absolut ginger

I have been spending my last days of the Ox Lunar year and beginning of the Tiger Lunar year in Port Weld or Kuala Sepetang, Taiping. Nothing beats going back to hometown for Chinese New Year celebration.

As the new year was drawing near, there were many last minute preparation. Including last minute hair cut! My third aunt has been in the hair styling and dressing business for over 50 years. Apart from being a hair dresser, she’s also a matchmaker and make-up artist. She is quite well known in this small kampong, Kuala Sepetang.

Antique curlers!

I had the chance to listen to stories by my aunt of her customers, mostly elderly ladies. She told me, two days before the 30th night (last day of the Ox Year in Chinese calendar), she went to the other side of the river to help 4 old aunties in their 80s and 90s to do their hair as some of the elderly ladies could not walk, what more to take a boat to the hair salon for a hairdo. So, she took the initiative to offer her service on house calls. In fact, she has been doing this for the past few years!

It’s funny to hear that, these elderly ladies keep telling my aunt not to die before they do, as they all need to look good for Chinese new year for their grandchildren and great grandchildren. It’s sad that modern salons do not take in elderly people and some even fend them off or tell them that their salons are closed whenever the elderly approach them for a hair cut.

My aunt who is in her 60s laughed so hard whenever these elderly ladies told her not to die before them. So, my aunt said, she would come to do their hair every year till she couldn’t even walk herself and she would crawl to their house to do their hair too! Haha!! It’s so damn funny! I hope these ladies are still there next year as I intend to go with my aunt and take their pictures.

This is how you roll the curlers

I have a story for this particular aunty who came on the 12th February. My aunt said, she’s the mid wife for my late grandmother when she (my grandma) was giving birth to my late uncle (who died in kidney transplant surgery in India). Imagine both my uncle and grandma had passed on and this nice little old lady is going strong till her 90s. She’s slightly deaf. After we served her a cup of kopi O and as she complained of aches in her butt whenever she sits on a plastic chair, my aunt let her sit on a cushioned chair this time. She didn’t complain this time round.

Hair sprays, gel, foam, combs, brush, for hair styling

While waiting for her hair to curl up, a deaf and mute guy who washes my aunt’s house every year came for a hair cut. My aunt said, when he was washing her house the day before, she was rather busy so she didn’t have time to cut his hair. She told him to come the next day. On how to communicate “come tomorrow” in deaf and mute language, my aunt asked him to go home to sleep by clasping both her hands together and put them to her cheek, closed her eyes and pretend to sleep, then roll her fingers to next. He understood and came the next day. My third aunt is a genius!

My third aunt only charges RM20 for perming hair for the elderly! On why didn’t she charge more since it’s Chinese new year like everybody else, she reasoned that these clients have been with her the past 50 years. Some of them have been with her since they were in their 20s till they are in their 70s and 80s now! I am humbled by her stories and learn that there are people who weigh kindred spirits and compassion more importantly than inflation and money in this small little village called Kuala Sepetang. Buddha says, “Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.” I saw all three in my third aunt.

I am glad I could spend more time with my aunts this Chinese new year holiday.

6 Comments | In: Celebrations, Journey of the Soul | | #
Posted by Gina

2009 has been a challenging year. It moved on really fast – totally like in a blink of an eye. In just 365 days, I have put on more weight (geez!), traveled to a few nice places with family and friends, celebrated a new beginning for my sister, so on and so forth. Decided to come up with a short chronology on how the year came and gone.

16th January – Became witness and photographer for a dear friend’s marriage registration at Putrajaya.

14th February – Datin cooked me a fantastic lunch for my birthday. Invited several friends to join and May baked me a nice oreo cheesecake.

27th February – Went to Macau/Hong Kong the second time. Visited long lost friend. Vincent.

5th April – By-election for Bukit Gantang – Changkat Jering where PAS won the votes in Chinese majority village – Kuala Sepetang, my late grandma’s hometown.

11th April – Ryne and Curly came back from Melbourne and we had a blast.

21st May – Kris Allen was crowned winner of the 8th American Idol, but we knew who the true winner was. Hehe! Glambert mania is on!

25th June – King of Pop, Michael Jackson passed on. May his soul rest in peace.

23rd July – Birth of little Terence – baby to the one who got hitched on 16th January.

25th July – Another great personality passed on. Rest in peace, Kak Yasmin.

6th August – Lenny finally sold off her house we went to Vietnam Kitchen for a feast.

9th September – My only sis got registered at Thean Hou Temple along with 239 couples in the afternoon session.

10th September – A dear friend underwent double heart valves replacement. This girl is a hero!

20th September – The chaotic yet, blissful wedding reception of my sis and bro-in-law. Thanks to my friends who shared with me this memorable event.

21st September – Yip proposed to Wai Ling in Japan.

26th September – Made a short trip to Bangkok. Was turned into a shopaholic overnight! You can get crazy over there!

9th October – Dimple returned to Malaysia for a short break. We went out for a chat over a great dinner and bid good bye to another year.

20th October – A short trip to Eastern China. Super impressed with the infrastructure and cleanliness.

29th October – My only uncle from my dad’s side who lived in Penang passed on.

23rd November – Adam Lambert launched his debut album, For Your Entertainment and got into trouble for simulating oral sex with a male dancer and sticking his tongue into his straight keyboardist’s throat. Scandalous!

5th December – Lenny, my buddy who now resides in Singapore with her lovely son and husband completed her first full marathon (42.2 km!!) in 6 hrs 17 mins. Way to go, buddy!

5th December – Visited Carcosa Seri Negara for the first and last time.

18th December – Despite all the differences we had for the past few years, I attended Sam’s wedding at Imbi Palace. Here’s wishing him much happiness and love.

19th December – My cousin brother in Penang welcomed a healthy baby girl to his family. Congratulations!

20th December – Brittany Murphy – (I loved her in Little Black Book), died of cardiac arrest. 2009 is indeed a bad year for celebrities!

25th December – Watched the must awaited movie, Muallaf.

29th December – Posted my first story in City of Shared Stories, Kuala Lumpur.

31st December – High Court decided to allow a Catholic weekly to use the word “Allah“. Probably the fairest news all year.

Chronology aside, this year I learn to truly appreciate true friends. I was very touched when a friend helped another during the passing of the latter’s dad. She helped without being prompted. She assisted a friend right throughout the whole process – from releasing the deceased from hospital till the day he was laid to rest. May he rest in peace. This friend, without complaints – lacking sleep,running back and forth with the family, helping the friend when she was at the most vulnerable state. This friend is a real champ. I am glad to have met this person.

I have met the kindest soul too. She raised RM10k for charity to assist children with congenital heart diseases to have a new lease of life and even climbed Mount Kinabalu as a tribute to friends and strangers who helped her to raise the fund! What a brave and determined young lady!

2009 is also a year of diseases. Firstly, the H1N1 outbreak in Mexico which took many lives sometime in April 2009 and spread all over the world. We were all told to be aware of second wave which might be even stronger than the first. I first heard of helicobacter which affected my colleague and also Kawasaki disease which affected a colleague’s 2 year old daughter. Diseases are getting more and peskier and there seemed to be a mutation pattern. This is really scary.

I think 2009 is probably the worst for politics. I foresee much worse to come. What to do if you have clowns running the country. There are infighting within parties and those idiots are too blinded by greed for power and money that they ignored the important things like economic crisis, climate changes, escalating crimes, brain drain etc.

Seriously, it’s all rhetoric when they want to implement “unity”. 1M this, 1M that. Kiss my ass. For God’s sake, if only they could just open their eyes wide and see that, actually most Malaysians are rather unified lot, save for a handful of idiots who think this country belongs to themselves only and probably can carry all their wealth and material things to the grave. What a bunch of morons. I think if only the government would put things into perspective and start to improve on infrastructures, safety, health care, education, prevent brain drain etc, this would directly affect the sentiments of the everyday people. “Unity” would eventually take place because everyone is happy.

Let’s hope 2010 will bring in more hope for the otherwise downward spiral running of the country. My dear loved ones and readers alike, I pray for your safety, peace and most importantly, good health. And as for myself, in addition to the three things, I am trying to learn to be less judgmental.

Happy Blessed New Year 2010!

11 Comments | In: Celebrations, Journey of the Soul, Note to Self | | #
Posted by Gina

As I was folding clothes while watching tv, mom came upstairs wheezing heavily. She complained shortness of breath and the need to rub ointment all over her joints when she finally settled down to rest after a laborious day. I told her to leave the clothes downstairs and we will help her to carry it up whenever we are back from work. I told her not to carry the pail of clothes upstairs but she wouldn’t listen. In fact, she never listens.

Yesterday was the first time I heard her genuinely complained about being tired and old. Most of the time, she refused to acknowledge she is aging and would do all things as if she were still in her 40s or 50s.  She’s 65 this year.

Since she sprained her left arm some five years ago, she no longer able to carry heavy things with her left arm. Even stirring the wok causes her pain. Thank goodness for my cousin brother who is the “executive chef”at home – he coined this for himself. He likes to cook, so he helps out a lot during weekends whenever he comes to my house to stay for the weekend. I am very bad at cutting things, so my mom or aunt always shoo me away from the kitchen. So, I made it a point to sweep and mop the floor on weekends whenever I could and do the laundry. And also, try to spend less time on the computer to talk to my mom.

As both of us are watching X Men on tv, she asked me questions – why is Storm’s hair white? Is Magneto the bad guy? Why is Cyclops wearing the sunglasses at night? I find her questions hilarious but it’s better than having no conversation at all. Then, both of us doze off in between the scenes and let television watched us instead.

I think I am the very few people who are lucky to be still staying together with parents. In fact, Time Magazine said, one of five things the U.S. can learn from China is, looking after the elderly. In China, children are still staying with the parents even when they are all grown up and being married. This has cultivated virtues of filial piety. How does filial piety help China’s economy? It was said that, they have a self funding system for the elderly i.e. home care as opposed to the U.S. whereby most senior citizens are cared for in old folks’ homes which are getting too expensive to be administered.

Okay. Before I deviate, what I am trying to say here is, I am fortunate enough to be witnessing the aging process of my parents’ everyday. Dad – despite his eccentricity at times, I think he had been quite a responsible father. Mom has always been there for us when we were young till today. She still worries for us constantly even when we are all adults now, making our own money and taking care of them. A slight change of routine would put her on edges. Even contemplation of getting a new job worries her. What if the new boss is an ass? What if it rains so heavily, you might get caught in the flash floods? Mom will always be mom, I guess. She will never cease to worry till her last day on earth.

Ask yourself this question – When was the last time you visited your parents?

12 Comments | In: Journey of the Soul, Society | | #
Posted by Gina

September will be a super busy month for me as well as the family. It’s my only sister’s big day – her wedding! This September, 9th – the registration and September, 20th – the reception.

Everyone is amazed that we are still that calm and cool. We don’t seem to fuss over things like other brides months before their marriage. When my sis told our colleagues that she is getting married, nobody actually believed her! Since she was pretty much going under the radar about her relationship with the Mechanic, nobody detected anything. It’s really funny that they are working at the same place and yet nobody seems to know anything. I must say we did a pretty good job at keeping secrets!

Well, now everybody is feeling the pressure already. Most invitation cards have been sent out to close relatives and friends, two photographers hired (one of them is me! So it’s free!), videographer, corsages for our girlfriends, mom and aunts have been trying on a few outfits and paraded in and out of their room for our approval, booking of hotels for outstation guests, buying a dress for registration day, hiring make-up artists (my cousin sister and another aunt), sorting seats for 63 tables, etc. Everyone is pretty excited. As I am writing this, I could feel my heart pounding extra harder!

I have yet to have sleepless nights. I guess the experience helping out with friend’s weddings as well as my brother’s paid off.

Wish me good luck in getting some decent shots.

PS.  I have yet to decide what to wear. My mom suggested bed sheet since that is the ONLY thing that I could fit in now… but I don’t think any of my friends will see me in a dress. LOL! Sorry!

19 Comments | In: Journey of the Soul, Kindred Spirits | | #
Posted by Gina

Crawling plant, taken in Kg. Baru, Hulu Langat, Selangor

After bouts of weird dreams, taking the elevator (made in see through glass!) to 59th floor, realizing I under packed for a trip – it was a 4 days trip, and I brought only one t shirt, buying cigarettes for my dad – having problems remembering what my dad likes, I bought Lucky Strike instead of Kent, asking an Indonesian man what nasi lemak he sells – sambal udang or sambal ikan bilis and he couldn’t understand my question – I woke up.

I simply don’t want to get out from the bed these few mornings! The rain this morning was particularly soothing and fresh. I just wanted to stay in bed for as long as I could!

The rain reminds me of my primary school song. It’s funny whenever there is rain, this song would somehow automatically play in my mind.

Angin bertiup, awan berarak
Itu tandanya hari nak hujan
Kilat meyabung, guruh berdentum
Itu tandanya hari nak hujan
Hujan pun turun
Membasah bumi
Penghuni alam
Rasa bersyukur

Have a pleasant weekend ahead.

7 Comments | In: Journey of the Soul | | #
Posted by Gina