Exceeded Bandwidth: I’m Moving to Flickr

For the past few days, I’ve exceeded the bandwidth for my photo hosting site, Photobucket. That explains why you’re seeing these little blue striped icons in place of my photos.

Yeah, I know, most bloggers would know that Flickr would have been the better choice, but I had already signed up for Photobucket a long time ago. A few bloggers recommended me to switch to Flickr at the very beginning. Well, figured that since I had already signed up, and that it was free, I thought I’d use up my Photobucket space first (50Mb), then move on to Flickr.

Unfortunately, the problem wasn’t with the 50Mb space limitations, it was the monthly bandwidth limit of 2.5Gb. I duly received a few warning e-mails notifying me that my account was reaching it bandwidth limit, and that I should upgrade to the premium package (of course, that one ain’t free lah!), etc.

Right, first my webhosting account, now this.

Well, when you first start out blogging and posting pic, you’ll tell yourself that “Oh, I don’t really post that many pics” or “my site doesn’t have that many visitors, 2,5Gb is plenty for me“. One thing for sure, the longer you blog, sooner or later you will generate enough traffic viewing the pics.

Anyway, I still don’t post many pics as some other bloggers, regular readers can attest to that.

So I’m switching to Flickr. Apparently they give unlimited bandwidth and 20Mb of disk space (I’m not too sure, gotta check the details), so it’ll be some time until I fill it up. Mean time I got to transfer some of the older pics to Flickr to avoid seeing that ‘Bandwidth Exceeded’ icon again…

Technorati Tags: Photobucket, Flickr, bandwidth

Top Ten Signs This isn’t Going to be a Good Chinese New Year

I haven’t done a real Top Ten list for a long time. So here goes:

Top Ten Signs This isn’t Going to be a Good Chinese New Year

• It’s still 2 weeks to Chinese New Year, you have already personally finished 4kg of Boxing Chicken (Wo Lai Yeh) BBQ meat.

• Your neighbour’s annoying kids are stockpiling one shed of firecrackers, enough firepower to take out Saddam Hussein’s Imperial Guards.

• Your new year clothes are now one size bigger than last year’s, and two bigger than the year before’s…

• Price of beer up again.

• On the first day of new year, you’ve lost RM400 at blackjack alone.

• Sixth day of new year, Saturday morning, your mom insists that you drive her and 4 of your chattering aunties up to the casino… in Genting… in your brand new car…

• Second day of new year. And you have already finished all of your brother’s DVDs. All 37 of them.

• You’re at your in-law’s house, and you have nothing to watch for 3 days except TV1, TV2 and Wah Lah Toi. And you can’t understand a word of Cantonese.

• You at home, and all 23 of your relatives constantly ask you, “So when are you getting married?” and “No girlfriend yet ah?”

• You’re stuck in the city for the entire week, and you’re craving for some authentic … wan tan mee.

Technorati Tags: Top Ten, Chinese New Year

And Chinese New Year Comes Again

Chinese New Year is only a few weeks away, so my table calendar tells me. I dunno, maybe everyone is still in the Christmas-New Year-Hari Raya Haji mood, the usual festivity that surrounds the Lunar new year seem to be missing.

I only realize that Chinese New Year was near when I was in Cold Storage today and they were playing ‘Chai Shen Dao’ (‘Here comes the God of Prosperity’. Yeah, I know it sounds funny in English) over the PA system. It’s a bit surreal, me standing along the aisle, between the gwailo expats shopping for cream cheese…

Anyway, this new year is gonna be a little different for me, I won’t be going home to mom and pop this year, there isn’t any room for my family there. Besides, my folks don’t really celebrate CNY, especially since the earlier generation has passed on. Anyway, what remnants of my old room has now been packed off in dull, brown cardboard boxes somewhere at the back of the house. So I’m thinking of going to my in-laws for the actual new year, then probably take a day or two off on a calm holiday somewhere without the maddening crowds.

Anywhere, here are ten things I usually associate with Chinese New Year, maybe due to past memories. It may or may not apply to anyone else, it’s kind of a personal experience thing:

• BBQ meat (red, black and oily)

• Cherry blossoms in the living room.

• Limau nipis (lime) tree in a potted plant in the porch.

• Endless singing and dancing programs in Cantonese and Mandarin on TV.

• Pineapple tarts. Small ones and the big, hard nyonya types.

• Reruns of old Jacky Chan / Stephen Chow / Jet Li movies.

• One new shirt, which we wore on the first day. But most years we never got any new clothes.

• Sally Yeh / Andy Lau / Jacky Cheung in concert. On TV2. Second day of New Year.

• Visiting old people, who keep asking me what my name is, and telling me how much I have grown.

• Early morning ang pow from parents and grandparents… Those were the days.

Technorati Tags: Chinese New Year, God of Prosperity, Jacky Chan, Stephen Chow, Jet Li, ang pow

My Ten Favourite Videos from 2005

MTV just ran the top 100 videos from 2005 a few weeks ago. I didn’t manage to catch all 10 episodes of the series (it ran on Pop Inc) but I got the entire list from their website. From there, here are my favourite songs of 2005, in no particular order.

Feel Good Inc by Gorillaz – Such a trippy pop song, sticks in your head the whole day.

Hung Up by Madonna – I really haven’t like any of her music since the 80’s, but this is one song I like. Maybe because I am also an ABBA fan. Don’t tell her, but in the video, she looks old. Like 47. Or should I say, she looks her age.

Because of You by Kelly Clarkson – Still my song for the moment. At least this was one year the American Idol voters got it right.

Don’t Lie by the Black Eyed Peas – Fergie is hawt. BEP is cool.

These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ by Jessica Simpson – OMG, have you SEEN the video?!

Believe Me by Fort Minor – I’m not really a big fan of Linkin Park, but I suppose this would be how the mighty LP would sound like if they wanted to make a more commercially sounding album – minus the screaming vocals. When I first heard the song, I thought it was by some Euro dance team.

Ghost of You by My Chemical Romance – I like this one more for the video than the song. If you haven’t seen it, its about the band as WWII soldiers during the D-Day invasion in Normandy, interspersed with the officers ball the night before. Classy stuff.

Axel F by Crazy Frog – Yes, I’m joking. Must be one of the most annoying song / video. Ever.

Sway by the Pussycat Dolls – I know, I know, they are talentless and shallow, but I like the song, done many times by lots of other singers over the years. Got to catch the movie.

Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day – GD have a knack for making killer videos to accompany their songs. There is an extended version for MTV, kind plays further on the story of the couple in the middle of the song. Love the song.

Technorati Tags: MTV, videos

Another Meme on Yourself

Gee, memes seem to be making a small comeback so early in the year. This was tagged on me by shan si beruang kutub, so I’m inflicting it on all you unsuspecting readers… bwahahahahaaa…

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:
1. Simon
2. ‘Tou San’ (God of Gamblers)
3. Mat Rock

THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD:
1. Johnny ‘Rebel Moon’ Dakota
2. Road Warrior Crush (alongside Animal and Hawk)
3. Darth Revan

THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. Inability to make pointless small talk
2. Ability to give that ‘Do I look I I’m interested in buying something from you?’ look to salespeople.
3. Macabre sense of humour

THREE THINGS YOU DON’T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
Didn’t I just do this? Well, anyway…
1. No motivation.
2. Never having enough to buy the books I really want to read.
3. Fixation with Sarah Michelle Gellar

THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:
1. Chinese.
2. Heavy metal.
3. Aloofness.

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU (or mostly creep you out):
1. Cantopop freaks.
2. B-grade horror flicks.
3. Headless clowns.

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
1. Coffee
2. Morning paper
3. Bowel movement

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
1. My wedding ring.
2. My Ralph Lauren shoes.
3. A look of concentration.

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS (or artists at the moment):
Only three? Again, I can more than a few… OK, let’s just name some of the bands I have all (or almost all) of their albums.
1. Metallica
2. Whitecross
3. Manowar

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS AT PRESENT:
1. Because of You by Kelly Clarkson
2. Hung Up by Madonna
3. Believe Me by Fort Minor

THREE NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS:
1. A new hobby I’m been thinking about for some time – model kit building.
2. Saisaki.
3. Can’t think of another.

THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP (love is a given):
1. Understanding
2. We love and hate the same things
3. A sense of humour

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE:
1. I am doggedly faithful to my true friends. Even if there aren’t many.
2. I love ‘Friends’.
3. I never lie.

THREE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO TAKE THIS QUIZ NOW OR DIE PAINFULLY:
1. you.
2. you.
3. you.

Anyway, I need to lay off me-mes for awhile…

Technorati Tags: meme, me-mes

Un-Themed Meme

Wah, somebody threatened me to do this meme, so OK, no probs. Too bad I’ve no idea what the theme is about… something to do with passing the time until the next public holiday?

What were you doing 10 years ago?
Still sleeping in my college dorm. After a long night and morning of PC games. I’ll probably wake up sometime before lunch, grab a bite to eat… then continue the gaming session. Afternoon (5 sharp) with Team 300RM, it’s b-ball time…

What were you doing 1 year ago?
Pretty much the same as i am doing now. Waiting for the final signal from the alien mothership to call me home.

Five snacks you enjoy
(To which all my friends can confirm)Mamee, Roller Coaster, kerepek pisang (banana chips), white Murukku, Nips (the cheaper version of M&Ms)

Five songs to which you know all the lyrics off your head right now
Only five? I can name a few dozen… Well OK, the first five I can think of –

• Fade To Black (Metallica)
• Master of the Wind (Manowar)
• Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton)
• A Tout de la Monde (Megadeth)
• Don’t Answer Me (the Alan Parsons Project). Now where’s that CD…

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire

• Take a long deserved holiday. In Europe.
• Sponsor a few deserving minority students to study in a university of their choice.
• Donate a lot of money to Amnesty International.
• Get a house of my own.
• Buy a freaking Plasma TV.

Five bad habits

• Lack of motivation.
• Impatient with morons.
• Addiction to chocolates.
• Channel surfs.
• Can’t stay awake during boring meetings.

Five things you like doing

• Watch TV. Well, only good shows.
• Mahjong. One day a few years ago i found out that if i held a mahjong tile in the clasps of my hands and concentrated hard enough, i could change the tile to whichever tile I wanted… At home they call me ‘Tou San‘ (God of Gamblers).
• Watching movies.
• Sleeping.
• Eating.

Five things you would never wear, buy or get new again

• Leather pants. It’s SO-OO Tom Jones, man.
• Any particular clothing that is red in colour.
• White shoes. Gives me nightmares about school.
• White pants. Ditto the above.
• Cheap T-shirts that go kaput after 2 washes.
• Ditto for cheap socks.

I am suppose to tag 5 more persons:
Well, if you’re reading this, and would like to do it, consider yourself tagged… and tell me about it, i’d love to read about it…

Technorati Tags: meme, me-me

2006 Resolutions

I don’t like to make resolutions. I remember back on primary school our teacher made us make New Year resolutions, and kept score on whether we fulfilled us or not. Yeah right, and they say teachers are overloaded with extra-curricular work. Except back then they called it ‘azam baru’ (‘new resolution’). We didn’t have a clue what the teacher meant, so we all turned and stared at our classmate Azam (gee, I wonder that guy is now…)

You know why I don’t like making resolutions? Because I won’t keep them. Those things I need to do, I don’t need to remind myself at the start of the year. Like avoid getting fired or not pissing off to many of my bosses.

Anyway, since everyone is making them, I’ll try to list down ten here, which, I will try fulfill at all costs.

• Eat less carrots. I hate carrots.

• Drink less green tea in a can. I also hate canned green tea. Brewed green tea, I’m a little more tolerant.

• I won’t drive at 200km/h on trunk roads or highways this year. Heck, my car can’t even reach 100km/h without rattling like a baby’s toy, so there.

• I won’t resort to using Botox or SK-II to maintain my stunning youthful beauty.

• I will wash my car at least twice a year this year. Difficult, but possible.

• I promise not to make fun of people still using dial-up networking.

• Got to stop walking by the Ferrari showroom near my office every week and sticking my face on the glass walling, looking at the wheels on show, drool trickling down until the floor.

• Show no mercy to those giant sized rats that have taken residence at my neighbourhood mamak.

• I promise to be kinder to wildlife – especially elephants and antelopes.

• Got to stop picking my nose during traffic jams. Better yet, stop getting into traffic jams in the first place.

Technorati Tags: New Year resolutions

Top Ten Misfires Overheard in Malaysia in 2005

Ah, of course they say that it’s easy to write in in retrospect, but not so easy if someone were to predict it. OK, fine, tomorrow i’ll do more predictions for this coming year. But hey, reading misfires are supposed to be the better part of looking at the year, right?

Top Ten Misfires Overheard in Malaysia in 2005

• “Look, nobody is going to care about how many APs you have. Nobody cares about these things. Everybody wants to buy cars, right?!”

• “10 to 1 this Mawi kid will be the first to be eliminated. Sure one.”

• “My broker says the KLCI will hit 1000 by end of the year. Economy is very good. Some more he says with the usual window dressing, it might even breach 1,100…”

• “Hey, let’s take this free vacation I got to Kota Baru, second week of December. They say its the best time to see the East Coast. Won’t rain one lah, this year. Global warming means less monsoon rain, right?”

• “Believe me, this is the year the Malaysian football team breaks the FIFA top ten rankings. I swear the next will World up, we’ll be there…”

• “What?! Charles and Camilla got married?! What next? Elton John and his gay partner?! Next thing you know it will happen in Malaysia…!”

• “OK, I tell you what, you celup these toy belts and keris into gold, I can claim to be the lost Melaka Sultan!! BWAHAAHAHAAAAA!! Hey, wait a minute, it might just work…”

• “Just wait until the last day of the year to renew your IC lah… By then everybody would have done it, then you can be the only one at the NRD… No need to queue up, no need to wait…”

• “Yeah sure, Google will buy AOL. Next thing they will also buy Project Petaling Street, hor?”

• “I tell you, this blogging fad rubbish won’t amount to anything. It’ll probably die out by February. March, latest.”

Technorati Tags: Top Ten, Malaysia

Top Ten Predictions for 2006 That Will Most Likely Come True

Happy New Year everyone. This, incidentally, is the first post for the year 2006.

Every year at this time of the year, I read lots of people and their predictions for the year – this candidate would win that election, price of this commodity will reach a record price, blah blah blah. Even celebrities like Lillian Too are getting into the act.

OK, let me make some bold predictions for 2006.

• Price of petrol will NOT decrease. In fact, I think it will most likely increase.

• There will be more than a few headlines about some GLC running into some administrative or financial trouble

• The Malaysian football team will NOT win any important tournaments.

• Malaysian life and businesses will come to a virtual standstill some time in July this year. But yet lots of money will change hands.

• There will be a few more horror movies released from Korea and Japan about scary little girl ghosts. Trust me.

• There will be another attempt by Malaysians to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for the category of Longest / Highest / Biggest / Most / Scariest something… I but really predict the exact details, but I definitely see it in the horizon.

• The KLCI will NOT breach 2000 points.

• The following teams will not win the EPL, or the FA Cup – West Brom, Everton and Portsmouth.

• Next few days there will be one or two articles in the papers about a Chinese / Tamil rural school with only 3 new Primary One students.

• More NS dodgers in the papers.

Let’s hope there will be more good news than bad ones this year.