Incomprehensible

"People fear what they do not understand," Professor Charles Xavier wisely said in The X-Men movies.

Well, I don't understand politics or politicians.

By this, it should mean that I fear politics and politicians.

I guess I do. While also having deep contempt for [most] of them.

I fear what they're going to do next to mess up this world even more.

What, why, how?

• It's knowing your coffee is going to spill a second before the cup tips over...
• It's knowing the answer is wrong a second before clicking on it anyway...
• It's knowing you're going to trip a second before you stumble...
• It's knowing you're going to get into trouble for doing it and doing it anyway...
• It's knowing he's wrong for you and loving him anyway...
• It's knowing the fire will burn and touching it anyway...
• It's knowing you shouldn't walk away, but walking away anyway...
• It's knowing that your credit card will be declined a second before it does...
• It's knowing that you need to get up, but covering your face with a pillow anyway...
• It's knowing that you should care, but you just can't seem to...
  
• It's knowing that you had a choice to stop it, but went ahead with it anyway...

Tech Savvy

Recently I met up with 2 friends of mine, a married couple, M and J, who came down for the holidays. So, we had a way-too-short catch-up.
We were just talking about things and of course the subject of computers popped up [as it will when 3 out of the 4 present were Computing students, making me the proud odd one out].

J was telling us about his grandmother signing up for a computer course. And when his mother brought over a PC to his grandmother's place, she told her mother not to delete 'My Documents' because "it's very important".
The following day, when she went over to visit, her mother proudly told her...
"I deleted 'My Documents'."

Then J continued to tell us more grandparents-related computer stories [after a short laughing break].
His grandparents had bought a new printer and were trying it out. It worked but after a while, it apparently stopped working.
So they took it to the store, told the people there that it wasn't working and exchanged it for another one. They were also given free ink cartridges in the process.
They took it home and tried it out. The same thing happened: it worked fine and then it didn't.
Again, they took it to the store where they got another exchange and more free ink cartridges.
Same thing happened when they took it home.
His grandad said to him, "I don't know why this keeps happening."
His reply?
"Because you've run out of ink."

That just cracked me up. I love grandparents. They're wonderful.

I imagine we'd probably crack them up if we tried to work the sewing machine or typewriter or whatever else they used back then.

Like that classic line from one of the episodes of 'My Wife and Kids'...

Claire, on the typewriter, saying to her father:
"I've been up working on this paper all night, now all I have to do is print it out. Where's the print button?"

Molto Bella

A few years ago, while I was still a young, naive student in Swansea, my friends and I decided to go on a trip during the Easter holidays. And so we booked ourselves for a trip around Italy, starting from Venice and ending at Rome, where we would fly to Paris. Sounds glamorous, no? Very jet-setter.
So not.
We were students. So, no 5-star hotels for us. We got to revel in the luxury of youth hostels. [The one in Venice was gorgeous! Much better than some of the so-called hotels that I've stayed in.]
But the trip was fantastic. Me + gelato in practically every flavour = an extremely happy me. And pasta. Yum. Oh, and the scenery, the buildings, the history and all that was also very nice, of course.
Venice was much better than I ever dreamed it would be. I loved going around in the water taxis. Florence was beautiful. Milan was a shopaholic's [with cash to spare] dream come true. And Rome... well Rome was...
On our way to the Vatican, we were mobbed by gypsies. It was a harrowing 5 minutes. While we were waiting in the long line to enter the Vatican, one of my friends discovered that his wallet was missing. He'd been pickpocketed. So, we didn't get off to a very good start in Rome.
When we got back to the room, another friend discovered that her credit card was missing. So, off we went to report it. [Incidentally, whoever got hold of her credit card had gone on a little spree, as we later found out.]
After those 2 incidents, we were kind of glad to be flying off to Paris [sad as I was to leave the gelato and pasta]. My two [girl] friends and I were wandering around the shops inside the airport [after checking in, of course], when they got stopped. I was walking behind them and was surprised to see them getting stopped by two female security officers. I went up to them to see what was going on, and when they found out I was with my friends, they asked me to come along.
Ah, we were so special. Such V.I.P. treatment. They led us to a room, where they brushed this scanner thing over our clothes to test for... bomb residue. Hmm... apparently we were potential TOOOOOT. I'm not going to say that dreaded 'T' word, so I'll replace it with just TOOOOOT.
Why wasn't I initially stopped? Besides the fact that I was walking slightly behind the other two? Because I don't wear the headscarves the other two were.
This story illustrates that I wouldn't make a very good TOOOOOT as I walked towards the security women, instead off running off in the other direction.
Anyway, it was an interesting experience, to say the least. We couldn't wait to get to Paris after that.

The Project: Phase Three [feat. the FAH-BU-LOUSSS ScoMan]

This is part three of The Project series.
You can find Part One here.
And Part Two here.
For those of you who just stumbled in, The Project is a tandem story written by the witty and talented ScoMan and myself.
He's been such a sweetie to work with. And he's such a fabulous writer. In fact, he's so fabulous, I dedicated a post label just for him. You can find his blog here.
Hope you enjoy this part of the story and we'll be posting more up soon. =D

He looked back over his shoulder to get the licence plate of the other man. It was a vanity plate and not hard to remember - "THEONE". "Sorry I lost my cool" he said to her as they approached the car. It was then he heard his phone was still ringing. He hurried back inside and answered it. "Hello" he said. "Hello, are you at the airport?" he heard his brothers voice respond. "Just on my way now. It's been a rough morning" "Yeah, I just heard on the radio there was an accident on the freeway, could take them awhile to clear it" That was the hold up he thought. "Well we're just starting to crawl again now, so they must have cleared at least a few lanes. I'll call you when we've got mum and are heading to the restaurant." "Okay, should I call ahead and let them know we might be late?" "Sure, sounds like a good idea. Call me back when you've spoken to them, bye" "Bye"He put the phone down and turned to her. "That was my brother. He's calling the restaurant to let them know we might be a little late. Would you like to call your parents?" he asked, offering her the phone.

She shook her head. "Thanks, but I just spoke to them last night. I told them all about today. Besides, it'll be pretty pricey calling all the way to South Africa at this time, peak rates and all that." She smiled. Her parents were celebrating retirement by traveling around the world. So far, they had gone to Athens, Florence, Madrid, Washington and were now traveling around South Africa. They were really enjoying themselves. She herself was looking forward to her trip to Phuket in a few months' time. However, she hadn't gotten around to telling him about her little trip yet. It was a holiday to celebrate the upcoming wedding.

"Fair enough" he said, sliding his phone back into his pocket. He was glad she had refused. Every time she talked to her mother she was worried his surprise would be ruined. Her mother was a lovely lady, but found it difficult to keep a secret. Especially one this big. He had called her parents one night and organised with them to fly to London with them after her sisters wedding. There, her parents would return to their world tour, and he would propose to her. There was something about London and it's old style buildings. To him they held a certain romance and charm. Although he had worked out the way he wanted to propose to her, he had not yet worked out how to get her on the plane without making her suspicious.

She glanced at him. He had been acting rather out-of-character lately, practically jumping for his phone every time it rang. She wondered if something was wrong with him and had thought to ask him a few times. But he'd always been the type to talk when he was ready and she didn't want to push. The traffic was clearing up rather nicely, and it looked like they just might make it to the airport on time. "I'm going to order the chicken pesto pasta later, I think. And loads of garlic bread. I'm so hungry! And nervous. I hope your mum will like me." She started fidgeting in her seat, as she always did when she was nervous. Perhaps she should tell him about Phuket now? Or wait until they reached the airport. He can't yell at her in front of his mother. Hah. She decided to do just that. But first, she should prepare him. "So, mum and dad are having such a fantastic time traveling. I'm so jealous. I really want to go on a trip too, get a change of scenery." She glanced at him to see his reaction.

I was projecting a bit when I mentioned all that traveling. I would love to be able to travel all over the world.
And it turned into a fun little game between ScoMan and myself, a bit like ping-pong.
He's been great to work with, even though I apparently torture him with tasks as times. Lol.
You can read his side of the story here.

Dear Mom...

I know you sometimes worry that my voice is too soft.
I know sometimes I have to keep repeating myself to people.
I know you're worried I won't be heard.
Don't worry.
I know how to speak up for myself.
When I was growing up, you would tell me to lower my voice whenever I was too loud.
Maybe you worry you made me too soft.
Don't worry.
I learned to voice my thoughts without having to scream and shout.

I know you sometimes worry that I have no direction.
I know I've been drifting along on this path.
I know you're worried I'm not going to get there.
Don't worry.
I know where I'm headed.
When I was growing up, you told me I could be whatever I wanted.
[Though I know you meant more along the lines of lawyer, doctor or accountant.]
Maybe you worry that made me unfocused.
Don't worry.
You taught me to dream and I'm chasing after that dream.

I know you worry that I might be irresponsible.
I know I've done little to prove you wrong.
I know I've made many mistakes, and I probably will make many more.
Don't worry.
I'll step up when the need arises.
When I was growing up, you told me I had to learn to be independent.
Maybe you worry I'm going to fall and not get back up.
Don't worry.
You taught me to be strong and I know I am.

I know you worry that I'm too stubborn.
I know I am.
I don't think that that's going to change anytime soon.
Don't worry.
It just means I don't give up easily.
When I was growing up, you told me not to let myself be bullied by others or by circumstance.
Maybe you worry I'm going to be disappointed if I fail.
Don't worry.
You taught me to stand my ground and to never cave in to pressure.

I know sometimes you don't see it.
But don't worry.
I'll be fine.
You did a great job on your part.
Now it's time for me to do mine.

Lost My...

Lost my way? Many, many times. Literally and figuratively. I'm so bad with directions and put a map in my hand, you may as well have given me a papyrus with hieroglyphs on it. But I usually find my way, one way or the other.

Lost my heart? Corny, cheesy, but so what? It's true. Happened 3 1/2 years ago. Through no fault of my own, of course. I'm in no hurry to get it back. It's got a great new owner.

Lost my inspiration? My Muse [or whatever] seemed to have taken a detour somewhere and left me with Writer's Block. I have a suspicion that detour includes a visit to the shoe store.

Lost my voice? I did for a while. But I've got it back and am not going to make that same mistake again. It was horrible.

Lost my loves? Yes! My parents moved so many times and apparently my mother thought it was fine to donate my books to charity. An admirable cause but those books are my babies! She gave away my babies!

Lost my weight? No. The only thing that I desperately want to lose and it's not going anywhere. It might go off for a little bit but it always makes it way back. Curses.

The Project: Phase Two

Ladies and gentleman... man... man...

I present to you... you... you...

Without further ado... do... do...

The Project... ject... ject...

Phase Two... Two... Two...

He smiled. She looked at him in that way that let him know she knew he was up to something. "It's a good thing you're sitting beside a former boy scout," he said, "because they always taught me to be prepared. He enjoyed playing with her. She was so cute when she knew she was being played with. He motioned towards the glove compartment and she opened it. He knew she wouldn't have had time for breakfast, so he'd made her a sandwich before he left. She smiled and he melted.

It was her favourite sandwich too, roast turkey on rye with mayonnaise and black olives. She hated green olives for some unknown reason. She was just about to bite into it when the car in front of them braked suddenly, causing him to brake suddenly as well. She cried out as the sandwich flew out of her hand and watched as the olives fell on her shoes. He started cursing the driver of the car. She started picking up the sandwich from her shoes and dress.

He looked at her dress. "Don't worry, it's fine," he said. He wondered why traffic has stopped ahead. Perhaps there'd been an accident. He certainly hadn't been expecting it. The squeal of brakes behind him woke him from his thoughts and he checked his mirror, just as the car behind slammed into the back of the them. The impact shook the car violently, causing her to drop what she had recovered of her sandwich. He couldn't believe their bad luck.

She gasped loudly and turned to look behind. Traffic was at a complete standstill. The driver behind started honking at them, which made her seriously angry. First, she had turkey flung all over her dress and now the jerk behind them was honking at them when it wasn't their fault. That was it. She wound down the window and started yelling at the driver. He replied by honking again. She nearly jumped out of the car to go punch the guy.

While she was yelling at the other driver, he got out of the car to check the damage. The car still looked driveable, but there was a bit of damage to the bodywork at the back end. The other driver was still honking and yelling at her. He normally was not a violent man, but today he was being pushed to his limits. He took ten deep breaths, and walked towards the other car. As calmly as he could, he walked over to the other car to try and get the other driver's insurance information.

Meanwhile, she realised how silly she was acting and popped her head back in the car to pick up the sandwich. Her stomach was rumbling loudly now, from the effort she had spent yelling at the jerk. She tossed the remainder of the poor sandwich out the window and took out some wet wipes to try to get the grease out of her dress. At the rate they were going, they might not reach the airport. His mobile started ringing and she glanced at the incoming number. It was a private number. She looked behind and saw that he was still exchanging information with the other driver, who saw her looking and glared at her. She gave him the finger and smiled sweetly. The phone was still ringing. Should she answer? But she hated answering other people's calls. It felt like an invasion of privacy to her.

He couldn't see what she was doing now, but he just knew she'd upset the other driver because the guy started yelling and screaming at the car again. He gave the guy a shove and said, "Leave her out of this. Let's just get this sorted before traffic starts moving again." the guy shoved him back. He threw his hands up in surrender. He was already likely to be turning up late, his date with food all over her dress and with damage to the back of his car. The last thing he needed was a black eye and a bleeding lip on top of all that. "You're even more of a b***h than she is," the guy said. Today that was all the provocation he needed. He threw the first punch he'd thrown since he used to fight with his brothers as a child.

The phone had stopped ringing. She heard loud voiced coming from outside and turned to look. The phone started ringing again, but she ignored it. She stared at the scene outside in disbelief before jumping out of the car and running towards the two men. By the time she reached them, the other driver had a split lip and a bruise was forming on his cheek. Luckily, her guy was unharmed. She pulled on his arm and urged him to get back in the car with her. The other driver started cursing at her, which didn't bode well with her. She kicked him in the stomach, which shut him up. It was her guy's turn to pull on her arm and coax her back into their car. Traffic was beginning to move as well by now.

There you go... go... go...

Enjoy!

Stay tuned for the next phase!

Don't forget to check out ScoMan's blog here.

Behind The Scenes: Commentaries

Me

Well, he wrote the first paragraph. I thought we were going to a wedding or graduation, since it sounded like a really big event. That's why I decided to put her in a dress. At this point, we were both going in blind. I had no idea where this story would take us, and in fact, still don't. Curve balls keep popping up. =D 

Then I found out we were actually meeting his mother and picking her up at the airport. But as ScoMan said in his post, we were still feeling out each other. It's good fun though, not knowing which direction we were going. A cyber adventure. =P

ScoMan

I wrote the first paragraph thinking, "Right, he's all dressed up nice and ready to go out, I don't know where he's going, hopefully Badriyyah decides that with her bit." Well, she thought I had something in mind, but I didn't so I decided to think of something as unexpected as I could. Something where there was the potential for excitement and a few laughs along the way (you don't think meeting a mother is exciting? You haven't met my mother.)

I have really been enjoying working on this with Badriyyah . It is hard to plan ahead at all, because you don't know what is going to happen in the next paragraph. And time after time, she leaves me with a challenge to answer.

Me

Well, he answered and left me another challenge. Haha. But it's all in good fun. I have really enjoyed working on this with him [as proven by the large word count]. I had no idea it would go on for this long, but I'm loving it! Perhaps it may even turn into a blog-novella. =D

The Unveiling; The Project Phase 1

A while back, I read a really great [tandem] story, which I shared on my blog here. I was so inspired by this story that I asked ScoMan if he would like to work with me on a tandem story. [Check out his blog, it's really worth reading! He's got great stuff up there. He's really funny too. Click here for one of my favourites from him.] I could go on and on, but then I probably would not get a chance to get into the story. Enter many exclamations of praise for him here and here.
Anyway, he said yes and we've been working on it ever since. We've apparently gone over 5 000 words, and the end is nowhere in sight. We will post the story in parts [since it's way too long for a single post] and here is the first part.
I do hope you enjoy it as much as we both have!


He straightened his tie and looked in the mirror. He'd known for months this day was coming, but the reality that it had finally arrived had not yet sunk in. Even as he was preparing for the days events, he could not fully comprehend what was ahead of him. He didn't realize what it meant for any of them. October 18th would be a day none of them would ever forget.

She looked at the photograph of him on her dresser. She wondered what he was doing and thinking right now. Was he as excited as she was? He was smiling in the photo, caught in a moment of candid happiness. She loved his smile. She loved his laugh. She glanced at the dress waiting for her on the bed. She should really start getting ready.

He checked his watch. He knew she wouldn't be ready yet. She always got ready in a frantic rush at the last minute, and always managed to take his breath away. Her beauty was effortless. He checked his watch again. If he was going to be at the airport when his mothers plane landed he'd have to leave soon. She'd never taken much interest in meeting his girlfriends in the past. Maybe after 18 months, she knew how serious he was this time.

She picked up the dress, then hesitated. Was it right for this special occasion? It was important to her that everything was perfect today. She checked her watch. Ooops, she thought. She was running a bit behind. If she was late it wouldn't matter how perfect the dress was. She slipped it on and hoped it wouldn't clash with what he was wearing. If he were here, he'd probably nag at her to hurry up. And people thought women were nags.

He got in his car and started heading towards her place. He hoped she was ready. He knew if they were late to the airport, his mother would never let them hear the end of it. Today had to be perfect. It was the day the two most important people in his life would finally meet. He fiddled with the radio. He needed to find something to take his mind off today. "If I don't think about it, I won't stress about it" he thought to himself.

She heard the car approaching. She grabbed her bag and shoes and ran down the stairs. She hated to keep anyone waiting. When the car stopped, she was already at the door, slipping her shoes on. She waved and climbed into the car, noting happily that his tie and shirt didn't clash with her dress. He looked wonderful.

He was pleased she was ready for him when he arrived. She looked perfect. He loved the dress she had chosen for today. If she had let him select the outfit for her (he had volunteered to do so in a moment of panic), that is the dress he would have picked. He scolded himself for being so worried. She'd never let him down before, and she knew how important today was to him. Though it wasn't just important to him he thought, it was her day too.

"I'm so nervous," she told him. "And I'm absolutely starving! I missed breakfast because I was too nervous to eat. Oh gosh, when I meet her the first thing she'll hear is my stomach rumbling!" She began rummaging through her purse but all she found was some lozenges. "Lasagna would be so good right now, " she sighed. She knew she should have listened to her friends and just forced herself to have a few bites before she left.

Oh, guess who wrote which part? =P

In Denial

I'm missing my daily dose of 'The Simpsons' as my mother has taken away the remote for the downstairs TV [hers isn't working, so she's using this one in the meantime]. The result is the downstairs TV is now stuck on the Hallmark channel, and there's a movie on that I don't care much for. *sob*
Thank goodness for the Internet and chocolates. I swear I'm not a couch potato.
Seriously.
I'm not.
I may be spending loads of time in front of that TV, but only because I'm on a self-imposed 'no-shopping' strike.
Hah.
Okay, fine.
Be proud of who you are and all that jazz.
I'm a shopaholic couch potato. Who is completely addicted to 'The Simpsons' and KitKat bars.
Why oh why do they not sell the orange and mint KitKat bars here in Malaysia?!?
And why do we not have any decent potato chips / crisps?
And why can I not get Veoh.com here?
I have been reduced to eating regular old KitKat bars and craving crisps and relying on youtube.com.
Ah, how I long for the glory days.
[Pretty sad that my glory days revolve around chocolates and crisps and watching stuff online.]
[Well, ebay.co.uk played a big part of those glory days as well. And a bunch of other stuff. Like cookies and cappuccino cake. *sigh*]
I hold hope that those orange and mint KitKats will soon find their way in our supermarkets.
[My mother should not have taken that remote away from me.]

Why Do I Need To Explain Myself To You?

So, I want to stay at home and read.
I'll stay at home and read.
So what if you think that I'm anti-social?
I never cared about being cool anyway.
But that's just me.
I let you be you without trying to change you.
Please extend me the same courtesy.
You probably think I'm miserable being on my own.
Truth is, I'm miserable when I have to paste a fake smile on my face.

So, I'd rather sit back and listen to the conversation.
I'm probably getting lost in my own thoughts.
So what if you think that I'm a bore?
We can't all be talking over each other.
But that's just me.
I'm trying to listen to you.
So please try to listen to me.
You probably think I feel excluded.
Truth is, I'd rather not blow empty air. Or I simply can't be bothered.

So, I like to go out on my own.
It's more relaxing that way sometimes.
So what if that makes me look like a loser?
I enjoy being by myself sometimes.
But that's just me.
I respect the way you choose to spend your days.
Please respect the way I choose to spend mine.
You probably think I'm really lonely.
Truth is, sometimes I'm too tired to play the social game.

So, I choose to live my life this way.
I'm perfectly happy and content.
So what if it's different from what society dictates is the norm?
I'm perfectly happy and content.
But that's just me.
You choose to live your life your way.
And you're perfectly happy and content, I hope.

A Toast To...

• The mother who stays up all night to look after her sick baby.
• The father who stays by his wife's side to help look after his family.
  
• The man who treats his partner like the princess she is.
• The woman who treats her partner like the prince he is.
• The people who never give up hope, no matter how hard the struggle.
• The people who take the time to help others who really need their help.
• The people who have the courage to keep chasing their dreams and rainbows.
• The people who make mistakes and learn from them.
• The people who work hard to provide a better life for their loved ones.
• The friend who is always there for a friend in need.
• The people who are willing to give a second chance to the ones who just need someone to believe in them.
  
• The people who will not let others stop them from reaching for their star.
• All the people in the world who bring joy and love to the people in their lives.

Indescribable

That's right.
Take a good, long look in the mirror.
See the reflection looking back at you.
Really see it.
Now can you still sit on your high horse?
Can you still say that you were wronged?
Can you still tell yourself that you didn't do anything wrong?
Can you honestly face yourself with a perfect conscience?
Am I still the villain here?
I'll be the first to admit I am no saint.
And I can be a witch.
But darling, you...
You are indescribable...
And I don't mean that in a good way.
Darling.
Take your perfect conscience and honeyed poison and get away from here.

My Bliss

Time to stop for gas.
The gauge was just below the halfway point.
Oh, it will cost 60 I said.
50 he said.
I confidently raised it to 65.
He raised his guess to 55.
We both waited gleefully for the final outcome.
He went to pay.
I waited.
He got back in the car.
How much?
He said 57.
It stopped at 55 but he tried to push it up to 57.
Why?
So we both win...
57 is the halfway point between 55 and 60.
I didn't hear you say 65, I only heard 60.
Silly, but that brought tears to my eyes.
It was the best trip I've ever been on.

It's Just Another Number

So it's 2009. I welcomed the new year by lazing about on the couch and watching the POTC marathon. Jack Sparrow and Will Turner? Yes, please! I couldn't ask for better dates to usher in 2009.

But seriously... I wasn't all that enthusiastic about it. As I've mentioned before in one of my birthday blogs [some of my regular readers might remember this], [Oh, I suppose I could link it but it's 5:39 and I'm exhausted yet my brain won't shut off - damn you, brain! Why do you only shut off when I need you most... like during exams or when I'm trying to come up with a brilliant lie to get out of something... so I'm too lazy to look up the link.] I consider my birthday to be my very own personal New Year's. So what if that makes some people think I'm vain and have delusions of grandeur? It makes me feel special. So, there you go. Besides, something happened on the eve of 2000 that totally put me off ever celebrating New Year's.

The gist of it was that I had just finished school and decided to go celebrate in the center of town with a friend. Come midnight, the mob was like this moving centipede or something and my friend and I got separated. The networks were screwed up and the mobile phones were all not working. Fast forward... security guard... wandering around... phones finally working after a couple of hours... waiting for friend by a corner... drunk guy propositioning me [he thought I was a pro!!!!! Wait until I tell you about the time I was apparently a potential terrorist.]... finally reaching home at 5 a.m.... solemn vow to never, ever celebrate New Year's ever again.

That's one of the few vows I actually kept [keep?]. Anyway, I'm kicking off 2009 with a little trip and a friend's wedding. Hope you have a great weekend!

Oh, after I get back I will start unveiling the project [though it's still nowhere near completion]. We're still having way too much fun with it. =D