Torresgate

As bad as Torres's missing of an open goal was - and it was really, really bad; in my mind it was already 3-2 - you have to feel some sympathy for the guy. There comes a point when even all that money he has in the bank is not enough consolation for that point he has reached. How much lower can he go ?

You can rest assured that opposing fans will be taunting him for weeks and months to come.

The point of reference that keeps on coming up for comparison is Ronny Rosenthal's miss. Which miss was worse ? I'd say Ronny's.

Zee's Swell

Just running through Zee Avi's "Ghostbird" album. Haven't heard all of it but this ........ this is Swell :



Two seconds of the ukelele strumming was all it took for me to start swaying my body and bobbing my head. Lovely. Swell.

and at the Hospital ...

Okay, maybe it's in keeping with the theme of the place, or perhaps it's just a tad baby-centric; but I found this painting at the corridor leading to the Delivery & Labour room at the hospital.

I'm guessing, but I suspect that most people passing by would not have realized the irony inherent in placing this painting at it's particular location.

Life's Great Pleasures #4

The smell of a new born baby. Or a 3-month old baby. Or a 6-month old baby.

There must be some reason though I haven't seen any research papers published on this. Somebody would make a fortune if he/she could bottle the scent and sell it.

Stepping Out

The first time I walked up the Eiffel Tower with my brother, we found it scary. Not terrifying .... scary. Even though the chances of slipping through the metal steps and railings and dropping down to mother Earth wasn't really a viable concern, walking up ..... and up ..... and up all the way to the 2nd level and feeling the wind blowing above, below and around us certainly made us feel ever so slightly weak-kneed.

The second time around with Dream was very different. A slight whisper of a wind - walking down from the 1st level to ground level - sunshine - and camera in hand. There were angles and shots which were simply not available if one had not walked or stopped to look or got off the lift a level or two early.

ahhhhh ........ Paris ......... I dream of you.

The It Girl (in Bahasa Melayu)

Twice I stood in front of a screen at a hypermarket staring at the video. Twice the video credits were not shown at the end. No artist, no band, no song title - nada, zilch, nichts.

Then I found it. Walking past a bunting with her face staring at me. Seeing her name appear in a newspaper article. And finally, YouTube.

I don't know why, but it sounded good while I was there at the hypermarket.

the Stork Delivers !

Finally, the Little Prince made his debut on 5th September. Bang on schedule for his ETA. And in keeping with his habit of being awake during afternoons, he arrived at 1428 hours.

I hope he's been practising his left leg like I've asked him to.

As for his sister, we asked her on Sunday night to speak to him. Her first words?

"Cedric, when you grow up ......... can you do the housework ?"

The Little Prince

Maybe it's just me - but it seems like the entire household is in a holding pattern waiting for the arrival of The Little Prince.

Which reminds me ..... we won't get a chance to drop in at the PINKS Fest at Penang this year as the little one would be too young to travel long distance when the festival is on in November. Pity - it's worth stopping by if you had kids and/or were interested in story telling.

Oh ! For the chance to hear "The Little Prince" performed by a story teller ......

Man United 8 vs Arsenal 2 ? Yeah, right !

Arsenal maybe aren't too bad going forward, but defensively they're crap. But this is not the forum to discuss players, Arsene's philosophy or tactics so .........

The ultimate insult that Sir Alex Ferguson has refused to deliver :

He hasn't offered to loan any players to Arsenal yet.

Poppy

Zee Avi stands out as a testament to the wonders of YouTube. A few songs uploaded, some of which were self penned, and suddenly she had a recording contract with Brushfire records and was touring across the USA.

When I first heard "Bitter Heart", Zee's first single, I was sufficiently intrigued to purchase her album. The album revealed a strong selection of songs, with some standing out more than others. One of those stand out songs was "Poppy" - as upbeat as the song sounds, I would suggest closing your eyes and listening to the lyrics carefully. You'd be surprised.

Zee released her 2nd album, "Ghostbird" this week. I haven't heard it yet, but I'm hoping that it lives up to the standards she's already set.

a Stylized Sun

The dawn of a new day .....

Bringing with it the promise of starting afresh. The energy of a good night's sleep. The slight pang of regret from leaving a warm bed. The shock of water splashing on a groggy face. Morning dew on the grass.

And the smell of a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

Festive Season Goodies

Which is when the hypermarkets roll out the discounts and best bargains to entice you to shop with them rather than at one of their many competitors - but would you be enticed by this particular offer ?