Ending 2013

 

For every moment in 2013, I am really wondering how can I make it better, but in the end, with everything that is around me that is all that matters. I have the most wonderful company, I have the most amazing people around me. What else I could ask for? Timing really does matters. For every moment we have together, that is all that is needed to push me forward from here. 

3 more days, and I will be leaving Malaysia. I am excited with what is coming for me in 2014. I will be spending a whole week with Cow and her family, meeting Dumdum's family, and getting started in the studio. I miss this part of my life. I will be spending more time in the States next year compare to 2013. 

Winter is here and it is m favorite time of all seasons. Giving Boston one last visit, and leaving behind everything and starting a new in New York. I really dunno what is there for me, but I know amazing things will come. This trip back to The States might be a short one, but at least, it is a taste for me to start 2014. 

Meeting my besties is just very warming. For everything that is worth, it is really good to reconnect with all of them. Especially Dino and Rainer! Mr D, you meant so much to me I really don't know what words I could use to say how I feel. All I can say is you know, I know. 

To start my 3rd decade being in this world, I actually went for my 8th ink. And it is now healing just fine. Am really glad all that is going on in 2013, all I can say is AMAZING! You all made my life meant so much. There are too many names to put down but you guys know who you are. I love you all loads. 

10 More Days

10 more days, and we will come to a close to 2013. For many many reasons, I have kept asking myself who I want myself to be. But in the end, I stopped asking myself that. At a point where so many things were just going too fast and I really couldn't cope with. The question was circulating around that I wanted to be free from cancer. And the more I wanted to be, the more I got myself winded in that whirlwind without an exit.

The past few days wasn't really easy. Fever, lungs infection, and the usual pain. All I could think at that point was just how I wanted it to just stop. But what makes things easier was Leo. Somehow, maybe it was the time difference and all. He gave me comfort at times when I really needed. A few nights, he would just FaceTime me till I fall asleep. Maybe he is really just great in calming me down. I am just glad to have him in my life. You were nothing more I could ask for as a friend.

Both of my besties are back in town. Mr G is now spending most of his time with his family and all. And I am sure gonna steal some time from them for sure. I miss him actually. I can say that he is the most supportive person in my life. Like my personal teddy bear. He really was there at the hardest time no matter what it was. Rainer, on the other hand, she is like my mirror. So far, I haven't talk much to her just yet. She is getting engage on Christmas Eve! I know there are a lot for her to cope with right now. I wanted to be there, but everything is still unclear, but one thing for sure is I will be seeing her before I go back to New York. Don't even care if she has the time or not, I will just pull her out. I got all m wines and bubbles ready and I would be damn if I don't drink it with her!

And also my barbz! I know I have been forgetting the 3 of you in my blog. Sammy, thank you for always finding someway for me to lessen my burden with cancer. Gavinella, I still love you much for everything you have done. But still hating you for that first picture you ever sent me! I still crave for that ice cream! And Kenny, you were just one beautiful soul that is always ready to listen to me. I really couldn't imagine life any easier with the support and love you 3 gave me.

There are so many things to be thankful for this year. Thankful to being able to fall in love all over again and reliving every part of it. I know the road in front is bumpy but what matters is we have each other no matter where or who we are. I know there are so much to be said, but just don't. I know there are many things that comes into factor. And maybe.. I just don't love myself enough to let you.

I am also getting inked on the 27th. A mark that I wanted to have for my first 30 years in this world. It will be my 8th tattoo. The inspiration actually came from the question where I began this. The person I wanna be is the person that I am. Embracing every wrong that I made in the past, and living today with what I have. There will always be the things we want, and the things we wanna be. But in the end, when you have all the people who cares and loves you, what else more do I really need?

2013 has been really really kind to me. There are the ups and downs, and all I can say is, I will be ending my 20s with a happy note. All that I have been given and taken away from, made me realize life is all that it has to offer. And I am thankful for that. 

American Cancer Society Celebrates the Holidays

American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is celebrating the holidays with a special partnership.

"I have cancer. The cancer doesn't have me. Worrying about it is not going to change it," said breast cancer survivor Karen Gaskins.

Karen Gaskins says the American Cancer Society is easing some of her worries.

"I can't say more than it is wonderful," said Gaskins.

Winn Dixie and the Hope lodge served dinner to about fifty cancer survivors and their families tonight.

The grocery chain's district manager says the partnership is very humbling.

"With the busy time of the year, everyone's into gift giving and they're into buying their food and we're very busy ourselves. We're blessed with those sales. When you come down to the Hope lodge and you spend time and talk to folks who are going through in their lives a little something different, it is very humbling and makes you think about what's really important, hold your family a little closer and spend a little more time at home when you should and maybe the things back at work aren't as important as we thought they were when we got here today," says Winn Dixie district manager Todd Greene.

Greene says he wants to expand the partnership with the hope lodge to do events once a month.

Cathay Pacific Orders 21 Boeing 777X

Hong Kong flag-carrier Cathay Pacific has ordered 21 long haul Boeing 777-9X planes at a list price of US$7.48 billion dollars (S$9.48 billion), the firm announced on Friday, as part of its fleet modernisation program.

The 777X series is Boeing's newest member of the 777 family, with advanced technology including new composite wings and new engines that consume 20 per cent less fuel than today's 777.

Cathay did not reveal the purchase price but airlines usually negotiate a discount from the catalogue price.

"The 777-9X promises us improved payload range capability and reduced operating costs, in addition to a significant reduction in environmental emissions," the airline's chief executive John Slosar said in a statement.

Qatar's First Airbus A380

Qatar Airways' first Airbus A380 is now dressed in its full and familiar livery, ahead of delivery to the Gulf carrier in the second quarter of 2014 and a commercial debut on flights from Doha to London and Paris.

The first of 13 superjumbos planned for Qatar's fleet, it includes a small first class cabin of eight suites using an all-new design aimed at out-gunning (but hopefully not out-blinging) the private pointy-end private suites of Gulf competitors Emirates and Etihad.

The business class cabin will feature 52 seats identical to those already seen on Qatar's Boeing 787 fleet.

Both first and business class will be located on the top deck, along with a small economy cabin and a lounge to separate travellers in the cheap seats from the premium passengers.

The A380's lower deck will be economy from tip to tail.

Doha's new Hamad International Airport, due to open early next year, has been designed to cater for the A380 with six superjumbo-ready gates.

Twentieth Century Fox Theme Park Announced

Another mega entertainment company jumped into the theme park business Tuesday when Twentieth Century Fox broke ground on a 25-acre theme park in Malaysia.

The project, to be called Twentieth Century Fox World, was unveiled in July but new details emerged Tuesday as executives from Twentieth Century Fox and developers of the project began construction in Malaysia. The park is expected to open in 2016.

Twentieth Century Fox World will replace a previous theme park that closed in September next to Genting Highlands, otherwise known as Resorts World Genting.

The new theme park, estimated to cost more than $300 million, will feature more than 25 rides and attractions with characters and story lines from Twentieth Century Fox's films, including "Ice Age," "Rio," "Night at the Museum" and "Alien vs Predator," according to Genting officials.

“The opening of the first Twentieth Century Fox World theme park at Resorts World Genting takes our rich history of storytelling to a whole new level and will provide an exceptional entertainment experience,” said Jeffrey Godsick, President of Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products.”

Twentieth Century Fox is following the lead of other entertainment giants that have ventured abroad to operate theme parks.

Disney operates theme parks in Japan, France and Hong Kong with a new park scheduled to open in Shanghai in 2015. Universal Studios also runs a theme park in Japan.

China Southern pulls Airbus A380 off Sydney-Guangzhou

China Southern will cancel its daily Airbus A380 flight between Sydney and Guangzhou, less than four months after the superjumbo's debut on the airline's 'Canton Route'.

A spokeswoman for China Southern confirmed to Australian Business Traveller that the A380's last Australian flight – at least for now – would be on February 21, 2014.

The superjumbo will be replaced by a smaller Airbus A330, although China Southern is hopeful the superjumbo will return next summer (that's southern hemipshere summer, for visitors from above the equator).

"After a successful summer down under, the A380 is expected to return again to operate during peak season" the spokeswoman said, citing the A380's absence as "reducing capacity on the Guangzhou-Sydney service in line with seasonal changes."

The biggest airline in Asia, state-owned China Southern – which only this month inked an alliance with Qantas to begin in early 2014 – has reportedly been facing consistently low passenger numbers on the double-deck jet, which has 506 seats – hundreds more than the smaller Airbus A330s which it usually runs between Australian and China.

On many flights the airline has been offering inflight upgrades from economy to business class of between $750 and $1,000 in an attempt to fill the cavernous 70 seat business class cabin; instant upgrades to the more exclusive first class cabin are often available at $2,750.

During the launch of the A380 service China Southern CEO Tan Wangeng admitted that the airline faced challenges in meeting passenger expectations in areas such as inflight meals and crew service.

Credits : Australian Business Travelers 

Asiana Airlines’ First A380 Performs Its Maiden Flight

Asiana Airlines stated (16-Dec-2013) its first A380 has successfully completed its maiden flight. The A380 flew on 13-Dec-2013 from Airbus’ facilities in Toulouse, France to the aircraft manufacturer’s site in Hamburg, Germany, where it will undergo painting and cabin furnishing. Asiana Airlines will become the twelfth operator of the A380 when it takes delivery of its first aircraft in 2Q2014. The airline has firm orders for six A380s and will operate the aircraft on its primary routes from Seoul to the US.

'Beyonce' Set For No 1

Beyonce's surprise self-titled album is all but guaranteed a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 chart this week. Industry sources suggest its sales have grown to over 550,000 in the U.S. through Saturday (14) night. The album may sell 600,000 by the end of the tracking week on Sunday, Dec. 15.

"Beyonce's" expected debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, along with its official Nielsen SoundScan sales figure (through the end of the tracking week on Dec. 15), will be revealed mid-week.

The album bowed -- without any pre-release announcement -- in the iTunes Store at midnight EST on Friday morning, Dec. 13. None of its songs are available a la carte (which is likely helping encourage full album purchases). The 14-song set is selling for $15.99 and additionally comes with 18 music videos. 14 of those are for each of the album's songs.

"Beyonce," which is exclusively available through the iTunes Store until Dec. 20, sold 430,000 through Friday night, and then another 120,000 or so on Saturday.

"Beyonce" could sell over 600,000 by the end of the tracking week on Sunday, Dec. 15. That's a remarkable figure for an album with less than four days of availability. All of her previous albums were released on a Tuesday, the traditional day when albums are released each week. Thus, a Tuesday release would receive six days of sales in their debut week. But, since "Beyonce" dropped at midnight on a Friday, its sales are more staggering, since they are just from a little more than three days.

"Beyonce" will also give the entertainer her fifth consecutive No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 -- her entirety of solo album releases.

And, "Beyonce" could notch the diva's largest debut ever. Her current largest week was set in 2006, when her second album, "B'Day," bowed at No. 1 with 541,000 according to SoundScan.

Beyonce's last album, 2011's "4," opened with 310,000. Her third set, 2008's "I Am . . . Sasha Fierce," started with 482,000, while her "Dangerously In Love" debut in 2003 launched with 317,000.

"Beyonce" is already set to become the biggest debuting album by a female artist since Taylor Swift sold an astounding 1.2 million copies of "Red" in the week corresponding to Billboard 200 chart dated Nov 10, 2012.

'Beyonce' On the Radio:

Through Saturday (Dec. 14), the first two singles from the album have begun receiving airplay. The urban-leaning "Drunk in Love," featuring Jay Z, drew 311 first-day plays across 70 stations monitored by Nielsen BDS. Rhythmic WBQT Boston led with 17 plays, followed by rhythmic WQHT and mainstream R&B/hip-hop WWPR New York (13 each).

Meanwhile, more pop-oriented single "Blow" tallied 87 first-day plays, championed most by rhythmic KPTT Denver (13 plays). Early major-market airplay has come from rhythmic KPWR Los Angeles and mainstream top 40 WKSC Chicago.

"Beyonce is bigger than a single. Beyonce has created a movement," CBS Radio VP of urban programming Reggie Rouse told Billboard. "She just kills it. She is the standard. Beyonce made every radio station, blog, TV station react to what she did."

Billboard previously reported that "XO," a ballad penned by Ryan Tedder and The-Dream, will follow later in 2014 as the second single at top 40.

Credits : Billboard

Boeing Goes Burgundy on the 777X – Why?

Different colors for the new aircraft liveries have their meaning. A350 XWB will present a special black&white paint scheme for the cabin equipped A350 prototypes MSN2 and MSN5, while Boeing has presented the 777X in a dark red-burgundy.

Last month, during the 777X presentation in Dubai AirShow, marketing materials for the airplane, and the livery employed dark red -- burgundy -- as a color theme. It's a departure from Boeing's deep-blue brand, but they did something similar when it rebanded the 747-8 with orange livery.

The choice of burgundy for the 777X is no accident; “The choice of burgundy was not made overnight. Boeing had to complete quite a bit of research before deciding on their new color. Different colors can have different meanings, and Boeing did not want to end up insulting a particular culture or airline based on a wrong choice."

"Believe it or not, there has been quite a bit of work done on seeing what feelings and words that people relate with colors. Boeing found some key thoughts connected to the color burgundy, which they wanted passengers and airline customers to associate with the plane. Those words are vigor, elegance, refinement, high-end, richness, leadership, and maturity. Think of the color as a fine wine, in literal color and embodiment.” said Rob Pollack, vice president Advertising, Brand and Market Positioning with Boeing.


Airbus´ official color is blue as well as Boeing´s, but there have been many different liveries with some variation of their color roots.



The cabin equipped A350 prototypes MSN2 and MSN5 will have a special livery in black & white that will be officially shown in coming weeks by Airbus. The high % of caborn fiber used in the A350 XWB is what Airbus wants to highlight with these colors.

Alone

2am; where do I begin,

Crying off my face again.

The silent sound of loneliness

Wants to follow me to bed.

Too afraid to go inside

For the pain of one more loveless night.

But the loneliness will stay with me

And hold me til I fall asleep.

I'm a ghost of a man that I want to be most.

I'm the shell of a boy that I used to know well.

Dancing slowly in an empty room,

Can the lonely take the place of you?

I sing myself a quiet lullaby.

Let you go and let the lonely in

To take my heart again.

Broken pieces of

A barely breathing story

Where there once was love

Now there's only me and the lonely.

Dancing slowly in an empty room

Can the lonely take the place of you?

I sing myself a quiet lullaby

Let you go and let the lonely in

To take my heart again.

Air France To Increase KL-Paris Frequency

Malaysians appear to be increasingly drawn to the world’s most romantic city as proven by the popularity of Air France’s Kuala Lumpur-Paris route.

Air France KLM senior vice-president Patrick Roux said that since the route’s launch in April, the response to the service had been “extremely positive”.

“Due to growing demand, Air France will increase its capacity to 35 business seats, 24 premium economy seats and 250 economy seats from January 2014.

“From June 2014 onwards, Air France will also increase the route’s frequency to four times a week from the current three flights a week,” he told reporters at a press conference here yesterday.

Roux said customers can also look forward to additional seat space, more comfortable seats and better technological devices during their flights.

“The direct flights have created greater economic opportunities, reflected in the increasing demand for travel between the countries,” he said.

Air France-KLM currently offers 17 weekly flights from Malaysia to Europe, including seven with KLM codeshare partner Malaysia Airlines from Kuala Lumpur to Amsterdam.

The airline serves 15 destinations in eight Asian countries – India, China, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Only Human

I can take so much,

Till I had enough,

Cause I am only human

This phrase shatters everything that I have been holding back. Music is always a beautiful mysterious thing. On our bare eyes, it is just notes on the manuscripts, then lyrics comes in. Still at this part of the process, it is just an idea how things gonna be. Then comes the arranging and studio time. Finally the mixing and cleaning up part. Still, it would be just a track. Then you tend to forget abut the songs and moving on to the next project. 

Nothing sounds magical here right? But everything will make sense when you totally forget about it, and when it is being released, you find yourself back to the place where you stood when you wrote that song. Things are the way the way they are. But sometimes, the timing and place was just right on for the song to moves you. 

The more I am trying to avoid all the reality part of how things are right now, the easier I was being pushed towards the edge. It has been a crazy week for me. But the thing is I am only human and there is so much I could take in. The more I am trying to stand, the more I feel I am slipping away. There is just so much I can take in. 

Deep down, I really wanted to say I had enough. 7 years today, and all I can say I am really really tired. It seems like the death sentence of 6 months has been prolong again and again. I am not saying I am not thankful for that. But is this really living? When I see Dumdum, all I can do is put on a smile and hold his hands. But what I really wanted to do is just let go and say I had enough. 

I know I owe it to my parents. But living in between these two is just pulling me down. Like I say it before

 Having cancer is one thing, Living with cancer is another.

I am really tired. I really hated the on-going pain that I am having. I really just don't wanna feel anything anymore. I hated to feel broken. The more I told myself "I can do it" the more I knew I didn't wanted to. At least at the moment I really don't want to. I can fake a smile, I can force a laugh, I can dance and play the part. But I am only human. I have really reaches the point of just wanted to do what I wanted. I wanted that so bad right now. All I can think of now is Zombie. He would understood everything. 

I'm only human

I'm only human 

Just a little human.

Air Canada Selects Boeing 737 MAX to Renew Mainline Narrowbody Fleet

Air Canada today announced its mainline narrowbody fleet renewal plan that includes commitments, options and rights to purchase up to 109 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The new aircraft will replace Air Canada's existing mainline fleet of Airbus narrowbody aircraft, creating one of the world's youngest, most fuel efficient and simplified airline fleets.

The agreement with Boeing, which is subject to completion of final documentation and other conditions, includes firm orders for 33 737 MAX 8 and 28 737 MAX 9 aircraft with substitution rights between them as well as for the 737 MAX 7 aircraft. It also provides for options for 18 aircraft and rights to purchase an additional 30. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2017 with 2 aircraft, 16 aircraft in 2018, 18 aircraft in 2019, 16 aircraft in 2020 and 9 aircraft in 2021, subject to deferral and acceleration rights.

"We are pleased to announce our agreement with Boeing for the purchase of 737 MAX aircraft as part of the ongoing modernization of Air Canada's fleet," said Calin Rovinescu, President and CEO of Air Canada. "Renewal of our North American narrowbody fleet with more fuel efficient aircraft is a key element of our ongoing cost transformation program and the enhanced passenger cabin comfort provided by the Boeing MAX will help us to retain Air Canada's competitive position as the Best Airline in North America. Our narrowbody fleet renewal program is expected to yield significant cost savings. We have estimated that the projected fuel burn and maintenance cost savings on a per seat basis of greater than 20 per cent will generate an estimated CASM reduction of approximately 10 per cent as compared to our existing narrowbody fleet."

Air Canada continues to evaluate the potential replacement of its Embraer E190 fleet with more cost efficient, larger narrowbody aircraft that are better suited to its current and future network strategy. Consistent with this strategy, the agreement with Boeing provides for Boeing to purchase up to 20 of the 45 Embraer E190 aircraft currently in Air Canada's fleet. The E190 aircraft exiting the fleet will be initially replaced with larger narrowbody leased aircraft until the airline takes delivery of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The company will be reviewing various options over the next six months for the remaining 25 Embraer E190 aircraft including continuing to operate them or replacing them with a yet to be determined number of aircraft in the 100 to 150 seat range.

Air Canada's plan is for its total fleet including Air Canada rouge™, excluding aircraft flown by its contracted regional carriers, to grow from 192 aircraft as at September 30, 2013 to approximately 214 by the end of 2019, on a pro forma basis. Additionally, for further growth flexibility, Air Canada has 13 options and rights to purchase 10 Boeing 787 aircraft, rights to purchase 13 Boeing 777 aircraft as well as the 18 options and 30 purchase rights for Boeing MAX aircraft.

About the Boeing 737 MAX

The Boeing 737 MAX brings advanced engine technologies to build on the strengths of the Next-Generation 737. The 737 MAX incorporates the latest-technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines to deliver high efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market. According to Boeing, airlines operating the 737 MAX will see a 14 percent fuel-use improvement over today's most fuel-efficient single-aisle airplanes.

The Competition Between Boeing 777X and the Airbus A350

The 777X has more orders and commitments than the A350-1000, which was launched in 2006.

The launch of the 777X in Dubai Airshow last month was really incredible;

• It took almost 13 years for the A380 to reach the exact same number of orders as the 777X did in one day.

• It took 6 years for the original 777 program to accumulate as many orders as the 777X (777-200, 777-200ER and 777-300)

• It took 7 years to gather that many 777-300ER orders

• The 777X commitment from Emirates for 150 airplanes has the same number of units as the first 4.8 years of original 777 orders

There’s no question the 777X is going to be a special airplane. But why has it taken off so quickly? As per Boeing, the 777X will have 12% better fuel efficiency than the A350-1000. In the chart below, Boeing points out the ability of the 777X to carry about 60 more passengers or fly 1,500 nautical miles further that the competition.

777X customers are all A350 main customers too.

• Lufthansa: 25 orders for A350
• Ethiad Airways: 62 orders for A350
• Qatar Airways: 80 orders for A350
• Emirates: 70 orders for A350

Carrie Underwood Shines in ‘The Sound of Music Live!’

NBC’s live theatrical broadcast of ‘The Sound of Music’ was not without mistakes common in live theater, but one would need to be a student of Broadway to have caught them. Carrie Underwood and a cast of theater and television actors stayed true to the spirit of the musical, making seamless adjustments for Thursday night’s (Dec. 5) adaptation.

The musical’s plot follows an unlikely romance that blossoms amidst Germany’s takeover of Austria during World War II. Underwood played Maria, a young woman who dreams of joining Nonnberg Abbey until she’s ordered to become a governess for the children of Captain von Trapp (Stephen Moyer). Maria falls for the seven children first, teaching them to sing while sewing them new play-clothes out of old curtains. Then, during a dance with the Captain, she falls hard for him.

Underwood grew stronger through the first hour of the three-hour ‘The Sound of Music Live!’ broadcast, and by the time the children gathered for the bedroom thunderstorm scene, she seemed as comfortable in front of the television cameras as she did beneath the hot lights of the Blown Away Tour in 2013.

An irritating hiss dogged the production however, and while it was less noticeable during portions of the show, it never completely disappeared.

Moyer (of ‘True Blood’ fame) and actress Audra McDonald (Mother Abbess) were the strongest actors in the live production. ‘Climb Every Mountain’ was a vocal highlight of the show, while Moyer’s acting held it all together. Laura Benanti as Elsa Schrader was also very strong, as were the seven von Trapp children. Joe West as Kurt von Trapp hit his high notes, much to the delight of fans following along on Twitter.

A few songs were moved from the original production and Julie Andrews’ 1965 movie version of ‘The Sound of Music.’ ‘The Lonely Goatherd’ was the most noticeable variation, but these changes didn’t interrupt the musical’s flow. Some of the best acting came during the dinner party scene, and then the last hour, when the Nazi invasion became more imminent.

Underwood’s acting was not as strong as some of the others in the cast, with her first kiss with Captain von Trapp feeling particularly forced. She was at her best while grieving, or when she was involved with the children. As a singer, she was as strong as anyone in the cast. The yodeling and lilting high notes in ‘The Lonely Goatherd’ were just one example of her vocal prowess.

Commercial interruption no doubt helped keep the musical on track, but even the ads were weaved into the evening. There were a few gaffs — Underwood stumbled early on during ‘The Sound of Music,’ for example — but there was nothing major to distract one from the action, aside from the aforementioned audio issues.

In the end, ‘The Sound of Music Live!’ ended exactly as it should (well, almost — ‘Climb Every Mountain’ played instead of the theme song), with the von Trapps escaping safely to Switzerland with the help of the nuns at Nonnberg Abbey.

This Christmas Song - Angie Miller

It’s cold outside

There’s no one around

I’ve been waiting all year

For Christmas to come around

The time stays still

And I don’t hear a sound

‘Cause all I think about is you

Now the Christmas has come around

Seeing all the lights

Hung up on the tree

Reminds me of all the good

That you bring out of me

‘Cause baby your love shines bright

And it’s all I need

Don’t give me pounds of hope

Now just bring yourself to me

And when the New Year comes

Oh baby you’re the one

That I think about

When I don’t know where you’re sleeping

We’re far apart

And I don’t know where to start

So I’m just writing this Christmas song for you

I’m just writing this Christmas song for you

To my surprise, this song is actually very moving. Great job Angie! Keep writing songs like this and you will definitely go a long long way! Congrats for charting in the top 100 charts! 

Will It Ever Be Me?

I know for me even writing this is so not right. But that is how I really feel. Or maybe it is just how things comes back and bite you in the ass when you constantly keep pushing them away. As terrible as I am feeling, the happiness for someone I really cared for still lingers on.

I took a short trip down to KL to meet up with someone I really look up to. Since he was in town having his gig, and also he really wanted to see me, I flew down from the north to KL. Even thou it is a really short 18 hour trip, everything was worth it I guess.

For the longest time, I just have to be me, and talking to someone who really knows what you are going through. He is more than a friend to me, he is a mentor to me in the industry for many many years. And he is also a cancer survivor.

One thing that really sinks into me is when he ask me how was I. And my answer was just one simple word. - Sinking. That is how I really feel like every day. As much as I didn't enjoy talking about my cancer all the time, as much as I wanted it not to be there, but that exact feeling I knew that he could understood. And his answer was just as simple as the question was. 

You have to sink, it is part of the process. You are just human. I went through that, I was at your place last year. 

Comforting much? I don't really know. It as just.. nice to know that somewhere and someone could finally understood the physical and mental torture that I have to keep fighting off every day. I am really happy that my mentor is cancer free right now. I am really happy that the war is over for him. 

But there is one thing I can't ignore, the feeling I have inside. That envious urge to wanting to say that four wonderful words, "I AM CANCER FREE" Wanting it so bad, every good energy in me seems like wasn't enough to put on a good front. And the next thing I knew, he sat over next to me and held my hands,

Ricky, you and I know this is normal to feel. That "wanting" is stronger than ever. Channel it to your music, bring the colors into your life, like how I did. No matter we are cancer free or not, it shouldn't have stop you from what you always do. I know nothing I say now will make you feel better, but just remember that you have everyone here with you that knows how you feel. The ACS Family will always be there. 

I wanted to just smile and say thank you, but nothing came up. And for some reasons, all I feel that I am so broken and I just really wish someone would really fixed me up. But will it be enough? Will I see the world like how I really do now?

My blog's nickname is "My Cancer, Music, and Life Blog" for a good reason. Nowadays, these are the things that mostly define the quality of my existence.

• Cancer, and it's effect on somebody who follows my blog, is a daily occurrence.
• Music, has never flowed from me at a higher rate and I've never been more productive.
• Life, has never felt more rewarding.

Dirty Little Secrets

A part of me didn't want it to be real, a part of me wanted it to just be.

The more it stacks up, the less space I have left to breath. Will I be really willing to give it in? Or will I keep fighting? Where I really wanna go from here? Where should I be right now? Nothing seems or feels right.

The lyrics just reflects beautifully.

If I had the chance love

I would not hesitate

To tell you all things I never said before

Don't tell me it's too late

'Cause I've relied on my illusion

To keep me warm at night

And I've denied in my capacity to love

But I am willing to give up this fight 

I've been up all night drinking to drown my sorrows down

But nothing seems to help me since you went away

I'm so tired of this town where every tongue is wagging

When every back is turned

They're telling secrets that should never be revealed

There's nothing to be gained from this but disaster 

Here's a good one

Did you hear about my friend

He's embarrassed to be seen now

'Cause we all know his sins 

If I had the chance love

I would not hesitate

To tell you all things I never said before

Don't tell me it's too late

'Cause I've relied on my illusion

To keep me warm at night

And I've denied in my capacity to love

But I am willing to give up this fight 

Oh, I am willing to give up this fight

Malindo To Fly KL-New Delhi From Dec 30

Malindo Air has got the nod to fly into New Delhi and Mumbai, destinations that low-cost airline AirAsia X gave up over a year ago.

The routes are currently only served by Malaysia Airlines and the entry of Malindo is likely to intensify competition and force airfares to fall.

India will be added to the Malindo network just nine months after the airline began operations in the country. It will also add Trichy, a southern point in India on Jan 3. It wil begin flying the KL-Delhi route on Dec 30 and KL-Mumbai on Feb 15. Malindo will use the slots given up by AAX for Dehli and Mumbai.

Malindo, which calls itself a hybrid airline, is a joint venture between Malaysia’s Nadi Sdn Bhd and Indonesia’s Lion Grup, which also owns Lion Air.

For starters, Malindo is offering a promotional all-inclusive one-way fare of RM599 each to Mumbai and Delhi. For Trichy the fare starts at RM399 one-way all-inclusive.

“The decision to start our services to these long-awaited new routes emphasises the value and importance of tourism, trade and business links between India and Malaysia,” Malindo chief executive officer Chandran Rama Muthy said.

Malindo has begun ticket sales and is said to have received numerous bookings for the flights to India.

Though it is targeting passengers from Malaysia, the airline is a vital link for Indonesia’s Lion Air gateway into that part of the world.

Emirates Airlines’ A380 Superjumbo Makes LAX Debut

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and airport officials on Monday welcomed passengers and crew of a double-decker, “superjumbo” jetliner, ushering in new daily service between Dubai and Los Angeles.

Emirates Airlines’ A380 aircraft, making its first official flight from Dubai, touched down Monday at Los Angeles International Airport’s Tom Bradley Terminal to fanfare and a water salute.

The 489-seat A380 features 14 private first-class suites with access to two in-flight showers, 76 business-class beds, 399 economy seats and a bar lounge on the plane’s upper deck.

A first-class round-trip flight between Dubai and Los Angeles aboard Emirates’ A380 — booked more than two months ahead — would set travelers back by around $26,000, based on the airline’s booking website.

At 16 hours, the service between Dubai and Los Angeles is the world’s longest route aboard the A380, city officials said. The daily flights arrive at LAX at 12:50 p.m. and depart at 4 p.m.

LAX is the second United States airport with Emirates A380 service; New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport was the first.

Emirates is the seventh airline to begin daily A380 flights at LAX, according to LAX spokeswoman Nancy Castles.

THAI’s New A380 Arrives With Special Cargo

Thai Airways International (THAI) has taken delivery of its sixth and final Airbus A380, which came stocked with charitable supplies.

The delivery flight from Toulouse to Bangkok was conducted in association with the Airbus Corporate Foundation and Aviation Sans Frontières, which loaded the double-decker jet with clothing and school supplies to be distributed to underprivileged children in Thailand.

“This is the fourth goodwill flight we coordinate with the Airbus Corporate Foundation and the third with one of our A380s,” said Chokchai Panyayong, THAI’s senior executive vice president.

“We are very proud to be able to use our delivery flights to transport donations such as these goods received by Aviation Sans Frontières. The clothes and supplies will be particularly appreciated by children in rural areas in Thailand.”

The aircraft landed in Bangkok on 30 November, becoming the last of six A380s ordered by THAI. It comes fitted with 507 seats – 12 in first class, 60 in business class and 435 in economy.

Sex 'N Spas: The Future Of In-Flight Entertainment

Careening through the air 10,000m above the ground can be a brutal experience. To help us cope, airlines have evolved some pretty sophisticated on-demand entertainment in the form of games, movies, internet and the occasional backrub. Here’s a look at some of the ambitious ideas that got us there, the failures along the way, and concepts we might see in the future.

Luxury for your eyes only

In-flight entertainment has always been more or less synonymous with movies because it’s a convenient and cost-effective way to placate passengers. Sure, in the early days, dating back to the short-lived zeppelin experiment, flying was treated as a luxury experience akin to flying in a fancy hotel, or a the very least in a floating train. But by the time commercial flight really took off after World War II, airlines were cramming passengers into crowded cabins much the way theatre proprietors stuffed them into auditoriums. It seems only natural to show them a flick.

Of course, in-flight movies weren’t easy. They’ve required lots of experimentation over the years, a process that’s well-documented in a paper from the Airline Passenger Experience Association. The earliest confirmed in-flight movie was a silent film called Howdy Chicago, shown on brief airborne jaunts around the city during the 1921 Pageant of Progress. The first in-flight soundtrack to a movie came a few years later, and was actually played by a live orchestra and beamed to an aeroplane over radio waves, since you can’t bring a full orchestra onto a plane. This theme comes up repeatedly in air travel, and particularly when we’re talking about amenities beyond the basics: Only the bare minimum flies.

In the early years, huge, cumbersome 16mm reels were used to project feature films to airline passengers. The hulking reels were later supplanted by the conveniences of Super 8, which itself gave way to video. In the early 80s, a businessman had the idea that the tiny LCD displays he’d recently seen at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas could be used to give everyone in a plane their own private display. These displays now serve as the centrepiece of the on-demand audio/visual/ gaming experiences we have onboard any longer flight these days. When combined with the electronic devices we bring with us, and the occasional spotty internet access, our attention is completely consumed. In-flight shopping? In-flight magazines? Nah. We’re all about in-flight watching.

The very friendly skies

Of course, we can only zone out so much given how uncomfortable those seats are. So why not a little hanky panky? Unfortunately, joining the Mile High Club on a long-haul over the Atlantic is still going to require equal parts courage and sneakiness. But that hasn’t stopped plenty of fly-by-night charter services from cropping up to help satisfy people’s fantasies

Today, Flamingo Air, a Cincinnati based carrier, serves up an hour in the air for you, your partner, a complementary bottle of champagne, and a “very discreet pilot,” all for $US425. The “official” Mile High Club website lists similar purveyors all over the country, some of which appear to be now defunct. There’s even a Dutch escort service for those of you travelling in that socially permissive part of the world.

Sure, you land at the same airport you took off from, but at least you get to go all the way.

The A380 and unfulfilled promise

Even if in-flight entertainment seems relatively stable these days, it hasn’t stopped people in recent years from dreaming bigger than what tin vessels can support. In April 2005, the double decker Airbus A380 took off after years of development, and several airlines started to make lofty promises about the fun we’d one day enjoy aboard the new planes.

Shortly after his airline’s maiden A380 flight, flamboyant British billionaire Richard Branson announced that some of the newly purchased fleet would be outfitted with both gyms and casinos on board. Neither ever came to fruition.

In a 

survey of airline gambling history earlier this year, CNN points out that the casino in the air is hardly a new idea. It’s been tried in limited ways for over 30 years. That gambling has been explicitly illegal in United States airspace since 1994 hasn’t stopped imaginative designers from coming up with new concepts for sky casinos.

As for gyms, fitness seems like a natural fit for a luxury airliner. Sitting on your butt for long periods of time isn’t just boring, it’s unhealthy. Unfortunately, there are just too many roadblocks. Considering that airlines are too cheap to let you fly with a checked bag for free, maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that loading bulky equipment onto a plane doesn’t gel with the efficiency needs of the contemporary airline business. But, hey, a least Virgin Atlantic’s got instructions on an in-flight routine to help you stay fit without even getting out of your seat.

In the end, the biggest improvement we saw from the A380 came in the form of the very expensive suites, or semi-private seats that turn into beds so that flush business types can get some rest while on extra-long flights. And no, they won’t let you get freaky in the cabins.

For a few years there, it was looking like the true future of in-flight entertainment was just helping you get to sleep. That’s seeming less likely now. Just yesterday, Singapore Airlines stopped its 19-hour flight from JFK to Changi Airport, the longest in the world. And so far, Airbus has only delivered 115 of its mammoths. It’s looking increasingly likely that the future of in-flight entertainment is going to have to think small.

The personal touch

All along, this problem has really been about making people more comfortable and reducing the physical and mental stress of flying. A little spectacle on the screen helps, as do comfier seats. What’s not going to happen is anything too ambitious in the form of fun. No tennis on the wings, no gym, no beauty parlour. So how’s in flight entertainment going to get better? It’s going to get smarter.

In a recent paper, researchers Hao Uu, Ben Salem, and Matthias Rauterberg described a part framework for making inflight entertainment better, which is going to to sound very familiar to anyone who has used smart, adaptive internet services before. In short, future in-flight entertainment should use context awareness and user profiles to help serve up better stuff faster. The system should be flexible, responsive, and customisable.

That’s a little abstract, so let’s try to bring this high-flying entertainment concept back to earth. What the researchers are proposing is that on-demand content on aeroplanes should work much the way Spotify, Xbox One and Google recommendations work when we’re at our desks or our couches. It’ll be the same entertainment just better tailored to each of us. Less looking around for what you want, more finding it.

The real question is whether that’ll even matter by the time it can be implemented at a broad scale; smartphone and tablet adoption rates are combining with improved in-flight Wi-Fi options to create a world in which the best in-flight entertainment is the one you have in your pocket.

Credits to Mario Aguilar

Happy Thanksgiving

Grateful for my life, my health and my strength. Grateful for peace, longevity.

So grateful for my team who has been with me for 10 long years now. Cow, you have always been my pillar. Thank you for believing in what I write. Without you, I will not be a part of your amazing music career. Aben, Jason, Ashley, Max and also Brand, thank you for keep pushing me on what I do.

Dumdum, I thank God for you because you believed in me and you never gave up. You seen something in me others failed to see.

Leo, than you for stepping into my life at the time I really needed. You are a best friend, brother and almost like a counselling maid ( Yes, I am rubbing that in ) to me and I just wanna tell you how grateful I am for you being in my life.

Rainer, Garend, Andrew, Daniel, Cornflakes and Danny. You guys came in to my life just in time to feel that empthy lonely feeling of me. You are my family and I am grateful for that. Love you!

Mom and Dad, words cannot express how I feel about you. You never turned your back on me and never left. We can talk about anything . You guys are always like my best friend who I always have. I would cross the ocean for you,I will go and bring you the moon for you.

My brother, I am just grateful that you are still here. Just seeing your faces (even on FaceTime) makes me tears. I love you both so much my lil bros!

Grateful that I woke up this morning because somebody didn't or should I say some people if they could bring back a love one. Someone special they would. Grateful that the chains have been broken. No more chains holding me back.

To my writing team in LA, and the whole band, I love you and miss you so much! Thankful to all that supported me in my career and everything I do. Happy Turkey Day!

Last thing, I am grateful that I did not let my career or the entertainment business change me or allow me to lose site of what I really love. And that's my music.