Friday Music (on a Sunday!) - Fine Young Cannibals

The band Fine Young Cannibals took their name from the 1960 movie "All the Fine Young Cannibals" (Robert Wagner and Natalie Woods). They came out with Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds", "She Drives Me Crazy" and  "Johnny Come Home". The unique voice of Roland Gift and sound and very popular from the mid 80's to mid 90's.

Would have Been My Parents' 59th Anniversary

On the 25th of August 2010 would have been my parents' 59th Anniversary.  Unfortunately my dad passed away  on the 4th September 2003. We were however fortunate to have celebrated they 50th Anniversary in 2001. Dad decided a week before the date to have a do and to invite their close friends and family to the house, We had mass for mum and dad to renew their vows as well. Had tents erected, Hyatt to cater the food and some roast lamb and lots of dessert. On the day my parents stayed mostly in their bedroom as we got the place ready for the mass, the tents, the dinning tables, organizing parking, covering the defects of the house with material and lots of flowers. The joy was to see their face of utter shock and joy and appreciation.
Glad dad decided to do it! Heres to you mum and dad, God Bless!

These are pictures of the weeding on the 25th August 1951 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in then Jesselton (Kot Kinabalu) and the party afterwards. This period ooze style and class not needing the glamor of current weddings.

I like the cool cars in the background

Cutting of the cake

The Guest waiting for food

Mum and dad also had a hard time deciding to celebrate their 25th Anniversary in 1976 as dad's brother was killed in a plane crash in that year. They went ahead and we all enjoyed it. It was held in Hyatt the people who catered 25 years later.

The following photos are from the 50th Anniversary.

The blessing by Msgr. Primus Jouil 

The lovely cake was done by my sis-in-law  Patsy

The dessert table

Dinning el fresco

The following of pictures of mum and dad over the past 50 years.

Wed Movie! The Elephant Man

Wednesday Movie

The Elephant Man (1980)

One of John Hurts best roles was the Elephant Man.  A movie I think I watch by myself at boarding school as a teenager in Singapore. Not your regular movie to go to for a teenager. We could only get out of the school compound on Saturdays after lunch (the quickest lunch of the week) and we had to get back by 6pm.  Enjoyed it and was my first experience proper with a black and white movie in a cinema. Directed by David Lynch of Twin Peaks fame. And would you believe it Produced by Mel Brooks!

Rating: Wa Lau - almost life changing

Friday Music - The Style Council / Peter Weller

The Style Council were a 80's band with its lead singer Paul Weller. Good mellow stuff very unlike the music of that time. I still listen to Paul Weller's stuff till today.

Wed Movie! Dead Ringer (1964)

Wednesday Movie

Dead Ringer (1964)

Watch it with Cinda this morning after sending the kids to school. Enjoyed it even though the script would never stand to today's standards (not making a mess after blowing up someones head very unlike "Pulp Fiction"). Great story, wonderful filming and great actors. Rating : Good - well made didn't fall asleep during the movie

Friday Music - Weird Al Yancovich.....or sometihing like that

Ahhh A bit of Weird Al...emmm I can do that hair style now!!!

The Spoof!


The Original!

Friday Music -Erasure

Erasure comprise of Andy Bell (vocals) and Vince Clarke on Synth/keybards. Vince Clarke was the founding member of Depache Mode and was part of Yazoo with Alison Moyet. Erasure started in the 80's and are still around. Included below is a cover of ABBA's "Take a Chance on Me" and the original from ABBA which is pretty hilarious!

Wed Movie! The Wild Geese

Wednesday Movie

The Wild Geeese

"The Wild Geese" (named after a 17th Century Irish Mercenaries) the first movie as a 10 year old in which I understood the plot and was totally absorbed by the characters and even cried when Hardy Kruger's character died and the tension he had with an African man being a South African. It was a significant leap for me to understand and empathized with the story. Star studded movie with Richard Burton, Roger Moore and Richard Harris heading the movie with no female actors or love interest. Great story, great plot.

Rating: Wah Lau!!

Friday Music - Go West

Go West started in 1982 and was part of my play list as a teenager. But I only listened to a couple of they song. But do not get mixed up with Pet SHop Boy's song entitled "Go West" which was pretty cool as well. Whats with the big monkey wrench in the video "i close my eyes"??!!!





Not to be mixed up with Pet Shop Boy's "Go West"

Wed Movie! Adaptation

Wednesday Movie

ADAPTATION

I must admit I didn't enjoy this movie. Cinda agreed with me. The movie had great actors - Nick Cage and Merly Streep - but the story is beyond me. I researched it and the movie was loved by critics.
This however inspired me to have a system of grading the movies for the Wed Movies;

• Shite - this was inspired when I was watching "The Medallion" with Jackie Chan at the Cinema with Benjy (convinced me to go with him) and after 15 minutes turned to Benjy and said "Ooi Benjy this movie is shit".
• OKlah - watch it also ok, don't watch oso ok, won't die!
• Good - well made didn't fall asleep during the movie.
• Wa Lau - almost life changing

This movie however is special it has two grades - Wa Lau Shite - life changingly shite!
Just checked out the trailer ...maybe I will try another go at the movie!!

What to Do As A Father! - An Essay Road Trip

In 2006 Ashe (my daughter) then Primary 3 student was given a mid term assignment to write about her up coming holidays and hand it in after the holidays. To be honest, Cinda and myself had nothing planned other than being relieved that we could sleep in a little bit. So we decided to plan a driving trip to visit my eldest bro Jules and Tips the wife and my grand nephew (and godson) Damon. They live in Keningau (about 138km from KK) then it is a relatively short drive (50km) to Uncle Richard and Cousin Gerald diary farm in Sapong (just after Tenom).

View Larger Map

So we decided on a 4 day break. First is the drive over Crocker Range which reaches as high as 4000 ft above sea level. Views are mainly secondary forested area. At the highest point at Gunung Emas we had a coffee break before heading to Tambunan. The main interior of the Dusun folks. A political stronghold of PBS.

Then to Keningau. The name Keningau is derived from Kayu manis (Cinnamon) which apparently grew in abundance in the area. Its guarded by two major ranges the Crocker on the west and Trus Mardi in the East and South. My dad was the District Officer (the first local DO I might add) in the early 1960's when my brother John was born. Jules now resides in the town. (further details of Keningau refer to http://www.kinabaluweb.com/keningau.html)

The drive took was enjoyable and the kids go through many phases - excitement (early in the drive), curious, hunger, boredom which usually leads to sleep and then ....ahhh silence.

In Keningau we stayed with Jules who is a proud owner of a farm, about 20 minutes away. Here you see him showing a cocoa pod to my kids.

His farm includes papaya, coffee, cocoa and the main cash crop oil palm.

Tristan and myself next to a coffee tree.

Coffee beans before they are plucked, dried and fried and grinded. Throw it in a sock and pour hot water...ahhhhh! (I think I need a coffee break) Ashe of course had samples.

The cocoa pods on a tree.

Cocoa is tasty, sweet-sour taste. The beans are used for chocalate and made into cocoa butter (which are used for cosmetics as well) Tried to get Ashe to eat one but was reluctant. She however kept a bean for a sample for her essay.

The next day we visited Uncle Richard, Unty Pu Chan and Gerald. Below is the house they live in which was built in 1950's and renovated in early 2000. It is beautiful and the nearest thing to paradise. My grandad John Baxter who was English came pre WWII and worked as a Plantation manager, married a local and never went back. He passed away at 90 odd years old. He was believed to have brought in Coffee and Cocoa into Sabah. We had few acres of coffee trees at the back of the house. As a kid on holiday he would make us pick coffee beans, and paid us 5 cent a bag. We then put in on a corrugated roof to let it dry. But it was satisfying to drink coffee from your own land. But we did feed quite a few mosquitoes in the process. But it is currently a diary farm 500 odd cows if I am not mistaken (all the milk you can drink). Real fresh milk you can smell the cow!!!

Gerald's 4x4 BJ40 Land Cruiser.

We of course visited the diary farm and said hello to the cows.

Here Cinda with the kids and Damon. All in all it was a great experience for all of us!!

Special thanks to Jules, Tips and Damon for welcoming us in their home. Tips has the best recipe for pork belly barbeque which I always look forward to.

On the way back home and "Are we there yet!?" and "I'm tired!" and "I need to go wee wee!" and "I'am hungry!!".... when are they going to sleep?

Without saying, Ashe of course got a 'A' for her essay and we had a very educative, fun and enjoyable time together!!!