my birthday

Last Saturday was my day, and it was perfect. Nothing could have made it better, and I've my darling partner to thank for that.
I had a '2-day-before-birthday' present given me on Thursday. "To wear to dinner on your birthday," he said.
My day started with me receiving a bouquet of 2 dozen red roses, delivered to me at my door step.
Lunch was at a quaint little Hainanese restaurant in PJ SS2, and pampering soon after in the form of a long massage at a Thai reflexology place, also in SS2.
Short nap when we got back home, so I'm more rested for a romantic dinner that night, which I thought was the plan for the evening.
Got dressed later that evening and we're off to dinner.

Walked into the restaurant, TJ Haus in Subang.. and WHOA!... what do I see?
I see many, many faces, of friends and family, looking at me, grinning widely, and as soon as I stepped in, they stood and started to sing 'Happy Birthday', in one voice, clapping along, all well orchestrated!
My partner had planned a surprise birthday party for me!!!

I don't think I can fully describe how I felt that moment, when I realised what was happening, when I realised that the night was my surprise birthday party, put together by my partner, with the aid of those friends and family members who were present that night.
Silly me started crying... but I really can't help that. I cry when I'm overwhelmingly happy too. Of course I did eventually stop after pulling myself together.

That was my first surprise party, and only I hope, for this year's birthday has particular significance to me, and I'd like for this event to mark that significance. I was happy, and am still happy. I'm uplifted, just thinking about the party, that incredible night, when I felt extra extra special.

bbq by the pool

A bunch of us got together for a poolside barbecue, to celebrate the recent 'full moon' festival. There was great food and of course, plenty of drinks.

We had this by the pool at a friend's condo.

The party started off with everyone being perfectly proper, but naturally as the drinks kick in... the real fun begins.

Funny and unfunny jokes, hearty laughter, silly teasing, and a few guys being unceremoniously thrown into the pool. But it was all done in truly good and easy fun.

We did create quite a ruckus and in doing so, got the attention of other non-participating residents, who no sooner did alert the guards, who came after us with a stern warning to keep things down.

We did however managed to continue partying for a good one hour or so afterwards simply by coaxing the guards with some cans of beer.

Oh how easy that was! Drinks, kept to a decent dosage.. do help so much!

pretty in salwar kameez

I'm feeling so feminine and sweet today, dressed in a salwar kameez. I'm meeting my Muslim work friends to give them Ramadhan goodies, and thought that being in a traditional attire would convey respect.
This one was tailored in Rajasthan India, and what an impeccable job they did! One can't get this type of quality tailoring here.

Hmmmm... Regal Rajasthan with its beautiful palaces and colourfully dressed people and herds of camels by the roadside and intricately woven and designed fabrics, and proud proud locals.

rushdie wonder

He is an incredibly talented storyteller, that Salman Rushdie. I just finished one of his books. Read Midnight Children last year, another this year (finished it over the last weekend, the book was a Valentine gift), and have one more, Shalimar The Clown, which I'll put off till next year, when I'd be ready again to take on Rushdie. That's how it feels like when I embark on reading his work, something to 'take on'. I've got to psyche myself to face a twisted, mind-boggling, wow ride of a read.

I shan't try to be a book reviewer for I don't think I know how to do that, but in my own simple words, I'd best describe his work as a true challenge to read. My Dad aptly said of him, ".. if we find him a tough read, we're perhaps not ready intellectually to read him." Yes, he could be right.

Rushdie demands all of you, his narrations are intense, he commands your fullest attention, stray for a moment and you'd have to re-read some passages to understand what he's saying, to not miss the least bit of his creativity. His stories are multifaceted and the characters, colourful and vast. And he doesn't care to make it easier for the reader by giving his characters simple names. His work is staggering brilliance.

Sir Salman Rushdie is a genius.. and that's putting it mildly.

reckless riding

My friend was telling me about his friend who works in Singapore, commutes using a motorcycle.
His bike had skidded and he fell, hurting himself and damaging the bike. No major injuries, fortunately.
The police is on location immediately, and... he gets a summons.. for reckless riding! Ever heard of anything like this?
But of course it's got to happen in Singapore, where else?
I was tickled silly when I heard this!
Funny or not, kudos to Singapore for their renowned Singaporean efficiency!
Malaysian leaders should wake up and learn a thing or two, or plenty, from this tiny neighbour of ours!

multiracial no more

We've got leaders who don't think before they speak, if they do ever think at all. They're known for their derogatory, offensive, dumbass statements more than for anything else. Either insult and question the non-Malays or hurl insults at the women folk, these seem to be the favourite agenda when on speaking assignments. Or are they just so dense that they don't know what else to say?

I try to recall something constructive and smart uttered by these people (the said leaders) who've parked themselves in privileged positions, secure in the knowledge that the leader of the pack is no smarter than them; and absolutely nothing comes to mind. Their words are either atrociously hateful, e.g. 'pendatang', or violently chauvisnistic, e.g. 'women ask to be raped'. Or they just go round and round the mulberry bush, i.e. say a mumbo-jumbo of words that don't actually communicate anything intelligent or conclusive.

The latest is non-Malays being called 'pendatang'. This prompts me to imagine a Malaysia that's non multiracial and multicultural. Imagine a Malaysia without Indians and Chinese and Punjabis and every other non-Malay race. Imagine a Malaysia without Christmas, Chinese New Year, Wesak, Diwali. A Malaysia with only one language. A Malaysia with only one colour, with no Temples and Churches, with only one type of cuisine (for imitated Chinese, Indian and other cuisine don't equate authenticity). Imagine living one's days at work and with friends and neighbours and while out anywhere, surrounded only by the one's own ethnic race, the only race left here.

Not a pretty picture at all, it'll be a very sad little country.
I'd wan't my Malay, Chinese, Indian, Punjabi friends with all their cultures and everything that's them. I want them all.

a microwave meal

Piping hot and delicious and it took my partner just 15 minutes to prepare, from the cutting and chopping, to the washing up. He's quite the expert at maximising the uses of our microwave and creative too. He's whipped up some yummy microwaved meals before, but yesterday's chicken casserole tops the lot, thus far that is, for I know there are more varieties in store.

Last nights dinner was chunks of boneless chicken, cubes of potatoes, peas, green pepper, onions, in a rich black soya sauce; and bread to soak it all up with. It was really good - light (dinner like a pauper, we're trying to subscribe) and filling, and being the darling that he is, he made sure too that there was no cleaning up for me to do!
I'm such a lucky girl!

there's no substitute to swimsuits

It's just not right, substituting proper swim wear for casual shorts and track-pants and t-shirts; and behaving like it's perfectly acceptable!! It's an annoying sight and it ruins the whole 'holidaying by the pool' scene.

This is what I had to put up with recently during my Kuantan weekend. In fact, I've had to tolerate this nonsense at every one of my beach holidays here in this country - with the exception of Berjaya Tioman, where I had seen the pool staff actually confronting such senseless guests.

There'd be this huge signboard showing what a proper swim wear is, both for women and men, yet so very many people, locals of course, totally ignore this requirement. More peeved I am with the hotel management for not ensuring that patrons do adhere.
The idiocies we have to live with!

browner than brown

That's my colour, after my Merdeka weekend in the sun in Kuantan.
I spent my time by the beach, frolicking in the sea and lounging by the pool.
One would wonder why, when my original colour is already a tan; but try as I might, and I don't really try that hard, I just can't stop myself from basking by the pool when I'm on a seaside holiday.

I don't care to stay out of the sun, I don't care to pick out a swimsuit that minimises skin exposure, and if I feel like getting into the waters for a swim, I'll just do it, even at the expense of getting burnt in the scorching heat.
It's just way too much fun!
Even when knowing that I'll always always chide myself afterwards, for being so carefree.
Which is precisely what I've been doing since yesterday, everytime I look at myself in the mirror, and as I administer creams and oils to my sun-bruised skin.

Oh well... I'll look myself again.. soon... in time to plan for my next beach retreat.

a Thailand affair

I love Thailand. It's my favourite country. I can't fault it even if I tried.
(I'm intrigued by Moscow/Russia and Germany too but I've not been there yet...)

My first Thai experience was Haadyai; it was fun, a group of us by bus from KL. But my love affair with Thailand started when I went to Bangkok on a work trip. We stayed at the plush Metropolitan Hotel, and when my sponsored days were over, we moved to the much more affordable Siam Regency hotel.

We took a cab from Met to Regency. It was drizzling. On arrival, I went to take my luggage from the taxi booth while my partner settled the cabbie fare. As I was lugging at my bags, a guy on a bike stopped nearby, moved his bike away from the traffic, came up to me and started pulling out my bags. I panicked! I thought I was being robbed in broad daylight, in the midst of high traffic!

Fortunately my partner got to me before I could cause a commotion and being one who has a lot more faith in mankind than I do, he assured me that that man was actually just helping us. In my panic I hadn't noticed that the man had gestured towards the sky (indicating rain), towards the luggage and the walkway (indicating offer to help); and more importantly his facial expression - friendly, warm. He was no young lithe fellow and he couldn't have gone far with our bulky stuff - and silly me hadn't thought of all this either. This stranger was simply helping us, simply being hospitable. I've never experienced anything like it.

We went exploring later that day. Map in hand, very touristy in appearance, looking lost. A guy stepped up to us and asked us, "Where you wanna go?!!". We told him, he gave us clear directions and sent us on our way. I thought this too was incredible. We didn't ask for help and he didn't have to approach us. But he did come up to us and small though the act might be for him, it did wonders on my impression of Thailand.

These are just two fond memories I have of the country/people; I've got plenty more from visits to ChiangMai and Phuket. It is my belief that Thais are generally warm kind hospitable unprejudiced people, and so, the ongoing unrest in Thailand, the state of emergency in Bangkok, do very much trouble me. Thailand, for me, is a land of peace, and the people deserve nothing less than just that - peace and stability.