Review Life's Like That: Scenes from Malaysian Life by Lydia Teh

Title: Life's Like That: Scenes from Malaysian Life
Author: Lydia Teh
Year: 2004
ISBN: 978-967-978-886-0

Life's Like That: Scenes from Malaysian Life by Lydia Teh is actually a prequel to her later book entitled Honk, If You're Malaysian. This book chronicled many of the typical idiosyncrasies in Malaysian life Teh has observed and witnessed throughout her life as young child right through the times she became a working adult, embraced married life and to the present time of her life of motherhood.

Her storytelling of Malaysian life complete with its complexities and contradictions was done in simple and straightforward manner, with self-deprecating humour and unpretentiousness. Teh captured the ordinariness and essence of the Malaysian life with such starkness that Malaysian readers would be able to identify with them very well. The different aspects of Malaysian life covered - family, pregnancies, babies, motherhood, hobbies, festivities, daily ablutions, pets and other calamities would make readers experience a roller coaster of emotions; the stories would make you want to cry and laugh at the same time, also even grin like a Cheshire cat at the wit and bracing honesty Teh has imbued in these stories throughout this book.

However, I would recommend to readers to read Honk, If You're Malaysian first before diving into this book. The reason is simple - Honk, If You're Malaysian introduces the Malaysian way of life that even a non-Malaysian reader could easily identify with the unique and colourful country Malaysia always is, and Life's Like That: Scenes from Malaysian Life deals the more complex and contradicting side of Malaysian life.

I recommend this book to anyone who love the humorous side of life, what more a multicultural one like the one Malaysia is; this book guarantees you will be having a stitch at the side from experiencing the roller coaster ride of emotions of reading this heart-warming book.        

Review: Rio

Rio tells the story of a male Brazilian blue macaw who was snitched from his natural habitat when he was still a hatchling. He then was raised by Linda, a book store owner in a small town in Minnesota, and is named Blu. As Blu is completely domesticated, he has become the not-so-average male Brazilian blue macaw, and he does NOT know how to fly at all. That was until Linda had Tulio, an ornithologist from Rio de Janeiro visiting her book store and took notice of Blu.

Tulio tried to convince Linda bring Blu to Rio de Janeiro so that he could introduce Jewel, a female blue macaw, as blue macaws were unfortunately destined for extinction. Tulio's aim was to bring both Blu and Jewel together so that he could assist in reproducing and reviving the Blue macaw species in its natural habitat. Linda finally consented to it and followed Tulio to Rio de Janeiro.

An unexpected adventure begins when Linda and Blu arrived in Rio de Janeiro. A bunch of baddies were also after Blu and Jewel as they were also considered as an exotic species of macaw, other than being in danger of being extinction. Thus, began the adventure of a lifetime for both Linda and Blu, with the help of Tulio, they tried to save both Blu and Jewel from the baddies.

They finally succeeded in saving Blu and Jewel from the clutches of the baddies, but not without the usual antics that is typically found in animated movies. I find the story of Rio extremely entertaining and fun to watch, and is especially good for families with young children. Even adults like myself would find this movie amusing and enlightening, as it showed the very colourful and touristy side of Rio de Janeiro.

My verdict of this movie is very good, I would give it at least four thumbs-up and would recommend especially to people with young children to watch this movie. You will not be disappointed.  

Stupidity + I don't care attitude = The ULTIMATE Malaysian third class mentality!

I had a matter to be settled at a public hospital two days ago. As Malaysian public hospitals are notorious for lack of parking lots, I had made sure I arrive very early so that I was able to park my car properly and not to be a nuisance to other people. But it was not the case two days ago.

When I returned to my car about an hour later after having the matter settled, I found my car was blocked by a triple-parked car. One look told me I needed to know, there was NO way I could manoeuvre my car without having it being scratched mercilessly by the car parked next to mine. As I was entering my car, the car owner who had blocked my car came to take something from his car, COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS of the situation that was happening right in front of his eyes.

At the same time, the security guard employed to look after the parking lot came to "assist" any cars leaving the full-to-the-brim parking lot. His assistance was of NO help at all, in fact it was STUPIDITY to the boot. I may not be a driver with an excellent judgement but I know it's impossible to manoeuvre my small car out without any damage done to it simply because there was not enough space. That stupid security guard kept assuring me that I could clear the tight spot, and yeah only for me to hear a sickening crunch at the front passenger door.

That sickening crunch is the result of it all shown in the picture. As my car is still relatively new, slightly over a year old, you could imagine how I had felt when this happened. It was akin to someone taking the carving knife and slice a huge chunk of my heart out. I LOVE this car very much, it is an extension of my legs and to a certain extent my personality as well.   

I made an inquiry at a mechanic near my house and he said it would cost RM 250 to have the scratch touched up. For someone who is struggling to make ends meet, this would burn a HUMONGOUS hole into the pocket. Lucky for me, Dad has a mechanic friend who had managed to do it for free as a favour for him. The scratch is gone but the dent is still there as nothing much could be done about it. It serves as a nasty reminder as how some people's attitude can be OBNOXIOUS to the boot, and can make your life miserable without batting an eyelid, and don't even mention about a little courtesy and conscience in mind.

Gone are the days where people actually would mind their Ps and Qs when crossing other people's path, be it family, friends or strangers. Not to say there no more good people around, they still are, only that it is increasingly difficult to find them; it is akin to looking for a needle in the haystack...