Of Accidents & Accidents

Yesterday, the 24^th of November, I got a wakeup call at 1.07pm from MPH, telling me that I won a pair of tickets to the Twilight Saga: New Moon Movie Premiere! I was delighted beyond words. Well, mostly the words were “YES, YES!!” which didn’t exactly sum up my joy. I had a feeling I would win, and yes, my intuition is always pretty much accurate, not to brag. Just a matter of fact.

I immediately thought of calling Nazim, because I submitted his name as well, because I thought, if I win, I would only get a single ticket, not a pair. I wanted to call him straightaway, but I didn’t have credit for my Hotlink and my Celcom was barred. Which was a good thing at that time, because I thought, if Nazim had won as well, the girl from MPH would be calling him at that time, and I was right, yet again! He texted me using his friend’s number, saying, “Call me. Nazim. Credit habis.” I called him using my house phone, with my husky voice due to the sore throat I was having mixed with the barely-woken-up voice. As I had guessed, he won!

So now we have four tickets! People always say that rezeki tak masuk kalau bangun lambat. I felt as if I had interfered with fate and there must be price to pay. I don’t usually get good karma without bad karma tagging along.

The next day (today la), I had thought of waking up as early as 6.30am to “spy” my workplace for my internship. Surprisingly, I did, after having to wake up at midday almost everyday starting the holidays. I even slept at around 3am last night; playing the guitar and reading Twilight.

So after I showered and got ready, I went to the toilet to wash my hands. I can’t remember how, but I managed a deep cut on my finger. Being the superstitious and clairvoyant person that I am, I immediately took it as a bad omen. I am usually like that; if I trip or bleed or whatever early in the morning, I knew my day would go bad. People would say that it is all in the mind, but really, I don’t go about my day thinking I would get hit by a bus. I just knew in my heart that life runs that way.

So, I arrived at that place a little too early. I think I got there around 7.30am, I called up Nazim and told him my crazy stunt. He said that people come to work at 9am. Luckily I brought my Twilight book along. A girl arrived at around 8.10am and I started to feel embarrassed if she would recognize my face when I start interning there next week. She didn’t get in yet because the door was still locked. So eventually I stayed there until around 8.50am when I’ve made out the ratio of men to women working there. It would be the ratio of 2:10.

I thought of going to a mamak restaurant because I haven’t had breakfast and maybe I thought I’d pack home some roti canai or tosai for my parents. I circled the area twice but to my dismay, didn’t find any. So I thought of going to the one at Kinrara. I took the nearest road, which was pretty dangerous.

It was a dangerous road because first, it is an intersection between a housing area, and a busy highway. Plus, from that intersection, I needed to get to the 3^rd and the farthest lane from where I was, because immediately after that comes the U-turn. It was a sinister challenge as the road is constantly busy. There was a car in front of me, a BMW 3 series to be exact. I looked to the right to see the oncoming vehicles, and there was an opening. Usually, at this point of “life”, people jump onto opportunities like this and hardly hesitate. At least, that is my nature. I assumed, that the BMW in front of me would also “jump onto this opportunity”, but I was wrong when I hit the pedal and in turn hit the backside of the BMW. My jaw dropped. I reversed and almost hit the car behind me but thank God I did not. Imagine what could have happened then if I did haha! The horror!

So, an accident occurred. Big deal. I don’t know why some people get so upset over minor accidents when it can be solved by something as common as money. I got out of the car and I was sure my car was in tact and his car would be severely damaged. I look on the tarred road, and saw shattered glasses and that thing that was supposed to be “light bulb for a car”. I looked at his car and wondered where did the “light” fall from. Imagine my stupidity and horror back then when I found out that the “light” came from my car haha. The man looked anxious and frustrated. Can’t really remember what he said, all the while I tried to apologize profusely.

The wife on the other hand, had quite a clowning expression. Her face was happy, she appeared to be smiling, but I guess that maybe the effect of Botox, because then she said “Haiyaa, how can this happen. So silly la. The last time this happened we had to pay 1600 Ringgit you know. And just recently only!” in that Chinese slang of English I so despise. I just stared at her in amazement. I then told the man that I’d give him my number and I would discuss it with my Dad. And so we exchanged numbers.

I got back home with a dreaded fear, but only slightly. I didn’t think my parents would be so angry. When I got home though, they weren’t in. So I dumped my things in my bedroom, got downstairs to call Nazim and explain the situation, only to be criticized back, then I hung up. I called for consolation, not criticism. Then I played “Tumblebugs” while waiting for my parents to come back home.

After passing level 1; stage 2, they got home. I saw my Dad and said “Abah, Huril accident!” He looked slightly surprised. Can’t remember much what he said, but at first he appeared to be surprised, then angry lines etched around his eyes, then the frustration came. I think he may have asked what car, the dude’s race, and did the bumper fall. While he was busy being angry, I heard him muttered something but didn’t catch it and when I asked, he wouldn’t say it again.

My Mom saw us from the kitchen and asked what was going on and I said I had an accident, and my Dad said it too, adding the word “again”. I was thinking at that time, when was the last time I had accident, and it was a little over a year ago. So much for getting into an accident “again”. Her expression was blank at first. She may have said something but I couldn’t hear her at that time, because she was about 15 feet apart.

I thought my Dad wanted to take a look at that car so I grabbed the key and went to the kitchen to face my Mom. She asked where did it happen, the accident. I explained. I don’t think she understood what I was explaining when I told her about the danger of that intersection. Then she was getting pissed and angry saying she doesn’t understand what so “dangerous” and why must all get into accidents, then mentioning my elder brother reversing, then saying something about not being alert and all that jazz.

At that moment, my emotions started to build up. I turned back - as my Dad clearly didn’t want to take a look at the car at that time seeming that he was at the table, eating – and threw the key on the kitchen top, and went to my room. At the stairs, I asked Aiman where the police station was, trying very hard to suppress my tears but failed miserably.

It was a fucking accident for crying out loud.

I texted the BMW driver politely, because I believe in politeness, courteous, manner, and tact. I first texted him, saying, “I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name and your plate number. May I have them, please.” He gave. His name is Nicholas. Reminds me of Nicholas Sparks and wishing that every man is like him. Then after awhile, I texted again, “Thanks. Should we make a police report or do you want to settle it with money by how much you have to pay for the slight repair, sir?”. He didn’t reply but he called, and this time, he sounded sincerely sorry for me and spoke gently. He explained saying he located an external contracter instead of going to AutoBavaria and that it might be a couple of hundres (Instead of 1.6k, phew!) and that he’s a little busy and that we don’t have to make police report because of the hassle and all and that he’ll get back to me when he knows how much I have to pay. I was crying, and I have cold, so my voice was slightly alluring hehe.

Maybe it was an accident for me to step into this world in the first place.

Open Fire, Cease Fire

No, I'm talking about BACKFIRE.

Notice my last post I mentioned "technology rules"?

Well, yeah, have you ever heard of a saying that goes; don't praise something too much or talk bad about something so terribly lest it backfires and happens to you?

Well, of course you've never heard of it, I just created that a nanosecond ago.

So here's the story. Last night before I tucked into bed, I charged my phone. Well, I needed to sleep badly, but I also needed to have my phone charged so that I could wake up the next morning. Alarms, you know.

I rarely do this, but last night I had no choice. I charged my phone, and left it there until I woke up the next morning. I would normally pull out the charger once my phone is fully charged, which usually takes up about only an hour or so.

I slept at 2AM and woke up at 8AM.

So in the morning I pulled out the charger from my phone. Then a few moments after that Nazim called. After I hung up, there's this beep sound that resembles the sound when I charge my phone. I looked at my phone, and surprisingly, it was CHARGING! I was like, what the F?

I stared at it for a few minutes, mesmerized, then it suddenly went like "BATTERY FULL".

It was an iterative process. It kept going; charging-battery full-charging-battery full.

Up until one point when someone called me, I can't remember who, and we talked until my battery died.

I turned it back on because I know my phone has been acting like a pile of dung lately.

Heck, I only talked for like less than a minute!

Only after that did it stop being a lunatic, in terms of the 'charging-battery full' routine.

The battery is still a pile of muck.

HINT: I NEED A NEW PHONE!

Old School

Went into a small tepi jalan shop.

Found the traditional rollers.

Bought them.

And decided to try them on:

The outcome was dreadful.

I shall not embarrass myself in public.

Thank you (:

Now look at my little cousin, Alia (aged 10, I think) using them:

She looked like a grown girl! *ignore my "meditation"*

And her result was disastrous as well.

Lesson learned: Don't use traditional hair curlers/rollers if you're not a professional.

Technology rules in one way or another.

Think Twice Before You Look Twice

Today (or rather, yesterday), I heard twice on the radio; driving to and back from classes, about men and hot girls. So I decided to blog about it, taking it as a sign to finally "pen down" something after a long hiatus!

In the morning, I was listening to the Fly FM's Pagi Show with Phat Fabes, Ben and Nadia (God, I sound horribly like an advert). So Ben was complaining about one of the guys from the Cleo's 50 Most Eligible Bachelors or something (I'm sure every girl would know, myself included, only I haven't been reading the magazine -- or any magazine for that matter -- so I'm not so sure about the actual name/title for that). He stressed out that he has no hard feelings whatsoever towards this guy, Henry Golding, saying he's a nice and cool guy yada, yada. What bothered him was the fact that this kind of men and women, being Pan-Asians, are getting all the attention in the mass media; advertisements, magazines, television, etc. just because they're supposedly hotter and more glamorous and all. They were questioning, aren't we, being Chinese, Malays and Indians, hot enough to be getting as much attention?

See, I didn't hear till the end because I was already arriving at my campus. I did, however, hear enough about some people that do prefer looking at the usual crowd of Asians. Although most had said that it's all natural to be looking and paying more attention to people like the Pan-Asians, because, you know, they don't look typical and all that jazz. It's all in the mind.

Coincidently, I was just talking about it with Nazim the night before. It is ridiculously frustrating that they're getting all the attention. With their kind plastered on every inch of the wall at every corner of Malaysia, it makes you feel so bloody inferior if compared to! But I guess living in a multiracial country, we have to "accept" them and not just the usual Ali, Chong, and Muthu (or Pe'ah, Wen Jie, and Minachi) to live up to our reputation. They are partly Asian, after all.

On my way back home, I'm not sure it was Fly FM or Hitz.FM (I like flipping, yes), but I think it was Fly FM's Prem, who was doing all the talking. The reason I cannot be sure (because I am always so sure of myself) is because today, I decided to try a new route back home and I thought I knew the road (supposedly shorter than my usual route), but turned out I got LOST! So, wasn't paying my fullest attention to the radio. So, he was having this little "survey", where guys called in, I think, (because I wasn't in the car yet when this happened) about which do men prefer in women; BEAUTY or BRAIN (read: coming from Prem, he DID mention "beauty" first!). So he claimed most of guys answered : BRAIN *teeeeeeet!* Definitely a lie, right!

So, the girls called in. I remember one of them saying about it being a total lie (agreed upon) because yes, men maybe prefer the brains, but only eventually! They would obviously go for looks first, then they might think, oh this chick is dumb, I'd better just bed her then dump her. They would keep on doing the same evil thing until they've decided to settle down and pick "the right one". I would say, women, on the other hand, would definitely not  go for the looks straight away. Guys, I know what you're thinking : Oh of course, they search the pocket first! Which is not true for most decent, upright, and dignified women! 

Let's face it, how many hot men out there do you see walking with stout and sagging women? You can always, always, find hot girls accompanied by not-so-dashing men. This one dude called in, saying that men do like checking out hot girls. They would look twice, sometimes even FOUR times at the said women. They obviously, obviously like to LOOK. Us girls do "look" as well, but we'd only go like, "Oh my, what a bold and dazzling creation." Then, that's it. We don't fantasize anything like how they boys do it. Yes, I say boys because in truth, you men will always be boys.

As always, I can never have a proper ending to my blogs. I would always want to write more and more. Though space allows it, my time and mind do not. And, I never know how to end things. I always hate endings. What I can say is, guys, check out all the hot girls you want while you can. Just make sure when you do have a girlfriend or wife, don't make her feel ugly, EVER. Cherish her like how you'd always fantasize with someone hotter, and you'll be rewarded with the greatest brand of love you can never imagine from your fantasies. Better yet, know that they ARE hot in every single way. Hot girls are splattered everywhere around the globe. Girls, we simply rock, don't we? *wink*

PS, Personally, I don't think Henry Golding is all THAT hot. In fact, I don't think he's hot at all. Hmph! Jambu, sia!

Never Again

Oh curses.

I have a lousy zit on my right cheek.

Been eating too much fast food.

Should cut down, I should.

Why Study?

A few years back, in 2004 to be exact, my family and I went to the United Kingdom.

There, we went to Oxford, you know, where one of the greatest universities is located =P

From one of the shops, I bought this t-shirt that I haven't been wearing for quite some time.

When I bought it, it was pretty large for my size [I'm bite-size, yes].

And I wore it a few days back [which the t-shirt has now magically shrunk].

Having it bought at Oxford, here's what the t-shirt says:

The more I study,

The more I know.

The more I know,

The more I forget.

The more I forget,

The less I know.

SO WHY STUDY?!

Just thought I'd share it with you all (:

To Die or Not To Die?

Yesterday, I, along with my extended family (that is to say uncles, aunties and cousins - none removed lol), went to Sungai Sendat, Ulu Yam. We always have outings together as a whole family. Usually only within Malaysia, but the farthest being Indonesia.

So I woke up around 8.15AM to prepare the food. My Mom said we were to depart at 9AM. Still, we took our sweetest time doing anything but preparing ourselves. I was busy preparing the food, of course, but not bothering to rush a bit. Everyone else was busy doing something else. My younger brother was still asleep, even. My relatives had, needless to say, set out at around 9AM. Whilst my family were starting on the freeway at about 10.15AM.

The reception deep within the jungle was of course, poor. We had difficulties contacting our relatives to reach the river. We eventually made it, though, naturally. 

My little cousins were already soaked wet in the river. My uncles were starting to perch a small tent on a cement square. I suppose it was still early, for there were not many tourists yet, but enough to occupy all the limited gazebos. 

I changed my outfit and hesitantly dipped myself in the ice-cold water. I'm telling you, it was freakishly COLD. But that degree of coldness is only on the 4th tier of the many-tiers river! You wait.

So first, we swam around this so-called 4th tier of the river. Wait, actually, I dipped myself in the 4.5th tier hehe. This is kind of like the middle or the rocks within the 4.5th tier.

Then i progressed further to the 4th tier hehe. The depth was pretty shallow but it got deeper near the waterfall.

It was really nice. I swam and played around with my cousins. However, something bothered me a bit. There was this small group of youngsters (not to say that I'm old) who were about 15-17 years old, who were there as friends/couples. I'm not so sure. Whatever. My point being that, even if you are to go there with your lover (I'm referring to girls for now), do you have to be so shallow as to wear white shirt to the point that people can see your stunning nipples? Really. Wish I could inject some rationality into that girl's brain. Oh well. As long as she's content.

So you see the waterfall there? There were a bunch boys who slid down the waterfall, at first. I thought it was spooky. Still think it is actually. But at the end of the day, I slid down the waterfall, too! TWICE! My two girl-cousins and I! People were respecting us, naturally haha.

That is obviously me *rawr*. I know I looked stiff, hell it was scary! With that many spectators up there, PLUS DOWN THERE, I shudder to think what could have happened. Here's my cousin's friend who did the "stunt", too. Our stimulator, actually. His picture is a bit clearer because he did it first and my aunt managed to snap his picture using the digital camera! By the time it was my turn, it took me like 15 minutes to decide whether or not to slide. Eventually, the battery died and my aunt took mine using the phone camera.

He is one crazy fella. Doing it the Superman style. 

So this is where my first point comes in. Seeing other people doing it made it look fun. And safe. But still spooky in certain ways. I so wanted to do it that I couldn't think properly. It made me indecisive. It looked safe, so I told my cousins, let's do it! So we climbed up to advance to the 3rd tier. My younger cousin went first. It took her only like 5 minutes to decide. She was fine. When it was my turn, I thought of doubling back. I sat there, thinking. While the people around me threatened to push me if I even thought of backing out. I was like, oh what the hell. The current will push me. Halfway down the slide, I will be pushed forward at the concave. I SHOULD be safe. After my cousin's friend gave me tips on how to do it, I finally decided YES.

So I prayed to God to let me still live because I still need to seek repentance for my sins, and pushed myself forward. With the adrenaline rush, I couldn't remember what happened along the way. What I know is, my head almost hit the rocks when I've splashed into the water. I suppose my position was wrong. But I was glad I was alive! It was scary because I know I barely escaped unscathed. And I did it again. Another near-death experience. I swear, for that second time, if I was not careful, I could have broken my backbone.

Before all that, we advanced up the 2nd tier. Sorry I don't have pictures for this. Earlier we didn't think of bringing the camera along. And mind you, hiking up the slope was onerous. So, at the 2nd tier, the water was the ICIEST-COLDEST. At the waterfall towards the 3rd tier, there was this log. This log jutted out the waterfall, in which you can jump from the edge of the log into the 3rd tier. This waterfall you can't slide because it was too steep. So the guys there jumped from the log. This looked much harmless compared to sliding the 3rd tier waterfall. That's why we decided to "perform" this stunt, without thinking twice. 

However, once we've reached the edge of the log, we didn't just think twice, we thought a trillion times! This was harder than we anticipated. Of course there were many spectators. The whole time we were there, I was mostly with my two cousins, Nurul (17) and Kak Rina (24). During the early days, my family lacked female offsprings. So anyway, we kept changing turns. We were all SO SCARED to jump down the log. I was lucky to be the one in the middle. They kept arguing about, the oldest should go first. No, the youngest should go first. Ditto. Ditto.

In the end the age didn't matter. Still, we kept changing turns. Nurul went first bravely to the edge of the log. Scared. I volunteered. Scared. Kak Rina volunteered. Scared. Nurul volunteered. The same thing over and over again for literally about 30 minutes! Eventually, Nurul went first. She was fine, OF COURSE!

I went next. It took me awhile and this time, the ranking took place between me and Kak Rina. I was tired of waiting, I decided, Hell, I'll just go. And I did.

This is where my second point comes in. The moment I jumped, I immediately thought, "Oh fuck, what have I done?!?!". I swear, right after my feet left the log, my surrounding was EMPTY. I understood, then and there, that people who've committed suicide by jumping off buildings or any high places for that matter, didn't regret the decision when they're almost crashing on the ground, but the moment they felt nothing beneath their feet. It made me not ever want to, in any circumstances, commit suicide by jumping.

This, I did not attempt twice. Kak Rina, however, didn't attempt it at all! HAH! But, you know, this one was fairly safe. Compared to the waterfall-sliding, I think this decision was harder to make, though, because you yourself need to decide WHEN to jump, whereas for the sliding, the current pushes you, plus you can't see where you're going to fall. Jumping off the log, you see the bottom, and you're not confident if you're going to suddenly be light as a feather and hit the stone-wall.

My advice to you peasants seeking adventures out there, you ought to try these kind of things, provided someone else has done it before you! Haha. Really, I could still feel the adrenaline rush even before I went to bed that night.

So, to get back our blood in the right places, here's a picture of the old kinsfolk who could only dip their feet in the river for fear of the cold. They took care of the babies and food at our "camping site" like the makcik-makcik yang kuih tak laku. Hehehe... 

We went back at around 4.30PM. We were all so exhausted, but in good spirits. Luckily we had a tent, so we just changed our outfit in it. Tak yah bilas la, ye dak? Save time baa.

PS, Another thing that bothered us was there was this other couple, who sat on a tree trunk like a Pontianak, eating kuaci (dried melon seeds), and simply threw the shells into the river. It was an excruciating eye-sore. Please lah people, don't do this, okay? Promise? Sayang!

From left : Me, Kak Rina, Zahira, Nurul.

Yours truly,

Non-adrenaline Junkie.