Thanks for the memories

"Have you been naughty or nice?"

Although this question relates to Christmas and receiving a gift from Santa, I believe we can use this question to reassess what we have done throughout the year.

2007 has been, on the whole, a good year for me. Although there were occasional hiccups, I choose to celebrate the positive things that took place. Besides moving from country to country which left me a little drained, I entered the exciting world of blogging, thanks to the encouragement of Tony Gayondato. I have to admit that when I first started blogging, I was more active with my posts and visits. It seems like I had more time on my hands. Thus my ability to start a blog. However, as time wore on, other activities seeped in and I had to learn to divide my time. Some days, it feels like I should have my computer room set up this way ....

I have made so many new friends from blogging. Friends who are, more often than not, lovable and encouraging - friends who have helped me journey in this life and made me a better person. I appreciate each and every one who have waltzed into my life ... yes, even the blogger who told me that I am not ambitious. (Read here). I appreciate that moment because it made me realise that I always have choices in life. I choose to believe in myself.

So, have I been naughty or nice?

Well, I heard that nice girls get good gifts from Santa and naughty girls get what's coming from his brother, Chuck. Although I have been fairly nice this year, I would like to say that I've been naughty. (Hello Chuck! yeeha!)

Since I am naughty, there is no sense going back to nice. So, here's something naughty I would like to share from my archives ...

A Christmas Story

'Twas the night before Christmas--Old Santa was pissed.
He cussed out the elves and threw down his list.
Miserable little brats, ungrateful little jerks.
I have a good mind to scrap the whole works!

I've busted my ass for damn near a year,
Instead of 'Thanks Santa'--what do I hear?
The old lady bitches cause I work late at night.
The elves want more money--The reindeer all fight.

Rudolph got drunk and goosed all the maids.
Donner is pregnant and Vixen has AIDS.
And just when I thought that things would get better
Those assholes from the IRS sent me a letter,
They say I owe taxes--if that ain't damn funny
Who the hell ever sent Santa Claus any money?

And the kids these days--they all are the pits
They want the impossible--Those mean little shits
I spent a whole year making wagons and sleds
Assembling dolls...Their arms, legs and heads
I made a ton of yo yo's--No request for them,
They want computers and robots...they think - I'm IBM!

Flying through the air...dodging the trees
Falling down chimneys and skinning my knees
I'm quitting this job there's just no enjoyment
I'll sit on my fat ass and draw unemployment.

There's No Christmas this year now you know the reason,
I found me a blonde. I'm going SOUTH for the season

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By the way, end of the year usually means it is time for your employers to evaluate you. Good luck!

Since this is my last post for the year, I would like to wish all who celebrate the season, A Very Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year. Thanks for the memories, my dear friends.

Random sharings

I have the same complaint - I do not know what to blog about (what?? again??). I could talk about the folks around here but there isn't much to share. I hardly see my neighbours around unless I take my dog for a walk, pick up my mail from the post box or when I am washing our vehicles. Truth be told, the conversations I have with a couple of neighbours are just not worth repeating. It is like those kind I used to get in Malaysia when I am at the train station and a familiar face comes up to me and asks "waiting for train ah?"

Of course, I cannot say it is the same for all the neighbours. The one that lives next door is very friendly. Whenever she comes to town (she lives outside New Orleans and keeps a house here as a getaway), she makes sure we get together to do something. So far, we have exchanged home-made cakes and gone out for a picnic with her family.

One interesting thing I have noticed is that everyone around me has stopped cleaning up their gardens. So now, I don't feel bad neglecting the leaves strewn all over the lawn. If I think my lawn looks bad, I just have to look over the fence and feel better. :) Some say it is good to leave a layer of leaves on the ground. That way the grass will not freeze on some cold mornings. I have yet to see temperatures dip down to zero degrees celsius and as hard as I try to ignore the garden, it is getting unbearably ugly. Then again, there is no point in my raking leaves today because mother nature will present me with a fresh blanket of dead, crispy leaves tomorrow. One thing I can appreciate about this season, there are some interesting plants I have not noticed before. Here are pictures of what is growing in my garden. A garden which is yet to be cultivated or landscaped to the way I want it. It will take some years and money. Slowly but surely.

What shall I blog about? I could talk about what took place over Thanksgiving but there is nothing much to share except the excitement of meeting a couple of in-laws I have not seen in some years. It was fun catching up with them. Food was good too. That resulted in some men sleeping in front of the TV after a huge meal. (By the way, I did not notice any unbuckled belts or unbutton pants - a much talked about behaviour of some men after a big meal). You'd think that a huge meal would have been enough for them. No siree ... after a couple of hours, the men woke up for dessert and joined in the laughter and conversation.

Here are pictures taken on Thanksgiving Day.

So, that was my I-don't-know-what-to-blog-about post. Before I sign off, here is one of my favourite ads of the season, which I know my male readers will appreciate ...

The Art of Feeling Well

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The Art of Feeling Well
by Dr. Varella

If you don't want to be ill ... Speak your feelings.

Emotions and feelings that are hidden, repressed, end in illnesses as gastritis, ulcer, lumbar pains, spinal.
With time, the repression of the feelings degenerates to the cancer.
Then, we go to a confidante, to share our intimacy, our "secret", our errors!
The dialogue, the speech, the word, is a powerful remedy and an excellent therapy!

If you don’t want to be ill ... Make Decisions

The undecided person remains in doubt, in anxiety, in anguish.
Indecision accumulates problems, worries and aggressions.
Human history is made of decisions.
To decide is precisely to know to renounce, to know to lose advantages and values to win others.
The undecided people are victims of gastric ailments, nervous pains and problems of the skin.

If you don't want to be ill ... Find Solutions

Negative people do not find solutions and they enlarge problems.
They prefer lamentation, gossip, pessimism. It is better to light a match than to regret the darkness.
A bee is small, but produces one of the sweetest things that exist. We are what we think.
The negative thought generates negative energy that which is transformed into illness.

If you don't want to be ill ... Don't Live By Appearances

Who hides reality, pretends, poses and always wants to give the impression of being well.
He wants to be seen as perfect, easy-going, etc. but is accumulating tons of weight.
There is nothing worse for the health than to live on appearances and facades. These are people with a lot of varnish and little root.
Their destiny is the pharmacy, the hospital and pain.

If you don't want to be ill ... Accept

The refusal of acceptance and the absence of self-esteem, make us alienate ourselves.
Being at one with ourselves is the core of a healthy life.
They who do not accept this, become envious, jealous, imitators, ultra-competitive, destructive.
Be accepted, accept that you are accepted, accept the criticisms.
It is wisdom, good sense and therapy.

If you don’t want to be ill ... Trust

Who does not trust, does not communicate, is not opened, is not related, does not create deep and stable relations, does not get to enjoy true friendships.
Without confidence, there is not relationship.
Distrust is a lack of faith in you and in faith itself.

If you don’t want to be ill ... Do Not Live Life Sadly

Good humor. Laughter. Rest. Happiness.
These replenish health and bring long life.
The happy person has the gift to improve the environment wherever they live.
“Good humor saves us from the hands of the doctor".
Happiness is health and therapy.

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No one is perfect and that makes this an imperfect world. As long as this situation prevails, we will always be in need of doctors to take care of our ailments. However, I believe we can strive to do our best to make our journey of life simpler and take things in stride when the going gets tough.

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.

It's the life in your years."

- Abraham Lincoln

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

(Edgar Albert Guest, 1881-1959)

Gettin' together to smile an' rejoice,
An' eatin' an' laughin' with folks of your choice;
An' kissin' the girls an' declarin' that they
Are growin more beautiful day after day;
Chattin' an' braggin' a bit with the men,
Buildin' the old family circle again;
Livin' the wholesome an' old-fashioned cheer,
Just for awhile at the end of the year.

Greetings fly fast as we crowd through the door
And under the old roof we gather once more
Just as we did when the youngsters were small;
Mother's a little bit grayer, that's all.
Father's a little bit older, but still
Ready to romp an' to laugh with a will.
Here we are back at the table again
Tellin' our stories as women an men.

Bowed are our heads for a moment in prayer;
Oh, but we're grateful an' glad to be there.
Home from the east land an' home from the west,
Home with the folks that are dearest an' best.
Out of the sham of the cities afar
We've come for a time to be just what we are.
Here we can talk of ourselves an' be frank,
Forgettin' position an' station an' rank.

Give me the end of the year an' its fun
When most of the plannin' an' toilin' is done;
Bring all the wanderers home to the nest,
Let me sit down with the ones I love best,
Hear the old voices still ringin' with song,
See the old faces unblemished by wrong,
See the old table with all of its chairs
An' I'll put soul in my Thanksgivin' prayers.

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In the United States, Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day is an annual one-day holiday to give thanks for the things one has at the end of the harvest season. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November; the period from Thanksgiving Day to New Year's Day is often collectively referred to as the "holiday season", and the holiday itself is often nicknamed Turkey Day. (To read more on the history of Thanksgiving, go here)

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This week families will be getting together to celebrate one of the most significant holidays in America. The excitement of upcoming family reunions reminds me of home - Malaysia. Be it Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali or Christmas, I am sure you will agree with me that we all look forward to reuniting with our loved ones during those holidays.

The poem above speaks true of a typical family reunions. The laughter and joys, the teasing and bragging. We will also notice changes in some folks - older, grayer, rounder, thinner, prettier, handsomer, younger (botox injections?), etc. Some return with additions to the family - children, grandchildren, wife, girlfriend, husband, boyfriend. While others to show off someone new - wife, girlfriend, husband, boyfriend. This usually brings about a healthy dose of gossip for the rest of the family - enough to last from the first hello to the last goodbye. We also have some reunions that are laced with drama and intrigue. Drama enough to fuel a best-selling novel or TV series.

Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts. ~Author Unknown

Regardless of what a reunion brings, we all can agree that it is love of a family that pulls everyone together. No matter where we live in this world, family brings us home.

“The love of a family is life's greatest blessing”

Manglish moment

I am laughing so hard inside as I write this. I am suppressing my laughter lest the rest of the household (and possibly my neighbours) will think I have gone mad.

I was making my rounds to some blogs I have not visited in a while. The minute I saw his latest post title, I was hooked. It lifted my rather dull Saturday night at home (watching re-runs of movies I've seen a million times).

This hilarious post brought me home - back to the days when hearing this 'language' was a norm. Here's an excerpt of his post.

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Kamon-lah, Tok Manglish OK?

Aitelyu ah, nemmain wat deblardigarmen say, mose Malaysians tok Manglish. Bekoswai? Bekos we all shai oni to to spik prawper English - arfturds peeple ting we trying to action oni. But Manglish is best-lah when you want to seemply tokkok like fren-fren, lah. Donkair you Malay or Chinese or Indian or everyting miksup. At the mamak stall, in the awfis, sitting araun in the kopi-shop, we Malaysians orways tok like dis wan-kain oni - got kick wat!

You want to tokkok osoken, no problem, we gifchan you forrin flers, lah. Seemply by-heart the following list of pawpular Manglish words and phrases - and very soon oridi you can go araun blarfing like tera oni.

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To read the list of "pawpular Manglish words and phrases", please visit this brilliant and funny writer's blog - ADOI! - The digital reincarnation of a national bestseller by KIT LEEE (now known as ANTARES).

My Desktop Free View Tag

Angel Eyes has tagged me - a rather unusual (and 'kay-poh') kind of tag, I might add. :) However, I do not mind it at all. I admit I like tags because it gives me a reason to blog.

After much lamenting about slowing down in my last post, it looks like I am not about to take a long sabbatical ... thanks to Angel Eyes.

This tag is about showing the world what my desktop looks like. So, here it is ...

(Harvest Time in Tuscany by Leon Roulette)

I love this picture for two reasons. First of all, the colours are warm and inviting. It makes me feel at home and relaxed.

Secondly, the scenery in the background reminds me of Europe, particularly Italy. I love Italy. Although I have yet to explore all of it, the short visits to Venice and Rome was enough to make me fall in love with that country and its people ... well, almost all of them sans a few who gave me grieve during World Youth Day in Cologne in 2005. It is a story I'll remember for years to come.

As much as I love that country, I really don't crave for pizza or pastas. That is my current preference, anyway. (It may change in a few years). The last time I ate pizza was six months ago in Rome. Pastas are okay but I much prefer dishes with servings of meat and vegetables.

Ah! but I love Italian wines, particularly their sweet dessert wines made from moscato grapes. I am not a wine expert. So, I will stop here. I dare not elaborate on this topic lest I embarass myself. I am still learning from this website and a book I bought about two years ago, titled K.I.S.S. Wine. (see below)

Now, back to my desktop, you will notice that I have very few icons (compared to some I have seen!). I like it that way because it is neater. That does not mean my computer desk is organised. Heck! don't even ask me about my house because I dust if I must. :)

Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better
To paint a picture or write a letter
Bake a cake or plant a seed
Ponder the difference between want & need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time
With rivers to swim and mountains to climb
Music to hear and books to read
Friends to cherish and life to lead

Dust if you must, but the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain
This day will not come round again

Dust if you must, but bear in mind
Old age will come, and it is not kind
And when you go and go you must
You, yourself, will make more dust

- Author Unknown

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My Desktop Free View Instructions

A. Upon receiving this tag, immediately perform a screen capture of your desktop. It is best that no icons be deleted before the screen capture so as to add to the element of fun.

(1) Going to your desktop and pressing the Print Screen key (located on the right side of the F12 key)

(2) Open a graphics program (like Picture Manager, Paint, Photoshop) and do a Paste (CTRL+V).

(3) If you wish, you can 'edit' the image, before saving it.

B. Post the picture in your blog. You can also give a short explanation on the look of your desktop just below if you want. You can explain why you preferred such look or why is it full of icons. Things like that.

C. Tag five of your friends and ask them to give you a Free View of their desktop as well.

D. Add your name to this list of Free Viewers with a link pointing directly to your Desktop Free View post to promote it to succeeding participants.

a) misha
b) mudpie
c) Jacqui's Curve

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I am supposed to tag five people but I am not sure who will appreciate this. So, I will leave it open to anyone who would like to take up the challenge.

Slowing down

Time is flying by so fast. By the time I am done with what I had set out to do for the day, I am tired and can hardly sit up to blog or blog hop. If I have been absent in your blog for a while, please excuse me. Also, I used to be very prompt with replying emails and now I feel bad that I have slacked in that department too.

Sometimes I wish I knew what to blog about but it is just not clicking 'up there'. I have told myself in the past that I will not stress myself about it. So, until I can find a routine and divide my time equally with everything I wish to accomplish in a day (and have an idea of what to write), I will blog when time permits.

In the meantime, here's something for you (and a gentle reminder to some thoughtful friends of ours that if they have to forward good stuff, please send something new) ;) ......

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Dear All,

My thanks to all those who have sent me emails this past year........

I must send my thanks to whoever sent me the one about rat shit in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet towel with every envelope that needs sealing.

Also, I now have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

I no longer have any savings because I gave them to a sick girl who is about to die in the hospital for the 1,387,258th time.

I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program .....

Or from the senior bank clerk in Nigeria who wants me to split $7 million with me for pretending to be a long lost relative of a customer who died intestate.

I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me, and St. Theresa's novena has granted my every wish.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

Thanks to you, I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

Because of your concern I no longer drink Coca-Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer can buy petrol without taking a someone along to watch the car to prevent a serial killer crawling into the back seat when I'm filling up.

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica, Uganda ,Singapore and Uzbekistan.

Thanks to you, I can't use anyone's toilet but mine because a big brown African spider is lurking under the seat to cause me instant death when it bites my bum.

And thanks to your great advice, I can't even pick up the £5.00 I found dropped in the car park because it probably was placed there by a sex molester waiting underneath my car to grab my leg.

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 70 minutes, a large seagull with diarrhoea will land on your head at 5:00pm this afternoon and the fleas from 12 mangy camels will infest your backside, causing you to grow a hairy lump. I know this will occur, because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbour's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician.

By the way....a South American scientist, after a lengthy study, has discovered ,that people with high but low IQ who have infrequent sexual activity, always read their e-mails with their hand on the mouse. Don't bother taking it off now, it's too late. (Now's that a good one.)

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... And hopefully, I will come up with something new (and original) to blog about soon (and cease sharing stuff from my email archives!).

Computer terms

Memory was something you lost with age
An application was for employment
A program was a TV show
A cursor used profanity

A keyboard was a piano
A web was a spider's home
A virus was the flu
A CD was a bank account

A hard drive was a long trip on the road
A mouse pad was where a mouse lived
And if you had a 3 inch floppy
. . You just hoped nobody ever found out!?!

* This was sent to me today via email.

It is pouring cats and dogs right now. In fact, I have one sitting on my lap as I type this - my miniature Pinscher named Peanut (he did not fall from the sky). We adopted him two months ago. His previous home was the dog pound in Shreveport, Louisiana. The day he came home with us, he assumed the couch as his throne (that's OK. It is an old couch and he can have it). He thinks he is king of the hill but, to us, he is just one spoilt prince who sleeps with his toy squirrel.

I have not heard any thundering or seen flashes in the sky but I am not going to hold my breath for a spectacular show. If it does begin, I will have a dog that barks at mother nature for causing a scene. That will also prompt me to shut down my computer (I do not like to use it when there is a storm going on).

Anyway, back to the topic of computer terms. I recall one time when my computer needed some repair and upgrade. The technician said he would drop by the house to pick it up. While I was at work (in KL), my mom telephoned to inform me that Leong (the technician) came by the house a few minutes earlier and took the computer with him. She added that he also took the rat. I was shocked and then got a little confused. I thought to myself, "What has a rat got to do with the technician? Did she change topic already?"

I asked her "what rat?" I went on to wonder if a disgusting creature found its way into my room from outside and that the technician had helped her remove a dead rat ('kaput' probably from eating the poison we placed around the house).

She said, "that thing you use with the computer."

Ah! then something clicked. "You mean the mouse."

Mom burst out laughing and said "aiya ... mouse or rat, both the same."

Schools - Then and Now

This is the message that apparently a Secondary School staff in the Midlands voted unanimously to record on their school telephone answering machine.

This is the actual answering machine message for the school. It came about because they implemented a policy requiring students and parents to be responsible for their children's absences and missing homework. The school and teachers are now being threatened with legal action by some parents who want their children's failing marks changed to passing marks - even though those children were absent 15-30 times during the term and did not complete enough schoolwork to pass their various key stages.

The message:

'Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school. In order to assist you in connecting to the right member of staff, please listen to all the options before making a selection:

* To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1

* To make excuses for why your child did not do his/her work - Press 2

* To complain about what we do - Press 3

* To swear at staff members - Press 4

* To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your Newsletter and several letters posted to you - Press 5

* If you want us to bring up your child - Press 6

* If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone - Press 7

* To request another teacher, for the third time this year - Press 8

* To complain about bus transport - Press 9

* To complain about school lunches - Press 0

LASTLY:

* If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his/her own behaviour, class work, homework and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort: Hang up and have a really wonderful day.

* If you want this in other languages, you must be in the wrong country. This is England.

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Unfortunately, that is what our we have come to these days. There are some dedicated teachers out there and sometimes they are the ones who get into trouble for caring for their students. They are blamed for things that are beyond their control. While there are exceptions (every now and then you may get a teacher who just does not live up to your expectations as an educator), I believe there many more teachers who go the extra mile for their students. Their undying dedication is so often overlooked.

By the way, I have noticed how student problems are dealt with in school these days too. Well, at least in the States. We have certainly come a long way from our simpler days. MsJ of Inconditus sent me this article last week which illustrates what I mean. It is funny but sadly true to some extent. The age of innocence and simplicity is gone.

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Subject: School 1967 vs. 2007

Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.

1967 - Vice principal comes over to look at Jack's shotgun. He goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lock down, and FBI is called. Jack is hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.

1967 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends. Nobody goes to jail; nobody is arrested; nobody is expelled.
2007 - Police called. SWAT team arrives. Johnny and Mark are arrested and charged with assault. Both are expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.

1967 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the principal. He returns to class, sits still, and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Jeffrey is diagnosed with ADD and given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a learning disability.

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1967 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is placed in foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself, and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.

Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1967 - Mark shares aspirin with principal out on the smoking dock.
2007 - Police called. Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. Car is searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.

1967 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given a diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.

1967 - Ants die.
2007 - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco a and Firearms, Homeland Security, and FBI called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates parents; siblings are removed from home; computers confiscated. Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Heather. Heather hugs him to comfort him.

1967 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2007 - Heather is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in state prison. Johnny undergoes five years of therapy.

Tagged - Favourite Foods

Zawi of Life As I See It has tagged me. It is a Ramadhan Tag about food. He commented in his blog that even though this is a Ramadhan tag, he thinks non-muslims can be tagged too since they too form a sizable group of customers at Ramadhan bazaars. It has nothing really to do with religion, just the food. How true!

I was in Malaysia during Ramadhan last year and boy! was I glad to be home then. I visited the bazaars and filled up on foods which I missed since leaving Malaysia.

Taking an evening stroll with my brother through those bazaars made me miss my mom even more. For as long as I can remember, she looked forward to the Ramadhan months. She loved food - all kinds of food. She especially loved Malay cakes. Whenever she telephoned me during the fasting month, she always reminded me of the days when we used to load up on the goodies from the bazaars. That is when I start craving badly for local delicacies all over again.

So, here goes ....

NAME 5 FAVOURITE FOOD THAT YOU FEEL LIKE HAVING NOW

1. Satay

2. Ayam percik

3. Nasi kerabu

4. Roti tisu

5. Mee jawa or bandung

NAME 5 FOOD YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FOR BREAKFAST IF YOU COULD

1. Chicken pau

2. Pulut hitam

3. Pulut panggang

4. Durian in santan (coconut milk)

5. Pulut inti

NAME 5 FOOD YOU WOULD MOST LIKELY BUY FOR BERBUKA TODAY
(If I were in Malaysia today, this what I would likely buy for dinner)

1. Ayam percik

2. Tepung pelita (is this the same thing as kueh tako?)

3. Coconut jelly

4. Roti jala and rendang

5. Fried popiah

NAME 5 FAVORITE BEVERAGES YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FOR BERBUKA OR SUPPER TODAY

1. Coconut water

2. Soya bean milk (and some curd to go with it)

3. Iced tea

I cannot think of any beverages that I would like today but ice kacang dessert sounds good right now. (Lady Patsy made me think about it for days since she spoke so passionately about it in her previous post).

This is only just a sampling of what I would really like but I know once I am in Malaysia and I see the varieties, some of my choices may change. Right now, it is a case of "out of sight, out of mind".

Before I end this, here's wishing all my muslim friends and bloggers Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Hello Halloween

I just could not believe my eyes the other as I walked through a WalMart store. They have started selling Christmas decorations! We are barely into the first week of October. Heck! Halloween is not even here yet, and that is considered a big deal in the States. Stores seem to bring out all things Christmas earlier and earlier as the years go by. I won't be surprised if I see elves running around the stores in June someday!

Anyway, I am not going to talk about Christmas in this post. We still have two more months to get to that holiday. Let's talk about Halloween, which is pretty much foreign in Malaysia. What is Halloween?

Each year, on the last night of October, millions of children across the U.S dress-up in costume and take to the streets for a spooky dose of Trick or Treat fun. But how much do you really know about this haunted holiday? Explore this site to find out the true history!

Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).

The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.

To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.

During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.

By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.

The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.

By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.

There is more to the history of Halloween but there is too much to copy and paste over here. So, if you are interested to know more, you can read about the modern traditions here and the Evolution of the Holiday here.

Back to my browsing at the store, I now realise that I can shop for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas in October. I am not sure if I can get excited about it. I don't even know what I am going to cook tomorrow, how will I know what I need for Thanksgiving or Christmas?

By the way, I don't celebrate Halloween because there is no reason to. I have never been invited to a Halloween costume party. I did join some friends in an evening barbeque party, though. It was about two years ago on an army base in Germany. I must admit that it was nice to watch the children get all dressed up and ready to raid the neighbourhood's candy supply. When my friend took her children around the neighbourhood, she left me in charge of her bowls of chocolates, sweets and bubble gum. I was supposed to distribute them whenever children came knocking on the door. Usually, there are no questions asked when the children scream "trick or treat?" It is understood that they will get their treat - candies. I was so tempted to ruffle some feathers and challenge them to a trick. I decided against it lest I be known as the mean lady who made the children perform tricks.

It was interesting to note that there were a couple of young parents who seemed very excited about collecting candies for their infant and toddler children. I wonder who got hyperactive on sugar that night.

Last week, I almost drove off the road as I was making a right turn into my street. One of the houses on the corner has hung a mannequin, dressed up like a pontianak, from their huge oak tree. (I think the western people have their version of a pontianak called a banshee). They have ghostly decorations on their fence too. Their place seems so spooky in a heavily shaded lawn. It makes me wonder if it is not haunted already! One thing I know ... I will not to look their way if I ever have to drive past their house at night. I am afraid that pontianak might actually smile back at me.

I am not sure what we will be doing this Halloween. We live out in the countryside and the only children that I see in this area live across the street - two boys, aged 5 and 1. I suspect that they will be the only ones working our street with their parents. I guess I will stock up on some chocolate bars just in case they come a knockin' on my door. If they don't, more chocolates for me!

Lessons About The Way We Treat People

I received this from an old acquaintance today. I thought this would be worth sharing until I come up with something else to blog about.

Note: You would have probably seen some of these floating around for some time. I have received these stories several times over and it always serves as a gentle reminder about how I should treat people.

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Five Lessons to Make Us Think About The Way We Treat People

Lesson 1 - The Cleaning Lady

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:

"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?

I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello."

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

Lesson 2 - Pick Up In The Rain

One night, at11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance, and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached.

It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."

Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.

Lesson 3 - Always remember those who serve

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.

"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.

"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.

"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins.

"I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.

You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

Lesson 4 - The Obstacle In Our Path

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.

The peasant learned what many of us never understand - Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

Lesson 5 - Giving When It Counts

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away".

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

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"Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody's watching."

Happy Birthday Lady Patsy

My best friend, Lady Patsy a.k.a. Patricia Pereira celebrates her birthday today. She told me that she will be making a comeback to blogging on this auspicious day - after a long hiatus. I was so excited. I got on my horse (my knight in shining armour is too busy slaying dragons - someone's got to bring home food! mmm ..... dragon meat) and rode off to meet her. When I got there, her chamber doors were closed. I knocked on them and rapped on the windows - no sign of her. Maybe the Lady is on her way back. I hope she is not held up by a gang of marauders.

If they look anything like this ....

.... I am afraid, they will be in danger.

hahaha (sorry Pat, I could not help it)

Anyway, wherever you are Lady Patsy, here's wishing you a Very Happy Birthday.

Your Birthdate: September 27

You are a spiritual soul - a person who tries to find meaning in everything.
You spend a good amount of time meditating, trying to figure out life.
Helping others is also important to you. You enjoy social activities with that goal.
You are very generous and giving. Yet you expect very little in return.

Your strength: Getting along with anyone and everyone
Your weakness: Needing a good amount of downtime to recharge

Your power color: Cobalt blue
Your power symbol: Dove
Your power month: September

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Here are my e-gifts to you:

Lady Godiva chocolate

... and not forgetting some roses to brighten up your day.

I’m wishing you another year
Of laughter, joy and fun
Surprises, love and happiness,
And when your birthday’s done,
I hope you feel deep in your heart,
As your birthdays come and go,
How very much you mean to me,
More than you can know.

By Joanna Fuchs

Before I end this dedication to Lady Patsy, here are a couple of photos which bring back sweet memories. (There are other photos of the Lady and me together but most of them are back in Malaysia).

UPDATE: Lady Patsy has finally returned to blogging. Please drop by her chambers when you can.

Gifts - love 'em or leave 'em?

Let's face it ... we all appreciate gifts. Regardless of the occasion, birthday to wedding gifts, going-away to "just-because" gifts, we love to know what awaits us in that box or package. I always appreciate gifts and never re-gift them (and make it look as though I bought it). If I do give something away, the person receiving it will usually know that it belonged to me and have no qualms about taking it off my hands.

Anyway, I was browsing through iVillage.com and found an article about Worst Mother In-Law Gifts... Ever! I thought about the gifts I received from my late mother-in-law and I have to say that she gave very good gifts over the years. She knew what I liked and made an effort to shop for them. Whenever I visited her, she always had books to give away and I would gladly accept them. In short, I cannot think of anything that I ever got from her that I did not like.

Now, reading the list that I found on iVillage, it made me wonder if those mothers-in-law did it deliberately to irritate their daughters-in-law or just had poor taste. Here are some comments from the daughters-in-law:

1. MIL once got me a matching set: Oven mitt and makeup bag. So whenever I'm simultaneously applying lipstick and removing a roast from the oven, I can be color-coordinated.

2. My worst gift ever was from 18 years ago, when, for my first Christmas married to her son, MIL gave me a pair of crotchless panties and a matching bra. I just 'bout died...

3. A set of coat hangers that MIL got half price from a jumble sale.

4. MIL got me pre-natal vitamins for my stocking — and [her son and I] weren't even married yet.

5. My MIL gave me a horrible fake-lace scratchy thong, three sizes too small.

6. My MIL once bought me a T-shirt for Christmas that had a really tacky screen print of two wolves howling on it. Not only was it huge, but it had this weird little button sewn in, so that if you squeezed a certain spot on the front of the shirt, it would play a recording of wolves howling.

7. MIL gave me a leather-bound address book... complete with the names and addresses of people I didn't know! Did she forget she had used it before?

8. My MIL drew my name for Christmas one year. I got a Swiffer, shampoo and conditioner. I was trying to figure out if she was implying that both my hair and floors are dirty, or what.

9. One year, my MIL built her gift up for weeks: She had gotten me the perfect gift, couldn't wait to see my face when I opened it, she knew it was just what I wanted, etc. So she gives it to me on Christmas day in front of her entire family of 50 people... and it's a vacuum cleaner. She announces loudly, "I know you really needed that because the one you have just isn't getting all the cat hair up off your couch." Needless to say I was beyond mortified!

10. I have a small tattoo of a ladybug on my shoulder. My MIL saw this and ever since, has given me tons of ladybug stuff. So far, my collection includes six ladybug lapel pins, four pairs of earrings, one bedspread/sham combo, two toe rings, three embroidered sweaters and a shower curtain. The last time I saw her in July, she remarked "I didn't know you had a ladybug tattoo! You must really like them!" I have told her (and my husband) that I don't really like ladybugs as much as she thinks. Still, she told my husband this weekend that she found a cute ladybug jumper dress for me for Christmas. Aah!

Have you ever received a gift you never liked? Never mind the mother-in-law gifts. Let's just share about any gift that you received in your life.

To date, I can think of only one thing that I did not like - a handbag. I tried to exchange it with my sister because she had the prettier one but no luck. She did not like mine either! It still sits in one of my boxes in Klang. I will probably appreciate it the next time I lay my eyes on it. It is not ugly but it paled in comparison to my sister's bag. Maybe I wouldn't have a problem with it if I did not have another bag to compare it with. Yeah! that's it.

Considering that was the only gift which I did not like in 40 years (as far as I can remember), I think that isn't bad at all. I am still treasuring it - not thrown or given away.