Echoes of Our Soul

People often claim themselves to be of many things. Honest, respectful, faithful, honourable, and responsible are among the many common claimed colours of a man, or a woman.
Have you ever wondered what your true colours are? It's not easy. Through the spoken words of others who looks through their own painted bifocals, the colours viewed maybe distorted.
The credence borrowed may not be completely truthful...or completely pretentious.
But there maybe a proxy to realizing this elucidation.

So, to start.

No names, I'll just state the people involved here as L, S, M, B and F.

L (female) is the girlfriend of M (male). Both were separated in an inevitable event and both were never given a chance to know of where each other were.
L misses M and to her heart's content, wishes to see M, but she doesn't know where to begin the search.
B heard of it and told L that he knows where M is and volunteers to bring her to M for a price.
However, the price is far too much for L to afford.
L then met S who soon offered to pay for the fees that B is charging in exchange for L's virginity.
L accepted the offer from S just for the sake of finding M.
F who is a friend of M heard of what happened and informed M of the truth.
Upon their meeting, the furious M broke his relationship with L.

Conclusion: L was most hurt, to lose her virginity and her boyfriend.

The question is:
Who is to blame the most and who is the least to be blamed?
If you still haven't given it a thought, please re-read before deciding and sharing your thoughts.


What is your answer?


The person whom you blamed most would reveal what you consider least important.
The person whom you blamed the least would be what you consider most important.

L - Love
S - Sex
M - Morality
B - Business
F - Friendship

You have been explicated.

Selamatkan Negaraku

A repost of one of my previous entries on how absurd our government can be at times...

Once again I was appalled and disappointed by the virulent actions of our beloved country's administrators and administration. I stumbled upon an entry written by my friend today and I took a look at the article he was talking about. I could only shook my head in vain and snarl at the inanity of our Chief Justice. I was simply stupefied and disgusted by his statements. He even had the audacity and "common sense" to say the words he said. Are all important and high-ranking positions in our Administration occupied by individuals with brains the size of peas whom they sit on their sagging bottoms and nuts the size of bowling balls? Alas, time and again I have to concur that most of the positions are occupied by these rapacious and moronic homo-sapiens.

The lawyer added that the Datuk Bandar had failed to take into consideration the fact that Malaysia was a multicultural country and that the act of hugging and kissing was an expression of love which should be encouraged.

Hearing this, Ahmad Fairuz asked: "So, they should be given freedom to live as they like? The constitution allows all citizens to do that (hugging and kissing) even by the roadside, in a public park?"

You know what I have to say to you, Most Esteemed Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim? I think you are a sad person with a sad childhood. If what you say is true, I guess like what my friend said, we should start arresting all those people, loved ones, husbands and wives and families who kisses and hugs each other in the airport terminal, train stations or ports. In fact, why don't we start arresting all the politicians and great leaders of our country who hugs one another after a great meeting or conference? In fact, I will champion the cause of my friend to ban all television shows, movies, ads and live plays that constitutes a man and a woman hhugging or kissing each other? That way, there will be no influences on the young minds of our nation's children and thus, no cause for you to issue idiotic and bullish statements like the ones you just made.

This is just totally absurd. I have seen countless times that our Administration has a penchant for making small things big and big issues small. While the country is plagued with rapes, kidnappings, murder, incest, money-laundering, bribery, social irresponsibility and the likes, issues like kissing and hugging in public and gambling with friends and relatives during a festive season are hyped up and brought to light in the public's eye. How often do we hear that each reported cases of rapes, kidnappings, murder, bribery or social irresponsibility are solved with the perpetrator in costody? Rare indeed. With all the resources and manpower at their disposal, this is the best they come up with. No wonder more and more capable individuals are migrating out of our decrepifying country. Who's to blame them? While the real perps are out there roaming around to prey on new victims, the innocent are being persecuted.

These are just small crimes! If it can even be called a crime to kiss and hug in public. Grow up please, Administration. Stop being so childish. Aim for the big guns and do your job right. Then maybe for once, we can start respecting one another genuinely.

Personally, I think both the Datuk Bandar and the Chief Justice had a terrible teen life. I think they're just jealous of the couple whom they're prosecuting. C'mon people, how ridiculous you think it'll look on the Australian Times, New York Daily or The Star? YOUNG ADULTS BROUGHT TO COURT FOR KISSING AND HUGGING IN PUBLIC.

fff

A Narrative Nonsense

A test run of my writing skill...

William and Sanders stood in the darkened foyer of the church. William fumbled with his keys as he locked the front entrance. He looked up verily and said, "You know what, I bet I'm the only children's pastor in the world with a concealed weapons permit, hah!". William pantomimed drawing a pistol from his pocket and fired off two imaginary shots at some unseen perpetrator.

"Uh, hello, you moron!" said Sanders. "You're probably the ONLY pastor in the worldwith a gun permit."

William holstered his pantomime pistol. "Yeah, you're probably right, but it never hurts to be prepared."

Sanders snorted. "Prepared? Prepared for what? Why in the world does a children's pastor needs a gun in the first place? Are you crazy?"

"You know," William reasoned. "In case there's a zombie outbreak or something."

"Oh, my Lord!" Sanders threw up his hands. "You and zombies. There's never been a stupid zombie outbreak to begin with."

William stared at his friend. "That's right. I stopped the first one before it could escalate."

"I don't even want to know."

"And neither does the government," said William. "You should be thankful to have a friend like me."

Let It Snow

A repost from a time which will always remain close to my heart...

Truth happens when the best of us are caught off-guard by an innocent question. In a day filled with happenings and interesting incidents, I have made tremendous progress in my observation department.

It is no wonder that even the best or the nicest of us can succumb to the simplest of task. Some people may take a task as a task is; while others go to extreme extent just to prove a single point. When all reason is lost and what lies beneath the mask of enthusiasm and commitment are anything but a just cause, the reason that being in the beginning was misplaced. I have had my shares of responsibilities and commitments and creativity and excitement in my old glory days of high school. To think that the stuffs that made all these non-academic activities in university level was those you'd call "stuffs of legend", from a certain point of view, was anything but a deception carefully and consisely conceived by ourselves and those people whom we observe from afar.

In any case, favouritism was in abundance today which spawned several hooligans who in turn tried to make fools and morons out of us. Politics are not for the faint-hearted, but neither is professionalism. The difference between then and now, as I see it, is that when you served then, you were serving the school and the subtle indoctrination that every clubs, societies or student bodies give to its members. Serving now means a totally new level for everyone. It has so many meanings and yet in the end it means nothing. But one example I can readily see is that serving today means serving yourself to achieve whatever means necessary to further one's ends. The best part of this is, this is how the REAL WORLD works.

Gone are the days of chivalry, honour, and self-righteous. The numerous metropolitan-styled universities or institutes of higher learning that plague our world have become the breeding ground of selfishness, self-centeredness and twisted values. You may disagree with me in this on many grounds but I am sure you and I would both agree on the fact that innocence is a thing of the past. One may practice it while the other may just be aware of it but both are now players in the never-ending limbo of the manipulator and the person being used.

Anyhow, I was really entertained to the core of my bone today but shall not disclose any further which event or who set me off.

On a lighter note, the night was filled with another long chain of more interesting events. Think of Central Perk; multiply the number of people by 2; divide the enthusiastic minds by 2; minus off the no-shame attitude and plus the over-zealous heads and finally square it by sets of bombastic and exaggerative sentences, you get a center for perky people. Sometimes, you just got to know when you're telling the truth and when you're just making up a story so that you seem "cooler" or seem to know all. Say it the first time, it's a really good joke and worth scores of laughter by everyone. Say it the second time and it's still a reasonably decent joke but eyebrows are raised. Say it three times and more, you start to sound like a dork that is in dire need of constant attention. Ah, but anyhow life is too short. Live and let live.

The next thing I knew it, 2 minutes later I was in fact laughing in my heart about all this. Soon after that, the atmosphere just became literally and figuratively STALE. Imagine a convention filled with ardent Star Wars fans and a legion of Green-peace supporters. Boths sides fooled into attending the meeting and are forced to mingle. I'd kill to see that day happens. However, I still can't help myself from being totally and satisfactorily entertained the whole night. From every single axes that I could pan to, I see linear humility intersecting curves of over-confidence. I was stupefied! I have to give it to them all because it was such a gathering of different minds and backgrounds and upbringing and approach or view to life.

Frankly, I have nothing but admiration and respect and adoration for all of the things that have taken place today and to the people that made it possible. This was the kind of exposure I was expecting when I decided to transfer here.

Happy Independence Day, Malaysia

A repost from a time when I still believed...

31st August of 1957. A truly meaningful day. Although I was absent during the official declaration of Malaysia's independence by Allayarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman (please correct me if I addressed his most imminence wrongly), I still feel blessed and fortunate. Every single bliss and joy we taste today is owed to that very fateful day. In this entry, I am going to state why am I so lucky to be a proud citizen of my country.

I am grateful to be a Malaysian because:

• Every race lives in harmony. This is the only multi-racial country that has no racial segregation/civil unrest (except the tragic May 13th incident).
• Centre to the best food on Earth. Char kuey teow, roti canai, laksa penang, nasi kandar, lontong, bah kut teh, nasi dagang, cendol, ais kacang, vade, tosay, teh tarik. Where else can you get all this, eh?
• The political issues and differences are not that serious. Even the government today is quite fair, no obvious political instability. Our country is considered pretty good compared to those that uses force and tyranny in extraditing away other races.
• The weather is great! It is not cold that you have to wear 3-4 layers of clothings or 7 layers in some places. Just a t-shirt can take you places. The only downside is the haze problem (thanks to Indonesia, no offence) which is only once a year, so it is not that bad. On the bright side, we have no major disasters like typhoon, or earthquakes.
• "Oi boss! Teh tarik satu. Roti telur tak mau bawang!". Mamak. So easy to get food. Anytime of any day. 7pm? 2am? They even have 24hrs now!
• Going to the theatre is so cheap. If you ain't no like the cinemas, there's always "Uncle Ho". For 10 ringgit, you get 2. Sometimes, it's even faster than the cinemas ;)
• Subsidised petrol. Although it is unknown how much longer this will go on.

Despite all these, there are still some areas that can be improved:

• Education. Many aspects to improve. What is the point of Moral Education? As if memorising the divine nilai-nilai murni can make a student kind, compassionate, etc.
• When will we come out with a car that is world-class or internationally accepted? At least make one that has its door lasting for at least 6 months.
• TM Net Strymyx. Self-explanatory.
• A political reshuffle. At least make sure the ministers are able to do their jobs properly and effectively. Or else we're going to have more bridges falling down.
• The congestion in the Klang Valley. Public transportation has room for a lot of improvement and innovation. A good industry to get into in the future.

Although my country is not perfect and has its own shares of flaws, this is still the tanah tumpahnya darahku. There is no place as interesting as home, as beautiful as home, as special like home...and there's simply no place like Home. Happy Independence Day!

(p/s: this entry is dedicated to the Malaysians who have forgotten their own state songs like Lagu Selangor and EVEN our national anthem, who doesn't know what it means to be...MALAYSIAN).

Prayer for the Stressed

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I cannot accept,

And the wisdom to hide the bodies of those people

I had to kill today because they pissed me off.

Also help me to be careful of the toes I stepped on today,

As they may be connected to the ass that I

might have to kiss tomorrow.

Help me to always give 100% at work:

12% on Monday, and 23% on Tuesday,

40% on Wednesday and 20% on Thursday

and 5% on Friday.

Help me to remember that when I'm having a really

bad day and it seems that people are trying to piss me off,

That it takes 42 muscles to frown,

And only 4 to extend my middle finger

and tell them to BITE ME!

The Reds Rules

Another repost of one of my more memorable sports review...

If anything bad were to befallen me today, I'd leave this world knowing that I've witnessed THE MOTHER OF ALL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL MATCH today.

That's the statement I'd use to justify the intensity, suspense, excitement, superb, best of the best, excellent, great, entertaining, fun, trepidation, passion, exhilaration, outstanding, terrific, marvelous, and first-rate of the match between Liverpool and AC Milan. All these words I just mentioned don't give the least credit to the game I've just watched.

After 20 years of waiting, Liverpool finally got their grasp on the European Champion's Cup once again. As the most highliy decorated English club in the competition and one of the best achievers in the competition of Europe, it is only fitting that Liverpool took home their rightful cup tonight by just being present in the Finals.

The match started off one-sidedly with Milan owning Liverpool in practically every aspect of football; from through passes to long passes to attempts on goals to techniques used to defensive quality and dexterity. Arguably one of the earliest and best goal to be scored in a Champions League final was netted by the Captain of AC Milan; Paulo Maldini. Just 30 seconds into the first half, Liverpool conceded a free-kick at the right edge of the penalty box, opening its defenses up for a surgical strike. With a minute coming up, the kick was swung in and with the Midas one-touch volley from Maldini, the ball struck the ground once and went straight into the back of the net with such force that everyone in the room roared as if they were struck down by the ball itself. Such was the intensity and quality of the first goal.

AC Milan went on to show Liverpool, the underdogs, how the BIG BOYS played in this competition. AC Milan was so good and mesmerizing to the extent of emulating Arsenal in their trademark quick, short-pass counterattacks. 10 minutes from half-time, Hernando Crespo (former Chelsea striker) received a cross from the right wing after puncturing Liverpool's defenses at its heart and tapped the ball into the goal, leaving poor Jerzy Dudek to lick his own injured pride. Just when we thought the first half was ending at a 2-0 score line, a mistake by Sammi Hyppia to intercept an oncoming ball from mid-air set Crespo loose once again to hound Liverpool's crumbling defenses. With only the goalkeeper between him and his 2nd goal, Crespo neatly and skillfully chipped in AC Milan's 3rd goal, practically securing the Champion's Cup for his team's taking. 3-0 was the half-time score.

At this point, one would think the end is over for Liverpool and they rightly deserved it. Shame on those who went to sleep during half-time for they missed the greatest match that has ever been live-telecasted for a very, very long time. Liverpool came back into the second half with kilojoules of vigour to spare. And spared them they did. Captain Steven Gerard whom I so humbly admire, gave his team a winning chance when he head in a superb, sharp ball into the top right corner of the goal, leaving helpless Dida on the groound. Now, Liverpool brought it on to AC Milan's ground matching speed for speed and passes for passes. 2 minutes later, Vladimir Smicer bulls-eyed in an excellent and perfect goal outside the penalty box. It was approximately 35 yards from my memory and it was a very low ball, straight into the left bottom corner of the goal. Again, Dida was helpless to deflect it. With nothing to lose, Xabi Alonso took the spot kick. I told James he was going to miss because I could read his expression. I have a knack for this sort of thing ;) He did miss but he also quickly compensate for his blunder by capitalizing on Dida's error of not catching the ball. As you guessed it, he rebounded the saved spot-kick and brought Liverpool to AN EYE FOR AN EYE with AC Milan.

The game went on at 3-3 until the end of regulation time. After several more misses and nerve-wrecking moments in extra-time, the Finals was to be decided on a penalty fall-out, notice the term here. Liverpool won the fall-out 3-2 with Milan blundering 3 of their penalty kicks (where Dudek saved 2 of those) despite Dida saving Liverpool's John Arne Riiser's kick. It was that bad for Milan and that obvious for Liverpool that Captain Gerard didn't even have to take this penalty as the 5th taker. It was inevitable, it was memorable, and it was self-justified. Liverpool showed CHARACTER and they deserved to win.

Althought I'm not a Liverpool fan, I have to admit I was with them even from the beginning of the match when they seemed hopeless. After all, I was a one-time Reds fan a long time ago in a galaxy, far, far away...wait, that didn't sound right :P Anyway, because of this, I couldn't help but vouched for Liverpool even when they were 3-0 down. C'mon, anyone who's been following the Championship should know that there's something about this Liverpool team. Defeating 3 great and powerful teams in a row to clinch the title of Champion of Champions in Europe is not an every-season feat; Juventus, Chelsea and AC Milan, two being the league champions in their respective country.

With this new-found sense of confidence in the Liverpool camp, I am now looking forward to their meet with Manchester United next season. I would relish on the thought of MU defeating the current Champion of Europe.

For now...

A toast to Liverpool, to a great game long to be remembered, and to football...

Movie Review: Revenge of the Sith

Repost:

The following entry has a major Star Wars Episode III spoiler. Proceed no further if you have yet to see this movie.

I've never felt more constrained and held-back after watching a movie of this magnitude and epical proportion than watching Revenge of the Sith tonight. Being surrounded with somewhat 'lesser-fan(s)' or viewers who had no idea what was going on certainly did not help to elevate my quiet mood. Hopefully, this entry will help me get IT out of my system.

There is no better way to explain all the events that transpired in the classical Starwars Trilogy than the episode I watched tonight. People have always said Anakin's portrayal in Episodes I and II lacked substance and the movies itself lacked a good plot or excellent character development. I say "be patient" as the stories itself were meant to unfold in Episode III. If you'd expected to see everything explained and shown for in I and II then there's no point in making III, IV, V and VI subsequently, no? Bigger is the pity to all who failed to see the bigger picture and title that is STARWARS in plain sight itself.

This movie tonight is by far the saddest I've watched in a long time. Not because by itself, this movie is a sad and touchy one. But because an avid fan myself who knows Starwars well, I feel for the loss of the characters in the movie, I feel for the sadness they feel, I wished for something good to happen in order to ease their suffering and now I know why Episode IV was named A NEW HOPE. Indeed, George kept his promise to all who knows Starwars like I do because afterall, he made the prequel trilogy for US.

The turning point of Anakin's road down to damnation started when he sliced off Windu's right hand and presented Lord Sidious with a window of opportunity to strike him down and threw him off the building. Hence, the 2nd highest ranking Jedi Master of the Council was overthrown. It's also clear now how Sidious/Palpatine's disfigurement occured. Now, we all know how confused and misguided Anakin was when he thought killing Dooku when both of his hands were sliced off with him kneeling for mercy before Anakin was right but preventing Windu from striking down Sidious and quoting to abidfe by the Jedi Code on Windu made him a better Jedi.

Anakin did kill Padme as was told to him by Sidious fron a certain point of view. If he hadn't fall so far from grace, Padme wouldn't have given up on him or her life, for that matter, and would have gone on to live. This proves Yoda's wisdom on the quote always in motion is the future, hard to see it is.

The 3rd saddes part of the movie was when Anakin inadvertently killed Windu and submitted to Sidious for apprenticeship. At least, from a viewer's point of view, I know he did not choose to leave the Jedi path but was forced into leaving it. He left it by enforcing his beliefs in the Jedi Code, trying to prove to Master Windu of his repented ways only to enforce it in a very, very bad time.

The 2nd saddest part of the movie occured when Palpatine declared that "the Jedis are now enemies of the Republic" and executed Order 66 among the clone troopers throughout the galaxy. Order 66 was an encryption command tutored into each clones in its infancy and training stages to terminate all Jedis upon sight. In the movie, you start to see all the great Jedi Masters and Knights got stabbed in the back like some paltry animals, one by one. Ki-Adi-Mundi, Saesse Tinn, and Plo Koon were among the many purged. The sickest part was when Anakin walked into a training room full of younglings or Jedi apprentices. One of them comes up to him asking him what's to be done when the Temple was being overrun. Being Darth Vader, he slaughtered these children.

And the saddest part of the movie was when Anakin's legs and hands were cut off by Obi-Wan in a spectacular final fall-out between the two legendary swordsmen. Even when decapitated and consumed with fire from the lava, he could still summon enough energy and anger in him to scream I HATE YOU at Obi-Wan. Don't think for a second that Obi-Wan was anything but glad at what he did to Anakin. He was afterall, like a brother to him and he, like a father to Anakin. The transformation of decay of Anakin's body was well-defined and excellent to the finest details.

Ultimately, it's the ending mood of the movie which captivates me the most. I can almost swear I felt the emotions of Bail Organa, Yoda and Obi-Wan flowed through the widescreen. The helplessness state they were in. The feeling of failure and guilt, of loss and betrayal, of fear and suffering. Padme died in the way I never imagined she could have. Her last words were so unsettling and unfulfilling for a woman of her stature, calibre, dignity and respect. I know there is still good in him, but still... And Luke and Leia never saw their beloved mother ever again. Now I understand why Leia's memory of Padme was always a sad one where she seemed sad, distant...she was always crying.

Among the many good stuffs from this final installment is I get to see Kashyyyk and Alderaan, know Yoda is stronger than any of the Siths including Anakin (I think), know how the Jedis were so quickly and systematically wiped out, know how Vader got his name and how Anakin's body was shattered, know how C3-P0 and R2-D2 came into the hands of Captain Antilles aboard te Tantive IV, got to see the moment the Galactic Empire was formed, Luke came first before Leia, Padme's dying words, how Obi-Wan managed to gain immortality to be at Luke's side during later years after his own death, how a younger Grand Moff Tarkin looked like, how X-Wings came about, how TIE Fighters came about, and how the twins were seperated and the important figures behind the plan.

All in all, I dare say that this is one movie I dare not watch again because of the emotional theatrics it plays on me, over and over again, hours after the movie ended. I may not dare to pass up a chance to watch it again either.

Sayings

Being happy is not living with the absence of sufferings and troubles. Rather the happiness we must seek is the joy by overcoming sufferings.

Heaven's Eyes

I never thought you were a fair-weathered friend, you never let me down, you're true to the end,

For in the darkest hour, when all was lost, somehow you left the light on,

You faced the wrong and showed the world a thing or two, stood up for me, for you,

I still remember the things that you said, I keep your words alive, I could never forget,

For in the final hour you made me proud, so proud that I could know you,

You told the world it's time that they believe in you, you stood for Right and Truth,

And so we can't forget, we've got to keep remembering them all,

The ones who took the fall, they did it for us all,

And we should learn from it, stand up if you believe in it,

You've got to face the world, be strong,

And you should know, some say it wasn't worth the things we went through,

I say it ain't worth losing you, I hope you know how much you've changed all our lives,

Someday, you'll see,

If only through Heaven's Eyes...