Home Improvements

One of the first things that were commented upon for my new house is that we lack a matching television, matching as in big enough and/or those LCD type televisions. I would have to agree to that up to some point. We have a big sofa set, a big television cabinet, a big wall but no big television.

A Sony sale was held at my office and offered to what was told me that were worthy discounts on the offer items. Not having the best knowledge in this area, i contacted a friend who has got several of these TV sets as and when he could find a bargain. With his advice, i made my decision and got a 40" Sony LCD TV plus a Sony Home Theater set. The TV offer comes with a free DVD player.

Since my company have again offered waiver for the supposed RM50 Service Tax, so i decided to bind myself for 2 years for the TV. Another one the things i am doing to put smiles on my family's faces. After making the purchases, there were other special offerings by my company and i got 2 RM20 Caltex petrol vouchers for the amount i spent.

When the TV was delivered, Sony's special offerings were cash back and i got a further RM350 back :p which will be posted to me via cheque 1 month or so after registering the vouchers at Sony's website. All in all, i got a good price and with the vouchers, it made things more worthy.

The sad thing about all that was that Sony held its own sale with other electrical shops and offered an even better Home Theater set with the Rm400 of cash back :( I did some rough calculations and found that i paid roughly the same amount but got a lower end Home Theater set. However i got an extra DVD player. So the give and take was acceptable i suppose.

Sony 40" LCD TV
Sony Home Theater Set
The free Sony DVD player

Thinner but heavier???

Why does the impossible seems to happen when you do not want them to? Again i am at wits end as to why i have the knack for these.

The other day, a colleague of mine bought a new weighing machine. A few other colleagues gathered around that contraption and claim it to be spoilt. Since its just after lunch and i did not want to continue work just yet so i gave it a try.

On i went and WOOT! a new low for me, or so i thought. My "high" was sent tumbling to the ground when they told me that that the weigh was giving way too low readings :( So, we all concluded that the weigh must be removed from its packaging to try to get a better reading.

My colleagues tried it after removing the packages and were still quite pleased with the result and i was asked to verify their results. Lo and behold, to my horror, i have gained back the 5 kilos that i have lost T_T

So how i can it be that i look thinner but weigh so much heavier again? Maybe i should start to skip lunch again ... Sigh, 1 year of supposed effort to lose weight is debunked by the weighing machine :( Time for diet shakes?

I have Black Elements

I have been itching to get a portable HDD for quite some time already seeing that my old HDDs are dying 1 by 1. Last Saturday after a good friends wedding ceremony, another good friend offered his services to scout and buy for me a portable HDD if the price is right.

Lo and behold, now i have with me a 500GB portable HDD to play with. A black 500GB WD Elements. Time to enlarge my mp3 collection again ^_^

Before opening
The content of the box
The HDD in its placeholder
The portable HDD itself

Guns N' Roses, Mayday, Linkin Park, Power Station, Greenday, etc etc etc COME TO PAPA!!! ^_^

Parenting zodiac

Followed through an interesting link from Su's entry and the description seems to fit :)

Leo Parent

Proud and warm

As a Leo parent, you care most about family loyalty, protection and affection. You're passionate and genuine in your emotional displays, so your children know when you're in a warm and enthusiastic mood. Equally, they know when you’re feeling down.

With your natural courage, energy and love of the spotlight, you're likely to be the centre of your family. You set the emotional tone for your children and partner. When you're feeling appreciated, life couldn’t be better for all of you. However, when you're feeling ignored or under-valued, you can become quite upset and sensitive. Leo is the royal sign, after all, and royalty does not like to be snubbed!

Your children love your generosity, and you shower them with presents and other grand gestures. If your son or daughter has a friend over, you'll take everyone to dinner, a film and for some ice- cream. You may do something even more extravagant, whether you can really afford it or not. For you, it's all about treating your loved ones well.

You do like to be thanked for your efforts though. You have a proud side, as well as an insecure one, and when your kindness is not recognised you can really work yourself up. That lion's roar will be heard through the whole house!
Deep down, you know your family adores you as fiercely and unconditionally as you adore them, so any family conflict is generally sorted out quickly.

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Aquarius Child

A different view

Your Aquarius child certainly marches to the beat of his own drum. This little one is quirky and will constantly surprise you with how creative and original he can be.

He is likely to be quite sociable and will make lots of friends easily. He’ll love having playmates that differ in background and culture to him.

Aquarius children are attracted to variety and new experiences. Your little Aquarius might like unusual foods that other children won't even try, like hot peppers and strong cheeses. Or he might spend hours in his room, inventing something technical, functional and just all-around incredible!

Pursuing his own freedom and individuality is at the top of your little one’s priorities, so you should give him plenty of space. If Aquarius children aren't allowed to express themselves, they can become rebellious or stubborn and even quietly depressed.

Let your child dress himself as soon as he can, and give him plenty of books, art supplies, and other bits and pieces to encourage his creativity.
Aquarius children tend to be quite intelligent. They're natural forward-thinkers and have a good understanding of the world, so your little one might grow up to be something of an excellent problem solver.

Your child may surprise you with his interests and life choices, but if you can stay open to the way his mind works, you're likely to find he's a genius in his own right. Aquarius children just need time to find the best way of expressing their brilliance.

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Leo Parent, Aquarius Child

Born to be free

You might feel mystified by your Aquarius child's lack of close attachment to you. Naturally rather cool-natured emotionally, she just isn't as warm and expressive as you are. She does love having fun though, and she's stimulated by new people, places, games and ideas. Isn't it wonderful that your creativity helps you keep her entertained?

Do grant your little Aquarius her independence, even if it hurts your feelings that she needs it. Her job in this world is to observe, explore and mingle with lots of different people. Allowing her to think and behave in unique ways will foster her brilliance. Remember that you're a grounding force for her, and she's devoted to you in her own way. The fact that she has many different interests and concerns doesn't mean she doesn't adore you - it's just from a bit of a distance!

Want to give it a try? Go here

Regress in progress?

I don't believe that i am the only who "suffers" from this disease, "One step forward, two steps back". When we thought we have progressed in something but when you really scrutinize it, we are actually heading the unwanted direction. Somewhat of a Newton's third law of motion, "For every action there is an equal double and opposite reaction" :p

In work, you thought you have got a better job and begin liking what you do at first. When you really look at it down the road, it does not really feel so. One begins to wonder if he/she is really doing his/her job properly? Although what matters most is the end result, the things we have to go through to achieve the result might not be so glorious at all. I feel disillusioned by what i have to do to get through the day, my job description does not state that i must do harmful and/or take despicable (IMHO) actions to get what i need. Sometimes i fear that i may be stalked after office hours for what i have done.

In the country, the supposed progress that are claimed by the leaders are heading back to the stone age IMHO. 1Malaysia my ass, where is the supposed equality? the supposed 1 race? the supposed 1 united country? Racism, special quota allocation, various kinds of quarreling at all stages of society, supposed chosen leaders who have the mind worse off than uneducated barbarians.

In life, when you thought that you have done what is best but when looked upon, you have sinned beyond the limits of Hell. You do what you think is best, its wrong. You do what they want you do, its still wrong. You do what other people tells you to do, and its still fecking wrong. What the fuck is wrong??? I am sometimes at wit's end on this matter and oh yeah, if you don't do anything its DEFINITELY WRONG!

*Shakes head and pulling at his remaining hair*

Bad things happen when you talk about it ...

Based on my almost 3 decades of observations, bad things tend to happen when you talk about it. A sunny could turn out to be a rainy day when someone says that, "The worse that could happen would be to rain". There'd be a massive jam when you are already late for an important event. Your car would break down when you need it to go somewhere.

My old house was broken into right after a family friend claimed that our residential area was very safe. When you have plans to get something with the extra money which you have waited for all year long and then you are hit with a financial situation requiring you to ditch your year long plan ...

My was broken into 2 times and both times, the things stolen were not even half the cost for the repair on the damage done on the windows. The first time i lost an imitation Oakley sunglasses. This time i lost a can of money which also had some sweets in it.

I was just talking to the guard who used to guard the parking which i parked my car at inquiring why there are no more guards up there now. He told me that the contract for guarding of the parking floors have expired and not renewed and now he is hired to guard the shop floors. When i went to retrieve my car, it was just like everyday until my carpool colleague asked me a strange question, "Is this your car?". Only then i saw that there were stuff spilled all over the front passenger seat. Sigh ...

What's worse is that now is the rainy season and all the mechanic shops i went to told me that the supplier shops are closed and i can't get the repairs done for the night. What bad things can happen next? It started to rain, woot! Fortunately it was not raining cats and dogs else i'd be cursing in language that i know.

So if i do not want it to rain, i would not say anything about the weather. If i want Manchester United to win, i would not say that we would win. I almost always never make plans far ahead of time and promise that i would go because you never know what might happen at the last minute. I must refrain from more curiosity else it would get me into more bad luck.

Its November and its raining ...

I'll be honest with you, when RTM2 was not all patriotic and stuff, Guns N' Roses' November Rain was always aired but at that time i did not know the band Guns N' Roses. I just know that this song sounded nice and music video's story was great, of course the killer would be Slash during his solos.

*Head shaking as i enjoice this song over and over again*

Guns N' Roses - November Rain

When I look into your eyes
I can see a love restrained
But darlin' when I hold you
Don't you know I feel the same
'Cause nothin' lasts forever
And we both know hearts can change
And it's hard to hold a candle
In the cold November rain

We've been through this such a long long time
Just tryin' to kill the pain
But lovers always come and lovers always go
An no one's really sure who's lettin' go today
Walking away
If we could take the time to lay it on the line
I could rest my head
Just knowin' that you were mine
All mine

So if you want to love me
then darlin' don't refrain
Or I'll just end up walkin'
In the cold November rain

Do you need some time...on your own
Do you need some time...all alone
Everybody needs some time...on their own
Don't you know you need some time...all alone

I know it's hard to keep an open heart
When even friends seem out to harm you
But if you could heal a broken heart
Wouldn't time be out to charm you

Sometimes I need some time...on my own
Sometimes I need some time...all alone
Everybody needs some time...on their own
Don't you know you need some time...all alone

And when your fears subside
And shadows still remain, ohhh yeahhh
I know that you can love me
When there's no one left to blame
So never mind the darkness
We still can find a way
'Cause nothin' lasts forever
Even cold November rain

Don't ya think that you need somebody
Don't ya think that you need someone
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one

Ah.... the memories of all the great Guns N' Roses songs *grins*