How far do we go in caring for others?

Everybody has their own bundle of problems. Some choose to keep it to themselves. Some tell their closest, hoping for encouragements and most of the time expecting help. Some tell only the people they think can help. You can't help but be consumed with the problems during the time you're facing them. Your world revolved around it, you can't push it to the back of your minds, you worry, you're sad, you look at other people and think, "How can they be happy when I'm not?"

Truth be told, no one actually cares. Okay maybe that's a bit harsh, let me rephrase. Not all people around you actually cares that you're having a problem. Those affected, maybe yes. Maybe people who are in your immediate circle. Your parents, definitely. But the others, even those who know that you're facing problems, how much do you think they care?

And if you say they do, let's say they lent an ear, how far would they go to helping you? Let's pass over sincerity, since it's in the heart and can't be seen, therefore let's not assume that people helping others have some other motives in mind - we could never know for sure.

Let's look at ourselves. We see people sharing their / others problems on social networks. We think, 'poor you', 'poor kid', 'poor things', we click Like, we comment 'ala kesiannya', 'takziah' and stuff; sometimes we click on Share. But how much of that actually contributes to the solving of the problem, the soothing of the heart? Do we actually go out of the way and offer help, offer something that could brighten up the mind and take it off the problem for one second? There's another problem, too. In a book I read, a neighbourhood is known to bring casseroles to a house in which something bad happened. It's a physical offering, true, but there's no heart in it, you do things you think are necessary then wash your hands off the matter, thinking; 'I'm a good person, I've done my part in the society, I should leave them alone and not be bothered either'.

Most of the time we just feel suffocated. We see the timeline rolling, other people venting and we think 'do they think I want to know this?' After the initial empathy - supported by the redundancy of posts - we would just feel annoyed. Because your problems are not my problems, please share it only with the people who are concerned. Try Google+. ;)

This is not an Ad, btw.

No Sass at All

I've noticed that the previous blog post is dated exactly one year and two days after the last post. A total one year absence. People might think I was dead.
I am however forever grateful that I am still alive and breathing. It's just that I found other people's blog posts I read have evolved into amazing pieces of writing - much too different from my own incoherent ramblings. Most have found their footing, playing to their strengths and developing skills as they blog. I for one, have not.
I know for one thing, that my writings are rubbishy. Proof was, my lecturer gave me a C for an assignment. And this is the third time I'm whining about it online.
There's a grain of dust stuck under the key 'i'. Wait a bit while I get it out ikkuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuiiijjjjjjjjjjjjjjiijjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjiiiiiukiiiiuiiiuiijiiiiiiiiiiiiijjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjuuuuuuuuuiiuuuiiiiiiiiihiiijjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhghghjhhhhhhhhhhuiiiijjjhhhhhhhhhhhhuyhhhhkiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiijjjjjjjjjjjkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkjjjjjjuiiiiiuuiiooiiikjui8888888yyuiokjhyuiohjkiiiiiooiiiii

Phew. In the end I didn't know what got stuck. I did fish out a lot of dead skin cells that have accumulated into dust kittens, though.
Anyway, I guess my writing was at the same 'takuk' as two, three years ago. My vocabulary hasn't improved. My ideas haven't developed much, too. As a start, I guess I should change my reading materials. Opt for something the average adult my age likes, perhaps. Get my hands on some non-fiction. Widen my interests. And move my ass and get things done.

Anyway. Last year I think I may have found new love. But nothing's for sure. See you.

I got Kittehs!

Hello!

I got three kittens! Nanti update and upload gambar. Mase mak dia beranakkan anak-anak dia tiga ora ekor tu, I watched. She was in my room at that time. Muka mak dia pasrah je masa beranak tu, but she safely delivered one white, one brownish cream and one spotted kitten. They're almost a month old now and have started jumping around. I kinda love them to bits.

My source of info for all things catty is this blog
Their names are Blondie, Babykuch and Petlah. Hehe. I named them all. I wanted to name Petlah 'Aubergine' but its not purple. Its name was changed a few times already.
Blondie knows me, always stops in its tracks and look up at me with a freaking cute expression whenever I pass by. Babykuch is a coward who walks in reverse upon seeing something new, and is Petlah's fave punchbag. Petlah is quite rude - it slapped the catmom's face whenever she tried to lick it clean. That explains the dirty butt.
Their genders are yet to be determined. I don't see any balls yet lol. I want a boy kitten!

flashes of images in my brain can be described in thousands of words but my vocabulary is limited

7 billion people on earth. Everyday you walk, every day people pass by. Each time there isn't but fractions of seconds that two pairs of eyes met and acknowledge it's owner's presence, before their brains forgot them again.

Look at me while I look at you
and then
we go on ahead.

You can look at me as I look at you
and only in those two seconds
will I acknowledge you.

Look at me as I look at you
Now turn back to your partner
She's been trying to talk.

I know
and I know you know
That we are stealing glances.

edit: I saw this on tumblr, but it came from 9gag. -_-!

We checked in at the hotel at I don't know what time. Mula-mula kita book standard room with double bed. We thought of cramming ourselves in a room  - but that morning I couldn't think properly and told the other two to just get inside and rest while we check-in and of course reception asked where would the other two be staying. He was the one who suggested that we upgrade to family room and we agreed, now paying $93 for the room, divided between us four, instead of $45 in the first place. I was glad - room was indeed very small, the family suite makes it possible to breathe comfortably.
Then we went put to see the city. It was after 8am - though it feels like 11, we're too tired! Aaaand the rush hour is not helping. MRTs come every minute (if not every 45s) but we only barely managed to step inside the third train - that's saying how many people are using public transport to work. It's like travelling together with the crowd from Jalan TAR pada weekend lepas gaji masuk. Except this crowd is well-dressed, armed with iPhone 4s, Samsung Notes and their earphones. Oh yeah, Singaporean ladies wore grey eye shadows to work as opposed to soft pink worn by the German.
We got out at Raffles Place and spent 15 minutes watching a very cute German baby being told off by her mother - an excuse to sit after penat gila wrestling with the rush hour. The station's near the UOB Plaza

so effing tall almost cricked my neck standing at the base and looking up: something I never did with KLCC.

And THIS

'Bird' by Fernando Botero, the same person who painted the fat Monalisa. Man I'm so proud I touched this. 

Give you the bird's fat ass. 

BIRD YO ASS SO FAT, it's cute. Kalau bukan gangsa dah gigit dah kaki dia.

In Singapore installations like this are to be seen everywhere, by the way. From the Boat Quay we went by foot along the Singapore River towards the Merlion overlooking Marina Bay Sands and the Esplanade Theathers.

Then naik kat City Hall station belah pegi Bugis (Kampong Glam) sebab nak makan please la kitorang tak makan ape-ape lagi dari semalam okay. Sampai Arab Street makan dulu: Zam-zam Restaurant. I only have the picture of the food and the receipt. Mamak tu yang suggest this: Two plates of briyani and one ayam masala - costs $7.50. Take two sets and split between four people. Including drinks that's $5.10 pro Person. See the teh ais? Besar gila gelas, rase macam orang Arab. Yeah their portions are big. They have a lot more to offer: Murtabak kambing lembu biri-biri rusa goreng-goreng pun ada, but at some points in life you do not think and you do not care what you stuff into your throats as long as you can satisfy your bodily need for replenishment and shut your fears of starvation up.

There's the Sultan Mosque nearby, and Arab Street is where you shop for kain ela. Bargain hard, please. Nearby is also the Haji Lane: a place selling all things vintage and quirky. You will want to shop here, but save some money for the souvenirs, I know a place you can get them cheaper.

This is the ultimate budget trip yaww. Visit Singapore with RM500

So what is a budget trip. A pre-calculated trip, of course, when you try to travel with what little money you have. For this one, I exchanged RM450 to to SGD 184 - rate was 2.435. Flight ticket to SG cost MYR49.00 (no checked-in luggage, no insurance) including taxes, so I spent total RM500 only. I'm really proud of myself.
We arrived at Changi Airport on the night of 16th January at 2315 hrs, 15 minutes ahead of schedule. Since ingatkan sampai lambat, kami takde la book hotel untuk malam tu. Rugi pitih je. Sekali pilot bawak laju gila. We decided to spend the night in the airport anyway. Okay. Now. Changi airport ade tiga terminal. Kitorang sampai kat the newly-upgraded Terminal 1 (bukan Seremban punya). Departure / Arrival Hall dia is joined together, memang awesome. Carpeted - boleh rilek je tido atas lantai. Free foot massages. Watch full-length movies from their flat screen TVs. Macam rumah kan. If you dare, stay inside the arrival hall until you're ready to get your passport stamped / to start melancong. We spent only about half an hour there, pastu baru pegi customs counter. Abang kaunter pun surprised - "Ingatkan dah habis, rupanya ade lagi!" - sebab sume AirAsia passengers yang naik dengan kitorang dah check out pun. Kalau cerdik sikit, check for next flight coming in from your hometown and check out with them to avoid suspicion - 'ape la budak-budak ni buat kat dalam'. Kalau takde pun rilek suda. Takkan nye dia marah. Oh yeah, when we arrived, yang stamp pasport tu semua Melayu siap borak-borak. Orang Singapore peramah sampai pelik dibuatnye.
Kat terminal 1 kedai-kedai dia biasa je. Nak best naik Skytrain free je pegi terminal lain, terminal 2 ade shopping2. Terminal 3 ade Slide. Spend $10 dalam airport dapat satu token bole main gelongsor empat tingkat. Kat basement 2 ade free testing - tapi 1.5 tingkat je la. Jangan lupa amik brochures yang diorang letak-letak tu. Study it, move around and you'll not notice it was morning. Also see this: Free things to do at Changi airport. For in house wireless service, approach Info Counter with your passport and mintak password. Dia bagi free to use with your wireless device for four hours. Dah habis mintalah lagi. Kalau tak mahu buat pape, duduk lepak tido mane-mane diam-diam. Oh yeah, malam pertama kat Singapore, spend $6 untuk Starbucks sebab nak tumpang tido kan.

This trip was thoroughly unplanned. Before pegi cuma beli tiket ke sana and booking bilik hotel satu malam, pastu cari range harga tiket bas balik KL. For me, memang berani mati la kalau pegi overseas trip tak plan. Nanti balik menyesal macam-macam. Kami cuma tahu tempat nak pergi Sentosa and Orchard Road, pastu nak pegi beli kain tapi tak tahu kat mane. Jadinye. Make use of the maps they provided for free. Google places you want to go, things you want to do "beli kain kat singapore, singapore budget trip, makan kat singapore" dan sebagainye. Ah tapi mudah je, jangan risau.
Pagi tu kita naik MRT ke arah City. Mase ni excited la nak start melancong kan. Hotel kitorang kat Geylang. Single trip Changi Airport - Aljunied station cost $1.90. Oh ye, MRT ni kalau takde EzLink (macam TouchNGo), kena beli tiket kat machine. Sediakan small change. Tiket dia macam kad la, lepas guna refund balik dapat $1. So kita bayar $2.90, tapi kira $1.90 la sebab $1 tu bole refund. Ada faham? $1 tu guna untuk rolling je la. Jangan lupa refund sebelum balik kalau xnk jadikan tiket tu souvenir keke. Sampai hotel, simpan barang. Hotel kitorang book kat sini tapi keyword yang guna untuk google dah lupa. Try lah "budget hotel Singapore, cheap hotel" ke apa ke. We split $93 between four people for a family room. Considering its a hotel, it's quite cheap, sebab kalau nak tido Singapore comfortably for the night you really have to spend about 20 bucks even for a backpackers hostel UNLESS you're ready to sleep in a 20-bed mixed gender room - that one is less than $8. Kalau book awal, dapat la kot all-female room ke all-male ke.  I didn't regret our room, but I regretted choosing the hotel - it was in the red light district of Geylang, felt so uneasy walking between the hotel and MRT station. We initially wanted to stay in another hotel, but saw through the Google Street View that this one is situated in a more lively area with a lot more shops and stuff. I have read somewhere that Geylang is a red light district, but failed to make the connection. We arrived at our hotel that morning all satisfied with the area - bustling with people, near to MRT station etc. That afternoon we took a ride in a taxi (that's another story) and the surprised driver told us about it, THEN only we started seeing a whole new world. That evening I almost died (METAPHORIC!) walking back to hotel, drenched in my own paranoic cold sweat. Singapore's crime rate is really low, by the way.
End of part 1, I'll continue, I promise!

I have a friend Gorilla.

1. I should have paid more attention. I should have known that friends is more than dutifully liking Facebook updates and grinning inwardly at Twitter jokes.
2. To make sure I don't forget, I made a mental note. That's apparently a mistake, because it felt like I've accomplished something after that (the note making part). Because after some time I forgot that I had made a mental note AND the thing I don't want to forget altogether.
3. Now I've taken to jotting down reminders on every surface that allows the small sphere at the tip of a ball pen to roll and dispense the viscous ink (credits to Wiki) onto it. The draft for this post is written at the back of a pamphlet for the National Online Quiz 6. 
4. yes i draft my blog posts. well, not actual drafts maybe, just strings of phrases so i wont forget the key idea.
5. Actually the full draft is for another post, but the title to this post is an afterthought I wrote at the very end of the page and it's suits my current mood - so.
6. It's a song from a camping trip in Darjah 2. 

I have a friend Gorilla. Gorilla's name is Toby. Toby's friend is (say somebody's name here). This is how he/she dances. Ooh Ooh Oooh.

Cue to the one whose name was called who must then dance the gorilla dance - just random sumoish foot-stamping and clapping your hands above your head. We sang this during ice-breaking, which is why it's always there like an original soundtrack when I think about friends and the people around me.