How's about a Pro standard guy for a partner?

I got this email as a result from an ad I'd posted in search of a dance partner.

Hi there, pleasure to meet you.

"I will definitely be in New York end of April beginning of May for try-outs."

My name is Ryno. I am responding to your ad about the dancing. You are looking for a male dancer. I must say that I do like your ad and it's nice to see that you love your latin dancing as much as I do. I am very interested in having a try out with you. It would be nice to perhaps meet with you.

Basically I am a Professional Latin American Dancer who lives in South Africa and I am currently the undefeated Pro Latin Show Dance Champion. I do need to stress this however, a try out costs nothing and there is nothing
so beautiful than 2 people dancing excellent together, but you know what, there is nothing that frustrates me more than dancers who "think" they are committed, dedicated or even disciplined but meantime they have no direction. There are many out there. It sounds like you know what you want and wants to get somewhere. I love that. I am extremely serious about my dancing and would not want to waste your time if we are not on the same wavelength.

I consider myself as a fun, passionate, warm and hard working person with a funny sense of humour.

Just a brief report on my dancing:
I represented South Africa in 2 World Pro Latin Championships, was selected as representative on 3 occasions for the World Show Dance Championships, came 14th in the 2001 World Show Dance in Miami, came 8th (semi-final) in the 2002 London Open Championships, best result in Blackpool Open Pro (32nd) 24th German Open, I am based in SA and compete internationally on a regular basis as I have a very supportive and loyal sponsor. My basis internationally is the Semly Studio in Norbury-London and my coaches have been so far Richard Porter, Barbara McCall, Denise Weavers, Pam McGill and Allan Fletcher. I train with the best in South Africa like Dave Campbell and Lillian Dooley. I weigh 78kg, my height is 1.82 and I am blonde and in a very very good athletic shape.

The only problem is that I cannot relocate because I run a fulltime dance studio so therefore I can offer accommodation and teaching to who thinks she is the right one. I am basically looking for a girl who can relocate but wants to dance competitions and shows.

I will send a photo to those who respond. My tel no is #######. E-mail address is: xxx@xxx.com or
xxx@xxx.com

Whoa! I'm still heady from reading that. Didn't expect a pro to answer to my ad. Actually, wasn't really expecting any replies since I did post it in an international forum ie. you won't see too many Malaysians hanging around.

Still, why in the world would an established pro be doing replying to my ad? I did specify my standard of dancing (Intermediate ie. nowhere near pro) as well as my height 1.53m. Someone who's 1.82m shouldn't be replying to someone so vastly shorter than him should he?

If I had lived in NY, would I have replied with an affirmative and try out for it? Probably not. Wouldn't want to waste his time plus I'd be overly intimidated. He's a freaking Pro for gadsakes!

Quiz

Which OS are You?

Googlism

From Googlism:

callista is a supported software application
callista is not a panacea for all issues facing the oar and uws
callista is the name of monash university student information system
callista is on the move however
callista is an oracle based software solution that services universities? student administration needs
callista is first introduced
callista is a dampiel
callista is a little of a mystery
callista is determined to sacrifice a life
callista is left to face zad
callista is a functionally and graphically rich student information system designed to meet the needs of institutions operating in the tertiary environment
callista is not simply about student records
callista is now in summer coat and this can be interesting as it is much easier to assess the type visually without hands on
callista is determined not to wed the despicable fowler but fears that by refusing him her father?s political future will be jeopardized
callista is by far an odd individual
callista is australia's leading higher education software developer
callista is
callista is the name of qut's new student information system
callista is not intended to be the primary source of information relating to a student?s research candidature details outside of a normal
callista is mortally wounded as she attempts to shut down the automatic
callista is really wet
callista is similar to the acol time
callista is by far the more comprehensive student system i've worked on yet
callista is a two bedroom house which comfortably sleeps six people and is within very easy walking distance of the town center
callista is the source for syntellect products in canada
callista is their
callista is a character belonging to my friend laurie
callista is fanart from the show swat kats
callista is a rule driven system and as such if a school decides that prerequisites are a mandatory requirement of the course progression
callista is the name of the university of canberra?s new student information system
callista is a really stupid person
callista is in this story
callista is a calendar driven system that accommodates virtually any course or student schedule
callista is a trademark of deakin software services
callista is an arresting picture
callista is very well
callista is 12 and she lives half the week with her other mom
callista is proud of its progress in recent months
callista is a very affectionate senior who deserves a good home with people who will love her and never "toss" her out again
callista is now set to dominate the world
callista is a fully integrated student information system with a flexible architecture that has the power to handle the changing needs of higher education
callista is a 999
callista is nothing more than your typical "eastern girl
callista is spanish and means
callista is an opportunity to embrace a new age modern lifestyle
callista is designed with the theme of sophistication within simplicity
callista is a "local supplier with a strong reputation and willingness to invest in the development of high
callista is made of mohair and fully jointed
callista is teasing soryn as usual
callista is especially happy
callista is one of the fairies you might have seen flitting about through the flowers
callista is needed as keeper
callista is 42? of open
callista is on the scene
callista is a beauty unknown to most
callista is dead
callista is…was more powerful than i suppose the apprentice was
callista is the highest priority at the moment
callista is capable of managing multiple concurrent teaching periods via a
callista is made from
callista is sucking on a lollypop
callista is obsessed with star wars and rides her bike every where and is fun too hang out with and says "oh my
callista is a direct cutover
callista is unknown
callista is a human bard
callista is 4'8" tall and weighs 85 lbs
callista is already record hotmail type address for some new students and this unannounced change has cause big problems with the scripts
callista is back; nimrod is back and scully ends up really pissed off at mulder
callista is an albino female born around 1 sep 98
callista is greek for "most beautiful"
callista is a jedi in the fullest sense
callista is trying to find a way out of the marriage her father has arranged with lt
callista is the student record system; concept is the hr system
callista is about a non
callista is © christina godek and not you
callista is now alive again and free to love luke skywalker
callista is a
callista is within the computer of the dreadnaught as a result of giving her life to stop the ship once before
callista is in her second year here at ibc
callista is a registered trademark of the callista group limited copyright © 2000 the callista group limited
callista is a slut; mamoru
callista is the typical
callista is dying
callista is a jedi padawan who comes to us from the force academy
callista is in prison on the charge of christianity; i was in a sort of prison myself
callista is smiling a sickly sweet smile>
callista is currently being reviewed
callista is a fictional character in the star wars universe
callista is some wizard on sw2

the exhibitionist

Last Friday, yes the same Friday of the accident, I got an email from Shafina of dailyMalaysia.org asked me if I would like to do this week's installment of the dailyMalaysia project. Said yes naturally since the project is based on volunteers who've submitted a request to be included in the project. My request was submitted weeks ago. Actually, it was submitted almost as soon as I found out about the project which was two to three weeks into the project.

Anyway, this time, there's also this mini-exhibition that's going to go on at the end of this week and Shafina said that my entries will be included if I agree to do this week's dailyMalaysia.org. Hmmm ... me thought "... but my stuff is not good enough for exhibition." And then I thought again, " ... but this exhibition is about the dailyMalaysia project ie. of photos by everyday people." So I thought, "what the heck. Just do it!"

So, Shafina's gonna make one postcard each of 3 entries from her weekly contributors, place them up with a note card and visitors can take whichever postcard they like but will have to write down why they took the postcard.

Hmmm ... so when I go to the event, will my postcards still be there? Will my pictures be the only ones left untaken? I think I will feel a sense of dissappointment if they weren't. I know they're crap but still. Y'know?

I'll head for the event after the opera viewing. Peter's having a showing of Baz Luhrman's version of La Boheme at his studio. That should be interesting; the movie I meant, not the gathering at Peter's. Email Janet if she wanted to go with me but nothing from her yet. Why Janet? Cause she's a picture taking madwoman as well. :P Anyone else wanna go with me?

Oh yeah, Z, hope you don't mind me using your daughter's picture! I'll give you royalties when I get famous. ;)

Bad driver

I had an accident while driving home from work on Friday.
Don't want to talk about it.
They say it's my fault and wrote me a fine.
I say it's the bad road signs. They laughed!
My car's out of commission for awhile. Back to old trusty benjy for the duration.
'nuff said.

When you see me on the road, just get off it or stop if you don't want anything to happen to your car.
I don't want to be at fault again!

Searching for a partner

Couples going through their steps. Recalling, practising, perfecting their routine. The cha cha music playing is not always significant to them as they go through their steps. Some doing the cha cha, some doing the samba and even some doing the waltz. All this while the cha cha music plays on. Not everyone is practising for a competition. Some just going through steps they've just learnt in class but as I sat there watching, a wave of sadness floated in.

Sad that I'm not one of them.
Sad that I don't have a routine to perfect.
Sad that I do not have a partner to practise with.
Sad that I'm not part of a competitive couple anymore.

I miss it.

My search for a new partner have been extremely unfruitful. My occasional request to my teacher for a partner also zip as he does not have any male students who are interested. Male dance partners are a rare breed. I did receive a phone call last year from a guy called Hudson who was also looking for a partner; think I got him through POng though I'm not 100% sure. Met up with him for a chat and that was as far as it went. I am not sure if he ever found a partner but it shouldn't be as difficult for a guy with the abundance of girls like me on the lookout. Next potential came from a posting I made in a Singaporean dance site. That came to nothing as well as his partner, whom he thought was going to stay in the UK for awhile, came back. So, he's practising with his partner now.

So, I've begun my search anew. Except through postings at websites, I don't know how else I am suppose to be going about this. I have been assured by a teacher at a rival group of schools that if I went to his place, I will have a partner as he has some students who are on the lookout. Will I have to change camp now, just so I'll have a partner? This other school, when they have their competitions, they're mostly out of state. The main reason that I have not jumped at the chance.

*sigh* Where are all the male latin dancers?

Paging for male latin dancers. One female latin dancer on the lookout for potential partner for competitions. Email me if you are out there!

Dinosaur extinction: A hoax!

Seems that more and more dinosaurs are being discovered to be alive and running/walking among us and not fossiled on rocks. Latest reported sighting is of a dog headed, croc tailed, three meters tall ancient. The report's kinda dubious though, not in the sense that it was in some tabloid or those sensationalised media, it was on The Age, a widely read Australian newspaper, but cause they said they found no trace of the creature.

How's that possible? A three feet tall animal with croc like tail not leaving a trace? Is the animal weightless? Was it sighted on tarred roads and was so light that it did not leave any trace of tail marks or footprints? That is simply amazing!

Quiz

LOL ... SY would love to have this result.

Queen of Gossip

Remember [in the movie You've Got Mail] the time Meg Ryan's character, Kathleen, finally managed a retort to whatever Tom Hank's character, Joe, was saying while she was waiting to meet her email pen-pal at the restaurant? Remember how she felt after that? Thrilled at having been able to finally done it but then really disturbed at going against her ooey-gooey nice personality and be mean to someone?

Well, I'm kinda having that feeling but nothing as major as how she felt, I suspect. Just a really mild case.

I told someone (lets call him K), someone that I don't really know, well actually, I've only met that someone once, about something I've heard about a 'friend' of mine. I call him my 'friend' (let's call him G) but I'm not entirely sure how to categorise him as we don't actually hang out or anything but we do belong to the same club.

That something which I told K was that I heard that G is an absolute unfaithfull asshole of a boyfriend. How did I come about that information? From G's ex-girlfriend (she's L) who's also a friend of mine, who G told her while they were going out that I was a bitch and wouldn't advise her to befriend me when she told her she thought I was cool. This was at a time when I thought G and I was on friendly terms. That mother-fucking backstabber!

Why would I tell K about G? Because G is now dating C who's a colleague of K. I thought that if it's true that G is the mother-fucking-asshole that he is, then C should have a heads up on it. Also, from my observations of G and from what L told me and from how some of his 'best friends' have turned away from him, those kinda present a strong case against G. I deduction might be wrong and L might have just been a vengeful ex and therefore, for me to believe her would make me a bad friend. Added to that, for me to spread the information to K whom I don't even know that well, makes me doubly bad.

G called me the other day to confirm if I did tell K about him and I said yes. I see no reason to deny something when it's a fact -- unless it's for a punishable crime, of which I would then deny all claims! He accussedsaid that I was not being fair as I never did ask for his side of the story and my conclusions were all made from L's point of view. I told him that yes I was but then it was not just from what L told me, it was also from what I've observed and the actions of others who were his friends. He went on trying to trying to justify himself while intermittedly sprinkling "I'm not trying to justify myself" in between sentences.

The whole phone conversation was terribly awkard. I'm not used to these issues. I try to steer clear of these things usually. I don't have experience to deal with issues such as these. My side of the conversation was pretty quiet after my explaining to him why I did what I did and also to explain to him why L have cut loose of any contact with him. I mean, what else am I to say? I've already explained myself, there's nothing more to be said. So silence was my only option. I wanted several time to say "sorry but there's nothing else that I want to say to you. Goodbye." and put down the phone but that seems a bit rude cause he was still trying not to justify himself, so I didn't. When he stopped, I was still silent. He was silent. Was there a polite way to end this conversation? Very awkard.

I don't know where I'm going with this.

He asked me if I thought what I did was right. I said yes.
I said yes then but after I hung up, I started to doubt myself.
I began to think it was unfair of me to tell K about G. What concern of mine was this matter? None.
It was bad of me to turn/backstab my friend this way.
It was shit of me to be such a hypocrite. To dislike people who stabs people on their back and then turn around and be the one who's doing the backstabbing.

People, I'm basically a sucky person. Why I still have friends is a wonder to me.

To all my friends, thanks for still being my friend. If I ever backstab you, I'm sorry.

Quiz

You are Charlie Brown!


Which Peanuts Character are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Quizilla gila

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


Woo hoo! Cool! Cool! Love Hugo Weaving!

Drive safe

Driving in 7am traffic this morning, I noticed something interesting about on of my fellow driver. She was driving beside me and I wouldn't even have noticed her had she not overtook me by force -- by that I meant coming into my lane and squeezing me further towards the other lane until I have no option but to let her overtake me. When I looked at the driver wondering what the hell he/she (at that time I have not taken note ofthe gender of the idiot driver) I noticed something in her hand. It was her right hand and it was on the
wheel; and in this hand, intertwined within her palm, I think I saw a rosary (does rosary refer to a single bead or the whole chain? I was referring to the chain anyway).

Yeap! Rosary beads.

Y'know, the ones the catholics holds and prays with? To keep track of the number of Hail Mary's left they'd have to say/pray in the attempt to atone for some sin or other?

Now ... why would she need the security/comfort of rosary beads while driving? It's true that traffic has always been bad along the Federal Highway -- even at seven in the morning -- but do we really need the protection of God for this little feat in which we have to overcome five days a week, twice a day (at least), for the entirety of our working days? Do we really need divine intervention for this our daily task?

I wonder if we just stuck to the lanes that we're suppose to and not squeeze in and out from one lane to the other in the attempt to get to our destination faster, would the traffic be any better? Would the roads be safer? Would the traffic report for the Federal actually read smooth instead of slow but moving, bumper to bumper or worse, at a standstill?

Maybe then that she would not have needed the rosaries while driving. Maybe then I would not feel the need to switch lanes and further worsen the traffic condition. Maybe it was not even some rosaries but just some beaded chain?

Maybe. Maybe. But I was still intrigued by the rosaries in the hand.

The idiocy continues ...

Feb 16, 4.45pm - Called up En. Hadi to check on status. Turns out En. Hadi is also one of the idiots. Said he will try and help when I pay the amount. People at Standard Chartered are such confused souls. Why would I still need their help if I would willingly pay for things that I did not charge and why would they willingly decide on my favour after I have paid and give me back my money? That's so warped! I was so furious I even said "It's not my fault if your people fucked up and I was not told the correct procedure. Why should I be penalised?" Yes, I said fuck to the guy.
I know probably shouldn't swear at them but that's how I've been thinking about Std Chart whenever the fuck up another call.
I think that's the most proper word for it. Other words just do not seem to serve.

'Fuck up' should be a totally legit and proper phrase and not a swear phrase.
It expresses the speaker utter frustration and anger at the moment and therefore should not be mistakenly categorised as a swear.

tit for tat

Janet Jackson.
My favourite MTV Icon. Why? Why? Why?
The first cassette I've ever bought was her Rhythm Nation 1814.
Yes, I know this is like so yesterday. More than a week ago business but then there was nothing to be said that hasn't been said before.
Why the big fuss? I don't know, haven't the kids seen breast feeding? Geez!
So, she had a star nipple ring thing. That's just like a belly ring. Doesn't mean you have to pre-plan wearing a nipple ring cause you're going to expose it. Do people who have a belly ring only wear the ring when they're planning to expose it? I don't think so.
However, if it was a planned production, Janet! Why'd you stoop to that?! You're better than that!

Anyway, this is an interesting take on the whole fiasco -> Janet Jackson Breast Cupcake

Happy baking!

Standard Chartered does it again

I was told by Chee Yean of Standard Chartered's Customer Service center to call 03-7722 4986, the Credit Assist Department, with regards to what I want to do. I haven't even told her what I wanted to do yet. Just said it is with regards to the charges on my bill.

Thank you for calling Standard Chartered Bank Credit Center. Our office is now closed. Our operating hours are from 9am to 5.15pm for Mondays to Fridays and 9am to 1.15pm on Saturdays. Thank you.

Date of call: Feb 10, 2004
Day of call: Tuesday
Time of calls:

1. 2.17pm


2. 4.30pm

The other number she gave, 03-7728 4342 is consistently engaged.

Please explain?

[Updates]

• Feb 11, 2.20pm - Called the number again. Office is still closed. Called the Call Center informing them of that. Competent lady asked if she could help. Listened to what I wanted and too down name, contact number and card number. Said she'll get someone to call me back.


• Feb 11, 3.51pm - En. Hadi from collections called. Told/ranted him about what's going on. Told me to fax him all related documents and he'll see what he can do about it. Faxed him right after hanging up. Cool! Hope something gets done finally!


• Feb 11, 4.55pm - En. Hadi said they've discussed and what they can do is waive all additional charges, just pay the disputed amount. WTF! Told him but that means I still have to pay. He said the rejection came from Card Center HQ, based on my docs there's not much he can do, advised to write letter stating case and reason why I'm so unwilling to pay and fax to him. Statement of Dispute was not the appropriate doc, should have submitted letter earlier. Told him doc was what the Call Center idiots told me to submit. Advice -> write a letter.


• Feb 12, 3.15pm - Mail faxed to Standard Chartered c/o En. Hadi.

My first Holga roll

Finally finished my first roll of film for my Holga.
A camera which I bought almost half a year ago, took ages for me to gather up the courage to go purchase the film because everything I've read about the 120mm film indicates that that film size is used by professionals. Therefore, kinda intimidating. Not to mention the pre-conceived notion of self looking like an idiot when asking for film and getting condescending stare from photo shop owners.
Taking the finished roll to the shop didn't take as long even though notion still in head about shop owner wondering what idiot took such crappy photos with pro films.
What's there to lose?
Film already used.
Can't possibly let it rot.

... can but the pull to see how crappy photos taken out weighed that inclination.

Shots came back. OK. Mostly crappy shots. Everything was in portrait?!?!
Didn't know it was going to be in that orientation. Thought all was coming out landscape.
Held the camera the right side up. Guess 120mm requires you to shoot the opposite way as regular cams.
Will try and scan and crop so that photos won't look as crappy.

Wait for it.

Legal Live Music Download

Was going though the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy yahoo group when I found a posting specifying live recordings of the BBVDs. Cool! And it being OKed by the BBVD management makes it even cooler. BBVD people are super cool cats. w00t!

Sadly, there aren't any BBVD live recordings on the site yet. However, there is a huge database of live recordings of many many other artiste and bands. I don't recognise most of the of course. Not sure if they're all signed and even if they were, they're probably obscure artiste/bands. Two that most of us might recognise would be Jason Mraz and Zwan.

Must remember to trot off to LPU's message board and pop in a message inquiring if LP might be interested in the project. If they are then I don't have to go sourcing for them over Kazaa.
Wonder if Evanescence and Moby might be interested as well. Will go pop more messages everywhere.

Misspelled words victim

Commonly misspelled words. 13/15! Can't believe I can't spell dumbbell (I comes with a double 'B'?!) and minuscule (Why does everyone pronounce it miniscule then?!). At least my spelling is not horrendous (sp?). I managed to score a 9/10 for the 'Could You Win The National Spelling Bee'. Wonder if the spelling bee participants would have more trouble with the common misspelled words or the ones from the latter quiz?

You're Madagascar!
Lots of people don't really know anything about you, making you buried treasure of the rarest kind.  You love nature, and could get lost in it whenever possible.  You're remote and exotic, and the few people who know you value whatever they share with you a great deal.  For some reason, you really like the word "lemur".
Take the Country Quiz at the Blue Pyramid

Quiz quiz

Congratulations! You're Aragorn!


Which Lord of the Rings character and personality problem are you?
brought to you by Quizilla


Your soul is bound to the Yellow Rose: The
Gentle.

"I've travelled through the land of
surrender and seen it all. I throw my heart
out and keep my head up, and now I travel
through the land of peace."

The Yellow Rose is associated with friendship,
intuition, and fun. It is governed by the
goddess Hestia and its sign is The Intertwined
Rings, or True Friendship.

As a Yellow Rose, you always look out for your
friends. You would much rather have strong
ties with friends than a single tie with a
lover and your devotion to your friends is
clear. You may have great intuition and be
able to read emotions clearly, but sometimes
you can seem distant yourself.


What Rose Is Your Soul Bound To?
brought to you by Quizilla


Hmmm ... got the hero instead. would have liked Legolas ... ahhh ... yummy Legolas.

On another note, my freaking thighs are aching like mad! There's probably a reason that the audition call was for dancers 18-25 year olds. It's so that old farts like me who still have delusions of dancing on stage would be able to walk days after the audition.

The audition was mad! The speed at which we were to do our steps were so fast I felt like I was a cartoon. I was already tired out after the warm-ups, of which I couldn't hold my hand up in second position from beginning to the end. So my arm was slowly drooping and drooping and drooping. Using all those muscles that one has not used for over a decade is really really extremely taxing.

I will try walking at a nice and moderate pace today. My usual fast stride is so totally out of the question. If you see a girl walking like a grandma, that would probably be me. Just pass me from the side. I'm unlikely to go any faster.

Resolution #6

Before I begin with Resolution #6, I would like to point out that I am not exactly breaking Resolution #4 ... hmmm ... I just noticed something weird on my resolution list! Will amend that later.
How I rationalise my blogging at this hour, in the middle of the word day, is that I have completed what I am required to do.
My codes are all ready to be moved to the server.
And after some compiling and building and servlet engine restarts, the users will be able to use it without the bug that my company have always known about, although I do always have to remind them that it has always been a problem and should be fixed, but always denied that it would be a problem when moved to the production server. That's as indepth a techno babble as I can get. And that wasn't even really techno bable is it? Pretty comprehensive for the non-geeks eh?
However, to enable me to implement this change, I would have to do it after the regular people's work hours so as not to interupt the work process of our client. Also, to run some test to make sure that the application is running properly on the production server.

Hence, I am without work from now until ... whenever I feel like coming in again to implement that! Probably early tomorrow morning or Sunday?

Now, regarding Resolution #6.
I would like to begin with the varnishing/painting/staining process as soon as possible.
I don't necessarily have to find huge boxes to temporarily place all the junks that are on the shelves now although having them would be awfully nice. Less chances of toe-stubbings and much frustration of stepping on said junk. But since I don't see any boxes lying around at home, I'll just have to dump everything on the floor.
My concern regarding #6 is how do I paint the shelves properly ie. without visible paint overlapping. You know, the slightly darker layer you get when you paint a layer of paint above a layer of dried or almost dried paint?
I can't possible 'stand' all the connecting joints and the shelves on their smallest area to minimise the overlap cause that just not feasible as it wouldn't stand by their own.

Does anyone have any experience painting such things?
My set is build from Ikea's Ivar storage system.

Quiz time

You should be dating a Sagittarius.
22 November - 21 December
Your mate is frank and open, optimistic and honest.
Though the Archer can display bouts of
argumentative, impatient and critical
behaviour, he or she is extremely adventurous
in bed.


What Zodiac Sign Are You Attracted To?
brought to you by Quizilla


A Sagittarius dating a sagittarius?! Hmmm ... dangerous combination.

New Years Resolution

It's 13 days into 2004 and I have yet to finalize the resolutions I have for this year. My guess is that the list is going to be expandable. I would most likely have to revisit this post again and again as more and more things that requires resolving pops into mind.

Here goes.

EMPRESS'S RESOLUTIONS FOR 2004

1. loose 5 kg ... or at least 3kg ie. back to my original weight


2. get a new job


3. write more in this blog no matter how boring your life is ... one liners will do!


4. less chatting and blogging at work


5. more chatting and blogging at work


6. varnish the Ikea shelving unit


7. put up that the Ikea shelves and the white board that I bought over a year ago

Ok. I think those are it for a start.

Oh yeah! I went to Popular at Ikano to get some photo albums for the photos I've printed thoughout the years. Almost all my photos are still in those cheap cardboad plastic sheets that's given by the shop when you send for prints. Wonder if that should be placed in the list. Hmmm ... not yet I think.

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.

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!

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".

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!

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?

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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*

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!

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.

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!

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.

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 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.

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.

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?

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.

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?

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

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!

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.

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!

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

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!

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!

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. ;)