It wasn’t me

June 29, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

I always wonder if it’s just me being ‘bodoh’ or stupid. What did I miss? What didn’t I read right? Did I tap the wrong key? Usually, I cannot be absolutely certain of my innocence. But this time, I am pretty sure it wasn’t me. I know the familiar drill. If something goes wrong with […]

I, me and myself

June 15, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

It’s June. Six months into 2020. I was flipping through my table-top calendar (yes, it’s not digital) to check what I had jotted down in January for the rest of the year. Stopped in March, which was my birthday month, not the whole month. Although I do try to stretch my birthday for as many […]

Humpty Dumpty

May 11, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

I had a Humpty Dumpty moment a while ago. I tripped over my own foot, fell hard on my right bum and hit my head against the wall. This happened in my living room. The floor in my condo is flat. I had on my reliable Nike trainers. I was doing my morning aerobics exercise. […]

Wash. Clean. Repeat. Wash. Cook. Repeat.

May 4, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

Wiped all surfaces. Dusted rugs. Vacuumed floors. Scrubbed sinks and bathroom floors. Cleaned toilets. Repeated the sequence at my mum’s unit. The following week – washed, cleaned and repeated the routine at my unit, and then my mum’s. Hard work these. I like a clean house and bathroom just like the next person. But, I […]

My mum’s recipe 2: Muruku

April 13, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

I like my mum’s ‘muruku’ best. Of all the savoury delicacies at Deepavali, ‘muruku’ or crunchy crackers is my favourite. Golden brown with little ‘mullus’ or spikes. Twisted, like a pretzel but not quite. A textured consistency with just the right snap. Yummy and flavourful. Not biased. Just honest. My mum’s ‘muruku’ should come with […]

Online delivery

April 6, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

I am hunkering down like most Malaysians. Staying at home. Washing my hands. Social distancing. I am also trying to help flatten the curve by minimising physical shopping and physical contact at supermarkets. Since the Movement Control Order (MCO) on March 18, I have been to the supermarket thrice. The pre-shop planning and post-shop sanitizing […]

Social distancing

March 30, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

Social distancing fits me to a T. I have been practising social distancing all my life. I welcome it. In fact, one of my pet peeves is people invading my personal space. I cannot and still cannot understand why people sidle up so close. Literally and obliviously in my face. It’s not that I am […]

Thin and not thin

March 16, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

I didn’t do a facial for a very long time. I eventually decided to book one. It was not because I thought it would help me look like I wish I did – not likely to happen. It was to not lose the balance on the package that I had signed up for. The aesthetician, […]

Sad but hopeful

March 9, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

I was sad. I was disappointed. How did this happen? From February 23, 2020 to March 1, 2020 – the government that I had voted in was no more. In just one week, the political landscape in Malaysia underwent a radical make-over. Although not quite the same, it reminded me of Project Runaway’s oft-quoted line, […]

Eating out, and together

February 24, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

Eating out is mostly enjoyable in Malaysia. The choices are plenty. Food is usually delicious. Prices are generally reasonable. But, expecting meals to be served together, at the same time, is not always a given. I am not referring to food courts or mamak stalls, where synchronising is a little difficult. Because we are likely […]