FINALLY! Good news at least in one part of the world!
The mountain trekking and mountain climbing community would be rejoicing now. At least I am. :) The long awaited end to the civil war in Nepal has finally come to pass. And it would be wonderful news to the Nepalese as tourism (especially mountain trekking) is a key contributor to the country's economy.
In 2003, my friends and I made our way to the Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) in Nepal despite the civil unrest. We were lucky that the situation was not so bad at that time. Prior to our trip, a few friends who went to Nepal got caught in Kathmandu when the city declared a state of emergency while they were there. They were trapped in the city for a few days before they were able to get flights back.
Our experience were a lot milder.
We were told beforehand that we need to pay "passage fees" ala "cukai pintu" to the Maoist during our trek. We were also told to insist on a receipt as there were many Maoist "soldiers" manning the Himalayan mountain treks. If we hold on to the receipt, we could show the said receipt to the next group of Maoist "soldiers" who asks us for such fees. The Maoist will honour that receipt and will not insist that we pay a second round. I can't remember now how much we paid for the "fees" but it was no small amount. It was definitely more than RM100 per person.
In any case, we did meet with the Maoist "soldiers" and they had rifles/guns with them. They looked quite ordinary except for the weapons. Val almost took a picture with them but we prevented her from doing so as we heard that the Maoist would also confiscate cameras from trekkers as extra fee payment. We got off lightly.
However, some other trekkers that we met were not so lucky. One group of volunteer workers from Belgium (I think) had to pay the fees twice because when the group split up to go on different trails, only one group was able to keep the receipt, Thus, the other group who did not hold on to the receipt was "taxed" again. Unfortunately one Belgian lady from the group had no more cash with her. She ended up having her very expensive camera confiscated as payment. The camera itself was worth more than 5x the fee!
We also met an American couple who had to pretend to be Europeans so as NOT to get "taxed" heavily. Americans were the least favoured folks with the Maoist as America contributed heavily and were strong supporters of the Nepalese monarchy then.
In any case, this new "peace" is certainly great news for all of us and we hope that it will last ... well, at least until after our next two trips there. We are eyeing the Everest Base Camp and the Annapurna Circuit. We are certainly looking forward to returning to Nepal again as this is a beautiful country with some fantastic treks and amazing scenery. Besides, the people are just simply wonderful!
Check out this site for photos from my previous trip to Nepal in 2003.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Is this a sign?
I received an email a few days back from Jobstreet. It seems an employer has read my resume through the Jobstreet database and requested for me to apply for a vacant position with the company. It was a nice surprise as I can't even remember the last time I updated my resume in Jobstreet.
I guess God works in mysterious ways. It was only last week that I was asking myself if I am getting too lackadaisical and unambitious. Now I am being prodded once again to do something about it.
Perhaps I will ride along this wave and see where it takes me.
I guess God works in mysterious ways. It was only last week that I was asking myself if I am getting too lackadaisical and unambitious. Now I am being prodded once again to do something about it.
Perhaps I will ride along this wave and see where it takes me.
Have I (we) trusted the wrong man?
It's strange how fast fortunes can turn. The once almighty, unstoppable Tun Dr M must be asking himself the above question repeatedly. After all, not only has he been at the losing end of the battle for one-upmanship and power recently, so has his son.
But the more urgent questions should be asked by us, the faithful minority citizens of this country. Have we trusted the wrong man? Have we been fooled? Are we led by a wolf in sheep's clothing?
In the following article that appeared in the al-Jazeera's website, it provides an interesting view of the state of "racial" political affairs in Malaysia and the role of our PM in "creating" the differing impressions. To the uninitiated, al-Jazeera is the Arab satellite news station owned by the Qatari government since its foundation in 1996. It is the most popular source of news in the Arab world with a regular audience of between 35 and 50 million, and is a rare gem considering that it provides uninhibited reporting and free expression in a region where strict state control of the media is the norm.
The fact that the following article is published in this site provides a certain amount of credence, at least to me. Consider the article and you be the judge.
------------------------------------------------
NEWS ASIA-PACIFIC
Racial tensions on rise in Malaysia
By
Romen Bose, in Kuala Lumpur
Critics say Abdullah has failed to address "the plight of the other races". The Malaysian prime minister's warning to citizens to stop the debate on race and religion has rankled some in the country.
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi outlined the challenges faced by Malays, who form 60% of the population, in a two-hour speech to thundering applause at the opening of the United Malays National Organisation's (Umno) general assembly.
But while his speech promised much in terms of national development, the problem, according to Fazil Mohd Som, a political analyst, "is that it neglects the real issue at hand, which is the plight of the other races".
Abdullah is head of the Barisan Nasional coalition led by Umno and comprising the Indian-based MIC and the Chinese supported MCA, along with several other minor parties.
Liow Tiong Lai, the head of MCA's youth wing, said the statements made by young Malay leaders at the general assembly were vicious.
"It is regretful that the Umno youth assembly was shrouded in an atmosphere of fiery and emotional sentiments, remarks that were more poisonous and unreasonable than those of the opposition," said Liow, who is also a deputy minister in the Abdullah government.
Status quo
Abdullah's unwillingness to alter an unwritten social pact among the various races in the country has caused much consternation.
There have been many calls to revise this unofficial contract of political power distribution, which the founding fathers of Malaysia developed prior to independence in 1957.
Many today argue that the agreement is outdated and that non-Malays should have a greater say in the country.
Abdullah said in the English media that he wanted all races to work together, but his comments in the Malay-language Utusan Malaysia were stronger.
"If we change this balance and if we are forced to meet all over again on the rights of every group, it will not be the same as now. It would be far from satisfactory. Whatever the new formula, it will not succeed because the old formula is enough, is already maximum. As everyone had agreed to this before, why do we want to disturb this and meet again?" he said in the Utusan.
Playing to audience
Fazil said the prime minister was playing to his audience.
"People who read the English papers are middle class, rational thinkers and value logic. They expect a more moderate position and tone. He is saying the right thing to them. For the people who read the Malay papers, they are more the working class, more emotional and the points he is making to them is definitely much stronger. He is saying and doing the right things for them politically."
Malay Muslims make up 60 per cent of Malaysia's 27 million population.
Some non-Malays are also unhappy with the continued application of the country's New Economic Policy (NEP).
The NEP was implemented in the 1970s to reduce the income disparity among the different races, especially between the poor Malays and rich Chinese.
It was supposed to have been achieved in 20 years but the policy carried on after 1990 under a new name, the New Development Policy and was to have expired in 2000.
A National Vision Policy was to have been implemented after 2000 which would be more equitable to the various groups but the government under its 9th Malaysian Plan, launched earlier this year, reinstated the original NEP.
A huge debate then ensued over whether the NEP target had been reached with the government saying the NEP would now continue to 2020.
In his speech to the Umno general assembly, Abdullah said: "The debate is now about the process rather than about philosophy and objectives". He said his government will continue to "focus on reducing the income gap between races" as "true balance is a prerequisite for sustainable development".
Liow said the NEP "should have ended in 1990".
"Whatever policy is drawn up should take into account the interests of all races. I hope the government can honour its promise to implement the National Vision Policy."
Inter-faith commission
"... the nation understands that religious issues should not rightly be brought up. This is not on the agenda for discussion. Accept the formula that has been determined by previous leaders"
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysian prime ministerAnother area under the spotlight is the setting up of an inter-faith commission. Various groups have been pushing for an independent body to examine issues that have given rise to conflict between the different religious groups.
Many Muslim groups have viewed this as an attack on their religion and there have been confrontations at several forums discussing the creation of such a commission.
Khoo Kay Peng, a political analyst, said the commission was initially rejected by other Umno leaders but Abdullah's attitude was to go slow, postpone discussion and see what happened. "He did not reject it offhand," said Khoo.
At least not in the English media.
In the interview with Utusan, he said: "Actually, I did not at any time say that we in Malaysia need an inter-faith commission. This is because I am of the view that in this country all of this is secure and the nation understands that religious issues should not rightly be brought up. This is not on the agenda for discussion. Accept the formula that has been determined by previous leaders."
Abdullah said that he has provided a "more open environment which has allowed debate but this has digressed to a level where the line on religion and race issues have been crossed".
"The openness we are seeing today is a new phenomenon for Malaysia", he said.
He added, however, that "no one should even attempt to test the government's resolve on this issue. If the need arises, the government will act swiftly and firmly in enforcing the existing laws to ensure that our peace, stability and prosperity is not jeopardised."
Fazil said Abdullah was playing "an old game".
"I think for the non-Malays they are in a cul de sac. Where else can they turn to? The only credible party that can win in elections is Umno and Umno is playing that card."
Said Khoo: "He has actually strengthened the people's perception of him. Many view him as an Islamist, as a real champion of the Malay agenda. He is not a Renaissance man as many thought previously."
Source: Al Jazeera
But the more urgent questions should be asked by us, the faithful minority citizens of this country. Have we trusted the wrong man? Have we been fooled? Are we led by a wolf in sheep's clothing?
In the following article that appeared in the al-Jazeera's website, it provides an interesting view of the state of "racial" political affairs in Malaysia and the role of our PM in "creating" the differing impressions. To the uninitiated, al-Jazeera is the Arab satellite news station owned by the Qatari government since its foundation in 1996. It is the most popular source of news in the Arab world with a regular audience of between 35 and 50 million, and is a rare gem considering that it provides uninhibited reporting and free expression in a region where strict state control of the media is the norm.
The fact that the following article is published in this site provides a certain amount of credence, at least to me. Consider the article and you be the judge.
------------------------------------------------
NEWS ASIA-PACIFIC
Racial tensions on rise in Malaysia
By
Romen Bose, in Kuala Lumpur
Critics say Abdullah has failed to address "the plight of the other races". The Malaysian prime minister's warning to citizens to stop the debate on race and religion has rankled some in the country.
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi outlined the challenges faced by Malays, who form 60% of the population, in a two-hour speech to thundering applause at the opening of the United Malays National Organisation's (Umno) general assembly.
But while his speech promised much in terms of national development, the problem, according to Fazil Mohd Som, a political analyst, "is that it neglects the real issue at hand, which is the plight of the other races".
Abdullah is head of the Barisan Nasional coalition led by Umno and comprising the Indian-based MIC and the Chinese supported MCA, along with several other minor parties.
Liow Tiong Lai, the head of MCA's youth wing, said the statements made by young Malay leaders at the general assembly were vicious.
"It is regretful that the Umno youth assembly was shrouded in an atmosphere of fiery and emotional sentiments, remarks that were more poisonous and unreasonable than those of the opposition," said Liow, who is also a deputy minister in the Abdullah government.
Status quo
Abdullah's unwillingness to alter an unwritten social pact among the various races in the country has caused much consternation.
There have been many calls to revise this unofficial contract of political power distribution, which the founding fathers of Malaysia developed prior to independence in 1957.
Many today argue that the agreement is outdated and that non-Malays should have a greater say in the country.
Abdullah said in the English media that he wanted all races to work together, but his comments in the Malay-language Utusan Malaysia were stronger.
"If we change this balance and if we are forced to meet all over again on the rights of every group, it will not be the same as now. It would be far from satisfactory. Whatever the new formula, it will not succeed because the old formula is enough, is already maximum. As everyone had agreed to this before, why do we want to disturb this and meet again?" he said in the Utusan.
Playing to audience
Fazil said the prime minister was playing to his audience.
"People who read the English papers are middle class, rational thinkers and value logic. They expect a more moderate position and tone. He is saying the right thing to them. For the people who read the Malay papers, they are more the working class, more emotional and the points he is making to them is definitely much stronger. He is saying and doing the right things for them politically."
Malay Muslims make up 60 per cent of Malaysia's 27 million population.
Some non-Malays are also unhappy with the continued application of the country's New Economic Policy (NEP).
The NEP was implemented in the 1970s to reduce the income disparity among the different races, especially between the poor Malays and rich Chinese.
It was supposed to have been achieved in 20 years but the policy carried on after 1990 under a new name, the New Development Policy and was to have expired in 2000.
A National Vision Policy was to have been implemented after 2000 which would be more equitable to the various groups but the government under its 9th Malaysian Plan, launched earlier this year, reinstated the original NEP.
A huge debate then ensued over whether the NEP target had been reached with the government saying the NEP would now continue to 2020.
In his speech to the Umno general assembly, Abdullah said: "The debate is now about the process rather than about philosophy and objectives". He said his government will continue to "focus on reducing the income gap between races" as "true balance is a prerequisite for sustainable development".
Liow said the NEP "should have ended in 1990".
"Whatever policy is drawn up should take into account the interests of all races. I hope the government can honour its promise to implement the National Vision Policy."
Inter-faith commission
"... the nation understands that religious issues should not rightly be brought up. This is not on the agenda for discussion. Accept the formula that has been determined by previous leaders"
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysian prime ministerAnother area under the spotlight is the setting up of an inter-faith commission. Various groups have been pushing for an independent body to examine issues that have given rise to conflict between the different religious groups.
Many Muslim groups have viewed this as an attack on their religion and there have been confrontations at several forums discussing the creation of such a commission.
Khoo Kay Peng, a political analyst, said the commission was initially rejected by other Umno leaders but Abdullah's attitude was to go slow, postpone discussion and see what happened. "He did not reject it offhand," said Khoo.
At least not in the English media.
In the interview with Utusan, he said: "Actually, I did not at any time say that we in Malaysia need an inter-faith commission. This is because I am of the view that in this country all of this is secure and the nation understands that religious issues should not rightly be brought up. This is not on the agenda for discussion. Accept the formula that has been determined by previous leaders."
Abdullah said that he has provided a "more open environment which has allowed debate but this has digressed to a level where the line on religion and race issues have been crossed".
"The openness we are seeing today is a new phenomenon for Malaysia", he said.
He added, however, that "no one should even attempt to test the government's resolve on this issue. If the need arises, the government will act swiftly and firmly in enforcing the existing laws to ensure that our peace, stability and prosperity is not jeopardised."
Fazil said Abdullah was playing "an old game".
"I think for the non-Malays they are in a cul de sac. Where else can they turn to? The only credible party that can win in elections is Umno and Umno is playing that card."
Said Khoo: "He has actually strengthened the people's perception of him. Many view him as an Islamist, as a real champion of the Malay agenda. He is not a Renaissance man as many thought previously."
Source: Al Jazeera
Monday, November 20, 2006
“I have a Dream”
My sister’s best friend recently completed her doctorate. She can now call herself Dr Chung. We are all so happy for her.
She had come a long way from that young girl from a one-street village, who was brought up with little money as her dad passed on when she was young. Due to the local education quota system, she was unable to get entrance to the programme of her choice at a local university.
Instead of accepting her fate or waiting for hand outs, she took a chance and went over to Australia to study with only enough money to last one semester. Once there, she got herself a job as a waitress which earned her enough money to see her through university. She told me that those were the worst times of her life. She had to travel two hours to her place of work and rushed back to study. Her determination to succeed in life saw her through those tough times. That’s perhaps why, upon graduation, she left Australia for good, as it meant leaving the memories of her hardship behind.
Then, she went on to Hong Kong and found a career working her way through a few large multinationals. A woman with a voracious appetite for knowledge, she slogged through two Masters programmes whilst working in Hong Kong. Not an easy feat, considering what a powerhouse Hong Kong is when it comes to work and stress. Then, a couple of years back, she was retrenched. She decided then to chase another one of her dreams i.e. getting a doctorate.
Recently, she sent us an email regarding her triumph. Her mail touched me and made me think. Here is what she had to say …
“The thing with 'dream(s)' is just do it when the opportunity comes...worry about $$ later...I have no money now...but God is kind enough to 'arrange' a job for me...although I don't like to be based in Dubai...I will resign very soon...and run my own business.”
“… what is there to lose leh...my home.. flexible one...just sell it and rent....my car is in the market now...although (it’s an) old Mercedes Benz...try already enough la...no need to (be) 'attach' to it...”
It’s a pretty interesting philosophy in life. We are always so attached to material things that we think we cannot leave without them. But if we could only take our blinkers off and view life from a different angle … perhaps these material things are not as important as we think.
She had come a long way from that young girl from a one-street village, who was brought up with little money as her dad passed on when she was young. Due to the local education quota system, she was unable to get entrance to the programme of her choice at a local university.
Instead of accepting her fate or waiting for hand outs, she took a chance and went over to Australia to study with only enough money to last one semester. Once there, she got herself a job as a waitress which earned her enough money to see her through university. She told me that those were the worst times of her life. She had to travel two hours to her place of work and rushed back to study. Her determination to succeed in life saw her through those tough times. That’s perhaps why, upon graduation, she left Australia for good, as it meant leaving the memories of her hardship behind.
Then, she went on to Hong Kong and found a career working her way through a few large multinationals. A woman with a voracious appetite for knowledge, she slogged through two Masters programmes whilst working in Hong Kong. Not an easy feat, considering what a powerhouse Hong Kong is when it comes to work and stress. Then, a couple of years back, she was retrenched. She decided then to chase another one of her dreams i.e. getting a doctorate.
Recently, she sent us an email regarding her triumph. Her mail touched me and made me think. Here is what she had to say …
“The thing with 'dream(s)' is just do it when the opportunity comes...worry about $$ later...I have no money now...but God is kind enough to 'arrange' a job for me...although I don't like to be based in Dubai...I will resign very soon...and run my own business.”
“… what is there to lose leh...my home.. flexible one...just sell it and rent....my car is in the market now...although (it’s an) old Mercedes Benz...try already enough la...no need to (be) 'attach' to it...”
It’s a pretty interesting philosophy in life. We are always so attached to material things that we think we cannot leave without them. But if we could only take our blinkers off and view life from a different angle … perhaps these material things are not as important as we think.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Kata Leanne
It's a blardy Saturday afternoon and I am down with a pounding headache, flu and runny nose. Certainly not a sight to behold!
In any case, since I am grounded at home, I thought to try out the web translator recommended by my cousin in his blog. It's hilarious! Check out my blog in the translated BM version @ Kata Leanne.
Even some of your pen names are not spared ...
And your posts as well ...
translated to:
Dipanah ... dalam bawah??? Ouch! Hahahaha .... ROTFL
And check out some of the funnier blogname translations.
In any case, since I am grounded at home, I thought to try out the web translator recommended by my cousin in his blog. It's hilarious! Check out my blog in the translated BM version @ Kata Leanne.
Below are some fine translation that would get Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka busy for a long, long while. Hehehe ...
It’s not a Bond movie. => Ia bukan satu Ikatan filem.
There is no infatuated secretary. => Terdapat setiausaha yang tidak tergila-gila.
It is not a bad movie. => Ia bukan satu celaka filem.
Even some of your pen names are not spared ...
Dangerous Variable => Pembolehubah Berbahaya
discordant_dude => diskordan_mat
And your posts as well ...
translated to:
L B berkata...
Ini dipanah sedikit perentas suatu tempat dalam bawah... Lebih baik syaitan anda tahu.....
Ini dipanah sedikit perentas suatu tempat dalam bawah... Lebih baik syaitan anda tahu.....
Dipanah ... dalam bawah??? Ouch! Hahahaha .... ROTFL
And check out some of the funnier blogname translations.
Are You Rooted? => Adakah Anda Berakar?
Curiousity Kills the Cat => Curiousity Bunuh Kucing
Little Monster Speaks => Beberapa Raksasa Bercakap
Semi Charmed Kinda Life => Semi Dipukau Kehidupan Kinda
Curiousity Kills the Cat => Curiousity Bunuh Kucing
Little Monster Speaks => Beberapa Raksasa Bercakap
Semi Charmed Kinda Life => Semi Dipukau Kehidupan Kinda
I had a ball of a time. Hope you enjoyed as well. Alrighty, quarter of the weekend is gone. Good day!
Casino Royale
It’s not a Bond movie.Here’s why. (Caution: Spoilers ahead.)
~ There is no infatuated secretary. Moneypenny did not make an appearance.
~ There is no gadget man. No signs of Q.
~ There are no snazzy gadgets except for the tracer and the machine that saves Bond’s life.
~ There is no modified car.
~ There is no bevy of beauties. Only two.
~ There is not much fooling around. There is not much wild, fun-loving romp.
~ Bond has to work too hard for his mission.
~ He has to get too physical; too much fist work and blood are involved.
~ His Martini is neither shaken nor stirred.
~ He falls in love! A big NO NO since he usually just love ‘em and leave ‘em.
~ He is too serious. So is the entire movie.
~ The movie is too long.
~ Some parts of the movie are too mushy.
~ And Daniel Craig is just not Bond material.
I can envision him as a cold hearted killer. But I can’t envision him as a suave, charming, womanising, cold hearted, secret agent!
For that, we have to look back at previous Bonds.
* Sean Connery oozed with that.
* Roger Moore had quite a fair bit of that.
* Timothy Dalton had some of that.
* And of course, Spaghetti legs … oops! … I mean Pierce Brosnan had loads of that.
* But Daniel Craig, sadly, just DO NOT have that! He is a good actor but he is just not Bond.
Don’t get me wrong though. It is not a bad movie. In fact, I would have enjoyed it more if it is marketed as another secret agent movie. It started off with a great chase scene! It has some good car chase sequences. There are a few interesting twists here and there (nothing unpredictable though). And I enjoy the wittiness on Bond’s part during the torture scene. It’s certainly a good watch for a free weekend.
But, it’s clearly just not a Bond movie! For me at least.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Musings
Am I being too unambitious and lackadaisical? Have I fallen into the vicious cycle of contentment and inertia?
Recently, I came to know of an internal job opening within the company but with another business unit. The job however warrants the candidate to be based either in China or Vietnam. I couldn't be bothered and like any other email with regards to internal openings, I moved that one to the trash bin too.
Then yesterday, a colleague brought up the subject of this opening and encouraged me to apply. But I was resistant to the idea. The main issue is that I would have to relocate if I get the job. And then, there is also the fact that I only know a smattering of Mandarin. And the job is in another business and on a product that's not very exciting. Also .....
Dang! I'm doing it again. Giving a million and one excuses of why I should not go for it. Which brought me to this post tonight. Another colleague brought up the subject of this job today and when I offered the above reasons (and more) of why I cannot move, he shot down every excuse and made me think and question myself.
Why the inertia?
Granted, there are not a lot of pull factors for me to go. But upon reflection, there are not a lot of pull factors for me to stay on either. Yet, I am in no hurry to leave the company. Truth be told, I have had a few calls from friends asking me if I am interested in leaving my current company since they know of suitable positions that are available elsewhere. I have given them lukewarm responses all this while.
It dawned on me that since I joined this company three years back, I have been bombarded with so much office politics that I have grown an enormous fear of moving anywhere. After all, "better the devil you know than the devil you don't", right? And in my current job level, it is difficult to avoid office politics wherever I go. One has to be smart about this ~ either you learn to side step the politics or you dive into it full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes. Unfortunately, I am the type who tries to side step them but have gotten singe along the way.
But today I realised that I have, subconciously, allowed this fear to rule my head and my heart many times in the last few years. So much so that I sometimes feel suffocated having to toe the line over issues I can't agree with. While we have to be smart about playing our cards right, we have also to balance that with honouring our views and giving them a fair chance for discussion.
It's clearer to me now after articulating my thoughts in writing. Whether I apply for the said position is immaterial. The point is I need to straighten out my priorities and direction of where I want my career to go. Perhaps my destiny is not meant to be with this company. Perhaps my destiny is not meant to be in Malaysia. Hmm ... I would have to give this further thought.
Goodnight Malaysia wherever you are and thanks for "listening" in the wee hours of the night.
Recently, I came to know of an internal job opening within the company but with another business unit. The job however warrants the candidate to be based either in China or Vietnam. I couldn't be bothered and like any other email with regards to internal openings, I moved that one to the trash bin too.
Then yesterday, a colleague brought up the subject of this opening and encouraged me to apply. But I was resistant to the idea. The main issue is that I would have to relocate if I get the job. And then, there is also the fact that I only know a smattering of Mandarin. And the job is in another business and on a product that's not very exciting. Also .....
Dang! I'm doing it again. Giving a million and one excuses of why I should not go for it. Which brought me to this post tonight. Another colleague brought up the subject of this job today and when I offered the above reasons (and more) of why I cannot move, he shot down every excuse and made me think and question myself.
Why the inertia?
Granted, there are not a lot of pull factors for me to go. But upon reflection, there are not a lot of pull factors for me to stay on either. Yet, I am in no hurry to leave the company. Truth be told, I have had a few calls from friends asking me if I am interested in leaving my current company since they know of suitable positions that are available elsewhere. I have given them lukewarm responses all this while.
It dawned on me that since I joined this company three years back, I have been bombarded with so much office politics that I have grown an enormous fear of moving anywhere. After all, "better the devil you know than the devil you don't", right? And in my current job level, it is difficult to avoid office politics wherever I go. One has to be smart about this ~ either you learn to side step the politics or you dive into it full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes. Unfortunately, I am the type who tries to side step them but have gotten singe along the way.
But today I realised that I have, subconciously, allowed this fear to rule my head and my heart many times in the last few years. So much so that I sometimes feel suffocated having to toe the line over issues I can't agree with. While we have to be smart about playing our cards right, we have also to balance that with honouring our views and giving them a fair chance for discussion.
It's clearer to me now after articulating my thoughts in writing. Whether I apply for the said position is immaterial. The point is I need to straighten out my priorities and direction of where I want my career to go. Perhaps my destiny is not meant to be with this company. Perhaps my destiny is not meant to be in Malaysia. Hmm ... I would have to give this further thought.
Goodnight Malaysia wherever you are and thanks for "listening" in the wee hours of the night.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
One day of indulgence, ??? days of reckoning
Caution: Long post ahead. Pure rambling about nothing of significance. Read at your own peril and boredom.
I guess I’ll never learn. But life is short. Thus, when I have to spend a weekend working, I tend to over compensate (read over indulge) the following weekend. And so I did last Saturday. Having spent the previous weekend on a roadshow out of town, I couldn’t wait to catch up with my regular activities.
With the Sikkim trip cancelled (a sad tale of which I have yet to lick my wounds), Val, my trekking buddy decided to go AWOL. After all, there are no more mountains to train for a climb this year. Thus, I had to rework my exercise regime. So, the plan was to meet up with Bell for Body Combat at FF Menara Manulife @ noon.
But that was not to be as I was caught in The Curve with ze parents, helping them with some banking matters. Yup! Banking on a Saturday is unheard of these days but CIMB just opened a new branch at The Curve which provides banking services 7 days a week! Smart move by CIMB ~ catering to the upper middle class clientele of Mutiara Damansara and its likes. (Incidentally, I am excluded from this reference.)
I digress. In any case, I ended up spending more time than I intended and missed the Body Combat class. By the time, I completed the task of being a filial daughter, I decided heck(!) I really needed the exercise. So, off I went to FF The Curve, got on the treadmill and pushed myself for a 15-minute run @ 9.5 level with a 5-minute warm up, warm down walk. Boy! I was so out of breath and out of shape. Bah! I was probably breathing very heavily and felt stares upon my unremarkable self. It was not until later that I discovered that just the week before, one chap in his 30s or 40s collapsed and died on one of the treadmills at The Curve. Talk about eerie.
In any case, the run was not enough. With determination burning in my heart, I went for the Body Attack class. Yup! I must be insane. After all, I haven’t been doing any high impact cardio sports for months. (Trekking doesn’t count as it involves more stamina than immediate energy.) For the uninitiated, Body Attack is an extremely high impact cardio class with non-stop jumping/ hopping tracks. It helps work out your leg and arm muscles as you are continuously moving during the entire session. Halfway through the class however, I had to call it quits. The flesh is willing but the body is weak. Truly, it was weak to the point of body aches. Bah! In any case, I had a dinner party to attend later in the eve to celebrate Bell’s 30++ coming of age. Hehehe … She’ll kill me if she reads this.
I had only an hour between to rest before I was out on the road again to pick up Bell and gang for her birthday bash. Bell, with her nose for finding cosy, expensive fine dining spots, directed me to a restaurant called Cava (which serves Spanish and Italian dishes) in a little street somewhere in Bangsar. The ambience was great, the food fine, the wine well chosen, the company a riot! And thus the inspiration for several conspiracy theories was born on that fateful evening.
The night wore on and we moved on to Souled Out for after dinner drinks to join more friends and friends of friends. Surprise! Surprise! There was a life band of old foggies playing at Souled Out. And it was in celebration of Octoberfest. Yup! Strange things do happen here. The Germans celebrate Octoberfest in Malaysia on November 11th. Hmmm … Despite the crowd, we managed to find seats for more than 10 people. Truth be told, I can’t recall how many people joined us in the end. The crowd were singing along to songs from ABBA and an older selection. Conversations were rife. The guys called for a bottle of Black Label. Alrighty, it was a long night of much liquor and loud conversations. After nursing the second glass of Black Label mixed with coke, I decided to quit while I was still ahead. I was feeling sleepy and that’s a clear sign that my alcohol tolerance level was about to be breached.
The party ended at 1+am, I think. The night was still young for some but I certainly had enough. After doing my driver duty, I got home, had a quick shower and hit the sack. I did not surface until well after noon the following day. My day of reckoning has arrived. And it was a quiet day at home to recover.
We are now into Tuesday, and I am still recovering from my single day of over indulgence. Perhaps age is catching up.
To those who actually read through the entire rambling, hallelujah! And good night, sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite!
I guess I’ll never learn. But life is short. Thus, when I have to spend a weekend working, I tend to over compensate (read over indulge) the following weekend. And so I did last Saturday. Having spent the previous weekend on a roadshow out of town, I couldn’t wait to catch up with my regular activities.
With the Sikkim trip cancelled (a sad tale of which I have yet to lick my wounds), Val, my trekking buddy decided to go AWOL. After all, there are no more mountains to train for a climb this year. Thus, I had to rework my exercise regime. So, the plan was to meet up with Bell for Body Combat at FF Menara Manulife @ noon.
But that was not to be as I was caught in The Curve with ze parents, helping them with some banking matters. Yup! Banking on a Saturday is unheard of these days but CIMB just opened a new branch at The Curve which provides banking services 7 days a week! Smart move by CIMB ~ catering to the upper middle class clientele of Mutiara Damansara and its likes. (Incidentally, I am excluded from this reference.)
I digress. In any case, I ended up spending more time than I intended and missed the Body Combat class. By the time, I completed the task of being a filial daughter, I decided heck(!) I really needed the exercise. So, off I went to FF The Curve, got on the treadmill and pushed myself for a 15-minute run @ 9.5 level with a 5-minute warm up, warm down walk. Boy! I was so out of breath and out of shape. Bah! I was probably breathing very heavily and felt stares upon my unremarkable self. It was not until later that I discovered that just the week before, one chap in his 30s or 40s collapsed and died on one of the treadmills at The Curve. Talk about eerie.
In any case, the run was not enough. With determination burning in my heart, I went for the Body Attack class. Yup! I must be insane. After all, I haven’t been doing any high impact cardio sports for months. (Trekking doesn’t count as it involves more stamina than immediate energy.) For the uninitiated, Body Attack is an extremely high impact cardio class with non-stop jumping/ hopping tracks. It helps work out your leg and arm muscles as you are continuously moving during the entire session. Halfway through the class however, I had to call it quits. The flesh is willing but the body is weak. Truly, it was weak to the point of body aches. Bah! In any case, I had a dinner party to attend later in the eve to celebrate Bell’s 30++ coming of age. Hehehe … She’ll kill me if she reads this.
I had only an hour between to rest before I was out on the road again to pick up Bell and gang for her birthday bash. Bell, with her nose for finding cosy, expensive fine dining spots, directed me to a restaurant called Cava (which serves Spanish and Italian dishes) in a little street somewhere in Bangsar. The ambience was great, the food fine, the wine well chosen, the company a riot! And thus the inspiration for several conspiracy theories was born on that fateful evening.
The night wore on and we moved on to Souled Out for after dinner drinks to join more friends and friends of friends. Surprise! Surprise! There was a life band of old foggies playing at Souled Out. And it was in celebration of Octoberfest. Yup! Strange things do happen here. The Germans celebrate Octoberfest in Malaysia on November 11th. Hmmm … Despite the crowd, we managed to find seats for more than 10 people. Truth be told, I can’t recall how many people joined us in the end. The crowd were singing along to songs from ABBA and an older selection. Conversations were rife. The guys called for a bottle of Black Label. Alrighty, it was a long night of much liquor and loud conversations. After nursing the second glass of Black Label mixed with coke, I decided to quit while I was still ahead. I was feeling sleepy and that’s a clear sign that my alcohol tolerance level was about to be breached.
The party ended at 1+am, I think. The night was still young for some but I certainly had enough. After doing my driver duty, I got home, had a quick shower and hit the sack. I did not surface until well after noon the following day. My day of reckoning has arrived. And it was a quiet day at home to recover.
We are now into Tuesday, and I am still recovering from my single day of over indulgence. Perhaps age is catching up.
To those who actually read through the entire rambling, hallelujah! And good night, sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite!
Monday, November 13, 2006
The truth is out there!
The recent (alleged) brutal murder of a Mongolian model has left the nation in horror and truth be told (and apologies to the victim and her family) in fascination.
Alleged because till today, forensics have yet to confirm that the bone fragments belong to the said model.
Horror because despite some really sensational nasty crimes in recent years, nothing thus far has reached this magnitude.
And by the same token, fascination because the world that we inhabit has not been touched by such "evil".
Therefore, it is of no surprise that the crime has been "the talk of the town" and has captured the imagination of the nation.
And as the story unfolds, the following questions plague our minds:
1. Was the (alleged) accused blackmailed?
2. Why should the (alleged) victim be killed in such a manner? Isn't there an easier and less messy way out?
3. Why involve persons of authority?
4. Who tipped the authorities?
5. Is there a cover up?
Conspiracy theories began to form even before new evidence are found and released for public consumption. In a recent gathering with friends, budding conspiracy theorists had put forth their versions for discussion.
Disclaimer: Please note that these are just conspiracy theories that hold no truth of evidence whatsoever. Read for the pleasure of imaginations gone wild.
Conspiracy Theory #1
The (alleged) victim demanded/blackmailed the (alleged) accused. In a heated argument, he accidentally killed the woman. Fearing discovery, he quickly called in reinforcements to help him dispose the body. However, this theory has lots of loopholes.
1. Does he have that much influence over people of such authority to do the dirty job?
2. Why choose such a drastic way to dispose the body which could clearly point back to the source?
For an intelligent man (i.e. the alleged accused), why would he act so stupidly in covering up a crime?
Conspiracy Theory #2
The (alleged) accused is made a scapegoat for a huge cover-up for a high ranking official. The high ranking official could have used the (alleged) accused premises to have a lover's tryst but ended up committing a crime of passion when the (alleged) victim threatened him. As in theory #1, the high ranking official then seeked the assistance of people of authority to help dispose the body. However, the question still remain, why use such an obvious method (i.e. C4 explosives) to dispose the body? And could he have summoned up these people of authority so quickly to do the dirty deed?
Conspiracy Theory #3
As in theory #2, instead of an accidental crime of passion, it could be premeditated. The (alleged) victim could have blackmailed the high ranking official. To safeguard his position, he could have planned the murder and called in the people of authority to execute the crime. He could have told the (alleged) accused that he needed to use the (alleged) accused premise as a point for a lover's tryst, but unbeknownst to the (alleged) accused, the official could have planned the crime and the cover up as well. Again, the question of why use such an obvious method of disposal that would clearly point back to the (alleged) victim's executioner? Even if he could cover his tracks by implicating the (alleged) accused, the truth would eventually surface by virtue of the fact that he used the people of authority to dispose the (alleged) victim. Pretty weak planning for one to commit such a crime, don't you think? It'd be easier for him to get away with it without involving these folks.
Conspiracy Theory #4
The (alleged) victim was a spy. She was on a secret mission and was supposed to meet her contact at the (alleged) accused premise. The (alleged) accused was not aware that his premise was used as a meeting place to pass on secret information amongst the spies. Unfortunately, something nasty happened. The (alleged) victim was double crossed and found herself at the wrong end of the gun. She was carrying some secret codes on her personal self which could be detrimental to world peace. And despite a thorough body search, nothing could be found on her. Fearing that the bad guys could get ahold of these codes on her body, the powers that be decided to blow up the body to get rid of the codes. Far fetched as this might sound, at least there is an obvious reason why the body was blown apart.
Now there ... the last conspiracy theory sounds like it. It has all the stamp of a Hollywood movie ... likely due to the influence of The Bourne Identity, The Departed, Alias, ... you name it!
Conspiracy theories anyone?
Alleged because till today, forensics have yet to confirm that the bone fragments belong to the said model.
Horror because despite some really sensational nasty crimes in recent years, nothing thus far has reached this magnitude.
And by the same token, fascination because the world that we inhabit has not been touched by such "evil".
Therefore, it is of no surprise that the crime has been "the talk of the town" and has captured the imagination of the nation.
And as the story unfolds, the following questions plague our minds:
1. Was the (alleged) accused blackmailed?
2. Why should the (alleged) victim be killed in such a manner? Isn't there an easier and less messy way out?
3. Why involve persons of authority?
4. Who tipped the authorities?
5. Is there a cover up?
Conspiracy theories began to form even before new evidence are found and released for public consumption. In a recent gathering with friends, budding conspiracy theorists had put forth their versions for discussion.
Disclaimer: Please note that these are just conspiracy theories that hold no truth of evidence whatsoever. Read for the pleasure of imaginations gone wild.
Conspiracy Theory #1
The (alleged) victim demanded/blackmailed the (alleged) accused. In a heated argument, he accidentally killed the woman. Fearing discovery, he quickly called in reinforcements to help him dispose the body. However, this theory has lots of loopholes.
1. Does he have that much influence over people of such authority to do the dirty job?
2. Why choose such a drastic way to dispose the body which could clearly point back to the source?
For an intelligent man (i.e. the alleged accused), why would he act so stupidly in covering up a crime?
Conspiracy Theory #2
The (alleged) accused is made a scapegoat for a huge cover-up for a high ranking official. The high ranking official could have used the (alleged) accused premises to have a lover's tryst but ended up committing a crime of passion when the (alleged) victim threatened him. As in theory #1, the high ranking official then seeked the assistance of people of authority to help dispose the body. However, the question still remain, why use such an obvious method (i.e. C4 explosives) to dispose the body? And could he have summoned up these people of authority so quickly to do the dirty deed?
Conspiracy Theory #3
As in theory #2, instead of an accidental crime of passion, it could be premeditated. The (alleged) victim could have blackmailed the high ranking official. To safeguard his position, he could have planned the murder and called in the people of authority to execute the crime. He could have told the (alleged) accused that he needed to use the (alleged) accused premise as a point for a lover's tryst, but unbeknownst to the (alleged) accused, the official could have planned the crime and the cover up as well. Again, the question of why use such an obvious method of disposal that would clearly point back to the (alleged) victim's executioner? Even if he could cover his tracks by implicating the (alleged) accused, the truth would eventually surface by virtue of the fact that he used the people of authority to dispose the (alleged) victim. Pretty weak planning for one to commit such a crime, don't you think? It'd be easier for him to get away with it without involving these folks.
Conspiracy Theory #4
The (alleged) victim was a spy. She was on a secret mission and was supposed to meet her contact at the (alleged) accused premise. The (alleged) accused was not aware that his premise was used as a meeting place to pass on secret information amongst the spies. Unfortunately, something nasty happened. The (alleged) victim was double crossed and found herself at the wrong end of the gun. She was carrying some secret codes on her personal self which could be detrimental to world peace. And despite a thorough body search, nothing could be found on her. Fearing that the bad guys could get ahold of these codes on her body, the powers that be decided to blow up the body to get rid of the codes. Far fetched as this might sound, at least there is an obvious reason why the body was blown apart.
Now there ... the last conspiracy theory sounds like it. It has all the stamp of a Hollywood movie ... likely due to the influence of The Bourne Identity, The Departed, Alias, ... you name it!
Conspiracy theories anyone?
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
How do I love thee NOT?
I don't think there is much to rejoice these days when we read the local news. Perhaps we should just quit reading the newspapers altogether. Then we will feel more like we are citizens of this country that we love and perhaps we will respect the governing body more. But with each dawning day, one can't help but feel a little bit more disillusioned. Another ideal bites the dust!
Here is a satirical spin to Elizabeth Barrett Browning's (1806-1861) poem, "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways..."
How do I love thee NOT? Let me count the ways.
I love thee NOT for the slipping ranks of the graft index
Where the filthy rich gets richer without paying tax
Where councillors build "palaces" without approval
And got away with resignations and mere disapproval
I love thee NOT for the way the ASLI report was being handled
Where the core issues were dismissed and were not being tackled
Where politicians sparked off a racial storm with their verbal diarrhea
Over the much beleaguered, much debated rising bumi percentages
I love thee NOT for the levels of issues raised
Where every issue becomes a matter of race
From meritocracy in education to double festive celebration
Is this how we are going to build a strong nation?
I love thee NOT to the depths of the stupid remarks made
By seemingly moronic reps that form the government parade
But worse it is when spouted by an "Oxford graduate"
Remorseless he was in his insinuation that sparked off a racial debate.
I love thee NOT for countless other transgressions
The latest being the issue of Bangsa Malaysia
Yet, like a battered wife I return for more transgressions
And like an addict, I love thee with an unexplainable passion.
Here is a satirical spin to Elizabeth Barrett Browning's (1806-1861) poem, "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways..."
How do I love thee NOT? Let me count the ways.
I love thee NOT for the slipping ranks of the graft index
Where the filthy rich gets richer without paying tax
Where councillors build "palaces" without approval
And got away with resignations and mere disapproval
I love thee NOT for the way the ASLI report was being handled
Where the core issues were dismissed and were not being tackled
Where politicians sparked off a racial storm with their verbal diarrhea
Over the much beleaguered, much debated rising bumi percentages
I love thee NOT for the levels of issues raised
Where every issue becomes a matter of race
From meritocracy in education to double festive celebration
Is this how we are going to build a strong nation?
I love thee NOT to the depths of the stupid remarks made
By seemingly moronic reps that form the government parade
But worse it is when spouted by an "Oxford graduate"
Remorseless he was in his insinuation that sparked off a racial debate.
I love thee NOT for countless other transgressions
The latest being the issue of Bangsa Malaysia
Yet, like a battered wife I return for more transgressions
And like an addict, I love thee with an unexplainable passion.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
And the Saga continues
People in positions of power should NOT abuse the power and mandate given to them, or so that should be the case. But then, reality is far from ideal. And over the centuries, we have seen enough of power abuses. After all, "absolute power corrupts absolutely".
In the case of UMNO Klang division chief Datuk Zakaria Md Deros, who is also a councillor in the Klang Municipal Council (MPK), he was probably one of the unlucky few who DID NOT get away with it. As a friend gleefully ranted in his blog, Justice is served... FINALLY!, not only was Datuk Z called to task for the above transgression, he had several other transgressions lined across his belt! He further lay the blame for the non-submission of building plans squarely on his architect's shoulders. Now, isn't that the epitome of a "highly respected exemplary leader" who lays blame elsewhere for his transgression?
One wonders how he could have gotten away with all these transgressions over the years. Hello?! Is someone sleeping on the job? Shouldn't that person be called to task for letting such a huge error escape his attention? It boggles the mind that no one noticed! Or are there a whole can of worms behind this saga? Perhaps, those who kept silent had reasons doing so ... I leave that to your own interpretation. Thus far, two more councillors have been identified for the same transgression. Would more be coming out of the woodwork? And yet another one lay the blame at the feet of his architect. But at least, he took responsibility for the act and resigned.
So, what next? Building plans are still not forthcoming. Is there a deadline for submission? Would the transgressors be further penalised? Are more investigations underway? What are the punishment/ penalty for the transgressors other than stop work on the buildings while awaiting approval? Should they still continue to serve as councillors?
Or as with all "hot news", would all these blow over with no answers after a few weeks of being headlined in the papers? The slow arm of law and laidback government bureaucracy strikes yet again when dealing with issues such as these.
In the case of UMNO Klang division chief Datuk Zakaria Md Deros, who is also a councillor in the Klang Municipal Council (MPK), he was probably one of the unlucky few who DID NOT get away with it. As a friend gleefully ranted in his blog, Justice is served... FINALLY!, not only was Datuk Z called to task for the above transgression, he had several other transgressions lined across his belt! He further lay the blame for the non-submission of building plans squarely on his architect's shoulders. Now, isn't that the epitome of a "highly respected exemplary leader" who lays blame elsewhere for his transgression?
One wonders how he could have gotten away with all these transgressions over the years. Hello?! Is someone sleeping on the job? Shouldn't that person be called to task for letting such a huge error escape his attention? It boggles the mind that no one noticed! Or are there a whole can of worms behind this saga? Perhaps, those who kept silent had reasons doing so ... I leave that to your own interpretation. Thus far, two more councillors have been identified for the same transgression. Would more be coming out of the woodwork? And yet another one lay the blame at the feet of his architect. But at least, he took responsibility for the act and resigned.
So, what next? Building plans are still not forthcoming. Is there a deadline for submission? Would the transgressors be further penalised? Are more investigations underway? What are the punishment/ penalty for the transgressors other than stop work on the buildings while awaiting approval? Should they still continue to serve as councillors?
Or as with all "hot news", would all these blow over with no answers after a few weeks of being headlined in the papers? The slow arm of law and laidback government bureaucracy strikes yet again when dealing with issues such as these.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
What happens when your male buddy becomes attach or gets married?
Or what happens when your male buddy is already attach or married?
The former means you know him before he got himself hitched or attached and the latter simply means you know him after he had done so.
Would the friendship just peter out and die?
I wish there is a guide book for this sort of situations. What are the Dos and Don’ts and how do we maintain peace in his household while we continue the friendship?
Buddy 1
I was having a nice Thai dinner with my male buddy when he received a call from his girlfriend who was residing in Australia. It seemed that she had waited for his call but the “dungu” fella forgot to call her. She threw a tantrum and threatened to break off when she found out that he was having a dinner for two with moi while she was patiently waiting by the phone for over an hour for his call. It wasn’t my fault as I was merely having dinner with my buddy (whom I knew before he got attached to her) but I was made to feel like the guilty party. Dang!
But thank god things worked out later and she is now his wife. She is now based in Chiengmai and he comes back to KL every now and then to visit his family. We do hang out but infrequently these days as I had to back off just in case the wife gets the wrong notion.
Buddy 2
The wife was my gym buddy and the husband, my squash and wine drinking buddy. Things were pretty cool until I found them arguing one day about whose turn it was to go out ~ gym or squash. Then she got pregnant and baby number two came along. I took up a new hobby i.e. mountain/ road biking which he was into as well. He then became my squash, biking and wine drinking buddy albeit irregularly. When I realised that some of those irregular times were infringing into his time to “jaga” his kids, I had to back off a lot more. These days my squash has deteriorated quite tremendously, my bike feels like a white elephant but the wine drinking part is still flourishing. However, I feel a lot easier (and safer to avoid misunderstandings) to text the wife for these get-together sessions.
Buddy 3
He was one of my best male buddies. And I had a shock discovery of him dating this girl during a dinner for three. (Sounds like ménage a trios NOT! :P) He said nothing but she was all over him, as if marking her territory. Boy! Needless to say it was an extremely uncomfortable dinner. I believe I could be scarred for life! :P Strangely enough, I had not realised then that I was a little possessive of the friendship.
So, I demanded the next day why I was not told beforehand and he answered that he didn’t know how to tell me and that it should not change our friendship. While agreeing that our friendship would not change, in my heart I knew I was telling a big fat lie. I tried really hard to keep things going but it is difficult when you don’t really know the girlfriend and the memory of those uncomfortable territory marking moments put you off further get-togethers. After awhile, the friendship died a natural death due to lack of nurturing. It’s a real pity.
So there! Stories of my three buddies; the second friendship is thriving, the first is surviving and the third is quite dead. I am still hunting for a guide to handle friendships with married or attach male buddies.
Any clues? Or is it a “Don’t go there!” territory?!
The former means you know him before he got himself hitched or attached and the latter simply means you know him after he had done so.
Would the friendship just peter out and die?
I wish there is a guide book for this sort of situations. What are the Dos and Don’ts and how do we maintain peace in his household while we continue the friendship?
Buddy 1
I was having a nice Thai dinner with my male buddy when he received a call from his girlfriend who was residing in Australia. It seemed that she had waited for his call but the “dungu” fella forgot to call her. She threw a tantrum and threatened to break off when she found out that he was having a dinner for two with moi while she was patiently waiting by the phone for over an hour for his call. It wasn’t my fault as I was merely having dinner with my buddy (whom I knew before he got attached to her) but I was made to feel like the guilty party. Dang!
But thank god things worked out later and she is now his wife. She is now based in Chiengmai and he comes back to KL every now and then to visit his family. We do hang out but infrequently these days as I had to back off just in case the wife gets the wrong notion.
Buddy 2
The wife was my gym buddy and the husband, my squash and wine drinking buddy. Things were pretty cool until I found them arguing one day about whose turn it was to go out ~ gym or squash. Then she got pregnant and baby number two came along. I took up a new hobby i.e. mountain/ road biking which he was into as well. He then became my squash, biking and wine drinking buddy albeit irregularly. When I realised that some of those irregular times were infringing into his time to “jaga” his kids, I had to back off a lot more. These days my squash has deteriorated quite tremendously, my bike feels like a white elephant but the wine drinking part is still flourishing. However, I feel a lot easier (and safer to avoid misunderstandings) to text the wife for these get-together sessions.
Buddy 3
He was one of my best male buddies. And I had a shock discovery of him dating this girl during a dinner for three. (Sounds like ménage a trios NOT! :P) He said nothing but she was all over him, as if marking her territory. Boy! Needless to say it was an extremely uncomfortable dinner. I believe I could be scarred for life! :P Strangely enough, I had not realised then that I was a little possessive of the friendship.
So, I demanded the next day why I was not told beforehand and he answered that he didn’t know how to tell me and that it should not change our friendship. While agreeing that our friendship would not change, in my heart I knew I was telling a big fat lie. I tried really hard to keep things going but it is difficult when you don’t really know the girlfriend and the memory of those uncomfortable territory marking moments put you off further get-togethers. After awhile, the friendship died a natural death due to lack of nurturing. It’s a real pity.
So there! Stories of my three buddies; the second friendship is thriving, the first is surviving and the third is quite dead. I am still hunting for a guide to handle friendships with married or attach male buddies.
Any clues? Or is it a “Don’t go there!” territory?!
Migration
MIGRATION!
In recent years, that seems to be the buzz word. Everyone is talking about secondment or migration. And quite a few have done it too. A few friends have in fact garnered enough points to migrate over to Australia, a few others have left for secondment in UK/Australia. Others have married foreigners and live abroad.
And then there is me ~ someone who is totally happy and contented to stay on in Malaysia. There have never been enough push factors for me to leave nor pull factors in any country for me to move to. But Val would likely beg to differ as she thought I was in danger of moving over to Vancouver at one point in my life. Sure I wish to travel to this country and that country for a visit. But home is always Malaysia to me and home is where the heart is. Nothing beats the food, nothing beats the people, nothing beats all the idiosyncrasies one can find only here in Malaysia ~ the good, the bad and the ugly.
Strangely, despite this contentment, I am beginning to wonder if I am being too lackadaisical about the whole thing. We are no stranger to the issues facing the country. As years go by, more and more folks get disillusion with how things are run. I have always been the first to defend the country when conversations turn that direction (as they inevitably would) and I would also be among the first to point out to these folks that they do not know better because after all, they left the country but we stayed on to fight the battle.
Or did we? Did we stay to fight or did we stay because that's the easy way out? Did we just allow issues to drift until one day what little hope we have would peter out and die?
Do I sound disillusioned? Melancholic even? Perhaps a little. What we sometimes forget is that though we may suppress our voices, we can never suppress our thoughts. And fear feeds on suspicion and lack of transparency.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, some would say. You bet they are. But I have heard enough counter arguments to expect life NOT to be on a bed of roses.
Does this mean I would pack my bags and leave tomorrow? Certainly not. I am just voicing out my thoughts and concerns. I certainly hope that day would not come but ... I should not remain so lackadaisical. Leastwise, I should perhaps start thinking of options. Just in case ... and what ifs ...
In recent years, that seems to be the buzz word. Everyone is talking about secondment or migration. And quite a few have done it too. A few friends have in fact garnered enough points to migrate over to Australia, a few others have left for secondment in UK/Australia. Others have married foreigners and live abroad.
And then there is me ~ someone who is totally happy and contented to stay on in Malaysia. There have never been enough push factors for me to leave nor pull factors in any country for me to move to. But Val would likely beg to differ as she thought I was in danger of moving over to Vancouver at one point in my life. Sure I wish to travel to this country and that country for a visit. But home is always Malaysia to me and home is where the heart is. Nothing beats the food, nothing beats the people, nothing beats all the idiosyncrasies one can find only here in Malaysia ~ the good, the bad and the ugly.
Strangely, despite this contentment, I am beginning to wonder if I am being too lackadaisical about the whole thing. We are no stranger to the issues facing the country. As years go by, more and more folks get disillusion with how things are run. I have always been the first to defend the country when conversations turn that direction (as they inevitably would) and I would also be among the first to point out to these folks that they do not know better because after all, they left the country but we stayed on to fight the battle.
Or did we? Did we stay to fight or did we stay because that's the easy way out? Did we just allow issues to drift until one day what little hope we have would peter out and die?
Do I sound disillusioned? Melancholic even? Perhaps a little. What we sometimes forget is that though we may suppress our voices, we can never suppress our thoughts. And fear feeds on suspicion and lack of transparency.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, some would say. You bet they are. But I have heard enough counter arguments to expect life NOT to be on a bed of roses.
Does this mean I would pack my bags and leave tomorrow? Certainly not. I am just voicing out my thoughts and concerns. I certainly hope that day would not come but ... I should not remain so lackadaisical. Leastwise, I should perhaps start thinking of options. Just in case ... and what ifs ...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
