M

Don't You Love Ketchup?

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 10:19:34 GMT

Once upon a time, there was a frog. And the frog lived in a bin. And the bin was metal and gray. The end.
 Anyway, it's the second day of work in this jolly new year and all ready I'm feeling the heat from the evilness that is my boss, who has shorn his hair so short, he looks even freakier than before. So the freaky evilness, being the freaky evil thing that he is, decided that I must have more than a few feature stories for him to plop into the upcoming issues of our motoring pulloout although he knew very well that I had been on leave for the last nearly two weeks. So I got into this terrible panic yesterday that my tummy hurt, my head hurt and I felt like banging my head onto the wall until it became my best friend.
 Instead, I calmly went back home, cooked myself a cheese ommelette and then read the entire series of Angel Sanctuary before going to bed. This morning I had gotten up late because I had forgotten to set my alarm the night before and although I'm still at a deadend where feature stories are concerned, I am, at least, getting somewhere and to avoid further panic attacks, I have delegated the task of reviewing yet another PDA phone from the same brand name to a colleague - who seems to be enjoying it. He's playing Solitaire on it with a pen in place of a stylus right now.
 Then the whole buyover shit. Our new owner will be dropping by the office tomorrow to give us some kind of pep talk I suppose and at first I thought I'd just dress how I normally would - the jeans with the hole in the thigh and some shirt from my university days because I'm going to visit two workshops tomorrow - but decided against that. I suppose I'll have to look a lot prettier tomorrow and wear makeup because oh, if the new boss saw what a slob he has for an employee, I think he'd rather have me sacked. I must look cute so he would be smitten and keep me in the new company - or that's what I hope would happen anyway.
 The other day, I tried to break up with Danny Tan. I'd read my favourite book, It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken - a funny book about dealing with the assholes who've left us and was certain I had gotten all my arguments down to pat. Somehow I had them all countered and now I'm still stuck with the same dude. Huh. Why don't he just tell me that he likes me a lot more than just plain 'like' because I can't say it's because I've been spending a lot of money on him (I haven't been) or that we have the best sex (because the opportunity rarely comes). Maybe he's just insecure and wants someone to hold his hand too. Or maybe he doesn't want to be dumped by the girl - again.
 Whatever. So I'm having dinner with the dude afterwards.
 Why do I want to breakup with Danny Tan. We argue too much it seems, and no small wonder when we've got as much things in common like... how a frog has as much in common with a gray metal bin. He speaks much too loudly, likes to berate me for a lot of things, isn't very supportive, is somewhat of a cheapskate (money, time, effort, affection), and I think having him around just hinders me from really going out there to find myself a proper boyfriend because I'm comfortable where I am even though it's all rather shitty actually. The things people settle for when they're desperate. Sigh.
 Anyway, the dude insists that since it's all a temporary thing anyway and the ultimate goal is to just have a companion till we've found someone better, I'm forced to hang around till somebody better comes my way. What the... and he claims that when the time comes for me to fly away, he'll be really happy for me. Oh-kay. So why can't you let me go now? Freak. So I don't hate him. So we have some nice times together. So it's not really necessary for me to go man-hunting when the love of my life could come to me on his own accord but why do I still have to stick around?
 And why am I still meeting him for dinner when I should be severing all ties with him? Like Goofy says, gawrsh, I must be pretty silly.
 So I'm quite cute, aren't I, when I wear my makeup and wear pretty dresses - screw the pimples, a person can still be cute with pimples as long as I don't have an extra foot protruding out of my forehead - but he's just... the horse. He's not all that funny and he has this serious look like he's mad or constipated or both and he's not in the least bit romantic or generous.
 Yoweeeeeeeeeeeeee........!!!!! And I need to go now because I am supposed to go to dinner with the horse.
 I'm just so messed up aren't I?

This is Lame

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 12:29:35 GMT

A friend once described me as intelligent, but having a lot of fury inside.
I should be somewhat intelligent seeing that I don't own a credit card (not that all credit card owners are dumb.. but there are those who swipe those plastic cards into bankruptcy and that is dumb) but having a lot of fury inside, that is very much true.
I find it hard to forgive and forget. And how could I especially be forgiving when everytime something that reminds me of the pain someone has caused me tosses me into a great state of depression?

Oh Happy Christmas!!

Tue, 25 Dec 2007 04:34:59 GMT

Or not.
     Apparently the days of when I used to receive presents on Christmasday have come to an end ever since last year. Sigh. I know I don't even celebrate it but I do so love getting pressies.. I had better be getting plenty of good ones on my birthday next year.
     Anyhow, a lot of things have been bothering me. Like the fact that I am no longer talking to a certain colleague at work due to certain issues which have not been spoken - which of course, involves money. Such a tricky thing. A lot of relationships go bad because of that, methinks.
     Well, so this colleague, let's call her Apple because I'm not feeling so creative today. As it so happens, this also involves another colleague who is sort of in the same situation as I am - only that she seems to be taking this whole thing a lot better than I am. Let's call the other colleague Cherry.
     So the situation is like this. Once upon a time, the three of us were firm 'friends' in the workplace. We went to lunch and dinner and stuff together. Problem is, Apple has this bad habit of always not having money. It's either that she had accidentally left her purse on her workstation before leaving for lunch or that she just doesn't have enough money in her purse. Usually either me or Cherry ends up forking the money for her because we're people who stay true to the belief that one should always carry spare cash in case of emergencies.
     Eventually, the money piles up and Apple ends up owing us quite a bit but for some reason, she always forgets to return the money. Or the case is again, she just didn't have enough money with her to settle what she owes us. It gets a bit bad here. She doesn't have her own car so she travels by taxis to her assignments and even then, there would be situations when she doesn't have enough money to pay the driver. So what happens? She ends up calling either one of us to run downstairs to help settle the bill - but that's if either of us was around in the office.
     That was some time ago. After trying to wave off some measly amounts, we being generous people, we got a bit fed up after a while. We stuck Post-Its on her monitor stating the amount she owed, we yelled at her from our places and of course, she got embarrassed. Later she asked Cherry if we were being nasty to her because of her money issues. Duh.
     Afterwards, she promptly returned all that she owed - which isn't to say much because after months, we'd have forgotten the actual amount she should have returned and there were quite a few times when we converted her 'loans' into 'treats' out of our own goodwill.
     Then Apple and Cherry had some lame fight over some trivial matter and we stopped talking to Apple for a while. New people joined the office, and they weren't too crazy about her, so there were times when she was just not invited to lunch outings. But after a bit, it felt strange and I hate pitying her and sorts, so slowly we all started becoming friends again (although I had nothing to do with the two's argument).
     And of course, like the saying goes, old habits die hard. Finally it has come to a time where I just couldn't stand losing money so I stopped having anything to do with Apple. It does sound really mean, to use an excuse such as money to halt a friendship but fact is, she earns as much as I do so she shouldn't have difficulties paying me back. Also I rationalise, if you're broke and can't afford a Starbucks coffee, just stay put and don't buy one or request that we go elsewhere that is within your budget.
     I can count the times I borrowed money from her - none. There were times when she settled the bill, but I always paid her my share promptly afterwards. Can I also count the times when she's been kind to even treat me to a donut? Yeah, zero again. Or how about the times when I was out on assignment and I called back just to ask if she'd like a takeaway because if given a choice, I know neither of us would want to eat the crappy food sold at the foodcourt near our office? Did she ever do the same for me? No.
     I'm not a petty person by nature but after being used like that for a fair bit, I feel exasperated. I think of her as a friend but I don't know if she ever did feel the same way about me. Danny Tan, when I first described her to him, was so shocked that I was treating what he described a 'leech' with friendliness. He told me that if she was someone I called a friend, then she is one friend I have no need for.
     So which brings to the point where there is a bit of a cold war going on between us, me and Cherry, and Apple. Funny thing is, she never did once come to us to ask why we'd been ignoring her. Maybe she feels it is us who have the problem. Now she has other friends to hang out with in the office, I guess she doesn't feel bothered in the least bit.
     For me, I'm tired of making excuses. I'm tired of trying to see people in a positive way, and end up being used when all I ask is that they respect me and think of me as a friend whom I can count on when I need them someday. I'm tired of losing money. And I'm tired of facing what you call the Chinese 'kiasu' mentality. Figures that Apple is Chinese, but I bet you all ready guessed that one didn't you?

Back to That Time

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 13:20:38 GMT

Folks, I'll be on a two-days-one-night trip to Damai Laut, Perak, with nine other media friends for the new Honda Stream test drive starting... tomorrow.
     Life hasn't been too exciting - just reading loads of comics, books, and playing Resident Evil 4. Danny Tan is exceedingly busy and that pisses me off sometimes. That and his aloofness and his reasoning and logic. Anyhow, being a good person, I tend to forgive him because I've developed feelings for that boy - which scares Danny Tan because he doesn't feel the same way but he refuses to budge because he's exceedingly selfish as well and so am I so we are sticking it till we get tired of each other or Prince Charming actually appears.
     Christmas is coming up and I still haven't figured out what to get Danny Tan. He insists that I don't have to buy him anything but being my usual generous self, and always wanting to please the men I love, I will be getting him something. A perfume or book or engine lubricant or what. I'll get him a gift even if it kills me.
     It's amazing. A year has passed. A lot of things have melded into the forgotten realm which is the past although some remnants still linger in the back of my head. Me and Danny Tan were watching Enchanted the other day at Cathay Cineleisure and well, I got a bit sappy. And well, today a schoolmate just got married and I was supposed to go... but this morning I decided that I'd better stay home than to have myself overwhelmed with the disgusting emotions that is sadness, depression and disappointment as well as bitterness because well, I've always taken it upon myself that I'd get hitched at 24 and you know, 24 will be here in less than two months. Actually, I've been contemplating this for many months ever since news broke that the guy was getting married. I've passed so many weddings.. and only attended one this year and see where that took me? To the crappy land of the depressed. Good thing I still have my pills left over from when I was a case study in depression.
     Fortunately, besides the usual office politics and all that rubbish, my work has still been maintaining well. I don't think I'm doing all that much for IT since we don't have much space for that in the paper but at least IT companies are offering test units to review and even those whose events I've never been to are sending invites and that's all very nice. The latest is that I was contacted by Animax because they were pleased to see someone who's as enthusiastic about writing about anime and manga and cosplay such as yours truly so hopefully, we'll have a great relationship in the works.
     So. I guess it's back to Resident Evil 4. And then a call to Danny Tan before I hit the sack.

Think Your Car's Hot? Think Again.

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 02:34:17 GMT

I’M sure you’ve come across cars made up so distastefully, you wondered if the car owners were a bit insane when they were hit by that burst of deco-inspiration.
     There was one time when I was driving along Jalan Bangsar when I saw a most disturbing sight. A Perodua Kenari was coming in the opposite direction, every inch of its panels featuring a Disney Princess: There was Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Princess Jasmine - all blown up to obscene proportions.
    The icing on top of the cake? The driver was a man. In his thirties. And he had a mustache.
     Not that I have anything against older men with bristles adorning their upper lips but well, the image felt so wrong from every angle!
   I made my deductions. Perhaps 1. The man was driving his girlfriend’s car, although I cannot imagine what sort of woman would brutalise her car in such a fashion; 2. The car was part of a campaign to promote Disney’s new line of Disney Princesses merchandise - but if there was such a campaign going on, there would have been more similar cars on the road; 3. The man has a not-so-secret fantasy of getting on with a Disney Princess.
     Another time, I saw an old jalopy that was wrapped around in yards and yards of fairy light. I forgot what sort of car it was, but if I remember correctly, it might have been a Nissan Sunny that was beige, rusted in places and looked on the verge of collapsing. It was dark out when I spotted it, blinking alternately in pink, blue and green like a well-lit Christmas tree as it hobbled past on the road.
   Other examples will be the over-hyped, over-modified Japanese cars - the kind that Bengsters covet like the older versions of the Mitsubishi Lancer or worse, cars that were made to look as if they were Mitsubishi Lancers. Big spoilers seem to be a prerequisite for these - they were certainly big enough to pass off as shoe racks.
     There are a few more on my list: A Perodua Kenari done up in a Finding Nemo theme, a Proton Satria painted the most eye-hurting shade of industrial pink with silver swirly letters spelling “I am princess” scrawled on either side of car and an Inokom Atos painted white with black markings like a cow’s - although I thought that this was rather cute, if you have a thing for cows.
     Despite whatever horrors out there I may have missed, I think the Disney Princess car takes the cake. If you happen to know whoever it is that owns this car, please. Give him a pat on the back and tell him kindly, “Dude, it’s time you got back to the real world.”
     Then together, we shall wait and hope that the light dawns on him and he will say goodbye to the Disney Princesses once and for all (but assure him that they’ll remain in his heart forever).
     He’d better not switch to Sesame Street next.

Who Says Girls Can't Drive?

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 02:32:21 GMT

SAY you’re hurtling down the highway at 160km/h. You’re feeling mighty fine in your oversized Gucci shades. The air-cond’s blasting in your face, perpetually freezing that little smile on your face from listening to the hilarious bickering of FlyFM’s radio deejays, Phat Phabes and Ben. The trees and the skies zoom past, a beautiful blur of green and blue outside your sparkly windows.
All of a sudden, the biggest tapir you’ve ever seen outside of the zoo appears from a shrub some distance ahead and proceeds to prance across the road.
Omigod, omigod! What do I do?, you scream inwardly, your foot hovering hesitantly over the brake and accelerator pedals because you’re undecided as to whether to slam the brakes or attempt whizzing past the creature, and all the while the tapir seems to be getting closer and closer and closer and WHAM! Your beautiful indigo Volkswagen Beetle (the exact one Barbie has) crumples, you crumple - and the tapir skippity-skips off to the other side with only a little scratch on his hind leg, which Mama Tapir will have to fix afterwards with a plaster.
Now, none of this would have happened if you had signed up for the Sepang International Drive and Race Academy’s (SIDRA)’s Lady4Ladies course on defensive driving.
So, what’s this SIDRA thing anyway?
Basically, it’s an academy established to educate and train drivers on proper driving techniques, skills, road safety, defensive driving, conscientious while offering enthusiasts a chance to display their talents in a controlled and safe, progressive, fun and professionally managed environment.
There are a variety of courses to suit your palate from the Basic course (which teaches you to avoid danger and deal with emergency situations under realistic road situations), to the Young Drivers course (which teaches young, immature drivers to be more mature on the road, thus decreasing the incidents of high-risk accidents), to the Drift course (which teaches you to do all those cool stunt moves at sharp turns).
It all sounds very exciting - and students get to whiz around the Sepang International Circuit, where the courses are conducted, in the academy’s fleet of Porsche Cayman S while being instructed by the likes of some very famous and capable people in motorsports, like Sven Herberger, an endurance specialist from Germany.
I couldn’t care less about sitting behind the steering wheel of the Porsche Cayman S - I much preferred the looks of the Toyota Celica, which seems to me more of a real racing car than the former, which has an appearance of a squashed alien frog but one fine day, the opportunity to participate in SIDRA’s Lady4Ladies course came up and there was no way I could have said ‘no’ because hey, I would be passing off the opportunity of a lifetime if I did and let’s face it, being the oft-stereotyped lousy woman driver, I probably needed all the help I could get.

Think fast. Act. It can save lives.

Ugh. That sounds pretty much like a corny accident prevention ad but the gist of the matter is that it is true. Very true. What goes into your head that is translated into your limbs, into the movements of the car in that split second is the one determining factor as to whether you crash, escape unscathed for a moment only to crash into something else, or to escape unscathed - for good.
The Lady4Ladies course is all about teaching women about handling road traffic in a smarter way and coping with risk situations that occur in daily road traffic. The course is divvied into 80 per cent paddock and 20 per cent track with contents of the course including a class room session, braking, circle, Moose test, slalom and track.
I was quite fascinated with the Moose test, more on the name than anything else. It is a test used in Sweden for decades to test how a certain vehicle, usually an automobile, acts when avoiding a sudden danger, such as a moose, which they have in abundance over there. The point of the test is for the driver to drive onto the track, quickly swerve into the oncoming lane to avoid the obstacle and then immediately swerving back to avoid oncoming traffic.
Although we were given instructions as to passing this bit of exercise, the brain has a tendency to freeze at the critical moment resulting in well, things not going as how they were supposed to go. Cones get knocked over, which is all right. But imagine them to be people, or moose, and it gives you the idea that gosh, I’d better get this right.
After we were done with the serious stuff, we started on the slalom and track, which I enjoyed immensely. It was fun, zig-zagging through the cones. We learnt about understeering and oversteering, and how they can be dangerous on curves, plus things called ideal lines which if I remember correctly is the most optimum path to take on curves without crashing.
It was an exhilarating experience, cruising round the track in the Porsche. It is a car a person can get used to, like getting reacquainted with a long-lost friend - it is that comfortable and driving at high speeds didn’t bother in the least, revealing the closet speed demon in me as I made dizzying sharp turns at 150km/h.
All too soon, the course came to an end and I had to say goodbye to the Porsche I had grown attached to but I went back equipped with more knowledge and experience than before I came. As I drove my Perodua Kancil along the long road home, I felt a difference in the way I drove. I was more confident and more sure of my actions. I was more attuned to my car and was conscious of the minute details that went on when I eased my foot on the accelerator, when the car went over a hump - the ongoing exchange of action and reaction between driver and car.
As the car became me and I became the car, I was certain that if there came a time when I had to think fast and act, I’ll be able to do so in a calm and collected manner because the car will never fail me because it understands me, I understand it and together, we will avoid obstacles. We will avoid the moose. The moose will be saved, and so will people.
And all because I took up a course in defensive driving.

Porsche Cayman S Specifications
- 6 cylinders, 3.4 l displacement, 295 bhp (217kW), 340 Nm
- Multi-stage resonance induction
- Integrated dry sump lubrication, 4-valve technology, VarioCam Plus
- Motronic ME 7.8 engine management system, electronic accelerator pedal
- 5-speed Tiptronic transmission, rear-wheel drive
Additional equipment according to SIDRA guideline:
- Two-way radio
- Roll cage
- H&R suspension
- Recaro bucket seats
- Schroth 6-point safety belts

All Hail Jeremy Clarkson

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 08:07:32 GMT

A lot of people tend to regard UK motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson as a first-rate nonsense-spouting lout.
   Well, I'd agree that some of the things the man does is just so bizarre (must be an English thing - being stuck in never-ending bad weather with only hot water bottles for company must drive them to insanity), like the time when he refurbished a perfectly good car with, of all things, a fireplace. But above all, I think Clarkson is a comedic genius.
     He's a refreshing change from the typical car reviewer that blabbers on about things the average person knows nothing about. Who cares about torque or... torque. See? I write for Mail Motor and even I know no other terms besides torque! Normal people like me, we just want to know the important stuff: Like if the car comes with cup holders or not because
normal people, they drink Coke in their cars when they do the whole Sunday Driving thing.
     Anyway, I am pretty much in awe of how Clarkson manages to put down every single car ever manufactured, up to the point that even something as spectacular as the Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe, sounds like it was something that was made to cart off farm animals in style - and gets away with it. The car companies aren't jumping in to sue him for all the
namecalling he has done and he still has his job, amazingly.
     Right now, I'm reading Clarkson's take on the Alfa Romeo 147 GTA and the review starts off with him as a soft-toy selling salesman in a previous lifetime, some words of philosophy from some game show guy, and something about a car salesman and big genitals... I wonder where Clarkson is going with all these, but I don't really mind, because as ridiculous as the whole thing is, it's all quite hilarious.
     Finally, Clarkson stops beating round the bush and I reach the part where he actually writes about the car. Predictably, it gets a horrible bashing from Mr Sarcasm.
     You know what? Maybe the 'other people' were right all along.

Back to Neopets

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 11:53:51 GMT

Just to get a better idea of how the stock market works, I'm playing the stock market - on Neopets.
     And if you thought that was lame, what's lamer is that I'm actually losing money. Well, it's my fault I suppose because I haven't been keeping track of the market for the past two weeks. Three weeks ago, I managed to get triple the returns on my investment.
     Anyway, the point of the story is not about playing some kiddie stock market on a virtual pet website.
     It's been a hectic week thus far. Assignments here and there, running into some rude awakenings at the office, losing my voice to the dastardly sore throat and blam, pimple eruption due to some mishaps with a certain kind of medication.
     Just to keep you on track on the schedule for the upcoming days, I'll be heading off to Kuantan Friday to witness the Felda-AAM Malaysian Rally Championships which will be happening this weekend. It's going to be hot, wet, dusty and not all that fun because I've got a lot of interviews to catch up on since all the rallying blokes (who've been putting down my invites to interviews due to 'preparation purposes') will be there - which is also a good thing because that'd mean that I'd have less work to do for the upcoming issues if I get my stories done in advance.
     Isn't it sad that the only bit of excitement I get nowadays only revolves around the activities which my work gets me into? This is a sure indicator that I need to put the priority back into my social life. Press launches, media lunches... the little gifts I get are from assignments, not from potential suitors... the exciting people I meet are all work contacts, not hot date-able guys.
     Of course there's Danny Tan... but we've totally skipped the whole romance and courtship deal and moved straight on to the 'Love - 50 Years into the Future' bit where we're mighty comfortable with each other and perfectly happy with just simple companionship. Ugh, I hate that. Sure, we do the whole holding hands, cuddling and kissing bit but there is simply no love, no excitement. Lust? Like the genie in the bottle, only when rubbed the right way.
     Ha ha.
     And we're planning a short weekend getaway to Melaka one of these days. Look at old buildings and sorts. Shop at Tesco. Joy.
     By the way, did I mention the stock market on Neopets?

First Impressions: The Fiat Bravo

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 11:14:29 GMT

If price weren't a factor, I'd dare say that the Suzuki Swift has a fierce competitor hot on its wheels.
     The Bravo looks sleek in its red wine 'dress', and it looks the sort of car that'd look spot on for a glitzy night in town. I'm pretty much delighted that Fiat has come up with a car that has the image of a woman - and I think it'd be perfect for the lady who appreciates great style, great design and has a whole lotta money.
     Like the Swift, Fiat is targeting both sides of the gender spectrum to join their customer database, but unlike Swift, the Bravo will also look good with a male driver in it because the car also showcases hints of aggressiveness. From its big alloy wheels to the spanking interior, done up in a combination of black and red wine, to the simple black, but not boring, dashboard backlit with red LEDs, the Bravo relays the message that it's hot, it's gorgeous - and it bites.
     Whereas with the Swift, yeah, it's a fun sort of car and it looks more like a cherubic raccoon with its slanty-diamond 'eyes' - and I'm not trying to compare their looks - sophisticated car versus cute car - it depends on what sort of image you wish to present to the world actually but getting back on the male driver bit, don't you agree with me that a male driving a Swift looks somewhat ridiculous?
     OK, not all the time - some guys are able to pull it off when they're behind the steering wheel of a Swift but if you add in a female passenger, the most obvious thought to pop into my mind is that, ooh, he's driving his girlfriend's car. And this is not something that occurs only to me because a lot of people (girls, mostly) feel that way too.

*This is a draft.

Dooby-dooby-doo~

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 14:35:42 GMT

My lower right rib aches with every cough.
   Pimples are emerging like mushroom after the rain on the field of my facial skin.
     I am reading JoJo's Bizarre Adventures.
     I am extremely bored. I don't know what Danny Tan is doing - is he coming home Saturday or Sunday? I forgot.
     I feel like something yummy and strawberry.

What's Up?

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:05:57 GMT

All this business with rain isn't helping with this cough I'm having for the past two weeks.
I went to see the doc and got myself on a course of antibiotics but the cough never really went away although slowly, slowly it was dying. Two days ago, it reignited with a slightly sore throat and thus, bringing me back to the doc's door again.
     Because of the whole holiday mood (I had the whole week off last week) and the gloomy atmosphere outside and this whole cough thing (which has expanded into other things like an achy back and a cramped neck), I've been a bit unproductive with my work. Oh, I do some work, surely because there's things that needs to get done before my boss goes off for his trip to Vietnam the second week of next month but it's all very slow and steady.
     But that's all right, I guess. I've managed to finish some things I've been hanging on to for some weeks because I've had a burst of inspirations - only small bursts though, because my limit is one feature story a day and the rest, all short factual stuff, processing boring Press Releases and all.
     Anyhow, the second week of next month, I'll be having a one-day picnic at the Sepang International Circuit test-driving the Honda Civic Type R, then a three-day trip to Langkawi for a getaway with MIMOS. There'll be a few IT presentations to bear with (and help, I need to brush up on my IT knowledge!) but there are other things: Like the spa, treasure hunt, themed dinner, karaoke competition and shopping. At least you can count on IT events not being an entirely boring affair when the media's around.
     Anyway, some assignment to go to - and free dinner, whoopee. I'm starting to get a bit too pampered, methinks.

New Update

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 06:03:20 GMT

Hari Raya came and went without much of a bang. It was more like a snap, crackle, pop, fizzle... pshhhhh.
Anyway, my friends have been telling me that I look a lot happier lately and yes, I guess that is true because I have someone who makes me feel a bit more loved in the harsh, lonely world. And that person is Danny Tan.
     We hooked up about two weeks ago and things have been going good. We've gone out a couple of times, talked a bunch of things, did a bunch of things and although I don't feel things for him - you know, the heart pounding, blushing, sweating it out stuff? - I really feel a more happier person. We're taking things the slow and steady way but you know, I am not putting much, no, any hopes into this, he being a Chinese guy and all.
     It's good enough that I have a companion whom I can rely on a bit more than I would a friend. And it's always nice to have someone to run to for a hug when the going gets tough. It's that kind of relationship.
     Anyway, I've the whole week off and most of what I've been doing at home is reading comics and playing Silent Hill 2.
     I think of Fu Ken sometimes and it saddens me that as wonderful and as indulgent a person Danny is, he can never be like that special boy who always knew the right things to say at the most unexpected times.

Stuff for Sale

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 04:03:16 GMT

No point in cluttering up my room - so here's the stuff I'm getting rid of:

Fragrances:
1. Davidoff Echo Woman Summer Fizz 100ml EDT - RM90
2. YSL In Love Again Travel Selection set of 4x10ml EDT - RM60
3. Thierry Mugler Angel Garden of Stars set of 3x5ml EDT (comes in a display case) - RM55

Manga:
4. Kurogane Vol. 1 - 5 manga (published by Del Ray) - RM50
5. Avril Lavigne's Make 5 Wishes Vol. 1 -2 manga (published by Del Ray) - RM20

Gadgets:
6. Creative Zen Stone 1GB mp3 player (hot pink version) - RM100
* This is absolutely brand new. It was a doorgift from a Toyota Vios event I attended yesterday. I haven't even opened the box yet.

Drop me an e-mail at appleberry@keromail.com if you're interested.

Cosplay Comeback

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 02:32:48 GMT

After many months of being a most passive participant of the local cosplay scene, yesterday I took that first step by buying myself yards and yards of cloth at Kamdar.
     I had been planning to make my comeback for some time, at this year's Comic Fiesta - an event I had always stayed away from in previous years due to reasons even unknown to me - and what better way to do it now that I have a stash of money in the bank thanks to all the overtime payments accumulated on the job?
     I've been obsessing about going as a male character or a female villain since the past two years, and by golly, I think we have a winner - hint: All bling. Besides that piece of info, it's all a secret. It's going to be a character nobody here has cosplayed before - everyone's into cosplaying characters from the latest anime nowadays but it's a classic anime, and I think people will be able to recognise my character most definitely.
     What about Chun Li and Rei Ayanami? I'd still like to do them but only if I can find a pair of wrestler's boots and white PVC cloth. I'm also considering redoing my Sailor Mars costume because the old one looks a bit strange on me - I'd gained a bit of weight obviously. And of course, the slinky Card Girl cosplay will be back by popular demand.
     So anyway, this time I'll be there at Comic Fiesta - and that's a promise.
     In the meantime, you can read up a cosplay article published by The Star R.Age recently. It's about cosplay - and there's a bit of an interview with yours truly. It's a nice feeling being the one to be interviewed for a change.
     Go here: http://rage.com.my/writeups/story.asp?file=/2007/9/24/mustread/20070924161325&sec=mustread

Burning in Sub-Zero Temperature

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 08:54:30 GMT

By golly, I think I'm coming down with a fever, which is a rare occurence for me although I do get catch colds on occasion throughout the year.
     Well, the workload has been pretty light this fasting month - an indicator that fasting month is the time when everybody receives the green light to slack off, I guess? I haven't been slacking off. Not that much anyway, but I tend to hold on to the work I find boring and uninspiring for much longer than others.
     I think I quite fancy taking a short nap on the carpeted floor. It's a bit gross but what the hey, at least it's more comfortable than putting my head on the table in an uncomfortable angle.
     I'm also waiting for some guy to confirm plans with me for dinner. What guy? Just a guy friend I'd like to get to know more of - as a friend. I think I'm seriously jinxed when it comes to love, so I figure the best way to go about things is not to care about a guy anymore. Just smile, hold in all the odd quirks and the darnedest things that seems to pop out of my mouth, and free dinner just like that.
     It's hollow to think of meeting new guys only as invitations to free dinners but it's better than having my heart disappointed yet again.

I'm Not Jealous, OK

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 14:07:43 GMT

Two months into my career as a female motoring journalist, I can say that every day has been an eye-opening experience. I’ve still a lot to catch up on compared to some of the more ‘veteran’ journalists and I’ve yet to learn how to do a ‘drift’ but small matter, I’ll probably get the hang of things in due time.
     Anyhow, there’s one thing that’s been bugging me all this while and that is the presence of those skimpily dressed exhibition girls car companies just love to have at their functions.
     Their reason for just being never fails to mystify me. Are the cars not appealing enough to sell based on their looks alone? I think the new Mitsubishi Lancer looks absolutely spanking - in the ads, in the showroom, on the road - with nary a busty, leggy girl in sight within a two-metre radius.
     Take for example a two-day test drive I attended to earlier this month. Those beastly things weren’t around when we flagged off for the journey but surprise, surprise, I saw two of them evil twin sisters once we reached the destination.
     OK, fine. Perhaps some of us would not have been able to located the conference room for the media brief until we caught sight of the two posing prettily outside the room’s double doors. So I grudgingly accept that they may have some use after all.
     But they stuck around for dinner. Fine, I surmise. Stick insects need to eat, too.
     Then we sort of had the whole boring night to ourselves so a bunch of us just hung out at the hotel’s bistro. The girls were there too and it was all ready close to midnight.
     At that point, I was like, “Dudes. Don’t you people have homes to return to?”
     The next day, I was more than a little annoyed when I found out that they trailed along to our off-road driving session. At one point, we stopped at a mangrove area for a photo op. Only a few clueless souls took photos of the girls posing against the cars.
     I just thought the whole thing was just plain idiotic. Seriously, you must be an idiot if you thought that having girls dressed in skin-tight dresses and heels posing against a car against a MANGROVE backdrop would look cool. It’s wrong, OK. Girls with scary eye-makeup shouldn’t even be posing for photos in a ruggedly beautiful nature environment.
     Being a woman with intelligence and dignity, I find the presence of these creatures an insulting slap in the face each time I encounter them during media-related functions.
     I mean, why do we need these hussies to pose with a bunch of inanimate objects - cars, printers, washing machines, etc. Do they really up the coolness factor of the products a so-and-so company wants to sell?
     We talk of putting a halt to female exploitation and the use of sex objects, oops, appeal, to sell products to the average consumer. How is that going to stop if we keep on featuring Little Miss Oops My Panties Are Showing Because My Mini-mini Skirt is Too Mini at our product launches, media gatherings, media briefings, whatever?
   Some sexist rats tell me that they exist to give the male media dudes a little ‘extra’ viewing pleasure. Viewing pleasure, my foot. What about dishing out some male eye-candy for female journalists like me then?

Giving Up

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 07:41:58 GMT

It's amazing that something which I thought so trivial could be a heart-wrenching blow to the soul.
I feel battered and lifeless.
I thought I could handle it but I guess I made a misjudgement back there.

This is Why I Hate Having Crushes

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 09:52:15 GMT

How do I know if a guy is interested?
1. He asks for my phone number.
2. He takes me out to dinner and a movie.
3. He buys me little gifts.
4. He makes plans to take me on a holiday with him.
5. He asks what it would take to be my boyfriend.

     Usually it's easy to figure out guys, when they're the ones having crushes on me but when it's the other way round, I can't make head or tail of whether I am getting a correct response or not.
     So, there's this guy, let's call him A. I only got to know him recently and we sort of hit it off really well as friends. Initially I had some suspicions that he may be interested in me as well but now, I'm not so sure. I kind of let out that I was interested in him and we sort of agreed to take things slow and all that... but really, I'm tired of being uncertain and I'm tired of being paranoid that he's only doing things just to 'give me a chance'.
     But he calls me everyday. And sometimes he asks me out to join him and his friends to dinner. We e-mail or text each other once in a while.
     I've been holding everything in just because people are telling me I'm taking things too fast and that it's wrong for a girl to act in such situations. I'd rather get it over with and be disappointed before my hopes get up so I could concentrate on my work, really.
     It's just been two weeks.
     Two weeks is too long, now that I think about it.

The Dark Side of Motoring Journalism

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 06:12:02 GMT

Or, it's a secret until you hear me tell you about it in person.
I just returned the TD2000 and felt quite sad afterwards. It was a great car, you know? Then I had an interview with several members of the Petronas Adventure Motorsports team and while some of them were really lousy interviewees, this girl told me all the exciting bits of their expedition to India with such vibrancy and honesty that I felt quite certain that come next year, if they gave me an invite, it will be something I will not say 'no' to.
Peeing in the bushes lined alongside a ravine and chewing on stinky yak meat. How novel is that?

The Staircase Case

Sun, 23 Sep 2007 15:19:29 GMT

You will never believe what happened today - me, Fatie and Melidude got stuck in KLCC's parking staircase - and we almost got stuck in there forever.
     It went like this. We had gotten off on the wrong parking level from the lift in Isetan. So, Melidude had this bright idea of taking the staircase because it was much faster to get down another level by foot instead of waiting for the lift. So yeah, that's what we did - only to discover that the door leading to the carpark was locked.
   All right, no problem. We went back to the same floor where we started and discovered that that was locked too - and so was the door one level above. Uh-oh. Some maze-like tunnels and more flights of stairs later, it finally dawned on us that the doors can only be opened from the outside but not from the inside.
     We didn't panic just yet though. There were emergency phones hanging on the walls right beside the doors so we smashed the lid of one of them with a high-heeled shoe and managed to put our SOS through to the security department.
     Just when we were about to pass out from the heat and lack of air, the door below us opened. We yelled at whoever it was to hold the door - there was a foreign couple dragging along a suitcase who apparently shared the same thought as Melidude had come up with twenty minutes earlier. We let them know the hazards of taking the staircase and together we trudged back into the carpark, free at last from the strange nightmare of getting trapped in a staircase.
     So that's it. The Staircase Case, as Melidude called it.

Ｔｒｏｌｌｉｎｇ　Ａｒｏｕｎｄ　Ｌｉｆｅ

Sat, 22 Sep 2007 03:49:23 GMT

Well, life's quite interesting now that I have a few things to test out - I'm currently reviewing a Sony Ericsson W580i handphone, test driving a TD2000 Silver Mk II - which is in all entirety, a modern car with a retro classic look - and I just bought myself a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H9 digital camera yesterday - which I got a reasonable discount for and some freebies AND is totally the camera any aspiring photo-journalist should have.
     Later on I'll be heading off to Cyberjaya to meet up with Paul so we could troll round Putrajaya to take good photos of the car. I'm sure he'd love it - I certainly loved experiencing it and so did some of my colleagues. Forget the BMW X3 or the new Mitsubishi Lancer - although they're both gorgeous cars (to me, that is), there's just one too many of those things on the road so well, people are gonna admire them sure, and then forget about them but the TD2000 is one ride people will remember and relay to their friends and families once they reach home.
     I was driving last night at 120km/h with the top down and my hair was literally flying everywhere. Kids pressed their faces against the windows of their fathers' Mercedes Benz and had a look of awe. The sight of the car carved smiles of wonder on people's faces. Motorcyclists took their last backwards glance before zipping away in a cloud of smoke.
     I think people were more astonished by the fact that it was a girl in the driver's seat of this seemingly 'ancient' car instead of the old grandpa figure one would have expected.
     Anyway, I'll put some pictures up once I'm free. Life as a journalist can be quite hectic sometimes which explains the somewhat unfinished look of the blog. Nevertheless, I'll try my best to update it on a regular basis.
     I'll also be putting up some of my writeups from time to time on dry days when I have nothing to tell.

A Year Ago Today

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 07:08:25 GMT

It's hard to believe that so much has happened in the span of a year.
     Remember me back then? I was more dowdily dressed with my messy hair tied up in low ponytail, the bangs clipped to the sides in a style Paul used to say was my Olive Oyl look. I was the quiet girl in the office, and as reserved as the Virgin Mary - but that's a bit pushing it - although I believe I was a whole lot more conservative yesterday than I am today. I walked with a slouch and had my face devoid of expression, not daring to be more open, not daring to shine with my inner unique-ness.
     Now at 23, I've taken a more laid-back approach to life. My hair's a flowing mass of curls. I paint my toenails a deep shade of peacock blue glittered with silver specks and wear Dior Addict lipstick in Shiniest Fairy. I still have my slob days but sometimes when I'm in the mood, I take some pains to dress up and slather on some makeup - I totally adore black mascara and coloured eyeliner by the way - and bask in the attention of my one-day transformation. (Although when the mood is right, I extend my 'prettiness' to an extra day or two.) I'm more assertive now and have been multi-dating like I need to get married fast - which is probably the case.
     This day last year, I was doing the boring sub-editor work at an encyclopedia publishing company. I had gotten an offer to work at my current company then, and was anxiously counting the days until I could leap into a whole new world of reporting. I was in a happy relationship. Things were looking good.
     Then came the big fall.
     That aside, things have been going great. Greater, even.
     From writing the news, I now write of the things that I love and find greater passion in my work than I ever did before. I enjoy writing manga reviews and writing for the hobbies page. I love trying my hand at the latest gadgets to hit the market and my background in IT enables me to tackle tech-related issues with ease. And surprisingly, I find that I'm having a blast as a motoring journalist although I admit, I never had any interest in the field earlier and still have a lot to learn. Every day, I find more reason to love doing what I do. The subject, the people, the experience and who can say no to the perks, right?
     And then there's been this and that.
     A different path to choose in my career map or a potential love interest, who knows?
    All I care now is to kick back and live my life at 23 to the fullest whilst I still have a few months to go before I turn 24.
    Do I regret the choices I made? Hell, no! And I intend to keep on making the right choices and finding my own happiness the way I like.

M