Image via : Papa Razzi1

My family and I decided to carry out and experiment over August and September. We did this because every year without fail, our customer base dips beginning September. I don’t know why - maybe it’s the weather, maybe people just don’t like eating in September, maybe there are lots of holidays in September. Whatever the reason, Sara, Sam, Mum and I decided to prepare ourselves for the slow months by trying to save as much as possible. I suggested that we try eating at home as much as possible.

You know how it goes. Even though we’re in the food business and there is ALWAYS delicious, home cooked food at the end of the day, the kids (me included) like to eat out once in a while. Well that “once in a while” eventually became :

• KFC on Friday afternoons after school
• Wednesday evening at the Food Court because Sam would come home from school activities late and it’s easier to just eat out and let someone else wash up
• Saturday dinner after our regular trip to the mall.
• Sunday dinner because it’s Sunday

Then there would always be one excuse or another to grab a snack once or twice a week, and these snacks would eventually end up costing as much as a dinner for four.

We decided that other than our weekend meals, we would eat at home. Each meal we ate at home allowed us to save at least RM25 to RM45. At the end of two months of eating at home, I calculated (based on our average eat-out bill, 3 times per week) that we saved RM905! Whoa! That’s RM450 a month just for eating out and snacking. And that’s only eating at my kids’ favorite budget places like McDonalds, KFC etc. Imagine how much we would be spending if we were in the habit of snacking at more fancy restaurants.

So the whole point of this post is this. If you think you’ve got it tough trying to make ends meet, try looking at what you’re spending to fill your tummy.

We’ve decided to keep eating in. At an average of RM400 savings a month, it adds up to RM4800 a year! That money would be better off in our holiday piggy bank or in the children’s education fund.

Think about it. Eat in and save. It justs takes a little self-control!

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Here’s an interesting article on the New Straits Times for all gentlemen out there. Seems that if your critical body part down there finds it difficult to stand at attention, then you are at risk of vascular problems!

Image from Sausagewars.com WHAT’S good for your penis is also good for your heart. That’s what health industry sources are finding out. Consultant urologist Dr Peter Ng Eng Pin says chest pains used to be one of the only outward indications of heart disease. But now, erectile dysfunction (ED) is the new warning sign of underlying vascular problems. “The penis is a dipstick to your health. When that is down, your health is down as well. “In many studies in was reported that more than 50 per cent of men with ED developed a heart condition within three years. “It used to be the other way around, where people with heart problems had ED. Now, we’re learning that ED is a warning for more serious diseases.” ED is an early manifestation of the blood vessel damage caused by high blood pressure, diabetes and other heart disease risk factors.

Well all I can say is this is really good news. If this article is true, then I am far from having vascular problems. Every time I look at my wife proves it.

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Image from : Le Silly

The Chinese Hungry Ghost Month usually falls in the month of August. As a Christian, this is not supposed to be of any significance to me, but let me share my experience with you.

On the eve of Merdeka seven years ago in 2001, while we were on our way home from the mall, I was driving across the Kota Bridge. There was a power failure and the street lights were not lit. As we were quarter of the way across the bridge, I looked over to the GoldCourse Hotel on my right which seemed so beautiful in the darkness of the night. Next thing I knew, there was a sickeningly loud crash and my head smacked into the steering wheel. I greeted my first car accident with a loud “Aiyooooh…S**T! What am I going to do now!”.

It was the seventh month. I didn’t take notice of the fact back then.

In 2002, while on our way back from the mall again, there was a loud squeel from the engine. Then the air-con died. The compressor was shot. I figured it must have been because the night before I had to rev my engine through 100 metres of flood water. Co-incidence perhaps but it was the seventh month.

The following year (2003), driving home again after visiting a friend, there was a loud explosion followed by a “ketak… ketak… ketak” sound. Stopping by the side of the road, I found my left rear tyre flat. What made it flat? A stubby bolt. Not a sharp one mind you - a stubby bolt. I thought it must have been because I had this habit of over-inflating my tires but it was the seventh month.

In 2004, the squeel came back suddenly one morning. Quick as lightning, I turned off my air-con, braved the heat and shot off to my air-con service centre. It could have been the air-con compressor they said, but fortunately this time it was just the fan that died which caused the engine to overwork. It cost RM100 plus to fix, and at least it was cheaper than replacing the compressor, but it was the seventh month.

2005 saw my engine overheating. It wasn’t the radiator. It wasn’t the thermostat. It was a very simple but expensive-to-fix engine gasket. RM500 down the drain to fix it. Seventh month.

Then in 2006 while happily driving near my house, there was suddenly a “click-clack-click-clack” sound. Drove home and checked underneath my car. There was an 8 inch wire that pierced the side of my right rear tyre. Not directly into the flat surface of the tire mind you - it was the SIDE wall of the tyre. If it was a seven-inch wire, I would truly have freaked out.

So before every seventh month since 2002, even though I have spared NO expense to service my car to make sure nothing goes wrong, it has. I wondered how long it would go on.

Then in 2007, I had an encounter with the devil himself. You guessed it… it was the seventh month.

BUT… I think that was the final song and this year, (shhh… don’t say it loud) I have managed to go through the seventh month without any problems. Could it REALLY be a coincidence that last year’s encounter with the Devil himself was the SEVENTH and perhaps the last???

No I won’t sell my car. I’ve promised I will give it to my son when he turns 18. I also didn’t want to admit I lost to a supersitious belief. Anyway… I’m NOT supposed to believe that these things happened because of the seventh month! Thinking back, I wonder if all these were caused by my subconscious… knowing at the back of my mind that it was the seventh month.

How’s that for a story huh? I swear… it’s true. No bluffing.

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Every August, my kids will come home singing Merdeka songs that they learnt in school. Sara came home one day and asked if I could find the lyrics to the song “Warisan” written by Sudirman Hj. Arshad who in my opinion is the greatest Malaysian lyricist.

Anyway, after downloading the song and playing it, my mind immediately recalled this beautiful, emotive love song for our beautiful country called Malaysia.

As we go through the pains of rediscovering democracy, let’s not look at the color of our skin but look at our hearts. We are ALL Malaysians, brothers and sisters on earth - equally loved by God.

Warisan (Heritage)
Sudirman Hj. Arshad (1954 - 1992)

Disini lahirnya sebuah cinta
Yang murni abadi sejati
Disini tersemai cita cita
Bercambah menjadi warisan

Here a love is born,
Noble, eternal and pure,
Here hopes and dreams are sown
To blossom into a nation’s heritage…

Andai ku terbuang tak diterima
Andai aku disingkirkan
Kemana harusku bawakan
Kemana harusku semaikan cinta ini

If ever I am rejected, unaccepted
If ever I am left by the wayside
Where would I take,
Where would I sow this love of mine

Betapa
Dibumi ini ku melangkah
Keutara selatan timur dan barat
Ku jejaki

Wherever on this earth
Should I walk,
To the North, South, East and West,
Should I travel…

Aku bukanlah seorang perwira
Gagah menghunus senjata
Namun hati rela berjuang
Walau dengan cara sendiri
Demi cinta ini

I am not a warrior,
Bravely going into battle,
But my heart is willing to fight
In my own way
For the love of my country…

Ku ingin kotakan seribu janji
Sepanjang kedewasaan ini
Ku ingin sampaikan pesanan
Aku lah penyambung warisan

I will fullfil my promise
Through all my life
To declare that
I am the a child of My Country

Please excuse my unqualified translation to English.

Happy Merdeka Malaysia…

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Well, well, well, looks like the folks in Permatang Pauh have set us on a journey into the unknown. By electing Anwar Ibrahim back into Parliament, we should at the very least expect the opposition (with any luck they will be the ruling party soon) to be a much stronger force to be reckoned with.

I’ve been meaning to write this for a long time now, but I’ve never written a politically motivated post before. I originally wanted to title my post “Why I would vote for Anwar Ibrahim”… but being always behind time is not a good way to write anything constructive.

In any case, my reason for writing “Why I would vote for Anwar Ibrahim” was to get things off my chest. Talking to friends and acquaiantences is okay, but I figured I might as well shoot off my mouth for once about how I feel all over the Internet. Perhaps the high-and-mighty-nose-in-the-clouds people in Parliament will somehow read.

To tell you the truth, my reasons for “Why I would vote for Anwar Ibrahim” is not really because of support for him or for PKR, but because of my growing disgust with Barisan Nasional.

I can go on and on, spouting my half past six political views which can easily be shot down by a half drunken, money-power-and-sex maniac MP, so I will just state some of the things that have made me fed up of Barisan Nasional :

• Rising fuel and food prices. Ordinary folks are struggling to keep their heads above water but we see obvious mismanagement of public funds and politicians getting fat living the good life. No, not just the politicians - even people we know who are well connected are sharing in the plunder. No need to state specifics. Just look around and you will have your own story to tell.
• One particular moron ex-Minister turned unwitting porn star in particular disgusts me. After years of cheating on his wife, he dares to declare that at least has the “moral courage” to admit what he did. Yeah… so if he becomes the leader of one of the biggest parties in Malaysia, he’s telling everyone “Hey… look at me! I screwed around behind my wife’s back for years. I was caught, but heck I’m sorry… I’m still a good guy… next time round I’ll check for hidden cameras. For now, vote for ME!”. I dare say this is one of the major reasons I would vote for Anwas Ibrahim. If a senior Minister who’s fairly decent and responsible on the outside is actually is actually enjoying the “fruits” of his position, I can’t imagine the other lesser “leaders” who don’t even look half as intelligent. What kind of message are we sending to our children if such a person leads a major party in this country?
• Another ex (now dead) MP who “allegedly” built a palace without approval right in the midst of people struggling to make ends meet. This is just the kind of arrogance and greed that we hard working souls are tired of.
• A growing arrogance exists everywhere - from the management of local town councils to the administration of schools. They don’t have to say anything. Their actions scream “Hey… I work for the BN government. I can do anything I like” and they continue to rub salt in the wounded pride of hard-working folks with policies and inefficiency.
• Morons who keep shouting “ketuanan Melayu”. Look, before you go and stick voodoo pins in a doll, I love and hate Malays, Chinese and Indians equally. I believe there are as many idiotic Malays as there are Chinese and Indians. But I’m tired of having to explain to my children that there are some things that they cannot say to their friends even if it’s the truth because somewhere, somehow, there is an unwritten law that a certain race must always be protected from “sensitive” issues.

Hey BN… I was born in Malaysia. I am a living breathing Malaysian. I want EQUAL rights. After 51 years of Merdeka, we are still afraid to talk to each other openly and honestly. Now, all the feelings of frustration and hate have come to the surface and threaten to explode in another May 13.

So let me relate a small incident that tells me why this country is in the state that it’s in. An ex-colleague of mine once asked me to join the MCA. I replied that I wasn’t in the least interested in politics and I didn’t think I could serve the community. His reply?

“Hey man… you think I and all the others joined *** to serve the community? Podah man… I joined because I can make contacts with other businessmen. Now whenever there is a project, we are the first to hear of the opportunity so we get to make money. I scratch my back you scratch mine lah”

So that got me thinking… this is why Malaysia is going down the drain.

In any case, I digress. This post is titled “2 Ugly Durians And The Permatang Pauh By Election”. Here’s the reason for the unusual title.

2 nights ago, my inquisitive children Sam and Sara asked me who “Anwar Ibrahim” was. I explained who he was and why he was now in the news almost daily. I tried to explain the problems with our present government as best as I could in simple terms they could understand.

They asked me “If Anwar was in jail years ago, doesn’t that make him a bad man?”

Followed by “So, why do we want him to be a leader now?”

I almost pengsan at the question. How to answer? So the first thing that came to mind was durians. I asked them “Imagine we have 2 durians. We open one and find that it’s full of worms. The other one also looks just as ugly from the outside and everyone also says that it’s ugly, but we don’t know for sure. What do you think we should do? Should we just throw away the second one away?”

Sara, my smartie-pants 8 year old quickly said “No-lah! Why so stupid. We already know the first durian is full of worms we can throw away lah. But just because the second durian looks ugly on the outside doesn’t mean that it’s really bad on the inside. We have to open it and see for ourselves lah. Only then we will know for sure mah…”

And so my dear friends… for all my life, I have lived and tolerated a durian that grows uglier by the day and is so full of worms it has rotted to the core. I now have a choice to try another durian that may be beautiful inside although it looks just as ugly on the outside.

Life is about making decisions. And sometimes you have to take risks.

I’ve had enough of the present ugly durian called Barisan, thank you.

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