Monday, January 30, 2006

It's not right but it's OK - Whitney Houston

There were no traffic jams on Friday evening caused by people going back to their home towns...

It was a quiet Saturday nite and when it turned midnite, there were no firecrackers...

Saturday nite dinner consisted of instant noodles...

Instead of a Jacky Chan rerun, we watched The Two Towers...

Only one other person besides me wore new clothes...

I went for classes today instead of going "pai lyn"...

I have Tesco's value salted nuts and choc digestives instead of pineapple tarts and me sis's choc chip cookies...

There were no receiving of ang pows...

I had tuna sandwich today instead of "yee sarng"...

Something is just not right. It just doesn't sound like Chinese New Year, does it? I was talking to a mate in the north and she said she cried all nite on Friday. It's her first CNY away from home. O well...

In a way, it's quite good that it just doesn't feel like CNY here. I mean, Christmas was really bad for me cuz it felt like Christmas and I felt so homesick. So, without things to remind me of CNY, I dun feel so homesick. Out of sight, out of mind?

But how long can I keep the things "out of sight"? There are only so many things that can keep me mind off CNY and home.

CNY has always been special. I love the buzz and the atmosphere in office when the hour draws near to closing the office before the long break. Some of the clerks will be changed into their travelling clothes. Cookies are exchanged. There's almost an air of festivities then (the big boss is usually not around - guess who has to be around to close up the office before the long break and re-open it after the break???).

The situation at home is slightly different - not so laid back. There'll be lots of hustle and bustle - a nice kind! Cleaning and baking and cooking and shopping. Yeah, shopping for foodstuffs, gifts, deco, new clothes.

Then there'll be the meeting up wif mates - some whom I'll prolly have not seen since the last CNY!!!! The catching up, the hanging out, the stuffing of our faces :-)~

Yup, none of that here. And I miss it so much.

Anyways, there have been moments and things which brought me "back home":-

Listening to Canto-pop songs by Sam Hui (the most played song? "Choy Sun Toe" of course!!!!)

Mandarin oranges! Really good (albeit expensive) ones from Tesco.

Wearing red!!!! (Of course, the AC Milan Fan, Alberto wasn't too pleased to see my red "Champions of Europe" shirt!).

The smell of good Chinese food being cooked in the kitchen by the China students.

The sun was blazing the whole of yesterday!!!! Typical CNY "sun". The temp was like minus 2 degrees, tho...

Chatting wif family and frens online, phone, face-to-face.

Receiving CNY greetings via sms from me mates.

The smell of cookies baking when I got back yesterday!!!! For some reason, the American girl decided to do some baking!

Dragon dances!!!! Yup, in London. And today, the China Students on campus organised a Lion Dance here!

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Dragon dance at Trafalgar Sq (Pic obtained from BBC Online)

Nothing beats being at home, tho. It's just not right, not being wif family and frens during CNY. But I guess it's ok - thank God for modern technology!!! :-)

# posted by imissw : 5:38:00 pm  0 desultory comment(s)

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Unpretty - TLC

A text message from a mate:-

"Wishing you a Happy Chinese New Year!

For those who are handsome, stay handsome!

For those who are pretty, stay pretty!

For those who are ugly, stay...

*pauses for effect*


.... at home!!!!!!!!!!!"

For the record, I din stay at home! ;-P

p/s - another mate sent me an e-card wishing me a "paw"some Chinese New Year!

# posted by imissw : 1:46:00 pm  0 desultory comment(s)

Saturday, January 28, 2006

Who let the dogs out? - Baha Men

Happy Chinese New Year!

May the year of the dog... err... hhmm... sumhow, "dog" doesn't conjure up a very positive outlook. Work like a dog? A dog's life? Gone to the dogs?

Anyways, as there has been comments that me pics (the photos I take) are usually "people-less", here's a collage of ... ME! With some good ol' chinese new year wishes:-

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(Pic taken using my webcam - which explains the poor quality)

Basically, the wishes are that your coming ins and going outs be safe, and that you'll have the strength and freshness of the dragon and the horse!

Me got em from Chinatown last week. Ok, ok - I had to solicit the help of the sales-assistant at the shop since I dun read much Chinese. Well, to be accurate, she saw me and came up to offer me help - do I really look like a "I'm-Chinese-but-I-can't-read-Chinese-and-I'm-pretending-like-I-do" person?

Many have been asking me bout my plans for CNY and wat's happening here. Well, there's this big CNY bash organised by the China Students Society tomorrow nite. There are oso big celebrations planned in London tomorrow - they boast of it as the biggest CNY celebrations outside of China! There are many small parites going on tonite too - there's a large group of mandarin speaking china students in the kitchen now (I dread to think of the mess that will greet us tomorrow...). Some M'sian Society members are gathering for a pot-luck thingy latter tonite too.

But for me, I'm joining none of them. Just not in the mood, I guess. It helps the fact that there's no "CNY-mood" here. Not like during me undergraduate days when we were all excited and had big meals - even had a psuedo-yee sang!!! That was nice!

So wat will I be doing? Tonite, we'll be gathering in Tom's room where we'll watch The Two Towers - my DVDs, Aliz's speakers and Tom's new monitor! Ghisseh and Alberto might join us. Michael wil drop by when he gets back from London.

Pretty un-Chinese eh?

Well, I do have my mandarin oranges here!!!! Pretty good ones, I must say!

To me, CNY - when stripped of all its festivities, reruns of Chow Sing Chi's/Jacky Chan's movies, gluttony, chor tai ti and sleeping - is all about family. I had a wonderful - albeit short time - wif them just now online. :-) Spending it wif people I dun know or some whom I've met only once or twice is not my idea of CNY. That's me, anyways.

So tonite, there may not be any pineapple tarts, prawn crackers, shandy, firecrackers, ang pows (or as a mate said, "Ang Pounds") etc. But I'll be wif my "extended family". And that's all that matters for me - for now.

# posted by imissw : 1:36:00 pm  3 desultory comment(s)

Friday, January 27, 2006

Baby what a big surprise - Chicago

I woke up from me nap wif a migraine. A glance outside told me that the snowing had stopped. Sigh...

Went to me laptop, checked me mail and the news. The words I read REALLY woke me up from me slumber!
"Fowler rejoins Liverpool"!!!!!

What the....?????

*rubs eyes*

Is this a joke?

*clicks on the link and reads the report*

Woohoo!!!

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Fowler - back in Red, and hopefully, back in Red scoring and winning trophies!!!!!
(Pics obtained from Liverpoolfc.tv)

This has to be the deal of the season!!!

And why, some of you may ask, am I so happy that Fowler returns when i was so against Owen returning?

Well, in the first place, the Red Fans dun call Fowler "God" for nothing!!!!!!

Owen's departure was a purely selfish move (IMHO) while Fowler was basically forced out.

On top of that, unlike Owen - who's main intention of returning was purely a selfish one too (IMHO again) - Fowler returns because this is where his heart is!

Here are some great quotes:-

"We have signed a player with so much passion for this football club and I think he will act as an example to every player here in how much he loves Liverpool."
Rafa

"We have signed a player with a passion and a heart for this club that no amount of money can buy."
Rafa again!

"I'm not sure I've ever seen a player quite so happy to be joining a club before."
Rafa one more time!

"If I refused him this opportunity of fulfilling his ambition it would not be good for him or Manchester City Football Club"
Stuart Pearce

"I can't really believe it's happened again so I'm ecstatic to be honest."
The man himself!

Read the report here. Go to Liverpoolfc.tv for more news, stats and facts.

I never thought I'd see the day when Robbie Fowler is back in Red, playing at Anfield. This has been a great and pleasant surprise!

"Since I have left, deep down I have always wanted to come back and it has been a long time but I'm glad to say I'm back now."

So are we, Robbie. So are we!

# posted by imissw : 10:48:00 pm  0 desultory comment(s)

I'm so excited - The Pointer Sisters

It's snowing at this point of time! :-) Quite heavily, I must add (rubbing it in esp for those down under in the "inferno"... err... "down under" meaning Australia, not.... nvm). The snow was falling almost horizontally - we could see it clearly from our 11th floor. We were in the kitchen armed wif our cameras - except me! Yeah, camera still wif Nikon. It'd be weird if I carried me laptop and webcam into the kitchen!!!!!

Hopefully, if it keeps up, there'll be a blanket of snow greeting us tomorrow morn. And who knows? We might have a White Chinese New Year! :-)

There's something magical about seeing snow!
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The very first time back in 1993! :-)

Aliz, me Hungarian flatmate, was just as excited as we Asians were. We commented that she should be used to seeing snow by now. She agreed but yet, she said that no matter how many times she sees snow, it never fails to make her excited!

I'm sure there are many locals here who prolly had no feelings seeing the snow - or worse, felt unhappy (Oh no, snow??? Everything will get wet. It'll turn to slush. The roads will be icy when snow melts. Etc.). I guess as humans, when we see something too often, we take it for granted and dun appreciate it. We see our family everyday and dun tell them how special they are. Nasi lemak is easily available almost anywhere at any point of time - til we get tired of it. Evergreen trees look boring after a while. Going to worship the King of kings and the Lord of lords on Sundays turn into a routine.

But these things are special - and we should feel excited about it. Being away from home - yeah, its a cliche but it's so true - makes me appreciate all the things I took for granted back home.

I only hope that my attitude towards these special things will always be like Aliz's attitude each time she sees the snow - no matter how often it happens, it never fails to get her excited.

# posted by imissw : 4:40:00 pm  2 desultory comment(s)

Thursday, January 26, 2006

I wanna hold your hand - The Beatles

It is interesting living and studying wif people from all over the world. Some of the cultural practices are interesting. I guess some of my cultural practices are interesting to them too. Me flatmates all had a good laugh when I told them why certain people (esp from a certain race) in Malaysia dun shake hands wif their left hands.

I've no problems adopting some of their practices - like kissing on the cheeks when saying hello and goodbye ;-) Even that has difference in different cultures - like how many times (once on the right and another on the left, or right-left-right) and whether to start on the left or the right (very important to syncronise or else you could end up kissing on the lips! haha!).

Some needs to be getting used to, tho!

I have this African classmate. After class today, he wanted to talk to me but he received a call on his mobile. He answered it and just to make sure I wont run away without him, he held my hand!

All.....rite.....!

We started walking out to the corridor and he held on to my hand!!!!! Here I am walking around hand in hand wif this African guy!!!! When we got outside, I quickly put me hands into me pockets. Hey, it was cold.... really!

Weird, man!!!!!

When I got back to me halls, I told a flatmate who doubted that it was African culture to hold hands like that!!!! He asked me if me classmate was gay...

Whatever! My hands are staying in me pockets from now on - even indoors!

# posted by imissw : 3:21:00 pm  6 desultory comment(s)

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

She's back - Westlife

There are a lot of things in the Australian Open which really thrilled me - like Hewitt being bundled off early - by Chela(!), Hantuchova beating Serena Williams, Henin-Hardine playing well, Federer in a cool green outfit etc. But the one that really stands out for me is the return of the Swiss Miss to the big stage! Martina Hingis is back in style!

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My pic tribute to the "Swiss Miss" (pics obtained from BBC Online and Australia Open Official site
Her fairy tale run ended today - in the hands of one of my fav players, Kim Clijsters - but not until she pushed Clijsters to 3 sets!!! In any event, Martina had done enuf to make the world sit up and notice her again.

To me, Martina has always been the MOST skillful women's player I've ever seen - yeah, I must admit, even better than my all time fav women's player, Steffi Graf. Her game was all about brains, grace and style - not like the brute force of some women's game today. On top of that, she always had a sweet smile on her face - even after she makes a bad shot.

Many - including me *hangs head in shame* - thought it was a big mistake for her to make a "comeback" after so many years. She won't be able to keep up wif the power that is used in the women's game today.

But she has proved otherwise. Sure, she may not be a serious threat to the top players today but she is a potential one!

Today, her run ended and as she left, she gave us her sweet smile again. She remained in good spirits even after defeat.

"I can be proud of myself to be here and to be playing and I showed today I can still mix it with them - I'm relieved, I'm happy and I want more."

So do we, Martina. So do we.

Well done, and welcome back! :-)

# posted by imissw : 12:52:00 pm  5 desultory comment(s)

Monday, January 23, 2006

Holiday - Madonna

I find it a little amusing that we just started our 2nd term but oredi, we are making plans for the holidays!!!!!

Come this summer, while we are sweating - in the heat of the weather and in the heat of completing our dissertations - we'll be making a short trip down south to - where else? the place to be this summer - GERMANY!!!!! Yup, World Cup 2006!

We are in the midst of trying to get tickets for some group match - to me, doesn't matter which teams plays! Even if we can't get tickets for any matches, it doesn't matter. What matters is being there and just enjoying the atmosphere!

We checked the air tickets to Germany but were put off by the high prices. So here's the plan - we are gonna fly to Poland near the Germany border where Tom, our Polish flatmate will pick us up by car. The we'll drive over the border into Berlin! Woohoo!!!

However, all this hinges on whether Tom will get a summer job in the UK or not. We hope he won't! Or rather, we hope he'll get a job but only start after the World Cup!

That's our summer hols.

For Easter hols, we'll be going to gay Paree! Yup, down to France! :-) OK. It'll be a short trip - and I'd rather go to Amsterdam since I've been to Paris before but not to Holland to see the tulips in spring (I'm told there are lots of tulips at Hyde Park so the plan now is to go to Hyde Park, take lots of pics and tell everyone i've been to Holland during spring!). but the rest wanna go Paris.

That's not a bad alternative since I only had a fleeting visit to the Lourve and I never got to go up the Eiffel Tower (was too tired back then and stayed in the hotel and watched TV instead! Sad-eh?).

We'll meet again tonite to firm up the plans and book our tickets to take advantage of the low prices now. We plan to leave on the 23rd and be back on the 26th cuz Aliz will be going back to Hungary (for good! sniff, sniff) on the 26th. This is sort of a farewell trip for her too! Too bad Alberto - who will also leave us for good at the end of this term - can't join us.

I have a 6-8,000 word essay due on the 24th. Looks like i'll have to finish and hand in my essay 2 days before the dateline (first time in my entire life!!!!!). After i come back, i'll have one month of Easter hols to do another 4 shorter essays!

Well, as i said in an earlier post, one still needs to breathe while being hanged!!!! :-)
pic obtained from the World cup Official site

# posted by imissw : 4:51:00 pm  3 desultory comment(s)

Sunday, January 22, 2006

Animal instinct - Cranberries

News reports regarding animals caught my attention this week (no, news report about Sven Eriksson does not count as an "animal story"). i thought I'd share 3 wif you - a sad one, a funny one and one that'll make you go "awwww...."!

The first was a saga which started on Friday when a whale was spotted on the Thames in London!!!! It apparently got lost and wandered along the famous sights in London.

I actually tried to get a glimpse of it when i was by the river yesterday morn.

I din see it. But even if i was here at the right place at the right time, i prolly wont get to see it cuz of the crowd there. Here's how one reporter described it - "Getting a vantage point is as difficult as getting tickets for the fifth day of an Ashes decider or a Tim Henman final at Wimbledon (which is as unlikely as the thought of a whale in the Thames was a week ago)."

And i'll never get a chance again. The whale died at bout 7 pm yesterday - after efforts were made to try to rescue it. :-( You can read about it (and link to the earlier reports and more pics) here.

The next story is like a tragic comedy. A guy found out his girlfren was cheating on him. Apparently, a little bird told him - literally!!!!!!

His pet parrot alerted him when it squawked "I love you, Gary". Yup, the parrot's owner's name is not Gary!!!! The parrot also made smooching noises whenever the name "Gary" was mentioned on TV!!!!!

The cheating girl confessed and was thrown out. I dun feel sorry for her - it's bad enuf to have an affair but to bring the guy back to her boyfren's house???

The really sad thing was that the parrot owner had to give up his parrot in the end too cuz it just cant stop reminding him about "Gary"!!!! Read all about it here!

And finally, a story of a wonderful frenship - between a snake and his "meal", a hamster!!!!! (see pic on the left!)

Here's how the report goes:- "Their relationship began in October last year, when zookeepers presented the hamster to the snake as a meal.

The rat snake, however, refused to eat the rodent. The two now share a cage, and the hamster sometimes falls asleep sitting on top of his natural foe."

Read the whole report here.

After thinking about it, it's not so surprising - I mean, I know of humans who keeps chicken or pig or dog (*gasp* - yes, Asians eat dog-meat... not all Asians, tho) or fish as pets - and grow to love and adore them!!!!!!

Still, if the snake and the hamster can live together, it sure gives us inspiration to learn to put aside our differences and learn to get along wif everybody!!!!!

This reminds me of a passage from the Bible about the future:-

The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.

The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,
and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.

They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 11v 6 -9

All reports and pics obtained from BBC News Online

# posted by imissw : 1:02:00 am  1 desultory comment(s)

Friday, January 20, 2006

All by myself - Celine Dion

I'm going to London tomorrow. Yeah, again.

Michael was just over and he can't believe that i'm going alone - and will b spending the whole day there by meself. Looks like he still has a lot to learn about me!

I guess i just need time on my own - away from everyone.

That's me. I truly value time spent on me own. That's why i call meself "anti-social" or "The Lone Ranger" or "Han Solo". Dun get me wrong. i love being wif people and i truly treasure the time spent wif family and frens. But at the same time, i oso need time to be on me own.

Things have been moving just too fast. December has come and gone and the New Year is oredi more than 19 days old! Yet, i still have not found time to sit and reflect over things. Too many activities coupled wif the essays and the exams contributed to that. Yet, now that the exams are over and frens have gone back and trips have been travelled, i still can't find the time!!!!

You see, term has restarted on monday. Classes were back to normal even before i sat for me exam on Wednesday. The day after me exam, i had to stay up to do reading for me class on Thursday. I have assigned things to do for Monday's lecture and a reading list to submit next week regarding me research essay due end of spring.

Me lecturer wasn't kidding when he told us in October that there won't be any break for us until May!!!! And even then, we'd have to start doing our dissertation (while watching the world cup and and winbledon at the same time!!!!!!).

The chinese have a saying that even if you are being hanged, you still need to breathe!!!! I cant seem to. The past few months have been like an entire season of 24 - before one thing is settled, another thing arises.

Next week is gonna be tough. Next weekend is CNY and i'd like to stay in and chat wif me family back home. So i decided to go to London tomorrow - basically, walk around on me own and hang out at the parks and museums.

Hopefully, i'll have time to pray and reflect. At the very least, i'll b able to clear my mind and spend some quiet moments alone.... and eat siew yoke and siew ngap again!!!!! ;-P~

# posted by imissw : 11:28:00 pm  0 desultory comment(s)

Thursday, January 19, 2006

I started a joke - Bee Gees

I'm in the kitchen wif tom, michael and sachin. sachin was describing his fencing practice.

sachin: we use these things called "sabres"...

me: oh, are these sabres heavy?

sachin: well, yes. there are different sabres, tho. some are heavier than others.

me: so, if it's not heavy, then it's a *pauses for effect* "LIGHT-SABRE"?????

sachin: aaarrgggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

michael: huh?

For the record, tom just acted like he din hear it

# posted by imissw : 1:05:00 pm  4 desultory comment(s)

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Free bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd

It's over and done! After more than 10 years, I sat for me first exam just now. How was it? Well, that's another story for another time!

But for now, it's back to blogging, watching episodes of "24", surf the net, read Grisham sleeping in late and replying e-mails.

Hey - that sounds like what i've been doing these past 2 weeks! ;-P Well, i'll be doing em now wif greater intensity! Muahahaha!!!!

Too bad me camera is not fixed yet (there was a brilliant sunset yesterday!).

For tonite, I'm organising a movie at me flat - The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Rings!!!! For now, I'm going back to watching "24".

Yes!

The feeling of walking out of the exam room knowing it was the last one is simply super! :-)

p/s - cheers to y'all who sent me your wishes and remembered me in your prayers. God has been really good to me. More about it another time!

p/p/s - And for those who din remember me? Well, you know i still love you! :-PPosted by Picasa

# posted by imissw : 6:02:00 pm  2 desultory comment(s)

Monday, January 16, 2006

Rush rush - Paula Abdul

It's funny how songs tend to mock me at times. I'll never forget once when i was in the toilet, constipated, and the song "Release Me" came on the radio.

Then, there was another time when i had to send a mate to her piano exam - and i was late and stuck in heavy traffic!!!!! Then Paula Abdul's "Rush Rush" came on. Thank God me mate got someone else to send her and she did alrite in her exam.

It was almost deja vu just a couple of minutes ago.

As some of you would know, i completed me holiday essays a few days ago. However, i have not prepared the bibliography. On top of that, me essays were 500 words over the limit. No worries. I planned to touch it up and finish it on Sunday nite.

Last nite, i was in the reading room til 6 am and by the time i got back, i just wanted to sleep. "Ah.... plenty of time since the dateline is at 4 pm".

I got up close to one, had me breakfast, read the Bible, checked mail - i received snail mail! That distracted me a while.

OK - i opened me document and started to edit it. before i knew it, it was past 3 pm!!! Oh no. Start doing the bibliography - not difficult but really tedious. At the back of me mind, i knew i had to rush to the comp lab, print out me essays in 2 sets, rush to the law office, fill in the forms and hand them in. Based on me past "relationships" with printers, i was filled wif dread and fear. After all, i'm living proof that Murphy's Law exist!!!!

On top of that, i can't remember if i have sufficient credit in me comp account to print!!!!!!!

As i was hurrying to complete me bibliography, guess wat? Paula Abdul came on Capital FM and starting singing "Rush Rush"!!!!!! What the...? ~:-(

And rushed i did. I dug out me pen drive, tranferred the docuemnts into it, threw on me long coat and ran to the comp lab. It was packed and i was just about to run to the next one when i noticed an empty terminal near the printer!!!! Thank God. i logged on, opened me documents and sent it for printing. A glance to me left told me that there were a few people waiting by the printer. Oh no!!!!!!!

But praise be to God - i had no problems watsoever in printing out me essays. There was sufficient credit in me account, the essays got printed alrite. In fact, me print job seemed to be dealt wif first before some of me coursemates' - whom i thought sent their print jobs earlier than me.

I sorted it out and ran to the law office, filled up the forms, signed the sheet and handed them in. After saying goodbye to the staff there and some of me coursemates (last minute fellas too), i walked out of the Law Department building. I looked at me watch - it was 4:02 pm. me watch is around 3 or 4 mins fast.

I just made it.

Stress, stress.

Thank God!

I'm going out for a walk to calm meself down. :-)

# posted by imissw : 4:07:00 pm  2 desultory comment(s)

Sunday, January 15, 2006

Say my name - Destiny's Child

What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any word would smell as sweet

From Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2) (Bill Shakespeare)

I've blogged previously about names and people whom I've met like Lily Lee Li Li and Lypink Chong Lye Ping.

I was reading this article - just now only - about names Filipinos give to their children! (click here) Joker, Ace, Hitler, Luzviminda (taken from the three main regions of the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao - apparently very famous now), Jejomar (a composite of Jesus, Joseph and Mary), Peachy, Boy, Girlie, Candy, Caramel, Cookie, Peanut and Popcorn, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday are apparently some names - altho the writer can't confirm is these are their real names or just nicknames.

I wonder if this is true - must check wif me only Filipino mate, Krissy (she has a "normal" sounding name, tho!).

Anyways, today, as I walking back to me halls, I heard someone calling out a name. It sounded like "Alicia". I ignored it and continued walking as the person kept on calling "Alicia! Alicia!" This went on for a bit until i realised that there was no one else around. So i turned to the direction of the voice and realised it was one of me coursemates. He was calling me!!!! Then it dawned on me that he wasn't calling "Alicia". You see, he has problems remembering names. So he came up wif this "ingenious" idea of referring to his classmates by the country they are from! He calls me "Malaysia"!!!! And i guess that's a good idea seeing that there are so few Malaysians around and I'm the only Malaysian in our course!

Well, another classmate does make an effort to call me by my name but he got it wrong from day one. I wrote my name for him on his note pad - and he started calling me "Moon"!!!! (I wrote "Mun") I made the mistake of letting it go the first time round. He kept at it and now, it has come to a point where it's quite difficult for me to go "Errr... by the way, you are pronouncing my name wrongly...". I wonder how long more before others follow him and call me that! It'll be funny if i find a chinese girlfren named "Sun" - we can then sing "Sun and Moon" from Miss Saigon!!!!

Still, these fellas are better than this American flatmate of mine. There was once when she was talking about this Chinese flatmate of ours and she referred to her as "No. 6" - because this chinese girl lives in room no. 6!!!!! I was bemused by that. I mean it's not like "No. 6" had a difficult chinese name. "No. 6" actually gave herself a normal English name. But my good old American flatmate din even bother to remember that!!!! I told Michael (my other flatmate) about this who wasnt surprised and said that she prolly dun even know my name as well!!!!!

This was proven last week when there were a few of us in the kitchen. I was cooking so i had me back turned and this American girl suddenly asked me sumthing. I thought she was talking to someone else so i din reply. There was this silence - she tried to get my attention but couldn't find the words (or my name for that matter!!!) - until one of my other flatmates decided to put her out of her misery and told her my name!!!!!!!

Yanks! *sigh*

The irony about the whole thing is that we can have long conversations together. In fact, she has even invited me to her home in California!!!!!!

I can just picture the scenario - "Mom, this used to be my flatmate. Just call him "No. 5"!!!!!"

# posted by imissw : 3:17:00 pm  5 desultory comment(s)

Saturday, January 14, 2006

You're a god - Vertical Horizon

It was the New Year's Day lunch when the conversation suddenly turned to Liverpool FC. Then the question was asked - "Who do you think is the best Liverpool player?"

That was a really difficult one. Surprise, surprise, the only lady in our midst spoke up and said that she thinks Robbie Fowler is that player.

That observation drew chorus of approval from most of us! Robbie Fowler was da man! In fact, if you ask true Liverpool supporters, they'd tell you that Fowler was way much better than the other striker at that time - what's his name? The one who tried to go to Real Madrid but ended up warming the bench only? Yeah, Owen.

Sure, the Anfield crowd appreciated Owen - but Fowler was revered. Even worshipped! No wonder some fans (not this one, tho) gave him the nickname "God"!

To me, Fowler was probably one of the most natural and skillful finisher - and he usually does it in style!

Til today, the Liverpool loyalists still think fondly of him. It was such a waste that Houllier had to force Fowler out of the squad - being behind Owen in the pecking order was bad enough but being behind Emile Heskey?????? That's downright disrespectful!

We can talk about his goals - altho there'll be just so many of them and chooisng the best will be quite difficult. But more than his goals, he is respected as a sportsman. I'll never the incident when Liverpool played against Arsenal. Fowler was bearing down on the Arsenal goal when Seaman came out and challenged - successfully - for the ball. Fowler jumped over Seaman to avoid a collision when the referee blew his whistle for a foul - against Seaman!!!!! Even before Fowler picked himself up from the ground, his hand was up waving to disagree with the call. He got up and told the referee that Seaman won the ball fairly and it should be a goal kick. The referee however stuck to his decision and insisted on the penalty to be taken against Arsenal. Fowler took the ball, placed it on the spot and half-heartedly struck it. Seaman saved easily. Cheers came from the crowd - not for the save but for the attitude of Fowler.

Unfortunately, Fowler was never the same player after he left Anfield. Injuries plagued him. He hardly played in the last season. But good news! He's back for Manchester City. Just a few days after we talked about him over lunch, he struck a hattrick for Man City in a FA Cup match!

And today, he scored after coming on as a sub - against Man Utd. That must have been sweet. Especially when Man Utd was threatening to stage a comeback.

It's nice to see him back again, doing what he does best - scoring!

p/s - pic obtained from robbiefowleronline

# posted by imissw : 4:44:00 pm  2 desultory comment(s)

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