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November 23 New Toy CompleteOff to Sabah on Thursday, so excited about that! It will be good to get out of KL for a bit - it seems like so much has been happening, and everything has been so dramatic and draining. Being by the ocean will be good for the soul, that's for sure.
Also, my new housing arrived! I put my camera into it today, just to play around with the buttons and dials - make sure to familiarize myself with where all the functions are when the camera's in the housing. My old housing had 8 buttons and 2 dials. My new housing has 11 buttons and 6 dials!! And then there was a dial today that was labelled as 'Shortcut' in the housing manual. And I looked at it, and I thought to myself ... "There's a shortcut button on my camera???!"
Turns out there is. Guess it slipped past me when I was reading through my camera manual.
Also, when I put my camera in my old housing, it's just a slip in, and then it's ready for use. But in this new one, there are various things you have to set and fiddle with before you can even shut it and lock the casing.
What a fascinating way to spend my off day!
Now I'm looking for someone to come with me to Lembeh towards the third week of December, so I can take a holiday and practice with my new toy. Any takers??
November 20 All's WellMy heartache of the last two days was sorted out today with a sincere (I hope) apology. I could hold a grudge, I suppose, but then I am willing to give a ten year friendship another chance. However, for the record, let me state that while I may forgive, I also NEVER forget.
All's well that ends well.
....................
Also - dad asked for a Bible after being discharged from the hospital, and is reading it and asking to be baptized. It is something mom has been been praying for for over 30 years. Her faith has paid off.
I think his surgery and hospital stay gave him a glimpse into his own mortality, and he realizes there is something larger than himself and life as he knows it on earth.
The day before I dropped him and mom off at the hospital, he handed me a sealed envelope. He said, "Keep this with you. If I make it back, then just give it back to me."
What he didn't say out loud, but what his eyes said as he looked into mine, was that in the event that he didn't make it through the surgery, he was still going to make sure we were all going to be well taken care of.
I said, "Okay, dad."
What I didn't say out loud, but what my eyes said as I looked into his, was "I'm not ready to let you go yet, so you have to get through this."
I came home, cried for a good half hour, then put the envelope in my drawer.
Four days ago, I gave him back the envelope, still sealed and unopened. We smiled at each other. Our eyes said, "I hope it'll be at least another 20 years before I/you find out what's in it."
All's well that ends well.
November 19 Last ThingThe last thing I wanted to do this evening in my already distraught state of mind was have a screaming match with this teenage alien monster creature that has inhabited my daughter's body. The other thing I also most certainly did not feel up to was attending a 3.5 hour concert / awards / graduation ceremony at her school.
I ended up doing both.
I left the school after 1.5 hours. If I had stayed for the entire thing, I would quite possibly have slit my wrists.
I am now home and I am GOING TO BED.
Another Hard LessonLast October, something happened within my extended family that shook us all up and resulted in me writing this entry.
One year and one month later, and I finally realize that nothing is ever that black and white. That sometimes there are grey areas too.
Last week, I noticed that a friend with whom I have shared a ten year friendship, is going down a potentially destructive path. There are issues to be faced, but instead of facing them, said friend has chosen to run and hide. So I spoke out, and told him to stop running, and to deal with whatever has to be dealt with. I said that running exacerbates the problem, that when things catch up with you, the consequences would be much worse than if you dealt with them now.
Unfortunately, he has taken that as an attack against him, and understood it as a withdrawing of my support and friendship. On the contrary, it is anything but. My intentions were to help him see how much worse it could work out for him if he continued to ignore the problem.
Tough love and all that, right?
It blew up in my face. As good and honorable as my intentions were, they were misconstrued. And now, I am dealing with the loss of a friendship. It has been cut, immediately and with such finality, without any word or explanation.
I struggle with that.
So while I still stand by what I said in October of last year - that giving in to someone doesn't always help them. That love has to be tough. That sometimes you have to say what the other person doesn't want to hear - I also now have this to add: That you need to know that it doesn't mean there'll be a happy-ever-after. That it could potentially, irrevocably, destroy your friendship.
But in the end, what kind of a friend would I be if I had just stood by and let him go down his destructive path?
November 18 Post SurgeryDad has been discharged from the hospital and is recovering at home. He was originally only supposed to stay a night, but because he had more bleeding than usual post-surgery, the doctor (who, incidentally, had a very deep, sexy dimple) - wanted to keep him there for observation. Turns out dad lost about 2.5 pints of blood. No, I don't know how much that is either.
But he's home now. He was instructed to remain at home for the next three weeks or so. Which will drive the rest of us insane, but at the moment, we're just relieved to have him home and okay.
Thanks for all your good wishes and prayers!
November 13 SurgeryDad is having surgery. It's been a long time coming.
In March of this year, we told him to go see a doctor and check things out. But due to his innate fear of doctors and hospitals (though he would never admit this) - and his goddamn need to appear to be macho - coupled with his pig-headedness of Titanic proportions - March became April became May became June .... and finally, seven freaking months down the line, he goes and sees our family doctor.
He gets referred to a specialist, complete with referral letter, specialist contact and specific instructions to make an appointment ASAP because it can't wait. So what does dad do? He comes back, sticks the whole envelope in his bedside drawer and lets another month go by.
When circumstances are such that he cannot deny things anymore, he finally goes and sees a specialist. His results shock him, though I believe he would like us to think otherwise. It's that macho thing again, and the refusal to age gracefully.
Turns out the problem is more acute than he thought BECAUSE it was delayed for so long. What would have been a simple one-hour operation has now become a three-hour surgical procedure.
Words cannot describe the frustration I feel.
On a lighter note - the specialist also gave him a post-surgery leaflet. Apparently, he is to rest at home for 4 weeks - and it specifically said 'No streneous activities, including, but not limited to, playing golf, gardening, playing with your grandkids'.
When I read that, I was filled with horror. I looked at mom and I said, "Dad stuck at home for four weeks is going to make him intolerable."
Dad is not a stay-at-home person. He has a restless, wandering soul. If it rains, and he can't go out for golf, or for a ride on his bike - he is grouchy and grumpy. I love my dad for a lot of reasons, but of all my family members, he has the ability to drive me completely insane. Oh wait - Mel might be quite a close contender actually.
Anyway, Mom looked up from her Sudoku, smiled and said, "Then WE go out lor!"
Your thoughts and prayers for dad during this period would be much appreciated.
November 10 For Sale!Although my old camera holds some sentimental value for me, I have decided to let it go. So if you are looking to experiment in underwater photography but am not sure if you will enjoy it, and therefore don't want to spend so much on it, give me a buzz!!
My Canon IXUS 850 IS was bought in July 2007 - the Ikelite housing and tray handle in August of the same year. So it is slightly more than 2 years old. Still in good condition though!
This is the camera ...
  This is the housing, together with the tray handle ...
 I even still have the original box that the camera came in!
 Not to mention the battery charger, the software disk, the interface cable and the AV cable ...
  And, if you're anal like me and want to know everything about the camera and the housing, I have all the manuals ...
 I bought the camera for RM1299 and the housing and tray handle for RM1040.
Give me a reasonable offer!
November 09 Dilemma ResolvedRemember my dilemma?
Two things helped me come to a decision.
The first:
I was having a chat with a friend, who's a professional underwater photographer - and again later with another friend who is semi-pro. When I say 'professional underwater photographer', I mean he has his photos published in dive magazines and coffee table books ALL the time. When I say 'semi-pro', I mean he has won a few amateur competitions. So these guys know what they are talking about.
I showed them some pictures from my Lembeh trip, and I asked them - is it my skills that suck, or is it a limitation on my camera's part?? The feedback was: the camera is lacking. (That was good to know, actually, I was beginning to wonder if I should give up underwater photography for good!!)
The second:
Another friend, Swee, took the same pictures I did while we were in Lembeh. Here is a comparison of the same subject - a flabellina nudibranch.
Mine, taken with a Canon Ixus:
 And his, taken with a Canon G10:
 If that's not enough to convince you, here's another comparison - of the harlequin shrimp:
Mine:
 His:
 The detail in the focus, the color, the sharpness ....
I suppose you know where THIS post is heading!!
So meet my new dive buddy ...
 I wanted the G10, but unfortunately, I waited so long that it has been discontinued. Story of my life. However, the G11 has almost the exact same features as the G10, so it'll do!
My Macbook will just have to wait .....
November 06 Mabul / Kapalai / SipadanI'm off diving again on the 26th of this month, back to good ole Sipadan Water Village.
Despite having been so many times, and despite it now taking a number 2 spot on my favorite place to dive (it was number 1 for the longest time until I discovered Lembeh Straits!) - I still get excited going there, and I still look forward to being there. It has something to do with the ambience of the resort, the familiarity of the staff, the great diving.
I mean ... how can this not make your heart smile?
 I am taking a brand new group this time - a group that has never been before - and I LOVE doing that because ultimately, SWV is such a great experience, and if you're diving Sipadan for the first time, it just blows you away. I am slightly jaded because I compare Sipadan to what it was when I first dived (dove??) there 8 years ago. There has been a marked difference, and not for the better. But if you're a virgin to Sipadan, then the experience is truly orgasmic. And it thrills me to bits when divers come up after a dive all enthusiastic and happy as hell about what they have encountered underwater. I feed off that enthusiasm. It makes me high.
20 days to go till I'm outta KL ... the countdown begins!
November 05 Guess What's Back??I opened the newspapers this morning, flipped through the first few pages of political news - which, incidentally, bore me senseless - and this ad jumped out at me. I had to log on and share this with you immediately. Starbucks' Toffee Nut Latte is BACK!!  It is one of the yummiest beverages I have ever come across. It is rich and buttery and tastes of espresso and warm milk and toasted nuts. It's velvety and smooth and hits the spot like you would not believe. Of course it has something like 210 calories. But you can burn off 210 calories by running 14.4km for 15 minutes, or by swimming briskly for 20 minutes. It's worth it, I reckon!! Starbucks anyone? November 04 CaptivatingI looked into the most beautiful pair of blue eyes today. Perhaps it was the angle of the sun, but they were a vivid, bright azure, and they sparkled and twinkled and shone.
The thing is - I spent three months with this person, teaching him how to dive - including three days on the island - and I never noticed. Of course he was part of a group of ten persons - but STILL - how could I not have noticed? I look people in the eye when I talk with them, so it should have struck me how captivating his eyes were. But apparently I didn't take note.
I console myself by stating that I was so intent on teaching and safety and all that kinda thing that I failed to notice.
But I tell ya what ... them eyes certainly got my attention now!!
October 29 Sand AnimationHave you ever heard of the art of Sand Animation? I haven't. But someone sent me this link on YouTube.
The artist depicted is Kseniya Simonova. She uses sand and a box that is lit from the inside to depict Germany's invasion and occupation of Ukraine during World War 2.
I looked up some of Ukraine's history.
Apparently, the Germans were initially greeted as liberators by some of the Ukrainians, but that illusion was quickly shattered. The Nazis implemented their racial policies, and the mass killing of Jews began. Ukraine's human and material losses during the war were huge. Between 5 to 7 million people perished. Because more than 700 cities and towns were destroyed, 10 million people were left homeless after the war.
The artist is fantastic, and her display poignant.
Yet at the end, there is still hope.
Follow Up to DilemmaSo far, the votes I have received are as follows:
Upgrade to Canon G10 - 8 votes
Buy the Mac - 3 votes
Do you get the feeling that I have mostly diver friends??
And then I get this sms from my old school mate:
"Mam. I'll redesign your room for free la. Gimme measurements & pics. Go save your $$$."
Patsy is an architect / designer by profession. I was very moved by her offer, it made my day!!
...........................................
Incidentally, no one voted for me to put it aside for a rainy day.
October 27 DilemmaIf you had some spare cash on hand, which of the following would you spend it on?
1. A new Mac notebook, which you've always wanted.
2. Upgrading your camera to a G10 because it takes pictures that are so much sharper.
3. Having a designer re-do your bedroom to incorporate more bookshelf space and to make it YOU.
4. Save it for a rainy day.
So ... which will it be?
October 26 Fruit Of Our LaborThis is the Scott's Emulsion tv ad we assisted with, remember?? Here's something to jog your memory. We assisted in all the underwater scenes, obviously, providing the kids (yes, there were two, though the ad would have you believe it was just one kid!) with training, air, and just keeping them safe. Love the final outcome!! Kickass Lembeh!!I started writing the blog on my recent Lembeh trip yesterday, but it sounded so disjointed, probably because that's the way I was feeling. Our flight back was delayed, but of course, so by the time my cabbie dropped the various people back and sent me home - and by the time I had my shower, etc, it was slightly after 3am. Suffice to say, I was a bit out of it yesterday. I did, however, manage to post up the pictures from the trip, which should be self explanatory, really. Well, this trip started out almost as eventful as the last trip. We got to the airport and then one of my guys realized that he had left his passport at home. He said it so calmly, and without any sense of urgency or panic, that we initially thought he was kidding. So we laughed it off, and headed to the check-in counter. When it finally dawned on us that he was serious, we rushed him into a cab and told the driver to FLY. Two hours later, and a lot of frantic text messages in between, he made it to the check-in counter with his passport - and with 3 minutes to spare before the counter closed. I am too old for this kind of stress, honestly! Then we proceeded to the departure lounge and made it through security checkpoint without too much fuss. Normally I get stopped because the handle for my camera underwater housing where I attach my strobe resembles that of a screwdriver / hammer / weapon of mass destruction. We boarded the plane on time, settled down into our seats, and ten minutes later came this voice over the loudspeaker announcing that the plane had a flat tyre and that we would have to disembark and return to the departure hall so they could change it. They didn't exactly SAY it like that - but I'm sure that's what they meant. So off we trooped again, back into the airport. Since they had told us it was going to take 45 minutes to get a new tyre on, we went into this cafe and ordered coffee and pastries to wait it out. About 20 minutes into our bonus snack time, the loudspeaker boomed again and said "flight AK432 to Manado is now ready for boarding at gate T3". So we had to gobble down the airport-priced pastries and wash that down with piping hot coffee - since, obviously, there's nothing we enjoy more than scalding our throats and getting indigestion prior to a 4 hour flight. A bit of confusion at the gates. Gate T2 had a huge signboard with the flight to Macau on it, and gate T3 had a huge signboard with the flight to Manado on it. But then apparently gate T3 was for folks going to Macau and gate T2 was for us. So everyone was queueing on the wrong lanes, and the Air Asia staff were there yelling "T2 MANADO! T3 MACAU!" and herding us like cattle to the slaughter - and I'm not even sure why, seeing as the gates were side by side anyways. Back across the tarmac. Back onto the airplane. Back into our seats. I repeat - I am TOO OLD for this kind of excitement. But we made it into Manado, and then into Lembeh. By the time we had dinner, checked into our rooms, showered, set up my camera for the next day and tumbled into bed, it was 2am. Less than 5 hours later and we were up for breakfast. The dives were out of this world and Lembeh has confidently reinforced its position as my Numero Uno place to dive. Everything in Lembeh is spectacular - but a few stood out as exceptionally spectacular, if there's even such a thing - this trip. Among which are the yellow rhinopias - or weedy scorpionfish ...  The hairy frogfish ...  The blue ring octopus ...  And the wonderpus ...  And just when you think Lembeh is all about black sand diving and tiny critters, they take you to a dive site like Angel's Window - where it's corals galore - and the color and formations and abundance just blow you away. What stands out about Angel's Window, besides the surprise that it's vastly different from the rest of Lembeh diving - is that it has two swim throughs - one beginning at about 18m and exiting at 20m, and the other beginning at about 22m and exiting at 26m. So you go in here ...  And after a slight twist and turn, you exit here ....  Then you swim down a little and enter another little cave, and you see this exit ...  No prizes for guessing where the name Angel's Window comes from. It is a beautiful, beautiful place. Lembeh diving is DA BOMB ... so excuse me while I go and withdraw from the highs of my trip. October 20 OffMy Prince and Princeling left yesterday night, how sad! Now the house is too quiet and we miss them already.
Am off to Lembeh Straits this afternoon for some diving, though, and will be away till the weekend. Looking forward to doing some photography as this is a leisure trip for me. =)
Back with pictures soon!
October 18 The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie SocietyHow can you resist a book with that title? Don't you instantly want to know how they came up with that name, and why it includes 'Potato Peel Pie' and what that even is??
 The book celebrates love of the written word, and the courage, power and endurance of the human spirit.
I couldn't put it down!
October 17 Whale Shark SpottedI received this text from Albert, who is with Doreen and Aaron in Tioman with our 22 pax on our last east coast trip for this year's dive season:
"Wei - 4 days ago Chebeh whale shark was spotted. Today around 11 plus they saw it in Renggis"
What the ..... ??
So hopefully they do get to spot it - what a treat it'll be for them!
October 15 Before The MonsoonThis weekend is the pioneer trip for the kids from the international school's newly formed scuba club - and I am sure it is going to be a fun trip, as the kids have been a blast to work with. Unfortunately, I will not be able to be with them, seeing as my sis and family are here in KL.
When one of the kids overheard me saying that I was not going to be around, he asked why - and when told that it was because my family was in town, he said, "But we're your diving family!" ... which I thought was very sweet indeed.
Hopefully the weather holds out for them, and that my team will return to KL with 8 Junior Open Water divers.
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