once upon a time

Sad lion

Buddha was once incarnated into a Woodpecker. One day, he saw the Lion, on the verge of crying.

Conversation

"What's with the sad face?", asked the Woodpecker.
" I was having this deer for lunch, one of its bone got stuck in my throat", said the Lion, all teary eyed.

Bone Riddance Procedure

"Bad bad bone! Come, let me see if I could get it out for you"
Bending down, the Woodpecker fashionably took out the bone that had been sticking out the Lion's throat, putting an end to the Lion's discomfort.

Happy Lion

"Oh, you are far too kind, thank you kind bird!!!", said the Lion, all smiley now.
And they lived happily ever after.


One of the many stories of Buddha I remembered still (sort of) from the walls of Borobudur - a ninth century Buddhist Monument in Central Java. It was a humbling experience, just standing there amidst those ancient ruins, each full of stories of the yester-years, in the form of carved reliefs everywhere.

Courtesy of Mr. Maki, our reliable, flexible, super sporting tourist guide.

Sekian ceritera untuk hari ini =D

being human

It's fifteen days into the new year. Happy New Year everyone! Hope you didn't spend your New Year's eve in a traffic jam like me. Oh well, no harm done.

I am officially a nomad. I want and I need to get a place of my own, for just me and my cats (and maybe a cat-sitter). Soon, I hope. A broke beginning due to year end sales all the way from north to down south, this new year holds a promising prospect of going places, literally. South East Asia on a shoestring - a bit too wishful of a thinking considering probationary period at workplace, but still achievable.

The fear of the unknowns - or so people say. Personally I think most of the times it’s what you know that's going to hurt you, not the other way around. I was oblivious of my fear of snakes until I had touched one (selama ni perasan berani, salah rupanya). As for Mom, the anticipation while delivering me into this world was more nerve wrecking than her first time in labour, as she knew for sure how painful it was going to be. What you don't know won't hurt you. So let’s just first try and do anything, everything we've been wanting to do before throwing in the towel and say "No, I'm afraid".

Embarking onto an unknown phase of life, I can say that I am rather blessed to be where I am right now. I think I have grown up a bit, there's a bit of wisdom written on the face (:p), and I have never felt so transparent and true to myself before. Coming of age you might say (sepatutnya time 18-21 tahun, kan? Late bloomer kot, ha!), where you recognized who you truly are, what you aspire to be, where your passion lies; not to just do what others expect you to do. I still have lots of things to figure out, I need guidance and knowledge and skills but hey, life is a learning process, no? As for family and friends, never have my life been a bliss without them being part of it. They have done wonders, just by being there, through my thick and thin, and I can never be more grateful.

On the other hand, people got shot in the heads here in Malaysia, what was that all about?! No more Malaysia aman dan harmoni, budak-budak nak main petang-petang pun tak boleh dah, naseb ada PS2. God I miss the old days.

"The United States spends over $87 billion conducting a war in Iraq while the United Nations estimates that for less than half that amount we could provide clean water, adequate diets, sanitation services, and basic education to every person on the planet" - John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America and The Food Revolution. When politics wins over humanity, the subtlety of the situation itself is a sign that there is something very wrong with everything we are today. Why can't we just forget the differences on political preferences, religions and races, and conjoin efforts for the sake of the ultimate race of all; THE HUMAN RACE.

We need more people like Bill and Melinda Gates.

preoccupied

"P. Ramlee tidak mempunyai harta seperti rumah atau tanah yang setaraf dengan namanya yang besar, lebih -lebih lagi sekarang ini walaupun sudah bergelar Tan Sri. Tetapi saya bersyukur ke hadrat Ilahi, kerana sewaktu hidupnya, bapa saya tidak memikirkan apa yang akan jadi setelah dia tiada, ke mana hala tuju anak-anaknya, ini kerana dia adalah anak seni sejati yang memperhambakan diri kepada seni, bukan seperti sesetengah anak seni hari ini yang hidup kaya raya, mempunyai pengurus, dan penuh kemewahan" Nasir P.Ramlee

P.Ramlee the musical : the live, the love & the inspiration - worth the wait, and every cents paid

(image : old PETA advert. my favorite)

Subconsciously depressed. Outwardly numb. Literally suffocated. Emotionally frustrated. Too much drama, though not entirely my own, desperately in need of own space, some tender, loving and care would be nice too.

Time spent with both less-drama, A-Malik clans helped a lot. Getting sick of laziness, feign affections, gossips, people who never seem to grow up, period. High school is history, grow up everyone, at least a bit.

Weekends have been wet. Two barbecues crashed by heavy downpour, refreshing, the perfect playground I'd say. I love rain, it heals wounds. I love lamb chop, it makes me swoon.

Lovely Sunday. I wish it'd never ends. I miss being loved. I miss being preoccupied. I miss the sweet smell of fresh seawater. I miss doing what I love doing. I'm just hungry I want breakfast (with the commercial song "wake up to natural nourishment" at the back of my head).

I love to listen. I hate to talk. I hate when you pretend to listen. I hate the absent stares, the cold responses, those selfish gestures, those lies beckoning me to trust and mistrust at the same time that it hurts so bad it drives me crazy.

Too much frustrations and I have never felt so alone. mengada bukan :p

goose pimples

imperfection. lovely.

Good morning.

First thing first, I just want to say that I hate getting "Because it's just wrong" or "God loathes it" to every questions asked. Especially if you were in the middle of a discussion to begin with. Especially even after sensing the dissension of the group in a whole, those exact statements are still being repeated over and over again by the same person who I think, had failed to grasp the fundamental meaning of a discussion, defined by one dictionary as "consideration of a question in open and usually informal debate," .. God, it's just freaking annoying, period.

I personally refuse to think the universe - the rules, way of life and everything in it, works in such ways, to be taken for granted as it is. The human mind is created to ponder upon stuff, not to follow blindly, Taklid namanya. Yes, sometimes we already know the facts, the wrong(s) and right(s), but truly there must be logical explanations to all the whys and how's and whens, regardless of whether it makes any sense or not, which is healthy to be put into discussions, for further understanding of it, right? Right.

"Do you believe in karma? I do, 60%"

"How do they do it ey, when people believe in percentage, I thought when you believe, you would stand for it wholeheartedly, like, 100%"

"Well, for instance, I believe in Judgement Day, where sinners got punished for misdeeds. As for karma, the concept of "what goes around comes around" doesn't really crossed my mind the minute I act upon something. Maybe afterwards, kalau rajin nak fikir la. I think that if you believe 100%, you'd do things just because you expect something in return, not because you want to.. "

Adakah itu jawapan yang tepat? Or should I just say that I don't believe in karma, like zero percent?

"Religion is always associated with not just the word Believe, but also the word Faith. Faith means putting your 100% trust towards this entity without having to have reasons. So if you come across a question with no answers and no contest, this is when you need to have faith" - Nadiah, quoting her father, "man of few words". Thanks Nad!

My point is, yes I question stuff, out of confusion, or curiosity, or just plain stupidity. Not because I am angry, or trying to challenge God The Most Powerful, the Most Merciful. I have faith, it's just sometimes I need convincing, in certain areas. Do help, don't hate.

Oh btw, the movie 1957 : Hati Malaya was such a downer. No goose pimples on sight, a total disappointment for a highly anticipated movie (by me). Lousy effects, messy shots - there was one moment where they focused on Douglas Lim's double chin for what seems like a minute too long; jumpy scenes and script.. sigh. A great history lesson nevertheless, just technically retarded I supposed. Namun siapalah saya untuk mengkritik, hanyala seorang kaki wayang yang tergoda dengan tajuk cerita yang meremangkan bulu roma.

Oh well. Happy Saturday schmerday.

TOMS shoes

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