Confessions of a City Slicker

This one’s gonna sound like one of those emails warning women of the latest snatch theft or rape techniques, except this time, you’re getting it straight from the horse’s mouth.

Was walking back to the office from lunch when I was approached by this Malay man wearing a helmet.  I recognized him immediately.

As expected, he quickly launched into his well rehearsed opening line, "Jangan takut, saya bukan orang jahat."

After that opening line to allay his victim’s fears, he will continue with his sob story to fish for sympathies that he’s on his way to visit his mother who just had surgery in a nearby hospital.  Unfortunately for poor lil ol’ him, his bike broke down half way.  Luckily he managed to get someone to fix it for him, but he’s a little short on cash, so if he can count on the goodness of his victim’s heart, he would like to borrow some money (usually around RM50.00).  He will, of course, pay it back.

Yeah, right.  The minute I hand over the cash to him, I might as well kiss it goodbye.

Anyway, is he kidding?!?!

This is the THIRD time he has tried to con some money from me using that same story.  Obviously he can’t recognize me, but I sure as heck recognized him.

Wanna know what the funniest thing is?

The first time he approached me with that story, I was still working in Beach Street.  That must have been between 1993-1996.

After more than a decade, you’d think that our friend would have wised up and changed tactics a little.

I had just removed some cards from an Ah Long from my car’s windshield, so I handed one over to him and asked him to call the number.

They are in the money lending business after all, and will be in the best position to help him.  The best part is, he doesn’t need to make an appointment to pay them back.  They always have the knack for tracking people down to collect.

I walked away grinning from ear to ear while Mr Con Man was shouting and cussing behind me.

I woke up on Sunday morning to the delicious aroma of curry wafting from my kitchen.

Oh goodie!!!!!  Mom is finally cooking the big tiger prawns that Dad bought last week.  Am I gonna have a treat today.

Previously, Mom will ask Dad to take the prawns to a friend of his who owns a food stall somewhere near Weld Quay to cook them for us.

Looks like spending time with our Indian neighbors has benefited her as she finally leanred to cook authentic Indian curry.  I was so proud of her, that is, until I found her secret in the trash - Allagapas.

Hehehe….with all the work required when preparing curry, I guess I can understand why she would want to cut corners.  I know I would

Oh well, who cares, as long as the end result is just as delicious.  Even with my allergies, I still managed to wallop 5 big tiger prawns.

I’ll deal with the itchiness later on.

Needed to restock some essentials from Guardian Pharmacy today, so after work I drove to the outlet in Penang Plaza.  Although there is a Guardian just downstairs from my office, that one is just nice to look at.  In reality, it’s pathetically understocked in terms of essential items.

Took the opportunity to have lunch at Continental Bakery.  In one of my ex-offices, there will normally be people going there during lunch time on Thursdays and coming back with enough stuff to open a grocery store.

That’s because Thursday is the only day of the week that they have their freshly baked banana bread.  I don’t know if they are still doing that.

They also have a lot of varieties of breads and pastries, all reasonably priced.  I especially love their puffs and chicken pie.  The health conscious people will love their wholemeal buns.  I’m talking whole pieces of wheat here, not the crushed type like in Gardenia bread.

This is also the only place that I can get decent croissants.  They are sold at RM6.00 for 6 pieces.  Sweet!  I love croissants.  Continental’s croissants have a lovely buttery aroma and is light and fluffy.

Gonna have them for breakfast tomorrow.  Looks like I’m gonna have to save the Herbalife shakes for lunch and dinner.  Not sure if the parents have a taste for croissants, though.

I think the only place that used to serve delicious croissants was Deli France.  Can’t find one in Penang now.

If you’re not into the plain croissants, there is also the chocolate covered type that will appeal to any sweet tooth.

I had my usual there - their very thick and creamy mushroom soup (RM3.70) and beef spaghetti (RM4.70).  They also have chicken spaghetti.

The soup is as good as I remember, comes together with 2 small pieces of garlic bread.  They have added pieces of mushroom in it.  If I remember correctly, previously, they only have the chopped up mushrooms.

Of course, the spaghetti is as good as I remember, with just the right acidity and full of the heavenly smell of herbs.  The other pricier places can’t even come close to this.

Continental Bakery is located at Jalan Nagore.  It’s the corner shop just opposite Golden Steamboat.

I was so looking forward to watching the latest Indiana Jones movie.  Heck, I stayed up half the night trying to book tickets online.

Now that I have seen the movie, I should have passed.

Actually, they should have left Indie riding off into the sunset in the last movie instead of attempting to get a last one in.  It was pathetic!

The action sequences were great as were the funny moments.  Indie can still crack a joke or two and I know Froggy had fun watching it because she alternated between laughing and squealing throughout the movie.  If you can divorce yourself from the story, it’s quite a ride.

However, I have to say that the story line is similar to National Treasure II.  Heck, there is even a car chase scene through Academia that is just like the one in National Treasure II.

Another similarity - National Treasure II talks about the lost city of gold that is located inside Mt Rushmore.  Indie’s lost city of gold is somewhere in the middle of the Amazon jungle.  The water element plays a pivotal role in both lost cities.

While the first 3 movies talked about ancient relics, this 4th installment tried to up the ante by combining the ancient civilization element with science fiction!  They actually had aliens in there, complete with the whole Area 51/Roswell inuendos and a flying saucer during the final climatic scene.

OK, so it’s a well known belief amongst science fiction buffs that the gods worshipped by the ancient Mayan civilization were visitors from another world.  How else can one explain the great inventions and achievements that the Mayans had in terms of engineering and Mathematics?

But the whole premise just seemed rediculous for an Indiana Jones movie.  If this were an X-Files movie, then that would be different.

Marion Ravenwood, man, what happened to that fiesty broad from Raiders of the Lost Ark who can beat a Siberian (at least I think it was a Siberian) in drinking shots?  Right now, she just seemed an annoying, whiney woman who has no choice but to tag along.

Then there’s Shea Laboeuf as Mutt aka Henry Jones III, Indie’s son by Marion who insists on grooming his hair at every opportunity.  Like father, like son, so they say because both father and son named themselves after dogs.

With the introduction of the whole family thing, my fearless explorer seemed domesticated.  The whole movie after that revelation seemed to change direction and turn into a family outing rather than just a gool ol’ fashion adventure yarn.

Oh the dialogue between Marion and Indie was witty, the sarcastic banter coming out non stop from both sides sharp as ever.  But Ford and Karen Allen just don’t have that chemistry to make it believable.  In the end, it ended up sounding like a domestic quarrel.

Of course, because age is catching up with our hero, he is relegated to the role of stunt driver while his son does most of the action sequences like sword fencing between 2 speeding vehicles and swinging from the vines like the monkeys.

And he got married in the end, finally bringing his family together.  I guess it’s a good thing that our hero finally found his happily ever after, that being the period of the nuclear family and all that.  Maybe the producers are trying to show him as a man who has finally grown up and owned up to his responsibilities.

Indiana Jones domesticated, tamed, happily married.  Oh how sacriligeous!

Me, I like to remember our hero as he was at the end of The Last Crusade, riding away from Petra, looking to the horizon for the next adventure.

I would say go watch the movie only if you are looking for a fun movie date.  But if you are like me, who owns all 3 of the previous movies and want our hero immortalized as the great adventurer that he is, give it a miss.

The High

The text message came in early in the morning:

"Victory!  Man United just scored the Champions League"

Oh hurray!  This definitely proves to be a good start to the day.  Of course, I missed the match.  Don’t have Astro at home and I’m not so crazy as to roam the streets looking for a 24 hour mamak stall that also has ESPN at 2 in the morning, thank you very much.

I guess the only damper in the game is that Christiano missed during the penalty shootout.  It’s lucky that Chelsea missed 2 goals.  But then, who’s complaining, right?  United won!

Now I’m really gonna go find myself an official Man United jersey, preferably one that has Christiano’s name on it.  Anybody know where I can get one?  In a size that fits me?

I would also really love to go to Old Trafford to watch them play but with the conversion rate being what it is today, the expenses would be real steep.

The Low

Found out by late morning that mah baby boy David Archuleta lost in American Idol.  After watching his performance tonight, I’m really surprised.

A bigger surprise is that his rival, David Cook won by a landslide of 12 million votes.

OK, I guess I understand why America voted for David C.  His performance has a raw edge and the energy he resonates seemed to reach out of the TV and get to you, the lights and rock music notwithstanding.

Still, when David A sings, it feels like he is not just singing but singing TO me.  He has the voice of an angel and communicates through his song in the way that touches my soul.

America has voted, so there nothing more to say.  But I don’t think we have heard the last of young David A.

The winner gets to kickstart his career with a recording contract, but the exposure that the contestants get in the show has sparked a few careers as well, even if they don’t win.

Like they said in the papers, Clay Aiken IS more famous than Ruben Studdard.

To Randy, Paula and Simon, and of course, not forgetting Ryan, see you next season.

The High

The text message came in early in the morning:

"Victory!  Man United just scored the Champions League"

Oh hurray!  This definitely proves to be a good start to the day.  Of course, I missed the match.  Don’t have Astro at home and I’m not so crazy as to roam the streets looking for a 24 hour mamak stall that also has ESPN at 2 in the morning, thank you very much.

I guess the only damper in the game is that Christiano missed during the penalty shootout.  It’s lucky that Chelsea missed 2 goals.  But then, who’s complaining, right?  United won!

Now I’m really gonna go find myself an official Man United jersey, preferably one that has Christiano’s name on it.  Anybody know where I can get one?  In a size that fits me?

I would also really love to go to Old Trafford to watch them play but with the conversion rate being what it is today, the expenses would be real steep.

The Low

Found out by late morning that mah baby boy David Archuleta lost in American Idol.  After watching his performance tonight, I’m really surprised.

A bigger surprise is that his rival, David Cook won by a landslide of 12 million votes.

OK, I guess I understand why America voted for David C.  His performance has a raw edge and the energy he resonates seemed to reach out of the TV and get to you, the lights and rock music notwithstanding.

Still, when David A sings, it feels like he is not just singing but singing TO me.  He has the voice of an angel and communicates through his song in the way that touches my soul.

America has voted, so there nothing more to say.  But I don’t think we have heard the last of young David A.

The winner gets to kickstart his career with a recording contract, but the exposure that the contestants get in the show has sparked a few careers as well, even if they don’t win.

Like they said in the papers, Clay Aiken IS more famous than Ruben Studdard.

To Randy, Paula and Simon, and of course, not forgetting Ryan, see you next season.

These past weeks made me doubly glad that I held on to my daughter instead of getting something bigger.

Every since Tesco started their paid parking system, finding a spot to dump the car while I’m at the office has been very competitive, especially when I get back from lunch.  At times, I almost wish I didn’t go home at all.

I’ll be lucky to find a spot that I can park and leave decent space front and back.  Most of the time, it’ll be a pathetically tiny spot that requires all my skills to get the car in.

So, driving a teeny weeny Sang Kancil does have its advantages.  I can’t help feeling smug when I see people with bigger cars driving around unable to find a spot when I can easily squeeze into the tiniest of spaces.

My daughter may be a little seasoned and in need of a makeover and sprucing up, but I think I’ll keep her for the time being.  But then, come to think of it, if I can afford a bigger car, then I should be able to afford to pay for a parking space for it, right?

If I do upgrade to a newer, bigger car, I wouldn’t dump it at the side of the road under the sun and rain.

It’s past midnight, I’ve got to work tomorrow, so what am I doing up and online?

I’ll give you a hint - he wears a fedora, carries a whip and names himself after his dog.

You guessed it - INDIANA JONES.

The big premier of the movie is this Thursday, so I’m now trying to get into the online system to book a pair of tickets for meself and Froggy.  Unfortunately, it seems I’m not the only one with that idea.

The system is currently "being updated" or so they say.  This usually happens when there are too many people trying to get in.  I’ve been trying to get in since midnight.

Advanced sales of the tickets have been made available since the 15th, but since none of us are working near Gurney anymore, it’s a little difficult for us to take advantage of it, unlike Pirates of the Carribean.

OK, must not give up, must persevere, must keep trying.  Patience will pay off.  Even if I must stay up half the night, OK, I probably won’t.  That would be just an extreme case of kiasuism.  Worst come to worst, Froggy will just have to make a trip to Gurney to get the tickets just like when we tried to book for DaVinci Code.

I must admit, looking a the trailer, Harrison Ford still looks good, albeit a little "seasoned".  But then, he’s the kind of guy who will always look good at any age and will never lose his charisma.

This will be Froggy’s virgin encounter with our intrepid archeologist hero.

Dr Jones, see you Thursday!

It’s Dad’s birthday today, so I took the parents to my fave steamboat restaurant, Xuan Xin.

One thing I noticed of late, I don’t eat the way I used to anymore after losing all that weight.  Not that I’m complaining, I love my new figure.

So after just 1 round of the many varieties of balls and the meats from the tapenyaki section, I was done.  The parents finished the rest.

What happened?  There was a time when I used to be able to make repeated trips to the buffet line.  Nowadays, a beef burger with egg and cheese feels like 3-course dinner when it used to be just satisfying.

These days, food to me is just a sustainance, something to give my body fuel.  In fact, it has been a long time since I prowled the streets or food blogs looking for a new place with good food.

It’s really just a means to an end.  I eat because I need to, simple as that.  Oh, I still enjoy my favorite foods.  I just can’t gorge myself with them like I used to.

Rice is public enemy #1.  Mom must be pleased, because with the price hike of rice, she’s definitely saving a lot.

Sigh…I get the feeling that very soon, nobody will invite me to buffets anymore.  It’ll be just sheer waste of money.

The results are out - it’s the two Davids going head to head next week at the grand finale of American Idol 7.

Yeah, I know, this update is a little late, but do bear in mind that poor me doesn’t have Astro and I keep track of the results through Yahoo.  But I still wanted to watch the results show before I say anything.

Actually, this year’s Idol is kinda predictable.  From the start I already foresee that cutesy David Archuleta will be in the finals, and after his rendition of Billie Jean, David Cook will be another favorite.

Who do I think is gonna win?

Based on statistics and previous Idol results, my money would be with David A.  He is more mainstream pop culture and voters go for that.  I must say that David A has a very unique voice and with his soulful eyes, shy demeaner and adorable face, winning shouldn’t be a problem.  I had been rooting for him since Hollywood Week.

On the other hand, Cowell thinks that David C will win.  After this week’s show, I’m inclined to agree with him.  I think David C shines throughout this week’s competition, even if some of the judges don’t necessarily agree.  Cowell tends to be pretty accurate in his predictions.

David A seems to be struggling since they banned his meddling dad from being around him during rehersals.  He really needs to step up during the finale if he wants to win.

Still, David C is a rocker and this could be detrimental to his chances.  Rock is pretty much a niche genre dominating a fraction of the music industry.  I mean, look at Doughtry.

Closer to home, look at Faizal Tahir during the One In A Million competition.  Although he was obviously the more talented performer with outstanding showmanship, in the end, the public still for voted Suki who is more mainstream, although less seasoned and less talented as the winner.

On a side note, Fantasia performed tonight.  Sheesh, what a shocking performance it was, even if it was energetic.  The camera managed to capture Cowell with his, "I don’t know what that was," face :)))))))

Yeah, I agree with you, Mr Cowell.  It was loud, Fantasia’s dancing was grotesque, her red hair was hideous and she still sounds like a cat howling after all this time.

Can’t wait for the finals.  It will really be a close competition.  But one thing is for sure.  Whoever the winner is, his name will be David.