The one with Football Manager 2011

Again, one of my favourite games has come out with a new edition. Football Manager 2011, packed with a whole lot of improvements after last year's stagnant edition.

Among the features are revamped training as well as real-time conversations with players, the board and a new feature the agents (they make a lot of money from football transfers).

This time around, I will be taking over my Spurs again. Last years edition I went continental as there wasn't much improvement on gameplay.

I've just went through the pre-season, and will start my first league game later.

The one with my short middle-east trip

Greetings from Abu Dhabi. Just reached Cristal Hotel in Abu Dhabi last night. Earlier in the day was in Kuwait City. Which probably is the shortest stay in a country for me. Reached Kuwait at 8.00am local time, and left for Abu Dhabi 5.30 local time.
The meeting in Kuwait went well. Hopefully it wear positive results. From my short stay there, Kuwait is one expensive country. The mall next to the hotel, houses shops which I can't even enter, as they are brands which I can't afford. The exchange rate itself is espensive, RM1.00 is 12.00KD. My colleague had to think twice when he bought a fridge magnet which cost KD1.75. Our McDonald's meal at the airport costs KD1.50.
Today, hopefully I will have time to see the city of Abu Dhabi. Went passed the biggest mosque here last night, and it looked majestic. Didn't take a picture though, as the cab was driving fast. My meeting here later will be at 10.00am, and will head down to breakfast in a bit.
Will hope to tell more later. Till then.

Steve Nash - Training Day

An amazing athlete. One of the best point-guards ever. Besides basketball, like me he also plays tennis, football and a Spurs fan.

The one where a lost long uncle will return

Today, I believe will be a very emotional day for the Kajang side of the family. As my long lost uncle will finally make his way back to Malaysia after 26 years.

Uncle Lan is my mum's eldest brother. The first-born in her family. So for my mum and her brothers and sisters, as well as my grandmother, it will be of those 'jejak kasih' scenes.

I for one, don't really recall any memory of him. As I was still a kid, and wasn't really in the country then (my dad was posted in America for 3 years when I was 2).

So to uncle Lan, welcome home and see you soon.

The one with my first KL Dragons experience

Last Sunday (the triple-10 date), I went for my first KL Dragons game in the Asean Basketball League. The ABL is in its second season, and only now I have to opportunity to see a regional basketball league. Mainly because now I have a group of friends who share a common interest in basketball after I have been out of the hoops scene for so long.

Well, it was the first home game of the season. Our opponents were SatriaMuda from Indonesia. I went who a fellow Spurs fan who help reintroduce me to the basketball scene, Ean. Tip-off was at 5pm, we reached the stadium around 4pm. We sat as court-side as we can get.

The SatriaMuda team were first out to warm-up. The home team came out a while later.

The SatriaMuda team had 2 American imports among their ranks. Both athletic dudes and one of them, Marcus Morrison really loved to entertain the crowd. SatriaMuda were very loose in their pre-game preparations.

A loud cheer erupted when the Dragons came out. The whole team had stoic-game-faces on. Probably focused on the job, and getting a win after the season opener loss to Thailand Slammers.

After the tip-off, both teams opened the game with 3-pointers. SatriaMuda mixed it up a lot. Their game included long-range shooting, drives into the paint and well as slick passing. The Dragons relied to much on shooting, which was their undoing.

Three of the Dragons big men fouled out, and SatriaMuda took advantage of the lack of size inside.

Only one Dragon came out of the game with credit, Filipono import Raymundo. He was doing everything, getting the offensive boards and 2nd chance points. The only player who played with any hustle. Sadly the offence didn't go through him, so he had to create and find his own shot. He finished the game with a Dwight Howard-esque 20 points and 21 rebounds.

The Dragons lost 68-77 in the end, after a late comeback. Despite the loss, I enjoyed the experience and will be looking to go to more home games.

The one where Ramadan begins

Its that time of the year again. The one where they say the devil is tied up and locked away. The one where I suddenly become budak baik. Yup, its Ramadan again. The time to fast and repent. And hopefully the time to be lighter.

Yesterday was the first day. Sadly it didn't go too well for me. I was sick. And no, I was not sick because I was trying to get out of fasting (well I don't do that anymore). I was fuzzy and light-headed from mid-day onwards. And throughout the whole afternoon, I felt like throwing up.

Good thing I opted to take the early exit from work (8am to 4.45pm). So headed off, went to pick up the mrs and head back to her parents for buka puasa.

Once we reached Subang, I went straight to bed to rest. After buka puasa, headed back to Shah Alam and I called it an early night. Took panadol before going to sleep.

Today, so far I feel okay.

The one where Clone Wars season 3 starts earlier

Just got word the Clone Wars season 3 starts earlier than in my previous post. It premieres on 17 September 2010.