hey hey! its a little too late to welcome the new year, but then again, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

well, this came after a week of trying but then again, this si something i intend to do regularly from now onwards, that is to write more often, even if no one reads them. i find it therapeutic. you should too.

anyways, back to the story, i was driving back after work one day, when this struck to me, what about listing all the good and bad things that happened to me during 2007? well, here are some of them, dunno if i can put them in chronological order, but will try my level best to do so. here goes nothing!

2007 - RECAP of Eventful Moments.

1. Last day at work, OCA - This was indeed a painful event. I jined back OCA (back then it was known as UOA) thinking that i’ll be back amongst friends. well, it did, but then again, i had an ass of a manager, who is just as dumb as dumb can be, even worse, i think a dumb can outsmart this ass! needless to say, after 6 months of sheer torture, and empty promises of promotion and pay rise after slogging like a dog, i tendered in my letter, with a week’s notice. parting was indeed painful, as some of them were like family. i’ll miss them, i still do, and will fondly remember them all as my first working colleagues. miss you guys!

2.Injured during futsal - it was actually my first day at work the next day at my new place, so to celebrate, i organised a game of futsal with some friends. after being tired of playing goalie for a long period,with no goals going past, i decided to play outfield. was creatng havoc to the opponents, then a sheer moment of brilliance (ronaldihno, you’ve been warned) the opponent hacked me down. brutal tackle. i fell down flat, stpeed the ball in the process, twisted my knee, fell on it, and my knee swelled to the same size of the footy ball. damn, that was painful. thanks to my mates (andre and hatem and the rest of the team)i managed to get to the hospital, and believe me, next day reported for duty on crutches!

3.India beat concert - SHAKTI was in town! i was broke at that time, so i relied on my uncle to get some free tickets, which in the past was a breeze. this time though, the promised land didn’t arrive, and i was at work, imagining SHAKTI mesmerising the crowd. they did. kept them all spellbound. me too. at work. imagining them. sigh.

4.WYC - the highlight of the trip to india was indeed the WYC. getting there itself was a journey, both sweet, and bittersweet. but the experience gained from the abode of peace, magnifique! i’m longing for my next trip there…..

5.team leader, Andre - this was indeed a surprise. i got promoted after 6 months, very fast indeed. but then again, i guess all the months of working like a dog paid off. this will be the start of a new career path, the role of a supervisor, and the start of  new adventure, somehting that i’m currently doing now. bigger things in the future? starts right here!

6.Ammu’s wedding aniversary - its beena year since my kutty ammu sister got married. and how her life has turned out to be. the once timid sister of mine is now managing both the home and her career, not to mention of bieng a role model wifey to my BIL. mind it, she rules the house, but she is so understanding now, i guess, marriage changes lots of things. my BIL is a lucky guy indeed. my turn? hmmm…. i guess will never happen.

7.passing of a new member of the family - This was indeed a sad day for all of us. my unborn nephew/niece did not make it to be with the family, instead, decided to take the short route back to God. Bless him/her, and well, my sister and hubby, you’re indeed a strong couple. bless you both.

8.shamini’s & manu, happily ever after… - the wedding that we’ve all been waiting for. Shamini will now be called aunty manu….kekekeke. i made a promise to prashanth that we will be here to take care of things for him, and indeed, thank Gus for making us all keep that promise. indeed, shamini’s family inducted us all into their own, and indeed, a wedding to remember. plus, the arrival of, you know who….

9.making the move, NOT! - i surprised myself on this. how on earth did i manage to do it? no idea. but it happened. but then again, it didn’t go too well. had fun getting the lilies though. and did some research on them, too. ask me about lilies now, i’m a self taught lilyologist. wish her all the best in her future undertakings, and boy, i’m going to miss her. and thank you, sukhu, sanku,sushi,nuskhie and the rest of the gang. not forgetting manu and sham.and prashanth.and sanjeev.and GUS……….

10.mum getting an op done - this all happened during the time when we (me and mum) were in the midst of not being too agreeable with each other. somehow, somethings that wer ein the closet, came out in the open. but then again, they are in the closet simply because they are to be there till the time is right. i guess, GUS had a better plan. in a way, GUS helped me realise one thing. Mum, her love. nothing beats it. during this time i went through shit. and all i wanted to do was to lay in my mum’s lap. thats what i call heaven. indeed, the op went on smoothly, and we sorted out our differences, back to being a team now!

11. realisation - end of a journey - 5 years. that how long it took. pratically wept alone that night at bangsar centre, dunno why, but problems after problems, finally broke me down. it was just me an GUS. and finally, after sometime, i felt something. i actually felt the presence of my dad, sitting next to me, and i could actually smell him there. no agarbathi smell, just my dad. i wept again. thank god, no one was there.

12.new year, SSDY (Same Shit Different Year) ? - well, spent the new year eve after work at bangsar centre, had prayers, then adjourned to darshie’s place. my first NY party in ages, it was a blast! then back to work at 7 am. sigh.

well, this were some of the things i could write about. there were more, but i just am so bloody tired.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, folks.

ever wondered where the limit lies, when you offer the whole world, yet nothing is left of it but complaints and despair?

ever wondered when people around you will be satisfied, even though you suffer to make that happen?

same questions pondered and trotted through my brains all week long, in fact, it has been bugging me for a while already, but intensified over the past couple of weeks.

today though, someone managed to dissect that in merely 25 minutes of chatting. and the assesment was spot on!it was supposed to be a follow up coaching session at work, held for management staff who had earlier undergone training sessions by the same guy. but i had to give both sessions a miss due to work commitments, and i was actually cracking my brain hard when i was put to scheduled meeting with this guy, someone i had not seen before. training department asked me just to have a friendly chat, and share a few experiences of managing people, somewhat relevant to the job i’m doing.

boy, i was in for a surprise. he threw me one probing questions after another, subtle, but i read through it. i was being cryptic with him, and that broke his resolve, until we finally, literally cut the crap, and began to engage in serious, building session. and boy it was good.

he had only one advice,or rather observed point for me. he told me, that i had strong family values, and prefers structure to none, he also said that i thrived in chaos, and when that happens, i will be the guiding light to many. but one point took me off my chair for a while. and that was for me, he says, to be more, selfish, to be selfless in the future.

I actually felt as if my dad was talking to me, and it was truly God sent, here we were, total strangers, discussing not only work but generally, life.

with all that muck surrounding my life for the past few months, something made sense today.

and, relaying to what sanjeev said about me, that i’m the all-you-can-eat buffet, i think i’ll be changing the menu from now on. I’ll be that course meal people hate to have. at least, i’ll have a piece of me to reflect upon. unlike now, where everyone gets a share of me, but myself.

buffet is out, ala carte is in! so, dig in…..

stay in the line, punk! you ain’t seen the real me, yet. it will show,

SOON.

over and out!

Ala Carte Joe

Hi all…

I’ve been searching for someone to post this song online, wanted to get a good one, you know me, don’t know my Tamizh, but can spot the difference between good ones and excellent ones.

so here is a song i truly enjoy, something i thought i could share with you. got it from another blogger, Aurora (God bless her)

but i’ll try to fit in the english translations in between. it may sound a little bit jiwang (go ask your malaysian friend), but then again, nothing beats it! yenjaiiiiiiii!

Pogathey, by Yuvan Shankar Raja…

Pogathey..Pogathey..
Nee irundhaal naan iruppen

(don’t go away, for I’ll stay if you do)

Pogathey..Pogathey..
Nee pirindhall naan irappen

(don’t go away, separation means death to me)

Unnodu vaazhnda kaalangal yavum kanavai ennai moodudhadi
Yaarendru neeyum ennai paarkkum podhu uyire uyir pogudhadi
Kallaraiyil kooda jannal ondru vaithu unthan mugam paarppenadi

(all those dreams I’ve had of spending time with you keeps blinding me

don’t look at me like a stranger, for it takes my life away

even at death, i’ll still watch over you)

Kazhaindhaalum megham athu meendum midhakkum
Athu pola thaane unthan kaathal enakkum
Nadai paadhai vizhakka kaathal vidindha udan anaippatharku
Neruppaalum mudiyaadhamma ninaivugalai alippatharku
Unakkaga kaathiruppen.. uyirodu paarthiruppen..

(dispersed clouds can come back together

thats how my love is for you

like the lights that shines one’s walkaway on a dark night, your embrace is to me

no fires can put out my memories of you

i’ll be waiting for you, clinging on to life dearest)

Azhagaana neram athai nee thaan koduthai
Azhiyaadha sogam athaiyum nee thaan koduthai
Kan thoongum neram paarthu kadavul vanthu ponathu pol
En vaazhvil vanthe vaanai emaatram thaangalaya
Penne nee illaamal..bhoologam iruttiyathe..
Pogathey..Pogathey..
Nee irundhaal naan iruppen
Pogathey..Pogathey..
Nee pirindhall naan irappen

(you’ve given beautiful moments to be cherished

you’ve also given sad moments that i’ll never forget

imagine if God walks by while you were asleep

so close, yet so far, its a disappointment i can’t take

without you my love, darkness envelopes my life

Hi all,

well, its that time of the year again, where season’s end, or begin in some places, and people start planning for the new year celebrations, in short, people are generally in celebratory mood around this time of the year. but there are some, whom Gus chooses to pick from the everlasting pool of His creations, where they are literally put to the sword. straight to the stomach, and dig deep. man, that hurts.

well, for starts, i’m one of them.

what started as a good week, began brilliantly by over working myself senselessly in the office, then the day i head out to pay my car installment, i get stopped by the tarik kereta guys, demanding that the car is to be pulled back. what the HELL???? with payments updated quite okay and all (i admit, got arrears, but not at danger level, and the bank notified). thank heavens for being an indian, and the tarik kereta crew were all indian makkals too, so, after some negotiating and lots of ais kosongs, somewhat came to an agreement to settle, but still, i had to impart with alot of money, got my cousin bro pissed off(he helped me wholeheartedly, but then again, somebody gonna get hurt today), and the thing is, it all happened like a flash of lightning, took my socks off that day. to compound all the misery for the day, i nearly met with an accident, nearly missing the divider high speed, blinded by what some may say "a dash of blurness due to sever case of, blurness under distress".

then the following weeks were quite fun too. got picked at work by the bosses (for no apparent reason, their excuse was just because i was there to receive their brunt of the frustrations. screw them!) followed by living like a broke beggar for the days to come, and the final straw, happened yesterday. and not to mention, my mum underwent an operation this morning, with whom i’ve been distancing somewhat rather impulsively (she came to know about a few details of my life that i would rather deal with alone). i prayed so hard that the op would be fine, and i was relieved that my sister would be by her side.

today, when i woke up, the day seemed somewhat strange.

not the usual bad hair day feeling, but a feeling of being lost. not a good feeing to have, but then again, i think i have the rights to feel that way.

2 1/2 years ago, it was a couple of hours, 3 hours + i think. now, yesterday, 40 mins. you do the math, i do the crying bit.

looks like i didn’t go guns blazing after all, sorry sukhu, but i was just awestruck.and dumbfounded. and, just simply confused.

so, i’ll retreat to my shell, again. and come out the way i should be…changed…dunno if for the better or worse, but then again, Gus, we made a deal, remember? you keep your promise, i keep mine.

cheers everyone…enough rantings for the day.

plain ol dissapointed joe.

Howdy!

last week had been simply brilliant! we’ve witnessed the amazing union of Manu and Shamini, of who me and chukubeer (he he, new variation to your name) had the privilege and opportunity to help around in and make ourselves useful.

We were actually engaged to take care of the wedding dinner door gift, and as usual, started late, chaotic (sanku will relate to this, esp the printer buat hal….sigh) but in the end, people loved it (we hope). lets hope the CD plays on their audio as well.

my jaan is also back (wahey!), and as it seems, still a one hand clapping thinggy, but its been clapping alone for the past 2.5 years, so, another few weeks of intensified clapping wont hurt…. she was simply gorgeous on the wedding day. and the first words spoken after all these years? he he…. a semi wink, twitch of the nose ( a little) and quivered lips, expressing something (still haven’t really registered what it means, but then again, who said non-verbal communications was easy?)

i know they will not read this, but to uncle and aunty, a big thank you to the both of you on putting up with our nonsense. and to vaidhy uncle and koki aunty, it was a pleasure to have met such a wonderful new friend. New Zealanders are a great bunch of people. now we know why prashanth chose to stay there longer.

Manu and sham, a toast to you both! May you both live the dream that you two have pondered upon. Remember, the picture is not finished without a happy ending (I’ve been bitten by that dialog, no thanks to OSO)

and now, I’ve got about 2 weeks to make that single hand clap into 1.5, or maybe 2 hands. . . . . . . .

okie dokie, back to work………………

hi there!

here i was, driving back home one night after work, when a sudden impulse led me to watch this movie. all it took was a song i had on a cd compilation of mine, some free time, and this crazy thought of yet again watching movies alone again.

destination : KLCC
Movie title: Om Shanti Om

spoiler? nah….I’ll let you explore that. but here are some tips in to enjoy the movie the same way i did. in fact, if it was a sit down kinda theater, i would have rolled myself miles away in delight, especially in the comic scenes.

well, here goes. its a simple story, so said a friend. yeah, simple indeed, masala, typical masala. not the type that will tease your cerebral prowess and test your worldly insights, but this is one good masala movie. the package was just right, you have an actor, who is, needless to say, I’m beginning to be a fan, and that ain’t easy. then you have this mysterious heckuva babe who is, well, a babe, good songs, excellent camera work, nifty editing, superb sounds and lightings, great visuals, and loads and loads of extras. i mean, the whole freakin industry is there! name an actor/actress in mind, yup, you have it…he/she is there!

plot line maybe a little cheesy, but then again, most masala movies are MEANT to be cheesy. thats the essence that makes it tick, remove the cheesiness, then it becomes an Oscar contender! no complaints, and the movie has not one, not two, but a plethora of genres rolled into one. now thats value for money. if someone were to ask, "hey, you watched a love story movie? a horror movie? an action film?" i would reply…"i watched ‘em all!"

some tips for watching this movie is you have to know your bollywood. don’t have to be a walking encyclopedia of sorts, but get some insights on the classics, like if you know how dev anand looks like, you’ll laugh rolling on your seat when you see him on screen. and the puns in the dialogs, especially the ones in English….man…they make James Bond weep. and the subtitles are also pun-nified(i dunno if this work exists, but Oxford, you use it, you pay man…you know where to contact me!)

and the casting was perfect. simply perfect. all played their roles with equal aplomb. and the extras, how on earth does he do it? imagine this on a hollywood film, either its a super duper disaster movie, or a period musical thats destined to be a disaster, or worse, a movie that could not see the living daylights because it was too freaking expensive to make. not in bollywood. everything is possible here.

so, is this a VCD/DVD material, or a cinema stealer? a friend asked me on chat earlier today, but it was in reference to another movie. OSO is best watched on the big screen, then go get yourself the DVD for keeps sake. for this movie is long going to be a masterpice in getting the best of a genre that can be easy to take, but hard to master…the masala movie. anyone studying film? watch this one. and learn. masala films makes the moolahs, people, and they entertain people better than a dragon flick. so what are ya waiting for?

make mine Om Shanti Om!

ps - deepika padukone….GORGEOUS!!!!! where was she all this time?????? quit modeling, girl. start acting more.

child…

You may have not seen the end of the light

but it ain’t dark yet for you

you may not have uncles carrying you to football games

but it ain’t too late for that

you might have not expericned a diaper change

but change you have, everyone around you

for a short period of time…….

come back again when you are ready

this time, you’ll have an uncle to take you for games

come back again, don’t go away unnoticed

you’ll make more changes by just staying on and not go

come back again when you want to spend some earthly fun

when you’re done frolicking in God’s garden

and when you do….

you’ll have me for an uncle to take care of you.

-dedicated to my unborn nephew/niece….-

god bless you boy/girl. come back soon!

scary thought ain’t it?

MyTeam2. its the second season for one of Malaysian footy fan’s favourite show (after how they first batch nearly kicked THE national team’s behinds last season). its basically, for the uninitiated, a reality show whereby a nationwide search is done via open trials, and the best of the best will e chosen to form a team, which then has the chance to compete against the national team to be the numero uno de futbol. it inspired, stirred, most of all, gave a chance to many to realise their dreams to someday play the beautiful game, for one reason only…for glory. not for the moolahs. unlike some.

but, where is it headed to? do we, proud Malaysians, need a reality show to bring the reality of representing the Jalur Gemilang back to our senses? do we need a form of carrot hanging on a stick, just to wear our national colours? is this THE only way to scout for the best the country has to offer? whats next? a reality show for the best BATU SEREMBAN players? call it MY SEREMBAN?

scary ain’t it?

our forefathers have worked their socks off to get us what we have now…independence. it should have brought along national pride, and of all, the limitless love for one’s motherland. we need not go to war to keep the national spirit alive. we need not a crisis for it to survive. and we need not a calamity to befall us before we look up to our fellow country man with our heads held high. so, where does it all go again? where has it gone to? why did this happen?

to point fingers would be the easiest thing to do, but then again, always remember, one of dem finger is pointing back at you. it is we, as individuals, whom needs conquering of the mind set. I, as egoistical as it can sound, must be set to realise the fact that we owe this independence to the very people we often read (and some not) in history books.

as we approach the countdown to celebrate the aniversary of our existence as a free country, lets us also pray to God, that we all can first think of realising that Malaysia can only exist, survive and prosper if one starts instilling that nationalistic feeling. its not just to shout MALAYSIA BOLEH at the top of our lungs, but to sound as if we could sacrifice that very lungs in order to bring glory to our Motherland, that feeling must be cultivated.

scary, ain’t it? not anymore……..

SELAMAT MENYAMBUT HARI KEMERDEKAAN ke 50!

plain ol’ patriotic Joe

Bollywood this year, or rather, the Indian film industry in the whole has had a bumper year in both gate collections and the quality of movies interspread between the usual fare. one such movie that takes my attention, in spirit as well as matter, is Chakde! India!

for starters, lets take a brief look at the genre of the movie itself. coming out from the land of thousand dancers and tree hugging, one might expect another melodrama laden movie here. surprise,surprise, ye of little faith. indeed, the trend is changing. maybe a little slower pace then the rest, but its definately there.

Straaing Shah Rukh Khan and a bunch of unknowns (some models, wohoo), this is a sports movie. Period. but, beynond the main genre, its a movie that is strong in its nationalism roots and patriotism. and thats the essence that stands this movie out fromthe plethora of other similarly themed movies, from bollywood to hollywood.

Chakde! the very sound of if resonates that feeling of love for one’s ideals, for everything thats right, for all thats good. a little bit overboard? hey’s its just a cry, but then again, listen to the way its said. its like a diamond edged sword,  ready to cut through evrything that comes along the way, standing majestically proud of itself, never once to look back and regret of its action.

now, say it loud! CHAKDE!

get what i mean?

go watch the movie folks. and, if you do understand hindi and appreciate its majestic wordplay, even the subtitles sound perfect, sheer poetry.

CHAKDE INDIA! and lets say the same here in MALAYSIA! MALAYSIA BOLEH!

Chakde Joe…..

Hello everyone!

Its good to start writing again. missed this very much for the past few months, and after tirelessly getting myself tired down to the point of tiring everyone else, what else to do than to write again.

right on!

now, after a long time, i finally got myself the break i needed. a trip to india, back to a land in which i feel truly at home. preparations were made to go there, and with Gus’s blessings in abundance, the trip manifested itself. everything was like destinied to happen, like a series of coincidences just waiting to take place, the domino effect finally took its toll.

enter-india

it brought back tears of jo to finally step back to the land of my fore fathers. everything around me was indian, from the people, to the culture, to the vehicles, to the road manners, the driving, the roadside wonders (go figure, much to be talked about) to the whole spiritual plateu that i’m getting into, its simply amazing. a land of wonders. what did the british see in india, one might ask. you just have to be there to believe it.

onwards, to puttaparthi.

now, my journey this time took me to the abode of peace, Gus’s residence at puttaparthy, which is like almost 12++ journey by bus, that too, mind you, is a modern, air conditioned bus, and not the local one which is like getting into a one way ticket to the river styx. the bus journey was fun, some of the highlights of the ride was learing the vehicle lingo; the sounds of the car/bus/lorry/motorcycle/auto rickshaw horn blazing away more than people talking, the vast country side and it’s beautiful plantations, the atmosphere inside the bus (inside enterainment was provided by the girls singing bhajans and the guys just making a nuisance of the bhajans by banging their way to glory on the kanjeera , which will be me!) and the roadside stop to have lunch and tea (gun powder…don’t you forget that). arrived at the gates of peace at sometime past midnight, what is to be the adventure of a lifetime for me and many others…

to be continued……… (must have been the staple diet of tamil and hindi serials…….)

plain ol spiritually energised joe