Rambling Ame

Beat You There by Will Dempsey

Every word of this song resonates with me as I think of my mom... We knew her time was near, so we got to say our goodbyes... My family told her we loved her and what a great mother, daughter, and person she had been to all who knew her, and how proud we are of her and all that she had accomplished... But I left out the simple things; like what a great driver she was... how only she could make that perfect mug of coffee that try as I might, I could never replicate... and how much I admired her...

What impacted me most in the song was the longing to know she's ok... I used to wake up with anxiety attacks because I was so worried she was buried alive... The death release was made at home, as she was under hospice care with us at home, and passed away peacefully with us around her... I worried that they might have made a mistake, and that we buried her, and now she's awake and stuck in the coffin... That thought kept me up at night...

I have been with her through every journey... Sat with her through her chemo treatments, scans, surgeries, and every hospital stay... This is the one journey she has made alone... I wished I could have travelled with her to Heaven's Gates, so I could see her off, happy with the knowledge that she's safe and in Heaven... Her last words to us were, “Mother Mary said she's coming tomorrow to take me to Heaven”, and that at least gives me some comfort... I can pray as many novenas I can for her, but all I wish is that I could talk to her once again and hear her say that she's ok... So, I felt every word of this song...

Sending hugs of comfort to all those dealing with grief and loss of their own, especially the family of Mdm. Vijayalakshmi, the Masjid India sinkhole victim... My family and I were there for my mom's final breath, but I still worry for her, so I cannot imagine the pain and worry they must be going through, not being able to see their mom and get some form of closure...

To all those dealing with loss, may time bring us healing from our grief while we treasure every memory we shared with those we loved and the time we got to spend with them...

The full song is available here :

https://youtu.be/wGmDu5iDB34?si=j5MvsWcLLFIGDZd-

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sendoff UK (@sendoff_uk)

PRU 15

Today when I went to vote, I saw a young woman, who had just given birth, so exhausted, barely able to walk, who came to vote with her baby in her arms.

I saw people in wheelchairs. People who didn't have transport but were willing to walk to their polling stations.

I read about people braving floods to cast their votes.

It is so humbling to see people not letting circumstances or their difficulties stop them from exercising their rights.

Proud too of my sister-in-law who drove all the way back to Malacca from Penang, on her own, to cast her votes, since my brother had to come back to Alor Setar to vote.

It makes me slightly patriotic to see people performing their civic duty no matter the situation.

Moments like this, or when we cheer for our country during world-class sporting events, or seeing people helping one another during times of trouble regardless of race, is when I feel the Malaysian spirit. Even if certain actions or words spoken by a select few sometimes makes me sad, I'm all in all, proud of my Malaysian heritage.

For my family and I, the voting process went smoothly. Thanks to SPR, for the friendly support staff and the clear arrangement in helping us cast our votes conveniently and quickly.

Hoping the party I voted for wins, but no matter who wins, I hope they rule with integrity instead of greed, with love instead of prejudice, and always put the needs of the people and our country first.

May those who win value the mandate given by the people who had voted for them, and do their best for our country. Safe voting everyone.

My Nora Roberts/JD Robb Collection

My entire Nora Roberts and JD Robb collection, which I've read so many times, I've even memorized some of the dialogues and scenes.

I'm in awe of Nora Roberts/JD Robb that she can write so many books, and each one filled with so much details that you can actually picture the scenes in your mind. Truly a talented writer. I salute you. Thank you for sharing with us your memorable stories.

Currently though, I'm hooked on her In Death Series (Nora Roberts writing under the pseudonym, JD Robb).

Thanks to online bookstores, I managed to get some of the older books in the In Death series that could not be found in bookshops. So my 2020 goal is to read the entire collection in sequence from Book 1. I'm halfway through my goal.

I love the progression of characters, to see how Eve and Roarke have grown through the series, and how their relationship with each other and the supporting characters have changed them for the better. Eve Dallas is an inspiring woman, fighting for justice and her loved ones. Thank you JD Robb for giving us Eve and Roarke, and all the supporting characters. I can't get enough of them. An amazing author that makes you fall in love with her characters, and feel pain for their struggles, and joy for their accomplishments.

Reveal Your Bookshelf

#RevealYourShelf No Place Like Home to enjoy a good book...

So what happens when you discover Book Depository, you run out of space in your bookshelf, of course. Thank you for giving me the chance to indulge in my love for books.

#bookwormproblems When you spend all your money on books, but not on a new bookshelf. I need a new bookshelf, but there's no space for a bookshelf, so I also need a new house...

If anyone's wondering, yes, I've read all these books, some several times.

Sharing what I enjoyed

I came across this and thought this is so me. Actually mine is more "forcing my family to watch TV Shows and Movies I like"...

And it happens more often than I would like to admit..

My siblings and my mother's youngest brother's family are my victims. I force and force them to watch a show I like until they relent...

I'm such a wonderful sister, niece and cousin

Actually it's more that I have a terrific family who tolerate me...

My brother's wedding video

I was 12 and my sister 8, when my brother was born so we were his babysitter. I have watched him grow from a pleasant, always smiling baby and a cheerful young boy, constantly saying "I Love You", to a responsible young man, always smiling and joking, planning his wedding while watching out for his family.

We are happy you have found the love of your life, a partner who is good to you and us... We wish you both memories to last a lifetime and a bright happy future together... My only wish was that my father had been around to see the wedding of the son he so loved and adored, but I know my father would have been there in spirit, looking down at his son from Heaven, and proud of the man he has become.

To me, you will always be my sweet baby brother.

Easter 2020

A different Lent and Easter this year. For years, my siblings and my mother's brother's family have always celebrated Easter together. For the first time we are all apart, celebrating through video calls. At times like this, we realize how precious is family time and that we should always treasure every moment we get to spend together as a family.

This Lent, we could not go to church, but I'm grateful to all the priests for conducting live streaming so we do not miss out on our weekly and Lenten obligations. Many, of various religious beliefs, are also not able to go to their places of worship, but it does not matter where we pray, as long as we do not waver in our faith. I pray that we all remain strong, stay safe and that this crisis passes soon... God bless you all...

Happy Birthday Sister

"A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost."

Happy Birthday to a sister, whose motto has always been, Family First. The one we turn to when we need help. Who always looks out for us, and is always there for us. I wish you all the best things in life. May God's blessings be always upon you. And may all you wish for come true...

Happy Birthday Brother

"A brother shares childhood memories and grown-up dreams."

Although my little brother is 12 years younger than me, that doesn't stop him from always looking out for me and making sure I'm ok. The one my mom and I call when the car or the things at home need fixing. From being a cheerful and constantly smiling baby and child, I am proud of the responsible and caring man he has become. Cracking us up with his jokes and the things he says, a smile that lights up his face, and always being there for us. I am truly blessed to have you as a brother. May you continue to shine bright, excel at work, find joy in all that you do, have many happy memories to treasure, and may God's blessings be always upon you.

Happy National Day Malaysia

"Malaysia, Disini Lahirnya Sebuah Cinta"
“Malaysia Where Love Grows”

~ The "Theme" for Malaysia's 57th

Independence or Merdeka Day celebrations.

MySpace comment: CoolSpaceTricks.com

1) We have our own unique blend of English called "Manglish" with words like "No la", "Yes la",

"Really, meh", and so many others that sometimes leaves non-Malaysian speakers at a loss to understand what we're saying. Our 'la's have also been transmitted to others with many foreigners happily dropping 'la's here and there when they speak, sometimes even without their realization that they have adopted our style of English.
*I love Manglish as I feel it shows our multi-racial heritage with a language born of this merging of cultures and languages from the different races in Malaysia.

2) We may stay in the city and have ample opportunities to eat all kinds of gourmet food, but when asked to make a choice, we still head to our favorite Nasi Kandar Shop.
*My siblings work in the city and when they come back home, the first visit is always to a Nasi Kandar shop.
3) We travel to foreign lands sometimes even spending years there, and although we may enjoy delicious Italian pizzas and spaghetti, authentic American burgers or original British Fish and Chips, but when we come back home to Malaysia, we drive straight to our favorite

hawkers stall and decimate nasi lemak, char kway teow, thosai/Dosa, laksa, curry mee, roti canai, etc like a person starved. Heck, I go for holidays and enjoy delicious chicken chops and pasta, and the next day hunt down Indian restaurants selling rice with spicy curries and sambal. It may be food I eat every day at

home thanks to my mom's amazing culinary skills but going without rice just for one day is like I've not eaten. Any meal without rice is not really a meal, just a snack.. Right? Right? Yeah. I do seriously need to work on my diet..
4) A must have item, in any long-distance travels to foreign lands especially for long periods of time, are packets and packets of Instant Noodles.

5) We bond as one Malaysian Family over football, badminton, tennis, any sports regardless of who is playing. Our catchphrase of "Malaysia Boleh!" (Malaysia Can!) is common utterance at these games. We mourn at every loss and rejoice at every win. Whether the athlete is a Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban, Bidayuh or Kedazan, doesn't really matter, he or she is a Malaysian, and that person gets our love and support.

http://www.animateit.net/

*I've sat through nail-bitting suspense each time Dato' Lee Chong Wei takes the badminton court, my heart breaking when he loses yet proud of his effort and cheering giddily when he wins. I've been through moments of pride and joy when Malaysia won the Thomas Cup in 1992 and every medal won by a Malaysian at this year's Commonwealth Games were celebrated.

6) No one else gets our fascination with the King of Fruits, Durians, as one whiff of its deadly aroma sends some people especially non-Malaysians running for their lives. For most of us Malaysians however, it is sweet, sweet heaven. A creamy, melt in your mouth fruit; every bite savored and enjoyed.
7) We stand together as one family when faced with adversities. We may not have earthquakes but we do have floods that can devastate villages and towns.
When these mother nature based calamities occur or when we face national tragedies like the recent

sad loss of Flight MH370 and MH17, we bond as one family to grieve, reciting our prayers for the victims and their families. When help in needed, we give what we can.
8) We may have tons of designer apparel shops in huge shopping malls, but at most nights, we can be seen at the night markets or pasar malam because we, Malaysians, know there is where we can get the best bargains. Quality materials at a fraction of the price.
9) We have luxurious restaurants that are air-conditioned and classy, yet our favorite hang-out is always at a hawkers stall because we know, this is where we can get the best-tasting food.

*I'm not saying these high end restaurants do not provide quality, tasty food; they do and I've enjoyed many scrumptious meals at these restaurants but there is just something special about eating satay, ikan bakar, ais kacang or teh tarik at an open-air hawker joint.
10) We have many awesome burger joints, either the fast-food variety or those at elegant restaurants, but

for us, it's the burgers from the road-side stall that we flock to.
11) Being blessed with sun all-year-round, barbecues and picnics are common occurrences. Nothing beats meat cooked over a hot, charcoal grill.

12) For a little excitement in our lives, we have the unpredictable weather. The weather forecast may predict hot, sunny weather but it's always handy to have an umbrella in your car as you never know when the next thunderstorm is going to make its grand entrance.

http://www.netanimations.net/

13) "Open House" is a happy occurrence in Malaysia. During festivals like Hari Raya Puasa, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Christmas, Gawai, and so on, open houses will be held, so the host's friends from another race can visit them. With this Open House culture, we all, irregardless of our race or religious beliefs, celebrate together as one.
14) As the years go by, many of us have become racially integrated, with inter-racial marriages becoming the norm. So much so, many of us are not easily identified due to our mixed parentage.
*My mom, for instance, is always mistaken for a Malay, thanks to her mixed parentage of Eurasian and Indian. In my extended family, both on my mother's side and father's side, we have an interesting mix of Indian, Malay, Chinese, Portuguese, Irish and Iban ethinicity. Family gatherings are always fun especially when Roast

Chicken and mashed potatoes, rendang, rice and curry, and spicy Portuguese Devil Curry adorn the table.
15) Ask most young Malaysians what their favorite food is and they will all unanimously say, "Hands down, mom's cooking!".
16) Blood relations doesn't matter here, every man is an "uncle" and every lady is an "aunty". We would never dream of calling our friends' parents by name. It's always "uncle" and "aunty" for us. For those still young but older than us, it's always "Kakak" (sister), "Abang" (brother) and those younger are called "adik". There's also the practice of young boys calling each other, "macha", which originates from the Indian culture and is the term for the wife's brother. Now, however, everyone is somebody's "macha".

*I've recently been demoted from "Kakak" to "Aunty". I know they are just being polite, but every "Aunty" I am called is a painful stab in my heart. I guess it's time to accept that I'm not as young as I want to be.

In Malaysia, we have beautiful sandy, beaches that beckon. A paradise of islands that entice you to stay. Green forests that relax you. And for those looking for some fun and excitement, there are shopping malls, clubs, water-parks, animal reserves, national monuments and so on. We are never at a loss for fun things to do during the weekends and holidays.

Our country is not perfect. There are many things that perhaps can be tweaked a little but then again nobody and no country is ever perfect. All I hope for, as we celebrate 57 years of independence, is to look back and have pride in all that we have achieved in the past 57 years, with our skyscrapers, advanced and modern amenities, and international recognitions. An achievement made possible not only by one race but through the joint effort of every race in Malaysia; in short by Malaysians. I hope we can look past our race, skin color, religion and culture, and to not harp on our differences but to celebrate our similarities. All the things that make us special and unique. All the things that make us proud to be Malaysians.

Disclaimer :
The author of this blog post is not responsible for any hunger pangs or yearning resulting from the food pictures in this blog post.

Note to self :
The author should refrain from writing blog posts such as these when hungry.

photo credit: reuben.lim via photopin cc
photo credit: avlxyz via photopin cc
photo credit: wEnDaLicious via photopin cc
photo credit: irrational_cat via photopin cc
photo credit: avlxyz via photopin cc
photo credit: Charles Haynes via photopin cc
photo credit: Steel Wool via photopin cc
photo credit: carinasuyin via photopin cc

Happy New Year 2014

"animated 2013" "2013 glitter" "2013 flower animated" "2013 gif" "Happy New Year" "2013 text" "

www.glitter-graphics.com/

2013 went by in a blink of an eye. Looking back on the year, "my 2013 year in review" as Facebook urges me to do with their nifty little app, I am not sure how to feel.

Do I feel sad that I did not achieve what I wanted to achieve or feel grateful that I had got through the year in one piece? So instead of worrying about the appropriate emotion or reminiscing about 2013, I decided to start 2014 with a simple New Year Resolution :

1) To not stress over things and enjoy life as it is.

Yes. That gray hair on my head every time I look in the mirror does irritate me but I have decided to not stress over it. (Thank Goodness dyes were invented, eh..).. Bills to pay - not stressing over it. My favorite show gets cancelled - not stressing over it...

2) To always smile and treasure the little things in life.

I may not have much but I am going to be grateful for what I do have.

3) To be charitable and help those in need.

I wish I was a more charitable person. I envy those who could give so much to those in need of help, whether it's money or time. My mom has always been this kind of person. Always ready to give what little she has. I aspire to be like her.

4) To not be afraid to take a risk and try new things.

Is the grass always greener on the other side?? Maybe I should just take a risk and go on that grass surveying expedition. Who knows I may find that

"thinking smiley" "wondering smiley" "making decision smiley" "thinking" "wondering"

the grass is indeed green.. It could even be the best decision I ever made..

5) To be kind in my words and thoughts.

Yes. I need to stop being a b***h.

"World Peace" "Get along" "co-operation"

6) To not let bias or prejudice rule.

I aim to be more accepting of others regardless of race, age, gender and sexual orientation.

7) Most importantly, that I would always be there for my family and friends and be a good daughter, sister and friend; in other words, be a better person.

My family is the most important thing in my life and I would always be there for them. I hope that in the year to come, I can make things easier for them and make their dreams come true.

As for my friends at work, I hope to always be there for them and for those friends living far away, former school and university friends, I should make an effort to keep in touch.

"fat girl on scale" "Weighing scale" "weighing" "lose weight"

FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I know I should include "lose weight" or "do not touch that muffin, cake, burger, anything that looks delicious" in my New Year Resolution list but I was thinking why make promises I cannot keep. Yes. Yes. I will exercise more, for general health purposes but if that weighing scale stubbornly refuses to move lower, I will not stress over it.

"Animated hulk" Animated hulk punch" "punch" "hulk punch" "punching 2013" "smashing 2013" "hate 2013"

So for all those who had a 2013 that you wish you could smash away, may 2014 be a better year for you.

For those who had a wonderful 2013 (I HATE YOU! Kidding. Kidding), then here's wishing 2014 is even better.

May we have a year that has less calamities, whether man-made or from nature's wrath and less fighting.

	Online Reference Dictionary, Encyclopedia & more
Word:
Look in:	Dictionary & thesaurus Medical Dictionary Legal Dictionary Financial Dictionary Acronyms Idioms Encyclopedia Wikipedia Periodicals Literature Other languages: Spanish Dictionary German Dictionary French Dictionary Italian Dictionary Chinese Dictionary Portuguese Dictionary Dutch Dictionary Norwegian Dictionary Greek Dictionary Russian Dictionary
by:

Dictionary

Beat You There by Will Dempsey

PRU 15

My Nora Roberts/JD Robb Collection

Reveal Your Bookshelf

Sharing what I enjoyed

My brother's wedding video

Easter 2020

Happy Birthday Sister

Happy Birthday Brother

Happy National Day Malaysia

Happy New Year 2014

Translation Tool

Search This Blog

Welcome

Instagram

My Facebook

My Twitter

Follow by Email

Pages

Topics

Blog Archive

Followers

Feedjit

My YouTube

My Music Videos

My Other Blog

Mom's Poetry

Rambling Posts