Last Sunday, I overslept and didn’t make it to church. I spent the afternoon at work (yes, on a Sunday afternoon)! I fired off an email in response to a question about refrigerator’s energy consumption. As soon as I send that out, the notifying me of a new message in my inbox (which is quite rare on considering it was weekend). It reads:

From:[name hidden]
Sent: September 30, 2007 2:51 PM
To: [me]
Subject: RE: Refrigerator Energy consumption

You’re just as bad as me.. working on a Sunday!!!

I immediately replied her email:

From: [me]
Sent: September 30, 2007 2:57 PM
To: [name hidden]
Subject: RE: Refrigerator Energy consumption

Good to know that I am not the only one. You make my day.

People always feel better when they see others in the same boat. Especially when you have to work OT on a Sunday without getting paid.

It was around noon last Wednesday, and I was driving a rental car on the way going back to the office. It happened on a regional road where the speed limit is 80km/h. Clocked at 108km/h down the hill, a cop car which had been hiding on the side of the road came after me, flashed it red and blue lights, and I pulled over to the side of the road as a sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

Car in parking gear. Emergency light flashing. Engine off. Windows down. From my rear mirror, I saw the cop casually strolled towards my car.

"How are you doing sir?" he said.

"Good." I lied. How would you expect me to feel good? But any other answer would deem inappropriate. I handed over my license and the little package of documents from car rental to the cop.

"Do you have a clean record?"

"Yes." This time I told the truth.

"You are the first [car] I pulled over today."

After a short pause, I said, "Will I be the lucky one?"

"I will see what I can do." His response was no relief to me. With the license and the paper in his hands, he went back to his car.

The slaughtering process was far from quick and painless. It was at least 10 minutes before the cop got out of his car and approached me again, during which lots of thoughts crossed my mind. The last thing I wanted is to let my boss know I got a ticket again, only several days after he paid for my previous parking fine.

I kept my fingers crossed. 

"Your were speeding by 28km. But since it is your first time, I have reduced it to a plus 10…..instead of paying a $200+ fine and get 3 demerit, you will have to pay $35 and with no demerit points. You may take it to the court. But if you decide to take it to the court, you may be fined at the original fine… here is your license, and the ticket…. Drive safe."

That was relief. For some reason, I felt happy about it, as it was better than what I have anticipated.

I am glad at least I am not getting any demerit point. Tis just fine.

Afterword: As I got back onto the single-lane road again, the cop had no other route but to follow behind me. For those 15 or so kilometers which I was tagged, I switched on the "manual cruise-control mode", i.e. watching the speedometer every three seconds to ensure I was travelling at exactly 80km/h. Exactly 80km/h. And throughout my trip back to the office, my car crawled at the speed as restricted by the speed limit signs. Every driver passed me with a get-off-the-road-if-you-are-so-damn-slow look.

I installed Picasa 2 as my new photo organizer. It seems to a neat little program and let you search for photo fast. It was no surprise. Afterall, Google, who owned Picasa, is still the biggest player in search technology.

While the program is indexing all the pictures I have on my hard drive, I was browsing and came across this picture of two sisters (I believe they are twins) playing in a small playground in the Whistler’s "Market Place". They are like little angels. While the picture was taken on a trip to the West Coast of Canada in 2003, this is still one of the most beautiful picture I have seen (actually I think I took this picture, but I am not 100% sure).

The bulb begged, "Screw me!"

So I screwed it… up. It is wasted.

Lesson learnt: Do not buy 4 bulbs for $1 at Canadian Tire.

A brain wave must have hit me, as I am suddenly watching Prison Break like mad. Ten episodes over two nights. It pushed my bed time to 2 am. I felt terribly tired at work. I drowse.

Prison Break is just soooo… unstoppable. It is like Pringles, "Once you pop, you can’t stop"! I am on the ten episode of the second season, where Lincoln met his father; LJ, his grandfather. Anyways, the point is, I will soon be "up-to-date" with TV screening, which is showing episode 20 this week.

Somewhere I read, "it take 21 days to build a habit". Twenty one days? That’s three whole weeks before a behaviour becomes a habit? But seriously I think it depends on the type of habit. Bad habits are especially easy to pick up, but the good ones are like Teflon, they just don’t stick. Regardless of whether the statement is true or not, it seems my nine resolutions for 2007 mostly failed. Especially the last one about keeping in touch with friends and families. If anything, I distanced myself ever further. Fewer phone calls. I hardly receive and/or reply personal emails anymore. I don’t actively "hi" anyone on MSN. I blog less often. Face-to-face gatherings with ex-university friends resorted to those once-a-month birthday dinners.

All at the same time, I find myself more pre-occupied than ever, by work, by tutoring, school and whatever. I preferred these days to spend my only free day, Sunday, on my own. Watching TV, surf the web, or spend it in a way which I would consider wasted by the end of the day. I almost feel imprisoned by myself.

When will I break free?