Getting into the holiday spirit

Dear reader,


I'm back! It's funny, isn't it...I said I probably wasn't going to post up anything new til March or something, but instead I've been remarkably prolific in that department. 'Tis just further proof of my contrary nature. Anyway. Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Talk about your idiotic, over-commercialized holidays. I mean, Christmas is bad enough--seriously, you expect any person with an ounce of common sense to believe that a fat, red-clothed, white-bearded man whooshes around the globe in a sleigh pulled by magical flying reindeer and delivers presents to every single child in the space of one night. How exactly did kindly St Nicholas of Myra evolve into this way-too-jolly, rosy-cheeked, glorified cat burglar? Yes, glorified cat burglar. I mean, come on, he breaks into your house in the dead of night, and steals your cookies. The truth is, Christmas isn't about giving or receiving presents at all. Or Christmas trees. Or candy canes. Or elves. Or even snow. You know, it's summer in Australia during Christmas. Most people seem to forget that Christmas is Jesus Christ's birthday, and the only reason we celebrate it is to remember the day he was born, and to contemplate what the world would have been like if he hadn't. That's why it really ticks me off when people say Xmas instead of Christmas.

So, to get back to Valentine's. Oh, such a sweet holiday. Those naked, flying babies who look way too young to be handling a bow and arrow without adult supervision aren't scary or disturbing in the least. Have you ever noticed how well-meaning but painfully condescending adults warn little kids not to run with scissors, but then turn around and buy a card that's emblazoned with a design of swaddled infants with angel wings brandishing lethal weapons? It's just so silly. And what exactly is the relation between these infant cupids and St Valentine the martyr anyway? And do we really need a public holiday to remember to love someone? That's really sad. We should treat every day like it's Valentine's Day. Sans the arrow-yielding, barely-clothed babies, of course.

You know, some people refer to Valentine's as 'Singles Awareness Day', otherwise known as S.A.D. Don't get me wrong, dear reader. I'm not one of those bitter singles who pretend they're perfectly happy going solo, but are actually desperately lonely and just too proud to admit it. I'm one of those infuriating, genuinely-happy-to-be-single people, who are so independent and satisfied in their single-hood that it starts becoming obnoxious after a while. I don't think anyone should get into a relationship just to feel like they've achieved something in life. That's just not fair, to you or the unfortunate person who's just being used to boost your shattered self-esteem. I'm not denying that receiving a box of chocolates or an 'I Love You' card would be nice, romantic even, but the principle behind it is still silly to me. Why show your love only on specific days? Why not give your girlfriend, boyfriend, sister, cousin, grandmother, whatever, a present just for the heck of it? Hmmm, I wonder if they make 'Happy Wednesday' cards. If they don't, they should. And if they won't, I will.

Okay, I'm done bashing commercialized, consumer-oriented holidays now. Wow, I never realized what a hippie I am...stick it to the man! Power to the people! Next week's post topic is 'Easter: Bunnies and Eggs. What's Up With That?'

No, seriously...what's up with that?

And on that note, I leave you, dear reader. Til next time, I remain...

Yours,

Scrooge McFig

1Malaysia...what's that?

Dear reader,



I've been thinking a lot lately. And when I say thinking, I mean I've been engaged in some serious, solemn, deep contemplation. The subject matter upon which I have been contemplating is...Malaysia. Specifically, the 1Malaysia concept. Sometimes I feel sceptical. Could 1Malaysia actually come to pass? In my lifetime? Other times I feel affronted. Hypocrites! This country is full of them. They say one thing and do another. All this lovey-dovey, world peace, be kind to your neighbour stuff is just on the surface. If you dig any deeper--underneath the sugar-coating, 'showing face' veneer of tourism brochures and 'Malaysia: Truly Asia'--you'll find tension. Layers and layers of deep-rooted tension between the races and creeds and colours that make up Malaysia.




We can't help it, of course. What do you expect, just dumping all sorts of races that were never supposed to cohabitate into one single country? Of course there'll be tension and backstabbing and favouritism. We're only human, after all.




But I also think we should've gotten over that racism business by now. I mean, there are people whose great-great-great grandfathers were immigrants, yet they still get treated like second- (third-, fourth-, fifth-) priority citizens in their own country. I think if your family has been in Malaysia for at least two generations, you should qualify to be called a native Malaysian.




A line from the film 'Gubra' comes to mind. Sometimes, for the non-bumiputera citizens of Malaysia, living in this country is like "loving someone who doesn't love you back". It's heartbreaking. It's the feeling you get when someone you love with all your heart betrays you for another. Someone more 'worthy' than you. How do you measure someone's worth? By who their father was? Their religion? Or do you measure them by their actions, their words? By their unyielding loyalty to you?




Granted, not everyone in Malaysia is a racist. In fact, the opposite is true. We all had friends from different races growing up. In primary school, I used to love to listen to my friends' stories about all their different racial customs and beliefs. We used to brag to each other, feigning indifference if someone's story was more impressive than ours. Ha, the pride of little children. We get to mix and mingle with so many interesting people. That is the side of Malaysia that I love. Where else can you have holidays every other month for so many festivals? Easter, Good Friday, Deepavali, Hari Raya, Wesak Day, Christmas, Merdeka...the list goes on. Oh, and the food! Ah, the food. Don't even get me started on the food...a list of all of Malaysia's contributions in the culinary department would stretch for miles. Or kilometres, as the case may be.




Anyway, about this 1Malaysia thing. I for one think it's still a dream: distant, vague, maybe even a little surreal. But unattainable? No. Definitely not. To make dreams a reality, we need to wake up. So wake up, Malaysians. Stop sleeping your life away. Let's make Malaysia a place of faces without races.












Yours,




Figgy the Malaysian