Life is but a dream ……

All of us must have our favourite towns or cities. I always fond of Taiping (plus Jay Bee, but that will be narrated later, I promise. And of course Stirling, where William Wallace fought the battle with the English).  My earliest recollection of Taiping is when I was a little boy, brought by my parents to Taiping on its centenary celebration. I remember standing at the back seat (my kids nowadays don’t have that luxury, as Ayah won’t start the car, if anyone of you not sitting still or not wearing seatbelt, yeap you too Bibik) of my Ayah’s Austin Morris.

Playing the huge (back then) concrete slides at the Lake Garden was a treat. The greenery of lush flora and fauna consoles the heart. The glimpse of tree branches dipping the lake was (and still is) a wonderful sight. That, with a background song by Tok Pah and Broery’s Seiring dan Sejalan, makes me wanna jump in the bell bottom slacks and while bouncing my natural wavy hair.

Taiping is where I was born. Taiping was the place I met my girlfriend (may she marry a rich guy and have lots of healthy kids) one fine  day after the rain subsided. Honestly, I could still breathe the fresh air after the rain, and still feel the stillness of the mood. It’s like, if you are somewhere in the land of the Geordie, breathing the spring air while opening your flat’s windowpane (this is recommended in late March or early April) OR if you are here, its like sucking the black Hacks sweets and drinking cold water. You get the feeling ?

Taiping has many firsts in the country. Do you know that the first swimming pool, the first Magistrate Court, the first Railway Station, even the first Tamil Newspaper was in Taiping. The first English girl’s school, Treacher Girls’ School also in Taiping. Emm, I wonder anyone of the TGS ex-student out there reading this.

Talking about schools, I’m particularly fond of SERATAS. Yeap, my dear wife was one of its alumni. I remember giving so call speech to the Prefect Board on one of my school’s trip there. On that particular trip, our entourage spent the night at SERATAS sick bay. The next morning most of us did not care to shower as the water was too damn cold.

Yesterday it rained here in my abode, the ‘feels good’ feeling revisits. Donno why, donno how. Maybe it has been really long time ‘things are keeping still’ between the rains in Taiping and of yesterdays.

Di kedinginan

Begini

Kalaulah harummu

Dapat ke mari

Bersamaku

Tak ku peduli

Bekunya

Glasgow

- Kelvingrove Park Autumn 1987

Last weekend was quite eventful. Along with my usual extra long naps in the lazy Saturday and Sunday afternoons (my princess Awateef suggested that I should start up a Snooze Club and be the President, along with Sakura the cat as one of the affiliate), I did spend the time watching the rerun episodes of Dragon Ball & the new season 7 CSI, though I still prefer the cool ‘H’ in the Miami version, as well as playing with my kids, doing the groceries at Kar Foo and browsing books at MPH with my dear wife.

But last nite, suddenly I was brought to this idea of multiverse.

It started when Ahwaz my eldest, while on our way sending him to his tuition class, asked what kind of star is that while pointing to a brightly shining object in the night sky. That’s the biggest star in our solar system, said my wife. It’s not that big to me, replied Ahwaz.

I said quietly to myself, that thing there is certainly not the infamous Death Star, the military battle station of Lord Vader. “Emm Yang, that I’m afraid is not quite right. Well, my son, that star is certainly not the biggest, neither it is IN our solar system. By the way, in our solar system there’s only one star which is the Sun.” Yeap, surely not on Page 3 in the tabloid version of the Sun. “That star is one of the many billions number of stars in our universe”.

“Thanks. You are cool Ayah, how come you know everything?” praised Ahwaz. “Well, I did graduate in Aerospace Engineering from the 2^nd (or maybe the 3^rd, why the heck should I care) oldest university in the UK you know. Anything between the sky and the Earth is my expertise, you should at least follow my footsteps.”

“But why engineers can only afford Korean cars?” “That my son is what we technocrat called a fit-for-purpose lifestyles.” Luckily, there’s no more why’s and how’s, as we already reached his tuition centre.

Back to the solar system thingy, many such a system made up into galaxy, many galaxies will make up a universe. Many universes will then make up multiverse. There’s a theory that there are parallel universes that are similar to ours. That means, somewhere out there (‘the’ very far away in space and in time sense), there maybe another us. What do you mean ‘another us’? I leave that intepretation, to the theorist (remember my admonition when wrong theories, assumptions and deductions are applied?)

In the other universe, I guess my other self will have the opportunity to do what I only dream to do. I’m sure my other self could be a renowned poet. Writing endless couplets of enchanting words that could soften the hardest heart. Or maybe, an accomplished cricketer who’s batting skills matching Sachin Tendulkar and bowling faster than Shoaib Akthar.

Another me in another universe somewhere, would be an animal caretaker, joining WWF or some other org like that. There’s also this guy call me, in yet another universe who is just a simple guy working as a janitor in a building somewhere, who is proud of his job.

Dream on my dear self. You are in your own multiverse.

Just got back from a customer visit. It’s been a while, since I’ve been meeting them at their place giving advise on how to design things. ‘Teman dah tak kosa’ nak cerita pasal nitty gritty things about how the flowmeter works, how integrated solution could help their plant running smoothly 24-7, how TUV SIL3 situation may not be at all required. Teman lebih suka cerita benda-benda ethereal macam how to make the company I’m working with become their premier automation partner, how our win-win relationship could synergize the business.

Nevertheless, the blood that flows gatal jugak nak meng-elaborate dan men-deduce the potential outcomes of a certain engineering design.

Deduction can be made based on proven theory. To prove a theory, you need to make assumptions. If your assumptions are wrong, it could be fatal.

Assuming that someone is someone else, could also be lethal. Macam a friend of mine ni (sebenarnya, aku tak pasti dia anggap aku sebagai teman, tapi let us ‘safely’ assume that). Ni dah masuk dua kali dia kata aku seorang lain yang bukan aku.

Firstly, I’m the one, except that, the school thingy, may result of me not being ‘him’.

Secondly, dia pergi lebih jauh, sampai kena minta permission tu dan ini. I wonder who is creepy this time around.

Wow, I’m amazed. If this is the way ‘they’ are thinking, man oh man, I have to reassess my ‘safe assumptions’ made on my better half. Or better still restrategize.

I love cats. My heart grew fonder at a sight of the furry animal. My recollection of cats many decades ago is a cat named Comel. My pet-cat Comel is a normal kampung cat but behaved like royal. I basically grew up with Comel as my sisters are of different age groups, one is six years older, and the other is four years younger.

Back to the present, last week I put my Industrial Arts A1-grade to test, by making a cat cage cum pet house for my kids’ pet-cat. The cat’s name is Sakura.

I have never been much of a hitter. But yesterday, I hit a marvellous six at Kiara Oval. And a couple of fours. Not to forget 2 wickets and an ‘almost’ diving catch.

Who says ‘otai’ losing the touch.