Thursday, August 29, 2013

How to use what you have when you have it

So I was feeling frustrated about not being able to write whenever I wanted to because between working and emailing and freelancing, my mind would be as blank as the blog composer that loaded when I finally got around to remembering my password. 

Carrying an actual notebook around is a terrible idea because my handwriting has turned to shit. 

I had some time away from work and the laptop and the tablet one day, so I tried Bing-ing* a solution. 

I wanted a notepad/text pad app I could use to jot down thoughts exceeding 140 characters the moment they occurred. The app had to be saveable and text formatting-enabled. Ideally, it would also be cross-platform, so I wouldn't have to save drafts to email. 

Then, I remembered I was holding a Windows phone. It came with MS Office. 

Almost a year after I got it, I'm finally using my smartphone the way it was meant to be used. Somewhat. 

* Not sure if that will ever catch on.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Overheard during Ramadhan

An older Chinese man (C) strikes up a conversation with a younger Malay man (M) at the post office: 

C: Wah, now you're fasting huh? 
M: Yep. 
C: Wah, can't be easy, huh? 
M: Nope. But it's ok once you get used to it. 
C: Hm, that's true. 

A few seconds of silence pass before C speaks again. 

"Actually fasting isn't that hard whut. When I was younger ah, I couldn't afford to have lunch every day, so I just had breakfast and went to work lah!" 
M: You don't say... 
C: Ya lah, it's kacang,* man! 
M: Erm... 
C: But if you're a contract worker** and you puasa*** then I really tabik**** you lah! 
M: Yeah, that's pretty difficult for them, can't imagine how they do it. 
C: Yeah man, really respect them! 

* Small potatoes 
** Day labourer 
*** Fast 
**** Salute