Some Working Buttons in Wish-List

Is it just me or has the time gone by faster than the Britney Spears' marriage? It's Valentine already? How is that possible?

As we speak, the Valentine spirit is beginning to grip me and I'm already compiling an extensive wish-list.... I need a video camera!

Well, I don't actually need one as much as I covet one. It's the satin-smooth finishing that just does it for me, with all those hi-tech looking buttons and the unspoken promise that, in just a few easy steps, you too, could be making your very own Oscar-winning documentary of your holiday.... But the reality is often much more mundane and embarassing....

If you're one of those people who still can't figure out how to programme all of your electronic appliances, you'll know what I mean....

Never mind that four-year-olds can master the intricate functions of the record and stop buttons, while I'm still struggling to find the on-button. As for downloading the images onto my computer, excuse me while I giggle hysterically..... And after I read Isman's post on the big button that doesn't do anything will just make it worse....

I once holidayed in Lombok with my friend, Yudi, you know, the one who owns portable TV in my reality show post.... He had an entire piece of luggage just devoted to carrying around his must-have gadgets. For staying in touch with the rest of the world, he explained to me..... Even at elementary school, Yudi was the guy who had the latest gadgets, the latest GameBoy, the latest walkman and the latest handphone.... Meanwhile, I'm still yearning for coins in public phone booth.

For the Lombok trip, Yudi brought along a complete arsenal of hi-technology that could easily double up as props for a Schwarzenegger movie.

There was the handphone again, but this one could shoot an entire movie and came with an ear-plug that looked like a souped-up hearing aid.... Then there was the laptop that was the colourof a marshmellow and make binging noises every time something exciting, like an email, happened. And a PDA, which, until recently, I thought, stood for Public Displays of Affection.

Then, there was the electronic book. The videocam. And the slim multi-media Discman with LCD screen built-in. Which was making my iPod looks like Tamara Blezinsky compared to Dian Sastro. Both hot, but one is occupied and the other just confessed that she's still single (Thanks God)..... I know that was not a proper comparison, but you get the message, right?

And nothing is more exciting than arriving at the hotel to find there aren't enough sockets to plug in all the chargers for all the gadgets. You would think, would you not, that in this day and age of multi-tasking that there would be one charger for everything? But, no.... Each and every gadget had its own loop and tangle of wires, plugs, spare batteries and clunky adaptors....

"Why do you need all this stuff?" I asked, watching Yudi unpack with the military precision of an ex-SAS commando. Which his father was. "What could possibly happen to the world that you won’t find out about in the morning news?"

"I'm supposed to explain this to someone who is still struggling with predictive text?" came the gruff replay.

"Hey, it was on Chinese!" I defended myself.

I sulked for the rest of the day. I secretly envied Yudi's consummate ease with the videocam as he just pointed, shot, edited and saved images of Senggigi beach for downloading later back at the hotel room.... Meanwhile, I clicked away unhappily with my disposable camera that I got for 50 thousand rupiahs at the airport gift shop.

So, my point is this. It's Valentine and I'm depressed for my girls are so far away. So I need cheering up. Some presents would be nice. We can start with the videocam and move on from there. Oh, and please make sure that it's the latest model.