WHAT’S YOUR SPORT IN THE WINTER OLYMPICS ?

If you yelled out CURLING … man do you need help !


Unfortunately … I have to admit that … I enjoy watching curling as well … WHY ? No idea !

If you’ve never heard of curling … it’s a winter sport that is kinda like lawnbowling … but on ice. The difference is that you’ve got 1 person who slides the stone towards the target (or to knock the opponent’s stones as far away from the target as possible) and the other members of the team polish the path of the stone to increase its speed by “smoothening” the route.

It’s not the MOST exciting sport to watch but it’s interesting cos it does require skill and teamwork.

So what else have I been watching this Winter Olympics currently being held in Vancouver ?

Well … you can’t beat ice-hockey ! You can’t beat watching the skills on the ice, the speed and control that these athletes demonstrate is the ONLY reason why I watch this sport … well … I guess not the ONLY reason !


In ice hockey … strong-arm tactics are expected and players from both sides body-check (crash into) each other in a bid to win the puck. It’s fast paced … there’s always a threat of tempers boiling over and a fight could break out right on the ice and because the rink is surrounded by a protective clear (and hard) screen … if you’re a spectator right on the sidelines … you can catch all the action (and possibly some blood spatter) close-up ! Exciting huh !

Of course … there are other staples that you HAVE to watch during the Olympics like figure skating, speed skating, the slaloms, snowboarding action and also the luge and bobsledding.


… and speaking of luge … a tragedy occurred right before the start of this Olympics when Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili died during a training accident. There’s still some controversy over whether to shut down the luge track or not but as they say … the Games go on. If you watched the video … you’ll know how disturbing it was.

What other sports did I miss for the Winter Olympics that you found exciting to watch ? Tell me about it … I wanna hear from you.

WHAT’S IN STORE FOR THE SNAKE IN THE YEAR OF THE TIGER ?

The year of the Tiger has well and truly started and what have I been up to ?


I’ve gotten my usual Feng Shui books for the new year for the Snake man !

So what’s in store for me (the Snake man) in the year 2010 ?


So far … business and money wise … it seems the Tiger year is good for everyone including lil ol me … BUT … I need to be wary of people around me who are (apparently) close to me who could cheat me. ALAMAK !

Hmmm … health doesn’t seem to be an issue overall except that I need to stay healthy. DAMMIT ! There’s goes those Domino’s take-outs ! Hmmm … maybe I’ll take the Veggie Lover … that’s healthy right ?

Oooh … everyone’s favorite section. Love and family life.

Let’s look at family life first … hmmm … all good here !

OK … let’s do love … DAMN ! I AM DA MAN !

Apparently … I’m quite a ladies-man although I’m shy. Hmmm … shy I agree but not the other one. Not lil ol me ! Good partners … almost anyone in the entire zodiac can hang with me but not the Tiger apparently. Dragons, dogs and fellow snakes are awesome. Hmmm … who do I know who’s a Dragon, a Dog or a Snake ? It also says here that I’m an awesome lover ! Hehehe … any takers ?


Hey … if you’ve got other "prophecies" for the Snake … please do comment ya !

IT’S VALENTINE’S ALREADY ?!?!

Dang ! That was quick !

Valentine’s this year is a lil different though. It coincides with one of the biggest celebrations in the world … Chinese New Year !

You know what that means right ? Shops are gonna be closed for a whole week and I heard that florists are gonna be losing up to RM20K profits cos most folks will either be celebrating V-day on a small basis or NOT AT ALL cos if you’re Chinese … you’d probably have to do your yearly trek back to your respective hometowns for the reunion dinner and that means (if you’re not married) … you might have to be apart during this time.

If you’re married … not much issue la ! Traditionally … on the 1st day of CNY … you visit the guy’s side and on the 2nd day … you visit the girl’s side. Regardless of where you’re gonna be … you’re gonna be together anywayz … and isn’t that what’s important during V-day ?

If you’re single and have a partner … it’s a good time to test those bonds you have. If he/she loves you … they’ll have to understand that it’s CNY and you may not be together at this time … but at least can collect ang pows right ? That’s one heckuva consolation isn’t it ?


But seriously … guys … don’t mess up your relationship also la … during this time when you’re probably gonna be apart … make sure you get her gifts that can keep her occupied (and hopefully pining for you) for the duration of the holidays or the time you’re apart.

Now remember … if you’re not gonna be “romancing” this weekend … make sure you get all lovey-dovey after the CNY holidays ! It’ll be on your own time, on your own terms and also … WAAAAAY cheaper !

Happy Valentine’s and Happy Chinese New Year !

TO CUT OR NOT TO CUT THE CABLE

Without putting any brand names in this post … I shall attempt to share with you my experience of “cutting the cable” (so to speak) !

Having been a loyal customer of “the cable” … from the days of dial-up (we had to use a software called Trumpet Winsock to dial up the internet) … I’ve been slightly peeved that my connection’s been crap of late. So what did I do ? I succumbed to advertising … I “cut the cable” !

Excited at the prospect of not having to be “tied” down (there are a lotta puns in this post huh) … I headed to the nearest mall to look out for one of these vendors selling the wireless package … and lo and behold … FOUND ONE in Kota Damansara !

Speaking to one of their (overly) enthusiastic “customer service” reps (he’s really just a part-timer) … he assured me that … “Boss … your area ar … the signal ar … very powerful wan the signal … got station next to your apartment ma” ! So I was like “WOAH !!! SIGN ME UP NOW !!!” … and I did. He also assured me that I had a 7-day trial period and if I wasn’t happy with the service … I’d get my RM100 back.

Excited as a dog with a bone … I drove home as fast as I could (within the speed limit Mr. Policeman) … I tore apart the wrapping and hooked it up … and it booted up … first the red light comes on (manual says it’s initializing the internal hardware … ok cool) … then the orange light comes on (manual says it’s still initializing … ok … no problem) … and then FINALLY … the GREEN light comes on … oh wait a minute … the manual says all the lights come on in sequence when initializing and it doesn’t reflect the signal strength (dammit !).

OK … nooow it’s searching for the signal and the signal strength iiiiiissssss … ORANGE !!! Alamak … why so weak ?! Aik ?!?! Now it’s RED ! WHAT’S GOING ON HERE ?!?!?!

They said the signal in my area was gonna be strong … and furthermore I placed the terminal facing outward at my window ! Maybe I’ll try it somewhere else in my apartment … my bedroom … the kitchen … the living room … in another part of the living room … in the bathroom … above the water heater in the living room … ok … last resort … the balcony … YAY ! It’s … orange … why isn’t it green ?! So what do I do ? I stick it out further … and further … and further out till I’m holding the terminal in my hands with arms stretched out as far as I can and I’m on my tippy-toes already … and finally GREEN !!!

What gives ?! I’ve got to go thru SOOOOO much trouble for a strong signal ?! This blows !

What do I do now ? I’ve already said I was NEVER going back to the “wired ones” !

So now I’m in a dilemma … I’ve returned “the terminal” and I’m currently Internet-less at home.

Drop me a comment … should I go back to the “wired ones” or should I keep searching for another broadband provider ? I need one ASAP !!!

A NEW YEAR OF MOVIE SEQUELS AND … RE-IMAGININGS (SHUDDER)

The last one always gives me the shivers cos it always worries me.

Remakes OK la … they take the original script and they just get new actors and stuff. “Re-imagining” a movie is worrying cos there’s only 1 of 2 outcomes … it’ll either suck big time or it’ll be awesome.

Take Halloween for example. Rob Zombie reimagined it and it was amazing … amazingly bloody and violent in certain parts … but amazing nonetheless.

They sorta re-imagined “The Hills Have Eyes” from the Technicolor version … I liked it too.

Miami Vice was “reimagined” … the TV series got a makeover session with Colin Farrel and Jamie Foxx but it just didn’t work for me. It was just weird.

There are a couple of “re-imaginings” coming up I’m worried about though … Conan and A-Team. Clash Of The Titans looks good though.

Let’s talk about what movies are coming up :-

Sequels :-

Tron Legacy … most of the original main cast member are back. (Expectations : HIGH)
Iron Man 2 … War Machine is introduced. (Expectations : HIGH)
Wanted 2 … how the h**l are they gonna bring Angie Jolie back to life (Expectations : BOLEH LA)
Wall Street 2 … some movies shouldn’t have sequels … still … (Expectations : BOLEH LA)
Toy Story 3 … the kid grows up and the toys are left to rot … OH NO !!! (Expectations : HIGH)
Chronicles of Narnia : Voyage of the Dawn Treader … I’d enjoy it so sue me (Expectations : HIGH)
Shrek : Forever After … their world is turned upside-down (Expectations : HIGH)
Sex and the City 2 … what ?! another one ?! (Expectations : NOT GONNA WATCH IT … WHO CARES)
Rambo 5 : The Savage Hunt … another one ?! (Expectations : BOLEH LA)
Little Fockers … Bob DeNiro and Ben Stiller are back ! Yay ! (Expectations : HIGH)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows … I’m excited … are you ? (Expectations : HIGH)

Well … there we go … we’ll just have to wait and see how these movies pan out !

Did I miss anything ? Leave a comment.

Pets Are Like Family

Do you have pets ?

They’re like family aren’t they ?

It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a dog … a cat … birds, fish, reptiles … or in my case … HAMSTERS !

I’ve been having hamsters since I was a kid. I’ve had Golden hamsters and now I’ve got Winter White Hamsters … they’re the cutest things.

I’ve got 2 girls … one’s named Olive while the other is Pepper.

Olive is the more docile one … she’s a huge eater, rarely runs the wheel and loves to be held … much like me.

Pepper on the other hand is more rambunctious … she’s VERY much like me. If she doesn’t like you … she’ll bite you. She doesn’t eat a lot but runs the wheel like an athlete possessed.

You know what they say about getting pets ? … don’t get too attached to ‘em cos they’ll pass on eventually. What do I tell these people who say these things ? I thank them for their concern but really … why wouldn’t you wanna get close to your pets ? They’re an extension of you (in some ways) and they are family. They live with you don’t they ?

I’ve had a dog (Marco) who lived with us for over 15 years … that’s REEEEAAAAAL long for a dog. I’ve had cats. I’ve had turtles. It’s no different with hamsters. You’ve got to have an emotional bond with ‘em cos they’re your friends.

Unfortunately … all good things must come to an end.

I noticed yesterday that Pepper looked really “under the weather”. Her eyes were “bengkak” and she had lost soooo much weight in a day. She was fine the day before. Once hamsters get sick … it’s pretty much it. So what could I do ? I tried to make her as comfortable as possible. I held her (amazingly cos Pepper hates to be held) and she snuggled up in my palm. She fell asleep in my hands. I gently placed her back in her cage on her “bed” and hoped and prayed for the best.

Today … Pepper rests in peace. She no longer feels pain. She has passed away … and I will always miss her.

BRAND NEW DECADE … SAME OLD FASHION ?

You know what they say ? … History repeats itself.

In the 90s … the fashion and music of the 60s were the “in” thing and everyone started pulling out their tight pants, Fender Stratocasters and thick-rimmed glasses. It was fun, care-free and it made hanging out at the Peach Pit (a la 90210) type places cool. My parents found it interesting that young people were dressing they way they did back in the day.

Then came the noughties … actually even towards the end of the 90s … young people were starting to dress a la the 70s … bell bottom pants, psychedelic colors on shirts, afros, head bands and the like. Even the 70s music came back in fashion … from Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd to Hendrix and Joplin.

So here we are … at the dawn of a new decade … 2010. What will this new decade bring us ? Well … to start things off … we have 80s music already back in fashion and that’s not all. Even new acts are very 80s-esque. Don’t believe me ? Back in the 80s … you had flashy frontmen of bands who dressed up in gender-bending clothes (think Boy George) … you had solo artists whom you couldn’t figure out if they were “playing on this side of the field or the other” like David Bowie … and then here we are … a brand new decade … and we’ve got one of the most exciting solo artists for a while in Adam Lambert. Everything about him is flashy … very much like the 80s.

So what did we have in the 80s that I think might return to excite us (or haunt us) ?

Mullets … short spiky hair in front and a long mane at the back … HAUNT !!!!
Leg warmers a la Flashdance … excite (maybe cos it reminds me of Michael Sembello’s Maniac)
Huge earrings … Nisha’s been wearing ‘em forever so she’s waaaay ahead of her time.
Strong makeup … HAUNT !!! No one wants to wake up next to a kabuki doll !
Music … EXCITE !!! Retro is the new “in” thing now … so break out your Tears For Fears, Johnny Hates Jazz and Nick Kershaw records !

Did I miss anything ? Drop me a comment.