My Merdeka Wish for NegaraKu: ALLofHELEN

When Desi first laid eyes on her, more factually, it was her right hand, with another's beside it -- it was in a church in Ipoh on a Sunday where I had wandered to seek shelter, being quite a lost soul. Their pair of hands were lonely twigs in answer to the Pastor's question: Who among you do not speak in tongue?

After subsequent visits to allofhelen.blogspot.com, I sense a homey abode where her friends, and fans, gather to chat, chat up, chat to, chat into, yes chatter too, creating such a din outsiders may miss the red humour amidst the din and dine and wine. Some lucky visit yields an insight into Helen's persona -- like that hand-raising sign of independence that struck Desi 'drop dead' (Gorgeous!), some weird occasions this Furonglang feels he's either watching some Ipoh operetta I couldn't fully grasp, or feeling quite a voyeur. Later, you go visit and feedback Desi about your reactions.

Meanwhile, ENJOY Helen's Merdeka Thoughts and hey, engage in conversation with Helen, my dear EsteemedReaders, for this joint hoRst offers thee pastries besides taking ye for a ride. Desi as usual will offer intermittent tehtarik until the H2O runs out...



MERDEKA THOUGHTS

by Guest Blogger ALLofHELEN


You know what I look forward every August when I turn on the TV? It has to be those Merdeka Day advertorials. Yes, those in nostalgic black and white. I must say, the quality is getting better every year. The music score, the choreography and the actors who look so ordinarily ordinary, you almost mistook them for your neighbours. I always ended up teary eyed. The warm fuzzy feeling embracing the heart is so nice it's embarassing.


Well, as all good things in life are short, fuzzy feel lasted less than a minute and then the sense of indignation set in. "Playing with my feelings issit??"

My old man said it's because I'm lucky to have been born after Merdeka.
"You people never went through the Japanese occupation, the fight for independence, Communists and May 13. Of course you don't feel the importance of August 31."
That's what my father said but in all due respect to my old man, he's been through all that... but he's no more enthusiastic than me on the Big Day. He's the one happily watching Wai Lai Toi instead of those Jalur Gemilang processions, got into a big fight with my mother when my mother wanted to stick the free flag she got from one detergent company onto the car.

"Crazy, the flag will spoil the car paint!"

I of course do not think my indifference is due to the fact I've not been through all these with my country. If that is the case, then countries like USA and Australia which had their independence more than a century ago will run out of patriots.

It never ceased to amaze me when I hear people say no matter what, they still love this country. Gosh, these folks have my respect. Standing ovation too. I guess many are not as generous with their affection, myself included. I cannot speak for all, but I had to confess I cannot be as unconditionally loving as others. I suspect I being so sadly ordinary, there's bound to be many folks who share my sentiments.

No offense, love is a 2 way thing. You invest your affection in something, and in return, you expect some sort of gratification if not total return of the same. Right?
Unless I see some returns, I won't use the L word. Having said that, I won't put 'love' inside the box either because I reckon many can love out of necessity as well. Afterall, everybody is on the same boat.
You don't want the boat to sink, right?
Circumstances are such we need to work together to keep the boat afloat. That's it. It's strictly a survival thing.


I've not seen any those highly anticipated National Day Patriotic Ads this year. Probably I don't watch as much TV as I used to. Deep inside, I hope they change the theme a bit because something is amiss.

Year in year out it's to the past we're looking up to for unity and inspiration. It's like Malaysia's National Day is forever immortalized in the form of Tunku standing there shouting "Merdeka, Merdeka..." and the sense of pride of the rakyat (regardless you are Malay, Chinese, Indian, etc) from a different time and different era. Hey, you cannot continue to live off the nation's pride then almost 49 years on, right? Unless new pride is instilled into the present, it's really getting dry.


PS: This post is for my favourite poet. The one and only one I know. ;-(

(Essayed by Helen at 6:46 PM, Friday, August 11, 2006)


DESIDERATA:

That PS! She mis-takes, should read altogether now~~

PLEASE SHOUT! Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!
Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! MERDEKA!



“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” ~~ Mark Twain (American Humorist, Writer and Lecturer. 1835-1910)


PS (quid pro quo) @4.34PM

Another facet of AllOfHelen you soon enough have a peek (peep?) of is her poetic bent in Bahasa Malaysia and some innucendoes which can turn the uninitiated from rd indian red to lobster red -- even commie red! -- like this ditty expressed in bahasa kebangsaan. I have a feelin' even our demanding Minister of Information might be mighty proud of her -- nominate a DAP supporter for Datinship? If not, Desi can suggest a Latin-ship -- befitting a modern Troy beaut with hand-hair-head waves and a Poetic Face that can rival RMN's thousand ships?


Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Puisi Tag


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Hari Kebangsaan minggu depan
Bendera besar dirumah sudah pasang
Jiran sebelah tengok sudah hairan
Tanya if abang saya MCA mia orang

Saya cakap kita bukan itu parti mia orang
Dan husband lebih sokong Lim Kit Siang
Lagipun kita bukan main politik mia orang
Lebih suka dibilik main lain 'barang'

Tahun ini merdeka macam kurang meriah
Suasana dan mood macam kurang ada
Semua barang sudah naik harga
Hanya gaji yang tetap sama

Faedah tinggi era 90-an sudah tiada
Tak tahu macam mana boleh bersara
Nasib baik internet dan blogging masih ada
Harap garmen jangan kacau ini juga!

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Wow, I amazed myself. See, I don't get an '8' in my SPM for my BM for nothing!

Malaysia Boleh!! *muaks*

posted by Helen at 9:35 PM


DESI: If my imagination ran wild, I might have to desert this Seremban post for the capital of Perak, but for all the gold and silver in that blog, I have a higher duty to stand sentry at the gates of Negri Semmbilan.

Sampai darah patriot ini menukar dari warna merah ke biru,
Sampai bila masa tu, you tanya kepten saya, Anak Merdeka, yang mesti restu.