Posted on 24 September 2004 @ 23:04 in Friends
Have you ever met someone who left such a strong impression on you that you still remember them many, many years later? I have.
I met E back in 1981. The minute I laid eyes on her, I was hooked. Gorgeous Filipino lady. We were attending a travel trade forum up in Genting Highlands.
We kept in touch briefly after the forum but lost contact after a while, as other things in life took over.
Back in 1994, when I was in Manila, I tried looking her up but couldn’t find her. Then in 2001, I asked a friend in Manila to help me. After a false lead, she found E who gave her email and mobile number for me to contact her. I chose to email her as I had a picture to send to show her, as a bridge back to 1981. She wrote back immediately. After 20 years, we were in touch again.
It’s enough to say I carried her in my heart for 20 years, and then she came back into my life with a wonderful surprise - she’s now a sister-in-Christ!
Life has once again taken over but unlike before, we’re still in contact thanks to email and our mobile phones.
Today is her birthday, and I just wanted to say …
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Posted on 23 September 2004 @ 21:01 in Stress Busters
Bet you never seen anything quite like this before.
Found the picture on the Net the other evening.
BTW, that’s Hua Mei sometime in 2002.
I know … they all look alike. But only Hua Mei, who has been in the limelight ever since she was born, can strike such a pose.
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Posted on 23 September 2004 @ 08:47 in Music
On my ZenX on the way to work this morning:
“MacArthur’s Park”
Donna Summer, Vh1 Presents: Live & More Encore
“She Works Hard for the Money”
Donna Summer, Vh1 Presents: Live & More Encore
“Fishing Junks at Sunset”
Jean-Michel Jarre, Concerts in China
Not many singers sound as good “live” as they do on their studio recordings. Donna Summer is one singer who not only sounds better “live” but whose voice has also improved with age. The Vh1 Presents album is an excellent showcase of her “live” improved-with-age voice.
After more than 20 years, she still rocks, and “MacArthur’s Park” and “She Works Hard for the Money” sure rocked my car this morning. Following which, Jarre’s “Fishing Junks at Sunset” helped to bring the level back to normal. After almost a quarter of a century, this is still one of my all-time favourite pieces of music.
According to the Concerts in China album notes, Jarre had written several new compositions for the historic occasion, including “Fishing Junks at Sunset”. That’s according to the album notes. Apparently, he didn’t. But that’s subject for another chatter entry.
Later …
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Posted on 22 September 2004 @ 20:35 in Personal
Both of them will be kissing lots of frogs before they find their Princes Charming.
That’s a fact of life I need to accept.
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Posted on 22 September 2004 @ 12:16 in Gadgets
My MP3 player is officially dead.
No, not the Creative NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra, but its predecessor, the Creative MP3 Player 2.
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| The DMP2 was my first MP3 player, bought sometime in 2002 and chosen because, at the time, I couldn’t afford a bigger (in terms of capacity), more expensive MP3 player.
It was only 5.2cm by 7.5cm by 1.5cm (or 2.01″ by 2.95″ by 0.6″), ran on 2 AAA batteries, and had 64MB built-in with an MMC explansion slot in which I put a 128MB for a total of 192MB space for something like 50 songs. |
It was so tiny I could put it in my palm and wrap my fingers around it. I used it the most during my gym sessions as it was so light, it didn’t add any extra weight in the pocket.
Cause of death? Owner’s stupidity.
Sometime late last year, I’d not used the DMP2 for a while, and had left the batteries in. When I next took it out to use, I found that the battery compartment was wettish - the old batteries had leaked. After wiping it dry, I put in fresh batteries, pressed the “power on” button and nothing happened.
I called up the guy who sold me the DMP2 to ask about repairs. He said it would probably be too expensive and I would be better off getting a new MP3 player.
Thing is, I didn’t want a new MP3 player. I’d grown to like the DMP2 a lot.
Next, I called these two electrician friends who come to our house to do whatever repairs my father asks them to do. They’re good, and have been known to revived dead appliances. So I told them what happened and they came to pick up the DMP2.
It’s more than half a year since my DMP2 went in for possible repair. Every now and then, I would call the two fellows and they would give me an update. All this while, they were looking for the coil to replace the one that’d been corroded by the battery acid.
This morning, I called to give them a message from my father. When they heard my voice, they thought I was calling about the DMP2, and proceeded to give me the update, which turned out to be the final update.
“We found the coil, but then found that the entire circuitry has been eaten by the acid.”
Ouch.
Actually, this is what I have been told to expect right from the beginning. But I was hoping for a miracle. Not this time. Not with this gadget.
Now I’m wondering whether to get another DMP2. Cuz it’s still available (limited stock) and it’s still the best MP3 player to use at the gym. Not that I’ve been going to the gym, but maybe getting a DMP2 replacement might motivate me to go again?
Meanwhile, of course, there’s my ZenX.
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