What marks your book spot?

What are your current favourite bookmarks? My partner takes pride in his nicely crafted slim metal ones. Me? Any old library slip or corner of a paper napkin will do.

Once I stuck an elbow in a book while answering the phone and writing a few notes. Another time, at my sister's house, her big lazy dog was snoozing as usual, so I used one of his black floppy ears as a bookmark for a few minutes while I got some snacks from the kitchen. Of course, when I came back with the food, the dog with the hyper-sensitive nose sniffed the titbits, opened his eyes and -- "No! No! BoBo, don't get up!" -- lifted his gigantic head and of course his ear slid out of the book. Hmmf.

Yeah, I've bird-brained ideas like that.

If overcharged, what would you do?

If you feel an injustice had been committed, what would you do?
Would you barge into a shop and ask for your money back? Or politely talk to the manager and make him see your point of view and how important it is to keep your custom?

"Let it go," my partner said when I told him I had been overcharged for a cut and colour at a hair salon. "Just don't go to them again."

It's very hard for me to let go of such things. For days I struggle with myself. To me, if I don't try to right things, I feel I'm encouraging such people in their less-than-honest ways. If I at least give them a "bit of trouble", they'd think twice before perpetrating the same thing on other unsuspecting clients. Which means my trouble or effort won't get me any future benefit but it might benefit other people.

What is your take, please?

Not-again scenes

Which kind of movie scene are you sick of watching?

For me, it's the taking of pictures in a photo booth -- whether it's two lovers or two or three friends. It's been done to death in both Western and Eastern films.

Silly Word Game

Seeing the title of John Ling's "Zero Sum" (which is making it into 'Dark City 2', I hear, congrats!) made me think of Sum Tin Har, the matronly and buxom HK actress. Now, inexplicably, Sum Tin Har, being dishy in her unique way, associated my twisted mind with 'har lock', a kind of Chinese prawn dish. And, of course, 'har lock' made me think of the saying "lock, stock and barrel".

You get my drift.

Now, let's play a word game using only well-known maxims and titles of books, songs, TV series and movies.

I begin with Garrison Keillor's "Lake Wobegon Days". Days something, anyone?

Exciting plans a-foot!

Please check out Tunku Halim's blogsite, Write Lah! Writing for Malaysians.

http://tunkuhalim.wordpress.com/

Happy days are here again, as they say.