Eat, Pray, Love

When my friend text me that petrol price will be increased yesterday, I didn't think much of it much less prepared for the absolute effect it will have on people's lives. Like, instantaneously.

I didn't think of immediately leaving office to queue at the petrol station to just fill up my half empty tank. I didn't think of the vicious cycle it will have to all the other costs directly or indirectly related to crude oil. I didn't think that to drink a cup of my favorite brew from the local (but a tad overrated, I must admit) coffee joint will become a luxury of yesterday. Literally. I didn't think that it will have an adverse effect to my live. Like, at all!

O.k. I may have been a little O.R (over-reacted) but really, I didn't think that much cos there was work. And, so I left the office at a little after 8.00pm thinking that yes, I could get on the road with as little "peak hours" traffic as possible. Prior to leaving the office, I received two missed calls from K. I returned his call.

K: "Hey what's up."

Me: "I'm queuing for petrol."

He let out a laugh I thought it was quite funny, too. Kinda like a hyena in heat laugh.

K: "I called earlier to tell you that."

Me: "But, how much? You know?"

K: "I think by 75 cents to a ringgit."

Me: "Fucking one ringgit per fucking litre? That's crazy!"

He laughed again. Tho' I seriously didnt think it was funny and I do not want to be a bitch.

K: "So. You are really in the petrol station?"

Duh.

"Yes, and I'm using my mobile while talking to you cos I am planning a suicide here."

What happened after I put down the phone and drove out to Jalan Bukit Bintang was not laughing matter. I had to detour a few routes, changed a few CDs, honked a damn lot, chewed a lot of gums, and finally reached home. A total of 1 hr 45 minutes.

Why?

Petrol hike. Yes. The entire Klang Valley was out to go to their nearest even if not their favoritest petrol kiosk to fill up. It was far out - quite like watching "The Day After Tomorrow". Our "beloved" Prime Minister said we can't subsidised for the dear "rakyat" anymore, hence, we (the beloved govt) should kill all of us. Sloooooooooowly. Especially the low income to mid income families or individuals. He also said not to worry because if you are driving a car that is 2000 cc and below, you get a yearly rebate of RM650 per annum.

Right, that is real joy. We should toast but using plain water with ice.

J just text me she was happy with her new job and said she wants to finish off her book, "Eat, Pray and Love" before she knocks off.

Yes, that is exactly what all of us here needs now. I told her.

"New Malaysia?"

On the night of the voting day, last Saturday, we were out to watch 'Spiderwick Chronicles' - the movie turned out to be quite entertaining though it is a kid's flick. Of cos, unbeknownst to us, results of the voting casted in the morning can be as immediate as say, instant noodles? We were so naive to actually assume that results will be out like the next evening or something. So, we were ignorant :p

The buzz of the result actually began at dinner time in a Japanese restaurant. A somewhat buzzed and underfed chinese uncle wearing a blue vest (BN supporter, I assumed? I know. Can't be underfed, right?) were speaking very loudly on his mobile phone next to our table. As ignorant as us of election, he didn't care if his behaviour disrupted the people in the restaurant. Funny, too, that staff/owners of Malaysian restaurants/cafes do not have the habit of asking rowdy customers to shut the fuck up if they are, rowdy? Strange aint it?

So I digress.

Uncle was telling everyone incl. the person on the phone that BN had lost badly. In the middle of my eating the sashimi, I stopped and perked up. Interesting newsflash, I thought. Then, when we swung over to One Utama after dinner, which was buzzing with some F1 activities, we overheard shoppers, men in in all shape and sizes, talking rather loudly on the phone about the results of the election - So-and-so lost her spot at Bangsar, Samy Vellu also lost.

We were so curious we wanted to get online instantly. Thanks to technology, we were able to. It was like watching the score of a sports event. So fun. Later, in the middle of the movie, there were a few smses telling us to "stay home and celebrate quietly, DAP supporters."

*Sheesh, but I'm in a middle of a movie! And the damn Ogre is about to killed the stupid human! Fine.

The next day, like Mr. Rainbow said, "I'm back in a whole new Malaysia". Sure enough, it is a whole new Malaysia. The results rocked the parliament, newspapers were all sold out. And, we were a little frustrated cos of that, too (ok, we slept till a little before noon and gymed). The buzzword now is, can the "new Malaysia" keep up to their promises or it is just once again NATO**? Will BN's defeat make them work harder? Will the parliament meeting be as spectacular and entertaining as say, Taiwan politics?

2008 has only just warmed up, people.

*We got home safely & no, we want Obama to win. Ogre, human, politics, get it? :)
**NATO - No action, talk only.

Strange Sunday

It is a strange Sunday.

I got into the city, and I thought I was in Mumbai. No offence, really. I got a bit exciting, my adrenaline was rushing and the first thought that came into my head was....

I don't have to work! Cos the road is closed!

No. Ok, not that but...

Damn, where is my camera when I needed it!

Every photog would love to be there esp. if there are the hardcore ones. I would do it if I've got my telephoto (some day).
......

To F*&% or not to F*&^

Do you ever have a co-worker/s or classmate/s that is flirty with the opposite sex, like, all the time? How do you handle such situations? Do you let him or her be simply because it doesn't affect you? Or, it affects you but in Malaysia, nobody tells anybody anything about anyone's behaviour because we are all nice people. We juust bitch behind their backs. Like, how the govt dept could approve a RM200++ screwdriver sets - the most embarassing news ever. And, nothing has been done.

So, back to flirty. How do you tell a co-worker that you cannot or should not or MUST NOT flirt in the work place? With other co-workers, supplier/s, and even clients?


A. Tell him/her straight to his/her face that he/she is flirting and in this co, we do not encourage such behavior. Period.

B. Tell him/her that it is essential to be friendly but do not cross the line (to being flirty).

C. Tell him/her nothing. Just keep the mouth shut. Because that person is closing a big fat account for the co?

D. Tell him/her they are doing a great job! Because they usually are the most efficient people in this earth, no?

E. Do step C, then step D and follow by step B.


How? And, is Flirty a dirty word, like, in a work place?

Politics Eh?

I haven't got the time to write much recently cos I have quite a lot to do. I think I said that like in my last 3 posts :p

Anyways, here's something I have read on the internet that I'd like to share with you guys. Preeety interesting, I'd say.

"Believe it or not, Anwar Ibrahim is now anxiously waiting to be sued! And he is hoping that Najib Abdul Razak would take the initiative as this would enable him to expose more in court of what he knows about the Mongolian murder case. Last night, the opposition icon continued his attack on Najib by ‘inviting’ the deputy premier to initiate a lawsuit against him for linking the latter to the murder case of a Mongolian national. “I prefer him (Najib) to sue me because I can go to court then and speak more about the matter,” Anwar told a crowd of about 400 at a dinner in Ijok where a by-election is being held.His challenge was made in the wake of Najib’s statement on Thursday that the deputy premier has no plan to take Anwar to court for the time being over the allegation.

Najib had said, “I don’t have to sue him. I have the option to sue him but what’s important is to let the law take its course.”Anwar, the PKR advisor, has repeatedly drawn Najib’s name into the gruesome murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu. The Mongolian national aged 28 was murdered and her body was blown to bits with a powerful plastic explosive at a secondary forest near the Subang Dam at Puncak Alam, Shah Alam last October. Two officers from a police elite unit have been charged with murder while a think-tanker closely linked to Najib has been charged with abetting them."

Excerpt from "Get Najib by Election Campaign". More here. Oh yeah, if you are at it, you might like to check out "The Khairy Chronicles eBook". Un-clickoffable.

Paris Hilton Appeals Jail Sentence

"Paris Hilton has appealed her 45-day jail sentence for violating her probation, according to papers released Monday. The one-page notice of appeal was filled out by hand and filed Friday shortly after the judge issued the sentence.

"It's a long shot," Loyola Law School professor Laurie Levenson tells PEOPLE of the appeal's chances. "I wouldn't hold my breath. It was a clear-cut case against her. Paris's excuses didn't ring true." Lawrence Taylor, a 30-year DUI attorney, says, "Her chances of winning an appeal are little to none. The prosecutors had a slam dunk case. The evidence was overwhelming that she repeatedly violated probation." In all, it has been a tumultuous few days for Hilton. After the sentencing, she was so upset she fired her longtime publicist – then scheduled a dinner with him to discuss the matter." More

If you asked me, I think she has nailed it again. C'mon, who better publicity than bad publicity these days? The Lindsays, or the Mischas or the Britneys will probably go like, "Bitch! How do I top that?!"

Spider-man 3 reaps in $148million in it's first 3 days. That's a record. It is, undeniably, one of the better movie that came out this year and I really like the "dark side" of Spiderman though he did some really cheesy dance moves (Tobey can't dance at all!) and Topher Grace almost stole the show from Spidey playing the cheeky photo journalist, Eddie Brook who turned into Venom. Oh! If you haven't watched it, be prepared for some yawn-inspiring romance story injected in the show. Damn poh-ma man.

I will review some of the up and coming Summer movies pretty soon.