Zoom zoom zoom

Since my car is out of action, I have decided to rent a car from tomorrow evening until Sat afternoon. I had no idea renting cars in Singapore is so expensive! I'm putting down $200 to rent this car. And let's not forget the extra costs I will have to fork out like petrol. Also, somehow knowing there is a $1,500 excess is making me quite nervous too. But at least that will take care of all the transport troubles for when my friends come to town tomorrow.

Knowing my lousy luck, I'll probably get a call from the mechanic on Fri saying the car is ready. Bah.

Actually, on second thoughts, I would rather they called and said the car is ready this week, cos then at least I'd have a car this weekend.

In other news, I'm still yet to plan things to do with my friends when they come on Thurs. They're only on stopover for 24 hours, so is not much time to do all the things they have requested i.e. lots of eating, drinking and shopping. So far, all I've come up with is:

• prata at either Boat Quay or Upper Thomson on Wed night. If we have prata at Boat Quay, then maybe we can go Jazz@ Southbridge first.
• cover the usual shopping haunts - Far East Plaza, Heeren, Queensway Shopping Centre
• Mortinis. But subject to there being free steak sandwiches at the bar. No free sandwiches, no happy hour.

Still can't figure out a place for lunch. Definitely not Crystal Jade, I've taken them there too many times already.

Snatch!

I have discovered a new way to exchange presents at parties. Last night, I went to the first of Christmas parties at a friend's place. She and her fiance have a fabulous apartment in River Valley and we had popiah and kwey pie ti and Penang laksa for dinner, and helped the hosts decide which wine they should have for their wedding, and finished off with homemade Christmas cake. After a rousing rendition of Christmas carols, where everyone butchered 'The First Noel' and 'Feliz Navidad', we did the exchange presents thing. Everyone had been instructed to bring a gift of not more than $20, which we put under the Christmas tree the moment we stepped in.

I've always done the gift exchange thing with other friends the democratic way, i.e. we draw lots and when it comes to our turn, stick our hands down a bag and grab something. But this was different. We still draw lots to see who goes first and last. But the present you pick may not end up being the present you go home with.

Rule #1. The moment you pick a present, you have to open it immediately and let everyone have a good look at it.
Rule #2. The person who goes after you can choose to take your present or open a new one. And, no, whatever you say about how much you luuuurve your present and how the spirit of Christmas is all about lurve and caring and sharing, it's not going to help you keep your present.
Rule #3. You can only snatch people's presents which have been opened before your turn.
Rule #4. If your present has been snatched, you can either open a new one, or snatch someone else's present.
Rule #5. A present cannot be snatched more than twice.

In playing this game, I have learnt that, a) it's best to be last in this game, so you can practically pick your choice of presents and provide much torture , b) it's best to have brought a date for the dinner party, as you can collude with your partner-in-crime for getting the object of your desire, and c) it pays to keep very quiet once you get your present and try not to draw any attention to it. Don't try to be tricky and say things like, "Oh, it's lousy, you wouldn't like it." It only makes someone else want it more.

There were some choice presents at last night's party. The hot items were a Country Road wine-opener, a sterling silver Royal Selangor box, a Timberland bag and a green jewellery box. I came away from the game with the present I picked out, although it actually got snatched from me. But after the game, I managed to do a mutual swop with the person who snatched it from me (I had an item she wanted).

I went home very happy with my porcelain 'piggy' bank, only it's not actually in the shape of a pig, but a cow wearing jeans, specifically cow boy jeans. I have decided to call it The Cash Cow.

Thinking silly

A Silly Poem

Said Hamlet to Ophelia,
I'll draw a sketch of thee,
What kind of
pencil shall I use?
2B or not 2B?

-- Spike Milligan

My colleague and I were talking on the way in to work this morning, and she said, she thinks in colours and shapes. That's why she speaks so slow sometimes, because she's still translating the shapes into words. I had a thunk about it and have concluded that I think in a mix of English and bubbles. How about you?

Immense distress

Fishballs. I sent my car in yesterday to get something checked out and to get it serviced, when I found out today from my mechanic that I will not be able to drive my car for the next two weeks. THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. Please bring to mind the most distressed face you have ever seen, and add 100x times more distress to that. He says the pressure regulator has run the course of its natural lifespan and needs to be replaced. He says there are no other pressure regulators to be found in Singapore and that it has to be ordered in from Japan and that could take between 14-21 days. I say, do you have any idea where I work? I need that car, man! I NEED it!!

What will I do? How will I live? How will I move around? And oh no this is so not a good time. I have friends visiting Singapore next week and it is imperative I have a vehicle, so we can move around the island to shop and eat prata and drink mortinis.

THE PAIN THE PAIN! Fishballs. I need a drink.

eh, I'm such a spoilt brat. Cannot even imagine life without a car for 2 weeks.

This baby is mine for a week

Mine, all mine!

I wish it were mine, but I'm only reviewing it for a friend who writes for Shape magazine. Ah well, at least I get to enjoy its pretty colour, slick packaging, cute compact size...and oh yah, the music for a while.

Quick notes so far:
* Might be buggy - when first turned on, screen would not respond to click wheel and sound wouldn't come on even though a song was playing. Had to reboot iPod.
* Transferring music the first time round didn't work. Although iTunes clearly indicated that the songs had been successfully transferred, iPod looked empty. Had to plug iPod back to computer to do one more transfer before could see songs successfully.
* Ears hurt after wearing earphones for more than an hour. Ouch.
* Battery needs constant recharging. Have been playing iPod for about 6 hours and already battery is at quarter mark.

And even after all that, I STILL want an iPod, especially this one. Damn Apple and their clever marketing and packaging!

This December, I am into...

...Ribena Blackcurrant Pastilles, conquering the scary side of the Yishun wall, Johnson's Baby Peach Fresh bath, my new bed, baking Nutella cupcakes, my birthday, Inuyasha (embarrasingly), getting a good haircut, all things Christmas - cards, carols, parties, three days off from work.

What are you into this December?