The Magical Element of Mankind

They say time and tide waits for no man. I came across this while buying myself a test pad from Minerva Bookstores in KL. At that tender age of 10, I never quite understood the meaning of that phrase. I thought it was some kind of a catchy phrase on the cover. I thought it meant time and tide waits for no MAN, as in man…the male race. Only as I grew older, with gaining experience in life and troubles life has to offer, I realized it meant Time and tide waits for no man-as in mankind. It waits for no one. You might have all the gold in the world to offer to buy it, but hey, it doesn't wait for you. Time is in a whole different dimension from us, quite ignorant to how we want it to be, but it makes us revolve our life around it.

We need time. We need time to study, to eat, to sleep, and to accomplish all the daily chores of living. We also need time to know and understand our partners, children, and our friends. Most of our relationships, in fact, require more time than we have, and usually, we don't have that much of time to offer, for we also need some of this presiouc element to care for ourselves, to be alone, lost in OUR thoughts.

People are then, weird too. Some spend all their time on business. Some on studies. Some on games. Some on work…family and list goes on. Never, or maybe a handful only spend time on everything. The reason they spend most of their time only on one particular thing is because that is important. Now, think again, do we have 9 lives like cats to come back overtime and live for one a goal a life? No!

Yet, I always find people taking granted of the time they have. Have you ever heard and maybe even thought of doing something, but then putting it on hold, claiming it's a waste of time? With the only life we have, how can we say something is a waste time? Nothing is a waste of time, if you put it in a positive way. Because if you don’t even Toastmasters is a waste of time. What happens besides a bunch of people talking and talking and giving speeches? Yet, if you think of it the other way around, it is beneficial. You learn something new, you meet new people who bring you into their experiences via their wonderful speeches. And putting things on hold serves no purpose. Chances comes knocking on our door once, and rarely people get a second chance on chances.

I live with people who keep giving what for, or no time as an excuse, and I hate it. In my opinion, there is no such thing as no time. We FIND the time. I once watched a movie that brought me to tears. Movies are sometimes the best teachers of life. Sepi-a malay movie. A wife was complaining to her husband about him not spending much time with her and their 3 year old son. He was always on the move, and busy with business. And overtime the wife complained, the only reply she got was, don't worry, we have all the time in the world, now let me concentrate on business first. And one day, the wife died-they all met with an accident and she died on the spot. After that, the husband really changed, and took care of his son. There wasn't a day that passed in his life without him regretting not spending much time with his wife.

Even I have had a lesson in time. Ever since I came to INTEC, I never contacted my cousins or friends from high school. I had the perception I would have time once I'm somebody in the society. I gave excuses, saying I'm busy for family gatherings and stuff. All this changed the day my cousin died, and I knew, if I was there for her then, she wouldn't have died the way she did. It was then me and my whole family realized, nothing is really permanent in life, and if there is something we thought of doing, we should do it there and then.

If today is the day you feel like having fun, by all means have fun to the max. If today is the day you feel like crying your hearts out, do it. And if there is a girl or guy you like, go for it, the worse that can ever happen is they turning you down. Never put things on hold. Never say no time to anybody, even if whatever you doing is not going to benefit you, it may benefit others. They will be your well-wisher, and you will be blessed by God. Pu yourself out there, have the life you want. Yes, studies may be everything now, but guess what, you can't be 19 or 20 twice. Trust me, you wont want to tell your children one day that you were too busy to have fun when the age was right, and now that you want to have fun the age is not right. Learn new things. If possible, learn everything. There is saying in tamil stating, 'What we learn is only a handful of knowledge, but what is left to learn is a big as the universe'.

Living your life to the fullest can never be a waste of time, but not living it to the fullest is a crime. Be like the clock. Always keep on ticking by involving yourself in various things and learning new things. These small knowledge and experience modules will perhaps one day take you to your bigger goal some day.

Take Rose from Titanic for example, at the brink of death, Jack makes her promise to never let go of life, and to do what ever she wanted. She did. She learnt horse riding, flying a plane and many other things. And she was a happy lady the day she passed. Well, at least the best reward you can get by living your life to the fullest is, you die with no regrets.

Remember: You cant change the past, but you can ruin the future by worrying about the present.

Dear History......Love Bunga

Dear History,

How are you? I hope you are fine. Lately, I have been reading a lot about you in the papers. Looks like things ar not so good for you. Well who can blame you? You were made such. Years of studying you, I always knew you were unfair. But then, my voice was just too small to be heard. I mean, I am no doctor or Dato' to say 'Hey, the syllabus is unfair, and some facts are not right'. All I could do was just shake my head in agreement and listen to all.

Honestly, I loved you. That's why regardless of your imperfections, I really did well. Well many others did well too, but not all remember everything, at least mostly till today, 2 years after completing you. I do. And that is because I love History. In my opinion, history is something that is very sacred and divine. You can change everything in life, from your spouse to your looks (thanks plastic surgery), but then again, you cant change your history. It remains as a fact for as long as man shall wander on Earth.

It is really sad to see how people just use you for their benefits. Honestly people, the act of tampering with History to create an illusionary belief on us, the future of the country on you is just ridiculous. I mean, if that's just who you are, why can't you accept it? Why must we go on chanting 1 Malaysia in all possible languages available but then be ashamed to say that people of different ethnic groups also helped in our country's Independence? Now, who are you cheating? Me or you? Living a lie doesn't make you look powerful, for when the truth surfaces you will look bad. I meant this to the people who using you, dear history.

It doesn't matter, if you were written by people of the same ethnic, but then again, the people who wrote you are graduates who have definitely studied some basic of moral, and would know how to not be biased towards certain group. But then again, with a sigh I shall say, I have no comments. Maybe they are just living up to the slogan Malaysia Boleh!

Well, I hope things turn out fine for you. No students have been through their secondary years without complaining about the unfairness. We know the truth once we set foot into university. This mockery is just getting nobody anywhere, as those who only stop at their F5 education really don't care about education let along History, and those who further their studies just know the truth. So yeah.

May things turn out better for you fast.

Love,

Bunga.

Oh No!!!

Naggy, I want a Secret Recipe cake! Well, that’s my famous dialogue to my dear roommate. I love cakes, well my whole house does! Q-En loves baking while Naggy and I love eating. So, cakes…sweet tooth people…and not to forget chocolates. They say diamond are women’s best friends, but pardon me to beg to differ, chocolates are always my loyal partners! All these are sweet, and what makes it sweet people??? You got it right, SUGAR!!!!!

Now, sugar price is going to go up, so is petrol and other basic food.

Reason: Country will become bankrupt if we continue these subsidies.

Walao!!! So everything goes up, so does this also mean my allowance is going up??? I mean lets be fair, if I need to pay more for food, I need to be paid more so that I can afford to pay more. Simple logic isn’t it?

Problem: Country not going to have enough money to run

So, how do we overcome this? Simple, lets just practice 1Malaysia! Hello hello, 1Malaysia is just not regarding skin colour, I also think its, rakyat didahulukan, pencapaian diutamakan! Err, forgive me, but doesn’t this also imply we are responsible for our country? By this I actually call upon the higher authorities who live on rasuah. Yes, dear people, R-A-S-U-A-H!

Oh, not good in malay already? (brags) Its also known as bribery. Rate of corruption is increasing!!! And MACC is doing….?? Err, let me see, oh yeah, catching those officials who are growing fat with bribe and graft. Lets see, raids are conducted well and openly, black money, corruptions and God knows what else can be reduced. With this, government, as in G-O-V-E-R-N-M-E-N-T gets more money, and how can we be bankrupts? But once again, is it happening, and if it is, how effective is it? The cops still ask for rasuah, nothing is changed though they have their anti-rasuah badges on. Haishh….apa ini??? Tutup sebelah mata kut!!! (WTF!)

Come on people, this is a joke! Petrol price shoots, and thanks to only this, everything else go up! What the hell??? So unfair! Yet, those loaded people still get free petrol, but we, the normal citizen earning wages like kais pagi makan pagi, kais petang makan petang, still have to fork out OUR money to travel. Wait, what about public transport??? Another joke! Try waiting for komuter without the need of cursing, honey your having a lucky day then. They have ladies coach, reason: Sexual harassament, as men rub against women as train seem to be packed like sardine cans. Hello, the train comes in every 20 minutes, and number of passengers are just nice for everybody to stand and breath, but hey, train is delayed, volume of passengers increase, and oops, people squeeze in. So, who’s fault? Come on, THINK!!!! But wait, petrol price rises, so does public transport fares, and now again, will the citizens experience an increase in pay??? Food for thought.

Hey, forgive me, I might be selfish, I mean, I’m not in politics or not thinking for the whole government, but at least I live with the people and I see their problems. Call me talking against the government, but people, wake up from your dreams at langit ketujuh! Stesen berikutnya/ next station: Dunia realiti!!! When we criticise, we don’t take offense but we find ways of improvement. A man who accepts his weaknesses and acknowledges the fat is a man to be looked up upon indeed, and I have faith in my country.

Housework

Have you ever had a day where you woke up to your mum's scream of 'Wake up and make up your room before I get there!' And if yo don't you get one hell of scolding and a tonne of other housework? Man...housework. Chores. Cleaning the house. Whatever the name is, it is still down to doing work in order to clean!!!!!

I hate housework. But honestly, I can't live in filth. Some people love cleaning, yet one day bring in so much filth into the house. At this point you may realise I'm talking on double meaning terms. Sometimes, it's not tnough. I clean everyday, yet something still feels not right. Look, I don't mind cleanig, I mean I'm a good girl, I perform my duties, but when the household is being shared, lets just say I want the housework to be shared too. I may live in a mess, as in my room may be messy with books everywhere, but I on't live in filth! For heavens sake, I realised after some recent experience, some people actually can live in such filth.

Cleaning is actually good, not only in ensures cockroaches and worms are not in the house, it is also a form of killing time and stress. People complain they are bored, yet nobody has ever thought if cleaning while being bored. Studying 24/7, ain't a good idea, but while resting, instead of facebook-ing or doing something stupid, you can sweep and mop. Come on people, it cant be so hard. Dont be lazy and appoint a maid. In my opinion, you are responsible for your mess and filth, So clean it yourself!!!

I do my chores every morning. I sweep, mop and God knows what else. It has sort off become my routine, thanks to my brother. I can't stand the floor being dirty, so I sweep daily. Yes, they are times I get so bored of it, I complain, I nag, yet I still do the work, although I just took my bath. The point of taking your bath is also to clean yourself, but that cant stop you from not getting dirty again. A man who cant do housework deserves no respect in my opinion, let along a woman who cant do housework. A man's work is never ever done when it comes to chores!

The Many Possible Things That May Go Wrong in a Wedding

Here comes the bride! Dressed all in white! A girls dream ever since she is small is to witness her own wedding being celebrated the best one can ever imagine. D-Day! A day where the bride looks like an angel, the groom looks like the most handsome man on earth, the food is splendid, guests are great, sitting is just perfect and the whole event is totally organized! Well, that’s how the dream goes, but in reality, that’s not what happens. Everything turns up side down and the whole event seems like a total disaster! So, what does go wrong actually???

First of all, a sitting for the guest is planned. The bride and groom will decide who sits at which table. There would be the singles table and couples table. Family members may get the best tables together with close friends. Everything looks perfect on the planning board, yet on the the actual day! There would definitely be a person who will complain about their sitting! ‘OMG! They placed me at the singles table! As though I’m so desperate!’ Well, sometimes all the bride and groom plans is to help you meet more single people so that you would not end up at same spot if you were to attend another wedding. The worst part is many never follow the seating plan! They do as they wish! My roommate once told me about her cousins wedding on how they planned for all the family members to sit in front, while friends behind, but on the real day, it was the total opposite and all the guests when blaming that there was no proper planning! What an irony! The guests do not follow the planning, and the newly weds get blamed!

Next major plan that may go wrong is the catering. It is a custom to have a food tasting day before selecting the menu for the wedding. The food with the taste most appealing to the bride and groom will be chosen. Everything will seem perfect. However, that is not what that happens on the actual day! The food which is served does not even taste like how it was during the food tasting! I would like to share a real-life story where the catering really made a big difference. When my aunt got married two years ago, she decided to have her wedding lunch at a fancy Restaurant in Penang. Well, she and a few more family members of mine claimed that the food there was simply extraordinary. So, on the day, we all went there with high expectations of tasting fine Indian cooking. How disappointed were we when we realized that the food served at a mamak stall was 100 times tastier! There you go, all the guest hardly took any food as those who ate first warned the rest! Funny isn’t it, yet it is true.

The final major thing that may go wrong in a wedding is the make-up! Every bride will want to look her best on that special day. Lots of arrangements and preparations are done starting from months before the big day. The best wedding dressed is bought, some even opt the pleasure to buy the most expensive dress one may find as they can brag about it to the guest later on. The best shoes, best hair-do, worst brides maid dresses (this is very true as the bride never wants her bridesmaids to look better than she does. All is taken care of except for the bride’s make-up. Honestly, the bride may look like a very pretty lady naturally, yet make-up is still necessary! Most brides however fail to have make-up testing like how they have food testing! Anyway, the food may still turn out awful though there was food tasting, why not the make-up? Experimenting the make-up on the big day is a very huge mistake! Some look really awful on their wedding day due to the bad sense of make-up by their make-up artist. Another aunt of mine had to deal with this when she got married. Actually, she did look fine, the only drawback was when the photographs of their wedding dinner came, she looked like a white ghost! Too much of foundation and powder! What a disaster for their wedding dinner!

Well, many of you might not have realized all this problems going on in a wedding. The next time you attend one, try to pay attention. See what is really going on and how things start to turn upside down one by one. It would be a good experience, as you may prepare yourself for your own big day without having to go through all this problems!