Monday Moan

Hear me moan: the weekend was not long enough.

I was feeling a little down on Friday evening and on Saturday, cheered myself up with a celluloid date with Christian Bale and the gang. The Dark Knight was fantastic! The gadgets/vehicles were superb and while other people are raving about Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker, I find myself falling in love with the dark, brooding Christian Bale (or is it Batman) all over again. I couldn’t peel my eyes off the screen and was going ‘Cool!’ and ‘Terrific!’ every now and then. (I have one complaint though, why Maggie Gyllenhaal? Why, oh why?). I have always liked Batman (even though I may not follow the comic books) and those who played him - Michael Keaton’s cute lips when donning the mask, George Clooney’s good looks and now Christian Bale.





And the line that stuck most with me is: ‘The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming’. Funny how lines in fictional movies like that can give me a nudge.

And mind you, it’s not just another silly, mindless flick that doesn’t let you think and insults your intelligence. Instead, it grapples with an array of moral and spiritual issues with the same old classic theme: good vs evil, order vs chaos, and the escalating conflict between them. Are people basically good or basically evil? What is a hero? Does the end ever justify the means? Is there a purpose to suffering or is it all the product of blind chance?

The Joker does a good job of being bad (is that an oxymoronic statement?!). He wants to see a good man go bad. He wants Batman to break his one rule and kill. He wants the crusading Harvey Dent to show a face dissolved in the acid of hate. He wants the citizens of Gotham to give up faith and plunge into nihilism.

And under such pressure, Bruce Wayne nearly breaks. With his city burning, people dying, and those he’s trying to save blaming him for it all, he asks Alfred what to do. Alfred advises him to endure, ‘You can be the outcast. You can make the choice that no one else will face—the right choice.’ Bruce Wayne has chosen the hard way, the way of the Leader. The young man who wanted to inspire hope and galvanise action learns that there are both rewards and penalties for moral leadership. To attain their greatest good, he finds he must sacrifice the good will of the people he’s trying to help. Hence, he agrees to take the blame for Two-Face’s murders so that Harvey Dent can be remembered as a hero, prompting Commissioner Gordon to explain to his son, ‘He’s the hero that Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now ... and so we’ll hunt him ... because he can take it ... because he's not a hero... he’s a silent guardian, a watchful protector... a Dark Knight.’

Even for ordinary people like you and me, each day presents us with choices. Sometimes the choice is easy. Other times, it can be difficult. Ironically, our greatest difficulty comes when the choice is clear. Will we move forward, heedless of what people will think or say? Or will we shrink back into the shadows of safety? Are we willing to be the outcast, the pariah? Or must we be the hero, even if we’re only defining ‘hero’ in terms of popularity?

I have a good mind to bring my nephew to watch it. And I can definitely watch it again and again, Peach! (Sorry if I spoil it for the rest of you who have yet to watch it!).

After that long sitting where my legs fell asleep and I momentarily forgot how to walk again (but I have no complaints at all), my mate and I went to perform prayers before having lunch. Then we went to the shopping trinity of Ikano/The Curve/Tesco and had fun browsing and shopping before having a late dinner (made even later and slower by the confused waiter – we had to ask twice for our food and I even seriously thought of cancelling our order before we were finally served. I doubt I would ever set foot there ever again). The prayer room at Royale Bintang was quite good (albeit a bit cold).

It was a long day on Saturday indeed.

I managed to drag myself out of bed and out of the house on Sunday morning and went for a walk around the hilly neighbourhood before staggering back 8,466 steps or 4.233 km and over an hour later. I will build up the distance slowly and surely. And who knows one day I might even jog instead of brisk walk. Still a long way from being fit as Fàbregas, but better that than nothing.

No, weekends are never long enough. Time just flies when you’re out spending money (movies, meals, purchases) and simply drags when you’re trying to earn money. (Like I once said to Akak, whatever that is fun costs money and whatever that is boring and trying - like a 5-km jog - costs little or not at all. And whatever food that’s good for our body tastes blah but whatever food that’s bad for us tastes yummy. Facts of life.). And now it’s Monday again.

I think Garfield says it well too.

A Different Kind Of Love

Today, I’m going to talk about Phileo Love, a different kind of love and yet just as important (to me) as other kinds of love. I need to let these special people in my life – and I don’t do it often enough if at all – that I love them; that I appreciate them, their friendship and their presence in my life; the cheer they bring to me; the help they extend; the favours I asked of them (and believe me, they are aplenty because I’m a hopeless and helpless gal!); and that I feel so blessed with their friendship and, in some cases, selflessness. They understand me and at times, treat me better than my siblings. You know who you are, yes, you, you and you.

And yes, I am guilty for not saying I love them because saying I Love You to your best mates, even if they are of the same sex feels a bit unusual, funny and weird – maybe because we don’t do it often enough? I must admit that I felt funny when I first received an email that ended with love from a good mate but have now felt free to express myself too.

I received a belated birthday card from my good mate last Monday. What’s the big deal, you may say. Well, it means a lot to me as it was posted in England and travelled all the way here to express my friend’s wish and thoughts when she do it easily via email or even Facebook. The sheer thoughtfulness, the effort and time taken to write it mean so much to me. And the card has this message:

Your friendship means a lot to me
because you’re always there
whether I need to ask your advice
get another opinion
or just blow off steam
You understand where I’m coming from
and you respect my opinion
even when it’s different from yours.
I know I can count on you
to listen without being judgemental
and to give me the kind of feedback
I need to sort things out.
You’re not afraid to ask questions
or express your real feelings
which helps me keep things in balance.
We've shared so much!

I like the way we can talk
about so many things
laugh about some, cry about others...
and I especially like the way it feels
to know I can count on you
as a real true friend!
- Ginnie Duncan -

OK, maybe it’s a marketing ploy to get people to buy cards, to make this particular one stand out but seriously, how often do you spend time at the card section looking for that card that will just be right for the occasion and recipient? I myself spend a long time picking out cards because when I do it, I do it with care, love, effort and thought.

Anyway back to this card and its sender: my eyes swelled when I read the message. Because it describes everything I feel about her too. We can argue about anything and yet respect each other’s opinion (agree to disagree). I can tell her a lot of things and she can do the same to me too. We don’t necessarily share the same taste in travel destination and free time activities but we can compromise and come to a mutual understanding. And after reading the card, I said a silent prayer to God for giving me this wonderful person as a friend. We were never close when we were at school but I’m glad that our paths crossed again after college.

My good travel buddy, Lin, you don’t open up to me that much but I know I can tell you about anything and yet not shock you. I think you know me for too long to know that you should be prepared for whatever I say and think. And thank you for being patient with my ditsiness and, err, my temper too.

C and N.Burn, you’ve known me for so long now, ever since we were that bright-eyed twelve-year olds stepping into Canna for the first time. Though distance kept us apart for a while, we stayed in touch (a few hundreds or thousands of km shouldn’t get in the way of friendship!). I know I ask for your sound advices all the time (and will continue to do so!) and I really appreciate your taking the time.

And Peach, you’re just so wise and patient and optimistic with me. You always have the time to hear me out and console me. Elle, I know you’re under a lot of stress now readjusting back to life as you knew it and so we haven’t been spending time together yet. But thank you for your advices, words of wisdom and for nudging me to remember putting myself in another person’s shoes. You both are so much wiser than me most of the time.

To all my good mates, I love you lots girlfriends!

* Phileo is the Greek name for love that describes friendship and the bonds that are strengthened by shared experiences. Eros is the Greek name for love that is sensual and stimulates the senses (i.e. love for lover, spouse, life partner) while Agape is the Greek name for the pure form of love that is unconditional and may be expressed in the filial or familial sense (i.e. love for our families especially our children).

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Hamilton triumphed at Hockenheim, proving he doesn’t just reign in the rain!

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Aren’t they just cute and adorable?

Cataloguing Interest

Having blogged at considerable length about the economy yesterday, today I shall blog about something much closer to my heart – shopping, or rather the shopping catalogues of Isetan and, in an attempt to make this blog intellectual, its marketing strategy.

I have been an Isetan member since it opened its doors to KLites in 1990 when I was still a student and I have remained a member for so long because I really loved its selection of goods, the layout of its stores and its catalogues. They send regular newsletters with the latest fashion ideas and promotions (including that relating to Japanese culture) and the fashion ideas are usually themed (gypsy chic, city glam, urban retro) or inspired by the season (spring, summer, autumn and winter even though we don’t have autumn or winter here) or festivities (Eid, Chinese New Year, Christmas and year-end). And I keep most of them for fashion reference.

Isetan also keeps abreast with the latest trend and I don’t mean just fashion. In February this year, it issued a newsletter themed Go Green Eco Fair promoting energy-efficient appliances, solar watches, eco-friendly toys, a natural and beauty fair (selling organic make-up), eco-chic fashion, clothes from organic cotton, footwear from recycled materials and refillable fragrances.

Then in April, it had a health and Wellness Fair promoting health supplements, UV-protecting cosmetic, sports apparel, low fat and fat-free food, vitamin drinks, high-fibre, sugar-free/low sugar, high-calcium and organic food, Tempur mattresses and air sterilisers. I even bought some sports apparel then (but alas, they have since been lying idle in my wardrobe).

And the latest newsletter which I received promotes Sports Fair - in view of the coming Olympic Games, I’m sure. But I don’t think I’ll be buying anything this time despite the glossy pictures of people in various sports attire – golfing, cycling, working out, yoga... because I don’t do all that. I won’t mind buying the new Arsenal kit though (sold in limited quantity at Isetan and pricey too *sigh*).





I’m just too plain lazy... I don’t mind walking but I somehow can’t drag myself out of bed on weekends often enough for my morning walk.





Maybe a poster of Fàbregas being fit in my room would do the trick and inspire me to jump out of bed and start exercising.

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This chap has been making headlines. Funny, the outside world believes in his innocence but not those here. The truth is out there.

Economic Outlook

I was reading the Public Bank June 2008 Economic Review this morning (yes, I do read them boring stuff besides shopping catalogues, travel brochures, and my normal reading material of novels and NatGeo magazines) and it is quite optimistic. It says Malaysia has strong economic fundamentals which have been aggressively built in the post-Asian financial crisis characterised by strong external position (high external reserves and low external debt), strong and stable Ringgit (contributed by steady inflows of foreign direct investment and portfolio capital), high national savings and strong banking system (following the banking consolidation in 2000 which leaves the banking system well-capitalised).

The review goes on to say that the removal of fuel subsidies is justified because the subsidies had resulted in a significant distortion in market prices of goods and services in the economy. Fuel subsidies also encourage over-consumption of the scarce commodity. Hence, the removal of the subsidies will allow the prices of goods and services and the Malaysian economy to adjust to the new economic environment and encourage fuel and energy conservation and attract new investments and R&D in alternative energies which will contribute to sustainable development. In the medium and long term, the removal of the subsidies will also hasten the process in which all industries and firms have to take to enhance productivity and remain competitive internationally.

The review expects the Malaysian economy to remain positive but challenging in the second half of 2008 due to soft external demand and higher domestic inflation. Consumer and business sentiments may weaken slightly in the second half of the year by the expected increase in headline inflation and the continuing uncertainties in the global economies. However, the domestic economy has the fundamental strength and options to sustain its growth and reduce inflationary pressures.

From the demand side, domestic demand will continue to drive the economy, with support from intra-regional trade and also trade with the traditional trading partners, particularly the Euro area and Japan. From the production side, growth will remain broad-based. The services sector will continue to lead growth followed by manufacturing, agriculture and construction sectors. Contributions from commodities are expected to remain robust due to sustained international demand. Tourist arrivals are expected to remain high.

The positive outlook is also based on the fact that Malaysia has built a stronger domestic economy to support domestic activity. At the same time, Malaysia has a strong external position, large international reserves, large current account surplus and low external debt which can be leveraged to support the economy.

Other strong attributes of the Malaysian economy include high savings, strong and well capitalised banking system, ample liquidity, healthy household and corporate balance sheet and Government's fiscal flexibility. The country's flexible exchange rate regime provides greater flexibility for monetary policy to achieve domestic economic policy objectives.

Downside risks to this outlook include sharper than expected deceleration in the global economy, higher inflation and delays in implementation of projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan which will affect both public and private investment projects.

Hmm, I don’t know. Granted we have those but I’m not as confident of the economic outlook. Anyway, enough of all this economic seriousness! And not to worry, it will be a while before I post anything so serious and sombre!

By the way, I once read an article in the Middle East Insurance Review... and it misspelt ‘mudharaba’ as ‘mudahraba’ (direct translation: easy to fondle). Hahaha!

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I was watching CSI: New York ‘Boo’ last night – Danny and Lindsay were investigating a mass murder at the infamous Amityville Horror house while Stella and Mac worked on a murder in the midst of a zombie gathering in midtown NYC, and it was Halloween – and getting caught up and involved with it (as I’m prone to do).

The episode was nearing its climax, Mac and Stella was at a tarot reader’s place (I think) and they met this girl, maker of voodoo dolls, who had the numbers 333 and 666 on her right and left eyelids respectively. Mac looked intrigued, surprised and curious. I watched entranced and enthralled, so absorbed was I. Then suddenly, poof! the light and TV went out. I was shrouded in darkness. My heart which was beating rapidly beat even harder until I felt my heart was at my mouth before it gradually slowed down again when I realised it was a blackout after all. But still, it was scary - imagine experiencing a blackout when you’re watching a horror or thriller movie and you’re at the climax part of the movie.

Called up my mate and he said his area also just had a blackout. But thankfully, it didn’t last long and I was able to watch the episode after about seven minutes had lapsed (and missed the crucial parts, dang!).

Sale And The City

It’s time to bring out the purses and wallets and those plastic cards y’all as the Great Malaysia Sale is here again! It kicked off on 5 July and the sale will last until 1 September 2008! I had set my sight on some Handbags And Gladrags (because we know a girl can’t have too many handbags or too many clothes) but alas, the very bag I wanted was already sold out when I went to KLCC on Friday. Even the stores at Pavilion and Starhill no longer stock it when I checked on Saturday (there are only two boutiques with stores at KLCC, Pavilion and Starhill so go figure). So I am now lamenting the opportunity cost (or rather loss) of a missed bargain. Dang it! So frustrated was I that I was about to wander around BB aimlessly that Saturday afternoon - until Akak called to inform she would be dropping by micasa later that evening.

I did instead buy two pairs of footwear - because a girl can never have too many shoes and because I have shoe fetish - and other pieces of clothing.

So, get your purses and grab the bargains before they run out and you suffer the same fate as me. This is a community announcement to all shopaholics.

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Apart from the shopping activity on Saturday which came with the benefit of ‘mall walking’ (good exercise everyone, seriously!), I went for a morning walk on Sunday Morning. Had to drag myself out of bed - yes, I can be undisciplined as you all probably already know by now - and had to push myself up the slopes and hilly terrain. I am sooo unfit, I am ashamed to admit. And so it was me puffing and panting all the way up those hills; strangely but thankfully enough, there were only a handful of people on their morning walk/jog yesterday so there were not many to witness me in that state.

Heck, it was more of a stroll in the city than a brisk walk in the city. I must be more disciplined after this and walk a lot longer and further than I did yesterday.

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There was an extraordinarily massive traffic jam in downtown KL this morning and as a result, I was royally late for work. To top it, I had two RM50 notes and some small notes - which would have sufficed had I not been in the cab double the time it usually takes me to ride to work. The cabbie understandably didn’t have small change hence I was forced to run up to the lobby and borrow money from one of the security people manning the lobby – costing me a few more precious minutes.

I think the bad crawl was due to roads leading to the Parliament being cordoned off. I’m all for public speech and freedom to express dissatisfaction and I’m sure all protests would be done peacefully anyway (it’s just the police who resort to brutal methods and tactics). Hence I don’t understand why the police have to respond by installing roadblocks and intimidating tactics (and ‘congratulations’ to the Government for utilising public money by mobilising the men in uniform in this pointless exercise) when no demonstration was even planned. I can see fire-trucks from my office here - to supposedly douse the dissidents, I’m sure. Don’t understand why this is so especially when a fellow blogger told me that in his years abroad, the local police and the authorities actually guided and escorted the marchers. But then again, the protesters always do their march on Sundays.

Yes, it was a stuck-in-the-city morning alright. Oh and I understand there were roadblocks too since Friday evening and we did experience one on Saturday evening too. Wonder if I can sue the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security for causing me delay, grief and panic attack, not to mention lost productivity?

Enough of that, I need to look for alternative Handbags And Gladrags and shoes to cheer me up.

The Fourth Of July Weekend

The weekend started early. My mate came down at 10 something on Friday morning bearing a package and wished me happy birthday. I let out an ‘Oh s***’ - a little inappropriately I know. Turned out the ‘package’ contained a birthday cake (which she ordered) and a container of jelly pudding which she made herself. She had wanted the birthday cake to look like a Scrabble board but it didn’t quite turn out that way. Anyway, we had lovely cake and jelly - I forbade them to sing me Happy Birthday as it was not my birthday yet! - on top of the nasi lemak breakfast courtesy of an acquaintance who celebrated her birthday the day before.





Headed off to the airport at lunchtime and met up with my parents. We then boarded the afternoon flight to Phuket. Arrived at the hotel after 5 and rested.

Woke up early on Saturday morning as today, we would be taking a boat trip to Phi Phi Island located to the south-east of Phuket Island. The boat set off at 8.30 am and it took more than an hour to get to Phi Phi. It was a lazy day out in the boat and we had lunch at Phi Phi before heading back. Those who wanted to swim or snorkel could do so at another island that we visited.

Sunday was spent shopping with my parents. Also had a facial (with light massage thrown in) before heading back to the hotel. Started to feel some pain in my neck literally after that and it gradually became worse.

Returned back to KL on Monday and while everything was on time, we had to wait a blinking hour before we were reunited with our bags. Hence we only reached KL when most people were also braving the evening traffic on their way back from work.

Dang it, my neck still hurts. But it was a good weekend nevertheless. Thanks to everyone who wished me Happy Birthday!




This puss doesn’t have everything of course. At the moment she is lusting after Gucci by Gucci - and has been lusting after it since sighting it in Europe - though it hasn’t yet reached Malaysian shores (and stores).


Any takers?

P.S. Bloody hell, this idiot was also born on the 6th of July!

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There is a circus in Malaysia at the moment and it revolves around political backstabbing complete with murder, the statutory declaration which was retracted a day later etc, etc. I think this other blogger does a better job at telling it. For more of the stinking ‘S’ story, go here and here – because we know that mainstream media is biased.

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Fantastic drive by Lewis Hamilton at the British Grand Prix but alas at Wimbledon, Federer was overcome by Nadal.

You Know, I’m Not Good

I was never a teacher’s pet. Nor was I a prefect either at primary or boarding school. Oh, I was ‘class councillor’ (that’s our boarding school lingo for class monitor) a few times but that was more to ensure class cleanliness than discipline (and by the way, our class did win the cleanest class once or twice).

I guess I always have a mischievous streak in me. I can’t actually carry out a prank because my expression will give me away. And yet I’d played a few pranks... OK here goes.

When I was in Form 5, I forged Mummy’s signature a few times to escape the penitentiary and Isabella, the ghost/prowler harassing us (why we called it/her that I can no longer remember). The potential trouble I may have created or the risk of being caught should I be involved in an accident or something never crossed my mind but now that I think of it, yes, I ran the risk of being found out. Was I a Bad Girl? No, I don’t think so. Irresponsible and reckless, maybe.

When I was in Form 5 too, I joined my other delinquent classmates and skipped Physical Education classes. I think this is akin to skipping lectures at universities (and this I never did). I also stayed up way after lights off and studied with the help of the corridor light (and risked being caught by prefects).

When I was doing A-Level, we went for a class trip to Shah Alam (again, I can’t remember why) but I do remember going to a museum. There was a huge bell in there and when I passed it with my mates - I didn’t know what possessed me then - I rang it. And stood frozen in growing horror and dread as the sound reverberated throughout the building (or so it seemed, it was deafening alright) until a security guard came and asked us if we’d done it. I lied of course as thoughts of me being thrown into a prison cell, appearing in court in prisoner garb and ruining my future crossed my mind. Yea, I know. Should have thought about it before and not after but heck sometimes I think ‘To hell with the consequences!’

When I was an undergrad, it snowed unexpectedly one fine winter day (it rarely ever snowed as our city was quite near the sea) and so we all ran out and played in the snow. I took a bowl of snow back to my room and kept it in the freezer. My mate came shortly after playing in the snow, we chatted for a while and then he left. And as he was walking along the corridor to the flat door, I remembered the bowl of snow, took it out of the freezer, took an aim and flung it at him with all my might. Bull’s eye! I quickly locked myself in the room – lest he had his revenge – and laughed and laughed as he knocked on the door.

My friend who works for the national petco once smuggled me one Friday lunchtime first into the then tallest building in the world and then onto the skyway – this was way before it was opened to the public. And when we were there, we found that there was a guard at the other side of the skyway... No, I didn’t get caught. But I tell ya, the thrill was worth being caught.

I shall leave you with the following lines amended from the song ‘You Know I’m No Good’ by Amy Winehouse:

I’d cheat the system if I knew I could
I told ya I was troubled, you know that I’m not good
I’d cheat the system if I knew I could
I told ya I was troubled, yeah ya know that I’m not good

So now you know, I’m not that angelic. I’m not that prude and I’m not that goody-goody two shoes. I’d bend the law (not break them, there’s a difference!) if I can and if there’s a shortcut, I will take it. And if I drive, I will not necessarily park my car right in the middle of the parking spot with the wheels aligned like Aunty does.

Because being mischievous once in a while is much more fun than being serious all the time. And at least I can say that I’d done something outrageous in my life.

Like the Bulgarian proverb and an old GUESS? advertisement put it: If you can’t be good, be careful.

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Euro2008 has ended and I’m glad to report that I’m getting good sleep - unlike the World Cup 2006 where I had problems sleeping for weeks after it ended. Thank God for that!

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