Coolcat's Jottings

Swapping Jobs

nospam@example.com (Coolcat) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:05:42 +0200

A sweet famous singer friend of mine called me up and she asked me, "So, been anywhere exotic lately?"

"I dunno. Does Kuching sound exotic to you?"

"Yes, it does! You went there recently?"

"Yeah, I went for the Rainforest World Music Festival."

"Oh man... I've always wanted to go there!!! Ariel, let's swap jobs."

"Are you sure you want to swap your glamorous job as a singer to be a writer?" I was gobsmacked.

Not that I have anything against being a famous celebrity but I think I'd be a lousy candidate to sing on stage. My nightmare would be to open my mouth in front of thousands of people to find that nothing comes out.

No lar. I think swapping jobs with my lovely friend would be a bad idea - for me, at least. Sorry, dearie. You'll just have to continue your blossoming singing career and leave me with my pens (and notebooks).

Adjustments

nospam@example.com (coolcat) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:32:11 +0200

Early this week I returned from Kuching and now I'm packing again for
a weekend away. I love the travelling. The meeting of new faces.
Learning something new everyday. I don't think I can get used to a
desk bound job anymore. It takes a while to adjust to coming back to
the office when an assignment completes. My team mates feel the same.
Waiting to go out there where the action is. Ah, the travel bug has
bitten hard

Tired but Wired

nospam@example.com (Coolcat) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:36:05 +0200

It's my fourth day in Kuching and third day at Rainforest World Music Festival. It's been such an enriching experience thus far. Mingling with the performers - these World Music musicians are so down-to-earth, friendly and approachable! It's such a joy to be able to learn about their music and culture - especially from performers of faraway lands and nations that I've only heard of but never seen. The stories of their struggles in trying to bring some peace, love and unity through the universal language of music in the midst of political and social striving in their countries truly touched my heart. It made me feel grateful for the relatively peaceful country that I live in - ridiculous and dramatic though some of the political circus can be.

You would never hear a Malaysian musician say, "I just want to tell the people to stop fighting and killing each other through my music." But a Palestinian would. Worse, the Palestinian would be detained at the airport and not allowed to proceed to certain countries due to paranoia that he is a terrorist in disguise.

Being in this place where about 37 nationalities congregate for the love of music just brings this world issues a little closer to home. When you encounter people who just want to spread a message of hope and joy in the midst of turmoil in the world that they come from, it changes you somehow. It expands your mind and horizons to break the walls of the small cocoon of the world that you once lived.

You begin to see the many common and spiritual grounds that you share with say, a hunky singer from Trinidad & Tobago, even though your geography was so bad you didn't know where it was located. You begin to build bridges of solidarity with a Punjabi lady with a Kelabit name because you share the same passion that roots and culture should be preserved and carried on from one generation to the next.

I know I'm changed but as to what extent, I have yet to find out. But I sense that the journey to that next level of growth, whatever it is, is just beginning.

Windows for Australians

nospam@example.com (Coolcat) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 23:14:05 +0200

More and more people I know and love are considering migrating to Aussieland. Why? Why? Why?

No other place to go meh?

I've already 'lost' many a good friend to that mammoth land. Call me The Immovable Rock of Gibraltar but I don't see why one should uproot themselves from all that they know and love to replant themselves in another country. Unless of course they are specifically told by God to do so. Like Jonah who tried to run the opposite way but was swallowed and subsequently vomited to the land God wanted him to go. But that's besides the point.

The point is that Aussie is one big wolfish land that has been pulling the people I love away from me.

So when I came across this gem of a page today, I couldn't help giggling with evil glee. Folks, presenting to you the very funny Microsoft Windaz 2007.

The Long Mile

nospam@example.com (coolcat) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:15:17 +0200

A buffalo in its jacuzzi

Heh, that's one of my favourite subjects in my Bakelalan/Kalimantan trip. A buffalo wallowing happily in his jacuzzi mud bath. I went a little buffalo-crazy then, snapping them with my baby every time I spot one. And there were plenty of them about the place. Many were tied loosely behind some houses' backyards, grazing slowly and steadily on the grass. They were what I call, natural lawn mowers -
organic and totally bio-friendly.

Anyway, what is making that buffalo happy is what I need now actually. A good (and clean) hot shower to soak the day's grime away. I'm still at the office working.

In the mean time, I jogged with Fran, another colleague at a nearby park. The park was barely 5 minutes drive away from our office and during rush hour, the traffic getting there was horrendous. So we decided to walk. Save petrol mar. What took a car less than 5 minutes took us 15-20 minutes of moderate walk. Never mind the long walk (about 30 minutes both ways), it was the oncoming vehicles that scared the patootties out of us. Cars, buses and trucks barreling down upon us as if we were flies. Motorcycles zipping dangerously close to us as if they want to graze our skins. I don't blame them. It was their road after all and for most of the way, there were no
proper pedestrian walkways.

We really should drive there the next time.

Still. All in all, we felt our spirits rise as we jogged and walked in the park. There were many trees, hills to clamber upon, a lovely lake and water fountain. Animals were aplenty, too with tortoises, fat fishes and monkeys eyeing joggers for handouts. The stress and tension of the day just rolled off our shoulders. There's nothing quite like sucking in the fresh air and soaking in the greenness of the whole place.

We were finally ready to leave the park after an hour of great sights and sweat. But aiyoh, the thought of walking all the way back to the office again and facing the merciless traffic sank our stomachs a little.

We definitely should drive there the next tomorrow when we do this again.