2 Weddings & 0 Funeral

Ah, it is time to nurse my neurosis again, here at Write Away. As December inches away,  I am inclined to write a line or two in this favorite month of mine. Tonight, the sombre rain soaks the ground in front of me, the smell of heaven permeates the air from the bloom in my small patch of garden. Drops of rain refreshen the grass. 

I am sorry for blocking the previous posting’s comment section. The comments were getting too heated to my liking and I was away on a holiday. It would be despicable to moderate comments from the blackberry in the midst of our 3rd honeymoon. I also apologise for invoking sensitive issue in that last posting, it was never my intention to invoke the fire, please chuck it down to creative writing on my part for I can’t help myself. 

But tonight, let’s talk about weddings. 

I remember my friend Yanti, with her couldn’t careless expression, saying, “I don’t know, I am a born cynic!” Every time I thought of that face of hers, I burst out laughing. Just like Yanti, I am a born cynic.

 I don’t even like my own wedding let alone someone else’s. The thought of my face being caked up like a doll and being displayed in front of hundreds – at times thousands – of guests during the bersanding ceremony is intimidating to me.

I only like one aspect of my wedding: the two dresses sown by Rizalman Ibrahim for my akad and bersanding ceremony. Four wedding anniversaries and a baby down the road later; I could hardly squeeze myself in those dresses for I have succumbed to low metabolism and law of gravity.

But this December, the influx of weddings defy my cynicism. I found myself in tears during Leeya’s wedding at Kelana Jaya mosque. What makes the wedding extra special is the fact that, Leeya has found love again at places she least expected to find it.

Tajul Farhan was her schoolmate and we hang out a lot. How love found them is still beyond my comprehension. However, on Christmas day, Tajul and Leeya went to the mosque with their families and close friends to seal the deal. The serenity of the akad was too much for some of us to bear. I know they will make it, as Leeya will have nothing to fight with Tajul. What is there to fight with someone as cheeky as Jol?

(From left: Sue Tiptra, Kawthar, Yours truly, Tajul, Leeya, Rits, Majmin & Karina)

And at my cousin Ena’s wedding, I found myself in the heat of the wedding – my cynicism notwithstanding. This is a family affair ; there is no avoiding it. Off we went to the mosque again for Ena’s akad. After the khutbah nikah, I was deep in reflection of the past mistakes I had inadvertently done to Jefree. Ah, life is tricky at times, hey?

It’s hard to be cynical in the midst of happiness and prayers. When we sent Ena off to the groom’s house for bertandang, we were showered with beras kunyit, a sign of blessing from the groom’s family. Again, the sweetness of the tradition defied my cynicism.

So defied my cynicism was, Jefree and I actually sat on Ena’s pelamin to bersanding again! Here’s a peep at it:

So my friends, a thousand times good night and till we meet again in a new, and hopefully, better year of 2009.

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Of Christmas & New Year

Kuala Lumpur is magnificent in December.

I have always loved December. The sweet melody of the monsoon wind lends me an immense comfort; the rain soothes away any pain imaginable; the gray cloud eases the glaring sun every once in a year. Life, once again, slows down to pave way for Christmas and the new year.

Growing up, I used to lay awake in the still of the night, listening to the rain drops drumming against the zinc roof of our small house. It poured and poured in Kuala Krai. Rubber boot would become fashionable, if not downright sensible, to wear during musim tengkujuh.

Back  in London, circa 1997, my friends and I rode the intercontinental train en route to London from Sheffield. The whole England froze you to the bones, the wind chilled and bitter, but our excitement knew no bounds.

Waiting faithfully at St. Pancras train station was Abang Pin, a distant relative, a close friend of mine. We camped at Abang Pin’s house in Bayswater from Christmas to new year.

On new year’s eve, Abang Pin drove us – the the three excited goons – around London. He then slid opened the rooftop of his aging Mercedes and snow flakes fell onto my face. I was young and alive. London was bathed with neon lights and leftover Christmas ambiance.  Kisses where recklessly thrown among friends and strangers at Trafalgar Square. The Christmas decor at Harrods and Whiteleys was still in full display. Drunkards took over the streets of London.

Even if I lived to be a hundred, there would be no other new year like 1997.

I wanted to marry Jefree on Christmas day until winged cupid got in the way, and married us on  November 24, instead. However, it looks like Daliya and Tajul have found love again. This time around, winged cupid decides to be  generous and marry them off comes this Christmas. Thank you Santa, for resurrecting the hope in Daliya’s heart.

As it is customary at the end of the year, I would temporarily leave the office, shut down the faithful laptop, set the blackberry on silent mode, to steal a moment or two with Jefree. Often, in our daily rush, we forget the things that matter: a peck on the cheek, a big bear hug, a little touch. As such, we are packing our bags to hide away somewhere at the fringe of the South China Sea.

Write Away bids you a thousand times goodnight and till we meet again on Christmas eve.

Enraged Mother Nature

Updated at 6.47 p.m.:  Marina sent a text message informing that she is working on the phone to get food and water to the evacuees. The husband, who is currently at the landslide area with Pemuda UMNO Bukit Bintang, informed that the evacuees have to be relocated since movement has been detected in the rubble. They are now ferrying the evacuees to various  locations. God save them all. InsyaAllah.

Malaysiakini: Bukit Antarabangsa landslide tragedy, 4 killed, 1 missing.

Hell hath no fury like an enraged mother nature.
Whenever the hand of greed interferes,
Lives become cheap.
We have never learned,
We will never learn.

Postscript 1: Marina Mahathir’s  facebook status called for volunteers as the evacuees need water and food. Please call Aziz at 016-9007763.

Postscript 2: I am fervently praying for the safety of dear friends, Che Wan & Oyern.

(Pictures stolen from here)

Bloggers High Tea @ Royale Bintang

I am sorry, I have nothing to write about this awesome get-together because that bad boy, Mat Salo, has yet to email me the pictures. Please call and berate him for me. Thank you very much.

(Updated at 11:00 a.m.)

Ah, my brother Kerp finally text me on the elusive bad boy’s photo buckets. Now I can write the story. I first told Sofian of Tea & Scones fame that I wanted to write about the gathering with two sentences followed by tonnes of pictures. The two sentences are:

i) They met.
ii) They had loads of fun.

To which he looked at me, forehead frowned in confusion, “that’s all?”

So, I thought best I write it in point forms before the best English writer in blogsphere thinks that I am insane. I observed the following anecdotes about the meeting:

• Mat Salo the organiser failed to obtain a permit. He is going to jail – that I have no doubt.
• Nuraina Samad looks too good for someone her age. Its a sin.
• Syed Ahmad Idid is the nicest judge on the face of the earth. Wish he presides in KL Court while I am still practising.
• Raden Galoh came straight from Hospital and the two doctors who came – Dr. TA and Dr. Haizal (WanShana’s husband) – have no objection to that.
• Mrs TA and her son Hafiz look like sister and brother. That’s just unfair.
• Wanshana lied about her age. She is in her late twenties, I knew it.
• My mak angkat, Maria Samad, left Abg Ruslani for few hours, who is not well, to come and meet us.
• Anu loves Mat Salo more than me. Ask her why.
• Shah Cakapaje is single and hot/cold. Please cancel the necessary.
• Mat Salo captured the image of Eleena smiling. Which is very rare.
• Chegu Nazir of Kata Tak Nak came all the way from Penang for the bash.
• Pi Bani came with KeretaPI.
• Kerp conveniently roped me in the organising committee. Wrong!
• It is always a pleasure to meet Pokku and Pak Idrus.
• Fauziah X Matters recognised me first before I have an inkling who she is. Malunya!
• And I, I met Mat Bangkai. In Anu Radha’s words, “I hate you! It’s obscene to have so much talent.” A statement of which I agree 100%.
• Too much coffee & teh tarik being consumed, too much cigarettes being smoked, too much food being eaten. But they are just special people – to me at least.