The Case of The New Bookcase and Missing Books

This bookcase is actually a combination of four cheap plywood cabinets I glued together with some strong adhesive. That was 3-4 years ago. 

I've read all of these books and put my action figures / robots / Transformers above them for display. Too cheap to buy a glass case :P 

 Recently I bought this ultra light 5x3 from the supermarket and built it up myself. The materials are only plastic fasteners, steel rods and canvas. It took me more than an hour to finish, although I could ask for help from my two friends who were only watching with much amusement.

I moved the books from the old bookcase to the new one the next morning. I put my favourite books by the late author Sir Terry Pratchett on the highest shelves; and the rest of the fantasy stuff according to their respective authors; Salvatore, Tolkien, Terry Brooks, Eddings etc.

And I realized I LOST FOUR BOOKS!

They are the first three of the Chronicles of Narnia; 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', 'Prince Caspian' and 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader' by C. S. Lewis. The fourth book is the third volume of The Dragonlance Tales 'Love and War.'

This come as a surprise for me because those books were buried deep BEHIND the rest and who would took them? My friends and immediate family do not read English fantasy books for fun.

p.s. - I did some thinking.... who would inherit my books one day? None of my relatives enjoy what I do and I am not someone who easily donate my stuff elsewhere. I might ask to have all my worldly stuff burned in my will someday.... 

The Witch Doctor Will See You Now...

I have a mixed view about traditional remedies and treatment. It's all great with natural herbs and exotic spices, but when it comes divining illnesses and shady practices (in my point of view) I avoided them like the plague.
Last Sunday my mom asked me to accompany her and a few friends to a 'bekam' session. BEKAM is an ancient tradition, where blood is sucked out of the skin at some points of the body. A needle (or lancet) pricked the skin at a particular spot and then a container was placed upon the tiny wound, vacuumed so blood can be drawn. For every few minutes, the container will be removed so the trickle of blood can be wiped off the skin, and then replaced. Each session might last for one and a half hour, and the amount of blood drawn vary for each subject.
My mom and her friends finished their sessions (hours!) as I read a very thick book, outside waiting for them. Then my mom asked me to take the treatment as there was no one else in line for it. As a dutiful son, I obliged, took off my shirt and trousers (a towel is provided) and had my blood drawn voluntarily by the practitioner.
It was one of the most boring few hours of my life (this new year).
As I walked out of the small treatment room, I saw my mom and her friends listening to another practitioner with rapt attention. Oh, oh, I smell a money trap.....
And I was right. My mom had ended up spending a few hundreds ringgit on medications I don't think she really needs. The girl was also trying to bait me by asking about my health, and even had the NERVE to guess my illnesses through reading my palms! Major quack clackety clack!
But I played it cool, and smiled at every foolish noises that came out of her mouth.
Like I said, I am a dutiful son ;)
And this quack prescribed me a bottle of the essence of garlic of all medication! I ate garlic on a DAILY basis, girl! That's why I am healthier than the next person. But I kept my mouth shut, and took the prescribed bottle gracefully (my mom paid for this too).
On the way back, my mom chirped at how much better she was after the treatment. She said she felt lighter and her hands trambled less. I nodded to all, but the same cannot be said to me.
I felt nothing. There was no improvement, or anything less with me after the treatment.
Maybe my body refused to believe in such a celebrated treatment (prescribed medication notwithstanding).
Or maybe my guardian angel wont let me get influenced so easily.
My mom wants to return soon. And I will drive her there.
I am a dutiful son, yessiree!

P.s.- i tried to find a suitable picture to put here.... But I don't think the lot of you will appreciate me for it :p

Driving for Harness

Went to KL yesterday evening at 5.10 pm and arrived in Subang Jaya at 6.50 pm... The Pets Wonderland outlet near my sister's house was closed for business permanently a month ago. (F**k!!!!) I was hoping to get a new harness for my ferret Kaos, as his harness is now used by Disco.

And we went to Kelana Jaya, met my older relatives who were going to the Holy City, hugged a few cousins. Then drove home (11.30 pm) and reached the front gate at 1.20 am.

A tiring day. And I was so disappointed with the closing of one of my fav shops...

I Was A Rabbit.

This is me with my mom, a long long time ago, in our kampung house, where we used to live before we moved to town. I think I was too young for kindergarten in this picture. And as the first son, I got to have all the cool toys my younger siblings never had. And all of those adequately destroyed before my younger siblings ever got a chance to touch them. I was not a loving big brother.

My mom told me that when we were very young, many people considered us as 'fluffy' and 'white' as rabbits, especially when we were playing together in the vast lawn of the house. Usually we played paper planes and kites. Don't believe me? Click on for the bigger picture and witness the Child of Light, (who 'repented' and become of Darkness much later in life). Mwa ha ha ha!

I am still the fairest male teacher in school. :)

p.s. - notice the Damien-style hair cut. I have proof at last to show youse people.

The Omen - Be afraid of the bowl haircut.

Murder On the 3rd Day of Aidilfitri

My brother (left) and uncle. Notice his dexterity with that very sharp axe as he cut up the evidence of the dastardly deed!!

Head of the poor goat used in the terrible bloody pagan ceremony!!

The Mastermind : My own mother, she's a mafia boss at her best.

The Assassins : My youngest brother (codename Kopet) and uncle.

The Victim : Molly

The Grevious Party : My middle brother (codename Bobo).

The Cheer Squad : The rest of the family, extensions included.

Molly was my brother's nanny goat, one of the huge Jamnapari type, which can weight around 90 to 120 kg. This particular she goat was being a bad mother by not letting her two kids suckling her. By refusing to do so, her udder and stomach became bloated. Molly was already on her way to the Big Paddock in the sky.

So this afternoon, my mother woke her youngest son and told him to sharpen some machetes. "Go and find your uncle. We are going to slaughter that goat." So Kopet drove to the home-village (where the goats are) and we (my mom and me) arrived there an hour later.

The goat was already slaughtered (see the head) and Kopet and my uncle were busy chopping out the meat and bones outside the kampung house. My other brother, Bobo was clearly sulking nearby and Kopet mentioned many times that Bobo cried twice after the goat was killed. He loves his goats that well. (As for me, I feel nothing. Goats are huge and smelly creatures).

So my mum and aunt busied themselves with the crockery and pots. The bones were boiled into soup and the mutton cooked 'masak lemak kuning'. Two of my favourite dishes.

The verdict; The yummiest dish ever! We should kill... er... get more mutton each year.

P.S - This is one QUIET Raya for me. But I like it that way.

Life Is A Struggle For Some People

I was compelled to type this post after reading TechnoBabe's recent entry. Something happened this afternoon, and I'd like to share with the few of you.

I have a new Form 4 student who arrived last month from a school further away. He was quiet and I must confess I never spoke a word directly to him (because I always teach in general). Then he began to miss school for many times a week, and as a curious person, I asked about his wellbeing from the classmates.

His friends told me that after school he worked at a local restaurant till very late. As a very liberal person, I just wished him luck quietly and continued teaching the rest of the brood. I thought that maybe some students are just happier working for money than study. It's a common trait.

Yet this afternoon, my colleague who teaches Chemistry informed me about the plight of this particular student of mine during my class at the lab. He told me that this student comes from a very poor family and his father had just recently had one of his feet cut off because of some disease. So the family almost barely make ends meet, thus my student had to work extra hard until late at night to support his family. Life is now a struggle for him.

If the family receive no help, he might drop out of school.

Pity.

This is the thing I always preach to my students. Life is not always sweet and beautiful. When the storm comes and hit you badly, be prepared to crawl on your knees and hands to continue. But believe it or not, when I told his case to my waiting students after the conversation with my colleague, a few students said that their life are GUARANTEED to be well.

And I solemnly cursed them aloud - mostly wishing death and destruction to their family and property. I really did.

ATTENTION!!! ATTENTION!!!

I hereby today had divorced my poisonous snake of a wife at 10.05 am in the Syarie Court. Now I hope she would suffer the gargantuan avalanche of anger from her family and immediate relatives [because my in-laws simply adored me].

Take that you stupid arrogant bitch. A whole year of mental torture I endured, and she cannot even afford a lawyer in the end.

Will spend the rest of the day doing the same things I always do. Oh viva la vida! Tra la la la.

Shadowthorne's Sister, His Nephew, Niece And Her Maid

My sister arrived yesterday from the capital city, bringing her two children, plus a maid. My niece, a girl of 4 is dark like her mother, and may inherit her laser tongue as well. Her fairer little brother is almost a year old and has an instant liking for me, and followed me around, which was quite weird because he used to cry whenever I approached last time I met him two months ago. Short term memory loss? He's an adorable little tyke.

My sister, an engineer has a two storey house very near to Subang Parade (which looks big from outside, but really not that spacious when within). She commandeers her house like a tight ship because there are many rules for many things. Do not use the upstairs toilet. Used clothes must be immediately put into washing machine. Wash the glasses and plates you used. Never open the back door. Put the toys back after use. etc etc. You might say these are all common rules in the house, well of course they are until she literally breathed down your neck whenever you are going to disobey her rules.

Her husband is a bit layback like me (but very less evil).

She is also very obsessive with cleanliness. Even her in-laws are having the same problem. She used to sweep the floor right in front of her in-laws (in the Malay culture, such act is a very very pointed way to show that 'you are not welcomed in my house'). My mom was SO angry when knowing this and berated her loud enough for the next-door's dog to bark. But I think my sister didn't even care what people think because a dirty floor is a dirty floor. She's that kind of person, not very tactful.

And this morning, she had her maid spring cleaning my mom's entire house (which is much bigger than her home). Marble floor mopped, furniture scrubbed, mirrors and glass wiped, front swept, cobwebs removed, dust vacuumed etc. Fortunately for her, the girl is very efficient and quite bright. I'd imagine my sister would fry someone who is of lesser quality.

And she pointedly told me that I should get my mom a maid too. Yeah, wait till my ferret rides a bicycle first.

p.s. - Pic is NOT of the maid. And NO, I don't have fetishes concerning maids or any domestic help.