organised chaos

Currently Playing: Paolo Nutini - Autumn.

“Autumn leaves…are fading now…oh these autumn leaves are yours tonight…”

For those who occasionally take the songs I recommend now and again on this page, go get Paolo Nutini’s These Streets album if you’re looking for something new. Ke dia dah mainstream dah? I don’t know, but I’ve been listening to him for quite some time now and keep forgetting to share. He’s got a James Morrison type of vibe, but this Scottish lad’s got a great personal style in his musical choice and arrangement. His voice is the type you’d want to listen to on a lazy rainy Sunday morning when you’re in bed with a headache. ‘Autumn’ and ‘Last Request’ are gems of a song IMHO. Oh and if you’re the type who’s into the whole ‘emo-I-live-through-my-deep-music’ type of eye candy musician complete with the shaggy bangs, he’s quite a catch.
Random rambles today. You know what to do.

I did something foolish 2 nights ago. Z knows since she was online with me in the aftermath. I watched dozens of Petronas ads for all occasions - Merdeka, Hari Raya, CNY, Deepavali - you name it, all in one go. This is by courtesy of youtube. I should have known better. After one clip, I should have stopped. You would’ve thought I’d already gotten the hint after the first one made me sniffle, but no. The pull was too strong, the addiction had already kicked in, the damage was done. About one hour later, I emerged with bloodshot eyes and a near empty tissue box. Padan muka.

How do they do it?

I can watch the same ad again and again and still bawl. What is it about these ads that make it so powerful when it’s so fairly predictable? I can sit through an entire duration of a teary Malay drama and remain stiff and unemotional, but 2 minutes of a typical Malaysian scenario and I’m done for?

It must be the story. And how I love the stories, funny as they are, heartwarming as they are, honest as they are. Simple scenes with one strong message. I’m a sucker when it comes to kampung images. Remember the Merdeka ad about the kid who undergoes the sunat ritual? He’s in the cart with his friends, Param and Lim after the khatan ceremony.

“Eh bawak perlahan sikit, geli lah.”
“Sakit ke?” asks Lim.
“Tak.”
“Eh, itu dia potong dia kasi balik ke?” asks Param.
“Tak.”
“Boleh tengok ke?” asks Lim.
“Tak boleeeh…aku sepak kaaang…”
It makes me smile every time. =)

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Aufa tells me that she has found one person who’s equally fanatical over EPL football as I am. I don’t know whether ‘fanatic’ is a flattering term; I’ve been scolded one too many times for being overzealous in my cheers every time the ball hits the back of the net but I’ll take it.

Anyway, it so happens to be Ilham, our old classmate from Arabic class back in matrics. Who would have thought? According to Aufa (who has seen me in my most ‘fanatical’ state), Ilham shares all the similar symptoms I seem to display if pressed to talk about the Reds. With Ilham however, the difference is that she is a die-hard Devil. (I know those who’ll be cheering reading this. I know!)

So. Aufa has decided that should she ever want to see the Great Football Debate, it’d be a showdown between Ilham and I. How about that huh? If you folks happen to want to watch as well, bring your snacks with you. This could go on for some time. I’ve never lost a football debate to a Devil before. Kan Widaad? Kan Azraa? Kan Azlan? Kan Adlan? Kan Ajin? Kan? Haha.
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NST came up with an innovative idea in the days leading up to August 31st - they decided to reprint the newspapers as it was 50 years ago. It was such a rush to look through the pages and imagine how it must have been like to leaf through them half a century ago. One is inclined to feel as though he has been transported back in time. The best were the ads (what is it with me and advertisements?) that display cars as it was then up for sale, and the tag lines for products like Zam-Buk and the like. “Your constipation worries are now over!” was one that caught my eye. Kelakar gile.

I have to say though, reading about the communists in the jungles of Malaya and how much they were of a threat back then was a real eye-opener. How did Rehman Rashid put it?

“So clear, so graphic was the communist threat–the frail Indian bodies lashed to rubber trees and hacked to death with hoes…”
It was quite unsettling to know that the communists then were known as ‘The Reds’. The headlines would read something like ‘Take the Reds down’ or ‘Hunt for Reds called’ or ‘Pressure on Reds mounting’. Yeah, it struck a nerve. That’s not to say I don’t take the whole thing seriously though.
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I’ve been asked on how I feel about Benayoun being on the Liverpool squad. Seeing as he’s the Captain for the Israeli team, his position represents a conflict of interest for me. I harbour no personal resentment towards him, but I just can’t see him in the same light as the rest of his teammates, or even in a Reds jersey for that matter. I know, I know - politics should be left out of the field. It just bugs me ok?

Dah. I’m all out of randomness.

Enough said here.