Update: Fair enough. As I do not have facts, some part of this entry has been removed.Do you know how it feels when something that you feel strongly about, something you are passionate about, something that you fight for, might end up to be nothing but a façade?
It was June 1998, and it was the World Cup Final 1998 in Paris between the defending champion Brazil and the host France, a team which failed to qualify for world cup in 1994. The score was 3-0 to France, 2 goals from Zidane who rose unmarked to head the ball from corners.
For those who watched the match, you would noticed that standing next to Zidane was Dunga, the ferocious Brazilian captain who looks as though he will bite off your head on the pitch. But all he did during those 2 fated corners were to turn his head and stare as Zidane headed 2 goals into his net. I don’t recall Zidane ever scored any headers there-after in his career.
My neighbour told me that ‘an agreement has been reached’. I was just a hot-blooded teenage football fan. I don’t know any such ‘agreement’.
Along the years, I still hear a bit here and there about such ‘agreements’ and how things can be fixed with money. But I still never buy any of it. At least not until June 2004, also a world cup year.
15 minutes before the game, this friend of mine called me and told me…
“Zewt, put your money on xxx, eat half ball. Then extra time, xxx will give ball, take yyy instead. In penalty shoot out, take yyy”
That match changed my perception on football forever.
From then on, I always remember my friend’s motto --- don’t let your passion damage your wallet. The bookmakers rule the game, he said.
He was so impressive in the earlier games that they actually tested him to see if he was on performance enhancing drugs.
It was supposed to be "the" match of the tournament.
It was not even a fight.
At this level, it's a thrashing!!
Very disappointed... and that is an understatement.Update:For the record, how many of you guys put your money in the local bookie on him? I wonder if the same rumour will come out, like the one during his defeat to Sony during the world championship. Do you all remember what was the rumour? I wonder if it is true.
I know I have written several times about my traumatic experience in the gym and the notion may be getting stale but I can't help it. What happened 3 weeks ago topped the chart… big time!!!
I just changed the package of my gym membership which now allows me to access all the gyms in the network. Since my weekends are pretty free nowadays, I visited one of the bigger branches 3 Saturdays ago. I have to say that I was rather impressed with the set up and the size of the gym. Certainly much bigger and more glamour than the branch I frequent.
So there I was doing my workout and as usual, after a good round of exercise I changed and head to the sauna. Inside the sauna… yes, you got it right… there was a guy there. He looked pretty ‘normal’ to me.
Ya’ know, he doesn’t appear to be the type who has lost a sense of ‘preference’. How?... well, he has a rather big belly. Many will agree that one of the criteria of being one with a ‘different preference’ is that you must have 6-packs, not 1 mountain. Also, his face does not look like one, no hard feelings.
As I sat down, he kept looking at me and I was getting rather uncomfortable. Then he started to ask me things like how old I am, where I work, is this my first time here to which I have the one-word reply. It was rather obvious that I do not wish to talk with him.
It was then he asked me one question that caught me off-guard…
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“Why you wear underwear in the sauna ah?”
Thank God I didn’t punch his face.
A lot of people call me a thinking blogger, to which I have to admit, I am rather proud of it though pride isn’t a very good thing. But I also have to make a confession, it is not easy to come out with thought provoking entries all the time. The thinking juice does not flow all the time.
Worse, there are times when I write subtle thinking entries and some people don’t really get it. It’s quite a funny feeling when that happens.
Anyway, I have always wondered which is my best piece and when I put up my “Zewt Top 10”, some said some other entries should be there instead. In true democratic manner, I am going to let AZAIG readers decide, which entries do you think are amongst the best?
Here are 10 entries which I think are amongst the best I have written. I encourage you to read them again as sometimes, even I find it refreshing reading my own entries, particularly those about my Mom. I believe this also gives me a good break from blogging, at least for a few days.
2nd chance with Mom – why is it enough
A trap on both sides
With or without a reason
A professional mistake
A glimpse from the other side
What’s your answer?
More but less
Once is enough
Trustology
Of alone and lonely
Vizu only allows 10 choices so if you think there are any other posts which should be there, do let me know. I am sure you remember your favourite ones. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be your favourite, right?
You are allowed 3 votes only. Hey, in life, sometimes you have to choose which is the best so… Happy reading and happy voting…
It’s Friday tomorrow and I am supposed to be feeling ecstatic. It’s a time where I will pen my usual Friday Frolics. Not today though. Somehow, today I feel rather disturbed. No, I am feeling disturbed not because bloggers are getting arrested, or some sex scandal has blown out of proportion in the blogosphere, or sodomy-story that is going around. No, it’s not that.
My mind brings me to the life of this person, this doctor. I wonder what goes through his mind that day. It was probably just another day… waking up next to his loved ones, brushed his teeth and had his breakfast. Maybe he then waved goodbye to his loved ones and then head to work.
It was probably just another day of work for this doctor. However, that day was different. That day probably changed his life. That day, a young man came with a complaint about his asshole. Did the young man choose to arrive at this doctor’s examination room? Probably not. Some will call it fate, some will call it God’s will.
It was not a special asshole. In fact, it’s just an ordinary asshole, one that you and I have… eerrrrr… 
unless of course, you have lost a sense of preference. Anyway, it was just an ordinary healthy asshole that thus, the doctor made a certification that it was a healthy asshole.
Though it was an ordinary asshole, that particular one made a big difference in this doctor’s life. Suddenly, his name was printed all over the place. Suddenly, his report was circulating all over the place. Suddenly, police were all over him. And now, he has gone into hiding.
For that, I am disturbed. Why?… because it was just an ordinary day for him. Unlike the other infamous personality who has also gone hiding, he did not choose to get involve. And again, the asshole did not choose to be seen by him. But things happen. Life as they say, took a twist. And for that, lives are changed.
I am not a doctor but yet, I am fearful. What if it was also just an ordinary day for me but someone came and asked me to certify on something just because I happened to be there? And somehow, this certification is part of something big? Will I need to go into hiding too? And could it also happen to you, or your bf, or your gf, or your neighbour's dog's breeding partner's owner, or your friend's friend's one night stand partner's bf's sister's husband? Who knows?
It was just an ordinary day for that doctor. He did not choose to get involve, but he is now involved. All of us, as ordinary people with ordinary days, with our ordinary jobs… how confident are we that we will not end up in an extraordinary circumstance?
I am very disturbed. Are you?
Malaysia is famous for its variety of food and one business that always seems to make it big is the ‘food’ business. Many people have this perception that you will always make big bucks if you open up a restaurant. While we can see a lot of restaurants earning big money out there, do all restaurants made it big?
Much has been said about blogs making waves in the local scene, political or otherwise. You and I don’t need to be reminded of the barrage of names credited upon bloggers in the last year or so. Bloggers were belittled, somewhat threatened and branded as a threat to national security amongst other things.
But one cannot deny the power and influence of blogs as recent events showed, blogs nearly changed the course of this nation. I am sure those at the wrong receiving ends will testify that. You can call bloggers liars, ‘goblok’ or whatever not, but information they disseminate, many continue to sought.
This realisation sparked a sudden erection of blogging community amongst those who used to belittle bloggers. Suddenly, every big shot starts a blog. Suddenly, blogging is ‘hot’. Suddenly, all wants to play the game of ‘goblok’ so much so that even the dude who claimed that his ass was unwillingly screwed even started a blog.
But it is all about starting a blog and joining the blogging wagon?
Just because what was traditionally delivered to us via the mainstream media is no longer easily accepted, changing the delivery medium to ‘blog’ will not alter the result. Declaring your innocence or proclaiming what you want us to believe as truth via blogs instead of the traditional way will not suddenly make the people lose their discerning mind. It’s not about blogs or blogging.
Coming back to the restaurant discussion, not all restaurants will make it though food industry always seem to blossom. If your food sucks or you charge exorbitantly high prize, your restaurant will still face imminent doom. Unless of course, you engage the local ‘triad’ and force the food upon the patrons… which isn’t impossible given the way things go.
I grew up in quite a traditional Chinese family and my Mom was one who goes by the book very closely. Many will know that most Chinese are also a superstitious bunch. We have many rituals and taboo, things you are not supposed to do at a particular time, age or place.
I would consider most of these practices as myth. One that comes to mind is this instructions where we are not suppose to cut our nails at night, lest we want a lot of people talking behind our back. Have you heard of this before? I don’t know about you but to me, I find this to be a myth. Please let me know if this has been proven to be correct.
However, there are a few practises that I find it difficult to discern whether they are proven ancient discoveries, or purely myths. Most of these practises are usually medically driven.
And they are…
One should not rice if you have fever. I understand this is widely practised. When I was young, I somewhat found this to be true. When I was recovering from fever and decided to have some rice, the fever mysteriously returned. Any doctor wants to provide a medical connection in this?
One should not drink soup if you have flu. Again, I think there is no medical connection between the 2 but I understand this is also another widely practised lifestyle amongst Chinese. Any mothers out there still practising this?
One should not eat egg if you have a sore throat. Apparently egg is considered ‘tuk’, meaning ‘toxic’ but not one which will kill you; just bad enough to cause it to worsen. I remember this very clearly as my throat has not been good since I was young. Anyone with me on this?
One should not have cold drinks or ice-cream when one is having a cough. I believe this is one of the most common practises amongst Chinese. I personally find this to be very true. If you are having a cough, the moment you down an ice-cold coke, the cough will come almost immediately. But then again, ask any western medical practitioner and they will probably tell you there is no connection between the 2. Or is there?
I have just mentioned a few and I am sure there are many out there where they border between medical truth and ancient beliefs. But there is one which is quite mind boggling. It is a very strict practise amongst Chinese, and even in other races but to the western world, this is practise is virtually non-existent.
What I am talking about is… …. confinement. For those who are not familiar with confinement, it is a time (usually a month) after a mother has given birth to her child and she is supposed to stay in-door and observe a very strict military like ‘protection’. This is a time where the mother is supposed to wrap herself all the time to guard against ‘wind’ and she is eat a lot (and I mean a whole lot) of ginger to ensure there is no ‘wind’ inside her. Taking a shower during confinement is a privilege.
My Mom said the body of a mother is at its weakest during that time and thus, one has to protect herself or else, she might have to face the repercussions later on in life. My Mom was unfortunate enough to fall sick during one of her confinement and according to her, that is why she has been weak and not healthy all her life.
But then again, there was this English couple in my church where she brought her baby to church within days after delivering and the mother was happily worship God in an air-conditioned environment. Mind you, that was her second child. And I also understand that most westerners do the same.
Do you find them anything less healthy towards the end of their lives? I have yet to be enlightened.
15 minutes before the game, this friend of mine called me and told me…
