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 […]

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. […]

How not to be sad

February 7, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

I don’t have the answer or solution on how not to be sad. I’m sad. I know why. I just don’t know how to shake it off. I just thought of Taylor Swift’s song as I wrote that. And, her video. I smiled. I guess that’s one way of doing it. Shake it off. Switch […]

The brain

January 31, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

I binged watched a Netflix ‘explained’ production about the brain recently. Sat through 4 of the 5 episodes presented. There were some noteworthy nuggets on topics such as focusing, personality, creativity and brainwashing. The one on ‘brainwashing’ piqued my interest the most. It made me think about how the brain can be brainwashed – controlled, […]

Saying goodbye

January 24, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

I have to say goodbye to sister number 3 on Thursday. She arrived on Deepavali Eve. Changed her return flight from 21 Dec to 11 Jan. Changed it again to 27 Jan. After 2 months and 26 days she flies back to England. Her 90-day MyTravelPass visa expires on 1 Feb. I am sad now. […]

11 minutes

January 17, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

It was the longest 11 minutes of my life. My mum could not be aroused. Not by her palliative doctor, who thankfully was present at the time, for her weekly visit. Not by sister number 3. Not by me. My mum was a little under the weather the previous Sunday evening. Phlegm and cough. […]

Masking up

January 10, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

It’s mandatory to wear masks in Malaysia. Surgical, medical, fabric or respirator masks. In all public places. Indoors like shopping malls and restaurants. Outdoors including parks and while walking along roads. The exceptions are when travelling in your own private car, and when engaging in physical exercise like jogging in the open air. There is […]

Happy thoughts in 2022

January 3, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

What will 2022 hold for me? I honestly don’t know. What I hope and pray for is good health, happiness and peace of mind. 2021 was a year I will remember for a while yet. It was a mix bag of all sorts. I was really happy leading up to my 60th birthday in March. […]