Wo bu xiang jiu zhe yang yi zhi zou
Zhe zhong jie guo wo bu yao
…bu hao xiao
…bu hao xiao
Korek, Korek
Korek must be the buzz word nowadays. It can also be habitual. I caught my son picking his nose the other day (Korek Hidung) and scolded him. But how on earth can I tell him that such act is unbecoming if this woman does it too?
I remember back in 1993 when my squadron also doubled as the base’s Provost, one of my Senior Non-Comms, Sarjan Uzaid, informed me that some men were going for Kopi Korek after work and were getting the attention of the religious authorities. For a moment, it did not strike my mind how “Digging Coffee” would be detrimental to one’s religious or moral standing until Uzaid described me roughly what the term meant. I decided I had to put a stop to those visits before they become habitual. Of course all the Koreking happened in a darkened coffeeshop:
Man, gone are the days when the term Korek would be associated with something more productful, like the Kapal Korek (Dredging Vessel), something that would have been a normal view for those passing through the Bidor to Teluk Intan road, or the Tronoh and Tanjung Tualang areas. Those born after the late-70s may not know what I am talking about, so here is to Korek your memory bank:
Of course, the most famous Tukang Korek now is none other than our very own VK Lingam, who has been associated closely to my paternal aunt’s ex-husband, Eusoff Chin (yeah, the plonk used to be married to my Mak Andak when he was a High Court judge). Lingam’s famous Korek! Korek! is now one of the most downloaded ringtone. What he was saying was “Correct! Correct!” in his purported teleconversation with the former CJ Ahmad Fairuz. For those who have not heard how Lingam Koreks, you may click on this link.
Ahmad Fairuz had to endure Lingam’s non-stop KOREKs
Lingam, during the Royal Inquiry, had repeatedly denied the fact that it was him who was shown in the video when all evidences proved that it was him. And his Korek had become so habitual that he even used those words during the inquiry.
Anyway, Lingam is now a superstar, both in court and off-court. If you don’t believe me, he has a chance to make it as big as Snoop Dogg or 50 Cent. He now has his own rap music cut for him, it is called the Lingam Korek Rap.
This insomnia had better not be habitual otherwise I’ll have to find more things to write about Lingam.
Prosperous Tapioca Industry
A friend and I had this conversation about the Orang Asli earlier on, and I related to him several experiences of mine with the Orang Aslis. For those who have been following this blog would know that my ties with the Orang Asli go back to around 27 years ago. However, this one story he found truly funny.
If you look at the above, this is the typical Orang Asli home. It is usually of the studio concept where parents and their 4 to 6 children would co-exist in a tiny space that would make the population density of Bangladesh (2,200 people per square mile) look spacious. That would be where they sleep and eat.
One day, as I visited several families of Orang Asli from the Temuan tribe in south Pahang, I noticed how the men and women were missing; not the older ones, but those young parents. The teenagers were at the horrendously uneven football field playing football barefooted, and the kids were wallowing in dust together with their dogs, playing games. I went up to one of them and asked, “Ayah mak ada?”
“Niak,” the reply would come from each of the children.
“Ayah mak pergi mana? I asked again.
“Pegik tanam ubi.”
That’s about 20 missing couples in the jungle planting tapioca. It must be a cooperative thing that the government has been encouraging the Orang Aslis to do, and this community has chosen tapioca as its source of income. I thought I should go see this tapioca farm.
“Jom ikut akuk caik kek mana mak ayah tanam ubi, nak?” I asked one of the kids.
“Ngan, mak ayah marah,” came the reply from the oldest of the lot. “Pukul tujuh malen baru balik.”
That night as I sat with the Tok Batin and the village elders, I told him how proud I was to know that the community is active in planting tapioca. The Tok Batin and the rest laughed, looked at each other and said, “Owang hempam tu.”
I couldn’t understand what was said, so I just drank my coffee and dunked some Jacob’s Cream Crackers into the cup.
The next evening I decided to go visit this tapioca farm of theirs without asking for an escort. After ten minutes of walking into the jungle it became evident that there was no clearing for them to plant tapioca in. Then I heard voices. I went into the direction of the voices and soon, about 50 meters away, were a couple planting tapioca. I could only observe from far for a moment and then walked back towards the village.
That night, more laughters came from the Tok Batin and his merry men.
Then I knew what kind of tapioca they were planting every evening; then I knew the meaning of the word Hempam; then I knew how they were able to make babies with their children sleeping around them at night.
It was all done during the “tapioca” planting time.
No, not a single tapioca tree was to be found inside that jungle.
Before The Next Season Starts…
Well, I can’t wait to get back underwater. So before I go back to my favourite realm, I just want to take a trip down memory lane:
Performing safety stop with Nizar and Mior at the Vietnamese Wreck, Perhentian – March 2005
This was my first underwater shot using my (then) newly-purchased Nikon Coolpix 4200, Redang – May 2005
This was Port Dickson at its best – a dive off Blue Lagoon – June 2005
This was taken by Andy Lim at Tukun Laut, Perhentian in July 2005. Still one of the best trips ever.
This was taken during surface interval at Pasir Panjang, Pulau Tulai – September 2005
Exactly a week later, I took my daughters Hana and Iqa to Tioman and they did their first night dive at Pulau Labas – September 2005
2 weeks later I was back in Tioman to photograph this little guy – October 2005
2 weeks after that, I was back in Tioman, seen here prepping the YBOD (Yellow Box Of Death) for a dive – October 2005
A month later, Syed and I were doing work underwater during a dive trip to Pulau Jarak on the Kaleebso – November 2005
Two months later, I was diving Koh Lipe in Thailand – January 2006
A month later, I went back to Tioman during the monsoon. And the usual 1 hour boat ride became 3.5 hours instead – February 2006
2 weeks later I was back in Perhentian and shot this little guy near the Vietnamese Wreck – March 2006
2 weeks later I went back to Perhentian – April 2006
2 weeks after Perhentian, I was deploying artificial reefs in Tioman – April 2006
A week later, we (including Gee) were back in Tioman to complete the deployment – May 2006
And a week after Tioman, I was back in Perhentian and took this pic at the Sugar Wreck – May 2006
Three weeks later, Nizar, Gee and I dived at the Aquaria. This is Gee feeling cold – May 2006
5 days later I was back underwater in Tioman – May 2006
Two weeks later I was back in Tioman for a technical diving dive trip – June 2006
Two weeks later I was on the Wavebreaker and took this pic of the Nembrotha kubaryana feeding on a sea squirt at Labas – July 2006
The next month I was in Perhentian experiencing the best visibility ever – August 2006
A month later I was back on the Wavebreaker headed for Pulau Aur – September 2006
12 days later I was in Perhentian before the season ended – September 2006
Two months later, we forced a dive center in Tioman to open up for us because we wanted to do some monsoon diving – and it was stormy but still good – November 2006
Two weeks later, in the middle of the monsoon, I was at Pulau Bidong doing video shots of the underwater gallery – November 2006
Two months later we were missing the sea water again, so a group of us went to dive Port Dickson again – January 2007
A month later, we went on Kaleebso’s penultimate trip to Pulau Jarak – February 2007
A month later, monsoon was still in full force but the four of us returned to Perhentian. There was a lot of rubbish underwater and I got this nice photo of a floating underwear – March 2007
Two weeks later, Gee and I went to Perhentian for 5 days and were joined by Nafi and Ina and the rest of the gang towards the end of the trip – March 2007
A month and a half later I was back in Perhentian – May 2007
3 weeks later, I went back to Tioman to do several technical dives – May 2007
2 weeks later, Gee and I were in Bidong exploring wrecks – June 2007
I went for a dive trip with Deepblu in July but do not have any photos taken except for this one of my 200th dive (which really was my 483rd)
A month later, I went back to Perhentian with Trisha, Kurt and Bakawali. Bakawali took this pic of me and the Malaysian flag at the Sugar Wreck – August 2007
Early September 2007 I went to Perhentian with someone.
Followed by another trip with another someone a week later – September 2007
A week after that, I was in Redang with the guys – September 2007\
On the second day of Hari Raya Puasa, I was back in Perhentian – October 2007
A month later I was in Sipadan. I went very happily, but came back a sad person – November 2007
And this was the first seahorse I saw on the trip to Pulau Sembilan on board the Kaleebso. A very sad trip indeed, a closure for everything and for the year – December 2007
Band Of Brothers
I watched the HBO miniseries again last night on DVD. Somehow, I have always admired the men of Easy Company even when I read the book written by the late Stephen Edward Ambrose. To see the real men behind the characters of that miniseries, and what they had to say about their wartime experiences, have never failed to bring tears to my eyes. Mind you, one of them, Carwood Lipton, who was Easy Company’s First Sergeant promoted to Second Lieutenant after the skirmish at Foy, at Haguenau, where Easy Company saw its last action in WW2, had died in 2001.
Here’s the video of that part:
Er Ling Ling Ba Nian Er Yue Qi Ri
It’s the chinese new year and I whistled this song to myself at around 2pm just now. It’s a favourite from Jay Chou’s album called “Fantasy” so here is the music video.
fan huang de chuan lian huan can liu zai qiang shang
yi xi ke jian ji ge zi “suai suai ping an”
zai wo mei hui qu guo de lao jia mi gang
ye ye yong kai shu xie yi ge manhuang jin ge pa man le diao hua de men shuang
xi yang xie xie ying zai ban bo de zhuan qiang
pu zhe ju mu ban de wu nei hai mi man
lao lao dang nian nian de dou ban jiangwo dui zhe hei bai zhao pian kai shi xiang xiang
ba he ma dang nian de mo yang
shuo zhe yi kou wu nong ruan yu de gu niang huan huan zou guo wai tanxiao shi de jiu shi guang yi jiu si san
zai hui yi de lu shang shi jian bian hao man
lao jie fang xiao nong tang
shi shu yu na nian dai bai qiang hei wa de dan dan de you shangxiao shi de jiu shi guang yi jiu si san
hui tou kan de pian duan you yi xie feng shuang
lao chang pan jiu pi xiang
zhuang man le ming xin pian de tie he li cang zhe yi pian mei gui hua ban
Year Of the Tikus
Let’s welcome the Year of the Rat.
Don’t ask me what rats do or how they are supposed to be good for all of us. The first things that come across my mind when I think about rats are phrases like” “You look like a drowned rat”; “That guy is a rat”; “I don’t give a rat’s arse about that”, so on and so forth. So how can the year of the rat be any good?
How did this topic come about?
Well, it was after paying phone bills at the machine, and I was walking back to my car when I saw a rat trying to eat something on the drain cover. It looked at me while quickly munching just to see which direction I would take. Finally it dawned upon it that I was heading its way when it grabbed another grub and scooted away. Such a greedy critter.
Then I read the chinese zodiac signs. Being a Fire Horse, I am most incompatible with either Rat or Snake – unfortunately, I have had one of either signs in my life before. I don’t have to describe their characteristics to you, but just looking at the type of animals they are is enough for me to know why they are so unsuitable for me. Then again, you will to take these predictions with a pinch of salt, because a Fire Horse is most compatible with the Fire Sheep – and Honey is a Fire Sheep; and so is my first ex-wife. So how do you explain that?
Whatever it is, my outlook for this year – things are going to get more expensive as oil prices have reached peak high, and the government can no longer afford to give hugh fuel subsidies. So, dive rates are going to get higher, as evident in an announcement made earlier by a dive shop here in KL on pool dives and pool usage rates.
Maybe it’s time to invest in my own boat and compressor, and a diesel or NGV-powered 4WD so I can tow the boat anywhere to go diving.
Otherwise, I’ll have to take up new hobbies like killing rats and snakes.
As I Drove Back…
…I was singing this song…so this is my mood for the day.
Underwater 2008
Jim (bottom), Me (center), and Kudinne (top) doing decompression stop
In two weeks time, I’ll be diving again. I just can’t wait to get back underwater.
I have two trips slated for February to Tioman with the usual group. Then come March, it would be time to hit Perhentian and Sipadan again. My first technical dive trip should be in April, followed by the (postponed) trip to Bunaken, Lembeh and Walea in May. June would probably take me to Sipadan again. June would also see me going to Tioman for another technical dive trip as well as for Tioman Mega Dive, as July would. August, of course would be Perhentian again. September – fasting month: REDANG!! October to Perhentian and one more technical diving, November to Tioman and Sipadan, and December to Pulau Sembilan and Payar.
Time to go deeper than usual.
Gong Xi Fa Cai! Hong Bao Na Lai! Hehehe!
It’s what the kids would say in Mandarin when they want the ang pao (or hong bao in Mandarin). It simply means “Congratulations and Prosperity! Now give me a red envelope!” It’s what the kids always go for. Oh, unmarried adults get it too. So do parents, from their married children. Maybe I should pay Cincin, as well as Countloon and Cindy a visit on Thursday to collect the hong bao.
For those wanting to give hong bao but do not know certain taboos – just make sure you do not put any amount that has the number 4 in it. 4 is a homnym for ‘death’ – so any amount that has the number 4 in it is a no-no. Just don’t ask from me.
Honey will be going back to her parents’ place tomorrow afternoon. Buddhist Babe, I’m not sure. Mocha should be going back to Tanjung Malim (correct me if I am wrong). Icecool and Metalized? Not sure.
For those working at Uptown or frequent the Uptown Foodcourt, please be advised that Ah Keong will not be operating his Chee Cheong Fun stall from today until the 12th February. He will re-open for business on the 13th (Wednesday).
So for those driving back to their respective hometown, have a safe journey to and fro. Don’t drink and drive as you might spill precious alcohol onto your nice shirt. Drink before you drive is okay, or after you drive. I’ll be going for some drinks on my own on the eve of the New Year.
For all my chinese friends, here’s wishing you and family Xin Nian Kuai Le – Gong Xi Fa Cai.
As for me, ending an annus horribilis, I’ll just say out loud: Sui Sui Ping An and hope for things to get a lot better this new year. Maybe I should print the image below and hang it outside my door too.
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