Monday, December 31, 2001

My sinus is really acting up today. The whole day I had to go about feeling as if I were about to sneeze. Actual number of sneezes to built-p to sneeze had a ratio of about 1:20. So, you can just imagine me sniffling throughout the day about to blow at any second. Really irritating!

Saw two VCDs tonight. Oh yes! Didn't manage to catch LOTR this afternoon. It was sold out. Anyway, the two movies. One's 'Not Another Teenage Movie' and the other's 'Blow'.

If you ever get tickets to the former, just throw it in the dumpster. It's total crap. It's suppose to be a spoof on teenage movies like how 'Scary Movie' is a spoof on scary movies. Where 'Scary Movie' is crap but really funny, this was just plain crap. I don't have anything else to say except it is crap! CRAP! CRAP! CRAP! How it ever got into the top 10 grossing movies when it opened is just beyond me. Probably people were just curious like I was. Geez! What a waste of my time. If only we could get a refund on time.

Now 'Blow' is a totally different story. I'd recommend it. Really! Not only because the totally gorgeous Johnny Depp is in it but it's got a really great story. A true story. It's the real life story of George Jung, the pioneering drug dealer in US? Or something like that. Either he pioneered it or he was the one who became really really successful with it. What I'm wondering if whether he's such a good person as portrayed in the movie. He seems to be such a nice guy that people keep taking advantage of him. If he is, then I feel kinda sad for the guy, even though his drug trafficking have probably killed countless number of people and not to mention the number of lives destroyed from drug addiction. *Empress recommended movie!

Sunday, December 30, 2001

The day started well enough. Sun was shining after two whole days of gloom. My throat doesn't feel as sore as it did, couldn't even sneeze without it hurting like the devil. It still feels a little scratchy but much better than yesterday. Trish called to ask whether we wanted lunch (it was about 11.30am at that time), so we didn't have to drive out for lunch when I eventually decide to get out of bed. Little did I know that they day will end so badly ...

We meaning all the sibs, my brother, Stef, Trish and I, and also my grandma. Parents went up to Genting yesterday and spent the night there, as usual, nobody was informed of their plan; neither did they call home to inform us at home that they weren't coming home.

Anyway when Trish got home with lunch, a fine meal of Bak Kut Teh, we all ate together, not Trish though cause she ate with Kenneth (her boyfriend) earlier but she was there at the table as well. Everything was great. We ate, we talked, joked, talked about our parents; indeed a rather rare occasion. After that, I escaped from cleaning duty by heading over to Yee Sing's house with Trish. Yee Sing was swimming with Gavin, her little brother, in her little plastic Winnie the Pooh pool on her porch. It was fun playing around with the kids.

When we got home, we started planning our escape from the house before our parents got home. Y'see, the parental unit called earlier while we were having our lunch informing us of their imminent return. Mummy sounded a bit terse so we assumed that they didn't do quite well at the casino. Parents not too companiable after a loss at the casino. The girls had originally planned to watch Lord of the Rings today but I can make the afternoon show as I have to attend my friend's 'open house' at 4pm. It was already 2pm. So the movie outing's post-poned to tonight. Decided to just shower, change and then just hop on the car and decide where to go later.

So I did ... shower and change that is.

After that, went to Stef's room to wait while she gets ready. While there, Trish joined us and we decided to go to Coffee Bean while they wait for Bro who's going for a haircut before they join him for 'Behind Enemy Lines' later when I leave for my 'open house'. Bro agreed.

Parental units got home before we manage to get out of the house. Papa told me I had a couple of mails. One's an invitation from Monash, my old university, to the Monash Open Day on 5th January. The other's from Amazon. Hurrah! My secret santa gift has arrived. Lavay Smith and the Red Hot Skillet Lickers's Everybody's Talkin' Bout Miss Thing! Thanks Chris! I finally get to listen to Lavay Smith. Am litening to it even as I write. It's fantastic.

Anyway, off we go to Coffee Bean and bro to the haircutters.

Had a nice chat with the girls about this and that. Trish suggested that I make a crossword puzzle with local flavour and sell it to the magazines, we've been doing the crossword magazines that Trish bought when she was in Australia for the last few days. Sounded like a pretty good idea although I'm not altogether sure that it hasn't been done before. That and that I'm not entirely great with words enough to make a crossword puzzle but it was still a good idea. Stef brought up that we've not been to Insomnia for quite some time and suggested that we go there tonight. She wanted to play Pictionary there. Trish then suggested that we get a set for ourselves instead of going all the way to Insomnia. By that time, it was already 4pm so I had to go. Bro was gonna pick them up after his haircut so I left with those two planning to purchase Pictorial and skipping the movie cause they'd be eager to start playing.

Azfa's 'open house' was alright. Met some old classmates, chat, laughed ate. The usual when you meet up with old friends and the usual Hari Raya food; ketupat, rendang, nasi minyak, etc. Left about 7pm.

Got home. No sibs in sight or at home. Am informed by mummy that they've gone to MidValley to pick up Renee, bro's girlfriend. Took my new CD to Stef's room, mummy's watching TV in mine, called Stef to check her coordinates and to check whether we're still watching LOTR. Confirmed mummy's info and affirmative to the movie.

Reading and listening to Lavay Smith when Stef came into the room and literally groaned when she heard what was on. Another of her sister's weird music.

We're not going for LOTR anymore. Trish said that papa wanted to watch as well when Stef called her to check the time for the movie.

Trish got home later and we started to play Pictorial. She actually bought it! Only two teams. She and Kenneth, Stef and I. We won! Yay! It was fun except for one part when we almost stopped when Trish kinda said that Kenneth didn't know how to draw, she didn't know what the heck he was drawing and Kenneth retorted "Don't play-lah! You draw everything if you're so good!" Doesn't sound really funny but they were having a disagreement and I don't know why we, Stef, mummy and I, were laughing. I was hoping that it'll sort of lighten the mood a little if they thought we weren't taking it so seriously but Trish made a remake about it. So we stopped laughing. She manage to console Kenneth and so we continued playing.

After we finished the game, we broke for a little snack. Bro and Renee brought home something when they went out for dinner. Started another game after that. Here's were the trouble starts ...

It first started when Trish and I disagreed as to what is suppose to happen when we decide to skip a card (it was decided earlier on that if we do not know what the word meant, we can skip that card and draw a new card). If the first card's an all play card, even though we're not in an all play box on the booard, does it mean that the second card remains an all play? I said that it doesn't. That it depends on whatever's on the second card. In the first game, we played that it would still be an all play ... earlier in the game that is until my brother stopped by and said that it should depend on the second card. I thought we changed it then but I wasn't sure. She was quite sure that we didn't and we went on for a few minutes about that. I finally conceeded that we should play the second card as an all play but she somehow figured that I gave in reluctantly and was moody after that. I really don't mind any way we play it. REALLY! I don't!

This created a sort of tension on the second game. Even Stef asked Trish if she still wanted to continue play cause she's really moody now and was really quite. No extra words. All smiles gone. Only a tolerant facade as a replacement of the joyous one of the first game. I didn't feel much like playing anymore cause she's in a mood. I hate these sort of tension.

I the middle of play, she asked Kenneth to trade place with her. Kenneth was seated across left diagonally from me. I suspect that it had something to do with my spaghetti straps (mummy just had to make a comment on my dressing! *frust*). I didn't feel like changing when mummy commented on my top but I took a throw pillow and placed it in front of me when they traded placed. Hey! So sue me for having breast!

Several cards later, she took a card and then just threw it down. I think Stef just picked it up assuming that it was but I asked Trish if it was. She bit back that it was and that she told Stef that it was. Ack! So untrue. She hasn't opened that treasure filled mouth of hers since that disagreement we had at the start of the game except only to try for an answer when it was her turn.

My temper kinda snapped then. Just one card before this, I'd decided that I was going to beg off after one more card with some excuse cause I just can't stand the tension any longer but her retort was just too much for me at that time. I threw the pillow and stormed away yelling "I'd had enough! I quit! I don't want to play anymore! I know, I'm moody!" (Sounds so childish doesn't it?)

But when I heard her say, "We know!", I just had to turn back and tell her that it was because she wasn't into the game anymore ever since our disagreement. That she was the one who was all moody. Somehow or rather she answered back something about my breast being showing. I don't know why that should be a problem. I wear spaghetti straps lots of times so it's not like it a rare occurence. So my cleavage shows. So what?

"Are you afraid that I'd steal your boyfriend?", I replied. "I saw the way you starred down on him when we accidentally bumped into each other the other time." That was really long ago by the way. Then I don't know what else I said. I was babbling incoherently after that venting my anger.

Volatile aren't I?

Poor Stef, Kenneth and Mummy. Innocent victims of two moody bitches. I later apologised to Kenneth for having to witness the outburst and Stef for spoiling her game. Mummy was just there watching so I don't think there was anything to apologise to her about.

I found my sports top that Trish gave me on the floor outside her room when I went for a shower. Mummy must have mistakenly placed it in her clothes pile.

Now I'm not sure who'll gonna be watching LOTR tomorrow. I really don't think Trish will be there and I hope that she won't cause I can't face her yet. I'm don't think I have anything apologise to her about and she definitely thinks the same so we'd probably be at odds with each other for awhile. We don't really say sorry after an argument and a period of non-speaking we just tend to gradually start speaking again. I'm sure this is the case this time as well.

What a bunch of messed up sisters we are.

Friday, December 28, 2001

Yay! I'm off. Ciao!
WAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

I'm so sleepy! I wanna go home. Was about to when my idiotic colleague asked me to look at a buggy code! *sniff* *sniff* Really want to go home now.

Hmmm ... maybe I'll tell him I'll do it later when I get back to work on Wednesday. Yeah! That's good. I'll got tell him that.

I think I've got Alzheimer's. Yesterday I forgot to lock my car door after getting back from lunch. I'm lucky the car didn't get stolen or my radio stripped ... bad luck for them if they did steal the radio ... doesn't work properly. Then just this afternoon, when I was about to drive back to the office from home after lunch, I think I forgot the hand break. I'm not too sure. It's either I forgot to pull it when I got home or I disengaged it just after I got in the car to drive.

I can't remember things that happened two seconds ago!

Maybe it's the lack of sleep. They were showing 'Scent of a Woman' at 12.30am and I watched it till about 2am. Didn't finish it. Was too sleepy. Couldn't keep my eyes open. And this morning, didn't feel like getting out of bed. The whole day and even now, I feel like a zombie. Kept falling asleep during a little discussion with my colleagues just now.

Darn it! It seems I have to rush for a proposal. Have till next Thursday noontime to finish it. That only gives me one and a half day! I'm off work on Monday. Didn't wanna have the weekend then work on Monday and another day off of Tuesday (new year's!). I'm gonna have the whole stretch. Most probably should do the proposal when I'm at home then but I rarely work at home. Don't work at home unless it's absolutely a last minute thing. Nobody should work at home ... unless, of course, if they work from home or something to that effect.

Thursday, December 27, 2001

Was going to blog yesterday before heading for bed but blogger was down. Stupid crackers. Leave blogger alone!

Everything seems to be down for me these few days. Couldn't log into Yahoo! Messenger yesterday and I still can't today. I don't know what is wrong with it. Able to retrieve Yahoo! Mail fine. They use they same login information so I don't understand why I can't use Messenger.

Embarassing moment yesterday morning. Got to work. Parked my car and as I was walking towards my yellow office building, a guy went, "Psst! Psst! Excuse me miss but your zip's open."

Ooops! Luckily, he wasn't a colleague. Would have been even more embarassing if it had.

Work was boring.

After work, had coffee with this guy I met at the choir AGM. I think he's interested. I'm not though. I usually don't mind going out for coffee with people after I've determined that they're not psycho ... a friendly coffee that is. No ulterior motives. I'm not good at these things. When someone asks you if you'd like to have coffee, if you answer yes, does it automatically indicate that you're interested? I just assumed that you'd like to have coffee and a bit of a chat. Nothing more. Is that too naive of me?

Plus, is there a polite way of saying no when a guy/girl asked 'Would you like to watch a movie?' or was it more like 'Do you watch movies?' Well, I just kinda stuttered a reply towards the negative. I really don't know how to reply to that question. Saying 'yes I'd like to watch a movie, ...' or 'yes I do watch movies, ...' and end it with ' ... but not with you' just seems a bit harsh. So, is there a polite way of rejecting an invitation like that?

I had a conversation with Mogan and my sis the other day over dinner about something like this. Mogan's wondering about his situation with this girl that he's interested in. They were suppose to meet up for dinner, supposedly just as friends but of course, Mogan likes her and would like to be more than that. She's been postponing the dinner with some excuse or another. Mogans wondering if she's trying to avoid him. He's told her that he's cool if she's not interested in him but she has to tell him that she isn't interested.

For me, if a guy that I'm not interested in asked me out and I know he's interested in more than friendship, I'd just make up some excuse and decline. Hoping that after several times of this invite-decline, that they'll get it and leave me alone. However, if they get the courage enough to ask to be more than friends, I'd tell them that I'm not interested and that all I can offer them is friendship. If they accept that and don't press the issue, I'd be cool to hang out with them. I hang out with guys all the time. Be it solo or in a group. All are welcome as friends.

Just think that there needs to be a certain amount of attraction from my side as well for someone to be my boyfriend. A person might be nice and all but if I'm not attracted to them, what can I do but remain friends? I usually go for looks but I know a guy who some says is quite good looking and I do agree and he's interested ... I think. BUT ... when I hang out with him, I'm not comfortable. There's something about him that I don't like. Can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe it's the cigarette. Maybe it's his attitude. It could be anything or nothing but I just don't feel like I'd like him as a boyfriend. So, I've been doing my evasion routine.

Maybe I'm just setting my standards too high. Shouldn't be so picky. Mom's advise is 'to get a guy who loves you more than you do him.' Sound enough although not particularly romantic is it?

People wonder why I don't have a boyfriend at the grand old age of 24. All I can say is that I don't feel that I'm ready for a relationship. I don't feel mature enough. I don't want to be in a relationship just for the sake of being in a relationship. I want to be in one cause it feels right. Whatever right is.

Idealistic romantic stuff that's probably not possible in the real world ... but it could happen.

A girl can dream.

Tuesday, December 25, 2001

Okay ... my comment system is working ... sort of. My comment count isn't working yet. I'll have to check what's wrong with it.

In the meantime, start blogging back and ... MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I need to go to sleep earlier. On Friday night, I slept at 6am (Saturday morning). Saturday night, again at 6am (Sunday morning). Then Sunday, this one a little earlier, at 3am (Monday morning).

Not that I was doing anything important at all. I was making stars mobile to hang outside my sliding door for christmas deco on Friday and then on Saturday and Sunday, I was just reading. Okay, so, the star mobile thing is excusable cause I wanted to have it up before the carollers came on Saturday night but what's the deal with sleeping late the other two days ... and today!

Tonight, right now, I came on to look for a word for 'Summerhouse' for a crossword puzzle that I'm trying to complete. Actually, I knew the word only that I got the connecting word mispelled. That caused me to looked up the dictionary searching for a non-existance word. Fortunately, manage to find the mistake once I found the definition for 'Summerhouse' in dictionary.com. The word was 'Gazebo' ... I knew that!

Okay, anyway, a bit of recap on what I did since since the last time I posted.

* Birthday dinner ... was quite delicious. Pretty good birthday too although there wasn't any present :(. Mummy got me a chocolate walnut cake (big difference from the 2nd hand sponge cake huh?), I consider that a present and papa paid for dinner so that's another present. Everything feels pretty nice.

* Choir christmas party. Loads of laugh. Fun fun fun all around. Food was good too (tom yum soup was yummy!). Everyone got presents cause everyone had to bring in one present for exchange ... so that was good. Took part in two party games. Won one but couldn't finish the other ... you try finishing a bottle of coke without burping!

* Final Streetvoiz performance for the year. I thought we totally sucked! However, Cris thought we did okay ... so, maybe I just have a different opinion on what's okay. I felt like we were so rushing through everything. I didn't have time to take a breath much less swallow! And the hall was so hot! I was sweating like mad and I had to hold the mic through all 11 songs that we sang ... they had two mics but only one stand ... why's that? I haven't a clue!

* Christmas eve dinner. We had a turkey for christmas dinner for the first time! And it was pretty well done too. Kudos to Trish for cooking the turkey. I was totally stuffed. After that, we started on the crossword puzzle. All sibs were helping out but they each dropped out like flies ... one after another ... till there was only yours truly. Managed to finish it with the help of a little pocket dictionary. Yay! ... I was cheating you say? Nope I don't think so, it's a competition crossword and if it's completed, we can submit it in and win a prize if your entry is drawn from a ballot. I don't think anyone would be foolish enough not to complete the puzzle anyway they can before submitting it, do you?

Okay, that's all for the recap, I have to go wrap three more presents and chuck those under the tree. Ciao.

Friday, December 21, 2001

I'm getting sick of looking for free host to enable my commenting system. I'll go home later this afternoon and give it one last shot. Somehow, I keep getting the 500 Internal Server Error error. Is there something wrong with the code or is the cgi capability just not activated for new users?!

Anyone with PHP or cgi wanna host lil ol me?

Countdown to two dozen years of life - TODAY!



Happy Birthday to me!
Happy Birthday to me!
Happy Birthday to me!
Happy Birthday to me!

Thursday, December 20, 2001

Countdown to two dozen years of life - 1 day to go.



Something interesting from 'The Phil News', the Selangor Phil's newsletter, which I found last night while clearing my choir bag and placing reinforcement rings on my scores.

TOP 10 REASONS FOR BEING AN ALTO

10 You get really good at singing an E flat.
9 You get to sing the same note for 12 consecutive bars.
8 You don't really need to warm up to sing 12 consecutive bars of E flat.
7 If the choir is rough, it's unlikely the altos will be blamed.
6 You have lots of time to chat during soprano solos.
5 You get to pretend that you are better than the sopranos, because everybody knows that women only sing soprano so they don't have to learn to read music.
4 You can sometimes find part-time work singing tenor.
3 Altos get all the great intervals.
2 When the sopranos are holding some outrageously high note at the end of a piece, the altos always get the last words.
1 When the altos miss a note, nobody gets hurt.



TOP 10 REASONS FOR BEING A BASS

10 You don't have to tighten your pants to reach your note.
9 You don't have to worry about a woman stealing your job.
8 Or a pre-adolescent boy.
7 Action heroes are always basses. That is, if they ever sang, they would be basses.
6 You get great memorable lyrics like bop, bop, bop, bop.
5 If the singing job doesn't work out, there's always broadcasting.
4 You never have to learn to read the treble clef.
3 If you get a cold, so what.
2 For fun you can sing at the bottom of your range and fool people into thinking there's an earthquake.
1 If you belch while you're singing, the audience just thinks it's part of the score.

Wednesday, December 19, 2001

Trying to get the dotcomment comment system to work. Registered for two free hosting service and placed the codes in one of them. Still not working yet. Will have to see what is wrong when I get home.

Tis raining now. Should better get going before it starts pouring.

Wish me luck with the comment system. You'll soon be able to blog back again .... MUAHAHAHAHA

Countdown to two dozen years of life - 2 days to go.



Back in my cubicle after 4 blissfull days of no work.

Tuesday, December 18, 2001

Countdown to two dozen years of life - 3 days to go.



Ooops! Missed yesterday's countdown. Was out watching Spy Game, the movie starring Brad Pitt and Robert Redford, with Stef. Excellent movie. Stef thought it was a little slow but I thought it was great!

Anyhoo ...

Have you ever gone to a shoe shop and requested a shoe in your size or whatever size you were looking for? What does the salesperson tell you when they don't have it? Do they recommend another style of shoe which they do have in the requested size (which I think is appropriate)?

I went to look for the pair of sandals that my grandma's been pestering me about ... yes pestering ... 'Have you bought it yet? Have you bought it yet?', she'd go every morning since I told her that my aunts have left money asking me to get it for her. Well, I finally went yesterday. Found the sandal and asked for a black pair in size 6. The salesperson came back and said, 'No size 6, size 8 can ah?'

I was thinking of course not what would I do with a size 8? But I didn't voice that out. Instead, I asked whether they have it in brown. Same thing, 'No size 6 ... but got size 8'. I went, 'it's okay thanks' and left the shop. All the while wondering why people would offer shoes two size larger than the one I've requested for just cause they have it? Do they think whoever I was buying the shoe for would be able to wear it? If so, why would I ask for the one which was two size smaller in the first place?

Just thought that was a weird way of selling.

Sunday, December 16, 2001

Countdown to two dozen years of life - 5 days to go.



Today marks the last day of Streetvoiz's last christmas performance. I'm glad that all the christmas programs are over and done with. It's was tiring work ... now all we have to do is sit back relax, wait for the money to come in and for the Selangor Phil's christmas party the day after me birthday. There is a little thing that some of us from Streetvoiz will do on Sunday after the party. Some children's party at some place ... suppose to get together on Friday to practise some songs for that but Friday's my birthday so I told them I might not be able to attend practise ... I'll try my best. A birthday dinner just won't be a birthday dinner without the birthday girl would it?

I have no idea when the tradition of having a family dinner on someone's birthday started. It sure isn't the norm as I was growing up. I still remember the pandan sponge cake, mom brought back from visiting a friend at the hospital who just gave birth, that was passed off as my birthday cake! How pathetic was that? Anyway, the whole of this year, whenever it's someone's birthday (family member only, of course), we go out and have a family dinner ... not that I'm complaining of course, just that ... it's not the norm! When in the world did we adopt this tradition?

Back to the what I did today stuff ...

Got up so early for a Sunday and couldn't get back to sleep. So, I gathered the two videos that two very kind soul mailed to me to watch them. Thanks Elsie and Nicole. I must have received Elsie's tape like two months ago or so ... just couldn't find the time to pop it in the video to watch ... that and that the vcr's in my parent's room and I don't like watching it with them ... my mom likes to add to the script ... this morning, they were at a cousin's wedding so their room was free and all sibs were still asleep. Hence, the perfect time to indulge in my dose of Russell Watson; that was what was in Elsie's tape. She'd kindly recorded RW's concert at the Taj Mahal (in America not India).

Fabulous concert! And there were duets with Lea Salonga and Natalie Cole. Just yesterday one of the Streetvoiz guys were saying that I should sing Lea Salonga songs while we were bumming and singing while waiting for the technicians to set up the mics for our second gig. Is that freaky? Usually don't talk about Lea Salonga and then twice within half a day. Maybe it's a sign ... of what I have no idea. Hah!

After that, watched Nicole's tape. It's a scooby doo episode with the Big Bad Voodoo Daddies as guest stars! Tres cool!

Hmmm ... I'm thinking of recording the RW duets and the BBVD song onto MP3. Don't quite know how to do it yet. Will have to think about it. If anyone knows how to, email me!

Next, time to put on my toolbelt and assemble grandma's 3-drawer chest. Did that in about 2 half hours and then it was time to rush off for the gig ... that's after a quick shower, change of clothes and make-up. I think I made it in record time getting to Lot 10 - the venue of the gig. I thought I was going to be late but I was just in time. That's due to the really smooth traffic on the way to Lot 10; all thanks to the long weekend due to Hari Raya, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadhan.

Went to a Muslim friends house for 'Open House' after the gig. Had yummy Hari Raya food cooked by his wife - am told that she owns a restaurant at a really trendy part of town. Ate, talked, laughed and then tis time to go home.

Listening to the Royal Crown Revue that Danny burned for me on Friday. Good stuff.

Saturday, December 15, 2001

Countdown to two dozen years of life - 6 days to go.



Hurrah! Finally installed the modem into my home computer and it works (evidence #1: this blog!). Have had the modem for two weeks now and didn't have a chance to install it till 2 days ago. After which I discovered that Windows 95 does not support USB ... the modem's USB. So, had to go get a USB supporting Windows that my system can handle. Got Windows Me. Installed that, installed the modem and voila ... Emp is blogging from home.

Yay! Placed the tinsels on the christmas tree and it looks great. Decided to end the search for perfect long dangly ornaments. Tinsels filled up the space ... although, I do think a few long dangly thing might make it nicer ... Stef says to stop placing more thing on the tree though, so ...

I'll try to stop.

Friday, December 14, 2001

If anyone knows of a comment system that I could plug into my HTML please email me. Reblogger went down and had SnorComments for all of 2 days before it went down as well. I don't have a place where PHP or cgis can be placed. My only host is blogspot. So no code/file uploads.

Countdown to two dozen years of life - 7 days to go.


Christmas Search Continues

Friday, Dec 14 -- The search for the perfect long dangly christmas ornaments continues. It has been reported that Emp and Stef was spotted again at a mall last night searching for the final batch of christmas ornaments to be placed on their already, fine looking, christmas tree.

However, according to reliable source, they were seen carrying packages which were not from stores offering christmas ornaments. Further investigation found that the packages contained a bandana (Emp's) and some knickers from Topshop. They were also heard arguing over who gets to purchase the fab looking pink Friday knickers from Topshop but luckily, the matter was resolved with Emp graciously opting for the thongs so that Stef could have the bikini knickers.

As to their original objective of purchasing christmas ornaments, 'We will journey on and search for those perfect ornaments tomorrow and in another mall,' says Emp.

We at Empress Times would like to wish Emp and Stef the best of luck in their search. Hopefully they would be able to find them before christmas is over.

Thursday, December 13, 2001

Hey let's hop on the KPMG bashing bandwagon. Apparently they're causing a big hoo hah about a guy linking to their site without agreement. Oops! I've just linked them ... twice! I don't think I have an agreement. What will they do to me? I shudder to think. Read the whole article here. There's even a KPMG theme song. It goes something like this ...

"KPMG/We're strong as can be/A dream of power and energy/We go for the goal/Together we hold/On to our vision of global strategy..."


Oh yes, you can read the email that was sent to the guy and the fella's reply here. Classic stuff!

That was freaky! I was typing in todays blog and all of a sudden, word start disappearing. Then when I clicked post, the whole browser disappeared. Wonder what happened? Maybe I should do a proper shutdown to clear up memory. My PC hasn't had a shutdown since Monday ... but it's only been four days. Should be alright. I've gone through weeks without shutting down with no problem at all. Hmmm ...

Anyhoo ... as I was saying, Snorland's down. Another comment system having problem. Too lazy to look for a new comment system right now ... so if you want/need to comment on anything, email me instead.

On a cheerier note, the new christmas lights are up! Yay! The tree looks great but still a little bare. Am on the lookout for more christmas ornaments. Long dangly ones I think cause the ornaments on the tree now is pretty rounded - they're all christmas balls ... red and white ones. It's also got two long ribbons threaded through the tree, an angel almost at the top, two turtle doves (*and a partridge on a pear tree* ... just kidding) one each beside the angel and, of course, a star at the top! Wish I had a digicam *hint* *hint* so I could take a picture of it and show it to you. So, long dangly thing will lengthen things a bit and make the tree look nicer don't you think?

Wednesday, December 12, 2001

Still in the glooms.

Went out full of christmas spirit after dinner to the mall to get more ornament for the christmas tree. At the end of the trip, I was down in the dumps. All trace of christmas cheer gone!

Why?

Well, once we (my dad, Stef and I) got to the mall, we went to the bookshop to get a large envelope which we needed to mail the present we've bought for Fehn, our cousin in England. Christmas spirit, still high. Found the envelope, browsed the bookshop a little and then headed to the CD store cause my dad wanted to look for a christmas CD by Ray Conniff(?).

We separated from papa for awhile so that we could go to Living Quaters, where Stef said they were selling some nice christmas ornaments. ... It's closed. Chrsitmas spirit, lowers but still good. Went to the CD store ... Papa couldn't find Ray Conniff. So, he headed to the next CD store in the mall. We, went to Body Shop cause they've got so many lovely things on display we just had to go in for a looksee. Stef bought a couple of floating candles and then we were off to join papa.

No Ray Conniff ... but there were a whole bunch of other christmas cds available. Stef and I recommended a 3-CD compilation to my dad. It has a slew of people in it from Mariah Carey to Judy Garland! So, that a pretty good CD. I didn't notice that the first CD was a songs 'in the style of ...' thing until this morning. Meaning songs in that CD's not sung by the original artist. I think. Not sure yet. Must go home and try that CD tonight. ... Anyway, papa wasn't too sure about getting the CD. We told him it should be good and then he finally said okay. Then, my big mouth of a sister said that I would/should pay for the CD and papa seconded the suggestion stating that since he's retired, he doesn't have money. Hah! What about the new gizmos he just bought! ... But fine, okay, christmas spirit was still good, although was quickly heading south, so I paid for the CD.

Next stop, new christmas lights. Needed new lights for the christmas tree. Our old lights are red and sort of make the tree kinda gloomy. Needed something brighter. Clear or yellow lights maybe and preferable doesn't blink/run. I don't like running lights. Too distracting. Too busy. Found it at Tops. They had 3 colour options. Clear (which is sort of a yellow), orange (darker yellow) and blue. Plus, they have a button which allows you to decide whether the lights should blink, run or just light. Pretty cool I think. I picked the clear lighted one cause I wanted the tree to look brighter and I pointed to one of the tree that had the clear lights on as example for my dad. He stood there considering whether the example was actually the orange light instead of the clear. I told him it was the clear light and the salesperson attending us confirmed it.

Nevertheless, we headed to the tree to check out the multiple light options to see how it looks on the tree. I thought it looked pretty good and since our tree is a shade darker than the example, it'll look even better. At this time, Stef who was browsing elsewhere had joined us. Papa still stood there doubting the lights were clear instead of orange. I told him that it was and also told him that the salesperson had confirmed that but he was still looking at it doubtfully. ... Christmas spirit going a notch lower. ... So we stood there argue the colour of the lights for a few minutes. Then he asked the salesperson, again, whether the lights are the clear lighted ones. This time the salesperson said, 'It's orange light.' The gall of that woman!

'Oh! Wait, no no I think it's the clear light. I'm not sure. Looks quite like the orange light doesn't it', she continued.

Incredulously I replied, 'It's the clear light, I'm sure.' Of course it's not the orange lighted one! Was I the only person there who's not colour blind!

Then papa was pondering again. I went, 'Pa, it's the clear light, really. It's the clear light.'

'Why don't we try it and see.' said papa indicating the clear light box that he was holding.

I insisted that it was the clear light and we do not have to test it. Why do these people not listen to me?! Then Stef said the thing that had my christmas spirit plunging down to the negatives. 'Why don't you just shut up? Shut up and let papa try it if he wants to.'

Whatever happened to respect for your elders? How can she just tell me to shut up! Especially since I know I'm in the right! So, I just stormed off and said, 'I'm going to buy the ice-cream.'

I didn't speak to them the whole time walking to the car nor did I inform them that I was gonna stop at the bank to update my passbook. Just drove in silence. Got to the bank and fuck! the fucking passbook update machine's not in service. Argghhh!!!!!!

Got back and went straight to my room. Trish was there watching TV. Left soon after I went in. She always does. Changed to comfy clothes and sat watching whatever Trish was watching. It was some comedy festival thing filmed in canada in 1995. Pretty funny stuff. It's like the Universe is trying to cheer me up. Had a bit of a laugh and felt slightly better. Then surfed the channel a little (little cause I only have 4 stations and 1 station which depends on whatever the upstairs cable decoder's tuned to) before settling on the cable channel which was showing 'Hurricane'. Very good show. It's about how these 4 people who helped free Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter from false imprisonment after one of them read his book. Makes me feel better that such people do exist.

Went to bed feeling slightly better.

Tuesday, December 11, 2001

There's a new TV in my room. A 29" Sony Triniton. Great isn't it?

Well, I'm not so sure. For one, I didn't buy it. My dad did. It's only in my room cause it was previously the dining room and we've always had a TV in the dining room and so the aeriel cable is there. There are plans of moving the cables to the hall ... or maybe the soon to be AV room that is to be built (god know when). So, for the time being, it's in my room. According to my sis, Stef, this proves that I'm papa's girl. He gets a new TV and it's placed in my room.

Actually I'd rather not have the TV in my room cause then my grandma, sister or whoever's on that floor at the moment who wants to watch TV will be in my room. The whole point of me having a room for myself is just that ... so that I HAVE a room for myself. Not shared with everyone else. I can't even change in peace cause my grandma would probably be in the room and I really dislike chasing her out of the room when she's watching the TV.

Thirdly, the money used for this recent purchase would be from my dad's retirement funds. It's okay if he wants to indulge a little but a new TV on Sunday and a whole speaker system and DVD player two weeks before that is really expensive. The money will dwindle away and where would he get more? He has plans of having his own GPRS mapping company, which he has already registered for, but who's to know what business is going to like? He might profit ... which would be great ... but he might also make a loss and then where would he be with all the money gone? Of course, I'll try and give whatever I can ... I won't see my family starve ... I'm not entirely heartless ... but I'm not exactly making a whole lot. Just enough!

Why is he acting like he's as rich as Croesus when he's not? Mid life crisis?

Sometimes I think parents are just like us. They like to indulge in things that pleases them and would do it whenever the opportunity permits. Just that when they have kids to support the opportunity doesn't permit that often especially since the cost of a University education is so bleeding high now. However, I still think papa shouldn't be using all this money to purchase all these gizmos. He still has two daughters that are still in school. One of which should really, really be enrolling for University SOON! The other has one more year of high school before University. That'll be two kids in University in one go. That's a lot of money. Hopefully, they'd be able to get scholarships. They're pretty smart unlike their dumb geek of an elder sister. ;)

Still ... like us, when our parents tell us not to do things that we want to do, parents don't listen to us either. So, what we have here is a deadlock. We don't listen to them; they don't listen to us. We can only hope that the outcome is not disasterous.

Monday, December 10, 2001

I never knew singing can be so exhausting ... but then, I don't know a lot of things and that's just another thing I've found out that I know I didn't know.

Saturday's performance with the Selangor Phil Choir was pretty good ... meaning, we didn't get booed, we didn't start at the wrong time and did things as we were supposed to do ... although we did start about half an hour later than scheduled. We, the choir, blame Phillip (the conductor) for that cause he was late! ... as usual. He in turn, blamed it on the traffic; which was really very bad that day. And then he had a little spat with Cris when she complained about him changing the music arrangements, yet again. Things were okay once we started singing. It was at Starhill, a shopping complex. Not much audience audience there. People are too busy shopping.

After that was the small choir's turn. We're called 'Streetvoiz'. Things were so-so. I wouldn't say great. Okay. ... up to the last song that is. We kinda bungled up 'Feliz Navidad'. The piano started in a C. We practised in G. And we couldn't really hear the piano cause it's muffle; it's a clavi, not a real piano, so we kinda didn't know when to start. We sounded really bad for that and had to restart the song. Sounded passable after that.

A few of us went to have dinner at a place near our next performance. I had capati with curry mutton. Yum! Haven't had that for quite awhile now. It was delicious. Then headed back to the hall where we performed on Friday night to fix up the decorations before the performance starts. Apparently the decorations were kind of a joke. Was told by some that the decorations were falling down while we were singing on Friday. Wow! Must have been a rousing performance! Haha.

The audience was more responsive that day compared to the night before. They sang with us when asked and clapped more! :) We did make a mistake though in one of the song. Phillip forgot to cue us in and we were waiting, unsure as to whether we should go ahead and sing or not. Thankfully he cued us in at an appropriate time and kudos to Wen Li for improvising on the accompaniment.

Was totally drained when I got home on Saturday night.

Slept till late on Sunday and then had to get ready to go for more performance in town. Streetvoiz had two sessions and Selangor Phil had one. Everything went well. Streetvoiz got an encore on the second gig ... planted audience from the Selangor Phil choirsters. Thanks all the same guys. Thanks to the few groupies we have as well.

Exhausting work, singing. Can't wait for next week when we'll do it all over again. Next weekend only Streetvoiz will be performing at the shopping complexes while the Selangor Phil will be singing to a group of nuns at a convent. After that we will have a Christmas party a week after that.

Yay! Paaarty!

Saturday, December 08, 2001

Changed my comment system to SnorComments. Didn't notice that Reblogger was down. Should pay more attention to what's going on with my blog!

I don't know what's wrong with me. I know I have a long day today. I know I have work today and I have to wake up early (for a saturday anyway). ... but when a call came in yesterday asking if I'd like to clubbing at Movement that night, I said 'YES!' ... AND that's after my choir performance ... after a full day of work. I was really tired after the performance but I changed and drove out anyway, with the hope of a night of hopping and bopping. I guess I should thank my friend's bosses that they changed their plans and spent the night at a pub instead. These were guys from BAT (British American Tobacco) so there were a lots and lots of smoking and drinking and pool. Pub scene is really not my thing. I don't smoke and I don't drink. Which is why I like going to dance clubs. At least I can dance there. Anyway, since they were just going to hang out at the pub, I made my exit early ... at about 2am! If we had gone to Movement, I do not doubt that I'd only leave at about 5am. I guess you can say that dancing kinda reenergizes me,

... but really, I'm grateful for the change of plans cause I'm still dead tired now. Alarm rang and I just slapped it off. Not like I don't do this every single day ... just that today, I really went back to sleep instead of just lying in bed for a few waking myself. Didn't get up untill half hour later and I've got bags under my eyes and the feeling of numbness in my head from lack of sleep. I think it shows cause someone said I looked 'blur' when I came into the office.

I really need to discipline myself to say no to an invite to a night of debauchery ... more so when I'm tired. Perhaps I'm trying to catch up on my late teenage years. I hardly ever go out at night when I was a teen. Not even when I was old to enter a dance club legally. In fact, I bet I can count the number of times I've been to a club on one hand. Guess I was kind of a geek then. Still a geek now. (a dumb geek ... according to my sibs) People don't really change too much do they?

Friday, December 07, 2001

Did a test and here's the result

If I were a work of art, I would be Edgar Degas' Dance Class.

I appear soft and gentle, but hide a core of rigid structure and discipline. I work hard and follow orders, because I am determined to succeed, but remain attached to displays of frivolity and maintaining my appearance.

Which work of art would you be? The Art Test

Thursday, December 06, 2001

Well ... didn't quite finish my post yesterday. Got too busy and now I don't feel like finishing it. If I ever do feel like finishing that I'll edit it. Otherwise, just ignore it. It was only going to be some stoopid thing about how I don't feel mature yet. Don't feel any difference from when I was 15 or now ... 15 days to 2 dozen years. Just a stupid blah blog.

Ignore it. Ignore it.

So tired yesterday. Only got home at 11.30pm and didn't even manage to get dinner. Had choir practise till 10.15 (sang our throats sore ... performance is this Friday!) and then went to pay my credit card bill in town (there's only one center where I can pay it ... unless I mail a cheque ... but I don't have a chequeing? account so that's moot). Was dragging my feet when I got home. Had my dinner, shower and went straight to bed! Didn't even watch the telly. Quite a first for me ... being a TV addict and all. But I was too tired. Fell asleep with the lights on. Woke up in the middle on the night/early morning and switched it off.

Wednesday, December 05, 2001

Why or when do we say that someone is mature or immature? How do we define maturity?

I got the following definition off www.dictionary.com.

mature adj 1: characteristic of maturity; "mature for her age" [ant: immature] 2: fully considered and perfected; "mature plans" [syn: matured] 3: having reached full natural growth or development; "a mature cell" [ant: immature] 4: fully developed or matured and ready to be eaten or used; "ripe peaches"; "full-bodies mature wines" [syn: ripe] [ant: green] 5: (of birds) having developed feathers or plumage; often used in combination [syn: fledged] [ant: unfledged] v 1: develop and reach maturity; undergo maturation; "He matured fast"; "The child grew fast" [syn: maturate, grow] 2: grow old or older; "She aged gracefully" [syn: age, maturate]


oops! will be back. boss is around the vicinity. must act busy.

Tuesday, December 04, 2001

*snifffff* ... MMmmm .... the smell of coffee. Delicious. Just the thing to wake me up on a day like today. I'm not much of a coffee person. Sometimes it works in waking me up and sometimes it doesn't. There are some people I know who drinks coffee in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening and then at night. Basically, they drink coffee all the time. Not sure how good it is for their health though. Some researchers found that the acidity of coffee's not good for health ... but then researchers have also said that chocolates weren't good for health once but now they are. All depends on the researchers huh?

Wonder why coffee works on some people and not on others. And for me, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Really don't like a coffee high though. Especially after an all nighter. I'd be like a zombie after taking coffee after an all nighter. My head would feel like all the blood's up there over on my forehead area. So, everthing sort of concentrated there. And then I won't be able to sleep when I really need to! Eyes wide, coffee high, tired as hell and can't sleep. Terrible.

I've finished my coffee now. Nope. Doesn't work this time. I'm still real sleepy. Maybe I should have gotten a bigger cup. Took a small cup this time.

Racheal must be thinking this girl's crazy. The other day she's talking about chocolates and now coffee. Haha ...

Saturday, December 01, 2001

Am doing some window shopping when I fell upon Topshop which had internet access. So I thought I'd do a bit of blogging.

So, the operetta last night was 'interesting'. The show was 'Porgy and Bess'. Porgy had a magnificent voice. Really booming. Bess had a pretty nice voice as well and so does the rest of the cast. However, I don't think that Kallang Theatre's such a good place for an opera where the singer do not use microphones. Y'see, when the singers are upstage, they sounds really good and really clear. Well, as clear as any opera singer can sound anyway, pronunciation wise that is. Anyway, when the move further inwards on stage, their voice doesn't really come out. So you can't really hear what they're singing about. Plus, I sat at the stalls, which was downstairs, the slightly pricier seats. Not a good investment, I'd say. The seats are not very well raised and they did not place the seats in such a way that the person behind a row would be able to get a clear view. I had a tall woman sitting in front of me. I'm really short. So, I had to seat a lot to my left so that I'd be able to see what's going on on stage. Does my side hurt after the show.

Well, I'd better go. It says maximum usage for this terminal is 30 minutes. I'm sure I've not exceeded it but I've got more window shopping to do. Will blog more when I go back to Malaysia.

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