Monday, April 17, 2006

My Newest Love

Have I told you about Max?

I was upset one Friday, and instead of just reading at the office for the looong Friday lunch, I decided to head to town with no better reason than to buy jelly ice-cream at KFC. I had just gotten my ice-cream and was walking back to my car when I turned the corner and found her.

She was more than half-dead when I found her sprawled by a post on the five-foot way with people simply stepping over her to get past. It was one of the most pathetic sights I had ever seen. Stray cats, no matter what, never sleep out in the open. Their survival depends on it, and here she was - so weak she didn't even have to strength to find a quiet place to lie - and die.

I sat on the curb next to her, next to the smelly drain catching run-offs from the nearby mamak. I watched over her, and waited for her mother to return to claim her. I knew, though, that it was futile. The weakest are always abandoned.

Her fur was so matted that she appeared almost bald. She was so malnourished I could count her ribs even from where I was sitting. Her eyes were so gummed up with mucus she couldn't open them. Cat flu, maybe even pneumonia. I've taken home some of those, they never survived, but never had I seen one in such a sorry state. The whole time I watched over her, she was absolutely motionless, save for the barest rising and falling of her shallow breaths.

After almost an hour, I picked her up. She was so small she barely filled my one cupped palm and so thin she weighed almost nothing at all! I could've wept. She couldn't have been more than five or six weeks old. She was so weak she didn't even have the energy to mew nevermind move when I picked her up, and I put her in my car. With my ice-cream. I had forgotten all about it.

I managed to find a vet, and had to call him away from his lunch to see to her. It didn't look optimistic, but even if she would die, I couldn't find it in me to leave her there. Even strays were worthy of some dignity and I would've cared for her until she passed on. Hell and God (and my mother!) knows that I've done that for many a stray.

The vet treated her for the pneumonia and worms, and gave her a glucose jab. She was too weak to even eat. The prognosis was not good, and the vet offered to put her down instead.

I took her home in a box and left her to recuperate while I was at work.

It is amazing what only two weeks of food does. She is now unrecognizable as the kitten I picked up that jelly-ice-cream Friday. She darts across rooms and scales my sofas as though she were a monkey. Her belly is now beautifully rounded and pink as kitten's bellies should be. Her ears are twice the size of her komeng face, and after two weeks of daily wet-wipe cleaning (which she strangely enjoys!) her fur is a beautiful tortoise-shell tabby. She has beautiful jungle-cat spots and stripes.

Her eyes - and personality - are huge and amazingly alert. She's an absolute ball of energy, a far cry from the lifeless thing I picked up off the sidewalk! And she is incredibly affectionate, one of the most affectionate cats I've ever come across. She is absolutely fearless with humans, and a prickly little hissing thing when other cats pass by outside her door! Lol. Oh, and it took only an hour to litter-train her, I kid you not.

She refuses to let me pet her, unless she wants it. She wrestles with me ferociously instead! And then she finds her way into the crook of my arms, the crook of my knees even if only for a nap.

She never strays far from me when I am home. She has a favourite shelf in the kitchen she naps on while I cook and have my dinner. She plays near the TV cabinet when I'm watching the ole Astro. She curls up in my lap and scales up and down the sofa (and sometimes the curtain!) when I read. She nibbles at my toes while I'm on the 'net. She finds her way to me every night when I sleep. She loves to sleep under my chin, with my breath on her belly.

:O)

The opportunity to love so deeply and be adored back in return doesn't present itself very often. I have been so fortunate as to have found - and to have been found by! - two.

My hunnybunch, I love you. :O)

I must be one of the luckiest women in the world.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Gubra ... Aiiiiiyooooo!!!!

I am dead disappointed with Yasmin Ahmad's new film, Gubra. What a pile off toss!

Aiiiiiyyooooooo!!!

Why must they speak in that horrible (kononnya) "Malaysian" accent?? It sounds terrible! It sounds like they know how to speak English properly, but are purposely trying to mangle it wan. Aiyo! Say what you want about our atrocious accent, but nobody in real life speaks the way the Gubra cast does. Why did they put it (so fakely!) on??? Was it really necessary????!!!

Aiiiiyooooo!!!!!

Why was every scene shot like a Petronas ad? Every single scene! I mean, the Petronas ads are great and all - I look forward to them every Hari Raya, CNY and Merdeka Day - but 2 hours worth?? The 5-minute ads are brilliant, but back-to-back for 2 HOURS??!!! It's absurd, I tell you, not to mention nauseatingly mawkish.

Every scene has a "moral-of-de-story". Every scene has some higher, noble sentiment. Every scene ends in some poignant phrase, look or emotion. Every fucking scene ends in that same meaningful, intended-to-be-pregnant pause.

Aaaiiiiiyyoooooo!!!!

The plot only just barely qualifies as one. Well, there is (are?) a story/ies, it does have a beginning and an end (of sorts), but I felt cheated. The story development was succint, cliched, and ... half-baked. It was as if Yasmin Ahmad was so caught up on the minute details of each scene so fecking, heart-wrenchingly perfect that she lost sight of the bigger picture as a whole. I felt cheated.

And as for the "controversial" aspect?

Aiiiiyooooo!!!!!

I know there were some supposedly "controversial issues" in Sepet, but for this movie, Yasmin Ahmad seems to have taken whatever supposedly valid "controversial issues" (as maaaaaaany as she could get her hands on) and chucked them all into the movie merely for controversy's sake. None of them add to the value of the story as a whole whatsoever. It appears that they exist in the movie (eg. naked butts) solely for the purpose of creating waves and perhaps amusement. It would not have affected the story one iota had they been omitted.

Cliched lah. This whole movie was one tired cliche after another, scene after predictable scene, dialogue after worn dialogue, culminating in just one huge cliche of a movie as a whole. As you watch the bloody thing, you understand that she meant it to be heart-wrenching, but it is so blatant an attempt that you are inevitably left rolling your eyes instead.

And I went in wanting to like this movie! I really did! I was really looking forward to it, hoping (because I had read stellar reviews!) that this would be far better than Sepet, which I cannot honestly say I liked a great deal, but neither did I dislike. I was so disappointed!

The only reason I stayed to the end was because:-
a) I wanted to see how it would finish and I was hoping it would have a redeeming end (it didn't)
b) my feet were tired from walking around all day (Berjaya Times Square - 'nuff said)
c) we didn't have anything better to do or anywhere else to go until dinnertime, and
d) my popcorn belum habis (I ended up chucking a quarter of it out anyway. Peh.)

The only thing commendable about the whole movie was the cinematography. Very nicely shot, if trying to be a weeeee bit too artsy at times. I mean, there are only so many times you can watch a scene starting from the sky/ceiling/treetop panning down to the actors before you start wishing that sometimes it might be nice if Yasmin Ahmad could just get on with it.

Oh! Harith Iskandar, Ida Nerina & Adibah Noor. Hee hee. They are adorable. I thought they were the best part of the movie. Oh, and so was the actor who played Jason's mother.

:O)

But seeing as how I wasn't as impressed with Sepet as the rest of the world seemed to be, I guess that many might disagree with me over Gubra too.

[snip]
I've always wondered if all those people truly enjoyed Sepet, or if they only thought so because they felt compelled to agree with the reviewers who, every sheep-like one of them, touted it as the future of Malaysian movie-making. God help us all. That's the equivalent of Kiera Knightly being nominated Best Actress at the Oscars this year.
[unsnip]


The movie should have ended, just before the credits, with "This was a Community Service Message, brought to you by Yasmin Ahmad."

As "art"/independent movies go, Spinning Gasing was far better. Yasmin Ahmad should stick to ads.

Thursday, March 30, 2006

The Worst Part..

.. of being an Adult?

Having to pay your own Bills.

:Op

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Do You Remember...

Your childhood?

1. Transformers (Viva Optimus Prime!), Strawberry Shortcake, SilverHawks

2. Nik Eizwan :O)

3. Mima Land

4. Tiny Nutella Snack Packs

5. Egg tarts

6. Valencia orange juice

7. Being a mermaid. (I know someone else who should remember this. ;O>)

8. The Raintree Club

9. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go!

10. Books

I was going to say they don't make times like those anymore, but perhaps I'm simply too old now, too jaded. I've forgotten how to appreciate them.

Saturday, March 04, 2006

QuarterAge Angst

Oh, this is so going to sound like a 15-year-old's whine, but...

When the hell will she effing leave me in peace?

I've had a SHIT week at work. The last week has been absolute hell with me walking into the office at 7.30am and leaving no sooner than 10pm with NO BREAKS in between, no not even lunch because I couldn't afford the fucking LUXURY, running around all day - and all night! - just trying to get the fucking job done, then getting home, only barely managing a shower and not even bothering with dinner because I could only just manage to stagger to bed. Come Friday, though, I said, "Fuck everything," and was out of there like a shot the minute the PA went du-du-DU! The weekend was finally here, tank de lawd!

After a hellish week doing shit for other people, is it too much to want the weekend for yourself?

Fuck, No.

But apparently, to my mother, it is. She wants me to spend the whole of Saturday doing fucking stupid things she wants to do for my house, so even my Saturday will have to be spent in the HickTown of Boredom where I already have to spend five fucking days a week. And she tells me this not 4 days before, when she planned it, no. She tells me half-an-hour before work ended, only half-an-hour before my eagerly-anticipated, dreamily planned weekend.

Fuck That.

It's my house, I don't need extra shit.

You know, I thought that I would have some semblance of peace once I moved out.

No Dice.

Shit, does that mean I'll actually have to get fucking married before she leaves me alone? I thought she would leave me alone once I moved out, so it looks like even if I were to fucking marry just so I can play the card, it still looks like

No Dice.

Fucking fucking fucking hell.

I wish I had a place closer to town so I didn't have to come fucking back here for the weekends just so I can come into town to feel civilized.

And when I expressed all this (albeit sans cussing), this is what I got:-

"If being with your boyfriend is more important than being with your family, when I'm ONLY doing things because I want the best for YOU, then go lah."

Oh, shut up the lot of you who are thinking to yourselves, "Ingrate."

1) You didn't have my shit week. It was very long, very harried and going home feeling like you were coated in grime.
2) You didn't have quiet weekend dreams of a quiet dinner (or two) and of just enjoying a bit of quality time with your 4-year-old brother upset at the fucking last minute.
3) You don't have to deal with my mother.

Sorry, babe, guilt trips don't work on me. You'd think that 26 years of dealing with me would have at least taught her that. I'm calling it in, I'm taking back my weekend for me. She can think and do whatever the fuck she wants. I certainly will. I deserve my weekends.

Fucking hell.

Sunday, February 26, 2006

Lovers of Loving Love

I've only recently got around to uploading my mp3 collection onto my iPod (with Video!). I can now listen to music continuously - sans repeats - for 3.2 days. Yes, that's a LOT of songs.. and the best thing is there is room for 3x more! *G*

Being stuck in the CAD room up to 8 hours a day, I decided to bring my iPod to work. Because my mp3 collection has been built up over several years, I heard some music I would otherwise might have to dust vinyls off to hear (read: U Make Me Wanna by Blue).

Aiyo... Cut me a bit of slack... I'm not totally unsusceptible to catchy pop choones. Besides, it's only just that one song.

>Op

AAaaaaaaaaaaaaaanyway.... This gem came up:


Funny faces
In sunny places
Being in love
It feels so great!

And all I need is
Two ingredients -
My buttercup
And the perfect place

Me and you
Here's what we'll do:
Walk hand in hand
Into Lover's Land
Aaaah!

You're the best
And I can't resist
A kiss on the lips
Aaaah! Aaaah!

Don't talk, just watch the world go by
As it floats away, in slow motion
So special, it's so special
You are the girl I see
I am your boy to be!

I'm so happy!
I'm so happy!
That I'm a boy
And you're a girl - alright!

I'm so happy!
I'm so happy!
I'm overjoyed
We're going to hang out tonight.

I can't walk, can't move
'Cause I'm paralyzed
By your love
- And that's OK by me!

I'm so happy!
I'm so happy!
It's real great we're
Lovers of Loving Love

La la lalala!
La la lalala!
La la lalala!
La la lalala!

It's so hip
To give you a kiss
And taste cherry Chap-Stick
Aaaah!

It's our secret
Our little secret
We'll never tell
Aaaah!

Love!
It's love!
It's love!
It's love we're dreaming of..

It's Lovers of Loving Love...........

~ by The Aquabats


Ok, so I added the "la la lalala" bits, coz that's how I sing it, but isn't it such a silly song?! And the music is even sillier to hear! It had me laughing out loud all by myself in the CAD room. They must think me strange. :O)

Sorry, I just think that the best love songs are the simple ones, like this. No need for lyrics of romance and walking on clouds, and you are my one for ever after, when in real, everyday life, this is when love is really felt - heart-melting moments in simple, everyday occurrences. Watching him haphazardly cut his waffle across the waffle-squares (not along it *gasp!*) and thinking, "Oh, how I love this person."

:O)

Of course, the roses and candle-light are pretty sweet too. ;O)

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Happieeeee!!!

I can't explain it, but I've been riding on an amazing wave of happy-high this week. :O)

Also, there's this.

Now, anyone who's read my blog knows I am an Internet-Quiz Addict. I won't even try to deny it. :Op

Humour me.

Thanks to a merescribbler for fueling my addiction for ever-more-revolutionary quizzes.. :O)

Friday, February 10, 2006

Irritated

Sigh.

My car was broken into last night. They took my CD player.

Can't really say it came as too much of a surprise, though. It was less a matter of hoping it wouldn't happen than an issue of when it would happen. Crime hereabouts has escalated to an alarming degree. At its worst, 11 cars were stolen from just 5 streets alone in one week, with the thieves actually locking people in their houses by chaining the grilles, then taking the gates off their hinges and spiriting the cars away. Mostly flashy cars, like Imprezas and modified Hondas, etc. So my CD player was just a crime waiting to happen, really.

So, no, I wasn't too surprised.

But still..

I like my music. :O(

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Bother

Wish I was too dead to cry
My self-affliction fades
Stones to throw at my creator
Masochists to which I cater

You don't need to bother
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on
I won't let go 'til it bleeds

Wish I was too dead to care
If indeed I cared at all
Never had a voice to protest
So you fed me shit to digest

I wish I had a reason
My flaws are open season
For this, I gave up trying
One good turn deserves my dying

You don't need to bother
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on
I won't let go 'til it bleeds

Wish I'd died instead of lived
A zombie hides my face
Shell forgotten
With its memories
Diaries left
With cryptic entries

And you don't need to bother
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on,
I won't let go 'til it bleeds

"Bother" ~ Stone Sour

Monday, January 30, 2006

Gua Banyak Bosan...

Hidup gua banyak boring lor... Gua sula mau jadi gila......

Aiyo...

Sorry, I just remembered something to rant about:

If you're looking for the most expensive, mediocre-I-can-make-this-at-home-for-nothing-with-one-small-aubergine-type food with the worse service in town (except, of course, if you're mat-salleh or/and obviously-royalty-with-10-huge-bodyguards *takes a breath* I recommend 'Shook!'.

For those of you with masochistic tendencies, you are Guaranteed! to have THE most unsatisfying meal available in KL AND pay through your nose for the privilege. It is little wonder the place is the favoured dining spot of KL's superfluous, superficial rich: OTT, lacking substance, shallow, pissing-off-ly-pathetically pretentious, pretty on the outside, blah within. Superficial lah. Nak harap lawa je. Quality: ZERO. The menu wasn't even that interesting. (Literally) Thick as a plank and just as much content.

We had to call the attention of a waiter to be seated. We had to wait 15 minutes before our orders were taken. 20 minutes for appetizers, half an hour for my pot of jasmine tea - which came as lemon, so I had to wait some more, 15 more minutes after the appetiser plates were cleared before the mains arrived, and I still had to come home and make myself Maggi Mee a scant hour-and-a-half later because the food was so forgettable. Oh, but the last straw was when they cleared the whole table of done dishes and unused cutlery while I was still eating my main course!! The waiter got a right fucking earful for that one. Needless to say, we didn't bother with dessert.

I knew there was a reason we decided to not patronize the place, I can't believe I forgot. The last time we went, my mother had to yell before we got our food, and walked out refusing to pay the 10% service charge because "your service is shit, you don't deserve to be paid extra for it." *snicker* Amen to that.