My 1st pair of Levi's..

This pair dates back even before my first year in university, I got this pair when I first stepped into a Levi's store which is located at Komtar, George Town, Penang. This pair just struck me due to its simpleness and looseness. It was really tight to me at the time, but now it fits real good, however due to my lack of knowledge to care for my denim, the colour got really faded, due to use as I use it almost everywhere, this pair is with me before I begin to even start collecting.

Figure 1: Frontal faded part of the jeans.

 The  jeans originally came with its own seasoning, however due to my excessive exposure to dirt and impurities, the dye came off due to frequent wash. I was very lucky that I cared enough to use the best detergents available to wash these pair of jeans, if now, surely the denim would rot and torn itself.

Figure 2: Back faded part of the jeans.

 The back part of the jeans is also heavily seasoned and there are parts of the jeans which is heavily under abrasion and causes the cotton to ravel a bit, luckily the area isn't prone to wear and tear. I believe these jeans are really super-tough and lasts. The tag still states that the model of the jeans which is 512 which has size of 34 and its original length.

Figure 3: The faded area and minimal faded area.

 The area of the jeans which are faded and minimal area of contact is also evident, and I there is a very huge difference in its colour. The minimal area is still quite blue in colour which really shows a big contrast between the two. Despite washing it, the area without much contact with sweat and residue remains very dark in colour. 

Figure 4: The copper rivets and innards of the jeans.

The copper rivets and also innards of the jeans which are the pockets are still as comfy as ever before. The material for pockets are made with very good cotton which is still very comfy to use until now. There is also no evident thread damage inside of the jeans.

Figure 5: Authentic Levi's zipper and button stamp.

 The zipper is still working well and of course there is that authentic button stamp M92, which states an authentic pair which is made in Malaysia. These made in Malaysia jeans are very superior in quality and I really eat into it, it is a pity that I only have a pair of these Malaysian made Levi's jeans. The care tag states 100% cotton and date of manufacture which is the July 2007 and M92 authenticity stamp.

Figure 6: The care tag still manages a readable display.

If there is another pair of Malaysian made Levi's jeans available in surrounding Levi's boutiques I would surely get another pair. This pair is definitely recommended.

Superstars

Figure 1: A pair of Superstar 80s Plants.

The Adidas Superstar is my currently favorite pair of sneakers which I wear almost everywhere I go, to class I wear those white Superstar II CB which has lasted me from my 1st year in university. It is a little bit worn out but still in very good condition. Back then I wasn't aware about collectibles as I am now.

Figure 2: A pair of Adidas X Atmos Superstar 80s Snake skin.

Adidas Superstar's have protective rubber shells which protects your feet from impact, these are among the features that I liked the most besides the leather upper and comfortable inside padding of the shoes. The paddings in the Superstar doesn't shrink much and are still comfortable to this day.

Figure 3: A pair of Adidas X Porter Superstar 80s.

Now I have 3 pairs of special superstars which I keep, collect and wear at certain occasions, I believe that even though the shoes are for collection purposes but keeping a shoe without wearing really defeats the purpose of actually having a shoe, right? Still I love my collectibles by far and I won't ruin them.

Figure 4: A pair of Adidas Superstar 80s "Ponchoir".

There a a lot of designs for shell toes and I'm really at it when getting a pair of Adidas Superstars, despite its vintage design, there is a lot of joy in wearing superstars wherever you go, next time, I will try hiking up Mount Kinabalu in a superstar. Shoes are made for walking and the superstar is indeed a shoe fit for me.

Figure 5: A pair of Superstar Vin "Red".

Still there are a few types of superstar which are limited edition and quite out of reach from me, as they are limited in numbers and cost quite an amount of fortune. So, I'll just wait and be patient, hope that one day I'll be lucky or wealthy enough to own a pair of limited edition.

Its not about people looking, praising or showing off what you wear, but its about you, feeling comfortable and the joy of simply collecting these cool kicks.

Anger and Rage

Through anger and rage, we are blinded from all things including the truth and what is most important priority in life, even the biggest elephant in front of our eyes can't be seen, but the smallest fault in others is the most visible to us.. For me, even I don't fully understand the truth, but I can just trust in God with my limited knowledge, and serve others the best that I can, for I believe that love is our priority in this life even though we are full of imperfections and weaknesses.

Figure 1: Fiery anger of a person blinds his sight.

I am a person with a fiery innard, I don't easily accept those who challenge me and am fast to get to my own conclusions. I am a selfish person who doesn't wants anyone to invade my privacy or personal hobbies and stuff. When I am in a bad mood, I will just fire up even my love ones. This is truly me and I have to change.

I need peace, not physical peace or just someone to comfort me, but to find myself, able to freely serve and calm myself, I need this calmness always in my heart and mind, to be able to be wise and just keep quiet during times when my patience is really tested. 

Just wondered.. and kept wondering, life is full of challenges, including my midterm this evening. All the best  and have a great day ahead of you.

Choices

This choice is by far the worst of the choices I've made in life..

For me, this a very embarrassing situation to share, but i'll share this to you, if you keep to yourself and only your needs, evil will envelope you and develop that greed and hate inside which will consume you and finally you're not yourself again, once you've made that decision, you found that it's only selfishness and hate that surrounds you instead of what matters the most which is others.

The Lord has given me choices in life, and as sinful creations, we often choose choices which gives us a limited time of satisfaction which in the end, gives us a great deal of thirst.

Jesus, gave the woman at the well, a drink so that she will never thirst again, a drink which can be shared with friends and family, an eternal gift.

So why don't we, make the a simple choice, by choosing Him, praising Him, thanking Him, and loving Him. For His love is eternal, and everlasting, and most of all, He loves us, all the same.

God is love everyone, without that love, we wouldn't be here alive, Jesus separated from His father, set an example, teach us how to live and love. And finally the greatest love of all, beyond all human understanding, Jesus died for us at the cross. 

Let us love each other, while we await His second coming which is very near indeed.

Chap Goh Meh

Figure 1: Jow with the CNY spirit.

Before ending my week with camping, just going to share a bit on a very interesting activity with my coursemates. I have never attended a Chap Goh Meh dinner before as it is held by the Chinese with their respective families. I even wrote in Hanzi which I didn't apply ever since I finished my Mandarin classes.

However this time, I manage to spend time with almost all my coursemates, minus those who aren't able to attend and had a great time together. We are all different people, different race and culture but we mixed well and create a great, noise and lively crowd at my coursemate's house.

All in all, it was great and a big thanks to all my Chinese friends who sponsor us the dinner. I really appreciate it as we finally get to gather together and despite our differences we can also work, have fun and live together as a country. Maybe not ideally 1 Malaysia as I do hate politics, but just be as equals.

Well, since this is our last semester together, I guess this is a very memorable day in which we can gather together, just have pictures taken with smiles and jokes, these are memories which will definitely last. I really thank God for giving me this environment and through everything I owe to God.

Figure 2: Me & my chinese friends Raymond & Desmond.

Activities..

Figure 1: Cross Training "Choices".

I have been at the lab since Chinese New Year holidays are over. I have been struggling on my hardware as well as software into ensuring that everything goes into place. There are lots of challenges and not much help is available for me as everyone has been very busy.

Now there is the upcoming cross training, something which is a hard choice to make for someone who is very busy in his last semester in the final year at university. The choice is hard as there is a lot of stress going on and work still undone, however still have that super-duper guts to go on a camping trip.

It may sound cool, escaping from everything, but imagine, when time is so short, and it is simply wasted on going to a camp which I can probably attend at other times. And during this critical time, I should have been struggling to finish up my final year project which is not an easy task.

Still, deep inside me there is a battle between the forces of good and evil, while the evil side is tempting me not to go, to simple finish up my final year project with my own so called super-duper strength. While there's a soft voice calling unto me to attend the Cross training.

This is no joke and it is a really hard decision to make. It is about sacrificing my time to rest and do my final year projects and study for 2 upcoming midterms next week. Am I actually willing to sacrifice and give up all these precious time to actually just go for camping?

The battle is ever-raging inside of me while I struggle to heave myself out of it and decide to actually think it out deeply. My mind is mixed and full of matters,stress, concerns which are mostly monetary and unimportant and other ravings/cravings which are mostly doesn't exist in my studies.

It is hard to make a choice, so I decided to just lie down, and end my day to actually get some rest which I didn't and spend the next few hours to struggle with assignments and my final year project. I am practically a very lazy person, I find it amusingly amazing that I can make it into the final year without any major problems.

Who do I owe this to? How can I actually achieve this feat? I think I owe it not to myself as I am practically not a smart person, just a normal person, but I think I owe it to a higher divine power. A power which doesn't exists here on a, the power of creation, to put it in simple words, I owe it to God.

So why am I doubting and seem to lose the war to evil? I think I am selfish and my heart definitely has a big problem. Still the Holy Spirit touches me, it doesn't touch my hand, but it touches me deep in my heart, it gave me a warm embrace and let me know that everything is already planned.

Then comes my choice, to make this short, I decide to go for the adventure and take a few days off to just head off to camp and rest my head. Not just resting and relaxing but I want to spend more time with my Creator who died for me at the cross just because He loves me so.

Life is indeed beautiful if we all trust in the Divine power above, I am truly touched and wish to be lead often by the Holy Spirit.

Extending my Collectibles

I am just thinking of any possibility to extend my vintage selvedge jeans collectibles horizons, time is so limited that I can't go around places much to search for collectibles, went recently to search for collectibles still didn't manage to search for those vintage Levi's Big E jeans that I've wanted to collect for so long.

My Levi's Big E collection consists of,
1) Levi's 702XX Big E, J22 Made in Japan, V-stitched.
2) Levi's 502XX Big E, J22,V-stitched.
3) Levi's 502XX Big E, J22, Bar-stitched
4) Levi's 503XX Big E, J22, Bar-stitched

I still have no USA Big E jeans which is quite disappointing for me as, wherever I went they either give me such a ridiculous price which I won't part my money with or it isn't my size. Still, I have a lot of more important tasks have hindered my attempts to obtain more collectibles.

Dear

Figure 1: Amber light love.

Dear,

The world says that today is a special day for lovers...

For me, today is another day the same as before and the day tomorrow...

I believe that everyday as lovers we should love each other...

As special as the day before and the day tomorrow...

The world is changing and people around us comes and go...

But in this life I need to have someone for i can't walk alone...

I need support and support in life and i can't do it as a lone ranger...

That's where you come and be a part of me and complete me..

We are two different person who doesn't complement each other...

I may do things which may not interest you and you may do the same...

Figure 2: Me & Koyong at 1st CG.

Still my love for you goes beyond that and all this makes you the perfect person...
You are that diamond, one in a million in a huge pile of quartz...
I may not always say "i love you" or "i miss you" but I produce in my actions...
To me you are the closest person to me and our love links us to Him...
You have highlighted to me that He is the most important of all for He is our Father...
I have changed to better from before for you have given me the chance and patience to do so...
You thought me that a relationship is not about self but for the welfare of others...
Thank you for emphasizing that life will not be happy alone and without friends...

Life is indeed beautiful when I am spending it with you and under His care and blesssing..

I have an endless to-do list with you which only continues when we finally go to Him..

Figure 4: Me & Koyong at the tip of Borneo.

I just enjoy going places with you and having you simply just by my side..

You taught me that love is beautiful if not based only on feelings but principles..

Love is perfect the way you defined it in our relationship..

Thank you for accepting me the way I am as I am just an imperfect human being..

Thank you for always being there for me and never letting go when times goes hard..

It has been three years, since we first looked into the beautiful sunset on the day we first get together..

Lets spend more time together, tomorrow, tomorrow and the next tomorrow...

To my precious,

Koyong

A simple weekend

My english teacher used to say "KISS" but not kiss as in a smooch, but "Keep It Short and Simple", so I'm just going to kiss on my blog on this relaxing weekend.

I like to spend my weekend by simply just relaxing.

I want to relax in a sense as not thinking so much about stressful subjects. 

I just hate being busy with bothersome daily activities as all those weekdays.

I like my weekend to be filled with simplicity.

I want it relaxing in a way I can get enough rest and eat well.

I just hate having my weekend interrupted especially with classes.

I like to spend time relaxing during the weekend with my love ones.

I want to be able to fully spend time with them.

I just hate interruptions which leads my focus away from them.

I like to cook simple food on the weekends.

I want to eat simple food which satisfies my taste and is more healthier than food outside.

I just hate food which are too oily, over seasoned and salty, it makes my day bad.

I like to spend my weekend listening to calming music.

I want to relax my nerves and calm my senses during the weekend.

I just have when there is super loud noise or unnecessary noise during my weekend rest.

In short words, I really appreciate my weekends different than my weekdays, lots of people don't really care whether its weekend or not, its just money in their mind and not relaxing, for me, I don't wanna burn my life on just working, I want to take time to rest and relax till I finally rest 6 feet underground.

Walk of faith

Figure 1: Walk of faith.

Jesus show me the way, Show me the path, For me to serve thy will and to do all things through Your strength..

Lord, give me wisdom to see through the needs of others rather than mine, show me that life is more than death and through You, I can be free from all pain and sinfulness of my life..

Dear Holy Spirit, shower me with hope and spiritual insight that I may be able to free myself from temptations and sweet traps of Satan. Guide and show me the path of truth while I walk this rough road of faith..

Strengthen not only me, but also my brethren, for without them I couldn't survive this walk of faith, if I fall, they can pull me up and inspire me and likewise. As we gather together, praising you Lord, we uplift ourselves and strive in Your name..

Thank you dear Lord for everything, every single blessing, everything counts, in the eyes of the unseeing, life is painful and hurting, but with You as our Hope, be with us as we await for Your second coming..

I love you Lord, with all my heart, please be with me in times of trials, do remember me when I come to pass, for these are the only things that I ask.. 

Amen..

Just some quotes

Just sharing some quotes from my all time favorite jeans wear brand,

Figure 1: Quote 1.

Figure 2: Quote 2.

Ending my day with these two quotes which says it all.

Tears do fall down

Figure 1: Teardrops.

Beads of white clear pearls,
Passing down slowly to her curls,
A little breeze sweeps by silently,
As this pretty little girl cries away,

Tiny jeers and sneers,
Can break her fragile heart,
She walks away without a hurt,
But deep inside it stabs,

White pearls pouring out like rain,
As her greatest comfort is not there,
Her smile trying hard to stop the pain,
To no avail those tears just stare,

Seeking perfection in this world,
Outward beauty is never enough,
Inner beauty is to behold,
Let your tears drop from high..

An uncomfortable collectible

Figure 1: The infamous Timberland insignia.

Hello,

Day after day, I felt that I'm no longer eager to wear my Timberland boots, I've been wearing them like for 3 years straight, but I stopped for a while till I finally get to have a pair. After I finally get my hands on a 6inch timberland white leather boots, I get excited that I wear them the next day.

There is a strange feeling after two years not wearing those boots, maybe its because I've been using sneakers the whole time during university that I kind of felt light footed. The boots felt heavy and bulky that I can't even walk properly as I did the years back when I had my 1st pair.

I didn't wear it the next day, or the day after, I wore it to church but it got kind of too attractive and my girlfriend said that these boots looked like I'm going to the construction site to do some heavy duty work. She never liked the idea of me wearing it. So, I stopped using it for sometime, and it stayed un-utilized.

Finally, I decided to give it out, to someone willing to be its next owner, I realized that once a collectible is not utilized, appreciated and enjoyed to the fullest, it is best to finally let go to someone else. This is strictly only applicable to collectibles though.

Bye-bye boots.

Levi's 503 Premium Non-selvedge jeans

Figure 1: Non-selvedge denim.

Jeans which have selvedges are always known to be limited and of premium quality. However, not all selvedges jean are of premium quality as there are low quality selvedge jeans which really doesn't live up to the price to pay. Still, there are non-selvedge jeans which are also of premium quality and style.

Figure 2: Non selvedge denim can be heavy and unique as well.

Non-selvedge jeans are always mistaken as not so special due to the selvedge part missing, however it comes from the same denim cloth. I have a pair of Levi's 503 which uses a rare, but unique rusted coloured blue denim. This pair has a selvedge edition but the price to pay is almost double the pair I have now.

Figure 3: An non uniform belt hoop and premium leather tab.

Nonetheless the feel and quality of the jeans are not effected by having or not having the selvedge. It is really about the denim which strikes the heart of the user. A comfortable denim with quality dye as well as cotton ensures the wearer gets the comfort and wear seasoning.

Figure 4: Copper rivets and excellent denim seasoning.

Even without the selvedge, the build and stitching quality of these jeans are tip-top and are very tough as jeans are indeed made for rough and tough tasks. As with the copper rivets which has LS&CO engraved in it, these jeans are indeed premium and requires more respect as they are also in par with those selvedge jeans.

Figure5: Inner copper rivets and quality stitching in the inside.

Lastly, for those seeking for jeans which are still of premium quality but can't afford a selvedge type, I suggest to search for such non-selvedge jeans which are raw, unwashed. These jeans if worn for a period of time can also, with the right fit, produce your own natural seasons.

Levi's Engineered

Figure 1: Levi's engineered tag

Another part of my Levi's jeans collection is a famed model called the Levi's Engineered. These pair of jeans are specially derived from different models of levi's fit to suit comfort of different individuals, especially those who move a lot, and prefers the comfort of their denim loosely.

Figure 2: Unique red coloured stitching and copper rivets.

Most of engineered jeans can be easily subjected to flex and stretch, which still depends on your experience, but for me, when travelling I definitely love to wear a pair of engineered jeans, as it provides me the flexibility to walk around comfortable not to mention it's stylings are definitely my cup of tea.

Figure 3: Levi's engineered red stitched tag line.

However, do watch out for fakes, as these pair of jeans are also a prey to conterfieters. Beware and watch closely to the authentic ones, I'll be showing few parts of the jeans which will show a few authenticity as well as stylings of the engineered jeans.

Figure 4: Pearl red top button and copper back pocket rivets.

For the quick and wise eye, the top button part of the jeans is one of the most important areas to survey for authenticity. The top button should be well designed and made as there are a engineered jeans which uses tacky ugly looking plasticky top buttons. The double stitching only approves the authenticity of the jeans.

Figure 5: Copper riveted back pocket of the engineered.

The rivets should be made of copper and engraved with the engineered symbol on the outside, with levi's with a dot in the inside. The denim should be super comfortable and even the pockets should be made using quality fabrics. The arctuates complements the pocket size even though it is a tad bigger.

Figure 6: The engineered logo stitched on the denim in red.

The engineered jeans should also have its logo which is stitched in red at the side of the denim. To finally confirm if there is no suspicion of a fake, the last thing is to finally check inside the jeans for the care tag, the back of the top button should have a number stamped on it which tallies with the number on the care tag.

Figure 7: The top button should tally the care tag.

This pair of Levi's Engineered jeans is made in Korea with a top button number of K32. This fully distinguishes the authenticity of these jeans, so make sure those who are interested to collect or wear these pair of authentic engineered jeans are concious of these few tips. Happy collecting, cheers!

Be still my soul

Times may be hard, and life may be painful, but if we leave our burdens and submit ourselves into his care, He will always be with us through those times, giving us comfort and strength when we can't even move.

Just sharing this beautiful song which can be found in the Church hymnal number 534. The title of the song is Be Still, My Soul which is originally written by Katharina von Schlegel, 1752 and translated to english by Jane Borthwick, 1855. The music piece is arranged and composed by Jean Sibelius, 1899;

1.    Be still, my soul: the Lord is on your side.
       Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
       leave to your God to order and provide;
       in every change God faithful will remain.
       Be still, my soul: your best, your heavenly friend
       through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

2.    Be still, my soul: your God will undertake
       to guide the future, as in ages past.
      Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;
      all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
      Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
      the Christ who ruled them while he dwelt below.

3.    Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
       when we shall be forever with the Lord,
       when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
       sorrow for forgot, love's purest joys restored.
       Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,
       all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Sometimes, during troubled times, we tend to lose our faith and trust in the Lord, when Satan threatens us with dissapointment, grief and fear, we run and hide away from Jesus instead of asking for His protection and guidance.

This song has been sang to me, when I was in my lowest point of confidence, and my tears fell down, and I cried for I have forgotten all the time, that He has always been by my side, waiting for me to claim His promises to me.

Have a blessed day of rest, my family in Christ..

Tip of Borneo 2011

Figure 1: The tip of borneo, fair weather.

It hasn't been long since I been to the tip, which is last December 2010, but this Chinese New Year, made that trip again to the tip of borneo which is Kudat, with a bunch of fun friends. However the weather during this Chinese New Year around was gloomy but this time, we manage to reach the tip with sunny weather.

Figure 2: The climb, picture courtesy of Ancee (Bonney).

At first, we planned to sleep at the Rungus traditional long house but due to the room condition as well as the walls which weren't comfortable and the distance to the city of Kudat, we changed our mind and decide to sleep at the city. A dinner in the dark, is enjoyable especially with like-minded friends.

Figure 3: Went down to the rocky tip despite the high tide with Frankey.

Despite the weather being rainy, roads which are pretty bad and there are places which are flooded, my 4X4 still has the guts to carry on the journey and protecting us from the harshness of the journey. God has indeed protected us during the trip as there are times when the danger is there.

Figure 4: The Jimmies (Proud to be Jimmies).

This trip is a very memorable and fun trip which I say, a very good mark for my last semester in University. Despite the busyness of wanting to complete my final year project, I also strive to have as much fun as possible without of course sacrificing my time to complete my course. All in all thank God for providing us safety during the whole journey.

Genuine Vs Fakes

Figure 1: Imagine yourself drinking a glass of "fake" Coca Cola.

Just though of a topic to blog about, well still this is strictly limited to those who are collectors, appreciate a great quality product and basically doesn't mind to spend a portion of money in own these items. Still in the long run, there are setbacks in obtaining collectibles which are actually authentic, here comes the fakes which can actually ruin the fun of actually having or think of having the actual work of art, limited edition and also rare item of great and exotic quality.

Genuine or authentic product are usually most of the time, expensive, consume a lot of resource and creative energy to actually develop the product which can be appreciated by all collectors. This type of collectible is definitely a time-piece to have if it is within the financial reach of the collector, still collectors would do anything just to obtain that.

Fake products or known as counterfieted products are copies of the authentic product which can actually be as close as 90% the same as the authentic. A fake product may or may not use a good quality materials, still this depends closely on the nature of the seller. A very good quality replica may cost you about MYR200 above which is only a tad cheaper than the authentic. 

All those branded collectibles such as Levi's, Adidas, Nike and others are all in risk of having replicas, especially the limited edition products, which are really expensive, and basically out of reach of many collectors who are short of financial power. Still it is a wrong thing to actually imitate a product which is the hard work of a designer or company.

Wearing fakes have left a grave impression on me, as an example ,I used to have fake adidas running shoes which I actually use to run in, I have used these shoes for sometime, but the more I used it, the comfort sponges on the shoes grew thinner which causes my foot to have blisters. After that I decide to get the authentic and after some mileage, I have no problem running around and the quality of the shoes lasts me even until now which is probably 3 years.

Still, everything in this world can be faked, can be easily destroyed, and nothing is 100% pure, and anything that we use or consume can harm us physically or spiritually. Thus, a focus in divine power is of the main importance.

Figure 2: The trefoil can be faked, but don't fake yourself.