Back To Mine

Just recently a friend asked me what songs will I choose if I am going to compile my very own BACK TO MINE Album.

In case you still haven't caught up with the current rhythm, BACK TO MINE are albums compiled by artistes who choose the songs based on what they would play in their own home for friends after a clubbing night out.

Can you smell the stench of another devious music CD marketing ploy specially designed to milk out more bread from non-suspecting music extremists? Fortunately for them, there are still some out there who are dying to know what their favourite artiste would spin.

Say, if you like Pet Shop Boys and you are dying to find out what type of songs they would choose to fill their designer loft with, now you can go out and grab a copy of BACK TO MINE by PET SHOP BOYS.

So when I was asked to list out my own BACK TO MINE album, it didnt take me too long to figure mine out. The simple rule is, just put together a personal collection of after-hour grooving song other than your own songs. Of course minus the devious marketing ploy. Mine compiled and designed just for my own personal kicks!

In case you are dying to know my personal collection, here's my BTM with cool grooves to make one feel sexy even if you are reeked with stale cigi smoke sweat straight from the clubs.

Come in. Chill out.


Care to tell me what's your BACK TO MINE?
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Club Five One

Today I turn fifty one. But how do I know without looking at my birth cert? Well, there are 10 things that will remind me of my new membership in Club Five One! If any of them sound familiar to you, welcome to the club.
1. Goatee turns grey faster (see photo). Have to dye it more frequently than before. Yes, I dye it!
2. Bigger spare tyre. I can be a right candidate if you like guys with tummy!
3. Staying clear of high cholesterol food or taking them in moderation.
4. Gets tired easily. Not enough exercise my doctor said.
5. Emptying my bladder more frequently than usual. Maybe a sign of diabetes. Must be careful with my diet.
6. New gout attack. Not since 5 years ago. Now the pain re-occurred like I kicked the wall hard with my toe!
7. Lifetime high-blood pressure pill popping.
8. Eyesight gets a little screwy to focus if I watch TV any later in the night.
9. Pain in the neck due to constant computer work and play.
10. My conversation centered around health and diets. I shall consciously avoid this topic from this day on.

OK. End of subject. Happy Birthday to me.

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How To Look Younger On Video

Sooner or later, it has to happen. A short video clip to immortalise myself before my face sags further. Here's a good tip for those oldies.., or young vain ones, who wish to look much younger on video. Shoot yourself LYING DOWN. FACE UP. Yup. Just like my video clip below. This way, all the folds on your face will gravitate back to give you a tauter look. You know, the way how ancient celebrities look after plastic surgery with their facial skin stretched all the way back of their head. Of course, lying down is a free and painless way for non-celebrity like me. But let's face it, It will not work all the time, if let's say, you are shooting an outdoor vacation clip of yourself. I mean, just how are you going to shoot yourself lying down in front of Eiffel Tower. Duh! Story of my life after 50.

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Trivial Things I Can't Do Without

Everyone has their own idiosyncrasies. You know, peculiar habits. Like avoiding cracks on the pavement. After staying on this earth for more than 50 years, without realizing it, I have developed my own. The trivial behaviours I cant do without. (drum roll...)

1...wiping the sink area dry after using the sink.
2...wearing a belt when I go out, unless if its a string-tie bermuda.
3...washing face first before anything else in the shower.
4...watching TV before I go to sleep.
5...wrapping rubbish in old newspaper before dumping into trash bag.
6...putting wallet in my left back pocket.
7...reading over my glasses (see photo).
8...smelling a freshly open new CD.
9...reading while pooping.

Been trying to think of more (reason for my absence!). But I can only come up with nine. Nine! And they are not even bizarre. As a matter of fact, quite normal. While you are reading this drivel of mine, does any of my nine sound familiar to your own personal deportment? If so, let me know which one. Your comments most welcome. For now..all I can say is.. I am not an eccentric old dog afterall.


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New Sound. Old Marketing Ploy.

'You like Linkin Park? You kidding me?' Gasped a client of mine who is like me, about to blow a 50 candle-lit birthday cake. But today the blowing of candles on the cake is not me or my dated client. The cake in question is for the birth of Linkin Park's new third studio album Minutes to Midnight! Arguably rock's most anticipated album this decade so far. And waited I have after 4 long years. I told one of my music freak pal that I will rush out first thing. But hold it. Not so fast, I told my legs. Eventhough its already selling in store 5 days ago, I have to tell myself to hang-in there for a while. Why? that's because knowing previous music CDs marketing ploy, the single disc album will most likely evolves to a double disc a year later with extra tracked and remixes. So that put a Linkin Park fan like me in a huge dilemma. Should I rush out to get the single disc album release first so that I am not left out of the hype? But yonowat? I am living in Malaysia. I nearly forgot about our local night market where I can sample songs first before I buy the real McCoy. And so I did just that last night.

So how is the new Linkin Park? Will I buy their new album? On sampling there are a few rock gems here and there. Eventhough its not like their previous 2 albums where they hold you by your throat instantly. But I am not here to review their new album. I am here trying to get rid off my Beyonce B-Day because a year later today, I was compelled to dish out extra doe for a double disc CD album Beyonce B-Day just for the irresistable repackaging of new songs bursting to the seams complete with a DVD!!! Its worth it I must admit. I am really not happy with such bloody marketing ploy. Any music CD collecting enthusiast can tell you that. Yes I will most definitely buy Linkin Park's Minute to Midnight CD because I am huge fan. BUT only when their re-mixed re-packaged re-stuffed re-grooved re-DVDed double disc album CD starts to ship out that is. Now the frustrating question is, will they?

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Old, Cold, Low and Slow Hanoi

Just came back from a 5-day vacation in Hanoi with three soulmates. Our first time there. How was it? Seems like stepping back in time. Took a 4 hour rewinding flight and got a feel of how Kuala Lumpur may have looked like 50 years ago. Here's a photo to prove it. Interesting isn't it? Yes, this photo was taken on 4 May 2007. Not 1957. While this nostalgic charm of Hanoi seems to stay vividly in my tourist mind, there are other lasting impressions I have of Hanoi too.

Here are some I will never forget:

COLD RAIN
The first day we arrived, we were greeted with bone chilling rain. The next day, it rained whole day. We traced our way around wet tattered roads with one hand holding a damped map and the other, a hotel loaned umbrella. We weren't too crazy about the rain but the cold air-conditioned breeze was a cool surprise. Old female vendors wasted no time in peddling thin blue plastic rain coats at every turns.

LOW STOOL
The low stools are a common sight. Especially noodle stalls by the road. Seems as though someone came along and introduce a whole new way of squatting by resting their Vietnamese bums on this short legged stool. I was in a narrow CD shop and I found this stools most useful while combing through their pirated wares.

HONKING
The honking of cars, trucks and motorbikes never cease. Practically every 10 seconds. Its as if anyone who's anyone with a horn is having fun with it regardless! It was irritating on the first day. Annoying on the second but once I got used to it, it was charmingly funny in its own Hanoi way.

MOTORCYCLES
Hordes of them. Most apparent when one is trying to cross a road. They come from everywhere. Left right centre. This makes crossing roads in Hanoi a nightmare. If you don't see them, you'll hear them. But you won't bump into them. That's because they have these skillful ways of maneuvering away from your ginger path.

SLOW CART
While we were on the way back from Halong Bay, this van that ferried us crawled as if some cows were pulling it from the front. What should take no longer than one hour to hit Hanoi but took three and half hour instead! This doesn't help when my bladder was coming up full. I thought the driver was the only slow coach. When I looked around, every other vehicles were cruising like bollock carts! Damn! I almost peed in my pants!

ICE-CREAM CROWD
I have never seen an ice-cream parlour so crowded with people. Looks to me like the crowd was waiting to get into a cinema. Yes a cinema crowd! Could it be that this post-communist town only just recently open its door to allow fellow comrades to enjoy decadent western ice-cream? Mind you, the ice-cream doesn't even come with fancy branded wrappers. The takeaway counter was swamped with teens. See photo to believe. After I savoured a few of those extra-sweet morsels off the spoon, I wondered what's the big deal.

My account above doesn't sum up the relaxing yet quaint vacation I had. Hanoi does have a few surprises to offer like the laughable Water Puppet Show, the breathtaking Halong Bay and even thick bitter Vietnamese coffee sipping by the lake. But I am not here to sell Hanoi. Just recollecting the initial impressions. I did have a great time, more so with great company, however I wouldn't go back to Hanoi again in the remainder half of my life time.

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YouTube MeTube

Just posted a home video of my friend SP enjoying himself. No its not what you are thinking. To satisfy your curiosity, check out my YouTube site here:

www.youtube.com/carlshinoda

Hope this will be the start of my movie career. (that sounded ambitious). Well to be precise, a movie clip career. Hmmm.. not even a career but perhaps a pastime. Just for the fun of it. Here.. have a taste of what's big to come and I don't mean my chub pal on the video.

I am casting for my next horror movie. 5 minutes of fame, anyone?

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Thank you Mr. Edison

In these days and age, power is almost everything. I realised that last night when my fusebox tripped on me. For one brow-sweating moment I saw myself tossing and turning in bed with no air-condition to sooth my tired body. Didn't cross my mind to snap back on the fusebox, I proceed to grope my way to find a torch. Guided my way to open up some windows to let in the natural air. Then I decided to wait out the dimly illuminated blackout with some of my usual nightly hobbies. Then horror struck!!!

Oh My Goat!
I Can't switch on air-con
Can't update my blog.
Can't send emails!
Can't even get into the net.
Can't watch DVD movies
Can't switch on the TV
Can't get my water heater running.
Can't race down the virtual street with my PS2 joystick
Can't play my CDs
Can't even break the night's silence with radio music
Thank God for iPod. Oh shoot! Not recharged. I can't recharge my iPod!

Whamaigonnado?

Oh wait, the mobile phone still lights up. Claimed to have loaded features. Time to get to know my mobile toy. I will never survive ice-age! What am I gonna do without power. Thank you Mr. Edison.

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Age Old Question.

By Mid-August I will be hitting the big Five Oh. Have I been roaming this earth for nearly 50 years already?. Damn! I feel like a dinosaur. When I was in my 20s, anyone who claims that they are in their 50s, my first reaction would be.. hmm that's ancient. Now that I've been jolted out of my fountain of youth, it's a bit like stumbling accidently into the Senior Citizen Zone. I sure am not prepared for this. Its not as if I want to prepare for it anyway. No, I didnt get up one morning and decide to change my entire wardrobe to a Ho Chin Minh collection. Nor would I be popping a denture into my mouth any time soon. I still go about surfing Billboard Hot 100 to check what's cool in the chart and proceed to the local music CD store. Yeah I know, the young dude with the spikey hair behind the store counter must be thinking 'daddy looking for his kid's birthday gift'. Sorry dude, the gift's for this old kid. Me.

I just dont feel my age. No let me rephrase that...I am SO NOT feeling my age. But am I trying to be cool, talking the MTV talk living in a state of denial? A little torn between here. Is this what mid-life crisis is all about? Feeling my age or not feeling my age? Damn. Lets see where I stand.

Feeling my age:
1. when the sales promoter pushed 'Uncle, you will see result in two weeks with this age spots cream'
2. when the government remindered me that I am eligible to collect a portion of my retirement fund.
3. when the insurance agent didnt bother to turn up after the second appointment
4. when my doctor nagged me into doing brisk walking or Tai Chi
5. when I consciously reduce my fizzy beverage consumption

So NOT feeling my age:
1. when I vibrate my hands occasionally with my PS2
2. when my CD collection includes Beyonce and Black Eyed Peas
3. when I watch American Idol.
4. when I stick iPod to both sides of my head.
5. when I don't dislike fastfood.
6. when text messaging while driving. don't try this at home. Huh?
7. when changing TV channels like I am text messaging.
8. when I still google at cute Manggas! My friends will know this one.
9. when I hangout with friends in their 20s
10. when I start blogging

Ten over five ain't bad. Ok, I am so NOT feeling my age.

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How Out Am I?

At 50 and single, there's always this inescapable question. Usually coming from tackless nosey oldies at wedding dinners. While admiring the young grooms, they would turn to me and said 'When will you be next?' That's right. The big Q that has all the hooks to fish out more sordid details out of my protected sexuality. Imagine returning the big Q to these nosey oldies during funeral receptions. When will you be next? kekeke! The devil in me. Of course when it comes down to it, there are a list of excuses (oh how i hated myself) to satisfy their curiosity. Rambling inaudibly...
1. My girlfriend just dumped me
2. I hate kids
3. I am married to my job.
4. I am not into sticking to one yet.
5. I have been heartbroken too many times.
6. Don't want to be tied down.

That was then. Even in my 30s. But who am I kidding. These days I will just have to tell them why I didnt get married.

I AM FREAKING HAPPY WITH MY GAY LIFE!!!

Yeah. Loud, out and proud. But is it? Perhaps not so loud. As I am writing this, a few disapproving faces flash across my mind already. But do I care? Lets see how out am I.

My eldest sister (and I mean real sister) she kinda know. Didnt really have to discuss with her.
My second sister, she knows and even brought her to some gay clubs.
My colleaques. most know. Didnt really need to discuss with them.
My Lover. He knows. He better!
My best friends. 2 of them. They certainly know.
My Brother-In-law. I dont care too much.
My clients. If they ask. I tell.
My neighbour, out himself to me.
In public. No they can't tell. I am not flaunting either.

Hmmm.. guess I am as out as a fish out of water!

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