Alphabets

A bit like how I feel these days

D

Blank slate - coming soon to a town near yooou.

Have not been able to view Alphabets for weeks now. Not because the internet connection isn't working or anything like that - its just that I have been feeling blearghy and in need for a change. Was almost tempted to delete everything and start anew but then thought better of it...after all those early alphabet days were really fun. 

So going for the next best option -  a new blog within an existing one huzzah. Watch this space. 

A Change or Two

Have been feeling too blearghy to post entries. Work is hectic hectic hectic. Obviously August is NOT a slow month here in Asia. Typepad on the other hand has been reallllly slow - I cant even seem to load my own blog. Am thinking of ideas on how to pep things up. We'll see.

Help! Send some good news pronto.

My obsession with the news have reached greater heights now that I have discovered that one can get BBC world service whilst driving to and fro work. Goodbye dodgy DJs and 70s music, hello Aunty. In the past 2 weeks SFM has been away, I have not only been privy to quality news reporting (all depressing) but also special reports on anything/everything.  

The most memorable ones thus far: the impact of narcolepsy on one's life (me me me), youngsters in africa being duped by pretend Fergies (sigh), the genetic makeup of a sprinter vs endurance runner (I never knew...) and today how a certain gene can cause obesity in children. Apparently, research has shown that children of certain genetic makeup do not know when they are full from eating and are most likely to be the ones who continue eating despite having eaten a lot thereby resulting in obesity. There you have it - mystery solved, I now know why I cannot resist chips (no matter how stuffed I am) - its all down to my genes.

Now before I move on to the next topic, please can you folks out there help me. Is it just me or is the news just full of doom and gloom? I do not remember things being this dire in the past. Looming recession, food shortages, depleting energy sources, senseless killings, migrants capsizing/drowning et al. The last time I felt so worried about the world was when I was 7- only that time it was the cold war and USSR/USA on the buzzer. 

Can someone somewhere please point me towards some + news... 

xxx

Am currently reading Sound and The Fury, a book that has been sitting pretty on my TBR shelf since 2000. The reason why I finally picked it up is because I have joined a book club and this is the book we will be discussing 13 days from now.  I am now up to page 100. Its all a bit of a blur at the moment but I am hoping that the picture will become clearer in the next 20 pages. Otherwise I fear its holding power will weaken, and its rightful place will be replaced with the Guardian Review Stack which is growing in height by my bedside. All very well especially since it will assuage my guilt for not reading something I have subscribed to but what will I discuss with the other girls then?!

xxx

SFM arrive back on these shores thursday evening. It feels as though he has been away for months as opposed to the mere 2.5 weeks. Still 17 days is a long time to be away from the young famile... 

Am looking forward to having him home again.

Sorry Fake Plastic Dream, I lied...

As it turns out the decals that I have plastered all around the nursery is indeed Blik.  Must say that am very pleased with the find as Bubba D does seem to enjoy the images and can stare at them for hours on end; we like!

xxx

Went to the local comedy store last night.  Was my second outing of this genre since moving to Singers. Hmm some of the stand-ups were good, others were a bit lame and VERY sexist and racist. What does one do in such situation? Stare stonily at the offensive comedien and others who laugh out loud? Walk out in a huff? Or sit there squirming amongst the masses wondering why laughter should be generated at someone else's expense and how one react in such situation? Guess which was me? Mental note to self - perhaps next time I should say big NO when such outings are suggested.

xxx

Talking of which am feeling a bit like the office doormat lately, unable to say NO to a number of things.

Am trying to remedy this so if you see me muttering to myself no no no on the streets of Singers, you know why.

July Activities

We weren't sure if we would make it to the Rainforest Music Festival in Sentubong Sarawak this year given the recent developments i.e. the emergence of sweet Bubba D in our lives. (When I booked the treehouses last year I had no idea that  we were soon to be parents!) And though we hung on to our bookings, we left the plane tickets to the very last minute and only just made the decision to go for sure in May. Kind of. (The option to cancel was always there at the back of my mind). 

Well am really glad that we did it.  It was quite the adventure traveling with a bub! and though SFM and I missed out on some of the action (2pm workshops were just too hot for Bubba D and night time concerts were out of the question) we had a GREAT time living in the treehouse for 3 days and hanging out with the sibs and friends in the middle of the rainforest. 

Next year we'll have to make sure we're there the entire week so we can just chill and enjoy the tranquil surroundings long after the festival crowd disperse.

xxx

SFM is in Blighty for a business trip as I type. He has been away for a week and will only be home at the end of the month. The house seems terribly quiet without him. Am back to reading my paper at dinner time and sunday is a definite stay at home day since it is just Bubba D and I then.

I am slowly getting back on track with my pile of guardian weeklies and reviews, a book, this blog and the nursery. SFM is going to come home to a jungle. 

 

Huzzah, if we can't be in Africa, we'll just have to bring Africa to us.

what a great idea

I have always been a great fan of Matt and am glad to see that he has come up with a new vid.

It takes a while to stream but it's definitely worth it particularly when everything in the news sounds/reads grim grim grim.

My absent friend

You left so suddenly.

I miss you - 

Your wicked chuckle; 

your kind heart; and 

your essence.

All the world's a stage

Not had much time to blog nor bloghop these past few weeks -things have been even more hectic than normal.

Have however managed to catch up on the news (guardian weekly, guardian online, malaysiakini, malaysia today and other alternative malaysian news sites). seems like there is much to be depressed about (environmental damage, food shortage, fuel crisis etc) particularly if one is a Zimbo, a Malaysian or both.

Re: Zim - Its been in the world news for months(?) now and has anything changed? Newt.  We have all read/seen how farcical the whole election has been and the number of innocent people who have been killed just because Bob and his gang wants to hang on to power. Never mind that the Zimbos are starving due to the lack of food or because  economic situation there is beyond bad or that the currency is worth less than bog roll. Its all about some despotic men wanting to stay in p-o-w-e-r.

And then.. across the Indian Ocean there is La Malaysie. Mired in scandal after scandal. First a Mongolian Model/Translator gets blown up to smithereens in a jungle by explosives belonging to the police. (None of this gets reported until her friends lodge a missing person report at the Mongolian Consulate in Thailand i.e. outside Malaysia). A couple of policemen and close associate of the Deputy Prime Minister gets arrested and charged for the murder. The trial is protracted, the trial judge and public prosecutors are shuffled about without apparent reason. Word on the street is that these are scapegoats and that the real perpetrators remain unchecked and free to shop walk the streets of London, Paris and NYC. A year(more?) on, nation-famous-maverick-blogger reveals in a statutory declaration that he has been 'reliably informed' that Mrs Deputy Prime Minister was there that night in the jungle when the C4 was being strapped on. Lady Macbeth refutes the allegation -lies lies she cries.. but nonetheless refuses to sue for she has better things to do like cut ribbonsserve the people.  Mainstream press remains silent; alternative media sees their readership rise (though number of subscriptions remain the same). Days later, opposition leader finds himself accused of buggering his 23 year old aide in posh condo (sodomy is a crime in la malasie sigh). Oooh its dejavu for the masses (at least for those above 10 years of age). MAinstream press spend columns on constipation and anal fissures; alternative press questions the timing and the whys. The plot becomes murkier  -aide is revealed to have had access to Macbeth. Macbeth first denies than latterly admits to have met him in his private residence day(s) before the police report was lodged. "He was traumatised and his hands were cold" Macbeth said (how he knew how cold they were, I dont really want to know). Then just when you thought things couldnt get more complicated they do. Opposition Leader holds a press conference and reveals 'tadah'  that the Private Investigator hired by close associate in the Mongolian case has something to say (via statutory declaration)- Mongolian model/translator (interesting that one is tagged by job(s) that one did when alive) had sexual relations with Macbeth; was owed money for submarine deals and close associate had received text from Macbeth to stay cool. And that he had told sting and his bandmates all of these but none of it were retained in his final witness statement. Then hang on before you can spell c-o-n-s-p-i-r-a-c-y n-u-m-b-e-r-o-n-e-h-u-n-d-r-e-d-a-n-d-f-i-v-e, the PI reappears next day (no doubt after spending the evening with his chums from the station) defensive and generally unhappy-looking to retract his statutory declaration. Great play folks.

General response from the conservative, pro-establishment camp: Ah the opposition is trying to destroy the country, that bugger. Why do this, why open the can of worms; she wasn't a nice girl anyway.

General response from the masses: We're not stupid stoopid; Its all conspiracy conspiracy conspiracy from the top to the bottom. 

Response from me: Its a worrying state of affairs. For a country that seem so obsess with the affectations of a particular religion (which ironically substantively ranks honesty and equality as prerequisites) and oxymoronly- supremacy of a race, the system pervaded by that one race seem so bereft of moral, ethics and plain honesty. Something smells rotten in the state of Denmark Malaysia and I dont think its the food. If we dont watch it, Malaysie is so capable of turning into a today Zim.

Where are Mulder and Scully?