Friday, August 31, 2007

Portable Media Device

Friday, 31 August 2007

Thanks to Yean! And thanks to Lian as well. The children have been my teachers in many aspects of my life. And one of these aspects, is increased computer knowledge. It was they who presented me with my first pendrive. They have taught me about fragmentation, blogging, connection, surfing, scanning your files, etc. etc.

Tonight Yean taught me about formatting my pendrive. I have not done that before. Didn't think of doing that either. These features are available in the computer but I didn't explore them.................

I recovered my folders/pictures, that I thought was gone, from my pendrive! I had tried to copy a folder of the same into the pendrive but it was not possible. The folders were still inside but invisible! I found the formatting feature and other features at the same time. Clicking "Open as Portable Media Service" is like opening a present today!

All the folders that I thought was gone, appeared! Imagine how happy I was. I couldn't open the pictures. However as I explore further, I learnt that by transferring them to my my desktop/documents. I could view the pictures.

Had the pendrive formatted thereafter and then transferred the original folders back into it! Scanned the pendrive - it is clean - no virus threats!

Once a upon a time on a Labour Day, I lost my document, due to formatting. Once a upon a time on a National Day, I recovered my document, due to formatting as well. I didn't format to recover it but it was related to formatting.

This is my present for Malaysia's 50th year National Day! God bless Malaysia.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Backup Backup Backup

Wednesday, 29 August 2007

I only started printing hard copies of the digital pictures sometime last year and keeping them in albums. And that practice only started after reading stories of people losing their pictures kept in CDs, due to unexpected but avoidable circumstances. I have been taught to backup workfiles, diskettes, information, when I was working in the office before.

Regrettably I didn't practise that with all my digital pictures at home. I was so confident that they would be safe at home. I was terribly wrong. It was my own fault that I lose all the digital pictures that I have in one particular pendrive. And to serve me right for being over confident, out of all my digital pictures, they have to be pictures of the family.

The pendrive was scanned before I brought it to the photo studio for reprints of certain pictures. There were no threats. It was scanned again tonight and there were so many threats - TROJAN. I just watched in horror as my Anti-Virus software detected them and deleted the files one by one! All the pictures were deleted. The only file left in the pendrive was a Microsoft word document.

I couldn't imagine how disappointed I would have felt if I had not printed any of those pictures! Once upon a time I had formatted a work diskette and I lost the document I had typed. Luckily it was the only document in the diskette! That was not too bad. I had lost a day of work but the work was replaceable. What if I have not printed a hard copy of some of the pictures or have some of them posted in my blog? The pictures are captures of the moment. The clock does not turn back.

I am glad I have posted some of the pictures in my blogs. I can copy them and save them again. The pictures are gone forever but I am glad I am able to copy some of them back.

Maybe this is a good thing. One can keep too much pictures and what happen to them? Will the pictures be looked at, etc. etc. in 10 years, 20 years' time? Maybe some pictures, but not all of them.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

What Will I do With a Million Dollars??

Thanks to the tag, Lian (Lyanne).

What will I do with a million Dollars?
(1) Pay my tithing
(2) Invest in good stocks, unit trusts, etc.
(3) Buy a land in a peaceful suburb area, near a town. A land big enough for a few trees to grow, a garden to plant some vegetables and flowers, 2 dogs to run.
(4) Build a reasonable size house and turn it into a comfortable home for my immediate family and visitors.
(4) Get 2 dogs.
(5) Travel - I would like to visit the following countries first (a) Scotland (b) China (c) Australia.

Requirements:
1st - Tag 5 bloggers, list down their blog and link to their blog.
2nd - Let the blogger you want to tag know they have been tagged by commenting on their blog.
3rd - Add your own blog link to the list below.

What They Would Do With Their $1 Million:
1. SYH will spend for Family.
2. Miche will give to the needy.
3. Montessorimum will keepsake
4. Healthfreakmommy will keep, invest, spend and give to the needy.
5. The New Parent would use for education and charity.
6. Mamas Bag of Tricks would open a dinosaur themed restaurant
7. Lyanne would pamper herself
8. Irene would invest, build a new home, travel.

Friday, August 10, 2007

Pulling Noodles

Saturday, 11 August 2007

I haven't forgotten the tag from Lion City Girl on "Food Around The World". Oiled Soup is also waiting for me! Here I am, my friends!

I enjoy all kinds of food and have eaten different kind of western food during the past 3 months, too many that I don't know which one to blog and ended up blogging none of them! What is my favourite dish? I don't think I have one.

Back in Miri, Melinda emailed me and asked whether she could treat me to "Pulling Noodles" for breakfast, at Bulatan Commercial Miri. Pulling Noodles?? I have not heard that term before. Maybe you have. I was curious and accepted the invitation excitedly.

The young man pulling the noodles is from Shanghai. I stood there talking and watching him transformed a piece of dough into strings of noodles.



The noodles were immediately thrown in the pot of boiling water that was behind his left side. His partner standing behind him would dish them up and add broth and other ingredients.



They sell pull noodles with beef or pork (soup or dry form). I chose pull noodles with pork (soup). It is delicious!

I don't know whether you would consider this a Malaysian dish or a Chinese dish? It is prepared by a China man in Malaysia. Maybe call this a Malaysian-Chinese dish??????

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

It is only a broken wire

Tuesday, 7 August 2007

Alternator was okay. Battery was okay. A wiring connection was broken. That was the reason for the breakdown of the car. So glad to have it back at the end of today's office hours!

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Car Ignorance

Saturday, 4 August 2007

Been driving the car for the past 2 days without any problems, except the failure of the right signal light to blink when the lever was switched downwards on Thursday. It was rectified with the changing of a front rear bulb.

Don't know what is wrong with the car tonight. Noticed as I drove towards the church, the light on the panel of the speedometer etc grew dimmer and dimmer. I am so thankful I reached the church. By that time, the car light has already gone out completely. I realised that I have been driving without lights for the past few minutes. It wasn't obvious on the highway because the car in front and behind me were lighted, the road was better lighted. After a few minutes checking the engine oil, battery, etc. I turned the ignition key to check. No sound. It is dead! All the warning signs lighted in the panel: battery, oil, etc.

Help from church members who were there didn't help either. It was Saturday night and I don't know of any help number to call. I couldn't get to my mechanic, who had serviced the car for the past 22 years. His brother, who works in the sales, analysed the problem to the alternator. The car might have to be towed back to the workshop Monday.

My goodness! Monday! Would any mechanic willing to work on a Sunday? And it is Sabbath! How am I going to visit my mother tomorrow? Maybe Sister and I can walk there. She did that before, all by herself. If she could do that, I should be able to!

2 Church members said to contact their respective mechanic tomorrow. I think I better try and call my own mechanic again tomorrow and seek his advice. Guess it would have to rest another day and night at the church car lot!