Some updates

Was in KL last week for a statistics workshop in the National Institute of Health near KL Sentral. We've been doing a research project under their guidance, and hence this workshop to see our progress. I stayed at the newly opened Hotel Sentral in Brickfields. It's just across the road from KL Sentral, and within walking distance to the NIH. Being a new hotel, the rates were quite reasonable. RM 130 plus for a room with all-new furniture, a mini-fridge, a large LCD TV, free 24-hours wifi in the room, a great view, and complimentary breakfast each day... WOW! Heck the workshop was so tight (plus I got some assignments to rush up with), hardly got to watch the LCD TV. Brickfields, the place where I stayed, is a very... er... colourful area. There's a church, a mosque, and a Chinese temple, all within a hundred meters to start with. Then there are so many Indian restaurants that you'll be spoilt for choice. And the place is full of blind-person massage centers (I cuba-cuba one hour la... didn't feel any difference pun, unlike the authentic massage I tried in Bangkok). And... , baru I know Brickfields serves as a red light district as well. On the same row as my hotel, there are at least 5 shoplots with red fluorescent lights, some nice girls smiling at the entrance... and a nice old auntie or uncle inviting "come la come la, many to choose from"... you get the idea la hor. The irony is, in the same week there was a conference of CID (Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah la) police from Bukit Aman, held in the hotel that I was staying. And the red light shops still opened for business in full glare, macam biasa je business as usual. How to have any more hope on Malaysian police anymore?

Met my university professor on Friday. Handed in some assignments to her (that's why I didn't get to watch the LCD TV la... procrastination, sigh...). Anyway, found out that a quarter of my batch mates of the HUKM Masters program has fallen away (quit). Another quarter have been held back a semester or two for various reasons. It's tough. Got to have lots of determination and self discipline, and less procrastination and playing-internet. Dunno I can survive how much longer.

Flew back to KK on Saturday. Only to be told that... there's a funny smell in the pipe water. Climbed up the tangki on the ceiling to check... GUESS WHAT? There's a dead mouse in the tank. Stupid idiot mouse must have slipped and fell into the tank and got drown. There goes my weekend break... emptying the tank and cleaning it. Could have called for plumbers to come in, but sure will kena slaughter, and worse still their job may not be up to my standards. Sigh. DIY lor. Tried to siphon the dirty water out using a long hose, but it didn't work. Finally, used the traditional bucket method lo. The mouse was so decayed already (sorry if this spoilt your appetite) that it literally melt on the hands, not it the mouth (M&Ms!). Emptied the tank, washed with soap twice, and one cycle of Dettol cleansing. How many plumber would do that for you, without slaughtering you? Finally, got back clean pipe water. Kesian little boy and his mummy has been using mouse soup for the past one week.

Went to PC Fair in KK on Sunday. The place was crazy crowded (forget about H1N1). Got for myself a headphone with a mic (can try it out if you play facebook or skype or YM with me hehehe), a bluetooth dongle (yeh yeh finally my antique laptop got bluetooth wei!), and some blank DVDs and CDs (I am a strong supporter of home-made pirated CDs...).

And then it's back to work.