... Reunification Day...

It's raining this morning, and unlike the usual, the traffic is quite smooth. Probably many of the city folks have taken the opportunity of long weekend to head home or take some vacation.

Tomorrow, 30th April is a public holiday here, to commemorate The Libertion Day, or The Reunification Day between the late North and South Vietnam.

I captured this text from other site;

On 30th April, 1975 the Vietnam People’s Army (NVA) captured Saigon, the South Vietnamese Capital. This day marked the end of the Vietnam War (Khang chien chong My), commonly known as the “American War”. It resulted in the reunification of Vietnam under Communist rule and Saigon was renamed Ho Chin Minh City. Those who supported the war remember it as the liberation of Saigon. Vietnam celebrates this day every year as Vietnam’s Liberation Day.

The Vietnamese name for it is Ngay Giai Phong. Today it is one of the Major Vietnam Festivals & Events. It is also called the Victory Day or the Reunification Day and Vietnam celebrates it every year declaring it a public holiday. This day initiated the process of reunification of North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The reunification took place on 2nd July, 1976.

To the exiled Vietnamese who are settled abroad and the supporters of the Southern government Vietnam’s Liberation Day is the Ngay Quoc Han (National Day of Infamy) or the Fall of Saigon. In present day Vietnam, supporting the cause of the then southern government is regarded as betrayal to the nation and is punishable by imprisonment. For the Vietnamese who served the country and were in the process hurt and exiled overseas the Liberation Day in Vietnam is a day of remembrance.

.. And for me... I don't know where to go tomorrow, surely all the nice vacation spots thronged with hundreds of visitors...

... KL, a lonely city....

……”Sometime KL city, with all the hustling, bustling city dwellers and relentless traffic, still a lonely city” .. I couldn’t agree more when one of my close friends said this to me. The message was clear and you can comprehend it straight away, without needing any mental digestion, if you’re in similar situation.

Nowadays, we seldom say hi or salam to old and new friends, asking how they are doing, without associating to one’s profession. We normally ask how things are going with our friends’ business or job. Or worst, we only communicate to our long lost friend if we are looking for business or opportunity for job. We are more likely to associate people with their profession or how much money they earned, or how much they can give opportunity to us… Perhaps we see other peoples, especially our friends, like merchandise paraded on the shelf of hypermarket, with label and packaging. The branded, imported and expensive item, normally nicely packaged and displayed with their own class, while the rest, group in their own class…. Socially and demographically, separated.

Almost no more unconditional greeting or salam or hi or out of the blue message or call, asking how are you truly…. without associating with jobs, business, job contract or money.

When a friend of mine mentioned the above, I was quite surprised…. hearing a confession from married person with family. I always thought loneliness is the effect of being alone…. Like the word cleanliness from the word clean. I’m wrong and I need to understand from the psychological human behavior, not from English 122.

I thought I was the only one lonely from being alone, not only here or previous places that I have been, but also in my beloved home city… The only place where I felt lonely is an alien word, is my kampong. The almost 3 km square of space is all that I need, for me to feel connection to other people not just for their job, money or business….. rather than this vast land of busy city but lonely greeting.

Maybe this is one of the reason why people who felt he/she not as good as their siblings or their friends, felt self intimidation, not just from how much money you earned, or what type of car you drive…. But also from the life you lived and how happy your life is.

The feeling of inferiority and lacking, will lead to seclusion…

It’s a paradox for someone who’s job planning technology for peoples in far countries, to enjoy mobile communication and connection,… but he himself felt less connected to others. It’s like chef, whose job preparing the good food for major grand banquet, but at the end of the day…. had his meal, alone.

So pick up the phone, start calling your friends asking how they are doing. Wrote emails or sms… saying unconditional salam or hi. I would like to believe this action will improve the life of others, but in reality, it takes more than this effort to uplift human spirit………

At least we’ll not make KL, a lonely city...for someone…..

Finding North using watch..

Actually we can use our watch and sun to find the North direction. I saw Bear Gryll use this methods a few time whenever he find direction in the wilderness. That's why if you noticed, some chronograph watch have this North face bezel that can be rotated.

There 2 simple methods, depending on which hemisphere you are living... Northern or Southern hemisphere. Malaysia fall under Northern hemisphere even though we are just nearby the equator. This method is more accurate if you are further away from the equator.

First method: Northern hemisphere... Align your watch with the hour needle pointing to the Sun. Keep your watch steady... and look at the 12 O'clock position. Look at the the closest path between the hour needle and 12 o'clock position. The halfway position in between hour needle and 12 o'clock is South direction. The North is the opposite end.

Second method: Southern hemisphere... This time you align the 12 o'clock position to the sun. Fixed your watch, and look at the closest path between the 12 position and the hour needle. The halfway position in between that, is the North direction.

You may also use digital watch. Just draw on paper the position of the hour needle and the 12 o'clock position.. and follow the above procedure.

Condition:
* the watch must be in working condition and show the actual time.
* this procedure will only work with normal analog watch. It may not work with Franck Muller Crazy Hour, or 24 hour watch or anticlockwise watch.

Local Sholat time.... Qibla direction... and info on local Mosque and halal restaurant...

Most of the time when we are travelling away, we find it's hard in getting information on the local sholat time, Qibla direction and any mosque or halal restaurant nearby.

My friend show this very helpful site, www.islamicfinder.org to me, and it's really a big help.

I would log in to this site most of the time to get the local updated sholat time. So my dear readers, please log in into this site if you should go on travel and don't forget bring your compass.

Today menu... Fish tomyam...

...I was starving, my stomach ache and making terrible sound effect as I step outside the office. The KFC Combo Tom I had for lunch is not enough... I need a real, solid dinner.... and unfortunately, I am cooking...

After reaching home, I straight went to Citimart, bought some cilipadi, zuccini, Onion, limes etc... Zing the cashier, smile as usual seeing me bought kitchen food stuff.... I don't see Ngguapp today. Perhaps it's funny seeing men buying kitchen food stuff here... alone.

I had a few pieces of fish, left over from last week... freshly frozen... cut into pieces and stored in fridge.... Cut some onion, crush few garlics, put the them all inside cooking pot, with some water... boil with Thai Tomyam paste.... put the fish inside... let it cook slowly.

Finally, squeeze fresh lime for the sour and tasty juice....

Dinner is ready sir...

...." I forget to tell you the story happy ending..... it's you"...

Perhaps this is the best line taken from the film "Definitely, Maybe"....

Definitely, Maybe is a 2008 romantic comedy film from Universal Pictures, directed by Adam Brooks, that stars Ryan Reynolds, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks, Isla Fisher, and Abigail Breslin.

Story about a father who's in the process of divorce and at the same time, his 10 years daughter anxiously asking question on who her mother is. Although he reluctant, finally he agreed with a condition .....that he will tell it like a story and most of details and names changed. I don't want to write summary of the whole story, as you may get it in more details in wikipedia or other sources.

This film intrigue me perhaps, because of the 90's background.... Bill Clinton running for president and Kurt Cobain song "come as you were". It is like a must song in radios and for youngsters that time...

As the story goes, the daughter finally discovered her mother identity from the story. She's so excited in meeting her after all this while, and at the same time hoping her mother and father can get back together again. 3 of them met in a park, and the parent discussing their separation. Her hope for reconciliation dashed and as the father about to leave, she ran back to him, crying and said, "what is the point all of this, if both of you getting divorce....."

The father gently stood on his knees, holding her arm and said calmly... "I forget to tell you the story happy ending... It's you".....

Each one of us maybe a father or mother to someone else, but we are definitely a daughter or son to somebody. We are the story happy ending...

And whatever happen between parent... don't let it impair and waste the children....

7 pounds.....

A few week ago, I watched the film "7 Pounds",... played and co produced by Will Smith. Perhaps due to the first impression on the title, the actor and the team who also bring "The Pursuit of Happiness".. I bought the DVD and bring it home. 

"7 Pounds" probably referred to Shakespeare's classic "The Merchant of Venice", where Shylock, the creditor or banker demanded repayment in pound of flesh from Antonnio, one of his debtor....regardless the pain inflicted. 

The plot is really good but may have moral issue here on taking our life, even for the purpose of others good... Tim Harris was a succesful technology entreprenaur, until he involved in a road accident which killed 7 peoples including his fiance.  Feeling the heavy burden of guilt and responsibility, he become an introvert and very quiet person. A total opposite of the man he was, before.

Drive by the guilt feeling and morally in debt with the victims he may caused, he gone into a journey of finding 7 peoples (6 were strangers) who's worthwile receiving his gifts... 7 pounds of his flesh. 

Although I have read the synopsis and critics before watching the film, ... I am amazed by the story, .. The story was creatively told and played. It's like you already knew the answers of the questions, but yet you're still looking and enjoy discovering it within the questions. It's not the answer, but the question itself which matter. 

This what separate between good and mediocre story. In the later, once you got the answer, the thrill gone. But not for this story.