The Wilful Sunflower

It is amazingly easy to track somebody down on the Internet. Let this be a salutary lesson to you all (and to me!).

I met someone on an online forum recently and we started chatting. Now of course on a forum, everybody uses nicknames. This person (let's assume it's a woman, coz that's marginally less stalkerish) was no exception.

However! She has a blog. A specific blog dedicated to kind of stuff the forum was about. Okay, let's say it was a tech forum, therefore a tech blog. (What? You don't think I'd ever hang out in a tech forum??)

So... her blog is on a subdomain, like, say, http://tech.wilfulsunflower.com. You must remember I'm insatiably curious. I removed the subdomain and went straight to the root domain, like so: wilfulsunflower.com... and found ANOTHER blog.

Not really a personal blog, and there was not much information in the "About Me" page, but! She had a Twitter updates thingy in her sidebar! And her Twitter username is almost an actual name! Like... say... "AliceA".

Which means now I know her given name, although not her surname. Bye-bye anonymity :P

Next... I checked out all the blogs of the people she links to. And one of them had, in her links, a link called "Alice". Aha.

The link is dead. It leads to a website that doesn't exist anymore.

Here comes the Internet Archive to the rescue! You know how we used to say, "You can delete stuff from your website, but there's always Google cache"? Well, after Google cache, there's the Internet Archive. It does exactly what its name says – saves archived websites and Internet pages dating back to 1996.

I key in the dead link, and viola! A whole list of pages pops up. I visit one. An old blog pops up. She's got her Yahoo! Messenger ID displayed on her sidebar. I grab the ID and go to Yahoo's profile pages. She doesn't have a Yahoo profile up; so I google the ID, because it's fairly unique.

Guess what? She's participated on a few mailing lists and her replies to those lists – complete with her full email address – pops up. Along with... a profile on one of the blog hosting providers (think Blogger.com, Wordpress.com, LiveJournal.com, Typepad.com, etc.).

I visit the profile, where she has obligingly filled out her full birthday (she's eight years older than me! I marvel). Still only a first name, "Alice", but she also states she's from Australia, which tallies with what I already knew of the person I met on the forum.

I go to the blog. JACKPOT! Her latest post echoes her latest Twitter update... and so I know that the person on the forums really is named Alice (or else uses it as a second pseudonym), I know her email address, I know her birthday. How awesome scary is that??

Moreover, the defunct blog? It was a personal blog. From this I also know she's an atheist, and if I had the time to read through all her archives (about two years' worth) I'm sure I'd find out lots more about her.

As of 15 June 2008, I've been blogging for 6 years. I'm 30 this year, so that means I've lived one-fifth of my life on the Internet, and have blogs scattered all around – seven, at last count, plus I've moved my personal blog twice (once from Blogger.com, once from a domain with my name in it to a more anonymous domain). Makes me wonder what someone could dig up on me given the opportunity, determination, and a bit of luck. *shudders*

I have a question for you guys. If you had bad news or disturbing news, which you knew would upset someone, and you only had the choice of breaking it to them at the beginning of the day or the end of the day (because, you know, in between both of you are at work, and then after work you have dinner appointments and stuff), which would you choose? And why? Or does it not matter?

Since I've got a new poll up, I'll take the opportunity to sum up the last one, which was about durians, in case you don't remember ;)

Why durians, you ask? Well, Mr TDH and I were talking, and he said a friend of his is just so-so about durians, doesn't love them, doesn't dislike them either. I insisted that this is not possible -- durians, I said, are one of those things that you always have strong feelings about. You either love them or hate them. There is no in-between!

Thus, I put up a poll, and 20 of my loyal readers voted. (What?! I only have 20 readers?!? *wails*)

Results:

How could you guys disprove my theory like that?? *pouts*

Only 45% of those who voted have strong feelings about durian either way. Luckily I didn't make a bet with Mr TDH on the outcome!!

According to a Bernama report, petrol prices might rise to RM3.15 per litre by the end of this month because global prices of crude oil continue to rise. The Second Minister of Finance was quoted as saying that if the subsidy system is not restructured, the government "would be forced to" set the petrol price at RM3.15 per litre.

If this comes true, it proves that our dear Prime Minister is a liar. On June 11, he promised that petrol prices would not rise again this year. The recent 41% rise has been more than enough, thankyouverymuch.

Now, bear in mind that we are an oil-producing country, and take a look at this chart which I stole from Zewt's blog (he received the chart through email):

All I can say is... our government keeps saying our petrol prices are one of the lowest in the region, but unlike our regional neighbours, we are an oil-producing country, so why wouldn't our petrol prices be lower than theirs?

Where is all the money going to?

Found this really great quote today.

Spoon feeding in the long run teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon.
--E. M. Forster

Very apt for the Malaysian education system.

***

Work proper hasn't started yet; classes resume July 7. Meanwhile many of the staff are on leave, so it's been pretty quiet at the office, and I'm just preparing what I can. Oh, and the Hush Puppies 3-inch heels? Very comfortable but still hard on the feet -- it's the pressure on the balls of the feet that makes you long to kick the shoes off after a long day and soak your poor tired feet in a basin of warm water. Ahhhhh.

Need to work on make-up techniques; Sze Hui keeps saying there's no difference after I apply my make-up. I've already put on three layers of blusher, how many more do I need???

***

Although I miss the convenience of the old house (near to food stalls and all), I realise my new place is actually nearer to my current workplace. Takes about a 45min drive to office in the mornings because of traffic, but if I leave on time in the evenings I can get home in half-an-hour. I'm very pleased I don't get stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic; even in the mornings, although traffic can be slightly on the heavy side, it's always moving. And I like driving. The petrol price increase is a bummer though, and my car runs a 1.6cc engine with automatic transmission. Yikes. But very nice to drive :P (Well, at least in comparison to my previous 660cc manual Kancil!)

***

I'm kinda running away from cell group meetings. Well, not really, but... hmm. I just let things sort of come up and get in the way.

Haven't been in a church cell group for ages, ostensibly coz I was having night classes 3 times a week (6pm-9pm). Now that I've finished all my subjects, I don't have that excuse anymore. So I thought some extra Christian companionship would be good, healthy for the soul and all that. Then, uh, a certain person of a certain position in church (no, not Sivin *cough*) began inviting me to join a specific Life Group (our church's term for cell groups).

Hmmm... it's hard to explain, I'm not sure I feel completely comfortable with this person as far as sharing and opening up goes. I don't have anything against them, in fact I like them -- what I know of them anyway -- just that communication doesn't seem to flow so smoothly between us. Maybe it's a language thing.

I really like that this person is actively inviting me to join their LG and is concerned about me. I'm grateful for that. Find it hard to tell them I would like to be given the space to make the decision of which LG to join. But I also figure I should be fair and just go and see what the LG is like rather than just thinking it probably wouldn't be a good fit. After all, it wouldn't be the first time that I was wrong about something! The problem is, I keep sabo-ing myself. And then I pai seh (embarrassed) because I give reasons to the person for not turning up and both of us know that I'm just making excuses! I always imagine them rolling their eyes and thinking, "That girl ah, full of excuses only..."

Man, the headaches I give my church leaders -_-"

Today I learnt that every 1m² of bridge costs RM5,000 to build. No wonder bridges cost millions and billions of dollars.

***

It felt like the universe was trying to prevent me from getting to church this morning.

Okay, the first part was my own fault. I went to bed very late last night and as a result, overslept this morning. Then I went to my car and remembered I had to tape up one of the back windows -- the window mechanism has died and the glass pane keeps slipping down when I drive. So I went back up to the apartment to get tape and scissors.

After taping the window, I got into the car, all ready to go, and... the car wouldn't start. I figured a weak battery was the culprit; the car had been in the workshop for 11 days. So I went back up to the apartment to get jumpstart cables (they're not mine, which is why I didn't have them in the car).

Now, it is kinda ironic to be in a carpark, surrounded by cars, when you need help to jumpstart yours. I put my car bonnet up and stood in front of it, holding the cables, waiting to throw myself on the mercy of some passing car and beg for assistance.

Saw a Honda pull into a lot across the carpark and dashed over, giving the poor driver the fright of his life when I tapped on his car window. But he was willing to help, thank God, except he wasn't sure how to jumpstart a car. Aren't men born knowing these things? Anyway, that wasn't a problem -- I attached the cables and my car powered up on the first try. Phew!

By this time it was waaaay too late for me to go to church. I'd have turned up in time for the last 30mins or something. Plus, it dawned on me that if I were to drive to church, the car likely wouldn't start again when I wanted to leave -_-"

So I drove to Sunway and back, then to Parliament House and back, to let the alternator charge the battery. *shrugs*  I like driving, and it's especially nice to drive around on Sundays, when the roads are clear.

***

Yea I got my car back yesterday afternoon. The workshop owner personally delivered it to my place. He said he got his workers to stay till 1am on Friday night / Saturday morning to finish it. The story goes like this:

I sent my car to the mechanic, who sent it to this guy, since mechanics normally don't do bodywork stuff. So this guy told the mechanic, "What?! You quoted her RM1,500? Where can do so cheap one! Prices of materials all gone up already lah!"

The mechanic was therefore tasked with giving me the new quotation and getting my okay on it. He told the workshop guy he tried, but couldn't get hold of me. Apparently, according to him, I was out of town. To think there I was, holed up in my apartment, eating bread and sausages for lunch every day coz I was car-deprived!

Now, bear in mind that I called the mechanic on Wednesday to find out whether my car was ready, and he did not even HINT at a price increase. All he told me was, "Maybe by Saturday," and "I'll get them to hurry up".

Then I called him again on Friday to ask if my car would be ready the next day, and next thing I know, the workshop guy is calling me and saying, "Hah? You want it so soon ah?!"

Is this or is this not a WTF situation, you tell me???

So the car had apparently sat there growing mould for an entire week while the mechanic blissfully imagined me to be sunning myself in the Carribean or something. NO WONDER LAH TAKE SO LONG!!!! Good grief!!! I imagine the mechanic probably confused me with some other car owner. If he were a surgeon, I bet he'd be the type who accidentally operates on the right leg instead of the left...

Anyway, I've gotten my car back in time, thank God, and if it will start tomorrow morning, that's all really I ask for. *sigh*

***

Dad happened to be in town this weekend so I had lunch with him today. We talked about emigrating (please note: Migration is for the birds! Humans emigrate!!). I asked whether he wishes he'd stayed on in the UK after completing his postgraduate studies, but he said no, career-wise it would have been good but he'd hated the weather in England. He also revealed that he'd considered emigrating to Australia when I was very young, but Mom hadn't seemed keen, so he'd not pursued it further.

When you think about it, the choices my parents could have made, the choices I myself could have made, the places we could have gone, the things we could have done... it's a bit mind-boggling that I've ended up here, in this place, doing what I'm doing now. Somehow I have to believe that I'm not here by chance.

It was a good chat, I got to see the real person behind my dad, which he'd never let us see before. He has embraced the concept of "sharing". You know, like how Christians say, "Let me share this with you..." I can also ask him questions now! I even asked him whether he'd made a will -- that's the lawyer in me -- and if anything happens to him or Mom, should we have the funeral in Sabah or back here. And he didn't get upset!

Of course I am brilliant. And totally awesome. :P

I caved and installed the Haloscan commenting system here. Because I can't stand not hearing from all my friends and readers. It feels ridiculous, when I already have an integrated comments system, but Bob doesn't have time and I don't have the knowhow to troubleshoot. So this is the next best thing.

I used to use Haloscan years ago on my very first blog, hosted at Blogger.com. I'm still a premium member due to a small one-time donation I made all those years back. It's a good system and has always worked well for me in the past.

Why am I so chuffed? Because I not only managed to successfully install it, I also managed to make it show up on my own post page, rather than as a pop-up! w00t! I so rule!!

Arrrgggggh I stress!!!!

I send the car in for repainting on Wednesday, they tell me it should take about a week.

I call this week Wednesday, they say, "Maybe by Saturday." I'm like, what do you mean, "Maybe by Saturday"? I need the car to go to work on Monday!

Now they say, "Next week Wednesday." ARRRGGGGHHHH!

"The price has gone up... blah blah... couldn't get hold of you to confirm since we gave you a lower quotation earlier... blah blah..."

What do you mean you couldn't get hold of me to confirm? My phone sits next to me every day and these days I'm even answering on the first ring! (which has rarely happened in the entire almost-30 years of my existence)

...

He calls me at 7pm and says he'll get his men to work overtime so I can get the car by tomorrow night o.O

"How much will it cost?"

RM1,700, he tells me. RM200 more from the original estimate. Oklah, that's not too bad. But I hope the rush job will be okay. At this point I can't decide whether I should say, "Take your time and do a good job," or "Hurry up! I need the car!" :\

Life! Decisions, decisions...

And do you know I've been holed up at home all this time? This entire week. I'm going stir-crazy! Eating bread & sausages every day! Bleargh! SOMEBODY COME AND GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!