Wednesday, December 31, 2003

My December

The whole month has gone by. Flurry of activities at the start slowly calming down towards the end. In a few hours time, we'll all be singing Auld Lang Syne as we welcome yet another year into our lives.

Has it really been four years since we frantically clamoured to one destination or another or sat eagerly in front of the television awaiting the chime that will bring in the new millennium? Do you remember where you were? I can't. Vague memories of watching various firework displays on the telly comes to mind but I think that was from watching the news on New Years day and not at midnite itself. Where was I exactly I can't remember. But then ... I've got short term memory anyway, if human memory was possible for upgrade, I think I'm way way WAY overdue.

Anyway, minor comment/journalling about the Turandot experience ...

Up until the last day of the show, there's still segregation among the KL chorus and the Penang chorus. I am unsure why the Penang chorus act so coldly towards us. We have tried on several occasions to be friendly; smiling at them, morning greetings, hellos, asking them to join in our warm-up sessions, everything ... short of extending out hands out and saying "We come in peace". Maybe it's due to our rambunctions nature; we truly are a noisy lot, as room 1916 will attest to (we slipped a "We're sorry" note below their doors before checking out to apologise for making all that noise in the hallway). Maybe it's cause we move in droves; we kinda tend to stick together wherever we go. Maybe that's just how Penangites are? I don't know. Maybe someday one of them will breakdown and finally tell us why to they were as they were. I only hope that they're not thinking the same of us.

Being in the production was really fun. The rehearsals can be taxing at times but when we're not rehearsing, we're usually out binging or lazing at the pool, that when we were in Penang. It was like going on a holiday but you don't have to pay for lodging and food. Ahhhh ... so nice. If only it pays enough to make it a full time profession. If only there's one production right after another. I think I won't mind quitting my day job and become a professional opera chorus member.

Met lots of people. The few stragglers from the Penang chorus that are not part of the high school choir, the Indonesian who joined us (the KL chorus) all the way from Singapore, the KL chorus that are not part of the Selangor Philharmonic Choir, some others that I remembered from Tosca but never talked to, etc ... etc. Quite an achievement for me cause I usually don't know what to talk to people about after the intial exchange of pleasantries.

About the shows? Well, it can really really indeedly doo have been much much better. I thought we kinda sucked actually but the sound that went out to the audience must have been really different cause they liked it. Guess the imperfections could not be heard then, which is good in a way. I still haven't seen any proper reviews of the opera. The media have written about the opera talking about the sets, the costumes, the money involved but no reviews of the show. How well the singers sang, were they good or bad? How the chorus did? How the orchestra sounded. So really, I don't know what a proper opera critic's view on the production had been since it doesn't seem like any critic went. Oh well.

Friday, November 21, 2003

Status today

Well ... hmmm ... I haven't been blogging here for awhile and felt like I must do it somehow. However, don't have much to talk about. Everythings been chugging along as it always does. Nothing much that's new.

There was another counselling session regarding puntuality again but as Linkin Park sings it, I've become so numb! Numb to all this unnecessary meetings which basically does not do much in encouraging me to come earlier. Of course there's always that threat, well concealed though it may but still a threat nonetheless, of termination due to insubordination. This isn't the first time I've been called in for a session due to the same reason and nothing has changed since then. I don't know why they think anything will change now. I guess this is definitely the best time for me to really sit down and finish modifications to my resume. Time to move on.

I've said that for the past two years and now I'm saying it again. Hopefully this will be the last.

New years resolution -> I resolve to get a new job and quit my current shitty company!

I also resolve to excersize more in 2004. The 2kg I've put on this year alone is not funny. Almost didn't want to wear my yellow costume for the latin dance competition I entered on Sunday. Yeah ... I entered another competition. Again in the ladies event. Still can't get a guy partner. :( This time I didn't win though, only managed second placing. I keep repeating to everyone from my dance school saying that the girls who won are trained by Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova who recently turned Professionals. I know this cause the guy who replied to my 'Looking for a partner' post at a message board told me that they were his partner while he was studying in Sheffield and he took lessons from Darren. Sheesh! As if that's good enough an excuse. Anyway, was quite disappointed but I know the result was fair. I think I would have given them the champ trophy as well if I were the judge. I haven't really seen myself dance but I thought they did better than me.

Tomorrow we, the Turandot chorus will head for Penang for our first rehearsal with the chorus and orchestra there. We leave Kuala Lumpur at the ungodly hour of 6 bloody am! Am I excited? Not really. I don't know. Don't tend to get excited over many things like this somehow.

I did get excited when a colleague brought in the Acer s60 PDA demo in. Was excited even though the thing hasn't been charged and therefore couldn't even play with it. It looked kinda sleek ... ordinary looking PDA to be sure but not a huge bulk like the Loox at least. So, I bought it the next day. ;) It looks good and so did the price. They're selling outside for RM799 but I got it lower. If you want one, shoot me an email. I won't tell you the price here. :)

Lastly before I leave, finally managed to track down some films for my Holga. Haven't paid Eric, the nice chap who sent the camera to me though. Have been trying frantically to find means of transporting the cash to him. I think I'm gonna either have to ask my aunt to forward him the money or my cousin who I hardly speak to. She's in Ireland but she sometimes goes to the head office in Atlanta. I'm sure if she goes to Atlanta it should be no problem sending a Money Order to Eric or maybe the postal system in Ireland is not so chronic that they'd have services for Money Order to be sent to a country like the US. He, my cousin, on the other hand is in some backwater place called Arkansas and should, I assume, not have any problem sending a mail order to Chicago. Only thing is I hardly contact him and therefore am not sure if he'll do it. Hmmm ... I think I'll approach my aunt first.

So, I'll try and load the films tonight and by tomorrow somewhere in Penang, I'll be able to shoot some pics with my toy camera.

*psst! Can you believe I forgot to get more films for my little Actionsampler. Eeps!

Saturday, November 08, 2003

An unexpected caller

Just got the oddest call.

It was from a headhunter from Jobstreet, the recruitment agency.

I posted my resume on Jobstreet when I first got back from Australia back in 1998. Fresh out of uni and in search of my first real job. When job applications were mailed out by the dozens and then the long wait for the first call for interview.

The first one came from Acer. The company was really close to home but they were not offerring a programming position which was what I was looking for at that time. I think they were looking for more customer service personnels as that was the customer service branch but I didn't take up the offer. Tempting as it might be to work for Acer, quite a well known brand here, customer service wasn't what I had in mind at that time. Plus ... the manager was an arrogant bastard. "We're actually looking for someone who knows hardware and you don't have much knowledge on hardware but since you're desperate for a job, I'm willing to offer the position to you." he said. Whatever gave him that idea? That I don't know much about hardware? Ok, this is a valid point as I actually truly do not know much about them but how the heck can he deduce that based on the interview that did not garner much about my hardware know-hows? Secondly, whoever said I was desperate for a job? I'm more than happy to just sit at home and bum around for a few more months thank you very much! So, I kept a smile on my face, how genuine that looked I'll never know, and thanked him for his time and rejected the offer.

There was really no other offers from the other applications I've sent out. My resume must not have been very outstanding. Average student with average marks. I don't remember if any other companies called or whether I've gone for any other interviews after that excepting the interview that landed me my first job which was at Silverlake Systems. I guess the first ones will usually stick with you. Either that or it was such an experience that I could not seem to forget it.

So, anyway, the call from Jobstreet came as a real surprise. My colleague and I was just talking while having dim-sum this morning, bitching about the low bonus and increment that we've received, calculated the length of time we've worked for the company and how we've been meaning to get a new job and never gotten around to it. I told him I'm just lazy and he said, "what? You're waiting for a job to land on your lap?" Then a couple hours later, rrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnggg, ok it wasn't so much of a ring as much as it's a ringtone on my mobile, the beginning phrase of Linkin Park's Papercut to be exact, and then the voice on the other side saying, "Hi, this is Ann, I'm a headhunter from Jobstreet".

Sunday, November 02, 2003

I can't believe I lost it

Holy shit! I've lost it.

I can't believe it! I thought I had it. Told my aunts I'd make them a copy and mail it to them in Penang before they go back to Penang but now I can't find it.

Where the hell could I have placed it?

It's not with the photos developed.
It's not with the stack of CDs I have.
The only two possible place that it could possibly be.

At least I think those are the only possible places I could have placed it.

But then considering the state of my room these days, I wouldn't be surprised if I find it a few months later laying under the stack of University prospectus
... or stack of mails received from nervousness.org objects
... or the stack of scores from the recent show
... or the stack of printouts on instructions that I've downloaded for improvements to the Chuah Family website ... which I have not gotten to working on since forever.

Where could that CD be? It contains all the pictures I took from my trip to the UK last year! Some of which I really like especially the sepia one of my aunt on a bicycle. I thought it was a really good picture. Would should it to you too for your opinion but I can't find it. Boo hoo!

Pray, pray, pray that I find it soon!

Sunday, October 26, 2003

Missing

It's been an age since I last posted hasn't it? Missed me anyone? *bleargh*

Anyway, it was concerts galore two weeks ago.

First up was Linkin Park's rocking concert!!! Woo hoo!!! They so ROCKED!!! I actually opted out of my own concert's technical rehearsal in favour of Linkin Park's concert. Rather irresponsible of me but c'mon! It's Linkin Park! I'm shocked they even chose Malaysia as their one and only stop for SEA. Bands like this usually go to Singapore or Thailand not Malaysia; due to all the restrictions they impose on all the bands who would like to perform. There was a no jumping and no screaming clause for the concert. Not that anyone obeyed it. The band did seem a little more toned down than I imagined though. But then, what's a Linkin Park concert if you don't have screaming and jumping? The band couldn't play My December the whole way through.

Anyway, the band was great! Too Phat, the opening act, sucked big time. However, this is a biased view as I've never liked Too Phat anyway. I don't think those two guys have anything that can be remotely called talent. Their lyrics, what little I've heard, are based on key 'hip hop' words which I think is utterly unimaginative. Just sprinkling 'yo, yo, yo' and 'hip hop' this and 'hip hop' that does not a good song make. Well, I don't know much about rapping but compared to Eminem, their music is trash. So, I'm not surprised that they got booed as I was one of them yelling for them to get off stage.

After a tedious set but the yucky boys, the tech people came on to setup for the main act. Setup took almost 30 minutes with the crowd eagerly chanting for LP. It was so cool! :) And then they came on. Played a brilliant set, had their fans screaming and yelling along with them. I've read somewhere that Chazzy Chaz gets a hard on when the crowd sings along, which would mean that he had a 75 minutes hard on cause the crowd was singing along right from the beginning up until the very end ... encore included. LOL, must have been hard for him. ;)

An amazing experience. :) Can't wait till they come back next. Of course, I would have preferred it if they hadn't gone for all those cheesy banters such as, "Malaysia's treated us the best", "You're the greatest crowd", "Malaysia Boleh". Bet they say that to at all their concerts. Would loved it if it had been longer as well. I was so surprised when they announced that they're gonna do their last song. It felt like they'd just come on, they'd only been on for slightly shy of an hour. I guess short and sweet must be their motto. No complains here though, it was amazing ... erm ... how many times have I said that?

It's a good thing I restrained myself from yelling too much at that concert cause I had to sing at the Phil's MMM2 concert the next night. The concert went on well for all the shows. Audience was pretty friendly except for the Rotary night on Friday; no matter how I shimmied (I had to dance for the 'Hey Big Spender number), I could not get a reaction from the audience members. They applauded oh so properly that it seemed timed and politely asked for an encore at the end which surprised me cause they didn't look as if they enjoyed the show much. The choir did brilliantly though, all smiles almost throughout the show. :)

Some of my friends came and they enjoyed the show. IreneQ came for the show as well, I think it was the Saturday matinee. I'm so embarrassed for not recognising her, she looked familiar but I just couldn't place her at the moment. Khalil came as well. He must have liked the show alot cause he signed up to join the Phil at the end. Guess I'll be seeing you quite often huh, Khalil?

*Phew* That week was utterly tiring but fun nontheless.

Here's a review of the show from the Star. Pretty good review, I think. The author seems to like Seasons of Love. :) Oh ya, I'm in the picture, can you pick me out?

Saturday, October 11, 2003

friday five - sports edition

1. Do you watch sports? If so, which ones?
Tennis, figure skating, synchronised swimming, swimming, gymnastics (both artistic and rhythmic) and dancesport.

2. What/who are your favorite sports teams and/or favorite athletes?
Pat Rafter but he's retired now :(

3. Are there any sports you hate?
Wrestling. Most definitely wrestling. I still think it's all an act. I don't care what all the wrestling fans says. It's an act people!!!

4. Have you ever been to a sports event?
Yes. Many many times. Mostly cause I had to be there since I was playing in them.

5. Do/did you play any sports (in school or other)? How long did you play?
Yes. Hockey in primary school, squash in secondary and state level. Played squash for about 3 years? Have also been playing squash for the company's annual games in the past two years. Have to miss it this year cause didn't have time for training. They're competing this weekend!


Saturday, October 04, 2003

nice and relaxed

Just had a nice long bubble bath. First thing I saw when I got into the hotel was the tub. We don't have a bathtub at home so baths are a novelty. *sigh* Nice relaxing bath. And they had a window that opens into the room so I can watch telly while I soak. Tres cool!

Bored, bored, bored though. Although, that's not news in genting if you don't gamble eh?

I'm gonna go back to my room and sleep till the show starts. I'm watching Lady Salsa tonight then maybe going to the Latino party later. Both not very well attended, I hear but it's better than not doing anything eh?

Cheers all.

Thursday, October 02, 2003

After the dust

Yes! The router's working. No more additional clicks to get online. Just turn on the PC and I'm online. Yeah! Baby, Yeah!

Could have had that worked out earlier of course but being Ms. Procrastinator, me, the whole package, the ProLink WiFi Router (WER401), just laid there collecting dust until the last minute. Deadline being my dad coming home from his trip to ... hmmm ... where is it this time? Thailand? Indonesia? Sabah? Gosh! I don't believe it. I have no idea where my dad is! Shockers!

Anyway, he's due back tonight. So I thought I'd better get things ready for his laptop, which for some reason, balks at all the programmes that TmNet passed me for configuring and installing for Streamyx. Despite feeling like dropping dead soon as I got home. In fact, even before I got home. During choir rehearsal. Couldn't even eat dinner/supper well even though I was hungry. Too tired to eat. But I sucked it up! Tore the plastics and set them up. After tinkering it a few and not being able to get it working, I gave up. Ended up tossing and turning wondering why it didn't work when I've followed all the instructions before finally falling asleep at what must have been 2.30am? Then tried it again this morning and Yay! it works!

*sigh* Still very tired today. Should really think of going home and just sleep till the next day but today's the only day I don't have something going on after work and I've been wanting to watch Pirates of the Caribbean since forever. So, I think I'm definitely going to watch it tonight. If I don't, they're likely to go out of circulation the next time I think of going.

Yes. I think I'll go to the movies tonight. *sigh* If only I don't have to drive myself there (any volunteers to drive me there?). When are they going to develop the technology for teleportation? What I wouldn't give to just say 'Beam me up, Scotty' and I'm there? Très cool.

Monday, September 22, 2003

Champion

Hey ho everyone! Just wanted to inform you guys of the brilliant news of me winning a competition. :)

Well, I had two competitions over the weekend - Friday and Saturday. Friday night and Saturday morning (the whole day minus night actually) I was in a line dancing competition and then rush rush to a latin competition on Saturday night.

Anyway, I was hoping that we'd not get anywhere with the line dancing competition cause I'm not really into line dancing but it was something that the group I am (now was cause I've quit!) dancing with wanted to enter. We entered two categories; outlaw and standard. Outlaw being something completely choreographed by the team and standard is two dances - 1st is a fixed set of steps and song and the 2nd have to be a known line dance routine danced to a song of your own choosing. We didn't get into the semi-finals of the outlaw but we managed the finals for the standard. I found out later that night that we managed third placing.

The latin competition wasn't much of a competition really cause there was only three couples, me inclusive, but I am the CHAMP! :) It was a ladies event which meant that a lady dances the man's part as well, in this case, I was the man. Heh heh! I must have been quite a good man cause we won! Not bad for only two weeks of practise huh?

So, yay for me!

Tuesday, September 16, 2003

Plink! Plonk! Flop!

Hobbling out of balance on all landings. Terribly unbalanced on all poses. Forgetting the steps that I was suppose to do. Improvising to cover up and further messing up the whole routine.

That's how the gig went.

Yucks! Is all I can say for the dancing part of it.

The singing I believe I didn't do too badly. Hearing my own voice blaring back at me from the speakers was quite disconcerting though as I didn't sound at all like what I think I sound like. Must have been the mic or that's just how everyone hears is my voice.

Urgh! After that, I'm not sure if I want to try it again. I should maybe just slip back into hiding mode. Hiding behind everyone in a huge choir. Singing my heart out with no particular attention to myself.

Blend in. Just blend in.

Wednesday, September 10, 2003

Tricky tricky

Those who knows me will know that I have always dreamed of treading the boards. Ever since kindergarten, I can always be seen jumping around onstage in one thing or another. All of which abruptly stopped when I was 14; at the end of my ballet career illusion, when the parental units stopped my lessons.

Twas a sad sad day indeed.

Now that I'm independant (read: have some own money to spend), I have slowly crept back into the 'scene'. Starting with social dancing lessons at Benny's to the current lessons in PJ Dance. A few performances with the choir, a few latin competitions in 2002, a dance performance with MXV and a really short stint as a student at Batu Dance Theatre, which I quit cause 1. Contemporary dance is just too odd for me, and 2. they're in Klang and I always seem to be missing classes.

Anyway, in all of these, I've always been part of the group. Always blending in but always wishing to one day go solo. Never ever tried though cause I'm very doubtful of my capabilities.

All this is about to change come Saturday.

I was tricked ... yes! tricked! Into doing 2 solos. One's a ballet, which I have to choreograph and dance and another, 'I dream a dream' from Les Miserable. It's for a CIM function which Dennis, who's getting the group together, arranged with the organising committee of the function, which he only called to asked if I'd be able to join on Thursday.

He said ... it was gonna be a group thing.
He said ... I'll be dancing and singing.

I should have turned the thing down when he initially asked but being the hoarder that I am, I told him I'd do it. That was pre knowing about the he-didn't-says. I insisted on meeting him before the demo which we had to do for the organisers on Monday.

On meeting ... I found out that

He didn't say ... I'll be doing the ballet, solo!
He didn't say ... he doesn't have the pieces choreographed!

Well, he showed me what he had in mind for the ballet and I thought that it was absolute rubbish. Just a bunch of leg lifts and ron-de-jom en'lair. The audience must be incredibly stupid if they think that is ballet. It truly was rubbish. Believe me. I would not in a million years go up on stage and do what he wanted. Yucks! So, we/I started re-choreographing the piece. Can't manage to finish it though cause I ran out of ideas. Y'know lah, after 10 years of not doing ballet, suddenly asking me to dance it and choreograph, quite difficult. Can hardly remember steps. I had to go home and dig out all the movies I have that has ballet in them.

The day before the demo ... I found out that

He didn't say ... I'll be singing a solo.

He told me to do I dream a dream by memory for the demo! Yikes! Ok, I'm quite familiar with the song but I don't remember all the words. At least this is reasonably easy.

During the demo ...

He didn't say ... that they got turned down the first time!

Well, the dance wasn't completed so I just fudged through the rest of the music. Music which I'm not familiar with cause I don't have a copy of it. Got some applause after my rendition of "I dream a dream". I was shaking throughout the song ... needless to say, mucho vibrato! LOL

After the demo

He didn't say ... I'll be doing two other pieces.
He didn't say ... there will hardly be any practise, only one arranged is this Friday! The night before the show!

He's lucky that I did not balk when the head organiser said that they got turned down the first time. Why I was still smiling and agreeing to do the thing while I was driving him home? I'm still quite puzzled by that. I was slightly pissed that he didn't tell me the truth and slowly adding into my repertoire every time we speak. I was still being nice.

Why? Why? Why? I should have just said, "Sayonara mate! Not doing it anymore!".

And so I went to look for him yesterday to tell him that I won't be able to do the extra pieces. To tell him that the event organiser needed to know what to put down as our group's name for the programs. But he wasn't home and so I left him a message.

He called after 11pm. I told him all that. He kinda begged but I just can't do it. He'll just have to get the other girl to do it. I've not met the other three person who's in the group.

So, I'm finally doing a solo. After much prodding from Suzan and others in the Phil. I just hope I don't shake too much on that day. *fingers crossed*

Friday, September 05, 2003

thank you for the music

Funkapella was rockin'. The Wicked Pitches were in good voice indeed today. This would be the first that I've seen of their performances. They would usually come in during choir rehearsal, when they have a show coming up, for a little preview and they've always sounded great but I've never ever been to their shows. Why is that the case I don't really know. Busy mayhaps? Or just not my cup of tea? Not really cause I'm in a choir! Heck! If that's not my cup of tea then what is? Most probably just being an el cheapo and don't wanna fork out moolah for a full singing show.

I got a comp this time so no money forking over. Yay! And what a show. Some out of tuning happening but it was mostly good! Great harmonies and effective staging.

Wonder if JC knows this blog is mine. Anyway, this was the sort of staging I thought we were going to have for our choir's MMM. Not that funny amaturish rubbish that we did on Wednesday. *shudders* Been bitching and complaining about it with some of the other about it too. Don't we always think we can always do better, huh? ;) Yet, when asked to volunteer, we never raise our hands. Hee hee.

But seriously, that thing we did on Wednesday? Seriously won't do. Nah uh. No way, Jose!

Hoping for a serious brainstorming exercise before Monday's practise to point this out to JC and get the opinion of others! Sheesh! You won't believe what we did and what JC wanted to pass off as movements. Ewwwwe!

Wednesday, September 03, 2003

My new purchase

These are absolutely brilliant. I've been wanting to get a pair of my own since forever and I did get a pair an age ago but it's not been seen after their first wash. I still wonder where they'd gone. Runaway perhaps.

My sister have a brilliantly coloured and striped pair which I often wear as if they're my own. I would not be surprised if I wear them more often than she does. I just love them. I tried looking for one which were similar to hers but they're nowhere to be found. Those that I've found were either really dull looking, gawdy or with emboidered flowers. Can we say "Ewwwe"?

Anyway, I was resolved to buy a pair and I'm quite happy with the plain black pair that I bought.

I'm wearing them as we speak.

My brand new toe socks.

Saturday, August 30, 2003

the lomo experience

Well, I finally sent two rolls of film to the shop Thursday night. Two rolls all taken with that cool looking cybersampler. Yups! The roll with the incriminating photos from Rach's farewell with people snogging people. Yeap! All there ...

AND all not there.

Nothing came out!

I'm so disappointed! Pictures of the gathering! That fab gathering! All gone. Nada. Zip! Argh!!!

This sucks! The girl at the shop said maybe the camera was low on battery. The cybersampler's all mechanical! Batteries not required. Maybe it needed more light. This one could be true but I used the 800 tester film that came with the camera. Wouldn't 800 films be able to work in that restaurant? Or the Shangri-La ballroom where I clicked like made to get pictures of people dancing during the competition?!

Darn it! I think I'm really going to have to test it out to know how to work this camera. It sounded easy enough. Just load, wind, click, wind, click, wind until you can wind no more and the rewind it. How hard can that be?!

Sheesh! I'm going to try it in daylight tomorrow. There are still some films left in this third roll in that camera. Hopefully something turns out!

Thursday, August 21, 2003

the body dost protest

Ah ... the time has come, that the body says, "Stop. No more. A break or else I'll break."

So, for the past two days, it has been nothing but sleep, sleep and more sleep.

This must be the longest time it has taken me to recover from any sort of sickness; chicken pox non-withstanding of course but even that didn't make me feel as useless as this. And what is this pray tell? I don't even know. I know that mid-ways during choir rehearsal, I started sneezing violant non-stop sneezes which made my eyes waters and made me look terribly sick cause some people mentioned that I didn't look well.

I probably caught a chill then. Didn't feel that great the next day but thought that it might pass after awhile so I went to work as usual. Luckily cause soon as I dropped my bags in my cubicle, my phone rang. The bosses were once again frantically trying to update the projects application that they hardly use except when meeting the Big Boss for update and once again, needed some last minute training on how to do that. So, off I went to train them, my eyes all swollen and the entire time on the verge of sneezing an yet unable to. I hate it when that happens. Just let it rip! Instead it teases me with wanting to and yet don't.

Finally, after making sure all the managers are updating everything properly, I tried getting to work. Alas, my brains refuses to work and my was feeling every inch of everything. I gave up trying to work and applied for emergency leave. Went home and slept the rest of the day. Still didn't feel any better by then. Maybe tomorrow.

Tomorrow came ... head was still pounding and the throat hurts. So, I finally relented and went to the doctor's. Met two other colleague there ...hmmm ... Feng Shui in the office must be pretty bad huh to have so many sickos at the same time?

Doc says I have a slight fever (I thought I didn't have a fever) and my throat was pretty inflamed (I thought it felt better than the day before!) - tells you how much I know about myself being sick huh?

Well, feeling much better today but still on MC. Haven't slept as much as I did yesterday and the day before so that must mean that I'm getting better?

Guess I'm going back to work tomorrow.

Thursday, August 14, 2003

ack! omg!

*cripes* What's happened?! This is not the virus that everyone's been getting (Blaster virus). Do go to microsoft for your patches if you haven't already done so.

So, what was it?

Well, I am one of the millions of subscriber of TechTV's incredibly regular spamming ... I did subscribe to be spammed so I guess you can't really call it spamming can you? Anyway, from the Screen Saver's most current newsletter [release: 3590], the blurb for Dark Tip caught my eye. Sarah wrote ...
Kevin's going to show you how to get your PC to automatically check for missing security patches and service packs. He's my little Dark Tipper, but he's still working for a better tomorrow!


Sounds great doesn't it? No more occasionaly popping into Mr. Gates' site to see if there are more problems with his brilliant creations. All bugs will come to you. Erm ... you'll be informed of the bugs found without having to move your lazy assed fingers away from all your online games - I can't name any cause I don't play them. Only things I play with comes with the Windows CD - and therefore not losing any precious ladder placing due to inattention.

Right ... blah, blah, blah and still haven't gotten to the problem.

The problem is ... finally she speaks! ... after I've installed the application, IE refused to serve me pages. I've also gone deaf cause I can't seem to hear anything coming out of my kazaa ... all those newly downloaded mp3 gone to waste!

I search here. I searched there. The audio seems to have dissappeared.
All IE settings looks to be unchanged and yet. Nothing works.

I desperately called Jayce to double check my settings. Jayce didn't pick up. Must be in the middle of a movie with his girlfriend or in the middle of something else ;)

Next called Ah Seng. His batteries went flat after I spoke two sentences. He called me back and I proceeded with the inspection, in the middle of which he asked me to call him back - hee hee, sorry for running up yer bill mate! Most things seems in order although his LAN connection settings seems a little odd. I distinctly remember the TMNet guy setting it differently. Mainly cause I only have two DNS addresses. None of which I was to set at the LAN connection settings only on the Streamyx's TCP/IP settings.

But I changed it anyway to no effect.

Courteously, I thanked him.

Looking through window's help I found an interesting link. Hmmm ... restore system. That might work. *ting* {lightbulb}

Please select point of restore ...
option Window's blaster patch
*click*
Windows will restart Sure! No probs!

When it restarted, *clang*. A miracle has happened. I can hear! I can hear again! Tis a miracle!

Timidly, I connect to Streamyx. That was never the problem cause even before that, I could get in. Just no google in IE.
Opened IE.
Typed in google.com
Et voila! Good as new! Hurrah!

I can surf! I can hear! I can blog!

I think in the process, I got a friend to think that it was the patch that caused the problem. She kinda logged out before I got to tell her that it wasn't. She's also been recently told about this little blog of mine ... so, if you're reading this Irene, go download the patch! It wasn't the patch!

Friday, August 08, 2003

friday five - holiday destination

1. What's the last place you traveled to, outside your own home state/country?
England. Was there last December for a triple celebration - birthday, Christmas and New Years. Oh yes! To visit the aunts as well.

2. What's the most bizarre/unusual thing that's ever happened to you while traveling?
A bunch of teenage girls trying to matchmake me with an asian guy sitting across me while I was in the train in London. I think he was kinda young though. Could have been a student. Cute though.

3. If you could take off to anywhere, money and time being no object, where would you go?
The question should be where wouldn't I go. I'd go everywhere if time and money permits.

4. Do you prefer traveling by plane, train or car?
Plain or train is fine with me. I don't like the car much. Too cooped up. I like big spaces. Put me in the car too long and I'll feel sickly.

5. What's the next place on your list to visit?
Europe? OR ... Brazil or New Orleans during the Mardi Gras.

Sunday, August 03, 2003

the old lady

The door bell rang. It was late that night. Very late. In fact, it was just past midnite. Who could it be? Everyone in the family is already in bed sleeping. Even Aunt K is sleeping soundly as I sat there watching the fillers in between Buffy and Angel. I was the only person still awake.

Who could possibly have the bad manners to come visiting unannounced at this godforsaken hour?

I opened the door. There was someone standing at the gate. "Someone or something!", thought my overactive imagination. The 'someone' was just a shadowy figure; lights from the porch did not travel enough to light the gates for a clear view.

After much neck craning and eye squinting, to no effect, I decided to go out and check who might be out there. All the time worried that I'm doing that; going out into the night alone, with no one else in sight on the road. Quite different from walking alone at 2am on well lit and populated places after clubbing hours. I know I am at home and everything but it just seemed a little scary.

It was a lady. An old chinese lady with short curly hair. She was holding a plastic bag in one hand and the other was scratching her forehead in a gesture much like when you're confused or worried.

She's lost. She spoke in cantonese. She said, "Oh no! I think I took the wrong turn."

I asked her who she was looking for. She mumbled a name. A name which I did not quite catch but didn't sound like anyone of the people I know that lived around my place. Not surprising as I don't know a lot of people living on my street. Only my immediate neighbours and those two to three doors on the left and the right. Anyone beyond that I do not have an inkling if they were chinese, malay or indian or if they were a family or not.

I told the lady, "No. Nobody like that lives here."

She walked off as I was saying that. Walked towards the other houses as I walked back into the house.

I was tempted to offer to take in my car and drive her around to look for the house she was looking for or maybe send her to the police station so that they could help her but I didn't. I didn't because I keep hearing the horror stories of kidnappings. How the get some innoccent lookin lady to ask for help and then when you get out to try and help, they snatch you.

She didn't seem like she might be though. I suppose that they would have to look that way. Believeable or else the trick won't work, right?

But then, she really didn't seem that way. She just looked like a little lost old lady. Someone's lost grandma. Someone's grandma can't find her way home. What if that was my grandma and nobody will help her because they were afraid?

I watch her walk all the way to the end of the road, stopping in front of a few houses wondering if they were the house she was looking for. I watched her through my locked grilled front door. Hoping that everytime she stopped, that was the house she's suppose to go to. But it never was. She walked all the way to the end of the road and turned back. She passed my way as she headed for the other side of the road. I stood there watching.

Just stood there and watched. All the while thinking whether I should go out there and maybe walk with her and try to find where ever she was looking for. Help her.

But I didn't. I didn't even wait till she got to the other end of the road.

I walked back to my chair. Went back to my tv. Sat there watching while my aunt slept, while my parents slept, while the lady keeps on walking, keep on searching and nobody in my family knew that it happened. Nobody knows what an unhelpful person I have been cause I was scared. Or is that my excuse?

Was fear my excuse for not wanting to help? I'm hoping that it's not.

That was two days ago. I hope the poor old lady's found the house she was looking for. Maybe she found someone less afraid to help her. That would be good. I hope she's safe.

Thursday, July 31, 2003

disposable digital cam

Have you heard? There's a disposable digital camera now! They've done it! They've made it disposable. Not only that, they've made it affordable ... at least to the US citizens living in the US of course. Only $11 bucks! It's true I found out about it through boingboing.

Eleven buckaroos for a disposable camera. I remember the one and only time I ever bought a disposable. It was when I was in town and heard that Human Nature was going to be at Tower Records that very afternoon. I'm not a big fan of Human Nature but I absolutely love their version of 'People Get Ready' and I had just got back from the land down under; fresh from listening and liking to their latest single 'Cruel' at that time.

I paid over RM50 for that little baby. The pictures that I took with the boys didn't turn out well but those that I took during graduation ceremony was ok. Seems that the flash should be on when I took the pictures at Towers. How was I to know?!

Anyway, I wonder how well this digital disposable cam would work and how it works as well? Will it even get to our shores? And most of all ... how much will it cost?

Tuesday, July 29, 2003

breathing again

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Ah ... space.

After the emotional chaos that was last week, things have settled slightly. Papa's home after a month in Sabah and the parental units have gone for a few days to Genting.

Ah ... breathe. Air.

The faraway aunts have decided that Grandma's going with Penang Aunt when she goes home. It's sad though when grandma said to me, "Don't send my things away. I'll be moving to the faraway aunts' new place when it's ready".

*sniff*

It's so sad when you get old and the children that you thought would take care of you don't want to. Sad when you don't get along with the spouse of the one who would. Sad when your children can't take care of themselves well enough so that they can take care of you. Sad when sisters disown their brother (this I can relatea though). Sad when a family tears apart from each other. Sad.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

My car is well again. Papa wanted to have a look at it on Saturday and I took him there eventhough I was exhausted as hell. Had already planned on skipping the 4pm dance class while at work to just sleep. It's great that we went though cause the car was all healed and ready to go. They were bathing it when we were there.

*smile*

My car is back.

Friday, July 25, 2003

The Littles

It's true! There was such a cartoon. I didn't dream it up.

Why does nobody remember it? I followed it almost religiously. ... I think.

They're about little people who lives in houses with regular sized people and I think they have a tail much like a mousy's tail. A lot like 'The Borrowers' if you've seen that movie.

Doesn't anyone remember 'The Littles'?
Was I the only one sitting in front of the telly while everyone was out playing?

Thursday, July 24, 2003

A Computer Poem

A Computer was something on TV
From a science fiction show of note
A Window was something you hated to clean
And Ram was the father of a goat.

Meg was the name of my girlfriend
And Gig was a job for the nights
Now they all mean different things
And that really Mega Bytes.

An Application was for employment
A Program was a TV show
A Cursor used profanity
A Keyboard was a piano.

A Memory was something that you lost with age
A CD was a bank account
And if you had a 3-inch floppy
You hoped nobody found out.

Compress was something you did to the garbage
Not something you did to a file
And if you Unzipped anything in public
You'd be in jail for a while.

Log On was adding wood to the fire
Hard Drive was a long trip on the road
A Mouse pad was where a mouse lived
And a Backup happened to your commode.

Cut you did with a pocket knife
Paste you did with glue
A Web was a spider's home
And a Virus was the flu.

I guess I'll stick to my pad and paper
And the Memory in my head.
I hear nobody's been killed in a Computer crash
But when it happens they wish they were dead.

Author Unknown

Monday, July 21, 2003

Second guessing

It is too much to hope for, isn't it? To have an uneventful day? Or at least a day when I'm not reminded of my incompetence or of someone making me second guess my decisions and the things that I have done?

Why, event my laptop protested. It displayed the dreaded blue screen of death while I was typing. Something which I have not seen in an age!

From a day that went pretty well - she has called an end to the cold war, indicated by her willingness to speak with unworthy me, and me being slightly proud of myself for having called my credit card company for an increase in limit so that I can settle my grandma's hospital bill, something which I have not done before but seen it on the adverts that I can be done.

Then as I was happily engrossed with the second episode of 'Children of Dune', they came by to visit grandma - my uncle, aunty and cousin and his girlfriend. He, my uncle, asked about my car. After telling him that it's still in the workshop, that I saw it last week, that it'll probably cost me RM1000+, he asked about the claims.

Uncle: How will you be paying?
Me: I'll pay them first and then the insurance will pay me back.
Uncle: You think they'll handle that for you?
Me: *beat* Yes. They said they will.
Uncle: Do you have the other party's police report? Claim information?
Me: *beat* No. They'll handle it. Anyway, I've made the police report and if the other party doesn't report it, he'll be called to court right?
Uncle: You think the police will bother with such small matters?
Me: *shrugs and walks back to the TV*

All the while thinking, I'm freaking hoping that my colleagues are right and that I won't need those information. Second guessing myself here cause as soon I realised that I didn't have any information about the other party, I was tempted to call the police station to ask if I can have that information. Also asked the workshop agent if they could give me that information but the assured me that they'll handle it for me. Now I'm thinking I should get it in black & white.

Gad! I don't want to think about this. Don't want to not have the other party's insurance not pay me back and then have everyone else coming back with me going "I told you so!"

Please, please Mr Workshop Agent. Don't screw me over. Make sure everything works out like I thought it will. Please!

Friday, July 18, 2003

Crying

"Hey look. That girl looks like she's crying."

I hope nobody was thinking that while I was sitting there in the kopitiam waiting for the tai chow fella to cook up my order of Hokkien mee. The waiters keep coming over to ask if I wanted to order drinks. I think they came over like 5 times. Don't they keep watch of who's ordering and who's not? Leave me alone.

I'm choking there. Trying to hold the tears in. Knowing that my eyes are slightly wet with the few runaways tears that I couldn't hold off. Knowing that it would look obvious that I was going to cry if I let anymore more to escape. Then I'd probably get told off again by her when I finally get back in the car with dinner.

I kept quite the whole time driving home. Hoping and praying that I can hold it in. Hold in it just enough for me to get into the bathroom so I can let it out.

So, I unlocked the door. Left dinner on the table. Rushed up into my room, brushing pass my sis who said hi, knowing my voice would quiver if I spoke, grabbed my towel and headed straight to the bathroom ... and finally let go.

Sunday, July 13, 2003

When it rains, it pours

So much has happened in the last week.

Grandma was sick. Sick enough to be admitted into the CCU (Coronary Care Unit). She much better now but still looks a little weak. Not as sprightly as she used to be.

The doctors at the emergency room seems useless and not to mention really slow. It's a wonder that anyone can survive should they be brought into the ER for anything more than a cold or fever. They did some readings and scans for my grandma and said that they didn't find anything. I paid over RM500 for them to find nothing ... well, they did make an appointment for my grandma to see the neurologist tomorrow though, on a FIFO basis so what the appointment was for is still a mystery to me. I suppose that we could just turn up and see if he's free, no appointments necessary.

According to my mom, the neurologist took a look at the readings and imaging the night before and immediately saw what was wrong with me granny - low in sodium and potassium. Guess, that RM500 was of some good after all but they should really fire the people posing as doctors at the ER. The neurologist (Dr. N) said that my granny could have had an attack and it was a good thing we came to him when we did. I say according to my mom cause I was unable to bring my granny to the hospital myself. Terrible deadline at work.

Now that another thing ... work.

It's sick working for an idiot who wouldn't listen to your concerns and just insist on a deadline. Especially on something that you've never done before and do not have the skills for. Urgh!

Which explains why I'm sitting in the office right now on a Sunday afternoon trying to get the idiotic scripts working. I'm not sure what's wrong. There seems to be something wrong with the interpreter or settings of the machine or something. I can't get the bash scripts to work (: bad interpreter: No such file or directory) and running javac seems to give me 'error while writing ... (No such file or directory) on line public class LogFileWriter {' with the pointer under the 'c' of class.

I think this should be pretty easily solved if I am not so entirely dependant on the ANT's build scripts.

Wonder if it has anything to do with path settings.

Oh yeah also ... I was in an accident on Friday while on my way to meet the MT folks for dinner and maybe partying with the kotaraya folks after that.

This idiot was stopped at the tip of the island turning into the area with Victoria Station on the Sprint H/way. He signaled that he wanted to come into my lane and was inching into it too, move-stop-move-stop. Since I was already really close, I honked at him. Thinking that maybe he wasn't looking at his mirrors and so to warn him that I was there. I thought that he'd stop but apparently he's either stupid or deaf cause he kept on coming out. Therefore, I had to slam on the brakes!

*phew* Managed to stop in time.

Just as I was thinking what a close call that was, I was bumped. Quite a hard bump at that but luckily I didn't hit the steering wheel nor was I thrown through the windshield.

Upon recovering from the bump, I saw the idiot in front speed off. Looking at the rear mirror, I saw that the car that bumped me was a taxi.

Having heard all the horror stories about taxi driver, I was kinda afraid what he'll do. But he was really reasonable. Didn't yell and scream at me. Asked me why I stopped and if I got the plate of the car in front.

"Of course not! I was too busy being bumped to take it down. Plus I stopped cause if I hadn't, I would have bumped into that idiot."

I tried calling my brother but he didn't pick up the phone. Couldn't call my dad cause he's in Sabah and he has 013, in other words, useless! So, I thought I'll call the people closest, the MT group that's already in Bangsar. I needed to get someone cause I absolutely don't know what to do and the vultures has already descended upon us and I think I was in shock. My hands were shaking slightly and I was mad. Mad at the idiot who caused it.

I signed with one of the vultures to get my car towed. The damagae isn't that bad but I hear something dragging behind when I drove my car to the side and thought that I shouldn't drive it anymore. Of course, I got an earfull from my dad for this when he called 4 hours later for signing but what did he want me to do? Leave the car on the road? Anyway, too late anyway, accident 8.30pm call, 12.30am. Nothing can be done then. No use lecturing now. If you were home then I could have asked you but you weren't and koko didn't answer my call. I did what I thought was best at that time. If it was the wrong decision so be it. No use crying over spilled milk.

I'm hoping to go visit my car in the car hospital tomorrow. Plus bring the necessary documents to the vulture. I hear rumours that they'll mangle the car even more before the insurance evaluators come by. I'm hoping that's not true. Please let it be just that ... a rumour.

Right! Will get back to work now. If I can't figure out how to get it working then we'll just have to do the UAT with the development server instead. Too fucking bad!

Tuesday, July 08, 2003

The Blogger Meetup Report

Finally, a real bloggers meet. I've thought about having one when I found out about Meetup.com. However, I don't know the bloggers in Malaysia and therefore, wouldn't know how well attended it would be. That was about a year ago anyway and needless to say, I didn't follow up on it.

So, when I found out about the bloggers meetup through PPS, I thought I'd just drop in to check it out. ALONE. I didn't know Rach was going until I saw her postings at the Kotaraya group and Grace's replies to them.

Off I went on an ungodly hour of 9am on a non-working Saturday to pick up Rach and head towards KLCC. We were suppose to meet up with Grace prior to the meet but I was late.

Rach and I was outside the front entrance, she needed a smoke and to get in touch with Grace, when I saw a guy looking slightly at a loss trying to get someone on the phone. "A possible bloghead?" I thought. Ha ha ... turns out I was right. He was seated at the table with all the blogheads when Grace finally came out to get us. I learned later that he is Khalil.

First impressions? The first one that stood out must have been Kaz. Big guy, long hair, looks like someone who's willing to sit in front of a terminal indefinitely. I didn't even notice the SAP t-shirt until someone pointed it out during the introductions. Then there's Adi who was sitting quitely in the corner wondering what he was doing with this bunch of people. Sarini is tiny!

I was hungry so I didn't really look around the table but reached for the menu instantly. However, I did notice that all the guys were on one side of the table and the girls on the other. Is gender segregation still in? :)

Anyway, it was interesting meeting everyone ... well, everyone that I dared talked to anyway. I'm not comfortable talking to strangers and I must confess that I have never read the blogs of everyone present save for Rach and Grace and of course Aiz.

After the meet, Rach, Grace and I went shopping. I actually bought some stuff. Surprising cause I usually just window shop but I bought a hairband and erm ... some unmentionables. Found out that I left the latter package at Evita only after I sent Rach home so I had to drive all the way back to KLCC for it, making a pitstop to drop off that night's complimentary ticket to Tosca at Prem's.

I got Grace to pick up my package. That was an exasperating exercise on itself due to my chronic mobile's battery. Urgh! I've lost count of the time I turned the bloody thing on just to get two sentences to Grace. So frustrated I was that I went shopping for a new phone. :D Excuses? Maybe but I really needed either a new battery or a new phone. I got myself a Nokia 2100. Never heard of a 2100 before but it's relatively small compared to my 3210 and light and it was only RM499, way below my budgeted RM600 so I'm happy.

Basically, I spent almost the whole day at KLCC that day. By the time I got back to KLCC the second time, it was already 4pm and since I'm suppose to be at Istana Budaya for the night's performance of Tosca at 6pm, I just lepaklah at Burger Kings reading my never ending copy of Mansfield Park and dozing off several times. :D

Monday, July 07, 2003

screwy windows

Something is terribly wrong with my windows at the moment. I wonder if it's that virus competition someone's told me about and I seriously don't remember who this someone is.

My taskbar is useless, system tray is blank and unclickable, windows button is a black hole and the windows button on the keyboard does not work.

I wonder if it has anything to do with MT's comment. All this started when I clicked on some comments link at some blogs. oops ... apparently my yahoo messenger's still working cause some person just messaged me. no idea who this person is.

Completely relying on my incredible Alt-Tab skillz and Task Manager now.

*sigh* I think I'll pack up and head home. Then hopefully my shitty Streamyx line is still connected and I can finally blog about that Blogger Meetup on Saturday. Haven't been able to get connected all through the weekend. Only managed to this morning. Can anyone say sux!

Thursday, July 03, 2003

disciplinary action

In all my life, I have never been called in for anything to do with discipline. Always the goody two shoe, I have never even seen the headmistress's office except once when our whole form 5 class were called in due to our dismal results in the trail exams. Of course, I've passed the office often enough and have been in it to retrieve and place things in/from it but I've never been called in to be reprimanded.

So, I was suitably surprised, although I shouldn't, that I was called into Mommy J's office for a discussion on Tuesday. Mommy J's the HR Manager. She's been with the company since her teens. I think this is her first and only company that she's worked for and she's due to retire sometime this year. Everyone knows Momma J. She's nice and all but she tends to talk to everyone like she's your mother. Hence my nickname for her here.

Anyway, the ass of a manager wrote her emails about my late comings and of my one incident of not returning to the office after a meeting.

Ok. I admit it. I'm always late for work but I don't always go back 5.30pm on the dot either. I didn't know that I was signing into a clock watching company. I didn't plan on becoming a clockwatcher but if they insist, I can always do that. BUT ... they argue that staying late is our responsibility cause we couldn't finish our work. Like that is our fault when they keep piling work on us. Even work that we insist we don't have the skills required for it. "You'll just have to learn it." Geez!

So, I sat in Mommy J's office listening for about an hour of punctuality stories and about the previous GM who was a stickler for puntuality, blah blah blah ...

Of course, I gave her back my two cents about the ass manager as well. About his double standards; "I don't mind if you come back late for lunch as long as you're with good company.", about his deficiencies at meetings and understanding clients and of his uncaring for his subordinate's welfare.

Then today, he talked to me after a discussion on a project. Going on and on again about how he doesn't want to be our enemy that he's been trying to help us (In some invisible way? Nobody knows how he's helping.) and hopes that we will invite him along for lunches and dinners.

Yeah! Sure. Like when hell freezes fucking over mate!

You report me to the management and you're expecting to make nice NOW?! Get fucking real you asshole!

Tuesday, July 01, 2003

groupie me

Over the weekend, I received confirmation for membership to two projects.

1) The nervousness project
After much participation in the forums, and of course, of the exchanges as well, I was finally nominated and seconded two months after my first exchange - The Super Postcard Swap II. I think the reason was because my exchangees haven't received my cards (my ATCs not the postcards). Takes about 2 weeks to a month for people in the US or New Zealand to receive them, it seems. So, I got recommended after they got my stuff. :) Thanks guys!

Soon as I got my codes, I signed up for two postcard exchanges. :) My batch of postcards are almost ready for mailing. Just need to write some blurb or message on them before I send them out. They've been stamped an addressed.

2) The Project Petaling Street beta testing
I applied to be a beta tester for Project Petaling Street. Although I don't really have any idea what I was signing up for when I applied, I thought I might lend a hand anyway. It sounded like we are suppose to test out the new funtionalities for the community blog or blog-tal, as they would call it, and I thought, yeah, I could probably help out. So I signed-up.

According to the email I received, they say they've selected 26 out of 117 possible applicants. Guess I should be honoured that they selected me huh? Some of the other successfull applicants seems to know each other or at least have been frequenting each other's blog. I think I only recognise two blogs from the list. Anyway, that would mean I'll have more blog to lurk in.

Got the email with the instructions as well. Am currently awaiting confirmation of registration. After that, will get right onto testing. ;)

Sunday, June 29, 2003

super download frenzy

Woo hoo! Broadband. No worries about rising access fees. No more taking forever just to download a song. Can finally download Buffy ... hmmm was the last one me being repetitive? Have I talked about downloading Buffy before?

Well, anyway, managed to download two episodes of Buffy while I was out today for Tosca rehearsal. While I was out shopping for shoes for to match my costume. Yup! Footwear not provided by the costumers. While I was getting some 'cheaper' DVDs. I bought Frida, Simply Irresistable and one with Maria Tallcheif.

Now all I need is a CD writer to store all those downloaded stuff.

Right. If you could please excuse me, I should concentrate more on Buffy. Typing all this while watching. So cool!

Saturday, June 28, 2003

friday five - summer holiday

1. How are you planning to spend the summer [winter]? Well, we only have one season throughout the year - the rain or shine season so, things will be as usual.

2. What was your first summer job? Summer job? I'll take this to be between semesters break instead. The first one would be as a sales girl at Evita Peroni. It's a shop selling hair accessories. We played with hair accessories and people's hair all day long. I quite sucked as a sales person. Tried to butter up to a customer but I felt kinda sick after that. Never did that again. Just recommended them what's appropriate and that's it. I don't like pushing for a sale. Either they want it or they don't. It's their choice.

3. If you could go anywhere this summer [winter], where would you go? I'd go back to London. Spend more time walking around instead of just going into shop after shop after shop during my trip there last December. I'd probably visit some of the galleries and the museums. Didn't go in any of them.

4. What was your worst vacation ever? Hmmm ... can't think on one at the moment.

5. What was your best vacation ever? My Gold Coast trip after my final year university exams. A bunch of us went up for a few days. Visited the usual suspects - Movie World, Dream World, Sea World. I loved the sand in Surfers Paradise. So white and fine. And the atmosphere, so relaxed. It was towards the end of schoolies week so there weren't that many students left, not overly noisy. Oh! I remember a brilliant craft market the had on the weekend. I don't think its a regular market cause I was on the telly just after I went back to the room from roaming the market. It was a fun trip!

Friday, June 27, 2003

super speed service

Whoa! Talk about speedy service! Having been a great proponent of government services bashing I'm currently in a state of shock speed of approval of my broadband application.

Complaints about the wait time for Streamyx installation has been rampant ever since TMNet offered their broadband packages. Some wait for a few days, a few weeks and even a few months before they receive any information about their installation. Mainly due to the massive applications from the speed hungry netters who's sick and tired of their 56kpbs lines and the provider's underestimation of the willingness of the people to pay for fast internet speed.

It is said wait has been reduced considerable. A friend got his applications installed approximately two weeks after applications. I never suspected that they could be even faster than that!

I have finally succumbed to the lure of broadband internet due to my frustration at having to wait an hour for an mp3 and forever just to get bits of Buffy. Since my company's having a promotion for the service, my company's a distributor(?), where I get the modem for free and I have my laptop that is equiped with a network card, I'm happily jumping on the broadband bandwagon.

Alright! Uncensored season 6 Buffy here I come! (I'm suspecting this season to have heavy cuts due to the Buffy-Spike factor.)

So, I handed in my application to my colleague and he signed me up. Less than an hour later, the lady from Streamyx called - *eyes wide* - saying they'll be over to install it tomorrow morning.

Woo hoo!

I'm taking leave tomorrow. Skipping morning Tosca rehearsal. I'M GETTING BROADBAND! *grin*


[addendum] Oh yes. If anyone of you want Streamyx and free modem, shoot me an email and I'll get the applications for you. Klang Valley people only please; cause that's where I am. Offer's until 3rd July only.

Thursday, June 26, 2003

Discovery

As an owner of a site, I have, naturally, always hoped that people would come across it and occasionally like it enough that they might come back for a return visit. What I have never really counted on was for people who I have a semblance of regular contact chancing upon the site and reading it. Which is why I seldom censor the things that I write in here.

I have met a fellow blogger and latin dancer once and do sometimes visit his blog as well but I don't mind that cause I don't really know the guy so he can make whatever opinion he have of me and I won't give a damn. Nor do I really mind Colin, whom I've met but he doesn't really know who I am, cause the chance of me ever meeting him again and telling him who I am is zippo.

But these are people who I meet weekly. Yes I'm talking about you two bozos. Yep. You know who you are. I do implore the two of you not to leak out this little spot of mine to the others. Please! I'll belanja you teh tarik. Just don't, ok?

From now on, I'm not gonna post overly personal stuff (not like I do much of that anyway) and keep it more to what's interesting that comes across this puny unimaginative mind of mine. Stuff like the Bahasa Malaysia post ... which makes more interesting read, no? Therefore, postings might be few and far between from now onwards ... ie. fewer than now.

I'm gonna find another hole to moan about all my personal crap.

Cheers all.

Wednesday, June 25, 2003

high ambitions

For someone who has no props, no costumes and not to mention time, what Dennis have in mind seems quite ambitious.

What he had in mind is something akin to what was done for Hey! Mr Producer. Singing, dancing and some serious blocking. We have no money so getting props could be a problem and costumes ... we'll just have to scour our wardrobes for them. Ok. That's fine. I'm sure we can find things appropriate enough.

The thing is ... he's aiming for corporate shows. Sound systems would probably be provided by where ever the show would be. The likelyhood of getting body mics for such shows so that we can do the dancing and blocking is slim to nada. Think ... if we're gonna do It's a Hard Knock Life, he has in mind us on all fours pretending to scub the floor. Now, which hand would I hold the mic and how will I be able to sing while scrubbing, holding the mic to my mouth and trying to balance so that I don't fall flat on my face?!

Well, me and another girl pointed out that for things such as corporate shows, maybe we don't need such serious movements. Just some light blocking. I also suggested that we get notes for the pieces that we're going to do so that everyone will be singing the same note at the same time and so that our entries are clean. We might know the songs but we'll have different interpretations and emphasis and that wouldn't work as an ensemble. It'll sound a mess.

Dennis says he'll rethink things.

They went off for a discussion after that to discuss the possible Kuantan gig. The company only wanted 3 people so I'm out.

I'm wondering whether they're discussing about me as well. Y'know whether they should let me into their little group. Or maybe Dennis is thinking letting me in is not such a good idea anyway since I seem to be giving out just too many comment/criticsm.

He's suppose to call me today to see if we're going to rehearse tonight but my phone hasn't rung even once today.

Am I out then?

Monday, June 23, 2003

surprise call

Received a surprise call in the middle of my char kuey teow during lunch today. A bright, chirpy voice which sounded quite familiar and yet could have been several people that I know. Since his number wasn't in my mobile's memory, I have not idea who it was until he told me.

Twas Mr. Bohemia ... Dennis.

Dennis is what I would categorise, thanks to my 12 weeks of Families in Society class back in 95, as an acquiantance. He was there for the rehearsal of Michael Voon's Deadly Sins piece which we did erm ... last year(?). Anyway, he dropped out in the end cause the dates of the performance kept getting bumped here and there and due to personal reasons. Maybe him being the only other male dancer beside Michael had something to do with it? I don't but I don't think that's it. He probably had a clash with another production. He's majorly into the arts and is quite at odds with his family be

Anyway, he called with news that he has several projects coming up and was wondering if I might be interested in some of them. I think he cited three projects (the kopitiam was quite noisy and couldn't hear him quite clearly). Something about a corporate gig which should pay about RM250? Something with the people from Natra; I'm hoping by this he meant the people as in the performers and not the directors (the bastards who rejected me :p).

AND lastly, I heard something about "Little Shop of Horrors". COOL! Now that one caught my attention. Heh heh.

Will be meeting up with him tomorrow after work for more information. *fingers crossed*

Whoops! He called again. They're starting rehearsal tomorrow nite so he'd like to confirm things tonight. So, I'm meeting him later tonight after choir.

Friday, June 20, 2003

friday five

1. Is your hair naturally curly, wavy, or straight? Long or short? straight. Really straight ... and long too. It is slightly after the waist.

2. How has your hair changed over your lifetime? They have spilt ends now. My mom says it's due to the perm and colouring that I did years ago.

3. How do your normally wear your hair? In a low pony tail or in a bun.

4. If you could change your hair this minute, what would it look like? Like Lauren Graham's.

5. Ever had a hair disaster? What happened? No. Not really. Only hair disaster I've ever had would be to have a chewing gum stuck in my hair and we had to cut the patch out. Not really noticeable cause my hair was long and it got stuck in the middle.

Wednesday, June 18, 2003

the cats are all out and the mice are sluggish

Despite the anticipation of the event (cats out of the office), somehow the day is turning out to be quite a let down. The bad company has been planning for late lunches and going to the HQ for 'upgrades' to escape from the dread of the office since last week. Lunch was late but not that late either. Only about 10 minutes late plus we were with 'good company' which, according to the idiot cat, he didn't mind if we were out with the 'good company'.

Somehow the office seems quiter today. Lots of people are out. I wonder where they went.

The office have become sort of a military camp since the newly (two weeks ago) announced company restructure. Spot checks by the new GM himself on our punctuality sounds quite ridiculous to me. With concern only being the times that we get back into the office; ie. start of work & getting back from lunch. Does it not matter that we worked late the night before? Or the highway was clogged up for hours on end? Or we went out late for lunch?

Seems like it isn't.

Add to this, I am unable to test out my codes cause there seems to be an error with the development server. I can't get my servlet engine to work and the idiot-server-password-hogger is on leave. Which means I'm just basically sitting down and not doing much.

So, I'm just browsing throug the pages and reading up on what's going on on the blogging front. Hmmm ... lots of talk about structured blogging.

Interesting.

I should find out more about RSS and Trackbacks. I'm using MT on another site and they offer those features but I have yet to use them. I don't really know how they functionn actually. Must read up.

Tuesday, June 17, 2003

snail mail

Nervousness is taking over my life!

I have been trolling the forum constantly looking for things that I can participate in. Even though I've been there for about two months now, I still have not been nominated for codes - you need that to join in the objects [Land Mail Art Objects] that are offically listed on the site. Forum is for us wannabe nervoussers. So that we have somthing to work with while salivating/looking longingly after the official objects.

Anyway, I've been enjoying the mails that have been trickling in dedicated to moi. You've got mail.

Hmmm ... that gave me an idea. Wouldn't it be cool if there is a mechanism that announces that 'you have mail' once you get in the house or when you press a button or something? It'll work something like the answering machine. Hmmm ... which means there should be a light/led installed somewhere that indicates that you have mail.

Right so ... mails. Enjoy them. Sent out about four of the just an hour ago. Some ATC swaps. Costed me RM11.30 on stamps. Ouch! *sigh* that's the only drawback of this enjoyable endeavour. Most of the people there are in the US or North America or Europe. Asians are a rarity. And if I ever there evere come a time where Malaysian will go to for a trading session or a make and trade session, I might have to wait until I'm old and grey.

Saturday, June 14, 2003

quiz time

You are Agent Smith-
You are Agent Smith, from "The Matrix."
No one would ever want to run into you in a
dark alley. Cold as steel, tough as a rock,
things are your way or the highway.


What Matrix Persona Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

friday five

1. What's one thing you've always wanted to do, but never have? travel the world / backpacking around the world. still want to do it. just collecting the funds at the moment and also trying to find someone else that would go with me.

2. When someone asks your opinion about a new haircut/outfit/etc, are you always honest? most of the time. sometimes when it's bad, i'd just might say something evasive like "it's short!" or "it's so short" or "it's so red!".

3. Have you ever found out something about a friend and then wished you hadn't? What happened? sorta, more like found out about what a friend thought of me. we used to hang out quite a lot especially when we were studying and then when we started working she's always posted for overseas assignments so we hardly see each other anymore. another mutual friend told me that that friend is sort of afraid of me. :( i wish that i didn't know that. now i'm wondering why.

4. If you could live in any fictional world (from a book/movie/game/etc.) which would it be and why? when i was younger and was reading enid blyton's faraway tree series, i wanted to live in that wood with the faraway tree. that tree is way cool!

5. What's one talent/skill you don't have but always wanted? i have two skills that i want. 1) public speaking skills. i'm absolutely useless when it comes to public speaking. & 2) improvisation skills. absolutely useless there as well. i'm such a lamb i just follow whatever i'm told. i wish i could create stuff. some friend have asked that i create some dance steps for them cause i have dance background but i've always turned them down cause although i CAN dance, i CAN'T choreograph.

Friday, June 13, 2003

caller #9

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Perseverence pays off.

After a whole week of trying, on the last day of the giveaway, I finally got one. I got the Sarah Brightman CD. I was caller #9.

Wednesday, June 11, 2003

trying, trying, trying ...

*sigh* been trying to get my hands on one of those CDs they're giving out over at Light & Easy. They're giving away Sarah Brightman's yet to be released album - HAREM.

So far I've been caller #1, #2 (twice), #4 and #5.

I need to be caller #9!

Monday, June 09, 2003

I'm A Dick

... I'm Addicted to ...

PC card games.

Yessum.

Solitaire.
Freecell.
Spider solitaire.
Oh! And the singular non-cardgame ... Minesweeper.

I've been playing and playing and playing them constantly. At work (shhh! don't tell my boss). At home. At all hours of the day.

My original plan of getting a good night's sleep at the respectable hour of 12am at the latest during my week of rest has been shattered by this addiction. In fact, I'm sleeping even later due to it.

3 am.
4 am.

... the latest being 5.30 am. Which caused me to missed batu dance class the next day.

Urgh! Nasty addiction. Difficult to get away from it since it's so readily available on the tool which I use on a daily basis. A tool which is a necessity for my trade.

I wonder if they have a patch for this addiction; y'know like how they have a patch for smokers? Think I might need those if they do have them. 'tis quite distracting.

Hmmm ... I've left some documents at home. Darn it! Have to go home and get it so that I can work. Otherwise I'll use that excuse to play more games.

Tuesday, June 03, 2003

break time ...

*phew* I've been out almost every day of the week for the past two weeks. Out of the house at 8am and not reaching home until about 11pm or 12am. Practises, rehearsals meetings with friends, classes.

For the next two weeks however, I'll have three days of non-activities after work. Hurrah! Break. Break. Break.

Time to catch up with all those ATC swaps that I've agreed to. Even started them already yesterday night until the wee hours of the morning today. They're nothing much really. Just made some of the photos I've taken into ATC size. Still need to mount them on cardboards, I've saved some cereal boxes for that purpose and paste labels artist info at the back and they should be ready to be shipped out. Cool!

Here's some comic relief for the day - horsing around [http://svt.se/hogafflahage/hogafflaHage_site/Kor/hestekor.swf]

Monday, June 02, 2003

friday five

1. What do you most want to be remembered for? having been alive

2. What quotation best fits your outlook on life? don't know if this qualifies as a quotation ... "life sux! deal with it."

3. What single achievement are you most proud of in the past year? having survived it.

4. What about the past ten years? having survived those years.

5. If you were asked to give a child a single piece of advice to guide them through life, what would you say? please refer to question #2.

Tuesday, May 27, 2003

an ordinary weekend

kids rehearsing for their performance


Nothing much happened over the weekend. Had to work on Saturday and went home at noon with plans of having a short little nap before starting on some ATCs and a quick shower before heading for One Utama for the show with the Phil for a Kiwanis dinner.

*sigh* ... plans tend to go awry.

So, I went home, set the alarm on my phone for 3.00 and promptly fell asleep. That was at 2pm.

Awhile later, I woke up thinking that it's weird that I felt like I've slept for a really long time and yet the alarm hasn't gone off. Lo and behold ... it's 5pm. The time that I'm suppose to be at One Utama.

A rush through shower and a mad dash drive later, I was there. Thankfully, they've yet to begin rehearsal; not like they could anyway seeing as how I have the pedal for the bass drum and the stool for the side drum(?).

All went well though. We rehearsed, had dinner and then it was showtime. The audience were very appreciative which is always good for us. So, yay!

Friday, May 23, 2003


friday five

1. What brand of toothpaste do you use? Colgate. I prefer the gel but sometimes if my parents buys them, they might get the regular ones. I'll just use whatever's available but will buy the gelled one if I'm doing the buying.

2. What brand of toilet paper do you prefer? Brand of toilet paper? Hmmm ... I don't buy this. I think it's usually cutiecompact or something like that.

3. What brand(s) of shoes do you wear? Most often would be my Renoma heels which I wear to work almost daily. Then there's the strappy heels from Vincci, a pair unknown brand which I got from Singapore, the yellow and the red Fila trainers which I share with my sister. Think that's about it.

4. What brand of soda do you drink? Coca-Cola! Have to support my aunt :D

5. What brand of gum do you chew? None. Don't chew gum but I eat lollipop though. Chuba chups choco-vanila flavour.
wasted opportunity

Empress, you're a sap!

Everytime someone gives you the chance to stand out, to audition for a solo, you decline. And yet, whenever there's an audition, you'd go. What's the deal with that?

Mr. Liau was looking for a shepeard boy last night. His original shepeard boy was a no show so he was auditioning the girls to look for possible replacements.

He auditioned the whole first row - the altos and sopranos one - but didn't audition the second row girls - the sopranos two - which I'm in. Someone pointed that out and he then pointed at me to audition. As usual, I didn't my "No lah. Don't want lah." routine and pointed to another girl.

Why do I do that?

I know that I'm not trained like most of them in the room is but if they took me into the chorus, that would mean I can at least carry a tune right? So, why do I lack the confidence to try something more than blending in the chorus? I know the worse that would happen was that I'd go out of tune and him not picking me for the part but so what? At least I can say I've tried.

But no. I didn't even try.

I wish I have someone to slap me on the head everytime I do something this stupid. Someone to say 'Just do it you dumb ass.'

Must look for Suzan about the book she has about crystals. She says there's a stone available for confidence boosting. The stones probably don't work and it's probably all psychology but if psychology works, to me, that's just the same as the stones working anyway cause without the stones, I wouldn't be psychologically psyched, right?

C'mon. Someone give me a good whack on the head for my stupidity.

Tuesday, May 20, 2003

Quiz

My results from The Princeton Review Career Quiz.



People with yellow Interests like job responsibilities that include organizing and systematizing, and professions that are detail-oriented, predictable, and objective. People with yellow Interests enjoy activities that include: ordering, numbering, scheduling, systematizing, preserving, maintaining, measuring, specifying details, and archiving, which often lead to work in research, banking, accounting, systems analysis, tax law, finance, government work, and engineering.



People with blue styles prefer to perform their job responsibilities in a manner that is supportive and helpful to others with a minimum of confrontation. They prefer to work where they have time to think things through before acting. People with blue style tend to be insightful, reflective, selectively sociable, creative, thoughtful, emotional, imaginative, and sensitive. Usually they thrive in a cutting edge, informally paced, future-oriented environment. You will want to choose a work environment or career path in which your style is welcomed and produces results.


Geez! Sounds like I'm prefect for my job as a programmer, don't you think?

Monday, May 19, 2003

FRIDAY FIVE (a few days late!)

1. What drinking water do you prefer -- tap, bottle, purifier, etc.? ice cold bottled water.

2. What are your favorite flavor of chips? ruffles' cheese and onion or is that cheese and sour cream ... i can't recall, it's cheese and something.

3. Of all the things you can cook, what dish do you like the most? my chicken fettucini which i got the recipe off the fettucini's wrapper.

4. How do you have your eggs? all ways. preferably scrambled with mushroom, green & red pepper and onions.

5. Who was the last person who cooked you a meal? How did it turn out? the guy who prepared the sushi this afternoon at sushi king. it was yummy!
skipped class

Well, I skipped class on friday. It wasn't compulsory to attend but is encouraged. I wasn't very encouraged when the time came and therefore did not go. Also there was the fact that my muscles were still very much aching.

Anyway, I've sent out my first ATC trade. It's been such a long time since I've done anything artsy that I have no idea what to do anymore. It may be because I'm not a natural.

Artist are born aren't they?

They were born wanting to draw, to create, to want to make interesting things with paints and papers and anything and everything that they get their hands on ... right? They just know what to do to create an art piece. It's just in their head.

I guess for the rest of us who are not so blessed we could learn to draw, to create but somehow the end product just might not be as inspiring.

However, I thought I was pretty good in art class when I was studying. Always got an A anyways. Would that mean I was good at it or does that mean that the teachers are pretty shitty and don't know what they're about?

I still have a few pieces that I painted but if you were to ask me to recreate them now, I'm afraid I'd be at a loss.

Maybe I just have to start again.
Maybe it'll all come back again.

Was it natural for me? Or did I just like art class cause the teacher gave me an A?

Anyway, it would be fun to make these little ATCs anyway. I had those I made scanned before I mailed them out. There's plan to make a site where I'll post up all the ATCs I've created or rather will create so people can take a look and hopefully comment on them. Hopefully they'll be honest with their comment. But if they're negative comments, will that deter me from creating more?

I hope not.

Friday, May 16, 2003

first class at batu dance

I don't want to walk down any steps today.
I don't want to walk UP any steps.
In fact ... I don't want to walk at all today if possible.

BUT ... it's a workday and so I'd have to.

The thighs, both inner and outer is really hurting after the two and a half hour class yesterday. First of the many that's to come if I don't drop out of it midways.

This is the one which I went for an dance audition a couple weeks ago.

It was interesting and was quite a workout. Must have been cause I'm feeling the effects of it now. Felt quite uncomfortable/dizzy in the middle of class though and I wasn't sure if it was because a) the room was hot (no air condition, just fans and open windows on a hot hot Malaysian day), b) I'm way out of practise and out of shape, or c) I didn't have any breakfast before.

Anyway, it was quite difficult for me because of my previous ballet training. I think it's quite different but there's still some similarity. Difference would be that we're not suppose to be poised and pull-up all the time but more flexible/maleable. I'm having trouble letting loose. Have always been too concerned on what everything should look like, where we should look, arms, legs; the whole package before doing the step and the letting loose technique kinda throws me off. I have to think, force myself to relax and just throw myself into the steps instead of thinking too much of it.

There's another class tonight. It's not compulsory and my thighs are hurting. I'm not sure if I'm going to go but I've already packed my stuff in case I decide to go which at this moment I'm kinda thinking of going.

Hope I won't be bed ridden tomorrow. :)

Monday, May 12, 2003

may day project

Okay, i've sort of completed my may day project. Well the pictures are all ready and six of them are up but there's two more. Didn't realise that there was an upload quota at fotolog. I'll upload the remaining two later tonight. Have a look at what I did on the 10th of May 2003.

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails