Monday, May 31, 2004

me, a visionary philosopher?

There seems to be a fascination with tests that tells you about yourself, especially now with the convenience of doing it online and getting immediate results. Take your pick. They range from fun tests such as "Which Prom Dress is Right for You?" and "What Do Your Lips Say About You?" to the more serious ones like "The Ultimate Personality Test", "Are You a Secure Lover?" and "The Zodiac Match Test".

I think I must've taken this Career IQ Test a few times because some of the questions looked familiar. But nevertheless, I decided to "utilise some productive working minutes" to attempt it. Ha!

This was the results :
Your IQ score is 142

visionary philosopher
This number is based on a scientific formula that compares how many questions you answered correctly on the IQ Test relative to others.

Your Intellectual Type is Visionary Philosopher. This means you are highly intelligent and have a powerful mix of skills and insight that can be applied in a variety of different ways. Like Plato, your exceptional math and verbal skills make you very adept at explaining things to others - and at anticipating and predicting patterns. And that's just some of what we know about you from your IQ results.

Wednesday, May 26, 2004

the terror that looms in the dark

It ran across my face!

Well, it was so fast when it happened that it felt like it really ran across my face. At first my nose picked up the foul smell. There was no mistake as to what it could be. Less than a second later, I felt a light ruffle on my t-shirt.

I quickly jumped up from the bed. Brushed my hands frantically on my body to push off that foul creature. I didn't know where it was, but all I wanted to do was to get it off me. How dare it land on me while I was preparing to sleep!

That foul thing had broken my rest and this got me mad. I just knew I had to kill it. But at the same time, I cannot stand it. Of all the insects in the world, there is no way I can make myself to love it. I can let a butterfly rest on my fingers or try to play with a beetle, but definitely not this vile thing!

My parents heard me screaming away. My mama asked me not to wake the neighbours. My papa asked me to conquer my fear. He always says "That thing is so small compared to you, and you're afraid of it?" This, coming from someone who does not have any qualms squashing the disgusting thing with his feet.

It started running around my room, going between the nooks and crannies. I went off to grab a stack of paper, rolling it up to form a weapon. With a pose ready to strike, I tried to chase it out of the room. But it went back to my bed instead, hiding between the pillows. I got even madder, it was spreading its vileness on the bed which I was supposed to sleep in.

I think mama must've taken pity on her daughter. She came in to see what the commotion was about. And she came on time too. Just as I was about to lift the pillow to find the foul thing, it sprang a surprise and came scurrying towards me. I ran into mama's arms and threw her my paper weapon.

With a deft hand and accurate strike, the cockroach was hit. Mama has saved the day. Nevermind that the stupid thing left some residue on my bed when it got flattened. I was just glad it couldn't attack me anymore.

I went to bed that night saying a little prayer that God will protect me from cockroaches!

Friday, May 21, 2004

chicky breasts

Thought for the weekend :

Why aren't chicken breasts called chicken chests instead?

Thursday, May 20, 2004

left behind

Ever since I got my hands on the Left Behind series, I can't stop putting them down. Managed to read the all 10 of 'em because a friend's collecting. It was a few years ago that Tim LaHaye and Jerry B.Jenkins started with the first book, Left Behind. One critic even commented that what they were doing to Christian fiction was similar to what John Grisham was doing to courtroom thrillers. Most of their books are on bestsellers' list as soon as they are out.

If not for work (and to avoid having panda eyes), I'd be staying up late every night to read. They are just so rivetting. Most days I reach for the book as soon as I reach home and continue till past 1am. Of course, since my attention span aint as good as it was when I was still studying, I have to put it down once in awhile. Just as well, if not the dishes will start stinking and clothes pile up!

Tuesday, May 18, 2004

a, b, c, etc... p2

The heck with unappreciative people....!


I have too much on my plate to think about fussy people and their fusses. Bleh.

:)

a, b, c, etc...

People who claim to be open-minded don't seem so open after all. They can boast about the first time they lost their virginity and the various techniques to keep a straying husband, but when it comes to their own image, they want to be portrayed as ever-smiling and photogenic.

A colleague was looking through some digital pictures which was captured during our last karaoke session. She was not very pleased that the cameraguy (a mutual friend) kept taking shots of her, and some didn't look very nice. Well, she was photogenic, but I guess she didn't want to be captured looking stoned!

Another colleague was bugging me to convert the pictures and email them to him and the department. I took the effort the reduce the 50 odd pics to a more appropriate size (so as not to flood their inbox) and sent out over 12MB of digital images. Some of the unnecessary ones I didn't send out.

In contrast : Some of my wackier friends do not mind me captioning their photos with phrases like "emotionalLyn". We even make fun of each other's poses, especially those which are unconventional and downright silly.


Sigh, I guess you can't please everyone. Next time, I'll just name them "a", b", "c" and so on.... :P

Monday, May 17, 2004

whirlwind 3 : the one with a wedding invitation

I wonder whether I should accept my cousin's explanation on why he couldn't contact my side of the family to inform us he was getting married - he said my email bounced!

Actually heard about the happy news through a mutual friend of ours, and she was surprised that I didn't know about it. She said, his parents could have informed us, even if he couldn't. There's this wonderful invention called the telephone. I'm not trying to be sarcastic... :P but how exactly is the wedding invitation process usually done? Only the would-be bride and groom goes around sending out invitation cards (or in this case, emails)? Maybe they wanted to make it personalised.

"U.S. Cousin", I know you're reading this hehe... :D I'm sorry I can't make it for your wedding ceremony in US. But I'm looking forward to the dinner in KL! Congratulations from all of us in the family, and I'm really happy for you :)

Sunday, May 16, 2004

whirlwind 2 : the one with the accident

On the way to the retreat, I received an SMS that one of our friend's father had passed away in an accident. How twisted messages get when passed down from one to another. Turned out that it was our friend, who was on the way back to his home to give an early Mother's Day surprise to his mum. He was driving from KT, and collided with an incoming car which was trying to overtake the car in front.

I saw an obituary ad in the papers when I came back to work after the long weekend. Even though I hardly know him, I've read his posts in the i-bridge yahoogroups, and have roughly gotten to know about him from his writings. I couldn't pinpoint/appreciate his wry humour during those brief moments when we talked, so I thought he was quite a different person from the rest. I heard a lot of his friends travelled down to JB for his funeral and his family was really touched by the show of respect.

Described by some as unassuming and with a passion for the Word, he has certainly touched many, and I guess in a way, I was too. I still keep that piece of ad in my organiser, to remind me how precious and fragile our life is. Perhaps it's true that they say people will not remember what you say, or what you do, but how you made them feel.

"So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" - Psalms 90:12

Saturday, May 15, 2004

whirlwind 1 : the one with the short retreat

It has been a whirlwind of activities for the past week or so since the month started. May started with a little retreat to Port Dickson with the worship team (WT) members, me reeling from the sudden news of my U.S. cousin getting married (through a mutual friend at that!), the death of an acquaintance whom I briefly met last year at a camp, my annual reunion with a childhood best friend, to last-minute requests for our department to "supply" usherettes at some company functions and me sharing in MMU's CF.

I have not had time to properly digest all these and let them sink in. At a friend's prompting and "threat" to bug me until I blog more often, I decided to spend some time to jot down my thoughts. Maybe this will help sort the muddled thoughts.

Retreat was good. Something I looked forward to. Even if it was just an overnight stay at one of Malaysia's most popular beaches. It was such a popular destination that it took us double the usual 2 hours to reach there. Everyone seemed to be there. Families and groups of people were everywhere! No space to even swim in the hotel's swimming pool. But the night walk, fellowship with fellow team members, message shared by our WT pastor and coordinator, abundant food and getting-out-of-the-city was something I felt I needed. I got to meet some people I've only seen singing and serving on stage. When our church had 2 services on Sundays, there was time for breakfast in between. With the bigger premises and single service, we only met up for practices and left after services.

Our WT coordinator shared about "Passion for Christ". Most of the time we just go through the routines of serving and it gets monotonous after awhile. Some of us do it because our names are on the duty roster, or we've been doing it all these while. He reminded us to always look to God as our source of joy. For He is the reason we're up there on the stage, week after week. He is the One we should be serving. A lot of the congregation look up to us "frontliners". It's easy to think we're superstars performing a show if we're not careful. We have to walk the walk and talk the talk because people are observing us. We're called to be living testimonies to those around us.

Felt really refreshed at the end of it. Somehow the drive back wasn't as stressful, even though it was still a little jammed :P

Monday, May 10, 2004

night fever, night fever

3 things I enjoyed during yesterday's showing of Saturday Night Fever are :

saturday night fever

1) The intro --> Well, technically it would be the announcement by the Aussie MC where he asked the audience to switch off their "telefon bimbit, alat penggera dan alat telekomunkasi" in BM. It was a good 2 minute's worth of English-ised BM announcement done with much flair and style. I can't describe in words (whatwith my limited vocabulary!), but you have to hear him for yourself to appreciate his effort. And for that, the audience gave him an applause when he ended with "tuh-ri-muh kah-sey den suh-la-met muh-non-toon!"

2) Monty --> He's the comic relief in Sat Nite. Completely done up with the look of that era (flare pants, tight shirt opened up to reveal chest, Afro hairdo), Monty is a dance teacher who has no qualms adjusting his underwear (like how some people do after realising their undies has somehow slipped into uncomfortable positions) after every dance class. And he's a damn good butt wriggler!

3) The dances + costumes --> Absolutely fabulous! I didn't manage to catch the original Saturday Night Fever, but I kinda knew the storyline. I'm into oldies and all things retro (except for the depressing 80's), and found myself moving to the beat. Those from the older generation would appreciate the flare pants, Farrah Fawcett hairstyle, geometrical prints, and slick Elvis hairdo. :D And for those who are going to catch this broadway show, be sure to stay until the end. The finale is (IMHO) a culmination of all the dances combined. The said MC will cue : "Kue-luh Loom-pour, let's dance!" With the people in the front rows standing up to dance, you'll have no choice but to join in the fun!

Tuesday, May 04, 2004

loky's birthday

Took some pictures of the italian meal. Loky will have to thank me for free PR :P

Loky's birthday collage

ps : Anyone here has worn a sports pouch before? It was something both Reen & I have never seen before, but when we saw it, we thought it was just the perfect gift to get for Loky. Similar to G-string, but without the "back" support :P