yep, it's the anniversary of living again.
this time, i gotta admit that age runs fast. surprising to me. coz i thot that with time, age would slow down. but no-no. ever climbing. i tried many times to obliterate my association with age, but failed. trust me, disowning age didn't work either. hiding my relationship with age just gets me into deeper mire.
unwillingly, i've been dragged, while resisting and denying with all my might, to confess that i've been pushed over the cliff. i guess i am no longer accepted once the twenties bid me adieu. and since i didn't leave gracefully last year, they gotta kick me off with stark reality.
ok... wishing with my eyes closed before the day loses its charm. can i make more than one wish? please, please, please...
Friday, May 18, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
...being bold when away from familiar ground.
it's natural.
to be more daring when one is far from the eyes of people we know.
how come?
because there's no one to judge us. at least, no one whose opinions we care for. they do not know our past history. they would not be there to remind us of what we did while away. they would not remember our face.
the freedom.
yes, that gives us the liberty to do whatever we want. i know i've done stuff that i would not normally do if i'm in kl. mind you, they are not naughty stuff, ok.
such as?
ah... that, i shall not reveal to everyone. not yet. coz it can be quite embarassing. well, embarassing at that point of time. maybe later, when with age, comes boldness to reminisce younger days.
no regrets.
for daring to go beyond my comfort zone. or rather to break the self imposed rules on my life. fond memories they have become.
i challenge u.
go all out. explore the unfamiliar. sometimes, we do not need to think so much. and we do not need the approval of others. just get the go ahead sign from yourself. as long as your conscience is clear, there's nothing to fear.
to be more daring when one is far from the eyes of people we know.
how come?
because there's no one to judge us. at least, no one whose opinions we care for. they do not know our past history. they would not be there to remind us of what we did while away. they would not remember our face.
the freedom.
yes, that gives us the liberty to do whatever we want. i know i've done stuff that i would not normally do if i'm in kl. mind you, they are not naughty stuff, ok.
such as?
ah... that, i shall not reveal to everyone. not yet. coz it can be quite embarassing. well, embarassing at that point of time. maybe later, when with age, comes boldness to reminisce younger days.
no regrets.
for daring to go beyond my comfort zone. or rather to break the self imposed rules on my life. fond memories they have become.
i challenge u.
go all out. explore the unfamiliar. sometimes, we do not need to think so much. and we do not need the approval of others. just get the go ahead sign from yourself. as long as your conscience is clear, there's nothing to fear.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
...times that are NOT for jokes.
There is a time for everything...
...and a time NOT.
Read: Sexist remarks becoming the norm?
An insulting sexist "joke" is NOT for parliamentary meetings. Full stop. In fact, jokes of all kind should be banned during parliament sessions. After all, aren't they, the "leaders" of the country, supposed to be discussing serious issues that will affect the nation? Or is Malaysia just a joke? the butt of a joke? The people, a laughing stock?
It irks us women out there that men can be so stupid. Downright insensitive jerks. These men in our political parties should not be called MPs but MCPs (male chauvinist pigs). These kind of sexist remarks had already occured so many times. There must be something wrong with our system if these things can go on without the wrongdoers getting punished, giving the same repeated offenders the "dare"ness to continue in their ways for there is no fear of retribution of any kind. Instead, they are even applauded, supported, reelected. Unbelievable.
I have nothing else to say. Memang Malaysia Boleh. Cakap apa pun boleh.
...and a time NOT.
Read: Sexist remarks becoming the norm?
An insulting sexist "joke" is NOT for parliamentary meetings. Full stop. In fact, jokes of all kind should be banned during parliament sessions. After all, aren't they, the "leaders" of the country, supposed to be discussing serious issues that will affect the nation? Or is Malaysia just a joke? the butt of a joke? The people, a laughing stock?
It irks us women out there that men can be so stupid. Downright insensitive jerks. These men in our political parties should not be called MPs but MCPs (male chauvinist pigs). These kind of sexist remarks had already occured so many times. There must be something wrong with our system if these things can go on without the wrongdoers getting punished, giving the same repeated offenders the "dare"ness to continue in their ways for there is no fear of retribution of any kind. Instead, they are even applauded, supported, reelected. Unbelievable.
I have nothing else to say. Memang Malaysia Boleh. Cakap apa pun boleh.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
...the definition of honeymoon walk.
Nope, kwazy berry didn't get married and gone for a honeymoon.
Kwazy berry and sleepy wabbit proudly coined a new phrase "honeymoon walk". It has yet to be listed in dictionaries. Hopefully, it will be circulated widely soon.
honeymoon walk
noun, verb
an extremely slow stroll to minimise the use of energy, usually used to disguise the lack of fitness while walking (or hiking)
Example:
It was a steep hike up Mount Sibayak. Kwazy berry said to sleepy wabbit in a breathless rasp, "Let's honeymoon walk." They then slowed down their pace to a honeymoon walk that quadrupled the time it normally took to cover that particular stretch of trek.
Confession of an unfit berry...
Yes, kwazy berry admits that she is getting old. Her last mountain hike was exactly 10 years ago up Mount Kinabalu (if minus small hills now and then). Kwazy berry have succumbed to the popular disease known as lackofexercise. Though she's aware that the disease is spread by laziness and unhealthy diet, she has not done anything to prevent it nor took any redemptive actions to minimise the impact. Symptoms include breathlessness after a 5-minute hike up a (very, very, very) steep incline, non-stop whining and complaining, feelings of regret for not staying in good shape with regular exercise, multiple rest stops in the guise of enjoying the beauty of nature but in actual fact it's due to the need to recuperate, and pain in the legs that will last a few days.
Dissatisfaction of a disgruntled berry...
After all our hard work of huffing and puffing, we didn't even get to see the volcano crater. Reason: It was too dangerous to cross because of the strong winds. But then, kwazy berry will never attempt to climb again! It was a burst berry that went away, disappointed and dejected.
Kwazy berry and sleepy wabbit proudly coined a new phrase "honeymoon walk". It has yet to be listed in dictionaries. Hopefully, it will be circulated widely soon.
honeymoon walk
noun, verb
an extremely slow stroll to minimise the use of energy, usually used to disguise the lack of fitness while walking (or hiking)
Example:
It was a steep hike up Mount Sibayak. Kwazy berry said to sleepy wabbit in a breathless rasp, "Let's honeymoon walk." They then slowed down their pace to a honeymoon walk that quadrupled the time it normally took to cover that particular stretch of trek.
Confession of an unfit berry...
Yes, kwazy berry admits that she is getting old. Her last mountain hike was exactly 10 years ago up Mount Kinabalu (if minus small hills now and then). Kwazy berry have succumbed to the popular disease known as lackofexercise. Though she's aware that the disease is spread by laziness and unhealthy diet, she has not done anything to prevent it nor took any redemptive actions to minimise the impact. Symptoms include breathlessness after a 5-minute hike up a (very, very, very) steep incline, non-stop whining and complaining, feelings of regret for not staying in good shape with regular exercise, multiple rest stops in the guise of enjoying the beauty of nature but in actual fact it's due to the need to recuperate, and pain in the legs that will last a few days.
Dissatisfaction of a disgruntled berry...
After all our hard work of huffing and puffing, we didn't even get to see the volcano crater. Reason: It was too dangerous to cross because of the strong winds. But then, kwazy berry will never attempt to climb again! It was a burst berry that went away, disappointed and dejected.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
...a dramatic unforgettable experience.
i took a seat at the round table. it was a muslim restaurant. he was hungry. i presumed that he had not taken his breakfast. that's a story for another time.
i was not hungry. i was worried. something was not right. i felt uneasy about the whole thing.
i glanced up and saw the clock on the wall above me. 2.45pm. i was shocked. i didn't expect time to have passed by so quickly. i began to panic. what if we could not make it in time? the possibility was there. the possibility was real.
i questioned him. are you sure we can make it? how long does it take to reach medan? when will the bus arrive?
don't worry, he said. plenty of time.
plenty of time? that didn't seem to click with the knowledge that i had. my mind whirled into calculation. i needed four to five hours.
2.45 + 5 = 7.45
my heart started beating faster. this was not good. not good at all. we have to go now, my head screamed. the words ran through my head like a mantra.
i looked at my friend. i couldn't read her expression. but i felt her fear. for it was like mines.
i reminded him again of our need to make a move. pronto. he was eating. he was eating like there were no worries. easy for him. it wasn't him who had anything to lose. my anger grew. i raised my voice slightly, said each word slowly. what in my words do you not understand? we have to go! we have a plane to catch!!
calming myself down, i again explained to him that boarding a plane is not like boarding a bus. we have to be there early. it's not going to wait until it's full before taking off. we have to be there one hour before the departure time at 8.10pm. preferably by 7.00pm. and it's already 3.00pm now. where do we take the bus? when will it arrive?
he tried to defend himself. buses here are different. he shrugged.
i glared at him. my head screamed in silence. i paid you to be my guide. you should know. you should have taken into consideration all the factors. we already told you what time we had to be at polonia. we reminded you again and again and again. last night. this morning. before we left lake toba. while on the ferry.
something must have registered in his brain. he quickly ushered us out to the waiting point. 3.10pm. but not before he cleverly tried to split the bill unevenly. but i didn't care anymore. take the money. it was nothing compared to the cost that we may have to incur if we miss our flight.
3.15pm. we waited.
3.20pm. a bus came and gone. there were no places left.
3.25pm. several mini buses came and gone. no empty seats.
my friend and i pooled our resources together. i asked him. what other alternatives are there? what other options can we consider?
he looked at me in a daze. i don't even know if he understood me. he clearly could hear what i said. to me, he had a brain the size of a dot. no further explanation needed.
3.30pm.
3.35pm.
finally, thanks to another guy, a minibus agreed to take us in even though it was already jam packed like sardines in a can. we got in. we were beyond caring. the only thought in our mind was to get there as soon as we can.
we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight. we chanted the mantra every minute.
4.30pm. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight.
we prayed.
5.30pm. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight.
we prayed harder.
6.30pm. move it! we can't stop here! keep going! overtake the slow lorry! go! go! go! make it quick!
we prayed even harder.
7.00pm. please let us not miss the flight. please. please. please.
let's hope the plane is delayed.
7.30pm. oh, please let us board the plane. please. please. please.
we can make it. we have to make it. i do not even want to think of the posssibility of what if we could not. i prepared by holding our passports and ticket info. the amount for the airport tax snugly in my pocket.
7.45pm. finally, the bus station. jumped out of the bus. ran across the street. where's the taxi when we need it? we need a taxi to get to the airport.
7.50pm. in between cars. why did it seem that everyone is out about town today?
7.55pm. why is the car in front driving so slowly? move it. we are in a hurry.
7.56pm. is that the airport?
7.57pm. yes, it is. i can see it,
7.58pm. we are almost there.
heart beating faster. please let us board the plane.
7.59pm. go, go, go.
8.00pm. finally, the international departure entrance. practically threw the money at the guide. jumped out of the taxi. flew over the few steps. ran in. dumped our bags onto the scanner machine. grabbed our bags.
where's air asia counter? the security guard pointed.
with a sinking heart, though already expected, it was closed. there was not a single soul there.
sudah tutup, said an airport official.
my flight is at 8.10pm. we can still make it. we can run. we have no baggage.
i pleaded to the guys who showed up around us. they told us to go to air asia's ticketing office located outside. i remembered seeing it. running faster than i ever had, not even caring about the pain in my legs, i zoomed out of the departure hall to the tiny office window.
my flight is at 8.10pm. we can make it. we can run. we have no baggage. please let us board the plane. please, please, please.
no. cannot.
such cruel words. my heart sank. but i won't give up. i cannot give up at this point.
please, please, please. we can make it. we can run. we have no baggage. please let us board the plane.
no. cannot.
please, please, please.
voices over the walkie talkie.
in desperation, i pleaded, i begged.
ok. go.
i need no other words. no further prompts. we ran in again. threw our bags to be scanned. raced to the counter. this time, an air asia staff was there. the airport officials quickly set things into motion. took our passports. fill in the forms for us. took our money and paid the airport tax on our behalf.
all i could do was to say, thank you, thank you, thank you very much.
they showed us the way. with gratitude, i bid farewell and loads of thank yous to them.
passed thru the immigration.
ran up the elevator.
ran to the departure gate.
ran down the escalator.
ran onto the tarmac.
ran up the steps.
walk into the plane.
welcome. glad that you could make it.
thank God that we could make it.
i walked into the aisle. everyone else was already seated. some were looking at us. i didn't care. i was overjoyed and thankful that i was on the plane. and will soon be on my way back home. i can hardly believe it.
we turned to each other. took a deep breath. sighed a big relief. thank God and our lucky stars.
we made it.
p/s: i sincerely wish to thank the minibus driver, the other passengers in the minibus, the taxi driver, the 3 airport officials and the 2 air asia staff for going all out to help us make the flight home on may 5th. they were wonderful people who demonstrated kindness, understanding and support to strangers like us in indonesia. may they be blessed for their good deeds.
i was not hungry. i was worried. something was not right. i felt uneasy about the whole thing.
i glanced up and saw the clock on the wall above me. 2.45pm. i was shocked. i didn't expect time to have passed by so quickly. i began to panic. what if we could not make it in time? the possibility was there. the possibility was real.
i questioned him. are you sure we can make it? how long does it take to reach medan? when will the bus arrive?
don't worry, he said. plenty of time.
plenty of time? that didn't seem to click with the knowledge that i had. my mind whirled into calculation. i needed four to five hours.
2.45 + 5 = 7.45
my heart started beating faster. this was not good. not good at all. we have to go now, my head screamed. the words ran through my head like a mantra.
i looked at my friend. i couldn't read her expression. but i felt her fear. for it was like mines.
i reminded him again of our need to make a move. pronto. he was eating. he was eating like there were no worries. easy for him. it wasn't him who had anything to lose. my anger grew. i raised my voice slightly, said each word slowly. what in my words do you not understand? we have to go! we have a plane to catch!!
calming myself down, i again explained to him that boarding a plane is not like boarding a bus. we have to be there early. it's not going to wait until it's full before taking off. we have to be there one hour before the departure time at 8.10pm. preferably by 7.00pm. and it's already 3.00pm now. where do we take the bus? when will it arrive?
he tried to defend himself. buses here are different. he shrugged.
i glared at him. my head screamed in silence. i paid you to be my guide. you should know. you should have taken into consideration all the factors. we already told you what time we had to be at polonia. we reminded you again and again and again. last night. this morning. before we left lake toba. while on the ferry.
something must have registered in his brain. he quickly ushered us out to the waiting point. 3.10pm. but not before he cleverly tried to split the bill unevenly. but i didn't care anymore. take the money. it was nothing compared to the cost that we may have to incur if we miss our flight.
3.15pm. we waited.
3.20pm. a bus came and gone. there were no places left.
3.25pm. several mini buses came and gone. no empty seats.
my friend and i pooled our resources together. i asked him. what other alternatives are there? what other options can we consider?
he looked at me in a daze. i don't even know if he understood me. he clearly could hear what i said. to me, he had a brain the size of a dot. no further explanation needed.
3.30pm.
3.35pm.
finally, thanks to another guy, a minibus agreed to take us in even though it was already jam packed like sardines in a can. we got in. we were beyond caring. the only thought in our mind was to get there as soon as we can.
we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight. we chanted the mantra every minute.
4.30pm. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight.
we prayed.
5.30pm. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight.
we prayed harder.
6.30pm. move it! we can't stop here! keep going! overtake the slow lorry! go! go! go! make it quick!
we prayed even harder.
7.00pm. please let us not miss the flight. please. please. please.
let's hope the plane is delayed.
7.30pm. oh, please let us board the plane. please. please. please.
we can make it. we have to make it. i do not even want to think of the posssibility of what if we could not. i prepared by holding our passports and ticket info. the amount for the airport tax snugly in my pocket.
7.45pm. finally, the bus station. jumped out of the bus. ran across the street. where's the taxi when we need it? we need a taxi to get to the airport.
7.50pm. in between cars. why did it seem that everyone is out about town today?
7.55pm. why is the car in front driving so slowly? move it. we are in a hurry.
7.56pm. is that the airport?
7.57pm. yes, it is. i can see it,
7.58pm. we are almost there.
heart beating faster. please let us board the plane.
7.59pm. go, go, go.
8.00pm. finally, the international departure entrance. practically threw the money at the guide. jumped out of the taxi. flew over the few steps. ran in. dumped our bags onto the scanner machine. grabbed our bags.
where's air asia counter? the security guard pointed.
with a sinking heart, though already expected, it was closed. there was not a single soul there.
sudah tutup, said an airport official.
my flight is at 8.10pm. we can still make it. we can run. we have no baggage.
i pleaded to the guys who showed up around us. they told us to go to air asia's ticketing office located outside. i remembered seeing it. running faster than i ever had, not even caring about the pain in my legs, i zoomed out of the departure hall to the tiny office window.
my flight is at 8.10pm. we can make it. we can run. we have no baggage. please let us board the plane. please, please, please.
no. cannot.
such cruel words. my heart sank. but i won't give up. i cannot give up at this point.
please, please, please. we can make it. we can run. we have no baggage. please let us board the plane.
no. cannot.
please, please, please.
voices over the walkie talkie.
in desperation, i pleaded, i begged.
ok. go.
i need no other words. no further prompts. we ran in again. threw our bags to be scanned. raced to the counter. this time, an air asia staff was there. the airport officials quickly set things into motion. took our passports. fill in the forms for us. took our money and paid the airport tax on our behalf.
all i could do was to say, thank you, thank you, thank you very much.
they showed us the way. with gratitude, i bid farewell and loads of thank yous to them.
passed thru the immigration.
ran up the elevator.
ran to the departure gate.
ran down the escalator.
ran onto the tarmac.
ran up the steps.
walk into the plane.
welcome. glad that you could make it.
thank God that we could make it.
i walked into the aisle. everyone else was already seated. some were looking at us. i didn't care. i was overjoyed and thankful that i was on the plane. and will soon be on my way back home. i can hardly believe it.
we turned to each other. took a deep breath. sighed a big relief. thank God and our lucky stars.
we made it.
p/s: i sincerely wish to thank the minibus driver, the other passengers in the minibus, the taxi driver, the 3 airport officials and the 2 air asia staff for going all out to help us make the flight home on may 5th. they were wonderful people who demonstrated kindness, understanding and support to strangers like us in indonesia. may they be blessed for their good deeds.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
...the life of city folks.
Everyone looks forward to holidays. Especially working people. It's a day where we don't have to work and yet get paid for it.
But when the holiday arrives, we realise that the anticipation is greater than the actual. Many city folks just do not know what to do. The usual stuff is to sleep, watch movies either on DVDs or at the cinema, shop, makan-makan, lepak at malls, etc.
Is that all to it?
I guess it boils down to having friends and family to hang out and do stuff with. I may be a typical city gal. I am a typical city gal. The plan for karaoke may be scrapped. The plan to picnic by the river may seem illogical coz of the rain lately. But I've no regrets hanging out at my friend's place, eating her homemade chicken pie (yummy!), chit chatting non-stop and playing Boggle with 2 of my good friends.
That was a great afternoon on a holiday.
Never mind the fact that I had to suffer the whole night with last minute stuff to complete, e-mails to send out, getting only a few hours of sleep... coz the next day, I'm on my way to another travel destination. Yipee!
But when the holiday arrives, we realise that the anticipation is greater than the actual. Many city folks just do not know what to do. The usual stuff is to sleep, watch movies either on DVDs or at the cinema, shop, makan-makan, lepak at malls, etc.
Is that all to it?
I guess it boils down to having friends and family to hang out and do stuff with. I may be a typical city gal. I am a typical city gal. The plan for karaoke may be scrapped. The plan to picnic by the river may seem illogical coz of the rain lately. But I've no regrets hanging out at my friend's place, eating her homemade chicken pie (yummy!), chit chatting non-stop and playing Boggle with 2 of my good friends.
That was a great afternoon on a holiday.
Never mind the fact that I had to suffer the whole night with last minute stuff to complete, e-mails to send out, getting only a few hours of sleep... coz the next day, I'm on my way to another travel destination. Yipee!
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