Wishful thinking...

Don't you sometimes wish that you have lots of money that you can buy anything that you fancy. I've always marvel at those people who are blessed with wealth.

What would I do if I had tons and mountains of money? I would:

1.  Perform umrah every year if Allah so wishes
2. Travel the world from coast to coast and from continents to continents and from South Pole to the North Pole
3. Buy lots and lots and lots of books - any books that take my fancy. I was at a bookstore recently and was fingering all the books I wish I could buy but can't as some were beyond my means.

4. Splash money on the needy

Hmmm...I guess this is just wishful thinking.

Random Thoughts

Since I completed my translation project last Thursday (20 January), I've been out of the house practically every day. It was as if it was payback time. It appeared as though I've been released from the shackles of imprisonment and insanity. In actual fact, it was "imprisonment" the last 4 months as I was not able to go anywhere (unless it was a matter of life and death, as a matter of fact, I lost my father-in-law in the midst of my translation assignment) and was hospitalized for a week for a bout of severe asthma attack.

Hence, the minute I completed the translation, it was a huge relief. It was as if the world's problems were cleared from my shoulders.

In any case, since Friday, 21 January, I've been going out, either for appointments with friends or with my husband and family. It feels really good. It may sound crazy, but it's been a record week for me. I've been going out for 7 consecutive days.

Last Friday, 28 January, yet again, I took the train to meet my friends, some of whom I've not met the last 16 years. It felt really good.

Malaysian Apathy - hugely overstated
And since I no longer had Kedah Civil Service polluting my brain, I had more time to enjoy the surroundings, and made several interesting observations. When I was in the train, I felt really proud of a young fellow Malaysian commuter who gave up her seat for an almost-term pregnant lady who was with her young daughter. Kudos to her!! And if I thought that Malaysian apathy is still rearing its ugly head, I was once again proven wrong.

When I alighted from the train, there was a blind man, who was obviously groping his way. And, without hesitation, a man guided him to the escalator.

I was left to my thoughts as I crossed the road towards the KLCC train line. And again I was happy to see a construction worker holding the elbows of a blind man from the Sri Petaling station and brought him across the KLCC line station at Masjid Jamek. Hey, who says Malaysians are indifferent???

And I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw yet another blind man being guided up the LRT staircase by someone. Now, that's 4 cases of exemplary Malaysians that I saw within a span of 10-15 minutes. This bode well for our society. Kudos to the three men and young lady!!!

The power of advertisement
When I was in the train, I was seated next to a little girl and her mum, and as the train rumbled along, suddenly I heard the little girl screaming in glee!! At first I could not make out what she was saying, but later realised that she was pointing to a Mr Potato advertisement. She kept exclaiming, "Mummy, mummy!!! That's your potato!!!". Most of the passengers (me included) were trying our best to contain our laughter. I can bet you that the girl's mum LOVES Mr Potato!!!

And I fully understood the power of advertisement when a little boy who was holding his mum's hand stopped in his tracks, and kept pointing to yet another Mr Potato advertisement. "Mummy! Mummy!! I want that. I want Mr Potato!" And his mum kept cajoling him that she'll buy it for him later. And as I passed by the boy and his mum, I had to stifle my laughter, when the boy suddenly blurted, "Mummy, mummy, do you have money to buy Mr Potato?" Children, they are so innocent, and they are such joy to be with!!!

Help!!! My baby is falling!!!
And, still chuckling and feeling amused with the scene before me, I walked along heading towards KLCC as I was supposed to meet my friends, some of whom I've not met for 16 years. And this time, I was really tickled pink when I saw a pregnant lady (she was perhaps 5 to 6 months pregnant). She was clutching her lower abdomen, holding it for her dear life as she walked. I've seen pregnant ladies doing this a couple of times, where they would clutch their lower abdomen, it was as if they were worried that their foetus would fall off their uterus. I guess, that's what you'd call maternal instinct.

And with all these random happenings crossing my thoughts today, I embraced my long-lost friends. It was so good to see them again after all these years.

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.....