I have a confession to make …… I’m an addict!

According to Wikipedia: 

The term “addiction” is used in many contexts to describe an obsession, compulsion, or excessive physical dependence or psychological dependence, such as: drug addiction, crime, alcoholism, compulsive overeating, problem gambling, computer addiction, pornography, etc.

Oh dear … did I just see computer addiction in the definition … YIKES … I AM AN ADDICT!!!!!! A computer addict! A Facebook addict & A Flickr addict!  

Well you shouldn’t be surprised. The keyword for addiction is obsession & compulsion! So, it is only natural an OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE like me …… gets hooked easily…. on some habit!!!!!!!!!!! Phew, luckily, it does not include physical activities like trekking etc in the definition … or else I’d be labled a TREKKIE ADDICT or an ADRENALIN ADDICT too!!!!!! Off the hook there….. Thank goodness for that. Can’t afford rehab for so many addictions!!!!

Let’s talk about the source of my FB addiction first… You see, if was our trekking activities that got me started on it.  The people we met were mostly FB members… Well, since I was not an FB member back then, I obviously had to ask for people’s email addresses ~ So, I communicated via these portals. But after numerous treks, some of them who got familiar with me, started asking me repeatedly WHY WHY WHY aren’t you in FB. Ummm…well how about ‘preserving my privacy?’. Does that constitute a good answer? 

However, one of the main activities of FB is the exchange of comments made on pictures after certain events & some of the exchanges are really hilarious!  Fat Dragon was kind enough to update me on the chit chat going on …. Well… given the high turnover of comments, FD just couldn’t cope with providing the service to me anymore  …… & so he offered to ‘open an account’ for me.

Well, he didn’t need to. I ‘opened an account’ myself.  Well, curiosity has killed the cat ~ or rather the horse   It’s only been about a month since I joined & there’s no turning back………. I’m hooked. Each time I log on to the computer, I sign on to FB on…..sigh….  this is bad.  Well, one good thing has come out of it though… Fat Dragon and I are having a blast of a time doing things like Rafflesia hunting &  waterfall hunting, activities made possible by outdoor groups in FB. Activities that we would not have been able to do ourselves. Some of the places we go to are remote & if you pay guides to help you go in, it would be expensive. FB has opened up a new avenue for Cuti Cuti Malaysia I would say, at backpacker prices.  So, this addiction is a small price to pay ….  I think … Hey, and I’m not alone you know. Do you know if you google ‘FB addiction’, you’d get 4.4million hits! This is a serious social phenomena, man!  But I take consolation in knowing that I’m just a drop in the ocean of FB addicts!!!!!!!  If you’re not sure whether you’re a facebook addict … well, check out THIS video & see how many YES’s you answer to the checklist given. 

My 2nd addiction is Flickr. Flickr is an avenue for sharing photos & videos. My Flickr account was set up half a year ago after Fat Dragon bought me a Lumix Panasonic digital camera as an anniversary present.  When I got the present, I thought to myself… Oh but I don’t take pictures ….! You see, coz I laugh at people cam whoring themselves to the max, taking picture after picture of themselves.  This Flickr addiction came full bloom from October actually. Before that I was just taking pictures of  objects in the house & then I graduated to animals in the zoo. But what got me hooked was when I visited other people’s photostreams & discovered the world of abstract photography, minimalism, creative photography & photoshop editing!!!!!!!

So now, I take pictures whenever I can, when I’m at home, when I’m out so that  I can  doctor them ~ & then I can’t wait to upload them every other day! In fact, some of the Flickr members have a project to upload a picture a day for 365 days.  Be warned though if you do pay the site a visit, whilst FD’s photostream is filled with beautiful sceneries & National Geographic type of pictures,  my pictures are quirky &  a product of my whim and fancy…. not everyone’s cup of tea I’m afraid… ahahahah! Well, they do say one man’s meat is another man’s poison!   

So there you go………… Now that you know, I’m an addict ….

Can I still be your friend???????  Muahahahhhhhhhhhh!

The significance of Dec 1 …

It is World Aids Day …. 

And I’m happy to report Bolehland’s efforts in promoting awareness amongst the people …

Well, the word “CONDOM” is banned on air. For the adult audience, I’m sure the move is purely designed to remove a certain stirring in the loins that the word might elicit. That’s a big NO NO of course. For the PG rating audience, they should not be exposed to such a word as it might give them ideas about having sex too early.

Such is Bolehland’s ingenuity, such is Bolehland’s sincerity in promoting awareness.

Fact is, people with HIV/AIDS are still affected by the stigma attached to the disease. This is prevalent in workplaces, schools and even amongst healthcare workers. It was reported in the NST today that some private hospitals have refused to accept expentant mothers who have AIDS and there were incidences where doctors refused to do the surgery. Well, that’s because people are unsure how to deal with HIV/AIDS patients. There is a lack of AWARENESS!!!!!

Prof Dr. Adeeba Kamarulzaman, the president of the Malaysian AIDS Council and Chairman of the Malaysian AIDS foundation has said “We are not able to give out proper information about AIDS and how people get infected ….”

Well, are you surprised ….. you’re not allowed to use the word “C _ _ D _ _ ” remember?

STOP AIDS. Keep the promise.

 

Our virgin A1GP experience…

I only need 3 words to describe our virgin A1GP experience from 3pm to 4.30pm in Sepang last Sunday, the 23rd of Nov 2008 …… Pure adrenalin rush!

There were 5 of us at the race – Fat Dragon, KC, Faith,  Shawn & myself - all of whom have never been to a motor race in our lives. The only thing we knew was that we have a circuit in Sepang and there are F1 races held there in March every year (we know coz there’s a MEGASALE accompanying this event all the time). We know that F1 pits different car makers against each other. A1, pits nations against each other, so they drive cars of only one make i.e. Ferrari.  Well, that is all the information that the 5 of us (put together) knew. Kind of, pathetic, right?

So, why on earth would we brave the jam to go see an A1GP Feature Race (the 3rd race for the season)… a race we knew little about. Did we not have anything better to do than to watch 19 cars from different countries go round and round 34 times through the whole length of the circuit for an hour and 10 minutes? Does not make sense. You might say.   

The magic word is FREE. You see, we had FREE GRAND STAND TICKETS, thanks to KC. Who could pass up on that? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!

We seriously did not deserve to be at the race - We had no inkling what was going on. A sample of the conversation we had between each other was – “So who’s leading, ah?”, “Ummm, the fluorescent green car!”, “No. 2 is also green.”, “Which one is Malaysia’s car?”, ”Umm, the yellow one.”,  ”What’s the driver’s name?”, “Ummm…. Fairuz something.” “Wah, damn good lah the green car! Nobody can catch up with him man!”, “The orange car is following Malaysia so closely – dangerous!”, “Fuyoh, Malaysia just overtook the white grey car!” ….

Tak ada respect betul! We reduced Ireland, Portugal & Italy to a flurry of fluorescent green, the ‘No. 2 green‘ & the White Grey  images without batting an eye lid ….. ! That’s what you get for not doing research before embarking on something foreign….. & poor Roaring Forties eyesight of course. You see, the names of the countries could be found at the back of the A1 vehicles but hey … its not easy to read something printed on the back of something traveling in the regions of 200kph ok?

Following this, you might think, those jokers must have been BORED stiff. Wonder if they left early.

Actually, we sat through the whole race – all 34 laps. Unbelievable, right? .. But, I can’t begin to describe to you the feeling you get when you’re there witnessing the LIVE event … 

Your ear drums feel like they’re about to burst when the cars race past. Your jaws seem to vibrate. Your heart seems to be jumping out of your rib cage. What an ADRENALIN RUSH to the power of infinity! I cannot explain it. Maybe it was symbolic of the skill & precision required in winning a race, the endurance & strength of the drivers, the power of the engines, the sheer raw guts, the glamour …

100% of our attention was on the track. We kept an eagle eye on each and every car (even though it was identified only by colour) whenever they came to the circuit stretch facing our seats. Look at the map below for an idea of our position. We were seated in the Grandstands facing the 14 to 15 stretch. Must say it offered a great vantage point as we could see & hear the cars coming once they reached point 7 itself.

We held our breaths when cars tried to overtake at the 9 & 15 corner stretches. We were awed by the top speeds (up to 240kph) in the straight stretch between 14 and 15. Last but not least … we were carried by the ROAR of the engines …  it was simply MAGNIFICENT. We were cheering & clapping …. for YELLOW of course..ahahaahaah!!!!!

Believe you me, what you see on TV is NOTHING. It does not come close to anything that you experience when you see a race LIVE, albeit just an A1 race.

Not one complaint came out of our mouths. No one complained of boredom. No one complained about the dirty seats. No one complained about the heat from the afternoon sun. No one regretted coming. Fullstop.

Conclusion: We left Sepang with a very satisfied feel & a new determination to learn more about the sport. We did have a few contentions with the organisers on how they could have stepped up the facilities in the circuit a bit more. The displays should have been working so that the spectators were aware of lap numbers, times, car positions. The venue should have been better maintained. The traffic jam and parking facilities better managed. But hey, those things were secondary in our minds. To use motorsport analogy, our engines have been revved,  a combustion of sorts has been ignited …. I have a feeling a FAN, i.e. moi, is born ….!!!!!

I’m still on a high as I type of this blog…my head is still reeling (in a good way, of course) from the experience. FUYOH!

VROOOOOOM VROOOOOOOOM VROOOOOOOOOM VROOOOOOOOOMMMM 

P.S. I have a confession to make, the 5 of us were so hooked that we watched the feature race again on Astro that night in our house after dinner for race reviews & highlights! Believe it or not.

P.P.S. Oh FYI, the YELLOW car – the one driven by Fairuz Fauzy for Malaysia… It finished 10th, thereby earning 1 point in the championship. He could have had a podium finish as he was in 3rd placing for quite a few laps but he made a bizarre pit stop on the 17th lap. Apparently he thought he was called in by his team but it was a communication glitch. The call was made by another country’s team to their driver but Fairuz heard the radio call instead. Drama drama betul! Oh, and the fluorescent green car driven by Adam Carroll for Ireland went on to win the race that afternoon. Check out the highlights on this link.

P.P.P.S. Next race, Taupo, New Zealand. Jan 25, 09. Till then….

 

The American Dream lives on…

I am a cynic where politics is concerned but I take my hats off to America.

Clichéd though it may sound, they have proven to the world that the American Dream does exist.  Let’s take a look at Barack Obama. He’s  a 47 year old Illinois Senator with  only 4 years experience. He was born in Hawaii. He  lived in Indonesia during his early adolescent years ..  AND he has Hussein for a middle name. And guess what  ….. he will be the 44th US President come January 20, 2009. The first black president in the history of the U.S.A.

He will be the most powerful man, in one of the most powerful nations in the world, for the next four years…at least.  

There’s no denying that  bigotry and prejudice exists in this vast continent. It exists everywhere for God’s sake. But it appears quite a few Americans managed to look past the colour of his skin and his middle name and voted for change.  It was not about the individual. It was about the cause.

349 electoral votes vs. 162. A clear endorsement. 

Some say that the Republicans got voted out as a result of the economic crisis. Brushing critics aside,  the majority of Americans scored high in the department of racial acceptance.  It was only 45 years ago, that the height of the civil rights movement brought on by Martin Luther King came into play. Those were times when segregationist policies in the South were still being practised. And yet today, … America has voted for a black President. A black president in white America. A historic moment indeed.

The NST reported yesterday that Obama once said at the 2004 Democratic National Convention: “As I stand here today, grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that my parents’ dreams live on in my two precious daughters. I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all those who came before me, and that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible.” …  “Only in America.”

I couldn’t agree more. Only in America.

Will there ever be a similar story told in Bolehland … the land that I live on …, I wonder? Only if you believe in miracles, I suppose.

 

Watch out! It’s LOOKISM folks……

Wow, I think a lot of us are still a bit stunned at the shocking revelation by the ceremony’s music director Chen Qigang about the little girl who was just not pretty enough to show up to sing live at the Beijing Olympics Opening ceremony.

The little song bird Yang Pei Yi, who was slated to be a rising star, has buck teeth and a chubby face.

When interviewed by the Beijing People’s Broadcasting Station, music chief Chen said that leaders from various government agencies came to watch the opening ceremony rehearsals in the Bird’s Nest and “…a leader from the Politburo, who gave us his opinion, (said) this has to change”.

So the cuter pig tailed Lin Miaoke came into the picture. She was apparently “flawless in image, internal feelings, and expression”.  Oh, but can she sing? Not good enough obviously. Solution, get Lin Miaoke to lip sync the recording of patriotic song Ode to the Motherland  sung by Yang Pei Yi as China’s national flag was carried into the stadium, a key moment in the three hour ceremony.

In the end ….  What we heard, was the perfect voice of Yang. What we saw, was the perfect face of Lin. Problem solved. 

My two sen worth. There’s a word in the English Language for discrimination or prejudice based on appearance. It’s not widely used but can be found in major English Language dictionaries. The word is  LOOKISM.  The word may be uncommon but sadly, this form of discrimination is NOT so uncommon. Let’s see how lookism is practised as defined by Wikipedia:

• “Researchers have found that good looking students get higher grades from their teachers than students with an ordinary appearance.
• … attractive patients receive more personalized care from their doctors.
• Studies have even shown that handsome criminals receive lighter sentences than less attractive convicts.
• How much money a person earns may also be influenced by physical beauty. One study found that people low in physical attractiveness earn 5 to 10 percent less than ordinary looking people, who in turn earn 3 to 8 percent less than those who are considered good looking.”

What is beauty? Some people say beauty is all about symmetry. Some say it is youth. The media also strongly promotes beauty as being light on the scales. The whitening cream people will tell you its a fair & white complexion. The list is endless. What happened to – Inner beauty. Grace. Personality. Intelligence. Elegance. Charm. Oh well, you might as well throw it out of the window I guess. Useless, they say. Not so useless, I say.

Universal though lookism may be, the perception of beauty is however a harder subject to tackle. Just how do we discriminate between a beauty and a non beauty. It is not an exact science I’m afraid. It isn’t just about the pursuit of the perfect symmetry or looks. I’m sure if you throw a Twiggy like figure (when she was young) in front of Michelangelo he’d flip in his grave. After all, he is responsible for producing the sculpture of David which is a famous work on symmetry.  If stout figures were desirable during the Victorian Ages, its obviously history. Today, the complete opposite look is desirable. Stick thin figures rule bringing on the onset of eating disorders like bulimia & anorexia.  But then again, our perception of beauty is very much influenced by the media and the entertainment industry. So kudos to brandnames like Dove who have promoted advertisements featuring plus size women and ordinary day to day women.

Beauty is also culturally sensitive. A Polynesian man would view a woman with an ample figure of voluptuous proportions as beautiful, but in other cultures this very same woman could be labled ‘obese’. Or if you throw a bride in front of a tribal man in the Lao Cao region (in Vietnam) with a row of straight, WHITE teeth, he’d say – she’s not beautiful enough. Bring the charcoal – her front teeth need to be blackened. Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder indeed!

I’d like to end this blog with a tribute to Little Yang Peiyi, you might not be considered pretty enough to be shown in the Olympics ceremony but hey, you’re beautiful enough in our eyes. You have a beautiful voice and you are beautiful in your own way, buck teeth and all.  Beauty is skin deep but inner beauty lasts forever.

P.S. Here’s a little glossary for those who are not too familiar with 2 expressions with the word beauty in it:

• Beauty lies/is in the eye of the beholder – Literal meaning. It means that beauty is very much an individual opinion. Different people might have different perceptions of beauty.
• Beauty is skin deep. – It alludes to the fact that physical beauty is superficial. Outward appearance is not as important as inner beauty.

…. of pigtails & aphrodisiacs….!!!!!

We were breaking plates…. We were guzzling German Weisen beer (dark wheat beer)……We were sucking gravy laced fingers & slobbering away - Our motto for the night “Bring on the cholesterol!”…

…Definitely not a typical Wednesday night but what the heck, we were having a ball of a time celebrating the homecoming of Pink Jeans & ML who are back for their summer hols at El Cerdo’s situated along the very hip Changkat Bukit Bintang. It was a night to EAT, DRINK and be VERY MERRY for Doug, Mich, Yit, VM, ML, Pink Jeans, DS, FD & I ….. 

No prizes for guessing what was for dinner. PIG of course….or PIGLET to be exact. Well, we all sobered up as required by decorum, when the hostess offered to tell us the story of our little friend who was lying inate on a wooden platter, all browned & roasted into a crispy delicacy … waiting to be devoured. You see, as introductions went by, we found out our little cooked friend was a German. It was only three weeks old. It had its body bathed in a white wine marinate for 3 days before it was thrown into a ‘roaring spit’ so to say……… (Please don’t be fooled - not one Roaring Fortier batted an eyelid upon hearing the narrative – Pink Jeans  commented, “I’d eat it even if it had a name” – “Aye! Aye! PJ”. We meat eaters should just be upfront about it. No room for hypocrisy here)……. And so it goes, that the crispy, juicy  carcass was to be chopped into small pieces with plates by the guys…. Yup, you read right, you get to chop it up yourself with a plate, not a knife. You even get to break it into a wooden bucket, with a noisy clang -for GOOD LUCK apparently. Wasteful you say? Oh heck – break away – you’re paying for it)  …….. The finale entails our little roasted buddy being  eaten from “nose to tail” as the restaurant’s tag line suggests… Ah, bliss!!! (Apologies to vegetarians if this sounds offensive)

Needless to say, gluttony ruled that night & the nose to tail experience was so good, we ordered a second piglet for the night. (Sigh…gotta exercise harder the next day… oh but that’s another day)………….

Now, whilst the two piggies were being gobbled up, the usual jostling & fighting for choice pieces came about until we reached the “apple stalk of a thing” with a curl at the end resting on the laurels of our roasted piggy……..i.e. the tail –  “You eat it”, “No You eat it”…. DS ended up eating the first pig tail and then when the 2nd pig tail was up for grabs, the guys suggested “Why don’t one of the girls eat it……” ….. Now the hostess could not help overhearing and decided that some intervention was required. “NO!! GIRLS CANNOT EAT IT”. “Do you know what happens if you eat the tail?” …..which prompted a quick “NO”  from all of us. “TELL US!”. “Shan’t tell you guys until you decide who’s going to eat the 2nd tail”……. “Aw come on …” … and then it was decided ….. “VM – YOU eat the 2nd tail!” …

Then she lays it on us….. (looking at VM & DS)….. “The PIG tail is going to make the guys strong tonight!” which produced an all round “Whoa!!!”  from everyone …. curious eyes darting back & forth between DS & VM. Pressure Pressure. Well, the pig’s tail is apparently an aphrodisiac.

First I’ve heard of really!

According to Wikipedia,

“An aphrodisiac is an agent which is used in the belief that it increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sensuality. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable”

I’ve heard of animal based aphrodisiacs like tigers’ penises & rhinoceros’ horns  but pig’s tail is new to me. Now male libido is clearly linked to the levels of testosterone right? So it is alleged that you can elevate it by eating parts of male animal anatomies. As for the pig’s tail? What if the tail came from a female? Wouldn’t that boost your estrogen levels? Now would that still give men the desired effect … anyway, awaiting feedback from VM & DS. Who knows, if the tail came from a female piggie it may even boost your alternative sexual desires!!!!! Food for thought.

YUM SENG EVERYONE! … eh heh heh heh …..

 P.S. Welcome back Pink Jeans & fly, ML & fly.

P.P.S. To the rest of the party – Viva la Good Food, Good Drinks & last but not least Good Company!

P.P.P.S. Viva la Non Halal Restaurants the ultimate EAT, DRINK & BE MERRY experience. In case you’re interested in going to El Cerdo, the address is No. 43 – 45, Changkat Bukit Bintang.  For a quick guide on where Changkat BB is, refer to this map, courtesy of Radius Hotel. El Cerdo is not far from the hotel.

Musophobia anyone????????

 IS HE CUTE???????

It was close to midnight…. I was alone as Fat Dragon was out entertaning. I was happily watching a delayed telecast of the results show for American Idol last Friday …anxiously awaiting the announcement of the results…. deep in concentration as I rooted for David Cook to win…. 

All of a sudden, there was a huge ruckus in the kitchen. As our house in Mentakab had an open concept between the living room, dining & kitchen, it just took a turn of my head for me to witness a dark furry speedy little figure jumping  through the kitchen window from the outside, onto the sink (PLONK PLONK) & dashing madly towards a trolley full of utensils (CLING CLANGING away) & …………………….. What on earth?????? YIKES SHRIEK

……There would be another speedy figure in the house,  dashing in the opposite direction, that night…. i.e. ME!    Up the stairs I ran,  to deposit myself into the bedroom, away from the frontlines of mousy danger.  Despite my shivering constitution, I quickly grabbed whatever newspapers I could find in the room to stuff into the crack underneath the door, just in case. 

My next course of action – Send out SOS MESSAGEs to Fat Dragon! The messages are as follows:

SMS1 : Dar, a RAT just jumped into the kitchen

SMS2 : OMG what shall I do! All the food there, doors r closed. How’s it gonna get out? The fruits OMG OMG

SMS3 : RAT IN THE HOUSE – HELP!

Thank goodness the SOS messages were effective. Fat Dragon came back shortly to launch a noisy midnight search for the mousy intruder.  Broom sticks were hitting the fridge, the kitchen cupboards, the rubbish bins, the trolley, the stove cupboard. Hmmm… He must be gone. After all, no four legged friend of ours could survive such a noisy ’hunt’ without getting freaked, right? He would try to escape a.s.a.p., right????

“All clear!” Fat Dragon declared with confidence. Well, maybe not so confidently after all … coz he suggested we leave the house for a midnight snack. “Let the little guy have some space….We’ll leave the doors open, so he can escape!” Hmm… hardly comforting words..you mean he could still be in the house?!

Next morning which was a Saturday, Fat Dragon gave the kitchen another lookover before going to work. Nothing. Well, that’s it. he must have escaped somehow when I was upstairs the night before. OK. Phew. I survived! Although my heart did get a little more exercise than it’s used to!

Being an Obsessive Compulsive, this meant that I was in for a busy morning coz I was committed to giving the sink & all the utensils a washover to clean out the path run over by little visitor. Now after I was done, I happened to notice a dark patch underneath the double burner stove seated on a stove cupboard next to the sink & utensil trolley. Hmmph, I must have dropped a vegetable leaf …. let’s lift the stove & get rid of it! So lift up the stove I did …………

& AAAAAAaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHH…….. SHRIEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Two beady eyes stared back at me & I FREAAAAAKED. I SLAMMED THE STOVE BACK DOWN and in replay, dashed back up the stairs & LOCKED MYSELF IN!!!!!! This episode brought on even worse physical effects. Not only did the heart pound, my hands and legs were shivering …………… AGAIN, I sent out an SOS … this time I called - fingers too shaky to SMS! “Aargh … I thought you said the place was CLEAR???????????” HELP! 

Well, the good news was, I found him right?  I exiled myself in the bedroom for a good two hours that morning … lying in wait for Fat Dragon’s return (Thank God it was a Saturday – half day work. If not, I would have been in self exile longer). Fat Dragon arrived home soon enough & was directed immediately into the kitchen by yours truly. “Check under the stove” “If you see a dark patch … that’s him!”. …Well, minutes later Fat Dragon confirmed ‘”Yup, he’s still there. So what do you want me to do? KILL HIM….?!!”

Umm…I might hate these little suckers but gee.. you know what…I felt an overwhelming pity & admiration for this poor little bugger in particular. Something drove him into our house, I suspect it could’ve been a cat or something like that, given his panicky dash. Thinking of my own pumping heart muscles, I really wonder what all that banging and clanging from the night ‘hunt’ must have done to him. And to imagine having a stove slammed down on him the morning after & still have the courage (or is it stupidity) to remain where he was. WHAT AN ORDEAL it all must have been…..& I couldn’t forget the look on the pair of beady eyes…kinda tugs at your heartstrings a bit.  So I said…”NO, let’s just scare him out of the house.”  And that’s exactly what we did. We wheeled the stove cupboard out into the back yard quietly. Then Fat Dragon lifted the stove loudly. Lo and behold the frightened creature scrambled up to wall to safety & we left it at that.  Let’s hope the ordeal is enough to remind him not to come in to this particular house … … FINGERS CROSSED – I could do with a little less cardiac exercise.

Musophobia according to Wikipedia: 

“Fear of mice and rats is one of the most common specific phobias. It is sometimes referred to as musophobia (from Latin mus for “mouse”) or murophobia (a coinage from the taxonomic adjective “murine” for the Muridae family that encompasses mice and rats), or as suriphobia, from the French souris, meaning mouse.”

Yup, I am guilty of Musophobia as charged.  So, despite beady eyes & all …….  NO – HE IS NOT CUTE!!!!!

  

 

P.S. It is indeed disconcerting to have a phobia of rats given that they are common pests which can be found in a lot of places. While it is not pleasant to suffer from this phobia, I am quite lucky to declare this is the worst of worsts for me. I am fearless when dealing with lizards, cockroaches, even the snake which I found in our backyard one day. However, I do understand how paralysing (emotionally and physically), it is to suffer certain others phobias for eg.  baccillophobia (fear of bacteria) as everything we touch would probably have germs anyway, or maybe claustrophobia (fear of crammed spaces) especially for those working in a highrise building. I dread to think that the person will be sentenced to a lifetime of climbing stairs to his workplace for fear of entering the crammed space of a lift. Given the changing lifestyles of modern times, we also have to deal with ‘newer’ listings for phobias such as homophobia i.e. the fear of homosexuals.

P.P.S. For a list of phobias, check this link.  

Is life so cheap in Malaysia…?

In the wake of the 16th National Service trainee death, there has been a huge public outcry but the authorities have responded in a way that begs the question …. Is life really so cheap in Malaysia?  

Check out these 2 excerpts taken from articles printed in our local newspapers …

1. NST - 10th of May on why the National Service will not be scrapped.  

“National Service Training Department director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kecil reiterated that the training programme will not be scrapped “just because of one or two deaths (this year*)”. (Read full article here…..)

*Note: Mind you, we’re not even talking abt a full year… its barely half a year to date!

2. The Star - 15th of May on why the NS trainees death should not be debated in the Parliament:

“AN opposition MP expressed dissatisfaction that emergency motions tabled to discuss the death of a national service trainee and the Internal Security Act were rejected by the Speaker……..

….Manogaran was referring to Fong Po Kuan (DAP–Batu Gajah)’s emergency motion to debate the latest death of a trainee on Tuesday which was dismissed on the grounds that it was not urgent.” (Read full article here….)

I am saddened by the words used in relation to the deaths of the NS trainees. Is life so cheap in Malaysia that  ‘just because one or two’ of them die, the figure is not significant enough to be classified as urgent? And, because it is  ‘not urgent’,  does it mean that it can be reduced to a mere statistic? 

So what would a significant statistic be … obviously, not one or two, right? What about 16 deaths over the past 4 years, would that be a significant or an insignificant figure? An average of 4 deaths a year, significant or insignificant? Well, significant or not, even 1 is too many for the parents of the deceased children.  

The youths of today represent the nation’s future. They could have been the leaders of tomorrow, they could have been mothers, fathers to the generation after.  But… we will never know would we, coz they’re no longer here with us. 

Aren’t we supposed to be warm, loving, caring Malaysians? I would like to think that the answer to my question is “NO, LIFE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE CHEAP IN MALAYSIA!” …  So, would it be too much to ask for a little more sensitivity displayed ……..?  To quote opposition MP Manogaran “If the death of a national service trainee is regarded as non-urgent to discuss in the Dewan, I do not know what else is urgent.”

Please have some HEART!!!!

P.S. A partial summary of 11 NS trainee names & the respective circumstances of deaths(including Too Hui Min’s – the latest casualty), is available in this link.

Dental clinic….ummm spa, anyone……….. ?

It all started with a bloody stone in the spinach lunch that I took at an Indian restaurant in Taman Tun. It cracked one of the upper molars & left me cursing and swearing. This of course merits a trip to one of our regular dentists in SS2 PJ.

After an hour’s wait in a less than comfortable waiting lounge …. my turn finally came and guess what? The dentist took a look at it and told me this …. “I think you’ve got to learn to live with a chip in your tooth?”. “Huh????” was my response. “What the F***!” was my mind’s response. I waited an hour to hear that???????????? I persisted with a “But why?” . “From my experience, it’s better to leave it alone. The chip is small and if I wanted to fill it, I’d have to drill a bigger hole and this means your tooth will be rendered unstable….You’d need a crown if you insist on it being filled ….it won’t last long on a normal filling…blah blah blah”. My mind had switched off – I WAS NOT GOING TO PAY FOR A CROWN FOR A LOUSY CHIPPED TOOTH!!!!  FULLSTOP.

“It’s OK, doctor. I’ll learn to live with it!”. Out I went.   

Two days later, I find out the painful way, I don’t want to live with a chip in my tooth. My tooth hurt when I ate, it hurt when I brushed, it hurt when I drank………………….  Sucks. I should have gone against the doctor’s ‘experienced’ advice and insisted on a filling to spare myself further inconvenience  ………………

So I went to the dentist, again. A different one this time. I decided to be adventurous and go off the beaten track and try a new doctor out, nearby our house.

A marked change. The whole waiting lounge area seemed carefully thought out….

It was like being in someone’s living room. It had a reception table facing the doorway & that was practically the only thing officious about this space. There was a cozy lounge area which was furnished with a 2 + 3 seater. A coffee table lay in the middle.  There were shelves displaying books, magazines & even dental products that you could browse through.

To the left of the sitting area was a little tented play space for children. This space was boxed in by comfy vibrantly coloured IKEA lazy chairs ideal for parents to monitor their kiddoes in. In my case, ideal for settling down with a book in hand.  

Beyond this space, was a brightly lit area furnished with a small rectangle table complete with wooden chairs all round - perfect for patients who wish to work while waiting. A young lady was actually catching up with her homework while waiting for the dentist, when I was there.

The walls were a soft orange with a stencilled chair rail. There was a lovely oil painting of two kebaya clad nyonya ladies. There were also framed antique ornaments adorning the walls. Quite a visual feast actually.  To top this off, soft instrumental music filled the air creating a calming, homy atmosphere … perfect for taking your mind off the wait and the imminent walk into the dentist’s room …. where the drills await!  

Soon, my name was called……The doctor was young and pint sized. Hmmm… this is going to be interesting. I have never encountered such a young dentist ever. Was I in good hands?

Well, we went through the whole rigamarole of “What’s the problem? – My tooth cracked – Can you fill it up, it hurts when I eat, drink, etc…” “No worries, small patch job will solve the problem…”! Yippee, he’s willing to patch a small hole up without making it bigger!

So I braced myself for the SUCTION - DRILL - WASH - SUCTION – 1st PATCH – MORE DRILLING - 2nd PATCH – POLISH – BITE routine.   

Well, if you notice, there were 2 different patch phases. Don’t ask me why. I’m not the dentist. But the thing is, everytime the doctor patched, he needed to wait for it to harden for 2 to 3 minutes. Note my surprise when he instructed for ‘Earphones!’ …. Huh????? I’m used to hearing – cotton, amalgam, tweezers, suction etc being barked at the dental nurses… but Earphones is new. Next thing I know, the doctor was walking out of the room and the nurse plonked a pair of earphones over my head. Instrumental music (that was playing outside in the waiting lounge) now streamed into my ears…. hey…wait a minute, there is even the sound of water flowing in the background…… Bizarre. Well, this earphone regime was repeated 3 times in between the fill job.

I VERY NEARLY CRACKED UP. I was trying so hard not to laugh. Funny situation I was in really. Thank God I managed to hide my face behind the book I brought …………. 

Now picture me lying down on the dentist’s chair with a pair of earphones over my head listening to some seriously CORNY but CALMING MOJO music, with a bib tied to my neck, a mouth stuffed with cotton wool, reading a book – I could’ve sworn the nurse even dimmed the overhead lamp above the dentist chair.  What a hilarious sight that must have been! Hmmm…. almost half expected a foot reflexology and head massage ………. Ok, pushing my luck there but is this what they call a dental spa experience? Corny I know, but really really relaxing.

I was almost reluctant to leave the room when the job was done. After giving me brief instructions about not eating over the newly filled up tooth, the doctor advised me to go come again for scaling & polishing.  Well, waddaya think….. FUYOH………

“HEY DOC, OF COURSE I’M COMING BACK……….!“

 

 

 

 

 

p.s. I notice, most dentists have one thing in common. They are usually soft spoken. They have a way with words to calm your nerves. Generally speaking, they possess a quiet & gentle demeanour.

There is a however a difference in the frills offered by old and young dentists. The older ones obviously have more experience. They have their regulars and it has come to a point where they still earn a decent living based on their age old practices.  They deal with the problem. No frills, no fancy decor needed.  No arguments there.

But it is indeed refreshing to know that things have changed and if you decide that you want more contemporary & relaxing dental services, the younger doctors are better placed to offer you that experience.  I suppose these can be called gimmicks, or attempts to be different to gain entry or to garner a larger market share in an increasingly competitive environment. But hey, who’s complaining. The consumer stands to benefit, and in my case the dental charges were indeed competitive. So I get more for what I pay for. So why not? Gimmick away!

 

 

Postcards from the East…..

A  jaunt to the East Coast with my soul mate, 2 small chocolate tarts, some plums & jambu air pretty much sums up the highlight of my birthday this year. Quiet affair but nice.

As time goes by, I guess the simpler things in life are the most special. 

Thank you Fat Dragon for presenting me with a gift that can document precious moments into collages like the above! (Although I suspect you’re beginning to regret the purchase given that you are now living under the same roof with a resident papparazzo!)

Thank you ALL who sent me birthday messages and especially to FT, ST & KC for the lovely audio message.

I loved Sharon’s ‘defy your age’ ecard which sums up my Roaring Fortier’s celebration perfectly! Check out the card here!

It is indeed the ATTITUDE that counts, not the NUMBER!

Viva La Roaring Fortiers! AYE AYE!

 P.S. Would like to extend birthday wishes to two birthday buddies of mine CLY & ELS! Have a good one my fellow Arians…….. Rock On!!!!

P.P.S. CLY & I talked about receiving Red Porsches as birthday presents aeons ago … guess we’re still waiting and have to settle for just thumbnail pics like the one below… . O.K. for a Porsche, I’ll stray from my simple life mantra a bit…