The Common Cuckoo Bird

I was doing my regular swimming in an outdoor pool I often frequent yesterday. While taking a short rest in between doing repetitive laps in the pool, I observed one pair of  the common cuckoo birds playing around the poolside. Their playfulness attracted my attention, although rapid development is happening in an area very near the pool I was swimming in, there are still some trees and grass at the poolside area, which seemed to have become a haven for different species of birds to come and play with their mates and even to bathe in the heavily chlorinated pools.

I was and am still very awed at the beauty and simpleness of this little scene playing in front of my very own eyes. Unfortunately for me as I was wet from head to toe I was unable to capture an image of this beautiful scene with my camera. But it is already in my mind's eye as being an extremely observant person, I rarely forget beautiful scenes or happenings like the one I have just described.

Initially I had mistaken the common cuckoo bird for a baby pigeon but after being explained to by Mom and upon closer look, they ARE indeed very different from baby pigeons. Although the common cuckoo bird's feathers were far from colourful and attractive like some other birds I have seen in my house garden, I have come to appreciate the fact these birds are REALLY a wonder and a sight to behold, although I'm no bird expert.

I observed they that always come in pairs, not alone or in a flock, but in a pair of two birds like they are made for each other, i.e. soul mates. These common cuckoo birds also frequent the garden in my house and thus, after the initial enlightenment from Mom I have come to REALLY appreciate their presence because they simply reminded me of life's simple pleasures and the wonderment and beauty of God's creatures.      

Happy Ramadan Al-Mubarak

It is the time of the year again where Muslims all over the world would be observing the fasting month of Ramadan. This is the time where abstinence from food and drink dawn to dusk is practised for 30 days. Not only that, Muslims are encouraged to carry out charitable activities to help fellow Muslims who are less fortunate and also be closer to God. Other than these, they are also encouraged to practise moderation in all aspects of their daily living, not to mention enhancing closer family ties as well.

The month of Ramadan is also regarded as a time of soul-searching and self-reflection on one's deeds during the past year. Thus, this month is regarded as one of the holiest month in the Muslim calendar. Malaysia, being a multi-racial country, the fasting month of Ramadan is a time where interesting sights, sounds and smells would be evident, i.e. in the form of Ramadan bazaars.

The Ramadan bazaars that sprout during this time  is really a sight to behold. Not only the Muslims who are fasting would frequent them but also people from all walks of life and different cultural backgrounds. It is really a unique scene hardly can be found in other parts of the world.

Having said that, the fasting month of Ramadan is more about practising moderation in all aspects of daily living including the intake of food and drink. Not to mention abstinence from unhealthy social activities and personal habits. Most of all it teaches humility, tolerance and patience that Muslims should possess at all times towards people of different religious beliefs and cultural backgrounds.

Therefore, to all my Muslim friends, I wish all of you Selamat Berpuasa. I hope that this holy month of Ramadan will bring much blessings and a more meaningful life to you and your loved ones.

Basic courtesy - minding your Ps and Qs

I was at the mamak (Indian Muslim) shop last Sunday afternoon to buy my favourite lunch of Maggi goreng (fried instant noodles) and Milo ais kaw (thick iced Milo). I had to wait for awhile for them to prepare for my order. Naturally while waiting, I tend to observe my surroundings. I noticed that the workers of the mamak shop are actually quite efficient and courteous in serving their customers. Mind you, the mamak shop I went to is a 24-hour outlet, and I'm quite sure the workers there would be doing at least 8- to 12-hour shifts.

Despite the long hours these workers who are mostly Indian Muslims, they never failed to do their respective duties well. After waiting for about 10 minutes, I received my food and drink so I headed for the cashier counter to make the payment. When I received the change from the cashier and I said thank you to him for serving me; the response I have gotten was a smile, which I never expected to receive at all.

The smile I have gotten from the cashier was what I could gather, a smile of genuine appreciation. I think he did not expect me to thank him for his service. These days many people are often caught up with the issues in their own life that they often forget little meaningful gestures in life like minding their Ps and/or Qs when dealing and/or communicating with other people.

I am no exception to this but I do make a conscious effort to mind my Ps and Qs when dealing and/or communicating with other people. And I noticed that my effort doesn't go to waste often. However, sad to say, it is usually the people from the lower income group who are often not so well-educated and well-off are the ones who really make the effort to mind their Ps and Qs. Many people who are well-off and better educated often would unfortunately don't give much thought about minding their Ps and Qs when dealing and/or communicating with people, especially to those who are less well-off and well-educated.

My own experiences actually prompted me to write this blog post. I have actually met and dealt with many people who are of higher than or equal status with me but their character and personality were very far from their actual status in the society. Honestly, I feel very disappointed the way these people behave, setting bad leadership example to the people around them. Yet they expect the people around them to behave well.

It won't bode well when people who hardly mind their Ps and Qs but expect people around them to do so. In fact, in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, it was quoted I think in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, that one should judge a person by observing how he/she treat his/her inferiors and not his/her equals. I think this quote is still appropriate in today's society where minding one's Ps and Qs is concerned.

At the end of the day if a person actually takes the pains to mind his/her Ps and Qs, this would reflect how well the person has been brought up by his/her family as well as the influence of the environment he/she has grown up in. In today's societal standards, a person who mind his/her Ps and Qs would be viewed as a better behaved person, in fact, be seen as more civilised than another person who does not do so.

If only this world ideally have more people who make an effort to mind their Ps and Qs... Life would be less horrendous than it already is... It is not impossible to do so if everyone makes an effort to play their role in doing so, then we won't have to lament the stark fact that young people behave obnoxiously to their whims and fancies.

The roti canai man

I realised this morning that I have come to appreciate the roti canai man. I was at my regular mamak (Indian Muslim) shop near my house to buy my breakfast of roti telur bawang (flat bread with egg and chopped onion) and Milo ais kaw (thick iced Milo). I actually noticed that the roti canai man is an integral part of the mamak shop establishment.

Without him, it is hard to imagine how the mamak shop can function. I think the roti canai man could be really an icon in its own right. The skills he acquire to make the different types of roti canai really boggles my mind. They may look easy to acquire but I think they are actually very difficult skills to learn and I am not surprised the roti canai man would have spent most of his working life perfecting those skills.

Not to mention, the roti canai man is also required to know how to cook various other dishes also found in the mamak shop menu. One of the items would be my favourite - Maggi goreng mamak (fried instant noodles). I seem to get addicted to mamak food these days although they are not the best food choices - roti canai, thosai, chapatti and Maggi goreng mamak with one piece of fried chicken; topping off with either Milo ais kaw or teh tarik ais (iced pulled milk tea).

This is one of the advantages of being a Malaysian. The food choices are HUMONGOUS and you would get lost simply just trying to decide what to eat. However, the ubiquitous mamak shop would often be my top choice where food is concerned because it is one of the very few eating shops that you still can get a filling meal for under RM 5, in view of the current economic challenges.   

How did you learn to read? by Tye Wuey Ping

How did you learn to read?
A few days ago, a friend of mine wrote an article in the column ParenThots in The Star newspaper about reading and young children. This article basically discussed about how young children acquire their reading skills, especially in the context of today's world where intense connectivity due to the emergence of the Internet related technology are playing a large part in the current generation of young children's life.

Although I am not a parent myself just yet, the article my friend wrote managed to provoke my thoughts about how I actually learned to read when I was young. Honestly, I don't remember how and when I first started learning to read. My response to her question would be similar to that of her husband's, “How would I know? I just did.”

Growing up in the 1980s meant that the generation of young children then never had the access to special reader's programmes and enrichment classes like the young children have today. I would say in fact, today's young children and their parents are spoiled for choice in choosing the method they want to use for the young children to learn how to read.

Those days, young children like me and my friend as well as her husband must have just picked any books or reading materials that caught our interest and we just learned how to read then. And yes, I did read most of the classic children tales like Three Little Pigs, The Little Red Riding Hood and The Sleeping Beauty, just to name a few.

Many of us then progressed to reading books that were the rage then, Enid Blyton, Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon, just to name a few. Mostly, the books those days were either borrowed from the school and public libraries or exchanged with friends. In fact, it was really fun exchanging the different storybooks with our friends and searching for them in the libraries then. As books those days were quite limited in terms of choices unlike today, I also read the newspapers and magazines that were the ubiquitous reading materials and available cheaply then.

These days, children get to choose what they want to read with many major bookstores mushrooming all over the country, especially in the Klang Valley. Yet you still get many children who are reluctant readers because they are more interested in the Internet and video and computer games, not to mention cable TV. The strange thing I find is that growing up in the 1980s, I was also exposed to playing video and computer games, also watching the TV but I did not get addicted to them like how some children are today. I would choose to read over video and computer games and even over TV shows too then. Books and interesting reading materials were better at holding me spellbound than video and computer games and TV shows then and they still do even now.

I guess reading is one of those simple activities I value immensely over many other material things in life, except for buying good and quality books and reading materials. Maybe because I realise that the value of the knowledge I would acquire is extremely immeasurable. And the knowledge I have acquired since young through reading can NEVER be measured against all the money found in this world. Not to mention, the excellent proficiency in language (in this case, the English Language) I have gained through reading.  I think for people who REALLY love reading like myself would probably agree with me.

The Royal Wedding - HRH Prince William and Ms. Kate Middleton

Dateline April 29 2011. The day has come for the Royal Wedding of HRH Prince William and Ms. Kate Middleton, touted to be the wedding of the decade, if not the wedding of century. I am not a fan of the British Royal Family but somehow, this family does have some mystic that piqued my curiosity about them. Especially since the horrific death of Prince William's mother, the late Princess Diana on August 31 1997.

I don't think many people would forget the image of the then 15-year old Prince William and his then 13-year old brother Prince Harry walking behind the hearse carrying the late Princess Diana's coffin during the funeral procession to Westminster Abbey back in 1997. And I am quite sure that many of us, including yours truly have hoped to see both princes would grow up into great adults, which they have had, and in good time too. 

They have indeed grown up away from the extremely prying eyes of the media that was seen as the main cause for Princess Diana's untimely demise. This Royal Wedding I think is an appropriately happy note in Prince William's life. And I think the late Princess Diana would have approved his choice of marrying Ms. Kate Middleton, a commoner with the right qualities to be the consort of the future heir to the British throne.

As the relationship between Prince William and Ms. Kate Middleton was nurtured away from the prying eyes of the media while both were studying in University of St. Andrews, there would be a good chance that their life as a married couple would last. This is because that they were allowed the opportunity to live together and be able to test their relationship from various perspectives, including break-ups.

I do hope that this Royal Wedding will breathe a fresh air into the British monarchy. And that the British people would have better confidence in the monarchy as a part of the country's Constitution. It's definitely good to know that HRH Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is the new generation of the Royal Family poised to bring positive changes to the perception of the British people. Like most people, I sincerely hope to witness a lasting married relationship between them both, a true fairy tale to the very end.                 

Going gaga over Justin Bieber? Not me!

Justin Bieber, the Canadian teen singing sensation who found his fame on You Tube not too long ago was in Kuala Lumpur performing to a sell out concert last Thursday. As he is only 17 years old, naturally kids below 18 years of age would go overly gaga on this teen singing sensation. However, this oldie here isn't amused with the Bieber fever phenomenon currently happening around the world. And she wonders why what the fuss is all about.

No doubt Justin Bieber is talented and sings pretty good songs that are selling well. Also with acting and film credits to his name. He is good looking for his generation of "Bieliebers" but not exactly drop dead gorgeous. I found there are no valid reasons for one to go overly gaga over this singer. Enjoying the songs Justin Bieber has released and the acting stints he has made thus far is good enough.

I remembered those days while growing up in the 1980s and 1990s where teens then would just go overly gaga on New Kids on the Block (NKOTB as they were better known) and girls especially would swoon over Tommy Page, a supposedly drop dead gorgeous singer. But I would just shrugged my shoulders and just enjoyed the songs they used to sing when being played on the radio or when my brother would play the cassette tape over and over at home and in the car.

I'm not afraid to admit I did went gaga over a singer many years ago. No, it's not a male singer but a female singer by the name of Gloria Estefan. I used to be obsessed to listening to her songs all day long without getting sick of them. And yes, I did attend TWO of her live concerts, once in Kuala Lumpur and the other in Perth, Australia. It was wonderful experience attending those live concerts as you would be swept away by the feverish pitch of the excitement that often comes with these live concerts.

As much as I liked Gloria Estefan then, my gaga-ness never went over the edge as my parents often kept it in check. I loved her songs to the extent I have an almost complete collections of her songs in the form of CDs. Back then, the Internet wasn't as a big thing as now, so having those CDs was the in-thing to do and a privillege.

I still enjoy Gloria Estefan's songs but I have gotten over my gaga-ness on her. I have diversified my music taste to many other singers as I grow older, but I don't think I would ever go gaga over any of them like I was when I was younger. I would just sit back and enjoy as well as appreciate the good and great songs being released by new and talented singers these days. Right now, I'm very much into Bruno Mars' Just The Way You Are and Marry You, Train's Hey Soul Sister and If It's Love and Michael Bublé's Haven't Met You Yet.


And am very much hoping these songs would perk up my days, especially now that I am an extremely struggling writer trying to make ends meet...

Koon and Amin - I salute the both of you!

Souvenir from USA - courtesy of Koon

I was invited to a presentation of a student whom I have helped to ensure his application to participate in his university's outbound student exchange programme was approved to the USA on Thursday, February 24 2011. That happened three years ago, when I was then the officer-in-charge of student exchange programme at the international office. I was very strict with the students who came to see me when they were applying to participate in the outbound student exchange programme. Yes, to the extent some students were extremely scared of me and/or hated me for behaving this way.

I have my reasons for doing so, and the main reason was that I wanted the best for students who had walked into my office stating their intention to want to participate in the university's outbound student exchange programme. They were requested to do the required "homework" first, as I don't believe in spoonfeeding these students. Many students were dumbfounded, as they had expected me to lay out all the information for them to just breeze through the application. All I wanted was for the students to learn to be independent learners.

Tough luck for the students who were expected to be spoonfed. However, there were two students who had made my life so much easier when they came to see me about the application to participate in the outbound student exchange programme. These two students actually did all the "homework" required of them and they managed to get the approval from the university for them to realise their aims to be part of the outbound student exchange programme. One went to USA, Iowa State University to be exact, and the other did his internship (as per his study requirement) in Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in the UK.

Not forgetting my then clerical staff who did the mountainous paperwork and my then boss' personal assistant who did all the negotiations with the relevant DVC's office for the approval. Without these two dedicated people, it would have been a futile task to have been undertaken. The seemingly impossible mammoth task was being tackled as a cohesive team, the two students included.

After what seemed to be endless frustration running into dead ends, the students finally got the nod to go and they really made the most out of their times there. And they return with the kind positive outlook in which I could find no words to describe. They are young adults brimming with overflowing confidence, ready to take the world as if it were the horns of a very aggressive bull. Where their career paths are concerned, from what I could gather, these two students will be going for the moon and beyond to reach the goals they have set for themselves.

I take pride and I also feel extremely happy in seeing that they have done really well, thus far, and they should be able to make it in their respective lives in an excellent manner. Thus, to Koon and Amin well done, and keep up the excellent work and for putting up with me during those trying times. I just wanted the best for you two, and am sooo ecstatic you have what it takes to be great leaders in the future.     



Souvenir from Royal Botanic
Gardens Kew - courtesy of Amin



On Music and Songs

I can say music rules my life.... you can't help it when you are involved in any type of performing arts. As for me, ballet is the key to unlocking the my interest in music. I enjoy different genres of music, pop, contemporary, classical and Latin American.

I don't just listen to music for the sake of listening, I appreciate the fine nuances of the music in which makes a particular music or song unique in its own way. My favourite singer for many, many years was Gloria Estefan. I still like listening to her songs, they are IMO never go out of date like most songs do these days. However, I still do pay attention to new songs and music being released. New talents like Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and Jordin Sparks are worth noting, they have what it takes to become excellent singers.

I listen mostly to songs from the 80s and 90s. I grew up during these two eras so I can identify with and relate to the songs of these eras. Of course, songs by the late Michael Jackson dominate the lives of most people who grew up in the 80s and 90s and I am no exception. My all-time favourite Michael Jackson song is 'The Way You Make Me Feel'. This song was used in a ballet choreography in the film 'Center Stage'; it was fantastic. Way cool piece of choreography! I never dreamed that a Michael Jackson song could be used as music in a ballet choreography.

Apart from the late Michael Jackson, 'Center Stage' also uses songs by Jamiroquai and Red Hot Chilli Peppers, all these songs are so danceable you just want to move with the music. I do.... and it gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. I guess I'm meant to be doing things related to performing arts, I think it fits my personality well. Or I should be doing things related to English language, mostly academic research, editing and writing; it's okay even I don't get to teach.

Music is a universal element bringing people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds together. One fine example I can think of is 'We Are The World - USA for Africa' released in 1985 to assist the famine-striken countries in the African continent. Singers of many different genres came together to perform this song - Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper, Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross, just to name a few. It is also through this song my Dad taught me the value of giving to help others who are less fortunate. I remembered Dad teaching me for the first time how to write a cheque, I was only nine at that time. This simple act left a very deep and lasting impression in me as a young child. From then on, I became very sensitive and receptive towards the genuine plight of less fortunate people around the world, especially of those from Third World and war-torn countries.

Music and songs have profound effect on me.... some songs and music can really move me to tears. The song that currently moves me to tears is sung by a group known as The Fray and the song is entitled 'How To Save A Life'. This song is the theme for the TV series 'Grey's Anatomy'; strangely I don't take to watching this series at all. I used to love watching 'Chicago Hope' and 'ER' but not 'Grey's Anatomy'.

'How To Save A Life' reminds me so much of the passing of my aunt earlier this year from lung cancer. Frankly, I have yet to get over of my aunt's passing. It really hurts.... just to think about it. However, songs and music provides me with the escape I needed when I'm facing a lousy day and/or experiencing a particularly bad time. I love music and songs so much they'll always be an integral part of my life.

Not a day goes by without me tuning to my favourite songs and music... Now that's a tune for thought! :)