Re K on Translation of Tweets

Yes, I was very bored. Hahaha. But it was quite fun to translate it too!! And realized, heyy!!! my Malay’s not so bad!! Hahaha.

Well, “salam ayah dan ibu” wasn’t there mainly because when I wake up, I’ll be the only one at home still… And there’s only 8 verses; I already had 8!!

Hangat-hangat tahi ayam is the “heating up chicken shit”. Hahaha. Hangat actually means hot… But with complicated Malay grammar that I am not able to explain, saying it twice (there are a lot of instances where we repeat the words; usually makes it plural but not always) gives it another meaning. Tahi means shit. Ayam is chicken. By the way, we actually have a flower called bunga (flower) tahi ayam. Can’t remember the English name. I’m not joking!!

And I see your mind is still as dirty as it was when we were doing our LL.B. Sigh. America didn’t change you? Hahaha.

Like I tweeted you, it is not my current background!! It was this pinky and flowery background that I can’t stand even after a day. Hahaha. The ice cream is so cool la. Want to get one like that, but I’m sure gravity will not allow it.

And yes, all the games I mention are on facebook. Hahaha.

Glasgow Green

Dear Mary q Contrarie,

I am assuming you’re American (mainly due to the link you have provided me with; the company is based in the US), and following the stereotype, I am assuming that you don’t really know where the Glasgow I’m referring to is. If you do, I apologize. What I usually do is to follow the stereotype, because I believe it must have started somewhere somehow… Then I see how it goes. Might be insulting, but it does work. The thing with stereotypes are, I find, is that it is insulting to people who actually have them, instead of those that don’t. Funny, isn’t it?

Anyway, yes; Glasgow Green.

The Glasgow I meant is the one in Scotland. United Kingdom; north of England? Apparently, the max temperature there, even in summer, is 18 degrees centigrade. I was walking around the country in May, and I was in my winter coat. I used to live down south (somehow make it sound as if I was living in West Country. Hahaha) in the English Midlands, so it is quite a gap.

I can’t seem to find anywhere online that I could link this info to… Hmmm…

When I was in Glasgow, I visited one of their many museums, the People’s Palace, at the edge of Glasgow Green, where it tells somewhat the history of the city. There’s this portion about how the laundry was done. For some reason, I was most fascinated with that section of the whole museum. And it is said that previously, Glaswegians would come to Glasgow Green to do their laundry, what with it being near to the River Clyde. And I can’t remember the story and to make what I am sure is a long story short, it is still legal for Glaswegians to hang clothes to dry at Glasgow Green. They even have the drying racks there.

Part of the fascinations probably stems from the fact that I have never put my clothes out to dry when I was living in Britain. I stayed in a flat, so my clothes were strung out around the flat to dry, unlike my friends who lived in houses who could have done that.

Another is the fact that I can’t imagine how anyone could dry clothes outside the house in any part of Scotland except in summer. Hence the fact that I added the “in winter” part. Like I mentioned in my post, my clothes would likely freeze rather than dry.

Nonetheless, living in a tropical country, we do not own dryers… Kinda dumb to be wasting electricity to do that when you could have your clothes dried for free by the sun. Find that it smells much more fresh that way.

Along the lines… Nina mentioned how weird the new title is. And I mentioned it is a teaser of what kind of person I am.

I should have mentioned that it is legal to hang the clothes there.

There is no need for me to do things legally, I admit. I’ve done quite a number of things that could be considered illegal but I don’t think it is morally wrong, so I just do it. I do things not because I’m afraid of the law, but because I’m afraid for That Person Up In The Sky.

Still, when I want to do something stupid or for recreation, for some reason, I would like to do it legally. Like this; hanging clothes at Glasgow Green. Yes, if the City Council decides to make it illegal (why would you? It is your Glasgow heritage!! You shouldn’t throw it away!!!!! Glaswegian’s right to identity!! WTF. Okay, I’m being silly), I wouldn’t do it.

Until then, it will be one of my goals in life.

You would think someone with my list of goals in life would have a simple life. I wish.

Anyway, yes, to have it legal before I do such things makes me have absolutely no sympathy and find he was being such an idiot when this Frenchman decided to climb one of the KLCC twin towers. Why couldn’t he, say, try and apply for some special permit or ask if they can make an exception to it… And make it into some PR thing, with people around cheering him. And because he is willing to do it legally, governments of countries with sky scrapers might actually allow him to do so, legally. After all, in a way it is free press. A win-win situation. Why he needs to do it illegally is beyond me.

Just because there’s a risk of being rejected doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother trying.

I apologize if I sound condescending to you, Ms Contrairie.

Nina, we really should check in into some flash-games-aholic anonymous rehab thingy. You for RC, me for Farm Town. Hahahaha.

The new title

How very different from the previous title, huh?

Haha.

Was talking to Mars about it when she told me her best friend studies in Glasgow uni.

Well, I practically tell everyone about it nowadays.

I don’t know why; it’s just so funny.

I am serious about doing it, though. Seriously serious.

It frustrates me that I found out about it on my last day in Glasgow.

I would have done it even though all 3 days I was there was raining.

After all, I want to do it in winter.

My clothes would freeze instead of dry, I’m thinking. Haha.

It is also my Twitter bio. Haha.

Anyway, apparently, according to Mars, I do have a plan:

Move to Glasgow, and on the first day, do laundry and drag it to Glasgow Green, hang the clothes and camp there to make sure no one takes them away.

Superbly simple plan.

Though who in the world does laundry on their first day after moving to a new city?

Haha.

But yeah, this is my dearest ambition right now.

And since I feel about 2, or 4… actually, I don’t feel; I act as if I’m 2… or 4. Hahaha.

So, I can say… “when I grow up, I wanna hang clothes to dry at Glasgow Green.”

Amni asked, once I’ve achieved that, what will I do?

Next on the list is to convert to Greek Orthodox for one Easter… About the time after they have finished the mass or whatever they do (okay, I’m really not bothered about the finer things about the religion) and just slightly before they start breaking those red painted eggs.

After that, I’ll leave the religion.

Hahahaha.

Of course this blog will not just talk about that. Seriously; what else can I talk about my wanting to hang clothes at Glasgow Green apart from what I’ve said?

Oh, I emphasize on the fact I just want to hang my laundry there; not actually do my laundry there.

Sheesh.

My idea of doing laundry is still dumping stuff into the machine.

Still, it is me more than Cameras, cookies and Cailean (the last is being hidden behind another but much more expensive Edinburgher sheep in a tartan dress).

And gives people a teaser, if you like, of how I am.

So ridiculously silly. Or like one of my friends said (I can’t remember who now), “so weird that you can’t really use “eccentric” to describe her.”

Hahaha.

And since I’m deleting that thingy at the side now that it doesn’t explain the blog title, I’m copying it here. Just for memory’s sake. Light color so you won’t have to read it, really.

My blog used to be named Camera, cartoons and cakes; then, I thought I preferred cakes. Then I changed cakes with cookies and took out cartoon from the list because I realized my new obsession was sheep, so I used the Malay word for goat, kambing, for my blog, as the word for sheep, kambing biri-biri, was just too long; it became Camera, cookies and kambing. Some time after that, the camera became cameras because I now like several camera models; not just my Nikon p5100. And just three days ago (today’s the 29th of Nov 2008), I decided on the name of one of my sheep plushie, Cailean, pronounced ka-len. It’s a male Scottish name; the sheep is dressed in a kilt and I got it when I was in Edinburgh. It is not my favorite sheep plushie though; my favorite is Gemuk McGrumpy (named because it is fat [gemuk means fat in Malay] and it looks grumpy. The combination makes it so cute. And I got it in Scotland; that’s why the Mc. I’m not a Grey’s Anatomy fan). Still, its name starts with C, so it suits the theme of the title of my blog.

#BoycottScotland

No; regardless of of my complains the last 2 post, I am not boycotting everything Scottish.

My economist mother would kill me if I ever even thought of such thing; Adam Smith, anyone?

See the illogical thing that would be?

Didn’t stop an Economics student from Carnegie-Mellon to say she’ll be boycotting everything Scottish.

Do quit your degree at your university, please.

Still, I am totally addicted to the hashtag on Twitter.

Just shows how stupid the Americans is (what big surprise) and soothe my need to have as much British humor in my life.

Oh, I still use American spelling; big deal. However, I can change. Just that one letter is just so difficult to type.

Anyone who want to do it right, could you not check the boycottscotland.com website. Check this one instead. Tells you how to boycott it properly, though there’s a whole lot more.

It is absolutely amazing.

And the best thing is that the Americans think that the British are actually trying to help them boycott Scotland.

Hahahahhaha.

The website should have added American’s independence to the list as well.

Wouldn’t it be funny… they boycott their independence, and go back to the British… and guess what? The Prime Minister’s Scottish!! Hah!!

And Nina, suddenly for some reason you make me feel guilty of my music taste… 2 songs je come to mind… Both talk about female smokers; Miranda Lambert’s Gunpowder and Lead (wait by the door and light a cigarette) and Franz Ferdinand’s No You Girls (flick your cigarette and kiss me).

But the latter… He probably smokes as well, being British, so no big deal la kan.

The former… Awesome awesome song if you are on a vengeance on a boyfriend. In fact, listen to her whole album; Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Very crazy ex-gf indeed.

Branding

I would like to rebrand my blog. Not a big overhaul; probably just the title. And being a wordpress blog, I can’t change the URL, though I spent a lot of time deciding for the URL to be something quite essentially me, though for the life of me, I can’t remember what it means now. Hahaha. Something to do with night.

Oh, right; Moon, amongst other things. Hehehe. Wonders of Google.

I still like those things, but somehow I find I like cameras less and less… and I definitely ignore Cailean quite a bit, especially since he leans to the wall and gets blocked by quite a few other sheep.

I also find that I don’t really like baking cookies.

Camera… I hardly fiddle with my Nikon p5100 anymore. I use it only to take picture; no more experimental shots whatsoever.

This is difficult. Hmmm…

Stats

I’ve mentioned how much I love looking at the Blog Stats when I see my Dashboard… It is fascinating; seeing the search terms that shows my blog.

I haven’t had anybody searching for Wacky Woolies anymore. So sad. Sniff sniff.

I found the runner up for the fascinating “is there any sheep in malaysia or just kambing” quote… Blogged it here.

Apparently, today, someone asked “does driving in semi automatic transmission ruin your car?”

I have no idea why I find it so funny.

Probably because you don’t actually have a choice about it; now all new cars that have automatic transmission are semi-automatic, unless you include hybrids, which operates differently.

So if one is worried that a semi-automatic would ruin your car… I suppose you get a manual transmission one?

I do hope you don’t live in Glasgow or Edinburgh…

Urgh I think I’ll start a new post on this. Too random.

I want to change the theme of my blog… Find it a bit too plain now. However, I feel too lazy to change the human calender section. Arrggghhhh!!!

So silly!!

edit: Changed the theme to one that I wouldn’t need to change the human calender for. Hahaha.

Twitter

Wonder if I should even add the Twitter widget to my blog, considering I do update both of them. Rather redundant, no? Hmmmmm…

Keep telling myself, “this is the last time I’ll listen to the song before I go to bed.”

Hah!!

The count is now reaching 25.

Just so…. shout worthy!! Hahahaha

Yes, I do realize there seem to be an over-representation of Scots in my iTunes and My Music folder now.

Have to keep Amy Macdonald and KT Tunstall company

Due to the daily duty of emailing my mother everyday while I am in Ireland, I am afraid that I wouldn’t be able to update my blog till I cross the RoIreland-UK border. Sorry for those who have been bugging me for it. I know I haven’t updated on my going ons since I arrived in London. Sooooo sorry!!

When I was free,  it was the first time in my life I ever had to fight for the internet connection. Actually, laptop as well since my computer reufse to connect to the LAN at Faliq’s. Quite annoying. And I was too lazy to type out the entries, so instead I cooked and cleaned and sleep most of the time. Hahaha.

Though I will try my best when I arrive in Connacht tomorrow.

I draw the line at telling which city I will be… too specific to my taste. Instead, I will use the area instead. Currently am in Munster, was in Leinster, and will be in Ulster after Connacht. Those who know me should be able to figure out where these places are. When in England and Scotland… I’ll figure out later.

Though will update my timeline later after I leave the places. Control freak? Obsessive? Paranoid?

All of the above, probably. However, I just think it is my right to keep things private, and those I want to know already know about my whereabouts…

God, the babies in the advertisement now is so bloody cute!! Bank of Ireland advert. Hahaha.

Links

If you look at the right hand side of my blog, scrolling down… I’ve recategorized my links.

Like most of my categories, it’s kinda weird… And they’re titles of songs.

I use anything from titles of books or quotes than I find funny or just one words for the names of my categories… I have no consistency in that, to be honest.

I do explain why I picked the three songs I picked… but I realized that it doesn’t show…

So just to inform you what the categories mean here…

I Stand By You (Carrie Underwood):
Causes I believe in. The song was sung by Ms Underwood at the Idol Gives Back show. I thought of using Just A Dream for some reason, but then it was written for the Iraq War soldiers’ spouses… So forget about it even though it’s a beautiful song.

The Wizard and I (Wicked):
Somewhat (an emphasis on this) famous websites/blogs I follow. The “famous” factor could be due to the author or the website/blog itself. Song sung by the character Elphaba in the musical Wicked where she imagines the day when she meets the Wizard and become famous herself. My interpretation anyway.

This is the Life (Amy Macdonald):
Buddies who blog. I saw an interview of Amy Macdonald where she said she wrote the song after a night out with friends… And the videoclip showed clips of she and her friends on a night out. Somehow somewhat fits, no? And their blog is mostly about their life…

Kepohable is still the main link group; those miscellaneous links which I don’t think suit the other 3 and too silly to be starting a new category for.

And “My other blogs” is quite straightforward, right?

Hiatus

Hahaha. So apparently I didn’t have to think too hard… I am going away anyway. Well, not really going away just yet, but will be away for 4 days, so I am not topping up my internet. So come midnight (Malaysian time), I wouldn’t have internet connection. Hahaha.

And I’ll be gone for 4 days starting Saturday; going back to my mother’s hometown during the Chinese New Year break.

To all my Chinese friends, Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Man, 3 new years in about a month. How cool is that? Last new moon, Muslim new year… This coming one… Chinese new year…

I don’t even know if the moon is even old yet.

Toodles!!

AND GODDAMN IT!! I WANNA GO LONDON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Never did I thought that I would want to go to London this badly!! Arrrggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

No idea what should it be…

I am currently staring at the drafts I left hanging without finishing it (I should actually be staring at my CV, which I closed just now due to having to restart my laptop, and search for a job) and wondering if I should finish it… Or should I just start from scratch???

Hmmmm… dum dee dum.

I really don’t know.

And I am too lazy to go downstairs to get my copy of Thanks for the Memories. I don’t feel like starting a new book, but my brain absolutely refuse to let me finish Eclipse. The annoying thing is that I have less than 200 pages to go.

It just blanks out!!

Who says the conscious mind is stronger than the unconscious hasn’t dealt with my brains!!

To which, I think, they would be eternally grateful for.

But I just don’t feel like starting a new book…

Sigh.

Maybe I should just try to figure out how to convince my mother to let me buy Dante’s Divine Comedy and Bulfinch’s Mythology this month while I could use the Kinokuniya postcard that Joshua sent me. It would save me almost RM50!!!!

I think she must be really annoyed. I promised her that once Obama officially becomes the President of the US, I would buy Malaysian books instead.

But these are classics!!!! And to save so much!!!!!!!

Arrrggggghhhhhh!!!

I sooooo should find a job. Sigh. Anyone have any idea what should I do?

Not journalism, please!! Too many deadlines for my taste; or at the very least, my current state of mind!!

A proper return?

Hopefully!!

I feel like the heavy weight on my shoulders have been lifted, somehow, somewhat… And I am going to dive right into what I started this blog for; to practice my writing.

Goodness, I am ridiculously embarrassed to admit this, but I haven’t read a book since… New Moon.

And that’s been like, almost a month!!

I remember reading it duringt Eid-ul Adha!! And that’s soooo long ago!!

It’s been taking me so long to start reading a book.

Just start!!

Somehow, I gave up reading the Economic Naturalist, the Catcher in the Rye, Paolo Coelho’s the Witch of Portobello… I lost track how many else.

I do emphasize it is books that I’m having problems with. I seem to be reading so many blogs. Heck, I’ve been dropping by Perez Hilton’s site on record frequency in such short period of time. And oh no the didn’t… and God knows what else.

Me, reading gossip. See, how much I need shallow books. The books that I seem to start reading are somehow, deep.

I’m afraid to read Cecelia Ahern’s masterpieces because I’m afraid I might want her main male character soooooo much.

Oh, I have been reading a book though; which is a colletion of classic stories for children. Have I mentioned I want to try write my story on Wall? The village that Tristram Thorn of Stardust by Neil Gaiman was from? In the book, he included the first chapter that he planed to use for the book. I don’t know… I thought that it might be interesting to try have a go at it. Though since I am having problems on getting a book with a compilation of Mother Goose nursery rhymes… So, I thought, why not broaden my horizon? Not just depend manipulate rhymes? Use classic children stories as well? Who knows? It is, after all, my own personal project.

There’s soooo many posts in my draft. My silly Christmas, where my cousin suddenly declared that I looked younger than my 17 year old niece. Just turned 22 and looked younger than a 17 year old? Clearly, 2008 was a year for 1986 babies to look 17, huh? Seriouly, not just the famous ones; the “unknown” ones even more so, alright. Which is why I don’t consider myself an adult. Hahaha.

And my predictions!! It was true!! Now delayed, so I am going to combined with something related; not going to use that draft.

However, now I suddenly feel… sleepy. Hmph. Silly dilly tilly.

Oh, by the way, I love Duffy!!!!!

I think I am going to start “Thanks for the Memories” by Ahern…

Dum dee dum. I love that woman!!!!

Catching up

Well… I know people would end up reading this post last; too bad anyway.

Just got back after I narrowly missed the rush hour, I think. Though to think about it, I don’t think it would be much of a rush hour on the route that I take. Still, better than nothing!!

I still hate driving.

Anyway, at first I thought of just updating with one ridiculously long post; decided against it. There’s so many crap to write but I don’t know how to connect it together, since they are quite independant. All the driving has made my brains go overload with my “writing”, since I can’t actually read a book.

Current book reading is a Malaysian History book… Because for the life of me, I can’t remember so many things. Not good trying to find out information on events that you have no memory about.

Please don’t judge/fire me because of that confession, Graham. I am actually doing something about it!!

So… Many many post to come up… Though since I set my blog to have so many posts before it goes to the previous pages… Well… Less clicking to be done, eh?

The main reason I did that was because I have sucky internet connection and am too lazy to wait for things to load again and again. I rather wait longer but have everything loaded at one time. Heee.

Oh, and I will be writing with no particular order; what comes first would be what I write (or should I say type?) first.

Nina

Dear Nina,

I am responding to your comment; I don’t feel like putting another comment underneath yours. It just contribute hits for that particular entry for no reason.

You used past tense; move on la wei. And join me with hating the silver color on cars. Muahaha.

And I am changing the name of my blog. Immediately after publishing this post, actually. I just named one of my sheep with a name that starts with a C, finally. Haha. Cailean, pronounced ka-len. Male Scottish name; because the sheep wears a kilt and a hat. Hahaha. And I got it in Scotland

How’s Vienna? Been some times since I talked to you. I’ll write on your wall on fb or something some time soon

xoxo

PS: This comment was on my post about my frustration with the color silver of my car.

Dear AP,

Oh yeah, I do like the Twilight soundtrack. I’m thinking… it was enough just to have Muse on it for me to fall in love with the whole thing.

Hahahahaha

I have to agree with you on the comment. Ah well; their choice to be that way after all…

A little bit related; I still can’t believe Edward Cullen’s a 108 year old virgin.

Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

Search results

I am wondering why amongst my search result is Tasha’s name; her full name at that. I tried searching for her and have not found even one mentioning of her full name; I always always refer her to Tasha (and the only one who has the same first name I call that; the other one I call her various names but Tasha. Haha). And I am pretty sure she doesn’t read my blog anymore; nonetheless, I am going to say it here anyway; Tasha, you need to get yourself a new blog. I know that you have reconnected yourself with Facebook, so maybe the people searching for you through search engine might lessen. Nonetheless, good idea to have another blog, no?

And I would advocate the use of wordpress again, of course.

Away

I’ll be away from today. Should have been since Friday, but a lot of things happened, like my things from England arriving, finally. Hehehe. Anyway, yes, I will be going back to my mother’s hometown today for Eid, which will be on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the man on the moon.

Sorry for the lack of updates. Been super busy baking. I have several drafts, to be honest. However, every time I realize I should go down and bake. And now my Mom suddenly say that I need to bake more.

Hmmmm…

My room is in a super big mess. My wardrobe is bursting. And I don’t know how to arrange my books because there’s so many of them!!

Nonetheless, I’m just sooooo happy my things from England has arrived!!

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri or Eid Mubarak everyone!! Have a blessed Eid.

And Faliq, I hope by the time I come back to Selangor, you’ll be back in East Midlands. If not, curse the idiotic British government!!

Oh, will be back by Saturday next week, I think…

Ta!!

On my title and layout

I just got bored seeing the bee every time I check my blog for what was my latest crapping about.

Yeah, I do that sometimes.

So I thought, why not I just change the header image?

I was too lazy to get my external hard drive. I had to transfer all my pictures there as my computer just can’t take the amount of pictures I have. Hahaha.

So I thought, why not look at any other layout?

So I saw this new one. Whatever the name is already. I thought it is cute.

Hehehe.

So it’s here to stay!!

For how long, I’ve no idea. Hehehehehe.

On my blog title… It’s because cakes just doesn’t suit me. I don’t like baking cakes; I like baking cookies.  Also, when Beda decided to link my blog to hers, she wrote it as “The adventures of Nani and Che Kam(s)”. So I thought, why not eh? Oh, kambing means goat in Malay; nonetheless, everyone who knows me should know that it actually refers to sheep rather that goat. Kambing biri-biri is just too long!!!

Hehehehehehe.

What in the world do they have fireworks for? Urgh!! I hate fireworks!!!!

Please don’t lie to me because I know for a fact that you don’t visit my blog. Don’t just tell me you do to make me happy; I was just making a comment that day. What a shame, that you needed to lie.

Why I’m putting here is to tell you, just in case you bother dropping by in the future, that I do know that you’re lying. I won’t mention it in our conversations anywhere.

You know who you are.

Bleurgh part II

Hrmph. So I painstakingly trawled over that website’s contents… See how in the world did I get traffic from that website. And now I know how it works. So I would never ever mention that website by name ever. Shock the hell out of me, again, when I saw my stats for today. What the hell man. Still, now that I know. Hrmph.

Better late than never!! If I continue grumbling and still insert that website’s name, their fans would accuse me of wanting to share their limelight, which I certainly not, as proven by my refusal of using their name in this post.

Now, back to my manageable less than 10 hits a day stats. Where I can see observe the path of my visitors unhindered. Most of them find me due to their searching for Wacky Woolies anyway, which tickles me to no end. They’re oh so adorable!!

Bleurgh

Gahh. I do hope after that storm of traffic that came from Malaysiakini after my idiotic doing of linking that blog to mine, those people wouldn’t come back.

Oh, what is the point of having a blog but not wanting people to read it?

I just don’t want people who read Malaysiakini to be my audience. Especially since I don’t write politics and I don’t support either the government or opposition; I criticize both sides. I’m just too cynical. Bleh.

Somehow, I prefer having only one loyal reader. Don’t ask me why.

Random stuff…

Which is not really that random…

I do realize that the most often term that I see on the “Top Searches” column is “Wacky Woolies”. Wonder how surprised are those people to find out that I never lived in Ireland or that they get a link full of weird things. And jeez… Carrolls have a website after all. Surely they could find that link before finding mine?

Ahhh… I see that the Irish gift shop is not as popular as I thought it is… I am the 4th link that appears… And Carrolls… is not even on the first page??? OMG. Hahaha.

Maybe I should be kind enough as to put Carrolls’s (okay I’m not sure how should I apostrophe this. Any helpers? I’m not even sure if the surname is Carrolls or it is already plural. Hmmm… Apostrophe is the most complicated punctuation!!) link in my “Likes” page to help them be able to find where to get them?

Alright, I’m feeling nice. Fine, I know just a few hours ago I was on the verge of boycotting Ireland and Sarawak. However, suddenly sanity seeped in and told me how silly it would be to be boycotting alone. Though I have done that before; boycotting stuff alone. Haha. And who knows, they might even send me Wacky Woolies cups that I so very the wanted but got the Black Sheep one instead. Black shamrock butt sheep. Like Chombee Mumba, except Chombee has white wool (with green and orange scarf. Damn proud of her origin, she is).

I have yet to name Chombee’s white thistle butt Scottish cousin. It’s definitely a girl, since she looks so sweet. Eeyore is always eying her butt, wanting to eat off the thistle. Now now Dee… Don’t think dirty. Urgh. Considering your age… I still can’t believe how your mind works.

Something altogether not related to Wacky Woolies and sheep…

I’m fumingly angry with my Malay upbringing. Just absolutely hating it. Hate hate hate hate hate it. And I can’t even say why. I know why, but I just can’t bring myself to say it. I have no problem with it making me sound cruel and cold hearted.

I also hate a lot of Malay culture. I could never ever be proud of the fact that I am Malay. I see too many flaws.

I’m also not proud of the fact that I am Chinese. I see their flaws as well, too much too often.

And yet when people advocate for having a bangsa Malaysia, I would reject the idea whole heartedly. I told a friend that I would be shouting on top of my lungs on some higher ground so that people can hear why do I think it is such a horrible reason; and why it would breach our human rights and just how many.

I absolutely hate the fact that the Malays seem to believe that the young have to respect the elder but the young should not even think of expecting the elder respecting them. The elder could treat them like dirt if they see fit. Hurt their emotions and all… just go on… Just keep destroying what little self-respect they have.

God, I wish I could just say no this once.

I am turning into her, somewhat. A self sacrificing person.

Quite a number of people have pointed out that I seem to be doing that a lot.

Yet she would never see it that way.

I’ll always always always fall waaayyyyyy below her expectations.

To the point she no longer bothers to expect anything.

God, I want to just leave this house. Maybe I should just struggle and do a professional accounting degree and just go into accounting. Easy money.

It scares the hell out of me how cocky I am when it comes to accounting. I’m like, dead sure I will get it.

This is what happens when you manage to self-teach yourself accounting, and getting high results when you manage to find an accounting lecturer to mark your work.

I should have done accounting. Safe, boring accounting.

Then everything would be different.

Life would be easier, I suspect. I would be able to run. From nowhere to nowhere.

But at least I would have a healthy bank account…

Books and grammar

I hate Law of Attraction by Michael J Losier. I just can’t like it. There’s waaaayyyy too much padding. And to me, padding just shows how much you actually don’t know about the topic you’re writing.

And when you’re writing a book that shouldn’t have a page limit, it is worst.

He skips at least two pages; just blank pages. And on most of the pages on the your right hand side were quotes that you have already read from the page before.

Seriously!!

I’ve written an entry about it; written. I’ll type it later.

Another thing that annoys me when I read a book is when I find grammatical errors. And misplaced/ missing punctuations.

There’s no good reason why those should exist in a book which is published. A book should go through at least two proofreading stages before it is published.

Don’t forget there’s this person called the editor.

Please tell me what the fuck was your editor doing when (s)he saw those grammatical errors? Just sweep it aside and ignore it?

I see a lot of these happening to books. Whether Malaysian, or British or American. So I’m not dissing just Malaysian books.

There were quite a number of commas missing in Law of Attraction actually. Just that I got fed up and decide I can’t be bothered to read the book anymore. I read it while I was waiting for my ice cream.

However, since Lydia Teh thanked her editor and a reader who volunteered to be her grammar police, I have high expectations.

Imagine how disappointed I was when I saw this line in Adibah Amin’s (who is she?) introduction…

“In another anecdote, she comically brings in the unglamorous side of a glorious moment when she took part in the global Olympic Torch Relay on the island of Crete in Greece. It does not, however, diminish the poignancy of her thoughts as she ran, bearing the torch: This was it. My moment in history (bold added).

Who the hell thinks in the past tense when they’re actually doing the said thing???

Maybe I could help justifying the grammar police dude’s work… Since it is not exactly Lydia Teh’s work…

Still!! There’s the editor!!

Seriousleh!!!!!!!!!

It’s not that I claim that I speak and write in perfect English; I don’t. Do criticize if there’s any mistakes; that’s how I learn, from my mistakes. Though my mom would say I somehow always make the same mistakes. Well, I am a slow learner.

Still, like I said… with books, you have editors!!!!!!!

And if your blog or article or whatever profess to have an editor, there’s absolutely NO excuse to make grammatical errors!!

However, if it does not, it only pardon a small part of your mistake. You still type in that particular language, so you should be good at it!! Improvement is key!! Accept people’s criticism on your use of language with an open mind, not that the other person is nit-picking your expression style.

Seriously, being mediocre to attract readers is not the way to go.

Especially when staying mediocre would mean only one country’s citizen would be able to read your writing. You must think Malaysia is huge to be content with such audience then!!

And as I’ve written in my very first post for this blog, getting an audience is not my first aim!! Okay, I didn’t say that; I said that the purpose of my having a blog again is to boost up my confidence in my ability to write.

That said, my ability to write with good English.

My mom would have a fit if I have confidence in writing but in mediocre and broken English!!

If you happen to find my use of proper English offensive, please continue walking down the road till you find your perfect mediocre blog and don’t bother me!!

Comments

Here’s a reason why I don’t particularly like people leaving comments.

I don’t know how to respond to it.

Should I have a new post responding to a comment… Or should I reply by posting another comment?

If I did the latter, would the person know that I responded?

Faliq, don’t feel hurt. You’re just the reason why I’m posting it now instead of later. I’ve wanted to post about this quite some time ago. Just that your comment has made it imminent for me to talk about this.

Not that I am bothered with your comment It is flattering to know someone really likes my baking!!

However, seriously, you want to eat baked goods everyday for lunch ke? Tak takut muak ke?

I was thinking, my cookie empire might just rule the world near Eid period…

And to be based in Canary Wharf? Do they even serve cookies for Christmas? I know I should know better than you in that area… They don’t.

At least, my family doesn’t.

Unlike my mom’s karipap empire, my cookie empire as to be seasonal, I think.

Anyway, comments, yes.

I much prefer “commenting” on a post with the author directly instead of leaving a comment on the said author’s blog, especially when I know the author. It would make it easier for me to know what the author was thinking when writing the entries. I only leave comments on blogs whose author I do not know.

A lot of blogs fall into that category. However, only a handful of the blogs that I read fall onto that category.

I also leave comments on blogs whose author find commenting on the blog is preferable. Whether it is to make it seem their blog is popular or for their ego or they don’t like discussing their posts in real life (this I find weird. I mean, you are the author of that entry and you have used your real identity. So why don’t you like? Unless you can’t take criticism, which is sad, really), I’ll humor the said authors.

Oh, I wouldn’t deny that a lot of my posts would be inspired by people I know in real life. Everyone in my life will have a chance to be my muse. I am not selective like fashion designers. Everything inspires me.

My respecting your privacy is by not giving away your identity. However, some small information might be given away to make my piece more plausible, or make more sense. Nevertheless, I doubt people would really know it is you. Unless, of course, you give yourself away or you’re the only person who has such personality. If you’re the latter, consider yourself unique, not weird.

So yes, if you know me in real life and know how to contact me personally, I much prefer if you do it that way than leaving comments on my blog. Then we can discuss what you agree and don’t agree about the said entry. Have a healthy discussion and what not. I can explain why I have such views and can understand why you don’t agree with my view.