Pick me up

Life , some say is a never ending journey , but in my 'young' years on this speck in the universe we call home, I've found that life should best be described as a never ending lesson. One wrought with challenging tasks, lots of homework and chores, unexpected surprises and the occasional reward for good behaviour. 

They say you don't learn how to walk without stumbling, you never really learn how to ride a bike till you've scraped a knee or two (multiple times if your knees have a predilection for gravity) and in a way, you can't really live life to the fullest without realizing that you're dying a little every day (makes time all the more precious). 

The past days have been emotional rollercoaster rides, akin to those little 'classroom challenges' that a creative teacher occasionally conjures to spice things up in an otherwise dreary routine. In the course of this exercise of faith , tenacity and sheer will, I admit to have been felled. God, do grant me the strength to pick myself up again, brush off the bruises and let these fading scars remain my medals for 'things-that-made-me-stronger-at-the-expense-of-sanity'.. Amen 

Pet Peeves

BIG RANT ALERT !


I'm not exactly the most patient person you'll find. I actually get irritated at the slightest things when I'm in one of my 'moods' and that's not something I'm proud of. Perhaps I should learn how to keep my annoyance and temper in check, but at times I just can't seem to get a hold on the eye rolling (it's a knee jerk reaction! ) . I've a few pet peeves, and I'm just going to talk about one today :

People who don't read ! 

I'm not saying this just because I'm a bookworm, and snuggling down with a good book's my idea of heaven. I'm saying this because I just can't stand the attitude of some people who think reading isn't 'cool' enough or they think picking up a book is God forbid, b-o-r-i-n-g ..... and worst of all, when they get dragged into a bookstore, they start to degenerate in age, and show pouty tantrums worse than that of a 3 year old. (believe you me, I've seen grown people lolling around crossed eyed in near boredom induced delirium in bookstores, yawning, making way too much noise, making a spectacle of themselves..)

I just don't understand the complacency that some people have, the acceptance to just go with the flow and not bother to lift a finger or open an eyelid and improve themselves. And worst yet, I can't stand all the name-calling that the 'cooler' kids in school inflict on their oft nerdier bookish counterparts. 

Reading doesn't necessarily mean books, it could be the papers, magazines, even comic books ! There is no reading material that is lesser than another, because if someone actually sat there and penned down his or her thoughts, then I say they're worth a read. I think this boils down to mentality and upbringing. Parents should really take the time to sit down and read to their kids instead of relegating the job to the TV or game consoles ( Don't even get me started on this stupid pen-like technology that reads out to kids when you hover it over words ... ). 

It saddens me that people in foreign countries are always, always having some reading material or other within their reach, and we just sit by complacently in our happy pool of ignorance and care naught for what's happening around us. And then we sit, and we lament our fates (oh, the cheek !) when things go awry. Education, especially self education is perhaps one of the most important factors that we need to hold dear to if we want to succeed in this dog eat dog world. Reading about successful people who have made their mark in this way will illuminate the fact that these are all voracious readers. It's due time the lot of us learn a lesson or two from them. 

I'm not trying to lord it over other people, or be hoity-toity. I just wish for once, that more people would come to understand and experience the wonder of reading and all the joys that it could bring. Anyway, Mother's Day came and went by, and unlike last year, i missed writing a post about it. I did however, bake a cake for mama. 

For those of you who've given me the honour of reading till this last sentence, thank you for bearing with my rants, and be rest assured there will be more coming up if things continue.

Gadget lust

My knees are weak, 
My heart dances a rapid tap dance of desire, 
I breathe, but my breath catches,
Pulses flutter,
Nerves collide,
Oh, is this what lust love feels like? 

I really really want an iPad !! Apple released it's long awaited Apple 'tablet' in January this year, and I've been lusting after it since I first laid eyes on the device. Now, I know a lot of people have been saying pretty mean things about the iPad, eg : an iPhone for old people (ageism I tell ya! =p) but I want an iPad just for its iBooks feature. Imagine bright, vivid pages that seem to sparkle alive on the iPad, and then there's the whole cool real time flipping motions that you can get through the iPad. Tap on the right and you turn a page, tap on the left and you go back to the previous page, or hold a finger on a corner and you really get to flip the page 'manually'. 

If you haven't gotten a clear look of this app yet, click on the video below and let Steve Jobs walk you down the lane of seduction.

Now, if that isn't sexy, I don't know what is ! 

Stumped

Question :

 How does one write an average of 2750 words per day, keep up to date with the news, both local and international, run a valiant race with technology, settle travelling and immigration details (urgh!), squeeze in quality time with the family and canine furry siblings, live life a little and find some time in all that chaos for some peaceful reading whilst resisting the urge to keep one's eyelids open with a toothpick, yet stay sane once all the dust settles ? *note #12354 to self : quit whining*

Bleh .. as an aside, I've been just obsessed with Simon and Garfunkel these days. So many of these bring back feelings of nostalgia, so very reminiscent of my childhood ...

From The Graduate :



I used to sing Scarborough Fair ALL the time back when I was hardly two digits old .. nevermind the fact that I had no idea what I singing about back then ..

digressing, this version's just heart-stopping, tear jerkingly beautiful .......the man has got a voice !! hah, Justin Bieber, take that !! *ducks rotten tomatoes*

Okay, so maybe I have found the cure for this self-induced insanity ..... great company, sumptuous food, stellar ear food ..... yums.

Goodnight people ! ( oh hey, it should be morning ...hello panda eyes )

Hiya

First off, I've been rubbish at updating my blog(s) lately, so sorry for that, I seem to have been consumed by the evil time monster yet again .. I haven't been dropping comments much in other blogs either, but I've been reading all of yours :) just that waiting 5 minutes for each page to load thanks to the fantasticness that is Streamyx becomes a little of a turn off after a while ... :(

So, just a quick post to share a few ads that really tickled me, and kept me up for the better part of a night that was supposed to be dedicated to some quiet reading .. kids are just so hard to resist , regardless of levels of sweetness, obnoxiousness and ingenuity.

Hehe, this is a scream !

Simply because this reminds me of my bro, when he was that age (and well, some things don't change :p ) hahaha.

I like this one best.

If we had commercials like this here, I wouldn't mind them so much. Although, commercials are the best times to get a snack, stretch, or in my case, a few pages read ... hmm... which one was your favorite ? 

Have a good weekend y'all. And Happy World Book Day !!

Wordy Candy

Ah, the intoxicating smell of leather bound tomes

laced with the tingling scent of mothballs,  

pages so fragile they flutter by like the wings of a butterfly,

a wealth of fantasy, 

knowledge and 

heartfelt emotions

from cover to cover,

a voyage that starts with a single word, 

ending with a dot encapsulating

secrets that never perish. 

A few of you may already know this, but I've started a book blog, in order to separate all wordy degustations from my self-indulgent personal jottings. I've kept it all a little hush hush until now, but I think it's time the curtains were drawn. Guys, I'd like you to meet Wordy Candy. 

If you have time to spare, or you're a bookworm (full-fledged, closet and baby worms included) , hop onto this journey of imagination and print with me. I would love to invite you to join me, as I venture into foreign lands, scrutinize philosophies, gush and go slack-jawed with awe at the eloquency of so many great authors out there and share thoughts where it concerns books and all thing wordy. 

Mischief and a Weak Will

They say a picture paints a thousand words...so here's two :

I know I look a little maniacal with my loot, but without further ado ..I'm cuddling : 

The Hour I First Believed - Wally Lamb

Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel ( It was calling my name !! ... I.just.couldn't.say.no)

The Enchantress of Florence - Salman Rushdie 

I am a book thong. In the crack of a book is where I belong ... 

Whilst at the counter waiting for the cashier to ring up my sinful indulgences purchases, I caught sight of this sign, above a rack full of wispy, delicate looking ribbons adorned with beads on each end. Highly tempted to bring one home with me, imagine my glee when the very nice cashier said that upon signing up for a new membership, I'm thus entitled to a book thong ... wishes do come true !! (or maybe she saw me casting pitiful, longing puppy eyed looks at the rack and took pity ...... = p ) 

Book Lust (again!)

I'm currently on a mission to read as many Man Booker prize winners as I can possibly get my hands on. Last year's winner, Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall has been taunting me for ages ! ... I.NEED.IT ....... *sulks, mopes, whines, remembers age and comports self with a little more decorum ... 

Wally Lamb's The Hour I first Believed is another one of those books high on my To-Possess list. It's based on the fateful Columbine High School shooting in April 1999, the story's told from the perspective of two survivors. I've heard great things about Wally Lamb's I know This Much is True and I'm thinking this one should live up to it's predecessor's reputation.

Someone recommended Ken Follett to me a while back, and I've been looking at a few of his books, hoping for something that'll catch my eye. I picked up The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End sometime back in Popular and was forced to put it back looking at the price. New releases are a great tease !! Now I know that BookXcess is selling them for a steal, and my greedy heart is dancing a rapid tap dance of ill-concealed lust. Perhaps I shall lift my book-buying ban for a while. Just this once .... (something tells me this won't be the last time I'll say Just This Once ..)

Literary Delights

Photo credit

Whilst some friends of mine are compiling shopping guides around UK ( read : 200 GBP for a handbag is cheap !! ) , I have very strong opinions about branded handbags, make up, shoes and other fluttery girly nonsense, but let's just keep that to myself shall we ? So, as I was saying, whilst the charming shopaholics are at their chosen pastime, I've been indulging in the poison of my choice, feeding my addiction for books, books and more books. I say poison because books here cost an arm, a leg and maybe throw in a few fingers to secure that good deal. 

I've been looking at bookstores all over UK and Europe, all of them literary heavens and cultural melting pots, I can't wait to go delve my greedy paws in mountains of printed paper, nevermind the fact that I won't be able to afford anything, it never hurts to dream, doesn't it ? So I thought I'd share a little of what I found with you guys here. Perhaps if you have anything to add, recommend or like me, you have a hunger for zooming off to foreign imaginary lands, hop along on this virtual drool-journey. 

Today, we're going to visit  independant bookstores,  jewels that are probably hidden in places you'll least expect to find a bookstore.

First up, is Daunt Books,
83, Marylebone High Street,
London W1U 4QW

Photo credit 

Often regarded as a traveler's bookstore, Daunt Books has books separated according to countries, so you'll typically get travel guides, novels and memoirs all squished into the same section. Very useful for people who are reading according to countries .. I tend to do that, being obsessed with the Middle East some time back, I'm now progressing to India before I make a pit stop in US prior to zooming off somewhere else on my imaginary travels. 

Photo credit

The store is spread out over three floors, with books nestled in every corner. Would you just look at the beautiful wood paneling, and the entire Edwardian setting the bookstore has ? I think I would love getting lost here....wouldn't you? 

For our next stop, we'll hop over to Ireland, stopping by 

Hodges Figgis 

56-58 Dawson Street, 

Dublin 2, 

Ireland

                         Photo credit 

Founded in 1768, the shop is the oldest yet in Ireland. In fact, if you're familiar with James Joyce's Ulysses, you'd probably have stumbled upon this book depository as the store gets referred to in his work, although the store has since been relocated from its original location. 

The shop is spread across four floors and is reputed to house a staggering number of 1.5 million books, and is the largest bookstore in Ireland, specializing in Irish titles, academic titles, fiction and bargain books ( bargain books go for around  €.3.99 and €4.99 , compare that dollar to dollar with the price that we pay here and you've got your answer for "Why Malaysians don't read " ) 

Fashioned in green and gold livery, the store exudes an aura of an era past, a whiff of whimsical days when women probably walked around under parasols and both Chivalry and Gallantry still breathed. Unfortunately, the store is no longer an independent bookstore, having been bought over by the HMV Group which also owns Waterstones, a famous book chain in the UK. 

And with that last stop, let's wrap things up for the day. I'll continue posting interesting bookstores as I come across them but before we settle back on earth, here's a last thought. With all the books to be read and bought, possessed and digested .... Louis Vuitton who ?? 

Fatigued

When it comes to life, we spin our own yarn, and where we end up is really in fact, where we always intended to be - Julia Glass, Three Junes, pg 286

It's deja vu all over again, and I find myself yet again at the crossroads in life. People tell me my future is bright (is that a standard thing you tell anyone with an uncertain future, perhaps to imbue them with a hope that's fleeing and slipping.. ) but the thing is, all I see is uncertainty and bleakness.

It's so not me to be having consecutive down days. I usually bounce back hard and fast, but the problem is I don't know anymore where I'm heading and what I want. I know of people my age who are about to be mothers, and here I am, failing miserably at getting a grip on my own life. Am I pushing too hard, am I not trying hard enough, is enough ever enough ?

I've tried so hard to find beauty in the obscurest of things. And in many instances I do find beauty in places I least expect. Spurts of joy and laughter in every day, but at times I'm down and beat and I feel like giving up on this race, on hopes and dreams that suddenly feel like burdens and things-I-wanted-to-do-whilst-I-was-young.

I'm still on my break, till I fly off in June to finish up my degree. In this short period ( believe you me, 2 months is NOT long, it's really short when you have a gazillion things to do ) I actually drew up plans on things to do, in order to industrialize my time.

• Work for money for UK ( because contrary to popular belief, I don't delight in spending Daddy and Mommy's hard earned money ) 
• Read, read and read ( so far I've failed miserably at this, time seems to be outrunning me, laughing and teasing , always two steps out of my reach ) 
• Learn a foreign language, preferably Italian or French ( I know, just humour me ) 
• Brush up on Mandarin, notwithstanding the fact that it's non-existent 
• Knit, sew, stitch (don't ask ! ) 
• Learn how to cook ( pivotal for survival ) 
• Find some time for fun ( equally pivotal for survival ... ) 
• Figure out what to do upon graduation , study/work/come back marry a prince and have a brood of Princelings .. = p  ( all I seem to be doing is getting my hopes up high only to have them deflated again ) 

In the arrogance that youth gives, I thought I could do all that and more. I used to wake up early, go swimming, go for lab sessions and classes, come back and write reports, juggle assignments, study, solve a ton of math solutions, cook dinner (yes, I used to cook ... boiled cabbages anyone? *don't laugh!* ) catch a movie AND read a book before I sleep. Now I wake up, write, read a little, work work work and I'm already woozy by dinnertime, nevermind the things-I-wanted-to-do-whilst-I-was-young list that continually mocks me. Is this what getting old feels like ?? 

In me, one of those flaws had proven to be a chronic restlessness; an inability to appreciate, no matter how well things are going, those blessings that were right there in front of me. It's a flaw that is endemic to modern life, I think - Barack Obama, The Audacity of Hope, pg 3. 

I think I've just been diagnosed by the President. *sigh* For now I pray for patience, and understanding. Perhaps one day I will find my place in this big, magnificent world.

Single, Double, Triple

What do you do when days go blue ? For me, I turn to the ever steady, ever comforting arms of music. Today, I decided to go bury my ears in a truckload of ABBA.

Maybe you should take a chance on them ...

Love the quirky dance.


Funniest. Song. Ever.... le sigh





Need I elucidate ? .... =)

Slipping through my fingers

I have a question : Does anyone else out there find that time is just slipping away so quickly, so sneakily that you can never never catch up with it ? Oh , if only I could survive on 2 hours sleep (none at all would be better ... ) 

I had so many things lined up for this break of mine, but somehow things always turn out differently. Funny how you can plan all you want and the Big Guy up there goes ha ha ha. Not that I'm complaining because you have to do what you've gotta do, but I really miss quality time with my books, music and movies. :( 

Insanity is us

I think a lot of people would have read about the latest way to make a sale, or close a deal. You see, supermarkets tend to package stuff together when you get something. Buy one, free one. Isn't that what garners the most attention after all?

I wonder how many of you read the article in The Star, the one highlighting the desperate attempts of insurance agents, or companies to sell their premiums and hit quotas. Do go here for the complete article, but I just wanted to quote something that irked me so much when I read it. 

Sources told the newspaper that the female agents were recruited among divorcees, single mothers or those helping their boyfriends repay debts.

It baffles me how women, or at least some of them,  can be so idiotic when it comes to relationships. I really don't see why some of them would stoop so low and resort to these desperate measures just to get a little bit of money. Is your self worth, and dignity measured only by the number of premiums you sell? Worst of all, selling oneself to repay debts for boyfriends ?! I mean, ditch the guy, get a life, or just get a brain ! 

Irksome letters

Distinction - the quality of being excellent , Cambridge Dictionary. It is sad to see that the day has come when getting a distinction no longer cuts it. We need to throw in the word SUPER for it to have more import, such is our self-esteem. 

This is going to be a long ranty post so if you're not in the mood for verbal diarrhea then here's a friendly advice to stop reading after this sentence.

I've bitten my tongue and kept my silence for far too long on this subject. You see, when I first heard about the change in the grading system for the SPM examinations, I thought my friend was joking because the entire notion of the change was absurd. If you don't know what I'm referring to, go here.

I mean, seriously, Super Distinction? Do we need that? Do we need students to have Super Distinctions in Pendidikan Moral but zero civic consciousness? Do we need students with Super Distinctions in Science and Math but care naught for cutting down on greenhouse gases or to find out more about green technologies and energy conservation? One wonders if this preoccupation for keeping up the best of appearances, showing off the best, unblemished cert and diploma, if this obsession with being kiasu is only an Asian thing. I once read a report on how developing nations were blamed for causing the most pollution in their quest to join the big players, due to their lower standards of awareness and sadly, education and it is sad that I can't stand up and offer a defense, because how does one fight the truth? 

We don't lack an excellent grading system, we lack a proper, holistic education. We need an education that encompasses an appreciation for World History, that the present generation will learn from the mistakes and be inspired by the triumphs of past generations , not a few chapters you memorize in your Sejarah textbooks. We need an education where children realize the importance of being Environmental Friendly, not merely taking part in campaigns to earn credits, all with the goal of obtaining a scholarship at the end of the day. We need an education where science and maths and art and literature all meld into a burning fireball of passion.

I know of parents who start off conversations with how well their children are doing in school, how many As they're getting and how many top schools are pining for their acceptance. To be proud of one's achievement is one thing, to motivate and encourage, a laudable course of action. Outright bragging on the other hand garners zero respect. After a while, all this marked lack of humility gets sickening. 

There is this new product in the market, a magic pen-like device that is able to 'read' out books for little children. It is sad to note that some parents these days no longer have the time to sit down and read with their children, choosing instead to delegate the 'chore' to flat, emotionless robotic voices. 

If I ever have a child, I would never want him or her to grow up thinking that an A- is lesser than an A and an A, lesser than an A+. Or for that matter that a B or even a C is a grade that's unworthy of praise and respect. I've seen people who start off with failing grades in English, who can hardly string together a coherent sentence in the language but with dedication and pure effort they finally grasp the language, and when they do speak in English, they speak it with a pride that none of us 'English educated' people will ever possess. It is them that I admire and take my hat off for, because at the end of the day what matters most is that you've given any task you pick up your utmost best, and you've garnered experiences and knowledge that will last you a lifetime.

Disclaimer : I'm not running down students with straight As, if they've worked hard for it, they deserve all due credit . It is just the misconception of 'success' that irks me so. Many of the world's greatest men got where they are today based on hard work, diligence and the right attitude, not a piece of paper. 

Marche at The Curve

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating - Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright. 

Le Boy and I decided to try out Marche at The Curve for dinner last weekend when I went down to KL. Marche is the first Swiss Fresh Market Restaurant in Malaysia and operates on a really interesting concept. No waitresses will come for your orders and food is ordered on a buffet-like basis. It was a fun change of environment, walking around 'shopping' for our food and we had a swell time just absorbing the homey atmosphere. The restaurant itself is large, with different sections decorated according to different themes. Staff were really friendly and courteous. So, without further ado, the food ! 

I had the Smoked Salmon Crepe (RM14.50). Very generous portion oozing yummy smoked salmon slivers. 

Le Boy had the Creamy Seafood Pasta (RM22.50 for large) . Mmm, the seafood was super fresh and there were thin slices of cucumber in the sauce, a rare ingredient to add to carbonara .. don't you think? 

Gluttons that we were, we shared the Mushroom Homemade Pizza (RM12) which came generously packed with mushrooms of all kinds and lots of juicy sweet tomatoes. 

Goofin' around whilst waiting to go collect the food. Happy times indeed !

We didn't get any drinks since I always carry around a bottle of mineral water with me and I don't see the sense of paying RM 8.50 for a glass of orange juice ... That said, Marche has a few types of red wine and imported beers to offer if you'd like something alcoholic to go with your chops and grills (something I have a feeling I'll go back for the next time I'm around ... ) . 

Spellbound

Spellbinding. Of all the adjectives in the English language, the only one that comes to mind to describe the lilt of soothing baritone, the rise and fall of the orchestral symphony, the catch of breaths and flutter of pulses, the only word that comes to mind is 'spellbinding'.

I had an incredible weekend with Le Boy. We caught the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra playing Broadway 'Show-stoppers' accompanied by the gooey, buttery smooth vocals of soloist, Stephen Rahman Hughes. My favourite pieces from the repertoire has got to be the orchestra playing tunes from The Sound of Music although Les Miserables' 'I Dreamed a Dream' came in as a close second. Music of the Night from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera left me teary eyed and Maria by Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story was heart stopping. I so wanted to get an autograph after the concert, but I was running late so oh well :(

No photos were allowed during the concert (thus, I had to steal one off clovetwo.com....) but allow me to introduce you guys to a phenomenal group that I think is soon going to replace Il Divo in this fickle heart of mine ... Teatro !! (I love musicals so I'm a little biased ... heh) Enjoy !

P.s : Don't you think Stephen R.H is just so sexy? That voice ! The accent ! Oh, be still my heart. To say his voice melts my insides would be an understatement. Believe you me when I say the man positively vaporizes it .... along with all conscious thought !!

I did it !

No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit - Helen Keller

Today's Smile-Inducer : I'm basically a private person (I know bloggers can't be 'private', but humour me la ) I'm really happy with my results that I'm doing something I never thought I would do and posting it up here. So don't start throwing your tomatoes so soon...*gulps*. Psst... I saw Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita in Popular today..fingers are itchy but my TBR pile is moaning at the premonition of another sibling to add to the tower ... and not to mention mum would kill me if she reads this ..how? To buy or not to buy ? It's a Penguin Version though...hmm

Ooh ya, if you're wondering what the above title is about ....

I thank the Lord for all the good, the struggles and the lessons that I've amassed so far. I know that a lot of hope and expectations have been invested in me and I'm sorry to disappoint you guys, but I didn't break any records in the end. I once read that there are two images in one soul. One is the image that longs to break free and the other is the image that others see. I'm proud now that the person in the mirror and the girl that I am have finally met and agreed that we're one and the same.

The past 4 years has been filled with new discoveries peppered with doubts and what-was-I-thinking moments, but as they say, you walk the paths you choose and make the best out of it, and if you're lucky, you find some time to stop and smell the flowers along the way. One last semester to go and I'll be an engineer. It's scary because like a professor once said, when accountants make a mistake, the books don't balance, but when an engineer makes a mistake, someone dies. *breathe in, breathe out*

This is a celebratory post, so let's throw some confetti, pop a bottle of bubbly .. maybe ... and celebrate because class of 2010 ... a little more to go but for now WE DID IT !!!

Ok. Enough of all that narcissism, I leave you with one of my favourites from Norah Jones. Have a great mid-week !

Fleeting moments

Image from http://redlipsandicecream.tumblr.com/page/20

To persevere is to endure. There are things that brush past you and before you’re able to turn around and catch hold of it, it fleets off again. A teasing strand of long hair on sensitive skin, an accidental tangle of fingers, a vision of childhood dreams that creeps up in the chime of ringing phones and crisp business suits.

In a time that seems like eons ago now, I remember the fiery sun being swallowed in sips by mountains and the endless horizon, the whisper of a breeze running its silky fingers through my tangled hair, and the haunting scent of wild flowers. Lulled by the sweet sweet music of waves greeting shore, I turned to seek a friendly face, a hand to hold but I was alone. The undulating waves, and gathering dusk, carried that wish of mine, the day will come when I find that person.

Obsession to some, might be mere survival to others. I don’t want to reach out in dreams only to wake up clutching air.

Unfinished business

Will be leaving for KL (again!!), this time to attend a series of lectures and seminars in preparation for UK. The schedule is packed and grueling but I've brought along some books to while the time away when I'm not paying attention ... shhh. So you won't be seeing me around till Friday whence I'll be once again reunited with my love Streamyx (I know Senor Streamyx can sometimes be a pain in the neck, but like they say, beggars can't be choosers ... so I love him all the same! )

P.s : I have got to stop talking in parentheses. And I have to start blogging properly. Apologies for the brevity, proper posts up soon when I find myself with little else to entertain me safe for Englishmen with yummy accents. Ooh... and maybe this weekend I'll be baking something !! I have a few things lined up...eggplant muffins anyone?? Heh heh , we'll see if I have my mum's DNA. By the by, do read this. When I grow up, I'd be proud to have just half your strength little Harley!!

Till Friday,

Au revoir

Parent-sitting in the city

Today's smile-inducer : They say role reversal comes at a certain point. Bringing the parents around KL in MY mode of transportation i.e KTM Komuter was educational for them, head-shaking, tongue-biting, funny-in-a-cute-way experience for me ... :P

So we went to KL today on a day's trip. I wanted to get more books, mum had a meet-up with a friend, and dad had a business discussion. Being typically Asian, and kiam-siap I suggested that we commute by KTM instead of taking a taxi and paying cut-throat prices.

Digressing, I've fallen in love with the Fab Four all over again. By that I mean the one and only timeless classic that is The Beatles!!! Was doing some reorganizing and stumbled upon my collection of their songs dating back from those hazy, lazy after-school afternoons where Hey Jude would play along with my headaches with algebra and Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Band provided many a muse for essays ... Ooh, I remember Ms Diyana asking us to write an essay titled My Dream Guy for our first essay in Form 4 ... oh, if only I could dig up those long lost adolescent wants and dreams ...

Will be travelling again tomorrow, this time just to hang out with mum and some of her friends. Having taken 3 hour train rides on an almost weekly basis for the past 4 years, the thought of another train ride makes me shudder ... :( At least I'll have some time to catch up with my reading... currently oscillating between visits to war-torn Afghanistan through the haunting words of Anne Seierstad's The Bookseller of Kabul and the lucky lives we take for granted here in Malaysia. If anything, at least we don't have bombs dropping on our roofs ...

Anyhow, here's Lilly Scott from American Idol singing Fixing a Hole. I ADORE the tone of her voice! At last some original talent !