Reactions

November 11, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

I don’t always get the reaction I want or would like. After the time invested, detailed planning and injection of that all important, element of surprise, it fails. Not entirely as there are a few gushes. ‘Ahs’ and ‘oohs’. Certainly not the exuberant reaction I expected. It happens. A little disappointed, yes. But, certainly not […]

“I do”

November 4, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

Bjorn and Jennifer’s wedding was wonderful. The bride looked lovely in her gorgeous beaded gown with a corset back. My nephew, the groom, scrubbed up well and appeared spiffy in his navy blue jacket and khaki pants. The groom and bride had three groomsmen and three bridesmaids respectively. Family and friends were well represented. With a […]

Deepavali difference

October 28, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

Yesterday was Deepavali, the Festival of Lights. My mum’s favourite celebration since she was a little girl. Every year, the mental preparation for the big day starts many months earlier. How do I know this? She loves to talk about her Deepavali plans: cakes (must-haves), number of guests (the usual suspects) menu for the day (similar […]

Value of things

October 14, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

Should a porridge soup cooker cost the same as a brunch for two people? Should a hotel room per night cost as much as or more than some people’s monthly grocery bill or salary? Naturally, I am not comparing like for like. But, it made me wonder what I was willing to pay for the different […]

Irony

October 7, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.

When I was five, I wanted a bicycle. Not any bicycle. A two-wheel bicycle with pneumatic tyres. Preferably pink in colour. I used to watch this girl, who was a little older than me, ride along the road, in front of my house in Alor Setar. I wanted a bike just like hers. My dad […]

My mum

September 23, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

I cannot picture my mum as a child. All mums must have been children once, for sure. But, I can’t imagine mine being young and doing the stuff children do – play, have childhood friends, go to school etc. etc. I’ve known my mum all my life, but only as an adult. She was 28 […]

Sisters and brothers

September 9, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

Sister number three and I had a chat on WhatsApp a few weeks ago. It started on a general note, as it normally does. With questions about how we were and goings-on in our respective lives. We also talked about family events that are happening in the last four months of this year – our grandniece […]

Dolphins of Monkey Mia

September 2, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

Up close with the bottlenose dolphins in Monkey Mia.

Selfie Musuem

August 26, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

It was a coincidence. My husband and I were having dinner at the Pavilion mall in Kuala Lumpur. I couldn’t help but notice a woman, she had her back to me, snapping photo after photo of herself. She was reviewing and editing every shot, probably using an app that was intended to make you look […]