Woke up this morning with a happy feeling. It’s our National Day holidays and I’ve got the whole day to do whatever I want! And read whatever I fancy, too for that matter – after watching The Village, of course.

Last night, I slept at 3am after completing the fourth and final Shopaholic book in the series – Shopaholic and Sister. Right now as I speak, I am convinced that Sophie Kinsella is hard at work getting the fifth Shopaholic book into print or something. The title, I predict would be [b]Shopaholic and Baby.[/b]

I guess I like the series because the protagonist, Rebecca Bloomwood is like me in certain ways. She wants to make people happy, is hopelessly optimistic, helpful, impulsive and life to her is spelled FUN. Of course she also gets into the worst blunders possible, lies through her teeth for the silliest reasons and shops like a maniac but those are the differences between us. Ok, so maybe I like to shop a little, too but I get very irritated whenever she lies.

In fact, I get irritated with some of the shows I see and the books I read these days because I see people lying their way through situations and end up getting in a bigger mess or worse, the liar escapes scot free and emerges as the hero. While that may make a good story line, it irks me that lying is promoted this way.

There is one movie which lets the liar escape with nary a scratch. In [url=http://www.outoftimemovie.com/]Out of Time[/url], the character played by Denzel Washington had an affair, gave the evidence money to his girlfriend and successfully connived his way out of a possible jail-term when he was requested to produce the evidence money. While watching this movie, I concede that it was very entertaining but I had problems rooting for the ‘hero’. At the end, his wife and friends all bent out of their way to cover up his lies and save his behind. I mean, how could such a big liar get rewarded like this? What is the movie trying to say, that it’s ok to lie as long as you can get your loved ones to understand??

In another movie, [url=http://www.changinglanes.com/]Changing Lanes[/url], the liar was the character played by Ben Affleck. But the difference between Changing Lanes and Out of Time is that Ben realises that lying does not pay and he made amends at the end of the movie. He also gained a backbone and became a better person in the end. I admire and respect his decision to be true to himself and others even though it was painful and his loved ones were telling him that it’s ok to lie and cheat – everyone does it and the rich man he cheated probably gotten his wealth through cheating as well. But he doggedly persevered to tell the truth and to be the person that he himself could respect.

I think we need more stories like Changing Lanes where it shows that crime (and lying) doesn’t pay and it’s always worth it to stand firm for all that’s good and true. For there is no price tag for the value of a clear conscience.

[url=http://coolcatalyst.com/blog/photo.php][img]“http://www.coolcatalyst.com/images/taiping/trees.jpg” width=”500″[/img][/url]

Check out the rest of my Taiping pics at my new [url=http://coolcatalyst.com/blog/photo.php]Photo Blog[/url] :)

My boss is so enthralled with [url=http://www.skype.com]Skype[/url] (free internet telephony) that he got all of us to install it and get it running so that he can be in contact with us wherever he goes.

So here I am, stuck with a headset and mike, looking very much like a receptionist – except I’ve got some David Tao’s music soothing my ears. Hehehe….

The other strange thing that happened when I got Skype running was getting this strange call from a guy all the way from China just now. It was pathetically funny. He couldn’t speak a word of English and all I could say in Mandarin was, ‘Sorry, I don’t understand!’. He wouldn’t hang up until I told him that I had to go to [i]‘che fan’[/i] (eat rice or lunch). Haiyo… It was then that I realised having some quick one-liners to tell a guy off in Mandarin would come in handy for occassions like this.

After that encounter, I quickly beefed up my Privacy level. If I’m desperate enough for free Mandarin lessons, I know who to call. Heh heh.

I was having lunch with a friend today and somehow the topic got to the sweetest thing that someone of the opposite sex has ever done to us. So there I was rattling off about this nice guy who would drop by my office to pass me the homemade breakfast he prepared for me and about this other nice guy who used to open the car door for me.

“My then-boyfriend wasn’t too happy seeing that and so, he started opening the car door for me after that incident. Too bad it only lasted a few weeks!” I said in mock despair.

When it got to my friend’s turn to share, he couldn’t think of anything sweet that a girl has done for him.

“That’s just so sad!” I said, flabbergasted because he’s a very nice and thoughtful guy.

“Not really,” he said good-naturedly. “The friends I hang out with do gentlemanly things all the time. It’s like our second nature to pamper girls and not expecting anything in return.”

When we walked back to the car, my friend walked with me to the passenger’s seat and before I realised what was happening, he opened the car door for me. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Hey, I’m sorry! When I shared all the sweet things guys have done for me, I wasn’t implying that YOU should do them for me,” I said in-between howls of laughter.

He merely smiled and brushed it aside, “Haiya, it’s a second nature to me. Just ask anyone.”

Just now, I opened the info package he gave which was work-related and found a CD he had burned for me. I have no idea what it contained and took a peek. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The CD is chock-a-block full of articles related to writing. Definitely not work-related. Everything to do with my dreams.

That’s just so… so sweet of him!

My brother has been slacking in keeping updated with my doings. I swear, you regular readers of my blog know more about what’s happening in my life than he does sometimes! His mounting pressures and hours at work made it difficult for us to chat in real-time mode.

So yesterday, I was pleased when he announced (in real-time mode) that he had read my latest entry on the Five Find-Outers.

“Bettie sounds like a real vainpot!” was his comment.

I grinned cheerfully, “Yes, she is, isn’t she?”

His eyes narrowed suspiciously, “Are you writing about yourself?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, all innocence.

“Well, are you anything like Bettie?”

I pondered for a while. While it’s true that writers sometimes mould their protagonists to be their alter ego of sorts, not ALL writers do that. Still, my brother’s sincere question deserves an honest answer.

“Only on my bad days, bro,” I sagely said. “Only on my bad days.”

I would like to thank [url=http://daphne.blogs.com]Daphne[/url] for featuring my reads in her [url=http://daphne.blogs.com]blog[/url]. Recently, she put up my list of [url=http://daphne.blogs.com/books/2004/08/more_comfort_.html]comfort reads[/url] as well as my all-time [url=http://daphne.blogs.com/books/2004/08/just_william.html]favourite poem[/url]. Traipse over to her blog and get happily lost in her candid book and author reviews.

Sorry for the long silence! Thanks for the encouragement and reminders to put up Part 8, guys ;)

[b]Part 8: The Truth About Fattie[/b]

[i]Continuation from:
1. [url=http://www.coolcatalyst.com/index.php?id=P222]The First Engagement[/url]
2. [url=http://www.coolcatalyst.com/index.php?id=P225]Old Clear-Oof to the Rescue[/url]
3. [url=http://www.coolcatalyst.com/index.php?id=P226]Dog Tricks[/url]
4. [url=http://www.coolcatalyst.com/index.php?id=P229]Serving God, Queen and Country[/url]
5. [url=http://www.coolcatalyst.com/index.php?id=P232]Vern’s Dilemma[/url]
6. [url=http://www.coolcatalyst.com/index.php?id=P240]Betty’s Woes[/url]
7. [url=http://www.coolcatalyst.com/index.php?id=P254]The Mysterious Whistler[/url]
[/i]

Betty woke up from her afternoon nap, feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the irksome, though rather flattering guy problem she had on hand. She thanked the Lord that Dotty had the sense to tell the guys that Betty just needed some time to think things over, instead of dismissing them with the original message – that Betty would not choose any of them.

Betty knew in her heart who she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Her restful slumber brought her heart-felt dreams to surface and there was no shred of a doubt of whom she would be the most happy with.

Now, all that remains is to break the news to the three men. Oh, the other two would probably be miffed but they would get over it soon. Guys often do recover from heartbreaks at almost the speed of lightning.

With a sweet and confident smile, Betty walked to the patio – only to discover that the garden was empty.

No broken bones, no black eyes and no guys.

Just an empty garden.

“Oh,” was all she could say. So much for being a modern-day Helen of Troy who had men fighting tooth and nail just to behold her beauty. She should have known that guys were not that valiant nowadays. Why, they were probably snacking at the tea shop round the corner, discussing things in a most boring and civilised manner.

“Gah!” she said as she stormed back into the house. And if anyone dared to tell her of how awfully she sounded like Mr. Goop, she will tell that person to Clear-oof! Continue Reading »

I got down from the bus and almost immediately saw one of my dearest friends on earth, Kal. We greeted each other with a warm hug and smiled at each other happily. I can already tell that we are going to have a blast of a time.

She came with Uncle Daniel, an elder of Taiping Gospel Hall, who very graciously fetched me from the bus stop and gave me a tour of the town, just in case I did not manage to visit the Taiping highlights during my very short stay.

After about 15 minutes’ drive and a lot of ooohing and aaahing on my part when we skirted the lovely, lovely Lake Gardens, he said, “We’re done!”

It took all of 15-minutes to see the whole town. Perhaps my 2-day-1-night stay wouldn’t really be that short after all. Hee!

Uncle Daniel was all of 74 years old, but still as sprightly and energetic as someone half his age. And he’s not the only one.

“Come and live here in Taiping. Then you can be like me!” said a lovely lady who fetched me to the bus stop yesterday. She is 54 but looks about 36. And it’s all au naturel. There’s nary a Botox clinic nor expensive Leonard Drake beauty spas on sight.

[img]“/images/taiping/weathervane.jpg” width=”200″ align=”left” hspace=”5″[/img]The air is humid but not at all polluted. They have a KFC, a Pizza Hut and a McDonalds. Their shopping haunt is Fajar, the most happening place in town. Like any town worth its salt in Malaysia, Taiping has its very own clock tower with a quaint weather vane. I’ve never seen a weather vane in my life before so I took a photo of it to commerate this momentous occasion.

The one thing I noticed about the Taiping dudes I met there was their one-of-a-kind sense of humour. They can joke about anything and everything. It was all I could do to keep my wits about me and give one particular young man a decent comeback. I felt this crazy need to show him that us, city folks can pack a punch or two, too. And I thought my brains would not be kicking in active gear in sleepy Taiping. Yeah, right.

The other witty guy was none other than jolly old Uncle Daniel, the church elder. So out of respect (and knowing what’s good for me), I merely smiled and nodded at his clever remarks, not daring to proffer any witty repartee of my own.

The kids in Taiping were very knowledgeable in directions, helpful and respectful to their elders. At least that’s what Kal and I observed when we stopped to ask for directions on the way back from the Lake Gardens. As in any town, there were some wolf-whistlers and drivers who honk when there’s no reason to. But generally, I felt very safe walking on the streets as compared to walking down the streets of KL.

Time slowed down the minute I stepped into Taiping. And together with it, the beatings of my heart and the rate my mind flits from one thought to another. My parched soul welcomed it. It only became crystal clear the day before I left that my journey there was made in a quiet desperation to seek for solace. In the tranquility of this special town and its people, and in the company of my dearest friend, I found just what I was looking for. I met God.

[i]Photos of this peaceful town will be uploaded soon. Stay tuned.[/i]

I’ve never been to Taiping before but I heard that it’s a small and peaceful town, with lovely park.

And I am so looking forward to tomorrow when I am heading there for the weekend.

It’s sad to see simple things like this getting me all excited. The very deprived travelbug in me will take any mini vacation and send happy messages all over my body. At the oddest times, I would find my lips breaking out in a rapturous smile. My eyes would glaze over as pictures of tranquility flood my mind.

“But this is just a trip to somewhere local, it’s not like we are going to Europe or anything!” I tried to tell my travelbug to behave itself.

“A trip is a trip is a trip,” it immediately shot back. “Anything that gets us away from that humdrum life of yours is definitely worth being excited about!”

That brought on some sobering thoughts about…

My humdrum life.

Me talking to [i]precioussss[/i] myself like Golum in LOTR2.

Travelbug’s right. I definitely need this break. And by darn, it’s perfectly ok to get excited about it! I’m going on a vacation, people! I am gonna say goodbye to cruel city life for the weekend and rub shoulders with some country bumpkins. I’m gonna switch my handphone off and I refuse to feel guilty about it. So there. Ha! What joy, what freedom!

And, and… and yeah, I almost forgot.

Thank God it’s Friday :)))

For the past week, I have been driving around without a petrol cap. I must have left it at the Shell petrol station nearby my workplace. I only found that out yesterday when I drove to the Shell petrol station near my house. When I pulled into the petrol station, an Indon worker came to my assistance. He opened my fuel container and muttered something to me.

Now, I normally don’t bother conducting conversations with people who mutter and so, I just smiled at him and told him that it’s ok, I’ll fill up the tank myself.

But he repeated his mutterings.

So, I repeated what I said.

Then when he repeated his mutterings the third time and a little louder this time, I finally grasped what he was trying to say.

“Cik, many tutup petrol ni?” he gestured his hand in the general area of my petrol tank. [i](Translation: Where’s your petrol cap?)[/i]

Suddenly, my face turned pale as I recalled my boss telling me last week that I forgot to shut my petrol container door properly. I shut the door then without bother looking in to check if the petrol cap was there. Oh no… don’t tell me, I forgot to screw back the petrol cap before going off to my merry way to the office?!

I gulped and bravely peeked at my petrol tank. The Indon guy was right, [b]there was no cap.[/b]

Egads.

As my brain was assailed by a multitude of thoughts – gratefulness that nothing untoward happened to me during the absence of the petrol cap; curiousity as to what’s the worst that could actually happen to me sans the cap; feeling worried about what dad would say; being puzzled as to where I can get things like these – I mean, do people actually lose petrol caps as often as they lose their pens??? – I was mechanically filling up my petrol to full tank.

Then, I thought of my friend Derrick who’s a car expert. He would know where I can get a petrol cap! One of the first things he advised me was not to fill the petrol tank to the brim.

Uh oh.

And the helpful chap actually took the trouble to get one for me and before long, my petrol tank did not look forlorn and incomplete anymore. He pointed out that my tank actually had a safety cover to prevent the petrol from spilling out. The newer car models would have those in place, so the absence of the petrol cap would not bring about dire consequences. But still… it’s a frightful feeling to be driving around without one and being aware of its absence. Like leaving my appendix at home or something.

So anyway, all’s well that ends well. Thank you, Lord for Your protection and for helpful friends like Derrick :)