Meticulous

April 18, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

Sister number 4 left for home after 5 weeks of caring for our mum. It was both sad and hard saying goodbye. It always is. She returned home to Brisbane to her family. They were eagerly awaiting to see her as she was to see them. Particularly her adorably, huggable not yet 1 year-old grandson. […]

Reps of the people

April 11, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

Listening to two interviews on the radio with two different politicians made me ponder about politics and politicians. Both were asked identical questions. Both gave age-old rhetoric to address pressing economic issues and evolving health concerns. And, both claimed what they said was dissimilar from their opponent. Integrity, accountability, transparency, inclusion and fighting corruption were […]

Mind, heart and holiday

April 4, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

It was an enjoyable two day holiday. The resort was idyllic. The accommodation was reminiscent of my kampung home in Alor Setar. My husband and I had a few National Geographic moments. Just what I/we needed to unwind and relax. But did I? Unwind and relax? There was a meandering stream. Two to three rapids […]

Bands and cups

March 28, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

There’s Google – the global library for all and sundry information. There’s social media – where there’s abundance of advice, advertising and influencers. All available at my fingertips. What rock was I under? I didn’t think to research it. Why? Because I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Or maybe I didn’t care enough. It happened […]

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 […]

Perceptions

March 7, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

I haven’t met up with my friend in over two years. I thought about her recently. Realised that despite having worked with her, and knowing her for more than 15 years, I knew very little about her husband’s home country, Azerbaijan. Our conversations usually focussed on what we have been up to, our mutual friends, […]

Ticking time

February 28, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

My mum is a stickler for time. A clock watcher. Even now. Ailing with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and heart failure, her days are influenced by time. She has clocks everywhere in her condominium. One large analogue clock by her bedside wall. Another digital facing her. Two large ones in the lounge and kitchen. She […]

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 […]

Bills

February 14, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

It’s month two of 2022. Whizzed past? Plodded along? All a blur? Not sure. What’s for sure is come rain, sun or fuzzy days, a new month means bills – utility, credit cards and maintenance charges. And, the start of a new year usually heralds an assortment of other bills – insurance, council rates and taxes. […]