In commemoration of the National Day of Mourning

Okay, so the theme of today is "Life and Death" since the Malaysian government has officially designated today as the National Day of Mourning in lieu of the first return of the remains of those who perished in the MH17 incident. May they rest in peace and the families of the people who were loss find solace.

On a more personal note, there has been much that I have learned from the loss of a number of some family members, friends, ex-colleagues and family members of friends over the last decade:

• An aunt who stands by the philosophy about living life and doing everything you want when you have good health on your side... and when you start collecting ailments as you age, observe the diet and lifestyle prescribed to you with due diligence. Basically she said we should do everything we want before we regret on missing out on what we should have done while we could. Carpe diem. (This aunt is still living her life according to her doctor's orders and happily playing with her grandchildren)
• A friend who was first diagnosed of a rare form of cancer who looked at every available option, lived life to the fullest, and continued to make new goals in life as he achieved a goal. This went on until the very end when the cancer finally defeated him. Until today, what this friend has done in his short life is the one reason why I can't stand people who whine and cry about how life is unfair when they didn't even put any effort into living the way they think they should.
• Many others in the family who role play as their own personal doctor - some even insisting on going to their GP only even though they should be having more regular check-ins with a specialist for serious ailments.
• There are those who had serious health issues that required major surgeries who think "Hey, everything has been good over the last few years so I think it is safe to pig out on the things I was not supposed to eat to make up for the times I have to forgo it."
• There are also those who think that a headache is just a headache and it'll go away if I take a couple of paracetamol or aspirin tablets (or some other form of painkillers or muscle relaxants). But a headache is not just a regular headache if it goes on for 3 days and more!
• Not to forget are those who have the inability to socialize with others or those who have a tendency to ostracize the very people who want to help them. These are the folks who lose their mental capacity at an accelerated rate and have the potential to become really lonely as they age.
• There are also a few who let every single fear that they have rule their lives and the lives of their loved ones. They end up never living the lives that they wanted... or they caused further pain to their loved ones after they leave because of their own paranoia and short-sightedness.

So... you know how everyone can make excuses about doing or not doing something for the betterment of yourself and those you love? Or go into a state of denial because you hate to admit that you are no longer as healthy as an ox like when you were 18-years old? Or holding grudges or being passive or negative about how things are?

Stop kidding yourselves. Be honest with yourself and know yourself. If something is bothering you, seek help or make a choice that will allow you to move on to be in a better place in your life. You make your own choices. Doing nothing is also a choice. The only time when "I have no choice" is true in any situation is when you have reached the absolute point-of-no-return.

Being in the spotlight

Birthdays come and birthdays go... and in the light of social networks, getting a wall full of birthday greetings has become a norm. So what was the most memorable thing that happened for me this year?

My lovely schoolmates had asked me to join them for an all-you-can-eat steamboat-BBQ buffet at Macalister Rd... and boy did we eat! When we've had our fill - the lovely Vicky brought the birthday cake!! It was a homemade moist chocolate cake and it was really yum!

Lighting the candles was a bit of a challenge and it was funny how we eventually used ourselves to create a wall to block the wind from all the fans around our table. The gals started singing happy birthday and 10 seconds later... the same song was played on the PA system. Everyone in the restaurant started singing and clapping along!
_{Note: The place is about as big as 2 futsal fields.}

OMG!!! Wow!!! Wow~~~~~~~~!!

But soon everyone at my table started to feel somewhat catatonic or maybe even had a want to hide under the table when the song on the PA seems to never end. I swear that it has to be the longest birthday song medley in every possible popular language/dialect ever produced in this part of the world. Awkward... but overall a most memorable experience.

At least, it wasn't like being asked to stand on the table by the crew in TGIF. That would have been a way more embarrassing experience. ^_^

The Bizarre Comedy of Status Update Thread Hijackers: Episode 1.5

As follow up to the madness in the below episode, I thought that a follow up status message should sum up what I thought about what had just happened... and ended up getting a tail end from episode 1. Enjoy episode one and a half (1.5).

The Status Update:
Entertainment is... when your crazy friends hijack one of your status update thread and make it into a comedy episode of the bizarre kind.

The comments thread:

Crazy Devil: It feels like you've stepped into the twilight zone :D

Sweetie: Lol.. It's an epic

Blog Stalker: Serves to prove that befriending crazies is actually a good thing..

Crazy Devil: It takes a certain amount of insanity to be a genius!

Blog Stalker: Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? Ya'know like evil masterminds.. they're like waaaaayy too smart and people call 'em crazy.. Or does that apply to the evil ones only? Hmm.. *scratch head*

Crazy Devil: Nahh..most ppl have an aversion to smart ppl coz they're too dumb...
the insanity part comes naturally with being a genius

Blog Stalker: ..by proxy that then means just about every other superhero out there are dumbasses..

Crazy Devil: well duh!! i mean which bozo thinks its a good idea to fly with a cape
oh and dun hijack this thread pls...tq very much :D

Blog Stalker: LoL.. wouldn't dream of it. I think I already sprained a million neurons or two on the other one.. :D

Crazy Devil: dangit..i was SURE it would have killed much more than a million or 2...gotta try harder next time

Spare cash to buy myself a Roti Canai supply for a year

Ok, so we do this once a year. I don't enjoy it but I've completed this insanely annoying task nearly a month back

Ha, there you go!

I now know that I'll get back enough moolah to (erm...) buy enough roti canai to make myself sick of it for the year.

If you haven't already done so and wondering what I'm talking about... it's time to submit your income tax reports to LHDN.

The Bizarre Comedy of Status Update Thread Hijackers: Episode 1

Occasionally, we all have crazy friends who hijack our status threads and make it into a total bizarre laugh fest. The most recent one on mine is too good not to capture into a blog post. Please put on your helmets and try not to lose too many brain cells along the way. It's a long read but... hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

Note: All names have been changed to protect the identity of the crazies and most colloquial (Malaysian English a.k.a. Manglish) terms have been corrected (or its context explained quite literally) for easy reading in normal Internet English + chatspeak.

The Status Update:
I miss my little car!!! She was checked in for some "Corrective Cosmetic Surgery" since Monday... Can't wait to see it back at home in about a week's time...

The comments thread:

Crazy Devil: Define some...

Me: Need to knock out a major dent courtesy of mum closing electronic gate by accident when I was exiting the house and basically repaint the whole car - the color is patchy all around the car; change a broken light; bumper clip needs to be remounted (one of it came off); locking system a bit wonky; one door switch is not working (so my car thinks that door is open all the time).

Crazy Devil: Thats "some" alright :P...So she's be brand spanking new eh :D

Me: Oh and I forgot - one of the power windows are not moo-ving... lol... it's jammed

Crazy Devil: eh..u pakai proton isit? tat 1 super well known problem wan. i changed mine dunno how many times sure got issue wan...
*Proton: Local car manufacturer brand

Me: yes... it's a "potong" lol
*Potong: to cut or slash (implying here on price/quality)

Crazy Devil: potong????? mini ka :P

Me: almost not quite.. potongsagaiswara :P
I meant to say Proton Saga Iswara (the car make and model)

Crazy Devil: wahlaueh...tu terlalu canggih wan..lol
*wahlaueh: unbelievable | *tu terlalu canggih wan: that's too advanced
u purposely go cari wan isit:P
*go cari: went to find

Me: the one i hv sumore is wannabe sports car... interior black color.. with red trimmings... and exhaust that is very noisy for a small fart car.... produced from zaman tengkoooooo mahaleeeeel
*Zaman tengkoooooo mahaleeeeel: Era of a certain previous CEO of Proton

Crazy Devil: fuhyoh!... ni mesti wannabe knight rider doing drift :P
*fuhyoh!: A general expression of awe | *ni mesti: this must be

Me: it was the cheapest option at that time for a new car ler... so it is a potong harga wannabe big sports car
*potong harga: slashed price

Crazy Devil: terlalu banyak wannabe...all its missing is a new engine to make u "flying without wings" .. kekekke
*terlalu banyak: too much of

Me: that is why I describe my car as a "Wannabe" coz it's nowhere near it's more impressive sibling that we know as... Lotus

Crazy Devil: Tats like comparing shit w chocolate..just coz both same color dun mean the same thing..kikiki

Geeky Gamer: This... was a most fun read :)

Crazy Devil: this ain't nothing yet...

Me: janji she can take me from point A to point B is good for me already... she's still a healthy wannabe sports car
*janji: as long as

Crazy Devil: Now all u need to do is bling bling her up :D...put some red lights like tron :D
now TATS mega wannabe in-your-face kinda car! :D

Geeky Gamer: Or a DeLorean bodykit :P

Crazy Devil: We dun want her to go back in time, get stuck there, n we have to FIX the rundown car and go rescue her
AND...we need 1.21 Gigawatts..where are we gonna get tat kinda electricity
hmph

Me: OR Crazy Devil can bring back some Swarovski crystals... and lekat those buggers strategically on the car... let the glare blind those jokers that pasang those super bright HID lights... kekekekeke
*lekat: stick | *pasang: fix or install

Geeky Gamer: Hahaha 1.21 Gigawatts... need to find some terrorists with dirty nukes to rampas plutonium from :P

Crazy Devil: Swarovski tu terlebih la cik oi :P... but i agree in principle :D
*tu terlebih la cik oi: that's overdoing it missy
or we can get Mr. Fusion!! :D

Geeky Gamer: I ♥ Mr. Fusion :D

Me: who is that??????

Crazy Devil: I like sticking a lightning rod on the car and waiting for lightning to strike!! :D
He is DA MAN!!

Geeky Gamer: With a PLAN !! :)

Crazy Devil: riding in a VAN

Geeky Gamer: wielding a frying pan?

Crazy Devil: I wanted to say tat..huhuhuhuhu
opening a CAN

Me: frying pan reminds me of Rapunzel in tangled... lol

Geeky Gamer: with his electric FAN!

Crazy Devil: while he RAN
aewis, It reminds me of Hancock :P

Geeky Gamer: to the CAN! :D

Crazy Devil: and he kena BAN
*kena: was

Geeky Gamer: in the month of JAN :P
And I just realized I STILL haven't finished this assignment >.<

Crazy Devil: while going out with a TRAN
Assignments are BORING!!!

Geeky Gamer: I knooooooow :'(

Crazy Devil: Dun worry, keep it to the very last minute and tell ur boss the computer ate ur assignment :P

Me: oits!!! you two go start your own rhyming thread la.... sheesh... :P

Geeky Gamer: Assignment-eating cat is attacking me! Argh! >.<

Crazy Devil: no1 buys tat story, cats are too lazy to do anything. aewis, we are the hijackers, sailing the threaded seas :P

Me: assignment is not for his boss... he's taking degree classes... lol...
ye pirates!!!!!!!

Geeky Gamer: ‎*puts on eye patch* Arrrrrrr

Crazy Devil: *finds a parrot*
tell the pirates stole the assignment coz it was the long lost map to the treasures of the seven seas :D

Geeky Gamer: Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

Crazy Devil: dem pirates be stealing assignments from ye like stealing candies from babies...

Geeky Gamer: Durned pirates!

Crazy Devil: off wit their heads!!!

Me: that's marie antoinette la.... u should say WALK THE PLANK YE SCALLYWAG!!

Crazy Devil: oops..my bad..:P the idea of chopping their heads sounded much better in my head :P

Geeky Gamer: Walk the plank until you reach the guillotine!

Crazy Devil: nahh..walk the plank and meet the fricking sharks..with fricking LASERS!!!!

Geeky Gamer: So who prods them across the plank? Bear cavalry?

Crazy Devil: the CARE BEARS!! :P

Blog Stalker: o_O? there's something seriously not right with these 2..
and why is it called the 7 seas when they're named oceans?

Crazy Devil: We're definitely not right in the head :P..And its easier to say 7 seas than to name them all..we pirates are damn lazy otherwise we'd get actual jobs :P

Geeky Gamer: Yaarrrr!

Blog Stalker: all things considered, i suggest ye two get career guidance.. a DVD pirate makes more money that yous these days lar wei.. :P

Crazy Devil: But we get to ride in SHIPS :D..and have parrots, and talk funny, wait that talking funny part we can do in marketing so no go...but we get to ride in SHIPS!! :D

Geeky Gamer: And funky names... don't forget the funky names :P

Sweetie: Excited le

Crazy Devil: Ohh yea, we get cool names like CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow, he has a BIRD in his name :P

Me: Sweetie, are you reading what they've been writing? I cannot stop laughing at these 2 clowns and what they come up with ^_^

Crazy Devil: Clown pirates?! Now that just WRONG...Whack those clowns...freaky ass bastards..

Blog Stalker: err.. you do know there's THE SHIP rest. in feringghi there that you can ride rite? Oh, and you can get food there to.. not just fish.. or squid.. or clam..

Crazy Devil: Pfft...u gotta pay LOTSA moola there. With OUR fish, we take wat we want :D

Me: Steak!!!! Give us the steak!!!

Geeky Gamer: That wan is retired ship, we pirates prefer the sailing kind that includes plundering and pillaging :D

Crazy Devil: U can have the steak when u pry it from HIS cold dead fingers..*pirates honor*

Geeky Gamer: And parrots..never forget the parrrots
or monkeys...they're equally annoying too

Blog Stalker: Ship STEAK FTW!
Oh yeah, and pirates now get shot on sight in thailand and indonesia.. so that limits your plundering & pillaging to.. hmm.. balik pulau coastline?

Crazy Devil: We oni stick to the Carribeans where there's ..STUFF :P

Geeky Gamer: Oh yeah... and Sir Francis Drake, Captain Kidd and Black Bart :)
Link to the pirate's code

Crazy Devil: And you get to wear cool ass shirts, with swords!! :D
Us pirates REALLY like "plundering" and "pillaging"

Geeky Gamer: In case anyone is interested in our common ancestry: List of Pirates

Crazy Devil: AND we have our own international day, so tat settles it :D

Blog Stalker: Pirates code? Bah, you fail on even post codes..
Hmm.. This somehow reminds me of Monkey Island now.. So, who's Threepwood?

Geeky Gamer: I'm sleeeeeepy >.<

Crazy Devil: Pirates live on seas, we dun need no stinkin postcodes :D

Geeky Gamer: Ask E'lynn Marley :P

Blog Stalker: In the interest of fairness though, just what ARE your pirate names do pray tell...

Crazy Devil: Geeky Gamer is high on rum

Geeky Gamer: Rum! Arrrrrrr!!

Crazy Devil: Thread Jacker

Blog Stalker: Geeky Gamer, Drinking alcohol? Ha! Now that's a scene worth recording on phone with mediocre quality cam and then distributing said video to multiple anonymous persons within the office premises.. :P

Crazy Devil: Challenge accepted!!

Blog Stalker: Have you actually seen what happens when he drinks..? even very minute amounts of alcohol-ized beverages?

Crazy Devil: Actually, i've never even met him :P
we're anonymous pirates..:D

Geeky Gamer: The best kind! :D

Me: Geeky Gamer will start giggling like a school girl... wakakakakakkaa

Crazy Devil: totally blonde :P
Ooo...now u've piqued my curiosity indeed..*begins plotting*

Geeky Gamer: Blonde giggling anonymous pirate school girl... that's gotta be a first

Crazy Devil: and SOO wrong in SOO many ways...

Geeky Gamer: lol!

Blog Stalker: LoL.. Well then, I beset upon thee Thread Jacker the Anonymous the quest of getting said person to consume limited amounts of any alcoholic beverage of thy choosing and from thus capturing said event on a digital image preservation device of thy choosing~ :P

Crazy Devil: this is NOT the pirate you're looking for
Assuming said pirate accepts such a request, what's in it for the pirate in question, savy

Blog Stalker: A pint of the same beverage, from the coldest powered temperature lowering boxes this side of the high seas...

Crazy Devil: meh..its a start
we need to go to Koh Phnagan for our monthly pirates meet :D
when yonder moon be at its fullest

Blog Stalker: well, it's not that much of quest anyway.. you could just spike his drink with sugar and get the same effect..

Crazy Devil: gah!!..u have ruined my perfectly planned vacation..err i mean plot, you will pay!! i accept visa or mastercard

Blog Stalker: What, no AMEX? Racist~!

Crazy Devil: AMEX is for wimps..or those little ppl in watchamacallitland

Blog Stalker: Bah, there wouldn't be pirates if it weren't for the great united (somewhat) states of americaland.. We invented pirating! Just check out our state and road names!
err.. I mean they.. :P

Crazy Devil: ur SUCH an ameriCAN.. we think they're ameriCAN'T...
those wussy dodos couldn't catch the pirates if we were sleeping in front of them :P

Blog Stalker: Malaysia Boleh~ Majulah sukan untuk negara!
Translation: Malaysia Can (Do It)! Let's advance in Sports for the Nation!

Crazy Devil: Semua pun boleh..including changing the teaching of languages every 2 years
*Semua pun boleh: Everything also can (be done)
but dun u DARE say anything bout our food
except KL food, they have nothing and everything tastes like CRAP

Blog Stalker: Isn't KL like the fast food capital of Malaysia? They have EVERY single fast food under the sun and then some..

Crazy Devil: and they all taste like CRAP!!...cept for those few places u get the extra serving of getting ur ass kicked from here to infinity

Blog Stalker: still, it's So Good~
Kinda ironic in a sense.. heh..

Crazy Devil: its soo good it can get u killed :P

--- THE END ---

I'm truly and fully me again, joy!

I realized recently that my emo bone has finally dissolved into nothingness. I can't be happier about that than I already am to have known that for myself.

This means I've already forgiven myself for what I shouldn't blame myself for (because I wasn't the one at fault in a big way). I am glad... really, really glad about that! 진짜!!!

Deciding to disappear from the world of the person who had hurt me badly was the best advice I took from a very wise friend. The moment I realized that I didn't even remember that person's birthday until it was over for quite a while... was the best thing in the world.

Being busy lately probably helped too. I've had to move house and be busy in unpacking and setting up stuff in the new place within the last 3 months; I've had to travel to India for a week in June; I am in the midst of a transition into a new job role and making sure my soon-to-be ex-team mates understand everything that they need to pick up (quite a number of areas to cover here).

It also seems that my pile of DVDs and "DVDs" had been quietly growing and they are crying for some attention too. :P

I've also added tennis into my schedule recently since my tennis partner had decided to be back in action... (whee!! more exercise and running on court).

It's time to regain some creative writing juices... hmmm...

Intention vs Action & Effort

Intention x ZERO Action x ZERO Effort = Wishful thinking

Wishful Thinking when made known to another person = NATO

Intention x Action x WRONG Effort = Barking Up the Wrong Tree

Intention x Action x SUITABLE Effort = Potential to Successfully Reach your Goal

In short:

• Having wishful thinking and NATO gets you nowhere near your goal.
• Barking up the wrong tree gets you nowhere too... but you might learn something for trying anyway...
• Putting in the right amount of effort and the right type of effort will bring you closer to your goals

No amount of "What if..." and "I wish..." will help you get a real answer. At the end of the day, we are the ones who are responsible to help ourselves out in whatever situation we might be in.

_{LEGEND:
NATO: No Action Talk Only}

Let me go... release me from this hell

You had my trust and my heart yet you were immature and broke it all
Now you tell me that you hope that we can mend the broken fences
When you have the dagger that wounded me still being held in your hands

I can't let you be by my side when you are like poison to my open wound
You are like gangrene on a limb, that I need to live without

Let me go, I may yet come back
But give it TWO years or more... maybe even forever

You broke me into a million pieces because I let you have my all
But more than anything else you have no one but yourself to blame
You were immature and stupid to let things roll the way they did

Things, they will never be the same again and I truly want to leave it all behind
Continue to pretend that I've never met someone quite like you, my soulmate

You took me for granted in every way - inconsiderate on how I'd feel
You chose not to speak to me in person at a crucial point in time
You made assumptions that were unfair to me
For these very reasons I may NEVER be able to forgive you

Let me go, I may yet come back
But give it TWO years or more... maybe even forever

Yet after all said and done
Perhaps you never really knew me and I never really knew you
What's said and done is reality and cannot be reversed or unsaid

If you really care about my sanity
Hope no more, severe the chains that bind
Free me... just let me go

(It's not cool for me to keep feeling oh-so-low!)

My prayer for the New Year

God save me please, hear my plea. I trust in thy power.
Let me heal from whatever pain that ills my soul.
Let me stop crying because of it.
Let me learn to open my heart to trust and love again
And let me be loved by someone deserving.

I want to be whole again.

Amen.

---

Sharing the song that keeps me sane

Video: 安室奈美恵 (Namie Amuro) Get Myself Back

Lyrics (in phonetics) | English translation of the lyrics

The Air

On an ordinary day the air is:
Naturally pleasant and gentle as a breeze
its presence is sweet and welcome
as it caresses your face and very being
bringing you a light and cooling comfort;
It lulls the water to move in calming waves
that create a sound soothing and calming;
Likewise it softly rustles the leaves of trees
and create a sound equally enchanting.

Yet when air is pushed beyond tipping point:
It can with help of either sister elements water or fire
Rise and roar with tremendous rage and strength;
With fire it burns vast areas to ashes and soot;
With water it creates storms, floods, hurricanes;
Wiping away everything in its path.

In essence without the air:
Fires cannot burn to lend us light or lend us warmth
nor provide energy for us to cook or power
the creature comforts we now hold dear to heart;
The living and earthenbound cannot breathe
birds, insects, kites, planes will not fly
Existence cease

Because I am stupid

Once upon a time, someone asked me, "What would it take for you to open yourself fully to another? As in no walls at all."

I answered something to the likes of, "A great feeling of trust like no other."

However, when you knowingly open yourself fully - you also open yourself to a possibly great amount of hurt.

It's like allowing yourself to free-fall based on nothing but faith that you will land softly. On the flip side, there may be nothing but an endless abyss. Yet you take that risk by taking the free-fall.

And it really is hard to pick yourself up when you feel that a trust that you have given fully takes a knock and cracks begin to form around it. Mending those cracks is a lot of hard work.

Does one ever regret decisions made due to feelings of guilt or obligation?

I know that every time I make a decision under such circumstances, I end up taking a very wrong and painful road. I've learnt that decisions made in such situations means to make a decision against what is right for myself... and collecting scars along the way.

I learnt to fully trust my gut feeling and instinct. They have never failed me. The moment I doubt it and go against it... that's when things tend to take a long detour.

I learnt not to focus on a "what-if" that is a future negative because it feels like I'm setting things up to fail even before giving it a go. The glass has to be half full and I believe that effort needs to be made to ensure that it remains half full.

I was told that some of the things that I do is very big of me, because I am making choices that may not necessarily result in what I would like to have... and quite possibly result in the opposite of it. It's hard to do that but it is also the best gift that I can bestow on the people I care about.

The Canvas of Life

Our lives that lay ahead, in the future, are like an empty canvas
It beckons to be filled by you, the artist
The artist who wields the brush and paint
which are none other but creations from the choices you make

What do you choose to paint on that canvas?

Great sweeping meadows, beautiful beach holidays
a life filled with happiness and love
Or something like a dark, morbid, and lonely ghost town
signifying moments of deep depression and pitiful loneliness
Or even an abstract in the likes between Van Gogh and Picasso
shouting to the world the combination of elements
that conflict within you in utter confusion, the madness

If you stand where you are today and look back
do you see what you have painted on your canvas?

You review from the canvas all the past moments
moments of laughter, joy, toil and tears
and the manifold folks - all of whom have made a mark on your life
the canvas peppered with a wondrous span of everything in essence
a piece of a puzzle that makes you who you are here and now

What is it then today, that you would like to add on the canvas of your life?
I have a vague idea for mine, I think
though whether a masterpiece or not it will be
we shall have to wait and see how it turns out to be
like everyone else, I have no answers
nothing except my blind faith in what is yet an unknown

Everyone has a different need

Everyone has a different need. Need for level of detail, level of support from others, etc. You name it. It's just different from one to another.

I find it pretty rich that one of my closest pals recently told me that she's thankful that I'm always there to listen to her. Then a day or two later, she goes on to say that she needn't know all the details that everyone else seems obliged to explain in full detail when she says "It's ok" and meaning enough and no need to explain.

I don't have a better way to say this, but a lot of the time, when you feel that someone is getting edgy - some of us just tend to try to explain how we came about with our point of view or what our circumstances and thoughts were.

At other times when you basically are dealing with a large group of people, you know it is never easy. Some will happily take the highlights and run with it, while some others want to have the whole nine yards explained out in full detail. It just takes ONE from the latter group to trigger of the detailed blow-by-blow... so sue me if it makes life easier for me when someone (just ONE person) in the entire mass mail seemed to have hinted about it.

We can't please everyone and we can't read minds. So please, don't get pissed if I deep dive and share fine details of whatever it was. I really can't please everyone.

And one more thing: Emails, Chats, Message Boards - you can't really judge the facial expressions normally used in face-to-face communications... so don't shoot the person replying to you because she couldn't tell if you were serious or you were joking or you were rolling your eyes.

Interfaith

A few weeks back, I read an article regarding Interfaith relationships that got me thinking about what I told myself a long time back regarding - What if I am in a serious relationship with someone from a different faith from what I have grown up with and/or chosen to believe?

Back then, I somehow came to the conclusion that I should just give equal respect to all religions as all the major religions are all about living your life in an exemplary manner. Have a good character. Have a good view on others. Do unto others what you expect them to do unto you - the amount of respectfulness, caring for one another, friendliness, etc positive traits.

So would I convert to another religion other than what is stated on my I/C and B/C just because my other half in staunch in terms of his religious believe? The answer would be "Why not?"... as long as it's not some obscure "religion" that has a list of believes that are suspect and screams "ALERT! ALERT! It's a cult with mass suicide tendencies"... yeah... so why not?

We are in an interracial and interfaith society after all. Furthermore, there is no "I" when you are with the other half but a "we"... and definitely although this may be a touchy subject for most... all it takes is having a common understanding and a little give and take. Peachy.

Hmm... and so I Learn about what's on the International Bill of Human Rights

I flipped the TV on, before I headed out to work this morning, out of curiosity on what would be the topics of discussion on the NTV7 Breakfast Show. What really caught my attention was a mention on what has been put into the International Bill of Human Rights

It got me thinking... and just to be sure, I Googled it up and found the Bill. This was the basis to what was mentioned on air (quote verbatim):

"Article 3, the first cornerstone of the Declaration, proclaims the right to life, liberty and security of person -a right essential to the enjoyment of all other rights. This article introduces articles 4 to 21, in which other civil and political rights are set out, including: freedom from slavery and servitude; freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law; the right to an effective judicial remedy; freedom from arbitrary arrest, detention or exile; the right to a fair trial and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal; the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty; freedom from arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home or correspondence; freedom of movement and residence; the right of asylum; the right to a nationality; the right to marry and to found a family; the right to own property; freedom of thought, conscience and religion; freedom of opinion and expression; the right to peaceful assembly and association; and the right to take part in the government of one's country and to equal access to public service in one's country."

Reading the last part of the paragraph kinda reminded me about what appears to be a sore topic for most parents in our society (based on what I hear from my own parents and what most of my gal pals have observed about their own parents)... Most of our parents seem to be unable to accept the idea of their kids entering into a faith/religion different from their own.

In our multi-cultural society, it is rather interesting that while our parents may be able to express respect for the faith of others... they can at the same time abhor the idea of having anyone in their family move out of what they themselves consider to be the "norm".

But whatever it is, I do believe that at the end of the day, regardless of what my parents have to say (good intentions on their part and so forth)... I will be the one who has to live with my choices, believes, faith and ideals.

And whatever I do, I just hope that my parents are able to respect my decisions as much as I respect what they do i.e. those moments when I think "Yeah, I understand where you are going with this but I don't necessarily believe in the same concept/thing/practice... but I'll give you one (point) on the fundamental goal/objective of what you are saying... just because". Yeah... I know... it kinda drives them a bit nuts when I hint at disagreement with them but... hey... whatever...

Thus said... does it mean that all the emotional blackmail that our parents have issued to us on topics like faith/religion... was against human rights? That's really some food for thought :P

Farewell Kavern - You'll Always be an Inspiration to Me

Today is Wesak Day. Today is also the day that Kavern had breathed his last and left this Earth.

He will always remain as an inspiration for me to always remember to be brave and strong through any adversity. He did everything he wanted to do from the moment he knew for sure that he had cancer (heck, he did whatever he felt like doing even before he knew he had it).

He never assumed the identity of the helpless victim. He was a real trooper until the very end. Bless you and may you rest in peace, Kavern.

Many will surely miss you... and thank you for touching our lives with your amazing personality.

Have You Completed Your Income Tax Filing?

It's that time of the year again. And I'm done with mine. How about you?

I know many people love doing stuff like this at the last minute. Don't.

Why?

If you do it manually: You'll be in a long queue at the counters during the last few days of submissions... or fear that your mailed copy does not reach its destination on time.

If you do it the digital way (via the e-hasil website): Well... we all know that you will have to battle it out with everyone else who is trying to do the same at the 11th hour and there's only so much traffic a server can take.

In short, the earlier you get it done... the better ^_^

p/s: The deadline for your individual submissions is end of 30th Apr 2010.

Words Used to Describe Me in the Last 24 Hrs

Too skinny
Note: I asked if a super mutated overnight burger would end up eating me instead of me eating it.

Friend X: Ur too skinny. Won't eat ya but maybe use u as a tooth pick.
Me: What? Like, for real? Don't want to be tooth-pick thin tho'...

p/s: Does this mean I shud fatten up a bit? Hmm...

Smart
Colleague A: You are really smart, maybe even the smartest in the team because you catch on real fast... just sometimes not enough focus to make the best of it.
Me: That's coz I have too many things on my plate

Fresh Air
Colleague A: Just because I don't have to explain the (big) words I use, you are a breathe of fresh air

Funny
Colleague B: Hahaha... person-Z is very funny but you are even funnier
Me: :P

p/s: I got that just because I replied a question with this question - "That's a very good question"

Why F1 is Now a Sad Sport...

F1 is boring. It's almost like watching A1. All the rules put in to restrict the creativity of the car engineers over the years have made it the way it is now in F1. It all started going downwards in the late 1990s/early 2000s.

But why did I mention F1 is sad? That's because when I said that only the rain races are worth watching in the last few years... my bro said it's just sad that F1 had come to this... and I can't agree more with him on this.

Gone are the days when you can see the genius of a "minor" modification of a wing design bring the added advantage to an F1 race car. Just look at the rear wing of F1 cars this year (and the ones put on the cars throughout the whole of last year too)... it's kinda stumpy and stunted. Eww...

'nuf said.

Friday = Free Food Day... ^_^

When I get caught up in work... the last thing I'd remember to do is to eat. So thanks to the wonderful people around me... I do have constant snacks to eat from about lunch time.

A Nutty Lunch
It doesn't get any nuttier than a large handful of roasted chestnuts from my most loyal customer for tissues (from the tissue box on my desk); and a doughnut from the "tai kar cheh" of the team I am in.

The Chendol Moment
When I reached home after leaving the office, I was told that there's a packet of Chendol waiting for me. It's the one from the famous Penang Road stall... Can't say no to that... Yummilicious... though I am not quite sure that coconut milk is a good thing on a pseudo-empty stomach.

Moo-Moo Meal by Chef Squeaky
Squeaky decided to be Chef Squeaky for the night and asked me to be the "white lab rat". With a guarantee that I should survive the "experiment"... a "pak lou shu" I became.

End result... I survived a yummy enough home-cooked meal prepared by the occasional chef. It was moo-moo accompanied with a generous amount of "traffic lights" (salad made of greens, yellow capsicum, and cherry tomatoes). Dinner was perfectly accompanied with red wine... kudos to Squeaky.