absolut ginger

Yesterday, I went to the primary school to pick up the kids from their first day in school. Being so young and practically sheltered from outside world, I think parents these days are worried sick about their kids being in public places without hawk eye supervision.

I was one of the paranoid people. Even though, Sasha and Lok Lok are not my own, I worried for their safety as well. We would not know what kind of animal is out there, waiting to pounce if there is a chance to gain money out of their beastly inhumane acts.

Gone were the days of yesteryears, where our parents could just leave us in school after the first day and we could manage on our own. I still remember I could even take the express bus from Kuala Lumpur to Taiping on my own at age 15. No adult supervision. Just me, myself and I.

Today, a friend e-mailed me on the unfortunate things that happened to her friend on new year’s eve. I would like to share with you people. So, please be careful and be extra alert with your surroundings. Do not talk on the hand phone while walking to your cars. I totally loathe it when people do that.

— On Tue, 1/6/09, jo wrote:
From: jo
Date: Tuesday, January 6, 2009, 2:46 AM
Hey there,

I am fine now but still traumatised My forehead is still swollen but the clotted blood has moved to my eye. So, I have panda eye now. I need to wear shaded glasses to lecture as it is still very black and indedent. This is the description of the incident - I wrote this to be sent to the management office of my apartment:

On that day, I left my flat at about 6.45am to pick up my car which I had parked my car in front of the bus stop outside of the Menara Menjalara - it was just about 50 ft from the guard house and I even managed to say good morning to the guard on duty while leaving the guard house. When I approached the bus stop, I saw a couple (who are nicely dressed, of Indonesian nationality and they were there at the same spot yesterday) who were chatting there. I can see that they had left their motorcycle about a few cars away from the bus stop. I was not suspicious about them and went to get my car. As I was getting into my car, suddenly the girl and guy stand up and left for opposite directions. The girl went to the direction of their motorcysle and the guys charged at me. I was in my car and was about to close my car door when he smashed his helmet at me, on my forehead. I got panicked and started shouting at the top of my lung and pushing him away and I also managed to press the car alarm button. Luckily, the attacker left when I started shouting. The most shocking bit is that he was not scared or ran off immediately. He and his girl were actually watching from me where they park their motorcycle for a while.

Although I parked my car relatively near to the guard house (about 50feet), none of the guard actually came out to see what happen. I was so shocked and terrified and ran to the guard house. When I told the guard what happen, they did not give any reaction at all not did they volunteer to go and see if the attacker were still there. It was a nice resident who asked me to stay at the guard house and he went over to check if the attackers are still around. After the whole shocking incident, I went to report the incident with my brother in-law at the Kepong Polis station.

So, that is the end of my traumatic day. I was very lucky that the attacker only manage to hit my forehead, which is the hardest part of our skull. If he had hit any other part of my skull, I would have a fracture and concussion. I am having a swollen forehead now and a black eye too. This is a unfortunate incident that happen just outside our home and it is fortunate that nobody got hurt.

———–
So, becareful with any couples sitting nearby your cars. I had my lesson about rising crime rate in Malaysia. Scaryy!!!!!

Jo

On another unfortunate incident, I got to know that a friend was also attacked in front of her house in Cheras while she was opening the gate to her house to park her car inside.

She was pushed to the ground, and her glasses fell off. Having really bad eye sight, she cannot even see the face of the assailant. The assailant stomped on her glasses and then kicked her hard on her stomach while was lying on the ground. He made away with her handbag and let her writhed in pain.

Not too long ago, a friend went to attend wedding dinner in Cheras. Being late, he parked quite far away from the restaurant and had to walk quite a distance to the restaurant. After dinner, his friends decided to go for after hours drinking but my friend did not want to join them as he had to work tomorrow. So, one of the girlfriends asked if he could send her home, since she didn’t want to join her boyfriend and friends for drinks. He agreed.

As they were walking towards their car, they saw three men charging towards them. Instinct told them to run faster and boy, they did! They ran all their might and as fast as their legs could carry them. The three men then split into two groups, one going after my guy friend and two going after the girl. The girl, wearing high heels couldn’t run that fast and the assailants hit her on her head till she bled and made away with her hand bag. After getting what they wanted, they shouted at the other assailant who was hot on the guy friend’s heels to go back.

My guy friend ran back to check on the girl’s wound and called up the boyfriend to come pick her and go to the police station. The poor girl suffered a gash wound on her head.

And the Chief Police DARE to say that, our crime rate is still relatively safe (relative to what???) and all the delusional leaders in the lopsided scale party asked us to accept it! Bloody hell!

PS. DAP has been trying to meet the IGP since 2003 to talk about the escalating crimes. It has been 6 years and the police is still sleeping?

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Posted by Gina

A few days ago, I found two boys around age 8 to 10 loitering behind my house. They were so active and running all over the place, feeling excited. Actually, I hardly see any children running around behind my house till recently. Now I remember – it’s school holiday!

I saw the kids walking around with sticks and kept looking under my dad’s car. At first I thought it was the stupid neighbour’s small dog ran under my dad’s car. I watched as they tried to get the “dog” out just in case if they scratch my dad’s old car. After a few failed attempts they left.

I didn’t give it much thought till yesterday.

My cousin sister, Stephy told me, she overheard a commotion behind the house and decided to check it out. From our house balcony, she saw the kids were screaming with glee as they took out their self made sling shots and had a go at the cats.

Thinking it was merely a child’s play, Stephy didn’t really pay attention till she overheard one of them said, “I think I managed to hit the cat’s leg! It’s limping now! I can see blood!!”

Then, Stephy went out and was shocked to see that both of them took a narrow plank with a nail on it and started to shove it up and down the drain, hoping to get the scared cats out from its hiding so they could torture the cats further!

She shouted at them to stop. One of them heard and was alarmed that their actions were being watched. Yet, they kept shoving the plank with a nail towards the cats.

Stephy took out a pail of water and splashed at their side to get attention.

Being quite slow and retarded, they kept talking to each other and said someone was watching them but it didn’t occur to them to look up. Not very bright aren’t they?

My cousin shouted at them to look up. Then only these stupid morons looked up in shock. My cousin told them to go home to study if they have so much time at hand to chase after cats.

They left in a hurry but not without firing some shots at the birds clinging on the wires above our houses.

Fucking morons.

I don’t know how their parents teach their children about compassion. I guess everyone has some animal instincts in us but, animals kill for food and not pleasure. Or maybe they kill when they are provoked.

I wonder if these two children lead a very sad life at home where the mom is hit repeatedly by the father then, the mom hit the kids that they had to resort to venting their anger and frustration on hapless cats.

I know it might sound as if I am a hypocrite since I myself a meat eater. Well, like other “animals”, we eat meat because those meat are provided solely for consumption purposes. Cattles and chicken are reared and meant to be slaughtered and eaten. Or else, this world would run out of foodie bloggers. Haha!

Well, before I stray, what I am trying to say is that, these cats do not do anything harmful to you. In fact, I find with these cats around, there were less mice in my neighborhood.

And if you like to inflict pain on cats to show your superiority, by all means go ahead. It’s for people who have small balls or rather lack of, who would resort to hurting small and helpless animals in order for them to feel great.

So parents, if you have boisterous boys or girls, please check what they do to have fun during this school holiday. If running around the neighborhood and inflicting pains on small animals is an idea of fun for them, I suggest you take your kids to a psychiatrist for counseling. Maybe you ought to go to see a psychiatrist as well since you allow your children to do so. I think we have enough crimes these days and we do not wish for more serial killers coming from your houses.

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Posted by Gina

I had beer with a friend on Thursday night. I learned a lot from the chat we had. I find her a very motivated person despite many short comings.

I got to know her when we were merely teens and she was my sister’s schoolmate. We became close after she was briefly studying in TAR College and I took her under my wings.

She still remembers - I once chided her for being so timid that she needed my sister to accompany her to the ATM machine to make her first cash withdrawal.

My sis said to her, “You know! My sister said you are so useless! Go take money at ATM machine also don’t know how and need people to accompany! Chin Boh Eong!*”

*Chin boh eong means, useless in Hokkien.

She said, my three hokkien words etched in her heart for a very long time but in a good way.

Instead of thinking “Gina is a dumb f*ck bitch!!!” She contemplated on what I’ve said to her and thought to herself, “Am I really THAT useless? What can I do about it to improve?”

Indeed. Now, she is a proud owner of two successful beauty parlors.

Another friend shared with me some wise words from Dr Stephen R. Covey.

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our happiness.

The space between what happens to us and our response, our freedom to choose that response and the impact it can have upon our lives, beautifully illustrate that we can become a product of our decisions, not our conditions.

We have the power to choose our response to our circumstances. We have the power to shape our circumstances; indeed, we have the responsibility, and if we ignore this space, this freedom, this responsibility, the essence of our life and our legacy could be frustrated.”

I am glad she chose every right step arising from the three Hokkien words to be where she is now. (An almost negligible factor! I am sure there are other factors as well!)

I am not taking any credits in playing any role in her success. After all, her success is all her own doing through hard work and sheer determination. I saw her transformation over the years; from a timid school girl to a successful businesswoman she is now. And yet, she remains humble and there is not a bone of arrogance in her.

Her tough exterior does not dilute her compassion. That is why she asked me to blog about this sanctuary for abandoned children with special needs in Cheras – Pusat Penjagaan Kanak-Kanak Cacat Taman Megah. She recently went there and her eyes welled with tears to see the good children in the shelter. She ended up donating some generous amount to the shelter.

She spoke to me with such conviction that I felt some tugging in my heart string for the kids in this shelter. She said, the place has many donors but most of them donated rice and other groceries. What they need is cash to build a proper place to house the children with special needs and also to pay for some medicine and medical appliances. She particularly has this place close to her heart. She spoke of a baby girl suffering from Hydrocephalus (an abnormally large head due to accumulation of fluid). Her head grew bigger by the day.

Her parents found this birth defect on their baby a lot too late to terminate pregnancy. Since birth, the baby was sent to this shelter. Her mom would visit once in a blue moon. Her dad would only send the mom to the shelter and waited in the car and never came down to see his own flesh and blood. The baby passed on not long ago. Let’s hope that her soul would rest in peace. The saddest thing of being born in this world, is to be born into a family without love. I sincerely hope the shelter has provided the best care in order to make her short life worth living.

A quick check on the internet, there are many good bloggers who had blogged about this place. I do hope they would bring more donation and aid to this shelter.

I am sure there are many other charity homes in need of our assistance. I think we ought to play some part to build a caring society.

How to get there? How to donate? For further information, please click here.

I think this is probably the most meaningful conversation I ever had over alcohol.

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Posted by Gina

Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

As I was waiting for my sister to come down to the lobby to go home together, I had a chat with a colleague.

They were having sembahyang terawih before breaking fast for the day.

We spoke briefly and I asked a few questions to understand about their religion and ritual. She asked me about the mooncake festival as she loves mooncakes very much. I told her, this Sunday would be Mid Autumn’s Festival.

She cordially invited me to have dinner with them later, after the sembahyang terawih. I politely declined, citing reasons that I didn’t fast like them, so it would be inappropriate. She said I was being ridiculous. We could always eat together. Whether or not I fast, was not an issue.

I find this to be a very good gesture of our mutual respect for each other religion. We would never do anything to compromise such great understanding.

I am glad that I am working in a multiracial corporation. I could still remember attending our fellow colleagues’ wedding. It was a day all colleagues – big and small, top management to middle management and to fellow cleaners and tea ladies, to the security guard were invited to congregate under the heat in the vast canopy, eating the same food and mingled around freely. Some colleagues would assist to hand out plates and clearing tables for others to have their meals.

During the recent uproar, I know most of us are angered by what were being uttered. Some couldn’t be bothered. Some regretted such things could happen in our tolerant society. It was unfortunate one could not take back the words that come out from the mouth and consequently, great damage was done. The beauty of this unfortunate furor is: not only one race was angered by what has been said – but it angered the entire population.

I don’t think the mutual respect and tolerance we have built over the years would be vanquished because of words and action of one irresponsible man. I believe some people could do the stupidest things when they were angry.

I am not sure what deal has this person done with the Devil to have come up with such irresponsible remark and I certainly hope it would be not repeated, ever again.

I do not wish to see because of one person’s stupidity, the whole country is in a chaos.

I still would like to enjoy my nasi lemak with telur goreng and sambal kerang very much and whined about inflation with the nasi lemak seller in ketayap.

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Posted by Gina

I was talking to ML today on how some people just never learn. There have been scores of theft of sports shoes around her condominium. The cases were highlighted repeatedly in their residence forum.

As of today, there are still people posting comments and complaints in their residence forum about shoes theft. First of all, everyone in their right mind – or have the slightest common sense would start keeping their shoes in the house instead of leaving them outside. These people never learn from other people’s mishap. Serve them right! Some people just never learn.

As I was walking towards the photocopy machine just now, I overheard a conversation among some colleagues.

A colleague aired concern and told the clerk not to wear too much gold. The clerk said, the bracelet she was wearing is not of pure gold and merely for decorative purposes. I joined the conversation and agreed with my colleague that, nowadays it’s not safe to wear gold anymore especially if you are taking public transport. We advised her to take it off. It is better to be safe than sorry. It would be most unfortunate if we fall prey to those barbaric thieves because of what we have on our body due to vanity. We didn’t advise another moronic colleague though – who wears her gold dangling all over her neck, ears, wrists and ankles, thinking she is a Christmas tree.

I remember once, a colleague told me, her neighbor was robbed in front of her house of her “gold” necklace. Apparently, the neighbor was wearing fake gold for ornamental purposes. A few days later, the same robber came to her house and waited for her to return from work. The criminal was very angry because of the fake gold and forced this neighbor to eat dog shit found in front of her house pavement!! I don’t know how true this story is… I know it cracked me up real good!! But ever since we heard of this (hahahha!!) story, we kept telling our common friends that in order to avoid being forced to eat dog shit.. we better not wear gold at all. Some people just never learn.

On the recent mother of all by election, some people still have the cheek to conduct a post mortem on why they lost so badly. They blamed it on everything – the weather, the choice of candidate, lack of funds, the cat, the dog, the mosquito, but never themselves. And they thought they are such a genius by barring a website that exposed their misdoings would stop people from getting to know of their misdeeds. It’s like piling up one shit after another. They ended up “stinking” even worse than ever. Some people just never learn.

PS. In another story - I lost a pair of shoes to the thieves before. Once, I went to stay overnight at a friend’s condominium in upscale Bangsar. Who would have known – such a prestigious place would also have such thieves? This happened 10 years ago when the crime rate was still not as outrageous as the present times. And for God’s sakes, my shoes only cost about RM15/-??

I ended taking a pair of shoes from the cleaner’s closet next to my friend’s condominium. I left them at the lobby of the expensive, prestigious apartment when another friend picked me up. I went home bare footed and kept quiet about it or else, I would subject myself to constant nagging from mom. I learned my lesson. From that day onwards, I never leave my shoes outside the condominium unit whenever I visit a friend.

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Posted by Gina