Personal Space

Personal space is a very important thing that I had took for granted until recently.

Usually I come home from work, I will head for the shower or sofa and enjoy that "I am home" relaxing moment. Dinner will usually come later.

I have missed that quiet moment since my family came for a short stay last week. After I kicked off my shoes, i notice my mom was cooking in the kitchen, my brother is watching TV and my papa is occupying the bathroom. There was no place I could go to hide myself. There was a small sense of loss of personal space, somehow.

I'd always admire those people who can live with a lot of people in the house. How do they find their personal space ? Doesn't everyone need space ? Or is it considered a luxury ? I wonder ...

Some parents would be offended if their children is working in the same city and chose to get a place on their own; or at least I know mine would take it as a very serious personal insult. It takes time to learn to live on your own. Even two person living together requires some adjustment. More than two person living together .... hmmm.... that's tricky equation.

Of My Paranoia ....

I would like to think that most people have some sort of phobias of their own. That, somehow, makes me feel better.

Lift Phobia - After the last episode, I always quietly pray that the lift might not drop all the way down. Its a torture coz i gotta take lift to get home and gotta take lift to get to office. So the scare becomes a daily ritual.

Height Phobia -Afraid of heights since I was born. But its been improving since. I am now staying at high-rise building at 20th floor.

Needle Phobia - I would do anything to avoid the needles poking into my skin. The fear is worse than the pain. I remember feigning sick when the nurses came to school for German Measles jab during Standard 6. I told teacher I had fever. The happiness did not last, the subsequent week, the nurse and needles came again... and I was one of the few who had to get the jab over with. There was no running-away. Over the years I had 3 minor operations, try as I might, there was no running away. So I gotta grow up and face it.

Garbage Room Phobia - This is my latest phobia. I stay in a condo, and at every floor there is a Garbage Room. It is a small room located in front of the lifts and has a big, black garbage bin inside. We are suppose to throw our garbage bags inside. Everytime I push open the heavy door, I half expected to see someone .. a thief,addict, or some psycho fella hiding inside the little dark room. When I am certain there is no one else in the room, except me and the big bin, I proceed to lift open the big, bin lid. Another round of anticipation ... as I half-expected to see some gory thing inside. ( a result of watching too many horror movies ) So it is usually dump-and-run situation. Sure hate to take rubbish out.

Movie Review : The 11th Hour

I just finished watching The 11th Hour over the weekend. It was unlike any of the movies we watch at cinemas, its a documentary narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio. No wonder it did not made it to Malaysia cinemas... the cinema operators would be losing money coz its a pretty long and factful documentary, and there are too many people giving lectures.

Nevertheless, this is a good one that I would recommend everyone to watch. The first movie of this sort that I have watched was The Inconvenient Truth by US Former Vice President Al Gore. The 11th Hour is the second DVD that I watched relating to global warming and environmental crisis.

Its call the 11th hour bcoz human does not have much time left. I like the part where Leonardo says human tend to perceive events in a silo manner.. the Tsunami Disaster, Hurricane Katrina, and recently China's earthquake, Myanmar's Cyclone. Even Malaysia is no longer a safe haven with the recent earthquake at Tawau. All these are mere symptoms that our earth is sick, and something has to be done quickly.

The content is good, however it will be more effective if they film it like Armageddon kinda movie. In that way, the global warming disastrous effect will be better understood.

I particularly like the idea where every building must be self-sustainable, like a tree. A tree uses soil and sunlight to generate O2. Then when its leaf wither, it falls to the ground, and is absorb back by the tree as fertiliser. Similarly, each building must be like a tree. The future buildings must be able to generate energy from sunlight and wind or other renewable sources. Buildings would also have the ability to reuse waste and generate it back.

A very hopeful and interesting idea, dont you think so ?

Ever tried Aburaya Tama Go Kani ?

Ever try Aburaya Tama Go Kani ? Its somehow translated as Crab Egg on the label. Dont ask me why.

Plaza Damas do really have a lot of Japanese food, including one japanese food specialty shop. It was there I found this yummy, crunchy crab crackers.

On first look, these small little crabs are really too cute to be eaten. Can even see their little eyes. Isnt it cruel to eat them ?

I gather my strength, held my breath, close my eyes and finally find courage to pop one into my mouth. And then OMG.... its so so delicious. Its just like eating crab, just nicer and crunchier.
After the first one, just cannot stop. Japanese people are really good at making tasty food..... Should really try some day.

Trading friendship for money

Ever received those email from friends asking if anyone is interested to rent a room, rent a house or sell a house ? Guess many of us would have, at some time or other, received mails like these. Most of the time, I just forward along to more friends to spread the news.

This time around, I was at the other side of the river. I found myself to be the one drafting a email asking friends to fwd to anyone interested to buy my house. This is the first time I write such mails. Its really very sweet and nice to find that lots of your friends are very much enthusiastic in helping you to find a buyer. Most friends just forward along, and some of my good friends even add a personal note to help promote my house. Some replied mail asking for more details on the house. Sigh, these are the times when I think that friends are really important in life. Real touching ...

There are always surprises in life. One email I got was from my ex-housemate who lived with me for a few years. She matter-of-factly asked how much commission she would get if ever any of her friends seal the deal with me. I was first shocked. It sounded so distant, like a question from a stranger. She sounded like a housing agent. Then I was totally upset ! Is she asking for remuneration for something that can be done with just a click of the finger ? Then i realised that I was not her friend. I was just a prospect client who could bring her extra income. Sad, isnt it ? I was just a $$$ opportunity to her.

When one's value is messed up... one's perspective of life and friend become totally distorted. Would you trade friendship for money ?

Like Father, Like Son ?

How much does a son actually takes over his father's character ? Tonight i ponder uneasily on this question.

These kind of thoughts usually does not occured during dating time. Until you meet the family, get to know his family and then regretfully wonder if your hubby would turn out to be as bad as his father. It is like a horror movie unraveling when there are increasing signs that he seems to inherit the bad habits.

I remember in one of the Desperate Housewives episode where Susan Meyers found out that Mike's father is actually in prison for murder. She freaked out thinking about who the baby will takes after. Would Mike be a cold-blooded murderer like his father too ? No wonder in olden times, the Chinese actually checked the family's 18 generations ancestry before agreeing on a marriage. On hindsight, it is not without its own wisdom .

One does wonder and it is a nagging, troubling thing, really. Then again, these are private thoughts that should never be thought aloud, lest it triggers some irreversible damage on the relationship.

Skeletons around....

These kind of news, more often than not, arouses curiousity of concern citizens. Makes one wonder how big is the skeleton in the closet .... The more you try to hide, the more you fail to hide. I hope justice will come soon.....

The Star Online > Nation Wednesday May 7, 2008
Blogger Raja Petra taken to prison after declining bail on sedition charge
By M. MAGESWARI and MANJIT KAUR

PETALING JAYA: The editor of news portal Malaysia Today, Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin, claimed trial in the Sessions Court here to publishing a seditious article in its website on April 25 while businessman Syed Akbar Ali claimed trial to posting a seditious comment.
Raja Petra, 58, became the first blogger to be charged under the Sedition Act, making it a test case.
He is accused of publishing the article “Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to hell” in the website www.malaysia-today.net. The article is alleged to have contained nine paragraphs of seditious words.

© 1995-2008 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)

Subtle Change

There was much buzz and excitement about the new blogger on the street - CheDet

Dr M has always been a man who speaks his mind and now he speaks via his blog. Blogs are indeed changing the political landscape nowadays. Many politicians are jumping on this blogging bandwagon.

Someday from now, there will be a research paper to analyse how blogs came into the political world. Maybe even a degree course on Political Blogging subject. That should be very much interesting.

Getting to know ....

Citroen cars does not have good second car value, as I was told. I dont know much about cars, really. I got this 3-year car for half the original price the owner paid. Good thing he is a rich guy .... and was upgrading his car, and din mind much about it.

The coolest nice-to-have feature are the light sensor and rain sensor. Imagine you drive thru a tunnel and the headlamps gets switched on. When you are out, it off the lamp. Raining time, the wiper will detect the raindrops frequency and determine the wiper speed. Haha... kampung people like me who only use Proton and Perodua cars did not imagine that one day my car will have intelligent features like that .. haha. Overall, we are happy with our new toy.

We wanted a safer car, as we are travelling long distance more frequently now. The usual stuff like dual airbag, ABS.The Picasso has the ESP (Electronic Stability Program), it kinda automatically force change the gear to low gear when descending down a slope. The number of road accidents these days are getting scarier. But then again, safety comes with a price. The Citroen car may be cheap, but i have no doubt that the fuel and maintenance will be a costly one. The next car that I hope to buy is a environmental car like Toyota Prius. Hopefully, by that time, it will be affordable to man-on-the-street like us.

Years from now, will Proton still be surviving ? I wonder