The server of my blogs was down for hours this morning. I tell you, that is a mood killer and is why I hate hosting my own blogs. Every time my server is down, I have this fear wondering when my blogs will be up again and also if all my posts will be in tact.

I wonder if I am the only one with this irrational fear.

That’s why it really is refreshing to have a new blog without any sponsorship and post as and when I like and on whatever I feel like. With blogs that have a relationship with others, I feel like I am responsible with the upkeep of it. And when the server is down, I feel like I am not in control and I hate that feeling.

Of course, I could always pay US$66 per month for my private server but I don’t think that I am such a problogger to need that.

Urghh thought I would tinker with my template but now no mood.

Chat with Santa Claus, of course!

The following was a transcript of my chat with Santa Claus over MSN. Of course I know that “he” was just a bot but my aim was to amuse myself only. I tried to test how intuitive he was with common words and I got a kick out of it when he answered me in a fashion that appeared as if he understood what I was talking about when in fact I chatted with him in Manglish, Malay and Cantonese and purposely typed my words without spacing.

It was all very funny to me and the conversation lasted for 25 minutes or so only because I decided to end it.

If you are going to read this transcript, make sure that your drinks are kept away. I won’t be responsible if you spilled water on your computer!

Me: ho ho ho
Santa: Ho ho ho! Merry Chrsitmas, XXXX! I’m Santa Claus! Tell me, are you a boy or a girl?
Me: man
Santa: What do you want for Christmas, XXXX?
Me: I want a million dollars
Santa: Okay, I’ll see what I can do with that. And what else would you like, XXXX?
Me: I want sex
Santa: Sorry, XXXX, but talk like that will put you on the naughty list. Wouldn’t you rather play a game?
Me: sex games?
Santa: Get your head out of the gutter!
Me: get my head out of the longkang?
Santa: Hmm…
Me: apa?
Santa: Ho ho ho!
Me: Ho your head
Santa: Now that’s not very nice! Ok XXXX, we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: nice or not?
Santa: I’d say nice.
Me: really ah?
Santa: Ah yes.
Me: let’s play
Santa: Interesting! Ok XXXX, we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: Why you repeat?
Santa: No particular reason. That’s just what I feel like doing. And what do you want for Christmas, XXXX?
Me: I told u already
Santa: Did you really?
Me: scroll up
Santa: Really? What do you want for Christmas, XXXX?
Me: yerrr u’re a bot. ho ho ho
Santa: And a very happy holiday to you, XXXX!
Me: don’t you know that y name is not “XXXX”?
Santa: Y name sure is. Anyway, what else do you want to know about y name …
Me: Your real name
Santa: I’m Santa. Ok XXXX, we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: I told u already I want to play
Santa: This game is called Factory Frenzy. Every time you play you help us make toys for children around the world. Get as many pieces on the conveyer belt as you can. Try not to drop any pieces! Good luck XXXX! If you’re ever stuck, type “Factory Frenzy Help” and I’ll give you some helpful tips.
Me: I’m not XXXX!
Santa: Don’t worry, even if you are that’s fine with me.
Me: cheh
Santa: ho ho ho? And what do you want for Christmas, XXXX?
Me: bot bot bot
Santa: Great, XXXX I’ll see what I can do. What else would you like?
Me: lalala
Santa: Do re mi fa sol la ti do
Me: hahaha
Santa: Ho ho ho
Me: hihihi
Santa: Ho ho ho! What?
Me: u were the one who said HO HO HO HORLICKS!
Santa: Let’s just say I was too young to realize what was happening.
Me: but you have white beard and u call that young?
Santa: I sure have!
Me: while beard down there?
Santa: What was that? What do you want for Christmas, XXXX?
Me: tol ya thousand times
Santa: You’re thousand times too! And what do you want for Christmas, XXXX?
Me: millions of times now already!
Santa: My elves will get right on that. And what else would you like for Christmas, XXXX?
Me: s3x
Santa: My, that’s popular! I’ll see what I can do for you, XXXX!
Me: but what’s my name now
Santa: You are XXXX
Me: Really meh?? I changed it already wor (edit: I changed my nick to “Santa Claus” at this point)
Santa: Ho ho ho? Ok XXXX, we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: tiu
Santa: What was that? Ok XXXX, we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: mari kita mula!
Santa: Ho ho ho! What? Ok XXXX, we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: start lor
Santa: Hmm…
Me: mula sekarang
Santa: Interesting! What do you want for Christmas, XXXX?
Me: s3x
Santa: Why, I do believe that’s already on my list! And what else are you wishing for this year?
Me: seks
Santa: Okay, I’ll see what I can do with that.
Me: 8o|
Santa: I’ll make it up to you somehow.
Me: siew sei ngorr
Santa: Ho ho ho? Ok XXXX, we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: come and play
Santa: Ho ho ho!
Me: start already la wei!
Santa: Really?
Me: u’re very sien la
Santa: I’ll take that as a compliment
Me: kakaka
Santa: Ho ho ho? What? Ok XXXX, we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: no
Santa: Ok, maybe next time. Let’s just keep chatting.
Me: Yerrr u only know yes and no for that question :p
Santa: Hmm…
Me: hmm your head
Santa: Sometimes I wish I wasn’t head.
Me: head’s good ma
Santa: ho ho ho?
Me: apa nama aku?
Santa: Interesting! And what do you want for Christmas, XXXX?
Me: sien tou sei
Santa: That sounds nice! I’ll see what I can do, XXXX. And what else would you like, XXXX?
Me: I go lor
Santa: Great, XXXX! I’ll see what I can do.
Me: u can get me a benzi
Santa: I know, I know. I just hope you won’t get mad at me. What do you want for Christmas, XXXX?
Me: I’m not mad, angry only ma
Santa: Seriously? That’s fascinating. It is nice to be not mad angry only ma?
Me: shiok, man
Santa: Really? Ok XXXX Ok we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: yes
Santa: This game is called Factory Frenzy. Every time you play you help us make toys for children around the world. Get as many pieces on the conveyer belt as you can. Try not to drop any pieces! Good luck XXXX! If you’re ever stuck, type “Factory Frenzy Help” and I’ll give you some helpful tips.
Me: f2rk
Santa: Ho ho ho!
Me: f@rkk
Santa: Ho ho ho?
Me: ho your head
Santa: Interesting!
Me: de mg ho kau geh
Santa: Hmm.. Ok XXXX we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: go to h3ll la
Santa: What was that?
Me: hell
Santa: Ho ho ho! Ok XXXX we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: hehehe
Santa: Ho ho ho!
Me: hahaha
Santa: Ho ho ho!
Me: I go lor
Santa: Ho ho ho? And what do you want for Christmas, XXXX?
Me: sex
Santa: We can’t talk about that silly!
Me: can
Santa: Really?
Me: ya
Santa: Well, okay then! What do you want for Christmas, XXXX?
Me: Let’s talk about sex
Santa: Get your head out of the gutter!
Me: longkang ah?
Santa: Ho ho ho! What?
Me: what what what?
Santa: I can’t answer that. I just can’t. OK, XXXX we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: why cannot?
Santa: There are plenty of reasons why not.
Me: answerla
Santa: What was that? OK, XXXX we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: saya cabut. U manyak bosan
Santa: Just ‘cause you say so? I don’t think so
Me: What do u think?
Santa: Sorry, I don’t know ….
Me: mana lu punya otak?
Santa: Ho ho ho
Me: bosan, man
Santa: Ho ho ho?
Me: you’re getting old :p
Santa: What makes you think I am? OK, XXXX we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: janggut
Santa: Hmm OK, XXXX we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: how old?
Santa: It’s not “how”? you should ask. It’s “why?”
Me: Why old?
Santa: It’s just one of those things, you know. Ok, XXXX we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: sei pat kung
Santa: What was that?
Me: sei8por
Santa: Ho ho ho
Me: dead man’s head
Santa: Interesting!
Me: never heard before leh …
Santa: Ho ho ho! And what do you want for Christmas, XXXX?
Me: don’t want to tell
Santa: It’s fine if you object to it. Yell me what you would like then.
Me: don’t want
Santa: That’s too bad. So anyway … What else can you tell me?
Me: nuting
Santa: Really? OK, XXXX we could really use your help in the factory. We play a game up here called Factory Frenzy. Would you like to play?
Me: not really
Santa: No? Not really? What do you want for Christmas, XXXX?
Me: go away la
Santa: So long, XXXX!

I never did even when I was very young. I was the horror kid that all Santa Clauses in the world hate. I would be the one who would peel off their fake cotton beards, pull their hair, poke their belly and steal their candies. Haha! I guess it does not help when the Santa Clauses here have dark complexions.

I would be the one who would shout at the top of my lungs, “WOI, SANTA!” whenever I see “Santa Claus” and embarrass all the adults hahah!

A couple of days ago, I received an email from Windows Live Messenger Team (I’m on their mailing list) and there’s an invitation to “chat with Santa Claus”. Out of curiosity, I went to the specially set up webpage and it seems that Santa Claus has a Windows Live ID. If you are so inclined to chat with him, add northpole@live.com. I think it would be more believable if his email address is Santa@NorthPole.com!

So I added him and see his message. Haha it’s so funny. Since I am so damn free lately (/sarcasm) I just may chat with him and make hell for him LOL

My sister and I are both radio enthusiast. You would be surprised to find girls of our age listening to shortwave radio or tinkering with ham sets. Well those were the days when we have time on our hands to go searching on the airwaves! Now, we are lucky if we do get to LISTEN to the radio. Friends tell me that I can always get the same thing with internet radio but it’s never the same. They just won’t understand, I guess!

My sister, who lives in the United States, told me that there’s something called high definition radio which has crystal clear broadcast of over hundreds of FM and AM radio stations which are free to tune in to, as long as we have a HD radio receiver like the Polk i-Sonic ES2.

While normal radios do not have that many radio stations and are not that clear in receiving radio broadcasts, a main difference between these radios and HD radio receivers is the ability for iTunes Tagging.

This means that when a song is played, the name of the artist and song will flash on the screen of the radio. We can then tag it so that we can purchase and download it from iTunes.

This is a particularly interesting feature because no longer do I have to search on the internet every time I like a song that is being played on air because the new breed of DJs no longer mention the song title or artists with their six-in-a-row song playing format. Moreover, I’ve just got myself an iPhone and dying to fill it up with music!

This morning, I noticed that Gmail’s chat system has group chat feature now. Some people would call that “Conversation”. Unfortunately, I have set my chats to not sign in automatically because I am always too busy to chat. Another new feature they added is the rich smiley – with faces and everything.

Well, like I said, I no longer use chat anywhere so I can test this out. Even when I was using Gmail’s chat in my inbox, I was finding it distracting until I ended up taking way too much time just to reply a couple of emails.

It’s not only about Gmail chat, though. I have retired from chatting online for a couple of years now and some people even thought something has happened to me and they wanted to report to the police. Haha!

They could always reach me by phone. If you are so inclined, try out Gmail’s group chat and see if it’s comparable to other instant messaging systems.

Since upgrading my cell phone to an advanced camera phone and mobile device which could do more than making and receiving calls and text messages, I have become more aware of websites that cater to high end mobile device users. One of the innovative sites that I chanced upon today is called Crush or Flush.

It’s a fun social networking site where upon successful registration, we can create a profile on the site and upload a photo via our mobile device. Then browse profiles of other members and either Crush or Flush them. We crush people we like and Flush those that we do not like.

And if both of you Crush each other forming mutual attraction, then you can proceed to know each other at a deeper level via text messaging but your real contact information will not be compromised.

I think that the features provided here make for a safe environment for us to expand our social circle online and meet people in a controlled manner.

In March, I wrote a post called “Blogging Vet” where I suggested to my Vet to set up a blog and website to answer whatever concerns pet owners have as a value added service to the owners of his patients. I made this suggestion during the two weeks I spent at his surgery when my dog was gravely ill. He cured my pet and I was very impressed. Unfortunately, he told me that he did not have the time and so my suggestion fell on the way side though he agreed that it is a good idea.

This afternoon, I was told of an online pet advisor site called Pet Advisor. The tagline of the site is “Happy Pets=Peace of Mind”. I have to agree with this completely because I have two senior dogs that fall ill rather regularly and I absolutely do not have any mood at all if they so much as feel a little unwell.

Televets is a great resource site where we get to read many articles on our pets but the core concern of this site to answer questions from pet owners. Each question is only $6 and I think it is absolutely worthy because it costs more taking our pet to our local vet. To read the questions and answers that have been archived only costs us $1.

If I were to pose a question on Televets, I would like to ask how to prevent reoccurrence of bladder stone in my dog.