F.E.A.R

An acronym for First Encounter Assault Recon, rated #2 top games in Gamespot.com. I got the title and played it thinking it wouldn't be all that scary and gruesome, but, boy was I wrong.

The background musics were welcoming to start with but as soon as I entered a building where I had to carry out a recon mission, the musics begin to blend in a change to a rythmic tones, which was OKAY and sounded calm. It was when I walked through a 'thing' that looks like a floating black smoke or cloud in a varandahs that an image of a person without skin on his/her face with both its eyeballs gorging out and screaming in pain flashed in the front of my screen for a quick second... then I noticed the music changed to heartbeats pounding rythmically. That was also when this eerie feeling of walking around in the corridor alone gives me goosebumps and it creeps on all over my skin, afraid to walk further... with the sounds turned on!

I tried turning down the sounds, and eventually, shut everything off and played without sounds. The creepiness seemed to diminished. My girlfriend said, "What's the point of you spending twenty-over-quids just to scare yourself like that. And you're not making your money's worth by turning off the sounds!"

F.E.A.R is actually quite creepy. It's much more creepy and scary than Half-Life 2's Ravensholm... I think simply because Gordon Freeman is much better equipped. In FEAR, there are ghosts around that appears when you most least expected. The musics just elevates that fear sensation.

The game is good, but rather short, but then again, if the game is made to scare the freak out of you, it's worth it. Otherwise, I think you're better off playing Civilisation IV, Age of Empires III, Halflife 2, or the likes.

Goodbye my love

I received news today that my beloved dog, Whisky, had passed away because of age. I am convinced that he (yes, Whisky's a male dog) has lived his life satisfactorily and exceedingly happy. We had him since he was a month's old puppy. My dad fell in love with Whisky on first sight and decided to get it for my mother as a family pet.

Whisky is generally dark brown overall with obvious light brown spots above his hypnotic and convincing eyes, and lightly brown-greyish colored running from under his chin all the back to his base (where he'd sit upright), and partial beige paws. He's got a slightly long mouth that give him ample of space to stuff food in and swallowing them impatiently when the food's still half masticated. In all ways, he's a very cute and handsome, & undeniably intelligent dog with wits and IQ that never cease to startle us.

He's been living with us since 1990/1. That's 16 human years. It is a common belief that 1 human year is equal to 10.5 dog years for the first 2 years, since dogs reach adulthood within the first couple of [human] years, and 1 human year = 4 dog years thereafter. Based on this common belief, that makes Whisky 73-75 years old.

He has been a very faithful, loyal, and brave canine filled of enegy, charisma, and charm. Whisky has been blessed and he has given us his blessing. Our days with Whisky take us a long way back, and reminiscing those memories will only bring more joy and laughters, however, more tears and sorrows now that he's gone.

In fact, I find it quite unfair towards Whisky to say that he's left us. It was my brother and I who have left him first leaving him waiting, and waiting for over 3 years before I first return from Canada. That's at least 25 doggie years! A quarter of his lifespan. I personally feel very sorry to him and it hurts so much!

My father personally buried Whisky in our backyard, and my brother and I wasn't there. We're very sure one of his last thoughts before he breathed his last was, among other things, wondering where could my brother and I be.

Nevertheless, I believe my family and I are in agreement that Whisky is now in a better place where he doesn't need to chase rats any more, or cats/kittens around the compound of our house, or even catch birds, or more significantly, he doesn't need to kill iguana's for us anymore. He kept peace in our household. And he left in peace. We know he's in dog heaven at this moment, where he can rest in peace.

May God of the Heaven bless Whisky forever & ever. Amen.

Spectacular pyrotechnics show

The fireworks show did not start until the leap second completed. I was at the Millenium Square right in the city centre when they pulled the fireworks trigger and staged an extraordinary show. Fireworks came from 4 corners and the thundering booms in the sky were like never ending. The trails of light with colourful pattern, shapes and sizes were the only source of light and indeed, lighted up the night skies brightly.

There were many revellers already out there, some couples already planting kisses to their partners (including gays), some popped a champagne bottle and shared it among friends... I was there looking out for my girlfriend, who ran away after argument. I was at the Millenium Square looking out for her because this time last year that's the place where we had our first kiss and watched the fireworks show together. I waited for her to show up... hoping she'd put the past behind her, but no one was with me. I thought it was very rash of her...

I headed back home after 30 minutes of waiting. It was a 30 minutes of watching smiles, happiness, cheerfullness and what not in other people but myself. It was all my fault. We ate out that yesterday evening at a Japanese restaurant called Little Tokyo and I bought her a little stalk of rose. After dinner, she wanted to get some cash from a cash machine when a passerby man asked, "Excuse me, where did you get that flower?"
Without much thought, I responded, "Oh, you can have it" with my arms already extending out to him.
Vivian interrupted before he could say anything, "But that's my flower."
I looked at both of them and told the stranger, "Oh, she's just kidding. You can have it seriously"
"For how much?"
"Two pounds"
"Okay", then he digged his pockets for some coins and handed me two pounds.
Then Vivian said, "Yeah, you will probably need it more than I do."

Indeed, he will probably need it more than she needs it but that's not the point. To her, she really minds the fact that I sold the sentimental value that was already associated with the rose. I thought every girls would have got mad for my unreasonable conduct and figured it to be true. I mean, what was I thinking?!

I apologized. But she's going to take a while to get past it even though she's allergic to plants that have pollens.

Happy New Year to myself. No, that's not right. Happy New Year to us!


End of soliloque.