How the HECK should I know? :p

To elaborate on that rather rude title...

Someone asked me (on Skype) last night where she could find a great place to hang out and listen to Jazz music. Of course, I didn't reply with "How the HECK should I know?! :p" and I certainly wasn't thinking it at the time... but it occurs to me..... (naturally, 24 hours later...which sort of speaks for itself just how fast my thought processes work these days :p).....that this is further proof that I'm really old.

It's true. I don't know where people hang out these days. For the love of pete, I haven't the foggiest where to locate Luna Bar :p Yes, yes. I can Google it. Finding it in theory isn't a problem.

HOW-EVAH!

I've never set foot in it. Most likely don't intend to. And by the way, I've turned into a commuter. One of those drones who gets into their cars, homes in on a pre-programmed destination, and then turns around and aims for home again.

Ugh. Squared. Literally :p

Sunday (technically yesterday, but really just 6 hours ago), I bailed on Zedeck's Les Miserables party. I truthfully didn't have an excuse. We didn't even have a special dinner for my Doll, whose birthday apparently falls on the same day as Zedeck's.

Somehow, the very thought of watching people imbibe in an excess of alcohol was enough to make me want to curl up under my comforter with the air-conditioning on high (or is that low...?) and snore my head off.

Thanks to wonky sleeping habits, I am now wide awake at the ungodly hour of THREE a.m, with nary an inclination to go back to sleep.

I thank my hubby for this, by the way. We started exchanging sms'... a most irritating practice, but one I have to settle for since he's in Qatar, and telephone calls are indecently expensive. Tres le sigh!! It's hard to live with a 5 hour difference. Because the difference isn't much, our sleep patterns can't jive. If this makes any sense at all to you.

I don't much care if it doesn't, I guess. It makes plenty of sense to me, and I reckon that's what usually counts the most :D

Aaaaanyways. I'm going to read. That usually puts me to sleep :)

p/s: I'd like to say that I recommended the Top Room for the purest jazz you're going to find in town. Anyone know of a better place? :)

Eulogy to Tieg...

You know those love at first sight stories? Where you and your pet meet, and bond? Well, this girl and I.... we had ourselves a case of mutual respect. She hated being held, hated being fussed over. She preferred to touch you and be touched only if she'd initiated it....

She was the 7th member of our household. Not a pet by a long shot, but an equal contributing member of the family. Lizards in the house? Not while she was on the job! Rodents and reptiles in the garden? Nuh-uh.

Tieg was a person, and a beautiful, vicious, responsive and responsible girl. The ultimate female. And a wonderful friend. Since her leaving, the lizards have returned in full force. And the mood this festive season is anything but.

It's always hard to lose a beloved pet. It's devastating when the pet is also a person, and a highly admirable one at that. She may not have died, but been kidnapped. But she's never gone missing this long. And she never said goodbye.

There are those who say a cat who is closely bonded to its owners will pick a place far from home to lie down and die. Some theorize it's because they cannot bear to cause their families the pain of their passing.

This may be true for some, but me... I still can't believe she's gone. I hope she's just been snatched rather than dead. Because she's who she is, and she'd find her way home.

On shopping and the CNY

What do you do when you have a voucher from Metro? Simple. You do what everyone else does, and go shopping with it. D-uh.

I got these:

I'm not a good photographer, k? But you get the picture. I like :) Cuz...you know. Sale. Shopping voucher. Chinese New Year = New outfit... But since a new outfit was out of the question (I don't buy my clothes there, yah?)... the solution? Shoes!

Anyway, so much for the shoe post. Happy, Min? :p

Second Chances

God Almighty, you'd think that if you got the (excellent!) chance to revamp your look, you wouldn't just color your post titles a (neon) banana yellow, noooo... :p You'd change your background to olive green (done, and done...and then canceled), change the template... change your fucken picture. Eh?! :p

SOMEONE SAVE ME FROM MYSELF!! :(

So anyways...dinner with Cris and SoulDoc was...filling :) Good soup, Cris... but wow, I'm stuffed. And can't sleep for fear of rolling back out of bed when my belly comes in contact with the mattress. I'm just that full :p

I dunno, someone tell me what color combo to use. I liked the earthy zen shit (I must admit I'm catching up too slowly to SecondSib's fashion taste...) but I like colors, too. And that doesn't go with the earthy zen shit.

You know what, I'm going to risk rolling off the bed, my ankles are screaming from the lotus position. And the various parts of my feet have gone numb.

The tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth...

And the word is:

Sweet!

That's the tooth right there. But wow, it sucks wide when some disrespectful numbwart *cough*sister*cough* wipes out your entire stash of Godiva chocolates. From the tray, to the mint twigs....

BLOODY HELL, NOT THE MINT TWIGS!!! *cries brokenly*

I grant you that the knowledge of impending doom (for the assorted tray) was prevalent. Who can resist an assorted tray?! But the twigs... ah, those and all related mint products have (up until recently) survived the Friggie Fervent Food Ferreting Forays for about a year. I had, in particular, a box of Godiva mint twigs that lived there safely until I got around to eating them away for eight months...!!! I shit you not, Louise.

Why would I take a year to eat chocolate?

Not being a chocoholic, it's certainly not difficult to ration out my supply of good and expensive chocolates. But wow, decimated in one sitting. I'm still reeling from the blow.

Anyway, it's been a slow day. And with CNY around the corner, I can't say I'm looking forward to the family social obligations. I'm feeling distinctly anti-social this season. Wonder how're road conditions heading south... *ponder*

Children....

....can break your heart, and then minutes later, raise your spirits to the sky.

I had a major disagreement with my solo offspring. She wanted her homework done (in essence) for her, and I refused to provide her with easy and cheap answers. The outcome? A scream-fest where harsh words were flung from both parties, and hurt feelings were to be had all around.

I couldn't let it go though. I was so angry, and so frustrated. And it occured to me, more than once, that my parents are amazing people. I was definitely not an easy child to live with.

Not being able to let it go, I hunted her down, wanting to vent my frustrations upon her. The sight of her genuine tears (as opposed to the insincere ones she uses as a weapon to bring my father to his knees) broke my heart. Until I turned, and saw her homework lying on a nearby table.

For a moment, our eyes met. And then I picked up her homework, and told her she had one of two choices. She could grab a pencil right this minute, and get the answers from me for free. Or she could take the book to school, and face up to her teacher. I had called her bluff (having used it myself when I was in school)...she could no longer tell her teacher she couldn't hand in her homework, because she'd forgotten to bring it to school.

Faced with an easy way out, I half-expected her to take it. But she didn't. And my joy was profound. My pride literally filled me to the brim. She knew she was wrong, and she also knew she could get off scot free. But she didn't. And I cannot express just how proud I am that her spine and her morality so far outstrips mine when I was her age.

I would have gratefully taken the answers, be damned to pride. Or I would have snuck off and told the lie. Maybe if my parents were more savvy to the little tricks cowards play, I would have been stopped a whole lot sooner :)

Whatever it is, I just want to say that it's moments like these that makes being told you're hated worth the pain.

Suzie Homemaker Strikes

Q: What do you do with a public holiday?

A: You stay home watching two cute (under-aged) hunks on the tube, and make like Suzie Homemaker with the meals...

So...here's the thing. Jensen Ackles is tres hawt, yesness? I thought he was so hawt back in Dark Angel (c'mon, remember the show that made Jessica Alba the it gal of the silver screen?)..... and then I was like: "What?! That's it?! It ends with Season Two???"

Supernatural, the latest WB offering, is like the only series I'm keeping up with. I mean, I couldn't even bring myself to finish watching Season 1 of The L Word, and that's (purportedly) a more mature soap. I say soap. Is that offensive? *think*...

And if you think that's a homophobic sentence, fuck off. I think if I want to watch a real life (related) soap unfold, I should just get out of the house and intergrate myself into the human race. The telly is for escapism. Fini...ya know?

So, spent the whole of the Federal Territory/Thaipusam holiday home finishing Season 1 of Supernatural, made porridge and stir-fried button mushrooms in oyster sauce (fucking nummy shit, serious!!!) and capped the evening with a peach cobbler. God bless AllRecipes.com!!! Heeee :D

Okay, I'm actually taking a one hour breather between classes, which I've wasted by being online, instead of horizontal on my bed. So, I'll pick this up at a later date. Hour. Whatever :)

Happy Fricken' 2007

They say it's good to have all the "suay" luck out of the way before the (Chinese) New Year. Well, baby. Life after February should be beyond roses, seriously. A windfall should strike me, to the tune of a cool million bucks. Where do I begin??

1. My brand new car gets scraped cuz I judged the car dimensions wrongly. It's a teeny scrape lah, to be honest... but still!!!
   
2. Hubby's paycheck is viciously slashed this month because the company accountants in Dubai have compensation issues.
   
3. Chinese New Year's in 2 weeks. This means packing red packets...with what, though?! Peanuts?

To be fair, it's not as bad as it seems. I'm whining, true. I don't even believe I'm entitled. Believe me when I say SD has more problems, and I feel awful that he's just gotten back to work and is already miserable due to circumstances.

I also got a job at a local Uni. It's nothing awesome lah, and the pay ain't all that, but it's good for my CV. And boy, it needs the additional lustre :)

Anyways, some lame-o pictures I took on a random picnic with hubby, right before he left.

The world in a ball...




Shrine of a Shopaholic

I guess I'm not in the mood to post up much. But a Happy New Year to all.

Friends...

SoulDoc models her polka dotted outfit, complete with skewed facial expression..!












SoulDoc and I had an impromptu theory lesson at Starbucks... where she proceeded to spill our freebie toffeenut latte (oh my GAWD that is the uber numness!!! :D) all over Empress, flirt with the barista, model her latest mix'n'match creation and terrorize me...

All in a day's work for SoulDoc! ... :D ... ??

Okay, okay. She did spill the toffeenut latte, but I was the one terrorizing the general public ... *sob!*...






The Terrible Trio strikes A&W!!









Lainie proves that she's intellectual and current by bringing the morning paper to A&W at 11pm. Becky is awake (holy shit!!!) and Zedeck....well, who knows with Zedeck, really? That could be his Unholy Finger of Unwaggleable Pointing or something, and that could even be a whammy he's giving Lainie... but you can't tell with Zedeck. Sometimes, a pointed finger is simply a pointed finger :D





'twas a dark and rainy night, when the nuts came out to play...!"






Zedeck: "Get in the trolley, Juliet, and we won't sic Pang on your dogs!!"

Juliet: "Ohhh...! *swoon*...Okay!! >_<"

















"Here in Kakiseni, we strive to foster our creativity in imaginative ways!"

*hack!* *choke!!* :D







Long-distance lovin'









Last but NOT least are friends of SD's who came down for a quickie visit. Never mind the fact SD was in the middle of Bumfuckistan at the time of their visit, it never fails to touch me that true friends never give up on you, never forget you, and seldom remember anything but the best of you.

Hunny, if you read this, you'd better call Vyn yah? He's missing you mucho :)

Anyways, apols to friends whose pictures I did not take using my phonecam. Actually, y'all prolly oughta thank your lucky stars you're not featured in my PeaNut Gallery :D <3!!!

After the ball...

Well, no ball. More like a concert. And it's DONE...! Am now listening to the recordings made during our performances. And am cringing a little. Just a little :) I'm just about done listening to the recording from our 3rd show. Urk :)

I've been heavily stressed out from so many events crashing around my ears. The show, nerves, friends, my monthly visitor... I'm now snatching whatever moment of rest I can, and plan on enjoying myself by kicking back with a book, and enjoying my solitude :)

Man, I can't even work up the energy to get out of the house to hunt for food :p Fear me!

Anyway, I think I'm in love with JP's voice :) *nudge JP*...Dude, onstage with fucked up monitors blasting insincere levels of sound, you're drowned dead. But the mic loves you man, LOVES you!!! Gotta do some editing on the recordings, compile the ones we like best, and put them together in a memorable CD collection. Yeah. In the meantime.... *drooooool*...! :)

I am now bursting with notes and ideas to work on for future shows. Hopefully, I don't lose whatever friends I've managed to retain (apols to those I've lost by flapping my loose lips whenever a random thought struck me!)...

Anyways, if anyone wants to tell me what they thought of our show (ONLY for those who bothered to attend lah, ok? Chanks..!), leave a comment! I'm always ready and WILLING to learn from mistakes, and to improve on what's already there.

Complacency's my enemy :)