Dance like no one's watching

I’ve always felt that knowledge is power and it’s important to be aware of all news, good or bad, so as to make an informed decision.  Today however, I concede that sometimes, ignorance is bliss. 

Jazz has been wanting to get rid of her Ferragamo shoes for some time now (not sure for how long but they were sitting under her desk since I joined the company in 2006).  She knew that Bouncy would be able to fit the shoes but was very reluctant to bestow such good shoes on her.  Jazz asked BQ, Bubbs, me, and probably a host of other people to try the shoes but unfortunately, none of us could wear them. 

Finally, I saw Jazz letting Bouncy try the shoes this morning.  Bouncy, being a designer brand freak, was beaming with joy.  Not just the I-am-donning-on-designer-wear joy, but the I-am-the-chosen-one joy.  She was beaming with pride when we walked past her as she was trying on the shoes.  *Rolls eyes*.  I was thoroughly amused at how proud she was, not realising that the shoes have been sitting under Jazz’s desk for 2 years (at least), while Jazz searched for a new owner.

I suppose this is a Cinderella story that worked out well for Bouncy.  Hehe.  Ignorance, on the rare occasion, can be bliss.

This is what I call brilliance.

I received an email from an Indonesia colleague saying that the valuation report I asked for had to be divided into 5 files due to the large size.

Sure enough, there were 5 Adobe PDF parts… but all sent in 1 email.

I wished I had an actual photo to show you but I wasn’t home when it happened and even if I was, I think I would’ve been too panicky to take a photo.  Horlicks got herself into trouble again.  When no one was keeping an eye on her, she managed to jump up onto this cupboard on the right. 

My dad thinks she hopped onto the stuff he placed on the right of the cupboard and standing on top of the mess of tins and other containers, she managed to leap onto the cupboard. 

Amazingly, she didn’t break a single item on the cupboard.  Having said that, it didn’t take her too long either to realise that she was “stuck” ‘cos there wasn’t enough space for her to jump down… unless she wanted to risk slamming into the chair.  So she tiptoed about the top of the cupboard till my dad saw her.

My dad got a shock.  He quickly removed the items on the cupboard – the blue head, chessboard, glass figurines, etc, so that Horlicks could walk to the left end of the cupboard, and leap off the cupboard (there’s space on the left of the cupboard but it’s not captured in the photo).  While removing the items, my dad scolded her, “Bad boy!  Jump jump jump!  See.  Now cannot come down.  Bad boy!”.  (My dad refers to all the bunnies as “boys” regardless of their gender). 

My dad thinks she was remorseful ‘cos the minute she leapt down, she ran fast as a bullet into her cage, huddled into a ball and kept her head low.  I think she was probably embarrassed at being stuck on top of the cupboard, especially since Pinky was watching her every move, as he thought about whether to join her or not.  Obviously, he wised up and didn’t follow Horlicks.  Sigh.  Keep telling my dad that someone needs to jagar Horlicks everytime she’s inside the house ‘cos you never know what mischief she might get up to next.  Really worried she’ll brazenly and foolishly leap off the stairs some day.  Sigh.

Sigh.  Not sure what exactly is the matter but MSN doesn’t seem to be accepting web connections via the https port.  Managed to get on MSN via imo.im this morning… but after I accidentally disconnected from it, I couldn’t log back on the whole day.  https://meebo.com couldn’t work either… till now.

Anyway, I wanted to blog about this last week but couldn’t find the time to.  I know this isn’t a new app but it seems like it’s not very well known.  Presenting to you, Adobe AIR.  Adobe AIR is a programme that allows developers to build an Internet application to run outside the browser.  Lost?  In simple terms, Adobe AIR allows you to run some web-based applications from your desktop instead of having to go through an Internet browser.

A good example (or rather the only use I have for it now) is to log into MSN.  My gripe about using a web-based IM like meebo is that even when I minimise the browser, it remains on my taskbar.  In the event my boss clicks on my browser window, he will be able to see that I’m logged onto meebo (using another window tab to block it notwithstanding).

With Adobe AIR however, I can log onto meebo.com without going through any Internet browser.  When I minimise the programme, it remains discreetly in my systray (that’s the area where your system clock is).  Very similar to IMO. 

Here’re some screenshots of how meebo looks like via Adobe AIR (it’s called “meebone”)…

This is how meebone looks like when I log in and open the contact list.

When minimised, meebone is discreetly hidden in the systray… the little blue speck you see is actually the meebone icon.  Click on it and it launches meebone.  🙂

Great app eh?

I just hope MSN starts accepting https connections again… though meebone is good, imo’s display is still nicer.  🙂

Member of Parliament (MP) Seng Han Thong (in my opinion), must be the most unfortunate MP in the history of Singapore.  He was assaulted by a cabbie some years back over a taxi licence revocation issue that the cabbie wanted Mr. Seng’s help with, and now some guy who’s mentally unstable splashed kerosene on him and set him on fire. 

News reports stated that Mr. Seng suffered 10-15% burns on his body (his back, face, neck).  Thankfully, his eyes were not hurt in the incident.  Sigh.  For more info, click here. 

Got this from this website.

The following were actual announced in church services or appeared in church bulletins.

• The scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recyled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
• The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church.
• Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10:00 a.m. All ladies are invited to lunch in the fellowship hall after the B.S. is done.
• Evening Massage – 6 p.m.
• The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would give him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday morning.
• Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. Please use the back door.
• The third verse of “Blessed Assurance” will be sung without musical accomplishment.
• For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
• The Reverend Merriwether spoke briefly, much to the delight of the congregation.
• The pastor will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing “Break Forth Into Joy”.
• A songfest was hell at the Methodist Church Wednesday.
• Due to the Rector’s illness, Wednesday’s healing service will be discontinued until further notice.
• Stewardship Offertory: “Jesus Paid It All”.
• The music for today’s service was all composed by George Friedrich Handel in celebration of the 300th anniversary of his birth.
• Remember in your prayers the many who are sick of our church and community.
• The eighth graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the church basement noon Friday. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
• The concert held in the fellowship hall was a great success. Special thanks to the minister’s daughter, who labored the whole evening at the piano, which as usual, fell upon her.
• Twenty-two members were present at the church meeting held in the home of Mrs. Marsha Crutchfield last evening. Mrs. Crutchfield and Mrs. Rankin sang a duet, “The Lord Knows Why”.
• Don’t let worry kill you, let the church help.
• The rose on the altar this morning is to announce the birth of David Alan Belzer, the sin of Rev. and Mrs. Julius Belzer.
• This afternoon, there will be a meeting at the south and north ends of the church. Children will be baptized at both ends.
• This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Lewis to come forward and lay an egg on the altar.
• The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind and they may be seen in the church basement Friday.
• At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be “What is Hell?” Come early and hear the choir practice.
• Weight Watchers will meet at 7:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use the large double doors at the side entrance.
• Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Methodist. Come hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.
• Announcement in a church bulletin for a national PRAYER & FASTING Conference: “The cost for attending the Fasting and Prayer Conference includes meals.”
• The sermon this morning: “Jesus Walks On The Water.” The sermon tonight: “Searching For Jesus.”
• Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don’t forget your husbands.
• The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.
• Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say “hell” to someone who doesn’t care much about you.
• Miss Charlene Mason sang I Will Not Pass This Way Again, giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
• Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
• Barbara remains in the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and requests tapes of Pastor Jack’s sermons.
• During the absence of our pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when J. F. Stubbs supplied our pulpit.
• Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
• A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
• Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
• Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
• Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch.
• The church will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment, and gracious hostility.
• Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 p.m. – prayer and medication to follow.
• This evening at 7 p.m. there will be a hymn sing in the park across from the church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
• The associate minister unveiled the church’s new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday: “I Upped My Pledge – Up Yours.”

Had some internal training this morning via teleconference with our colleagues in HK and USA.  During the Q&A, a director from our Corporate Team posed this question:

"How long are the data stored in the system?"

Sigh.  Are the data?  How embarrassing to have the only person asking a question from Singapore exhibiting such bad English.  I was taught in primary school that some words do not have a plural form.  Words like "information", "equipment", "furniture" and obviously "data".  Anyway, these words are known as "mass nouns" so if you want more information on them, just do an online search.

Cheerios.

Came across this old photo of Patience and realised how clean and chubby she was back in 2004.  Bought in Dec 1997, Patience is 11 years old and currently a little grubby looking.  Was searching online for the best way to wash her (to minimise further “weight loss”) and I guess the gentlest way would be to clean her a soapy towel, followed by a couple of wipe-downs using a wet cloth.  I used to thoroughly wash her under a running tap but I guess that’s really not a good idea.

This is a more recent photo of Patience… can see the difference hor?  Thinner & grubbier.  Sigh.  Think I need to do the same with Muah Chee.  His fur’s getting a little clumpy and greyish… hope we’ll have some good hot weather soon!

While searching for information on washing soft toys, it suddenly occurred to me that my real bunnies are getting on in age too.  Horlicks & Peanut are about 3 years 10 months old, Coffee is about 3 years 8 months and Pinky will turn 3 years old on 16 Jan 2009!  Feel kind of sad ‘cos they’re pretty matured now… which means they may move on to bunny heaven anytime.  

The lifespan of an un-neutered rabbit is about 5-6 years.  Neutered bunnies may live up to 10-12 years and most websites indicate the lifespan of a Holland Lop to be about 7-10 years.  That means that Horlicks, being un-neutered may have a shorter lifespan than Pinky…

While Horlicks is still full of energy and jumping everywhere, I noticed that she has lost some weight and that reminds me of my longest surviving bunny, June.  June was a local white rabbit and lived till close to 7 years old.  Towards the last 2 years, she gradually lost weight… it was as though she peaked around age 4-5 and then slowly lost weight and eventually died of a tooth infection that developed into a mouth sore.

Pinky has lost some weight recently too… but that’s ‘cos I’ve been confiscating the pellets my dad gives him.  I let him eat his fill during dinner and then I swop the pellets with hay later in the night.  This might’ve resulted in Horlicks having less pellets to eat too since he’ll steal her food but more hay never did any bunny any harm.

I guess it’s evident that I dote on Horlicks and Pinky a lot more than Peanut and Coffee… and that’s because I’ve always liked lop ear rabbits.  I’m not ashamed to admit that Peanut and Coffee weren’t my first choice of bunnies – in fact, I was coerced into buying Coffee… well, my ex-bf and I happened to be buying pet food at Serangoon North Ave 1 when he saw Coffee.  He thought Coffee was really cute so he wanted to buy Coffee.  I refused to initially ‘cos I already had Bazhang, Muah Chee, Pepsi & Coke then… but my ex-bf said if I didn’t buy Coffee, he will buy him and rear it himself. 

I knew a rabbit would die in his hands and he was so adamant about it but I couldn’t allow a rabbit to be killed that way (he’s hardly home so I was worried any rabbit living in his flat would die of hunger, thirst, heat, etc).  Thus, I was forced to buy Coffee to prevent him from being killed.

As for Peanut, Pepsi turned out to be a very aggressive rabbit, attacking Coke non-stop (yes, I realise the irony of the names) so I was forced to return her to the pet shop.  I couldn’t get a refund for her and so the pet shop asked me to select another bunny instead… and I went for Peanut ‘cos I thought being the same breed as Coffee, she would be good company for him.

Hence, I admit that most of the photos I take of Coffee & Peanut are out of sympathy or due to a sense of duty… to try to be “fair” to them ‘cos I give most of my attention to Horlicks and Pinky.  (E.g. I pat Horlicks and Pinky daily but I only pat Peanut & Coffee maybe once a week?  And even then it’s for a really really short while only).

Sigh.  I’ve been praying that the 4 bunnies will live long, healthy lives.  God has shown Himself to be very faithful and I believe He knows best for the bunnies too.  So when you remember, do say a little pray for them… that they’ll live happy lives and healthy lives and may they live till a really ripe old age.  (15 years would be really great). 

May the Lord bless the bunnies.

I’ve never really used Photoshop much so my editing skills suck obviously.  Just tried my first "major" attempt at editing a photo and I’m definitely feeling proud of myself.  Here’s the original photo:

And this is the edited one:

Sorry for the small pics… had to balance my usual dilemma over being recognised versus showing a pic of myself to illustrate a point.  Heh.  Anyway, the changes I made were:

– Remove the corner of the picture frame in the background by colouring over with brush tool.

– Coloured my white t-shirt black using brush tool.

– Used liquify to level the shoulders (they were raised ‘cos it was a self-taken photo).

– Added some blusher to my cheeks (brush tool with 15% opacity).

– Brightened final photo.

Tada!

This was something that I learnt in school but still struggle with because the wrong usage is so pervasive in what I read on a day to day basis.  I often read articles saying, "this is a healthy diet" when it should be "this is a healthful diet".

The words healthy and healthful are closely related but they really mean different things.  Healthy refers to something having good health.  Hence, you can have a healthy body or a healthy business. 

Healthful, however, refers to something that is conducive to health – in other words, salubrious (or health giving).

Thus, a diet cannot be healthy because a diet cannot have bad health.  A person, on the other hand, can have good or bad health and hence a good diet is healthful, and it makes the person healthy.