quirky (Ice)man thoughts

Since starting this blog and having an outlet to express all my Formula 1 Kimi Raikkonen obsession, writing about them so much these past weeks coupled with the non-stop googling, I just came to the realization that my "relationship" with Kimi is coming up to 8 years. Wow! I hadn't realize that I've invested that much time yelling at the television for this one man. It is outstandingly the longest non-familial relationship I have ever had with a guy. LOL! Whoever implied I'm commitment-phobe just don't know about Kimi and moi :P

Go figure that I can commit this long to a guy and he happens to be, most definitely, without a doubt, unattainable. His wife is a former Ms Scandinavia for god's sake! But to be honest, I don't have a crush on the guy, I don't exactly know why I've latched on to him with such fervent adoration. It's not that he isn't good-looking or a character (read: interesting personality) but my feelings for him are non-romantic. I have no idea why it is so important to me that this one man does well in his career, that I defend him when critics (read: annoying older sisters and ill informed friends) slag him off and that I'm ecstatic when he achieves success. Perhaps it's some sporting supporter syndrome like all those football fans who are fanatical about the football teams and go all hooligan-ish and such. God only knows but I wonder if it will continue once he leaves F1.....well, if he continues to race, say in rally, and it's broadcast, I'll still catch him on tv I guess :D

OK, off to watch the Bahrain GP race highlights. Can't get enough of the guy's performance.....hehehe, sounds kinda dirty :P

high on happy in the desert

I have no idea if that's actually possible, y'know, having an endorphine-high, but that's what it feels like and the phrase high on endorphines must have come from somewhere. I am blissfully smiling 94% of the time today, mainly in response to the vivid images in my head but to the outside world, it would definitely appear as if I am grinning without reason to anyone and everyone. I am most likely giving off a mentally unsound vibe, no disrespect meant to people with mental health issues. Vivid, happy, images. No, it's nothing dirty or erotic. It's just replays of the Bahrain GP that was on late yesterday afternoon where Ferrari finally broke their duck (read: pointless streak) with an inspiring and also, according to F1 commentator Steve Slater, heroic drive by my F1 pilot Kimi Raikkonen.

Yea. Yes, it's true, I am relaxed and ecstatically happy because Ferrari managed to get on the scoreboard largely due to Kimi's amazing driving. Forget the past week where I nearly drove myself crazy with all the googling and negative press I was reading. Forget the desperate mid-week sanity-saving, self-imposed ban on all F1 news till qualis on Saturday. All that has been erased with the roughly 2 hour race at the desert circuit of Bahrain. I have not seen this Kimi in a long time and watching him drive on Sunday brought back the best memories of his superior driving abilities. The man was so on form it has me grinning stupidly for more than 24 hours, I actually woke up smiling about it. I think a psychotherapist would find me an intriguing subject. I mean, who actually hinges their happiness on the outcome of a Formula 1 race? Who actually feels as if the cosmic chakras are aligned magnificently when a Formula 1 driver goes around and around a circuit for 57 laps and ends up finishing sixth? Me, that's who! So yea, I am in a euphoric state and am bestowing the people all around me with sincere and slightly manic-looking grins. God, I am a nutter, I told you I'm obsessed :D

But the fact remains, Ferrari finally managed to erase that zero and have their 3 points in hand before the season goes to Europe. Granted, finishing sixth is not winning but looking at their recent performance and with reliability and strategy issues constantly being called into question, it is with a huge sigh of relief for Ferrari fans everywhere that Kimi and the team pulled through with the 3 points. Yes, the car is lacking the speed and reliability while facing problems with a dodgy KERS system but it all came together for Kimi and despite seeing how painfully outmatched in speed the Ferrari was in comparison to the Brawns, Red Bulls, Toyotas and even the McLarens, the number 4 car on the grid still managed to keep the fast lapping car of Toyota's Timo Glock behind him to take the chequered flag in sixth. A fifth place was within grasp but during his last pit, there was a glitch with something on his front left tire which cost him precious seconds and subsequently allowed Rubens Barrichello to cross the Start/Finish line ahead of Kimi who came out marginally ahead of Timo Glock and had to fight off the Toyota's advances on the prime tires which were completely a hindrance to race pace for all cars on the grid. In F1, every point counts, you do whatever is possible, and sometimes impossible, to extract the maximum out of your car to gain those points.

However, despite Kimi's performance, Ferrari still has car woes. Quotes from Kimi post-race has revealed that although pleased with putting the team in the points, he is non-too happy with the ongoing performance issues. He was further quoted as saying that he has been around long enough to not get too excited about a sixth place finish. LOL. Funny but true. Some teams have never even scored a point so although this remark may come off as arrogant, to a racing team of Ferrari's calibre, that statement is completely on the mark. The Finn is only half of the piloting team. Felipe Massa, who was the runner-up in last year's championship is 0 for 4, retiring from 3 races thus far and classified in ninth at the torrential downpour that was the Sepang GP. It must be confounding to Felipe how badly his campaign has started this season. I'm sure he expected to pick up where last year ended, in the hunt for the driver's championship. To have such a floundering start must be a self-esteem batterer. Well, like the saying goes, what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger.

I guess some critics/pundits/people who like to comment on a racing outfits management team will likely attribute this show of improvement to the fact that Ferrari, along with Toyota and some other team I forget, conducted a bit of their winter testing in Bahrain and had the track data analyzed to within an inch of its life so they could come up with the best possible set-up come race weekend. Even if that is the main contributing factor to the Ferrari turnaround, it will still serve to raise the flagging spirits of the team and fans worldwide. Watching the qualis on Saturday, I had already noticed a Ferrari revival slowly coming together. Kimi was posting lap times up there with the current bests and was giving them a run for their money in both Q1 and Q2. Could have probably qualified higher than 10th if the team had not used up his set of fresh tires for that final push in Q3 but let's not dwell on the past. The point is come raceday, he got off the line quick and clean, boosted that KERS and managed to haul himself up to fifth in the first lap, only to have Barrichello's Brawn car overtake him on sheer speed later in that lap. He drove a good race, holding up Timo Glock in the faster car behind him and even at one point leading the race for 2 or so laps before coming in for his first pitstop. If that isn't a sign of a turnaround, I don't know what else to say. All I know that Kimi's superb drive wasn't a fluke. He took chances, he overtook, he raced smart. He drove a cool, calm, collected race, completely living up to his moniker 'Iceman', which is tattoed on his left forearm. People should stop questioning Kimi's motivation to drive. All reports agree, it was a strong sixth finish and it is looking good but tentative that the revival, for the team that is, will continue to the Spanish GP in 15 days.

Last words before I close.....bring on Barcelona!

the twilight saga

Ok, so after my movie review of Twilight, I was so bothered by the fact that I didn't like it that it actually compelled me to read the book. And I kept reading and reading and finally stopped at 'The End' in Breaking Dawn. I started on Sunday with Twilight and was done with Eclipse on Thursday. I tackled Breaking Dawn on Saturday and conquered it by early Sunday morning. Now I feel I am fit to express my feelings on both the books and the movie.

First thoughts. I don't particularly think Stephenie Meyer's books are a work of literary genius, and the premise of the story is as old as time but it is her writing skill that pulls it all together. I think she writes in a manner that manages to connect to the reader, in this case moi, whereby I was able to vividly conjure up the images she writes of in the book. Ok, granted, most of the scenarios I saw in my head were definitely coloured by the lingering imprints (hehehe) of the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed the books but it did impact me in a way I never quite expected.

I'm not aversed to reading young adult material, in fact I have bought a number of books geared towards this age set by well known young adult author Meg Cabot. But where Meg Cabot does not make me feel anything more than enjoyment at reading her teen books, I was overcome with the overwhelming feeling of oldness when I read the first three of the Twilight saga! I am unsure why the lingering impression left was one that made me feel as if I should be moving on from these type of stories. I felt like I was past my prime for them. It made me feel guilty in fact to be into the saga. I can only guess that it's most likely because I have a tiny crush on Jacob :P

LOL! I can't even begin to tell you how embarassed I am to have admitted I feel a girly pull towards a fictional TEENAGE character. The age difference makes me feel like a lech. Sigh. I feel dirty cos each time I read Jacob, SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD Taylor Lautner's face pops in my head. It doesn't help that I have had crushes on men with facial similarities to Taylor, most recent (as in 2 years ago) being Steven Strait of 'The Covenant' and '10,000 BC' fame. Also, Jason Mamoa (?) of Baywatch Hawaii (he was the ONLY reason I watched that series, ok!).

After ploughing through the saga, I am going to go against many fans of the series and say that my least favourite book was Twilight. I felt that behind the vampire and mortal front, it was just another teenage angsty love story. The writing I don't fault but it certainly does not win anything in terms of originality of the basic storyline. In fact, I did feel somewhat annoyed with Edward which did grow exponentially as I read the rest of the series. Even if there wasn't some other character vying for Bella's affections, I still don't think it would be enough to ensconce me in the 'Team Bella + Edward' camp. Frankly, I couldn't care less about these two. The way they prance around thinking their love is the greatest love of all was simply vomit-inducing. I just rolled my eyes a lot reading those parts and admittedly went through them faster than necessary. It just didn't interest me. I was more interested in the other vamps, namely Jasper and Alice as well as Rosalie and Emmett.

My favourite book is New Moon, which I know many fans thought was just a 'filler' type book to set the story for Eclipse. Perhaps because the story has a lot of Jacob in it, that's why I like it best. The less I have to read of broody, depressing, whiny Edward, the more I enjoy Stephenie Meyer's writing. And Bella is actually likeable when not in Edward's stifling company. I agree with the news item I read somewhere when they said that Edward is one of the most controlling, abusive partners equivalent to Heathcliff of Wuthering Heights. I liked Heathcliff, his broodiness I can stand. Edward justs annoys.

Second best is Eclipse. Only the parts where Stephenie Meyer lets us know more about the werewolves. I can't be bothered about the whole Bella-Victoria struggle. Since I've mentioned my affection for Jacob, I feel that the dude gets a raw deal. He always ends up disappointed by Bella's choices yet he's still there by her side when she needs him. I don't want to call him a doormat because I can't fault him for loving Bella so let's just say he's a stand-up guy who knows his right from his wrong. I would like to point out that Bella is consciously leading Jacob on with her declarations of love and her what-if scenarios where in an alternate universe Jacob Black would have been enough. Hello Bells, Jacob is not a second-best kinda guy, he's a numero uno and if you just can't see him for his complete awesomeness, cut the guy loose!

Nonetheless, her reprehensible behavior carries over into Breaking Dawn, the final book in the saga. Bella, why do you torture Jake so? Why do you make him stay near you when you know it's an unnatural situation for him? And seriously Stephenie Meyer, I would have preferred that Jacob ended up with Leah Clearwater or some other nice, totally deserving girl, because why the hell should Bella benefit in any way from the niceness that is Jacob Black? Lucky Nessie (vamp-girl) got Jacob to imprint on her which is just so wrong in my book! Like in the other stories, anything Jacob related, even when it's him and Nessie, I still love but when I have to endure Stephenie Meyer's definition of true, all-consuming, raw, honest love through her depiction of Edward and Bella, I just want to poke my eyes out. I do not believe this is a healthy relationship at all and at times it makes me feel disgusted at how Edward manipulates Bella.

Last thoughts: Jacob Black is awesome. Bella-Edward, whatever. Nessie is just ok (for Jacob's sake I'll tolerate her). Other people are alright as long as they don't join in with the lovefest that is Bella-Edward.

here we go again.....

Well, it looks like my F1 and Kimi obsession is officially spiralling out of hand this season. Don't get me wrong, I'm still pretty much all zen on the outside but the mental cracks are starting to show.

I really should stay away from trawling google news for F1-Kimi news but as previous seasons have proven, once I start it becomes a Mount Olympus type struggle to get off the metaphorical horse.

So the first 3 races have come and gone. Ferrari have not done well. This is me understating it. Basically, it is their worst start ever to a Formula 1 campaign since 1981. Isn't that a nice way for me to begin my new approach to F1-Kimi zen. A baptism of fire of sorts. Pile on the stress early on and see if she cracks.

Outwardly, I'm fine. I don't shout negatives at the tv, everything is all positive encouragements at a low-ish volume, sometimes applauding a move made on my own beloved driver. I guess this shows an emotional maturity on my part. That I can appreciate a great overtaking maneuver on Kimi without feeling resentful (read: wanting to bash my tv to pieces in frustration, or better yet, the driver in questions head!). I can even go as far as to say that I am able to enjoy watching the race even when it is a clear foregone conclusion that Kimi will not be anything worth mentioning in the news the next day.

But the slow mist of despair is starting to shroud my calmness. To curb/squelch the feelings dredged up by the awful start to the season Ferrari has made and make up for feeling bummed about the lacklustre performances, I have been reviewing the F1 2007 season race videos, specifically the Brazilian GP where Kimi won the race making him world champion. I thought it'd keep me from feeling disheartened but it kinda has me feeling worse. It just reminds me of the better times when they were on top and its hard to watch the struggles they are going through and being written off as non-entities this season. I know its the karmic circle, one minute you're at the top of the wheel and the next you're at the bottom, bla, bla, bla. Kimi has already had more than his fair share of being at the bottom. I think the guy deserves more than just the one break he got in '07. However painfully blissful it is to relive those '07 moments, it's become a drug and I keep watching that race over and over again since the Chinese GP yesterday.

It's not just on Kimi but Ferrari as a whole. They are simply too behind in the 2009 development, I can't seem to foresee an improvement in this coming weekend's race in Bahrain. I know they have talked about the car's development taking a step (or few, fingers crossed) forward at the Spanish GP but by then a lot of F1 pundits have said it might be too late. This is all especially more stressful as it could potentially be Kimi's last year in F1. He has never been one to conform to an F1 driver's mold and has mentioned before that breaking records set by drivers' past is not his aim. It is just to drive and win races. I could accept a retirement if he had managed to go on and win another championship but it will be a bitter pill to swallow if he leaves without achieving that. He is one of the most enigmatic drivers I have had the privelege to watch and it disappoints that he doesn't have more to show for it.

My hope was for him to launch a respectable campaign for this season but as it stands, this is a pipe dream at the moment. F1 is not the sport for playing catch up. By the time you are at the level of where the other cars were 3 races ago on a GP weekend, those other cars are most likely 2 levels ahead for that same race. It is hard to win coming from behind but not impossible. Kimi proved that in 2007 when he won his maiden championship. But all that aside, if Ferrari do decide to do minimal development on this year's car and instead concentrate on building for 2010 then I hope Kimi stays on for that. I cannot fathom walking away with a less than stellar swan song. When he leaves, I hope he gets all that he deserves and wants from formula 1 racing but I want it to be spectacular.

So, obviously I'm sounding like quite the nutter. But I'm so passionate about it. This sport and watching Kimi race is the one thing in my life right now that evokes such outward emotional responses. I'm usually more on the side of unemotional. Well, I project an air of "I-don't-care" attitude. There's always something going on internally. I want to remain positive. At least he has finished better than Felipe Massa and has outqualified him for grid positions twice in the first 3 races. I just hope Ferrari can actually finish the Bahrain race in the points with Kimi contributing. As it is, all they have is a big fat zero.

Nonetheless, however bleak the season is looking, Ferrari-Kimi can always rest assure that this tifosi will not give up on them.

a complete and utter washout...the saga continues

In China. It continues in Shanghai. Rain, rain, rain. But this time, the race has a happy, chequered flag waving end. Seb Vettel won. Red Bull Racing continues its assault on (attempting) decimating Brawn GP's stronghold on the '09 championship and the signs of Jenson Button's Ross Brawn-helmed dominance paving his way to the coveted driver's championship crown is cementing itself as a concrete outcome by year's end. If it wasn't obvious, I put in a lil road/tarmac humour, for my own amusement o'course, no one else reads this but me :D

What else transpired? It was such a forgettable race, I have completely forgotten what happened. All I know is Ferrari has continued its less than stellar but highly embarassing start to their 2009 campaign. Yes, yes, I still am 100% behind my pilot and his team, no need to call my loyalties into question but I'm not keen on rehashing another washout Ferrari outing. The bottom line is they sucked balls. Pardon the crudeness but that just perfectly summarizes the race for them.

So what do we take away from the 2009 Chinese GP? And the podium finishes are.....

One, good on Seb Vettel and Red Bull for being the fastest in the wet.
Two, woohoo to the unpredictable nature of the 2009 season.
Three, yes, everyone is confounded by the big three's (Scuderia Ferrari, McLaren Mercedes & BMW) failure to make headway with their 2009 car developments.

Really, nothing new to report. To put it simply, let's just wait for Bahrain, there's really no point in talking about Shanghai.

a complete and utter washout

That is what everyone is calling the Sepang 2009 GP. Not only did the heavens open and rained out the track just as the meteorological department predicted, and is wont to happen at most Malaysian Grand Prixs, but the race was red-flagged to a standstill.

So, although there was no chequered flag being waved, the eventual winner was Jenson Button as at the point the red flag command came from race central, he was, in effect, the race leader. However, sadly for him, the race had been underway less than the necessary two thirds distance or 75% race laps before it was called off so he only gains half of the actual race points.

In other news, Ferrari's weekend was a disaster. Hoping to improve on the less than stellar Australian outing, all Ferrari managed to do was put further spotlight on their bumbling strategies and lack of common sense, and of course, reminding anyone and everyone of the glaring absence of the holy F1 trinity we all know as Rory Byrne, Ross Brawn and Jean Todt. And it was looking quite good in Friday practice for the Prancing Horse outfit.

KERS. You are exactly that. A curse. By the time the red flag came out, about all of the KERS equipped cars were waterlogged, potentially causing a hazardous situation. Hence a lot of electrical malfunctions and potential driver electrocution.

The highlight of the race was the radio convo between Felipe Massa and Ron Smedley, his race engineer, in which the whole world heard Ron trying to calm a frantic, rain-sodden, visually impaired Felipe Massa by assuring "Felipe baby" that they would be bringing out the white visors to him soonish. That practically lit the blogosphere alight as the world giggled over the radio transmission. It has even inspired a single cleverly named, you guessed it, "Felipe Baby"" .

Other controversial happenings? The sight of Kimi Raikkonen out of his racing suit and dressed in bermudas and the company tee, eating a choc ice and grabbing a can of coke from the Ferrari garage fridge just after a Ferrari spokesperson announced that he would indeed be rejoining the race if race command starts it up again. To be fair, at that point, his car had already malfunctioned, was in the garage and had been put up on blocks. He just had not been announced as officially retired from the race. However, that didn't stop news spreading about how lackadaisical his attitude was and the motivation thing coming into question again.

All in all, the tropical rains of Sepang brought the race to a watery end. Let's just look forward to China.

the transformation is now complete

After more than a month of tinkling around, I am finally absolutely satisfied with the results. From being just another new kid on the block, I have managed to transform it into something with personality and beauty all rolled into one. I have gotten many compliments and like any proud parent, I am always happy to show off my pride and joy. What could I be talking about? Have a look for yourself.


Once upon a time, there was a generic looking HP 2133 mini-notebook. It doesn't qualify as an ugly duckling per se, the brushed aluminium look gave it a professional and business-y feel, all very corporate appropriate but didn't give anything that would distinguish this lil netty from all the other netty's of its kind. It felt soul-less, without its own identity to cling to, it was lost. It envied the Vivienne Tam HP 1000 for its vibrant colour and pattern that drew one and all to it. But not for long......

Armed with determination and some cash, the transformation began. First, it was given a new look. A pop of personality that set it apart from the rest. But the change didn't end there. Half-arsed transformation was not going to cut it. It would merely look freaky with the clash between the new appearance and that brushed metal look. Something extra needed to be done......



It was then taken to a specialist shop, one that could meld the two looks together. And at a cost of USD8, 1.5 hours later, the operation was complete. Gather round and get your first glimpse of the new and further improved Netty......



After putting on the decal I got from skins4u.com, I loved the look but felt that the decal didn't completely gel with the aluminium look of the rest of the netbook. Plus the pop of pink was a tad too much pop for me. I went to this shop that specializes in wrapping phones, laptop and myriad other tech gadgets in these sticky seran wrap like material. I've used this shop before for my E61i and was completely satisfied with the results. The wrap protects your gadget from unsightly scratches and kept the dirt out from 99% of the gadgets orifices.

It's daunting watching the process as a blade and a lighter are involved in the wrapping process. Once you get over the fact that short bursts of fire is being applied directly onto you hundereds of dollars worth item, you'll be fascinated, enthralled even, at the patience and preciseness that goes into the wrapping process. You can choose from a myriad of wrap designs. For my E61i, I chose a transparent wrap as I liked the mocha colour of my casing but for my Netty, I went with a black transparent sheet. It muted the pink in the decal but still allowed some vibrancy to show. Also, the brushed metal of the casing was enhanced and made even more gorgeous by the black transparent sheet. In my opinion that is. But I have gotten many compliments and enquiries after I got it done. Am extremely satisfied with the outcome. My Netty is gorgeous, stylish and protected. I couldn't ask for more than that :D

go, Kimi, go! woohoo!

I was texting my sis, telling her that it should be worth her while to go to the F1 race tomorrow cos Schumi, her fave driver of all time, will most possibly (99%) be on the pitwall during the race. She called me back to talk, saying it was going to be her, my dad and my nephew Miks going. Miks is going on 6 years old but ever since he could talk, I have drilled in him a love for F1 and Kimi Raikkonen.

He was with my sis when she called me and when my sis asked who he was going to support, he went "I'm support Kimi. Go, Kimi, Go! Woohoo!" Such a smart kid! I love him to pieces. The remainder of the conversation was of me and him repeatedly shouting "Go, Kimi, Go! Woohoo!" and discussing wardrobe choices for tomorrow's race. My sis will be bringing out her F1 t-shirt that she apparently had retired after Schumi quit the sport in 2007 and my nephew will be wearing a Ferrari tee my sis bought him to irk his mother and I while we were still supporting Kimi in Mclaren Mercedes. My dad owns no team tees but I guess he could be persuaded to wear something red.

I also told her to bring along her videocam as well as her Sony SLR. I am banking on good shots of Kimi during the driver's parade and some cool vids. If I can't be there, the least she can do is give me a feel of the race. I got some nice shots of Kimi during the one GP I attended but that was when he was driving for Mclaren. I'd like to have an updated shot of him in his Ferrari colours.

Can't wait for the race tomorrow! My new and laidback approach is really working out. Kimi only qualified 9th and I was all supportive, no yelling about what a disappointment or anything of the sort. I guess, the fact that Ferrari and Mclaren were in the title race to the bitter end in 2008 has backfired on them in this new season as they have not had the same luxury of developing their 2009 cars as well as the other teams. Hence, I don't find Kimi to be at fault here, he's doing the best with what he has. So all I can say is, "Go, Kimi, Go! Let's finish in the points! Woohoo!". Who says winning is everything :D

what Malaysian oil giant PETRONAS wants you to know about F1 drivers

I'm usually a fan of all things F1 but there's this new tv ad being shown that I feel is inappropriate. The ad showcases the tough conditions faced by F1 drivers in a single race, comparing those conditions to relatively relatable daily occurences. For example, one scene of a boxer being punched in the face is comparative to the G force a Formula 1 driver is under when he takes a corner at high speed. Times that with the number of corners a race track has and multiply that further with the number of race laps and yea, that is mighty gruelling. That's fine, it makes me understand the physical pressures the driver goes through. I completely respect the high level of fitness they have.

What I find distasteful is the shot of firefighters attempting to get into a building being ravaged by a raging fire. This is apparently similar to the heat an F1 driver has to endure in a race. Be that as it may.....c'mon, I found it completely ridiculous to compare the two. Firefighters are doing it to save lives, a service to their communities. It's a dangerous job that requires enormous courage. I find comparing the hazards of their job to that of an F1 driver laughable. F1 drivers, admittedly can be in dangerous positions, are nonetheless paid millions and are mainly in it to serve a multi billion dollar industry.

The people behind that ad idea could have found some other similar situation to compare the heat conditions. Another comparison of the increased heart rate of up to 200 bpm the drivers experience during the length of a race to that of a rescue diver in an emergency deep sea man overboard situation is also in poor taste. The people who approved the ad, and I believe it was sanctioned by the sports governing body, should have been more sensitive to the idiocy of the idea. Maybe I'm the only one who found that part of the ad incomprehensible. I don't care, it was just tasteless.

i dream of melissa

I figure I've been googling them so much of late that I might as well do my own write-up. Melissa Plastic Dreams (henceforth known as MPD) is a Brazilian based eco-friendly shoe company with a fantastically quirky and fabulous name and a line of shoes to die for. MPD manufactures shoes made from Melissa's patented plastic known as Melflex a 100% recyclable, hypo-allergenic monomaterial that easily molds to your foot, providing a comfortable custom fit. The company is also famous for their exclusive line collaborations with, among others, Campana Brothers, J Maskrey, Vivienne Westwood, Alexandre Herchcovitch and the Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid.

Melissa and Collaborators (Clockwise from left): Alexandre Herchcovitch, Campana, Vivienne Westwood, Zaha Hadid & J Maskrey

My personal encounters with the normal Melissa line as well as the Vivienne Westwood Anglomania + Melissa range can attest to the high comfort factor. Even squeezed into a size smaller, I felt no discomfort, the shoe provided more than adequate cushioning, it felt as if I was walking on sturdy foam cushion. A pleasant feel. The only thing that stopped me from getting them were my scrunched up toes. I already have a bunion problem, I do not need to exacerbate my foot issues.

Unlike most shoes made of plastic, all shoes in the Melissa line have a pleasant, sweet smell. My sis and I spent quite a bit of time passing the shoe between the two of us and taking sniffs. The smell is really quite addictive.

The designs are incredible. For a plastic footwear range, Melissa and her collaborators have managed to come up with simply inspired and forward-thinking comfortable designs. The arty pieces, especially by architect Zaha Hadid, are beautiful yet functional. Also, though most known for their plastic range, MPD also has velvet/suede shoes in the same designs as their plastic ones.

Some pretty Melissa shoes (top-bottom): Melissa Ashanti Ankle Booties & Melissa 3 Straps Elevated

I have been looking around and found a few online stores, mainly based in the US but with overseas shipping, that carry the Melissa line but these online stores do not have an extensive range of Melissas in their collection. They do however carry the shoe that I wanted to get in Bangkok, the Melissa Vinyl. I'm not entirely sure why I haven't made that commitment to get it, part of it could be I am hoping my May trip to Bangkok will bear fruition and I will get to own my first pair of Melissas. I guess if the Melissa Vinyl and I are meant to be, they will still be available at the online store when I've come back from my recce trip to Bangkok :)

dim twilight

I feel completely baffled by the movie. It wasn't awful but it also did not exceed my expectations. I felt it too angst-y, broody, predictable. Someone's comment I read somewhere summed it up perfectly:

"Vampire likes foolish woman. Foolish woman likes Vampire. Vampire tries to forget, because Vampires don't die, and people do. Vampire gives up and foolish woman finds out vampire is a vampire. Then there's some big fight thing, the vampire that likes the foolish woman wins and the story has a happily ever after."

LOL. This person was actually talking about the book, which I own but haven't read, but it basically sums up the gist of the movie. It makes me even more apprehensive to start reading the book. A number of people I know have read and finished all four books in the "Twilight Saga" and completely loved it, raving on and on about how good they are but I'm just not feeling the same based on what I've seen in the movie. And considering what I've read, apparently the movie is true to story so that's not actually making me want to pick it up any faster.

Anyway, my thoughts on the movie. I felt Rob Pattinson's Edward was too "in-yer-face". Watching him constantly invade Bella's personal space made me feel my personal space was violated. And not in a good way. Granted he's good looking but he totally did not have to be creepy about it. I understand the wishy washyness of alternating between wanting to know Bella and then avoiding her for her own good, back forth back forth, which he portrayed well albeit annoyingly. I guess, for someone who's hundreds of years old, I figured there should be more maturity in Edward's behaviour. Guess not.

And Kristen Stewart. I will admit I have a prejudice against her. After reading a few Hollywood gossip sites and other, more reputable, news sources, her indifferent attitude during the release of the movie irks me. I personally feel, whether rightly or wrongly, that she should put in the time and effort graciously for a movie that has made her a household name, even if she doesn't want to be, as she likes to claim. Why can't she act more involved when promoting the movie? The way it is, she comes off as a completely sullen, insolent child that I feel needs a good hard slap. It is then no wonder that, by extension of the actress, I felt a dislike to Bella on sight. I felt she seemed dead on a whole, personality-wise, apart from when she is with Edward. This could probably be genius acting on Kristen Stewart's part though, if she was going for the "no-one-but-you-makes-me-feel-alive" angle. However, the "dead" thing caused her to come off as if she's waaay too good to be in Forks. And that's why I found it unbelievable that people gravitated towards her as if she was the sun. She seemed to have too much of a prickly disposition to be someone who had that much magnetism.

The rest of the cast was good but forgettable. I felt that there was no real storyline when it came to the werewolves. Actually, if we are truthful, there was no storyline. I was given the impression that there was a conflict of interest between the two factions but aside from one scene towards the end of the movie which barely amounts to something, it was tame. Perhaps it's cause of the treaty they have in place but even so, I expected more tension to be played out, not just a couple of fierce gazes. Also, the whole "transient-vampires-leaving-behind-trail-of-dead-bodies" plot felt rushed. Considering that the movie was 2 hours long, I would have thought the storytelling would be more sharp and concise.

I know of a lot of people who loved the movie. I most likely will give it another view but only after I've read the book. Maybe it'll get a better review the second time round if I have the complete story and can identify more of the plot. I dunno if this movie was made with the focal audience being those who have read the book. However, if it was made as a movie that could stand on its own, whether book was read or not, I think, for me, it failed. I felt it was disjointed and annoying throughout the first half and the ending fight scene cheesy. I wanted to love this movie but unfortunately, I'd be hard pressed to say I liked it. Let's just say I don't hate it.

down and out and seeing the colour red

UGGGHHH! If I wasn't down with the flu I probably would not feel sooo sorry for myself. I have a lot of things to feel blessed about but right now, all I can think about is the unfairness of it all!

My dad is a diplomatic studies lecturer. Post army service, he decided to teach. So in the many, many, many years he has been teaching the military and diplomatic minds that grace his classroom at the institutes he is attached with, of course he has made connections. One of these connections is a high ranking police official who has jurisdiction over a certain district that is hosting an F1 GP this weekend. And he offered my dad 3 GRANDSTAND TIX FOR THE GP RACE!

Ok, I have benefited from this man's generosity once before. Btw, just thought I needed to clear things up, my dad didn't accept it as a bribe for better grades or anything, he offered the tix as a gesture of thanks AFTER he had graduated from the course. Anyways, my first and only GP experience was back in 2006. That was the last year Kimi was driving for Mclaren Mercedes. I was so super mega excited to watch my favourite driver in action LIVE, that is before he got shunted from behind by I forget who and was unceremoniously put out of the race. I went on to enjoy the F1 experience but of course I'm disappointed that I couldn't see Kimi drive for more than 10 seconds.

Naturally, when I heard that he has offered up another round of tix, I am super psyched! This was back in Feb when I was home during my vacation. I asked my family to confirm earlier that we would be in possession of those grandstand tix so that I could prepare my travel arrangements but I only got word today and now, after checking both on my end and my sisters, plane tix is more than 800 bucks and I can't seem to justify the cost of the plane tix with a free GP tix. Am flat broke this month from my relatively useless trip to Bangkok and I have to save money for my Europe trip this November.

I'm completely feeling sorry for myself. My sisters are not even HALF as fanatical as I am. My eldest is a Schumi fan and since he's not even driving anymore, she doesn't even catch the races on tv. My other sis goes up and down with her support of Kimi. When he's doing well, she's all for watching the races but when things aren't exactly looking up for him, she will actually email/call/sms me to ask what the hell is up with my lazy driver. I'm the one who is in it for the long haul. I'll even watch when Kimi is long gone but I'm the one who has to watch the live telecast from my living room instead of in the bleachers.

Okay, deep breath. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Calm now. It's ok, from my personal experience watching the race trackside, you just get to see what's going on along the stretch of track right in front of you. You still have to follow the rest of the racing track from the giant screens. It's just the atmosphere is amazing. We were seated in the front row, right in front of the pit garage. But whatever, just know Kimi, I may not be able to yell and scream encouragement to you this weekend from the bleachers (plus my sore throat would probably be a hindrance as well) but know that I am behind you 100%!