DON'T SCRATCH THAT ITCH

The next time you are bored with your Windows Desktop and wanna change the theme, make sure your display engine isn't already screwed up by some idiotic program like StyleXP which you didn't pay for and hence, decides to show you what leftover code than do to your already messed up machine.

I did that and guess what? Classic Windows didn't work so good, turned my Windows pitch black. As in, the only things I could see were icons, and clicking didn't help either because the pop ups were black, with no words. In short, I was navigating like phracking Stevie Wonder in there for a good hour before I got the good sense to use Windows Restore (God bless the day I turned my Restore on).

So either go and turn on your Restore or don't bloody touch your display if you didn't pay for StyleXP.

Learn a new thing everyday!

OF ALL THE INSUFFERABLE TWITS...

...I hate the know-it-all most. And I have a theory about these people, those who blatantly thrust themselves into the lead of the pack, mistaking knowledge for wisdom and are so competitive it makes you sick.

One time, the family was invited to a pre-Christmas Sunday school party a few years ago, and there was this mother who forced her son on every one of the little contests for kids under three. She was practically IN all the competitions, and her two-year was just just dragged along for the ride, bawling his little eyes out because Mommy was being too aggressive.

I mean, come the hell on. Ambition is one thing. Exercise a bit of control over that ruthlessnesslah, Auntie. It's just candybars and balloons, dude.

So back to this insufferable twit I've had the lousy fortune to meet - and play WoW with the last couple of weeks.

How do you get off telling people what to do, man? Sure, you're high level and everything and probably know more than the rest of us, but that doesn't mean you're better. Hell, you spend like ten times the time on the thing more than us (and probably buy illegal gold from ebay to fuel your ego). Of COURSE you're up there. But a leader you sure as hell are not.

What's with the poor attitude yesterday, giving us flak for being slow and not listening to you? If we're wasting your precious time, why join us in the first place? Nobody asked you to come along. This IS a game of real people. Didn't your mother ever teach you that you should at least TRY to be humble? Show a little humilty to be polite? Not shoot that mouth of yours off just because you think you're some 40-year old L33t g4m3r.

I didn't sign up to be fucking pushed around, bitch.









Gosh, that felt good!

So, about my theory.

Usually devoid of most socially-required graces, geeks who think they know everything, are the worst. Especially if they're uncharacteristically verbose. You'd think that these guys who wear pocket protectors don't say a word, but there are those who just can't shut up, and think being outspoken is being clever. Their ego can be as large as their hard disks and they don't even know it.

Just bought the new PSP? Hey, I got the special kick-your-ass edition that can freakin' take your blood pressure.

Just levelled to 60? I did it ten years ago.

Just had your first baby? Mine cost me like RM60k.

I mean, wtf. Are you out of your goddamned mind? Like a friend of mine remarked, "What?! You had your baby in the Bahamas ah?"

What's more, I found out that other geeks actually ALLOW this because hey, if you have it, flaunt it. It's like some kind of code, that you're allowed to be insufferable if you have the goods, good manners be damned.

NO IT DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY!

The next time any of you meet someone like that, I say the moment they start to brag, sorta roll your eyes around and let a little saliva dribble out. Like you're a moron or something and can't even double-click, much less debate on the finer points of One Million Ways You Can Launch Your Web Browser.

Damn diu man.

ps. I edited this magnificent post so that it will HURT a little bit more...

JENN THE INFECTIOUS

Something else about me has become infectious besides my laughter.

I've managed to infect my girls, my mother-in-law and my maid with a flu bug from God knows where. It's unbelievably virulent too, just one day and all of them kena.

Now my poor baby girl of 6 months is coughing and crying because her dose is duck. I've had to use my mouth to suck the mucus out off and on. Gross but what to do. It's my mucus which started the whole damn epidemic.

Take care out there people.

WE ARE WHAT WE BLOG

Someone pinged me today and told me that some kind of blog war is going on - again. The last time it happened, I got embroiled. Wasn't pleasant in the least but came away a better person, and a better writer.

Like the obedient penyebok I am, I went to visit the blogs involved.

The topic at hand was about what a blogger should, or rather should not do in his/her blog. In the end, it was just a matter of differing opinions. However, it did make me ponder the one thing that I've written about many times in the past, which is the relative anonymity the Net offers each and every one of us.

And the resulting Dutch courage that leads us to believe that blogging is our unbriddled right to freedom of speech.

You have a right to say what you want. I have a right to disagree, and sometimes, very rudely. You can choose to shut me up, not wanting to look bad permanently, thus deleting my comments. I have a right to create a new blog and continue flaming you like some unstoppable bitch. You can then put on post after post discrediting me. I then buy a "H4x0r for Dumm13s" book and try to do things to your server I can't even pronounce.

So on and so forth.

But whether it is about attracting traffic or just plain speaking your mind, one thing's for sure: I sure as hell do not want to meet you in real life. I wouldn't know how to behave, were we to suddenly meet on the streets, recognising each other's face from the pictures we put so freely online. I would walk the other way, pretend that I don't recognise you. You will probably go home and blog about the sad face of mediocrity.

"What are the chances of this person ever finding out who I am?" thinks the Anonymous commenter. "Flame onlylah!"

"I have so many supporters and have spent so much time doing this. Who dares say I'm wrong?" underestimates the blogger who overestimates his/her worth.

"FIGHT! FIGHT!" cheers the sad blog-reader whose life is made up of other people's blogs.

The unflappable truth is that in this whole wide world, people are the only ones who blog. Whether it's your alter ego or guilty conscience, you're the one forming the sentences and typing the words at the end of the day. You KNOW someone out there is reading. Why else would you publish it? Might as well write in MS Word and keep it. Or keep a traditional diary.

As such, would it kill to exercise a little prudence? A dash of discretion? A modicum of decency?

As writers, we are trained to think much before we write. We have to consider many things, not least of which is the accuracy of what we say, and the language in which we speak. We have to plan the intended effect of what we wish upon those who read our work, whether they should inspire or to wreak havoc (many times, on our advertising revenue).

For the writer, the power of the written word cannot be underestimated. And therefore, it cannot be wielded haplessly. For as Horace once said, "Once a word has been allowed to escape, it cannot be recalled."

No matter how you edit or delete.

Perhaps this is the difference between a blogger and a writer. One is forced to be responsible, and the other can choose to.

Is nothing sacred?! Check out this China ripoff of the PSP. Even comes with game discs!!