Read The Freaking Manual

All this while whenever either my mom’s PC or dad’s PC wanted to print, I’d have to connect their respective network cable into my network card. The printer was connected to my PC anyway, and the 56Kbps modem was also shared with my mom or dad at either time. To save myself the trouble of rolling out the table with the printer (hence loosening the parallel cable) to change RJ45 plugs, I decided to invest in a hub/switch.

Last Saturday I went down with my colleague to the central computer shopping center, Low Yat Plaza. I got myself a cheap (RM105) Lantech 5-port 10/100 Fast Ethernet switch. I later met up with Dinesh and Shaz and well, promptly forgot one glaring thing – cables.

Previously I had two crossover cables that were needed to connect two computers directly. However, connecting to a hub or switch or anything but a computer would need a straight cable! It only hit me at 9 pm as I was having dinner with them.

When I got home I asked my dad what the distance was; he gave it in feet. I was confused. I asked if 20 meters made sense going up one floor and wrapping around the staircase, and he said okay.

Nevermind then, I figured, and I went there again. I discovered this shop chockful of wires, enticed by the various colors. I asked about the shortest cabling (2 meters) and whether crossover cables could be used with switches. They said no, unless the switch was “auto-sensing” or had “auto MDI/auto MDIX”. They asked what brand I had, and I replied Lantech. They said it didn’t have those features, and neither did DLink, a relatively reputable network hardware company.

I then headed over to this big cable-networking looking shop and got myself in-front-of-your-own-eyes crimped 2 meter, 2 meter and 20 meter straight cables. It was cheaper there anyway.

With my bag loaded, I met Dide and another Xfresher, Nazri/technophile, for lunch. I have to thank Dide for the free Quarter-pounder with cheese McValue meal. 🙂 I didn’t see the difference between this and a double cheeseburger though…

Dide and I hopped over to KLCC to collect some long-awaited pictures from KJ/subyo on CD-ROM. We then all went our separate ways. (I have no idea why I am doing this commentary…)

I reached home and my dad asked how long was the cable I bought for his computer. 20 meters, I said, to which he estimated he’d only needed 30 feet. I told him that I wasn’t born when the Imperial measurement system went out in Malaysia! He converted it to 10 meters and he was right! There’s a thick coil near one end of the cable now… 🙁

I later read the thin manual and found the keywords – “autosensing” and “auto MDI/auto MDIX”! It elaborated further saying I could use a crossover cable! This meant that I only needed to buy one cable, whether crossover or straight!

Argh! Next time I’ll read the freaking manual!

I now know that even technically-proficient-sounding salespeople do not know everything.

Oh, and my home network? It’s working fine! Well at least if I get a new switch or router the cables will definitely work! 😛

Good Food Mood?

Dang, I wish I could remember the day’s events long enough to blog about them.

Anyway.

My family and I went around after church to look for a place to eat dinner. It was raining earlier so we wanted something warm and sheltered, not drizzled and having puddles of rain.

So we went to this relatively new but known steakhouse. Ooo errr. It was at a tiny office building. They had them caddies/people who get to try different cars each day. Looks expensive, I thought.

We walked in. We looked alienated, being the middle-class-dressed people we were. I looked around and at last I found some family which wasn’t dressed to the nines. There was a fishtank as well. Whoa. Not your average western food joint.

The menus came. The prices? Three times anywhere else. There weren’t even drinks in the menu! Was that a ploy? That if you were to ask, they’d pass you a “drinks menu” that consisted mostly of old ales?

As always, at any western food outlet, I’d pick fish and chips. It’s usually the cheaper of the expensive choices, and it’s the only one I know how to eat! Besides that, it’s boneless and has chips. 🙂 I ordered oxtail soup. Authentic, down to the chunks inside. Even the fish was flaky.

I looked around. There were conversations all around conducted in an overly proper manner. My mom overheard escargot while on my side there was this loud lady talking about Petaling Street.

The best part was the bill. When it came, my dad looked at it, stumbled and fumbled through his wallet, in search for his credit card. They took out a Kilometrico (read: cheap ballpoint pen) for him to sign the bill with. He continued looking stoned facing the wall behind me. I grimaced internally. Over RM160! You could buy 20 McDonald’s meals with that amount of money.

My mother, sister and brother came back from their mandatory visit to the toilet. Seems it’s a habit for us to go check out toilets. My dad showed my mom the bill. We kept quiet.

Later we got in the Perodua Rusa (probably the only locally produced vehicle in the vicinity!) My mom asked if the bill was correct. She fumbled with the torchlight and announced the grand total. My dad went, “What? Next time I must bring my spectacles!”

That was scary… I didn’t know my dad didn’t read the total! My mom checked to see if the bill was correct, and yes it was. 🙁

This made me wonder: Would I ever be able to afford to eat there again? To afford to eat like that every day? Heck, I didn’t find it a mind-blowing intestine-lining experience anyway. I’d feel more at home and still derive gastrointestinal satisfaction from a greasy burger from the local burger stall. That would cost like RM2. More than 80 times less!

P.S.: This brings a new line to my Quotes page:
“Money can’t buy happiness but it sure can buy pleasure.”

K.M.K.M.A.

>:)

I’ve been lacking sleep again. It’s the time again where I rush assignments. This one was about security and some other networking stuff that I couldn’t remember. All I remember was one way in – “Hacking by stupidity”.

Ironic, then, that I should find that it applied to today. Not that I got hacked or anything, but I realized people make themselves to easy to be hacked. Information is free and easy to get. I’m not a skilled stalker; the stalkees are easy targets. No, I’m not a stalker, either. I’m just an overcurious person who was challenged.

Heck, I’m easy to stalk myself. I know it, but I’m not afraid, least not very. Of course, ask me ASL and I’ll torment you and act blur at the same time. 🙂

Friends can betray you oh so easily. And not even intentionally. Not even knowing it.

I’d find it hard to disappear in real life. Some of me wouldn’t want to, so I’d live with it. Don’t worry – I won’t disappear! I’m not exactly independant. 🙁

Maybe a part of me wants to hold on. Maybe a part of me dares to. Maybe a part of me doesn’t know how to. Maybe a part of me doesn’t want to.

Sometimes I feel I’m wearing a signboard
It protects me from the sun that is so hot
It may be glaring and revealing everything
I hide in the clouds high at the top
But the agitation causes rain to drop
I fall in the dusk and wake in the morning

Killer Loop

I shared files today when done I hit play
I like MP3 and the OGG
WMA can come KMA
So just let me be with my free copy
The introduction mode of transmission
Aided by the chip helps your data ship
The circulation subject to action
The grip holds the trip causing loss of sleep
The affividat is a money spat
Where the legalese imposed a freeze
Citing it a threat unless terms are met
Is it a sick wheeze or just a small sneeze?
Looping all day long tell me what is wrong
Looping all day long what is with this song?

The Common Flu

(Picture withheld for sanitary purposes.)

Sickness is my woe it was all yellow
An unending flow flew out with a blow
Clogging up my head to Eustachians spread
Tonal barricade, nasal exit red
In two days later I was no better
I met the doctor to get a letter
From my description I got prescription
My wallet will burn for medication
Pills I had to pop in hope it will stop
Fall short and can’t top sucking a cough drop
People alternate to reciprocate
Makes me reinstate my medical fate
It’s the common flu, you will get it too
Come to my rescue, rid me of this goo

Digital Sand

Digital Sand (digitalsand.jpg, 3190 bytes)

I’m bound to the screen slave to the machine
Seems my ears have been clogged with paraffin
I feel commotion from deprivation
Waiting from station to destination
My face wears two bags without robes or rags
My response time lags resulting in nags
In a zombie state I live my life late
Waking up can wait regardless of date
Inside I’ve a shore and tide’s yet to pour
I need to sleep more hours than just four

Happy Chinese New Year

I wonder if putting a cheap CSS-based banner like above will bring me good luck.

This year was odd as ever. The loot was disappointing at only 2 digits. Not only that, the relatives didn’t come scattering slippers all over. 🙁

On the plus side, I went to church (okay, so that’s not the plus side yet) and after the mass, I bumped into my pious all-knowing cousin. I asked him if he knew any Lionel Wong, and he pointed to him! He was surrounded by three attractive females. (In search for politically correct word.) I went up to him and the females… left. 🙁

I shook his hand extra long (or was it the other way round?) and exchanged pleasantries. He was apparently a (I’m entering politically incorrect mode) chick magnet. A girl tapped him on the shoulder and wished him the season’s greetings. Of course, I had to be noticed as well, as she wished me too! 😮 She even asked him where I was from, to which he replied “KL-ite”. Heh.

Would it be a cardinal sin to go to church to wash my eyes and test my own magnetism?

On the second day I went visiting again, this time to a house in a lush neighborhood situated in a golf course. “Whoa” I went as I eyed the houses. Surprise it would be that I would see who lived inside! Those extremely-studious-looking people who visited last year! Inside were trophies which indicated some form of academic-system-conquering. Studious indeed! It was a lesson to me somewhat. Never underestimate studious-looking people… they may have overflowing pockets! Now looking studious isn’t a bad thing as I looked studious-looking myself. Except, of course, I’m not rich. I don’t even have my own domain yet!

Speaking of websites, The Assasin is the latest link in my About Me! page.

Sides


I was frustated and very bothered when I did this. All live, no racking-through-words-to-rhyme. I was lazy to bother with syllables as well.

Had you no choice? Had you no voice?
A fence separates where tension escalates
Your balance tires on the barb wires
Quickly! Pick a side! You don’t know why inside
You can’t share the opinion of the opposition
Go on, revolt! You have no salt
So begins the assault with the movement of fault
You support your friends, there’s no ‘depends’
From strong bonds you sap and rise in step
It soon becomes mockery of true anarchy
Free thought has no charge because we get it in small regular and large

A Foursome Update

1) Public Transport

Due to my haphazard sleep-deprived state, public transport took me for a ride on the 25th of January 2003.

The bus: I woke up late and missed the company bus from the Asia Jaya bus stop.
The PUTRA LRT: Fine, there was a PUTRA LRT station 5 minutes away. I took it to Ampang Park station to have my breakfast but overslept and overshot. Nevermind, I had an unlimited pass. After eating my breakfast I bought a newspaper to break change for the taxi later. I took the PUTRA LRT to get off at Masjid Jamek to get on the STAR LRT.
The STAR LRT: The digital signboard above said that the next train was to Ampang (I was supposed to take the one after it to Sri Petaling). I opened my newspaper and read it, while adjusting my FM radio. A train came and I hopped in. Note that I didn’t say “the train” but “a train”! I was 3 stations on the wrong route before I noticed! Well then, turn back and I was on the right train.
The taxi: I’d have to take a taxi from the Bukit Jalil station to the office. (I needed change, that’s why I bought the paper!) Fortunately the 10:30am company shuttle van came by and was free. Yay!

Next up I was supposed to go to this seminar in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, so a colleague and I took a taxi from the office straight to HELP Institute, eyeful central… I miss urban female faces very much. It reminded me very much of secondary school. Plus when I ate lunch with Paul with his friends at McDonalds they spoke English! In my college they’d speak Cantonese and would be unable to afford McD’s. 🙁

The Intrakota 21A: It was either this or the Intrakota 21C. I waited 20 minutes and hopped on. Woe be that some gear connection broke and the bus stopped in the middle of nowhere! (Well actually it was a major junction but not near any place.) We got off and waited. The 21C came soon enough, and the crowd swarmed in. Only half of the crowd could before the bus sped off, leaving yours truly baking waiting for the next 21A. Upon which reaching the area I walked to the place, and my reliable legs did not disappoint me at all. 🙂

2) Passed barely… again.

I passed my subjects again, getting a B for PL/SQL and C for everything else. (Read: Computer Architecture and Data Modelling.) I’m just happy I didn’t fail. Not that I wouldn’t be able to handle it; when accessing the results site it couldn’t load for many times. I was expecting to fail anyway.

3) Linkage! Another personal webpage!

Hi Uneeq! This was in case you found my trace through your web tracking system! 😛 I’ve rearranged and added a link in my About Me! page. Usually I go through my links every time I get online and Shift-click (open in new window) each link.

4) “My nose points upwards.”

It’s one thing to be picky about who your friends are, and another to pick friends based on a certain level of intellect. I didn’t mix with gangsters even though I very easily could have. However, I don’t find it a major bummer to talk to someone whose English is simple (though I bet they struggle to figure out what I’m saying!) Notice how you laugh differently with different people? Well, humans are adaptive enough to break free of their comfortable cliques.

Goodnight people, or else tomorrow I’ll be headbanging as I sleep in the van.

Play Safe

U


Low vasculation needs consultation
Lack of excitement means all are dormant
Diamond prescription or manual suction
Makes those innocent stand in agreement
While waiting to fill one tastes the lacteal
Two lips for the love below, not above
A zesty tonsil is touched upon will
Could a stretchy glove tingle every nerve?
An upstream rough patch is a sniff and scratch
Three letters stated make you infected
Carriers will dispatch their goods in a stretch
If pain is spilt blood, disaster’s a flood
Let the pinkish flare as passengers stare
Is a hollow pear for many to share?