Category: Lifestyle Activities

Unemployment is nice for now. I managed to catch the first showing of TRON: Legacy today. To keep things short and sweet – it touched me.

I totally did not expect the show to move me so much considering that it is a Disney production and that it’s main attraction is Olivia Wilde and light-cycles. I won’t spoil things but I need to say that Olivia Wilde as Quorra – very fine; and that the light-cycle sequence was quite well done too and we get to see more than just cycles, in the show.

The show made me laugh, and more importantly, made me cry – several times. It’s not often that a show has that kind of an effect on me. The cinematography is classic Tron and the show was filled with 80s disco and classic 8-bit music. This brings back lots of memories from my childhood days, and the original Tron.

One thing that I would like to make note of is – the computer interface. For once, Hollywood did not screw up the command line. The parts of the show that actually showed the users accessing computer terminals, actually made use of real Unix commands. I was quite taken aback to see the correct commands used to execute the correct operations.

Furthermore, SUN should really be proud that their servers could keep the Tron universe running for more than a decade, without any power! The makers of the show also tipped their hat off to the FLOSS movement – splendidly anarchic too!

I really liked the show. I think it’s my favourite show this year and I will definitely buy the blu-ray when it comes out.

PS: I wonder what happened to TRON at the end?

I’ve not caressed the keys for ages. Now that I have resigned from my job and am clearing the balance of my annual leave, I have a bit of free time and maybe I should take some time out to touch them once more. But for now, I will have to make do with listening to youtube renditions and imagine myself making music like I used to do (but no longer am able to now – oh, the skills lost).

Classical – Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata
This piece has special place in my heart. It is the only thing I can play with my eyes closed throughout.

Romantic – Chopin, Nocturne op 48 no 1
This may not be as famous as Opus 9 No 2, but it is certainly my favourite nocturne as it has a wide emotional range.

Impressionist – Debussy, Arabesque
This piece is one that can be played differently, each and every time.

Jazz – Gershwin, Prelude no 1
I used to hammer the keys with my fist – just like in the video – cause it would hurt my little pinky otherwise. Actually, my little pinky would still hurt by the end.

Couldn’t resist sticking up a few more Girls’ Generation videos available on YouTube. You can observe a telling trend in each of the videos below.

Oh

Gee

Hoot

Run Devil Run

This is a gift that will be sitting in my display case for a long time. I had my farewell lunch with my colleagues at San Francisco Pizza today. The food was excellent even if the service was a little slow. After lunch, we began taking photos and that was when my two apprentices presented me with a gift – this gift!

This is what it says at the bottom:

World’s Number One Award
You are the world’s real number one. Your knowledge and talent together with your caring and helpful nature really sets you apart. You are truly a champion.
You’re worth your weight in gold!

I guess that all the abuse that they received from me, really made an impact. I am really touched by this gift because it is the first time that anyone has given me something like this in my life. It certainly gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside, to know that I am appreciated.

Our relationship was always one of mentor-apprentice. I enjoyed giving them my regular hour-long lectures. To me, they had the necessary knowledge but they mainly lacked the ability to make the leap from knowledge to application. It was my role to shove them over the precipice.

With my departure, I hope that they will be able to grow and take on their growing responsibilities. If they succeed in performing their duties, it would mean that I have done my part. Now, they will need to learn to swim without a float.

I wish them the best in their careers!

Among the various kinds of SPAM that I receive through SMS, I received this jewel recently. It was a scam, asking me to credit RM30 into someone’s mobile phone account. Slick. Thankfully, it’s obvious that my dad did not send me this SMS and he was not in trouble with the police. The source of the SMS is +6285237184056 (an Indonesian number).

Ini ayah Tlong bagi credit mexis 30RM ke nombor baru ayah 0128650385 Ayah lgi ada msalah kat balai Police.ta payah caal sekejap ayah call.

Scammers – they should at least work on spelling and grammar.

During a recent car service, I was told that my front tyres needed changing. Since I was already planning to change the tyres early next year, I thought that it would be convenient to just change the tyres then and there since I was already there for my regular service. I was shown a pair of Michelins and the stickered price was RM220. However, I was told that I could have them for RM185. I could go for a cheaper tyre but it would be some brandless make while the Pirellis would cost me more.

So, I got my new Michelins and thought it was quite cheap. I had fully expected to spend more than RM200 for a tyre.

Then, came another customer and they told the customer that his tyres needed changing too. And they told that customer that they were having a special promotion on Michelins now, for only RM220! Looks like sales people do what sales people do, and sell the same snake oil to different customers for whatever that they think the customer is able to afford. I must’ve looked cheap!

Anyway, after changing the tyres, I got my car balanced and aligned as well. Now, my car seems to drive better than it did before.

While changing the tyres, I had a chat with the mechanic as he worked. He remarked that I don’t go out at night and that I hardly used my car. I was wondering how he knew. Then he explained that he could tell from the fact that my headlights still looked really new and that my mileage was very little. Interesting, learned something new.

I went for my last karaoke session with my co-workers today. I have always liked singing since I was a kid. Unfortunately, I am not born with a useful vocal range – I try my best. During this session, I was introduced to Lady Gaga by a colleague of mine. All I can say is that I like her style. She’d be known as Lady Gila/Geli in Malaysia, but I like it!

Next, I got introduced to this girl-band from Korea – Girls’ Generation. Thank god for whomever invented hawt pants. Their songs are just so-so and their voices are obviously synthed but those legs! Browsing around youtube, I get the sense that their main assets are their hind limbs. I hope that the cameraman did not hurt his back while shooting the videos.

Je veux ton amour indeed!