Now, Who is Screwing up Bursa?

The BSKL has lost almost 80 points with panic selling among the blue chips. When it rains, it pours. The dogs of war bark and the cats snarl in mutual consent. Pandemonium sets in. Sellers overwhelmed buyers selling down the tube.

So what happened? The retail players panicked; especially those fresh greenhorns-the speculators who played on borrowed funds and margins. The scurried away in fear. Those who went in just before Chinese New Year and those who bought heavily after coming back from the holidays got it in the butt big time.

Fund managers relinquished their holdings across the board so that they can come in again at a better price for good blue chips. This mass selling coupled with bad news from China, the rise of oil prices, the interest hike in Tokyo and not so favourable news on Dow Jones brought the market down. The worst thing to happen this morning was the Shanghai and Shenzhen markets were down because of computer failure. Imagine that! The whole market was spooked once more and blood-letting continued.

We all know the market ran up too fast. We all know it needed a rest. But not like this- a bloodbath! So who's scewing up the Bursa? Fund managers-that's who!

Sometimes, it is good to listen to your own natural instincts. That chap who said that the CI will go beyond 1400 was surely speaking through his hat. He must have a good time chewing it up now! Those who left at about the 1270 level were great players. They can come in again now and play Round 2.

Be that as it may, it's the same game again and again. The blue chips will spring back in no time. The second liners will be slow on the come-back but some good under-priced penny stocks will spurt up once more.

Did you buy in when the index was down this morning? If you did, then there is a great possibility that the market could have hit bottom and you are on your way to make some mucho dinero.


Quote of the Day

"All God's angels come to us in disguise." James Russel Lowell

Heartsong

The Results Are In!

I guess I might as well post the entire list of winners of the 79th Academy Awards here.


Best Motion Picture: The Departed
Actor: Forest Whitaker
Actress: Helen Mirren
Supporting Actor: Alan Arkin
Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson
Director : Martin Scorsese
Foreign Language Film: The Lives of Others (Germany)
Original Screenplay: Michael Arndt: Little Miss Sunshine
Adapted Screenplay: William Moynahan : The Departed
Cinematography:Pan's Labyrinth
Original Score: Babel
Visual Effect:Pirates of the Caribbean:Dead Man's Chest
Film Editing: The Departed
Sound Mixing: The Dreamgirls
Sound Editing: Letters from Iwo Jima
Costume Design: Marie Antoinette
Original Song: I Need to Wake Up from An Inconvenient Truth
Make Up: Pan's Labyrinth
Live Action Story: West Bank Story
Animated Feature: Happy Feet
Animated Short: The Danish Poet
Documentary Feature: An Inconvenient Truth
Documentary Short: The Blood of Yingzhou District

So there you have it. Good to have this list to refer to from time to time. A sort of easy reference movie archive!

Quote of the Day:

“If at first you don't succeed, do it like your mother told you.” Unknown

Heartsong

The 79^th Academy Awards – Scorsese Made It!

So the 79th. Academy Awards Event is over.

The 64,000 dollar question has also been answered. Martin Scorsese finally got his hands on the statuette as Best Director, after being passed over for uncountable times. In fact, everyone was wondering whether the Academy will do the right thing this time around. To top it all, Scorsese 's movie, The Departed got the Best Film Award. It must really be a sweet double victory for this doyen of Hollywood after these agonizing years of "bad luck".

As expected, Helen Mirren got her Best Actress Award and she proffered her salutations to the Queen for that. As for the Best Actor award, I was actually rooting for Leonardo DiCarprio after seeing his fine acting in The Aviator and in The Departed but Forest Whitaker must have done something "magical" as Edi Amin Dada in The Last King of Scotland to better him. I think they gave Alan Arkin the Best Supporting actor for old times sake. His role as a cantankerous cocaine sniffer in the runaway dark horse of a movie called Little Miss Sunshine was funny though.

Giving the Best Supporting Actress to newcomer Jennifer Hudson for her role in The Dreamgirls was the best decision the Academy has made in a long time. What she lost in American Idol, she got it back via the movies. I was rooting for her to win and was relieved that she won. Who says there is no God?

Ellen Degeneres was the host to the 79th Academy Awards. I think she really prepared for it. Not bad as she is only the second woman to host this event after Whoopi Goldberg.

I hope to see Leonardo DiCarprio win the Best Actor Academy Award next year. He really deserves it this year but then the competition was too keen. Also, they never did give a damn chance to the frail-looking Peter O’ Toole. Guess there is not many good years left in him and as such, he should just say que sera sera and get used to his honorary Oscar.

Quote of the Day

“Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.” Alfred Lord Tennyson

Heartsong

What Are We Good For - Pigging and Binging?

The Chinese are strange people. When they do things, they go to the extremes. When they eat, they pigged out; when they womanize, they don’t know when to stop until the wives steps in; when they drink, they get stone drunk and vomit every where. When they gamble, they gamble away their fortunes. Every time, the stock market goes through the roof, they jump in lock, stock and barrel and oftentimes get their fingers and other parts of the anatomy burnt as well. No wonder, the Alongs are having a field day!

Every Chinese New Year is but an excuse for doing things to excess - eating, drinking, and gambling; and for many, womanizing. In most houses, you hear the familiar clatter of mahjong tiles, the sight of black dominoes and of course, poker. Family members get together for friendly poker games normally on New Year’s Eve.

It is at such time that I remember my late brother Donnie and my two other brothers. After the reunion dinner, we will gamble until possibly 3 p.m. in the morning. If my brother-in-law comes back, he will also join in the fun. Those were great times. It wasn’t the money. It was more brotherly bonding and fun. Sadly, brother Donnie passed on in 1988 and those halcyon days are really gone.

As we reflect, we treasure those moments. Good times: Great mood: High spirits. Irreplaceable!

Now, as adults; things are downright different. We do not get involved. We just stand on ceremony and are contented to be bystanders. It is as though we have forgotten how to enjoy. Times go by…….and life drifts on from one year to another. The only consolation these days is seeing the children grow up.

We must take hold of the rest of our lives. We should find true meaning and utilize the latter years to chase our half-forgotten dreams. If there is a calling to do mission work-do not delay. Go out and help the community–seek the old, the underprivileged and the physically and mentally challenged. We must show our worth. We must be of service to them.

Give in cash or in kind; but give generously for God loves a cheerful giver!

Quote of the Day

“Most of us spend our lives as if we had another one in the bank.” Ben Irwin

Heartsong

Recurrent Dreams

Have you ever had dreams with certain recurrent features? Or for that matter, dreams that are juxtaposition of snippets of true life and the ethereal elements? I have.

Over the past years, I have dreams about riding on motorcycles without wearing a helmet. Sometimes, after waking up, I will remember that dream and wonder why I was breaking the law. Then, there were instances that I rode pillion without a helmet and wondered in the dream why I was never hauled up by the cops.

Were these dreams reflective of the time when crash helmets were not required by law?

Dreams are funny things. Fancy carbon-dated dreams!

Then, there are dreams where I was talking to former colleagues, engrossed in certain issues of the day. The characters are real; the situations and background are true. Deja vu vu in the making?

Anyway, I am no gambler though I might dabble a little in stocks. If I am really one hard-core gambler, I would have got all my dreams read and interpreted and pun the number forecast, perhaps losing big time.

As of now, dreams are dreams. Are they a window to another world or another time? Are they foretelling something?

Quote of the Day

“Dreams are today's answers to tomorrow's questions.”Edgar Cayce

Heartsong

The Way of the World - Use and Abuse

The Eurythmics’ award winning song, “Sweet Dreams” says it all.

Sweet dreams are made of this

Who am I to disagree?

Travel the world and the seven seas

Everybody's looking for something

Some of them want to use you

Some of them want to get used by you

Some of them want to abuse you

Some of them want to be abused

The message to the world is clear. There are only two types of people on the surface of the earth. Users and abusers, subjects and objects; voluntarily or otherwise.

Sometimes we use, sometimes we abuse. On the flip side, sometimes we are used and at other times abused. I believe this is a warped form of symbiotic relationship; we live from day to day.

Then, we have this other group of people who are strangely perverted and desire to be used and to be abused.

Whatever it is, we sympathise with those who are always out of luck; used and abused against their will with no apparent positive trade-offs. They are the unfortunate underdogs and dregs of society; downtrodden with their prayers remaining unanswered.

As such, those of us who have smelled the sweet rose of success should be grateful that we have come up this far despite the abuses hurled at us. By the grace, generosity and mercy of God, we have healthy careers and a good life. It may not be the best; it may not be ideal but close.

What ever you say; we have been blessed. We are gifted with a happy family. The children are growing up well and there is a roof above our head and food on our table. We are not in want!

As expected, there will be periods of setback and frustrations; when progress comes ever slowly but it does eventually. We must therefore be thankful and be prayerful.

Remember: God answers our prayers in His own time. Be pure at heart, be good, do good, be patient and good times will come your way. Amen

Quote of the Day

“May you get to Heaven a half hour before the Devil knows you're dead.” Irish Proverb

Heartsong

Chinese New Year in Petaling Jaya

I had a rather late night yesterday.While the family was watching Chinese New Year (CNY) specials on the telly, I was reading up a little bit on punctuation to help my son out in his forthcoming PMR examinations.

In fact, the subject on the use of comma can be real daunting if you are serious on how to excel in it–imagine reading about restrictive and non restrictive clauses and how the comma is to apply to them! School text books for English these days are so general. They would express certain rules of grammar and then quietly avoid giving examples. Shame on them!

This morning, just like on the first day of the CNY, I had a real problem getting my copy of The Star. I never did have the problem last year because there was an Indian magazine shop which opens every day. They have since moved away. So, I quickly went to the nearest 7-11 store, hoping to get a copy. A guy before me, who was there told me it was all sold out. So while lamenting our problem, both of us trudge to the nearby Shell station. Good God, it was available and we got our copy of The Star there.

This morning, I had to get my copy again from the Shell station. The Shell station is really a saviour where I lived. Bravo to it!

On the first day, of CNY, while walking past the market, I noticed that a lone hawker, the Char Keow Teow man was working. He had a couple of customers. Perhaps CNY means little to him. Maybe he is a bachelor and money is more important. I guess he may charge a little more for frying char keow teow on CNY but those customers would certainly be happy to pay up.

Returning home, I glanced through the papers and I saw this character, a public figure giving his five cents worth. I know him to be one nasty piece of work. He has one of those faces that only a mother would love; and yet he holds such a high position in this land. God must have loved him plenty. He is one proud, strutting peacock-normal intelligence but no great performer. Must have got a Godfather somewhere to propel him to stratosphere! I am more inclined to see him as a device and front for the devil -the powers and principalities. Anyway, God works in ways that man cannot comprehend. So we will leave it at that. The Malays have a saying for this. Rezeki orang!

Today is the third day of CNY. To changeover from CNY dishes, we had Maggi mee for breakfast followed by Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch. Went to The Curve, Ikano and TESCO. There were a lot of shoppers including tourists. They were busy snapping photographs of the wonderful spring blossoms display at The Curve.

Got back after coffee and some shopping at IKEA.

I will do some more reading on English tonight. However, will have to turn in early as I start work tomorrow!

Quote of the Day

“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion.”Dale Carnegie

Heartsong

First Days of Chinese New Year

I still do remember quite clearly what I did on the first days of Chinese New Year (CNY). At various milestones of my life, I did the following:

When I was a boy, I will get up at the crack of dawn, creep out of bed to take some packets of fire crackers; light a joss stick and fire off the couple of rounds, splitting the quiet calm of the morning dawn. After a usual dull breakfast, we eagerly awaited lunch. Meanwhile we gobbled up CNY goodies; drinking Sinalco and F&N ice-cream soda at will. After lunch, I will go out with my elder brother and a younger brother to the nearest town to catch a Mandarin movie. Seeing a movie those days was one heck of an event! We then got back home just in time for dinner.

When I was bigger, crackers were banned. We had to amuse ourselves with little miserable thrown down pop-pops and sparklers. Cinema also lost its appeal and food was becoming to taste mundane. After an early breakfast, having collected our ang-pows from some nearby uncles and aunties, we would go to town on our own to meet up with classmates and visit some of our girl classmates. You see, we have come to know more of the fairer sex and to treasure their company. After moving from house to house, the gang would end our day and I will take the last bus home.

After I have graduated, as a bachelor, I went home for CNY. As the house was too small, I stayed at Lotus Inn; some five kilometers away. On the first day, I will bring my grandma, mum and dad to visit all our relatives in nearby towns. The job was that of a chauffeur. It was good as it allowed me to meet up with most of my relatives and the strengthen family ties. Some even hinted that they have a girl or two to introduce to me.

When I first got married, on the first day of CNY, we would have lunch at home and then we would pay a visit to my elder sister’s house. At other times, we will drive home to see my grandma and my parents. It was oftentimes, a day visit and I could only visit those relatives in Malacca especially my maternal grandma.

Now that I have a family, we would visit my mother who stays nearby on the first day of CNY. There will be less time for visits these days as we are far away from the home-town. We would visit my father in Malacca only on the second day. We would visit my sister on the first day perhaps for dinner.

This year, I would not be home in Malacca to look up my father. There will be a wedding dinner on the fourth day of CNY and almost every one will be there. I would not be able to be there as I would be working the next day. Also, my second sister will be working and my third sister and her family is away on holidays in South Korea. So I ended up visiting my mother and at the same time met up with my elder sister and her family there.

CNY may mean many things to many people. For the children, they have ang-pows to collect; for us mellowing, old folks, perhaps fond memories to savour.

New Year greetings again!

Quote of the Day:

“A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses.” Chinese Proverb

Heartsong

The Non-Reunion Dinner

After one almost hellish day of cleaning up, we bathed and got ready for the non-reunion dinner. Parking was easy. There was just no competition for car parks this night.

We were at the Mutiara Chinese Restaurant located at the Jaya Supermarket at 7.30 p.m. Believe me, it was jam-packed. Some were leaving after their fill while others were waiting to be seated. They were additional tables placed outside the restaurant as well. Heard there were two sessions. The first one was for reunions at 5.30 p.m. and we belonged to the latter session.

We informed the captain who our host was and were led to the table. Once we had all settled down, we ordered our drinks. I had a glass of Carlsberg beer while the rest took Australian red wine and hot Chinese tea. The children had fruit juices.

Food was then served. First to grace the table was the yee sang. So we excitedly lousang and louhei with all our might, bringing the stringy cracker-like concoction to the greatest height ever without spilling too much as well; all the while incanting best wishes for the rest of the year. Yee Sang is mainly preserved vegetables, crunchy stuff, fresh pomelo and seafood mixed with vegetable oil and prune sauce. I had two slivers of abalone. Unfortunately, did not get any salmon or squid. Good dish. Some said it originated from Malaysia and we created that tradition for the Chinese globally including those from China. What a feat if it's true!

The next dish was shark-fin soup with crabmeat. Usual fare. Felt it was a little watery. No oomph. The children loved it, though. Suckling pig was a hot favourite, it came next. Okay stuff. Children loved it especially the crunchy skin. This was followed by large steamed tiger prawns. Fresh but again nothing to shout about. Children’s favourite again. Next, we have stewed grouper fish with bean-curd, mushrooms and black bogney. Not too bad.

The next dish is the exotic stewed goose feet with mushrooms and white pokchoy. Nothing really special. Apparently it is a favourite in Hong Kong. The last dish was salted fish waxed duck rice. Taste normal. Believe me; the wife’s preparation at home is better!

Dessert was a layered cake served with Chinese herbal soup. Kids’ favourite again. We had our share of the sugary stuff.

We were filled to the max. By 10.00 p.m. my host paid up and we left the restaurant.

There goes another reunion dinner. By the grace of God, may we have many more reunion dinners.

To all Chinese celebrants, a Happy and Blessed New Year of the Pig!

Quote of the Day

“The belly rules the mind.” Spanish Proverb

Heartsong

The Annual Clean-up Ritual

Cleaning–up - this is one annual ritual I must go through.

Last year it was painting the gate and the front door grill. This year, I painted the porch light housing ending with a little tragedy. Then it was taking down the dusty curtains, removing the equally dirty hooks and putting up the new curtains-red colour one. Just washed the car to make sure it is ready to do the New Year rounds. I also mopped the porch. Got to vacuum the seats and underneath it, wash the rubber mats and wet-mop the dashboard before I can really say the job is fully done with.

The next mission is to clear up the rubbish which has been accumulating in my room. I would have to dump some of the things I will no longer use in this life-particularly old magazines and books which I believe has little value now. Those DVDs which I think are not so worthwhile to keep will be recycled. I am going to pass them along to my youngest sister. The old Canon printer has to go as well.

Tomorrow is already the eve. We have bought the Mandarin oranges. My sister-in-law gave us another box yesterday. We have bought all the cookies, cashews, pistachio and what-not.

The wifey has bought whatever is needed to make the traditional Chinese New Year dishes. We are going to have the favorite Penang dishes like the peppery pig stomach soup with gingko nuts, curry chicken and juhu char. As usual, I am not going to have my stewed pig leg, waxed duck and liver sausages. My wife cited health reasons.

For lunch tomorrow, we are going to have ‘longevity’ noodles. In the evening, we will have our reunion dinner in a posh restaurant in Petaling Jaya. On Chap Goth Mei, we intend to have a good steamboat at home. We are buying the ingredients bit by bit.

So what are the traditional Chinese New Year dishes that you have?

Quote of the Day:

“A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.” Unknown

Heartsong

Reunion Dinner-Do I have a Choice?

I just cannot recall when was the last time we really had a Chinese New Year Eve family reunion dinner. We must really be young then; certainly not when I was at USM or after my elder sister married. Very likely in the mid 1970s when I had just started working.

Today, we no longer practise that. Call us a dysfunctional family or whatever. My three sisters come home only on the second day of the Chinese New Year. The boys have married and all have their respective families. All are fathers now and they have decided to have their own Chinese New Year Eve reunion family, nucleated family-style. I do the same.

So, every year, when there is this balik kampung mad rush, we relaxed around in our respective homes and celebrated our Chinese New Year reunion in the comfort of our adopted home-place.

This year, we will break tradition. We will be celebrating reunion dinner with my sister-in-law and her family in a restaurant somewhere in Petaling Jaya. I think it’s gonna be fun as we won’t have to slog all morning and evening just to get the food ready.

Bon appetite!

Quote of the Day:

“The first half of our lives is ruined by our parents and the second half by our children.” Clarence Darrow

Heartsong

Prosperity Pig It is!

Everyone looks at the pig as something that is fat, prosperous and happy. Go to any piggery and you will see why. They have sex wantonly, breed in numbers too huge to ignore and bathed themselves in mud too stinky to behold. And look at how they sleep in perfect rows, snoring sonorously oblivious of the day of slaughter. Such contentment!

In Chinese Astrology, those born under this sign are generous, nice to a fault and are personable. They have good manners and good taste. Oftentimes, they are wrongly perceived as snobs. Associated with virility and fertility, pigs make good lovers, are epicureans and love wealth. They are friendly and magnanimous. Pleasing others is the true mark of a pig.

Pigs are highly intelligent creatures. Their preoccupation for love-making and napping gives others the impression that they are lazy. Pigs claim to have many friends. However, not many are true friends.

Pigs are said to be very good matches for tigers and sheep, but do not get along well with snakes and monkeys. Other pigs, rabbits, horses, oxen, rats, roosters, dogs and dragons can make good companions, but the relationships are not always smooth or long lasting.

Babies born in the year of the pig are fortunate and make good partners in life. The pig is modest, sometimes quick to anger but also quick to learn and hard working. Their ability to see things through brings success in business and personal affairs.

Well, hope this will be a good year for you, whether you seek love or fortune! Like the proverbial pig, make merry!

Quote of the Day:

“Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it.” Unknown

Heartsong

Valentine’s Day Rues

So it’s Valentine’s Day again! Sweet, sweet, funny Valentine.

Roses, bouquets, pin cushions, chocolates, cards and sweet-nothings phone calls. This will be followed by the usual candle light dinners, the disco and a good, warm cuddle on the sofa with your valentine. Possibly, listening to romantic music or a prelude to something more!

Not every one loves Valentine’ Day. For many there are regrets and lamentations. Of love that never came to pass. I am sure we all have our sad stories to tell.

There was this friend of mine. He was the shy type. He had a crush on this ‘office-looking’ lady. Smart girl. Every year, without fail, he sent her a beautiful Valentine’s card, hoping she would phone to thank him. The very least; an email. Nothing. Nada!A big, hollow zero! He did not give up easily and year after year, continued with the ritual and ordeal.

He did speak to her over the phone but it was mostly about office work. And they did lunch occasionally. And believe me-never once did he bring up the matter of the Valentine cards to her.

As his story went, she subsequently left the country to pursue further education and that was the last of their contact. He saw her on the street last year but she did not recognize him. She has lost her youth-resembling an old prunish tai-tai now. If only he knew she would end up looking like this, he would not have wasted his hard-earned cash on those expensive Valentine cards. Only Hallmark truly celebrates Valentine Day. They have so much money in the kitty every year because of this so-called day for lovers!

Then I have another friend who had a crush on this lady. Sweet girl. Vivacious. However, my kawan, he lacked finesse. He sent her a bunch of colourful chrysanthemums instead of the usual roses. That was an instant turn-off and he was given the grand brush-off. A sad story. The girl never married and oftentimes he sees her jogging in the park. What a waste!

Well, to those of you who Cupid favours, have one great Valentine’s Day. No rues, no regrets, no lamentations! Savour the goodness of the day and get your valentine. May your dreams come true!

Quote of the Day:

“Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit.” Peter Ustinov

Heartsong

What a Greenhorn!

When I rented the house of my late landlord in SS2 Petaling Jaya, I used to wonder why he was continuously receiving dividend cheques and annual reports of Maybank and other blue chips. I was a real ignoramus.

As I recalled, my initiation into stock dealings began when my ex-lady boss confided in me one fine day that she was punting on the market and the tips she got were really chun-one-lah! And believe me; they were-since she had one fierce information network.

The year was 1978. I was a church mouse. I bought my first lot of Dragon and Phoenix, a textile company. Cost me RM1, 000. My first dividend was to come from Guinness Stout. I remembered it was about RM60.00.

In those days, all you need was to buy into a stock and then hold the stock until the dividend goes ex-date. There is no need for you to sell immediately when the scrip arrives. However, you would need to pay some interest to tide you over until the opportune selling time comes along. It’s akin to an open-ended trading position. Once the price of that stock goes up, you sell it and close your position. You cannot do that now.

A lot of water was gone under the bridge since then. You now need money to play the stocks. The back-to-back overdraft option is risky. If the value of stocks go down, the banks will margin-call you.

Currently, the best thing to do is to look at counters which have good dividend yields and buy into them before they become pricey. If the price of those stocks reaches your desired investment return level, sell out and keep the money in the bank. Be patient and wait for the market to go cyclical and then buy in when the time is right.

Have fun picking your stocks. Do remember - Caveat emptor!

Quote of the Day:

“Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won't have time to make them all yourself.” Alfred Sheinwold

Heartsong

Outback Living

What does a person do for 18 months on the Great Australian Outback? Life is quiet and monotonous. The surroundings are barren save for a few stunted trees. Water is lacking. You would have to pump it out from the ground. The winds are strong and chilly by night. Predators abound.

The outback community does get together once in a while to trade stories and to share supper over a boiling billy-can. Otherwise, its sheer loneliness and you are mostly left to your own devices.

Henry Lawson, a deaf writer did just that. He stayed in the bush for 18 months and wrote short stories about life there in the early 20^th Century; quietly admiring and championing the courage of the womenfolk, who oftentimes are left for long periods by their husbands when they go droving.

The Drover’s Wife is one of his famous short stories. A simple story, it tells about an unnamed wife of a drover who was confronted by a snake. She had four children and a snake dog, Alligator. The thoughts and concerns that went through her mind and the actions she subsequently took formed the main portion of the story. As expected, Henry Lawson gave this woman all the admirable qualities so that she can take on the adversity of nature. She is soft and yet had to be strong given the situational demands.

For a person who has been deaf since he was 14, I think Lawson has done quite a good job employing metaphors, similes, colour imagery and personification to add spice to his work which otherwise would be just another boring story no one will ever want to read, especially so today.

Quote of the Day:

“He who gives when he is asked has waited too long.’Sunshine Magazine

Heartsong

Porch Illumination!

To continue from yesterday’s posting, we plain forgot to buy a fluorescent lamp from the Giant Hypermarket at Kelana Jaya. So this morning, I strode over to the neighbourhood electrical supplies shop in Paramount Garden and bought me a fluotone daylight fluorescent tube. It costs me RM4.00. The sales lady told me I could get the housing for RM10.00 if I wanted to change that as well.

So now it is up to the wifey to put the tube into the lamp housing. Butterfingers has retired from such chores after yesterday’s dismal performance.

In the afternoon, when my son got home from school, he brought down the ladder once more and my wife fixed the new lamp tube into the two slot-ends. The switch was turned on and walla! There was light! God must surely be on her side, not mine!

So, gloating sheepishly, she then said that it was so simple a task and anyone could do it except me. Well, good for her. Now that I am branded incapable of doing such tasks, perhaps I could apply my talents elsewhere.

Quote of the Day:

“Beauty's sister is vanity, and its daughter lust.” Unknown

Heartsong

Lusty, luscious Liz!

Certainly one of the most beautiful women in the world!

Elizabeth Hurley came into public prominence by gracing the glossy pages of woman magazines for Estee Lauder products. And then, as every one knows, she was also the long suffering female companion of Britain’s naughty bachelor boy, Hugh Grant. Whatever it was, Liz continues to make headlines; some good and some bad. This March she will be married to a textile heir from India.

Elizabeth Hurley got a head-start when she won a “Face of the Year" competition at a local newspaper in the late 1980s. The prize was a contract was a London modeling agency. She capitalized on this. She then clinched a contract to be the spokesperson for Estee Lauder and the rest is supermodel history. As she became famous, she also started acting. The most memorable roles are in the remake Bedazzled as Lust and in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. I thought she was bewitchingly beautiful as Lust though I have to say Raquel is still better in the original.

As with most actresses, Liz’s romantic life has its fair share of ups and downs. After she ended her long relationship with Hugh Grant, she got involved with a producer Stephen Bing and had his love son. Today she is with an Indian textile heir, Arun Nayar. She has adopted Hinduism and will marry Arun on March 3 this year.

What can we say? Congratulations, Liz and hope to see you in the new film version of Get Smart soon.

Quote of the Day:

“A hug is a great gift - one size fits all, and it's easy to exchange.” Unknown

Heartsong

You know you no longer call the shots …

….when you are ignored ever so often by your children.

….when you are out-talked by your wife and children.

….when your children sides with your wife against you.

….when no one wants your advice anymore.

….when good friends stop phoning you.

….when your supposedly good friends don’t drop by anymore.

….when you are not invited to your friend’s children’s weddings.

….when you are chided for not taking your medication.

….when you are not allowed to make decisions for the family.

….when you are ridiculed for doing household chores badly.

….when you are chastised for bad driving every time.

….when you do not hear nor see that well.

….when your juniors are promoted to positions higher than you.

….when you have to watch your wife’s and children’s TV selections

….when you have to visit your in-laws against your will.

….when you can no longer order food you like for the family

….when no one have any confidence in you.

….when you are blamed when anything goes wrong.

I will enumerate some more in due time.

Quote of the Day:

“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.” Scott Hamilton

Heartsong

Tube Terror!

The wifey has been harassing me for a long while to paint the fluorescent lamp housing in our porch ceiling but I just could’nt find that convenient time to do it. So today, after morning market at SS2, I decided it was just the right time. After all Chinese New Year is just less than a week away.

So I took down that trusted ladder. With my son’s help, we took out the fluorescent tube and started to sandpaper the crusty rust stains on the housing. Of course, they wouldn’t go off because they have been there for ages! Anyway, we sanded it down to a respectable level.

We then papered round the housing with cellophane tape. The next thing to do was to spray paint the dang thing. We shook the canister of white aerosol paint vigorously and then sprayed thin coats of paint over the housing. Believe me; it looked really like a professional job! The housing looked good, ready to greet the Kitchen God and the God of Prosperity.

Then came the tricky part; putting back the fluorescent tube into the sockets at both ends. Well, as you would have it, the tube did not light up. I turned it this way and that. I took out the starter. Everything appeared normal. Tried it a few more times. Nothing seems to work!

Then it happened. While fiddling with the tube once more, the end socket turned at one end but not the other. The tube went down, shattering into a million pieces all over the porch. The noise was just terrible. There were glass fragments on my car bonnet, under the car, in the potted plants. It fact, just everywhere.

My wife, as usual showed me that I-told-you-so look. “Butterfingers!” was written all over her face. I am sure quietly she was telling herself, “Just cannot expect you to do a good job.”

Maybe my son was quite right when he told me the housing looks like it’s on its last legs. One of the socket ends indeed was breaking due to weathering, I suppose. So this evening, we are going to Giant Hypermarket to buy us a new fluorescent tube.

If it does not light up, we will have to get a new housing as well, possibly tomorrow. A simple job has turned awry. And costly too in the end.

Quote of the Day:

“Every day is an opportunity to make a new happy ending.” Unknown

Heartsong

A Timeless Beauty

I first laid eyes on Raquel Welch in Life Magazine in a revealing bikini showing off her natural attributes! Then there was another shot of her standing statuesquely behind Patrick Curtis, the man who was to introduce her to moviedom and whom she later married in Paris; issuing a series of provocative wedding night photos as publicity.

Some may call her the archetypal manufactured sex symbol but to me she is beauty au naturele. A beguiling look-you-in-the-eye nymph, Raquel was the iconic sex symbol of the 1960s and the early '70s. My brother was certainly enamoured by her beauty at first sight!

This year Raquel turns 64. No bother because she continues to appeal to men as testified through the countless "Most Sexiest Women" lists for the last four decades including Playboy!

Raquel, of mixed Bolivian ancestry, first appeared in movies in the mid-60s after working as a waitress and model. Her highlights included being clad in the unforgettable fur-bikini in One Million Years BC and in that heavenly hot white wetsuit in Fantastic Voyage. You will certainly be dazzle with her role as Lust in the original Bedazzled. To showcase the sexy kitten image, Raquel astounded audience by cavorting in the nude with Jim Brown in 100 Rifles. Then comes a cowboy revenge movie, "Bandolero!" The downside was obviously the ill-fated Myra Breckenridge in the 1970's. However, all is not lost. She is no eye candy, this Raquelita!; for she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress for her work in The Three Musketeers, confirming that she can be one serious actress!

Is there life after Hollywood for this statuesque stunner? She went into work-out videos-the most famous being Raquel's Total Beauty and Fitness Program in the 1980s. She then ventured into wigs and skin-care products. In 2002, she returned to the entertainment business with a role in "American Family," the first all-Latino drama series and the first original prime-time American episodic drama on PBS in decades.

Her famous comments included:

On her ex-husband:

"I couldn't stand that my husband was being unfaithful. I am Raquel Welch -- understand?"

On her role as a sex symbol:

"Being a sex symbol was rather like being a convict."

On being a mother:

"I was not a classic mother. But my kids were never palmed off to boarding school. So, I didn't bake cookies. You can buy cookies, but you can't buy love."

What a woman!

Raquel Welch continues to maintain her natural beauty attributes till this day. You can see this in Legally Blonde and in the television series American Family. Every one falls in love with Raquel Welch. Except for fools, no one falls out though!

Quote of the Day:

“Curve: The loveliest distance between two points”. Mae West

Heartsong