Bethlehem & Abbas
I'm not at all interested to go theological or historical on this entry of mine - I'm aware of the 'alternatives' to Christmas, the reason, practice, what used to be - instead I'd like to just sit back and enjoy the feeling of peace and calm on what was a celebration of the birth of peace in the form of a child in a manger.
Woke up this morning and the first thing I googled were news of celebrations in Bethlehem, the place where it all began. It was uplifting to read about the accident-free celebration there and was especially taken in by the Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas' act of attending midnight mass in the Church of Nativity. I'm sure he wasn't there to celebrate the religion, rather as a brother of those around him who seek for peace and friendship in that land of strife and conflict.
He wasn't the first who did it though. I'm not sure who else did but the late Yasser Arafat attended mass on midnights as long as I can remember until the Israelis put him under house arrest, all the way until his death in 2004.
Both Arafat and Abbas could be seen by cynicals as to appeal to the demographics of Palestinian Christians as well as the international community by putting on a face of solidarity but let them have their column inches.
I am more interested in the idealistic idea of them being there to celebrate the miraculous birth of a child that is revered in both Christianity and Islam. The passages in both holy books were similar in speaking of Yeshua or Isa as the child born of virgin Mary or Mariam, hence I suppose the kind bond shared between the Palestinians of both sides.
I sincerely hope he continues doing so, and his predecessors and their predecessors, in a sincere heart of wanting to come together with the people and have a peaceful day of strengthening the brotherhood of citizens living on the same piece of land.
Tracking Santa
Apparently you can track Santa's trip across the world on the Internet nowadays, thanks to the folks at NORAD. If the acronyms sound familiar or even weird, then you should be because I was puzzled by it at first when a member of a UK-based forum posted topic about it, thinking what the heck is the North American Aerospace Defense Command would be doing with Santa.
Apparently, a typo on a Sear's advertisement of a phone call to Santa led children to call up NORAD, reading their lists of gifts of the Christmas to the unknowing military person in charge at the other end. They went "What the-" at first but thought it was a novel idea to do something that might be of good fun to children by starting to 'track Santa' on his trips from the North Pole across the world. It became a tradition that lived until today.
Who said the military guys were humourless and without heart?
What It's All About
Santa is, quite rightly, the most marketable trademark in the world - the portly old man with long white beard, gold rimmed glasses, red uniform, big bag of gifts and a reindeer sleigh - is known worldwide as Father Christmas. He is synonymous with giving gifts and spreading of goodwill, proclaiming his presence with a hearty "HO HO HO".
It's nice with all the snow, trees and all that but Christmas is really not about Santa.
Shocking? Well, not at all, seeing that he's a rather neutral character whose only crime were breaching international airspace agreements without a passport, as well as a symbol of cheer for the children, hence classic image of him climbing down chimneys of houses to deposit a gift into oversized socks at the fireplace, or pieces of coal for naughty kids.
Rather, Santa was what came from Christmas - the birth of the Saviour. His birth brought about hope to a world that was under thrall of sin, hence 'joy to the world'.
That joy isn't Santa, it's Christ.
Still, who am I to spoil the mood for the festivities eh? After all, I enjoy walking about the gingerbread houses setup at shopping malls, looking at children playing and laughing amongst the Christmas tree, artificial snowflakes and having their photos taken with Santa and his reindeer.
Let children be children, I'd say.
If asked what sort of Christmas would be the most perfect for me, I'd say the chance to travel back some 2000+ years into the past, to the barn where a little child is sleeping in heavenly peace in a crib beside his mother and foster father amongst the sheep and donkeys.
Nothing in the modern era will ever surpass this experience.
25 December 2007
3 December 2007
What was that?
It was the second visit in which my cousin had made back to Malaysia ever since taking up a job with a software firm in Singapore. He had much to pack and move out of his room so had to make several visits before it's all over.
As usual I picked him up from Puduraya at the ungodly hour of 3.00 am on Saturday morning and there goes, our crazy sleepless hours all the way until noon or so. The usual programme is to make a trip to Klang for bah kut teh or the laksa shop as my cousin regain the taste that is 'food' after the ordeal of some rather ... 'tasteless' and 'crappy' food in the island republic.
Don't ask me why or spam me for writing this but having first hand accounts of cuisine from both sides of the Causeway allow him the freedom to judge on something that is close to his heart (or stomach), concluding that 'the food sucks'.
The nasi lemak in SS25 (26? I can't ever get the Sections in PJ right) were a godsend, I'd imagine to him. I had two good cups of teh tarik in an effort to stay awake. Sufficed to say it helped kept me up for the entire day!
Still, the most unusual thing to happen on what was a routine pack and move day(s) occurred at 6:30am when we were both talking in his rented room in Kelana Jaya. As usual we do the usual rubbish and exchanged stories (mostly from him) while the packing was done, when suddenly we stopped.
Our heads turned sharply to the direction outside his door and towards the staircase.
It was clear enough that he and I both noticed the same thing - the rather feminine or childish voice of a giggle as if laughing together with him and I about a joke.
Our conversation carried on with me looking at him pretending that nothing had happened while he looked for a while there, before continuing. I was already feeling somewhat uneasy (compounded by the ... motion passing that I was holding back for a bit), so I left to look for a petrol station to relief myself.
Why the petrol station? Many reasons, one being that there aren't any toilet paper left and the second being that I don't want to stay in the room by myself behind a closed door.
And that wasn't the first time, he said...
As usual I picked him up from Puduraya at the ungodly hour of 3.00 am on Saturday morning and there goes, our crazy sleepless hours all the way until noon or so. The usual programme is to make a trip to Klang for bah kut teh or the laksa shop as my cousin regain the taste that is 'food' after the ordeal of some rather ... 'tasteless' and 'crappy' food in the island republic.
Don't ask me why or spam me for writing this but having first hand accounts of cuisine from both sides of the Causeway allow him the freedom to judge on something that is close to his heart (or stomach), concluding that 'the food sucks'.
The nasi lemak in SS25 (26? I can't ever get the Sections in PJ right) were a godsend, I'd imagine to him. I had two good cups of teh tarik in an effort to stay awake. Sufficed to say it helped kept me up for the entire day!
Still, the most unusual thing to happen on what was a routine pack and move day(s) occurred at 6:30am when we were both talking in his rented room in Kelana Jaya. As usual we do the usual rubbish and exchanged stories (mostly from him) while the packing was done, when suddenly we stopped.
Our heads turned sharply to the direction outside his door and towards the staircase.
It was clear enough that he and I both noticed the same thing - the rather feminine or childish voice of a giggle as if laughing together with him and I about a joke.
Our conversation carried on with me looking at him pretending that nothing had happened while he looked for a while there, before continuing. I was already feeling somewhat uneasy (compounded by the ... motion passing that I was holding back for a bit), so I left to look for a petrol station to relief myself.
Why the petrol station? Many reasons, one being that there aren't any toilet paper left and the second being that I don't want to stay in the room by myself behind a closed door.
And that wasn't the first time, he said...
25 November 2007
Full Of Pride
I really am.
Watching our lil' Wong Mew Choo defeat former world champion and current #1 ranked woman's badminton player, at their own home was a feeling that I've not felt for so long.
The last time I cheered like crazy after a nail-biting sporting match was when Liverpool sent Chelsea out in the semifinals of the 2006 Champions League competition. I remember jumping the same way up and down when Dirk Kuyt put in the winner as I did when Mew Choo hit the winner.
She worked hard and patiently built her game. At times all hope was down as she trailed 2 - 12 in the second set and lost badly. I thought it might be one Chinese too far but I was glad she didn't agree.
Go on and make us prouder, WMC.
8 November 2007
Wind of Change
Ever go wake up in the morning and think, "Gosh, I need a change" ?
I'm quite the creature of routine and freedom (what a contradiction), meaning that I like to have the days and the week pass by without changing too much, in which that I then get to have lots of time to whatever I want. I'm simply one of those people who looks to have time to himself to do whatever he feels like doing, be it hibernate in bed, pick up a book, do gardening, learn a foreign language etc.
I could get upset if this freedom is somewhat blocked or taken away, but usually it's due to unavoidable circumstances such as work. Well, it's normally work. But that's beside the point.
Working like a bee during weekdays make it difficult to find time for oneself as I am one of those who needs lots of 'recovery time' ie. some quiet moments in the evening to cool down before it starts all over again in the next day.
Hence my unwillingness to fill up most of this time with itineraries that would take up too much time to travel, too much noise, too many people etc. I save all that for the weekends when there's more time.
Sometimes I wonder why do I look forward so much to this free time? I mean it's a normal thing to want time off after work but I am the happiest when I get the time to do what I want.
Still, sometimes I feel that this must change - I must want to do many things during this free time and yet not dread it when it ends. I mean the weekends do come as they are without fail unless the world ends before then, but the feeling of it ending is almost always that of looking forward to the next one.
I mean what's wrong with the weekdays?
I seriously don't know why.
I just want to go to sleep knowing that I have enjoyed the day, but the thought of tomorrow stays in the head always.
I have always - in fact, just an hour earlier to my friend's dad - told people to take things one day at a time. Nobody knows what will happen next.
Perhaps some change will be good. What sort? Let's just see.
I'm quite the creature of routine and freedom (what a contradiction), meaning that I like to have the days and the week pass by without changing too much, in which that I then get to have lots of time to whatever I want. I'm simply one of those people who looks to have time to himself to do whatever he feels like doing, be it hibernate in bed, pick up a book, do gardening, learn a foreign language etc.
I could get upset if this freedom is somewhat blocked or taken away, but usually it's due to unavoidable circumstances such as work. Well, it's normally work. But that's beside the point.
Working like a bee during weekdays make it difficult to find time for oneself as I am one of those who needs lots of 'recovery time' ie. some quiet moments in the evening to cool down before it starts all over again in the next day.
Hence my unwillingness to fill up most of this time with itineraries that would take up too much time to travel, too much noise, too many people etc. I save all that for the weekends when there's more time.
Sometimes I wonder why do I look forward so much to this free time? I mean it's a normal thing to want time off after work but I am the happiest when I get the time to do what I want.
Still, sometimes I feel that this must change - I must want to do many things during this free time and yet not dread it when it ends. I mean the weekends do come as they are without fail unless the world ends before then, but the feeling of it ending is almost always that of looking forward to the next one.
I mean what's wrong with the weekdays?
I seriously don't know why.
I just want to go to sleep knowing that I have enjoyed the day, but the thought of tomorrow stays in the head always.
I have always - in fact, just an hour earlier to my friend's dad - told people to take things one day at a time. Nobody knows what will happen next.
Perhaps some change will be good. What sort? Let's just see.
6 November 2007
Feeling Lighter
"You're thinner!".
I've heard that more often than not ever since I was discharged from the hospital in September for a mild attack of dengue. That six days from which I endured cold and hot fever, aching muscles and crappy food tastes saw me drop a whopping 9kg!
I didn't quite regain my appetite until about a month later and even that didn't quite restore me to my *akhem* normal weight.
I've just started on my new job at the HQ in a personnel transfer practice and had been eating less, not feeling much of an appetite during lunch and dinner.
That could be a good sign though - I should keep maintaining the habit of just eating enough and not too much to let it drop until a good level.
The problem though, all the flab from the skin ain't gonna disappear just like that.
Can't wait to do badminton again next year.
I've heard that more often than not ever since I was discharged from the hospital in September for a mild attack of dengue. That six days from which I endured cold and hot fever, aching muscles and crappy food tastes saw me drop a whopping 9kg!
I didn't quite regain my appetite until about a month later and even that didn't quite restore me to my *akhem* normal weight.
I've just started on my new job at the HQ in a personnel transfer practice and had been eating less, not feeling much of an appetite during lunch and dinner.
That could be a good sign though - I should keep maintaining the habit of just eating enough and not too much to let it drop until a good level.
The problem though, all the flab from the skin ain't gonna disappear just like that.
Can't wait to do badminton again next year.
1 November 2007
Battery Water
I was possibly too blurred to know better then, about two hours after I came home from starting my first day at the new office*, that I pumped RM40 worth of petrol at the Mobil station in SS14. In the process I bought a banana shortcake and a bottle of battery water.
It might not sound any weird or so, but the fact goes that the eagerness to go home must have overwhelmed me. Or the possibility that I was too tired from the journey to Cheras from Subang, to and fro?
Indeed, so much so until I actually forgotten that my car battery was maintenance-free.
Yeah.
* Transferred to the HQ and was on the first day at work. Met quite a lot of new people, especially some whom I have heard of but have never actually met during my stint at the subsidiary.
It might not sound any weird or so, but the fact goes that the eagerness to go home must have overwhelmed me. Or the possibility that I was too tired from the journey to Cheras from Subang, to and fro?
Indeed, so much so until I actually forgotten that my car battery was maintenance-free.
Yeah.
* Transferred to the HQ and was on the first day at work. Met quite a lot of new people, especially some whom I have heard of but have never actually met during my stint at the subsidiary.
30 October 2007
Humanity On Trial
Bali bombers say ready for firing squad
It's hard to turn the other cheek when you read such stories on the news. You could only shake your head and wonder if this is a preview to life in the future - one lacking in tolerance and ruled by vigilante justice.
Thanks to people like them, the anti-religious groups have even more reason to think that religion is the reason for all the suffering in the world and faith in God is a fallacy.
My Muslim friends had always commented on initiating bombings and killing, "They are not fighting the way the religion allows it - the holy book mentioned about sparing the children and women from war, but what these people do would kill them anyway. Cowards - go and attack the US or Israeli Forces, not the people around you who don't know better".
Not one for capital punishment, I don't think execution is the best punishment for this crime against the innocent. It only takes a few seconds to die and it will mean nothing to one actively seeking it.
Yet, one with no remorse may waste all the time of the ones who must care for him and become an inspiration to those who are seeking to emulate him. This is not such a good thing either.
You may be going to heaven, fellas, but you're still a murderer.
It's hard to turn the other cheek when you read such stories on the news. You could only shake your head and wonder if this is a preview to life in the future - one lacking in tolerance and ruled by vigilante justice.
Thanks to people like them, the anti-religious groups have even more reason to think that religion is the reason for all the suffering in the world and faith in God is a fallacy.
My Muslim friends had always commented on initiating bombings and killing, "They are not fighting the way the religion allows it - the holy book mentioned about sparing the children and women from war, but what these people do would kill them anyway. Cowards - go and attack the US or Israeli Forces, not the people around you who don't know better".
Not one for capital punishment, I don't think execution is the best punishment for this crime against the innocent. It only takes a few seconds to die and it will mean nothing to one actively seeking it.
Yet, one with no remorse may waste all the time of the ones who must care for him and become an inspiration to those who are seeking to emulate him. This is not such a good thing either.
You may be going to heaven, fellas, but you're still a murderer.
28 October 2007
Wannabe MKIII
It's hard to put in an effort for a blog when you don't have things to talk about regularly. I suppose it's up to the kind of things that interests you, ranging from the thought provoking such as commentary of daily events to the absurd ie. the plate of rice you had yesterday.
To be honest I don't know what I'm aiming at - I've always been fascinated by column inches presenting well thought out life's musings whilst sounding funny. The only difference is that my life is rarely that exciting thanks to my nature of shunning the loud for peace & quiet.
So what do I want to achieve from this restart of this blog?
Some people keep blogs as a personal journal, others as their means of seeking attention whilst the rest just have too much time in their hands.
Maybe I'm one of everything.
To be honest I don't know what I'm aiming at - I've always been fascinated by column inches presenting well thought out life's musings whilst sounding funny. The only difference is that my life is rarely that exciting thanks to my nature of shunning the loud for peace & quiet.
So what do I want to achieve from this restart of this blog?
Some people keep blogs as a personal journal, others as their means of seeking attention whilst the rest just have too much time in their hands.
Maybe I'm one of everything.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)