Mission: Possible?

I'm on a mission!

For those who don't know already, my name is Kampung Gal and I am a book-shopaholic-maniac.

I'm buying books faster than I can read them. (Buying that speed-reading book didn't help either.) And now (surprise, surprise) I don't have the space to stash them all. I'm short of stacking them on the floor. And I would've done it if I'm not living with my parents.

I was one of those people that won't get rid of the books after reading them. A lot of people has told me to give it away, sell it, throw it, do whatever but I still can't see the meaning of it. I bought the books with my hard-earned money. I'm not gonna throw it away, mom!

But now after some thought I finally understand. I can even pinpoint the exact moment when I change my stand on book-collecting. It was when I was browsing The Book Addict's Treasury about a month ago and I came across this quote,

I houseclean my books every spring and throw out those I'm never going to read again like I throw out clothes I'm never going to wear again. My friends are peculiar about books. They read all the best sellers, they get through them as fast as possible, I think they skip a lot. And they NEVER read anything a second time so they don't remember a word of it a year later. But they are profoundly shocked to see me drop a book in the wastebasket or give it away. They way they look at it, you buy a book, you read it, you put in on the shelf, you never open it again for the rest of your life but YOU DON'T THROW IT OUT! NOT IF IT HAS A HARD COVER ON IT! Why not! I personally can't think of anything less sacrosanct than a bad book or even a mediocre book.

Helene Hanff, letter to Frank Doel, 18 September 1952

I think this is taken from the book 84, Charing Cross Road.

After reading that I thought, God, I'm just like her friends. I read the book, I keep it and probably will never open it for the rest of my life. And then I bought the book, the Book Addict's that is.

But I'm not as drastic as her. I'm not about to throw anything away. I guess the most comfortable way for me to let them go is sell them.

My friend suggested we join a flea market but that was about 3 years ago. So... suffice to say I'm still stuck with the books.

I tried the various used bookstores around town. I think it won't even cover my transportation expenses. Anyway, some of the titles are quite unconventional so I don't think they want them anyway.

I tried e-bay one time. No luck.

So now I want to try this. I will advertise on my blog because I think blog readers are more diverse than e-bay visitors. Who am I kidding, I think blog readers are more sophisticated too. I'll figure out the logistic of it later. I just want to know if this can work.

I will start of with these first.




Title: The Art of The Hunchback of Notre Dame
ISBN: 0786862084
Format: Hardcover
Condition: Quite good. A bit 'kedut' at the jacket edges. But content still OK. No holes. Bought this during my Hunchback-crazed days.
Price: Selling price is US50 but just for you, I'm selling at RM50.









Title: Secrets
Author/Artist: Luis Royo
ISBN: 1561631620
Format: Paperback
Condition: Very good. Pristine. Like New. I can't remember how, when or why I bought this book.
Price: I know this guy is some famous artist and this book is still good so RM65.




And these....

1) Tales of the Unexpected by Roald Dahl, 0679729895, PB, RM25
2) Books of Blood Vol 1-3 by Clive Barker, 075151022X , PB, RM25
3) Winnie the Pooh Collection by AA Milne, 0603560792, HC BOX SET, RM40

All in good condition.
Hey, I take care of my books very well tau....

I also have textbooks.

1) INTERNATIONAL MARKETING (10TH ED), PHILIP R CATOERA, 0071156739, HC
2) CALCULUS (5TH ED), HOWARD ANTON, 0471594954, HC
3) DISCRETE MATHEMATICS AND ITS APPLICATIONS (2ND ED), KENNETH H. ROSEN, 0070537445, PB
4) ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE FOR THE IBM-PC (2ND ED), KIP R IRVINE, 0023596511, HC
5) CONCEPTS OF PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES (2ND ED), ROBERT W SEBESTA, 0805371303, HC
6) DATA STRUCTURES AND ALGORITHM ANALYSIS IN C++, MARK ALLEN WEISS, 0805354433, HC
7) PLUG N PLAY JAVA SCRIPTS, KEVIN READY, 1562056743, PB
8) MARKETING MANAGEMENT: AN ASIAN PERSPECTIVE (2ND ED), PHILIP KOTLER ETC, 0130109800, PB

E-mail me if you're interested. We'll discuss delivery, payment etc later.

*sigh*

Muahaahahahahaha! (Devil laugh)

So, I guess I've given up trying to update my blog regularly. Too many things to do! Books to read, shows to see, DVDs to see, games to play and then there's work.

I haven't put up any of my 'Current Updates' too. I can still do it but what's the point.

I'm using the beta blogger but so what *sigh*

I still haven't installed any of my 'smiley' program since I got the new PC *sigh*

There were so many things I could blog about: The Amazing Race, Amazing Race Asia! And now American Idol has started again *sigh*

But I will prevail. This blog will not go anywhere (unless blogspot decided it's not worth it and delete it in time.)

Until that happens 'Kampung Gal in the City' is not going anywhere *fingers crossed*

Current Update - 30/10/06

Read: We Wish to Inform You...-Paul Gourevitch, *Sideways-Rex Pickett, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton & To Sir Phillip With Love-Julia Quinn, The Bear Nobody Wanted-Allan Ahlberg, *The View From Saturday-E.L. Konigsburg, *Clive Barker's A to Z of Horror, *Johnny Depp: Illustrated Biography
(*means I enjoyed reading them)
Reading: The Crimson Petal and the White-Michel Faber
CD: none (I'm collecting The West Wing so no budget for anything else)
Favorite song: When You Were Young-The Killers
Played: Diner Dash, Cake Mania
Playing: Aloha Solitaire
Watching: The Drew Carey Show, 2 and a Half Men, Medium, America's Next Top Model, Amazing Race 10, Apprentice
No. of times asked if I have a boyfriend: 8
No. of times asked when I will get married: 25
No. of times asked when I will have kids: 3

Current update 30/09/06

Read: My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick, Bleed by Laurie Stolarz, Temping Fate bu Esther Friesner, The Doll People by Ann M. Martin, The Known World by Edward P. Jones, The Duke & I; The Viscount Who Loved Me; An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn, Rules by Cynthia Lord, The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip by George Saunders, *The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
(*means I enjoyed reading them)
Reading: We Wish to Inform You... by Paul Gourevitch, Sideways by Rex Pickett
CD: none
Favorite song: They Stood Up For Love by Live
Playing: Memory Loops
Watching: The Drew Carey Show, Desperate Housewives, Arrested Development, One In A Million, Medium and America's Next Top Model

No. of times asked if I have a boyfriend: 8
No. of times asked when I will get married: 24 (approx)
No. of times asked when I will have kids: 2

Happy Birthday, My Love

My 2nd favorite guy in the whole wide world. He has a band, still single, plays ice hockey, has a debatable acting skills (but he is improving I must say) and he makes me smile everytime I see his face. All in all, the only guy that I'm willing to admit I love just for his looks.

Keanu as the bogus Ted

Keanu as him handsome usual self

Come on... What's not to love?

Happy 42nd Birthday, Keanu!

Current Update 30/08/06

Read: *Dunk by David Lubar, Luna by Julie Anne Peters, Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
(* means I enjoyed reading them)
Reading: The Known World by Edward P. Jones
CD: The Distance to Here by Live and Under the Iron Sea by Keane
Favorite song: Who Knew by Pink
Playing: Luxor: Amun Rising
Watching: The Drew Carey Show, Desperate Housewives, Arrested Development, One In A Million, Medium and America's Next Top Model

No. of times asked if I have a boyfriend: 8
No. of times asked when I will get married: 24 (approx)
No. of times asked when I will have kids: 2

Other News:
1) Bought a new PC.
2) I decided to buy more Live cds after I heard their 'The Best Of' Album. And when I heard it I was banging my head saying, "Why the hell did I ever stop buying their cds?!?!?!?!?!" I love this album which came after Secret Samadhi. And now I have to buy 2 more cds to make my collection complete. Live is as close to hard rock that I can like. They may not be 'hardcore' enough for some people but it's enough for me.

Memory for sale

Man, people are crazy about computers. The Pikom PC Fair was moved to the Convention Centre for quite some time now and if I'm not mistaken it's been there for 3 times now but I've only went there this time.

I went to the PC fair today with the strong mind to ONLY buy a PC and a 1G thumb drive to backup my data since I'm buying a new PC. Budget for PC = RM2,500 and thumb drive = RM100.

I got my heart set on a Dell PC but I still want to look around and see if other people have a better offer. Dell got some pretty good offers. They have this system with Pentium D805 with 1G RAM and DVD/CD-RW for RM2,399. Coming into the exhibition, a few brochures came across my path. There were more good offers but I don't like the brands. There are some I've never even heard before. I wanted to look for HP and Compaq. I found HP and grabbed a brochure but then it's actually a brochure for LG. What the hell!? Too late to turn back I just walked on.

I finally reached Dell's booth with a lot of struggling and hassling. My God, there's a lot of people. I deserve a medal for my feat. And then I found out the system that I was interested in has been marked down to RM2,299. Sweet...

But fancying myself as being a good consumer, I know that everything has a catch. You must read the fine print and inspect the thing you're buying really carefully. I asked the rep a few questions and I was so ready to buy it even though I don't like the look of the keyboard. I even asked for a form. After taking a second look at the CPU, I saw that it didn't come with a floppy drive (which is a common practice nowadays). I can still ask for one to be installed (with additional charges of RM44) but then I won't have the card readers which I think is pretty cool. It doesn't come with a speaker but I can still have one with an additional charges of RM24. And if I want to upgrade to 3 year warranty, I need to pay another RM100. Total for the ideal system = RM2,467 and I have to wait 2 weeks.

I stood there for another 5 minutes, looking at the form, calculating, while people come and go behind me. At last I gave the form back. I went back to the HP booth and saw their offer on a big banner. RM2,288 for something similar with Dell plus a 3-year warranty, the speaker is at the monitor, I like the keyboard and there's space for a floppy disk, memory card reader and 2 optical drive but it comes with 512 RAM only. The card reader floppy disk and whatever holes that can be found at the front has a sliding lid which makes it look tidy. Overall, I like the look and I like HP. My first PC was a HP and it never gave me any trouble. It still has a catch though, they don't deliver. You buy now, you take it home now. Yeah, right.

"We'll give you a free trolley."
The 'trolley' is something like those travelling bag on wheels without the bag.
"My car is like at the other side of the world!"
It was parked at Jln Yap Kwan Seng but still can you imagine me pulling 2 huge boxes from the convention centre, go through KLCC, crossed Jalan Ampang and then, hoist those 2 huge boxes into my car?

"Or you can pay now and pick it up from our store at Mid Valley."
Okay, that's better. I'm not working tomorrow anyway. But come on... Do I really have to bring it home myself?

Oh hell, why not? So I bought the HP system with a 1G upgrade for RM180 and a floppy disk drive for RM30. Total = RM2,489. RM11 below my budget.

And they throw in a free headset and a CD case, which might've cost about RM15. I'll take anything.

I'll figure out how I'll cart those 2 huge boxes tomorrow. Ala... I'm sure one of the staff will help a little lady with her new purchase.

That's done, I'm off to my second errand, the thumb drive. I've never bought a thumb drive before so I'm not sure how much it will cost. First shop that I saw sold 1G Pendrive for RM72. Oh, okay. That's below my budget but I still want to survey the area and I found out I can get a 1G drive for RM65. But then I came across PenDrive's booth.

They're throwing this offer, buy a 1G Pendrive for RM80 and they will give you a 'Penskin' for free. I checked them out, the skins are quite cool and I was sooooo tempted but I walked on, convincing myself that a RM65 thumb drive is good enough. But the 'good consumer' part of me failed me. I turned back and bought a Pendrive and I got my free Penskin. You have to admit, it does look cool, right?

"Tigger loves it. It's all stripy like me. Grrrr...."

Impulse Buying #1 = The most expensive 1G thumb drive sold at the fair.
Buy hey, it's still RM20 below my budget.

While searching for the thumb drive I saw a booth selling memory cards.

Impulse Buying #2 = 512MB mini SD memory card for my phone.
But then it's adaptable so I can still use it for my camera. Oops, scrap that. My camera uses a memory stick. Well, I can use it for any future gadgets that I might own. Total damage = RM55.

And I also saw MP3 players. I wanted to reserve my funds for an iPod, preferably limited edition iPod U2 if it's still available. I'm guessing by next year I will be able to get one but in the meantime...
Impluse Buying #3 = MP3 player with 256MB memory.
It's only RM63 and it's so pretty and cute. Look at it...

Tigger thinks it's cute.

What's done is done. This is my last post using my Frankenstein PC. Goodbye old PC. Wish I can say I'll miss you but I won't.

Current update - 30/07/06

Read: The Harmony Silk Factory by Tash Aw, *Witch Hill & Flood land by Marcus Sedgwick, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O'Brien, *Vengeance by George Jonas, *Daughter of Venice by Donna Jo Napoli, Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi
(* means I enjoyed reading them)
Reading: The Known World by Edward P. Jones
CD: none
Favorite song: Is It Any Wonder by Keane
Played: none
Watching: The Drew Carey Show, Desperate Housewives, Arrested Development, One In A Million, CSI and America's Next Top Model

No. of times asked if I have a boyfriend: 7
No. of times asked when I will get married: 23 (approx)
No. of times asked when I will have kids: 2

An interesting quote

To a considerable extent reading has become, for almost all of us, an addiction, like cigarette-smoking. We read, most of the time, not because we wish to instruct ourselves, not because we long to have our feelings touched and our imagination fired, but because reading is one of our bad habits, because we suffer when we have time to spare and no printed matter to fill the void.

-Aldous Huxley-
(Taken from A Book Addict's Treasury)

Kind of describing myself but I want to add one thing, at least I won't get lung cancer by this 'bad habit'.

Current update - 30/6/06

Read: *Einstein Never Used Flashcards by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek et al, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting, *The Giver by Lois Lowry, Hobbits, Elves and Wizards by Michael N. Stanton, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, The 101 Dalmations by Dodie Smith.
(* means I enjoyed reading them)
Reading: The Harmony Silk Factory by Tash Aw
CD: none
Favorite song: none
Played: none
Watching: The Drew Carey Show, Frasier, Desperate Housewives, Arrested Development, One In A Million, CSI

No. of times asked if I have a boyfriend: 7
No. of times asked when I will get married: 23 (approx)
No. of times asked when I will have kids: 2

Other news:
Got a new phone, a Nokia 6280. Bought it from my brother-in-law who got it from his company director, the lucky devil. Even got a free 3G prepaid sim card. Most probably shift to this new number soon. For now I'm keeping it alive by topping RM10 every month, hehe.

I was thinking of upgrading my now-extinct phone that I was using, a Nokia 8210. But I was thinking of buying a PC first then maybe somewhere in December, I will get a phone. But I guess my phone read my thoughts and 'merajuk'. One day he took a swim and came back a little bit cranky. I can never get a signal. I can only get any when I'm near a Maxis building. It leave me no choice, I have to get a new phone now!

Fortunately, my brother-in-law is fortunate and I guess I get a little rub of that fortune. I bought the phone at a good deal, a very good deal.

A picture of my babies on my new baby

Talking about babies, my sister found out she's pregnant but a few days ago she suffered a miscarriage. I guess its for the best because my sister is over 40. I was kind of worried when I found out she was pregnant.

Current update - 30/05/06

Read: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, *Raise the Red Lantern by Su Tong, Septimus Heap: Magyk by Angie Sage, The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
(* means I enjoyed reading them)
Reading: Chronicles of the Chinese Emperors by Ann Paludan, Einstein Never Used Flashcards by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek et al, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
CD: none
Favorite song: Hips Don't Lie by Shakira
Played: none
Watching: The Drew Carey Show, American Idol 5, Monk, The Amazing Race 9, Frasier, Desperate Housewives

No. of times asked if I have a boyfriend: 7
No. of times asked when I will get married: 23 (approx)
No. of times asked when I will have kids: 2

Other news:
1) Went to Kuala Selangor with friends and Port Dickson with family.
2) Got news that the store manager will change. The current one is going to a new outlet abroad. Hopefully the new one is not as tight-assed as the old one.

Ode to a chicken

Why did you go in there? Of all places?

My air-cond was busted a few days ago. It wasn't like it was not cold enough, it was totally out, kaput, not working. I turned the knob to ON and not even a breathe came out. This happened on Thursday.

I finally got the chance to send my car to a workshop today. I wanted to go a shop I usually go to but it was closed so I went to the nearest shop around. He poked and prodded, opened that cover that's covering the air-cond controller thingy on that dashboard thingy and then pried open the radio cover, took out my radio and poked and prodded under there too. After half an hour the diagnosis was there's something wrong with the compressor. I have to change it. It will cost me RM380 plus the gas they will put in and I thought,

"Hell..... "

I'm not that well-versed about cars but I kind of get the feeling it doesn't have to do with the compressor. I think it has something to do with wiring because right before my air-cond konk-out on me I heard a crackling sound like a short circuit.

So I said, "Never mindlah. I'll come back later." I don't have RM380 in my wallet anyway.

So I went to another shop that I usually go to too in emergency cases because it was nearer to my house. The other one I usually go for service because it's near to a LRT station so I can leave my car there and traipsied to some other place more entertaining.

So, I went there and the guy opened the hood and immediately said,
"Ada tikus mati ka?" (Did a rat died in here?)
"Tak tahu" (I don't know)
"Ada bau la" (There's a smell)"
He took a torchlight and showed me. Sure enough there's a dead something right next to the air-cond compressor.
"Cuci dulu baru boleh tengok air-cond. Tak tahan bau la" (Clean it first. Can't stand the smell)

He had to take put my bumper before cleaning the engine and used a stick to shove it out while joking around how I don't feed the rat and it ended up dying in there and I laughed along.


It finally came out, a round, black, furry thing. I didn't look close enough but I don't think it was a rat. No rat that big can be found in my neighborhood. You can find in the Petaling Street but not at my house. And then I realized something.

"Itu tikus ke ayam?" (Was that a rat or a chicken?)
"Ayam" (Chicken)

When the late chicken was out and my engine is nice and clean (but still smells), he went off I don't know where. I guess he had to wait for the engine to dry a bit and I said a prayer for the chicken.

He came back half hour later and I saw that my air-cond is back on again. Of course, being the good sales person that he is, he started rehashing.

"Service air-cond la"
"Okla. How much?"
"Tengok dulu part mana mau tukar" (See which parts need changing first)

So he checked and he came back with a treatment proposal. I have to change 2 parts and it will cost me RM268.

"Hell..... "

I usually pay no more than RM100 for an air-cond service. Around this time I've been waiting for an hour. I really have to go to my part time job so after he cried and begged (ok he didn't cry) and convinced me that his is a professional service, he's giving me original parts...
I just agreed.

One hour later I still see no one looking after my car. That guy disappeared again to God knows where. When I asked the boss he said they guy went to get the parts. It took him an hour to get the parts. I was already pissed before he got back.


He came back still laughing, showing me the original parts that he got for me. But you know what, after awhile, even a clown's humor will run out. I just gave him a crooked smile.


He did his thing and I finally got my car back.
Total waiting time: 3 hours.

I paid what's due to the dollar (no discount at all, though he showed me a can of air-cond oil that he claimed to have cost RM45 that he's giving me for free). I just closed one eye and handed the boss the money since he did clean out that late chicken for me.

Oh little chick-a-dee
Where did you come from?
I thought I ate the last one of you last Raya
Why, oh why did you go in there? Of all places?
Where did you come from
But I hope you're in a better place now


I do hope that there is such thing as a chicken heaven.

Guys and dolls

I'm so excited. My favorites always win this time around or almost win.

My favorite team in The Amazing Race won the million bucks. But not before they almost gave me a heart attack on that last Road Block. The Frat Boys got there first but the one who finish first counts and The Hippies got it!

A while back, in the studios of America's Next Top Model, I was really rooting for Kahlen. She's got an interesting look and take great photos but yet her innocence got in the way.

Meanwhile, in the American Idol arena my favorite guy Taylor Hicks got into the finals! I knew he had a chance to get into the finals but now that Chris is out I'm thinking he could really win this. I don't hate Catherine but I just can't see her doing a pop album. She is a good singer but I think she was born in the wrong era. You can say the same about Taylor too but give him a pop song, he will just put his soulful touch to it. But give Katherine a pop song she will just slaughter it.

Taylor can be the next American Idol but then once upon a time I thought Bo could be too. So you'll never know. But I'll keep my fingers crossed.

It's the final 4

A great final four this time around for the American Idol show.

I'm guessing Elliot will be out tomorrow but based on tonight's performance I would rather see Katherine go out.

Kampung Gal also predicts Chris will be the next American Idol and he will go against Taylor Hicks. But I just loooooovvvvvveeeeeee Taylor Hicks. Did I ever say I love Taylor Hicks? Well I love Taylor Hicks.

Go Taylor Hicks!


She is also guessing that the MoJo team will be eliminated this week and BJ & Tyler will win the race. Forget those 2 horny toads. They may be ahead most of the time but I bet they will come up just a little bit short than the hippies at the finish line. I think the hippies are the best-loved team since the clown brothers.


Go Hippies!

You Know You're Living in 2006 When...

1. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of three.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.

6. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.

10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.

11. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.

12. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.

13. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

14. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list.

AND NOW U R LAUGHING at yourself.

(Courtesy of an interesting e-mail I got)

Current update - 30/4/06

Read: East of Eden by John Steinbeck, Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, *The Curious Inicident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon, The Secret Supper by Javier Sierra, *Angela Carter's Book of Fairy Tales
(* means I enjoyed reading them)
Reading: Chronicles of the Chinese Emperors by Ann Paludan, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Einstein Never Used Flashcards
CD: none
Favorite song: We Are One Tonight - Switchfoot
Played: another round of Luxor. I am so addicted to this game
Watching: The Drew Carey Show, The 4400, Apprentice 4, American Idol 5, Monk, The Amazing Race 9, America's Next Top Model 4, Frasier, Desperate Housewives

No. of times asked if I have a boyfriend: 7
No. of times asked when I will get married: 23 (approx)
No. of times asked when I will have kids: 2

Another month of unupdated blog. I think the part time job is really eating up my time. And I really feel the pressure of unread books piling up in my possesion. I guess it's even harder when you can only read an average of 2 books per month but you buy 5 books per month (10 if there's a warehouse sale). I'm not a speed reader. It's one skill that I want to learn before I die but then I'm so busy trying to finish as many books as I can that I don't have the time to teach myself how to speed read. *sigh* thus my dilemma....

Are you like a crazy person?

Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished, as the once vital voice of the verisimilitude now venerates what they once vilified. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin van-guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose vis-à-vis an introduction, and so it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.

Courtesy of imdb.com

I think this is the best introduction to a character ever.

Current update - 30/3/06

Read: The Death Collector by Justin Richards, Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton, The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
Reading: Chronicles of the Chinese Emperors by Ann Paludan, East of Eden by John Steinbeck
CD: none
Favorite song: Talk by Coldplay
Played: Luxor and Tumblebugs (I finished all the levels!)
Watching: The Drew Carey Show, The 4400, Apprentice 4, American Idol 5, Monk, The Amazing Race 9, and America's Next Top Model 4

No. of times asked if I have a boyfriend: 7
No. of times asked when I will get married: 23 (approx)
No. of times asked when I will have kids: 2

The Last Stand

I was surfing the net, looking for new kiddie movies to watch out for when I discovered that I can check other movies as well like X-Men 3 for example.

Hohohoho.... boy can't wait for this movie.

The third instalment is about a pharmaceutical company discovering a 'cure' to supress the mutant-x gene permanently. Of course, Magneto in protest, waged a war and it's not just talk this time.

Jean is back as Phoenix and if what I see is correct, she's joining Magneto. Beast is on the Xavier team with Kelsey Grammer (Frasier) doning the blue skin. He may have the poise but I don't think they make him big enough. Another new addition is Angel. For this you must check out the trailer. His wings is awesome. He's played by Ben Foster, the guy who played Russell, that blurry boyfriend of Claire in Six Feet Under. Interesting to see how this one turns out. But he can play that brooding, depressing character very well.



Unfortunately, Halle Berry is still Storm. She changed her hairstyle again. You can go bald if you want Halle, you still don't make a good Storm. What an insult to Storm, my favorite X-Men.



Another favorite of mine, Gambit will not make an appearance because Josh Holloway, whoever the hell that is (he's from Lost), turned down the roll because he thinks that this character would be too similar to his character on Lost. Mmmm... I don't watch the show, but does Sawyer (his Lost character) go around speaking French, calling people mon chere, and throwing energy-charged cards around the island? I know the show is weird but I don't think it's that weird. What bums me out is that the producers didn't look for any other actor. How hard is it to find a tall, dark, mysterious guy who can speak a decent Cajun and looks good in a trench coat? Maybe they want to save him for the next one. I mean, if they're going to throw out all their trump cards, what would they have left for the next one, right?

The only time that I love the mention of the word war is in terms of movies. With the raging war between man and mutant, between mutant and mutant, you can expect more characters surfacing in this movie. It's like that scene in Star Wars II, when we get to see a group of Jedis fighting. It's something that's never been seen before. I bet you're gonna have fun identifying all the different mutants and their powers. I remember being so excited when I saw Jubilee in X-Men 2. I didn't get to see her in action but I was still giddy. Which reminds me, I got to 'gilap' my X-Men knowledge.

I caught the X fever tonight. Suffice it to say, this is on my desktop now.

I want to post more pictures but there's a problem in loading. I'll put them up tomorrow or whenever I get online again, whichever comes first.

American Idol 5

This year's American Idol Final 12 is quite good I must say especially the guys. I always look forward to guys night. And that Taylor Hicks is pretty something.

Top 12

There are may talented girls too but then I feel like I've seen them all before. Paris is standing on a very thin line between great and annoying for me. When she sings, she's great but when she speaks, she's annoying. She has a deep singing voice but where did that squeaky voice come from? While Lisa is just not matured enough to make some impact. Katherine was fine on the first few shows. But on the third week she was just..... too..... gedik! That's what my nieces would call it. I know she did well but does she have to be so.... so..... gedik! Kellie is nice and sweet but I don't think she's flexible. I can't see her belting any other song than country. And what's with the kangkang move? Mandissa has a very good voice, I must admit. Her rendition of I'm Every Woman was marvellous. If she can bring it on every single week, she might have a chance to win this. Melissa...sigh... why bother. She would be the first to go. I'd rather have Ayla in the top 12.

Bucky is an interesting person to have on the show but then he's like Kellie, not flexible. Ace... God! Ok he is cute but he's a Backstreet Boy. He's a boy band material. Nothing special in him. Hopefully he will go out quickly. Now Taylor... He's from a whole different planet and I mean that in a good way. Yeah, he's a bit weird with that Ray Charles move he makes everytime he's on camera. You know that slight tilt to the right (or left depending on where the camera is) and hugging himself. But he's from a different breed of singers. I don't think he can win this but I can't get enough of him and I want him to stay as long as possible. Kevin Kevin Kevin... he's another cute one too, in that 12-year-old-cute sense. And he does look like Chicken Little. And he's not gonna last long either. Elliot has the best voice in the bunch. He's Moody Mood was so amazing. It was even better than Brian McKnight when he sang it in Q's Jook Joint. He may look like a troll but he has an amazing voice. Hey, the World Idol looked like a hobbit right? He has a shot. He's biggest competitor would be Chris. He has a stage presence, he can sing and he looks great. All he has done so far is rock so I'm looking forward to see him do Stevie Wonder today.

All in all....I'm a fan of Taylor Hicks but I think Chris or Elliot will win this. But I always like the underdog so this year I'll be rooting for...


TAYLOR HICKS!