What it takes

Recent turn of events, tragic as they may be, gave me the impression of how things really work around here.

A workmate took a few days off to take part in the recent by election in Machap. He returned to work feeling good about all the developments going around in Machap.

"That small town is abuzz with activities! The mosque has a new set of paint, the roads are freshly paved and repaved, the community hall is finally taking shape and there's a new park in town! There is good in the demise of the representative, it seems" he concluded.

The second wave is hitting Ijok and the people has reasons to p'p'p'party! They are banking on new promises as dead projects are resurrected and new ones are born. Sleepers wake up and those with agenda scramble to please the people. It is one of those times, if not the only time the people are made to feel in power.

I know I've illustrated the obvious but can you blame me? The circus is in town!

It's you

This morning I had a curious dream. Just before I woke up a little late for work, I was at the church entrance in Miri, calling a friend to drive me back to my house to get my wedding suit. Yeah, I was getting married!

Several minutes passed and Terrence arrived. Soon we were at my house in Miri. I rushed to grab all the wedding accessories prepared earlier and to my horror, I left my jacket in KL!

“Can I just wear my business attire without the jacket?” I asked someone over the phone.

“No. You have to be in a suit!” came the reply.

“Oh crap. What am I gonna do! It’s already 11.30 and I gotta be there at noon!” I said as I flipped through my dad’s jacket collection.

“But these are too big, and old school! Oh, what if I wear a traditional Bidayuh vest. But who has one? I only know someone who has an Iban vest. It’s not the same!...Arghh! Dad’ friends maybe, but it’s too late to ask around!” I thought.

A pair of Bidayuh newlyweds, in traditional bidayuh suits.

A pair of Iban newlyweds, in traditional Iban suits.


“Can we postpone the wedding?” I asked my best man.

“Nope. The guests are already there. It’ll be a disaster if we do”, said the best man, whoever he was.

“It already is!” I exclaimed in despair and woke up.

“What the hell was that all about? Me getting married? I’m not even engaged.” I thought.

I crawled out of bed and made a bee line to the shower, puzzled but unconcerned.

In the car the radio DJ kept telling listeners that it is Friday the 13th and how some people have that taboo belief rigged deep in them. The DJs gave examples of every known places where the number 13 is never used; in buildings, airport terminal gates and the aircraft seat number, to name a few. Over the years and many bizarre experiences people become attached to it.

Yeah, more like it got attached to them. They never relate to me, these bad luck numbers.

At work, Michael buzzed me on Yahoo messenger. He told me he’s getting married and I’m invited as a VVIP friend. We go a long way back.

Mike: I want to invite you to my wedding

Agus: Whoa!

Mike: What’s with the whoa?

Agus: You wanna know something bizarre?

Mike: What?

Agus: Oh, the ‘whoa’ was for someone getting married. The bizarre part is just this morning I dreamt that I was late for my own wedding and I have no suit.

Mike: That’s a weird but really funny dream.

Agus: I sort of seen this coming. Only now I know it’s you.

Just older

Thanks for the birthday wishes guys. Bloggers, Friendsters, mailers, texters, 'in-person'ers, you're all precious!

Contrary to popular belief, there was nothing spectacularly worrisome about turning 30 for me. All the birthday greetings drifted in like whiffs of great coffee and settled like a premium cheese cake; heart warming and satisfying.

A week past 30 now, I feel exactly like I did a month ago. Haha, I can almost hear some snigger ‘wait till you hit 40’. Oh it's forty now? Whatever. My point is, people cope with aging differently and at different stages. There is no point arguing about that.

I can’t deny having questions about getting to the big 'three oh' myself. Curious actually. What’s the big fuss?

A few minutes on the internet gave the picture of a person’s “achievements” at thirty;the things to be expected and the next course of action. I know, a little too late to go through the list. “You should’ve done that five years ago” I hear you say. Oh well, I love my time and I take mine sweet. Sail on, steer on.

Anyway, that got me going “yeah, been there”, “done that” and “eh?!”. There were also many “hmm, now that’s new…”, “ah, let’s try that…” and “nah, not for me”.

~Long story cut short here~

“Welcome to the club” they said as we chinked our glasses and played Blackjack that night.

Being the birthday boy, I got wasted *mandatory* and ended up in the passenger seat as my friend drove my car back, on a really early Tuesday morning! I felt horrible about that, and the only lame excuse I can think of was 'it's my birthday, look at me go...'
Sorry Sam, I messed up.

But hey, that’s another story.

~Long story cut short here~again

As brief as it was, turning 30 was definitely an education, the reason for the fuss in the first place.

Looking at the list of suggested achievements, I chose the ones best suited for my path. This I will continue doing because the list will always add on; so it’s never too late. Plus there’s no pressure that way. And it’s no fun having limited purposes in life.

Voila! I’m thirty. Bring it!

Heroes

Heroes Episode 8 on Star World last night was mind blowing and revealing. But the character that caught my attention was Ted, the radioactive man. Actually, I was gripped since last week when Star World showed preview clips of this week’s show. It wasn’t so much of his ability but the thing he did in the interrogation room.

He boiled a glass of water with his bare hands; sort of like a dream I had and posted in X-Dream, October 20th, 2006.

And I quote; “…The conversation was strangely about heating a glass of water with bare hands. The demonstration was done by the wiser elder. Both his palms were holding the side of the glass and I could see the water starting to bubble. Vapors were appearing and finally the water boiled. I was so impressed that I took the glass and tried my hands at it. I clasped the now warm glass tightly. Nothing happened at first. I began to intensify my concentration and regulate my breathing. I remember someone said that breathing helps in meditation.

Or was it child labor?

Anyway, I soon saw small bubbles appear but the action was disrupted by my breathing cycles. The water seemed to be heating and bubbling when I inhaled deeply and stopped when I exhale. But I was pretty ecstatic with the result. I could actually heat water with my bare hands!”

Well, not exactly similar but close. And the interrogation room looked like the class I attended for the workshop.

When I saw clips of the scene last week, I thought "Hey, that looks really familiar. Wow! I sort'a dreamt that scene some time ago. Haha..." And that got me excited the whole week. After watching the show, I still am.

I'm easily amused like that. Plus it's a damn cool show!

Maybe it's time I pay a visit to the pirates, get the whole season pack of DVD. Or look for friends who's done it already.

'Save the cheerleader, save the world'

Cofree

I heard a guy named William announce on FlyFM that today is Starbucks Free Coffee day. He said Starbucks is giving free drip coffee to customers between 10am and 12 noon.

I'm not sure if it works in all stores nationwide and how many cups per person but I'm heading out to Starbucks to get my breakfast shot, free, I think. A sandwich would help it go down nicely.

Egg'cellent

Okay, so you’ve got tons of cool wishes for the Lunar New Year. I got three! Yay!

My maternal grandfather is Chinese and that’s about all the oriental heritage that runs in my family. During the Japanese occupation, his family was forced to integrate into the Bidayuh community and embrace the tribal way of life deep in the rural villages. Being one with the tribe, his family and many others escaped bleak future, torture and even death by the Japanese. Inevitably, their cultural heritage dissolved into a thin layer of memory which occasionally makes its way through the generations during small talks and as a pick up line at the bar, or as a sideline issue in a blog entry such as this.

It does make an interesting article, that is, once I gather all the data from the man himself and his children; my uncles and aunts. Yup, another item to add to my to-do-list-soon, real soon. For now though, like I said, the only connection I have with this culture is a hint (a quarter to be exact) of Chinese facial features and a handful of good friends.

Friends I’m proud to have. Friends who wishes me a prosperous Chinese New Year when they know I won’t be tossing any shreds of fish and vegetables to welcome the auspicious year. Oh but the fire boar is always good to greet. Good to eat. Pit roasted and all.

All kinds of wishes came my way too, including this one;

“My wish for you is to be continuously reincarnated as an egg. This way, you’ll get laid every morning, get sucked every day and get hard in 3 minutes. Happy Chinese New Year!”

Okay, I get most of it, the meaning, except for the second reason that sucked. Hey, don’t ask me. I haven’t a clue. Besides, it’s just for fun. Something to crack you up on New Year’s Eve, or during breakfast in bed, or whatever. Spouse’ presence highly recommended.

And by the way, it kinda’ gives you the assurance to that age old question of which came first. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I believe the egg always comes first.

I might be totally wrong. After all, I’m just an egg.

Happy New Year everyone!

La Luna

Happy Chinese New Year everyone.
It'll be a long holiday in Malaysia.

Happy Holiday!

The year of the Fire Boar this time. That's hot!

Yellow

I woke up on Wednesday morning with a few groans, some huffs and several sighs.

“Huh… what were those about?” I asked myself.

My body felt unusually warm.

My limbs were not their usual steady selves in the shower and there were traces of aches in my muscles and joints. Driving to work required more focus and effort than usual.

I started to feel very cold in the office. My body temperature felt otherwise; especially my head.

That was it. I knew I was down with high fever. And the thought that I might get another dose of yellow fever sent chills down my spine, in every sense of the word.

I immediately started the remedial procedure. Based on my previous yellow fever experience two years ago (or denggi as we fondly call it in this part of the world), the only known remedy is to keep yourself sufficiently hydrated. Drink like there’s no tomorrow. For there will be none if you fail.

I quickly looked up facts about yellow fever from multiple web sites to get confirmation - The signs, diagnosis, remedies and also prevention (yeah, a little late for that) made my fever stink very much like denggi. A bloody denggi deja vous!

My productivity declined as anxiety attacked but I decided to stay a while for some pressing matters. I drank gallons of water and convinced myself the cool office temperature would help keep mine down, thus avoiding any possible brain cell damage, despite instant chills and shiver every few minutes. Needless to say I went to the rest room to pee every 20 minutes or so.

I left work at half past five and continued drinking (good ol’ plain water this time) and resting through the night. I struggled to finish my dinner which fortunately didn’t taste like bitter medicine. Then I drank some more.

Laying my head on the pillow (with a wet towel) didn’t help with the high cranial temperature. In fact, it worked like a heat insulator for my head. Horror! So I slept in a reading-in-bed position, with the fan blowing in my face, my head leaning against the wooden headrest.

The night went by ever so slowly, as I drank every last drop of water I can possibly swallow. Peeing several times in an hour caused a slight burning sensation, a piercing feeling.

My effort may have all gone down the toilet but it was never flushed in vain.

“I better be well when I go for a check up tomorrow. This rear-right-side headache is bugging me like a cancer! And I’ll be damned if it’s denggi again.”

The next morning, feeling considerably better, no more body aching, except for a ‘lumpy’ residual headache at the back of my head, I went to University Malaya Medical Center as planned. I reached the reception counter at 8.30am, took a number and waited as told.

And boy did I wait...

After three hours I finally saw the doctor.

“How long since you had this fever?” she asked.

“Yesterday afternoon” I said, half hoping that her next question would be 'and how long did you have to wait outside?'

Tough luck.

“Any coughs?”, “Body aches”, “Vomitting?”

My response were all “No”

“Any denggi cases in the area you’re staying? This could be denggi.”

“Oh my place is denggi prone. I’m concerned this might be denggi as well. I was hospitalized here two years ago because of denggi. I spent three nights at the denggi ward upstairs.” I explained.

“Ok. Your blood pressure is quite good. Let’s test your total blood count. Once the nurse has taken your blood sample, get it to the lab and as soon as the result is displayed online, we’ll call you in. Hang around nearby.”

I was expecting a kind of enthusiasm from her considering this is my second time here for a somewhat similar reason, although it wasn't her the first time I came. But she was indifferent about it. No extra notes for repeat patients either.

On second thought, maybe there was nothing good to say.
Definitely not 'Oh is that right? Wellcome back then. It's a pleasure to have you here. Although I'd prefer not seeing you here, being sick and all. I'm not saying I don't want to see you but... well, you know what I mean'

25 minutes later,

“Your blood test came out negative for denggi. It's not denggi. Just regular high fever” said the doctor.

“Oh that’s good news” I said.

“I’ll just give you panadol ya. Drink a lot of water and get some rest.” She concluded.

That’s exactly what I did, my good doctor. I couldn’t agree more. Thank you very much.

After wating for a good 20 minutes for the common aspirin at the perscription counter, I took the rest of the Thursday off and recovered just in time for a good night’s sleep.

Today I’m as good as new.

Random Sunday

It was a beautiful Sunday morning. Outside St. John’s Cathedral Bukit Nanas were droves of people catching up after the first early morning mass, mostly Pilipino, some African and the rest Malaysian. The church bells rang for the next service session, and I looked at my watch, 10.30am. “That’s my cue” I thought, rushing through the crowd as I try to locate my friend, Diego, waiting for me at the entrance.

“Right on time” he said, and we walked into the church with many others. We made our way to one of the pews at the balcony upstairs.

“It’s good to have a friend at church. It feels a bit weird sitting through the Sunday service alone” he said.

“Uhuh” I agreed.

“At least there’s someone to talk to, exchange notes and stuff. Usually, when I’m alone at church and the pastor slips in funny remarks during his sermon, I just keep it all in while everybody savors it with their friends and families; quite frustrating you know” he explained.

“Well, when you’re alone, you talk to God. That is what you do when you go to church”. I said, flashing a cynical smile.

Blimey! If we were anywhere else, we’d burst into a hysterical laughter.

Fortunately, both of us realized that we were in the house of God and kept it all in. There was plenty of time to laugh our heads off (which we did) after church; no heresy intended.

After church, on our way for lunch we chatted, updating each other on the latest happenings, about life, friends and families.

“You know, James’ been going to church every week with his new girlfriend” said Diego.

“Yeah? Haha, very much unlike the two of us” I added.

“He’s becoming more warak (Malay word for pious) it seems” Diego noted.

“If he’s warak, we must be rawak (Malay word for random)” I concluded.
And we were in stitches again.

Touched

I’ve got mails.

All 65 of them were manually deleted. They’re junk. All the anti spam wares, rules and alerts settings in the world couldn’t possibly keep them out. Not that they ruin my morning or anything. In fact, my morning routine is to manually delete every spam that manages to creep into my inbox, and I’m sure many do the same.

Once in a while however a certain subject caption screams for attention. Like so,



At a glance I would just happily press the delete button and get on with life. I would then go to the deleted item folder to scan for accidentally deleted genuine mails before they’re gone permanently. Most of the times I do it just to amuse myself, why waste eh? Seriously, check out the tagline.

How the hell do you know it’s so small, my dear Britten? Am I supposed to be moved by your query?

Pas de touché.

On second thought, maybe just a little bit, for amusement purposes of course.

Go ahead. Read the content.

Well, you don’t say…

Only 85 percent? Ladies, surely more of you care. What’s wrong with 100 percent?

Oh, yea, I forgot, it’s just junk.

Greetings to 007

Receiving countless text wishes for Christmas and New Year was such a delight, but the guilt and frustration came just as swiftly, because like many others, I was unable to respond to any incoming text messages due to overwhelming traffic. Honestly!

I’m on DIGI, see.

I couldn’t even make a single call after frantically trying to reply text wishes. I gave up trying after accepting the fact (and believing) that one could be sending the same message to numerous people in his contact list. Remembering one another on the occasion then becomes mutual, whether there is a response or not. It was just a matter of who does it first, with the help of one’s contact list of course.

“Haha! I got to you first!”

Scrolling down the list will also make you say “Hmm, I didn’t know she’s still in my contact list…”

And how about that delayed response eh? I got a crazy new year wish from a friend which managed to squeeze the words suck, lick, thrust and ejaculate in a single sentence. I tried hard but I still can’t reproduce it here, or ever, but all it meant to say was have a great new year ahead. It gave me the broadest grin of course, and so I drafted a simple and appropriate response. However, due to limited bandwidth, I couldn’t send it out until the next day. I don’t know how my friend reacted when he read “You crazy b*tch! Happy New Year!”

I just hope he gets it.

P/S: I know I’m not the first one to wish all of you a Happy New Year. Heck who does? It’s been said since human counted the first year ever. Even then it was not accurate. Maybe if I wish you a Happy New 2008?

Nah… anyway, have a great 2007! We might just be lucky enough to get a surprise 007 flick this year. Unfeasibly appropriate don’t you think?

Hanky tanky

About a week ago I went to a petrol station to fill my car’s empty fuel tank. I filled it to the brim. I reset the meter to zero like I usually do but the fuel gauge pointed to half.

“Heh, it must need a few moments while the engine runs to fully erect” I thought.

Several kilometers went by but the gauge was still halfway. So I went at variable speeds, did a few sudden brakes, jerked my ride and drove uphill and down. Nothing happened.

“Damn! It’s stuck!” and I even tried knocking on it.

“Damn! It’s still stuck!”

It stayed that way for days and days. “Oh geez! Just what I need! My car’s first faulty instrument. Should I be expecting this? It’s not even three years old yet. I wonder how much it would cost to get fixed, or worse, replaced! Looks like I have to rely on the meter to estimate how much fuel I have left, for now.”

For diagnostic reasons, I planned to let the fuel run low, very low. Maybe, just maybe, thirst would bring it back to its senses.

Then yesterday morning as I was halfway to work, I glanced at the meter which indicated that I have about 50 kilometers to go before my next pit stop.

“How I wish the fuel gauge’s working” I sighed and checked the fuel level. I took another good look because the needle seemed to be pointing to ‘E’! Good Lord! I have never been so glad to see my fuel indicator show empty before.

“Hey! You’re back!” I exclaimed in joy and smiled all the way to work.

On my way home that evening I refueled my tank to one third and the gauge responded nicely. Maybe it choked when I last refueled; maybe it’s just playing with me.

All decked up!

25 December falls on Monday this year. Wish it would fall on Sunday so we Malaysians could use Monday to recuperate after a long and hard Christmas party. All ready and willing for work on Tuesday. Those fortunate enough to get leaves days after that, rejoice.

But whatever.

Hear me cheer.

Bring all your merry bells out and jingle them all about!
Christmas’ right on time this year, can you hear the red nose reindeer?
Some dream of white, others have a blue, but you know what? I don’t have a clue.
See I’m running out of schnapps, and I’m too old (and heavy) for Santa’s lap

So all I want for Christmas is to do whatever I want to do.
Be it dim, be it bright, it sure won't be a silent night.
As for a holy night, well, you go'head'n decide.
While you’re at it, add to this bit by bit, just don’t give me any sh*t.

It's Christmas y'all.

Sealed...

One week after I was grounded by AirAsia, I flew to Kuching on Wednesday. This time, nothing unfortunate happened on my cheap fare flight. Besides, it was four days ahead of the deadline. I was on my way to my best friend’s wedding reception, scheduled on Saturday, 2nd December 2006. No, it’s nothing like Julia Robert’s.

Many months before the wedding date, after he announced his wedding intentions, I shamelessly told him “I want to be your best man”

And he said “Trust me, you’ll be the first one I’ll ask”

“Great! Just tell me the date in advance so I could get cheap airfare. You know how AirAsia works… tickets are usually cheaper months before flight date”

But things change and plans get reworked.

He e-mailed in March, “…This a top secret project (if you tell anyone I’d have to kill you). We (you know who) is planning the ‘BIG DAY’ maybe early December. One item in the checklist is emcee of the night. Since the guests would be multi-racial, if possible, the emcee must be able to speak Iban+English+Malay (Bidayuh also can). There are professional emcees but they are $$$$$$$. So I thought about you (how nice of me). Do you think you can handle the crowd, throw in a few jokes, do what emcee normally does?? You would be famous, well at least for that night. And if you are lucky you might grab the attention of pretty (or not so pretty) chicks (or aunty). Give it a thought and let me know.”

I replied;

“YES! I DO! Ehehe.

Tell me the date and I’ll kill to make myself available.

It is extremely delightful reading your mail. Not the ordinary forwarded stuff.

I’ll be your emcee alright. I’ll have a good exposure during my brother’s wedding in a longhouse in Bintulu. He’s marrying an Iban girl. Scheduled 3rd June. Time to brush up on my Iban then. And, I’ll be ready to go for your wedding. As for the crowd, I’ll work them like dough. Oh no, does that mean I’m not your best man? Anyway, if I have to choose, emcee is more exciting and involved”

Finally December came and I was excited to attend the wedding, despite being not quite ready with the emcee job. Work and socializing took much of my preparation time. Well, that’s just an excuse. But I was determined nonetheless.

I was also assigned with the video camera for the Church blessing in the Morning and the photography session at the Taman Sahabat park thereafter. Everything went well and as planned. Here are the morning pictures, starting with the make-up session at the bridal studio.

The groom in the background

While the bride was getting made, we took advantage of the various interesting sets and props at the studio.

The groom with the father and brother in law, and a friend.

The bride with the make up artist and the bridal's coordinator

At the altar.

After the church blessing ceremony.

Photo session at church. This went on for well over an hour. Too many cameras and guests, too little time (and patience; well, it's a once in a lifetime occasion after all.).

The married couple with two of the groom's highschool buddies (we're housemates).

The photo session tour at the park late that morning. I swear, everyone got unnecessarily tanned, especially at the forehead.

One of the many oriental themed structures at Taman Sahabat, Kuching.

These couples look cute. Cats and all.

Ok, make enough benches like this and one idiot is bound to get weird ideas. Foolish enough to post it here even. And you know what, I think this marriage is sealed solid, with a kiss!

.

.

Wedding reception pictures and story to follow soon.

Grounded

Less than three weeks ago, I had to make an urgent hand delivery for a tender submission to Miri. It was rather unexpected since we planned to send the package via courier. However, since we didn’t receive the relevant information in time (2 days before deadline), the only option was for me to hand carry it there. The submission time was Thursday, before 3pm. So I bought tickets to board the low fare airline, AirAsia, to Miri, departing at 7.20am. Arriving at 9.20 that Thursday morning should give me enough time to deliver the package and meet our clients the rest of the day.

The normal air fare would be around RM1000 by Malaysia Airlines but my return flight with AirAsia cost only RM500++. I figured I could help save company’s money this way. Plus, an uncertain tender submission should not cost so much.

I arrived at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal as scheduled. The cabin was only half full so I managed to get a private seat by the window at the right wing portion. I tried to catch a nap as the aircrafts around mine make their way to the runway. The high volume of morning air traffic dragged the flight’s take off time to 8am.

The take off wasn’t quite as smooth but we were fast ascending in mid air nonetheless. There were several notable irregular sounds coming from the engine and wing segment. One was a rather loud mechanical gear sound and the other sounded like someone blowing into a microphone at a constant 30 seconds interval; except it wasn’t coming from the speaker above. It was transmitted through the body of the plane and it seemed to originate from the wing segment. That went on throughout the ascend.

I was so sleepy and dying to start my hibernating process that I didn’t give the sounds much thought.

[intercom *ding…]

“…please fasten your seatbelt, put your seat upright and stow you table to its original position.”

The announcement woke me up, ‘Oh great, bad weather. Just what I need’ I thought.

Heck, I’ve been through a few notoriously rough plane rides to hate this situation. 8.15am was the time on my watch and I went ‘yup, we’re not in the right altitude to dodge these nasty clouds’

Another five minutes passed before I heard the pilot say ‘Cabin Crew, please be seated for the landing’

What the ….. we’re landing? Now? How long have I been asleep? It’s only twenty minutes after take off. We can’t be landing now? We must still be above KL!!!

I looked out the window and saw a familiar sight; the runway I saw 25 minutes ago. Hey, there’s LCCT, AGAIN!

[Tires screeching, jet engine buzzing violently] “Welcome to LCC Terminal, Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Please remain seated until the seatbelt sign is switched off. Please make sure all electronic devices; especially your cell phones are switched off until you are in the terminal building. Please bring all your hand luggage with you when leaving the aircraft and wait in the departure hall for further notice” came the announcement.

‘Ok, we’re really back where we started 30 minutes ago. What the hell happened. Why is everybody so calm and not curious at all? Clearly I’m the only one missing the vital info’ I thought.

As I approached the exit door I asked the flight attendant “Uhm, excuse me. I missed the announcement earlier, but what happened?”

“Hydraulics problem” she said calmly, conveniently smiled and turned the other way.

“Oh, ok” I replied. The answer was simple and precise enough for my tired and sleepy brain so I left it at that.

Walking down the stairs slowly got me out of daze. I looked back toward the plane as everybody was making their way to the departure hall.

‘How bizarre is this?’ I asked myself.



I gazed up at the crimson morning sky and these words rang in my ears ‘there and back again’

As soon as everyone was in the terminal building, the engineers opened up the plane’s belly and started fixing God-knows-what. Here’s a thought: What if they caused another problem while trying to fix the faulty hydraulics? Don’t they have spare planes for situations like this? It’s not exactly a bicycle which can be used right after it’s fixed, or is this AirAsia’s idea of a bicycle?

Of all the planes parked here that morning, all took off without a glitch but mine.



Chronologically,

9.30am : They announced that they were still unable to determine the flight departure time. After waiting for an hour, that was the best they can tell us.

9.31am: We were made to wait indefinitely.

10.30am : They finally announced that departure was scheduled at 11.45am. It was a temporary relief since that would enable me to deliver the package less than 15 minutes before closing time, 3pm, tentatively of course. Provided there are no more unknown glitches surfacing.

10:45am: They distributed 500ml of mineral water, small packs of Swiss roll cake and a bun with traces of sardine paste in the middle; rationed like butter during World War II.

11.30am: We boarded the plane.

11.50am: Take off.

Everything went as per ammended schedule, after more than four hours' delay, with an uncertain flight's fate. Praying mode: 'ON'

Soon after we were at cruising altitude, the flight attendants were out with snacks to be purchased. They’re basically instant noodles, sandwiches and packet drinks sold three times the normal price. Things do get increasingly pricy with altitude. They should really teach that in school.

I was tempted to say “No thanks. I’m not buying another crap from AirAsia, not today”.

I kept quiet instead.


NOW EVERYONE CAN FLY KITE

How you doin'

For a long while this space has shown ‘Jealous and insecure’ without any hint of a refreshing change. What a statement to leave eh…

The past month has been filled with all sorts of interesting events, from bizarre work-related flight delay right through a beautiful wedding. Gosh, I really need to document them before I lose all the details and emotions worthy of posting. There’s one magical word which describes the way things went all this while. It conveniently explains everything and it says ‘Busy’.

But this post is not about an apology (neither is it necessary). I’m just giving myself (and those who still visit) advance notice of the things I should see here. Sometimes I do ask myself ‘I wonder what I’ve been up to these days’. Because lately things happen so fast that I could barely keep track. It’s almost Christmas and pretty soon it will be two thousand seven!

Meanwhile, the fun keeps on coming!

Come next weekend I will be in Kapit for another round of my best friend’s wedding reception. All in good times.

Jealous & Insecure

Is there anything worse than having a jealous and insecure partner? How about severe bitchy attitude? How about having limited friends and dictating how you should go about keeping yours. How about not making up for the things that she lacks; looks and charm? But instead going about being possessive and feeling threatened by every girl that comes near you. The world could end if she ever forgets to wear that long face every time she’s not happy about something. As if that’s not enough, she’s making all kinds of absurd accusations about you being disloyal, flirty and scandalous.

How does anyone keep being this way? Why is there so much distrust and senseless judgment? The negative psychological behavior is not only irritating others but eating the person as well. And don’t even get me started about the effect it has on the relationship. And how long can this kind of relationship last? Would it surprise you if I told you one still exist after more than three years of endurance? Yeah, more grueling than Le Mans and Paris-Dakar Rally I tell you.

Is there an end to this baffling journey? Can the relationship be saved? Is it worth the headache and mental disturbance? Is she worth all that?

I guess it depends on the other party’s priority, reasoning and whatever else that holds him back.

As a friend, I have to accept the decision he makes in charting his own life's path, even if the reason is beyond me. He has after all repeatedly acknowledged the problem and tries to address it from time to time.

He has not however asked my opinion and advice on the course of action.

Seriously, if it was up to me, the title of this post should really read ‘Dump’. A freaking long time ago I must add.

Damp no more

Is it raining outside? Do you sometimes end up with damp and smelly clothes from the indoor air dryer? Do you wish you have a cheaper way to get fresh and dry clothes without spending a fortune on a dryer or paying for the electricity cost of running one everyday?

Guys (and handy girls), here’s one rainy day project that’s perfect for, well, rainy days!

I just made one last week since my apartment’s drying section never gets any sunlight and it used to take days to dry my clothes during this rainy season. I've been wanting to make one for a while. I call it my 'active clothes aerator'.

The frame is best made of wood. It can be used wood lying around the house or a premium item from your favorite hardware store or wood mall. If you have welding tools and a metal fetish, by all means, erect a metal frame. It pays to build a sturdy frame, including braces if necessary. Wouldn’t want your clothes to tumble dry-NOT.

It would be wise to first buy a ventilation/exhaust fan from your favorite store or have the measurement ready before you build the frame. It’s nice to have it sit nicely on top so that replacement or an upgrade will be a breeze. The cheapest go for less than RM60. But size does matter; it has to suck (air) real good. If your clothes could talk, they’d say ‘suck me dry baby’.

Sorry, I’ve slipped off course again.

Anyway, don’t forget to fit the hanger rail and castors for portability. Your neighbor might want to borrow your portable dryer. Of course it doesn’t hurt to charge rental. And you don’t want to operate it in your room while you’re sleeping, unless pneumonia is okay by you.

Finally, cover every sides of the frame with plastic, leaving the bottom open for air intake. This includes the top section, where it’s not covered by the exhaust fan. Choose either transparent, print decorated or solid colored plastic for plain or artsy finish. I use a transparent plastic shower curtain. This way, I could see my clothes dance themselves dry. It’s entertaining but don’t throw away your TV or fish tank. They are there for a reason- to keep you sane.

That’s it!

Say what? Step by step guide? Measurements?

Well, you’ll just have to figure it out yourself. This is not a sponsored site. Plus I hate to insult your intelligence and creativity.

If you find the concept a tad difficult to follow, just picture the much adored Marylyn Monroe. That'll help your creativity juice flow, and may your clothes get the much needed blow.

Ooooozaah.....

Hello...

I received a text from Francis while going about my routine at work.

I was just about to make a business call then. Upon reading the message, I put down the office phone and started to digest the intention and draft a response

It read (and I hope you don’t mind me disclosing) “You must be having a LIFE as you hardly blog these days! Cheers.”

How delightful! I wrote back “Hello! Great to hear from you. Yeah, I sort of forgot about blogging. Not so much of a happening life, just relatively occupied and not much to blog about. But I’ll post one later today, attributed to your greeting. Cheers!”

It has been a long while since anyone seen an update here. Things keep on happening everyday but none found its way into this sphere. Maybe I’m just lazy. Or maybe they’re not profound enough. Blogging about life was fun and interesting and all but over the months (and years) they start to build a monotonous structure and the big picture that one gets is the routine I go through, no mater how interesting it got started.

After a while you start to think ‘Hey, didn’t the same thing happen last month? Only different time and place?’

Let’s talk about life. Wouldn’t this space be filled with days and days of activities. Stories that tell people the things I do, the places I go to and the people I meet? Yeah, I do stuff, go places and meet loads of wonderful people. I wonder if telling would classify me as a show off…

How would it feel like for someone to read all the nice things another goes through when he or she is not getting any? Boy, that would be depressing indeed.

And what about stories of dissatisfaction and complaints? All the bad luck one gets make it seem like the world hates the blogger. Did I hear someone yell ‘oh stop whining!’ ? True, everyone has problems.

And then there’s self censorship. With all the things happening today, it’s hard to ignore and not speak up - sensitive issues blazing the front pages of local and international media. Two words, ‘Bloggers Beware’. And let’s not even start about self preservation; the need to refrain from overexposure.

Finally, there’s the stale factor. Like I said, many things happened; the good, the bad and the f’ugly. They stirred like el-nino while they lasted but by the time you start typing, everything fizzes down. Nothing beats reporting ‘Live’, but it’s not practical unless you’re paid to do so.

Where is this rant going? Well, I guess it just serves to remind myself that what ever I put down here boils down to responsible behavior. That it’s totally my choice and everything comes with consequences. Always be prepared.

And one more thing, the blogosphere might be virtual but the community is real. Bloggers care when neighbors go missing. I got texts messages, instant messages and e-mail just to say “Hi, how you doin’? ”.

Ain’t life sweet…

Oktoberfest

September ended and I’m wide awake. The holiday season came with candies, cookies and cakes. It’s almost the end of October and I’m not quite sober. Because yesterday I had beer, beer and more beer!

Last week was Oktoberfest in 1 Utama, KL. It was the best! Locally speaking of course…

The real Oktoberfest may have ended on 3rd October in Munich, Germany but it is never too late in October, especially in Malaysia!

I kept typing and deleting words here. *Hick*

Have a look at them pictures instead, aight!

Now that's a sign that would turn any beer drinker into a happy redeemer.

This is the last day, Sunday. I was here on Saturday with a longer 'Q'

Only Warsteiner beers go cheap. The rest go by the bucket. Four in a bucket costs 50 bucks. Heh, payback time I guess.

After my third bottle, they ushered in the roast pig. No, my vision's not blurred yet, it's just my camera.

Guess where a part of that little piggy went... on a plate in front of me. Ruff! That'll do pig, that'll do.

Loads of bucket; the other brands.

The band from Germany, Inntaler Musikanten. That lady can sing!



We sang and we danced to Bavarian tunes. Jolly good times!

And we took part in the beer drinking competition. Those are my fellow competitors/drinkers from the crowd. The first one to finish a bottle with no hands, no spills, strictly mouth to bottle contact, wins.

Guess what, a lady won. Go figure! Look Ma! No hands!*

The Bavarian dancers. They're all local though.

The tricked-out-cars' ladies of the track.

Can-can dancers?

Fiesta!

Hawaian flavor.

And the fun kept on coming.

I had to leave around 10 to hang out with friends who came late. They couldn't make it on time so I made a few new friends to get by. Isolation is not good for me.

What a great way to end the month. I'm wishing upon a star to be at the real thing.

X-Dream

Last night gave me the weirdest but most delightful dream ever. Somehow I was sitting in a common area with two elders, it was approaching dusk. We were each sitting on an armchair, a round coffee table in the middle. The conversation was strangely about heating a glass of water with bare hands. The demonstration was done by the wiser elder. Both his palms were holding the side of the glass and I could see the water starting to bubble. Vapors were appearing and finally the water boiled. I was so impressed that I took the glass and tried my hands at it. I clasped the now warm glass tightly. Nothing happened at first. I began to intensify my concentration and regulate my breathing. I remember someone said that breathing helps in meditation.

Or was it child labor?

Anyway, I soon saw small bubbles appear but the action was disrupted by my breathing cycles. The water seemed to be heating and bubbling when I inhaled deeply and stopped when I exhale. But I was pretty ecstatic with the result. I could actually heat water with my bare hands!

Not long after that I found myself in a special talent workshop. More like special powers workshop. (You know how dreams are, we get removed seamlessly from one place to another with no apparent reason) There were many other teenagers, (yeah, it didn’t feel awkward, I felt like one of them) all excited to start the session. The group was divided into two.

My group was taught to turn on light bulbs with just a touch. After most of us managed to do that, we were taught to control metals. By just pointing toward the metal object, the instructor orchestrated the movements of the white square metal plates forming the ceiling and the walls of the room; they seemed to twist, turn and wriggle. I don’t know how we managed to do it but one by one, each of us successfully attained the skill. One kid even rearranged the ceiling, opening it up before replacing it with fancy decorations.

“Hey, this is almost like having Magneto’s powers” I exclaimed in delight as my left index finger did its magic.

The two groups were then combined and I heard the other instructor said “Ok guys, show them what you’ve learned”

To our amazement, one kid started to float after another. They performed the skills that we were taught. Light up bulbs and bend metals, all this while floating.
“Ah, these could be the advanced kids” I assumed, all green with envy.

Everything seemed real and possible, it didn't occur to me that this might be a dream.

The workshop session ended and we mingled. Not long after that, we were dismissed and I found myself in a small group walking in the fields. Some of us were floating delightfully, happy with what they have learned.

Suddenly I heard someone yelled “Duck! Quick, into the bush!”

We scrambled toward a thick bush of high grass and thick vines. I looked up and saw a green dinosaur. It looked like T-Rex but uglier, and scarier. We were pissing terrified and the inconsistent bush didn’t help. Some of us were occasionally exposed as we cautiously maneuvered our way through.

“Geez, I hope it doesn’t see us before we get to safety” I thought as I rustled my way through the thick grass and choking vines.

And then I woke up.

How come so weird?

It could be the “Goblet of Fire” DVD rerun session last week. The floating and light bulb touches could be the effect of watching Justin Timberlake's 'Rock Your Body' during my daliy dose of MTV before bed. Add to that the holiday season just around the corner and life feels like a summer blockbuster.

Happy Deepavali to Hindu friends.
Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to Muslim friends.
And to everyone, Happy Holidays.
Let's all be safe.

Happy hours

Exactly last week, I was at a bar with some friends. Nearby was this middle aged man drinking with his friend. Our friends talked and it was only a matter of time that we did. We introduced ourselves and got the small talk going on. I asked him what he does and he told me he was in the insurance business. He didn’t reciprocate immediately. But when he did, he added one startling question, right after asking ‘where do you work and what do you do?’ Guess what the question was…

‘Are you happy?’

What the …..am I happy?! What’s that suppose to mean?

“I’ve been there four years. I’m happy with the environment. I like how things are done. No permanent stress. Heavy work load is seasonal. It suits me just fine.” I explained.

“It’s all about excelling in life. Where do you see yourself five years from now? You must have a plan. Even the government has a five year plan” he said.

“First you set what you want to achieve in five years and the steps to get there. After that five years you evaluate where you stand and trace your steps, improvise and customize your strategies. Set your plan for the next five years” he added.

I just smiled and listened, that’s as polite as I get.

“You see, there's not as much time as you think. When people graduate, they’re in their twenties. As soon as they finish their studies, they look for a job. After a while, you know what they do? They look for another job, a better one. And it goes on like that until they're satisfied with their positions. When people reach my age, there's not much time left. People my age can’t afford to change jobs anymore. Options are limited. So it's very critical to step on it while you’re still young and full of energy” he passionately elaborated.

All that left me thinking ‘when did I seek career consultation? Who does he think he is?’

“I train people to earn half a million each year. On average. Even those not doing so well earn two hundred thousand a year! I’ve been in this business for quite a while. Let me give you my card. Give me a call if you’re interested.” He concluded.

I took his card, gave it a quick look under the dim lighting and put it in my pocket. He was quiet for a while. A glance to the TV made him change the subject. “Hey, how about Schumacher in Japan eh?” he said to another regular. They talked long and hard about the race in Japan. I added the little that I know.

“Eh, switch to 8TV. I think they’re replaying the A1 race. I want to see how Malaysia won the race.” He requested to one of the bartenders.

I waited for him to turn to me and close his recruitment deal but I was spared. I was ready with the backhand smash should he decide to press on. I guess the lack of interest to earn half a million gave it away. Not everyone has the same priority and purpose in life. Sure we all want to earn a fortune, but the end never justifies the means, and neither is it fixed.

I too learned my lesson. If someone asks ‘are you happy?’ after asking about my job, I’d say I most definitely am. I come to drink and have a good time damn’it! Not to be told that my job is less rewarding and I could do better. Much better. I’ll change when I want to. When I see fit. I don’t mean to be rude but it’s my life. Have a nice day *Insert Bon Jovi songs here*

And the nerve. It’s almost like asking ‘how’s your marriage? Are you happy? Can I butt in?’

Oh, and it’s a good thing that he only goes there on Monday nights. There rest of the nights he’s at home. Including weekends! How’s that for a life.

Lil' Miss Me Not

Yikes! It's Thursday, almost the end of the week. I could make myself belive that I don't have a blog if I keep this up. How time flies when work weighs a tonne, and you're not even having fun...

This space has been idle for so many days, even I felt reluctant to drop by. I actually squinted when this page loaded. Sorry guys.

"Hey! I read your blog" said a friend.

Yeah, it's been a while since I updated and I was tempted to say "Huh! You read my what?"

Hmmm... looks like I'm not really into it after all. Damn if I do, damn if I don't.

Catch'ya later, lil' miss me not. *Oh, I'm just talking to my blog.

Later good people.

Micro but huge

Got meself this little genie last week and been busy tinkering with the features. It’s relatively new in the Malaysian market for the micro system range but you can bet your bottom dollar it’s obsolete in a few months. You know how it is with technology these days. It’s either wait for the latest edition or upgrade constantly. And we all know the latter is impractical, unless you run your own gadget shop of course.

So when is the right time to buy? Whenever you need one damn’it. There’s no point waiting for the better issue. There will always be a new hot chick on the block, somewhere around the corner.

So for the past few days this ‘jalapeno’ waits for me at home, ready to please with its luscious list of features and highlights.

The first rare treat that catches the attention is the USB hosting. Yup! Plug in the thumb drive and play! Music, movies and pictures. But then again, almost all new systems today have this feature.

I already have a JVC DVD player so this main feature here is nothing new. It’s good. Dragon pick, good. Rocket start, good. Universal compatibility, including DivX Ultra, good. And most will acknowledge JVC’s ability to play almost all CDs and DVDs, bootleg, scratched or the real McCoy. Good.

There’s also a karaoke function. Haven’t tried this though.

It’s classified as a micro system but really, it looks more like a mini system. I guess that explains the big sound it generates. Sound Turbo II to be exact. Whatever the counterpart gives; bass, treble - double that. The reason? A built in amplifier. There’s also music and movies mode. Plus, there’s 3D-Phonic for that great personal cinema experience.

The only regret is it lacks the basic tone modes for specific music genres – Pop, Rock, Classic or Jazz. Not even a manual equalizer setting. I guess I’ll have to rely on the available features; experiment with multiple combinations to get the ideal tones. I’m using a huge collection of beautiful Jazz tunes and the ‘Simply Brazil’ and ‘Simply French’ sets from UnionSquare's Simply compilation range.

The speaker box comes in grey only. It matches with the main control unit but I honestly prefer a woody appearance. This one looks… well, a lot like plastic.

But hey, besides the huge sound features, it is also affordable- RM899. Again, I wouldn’t sing too long and loud about this because in a few months it devalues. Walking past this at a shop then would only cause heartbreak.

Right now, while it lasts, I’ll just enjoy this micro system in my micro bedroom. If only I have LCD TV. Let's pray for a price plunge shall we....

Now there's a tongue twister for ya.

Jack be quick

Last Friday I was at a lounge/club in Bangsar with a friend. She loves the place because the DJ plays good music. None of that house or trance stuff. Just music you could move to, some new, some old school and some remix. A little bit of Latin salsa added to taste. Throw in some classic rock tunes and I’d be there all night.

She introduced me to the DJ as he was roaming the space in between songs. After a short conversation he looked at me and asked “Do you want that with ice?”

“Huh? What’s that mean?” Puzzled, I grinned wide.

“Do you want it mixed, and with ice?” he asked again

“Seriously man, I don’t get it.” I told him.

“Don’t move!” he told me.

Ok, I could do that. I gave my friend the most puzzled look I could muster and she said “He said don’t move. He’ll be back.”

Yeah I know what he said. I just don’t know what he meant!

We talked a while. Then came DJ Joe with a glass of drink. He handed it to me and I was given the next puzzle.
“Oh snap! What’s he doing. Does he want to clink glasses and say cheers? Coz I haven’t ordered a drink yet. Or is he giving me a drink? He just met me. He can’t be buying me a drink already? I’d be dead embarrassed if it wasn’t for me. Dang, here goes nothing.” So I took the drink.

Sensing that there was nothing else to do but take a sip I lifted my glass and said cheers.

“Hey, this is good. Coke and whiskey! Excellent!” I noted.

With eyes round and wide he smiled and said “JD!”

Then it hit me. “Owh! Oh! ... Wow! With ICE! Yeah! Thank you!” It was a mix of delight and amusement. I forgot that I was wearing this!


Well I never! This is new. I didn't know wearing the right stuff could get you a free drink!

DJ Joe, what a character! Smooth sippin' indeed. I soon learned that he bought his own bottle; for work and friends.

Splendid! I've found another place where someone knows my name. And that someone is Joe! Jack I've known a long time.

Fast but not furious

Ramadhan, the fasting month for Muslims around the world is here again.
Selamat berpuasa. Make it count, make it blessed, people...



How does that affect me?

Well, for sure, food bazaars will be everywhere in the evening. There'll be all kinds of food, traditional and international style dishes for starters, main course and deserts. There'll be loads of 'kuih' varieties to choose from, those are knick knacks or local tapas.

Then there's the late supper. An assurance that food will be available up to 4 am! Piping hot! Very convenient during the weekends, especially after football matches.

The pantry will be smoke free for a good month. Nothing like the smell of cigarette smoking to announce one's non compliance. I'm loving the fresh air already.

And just this morning the boss announces that office will close at 5pm, an hour earlier, giving time for everyone to get home and prepare to break fast at sun down. Good news. Ah, that means it's 20 minutes before I get the heck outta here. That was fast!

I suspect the journey home would be a nightmare though. Well, here goes nothing. Diff... diff... (Japanese for 'drift')

*Selamat berbuka

The pace

Remember ...

...how you were so concerned about growing up that there’s just not enough time to enjoy childhood?

...how you can’t wait to get over with school and start work so you don’t have to worry about coursework and exams anymore?

... how you gaze at a bunch of kids and admire their care for absolutely nothing at all?

... how you wondered where this relationship is going and how long it would take to get there, wherever ‘there’ is?

Exactly!

When was the last time you pulled over and reflect on how fast you were going? Or were you not going fast enough?

Where are you going anyway?

You kissed?

On my way to work this morning, at a long traffic light stop, I felt a slight impeded jerk forward, my handbrake was on.

“Oh not again. Who’s it this time” I grumbled as I looked at the rear view mirror. The woman behind looked concerned. She pulled the hand brakes and just sat there. That just means one thing; she doesn’t care and I have to make her.

The light was still red and I glanced to my side for incoming motorbikes. Clear. I got out and walked to see the damage. She instantly opened the door and motioned half her body out.

I looked at my bumper and saw no scratches, bumps and bruises. Oh well, it’s nothing. I turned my head toward her as she gave an inquisitive shrug, as if asking ‘Is everything okay? Are we cool then?’

What a way to start the morning eh? Imagine that. Not even an instant apology. Not even a fake ‘oh, I’m so sorry…’ I was pretty agitated so I gave her a cold look and turned away. If my behind could talk, it’d say ‘yeah, whatever, retard’. I walked straight to my seat. Soon it was time to go.

Huh? What’s that? I’m mean? Hell yeah. Try minding your own business when suddenly someone gives you a rude nudge on your butt. Better yet, get it pinched. And no, they’re not sorry at all. You’ll see what I mean. Besides, we were in the middle of the road. I’m not used to stopping the traffic. And by her looks, she won’t either.

Huh? What’s that? I’m mean? Hell yeah. She can consider herself lucky she’s not my type (read: I'm not amused). Otherwise I’d ask for a chat by the roadside. And maybe her number too. You’ve read bumper stickers and car signs that say ‘You kiss, you pay’. Well, she didn't have to. End of story.

Don't be heisty

Sunday 12.30 pm. I was getting ready to fetch my sister in law at the airport when the phone rings.

Lady: Hello, is this Mr. Agustus?
Agus: Speaking.
Lady: Uh, this is your office neighbor, our office is below yours. You’re a staff of *edited* right?
Agus: Yes, that’s right.
Lady: Yeah, there’s been a break in at our block. All three levels were burglarized. The police are here investigating. You should call a representative to handle the situation at your place.
Agus: Oh, ok.

I hung up. My heart plunged in disbelief. I wished it was just a dream. The conversation sounded faint. It was a good minute before I called my boss and relayed the bad news. He lives nearby and was the most logical person to be expected at the scene. Imagine that… I told my boss to get his ass to the office asap!

He called back asking “Agus, where are you now?”

“I’m going to the airport to fetch my sister in law. I plan to get there after that, in three hours time” I told him.

“Oh, ok then. I guess I’ll get there now.” Said the boss.

My thoughts were focused on the incident throughout the journey. My mind was multi tasking while driving and having a conversation with my sister in law. She must be exhausted from the flight and she must have loads to say so I kept the bad news to myself.

When we got to the Swiss Inn at Petaling Street, I told her that we would be going to the mall for some weekend shopping, if she wasn’t so tired that is.

“The mall is near my office. I’m gonna have to drop by the office for a while to check on stuff. There was a break in last night and I need to know what’s missing. After that we go to One Utama Shopping Mall.” I told her.

Here’s the good news. I’m so glad I bring my lap top home everyday. Some asked me why I need to carry the laptop around when I meet them after work. And why I must bring it back home everyday. I don’t really do my work at home. I just have personal stuff in my laptop and it’s sort of an extension of my brain. Plus there’s a huge entertainment value in there that I must have access to all the time.

“Do you have to watch it everyday?” Bert once asked me.
“Not really, but yeah.” I replied.

And now I have another solid reason. This laptop is my own and there’s nothing I can do about it if it gets stolen at the workplace.

Two CPUs were also taken, one each from accounts and marketing department. Some 500 bucks were taken from the petty cash box. And worst of all, my boss’s new Dell Laptop. Yikes! That’d make any man cry.

The rest of the CPUs were already disconnected and ready to go. It seemed to be a grand heist kind of plan. In the end however, they were left hanging. The burglars were interrupted somehow. They left in a hurry but not without making a mess. Drawers, cabinets, boxes and briefcases were ransacked. They must be searching for small valuables and stacks of cash.

Oh well, at least I still have my lap top. Oh, and I’m so glad I didn’t forget my digital camera in the drawers.

“What else is valuable on my table.
Oh sheet! My coffee grinder. My hand cranked grinder was on the table!
And sheet! My DeLonghi electric burr grinder was in the pantry!
Arghhhh! I sure hope they missed those…
Now I really need to get there. Otherwise I won’t be sleeping tonight. Sure they’re not that expensive. But they’re not cheap either!”

When I got there a few hours later, boy was I glad to see my coffee grinder still on my desk. And its electric cousin was still in the pantry. *Joy* The damage is minimal to me.

This morning I was rushed to set up two spare CPU for my colleagues and one old laptop for my boss. Now that everything is in order, I blog.

Eye see

What is this image that I see
A lonely eye staring at me
Big, brown, it’s kinda scary
It’s very alert, and it’s not happy

It stares up, and it stares down
It gives a weird sense of frown
Coz this is lame and I better shut up
It’s just coffee mud running down my cup

Sad day

I received a text from a friend saying Crocodile Hunter was killed by a sting ray.

I thought 'Oh! Not another prank news about poor Stevie. Last time it was a crocodile. Now a sting ray?'

I instantly browsed the internet and found several sources which confirms this tragic news.

Here's one. And another. How I wish this is just another prank.

Not a good day today. My deepest condolence to his family and friends. I will miss his antics. Watching his documentaries will never be the same again.

Farewell mate.