We are so Busy It's a Laugh!!!

Today we are all so busy. So busy doing things that is of no relation to work.

I am busy writing this blog.

I am busy looking up pictures for this blog.

I am busy... blogging.


Anyway, I am nearly the end of my time - I am in my 35/36th week. If my body is as predictable as can be, I can expect my child to make her appearance in late September. Keeping my fingers crossed. More definitely, to appear on September 29 or otherwise, just appear on Oct 3 as estimated.

<---- me doing the cha-cha-cha

This is how I imagine myself as I wait in anticipation for the BIG day - that is if I can forget all those aches and do a little dance in baggy shirts and pant - all of which is none-doing. :-(

Oh yeah!....

I am busy doing something....
... my birth announcements...

:-) !!!

Since the big day approaches, I have been busy researching for the perfect birth announcement. In the end, I have decided to do one myself - based on all that I have come across in the internet. But amongst some of the ones I have seen and like are...







My apologies to the owner of these creations for I have forgotten where I got them...

So you see, you can be busy when you are not doing anything.

A Pictorial of My Trip To Uma Lahanan, Belaga, Sarawak (September 2004)

This was taken the evening we arrived at the village. The view is from the window of my room on the upper floors of the longhouse. Heavenly!

The village, Uma Lahanan, is located somewhere in the mountainous regions of Belaga in rural Sarawak. We flew into Bintulu town at 10am, had lunch in town then took a 5-hours (oowwww! my butt!) 4-wheel drive ride through timber-logging road to reach the village. But this scenery was worth the journey and the cool mountain air was a respite from city pollution.


This is one of the six longhouses of Uma Lahanan. The village is actually a resettlement village where the villagers were uprooted from their original village way up in the mountains of Belaga for the Bakun Dam project. So it is no wonder that the longhouse looks clean and properly maintained.

However, many of the villagers, especially the elders, complaint that the location of the new settlement is not suitable for them. It is far from any rivers so they find it difficult to source for water as well as fishes. The location is also far from many of their farming lands which forces some of the elders to actually move back to their old homes up in the mountains.


This is a gentle old lady we met at the longhouse. She has on her head the traditional rattan-woven hat used by the womenfolks (the men's are more elaborate and colorful) and her ears are elongated which is part of the Orang Ulu tradition for women to elongate their ears with bronze (and certainly heavy) earrings.



The hostess of the longhouse, who is also the wife of the Mareng Uma (Ketua Kampung) presenting me with a traditional hat as worn by the old lady pictured above. Note the white hat with the kenyalang motif on the tray held by the lady in yellow. That is the hat for the menfolks which was presented to my male colleagues. The Mareng Uma is seated on the far right of the picture. He too is wearing the rattan-woven hat.

Caught In The Middle...

I am caught in the middle.

Actually, I am caught in the middle of producing/designing our newsletter in-house or outsourcing it to a so-called professional.

A sample of the artwork was handed to me today in which I showed our CEO. From the moment I laid my eyes on it, I know that the work done is not at all satisfactory. But show him, I must.

He rejected the whole project totally!

Now, I am stressed for no fault of mine.

From the beginning I informed my supervisor that I can, able and experienced enough to do the layout and design of our newsletter. Which, from then, we need only to send it to our printer for publication. But NO!!!!, he still wants to out-source the work.

And the result?

An earful from the CEO, to me, the Innocent Party.

Why? why me? Am I not stressed and tired-out enough? Do I really need this at 35weeks of pregnancy? Arghhh....!!!

I am so tired!!!

The heat wave caused especially by the rampant open-forest burning by farmers in the state and Kalimantan, Indonesia is K-I-L-L-I-N-G me! I can not sleep properly at night due to the heat (no!.... I do not have air-conditioning) and my bulging tummy does not help either.

Only recently, both my daughters got the flu/fever. Probably due to the heat and/or seasonal contagion (I am not certain) but thanks to the spirulina tablets my sister have been giving them (tablets which should be consumed by the whole family but I opted out since I have three other tablets for the pregnancy to swallow every night), the kids recovered within a day.

Today, my clerk is OOO with the flu/fever. And for the next two days too!!!

Oh yeah… I am in my 33rd week, 2days into the 34th, of pregnancy. Baby has been pretty active of late – I cannot wait for him/her to get bigger and not have anymore room to do somersaults AND him/her to be born.

My back is killing me!!!

Been asking Hubby to massage my back for me. For all others who have not (and cannot) underwent the pregnancy process (especially the men folks), pregnancy related backache is like having your back sliced open with a blunt knife and left exposed to the environment…ouch!!!! On top of that, you also have your pregnancy hormones to thank for where in order to have an (supposedly) easier labour and delivery of another human being, all your joints especially in the pelvic area, are loosen. At times, it feels at though your femur bone will come out of the thigh socket!

My Little Angels

Emma-Noelle was so named because she was born at 10.15am on a Christmas morning nearly two years ago. At this age, she is very mischevious and aggressive towards her older sister. She is also very attentive to details and can imitate very well, like holding a pencil and writing (scribbling) on a piece of paper. Emma hates drinking plain water so we always have to dilute some juice just so she will drink the liquid.




Ashleigh my oldest, has been a tremendous joy and encouragement for us to be better parents. She is nearly 5 and her character has the tendency to be more like mine - stubborn, determined and frank.

My Fiery Bringer of Good News

It has long been known to my family and I that I am carrying a little girl. I am in my 31st week already and as my dotor said "after the 34th week, baby can come out already." Hmmmm.....

Anyway, having found out the gender of the baby (this info is off limits to my colleagues or anyone who asks the baby's gender...) and in the tradition of naming our kids with the letter 'E", we have agreed to name her EVANGELAINE (alter. of Evangeline) which means "one who brings good news" and with the (predicted) character of being Happy, confiding, tenacious. Romantic, but always self-possessed and her second name shall be AIDAN which mean "fiery".

Also, this also serves the tradition of having six syllables to all their names i.e. E-LI-ZA-BETH-ASH-LEIGH or EM-MA-NO-ELLE-CAIT-LIN or E-VAN-GE-LAINE-AI-DAN.

WOMEN: A SPECIAL SPECIES

Mum and Dad were watching TV when Mum said, "I'm tired, and it's getting
late. I think I'll go to bed."

She went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day's lunches. Rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for supper the following evening, checked the cereal box levels, filled the sugar container, put spoons and bowls on the table and started the coffee pot for brewing the next morning. She then put some wet clothes in the dryer, put a load of clothes into the washer, ironed a shirt and secured a loose button.

She picked up the game pieces left on the table, put the phone back on the charger and put the telephone book into the drawer. She watered the plants, emptied a wastebasket and hung up a towel to dry.

She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom. She stopped by the desk and wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the excursion and pulled a text book out from hiding under the chair. She signed a birthday card for a friend, addressed and stamped the envelope and wrote a quick note for the grocery store. She put both near her bag.

Mum then washed her face with 3 in 1 cleanser, put on her Night Solution & age fighting moisturizer, brushed and flossed her teeth and filed her nails.

Dad called out, "I thought you were going to bed." "I'm on my way," she said. She put some water into the dog's dish and put the cat outside, then made sure the doors were locked and the patio light was on. She looked in on each of the kids and turned out their bedside lamps and radios, hung up a shirt, threw some dirty socks into the hamper, and had a brief conversation with the one up still doing homework.

In her own room, she set the alarm; laid out clothing for the next day, straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her 6 most important things to do list.

She said her prayers, and visualized the accomplishment of her goals. About that time, Dad turned off the TV and announced to no one in particular. "I'm going to bed." And he did...without another thought.

Wonder why women live longer...? 'CAUSE they ARE MADE FOR THE LONG HAUL......

"Responsibilities to Our Elders"

These are the mantra of the American Indians according to *Dr Jonathan Hook...

(1) Honor Their Vision through protecting Mother Earth

(2) Transmit Their Wisdom to the Next Generation

(3) Learn the Culture

(4) Care for Their Physical Needs

(5) Provide Companionship

(6) Keep Dancing the 'Unbroken Circle'

(7) Ga-Du-Gi (cherokee dialect); everyone need to work together.

*Jonathan Hook is the Director of the Office of Environmental Justice and Tribal Affairs (OEJTA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Texas USA since September 2003.

Words To Live By

" ... But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you’ve got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not..."
- Father and Son by Ronan Keating -

"... And the thought crosses my mind
If I never wake up in the morning
Would she ever doubt the way I feel
About her in my heart.
If tomorrow never comes
Will she know how much I loved her
Did I try in every way to show her every day
That she's my only one
And if my time on earth were through
And she must face this world without me
Is the love I gave her in the past
Gonna be enough to last
If tomorrow never comes..."
- If Tomorrow Never Comes by Ronan Keating -

"... I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens..."
- I Hope You Dance by Ronan Keating -

"...I give my hand to you with all my heart
Can't wait to live my life with you, can't wait to start
You and I will never be apart
My dreams came true because of you..."
- From This Moment On by Shania Twain -

Hidden Dialogue

Sometimes, without fail, I would encounter people, with good intention, who makes the funniest/weirdest remarks. It makes me smile – when I am in an ok mood. Or frown –when my lower back is killing me (!) and the heat is getting to me.

Take for example, these…

A Neighbour:
Wahhhh! You pregnant ah? Why didn’t tell me?
My reply:
(Smiling) Yes, I am.
(in my head) Would you like me to put up an ad in The New Straits Times daily??!!!?


A Colleague:
You are getting big!
My reply:
(smiling) I am already ---- months.
(in my head) I am pregnant! Not trying to reduce weight!


My Colleague:
You kids look like Chinese-lah.
My reply:
(smiling) Their father is half Chinese-Baba.
(in my head) If they look anything like Colin Farell, I would be in BIG TROUBLE!


Hairdresser:
Your hair so thin, huh…. You should use some tonic for it. I have some…
My reply:
(smiling) No, thank you.
(in my head) Just trim my hair and get it over with, woman!


Person 01:
Why are you so small (in size)?
My reply:
(smiling) It’s genetic…
(in my head) Haven’t you read that petite people aged more slowly due to decreased gravitational influence??!!??


Person 02:
Your husband half Chinese, half Indian ah??? I didn’t know! I thought he was Malay since he is from Peninsular.
My reply:
(smiling) Yes, he’s Chindian.
(in my head) Did you fail your History lessons while in school? There are other races in West Malaysia aside from Malays, you know!!!!!!


A Colleague:
How did you bring your car over from KL ah?
My reply:
(frowning) By ship.
(in my head) Actually it has wings…


Person 03:
You Bidayuh right? Which kampong are you from?
My reply:
(smiling) Kuching.
(in my head) Kuching, you idiot! I was born and raised in the CITY!!!


Person 03:
You Bidayuh right? Do you understand the word ‘ ---‘?
My reply:
(frowning) No.
(in my head) I speak Bukar-Sadong. If you call yourself a Sarawakian, you would know that Bidayuhs speak several dialect and we may not necessarily understand the other dialects. It’s like saying Cantonese or Mandarin, or Foochow, or Hakka. IDIOT!


But all in all, I would just blame it on – what I shall call – the Malaysian way (read: IGNORANCE).

DILBERT'S LAWS OF WORK

I solemnly swear that with my recent re-designation, I shall practise as much as possible, all the Laws mentioned which I have italised below.

1. If you can't get your work done in the first 24 hours, work nights.
2. A pat on the back is only a few centimeters from a kick in the butt.
3. Don't be irreplaceable, if you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
4. It doesn't matter what you do, it only matters what you say you've done and what you're going to do.
5. After any salary raise, you will have less money at the end of the month than you did before.
6. The more crap you put up with, the more crap you are going to get.
7. You can go anywhere you want if you look serious and carry a clipboard/note pad.
8. Eat one live toad the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.
9. When the bosses talk about improving productivity, they are never talking about themselves.
10. If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it.
11. There will always be beer cans rolling on the floor of your car when the boss asks for a ride home from the office.
12. Keep your boss's boss off your boss's back.
13. Everything can be filed under "miscellaneous."
14. Never delay the ending of a meeting or the beginning of a cocktail hour.
15. To err is human, to forgive is not our policy.
16. Anyone can do any amount of work provided it isn't the work he/she is supposed to be doing.
17. Important letters that contain no errors will develop errors in the mail.
18. If you are good, you will be assigned all the work. If you are really good, you will get out of it.
19. You are always doing something marginal when the boss drops by your desk.
20. People who go to conferences are the ones who shouldn't.
21. If it wasn't for the last minute, nothing would get done.
22. At work, the authority of a person is inversely proportional to the number of pens that person is carrying.
23. When you don't know what to do, walk fast and look worried.
24. Following the rules will not get the job done.
25. Getting the job done is no excuse for not following the rules.
26. When confronted by a difficult problem you can solve it more easily by reducing it to the question, "How would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
27. No matter how much you do, you never do enough.
28. The last person that quit or was fired will be held responsible for everything that goes wrong.

Re-Designated, Not Promoted...

I received a letter from my CEO yesterday.

It is a re-designation letter of my position from Sr Admin Asst to Manager, Information and Knowledge Management. Such a BIG step, you say.

Not really.

My GM, since she took over the helm of the organization, have tried her best to re-structure the whole organization. The first thing she did is the re-structuring of the overall organization, thus my letter. Of course, I am not the only one being re-designated. A few of us was. In a way, I am glad she did what she did because since stepping in this organization, I have played (the sole) role of writing and documenting the organization's programmes and activities. It was more of a one-person show when it comes to these tasks, on top of it all, I have also the tasks of playing the role of Admin Asst to my (then) Asst Manager as well as being the supervisor to two administrative assistants.

BTW, my (then) Asst Manager has also been re-designated - to Manager. :-)! That means, I no longer report to her and that we are of the same authoritative level. As of 1st June 2005.

Structurally, below us at three Executive Assistants (formerly Admin Asst), who will serve as EAs for the three Managers:- Communication & Marketing, Information and Knowledge Management (Me!) and the ASK Resource Center (another guy who is my batch and employed as Sr Admin Asst as I was). We report to a Sr Manager; a fellow who was the Asst Manager for Information and Knowledge Management but got the position on the basis of seniority with the organization. And lemme tell you, there are PROs and CONs to this....

So there. I am finally a manager but for the next 6-12months, will be in name only.

As mentioned in the Officers Meeting by the CEO, the financial part will come later, and that is considering whether the organization will have the funds to give us what we are 'entitled' for.

I am keeping my fingers cross that even if we cannot be given the monies based on what we are entitled for, at least, let it be on the basis that it is for the added role and responsibility we are shouldering.

Happy Managing!

Maybe I'll Just Not Do Anything....

I am alone in the office now. ALl others have gone to RTM to attend/organise a press conference for our joint radio programme with RTM.

This is the first time I am 'left behind' in any of our projects. Normally, I would be one of the coordinators for all our projects. But this time around, my GM has deliberately delegated specific assignments to specific people in the whole team. And I am the first to be assigned to write invitation letters to whoever-whatever for our upcoming Knoweldge 2005 Conferece (www.pustaka-sarawak.com/k2005)in early July. This is a two day international conference which we are co-organising with PUSTAKA Negeri Sarawak.

However, as of tomorrow morning, I shall have the assistance of my clerk to do foolow-ups for all the invite letters we have faxed out (75 letters in all). HAA HAA HAAA

BTW, there is a bee stuck at the light vent above me. I am trying my best to ignore it but bees being bees, they have a unique way of getting on your nerves and this one's succeeding...

I will be on a week leave during the first week of June. A much needed vacation...phew!!! Maybe, I will just not do anything till after that time...what say you?

;~0!

M.E.N.

Aidan Quinn

My little fellow's namesake.


Colin Farell

I especially like him in Phone Booth. Also in Hart's War. But really odd looking in Alexander. Hmmm......


George Clooney

I never liked George until Ocean's 11 / Ocean's 12. Dunno why but probably because he was a 'bad character' when in ER.


Pierece Brosnan

Used to like this Irish actor but he's getting old.

To lighten a boring work day....

NOTE: The short story of ghosts and its emergence below is not suitable for translation to any other language as the names of the spirits are best described in Malay.

Hantu Raya
Berasal dari Tanah Melayu. Dipercayai terkorban di dalam satu kemalangan jalan raya, sebaik saja keluar dari Pudu Raya untuk pulang berhari raya... ... .kegemarannya mencuri kuih kuih raya. Tempat menginapnya disyaki di balai - balai raya.

Hantu Langsuir
Dikenal pasti berasal dari Tanah Seberang. Ceritanya bermula di suatu pagi raya bila seorang suri rumah sedang memasang langsir lalu terjatuh dari tingkap, terus mati. Selepas itu, dia selalu datang menjeguk langsirnya. Hobinya bermain aumm cak di tepi langsir.

Hantu Jerangkung
Di percayai berasal dari Tanah Besar China. Ia bekerja sebagai penjerang kangkung di sebuah restoran. Hari hari kerjanya jerang kangkung dalam sebuah periuk besar. Satu hari seorang kawan menyergahnya dari belakang, kerana terlalu terkejut ia jatuh dalam periuk itu. Perkataan akhirnya ialah 'jerang... ..kung', jadilah Hantu Jerangkung. Hobinya mencangkung dan tempat tinggalnya dalam almari, sebab tu le ada lagu 'Jerangkung Dalam Almari'.

Hantu Pontianak Disyaki berasal dari India. Seorang lelaki, Mr. Ponti mendapat seorang anak perempuan yang sangat hodoh. Orang kampung selalu menyindir anak ponti ini. Ponti punya anak - Ponti punya anak - Ponti punya anak. Ponti sangat malu dan mengurung anaknya. Selepas 5 tahun, anaknya keluar dari rumah dan terkejutlah seorang nenek, Oi!
Pontianak... Lekatlah nama pontianak.

Hantu Penanggal
Seorang ibu tiri yang kejam, hobinya menanggalkan kain anak tirinya selain kain lakinya. Dah terbiasa dia rasa seronok pulak. Dia melebarkan hobinya dengan menanggalkan kain orang orang kampung. Hebohlah satu kampung 'Lari..lari... ..Penanggal'. Bila dia melihat sesuatu yang menarik seperti kurap, panau, kayap dan anu... ..dia pun mengilai semahunya.

Hantu Pocong Berasal dari Puchong. Nama sebenarnya Amat Garpu Bin Mat Sudu. Dia ni suka sangat menipu, senang cerita... kaki cong le. Bila dia mati terlompat lompatlah dia, nak pergi cong orang. Pucong! Pucong!

A Reason to Cry, Many More Reasons to Laugh

A Reason to Cry, Many More Reasons to Laugh

Many would wonder about the title of my blog. I may tell some day but till then, lemme just say that it is something very close to my heart, full of meaning, tears, frustrations and also, joy, laughter and smiles.

Updates

Aidan Quinn

My little fellow is about 5 unches now. I am in my 18th week and starting to show. I have been starting to show since the 10th week probably due to the lax muscles in and around my tummy. Dr is not able to determine the sex of my little fellow but I feel that it is a little 'fellow' from the very begining.

Anyway, Aidan Quinn (pictured above) will have my little fellow as his namesake. Not the full Aidan Quinn but rather, Christopher Aidan. Hopefully, my little fellow will look like him too... hee heeee heee.

However, should my little fellow turn out to be my little miss, then I have no name for her. Yet.

BTW, I hope I will be able to 'last' till the 39th week or even the 40th week so that it will stretch into October and I can spend the full October and November at home and only have a week or two at work before I go off for Christmas hols again... HAHA HAAA HAAAA...

So, here's to my little Aidan!

National Integration: Tell Me About It!!!

Yesterday, we organised a forum for our members where one of the panelist talked on National Integration. As I sat there listening to him, I thought that his views are, to people like myself, of least importance. In fact, I thought of it as a view of a Malay man who is, behind all his words, still afraid of losing his special Bumiputra priviledges.

You want National Integration? Here's my 2-cents worth of it...

On Race
I am a true bred 100% Bidayuh. My husband is half Baba-Chinese from Malacca and half Tamilan Indian where his grandfather came from Tamil Naidu in mainland India in the 1900s. What does that makes my kids? Indian? Bidayuh? Chin-Dian? None of the above. They are, to me, Bidayuh (50%)-Indian (25%)-Chinese (25%). And if I have my way, I would wipe out that 'Race: Indian' indication on their birth certificates and put it Bidayuh-Indian-Chinese. And what gives the government the right to call my husband an Indian in his birth certificate. He is neither Indian nor Chinese but BOTH! Then he should be considered Chinese-Indian. For a man who resents some of the cultural attributes of both races, maybe he should be given the choice to put whatever he wants - MALAYSIAN, perhaps.

On Language
I speak Bidayuh Bukar-sadong, my mom's dialect and because having brought us up, that was our main means of communication. I also speak Malay - both Bahasa MAlaysia, from my formal education, and local Malay from my interaction with friends. On top of it all, I also understand some of the local Malay dialects spoken in Kedah/Perak, which is my husband's version of BM. I understand some Hokkien, as that is the main Chinese sub-race in Kuching and which are what my Chinese friends mostly are. I also know basic French from my days in college.

However, I do not understand my dad's dialect of Bidayuh Singgai. This is because my dad himself speaks my mom's dialect and no one spoke the dialect to us when we were young so we do not learn. Of course, I understand a handful of the necessary words but that is about it. Don't blame me for not learning, as some of the elders would do when they find out I do not know the dialect. It is of no fault of mine that I am clueless about the dialect. As one of the participants of last night's forum said: The responsibility falls on the parents to teach the children.

Of course I learn English from school and becuase it is the second language we spoke at him, thanks to dad.

Now with my own kids, I speak English and Bidayuh Bukar-Sadong and my eldest daughter is learning BM and Mandarin in kindergarten. Being a quarter chinese, we also use some Hokkien at home to get her familiarised with her (late) grandmother's dialect. Indian? Sorry but the responsibility of teaching her the language befalls on hubby and if he himself do not speak it, so what can I do.

So you see, national integration is more than special rights, or polarisation, or cultural policy.

To be successful, national integration starts from self. Whether one is a Malay or Chinese or Indian or Bidayuh is irrelevant in this age and time. What we need is the one-ness in feelings and thoughts of being Malaysia, or wanting to be identified as a Malaysian, of dying as a MAlaysian.

But how can we when we have this thoughts and attitude that, when it suits us, 'I am a Malay so I can/ cannot...' or the occasional 'So China-man one ...'.

An Introduction to My Office, Part 2

The Entrance to My Office
The entrance to my office
This is the entrance to my office. The whole building is apart from the main Administration building so each working day, we get to avoid seeing the CEO and/or GM for as long as we want. Of course, until we are summoned to see them or we need to do something at Admin and Finance and come across them there.

The View from Inside

The View
Occassionally, we get so fed up with staring at the monitor screen that it would be a real break to just stand at the entrance and look out to the world. The palm tree is directly in front of the door while further ahead is the 100-year old tree that has been there since...I don't know... James Brooke's time? On a hot day, the tree gives us cool refuge while on a raining day, it helps break the thunderous fall of the rain water.

The Tree

The Tree
Looking up, the tree's branches looks like this. And it alwasy sets my imagination off. There are days when I half hope to see blazing red eyes staring back at me from amongst the branches and tree trunks. Why not? It is all but a 100years and these trees definitely have a Penunggu. Or two!

My Angels from Above

My Angels
When the Christmas season ended last year, I did not want to throw this lovingly made paper cut-out angels away so I stuck them to the glass partition between my cubicle and my Asst Manager's. Each monring when I pass them, I greet them with blessings and each evening, I wish them some blessings for the night. There are on occassion, when my Asst Manager would turn and look at me as I stare at these angels; she must be thinking I am going bonkers or something....

My Camouflage Tree

My Camouflage Tree
I requested from the gardener to have a plant palced near my desk. This is because (i) I need the oxygen which the plant produce, (ii) I need some greens around my dreary, grey/blue cubicle, (iii) I need to camouflage myself from people's view as they enter the office. HAA HAA HAA

My One and Only Window

My Window
Did I mention that my office complex is a hundred year old government quarters so who knows what had happened there before way back in the Brooke era, Japanese Occupation, rocking Sixties, hippi seventies etc.

So this the window which I have. Sitting typing this, the window is directly behind me. They have put up blinds at it but I prefer having it opened as such. MAnagement also had it grilled up and locked so I cannot open the window for much needed fresh air, unless I kick it open.

In the mornings, I like the feel of the sun shining through into the room and falling on my pc/monitor and my desk. It is such a nice view.

Outside, we have neighbours - two or three bungalows with maids (we can hear them talk occassionally) and dogs (we hear the barking), and a fancy condominium complex, which I believe is half empty.

So now you know my office complex is situated in a fancy part of Kuching's residential area.

A Poem For Holy Week

The Passion Fruit: The spiraled tendons of the plant, he notes, were taken as symbols of the lashes Christ endured, and the central flower column as the pillar of the scourging. The 72 radial filaments of the flower were seen as the crown of thorns; the three stigmas as symbols of the nails used in the crucifixion, as well as the holy Trinity; the five anthers, as the five wounds of Christ; and the style as the sponge doused in vinegar used to moisten Christ's lips. Taken together, the five petals and five sepals were used to refer to the ten apostles who did not either betray or deny Christ. The fragrance of the flower, continued Pons-Worley, helped recall the spices used to embalm the body of Christ. Finally, its globular egg-size fruit was taken as a symbol of the world that Christ saved through his suffering.

Palm Sunday
Jesus came to Jerusalem,
the week he was to die,
riding on a donkey,
riding strong and high.
Children ran to meet him,
palms in hand they sing:
"Hosanna, Son of David,
"Hosanna to our king."

Monday
The week he came another man died,
Lazarus was his name.
"Come out of your grave,"
Jesus cried,
and out of his grave he came.
Thank you, God of Life;
you want me to live, not die.

Tuesday
That week there was another man,
a man who could not see.
Jesus rubbed his eyes and said,
"Believe and you will see."
And believing,
the man could see.
Thank you, God of Light,
for giving light to me.

Jesus taught in the temple that week,
the week he was to die.
You'd think he'd be liked
for all that he did.
But some said, "No!"
"He's trouble!" they cried.
So they wanted him to die.

Wednesday
On Wednesday, one of his friends
(Judas was his name)
went to the leaders and said:
"I know where he goes,
"I know where he stays.
"He's yours, if you want him."
"We want him,"
they said.

Holy Thursday
On Thursday night,
("Holy Thursday ")
Jesus ate with his friends.

Now, you should know
that same night,
long ago,
God freed his people
from the chains of Pharaoh.

Bread and wine
Jesus gave to them:
"Here is my body,
"And here is my blood.
"It will make you free.
"When you do this," he said,
"remember me."

They went to a garden,
after the meal,
and Jesus knelt and prayed:
"Father, my Father,
"help me.
"Help me, I'm afraid."

Then Judas came,
and soldiers too,
who put him in chains,
and took him alone
to Pontius Pilate
who sat on a throne.

"He dangerous!"
"He must die!" they cried.
And Pilate, for no reason, replied:
"He must be crucified!"

Then they whipped him,
and pushed him
to a place called Calvary.
He fell sometimes,
carrying the cross,
cut from a heavy tree.

Good Friday
On Friday,
(We call it "Good")
Jesus was nailed
to hard, hard wood.

Beneath his cross,
his mother stood
and cried for what they had done.

"Oh, if I could hold him," she said,
"Hold my only Son!"
"Father, take me," Jesus said,
"Take me in your hands."

And God reached down
and took him,
and held his only Son.
"I am God who raises up,
"your life has just begun.
"I am God of the living,
"no grave can hold my Son."

Easter
Jesus came to Jerusalem,
the week he was to die,
riding on a donkey,
riding strong and high.

On Sunday,
when the week was done,
Jesus rose from the dead.
"Praise God! Alleluia!"
Risen is God's only Son.

Thank you, God of Light,
for giving us light to see.
Thank you, God of Life,
for giving Jesus to me.