Blonde Bond -Shaken, stirred and stunning!

Just saw the 21^st installment of the latest franchise of James Bond at Mid-valley MegaMall yesterday.

Yes, Daniel Craig - the new man, the sixth actor to play Bond – on his maiden voyage to set the franchise on fire. From playing sundry thugs and hit man, he has now donned the signature Bond suit, replete with bow tie and a Walter PPK.

He is by far the shortest actor to play Bond. What he lost in height, he compensated with his physicality, showing off his well-developed pectorals. He has a rugged sculptured look, somewhat slightly brutish in appearance and sort of edgy in his actions and movements. However, he can be charming at times and smirks effortlessly a bit like Sean Connery. In fact, he also reminds me of a young and much aloof Bill Murray.

To me, Craig is certainly a more confident Bond than Lazenby or even Dalton.

The movie has humour, good dialogue and is action-packed. There are plenty of fisticuffs, and mayhem and destruction. There are more stunts than special effects.

And do not forget the exotic locations such as Prague, the Bahamas, Miami, Lake Como, Venice, London, Mbale and Madagascar. However, the film editing needs tightening up a wee bit.

Now, let us look at the eye candy. Yes, Casino Royale has its share of beautiful faces and bodies in the form of the beguiling Eva Green, Caterina Murino, Ivana Milicevic and Alexandra Ambrosio. Except for Eva, the rest were given bimbo roles yet again.

And pray tell, what is different?

For starters, Casino Royale has departed from many of the Bond film conventions. The pre-title sequence is in black and white, the traditional opening sequence with Bond walking on to the screen, turning, and shooting his gun has been changed while the animated title sequence has done away with those luscious silhouettes of nubile females. For conservative Bond die-hards, the pulsating Monty Norman James Bond theme is mostly missing except in the dying moments of the film.

In addition, this outing sees little gadgetry, no megalomaniac, few occasions of tongue-in-cheek, no Miss Moneypenny and no Q.

So what is my verdict?

After considering the pros and cons, I think James Bond is definitely back in Daniel Craig.

007, Welcome back!

Quote of the Day:

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” Anatole France

Heartsong-Heartstrong

The Hours of Living Dangerously...

The year was 1988.

Under the aegis of an international organisation, a colleague and I were destination-bound for Colombo for a meeting.

We had sent all the necessary telegrams informing the Secretariat in Sri Lanka of our arrival details. After a 6-hour stop-over in Bangkok, our flight took off. We arrived at Colombo just before midnight local time.

All passengers quickly deplaned, cleared immigration and were whisked away. However, there was no one to meet us. There was no public transportation in sight as well. We pussyfooted about for a while. The airport porch lights were dimmed. Everything became quiet. The airport was deserted save for a few airport workers. Our anxieties grew. What has happened to our transportation arrangement?

We did not want to be stranded at the Colombo International Airport. No siree!

Plucking our courage, we went over to a white hotel limousine which was waiting for someone. According to the driver, he was there to bring a Japanese guest to his hotel. It now appeared so that the gentleman was not on the flight.

We were then informed by this hotel driver that a hartal was enforced on that day by the Little Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the separationist group in the on-going civil war, to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of Rajiv Gandhi. Any public transport vehicles on the road that day particularly buses and taxis would be summarily bombed.

Many inbound passengers who knew about the hartal postponed their flight until the next day. We were unfortunate to be caught at the wrong place at the wrong time.

We then politely requested the driver to send us to our destination. He refused as our destination was way too far away. However, he agreed to drop us at the nearest hotel.

After a half hour's drive, he drove into a back lane. Then he got out and knocked at a back-door. After a flurry exchange of words with someone behind the door, he beckoned us out of the limousine into the building. We paid him a few US dollars. He counted the notes; beamed at us kindly and drove off.

There was no room left at this ramshackle hotel. Only two chairs at the bottom of a winding staircase were available for us to rest for the night. The hotel personnel suggested we sleep on the chairs until morning. He will provide us a blanket each.

I could not sleep; waiting anxiously for morning to come. As the first rays of the sun shone,our hotel man brought us two big glasses of steaming chai (Ceylonese tea). It was the best tea I had the fortune of drinking in a long, long time.

Quote of the Day:

“A free spirit must be able to surmount anxiety time after time.” Mason Cooley

Heartsong-Heartstrong

Bollywood Actresses-the true Heavenly Creatures

Before the advent of TV in Malaysia, the cinema was the only entertainment in town.

I remembered. It was the heady days of the 60’s.

At the cinema, we had our regular diet of gladiators, cowboys, spy flicks and love stories. Yes, in my youthful heart, I must admit, I did fall in love with lovely Lindai, sultry Lucilla Yuming, cheeky Ann Margaret, sexy Sophia Loren and pretty Audrey Hepburn.

But you know what? The real heart stealers were not from the studios of Hollywood or Hong-Kong. It was from Bombay.

Once you start watching Hindi movies, you are really hooked!

Apart from the storyline, music, dance, and songs, I was affectively mesmerized by the actress in the movie. They were exceptionally beautiful; had big captivating eyes that could see right through your very soul and wore tight-fitting sarees that accentuated fully their hour-glass shapes. And mind you, can they sing and dance energetically to the lively beat of lilting melodious music.

Even today, I can still recall the joys of watching Asha Parekh dancing in wanton abandonment as she sang, “O Mere Sona” (On my darling, Sona) in the Hitchkokian Teesri Manzil, the bewitching Saira Banu in the love parade, Pyar Mohabbat, the hauntingly sultry Naina Sahu in the tragic Hare Kunch Ki Choriyan and the alluring but troubled Vyjayantimala in the all-time classic, Sangam .

Every Hindi movies has its rising action and climax. Tears will well in my eyes when the actress goes through bad patches in the movie. Similarly, my loving heart will be a fountain of joy as justice and retribution is served at the end.

Today, a new breed of Bollywood sirens has taken to the big silver screen. The most beautiful has to be the former Miss World, Aishwarya Rai; followed by the enigmatic and demure Kajol and the fabulous Rani Mukherjee.

We love these heavenly creatures.

We adore them and we applaud them.

Quote of the Day:

“Man makes holy what he believes, as he makes beautiful what he loves.” Ernest Renan

Heartsong-Heartstrong

Dreamtime at the Manila International Playboy Club

Dreamtime– nostalgic 1980.

Cityscape–pulsating Manila, the Philippines.

I just happen chanced to be in Makati Manila.

A strange turn of event brought us to the door of the last outpost and playground for Playboy in the Far East -The Manila Playboy Club.

A few of us just got into Manila a couple of days back. We were touring the city. At the Holiday Inn, we met this smiling ninoy.

“Hey, you must be new to Manila? Want to have some fun?”

He must be a person of some standing at the hotel. He called for a hotel limousine. “Take them to the Playboy Club”, he instructed the chauffeur.

And that was how we arrived at the swanky International Playboy Club, at the Silahis International Hotel.

At the door of the magnificent club, we were greeted by two lovely bunnies. They were voluptuously attired in figure-clenching bunny attire; replete with signature white collars, black bow-ties, white cuffs and links, colour coordinated ears, white cotton tails and 3 inch killer heels- the complete works. What a sight to behold!

We were then led to the lounge area where they sat us down. Then, they took our orders for drinks. While waiting for the drinks to be served, they made polite conversation,smiling all the time. Then they suggested we take some photographs with them. They posed behind us while the camera bunny took the shots.

The lounge bunnies then brought us around the premises which among others included a casino, a well-stocked bar, an indoor game area, a gift shop and a magnificent pool.

Our visit to the club though short, was memorable. We can still remember the cool setting, these beautiful bunnies, their strikingly beautiful smiles, superb bodies, their elegant deportment and that oh-so-deftly executed bunny dip.

The last Playboy Club in the world to close was the Manila International Playboy Club. That was in 1991. Today there are no more playboy clubs in the world or playful bunnies. They are both as dead as the proverbial dodo bird.

I will always remember the Manila International Playboy Club.

Mahal kita, magandang Manila!

Quote of the Day:

"A beautiful woman delights the eyes;a wise woman; the understanding and a pure one; the soul." Minnah Antrim

Heartsong-Heartstrong

Tasting Agnes Chang’s Cooking

We were at the venue in SS2, Petaling Jaya yesterday at 1.30 pm. By then, there was already a big crowd registering themselves to collect door gifts. They were mostly lady senior citizens. At 2 pm, the event began. The room was overflowing by then. Late-comers were directed downstairs to watch a 42” LCD live telecast instead.

There was about 10 men, mostly accompanying their wives. I was one of them as I had to "eng-siew" my wife. The session was held mostly in Mandarin and Cantonese and off and on, there was a snippet of English. After a brief introduction, Agnes Chang came on stage and she promised us 3 sumptuous dishes she will prepare for our tasting.

The first dish was a Thai dish – Tomyam Tunghoon (glass noodles). This was to be followed by the Tangy Mango Chicken with Cashew Nuts and finally; the Hawaiian Salad.

In between the cooking demonstration and before the tasting session, we were bombarded with high-octane talk by the three sponsors of the event. However, this was to no avail as everyone had 'shut off' and was eagerly waiting for the sampling to begin. Soon trays of goodies in tiny plastic saucers came out. During each sampling session, you could hear the chorus of approval for Agnes - “hou sek! hou sek!”.’

Before you know it, we were already on our butts for 4 long hours. As you know, the typical Malaysian will leave once the main event is over. And so after tasting Hawaiian Salad, the audience started drifting out. I left as well.

For me, it was a good afternoon spent, if you have nothing better to do. For the sponsors, I doubted they manage to sell many of their products yesterday.

Well, that is the Malaysian way….they come for the freebie…

You have to expect that….

Quote of the Day:

“Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” Harriet Van Horne

Heartsong-Heartstrong

When strangers meet….

I am sure we have had our share of embarrassment, fumbles and boo-boos when meeting a person of the opposite sex.

It is universal. For both sexes, meeting someone for the first time can be a harrowing experience- unnerving is the word. What do you say to her after the perfunctory ‘hello’?

You may want to pay compliments to a girl on her dressing. If so, you must be sincere in your compliments. Make sure that she is wearing something deserving of praise. You may want to ask her how her work day went. How would you react if she said her day 'sucks'? You may be at a loss of words.

First meetings can be awkward. You are most likely to put your foot in your mouth. So be careful. You don’t want to say too much on your first meeting. Coming too strong on your first date can frighten a prospective girl-friend away.

You must find a way to break the ice. If only we have love coaches around to guide us.

Studies have shown that only about 10 percent of our communication is verbal. The rest are in the form of body language. If so, how can we acquire and harness this knowledge to ensure our relationships start on a firm footing?

Gurus in the field of social relationships have claimed that they have studied body language sufficiently long and deep. They claimed they can now read and interpret certain signs and postures fairly accurately.

Generally, they have imputed meanings into specific areas of body language which are associated with our facial expressions and our physical posturing.

Positive body language to exhibit must include a warm smile. Then you must maintain eye contact when your date is talking. Do not appear distant. This might send the wrong signals to her that you are bored or uncaring.

Another big no no to take note. The gurus advised that you should never fold your arms or crossed your legs. This could mean you have put an end to the conversation. Hold a glass in your hand or let your arms hang freely. If you need to cross your legs, cross them at your ankles and not at your knees.

Lastly, your lady friend likes her personal space; so learn to keep out of her private space. Entering too close too soon can be intrusive and viewed as aggressive. She might withdraw prematurely.

So there you have it. Some pointers on body language.

Are you now ready to use this new-found knowledge?...

Quote of the Day:

"There is no instinct like that of the heart. " Lord Byron

Heartsong-Heartstrong

Size does Matter, so says King Kong

Ravindran Mailvaganam wrote in Malaysiakini today about something else. I am more amused by his reference to the mating habits of some species of simians.

Let me quote him:

“I am reminded of what naturalist and wildlife photographer, Sir David Attenborough said. During the mating season a larger than average male may display its genitals to other competing males, and invariably some timid males, beholding the size of the exhibitionist’s tool would quickly drop out of the potentially bloody struggle for the alpha male status.

A slightly improved version of this simian play has been practised by the natives of Papua New Guinea for centuries. The men would wear long tubular contraptions between their thighs to emphasise their colossal manhood.

Often, some timid native, misled by the size of the tubular contraption of a larger male, would give him a wide berth although in reality the larger male may not be as vigorous as Cary Grant was in his senior years or even as amorous as Rudolph Valentino was in the 1920s.”

For those interested in this topic anthropologically, do grab this book, “Rituals of Manhood” by Gilbert H. Herdt.

So do we or don't we have an interesting and mind-blowing blogging topic to discuss here?

Is size that important?

I think this makes for a good blog discourse. Let’s hear it from you hot-shot boys and also you derring-do gals…Any takers?

Quote of the Day:

"Poetry,the genre of purest beauty, was born of a truncated woman:her head severed from her body with a sword,a symbolic penis." Andrea Dworkin

Heartsong-Heartstrong

James Bond Girls James Bond Girls James Bond Girls

A Bond girl is a character or the actress portraying a love interest or sex object of James Bond. They typically have names that are double entendres. Most Bond girls are gorgeous and absolutely stunning. If they had played bimbo roles in the few earlier Bond movies, they were no longer bimbos in the following ones. Bond girls are now given more depth of character and play highly intelligent roles as villains, other agents and professionals. In fact, they can equal Bond.

Every one of us die-hard James Bond fans will have a list of our favourite Bond girls.

The following are my favorites in the following order.

Ursula Andress

Kristina Wayborn

Akiko Wakabayashi

Denise Richards

Famke Janssen

Jane Seymour

Lois Chiles

Maud Adams

Daniela Bianchi

Diana Rigg

Shirley Eaton

I know my list is a bit unusual as I do love the lesser Bond girls just as much as the main ones especially Akiko Wakabayashi, Kristina Wayborn and Shirley Eaton.

Quote of the Day:

" Chance favors only those who court her." Charles Nicolle

Heartsong-Heartstrong

My Numero Uno Long Pants

Did you remember when you started wearing long pants? Was it a hand-me-down or a brand new one, custom-made for you?

I, for one, did not fell into either of these 2 categories. I was given a reconditioned one. Fancy that!

Anyway, it was a milestone in my life.

Wearing a pair of long pants is a major event. It signals that you have come of age - you have arrived. I was already in Form 4 by then. Good grief! Even at that age, I still did not have the seminal apparel that distinguishes a kid from a morphing adult-to-be.

The watershed year was 1968. I was boarding with my Uncle 7 in Pringgit Pantai, Malacca. One fine day late that year, before the advent of the long year-end annual school holidays, my favorite Auntie Lan, came to visit. She was one pretty lady, a sight to behold!

That evening, right after dinner, out of the blue, she blurted to me, “Here, let me take your measurements.”

“Why?” I asked in surprise.

“I want to present you a pair of long pants for the forthcoming Chinese New Year.”

Yipee! My heart leapt heavenward! Momentarily, I was in suspended animation, beaming with joy from ear to ear.

And what brought about this fortunate turn of event for me?

I was later to find out that the tailoring shop where Auntie Lan worked, had one bad customer. He ordered the pair of pants but unfortunately failed to collect it. The shop kept his deposit and took the loss. The completed pair of pants was to be displayed in a glass showcase for a very long time.

During the year-end stock-taking, the shop owner decided to will the pants to Auntie Lan.

One man's loss is another's gain. So Auntie Lan re-tailored them to my measurements and viola! I had a new pair of long pants.

Lucky me!

Quote of the Day:

"Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value." Albert Einstein

Heartsong-Heartstrong

Read Well, Travel Well, Dress Well

I concocted this maxim when I left university way back when. I was hoping that this maxim will be able to see me through life. My rationale for this:

If you read well, you will unlock a vault to knowledge, insights and wisdom. Books are the gateways to the real world outside-revealing facts and truths. Books also lead us into the inner fanciful world of feelings, thoughts and fantasies.

If you travel well, you will broaden your horizon. You will literally see the world, experience an aural awakening; which in turn, will stimulate all the other senses to work. Travel opens the world to you. You see a world in perpetual motion. We see people in vibrant colors. We take home lessons to enrich our lives.

If you dress well, you get respect. That is a universal truth.

I still hold this maxim to be wholesome and practical in today’s competitive, globalised world.

Do you have a maxim to be the compass of your life?

Quote of the Day:

“My job is about the most fun thing I do, but I have a broad set of interests, going places, reading things, and doing things.” Bill Gates

Heartsong-Heartstrong

Of Marital Bliss and Casualty of Love

Braving a tropical rainstorm, we drove into the premises of the Royal Selangor Golf Club. We were there to attend the 40^th Anniversary Wedding Dinner of our friends, Dr. Ho and Vivien. Near the door to the doorway of Fairways Restaurant, at a table, we wrote our well wishes onto a broad sheet of white paper which we were told, would be framed up by the Hos.

The anniversary function started on time. The Master of Ceremonies motioned to everyone to pipe down. Then the strains of the nostalgic ‘Wedding Song” filled the air. Two cute little girls then marched in through the floral arch at the door-way followed by two bigger girls and then hand in hand; Ho and Vivien, immaculately dressed to the nines, came in.

After some appropriate-to-the-occasion bible verses were recited by a grand-daughter, the grandchildren then sang some Christian songs in celebration to the Lord while a grandson beat a drum in accompaniment. Ho and Vivien were then requested to come forward to renew their marriage vows. Very touching.

Then we had dinner. Buffet style-average fare.

Audrey and Angie, their two lovely daughters then approached the lectern, in turn, to shower praises on their parents for their love. They thanked their parents for their love and dedication to them. Audrey praised her parents for their foresight in putting her through Mandarin class which she found absolutely useful while working in China and now in the USA. Both felt their parents had given them ample opportunities to grow and to be what they are today.

This was followed by a video screening, montaging the phases of the Hos’ married life through photographs - how they first met, their stirring romance, the marriage, the birth of their 3 children and then finally; ‘off-loading’ the children through marriage. The photo captions were funny and the background music was Chaplinish, invoking the aura of the latter day silent movies with added soundtrack sans dialogue.

Then Vivien came forward to give a speech extolling the virtues in Ho and his faithfulness and dedication to her. Ho, in turn, summarily professed his undying love for Vivien. The dinner crowd were amused by the lovely use of such phrase as “If I have to choose a life partner again, it will still be …..”

Like any marriage, there is the high point and the low point. Speaking on behalf of himself and Vivien, Ho told the diners that the high point was when he and Vivien embraced the Christian faith in 2001. The low point was the sad and premature passing of their daughter, Amy of cancer in 2002.

The Hos had been blessed with three beautiful daughters. Audrey and Amy looked more like Ho while Angie was more like Vivien. They in turn, gave the Hos, beautiful grandchildren.

There was a karaoke session and diners sang to their heart’s delight. The room was then cleared for ball-room dancing. The first to take to the floor was Ho and Vivien, dancing gracefully in true Astairian fashion.

We then said our good-byes and left the restaurant. As we drove home, we saw the Petronas Twin Towers, along the highway, bathed in a splendour of white light and shrouded in mist. The sight was wondrous to behold.

While driving back, I asked my wife. Which daughter do you think is more beautiful?

She said without blinking an eye - Audrey. I could not agree with her more. An absolute angel.

To me, Angie, in her own way, is fabulously attractive and angelic as well.

Any eligible bachelor would have fallen as casualties of love to both of them.

If only, they could turn back the hands of time….

When Audrey and Angie were still available...

Quote of the Day:

"Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be." Robert Browning

Heartsong-Heartstrong

Kiasu Gorillas and Monkeys on Your Back

"From this day onward, I want to excel," the boy pledged to his mother. Tears almost streamed out from his mother's eyes.

Awaiting the results of any examination can be frightfully trying. All of us have gone through the tension, the trepidation and anxiety pangs. It is not something new.

The boy could not sleep. The UPSR result was due to be released tomorrow morning at 10 am (16 November 2006). He was worried stiff as every one would expect him to bring home a suite of 7 As. Every parent is knee-deep in this kiasu game; mentally pitting their children against one another. His parents had provided him all the tuition he needed. Tirelessly, his mother had ferried him to the tutors without complaining. He had gone through every revision book in the market. The moment of truth was about to arrive. He must deliver. Will he get his dream come true?

Such is the immense pressure being placed upon the shoulders on a 12 year-old. As fate would have it, disappointingly he brought home only 4 As and 3 Bs. The young boy's dream was shattered. He had failed to break the family record set by his sister who brought home the joy of 7 As many years ago.

Just like this boy, my family was also caught up in this kiasu game. Relatives soon phoned in to inform that B has got 7 As and Y, 5 As. As usual, my son who secured only a meagre 3 As for his UPSR in 2004 took the resurrected brunt of ridicule. Family members dug up the ghost of yesterday to promptly remind him that he scored the lowest number of A s in his UPSR as compared to his sibling and all his cousins. As such, he was advised to buck up for his PMR next year.

As parents, why are we so competitive? Why do we subject our children to this punishment by raising the bar that high so early at their most formidable tender age? Why are we transforming them into exam freaks? Is the string of As that mandatory at the UPSR level? Isn't there more to life than hitting the books?

You can be excused if you want your children to do better at SPM or at tertiary examinations because then these As will count in securing scholarships, in getting places in reputable universities or in procuring good jobs.

As parents, we must also be realistic. There is so much to life than to confine our children to just study, study and study. In this globalised world, we must aim for a better outlook in life for our children; a more balanced life for them. Yes, they should be diligent and pay attention to school work and in doing their homework. Tuition is not a must. It should only be provided after you have personally done an audit on their school performance.

Our children are the leaders of tomorrow. As such, they must be provided with the preconditions, building blocks and opportunities to develop their leadership capacity which encompasses good social-communicative skills. Furthermore, they must be grounded firmly with good universal values - social, religious and cultural. In short, they must become more rounded.

A well-rounded personality is a boon at interviews and in securing scholarships and better paying jobs. In life, a good personality certainly can help you to get a good life partner and accelerate social mobility.

As for the boy who has pledged to excel because of his setback in UPSR, I salute him because he has matured so early in life. He knows what is important. Forget about the past. There is nothing you can do about it. The challenge is in the present and the future.

Setbacks and failures are like monkeys that cling to your back and slow you down. These monkeys disturbs you and constantly reminds you of your past failure. They can contribute nothing positive. They are demotivators. Get rid of them!

Taking the monkey off his back is surely the right step for the boy. Shrug them off, my good lad and move forward....

My best wishes to all his endeavours.

Quote of the Day:

“A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success.”Anonymous

Heartsong-Heartstrong

Main Mata : While your eyes played games with mine…

I am pretty sure many of us had our fair share of romantic infatuation. We were devastatingly ‘crushed’ by these nubile nymphs - our boyish innocence prematurely shattered. Oh, how fondly we recalled these attractive girls who were our stardust memories. They captivated us during our growing years of adolescence, making us insufferably weak at the knees. They overwhelmed us; they were the center of our teenage dreams; and they put wild, wanton thoughts into our young impressionable minds.

Now, with the passage of time, they have all gone...mostly untraceable...hopefully they are somebody's wife now. I hope their husbands are continuously enchanted by them.

Matt Monroe’s On Days like These, poignantly captures those 'hit and miss' feelings of those halcyon days through these nostalgic, heart-rending lyrics…

On days like these when skies are blue and fields are green,

I looked around and think about what might have been,

And then I hear sweet music close around my head,

And I recalled the many things we left unsaid.

It’s on some days like these that I remembered,

Singing songs and drinking wines,

While your eyes played games with mine,

On days like this, I wondered what became of you,

Maybe today you are singing songs with someone new,

I’ll like to think of you walking by those willow trees,

Remembering the lovely you on days like these.

Personally, ‘main mata’ can be a very potent game. As early as in Form 2, I was blown away by this enticing shapely siren who taunted me psychologically with her dazzling brown eyes and cheeky smile. Then, in Form 6, I had the grand fortune of meeting an ‘angel' who played ‘main mata’ games with mine for a while. Wonder what was on her mind...

These main mata moments undoubtedly were brief and fleeting but the feelings they ignited were absolutely mou tak teng while they lasted.

As in the song, from time to time, I do wonder what has become of these 'lovely you's…..

Quote of the Day:

“It is best to love wisely, no doubt: but to love foolishly is better than not to be able to love at all.” William M. Thackeray

Heartsong-Heartstrong

Terrapin Therapy

We bought a pair of green Taiwanese terrapins for my daughter and son about 4 years ago at the pasar malam in Taman Paramount, PJ. We were provided gratis a rectangular plastic container to house them.

My daughter named them Fatty and Tinny respectively according to their size. Taking care of the terrapins and watching them grow became a preoccupation of the family. We bought pellets to feed them and from time to time we bought fresh red worms or freeze-dried ones to provide them a more diverse diet.

The two terrapins got along fine for quite sometime. Then, Fatty started a territoriality war and started biting Tinny. Wounds appeared on Tinny’s legs and we had no choice but to separate them.

Tinny was left in the plastic container and we got a large Horlicks bottle for Fatty. Things were going rosy until the Penang cousins came for a visit. They took out the terrapins to race them as if they were F1 cars. In the process, Fatty got hurt and died. We buried Fatty in a large flower pot.

Tinny grew well and we bought a larger container for it. From time to time, to our dismay, we found that it was not eating well. It vomited the pellets ingested regularly. We were most concerned and sought advice from a nearby aquarium operator. He speculated water quality could be the culprit. He also said Taiwanese terrapins have an adaptation problem in Malaysia and the mortality rate was high. We then bought sulphur powder from him to treat the water and indeed Tinny recovered. However, as fate would have it, Tinny got sick again and one morning, I found it floating lifelessly in the container. I buried Tinny in the same flower pot I buried Fatty so that they can be reunited in death.

When my son finished primary school in 2004, we bought a local terrapin (labi) for him. Subsequently, we bought another for my daughter. The first one we called Snappy and the second one, Kingky.

For the next two to three years, the children’s interest was mostly to revolve around these two pets. Both grew well but Kingky grew faster. Kingky is a male and Snappy, a female. Kingky was a voracious eater and was active almost all the time. He would be swimming around the container and splashing water and will respond with his two front feet when we called out to him. Snappy, on the other hand was quiet, preferring to sleep, and coming alive only at certain hours of the day. However, Snappy was most active at night while Kingky will sleep on time every night.

One fine day, a marine scientist friend dropped by the house and we seek her advice on the do's and don’ts of terrapin breeding. After a cursory observation, she noticed that Kingky’s shell was deformed because of a possible lack of calcium in his diet. She suggested we place grounded egg-shells as a supplement into the aquarium water. As space was important, to reduce stress, we put Kingky into a larger container. Snappy refused to take over Kingky’s container preferring to stay in the old one, which was just too small for her to move about.

As Kingky grew larger, we started feeding small fishes to him. When fishes are placed in his aquarium, he will chase them in true hunter-style and devour them happily. His shell also became normal. Snappy, on the other hand, refused to eat fishes and I had to buy dried prawns to give her the additional protein.

Sometime in October, we realized that they were getting too big for us to take care. Both have attempted to escape but we managed to put them back into their aquariums. Kingky needs his fish almost daily and Snappy needs a bigger space to grow healthily. Moreover, we had to change their water daily as the aquarium water gets cloudy and smelly rather quickly.

The moment of truth had arrived. My daughter decided we should set them free once her examinations were over. We decided at first to set them free at the ponds in Central Park, Bandar Utama adjacent to One Utama Shopping Complex. Then we were told that Indonesian workers loved labi and could easily fish them out of those ponds for dinner. Also, we read that Mat Rempits will need terrapin blood to concoct a potion to embolden them when they do their stunts. We decided otherwise.

After much thinking, we decided the big pond in the park in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail was a better bet as it was closed to the public after 8 pm nightly.

One drizzling Saturday afternoon, we placed Kingky in a pail and Snappy in his container and drove to the park. We took photographs of both Kingky and Snappy before we set them free. Snappy dropped like a stone to the bottom of the pond. That was the last we saw of her. Surprisingly, Kingky refused to go. We pushed him from the edge of the pond but he kept returning to the edge.

It was beginning to rain. We had to go. The last we saw of King: he was trying to attach himself to the brick skirting at the age of the pond.

We went to the park a week later. There were no signs of either Snappy or Kingky. As labis are not surface feeders, it is my humble guess that they are at the bottom of the pond, possibly building a colony of their own.

The whole family had showered love on these two terrapins for the time they were with us. We adored them. Watching them each day as they swam and splashed around was thoroughly therapeutic. Seeing Kingky chasing and swallowing the fishes was downright exciting. Witnessing both Kingky and Snappy growing bigger with each passing month has indeed been satisfying.

We pray that God will take care of his creatures. For us, Snappy and Kingky are home at last just like Elsa the lioness in Born Free.

Amen.

Quote of the Day:

" Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms." George Elliot

Heartsong-Heartstrong

Saidi’s Muhibbah Open House

Promptly at 12 noon, we arrived at a small Malay village adjacent the Penchala Link. Nestled away, a stone’s throw from the One Utama-Curve-Tesco shopping belt, we found the quaint quiet village which Saidi and Norm called home. In no time, we were at their house, perched atop a hillock. We parked and got out.

The air was ozone-laden and crisply refreshing. The mid-afternoon sun was shining bright.

Out on the road shoulder, we were warmly greeted by Saidi’s brother. We walked up the weathered tar road that leads to the house. A flight of concrete stairs and we were there at the door-steps. The mass of footwear outside the door attested the throng of visitors before us. We heard sounds of happy laughter and gay repartee within.

Immaculately dressed in a purple baju melayu, Saidi was there to greet us. My wife bersalaman with Norm and her daughter. After the usual handshakes, we were ushered in; bade to make ourselves at home and to help ourselves to the gastronomical cuisine laid on the table. I had two helpings of nasi empit with groundnut sauce, some lemang, sambal sotong and chicken rendang. The groundnut sauce was superb! Then it was on to the laksa ala Penang. I skipped the lontong because I was ‘maxed’ by then. The teh tarik afterwards was heavenly. Saidi told me he made it himself and I extolled him sky-high.

Saidi has three children. He has a son and two daughters. One daughter could not come back for the Hari Raya this year because she is in a residential school studying for her upcoming SPM.

I particularly liked the spirit about this open house. There were many Chinese visitors, unlike other open houses these days which attracted only a handful. One reason for this is that Saidi and Norm are food caterers. As such, they have a large Chinese clientele. Their winning ways and winsome smiles made friends of many.

Also there was no datuks, datins or other honorific persons to dampen the spirit with plastic protocol and unnecessary unease. It was just common Malaysian folks making merry sans class distinction, politics and religion. The true spirit of muhibbah is alive and well at Saidi's open house!

Just like I did last year, I enjoyed Eid al-Fitr at Saidi’s as much this year.

Norm informed my wife just recently they loved playing host and are now planning a similar do for the forthcoming Eid al-Adha, this time with specially made nasi briyani and nasi minyak.

I am eagerly looking forward to this.

Quote of the Day:

"True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it has been lost. "Charles Caleb Colton

Heartsong-Heartstrong

Why Can't I have a Foreign Wife too?

Hmmm…So more local men are marrying foreign wives these days. Very interesting.

According to official statistics, from 2001 to June 2006, some 34,000 men took foreign brides. Indonesian ladies were the preferred mates; followed closely by mainland Chinese, Vietnamese and Thais.

I wonder why?

According to Deputy Home Affairs Minister Tan Chai Ho, the answer is love-pure and simple. Who knows what love can do to a person when his aching heart coup d’état? Tan then turned cost consultant and added that the lower cost of marriages to foreigners could be a probable factor. When challenged further that the recent influx of foreigners into the country could have contributed to this, he officially dismissed it outright in true gung-ho fashion.

So- why this trend?

Anyone willing to hazard a guess?

Some of the things that came to my mind.

Are mail order brides beginning to make a mark in Malaysia? Are bride procurement agencies reaping success from their marketing efforts? Are our workers from foreign lands returning home with their foreign wives?

Or are local girls playing harder to get? Similarly, are our men getting more selective and gone global?

Ms Fong Po Kuan (DAP- Batu Gajah), an eligible single, has asserted from the opposing pole of the compass that this trend could possibly be more the case of foreign brides taking Malaysian husbands instead, for reasons other than love per se.

Could she be right?

Quote of the Day:

“Any fool can have a trophy wife. It takes a real man to have a trophy marriage.” Diane Sollee

Heartsong-Heartstrong

Indefatigable Grandfather of Mine

Grandpa was a robust and sturdy fellow. A six-footer, he was endowed with broad shoulders, a pair of penetrating eyes, dark attractive eyebrows and sharp facial features. He wore his hair like any other ubiquitous china man of the day-straight jet black hair parted to both sides. By my standard, he was a handsome chap.

He was physically fit and healthy. He hardly need to see any doctor. Whenever he was down with any minor ailments, he would seek the Chinese pharmacy halls for traditional cures.

Always attired in a white T-shirt, a pair of khaki shorts and brown shoes, Grandpa cut a fine figure where we lived. When he went out, he wore an Indian pith helmet hat on his head; the fashion of the day, I surmised.

Grandpa was quick to smile. A talking head, he was amiable and made friends easily. His favourite topics were of his times in China and of the hardships he endured during the Japanese occupation.

He was a simple man, thoroughly devoid of any ambition. I guess he was contented with the easy life; as long as there were three meals daily, a pouch of tobacco in his pocket and a pipe in his hand. Apart from smoking and the occasional gambling trip to a nearby village, he did not have any hobby or recreation, whatsoever. Yes, he did enjoy Chinese opera when they came to perform in the nearby towns.

Job-wise, he was zilch - mastering none. He could do no substantial job. As I recalled, he tried his hand at cooking western food for plantation expatriates and hawking fresh fish and beef. I remembered vividly he once operated a hawker stall in an alley selling roast pork and sweetmeats. In a small town, if your merchandise was not up to the mark, your sales would plummet. His business folded up within six months.

As an itinerant hawker, he was equally a wash-out. According to Grandma, on many occasions, amusingly, he would take leave of his senses and the goods on his bicycle by the roadside to flirt with the girls of the nearby kampungs. So during his absence, the other villagers would help themselves to the fresh beef and fish without ever having to pay. For obvious reasons, his younger brother who bankrolled this operation stopped financing him after a while.

Grandpa was neither businessman nor chef but he was good at one thing - doing odd-jobs. When nearby estates wanted weeding done, he would report for the job pronto. When they wanted nearby jungles to be cleared and trees to be fell, he was there. He was very skillful in sawing old tree trunks and chopping them into firewood. He was strong and could throw sawn-off tree trunks into a heap with relative ease.

He could cook. He knew the secret of cooking even though he could not make a career or business out of it. When he was in his 60s, dad gave him the task of taking care of his 4 children whom he had placed in a nearby town to facilitate their education.

I must state that Grandpa did a wonderful job here. Not only was he responsible,he was a budget wizard as well. Like clockwork, he would wake up the children on time for school besides preparing them a good breakfast. On a shoe-string budget and armed with a shopping rattan basket, he went to market every morning. He was resourceful and made many friends with the market stallholders. He helped vegetable stalls by carefully tearing away vegetable leaves and stalks that were rotting or damaged in transit to make them more saleable. His brother who operated a fish stall, often supplied him fish gratis.

He would cook the collected vegetables that were still edible for our lunch and dinner. The rest he sun-dried and stored in a gunny sack.

He was very fit for his age. Every week without fail, Grandpa would transport the big gunny sack of dried vegetables by bicycle to our little farm-house six miles away to feed our turkeys, chickens and ducks.

On the flipside, Grandpa had his weaknesses too; particularly for women and gambling but then that is another story…..

Quote of the Day:

“The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.” ~Author Unknown

Heartsong-Heartstrong