Posted on 30 April 2006 @ 23:58 in Memories
The fire alarm in my apartment block went off about half an hour ago. I spent about 2 minutes wondering where I’d kept my IC and whether I should switch off the electricity, which was followed by another minute or so putting on my long pants and getting my keys to unlock the door and gate. The alarm stopped about the same time as I got to the padlock. I walked out to have a look – no smoke; in fact, nobody around. The whole place was calm and quiet.
The incident reminded me of a story my Linguistics professor told in my first year in university. He told of how he’d set off the fire alarm one night at his university just to see who came out of whose room.
A few months later, we had a fire drill in our dorms. I was already up and getting ready for class so I continued and left with my books and all. Outside the dorm buildings, most students assembled were still in their jammies. Some walked out with someone from another part of the building. Go figure …
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Posted on 30 April 2006 @ 13:47 in Travels
I had a “seniors” moment on board the flight to London.
I had settled in my seat and happy to see the other two seats remaining empty as more passengers came on board. Then these two Mat Sallehs stopped at my row, looking at me in total surprise. I looked back at them and thought “Oh no, I have to share with these two throughout the flight?” The woman then said “Hey, that’s my seat.” I immediately replied, “No, this is 51 …” As soon as I said that, I knew I was in the wrong seat. All the way walking into the plane and down the aisle looking for my seat, I had “51″ in mind but for some reason walked past it and settled into row 57. Why? Onset of Alzheimers, that’s why.
I felt such a fool, those two must think I’m so ulu, probably my first flight overseas. So I took up my stuff and walked to row 51 – not easy since I was against the flow of traffic, forward while everyone else was walking in the opposite direction, towards the back of the plane.
There was a nice consolation to all my foolish, forgetful behaviour – I had the whole row to myself. Same thing coming back to Malaysia, whole row to myself, altho this time, I made sure to remember the right row so I didn’t repeat my “seniors” moment again.
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Posted on 28 April 2006 @ 18:21 in Travels
The first thing Mel had asked me after fetching me from the train station, and after we’d hugged and marvelled at how it’s 17 years since we last saw each other, was whether I like dogs.
Turns out she has a dog and since I was going to be staying at her place, I had better like dogs. Good thing I do.
His name is Mortimer and he’s a 12-year-old Cairn Terrier that she’s had since he was a puppy the size of her palm.
But while I like dogs, I’m not used to sharing living space with them. So for the duration of my stay, he had to lend me his bedroom, which is actually the living room (it’s a one-bedroom flat).
The first night, he was led to the bedroom.
The second night, he stayed in his cushion bed in the living room so Mel had to carry him and the bed into the bedroom.
The third night, he walked into the bedroom of his own accord.
I was away in Norwich the next two nights, and returned to the flat before they did on the sixth night. When they got back (Mel takes him to the office), he looked at me with an expression that seemed to say “Oh, you’re back, are you?”
When I next saw Mel at the UK LRC, I asked if Mortimer showed any signs of missing me, and she replied he was not the sort of dog to miss anyone. I never saw him again because when I returned from the UK LRC, it was in the afternoon when he was at “work” and I had to leave before they returned that evening.
During the short time we shared living space, I had the pleasure of seeing Mortimer get a fur cut, having him sit quietly at my feet, as well as taking a walk in the park with him on a cold and wet morning. He also learned early that I was a good petter, and whenever he saw me, would flop on his side for me to stroke his belly fur.
Mortimer on one of his many cushions
Impatient Mortimer telling Mel to hurry up
(she was talking with the neighbours)
A patient Mortimer lifting up his chin for Mel to trim his fur
Mortimer at my feet in the car (he’s not allowed to get on
the leather seats in case he scratches the leather)
Me and Mortimer in the park
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Posted on 27 April 2006 @ 13:06 in Janis Ian, Travels
The UK Living Room Concert hosted by Rowy and Lynda, with organisational help from Anne, was held in the village of Offham, on the outskirts of Lewes near Brighton. As one of the stipulations of the LRC is that it must be held in a living room, the UK LRC was held in an actual living room in a converted farmhouse called The Barn, itself a part of the Mill Laine Barns Holiday Cottages.
A group of us arrived a few days before the day of the LRC and stayed at the other cottages.
Anna from Dublin, Marjan from Amsterdam and I stayed at The Granary.
Arlene and Joanne, and Sue and Jak stayed at The Stable (from which they became known as The Stable Girls). Next to The Stable was The Dairy, the smallest of the holiday cottages with the tiniest of kitchen. Anne stayed here with her husband, Mike. PeteCC was their living room guest, while DavidUK, who was sleeping in the gardener’s room in Rowy’s cottage just down the road, came to The Dairy for his daily sustenance and Rudie fellowship.
The Dairy on the left (with the black walls) and The Stable on the right
Rowy and Lynda stayed in the main cottage, The Barn, with two of their friends.
In The Barn’s living room is a beautiful tapestry which would serve as the backdrop for the concert.
It turned out to be the perfect backdrop, highlighting the guest-of-honour’s white hair most becomingly.
There was some concern that The Barn’s living room was perhaps a bit small for the audience of 40, but in the end, it was a cosy fit with some on the floor (and not minding it one bit).
Official Report of the UK Living Room Concert by MikeUK
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Posted on 26 April 2006 @ 12:55 in Janis Ian
I had needed a couple of items from the online merchandise store, but with only a week to the Living Room Concert, the only way to make sure I got the items was to have them sent to an address near the venue, and to have it delivered by courier service. So I put through the order, after which I sent an email to Kimbe, her assistant, to look out for the order and help make sure it got progressed as soon as possible. This was his response when he saw the shipping cost – “Chet, no need to pay such an absurd amount. Janis can bring them, if that’s okay?”
If that’s okay? Of course, it’s okay. 
And brought them she did. Shortly after she arrived at the venue, she’d walked over to The Granary where some of us were. I opened the door for her and she handed me the package, saying “Chet, this is yours.”
I later found out that she had in fact hand-carried the package in the vehicle with her all the way to the venue at Mill Laine Barns. A picture Anne had taken shows the package in her left hand:
Thanks, Janis. 
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