sms from dotter, 15

06/010/08
22:37

Dad, pmr's next week. HAHA. You better pray hard. Haha. Want to go out after the week of pmr?



07/10/08
12:05

NO . I dun wan grandma .

I wan to cut hair only..Haha. And eat lunch. And get my ps2 and allowance. Haha. That's all kua.

13:35

Yer. You said you would after pmr (loan ps2) ... dun try to break ur promise. At least for this two months. I doubt next year i got time to play any way. Er. anywhere i find a good hairstylist who can give the perfect fringe? Umm.. 11am to wat time? I haven ask mummy. N i got dance class at 6pm. Wan come watch?

discus spawn tank 2 july 2008

testing

Tank 2 spawn

here are my beauties

now on to my pet frog

Here's junior all RM150 of him (i know it's a him cos he croaks! He's now down to one Tilapia a day - growing too fast.

He's been moved from the upstairs living area to my fish-hobby room (2nd bedroom actually)to the main entrance "hall".

Tried freezing his food but he does not like it cold!

So back to live Tilapias i guess.

success after 26 years

So, as promised, here are my 3rd pair of Discus breeding successfully - they were in the 48" show tank. Riot. Dilemma. Havoc.

To be sure, I waited until the eggs hatched before i removed the other 7 adults and one sucker catfish. Even then, they could have eaten the frys.

With fervent prayers, they are still swimming to this day (22 July 2008). I've lowered the water level to plus-minus 6".

Changed water twice already (with raw but stored-aged tap water 7+ pH). Switched off power under-gravel power head.

Male is a white (albino?) + marbled orange; female is a striped red pigeon (?) OR any name-classification u care to call it.

Would love to upload the video but too large eeek it's 339 MB - will take too long. Next time, must shoot compact version huh?!

My Discus Keeping Journey - Part 1

I started my Discus keeping hobby in 1980, right after I obtained my degree in graphic design from United Kingdom.

My home town is Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia. Yeah, Penang, one of the capitals of the King of Freshwater Fish. I now hang out in Sri Kembangan, in the state of Selangor in Malaysia.

Any hoo, my first purchase was a pair of Brown Discus. It was Malaysian Ringgit 12 each. That's about USD3 (USD1 = MR4 exchange rate; it's about USD1 = MR4.25 now in 2008 i think, too lazy to work it out).

Today 28 years later, I'm breeding them like crazy. Bit of luck! I now own 17 tanks and 7 active pairs - but only as a hobby, i have not sold a single fish yet!

My journey is on and off. I even went the marine route and arowana chasing but, in the end, it is back to Discus. Because, I thought I could breed them. AND now I have. Woo hoo!

Yes, lots of egg eating, even yesterday, a pair which has successfully gave me 30+ frys just ate their eggs!

Netting them is useless me thinks. Firstly, they go bad ( nope, drops of Meth Blue ain't no use). Secondly, when u remove the netting - it's eaten, guaranteed!

So. . . I just leave them to it. No peeking or changing water till they are free swimming seems to be the rule. You can keep feeding - but sparingly. That was taught by, of all people, a construction worker who happened to be renovating my neighbour's house. God sends me such angels. I'm so blessed.

BTW, I embraced Christianity not too long ago, 3 years back I think.

I prayed for the eggs to turn to frys - and they did! Miraculous huh? And I've been keeping Discus and breeding un-successfully since 1980!

Halleluyah! No, this is not to evangelise any body. You pray to your own God.

I'll post pictures of my minor miracle when I've downloaded the software of my new Canon IXUS 70 (about MR700, yeah I'm obsessed with money, aren't u? I bought da camera for this. My other camera, an Olymous has been hi-jacked by my dotter.)

OK, about my 17 tanks. I have 03 stations. 01 is my living room x2 show tanks of 48" x 18" x 18".

02 is upstairs, in my hobby room (I also dabble in model making: 1/24 DTM & rally cars; 1/35 WWII German armour; mostly Tamiya, some Dragon). I have my breeders here; eight tanks of 30" x 15" x 15". Water level is up to 13" only. I use AC/DC air pumps - this place is notorious for lightning storms which trip the electricity.

03 is out in the car porch. One 48" tank, three 30", and three 36" tanks.

Temperature in Malaysia is in the 80s (F), so no need for heaters. I do stick in one in the growing out tank tho.

Seriously, can't qualify this moment in time (July 2008) as complete success yet, as my first batch of babies are only half inch (or less) in size!!! They are a problem now. I don't know what to feed them. I give them frozen Baby Brine Shrimp, baby pellets, and even tetra bits. Hmmm, seems to be working. I get 1 or 2 deaths now and then, so...

My adults and juveniles are fed frozen (and freeze-dried, Taiwanese) blood worms and Tetra bits (yeah, they sink). i change water according to my mood, energy level and. . . mood. Ha ha.

I am in the advertising industry, so sometimes very, very busy. I get lots of sleepless nights. For instance, it is 0402 in the frigging morning now and I'm typing this shit out - wanted to change water but arrrrgh lazy. . . man. So, a swig of Guinness Stout should do.

Did I mention I also (trying) breed Bulldogs? Well, I have a bitch and a male. And, apparently, the bitch is pregnant. Not sure. But sure know, it has the male's sperm. Did an AI (Artificial Insemination - RM200).

I guess this is it for Part 1.

Parting is sad but u can always check in later when I get another bout of insomnia, neh?

woo hoo briefed yesterday, today sudah kow tim

STOP GLOATING LUUU... THANK GOD LUUU...

LESSON#101:

NEVER EVER PLACE ADULT DISCUS IN 48" TANK - NANTI PAIR OFF, LAGI SUSAH LAY EGGS AND FRYs EMERGE. HAVOC LUUUU. OH DEAR. IT'S HAPPENING LIKE RIGHT NOW IN MY SHOW TANK IN DA LIVING ROOM. SIAN, SIAN. GOTTA SWITCH OFF POWER HEAD, SO WATER MURKY. SOME MORE HORR, IT HAS UNDER GRAVEL FILTER, LAGI DIRTY. SIAN SIAN!

Aiyaaa, biar lah.

amber's day bWirthday out

Grand Ma, that's what she called my squeeze. Ha ha, so be it luu.

K, what's the damage? Between 11.30 am till 2.30pm: 1 white bauble-like necklace, 10 ringgit; 2 short blouses, one pin stripes, the other red with gold ribbon 70 bucks; 2 cotton blouses from F.O.S 17 clams; suchi lunch 85 dollars; 80 bucks for H/P repair; 30 shells for allowance (one-time examining of dotter fee, or is it entrance fee? hmmm..).

Offered to purchase MNG shorts 99.99 BUT declined. Hmmm, good lehh. K, shall sms to see if she'll like Guess branded ones. BUT imitation luu, @ Petaling street.

AND she's gonna dance @ Plaza Mont Kiara in 2 weeks' time. Cool.

So, like that lohhh. . .

random pix of dotter

dotter bwirthday soon - am trying to git a hand-made card done - hope to finish n ready to post by 17th July

EUROTIC

new CURRENCY from da Europe apparently

JUST In: bought (finally) a cheapo camera yesterday at the Mines after my one was hi-jacked by the un-grateful, un-couth dotter miss ah tink.

Canon digital IXUS 70 Power Shot offer price 699 + free 2 gig SD card but 719 cos i paid with future money (ya laa plastic credit card luuu).

Some more horrr... one more NEW pair of Discus just laid on the outlet pipe in da main 4 feet tank. Typical! Oh goody!

- the cam was bought especially to shoot me Discus-egg-laying fish!


Also - went to MKA at lunch time to report successful (I pray) insemination of da bitch bulldog. MKA membership lapsed 1 yr RM100, 1/2 yr RM40!

CLIENT BRIEF FLY DAY, BRIEF US ON TOOSDAY, CAMPAIGN TO FINISH ON WEDS

BUMMER. Just finishing campaign to present tmr 09 July, now have to do some more crap ads for Wednesday (11 am)? BUMMER.

ANYWAY, pleased that Becky the bitch bulldog was Artificially Inseminated (AI) successfully on Monday (took half day off).

Hope she is fertilised. One more round tmr. Wifeee is taking day off to wait for the Unca Chan to collect da two doggies for the job.

good to be alive

yay -- recovered BUT wifee has now caught it hee hee

yesterday, thursday also took day off. SLEPT like my pacman frog all day but with eyes shut.He sleeps with eyes open!

stopped taking panadol n the doctor's flu pill - that's why so weak i guess.

another pair! just when i tot they were pairing off they laid eggs! And in the main 4feet one too! Ewww. Had to remove two of them from the main tank to make room for the newly-wed couple.

k back to work. . .

eat tHis

yeah -- bit the bullet yesterday. caught the flu. half day off n full day Medical Certificate legally OFF work today.

RM20 to Doctor Guna -- just one pill to take once a day BUT ewww was it bitter. and the bitterness only comes after some hrs. yuk.

18:30 now just ate... more like drank liquid food. One cup Ovaltine. One cup Nestum. One cup water.

Good news - 2 broods of free swimming discus fry doing well n growing rapidly. No pix. Too dark. My dotter hi-jacked my camera oredi. so..

AND how many hours do I work in a year?

Well, about 10 a day minus 52 sundays and 52 saturdays = 2,610 hours a year. Arf. And woof woof to that!

The World's Hardest-Working Countries


* 2

Greece and Italy are also near the top, at No.s 2 and 8, respectively, because of their large number of self-employed citizens. Mexico comes in at No. 7 for the same reason, along with the number of people who work in what Marianna calls "informal employment." According to the International Labor Organization, less than half of the world's employed people enjoy the security that comes with a regular salary.

Another reason for the difference is government policies and, in particular, taxation. The OECD found that an increase in marginal tax rates, or the tax owed on every extra dollar or euro earned, can negatively affect the average of hours worked. That effect is felt most typically by women, who are often the second earners in households.

And what of the diversion between Europe and the U.S., which once provoked the head of the OECD's Economic Department, Jorgen Elmeskov to ask if Europeans were "lazy" or Americans "crazy." It seems to be a changing picture.

Europeans used to work longer than their American counterparts in the 1970s, and it was only in the mid-1980s that the U.S. started to exceed them. Though working hours in both regions have eased back since the 1960s, they've fallen much more dramatically in Europe, by 23%, to 1,625 hours, today, compared with the 3% slide in American hours over the same time period. Some of the sharpest falls in working hours have been in Ireland, Portugal, Luxembourg and France, according to the OECD.

As for the opposite extreme, South Korea, things are slowly moving toward the OECD norm after the Korean government introduced a five-day working week in 2004 for schools and companies with over 1,000 employees. But with the culture of hard work so deeply ingrained, change is slow. "A Korean's identity comes from his title at work," says Michael Breen, author of The Koreans, explaining that employees often refer to each other by titles such as "office manager Kim" or "accountant Park," even outside the workplace.

"This is an authoritarian corporate culture," he adds. "It's very bad form to leave the office before the boss does, so people will hang around doing nothing, and then when the boss leaves, they feel free to leave. ... Because of all of that, people don't have much of a life."

Yet amid the current economic downturn, personal spending in developing nations, and rapidly industrializing Asia in particular, is seeing industrious citizens loosen up a bit. The OECD confirmed that South Korea is gradually converging toward its standard practices. "I am personally trying to reduce my working time and I try to reduce my stress," says Lee. "Korea has this kind of bad culture where we always think about the boss’ opinion. But we are changing."

Discus daddy TWICE over!

Woo hoo at long, long last eggs and frys! TWO pairs!

Can't wait till they are free swimming. Today is Day 4 (I think) - so gotta wait awhile yet.

Fry from the Cone to 13 Weeks - Carol Roberts

Rates of growth can vary by temperature and other factors. I like to use a 29 gallon bare-bottom tank with a sponge filter(mine is a 2.5' tank). My water parameters were as follows: GH 6, pH 7.6, temperature 82° F (mine is GH 4, pH 4.5, temperature 28 C).

Day 1 - Eggs are laid. The fertilized ones turn dark about 24+ hours later and begin hatching about 55 hours later. This may take longer if the temperature is lower.

Day 3 - Wrigglers! Many times the parents will move the wigglers from the cone and hide them elsewhere in the aquarium.

Day 5 - Free-swimming (counted as day born). The fry may take awhile to find the parents and attach.

Day 12 - I begin hatching and feeding Baby Brine Shrimp (BBS) at about one week old. Squirt an eyedropper full of orange BBS right over the fry. Within a few days the babies will actively hunt down the BBS.

Day 18 - By the second week you will see the fry picking at their parents' food. [It's especially funny to watch them try to eat California Black Worms. Even at this young age they will succeed in nipping off bits].

A Discus Testimony

I'm blessed doubly cos on the day i discovered da eggs - the neighbour's renovation worker came over to chk out me discus. He said he owned bigger ones which had spawned several times b4.

He strongly advised me NOT to touch the water - not a drop changed please. BUT i changed anyway - only a little bit tho. Just sucked out some shit.

Continued feeding Tetra Bits. Un-plugged all the Eheim hanging filters!

Got a little bit disappointed when one of the pairs moved the frys - i tot they'd been eaten. Thank God, they'd only been moved. Wheeeww.

another dotter, another award

This is my OTHER dotter. She'd just won another award.

ALL the info you need here:

http://www.linkedin.com/webprofile?action=vmi&id=12722072&authToken=jWE9&authType=name&report%2Esuccess=74u9JYvZ4zc0c1rBQxYS1bF40oYFk4Cv4UFbl_P3dvJpu4gm4c4LHMaAEnRAkmhqFjlnzQ-zgfeXOZhFC5Yvsv

OR if u r lazy:
Su Yin Khoo

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She also ignoring me - but has not told me in the face. Ermmm, I guess it's da same thing no?

What ever.

Life is good. And I'm mightily blessed.

Thank you Lord. Amen.

my dotter is ignoring me

Dear All,

What you see here is my lovely dotter. Just like any other millions of self-obsessed 15-yr old teen terror filled with enuff angst to cause a 9.0-Rittter scale earthquake no?

Oh, and she's ignoring me... for now... until she needs money... or some thing... like re-loading her H/P or acquiring a laptop...

What everrr. . . dah biasa lah

why don't u spawn my lovelies...

my discus is resting i guess..

pacman frog growls for . . . b h tan slut

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK0gRFvFjZ8&feature=related

here, enjoy