The Golden Compass

Although features about the novel and movie focus on the writer's criticism of the church or organised religion, I would extend that to the critique of the social and education systems in straightjacketing people from their intuitive, creative and innovative spirit.

D'Arranged Marriage

As the saying goes, "There ain't no free lunch". Being the 'soldier of fortune', having availed myself to the splendid performance by Rajeev Varma and the post-performance briyani dish by Bangles, I am obliged to spread the word.
At any rate, it would have been worth every sen spent watching Rajeev re-enact Sanjay's interactions with his de-centred family and community!
Synopsis
On his 10th birthday, Sanjay’s parents announce, “Sanjay,
you are 10 now. Isn't it time that you thought about getting
married?” Enter a birthday cake crowned with a picture of his
bride-to-be. However, to his horror he discovers that Neenu,
the prospective bride, is already dating the village idiot Rundeep!
Adding to Sanjay’s trials and tribulations are an uncle who yearns
for the perfect woman who loves to cook, clean and play cricket,
a Maori best friend and a potential bride with a boyfriend.
All these wickedly funny Indian characters are portrayed in the
hilarious one-man show, D'ARRANGED MARRIAGE. Add in a
few Bollywood-style song and dance routines and you have the
funniest parody of Indian family life since The Kumars at No. 42.
This is a show not to be missed by anyone who has been
set up on a blind date… especially by their parents!
SHOW TIMES Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri + Sat 8:30pm | Sun 6pm
TICKETS RM53, RM64, RM75, RM86. Reduced rates for groups.
VENUE The Actors Studio @ Bangsar Shopping Centre
Level 3, Bangsar Shopping Centre, 59000 Kuala Lumpur
PARENTAL ADVISORY: Contains adult material

Kokopelli, All Stars & Enchanted

Another birthday, another round of treats and movies.
Dinner at Kokopelli on Saturday evening was alright but the ambience and service could certainly be improved with more plants, misty fans, table cloths, place mats, classy music and skilled service.
All Stars was the next best place we could get after Chilli's was full on Sunday evening. The broccoli soup and nachos were great and the t-bone was better than the sirloin I had the night before. Then off to GSC to catch "Enchanted".
Actually, ISA and I wanted to watch "Across the Universe" or "Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium" but "Enchanted" matched our schedule.
We were, however, not dissapointed. It's wonderful how Disney re-invented itself by turning their saccharin sweet tales of princes charming and beautiful princesses into contemporary spoof of true love and "happily ever after".

FLAMS da place

Nothing like a 'fine dining experience' to delight the palates and the senses.

Beowulf - Pride is a curse

Another screenplay by Neil Gaiman. Another spectacular showcase of legend and larger than life characters. Definitely a far cry from the oldest surviving epic about the adventures of the sixth century Norse warrior written in pre-10th century A.D. Old English, by no means an 'easy' read even for English lit students.

What's in a name?

"The challenges of globalising Malaysian herbal brands"
From here on, I will be writing more on a joint research project on building local brands, focusing on herbal-based cosmetics as case studies.

Auburn's Slow Burn

'Radio Free KL Pt. Deux'
I may not be able to appreciate ISA's brand of music but it doesn't stop me from promoting it and perhaps taking a lil peek, if I feel up to it.

For readers of ISA's generation, it's Auburn's turn to burn along with other bands of similar frequency - Fathulistiwa, Komplot, The Mindless Show and Oddity at The Annexe, Central Market, KL, on November 3 2007 (Saturday) at 2pm.

Wish Upon a Star

'Being a romance set within the realm of fairie'

ISA, who initiated me to Neil Gaiman's work, had sent me a lovely e-card a few weeks prior to the release of the silver screen adaptation of Stardust.
I had found Gaiman's fantasy comic-novels a welcome escape into vicarious adventures that a 'frozen' woman such as myself hadn't allowed herself to partake.
Be that as it may, the movie version of Stardust enthralls me as a big screen picture book that comes alive and invites me to identify with the key character in the 'fairie' tale - Yvaine the Star, of course.
And I didn't mean that in an egoistical, narcisistic manner, but in a lonesome kindred spirit kind of way. Or had I been a Star all this while but simply never realised it? Hah! Dream on, lady, dream on.
In any case, an enormous fan of Gaiman's books finds Yvaine "passive and soppy", which is why I could relate with her character. I wish I could be more assertive and competitive, though, like Michelle Pfeiffer as Larnia the wicked witch. But I think Yvaine the Star shines brightly enough with her musings on human foibles and her love for the very ordinary 'shop boy', Tristan Thorne (Charlie Cox).
The story opens with Tristan working in the very ordinary grocer’s shop in the very ordinary English village of Wall. The only thing that's not ordinary about the Wall is the wall that divides the 'real' world from the land of Faerie on the other side, a wall that its inhabitants are forbidden to cross.
Now, Tristan is besotted with one Victoria Forrester (Sienna Miller), the Wall's most beautiful and most pampered of all the damsels in that village. In his bid to outdo his competition and to win her hand in marriage, he rashly promises to venture into Faerie and bring her back the shooting star that fell on the other side on an evening when they were having their moonlit picnic. Having made his way into the magical kingdom of Stormhold, Tristan is surprised to discover that his star is not a lump of rock but an incorrigibly fractious young woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes), whose leg was injured when she fell.
Despite her protests, Tristan is determined to present Yvaine to Victoria. However, he soon finds himself having to protect her since Yvaine is in real and present danger - her heart is sought after by Larnia and her ugly sisters, who need to devour it to restore their youth and beauty. Since she has on her a magic chain and pendant that was tossed by the deceased King of Stormhold, she was also sought by the Princes of Stormhold, who have to transform the gemstone on the pendant to ruby in their claims as rightful heirs to the throne.
With evil witches and murderous pretenders hot on their heels, Tristan and Yvaine get to hop onto Stardust's adventure ride filled with a graceful unicorn, a prince with his 'ghostly' sibilings on a macabre stage coach, a cross-dressing captain and his motley crew of swashbuckling pirates in a flying ship, and more.
DeNiro's performance was impeccable; Cox is a rising star, convincing both as the naive and innocent younger Tristan as well as the more suave and debonair version. Pfeiffer shone as the wicked witch, brilliant both as a youthful beauty and an old crone.

Selamat Hari Lebaran

Minal Aidil Wal Faizin
Walaupun saudara serumpun di tanah seberang
Sudah tiada lagi Rasa Sayang
Namun saya tetap kasih dan sayang
Pada semua umat Islam dan Alamin
Kartu eidulfitri ngak bisa ngpos
Masalah dengan server, ya Mas Tos
(Bekas pacaran arwah sister,
Dicekup buat cukup meter!)
Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri
Maaf Zahir dan Batin
Salah Silap Harap Ampunkan
Jika memandu pulang ke kampung
Jangan lupa stoppan di Petronas
Jika tidak pun, stoppan jugak ya, Kang Mas!
Wassalam

Silenced Majority (Part II)

"Conversation at the Convo"
"You know, my student had to abandon his studies just two weeks before the end of the semester because the PTPTN loan was late," CLL told me.
"Really?" Please give me a break! Should I be answerable for everything that the UMNO go-men did or didn't do? I learnt later from another student that she had to pay a MYR10 fine for late payment.
"You know, two of my nieces married Chinese guys, and one of them had his university education financed by his clan association," I blurted, trying to shift her locus of blame.
"SO," CLL turned and asked me, "he must be rich for your niece to marry him?"
"No, actually, it's my brother-in-law who is well-off; his S-I-L came from a lower middle class family" (a 'sinkhek', my late mother would disdainfully termed him, to distinguish him from the Straits-born Babas and Nyonyas that her family would approve and fraternise with). "And when he failed his exams during his second year of studies at a UK university, my B-I-L financed his education til he graduated. In fact, my B-I-L financed their wedding, first home, family car, business venture, etc. (as he did for all his three SILs)."
"Hmm... he must be handsome then?"
"I would consider him above average in terms of looks."
After a few awkward moments, she said: "But you all can get scholarships from the government."
"Not all of us. I know of Malay parents who applied for PTPTN loans and their children got 9 or 10As. In fact, I would rather use my own savings to finance my children's education so that the allocation would go to the poor farmers' and fishermen's children."
TBC

Silenced Majority

"On course and found horizon"
I’ve been meaning to write about an unpleasant exchange with yet another 24 year old for quite sometime but was searching for the right words so as not to sound ‘illiberal’.
The few times that I shared the painful experience of losing my kampong due to political intrigues, I was rebuked for being ‘emotional’ or ‘a Drama Queen’.
So, I assured myself that the ‘hijrah’ was indeed a blessing in disguise – that I may not have managed to secure a place at the university, pursued a career in the academy, traveled the world and lived in upper middle class residential areas, had my family not moved to Kuala Lumpur.
Though there were times when I entertained thoughts of finally settling in Jeddah, I often asked myself: “Will I actually uproot and migrate once again, if the circumstances are intolerable?”
And WA, on that unforgettable balmy evening by the poolside, seemed to have just the answer for me: “Well, everyone has their 'victim story'; I have my share of loss too"
(She meant her father to a 'Malay diva', so her mother decided to remarry a non-Malay. I didn't bother to tell her that I lost mine to a 'gadis setiausaha'.)
"But you know, you forgive, let go and move on.”
“Try telling that to the Palestinians,” I countered her blithe statement.
“Perhaps they should also learn to forgive, let go and move on,” she was so confident that the mantra (which she paid for almost RM 3,000.00 at a ‘leadership’ program to have it drummed into her head) would work for anyone, at any given situation.
And as if to drive home her point, she looked straight into my eyes and added, “All you need is love in your heart to change the world.”
“That’s what I thought too when I was 19 until experience taught me otherwise,” I uttered to her, as much to myself.
“Well, that was your experience,” she retorted.
I restrained myself from reacting to her last remark, got up and paid for her meal.
I checked myself at the counter: Should I be delighted that she's magnanimous or should I be upset with her parents for not inculcating a sense of political consciousness?
Incidentally, earlier that very day, I had been part of an audience to an impassioned plea by a courteous young man, Feris Omar, the President of ProWaris, on the “20 DEMANDS ON SOUTH JOHORE ECONOMIC REGION”.
Would young, urban and upper middle class Malays like WA be grateful for his struggle?
Or would she be apologizing profusely for his ‘parochial’ sentiments?
I recalled the time when WA and ND were facilitating the multicultural holiday camp with 9-12 year olds from different ethnic groups - how they would chide the Malay girls for using a 'politically incorrect' term to taunt the Indian boys and for being reluctant to mingle with the Chinese vernacular school kids.
"It's ok if they don't want to learn or speak Malay," she said.
I was glad that they were not biased towards their own ethnic group but I was disturbed when they only chastised and criticized the Malay kids. In fact, there seems to be a compulsion to apologize for being a Malay, if not outright embarrassment at being one.
To be continued.

Rasa Sayang Eh ...

Lihat nona jauh, rasa sayang sayang eh ...

Kasihan Yoyo, dulu di padang lumba kuda;
Kini di tepi pantai di Tanjung Bungah;
Kulitmu sawo matang, matamu coklat muda;
Merenung jauh ke tengah samudera;
Menanti pelancong membayar biaya.

Quotations about Courage

Courage is reckoned the greatest of all virtues; because, unless a man has that virtue, he has no security for preserving any other. ~Samuel Johnson (Thank you, Frank Lynch.)
Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear. ~Ambrose Redmoon
Every man has his own courage, and is betrayed because he seeks in himself the courage of other persons. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. ~Winston Churchill
Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow. ~Mary Anne Radmacher*
It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare. ~Mark Twain
People are made of flesh and blood and a miracle fibre called courage. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960
*This one is definitely ME!

Lost Horizon at Shangri-La

To offset my dissapointment at having to cancel a trip to Paris, I seized the opportunity of a get-away weekend at Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa in Penang. I had another offer to visit the Cameron Highlands but, unfortunately, I can't be at two places at the same time.
We were whisked off from the launch of 'Every Baby a Book' at the Equatorial in Bukit Jambul by the loquacious Khor, who drove us to the doorstep of Rasa Wing, where we were warmly welcomed by Suleiman TAR, Rasa Sayang and Golden Sands' Director of Communications. While our luggages were checked-in by a personal conceierge, we sipped our complimentary cocktails, admired our welcome gift of white orchids and chatted with Suleiman in the exclusive Rasa Wing Lounge. Upon arrival at our spacious and stylishly decorated 1281 sq ft Rasa Premier Suite, we had our photo taken by the bell-hop and our needs taken care of by Syuen, our very own round-the-clock butler.
The suite has a separate parlour/sitting area, and a private balcony with a huge soaking tub facing the luxuriant garden and the ocean. Apart from having our nightly lavender and tuberose baths drawn by Syuen, we also took a dip at the Rasa Wing pool, next to the Chi Spa, where we were pampered to one of its signature spa therapies, aptly called Rasa Asmaradana.
Our neighbour was Chef Spinosi, who prepared his designer label pasta, Spinosini, for entree, main dish and dessert at our cozy dinner tete-a-tete with him and Suleiman at the Feringgi Grill.

Breakfast was a generous buffet spread at the Spice Market Cafe while high tea was a delightful sampling of canapes and fine teas at the garden terrace of the Rasa Wing Lounge. Lunching on Chef Salad and fruit juices at the Poolside Bar while watching people swimming, sun bathing or engaging themselves with recreational activities was a welcome reprieve after the spa treatment. We were indeed sad to bid farewell to Suleiman and his team who had been such hospitable hosts throughout our short stay at Rasa.

Critical Mass

A parade to raise awareness of bicycle use in KL on July 27 2007 at 6PM in front of Central Market. Spread the word and the love of our natural environment.

Launching of Citizen Think T@nk

Finally, the day arrived for the launching of Citizen Think T@nk on 21 July 2007 at Restoran Widuri, Aman Suria. Although about 30 people showed up, TV3's Bulletin Utama gave it priority coverage at 8pm. CTT was in the main news even before the first advertisement.

The launch was graced by the trustees and ardent supporters - Tan Sri Aziz, Dr. KJ John, YM Tengku Mahaleel, Edward Lee, Dr. Abu Bakar, Jeff Ooi, Bernard Khoo, Tony Pua, Wong Chin Huat, among others.
My fervent hope is for the initiative to signify the dawning of the Age of Knowledge Democracy and Knowledge-empowered Voters. Instead of resigning ourselves and lamenting about the lack of competent leaders, let us all strive to improve the performance of the incumbents and simultaneously identify the next generation of leaders so as to mitigate the problems of attrition and apathy. Give your support to this authentic e-community project via active virtual participation.
http://www.citizenthinktank.com/

Peace Education

When I was a young scholar, I thought it was irrelevant for Prof Fatimah Hamidon to propose 'peace' research since we've never been a nation at war, well not since the Second World War or perhaps the Emergency.

Now I realised she was ahead of her time and there really is an urgent need to not only study but practice ways to promote and maintain peace within the family, the neighborhood, the community and so on.

The presentations were, on the whole, eye-opening and thought-provoking. Scholars from the ASEAN region shared their ideas, experiences and empirical findings from war-torn and conflict zones such as Acheh, Pattani and Mindanao.

I personally find Madeliene Sta Maria's and Faridah Noor's presentations on socio-cultural approaches/dialogic competencies and efforts in cultural archiving the most valuable for my own research on multiculturalism.

alias Grace @ KLPac

This is a must-see for all those who believe in giving voices to the subalterns, dead or alive. Kudos to Caroline Lee for her spell-binding performance that captivated the audience for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Walking away from the "Pandora's Box", I can't help feeling thankful for being born a woman in this day and age.
SYNOPSIS:
"Murderess. Murderess. The word rustles like a tafetta skirt across the floor."
In 1844 sixteen-year-old Grace Marks is convicted of the brutal murder of her employer and his pregnant mistress. Eight years later she is offered the chance to redeem herself, but telling a story is never an innocent act.
In her brilliant portrayal of the celebrated murderess in the play alias Grace, award-winning Australian actress Caroline Lee transforms into Marks in a performance as intimate as it is dangerous. The character is based on the real-life Grace Marks, one of the most notorious Canadian women of the 1840s.
Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood's multi-award winning novel, has been adapted for the stage by Laurence Strangio. The KL production is supported by the Australian Government, through the Australia International Cultural Council in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of Relations between Malaysia and Australia.

Armstrong's Lecture, Tun Razak's Legacy & Menopause the Musical

http://idrus.blogspot.com/

It's been awhile since I last blogged. Just goes to show how busy I've been. Other than professional duties, I've also been occupied with the usual social rounds.
Of these, I could certainly recall the public lecture by Karen Armstrong at the Mandarin Oriental as well as Seminar Legasi Tun Abdul Razak at the Sime Darby Convention Center, both on June 16 2007, and, of course, Menopause the Musical at The Actors Studio @ BSC.
Many bloggers have written about the impact of the Armstrong lecture,
Karen Armstrong Promotes Silence, Non Violence and Compassion and Karen Armstrong in KL
among them. Of Armstrong's key messages about Silence, Non-Violence and Compassion, these simple phrases stuck in my mind:
"Look at your enemy in the eye, and try to find the Divine" (or something to that extent);
"Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you” (attributed to Confucius);
"Cartharsis and weeping are crucial to spiritual cleansing" (or something of that sort).

Well, what can I say about Seminar Legasi Tun Razak? First, that my late father would surely turn in his grave had he known that I had consorted with "those colonial compradors". Secondly, it's really much ado about nothing; unless it's a run-up to the General Elections.

As for Menopause the Musical, I would suggest that males going through andropause to get out of that denial mode and take their wives and children to watch it. Ciao!

Anak Bulan Di Kampong Wa' Hassan

I missed "Anak Bulan" the last time it was shown at KLPAC but determined to catch it at Kampong Jawa, Klang, on June 13 2007. Although I spent my formative years in Kampong Melayu Kaki Bukit, Singapura 14, I considered myself a city slicker for being born in a cosmopolitan city and subsequently moved to Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya. Now that I'm older and wiser, I learned to appreciate the simplicity of rural life and wished I still had a kampong to return to for the holidays or for a retirement settlement.

The Actors Studio

with the support of/dengan sokongan
Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage/Kementerian Kebudayaan, Kesenian dan Warisan (KeKKWa)
present/mempersembahkan
GENE SHA RUDYN in the text written by/dalam karya tulisan
ALFIAN BIN SA’AT
“Anak Bulan Di Kampong Wa’ Hassan”
Director/Pengarah: Gene Sha Rudyn
Writer/Penulis: Alfian bin Sa'at

Cast/Pelakon: Gene Sha Rudyn

“Anak Bulan Di Kampong Wa' Hassan” tells the story of Kampong Wa’ Hassan, the last Malay kampung (village) to fall victim to Singapore's efforts at modernisation. Far from a nostalgia trip down memory lane to a romanticised Malay kampung, this is a journey of discovery of the true worth of a kampung, filled with real-life characters in all their rawness, and the true loss in the dispossession of it.
“If 'to know me is to love me', then the way for us to understand why Orang Kampung love the kampung is to get to know the kampung that they know.”

- Gene Sha Rudyn
“Anak Bulan Di Kampong Wa' Hassan” mengisahkan tentang Kampong Wa’ Hassan, kampung terakhir di Singapura yang menjadi mangsa dalam usaha Singapura mengejar kemajuan. Jauh berbeza daripada sebuah lamunan romantika tentang sebuah Kampung Melayu yang penuh nostalgia, malahan ianya merupakan satu penerokaan mengenali nilai sebenar sebuah kampung, yang padat dengan watak-watak nyata lagi asli, dan kehilangan sebenar dengan pemupusannya. “Kata pepatah ‘Tak kenal maka tak cinta’. Jadi, kalau kita nak faham kenapa orang kampung cinta sangat dengan kampung, kita kenalah mengenali kampung yang mereka kenal.”

- Gene Sha Rudyn
Dates & Time:
Wednesday / Rabu 6 June 2007 - Kampong Bekor, Manong, Kuala Kangsar, Perak
Saturday / Sabtu 9 June 2007 - Kampong Pulau Betong, Balik Pulau, Penang
Wednesday / Rabu 13 June 2007 - Kampong Jawa, Klang, Selangor
Sunday / Ahad 17 June 2007 - Sungai Karang Darat, Kuantan, Pahang
Wednesday / Rabu 20 June 2007 - Kampong Bukit Cina, Melaka
Saturday / Sabtu 23 June 2007 - Kampong Parit Haji Ali, Batu Pahat, Johor
ADMISSION IS FREE!
For more information, please contact:

Lina 012-203 9198The Actors Studio @ BSC 03-2093 0400

The Actors Studio Greenhall Penang 04-263 5400

WALK FOR THE POLAR BEAR

For so long, I felt so smug about signing online petitions to stop global warming and forwarding them to family and friends. Hey, I even watched Al Gore's The Inconvenient Truth. However, I restrained myself from stopping and getting off my car to 'hug a tree' that the road-builders cut down to widen the road and put street lights on the narrowed divider opposite the al-Malek Feisal mosque.

Watching 'Face to Face With The Polar Bear' on Animal Planet last night made me want to call the station and ask: "What happened to the female adolescent bear that was reduced to skin and bones? Why didn't the producers return to rescue her?"

Then it dawned on me this morning that I have to stop expecting others to do their part and start doing something myself - switch off the air-conditioners, change the light bulbs and start walking for that scrawny polar bear and other species endangered by global warming.

A 30 minutes walk to and fro would in fact help me lose weight and keep fit, plus avoid getting into arguments about traffic rules and parking rights near my workplace and neighbourhood.

And on my way to work this morning, I noticed that there are at least two abandoned bungalows at Section 16, Petaling Jaya, that could have been put to good use.

I hope to continue walking for the polar bear for as long as I can.

Vanishing Ice (World Environment Day Special)
Animal Planet Premiere Tuesday June 5 at 6.30pm
Coinciding with World Environment Day on June 5, Animal Planet will feature two one-hour programs back-to-back every Tuesday throughout June, focusing on a variety of animals affected by the world’s melting ice. See how climate change and other environmental impacts are dramatically affecting polar bears, killer whales, wolves and penguins and what the changes mean for their imminent future. Vanishing Ice World Environment Day special programs include: June 05 (6.30pm) – Boy Among Polar Bears June 05 (7.30pm) – Face To Face With The Polar Bear

http://www.animalplanet.com.au/ontv/vanishing_ice/index.shtml

MyCORP/DIVE and More

To correct Freelunch2020's perception of me as a 'tai tai', I feel compelled to write about projects that kept me busy in the last month or so.
The first is my pet project that had me going and talking to city councillors, local educationists, community activists, youths and citizens who are interested in being change agents or 'interventionists'.
The second is a Community Creativity Centre that my neighbour cum 'new best friend', F, roped me into.
And the third is the Citizen Think Tank that I had the honour to be one of its moderators:
http://www.citizenthinktank.com
Now, if I only have the time and energy to undertake all these successfully to the end.

My Fair Lady The Musical

I had to abandon two sets of friends to seize the opportunity to watch MFLTM at the KL Convention Center on the evening of May 18th. KL being the supposed cultural hub of Malaysia had, of course, to observe Malaysian time and tolerate Malaysians' idosyncrasies. In other words, the actors had to wait for the audience taking their own sweet time dribbling into the auditorium and perform while babies are bawling their lungs out!

Apart from that, we managed to enjoy the show and the hor douvres during the interval. However, I still prefer the film version with Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison. NiA wished Eliza had rode into the sunset with Freddy but I had to remind her that the play was based on 'Pygmalion' which was written by George Bernard Shaw in 1916. In any case, I chose to interpret it as a question of compatibility between two human souls and tried to ignore the age difference between the protagonists.

Goodbye Boys

NiA decided we do something different on Mother's Day and watch a local indie movie for a change.

Goodbye Boys is a coming-of-age story set in 1990 against the backdrop of Kinta Valley. A group of eight Form Five Ipoh boys went on a 5-day 100km hike to fulfill a King Scouts requirement and returned to become young men just in time for the Farewell Prom organised by none other than the Convent girls. Reminds me of my numerous journeys with Yat to Batu Gajah, Tanjung Tualang and Ipoh during my secondary school holidays. And those '90s ballads were worth listening and humming to again.

http://www.redfilms.com.my/goodbyeboys/story.htm

Marche Movenpick

Have always wanted to dine at Marche Movenpick and finally had the chance on Mother's Day. Love the European marketplace and hawker style concept, the fresh fruit juices, the creamy risotto, the super sausage and the Alps Coffee.

The staff can perhaps be more generous with their smiles and the local patrons could certainly practice restraint in piling their plates!

Women Over 40

(Or what my poolside cafetaria operator would say in one breath: "Womenover35")

60 Minutes Correspondent Andy Rooney (CBS):

"As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why:

A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, "What are you thinking?" She doesn't care what you think.

If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it's usually more interesting.

Women over 40 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you if they think they can get away with it.

Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated. Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 40.

Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 40 is far sexier than her younger counterpart. Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk if you are acting like one. You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her.

Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 40, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress.

Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?", here's an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage. Why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage!"

AMEN!

DAVID KL YEAP

Bean there...

Couldn't resist sharing this, courtesy of Paulene Leong:
mrbeanbastic.wmv
From the bottom of my heart, I wish you all the best, Bean, on your future project/s.
Do keep us entertained with your shenanigans and silly antics!

A Day in the Life

May 13th/Mother's Day is around the corner, once again.
In the spirit of universal matriarchy, I've been contemplating a career change which would enable me to contribute much more to the society, and the country, given the right opportunities.
My colleagues - JL, NYM, RS - and I had been scouting a post-conflict squatter area the last few weeks to see if we could embark on a participatory action research by testing a multicultural or diversity team-building module that can then be replicated. However, we discovered that the authorities had employed a quick-fix or band-aid solution to the racial problems by relocating and segregating the ethnic groups involved to two separate transit settlements, and ultimately, permanent low-cost, high-rise residential units. Thus, we decided on an alternate and proximate location for our pilot project in conjunction with the school holidays.
By the Grace of God, over the break, I was alerted of a very exciting project that my fellow 'murid' and sister, F, is currently involved in and was somehow roped into conceptualising the programmes and activities. This is something that would definitely allow me to realise my dream of facilitating a new breed of creative and productive community that will gradually disengage from a crude culture of consumption. Now, I would surely jump on board if the offer is right!
So much for the crossroads that I'm at.
Here's a different offer from the International Museum of Women:
Waking up the children, vacuuming the home, looking over homework, a trip to the market, sharing naps and Sesame Street…
All in a day’s work! Mothers world over multitask. But what if in addition to all this they have to struggle to survive? What if every day means not knowing how you can provide your children with a safe home and stable future?
Meet Ruth Natasha from Nigeria who gives us a glimpse into her thoughts as an HIV positive mother. Read Suzanna Camil Ali’s account of her life as a Palestinian mother at the Al’Azzah refugee camp in Bethlehem. As she goes about her day safety, politics and housework all have a part to play. See Justyna Mielnikiewicz’s striking images of Eka’s life. Eka, a half Georgian, half Russian mother struggles to make ends meet for her family.
What is a day in your life like? Tell us your story.
http://imaginingourselves.imow.org

WAY TO GO, NOLA!

Woman, 95, to be oldest college graduate
By CARL MANNING, Associated Press Writer Fri Apr 27, 4:02 AM ET
HAYS, Kan. - Sitting on the front row in her college classes carefully taking notes, Nola Ochs is just as likely to answer questions as to ask them. That's not the only thing distinguishing her from fellow students at Fort Hays State University. She's 95, and when she graduates May 12, she'll be what is believed to be the world's oldest person to be awarded a college degree.
She didn't plan it that way. She just loved to learn as a teenager on a Hodgeman County farm, then as a teacher at a one-room school after graduating from high school and later as a farm wife and mother.
"That yearning for study was still there. I came here with no thought of it being an unusual thing at all," she said. "It was something I wanted to do. It gave me a feeling of satisfaction. I like to study and learn."
The record Ochs will break, according to Guinness World Records, belongs to Mozelle Richardson, who at age 90 in 2004 received a journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma.
"We should all be so lucky and do such amazing things. Her achievement challenges us all to reach for our own goals and dreams," said Tom Nelson, AARP chief operating officer in Washington.
She's getting offers for television appearances, and reporters show up wanting to interview her. She acknowledges enjoying it.
"It brings attention to this college and this part of the state. Good people live here," she said. "And I still wear the same size hat."
But she added: "I don't dwell on my age. It might limit what I can do. As long as I have my mind and health, it's just a number."
Ochs is proudest of being the matriarch of a family that includes three sons — a fourth died in 1995 — along with 13 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
"They're all such fine boys," she said. "Our main crop is our children, and the farm is a good place to raise them."
Ochs started taking classes at Dodge City Community College after her husband of 39 years, Vernon, died in 1972. A class here and there over the years, and she was close to having enough hours for an undergraduate degree.
Last fall, Ochs moved the 100 miles from her farm southwest of Jetmore to an apartment on campus to complete the final 30 hours to get a general studies degree with an emphasis on history.
At 5-foot-2, her white hair pulled into a bun, she walks purposely down hallways to classes with her books in a cloth tote bag. Students nod and smile; she's described as witty, charming and down to earth.
"Everybody has accepted me, and I feel just like another student," she said. "The students respect me."
Coming out of a classroom, Skyla Foster, a junior majoring in history, sees Ochs and calls out to her. To everyone on campus, she's "Nola," not Mrs. Ochs — and that's the way she wants it.
"She is pretty neat, a very interesting person and very knowledgeable," Foster said.
Todd Leahy, history department chairman, wondered at first if Ochs could keep up with the other students. After her second week, all doubts were gone, as he discovered she could provide tidbits of history.
Leahy, who had Ochs in four classes, wantsto record oral histories with her after she graduates.
"I can tell them about it, but to have Nola in class adds a dynamic that can't be topped," Leahy said. "It's a firsthand perspective you seldom get."
For instance, Ochs offered recollections of the 1930s Midwest dust bowl, when skies were so dark that lamps were lit during the day and wet sheets were placed over windows to keep out dust that sounded like pelting sleet hitting the house.
During a discussion about World War II, Ochs told how she and her husband, along with other wheat farmers in the area, grew soybeans on some of their acres for the war effort.
"I would have never talked about that in class, but she brought it up and we talked about it," Leahy said. "She often adds color to the face of history."
Ochs hasn't complained about the work, nor has she asked for special considerations.
In her one-bedroom apartment, books are open and papers and notes are within easy reach when she sits down at her computer to research and write.
"I came up here with that purpose. No, I never doubted it. Other people did it," she said. "I came up here to work, and I enjoy it."
Ochs said she has learned new things. She said she has attained a better understanding of Russian history and the role Dwight Eisenhower played in the D-Day invasion.
An added joy for Ochs is that her 21-year-old granddaughter, Alexandra Ochs, will graduate with her.
"How many people my age have a chance to hang out with their grandmothers? She's really accepted by the other students," Alexandra said. "They enjoy her, but probably not as much as I do."
Ochs said she looks forward to getting home to help with the wheat harvest, as she has done every year for as long as she can remember. After harvest, she might travel or take more classes at a community college.
After that?
"I'm going to seek employment on a cruise ship as a storyteller," she said, smiling.
The determined look in her eye leaves no doubt she's serious.
___
Anyone bound for Bali Labour Day break? Welcome on board!

IDIOSITIS

Visits to other private colleges often reinforces the tyranny of the market on the academy, and of course academics, if lecturers would even dare to call themselves 'scholars' these days.

Just as McDonald's had been accused of encouraging 'Pester Power' among children who emotionally blackmail or extort their parents to patronise the franchise, 'McD's Unis' should be tried and found guilty for 'giving too much face' to mostly rich, and even not-so-rich, kids to treat education as a commodity with a price tag and thus teachers, a more appropriate and humbling term for lecturers at private colleges and universities, as no different from McDonald's servers.

Indeed, the day may soon arrive when your McD's Uni lecturer asks, "Would you like an A+ with that, Sir/Madam/Master/Miss?"

NAB/ALLBLOGS' PARTY

Since I missed Farewell to the King, thought I'll just post a few of my pics taken by Borneo Blues at the inaugural AllBlogs' party.
http://matsalo.blogspot.com/

SHOW UP & OWN UP!

I managed to catch a rerun of Oprah Winfrey show on 'Stop Living a Lie', or something along that line, advocating people to be true to themselves and SHOW UP, not as a Pretender or an Imposter, but as their true AUTHENTIC selves in any relationship, be it at the workplace, social or familial setting.

The operative word here is BEING your own REAL self, not HAVING what you think will DRAW people to you, or make them LOVE you, unless it's shallow and materialistic people that you intend to attract in the first place.

Like I've said in a text message before, and I will say it again and again:

"CRUDE STYLE BEGETS CRUDE GALS!"

Ms Winfrey and her guests went on to relate how most people, especially women, would inextricably link self identity and self image with what we HAVE (usually a 'catch' in the guise of successful boyfriends, trophy husbands, rich SugarDaddies or even brilliant Mentors who will make us the envy of every woman in our social or professional circle, 'cos they are often regarded as the Express/TAG Lane or PASSPORTS, not only to overseas trips, but to palatial homes, chauffeur-driven cars, a life of leisure, that framed degree/s on our walls, and the promotions thereafter), and not for who we ARE - unique and special in our own right and capable of achieving our personal or professional goals through our own efforts.

Now, most of my female relatives and friends, not just the home makers but the professionals as well, subscribe to this very ILLUSION that every woman's dream is to be a Datin or a Tai-tai, with a walk-in wardrobe of designer clothes, bags, shoes and jewelleries to captivate the crowd during that 'Red Carpet Moment', and similar shallow and superficial pursuits.

Now don't get me wrong, I do enjoy my share of superficial socialising and fine dining with high society, but I derive REAL satisfaction and pleasure from being recognised for my academic work at conference circuits and other public forums.

I remembered well an awful spat between me and a female relative who retorted that:

"You're jealous of me because you HAVE nothing!"

And my knee-jerk reaction was:

"Why should I be? You ARE nothing! (i.e., without the honorific title, expensive clothes, jewelleries, cars, etc., courtesy of her husband)"

And that was the last we spoke to one another.

In fact, having witnessed and felt the resounding VOID in her life made me, consciously or unconsciously, AVOID falling into that tempting trap of being the Mentee who had to walk several steps behind her world-renown Mentor, Patron, or whatchamacallit!

And, of course, it will take me forever to finish my doctoral dissertation without a benefactor, but hey, it's the journey and not the destination that matters.

In any case, what do you think will happen when two supposedly mature and sophisticated adults SHOW UP, over and over again, as shy, awkward and self-conscious people?

The answer is, NOTHING.

What are the reasons for the NON-EVENT?

Will they ever make things HAPPEN between them?

Well, for starters:

Think about how it feels to be the other person.

What they need to feel good.

Remember, there's almost a fifty-fifty chance that they feel shy too.

Put yourself in their shoes and do what you think it would take to make them feel good.

That's not phoniness, that's kindness.

http://www.shakeyourshyness.com/Tips.HTM

And try to extend that kindness by going the extra mile to her TURF and respect her TERMS, to make her feel good and comfortable.

STOP 'dragging' her down to the same level as opportunistic, materialistic and mindless 'kiddos' by compelling her to compete with 'budak-budak hingusan' (wet behind their waxed ears neophytes, WHAT AN INSULT!) - that will NEVER, ever work since her values are opposed to theirs, or perhaps yours, for that matter.

She can't show up as desperate and needy, when the REAL self prided in self-reliance.

So, SweetHeart, either settle for CLONES in your own IMAGE, or you just gotta change that APPROACH! You may be an arrogant bloke, but certainly no DUMMY! Don't just SHOW UP, OWN UP to your actions! STOP hiding behind plate numbers, heavily tinted wind shields, mute runners, balaccis, etc., etc!!!

www.goodcharacter.com/pp/respect.html

And here's Missy Elliot to drive the point home:

http://www.lyred.com/lyrics/Missy+Elliott/Respect+M~E~/

R Strauss Oboe Concerto, MPO, April 13-15 2007

Zai and I were simply thrilled to get complimentary tickets to the MPO after the event at NN Gallery. I'm now beginning to appreciate western classical music and able to distinguish the sounds and moods evoked by the different musical instruments, be they string, wind or what-have-you. As a novice, I can proudly say now that horns produce a "lively theme", strings have a "jagged rhythmic edge" and flutes and clarinets are reminiscent of a "charming rural or pastoral" past.
http://www.malaysianphilharmonic.com/index.php
So, this time around, I had a splendid time at the DFP, savouring both the music of Ravel (Valses nobles et sentimentales), Strauss (Oboe Concerto) and Dvorak (Symphony No. 7 in D minor (Op. 70)), as well as the desserts (tiramiru, almond choc and carrot walnut, haha!)
"Inspired by the music of Schubert, Ravel’s “noble and sentimental Waltzes” was originally written for a concert where the audience had to guess the composer ... Dvorák’s Seventh is widely regarded as the greatest of his nine symphonies while MPO Principal Oboe, Simon Emes, enchants us with the Concerto Richard Strauss wrote for one of the American soldiers sent to guard him at the end of the Second World War."

Garden of the Heart, NN Gallery, April 7-30 2007

This is one solo exhibition with a difference, from the moment the art enthusiast walks into the gallery til the moment she steps out.

Now, I'm no art connosseur, just a lover of aesthetics. And was I fascinated by the creative floral arrangements that greet the visitors at the foyer. The air was fragrant with the sweet smell of tuberoses, 'melor', 'tanjung' and 'kenanga' (gosh, can't find the translations in English on the net and no kamus dwi-bahasa at hand) as well as 'bunga rampai'.

The theme is Sufism, from the flowers to the music and, of course, the works of art. Garden of the Hearts marks Dato' Sharifah Fatimah Syed Zubir 21st solo exhibition and showcases 24 new works. And as any novice could tell, Islamic arts is more about conformity and contemplation, rather than creativity, which represents the Islamic way of life and revolves around the worship of the Almighty and appreciation of his creations on Earth.

The collages and other works at the exhibition focus "more on geometrical images and colours which evoke feelings of calmness, enlightenment and spirituality". This "dynamic new body of work ... is reflective of the artist’s recent experiences which marks an evident change in style and a significant development in her artistic expression." And this recent change in style is the result of her travels to many different parts of the world, including Sumatra and Yemen, to retrace her roots and search for solace and serenity in her cultural heritage.

www.nngallery.com.my

The Oxford & Cambridge Gala Boat Race Ball 2007

This is one event that I simply wouldn't skip, not only for its style and sophistication, but for its scrumptious food, clever conversation and melodious music.* http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consuelo_Velázquez

So there we were, last Saturday night, in our best black dresses and shawls and killer heels to the Carcosa Seri Negara, where we rubbed shoulders and introduced ourselves to the charming crowd.
Speaking of sparkling as well as dry wit from eloquent professionals, socialites and diplomats, this is one joke by a former ambassador that I simply got to share:
A doctor of numbers wrote a letter to his wife justifying the reason why he had to meet his 18 year old mistress. Although he still loved her and would not dreamt of divorcing her, she was nonetheless already 54, and hence, could not satisfy him any longer. But as a responsible husband, he will be home at midnight. However, when he walked into the hotel lobby for his rendevous, he was greeted by a fax from his Old Wife, which said:
"Since you have an 18 year old girl as your lover, I too have taken an 18 year old boy as my lover. I'm sure as a mathematician, you have no problem figuring out that it's faster for 18 to go into 54, than for 54 to go into 18. So, honey, please don't wait up! Love, your wife"
*

And here's to those who did not make it to the Ball:
Besame besame mucho,
each time I bring you a kiss
I hear music divine.
So besame besame mucho,
Yeh I love you for ever
say that you'll always be mine.
Dearest one, if you should leave me
then each little dream will take wings
and my life would be through.
So besame besame mucho,
yeh I love you for ever,
make all my dreams come true.
Oh this joy is something new,
my arms are holding you,
I never knew this thrill before.
Who ever thought I'd be
holding you close to me
whispering it's you I adore.
So dearest one,
if you should leave me
then each little dream will take wings
and my life would be through.
So besame besame mucho,
yeah I love you for ever,
make all my dreams come true.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z619poRNQto

Wine & Dine with Rodelio Aglibot, April 6 2007

Rodelio Aglibot, celebrity chef from the West Coast of the USA, was at the Westin, from 4-8 April 2007, when NiA and I had the pleasure of tasting his culinary creations:

Gindara Beignets

(Miso Scented Cod Cakes with a Smoked Tomato Infused Brandade)

Duet of Crispy Rice

(Pan-fried Sushi Rice Topped with Spicy Tuna and Wagyu Beef Tartare Tataki)

Tandoori Inspired Black Cod

(Curried Cauliflower Puree Tomato Confit)

Caramelised Duck Breast Roulade

(Cured, Poached and Caramelised Duck Breast, Watercress Salad, Peppered Mango Sauce)

Roasted Australian Kobe Beef Strip Loin

(Asian Mushrooms, Spicy Pickled Cabbage Potato Puree, Yuzu-kosho Infused Demi Glaze)

Avacado Mousse

(Cucumber-lychee Granite, Raspberry Sauce)

This second generation Filipino American was born in Hawaii and is a former executive chef of well-known 'koi' and 'yi cuisine' restaurants, a founder of a premier tuna supplier in San Francisco and opening a 15,000 sq. ft. Pan Asian restaurant in downtown Seattle named 'Le Orient'.

http://swininganddining.blogspot.com/

Oh, Jit!

NiA’s invitation to join her and her friends at The Actors’ Studio (TAS), BSC, last night was a refreshing relieve from the end-of-semester madness, made more memorable with the glittering company and the generous flow of refreshments, courtesy of JAYA ONE.
I’ve always remembered Jit Murad as the urchin-faced Peter Pan stage performer who'll never grow old, never mind up. However, on the ninth evening of his current comedy run, I sensed that he looked rather drained and jaded, and somewhat out of form, particularly when he was recounting his childhood memories.
Jit was, fortunately, in his element throughout his impersonations of Samy Velu, the sycophantic YB and the loquacious Renee Choy. Switching effortlessly from the faded jeans and blazer of the narrator to a batik shirt and songkok for his portrayal of the ingratitious MP and a stylish headscarf for his version of an Ipoh Road hairdresser, the stand-up comedian had the audience in the palms of his hands all the time he was on his feet, knees and back, but not when he was on his tush, reading from his script!

Adios, Amigo!

Received these photos and verses from a former student just in the nick of time to bid a colleague and friend good-bye and fare-thee-well.
My 'sahabat seperjuangan' (comrade-in-arms, metaphorically speaking), Sheih of
http://kickdefella.wordpress.com,
forgive me for my prejudices and suspicions at the initial stage; I have this emotional baggage about Kelantanese men, actually just one in particular. No, not grudges, just wary and weary; it's self-explanatory.
Anyway, would like to thank you for lifting my spirits up with those fun posters at times when I was feeling down and sharing the wound of having had absentee fathers and strong mothers, those few and far-between teh tarik sessions with others at that oh-so-odious 'lorong', that night out with Knudsen, Beh and Cynthia, at Hartamas Square, and the invitations to Wisma Denmark, Kafe4Teen and NPC, which I managed to honour a couple of times. Don't want to sound cliched, but "the road is long, with many a winding turn, that leads to who knows where ..."
At any rate, I wish all the best in your future endeavours. I had hoped that you would produce the new Malaysian cinema (paradiso?), but it's alright too if you produce consciousness-raising materials to awaken political activism (and I mean this in a very broad sense of the word) within the citizenry, be they Kelantanese or Malaysians.

Adios, Amigo, til we meet again!

Sometimes in life, you find a special friend;
Someone who changes your life
just by being part of it.
Someone who makes you laugh
until you can't stop;
Someone who makes you believe
that there really is good in the world.
Someone who convinces you
that there really is an unlocked door
just waiting for you to open it.

Believe in yourself

Be brave...but it's ok to be afraid sometimes
Remain calm, even when it seems hopeless
Be weird whenever you have the chance
Love your friends, no matter who they are
Take an occasional risk
Fall in love with someone..
Love someone with all of your heart
Watch your step
It will get better
There is always someone who loves you more than you know
Exercise to keep fit
Live up to your name
Seize the Moment

Hold on to good friends; they are few and far between
Indulge in the things you truly love
At the end of the day... PRAY
....... and close your eyes
And smile at least once a day!

Pakatan Nasional Penulis Blog (National Alliance of Bloggers)

Gotcha! Or is it NAB? A National Alliance of Bloggers was officially formed last nite at the National Press Club (NPC) in a counter manouvre that outsmart the powers-that-be.
Yesterday morning, the Deputy Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor had announced at the Dewan Rakyat that bloggers using locally hosted websites may be asked to register with the authorities.
Registration was seen as "one of the measures the Government was considering to prevent the spread of negative or malicious content on the Internet" which could be a threat to national security.
However, serious bloggers viewed this move to compel local bloggers to register as a form of control and a violation of the Government's no-censorship policy with regards to the Internet under the Bill of Guarantees. The Government had also established the Content Forum as a form of self-regulation among players in the sector to deliberate on complaints by any disgruntled party. They predicted that the move would also instil fear among the bloggers and would encourage them to host their blogs overseas.
Below is the line-up of the Pro-tem committee members:
President - Ahirudin Attan
Vice President - Jeff Ooi
Secretary - Nuraina A. Samad
Treasurer - Tony Yew
Council Members:
Patrick Teoh
Bernard Khoo
Syed Azidi Syed Abdul Aziz
Syed Jamal al-Idrus
Rajahram Ramalingam
Annuratha K
Ami Husni
Soon Li Tsin (more)

Goodbye Guantanamo

Here's another chance at exercising your rights as a concerned global citizen:
Dear Avaaz Member,
Bush's top advisors are divided over whether to close Guantanamo prison forever. A massive global outcry could tip the balance.
Sign the petition below - we will publish it in key US papers next week:
Take Action Now
Guantanamo prison is a major part of President Bush's assault on international law. 400 prisoners remain trapped in Guantanamo prison without being charged with any crime or given a trial. Now we have a chance to shut it down. Last week US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Guantanamo should be closed. President Bush's advisors are now split down the middle on this issue -- a massive global outcry could tip the balance, and push Bush to close Guantanamo forever.
Click below to sign the Close Guantanamo petition, and we'll run ads next week in major US papers announcing the number of signatures:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/close_guantanamo
It's now clear that many of the detainees are simply innocent people caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Guantanamo's former commander General Jay Hood has admitted, "Sometimes we just didn't get the right folks." This is what happens when people are held without charge or trial. After being held for five years, last week Australian David Hicks was finally charged -- and sentenced to just 9 months in an Australian prison. This hardly looks like the "worst of the worst" - words the Bush Administration used to justify ignoring basic standards of justice.
Meanwhile, as regimes around the world use Guantanamo to excuse their own human rights abuses, international law keeps taking a beating. Sign the petition calling on the US government to close Guantanamo , and for its inmates to be tried in a legitimate court or set free. Let's run ads in Washington DC and show that citizens from every country on earth want this injustice to end:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/close_guantanamo
In hope,
Ricken, Milena, Tom, Graziela and the Avaaz Team

End the Seal Hunt Today

If you're a sucker for cute babies, regardless they are humans or otherwise, then do your bit in saving innocent seal pups from being cruelly clubbed and butchered by inhumane hunters.

Plus, we really have to start making sacrifices in terms of "creature comforts" such as vehicles, air-conditioners, etc. that produced green house gas emissions and caused global warming that eroded polar ice caps and destroyed the habitats of endangered species. Do something, anything starting NOW!

Complicated

Uh huh, life's like this

Uh huh, uh huh, that's the way it is

Cause life's like this

Uh huh, uh huh that's the way it is

Chill out whatcha yelling' for?

Laid back it's all been done before

And if you could only let it be you will see

I like you the way you are

When we're drivin' in your car and you're talking to me one on one

but you've become

Somebody else round everyone else

You're watching your back like you can't relax

You're tryin' to be cool you look like a fool to me

Tell me

Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?

I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else gets me frustrated

Life's like this you

And you fall and you crawl and you break

and you take what you get and you turn it into honesty

and promise me I'm never gonna find you fake it

no no no

You come over unannounced

dressed up like you're somethin' else

where you are ain't where it's at

you see you're making me laugh out when you strike your pose

take off all your preppy clothes

you know you're not fooling anyone

when you've become

Somebody else round everyone else

Watching your back, like you can't relax

Trying to be cool you look like a fool to me

Tell me

Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?

I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else gets me frustrated

Life's like this you

and You fall and you crawl and you break

and you take what you get and you turn it into honesty

promise me I'm never gonna find you fake it

no no no

************************************************************************************

How many years, vehicles and runners does it take to say these simple words:

"Would you like to step into the car/mpv/lorry/home, ma'am?"

How many more years would it take a person to learn that all that display of power, position and affluence can't take the place of good manners?

Torn Between Two Lovers

- Artist: Mary MacGregor-peak Billboard position # 1 in 1976-77
-Words and Music by Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul , and Mary) and Phil Jarrel
There are times when a woman has to say what's on her mind
Even though she knows how much it's gonna hurt
Before I say another word let me tell you I love you
Let me hold you close and say these words as gently as I can
There's been another man that I've needed and I've loved
But that doesn't mean I love you less
And he knows you can't possess me and he knows he never will
There's just this empty place inside of me that only he can fill
CHORUS
Torn between two lovers, feelin' like a fool
Lovin' both of you is breakin' all the rules
Torn between two lovers, feelin' like a fool
Lovin' you both is breakin' all the rules
You mustn't think you've failed me just because there's someone else
You were the first real love I ever had
And all the things I ever said, I swear they still are true
For no one else can have the part of me I gave to you
I couldn't really blame you if you turned and walked away
But with everything I feel inside, I'm asking you to stay
CHORUS
Torn between two lovers
FADEFeelin' like a fool
Lovin' both of you is breakin' all the rules
In response to jorji, whether it's males or females, I doubt there's much fun in being 'torn'