Simplicity has a meaning

I guess you heard it all before that Bruce Jenner is turning into a woman. I'm not quite sure the reason behind the transition but if you are living with a bunch of drama queens, it won't be surprise.

But somehow, I admire his courage to conduct gender transition. He's ain't young you know (age 65). At least he is doing what he wanted to do, to become who he really is. Just imagine the pure happiness and freedom of being who you truly are.

There's no immortality. Our lives are like fireworks, a loud bang when we were born, followed by big colourful sparks when we achieve our heydays. Eventually, our beautiful colourful lives will vanish in the haze.

Since life is so short, why wait? Do the things you like to do or else you will end up in regrets. Regrets I have few but then again too few mention. It was that void, void of courage which drove me into regrets. I'm not that brave young man that you might think that i am.

Moving forward with my life and to be really honest with you, all i want to do now is to layback and let everyone to lead - maybe even for just one day. I really wish that I could have one fine day which everything has been planned for me and you know, loads of pampering. I guess this is too much to ask for.

Anyway, the very long break is just around corner-yay!

I don't have any concrete plans  just yet to kill the four-day break but i hope i could achieve my ultimate aim which is to sleep  until late in the afternoon.

Nevertheless, I hope i could take some time off just to pace down a bit from my hectic life, just wanna have some breather, you know.

Ain't know why I have this tendency lately to have some breather at small towns or even villages. It's like my life is lengthen by a year when I was there. Life is simpler there i would say. In this midst of simplicity, the people there seem so happy and contended. I was in Kuala Sepetang recently. Well, the folks over there are majority fishermen. Though they have been doing the job like over don't know how many years but they look so happy without any sign of stress. On contrary, I see people who are holding so high positions and i bet they earn a lot too but they frown and constantly heaving a sigh. Is that worth it?

I'm not trying to be Dalai Lama here but I guess the beauty of life lies in simplicity itself. Don't you think when we're too occupied to strive for achievements whether in terms of materials or powers, the process to achieve could be that so complicated. I know is good to dream big and have high-flying ambition and that's what keep you going.

However, as we are chasing our dreams, have we ever neglected something or someone who is close to you? Please don't because they are the ones who are giving you the silent cheers. These silent cheers are really meant from the bottom heart.

Live Mighty

About a year ago, I started my blog with a sad note entitled "I Won't Give Up".

Eventually,  I gave up. You see, there was no point waiting for someone who never liked me though we had a brief moment.

Thanks to him, I restarted my hobby in blogging and it is going even stronger with merely 800-1,000 views per day. How I wish I could quit my job and become those full-time blogger. Doing nothing,travel everywhere and dine at the finest place and yet you've got pay for it.

Anyway, what have changed throughout these three years?

My size of course. Back in 2012, my gosh, I was thin as paper. My neck was long and hardly had any fleshes on my cheek. Now? I don't want to talk about it. It is a sad story whenever I step on the weighing scale. I'm like Frosty the Snowman. One piece of advice who is reading this entry, if you think you're skinny, please take it for granted - take care of your diet. One day, metabolism will slow down and when it slows down, your body will go haywire.

What else?

In these three years, I've lost four of my loved ones. Their departures taught me that nothing last forever and we are pretty much immortal and fragile indeed. You were dining with your grandma happily on one fine day, never knew few months after, you bid the final farewell to her. There was a Chinese saying which goes "appreciate people in front of you", I guess I learned the hard way.

What else?

I don't know. Everytime i scroll down my Facebook, the unkown people look happy all the time. Is the grass greener on other side? Or their way is paved in gold? I really wish I could have that energy and motivation to make my life more colourful. Colourful doesn't mean I have to splurge but I don't know-doing the things that I like. To be honest, I like travelling a lot. Need not to be extravagant nor to be gay one but at least I'm out of routine. I wouldn't travel to a small town and even a village. Like last weekend, my family went to Kuala Sepetang, it was very small fishing village near Taiping. It was quiet and it was after rain and I just love this kind of ambience. It was simply refreshing.

Kuala Sepetang

My hometown Ipoh

 It's rather late now. Better don't think so much. Just like this song - Live high, live mighty, live righteously taking it easy. You know you will be alright.

Farewell Grandma

Grandmothers are synonym with their hearty meals and their insistent desire to spoil their grandchildren. I used to have those hearty meals.

My maternal grandma was Teochew so I had plenty of good Teochew food when she was still around. Teochew porridge, fried mee teow and the Teochew dumplings - I still remember the taste of it. Meanwhile, my paternal grandma was Hakka. I know Hakka Lui Cha is in your mind but she wasn't a good cook, so I never had any chance to have any homemade Lui Cha. Nevertheless, she never failed to give us some famous Penang's  biscuits since she was from Penang.

I guess I should be grateful that I had the valuable chance to grow with my both grandmas. Times spent at grandma's are often marked by love, laughter and contentment. I still could remember vividly that my both grandmas like to gamble when I was small. They really liked to play cards from day to night. When they were off from the gambling table, they would  exchange their views on how to take care of health as they were ageing and of course some exchange of secret recipes for the family.

In fact, grandmas are often responsible for bringing the whole family together. I believe you and I had some family problems at some juncture of life. Certainly, grandma will be the bastion to keep the family established and prosper. They would raise the voice if they see something amiss. Raising the voice doesn't mean irrational sometimes, the loud voice serves as a wake up call on what to be done and what is right.

Because grandmothers are such a source of joy for their grandchildren, they are always sorely missed when they pass away. To lose a grandmother is to lose a most valuable family member.

Our family is deeply saddened to inform you that grandma (paternal) has passed away yesterday morning. Though we were well-prepared that her days were numbered but it was still a great loss for us.

We will forever hold in our hearts in which we have truly learned the most from. Your strength as a wonderful mother to our mother
and father and which we hope to gain in raising your great grandsons and great grand daughters. As you enter your new heavenly home, may you rest in peace for which you truly deserve.

I have lost my both grandma - Ah Mah from mother side and Penang Ah Mah from father side (it was  rather funny why my brother and I called her Penang Ah Mah- just simple because she was from Penang). Both of them always reminded me one thing when they were around - "Please take care of your daddy & mommy" - and I always will.

April Come She Will

If you didn't realise, we are concluding the first quarter of 2015. Inevitably and with utmost reluctance , we, Malaysians will face a new beginning - the introduction of GST.

Many folks have been lamenting about the burdens to bear. Though 6% is just a tip of an iceberg for many but there is a Malay saying "sikit-sikit, jadi bukit" ; which means building up a collection from scratch and see it grows bigger. The 6% could make a huge load of difference in long run.

I try to be apolitical here (though the political scene today at our own backyard is really making everyone pukes) - so I will skip Najib, 1MDB and private jet those stuff.

Let me ask you this, when there is uncertainty ahead of us; why we tend to be worried and pessimistic about it? Are we lack of confidence in the midst of uncertainty? Or we are just too accustomed of the way we are and refuse to adapt in a new environment.

Though it sounds cliche but life is indeed like a box of chocolate, you never know what you're gonna get. Changes could have sweet ending or swallowing the unwelcoming bitterness. 

I know changes could bring uncertainties, but rest assured, everything will be alright.

You and I have been through many many uncertainties - heart breaks, when your loved ones passed away, when you are plain broke, even you lose your job or suppression by the people who are above us - i know the initial stage  is really hard to bear. Just be strong. Just remember when the night is coming down on you, we will find a way through the dark. 

My fellow Malaysians, justice will prevail someday soon. We will rise....

The Living Years

Have you ever mused about life?

I know the term "the meaning of life is..." sounds really cliche but have we ever paused awhile in our busy and hectic life to fill in the blank above.

For certain, people have different views about life - some may choose to embrace the spirit of YOLO, some may preoccupy themselves to find way to El Dorado. You may call it love sick but some or may most of us will refer life as our partner and our family. 

You see, we have many views about life, the way to live it and the way to lead it. That's why there are so disagreements in this world. If tolerance over disagreements has reached its limits, hell broke loose; wars, genocides, terrorism, racism, discriminations - to name a few.

Don't ask me, I'm not wise enough to give a definite answer for what life is. I think it should be colourful and beautiful. 

But it will be very hypotical to have sunshine everyday. Bitterness still haunts us regardless we are barefoot poor or lavishly rich. No matter how bitter our day is, we still need to move on. You're not alone. You still have family members. You still have friends. You have your partner beside you.

I ain't no size two

My physical outlook has received tremendous attention lately. Let me clear the air once and for all.

Sounds serious ain't it? The diva has rises! Just joking.

Thanks for the concern indeed. Trust me, I'm not having any eating disorder - I just have tendency to eat good food and those good food love me so much and I don't see any intention that those good food will leave my body anytime soon.

When your body grows vertically, everyone will be telling you to go to gym and eat healthily. Well yeah, of course excercise and healthy eating are universal decree to lead a healthy lifestyle but don't get too carried away by criticism on your size.

You see, you only live once, why let others dictate on how you should look? Or letting a dress overthrows your choice of eating?

I know it's pretty hard sometimes to look at your friends and peers to be physically good and fit. In my case, it's never been easy for me to scroll down my Facebook without seeing any post with a gay guy putting a shirt on. I do get jealous sometimes but look, just the body is well-defined compared to mine but it's just a body, it won't kill me. They have the body but i have the brain.

If you're reading this entry and you happen to be a girl; tell those skinny bitches that every inch of you are perfect from the bottom to the top.

I just put on a little bit of weight and it generated so much concern already. What about those who are really plump? I could imagine the insurmountable pressure that they have to bare. But darling, you are not as fat as you imagine. Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and in the end, it's only with yourself. Don't worry too much, most of the successful people in the world are not physically fit - just look at Sam Smith and Adele.

Done with my physical, let's talk something else. Oh yeah, we woke up very early yesterday morning to catch hot air balloons in the air in conjunction with 7th Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

Waking up at 6 am in the morning (On Saturday!) and reached Putrajaya just in time

Such a magnificent view ain't it?

Vincent Van Gogh rises - my favourite artist but he failed to go up in the air :(

Up, up and away!

Since I'm already fat, so i took effort to cycle at Wetland Putrajaya. BTW, the white thingy on the grass  is cotton from the tree

We also went further a bit to try Dengkil's famous bao. Not a fan of bao but i must say, this Kah Heong bao expert is real different from the rest, the texture is so soft and bouncy! 

Not forgetting Cendol Bakar for dessert. Total fatness yay!

                                      

Love. One Year On

You know, there is a belief that if you dislike a person, that very person will be your lifetime partner eventually.

Oh well, not implying that I hated him at first but we started it off as friend. He was never my type. But as time past by, sparks fly gradually ensued. In the end, I became house of card; falling into him without any resistance.

It looks like we've made it and look how far we've come. And yesterday we even celebrated our first anniversary. Not in pompous way nor splurge of gifts but at least we spent quality time together.

We had short road trip to Colmar Tropicale, Bukit Tinggi. Though the little hamlet is French-themed but the heat could really spoilt your mood. Pratically, nothing much there. What I enjoyed there, aside from the buildings, was two black swans

No fancy dinner- we had our meal at our favourite Malay restaurant  Sambal Hijau in Kampung Penchala. Look at the cat, does it resemble Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon?

To enliven the celebration, we bought two balloons - balloons always do wonder!

We ended our anniversary with a movie at a teddy bear hall @ MBO

No branded stuff for the gift, but I gave him a booklet of customised vouchers in which he could redeem anytime throughout this year. The vouchers include being designated driver, movie night for free, shopping free, vacation and etc.

                                       

I'm not good in sugar coated words but like the song below goes; there ain't nothing that I wouldn't do, go to the ends of the earth for you, make you happy, make your dreams come true ...to make you feel my love...