Will Pigs Marry the Simpsons?

These photographs certainly shows the joy of same-sex marriage. So what next? Will the pigs marry the Simpsons or will Homer play pastor?

Thank God it hasn't happened in the neighbourhood. What will the neigbours think then?

Heartsong

Third Rate Slasher Letdown

Seriously, how can they still make bad movies such as this and yet publicise it so widely for showing in cineplexes?

Waste of good talent especially Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson. I wonder as well why stars like them would want to lend their names to this sort of C rate movies. Tak ada kerja-kah? Or just hard up?

Vacancy has little suspense and plenty of noises and dirt. The word "sick" best describes this movie. Don't waste your time and money going to this movie that is 50 years too late in suspense, thrills and gore.

Heartsong

Slow Shop

Yes, we called it the Slow Shop because service is really slow. Meng Kee Restaurant is a tua char restaurant operating in front of THE KFC in SEAPARK,PJ. Food is agreeable to me and so is the price.

I guess the trouble is they have only two cooks and they just cannot take the orders as fast we want them to.

When we told them that we had to wait really long to get our orders, they suggested we phone in first and only come by to the restaurant when the food is about ready. We thought it would work. It doesn't. We still had to wait as long because now every one else is calling in first as well.

So it is back to square one.


Heartsong

The Drunken Beggar of SEAPARK

Able-bodied. Something in the early forties. Only reason he is begging- laziness.

SEAPARK has its share of unfortunate people asking money from the public. We have one ''uncle'' with a worn-out suitcase which he carries in one hand and a trolley bag which he drags in another. He works in a bank formerly. He usually sleeps on the pavement outside a 24-hour clinic, around the Public Bank area. And he croons songs of the sixties and Elvis numbers. When he goes around begging, he will put a finger out and say "One dollar".

Then we have this guy who once masqueraded as a monk. When the news of bogus monks came out in the Malays Mail, he ''defrocked'' his monk gear and now is in layman's attire. Another lazy guy and keeps on pointing a finger at you to give him a ringgit.

We have another chap. He doesnt really begs. He sold second hand VCDs and DVDs at one time, then tried his hand selling lottery tickets. He is now selling keropok. At least he is earning his keep.

Let us get back to this lazy able-bodied beggar. He sets himself besides a newspaper-cum-Chinese medicine shop. There is much human traffic. Stinking of cheap liquor and smelly from not bathing for days, he has a cap besides him and begs from every one that passes him by. Once he has collected enough he will buy the cheap rice wine from the medicine shop.

He was missing for quite sometime. Think the Social Welfare chaps must have institutionalised him but looks like he got out.

Let us see how long he will last on the five-foot walk this time around.

Heartsong

The B-Tak and the Beauty

I practically watched her grew up before my eyes. Mixed Chinese-Indian parentage. Beautiful face; charming smile.

I remembered her vividly, part-timing as a worker in the now defunct Georgetown pharmacy. White boots and a Farrah-Fawcett hairstyle.

Then she started working and got involved with a haughty Indian boy with a sports car, off and on affair and finally it was over.

Then B-tak stepped in, a close cousin of Shrek. Married her and had some kids.

What a waste of a pretty woman!

Heartsong

The Preacher and the Mamak Man

My pastor mentioned about the remarkable exploits of Pastor Jean Lim in Nilai in his sermon this evening .

I am blogging this.

Pastor Jean through prayer with God has done momentous things in Nilai. From a first shop-house they have expanded quite dramatically to buy over the neighbouring units. A karaoke joint nearby ( 2 units of shophouses) which initially refused to sell out finally gave in. Today the church occupies 8 shop-houses.

Last week, as the church people were opening up the premise of the 8th shop-house acquired, the corner-lot mamak shop owner was indeed worried-the Malay has that word called gelisah to describe such this feeling.

What do you think will become of his shop since it is the advancing path of the acquiring church?

Heartsong

Piano Days-They Are Over!

Unless my daughter wants to pursue music to the diploma level and beyond, yesterday was the last day of her training regime. The last day when I had to ferry her to and fro from the music instructor's home and to the venues of her examinations be it at Shah Alam or Petaling Jaya.

When my daughter got the third place in her Standard Three examinations, we decided that she can begin piano lessons. Yesterday, she took her Grade 8 Practical at the PJ Hilton.

My son who also took up lessons played like a cowboy salon player and he gave up after the lack of disciplined progress on the keyboards.

Looking at the old Yamaha piano made me to recall the day we bought that piano from Wagners, PJ. It caused us about RM5K and the piano stool had a hole in it. The seller suggest we changed it for a new one which would cost us RM250.00. Instead, my wife sew a black cloth to cover the hole and my son and daughter had been using the stool without any trouble for their practice from 1999 till now!

With God's blessings, I hope my daughter will finish well in this final piano examination.

Heartsong

Our very Own Reese!

I went to the hospital today for my appointment. Every one was impatiently awaiting their turn to see the doctors.

Then this beautiful, well-dressed lady that looks like the twin sister of Reese Witherspoon walked in. Well, all eyes were trained on her. As she walked in her two-toned 3 inch high heels, the stares followed. She looks most watchable and fetching, especially in that new hairstyle which Reese Witherspoon spotted at the last Academy Awards event. Standing at about 5 foot 3 inches with very beautiful toned calf muscles, she has the precise packaging to tempt any male. The patients watched her sit down, crossed her beautiful legs, flipped open her hand-phone and talked in English and some Cantonese. She was very animated and smiled a lot.

It is not every day that you see a beautiful Chinese girl with a charming smile to boot. She was very much aware that every one was keenly observing her every move. She sat for a while and then went in to see a doctor.

I gathered she is a sales person from a pharmacy house, introducing new products to the doctors. She left after a while; strutting out confidently, the same manner that she came in. All eyes followed her until she disappeared from sight.

Cuci mata, says the Malays. This is certainly one pretty lass I have seen in a long,loong, looong time. A sight for sore eyes.

Heartsong

Shaw's Swordplay Sagas

During my teens, I was enamoured by Chinese sword-play movies from Hong-Kong. Every movie was a milestone event in my life. This went on until the kungfu movie took over with the advent of Bruce Lee in the Big Boss.

I know today Shaw's sword-play movies appear rather out of time and place. Some of them have real corny dialogues and lousy plots with holes in them. Watching them at 2.30 pm on NTV7 was mostly a waste of good siesta time.

Last week, I watched The Brave Archer and throughout the movie, there was no archery at all. Most of the actors were just clowning around particularly Fu Sheng.

The only movies I remembered with some affection were the following:

• The One-Armed Swordsman
• Dragon Inn
• Come Drink with Me
• Return of the One-Armed Swordsman
• Zaibatsu and the One-Armed Swordsman
• Temple of the Red Lotus
• Twin Swords
• The Sword and the Lute

I think Ananda Krishnan obviously made one great mistake by buying the film library rights from Shaw. It did not sell well in either VCD or DVD format. So he salvaged some nominal value of his investment by licensing it to NTV7 to put them on every Saturday afternoon.

Believe me; these movies are just too slow for our techno-savvy youngsters nor are they as appealing to the older folks who had treasured them as screen gems and great moments in film history in years gone by.

I do not know how long we will have to endure Shaw Brothers movies on NTV 7 but there could be some that may bring back some long lost nostalgia of bygone days.

Heartsong

Death of a Church

I need to post this pronto. It came from Pastor Daniel's sermon tonight.

A pastor was sent to take charge of a church in rural Oklahoma. So with much vigour and gusto, he set forth to his new assignment. However, to his disappointment, he found the congregation dwindling from one Sunday to the next. He felt something must be done.

So he put an obituary in the local daily informing the community of the funeral service for the death of the church.

On the day of the service, the crowd came; some even earlier to secure good seats. On cue, the funeral service commenced. In front, was an authentic coffin with flowers blanketing it.

The pastor, having finished the service, asked that the flowers be removed and for all to rise and to pay their last respects by filing past the coffin.

Every one walked past to view the coffin. They all went away with a sheepish look on their faces.

Why? ... because when they peeked into the coffin, they saw their faces looking back at them. The wise pastor has put in a mirror to reflect who had caused the death of the church.

The attendance for the following week-end sermon was full.

Heartsong

An Inhuman Act

Here he was driving recklessly at 3 A.M. racing along with a car on the way from the Selayang Wholesale Market. His driver was in the passenger seat of the cab. He lost control and smashed into the car. The collision was so bad that the left hand side of the cab of the lorry was horrendously damaged. His driver was hurt in the leg.

But what do you know? No urgency to send him to the hospital to sew up the gaping wound in his leg. Instead he left the driver at home and went to the market stall to arranged his vegetables for sale.

It was more than four hours later that he sent the driver to the hospital. By then, it was too late for the doctor to sew back the flesh. The driver will carry a scar throughout his life.

A most inhuman act by a boss on a worker. All because of money....

Heartsong

Only in PJ/KL?

Parents normally do not have their kids sit behind them when they drive. It would be most insulting as then they would be likened to the help. So the kids normally sit in the front passenger seat.

Being rich, these kids are ferried mostly by drivers and so they sit behind like little emperors or mini madams.

But I can't help notice that lately, it is becoming more of a trend. At a tuition centre somewhere close, I observed most kids just matter of factly sit behind; even if their father or mother drives. The parents, it appear so, no longer seems to mind.

That's spoiling them to the max, don't you think?

Heartsong

Well nigh Impossible!

If you want to follow strictly the advice of certified financial planners, you must have big bucks to discuss with htem . Your income must be massive; derived either from running your own successful businesses or you are in a cushy job with a multi-national paying a 5 digit salary and perks thrown in. If not, no way are you going to have a good comfortable retirement, I grant you that.

If the example they use a graduate starting afresh have only a RM2,000 salary to spare as an example, then like Scrooge you must really stinge! If you stay in remote Lima Kedai in Johor then it is perfect. However, if you are staying in Kota Damansara; its really pocheek! all the urban demands will make mincemeat of your salary.

Heartsong

Quote of the Day:

Heartsong

Deferred and Delayed Gratification

The Financial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM) recommends that you start a savings and investment plan the minute you get your hands on your first pay packet. Why? So that you can meet your life's goals through proper financial management. Why? .....because your government do not have a social safety net for you when you retire. you only have your EPF and that will be gone in less than 3 years-so they say.

Retiring well or even retiring in style takes a lot of hard thinking from Day 1. The minimum requirements for comfortable ever after retirement are:

• a debt-free house
• a few sources of passive income to maintain lifestyle
• a long term care programme
• adequate life insurance
• a few good friends
• regular family gatherings
• reasonably good health until 75 years of age.

So looking at the above seven outcomes; to follow the advice of Steven Covey's "Begin with the end in mind", what should one do?


Heartsong

For Goodness Sake....

Be a professional! That is my message to you.

Unless you have a big roaring multi-million family business to run when you graduate from college... unless you have the looks and talents to be a world class showman. Unless....

But if you are just ordinary person,then study hard and make sure you study only courses that make you a professional. At the end of the day- you ""boleh sign'' and open your own business. Not every one can be a doctor. Dentistry is a good choice. You may chose to become a pharmacist. Most engineering courses are good except maybe Civil Engineering. Actuarial Studies is very good if you can get a sponsorship to do it. Law - a bit over the top in supply especially in the Klang Valley. Accountancy-still one solid course but you must be able to tolerate number crunching. IT- the demand goes up and down.

Hybrid courses like biotechnology, bio-chemistry and the like. Not many are recommending because you are neither here nor there. Those in the know are recommending you choose pure disciplines.

On the Arts side, go for languages such as English and Mandarin. Study all the way up to doctorate level so that the world can be your oyster and you can gain a professorship .

But never never choose courses where you need to work for an organisation and you can only get promoted if you carry on bodeking the boss! That will be the end of you. You will never be your own man! Never ever be rich.

So watch out !

Heartsong

Guardian Angels

It is mentioned twice in the Bible. Every one of us have a guardian angel. So therefore, rely on them. Talk to them through prayers and get them to do your bidding.

Let me read more about guardian angels before I write more about them.


Heartsong

Put on Medication

My blood test showed I had high cholesterol level. At my age, a 4.9 reading is no good. It must read at 4.1 or below. So, the doctor recommended I be put on a statin medication and report back with another blood test result in three months' time.

Looks like I need to cut down on fried and oily stuff and do a proper exercise programme to ensure my health wellness.

What I do not like is this blood taking that needs to be done every three months to look at my liver and kidney status as statin medication can affect them.

Heartsong

Report Card Day

I went to my children's school on 27 June to take home their report cards. My daughter as usual, felt no anxiety pangs but my son had mixed feelings.

So I hightailed to my daughter's classroom guided by a dutiful prefect. 7 parents before me. Long wait. Got my turn at about 9 A.M. Lanky class teacher. Told me my daughter should do okay. Asked about the B grades my daughter got, she replied those were difficult tests this time around but my daughter did pretty well, though. She says my daughter should do well in her SPM. Most of the teacher's comments spoke of her industry.

So we went next to my son's classroom. There was only my friend, Lai before me and we chatted while some parent was discussing with the teacher. After Lai, I got my turn. My son's form teacher, Grace spoke of my son as helpful but tend to be disorganised in his home work. Except for BM, he should do okay. So my son's apparent fears of untoward comments from his teachers were unfounded.

As it was the practice of he school that students can follow their parents back, so my children went home with me at about 10 A. M.

Heartsong