Am late for work.
Just go here and participate.... humour me.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
Absynthe Absence
Firstly, I always suspected we I.T. people were special. Now the world knows. Heroic. Who would have thought? I like it.
Anyway, was having trouble as to what to blog about in August. I toyed with the idea of writing about blogging tools, how I've started using Sage, a RSS reader plugin for Firefox. It is soooo cool and makes reading blogs and newspapers so easy. Try it. Really easy to install. Once you install it, you can use a sample OPML file I made up, ie. a file which contains a list of RSS feeds. You need to download the OPML file onto your computer, then from your FF browser, when you enable Sage (Tool->Sage), under Options, there is a OPML Import/Export feature. Import this file which you've just saved. I've added all the current reviewers (active and otherwise) from WDCOF, for lack of anything better. Sorry, no adult material. I think. Let me double check. Yup, none. But thought better of it than to blog about this.
Then I thought of something really really amazing and incredibly funny, at which point I fell asleep and now I cannot remember what it was that was so amazing and funny which I should blog about.
So resorting to that last bastion of the infrequent (but regular, at least monthly) blogger, I'm now doing my second MeMe, courtesy of the tattooed Ukulele, she of the Piadana slowfood review fame.
1. Three things that scare me:
Heights (a newly discovered phenomena)
The melting ice shelves
The PM not giving a shit.
2. Three people that make me laugh.
G.O.B. from Arrested Development.
Seinfeld
My smart-ass kid
3. Three things I hate the most
Ignorance
Stupidity
Greed
4. Three things I don't understand
How some people can get re-employed
How can every single one of Howards ministers lack something, compassion, brains, heart. Sort of like the cast of Wizard of Oz.
Israel (I wasnt even tempted to write down 'Women').
5. Three things I'm doing right now
Lying in bed, noting lateness of night.
Making mental note of things I still need to do.
Procrastinating.
6. Three things I want to do before I die.
See the Barrier Reef (I wonder which one will die first)
Go to Legoland.
See my daughter grow up to be a balanced individual (unlike her mother, ok, joke.)
7. Three things I can do
Play racquet sports well.
Flip a coin and catch it behind my back.
Burn food.
8. Three ways to describe my personality
Modesty will not allow me to complete this one.
9. Three things I can't do
Swim
Look more than 3 moves ahead in chess.
Draw legibly.
10. Three things I think you should listen to
Fiona Apple. I am sure subl will agree with me on this one.
Peter Singer
Me
11. Three things you should never listen to
People/Organisations voicing inciting hate/intolerance (Bolt? Zemanek? Jones?).
Newscorp.
The other voices in your head.
12. Three things I'd like to learn
To speak Mandarin
Meditate (and with that the ability to really concentrate)
To swim.
13. Three favourite foods
Sweet and sour pork (childhood affliction)
Indian Dhal curry.
Iranian chicken kebabs.
14. Three beverages I drink regularly
Water
Fruit Juice
Milo
15. Three shows I watched as a kid
Sapphire and Steel
Banana Splits (Siiiiiiiiize of an elephant)
M.A.S.H.
16. Three people I'm tagging (to do this)
Anyone who sees this. OK. Maybe pomgirl, maybe Camera, maybe Husky, maybe Bekk, maybe Bevis, maybe Steph, maybe CB, maybe Justine, maybe Mel, maybe Susanne, maybe YOU!
Anyway, was having trouble as to what to blog about in August. I toyed with the idea of writing about blogging tools, how I've started using Sage, a RSS reader plugin for Firefox. It is soooo cool and makes reading blogs and newspapers so easy. Try it. Really easy to install. Once you install it, you can use a sample OPML file I made up, ie. a file which contains a list of RSS feeds. You need to download the OPML file onto your computer, then from your FF browser, when you enable Sage (Tool->Sage), under Options, there is a OPML Import/Export feature. Import this file which you've just saved. I've added all the current reviewers (active and otherwise) from WDCOF, for lack of anything better. Sorry, no adult material. I think. Let me double check. Yup, none. But thought better of it than to blog about this.
Then I thought of something really really amazing and incredibly funny, at which point I fell asleep and now I cannot remember what it was that was so amazing and funny which I should blog about.
So resorting to that last bastion of the infrequent (but regular, at least monthly) blogger, I'm now doing my second MeMe, courtesy of the tattooed Ukulele, she of the Piadana slowfood review fame.
1. Three things that scare me:
Heights (a newly discovered phenomena)
The melting ice shelves
The PM not giving a shit.
2. Three people that make me laugh.
G.O.B. from Arrested Development.
Seinfeld
My smart-ass kid
3. Three things I hate the most
Ignorance
Stupidity
Greed
4. Three things I don't understand
How some people can get re-employed
How can every single one of Howards ministers lack something, compassion, brains, heart. Sort of like the cast of Wizard of Oz.
Israel (I wasnt even tempted to write down 'Women').
5. Three things I'm doing right now
Lying in bed, noting lateness of night.
Making mental note of things I still need to do.
Procrastinating.
6. Three things I want to do before I die.
See the Barrier Reef (I wonder which one will die first)
Go to Legoland.
See my daughter grow up to be a balanced individual (unlike her mother, ok, joke.)
7. Three things I can do
Play racquet sports well.
Flip a coin and catch it behind my back.
Burn food.
8. Three ways to describe my personality
Modesty will not allow me to complete this one.
9. Three things I can't do
Swim
Look more than 3 moves ahead in chess.
Draw legibly.
10. Three things I think you should listen to
Fiona Apple. I am sure subl will agree with me on this one.
Peter Singer
Me
11. Three things you should never listen to
People/Organisations voicing inciting hate/intolerance (Bolt? Zemanek? Jones?).
Newscorp.
The other voices in your head.
12. Three things I'd like to learn
To speak Mandarin
Meditate (and with that the ability to really concentrate)
To swim.
13. Three favourite foods
Sweet and sour pork (childhood affliction)
Indian Dhal curry.
Iranian chicken kebabs.
14. Three beverages I drink regularly
Water
Fruit Juice
Milo
15. Three shows I watched as a kid
Sapphire and Steel
Banana Splits (Siiiiiiiiize of an elephant)
M.A.S.H.
16. Three people I'm tagging (to do this)
Anyone who sees this. OK. Maybe pomgirl, maybe Camera, maybe Husky, maybe Bekk, maybe Bevis, maybe Steph, maybe CB, maybe Justine, maybe Mel, maybe Susanne, maybe YOU!
Monday, July 24, 2006
Here, there, everywhere
The thing about driving in Kuantan is not that the arrows painted on the lanes at traffic lights are taken as suggestions only eg. 3 lanes in one direction, right most lane says right turn only, middle lane say right and straight, BUT you'll find that traffic in the right most lane does turn right AND also goes straight. If you're in the middle lane wanting to turn right, I suggest that you stay in the right hand lane next time. Well, it's not all that. It's actually the number of motorbikes zipping around you.
It's just that they buzz past you on the left and on the right and through any gap that may be available between you and the next vehicle or wall or whatever. So it's very important you dont do anything unpredictable, like changing lanes.
Admittedly, I used to ride pillion when I was in high school many many years ago. The one prominent memory that sticks out is when I was riding pillion in Penang (the one and only time). It was much like that chase scene in Star Wars #6 where they were on the planet with those annoyingly cute Ewoks. We were zipping and threading in between cars and trucks, through impossible gaps. Truly white knuckle stuff. I was absolutely terrified. I dont remember his name now but I've never ever held another man so closely or tightly before, or since.
Anyway, what I took away from this trip apart from a reminder of the magnitude of dysfunctionality in my family, was finding out about my paternal great-grandfather. I never bothered to ask before and therefore knew nothing prior to this.
Apparently, he was a rice carrier. ie. carried bags of rice, physically and was quite a strong guy. He was a big gambler and successful at it too. From this he bought a fair few properties in Penang. Unfortunately, he also smoked opium and was a womaniser. He supposedly had his own harem. But eventually, he had to sell off the properties one by one to feed his drug addiction, till it was all gone. He eventually ended up living in grandpa's house. Pa remembers great grandfather making the weekly trip to the shophouse only a block away from home, from which the British Government dispensed opium, to collect his weekly 2 vial ration. This wasnt enough and apparently he was shaking from the chills a lot. Pa remembers him scraping the bottom of whatever he used to smoke the opium from, to try to recycle whatever he could. Even worse, he died horribly from some venerial disease. This was pre-penicillin. He was a blind (from the VD) and frightened man when he finally went. Pa remembers GGF urinating but it is a little icky to describe. Good eh? I feel a little sad just describing it, just how he must have suffered. His name, when translated was "Black Boy" (or so my sister says).
I knew my maternal grandfather was a gambler (not successful) but I never knew there were gamblers on my dad's side, until now. My kid likes to play cards. Bummer. Predisposed? I hope not.
Till later.
It's just that they buzz past you on the left and on the right and through any gap that may be available between you and the next vehicle or wall or whatever. So it's very important you dont do anything unpredictable, like changing lanes.
Admittedly, I used to ride pillion when I was in high school many many years ago. The one prominent memory that sticks out is when I was riding pillion in Penang (the one and only time). It was much like that chase scene in Star Wars #6 where they were on the planet with those annoyingly cute Ewoks. We were zipping and threading in between cars and trucks, through impossible gaps. Truly white knuckle stuff. I was absolutely terrified. I dont remember his name now but I've never ever held another man so closely or tightly before, or since.
Anyway, what I took away from this trip apart from a reminder of the magnitude of dysfunctionality in my family, was finding out about my paternal great-grandfather. I never bothered to ask before and therefore knew nothing prior to this.
Apparently, he was a rice carrier. ie. carried bags of rice, physically and was quite a strong guy. He was a big gambler and successful at it too. From this he bought a fair few properties in Penang. Unfortunately, he also smoked opium and was a womaniser. He supposedly had his own harem. But eventually, he had to sell off the properties one by one to feed his drug addiction, till it was all gone. He eventually ended up living in grandpa's house. Pa remembers great grandfather making the weekly trip to the shophouse only a block away from home, from which the British Government dispensed opium, to collect his weekly 2 vial ration. This wasnt enough and apparently he was shaking from the chills a lot. Pa remembers him scraping the bottom of whatever he used to smoke the opium from, to try to recycle whatever he could. Even worse, he died horribly from some venerial disease. This was pre-penicillin. He was a blind (from the VD) and frightened man when he finally went. Pa remembers GGF urinating but it is a little icky to describe. Good eh? I feel a little sad just describing it, just how he must have suffered. His name, when translated was "Black Boy" (or so my sister says).
I knew my maternal grandfather was a gambler (not successful) but I never knew there were gamblers on my dad's side, until now. My kid likes to play cards. Bummer. Predisposed? I hope not.
Till later.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Friday, June 02, 2006
Freezing my frames
Nerves? Man, from minute number 1, I had knots in my stomach. And then these guys got a freekick within like minutes of starting. I could have smacked Bresciano for doing that. I did consider switching off the telly after about 80 mins cos I couldnt invest anymore. Am so glad I didnt. Well done, boys and hopefully, we wont get thrashed by Brazil.
I also had a gentle reminder why I stopped playing pennant sport. My racquetball team got into the grand final and the NERVES are killing me, even if I am only playing in cretin grade. I pre-played the game many many times in my head. For the curious, I lost my match to a very fit nineteen y.o. GIRL! but my team won, so I get this little piece of granite that says "Premiers" and this in my first season, for which I am pleased, I suppose. Note that I've played > 12 seasons of squash and have nothing for it. Zero.
Anyway, have started packing for the trip. 80% of the luggage are little gifts, chocolates, t-shirts. I'm just bringing a couple of shirts and clean underwear for me. Everything else, not mine.
So why am I not looking forward to the trip? Over the past 18 months, I've had many people leave my orbit (geographically and otherwise) and then some more enter (and some intermittently, long story). I've never really thought about all these movements but on reflection, this has been always happening (for everyone too, right?). It's just that there has been many more people leaving than entering this past period. Sad? I'm not sure how I feel about it all. Maybe in the process of insulating myself from all this 'badness', I take away my ability to be really happy as well. Maybe. Just a theory. Anyway, I may have neglected to tell my parents about some of these exits. There never seemed to be a right moment to bring up the topic. There I said it. Hmmm.... that's strange. I dont feel any better.
Till July. In the meantime, have a listen to The Frames. Has the best aural version of fire that I know.
I also had a gentle reminder why I stopped playing pennant sport. My racquetball team got into the grand final and the NERVES are killing me, even if I am only playing in cretin grade. I pre-played the game many many times in my head. For the curious, I lost my match to a very fit nineteen y.o. GIRL! but my team won, so I get this little piece of granite that says "Premiers" and this in my first season, for which I am pleased, I suppose. Note that I've played > 12 seasons of squash and have nothing for it. Zero.
Anyway, have started packing for the trip. 80% of the luggage are little gifts, chocolates, t-shirts. I'm just bringing a couple of shirts and clean underwear for me. Everything else, not mine.
So why am I not looking forward to the trip? Over the past 18 months, I've had many people leave my orbit (geographically and otherwise) and then some more enter (and some intermittently, long story). I've never really thought about all these movements but on reflection, this has been always happening (for everyone too, right?). It's just that there has been many more people leaving than entering this past period. Sad? I'm not sure how I feel about it all. Maybe in the process of insulating myself from all this 'badness', I take away my ability to be really happy as well. Maybe. Just a theory. Anyway, I may have neglected to tell my parents about some of these exits. There never seemed to be a right moment to bring up the topic. There I said it. Hmmm.... that's strange. I dont feel any better.
Till July. In the meantime, have a listen to The Frames. Has the best aural version of fire that I know.
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