this thursday, i got it all fix.

Only read on if you are interested to know or if you need to fix your MacBook’s USB port and internal hard disk, Twitterific OR StarHub Mobile Broadband. Otherwise, this could be an extremely boring post. You are warned.

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My tech world was falling apart.

One of mere two USB ports suddenly stop working. I could tell that it isn’t dead because whatever USB devices that I plugged into the port still light up but the port just refuses to detect them. It was for quite a while but I could see past that and use the Targus USB hub (that Zi and Jack got for me as a birthday present – most practical gift ever – thank you!) ’cause I couldn’t afford to bring my macbook to Sapura to fix. I think I will die without my macbook.

Then my macbook’s hard disk started to act weird. It had this loud guzzling sound whenever I start up the macbook, and resumes to its usual silent self during usage. I though my hard disk was going to die and I put the blame on how I always put it to sleep and carry it around, instead of the proper shut down. If you know me, you know I carry my little red macbook almost wherever I go.

One day, the Twitterific on my macbook decided to go on strike as well and yes, the little stalker app at the bottom right hand corner of my screen no longer allows me to be an avid tweeter and follower. But in mac world, there is abundance of great apps so I could do with Tweet Deck when Twitterific decided to die on me.

What takes the cake is this – my Starhub mobile broadband which I have trusted and came to love just stopped working. I thought it was because I did not pay my bills for the past 5 months (erm, shy but I really thought I opted for GIRO). So I paid up and waited with high hopes that they will reactivate the service. 1 day passed. 1 week gone by, it still isn’t working.

So I called 1633 and we all know by now how their phone tech help desk is total crap. After a good 10-15 minutes of pressing 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/0 and the last being technical support for mobile broadband, the guy on the line says that he is not the tech personnel (???) and he will have someone call me back in 24 hours. What happens after that, I supposed you guess correct.

So here, as per everything else in life, it is always better to depend on yourself. Here’s how you solve the above mentioned problems:

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MacBook USB port stops working

Why I love Mac, they have this thing called Disk Utility.

1. Go to Disk Utility, and select the hard drive for your MacBook
2. Click Verify Disk Permissions
3. If there are things to fix, select Repair Disk Permissions

If your MacBook USB port still refuses to work, go on to MacBook hard disk guzzles to no ends.

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MacBook hard disk guzzles to no ends

This should get the loud hard disk problem fixed, together with the sleeping USB port.

1. Go to Disk Utility, and select the hard drive for your MacBook
2. Click Verify Disk (and most likely, a list of errors should appear asking you to repair your disk)
3. Insert your Mac OS installation disk
4. Restart your MacBook and it should reboot from the installation disk
5. Follow the instructions to access Disk Utility via the installation disk
6. Now the Repair Disk button is no longer grey out so you can select Repair Disk

Then it’s done! Exit the disk and now choose to start up the MacBook with the internal HD. Magically, the HD no longer guzzles like it’s threatening to fail anytime and yes, the USB port starts working again.

This website has a pretty decent screenshots of repairing your disk. But seriously, just follow the instructions. You cannot be stupid if you use a MacBook.

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Twitterific asks for password incessantly and still does not work

This is damn dumb, but Collin says it due to some new system change yaddah yaddah that does not allow the third party apps to store your password. So you can key in your password a zillion times, it will still ask you for your password and nothing else.

To fix this, it’s surprisingly easy.

1. Uninstall your current Twitterific
(I will recommend AppZapper to do a relatively clean uninstall of applications. Above all, it’s FREE and super easy to use. Just drag whichever application you’ll like to uninstall and it will automatically detect the related files and delete them all. Clean and fast.)
2. Go to Twitterific to install the latest version for Mac

That simple, and it works. Though I think Twitterific should have a software update function for such instances, but it’s oh well free so don’t complain. #smgohsaysdontcomplaintoomuch (Haha, hashtag for Twitter, I think it’s plain funny!)

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Lastly,

StarHub Mobile Broadband says the device is disconnected or is not available

I say no need to check if you have the latest firmware. I went to StarHub support site to download the drivers TWICE (don’t ask why) and even though it reads Windows/Macintosh Drivers Version 11.302.09.04.134_MAC11.303.06.05.134 (ZIP, 13.8MB), the folder contains two useless PDF and one .exe file which obviously doesn’t work on MacBooks.

So this is what you do, also very effortless. I think sometimes we over-think tech issues.

1. Uninstall the Mobile Broadband Modem (if any) on your MacBook (using AppZapper *recommended*)
2. Plug in your USB dongle and install the Mobile Broadband Modem.app again

Tadah! Mine started working like the one entire week of iPhone tethering did not happen; I hope yours will work too.

Now if only the installer window for Mobile Broadband Modem.app will stop popping up everytime I plug in my mobile bb dongle. I mean can’t it even detect that I have already downloaded the application. Pfft.

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And all this is only possible with Mac OS. If you don’t like MacBook/Apple/Steve Jobs, just too bad. If you haven’t properly used one before, you should before making judgement.

So everything is fixed and working. I am a happy girl! : )

Now if you excuse me, I need to catch up with my 妻子的誘惑.

this wednesday is confessions, emo cha cha.

Late nights are always emo confession moments.

Just read Ding Xuan’s blog entry and LRH made it to her list of nice people. : ) We love you too, babe! Please model for us even when your nai nai sag and you have to borrow cup from us to place your dentures.

And I love each and everyone else on Little Red Heels loads! Ziyu, Jackson, Linda, Ding Xuan and Collin!

Regardless how we can be a constant work in progress, how we always delay our launches, how our photoshoots are always at a whim, how our opinions can sometimes differ, how our full time jobs sap us away from LRH more than we like it to be – I always believe somehow one day we can make this work. Like the many things in life, it’s as long as we want to.

go Little Red Heels go!

P.S. I’m the photographer of this photo but it’s so lovely in its uncoordinated way that I hate that I’m not in it. Can someone photoshop me in! Bleah. Haha.

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OOT.

You know, my mum is not one who say her iloveyous, imissyous and icareforyous. It’s like this shield she always put up to the people around her, and she only expresses in actions and even denies her care if you point it out. As if those words make her vulnerable or shy. (Strangely, that’s the opposite of my dad who spurts iloveyous more often than you like to hear. Haha.)

Growing up in the middle of two schools of expression, I somewhat grown to be more of my mum. Because actions speak louder than words. Just saying is meaningless when not supported with acts of reaffirmation.

The point of this whole chunk? Haha. I don’t know.

I guess I’m just afraid that people sometimes don’t know how much I treasure and love them. Just because I’ve been keeping myself busy these years that I’m not able to act – to meet up more with these friends, to do small little thoughtful acts, to be there when you needed me most, etc.

For once, maybe you (or I) can cut myself some slacks and that words can suffice.

I love you.

I miss you.

I care for you.

this saturday is the bringing back the good ol’ days à la LRH.

Every once in a while,
we received feedback that people love our outdoor photoshoots;
or that outdoor photoshoots are the heart of Little Red Heels
and is what we are known for from the start.

Thanks to Min Yan from myfatpocket.com,
we finally put our foot down and abandon our studio lights.
Yes, we hear youuuuuuuuu. : )

Of course, Zi and I always grimace to the times where we modelled
our own clothes and wear our chunky shades ’cause
we are simply to shy (and admittedly not good enough)
to show our faces to the shopping world.

Last Saturday,
we decided to go out there with our models
this time for a long overdue outdoor photoshoot!

The weather is HOT and the sun is out to kill,
but it doesn’t stop Linda and Xuan from shining through.
There’s so many great shots I had a hard time deciding which to pick for preview.

We all went home with a bad tan, sun burns, mozzie bites & aches.
I say, it’s well worth it. Absolute love!

♥ ♥ ♥

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Next series will be up very very soon!

Trust me, you don’t want to miss it! *wink

- Min

♥

this saturday is reminiscing my birthday 2010.

My birthday is well one month back and only now that I’m finally blogging about it.
Such efficiency I know. Urps.

So I am EIGHTEEN. So I am EIGHTEEN. So I am EIGHTEEN.
So I am EIGHTEEN. So I am EIGHTEEN. So I am EIGHTEEN.
So I am EIGHTEEN. So I am EIGHTEEN. So I am EIGHTEEN.
So I am EIGHTEEN. So I am EIGHTEEN. So I am EIGHTEEN.
So I am EIGHTEEN. So I am EIGHTEEN. So I am EIGHTEEN.
(delusion, just ignore me)

As you grow older, birthdays are spent with quiet groups of people
you love and have collected over the years of living.

Not meaningless massive crowd of people at clubs.
(#1 sign of aging)

♥

My birthday started days advance with 2 other FEB babies of the family.
And because it was just after CNY, we first lohei to a great year ahead!

This family I love and grew up with.

Almost always followed by mahjong!
(#2 sign of aging)

They taught me being down to earth, how happiness can be simple,
what family is, and how care and sincerity works.

thank you

♥

The immediate night before my birthday was spent with,
JANEY BANEY!

She is undisputedly the most precious takeaway from my ex-job. : )

ICE EDGE CAFE
2 KOVAN RD #01-10 SIMON PLAZA

Jane is always full of funny ideas, and she did it again by giving me
Bird’s Nest from Eu Yan Sang. Thanks Jane and Leon!
(#3 sign of aging)

Haha. I needed that and have taken 2 out of 6 till date.
Feels very indulgent. I likey.

The most resourceful, the nicest and real, the one that always something up the sleeves.
This girl I love! Don’t ever disappear from my life ok?

thank you

♥

Scurried to Meng’s house after meeting Jane
’cause they are complaining that the b’day girl is late.
How can, right? Haha. It’s my privilege! *flicks hair

These people are constant in my life the past 12 years. (#4 sign of aging)
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Normally natural camwhores, I don’t know why we took so long to arrange this group shot.

OMG! And they are crazy enough to get me the sewing machine from my b’day wish list.

It’s now still in box and comfortably sitting at a corner of my room. Haha.
But I love it nonetheless, just have to get my ass to the free sewing lesson
so I know how to operate it and not cause a fire in the house.

Satisfied recipient (right) with THE gorgeous buyer (left).
(cue: applause)

Dearest ever UG, you guys are superly precious, and we don’t have to say much.
Cliche, but yes, FRIENDS FOREVER! Heh. : )

thank you

♥

As Collin has lovingly planned our V-day,
I decided to cut him some slacks by planning my b’day breakfast!

Borrowed my sis’ Copen ’cause I intend to travel a fair bit for this place.
It was meant to be a surprise to him but silly me left my iPhone on while googling for the place.

But he played along until we reach the place and I couldn’t find the cafe,
even though it was right smacked in front of me.

RIDERS CAFE
51 FAIRWAYS DRIVE

Impossibility to get here without a car, but after you reach,
the rest is history ’cause the place is beautiful.

We had the legendary pancakes and this breakfast set thing.
Forgot the names but they were both great!

For the ambience and food, we’ll definitely be back for more. : )

The day was spent walking around town from one boutique to another
to get the present for myself, as a reward for all the hard work the past 1 year at LXXLA.

We went to Prada (4 times), LV (3 times), Chanel, Gucci,  Miu Miu,
Loewe, Hermes, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Ferragamo, etc.
Machiam making a life and death decision.

Poor Collin, but thankyouthankyouthankyou lovelovelove!

I eventually decided on the classic black Saffiano leather Prada wallet.

That ends the many years of wondering if I prefer a whatever wallet with a lot of money inside,
or a nice wallet with not so much money inside. Because when you start earning your own keep,
you CAN have the best of both worlds. In moderation of course.

For dinner, Collin brought us to this Japanese restaurant at Telok Ayer Street
that serves insanely nice soft shell crab california roll.

HACHI TEI JAPANESE CUISINE
147 TELOK AYER STREET

He had:

I had:

L . O . V . E

thank you

♥

Last but not least, to ZI and JACKSON,
for buying one of the most functional items ever:

TARGUS USB HUB

I bet your eyes twitch every so once in a while
’cause I use it every single day and never fail to look at it
and thank its presence! Works like a dream.

Best tech accessory ever.

To my favourite couple, I love you guys!
Sincerely, really, deeply.

thank you

♥

And that’s my, erhem, EIGHTEEN b’day!
(#5 sign of aging)

thank you

thank you

thank you

thank you

thank you

thank you

thank you

loves

♥

don’t try, don’t know

Have you ever done something and in the aftermath, cringe at the very thought of it?

And I mean cringe with every soul, blood and bone of your body. I have, always had. It’ll take some time for me to forget, and till then, I cringe and cringe and cringe at the most sporadic moments each time I recall the happenings/moment.

I am starting to wonder if it’s the motto that I have been living by was also the one that puts me in such precarious position.

Don’t try, don’t know.

OMG, kill myselffffff. (see: cringing again)

Not even 10 days into 2010 and I am driving this year crazy wild.

For starters, I went for a much needed visit for both manicure and pedicure and man! I think I got the most gorgeous mani around! So cute, with a tinge of vintage vibe. I think the nails are very me, whatever that means.

(No pics for pedi. Toes turn out like crap ’cause midway, the boss got a new girl to take over. Girl has no absolute concept and the product is nothing like the picture I picked out. Blah.)

Rewinding to a few days ago on 2010 count down, time was well spent with Collin and a few darlings who are absolutely important to my life. Nothing beats that!

The last moments of 2009 was captured in B/W. It wasn’t that bad a year but we always wish that 2010 will be an even better (and more colourful) one!

There was a few not so good moments thus far, especially THAT day that I had to scream into the phone at my supplier. Hate myself for not keeping my calm but they always drive me so mad that I’m on the edge of tears. Never mind about that! The other days were jolly happy.

AND.

For the latest addition to the-things-that-make-me-cringe-uncontrollably, meh.

I got half deceived and half cajoled into doing a TV news interview by a university friend (Evelyn) for Channel U. The topic was on the blogshop trends and its relation to Singpost. Seriously, I think I talked like an idiot. It’s like verbal diarrhoea. Very bad, very very bad. That’s why I prefer not to talk ’cause I know very well I will probably say the wrong things. True enough, urg.

Collin’s mum commented that my face was round.

Collin could see through my desperate attempt to cover that PMS pimple.

There was some good comments for saving grace.
Thanks, you kind hearted souls.

But it’s ok. I’m not just selective memory, I’m also short term memory. For once, I am happy for being as such.

And that’s my 30 seconds to “fame”. And it has soon been verified that this is not the thing for me. Haha. Scurries to work on some other things that don’t involve talking.

Ending this pictorial entry with the fireworks we caught at our very kind host’s new penthouse abode during the new year countdown.

HAPPY 2010!