World Cup 2006

This is how I want it to end:

Champs-BRAZIL
1st runner up-Argentina
2nd runner up-Germany

But I guess it won't happen as Germany's playing Argentina on Friday...

So I guess its:-
Champs-Brazil
1st-Germany
2nd-Portugal
3rd-Italy

If I have my way...

We are rude???

Are we rude? Or are we rude?
My take? We’re lacking in courtesy.

Here is the list of things I encountered over the week that brought me to that conclusion.
1) We don’t greet people unless we know them. And we don’t smile often enough. When I was young, I used o wonder why white uncles and aunties would say hi to me when they stepped into an elevator with us when neither my parents nor I know who they are. Took me awhile to figure out that it was just the way those people are.
2) We don’t give way much. ESPECIALLY when driving. Part of it could be due to the fact that if you give way to one car, another 10 cars wanna do same. And people don’t thank you for letting them cut in. Instead, they drive even slower and make you wonder what the hell they were hurrying to cut into your lane for.
3) Selective chivalry is prevalent in this country. Most guys I know who hold doors open for ladies are the ones who have been overseas or the ones who mix around with people who have been overseas. And some of them don’t hold the door open for all women. Just those whom they fancy. If the girl is pretty/young or both, they hold the door open. If it’s a babe carrying a baby, they hold the door open. However, if it’s some aunty/makcik with a fat ass, they pretend they didn’t see her.
4) Some people cut queues and feign ignorance. Even when you say “Excuse me, I believe I was here first.” They just shoot you a blank look. And most cashiers won’t stand up for you.
5) Our middle finger now plays a more active role in our daily lives. People don’t hesitate to use it. Once upon a time, we’d only use it under extreme conditions. But I guess our road conditions nowadays can be deemed as extreme.
6) MAS stewardesses. If you’re Caucasian and male: “Would you like some coffee or tea, sir?” If you’re Caucasian female: “Coffee or tea for you, ma’am?” If you’re Malaysian female: “You want coffee or tea?”
7) Many of us do not mind our P’s and Q’s. How many of us actually end our requests with ‘please’? And how many of us actually say ‘thank you’ when we receive something?

I think over the years, as we become a more economically progressive nation, we compromise our social skills. We skew towards being selfish and adopt I’m-number-one, Ah-never-mind, and Who-cares kind of attitude. We care about ourselves and ourselves only. We may be heading towards a developed nation status in terms of skyscrapers but some of us are still very much third world in terms of mentality.

What's wrong with Kongsi Raya?

What's up with sharing festivities anyway?

Let's take the example of Chinese New Year and Hari Raya. Lemme tell you what happens on Chinese New year.

On CNY eve, we have a family reunion dinner. How does this serve to 'pesongkan aqidah'?

On New Year morning, we wake up, shower, put on our new clothes, greet the elders 'Gong Xi Fa Cai' and receive our Ang Pau's. Where's the 'pesong aqidah' element in that?

Then we eat our vegetarian breakfast. It's bloody vegetarian for goodness sake! How do you 'pesong' one's 'aqidah' with that?

Then it's family photoshoot time. (Nak pesong camne lagi nie???)

Then comes my ultimate favorite: FAMILY MAHJONG TIME!!! Ok la...I suppose you could connect this with the vice of gambling but puh-leez...How do you gamble when you're playing at home with underaged cousins, granny, mommy, aunty, uncle, grand aunt, grand uncle, sisters, etc...???

Then comes Raya. I used to wake up early for Raya, now I don't. So what happens is that, once we're all in our Baju Raya and we've done the 'salam-the-whole-family' and seek forgiveness session, it's time to head to Granny's house. Followed by another 'salam-menyalam' session. Then we dig-in into the Nasi Beriyani, no limit, free-flow, for the whole day. Since gramps house is where everyone gathers, we just wait and see which granduncle or grandaunty turns up. In between it's watching all the Melayu movies and concerts on TV.

There used to be a fireworks session but since the government ban, we've all resorted to becoming couch potatoes.

Then there's the usual family drama, where you'll have an overly-emotional uncle or aunty crying his or her eyes out during the slama-menyalam session. That's one to look out for. They only repent during Raya, other days they 'tak sedar diri'. But nevertheless, I find it amusing. Sembahyang Raya is usually done by the men in the family. We girls stay at home.

SO, while I'm not exactly burning joss sticks and making offerings to the Kitchen God, the Jade Emperor and Goddess of Mercy, do tell me what the whole hoo-ha is about Kongsi Raya? I've been Kongsi-ing since I was born. My religion still hasn't changed.

The Omen review

There are a couple of questions to which the answer cannot be found in this movie. First of all, why did the Jackal give birth to a human baby?

Secondly, the priest that gave the damned baby to the normal parents, who is he? Is there an anti-Christ cult? Disguised as normal preachers? If so, they knew that they were bringing the anti-Christ into the world? And how did they hope to benefit from it?

And then there’s Father Brennan who has the 666 mark on his thigh. Does this mean that he’s also the Son of Satan? Since he shares the same kind of birthmark with the damned one? If so, why does he want to kill the anti-Christ instead, if he belongs to the same cult, or if he was the previous, Damned One?

And what’s the significance of the 7 Mediggo Daggers? Why can the child only be killed with these weapons?

And how did Mrs. Baylock know where to find the child?

Either the movie was badly chopped up by our censorship board, or the original storyline wasn't that strong. Eitherway, watch only if you have nothing else to do.

Now...if I can just get my hands on X-Men 3 tickets...

The furniture

Oh dearie me...

Dad wants me to take the current living room set which includes a 3-seater couch, 2-seater couch and 1 seater chair with 2 coffee tables for my new abode. He intends to buy new furniture for the house. Pros: I get it for FREE!!! Cons: There goes my Javanese Teak/Contemporary Sleek Steel concept for the living room.

But it's ok. I still get to maintain Japanese Zen concept for the dining area. Infact, I found my low table at Ikea for RM115!!! And I can get the nice soft seat cushions for RM15 each. I just need some time to dig out the old remnant fabric and sew my own cushion covers. I'm sure I've got some left-over Thai silk somewhere..... Found a nice, quaint, beaded tea-light stand that can be used as the centre-piece. Since the living room set will be in maroon, I guess purple cushions ought to be in order for the dining then...

Ok, living and dining sorted! Now for the bedrooms...

Ideas for the new abode

I'm so excited about the new place I'm getting butterflies just thinking about the interior decor!!!

It's a 3-bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment slightly over 1,000sqf. I think I'll have a Japanese Zen-like theme for the dining area. Just a low coffee table that will be used as a dining table, on a straw mat with seating cushions. Found the perfect coffee table for that at Ikea. Seating cushions, I'm thinking Jim Thompson just to add a bit of plush to the whole setting. Perhaps add a glass bowl filled with water and floating candles as the centrepiece. Now, to find a place that sells a decent straw mat.

For the living room, I'm still considering two options. Javanese teak pieces or sleek contemporary steel pieces. Shall I have a sofa-bed or not?

If I go with the Javanese teak theme, there will be 2 single-seater teak chairs with a round coffee table set in between. Then I'm thinking maybe a 3-seater day-bed that can double up as a real bed by just putting a layer of mattress on it. Problem is I gotta custom make the mattress to fit the 3-seater. Scatter cushions, once again, courtesy of Jimmy T. Another piece to think about would be a 2-seater bench-like chair that can be used as a table/shelf instead. Teak furniture courtesy of wholesaler in Puchong. For lighting under this theme, a standing lamp with a wooden stand would be nice. Failing which, something which resembles a Japanese paper lantern would do fine as well. This can be found in a furniture shop in Cheras.

However, if I go with the sleek contemporary steel pieces, I'll find my way to Ikea and Harvey Norman again. I've got my eye on this sofa bed. Very clean, minimalistic design. Instead of a normal coffee table, I'll probably get an Ottoman. Can double up as a seat as well. An AV set from Bang & Olufsen would really complement the whole 'look'. Unfortunately, that would so burst my budget. I think I'm short of chairs here. 2 more steel-framed single-seaters should do the trick. I think I could squeeze in a plush lambskin rug somewhere. Color? Every piece will come in white and grey steel. This includes the skinny standing lamp as well. Y'know the kind that has light bulbs branching out at the top? That's the one!

I'm going back to Japanese Zen for the bedroom decor. Bamboo blinds in place of curtains. Square paper lanterns for lighting. Futon in place of a bed. Low and long shelves with a full length mirror mounted on top sideways so that it takes up a broader view. Doubles as storage space and a dresser.

The smallest room I have will be turned into a walk-in closet. 'Nuff said.

The guest room will house a fuss-free single bed with a pull out bed from underneath. I'm keeping it bare as I'm not encouraging guests to stay overnight.

I'll probably have one huge art poster on the wall near the entrance.

Hmmm...I wonder if I've forgotten anything???

Football Mad Nation

My non-Malaysian Exec. Director asked me this, "Why is it that even though this country is not playing in the World Cup, productivity is low during World Cup season?"

My answer, "Even when it's not World Cup season, productivity is still low, Sir."

He raised an eyebrow, "Yeah...But it's worse during World Cup."

Anyway, the post before this came via e-mail from my dearly beloved boyfriend who, besides being a workaholic is also a football-a-holic. Having studied England for 5 years and worked in Ireland for another 5, naturally he considers himself to be a bonafide EPL fan. Which for some reason seems to translate itself into being a World Cup fan-atic...Go figure.

I'm not exactly a football fan. But I'll watch Spain, France and Italy. (And perhaps Japan, for the sake of nostalgia). And it's got nothing to do with the game. Plus, I certainly refuse to have my world revolve around the sport.

But that doesn't change the fact that I'll be single and available again from 9th June to 9th July this year...

Oh well...Here's to World Cup 2006!