The dreaded happened... my office PC Harddisk Drive crashed last week. Can't say I was not warned. There were signs that it might happen. Ah well, it was a forced way to clean up old data. I'm not a good housekeeper so the HDD is so choked full of data that I didn't even recall existed. What peeved me was it took the stupid outsourcing company one whole week to attend to the matter. How "cacat" (handicapped) can they be.
I even reported to their helpdesk that it was a HDD crash and their field engineer shows up a week later to tell me what I already reported and left saying it was not within his scope of work. Need the hardware technician to change the HDD. Hello!? Duh!!!
Monday, November 21, 2005
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Past, Present and Future Tensed
To live today, we have to leave the past
To live tomorrow, we have to remember the past
We have heard these words mentioned in so many ways and it has always been the case of easier said than done. Why do we have this tendency to cling on so tightly to the past even though it drags us down. We thought we carry gold so we struggle to stay afloat. Only when we realize that the burden of the past is naught but fool's gold, will we let go. When do we start to realize is the question. Before it is too late or will we let go before it drowns us.
To live tomorrow, we have to remember the past
We have heard these words mentioned in so many ways and it has always been the case of easier said than done. Why do we have this tendency to cling on so tightly to the past even though it drags us down. We thought we carry gold so we struggle to stay afloat. Only when we realize that the burden of the past is naught but fool's gold, will we let go. When do we start to realize is the question. Before it is too late or will we let go before it drowns us.
Monday, November 07, 2005
Grinding Monday Blues
In retrospect, a break is never long enough and the recent one is no exception. Was not sure if I could have another sleep-in and had to check the date while hoping that it is not yet Monday 7/11. Too bad I was right about the date. Just the mere thought of having to go back to the daily grind is enough to drain my energy. Psychological? Yes, and it works! Traffic is not back to its usual density yet as most folks have opted off for an additional day or so.
Looking back, it was late nights because can afford to sleep in the next day. Then its wondering where to go and what to do. Managed to do some photo-shoots with friends and discover what's in our 'back-yard' while at it. Back-yard meaning within 50km radius from the city-limits.
Was nice while it lasted. The city air was so clear on Friday. Majority of cars are outstation spouting polluting away from the Klang Valley. Heard horror traffic reports on Sat & Sun as the masses pouring back into the city. Glad I'm not one of them ... smarter idea to stay put and enjoy the 'empty' roads.
Looking back, it was late nights because can afford to sleep in the next day. Then its wondering where to go and what to do. Managed to do some photo-shoots with friends and discover what's in our 'back-yard' while at it. Back-yard meaning within 50km radius from the city-limits.
Was nice while it lasted. The city air was so clear on Friday. Majority of cars are outstation spouting polluting away from the Klang Valley. Heard horror traffic reports on Sat & Sun as the masses pouring back into the city. Glad I'm not one of them ... smarter idea to stay put and enjoy the 'empty' roads.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Next Four Days Are Off!!
It is the eve of the Raya holidays and most people have left Klang Valley for their 'kampungs'. Even Sunday morning traffic is not this light. Times like this you wish for it to be the norm instead of being choked with other drivers that seem all strung up even before the day has begun.
Out in the Puduraya area, last minute rushes for buses heading out of the city. Expect majority to be out by tonight.
Office is very quiet too. On my floor there are only a handful, perhaps only a quarter of the usual workforce. Nice with the absence of phones ringing, voices both loud and louder. Better not get used to it.
Out in the Puduraya area, last minute rushes for buses heading out of the city. Expect majority to be out by tonight.
Office is very quiet too. On my floor there are only a handful, perhaps only a quarter of the usual workforce. Nice with the absence of phones ringing, voices both loud and louder. Better not get used to it.
Why is a ship called a 'SHE'?
- A ship is always called a 'She' because there is always a great deal of bustle around her
- There is usually a gang of men about, she has a waist and stays
- It takes a lot of paint to keep her good-looking
- It is not the initial expense that breaks you, it is the upkeep
- She can be all decked out
- It takes an experienced man to handle her correctly, and without a man at the helm, she is uncontrollable.
- She shows her top sides, hides her bottom and, when coming into port, always heads for the buoys!
The Crazy English Language
Condensed from "crazy english" by Richard Lederer.
English is the most widely used language in the history of our planet. One in every seven human beings can speak it. More than half of the world's books and three-quarters of the international mail are in English. Of all languages, English has the largest vocabulary - perhaps as many as two million words and one of the noblest bodies of literature.
Nonetheless, let's face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, neither pine nor apple in pineapple, and no ham in a hamburger. English muffins weren't invented in England or french fries in France. Sweetmeats are candy while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.
We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither a pig nor from Guinea. And why is it a writer writes, but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce, and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn't the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese - so one moose, two meese? One index, two indices - one Kleenex, two Kleenices?
Doesn't it seem loopy that you can make amends but not just one amend, that you can comb through the annals of history but not just one annal? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and you get rid of all but one, what do you call it?
If the teacher taught, why isn't it true that the preacher praught? If a horsehair mat is made from the hair of horses and a camel's-hair coat from the hair of camels, from what is a mohair coat made? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? If you wrote a letter, perhaps you also bote your tongue?
Sometimes I wonder if all English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what other language do people drive on a parkway and park in a driveway? Recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be as hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?
Did you ever notice that we talk about certain things only when they are absent? Have you ever seen a horseful carriage or strapful gown, met a sung hero or experienced requited love? Have you ever run into someone who was combobulated, gruntled, ruly or peccable?
You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which your alarm clock goes off by going on.
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race (which, of course, isn't really a race at all). That is why, when the stars are out they are visible, but when the lights are out they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch I start it, but when I wind up this essay I end it.
Addendum: In US men who ride on horses are sometimes called cowboys, pumps a liquid into their automobiles, but call it gas. Runs around with a ball in their hands and call it football, play with a hard ball and call it softball. People with blonde, brown, auburn, brunette or red hair, have blue, brown eyes and white skin call people with black hair, black eyes and black skin “colored”. Men boil water to make it hot, put ice in it to make it cold, lemon in it to make it sour, sugar to make it sweet and say “here’s to you” and drink it themselves.
English is the most widely used language in the history of our planet. One in every seven human beings can speak it. More than half of the world's books and three-quarters of the international mail are in English. Of all languages, English has the largest vocabulary - perhaps as many as two million words and one of the noblest bodies of literature.
Nonetheless, let's face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, neither pine nor apple in pineapple, and no ham in a hamburger. English muffins weren't invented in England or french fries in France. Sweetmeats are candy while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.
We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither a pig nor from Guinea. And why is it a writer writes, but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce, and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn't the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese - so one moose, two meese? One index, two indices - one Kleenex, two Kleenices?
Doesn't it seem loopy that you can make amends but not just one amend, that you can comb through the annals of history but not just one annal? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and you get rid of all but one, what do you call it?
If the teacher taught, why isn't it true that the preacher praught? If a horsehair mat is made from the hair of horses and a camel's-hair coat from the hair of camels, from what is a mohair coat made? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? If you wrote a letter, perhaps you also bote your tongue?
Sometimes I wonder if all English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what other language do people drive on a parkway and park in a driveway? Recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be as hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?
Did you ever notice that we talk about certain things only when they are absent? Have you ever seen a horseful carriage or strapful gown, met a sung hero or experienced requited love? Have you ever run into someone who was combobulated, gruntled, ruly or peccable?
You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which your alarm clock goes off by going on.
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race (which, of course, isn't really a race at all). That is why, when the stars are out they are visible, but when the lights are out they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch I start it, but when I wind up this essay I end it.
Addendum: In US men who ride on horses are sometimes called cowboys, pumps a liquid into their automobiles, but call it gas. Runs around with a ball in their hands and call it football, play with a hard ball and call it softball. People with blonde, brown, auburn, brunette or red hair, have blue, brown eyes and white skin call people with black hair, black eyes and black skin “colored”. Men boil water to make it hot, put ice in it to make it cold, lemon in it to make it sour, sugar to make it sweet and say “here’s to you” and drink it themselves.
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