Celebrating Deepavali

November 5, 2018.Reading time 10 minutes.

I don’t get excited any more. I don’t think even my much younger nieces and nephews get excited. The one person in the family who does is my mum. We know Deepavali is happening because of the almost childlike excitement my mum exudes. Her joy and enthusiasm are palpable. She gets into prep mode, well […]

French

October 29, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

I like the way French sounds to my ears. Almost musical with the right intonations. If I could feel the French language, I would say it would be like a bed of pillowy soft marshmallows. I don’t speak French. I wish I could. My Indian tongue gets twisted and I mangle the words. Whatever words I […]

Taboos and unmentionables

October 22, 2018.Reading time 7 minutes.

Unmentionables that we try not to mention

A whatsapp exchange on my siblings’ chat group got me thinking about how I, we, and a good number of people I know, consider it taboo to say certain things that we believe is unlucky or a bad omen. Anything remotely related to dying is unmentionable. Equally off-limits are inferences to falling sick, losing jobs […]

A no-plan holiday in Somerset

October 15, 2018.Reading time 10 minutes.

Picturesque villages everywhere in Somerset

We spent close to a week in Downhead, Somerset. The plan for this particular holiday was to have no plan. A sort of free and easy sojourn, which is rather easy to organise when there is just the two of you. My husband and I decided to wing it when we got to Downhead, a […]

Labels

October 8, 2018.Reading time 5 minutes.

I don’t believe in labels or being pigeon-holed. That said, I’m probably a Type A personality. In fact, I wish I wasn’t as I would probably feel less stressed about life. I can’t find a reason or excuse for this personality flaw except to place the blame squarely on my DNA. My parents were not […]

Invisible people

October 1, 2018.Reading time 5 minutes.

Invisibly and quietly doing all types of jobs

Issues relating to foreign workers emerge regularly in Malaysia. Hiring programs, levies imposed, illegal and legal status, recruitment agents and negotiations with source countries are some recurring topics.

A tetchy ex-home worker

September 24, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

I have worked from home for over 20 years. I liked what I did but I had a niggle. An element of irritation and tetchiness kept roaring its ugly head, now and again.

Pinocchio is everywhere

September 11, 2018.Reading time 7 minutes.

It flabbergast me how people can lie with a straight face, and worse yet, repeat the lie. I read and listen to ludicrous explanations being spewed and the fantasy story telling that continues week after week. This has happened and is happening almost every day and everywhere.

Do now list

August 12, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

If we knew we were going to die in a year or within a specific time frame, what would we do? This is not a morbid thought or question, if anything it made me think about what I wanted, liked and enjoyed most in my life. My husband and I intermittently speak about what we would […]

Old and older

August 1, 2018.Reading time 8 minutes.

Age has a way of happening. You get a bit older every year, but the ‘getting older’ process is so gradual that it sort of sneaks up on you. I felt like the face, body and mind, and the general attitude packed-up and forgot to tell me about it.