Shedding A Bad Light On Rain

The squabble between Rain's Korean representatives and his Hawaiian promoters is based on press releases only. What had actually transpired between these two parties, we honestly will never know.

We won't judge nor will we side who we favors. The Hawaiian side have their wrongs and the Korean side have their mistakes. And both have to correct their behaviors, their business ethics and their sincere concern for a common goal - to stage a concert. If they could not come together to cooperate, then they are not meant for further collaboration. Obviously both are immature businessmen. They should'nt be shouting across the Pacific over small trifle problems which could be solved with a little patience, friendlier communications and a transparent relationship.

Business is built on trust. Business is about building a mutual relationship which will eventually develope into a closer friendship. Business is not about fear of each other and engaging the assistance of lawyers to solve problems as the easy way out. Inviting the law into the boardroom is also a way to let others peek into their weakness, incapabilities and irresponsibilities as competent business entities. Business is not about keeping your partners blind about what was actually happening on your side. Business is not about lining your pockets first before the project gets a kick start. Business is understanding the obstacles your partners are facing and standing by them until the every end. Business is not threatening your partners and vowed to revenge him in the future. Business is about delivering and honoring what was intitially agreed upon in a contract.

A businessman does not operate like a thug or a conman. A businessman is sincere, passionate in what he is doing, treats his partners like brothers, reaping and sharing the profits of their project together.

Birthday

Today is Rain’s birthday. I wonder where he might be right now. What type of birthday will he have. Will it be a quiet one with his family or a public funfare with the newsmedia, fans or whoever wants to be near him. Will his birthday be any happier than mine?

To celebrate it is symbolic to have a birthday cake. Well, one thing for sure,. I never get to choose my own birthday cake, its shape, the favor and the design. But I have the upper hand on the display of candles littering the surface of the cake. I insist on one. I usually ends up with a big one, cruelly reminding me of my age. At home, I ate it with my fingers, lying on my sofa in front of my TV. Licking clean the creamy chocolate and cheese left sticking on my plate. I would not spare my fingers too. With guilt I washed it down with mixed fruits juice to rid of the cholesterol.

When it falls on a weekday, Florence would dutifully buy me a cake of her choice. She used to place her order for Fruit Flan from a distributor from Kelang. She has since lost contact with Mrs Chen (thank you, I hate flans), so now she buys one from the confectioneries.

After the singing, a silent wish and an initial cut by me, Elaine would take over the cake slicing. She is the official cake cutter in our office. No matter how soft and creamy the cake is, she still manages to slice them beautifully clean and delicately intact. She makes certain that the slices are similarly sized so we do not have to ponder which slice is bigger than the other. If you feel you are not satisfied with your portion, you’ll have to wait until everyone has his/her share. Then, you can have a second helping.

Florence has no liking to cheese cake, so I always have hers. When she’s out on business, I’ll leave a slice for her officially. Before I clocked out for the day, I will gobble hers too! Ha, ha, ha and in my mouth it goes. This is what I call happiness.

Before Lim passed away, she would tell me to buy something for myself. The presents people bought you might not be something you like. It does not have to be a material thing, you can pamper yourself silly. Its value does not matter. And it is happiness. It is wonderful to sit for hours with friends, chatting and eating and catching up on the latest news and this is happiness.

It is the simplicity of my birthday that makes me happy.

A prayer for the road

Each morning without fail, I'll always say a little prayer for the road. I guess I need some assurances for a safe journey and to know that divine help is besides me as I make my way through a journey paved with unpredictable drivers and runaway vehicles.

"Lord, please protect and guide me. Protect me from other road users and obstacles on the road and guide me along the way. Amen".

Nuisance to society?

Getting up early and going to work early is a good way to beat the traffic and a stressless time spent on the road. With Rain serenading you, it’s sure a bright and breezy day ahead.

But what if you overshot the time and just couldn’t get up as you planned? Havoc! Rushing through your washings, leaving things behind, fighting for your turn on the lane, displeasure over motorists cutting into your lane. Up, your temper soared. Things going to turn out bad for the day.

As you were heading down town, there along the busy Federal Highway, just outside Nanyang Siang Pau, something caught the corner of your right eye. A Perodua Kancil, making a u-turn from the opposite road. And she was the one causing the massive jam!

Motorist plying the Federal Highway would have observed a stretch of road without a divider a little distance outside Nanyang Siang Pau. In fact I had noticed a Sri Jaya bus making a u-turn at that particular spot before. It is indeed dangerous, not for the driver making the u-turn but for other motorists plying the highway. Vehicles following her have to slow down suddently, and the vehicles from the opposite direction have to slow down unaware too. Both are fast lanes. If the driver was hit who will be liable for the insurance claims. Who have the right of way. The vehicles on both lanes or her? What penalties should the traffic enforcement slap on her? Should she go scot free with a light warning or should she pay heavily for her stupid act?

What do we call these people? Is a ‘nuisance to society’ too harsh a name to address them? Onlookers will smile and remark, ‘smart guy, quick witted, clever girl’. Wait till you are the one who hit her. You will be singing a different tune.

Helping me remember

Getting old is dreadful. Lots of things will happen as you gets older and older. For one thing your memory will deteriorate. Well I have something now to help me remember the events that passed through my life. Looking forward to tommorrow....