Statistics

Apparently, if we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following:

There would be-

* 57 Asians and 21 Europeans
* 8 would be Africans
* 52 would be female, 48 male
* 30 would be white, 70 non white
* 80 would live in substandard housing
* 6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth
* 70 would be unable to read, 50 would suffer from malnutrition
* 1 would be near death, 1 would be near birth
* 1 (yes, only one) would have a college education
* 1 (yes, again only one) would own a computer

Random thoughts

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* Met Zee after ages....her love story is never ending...feel sorry for her but ugh....

* Also went for King Kong....quite a dissapointment actually.Was 2 hours into the show and they still hadn't caught King Kong....I was like what the heck, my bladder is full already!!Highlight of the show was King Kong and T-rex having a go at each other!Most disgusting part of the show....monstrous insects and...were they leeches??....ugh!

* Bought a nice new handbag.....and now for shoes to go with it :)

* Heard from Fahim after ages...gone are the days when we used to write pages and pages of mail to each other!Why do we have to grow up??

* Really looking forward to that trip to Goa with Raj(hopefully Teena and Arpana could make it too!) and meeting Farah in Pakistan.Also meeting up with Shafaat!!

* Miss Mom and Dad tons at times....It's sad to see them aging out.Then again living on my own does have its benefits....Mom can't breathe down my neck whenever she wants to!

* Elene sent this guy, Liam from Glasgow over for an externship at our hospital....he's such a hoot!!Wow....lunch hour is so much more fun and edible..."Stiff upper lip!" and tartan skirts!

* Am 30!!Unbelievable!

Profound shopping experience

Went shopping the other day with a friend of mine.
While she was trying out some clothes I was standing near the fitting rooms.I noticed a couple walking in and while the girl took some clothes in to try out, the guy stood with me and smiled at me a couple of times.I told him he must have a lot of patience shopping with women to which he just shrugged and rolled his eyes and smiled some more.
Then the girl opened the door of her room and then began a very intense and interesting conversation about the outfits....and the whole conversation was going on quietly with very rapid movements of the hands and fingers!
I realized then that either both of them or one was deaf/dumb(hearing/verbally impaired if i want to be politically correct!).
Both of them then turned to me and asked me in a sign language that I could understand, for my opinion.To which I promptly pointed out to the maroon and the chocholate coat and both of them beamed at me and seemed to agree!
It made my day!
Got me thinking how difficult it must be to have a handicap like that and still lead a normal life.Even to have someone special who understood and accepted you for who you are no matter the handicap.
I got myself a book which was written by a deaf and dumb author that day......have just started it but I already find it very moving and profound....Some excerpts from the book:

I walk in dreams. I rely on a vibrating clock to get up in the mornings and I stay up at the night when I cannot follow the day's discussions and must rely on myself to study. In twenty-four hours I start and end the day differently while adapting myself to your world.

If I could take the boors of society into my life for a day, I would stop the deaf from being mistreated mocked every day.

If I could show the world the adversity we face every day, the world would gain a newfound respect for the courage of the deaf.

If I could show you all that I have faced, the discrimination and prejudice, you would begin to see me in a different light.

The 21st century world is full of promise for people from all walks of life, deaf and hearing alike. But the deaf community will always walk in dreams until the world acknowledges their existence and importance in creating a better society for everyone.

I walk in dreams

The irony of it.....

Well, this isn't funny and in fact am really upset it happened to me.....but I can't help feeling so ridiculous that it ever happened at all!
Realized yesterday that my licence had actually expired about 2 weeks ago (yeah...been bravely driving with that and if at all a cop had stopped me...which has happened to me a couple of times, I'd quickly whip out my Doctor's ID card which I always have in my car and get away with it!)....
So anyways asked my colleague to cover me this morning and was on my way to get it renewed when this dumbass came and knocked my car....and it wasn't just a simple dent, my whole front passenger seat door caved in!Mind you this whole scenario took place just outside the hospital!The guy wanted to settle it out and not involve the cops but I was like no way!Then again I remembered that my licence had already expired and I would be in hot soup if the traffic cops came or if we went to the cops to report it.But I'd need to get a police report for my insurance claim......Imagine my predicament!
So this wierdo for some reason just wanted my phone number and took off as soon as he could...I could only come to the conclusion that he probably didn't have a licence either or that he was running away in a stolen car!
Whatever!
So I rushed off and got my licence renewed and then went to the cops and reported the crash....he looked at me funny at one point when he skimmed through my licence but I just put up the sorriest and the most pathetic expression ever that I could muster.I guess it worked in my favour cause then we both quickly went through the whole ordeal and he even asked me out for a drink!
I guess I have to be thankful that nothing really happened to me and even though it's gonna cost me (the car!)....it's a lesson learnt for me....never procastinate things till last minute(I'm a champion in that!).

Me with my pet!

Ms Sagittarius

Okay so normally I don't bother with the star signs etc.
But since I would be hitting the big 30s soon,
I thought i should give this a read:

She's a straight shooting rebel who's always looking for the next adventure.She's smart, loves studying stuff that interests her but her relaxed attitude can often let her down and she tends to ignore routine and authority.

The tomboy of the signs, Miss Sagittarius loves the outdoors with the chance to travel as much as she can. She emanates a positive air and has a lot of energy to burn and dislikes getting into a routine; often she will have a list of things she wants to do before she will consider settling down.

Positive, free and easy she may be, even a flirt at times (although she does not even notice!) Miss Sag is very loyal in love, just as long as she does not feel fenced in; never try to clip this beautiful butterfly's wings or she may just hop over the fence to try a different garden.

She's impossible because she's easily distracted and will change her plans at the last minute and is slack at returning calls.Has no patience for whingers or shy people who won't ask for what they want.

Hmm....interesting.....

Pink Panther!

Came back from work to find a parcel for me!
A complete DVD set of Blake Edward's Pink Panther from Avi all the way from Glasgow!Christmas is still a month away but am not complaining....
Although there are no funny one liners, Peter Seller's riotous perfomance makes it so hilarious!
Henry Mancini taps his baton on the podium and the jazz band begins to play.....I do not even like jazz yet I practically worshipped the soundtrack as a kid.

Lewellyn and Lovelyn!

Was a lovely day at work where everything just clicked!
And I actually met a surgeon called Lewellyn and a little girl called Lovelyn!
Strange but true.....

Muiz

Muiz, our ex-prem Downy with multiple complications since birth came back one day after we discharged him from the SCN.
The fact is, no matter how much we teach and train the parents in the end their care could never be as good as the nurses' especially with their jobs,other kids and other commitments.
So, he's back and he's terribly sick again.....poor darling.....he's so cute.
Don't know if he is going to make it this time.

"My Way"

It was a wierd day of swapping lyrics and 'singing' songs via e-mails....
Just wanna share excerpts from one of my all time favorites by Frank Sinatra....
(While chomping on pancakes with ooodles of maple syrup on it , of course!.....)

"Regrets, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all, when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all and I stood tall and did it my way....."

Thundercats!

Ended up having a 'deep' conversation about how cartoons affected our childhood and developing years.
I seriously think all the Japanese animation these days are crap!
We had the best cartoon period ever- 'Smurfs', 'The Care Bears', 'Jem', 'Voltron',and who could ever forget 'The Thundercats'??
One of the best cartoon series ever!
For old time's sake, "Thunder....thunder.....thunder.....thundercats!!!"

Helpless...

Dad's health is giving him problems again....and worrying us all no end!But it really is no use being a doctor or even having 2 docs in the family when 'The Don' refuses to listen to anyone really......just feel like pulling my hair out sometimes but even that wouldn't help!Aaaaaarrrghhhhhh!!!!!(had to let off steam somewhere!)

To tame the bird flu

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The jury is still out.No one knows whether the increasingly threatening bird flu will ultimately hit humans in China in the wake of three major eruptions among poultry in the country within a month.
But we, the rest of the world, must make the best preparations for the worst case scenario.
As with SARS, avian flu respects no borders.Close global cooperation is a precondition for bringing an epidemic under effective control.

To marry or not to marry....

Was at my aunt's place the other day visiting for Eid.As always when there are family get togethers like this, invariably the topic swings in the direction of upcoming weddings and matchmakings waiting to be made since most of my cousins are all in their twenties now.

So anyways I found out that one of my guy cousins in India would be getting married soon.This is a guy who depends on his Dad's wealth to keep him going ; though he thinks and calls himself a devout muslim, I know at one time he's tried almost everything under the sun....(well, people change for the better so I have to keep my mouth shut here!)and he thinks he's ready to have a wife and a family.
As simple as that!And his parents have found him a girl whom they think would be suitable for him......actually they found a couple through various means and he got to pick whom he wanted!

I just find it mighty amazing that somebody like him is going to be settling down soon.....to what I wonder!!If I were in his shoes, I'd worry about standing on my own two feet first and then worry about making my spouse miserable.But some of my family members think in fact this is a blessing in disguise for him as this would make him more responsible and would mend his ways.HOW???!!!!It's not logical!

The funniest thing though was that most of the objections were from us, the girls while my other male cousins mostly just kept defending him somehow...now I don't know if it's a male solidarity thing but come on....you gotta put yourself in the girls' shoes too.I mean what kind of life would she have living with someone like that?(Though it's a different story that her family and the girl herself know what they'd be getting into!!)

Moral of the story is.....people marry for the wrong reasons these days....pressure be it social/family and ideologies have gone for a toss.It is true in a way that our parents had it a lot easier when things and relationships weren't so complicated.When marriage, having a family, buying properties, educating the young ones and retiring to a good life with the wife was the norm and not divorce,infidelity,job insecurities,worrying about having how many kids,saving enough for the retirement home etc.....

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!

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"Maaf Zahir dan Batin".
My friend Linda said it well,

"Ampun dan maaf andainya,
Terkasar bahasa,
Tersilap bicara,
Termarah yang tak kena,
Tertanya tak tentu hala,
Tersasul yang tak sengaja,
Terpukul kat mana-mana,
Terpekik di telinga,
Terhantuk di kepala,
Terpinjam harta benda,
Ter'moody' tak semena-mena,
Termacam-macam lagi yang kena-mengena....
Semoga dimaafkan!"

"And He gives you all that you ask Him: and if you count His favours,you will not be able to number them....."

Have a blessed EID everyone!

Shereen,Ferne and Faiza's miracle Baby!

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What an aweful week again!
We lost Hanis and Daniel......At least i strongly believe they've moved on to a better place devoid of daily suffering and may their souls rest in peace.
But in the midst of all the heartache, we actually had a miracle happen and our miracle baby is actually going home this weekend!
p/s: hope the above pix isn't disturbing to some of you.

Fasting and being on call!

Had a killer weekend!
The labour room kept calling to stand in for fetal distress like 6 times yesterday!I wanted to strangle Chew and Erica by the end of it...long story......anyhow, thank god none of the babies required intubation cause I didn't have anymore ventilators to spare in any case.
It was a very tiring especially with me fasting for the month of Ramadhan....somehow survived through it....all my babies are alive and kicking!
Sigh....back on call again come Monday!They are hell bent on me working my ass off for the rest of the year since I took some time off from work.....Can't wait for new years!
On a sad note....with the busy calls this week I've been completely oblivious to what's been happening around me in the world.May God bless everyone who has perished in the earthquake in South Asia.....

Building a nation Camp

the great outdoors!

Last 2 weeks were amazing!Good fun,great settings,brilliant company....lots of talented and amazing individuals!I hope we all came out as better individuals.....

Monsoon Wedding!

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Went to an Indian wedding after ages....i normally don't look forward to weddings but I couldn't miss this one as I've known Geet since we were 10!Missed most of the ceremonial stuff early in the wedding cause the idiots Dave and Bala took their own sweet time getting ready and we got lost and were going in circles (and forgot the invitation card where the directions were printed!)....Made it somehow in the end!
As usual an Indian wedding wouldn't be complete without a grand meal of exquisite Indian curry/Biryani!Great food Geety!And after the guests had all left we decided to have a late night drive and ice cream with the couple(us still clad in our sarees and Howard and Dave wearing Kurta....yeah the fools weren't goin on a honeymoon like normal people do (they've postponed it to december!).And then it started drizzling and we almost got drenched....ala hindi movies....we were just waiting for Geet and Howard to break into a song and run around trees!!
Good fun!

Surfing!

Vacation!

Darfur

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In Darfur, My Camera Was Not Nearly Enough

By Brian Steidle — Washington Post, Sunday, March 20, 2005

Sweet morsel of love

Man you've got to give it to him....Jami's Yusuf and Zulaikha was such a pure joy to read just for its delicious and beautiful prose.

"Lord, let a rosebud of hope blossom forth from eternal gardens, to grace my garden with its smile and send with its scent my senses into raptures.".....I become giddy just savouring that line!

"When a heart finds repose with the beloved how should it desire ever to be united with another?Do you ever see a moth flying for the sun, when all its hope lies in the candle flame?Once the waterlily has been caressed by the sweet warmth of the sun, will it ever show any interest in the moon?When a soul thirsts for a draught of clear water it has no use for sugar."
Yeah....i still haven't recovered from my cold as you can imagine!Only a flu and being woozy could reduce me to a romantic sucker!Well i am enjoying it while it lasts.....

FLU!

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Been seeing a lot of kids with common cold at the hospital/clinic lately....was just a matter of time before i caught the bug!ugh....
It's wierd how when one gets sick and is mostly bedridden, that's when the creative juices start to kick in.
Hadn't painted in ages and just had this sudden urge to get all my oil paints, brushes etc and start painting....did get everything out but realized that am out of turpentine at the moment and am toooo lethargic to go get one.
So read a book a while....some romance junk that my sis reads....bleagh....couldn't keep the eyes open...
Next alternative.....the internet!
Ah what would I do without it!
It almost makes up for not having mom around to baby me when I get sick!
So here I am....
..................okay creative juices drying up....

Green Day VS Andrea Bocelli

http://www.greenday.com/idiotclub/
http://www.andreabocelli.com/
My choice of music these days veers from the American Idiots to The man with the most beautiful voice in the world.....

BBQ-Malaysian style!

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With my 'oldest' buddy-Hooi Ling after the sailing trip, trying to soothe the sunburn with a latte and hot choc.

Tom Yum and Iced Tea

After roaming around aimlessly trying to check out 'The Great Malaysian Sale' which officially commenced today, was really dying to have something really spicy with something really cold!Chanced upon a new Thai restaurant....the thai food expert that i am...would only rate it at a mediocre 7/10.But nice place, and great ambiance....worth another visit.

The passing of a parent

How does one cope with the loss of a parent??
Especially if they were cruelly snatched by the jaws of death in a horrible and unexpected accident??
My thoughts and prayers are with the Rizvi family and especially Saif right now.
Though our lives have taken a different path and we've been out of touch, it was heartbreaking to know what he's going through right now.
Stand tall and be strong Saif....the legacy of your dad lives.....

events of the past week......

-PARTIED!!!!after ages!!....way to go Elene...we are HOT!Good fun, felt like 10 years younger!LOL!Oh, and the post party fun was
awesome..."noodles","bathrobe","gurney","King,"KL girls","Slippery Senoritas"
-...gotta stop living out of suitcases/backpacks etc..
-got a haircut after many moons....still hesitant about streaking them....my beloved jet black hair!
-should stop chewing gum all the time.
-got a juicer and 3 wall clocks as part of my parting gift from my old staff...is there a hidden message??
-Fawwaz and his thumb!
-TESCO at 12.30 am with an SUV packed with 7 cousins!
-webcam and......!!!!!Boy I hope I don't live to regret this!
-can't wait for my hols....NY here I come!
-PURPLE
-locums non stop..$$$$$...
-a date with Farah....("you ass....you owe me like 2 movies!!"....yeah right!)
-fried jackfruits....in season yummy!gotta have em every single day!
-oh...still hunting for Nihad's gift.....

What a day!

Met up with Marlene after years today!Seem to be doing that quite a bit these days....bumping into old mates and in turn getting to know again some of these people who probably sucked lollipop with me and made Sister Luke's life miserable when we were barely 4 feet tall!
Well, have just moved to a new place and all so it was good to see a familiar face even after like 12 years!
As it turns out she had to see a client after lunch and I didn't mind tagging along and before I knew it,I even managed to get a place to call my new home!(been looking for a place high and low last couple of days....)
Also my pal Marlene seems to be somehow amazingly in touch with Nora, Kerry, Gwen, Hanne, Chieh Lin, Raja, Chris etc....some of whom lived right under my nose in England!Gee....small world.....
Now looking forward to a reunion with Elene again after our last 'date' in Fulham last year post Wimbledon where we almost got mobbed by some hooligans....

Hassan Uncle

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"Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raaji'un"

At Afifah's birthday.

Good Doc/Bad Doc

With so much talk going on these days about doctors who do more harm than good thus effectively turning their back on their hippocratic oath,it really is a wonder if patients or a fellow colleague say a good thing or two about us!

It was a sad day for me today....not only do i leave a good fraternity behind to seek greener pastures, I also recieved news of the death of one of my little patients who wasn't so little.

The story of "J".......

He was a really chubby baby at birth what with the mother being a diabetic as well as being into her mid 40s.She had decided on conceiving another child after losing 3 kids to a fire disaster.So one could imagine what a precious baby "J" was.
He was so precious he was spoilt rotten and by the time our friend was 7 he was already weighing in at 80kgs!He had to have McD's BigMac TDS and could polish it off within minutes aided by a litre of Coke!

Last I saw him was 2 weeks ago...had come to me for severe sleep apnoea induced by extreme obesity....the child would fall asleep while talking to me, standing!
I knew he couldn't last long if he kept at it and adviced the mom to take him for an ENT follow up urgently for an immediate corrective procedure to at least aid his breathing.
Never heard from the Mom.
Until today.....

Was at the hospital clearing out my locker/finish some last minute paperwork/say goodbye to some of my favourite staffs when I saw the Mom sitting in my room in the clinic waiting to see me.

Her son had died a week ago.

She was surprisingly calm and collected though I could see in her eyes the pain and loss that she was going through....I couldn't control my own tears and anger when she related this to me:

She had gone to see the ENT dudes, and not only was the child ridiculed, they also implied that she hadn't done a good job of mothering.Subsequently the doc told her to go home and come back a week later with some dietary advice,medications for his worsening flu and to go back and see the pedaitrician (me!!)/Dietitian on some dietary advice(!!) as surely he could use some 'weight reduction'.

The kid didn't survive the night.

It makes one think.....when you have the power to improve something/do good and you just blow it...at the expense of another life....why be in this profession at all??
Honestly I don't think docs make as much money as they used to in the past (as compared to some of the other professions) so if they are in it for money....they are in the wrong place....
Glory??....wrong place again buddy!

Sigh....Well, at least I do know that "J" is in better hands now....

Happy Father's Day Pa!

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Pa, we miss you!
Hope you had a good day today.....
You're the best and we thank God every day for having you in our lives.
Love you always....
Faiza, Nihad, Yasmin and Fawwaz

Insomnia

Last night was just one of those where no matter how many times I tossed and turned my eyes just wouldn't stay shut!!
Some of the stuff that randomly crossed my mind:

-the glory days when i used to play basketball for my med school.
-partying in Goa.
-why people do the crazy things they do....like this one friend of mine who quit being a doctor just so he could dj at raves in Brazil!
-why don't i feel satisfied and thankful for what i have accomplished thus far??
-why people are sooooo selfish?
-why Asians couldn't be more like the Europeans or the Americans when it comes to generosity (personal experience!)?
-could i really get my hands on that new pair of trainers i have my eyes set on next week?
-the Thundercats (one of my fav cartoons i used to watch as a kid)
-where all would i have travelled to by now if i wasn't working and had the resources.
-why can't i make a kick ass apple pie???

Pigeons!

Met up with an old school buddy and her hubby yesterday....after almost 12 years!
Some people never change....that can be good sometimes :).She's now married to a British guy and living in Hong Kong.
The oddest thing though is how all of us flew away from 'home' to various places all over the world but something tangible always makes us want to return back to Asia.....hmm...brings to mind a homing pigeon....it is said that homing pigeons are able to find their way home even across hundreds of miles.Scientists think that they have 'Magnetites' within their brain that draws them or 'pulls' them home!

Goin out!After a horrible night of premature babies galore and ventilators going all awry, need to shop, shop and shop!

Mercy Malaysia

Healing across borders....
To the wounded we will help heal,
To the hungry we will help feed,
To the cold we will give our warmth,
Where there is Mercy there is hope.


Because the cry of children has no language
Mercy has no boundary.

Homesick!

Spoke to Mom and Dad today over the phone and felt kinda honesick afterwards....It used to happen a lot while I was still in Med School but not lately....oh well...
For some reason thought about the ferry rides i used to take when i was smaller when dad would take us across to the mainland where his office was.Good times...

ferry ride

Stay Gold!!!!

A friend actually typed that as a personal message after his name.
For the life of me i couldn't figure that out!
But how could i not????

"Nature's first green is gold,
her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leafs a flower,
but only so an hour.
So leaf subsides to leaf,
so eden sank to grief.
So dawn goes down to day,
nothing gold can stay...."

Quality Improvement Team

I'm still wondering how the hell did i get myself into this!!!
As if being a senior resident isn't bad enough, I have another headache to tide me over for the next 6 months.
I could curse the Americans/Japanese for reviving this crap all the way to the labour room and back to the neonatal intensive care and still wouldn't be able to get over my angst!
So anyways....am in it....and guess what...have been promoted to be the leader of the pack, lucky me....
By hook or crook i've gotta be prepared with my power point presentation on Thursday.
This is where my bro comes in....
Thank God for a 17 year old who's life revolves around playing computer games/PS2 games, whatever....he's nifty with computers.....now, just have to figure out a way to bully him into helping me out with my presentation.....sigh!
Maybe I have to get him that 'Half-life' game after all.....
And by the end of it.....I really hope the effort pays off (ie:it better look good on my resume!!!!)
Moral of the story:
a) not a good idea to join Government service- no matter which country UK/India/Malaysia
b) it pays to have a dorky brother.....better be nicer to him!
c) man...i'm just way toooo bored to be sitting and blogging this!

Steve McCurry's Afghan Girl

I finally got to watch the National Geographic's special edition of 'the search for the Afghan Girl'.
Was such a riveting documentary!
I still remember seeing the picture of 'the afghan girl' many years ago while i was still a kid flipping through dad's subscription of the National Geographic and being so struck by the vivid image of the girl.
Life had taken its toll on her beautiful features but at least she's still alive and well....

Saturday morning at 7.30am over the Penang Island bridge.Sunny and cloudy at the same time,the sea,the breeze....yummy....
Wish I could stay here forever!
Nothing really beats Penang.....hmmm...do I really want to go back to England for good to work??

Planning a Vacation

Well...soon it would be that time of the year for me......to let down my hair and have fun....sleep in late, see people i want to see and go to places i've always wanted to go.
But it's funny how no matter what i plan...sometimes, months in advance....things just never go the way i want it to.......
So here i am planning my holidays in August and already my aunt's sorting out things for me to lug halfway across the world to my cousin.And i told her i might be backpacking so only the barest of essentials in my luggage, please.....I fail to understand how homemade cookies, biscuits and some wierd looking kitchen contraption for another relative have made it to the category!And......my trip's still weeks away....i hate to think what else is in store for me!

Revenge of the Sith

Okay,okay...the much awaited movie of the year's out....and we couldn't get the tickets!!....darn!!Well, unfortunately none of us were 'jobless' enough to stand in the queue for weeks as some have.And despite the snickers and ridicules that was meted out at their expense, one couldn't help but feel the camaraderie among them...most of whom hardly knew each other and were just standing in for their friends or family for tickets.Too bad we couldn't get anyone to stand in for us despite having a huge fan following among my friends,family and colleagues AND not to mention being followers of Princess Leia's Legion of Donut Hair :)!Oh well.....we're hoping to see it finally on Saturday....Big Date with Darth Vader...ooooo....dreamy....!

Family Portrait

dad and mom

me and nihad

yasmin and nihad

fawwaz with yasmin

the ONION

America's finest news source!Check it out!

The Tao of Leadership

Had to sit through 2 hours of bullshit at work today....a talk on bribery....and we are supposed to spend quality time at work saving lives right....what a waste of time!!
The only thing i learnt was(thanks to the info board on my left which has since updated me on the going ons at the hospital!):

"Your behaviour influences others through a ripple effect.A ripple effect works because everyone influences everyone else.Powerful people are powerful influences.....Remember that your influence begins with you and ripples outward.So be sure that your influence is both potent and wholesome"

Hmmmm......something to think about.........

Langkawi Island

on a cable car in Langkawi Island.

Was looking through some pictures taken earlier this year when I was home for Chinese New Years holidays.Had taken a little trip to Langkawi Island after many, many years and i thought i'd post this picture as a reminder of the trip!

The end of an Era

Dang!Do i feel old!!
It was really cool to be single during the late teens and the early twenties cause it was 'daring' to be different and 'original'.And who had time for imbecilic/chauvinistic/boring guys anyways?!
But now that all my cousins are taking the bullet one by one, it no longer feels cool and man do i tend to feel left out?!
And recurring dreams about 'the bald one', 'the fat one' and 'the divorced one' being the only ones out there for me to pick from doesn't sit well with me......not that i have anything against those...just that when one dreams of prince charming they don't really imagine them with a paunch or receding hairlines!
Well anyways...i can't believe this but i've succumbed to some bullying and emotional blackmailing from the elders in the family and have agreed for some 'arranging'....ie) seriously consider some eligible bachelors from some good rishtay.....i wonder what's in store for me?!!
I really am going to miss the days when all of us (cousins) would organize a trip somewhere together, spend eid together, go out for late night suppers, talk crap, watch reruns of star wars, reminicse about the good old times when we lived as joint family, all those kiddie games we played, weekends at the beach.......ah well.....
Next time this year we are gonna have tons of 'new people' in the family...all the new spouses we have to tolerate :)!
Sigh.....I wish we were kids all over again......

prettier jootis!