Muted Oracle

Is it true that I'm but ordinary?
Been searching for answers, for assurance, daily
Is it also true then, that I've not reached into you?
From what I see, my actions and words are anything but new

For what is an embrace, if you I disgrace?
What is a kiss, when my words, your heart they miss?
What good is a smile, when the heart is away over a mile?
And why affectionate words, when they're often forced or went unheard?

Are you around only when it's lovey-dovey, cozy and mushy?
Or would you stick by even when it's sickly, drowsy, choppy and facing bankruptcy?
Pray tell, what's behind that poker face - phlegmatic and sometimes saturnine
Tell me now, tell me true or missed chances yours to rue

Gas chromatography analysis. 21 samples; three per hour

Farewell, Yasmin Ahmad. Rest in Peace

"...famed for her advertisements and films capturing the essence of racial harmony in Malaysia"

How true! The most memorable movie, for me, would be Sepet. Of course, weeks ago, my lab mates and I sat down in a circle and started discussing adverts: humorous and meaningful ones. Apart from the yellow Digi man, the memorable ones would be those by Yasmin Ahmad. Come Hari Raya (the Eid), Chinese New Year and Deepavali, one could expect to catch her latest brainchild. People remember Petronas for the adverts but not everyone knew the person behind them.

Like MJ's passing, her's was another shock to me. I was out of the house for the past 24 hours and here I am going online to see what's new. Wham! It hit me.

And I began to think how crappy life could be sometimes. The unseen at the next bend, the unexpected at the next mile. How is it that corrupt politicians and communal bigots don't just fall one after another? Unfair? Perhaps.

...Yasmin's theme of 1Malaysia which is only advocated by our prime minister recently has been in her movies and commercials for a long time...

- CHU SP, Tributes forYasmin Ahmad, The Star Online

Yasmin, may God bless your soul. I may not know you personally but it's a sad day for me and fellow Malaysians. You spoke to us through the silver screen. Some are touching and others cut through into the spirit. Each taught me what it means to be a human, as opposed to an island. And that no one is superior to the other.


Tributes here... Reading each one brought back memories and the lessons.
Another here: Rest in Peace Yasmin Ahmad - Khalisah Stevens

Life in Motion: Breaking Down

There wasn't any warning; no ember "check engine" light nor tremors associated with a break down. The engine just died and the car rolled to a stop. Dialled the highway authority's number, waited for help to arrive, and got to thinking...

Vivid pictures began forming. Not exactly static pictures, rather short clips flashing across in a disorganized manner; the kind you'd expect when you look at my half completed project in Windows Movie Maker (or any other video editing software running on any other PCs).

There I was in my green necktie during assembly. Then in a purple necktie during the varsity's orientation week. And yet another tie, this time blue with a matching light yellow during my convocation. Sometimes I'm clad in white lab coat, well, off-white over the years in service.

Cars zoomed by. A black, heavily-modded Celica. A tour bus.

"Time flies, faster than these objects doing 110 kph" I thought to myself.

So where am I in life? Have I deviated? Thrown off course? Is my goal still the same selfless decision? Or have the riches and enticing proffers of research leading me instead?

For a start, I haven't stepped on anybody's head, figuratively of course. I don't think I'd be following the men and women of science towards achieving glory; feeding on the flesh and drinking the blood of hapless fellow human beings whilst betraying who we are.

I'm still up serving people as a professional, pro bono I may add. My motivation would be simple and unadulterated. It'd be for betterment of my surrounding and for knowledge (since I've been saying that three years of varsity isn't enough, well maybe not here) and others take precedence to them.

I must be deep in thought and half dreaming about it. The burly guy shook me so hard and he was still holding oon to my shoulder when I opened my eyes. We spoke briefly before his friend got down and hook my car to the cable, chains, or whatever it's called.

Note: It's been a while since I wrote the 'Life in Motion' part. Nothing out of the ordinary I suppose.

Shamelessly Boasting?

What's there to boast when we're speaking Manglish
by Yeow Boon Kiat

WE Malaysians have always been praised by foreigners because we can speak several languages and dialects.

Most of us are able to at least master basic English and a few other languages.

We like to boast before our Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese and Korean friends that our English is better than theirs.

We even like to make fun of their English pronunciation and we feel superior to them.

But what is there to boast when we are just speaking Manglish most of the time?

Many of us fail to improve our English because of a complacent mindset.

Read more...

Opening Up

She smiled at me the other day.

We spoke briefly over a hot dog and a glass of drink.

We all sat down over breakfast and began chatting; there I was munching away at a piece of cake.

These are situations that occur time and again. It may be at different places and involves different people but the outcome is still the same. I'd just say my hello and that's about all to it. It's different when I'm in the lab. I guess that is attributed to my seeing them everyday and we've come to be very close to one another. We'd go for food every other day (a big meal coming up 4 hours from now) and futsal every Wednesday evening. Next month, there'll be a trip to Genting Highlands although I'm not sure if I'd be heading up there.

Enough of what we do as a lab, I have problems (not really a problem since it's not disrupting my life, not yet) when meeting new people. I just froze. Never mind if I'm a chatterbox, especially in the lab, or if I'm like Sheldon of The Big Bang Theory, I'm a totally different person when it comes to the ice-breaking. Not sure what contributed to my being shy though.

There were times when I just let the opportunity pass knowing full well that something nice could develop from it. Gosh! And I regretted it thereafter. Someone suggested that I speak to myself *lol* but I think I'd do better to just go up and start wow-ing them. Never mind if I have the look of Spock.

One more thing, it happens only when I meet people of the opposite gender. Carpe diem, Julian!

Jauh Perjalanan Indah Permandangan

The Malay title of this post can be loosely translated into English as beautiful scenes (or scenery) from distant travelling. The gang of scientists and psudoscientists made their way to Sungai Siput, Perak to attend the akad nikah (Malay for marriage solemnization) between lab supervisor Dr Normi Yahaya and Prof Dr. Basyaruddin Abdul Rahman.

The gang from Lab 418, two MIA

It's a first for me, I mean the traditional Malay wedding. If we have lots of banana leaves and Hindu priests in the Indian wedding; the everything-red plus lots of food in the Chinese, here I experience first hand the event right from the beginning to the end, one so steeped in culture and religious (Islamic) values. And yeah, they have tea ceremony just like the Chinese thanks to Dr Normi's mixed parentage.

The kadi, the witnesses, the groom and the bride's dad (second from left)

The bride is lovely and the groom complemented her perfectly. There were wedding gifts spread over a part of the hall, both from the bride and the groom's family. After prayer and a short sermon by the kadi (see here for explanation; some men knowledgeable in religious matters), it proceeded with the groom accepting the mas kahwin and witnessed by the two witnesses as well as the bride's father (as the wali representing her daughter). The kadi then pronounced them as husband and wife.


Armed with my Olympus digital camera (with the light sensitivity set to the highest, ISO 640), I fought tooth and claw (not) with the pros and their DSLRs. I'm glad I got some really nice pictures. The rest, I think, is history. The food's good and the place is great. The pelamin (wedding stage) looks great and word has it that the bride's father is the master craftsman behind it.

The bride's family. From left: Daddy dearest, hubby, lil' sister, bride, mommy

The gang left the place at around 3 pm and head towards Ipoh. Some, of course, elected to head straight for home. I brought with me an unforgettable day, one filled with laughter and the grins of the newlywed. Whilst in Ipoh, I was in the bookstore and a book caught my attention. It's by Leil Lowndes with the title How to Talk to Anyone - 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships.

Behold, the following excerpt from one of the chapters; something which I will elaborate on next time.

The exact moment that two humans lay eyes on each other has awesome potency. The first sight of you is a brilliant holograph. It burns its way into your new acquaintance's eyes and can stay emblazoned in his or her memory forever.

Not sure what really happened but I think the holograph and the emblazon parts were missing in whilst we were there in the wedding reception. Yeah, the cat's tail is out of the bag. Hanging almost lifelessly from between the zippers. I met someone there.

Thinking Aloud

The Chinese man with a moustache is seen loitering outside the semi-detached house. Quiet neighbourhood and that area terminated in a circular cul-de-sac. Another Chinese bloke came out and handed a small wad of cash; in a multiples of 50 I presume. The guy with a moustache quickly left after grabbing the money.

Mr Moustache is dressed in a different colour today but it's still a polo T albeit of an inferior quality. This time, I saw him enter a much bigger house. This one has a dog with a pink nose, a black Citroen 2CV (or something similar, I'm not sure), and another 7-seater MPV. I love the interior: vases, china with dragons on them, some wooden sculptures and a shelf full of books, besides the modern electrical appliances. "An antique dealer" I thought to myself. "Not easy dealing with old pieces. After all, who buys antique items everyday?"

"But I don't have that much", the bespectacled man said.

"I need it for [unintelligible]" Mr Moustache replied, eyebrows lowered.

"Here, this is all I have. I need the rest for the week's expenses."

"Thanks, I'd be back..." I waited with bated breath. "To return the cash." He turned away, still laughing. Creep.

It's wonderful how our mind works. We'd weave the most interesting of stories or those with tear-eliciting plots. Ah, with imagination I know no bounds. I could penetrate walls. See through walls. I could even move from one point to another, both having totally different settings, the instant I wish to do so. Sometimes, true stories seemed like fiction and I couldn't believe it myself.

I see Mr Moustache again. "Son, do you have some cash?"

All Set to Go

Sitting, chin on the table, pen in my left hand I began writing the following. Lacked rhymes but I'm happy that I've managed to string together the must-have words.

Where the fanfare ends, the journey begins
Love catalyzes perpetual homogeneity
May each day be new and the grins sweet
Bliss forever, ending never