FITS AND STARTS

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Testing 123

Whittled the afternoon away by test driving cars. Checked out some Hondas (THE CITY IS NOT ALL THAT JAZZ --> uhuhu get it?), Toyotas and a VW CrossPolo. Given that both driver (me) and sponsors (F+M) have to be happy with the eventual decision, it's probably safe to say that it's gonna be a showdown between the Vios and Altis. Parents seem to like the Altis. It's roomy, relatively quiet (engine), relatively solid (cabin) and relatively decent (performance). Why relatively? I guess when you're used to driving a continental car with a 2.0l engine, anything else below that kinda falls short buahahahaha

Ok note that I only tested out the Jazz and City, but I must say that Honda really needs to do something about their cars' interiors. Ugly. Plasticky. Big knobs sticking out here and there! The insides of the Vios and Altis are sleeker, more streamlined and much more pleasant on the eyes. I quite liked the feel and handling of the Jazz. The Honda salesman told me that their male customers tend to choose the Jazz as a second car for their wives. I can see why women would like the car though. It's cute, compact, with an ample view of the road and makes for a nippy drive despite being such a wee little thing. Although, it IS rather pricey. Which is why we turned our attention to the Altis because for that price range, you'd probably want a bigger, less toy-ish looking car right? Anyway, I have yet to make a decision and I'm kinda like 60:40 Altis:Vios at the moment. The main question is - should I opt for a high spec lower range model (Vios 1.5G), or a low spec higher range model (Altis 1.6E)? Thoughts, anyone?

Booked my flight ticket to Boston today as well. Phew. That's one entry less on my ToDo list. Man, flights from London to Boston are not cheap!!!! I thought I'd be able to get a budget flight on Ryanair or Easyjet but it turns out that neither of them do flights to the States. I'm travelling on Icelandair for GBP260. I initially checked out BA, but it was waaayayayayyayayyy more expensive... GBP500+ wei!!!!! And then I have to make my US visa as well... that's gonna cost MYR500. Sigh, money doesn't grow on trees but why does the world depend on it to turn? There's this ad that they show during trailer-time at the cinemas; it shows people doing business as usual, but getting paid with hugs and kisses or some other form of useful consideration. The ad ends with the tagline 'In an ABSOLUT world'... (O_O) No prizes for guessing what they're hawking. Frankly, I'd like to see the barter system return to this era. There's way too much junk and wastage being dumped and buried. People end up reaping in far more than they need. I'd like to say technology is to blame, but then again our greed and materialism also has a part to play. Why can't we pay with the things we already have that we don't need anymore? If A needs a pair of sport shoes and I need a badminton racket, and A has a spare badminton racket and I have a spare pair of sport shoes, why shouldn't we just trade? Sure there may be a difference in the value of our belongings, but what the heck can't we just make up the deficit with goodwill and large dollop of love? Ahhhhh perhaps one day I shall rethink my youthful and vigorous idealism...

In the meantime, I have an old study desk which is still in good condition (if you don't mind overlooking the childish stickers stuck all over). Anyone wanna trade me for a Toyota Altis or Vios? HOW ABOUT AN AUDI Q5?

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Can't stand lizards

They are

creepy
(beady eyes that look like they're about to pop),
disgusting
(vomit-coloured skin, long wiggly tail),
dirty
(stain walls with their crap),
noisy
(those 'tskk tskk tskk' noises they make, gah),
and plain inconsiderate (hiding in random corners like behind the dustbin so when i pop the lid open it dashes out and gives me a heart attack)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Toads are gross looking too, but I'll have toads in my house any day rather than lizards. Cos toads eat flies (another annoying creature), they stay outdoors and out of sight, and they're slow moving so you don't have to worry about one jumping out at you in the dark and scaring you half to death.

Anyway, sorry about the long break from blogging. As soon as my exams were over, I had to pack up all my belongings to ship back to Msia, and then as soon as I landed in KL it was here and there with friends and family, and then Eugene + family came to KL, and then I went to Brunei + Singapore for 2 weeks... but now I'm back! And spring cleaning! I didn't actually plan to clean this much, but it so happened that I got a new desk and chair (the leather and swivel-type wahoo) from Ikea. My old desk is cluttered with books and random junk so I have to sort that out before setting up my new desk. I wanted to shift the books to the bookroom but there's no space. So I have to clean up the bookroom. My new desk is also bigger and longer than the old desk, so I have to move the cabinet next to the old desk to another location. But the cabinet is filled with clothes and random junk so I have to sort that out as well. I wanted to put the clothes in the cupboard, but again no space! So I have to clean up the cupboard. It doesn't stop there, cos my grandma has moved into the little room downstairs so I also have to help her clean the room and rearrange her stuff. As you can tell, I am having a productive holiday.

On Sunday night, I was happily munching on some bak kwa when I heard this funny clink sound on my chair, as if something had dropped on it. I didn't think much of it cos I was engrossed in a hilarious chapter of Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge. When I finished my bak kwa I looked down at the chair and this is what I saw -

[ooops i just remembered that i threw my tooth away.]

But yes, my filling (re broken front teeth from gokarting accident) dropped out! Luckily my dad managed to book me an appointment with Dr Ng the next day. I must say, going to the dentist's is quite an unpleasant experience. The bright lights, masks and funky headgear, random apparatuses stuck into your mouth, the screeeeeeeee sound of the drill... very goosebump inducing.

Went out for dinner after that with Nad, Toi, Dian, Phing and Cheah. Reunion! Ah, it's been a while since all of us were together.

"Are you sure your finger tastes good Cheah?"

"Hooo, and then what happened?"

"Tchh, no lah I don't think that's how the story goes"

Dian's having mee soto ayam if I recall correctly

*sniff sniff* Milk or santan?

Kopi Ipoh

Someone's telling another interesting story

Smileeeeeeeee

Strike a poseeeeeeeeee

Cheeeseeeeee

Phing's toink toink face

Cheah Suan Ee, long time no see

Guess who?

Nad testing out her souvenir from Vietnam

But name of the clinic not included?

One more shot of HRH Dr Fateh's MC, with the sambal