Chase - Chapter 1 (Part II)

The girl then threw Mike’s hand away from her shoulder and disappeared into her mother’s room. Had they not seen her mouth moving, they would not have believed that an 18-year-old, innocent-looking girl could spew out such words towards detectives that were trying to let justice prevail. Knowing that staying any longer would not help with the case, the men exited the house and headed back to the station. “ ‘You are the villains.’ Why did she say that?” Mike said.

“The timing is important. She said that right after you put your hands on your shoulder. What did that mean?” Carl asked. “Can we conclude that John Foster, uhm, tried to rape Sarah? That’s why she was sensitive when being touched by a man.” The two seniors who were sitting in front had no answer for him. When they reached the station, the two detectives tidied up everything and had a meeting with some officers. They discussed about previous cases, trying to come up with a pattern of John’s movement, albeit unsuccessful. In the evening, they headed to a small inn to the west of the station. 

The room was small, otherwise it was clean and cosy. They cleaned themselves before going to a small cafe next to the inn for dinner.

“If he raped her, she wouldn’t have the time to look down at her dead father when Mrs. Lincoln returned home, unless her mother lied,” explained Mike.

“But why, why did she have to lie?” the junior questioned.

“To protect her dignity. She is just 18. How do you think people will look at her if her mother told everyone she was raped? However, I deem it impossible for John to rape Sarah. No, he won’t. In other cases involving John, he never harmed the ladies, always the men, and serial murderers always keep to their patterns to distinguish themselves from the others, it is like a source of their pride,” Mike said. 

“What about the dead body? We should take a look, shouldn’t we?” Carl asked.

“There won’t be much we can get from the body. We already know the thumbs were cut. The forensic team will report to us if they discovered something,” replied Mike.

The two of them returned to the inn and retired to bed, their stomach satisfied with a light dinner of bread and jam. The clouds were low, threatening rain. Before long, the heavens opened and the army of rains attacked every nook and cranny of the island. The sea was raging. Powerful waves are forcing small boats against the shore. The whole town was conquered by cold air. Carl, who had suffered a big deal on the ferry that morning managed to sleep well. Mike, on the other hand, only managed to rest during the wee hours of the next morning, his mind was obviously troubled by what had happened during the day.

Elsewhere in the rain, a hooded man was looking at the house he had just entered in the morning. He then fixed his eyes on the girl who was just behind the windows of the kitchen. He found himself a shelter somewhere in the woods after seeing the girl entered her bedroom. He started a fire and dried his clothes. He admitted that Mike and Carl were the brightest among the local detectives. They nearly had him once, of course they did not realise. Never mind, his friend will arrive tomorrow. That genius friend of his. 


CHASE © David Egong 2012. All rights reserved. Check back every two weeks for subsequent chapters or parts.

Dine, Converse

I had a great time dining with some of my friends and teachers. With them, the taste of the food didn't really matter. What mattered most was what we had to share with each other. The dinner started with me arriving earlier than the planned 7 p.m.. Not long after that my Chemistry teacher arrived with some presents in her hands (Korean dried seaweed with various flavours, one of it was wasabi).

When everyone arrived (one special guest wasn't here, I thought she could not make it due to the rain), we started to order our food and the next moment, we were digging in. We talked about what we did during the holiday and our future plans. Our Chem Master took her chance to take pictures of us, asking for our phone numbers and sharing her experience in her recent trip to Korea.

Several guys doing some catching up.

Pose, girls!!!

Just then, our 'special guest' arrived. She was my English teacher when I was still in Form 1 and Form 2. She had transferred to Sibu, her hometown ever since she got married. She joined us with her baby boy (so cute).

The 'Guest' and me.

Chem Master and 'Guest'. Teachers, you are blocking the entrance... Haha :)

We are happy family!

We enjoyed chatting and catching up with each other. It really killed our boredom that we had accumulated since the holiday began.

Every Drop Counts...

When you read the title of this post, some of you might think of 'water', good try, but no. The fluid that I am referring to is... wait for it... SWEAT. Yup, I didn't type wrongly, sweat. The fluid that flows out from your body pores when you feel hot or nervous. But the 'sweat' I want to talk about today has nothing to do with heat nor nervousness, it is about diligence.

The Malays have an interesting saying, 'mandi keringat', which means drenched (more precisely, bathed) in sweat. It is used to describe people who are hard at work. Each of us has our own goal (if you don't, think of one before you continue reading), and in order to achieve that target, we need to travel the tiring route. There is no shortcut to success.

I don't really know about other successful people but I can tell you a little bit about Steve Jobs' tale (if what I had read is true). I idolise Steve Jobs not for his fame, piling money or his position as the CEO in Apple, but for his never-ending pursuit for perfection.

You see, due to his pursuit for perfection, he was (RIP, Steve) able to lead Apple to come up with the best of products. In order to do that, he had to work super hard and had to endure uncountable sleepless nights (and as a result, his health was jeopardised). In the end, whenever he announced a product, people went crazy, unable to wait to get their hands on the latest tech gadgets.

His craver for perfection led to innovative production of apps by developers (some apps help blind people to have a walk in the nearby forest without getting lost, some apps help medical practitioners to monitor the health status of their patients 24/7), all of which helped to promote better lives for the underprivileged and handicapped. Now, these people can live just like all other normal people. Being in pursuit of perfection proved that Steve was a diligent man.

Diligence is a must in everything we do. Examination, for example. Good marks doesn't just land on your papers randomly. They go to the papers most drenched in sweat (poetic, isn't it?). Have you seen non-genius friends of yours passing the exam with flying colours without making an effort?

There are so many heart-warming stories out there. People are struggling hard to get past obstacles, never minding how much sweat they perspire, in order to get to their goals. When you realise that you have sweat enough (meaning, you have worked hard enough), you will see that your dream is just within your reach. Stretch your arms, grab it, and prove to those who once sneered at you that every drop indeed counts!

FAMILY

Someone told me that 'FAMILY' = 'Father And Mother, I Love You'. I think it is way more than that. It isn't just about kids loving their parents and vice versa. Family is a very serious topic that involves all aspects of life. In fact, the fate of a country lies in each family. If every family played its role with utmost responsibility, the children from these families would be likely to lead the country to peace and prosperity.

Let's put country-leadership affairs aside for the moment. I would like to talk about what a family should mean to each child. I myself is the youngest of two children in my family. As a kid, I was very easily influenced by actions of my family members. This is it, role-model. Parents, especially, should be really careful when they move around the house with kids watching their every action.

These kids' 'CPU's are still brand new. It is up to the parents to store zetta-bytes of data in these CPUs. The amazing thing about these CPUs is that they store images, sounds and motion pictures, just like conventional CPUs. But then, the difference is that data in the CPUs of kids are harder to be erased. When they see something, they emulate it, put it into practice, and that 'something' becomes a habit. It will really take a long toil for parents to correct their kids if that 'something' is a negative stuff.

So, let's stick with the saying 'prevention is better than cure'. Start by exposing these kids to positive practices. For instance, reading books. If parents succeed in nurturing good habits in their first child, the following children will not be much of a headache, since they will also imitate what their older sibling does.

Besides, parents should also limit their children's freedom (some of you might disagree, it's OK, this is my opinion). Nowadays, the world wide web becomes so much easier to access. With so many potentially-harmful websites (fraud, porn, piracy, gambling), intervention of parents is necessary. You wouldn't want dirty images to be imprinted on these young kids' mind, would you?

The same goes to socialising. It is indeed important that kids get the chance to mingle with their friends. But parents should be aware of their rights to monitor their children and keep them in check so as to prevent their kids from befriending harmful elements.

Family plays an important role in making the world a better place. Isn't that what all of us wish for?

FRIENDS

No man is an island. We need families and friends (and, sometimes foes) in our lives. They spice up our days, magnify our joy and diminish our sorrow. Today, I would like to talk about friends (family in my coming post, do check back!).

I don't know about you, but my friends come in all ages, heights, weights and backgrounds (if you don't believe me, go ahead and check my Facebook profile), but out of those friends, only a drop in the ocean are people that I consider as my very best friends. So what are the criteria that got these few friends nominated as my best? Read down...

1. They understand me: They know when I feel down or mad, some try to console me (thank you!) and I really appreciate that.
2. They have my best interest in mind: I am a human, and I tend to make mistakes. I feel grateful to those who try to remind me of my faults (some reprimand me when I cross the border). Sometimes I feel angry towards them, but thinking back, without them I would have done greater mistakes.
3. They care about me: Especially when there were events going on in school, some would ask if I wanted to participate with them. That made (past tense, now that I have graduated) me feel really great, thinking that people still remember me.
4. They ask something from me: Even though I am not a Superman, I feel appreciated when they request me to do something. I feel meaningful to mingle with them. Of course, they know my limits, so they will not ask too much from me.
5. They accept my weaknesses: When I do something wrong, these friends of mine understand the reason behind my fault. They do not try to humiliate me, they try to accept those weaknesses of mine. This acceptance helps fortify the bond between us. Then, I realise that my weaknesses have actually been a very useful tool to identify true friends from the crowd.

So there you go! If you admit that you are a weirdo like myself, take the criteria above as a checklist to label people as your best friends. Wish you the best of luck!

2012 TO ME

The hour hand of the clock only needs to run a dozen more laps round the face of the clock for 2012 to reach its end. Now is the perfect time to reflect about the entire year. So, what do you think 2012 is to me?

1. Graduated from secondary school (or high school). It is finally time for me to step out of my alma mater. It has been a full five long years since I last found myself in this school. I found new friends and met new teachers (some of which I consider as friends without any pressure). I gained new valuable knowledge and precious experience, all of which will definitely equip me to face the outside world better. Numerous competitions and activities that I participated in taught me that I still have a long journey to travel before I can reach my goal.
2. Nearly hit the end of the phase people call 'teenage'. I am now 17, three more months and I will hit 18, one more year and I will be 19... (cry... sigh... cry... youth is departing from me? I think it has just started to reach me!)
3. Transition to Apple products. Ever since I was 6, I was exposed to using computers. I could remember my family bought a computer equipped with 'Windows ME'. Several years later, with the emergence of laptops and PDAs, my family upgraded to newer versions of Microsoft Windows. Those nightmares ended this year. I got myself registered to iCloud and now, I am enjoying my iTunes content on my MacBook Air. My mother on the other hand, is 'equipped' with an iPad.
4. Driving. I am learning driving now. It won't be long before you see me roaming on the streets (ah, not to say roam, but I have always been amazed by how I could drive a big machine on streets and move to my desired destination!) I am sitting for the law exam tomorrow. Hope I could pass...

2012 definitely means a lot to me. What about you? Share your 2012 stories below in 'Comments'.

iPad mini

Yup, I posted about 'Digital Life' (scroll down to read it) the other day. I emphasised on my worries about how machines may become our masters in the future. However I cannot help it but to share with you about the awesome newly-announced iPad mini (written from the perspective of a tech amateur):

I certainly would like to get my hands on one of these. It offers everything the original full-size iPad has. Starting at just RM 999, this piece of hi-tech gadget definitely worths every cent. I like how Jony Ive (SVP of Design) puts it, "The iPad mini is not a reduction, but a concentration of the original iPad."

Indeed. I was in a reseller store the other day just to take a look at this brand new tablet. Sigh... No demo models, no stock. People are buying and ordering them like crazy all around the world. Couldn't they just stop? This poor little friend from a small town untraceable by 'Google maps' is really hoping to see one.

When you use one, you might discover that your fingers actually touch the screen on both sides when you hold it in your hands. Well, Apple designed an interesting technology (that's what they said) that actually knows whether you are simply resting your hands on the touch-sensitive screen or intentionally reacting with it. Wow! Great for reading books!

I know you cannot see it, but I will just tell you, I am drooling...

Think Green!

We often have our ears entertained by news, conversations or speeches citing the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle). But exactly how many of us do walk the talk? It is a pity to say that despite numerous campaigns had been launched and publicised, their success rate is as much as zero itself. Want proof? I have, lots of it:

1. Your tech gadgets stick with you 24/7, and so you charge them regularly after the supply depletes.
2. You have your TV connected to a closed circuit even though you have switched it off.
3. You keep your Wi-Fi connection running day and night to get the latest status updates.
4. You turned off the lights but have the air-cond running continuously during Earth Hour.

These are just a few of the things we always do (I am trying hard to change), everyone does it. If you do the maths, big impact can be seen when the world population is doing the same thing from North to South, East to West. I like the saying: We do not inherit this land from our ancestors, but we loan it from our grandchildren. And the list above only talks about power supply.

1. You bathe instead of taking a quick shower (worse if you have the heater running).
2. You wash your dishes under a running tap.
3. You use heavy flush even though you are only urinating.

The list goes on and on and on, but these are the major water-wasting practices. When we waste water, more natural resources have to be mined and burned to generate power. This power is in turn used to purify the used water. The cycle goes forever (at least as long as we are alive).

Talk about pollution, the villain always pretend to be the hero. Look at NASA. Numerous rocket launches. They often talk about preserving and conserving the environment, they go on to blame other countries for not playing their parts. Speak for themselves! Those rocket-launching, missile-firing and force-rehearsing thingies are contributing a lot to the decline of the environment quality.

What can I, a powerless little blogger, say? Nothing. Those 'polluting' events always conquer my TV screen when I watch National Geographic or Discovery Channel. Hmmm...

/msg/ SHORT FORMS

Nope, i m x an avid msger. Oops! You caught me... haha. (Kidding)

The world of communication today seems to revolve around these short forms and abbreviations today. Who in the name of the... the... arh... Oxford Advanced learner's Dictionary invented all those things. The really bad thing about these short forms is that there are no specific rules that govern their usage, meaning different people tend to use different ways to abbreviate words or phrases for the same words.

Example: 'I love you' maybe abbreviated as 'i luv u' or 'i ♥ u'
               'Thank you' maybe abbreviated as 'tq' or 'thanx' 

It may seem small. But some people (like me, sometimes), need a lot of time to interpret these secretive codes. When we were starting out with generic phones, these abbreviations were still seldom used. However, since the outbreak of the social-network syndrome, they are used in nearly every word. That just goes on to prove how creative humans are.

On my birthday this year, I received a message from a friend I know: Hapi Bufday! MGBU!

I could still handle the greetings at the front. But the last 'MGBU' got me thinking half a day (maybe a good birthday present for my brain to exercise) about its meaning. The answer came out when I accidentally found a bookmark in my Reader's Digest: May God Bless You.

Ah, you can call me outdated for finding these codes cumbersome. But trust me, I am trying to get used to them. Maybe those social network should come up with a dictionary for using these abbreviations so that everyone can one day use the standard code for each word.

Oh, a site did: Text Message And Chat Room Short Form Dictionary 

Chase - Chapter 1 (Part I)

The setting of the story: King Island, Australia

The ferry slashed through the rough waves endlessly and soon enough, seasickness caught up with Carl. He reached for the handle surrounding the deck for support and started to regurgitate whatever that had travelled down his alimentary canal in the name of breakfast. Mike, the older of the two, walked up to Carl when the latter was finally done feeding the fish reigning the sea south of Australia with his vomit. Carl sat down, with his back against the handle. His expression conveyed a total surrender. The sea breeze did nothing to make him better. It slapped him in his face mercilessly and after a while, his cheeks felt numb. The seagulls did not try to entertain him. They were probably disgusted by Carl’s vomit and dared not sink their beaks into the water to enjoy their meal.

“I thought you were determined this morning, no?” Mike asked in a mocking tone.

“You told me this ride would end in a blink of an eye,” Carl replied defiantly. “You use thirty minutes to blink your eyes once?” He punctuated his last word with a hiccup.

Mike ignored the childish chastise and sat next to Carl, his eyes set on the gigantic expanse of salt water surrounding them. “You see, we are just like this ferry. And this John Foster could be any one of the islands thriving in this vast sea. Any idea as to how we can get our hands on him?” Mike questioned the pale Carl.

“Shouldn’t I be the one to ask that, and you to be the one to answer it? Chief Jones told me to throw any questions at you whenever I face uncertainties, not the other way round. And I thought I had only lost my breakfast to the sea, now even my dinner last night is rushing out,” with that, Carl resumed his feeding, leaving Mike to his own thought. 

Curiosity and disgust gushed out from Mike’s every single pore whenever he thought of John Foster. John Foster, the notorious murderer. How could he? How could he feel no remorse about his action? Mike could only come to the conclusion that John Foster was a devil dressed in a human hide. Twelve lives had been slain in cold blood, and yet, John hid himself well. The government had tried everything for the past five years to capture John, but to no avail. Lives are easily blown to the other world, as though weightless, worthless. 

The villain had escaped the grasp of justice, and it was true that some people even doubted the existence of John since it was so hard to trace this man, only to be replied with a merciless murder time after time. Mike vowed to the heavens that he would, with Carl, put John on the execution chair, though he knew that it would do no good to the twelve lives lost at his hand. But it was to protect the remaining population. Yes, it was to protect the other civilians.

With a thud, the ferry reached King Island. The two detectives got down from the ferry and headed to the police headquarters which was facing the dock. Carl started to regain his normal redness in his cheeks. Their presence was expected and they were immediately referred to the Police Chief, Albert Lone. The chief was a well-built man, with an extremely thin top and an abundance of hair going around his head like a croissant. They finished their greetings in under a minute and then headed straight to the chief’s office. 

The atmosphere became drastically denser in the office. The three men, each equipped with a cup of instant coffee, knew that they had an urgent case in their hands. It was Chief Albert who spoke first, “You already know about the murder. My team has just finished collecting the evidence and processing the crime scene. We have people patrolling every streets in the town. You will follow me to the Lincoln’s in my car later. Many things are still unclear to us. The daughter, who was reported to be the first witness refused to cooperate with us.”

“Then who reported the murder?” Carl asked with a frown.

“The mother, Mrs. Lincoln. She said that their daughter, Sarah, was staring down at her father when she reached home from the market,” Albert explained. “Sarah refused to tell us what she saw, but of course we know who the murderer is, the thumbs of the victims were cut off, as usual.”

Silence. Mike’s train of thought was running. The men were looking at each other, hoping that someone will kickstart the next move. A few moments later, Mike found his voice, “We will know nothing if we just sit here. We should move now.”

The trio hopped into Albert’s Jeep and travelled to the Lincoln’s. A few minutes later, they reached the edge of the town. A small double-storey dominated their view. The house faced the open sea, with a small, carelessly-built jetty jutting out towards the water directly in front of the house.

Albert led the way into the house, and the two detectives tailed the former in silence. “Gentlemen, you are now looking at the crime scene which accommodated the dead body of Joseph Lincoln,” Albert pointed at the floor which sat between the television and the couch. Blood was everywhere, on the couch, the coffee table nearby, the telephone. Mike, a lanky 49-year-old man, crouched down to take a better look at the floor, on which the dead body of Joseph Lincoln had laid just an hour ago. He was so focused that people might think he was having a conversation with the floor.

On the other hand, Carl, who was barely 26, physically attractive so much so that girls often mistake him for an actor, started to explore the living room. There was no sign of break in. The windows were not forced open nor were the glasses shattered into pieces.

“So? What have you found?” Albert asked Mike who finally decided to stand up. 

“Nothing new apart from what was in the file I read in your car just now. I must meet the girl, Sarah you said?” Mike said, his eyes still fixed on the floor. “Where is she?”

“She is upstairs, with her mother. Let’s go,” he gestured to the pair of detectives and headed towards the remaining Lincolns. When they reached the upper floor, they saw a woman, supposedly Mrs. Lincoln, hugging a slim, young girl. “Sir, please let us rest. I’ve told you everything I know,” Mrs. Lincoln pleaded, her voice trembling out of sorrow.

“I insist to talk to your daughter. You want us to catch the bad guy, you have to help us do our job,” Mike stepped forwards and said. “It’ll only take a while, I promise,” he reassured Mrs. Lincoln. She hesitated, and then walked into her room, leaving Sarah with the trio. 

“Can you tell us what happened, Sarah? What did you see?” Sarah was still keeping mum. She appeared to be fidgeting in her seat. His eyes trembling and unfocused. “Don’t be afraid, dear, we are here to help you, to help your dad,” Mike reached for the shoulder of Sarah to try keep her from fidgeting too much.

The girl suddenly found her gaze in Mike’s eyes, and shouted, “You are the villains. You are oblivious!”


CHASE © David Egong 2012. All rights reserved. Check back every two weeks for subsequent chapters or parts.

Facebook Fanatic

Are you a Facebook Fanatic? There are several ways to confirm that:

1. You start your day by accessing your Facebook account.
2. You think that you can find enough information for your assignments by visiting other people's pages.
3. You post any picture of yourself right after you take them.
4. You found this post through Facebook. (Yeah, I posted the links on my page!)

The Facebook login page.

Yup, I have a Facebook account. But I don't spend my day playing FarmVille or chatting with people 24/7. And I definitely do not post all of my pictures to FB. I created an account out of curiosity, actually, and trust me, I do not post my thoughts on it. I post only necessary news. Haha :)

You see, I was shopping the other day in The Spring in Kuching. When I entered Starbucks after I shopped, I saw customers's eyes glued to the screen of their computers, tablets and smartphones. Hey, I am not exaggerating!

I had no intention to intrude their privacy but as I walked to the counter to order my drinks, I could see that blue band with an 'F' at the top left corner occupying the top of their screens. I certainly do not have a 20/20 eyesight but I knew that was Facebook. I couldn't help but felt like throwing up, seeing several groups of people sitting at the same table without talking to each other. Their sights were conquered by Mark Zuckerberg's invention.

Mark first invented FB for students. It did help to connect people and make sharing information so much easier, but people are misusing them. They post weird pictures (you will definitely know what I mean even if you skip Bio classes), some go on to curse people, start a fight. One classmate of mine (I wouldn't call her my friend) cursed my teacher on her page. Things went chaotic... Well, that is still their privacy, not up to me to write here.

Anyways, there are too many kinds of people on this planet. And you can imagine what happens when all these different kinds of people are connecting using the same social network.

Ah, I heard the other day that people interviewing for jobs nowadays get their pages viewed by their employer-to-be. I wonder what Facebook does when it employs people, I mean it has this privacy policy thing to abide by.

Continued from the list above: 5. You return to Facebook after you finish this sentence.

Ladies First?

Let's talk about gender equality today. You know, in many films, I always see self-proclaimed 'gentlemen' posing a nice gesture to invite the ladies to have their turn first in whatever they do. Yeah, I said film. I can hardly see that happening in real life. This 'Ladies First' stuff is a really, really wide umbrella that covers a lot of aspects in our life, not just when you need to evacuate a sinking ship will you apply this concept.

Ladies, or females, are born to be protected and loved, not feared or hated. They are born to be respected and praised. This, I think is a truth people fail to see. To talk about LF is to talk about how to make them happy and feel appreciated. We (yes, me included) always talk about females being beautiful or ugly. I regret that. Each female is special, and beautiful, in her own way. And only those who truly love them will see this beauty.

Makeup, another field. I personally think that girls do not need to apply layers of makeup that thick (wouldn't be exaggerating if I say 'as thick as the Earth's crust'), so much so that their expression become so unnatural and doll-like. I once asked a girl I know (I call her big sis), "Why do girls like making up?" The reply was as simple as, well, "Because the boys like it." Do we? Well, but I don't. I think it is pure torture for the girls to paint on those powder and so on.

Of course, they, and the boys need to do everything to maintain their hygiene. However, those makeups are redundant. Take a cleansing cloth and wipe them off. I think it is great to show people your original looks. What God gives us is always the best. If you read my first post, I talked about my physical disadvantage, but looking on the bright side, there might be a reason why I became that way. And I really pity those who eventually turn to plastic surgery. If you haven't get your face done, girls, don't do it, be confident of your appearance. If you've, stop! No further changes.

Now, move on the career opportunities. Many societies still think that having women as their leaders is an unacceptable fact. Well, I agree (I am talking primarily about married woman). Please do not misunderstand me. There are several reasons that taught me to think that way. First, families need their mothers. Commitment of mothers often gives rise to better families, better communities and finally, better countries. Why? Because of love. Men need their wives love, children need their mother's love. So, instead of pouring love onto your career, pour them on your family!

Ultimately, women do not have to be the leader of a country or organisation physically, but mentally. See where I am coming from? You do not need your name as leader on a piece of paper, girls, you should have your name on people's mind and heart.

Updated: 26 December 2012
p/s: Someone attacked me yesterday, saying that Ms Park Gun Hae from South Korea became president, so I changed my statement above to married women to clarify my stand... haha :)

Digital Life

Remember WALL:E? The people in that gigantic ship sit on what look like floating chairs with virtual screens occupying their sights 24/7. They don't walk, they don't exercise. The robots serve them in every way they could. I think despite we don't have to head out to space, our lifestyle is slowly becoming like these people's. That story doesn't seem like a fiction to me in any way, it looks like a very accurate prediction of the future.

I reserve no right for this picture ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © www.entertainmentwallpaper.com

A few days ago, I helped connect my dad's PC to the printer wirelessly, meaning he can now print over the air, without walking from his office to our study to print documents. Once I finished, a chill rushed down my spine. So that is really happening, I thought. I am now blogging from my Mac, just like those passengers having their virtual screens stuck to their faces day and night, another sign!

In the past, we used to do our shopping in the mall, a real, solid mall with real, solid products that we can touch. Now? Just turn on the computer, punch in Amazon.com or any other online stores, we can see different products before our eyes. Magical? NO! I think it is more of a curse which is trying to make me fat (well, I mean fatter). In some countries, even vegetables and seafood can be ordered on line and delivered to the door, so customers don't even need to step out of the house (which means less exercise).

Fast food and really unhealthy snacks are very easy to access, too. Go to any petrol station or grocery, these snacks are used to decorate the counter, and you are free to take one to satisfy your palette (and your tummy). Really terrifying.

If you have an iPhone or any other iOS devices (latest ones, that is) you can use a pretty interesting service, Siri. Siri claims herself (if you ask her) to be a humble personal assistant of. So, now, everything is just a question away. Nah! Less and less exercise. Oh, but we couldn't live without them. Really, this is an undeniable inconvenient truth that will slowly and quietly merge into our lives, until one day, we will realise that these machines are our master, not the other way round! Let's hope that doesn't happen.

K-POP Indulgence

I recently went to Kuching for my holiday. Guess what? I could hear that 'Gangnam Style' thingy wherever I go. I admit that I have no rights to shout at the vendors for playing that song, but I have every right to have some peace when I do shopping. Definitely a mental torture! I am not only targeting PSY's global hit song, but all other songs.

Nah, if I go on to badmouth those songs, thousands (if indeed someone is reading this post) of people reading this post are going to condemn me, trace my address (please, don't!) and come to me, throwing eggs and stones. But this is what I have to say, before you go and mimic those weird dances, go and understand the lyrics first. Most of them are talking about love, being sexy and so on. They contain nothing educational, nothing!

However, the biggest thing that disturbs me is how those singers are dressing up themselves, men and women alike. It is so disgusting. It is like they have no more cloths to be used to design their costumes. Remember how the Zion dressed in Matrix? Hey, cover your belly buttons at least! Women like to expose their thighs (come on, some thighs are as thick as that of elephants) and men like to expose their abs. Fans start to fantasise unhealthy stuff... and crimes erupt like crazy!

But I do not dislike or even hate these singers. In fact, I pity them (I mean it). To me, they are being used to suck up fans' money. These stars are forced (which means they were not given a choice, unless they wish to quit, that is) to dress like that and sing songs as said by their managing companies. These bosses hide themselves behind the little cloths these celebrities have and work like puppeteers. They pull the strings without exposing their faces and soon enough, notes stack up in their accounts.

How long will these 'idols' last? Look back at the past idols. When age catches up with them, they can no longer dance. Their names start to be forgotten. They lose popularity and earn less, and they become trapped in mental illnesses. Pity... And their bosses lose nothing. They throw away the old ones and find new ones. Again, notes stack up in their accounts.

And the fans are being used as well! They listen to empty songs and watch empty dances and pay... That is their job, pay! Youngsters, especially, fish out notes ferociously from their pockets to get empty entertainment. Do they realise that their parents have to work super hard for each cent? Bet they don't.

If you study carefully, many of those songs have the same rhythm for some parts, same lyrics and same dances. People are paying up just for watching the same things over and over again. No one will care about what I say. They will rather spend more time in front of their TV screens to watch these empty entertainment.

Only when old, ripe age hit them will they realise that they have spent their youth foolishly. Absolutely, no offence!

Here, here. Visit YouTube to listen to healthier symphonies: Cavalleria Rusticana, Pangea by CJ van Brakel, Moonlight Sonata. These songs can definitely do some good washing disgusting images off your brain. Good luck!

Me: Past, Present and Future

OK, I admit it. I am a very weird person (though I prefer to be addressed as unique). Since birth, I fought with death itself. In 1995, the hospital in my town was not capable of helping this poor little soul, so my parents hopped onto an ambulance with a nurse to rush me to Kuching. It may sound like a film, but this is my story. Ever since then, I've brought troubles and headaches to my parents and my brother.
   
And now, here I am, sitting in front of the screen to share my stories. Let's get started.

18th March 1995:
I was born, not with a silver spoon, but with the Grim Reaper's scythe. I didn't cry. I couldn't breathe. I was stuck between this world and the other realm (heaven or hell, I know not). I was rushed to Normah Hospital in Kuching. Lots of things happened at once. Tubes were connected, screens started to display hard-to-comprehend waves. I knew this because my mum told me while I was helping her in the kitchen one day. I thought she was joking... but no, not when she spoke in that tone. She meant it, every word of it.
        I came to appreciate being alive, being able to see, hear, smell and taste. The only impact of that incident that manifests in me is my poor coordination. I walk in a weird way (which attracted gazes and whispers). My movements are unnatural. But I count myself lucky not having to be attached to any machines.

January 2008:
I started my secondary education. Though I had better-than-expected results before, I came to realise that I should not be proud of who I am. I had a chance to come into contact with people of different talents and capabilities, math wiz, chess genius and some other maestros. However, I failed to learn as much things as I could from them.
        I became indulged in computers. The way they function, all the things they can accomplish. And this unnecessary indulgence distracted me from putting my focus on my studies. I got reprimanded by my parents for my bad results, not too bad, but still bad.

October 2009:
Perhaps, a turning point in my life. One day, when I was enjoying my lunch in the canteen, the principal summoned me. That really got my heart pumping hard and fast. I did nothing wrong, so I went to meet her in the office, only to find out that she was waiting for me in my classroom. What?! I thought. Obediently, I headed back to my class, and was amazed to find the principal smiling at me.
        "You remember the competition you joined a few months ago. The essay for the British Council thingy?" she asked. "You got an award for that, and a chance to go to Taiwan!"
        Rather than being happy, I felt down. Why? Because I was to go on a trip to Korea with my mum during the year end holiday. So I foolishly asked, "Can I not go?" The principal was obviously shocked. I explained to her what troubled me. She diligently called my mum to arrange things and yup, I got to go to Taiwan, in fact to Korea as well.
        I spent one week in Taiwan with kids from other states and also from other countries. I flew back home on the last day and flew again to Korea on the following day. I must say that was the most exiting holiday for me ever.

21 December 2012:
People are talking about the end of the world. Nothing is happening. I even saw an article stating that the end of the world has been postponed to 2015. Ridiculous! Now, I am waiting for my SPM results. How did I do? Will know soon enough, well not too soon, three months to go...