COVER STORY: What Kind of weekend person are you ?

YOU'VE got two days. Just 48 hours free from the shackles that bind you to work. How do you spend those precious hours? Take our quiz and find out what kind of weekend person you are. In keeping with lazy weekend rules, this quiz has only one question and requires very little thinking.

THE QUESTION It's Saturday morning. You :

A. jump out of bed, onto the couch, hit the remote button and settle in.


B. jump out of bed, slip on comfy shoes and head out to the mall before anyone else gets there.


C. jump out of bed and head out for a breath of fresh air.


D. jump out of bed and take a deep breath of fresh disinfectant.


E. jump out of bed, make the rest of the family jump too, then fall down the stairs.


F. jump INTO bed. The night has just ended. Who cares what the morning brings?


A. THE COUCH POTATO When your friends sit on your couch, they find it strangely uncomfortable with dips and lumps in odd places ... that correspond to your body shape. Just be warned. Prolonged periods of time spent on a couch without moving can cause skin to fuse with sofa fabric. If you find strange patterns on your skin, it's time to get up. Enhance your couch-ing experience: * To avoid fusing with the couch, put a swivel bottom to your TV. That way, you can move from the couch to the carpet and back again, and still have the TV in the right position. Also useful for rooms where sunlight flows in.

* Get your stock of DVDs and VCDs ready on Friday. Leave it any later and you may be disappointed.

l Golden rule: don't be picky. As long as the movie does not repulse you, watch it. You never know when you'll run out of movies. * Have a wastepaper basket close by to throw empty packets of snacks and drinks away. You are a couch potato, not a slouch spud.

* Two ways to have icy cool drinks without diluting sodas with ice cubes: Put them in the freezer for an hour, or make ice cubes using the respective sodas.

B. THE BAGGED DOWN SHOPPER You're a person who knows when to don the stilettos (let's face it, most hardcore shoppers are women), and when to slip into comfy shoes for traipsing the latest malls to buy more stilettoes. During the week you get bogged down. During the weekend you're bagged down.

When someone at the office wonders where she can find a floral spaghetti strap blouse, with a mix of yellow daisies and red roses, you're the first to chip in and say, "The Store, level four, shop lot GF-101. Check out the last rack in the far right corner, and the second one from the left, next to the changing rooms." Retail therapy tips: * Wear comfy shoes and clothes that are easy to get in and out of -- not for a tryst, but for the changing room * If you know the mall, (and if you're a shopper, you will) park your car nearest to the door you are most likely to exit from. Why? When you start, energy levels are high, but by the end of the trip, your feet will be killing you and all you'll want is the comfy seat of the car.

* Start at the bottom or the top of the mall and keep going in one direction. Retracing steps and random scouring will tire you out.

* If you are 51 per cent sure that you want an item, buy it. After all, if you leave it, there's more than half the chance you will have to retrace your steps -- and that has serious consequences.


C. THE I-WANT-OUT When the wind blows, the leaves rustle your name. As you get through the week behind your desk, you look out longingly through windows with the misty-eyed nostalgia of a life-sentenced prison convict. Whether you're dreaming of a game of your favourite sports or a trip into the wilderness, you've got it all planned way before the clock strikes five on Friday.

Where to go, where to go? * Sports facilities are easy to find -- from tennis courts to futsal pitches. Check out neighbourhood centres or head for a padang near your home.

* For an unusual short weekend getaway, pick out an obscure town (such as Mantin, Negri Sembilan or Tongkang Pecah, near Batu Pahat), get into the car and drive. * For a quaint time, choose a nostalgic location, like a town where you grew up, or where your grandparents grew up. Then spend the weekend walking around and chatting to childhood friends or people who knew your grandparents.

* Those attuned to nature can call the Malaysian Nature Society (03-2287-9422) for weekend jaunts such as bird watching from the lighthouse in Tanjung Tuan or a visit to the fireflies in Kuala Selangor.

* Others: Many small towns in Negri Sembilan now offer homestay programmes. Also, with the new highway to Kuantan up and running, Tasik Chini and Bera will become more accessible as will the Endau-Rompin National Park area. For a little more adventure, the Perak Aero Club (05-3127-359/www.aero.com.my) offers weekend parachuting classes.

D. THE CHORE BORE Your middle name is "strange". You seize the moment by seizing the mop, the broom and a pail of soapy water. People go to spas to get chemical peels, you don't need to. By the end of the weekend, your skin is peeling from rigorous cleaning. When Jif comes out with a new fragrance, you check it out the way others check out the newest perfumes .. well, one man's poison is another's detergent.

Keep yourself in tip-top chore shape: * Pace yourself. You may want to clean everything but be reasonable. Divide the tasks and leave the rest for next weekend.

* Keep doors and windows open. No matter how much you like the smell of detergent, too much of it in an enclosed space may knock you out.

* Stock up on instant noodles or easy-to-prepare food. When you're in the middle of getting darn dustballs out from the back of the cupboard, you don't want to waste precious minutes stopping for lunch.

* That said, don't miss meals. Man does not live on sterilised adrenaline alone

E. THE FAMILY WEEKENDER Your most frequent view of your children are the tops of their heads after they're in bed. When you do see them, they whine a rhyme: "Ayah and mama are always working ... never take us to do anything." So, weekends = family time = rush to get the children out of house for some splendid quality time together. But whether it's a picnic or a movie, happy skies usually cloud over by day's end. Little Sally has her thumb stuck in the car door, Sam's off sulking and you have pulled out what's left of your hair. Yet, we all know that it's the time spent together in angst that binds ... isn't it? Three cheers for family outings! * Surefire choices to keep the children happy: Sunway Lagoon, Desa Waterpark (Old Klang Road), A Famosa Resort (off the North-South Expressway heading south, near Malacca), MINES Wonderland, Bukit Merah Laketown (Taiping), Genting Highlands.

* When distance and time do not permit a long trip, pack a picnic for the garden or for the park. Remember, while malls seem tempting, children hate prolonged shopping trips (at least until they hit puberty).

* Parks -- really special places for children, especially those with forests, lakes and rivers (natural or not). Children can stage battles, play catch or football -- while you catch up on reading or go for a jog.

* Some rather secret gardens: Bandar Seri Permaisuri Park (Bandar Tun Razak, KL), Rimba Ilmu Botanical Garden (Universiti Malaya 03-7967-4686), Putrajaya Wetlands (Precinct 13, Putrajaya). Incidentally, Zoo Negara now opens on Saturday nights from 7pm to 10pm for nocturnal visits with a difference.

* Keep in mind -- keep children busy and occupied (with lots of physical activity) during the day and by nightfall, they'll be fast asleep leaving you with some much-needed time alone with your spouse.

F. THE D-2-D Your motto -- From Dusk till Dawn. The weekend starts on head-banging Friday night and ends on hung-over Sunday. Your favourite pastime is to go to your favourite nightspot for long-awaited drinks. You don't blink an eye at the thought of waking up on Saturday afternoon with a massive headache only cured by popping painkillers. You do, after all, only live once.

Party on! * The Golden Triangle in Kuala Lumpur is well known for a mix of music and international cuisine. Zouk, Beach Club and the legendary Hard Rock Café are just a few. However, cover charges can be high (from RM30-40). Look out for weekly specials that'll help the pocket, like Ladies' Nights. * A study shows that drinking cactus extract helps prevent hangovers. Pick out the pricks first.

* If you plan to party all night on your feet, wear comfortable but trendy shoes. You wouldn't want to commit murder on the dance floor by wearing heels that kill.

* Try not to bring anything that needs to be held on to. Girls -- hang phones around your neck and stash cash or credit cards in a little pocket. Alternatively, bring along a guy who's got pockets. Guys -- have big pockets, have girl.

NST