Can you believe that I can even get lost in a car park? LOL. Today, I went to Komtar but the underground parkings are full. So, I parked somewhere outside. The space was so crammed, I could park in but have problems getting out. It is one of those woman’s problem I have. Easily I squeezed in but when I want to get out, oops, the lubang become too tight. Anyway, after several turn and twist on my little Viva, I got out.

But suddenly, I cannot remember which direction I entered. It is an open car park, with the huge Komtar looming on top of my head. And yet, I can’t seem to remember where I came in from. I think the parking attendant must be wondering why I drove around the car park like that. Damn malu, I tell you.

And it is 12 midnight. I am supposed to wake up at 4 am and wait for Jimmy and Natasja at Tesco at 5 am. Yet, I haven’t pack my things yet. The cables and wires alone took up a shopping bag already. The cameras, laptop, mike and stuffs another bag. I think I am going to bring clothes enough for two days. Let Mkini’s staffs wonder why I seem to live in the Groundhog Day world where I wear the same shirt, same jeans, same shoe every day.

I can’t sleep because I cannot sleep next to my SIL or any other strangers. I think I will sit here till 4.30 am….

At the last minute, I am installing skype because I need to talk to my baby! I dare not mention about me going KL before he went to sleep. I dare not tell him, “Tomorrow morning when you wake up, mommy won’t be around.” Bawllssss….So, I will instal skype and leave the instructions to him on how to operate skype. I think my six years old will have no problem understanding the basics.

Yerrr…..I never leave my kids for this length of time one, you know? Even my loukong also, since day one we dated. I better keep myself so busy in the next six days or else I sure take the next plane home. I miss my baby already!

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Jimmy got a video clip that he finds spooky and he mailed the clip to me. Initially, I was too afraid to listen to it. You see, he was filming the cemetery and there was this one part where the MPPP YDP, PHT manager, I and a few other people were walking down this path. That means, Jimmy was way ahead of us. The video captured some noises. I heard it as ‘waaa…waa….’ of kids’ voices. Jimmy heard it too. Anyway, I don’t want to think too deep into it.

Last Saturday, I bought one rosary from church. I admit that I was always too distracted to finish praying using the rosary (beads) because it usually takes at least 45 minutes to do so. I cannot sit still for 45 minutes. Maybe I will when I am 85 yrs old. Now, I am not even 45 years old, you see. Whatever, I like the colour of the beads. And I am so gonna bring it with me everywhere. What more after the video clip.

You know…like those horror movies, they take the rosary and start chanting ‘Hail Mary full of praise…” over and over again when the ‘thing’ wanna kacau? But then, I guess Jimmy and I went to the place with good intentions and nothing is going to kacau me lah. I told my sons, “Your mom is going to be the Ghost Whisperer” (which is a series on TV lah). And they say what you know? “Good lah, go find some ghosts who have lots of buried treasures or properties without a will and make us rich.”

BTW, here is the second video of the Protestant cemetery and you can see the handsome Mr. Tan. (I didn’t say he is handsome but Goot Chan said it one)

Don’t worry, nothing is going to jump out of your computer screen and cekik you. Just say, “We come in peace…..We want to do the best for you…..Have trust in us….we are bringing the Council Chief to bring some clean-up and make your graves clean and welcoming….We come in peace….”

Anyway, the clip I mentioned with the children’s voices are not going to be put online. It is not funny, ok? For the sake of citizen journalism, I kena endure mosquitoes, Jimmy kena saman by MPPP for not putting enough coins into the parking meter and we had to listen to spooky noises on one trip. But all for the love of justice, fair reporting, bringing news that matters to people…..cincai lah.

Just don’t kacau me! Please, I come in peace….

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I happened to pass by Komtar’s underpass and saw a group of reporters waiting at the escalator near Maybank. I think they are waiting for the arrival of Hindraf’s little girl. I read that she is going to pass an appeal note to CM to save Kampung Buah Pala.

I suppose our CM surely have the grace to meet her? She was the one who wanted to hand over the yellow roses to Pak Lah but Pak Lah didn’t meet her. If I remember correctly, she also went to the palace once to try to deliver something to the King?

Now, this is getting interesting. In the morning, they try to meet CM. I wonder if they are going to burn his effigy later in the afternoon? I wonder how the conversation (if any) will take place.

Hindraf : Burn, babe, burnnnnn

CM : Ooooh….turn on the heat

And everybody breaks into a song and dance…..

And of course, I am not reporting in my capacity as a CJ. And no, this does not represent my real thoughts.

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1) Wake up (obviously….)

2) Brush teeth (definitely)

3) Bath (compulsory)

4) Poop (naturally)

5) Put on contact lenses (must-ly)

6) Put on clothes (rightly, you don’t want to traumatise the world, do you?)

7) Wake up boy (difficult-ly)

8 ) Wake up boy again (patiently)

9) Wake up boy (finally)

10) Check emails, blogs, Restaurant City (robotic-ly)

11) Fetch boy to school

12) Bring tiffin carrier to ‘Sar kark eng’ and remind them to give me only ‘children eat dishes, no chillies’ starting 1st July (btw, the economy rice at this triangle corner, across Chung Ling main door, Jalan Air Itam/Kampong Baru is nice, you know? I cater food for one month at RM250, enuff for 3 person. I want to do it for one week but they only cater for one month)

13) Go buy school uniforms for the girls and pass to Erina (the shelter home just gave me their sizes)

14) Fetch boy home from school, lepak, get some lunch

15) Go ‘Hindraf burn LGE effigy’ demo at Komtar. Woohoo, I love the action! Tks Hindraf for bringing it forward to today or else I would miss the fun of crowds, demo, loud shouts, colourful orange shirts, possible police and FRU and all that jazz. Don’t worry lah, in Penang, we are all peaceful. If not, I can just blend into the crowd as one of the housewives buying vegetables and disappear, unnoticed. The regular SB photographers already recognise me, every time sure take my photo. And the people including Suaram folks thought I am a SB videographer. See? I must remind self not to bring tripod, just a small video cam in a big, loose bermuda pants and a flowery blouse.

16) Pack all my gadgets for the citizen journalism training in KL. So many cables, batteries, chargers, screws and nuts…

17) Fetch my sister-in-law and give her a briefing of what I have in my fridge which she can cook if she doesn’t like the catered foods. She knows baby sitting Matthew is a breeze because he is like the world most angelic boy with polite manners and no demands, except to feed him rice at regular hours. He can eat on his own, poo on his own, bath on his own, play Lego, read books, play WOW, play FB on his own…

18) Instal MSN messenger on my Mac so that I can ’see’ my boy online. BTW, are there any other better webcam softwares? Faster give me the link! Or else, I sure rindu my boy and run away from Msiakini within one day.

19) Make sure my older kids have all the phone numbers for western food from LK, Pizza hut, McD, Domino and the money to go with it.

20) Sleep. The end.

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I got an sms this morning about a press conference at 12 noon. I was reluctant to go because it means I need to let my boy stay back after kindie. It costs me RM2 each time LOL. He gets lunch and a little extra time to play with his full day care friends and watch TV. He likes it actually.

But the issue on Kampung Buah Pala bugs me. I had been following up since the first day so it is rather incomplete if I just go off to KL for a whole week and not knowing what will happen to the villagers. Like I said in my previous post, I do not want to take sides but the faces of those people living there do tug at my heart. The young mother who was cradling her one month old baby yesterday told me she didn’t make any plans to move. No packing at all. The old uncle whom I talked to, told me he ‘tunggu saja’. This morning when I showered (before I got the sms from the CM’s press sec), I do imagine demolition team going into the village, before the villagers can do anything. I don’t want to see people getting injured, those adorable children traumatised, those elder folks scrambling to safety with their weak limbs….

And that’s when the saint-lilian-wannabe mode jumped in. Can’t help it because I am always the ‘i can save the world with my camera lens’ positive person. News are coming through that there are going to be lots of Hindraf activities going on in the island. Things are blurry, news are twisted, people are getting emotional (and I don’t blame them).

The chance came when I was told about a press conference. Jeng, jeng, jeng…..I can ask the CM about it. So, I went. Going to places like these mean I must be properly attired or risk getting kick out by the guards. That means, must make-up lah, must put on proper blouse and slack lah, proper shoes lah….and not forgetting checking all my barang-barang to see that there are batteries, tripod working, SD card in the camera…MP3 recorder charged (yes, I kiasu, so I record with video cam and also MP3 player).

Some Chinese press send as many as three reporters to one press conference. There are all the big TV cameras handled by big burly guys. But now, I am getting a little bolder. Size doesn’t matter one…….what I produce, how fast and how accurate are more important. And most of all, why do I go? I went because I want an answer to all those things that bug me. The folks at Kampung Buah Pala want answers and I want to get it on my video.

I got my video, the answers but then, will people listen? I guess not all will because sometimes, people want to hear what they want to hear only. I learned that 10 persons can listen to the same thing but that same 10 persons will come out with 10 different angles. It depends on who are their bosses. For me, I am my own boss so I hope I have somewhat convey the message through my video. It is up on my Youtube account and I have submitted to Malaysiakini too. Hindraf is going to have a nationwide protests and that include burning LGE’s paper effigy. Will they stop and listen to what LGE said? I can only pray they will.

For me, I have faith still. I have faith that a caring CM will not allow the demolition scenes I visualised to happen. And I hope people also have faith that as the CM, he will be able to ‘tame’ the developer because after all, the developer needs the cooperation of the state machinery for their future projects. When people allow doubts and anger and irrational thoughts to set in, that’s when chaos happen. CM said, “In life, you must be able to differentiate who are your enemies and who are your friends. You must be able to know facts from lies…”

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I went to a traditional Indian wedding this morning.  It was so beautiful.  I am lucky to be able to video the whole wedding ritual and am editing the video now.

This is the first time I actually followed the whole wedding ceremony and feel so touched to see the display of filial piety.  The groom bathed his mother’s feet with milk, apply some tumeric and other stuffs.  Then, the bride did the same.  After that, in another ceremony, the groom kissed the feet of his father and mother.

Then, there was another ceremony where a ring was put into a pot of water.  The bride and groom then, put their arms into the deep pot and whoever found the ring will be the master of the home.  It was kind of cute to see the blushing bride losing out to the husband.  This means she will be a housewife or something like that.    A lady explained to me the significance of the ceremony so that’s how I know.

Another part was the tying of the thaleel (is that what you call that yellow string?) by the groom on the bride.  After that, he has to put his arm across the shoulder of his bride and dot her head with the red dye.

There are so many ceremonies which are very interesting.  The Indian wedding is so steeped in tradition and I am glad the wedding went on without any interference about the impending eviction of the villagers.   I asked the groom’s permission if I can make a video of his wedding and put it on Youtube because it is nice to show others how an Indian wedding is carried out.

Before I left the village, I do feel a tinge of sadness.  The villagers will face the eviction on 2nd July and the police has warned them not to make things difficult.  I won’t be around and pray that nothing will happen and they are given ample time to move out or stay put.    Whatever the outcome, I hope no one gets hurt or none of the innocent  children there are frightened.  And frankly, I think all those Hindraf warnings only make things worse.   Arrggh…I am not going to comment further.

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“Darling…you sure you won’t miss me?”

“No lah…”

“Miss me lah…..miss lorrrr…..cincai lorrr….you no miss me, I so saddddd…Can kiss?”

“No! Kissing is for sissies….I am not your baby anymore! I am a big boy!”

“Cannot kiss, can mommy carry you?”

“Carry only, ok? No kissy-kissy, ok?”

“Ok lurrr….*tried to lift* Arrggh…mommy can’t lift you up anymore…..you too big boy already.”

And that’s part of the preparations for next week. I had catered lunch. My eldest-sil will come to stay over. My boy will skip kindie for four days. And he is going to play WOW (world of war craft and dunno what other online game), play LEGO, read Enid Blyton’s books until mommy comes home, six days later.

I heard a lot of things have been arranged for us trainees which include on the job training on the editorial floor, following the real reporters around, visit to broadcasting station, meeting some big names in journalism and such. I am not going to miss the chance to take the opportunity to learn what I can.

Actually, I had gotten a confirmation from the man himself, LKS to interview him about something that I had long been intrigued about him. It is just that timing is not ‘ngam’ as he is not around Penang that often. So, I hope to catch him in KL when I am there. People, send some good vibes over, will ya? LOL, I will bring you a side of LKS that you have never seen before.

I told someone today, “When you are ready, the Lord will bring you to places you never thought possible.” Someone was so amazed to see me almost everywhere. Malaysiakini.tv, Anil’s blog, Youtube, email forwards….The sweetest thing is, all it takes is a ‘I am ready, Lord. Bring it on…’

So, few more days, I am going on a long, long, long break…Woohoo, no need to wash butts, no need to cook, no need to scream ‘go bath, go eat, clean up, who left the cup here, who ate the last piece and never put the plate in the sink, stop fighting, not so loud, stop that banging’….but I have training from morning till night, six days a week, with no break. I asked our trainer to ‘apply pressures, deadlines, real ones until we break’. I hope it is six days of adventure.  And not, six days of emo-ing over ‘I want to go home’.

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The mosquitoes were enjoying their Bloody Mary at my expenses. Sweat trickling down my forehead, blinding me. Getting the right exposure and WB is not easy because I was using a CPL that made my Nikon D40 confuse with the shadows and sunny sunlight. Meanwhile, the parking meter was ticking away 60, 59, 58….My CJ partner was summoned by MPPP while we were talking to the MPPP chief. Go figure…

So, these are the only few photos I managed to capture with my DSLR before the MPPP chief and his entourage of very nice staffs and the Penang Heritage President and Manager came along…

With all the big names there, I am sure our dear Sir Francis Light and all those who were laid to rest at the Protestant Cemetery will be happy to see a spring cleaning soon.

Thank you, MPPP. You restore my faith in local government.

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I had a MTV marathon watching all of Michael Jackson’s old mtvs. I cannot get over how lithe his limbs are were. And some of the songs are really strong. Like this Earth Song :

Since I learned video filming and video editing, I tend to see the subtle things like how different things are incorporated into the music video. In the above video, there is one part where they showed the starving babies. It is just soooo heart rendering. The music, the lyrics, the clips of all the destructions and sufferings just grab your heart and twist it till it bleeds, no?

While people are feeling sad that Michael Jackson died, I am feeling happy for him. It is very bad but that is one tortured soul there. Do you know he converted from a Jehovah’s Witness to a Muslim? Here is the news from The Telegraph. I guess he is at peace now.

I am going to listen to a few more ber-emo songs from MJ and hope I can find the emotions to make a video to plead to our State Government to bring back the glory of the secondhand books stalls. Once upon a time, these stalls were located along Jalan Macalister and I spent many, many long hours visiting the stall, buying the old copies of USA Cosmopolitan, got mesmerized with all the Mills & Boons, fell totally in love with all the Counts and Lords, got corrupted with all the thrashy novels by Harold Robbins, Jacqueline Susann and get smarter with Swedish porns, Playboy, Penthouse…. LOL. (ok, I didn’t buy the porn, ok? Long before there were porn on the net, there were Swedish books that the mamak would hide behind shelves and secretly passed to you because you are a regular customer.

Sadly, people do not know how to appreciate how fantastic these old books are, I mean the normal books, not the porn. There are so many novels to browse through. But nowadays, parents are so kiasu they only pushed Panduan UPSR, PMR and SPM to their kids. Housewives only know how to read cookbooks and not Mills & Boons. Chey…what a waste of a generation. Let’s bring back those secondhand book stalls so that we can make Penangites more literate, much more fun, much smarter and be streetwise like me.

Now, I find my emo moment, time to make a video…

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I interviewed YB Sim, ADun of Pantai Jerjak where I voted.

The above is only part of the interview. I asked YB Sim about being an ADun and I am so surprised to hear how much an ADun earns a month. There is no such thing as glamour, no big money, lots of hard work and plenty of stress. YB Sim was very frank with the amount he receives as an ADun and the amount of money he has to pay for rental, staffs’ salary, electricity bill and etc etc. I will make another video on that because I guess most of us don’t really know what actually is the role of an ADun. Certainly, not blocked longkang, missing wife, stray husband cases like what we often read in the mainstream media.

It is very refreshing to chat with him because all the misconceptions I had about politicians are somewhat explained. All the while I thought politicians all loaded with gold rings, jade rings, fat fat , in expensive silk batik like those Bee End wannnn…

Now….I wonder when the ADun in the area I stay is going to grant me an interview? Hmmm????? ADun of Air Putih? Boleh kah, YAB?

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