Week 29, 2026

People were on tenterhooks this week about the new SOCSO deduction, because SOCSO is pushing out constant updates (based on people's feedback, I'm hoping)/flip-flopping. I would hate to be in an MNC HR department at this time. 

• RIP Sam Neill 
• Apparently Mark Wahlberg and Riz Ahmed were spotted in Penang for a Netflix movie shoot. 
• Singapore SMRT Circle Line (aka yellow line) is finally a full circle after for what seems like years - now got direct access between VivoCity and Marina Bay Sands 
• Someone in the audience uploaded a clip of Harith Iskander doing a bit on Rosmah and now she's suing Harith for erm, defamation? 
• Had no idea Project Runway was back until this week, but only had 2 episodes to catch up on. They brought Heidi back as host again, and Tyra as a judge. 
• Had a busy Saturday: Saw The Odyssey in the morning, and Rizal van Geyzel's latest hour, Single Fatherhood, at D'Theatre in Hextar at night
• Got the health check up results back on Sunday - had to make an appointment - I'm mostly okay, save for a few things. Sunday also kinda busy, tbh. 

The Odyssey

NGL, I wasn't sure if I wanted to watch this (I'm not a Nolan completist - I've not seen Interstellar and Dunkirk), mostly because of the run time (almost 3 hours) and it's yet another movie about Matt Damon trying to get home, and I can't say I'm a fan of Matt Damon to begin with..

If I was gonna watch this, I need to watch it someplace with flat rate parking. Only went with Pavilion Damansara Heights cos got flat rate weekend parking, AND the newly opened TGV. I don't think I've been in a newer/refurbished TGV, it was a nice change being in a spacious and brightly light cineplex. It wasn't too hard to get a ticket because I not nuts enough to spend the money for the IMAX experience, and apparently the IMAX halls are PACKED. Cheapskate me went with the regular/deluxe hall la. Maybe if people belanja, someday I'll watch another IMAX movie. 

Pleasant surprise was finding out that the seats in the deluxe/normal hall can recline a little. Hokay. 

• The cast in Nolan movies always stacked like shit one - either Oscar winners lah, nominees lah.. 
• Had no idea this was Matt Damon's THIRD Nolan movie he's been a part of
• Also had no idea Leguizamo was gonna be in this
• It's been awhile since I last saw Elliot Page in a Nolan movie since erm, Inception
• Eh, that's JJ's (late) husband!
• Eh, it's that dude... and that dude... oklah, if you watch a lot of TV, there's some recognisable faces lah
• Wasn't expecting zombies (?) LOL IYKYK 
• Was not expecting so much running from Matt Damon and gang in his recollection to Calypso
• How is it for (half) sisters, one is named Clytemnestra, and the other is just... Helen? 
• NGL, I laughed every time Zendaya showed up (very few and far in between; apparently girl was busy shooting Euphoria and Dune at the same time, so...), but good that she and Charlize got special billing
• Turning those guys into literal pigs for her own safety... can't say I blame her
• I imagine the smell inside the horse must not be great
• I thought there was gonna be more Matt Damon, but I think it's more 60:40 Matt Damon to everyone else, so... 

I thought it was okay, but like Oppenheimer, I don't think I'd watch it again lah. Unless it's on a hotel TV years in the future... 

By the time I got out of this, it was already 2.30 p.m., and only had lunch at 3 p.m. 

Rizal van Geyzel - Single Fatherhood

Got an early bird ticket when it was announced. Had no idea Hextar World Empire City even had a performing arts space (D Theatre Malaysia) until this show. NGL, it was the main reason to go for me. 

Lost his business. Lost his wife. Now he's losing his mind!

Rizal is now a single father looking after three kids on his own! This comedian, once jailed for telling jokes about being Muslim in Malaysia, faces his toughest gig yet: Single Fatherhood.

Is he keeping it together? Barely. But the alternative is putting them out on the street. More freedom for him, sure, but then there won’t be a story to tell. A hilarious stand-up show about survival, single parenthood, and trying to do it all, alone!

Went there a little earlier to see if I could find anything for dinner. Ended up at Luna Luna, cos I had never heard of it (they're open in the other malls I don't go to). I guess it was okay, but I don't know if I'd go back.  

Managed to make it back to the theatre after dinner. Decided to try the wing seat for the lols. Was sat near a bunch of dudes who smelt like they only shower at night, and had yet to shower that day. Next time I should try the opposite side wing seats - those seats are looked more #foreveralone 

Speaking of seats... the sky box seats there looked really high up.

View from the wing seats LOL

There were two cainis bois opening for him - Chin Chong (yes, it's his actual name) and Ming Yue. I've seen both perform before. Had no idea Chin Chong was also a magician; him producing a glass of wine (?) out of nowhere was kinda cool LOL (or maybe I was just that tired by that point).

I've heard some version of this set during a WIP show at Soulcity Hub back in March, so a lot of the beats were familiar. Still laughed at some of it, though. It's mostly about his life post divorce as a single father to 3 kids (2 not his own), and finding love and religion again despite all that. 

In case anyone feels bad for the guy, he has since remarried to someone who's ok with his baggage and trauma. 

Week 28, 2026

After much sturm and drang over the last week or two, SOCSO is now like, "ok, ok, we'll make it optional, but you have to sign a release for opting out". Only good thing is that opting out is DIY, so if you want out, kena sendiri buat la.

• Inside Scoop had a RM6.70 (instead of the usual RM7) promo on Monday. Only good thing out of the 6 7 phenomenon. 
• Tuesday - Spent more time driving to Klang and back than the actual errand we were there for - Dad wanting to change tyres. Also had a late bak kut teh lunch (past 2 p.m.) at a place that wasn't already sold out by then.
• Still no idea if I want to watch The Odyssey... 
• Met up with some college mates on Friday night
• Rode the new LRT 3 line round trip, end to end (70 mins one way), which took a little over 2 hours, on Saturday. Had no reason to get off at any station lah. 
• Finally did the AIA Vitality check up portion of the membership... or rather, the blood and pee sample collection on Saturday morning. Results TBD. 

Week 27, 2026

• Went to Paradigm twice this week: first to collect my Uniqlo online order, second occasion was to (mostly) get another Nitori cooling mattress pad, with the RM10 mall voucher before it expires on the 6th. I know I don't NEED it..
• I guess my HSBC Live+ card really got lifetime AF waiver - only got the RM25 SST charge so far... 
• Dad's more excited that my cousin's in-laws are in town this week than everyone else is. (They were all supposed to travel here together I think, but the cousin, husband, and kids had to change their tickets, get out of school early, etc to make last week's wedding)
• Brought cousin and her fam to the second home to get their shopping on on Saturday. At least they liked Rich Kopitiam.
• Apparently a bunch of parking apps got hacked, and people couldn't pay their street parking this week.
• This week is the start of the free rides along the LRT3 line.
• Can't wait to see what they got lined up for Michael Weatherly on next season's NCIS... 

Week 26, 2026

• Found out a couple of former classmates have lost their dads a few days apart this week. Only managed to make it to one wake.
• Must be nice for people to not have to know about the extra SOCSO deduction which started this month. But joke's on them when they saw the lower take-home pay and started asking me why. If don't like, take it up with SOCSO and gahmen la, don't take it up with me. Also no tax relief for this as of yet, so... could be worse
• Saw Douglas Lim's latest show on Thursday night
• Got a free Sealy pillow, heh heh heh
• Surrendered to the FOMO and got the glow in the dark Kaweco Sport fountain pen at the DIY weekend event at Stickerrific on Sunday (they apparently sold out not long afterwards). Only got the medium nib cos I already have others in both broad and double broad nibs (apparently their broad nibs already sold out the day before).
• Cousin wedding on Saturday

Wedding dinner at Ti Chen, Saujana Hotel KL

Got a relatively short notice for a family wedding a few months ago, via WhatsApp. It's been awhile since a first cousin wedding, so ok lor, not like I had anything else going on. It's also pretty local in that it's in Saujana and technically not too far from most of us. 

After almost 6 years of no weddings to 2 in the same month... yeah, there's a reason why I only have a one (friend) wedding a year quota. Lucky I don't have to foot the angpau for this one personally. 

Had to cut my own day short, so that I had time to "rest" (ha, only had a kopi) and get ready to go cos apparently the tea ceremony was gonna start at 5.30 p.m.. So I had to shower, get dressed, and put some make up on pretty early. 

IIRC, I might have been to the hotel (under past management) before, but not the restaurant in question. Had no idea that I did not have to take such a scenic route through the lobby to get to the restaurant, but there was a easier walking path to there that I only heard about later. Oh wells.

But NGL, the restaurant itself is picturesque in the Chinoiserie kinda way. I could see why they picked the place.

Fake plastic cake - even tapped on it for my grandma 
for laughs

The tea ceremony portion took awhile cos apparently new cousin-in-law also has a huge extended family, and some of those people who were supposed to take part were late (to be fair, there were stragglers on our side too). At one point, I was put in charge of attendance and ang pau collection, which was awkward AF cos I dunno everyone else, and you don't want to thrust someone with brain fog with that kind of responsibility. That, and people were busy taking pics in and outside of the restaurant before dinner, while the light is still good - both videographer and photographer were kept pretty busy. To be fair, it was pretty picturesque, so I don't blame anyone. 

Was sat at a table with some of Mum's first cousins (except for one, who was apparently still overseas?) and their families, and a couple of own first cousins who's rest of the fam couldn't make it. 

Took me way too long to recognise my cousin's other grandma (her mum's mum), who recognised me, but I had brain-farted on (I've not seen her in at least 20 years by this point lah, give me a break). It was only when that hit me, I told Mum about it (she also brain-farted, or thought I was referring to someone else's grandma or something), then she went over to catch up... 

Food's pretty good for pork-free menu. There was free flow red wine, beer, whiskey, soft drinks, as well as tea and water. People were also busy with the photo sticker printer and were busy trying to print pictures LOL 

The wedding slideshow was adorable - I recognise some of her childhood pics that my uncle took back then. 

Dressed up beggar's chicken, I think?

Glass was stuck to the plate with wax. Hope the servers
didn't break anything since some were definitely dislodged
by nosy MF-ers like myself

Only got back 11-ish, by then which I only had the energy to clean myself up and go to bed. One uncle had to hitch a ride back with us, which was fine.