random merdeka thoughts

Feeling rather down at the moment, but I’ve decided to spare you guys the deep dark gutters of my miserable grievances in my miserable existence. I’m humanitarian, me.

Merdeka Day is fast approaching, I’m waiting for Vincent’s initiative on what we are doing this year. Last year we had a fun time blogging in BM. My entry was Siapa Lebih Miang? which was rather well-received… ahem.

Speaking of Merdeka, I read an interesting article by Zainul Arifin titled When patriotism isn’t first instinct. He asks if displaying the flag is the only patriotic action we could muster these days. Seems that the younger generation do not relate to Independence Day, especially those who look upon it as only a holiday, aka time to rest at home, watch some tv, go to the various shopping malls, sleep till the following day…

At least that is what Merdeka Day means to me. I have not the least inclination to join the masses at the padang to re-enact Tunku Abdul Rahman’s joyous shouting decades ago. Don’t get me wrong, I love this country but I love me more. And I am of the belief that patriotism, like love is not a spoken thing, but more of a felt thing. Of course when the circumstances arise, I will like many of my fellow citizens rise to the occasion to defend this country… Someone slagged us off? Bla bla bla long argument, bla bla bla fu. But am I willing to die for this country? Hmmm… I’ll have to get back to you on that. Does that make me less patriotic? I don’t know. Would you do that? Would you die for your country?

I suppose the older generation would. For the past couple of years, I’ve hassled my grandmother often enough to get her account of life during the WW2 and the chaotic time before Merdeka. Tough did not even begin to describe it, she hinted more than once. She was upstairs in her father’s shophouse when the Jap soldiers killed her father downstairs. She was married off early to avoid being taken by them. My grandfather was ‘abducted’ and tortured by some overzealous people, no one knew where he was taken to, money was spent for information on his whereabouts and my great-grandmother brought two chickens to bail him out.

Things are definitely better. Just looking at opportunities for women; my grandmother is a housewife. During my mother’s time, you either become a housewife, a teacher or a nurse. Today, Malaysian women can CEO of whatevercompanyyoulike for all you want. I don’t know if it’s due to Merdeka or worldwide female liberation movement but I am happy that we changed with time, seeing that I can’t cook, I can’t teach and I can’t take care of myself, let alone taking care of other people.

Have goods will shine, no matter what your goods.

But come 31 August, I’ll still sleep in lah. It doesn’t necessarily make me less patriotic, because I know in my heart that we have a lot to love, to be thankful for and to celebrate. Just that I get sunstroke sometimes, you know…

Fuck la, my chair just broke. No mood liao.

Minor update:

Sms action with mom:

Me: evidence that I am too fat — my chair broke
Mom: HAHAHAHAHA.. poor chair.

Sigh with moms like these, who needs enemies? :(

Stories, Thoughts, Ramblings


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