Next Toy

*** Updated ***
The SZ models are out of stock at SonyStyle.com... @@"

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Time to think about my next toy, and I am debating whether I should get a TV or a laptop. I've even picked out the model that i really like. Both are from Sony (not a big surprise since I'm a big Sony fan) and either one of them will cost me an arm and leg.

If I am getting a TV, I'd probably wait till the end of this year or maybe early next year to get it. The reason being that I need a TV to play Nintendo's next generation console (CodeName: Revolution). Unfortunately, since Revolution doesn't support HD, I really can't justify getting this $2699 TV except for the fact that I can brag about owning one of Sony's best line.

On the other hand, I can't really think of a reason to get a notebook either - except that the idea of going into a Cafe with WiFi and being able to surf the net/blog always intrigue me. Of course I don't need the newest Sony to do so, but hey, it looks trendy with a Sony VAIO.

The other good thing about getting the laptop instead of the TV is that I can use my company's loan program (24-month no interest loan) to pay for it. If i am going for the TV, i kinda need to wait after my trip back home and assess the damage - meaning i might not have the cash.

Oh well, at this point, I am fairly sure that something Sony's coming my way! Just don't know what yet.

P.S. Originally I also planned for an iPod and a new DC. Darn the IRS.

Rant about Xanga and MSN Messenger

I never liked Xanga - and don't think I will grow to like it as well. It is very frustrating when you want to leave comments on a blog that's hosted by Xanga - mainly because they required you to sign-in to Xange first. I only want to leave a message on my friends' blog, and pretty much that's all I want to do with Xanga. Another thing that I don't like about Xanga blog is that they don't have RSS/Atom feeds. For all the other blogs that i frequently visit, I subscribe to their RSS/Atom feed so that I don't have to manually visit their site just to find out that nothing has been updated since I last visited. I can't believe that Xanga doesn't support this! Maybe they do and it's just my friend who hasn't turn on this feature. For those who use Xanga blog, please let me know - i am really curious.

* Speaking of RSS, I am going to try my luck again soon in convincing Sales that RSS is a good feature in our product - we'll see how that turns out *

On to MSN.

For those who still IM me, you'd know that my default IM is still ICQ (btw, ICQ has a new IM call ComPad, but currently only available for registration if you do not live on this planet - I mean, they block registrations from: Israel, Vatican, Italy, Germany, Russia, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Norway, Turkey, Sweden, UK, Netherlands, Austria, Australia, Belgium and Denmark).

Where were I? Oh, MSN. Today I took the brave step in installing MSN Messenger 7.5. The UI has too many stuff that I will never use so I found it cluttering. Tabs? Don't use them. The toolbar below my e-mail & message? Don't think I'll be using them eitehr. I like ICQ because it gets the job done. I am not interested in all the ten billion funtions that'e embedded in the application. I just want a UI that would allow me to do simple IM with my friends. Plus the fact that it has ads at the bottom of the app - there probably is some hack out there in the WWW that remove the ads. I believe I hacked my ICQ to remove its ads too - makes it not very appealing to me at the moment. However, if you'd like try IM me via MSN, it's uarzen@yahoo.com.

This concludes my rant of the day.

Memories

Tonight outside Woodman's (a supermarket in town for those of you not in Madison), I saw 4 guys, which I believe are UW students by just the way they looked, loading their groceries into their car. I think they already filled two of their three carts, but the whole trunk is packed - AND they still have one more carts to go! I didn't stay to see what they end up doing with their last cart (since the temperature's sub-zero), but I presume that they'll have to hold on to those in the front.

This scene reminds me of how my friends and I did grocery during our Sophomore year at Purdue. It was our first apartment - located conveniently next to the campus (across from the University parking garage). However, the biggest problem was that none of us had a car at that time.

Hence, doing grocery was a "big deal" for us. We normally would do it every other Friday evening. First calling a cab to "China Garden" for dinner. Our other choice would have been KFC or Taco Bell. Since I was part of the group, you pretty much can be sure that no one is getting Taco Bell.

Afterward, we casually walk to the Wal-Mart/Marsh on the other side of the "street" - a 4-lane State Road 26 main artery in the town of Lafayette) - and began our shopping fun. When we are done, we would call a cab again to get back. Since there was four/five of us each time, i remember each time we would pack - wait, i think a better word is "stuff" - the trunk of the cab. (Of course, Eric and I consuming a case of soda every 2 or 3 days probably didn't help much to the situation). Loading/Unloading was always fun since we can't really walk back into the store and return the stuff just because "We can't fit them in the cabbie's truck".

The whole adventure would normally take us all Friday evening - so when others are out partying on Friday nite, we are busy trying to figure out whether we should stuff the meat into the trunk first or holding the cases of soda with us in the front.

P.S. Situation improved a bit in the 2nd semester when Peter brought his "dependable" car from home. More story on that later~