The Omen - Oh Man!

It was supposed to give me a good fright and scare me shitless in my pants. Other than one or two jumps out of my seat, I’d have to say The Omen was nothing spectacular. Having seen the original that gave me nightmares for days, this remake simply didn’t quite make the cut. It definitely wasn’t Julia Stiles’ best effort, but then again, not much was required from her boring role as the sick and pained mom. There are only two things which I liked about the movie, which are Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick’s Damien, and Mia Farrow’s psycho nanny.
Movie aside, perhaps thought should be given to the origins of the idea of “anti-Christ” itself. I managed to find loads of articles from people with different ideas on what anti-Christ means, from biblical scholars to writers.
I must admit that I’m not a “wholistically” religious person. But I do believe in God and all the miracles that he has showered upon His children. I believe in the fact that there exists an upper being who watches over us, the One who is the center of all good and the opposite of all evil.
So this idea of the existence of the “anti-Christ” both amuses and worries me. It has exactly the adverse effects of knowing there will always be an epitome of goodness in the world with the existence of God; that one day, evil is coming to get us. I am reminded in flickers of memories of my days as a young child brought up by grandparents who are survivors of WWII, and whose ideas of discipline comes in the form of instilling fear in children. Things like, “if you don’t hold my hand tightly when we’re out, the black monster will come and catch you!”
As a child, I had morbid thoughts that come to mind, partly due to the constant barraging ideas that spill from my grandmother’s mouth in her bid to control us, and partly due to TV. I envisioned that WWIII would start at the height of my life, in my teens when I am young and vulnerable, and I would be reduced to smudging coal on my face to disguise as a boy when I should be dressed in frilly dresses and attending tea parties. Or hanging out in malls.
But all that is nothing; nothing at all compared to imagining what would happen if the world would be taken over by evil. Do we fall slowly into Damien’s trap of lies and deceit, which would render us a step too deep into the mud of evil? Would he invoke his army of Satan worshippers and banish us from our world of liberty? Worse still, would he wipe out the entire human race, so that we will have the inevitable fate of enduring his barbecued haven in eternity? Would he dethrone God from our lives as Savior of our souls?
Man, all I want to do is to be able to walk my dog everyday, have a good cup of tea!

Some People Capitalize on Animals

When I needed good homes for my puppies, I sent out an email *refer to last blog entry*.
And this was my favorite reply:


Just because a puppy or kitten ends up at the SPCA does not necessarily mean that it will be put to sleep. Adoption drives is high on SPCA priority list.

The SPCA is not a dumping ground where you bring whatever unwanted puppies (kittens) you have because of mismanagement of your bitch. If it comes to it and no homes are found the puppies would have to be put to sleep but SPCA is really only cleaning up the irresponsibility of owners that will perpetuate if the puppies are going to be released without being spayed / neutered (not that release in woods / dumping site is a sensible option). Further is it a better option to be put to sleep or left at a dumpsite to starve?

That statement gives the impression that anything that enters the SPCA is put down effective from the moment the little paw crosses the threshold. This is erroneous and this thinking that is forwarded to countless people gives a false impression and erodes the good work that the SPCA is trying to do. Putting down puppies and kittens is not the priority of the SPCA but given the sheer numbers that come through, the SPCA is not faced with any other option. If you have a better plan of what to do with the 20 -30 000 stray animals each year dumped at the SPCA, please do suggest some. The SPCA is not a dog pound.

Just to let you know the SPCA runs foster programmes, adoption drives and spay neuter programmes so that the amount of animals that have to be put to sleep is lessen as the years pass.

In what way did I mention it was my bitch who screwed up, you bitch? And then you go and contradict yourself by saying that if it really comes to it the puppies would be put to sleep.
So let me clarify and bitchify your smarty pants answer.
I'm sure adoption is high on the SPCA priority list. How else are they going to rip RM250 off your pockets? And if it that really is the case, how do you explain that I managed to find 5 puppies five good homes in less than 2 weeks (among so many people who called and came to enquire), but that SPCA has to put to sleep thousands of them every year?
I'm not the only one who thinks so: http://blog.menj.org/2005/11/30/spca-are-scum/
I'm not saying they're Cruella in disguise. All I'm saying is, if I'm allowed to offer my humble opinion, is that perhaps it's not a very feasible approach. If you want to encourage adoption, why tag such a price on them? I can totally understand that SPCA needs to make ends meet as well, but it's something like a chicken and egg situation. If you don't give the dogs away, you have to spend more money to continue to sustain them. If you're all out to make money from them, why not train them up and you can have a dog circus? Why not make them jump loops, walk on charcoal and swing on the trapeze? Or if you can't be bothered, why not sell them to the Royal London Circus? *this by the way, is my 'suggestion' of what to do with the animals*
The point lies in the education of pet owners that they have a responsibility and should not just own a pet for the sake of having one.
And seriously, they are not here to "clean up the irresponsibility of owners". If your 16 year old kid screws up and ends up having a baby, do you put the baby to sleep? I know this sounds a bit far fetched, but could it be remotely possible that there are people out there who wouldn't want their beloved pet to go through life without ever having had a feeling of what it's like to be a parent, or worse still, to let them die a virgin? And if it is a better option to be put to sleep rather than to be starving, then should we round up all the homeless and people living in poverty and put them to sleep?
So don't talk like an animal lover if you don't even recognize their rights.

A Caring Society

Some time ago I sent out this email:

Hi everyone,
This is quite a desperate attempt to save some puppies from the fate of being roadkill, or eaten or die.
My cousin's golden retriever gave birth to 5 mongrel puppies. Their family have insufficient means to keep the puppies, and is going to just release them into the woods, or rubbish dump site, wherever is convenient.
If you have the means of adopting one of these puppies and give them shelter or save them from being left to fend for themselves, please call me at 012 *******. Bring one home so they don't have to die.
We could of course go to SPCA, but this would only mean the puppies would be put to sleep.
Otherwise, please help forward this to friends whom you think might be interested in giving these puppies a home.

The response was tremendous. I was inundated with calls from friends' friends' friends' friends', some eager to adopt, some concerned about the puppies. And now thanks to all my friends, their friends, their friends' friends', lalalala, all the five adorable little ones have been adopted.

My utmost gratitude to Jess, Juliet, Vianney&Michael, and Tony for the open arms they have provided to these puppies, for their willingness and readiness to give these puppies a good life. And for those that I have had to turn away, my apologies for I have found the above individuals to be the most suitable people to adopt them puppies.

Of course, as in all things in life, this didn't go smoothly down like beer in the throat la. There were strange phone calls from people who didn't only want the puppy, they were desperate for them. I had to stress time and again that we cannot just want a puppy for the sake of having one, we must be prepared physically and mentally to adopt a new being in our lives and the responsibilities that come with it.
*read: when you are too young/ not ready to have a pet, your golden retriever gets pregnant and have mongrel puppies*

And then there were those who were genuinely concerned about what would happen to the puppies. Thanks to Rena, I am now a firm believer that we can help if we really try. Also Lisa, whom I had a long conversation with, over the need for education of pet owners.
So many people actually came and played with the puppies. Kudos to Jess, who actually helped us bathe the pups, and towelled them dry (of course, kudos to Jess also, for bringing Lucky to a home with a massive garden and a swimming pool). Tiger will be having a good time frolicking in the garden and tugging at his owner's blanket at night, Princess will be absolutely at her Royal Highness best at Tony's, and Sasa is being fussed all over at Juliet's.
What of Jack?
He's now called Cody, and he lives at Jason's, which is a stone's throw away from my place. Yippee!!!

Jack is the new man in my life. Ok, the new boy in my life. Ok, not really in my life. Just temporarily. And it saddens me so.
This little fat, fluffy rabbit look-alike has captured my heart and I have fallen truly, madly, deeply in love. Ok, more like hook, line and sinker. One little whimper and I fly to his rescue, one little look of sadness, and I pick him up and cradle him. He seems to get along well with Joey too, which came as a surprise to me. He seems to know how to pull my heart strings perfectly well, and to pull off that “I’m cold. Cuddle me!” look. Gosh.
I took Princess and Jack back with me yesterday, and they slept cuddled close to me as I watched TV. Reminded me of those times Joey would squirm her way onto my lap and make herself comfortable there.
A sudden recollection also came to me. A long time ago when I first brought Joey home, a friend told me that when a girl is ready to wholly own a dog, it means she’s ready for motherhood. Bollocks. A dog is a friend, companion and the best thing to have. Better than a sister. Right, Jee?
A dog is someone you can talk to, and they won’t talk back or disagree with you. Or say “I told you so.” A dog is someone you can watch TV with, and they won’t tell the story before you watch it. A dog is someone who is happy to have a bit of whatever you’re eating, and make you their idol from then on. A dog is someone who can teach you about responsibility, caring for others, and fun.
A dog is not just a dog.
Hang on there Joey, Jack and Princess; I’m coming home straight after work.

Happy Birthday

I’ve been really busy at work lately. Things aren’t going too smoothly. I might seriously consider a change in direction. The problem with the world I guess, is always that nothing is certain.
Joey’s somehow given me a sense of homeliness ever since we brought her home. I began to miss home when I’m out for a whole day, not to even mention outstation trips. It is always a luxury to be able to sit home and enjoy her company. She sometimes gives me that sense of assurance just like you did when I was much younger.
I really hate growing up. It’s so shrouded with un-pleasantries that I sometimes wish would just go away if I cover myself up in a blanket and count to three. Injustice makes tears well up in my eyes, and for things that I have no power to change, I just cry.
From those school years that you used to bring me to school, I wished that I had a bike so I could go to school alone. And now I wish you’d take me to work everyday. For those times you brought me out for meals that I wish were McDonald’s or chicken chop, I now relish in eating cheap Chinese food.
I cannot forget the warmth in your voice and the palm of your hand. You’d bring me to the doctor whenever I was sick, and I would always be greeted by your voice as soon as you return home from work. Feverish or not, I always heard:
“Girl, how are you feeling?”
I heard it again the last time I was sick, and no one brought me to the doctor. I stayed in bed the whole day, and at night as I lay on the couch after taking my medication, I heard you ask.
“Girl, how are you feeling?”
And it was the same warmth in the voice, and the same touch of the hand on my forehead.
It’s been more than 3 years now. I am glad you no longer have to face life’s trying times, and especially mortality. While I used to feel your presence even after you left, I feel it no more, and I’m happy you have left for good, and that life is a bliss now that you are with the Lord.
I will see you again when my time here is due.
Happy birthday Daddy.
PS: I'm sorry about the time I bought you a Mickey Mouse tie for your birthday, and you wore it without knowing it.

Tanah Disney??

All this talk about setting up a Disneyland right in our own backyard (Johor a bit far from where I live, but considered backyard of Peninsula lar) has gotten many Malaysians all excited. After all, to go to Disneyland Tokyo would cost you a bomb and a half, and to go to the one in the States would cost you half a globe.
As with having the Malaysia Boleh! spirit, we would naturally want everything to be the best of the best of the best. Like our now defunct Petronas Twin Towers (defunct because not the tallest anymore la), the longest popiah, the largest mooncake... and the list goes on. So I heard on the radio this morning, that if we really are to have one, it will be the biggest Disneyland yet. Sure boh?
I figured that eventually if this really were to materialize, we would of course implement some Malaysian elements in it. Like what?
1. Nasi Lemak in Tanah Disney
2. World's longest popiah, everyday
3. The Sambal rollercoaster ride (did I mention the longest and spiciest in the world?)
4. Puteri Gunung Ledang together with Cinder-Ella(who wears Bata shoes)
5. Prince Charming in a Proton
6. and this ....little red riding hood.