In the air

November 7, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

The 15th General Election or GE15 is in the air. Literally on air on BFM every day. And, in all the other mainstream and social media. On streets, bridges, buildings, vehicles, and trees – banners, buntings and billboards of various political parties abound. The more the resources, the higher the visibility. In cities, towns and […]

Birthdays are fun

October 17, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

It’s my husband’s birthday today. We are celebrating the special day at Tanjung Jara resort. One of our top five favourite places for special occasions. Sitting on a verandah in a chalet built over a small river with fish and monitor lizards. Not on a balcony on the 30th floor of a condominium block. Looking […]

Turning 89

September 26, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

My mum turns 89 tomorrow. A milestone, and an achievement. Especially considering the tough year the old girl has had. Gratefully, through most of it, she has managed to remain curious, chatty, and alert. Yay. I like birthdays. Cake or cakes, presents, balloons, decorations. Fuss and focus on number 1. What’s there not to like? […]

A year on

August 29, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

It’s August 2022. A year on and my mum is coming along as well as can be expected. I am super grateful. This time last year, my mum’s health took a turn. It all began after she had fallen off her queen-sized bed on 10 August. As she sat on the floor at the foot […]

Bing by choice

June 13, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

I’ve not been out of Malaysia since Dec 2019. Not boarded a plane. Not visited a new country or revisited a previously gone-to destination. The longest my passport has not been stamped. Nothing. Nada. Of course, the inactivity has been largely due to the pandemic. Covid-19 and its ominous variants are still present despite the […]

Alternative meds

May 23, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

There are three potted aloe vera plants sitting on my mum’s balcony. They look quite healthy despite being neglected. I can’t remember to water them. Still, they continue to survive rather well. I also don’t remember to use the slimy aloe vera gel to soothe a burn or a cut. It does work but it’s […]

Routine

May 2, 2022.Reading time 7 minutes.

Routine works for me. It gives me structure and a certain order to my day. The order might vary, albeit very slightly, depending on the circumstance, but the activities are pretty much the same. And, they, mostly, get done each day. My days used to start with drinks of water. A check on my mum […]

Job search

March 21, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

Job shortage, minimum wage, living wage, skills mismatch, unemployed graduates, unemployment rate, underemployment, foreign workers, 3D or dirty, dangerous, difficult jobs and gig workers i.e., independent contractors, online platform workers, contract firm workers, on-call workers and temporary workers [1] are issues/topics debated and deliberated frequently. The chatter made me rewind to my, long ago, job search. It was […]

Chocolate and birthdays

March 14, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

It’s my birthday month. Yes, the whole month of March. Why not I ask? I know it’s birth + day = birthday. So, it’s ‘supposed’ to be celebrated on one day. I know. But, what the hey? Particularly as it makes me happier and a little more special. I get to decide what I want and […]

Special days

February 21, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

Last Monday was Valentine’s Day. The Saturday after was our wedding anniversary, my husband and my 25th silver anniversary. Yes, it is a major milestone. Yes, we have come a long way together. And, yet oddly, I was under prepared. Or rather I didn’t have ‘real plans’ for either. I wasn’t too bothered about Valentine’s […]