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Decisions! Decisions!

7 Oct

I wrote this prior to achieving the unimaginable. I thought I would be stuck at level 425 for my Candy Crush for awhile but I finally conquered the level on Saturday night. Now comes the predicament (again). To move forth by playing on the laptop or wait for the update on the iPad. Hmm… Decisions, decisions. I chose to move forth and fellow candy crushers have sent me tickets to see me through. Thank you!

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Thanks to my fellow Candy Crushers, I have moved on, on the laptop. Bye folks!

My second predicament is my other game, Zookeeper Battle. It now has an update to be in line with iOS7!!! Oh dear. Just last week, I decided to prolong the update of my iPad to the new OS for as long as I can. And now, my second favorite game has an update. Hmm… Decisions, decisions (again). For this, I’d say status quo for now.

I must say as days pass, fiddling with my updated iPhone4, certain features of the new OS are nice. I particularly like the torchlight and I listen to my music more. But I still do not like the green and blue colors of the bubble text messages. And the biggest unlike is the passcode to key in every time I want to use the phone. While this may be an added security feature, I think it’s an extra step and effort.

So my iPad remains as is, and my Zookeeper as well. For how long, we shall see. And if you must know, I zipped through the new chapter in the candy saga and am now at Level 433.

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Can I Be an Onion?

30 Sep

In a blink of an eye, we face October (tomorrow). What this means is Halloween is also around the corner and every year, we go through the same thing, call it predicament or argument, it is always on what to wear for that ghoulish night.

During the Spongebob craze period several years back, I made a Spongebob costume for M2 and she complained other fellow trick or treaters deemed her too friendly and cute instead of scary after the walkabout that night. Miffed by the comments which was inappropriate for ghoulish theme, she decided the next time, she would be something else to make people wary, scared or even cry at the sight of her.

“Can I be an onion for the next Halloween?” she asked.

“Onion?! Why?” I asked, curiosity got the better of me.

“Onions make people cry. And I wanna make people cry so that nobody will say I am cute.” she rationalized and concluded. In her mind, crying equates to fear; fear equates to horror, horror being the theme of Halloween, get it?

The onion costume never materialized thankfully.

I should say Halloween is not a big thing in our country but it is catching up in our neighborhood estate. So I brace myself for what madcap ideas M2 may have. M1, on the other hand, being older and more sensible treats the day just like any other day. Phew.

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This is Not a Review of iOS7

26 Sep

Every morning when I wake up, the first thing I reach for is my iPhone to look at the time, then the iPad to play Zookeeper Battle, followed by Candy Crush. This morning is no different from always but I groaned when I saw a prompt on the iPad to update the OS to iOS7!

Oh no! Do I have to?

Two days ago, I gave in to update my iPhone4. Initially I was skeptical to do so, knowing there will be limited features that my phone is capable of; so I wanted to wait it out and hear a little more feedback from friends to be sure before taking the plunge. I am also a creature of habit and don’t like my comfort zone disrupted; my phone being what it is now is a comfort and I am in my zone. But when I did hear nothing but positive raves, I went ahead and updated.

Right after I did the update, I felt so let down. My phone is now so ugly, flat and devoid of depth. I kept comparing it with my iPad to see the difference and without hesitation, decided to not update my iPad for as long as I can.

iOS7-iPhone

See how flat and unappealing it looks.

iOS7-iPad

So pretty, no?

It didn’t help that on the homefront prior to the update, M2 kept pestering me when will I buy the new phone so that she could inherit the current model. She even dispensed with manners and just came right to the point asking when will I change my phone? When I stared daggers at her, she changed tactic and nagged me at when will I update the OS instead? Hrmph.

That night, I lamented about the flatness of the phone, M2 quickly pounced on it and pointed out that since it’s now ugly, and I don’t like it (and she does) she will just take my phone! Eeesh… The child is just notorious.

But ugly as it is, I have to learn to like it. After all, there’s no turning back to iOS6 (and silly to pay or hack to downgrade) or heaven forbid, consider migrating to an Android phone! So learn I did.

Despite its lack of depth and being so flat in looks, it is nice in terms of operating system, definitely an upgrade. There’s a range of new ring tones besides the many features already reviewed by techies and all out there, so I will not delve in this. It’s the look that I am not used to, it’s so flat. I was horrified to see the message bubble coming out so green, Granny Smith would be envious of the green being more green than their apples. When highlights and depths are taken away, what you end up with is a flat horrid shade that totally lacks character. Having said that, the iMessage blue is no better.

Also, I miss the green felt in GameCenter. I feel so lost in the new layout.

So will I update my iPad? I think I will wait a while longer.

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We Don’t Like Shopping

24 Sep

Unlike other female species, I am considered an unusual one for I don’t like shopping. Put me in a mall for three hours or more, browsing through things or whatever, I find it quite an ordeal. Breathing becomes difficult as I always argue it is the lack of oxygen with so many people inside the enclosed building that causes this discomfort. And walking becomes taxing when the lack of oxygen kicks in, causing pain in the joints and legs.

Really strange coming from someone who can traverse almost halfway around the globe and walk 8km throughout the city of Paris or about 6km to 8km on a golf course anytime!

So when it comes to shopping, thankfully, my girls are like me and share the same sentiments on the breathing and walking issues. We hardly go shopping and will only do so if necessary.

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Never Go Shopping with Your Sports Car Wannabee

23 Sep

This is totally not related to my usual M1 M2 stories but I just had to share. It was a typical weekend shopping and eating out several months ago. We went to IKEA and as we were heading out from the parking lot, we saw this dude with his low suspension impressive 19 inch rim sports car wannabee exiting as well.

He was carefully trying to maneuver his wannabee over the hump as he exited the carpark. Going at an angle slowly, then reversing, then trying again. Obviously with a full load of passengers, he was unsuccessful.

We watched with fascinated amazement and disbelief as he then ordered all passengers down—grandma, wife and kids included—to just step out from the vehicle so that he could cross the hump! They all obliged and then climbed backed in once the vehicle crossed the hump.

I must say the three cars we have, one of them is a low profile mini sports car. But as much as we love it, I do not subject my mother to sit in it for its low profile attribute just does not bode well with the elderly. And the sentiments are reciprocal, she doesn’t even want to get in. You can then be assured I will never go shopping with my mom in my sports car and subject her to get down in an attempt to cross a speed hump.

I think to avoid such a scene, never go shopping with the family in your low suspension sports car wannabee if you can help it. It’s just way too embarrassing, even to watch.

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They Updated!

20 Sep

Today I just posted my latest achievement for my Candy Crush addiction and wondered when they would update the game on the iPad and they just did it!

So I guess crushing candies in the office will resume…

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It Finally Happened

20 Sep

Just when I least expected it, I crossed Level 410 on the laptop last Saturday! Yippee kah yay!!! And not only I received 3 stars for my gallant effort, I am the champion of the Polkapalooza episode. (Silly grin.)

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I guess the love for the game continues as I will play on, on the laptop to march forth as I await the update on the iPad.

But as I do not play Candy Crush in the office—a statement that somewhat contradicts because I am a full time Candy Crusher and occasional graphic designer—the march will be slow. Currently, I am at Level 412 and the annoying tornadoes zipping here and there will make the march even slower.

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So Predictable

17 Sep

I do not like to promise my girls things whenever we have conversations in order to avoid disappointments or having promises broken. Instead I keep the situation open by saying,“We shall see…” so that I am not held ransom on my word and they have their expectations hopeful; and if circumstances are not favorable, the disappointment is not so painful. Now this is different from the ‘Carrot Program‘.

Conversations revolving the “We shall see…” are usually pertaining to buying ice cream, books and snacks – daily needs and not significant rewards or trips like those under the ‘Carrot Program‘.

M1 and M2 has been drilled enough with this that whenever when they ask for something, before I could open my mouth to state the obvious, they’d go, “We know… We know… We shall see…”

Is it good to be predictable?

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How You Spell Your Name Again? Part 2

12 Sep

The hubby just shared a fall-off-your-chair scenario he encountered with regards to names. Brings to mind what I wrote a while back on the same topic, how does one spell your name.

Yesterday morning he went by the car service center to inquire about a part to replace for car number three. The order was put in since June and until now, we have yet to receive confirmation for its arrival. Patiently waiting for his turn while the receptionist was on the phone, he overheard the conversation.

The other side: (Complains… Complains… he imagines).

Receptionist: “No, you must bring your car in for service regularly.”

The other side: (More complains…. he imagines).

Receptionist: “I understand but you must bring it in for service.”

The other side: (Disguntled now… he sense frustration).

Receptionist: “Seven.”

The other side: Stumped silence.
Hubby was stupefied.

Receptionist repeated: “Seven.”

The other side and him: Further silence and then muffled chortles.

Huh? Is that a name?

The other side: (How you spell your name again?) and this must be going through his mind too!

Receptionist: “S-E-V-E-N. Seven.”

It was the tone and direction of the conversation that had the other side asking the receptionist what her name is and she obliged.

Dang! Is that a name? Harper Seven Beckham she ain’t, that’s for sure!

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I Feel Cheated!

6 Sep

Last night, I was going through my usual routine playing Candy Crush and then Zookeeper Battle, I decided to use the laptop to continue crushing candies for I had ran out of lives on the iPad.

Ever since arriving at Level 410, I have yet use the laptop to play the game. To my horror, I discovered that this level has a different and much easier layout in the app on Facebook compared to the app on the iPad! How could this be? I feel cheated!! Of my time, effort and energy, what more, lives wasted in my attempt to overcome this level.

The grid of the iPad app has four less squares on it, thus making it harder to conquer compared to the app on Facebook on the laptop.

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iPad Mini: see the two left and right gaping spaces above the bombs?

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MacBook Air: now see the same spots, not gaping but with candies over jellies!

With just that two extra squares on each side at the bottom, the playing field becomes totally different in strategies and moves to diffuse the bombs and eliminate the jellies. I have played the game long enough to know the level of difficulty and challenges thrown at us. So my level of authority on this is credible.

And for as long as I have been addicted to the game, this is the first time I am encountering a discrepancy in the grid on two different devices when it shouldn’t be. Hello… King.com Limited, you hear me? Fix it on the iPad so that my feeling cheated will not mar the love affair that I have with Candy Crush.

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