This storm is breathing, brewing, bellowing,

Outside of the window, you watch the rain pelting down heavily -

coupled with the howling of wind,

Frenzied passerbys with umbrellas are busy scurrying pass,

The overall mood is depressingly cheerless,

Awww … isn’t the desolate sky reeking in a thousand gloom?

ARE YOU LONELY, my friend?

Yes, LONELINESS can come calling and crawling like ants all over you,

When love dies,

WHEN LOVE FINALLY DIES ….

We make mistakes, big and small, comic and tragic.

We pledge commitment, in all sincerity, to another person, only to realise later that our love and passion for the person isn’t as deep as we once thought and believed.

From there follows the broken promise, the bitterness and heartache and the guilt of having misled someone despite our best intentions.

Rainer Maria Rilke [1875-1926], her poem ‘Loneliness’ is full of angst and anguish …

“Being apart and lonely is like rain.

It climbs towards evening from the ocean plains;

from flat places, rolling and remote, it climbs

to heaven, which is its old abode.

And only when leaving heaven drops upon the city.

It rains down on us in those twittering

hours when the streets turn their faces to the dawn,

and when two bodies who have found nothing,

dissapointed and depressed, roll over;

and when two people who despise each other

have to sleep together in one bed-

that is when loneliness receives the rivers… “

 

Here’s a pretty TOUCHING PIECE by GEORGE CARLIN.

I shall say:

“May all Beings of this UNIVERSE be well and happy.”

You retort:

SAY IT, MEAN IT, FEEL IT.

NOW, back to our great guy GEORGE CARLIN.
Isn’t it amazing that this wonderful – comedian of the 70’s and 80’s – could write something so very eloquent…and so very appropriate.

GEORGE CARLIN stipulates:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

 

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete…

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.

Remember, to say, ‘I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

THANKS GEORGE, for this awe-inspiring speech.

 

ARE YOU HAPPY TODAY?

Did you spread a little kindness?

Here are some rambling thoughts we hold so dear.

But everything is easier said than done, right?

“Our life is what we make it by own thoughts and deeds.

Thus it is through our own thoughts that a man rises or falls.”

“It should constantly be remembered that no enemy can harm one so much as one’s own evil thoughts and craving.

These are our inner enemies who follow us day and night, and from whom we must try to keep away.”

“Man himself is responsible for his own happiness and misery. He creates his own heaven and hell. He is master of his own destiny, child of his past and parent of his future.”

“The past is the background against which life goes on from moment to moment, the future is yet to be. Only the present moment exists, and the responsibility of using the present moment for good or evil lies with each individual.”

I wish I can say that I am a salient, albeit – an avid fan of Malaysian author DR. CHAN KAH YEIN

since reading her literary works,

But I sincerely am.

CHAN KAH YEIN oozes humanity in her writings and is the author of 2 insightful animal books so far -

If you must, “Pawprints on my  Heart” and “Four Pillars of Kindness“ can make us sit up and realize that there’s a wonderful world out there for pet lovers if only we know how.

In her own words, she says that

” This world is so imperfect,

Yet, if we embrace beautiful and wholesome virtues of kindness in our lives,

then we can create  heaven in this imperfect world,

She educates us on the 4 Pillars of Kindness:

LOVE, COMPASSION, JOY and SERENITY,

that all beings are subject to the same vulnerability and mortality

where all of us suffer from pain and eventual death,

And if we appreciate being loved and cared for,

Then it makes sense that we should extend our love to all beings boundlessly, unconditionally and without discrimination.

All things are impermanent.

All things will change.

The only way for us to reduce our own suffering and dissatisfactions in life is to accept this impermanent nature of reality and all existence,

and let go of our attachment to them.

But in the process of doing so, let’s all spread LOVE, COMPASSION, ALTRUISTIC JOY and SERENITY,

making life more bearable and more meaningful.”

Love me, love my pets, I often read.

KAH YEIN is more than the usual animal lover.

Her world weaves around a genuine passion to fend for hapless animals,

Whilst others just talked, she founded ANIMALCARE in Malaysia, an industrious group dedicated to the welfare of pets.

It’s one bold move, but she remains unfazed and undaunted by occasional hazards along the way.

She relentlessly rescues and fosters abandoned animals with a zest.

If only pets can talk, then I’m pretty convinced that they’ll happily sing this song for us ….

“Don’t know much about history
Don’t know much biology
Don’t know much about the science book
Don’t know much about the French I took.

But I do know that, I love you
And I know that, if you love me too
What a wonderful world this would be.

Don’t know much about geography
Don’t know much trigonometry
Don’t know much about algebra
Don’t know what a slide rule is for.

But I do know that, one and one is two,
And if this one could be with you,
What a wonderful world this would be.

Now, I don’t claim to be an “A” student,
But I’m trying to be.
For maybe by being an “A” student baby
I can win your love for me.

Don’t know much about history
Don’t know much biology
Don’t know much about the science book
Don’t know much about the French I took.

But I do know that, I love you,
And I know that, if you love me too,
What a wonderful world this would be.

But I do know that, I love you,
And I know that, if you love me too,
What a wonderful world this would be.”

This one’s for YOU, Ms CHAN KAH YEIN.

Gracias.

Here’s KAH YEIN’s parting request:

“To all the animal-friends whose paths I have crossed, and whose lives I am sharing now, THANK YOU for giving me the opportunity to practise love, compassion, rejoicing and letting go.

Do pay us a visit at

www.myanimalcare.org

Let’s create a wonderful world for our pets it will be!”

STOP PRESS.

Here’s a personal piece on JACKIE CHOW from HONG KONG,

Rookie actor maybe,  but I’ll vouch for this dude anytime,

For one, he’s a jolly nice fella,

In a city known for its continual bustles-and-bustles, notwithstanding the loud and bullish people, JACKIE assails you like a welcome breath of fresh air.

He’ll listen to your questions intently, and answers them with zeal and zest.

His tone is genteel, earnest, without pretensions.

The lyrics of the song, “For he’s a jolly good fella” couldn’t have been more apt to describe him.

And he’s firm about his convictions:

“I EMBRACE POSITIVISM,

I TRY TO BE HAPPY WITH MY LIFE,

I WORK HARD,

I STAY HOPEFUL,” enthuses JACKIE CHOW, Hong Kong rookie actor.

AND YES, IN ALL THAT I DO, I GIVE MY BEST.”

NOTHING VENTURED, NOTHING GAINED is his doctrine.

“As long as you are alive and in good health, there’s always hope – even with the ruts and obstacles along the way.

I aim to stay healthy and positive with my body and mind

by keeping the ‘chi’ energy in balance – the ying and the yang ….

I only have one body this life time, and if I don’t take good care of it, then who would?

GAMES AND HOBBIES?

I dig baseball since I was 10.  Baseball shows what teamwork, camaraderie and fighting spirit are all about.  From  baseball I learn about how to cope with failures, about how not to make excuses in life.

I sing to release my soul (chuckles) and I compose lyrics to express my pent-up feelings.

EXPECTATIONS IN LIFE?

I wanna be free, like an eagle taking flight.  I abhor boundaries and restrictions. I seek to be an artist, expressing my views of human nature through music and films ….. I do not see life through rose-tinted glasses. My formative years as an adolescent had not been easy, being brought up by strict parents. I have always wanted a creative job out of the normal 9-5 daily routine. And yes, I have always aspired to perform.

VIEWS ON SEX

Sex is a desire, a motivation to me sometimes (laughs).  You can understand a person more through sex, yet sometimes the sexual act can destroy you morally if you are addicted to it. I lost my virginity to my second girl friend during high school.  Since then, I have matured greatly ….

YOU ACTED IN A GAY GENRE FILM CALLED ‘PERMANENT RESIDENCE’. YOU GET TO KISS THE LEAD OF THE FILM. WHAT WAS YOUR FEELING THEN?

Hey, I am as straight as a rod. But when I accept any challenging role, I give my all. I’ll psych myself in any difficult part, to adopt the screen persona. If the script calls for me to “fall in love” with a guy, then I’ll go all the way out to make myself fall in love with that REEL person, irrespective of gender or creed.  That’s the name of the game in acting. That’s being professional.

WHAT KIND OF ROLE WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY IN FILMS?

I’d like to be experimental, to play all kinds, good or bad. Dark and comedic characters, a paradox, so to speak.

WOULD YOU APPEAR FULL  FRONTAL IN ART HOUSE FILMS?

Why not? What do I stand to lose?  But only if the camera flatters me, if the camera makes me look artistically good.

SINGLE OR ATTACHED?

Happily single for now. Falling in love saps up latent energy, makes me do stupid things and I cannot afford this.

Heard of this poem by SRI CHINMOY called THE BREATH OF NEW HOPE?

Day and night I shall swim

In the sweetness – hope – river.

May my mind every morning become

As beautiful as hope – dawn – rays

Peace begins

When expectation ends.

Each sacred hope

Is a blessingful gift

From Heaven’s heart.

Hope abides; therefore I abide.

Countless frustrations have not cowed me.

I am still alive, vibrant with life.

The black cloud will disappear,

The morning sun will appear once again

In all its supernatural glory.”

That’s summing up Hong Kong actor JACKIE CHOW in a nutshell.

“Working hard is food for the soul.  And yes, tomorrow can always be better.”

PHOTOGRAPHY by NORM YIP from HONG KONG for this special interview.

Thanks, NORM for the jolly nice pictures!

There are varying degrees as to how a FRIENDSHIP can be based, especially in this selfish BUSINESS FRATERNITY.

Put on a plastic face and go swim with the sharks.

Just see who’s going to be eaten alive next.

IT’S THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST.

WHAT price FRIENDSHIPS?

Lots.

Friends can either love you dearly, support you morally or “stab” you unkindly.

And YES, they can also really bleed you to death, and leave you in a quandary.

GOOD DEEDS?

Don’t – because it doesn’t pay to be kind.

INGRATES prevail, believe me.

This is a material world, dude.

People look only after themselves.

MADONNA made it perfectly clear in her famous hit MATERIAL GIRL:

LIVING IN A MATERIAL WORLD

AND I AM A MATERIAL GIRL,

YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE LIVING IN A MATERIAL WORLD,

AND I AM A MATERIAL GIRL

THEY CAN BEG, THEY CAN PLEAD

BUT THEY CAN’T SEE THE LIGHT,

THAT’S RIGHT

CAUSE THE BOY WITH THE COLD HARD CASH,

IS ALWAYS MISTER RIGHT ….

You’ve to look after your own self-interests, ‘cos nobody is going to catch you when you fall.

Just look over your shoulder, dude.

YOUR BEST FRIEND CAN SCREW YOU, AND LEAVE YOU HIGH AND DRY.

Check this one out.

There’s no such thing as the “eternal sunshine of the spotless mind” where friends will rush to help you when you are on the downslide.

This is the 21st century, an animated era.  Everyone do things for a purpose.

MONEY TALKS, man.

Forget that SEX AND THE CITY camaraderie about four childish middle-aged sex starved tarts.

That’s some ballyhoo nonsense, borne out of a script.

Hush…..

FRIENDSHIP CAN BE VERY COMPLEX.

So be wise.  Chose your pals wisely.

THERE ARE ALWAYS TOXIC PEOPLE AROUND.

Especially in business.

SO DON’T JUST SEE FRIENDS THROUGH ROSE TINTED GLASSES.

Lest you regret, man.

Forget the April showers, pal.

Once-too-often the SNOW STORM might hit you when you are caught unaware.

Hey!

In the ENTERTAINMENT ARENA, fame speaks.

When you are up, running and glorified, the whole world becomes your oyster.

Every of your friend wants a piece of the action.

Everyone clamors to kiss your arse.

But when fame eludes you and you’re down and out,

Your sunshine friends flee for their dear lives,

Isn’t what the REEL WORLD teaches us?

ISN’T THIS FOR REAL?

Last night I had this recurring nightmare:

In recent months, natural and man-made catastrophes are threatening to destroy mankind in full force …

ripping us apart, back-to-back in different parts of the world.

Are these for keeps?

When are we going to be spared from more impending disasters?

NO, it’s not a 3D feature movie.

IT’S NOT REEL,

IT’S FOR REAL.

FEEL THE PAIN AND ANGUISH.

Our mettle is currently being tested

SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

EVERYTHING and EVERYONE must go through a process of wear-and-tear.

In eventuality, nothing lasts forever, never in the long run

Even the very ground we are standing on -

how long can it sustain us?

THESE PICTURES PORTRAY A THOUSAND WORDS because they are real.

They are stark reminders that the globe may no longer be a safe haven in the years to come.

No, it is not a biblical account of MOSES leading the Israelites in their flight from the pursuing Egyptian army that led to the parting of the Red Sea.

Mankind never seems to heed warnings until it’s almost too late, right?

Years ago, we were lauded with grim facts about global warming and the thinning of the earth’s core if we continue to abuse and pollute our environment

The natural world is rapidly changing to the ways we treat it …..

EARTHQUAKES, TYPHOONS, FLOODS, TSUNAMIS are wreaking havoc all over the world …

These catastrophes spell impending doom and intensify world sufferings,

Do we care enough to prevent the end-of-the-world from happening?

We are being challenged …..

Unless everyone plays his part ….

The end of the world may be sooner than we thought.

No, I am not preaching the BIBLE,

I am not playing GOD,

I seek solace in comforting words and meditation,

Hopefully, the following phrase makes sound sense:

”Not all trees are felled by storms.

Not every seed finds barren soil.

Not all the wings of dream are broken,

nor is all affection doomed

to wither in a desolate heart.

It won’t all end in tears and blood. . . .

Hope is a burden all of us shoulder

though we might stumble under the load.”

And if we seek redemption amidst suffering,

Then all of us must play our parts to make the world a better place to live in,

This may be a hopeless rant,

but in order to heal this chaotic world,

We must stay HOPEFUL,right?

I AM COOL, you know?

It’s 3 am pre-dawn as I am writing this

The air is serene,

and the music is playing softly in the background.

No, the owl is not in sight,

Neither is there any hooting,

So there’s no sign of haunting.

.The Righteous Brothers on CD are performing their long time hit UNCHAINED MELODY.

Soulful, insightful, stirring …

I am saddened by the fact that PATRICK SWAYZE has passed on recently  ….

“LIFE IS FRAGILE ” -

so said SWAYZE during a 1990 interview with PEOPLE magazine.

Yeah, nobody can foretell the future.

I realize long ago that  time and tide wait for no man,

and one day it’ll be everyone’s turn to bid this world farewell as well.

Goodbye to all those who have loved and stood by us through life’s drudgeries ….

We might be up there on the highest cloud one moment,

then down to the deepest depth the next,

What would we ever do without memories?

LIFE WOULD  HAVE NO COLORS.

We need the rainbow hues,

We need the sunshine,

We need the rain,

We need the darkest storm,

Or LIFE WOULD BE JUST ONE BLANK PAGE.

IF ever there’s any hit song that can stay atop the HIT chart of our minds

after more than one decade and still retains its latent fervor

then it must be “UNCHAINED MELODY” from the stupendous film GHOST.

The lyrics are so powerful, so potent ….

They surge deep into your heart and mind,

and beckon you to rush home to hug and kiss your loved ones.

There are simply too many nostalgic scenes in this movie that evoke a sense of longing in us

and these will stay in our memories for a life time,

Thank you, PATRICK SWAYZE and DEMI MOORE for putting us onto that platform,

For transporting us to a world of surrealistic paradise of love each time that song plays ….

“LIVE YOUR LIFE FOR THE PRECIOUS MOMENTS.”

Because we really do not know when we would depart from this earth.

That was what the late PATRICK SWAYZE told the PEOPLE magazine in 1990,

Right after the colossal success of his movie GHOST.

That’s sound advice,

That’s what we should all do.

If we do not communicate well with the people we love,

If we just ignore their existence,

If we take them for granted,

We are setting ourselves up for incredible pain when we lose them.

Farewell, PATRICK SWAYZE,

You may be gone but never forgotten,

Adieu, buddy, adieu!

Buckle up, folks.

I beseech you to read this with a can of air freshener around.

You might well need to deodorize the air.

It’s all about CRAP, courtesy of the SINGAPORE DRAMA SERIES.

Stinky affair, this one, besides – we have to go “anal”  ….

Yah, my dogs poo, just like all living animals.

It’s a part of living, right?

When we were barely in our teens, we learnt that each and every  human being …. ugly or so beautiful

live, feed,  breathe, excrete, reproduce and die.

That’s what the toilet bowl is for.

Then we grew up and when we discovered the wonders of one-plus-one-is-two ….

logic became elementary, and a lot things just happened to be just plain common sense.

After all, some things need not be taught ….

just like masturbation,

Like what goes up must come down  …

Isn’t this gravitational pull?

What goes inside your body must come out also…

Imagine yourself gorging in all those glorious foods – three meals per day ..

Where does all the delicious grubs go to?

Into the mouth and out of the anus …

Argghh ..

As simple as any no-brainer can tell you,

SHIT, man!

You don’t shit, you DIE …

And this ruling definitely applies to all superheroes, supermodels and all gorgeous pies.

Otherwise you’ll be carrying this bloated tummy full of gas and toxic waste liken to a clogged sewage pipe …

Smelling sweet, folks!

Now take a cue from this popular SINGAPORE MEDIA CORP Blockbuster drama series “Housewives’ Holidays”.

You are treated to generous helpings of raucous jokes pertaining the bodily functions, excretions such as shit, fart and pee aplenty.

Here’s one nauseating scene from the ” HOUSEWIVES’ HOLIDAYS ” drama:

Three middle-aged plain janes XIANG YUN, ANN KOK and HONG HUI FANG gleefully participated in a PILATES class for women.

They were cajoled by the instructor to tuck in their tummies, bend over with legs outstretched.

Guess what?

There was a farting noise emitted by actress HONG HUI FANG who looked non-plussed.

Her two friends displayed disdain by the stench.

Not only that, she split her pants and rushed for the toilet.

Before she could even reach her destination, she lost bowel control and promptly shat in her exercise attire.

More!  She promptly washed her soiled undies, displayed it to her chums and merrily announced that she was going to re-use it.

Would this incite laughter or disgust?

It’s a two-way prong, depending on which side of the target audience you are on.

To the Singapore heartlanders, this kind of gag is absolutely hilarious!

After all, the intended core audience comprises the aunties, uncles, grannies, grandpas and kids, mostly.

Corporate heels would frown on this kind of spoof.

One young Singapore professional swore to me that he’d never watch made-in-Singapore dramas as they are mostly “brainless” and “full of crap”.

I wonder that, if he did not watch, then how could he know?

Is he voicing the opinions of the disdainful minority segment – the yuppies and chuppies who prefer the “classier” foreign acts?

Actress HONG HUI FANG earned our respect for her realistic portrayal of a stingy and fussy housewife who had to stoop to demeaning acts, as demanded by the series’ producers/directors.

Being the consummate professional as she is, she took the job in one stride, without complaints.

If she does not bag the coveted BEST ACTRESS AWARD this year, then her efforts would be in vain as we cannot think of a more deserving artiste.

VIVA, MISS HONG!

Would be nice, for a change, to watch FELICIA CHIN, JOANNE PEH or JEANETTE AW “taking dumps” in Singapore dramas, since the station is awfully good in producing genre of this kind.

And there are also other notable “SHIT” dramas as my producer friends asserted

citing “JUST IN SINGAPORE” and “THE SHINING STAR“ as other examples.

In “JUST IN SINGAPORE”, people mayhem abound when a priceless ancient tub, filled with human excreta, was wheeled around the corridors of a HDB apartment building to distract thieves.

And in THE SHINING STAR, even a cute little girl was nonchalantly mimicking farting “sounds” in various scenes,

whilst another limp character played by actor HUANG SHI NAN was regularly reading the girlie magazines whilst crapping.

More …. but we rather end here for a breather.

Too much of any good thing kills, for sure.

Maybe the regular scriptwriters are constipated in terms of comedic ideas?

We may never know but one thing’s for sure.

SINGAPORE is renowned for producing “CRAPPY” dramas such as these.

Little wonder that “swear” words such as SHIT and ASSHOLES are immensely popular,

With the TV station and the various media propagating  to the mass family audience

what would you expect?

Notwithstanding the good ratings too!

Meanwhile, would someone be kind enough

to pass the air freshener, please?

NAH, I DON’T LIKE CATS.

Absolutely not.

They are cold, so arrogant and blah- aloof …..

and they preen like peacocks.

CATS strut with stealth and have this devil-may-care attitude.

They are emotionally attached to places, not their masters.

And when the mating season comes,

They bawl like hyenas and send shivers down our spines …..

CATS  can be really creepy,

Or so I thought.

I prefer DOGS, yah.

Now, SEPTEMBER embodies the Chinese month of the HUNGRY GHOSTS.

The Chinese believe that, during this baffling month, the dead stalk the streets at night and might pay the unsuspecting you a visit, so will you please stay at home.

And it was on a SEPTEMBER morning in Bangkok that I heard this desperate “meow” emanating from the derelict storeroom of our office.

This private storeroom has always been locked, closed for months, but the mewing became louder.

On opening the door of the storeroom,  I espied this small ball of fur (grey with dark stripes).

A pair of doleful eyes peered at me pathetically, indicating that she was hungry.

How did she get into the closed storeroom?

It’s still a ghostly mystery, but in the weeks that followed, she followed me everywhere in the office.

Is she a real kitten or something incarnated, I wondered.

Nevertheless, I named her MEW, after the lead in the popular Thai movie “LOVE OF SIAM”.

I already have 2 doggies in my fold, but MEW have “charmed” them over and they are now inseparable buddies.

ISN’T IT FUNNY HOW LIFE WORKS OUT IN STRANGE WAYS

and what seemed like a burden at first -

NOW BECOMES A SOURCE OF JOY!

YEAH, I am now changing my silly mindset about CATS.

They are dependable, full of love, predictable in their actions,

grateful and loyal.

CATS are purrly-lovely and agile.

MEW has shown me so, this SEPTEMBER, the Chinese Hungry Ghost Month.

You have to be a cat lover to believe this one.

It’s for real.