My week

Here are some things I did for the past week in my mundane life.

Monday: Laugh at a new video made by two guys called The Dormitory Boys/ Back Dorm Boys, taking the piss out of Jessica Simpson's new song (great Monday blues killer). Order drinks for the bar that I manage part-time. Dinner with a housemate.

Tuesday: Piping woes in the insectary, giving us a private paddling pool, hence I feel like a janitor. Tried to call a certain someone but as usual phone is off. Karate training to vent out stress and whatever. Laundry.

Wednesday: Dinner with housemates.
While another housemate had a BBQ party in the garden, which annoyed the house when drunken guests made a ruckus at midnight. Some people had to get up at 6am for work!

Thursday: Due to lack of sleep, the day seemed long and no work was really done. A colleague then had the fab idea of going for a drink after work. Yay! Late dinner :P

Friday: Bank in a cheque from Inland Revenue! They had taxed me too much last year. Dinner by way of Chinese takeaway :P... wasting time by loitering in the room, emails, listening to music. Got the new Keane album from a friend :).

Saturday: Get up late :D. Late lunch. Karate Training. Grocery shopping. Dinner with housemate again. Defrost the dodgy freezer so that technicians can fix it on Monday.

Sunday: Sort out bills. Tidy my room a bit... Laundry (My karate trousers needed a wash). Defrost the fridge so that technicians can fix it on Monday too. Dinner at a friend's place, plus Battlestar Galactica! :D


So that's my week. How is yours like?

Pressure! Here comes the gripe.

Gah, work things are not going my way. I'm so frustrated. Pressure to get results is building and I feel like I could explode. What to do when experiments don't work like it's supposed to and you don't know what to fix??? That and the heatwave is making me mad. My room sometimes goes up to 30 degrees at night and the fan I bought feels like it is blowing hot air, which means I don't get much sleep, which adds to more grumpiness.

Which makes my theme song of the week being Pressure Point by The Zutons.

I can't get this pressure point out of my head
I can't get this pressure point out of my head
I feel it in work, you know, I feel it in bed
I can't get this pressure point out of my head
I've paid all my bills and I've acted so well
Ain't been cheating, there's nothing to tell
So why all this pressure, I dont understand
I call on my neighbours, and lend them a hand

Doctor, oh doctor, I'm willing to learn
Well all of my bones, well they toss and they turn
Mother, oh mother, I'm begging you please
To rid me of madness and cure this disease

Maybe told you what I have become
With all of this pressure, my mind's on a run
Why maybe its changing, let's hope for the best
Maybe it's something to get off my chest

Doctor, oh doctor, I'm begging you please
To rid me of madness and cure this disease
Mother, oh mother, I'm willing to learn
Well all of my bones, well they toss and they turn

Pressure pressure pressure pressure...
Pressure pressure pressure pressure...
Pressure pressure pressure pressure...
Pressure pressure pressure pressure...

I can't get this pressure point out of my head
I can't get this pressure point out of my head
I feel it in work, you know, I feel it in bed
I can't get this pressure point out of my head

AAAAAAAhhh ... Pressure pressure pressure pressure pressure...
AAAAAAAhhh ... Pressure pressure pressure pressure pressure...
AAAAAAAhhh ... Pressure pressure pressure pressure pressure...
AAAAAAAhhh ... Pressure pressure pressure pressure pressure...

If they were true...

And if only they were real... Well I guess the checkout machines are.
I love going to Co-op!

The End of World Cup 2006

Ahem, first of all... YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!! Bravo Italy!!! My Italian friends must be crazily happy at the moment. Outside my window, I can hear some fans cheering, cars honking...

So that is the end of this year's World Cup. And what a spectacular one! Until next time...

Meanwhile, enjoy these guys paying tribute to World Cup 2006. Dadada!




Oh and yay to Roger Federer as well for clenching the Wimbledon title again! *Happy Dance*

Spammers and scammers, please... NOT!

Now even my private work email address is spammed! Here is one that I've just received. I can't help but to laugh at this.

DEAR SIR,

URGENT & CONFIDENTIAL!!!.

AFTER DUE DELIBERTION WITH MY COLLEAGUES, I HAVE THE
PLEASURE TO FORWARD TO YOU THIS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL
PROPOSAL. WE REQUIRE A RELIABLE FOREIGN INDIVIDUAL OR
COMPANY WHO WILL ASSIST US TO RECEIVE THE SUM OF
USD$100 MILLON INTO HIS/HER BANK ACCOUNT.
(Why make millons when we could make *pinkie to mouth* millions?)

THIS FUND RESULTED FROM A CONTRACT WHICH OUR COMMITTEE
AWARDED IN 1999 IN COLLABORATION WITH SOME PAST
MILITARY OFFICERS. THE SAID CONTRACT WAS SUCCESSFULLY
COMPLETED AND COMMISSIONED AND THE FOREIGN CONTRACTORS
WAS PAID THE PRINCIPAL COST OF THE CONTRACT LEAVING
THE SUM USD$100 MILLION WHICH WE DELIBRATELY ADDED.

UNFORTUNATELY,AS CIVIL SERVANTS, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO
OWN FOREIGN ACCOUNT.HENCE WE ARE SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE. MY COLLEAGUES AND I AFTER DUE CONSIDRATION AGREED ON THE FOLLOWING SHARING RATIO;
1, 30% FOR YOU THE ACCOUNT OWNER
2, 60% FOR MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES.
3, 10% FOR LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL EXPENCES THAT
MIGHT BE INCURED IN THE COURSE OF THIS TRANSACTION.
(yeah right, mate. 60% isn't that fair! Civil servants of which country anyway?)

TO REDUCE YOUR CURIOSITY AND DOUBT, LET ME SINCERELY
INFORM YOU THAT WE OBTAINED YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS FROM
REPUTABLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES AND I AM
THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE CONTRACT AWARD COMMITTEE
OF THE FEDERAL OIL AND GAS BOARD (FOGB).
(I didn't know I had connections with reputable chamber of commerce and industries since I'm in the poor research business. And Pat here seems to be a highly ranked, secretary of the... what again?*getting curious*)

WE ALL HAVE PUT IN SO MANY YEARS IN SERVICE AND HAVE THUS
PATIENTLY WAITED FOR THIS GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY. MOST
IMPORTANTLY, WE WANT TO CONCLUDE THIS TRANSACTION
BEFORE THE END OF THIS FINANCIAL YEAR.

TO FACILITATE THE TRANSFER OF THE FUND, WE SHALL
REQUIRE:
1, YOUR BANKER’S NAME,ADDRESS,ACCOUNTNUMBER,NAME
OF BENEFICIARY,FAX AND PHONE NUMBERS.
2,YOUR COMPANY’S NAME,ADDRESS,PRIVATE FAX AND
PHONE NUMBERS FOR EASY COMMUNICATION.

WITH THE ABOVE INFORMATION, WE WILL ON YOUR BEHALH
SEEK APPROVAL FOR THE FUND TRANSFER FROM OUR FEDERAL
MINISTRIES CONCERNED.
(And on my behalh please go and hang yourself)

TAKE NOTICE THAT A HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENTIALITY
SHOULD BE ACCORDED THIS TRANSACTION AND EVEN A HIGHER
LEVEL OF TRUST AND HONESTY EXPECTED ON YOUR PART.
(Oh I took notice alright... Trust and honesty to a scammer... right, got that.)

NOTE:- KINDLY REPLY THROUGH THIS EMAIL ADDRESS:- pattychim500@yahoo.com
(anyone who would like to say hi to Pat please go ahead and email him.)

BEST REGARDS.

DR. PATRICK CHIM.

(I wonder where did Dr. Patrick Chim got his PhD?)

Summer Hols

Been away on a little break to Italy. It was great. Florence was the choice of stay, but I got to travel a bit around the country on day trips... My week of rambling was filled with extreme (37 degree) temperature, Culex mosquitoes, Italian language, fumes of alcohol and generally trying to pace the Italian way of life...Here are some of the memoriable pics of that lovely country.

Shock! That was my expression when I realised that I'm going to have to sit on that ATR plane courtesy of Alitalia. Err... give me Ryan Air anytime... but then again what an experience... I doubt I'll have a chance to sit on a propellar plane again.

Room with a view.
The Villa I stayed in was eclectic, with their own orchard and vineyard... best part though was the view from my room... Overlooking the city of Florence, I just had to enjoy a cool drink of Campari mixx on the balcony amidst the scorching temperature.

Yes, why don't I?

Replica of David looking a little shy there...;)

The famous Florence Duomo, peaking out at the end of a lane...

The hand of San Giovanni on display in the Siena Duomo.

Gondolas parked in a row in Venice's San Marco square...

Where else would you go to get Venetian masks?

In Italy, kids are in a hurry to get to school... Go kids!


Bye bye Firenze... I'll definitely be back to ramble around the Tuscan landscape again! But for now, I'm back with a tan and work starts again... sniff.