61st

It's the nation's 61st birthday. I'm not much of a birthday person, I don't even celebrate mine so the nation's birthday is a non tangential affair. Yes, I am a proud citizen of this country & I love the nation but I continue to be estranged from the current narrative. I have stopped watching the National Day parade on TV because I see the people who are making my life miserable here, smiling away.

However, this year, one of the songs (still wondering why more than one song was needed this year) composed for the nation's birthday actually features a guitar. The tune's catchy & puts people in festive exuberance unlike the other song that meddled with melancholy. I do not wish to be specific but IYKYK.

Labour

In every economy, labour continues to be the spine of progress. Disrespecting labour is telling them to exercise restraint in an economic downturn for the greater good without toeing the line with them. 

Happy Labour Day, everyone. Your blood, sweat & tears define your country. Onwards!

Aidilfitri 2026

Only the passing of Ramadan would make me reflect on life's hits & misses. Nothing else. Time & again, I would give thanks to the fact that I got the change to see many Ramadans after my cancer bout. This year, I am grateful that I am needed for 10 more weeks at work & offered a new contract to see this through.

Wishing all Muslim readers & friends a blessed Eid. Do make time for your loved ones & remember those who have departed before us. We are next in line.

Vesak

A day of rest. A day to recuperate. A day to reflect on why life had been like this lately.

 

Season's greetings 2024

Season's greetings, folks. Hope you had a good time with your loved ones this year. I had too much on my mind so it was an outdoor adventure today in an attempt to allay insecurities & prepare to embrace a possible irresolute sequence of events in the near future.

Took a morning walk at JB today. A couple of days ago, I took a walk at the beach but it took me nearly 2 hours to get there partly due to moronic bus drivers who chose to drive the bus extra slowly on a weekend morning. My trip to JB today took just 40 minutes. Was expecting a sizeable crowd at the customs but there was hardly anyone. Walked round the Segget & Tan Hiok Nee area just to soak in the holiday morning atmosphere. Some restaurants were packed with customers spilling onto the pavement. Some restaurants were closed in view of the public holiday. I love spending time (& money) at JB. I personally feel the nice, hardworking people here deserve my injection into their economy. I foresee spending more time in JB than roaming around town back home. Everything is so inflated & there's this scrambling attitude permeating amongst the people - what's the point? I'm still unwell & need to chill. Thanks, JB. Will definitely be back (often).

Labouring

It's that time of the year again when we pause to pay tribute to the people who keep the engine of the economy running - workers. In recent times, the media had announced impending price hikes in view of the increasing prices of raw materials so prices of basic amenities, food especially, will see upward revisions everywhere. Are wages keeping up with this? Who determines if the wages should keep abreast with the times? Should it be kept in check at all? These are the issues of labour welfare which are rightfully under the ambit of the union. But the union here has a friendly relationship with the government & always scope their interest with compliance in mind. What's the point of having an organization supposedly looking after the acute interests of workers? You can be friendly but remember who you are looking after.

On that note, here's wishing all workers a deserving day of rest, it's a long weekend for many of us with the festive holiday as the bonus extension. 

Lights... '21

Deepavali greetings to Hindu friends & blog readers. We were at Malacca a few years ago during Deepavali & the town was punctuated  with people letting go crackers & mini fireworks. It lasted through the night till early Deepavali morning. Didn't get much sleep but enjoyed the moment. It's another muted & restrained Deepavali this year but knowing it's there & observed is more important.

56th

Happy 56th birthday to the beloved country. Things are still shackled by the pandemic but we are grateful for the mini celebrations & a day off work. The dissidents here - we still love our country, we are just averse to the administrators. These people should be replaced soon.

Very happy with this year's National Day theme song, it's a deserving upbeat tune with bits of sombre takes in between; all done tastefully. Definitely a turnover from last year's semi-meloncholy number & the recycled compositions of the years before.  

Labouring 2021

Dedicated to everyone who toils to make ends meet & keeps the economy going - we remember you. Let's not forget the ones who keep COVID-19 at bay as well - salute!

The working class

It's a day of rest here. To the working cohort, yours truly included, we are working to make ends meet. Well, that would be the majority of us- family to feed, bills to pay. Where I am, the cost of living is climbing compounded by the fact that more things are affecting the quality of life, buses moving slower, frequent train breakdown, people with poor public etiquette, authorities with elitist mindsets & the lists go on. Looks like we will be working our souls off with very little leeway for leisure. But there exists this tenacious bunch of people in society who would find time to play guitar regardless of the circumstances. Wishing you a deserving day of rest. 😁

Of peace & enlightenment

Holiday Saturday- wishing one & all a good day of rest & some deserving family time. 

Holiday greetings...

Holiday greetings to all blog readers & friends. It's a much needed mid-week break for many of us so sit back & unwind, more importantly, play guitar. It's a whole week's worth of break over at West Malaysia- awesome!

Ho, ho, ho 2013!!

Season's greetings to all & for those not celebrating it in a religious sense- you deserve a break! Amidst the festive atmosphere, I start work in 2 days' time so there's a tint of gloom in there. *sigh*

Eid greetings!

Eid greetings to all Muslim friends & blog readers! For the rest of us, it's a good in-between break (ok, not quite a midweek holiday). It's already mid-October. In less than 80 days, the year would come to a close. Absolutely looking forward to that.

V-day

A deserving holiday for me. Things to do today (in no order of priority):

• Re-string guitar
• play guitar(s)
• Watch DVD
• Read

Wishing you a great Vesak Day & a good, long weekend ahead :-)