Received a call oh my HP on 27 July 4.30 pm
Caller: Hello this is the guard.
ss: Guard? who?
Caller: The guard at the main gate.
ss: What main gate?
Caller: The GUARD at the MAIN GATE!
ss: Erh, which main gate? at [my office name]?
Caller: No, I am the GUARD at the MAIN GATE!!!!
ss [grit teeth]: But there's quite a few main gates in Singapore. Which main gate?
Caller [speaking to another party]: you better talk with him
Caller 2: Hello, this is tow truck here at Ardmore Park.
ss [light goes on, suddenly it makes sense now]: Hello fren, I am at (office address), you already pick up my car at 2pm, I think kah (call) salah (wrongly) leh.
Caller 2: Oh sorry....
END OF CALL
Tuesday, 31 July 2007
Saturday, 28 July 2007
Bug Tales 2
Last Sunday (22 July)
I found out, that when the fuel gauge needle points to the left most bar, the fuel tank is really empty - unlike other cars when there's still some reserve.
Couldn't believe, my beloved bug just glided to a stop, just in front of a car illegally parked, on a main road. I stuck a note on my screen, and hiked to the nearest petrol station.
Doh! they ran out of tin cans to carry petrol.
Took a bus to the next nearest one, got my can with 5L of petrol, borrowed a funnel, and hiked back. Gosh, I never would have imagined myself running out of petrol in the middle of busy Singapore. And never would have imagined having to manually fill my tank.
Ok, petrol filled - but car won't start!
On advice of my mechanic Thomas, had to crank it numerous times.
After 10 min, it finally roared to life.
whew.
Following Friday (27 July)
Just back from lunch with ex-colleague in town.
As I was just nearing my car park, the car engine suddenly dies! Petrol again? no... there's still plenty. Fortunately, am on downhill slope, and I glide it into a car park space next block to my office.
Good grief. Got it towed back to Thomas.
Ever since my no petrol advanture, I noticed one of the lights with "G" on when I drove - but ignored it. Well, it appears that it is a warning light, that something is wrong is my "generator".
Found out generator/dynamo is kapoots, and as result battery kapoots too!
So "upgraded" the generator to an "Alternator", or whatever.
I got it back today quite happy.
Although still sore from the hole in my pocket.
I found out, that when the fuel gauge needle points to the left most bar, the fuel tank is really empty - unlike other cars when there's still some reserve.
Couldn't believe, my beloved bug just glided to a stop, just in front of a car illegally parked, on a main road. I stuck a note on my screen, and hiked to the nearest petrol station.
Doh! they ran out of tin cans to carry petrol.
Took a bus to the next nearest one, got my can with 5L of petrol, borrowed a funnel, and hiked back. Gosh, I never would have imagined myself running out of petrol in the middle of busy Singapore. And never would have imagined having to manually fill my tank.
Ok, petrol filled - but car won't start!
On advice of my mechanic Thomas, had to crank it numerous times.
After 10 min, it finally roared to life.
whew.
Following Friday (27 July)
Just back from lunch with ex-colleague in town.
As I was just nearing my car park, the car engine suddenly dies! Petrol again? no... there's still plenty. Fortunately, am on downhill slope, and I glide it into a car park space next block to my office.
Good grief. Got it towed back to Thomas.
Ever since my no petrol advanture, I noticed one of the lights with "G" on when I drove - but ignored it. Well, it appears that it is a warning light, that something is wrong is my "generator".
Found out generator/dynamo is kapoots, and as result battery kapoots too!
So "upgraded" the generator to an "Alternator", or whatever.
I got it back today quite happy.
Although still sore from the hole in my pocket.
Sunday, 15 July 2007
Bug Tales
From eating bugs, I got myself a bug.
It's a 1973 VW beetle, 1200 cc, in all its green glory.
There's something about owning one, something I've never felt with all my previous cars, starting with a 18 yr old Mitsubishi (can't remember what, but it was bit of a bomb), a brand new maroon Suzuki Swift which my dad bought for me after graduation, Toyota Kijang in Indonesia, Hyundai Matrix when we came back to Singapore in 2003, Toyota Wish (which is the best family car in the world, and used by my wife), and now my very own bug.
It's quite an experience driving it. Like a newfound love, there's a bit of tenderness required in driving it. One must really be one with the car, have a good feel in all its mechanical glory.
There's nothing "auto" about it: stick shift manual gears; no power steering, no reverse sensors, no power windows; no car alarms; even the headlight switch is activated with a mechanical knob - but it is pure driving joy in its most basic raw form.
I actually got some metal sand paper, and scrubbed off the rust on the hub caps & WD40 everything. In my 15 years of driving, I have never ever even washed my car, let alone do any maintenance. The closest I get, is drive to the mechanic.
Now, it is probably one of the cheapest cars to get... but what a car it is.
Thanks Cami (who sold me the car) for this.
It's a 1973 VW beetle, 1200 cc, in all its green glory.
There's something about owning one, something I've never felt with all my previous cars, starting with a 18 yr old Mitsubishi (can't remember what, but it was bit of a bomb), a brand new maroon Suzuki Swift which my dad bought for me after graduation, Toyota Kijang in Indonesia, Hyundai Matrix when we came back to Singapore in 2003, Toyota Wish (which is the best family car in the world, and used by my wife), and now my very own bug.
It's quite an experience driving it. Like a newfound love, there's a bit of tenderness required in driving it. One must really be one with the car, have a good feel in all its mechanical glory.
There's nothing "auto" about it: stick shift manual gears; no power steering, no reverse sensors, no power windows; no car alarms; even the headlight switch is activated with a mechanical knob - but it is pure driving joy in its most basic raw form.
I actually got some metal sand paper, and scrubbed off the rust on the hub caps & WD40 everything. In my 15 years of driving, I have never ever even washed my car, let alone do any maintenance. The closest I get, is drive to the mechanic.
Now, it is probably one of the cheapest cars to get... but what a car it is.
Thanks Cami (who sold me the car) for this.
Pic of my car below
Tuesday, 10 July 2007
Conversation with an Aunt
Aunt: U can't believe whatever A says
Me: [uh oh, decide to ignore comment]
Aunt: She's a liar
Me: Urm... I don't think so [feeling a bit offended]
Aunt: Why? You have to .....[Starts to lecture]
Me: erh, I don't want to talk about A [it gets me nowhere, and me upset!]
Aunt: But you have to listen to both sides of the story.... She is...
Me: I don't want to talk about her! [thinking that saying nothing is better than saying something and offending even more]
Aunt: Why.
Me: Because everytime any of u sisters talk about her, we always end up arguing...
Aunt: [changes topic slowly... but quite offended, as I learn]
sigh... didn't handle that too well. Somemore it was on the way to church Evangelistic service. Wife tells me that Aunt was offended at how I "exploded" [but I thot I remained calm throughout, and pretty happy at how I avoided a "hot" topic]. and that she could easily do that to me if I wanted to talk to her about Jesus "Just don't talk to me about God and Jesus!".
sigh... as usual, my wife was right in her rebuke, just takes me a while to swallow my pride, think abt it and admit it.
Colossians 4:2-6
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Me: [uh oh, decide to ignore comment]
Aunt: She's a liar
Me: Urm... I don't think so [feeling a bit offended]
Aunt: Why? You have to .....[Starts to lecture]
Me: erh, I don't want to talk about A [it gets me nowhere, and me upset!]
Aunt: But you have to listen to both sides of the story.... She is...
Me: I don't want to talk about her! [thinking that saying nothing is better than saying something and offending even more]
Aunt: Why.
Me: Because everytime any of u sisters talk about her, we always end up arguing...
Aunt: [changes topic slowly... but quite offended, as I learn]
sigh... didn't handle that too well. Somemore it was on the way to church Evangelistic service. Wife tells me that Aunt was offended at how I "exploded" [but I thot I remained calm throughout, and pretty happy at how I avoided a "hot" topic]. and that she could easily do that to me if I wanted to talk to her about Jesus "Just don't talk to me about God and Jesus!".
sigh... as usual, my wife was right in her rebuke, just takes me a while to swallow my pride, think abt it and admit it.
Colossians 4:2-6
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
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