hey ants,

how are y'all doin?
to those who are having sch holidays, lets have fun and enjoy it while it last.
to those who are schooling, look at the bright side, at least u get to meet up with your frens. and its not as boring as sitting at home doing nothing.
to those who are working. work hard and do well for the economy. but dont forget to take 'soupy snack' breaks.
to those who are in ns. well, train hard to protect the nation. and i will be joining u guys next year. bleah.

today's date is the 22nd of october 2005. that leaves 6 more days to a very special occasion.

what, you may ask?

22 + 6= 28october


its my birthday u dukoo dummies!!! that's a hershey kisses cake by the way. yummy *hint*

and i know from personal experiences that it's quite frustrating to look for a present for a friend's birthday present. it's like what to get and what not to get? will he like it? well, cast all your worries aside. i'm gonna help you solve this problem of what to get for my birthday.

firstly, no photo frames. i detest photo frames. i dun use photo frames. all the frames i've received are collecting dust somewhere in my cabinet.

secondly, i believe that every present should be accompanied by a card. it doesnt have to be an expensive one from hallmark. i'd even prefer it if u made it yourself from simple card paper. and of course, when you've gotten the card please dont write stuff like 'best wishes' or 'may all your dreams come true'. i find them corny and redundant. there's only two reasons why someone writes such a thing on a card. firstly, they cant be bothered to think of smthing to write(having no idea what to write is a lousy excuse. god gave us a brain for smthing) and secondly, they are pressured for time. as in they jus bought the card 5minutes ago which they took 1 minute to choose. all this little little factors shows how much effort the person/people put in for the present.

thirdly, tops(tshirts) and bottoms are a big no-no. this is because first, you cant assume the right size for a person. different shops have different cutting for their clothes. also, you cant assume that it'll fit by asking a fren whom you think is of the same built to try it on. second, when you're out buying a t-shirt, you are most likely to purchase what u like rather than what the recepient likes. this means that what u'll buy may not be what the person likes. other factors affecting would be quality, material-wise(some people dont wear certain materials) and color(some people dont wear certain colors, ie, white). however there is an exclusion clause here. if earlier on the person has hinted or shown interest in a piece then its okay to get it.

fourthly, a planner. its those kind of book that has dates where u can plan your week. of course also u have to consider the size of the planner. it musnt be too big that its heavy or too small that its hard to write. its all about practicality.

fithly, no stuffed toys. that is jus way gross. especially for a guy and especially especially for a guy who's nineteen.

sixthly, no money allowed. the only people allowed to give money would be family members. giving money means you cant be bothered to put in effort and expect the recipient to buy his own present. that is wrong. however, vouchers are fine. it shows u've given a thought for the present but you're literally clueless on what to get, but knows that the recepient would like smthing from that place the voucher is derived. vouchers to avoid would be supermarket and popular bookshop. unless of course the recepient is your aunty. and when you're giving vouchers, do accompany it with something 'warm' as vouchers are 'cold' objects. warm stuff would be a simple present like a card, cookies, etc.

seventhly, essential oils or scented candles are fine. choices of scent would be vanilla, strawberry or mint.

eighthly, toileteries are fine. toiletries here does not mean pantene, colgate or dettol. i'd give blatant hints here. shower gel from body shop in papaya, strawberry or satsuma. shower gel also from l'occitane in vanilla. oatmeal body scub from the natural source. body lotion in vanilla scent only. eau de toilette from hugo boss energise. mint lip balm with vitamin E from donno where. hairstyling clay from Lucido L. please dun buy anything thats not stated here. it'll just be a waste of your money.

ninethly, dun get me a thumb drive. my home computer cant use one.

tenthly, acessories are fine. accerssories here would mean caps from flash and splash. wristbands would be nice. no wristbands from rastafari please. i prefer my wristbands simple. socks are ok too. just make sure they're cotton and either black or grey. canvas belts in bright colours ie, red. nokia 6610i cover in anything but blue or pink.

eleventhly, no treating me to food of any kind unless of course it a birthday cake.

twelvethly, no cds or vcds unless i hinted that i want the specific one. dvds are strictly not allowed cause i have no dvd player.

thirteenthly, the sims 2. please.

well i think that should be it. any questions you can sms me or jus write it in the tagboard. orites, i got to go off already. take care y'all and have fun.

alijohari