Mini-update

The Code

A wealthy man was having an affair with an Italian woman for several years. One night, during one of their rendezvous, she confided in him that she was pregnant. Not wanting to ruin his reputation or his marriage, he paid her a large sum of money, if she would go to Italy to secretly have the child. If she stayed in Italy to raise the child, he would also provide child support until the child turned 18. She agreed, but asked how he would know when the baby was born To keep it discrete, he told her to simply mail him a post card and write "Spaghetti" on the back. He would then arrange for child support payments to begin.

One day, about 9 months later, he came home to his confused wife.

"Honey," she said. "You received a very strange post card today."

"Oh, just give it to me and I'll explain it," he said.

The wife obeyed and watched as her husband read the card, turned white and fainted.

On the card was written: "Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Two with meatballs, one without!"

*******

I tried a couple of games, both old and new during my 1 month holiday...

Sacred 2: Fallen Angel

Overall, this game is nice and fun to play with. It is something like the classic Diablo II we all knew of.

Street Fighter IV

I like this game very much, my only problem with it is that using keyboard to execute the moves of each character is really really a pain. Joystick/gamepad is recommended for this game.

*******

I tried changing my blog layout just now and many widgets went missing, including all the links to blogs and sites... (Been salvaging all the lost links few hours back... ~_~)

My new semester will be starting tomorrow, I do hope that everything will go smoothly...

Road accident

Girl girl, few days ago you asked me to update my mushroom-grown blog.

But I had nothing to blog about, until today (past 12am).

Road accidents, how do they happen?
Until now I still don’t know, do you?

This is my tale, my first accident right after my probation period ended, first hand.

*******

It began this evening when I went to watch Transformers 2: ROTF with Steven, Annie, Angel and Dayang. As usual, I asked and pray for journey-mercy each time I leave home. All went well, the movie was nice but the ending is not as good as I expected (just the end). Overall, I’d give it an 8.5/10.

So instead of staying back to ‘limteh’ and hang out with the rest, I went home immediately. And again, all went well while I was driving UNTIL I reached the cross road near my housing area. (The road from Jalan Song to Tabuan Laru)

Green lights, I drove on.

A car stormed my way, the moment I noticed it, it was too late already. So I tried to avoid it but still, it was in vain…

CRASH! That was all I heard. The car had already rammed directly unto the driver’s side. (Right side)

I lose all my senses, touching, hearing, and feeling. My car was spinning; I thought that would be the end of me. But NO! After my car came to a stop, then only did I realize that I am still breathing so I began to panic and tried to recall what is happening…

So I was driving home and there’s this car that appeared out from nowhere and rammed unto me. I am ‘awarded’ a sort-of-merry-go-round spin for at least 1 or 2 rounds before my car came to a stop. (Just like those you see in the movies, but this one happens to me)

3 men came to me while I tried to open my car’s door. But no matter how hard I try, I just couldn’t open the door. While stuck inside the car, this conversation took place (in Hokkien) :

Them: "Are you ok?"

Me: "Why did you crash on my car?"

Them: "Not us, (Pointing to the dented Kancil) That’s the car that crash unto you. We are just here to see whether you are ok or not."

Me: (Dazed) "I can’t get out from the car."

Them: "Use the other side." (Why didn’t I think of it?)

After I got out of the car, I was overflowed with nervousness and worry. Knowing that the damage is serious, I immediately called my dad while they told me not to worry and not to pick any problems with the other party. Also, they keep saying that as long as I am uninjured, all is well…

The other party came (a young guy, probably in his 20s or 30s) and apologized to me, asking me if I am ok or not. I can’t say much, since I am still stunned by what is currently happening to me…

Dad arrived few moments later after receiving my call telling him that I had an accident. (Sorry mum and dad for making you worried…)

We proceed to lodge a police report before heading home.

*******

Now you might ask, what is the use of praying for journey-mercy if I met an accident anyway?

That was what I questioned myself just now. Instead of being upset with God, I should be grateful.

Many people kept saying ‘Count your blessings’. Today’s the day I fully understand that phrase.

Those guys who came to help or observe mentioned that if I am late for maybe a split-second, I would be in deep trouble since the car will ram unto the driver’s seat and probably kill me off. Imagine the amount of momentum inflicted to make my car spin for a few rounds and its a Kancil that rammed me.

Thank God and praise God.

Then again, if I still had my ‘P’ or probation on, I’d be in deep shit. But no, few days ago, my probation period came to an end and I got my new driving license.

Again, Thank God and praise God.

I came out of the accident in one piece, still alive and breathing, still able to walk, still able to swing my arms around and stretch myself, with the exception of a few bruises on my arm and leg and also a shock of my life. Maybe there are some internal injuries? I don’t know, it’s not visible to the naked eye so maybe I’ll go for a medical checkup later…

So once again, Thank God and praise God.

Who says that watching a movie at movie day is cheap? That movie cost me a figure starting from 'thousand' now. Sigh…

P.S: I was too nervous and worried to even bother to take a picture of my car’s current state… So there won’t be any pictures. Maybe it might appear in the news later?

Flower

When you, the owner taking care of a flower and it’s on the verge of withering:

Was it the owner’s fault for not showing enough care and attention for the flower,
Or was it the flower’s fault for demanding too much from the owner,
Or was it because of the unsuitable environment that causes the flower to wither?

And if the flower is on the verge of withering, would you try to save it, or just let it die off?

What will you, the one reading this, do?

*******

Sidenote: Almost done with C programming's code (graphical part excluded), a million thanks to Jason Sim for making it possible.

What if...

I lost the motivation to blog recently, not much of a problem to me since I always kept a low profile of myself. You won’t see me advertising my blog anywhere in the internet.

I wonder why I am still feeling numb even though two-third of the semester is already over. I managed to score at least “Pass near to Credit” marks for all my assessments. Even so, that is not what I originally intended before my semester started – I want to get good grades, at least a ‘D’ or even a ‘HD’ in all my subjects.

Action speaks louder than words, saying so is easy; doing so, isn’t easy at all. You see… I’m not the type of person who likes to bury myself with books every day. I’ll do anything except studying. So whenever you see me studying in library, know that it took a great amount of willpower to make myself study.

*******

Much has happened this semester.


I went back to Utopia after much persuasion, along with Jackie, Johnny and Timothy. Thinking back, we were crazy about it during form 3, waking up as early as 2 or 3 a.m. in the morning just to manage our accounts. It’s still the same 5 years later.

*******

I also finished ‘Devil May Cry 4’ and ‘Crysis’ (Games from Steven) in less than 1 week’s time (Though the games were already released long ago). For DMC4, the protagonist is not Dante anymore but Nero; As for Crysis, The game would have been nicer if they had a longer storyline. I’ll be looking forward to Crysis: Warhead. For the game summary, you can find them in Wikipedia.

Look, the reason I never tried those games until now is because I kept assuming that my laptop would not have what it takes to play the game smoothly. Even if I am able to play some of those new games with low graphic quality, I rather not waste my time on it.

*******

I’ve also finished watching some of the recently released movie/anime.

Naruto Shippuden Movie 2: Bonds (劇場版 NARUTO−ナルト− 疾風伝 絆 Gekijōban Naruto Shippūden: Kizuna)


The actual movie is already released last year in Japan. For the introduction, it starts with a group of mysterious ninjas from sky country air striking Konoha. Enough spoilers till here. Go download the full movie and watch it.


Zettai Kareshi (Absolute Boyfriend) 2009 Special


It had been 3 years since the last tragedy and now Tenjo Night had been revived, it seems like he could not remember anything from the past. Someone might be able to change his fate, but will that benefit or bring more trouble to all those around him? Like before, go download the movie and watch it. I wouldn’t want to spoil anymore. 


IRyu (Team Medical Dragon) S01 & S02

This drama is about doctors performing their out-of-the-ordinary skills, chasing after time to save lives. There are touching moments included inside but if you have homophobia, this drama is not for you…

Incoming drama list:

Taiyou no Uta / A song to the Sun
Ichi Rittoru no Namida / One Litre of Tears
Ichi Rittoru no Namida - Special
Celeb to Binbo Taro
Successful Story of a Bright Girl

So many to watch, so little time to spare... Haiz

*******

I had a dream, again.

I wander alone in the dark hallway and came across a flight of stairs.

Climbing the flight of stairs, it seemed like any ordinary stairs, spiraling to the top.

The flight of stairs seemed unending to the point that I passed the clouds.

Then I saw lots of familiar faces, I saw her too.

Where am I? Why are there so many familiar faces?

Why am I here? Why is she here?

It doesn’t matter to me anyway. This is no lucid dream; I knew what is going to happen.

I pushed my way towards her, wanting to talk to her, even a simple ‘Hi’ is sufficient.

When I reached her, it is as if I lost my voice. I tried again and again but it was futile.

I couldn’t hear what she wanted to say either.

Then both of us were pulled away to the opposite direction.

Somehow she managed to pass me a message but I crumpled it without reading a single word,

For I was filled with sadness and anger – so near, yet so far away. And I also assumed that I already predicted what she wanted to tell me.

And I woke up.

What if I just read what she had written in that message of hers?

What if I was wrong with my assumptions?

What if…

*******

Sidenote: Did anyone realized this?



o.O

Thinking that you had a bad day and feeling down? Take a look at this:

Fire authorities in California found a corpse in a burned-out section of forest while assessing the damage done by a forest fire. The deceased male was dressed in a full wet suit, complete with scuba tanks on his back, flippers, and face mask.

A post-mortem test revealed that the man died not from burns, but from massive internal injuries. Dental records provided a positive identification. Investigators then set about to determine how a fully clothed diver ended up in the middle of a forest fire.

It was revealed that on the day of the fire, the man went diving off the coast, some 20 miles from the forest. The fire fighters, seeking to control the fire as quickly as possible, had called in a fleet of helicopters with very large dip buckets. Water was dipped from the ocean and emptied at the site of the forest fire.

You guessed it. One minute our diver was making like Flipper in the Pacific, the next, he was doing the breast stroke in a fire dip bucket 300 feet in the air.

Mini-update

The Price of a Child
----------------------

“Daddy, how much did I cost?”

Perched on my parents’ cedar chest in the bedroom, I listened to their casual talk about budgets and paychecks – talk as relevant back in 1967 as it is today. My then-six-year-old mind concluded, wrongly, that my family was poor.

Dad stood at his dresser, looking at bills. He wore faded jeans, an undershirt and white canvas shoes stained grass-green from mowing our lawn. Mom folded laundry on the bed, making even towers of sun-dried clothes. I spotted my new shorts sets and thought about day camp.

Their money talk continued, and Dad joined me on the cedar chest. I plunked the springy metal watchband on Dad’s tan wrist, thinking that the white skin underneath reminded me of a fish belly. Just as I started to ask him to “make a muscle” so I could try pushing his flexed biceps down, a thought hit me like icy water from a garden hose: Dad had to pay for me.

While the story of my birth ranked as a bedtime favorite, I had never considered hospital bills, or the countless meals I’d eaten, or the price of summer clothes.

“Daddy,” I interrupted again, “how much did I cost?”

“Oh, let’s see.” He sighed in distraction and placed his watch on the safety of his dresser. “About a million dollars.”

A light went out inside me. A million dollars. Because of me, Dad worked two jobs. Because of me, he drove an old car, ate lunch at home and had his dress shoes resoled – again.

With my eyes and chin down, I inched off the cedar chest and shuffled into the kitchen. From a shelf, I took my granny-shaped bank, which held every penny I owned – seven dollars even. And not seven dollars in assorted change, but seven cool, shiny silver dollars, one for every birthday and one for the day I was born.

The bank’s rubber plug surrendered, and the coins poured into my hands. I had often played with these coins in secret, jostling them in a small drawstring bag in my roles as gypsy or runaway princess. They had always been put back in the bank, though, and I felt secure pleasure in just knowing they were there. But that day, the “clink” of returning each coin sounded hollow.

If the topic had changed when I returned to my parents’ bedroom, I didn’t notice. Tugging on Dad’s shirt, I held out my first payment on a million dollars.

“Here,” I sniffed. “Maybe this will help pay for me.”

“What?” Dad’s confused look matched my own. Didn’t he remember what he’d said? Didn’t the sight of me remind him of how much I cost?

My tear-filled eyes, which I couldn’t seem to take off the bank, finally made sense to him.

Dad knelt down and pulled me close. “You didn’t cost a million dollars, but you’re worth a million-million dollars. And if that’s what I’d have to pay for you, I’ll do it. Now dry those eyes and put your bank away.”

Today, I often pull this memory out, turn it over and feel the warm satisfied weight of it in my heart. Back then, no price could be put on my worth to my dad. No price can be put on his worth to me now.

Debi Stack
From Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Wisdom of Dads

You'd be wondering why did I post an entry completely unrelated to Mums. Well, this article is taken from my church's bulletin this morning. I like this story and would like to share it with all of you.

Today is "Parents' Sunday" in my church. Lots of presentation going on, and lots of memories made.

I love you Mum and Dad, though I rarely expressed it to both of you in real life.

Happy Mothers' Day.

*******

I'll update the remaining parts of this entry later (a very very long one, since I have been MIA for one month+ ), since I have TSD test 2 tomorrow. More and more C programming blues...