When A Right is Not Right

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Freedom of expression must be the term of the week.

My personal point of view is that freedom of expression shouldn’t be overrated. It is a right, but any rights exercised with the intention to spite, that can’t be right.

Freedom comes with accountability. So use it wisely.

When freedom of expression is regarded as a higher virtue than being respectful, virtue itself loses its meaning.

When Going to Jakarta Feels More Like Going Back to Jakarta

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Going to Jakarta has been more like a yearly pilgrimage rather than a trip. At least it is for me. I’ve made two trips to Jakarta this year alone, within the time span of fourteen days. Not bad, I think.

I’ve grown accustomed to the traffic jams (I still don’t dare to drive in Jakarta), the ‘four-wheel drive’ street food carts (awesome nasi goreng ampela at Jl. Haji Nawi), the malls (they always seem to have more collections than Kuala Lumpur), the sea of people (I think the word crowd is an understatement to describe the number of people in Jakarta alone) etc.

But all in all, what I look forward to most when I’m going to Jakarta is the warmth and hospitality of my relatives. Despite being distant cousins (we’re talking about fourth cousins here), I must admit I’m closer to them than I am with any of my first cousins here in Kuala Lumpur.

Put aside the shopping (seriously dead cheap) and the food (to die for), I’d go back to Jakarta again and again just to spend time with my cousin Reno. I must say, beyond the extent of my nucleus family, she’s the second person (after my best friend) that I can totally be comfortable being myself, the actual real me. To be fair, I’ve known my best friend longer than I’ve known Reno. I’m not saying I’m putting up an act when I’m with others, but I know that the sense of acceptance I get from her is genuine. We’re talking about that “selamber kentut korek hidung” kind of acceptance. You know what I mean.

My relationship with Reno has made me realised many things; about myself, about her, about life etc. I’d like to think that we’ve taught and learnt from one another. We’ve laughed together, cried together and sometimes both at the same time (those who have never experienced this, you should try sometimes. It’s relieving). All in all, I’d sum it all up as a meaningful relationship. The kind that touches your life. The kind that reminds me of Reno when some idiot on the road refuse to use his/her car horn. (It’s okay if you don’t get it because only Reno would).

At the end of the day, our relationship with people is neither about the number of friends we have on Facebook nor the number of our followers on Twitter. It’s about how meaningful such relationships are to you and how have you touched their lives.

Something to ponder on a Monday….

“Have you touched somebody’s life today?”

Mary Had a Little Lamb

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I’ve been having really interesting conversations off late. I’d be damned not to share.

@LatexAlex: I’m in Maryland.

@PittedPrunes: Where’s that?

@LatexAlex: 4 hours south from home.

@PittedPrunes: Oh, is it near that old McDonald’s farm? Ya know, where they keep the lamb and all?

Coz Mary sure loves lambs!

Credits go out to Alex, the latex man.

The Private Conversation

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My conversation with my cousin Reno tonight…..

@Reno: I’ve got ants running around on my body. But the weird thing is, they did not bite me. Just crawling around on me.

Being the typical me, I find her statement amusing.

@Pittedprunes: Perhaps your body is a transit platform.

A moment of silence and then …..

@Reno & @Pittedprunes: Muahahahaha!

We are so hilarious. I feel bad for people who don’t get to listen to our conversations and enjoy our hilariousness