Our Wanderland.

Maine Ideas is now about six months old, and this will be a long entry.

Feeder: 2nd Jan, 2005. Maine Ideas and all comments for New Age Noah's Ark (The Chaalal's Tanker) featured here: http://www.sctraveler.afreepress.com/articles/index.cfm?artOID=261869&cp=346725

I'm so pleased, one is because they addressed me as a student (rasa muda pulak!), second, the tanker's finally built!

OUR MILEAGE:
Peekers and Readers since 1st June, 2004: 18,000+. Fade! Smell my smokes :P

Number of Entries: 47 (average of 3 postings per week)

Entries Main Flavours: Environment Issues, Local Society, Relationships between Religion and Science, Local Art, Kelantan state, Lyrics.

Why Maine-Ideas?

Maine (May-nee) is how I address myself since I was little. It should be spelt as Mainey to make it sounds more accurate. I deliberately spelt it that way to serve as subtle branding for this blog as it creates two kinds of twists; Main Ideas and Many Ideas. I know.... so cliche huh :)

Why do I blog?

Back then, to get to know my parents and grandparents better, I had to go through their stuff, read the books they used to read, ask about everthing in their albums. But, sometimes old people won't share certain things.

So, I'll share just the main purpose why I blog; perhaps my future descendants would get a chance to know me and their roots better before I become an old heck who may be too tired to talk too much or too busy travelling or, maybe, they are the ones who are only too busy trying to get to know only their friends.

This also serves as a vehicle for me to look for more females who share quite the same wavelength. I'm glad that I found so much more than that. I learnt too that I shouldn't specify the gender in order to learn limitlessly.

It's interesting to get to be so close to people whom we don't know what their age, race, skin colour, looks etc. Yet, we get to feel some of them closer than those we see almost everyday. Utter aura!

Changing the Subheader: I realised that 'From My Gap for Anyone's Gaps', sounds rather egoistic and pompous, eih? But I just never had the time to think of something friendlier.

I hope 'Our Differences and Similarities Define Us' is enough to inform that readers are free to drop their viewpoints which may be long winded, may look like there's a blog in a blog, may just be four words, or completely contrary to mine.

No one will get lashed at for that here, friendly sarcasm is normal during any 'teh-tarik' sessions right?. We all have right or wrong thoughts when we wander. If I think people should only hear me out, I won't put up that comment box. But, if your comments is not nice to be read by other readers, the most I'll do is just delete it. So far, I only had to do it once.

My future sub-blogs.
Guano Oghe Kelate is something I promised people like 'Yang Penawan' and 'Ngomongan' that it'll be up this month. Well, I'm still trying to look for the most suitable blog template at the moment. The blog will be about my likes and dislikes about my hometown, Kelantan.

"An 'akak' a day, keeps the 'bomoh' away".
by Yang Penawan
'Akak' is a kind of sweet Kelantanese desert. (Mmkay, I'm getting carried away)

Heaven is Within My Heart will be my repository for all my entries regarding relationships between religion and science.

"To teach is to learn twice", a proverb says.

Dont' you think writing should give you the same results? But don't just be a bookwriter, be a blogger, feel your readers!

Reflecting on a few Humble Experiences:
1. New Age Noah's Ark (Entry date: August 26th)
I learnt that Dr Omar Chaalal himself knew about my article. This entry received comments and emails from Professors and environmental freelance writer all over the world. Now, six months later I am still receiving emails asking if my entry can be linked to a certain website.

2. Mujo Batok di Tangga (Entry date: November 05, 2004)
I am so happy that through Buaya69 I knew about Pok Ku through this. I am thankful to YamYam2u too for what she shared to make the article perfect. Pok Ku, I just found out you're 60, calling you 'uncle' is improper :) sorry sir!

3. Tiara that Fits for the Puteri (Entry date: September 02, 2004)
I am still getting emails for this too. But the biggest gift I get for writing this is getting Amir Muhammad's (The Edge's Mind Your Own Biz writer) email. Well, he didn't write as a fan, but to tell me that I judged him wrongly and to ask me to go watch the movies he directed.

The Flower Buds.
Amongst the commentators I 'met' in the blogosphere I wander into, it's fun to see that some of them decided to join the bandwagon. Those whom I saw from the start are: Fakeplasticdreams, Poncho, Flower Girl, KH.b. Let's keep it going!

Beyond the Cables and Waves.
Zainframe, Frymysquid, KH.b and Alphademon are personal friends. Beruk Boy and wife, Fakey and wife are the others I had the pleasure of meeting outside this dimension. Over time, I'm sure I'll get to face others.

The Mysterious Commentators.
They are Dr. Krishnan, Melati Vet Services and MWT. Whoever you are, you made mine and all my readers' day, I'M YOUR FAN!

Dear friends,

Deevali has always been a time for sharing, forgiving and loving. Like the raya celebrations in Islam, deevali never fails to bring out the best of Krishnan Velappan s/o Murugan Velappan. My fondest memories of deevali was that of eating nasty muruku petlets that auntie Devi used to cook and drinking bottled guiness at the muhibbah coffee shop down the street with Murthi and Logan.

These two south indian men were good childhood friends of mine from the neighbouring Goodman estates in Setiawan and had moved to Brickfields about 10 years ago. They were tempted by the bright lights of KL and the navel revealing sarees of the bangsar tangichis. Like me, they too developed a fine taste for KL stout and bangsar tangichis. But on deevali evenings, Murthi and Logan would always join me for a drink at the pub where we would drink guiness and try to fondle the barmaids when we were drunk. We would then proceed to flirt with attractive lady passerbys in short skirts walking outside. Sometimes I would get lucky and spend deevali night making love to a stranger instead of cross breeding animals at the clinic. Drinking in Bangsar does that to you. That is all I wish to share. Thank you. Have a good raya.

dr. krishnan
Melati Vet Services
[click here to view Dr. Krishnan's collection of comments]

[click here to view MWT's blog in my blog]

Thank you PPS administrators!
Aizuddin, if you read this, I don't know how many of those in PPS side panel who helps to maintain PPS. I used to blog to only one person before I knew about that place, yeaahhh pathetic yet therapeutic! Life is surely more colourful now, campaigning from home without having to sip teh-tarik at the mamak too often. Thank you so much to all your noble efforts.
I wonder when you guys will be celebrated in return. Any monetory contributions needed to maintain the server, take my words, I will surely contribute.

For the rest of you readers and the 'people I read', my bow and applause to you!

CHEERS and Happy New Year!

Life did not Live Them.

I am inspired to write this after reading this entry of Fade’s (the sheepshaggger far down under). Although I think he's missing home because the thang in skirts there just don't fancy Asian nerds :P

Being rich is so subjective. In this age, I guess it’s best to keep things balanced coz we can’t say we live for a hundred years anymore in order to taste the best of every part of life. So many old, old people confess that they rather die at the age of 70 at most, even if they're blessed with good health.

Most people do not envy us on how busy we are with work anymore. I envy people who’s time is flexible for family’s sakes, for friends, for holidays and cooking, for reading… anything but not as the slave to the 9 to 5. And arrghh! I 'hate' his life, travelling all over the place and scuba dive may be part of the requirement to get the job done, Dang!

I learnt that there are people who gets to spend a part of their life to achieve their dreams regardless of the monetary risks (earning RMfive figure working with someone don't count ok), I guess Roadie is on his way there with his cycling pose. Zainframe and Beruk for being so brave at setting up your own businesses in the middle of this already crowded IT marketplace. It's great!

A colleague of mine shared with me on what the late Leslie Cheung said before he passed on, it goes something like this.

“Many people do not realize what should come at the end of hard work. I don’t know, to me I’ve been working so hard not to find money, but to find true love
and keep it by me for as long as I live”.

Here’s another heart nourishing story I’d like to share:

They did not slave in gardens; they did not work to get ahead; they were not stressed by keeping office hours or schedules. There was nothing they had to do. They enjoyed living; they smiled a great deal, and laughed, and made jokes.

They huddled around a little fire, they slept in a big ball, they often fed little tidbits of food to each other, and they combed each other’s hair. In that they were like animals who groom each other.

This led me to throw away as well my idea that people who do not have the advantages we have-our many choices of education, infinite forms of entertainment-would have to work so hard that they had no time for fun. They sang almost all the time-little tuneless tunes. Occasionally, another person would join in-which was quite a feat because as far as I know, they did not sing a known tune. Sometimes they made up words as they went along, which almost always led to much giggling and laughter.

What remains most vivid in my memory of these people is their contentment, their joy. Voices were never raised in anger. They had the uncomplicated innocence of children, although they certainly were not childish or even innocent. There was sadness sometimes, and they freely expressed that, but they most often expressed joy.

That’s part of a book called ‘Original Wisdom’ written by Wolff about the Senoi – aboriginal people here in Malaysia. In three paragraphs above, I think it’s enough to show that they lived life. Life did not live them, as it does us.

I Need You - Leann Rimes

To be filed under Back to my Roots: under , Heaven is within My Heart. Site Under Construction.

I don't need a lot of things - I can get by with nothing
Of all the blessings life can bring - I've always needed something
But I've got all I want when it comes to lovin You
You're my only reason - You're my only truth

I need you like water, like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy from heaven's gate.
There's a freedom in your arms that carries me through... I NEED YOU!

You're the hope that moves me - To courage again
You're the love that rescues me, when the cold winds rage
And it's so amazing' Cause that's just how you are
And I can't turn back now' Cause you've brought me too far.
* * *
I have been writing and making researches on lot of stuff just to dedicate them to the month of Ramadhan and Syawal. One was about Holy Al-Quran being the perfect encyclopaedia, it wasn't a result of my research, that was just a gemlike forwarded email.

Here's one more dedicated as a mark of the end of Syawal.
*click the link and there's a button for you to enlarge it. If the button is not there, click View at main menu and enlarge text, another icon will appear on the page for you to enlarge the image.

The ultimate/perfect barcode system.
"Yes, We are able to put together in perfect order the very tips of his finger."
(The Quran, 75:3-4)
This clearly tells why we (Muslims) are forbidden from believing in reincarnation. Worth pondering. Perhaps it makes most sense to those involved in CRM or inventory management people.

Content of Al-Quran serves as fundamentals of science?
14 centuries ago, when the sky was believed to be one unified body, the Quran miraculously stated that it consisted of layers, and what is more, seven layers. Modern science, on the other hand, discovered the fact that the earth is made of 7 basic layers just recently.

"He has let loose the two seas converging, together, with a barrier between them they do not break through".
(The Quran 55:19:20)

Entry title ala Fakeplasticdreams. 'I Need You' has such a universal expression of love of a person towards his God. Oh yeaah! It's not a typical love song.

Much Ado About Ah Choo.

Read Paula's Blahs first if you haven't.

This is really exciting, coz lately, I am starting to experience brutal honesty in return, in a lot more tasteful manner. I was taken aback with friends’ opinions about my previous entry. I must admit that I am pretty ashamed for questioning Paula’s statements without making such a good job at trying to offer better points, at least not as good as what the ladies at my Raya do had shared.

On a same note about women for women in another side of the world:

I watched CNN’s interview session with Wangari Maathai, the first African Nobel Peace Prize Laureate this morning in awe.
* * *
This is really someone who talks about and for the people (not just women) in her country instead of herself (her contributions). I’m in awe because I don’t know if Kenya even deserves to be called the third world country, yet it has one single person to represent it.

Despite all the safe words, attire non-conforming to the normal western corporate image, she sounded so eloquent, so powerful; the audience seemed so infected by her good vibes.

Back to Ah Chooing, maybe I’m ignorant as a result of not reading enough, I can’t think of a local public figure who can at least represent both for those who may be suppressed or oppressed in our country and those who are well to-do (someone who had experienced a normal life, seen more sides of people of many walks of life and at the same time practically opinionated).
* * *
Our conversation side tracked into why there wasn’t any incentives for women who’re ‘helping’ the country to achieve 22 million people (the campaign was back in Dr. M’s days) be it in terms of taxes and healthcare (one can’t expect all the kids to get full scholarship for college or university.). I'm not surprised that married women in her 30’s now consider to stop conceiving after the age of 35. Our age is getting shorter, there’s not many years and energy left to earn money for too many offspring even though, usually, she is not the breadwinner.

There’re issues like not having enough space to raise them, not having enough time, investment for medical coverage gets higher and higher, money to take everyone for vacation yada, yaaadaaa!? Now Fakey and N must be calculating, RM4,500 hospital bills + epidural in D’sara Specialist. Hmmm….. will you still keep the cats then?

It’s really more practical to have at least, a mother of one’s opinion for Oprah’s show, because she’ll represent the majority of women in 30’s who’re KLites. Then maybe the world may be able to get more ‘unsuperficial’ views about the subject.
**
MORE ON WANGARI MAATHAI. MAY GOD BLESS HER!

She said sweeping changes were needed to restore a "world of beauty and wonder" by overcoming challenges ranging from AIDS to climate instability.

Maathai founded a campaign that has planted 30 million trees across Africa in a bid to slow deforestation.
Things to ponder upon.
Wangari Maathai also said “All poor women are married to poor men” when referring to women in her country who’d rather spend one dollar they earn on drugs rather than on food.
* * *
After being asked if the cabinet would change her official car after receiving the prize (she travels on land a lot), she said “Well, they can change all our cars at the same time if they want and definitely to something that is not highly consuming”.
* *
On my small Raya do.

Thank you Izuan for the courtesy call to inform that you can’t make it. Such a sweetie! There’s always another time. I invited you just to see if you can tell us off the way you told 'someone' off. Just kidding... just wondering what 18 year olds are up to nowadays.

Thanks Fakey for your compliments, it'a a pleasure to introduce you couple to some of my good friends.

People, I must confess, I asked this guy to say something about me after reading his comments about meeting rara avis.

Fakey, When are you going to show off your cooking skills?

Roadie, u pecah your own secret. Now all your fans will be prowling TTDI instead of your cycling and clubbing places. I SENT u an invite, somehow my 6th sense tells me you won’t receive it, just like you never receive your fans’ emails. :P There’s always another time. Maybe you should initiate it! For now, it’s good that some things remain a mystery.

Oh! Still Hung Up about Ah Choo!

Madonna received a pair of Jimmy's once when she's terribly upset with Guy. Try and pull the same stunt to your other half and see what you'll get!

Paula's Blahs.

A month back I remember reading a few bloggers bitchings about the idea of having Paula Malai Ali to represent Malaysian women in their 30's for 'Around the World with Oprah' tv show. It's was all about, why a Bruneian, why not Asha Gill, why not a Malay, yada, yaadaa!

Then in the newspaper, someone told us to chill and wrote (now we know it's a lie) that she is actually representing the South East Asian women in their 30's.

Here's what Paula said:

As a 30-year-old woman in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Paula pays about $250 U.S. dollars to rent her three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. "I've also got a beautiful swimming pool. We've got tennis courts here. An average 30-year-old woman in Malaysia will earn something like $1,500–2,000 U.S. dollars a month. So, as you can see, every month we have plenty of change left over to buy that pair of must-have Jimmy Choos…did you know that Jimmy Choo is actually from Malaysia?"

Bi-weekly massages are a way of life for Paula. A one-hour massage here will cost her between $7–10 U.S. dollars. And Paula says many Malaysian women don't pluck or wax to remove hair—they use a procedure known as threading. "I don't know how [the threaders] do it. They get really precise. It's painless and it only costs five ringgit. That would be about $1.15 in America."

Clad in sarong up the chest, she made her appearance in a lavish spa, where she continued explaining the above. I am just wondering where she got the script from. Correct me if I'm wrong, we can only find Jimmy Choo's shoes in KLCC and they don't have enough to supply even 50 customers in a month, let alone allow those in 30's to all own it?! Jimmy Choo's is more expensive than the foreign Stuart Weltzman (the comparable cutting, average: RM2K per pair) brand. Do we really spend 1/3 of our own salary for it? As a matter of fact, for any shoe brand? For what? To go where? Once or twice a year... maaybe, if they don't have to pay with their own money.

Yes, yes Paula. You are a celebrity who's married to a royalty. Others are married at about your age too, late 20s. They'd usually work very hard to make up for the lost times and have an offspring by very early 30s. Their household which includes their own husbands is mostly taken care of by the Indon maids even if they decide to quit their jobs. I think the slimming centres is visited more often than spas because there are many 10 sessions slimming wraps priced at a crummy RM399 (USD10.50 per session!), massaging the fats off is surely considered spa. Even so, is it really our way of life to visit it biweekly? For new mummies, maybe, they'd be free enough to visit it 10 times a week.

We're not living such tiring life to get pampered often. The maid can help for some who's lucky. We largely pamper ourselves instead with multi cuisine food which is really everywhere, that's what the slimming funds are for, in fact, it's absorbed in our dowries (the slimming funds I mean, not the food).

Women in other parts of the world shared more realistic insights on what they get for health coverage, what causes both their happiness and grief. Some, by 30 has at least gone through 3 divorces, some gets up to 4 free abortions by the goverment, Korean and Brazilian's obsession about plastic surgery. Do we still practise the 'susuk' to make us look beautiful?. This one by Zain Al Sabah is my favourite, it's not the Chanel jacket, look at that intelligent eyes and content smile, read on. I wish we're treated like them.

Your Presence Still Lingers Here

Jesse: Is that why you're in a relationship with somebody who's never around?

Celine: Yes, obviously I can't deal with a day-to-day life of a relationship.
Yeah, you know, we have this exciting time together and he leaves, and I miss him.... but at least I'm not dying inside.
When someone's always around me, I'm suffocating.

Jesse: Wait, but you just said that you need to love and be loved?!

Celine: Yeah, but when I do, it quickly makes me nauseous. It's a disaster, I mean, I'm really happy only when I'm on my own.

Even being alone is better than sitting next to a lover and feeling lonely.

It's not so easy for me being a romantic. You start off that way, and after you've been screwed over a few times, you forget about your delusional ideas and you take what comes into your life. That's not even true, I haven't been, screwed over, I've just had too many BLAH relationships!

They weren't mean. They cared for me but there were no real connection or excitement. At least, not from my side.

Jesse: God, I'm sorry. Is it really that bad? It's not, right?

Celine: You know, it's not even that! I was..... I was fine until I read your fucking blog book!
It stirred shit up you know. It reminded me how genuinely romantic I was... how I had so much hope in things... now it's like I don't believe in anything that relates to love.

I don't feel things for people anymore. In a way, I put all my romanticism into that one night... I was never able to feel all this again. Like somehow that night took things away from me....

Gossh, it did.

Taken from 'Before Sunset'
Listening to: My Immortal - Evanescence