Partition

Set in the 1940's, 'Partition' is the story of an ex Sikh Soldier, Gian (Jimi Mistry) and a young muslim girl, Naseem played by Kristin Kreuk, who fall in love with each other despite the horrendous conflicts between the two cultures.

Gian saves Naseem's life after almost her whole tribe (who were on a journey to Pakistan to escape the conflicts in India) was slaughtered in a brutal attack by Gian's village people.

They fall in love only to face opposition from both parties.



It was a sad love story, almost like Romeo and Juliet, yet even more tragic, in a way. The hatred of both parties were so apparent, so horrendously taken to a whole new level that they failed to be able to distinguish the good and the bad.

People were discriminated against.

And yet, the couple love each other so much that one was willing to travel miles and miles in order to see the other, and actually converted to Islam just so he could be with her. This act was only met by more resistance. It didn't matter that he was now a muslim. He was born a Sikh, which meant that although he was innocent of the murders, he was associated with the people who was of the same origins who committed them.

Ridiculous, yes, but no one saw that.

It somehow reminds me of our situation. I know, it is in no way even close to what happened in the movie. And yet I still wonder, what if it was? Would we see the wrongs of our ways and let go of all the stereotypes that was so blatant in the movie? Or would we succumb to the very mistakes that the people in the movie made? Would we realise that people are people and that not everyone is the same or would we point the finger at someone just because he was born of a certain race, not caring at all what his individuality may tell us?

You decide.

Every Part 1 needs a continuation

But I think I'll leave it at part one this time around. Too much time has passed and my memory has worn thin.

On to newer experiences.

Bring me Back

I want to go back to that place where I left my cares behind. Where all that existed for me at that moment in time was him, me and the beautiful bluish green waters of the South China Sea.

I want to experience that sense of freedom again, where the most important decision I had to make was where to have my next meal.

Give me that sensation of peace again. The one I felt so intensely as I was swimming around a little island with him, ungracefully aided by a little orange life vest that ultimately saved me from sunburn.

Hand me that short feeling of panic, and later, wonder, I felt at encountering those harmless, but daunting looking things that our romantic minds imagined as sharks, but in reality could have just been some enormous, exotic fishes.

Take me back to the time that I forgot the world and smiled and laughed without care, right before reality came crashing down on me.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Picture from (click)

What I want to be when I Grow Up

Lol. Tak sedar diri kan? Dah jadi bini orang tak grow up lagi ke?

But this is the standard essay that we have to write in school every year, so saya perasan la, konon2 I'm still in school.

I'm so confused right now. There are so many things I want to do with my life, but I don't really have a definite plan, and a part of me is panicking and wondering if I will ever be successful...

So here are the things I want to do

1. Travel - I so want to see the world before I have to settle down. But then I need money, of course, which brings me to:

2. Get a stable job. After 4 years of studying to be a teacher, I now realise that I may not have the talent for that, especially when it comes to teaching hormone ridden bratty teenagers who think they are all grown up but in reality are still whiny little kids. So now I am rethinking my options. I still love the language very much and would love to sink myself into a career where I can write... I just don't know. I also enjoyed it whenever I did any volunteer work (especially when it came to events), but I'm really not sure how I can translate that into the working world. Not yet, anyway.

3. I REALLY want to do my Masters. But I'm I'm a bit tired of studying. Seriously. I've been going to school since I was 2 (yes, I know, kindergarten doesn't count, but I didn't go to those main-main kindergartens/taska/nursery types, I actually went to a kindergarten where the teachers taught us stuff and were very very garang and had lots of homework), and I'm now 23. You do the math. Lately, I've been having a hard time cramming any information into my little brain, so while I long to continue my studies, I do admit that I should be taking a break.

4. Stay at home and just rest. Not really an option since I need to contribute to the finances now that I'm married.

5. Have KIDS. Not right now, I guess, since I'm neither emotionally or financially or physically (yeke?) ready for it.

SO, what I figure is:

I will work temporarily, for about a year or two, and then either take a break to do my masters or do it part-time, and go travelling while I'm at it!

LOL.

I don't know.

Right now, the same phrase keeps running through my head over and over again:

WHAT DO I DO NOW?

For those who like cats...

I present to you....

THE NINJA CAT



lol.

*Video taken from YOUTUBE

Kejam

Taken from thedaily.com.au:

HORRIFYING DOG TORTURE VIDEO SHOCKS POLICE

12:00a.m. 22nd October 2008

| By Bruce McKean of the Mackay Mercury

Hardened police officers have been shocked by the horrifying torture, mutilation and brutal slaying of a seven-month-old fox terrier puppy near Mackay at the weekend.

Two men, charged with the brutal killing, entered no pleas when they fronted a Mackay court yesterday.

They are due in court again today.

If found guilty, they could face up to two years in prison.

The incident is alleged to have happened in the mining community of Moranbah, west of the central Queensland city.

Police have obtained video footage from a mobile phone which shows graphic images of the puppy yelping and howling in terrible pain as it hacked to pieces....

Read more here

Now, I'm actually quite terrified of dogs, but I do admit that some are cute. Not to say that I would ever go near or touch one of them. Like I said, I'm terrified of dogs.

But seriously lah. What the heck? Jahat gila.

The Grinch

Have you ever met someone who LOVES asking for favours but absolutely DETESTS it when someone does it to them in turn? I have. Apparently some people never change.

It's not that I don't like helping people. Within reason, by all means, ask me. But when someone constantly asks and asks and asks and makes a face equivalent to



when the other person asks for one eeny meeny lemon squeezy favour, then that person is officially an arse.

*Sigh* I cannot believe I still fall for it. So I guess I'm the dumb one.. :(

Insensitivity...

...is this postcard I found when browsing.



Postcard courtesy of PostSecret

All Done.

I finished my last paper yesterday. It felt slightly anti-climactic. We finished the paper and people went home. And that was it.

I've slightly mixed feelings. I feel sad because I won't be seeing some of these people who I just got to know despite almost 4 years of being class/coursemates. Of course, not to mention those I'm close to and HAVE BEEN there for me for all these years no matter what. And at the same time, I'm happy that I'm almost done with fulfilling my own requirement. I'm enthusiastic about the fact that dramas with divas will soon be part of a past that I'd rather not want to go back to. I'm happy that I won't go through all the hypocrisy anymore.

It feels really scary, leaving my comfort zone. It's weird that I say that now, but I've come to realise that the faculty (more like the familiar faces around it, actually) has actually become part of my comfort zone.

So what now?
Onwards and forwards with life I guess.

PD Part 1- U8A Farewell Trip

We left at around 10/10.30 if I'm not mistaken and since most of the drivers didn't really know how to get to PD, we convoyed. There were 6 cars altogether, and before we even left Shah Alam, 2 cars got lost because the driver who led the convoy didn't really know how to, I reckon.


Group photo before leaving


In the car

But anyway, after several stops along the way, we finally reached PD at around 1.30 pm. And since check-in time was 3.00 pm, we drove to Teluk Kemang to have some lunch and lepak, at which point one of our classmates announced that his grandpa had invited us over to his place. We didn't really feel like going at first, and a few people protested because we were exhausted, but in the end, I'm really glad we did go. The house was beautiful, and exotic. I had never really seen a real-life authentic Kampung-Style house in person before, and I really loved what I saw. The house was spacious, airy and spic and span, and the hosts were really awesome. Upon reaching, we found out that they had prepared kuihs and tea for us, and had even prepped the living room to fit all of us in! We had a wonderful time there, thanks Atok. ;p


A lalat-filled restaurant at Teluk Kemang :(



Post-lunch group photo at Teluk Kemang


Nor, Myself and Emily


Irda and Bibung at Atuk's beautiful Kampung-Style house


Us with Atuk(in the background)


Group photo outside Atuk's house


After about an hour, we left for the hotel, but the same classmate who invited us over to his Atok's house brought us over to this island. We had fun just walking around and taking pictures, and I saw some umang-umang (those little crabs, don't know what they call 'em in English). There were hundreds of them! We didn't spend much time there, but we loved it anyways.


Umang-umang


Group photo on the little island





We reached the hotel at around 4.30. Some people had chosen to skip the house call and had decided to check-in ahead of us, so we just joined them in the rooms, and since my roommate (Lala) and I were slightly late, we got stuck with the single bedded room (read: glorified closet). We made do, though, since it was only one night in that room.

After freshening up and a change of clothes, we went down and took more pictures with our friends. At which point, it started raining. However, since the activities had been planned already, we went ahead with it.


Before the Activities started: saya nampak gemok.

We played some silly "sukaneka" games, like passing water balloons and creating sand-animals (ours was a snake, we got last place though), as well as a game called "galah panjang". After most of our classmates went up to shower and get ready for dinner, some of us stayed behind and played soccer with the guys. I sucked at it, and almost sprained my ankle, but I was laughing all the way. ;p



sane

insane
see the difference?

After showering, I went up to check out what the other girls were doing since my room was really quiet (there were 6 of us, and I guess we didn't really mix) while Lala (my roommate) prepped herself for dinner. I had a blast! Mind you, these girls were the quiet ones in class but they really made me feel welcome that night. (Bibung, Irda, Sara, Bibi, Shaz, Ayu, Nor, Em, Kak Mini) I stayed there laughing my ass off until around 8.30 when the guys called and said we should come down for dinner.

I went down together with my original housemates and we helped the guys prepare dinner while waiting for the other girls to come down. So many things happened that night:

1. Dinner - uneventful, until the equipment (I'm not sure what they were) that they used to cook the kerang exploded into one of the guys' backs. Yikes!

2. After dinner, some of the girls were taking pictures, and someone (something?) else besides thm appeared beside one of them in the pictures. That was scary. The guys were trying to placate them by saying that it was just a reflection of some sort, but later on, one of them admitted to me that they were just trying to calm everyone down and that none of them had ever seen such a reflection before.

I just want to add that the image actually started fading the next morning, and by the time I had the guts to actually see it, the face was totally gone.

3. Snack. Snake. See the difference? Apparently, some of the girls didn't HEAR the difference. Here's the dialogue:

Payed: Tu, ambik snack tu, Em

Em: hah?

Payed: Tu, ada snack tu

Em: (with a panicked look on her face) WHERE?!?

Payed: Tu, snack tu kat belakang ko.

At which point, Em, Irda, Bibung and Lala SHRIEK and ran towards us, and I realised that they thought he said "snake"

Me: SNACK la SNACK!!! Bukan SNAKE! SNACK!

Lol.

But yeah, I love these people. I never thought I'd have that much fun with them.

I didn't take any pictures that night. Malas. Those who did, though, found some interesting/scary images along with their own.

Anyway, our so called "campfire" session ended at 12.00 o'clock. Lala and I made our way up, changed and hung out at the balconey and watched class C (who were coincidentally there on the same days as well) hang out downstairs by the beach,at which point someone noticed us there and beckoned for us to come down, which we did.

We watched some guys play "Truth or Dare" (the real version) and had the time of our lives, since they were dared to do all kinds of silly things (hula dances, striptease, catwalk "America's Next Top Model" style. We hung out til about 3.30 and I conked out as soon as I got upstairs.

The next morning was spent just lounging around the hotel and taking pictures. Hilmi brought us to PD town just so we could walk around, and Cikgu, Lala and I said goodbye to the rest while we waited for my husband and Lampi to arrive.

Full stop.

I have seriously misjudged a lot of people. A LOT.

I'm tired of being angry or hurt, now I'm just pensive, I suppose.

I refused to see it before, but I do now. This is the last I'll think of it, and then I'm done.

No more ditching, no more forgiving, no more waiting, no more being sad. I'm drawing the line here.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

And let me tell you, I am glad that this is finally going to be over.

Bangsa Kita

Papa (sejak kecil lagi, saya memanggil Pak Uda saya dengan panggilan "Papa" dan Mak Uda dengan panggilan "Mummy") bekerja sebagai seorang pengurus di restoran terkenal di Johor Bahru. Biarlah nama restoran itu menjadi rahsia, kecuali kepada sesiapa yang mengenali.

Sebelum saya teruskan, saya ingin tekankan di sini bahawa Papa adalah berbangsa Cina dan telah memluk agama Islam semasa mengahwini Mummy.

Pada suatu hari, seorang makcik tua yang bertudung bersama-sama dengan suaminya telah mendekati kaunter bayaran setelah selesai menikmati hidangan di restoran tersebut. Kebetulan, Papa sedang menjaga kaunter pada hari itu. Apabila makcik tersebut ternampak kelibat Papa, mukanya berubah. Dengan suara yang kuat dan nada yang marah, dia berkata "KALAU AKU TAU AWAL2 TOKEI KEDAI NI CINA, AKU TAK MAKAN KAT SINI TAU!" dan kemudian, dia berpusing kepada suaminya lalu berkata "ABANG, CAMPAK JE DUIT TU KAT MUKA DIA!"

Lalu suaminya yang dayus itu pun mencampakkan duitnya terus ke muka Papa saya.
Kerana mengenangkan maruah diri, Papa dengan sabarnya mengutip semua helaian duit kertas itu dan menghulurkannya semula kepada perempuan BERTUDUNG itu, sambil berkata "Kalau macam tulah, akak, saya HALALKAN makanan akak tadi". Dia mengeluarkan MYKAD kepunyaannya dan menunjukkannya kepada perempuan itu. "Untuk pengetahuan akak, saya orang Islam, sama macam akak. Akak ambilk lah balik duit ni".

Makcik bertudung dan suaminya itu terus berlalu tanpa berkata-kata.

Saya sedih. Mengapa? Kerana orang yang saya sayangi dihina dan dimaki dengan begitu sekali. Apakah dosa Papa kepada makcik itu? Hanya kerana dia berbangsa Cina, perlukah dia diherdik dan dicerca sebegitu rupa?

Kita semua manusia, layakkah kita menentukan siapa yang baik dan siapa yang jahat? Siapa tahu, mungkin orang yang kita anggap hina itu begitu mulia di sisi Allah. Kita tak dapat duga, kan?

Kalau pun Papa bukan Islam, kenapa dia perlu dilayan begitu?

Beginikah kita menegakkan bangsa kita? Dengan menghina orang lain yang tidak melakukan apa-apa dosa kepada kita? Di mana maruah bangsa yang selalu diperkatakan itu jika duit boleh diCAMPAK ke muka orang lain hanya kerana rupanya seperti bangsa lain. Kalau iya pun dia berbangsa lain, perlukah?

Saya sedih. Jika begini bangsa kita, saya malu.


What written in this post was a true story. Papa now dons a songkok and his name tag that shows his Muslim name wherever he goes, because if he doesn't, he is treated like a second-class citizen. We're all Malaysians. Grow up.

Al-Fatihah

Che-che,

You won't be reading this, but even though I haven't seen you in 10 years, I still remember how you sounded like when I was little. I remember the lilt of your voice whenever you spoke. The tone it took whenever you scolded Abang Jas for bullying me. I remember how you helped take care of me when my parents were off working, earning a living. I remember how young you were when you took responsibility for a lot of things, including how you took a bus all on your own at the wee age of ten, to take care of a young, pregnant, sickly woman as if she was your own mother.

May you rest in peace.

Please spare an Al-Fatihah for Allahyarhamah Azizah bt Abdullah who passed on at the young age of 33 on Saturday leaving 5 young children behind. Although I had not laid eyes on her for all those years, I still cherish her as an older sister, a che-che, that I never had.

To Mummy and Papa, Lissa and Abg Jas, I hope you all stay strong in the light of this tragedy. We're all here if you need our support.

I'm Back!

Updates later, with pictures, Insya Allah when the 'rajin'ness hits me. :p

Observed

I'm an observer. When I go out with friends, sometimes I just prefer to sit quietly and see how everybody behaves or what other people have to say. I'm comfortable laughing along with the crowd without actually contributing any jokes of my own into the conversation (and with good reason. Every joke I'd make would probably kill a kitten with its lameness) Some may call that being stuck up or introverted, but I'd just like to call it "being-comfortable-enough-with-these-people-to-just-sit-back-and-bask".

Sometimes, though, I'm not really within my immediate group of friends. I sit with acquaintances who I've gotten to know. Or, while waiting for someone or something, I sit back, alone, and watch as people go by. (No, I don't stare at people and make them uncomfortable and be all stalker-like, although some might call it that). I just observe.

And it's funny sometimes, how oblivious some people can be about themselves.

To the reactions that people get when talking to them, to the faces people make when they approach, to the emotions that people show when they say something uncalled for.

I wonder if I'm ever like that. I'd like to think that when I say something that my friends might have gotten offended at, I'd realise it almost immediately and apologise soon after. I'd like to think that I'm observant enough to the people around me to know what kind of jokes might offend them and what might not. I hope.

But there are of course those rare(?) bunch people who don't care or don't want to care at all how much they may be hurting their friends or pushing them away with their attitudes or the way they think or simply with those so called "harmless" jokes that they make. And it's really sad, in a way, that they know so little about themselves and the people around them to actually know, or even care about what they might be doing.

I notice that slight widening of the eyes when one friend gets offended, or that little twitch right in the corner of the mouth that comes one split second after an offensive statement. If I were the on saying it, I'd probably stop and cover it up and somehow try to backtrack and cover it up with something else. Yet, some people can't, or even worse, won't. Some can actually see how offended people get when they say something, but insist on saying it anyway.

What is the point of laughing at someone's flaws or misfortune? Karma always comes back and bites you in the ass, or even worse, in the face. What is the point of pointing out something that embarasses someone else, especially if that someone else is a friend? Is it so satisfying to see a friend fall from way up there where you're standing? Is it such a relief to have it happen to someone else that you'd resist their friendship by pointing at them and laughing and laughing and laughing just because they're nice people who would be slightly emotional for a while and then laugh back just to show that they're "sporting"? Is it?

Because when you're in their place, it's not, apparently. When you're in their place, you tend to get upset when someone does it to you. And you forget that you've done it so many many times that that's all your friends remember you for.

So think and remember all those times you've offended someone just to make yourself feel better, and I really hope that it felt GREAT, because before you know it, you might find yourself at the butt of a cruel joke, and let me tell you, it won't feel that great.

NO!

My mom-in-law told me something funny the other day.

She's apparently taking 3rd Language Classes at some college in KL (tak payahla bagitau nama kat sini ek?). One fine weekend, as she was about to get out of the car, she saw this person from my husband's past (his ex, lah). Because she really doesn't like this person, she decided to stay in the car until the coast was clear.

What do you know, a mere week later, while she was trying to get a drink at the cafeteria, this same person walks up to her and asks "Excuse me, do I know you from somewhere?" which got her berbulu, because this girl and her had gone for extensive lunches and dinners together, and even had long conversations about how "You're so nice, auntie! *giggle2*".

I mean, seriously, macam tak logik je tak kenal kalau dah berheartfeltconversation banyak2 kali kan? nak nak kalau you've actually dated the person's son. Insulting lah bongok. Kalau dah recognise to just come by and say Hi and tanya khabar la toksah la ber "do I know you" bagai. Eksyen gila.

Anyway, at which point, my mil answered "NO!" (yes, exactly the way I typed it). This girl had the cheek to insist and insist a few (read: MANY) times that "I could have sworn I knew you from somewhere. Are you sure we haven't met before?" to which the answers were "NO!" "NO!" "I DON'T KNOW YOU!" and "NO!".

Something like this happened to me too, but with the girl's best friend (small world kot, saling kenal mengenali.

Gila lah. Hehe.

p/s: To be fair, maybe the girl got amnesia. I don't know. Wallahualam.

As you read this...

I am lounging carelessly at the balconey of an apartment in Port Dickson, listening to the musical sound of the waves crashing against the shore, breathing in the fresh salty air, throwing my face against the lovely caress of the oceanside winds.

Puan Sarah, is that you?

Lol. :p

Mexican Hazelnuts

No, this post has nothing to do with Hazelnuts that are of Mexican origins.

My friend and I had to stay up to finish our chapters 4 and 5 of our thesis. So we decided to treat ourselves to some Coffee Bean. I was all gung ho about ordering an espresso shot so I'd be able to stay up when I saw the sign. It turns out that Coffee Bean has an on-going promotion: Hazelnut Drinks. I oviously went crazy and started whining to my husband about how I wanted an espresso shot but was forced to take the Hazelnut instead (simply because it'd be a sin not to, check my "about me" section). So in all spirit of coffee, he decided to get me a double shot Hazelnut Latte. It was sinful. Sedap gila.

So anyway, yesterday I went over to Coffee Bean again and got the Hazelnut Ice Blended. It tasted even better. I want more now. I wanted to post some pictures of me and the drink (read: me with a HUGE smile on my face sebab I finally found a hazelnut drink that tastes awesome) but my laptop won't detect my phone. Boo.

Btw, If you've cravings for Mexican food, silalah check out Caliente in Kota Damansara. We had a surprise birthday dinner for one of my husband's best friends there, and the food is cheaaappp (less than 20 ringgit per dish) and reaaallly good. So far, I've tasted the Nachos, the Quesadillas (gila punya sedap), the Chimicanggas (not sure how it's spelt, but basically, they're fried burritos) aaaannnnddd, for dessert, we had the chocolate chimichangga (ok, ok, ok, sinfully sedap and I felt like swooning when I had my first bite. Seriously sedap gila). No pictures because I'm a lazybum.