Just out of curiosity I visited this website to check out how much http://ping-yui.net/ is worth - and found out it's valued at a surprising US$1496.50! Wow!
As for the daily ads revenue, I wonder how they come up with that figure of US$2.05, when I hide the GoDaddy ads bar so well. O.o
I'm not making money off my website at all, and I sadly currently have only one person hosting with me. It will be nice if some random Bruneians ask to host with me, I'll probably slap a big fat 50% discount on the already ridiculously low US$2.00 per year.
Bruneians, anyone looking for a cheaper-than-thy-grave host? If you know nothing about hosting, I can help you with it. I'm super user-friendly! (laughs)
Ahhh, I need to stop rambling on and on and get on with my revision.
This guy piss me off so much, I'm sending him the death vibe.
How dare he insult His Majesty of all people. I think if I insult his mother he'll probably lash out without thinking. Well, Mr I-Sure-Am-An-ASS, His Majesty the Sultan just happen to be like a mother to us Bruneians. And get your Geography facts right, dammit.
People who thinks polar bears live alongside penguins also fall into my category of ASS. Just because both poles of the Earth is covered in ice doesn't mean they live in the same habitat. These ASS obviously are no environmentalists or have no sense of logic. If polar bears live alongside penguins, non-existing-god forbid, penguins won't even survive until today. If you are wondering why I am so passionate about penguins, they are my cousins. If my cousins doesn't survive, I will not exist.
"I don't know whose fault she thought it was, but it definitely wasn't mine."
I looked at her and she looked suspiciously back at me. She didn't believe me, and why should she? I had lied to her before. Not on purpose, but still.
I stood up abruptly. "I should go."
She said nothing. As I let myself out of her apartment, she didn't even move. I didn't expect her to see me to the door, but still. Ah, whatever. I should have learnt long ago not to expect anything from her.
The mobile phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out. It was an unknown number. I was about to reject the call when I suddenly remembered. I glanced at my watch. Quarter to seven. Hell, I was late.
"Sorry, I'll be right over." "Right over where?" The voice on the other end was cold. Ivy. Again. "Johnny. I forgot to pick him up." "Oh." Still the flat, cold tone. Why couldn't this woman give me a break? "Talk to you later." I hung up and hurried towards the car.
It was just after half past seven when I pulled up in front of the school. Johnny was standing under a street light with his head down, the yellow light giving him a hauntingly lonely look. He looked up when I opened the car door.
"Hey." "Get in, kid."
Johnny got into the front passenger seat. His hair was wet and his clothes were soaked. He shivered involuntarily. The road was wet. It must have rained sometime ago.
"Want me to turn the heat up?" He shrugged. "Sure."
The drive back was silent, as usual. Johnny seemed to have a lot on his mind lately; he had a faraway look in his eyes. It must be girls. He was coming up to that stage now. Heck, who am I to judge him, I have my own set of problems too. Ivy and her sister...
The house was dark when we got back. Johnny went in first, got all the lights switched on and began clattering about in the kitchen. I took out the mobile phone and tossed it onto the sofa, then headed out to the balcony with a pack of cigarettes.
"Hey, kid." "Yeah?" "Want a smoke?" He sounded wary. "Maybe later." I smiled to myself. "Just kidding, kid."
I was leaning on the balcony, looking at the starlit sky, smoking and thinking about nothing when there was a loud bang. I rushed inside and found Johnny holding a gun that was smoking at the barrel. My gun.
"Hey!" "I...I found it in the drawer. I didn't...didn't know it was loaded." "Put it back," I barked.
He shot me a frightened look but put it back.
I sighed and looked around the living room cum kitchen. There was a hole in the wall where the bullet was lodged. Couldn't do anything about it now. Maybe I would have it filled and painted over tomorrow when Johnny was at school. And hide the gun in another place, I reminded myself.
"Did mother called?"
I focused my attention back to Johnny. He had his back to me, the blue apron too big for him, frying something at the stove. Poor kid, he never have a chance to know his mother, and it was my fault, but he never blame me.
"Yeah, she did."
He shrugged to show he had heard and continued frying. I picked up the mobile phone and went back outside the balcony. I thought for a while of what she and I had talked about before I went and picked up Johnny. I thought about all the hurtful things she had said over the years, but I want her to believe me this time. Just this time.
Before I regret it, I dialled her number. She picked up after the second ring.
"What do you want?" She demanded. "Johnny just asked about you." "Oh? So?" I cringed at her cold tone. "Just wanna let you know." Ivy laughed. "It's amazing, the way you think I still care about him." "He cares about you."
She laughed again. I stubbed out the cigarette and threw it into an unused flower pot on the balcony, and waited until her laughter stopped. "Listen. It wasn't my fault."
Her tone turned angry. "Then whose fault was it?" "Your sister's."
There was a sharp intake of breath. "How dare you accuse my sister of...of...coming onto you!" "That's the truth." "You drugged her!"
The accusation rang in my ears. For a while neither of us spoke. She really had changed, I told myself for the umpteenth time. Since that day she left both Johnny and me, she had become sarcastic, angry, and she blamed it all on me. Said I messed up her life. It was a hundred and eighty degrees turn from what she used to be like. Sometimes I wondered why I still put up with her.
"You know I didn't." "I know you did all right."
I didn't reply. Why oh why life can't be as simple as those innocently blinking stars. She laughed again. She thought she was winning, she thought she was right. She really had changed, but I still love her. Not as Johnny's mother, but as my wife. We haven't officially divorce yet, because I refused to divorce her.
"Ivy." "Rot in hell." She said acidly and hung up.
The dial tone beeped annoyingly, but I still held the phone to my ear. The stars are so bright today, blinking away peacefully, just like they did so many years ago when Ivy was still Ivy, when both of us watched them on top of the hill, when I thought she and I will be together forever. A delicious smell drifted from inside the house. A while later, Johnny said from behind me, "come eat, father."
I turned around and followed him inside, where dinner was laid on the only table in the room, the mobile phone tucked in my pocket. It was fried noodles tonight.
Happy Birthday! You are turning 20! Yay! Hey, do you know that 20 is one of my lucky numbers? Anyways! I dedicate this song by YUI to you!
Thank You My Teens YUI translation
I'm trying to hide this secret letter Here in an empty box I look at the memories of distant days
I keep getting closer to this decade's last day The things left undone will probably still fade
I always thought that I didn't want to become an adult However, I give you my gratitude Thank you My teens
Singing is the only thing I have My shame made it easier to sing This only could change my strength I don't have many friends but I want to think of them often This belief is not a feeling from some show-off
New encounters were supportive of my dream However, I give you my gratitude Thank you My friends
I always thought that I didn't want to become an adult However, I'm going to be 20 Thank you My teens
