It's Almost Like We're Watching It Together

I don't think anyone reads this space anymore (Sitemeter doesn't lie) unless by some twist of fate the topic of my blog crops up in a conversation.

Friend : "Ehhhh update your blog!"
Me       : "I've updated it. With a poem."
Friend : "REALLY! I'll go check it out now."

So basically that's it. Today I feel like writing a little about soccer, because I have a few choice quotes from Soccernet.com that I desperately want to share. I LOL-ed to myself while reading the live feed but sharing them with others (even a perceived audience) trumps solitary giggling, no?

The matches today are crucially important because they determine which sad, underperforming English teams can stay in the top flight that is the English Premier League. Now that the matches have ended, Hull City is safe and Newcastle relegated-- which is a pity considering they have Owen and Viduka on the squad. If you don't know who they are, it's okay, just know that they don't deserve to be playing alongside minions in the First Division.

But I digress. But before I move on to the really funny quotes, there are also a few other things one needs to know:

1. Newcastle MUST win to stay on in the EPL
   
2. Hull can afford to lose, but only if Newcastle loses
   
3. There are 90 min in a soccer game
   

Now that we're clear, it's all systems go. Like a good dutiful student I have passed up on the chance catch a live soccer match because the deadline for a 2000-5000 word report is looming over my head. But bless technology, because from the comfort of my seat and the corner of my eye, I can now catch minute by minute footie action on a page that refreshes itself.

Report to the left, live feed to the right

Oh I just figured that the fact that the live feed was in words might come as a surprise to those of you who were expecting some sort of moving images on screen. My apologies, this kind of works like Twitterfall, awesome stuff that is.

So I will juggle between Skype, Word and Soccernet when sometimes the last, with it's alternate sense of humour, sends me into a fit of giggles.

Case in point #1:

75'

Hull now seem almost wary of letting in a second goal - when really it does not matter how many they lose by if they indeed do

Case in point #2:

81'

Our commentator Martin Tyler has a dig at Newcastle's fans for not shouting their hearts out. They are paralysed with fear for God's sake man.

Case in point #3:

68'

Well, this really is getting rather tense now. And yes, I have a defibrilator on stand-by in case you were wondering.

Hurhurhur, these made my night. Now back to the report.

Bottled Up

Bloody Hell has it been long or WHAT. 

"First they came..."

When the Nazis came for the communists,

I remained silent;

I was not a communist.

Then they locked up the social democrats,

I remained silent;

I was not a social democrat.

Then they came for the trade unionists,

I did not speak out;

I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,

I did not speak out;

I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,

there was no one left to speak out for me.

-Pastor Martin Niemöller

Now Here We Go Again

On impulse, I snipped off a whole load of fringe. 

It took me only two hours to go from "Should I get bangs?" to sitting in the hairdresser's chair. That's a record, seeing how I usually take days to mull over such life-changing decisions.

For now I quite like it!

Covering the keloid

At dinner that day, I was told that it would take an average of 6 months to a year for a scar to heal proper :( I am going to go eat prata now, byebye!

Run, Baby, Run

To bang(s) or not to bang(s). 

That is the Question.

Sock It To Them

Looking at Shafiqah's photos chronicling her traipse through Italy makes me want to go back there soonest possible. Granted, the chaos may drive me slightly mad, but it's a small price to pay for First World escapism.

It is remarkably quaint, the pasta's always al dente, my hair doesn't pouf, and there never is a lack of eye candy. Like Raoul Bova: damn, this dude is HOTSTUFF.

Swoon.

Browsing through a discussion thread about him, I chanced upon a comment which raved: "He has some of the best forearm hair (I've) ever seen!" Now, I am generally averse to overly folliculate men, and hence a lesser judge of bodily hair. Here's a picture for inspection though!

Dinner and quality girl time with Shaf and Su Wee yesterday. I ate at Swensens for the second day running, and discovered that the items on the menu cost more in Orchard than it does elsewhere.

Being Constant Terrorizer of Service Staff, Shafia had a talk with the manager about it. She does terrorize nicely (good on anyone who can wrap his head around that concept), but sometimes I still fear for our food being prepared in the kitchen, hee.

We contemplated post-dinner drinks at Starbucks Liat, but eventually settled for an alfresco table at Shaw Macs instead, after pooh-poohing the one at Lucky Plaza. It's indeed relevant to distinguish between different outlets of the same franchise because of the all-important A-word: Ambience.

Shaf's top so nice

Laughed and talked over apple pies, before taking the train home. I didn't drive there because I can't park, even after practicing for half an hour earlier in the day. To add to list of New Year's resolutions: learn to park like a pro.

Image credit: www.hunkdujour.com

No Point Waiting

OMG IT IS HERE IT IS FINALLY HERE!

I've waited SO SO very long for the car to arrive, since way back in October on a sunny Saturday afternoon. I was going to meet Imran at the National Library when my phone rang.

Papa: Hi Rai, do you think you'd have time to come down to the car showroom today?
           Mama and Papa are already here.
Rai   : (unintelligible, strangled cries of joy and surprise)

I collected the car on New Year's morning and oh, Unparalleled Joy when I saw it, gleaming diamonds in the sunlight. I must've inadvertently let out little squeals of joy; and perhaps jumped about a bit on the asphalt. (Have got to check with the parents on the latter.)

And because I am hopeless with directions and hapless when lost, they got a GPS system installed in it as well. My parents know me so well.

Personal Sherpa

Drive after the maiden drive

The problem now lies in deciding where to park should I drive to work. I've been browsing through various motoring sites and roughly worked out the costs of parking in Orchard Road. It's ASTRONOMICAL! Vomit blood.

I also have a bigger problem in that my parking still hasn't improved much. (That was in July 2006 by the way.) 

***

In other news, my parents are back from their month-long pilgrimage. (I've missed them!) And them having been away on my sister's birthday, we had a token whole-family-together belated birthday lunch yesterday.

Her nth birthday celebration this year

My black pepper pasta was too spicy to I passed it on to my mum, who braved it and chowed most of it down.

Boo ):

So that was the first day of 2009: new ride, my family's whole again- I'd say it's been a pretty awesome start (:

Arriving Home and Elsewhere

Damask, I have decided is my all-time favourite print. Toile is next, and Paisley completes the top three.

The parents are coming back today and I'm really pleased! Their flight's four hours in now, which means they're probably cruising along at high altitude. 

Ernest also called when I was in the line at Cine's ticketing counter, and over the phone, told me the name of my baby. It isn't very pretty I admit, and not something I'd have chosen myself. But it doesn't matter because a rose by any name would smell as sweet and I'm over myself in excitement at the prospect of seeing her soon.

Eating Breakfast Spreads

Greater choices may lead to a failure in making a decision at all. 

-- Barry Schwartz

The Analogy of Jam

A boy wanted to get a jar of jam, so he walked to the sundry shop near his house where there were only four varieties on display. He scanned the labels, picked the best of the lot and walked out with a jar in his bag.

He paid a visit to the hypermart the next time he wanted to get jam. The shelves were stocked high with different assortments of the preserve and the choices overwhelmed him. Pacing up and down the aisle didn't help, and so the boy decided to go elsewhere first while thinking through his alternatives. He went to the meat section, the fruit section and the bakery, but never back to the jam aisle. He paid for his produce and left the hypermart. Without the jam.

My take on this:

1. The boy is stupid for leaving without the intended item.
2. Jams have expiry dates.
3. Just pick kaya, it's the best.

I am getting turned off.

Good Morning, All

 The incessant squacking of the neighbour's pet parrot jolted me out of a peaceful late morning sleep in. It was a most unpleasant awakening, and a fate I wish on no one else. 

Then again, I doubt I'm half as irritable as I make myself out to be, because it is the festive period anyway! Today I am going to Skype, put on some Maroon 5 or the Corrs and attempt a new French Onion soup recipe. Also, by the time the bottom of the dutch oven is scraped clean (this is a "hopefully" thing) it'll be time for Yunnie's soiree!

I like it when my days are planned out. Happy holidays everyone!