A little whisper in the dark

Outbreak

SARS is just one of dozens of different things you can die from on any given day. Reactions from the public is bordering on paranoia and panic for no good reason, never mind the government and media is indirectly hyping it up as well.

I read with amused interest of polytechnic students "petitioning" to be taken off school as well. The simple fact is you don't wear a uniform, you can skip classes without MC (up to a limit), and you don't have to hang out with the same bunch of clowns in the same classroom for 6-7 hours each day with only a half an hour break in between.

Wear a mask if you're so concerned about catching something.

posted by Chung Leong @ 2:20 PM 0 comments

War

For a few days now, each morning I wake up to check out how things are going on in Iraq. I check it throughout the day, and I have a web browser window constantly tuned into the webcast of Channel News Asia. Why? I'm not rooting for anyone, but the sooner this thing is over and done with, the better it is for everyone. War benefits nobody.

I hope the leaders of these countries who send their young to die sleep well at night.

posted by Chung Leong @ 2:23 AM 0 comments

Never give up

Having had 3 trouble-fraught qualifying runs today in racing (running rally cars!), I'd just about given up on a good placing for the finals even though I placed in A-main (A being the best, followed by B and C).

All around me was a spectrum of emotions; drivers being quietly happy about their standings, ecstatic about their position, and on the flip side, feeling sorry for oneself and/or mutter profane language at the car and everything else within a 5 metre radius. Sometimes taking some time to take stock of the surroundings makes it easier for self reflection, instead of wallowing in self pity, blame, sulking a bit, and packing up to go home.

I proceeded to have my two best runs of the day in the finals, after digging up an old setup sheet for the track. As big a surprise to me as to my race buddies watching that the car pulled out an extra two laps. I finished third overall, and missed 2nd by 6 seconds. Its more a relief not to let the people who've lent me their gear and stuff to get to this race, than to myself. Glad to make something good out of it all.

posted by Chung Leong @ 2:54 AM 0 comments

Misadventures of the electrical sort

For all my education, and knowledge in stuff electrical, I guess got reminded what dads were for today. Messing around with the household mains trying to plug in a new appliance, I managed to completely and utterly shut down the supply. Tried the fuze box (both of them!) to no avail. Nothing for it but to call dad then. He's still the handyman around the house......oh well. He got it fixed. Turned out that there was a fuze outside the house as well. For a moment I wondered if I killed the entire block's power supply.

Where do I sign up to learn how to be a handyman? Guess I'll ask dad someday......

posted by Chung Leong @ 4:51 AM 0 comments