be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart.

Malaysia's Cunning Linguists

Kuala Lumpur, 7 April 2008: Spurred by a landmark decision by the Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development to encourage intimacy among Malaysians and to exercise population control through innovate methods, a Kedah-based toothpaste manufacturer today launched it's new line of toothpastes, aptly named Oral-Me.

The move was lauded by many Youth and Religious groups, who praised the Ministry for taking steps to connect with Malaysia's growing youth population. This move also signifies how seriously the Ministry is committed to raising its image and putting it's mouth where the money is after vowing to overcome the humiliating defeat of former Minister of KPWKM, Datuk Sharizat Abdul Jalil.

Public health activists were also pleased with the manufacturers decision to add the sub-text "My Choice" to the title, viewing it as an indicator that the corporate sector is seriously committed to the rights of individuals over their bodies, and to curbing sexually transmitted infections. Mr. John Kunasegaran, a social activist who works closely with Malaysia's orally active community, the Cheers-Toastmasters, said "I think it is very good that they are trying to reach out to the youth through different methods. It clearly shows a growing understanding within the government to recognize the rights of individuals, and to support it by encouraging companies to sell products that have important-social health benefits".



*The article is fake..........but the toothpaste is Real! I promise you.

it.speaks.

I believe that things happen for a reason.

I believe that the Universe sends us numerous signs along the way.

I hesitate to chalk things up to being coincidental or at the mercy of 'randomness'.

In the past few days, my ' "random" word-generator' sent me these words:

woebegone:

1. Beset or overwhelmed with woe; immersed in grief or sorrow; woeful.
2. Being in a sorry condition; dismal-looking; dilapidated; run-down.

bellwether:

A leader of a movement or activity; also, a leading indicator of future trends.

deus ex machina:

1. In ancient Greek and Roman drama, a god introduced by means of a crane to unravel and resolve the plot.
2. Any active agent who appears unexpectedly to solve an apparently insoluble difficulty.

jollification:

Merrymaking; festivity; revelry.

rara avis:

A rare or unique person or thing.

Maybe in times of confusion and sorrow, we imagine signs.

Maybe the signs really exist.

Is there a link? Why not.

The Universe speaks to us....do we listen?

I try. I do.

the.gold & the.coal

Sometimes things don't go, after all,
from bad to worse.
Some years, muscadel faces down frost;
green thrives; the crops don't fail.
Sometimes a man aims high, and all goes well.
A people sometimes will step back from war,
elect an honest man, decide they care enough,
that they can't leave some stranger poor.

Some men become what they were born for.
Sometimes our best intentions do not go amiss;
sometimes we do as we meant to.
The sun will sometimes melt
a field of sorrow
that seemed hard frozen;
may it happen for you.
-Sheenagh Pugh

There are good days. And there are uncertain days. I've had such tremendous support, so much so the bad days seem to have taken a step back in rejection.

I ought to be celebrating the good.days, but it's hard to ignore the worry of 'when will it end?'

How does an optimist reach this stage? How does she climb her way back up?

hollowblackswirldarkquestionsresistshelpwhy

I am sad.

It is a strange sadness. It moves like liquid, seeking room in crevices within me, filling them.

I don’t understand this sadness.

When I try to make sense of it, I see a black, swirling cloud. Sometimes it is smoky, the haziness compounds it mystery.

It’s thick and heavy. I try to push it, wade through it, brush it away, but it resists, and my efforts are futile.

Where does it come from? Why is it here? What does it want with me?

I do not know how to respond to this sadness.

I feel guilty. Ashamed. Worried. Unsettled.

I am not a sad person. I am one who is contented with her surroundings. I am optimistic. I am peaceful.

So why has this Stranger of Sadness come into my life?

I do not know.

But the discrepancy kills me.

I do not want to be sad.

What shall I do?

I know not.

amezce.etah.i

My dog is itchy.

And it's killing me.

One of my biggest concerns about possibly becoming a mother (in the distant future) is that I'll pass eczema on to my kids/grandkids. Sure, they don't know heckuvalot about eczema, but there are many clear signs that say it is hereditary.

My dog is itchy and scratchy and it breaks my heart to see her go through this.

What more with my own child?

Shortdog's itchy phase will soon pass when the bout of bacterial infection is treated, but eczema doesn't just.pass.

It stays.And haunts you.And dictates so much of what you do and feel.

It's a constant battle of will.spirit.esteem. to live with it.

It's not an inconvenient rash.

So, i'm sorry if i'm a little pissy today.

The Tactful Malaysian

Lady: "Oh my Gawd, what happend to yer faace?!" *screwed up expression, unpleasant voice*

Me: "It's eczema." *blankly*

Lady: "Oh my Gawd, it's all oveer yer haands too!" *more wide-eyed exclamation*

Me: "Uh uh.". *bored*

That was a bit of a conversation between me and a lady yesterday. Malaysians are full of this. I say Malaysians, as a somewhat over-generalization, because in the 1 1/4 years that I was away from Malaysia, not once did I have someone come up to me and say things like that.

During the 21 years in Malaysia, however, I've experienced this countless times. If it's not shock and horror over my skin (sometimes later masked with sympathy & yet another "magical remedy suggestion"), it's "Wah, you've become so fat" or "Aiyo, why are you so big?".

True story, my friend.