Music is a form of self expression. What you choose to pleasant your ears with is a choice that probably could define who you are or help people to understand you in a light that might not be easily achievable in other means. But what happens when music becomes a “business expression” instead. Evidently, we are in the midst of an era where we switch on the radio and all that could be heard is necessarily the “same” pieces of obnoxiously copyright not-controlled craps? Ouuh, it’s the PussyCatDolls, then there’s the PussyCatDolls and there’s…. the PussyCatDolls… again… All the DJ needs to do is record her voice and replay it over and over for you.
Okay, maybe not that bad. But if you have carefully scrutinized the music industry in recent years (both, locally and internationally) like I did when I’m supposed to be focusing more on my studies, then you’d probably detect the pattern of similar sounds ruling the airwaves. Everybody wants the sure hit and subscribe to a sure-hit music writer. Let me take an example from the R&B and Hip Hop genre. First there was the Dr. Dre fever, then we moved on to N.E.R.D or else known as the Neptunes or what is essentially largely known ONLY as Pharrell Williams before briefly locking our eyes on Will.I.Am of BEP and continuing the trend is the Kanye West phenomenon with the shrilly high pitched modified backing vocals. Now, everyone wants their first single to be penned by Timbaland, thanks to the massive and presumably then-innovative hits collaborated with Abang Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado. Predictability has garnered in the industry for the years when we thought technology will enable us to explore more things and go further than we used to.
Lately, there has been little reason to tune in to MTV because every video clip looks more or less the same, directed by the same directors (ie HYPE Williams and Hype Williams and.. er Hype Williams), with the same video chicks with a slight change as time progresses. What changes, you ask? Well, the women seem to have less and less clothes on everyday but count yourself lucky because Missy Elliot decides to continue having relatively fabric more on herself (phew!). Even the collaboration is very close-knitted. You’ll find John Legend in every recent album doing some background vocals and deserving a credit for singing a four line chorus as a featured artist, Kanye West spurts some tacky rap lines in what seems like an array of schlocky new hits and Chris Brown contributes his “I’m a man but I’m proud of my uncracked boy’s voice too” to some other.
Thus, don’t be surprised by the recent statistics showing that most of the highest grossing albums dating from 2000 are albums of artist from the 60s to 80s. People of these eras relatively showed more of themselves in their songs and it was a time where it was quintessential for them to come out with a genuine musical identity or signature that could be identified by all. When Marvin Gaye asked “What’s Goin’ On?”, the world stopped with him and asked themselves what ever happened to humanity. When Janis Joplin sang about herself and her Bobby McGee, every girl remembered their own “Bobbies” too. Stevie Wonder had his own Conversation Peace in the early 90s after talking about Superstitions. All of them talked about different things that haunt our mind but never dared to question ourselves.
Let me quote the ever so youthful frontman of Silverchair, Daniel Johns who said “We are a band, not a brand”. Although I personally think that is not entirely possible once you are a part of one of the most renowned Australian band, wahai Abang Daniel-ku yang kacak, I do see his point that music should be able to send a message that comes from the heart while going beyond the normality and boundary of the mind too. Hip Hop started out as an expression against oppression and yet now it oppresses its ownself. Folk used to be THE food for the folks, now it has changed into a blanket for dreamers all day long. Of course there are many choices as to what you can hear but do we really want to be known as the generation of “shake that A, crooked letter, crooked letter all night long” by the future Googlers?? Reality TV is demeaning enough, I reckon.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
The Facts Of Life II
The second installment to the "long awaited" lists of facts I've gathered all this while.. These facts could come in handy for the trivia nights, people... Enjoy!
* The average person spends two years on the phone in his/her lifetime.
* August has the highest percentage of birth.
* Google is a number (1 followed by 100 zeros.
* The average person's left had does 56% of the typing.
* There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.
* Rubber bands last longer when they are refrigerated.
* Toothbrush was invented in 1498.
* Mageiricophobia is the intense fear of having to cook.
* People don't get sick form the cold weather, it's from staying indoors a lot more than usual.
* Strawberries contain more Vitamin C than oranges.
* A one-day weather forecast requires 10 billion math calculation.
* The bird that lays the largest egg in realtion to its own size is the Kiwi.
* Guinness Book of Records holds the record as the most stolen books from public libraries.
* Every year, the Moon moves a further 3.82cm from the Earth.
* The Eiffel Tower has 1792 steps.
* If we count the stars in a galaxy at a rate of one every second, it would take us 3000 years to count them all.
* Just 20 seconds worth of fuel remained when Apollo's 13 lunar module landed on the moon.
* The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows.
* Elephants are the only animals who can't jump.
* On average, a four year child asks 437 questions a day.
* Swedish people drink more coffee than any other race in the world.
* Almonds are a member of the peach family.
* All the clocks in Pulp Fiction are stuck at 4.20.
* There are more plastic flamingos than real ones in America.
* A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
* There's more than 25000 km of neon tubing in the signs on the strip and downtown Las Vegas.
* Animals that lay eggs don't have belly button.
* 1000 tonnes of meteor dust falls to Earth each day.
* The average person spends two years on the phone in his/her lifetime.
* August has the highest percentage of birth.
* Google is a number (1 followed by 100 zeros.
* The average person's left had does 56% of the typing.
* There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.
* Rubber bands last longer when they are refrigerated.
* Toothbrush was invented in 1498.
* Mageiricophobia is the intense fear of having to cook.
* People don't get sick form the cold weather, it's from staying indoors a lot more than usual.
* Strawberries contain more Vitamin C than oranges.
* A one-day weather forecast requires 10 billion math calculation.
* The bird that lays the largest egg in realtion to its own size is the Kiwi.
* Guinness Book of Records holds the record as the most stolen books from public libraries.
* Every year, the Moon moves a further 3.82cm from the Earth.
* The Eiffel Tower has 1792 steps.
* If we count the stars in a galaxy at a rate of one every second, it would take us 3000 years to count them all.
* Just 20 seconds worth of fuel remained when Apollo's 13 lunar module landed on the moon.
* The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows.
* Elephants are the only animals who can't jump.
* On average, a four year child asks 437 questions a day.
* Swedish people drink more coffee than any other race in the world.
* Almonds are a member of the peach family.
* All the clocks in Pulp Fiction are stuck at 4.20.
* There are more plastic flamingos than real ones in America.
* A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
* There's more than 25000 km of neon tubing in the signs on the strip and downtown Las Vegas.
* Animals that lay eggs don't have belly button.
* 1000 tonnes of meteor dust falls to Earth each day.
Friday, March 30, 2007
The Top Five Series: I
If you have read Nick Hornby's High Fidelity or have watched the movie at least, you would see the rationality of listing down things so that when something unexpected happens at the spur of a moment, you have some comfort into looking at them... The comfort of a familiarity that will never leave you.. that this is, indeed the most profoundly grounding things that ever happened to you or the world... Is it true?? Let's test it out, shall we??
The Top Five Embarassing Moments
1) When I stupidiously said to an obnixously arrogant member of the so-called ground breaking Malayisan hip hop group, Rebel Scum that I haven't heard much of them since their last single, Damn Dirty Apes... Just so you know, Damn Dirty Apes is actually a 4 piece Malaysian indie rock group who once produced a single called "Rebel Scum" and they have nothing to do with Rebel Scum, the group.. Talk about coincidence and embarassment...
2) When a friend of mine casually said this about me in front of a guy while i was there too. "Eleh, ana.. kenapa malu-malu pulak sekarang??? kalau belakang cik abang kita ni(who will remain nameless for many, many reasons), you are the screaming number one fan.. nak control ayu ke???".. kenapalah she had to say that in front of the guy with one of the best voice in Malaysia and make me appear like a dumb blonde with brunette hair? The rest is really HISTORY between me and her...
3) When I was "caught" by daddy while I was trying on mummy's lingerie when I was around 6... He laughed and laughed and called up my mum. Mummy scolded me pretty hard. I could still feel me blushing. Why did I tried it on in the first place again??
4) When I was scolded in Primary 6 by Cikgu Yahizan Che Yap who taught us Science. I don't quite remember how it all started but I remember replying to his comment about something that sounded racist. He went ballistic after that and called me a snob and said that I was stuck up because i was in the first class... don't think that you're smart enough... you are nothing.. how dare you reply me??? you think you're that great just because you speak english better than the rest of us here in the classroom?? The insults went on for about 15 minutes and nobody comforted me even after he left. I was shaken, embarassed and decided not to come the day after. His comment? "Tahu pun dia takut.. Ingat bagus".. I still remember his face.
5) When I tripped over a wire in Low Yat Plaza where I once worked in, fell down in front of a myriad of people watching a Samsung showcase and tore my jeans on the knees. Something more miraculous happened then.. Somehow I just had to trip over the wire that was the main cable to the humungous LCD TV which is the central focus of the showcase. Everything just went "plup", the MC stopped talking, the VIP guests who just launched the product was astounded and there was I standing near the unconnected cable.
Looks like The Top Five Series will have to go on because this is so much fun besides the distressing effcets it has on the memory storage of the human brain... till then, chalo.
The Top Five Embarassing Moments
1) When I stupidiously said to an obnixously arrogant member of the so-called ground breaking Malayisan hip hop group, Rebel Scum that I haven't heard much of them since their last single, Damn Dirty Apes... Just so you know, Damn Dirty Apes is actually a 4 piece Malaysian indie rock group who once produced a single called "Rebel Scum" and they have nothing to do with Rebel Scum, the group.. Talk about coincidence and embarassment...
2) When a friend of mine casually said this about me in front of a guy while i was there too. "Eleh, ana.. kenapa malu-malu pulak sekarang??? kalau belakang cik abang kita ni(who will remain nameless for many, many reasons), you are the screaming number one fan.. nak control ayu ke???".. kenapalah she had to say that in front of the guy with one of the best voice in Malaysia and make me appear like a dumb blonde with brunette hair? The rest is really HISTORY between me and her...
3) When I was "caught" by daddy while I was trying on mummy's lingerie when I was around 6... He laughed and laughed and called up my mum. Mummy scolded me pretty hard. I could still feel me blushing. Why did I tried it on in the first place again??
4) When I was scolded in Primary 6 by Cikgu Yahizan Che Yap who taught us Science. I don't quite remember how it all started but I remember replying to his comment about something that sounded racist. He went ballistic after that and called me a snob and said that I was stuck up because i was in the first class... don't think that you're smart enough... you are nothing.. how dare you reply me??? you think you're that great just because you speak english better than the rest of us here in the classroom?? The insults went on for about 15 minutes and nobody comforted me even after he left. I was shaken, embarassed and decided not to come the day after. His comment? "Tahu pun dia takut.. Ingat bagus".. I still remember his face.
5) When I tripped over a wire in Low Yat Plaza where I once worked in, fell down in front of a myriad of people watching a Samsung showcase and tore my jeans on the knees. Something more miraculous happened then.. Somehow I just had to trip over the wire that was the main cable to the humungous LCD TV which is the central focus of the showcase. Everything just went "plup", the MC stopped talking, the VIP guests who just launched the product was astounded and there was I standing near the unconnected cable.
Looks like The Top Five Series will have to go on because this is so much fun besides the distressing effcets it has on the memory storage of the human brain... till then, chalo.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
6 Weird Things
Okay... here are the dire confessions... hehehehehehe
1) I can't sleep before i make sure that every single bottle of toiletries and things on the dressing table are exactly on the correct position where it's meant to be as well as making sure that all of the labels are on the right side so that I'm read them before I finally sleep
2) If i'm eating with my fingers, my index finger sticks out whenever it reaches the mouth. After eating, I will take a while before I wash my hands as to let the food sort of dry on my fingers.. Dunno why but I didn't realise it until a friend (i think it was Nina) pointed it out.
3) I have a weird ritual before I head to the shower. I will fold all the clothes I'v e used neatly and place it on the bed after taking them off even though I might use some of it afterwards. Even the clothes I intend to put in the laundry basket will be folded and placed there before I unfold it and toss it in the basket.
4) I have a recurring dream ever since I was a kid where a huge dog will chase me down a hill somewhere... Thus, explains why I think dogs are scary...
5) I can't see plates in the sink.. it drives me nuts. Need to compulsively wash them, sometimes no matter how late I am.
6) I have a poor sense of balance... When I was a kid, I used to bump into so many places and hurt the area around my eyebrows. If you look closely, some parts of my eyebrow have evident scars, sort of like patches where the hair don't grow on. Falling down the bed, biase dah! Now, my nephew seem to inherit that trait from me too.. hehehehehe
it was hard to confess but hey, we are weird in our own ways...
1) I can't sleep before i make sure that every single bottle of toiletries and things on the dressing table are exactly on the correct position where it's meant to be as well as making sure that all of the labels are on the right side so that I'm read them before I finally sleep
2) If i'm eating with my fingers, my index finger sticks out whenever it reaches the mouth. After eating, I will take a while before I wash my hands as to let the food sort of dry on my fingers.. Dunno why but I didn't realise it until a friend (i think it was Nina) pointed it out.
3) I have a weird ritual before I head to the shower. I will fold all the clothes I'v e used neatly and place it on the bed after taking them off even though I might use some of it afterwards. Even the clothes I intend to put in the laundry basket will be folded and placed there before I unfold it and toss it in the basket.
4) I have a recurring dream ever since I was a kid where a huge dog will chase me down a hill somewhere... Thus, explains why I think dogs are scary...
5) I can't see plates in the sink.. it drives me nuts. Need to compulsively wash them, sometimes no matter how late I am.
6) I have a poor sense of balance... When I was a kid, I used to bump into so many places and hurt the area around my eyebrows. If you look closely, some parts of my eyebrow have evident scars, sort of like patches where the hair don't grow on. Falling down the bed, biase dah! Now, my nephew seem to inherit that trait from me too.. hehehehehe
it was hard to confess but hey, we are weird in our own ways...
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
6 Weird Things???!!!
6 weird things about me ek??
Coming soon.. It's hard to analyse one's weirdness...
Coming soon.. It's hard to analyse one's weirdness...
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Slick Click
The world is no longer a secure place. Nowadays, the notion of privacy is being invaded everyday not only by your sister who would jump over the fence out of happiness whenever you forgot to lock that diary up but also by almost everyone and anyone. Ok, a simple test… How many of us have been Googling up their ex and updating ourself on their daily life by sneaking around their Friendster or MySpace?? Reading up their new found love’s lovey dovey testimonials and comments while pretending to be disgusted??
If you’re possibly one of the 50 million users of MySpace or Friendster (number might have grown), you might know what I’m talking about. We have people on our friend’s list whom we barely know or remember but look at how many has viewed our page and do care to see how many you don’t have a clue where they came to know about your webpage. Scary notion, huh? But the sad thing is that we have advertised and advocated these invasions of privacy without even realising it half of the time.
In addition, we are also known as the generation of (fake) Reality TV and to tell you the absolute truth, I’ve never been proud of that. Yet I do find me telling myself, hurrm… it would be okay to see what the Big Brother contestants are doing at the middle of a Wednesday afternoon when they have absolutely no medium of entertainment at all… I make them my entertainment instead; as if I need to know what I can possibly do if I was stuck with 12 non-significant others with very low mental capacity in a house without my PC.
So, have we become the ignorant and crude bunch that the older and definitely not cooler generation saying we are? Have we lost the sense of respecting other people and is our nosiness getting over the limit? I knew it was true when I start wishing that Britney Spears would next be caught weaning her baby boy while getting a tattoo or probably decide to actually become a singer. We all crave for something bad or extravagant to happen in order to satisfy our curiosity. We decided that we have seen it all and we postulate that only the bad and the ugly can help us to renew that notion. Ever since everything is only a click away, we should have known we are to be altered forever and let’s hope this will not be the nadir of human civilisation. Fingers off that mouse and keep them crossed!
If you’re possibly one of the 50 million users of MySpace or Friendster (number might have grown), you might know what I’m talking about. We have people on our friend’s list whom we barely know or remember but look at how many has viewed our page and do care to see how many you don’t have a clue where they came to know about your webpage. Scary notion, huh? But the sad thing is that we have advertised and advocated these invasions of privacy without even realising it half of the time.
In addition, we are also known as the generation of (fake) Reality TV and to tell you the absolute truth, I’ve never been proud of that. Yet I do find me telling myself, hurrm… it would be okay to see what the Big Brother contestants are doing at the middle of a Wednesday afternoon when they have absolutely no medium of entertainment at all… I make them my entertainment instead; as if I need to know what I can possibly do if I was stuck with 12 non-significant others with very low mental capacity in a house without my PC.
So, have we become the ignorant and crude bunch that the older and definitely not cooler generation saying we are? Have we lost the sense of respecting other people and is our nosiness getting over the limit? I knew it was true when I start wishing that Britney Spears would next be caught weaning her baby boy while getting a tattoo or probably decide to actually become a singer. We all crave for something bad or extravagant to happen in order to satisfy our curiosity. We decided that we have seen it all and we postulate that only the bad and the ugly can help us to renew that notion. Ever since everything is only a click away, we should have known we are to be altered forever and let’s hope this will not be the nadir of human civilisation. Fingers off that mouse and keep them crossed!
The Pursuit of Happyness
Yes, it is spelt with a “Y” instead of an “I” in case you are wondering. The movie revolves around the life of Chris Gardner (Will Smith), a salesperson who tries to make ends meet each month and ultimately, the job he currently has is the biggest blunder of his life. Having to sell one machine a month proves hard enough and his wife (Thandie Newton) refuses to live a life full of financial pressure anymore, leaving the father to care for the five year old Christopher (Jaden Christopher Syre Smith). Struggle after struggle came with the sales job until Gardner finally got his break when he was accepted into an internship programme at a successful stock brokerage firm.
The internship is his only hope for a better life for him and Christopher which is why he accepts the offer even though there is no salary to help them get by in the next 6 months. Having being evicted from home, stranded on the street, left with only two suits to wear at workplace, reduced to seeking shelter at a subway toilet did not cause Gardner to falter with his mission to finally afford to send Christopher to a day care centre that can spell happiness correctly.
Did he make it? Was the internship the answer to a pursuit of happiness? Well, if he didn’t become one of the most successful share broker in the States today, this movie wouldn’t be made in the first place. That’s common sense but it was really the question that haunted me all along the movie: If he had a better job, would it equal to happiness?
Well, one thing proved right. The person who said “Money is the root to all evil” has definitely had two sides of the argument analysed and pondered over. Poverty makes people push the limits and in a world where materialism can make you transgress, people on the streets kill each other for $5. Yet it is impossible to progress in life if you do not have the right notes.
For Gardner in this movie, money equals to food, shelter, and an education for Christopher that he himself was deprived from as a kid because his family couldn’t afford it. Although Gardner was a smart and talented, he did not have the right credentials for a good job thus causing him to live in detriments. Desperate to not let that happen to his son, he defies the world and took charge by taking a necessary risk.
It is interesting to learn how human quality was given such a strong attribute in this movie. Gardner made it by genuinely being himself and this creates a sense of triumph in every viewer when he overcomes a hurdle. We gasp for breath when the X-Ray machine was stolen by a hippie girl, cheers him on when he grabs it back from her a few weeks later and cry with him when he plays a make-believe game with Christopher in the subway’s toilet.
No wonder the movie only has one nomination in the Academy Awards, which was for Will Smith’s probably-not-as-good-as-Ali performance but still the man deserved the nomination. Jaden was also cute and endearing as his character should be but you can see the pain of struggle and courage in his eyes. Now, that’s pure characterisation as it comes from a kid who might have been driving in a mini Benz since he was 2. This movie deserves a watch for those reasons as well as a captivating screenplay that captures what Los Angeles essentially is from the point of view of a man who walks its street everyday.
The internship is his only hope for a better life for him and Christopher which is why he accepts the offer even though there is no salary to help them get by in the next 6 months. Having being evicted from home, stranded on the street, left with only two suits to wear at workplace, reduced to seeking shelter at a subway toilet did not cause Gardner to falter with his mission to finally afford to send Christopher to a day care centre that can spell happiness correctly.
Did he make it? Was the internship the answer to a pursuit of happiness? Well, if he didn’t become one of the most successful share broker in the States today, this movie wouldn’t be made in the first place. That’s common sense but it was really the question that haunted me all along the movie: If he had a better job, would it equal to happiness?
Well, one thing proved right. The person who said “Money is the root to all evil” has definitely had two sides of the argument analysed and pondered over. Poverty makes people push the limits and in a world where materialism can make you transgress, people on the streets kill each other for $5. Yet it is impossible to progress in life if you do not have the right notes.
For Gardner in this movie, money equals to food, shelter, and an education for Christopher that he himself was deprived from as a kid because his family couldn’t afford it. Although Gardner was a smart and talented, he did not have the right credentials for a good job thus causing him to live in detriments. Desperate to not let that happen to his son, he defies the world and took charge by taking a necessary risk.
It is interesting to learn how human quality was given such a strong attribute in this movie. Gardner made it by genuinely being himself and this creates a sense of triumph in every viewer when he overcomes a hurdle. We gasp for breath when the X-Ray machine was stolen by a hippie girl, cheers him on when he grabs it back from her a few weeks later and cry with him when he plays a make-believe game with Christopher in the subway’s toilet.
No wonder the movie only has one nomination in the Academy Awards, which was for Will Smith’s probably-not-as-good-as-Ali performance but still the man deserved the nomination. Jaden was also cute and endearing as his character should be but you can see the pain of struggle and courage in his eyes. Now, that’s pure characterisation as it comes from a kid who might have been driving in a mini Benz since he was 2. This movie deserves a watch for those reasons as well as a captivating screenplay that captures what Los Angeles essentially is from the point of view of a man who walks its street everyday.
Gaining Trust On Yourself
Doesn’t it just piss the wit out of you when you thought you just saw one of the most brilliant movies and at the very same weekend, some critic in the newspaper gives that same particular genius’ artwork a meagre 2 star? I was shattered and felt betrayed by my own choice. What you think is not what the world think, thus it is not good enough. I had to pretend to like things I despise, cajole myself to believe that chic lit is my cup of tea. But I got tired of pretending chiefly because I came to realise that when you’re lying about something you can’t stand, it shows in your every vein. Eventually, I found the strength and stopped reading the critics section and believing them when one of them actually said that Catherine Lim is one of the most overrated writers he has ever read.
Ask yourself these questions. What qualifies another person to unrightfully make you question your sense of intelligence and simultaneously deform your confidence in choosing a fairly decent food for the mind? Why do we seem to care so much about what others think and refuse to sometimes look at things from our point of view? Plainly put, it all has to do with the different strokes we actually take while we paint the canvas of our life. Yet everybody would love it more if you choose the same brush as theirs and paint the same Sunflower that Van Gogh did because it is a sure-hit. You succumb to the masses to be accepted and to fit in. I strived so much to be in synch and ultimately had to lose myself into the mainstream.
Luckily, I saved myself (have I?) but then, I wondered how many others have been captured in this intellectual entrapment and politely accepts whatever others say you must dig. A friend saying that Celine Dion is "The Bomb" (the bomb??), a lecturer saying Crime and Punishment is the book you must read and understand (which is very hard to do), a mentor saying that you have got to love that painting series by Latiff Mohiddin if you want to make it big yourself, a sibling saying grafitti is a waste of time and will never attract any achievement into your door step.
To be able to believe in yourself, you have to acknowledge the fact that Allah s.w.t made every human equally special and different. Thus, be proud to embrace those differences and treat yourself as the creature that God has granted upon many opportunities of vital self-expression. Whatever path you choose is a reflection of who you are and never give that away to ever-ready hands who would just love to have you twirled around their fingers.
Ask yourself these questions. What qualifies another person to unrightfully make you question your sense of intelligence and simultaneously deform your confidence in choosing a fairly decent food for the mind? Why do we seem to care so much about what others think and refuse to sometimes look at things from our point of view? Plainly put, it all has to do with the different strokes we actually take while we paint the canvas of our life. Yet everybody would love it more if you choose the same brush as theirs and paint the same Sunflower that Van Gogh did because it is a sure-hit. You succumb to the masses to be accepted and to fit in. I strived so much to be in synch and ultimately had to lose myself into the mainstream.
Luckily, I saved myself (have I?) but then, I wondered how many others have been captured in this intellectual entrapment and politely accepts whatever others say you must dig. A friend saying that Celine Dion is "The Bomb" (the bomb??), a lecturer saying Crime and Punishment is the book you must read and understand (which is very hard to do), a mentor saying that you have got to love that painting series by Latiff Mohiddin if you want to make it big yourself, a sibling saying grafitti is a waste of time and will never attract any achievement into your door step.
To be able to believe in yourself, you have to acknowledge the fact that Allah s.w.t made every human equally special and different. Thus, be proud to embrace those differences and treat yourself as the creature that God has granted upon many opportunities of vital self-expression. Whatever path you choose is a reflection of who you are and never give that away to ever-ready hands who would just love to have you twirled around their fingers.
The Pale Dark World
Scientifically, it is proven that the dark skinned people are way more fortunate the fair ones in terms of being in the risk of getting skin infection, acnes or even skin cancer… Thank Allah (s.w.t) for the abundance of melanine in my forefather’s skin now stringing up knots of genes in me. But as far as science proves something, my mind constantly strives to find the answer to this question: Why is it so difficult to be dark skinned?
I was five and startled when I first discovered why one of our Indian family friends decided to marry a Chinese girl despite the many choices his family bestowed upon him all these years. “They just weren’t good enough… too dark for my liking,” and that came from Uncle Charlie who can cause eclipse every night just by standing near the moon. Then there were the aunties’ chat in the kitchen of our Cameron Highlands’ “agam” house during one of those wedding seasons where one of the many far away second cousin’s daughter in law’s brother’s son is getting married and everybody in this extended family is obliged to attend because one of the groom’s aunt once gave RM1001 for one of our own weddings. It went something like “Atchoo.. This bride is not even half as pale as the pavaam sister of hers, Kumari who died last year in that accident. So, she must be wretched with much worst luck and would drag them into their house. Why do we need this kind of problems in our lineage?”
Too much for a five year old who just loves to eavesdrop into older people conversation while pretending to coo over the poor baby brother of mine who could be chewing the hair off my head for all I cared, I looked at my skin and saw the ripe darkness of it. If compared to the cousins from my mother’s side, they were almost always the favourite of my “atuk” whereas we were undeniably the favourite of my “patti” who has much more darker grandchildren than us. I wondered then, does love has radar for colour? Do we need to discriminate the colours before we are able to love? Do we identify more with colour than emotions? That was my sense of logic then at five.
As I grew up, everything on the TV showed that the darker skin is only secondary…All the backup dancers in the long and endless Hindi songs were far darker than the heroine, the villain in the Chinese movies needs to be at least three shades darker than the hero.. Hell, even the weakest Power Rangers is an African American. Which further reiterates the pounding voice in my head that says “poor thing, you gotta live with this skin for the rest of your life…” hence what has made part of my self confidence only a pretension to cover up the fact that I am actually not very happy when the kids in my Primary One class teases me over my dark skin which contradicts my race.
Then, during my teen years, I became unconsciously obsessed with trying to become fairer. Name the product, I’ve tried it. I’ve been caught up in the vehement race of a “clearer” image myself. When I recently went back for the holidays, everybody complimented me saying that I look different, better, if I must say but they never really said what it was. I asked my mum’s opinion (who is the most dependable person to answer this, of course), what does the compliment essentially mean? She replied, simply “Well, you’re fairer.” So what? All this while, I was invisible because I was 2 shades darker? Apparently becoming fairer did not made me feel better about the world around me.
Why is it so hard for people to look beyond skin colour? Apartheid lost in South Africa or didn’t it? The pariahs are no longer detected and despised for their dark complexion or are they? The segregation in the world has never changed the sight of human being although Allah s.w.t clearly firmans in Surah Fathir (35:28) which goes “And so amongst men and crawling creatures and cattle, are they of various colours. Those truly fear God, among His servants who have knowledge: for God is Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving”. We strive to become better, richer, stronger but we have successfully failed to acknowledge that we are all the same underneath it all.
I was five and startled when I first discovered why one of our Indian family friends decided to marry a Chinese girl despite the many choices his family bestowed upon him all these years. “They just weren’t good enough… too dark for my liking,” and that came from Uncle Charlie who can cause eclipse every night just by standing near the moon. Then there were the aunties’ chat in the kitchen of our Cameron Highlands’ “agam” house during one of those wedding seasons where one of the many far away second cousin’s daughter in law’s brother’s son is getting married and everybody in this extended family is obliged to attend because one of the groom’s aunt once gave RM1001 for one of our own weddings. It went something like “Atchoo.. This bride is not even half as pale as the pavaam sister of hers, Kumari who died last year in that accident. So, she must be wretched with much worst luck and would drag them into their house. Why do we need this kind of problems in our lineage?”
Too much for a five year old who just loves to eavesdrop into older people conversation while pretending to coo over the poor baby brother of mine who could be chewing the hair off my head for all I cared, I looked at my skin and saw the ripe darkness of it. If compared to the cousins from my mother’s side, they were almost always the favourite of my “atuk” whereas we were undeniably the favourite of my “patti” who has much more darker grandchildren than us. I wondered then, does love has radar for colour? Do we need to discriminate the colours before we are able to love? Do we identify more with colour than emotions? That was my sense of logic then at five.
As I grew up, everything on the TV showed that the darker skin is only secondary…All the backup dancers in the long and endless Hindi songs were far darker than the heroine, the villain in the Chinese movies needs to be at least three shades darker than the hero.. Hell, even the weakest Power Rangers is an African American. Which further reiterates the pounding voice in my head that says “poor thing, you gotta live with this skin for the rest of your life…” hence what has made part of my self confidence only a pretension to cover up the fact that I am actually not very happy when the kids in my Primary One class teases me over my dark skin which contradicts my race.
Then, during my teen years, I became unconsciously obsessed with trying to become fairer. Name the product, I’ve tried it. I’ve been caught up in the vehement race of a “clearer” image myself. When I recently went back for the holidays, everybody complimented me saying that I look different, better, if I must say but they never really said what it was. I asked my mum’s opinion (who is the most dependable person to answer this, of course), what does the compliment essentially mean? She replied, simply “Well, you’re fairer.” So what? All this while, I was invisible because I was 2 shades darker? Apparently becoming fairer did not made me feel better about the world around me.
Why is it so hard for people to look beyond skin colour? Apartheid lost in South Africa or didn’t it? The pariahs are no longer detected and despised for their dark complexion or are they? The segregation in the world has never changed the sight of human being although Allah s.w.t clearly firmans in Surah Fathir (35:28) which goes “And so amongst men and crawling creatures and cattle, are they of various colours. Those truly fear God, among His servants who have knowledge: for God is Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving”. We strive to become better, richer, stronger but we have successfully failed to acknowledge that we are all the same underneath it all.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Malaysia's Got Talent
Infinatez is definitely one of the nation's best vocal groups and thanks to Gangstarz, Malaysia is able to watch them showcase what they do best... simply singing their hearts out as well as maintaining who they really are to their friends..
Infinatez has been around and seeing from the raving feedback (judging from the fact that my mum is their number one fan, hence the special top up card to vote for her now-favourite R&B group), they are here to stay..
too bad, I came back too early to miss out on watching them perform live on stage... That would have been better considering i haven't seen much of them during my holidays in Malaysia. Though, i'm loving Alvin as part of the group, a needed revamp, a guided change (so, alvin.... ape cite project solo?? need that anticipated record.. hehehehe)
Changes are good (andy's hair is straighter than mine now) and I look forward to being in the Fan Club.. besides, where would a group be without their so-called "groupie"
here is a clip from their first performance in gangstarz, enjoy and for those in Malaysia, VOTE!
Infinatez has been around and seeing from the raving feedback (judging from the fact that my mum is their number one fan, hence the special top up card to vote for her now-favourite R&B group), they are here to stay..
too bad, I came back too early to miss out on watching them perform live on stage... That would have been better considering i haven't seen much of them during my holidays in Malaysia. Though, i'm loving Alvin as part of the group, a needed revamp, a guided change (so, alvin.... ape cite project solo?? need that anticipated record.. hehehehe)
Changes are good (andy's hair is straighter than mine now) and I look forward to being in the Fan Club.. besides, where would a group be without their so-called "groupie"
here is a clip from their first performance in gangstarz, enjoy and for those in Malaysia, VOTE!
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Malaysia Best!!
Malaysia best.. takde tandingan...
Loving each and every second of my stay here...
Tak nak balik sydney
Loving each and every second of my stay here...
Tak nak balik sydney
Monday, November 27, 2006
Most Sexiest (2)
After much consideration and thought, I feel obliged to add a few other people into my list.. So, let's make it 20 (syada, i have to acknowledge these people too). In no designed order, we will continue with the quest...
1) Ashton Kutcher- Toy Boy or not, he's hot!
2) Will Smith- now who didn't have a crush on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air?? No matter how ridiculous the fashion was... and the haircut too... Jada pinkett is one damn lucky woman
3) Lionel Messi- He's a minor, yes but a legend already... a genius who's now deprived from contributing to Barcelona for injuries yet still a gem to the Argentinians.
4) Prince Frederik- aduh, perfect sungguh lelaki nie. A prince who looks like a normal bloke when he chooses to and truly the nation's pride. the fact that he chose to marry a non-royal woman whom he is truly in love with showed that he is necessarily the "dreamed about man" of the 21st century... kiss a frog, girls
5) Adrien Broody- the crooked nose just adds to the magic. The pianist is renowned for kissing halle berry at the Oscars but he also has a bad boy reputation.. but he looks so niceeeeeee (how can that be??)
6) Raphael Nadal- another minor... the way he sways, damn!
7) Jonathan Rhys Meyer- Irish Cream... defines smoothness (thank God that he has gained some weight since Bend It Like Beckham)
8) Joaquin Phoenix- as hard it is to spell his name, he has to be one of the most talented and sexiest man on the silver screen. Something about that piercing stare...
9) Pete Murray- Hold on now, your exit's here... it's waiting just for you
10) John Legend- how can I forget to include my Eclairs???
1) Ashton Kutcher- Toy Boy or not, he's hot!
2) Will Smith- now who didn't have a crush on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air?? No matter how ridiculous the fashion was... and the haircut too... Jada pinkett is one damn lucky woman
3) Lionel Messi- He's a minor, yes but a legend already... a genius who's now deprived from contributing to Barcelona for injuries yet still a gem to the Argentinians.
4) Prince Frederik- aduh, perfect sungguh lelaki nie. A prince who looks like a normal bloke when he chooses to and truly the nation's pride. the fact that he chose to marry a non-royal woman whom he is truly in love with showed that he is necessarily the "dreamed about man" of the 21st century... kiss a frog, girls
5) Adrien Broody- the crooked nose just adds to the magic. The pianist is renowned for kissing halle berry at the Oscars but he also has a bad boy reputation.. but he looks so niceeeeeee (how can that be??)
6) Raphael Nadal- another minor... the way he sways, damn!
7) Jonathan Rhys Meyer- Irish Cream... defines smoothness (thank God that he has gained some weight since Bend It Like Beckham)
8) Joaquin Phoenix- as hard it is to spell his name, he has to be one of the most talented and sexiest man on the silver screen. Something about that piercing stare...
9) Pete Murray- Hold on now, your exit's here... it's waiting just for you
10) John Legend- how can I forget to include my Eclairs???
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Most Sexiest...
Since the People's mag has just come up with their list of 100 sexiest men, I feel that i could list down ten people (in no particular order) who I think are sexy.. Sexy itu relative kan?? huhu
1)Johnny Depp- that thin, lanky posture.. that grinnish smile, that wacky attitude, that loving father character, that good looks... the owner of Viper Room.. cukup dah
2)Mos Def- comeeeeeeeelllll sangat that smile.. i love that scruffy look that he has.. that masculine lines on his face... hot! his music is defining, his words are sincere and i love the movies he's featured in. Kalau abang Dante masuk meminang, saya terima sekarang juge.. hehehehehehehe
3)Sean Connery- he oozes sexy through his veins, man! definitely the best Bond in my book. Funny how i can like an old man who likes to walk around in his kilt..
4)Wentworth Miller- the reason why i find prison now attractive.. kalau ex-convict pun comel macam nie, takde pusing kiri-kanan dah...
5)Josh Hartnett- aduh, badannya itu... takdelah muscular sangat but boyishly tough... very admirable. not to mention that excellent acting skills
6)Lah Ahmad- Okay, probably not sexy but definitely one of the cutest people in my list. jangan tanya apa-apa lagi...
7)Shah Rukh Khan- huuuuuuuuuuu.... one of the earliest crush of my life. Umur 11 tahun dah gilekan SRK ni. Teringat poster2 yang bersepah itu... mana ye???
8)Eminem- psychotic choice but damn, i love those blue eyes and the tattoos. I rarely like tatts but those of his daughter and his cousin is really heartfelt... That boyish look helps too and the music used to be awesome (thus reduces the degree of his demented mind)
9)Beyonce Knowles- the only female on my list.. but i'm still pretty much normal (and straight). I love the way she approaches her sexuality, she doesn't appear slutty although she wears things that bare almost everything.. Plus she's actually the sweetest thing you'll ever come across. Class, Looks and Talent in a complete package
10)Pharell Williams- mamat N.E.R.D ni., from my point of view, is gorgeously plain.. I mean, there's something about him that's unusual, in a way, almost exotic.. he has the Chinese or Melanasian look but he's trapped in a owh-so-bodalicios-African American body... Cuteness defined in a array of genius music making too...
saya nak tag Nisa, Syada, Alin, Tasha, Fariza, Wanee dan reramai lagi untuk meneruskan pencarian orang2 seksi anda.. hehehehehehehe
1)Johnny Depp- that thin, lanky posture.. that grinnish smile, that wacky attitude, that loving father character, that good looks... the owner of Viper Room.. cukup dah
2)Mos Def- comeeeeeeeelllll sangat that smile.. i love that scruffy look that he has.. that masculine lines on his face... hot! his music is defining, his words are sincere and i love the movies he's featured in. Kalau abang Dante masuk meminang, saya terima sekarang juge.. hehehehehehehe
3)Sean Connery- he oozes sexy through his veins, man! definitely the best Bond in my book. Funny how i can like an old man who likes to walk around in his kilt..
4)Wentworth Miller- the reason why i find prison now attractive.. kalau ex-convict pun comel macam nie, takde pusing kiri-kanan dah...
5)Josh Hartnett- aduh, badannya itu... takdelah muscular sangat but boyishly tough... very admirable. not to mention that excellent acting skills
6)Lah Ahmad- Okay, probably not sexy but definitely one of the cutest people in my list. jangan tanya apa-apa lagi...
7)Shah Rukh Khan- huuuuuuuuuuu.... one of the earliest crush of my life. Umur 11 tahun dah gilekan SRK ni. Teringat poster2 yang bersepah itu... mana ye???
8)Eminem- psychotic choice but damn, i love those blue eyes and the tattoos. I rarely like tatts but those of his daughter and his cousin is really heartfelt... That boyish look helps too and the music used to be awesome (thus reduces the degree of his demented mind)
9)Beyonce Knowles- the only female on my list.. but i'm still pretty much normal (and straight). I love the way she approaches her sexuality, she doesn't appear slutty although she wears things that bare almost everything.. Plus she's actually the sweetest thing you'll ever come across. Class, Looks and Talent in a complete package
10)Pharell Williams- mamat N.E.R.D ni., from my point of view, is gorgeously plain.. I mean, there's something about him that's unusual, in a way, almost exotic.. he has the Chinese or Melanasian look but he's trapped in a owh-so-bodalicios-African American body... Cuteness defined in a array of genius music making too...
saya nak tag Nisa, Syada, Alin, Tasha, Fariza, Wanee dan reramai lagi untuk meneruskan pencarian orang2 seksi anda.. hehehehehehehe
The Perfect Crime
Have you been watching the box excessively lately??? Okay, I admit it.. I've been. That's why I need to get this out of my system.. What's with the flood of crime shows on the telly?? Let me try to list down those I can remember: CSI NY, CSI LV, CSI Miami, Criminal Minds, The Closer, SVU, Criminal Intent, Law&Order, StandOff, Bones, Prime Suspect, The Bill, Blue Heelers and so on and so forth. I mean, every channel you tune in during the prime time will definitely show some kind of Crime Series that ranges from "Marvellous TV" to "what the crap??".. It's like you can't run away from them, they wanna haunt you, you gotta watch them, you're gonna have to pick one or die..
*what's with the exageration, ana?? internal locus of control, please*
Yeah, i know that people will argue that "you're not suppose to be intellect when you watch TV, hence the fact that your brain is more active while you're sleeping compared to when you're watching the idiot box"... okay, fine enough but don't i deserve to watch quality tv at night when i've been "consistently" studying all day and going to clasess and all?(i like the use of the word "consistently" there.. hehehehehehe).
I think all the criminal minds (hey, that's one of those series with Mandy Patinkin in it) out there will definitely benefit something from these shows.. Why, you ask? well, if they have already crafted a plan, they will have to check in these shows whether the plan will work or not.. If someone has used it, probably you will have to make slight changes to it.. Something that Enche Grissom will not have the brains to solve.. Or what's more helpful, have a checklist.. "Puncture with skewers to drown the lung slowly?" checked, "Kill with penicillin and wrap with plastic before hiding the body in an ATM machine?" checked, "Seduce the victim into taking their own life and legally declare it "euthanasia".. priceless... see, these crime shows are actually giving me ideas and encouraging the psychopath side of me to think and develop ways that the crime could be improved, thus come across as clean..
Which actually brings us to the issue, can you actually get away with a perfect crime?? I just watched the 1960's version of Ocean's Eleven last weekend (aduh, Frank Sinatra sangat comeeeeelllll- syada nak rebut jugelah tu) and the crime was perfect except for the fact that the crime was a waste of time. Perfectly crafted, perfectly and precisely carried out, but the money ended up ,literally, burnt in a coffin box after a miscalculation. Moral of the story: think more carefully and don't depend on circumstances. So, crime can be perfect?? Is it???
*what's with the exageration, ana?? internal locus of control, please*
Yeah, i know that people will argue that "you're not suppose to be intellect when you watch TV, hence the fact that your brain is more active while you're sleeping compared to when you're watching the idiot box"... okay, fine enough but don't i deserve to watch quality tv at night when i've been "consistently" studying all day and going to clasess and all?(i like the use of the word "consistently" there.. hehehehehehe).
I think all the criminal minds (hey, that's one of those series with Mandy Patinkin in it) out there will definitely benefit something from these shows.. Why, you ask? well, if they have already crafted a plan, they will have to check in these shows whether the plan will work or not.. If someone has used it, probably you will have to make slight changes to it.. Something that Enche Grissom will not have the brains to solve.. Or what's more helpful, have a checklist.. "Puncture with skewers to drown the lung slowly?" checked, "Kill with penicillin and wrap with plastic before hiding the body in an ATM machine?" checked, "Seduce the victim into taking their own life and legally declare it "euthanasia".. priceless... see, these crime shows are actually giving me ideas and encouraging the psychopath side of me to think and develop ways that the crime could be improved, thus come across as clean..
Which actually brings us to the issue, can you actually get away with a perfect crime?? I just watched the 1960's version of Ocean's Eleven last weekend (aduh, Frank Sinatra sangat comeeeeelllll- syada nak rebut jugelah tu) and the crime was perfect except for the fact that the crime was a waste of time. Perfectly crafted, perfectly and precisely carried out, but the money ended up ,literally, burnt in a coffin box after a miscalculation. Moral of the story: think more carefully and don't depend on circumstances. So, crime can be perfect?? Is it???
Monday, November 06, 2006
Segmented Mind
Loving...
*The fact that Australia is such a sporty country.. there's always some sport to watch on TV. Rugby, tennis, soccer etc. (sincerely...)
*The weather now... very coldies punye.. hehehehehe. good for hybernating purposes
*The dhall curry i cooked with durra the other day.. I feel vain saying it but damn, that was good. Teringat my mum's version. Boleh dah bukak kedai mamak kat sydney (with nisa in charge of curry, durra with roti paratha, tasha buat air, syada basuh pinggan, fariza amik order and lap meja, harvin jadi performer lagu hindi)
*The old school and motown mood in the air- aretha franklin (angel.. angel.. angel), marvin gaye, temptations, smokey robinson, supremes, human nature, stevie wonder, isley brothers, beatles, bob marley, barry white, luther vandross, james brown, chaka khan (to name a few).. seriously goes well with the weather too.
*There's less than a month to go back!!!! Yeah!!!! The countdown continues, my friends...
*The sociolinguistics assignment has been handed in... huhu! I miss the library already
*Rod Lane walked with me after class.. Saje nak initiate perbualanlah tu. Although he just had the guts to "tell" me about his wife on that day.. cis!
*The solitude i'm learning to cope with... no longer permanent
*Chatting with Nina and talking on the phone with her excessively for the past few days. A friend, a gem...
Loathing...
*The delay with the allowances.. udah broke abih aku neh!
*The fact that there's no more tutorials after this week.. Actually, i really enjoyed the tutorials these last few weeks. Verna or no Verna...
*The whole storm about the Melbourne Cup and Flemington Race... anyway, what's up with the head dresses?? believe me, it's like watching the scene in My Fair Lady where Eliza gets introduced by Mr Higgins to the upper class... You know, that silly black and white fashion debacle. That's how it looks like minus the decency and up-tightness (except the people under the Emirates, Motorola and Myers tent, of course)
*People bitching about you right in front of you across the room.. huuuuu.. hangin satu badan. Kekadang, i feel there's no use being nice to evil kenevil people...
*The machines in the laundry room not functioning accordingly.. cepatlah install new machines with the coin slot tu... then bolehlah complain selalu if it's broken.
Couldn't Comprehend...
*The choices of movies that the free tv channels select for the weekend... Scorpion King, Con Air, School of Rock, Planet of the Apes (old school punye).. is there a theme of barbaric sentiments going on??
*Why is the LING253 test called a test when you can discuss about the test in a group of 15 people, gets tutored about what to write and basically everybody chooses to write about the same thing??? probably because we scored terribly in the other tasks..
*The whole fiasco about the comment made by the Imam of Lakemba Mosque... things taken out of context usually "does sound stupid"
*John Howard's policy over the Kyoto Article, a Global Warming memorandum... his reluctance to sign the memorandum because "australia is asked to do more things than most other countries and that's not fair" is a silly remark, of course considering the fact that Australians leaves more ecological prints than most other developed and developing countries' citizens (they're number 6 in the recent WWF report)
*What if Madonna wants to adopt?? At least she's doing something.. If she skips the list because she has more money and power, let's think from this point of view: can we grant the life that Madonna probably can for the kid?? And why fuss over that issue??? Blame the beaurecratic procedure that takes you, and not Madonna or Ange, longer to adopt...
*Why did Axle Whitehead do that at ARIAs??? Giler sengal.. Dude, nobody wants to see your pathetic b**ls
*The fact that Australia is such a sporty country.. there's always some sport to watch on TV. Rugby, tennis, soccer etc. (sincerely...)
*The weather now... very coldies punye.. hehehehehe. good for hybernating purposes
*The dhall curry i cooked with durra the other day.. I feel vain saying it but damn, that was good. Teringat my mum's version. Boleh dah bukak kedai mamak kat sydney (with nisa in charge of curry, durra with roti paratha, tasha buat air, syada basuh pinggan, fariza amik order and lap meja, harvin jadi performer lagu hindi)
*The old school and motown mood in the air- aretha franklin (angel.. angel.. angel), marvin gaye, temptations, smokey robinson, supremes, human nature, stevie wonder, isley brothers, beatles, bob marley, barry white, luther vandross, james brown, chaka khan (to name a few).. seriously goes well with the weather too.
*There's less than a month to go back!!!! Yeah!!!! The countdown continues, my friends...
*The sociolinguistics assignment has been handed in... huhu! I miss the library already
*Rod Lane walked with me after class.. Saje nak initiate perbualanlah tu. Although he just had the guts to "tell" me about his wife on that day.. cis!
*The solitude i'm learning to cope with... no longer permanent
*Chatting with Nina and talking on the phone with her excessively for the past few days. A friend, a gem...
Loathing...
*The delay with the allowances.. udah broke abih aku neh!
*The fact that there's no more tutorials after this week.. Actually, i really enjoyed the tutorials these last few weeks. Verna or no Verna...
*The whole storm about the Melbourne Cup and Flemington Race... anyway, what's up with the head dresses?? believe me, it's like watching the scene in My Fair Lady where Eliza gets introduced by Mr Higgins to the upper class... You know, that silly black and white fashion debacle. That's how it looks like minus the decency and up-tightness (except the people under the Emirates, Motorola and Myers tent, of course)
*People bitching about you right in front of you across the room.. huuuuu.. hangin satu badan. Kekadang, i feel there's no use being nice to evil kenevil people...
*The machines in the laundry room not functioning accordingly.. cepatlah install new machines with the coin slot tu... then bolehlah complain selalu if it's broken.
Couldn't Comprehend...
*The choices of movies that the free tv channels select for the weekend... Scorpion King, Con Air, School of Rock, Planet of the Apes (old school punye).. is there a theme of barbaric sentiments going on??
*Why is the LING253 test called a test when you can discuss about the test in a group of 15 people, gets tutored about what to write and basically everybody chooses to write about the same thing??? probably because we scored terribly in the other tasks..
*The whole fiasco about the comment made by the Imam of Lakemba Mosque... things taken out of context usually "does sound stupid"
*John Howard's policy over the Kyoto Article, a Global Warming memorandum... his reluctance to sign the memorandum because "australia is asked to do more things than most other countries and that's not fair" is a silly remark, of course considering the fact that Australians leaves more ecological prints than most other developed and developing countries' citizens (they're number 6 in the recent WWF report)
*What if Madonna wants to adopt?? At least she's doing something.. If she skips the list because she has more money and power, let's think from this point of view: can we grant the life that Madonna probably can for the kid?? And why fuss over that issue??? Blame the beaurecratic procedure that takes you, and not Madonna or Ange, longer to adopt...
*Why did Axle Whitehead do that at ARIAs??? Giler sengal.. Dude, nobody wants to see your pathetic b**ls
Monday, October 30, 2006
I Miss My Daddy...
29 October 2002... It has been 4 years since the day my father passed away. I felt his lost ever since and i missed him every single day. My daddy, the man who brought me up and made me partially who I am today. He used to be my moon as my mummy is my sun.
I remember how he used to have two jobs just to get us by. He was only 21 years old when he married my mum, despite the disapproval of his family (partly because he was still young and also because my mum is a muslim). He and my mummy lived the life of the young while we were growing up and treated us as friends instead of children. He fancied making and playing kites, bikin his Honda Accord which he changed for a Grand Vitara as we were growing up, watching old Tamil, Malay and English movie, collecting EPs and vinyls... And of course, the occasional skating (old school style)
When we were kids, people used to say that my mummy and daddy were out on a date and one of them had to bring their "siblings" (ie us, the kids) to tag along on the date.. hihi. We lived a modest life yet never once have i doubted that he loved us very much even though he was not always able to give us what we wanted. Although at times, i complained about the simplicity of our life but he tried very hard. When he pushed us to our limits, it was because he wanted us to lead a different, if not a better, life than he did.
I was not ready to lose my daddy when he passed away at a young age of 39... He suffered from a medical condition called neuropathy where his muscle is no longer able to rebuilt the dead cells. He slowly lost the ability to walk and then to use his hands, then eventually his heart muscles will also lose the ability to pump blood through his body system... It was hard watching his condition deteriorate day by day and my mummy stayed strong along the way. I saw how much my mummy loved my daddy through those time and never did she lose faith that he would get better even though the doctor "cordially" said that there is no cure for this disease yet...
Till this very day, sometimes I question why did he have to go so early.. sometimes, i blame him for making me miss him too much, for making my mum go through a harder life, for making my little sister lack a paternal affection all through her life... But then, I look up to the sky and realise that he is living a better life there... God loved him, more than we do. Tears stream down my eyes as I recited prayers for him lately... Four years and you are still very much alive in our heart and memory.
May Allah bless your soul always and love you as much as you loved your children since we were little until you left us.. Amin
Whenever I hear this song, i cannot help but to remember you, daddy.. God knows I love you, no matter what.
I remember how he used to have two jobs just to get us by. He was only 21 years old when he married my mum, despite the disapproval of his family (partly because he was still young and also because my mum is a muslim). He and my mummy lived the life of the young while we were growing up and treated us as friends instead of children. He fancied making and playing kites, bikin his Honda Accord which he changed for a Grand Vitara as we were growing up, watching old Tamil, Malay and English movie, collecting EPs and vinyls... And of course, the occasional skating (old school style)
When we were kids, people used to say that my mummy and daddy were out on a date and one of them had to bring their "siblings" (ie us, the kids) to tag along on the date.. hihi. We lived a modest life yet never once have i doubted that he loved us very much even though he was not always able to give us what we wanted. Although at times, i complained about the simplicity of our life but he tried very hard. When he pushed us to our limits, it was because he wanted us to lead a different, if not a better, life than he did.
I was not ready to lose my daddy when he passed away at a young age of 39... He suffered from a medical condition called neuropathy where his muscle is no longer able to rebuilt the dead cells. He slowly lost the ability to walk and then to use his hands, then eventually his heart muscles will also lose the ability to pump blood through his body system... It was hard watching his condition deteriorate day by day and my mummy stayed strong along the way. I saw how much my mummy loved my daddy through those time and never did she lose faith that he would get better even though the doctor "cordially" said that there is no cure for this disease yet...
Till this very day, sometimes I question why did he have to go so early.. sometimes, i blame him for making me miss him too much, for making my mum go through a harder life, for making my little sister lack a paternal affection all through her life... But then, I look up to the sky and realise that he is living a better life there... God loved him, more than we do. Tears stream down my eyes as I recited prayers for him lately... Four years and you are still very much alive in our heart and memory.
May Allah bless your soul always and love you as much as you loved your children since we were little until you left us.. Amin
Whenever I hear this song, i cannot help but to remember you, daddy.. God knows I love you, no matter what.
These are the times...
This month has been a bumpy ride altogether... I just took my EDUC265 assignment and let me assure you that it has just made my day crashed down... The worst grade I ever got... I was like, WTF??? I just knew that I've screwed up big time... I'm trying to be positive but there's nothing positive about the grade.. Kenapakah hidupku semakin miserable nie???
At this moment, I just wanna pack up my bag and get on the next plane back home... Nothing else is able to make me feel better...
Well, they say that you can never reach the top if you haven't got to the rock bottom... *positive*positive*
At this moment, I just wanna pack up my bag and get on the next plane back home... Nothing else is able to make me feel better...
Well, they say that you can never reach the top if you haven't got to the rock bottom... *positive*positive*
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Love And Teh Tarik
Have you ever came across a Malaysian who genuinely doesn't like the taste of a nice warm teh tarik??? Not that they can't consume it but they just don't like it??? Hurmmm... they exist but they are a very rare species indeed. Just like the rare species of people who doesn't fancy being in love. Well of course, teh tarik, like love, is everywhere and found at every corner of the Malaysian land yet they are also getting overshadowed by the emergence of lattes and mochas... But does it mean that it is getting less significant in our lives or the other alternatives are just options to forsake something that's always been in our blood??
Notice that a cuppa teh tarik goes anytime in a daily basis, be it for breakfast to start your day or for a late nite supper with friends after battling it up in a futsal game. It never goes wrong on your taste buds and it will never burn your tongue too (hence the purpose of tariking it, get it?)... Hurmm, but in some cases, the mamak will accidently (ye ke?) give you a glass that is either too hot or too cold. Having ordered it already and not wanting to be fussy, you patiently wait the hot one to cool down or just gulp down the cold one with frustration in your heart going "damn, i should've gone to the other joint instead of this one... kenapalah aku ikut depa nie ha?"... Is it a wrong choice made or it's just pure poor luck that you have to settle down with that glass? Of course there is a choice of exchanging the glass for another one and crossing your fingers that the mamak doesn't do something nasty to your new glass... Dare? Then you swear to yourself that you'll never order another teh tarik when you join the same crowd here. More extreme, never to set your foot there again and spread the word of "wisdom" about the joint for the crime of offending the art of making teh tarik :P
On a different scope, do me a favor by choosing a food that goes wrong with teh tarik... Almost none, i reckon. Even a risotto tastes incredibly delicious matched with teh tarik... That's how flexible it is. Yet it definitely has one food that is THE match for your personal taste, be it a plate of maggi goreng or a puffed crispy roti canai. Just like the case where every other mamak joint or a five star hotel offers a variety taste of teh tarik that is up to your choice to covet for. Can you stand enjoying a glass of wonderfully blended teh tarik alternated with the stench of smoke from automobiles at the road stall that has rodents playing hide and seek around it or would you rather compromise the taste for a simpler one served at an air-conditioned restaurant... Again, the choice is entirely yours to make and having made it, yeah, you can change it anytime you like but the question to ponder upon then is whether you can face the change and relive the taste as you once had.
And teh tarik is all about balance and getting the distinction that naturally separates it in its own class... You have to get the bitterness and sweetness well seamed that you can't tell what's so special about it yet it is so significant to be programmed as the best in your brain... The next thing you know, you'll be coming around every now and then, fetching for the same cup, savouring over it as if it is, indeed, the pleasure like no other God has granted to give you on Earth. And when you get the wrong cup that either is too sweet or too bitter for you, you'll shake your head and say "uh uh.. that ain't my cup of tea" literally. And when you had too many of the wrong ones, you'll then just give up and switch to a glass of OJ instead all the time... Imagine if that goes wrong too...Yup, life can be more surprising than we'd ever thought before, ain't it? Plus, teh tarik can also go wrong for people who are on diet who will soon have to discover that the teh tariks they had just helped to lower their metabolisme rate...
On many angles, teh tarik, like love, can be foreseen as a passion that makes you ride high and low. For some even, it's the love-hate realtionship. You can't stand it when it's around and it gives you terrible migraine too. But you long for it when you haven't been igniting your senses with its strong and sensuous sting for a while. It makes you make the hard decisions in life and it also suggests that life can be more than just half the glass if you tried hard enough to search for it and sacrifice along the way while you're at it... Just keep in mind that you can never have too much of teh tariks in your life... and so applies about love.
*if you feel like you've read this, you probably did.. hehehe*
Notice that a cuppa teh tarik goes anytime in a daily basis, be it for breakfast to start your day or for a late nite supper with friends after battling it up in a futsal game. It never goes wrong on your taste buds and it will never burn your tongue too (hence the purpose of tariking it, get it?)... Hurmm, but in some cases, the mamak will accidently (ye ke?) give you a glass that is either too hot or too cold. Having ordered it already and not wanting to be fussy, you patiently wait the hot one to cool down or just gulp down the cold one with frustration in your heart going "damn, i should've gone to the other joint instead of this one... kenapalah aku ikut depa nie ha?"... Is it a wrong choice made or it's just pure poor luck that you have to settle down with that glass? Of course there is a choice of exchanging the glass for another one and crossing your fingers that the mamak doesn't do something nasty to your new glass... Dare? Then you swear to yourself that you'll never order another teh tarik when you join the same crowd here. More extreme, never to set your foot there again and spread the word of "wisdom" about the joint for the crime of offending the art of making teh tarik :P
On a different scope, do me a favor by choosing a food that goes wrong with teh tarik... Almost none, i reckon. Even a risotto tastes incredibly delicious matched with teh tarik... That's how flexible it is. Yet it definitely has one food that is THE match for your personal taste, be it a plate of maggi goreng or a puffed crispy roti canai. Just like the case where every other mamak joint or a five star hotel offers a variety taste of teh tarik that is up to your choice to covet for. Can you stand enjoying a glass of wonderfully blended teh tarik alternated with the stench of smoke from automobiles at the road stall that has rodents playing hide and seek around it or would you rather compromise the taste for a simpler one served at an air-conditioned restaurant... Again, the choice is entirely yours to make and having made it, yeah, you can change it anytime you like but the question to ponder upon then is whether you can face the change and relive the taste as you once had.
And teh tarik is all about balance and getting the distinction that naturally separates it in its own class... You have to get the bitterness and sweetness well seamed that you can't tell what's so special about it yet it is so significant to be programmed as the best in your brain... The next thing you know, you'll be coming around every now and then, fetching for the same cup, savouring over it as if it is, indeed, the pleasure like no other God has granted to give you on Earth. And when you get the wrong cup that either is too sweet or too bitter for you, you'll shake your head and say "uh uh.. that ain't my cup of tea" literally. And when you had too many of the wrong ones, you'll then just give up and switch to a glass of OJ instead all the time... Imagine if that goes wrong too...Yup, life can be more surprising than we'd ever thought before, ain't it? Plus, teh tarik can also go wrong for people who are on diet who will soon have to discover that the teh tariks they had just helped to lower their metabolisme rate...
On many angles, teh tarik, like love, can be foreseen as a passion that makes you ride high and low. For some even, it's the love-hate realtionship. You can't stand it when it's around and it gives you terrible migraine too. But you long for it when you haven't been igniting your senses with its strong and sensuous sting for a while. It makes you make the hard decisions in life and it also suggests that life can be more than just half the glass if you tried hard enough to search for it and sacrifice along the way while you're at it... Just keep in mind that you can never have too much of teh tariks in your life... and so applies about love.
*if you feel like you've read this, you probably did.. hehehe*
Saturday, October 21, 2006
The Men who make me laugh!
Hamish Blake and Andy Lee
Hamish "uno" Blake (L) and Andy "bruce" Lee
Two seriously funny, funny men.. Hamish and Andy are soooooo damn comel. People who watch Thank God You're Here as religiously as I do would definitely know what I mean and damn, they can really tickle me silly. Plus, the cult show "Real Stories" which got really good review also managed to capture the essence of real comedy infused in what is called "the 5th best current affair show in Australia".. hahahaha.. Naomi Robson of Today Tonight and Tracy Grimshaw of Current Affair should watch this and realise how nonsical their shows really are.
Hamish and Andy met at the University of Melbourne before deciding that they should become partners in crime and reign the radio talkshows before moving on to TV shows. Andy Lee was also Cleo's Eligible Bachelor for 2006 (as you can see why...) here is my favourite snippet from Real Stories
Grounded For Life
Hamish "uno" Blake (L) and Andy "bruce" Lee
Two seriously funny, funny men.. Hamish and Andy are soooooo damn comel. People who watch Thank God You're Here as religiously as I do would definitely know what I mean and damn, they can really tickle me silly. Plus, the cult show "Real Stories" which got really good review also managed to capture the essence of real comedy infused in what is called "the 5th best current affair show in Australia".. hahahaha.. Naomi Robson of Today Tonight and Tracy Grimshaw of Current Affair should watch this and realise how nonsical their shows really are.
Hamish and Andy met at the University of Melbourne before deciding that they should become partners in crime and reign the radio talkshows before moving on to TV shows. Andy Lee was also Cleo's Eligible Bachelor for 2006 (as you can see why...) here is my favourite snippet from Real Stories
Grounded For Life
Emosi!
Lately, i've been feeling very, very unstable.. Don't really know why... Not really sure how i got to this stage... Is it being far from the people i love and care for?? Is it because i think i'm just not doing good enough?? At times, I think and feel that i'm selfish, in fact, very selfish. I want all the attention on me, perhaps... but come to think of it, kenapa pulak nak give me all the attention? probably because I give all my attention to you... I'm not getting myself, so don't worry.. My mind is in a state of disarray... But i don't know how i came to it...
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