Mandarin Dreams

Photo courtesy from Digital DI's flickr

Great, in 24 hours I will be back in my hometown, probably in bed by now, dreaming about braised duck, exploding fire crakers and balckjack sessions. It is time to forget about work, stress and depressing thoughts, and time to paint the town red. Oh wait, it's probably all red by now with all the decorations.

Well, Chinese New Year is not as exciting as it used to be. The air of expectancy just before the clock strikes 12 is missing. Maybe it's the toned down celebrations at home, or the drop in visitors, or could be the lack of lion dances in my neighbourhood, or the lower earnings from Ang Pow collection, or just blame it on the usual adult apathy. Anyway, I should stop moaning and enjoy the festivities. Long holidays with good food and great company don't come by often.

Happy Chinese New year to all of you who are reading this. Cut down on the 'Bak Kua' intake but don't skimp on the fun. You live only once.

Birthday Pitstop

Thanks to the recommendation from Cowboy’s Blog, had suggested to my friends that we celebrate the January Birthdays at Pitstop Café. So last Friday, we decided to give this place a try.

Finding the cafe wasn’t too difficult but for it to stand out was a problem especially since it was located on the 3rd Floor along a road filled with eateries, pubs and small enterprises.

The eight of us were quickly seated in the middle of the room. We were easily the biggest group there in the small enclosed room. For dinner, we all chose the Pitstop meal ($12.90) which comprise of a main course, soup of the day, a drink and 2 hrs of games. Service was a tad slow as they were a little shot-handed, but at least the owners were friendly and accommodating throughout. My Lasagna did not taste too bad either.

Having made small talk and filled out our tummies, we moved over to the couch for the other reason we came here – Games. Choosing games from the games rack was not easy as most of them looked ‘greek’ to us. So we chose the easy way out and asked for recommendations.

We finally decided on a card game called Bohnanza, a game about planting beans, trading beans and selling beans for gold coins. After barely two rounds, we decided that the game was too slow for our liking, so back to the rack we go to choose a new game.

Bohnanza ! Fussed on Beans.

This time, the owners suggested Category Five, a faster card game about numbers, points and hurricanes. Played a few rounds until one of us broke the 73 point limit. You see, the objective of the game was to collect as little points as possible. Much better game, good for laughs and suspense, plus a little mental arithmetic and probability.

The Hurricane picks up pace.

And the winner is .... ahem, ahem...

Then it was time to celebrate the birthdays. Out came the birthday cake in the dark (lights were switched off) accompanied by a Birthday Ode. The three Birthday Folks then made their wish, blew off the candles and posed for the camera. No better way to usher in the new year then by reminding them that they are one year older J. At my age we sometimes wish that time will ‘fly’ slower and the birthdays be kept as far apart as possible.

Feasting on Black Forest

All in all, we had good fun.

P/S : Found our pics on Pitstop Café’s blog.

25 Hours in Muar

Saturday, 21-01-06.
1230 hrs : Arrived in Muar Bus Station. Got a lift back to my home. Almost couldn’t find the key to get into the house as it was well hidden in the ‘Secret Place’ (parents were out see). Scrummed around the kitchen to find something to fill my growling stomach. Found ‘Bak Kua’.

1300 hrs : Vicky came over to pick me up. Went to this Taiwanese Café with weird name at the Jln Daud corner. It was called Witchery Ider. Rumoured (according to Vicky) to serve good tasting tea. Had the Fried Noodles (delicious! MSG laden no doubt) and Ice Japanese Roast Tea(the hot one was better).

1400 hrs : Hopped over to ‘The Store’ at Wetex Parade (Muar’s premier shopping centre) to buy vegetables, fruits and other necessities. Next, paid a visit to the Organic Shop at the Khalidi round-a-bout to get some organic foodstuff for Vicky.

1500 hrs : Napped in the comfort of my room. (Aircon and all. z…z…z..)

1800 hrs : Time for Evening Mass. Hurried over just in time to catch the last few verses of the Entrance hymn. Left right after Holy communion.

1900 hrs : Rushed to the hospital to catch the visiting hours. Was visiting my Uncle who was in the ICU. Uncle was in critical condition. Heart was weak, he was conscious but couldn’t open his eyes or move. His family gathered around him, preparing for the worse but hoping for the best.

2000 hrs : Had dinner at Bentayan Hawker Centre. Newly renovated, now with shelter and a new stall arrangement. Had my favourite Prawn Noodles (Heh Mee). Unlike the prawn noddles in S’pore, the noodles here are light brown and dry with a dollop of sambal and small peeled prawns. Prices have gone up. One cup of warm soya bean is RM1.40!

2200 hrs : Caught the All-England on TV. First up, the young Malaysian pair of Teik Chai and Zakry. Sadly they lost tamely to their Danish opponents in the Doubles Semis. Next up was Malaysia’s No.1 Single Player, Lee Chong Wei vs the No.1 Seed, Lin Dan. Malaysian hopes soared as Chong Wei dominated the tiring Lin Dan in the rubber set. He even led at 13-9. Several unforced errors later, Lin Dan caught up and never turned back. No Singles Crown this year.

0115 hrs : ZZZ….SNORE ….ZZZZ….

Sunday, 22-01-06
0830 hrs : Rise and shine. Breakfast.

0900 hrs : Roped in by parents to help out in the annual Porch Scrubbing Exercise. Every single tile was scrubbed and soaped to ensure porch looked modestly clean.

1000 hrs : Ordeal finally ended. Now to the kitchen to help Mom with the Fried Keropok. Filled 3 large biscuit tins and 4 smaller ones with the oily fried junk food. Then, lend her a hand while she prepared lunch.

1230 hrs : Bathed and ate lunch.

1340 hrs : Headed off to Bus Station to catch 2pm bus back to JB.

End of Weekend.

1515 hrs : Received news from my cousin that my Uncle had breathed his last. The fight is over, he has returned to the Lord.

When the Unwanted Guest arrives …
I might be afraid.
I might smile or say:
My day was good, let night fall.
You will find the fields ploughed, the house clean,
the table set,
and everything in its place

A Gift from the Post

Received a little surprise in the post today. The Post had decided to be liberal with their purse strings and gave out dividends to a tune of 10 cents per share. Wow ! Total dividends paid out is now a quarter of the original IPO price.

Thanks for the early Ang Pow Singpost! Now let’s hope the price does not drop.

Love on Broken Wings

Was quite impressed with ‘Puteri Gunung Ledang’ when I first watched it on VCD(original, selling at S’pore night market) last year, especially the exchange of ‘flowery’ old classic Malay and poetry. They should have let us watched such movies back then when we were struggling with Malay literature during SPM rather than reading those short random passages which we had to decipher. Imagine the many budding thespians they would have produced.

Ah Hock : Siti sayang, boleh pinjamkan kanda buku latihan Sejarah adinda. Kanda tak sempat salin nota dari papan hitam tadi.

Siti : Aduhai sedapnya suara kakanda bila nak mintak tolong. Padan muka kakanda kerana tadi asyik je cakap bila cikgu mengajar.

Anyway, in the movie, the ones between the Javanese princess (Gusti Putri) and Hang Tuah were the stand-outs. Here’s part of the script.

(GP = Gusti Putri or later known as the Princess of Gunung Ledang;
HT = Hang Tuah, the Laksamana or Army Chief of Melaka.)

Scene : By the river in Java.

GP : Akhirnya dia datang juga padaku.

HT : Kanda bertemu cinta di negeri Jawa.

GP : Setiap orang punyai impian. Impian itu yang bisa meneruskan hidupan. Impian dinda adalah untuk mendapatkan cinta sejati. Kakanda ?

HT : Impian Kanda ? Impian Kanda kalau ada akhirnya. Kanda ingin menetap di Gunung Ledang.

GP : Di Gunung Ledang ?

HT : Ya. Buminya suci. Di situlah bermulanya segala-galanya buat Kanda. Tetapi seluruh nusantara Kanda mencari ketenangan, Kanda bertemu cinta di bumi Jawa.

GP : Sekecil burung kedidi. Adinda terbang ke hati kakanda. Mengharapkan cinta yang menggunung.

HT : Jika patah sayap Rajawali. *Betul gencuh kanda kemari.

GP : Adinda anggap sebagai janji.

(selepas mencuci kaki)

GP : Kita sudah saling berikat jika adat mencucikan kaki ini kita lakukan.

HT : Setapak melangkah. Dua langkah ingatkan kanda pada dinda.

GP : Adinda bersumpah. Jikalau Kakanda tidak kembali, Adinda akan menyusur kakanda. Menginjap pada tanah yang sama. Bernafas pada udara yang sama.

HT : Belayar berbelok-belok. Sauh di bongkar di tempat yang tenang. Yang tinggal hati tak elok. Yang pergi hati tak senang. Bila sampai waktu, kita akan bersama.

(* A little unsure of the correct words here)

The English Translation from the movie:

GP : Finally, he comes to me.

HT : I have found love in Java.

GP : Everyone has a dream. That dream helps us to carry on living. My dream is to find true love. And you, my love?

HT : My dream? My dream, if it may be fulfilled is to live on Mount Ledang.

GP : Mount Ledang?

HT : Yes. A place so pure, untouched. That is where it all began for me. I have traveled far and wide to find peace. Instead I found love on the isle of Java.

GP : This humble nightingale flies to your heart in search of a mountain of love.

HT : Broken may be the wing of the phoenix. In swathe and staff, I’ll heed your call.

GP : I shall take that as a promise.

(after washing of feet)

GP : We are now bound together by this feet-cleansing ritual.

HT : Every step away from you brings my heart two steps closer to you.

GP : I solemnly vow. Should you not return, I will come to you. To walk on the land you walk on. To breathe the air you breathe.

HT : Set sail on a winding trail. Cast anchor in the heart of calm. Heavy is the heart that stays. Sad is the heart that strays. But when the time does come, we will be as one.

*******

The Se7en Bethrothal Gift
Bridge of gold and silver from Melaka to Gunung Ledang.
Seven Trays of Mosquito Hearts.
Seven trays of the hearts of mites.
SA vat of water from dried areca nuts.
A vat of tears of virgin maidens.
A cup of the Sultan’s blood.
A cup of his son’s blood

Get me to the Church on time

"I’ve been having dreams and visions
In them you are always standing
Right beside me
I reach out for your hand
To see your arms extending
Outstretched towards me

To you I give my pledge
I honor all that’s good
In this life we’re living
To think not only of myself
But of the greater union ..."

Wedding Song, Tracy Chapman

On Saturday I attended my first wedding of 2006. I was helping out as commentator as well as part of the make-shift choir. The venue, Sacred Heart church along Clemenceau Ave, was well-dressed for the occasion with Christmas Decos still up and plenty of spotlights keeping the interior well-lit.

As the church bells rang, Carol in her resplendent gown walked down the aisle to the beat of the Wedding March; while waiting at end of the strip was her charming prince, Edwin.

Fortunately for us, the three friends, who were helping out with the service, everything went smoothly without much noticeable glitches. Heh heh, but doesn’t mean I will willingly swap a place on the wooden pews for a spot on the commentator’s lectern anytime soon.

Edwin, Carol and fellow friends

Me, Andrew and Phaiks - the commentator-reader-organist-choir team

The Lion, The Ape and The Bloke in the Yellow New York Cab

Caught the two must-watch movies of 2005 over the long New Year weekend. Not too disappointing, though I had to pay stiff weekend rates($9.50 per tix + $1 online booking fee) for the two. At least I got good seats since the rest of the country have already caught them weeks before.

And now, inspired by the two great stories, I present to you my version of one of the most anticipated fight in fantasy movie history (after the Gandalf vs Head Ringwraith failed to materialise) - Aslan vs King Kong ...

******

Scene 1 : Aslan looking over the plains of Narnia. Let’s out a terrible roar.

Aslan : (Mutters to himself) I’m the King of the world. I’m sitting pretty at the top of the box office, the books are selling well, got a new role in an upcoming National Geographic special, nothing could spoil my ....

Kong : Oii Lion ! Are you the King of Narnia and the Long Islands?

Aslan : You mean Lone Islands. Yes, yes I am He. What is it my loyal subject?

Kong : Last me heard you still not king of Skull Island. Me King there! (beats chest with fists)

Aslan : Hmmm ... must get Peter to conquer that piece of wild untamed land. So what brings you here?

Kong : Me under orders of Ann, me mean White Witch, to put you into cage and sell you to the Ringling Brothers Circus.

Aslan : Gasp! They have already recasted that struggling Vaudeville actress as my nemesis!!!

Kong : Yeah, me Ann sitting on Ice Throne now after Ms.Swinton decided to go back to the Beach. Okay, enough small talk, time to kick Lion’s ass.

Aslan : (Putting on his best Liam Neeson voice) Now, now good beast. You don’t want to hurt me, the son of the Emperor over the Sea, Creator of all things beautiful and good in Narnia, the one who died to save ...

Kong : Eh Lion, stop preaching. No wonder your movie won’t make it at the Oscars, maybe some Christian movie award more likely ah. Anyway my hands are itching to beat you into pulp just like what I did to those three lecherous dinos in Skull Island.

Aslan : (Talks to himself) I could get my entire army of Buffins, Centaurs and talking animals to battle this brute but that would take up more expensive reel time and not to say lots of extras. The cost of production in NZ has gone up last I heard. Ah hah , I got it !

(whispers to Centaur) Psst ... General Oreius. Listen here, go get that Jack guy, you know the New York playwright that Kong just loves to hate, put him into a yellow cab and then we’ll just sit back while mr.hairy here chase mr.hero-wannabe all around the Old New York movie sets. That will keep the big monkey busy for awhile.

Scene 2 : Aslan yawns as yellow cab speeds pass him(for the umpteenth time) with a giant ape in hot pursuit.

Aslan : Quick, quick place your bets. My money is on Jack lasting beyond 10 minutes ...

*** The End ***

Savage Chicken’s take on Kong vs Aslan here.

Happy New Year 2006 ! Now let’s get on with life.

Hurray, it’s 2006 ! Now let’s get last year’s resolution list out and change the five to a six. We celebrate again, so soon after Christmas. We attend massive countdown parties; we tune in to watch them live telecast on TV. We throw out the old calendar and then we wonder. What the heck did I do last year???

The mind draws a blank. It’s Déjà vu all over again.

(ok, now back to the old cheerier self)

Was at the Esplanade last Saturday to usher in the new year. After the sombre events of last year, this year’s countdown celebration at the bay attracted hosts of eager participants. For many, the highlight of the night was the 10 minute Fireworks Display that started at midnight. Don’t know whether it’s something prevalent everywhere, but I noticed that some people’s idea of a New Year’s Eve countdown goes something like this ...

1. Hang around countdown site till midnight

2. Count from 10 to 1 and shout ‘Happy New Year’

3. Take out camera/handphone and start snapping Fireworks

4. Fireworks End. Rush to car/bus stop

5. Get stuck in traffic for next 1 ½ hours.

(What happens to the rest of the people? Well, one third of them watch these celebrations live on TV while the final third party away at foam parties or get drunk at crowded watering holes)

Brisk sales at Glutton Square

Talking about resolutions, I should really start to make some this year. And soon, not wait till March to list them down, June to get started and December to realise that I’m no where near in completing them. Hmmm ... that sounds like a resolution. Ok, that’ll be my first - To Keep My Resolutions.

Well, have a splendid 2006 and may you find the strength to keep ALL your resolutions. And if you fail, may the fleas of a thousand camels ... errr ... on a wiser note, let’s just leave that out. As they say the only Failure in life is the Failure to Try.

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

Leaving you with some New Year Quotes.

“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.” Bill Vaughn

“A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.” Anon

“New Year's Resolution: To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time.” James Agate

“New Year's Eve, where auld acquaintance be forgot. Unless, of course, those tests come back positive” Jay Leno