I passed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mood:  incredulous
Now Playing: West End Girls (Pet Shop Boys)
Topic: Driving
I passed!!! Could you believe it? I still can't believe it ... heck, I was nervous not really during the driving but during the manouevres (parallel parking and reverse around a corner) which I really did terrible ... but was still able to pass with that (I just think the examiner was taking pity on me) ... I passed with 9 minors .. so that is great.

Driving Test Today!
Mood:  accident prone
Now Playing: Hero (Tasmin Archer)
Topic: Pet Peeves
Well, today is my driving test at 11:11 am exactly and I'm nervous as heck. I wish I hadn't had to do this test - I could gladly cancel right now and I won't mind losing my money :).

You see I know I'm going to fail ... because when I'm nervous my driving goes to pieces, and my already bad clutching gets worst ... at least I'm alright on the large roundabouts the mini-roundabouts are ok, but the double mini-roundabouts do throw me - so I have to remember to stop at the give-way lines. I think my two biggest problems will be to remember to check my mirrors particularly when I'm braking and ensuring I keep up to the speed of the row. But I usually can keep up to the speed of the road, but I usually have to take a breather to do that before I can go down back.

I think one of my hardest problems is traffic lights, not going when it is green etc., but at traffic lights there are other vehicles and I'm always scared of rear-ending them, that I brake harshly rather than smoothly - and I'm thinking that is not good.

My clutch control on the hills are not good so I have to remember to use my hand-brake since I won't be able to do that with my clutch and accelerator alone - well, probably can do it - if my nerves were better, but when I get anxious or panic my movements become jerky and I want to go as fast as possible so I could get the miserable test over and done with - what I have to remember is to take my time and be calm no matter what happens and not to get anxious or panic - easier said than done - probably I can chant "Ommm" in my head and it might calm me down.

Also, at zebra crossings, I've to check my mirror and see the people and stuff, yesterday didn't see the people on the zebra crossing and Lisa had to stop the car - not good :) ... oh, well the best I'm hoping from this test is that I don't get any dangerous - I can deal with majors but dangerous - will mean I'm a dangerous driver and that might break my confidence (not that I have much confidence when I'm driving anyhow - because of my panic and anxiety behaviour).

When I'm calm I drive really good - because just relaxing etc and not thinking about what the other person is thinking about my driving so much. Besides, usually I know where I'm going when I'm relaxing and driving but with these tests they tell you where to go and I am so accustomed to knowing where I'm going to drive properly, even when I'm not driving I like to know the plan that there is in for the drive unless it is Papa driving because then I know he'll take care of whatever but generally I like to know where we are going because I can then map the route in my head, since when I'm anxious or panicky, if someone says right it somehow becomes left in my head and vice versa, I think I'm going to screw up with directions. And although I might repeat right, my brain might still think it is left. Why can't they saying we are going that way, and point? At least I'll know :D.

I think this getting confused with right and left must run in the family, because Amalia only knows her right hand from her left hand, because she has a scar in her left hand, and Ritch always get confuse with left and right, since he'll say he is turning left when he is driving and then he turns right. So, it is a family thing. I've never seen mum or pa do that though ... must be two recessive genes in all of us :).

Tropical Storm Epsilon!!!!
Mood:  accident prone
Now Playing: If This Is It (Huey Lewis & The News)
Topic: Internet fun things
Well, here we are again ... another new storm to go look at it ... this is like Delta since it is formed in the North of the Atlantic Ocean.

Yesterday, was the official date for the tropical storm season to be over - but we still got that one hovering!

Delta strangely enough hit the Canary Islands, I wasn't aware that tropical storms could hit those islands although earlier in the year one of the depressions did hit Spain.

....Here Comes Delta
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Lucille (Kenny Rogers)
Topic: Internet fun things
Well ... whadya know ... we have a new tropical storm ... and its name is Delta ... but it is in the middle of the ocean near the Azores... and it ain't likely to hit anyway ... because it can't go towards the US - because they should be having cold fronts by now.

I thought Gamma would have been the place ... but nope ... Delta had to usurp its position. Gamma was a bit tricky though ... because it took so long to form .. because it was a depression when it hit the Windward islands ... and then the NHC forecasters said it was going to dissipate (they weren't going to issue any more public advisories)... then what happened a couple of days later? It formed back again ... now into a Tropical Storm that went attacking Central America. So, must admit Gamma was the strangest storm ... because I was following it hoping it would have turn into a storm (think it was called Tropical Depression 27) ... and then when the forecasters thought it had no hope ... I abandoned my vigil ... but should have wait it out ....

Just updating my blog
Mood:  hug me
Now Playing: In the Flesh (Blondie)
Topic: Friends
Pradyot is harassing me to update this blog again - but I've been more interesting in updating my research blog lately.

I think I might be coming down with something since I don't feel too right ... and now I've got to walk home in the cold ... and it is really dark and miserable looking because it is cloudy and we have light fog I think.

Had a driving lesson this morning which went terrible :) ... I was just not into it ... hope it goes better tomorrow ... hope I feel better tomorrow ... anyway, going to wrap up warmly now and go home.

Tropical Storm Beta!
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: One Sweet Day (Mariah Carey)
Topic: Internet fun things
Can you believe it??? We are on Tropical Storm Beta ... wow ... this is really turning out to be a busy tropical storm season. But strangely enough most of these are forming in the Caribbean Sea rather than in the Atlantic Ocean which is very strange.

I mean a couple usually form in the Gulf of Mexico - but both Wilma and Beta have formed down that way. But Beta has formed really low ... it has been formed off the coast of Nicaragua. Alpha formed in a strange place also just below Hispaniola .. what's going on with these storms ... there are no longer nice tracking from the Atlantic Ocean ... I mean that is good in a way since it is sparing the Caribbean islands (well the Windward and Leeward islands).

Anyway ... waiting for the advisory at 1 pm ... to see if Beta will turn into a Hurricane but it seems so close to Nicaragua I'm thinking it just might remain a Tropical Storm .. but who knows? Alpha was a Tropical storm ... I just want it to turn into a Hurricane so that we can break that record as well - you know - having a Hurricane with a Greek letter.

Anyway, waiting to see what November has in store ... wondering if there will be more storms ...

Pradyot bugging me to update journal
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Melody of You (Sixpence None the Richer)
Topic: Friends
So, Pradyot has been bugging me to update this blog for a few days now .. and I just told him I would do it in two hours time .. so decided to at least put this entry in to ensure I do not break the promise :).

Well ... gotta give him credit, if it wasn't for him perhaps I will never update this blog ....

Its cold!
Mood:  chillin'
Now Playing: A Beautiful Morning (The Rascals)
Topic: Milton Keynes
Man ... it's cold outside ... and I've got to walk home ... and I only came with a thin cardigan ... should have brought a jacket but it was looking sunny ... but now it has turned cloudy ... hope I can make it home without turning into an icicle ... I think I should be once I've walked for 10 mins since I may build up enough heat ... hopefully ... but then I've another 25 Min's to go after that first 10 Min's. Oh I'm dreading it ...

We are suppose to have a high of 15oC today ... according to the BBC it is currently 11oC ... but yahoo weather says it is 14oC ... hope to goodness yahoo is right ... the temp. won't have been so bad by itself ... but there is a 20 mph wind ... it is going to be freezing ... why did I not pack my jacket!! Why?????? Should have checked the weather before I left .... and take a jacket no matter what happens!

The Island
Mood:  spacey
Now Playing: Always Something There to Remind Me (Naked Eyes)
Topic: Movies
So, went two weeks ago to see the island with Shreena, it starred Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. The movie was pretty alright until a certain point (until he killed his original) and then it went positively downhill.

I liked the concept though of having clones to make parts for you or carry your kid to full term ... seems, really good - I might have invested in one of them if I had the money ... providing the company did exactly what they did ... don't tell me that these are real people and they exist.

Don't see why they couldn't make them brain-dead ... nevertheless the movie gave a weak reason but a reason nevertheless why you couldn't have them brain-dead: the chances of transplants increases when the person is healthy and moving etc.

I don't get the point of freeing the clones though ... well, I understand that 'they had to do it' ... it is a Hollywood movie ... so the nice chocolate ending must come, but what are the clones going to do now?? They don't have any jobs or homes ... how they're going to feed themselves?

Plus don't understand why it was so hard to kill Ewan McGregor (the clone) in the movies ... never mind in trying to kill him they must have killed a hundred people ... but guess they thought it was worth it. Anyway, the guy hunting them down, Djimon Hounsou, now that guy has presence ... I reckon on screen and off-screen as well. And for a guy who was a model ... he does pretty fine acting ... he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for the movie 'In America' ... he was pretty good in that movie too ... I didn't know who he was at the time ... but seriously lots of presence ... not to mention a good pair of legs :).

Anyway, next Tuesday we (Alex, Farah and Adele) should be going to see the 'Pride and Prejudice' movie with Keira Knightley ... not sure if I'll enjoy it ... because nothing can beat the BBC version ... but I promise myself to go and watch it as a movie rather than an adaptation of my favorite book :). I'm going to try and persuade Shreena to let us go see 'Must Love Dogs' on Wednesday ... Amalia and Brandon said it was a good movie.

I got my new wireless card today!!
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: For You (John Denver)
Topic: Amazon.co.uk
So, as I went in this morning ... there lying in my post box was my new wireless card ... wow! So, I came home and was able to load it and it worked ... got it set up in 5 minutes flat. And this is a rather more powerful wireless card since now it has been able to find 2 more networks in the area .... (well we used to always get RMNHome but just also got Home and one called Middleton ... all secured mine you ... but still feel good that this 3COM wireless card is working so well ... plus, it can be stored in my computer without I having to eject it.

Anyway, got replied from amazon.co.uk who said they have received my returned item of the linksys wireless card, and they will be refunding me my money to my credit card ... plus they also refund me my postage ... didn't expect that. Wow, good customer service. Well ... postage wasn't that much but still (cost 1.21 pounds by first class).