The Penang Bridge International Marathon 2011 is just another 2 days away. Well, sort of and this will be Daniel Chew’s first full 42km marathon run and the venue is Penang. Why Penang? How do I feel right now? Though I ran the PBIM 21km last year too.

It makes me feel super excited to run my first full marathon in Penang because the venue is on the bridge itself. I also feel that this place also bring back lots of memories which goes back all the way to 2008. Well, let’s talk about the marathon first. I am also afraid if I could actually finish the marathon and get the medal at least. Have I taken enough precautions? Am I actually ready to run my first marathon? Can I do it within 6 hours? All these are making my adrenaline rush.

Anyway, like I said, it brings us back all the way to 2008 when I had my first crazy time with the people I knew then.

Imagine how much we all changed? I might not be as thin as before. Well time flies. It was 2008 and during that time, I do not even know the meaning of running in any runs. Fast forward 3 years, and now I am taking part in running events. By the way, that’s me and Aaron at the foreground. If you can squint your eyes a little, you can actually see that it is Willaz and Wendy at the background. It has been such a long time since I met them.

Well, all thanks to a cute chatbox that brought most of us to get to know each another. Thank you ShoutOut (formerly shoutoutlounge.com) for letting us know each other even though most of us have already past that stage, and moved on with our different daily lives. The chatbox is now dead though, so no girls for newcomers to ‘buaya‘.

Those funny times. Maybe we can relish those memories once more. I am sure we can. The time when we were known as the Southern Trio. Anyway, too excited about the run, I cannot really concentrate as to what I am writing right now. Maybe that is how it should be. So wish me luck as I will be running on Sunday. By the time this post is up, I should be on the way or already in Penang.

Welcome back Char Koay Teow, Koay Zhiap and Assam Laksa. Woo hoo!!! All this I will enjoy after running the PBIM 2011.

Popularity: 1% [?]

I shall do a brief introduction. It has been awhile since this web was renamed to Daniel Chew the Weird. Well, not that I am weird but weird in a different way. It is like saying I am weird but weird in a special way. I think differently which people usually do not think it that way. Let us say that I am able to somehow twist and turn certain things that it turns out weird. All in all, it means I am just weird. See, I guessed I am starting to confuse you with my weirdness.

Just a while ago, while I was playing Magic the Gathering card games, while everyone was making decks to win (winning to most people is considered fun as long they make it competitive), I find making hilarious decks superbly fun. Though I might not win all the time, it is when I suddenly see their weird expressions when I win it with the deck that gets my adrenaline rushing. You know how weird their eyes started rolling when a weird deck starts beating them.

Oppps.. let us go back to what I was saying, Daniel Chew the Weird is what DanielCtw.com means. Just look at the initials and you will get what I am talking about. Now what about the many faces of Daniel?

At times I might be wacky, doing some crazy stuffs (like jumping and trying to get that perfect pose) or I love to take my own portrait like how those girls love to take their own reflection on the mirror (rather than looking at the camera, look elsewhere, it changes the mood).

Like the above, it has been awhile since I did a jump shot and boy, my physique has changed quite a lot. Somehow I felt I no longer used to look like the young boy that used to blog in this blog doing more cute faces. These are but a few of the faces of me. The Wacky. The Serious. The Poser.

It has been like 5 years since this blog was established back in 2006. Reading back how I used to blog, makes me miss my childhood days (rather college days). Unlike now, as I grew older, my mind start thinking more and more things as more responsibilities are coming my way. You could say that, most bloggers mature and changed their style of blogging as they grow older. Just look at Kenny Sia, he has also cut down on his blogging and focuses more on his business (GYM). What about me? I might be the same age as him, but we all have our different goals in life. (Oh my…. lecture time? Skip it)

Though that does not stop me from what I love to do in my life. I love to travel. Now where was my recent travel place? The next photo would at least summarize it all.

Aha… that was where I was recently. Of course, next time I might give a crash course on how to pose? Why do I feel that I can pose well? You will know, sooner or later what I meant by that. Live life wackily and crazy and weirdly while one is still young. Time passes by in a flash.

Popularity: 1% [?]

иконографияikoniSometimes we feign that we are young all through these years, thinking that time stopped for us. Seriously though we are getting older, which we all cannot deny but are we wiser as we get older?

As time passes by and as technology emerged, many people seems to be caught up in the age of IT and technology. Not owning a smart phone these days felt out of place (nothing wrong with not owning one, but just that sometimes we have to keep abreast with the current technology in this world. It does not meant that it is a necessity but it is complimentary).

So did we actually get wiser as we start to use these tools of technology? Or did we get dumber because we use these tools to look for our answers? Does our brain malfunction or rather use rather less brain cells because we rely so much on the computer or smart phone or any electronic devices to help us find the answer?

What are the boundaries? What are the limits? Why then does the school do not allow students to use a PC to search the World Wide Web for answers during answers? Well, some people say we should not deprive them of the benefit of being able to access the internet to look for answers but why? Is it to boost memory strength? Though how come what we did previously does not apply in the working world since we get to have our hands on these gadgets to help us do all the work.

You must have been wondering!!!

“OH NO!!!! Not another one of those WEIRD DANIEL moments where he starts thinking of things and start telling and boggling other people’s mind“

Though sad to say, he (The Weird One) is back with a bang (not gangbang) and will relive what he does best on the blogging world. To blog about his thoughts and not just his travel log or photos to showcase.

Back to the topic, are we wiser as we grow up? In what sense? Is it because we have gadgets to help us, we are wiser? Or do we use these tools to help us when we cannot do anything else? So many questions, so few answers which I would expect later on.

Sometimes it is good that we have the capacity to think. Not everyone is fortunate to have time to rest on the beach and ponder on thoughts that boggle their minds but like I said, anywhere would do. In life, we ponder about things at times which does not concern us.

Why do we do that?

These are things which help generate our mind receptors and also to make sure that our brain is still functioning. Why do humans worry? Worry?? We all worry for a reason, but it is also subject to our ability as to how we handle our worries. Some do not even understand the reason of why do they worry. Well, things go and come as they like but there are many things which raises a lot of questions in our daily life.

I guess life has a lot of meaning. This topic can go on and on with so many questions to be answered but leave very little answers to be given. Perhaps right now, the person reading this blog does not even understand a word of what this blogger is trying to say. Some even think that this is gibberish. Some even think that this is too deep, not something which they could fathom at all.

Some also thinks that I am using big words. Well, once a while, let the blogger relay what is in his mind. After this post, he will be his carefree self again. I am sure that will bring cheers to a lot of folks out there.

Till my next WEIRD thoughts!! Adios.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Alright, I am on my way to pluck coconuts. Ahemz… it’s not those other “coconuts” you were thinking but authentic coconuts that grew right from the garden. How is this possible?

It is possible because I was using a ladder and my perfect balance skills. Alright the tree was only about 3 or 4 meters tall. So how do I pluck the coconuts, you do the twist and turn method. Coconuts? They are Pandan coconuts and during the time when everyone was so buzz up with the Bersih rally in Kuala Lumpur main town on Saturday, the Weird One was at home doing house chores and this was one of them.

Of course, plucking coconuts also has it’s own danger. As flowers bloom on top the tree, you will occasionally see wasps and bees around and they were very close. Well, not that I bother about it anyway.

Using my Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 lens, I decided to get upclose and personal with the flying buggers and wasted a few shots on them. This was the only clear shot with both of them around each other.

Of course, do not try this at home, or you may be stung by them. All one need is to have patience, while balancing their foothold on the ladder near the top of the coconut tree. Somehow I relish those times when I was a young boy climbing up trees.

Why the sudden update on me being the coconut man? Well, first and foremost, I am finally updating. Also there would be a revamp on what this site would be called in the future. You will see the great revamp after I am back from a trip. You will know where I go, all you need is to follow my twitter at http://twitter.com/danielctw or wait for an upcoming post by my guest blogger. Until then, got to go.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Now that I think about it, I have been spending too much on my life with lots of unwanted spendings.

PS: Below is more of a serious note from the blogger. Proceed if you want to read about his serious personal life.

Well, not to say that I should not pamper myself at times to get stuffs that are interesting and fun to get but I think it is time to get into some serious planning into my daily finance and budget.

Those days I have been eating out and spending because of colleagues going out to eat at some fancy restaurant.

Ever since I came into a new environment I have now learned how to go back to how I used to when I was in college, I saved. So here is my long term plan.

Lunch RM3

Now imagine having RM3 lunch for 5 days per week, that would be RM15 and RM45 per month.

Now setting aside that, let’s say I do drive, RM200 – RM300 per month since now I take LRT to work.

New updates – Monthly Budget

Amazingly, counting the cost, that is how much I use in a month. All due to the commitments costing a bomb. I think maybe it is time for me to look at some of the commitments and try to device a plan to help myself to save more money in the coming future.

Some people said, you do not know the future, so why bother saving for something uncertain. Well, enjoy while you can but also learn to be a person.

Learning to be a person does not meant that you have to enjoy, feelings but there is also the practical aspect in all that. I shall try to minimize spending on stuffs that does not really benefit me much, for example my games on Magic the Gathering cards, mamak sessions (along with the MTG sessions) and also maybe some other things like having McDonald’s/KFC because your colleague wanted to go there.

Call me kiamsiap but I am not like those who earn big bucks. I shall also cut on my travel plans already. The travel is what took most of my revenue and cash I owned previous years.

I shall be on the reserved end. Sorry guys if I have to decline any invites from this day forward. I need to plan for my future.

Popularity: 1% [?]