Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Sense’ Category

Runaway Blues

Posted in Sense on December 8, 2008| 3 Comments »

I was at the kitchen counter when Ka Cher came in with the IKEA stool in one hand reporting, “I found your son climbing on this stool, shoes on and all, trying to get out of the house through the window!” I didn’t know whether to laugh at Edrick’s desperation to get out, to applaud at his ala MacGuyver’s smartness, or to cry at the thought that he was trying to run away from home!

.

Of course he was upset with Aunty Mas for failing his attempt to jump out the window. When I went to console my upset son, I somehow felt a rush of strange connection to the past. My past. And Ka Cher was there to share and connect them all: me, my son, my past and running away from home. I did, nonetheless, had a good laugh. Both at my son and myself, my past included.

.

I couldn’t blame Edrick for wanting to get out of the house in dire straits (probably not so much for running away – I did advise him to at least bring some change of clothes, food and umbrella if he were to run away! Or at least get fed beforehand, like I was by Ka Cher who fed me Bubur Kacang that one fateful evening back in 1979!)

.

It had been raining all morning. And we were all donned up in Raya clothes ready to cheer the world up. Anybody would have felt stranded given the situation, wouldn’t they? Well, we ended up not going anywhere anyway. I, for one, didn’t need to. All (except one) that I want, and all that fill my heart are right under my roof.

.

I’ll keep the stool out my son’s sight for now… and for the next 18 years.

.

.

.
.

Read Full Post »

Come Sit By Me

Posted in Sense on December 8, 2008| 1 Comment »

In this short but long journey of life
you swing you sway
you lose your way.

In this long but short trip of love
I strain I stray
yet I choose to stay.

Come sit by me
we swing the day
away.

* Enida
December 8, 2008
CH Kajang

Read Full Post »

To Know A Rose and To Keep A Tulip

Posted in Sense, tagged on December 7, 2008| 1 Comment »

Read this article forwarded by a member of Yasmin Ahmad’s Muallaf on Facebook today – to which my comment would just be, “Go make your own movie, Mr. Highandmighty.” I am not defending Yasmin Ahmad, nor am I in total disagreement with what’s written by Kamil Maslih and Arif Nizam Abdullah. But it is day and night between criticising constructively and finding faults endlessly. A critical mind is one that is able to come up with solutions prior to laying out flaws.

 

These journalists think that the movie had failed to portray the beauty of Islam. But they made no suggestions whatsoever on how THEY would do it or how it should’ve been done. I mean, if you have never seen a rose, you can’t expect it to look like a tulip, can you? And to reshape a rose to look like a tulip just because YOU can’t appreciate a rose…is downright bigoted.

 

Having said that, the beauty of God or faith is not to be portrayed and drummed about. It is to be shared as it is to be sought. What you can share and what you can find is very personal – between you and Him. If you can’t appreciate or share, and if you don’t like what others can, keep your opinion to yourself. Why bother sharing?

 

And since when did the Malaysian Muslim community appoint Kamil Maslih and Arif Nizam Abdullah to be their representatives who decide what movies are offensive and what not? And oh, hear this:

   

Barangkali bagi penonton di sana, tarikan utama Muallaf adalah kerana hampir keseluruhan dialog dalam filem itu menggunakan bahasa Inggeris.

 

My jaw dropped to the floor when I read this statement! If this was a joke, it wasn’t funny and these two reporters have just succeeded in making themselves the top two most un-funny clowns of the town!

 

What do you make out of this notion? That Singaporeans are so deprived of movies in English? That Singaporeans would not understand this movie if it was in full Malay/Chinese/Indian? That Singaporeans wouldn’t understand the English subtitles if it was in full Malay/Chinese/Indian? That Singaporeans don’t really care what Muallaf was all about – but because it is mostly in English, they watched it anyway?

 

You see why I read these newspapers once in two or three months at the very most? Because their reporters/journalists are so funny I am afraid I will be over-entertained and cannot stop laughing – not only at statements similar to above, but at their state of mind. Sorry state!

 

Read Full Post »

It’s A Long (Distance) Story

Posted in Sense on December 4, 2008| 2 Comments »

I so lah am going to blog about this okay. But I so lah damp damn exhausted also. How lah ever, I tell lah you…the poster in the photo is so lah not in Malaysia. And the movie in the poster is so lah not going to make it to our viewers at home. Never lah the less, it is so lah a good show, I am so lah going to ask Kak Yasmin if she can ship like 10 copies of the DVD to me once I berumahtangga in Mocsow and berjiran-tetanggakan agen-agen KGB serta Russian mafia. I bet you they so lah don’t mind who my God is and how I worship Him.

Mind my language. I should’ve just gone to bed.

Read Full Post »

Leave It Or Live It

Posted in Sense on November 29, 2008| 2 Comments »

After taking quite a bit of time drafting, deleting, writing and righting the thoughts of making an announcement…I decided to just say it as it is:

Lessons learned, changes needed and phases passed. We are leaving the country, moving to a bigger, more crowded and not necessarily better place – for the better future. Life was easy until we had to learn to handle crises. Hurt, we did and we were. But hurt was also the mistake we vowed not to make again. Effective communication, we found out, is the one-size-fits-all kinda solution. So we are wearing it now and forever more.

God is good.

Read Full Post »

All The Way Back

Posted in Sense on November 23, 2008| 3 Comments »

Kitreena was missing Daddy more than usual this morning.
She drew Daddy with some whiskers because it was Sunday.
Sunday is Daddy’s take-it-easy day – no shaving, no worries.
Daddy came home on November 4th after being away for four months.
Kitreena and Edrick are now counting sleeps until Daddy’s home again – for good, and the best.
Kitreena was busy drawing this afternoon when Mommy wrote this.

Dear Mom,
Your son has come home to his daughter and his son. My husband has returned to your daughter-in-law. Your youngest child and I had the longest talk ever in Bali where we let ourselves out and just be. Through and through, the more we got talking about the years of us not talking, the more we realized that love actually had always had us enwrapped in silence. No matter what happened and what was done in either anger or desperation, love was the arms that pulled us back together. And your love…has been the finger we wrap our hands around – for better or for worse – learning from our imperfections.

Mom,
Thank you for asking me to come home to you. All my life, no one had ever asked me to ‘come home’, but you. I wept like a child when you wept with me through the wire, thousands of miles away…that one rainy morning. And I wept for that child in me who could not thank God enough for that mother she never had in her own. That child is blessed nevertheless with two mothers. And mom, thank you for leaving your door always opened just in case I need a home to run back to.

But for now I think it is my home that has instead run back to me. So I’ll stay.

Read Full Post »

Wish We Had Our Dad Day

Posted in Sense on November 19, 2008| 4 Comments »

Hi Daddy,
Mommy took us to the newly opened McDonald’s restaurant in Bandar Baru Bangi yesterday. It was a surprise – she made us go to bed earlier than usual the night before because she said she didn’t want me to be late for school. When I went downstairs in the morning to have breakfast, Mom said we had no time for breakfast. I had to put on my shoes quickly or I would be late for the bus.

Mom drove past the bus pick-up point. So I thought Mom was going to take me to school. But instead she took me, Edrick and Bibik to a new McDonald’s! The restaurant looked so much like the restaurant I thought I had been to before. After all, they all look alike to me! There were not many people yesterday morning despite it being a 24-hour outlet.

I got even more excited when I saw the big Play Area! But Mom did not let me play because I had to go to school right after breaky. I wasn’t happy, but Mom’s the boss!

Nevertheless, it was good to have McDonald’s breakfast yesterday. Instead of the usual McMuffin with Egg, I asked for the Hotcakes, Dad! I cleaned up both the two pieces – with Maple Syrup. Slurp! (But your pancakes are still the bestest, Daddy! I was just hungry.) When you come home, if you are too tired or too lazy to make pancakes, Mom said she will take you to McDonald’s for Hotcakes or Big Breakfast.

Edrick woke up early for the surprise breakfast as well. Lucky boy, he didn’t have to go to school right after – because he is already on school holidays that started last week. He sat up nicely at breakfast and tagged along with me even to the washroom at McDonald’s when I had to go wash my hands. After breakfast, Mom drove me to school. Edrick and Bibik came with. Even Aunty Mas came with. But they just stayed in the car while Mom took me to my Home Room.

It was a good day yesterday, Daddy.
But I know it would have been even better if you were with us and if I didn’t have to miss you.

Well, 24 more sleeps before you are home. I think I need a big calendar so I can cross some boxes and so I can stop bugging Mommy every time I lose count of the sleeps. She says she’s not counting. She doesn’t lose count of the sleeps either. She just loses sleeps. You know Mom!

Okay Dad, I hope you enjoy looking at these pictures. I sure loved the McDonald’s breakfast yesterday. But not as much as I love you! I asked Mom if she could send you hugs and kisses as attachment with this email. Mom said, of course. I hope you can open all these attachments on your Blackberry and they are not too big. My hugs are sure big, Daddy. Edrick’s too. One hundred million Gigabytes, Mom counted.

Love you Daddy.

Your Maple Syrup Daughter,
Kitreena

Read Full Post »

What Hearts Are Made Of

Posted in Sense on November 17, 2008| 3 Comments »

The stories have happened.
They are just not yet written.
Here, at least.
And so, the door has been opened.
Just that…I am still standing here,
watching and guarding it,
ever so ready tu jump
and either close that door on love,
or walk out on my own strength.

My heart is not made of steel.

p.s. Wait a while with and for me. It is a long story, to tell you the truth. For the truth is always a longer story, if one is to tell all.

Read Full Post »

Homefully Yours

Posted in Sense on November 15, 2008| 2 Comments »

I finally took time…

  • away
  • to talk
  • to walk
  • to weep for that Enida I left behind
  • to come back to my senses
  • to have and to hold
  • to let me be
  • to be
  • back.

I’m glad to Be home.
Again.

Read Full Post »

Man-i-Cured

Posted in Sense on October 22, 2008| 1 Comment »

Quoting an advice from a good friend:

“A cure for a man is another.”

Oh men! Should I hush, rush, or crush ’em?
Mein kya karoon? Jawab kya hoga?

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »