Malacca Madness

The advantage of having relatives all over the country is that I can now make several locations waypoints to stop and camp for the night. Always a good time in Melakka. And here the highlights, as seen by the only white fella in the family:

First stop, some culture and heritage:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/St+Paul's+Church/@2.1937787,102.2476243,17z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x31d1ee278e8c65dd:0x32a7281769e016a!2sMalacca!3b1!8m2!3d2.189594!4d102.2500868!3m4!1s0x31d1f1de03a266ab:0x79020278341d9ddf!8m2!3d2.19253!4d102.2495755

Not sure if it is still happening, but the fleamarket in the street behind Geographer Cafe was always a gem. Geographer also famous, because it was a filming location for a Korean movie. I have fond memories of having drinks with Peter Burns there. We managed to drink them empty (Southern Comfort and the next thing we moved on to. Can't remember... LOL)

We like to dip into this place for dinner:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/McQuek's+Satay+Celup+(Main+Branch)/@2.1888953,102.2588579,17z/data=!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x31d1ee1ec4b44af9:0xb067f06d4e66a193!2sMcQuek's+Satay+Celup+(Main+Branch)!8m2!3d2.1888899!4d102.2610466!3m4!1s0x31d1ee1ec4b44af9:0xb067f06d4e66a193!8m2!3d2.1888899!4d102.2610466

Dim Sum in the morning (obviously...):

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Wan+Hong+Xiang+Dim+Sum+%E8%90%AC%E9%B4%BB%E3%B4%A1%E8%8C%B6%E6%A5%BC/@2.2137879,102.2392936,19z/data=!4m8!1m2!2m1!1sdim+sum+melakka!3m4!1s0x0:0x4c09229be9e51d60!8m2!3d2.2140663!4d102.2395423

In case you haven't seen / visited it yet, the old Portugese ship is an interesting museum.

Speakeasy bar and then a stroll along the Melakka river once out the backdoor. But better keep that quiet:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/The+Old+Merchant/@2.1977854,102.248575,19z/data=!4m8!1m2!2m1!1sspeakeasy+melakka!3m4!1s0x0:0x81385d8472c841ae!8m2!3d2.19746!4d102.2484892

Melaka? Melakka? Malaka? This one I can't get right.

Apparently, You COULD Make Stuff up!

As it is customary here in Asia, when you buy something, you get a "Free Gift". Not that one has to point it out, but gifts should be free to begin with. And then they are not free as they are certainly factored into the price of the goods purchased. I took the umbrella with the wedding bands. Not that I can't afford an umbrella, eh eh... But you know. Free maaaah!

At the petrol station this morning I got a bottle of salad dressing. And this will keep me awake at night for some time.

Firstly: What is the connection between salad dressing and petrol? I can see canned drinks and sammiches to make sense: needed for road trips. But what chances are there that you need salad dressing on the occasion of filling your tank.

Secondly: REAL INGRIDENTS??? What else would anything be made of? Or maybe, just MAYBE, there is business opportunity here for a "Phantom Ingredients" shop. Where you get like, nothing, to put into your product. You end up making stuff up.

Fruit Loop!

When you go to Ipoh, you HAVE to buy Pomelo. I actually like them fruits. And when you buy a fruit as big as that, with a peel that is as sturdy as a Pomelo's, then yes, you have to make a helmet out of it. Naturally.

You Wrong That Read

I have been a "model" for a brochure in Singapore (Goldbell, back in 2007), an "actor" in a SingPost TV commercial. Several times I have been interviewed for newspapers, magazines or blogs. I enjoy these as I can learn about techniques others may use, think about how to give a smart response while on record with no time for long deliberations.

While in lockdown, a client suggested that we do video interviews that we record and then post online for others to get their info. Since I like to try new ways, it was obvious that I would go for that. Yesterday I did my second recording of such interviews.

Gotta say! Being a presenter is not easy. Can't dig your nose while the other party gives an answer. Need to speak clearly, and measured. Can't just stare around the room, but must pretend to be looking at the other participant. And although I have a script to read from, it is HAAARDDDD to get the lines right. I had to re-take a few things during the session as I did not read them right.


If anything, I can now appreciate the effort that goes into making a movie or TV commercial...

Let's Toast!

"Stefan is a man of focus, commitment, sheer will... something you know very little about. I once saw him butter three toasts in a kitchen... with a pencil, with a fucking pencil. Then suddenly one day he asked to leave. It's over a croque monsieur, of course. So I made a deal with him. I gave him an impossible task. A job no one could have pulled off. The cherry tomatoes he buried that day laid the foundation of what we are now." - Come On Kaya Toast

That changes: Some, not all

And over and over again we read:

Covid-19 has changed everything

Hmmm. I am still married. That hasn't changed.
I still drink 4 cups of coffee. Unchanged.
My address is the same as last year
I am still using the same phone
My parents are still retired....
Still driving the same car
Favorite alcohol: scotch. For the past 30 years
I am still cooking with water
Keyboard still QWERTY
Checked: Twin Towers still in their usual spot
Sun rises in East, sets in West
STILL have to pay taxes
Constant at 9.81 meters per second squared: gravity
In Malaysia, still using metric system

Dunno where people get that idea from that everything has changed

The Not so Free Advertising on Social Media Platforms

As mainly a publisher of print magazines we supplement the product with electronic media, not denying that there are advantages and that one has to use a mix of mediums. It appears to me that more and more advertisers depend solely on “free” social media channels to get their messages out. Neither LinkedIn, nor Facebook, Instagram or any of these platforms actually create content. All they do is offer a noticeboard for anyone to post their ads, articles and rants. They live off content creators. And maybe it is these creators that need to be supported much more again. As such, most posts by brands can be classified as “ads”.

Full article here: https://marketingmagazine.com.my/marketing-magazine/issue-248/

(Yes, I do see some irony in publishing this here)