Kurious Kat

My friend Kat has tagged me to do this meme. She was supposed to tag 8 others to do it but she only tagged me. So, I think it is reasonable that I tag no one but feel free to do it is you want and let me know if you chose to do so.

And now Kat, because you wanted to know.........

What is your current obsession?
Having used Window based computer systems all my life, I am considering getting my first Apple computer for my photos and video work. It's turning out to be a huge life changing decision for me as an Apple costs almost double the price here. I am currently obsessively reading up on Apple and talking to anyone who has used one.

What are you wearing today?
An old but comfortable T-shirt commemorating the 2nd Annual Taste of Banff Festival, Lake Louise in 1994 and brown shorts and brown moccasins. I remember trying bison at the Festival.

What’s for dinner?
Dim Sum! I know this is usually eaten for breakfast or lunch but this particular restaurant has a 30-45 minute waiting time during the day so my wife and I always go at dinner time when there is no queue. We do this about twice a month.

What’s the last thing you bought?
Apart from groceries, I recently bought a book about Malaysian Highland Orchids for a friend.

What are you listening to right now?
I recently came across someone who Ecuador who plays Native American music in Malaysia. I am listening to his CD.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
There is a tranquil pool fed by a river stream in the middle of the rainforest in Endau Rompin National Park (Johor), Malaysia. Crystal clear waters and surrounded by the jungle.......peace.





Which language do you want to learn?
Spanish. I just like the sound of it. I'm a big fan of Spanish music but it would be good to understand the lyrics. Otherwise, I've also admired Gaelic.

What do you love most about where you currently live?
The fact that you can get Malay, Chinese, Indian and other ethnic foods almost anytime of the day. In fact, I love this a bit too much.

What is your favorite colour?
Aquamarine or any blue-green combination.

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
Similar to Cindy, any T-shirt which commemorates a place that I have been to.

Describe your personal style?
Casual and sloppy.

Name a famous person you share a birthday with.
Apparently, I share a birthday with the British author, Roald Dahl (1916 - 1990).

What are you going to do after this?
Watch some TV and then sleep.

Your favorite smell?
Smell of bacon in the morning.........yummy. But okay, favorite smell would also be the smell of rain. That is so refreshing.

Do you collect anything?
Selected comic books like Bone and Groo. Used to collect commemorative tea-towels to remember places I visit. Now it is T-shirts and photos.

What makes you follow a blog?
Interesting and honest people with interesting and honest things to say. People I can learn things from.

Do you like to comment on blogs or just lurk?
I lurk ever so briefly but then I like to leave comments cause I like the interaction.

What’s one thing you dream of doing?
Whitewater rafting down the Colorado or the Amazon.

What is your biggest regret?
Not helping a friend when I had the opportunity.

What is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
Curl up with a book and doze off.

Do you have a tattoo?
Nope! Absolutely not my thing.

Do you play an instrument?
Up to 6 chords on the guitar but little else.

Who was your hero (or "shero") when you were a child?
David Livingstone.

If you find a spider in your house, would you: a) kill it, b) leave it alone, C) capture it and release it outside? (This is my added question)
Leave it alone.

Five by Five

Five by Five is the phrase that Faith (the rival slayer from the series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) uses to indicate that everything is okay. I thought it would make a good title for this meme from Jelica and Ruslan over at Budapest Bits, my new friends and favorite blog from the Balkans and Central Europe. This is because the meme requires 5 answers under 5 topics.

It has been awhile since I did a meme. For some of the older readers, some of my answers will already be familiar but I hope this will be of interest to some of my new friends here. It also falls on me to prod 5 others to take up this meme. Please don't feel obliged or pressured but it would be nice to know a bit more about you. I dub the famous Five to be;
1. Lorac at Ahhh...the Cottage Life.
2. thisrainykitten at my blog.
3. Sally at Sally's World.
4. eastcoastdweller at In Search of Isis.
5. Cabcree at Cabcree.

FIVE FAVORITE SONGS:
1. I Can’t Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt, 1991)

Just think this is a great song. Soul wrenching music and lyrics.

2. And So It Goes (Billy Joel, 1989)

I proposed to my wife by singing this song, so it is very precious.

3. Alone Again Naturally (Gilbert O'Sullivan, 1972)

An early melancholic favorite.

4. Anything But Ordinary (Avril Lavigne, 2002)

My current theme song. Great lyrics and outlook to life.

5. Scarborough Fair/Canticle (Traditional Arr.; Simon and Garfunkel, 1966)

Great traditional song and wonderful anti-war anthem.

FIVE FAVORITE FILMS:

1. Running on Empty (1988)

This movie is about family, love and sacrifice. Always makes me cry.

2. Blade Runner (1982)

Probably the best Science fiction movie ever. Shows a dark side to the progress of

science.

3. Before Sunrise (1995)

A simple story of a chance encounter on a train but I think one of the most

romantic stories ever.

4. Thunderheart (1992)

A spiritual journey and a story of injustice against native peoples.

5. Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

Another movie that makes me cry. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks make a great

romantic comedy combination.

FIVE FAVORITE BOOKS:

1. Ring of Bright Water (Gavin Maxwell, 1960)
This book taught me to love animals
2. Watership Down ( Richard Adams ,1972)
This book also taught me love animals but also to question human systems of governance and beliefs.
3. All Creatures Great and Small (James Herriot, 1972)
This book also taught me to love animals and gave me a better sense of life's hopes, dreams, ups and downs.
4. Rendezvous with Rama (Arthur C. Clarke, 1972)
I love the premise of this story. Very humbling.
5. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever ( Stephen R. Donaldson,
1977-1979)
A great fantasy story played out against the lack of faith of the hero.

FIVE FAVORITE CRUSHES:

1. Susan Hampshire
(British actress with large cleavage – what do you expect, this was my adolescence crush.)
2. Sophia Loren
(Italian Screen Sex Goddess – a bit older now but still controlled by raging hormones. I
like my women meaty and curvy)
3. Natalie Wood
(American Actress – beginning to see women as people. Natalie remains one of my
favorites. She is strong, yet vulnerable. And is she ever so pretty).
4. Gong Li
(Chinese Actress – Even stronger, yet vulnerable. The Asian version of Natalie Wood).
5. Isabella Rossellini
(Italian Actress, daughter of Ingrid Bergman who almost made this list too. What can I say. She’s stunning at 55 years old. Graceful beauty and aging well).

FIVE FAVORITE RANDOM THINGS:
1. Walking in the rain.
2. Swimming in a jungle stream.
3. Spending time with my wife.
4. Dinner with friends.
5. Laughter of Children.

A Lifetime in Six Words

Open Grove Claudia likes to drag me out on a limb (which seems to be one of her favorite places) and leave me dangling, exposed for the blogging community to see. This time she has tagged me to do a six word memoir. After spending three sleepless nights thinking about this, I finally came out with "Not Capable of Writing Short Sentences". As you can see Houston (and Denver), we have a problem.

Nevertheless, in the spirit of things, I deprived myself of sleep for yet another night to come up with the following six word gems. I decided to address separately, my three aspects of being which is the body, spirit and soul. (Alert readers will probably realise already that this means I get to use 18 words). Oooookay, here goes.

Body: - This one is easy. Easy but kind of sad.
"Photos prove I was skinny once."

Soul:- I understand this to mean my eternal, indestructible soul.
"Undeserving Sinner Saved by God's Grace."

Spirit:- I take this to mean my being, character and unique personality.
"Trying to live life beyond ordinary."

I almost forgot my alter ego;
"Shy Squirrel finds voice in blogosphere."

Thanks for reading (readers who are still awake would have realised that I sneaked in another 6 words). Now it is time to tag six others.

Dave (Bang on My Drum), Dr. John (Dr. John's Fortress), Gina (I, G-Clair), Claire (Notes from a Wildcats Fan), Proxima (The Echo Tree) and the thinker (Theory of Thought) should you choose to accept this mission, please link back to this post and also let me know that you have done the dastardly deed. Thanking you in advance.

I Wish For Two Wishes

Claudia tagged me to do this Make a wish meme.

I find myself to be very often to be a mass of contradictions pretending to be one person. That being the case, please excuse me as I cheat and make two wishes. This first one comes from my emotional and spiritual side.



This second wish comes from my thinking and cynical side.



1. Think about what it is that you want more than anything, what your heart’s desire and fondest wish is, and what it is that you would wish for if you were to see the above wishing star flame across the night sky.
2. Right click and SAVE the blank graphic below.
3. Use a graphics program of your choice and place your wish on this picture:

4. Post the Make A Wish Meme and your wishing star on your blog along with these rules.
5. Tag as many people as you like so that there can be wishing stars all across the Blogosphere and ask them to please link back to Linda at Are We There Yet? so that she can see what wishes others have made and share those wishes with others.

If you don’t currently have a graphics program and aren’t sure how to put your message on the picture you can either download one for free (Linda used IrfanView which is an image viewer but also allows you to customize and optimize your pictures) or email Linda at mouseski58@yahoo.com, tell her what you’re wishing for, and she’ll customize the picture for you and email it back to you so that you can then post it.

Claudia tagged the following: FuriousBall, Los Angelista, She became a butterfly, No Nonsense Girl, Mr. Fabulous, Miss Britt, Jameil, Heart in SF, Kevin Charnas, Squirrelly, Michelle at Lede me on and Michael C.

I tag the following: Citizen of the world, Happy Downtowner , Daysgoby, Claire and Medstudentwife .

Tag 5......again

Marja of DutchCorner, who is in New Zealand just to confuse us, asked me to do a meme based on 5. My first thought was de ja vu, cause I remember doing a meme called Tag 5 . As it turned out the two memes are quite different so I decided that to happily take this new meme on. However, if you are new to this blog and want to know a bit more about the Lone Grey Squirrel, I think you will find the previous meme quite informative also.


Part 1: 5 Weird Facts About Me

Strange enough, I have already done one called "Six Weird Things About Me". So you can get the details here, however just to tantalize a little, here are the six keywords;

1. Squirrels
2. White Food
3. Buffy
4. Graveyards
5. Bananas
6. Miracle

Part 2: 5 Places I Would Like to Visit or Visit Again (click links for pictures)

1. Banff National Park, Canada
The United Nations Human Development Index has named Canada the best country to live in the most in their annual report. Canada secured the best country status 10 times out of 20 reports. (Norway is second with 6 times at the top and Iceland the most recent winner in 2007). I have to agree. Of all the places I have traveled, I would chose Canada as the best place to live. The best combination of natural beauty and a young but caring society. For sheer natural beauty and space to feel free in, it has to be Banff National Park and all the other adjacent Rocky Mountain National Parks. I was there for just a week but could easily spend the rest of my life there.

2. Tepuis of Venezeula
For the adventurer in me, this is my dream destination. Tepuis are flat tabletop mountains with sheer cliff faces of over 300-1,000 m. The world's highest falls, Angel Falls comes off one of these tepuis. Rising out of the dense equatorial rainforests, they are often shrouded in mists. Visitors flying over them have described them as islands in the mists. These were the mountains that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to write about "The Lost World". To go where few, if any, men had been before; to see rare and unique plant and animal species and to have an adventure...........this is where I would like to go.

3. Budapest, Hungary
Europe is a great place for culture, history and the arts. I have enjoyed Vienna and to be fair, have not been to Paris. Yet, it is this Pearl of the Danube that calls me to come back. I spent five days in Budapest when I visited and left acutely aware that I could have spent five times longer and still feel that I have more things to see and experience.
Highlights have to be the food, the people, their proud and unusual history which is quite distinctive.

4. Croatia (Dalmation Coast and Plitvice Lakes National Park)
I am kind of cheating here by using Croatia to cover both a place that I have been (Plitvice Lakes) but also a place that I would like to visit (Dalmation Coast). I have previously posted on Plitvice but suffice to say it is truly a natural wonder and a soothing place for a water spirit like me. Dalmation Coast from Dubrovnik to Split is a place rich in a period of medieval history that I know little about but find fascinating. Walled cities, castles and churches and all set into the ruggedly beautiful coastline.

5. Endau Rompin National Park, Malaysia
My first wild area. My first love. Pristine, beautiful rainforests with rich wildlife like tigers, elephants and rhinos. Isolation and relatively difficult to get to merely adds to its charms. Mountain tops with palm forests and swamps and islands amidst the cooling mists of the falls as well as numerous waterfalls and rapids makes this a top spot. Swimming in crystal clear jungle streams was an incredible experience.


Part 3: 5 Things I never imagined at 25

1. I never imagined that I would be married. I went through a phase and a way of thinking that did not include marriage.
2. I never imagined that I would be working in nature conservation. At that time, I was still thinking of a career as a mad scientist in a lab somewhere blowing things up.
3. I never imagined that I would have had the opportunity to study and live in Canada.
4. I never imagined that I would ever end up overweight as I was always scrawny until I was about 28.
5. I never imagined that I would still feel young at 45. Well, apart from the aches from various injuries collected over the years and fading memories.
   

Please if you are tempted to try this meme, do drop a comment to let us know that you are doing it. Ta ta for now.

A Gift of Kindness

I was tagged by Kimber the Wolfgrrrl to do this meme which is in line with this season of goodness and cheer.

The instructions:
1) Post a note about a blogger you would like to see something wonderful happen for. Maybe one whose posts have touched your heart in one way or another. Include details as to why you admire them and what you wish for them. Be as supporting and affirming as you can.
2) Post your favorite memory around selflessness, giving, or doing for others. Something that has actually changed you.
3) As a postscript, name one thing you will actually do for someone in your life before December 31 that is born out of joy.
4) Tag 3 other bloggers who will play the game and find the spirit. Don't forget to leave a comment on their blog so they continue to share the good feelings.


Wow! This was the toughest meme that I have ever done. For this first section, I took the entire list of bloggers (more than 50) that I visit with some regularity and I mulled it over for more than a week. Finally I took a deep breath and managed to slice it down to 10. It took me a whole morning of trying to avoid making a decision and finally I narrowed it down to two and then finally one.

I wish something wonderful for Janice Thomson (Pursuance of Truth). If you visit Janice’s blog, you are treated on an almost daily basis to some pearl of wisdom or a beautiful and insightful poem; sometimes uplifting, sometimes humorous, sometimes deep and profound but always inspirational. As if that was not enough, she also treats us to a beautiful picture or painting which is an appropriate accompaniment to the prose.

Janice is clearly a person who gives of herself. She used to work as a nurse for mentally challenged adult patients. I admire all nurses but nurses doing palliative care or nurses working with the mentally challenged are in my opinion deserving even higher adulation.

In recent times though, Janice has faced a great deal of problems with uncertainty about her health and her abode. Yet, though there is an occasional acknowledgement of her problems in her blog, it is not long before she brushes it aside with more life affirming and life reveling prose. So I would like to wish something wonderful for Janice for the person that she is and for being an example of grace under pressure.

Favorite Memory Around Selflessness, Giving and Doing for Others. I have actually already shared my personal favorite memory about selfless giving (Juliet, Juliet, Wherefore Art Thou?). However, I would like to tell the story of someone else that I met. Her name is Mariliana Morales. I met her when I took part in a special study tour organized for representatives of non-profit organizations in 2005. The reason why I want to share her story is that I have always felt an empathy for prostitutes but unlike me who have done little to act on this feeling, Mariliana has put her whole life into helping them.

Mariliana was a successful business woman in Costa Rica and she was married to a successful businessman. Although a Christian, she was not an active one as running her business was her life. However, one day she just felt that there had to be more to life than being a slave to work. She turned to God in prayer for direction. Then as she was driving, she looked out and saw written in clouds in the sky, the word “Prostitutes”.

She pondered and wrestled with her vision for awhile and finally told her husband that she wanted to give up her business and work amongst prostitutes and to help them. The husband was supportive but incredulous. Mariliana was in the upper echelon of society. Until then, she was not even aware that Costa Rica had prostitutes. She told her husband that she would not even know how to start looking for a prostitute.

PhotoCredit: - LGS Chowing Down on Maine's Best Clam Chowder (Mariliana -second from right)

Before long, someone knocked on her door. It was a young girl who had been physically abused by a client and was on the run looking for sanctuary. It was the defining moment. Mariliana did not hesitate but took her in. Her first prostitute.

She went on to look for a place to house prostitutes, protect them from their pimps, provide re-training for another job, take in their children and give them education. Thus was founded the Rahab Foundation on November 12th 1997. In the first month alone 30 prostitutes found their way to this sanctuary. Many of them testify that they had prayed to God in their despair and had received a vision to look for the Rahab Foundation which was virtually unknown at that time.

In the last 10 years, thousands have benefited from Mariliana’s and the Foundation’s work. Today, they provide sanctuary for over 500 seeking to escape prostitution and to make a new life. Over the years, 70% of those who have come through the Foundation have found freedom to live a new life.

In my short interaction with Mariliana, I surmise her to be a strong, intellegent woman with a sharp business acumen and organizational skills but the prominent characteristic that all who have met her would go away with would be the sense of her spirit of servitude for others. She reminds me that I could do more for others too.


To do list before 31st December. Well, I plan to just come in under the wire and invite a friend who has been feeling a little down after her relationship with someone fell through to a little group caring at a gathering of old friends for a New Year’s Eve Party. She has not seen many of us for quite a while and I am hoping that our meeting will be like returning to a loving, strong and supportive touchstone.

Tagging others. I think I will have to decline tagging others as it would be unfair for them to try to do this meme before new year which is just a few days away.

Putting Words to the Pictures

With reference to the previous post, here is the answers in words for all you bloggers to lazy to burn a few brain cells.

1. The answer is boldly written for all to see. I wonder how old you thought I was. One blogger had previously thought I was a teenager. At first I thought that it meant she thought I was youthful but then again maybe she thought I was immature. Hmmm. Incidentaly if you look at what is written on the car bonnet or hood, that is what I would like to do with my next birthday. Any ideas how to do that?

2. Actually there are a whole bunch of places I would like to go to but this just happens to be flavor of the moment. It is Dubrovnik in Croatia. A World Heritage Site. History, spectacular scenery and warm Mediterranean waters. Plus it is still slightly off the beaten path.

3. Lake Louise. I was in Canada for about 3.5 years. From my base in Ottawa, I managed to see Toronto, Quebec City, Niagara Falls, Alqonguin Park, Muskokas, Kingston, Burlington, Gatineau Park, Vancouver, Kamloops, Banff, Yoho, Lake Louise and Calgary.

4. Chili Crab or Sweet & Sour Crab. Mmmmmm. It has to be done with mangrove crabs though. The meat is sweeter and more abundant. I've posted on this before on my World Food Spots.

5. Nothing special here. I was born in this old missionary hospital (today it is a private hospital) in the early morning. My Chinese Zodiac sign is a Tiger. An early morning tiger is a sleepy, contented tiger (i.e. not fierce) cause I should already have eaten.

6. Place where I live.....the Petronas Twin Towers, once the tallest buildings in the world. Well, okay, I don't actually live there. It is meant to represent the city which I live in but I live near by. Well, okay, not that near but I can still see the towers in the distance from where I live!

7. I grew up with about three dogs in the house at any one time but they were always my mother's dog or my sister's dog or my brother's dog. I only ever had one dog which was my dog and it was an Alsatian mix. The name was given by my Mother and as the picture shows, it must be some exotic East European name. Losing this dog was very traumatic for me in my childhood.

8. Again I have many good friends rather than one best friend. I chose the one with the most interesting nickname. The picture show the natives of Papua New Guinea who helped ferry wounded Australian soldiers along the infamous Kokoda Trail during World War II. The Aussies gave these men a nickname. This also happens to be the name of a bear in children's stories and is the nickname of my friend.

9. What can I say? My first name sucks.

10. It was in a water quality test laboratory on a project to develop rapid methods to be used in poor, inaccessible rural areas to detect water contamination.

Picture Me This

Once again, another meme which I have stolen from Jess.

THE UNCREDITED GOOGLE IMAGE MEME
(Just type the answer to the following questions into Google Image, then pick from the first page.)

1. Age at My Next Birthday:-


2. Place I'd Like to Travel:-


3. Place I've Been:-


3. My Favorite Food:-

5. Place where I was born:-


6. Place where I live:-


7. Name of Past Pet:-


8. Best Friend's Nickname:-


9. My First Name:-

10. My First Job:-


Feel free to join the fun. (Answers in next post).

Poetry by Numbers: Where I'm From

I saw this beautiful poem by Jessica on daysgoby and I just thought to myself, "How I wish I could write like that." Then I discovered that you could go here and get help to do exactly that. Here is my effort. Jessica's is still way better but this was fun to do. Feel free to do it too. C'mon, you know you want to.

WHERE I'M FROM.....

I am from pick-up basketball games, from Bata shoes and the laughter of friendships on and off the courts.

I am from a home with a large garden, many windows that open to the green of grass, bamboo and fruit trees.

I am from the dainty phloxes in flower pots and large rambutan trees, from orchid plants with roots on charcoal and the rich, clay soil.

I am from family brunches on Sundays and the infectious morning sneeze, from the Babas and the Nyonyas, the Loh's and the Lee's.

I am from intelligent women and strong, silent men.

From fairy tales and fantasy lands and seeing the beauty of nature.

I am from a long line of Buddhists until one by one, we came to know about a loving Saviour and friend in Jesus.

I'm from the meeting of two silty and tin laden rivers, adventurers from the Middle Kingdom, of sweet and sour stir-fried mangrove crabs and the bitter-sweet pork with buah keluak.

From heroes who were willing to die for their friends, but who knew how to live fully and love nature and from deep devotion to children.

I am from seeds now scattered across the globe but united still by the home country, memories of childhood on clean sandy tropical beaches and the love of a multicultural feast of culture and food.

Powered by ScribeFire.

Meme from Meggie

This is a meme and Meggie made me do it!

1. Name one person who made you laugh last night?
My wife always makes me laugh.

2. What were you doing at 0800?
Cursing the alarm clock.

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Trying out Facebook.

4. What happened to you in 2006?
I grew older. Darn it!

5. What was the last thing you said out loud?
"Are you hungry?"

6. How many beverages did you have today?
Just floral tea and water today.

7. What color is your hairbrush?
If I had a hairbrush, it might be black with white tips!

8. What was the last thing you paid for?
Lunch.

9.Where were you last night?
I was down at the local shopping centre trying to protect terrified little old ladies from punks skating around in leotards. Or I might have been having a boring night at home.

10. What color is your front door?
Dark Brown.

11. Where do you keep your change?
I have a little soft toy in the form of a beagle that has a zip and a pouch for coins and it hangs in my car. His name is Bobby Brown.

12. What’s the weather like today?
Hot and humid with scattered showers.

13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor?
Vanilla. It's gotta be vanilla.

14. What excites you?
Certainly not writing about what excites me.

15. Do you want to cut your hair?
No, I like it loooooong.

16. Are you over the age of 25?
I am so far over the age of 25 that.......what was the question again?

17. Do you talk a lot?
No.

18. Do you watch the O.C.?
Nope. But my better half does.

19. Do you know anyone named Steven?
.....King?

20. Do you make up your own words?
No but I steal other people's made up words.

21. Are you a jealous person?
Seriously, no.

22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’.
Andrew. Not sure how this is any use to you.

23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘K’.
Hmmmm. Need more friends.

24. Who’s the first person on your received call list?
A work colleague.

25. What does the last text message you received say?
Sadly, that was work related as well. Hmmm. Getting a little depressed here.

26. Do you chew on your straw?
Afraid so.....when the service is slow.

7. Do you have curly hair?
Most of it is straight.

28. Where’s the next place you’re going to?
Probably Thailand but again work related.

29. Who’s the rudest person in your life?
Currently, my boss.

30. What was the last thing you ate?
Open face sandwich topped with fish cooked with chilli and coconut milk.

31. Will you get married in the future?
Too late. Been there, done that.

32. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks?
I haven't seen any in the past two weeks.

33. Is there anyone you like right now?
No, I am one grumpy, grouchy grinch.

34. When was the last time you did the dishes?
Couple of days ago.

35. Are you currently depressed?
Grumpy isn't good enough?

36. Did you cry today?
Naw. Sorry to disappoint.

37. Why did you answer and post this?
Beats doing something original. Also I suspect Meggie of having underworld connections.....better safe than sorry.

38. Tag 5 people who would do this survey…
Those 5 already did it! Okay, here's hoping the following will play along; 1) medstudentwife , 2) Leslie , 3) Cheryl , 4) Ruth and 5) Kimber.

Dance, Dance

Claudia seemed to think that I would have interesting stories to tell related to dancing and she tagged me to do this. Hmmmm, Claudia, I think you have been misled. Phil Collin says it all for me in the following video:



I did try to learn how to dance and took some classes in jazz dancing. I enjoyed that but luckily I didn't have to sit for any exam cause I would have failed. I struggled for weeks to learn how to do the waltz so that I could dance with my wife on our wedding day. Apart from that, my other dancing efforts could be described as being similar to Animal from the Muppets after twenty cups of coffee.

My latest effort was to try to do the traditional bamboo dance. The idea is that according to the song rhythm, the dancers are to dip their feet between the clapping bamboo poles. With correct timing, the feet are in the bamboo when they are held open and the feet are out when the bamboos are clapped. This beautiful professional dancer gets me on the stage and showed me what to do. The beat starts slowly and we get to try it out really slow. No sweat!

Photocredit: LGS

The beat picks up a little. Still no problem. You tell yourself that all you need to do is keep to the rhythm. The pace picks up. Still no problem. The pace increases. I am still doing this well. I am actually impressed with myself. This of course awakens my self doubting ego. "Who are you trying to kid? You are a klutz and will always be a klutz."

I begin to falter. The pace builds up again but this time....*WHACK* "Ouch!".....*Whack* ....Ouch! Suffice to say, the whacking picks up speed and I am soon hopping about, not to music but in pain. My dance partner tries to get me back on track but ....Whack* Whack* Whack*. The pain. The humiliation. The sound of Phil Collins singing..."I can't dance."

Nature doesn't like a dancing klutz.

Oooookay. Now is where I tag 5 others. Who might have interesting dance stories to tell? I tag geewits, eastcoastdweller, gina, jessica and mago.

Tag 5

(Top L-R: Gong Li, Natalie Wood, Sophia Loren)

(Bottom L-R: Susan Hampshire, Isabella Rossellini)

It's been a while that I did any memes. So I was quite glad that meggie tagged me for this meme in fives.

I would also like to tag the following 5 blogging friends to join in the fray (can't force ya'll but hope you will play),

1. josie of All in Good Time
2. gina of Forgive me for saying so but....
3. kat of stayathomekat2
4. ivan of Island Grove Press
5. nancy of Heart First
   

5 Things I wish to do before I die.

1. Re-visit many of the places I have traveled to so that I can have fresh memories of them.
2. Visit with loved ones and dear friends even those I haven’t seen for years and to be
able to rejoice with those who are doing well and help those who are not.
3. Write a novel that moves people emotionally.
4. Create something special with my hands.
5. Make a positive difference in a young person’s life.


5 Things I Can Do. (Not an impressive list. Barely better than a bumbling baboon.)

1. I can cook.
2. I can sing.
3. I can draw cartoons.
4. I can teach. By this, I think I am a good at teaching. Students always give me a good evaluation.
5. I can write.


5 Things I Can't Do.

1. I cannot dance.
2. I cannot play any musical instrument. (well, actually I played a lot of instruments a little and then gave up).
3. I cannot Bungee (scared of heights)
4. I cannot iron clothes successfully.
5. I cannot lie. Not just because I believe it is morally wrong, but because I am not able to do it convincingly.


5 Things that Attract me to the Opposite Sex.

1. Hair
2. Eyes
3. Compassion
4. Joy of Life
5. A little bit on the chubby side (curvy)


5 Celebrity Crushes.

1. Susan Hampshire (British actress with large cleavage – what do you expect, this was my adolescence crush.)
2. Sophia Loren (Italian Screen Sex Goddess – a bit older now but still controlled by raging hormones. I like my women meaty and curvy)
3. Natalie Wood (American Actress – beginning to see women as people. Natalie remains one of my favorites. She is strong, yet vulnerable. And is she ever so pretty).
4. Gong Li (Chinese Actress – Even stronger, yet vulnerable. The Asian version of Natalie Wood).
5. Isabella Rossellini (Italian Actress, daughter of Ingrid Bergman who almost made this list too. What can I say. She’s stunning at 55 years old. Graceful beauty and aging well).

Eight is Enough with Contradictions.

I turned on the computer and .....Blank. My mind, not the computer. Couldn't think about what I wanted to write. Then I realised that I had been tagged by Stock City Girl to do a meme on 8 random facts/habits. I thought to myself..........I can do this. In fact, I'll give you one pre-list fact for free:- I always tend to follow the path of least resistance which is why I am fated to do this meme.

The rules are:
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.


8 Random Contradictory facts about me.

1. I like to climb mountains but I am actually scared of heights. It's easy climbing up but I really find it difficult climbing down.
2. I studied science but have more than a passing interest in the arts. Even while I was at University studying Sciences, I was getting awards for writing and art (cartoons).
3. I am good at map reading and outdoor orienteering but can get completely lost in a covered carpark or shopping mall. Friends tease me by saying that I need the sun to navigate.
4. Coffee and tea do not help keep me awake - they have no effect. On the other hand, diet coke will keep me bright eyed and bushy tailed.
5. People seem to remember me. For example, I can go to a restaurant and not return there again for another three months but when I do, the waiter remembers what I ordered. I on the other hand need to be introduced to someone at least three times before the name sinks in. I have met many people on the street who seem to know me but I can't place them at all.
6. Perhaps because I grew up with Chinese food, I enjoy Indian food the most.
7. I am basically an introvert but my work requires me to make public and even TV appearances frequently.
8. I like comedies and horror genres. Diverse as they may seem, I really enjoy movies or shows that succeed in having both.

That's all folks. I have decided not to tag anyone but if you want to do it, let me know so I can drop in and read about it.

I Think It's a Thinking Blogger Award

What a pleasant surprise! I woke up this morning and while still bleary eyed, I switched on my computer and checked my blog ( normal obsessive behavior of a blog addict) and what did I find? I had been awarded a “Thinking Blogger Award” by csl.

My first thought was that I no longer had to think of a thought for my next thoughtful blog. My next thought was a silent thanks to csl for giving me the award and freeing me from extensive thinking. My third thought was to doubt if I really deserve it (I refer to the intellectual quality of my first and second thoughts!).

Anyway, I’ve got it and I am not giving it back. However, it now falls on me to award it to 5 other bloggers who made me think when I read their blogs. Ah Hah! It’s a trap. Now the real thinking starts. How to choose from so many?

Before we get to the awards itself, here is a word about the origin of this. It began in February 2007 when Ilker Yoldas decided to combine the meme concept with providing links to specific and quality content. Thus was born the “Thinking Blogger Award”. This meme will have the specific purpose of raising awareness of thoughtful and thought-provoking blogs.

The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,

2. Link to the original post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,

3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog). Then tag 5 others if you wish.

And now for the results,
With so many to chose from, I had to be quite ruthless to make sure that I was not choosing any blog for any other reason other that required, no matter how much I enjoy reading them. I also avoided giving anyone the award that I am aware has been awarded it before. The Awardees are……….

In My Head

Dave invites us to look inside his head and there is lots going on. His posts range over a wide area of topics but are grounded in life around him. Nevertheless, he is able to cover a large variety of issues and has some posts that really speak to the heart. Watch out for his pranks though but even those are very well thought out.

StayatHomeKat2

Kat is able to make her garden come alive with the weird and wonderful creaures and plants that inhabit it. She blog is also great for keeping up to date on some of the latest news in zoology, botany, astronomy art, music and also horses. She is a Butterfly expert. I am impressed by the width and depth of her knowledge and interests. Although I do not agree with her strong support for the Theory of Evolution, her posts are always interesting and mind-expanding.

Guilty with an Explanation

Hearts is an enigma to me. She just won't allow herself to be categorized and that makes her blog always interesting. You're never sure where her sharp and dry sense of humor will be applied next in analysing anything from day to day living, society woes and political news. Her own life stories are also fascinating and makes one reflect over issues.

The final two Awardees do not have any photos associated with their blogs. I mention this in case you thought I got lazy.

The Cedar Chest

Ellie writes a very raw, emotional and honest blog. When I was first drifting in blogosphere, the name "The Cedar Chest" perked my interest and I was not disappointed when I looked in. She allows us a window to learn a lot about coming from a strongly conservative religious minority and the joys and tribulations of living in the rapidly changing modern world. By comparing the cultures and belief systems, we cannot be other than challenged to rethink our world view.

Gledwood Volume 2

Gledwood is a heroin addict trying to give up the habit and to make a better life. His blog is also very raw and honest sharing both highpoints and low points in his journey. The blog allows us to understand better the daily challenges faced. Yet despite his struggles, Gledwood's mind is alive and open to so much information and interests from books, art, TV and many more. He has reached all over the globe with his writing and his reading. Very impressive.

Thanks guys and girls for keeping the gears in my head turning.

100 Things for 100th Post

In the tradition that was first set by dave, I too decided that having survived in the blogosphere long enough for 100 posts, the occasion should be marked with a special posting.

I am glad to have survived this long. I didn't know at the beginning if I would find enough to write about. However, I have found both inspiration and friendship amongst the blogging community and as I have found so much of value in what you have to post, I hope too that you have found some value amidst my ramblings.

So on this special occassion, I propose to bore you with a list of 100 things about the topic I know best......myself. Do not try to read it all at once as you may be in danger of falling into a coma. You have been warned. Proceed with caution.......

I am
1. I am working as an environmental/conservation scientist.

2. I am just under 6 feet tall.

3. I am scared of heights.

4. I am Peranakan; also known as Baba-Nyonya (which is primarily a mix of Chinese and Malay). The culture is unique - taking elements of both but is closer to Chinese.

5. I am very good with young children. They seem to like me and I seem to be able to entertain them quite effortlessly but I really do not know why that is so.

6. I am the youngest in a family of four. Two brothers and one sister but the age differences are large (between my eldest brother and I is 18 years) so I felt like I grew up alone.

7. I am a Christian. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior when I was 13 years old even though I was brought up in a nominally Buddhist family. There was a lot of opposition to my decision and I was threatened with being disowned if I went ahead with being baptised. I did and I wasn’t disowned and today most of my family are Christians.

8. I am not a neat person nor am I a well-organised person. I try once in awhile but chaos soon takes control of whatever order I have tried to setup.

9. I am not good at being a strict disciplinarian. Young kids and even co-workers sense this and do try to take advantage. Never leave me alone with a classroom of kids if you don’t want a riot situation.

10. I am not a materialistic person. I believe in being content and not taking part in the rat race for more.

11. I am not a handyman or a gardener.

12. I am poor at corresponding with friends and family.

I like
13. I like vanilla ice cream so a trip to Baskin & Robbins is a waste of time for me. Boysenberry Ripple is a close second.

14. I like to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the X-files and Veronica Mars.

15. I like to play board games and card games that provide opportunity of interacting with people.

16. I like beachcombing and fossil hunting.

17. I like canal boating and canal history. Unfortunately, I have only traveled on the Oxford Canal, UK and the C&O canal in Washington, D.C.

I would like to
18. I would like to try gliding.

19. I would like to take up scuba diving.

20. I would like to visit the Tepuis of Venezuela

21. I would like to raft down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.

22. I would like to retire to Canada and run a B&B.

23. I would like more time to take up painting and writing.

24. I would like to swim with dolphins in the open ocean.

I love
25. I love my wife of 14 years. Who would have thought that after much traveling, I would end up marrying the girl next door? (well actually, the girl down the road.)

26. I love teaching. I am good at it and I really enjoy it. I like to be able to pass knowledge on and inspire young people.

27. I love nature but have a particular fondness for squirrels, otters and wolves.

28. I love traveling and learning about cultures and history.

29. I love my friends and family. They are the most important things in life.

I enjoy
30. I enjoy walking in the rain especially if I am in a funk.

31. I enjoy talks with friends that go deep into the night.

32. I enjoy long walks in the mountains and swimming in jungle streams.

33. I enjoy musicals. My favorite amongst more recent musicals is Phantom of the Opera but my all time favorite remains West Side Story.

34. I enjoy photography and also blogging.

35. I enjoy most music but especially jazz, folk and ethnic music.

I hate
36. I hate doctors with poor bedside manners or who do not care for the emotional wellbeing of their patients.

37. I hate dishonesty.

38. I really, really hate two-faced, corrupt politicians.

39. I hate being drunk. I do not like not being in control of my faculties. I am also one of those who actually become quiet and withdrawn when drunk. I think I have only been drunk less than five times in my life.

40. I hate multinational corporations. Well, actually, I just do not trust them. I think their motives and actions are contrary to the good of the general population and the world; especially pharmaceutical and agrochemical companies dealing with genetically modified organisms.

41. I hate arrogance and especially in politicians and scientists. I believe both should be serving mankind and arrogance gets in the way.

42. I hate blind, unthinking red tape and bureaucracy especially when it works against the weak and the defenseless.

43. I hate the words “if only…”. It caused me a lot of grief in my younger days that I was always not satisfied and I was always full of regret that I did not do things differently or better; when I was ruled by the words, “if only….”.

44. I hate the way Malaysian society has lost some of its unique strengths of family and community in its headlong rush for modernisation and progress and how it has picked up some of the vices of modern society.

45. I hate the increasing lack of willingness to accept responsibility for one’s action and the tendency to make excuses and to blame others.

I have
46. I have eaten rat liver once by accident. I don’t really want to talk about it.

47. I have had my appendix removed when I was eleven. I went in to hospital for observation but the symptoms disappeared the next morning. The doctor was about to discharge me but the Professor came by prodded me and said that “we might as well take it out.” I remember thinking that it was easy for him to say that but as it turned out, it was a good decision cause my appendix was close to rupturing.

48. I have a very good sense of direction and am very good at map reading but I can get lost in a shopping mall.

49. I have done volunteer work with Red Cross to help Vietnamese refugees to find their families.

50. I have also volunteered at different times to help take care of terminally ill cancer patients, recovering stroke patients and elderly shut-ins.

51. I have had the privilege of visiting and assisting a brave woman who was almost totally paralysed. She only could control and move her eyes and yet she finished her studies and wrote a book. What an inspiration!

52. I have had a man die in my car while I was trying to transport him to hospital.

53. I have a scar on my left middle finger which I got when as a toddler, I smashed a glass door with my hand. Apparently, I narrowly missed being decapitated by the falling glass.

54. I have never taken any illegal drugs and have only smoked a cigarette once.

55. I have appeared on CNN, BBC, ABC (Australia) and Al-Jazeera. I was being interviewed with regards to my work. My 15 seconds in the spotlight!

56. I have done whitewater rafting in New Zealand and in Canada. I would do this again and again whenever I have the opportunity.

57. I have taken part in the Terry Fox Run twice and really should start doing it again.

58. I have worked as kitchen staff in a hotel in the Lake District in the UK. Being a small family run hotel, duties include singing around the ol’ piano in the evening. It was here that I picked up a Scottish accent from a co-worker.

59. I have visited every continent except South America and Antartica. That’s not the same as having traveled extensively in all those continents. I have lived in three countries and visited 19 others.

60. I have an ear for music (so I am told) and can play a tune on piano after hearing it once but have been too lazy to really learn how to play properly.

61. I have a collection of soft toys which were all given to me by friends over the years. My first one was Ollie “Nuna-Nanook” of the North which is a penguin.

I can
62. I can swim and enjoy almost any form of water activity.

63. I can cook reasonably well.

64. I can speak and write in English and Malay.

65. I can draw cartoons reasonably well and have won a University-wide competition for funniest cartoon

I used to
66. I used to play basketball and chess at school level competitions.

67. I used to be in the school debating team. When I was young I really enjoyed debating and taking the contrary view.

68. I used to sing in both the school and church choirs but I really have a problem keeping to my part.

69. I used to have the entire collection of Peanuts by Charles Schultz, the complete collection of James Herriot books and the complete set of Douglas Adam’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series. Unfortunately, while I was studying abroad, my mother allowed my cousins to take the books away and I never saw them again.

70. I used to have a phobia of eating chicken which was so strong that I would throw up if I ate it. Today I can eat chicken but surprise, surprise, it is still not a favorite.

71. I used to have a progressive back problem (scoliosis) but received healing from God during a prayer session and I haven’t had the problem since and it’s been more than 7 years.

72. I used to suffer from asthma and eczema but swimming helped to reduce the frequency of the attacks and today it is not a problem.

I once
73. I once caught Scarlet Fever and I found out only a day after donating blood. I had to call the hospital to get rid of my blood as it was tainted.

74. I once met and shook hands with Brian Mulrooney when he was Prime Minister of Canada but this is not something that I am particularly proud of.

75. I once had breakfast with the entire Valencia Football team but not really being a soccer fan, I was oblivious to this until after the fact. Some of my friends are furious that I did not ask them for autographs.

76. I once backpacked through Europe for a month and visited 8 countries in that time. One of the best things I ever did.

77. I once was extremely skinny. Hard to believe today but I still have photographic evidence!

78. I once suffered from a serious depression that lasted a year but I felt its tendrils for a long time after. Once again, it was God that brought healing. Even today though, there is a comforting familiarity to being in a funk.

79. I once learnt how to canoe and kayak properly including the eskimo roll but its been awhile. I wonder if I can still do it.

80. I once took up jazz dancing too but I’ve put on weight since then.

81. I once went on a lightning 1,500 km tour of Ontario in 6 days as a pillon rider on a motorbike. This was despite the fact that I was suffering from lower back pain at the time. I chose to bear the pain than miss out on the trip.

82. I once was mistaken to be a native American and invited to attend an Algonquin pow-wow.

I did
83. I did my first degree in Biochemistry at the University of London.

84. I did my Masters in Microbiology at the National University of Malaysia. My project had to do with developing a rapid method to test whether a water source was polluted by sewage and feces. The method I help develop was used in rural communities in South Africa, Chile and in some Native Indian Reservations in Canada.

85. I did my doctorate in Environmental Microbiology at the University of Ottawa on an International Development and Research Centre scholarship.

I
86. I won a consolation award from the international Nehru Awards for a story I wrote about the end of childhood while I was in school.

87. I was severely reprimanded by my headmaster for submitting a poem about the end of childhood to the school magazine. He disapproved of the way I portrayed the school in the poem. That was the last time I wrote poems until this year.

88. I carry out public speaking and public presentations very often but despite being good at it, I am really an introvert and do not enjoy doing it.

89. I regret not learning Mandarin and one musical instrument when I was younger.

90. I drive 4WD’s at work but my own car is a Honda City 1.5 L and my dream car is the modest but cool Volkswagon Golf Convertible.

91. I procrastinate.

92. I generally enjoy sad stories more than happy ones. One of my favorite writers in this respect is Maxim Gorky.

93. I also enjoy science fiction and my favorite authors are Ray Bradbury and Arthur C. Clarke.

94. I found coming out with 100 things about myself to be incredibly difficult.

My
95. My favorite color is aquamarine.

96. My favorite semi-precious stone is tourmaline.

97. My favorite computer game is Sid Meier’s Civilization IV.

98. My favorite alcoholic drink is lager, cider, white wine, red wine and coffee liquers in that order. I rarely drink though, maybe twice a month.

99. My favorite spectator sports are rugby union and ice hockey. I really enjoy the rugby sevens version of the game too.

100. My friends call me a walking encyclopedia.

Six Weird Things About Me

There is no rest for the wicked. I am being punished for making fun of the most powerful man in the world (see previous post). Claudia has tagged me to do this. Okay, Claudia, YOU asked for it. Here it is......



THE WEIRD ANATOMY OF A MAD SCIENTIST

1. SQUIRRELS: First the obvious. I am obsessive about squirrels in general and grey squirrels in particular. I have not dressed up like a squirrel and climbed trees but it may be just a matter of time.

2. FOOD: I like “white food”. Favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla. Favorite non-alcoholic beverage is soya milk which is white in color. My comfort food includes full cream milk, Ambrosia rice pudding and soya bean curd, all of which are, you guessed it, white. I prefer white chocolates to dark. I even discovered a wonderful exotic white drink in Spain called Horcata which is made from tiger nuts.

3. TV : I think Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the best conceived, written and acted shows ever. I know the show has its fans but most of my friends who know me as a mostly serious, semi-over-weight, middle aged guy are flabbergasted when I extol the virtues of the economic use of words in Buffy or even worse when I sing songs from Buffy the musical. I am also reduced to tears by some of the more poignant episodes.

4. GRAVEYARDS : Regular readers will already know about my interest in spooky graveyards, tombs and catacombs. We can’t all be Egyptologists and discover tombs in pyramids. I get my kicks of learning history through the stories of the departed.

5. BANANA : I am a banana. That’s what they call Chinese who cannot speak Chinese or whose English is better than their Chinese mother tongue. i.e. yellow on the outside but white inside. To be fair, I can speak some Cantonese but only to the extent of being able to order food in a restaurant which is something I can do even in French and German. It’s one of my regrets that I did not practice it enough when I was young and now have lost its use.

6. MIRACLE. I’m not sure it qualifies as weird but it is unusual. I used to suffer from recurring lower back spasms and occasional slipped discs. When an episode occurred, I could be incapacitated for a very long time. The problem was that its, frequency had increased over the years from once or twice a year to once every month. After a particularly bad episode that left me paralyzed in pain for 3 hours on a stair landing, an X-ray was done and the doctors told me I had scoliosis. My right hip was an inch higher than my left. Over the years, my spine twisted to the right, resulting in a rounded back, flat feet and chronic pain. The doctors taught me some exercises to help control the pain but warned that it was likely to progressively get worse as I aged. From then on, I lived with chronic back pain with an occasional paralyzing spasm every few months. However, about 5 years later someone from church who has a ministry of praying for the sick had just given a talk and offered to pray for all who were at the meeting. As she prayed for me, God acted despite my own lack of faith and I felt my bones realign and immediately the pain was gone. By the end of the week, my wife noticed that I had developed the small of the back which had been missing for years. Most importantly, I have no pain since then (7 years ago) except one occasion after lifting an extremely heavy weight improperly. Today, I am pain free and no longer have flat feet. Praise God.



I am going to tag dave, le nightowl, squirrel and nancyle.