Traffic

When I left home for work this morning the fuel indicator needle just touched the empty 'red zone' at the bottom. I thought that I would drop by and fill up on the way to campus, but I didn't. I thought that I would go out during the extended lunch break, but I didn't. Finally, I thought of driving up the other way a bit to fill up before going home after work, but I didn't. I thought that there will be enough fuel for me to drive and fill up on the way home. I hoped that there would be enough fuel for me to drive and fill up on the way home. But I didn't expect the traffic jam.

[Stupid]

My boss, who lives nearby, couldn't believe that I do not leave home until 7 o'clock in the morning to reach the office by 8.30. "What about the traffic jams?" she asked. Traffic jams? She rushes out of her place by 6.30 in the morning. I usually need only about 45 minutes to get to work.

I have always suspected that I have a slightly different idea of traffic jams than most people. My definition of a traffic jam is a bit more specific - it is when vehicles are not moving. As long as the vehicles are moving, no matter how fast or how slow, it is not a traffic jam. Living in this country, or at least in the Klang Valley, I cannot imagine anyone not already desensitized with the whole traffic situation.

Oh, yes, I did manage to reach a petrol station before the fuel run out. It was definitely no fun to stare at the fuel indicator, praying that the fuel would last, moving slower than a snail.

About the whole traffic situation, I seriously do not think that we can build enough roads. There will just be more and more vehicles on the road. My suggestion - eliminate fuel subsidies, and seriously develop a real alternative in a cheap and efficient public transport system.

Wash

The weather lately is just the perfect recipe for a cold. The day typically begins beautifully with bright golden sunlight in the morning that almost makes you forget that you are stuck in traffic along with hundreds of other polite Malaysian drivers. As the sun climbs the temperature rises. Along with the humidity and the stagnant wind, it will feel like almost forty degrees Celsius outside in the open. Then out of nowhere comes the downpour.

Once I read a description of Malaysian weather as having two seasons – the rainy season and the rainier season. We are now coming towards the end of the Northeast Monsoon, the rainier season, stretching from October to March. The rain and thunderstorms are fine with me, and I prefer them much, much more to the dry days of the intermonsoon period.

When it rains, it pours

As it typically rains towards the end of the work day, most people would opt to stay and wait the rain out. Driving in heavy rain is dangerous, especially considering the flash floods that will just occur everywhere. But I always find the promise of a less congested road too tempting, rain or no rain.

So last weekend I had a scare of a cold, which reminded me of the last time I was down with a viral infection way back in 1998. It was the last time I went to see a doctor, not including medical check-ups. I spent two weeks in the House sickbay before they sent for my parents to pick me up. We went to the Sungai Buloh Hospital, where I spent a night under observation. That one night made me swear to never again let myself get admitted into a hospital. So when I found my body aching and heating up last Saturday night I quickly popped the pills, pulled on the blanket and turned in for an early night.

Thankfully it worked.

Now, if I can only get the car washed. I am sure that it is now easily the dirtiest car on campus.

Where Is My Nail Clipper?

I lost my nail clipper. I looked everywhere (everywhere I bother to look, that is) and couldn’t find it. Where is my nail clipper?

This is really irritating. It is irritating that my nails are already (let me check) 1.5mm longer than they should be. It is irritating that I now have to go buy myself a new nail clipper. It is irritating that I am irritated over a small, unsophisticated tool invented, supposedly, in 1896!

It’s not like cutting one’s nail particularly exciting either. I don’t like having to cut my nails every week. But I hate having them long even more. Even with all the hype about bio-engineering, gene-therapy and what not, I suppose a keratin growth inhibitor is not high on the priority list. Nail clippers as we have today may well be about as high tech as nail clippers will get. For so long now I’ve been wishing for someone to invent something like the electric pencil sharpener, but for cutting nails. You’ll just stick a finger into the machine, and voilà, perfectly manicured nails!

Bird On The Wire

There is a bird living on the electricity meter on the outside wall of our house. Well, there are two birds actually. One usually sits, looking quite comfortably, on the meter itself while one sits rather precariously on a wire. I like to think of them as a pair – a male and a female – one happy pair of birds living on the electricity meter of our house, though I really cannot tell a male bird from a female.

For some reason I find them rather fascinating. My father says that they have been ‘living’ there for quite some time now, as evident from the marks they leave on the floor below. I wonder if they have any idea that they are making themselves a home on an electricity meter – hardly the safest place to nest. Once last month the circuit breaker tripped, leaving us in the dark. My father was quick to blame the tiny birds, merrily covering the meter with their droppings. Turned out it wasn’t them, but an old electric kettle finally bidding its farewell. Just the same, we haven’t seen any little baby birds yet.

Just as I amuse myself watching these little birds, I wonder how it would be like if the situation is reversed. What it would be like if one were to observe us tiny humans behaving and living our lives in the in this small corner of the infinite vastness of the universe? How much would any of us matter? How much does anything matter?

There is a verse in the Quran, which says that humans are created men and women, and of different races so we can get to know one another. Diversity is the essence of life. From time to time we just need to be reminded of that.

I See Fish

Born and raised, and now working, in the Klang Valley has its own downside when it comes to long holidays like the recent Chinese New Year-Awal Muharam holiday. It is not like there is a faraway hometown to return to, nor do we own some hot sea-front property somewhere to spend the holiday at.

Lately I have been thinking about visiting Zoo Negara. My parents laughed at the idea. "Apa kau nak cari kat situ?" asked my father. Nothing in particular really, though it would be nice to just drop by and see the monkeys. Basically I just have been thinking of doing something touristy around KL. It has been a long time since I’ve been to any of the ‘places of interest’, not since leaving school eons ago. I am sure that these places are not just for schoolchildren, and from time to time it is good to put on the tourist hat and see your own hometown with a slightly different perspective. There is also that small article in the newspaper recently about how the typical Malaysian’s idea of spending the weekend and holiday is going to the mall. Well, what can I say, we Malaysians lack imagination but have tonnes of money to spend!

So off went my brother and I to Aquaria KLCC. The zoo will wait. It turned out I still ended up going to a mall after all.

Honestly, I was impressed with Aquaria KLCC, even after having just visited the New England Aquarium in November. There were not just fish and other marine life exhibited at the aquarium, but also bugs and small amphibians and reptiles. I just hate bugs. There was a two-storey high Flooded Forest Tube Tank, which reminded me of the four-storey high Giant Ocean Tank at the New England Aquarium, though the best part was the UnderWater tunnel which gives you the feeling of being underwater, minus the wet. The fascinated look on the faces of children was also a wonder in its own right. And in this post-Finding Nemo age, everybody went gaga over the tiny clown fish.

Another favorite of mine when visiting places like this is the gift shop. We both bought a T-shirt each, plus a fridge magnet and mini mug.

Too bad they didn't have glow-in-the-dark T-shirts.