10 Most Annoying Trivial Situations

Have you ever get caught in a situation where its so trivial but it still makes you go nuts? After more than 50 years of observations and personal experiences, I realise I cannot expect things to be fair all the time no matter how trivial the matter may be. But as much as I try to control my emotions over such imperfections, they still do get on my nerves once in a while. Here are my top 10 most annoying trivial situations I found myself in at one time or another. If some of them sound familiar to your own experience, you are not alone.

1. Hopping onto an escalator only to find its not moving.

2. Waiter serving food to another table even though you arrive earlier.

3. Getting caught behind a slow car in a fast lane.

4. Queueing on a long line towards 20 counters with only 1 opened.

5. Waiting for people who are late. (This one's a classic)

6. Holding the lift door for people without getting so much of a thank you from them.

7. Parents carelessly ignoring their own little brat's antics in public.

8. The bright glare of someone's mobile phone in the darkness of the cinema.

9. Ignorant people walking between me and the person I am photographing.

10. After washing my car to showroom condition, it rains. (Nature's fault this one LOL)

Have your own irritating encounters too? Do share them with me.

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Long Attention Span

Say, you bought yourself a CD. Pop it into the player and cranked up the volume. Less then two minutes into the first song, your hand assumed a mind of its own and reached for the remote. With a casual click, the first track unceremoniously cut off and the second filled the room again. This went on until sampling of the last track is done. Then back to first song and this time, you let it spin on. However you got up and went about your homely chores while you let your $40 worth of music acted like background soundtrack to your preoccupied life.

If this ritual sounds familiar to you, welcome to the world of short attention spans where patience is getting shorter by each Beat Per Minute.

So have you actually lie down, close your eyes and absorb in the entire CD's serving? I must admit some CDs are so infectious, I sat through the whole production. That goes to show every song in that album is a gem. Here are some albums that made me pay full attention. In no particular order, they are...

Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory
The album that did all the screaming for me and my own pend up frustration. What a relieve.

Tears for Fears - Songs From The Big Chair
All the fine details and texture of each songs sound different on every listening

Queen - A Night At The Opera
Creative and dramatic.

Lighthouse Family - Postcards From Heaven
Should have rename the album title to Voice From Heaven.

Led Zeppelin 2
Never close your eyes listening to this album. You will feel as if someone squeezing your lemon.

Jody Watley - The Makeover
This cool classy R&B lady is my favourite girl of all time. I lap up everything she dished out!

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - Déja
Vu
Their tight 4 part harmony just makes me replay the whole album over and over again.

Paul McCartney - Chaos & Creation
One of his best solo album to date. Very moody and consistant on each track right up to the end.

Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon
This one plays tricks with your mind. You just want to be led to a place bordering on insanity.

Elvis Costello - Painted From Memory
A Burt Bacharach collaboration that saw to each song drift timelessly.

Duran Duran - Rio
If I have to pick one album to represent the New Romantics 80s period, this has to be it. Dance away!

Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
She sounded like she's been around for a long time. She is only in her 20s and I can't get enough of her.

Deep Purple - Fireball
The first rockl music I ever heard. I was so hooked into this, for a good earlier half of my life I went heavy metal.


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Bangkok Revisited

Going to Bangkok seems like an annual affair for the past 6 years. Last year after returning from Bangkok, I told my traveling pals I dont think I will be going to Bangkok again anytime soon. At least not for a while. Not that I don't like Bangkok anymore. After all its one of the best vacation city in the world and its just right next door to Malaysia. But after 6 visits in a roll, stayed in the same street, ate the same (but great) Thai food, tour the same spots, there isn't much else to do. However encouraged by good company and cheap airfare, I found myself walking the bustling streets of Bangkok before I can finish saying 'Sawasdee Krub'.

So how was it this time around? I must say I thoroughly enjoyed myself because the huge difference is, I was traveling with a big bunch of great friends. All 8 of them out of which one a Singaporean and the other a Japanese. The joy of seeing friends enjoying themselves is rewarding enough since I played a small part in guiding the tour.

So there I was in the month of early March 2008, spending my first Thai Baht on my favourite bottles of freshly squeezed orange lime juice (see photo) right outside Swiss Lodge where we were staying. The bustling streets, the street food, the friendly Thais, the shopping malls, clubs and bars, the sights and sound seem all too familiar but set against the backdrop of great friends and laughters, its a whole new way of enjoying Bangkok all over again.

The bottom line is wherever you are, friends make a big difference in our lives. More so when they are trusting and supportive. Especially when one hit pass 50, good and caring friends are hard to come by. It shouldn't take a Bangkok revisited trip to realise that. Thank you my dear friends. You know who you are.


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Views from Mind's Eyes

A friend once asked me why I don't have a theme to my blog. Like gardening, cooking, exotic pets or automobiles. I told him how much more obvious do you want this blog's title to get. How to Monkey Around at Fifty? or Life begins At Fifty? I would be lying to my face if life is going to get any rosier past 50 years old. You will know what I mean when you reach my age. The constant aches on the back, the tired eyes. If you are already past this age, I am sure you can relate to my rambling. For those who missed what I am trying to spin, Half of My Life is all about experiences I encountered at this point of my life. Views from my fifty year old mind's eyes. Good or bad.

So wassup for me at this point of my writing? Its end of January 2008. It seems as though nothing much has changed since one year ago. If I don't analyze my life that is. If I don't analyze it too much, it feels like life has been kind to my face. But if I poke my nose around, I can see more scratched marks on my car. Wall paper started to peel from my room. Plants giving up on me due to lack of care. Rust crept in on my gate. Dining chairs losing their bounces. Seems like things around me are beginning to fall apart if I poke my nose around. However life isn't so bad. The car, room, plants, gate and chairs are still around me in fixable conditions.

So here you are dear friend, the one who havent yet figured out the theme of my blog, I hope by now you have. Sharing this Half of My Life with you. Have a good new year 2008 and to whoever is reading this too.

How To Look Younger On Video

Sooner or later, it has to happen. A short video clip to immortalise myself before my face sags further. Here's a good tip for those oldies.., or young vain ones, who wish to look much younger on video. Shoot yourself LYING DOWN. FACE UP. Yup. Just like my video clip below. This way, all the folds on your face will gravitate back to give you a tauter look. You know, the way how ancient celebrities look after plastic surgery with their facial skin stretched all the way back of their head. Of course, lying down is a free and painless way for non-celebrity like me. But let's face it, It will not work all the time, if let's say, you are shooting an outdoor vacation clip of yourself. I mean, just how are you going to shoot yourself lying down in front of Eiffel Tower. Duh! Story of my life after 50.

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Trivial Things I Can't Do Without

Everyone has their own idiosyncrasies. You know, peculiar habits. Like avoiding cracks on the pavement. After staying on this earth for more than 50 years, without realizing it, I have developed my own. The trivial behaviours I cant do without. (drum roll...)

1...wiping the sink area dry after using the sink.
2...wearing a belt when I go out, unless if its a string-tie bermuda.
3...washing face first before anything else in the shower.
4...watching TV before I go to sleep.
5...wrapping rubbish in old newspaper before dumping into trash bag.
6...putting wallet in my left back pocket.
7...reading over my glasses (see photo).
8...smelling a freshly open new CD.
9...reading while pooping.

Been trying to think of more (reason for my absence!). But I can only come up with nine. Nine! And they are not even bizarre. As a matter of fact, quite normal. While you are reading this drivel of mine, does any of my nine sound familiar to your own personal deportment? If so, let me know which one. Your comments most welcome. For now..all I can say is.. I am not an eccentric old dog afterall.


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New Sound. Old Marketing Ploy.

'You like Linkin Park? You kidding me?' Gasped a client of mine who is like me, about to blow a 50 candle-lit birthday cake. But today the blowing of candles on the cake is not me or my dated client. The cake in question is for the birth of Linkin Park's new third studio album Minutes to Midnight! Arguably rock's most anticipated album this decade so far. And waited I have after 4 long years. I told one of my music freak pal that I will rush out first thing. But hold it. Not so fast, I told my legs. Eventhough its already selling in store 5 days ago, I have to tell myself to hang-in there for a while. Why? that's because knowing previous music CDs marketing ploy, the single disc album will most likely evolves to a double disc a year later with extra tracked and remixes. So that put a Linkin Park fan like me in a huge dilemma. Should I rush out to get the single disc album release first so that I am not left out of the hype? But yonowat? I am living in Malaysia. I nearly forgot about our local night market where I can sample songs first before I buy the real McCoy. And so I did just that last night.

So how is the new Linkin Park? Will I buy their new album? On sampling there are a few rock gems here and there. Eventhough its not like their previous 2 albums where they hold you by your throat instantly. But I am not here to review their new album. I am here trying to get rid off my Beyonce B-Day because a year later today, I was compelled to dish out extra doe for a double disc CD album Beyonce B-Day just for the irresistable repackaging of new songs bursting to the seams complete with a DVD!!! Its worth it I must admit. I am really not happy with such bloody marketing ploy. Any music CD collecting enthusiast can tell you that. Yes I will most definitely buy Linkin Park's Minute to Midnight CD because I am huge fan. BUT only when their re-mixed re-packaged re-stuffed re-grooved re-DVDed double disc album CD starts to ship out that is. Now the frustrating question is, will they?

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Old, Cold, Low and Slow Hanoi

Just came back from a 5-day vacation in Hanoi with three soulmates. Our first time there. How was it? Seems like stepping back in time. Took a 4 hour rewinding flight and got a feel of how Kuala Lumpur may have looked like 50 years ago. Here's a photo to prove it. Interesting isn't it? Yes, this photo was taken on 4 May 2007. Not 1957. While this nostalgic charm of Hanoi seems to stay vividly in my tourist mind, there are other lasting impressions I have of Hanoi too.

Here are some I will never forget:

COLD RAIN
The first day we arrived, we were greeted with bone chilling rain. The next day, it rained whole day. We traced our way around wet tattered roads with one hand holding a damped map and the other, a hotel loaned umbrella. We weren't too crazy about the rain but the cold air-conditioned breeze was a cool surprise. Old female vendors wasted no time in peddling thin blue plastic rain coats at every turns.

LOW STOOL
The low stools are a common sight. Especially noodle stalls by the road. Seems as though someone came along and introduce a whole new way of squatting by resting their Vietnamese bums on this short legged stool. I was in a narrow CD shop and I found this stools most useful while combing through their pirated wares.

HONKING
The honking of cars, trucks and motorbikes never cease. Practically every 10 seconds. Its as if anyone who's anyone with a horn is having fun with it regardless! It was irritating on the first day. Annoying on the second but once I got used to it, it was charmingly funny in its own Hanoi way.

MOTORCYCLES
Hordes of them. Most apparent when one is trying to cross a road. They come from everywhere. Left right centre. This makes crossing roads in Hanoi a nightmare. If you don't see them, you'll hear them. But you won't bump into them. That's because they have these skillful ways of maneuvering away from your ginger path.

SLOW CART
While we were on the way back from Halong Bay, this van that ferried us crawled as if some cows were pulling it from the front. What should take no longer than one hour to hit Hanoi but took three and half hour instead! This doesn't help when my bladder was coming up full. I thought the driver was the only slow coach. When I looked around, every other vehicles were cruising like bollock carts! Damn! I almost peed in my pants!

ICE-CREAM CROWD
I have never seen an ice-cream parlour so crowded with people. Looks to me like the crowd was waiting to get into a cinema. Yes a cinema crowd! Could it be that this post-communist town only just recently open its door to allow fellow comrades to enjoy decadent western ice-cream? Mind you, the ice-cream doesn't even come with fancy branded wrappers. The takeaway counter was swamped with teens. See photo to believe. After I savoured a few of those extra-sweet morsels off the spoon, I wondered what's the big deal.

My account above doesn't sum up the relaxing yet quaint vacation I had. Hanoi does have a few surprises to offer like the laughable Water Puppet Show, the breathtaking Halong Bay and even thick bitter Vietnamese coffee sipping by the lake. But I am not here to sell Hanoi. Just recollecting the initial impressions. I did have a great time, more so with great company, however I wouldn't go back to Hanoi again in the remainder half of my life time.

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Age Old Question.

By Mid-August I will be hitting the big Five Oh. Have I been roaming this earth for nearly 50 years already?. Damn! I feel like a dinosaur. When I was in my 20s, anyone who claims that they are in their 50s, my first reaction would be.. hmm that's ancient. Now that I've been jolted out of my fountain of youth, it's a bit like stumbling accidently into the Senior Citizen Zone. I sure am not prepared for this. Its not as if I want to prepare for it anyway. No, I didnt get up one morning and decide to change my entire wardrobe to a Ho Chin Minh collection. Nor would I be popping a denture into my mouth any time soon. I still go about surfing Billboard Hot 100 to check what's cool in the chart and proceed to the local music CD store. Yeah I know, the young dude with the spikey hair behind the store counter must be thinking 'daddy looking for his kid's birthday gift'. Sorry dude, the gift's for this old kid. Me.

I just dont feel my age. No let me rephrase that...I am SO NOT feeling my age. But am I trying to be cool, talking the MTV talk living in a state of denial? A little torn between here. Is this what mid-life crisis is all about? Feeling my age or not feeling my age? Damn. Lets see where I stand.

Feeling my age:
1. when the sales promoter pushed 'Uncle, you will see result in two weeks with this age spots cream'
2. when the government remindered me that I am eligible to collect a portion of my retirement fund.
3. when the insurance agent didnt bother to turn up after the second appointment
4. when my doctor nagged me into doing brisk walking or Tai Chi
5. when I consciously reduce my fizzy beverage consumption

So NOT feeling my age:
1. when I vibrate my hands occasionally with my PS2
2. when my CD collection includes Beyonce and Black Eyed Peas
3. when I watch American Idol.
4. when I stick iPod to both sides of my head.
5. when I don't dislike fastfood.
6. when text messaging while driving. don't try this at home. Huh?
7. when changing TV channels like I am text messaging.
8. when I still google at cute Manggas! My friends will know this one.
9. when I hangout with friends in their 20s
10. when I start blogging

Ten over five ain't bad. Ok, I am so NOT feeling my age.

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