PIECES OF MALAYSIAN NOSTALGIA : YOU ARE ALREADY MIDDLE-AGED IF...

Growing old can be a pain in the ass (and other parts of the body as well) and it's not something that we can easily avoid no matter hard we try. No amount of ointments, lotions and rubs can restore that vitality and strength that we once possessed. The physical aches that we suffer are somehow incomparable to the longing that some of us have when we reflect on our youth and the carefree times that we had. Sometimes, that longing can be more piercing than the sharpest of blades and more. Many people have discussed in blogs and forums how simpler life was when they were younger and I couldn't agree more. We did not have a lot of money back then but we were okay. We did not have a lot of facilities to make our life easier but we managed to get by. Most of us did not have university-educated parents but they made sure that we got proper education. We had to help our parents before or after school yet we never complained. We only got hand-me-down clothes yet they were clean and mended. Reading those entries and comments sometimes makes me want to go back in time at least for a while just for old time's sake. If you grew up in Malaysia in the 70s and 80s, I'm quite sure you will be familiar with most of the things I've listed below. Generally you can be considered almost (with the emphasis on the word 'almost') middle-aged if :

1. bas mini (the most famous was Bas Mini Wilayah @ BMW) or 'bas loncat' was your choice mode of transportation.

2. you know what a 'basikal Chopper' or a 'Pasola' is.

3. you envied the guys who rode their Yamaha RX-S and got all the girls.

4. the first novel that introduced you to the concept of the birds and the bees was 'Mona Gersang' or something similar to it (I wonder if anybody still keeps a copy).

5. Syed Sobrie, Razis Ismail, Ogy Ahmad Daud or Mazuin Hamzah was your teenage crush.

6. Mimaland was the choice theme park to have fun with your family and friends (it was the only one that was family-oriented).

7. Aliph was your favourite brand of shoes (if you were a Mat Rock).

8. your favourite local sitcoms were 2+1 and Pi Mai, Pi Mai Tang Tu.

9. you were inspired to become an athlete by Marina Chin, Zaiton Othman, Rabuan Pit, Istiaq Mubaraq and Nurherman Majid.

10. Mum 21, Cuticura and Amami were the talcum powders in your household.

11. you went to ITM and not uITM.

12. you often refer to UPM as Universiti Pertanian Malaysia.

13. you know what 'tudung dakwah' means.

14. you went home early because you were afraid of 'Hantu Kum Kum' and 'Hantu Kepala Anjing'.

15. you attended 'usrah' during weekends with your 'brothers' and 'sisters'.

16. Minah Karan and Mat Spanar were derogatory terms you used to refer to the factory workers (a big salute to you guys and gals for your economic contributions).

17. you listened to FM Stereo or Rediffusion.

18. you hung out with friends at Pertama Kompleks (KL) or Komtar (Penang) or Yik Foong (Ipoh).

19. you skipped school to play Pacman, Pinball and Space Invaders at video arcades.

20. you once owned a pair of bell-bottoms, carrot-cut jeans or a maxi dress.

21. you competed with your friends to see who could solve the Rubik Cube puzzle first.

22. your favourite reading materials were Gila-Gila, Remaja, Siri Bercakap Dengan Jin and Variasari.

23. typing and shorthand were two favourite courses to take while waiting for SPM results.

24. you learned cursive writing using your fountain pen at least once a week in primary school.

25. you remember fondly watching the latest movies at these cinemas : Lido, Cathay, Odeon, Ruby, Majestic, Rex or Princess.

26. on hot days, you bought 'ice balls' wrapped in newspaper or 'ais krim Malaysia' to quench your thirst.

27. you played marbles, batu seremban or galah panjang and went to catch fighting fish or spiders.

28. your Home Science teacher and Discipline Master were the most feared people in school.

Time has changed and most of the things I've listed above are no longer known to many, especially the younger generation. Some things are better left forgotten but certain things will always be kept fondly within our hearts.

WHITNEY HOUSTON 'MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE' TOUR BOOK

This is the fourth Whitney Houston's tour book in my collection and in my opinion, not the best. It seemed as if not enough effort was put into producing this book at all. All the pictures in the book can easily be found elsewhere and in fact, some of them are just stills from her video clips. There are no pictures of her band who backed her on this tour and there are also fewer pages compared to her other tour books. Quite disappointing, I would say. Whitney's My Love Is Your Love album was her first studio album after eight years and also the one which reintroduced her to the younger listeners. Unlike her previous albums, her new repertoire was edgier and more up-to-date. Whitney's fashion also took a different turn and direction. She was no longer perceived as the demure pop princess dressed in modest attire. Her dressing was funkier, sexier and trendier. For the tour, she was all dressed up in stylish Dolce & Gabbana from head to toe. By the way, I love those fierce boots and the green fur coat! She also sported a straight bob hairstyle layered and angled to perfection. At the same time, there were some other changes in her that caught both the public and media attention. Her cool and collected demeanor was replaced by rushed and erratic behaviour. The way she talked also suggested that something was amiss. Speculations and rumours about drug and substance abuse began to appear quite frequently in tabloids and on the Internet. Nevertheless, the tour was very successful and became one of the top-grossing tours in 1999. As I mentioned earlier, this tour book is a let down for me. It just looks like a compilation of pictures printed on glossy high-quality paper instead of a piece of memorabilia highlighting Whitney's career and tour.

The My Love Is Your Love Tour Book.

Whitney and her Dolce & Gabbana.

A much slimmer Whitney from the back.

WEEKEND TRIP TO MY BROTHER'S PLACE

I rarely make any long trips anymore due to my Mum's thrice-weekly dialysis treatment and whatever trips that we make will have to revolve around her schedule. I never got to take my Mum anywhere during the end of the year school holidays last year so I figured that a short weekend trip would be good for her. At the same time, I also needed a break. FYI, I haven't had any proper holiday for the past twelve years. Pathetic, I know but there are priorities that I have to consider and going for holidays and leaving my Mum is not one of them. I always welcome any short trip or even an outing since it is the only time I can exhale and let off steam. If other people go to exotic and faraway places for their holiday, I can be content with either going out for a nice meal or window-shopping. It doesn't take much to satisfy me, does it? So, a couple of weeks ago, I decided to take my Mum to my youngest brother's place in Puncak Alam. I had to rearrange my Mum's dialysis schedule since I wanted her to have a good rest before the journey. Most dialysis patients will feel extremely tired after their treatment so a few hours of sleep and rest would help her to regain her strength. We left quite late and had to ask my brother to come and meet us at one of the rest stops since I didn't quite remember the way to his house. We stopped to have our dinner at a Thai restaurant before we made it to his house. We spent the next day at home and only went out for meals. The weather was quite hot and I did not feel like taking my Mum out under such condition. My Mum was really happy to be able to visit her son and daughter-in-law. Usually, she has to wait for them to come back before she gets to see them. Too bad, we could not stay for long at my brother's place. We only stayed for the weekend and then it was back home again. I had to go back to work and my Mum had to have a good rest before her dialysis treatment on Monday. Still, it was a good short trip for me and for my Mum especially.

My Mum in the living room. All dressed up before going out for lunch.

AL-FATIHAH : NIK AZIZ AND HASBULLAH AWANG

Two very prominent figures in Malaysia passed away yesterday. Both had contributed greatly to their callings and will forever leave indelible marks in our lives. Al-Fatihah and may Allah bless their souls and place them in jannah. آمين

WHITNEY BIOPIC

What a disappointment.

WHITNEY HOUSTON'S DAUGHTER : BOBBI KRISTINA BROWN

The news on Bobbi Kristina Brown or better known as Krissy was all over the Internet last week and still is. It shocked me and many others who have been following her since the death of her mother almost 3 years ago to know that the daughter of the late Whitney Houston was found unconscious lying face-down in a bathtub. She was immediately rushed to the hospital and currently, she is still in a medically-induced coma to stop her brain from swelling. News about her condition was not fully known except to her close family members. Krissy was only 18 years old when her mother died in a tragic bathtub accident in a Beverly Hills hotel on February 11 2012. As the anniversary of Whitney's passing approaches, Krissy's fate still remains unknown. It is sad to see what a young person like her has to go through in life. I can still remember the chubby little girl who accompanied and sang 'My Love Is Your Love' with her mother on stage during Whitney's tour back in 1999. Paying attention and listening to the lyrics of that song, I can't help but notice that they can be interpreted differently. And the interpretation can be quite eerie actually. Who would have thought that everything would end up like this? To us, it looks as if Krissy had everything that her heart desired but did she really? At the same time, my heart goes out to all those who have lost their parent or parents at a very young age. It must be devastating to them and I hope there will always be someone to take care of the welfare of such children without having any other ulterior motives. And once again, I'm reminded how fragile life can be...