I've done enough brain-wracking, moaning, groaning...

I can't wait to be liberated. I'm in the final lap of my pain-in-my-body-thesis translation. I've been breathing, sleeping, and dreaming Kedah Civil Service since September 2010.

Boy!! It's been 4 months since I immersed myself in this latest project which I accepted half-heartedly from a relative in the north of Malaysia. Half-hearted? That's because since I completed translating a couple of books in 2009 and 2010, I had told myself that I must give my brain some space. I've been putting it on over-drive. I've stretched it to the limit. And it's been screaming in agony.

But when this relative of mine approached me, I couldn't say no (I won't go into detail here why I did not reject his request), and since September, I've been doing nothing but looking, staring, gazing, glancing, and peering at Kedah Civil Service, 1895 to 1957. That's all I've been doing the last 4 months.

From the moment I opened my eyes in the morning, (but not before all the necessary household chores have been completed first), I'll be at the laptop "hacking" away at my keyboard. Words, phrases, and names such as World War II, Japanese Occupation, C.G Hart, Sultan Abdul Hamid, Secretary to the Government, District Officer, State Council, British Adviser, Tunku Abdul Aziz, ampun kurnia, etc, kept leaping from the screen. These personalities and terms have been keeping me company and awake the last 120 days or so.

I can tell without a shadow of a doubt that I would not miss these characters and personalities come Thursday (yes, that's the day I'll be liberated!!!). I think I've done enough brain-wracking, brain-taunting, brain-mocking, brain-caressing, brain-cajoling, sighing, moaning, and groaning.

Seriously, I need a break. My brain feels tired. My body is aching. My room kept beckoning me to do spring cleaning. My body is in need of a spa and sauna. My face needs a facial. Basically, I just want to rest and do nothing!!!

And I can't wait to get on with my life. I need to regain a semblance of normalcy in my life!!!

My countdown begins.....