, in five months?

So, Marina listed five things she wanted to do in the next five months. Of course, she also says:

Of course I’ve been saying this for the last five years or so. But guess I’m not the only one who’s berangan-angan…

So here goes:

In the next five months, I will…

1. Pay off my credit card debt.

2. Clean my mess in all the different parts of the house.

3. Run in a half marathon.

4. Start eating healthy.

5. Read all the books laying by the side of my bed.

I’m not tagging anyone, cos it makes people obliged to respond. But feel happy and free to continue this “game” on your blog.

9.59am Malaysian time (+8 GMT)