The Guys' Rules

At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down. Finally, the guys' side of the story. We always hear "the rules" from the female point of view. Now here are the rules from the male side. These are our rules!

Please note... these are all numbered "1" ON PURPOSE!

1. Men are NOT mind readers.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.

1. Shopping is NOT a sport. And no, we are never going to think of it that way.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!

1. YES and NO are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a problem. See a doctor.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 DAYS.

1. If you won't dress like the Victoria's Secret girls, don't expect us to act like soap opera guys.

1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.

1. You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a COLOR. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

1. If it itches, IT will BE scratched. We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," we will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear IS fine...Really.

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as football, the shotgun formation, or golf.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!

1. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight.

But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

Why I Am A Christian Not A Muslim, Or Hindu, Or...

It took me exactly 125 days since the last time I last post anything 'worth' writing in this blog. Granted, it is the year 2010 now, but I think I am still stucked in 2009, what with the continuous politicking and racial/religious tension continued to brew in this blessed land called Malaysia.

Well, since the Allah issue is still raging, let me just sub-divert from the topic and write about why I believe in what I believe. Since the word believe is so over-used nowadays, i.e "I believe it is my right as a Malay-Muslim to want Allah to be used by Muslim only", "I believe Christians have the same right to use Allah", let me just write on why I BELIEVE that Jesus is Lord and why I am a Christian and not a Muslim, even though I could say that I understand the fundamentals, though not thoroughly, what Islam teaches. And before anyone starts foaming in the mouth and shout that I am bashing Islam, let me clarify that this is not the case, and I am merely writing from the perspective of a non-Muslim viewing Islam with Malaysia as the backdrop. So, with that clear, let us begin.

Coming from a family of Catholics, my mother was and still is, my main influence in embracing the faith. You could say that she sowed the seed of faith, by constantly teaching me how to view life in general, how to approach certain situations from a Christian point of view. One thing that strikes me now, even as I reflect it, is the absence of violence or aggressiveness in the teachings of Jesus Christ, and yes, that includes how you approach your enemies. And the thing that strikes me even the most, is how Christ taught us how to love EVERYONE; ALL of humankind regardless of skin color, race, religion or beliefs. This is because for Him @ God, everyone is equally important. If I were the only human being left on this planet, He would still undergone hell and come back from it, just to save little me.

Now the word love is being slightly overused today, and the first thing that came to mind is Hollywood-love, the happy-ever-after-love kind. But in Christianity, love means something deeper. It means unconditional sacrifice, acceptance (note: this is different from tolerance, as what Malaysian Ministers like to spin) and forgiveness to everyone who is in need. This is the faith that is taught to me, and I believe to all Christians out there as well. And this also helps to explain why the Christians are always protesting peacefully, even though some take this as a sign of cowardice.

When you go to church, any Christian church in Malaysia, whether they are Catholics or Protestant, you will not hear any word of hate or incitement to hate the 'other' side of the faith. Look at the prayers of the faithful, and you will hear the prayers for the leaders of the nations (yes, that includes UMNO and BN as well) and for all our non-Christian sisters and brothers (yes, we call them sisters and brothers). I have never heard any hate-mongering words from any priest that teach us to hate the Muslims, even though there is a religious persecution going on in the country. And we were also not asked to pray that the Muslim extremists who fan all this tension to rot in hell, yet on the contrary, to pray for them and their souls.

Now, I have never been inside a mosque (though the closest would be me standing in its compound) before, but I can hear everything loud and clear from the loud-speakers and I am appalled by what I have heard so far. Not a SINGLE one spread the word of peace, at least not to the non-Muslims, who happened to be the rest of humanity if you minus all the Muslims. Peace to Muslims in Malaysia is only to fellow Muslims. Rights for the Muslims only includes the rights of Muslim people. The rest of the pendatangs and infidels / kafirs, you can rot in hell for all I care!

Now, I am not sure why this is. The Islam that I understand promotes peace and justice and to a certain extent, love. The name Islam itself means 'peace' but what the majority of Muslims in Malaysia are showing is on the contrary. And I feel some sympathy for my Muslim brothers and sisters who are really trying to show that Islam is truly a religion of peace and understanding. Though their numbers are small, but they are the testament of the true Islam as a religion of peace.

And as much as I am severely tempted to hate Islam and my Muslim brothers and sisters, I could not do so. This is because to hate them would be a severe violation of my own faith, which teaches me to love my God and EVERYONE with all my heart, strength, soul and body. And that is the reason why I am a Christian. To be a Christian (Christ means the Anointed One of God) means to follow in the footstep of the Christ, who came to die as a ransom for many, and yes, that includes Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist and all God's children.

"Karena begitu besar kasih Allah akan dunia ini, sehingga Ia telah mengaruniakan Anak-Nya yang tunggal, supaya setiap orang yang percaya kepada-Nya tidak binasa, melainkan beroleh hidup yang kekal (John 3:16)

DID I MARRY THE RIGHT PERSON?

This is a very good article. Those who are still single may learn something from here. Those who are already married may take it as a guideline to improve your marriage...

During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question. She said, "How do I know if I married the right person?" I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, "It depends. Is that your husband?" In all seriousness, she answered "How do you know?"

Here's the answer. EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies. Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... Because it's happening TO YOU. People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet." Think about the imagery of that __expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU.

Falling in love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience.

But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, could drive you nuts.

The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, "Did I marry the right person?" And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment.

Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work,a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.

But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it. I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else.

You could.

And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later.. Because (listen carefully to this):

THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find" LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the __expression "the labor of love." Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work.
Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage.

Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable. .. you can "make" love.

Love in marriage is indeed a "decision"... Not just a feeling.

Remember this always:

"God determines who walks into your life. It is up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go." So, spent your lifetime finding out the loveable things about your spouse so that you could LOVE your spouse everyday in every way in an EVERLASTING marriage. That is why granpa's love to your granma seems so PURE.

Remember, you are with the "RIGHT" person. If not, you wouldn't have wanted to marry your spouse in the first place.

Negaraku? Mamula Whaaaatttt....?

Got this from Malaysia Today's website. Seems like the national anthem of Malaysia was derived/borrowed/ciplaked from this song. Hahaha....:p

Title: Mamula Moon
Artist: Felix Mendelssohn & His Hawaiian Serenaders
Album: Paradise Isle Year: 1947
Track number: 14
Duration: 00:02:50

one day i walked along
a moonlit island shore
and soon i heard a song
i’ve never heard before

i said who can it be
to sing so tenderly
and saw a dust he made
with lonely serenade

mamula moon
shine high above the southern sea
and like my love
say form again to me

we said goodbye
beside the blue lagoon
alone am i
with you mamula moon

i waved my hand
the grey ship sailed across the bay
on golden sand
that might i melt to pray

that i might see
my love returning soon
still true to me
and you mamula moon


See it in youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YRkR4T5WEw

A Childhood Dream Came True

I am of course talking about the Voltron toy that I just bought recently. To tell you the truth, I feel like a kid again deep down inside. This was the toy that made me want to go to US, simply because I had lose hope of ever finding it again. Dreamt about going to US a few times, but funny enough, even in my dreams I can't find it. Seems like that is what happened, when you want the stuff bad enough, huh? Found one in Queensbay the other day, that was the 80's version and they sell if for RM1K (bloodsucking Jew!!!...) and it was actually a die-cast toy (meaning metalic toy, I kid you not!)

Take a look of the two pictures of "my" (hahaha, couldn't stress it, enough) toy below. Awesome...!!!

Bad Day...So Far

I am having quite a bad day today. Got soaked in the rain this morning, got into a heated arguments with some of the supervisors in the office (so far, this is part I, part II will commence after lunch time...) and the rain outside is just not improving things at all.

Sigh....God help me...

The Difference Of Being Rich And Poor

I was taking a stroll in Lorong Kulit (also known as Road Walk or 'Rowok' to Penangites) together with some friends this morning, looking at goods that ranges between good, interesting or just plain weird, when a thought suddenly crossed my mind. What prompted all these people to sell these copied and generic version of boots, jerseys (I bought the latest Man United jersey anyway, couldn't resist it mate :p), toothpaste and toothbrush (yes, these too...), some antics stuff like the charcoal iron and lots more. Some people would view this place with disgust and contempt. "Why would I want to buy PIRATED stuffs here, when I can get my Prada, Nike and Adidas in a shopping mall, where there's aircond and Nando's to eat when I am hungry?", they would say.

Suddenly, like a divine light shining thru the sky, I was enlightened as to why this kind of problem persists in our society today. The answer is, because of the huge gap between the rich and the poor, the haves and the have-nots. I mean, I consider myself belonging to the middle class in the social ladder, but I would still not buy a whole closet of Man United merchandise even though I am a self-proclaimed die-hard fan of the club. The reason? I don't think I can afford to do that, not if I am planning to have a better life in the future. And I can imagine people who are less fortunate than I, but still want to look good or enjoy the niceties of life thinking the same thing. But where else could they turn to? The commercial world today has spin the notion that the prizes for goods that we are buying is worth it, because of the brand and the face that endorses it. All this is just marketing ploy, which is just plain bullshit to me. But now I understand, that 'pirates' are doing some service to the people. Where the middle class and rich and go to GSC and watch GI Joe on a big screen, the poor family have to settle for a pasar malam VCD copy. Hey, if I am poor and I have kids, I wouldn't want them to suffer the humiliation of not knowing what their peers are talking about in school, right? And isn't enjoying the nice things in life is a right that everyone should enjoy?

As I left the place, I was perplexed as well as confused. How can society promotes the law to stamp down piracy without going down to its roots? And the root of all this, is poverty. Most ills and crimes in society can be traced back to poverty and the government (who by the way, has millionaires and billionaires as Cabinet Ministers) is doing all they can to make sure that the poor remain poor and the rich become richer.

Sigh. What a cruel world we are living in.