Archive for August, 2004

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celebrate humanity


2004
08.15

Posted in current affairs, technology | No Comments »

last nite… i was full on watching the opening ceremony of Athen 2004 with my laptop in front of me. overall, it was good. except, the lighting of the cauldron. i seriously was expecting more after that guy lighted it… but it was just moving up…. perhaps, i couldn’t appreciate simplicity…. but i was expecting more… the danger of expectation…

the past few days have been quite hectics. with lots of assignments to do. i have managed to complete about 1/4 of them. and olympic is proving to be quite a distraction…..

i forgot to mention that i did bid for two palm tungsten c…. becoz it was tooo cheap…. i have received one and waiting for the other. since my apartment is wireless enabled, i can hot sync and surf on my palm too!!! how convenient. i was frantically looking for a buyer…. becoz i dont need two palm of the same model (this is despite i have another old one)…. finally i found a buyer… lucky me…. and lucky him too… its $400 cheaper than retail price mind u…i should have charge more..instead of at cost.. hehe

for some odd reason.. my trillian connects to icq.. but doesnt display the list of contacts available online.. weird huh……i dont know why this is the case.. but oh well… cant be bothered trying to find the fix… i strongly believe the latest patch 0.74 that i just downloaded has a lot to do with it…

now off to work again…. i feel like a slave…

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Happy Birthday to Johann


2004
08.14

Posted in amusing, life in general | No Comments »

last nite…. i received a funny phone call… Johann was on the other line as asked me whether he could come over with few of his mates… i was like… sure.. why not…( i was too stressed trying to finish my part of the project anyway)…..

few minutes later, he rocked up with four of his friends… he then dropped the bomb.. ‘i brought a cake with me….’ and in my mind i was like ‘its not my birthday’…. and he answered the mystery…’it’s my birthday’.. and i was like…………… OMIGOD…. i have never felt so bad before… and caught red handed like that….

anyway.. 1000 apologies later (even though it involves lots of denials directed towards him)…. we decided to do the ceremonials stuff at the living room… they had dinner previously and the restaurant was about to charge $4.50 per person to have the cake they brought themselves…..

anyway…. here is a shot taken of us two: (pic from his site, more pics click here for his blog)

Happy Birthday dude!!!!!!!!!!!!! May you have a good year ahead!!!

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i want it to be noted


2004
08.12

Posted in life in general | No Comments »

i felt weird today especially now. i think something bad is going to happen… i dont know to whom or when.. but im just feeling it really strongly….. hmmmm

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Meti – You are the LEGEND!!


2004
08.10

Posted in friends | No Comments »

My friend’s book is finally published!!! It’s a memoir on her life. Titled ‘Blue Daughter of the Red Sea’, i have long anticipated this. I haven’t got the book yet but a quick search in the Amazon gave me the satisfying smile. I still remembered the times me, her and Yvette spent together @ Berkeley, talking about the contract Meti was about to sign with the publisher….

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the cover:

Editorial Review

From the Publisher
Terrace Books, a trade imprint of the University of Wisconsin Press

From the Back Cover”This is a world of violence, turmoil, strife. . . . I was completely taken by the plight of [Birabiro's] characters, the life she represents of this part of the world so few of us know anything about. The impact it made on me as a reader is a devastating one. It’s a reminder that people will rise against all odds to survive and prevail.”–Marjorie Agosin, author of At the Threshold of Memories: New and Selected Poems

“When I began to read this memoir, I could not put it down. There is an intensity of experience, a poignancy in the voice of the child-narrator that tells her own harrowing story of poverty and marginality. But at the same time, there is a lyrical tone to her writing. She is able to capture beauty amidst the horrors. And also, she is able to continue becoming human in a dehumanized world.”–Virgil Suarez, author of Guide to the Blue Tongue

About the Author

Meti Birabiro studied Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. She currently lives in the United States.

Excerpted from Blue Daughter of the Red Sea: A Memoir by Meti Birabiro. Copyright � 2004. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

“Poverty is venom that slowly saps one’s existence. It is a white noise that quakes the shape of survival. It corrodes the scenery and cuts one’s world asunder. I was born and grew up in the heart of that corrosive acid. Dire Dawa, a small city warmly embraced by a fiery sun and caressed by some magicless dust, was the name of my hometown. Life was not charming in Dire Dawa. Children ran barefoot against a background of feces-embedded roads, spinning around the desert city, puffing on the sand so forming dunes of smaller versions, while the little ones piggybacked on their mother’s back. They had the appearance of several shiny, brown ponies: untamed and wild creatures. Their feet moved like those of a ballerina without her tutu, dancing to the tune of an unheeded song: free. Their laughter rang like a violent rain of diamonds. And they shouted in a language as inarticulate as their age, and yelled in voices as overly used as the sole of the shoe that was guarded at home for special occasions.”–Excerpt from Blue Daughter of the Red Sea

Book Description

Born into a life of constant financial, physical, and moral threat, Meti Birabiro takes refuge in literature and the fantastic. Blue Daughter of the Red Sea is Birabiro’s poetic account of the harsh reality of her young life spread across three continents. Her voice is a fresh m�lange of child and adult perspectives, at once brutally honest and wise beyond her years. Through the journey from Ethiopia to Italy, and finally to the United States, we encounter Birabiro’s relatives, friends, and enemies–relationships so intense that these people become her vampires, devils, angels, and saints. These character designations always lead her back to the truth. They help her to decipher what is fair and good, to understand what she must cherish and what she must rage against.

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my new buddy to be


2004
08.10

Posted in gadget, technology | No Comments »

i received a letter. inside is the NOA from the ATO, advising that a 4-digit sum has been deposited into my nominated FI. I felt great. Finally, i got it. Immediately, i engrossed myself in eBay.com.au looking for that gadget i have been wanting to have, and i acquired it at quite an expensive price (considering the auction market and how much adrian paid for it, but his was unusual circumstance), even though it is still about $400 off the RRP. overall, a good buy.

lemme introduce to you my new buddy to be (well its currently being packaged and to be shipped to me soon): ……….. (drum rolls at the background)…… Palm Tungsten C!!!

i cant wait to play around with it…… i have been checking out all the sites.. etc….. how bout my m505??? hmm… P was supposed to buy it off me. But apparently, he back off on his own words, and instead bought Tungsten E without tellin me last Sunday. Currently, my sis is checking out the m505 after i asked her whether she would like to at least have it. If not, to eBay it seems to be a reasonable alternative…….

on a side note, my ip client is soo irritating. i tried calling them twice and leaving them messages. they don’t even have the courtesy to return my call. and this is for my meeting tomm… urgghhh… how annoying!!! well, i let my PM know about it, but no response from her so far…….waiting… waiting…waiting….. i suppose, i will just ‘assume’ stuffs as i go along making the project plan! oh well…..

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another unusual day


2004
08.09

Posted in life in general, uni | No Comments »

first semester visit to the gym was quite a short affair. previously, a short run at the Optus Oval started my fit regime. i seriously thought that ip meeting was supposed to start at 6.30. quarter past seemed to be the weekly monday appointment. ooopsss… my salted nuts were the only bribe i could offer.

library was an alien concept last semester except in the weeks leading up to final exam. i changed that momento this semester by having my first today. i am proud that i actually sat down 2 hours without any toilet trip. i have to confess though that 1 hour of it was dedicated on the net (on subject pages that is !!)

my body is still aching now. i have to make an important call to the client tomm, trying to arrange a meeting for the following day. maybe, i should retire now.

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camberwell’s XP


2004
08.08

Posted in life in general | No Comments »

a small boy with teary eyes and the cutest smiles i have seen throughout the morning, shouting softly ‘doggy..doggy…’ i was touched. both his parents (an indian man and anglo-saxon lady) looked at me, asking, ‘how much’. ‘Three dollars’ i answered. With much contemplation, his dad decided to buy him. His stare fixed at the doggy soft toy for the next 5 minutes with the glowing face.

i was happy.

it was at camberwell’s sunday market. the australian experience as i described it to su and jelita. there is no way in the world that we would sell second hand stuff in the stuffy second hand market (junk yards) back home. and for your information (and much to my own surprise), at 6am in the morning is when we started.

there were three of us (well, on paper, it was a four-persons partnership, with michelle not able to be physically present). $45.00 was the rental fee for a parking lot where we parked our car, opened the boot, and set up the table (6 foot @ $7.00 with $20.00 deposit).

most of the stuff we sold were old junks we dont want anymore…jelita’s armani exchange was goin for $3.00, nine west shoes were at $3.00 per pair, my ashtray was for $1.00, su’s mooks bag was $1.00. There was nothing sold in fact above $5.00, except for jelita’s new and unworn Guess watch, sold for $10.00. (meanwhile our neighbour, sold new nokia 6610 for $10.00!!! yes…. the same price as chicken rice + coke!!!, i reckoned it was stolen good!)

we sold about 3/4 of our stuff with su raking in the biggest taking… (mine is the lowest, of course i have the least stuff as well)….. we ‘dumped’ our unsold stuff at the nearby salvation army.

jelita was exceptionally kind today.. hahaha.. she allowed me to have my first and largest carb intake ever!!!! three sauge and egg mcmuffins… i cant believe how good they taste!!! HEAVEN… throughout the day, both of them were ‘annoying’ to ban me from even thinking of having the jam donuts. there were at least 5 customers munchin their yummy donuts while at our stores… not that i like the normal donuts anyway, but this is special donuts.. with jams inside…. i can feel it melting in my mouth as i type this.

oh well… slept through once we got back…. (yes we didnt sleep the night before)… but overall its the camberwell’s XP that perhaps i would ever had once in my life time!!

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Starcrossed – Ash


2004
08.07

Posted in song | No Comments »

Behold this night, still and clear
You look here just like an angel sleeping
I wish I could ease your fears
I would catch the diamond tears you’re weeping
In your eyes I would hide
By your side i could defy
The forces tearing us apart
But reality, as it seems
Looking back, is that our dream was fated from the start

Girl, we’re star-crossed and can’t escape,
We’re condemned and can only wait
At this time now it’s far too late
To save us from our fate

I’ll remain in your hold
Body, mind, heart and soul
As long as I breathe
Though consequence takes its toll
All is out of our control
That’s how it will be
So close your eyes my young bride
Listen to me one last time
There’s something I have to say
When your faith turns to despair
Always will my love be there
And never fade away

Girl, we’re star-crossed and can’t escape,
We’re condemned and can only wait
At this time now it’s far too late
To save us from our fate
You can’t save us
You can’t save us

Girl, we’re star-crossed and can’t escape,
We’re condemned and can only wait,
At this time now it’s far too late
The poison’s in our veins
It’s true
You know that I’d die for you
You know that I’d die for you
You know that I’d die for you
Forever true
I’ll see you through

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a sense of relief


2004
08.07

Posted in life in general | No Comments »

i slept through the prime evening. waking up only at around 2am just to doze off again 15 minutes later. now, im probably up for the whole night.

the past few days have been hectic for me. things seem to be out of place. but for some reason, i don’t feel like communicating. with anyone, that is. i need the kinda peace Iraqis need now. why cant they just leave me alone??

but today, despite temptation to accept the muoss induction’s invitation, i declined in the hope for a better self-peace. i need time for myself. i haven’t had any since the conference ended.

can you give me peace? i need my peace and i want it now!

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being nationalistic in commercial sense


2004
08.05

Posted in indonesia, media, politics | No Comments »

indonesian media is becoming more hypocritical each and everyday. they demand more and more free press, however, many of its reporters are not folloring the journalism code of ethics. more often than not, we hear that powerful politicians or businessmen being blackmailed by journalists who are going to ‘fabricate’ stories to be run on the newspaper. government’s attempts for such defamation is seen as crushing the spirit of free press….

not only that, this chronic disease is also spreading among the high level management of the organisations. notable example is the tv media. none of the local television is going to braodcast the upcoming athen olympics. this is from a nation that is soo proud of its nationalistics views and foundations. indonesia, is now without a doubt, THE ONLY nation that sends athletes to the olympic which will not be showing the olympic. their reason, it doesn’t make sense commercially. perhaps, the badminton team is expected to perform as well as in the past few games. when are these going to stop???

the next time you kn0w, major speech from the President or the independence day celebration will not be shown in the television because it does not carry commercial value….

come on… get real!!!

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