The Spoils Of War Or How I Finally Got An iPod

Talk about your six degrees of separation. I finally bought a new 4GB ipod nano (2nd gen) for only S$250, about US$168 (retailing at S$348, about US$227).

The crazy part is how I got it. My gaming buddy’s wife got it from her ad agency’s creative director as a Xmas gift. She’s the agency’s client (BIG telco account). But since the couple already has a video ipod, my friend decided to sell it to me. I didn’t know the background behind it yet but I noticed the nano came preloaded with a ton of really obscure old songs (over 400 oldies!), I asked him if I could delete them. He said sure and told me about its ‘history’. So I deleted all the songs ‘cept for the Seinfeld album.

Now I knew folks who knew folks from the ad agency. Well, did some nosing around. Agencies giving ipods to clients? Wow, haven’t heard that one in a long while. So, to cut a long story short and to leave out the nasty details cos as this story clearly shows, you can never tell who knows who, the nano wasn’t exactly given out in the spirit of goodwill.

Ho Ho Ho! Now I have an ipod nano (see the first Die Hard movie to get this inside joke)

Well, since almost everyone in me office is a Mac/Apple fan. It wasn’t that hard for me to …er… ‘get’ a whole bunch of free songs from their playlists as our network kinda links our desktops/notebooks. Now to get one of those external speakers for me new nano.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Had a early Xmas dinner with friends on Saturday nite. Everyone prepared something so we had lots of food and later, leftovers. Anyway, we ordered one of those pre-cooked turkeys this year. Some of the things overheard before dinner was served...

"Are you sure it's cooked?"

"Are you sure you can fit it in the mircowave?"

"Remove the foil!"
"You don't need to remove the foil if you set it to 'conventional oven'!!!"

"This isn't rocket science."

"It's cooked but it's still cold on the inside. Put your finger inside the bird and feel it."

"Maybe it's supposed to be cold on the inside."

"Eeeewww. Why did you have to put your middle finger in it?"
"Cos it's my longest finger!"

"Why did you give me a dessert knife to cut the bird with?"

Well, I'm sure there were a couple others that I forgot. Anyway, I had leftover turkey sandwiches for breakfast 2 days in a row already.

Merry Christmas guys! Thanks for dropping by!



A little present I got that nite. A giant jar of mashmallows!

Christmas Reading

Should I be saying this? I guess most people kinda blog bout almost everything, like good times and bad. Me? I like to blog bout happier stuff, the little things that I get a kick out of. Yah, of cos not-so-good stuff do happen to me but I just rather not blog bout it.

Anyway here's my Xmas gift to myself. Been eyeing this since I saw it in an online catalog months ago. Remember reading all those old pulp fictions as a kid. I just love those written during the 1920s to 30s.

For more than 70 years, fantasy fans have followed the exploits of Conan through novels, comic books, and movies. This book, the first-ever illustrated guide to Robert E. Howard’s most beloved character, is a genuine treasure chest of Conan lore, following Conan through the ages, through his different careers, as he meets friends and foes and travels across the Hyborian continent. Written by none other than Roy Thomas of Marvel Comics fame, expect nothing less than an exciting tale, with art from some of the foremost Conan portrayers ever: Frank Frazetta, Mark Schultz, Gary Gianni, John Buscema, Cary Nord, and more. Created in full cooperation with Conan C and T 2006 Conan Properties International, LLC Foreword by Todd McFarlane. Features character profiles, maps, art from original paperbacks, comic books, and video games.

Finally found it at Kinokuniya a couple of weeks ago. Reading it was like stepping into a freakin’ time machine! All the original stories (in summarized form) were there in chronological order. I was going “I remember that!” Damn, it was sooo cool.

Speaking of books and comic books, here’s something new I found. Never was a big Archie fan, more of a DC and Marvel fan but if there are any women reading this who were Archie fans….this is for you. Archie and gang finally get a face-life after 60 years! Doesn't Veronica look like that Eva gal from Desperate Housewives?

The Aftermath

Saw all of the pix taken that nite. The innocent ones and the not-so innocent ones. Fortunately I wasn't in any of the more 'notorious' ones. Some with me arm around a couple of very attractive women although I must have been quite stoned by the time they were taken cos I don’t remember any of it at all. Really.

Ah. Here’s what I got from the nite’s lucky draw. Heh.

Office *hic* Party

Well, this year's party was definitely a lot better than last year's. Although I had to leave in the middle of last year's party cos of a family emergency. Everyone was saying that the one we had the previous year 2004 was crazier, wilder, cooler etc. And we had a handful of pretty scandalous pix to back it up too. You get the idea, us media folks for better or worse have a reputation when it came to parties, in and out of the office. Yours truly had the honor that year for throwing up and almost passing out at the steps of our grand ol' City Hall.

Along came this year's party at a tiny little bar, let's see now....what I do remember is...

At least 5 Scotch on the rocks
At least 4 shooters
1 bottle of beer

Now the last major drinking session was here. Looks like I got back (at least) one to my four original vices that nite.

Best part, we have all-new scandalous pix. The official photographer left after 10pm when folks were still pretty sober. Later, our 'unofficial' photographer made the rounds and rest is history. More than a few had to be censored before we could put them up on the public server.


The ol' mushroom cloud AKA what me head felt like the next morning.