Reality Bytes
30/05/2004
More on Friendster
Today I log in to check if my friend has approved the testimonial I wrote her. And she did – does that mean she likes it? They should allow others to rate testimonials and then filter the good ones up top. Sort of like the “XX out of XXX people found this review helpful” on Amazon. Since some people prefer to use testimonial space to flirt in front of the rest of someone’s community. Which isn’t to say that doesn’t have it’s place. Leaving multiple entries in someone’s testimonial is a message in itself. Posting them when you have the option to or not, is encouragement. Given that assumption, Friendster is so working.
So who needs those teasers on Orkut? They also need to get rid of that stupid Today’s Fortune bit (Today’s fortune: Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause. – what the hell is that?). Oh but then again, Neil Gaiman‘s on Orkut!
Friendster, the new reality entertainment!
Yes, given everything that’s going around, it truly is a destination for the maturity challenged. We feel at home there, those who participate and those who sit back to watch (‘fess up – I am not the only one) the participation.
Lunch at LX’s
Was everything I thought it would be, and more! We first attempted lunch, and it was lovely. Stir fried beef and celery and stir fried broccoli and mushrooms. I made tea (although it was a watery version). Her parents must have been eagerly anticipating my arrival, so they bought fruit and some surprisingly good kueh lapis from Bengawan Solo for me. Hee.
The cats were a little apprehensive to see me, but they warmed up quickly. They’re so affectionate, it makes me wonder what happened to Happy. Anyway. They were such good fun. Tiger talks! He says “wha?” to me.
Eeeks. It’s half past three. Time for lunch I suppose.
The Meaning of Life
29/05/2004
Beef and Broccoli!
In a couple hour’s I’ll be headed to LX’s for lunch. She’s cooking beef and broccoli and I’ll be harassing her cats. Looking forward to lunch + entertainment. Now if only I didn’t have to wait till weekends to enjoy these pleasures…
Or The Life of Brian, whichever comes first
Bliss is when I read Neil Gaiman’s blog, since the collective wisdom of thousands and a really good filter always turns up gems like Pythonline. And this is a really good song Eric Idle did, although if you find my foos language appalling, you probably don’t want to download that song.
Entertainment tonight
Ok, I know what I’ll sound like for saying this, but the different ways Friendster is amusing me is just too worth it. It’s so popular, that Y! Life Engine ads have been running there (taking up the exclusive real estate that the Friendster house ads once took).
Friendster is like a book, and a funny one at that. It’s fun because you can choose where you want to go. For someplace completely random – just make up a name and search. For something closer to home, snoop on friends’ of friends. With testimonials, profiles, photos, more testimonials, it’s like mini-JC all over again. Friendster is like The Teenage Textbook of the 21st century.
Fascinating and somewhat amusing
There are so many things you could say in that space. You could be funny, honest, grammatically incorrect, partially selective, discerning, poetic, sporadic, spontaneous, made-up, unmade-up, yourself, your cat, in white wife-beaters, showing off your abs, showing off your tattoos, showing off your teddy (bear) – you could be anything! You can be everything you ever wanted, and nothing really in particular.
And add to that the confluence of your past, your present, your relatives, your colleagues, your schoolfriends, your associates, people who want to be your past, your present, future, relatives, colleagues and more! It’s like a soap opera waiting to happen.
You can be who you want to be, simply because of the medium. If that isn’t confidence in a pill, I don’t know what is.
I love the internet, and this is why countless others love it too.
Buy, Buy, Buy!
29/05/2004
Can’t stop shopping!
Today KF and I headed down to Orchard for dinner. The biggest difference between KF and me is he’s the sort who’d eat anything just to try it, and I’d really rather not. So deciding where to eat can sometimes be a nightmare.
Anyway, we headed to Specialists’ Centre because it was next to the MRT, and we wanted to go check DVDs out at Gramophone (which was a bad idea, more on that later). Along the way there was a poster for some korean restaurant in the building called – ok now brace yourselves, it’s coming up, the name, that by any other word would smell as sweet – Korean Restaurant. How could you possibly go wrong with a restaurant named like that.
It was on the fifth floor right in the corner past a dance studio, but it was nice and quiet and the service was satisfactory. We ordered some Beef bulgogi and Ginseng Chicken soup ($22 but the portion enough for 4) which was totally yummy.
After that, we headed to Gramophone, and it was a pretty disorganised place. In a corner KF was busy checking his phone, and backed himself in a nice corner to get out of the way of other browsing customers. He noticed though, that an employee a little behind him was giving him the glare to shoo him off from that area because they were doing something to the stock in the corner.
Why you shouldn’t give your customer The Glare
I know I’m a whiney complaining customer, I think we deserve better than a glare. The local retail market needs a kick in the ass – I think times have either been too good, or shoppers like you and I aren’t exercising enough of our birthright to demand courtesy and reward stores that try, and boycott those that treat us shabbily.
If you’re a retailer, or are thinking about being one – here’re some alternatives to The Glare that I’d prefer to see
1. Speak up – A simple “Excuse me sir, but I’ve kinda made a bit of a mess here and if you could browse over on that end so I could clear it up, I’d really appreciate that”.
2. Organisation – I know shop space is expensive, but surely you don’t have to label your stock in front of your customers? And take up the browsing space while you’re at it. What are mornings for?
DVD update from HMV at the Heeren
Mind Your Language is available at HMV. If I remember correctly it was $38 per season. But I’m really bad at numbers. KT will tell you.
Only Fools and Horses (the complete series 1-3) has been reduced to something like $120, which makes it cheap enough to buy locally (as opposed to getting it from Amazon).
Northern Exposure Season 1 is also out, but cost something stupid like $91 so that’s dropped off my list – it costs only US$34.89. It didn’t even come in the cute orange jacket!
It’s raining, it’s pouring
28/05/2004
It’s late, I’m tired, and I really shouldn’t be writing this
But I am. And I’m glad tomorrow’s Friday, I really am looking forward to the weekend. Lunch at LX’s on Saturday afternoon, which sounds like fun. Am looking forward to harassing her cats.
The office has been buzzing lately
With impending camera purchases, previous camera fixations and surprise camera additions. Inevitably more and more photos surface, and I have to admit to not just feeling my age but looking it now. I suppose I had a good run before, and shouldn’t be complaining.
Anyway, Phlogs galore! I love phlogs. It’s like a peek into someone’s world. Check out Selective Memory where the photographer uses the Canon A80 and the Nikon D70 for his shots. And DYSWIS, that’s pretty cool too.
It’s also been buzzing with the news that’s been ringing in my ears since Monday. I know we were naive to believe that it wouldn’t happen. But it has, and even though I was expecting it, it’s still nonetheless disheartening. Like watching Troy knowing full well Hector would get whacked by Archilles, watching it was still a traumatic experience.
I’m afraid to admit that I’m sad more because it means things won’t be the same for me, and not because I feel sad for the protagonist. If anything, I really should feel happy for him.
More Bets
27/05/2004
When our CTO DP will get the big ass Teleconverter lens for his new D70
Our bets.
AK says by 30 July
CL says by 15 Aug
VW says by 8 Sep
KT says by 1 Oct
Rules: closest date wins, any date after doesn’t count.
No rest for the wicked
27/05/2004
It was a long day
It started at about 9am, but the conference call I was supposed to have didn’t materialise, and I had a few moments of peace. From about 11am, the whole day was a blur. I vaguely remember something Flash by, lotsa people on the phone, people huddled in a room, and wondering about where the business people got their numbers.
Speaking of numbers
So, on Sunday I left my phone carelessly in my dad’s car, and didn’t realise it wasn’t with me until I got home. No biggie, I figured I’d just go pick it up in the middle of the week. On Monday, I kind of missed it, so I started snooping around and checking out alternatives. And I think I’ve found it today, though it’s probably going to cost an arm and a leg. KT was telling me about it, but I was caught up in the present, silly me.
I digress. Yesterday (well technically the day before yesterday) I was back into the groove I was in eons ago when I was mobile phone free and swinging happy. Life was simple, no crazy grab to check that the phone was where it should be, no extra deadweight to carry at lunch. Like people actually call me! Today went by in a flash and mobile phone or not, it didn’t make a difference. 
Wow. Perhaps think they should get a better stand-in mobile producer, I’m more inclined to no-bile than mobile. I guess some re-structuring is in order?
Anyway, I present, the Sony Ericsson K700. Pretty, functional and expandable! Yay! Now, if only Sony Ericsson would do their products greater justice with more detailed spec listings.
So as much as I’d like to blow something like S$800 on a snazzy cool phone, I could probably do a lot better not doing anything. Which is an important lesson in life that so many people overlook. Sometimes, not doing anything is infinitely better than doing something for the shitty sake of it. But that’s another blog altogether.
My bets are on Fantasia winning American Idol 3
Lisa is wagering a cup of tea (of value up to S$5) that Diana will win. Ha! Prepare to cough it up, baby! I’d like a Moroccan Mint Latte from Coffee Bean, a small one will do, thank you.
Resign to fate
25/05/2004
Happy Birthday V!
A decade later, I finally nail the date down to a certainty. Have a good one.
Phlog it!
After checking out a bunch of Phlogs, I’m inspired once again. Now if I can only take good photos.
Been listening to Handbags and Gladrags by The Stereophonics
Completely incessantly for the past 5 days or so. I love it. I love the tune, and I love the emotion that delivers it. I don’t know if I can express how it feels, but to me, it encapsulates how life gets. Nothing spectacular, no big “I believe the children are the future” overkill. It’s a subtle, poetic, bittersweet message. Understated resignation, a prod, apathy, futility. Working together (insert hand motion – palms facing up, hands moving together, fingers interweaving, and then moving up and around, and out in front).
Cool toys
Swiss Army of the Future! This nifty little knife + USB Flash memory is truly droolsome. The thing I don’t like about it – 64mb of memory – oh come on! Now, they just need to stick in a tiny mp3 player.
More stuff I want to watch
23/05/2004
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet doesn’t sound like a formidable duo, but the premise of the movie sounds good enough. In it, Jim Carrey tries a procedure to remove Kate Winslet from his memory, changes his mind and tries to stash her in other parts of his memory, and alters stuff.
De-Lovely
The life of Cole Porter, and his music. Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd, and lots of singers – Elvis Costello, Diana Krall, Alanis Morrissette, Sheryl Crow and Robbie Williams. Robbie Williams! Singing Cole Porter!
2046
Another Wong Kar-Wai vehicle with Tony Leung in it. I love it already. Surprisingly it picks up after In the Mood for Love, and Tony Leung reprises his role. But Su Li Zhen’s played by Gong Li. I’m a little disappointed. She looks more like his Tony’s auntie than the woman he’s pining for. Well, Zhang Zhen’s in this one. So I’m watching it. I hope it makes a run here.
It should be a good Sunday
23/05/2004
I dreamt of Tony Leung this morning
So it should be a good day. Perhaps a good week. I don’t know why I keep dreaming I’m back in Hong Kong. And this time it was around the Midlands Escalator that I stopped to stare at Tony Leung. I think I’ll be re-watching a heap of his movies tonight.
Oh! Midlands escalator, Tony Leung, Chungking Express! But he wasn’t in a policeman’s uniform in my dream.
Birthday Season
22/05/2004
Happy Birthday Amos!
Ever notice how birthdays tend to bunch up on you? There’s a bunch of birthdays sometime 20somethingeth April, and then another sametime May, a bunch mid August right through to September (roundabout the 20th it tapers off). Another bunch mid-November and December.
Script this!
Was not so much sneaking, but more like sauntering across Neil Gaiman‘s blog, and found his script for Sandman Episode 24, from my favourite installment – A Season of Mists. I’m delighted to read it – and I’m going to dig out the book to compare it as I read – particularly because it was a really good piece of work. I’ve never read anything that came close to it after, really.
Lamb Chops
The other day, KF and I went to dinner at Swensen’s at Funan the IT Mall. We made our order, and the waiter was repeating it to us to double-check.
So you wun one Soop of le Day, one Bakked Rice with Fih, and one Lamb Fish?
KF and I were like stumped.
What Lamb Fish?
Lamb fish. Lamb fish you know?
Finally, he opens the menu and points to KF’s drink. We get it.
Oohhh, Lime Fizzzz…
I think he was embarrassed by that, which was rather thoughtless of us, but he thanks us and walks off to send our orders in.
