Tuesday, March 31, 2009

All in a days work....

Quite a purposeful day...for me, at least...

I managed to get a much needed opportunity to practice on the piano...refreshing, would be an understatement of how I felt when I placed my hand on the keys...these days I was feeling restless...as if there was something in the cosmic world poking at my back...but I couldn't figure out what it was...tried to brush it aside...trying to convince myself that I'd probably mis-placed something...and my subconscious is ringing a bell...or probably it is trying to remind me that I forgot something...well, if it was, it would be useless anyway...I have no clue to what I should be remembering that I ain't remembering...

But upon touching the keys, and playing some jazz standards; 'You Don't Know What Love Is', 'Body and Soul', etc...the restlessness melted away...and for once in so many days, I felt at home...the prodigal child has returned...

Goes the saying...

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ~ Berthold Auerbach

Hence, I was able to produce some solid work during my piano lesson with my teacher...we discussed a lot about arrangements and big band sounds...the musical shades and colours...melodic contours...horizontal harmony...and triggering of an image...inspiring and challenging...really gets me on the move...

Decided to give myself a break and pamper myself with a reading marathon...Since I was looking into some fresh topics such as Sociology and Criminal Minds, I decided to head to Kinokuniya bookstore in KLCC...which was about 45 minutes drive from my teacher's place (including traffic jams and all)...got lost a bit, damn the stupid Malaysian road signs...but all was well...

Got bitten by an unknown bug, I think...while all the gals my age are enjoying chick lits such as Confession of A Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella, Sex and a City, by Candance Bushnell which covers the breadth of post-feminist issues like love, courtship, and gender...I am now going through the online crime libraries, reading about the unfortunate rape and murder of Anita Cobby, Caylee Anthony case, etc...all homicides that never failed to make me feel sick in the guts...the murderous details and thoughts of the criminal give me creeps...but nevertheless, my eyes were glued...my interest grows...in wanting to understand what goes through the minds of these souless souls...my curiosity has a much bigger appetite than I can imagine...

So while in Kinokiniya, I managed to rake up some books on criminal psychology...confessions of a serial killer, behavioural sience...nothing makes my day, than a good book to read, comfortable seats with background classical music...and of course, a cup of hot coffee for the finishing touch...

Then comes the most memorable part of the day...I made my way down to the parking lot, and queued up to pay my parking ticket...I didn't bring much cash with me...just RM15, as I didn't plan on buying anything in the bookstore...I took out RM10 from my purse...I didn't know how much exactly was the parking rate in KLCC...but I gather it should be about RM2 per hour...making my whole bill to an approximate RM9 seeing that I've spent exactly 4 hours and 24 minutes in that mall...

I slot in my ticket..."Please pay the amount shown on the display," the stupid machine repeated in a most monotone lady voice...I looked up on the screen...RM13.50...WHAT the???!!!!...Forgive me...but I very nearly cursed aloud...I couldn't help myself...I looked around...for a moment, I thought the machine went nuts...then my eyes caught the sign listed with the parking rates...RM3 per hour...blardy hell...I then suddenly remembered why I have always refrained from driving to KL town, opting to take the monorail instead...man, that was complete daylight robbery!!!...

I made my way to my car...RM13.50 poorer...was thinking, that I might as well have bought the book, and left earlier instead...at least, my money would be well spend investing on a book, instead of contributing to this high-class mall and its taxes...but on the other hand, if I had left earlier, I would have been caught in a peak hour traffic jam, which would have annoyed me terribly...either way, I still lose...I had tried to save myself some cash by reading books of my interest in the bookstore itself, instead of purchasing them...but I guess my efforts are all down the drain...*sigh*...

Was lost in my thoughts for a moment there...and when I looked up, I realized that I have walked way past my car, and got slightly disorientated...no worries, though...just a slight detour...car should be just around the corner...nil...well, probably the other corner...err...nope...haha...those poor guys in the car who was looking for a parking space...I didn't realize that they were tailing me with a hope to get one...it broke my heart to wave them away, and see their flickering hopes vanish...NOT!!...haha...cruel, aren't I??...*grin*...I was exaggerating...of course, I never thought of that...But after a while, I finally decided to head back to the parking machine booth, and start from there once more...when I reached, I realized what my problem was...I was in the wrong floor/level...I paid my parking ticket in P1, while my car was parked at P2, a level lower...blardy hell...

Got into the car, and headed for the road...Man, the last time I drove to KLCC, was light years ago...The signs were most helpful, though...a bit to helpful, perhaps...cause it wrote the names of every street nearby the mall, and showed the arrow, left and right...that will lead you to that specific street...such an ingenious idea, isn't it??...the problem was, they have then put misery upon people like me who are completely uselss when it comes to street names!!!...Don't recognize a single one of them...Pinang Street, Tun Razak street...hopeless...

Tossing a coin, I decided to head for Pinang Street...the road took me to Impiana Hotel, and I just followed the traffic from there...I saw a road sign on my right, that writes "Cheras", the destination that I am suppose to head...the taxi in front of me, turned to the right, following the sign...so I did as well, tagging behind him at a consistent speed...and while there wasn't a traffic jam, there were plenty of cars...still, I was not panicking...as long as I followed the traffic...

Suddenly, the taxi swerved to the left...no light indicator switched on, nil...man, what a road jerk!!!...when all at once, I understood why he did what he did...the lane he and I was in, the most right...was headed for a hidden tunnel...with a sign in white, and bold green letters...KLCC PARKING...blardy hell...stupid road signs!!!...what are the signs for, if they are placed in a position, impossible to view...till its to late for the driver to make a safe turn??...damn it...

While the taxi managed to escape from entering the fateful tunnel, I on the other hand, weren't so lucky...there were many cars behind me, and I was to much an obedient citizen, to cross the double line drawn on the road...so I went in...took another parking ticket...again...and came back out...thank goodness, that the first 15 minutes of parking entry is free of charge...

Well, that was the Lessajinomoto adventures for the day...If I were suffering amnesia in years before, I am telling you that I am remembering everything today...

#1. Never ever drive in KL, unless you are willing to have your life considerably shortened...the stress, handling both the traffic, and brainless moronic drivers...is just ain't worth it...chances are, a majority of people working in KL town suffers from high blood pressure...I could feel mine just tipping the scale...

#2. KL shopping, are meant for the yuppies...the parking rate says it all...man, RM13.50 can last me two main meals (rice, veg and red meat and a cup of chinese tea)...and even that, I would have balance left!!!...

#3....ah well, if you happen to have any tips on surviving in KL, do drop me a note...

No comments: