Shaza Miss Diva

My dear little fashionista, how will I leave my house, if you're wearing my favorite pair of shoes?

Jumble

My tummy betrayed me and I could use an ice-cream but the heat was making me dizzy and my parents were playing a game of SURVIVOR: How long can we live without the a/c on and I found it ridiculous how dependent I have become, on the air conditioning system because electrical consumption will kill our pretty planet earth but there was a heatwave out there and for heaven's sake, I was born near the equator but I don't want to admit that I am spoiled and Mama told me she wished it's winter today

ARRRRGGGGHHHHHH

I am melting

Or not

I think someone switched the a/c on.

Goodnight!

Lighthouse

On these rocks

Across the crashing waves,

Tall stands the red-capped lighthouse

Blows bagpipe in a lonesome kilt
Oh, salty breeze carry Scotland the Brave away
Blue blending horizon and sea-

Seagulls, hark! They cry to me.

Beauty and tranquility.

Ethnocentrism and I

I was sitting at Second Cup with my best friend yesterday evening. This we do, every two weeks or so, sort of a catch up session we always have or simply because we both craved for a Chocolate Chiller. She is someone I can speak my mind to, and our discussions vary from personal to people and ideas, even political here and there. It's wonderful that we can easily relate to each other. We've spent our high school years together with common extracurricular interests ranging from drama to Model United Nations.

So somehow, yesterday, the talk centered around ethnicity and nationality. With Spain winning the World Cup and all, we both agreed that events like this bring out certain identity in people. When the word 'identity' rolled off our tongues, I couldn't help but think about Malay being my ethnicity. I witness my parents struggle to ensure my sisters and I adapt into the Canadian culture without being entirely assimilated.

Identity is defined as remembering my roots. Knowing where I come from and holding strong to certain beliefs. These are beliefs consistent the the universal code of tolerance, respect and dignity. I had a conversation with my parents in the car returning from the Halifax trip. It was about whether or not culture should be infused. By infusion, it involves inserting some sort of mainstream modernity. The conservative self in me, influenced by my involvements with CMA, immediately countered against infusion. The sudden realization of this desperate need I wanted for cultural preservation somewhat surprised me. The thought that came to me right then, was language. I thought of how easily language can disappear without careful cultivation. I remembered reading about thousands of Native languages lost, with generations that came.

Despite being fluent in speaking in my Bahasa Melayu, I find myself challenged with writing it properly. I catch myself spelling Malay words as they sound when commenting on statuses and photos on facebook, rather that spelling them in their proper grammatical manner. From the Halifax cultural exhibition and Carassauga, I learned, that I am simply ignorant. There is more to my Malay culture that I don't know. My struggle with the linguistics of it scares me. I made it a goal to read more Malay literature. I'd love to excel in writing Malay poetry, perhaps with more practice I'd be willing to publish them here. I love the spontaneity during Hari Raya Gatherings or Eid, when the men and women would on the spot, attempt at freestyle Pantun. Hopefully next Raya Gathering, I'll be able to come up with a stanza or two.

It also occurred to me that I am starting to be wary of my parents' fear of losing our culture. Between language and mannerism, history, symbols and arts. There is obvious grace and beauty in culture that I do not want to lose.

This was what I told my best friend. I would want my children to be fluent in my language, be shameless of wearing the Baju Kurung, abide by certain mannerisms and appreciate the fine arts of my Malay culture (from music to dances) more than I do.

Alright it's pretty obvious...I want them to be married in a traditional formal Malay wedding too. You know, with the pelamin, silat, songket...etc, etc.

I know. I have high expectations. Hehe.

I might as well return to my native land, right?

Problem is....it's not as vast in landmark or pretty when it comes to sceneries or multi-culturally diverse as Canada. Only God knows if I'd be this appreciative of my culture had I not immigrated.

Hatemonger

Formspring is amusing.
Does being anonymous and spreading negativity prove honesty? Or does it prove animosity?

There's a lurker out there, sacrilegous and uneducated at using punctuation and capital letters spreading interesting propaganda. Ah, the sole persistent anonymous hatemonger is silenced by my settings...hehe.

I'm so evil. Narcissistic, really.
I can handle criticisms. From nobody anonymous, that is all. I strive to remove unnecessary nonesense and garbage to maintain my sanity.

=P

Maritime Provinces

Perhaps the summer of 2010 best be highlighted by this Road Trip. I travelled across the borders of five provinces within approximately 9 days. From Ontario to P.E.I, passing through Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Okay I have to blurt this out now:

I hereby declare this to be the
BEST SUMMER EVER!!

Throughout the trip, I frequently updated my status out of boredom and for memory recollection purposes. So...formspring me anonymously for cluttering your newsfeed. I know who wrote it. I can't help but be excited by little sights and places I encountered. It takes two seconds to hide me on fb, and five minutes to anonymously make a statement (not ask me a question which happen to be the purpose of the application) on formspring. Go figure. I did love the altruistic touch on behalf of humanity, though. So, okay..cut me some slack, I was bored.

Highlights of the trip

1. Funny village names (e.g. Tatamagouche, St. Louis du Ha-Ha)
2. Hopewell Rocks, the beautiful Flower Pot at Hopewell Rocks, NB
3. Excitement over the 'fishy'-ocean smell at a stop near Tim Hortons
4. Catching up after Omar's family. They left Mississauga 15 hours later, but somehow ended up 200km ahead.
5. Sunset across the McKay bridge to Halifax
6. Staying a week at Mount St. Vincent University residence with all of the CMA crew.
7. Peggy's Cove!
8. First ever lobster roll and seafood chowder that tasted funky. Had lunch overlooking some lake.
9. Canada day fireworks up a hill, overlooking the bridge and city lights
10. RBC Multicultural Performance @ Pier 21. Met some interesting creepy old men flirting with Irah.
11. BBQ Snowcrabs & Lobsters!
12. First ever Oyster I've ever tasted
13. McLobster @ MacD's
14. Creepy photos, mist and fog up the fort, at York Redoubt
15. Sunrise at Halifax, sunset in P.E.I
16. Malay Falls, Nova Scotia
17. Crossed over to P.E.I in a car parked in a ferry!
18. Brackeley Beach, sunset and collecting seashells
19. Green Gables
20. Confederation bridge to New Brunswick from P.E.I
21. Drove home straight for 24 hours.
    
    I miss the sleepless nights in Halifax where us kids would stay up all night watching horror movies and playing Monopoly Deal!

Runway 23

I wouldn't want to pretend the airplanes in the night sky to be like shooting stars. Planes are planes. Stars are stars. Make a wish on a plane is as good as making one on a lamp post.

Cross the plane spotting off my list. I had a beautiful evening watching airplanes in line and taking off. I caught only one plane landing.

I love the adrenaline rush from watching them.
Probably a highlight of my summer.