Just Because

Just because I'm alone doesn't mean I'm lonely.

However, I can feel lonely even when I'm not alone.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

Think you've had the best of me, think you've had the last laugh

But you're dead wrong

If you think that can take me down

You can take everything I have, you can break everything I am

Go on and try to tear me down

I will be rising from the ground like a skyscraper

I refuse to give up on humanity

I want to see good in every person

I will accept the truth

Even if it may not be pleasant

I can survive

Because what doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Work woes

I hate to complain, since it was after all something I brought upon myself. In my eagerness to secure a part-time job to fullfill my long semester break idleness, I had searched high and low and was elated when I finally got accepted at a very well-known company.

First of all, I was determined to try something different. Thus the part-time job had not the slightest thing to do with mass comm (my area of study). And of all things that attracted me, the company was a music centre and shop. As a piano amateur/intermediate level pianist, I was pleased that perhaps some good had come after all of my learning of music, however little that knowledge might be.

The dreamy impression I conjured up was entirely off track. After the initial first few weeks of sugar-coated treatment, I soon found out my true place in the company. It was indeed unforgiving. The pecking order was apparent and established and unfortunately, as the youngest and most inexperienced, I was placed among the lowest of the low. Simply put, newcomers had it tough.

Then, the torment started. One particular person, although uneducated and ill-mannered, enjoyed jeering, snickering at me and making me do work that shouldn't have been my responsibility. Never before had I loathed a person so strongly. The indiscreet bullying and being looked down upon, being disrepected and sidelined, soon became a routine. That one particular person enjoyed doing that. Although I hardly took notice upon it at first, it bothered me that my pride was being trampled on. In order to preserve peace and not aggravate the situation, I kept my cool, feint ignorance and make things work logically as it should be.

Persevere I must, but all is not well. I vividly remembered that after one particularly rough night (which included getting an earful from two bosses simultaneously and snide remarks from the heartless), I had my mask in place as usual, and brushed off the attacks as if there were mere flies, even managing to smile, but upon reaching my safe comfort zone, I was reduced to tears. Pathetic as it was, but in torrents of tears, I related my sorrow to my ever-understanding folks. Although my eyes were swollen after that, it felt extremely good to release the pent-up emotions.

And after that, every day was just a ritual to endure. One that I can't wait for to end.

While I'm at it, might I add that job descriptions (no matter how well described) are often not what they seem to be. If you expect everything to go according to black and white, you might end up surprised.

Wake up call

It's obvious. You don't have to be a Christian to be able to celebrate and join in the festive celebration of Christmas. Religion is of little concern as it's now all about Santa Claus, decorations, presents and lots of lavish food.

Since pretty much everything is commercialized these days anyway, we only have to lay back and enjoy the glitz and glitter of the festivities, which is nigh impossible to miss when you've got every shopping mall decked in boughs of holy. Furthermore, (as seen in the Mahkota Parade mall in Melaka), some even dedicated special Christmas performances and knocked themselves out by going over-the-top with the costumes, putting on quite a show to an otherwise dull day at the mall for those weary of shopping.

Why is it worthy a cause of celebration for us non-Christians? It is simply because Christmas signifies something much more important besides rewarding yourself by having a blast. It is in fact a reminder that yet another year has passed. We ponder, what has been achieved in this whole twelve months? And thus, begins the rundown of a recap of this year's moments. The high and lows. The fruitful and the fruitless.

It is easy to get carried away. And not notice the things around you. The people at your side. Of course, then you realized you haven't fulfilled all the roles there is to it. What better way to make up for it or to show you care? There's simply no better gift then spending time bonding together.

A little at a time. One step at a time is alright. I want to know more about the world. Learn more about the society I live in, the people around me, even about myself.

I want to know who I really am. I want to know what I can be capable of, given the right circumstances and a few chances.

We are all rowing the boat of fate, and carefully maneuvering along the unpredictable waters. Even if the waves keep attacking us, isn't it still a wonderful journey?

Hired

If ever I was asked ‘What can you contribute?’, the sincere reply would be ‘Nothing at the moment. I am just here to learn.’

Being a newbie at the first day of work, first (official) job, feels like learning ABC. Everything is new and foreign. Felt like the dumbo around as everyone was more useful than the blur (very clueless) me.

Handling things (tools) I’ve never even touched before made me feel helpless. My first tool was the barcode scanner. It might seem funny that although I knew full well that it is a freaking barcode scanner, I directed the pointer/head of the machine at the price label instead.

Luckily, the saying ‘patience is a virtue’ seems to apply to my employers and nobody batted an eyelid or even made fun of me. It was an equally humbling experience when I was introduced to the price-tag labeling machine and the credit card machine.

There’s too much take in and A LOT to take care of, but I’m hoping it won’t be much longer before I get the hang of things. Although all ears (an attentive listener), I am not a fast learner by nature, so thank goodness that everyone here gave me the kind-and-patient, just ask-if-you-don’t-know-anything treatment so far.

I admit that I was overjoyed to finally get a job (atYamaha Music no less), but quickly get the idea that a part-time job isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Customer service, sales, and admin work, three-in-one for 440 MYR!

BUT because I get a chance to learn in the friendliest environment I dared hoped for in my dreams, the low pay is worth it as I am out to get the XP.

Surrounded by things that I have a connection to, and working in a comfortable air-conditioned place close to home for a mere four hours is a pretty good deal.

Everything is a learning procedure. Two customers walked in and it was interesting to note how the others attended to them. Live demonstration in place, I carefully observed what I would have to do very soon (and for the rest of the few months), attending to people.

Earlier, Boss touched on how we can channel our inner PR skills to create a good customer relationship. Little did he know that the mass comm student before him knew exactly everything about whatever PR skills he was referring to.

I might have aced the PR theories and assignments, but I realize now is the perfect chance for me to put everything into practice!

I still lack a lot of 'general' knowledge and have tons more to learn. Things are only going to get more complicated but I’m hoping everything will turn out fine!

Reflection

Having turned 19, I haven't achieved all the things in life that I've wanted to achieve at this age. But I've come close to.

As I celebrated my birthday, I just realised that a person is nothing without their loved ones, and life is much much more fullfilling when you're surrounded by people who sincerely care about you and are genuine in their wishes.

And new year resolutions are just a hype by the way! Absolutely so, because I can't even remember mine or if I've set any in the first place! But now that I've matured (which is a worrisome word for a girl), I know how to work things into perspective, within my own expectations and aim for more realistic goals.

With the semester nearly over, and a three-month-long sem break around the corner, I really need to find something challenging and fun, or at least something worthwhile I could gain experience from and develop my character. I need a job! But I don't know if I'm ready?

There are plenty of moments when I wake up, feeling insecure about myself and wondering whether I've done anything good to mankind. Or more specifically, wondering if entering the mass comm/media industry is the wisest choice I've ever made. Or if I'm able to keep up with the times while living in my peaceful, protective bubble.

But I'm somehow reassured that we would all make it in the big, complex world out there. Actually a funny image I've conjured up of us university students graduating is that we are the little turtle hatchlings released into the sea. It's a good metaphor, isn't it? The sea, is the essence of everything adult and everything grown-up (e.g. the corporate ladder climb) and we are the tiny turtles about to discover what's in store for us. The sea is so fraught with perils and dangers but if we survive it, we can see the true beauty of the ocean. Then we could crawl back the land one day and recuperate in our private sanctuary.

And it's all good because I've already earned my freedom a long time ago and now even have the power to make decisions and influence opinions within my family. Though it is completely different when I step outside. It's all about how I present myself according to situation and people present, but it's a lot of fun to be yourself all over again while wearing different caps!

For your entertainment

What makes life enjoyable? It should be good food, good company and good entertainment, right?

Well sort of. But to define 'good entertainment' is not quite an easy task to do. Especially when it comes to film, movies, animation, etc.

Lately, I have watched a string of movies. With my friends, I chuckled heartily at Rowen Atkinson's Johnny English Reborn, and with my family, I watched the local gem, Nasi Lemak 2.0 on DVD. And lastly, got scared out of my wits watching Paranormal Activity 3 (I even briefly considered quitting halfway).

All three were entertaining in a way, although none a masterpiece. When I was watching Johnny English Reborn, I can't help thinking of him as Mr Bean still although he plays a spy cum secret agent in the thriller-comedy. His comedic and hilarious actions thoroughly resembled the trademark character Mr Bean in every way. Well, it was extremely refreshing to see Mr Bean speak (a lot!) and providing him with a love interest in the story further spices things up besides the added bonus of watching Atkinson pull off cool stunts and toy with special weapons. As you watch along, it occurs that this movie isn't just a mindless, laugh out loud (LOL) comedy but one with a riveting action plot and unforgettable villains (and depending on your tastes, a tiny bit of horror too!). Rowan Atkinson's brilliant acting skills manage to shine through and complements the movie very well. The scene that takes the cake has to be when Atkinson struggles to resist total mind control! It proves that he could still play a hero, albeit a funny one that would have you grinning from ear to ear at his antics to save the day.

Nasi Lemak 2.0 is a totally different story altogether. I had evaded this movie while it was playing at the cinemas for fear of being disappointed as I was really unconvinced that it (being a local film) would live up to my expectations (that's me being a skeptic). I was afraid it would be the stereotypical One Malaysia movie that carries the message of racial unity and harmony, which is fine if I was watching one of those Petronas commercials airing on TV, but not something I'd be spending money at a cinema for. It is true that I am one of the youths who have little support for local films or local music and see higher value in Western productions (like Western movies with A-list stars casting and singing talent shows like X-Factor USA, American Idol). My concerns evaporated when Dad brought home the DVD and suggested everyone to watch together it as our 'Family Movie Night'. How could I resist (the much talked about movie)?

Controversial rapper-singer-songwriter now turned director-producer, Namewee, did not disappoint as the movie turned out to be better than mediocre level. The film does well in promoting the 'localized' Malaysian food and culture and it cleverly serves as a message or reminder for Malaysians abroad (students particularly) not to experience culture shock upon returning to their homeland as nothing much has changed- Malaysians are still complaining non-stop and our food is still the best! Other than that, the movie is also a tribute to our popular dish, nasi lemak. Immediately the next morning, Mom bought some nasi lemak home for brunch, and oh well, let's just say that my appetite and appreciation for nasi lemak has undeniably increased after watching the movie. It might be a cringe-worthy experience for non-Malaysians though because the film is all over the place and not quite logical. However, the ending was a pleasant surprise as Namewee ended it differently than what would have been predictable. Aside from the pleasure of seeing the country's landmarks, Namewee's music is also a good addition, boosting the overall enjoyment of the film.

As for Paranormal Activity 3, the advertisement tagline that says, 'You don't even have to watch 1 and 2 to be scared out of your wits' is completely true. Aside from the supernatural element, much of the horror comes from the way the movie is filmed, either close range hand-held or rotating/panning and also surveillance mode. For the first time watching this genre, it was quite an experience being in sync with the scaredy-cat audience and screaming freely together as the scenes understandably elicited a great deal of response. Having put myself and my friend through this frightening ordeal, I sincerely vow there would not be a second time for this genre since much of the money is wasted as we cowered with eyes shielded.

Thus, it is safe to say that all three movies were not boring and made for a fair modern-day entertainment. Movies aside, quite a number of Malaysian teenagers/young adults watch anime, as well as yours truly.

Curiousplayfan says: Now, if only I could find an anime as entertaining as Bleach, that would be great.

Idle

Humans are fragile creatures indeed. At this moment, I am fighting a terrible bout of flu that is taking its toll on me and making me suffer; the battle is ongoing.

In particular, I am not thrilled that we are easily susceptible to influences or attacks, whether physical or mental, we are not immune to it.

After watching countless anime and some Hollywood blockbusters, I wish that I were stronger and possess impressive martial arts/combat skills! That could come in handy when I want to kick some a** or defend myself!

Recently, I played a cameo role in a friend's short film/video assignment. I was reluctant to help out at first (because acting is really not my forte!) but did so since I was hard-pressed to turn down a friend's request. The story was a tragic one. It was about how a girl finally committed suicide after having had enough of bullying from her peers.

And guess what? I was to act as one of the bullies! One of the 'mean girls'! It actually made me grimace inside when I had to hurl insults and degrade another person and even roughened her up a little (all in accordance to the script of course). Well, it was only an act, but suffice to say, I didn't enjoy being a bully, not even one tiny bit.

Looking back, everyone has their own 'suffering' to endure, whether it is a struggle inside or outside, no other person can truly understand it except yourself.

As for me, I'd rather not share my burden (if any) with others unless I think they are willing and able to help or can relate to it. In this age and day, friends aren't necessarily a shoulder to cry on anymore, but rather just a wonderful bunch of companions to keep you company, nothing more, nothing less.

On the other hand, sitting around complaining isn't going to get us anywhere we want to be, hence it is better to move it. Action speaks louder than words after all!

Reality check with maid

I don't know why. But it bothers me. Maybe I am too concerned with people, whether or not they give a damn about me. It's always been that way.

Ok, so Mom had rejected her request to buy an iPhone4. But she should know where she stands among us. Right, I know a maid is entitled to human rights, but hey look, even I don't have an iPhone4! Or an iPhone for that matter. It's not like she can't use a regular phone.

But you see, I am kind. It worries me, strangely. So I have been trying to read her poker face. Finally I've had it. I decided to say something to cheer her up. You know, she really is just a young girl like me, just slightly older.

So I offered. "You know, I can copy song from my phone to yours".

Wow, instantly, the mood changed. She smiled.

"Now?"

"Yes, but your phone can only keep 1 song. If you want, you have to choose."

"Only 1 song", I reminded.

"Only 1 song", she repeated.

Then...

"Never mind lah. When I go back, I can copy Cambodian song".

So that was that.

The brief conversation made both of us feel better though. She should have picked up the subtle hint that I care about her, at least.

Well, to be honest, the last thing I want is to have a sulky-faced member in the household. Hence, my motivation:)

And yes, I really love asking people "(Insert name,) Are you ok?"

*Curiousplayfan thinks it's crazy that maids are so expensive (RM12,000 for a maid!, screams the Star headline!) when all they do is carrying out chores. Still, she hates doing chores and feels lucky that she has a maid at home.

Superior blood?

Do you remember in Harry Potter, there were pureblood, half-blood and Mudblood?

When your family tree consists of only wizards/witches, you'll be considered a pureblood, if you are of mixed-parentage, you are a half-blood, and if both your parents are Muggles, you are a Mudblood.

Don't get all sentimental, I'm just echoing Malfoy here for the loose definitions.

Well, it seems times have changed. For the real society I mean.

Now (in the real world) it seems people of mixed parentage are highly favoured.

If you are a 'kacukan' foreign plus local, chances are, you are definitely gorgeous or have defined features!

You will be at an advantage too. Companies look for models/actors/actresses who are not only talented but also of mixed blood... English-Malay, Chinese-Indian, Portugese-Melanau, American-Japanese, you name it.

Not only do you have the power to appeal to a wider audience (as a result of your roots), you also come complete with a multi-lingual package.

So what is it about race/ethnicity that attracts us?

Well recently (erm today in fact), I was present for my Chinese family gathering. Yes, you guessed right. The big round tables, six-course meal, extended family, with the seniors and juniors.

Except, this little guy stood from from the rest of the kids.

The reason is because he is half-Indonesian, half-Chinese. He really is very handsome compared to the rest and understandably charming due to the fact that he spoke Malay (or was it Indonesian Malay?) when the chatter coming from the rest was in Mandarin.

Turns out people are always fascinated by the differences.

A non-royal marrying someone of royal blood, and there you have it. Worldwide broadcast of the fairytale wedding.

Man VS Wild

I don’t know if it was karma (or however you call that) lingering from the hiking trip (The Climb), but on the same day, when Dad was watching the TV, I was drawn to the programme he happened to be watching, ‘Man VS Wild’ on Discovery Channel. For some reason, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the screen.

It gave me a trill to see the guy hauling himself through the beautiful wilderness of the Borneo jungles with the cascading waters and lush green foliage. (Yes, Borneo includes Malaysia, the Sabah and Sarawak region!)

On the concept of Survival 101, the guy (Bear Grylls) is stranded on some remote island (somewhere in Borneo in this case, in this particular episode), and he has to struggle to find food and water like our ancestors to live through the day. It is just so strange watching him from the comforts of the living room and cringing at the harshness of the wild. What have we become? Too pampered? Yes, I concluded when I watched him grilled a poor snake he caught. He actually ate it! This is not some nonsense celebrity-thrown-in-the-wild show, neither is it a drama like “Lost”… but it is kind of a good reminder to see men awaken their ancestral instincts.

Yes, yours truly have no idea what is it like to hunt, kill and cook an animal for a meal. I couldn’t bear hurting the animal in the first place! Worse, I can’t stomach weird food like those… everything must be cooked and seasoned with taste/flavour. (However, exceptions are granted for sashimi, salmon especially.)

What I learned: It all comes down to survival of the fittest. As quoted from an anime Samurai X, “Only the strong will survive” . We are different from our ancestors, but I think in this modern age, the theory still rings some truth to it. Survival skills still count in society. We can’t make it far if we don’t step out of our comfort zones, we’ll grow weak if we don’t challenge ourselves. Thus we’ll begin to lose out to the ‘stronger’ people. Does this sound like the rambling of a mad woman or am I making sense?

P.S. By the way, I feel so terrible not knowing that Borneo is the third largest island in the world until he mentioned it! even though I am a Sarawakian. (Well, I do know that Sarawak makes up the largest portion of Borneo)

The Climb

I haven’t realized how much I missed nature.

Suffice to say, I have been mostly ignorant of Mother Nature due to the fact that we live in a concrete jungle nowadays.

It proved to be a refreshing wake-up call/eye-opener when I randomly agreed to my friends’ crazy plan to go hiking in the wee hours of the morning in order to capture the view of the sunrise.

Broga Hill was selected as the choice of destination due to its convenience and proximity. The bonus was that the difficulty level was rated as ‘relatively easy’ according to sources.

What was supposed to be ‘relatively easy’ turned out to be quite a handful!

The journey uphill was so tough! I could barely keep up with my ultra-fit, sports enthusiasts pack (pack, as in a pack of wolves) who kept encouraging the rest of us, couch potatoes/barely fit ‘indoor-lifestyle’ girls to keep moving.

Not trying to exaggerate, but with every step I take, the exhausting feeling intensified, my breathing turned heavy, you know you can no longer go further, yet you keep pushing on because you don’t want to be left behind and be branded as a loser. Well, my group of friends/acquaintances was pretty considerate actually and we took many short breaks to keep me alive.

Did I mention it was around 3 to 4 am at that moment? Yup, the lot of us were trudging around in complete darkness in the jungle, armed with torchlights to illuminate our way.

Contrary to popular belief, the pitch-black darkness does nothing at all to weaken my resolve! There is really nothing like being ‘scared of the dark’! All that fear is totally evoked by listening to crappy ghost stories or Hollywood horror movies! The only threat to worry about is the stamina/endurance challenge! You are only afraid that your body will fail you and refuse to listen to the commands of your brain to keep moving!

The long and arduous task uphill…

But when you reach the top... What a relief!

King of the world!

And conqueror of Broga Hill.

It dawned on me that this was just child’s play, for the seasoned hikers, Broga Hill serves as a good warm-up.

For me, it was definitely a challenge! But then, there are so many more challenging terrains out there waiting to be explored!

Wouldn’t it be a waste if we don't utilize the ‘power of youth’ right now?

Or else, it’ll be too late for you to climb Mount Kinabalu or Mount Everest before you know it!

After all, we only live once. There should be no holding back for us to live life to the max!

*Curiousplayfan is not yet into extreme sports for fear of coming out battered and bruised, but loves trying out recreational activities amidst relaxing natural surroundings.

It feels good to be acknowledged!

Yeah, I'm such a kid :P, but it feels really good to have your existence acknowledged! Especially when it's by someone you care about.

It feels even better to be forgiven as shown in the "Dear Malaysians" video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRVUQHUQ4sQ

Thankfully, I live in a country where people are a forgiving lot and generally very friendly/warm. Otherwise, I would've have accumulated many haters for my bad habit, always showing up late!

Or as I like to call it...

...Fashionably late!

Well, usually I try to make it up to people (for being late) by working extra hard to please them:)

At any rate, I am extremely grateful to be on good terms with everyone now.

I have my flaws, so thanks for being patient with me all this time:)

If we could go anywhere! Pick Japan?

It was quite amusing and a pleasant surprise to come across one of my childhood episodes recently.

Doraemon's Dokodemo Door! or Anywhere Door! (featured in print news)

The Fujiko F. Fujio Museum in Kawasaki, Japan is exhibiting the works of art produced by the popular author and manga artist Fujio starting from Sept 3, 2011.

How I wished I could see Doraemon's many gadgets being brought to life and on display! The Dokodemo Door shown above is being displayed on the rooftop playground of the said museum.

As a child, I grew up reading the famous comics, gathered a decent collection and even watch the dubbed version on TV (where Doraemon spoke in Malay with Nobita!) :P

It would intrigue me to the point of excitement/suspense to see what 'magical tool' Doraemon would produce from his '3D' pocket to help Nobita each time he is in trouble! I used to wish that I could jump into the 'time travel drawer' and board the machine to the future or the past to see what mankind/civilization would be like.

Hmph, then when I grow up, the answer was to study history to my answer. Reading history from the book is one thing, but to be there, seeing it with your own eyes/experiencing it, is so different.

Based on that theory, I realized that I wouldn't know what Japan is REALLY like if I hadn't been there. Regardless of how many animes or TV series I watch, it still is just a painted picture which doesn't portray reality or depict the Japanese real life.

So, I harboured the dream of going to Japan, the land of my fantasies, and finally achieved that dream early this year in March. It wasn't smooth-sailing though as the earthquake struck there and then and I got caught up in the middle of it. No kidding, I wasn't hurt or swallowed up by the disaster, but got stranded at the airport due to nearly all international flights being cancelled.

But still it hasn't dampened my enthusiasm and liking towards Japanese culture, food and anime!

Nevertheless I have to face the sad truth that it's nigh impossible for me to ever go to Japan again due to the $$.

I suppose once in a lifetime is good enough! :P

Staying with a Japanese family is fun as you get to experience their daily routines, traditional Japanese style!

*Curiousplayfan is an otaku at heart. However, she prefers anime to manga. Her favourite childhood anime are the popular cartoons Doraemon, Crayon Shin Chan and Digimon. Currently a grown-up girl pursuing journalism, she can only afford to visit the fantasy world occasionally.

Expressing your identity

Well, you may say that you've been a Malaysian all your life now. And thanks, I know how being a Malaysian works and I don't need someone to tell me how it works:) Right?

Hmm, that was what I thought too, that Malaysians aren't a narrow-minded bunch until I met a certain uncle who seemed to think that the word 'Malaysian' has other sub-meanings attached to it.

That time, as an (short-term) intern or trainee at The Star paper, I was sent to do a movie review (well two actually). So it happens that I got lucky and picked for two exceptional star-studded movies, a Hollywood style movie and an Asian movie- Take Me Home Tonight (Topher Grace-Spiderman and Teresa Palmer- she looks a lot like Kristen Stewart!) and A Beautiful Life (不再讓你孤單) Shu Qi and Liu Ye.

It was pretty cool for a newbie and totally inexperienced me to be watching the movie screening (not yet available/released to the public) in a room full of other awesome, full-fledged journalists each representing their own company. Lol, sort of an exclusive moment for me to be treated as a member of the press!

So at the first movie, Take Me Home Tonight, an uncle sitting the same row as me (free sitting btw) got friendly and chat a little with me before the movie started. Maybe because I looked like a fish out of water, he straightaway asked, "You're intern?" I replied yes but otherwise kept my other personal details (name, age, home, hometown, etc) to myself.

Pretty embarrassing when people can identify you so quickly as an intern -.-" Anyway, the point is that at the end, I asked whether he was attending tomorrow's screening, A Beautiful Life (不再讓你孤單).

"Do you know if A Beautiful Life is in Mandarin or Cantonese?"

"Why", he asked not answering my question.

"Because I don't understand Cantonese," I replied honestly. No problem if it was Mandarin, but if the whole movie is in Cantonese then it would somehow be tougher for me to review it (even with the help of subtitles), I thought in my mind.

"You don't understand Cantonese?," he asked, wide-eyed. "Not Malaysian ah?"

Whoa, hold it there! Just because I don't understand Cantonese, I'm not Malaysian? I know that Cantonese is the 'king' dialect in KL, but I happen to be Hokkien okay.

Everyone is free to express their identity, to speak any dialects they like but in my opinion, you shouldn't force it on others. Or worse, think that someone is not a Malaysian when they can't speak Cantonese in KL or Hokkien in Penang!

We're supposed to be 1 Malaysia right? So, even if you are non-Malay, please know that BM is the official language and at least learn it:)

*Curiousplayfan is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, English, Malay and not bad in Hokkien. Attempts to learn Cantonese has been like teaching a cat to bark. Meow to woof ?, mission impossible!

Basic Japanese however, in much within her grasp as a result of watching too many anime:)

Déjà vu

Driving to work this morning, (just kidding! xD) , I mean on the way to uni, this particular vehicle gave a sense of déjà vu.

If you are scratching your head there, I'm not excited over seeing a white van for no reason, it's because the logo on the van made me remember the days I was an "L" driver. (A learner driver)

Now an overconfident "P" driver who dares to venture out on unfamiliar roads (only with my trusted GPS!) and daring to drive at 120 kmp/h (on highways only!), the driver 'me' now is a far cry from the driver 'me' who was terrified to hit the streets.

Last time, other passing vehicles would made me very tense and if I had to enter a lane, I'd wait till the cows come home before I could successfully 'merge' into the lane (same thing for roundabouts).

Now, somehow I rarely hesitate and would cross the first chance I get! (With my signals lights of course) Unfortunately, due to my inflated ego, it seems I needed a stern reminder.

It came in the form of an accident. Twice actually.

The first time I hit a man's car while I was trying to overtake someone. I was really scared and cried after pulling over. While the young man inspected the damage to his car, I refused to get down and sob pitifully in my car (with the doors locked). I thought I was doomed then. Luckily, after getting my distress call, my parents rushed over and settled the whole thing. It was not a serious damage so I got off the hook easily and facing the music was not as big as an ordeal as I thought.

After a while of carefully observing every single traffic rule, my old habits slowly crept back.

The second time, I crashed a pregnant woman's car. It was a front-to-front crash, and this time, it was quite serious. Both our cars' front were badly dented. (Dad had to get a new bonnet for my car, that's how bad it was).

The woman was unhurt but I think I must have scared the living daylights out of her. (Then again, pregnant women shouldn't be driving!) Everything was solved amiacably though.

It was that incident that made me vowed never to be involved in an accident again. Never mind about my car, but what if someone gets hurt because of me?

Suffice to say, I turned over a new leaf. Since then, I am doing ok and haven't gotten into any trouble. I still drive fast, but not recklessly anymore.

Yes, for the record, I still enjoy driving! So for the upcoming Raya break, wishing everyone a safe journey home!

Sports for unity?

So I woke up to a pleasant surprise. The neighbourhood has been transformed overnight to remind us Malaysians that National Day is just around the corner. Approximately a week away:)

The security guards must have been secretly working away at night. For everyone's gate now bears a little flag, the proud Jalur Gemilang fluttering in the wind.

Fact: Most Malaysians don't decorate their own house and have the security guards do it for them.

Why you ask? Hmm, it's not that we're not patriotic but surprisingly, we are a little shy to fly or wave our flag! (Unless you're in school or at a parade)

But, there's a BUT! Normal principles does not apply to sports. You know, Malaysians will suddenly have this 'MAGIC' when it comes to sports. Our rivals know this about us. In the arena, everyone no longer see each other as a race but a nation. We all weep when defeated and celebrate in triumph when victory comes our way.

Alas, outside the arena, the 'magic' ceases. It is there still, but not as prevalent. To prove my point, everyone has friends from many different backgrounds, but then, usually your bestest and closest friend is the same race as you. I wonder if there is a barrier caused by language or religion.

My view is that we don't have to try too hard as long as everyone tolerates each other and live in harmony. Personally, I really don't mind mingling with other races, everyone's really nice and friendly!