A new year ahead!

Tis the time of the year again! LOL! Actually I'm kind of looking forward to deleting my blog once again and start anew. Don't know where I'm heading yet, but I have a feeling that I'm going to love 2010! I hope you do to!

Cheers

ww

Procrastination 101

Procrastination does a few things to you:

1. Gives you an illusion of rest. But nobody says you can't make your brain believe that illusion.

2. Jump starts creative juices when you "sleep on it" - except you are awake and clicking away.

3. Decreases productivity nonetheless.

4. Deprives one of real snooze time.

5. Makes Google, Youtube, Twitter and Blogger very, very, very happy.

:) Ok, ok, I should get back to work...

cheers

ww

The kinds of movies you watch

Some people say the kinds of movies you watch says a lot more about you than the books you read. But I tend to think otherwise. Because it's a lot easier to keep a book to yourself, it's more likely to show your true nature. And none of us like to be an open book...

Just a thought, am experiencing internet withdrawal just very slightly already. 5 days away... :( Now I know why they call us the generation hooked to computers.

cheers

ww

It's Driving me mad...

A little bit about my recent driving exploits. 

The more I drive, the more I am convinced that the reasons for the high motor vehicle accident rate in Malaysia is to some extent, due to circumstances we can't really avoid. We could only try our best to drive safely, and cross all our digits and pray fervently that it's going to be okay. (In Malaysia, I was told, you can't drive below 50kmph, else you get "honked" off or followed so closely you can literally feel the vibration from the engine behind that is breathlessly waiting for you to get out of the way). In no particular order, these are the reasons I could think of:

1. Rude and impatient drivers (MVA Index: 10, Offensive factor: 10)

You know who they are: The kind that speed even when you signal to turn or change lanes for what seemed like forever; refuse to give way on a hyper-congested highway even though motorcycles are blocked right up to Timbuktu and honking like mad; and those who speed right up to you and swerve wildly in front of you just before you turn off the highway.

These people's behaviours are not only an insult to your vehicle health, but also to your mental health - not to mention your blood pressure and pulse rate. Worst still, they think they are great drivers!! ("Only beginners signal like mad..." I heard one say.)

2. Atrocious speed limits and speeding habits (MI: 5, OF: 7)

I always believe that it is not the speed that kills, it is the speed minus common sense equation that kills. Okay, everyone knows that the right lane is the "fast lane". But people are obviously oblivious of the speed limit. At ANY highway, they think the speed limit is 120. And if you drive legally at the maximum 80kmph, they tailgate and flash you out of the way. 

That's well and fine if it's a straight road or highway. You can easily ease out of the way. But even in two-laned flyovers, people take corners at breakneck speed, and expect every car on the right lane to speed. It's pretty scary because many of our flyovers have corners which are more than 90 degrees. It means most of the time you can't see the car in front of you.  And, it's just common sense - how much faster can you go by forcing the other car out of the way? 2 seconds? And you risk taking the dive down to the road below. 

Priorities are seriously screwed for some people when they get behind the wheel.

3. Potholes that appear overnight (MI: 5, OF: 10)

These babies are the bane of my existence. And you know what, their storks drop them everywhere, at any time of the day. The road can be perfectly fine in the morning and suddenly at night, a humongous hole appears. You screech to a near-halt. Or you can't avoid it and the undercarriage kisses the road.

It's not just out of a new driver's angst of making a molehill out of every little scratch, but, if the balancing and alignment of the car suffers, I find it more difficult to drive smoothly. And driving on slippery roads becomes trickier. (correct me if I'm wrong - I'm not a car expert here)

Put simply, my problems with potholes are just that fact that they are unnecessary nuisances. It forces me to avoid it reflexively, and my reflexes might not always be the safest choice before I put in enough driving hours. 16 hrs is simply not enough to make a competent driver. And now they're trying to cut the hours down. Brilliant.

4. Elephants that try to run like a cheetah (MI: 10, OF: 6)

Have you ever been amazed (or rather, shocked) by all those heroes who hurtle their zillion-tonne lorries down the road? One day I was going at 100 (the limit was 110) and this humongous lorry sped past and suddenly overtook me, who was understandibly stunned. One followed from behind, going at almost the same speed and I got the hell out of the way.

They should study inertia, these lorry drivers. The whole point about driving fast is not how fast you can go, it is to accurately judge how quickly you can stop before you turn someone's vehicle or body into some mangled mess!

5. Double parking and parking up the ramp (MI: 2, OF 10)

This hilarity happens at phileo damansara every day. I can't blame those drivers. Parking fees are preposterous. And thanks to our exemplary public transport system, we have more cars within two blocks than some Tamans. But, parking up the ramp does not seem to help. It is sometimes so full of cars even my small car have a tough time navigating the corner sometimes.

Once, a daring trailer driver tried to take the chance, hoping the long carriage behind will clear the 90 degree turn. But oh no it couldn't. Not without wrecking at least 4 cars in the process. Result: Traffic jam (from the blocked road, and from onlookers slowing down, and perhaps, from the photographers and video crew that rushed down to catch shots of the action) right up to Bangsar.

I can't blame the drivers either in this case. Because miserly behaviour is not the only problem here. Besides phileo, some places have non-existent or overcrowded parking spaces. There's simply nowhere else to park! A friend likened parking in Subang and Bangsar to winning a jackpot. Unless you want to double and triple park on the small little road or the highway, that is. And taxi fares are much higher these days. Wish I had more luck with the paycheck.

6. The "cheaper" fuel (MI:3, OF: 11)

This: I'm just speculating here, but does anyone feel like they're flooring it but the car just doesn't accelerate fast enough? I've experienced this (quite scarily, once) as I was changing lanes. I was literally flooring it and the odometer just wouldn't budge. Enough said. Screeching tyres and the blaring horns again. Maybe I'll switch back to my good ol' 97. Any suggestions?

:-) Drive safely. And, please, have more mercy to those who are just starting out. Do you really think that anyone would want to drive at 60kmph all the time? It's just because they might not have the skill to control their vehicle at 90 yet. It's all too easy to curse loudly and sway our fists and mutter the dreaded "Kopi-O Licence" insult. But haven't we all started from there? We really need more considerate drivers on the road.

When the s*** hits the fan...

Sometimes, we're all just human.

A rodent's life

I realised that without a subject, an aim or something to pursue, there seems to be little reason to say (or write) more. Lots of what we see, hear or feel, are just passing moments of which when recounted, seem to take on a new image, sound and emotion each time. And after a while, it all seemed too common too often. So, right now, when i'm between stories, there's really nothing left to say.

Right about now, I miss the days when I get to complain about late buses, the rain and rude cabbies. I miss the days when all I need to do is smile and make some goofy comment and I meet a new friend on the way home.

Anyway, as they say, the only constant is change.

A better tomorrow

I will try my best, but please don't take it for granted.

I will do as you say, but please don't ask for the ridiculous.

I will put myself in your shoes, but please wear mine too.

I will go the extra mile, but please remember that I'm still flesh and blood.

There are some things in life money can't buy, and some things are simply valued much more than it's worth.