Eve........

Christmas is tomorrow! It has been cloudy, cool and wet leading up to Christmas eve, the closest anyone in Malaysia has to a white christmas. I'm watching Star Wars Episode II : Attack Of The Clones for the millionth time now, if this entry seems slightly hard to understand, do forgive me. Seriously, why can't Anakin just do what Obi-Wan tells him and stop suggesting that they find Zam. And why does Zam has to die? A wonderful character she is. Darth Maul too......sigh.

My dinner was close to disaster...almost nothing came up as planned, but like all serials, the ending turned out well. The chocolate cheese cake nearly failed. It ended up super good. The meat loaf too. It was as dry as a bone. I do not want continue further, i wanna watch Star Wars....i'll leave you with photos.

The bone dry meat loaf

Mom made some spiced sauce for it. Simmered the meat in it and made it edible.

Coleslaw.

You see the meatloaves, tempura fish, baked potato wedges and some fried vegetarian rice noodles from noon.

Baked potato wedges with salt and pepper. Tasted ok for something i made for the first time.

Tempura fish.

Marble Cheese Cake. Chocolate cheese.....a near disaster....turned out well, thankfully.

A close up. Named marble for a reason...very nicely layered cheese and chocolate.

Yay...fat boy with a soft champange substitute, papa looking on, diyang and mom scooping ice cubes and a guest! My aunt, mom's eldest sister, thought my cake was good! She had the most helping. Grateful.

My plate.

TsingTao Beer...the nice Chinese beer which is cheaper than water in the mainland. Tasted normal...but i like it. Leftovers in my fridge!

Was watching a Discovery Channel special earlier about the first emperor of China. Emperor Chin Shi Huang Di. If Emperor is Huang Di, does that not make the prefix Emperor redundant? So it is either Emperor Chin Shi or Chin Shi Huang Di. Just wanted to clarify that......heh..... More photos of the tree later...and presents! Can't wait to open them tomorrow morning....Star Wars!

Sad Days

About 2 weeks ago, CNet Senior Editor James Kim went missing on his way back to San Francisco from Oregon for Thanksgiving. With him were his wife, Kati Kim and his 2 daughters (aged 4 years and 7 months respectively). They made a reservation for a room in a motel 5 hours from where there were when they realised they would not make San Francisco in time. They never arrived. When he failed to show up for work and appointment on the 28th of November, co-workers got worried and knew something went terribly wrong. It was found later that they went missing on a route they took in some of the worst weather conditions. They disappeared with their Saab station wagon.

When the news broke, i felt sick and sad. I do not know James Kim personally, but it felt like i have known him for a very long time, from his days at TechTV. I had a weird feeling that he would not survive, but still, i prayed for the best and his well-return to family and friends. 11 days later, Kati Kim and her 2 daughters were found by a rescue chopper. It was good. They were in good condition, exhausted but perfectly fine. I expected James to be with them, but he was not. He had set off in search for help but never returned. They managed to survive the cold by small rations of food and warmth from the car's heater. When petrol ran dry, they burnt tyres for heat. The news was great and the sheriff mentioned that James was a remarkable man. His resourcefulness was the only reason they survived that long in the rugged wilderness in the middle of a bitterly cold winter. Apparently, he set off with a lighter, snowshoes and some random things. I knew they would find him alive. He has done so much and gone so far to survive, he will be found alive.

Yesterday, right before the national guards were called into the fray, they found James, deceased. According to reports, he became either disoriented or lost his way during his last moments in the thick snow, because he was going around in circles. It was so close......so very close. When the rest of his family was found, i had nothing but optimistic thoughts that he would be back home soon. That all my sick gut feeling earlier was borne of plain paranoia. I expected to see him back at work with his colleagues doing the CRAVE podcast, happily chirping about the Zune or watch him do another of his gadget reviews like he was born to do them. I expected......

I never knew him personally, but it felt like i did. How could someone so charming, a father so dedicated, someone who would do anything to keep his family alive while he searched for help, someone who could keep his cool anytime, someone who's smile could make anyone's day, someone so soft-spoken.....
We can look up now, and be reminded that someone so perfect lived. You may not be with us anymore, but you were once among us. That makes the thought of still being here while you're far away in paradise more bearable. You were here.....you left a mark amazingly indelible. You lived. And now, your daughters will continue to do so knowing a person like you were their father. Rest in peace, James Kim. You will be sorely missed.

I do not want to proof read the post. You may see his work at CNet, or read similar articles at CNet News. Alternatively visit Veronica Belmont, Tom Merritt and Molly Wood's blogs to see what his colleagues think of him. Also, go to James And Kati that was made pleading for help from people in the search for them, it's a memoriam now.

Also, in the Asian Games held in Doha, Qatar, Korean Kim Hyung-chil died immediately after being crushed by his horse that failed to clear a hurdle and went flipping to the dirt during an Equestrian event. Imagine yourself being that brave man's parents. Watching your proud son competing in a world event on tv and having to witness the horrific incident live. Unbearable. Rest in peace.