Back in Pearl Island, Once More.

Saturday 23 February 2013, 14th day (十四) of Lunar New Year.

Left on a jetplane on a fine morning from my home heading back to Pearl Island that I had came to love, loathe and fear.  Staying overseas (literally across South China Sea) these years means that flying has become less exciting and more drudging or even dreadful (especially when flying on cattle class namely AirAsia. It's not even that cheap these days and all the things they want to make money out of their cattle.). Perhaps it is the reality as a whole that I had came to love, loathe and fear and has became less exciting and drudging or even dreadful. (Just to lighten things up for ya with a trivia: thanks (or no thanks if you are the 1Malaysia sycophant) to THAT historical event on 16/9/1963, Malaysian Bornean has reserved special provision in managing own immigration affair hence immigration checkpoint whenever you leave Sarawak/Sabah, even if it's only to Peninsula. Contrary to popular misconception however,  it's not necessary but still usable for Malaysian to use passport when travelling between Peninsula and Sarawak/Sabah as IC is recognized as proper travel document. As a replacement for that however, the immigration will issue non-Sarawakian/Sabahan a landing permit that allows you stay in Sarawak/Sabah up to three months.)

Lunar New Year in transition: mandarin oranges that I brought over from home and angpow that I receive from my (new to fatherhood! Baby Gabriel~~) cousin that stayed back in Penang for this CNY.

In an attempt to knock off some of the lingering ennui and excess adrenaline after being forced by my younger brother to sort out my life and room (now my room as extra 20% space as a result.) immediately after settling down in Penang, I headed straight to downtown Georgetown just to spot the latest wave of caricature steel sculptures that has been installed. Thanks to extensive coverage by Penang Travel Tips and aided by great weather, I've plot out the route when I was back at home. Not without snag though as I got lost at one point trying to find the Gedung Rumput sculpture, initially thought it was located at Lebuh Gereja/Church Street as shown on PTT's Google Map. Good thing I brought along my laptop as well that I got to rest (at Old Town White Coffee at Whiteaway Arch) and double check the location again. Turns out it's located at Lebuh China/Lebuh Queen's junction. The rest however were spotted as plan so there you go, the latest 12 installations around Georgetown Heritage Core. (Clique ici for extra bits!).

Sunday 24 February 2013, 15th day of Lunar New Year also known as Yuan Xiao Jie 元宵节 or Chap Goh Meh 十五暝.

Got to spent time with Tate and his gang of pals at Padang Kota's Chap Goh Meh Carnival. Apparently it's an amalgamation of three different events complete with three different locations around Padang Kota with Penang State Level Chap Goh Meh Celebration (top row left and center) taking the center field with Lantern riddle (猜灯谜), some Pasar Malam street fest featuring Nyonya Gangnam Style Action (Oh those sporting Sayang-Sayang aunties! Top row, right.) and Mandarin Orange Throwing (捞柑) fundraising by the seaside from Penang Lion Dancing Association. Meanwhile, the city were lit appropriately for the night. Too bad we had to leave before the firework starts at 11pm as we have to catch the bus to go back USM or otherwise risk being marooned in downtown.

About THAT university that I steadfastly overstayed its welcome despite growing into love and loathe and fear:

MOAR handouts in the form of RM250 worth of book vouchers complete with a packet plastered with that overused monstrosity namely 1Malaysia logo and an excerpt of PM's 2013 Budget Speech about raising the handout from RM200 to RM250. * reaches barf bag* Being thrown back into the dilemma of what books should I buy again considering that I didn't got to buy much books relevant to my research last time and things I am interested on (*cough*manga*cough*) is not eligible for the book voucher.

Despite my previous contention that the Tobacco Free Campus campaign by Universiti Sains Malaysia is mostly about vanity PR exercise, I would say the recent light boxes with posters about anti-smoking being put up around campus is actually very well designed with strategic dissemination of anti-smoking message from various angle such as the one at USM Mosque about tobacco consumption being defined as HARAAM by the National Fatwa Council (The one particular fatwa that NO ONE actually abide to while other more ludicrous and hysterical ones especially those that infringes right of NON-Muslim are actually followed to the letter by mindless sheep.). Though being a cynic and skeptic as I always been, I can't help to question the relevance and veracity of the particular light box at the bottom that claimed that "More than 90% of drug abusers are also smokers". It doesn't really prove that smokers are predisposed to do drugs (correlation is not equal to causation) and if anything only stated a situation among drug addicts. It will be different if they state "90% of smokers are also drug addicts" which of course will be ludicrous on the face but actually prove the link between smoking and drug abuse. It could have been better if they put up some fine print on that poster but judging from artistic merit alone, these posters are well made so well-done, designers behind Tobacco Free Campus Campaign.

That's all for Lunar New Year and February, I suppose. Meanwhile, March in about 12 hours. FUCK.