Picatho's causeries

I do indeed lose some short-term memory as I getting old. This natural decrease in memory function causes me to slow things down particularly in remembering to do things and keep vocabulary.

Typing and looking at the computer screen is now tending to produce a negative result. Both of my index fingers are employed frequently instead of using all fingers on keyboard. Notepad's font is set at 14 points to please my undiscerning eyes. Spelling becomes loose. Sometime even a simple word such as "film" has to be rely on querying "f???" from the e-dictionary. Anyhow I don't think that my ability for abstract thinking or concept information is now compromised.

So far, I've been believing that the most insatiable killer is not heart disease, smoking, or alcohol it's "Inner Kill". This is the art of dying without knowing it. It's when routine living seems to have dulled your emotions. It's feeling like you're coping without being fully alive.

I know I gonna to find a new set of maxims to fertilize future redos such as keep reading & learning new skills, keep exercising my memory. Stale work is gonna to be renewed by fresh play. And most importantly the power of my self-esteem is to be recharged. That's why I choose to keep my blogs writing to help prevent memory loss.

As a reminder, a new PDA is now engaged to jog down instantly of thing-to-do and thing-to-buy. Important memos are encoded into *.pdb (palm's file extension) and loaded together with plenty of ebooks for slow digestion. And of course few mp3 songs for refreshing. Outing now become more purposeful.

Routine time table is changed to have less commitments with broadened time-gap. So that I can have long enough time during the day to collect my thoughts, calm my mind, and regain perspective.

In order to put me into a singular vision of learning rather than multiple tracks, I've hived away those daunting and bittering law books off-site, and displaying only those interested IT books on-site.

It is a grace to cut-off Astro to regain times (concurrently save money) for husband and wife togetherness and for running horse & seeing flower (sight seeing). It's now the "just the two of us" world! I'd said this to my wife.

Opting for fund writing is now become crucial. Less writing on those articles which must be accommodated with deadening references of Acts & regulations. But more on blog's forum. The replacement of which is joyful and the liberty for correctness is there to be much flexible. I have been to the jungle of blogs and enjoyed many blogs which were amazingly blog with much muses.

I'm not gonna to strive to achieve perfection which is now tended to be ultimately counterproductive. I gonna to remind myself that achieving excellence, rather than perfection, is the nobler goal.

Screen people. It may be necessary to reevaluate my relationships, so I can spend less time with the people who don't really matter and more time with the people who do.

Eating less and selectively (to prevent the excessiveness of urine acid) and resume cycling; an added maxim from my doctor.

And of course, I gonna to balance myself into these maxims. Balancing, as individuals, each of us is a system unto ourselves. In the course of day-to-day living, we interact with many other systems. If any interaction becomes dysfunctional, problems are inevitable.

These are all an effective fresh maxims to help me function better on a daily basis.

And lastly, my exhortation "Yeah! I am alive!"

Upon receiving my car's insurance renewal notice, I went to Ambank of Bagan Luar branch this afternoon.

Having wasted my time and money (toll+parking+petrol) to go there. Instead of getting my insurance and road tax renewed, the episode came out in this way:

When I reached the bank, the guard asked me to clik for a queue-ticket, so I clicked and having a number of 2451. I then sat at the waiting place awaiting for my turn. About 15 minutes later, the number was called, so I proceeded to the counter.

I said: "Cik, can u please calculate and renew my car's insurance for 60k and renew road tax for me?"

The lady: "Do you have your policy?"

I said: "It has been a year your agent haven't sent it to me, BTW here it is the renewal notice I've received"

The lady referred my question to another lady and came back to me yet couldn't give the answer immediately but was keeping her keyboard busy.

I couldn't wait anymore so I interrupted: "Can I paid by card?"

She said: "No, cash or cheque only."

I then asked her: "U see, at the back of the renewal there is an availability for card's payment"

But she still said: "No, cash or cheque only"

I was starting getting hot, so I asked back the renewal notice and said: "In this way forget about it." Then I made a move unhappily.

Back to my office. I called another insurance co to serve me. They promptly faxed me a sample authorized letter in order to redeem my Grant from Ambank and they said they would provide a one-stop service by sending their man over as soon as I've finished my letter.

While I was preparing the letter, I was keeping to ask myself "Ambank is so big, shouldn't its service be so bad."

By having a feeling of no compromise. I went through the renewal notice again. There I found a telephone number of Penang's office and so I called.

"Good afternoon, is it Ambank?" I initiated the phone conversation.

"Yes sir, how can I help u?" a Malay lady replied.

"Oh I want to renew my insurance and my car's number is ...." I said.

"In this case, please hold on, I'll pass u to Shidah" she responded.

"Yes, Mr. Tan, good afternoon, u can fax over your completed renewal to us for renewal." said by Shidah who has taken over the line.

"Actually my problem is your people in Bagan Luar branch don't want to accept my card payment ... and I supposed to change another ins co......." I complained.

"No, Mr. Tan, u shouldn't do that. My apology, actually there don't have card machine, or can I pass u to another branch to make the renewal? or I fax u the quote, u confirm later and give your card's details, then I'll do the rest for you and I'll ask our man to deliver the whole thing to u sir." She nicely explained.

In the meantime, she has asked my office location detail and tel numbers.

"OK cik Shidah, thank you very much for your service" I answered gracefully.

All of all, she is the one who has actually endowed with experience to feed her place.

I first heard these words, shortly after the loss of my dear youngest brother-in-law, Brother Albert Mah Choong San. The gentleman who used to call me "Khuan Brother" I got shook.

During the funeral, I attended this morning [6 Oct], I kept asking myself "Why did he have to die so young?" Ah! Probably he has found a home in a peaceful land. Resting all the things. All is well and will be all well.

I hereby extend my sympathy & condolence to console the pains that Alice (sister), Joyce (niece) and Kah Yong (nephew) have suffered. Especially Joyce, I see you one day to become a lawyer.

CHORUS:
And because He Lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He Lives, all fear is gone.
And because I know, I know He holds the future,
and life is worth the LIVING,
Just because HE LIVES.

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS:
Have we trials and temptation?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

At the rising of the sun and at its going down,
Brother Albert Mah, We remember you.

His remarks have been outraged with utter words of protest wisely by the society. Mai's bravery in her fight against women's humanity in Pakistan and in other parts of the world should be appraised. And not only that, she has so far using her case's financial gain to build 2 schools in her village.

Instinctively, this guy may have something wrong with his mind and his mouth. He was once narrowly served with a roasted-pig alike treat - a narrow escape from an off-targeted bomb attack few years ago.

Came across another dark headline: "Girl, 16, endures incest to save her younger sisters" Star reported dd 04, Oct.

I am distressed upon the upside-down mankind. The one who have done this kind of acts is a soul of evil.

What can I say; !@#$% nah!

Remark: Chinese characters shown hereof [headlined by Oriental Daily News (www.orientaldaily.com.my) dd 03,Oct]

Last night, I was managing some cockup digital images. When I was in the midst of archiving work for the 10 gigabytes of picture shots that has recently taken during my Europe and Shanghai's vacation with my wife. My phone rank.

"Wei, are you Chen? can you remember me? I'm Eng Hock." Said the guy at the other end.

"Ya, I'm Chen. am sorry that I can't recognize you. Who's Eng Hong you are? I replied curiously.

"Aiya! You remember Chung Ling (the name of my secondary school)? We are school mates at that time." He replied.

"OIC, It has been long long time about 35 years by not seeing each other, but I still can't remember your face, why not let's find one day to get together and cannon (chitchat) our old stories, and at the same time to see our "lampah" (ugly) faces?" I replied delightfully.

"OK, OK, I think I'll find some more mates to meet too! but I'm not sure whether they are still in this world!. Anyway I'll contact you for the date before hand" He replied and end the line.

After that I was thinking and asking myself: "Why not let me show some news about "I'm still alive" to some old schoolmates? By the way, my vacation's pictures which have being archived just now brought back lingering memories of my love with my the-other-half of 30 years.

Well, my dear folks there, I append herewith 2 selected photos to show you that I still can do......., at the same time taking this occasion to mark our 30 years' marriage.

Increasing the price of cigarette is arguably the most effective method of curbing the consumption of cigarette. Coin is two sided. The cigarette's price increased would trigger the elaboration of tobacco plantation and also induce the activity of smuggling. Viewing from the angle of economic, governments of most developing countries saw the wealth of duty thus allowing the existence of tobacco planting and manufacturing activities in their countries. On the other hand, since they've realized that smoking was no longer an adult's activity thus they want price control to stop the growth of young smokers. The conflict is there. What is the objective and who is actually committing the sin?

Price of cigarette and liquor was increased due to the heighten of duty after the announcement of the Malaysian 2006 budget. The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said: "To encourage Malaysians to adopt a healthy lifestyle, the Government proposes that tax on liquor and cigarettes be increased". His statement looks good by using the word "encourage". Smokers and drinkers will at least feel comfortable. Not like TheSar paper, putting such a headline "Paying more in sin taxes" inside their Nation's column yesterday. It is absurd to signify that smokers and drinkers are all the sinned people! They've never the less impinged the human right of smokers and drinkers! There at least an exception that smoking and drinking are not violent and excited activities in the spirit of atheist.

After the price increase of cigarettes, politicians are applauding to say that the price of cigarettes in Malaysia is still lower if compared with those Asian countries. Take a look on the graphical comparison chart of a local newspaper. It's only a simple price comparison chart in RM only and topped the Singapore with RM24.50; Hongkong in third place with RM12.50. In fact, Hongkong's cigarette-price is the lowest!

In order to serve the objective of true price comparison in terms of Purchasing Power Parity. I have come out with the following version to share with smokers.

Last night I was in a open-space coffee shop. At the next table there was a not so pretty young woman with a tissue in one hand covering on his nose and hand-fanning in the other. Where I come from that situation, I immediately realized that she was trying to avoid my smoke. I immediately put up a fivefingers sign as a gesture to note my apology and at the same time damped and dumped the balance of my stick worth 20c. But she didn't consider my apology yet still gazed at me by using both of her left-steered eye balls.

I know I've unintentionally infringed her air! So In order to have my next appetite, I then moved to the another very end corner table. Alah! At the next table there was a nice looking madam seeping her drink while having an eye contact with me. I immediately felt uneasy but in order to comprehend my conscious of over clouding. As a compliment I then shown my smile and asked her: "Aunty, no, Ah Yi ah! could I have a blow there?" surprisingly the Ah Yi cordially replied: "Er sai er sai (can can)! Bo boon teh (no problem)! Chu lu siow (go ahead), wa er ung siow pi lu che (my old hubby burnt more than you)". Then she added: "Kooi pau lu siow chi jit? (how many packs you'll smoke a day)". I replied: "one". She then laugh and said: "Chio lah! Wa er ung siow 2 pau chi jit leh (you're less, my hubby will burn 2 packs a day!)". "Oh! Thank you Ah Yi" me said in order to end our conversation.

This time I felt delighted for such kind of warm respect or esteem for being a smoker. Her remark has never the less inspired me to only dare-talk with nice girls in future.

Under the sensational pressure of general public and the general warning of "merokok membahayakan kesihatan" by government. Nowadays smokers are mostly feeling as if they've been discriminated. Not only from the society but from the family at large. It's gotten this bad. Sometime a good (behaved) smoker would feel like no where to stand!

Take me as an example. I'll be blamed if not taking my puff at the very end of my garden. I'll be blamed if not blowing outside the office. I'll be stared if not cordially pleasing for clouding...... and public toilet is more likely became a place for me to have the hangdog smoking.

In fact, smokers are paying more tax then non-smokers in terms of duty. From today onwards, after the national 2006 budget, the price of tobacco will be increased tremendously.

People all say that smoking will spoil our health. But I believe that smoking would only spoil our health lesser if compared with my own statistic hereof:

• a haul of (Puspacom passed) public vehicle's exhale is equivalent to 400 sticks of cigaret.
• a breeze of smoky cloud from an activity of public burning is equivalent to 200 sticks of cigaret.
• a haul of twostroke exhale from motorcycle (such kind of motorcycle has already banned in less developed country like Vietnam) is equivalent to 300 sticks of cigaret.
• inhaul of excessive ammonia in public toilet is more harmful than a double sticks of cigaret.