Saturday, December 29, 2012

2012: Karen Arrives, Kayrin Rides

Another year wraps up. In 2012, chronological-wise, we moved home, i changed job and welcome baby Karen. The bonus baby's an exact replica of Kayrin when it comes to looks.
To end the year, Kayrin learned to cycle the same evening she got on a two-wheeler belonging to a neighbour. Her own smaller bicycle had been languishing at home because mommy didn't have the time to teach her.
I'm reminded of the time, in 1981, when I learned to cycle on a neighbour's bicycle in Butterworth. Swiveling left and right to balance myself at the backlane of the house, I crashed into a tua pek kong by the side of the lane. I cycled right after.



Sunday, December 02, 2012

I Miss Google Maps

I may not be very good at navigating when it comes to maps but I've always loved looking at maps. World maps, street directories, wall maps and atlases all fascinate me and I'd peer for hours at any one of them.
Back in the days when the Klang Valley street directory was a thick book of several hundred pages, I'd pore over the maps each year a new book is published.
When Google map came as an installed app on the iPhone, it became a regular fixture in my life and I took it for granted. My life was made easier and I never asked, "What was life like before Google map?"
Then, Apple did something so idiotic it astounded me. Apple replaced Google map with something so lacking and not ready for use that I realized right away how dependent I had been on Google map. I almost cried.
Waze is fun to use but nothing beats Google map in its clarity. Please, please, someone get me a proper Google map app please.