I found a special offer at the Guardian pharmacy. You can buy a Pensonic portable hair dryer (1200 watts, 2-speed) at RM18.88, very cheap. Offer until Sunday or until stock lasts. It's foldable and light, just a little bit bigger and heavier than a Stephen King paperback novel. Needless to say, I bought one.
Friday, October 31, 2003
Self-reproach, sort of; and a salute
Such is the power of the media.
After reading all the accolades, features, interviews and anecdotes in the special tribute pullouts of today's New Straits Times, I became more and more contrite of my choice of words to describe Dr. M in my most recent post (see below). Loved (by many)? Beyond doubt. But despised (also by many) seems to me now as perhaps too strong an expression for THE MAN.
Call me easily-influenced, call me incredibly susceptible to suggestions, call me gullible (again, strong words?); but hey, he has done many many good things for this country that Malaysians call home. Yes, he may have taken actions that were deemed less-than-favorable and even downright stupid by certain groups of people, but then, try to name one country leader at any point in history who had managed to satisfy each and every quarter of his nation. There would be none. And how are we to know if another was in his place during those years, we would be better off? IF is a big word portraying the unknown. IF is a thing that could have happened, but has not happened, as yet. Anyone can describe all the IFs they want, but it's the factual that has taken place.
It humbles me as I read his answer on the question of whether he was satisfied with what he has achieved during his term as the Prime Minister: "I know I have failed in many ways, but I know that I have succeeded in doing something. It is not for me to determine, but up to the people".
To Dato' Seri, thank you for your time, your energy, your ideas, all in the name of taking on the daunting task of building and fostering this nation towards the way we are today. For everything that it's worth, I am proud that you were our Prime Minister during your day. All the best to you, may your retirement brings your peace and happiness especially with the family that we have taken you away from so much.
A couple of things from the New Strait Times special tribute pullouts:
- In 1987, Dr. M placed a special message for Malaysian people in a time capsule at the opening of The Mall. The time capsule will only be opened after 100 years.
I wonder what is in that message, considering it was 'buried' at the opening of a shopping mall. Buy Malaysian always, perhaps? What with all the advances in medicine, I sure hope I would still be around in 2087 (as a tottering old lady of 108), and still in a good shape of mind to remember today, God willing. That's not entirely impossible, no?
- The good doctor can't swim
What? Really? Hmm…. Is it too late now to learn? And yet he professes of loving the sea so much. Again, is this true?
After reading all the accolades, features, interviews and anecdotes in the special tribute pullouts of today's New Straits Times, I became more and more contrite of my choice of words to describe Dr. M in my most recent post (see below). Loved (by many)? Beyond doubt. But despised (also by many) seems to me now as perhaps too strong an expression for THE MAN.
Call me easily-influenced, call me incredibly susceptible to suggestions, call me gullible (again, strong words?); but hey, he has done many many good things for this country that Malaysians call home. Yes, he may have taken actions that were deemed less-than-favorable and even downright stupid by certain groups of people, but then, try to name one country leader at any point in history who had managed to satisfy each and every quarter of his nation. There would be none. And how are we to know if another was in his place during those years, we would be better off? IF is a big word portraying the unknown. IF is a thing that could have happened, but has not happened, as yet. Anyone can describe all the IFs they want, but it's the factual that has taken place.
It humbles me as I read his answer on the question of whether he was satisfied with what he has achieved during his term as the Prime Minister: "I know I have failed in many ways, but I know that I have succeeded in doing something. It is not for me to determine, but up to the people".
To Dato' Seri, thank you for your time, your energy, your ideas, all in the name of taking on the daunting task of building and fostering this nation towards the way we are today. For everything that it's worth, I am proud that you were our Prime Minister during your day. All the best to you, may your retirement brings your peace and happiness especially with the family that we have taken you away from so much.
------ ++++++++++ ------
A couple of things from the New Strait Times special tribute pullouts:
- In 1987, Dr. M placed a special message for Malaysian people in a time capsule at the opening of The Mall. The time capsule will only be opened after 100 years.
I wonder what is in that message, considering it was 'buried' at the opening of a shopping mall. Buy Malaysian always, perhaps? What with all the advances in medicine, I sure hope I would still be around in 2087 (as a tottering old lady of 108), and still in a good shape of mind to remember today, God willing. That's not entirely impossible, no?
- The good doctor can't swim
What? Really? Hmm…. Is it too late now to learn? And yet he professes of loving the sea so much. Again, is this true?
There is hope yet for them..
The above is precisely what flashed through my mind yesterday, as this girl who I do not know suddenly startled me out of my reverie while I was waiting at the roadside, giving me the salam, ”Assalamualaikum kak!”
I myself wondered why it was that particular thought occurred to me at that moment. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I was mulling over the imminent resignation of Malaysia’s premier, the loved (by many) and despised (also by many) Dr. M, which will be in just a few hours’ time while this is written. It will be unarguably the EVENT that Malaysians would remember most for 31st October 2003. There statements that it was to be supposedly a low-key (hah!) event, well in that case, it is the highest-publicized low-key event I’d ever encounter. How ‘low-key’ can you get for an event that is to be telecast live, over national TV no less, I want to ask!
I’ll add more later. Gotta go off to work.
I myself wondered why it was that particular thought occurred to me at that moment. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I was mulling over the imminent resignation of Malaysia’s premier, the loved (by many) and despised (also by many) Dr. M, which will be in just a few hours’ time while this is written. It will be unarguably the EVENT that Malaysians would remember most for 31st October 2003. There statements that it was to be supposedly a low-key (hah!) event, well in that case, it is the highest-publicized low-key event I’d ever encounter. How ‘low-key’ can you get for an event that is to be telecast live, over national TV no less, I want to ask!
I’ll add more later. Gotta go off to work.
Thursday, October 30, 2003
The great buka puasa dilemma…
Home? Hotel? Restaurant? Fast food joint? Local delights? Western? Chinese? Indian? Thai? Lima ringgit? Sepuluh ringgit? Dua puluh ringgit? Patploh? Namploh? With family? Friends? Office colleague? Eat first? Pray first? Makan banyak? Makan little only? Makan until your stomach rasa mau pecah?
… nasi dagang.. spaghetti carbonara.. satay .... nasi lemak… chocolate pudding… otak-otak… popiah… bubur lambuk… tosai rava … laici kang… apple crumble.. mee rebus…. grilled lamb… rojak… orange juice.. potato salad… nasi kerabu… ABC… pasembor.. kuih cara… tom yam… sirap bandung… chicken masala… kole kacang… gulai tempoyak… kerabu mangga… kuey tiau… pengat pisang… coleslaw… goreng berlada kentang… rendang tok… hati goreng… sup ekor… murtabak.. roti jala… agar-agar… tepung talam… kerang rebus… baby kailan… seafood pizza… beef rissole…… fried chicken… gulai nangka muda kuih lapis… briyani… sambal belacan… pai tee.. laksa penang… cheese mac… ikan pari bakar dipped in air asam… ketam goreng…. pszztttt krrryywrr….
There, what’s your choice?
… nasi dagang.. spaghetti carbonara.. satay .... nasi lemak… chocolate pudding… otak-otak… popiah… bubur lambuk… tosai rava … laici kang… apple crumble.. mee rebus…. grilled lamb… rojak… orange juice.. potato salad… nasi kerabu… ABC… pasembor.. kuih cara… tom yam… sirap bandung… chicken masala… kole kacang… gulai tempoyak… kerabu mangga… kuey tiau… pengat pisang… coleslaw… goreng berlada kentang… rendang tok… hati goreng… sup ekor… murtabak.. roti jala… agar-agar… tepung talam… kerang rebus… baby kailan… seafood pizza… beef rissole…… fried chicken… gulai nangka muda kuih lapis… briyani… sambal belacan… pai tee.. laksa penang… cheese mac… ikan pari bakar dipped in air asam… ketam goreng…. pszztttt krrryywrr….
There, what’s your choice?
Wednesday, October 29, 2003
One thing leads to another
Funny how sometimes we've been meaning to do one particular thing for such a long time, and still do not come around to actually doing it even though there's nothing stopping you from doing so. We keep finding one excuse after another not to. Maybe there's that holiday you've always wanted to take, or that book you've been meaning to read, or that gadget you know you could use, or that old friend you know you will call one day. Or that position you know you want to let go, heh heh. One day... one day in the future I will. We may have even been bragging or telling our friends and family about that one day. Sounds familiar?
There could be several outcomes. You may never come around to it as you found later that you do not need it anymore, or that the opportunity to do so has passed on. Or maybe you may just lose the interest and felt it is not worth doing anymore. Or you may find yourself preparing meticulously for it, carrying out all the arrangements and scheduling necessary before you finally do it.
Or maybe one day, a simple event takes place, and suddenly you found yourself doing that particular thing you've been meaning to do with absolute ease and no hesitation at all on your part.
My point is : I just bought a digital camera. Yesterday. Pat just like that. Because of this weblog. Yeay! I am now a proud owner of a Nikon Coolpix 2100 (a new model here), harga pasaran yang disyorkan RM888(tanpa flashcard tambahan), dapatkan segera di kedai gambar yang berhampiran dengan anda. Easy to buy and get pointers coz my brother has a kedai gambar himself. See what I meant? Been meaning to get a digital camera for some time, and own brother sells cameras to people day in and day out some more, yet yesterday only buy one. I decided to get a very basic piece first, and get the hang of it before moving on to greater functions. Ah.... now that though will be on another day of course?.
P.S : If you want to buy a camera or other photography-related stuff at prices a lil' bit cheaper than the usual market price, tell me lah! Support my brother's business :)
There could be several outcomes. You may never come around to it as you found later that you do not need it anymore, or that the opportunity to do so has passed on. Or maybe you may just lose the interest and felt it is not worth doing anymore. Or you may find yourself preparing meticulously for it, carrying out all the arrangements and scheduling necessary before you finally do it.
Or maybe one day, a simple event takes place, and suddenly you found yourself doing that particular thing you've been meaning to do with absolute ease and no hesitation at all on your part.
My point is : I just bought a digital camera. Yesterday. Pat just like that. Because of this weblog. Yeay! I am now a proud owner of a Nikon Coolpix 2100 (a new model here), harga pasaran yang disyorkan RM888(tanpa flashcard tambahan), dapatkan segera di kedai gambar yang berhampiran dengan anda. Easy to buy and get pointers coz my brother has a kedai gambar himself. See what I meant? Been meaning to get a digital camera for some time, and own brother sells cameras to people day in and day out some more, yet yesterday only buy one. I decided to get a very basic piece first, and get the hang of it before moving on to greater functions. Ah.... now that though will be on another day of course?.
P.S : If you want to buy a camera or other photography-related stuff at prices a lil' bit cheaper than the usual market price, tell me lah! Support my brother's business :)
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
Got work
Oh man, got some work to do at the moment. Seeing that I was 'diligently' on the net, da boss suddenly got an assignment for me.
Boss: Eh... kat internet ni, boleh kan kalau nak carik research paper ?
Me (While desperately clicking the minimizing button of the blogger template window):
Depends la, research paper ni kadang-kadang diorang just bubuh list dengan excerpt je, tapi ada jugak yg publish full paper online. You nak try cari topik apa? Saya boleh cuba, maybe ada.
Boss : Cuba awak carik pasal services marketing, kalau ada.
An online assignment, no less. How appropriate, don't you think?
Btw, the tag board is already up. Feel free to leave a message there!
Boss: Eh... kat internet ni, boleh kan kalau nak carik research paper ?
Me (While desperately clicking the minimizing button of the blogger template window):
Depends la, research paper ni kadang-kadang diorang just bubuh list dengan excerpt je, tapi ada jugak yg publish full paper online. You nak try cari topik apa? Saya boleh cuba, maybe ada.
Boss : Cuba awak carik pasal services marketing, kalau ada.
An online assignment, no less. How appropriate, don't you think?
Btw, the tag board is already up. Feel free to leave a message there!
Working on it
Surprise, surprise! Setting up a basic weblog is not that hard. Most of the hard work is already done by the provider, which for me is Blogger. Senang je... heh.. ding dong ding dong dah siap dah. It's the refining process that will take time, all those enhancements, being additional stuff such as adding the links to the side bar, putting up a tag board, images, modifying the templates etcetera. Takes me back to the time a few years back when I worked on my personal homepage (those days almost everybody has one... do you remember that time?). Managed it half-way only, then gave up. Aiseh, hope this time I'd be better and will not be hangat-hangat taik ayam only. Time will tell. Patience, baby!
Today is the second day of the fasting month, and it is only today that I started to feel hungry when it is only 10 in the morning. Wonder why. Hmm.. I suppose because yesterday I ate so much during sahur.. being the first day and all. The 'novelty' of getting up for sahur has worn out I guess. Today it has become just another ritual, as uneventful as the daily breakfast at the office canteen.
Work - none so far today. Boss lepak je... macam taknak bagi kerja. Gaji rabun je aku hari-hari.. rabun sebab I do get assignments once in a while though, mueheh. Doing this using the office PC. Bad girl >:)
Now off to look for a free tag board.
Today is the second day of the fasting month, and it is only today that I started to feel hungry when it is only 10 in the morning. Wonder why. Hmm.. I suppose because yesterday I ate so much during sahur.. being the first day and all. The 'novelty' of getting up for sahur has worn out I guess. Today it has become just another ritual, as uneventful as the daily breakfast at the office canteen.
Work - none so far today. Boss lepak je... macam taknak bagi kerja. Gaji rabun je aku hari-hari.. rabun sebab I do get assignments once in a while though, mueheh. Doing this using the office PC. Bad girl >:)
Now off to look for a free tag board.
Monday, October 27, 2003
Pertama Kali
Test. Test. Ehem-ehem. Testing 1 2 3.... Internet connection, check. Internet browser, check. Weblog provider, check. Register for free weblog account, check. Think of first post, check. Actually putting up the first post, check.
Oohhh... finally, after countless weeks of enjoyment, intrigue, humour, suspense and whatnots of reading others, I'm blogging too!
I have a lot to learn, as perfectly portrayed by this traditional pantun (Malay rhyming prose):
Buah cempedak di luar pagar,
Ambil galah tolong jolokkan,
Saya budak baru belajar,
Kalau salah tolong tunjukkan.
Translation:
Cempedak fruit outside the fence,
Take a bamboo pole and prod it then,
I' m a newbie, just starting today,
If I did wrong, please show me the way.
Boleh ?
Oohhh... finally, after countless weeks of enjoyment, intrigue, humour, suspense and whatnots of reading others, I'm blogging too!
I have a lot to learn, as perfectly portrayed by this traditional pantun (Malay rhyming prose):
Buah cempedak di luar pagar,
Ambil galah tolong jolokkan,
Saya budak baru belajar,
Kalau salah tolong tunjukkan.
Translation:
Cempedak fruit outside the fence,
Take a bamboo pole and prod it then,
I' m a newbie, just starting today,
If I did wrong, please show me the way.
Boleh ?
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