For K-pop fans in Malaysia, Feb 19th was D-Day: the pre-sale launch of Super Show 3 tickets. This year, SS3 is organized by Running Into The Sun (RITS), the Singaporean event management company that organized the SS3 concerts in S'pore. The pre-sale was held at the same place as last year - Sungei Wang Plaza - but this year's turnout far outnumbered last year's several times over. All of us were fighting to get the meager 9,500 tickets available.

I woke up at 6am and headed for KL just before 7am, arriving at Sungei Wang around 7.20am. Even then there was a small crowd of nearly 100 people waiting at the parking lot on the 5th floor to be given access to the 6th floor, where the counters for purchasing tickets were. Though it was discouraged, some people had spent the night in the parking lot so they could have a head-start. I languished around in line for about 6 hours, chatting up a few fellow SuJu fans. They're all very nice. =) I think the organizers did well to control the crowds from overrunning the place, but they had said they would limit the entrances, which they did not do, complicating matters as some came from within the mall, by the lifts, by the stairswells, etc. So it was that much harder to get everybody under control.

On RITS' Facebook page, they had promised fans 9 counters, but reneged on that promise, only providing 3 counters. Tickets were going for RM226, RM376 and RM486 (Lower Tier and Rock Pit). Bit pricier than SS2. I bought a pair of tickets for me and my sis in the Rock Pit, as last year, we had gotten tickets in the Upper Tier and farthest in the back, which gave a clear view, but was so far removed from everything. I had initially considered getting Lower Tier, which is seated, as I was worried if my little sis could withstand the madness of the Rock Pit. But I'm no psychic, so if for some reason or another we can't make it to SS4, I want to be able to say I've been in the Rock Pit for one of SuJu's concerts. Rock Pit is where all the action is, with the boys at an arm's length away. Luckily I've experienced Rock Pits before, so I know that a few well-placed elbows will ensure we'll be fine. :P

Anyhoo, after lunch, I then headed over to MyStar Collection at Berjaya Times Square to get a pair of sapphire blue light sticks for SS3. At SS2 last year, they were all sold out. =( So this year, we are prepared! Blue ocean FTW!



SS3 tickets (x2) = RM972
Parking at Sg. Wang = RM14
Sapphire blue light sticks (x2) = RM50

I really need to watch my budget this week, as I am now skint. But SS3 will definitely be worth it! =D

Read this story from Paulo Coelho's blog:

"The Perfect Heart"

A young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or flaw on it.

But an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said, "Your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine."

The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars. It had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in ... but they didn’t fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. The young man looked at the old man’s heart and laughed.

"You must be joking," he said. "Compare your heart with mine ... Mine is perfect while yours is a mess of scars and tears."

"Yes," said the old man, "Yours is perfect looking ... but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love. I tore out a piece of my heart and gave it to them ... and often they gave me a piece of their heart, which in return fits into the empty spot in my heart. But because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges.

"Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, but the other person hasn’t returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges - giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people ... And the hope that someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?"

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man.

The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart.

It fit ... but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.

The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, as love from the old man’s heart flowed into his.

If reading this story doesn't touch your heart, then you've a heart of stone.

I think for the most part, my heart's still intact and unblemished. Just some bruising here and there inflicted by loved ones who were inconsiderate, friends who betrayed my trust. But aside from that, I don't think I'm that damaged. No lasting, irreversible wounds, only lessons that I should be more careful. I've seen others who are worse off, who carry with them the heavy burden of emotional baggage.

Fact is, I'm walking around with a heart that's still kept in its original packaging, much like a collector's item. I've yet to ever actually be "in love". There have been a few times I've almost been tempted into opening the box and offering my heart to someone, but it never comes to pass for some reason or another.

I'm still pretty upbeat and positive about it though, despite the fact that as time wears on and I see more and more of my friends getting cozy with their significant others, it can be a little bit trying on my patience. But still. There's a reason for everything.

I'm not into playing games or kissing a bevy of frogs before I find my prince, so there's nothing else to do but wait. However, when the time comes, and if it's the right person, then you can be sure that I'll willingly give up a piece of my heart. =)

Last Sunday, me and Iman attended a movie screening called "Lessons in Love", organized by Amnesty M'sia at Annexe Gallery, featuring films that relate to the organization's various causes. There was 'Demand Dignity', 'Rice Plate', 'Dancer in the Dark', 'Sicko', and 'Zarganar: This Prison Where I Live'. We only caught 'Dancer in the Dark', a 2000 Danish musical drama directed by Lars von Trier and starring Björk.

The film is set in 1964 and focuses on Czech immigrant Selma Ježková (Björk), who has moved to the United States with her son, Gene. Selma has two secrets: 1) stemming from her love of classic Hollywood musicals, when life gets boring or depressing, Selma often retreats into fantastical daydreams where she imagines the ordinary circumstances and individuals around her have erupted into elaborate musical theater numbers; and 2) she has a hereditary degenerative disease which is gradually causing her to go blind. She has been saving up every penny that she makes to pay for an operation which will prevent her young son from suffering the same fate.

I'm not going to spoil what happens in the movie, but let me tell you, not a single person was left with a dry eye after the movie ended. Afterwards, they held this fishbowl discussion about the movie and its theme (which I can't tell you because that would probably spoil the whole thing), stating real-life examples and why they were fighting for the cause. Anyone could talk, but only one person could speak up at a time, that being the person holding the small glass globe. I listened as people from Amnesty and the audience voiced their opinions. Some I agreed with, others I didn't. My hands were cold and clammy, my heart beat rapidly - I wanted to talk. I told myself that if I didn't, I would regret it.

( So here's what we talked about ... )

Anyway, 'Dancer in the Dark' was amazing, as well as its songs for the musical interludes - Björk's performance was so real and heart-wrenching. She stole the show. Be sure to watch it. :)

It was a bitter pill to swallow when I first heard that Fernando Torres, Liverpool's adored talisman, wanted to leave. He had handed in a written transfer request just before the January transfer window closed and caused our world to tilt. It felt like the ground beneath us had disappeared. We had just begun to get back on our feet, what with Hicks, Gillett and Hodgson gone, and King Kenny at the reins. We felt like we finally got the fresh start we needed.

Then this had to happen. It was agonizing at first - I felt betrayed, especially when it had only been in May last year that Torres had said to us that he would never play for another Premiership club other than Liverpool, as well as other sweet nothings. We believed him because we believed in his passion and love for the club. But over the next couple of days, I came to accept his departure with resignation. I couldn't begrudge him his aspirations to win the league title ... We hadn't won anything since he joined us. So while I was sad and disappointed, I wanted to respectfully see him off as thanks for all he had done in his years at Anfield. I expected things to turn out like it had with Xabi Alonso, that while he wanted to move on to other things, he still loved and respected the club and its fans.

But on the day he was unveiled as a Chelsea player, his comments reeked of disrespect, hinting that at Liverpool, he was not playing at the level that was deserving of a player of his caliber. It was a slap in the face that came out of nowhere. Because as far as I knew, even when he wasn't playing at his best, we supported him, chanted his name, bounced to his song. I was willing to forgive him leaving, but to lash out at the Liverpool faithful who've stood by him all this time was more than I could take. He even left without an official goodbye, further snubbing his former supporters. I don't know what happened behind closed doors that soured his relationship with the club to that extent, but it's totally unfair of him to take it out on the fans.

Nando,
You could have left us amiably. If you had been more classy, we would have wished you the best for all your future endeavors. But what you did, what you said, severed all ties and burned all bridges. You see, we loved you. But you threw it right back in our faces. Not with you leaving, but with how you left. When I met you in Singapore three years ago, I thought you were the nicest and sweetest player there. I don't want to believe that I was wrong, that you're the egotistical, mercenary footballer that everyone's now accusing you of being. I don't want to hate you. But you've seriously let me down. I'm glad I got the Gerrard jersey rather than yours. So walk on, Nando. We won't be the ones walking with you anymore. And there's a part of me that hopes you will regret leaving.

Here's an article from This Is Anfield.com that encapsulates the general feeling of the Kop regarding what happened: http://www.thisisanfield.com/2011/02/we-hate-you-so-much-because-we-loved-you-so-much/

So for one last time ...

His armband proved he was a Red - Torres, Torres
"You'll never walk alone" it said - Torres, Torres
We bought the lad from sunny Spain
He gets the ball, he scores again
Fernando Torres, Liverpool's former number 9

Anyway, time to leave the past in the past where it belongs, and look forward to our bright future by welcoming our new signings!


Luis Suarez


Andy Carroll

Welcome to Anfield, Luis

Suarez and Andy Carroll!

Hope you lads fit in well

and help us end the

season with our heads

held high. YNWA. =)

Okay, today, let us talk about bad drivers - and I'm talking about any kind of vehicle, be it car, bus, lorry, motorcycle and whathaveyou.

I've been actively driving on Malaysian roads for only 2 years, but lemme tell ya, from my limited experience, our drivers are RUDE. This general description can further be divided into categories of rudeness based on certain transgressions - many M'sian drivers are likely to fall into more than one.

Neglecting to use the signal

A cardinal sin. Why is it so hard for you to flick on your turn signal and tell me where you want to go?? It would save me trying to read your damn mind and getting frustrated when you do something completely different. USE THE FREAKIN' SIGNAL!

Chronic lane-changer

Seriously. Dude. It's a freaking traffic jam. You're not going to get that far even if you keep changing into the faster-moving lane. In the end, you're simply pissing everyone off, especially when you keep forcing your way in front of me when I leave the tiniest distance between my car and the car in front of me. Hello, it's called "maintaining a safe distance"! Douche.

Slow coach

WHY ARE YOU IN THE RIGHT LANE WHEN YOU'RE MOVING AT TURTLE SPEED?!? There are two ways to avoid pissing me off in this regard: either press harder on the accelerator, or move into the left lane where you belong. These kinds of drivers make me want to yell, "Move bitch, get outta the way!" Honestly.

Using the emergency lane during a traffic jam

These people are just selfish assholes. 'Nuff said.

Queue-cutters

I did not just wait patiently in line only to have the light turn green and then you're suddenly trying to wedge yourself into my lane. This practice particularly infuriates me when the queue-cutter makes the traffic light, only for it to turn red when I'm about to go. OMG RAAAAAAAGE.

This post was brought on after an incident I encountered yesterday as I was driving. A couple of douchebags on a motorbike suddenly weaved into my lane, right in front of me, forcing me to hit the brakes. On a freaking highway. With dozens of fast-moving cars around me. I honked angrily at them, only to receive stupid grins from said douchebags. Not sheepish, apologetic smiles - more like "Ala, chill la" grins. If I had actually hit them, they'd be the ones with broken bones, dumbasses.

It is so hard for M'sian drivers to learn some common courtesy? If you make a mistake, at least have the decency to acknowledge your error rather than glaring nastily as though the other driver had been at fault or in the case of the douchebags on the motorbike, grinning like a pair of fools. Please have more consideration for your fellow drivers. We all want to get to our destinations with a headful of hair and our sanity, mmmkay?

If you can't even bother, then please to be taking the first exit to Hell, kthxbai. :/