Time is Happiness.

My kids enjoying time in Bangkok. Time is joy.

Time is money. Such reminder that time is all about money is not truly healthy. Time is happiness and make time for this. We are once again like an annual ritual back to a time to enjoy our holiday and seasons for celebration.

It is time to cut work loads in the office and start packing for a good leisure break. I started early right on the first week of the school holiday whereby I shipped my wife and 3 kids to Bangkok. Bangkok, a city I can never get tired going. A place to relax with good spicy food and a heaven for shopping for new gears and books. Old friends are still around and jokes and joy are everywhere.

Last week in Bangkok, my family gathered together with long time Thai friend Dr Opart and family. We talked about good old times, family and kids matter and even had a good time together with the kids for a IMAX 3D movie. Of course, all the time of chattering went well along with prakhaphao, tom yam and other Thai delicacies.

Just as I step right back to my home, well, it is also time to wish good friends greetings to all those from US for the Thansgiving day. Thanksgiving day is very meaningful to the Americans and good to know for those whom known to me were having a great time with their turkeys.

The day was not even over after back from Bangkok, again, I was with my family back on cool seats watching ‘A Christmas Carol’ with Ebenezer Scrooge reminding us of our ways and selfishness have to go… You don’t want any ghosts visits. Well, time for Christmas is near. New year 2010 is close. My youngest kid, born on 1 January is all out for party….and celebrations to come.

So, have you started packing? Work needs to be wrapped up for hibernation. Don’t worry about Dubai fallout and the economy on slaught. Time is not all about money but happiness and Happiness is here. Have a great time.

KL- Mumbai :A brief drop-off

Old Mumbai taxi.

‘Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found’ by Sukethu Mehta will give a clear in-depth of what life is all about in Mumbai. A good book to read and remains a book to read. I had a brief time in Mumbai last week and though didn’t have much time to explore but from what I can see, Mumbai is a city you do not want to miss. A real mixed on modern new and old from the past.

I had a long trip from KL to Chennai, Chennai to Coimboture then to Mumbai and back to Chennai. Half of Chennai city was flooded as I was told by an old friend Ravi. The manager of Hotel Green Park, Mr Kabir was kind enough to offer me coffee while I was waiting for Ravi at the hotel before my next flight to KL. With Ravi, we had a modest tea meal with capati along with rogan josh. We talked about old times back to year 1985-87.

This trip to India was short and travel was extensive stretching from Chennai-Coimboture-Mumbai. Though most of the flight times were all in the evening but it did drained me of the waiting and sitting period at the airport. This reminded me of my early years of travelling to Bangkok from K Lumpur by train.

Not long after finshed my college years, I decided to venture north to Thailand. I was told of much charm and beauty when you arrived Bangkok with women welcoming you with flowers and garland. Kevin decided to come along and we were very excited. I told him as what I knew about the great Bangkok, the Thais were pretty, warm and friendly, cheap shopping and great food. We took a train there of course and after a long ride, we arrived in Bangkok after about 15 hours of bone-shaking journey. As naive as we were, we expect Thai girls to welcome us with flower and garlands and to our shock, we were met with beggars trailling us every wherever we went like leeches. Things were pretty cheap though and we bought two fake watches. Mine was about RM10 and lasted less than 2 days and for Kevin’s, well it functioned more than a week before he dumped it. That year was 1988.

‘Good old mind’ and ‘No mind’

Creative shop at Chatuchak Market, Bangkok

Bangkok. I am always attracted to woodwork. I have wood carvings from Java, Bali, India, Taiwan, Thailand and even a few pieces done with my own hands. A recent trip to Bangkok, I found that those guests came with me shared the same attraction to woodwork. Hand made photo frames, small furniture and also an entire set up of a stall from re-cycle wood. That’s why I enjoy Bangkok as there are many creative ideas that will inspire you to work hard and smart. Hand work of old woods were truly good at Siam@Siam with all bare and raw finishes with dark tones. Just like work done incomplete but completed. Rated: Good Old Mind.

At Arsom Silp Institute, I was impressed by design simplicity without leaving the environmental complexity. Architect Khun Joy told me of their design to incorporate re-cycle of sewage water, a walk by the lake side and no vehicle to drive right into the institute. I enjoy architecural approach that are culturally correct, environmentally acceptable and design practical. That is The Ashram…. or Arsom Silp about 30 mins drive from central Bangkok. Rated: Good Mind

Say NO to Stupid Ideas!

Back in KL… and talking about care for environment, I received a big plastic bag which my wife finds it very useful. It is big enough for everything except the message printed on the plastic bag..” Say No to Plastic Bags“. It is like offering someone a cigarette and tell him not to smoke! Why in the first place the organiser distributes plastic bags to send such message? This is truly out of mind and how to say no to plastic bag that is suppose to carry a message printed on it! Rated: No Mind.

Old Story.

I walked into an old dental clinic. I was told to sit on the chair with lamps and mirrors everywhere. Then, the hand shaking dentist asked me to open my mouth so he can get a good view of my teeth.

The dentist said, “One of your tooth is crooked!”

“Can you straighten it or should you extract it?” I asked.

He replied, “I need to twist your jaw to straighten your tooth!”

Say NO to Stupid Ideas!

Welcome to Ayer Matahari office at 29-3

Veloo .. stretching to make all white....green

Green… a colour associated with nature, Islam, the incredible Hulk and of course Eva Green. Green also reflects naivity.

Our new office at Taman Serdang Perdana welcomes guests with a cool creamy green surrounding. As you enter, leaves in bronze, right out from a hand thrown ceramic pot from Burma, can be seen breezing and floating along the wall to the ceiling. Large fan-like leaves of Egyptian Fan plant closely shielded the sun rays from the setting sun. The one and only white pot moulded from white cement sits strikingly between the leaves and at time receiving the afternoon sun rays. Right in the middle of this tropical room is the meeting table in dark blue representing a body of water. Yes, this is the description of our meeting room and not our garden.  On the other corner of the room stood the Pallava Indian Prince posts proudly with a beam of light over his head. With a contrasting aged and dark brown back drop, this piece of art takes you to our operation studio where we work.

For almost a week, picking up old practices with wooden planks, saw and nails, we hammered through from morning till night to create a comfortable working environment from empty spaces.   We are still a long way to complete designing our office but it is opened. Next in our operation list, if time permits, will be a sitting lounge for guests and staffs.

Setting sun-rays, lush green leaves, creamy green surrounding, Indian sculpture and exotic garden pots described our office entrance.

Ayer Matahari welcomes all to 29-3, Tkt. 2, Jalan SP 2/2, Taman Serdang Perdana.