For about five years now, I've never failed to watch the annual Paris-Dakar Rally on ESPN at Astro. Each time it kindled my dream to take part in the race but I know it will always remain a dream as the entry cost is more than RM150,000. That is the price of a decent double-storey terrace house in KL.
The race is always held in the first week of January, at about the start of the new school year in Malaysia, a busy time for parents with schoolgoing kids.
My main interest is in the bikes category and it is no coincidence that the most dominant bike KTM is my favourite adventure bike as well. The 60 per cent import tax on big bikes put a dampener on my dream to buy one, but last week, it has been reduced to 30 per cent. Hmm, we shall see.
Again, it is no coincidence that my next car purchase, a Mitsubishi Triton pickup truck, is closely related to the winning Mitsubishi cars in the race. In fact, this year, two Tritons are being entered, albeit with the bigger 3.2 lit engine as opposed to the 2.5 I'll be booking tomorrow.
I feel strongly I'm going to "do" Africa one day, but it will most probably be on a push bike rather than a motorbike. Much less hassles, not to mention costs.
Showing posts with label Prose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prose. Show all posts
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Friday, December 29, 2006
Zaharan Razak by Liz Greene
The following is an extract of what the English psychologist-astrologer had to say about me on the subject of relationships:
Intelligence and a capacity to share your thoughts are qualities you value highly in a partner if you are to build a long-term relationship with any woman. No matter how attractive, charming, socially suitable or erotically exciting a lover is, in the end you tend to become bored if you cannot talk to her. And when you become bored, you become critical and even nitpicking, finding fault everywhere and making your dissatisfaction known through chronic flirtations with other people which tell your partner loudly and clearly that you are suffocating.
There is a touch of the intellectual snob about you, but it is not mere posturing; you are a clever and sophisticated person with strong aesthetic sensitivities, and you genuinely love the world of the mind.
Your partner must be able to share in that world, and nothing less will do. You also like to use words a lot, to talk, philosophize, and theorize about love. You may have difficulties with a more taciturn or dour type of woman who cannot play with romantic words and gestures as you can. In part, you love this kind of verbal love-game for its own sake, because it is stylish and graceful and makes love interesting and in part you do it because you tend to protect your feelings with your intellect so that you are less vulnerable.
There is a rather cool and detached side to your love-nature which, however initially smitten you might be, quickly assesses the intelligence of the woman and gives a rating. And you expect your partner to have the same capacity for detachment and reason, for you dislike steamy emotional scenes and rapidly become evasive, aloof and disinterested if your woman starts becoming what you call irrational.
You need and deserve an intellectual match. What you can afford a little less of is your critical tongue, which can reduce anyone to ribbons - and often when she has done nothing to merit it except express needs which you construe as voiced in an inappropriate way. After all, not even the most intelligent partner - not to mention you yourself - can be clever and articulate all the time.
Intelligence and a capacity to share your thoughts are qualities you value highly in a partner if you are to build a long-term relationship with any woman. No matter how attractive, charming, socially suitable or erotically exciting a lover is, in the end you tend to become bored if you cannot talk to her. And when you become bored, you become critical and even nitpicking, finding fault everywhere and making your dissatisfaction known through chronic flirtations with other people which tell your partner loudly and clearly that you are suffocating.
There is a touch of the intellectual snob about you, but it is not mere posturing; you are a clever and sophisticated person with strong aesthetic sensitivities, and you genuinely love the world of the mind.
Your partner must be able to share in that world, and nothing less will do. You also like to use words a lot, to talk, philosophize, and theorize about love. You may have difficulties with a more taciturn or dour type of woman who cannot play with romantic words and gestures as you can. In part, you love this kind of verbal love-game for its own sake, because it is stylish and graceful and makes love interesting and in part you do it because you tend to protect your feelings with your intellect so that you are less vulnerable.
There is a rather cool and detached side to your love-nature which, however initially smitten you might be, quickly assesses the intelligence of the woman and gives a rating. And you expect your partner to have the same capacity for detachment and reason, for you dislike steamy emotional scenes and rapidly become evasive, aloof and disinterested if your woman starts becoming what you call irrational.
You need and deserve an intellectual match. What you can afford a little less of is your critical tongue, which can reduce anyone to ribbons - and often when she has done nothing to merit it except express needs which you construe as voiced in an inappropriate way. After all, not even the most intelligent partner - not to mention you yourself - can be clever and articulate all the time.
Monday, December 25, 2006
ProtoCosmic Course: Continuation
After the organic equivalent of the physical big bang, we humans are thrown up between two interstices - land and water, the beach and the sea, the blood-sweat-tears life and the Perfect Form.
Life is an Amazing Race, an Ultimate Challenge to break free from the proto mold to the perfect form. That is the name of the game. Simple as that. Look no further. But because we often feel too big to fit our evolutionary footprint, we try to look beyond and come up with revolutionary theories to explain away our human predicament and mystery - the neosophies and pseudologies.
What if you don't make it? Resits! Failure is not an option. You will be made to take as many resits even if it takes a thousand years, and some believe, a thousand lifetimes, until you finally break through the interstitial barrier to claim or reclaim you right of place in the Ethereal Estate.
Meanwhile, you will be staying back in the hostel of life while others who have broken through have all gone home. Some of you will be wandering aimlessly, feeling restless, clueless, or worse, getting into all sorts of difficulties and uncomfortable situations, to say the least.
Don't blame others or yourself for these adversities. It is part of the course. Be thankful. Turn the other cheek, as one tradition says. Just manage them as best as you can - no resentment, no moaning, no lashing out in anger, no revenge, no escapisms ... don't repeat the same mistakes or stock responses. Break out of the old reaction patterns to break the jinx.
What if the above view is wrong? What is the opposite position? Oblivion! When you die, you die. Nothing matters. Nihilism. Life is meaningless, just like a dead frog, nobody cares, no insurance, no ceremony, no litigation, no justice. Less stark is existentialism which concedes that although life is ultimately meaningless, at least you can make it meaningful during its shelf life.
Hey, that's not a fate worse than some I know.
Life is an Amazing Race, an Ultimate Challenge to break free from the proto mold to the perfect form. That is the name of the game. Simple as that. Look no further. But because we often feel too big to fit our evolutionary footprint, we try to look beyond and come up with revolutionary theories to explain away our human predicament and mystery - the neosophies and pseudologies.
What if you don't make it? Resits! Failure is not an option. You will be made to take as many resits even if it takes a thousand years, and some believe, a thousand lifetimes, until you finally break through the interstitial barrier to claim or reclaim you right of place in the Ethereal Estate.
Meanwhile, you will be staying back in the hostel of life while others who have broken through have all gone home. Some of you will be wandering aimlessly, feeling restless, clueless, or worse, getting into all sorts of difficulties and uncomfortable situations, to say the least.
Don't blame others or yourself for these adversities. It is part of the course. Be thankful. Turn the other cheek, as one tradition says. Just manage them as best as you can - no resentment, no moaning, no lashing out in anger, no revenge, no escapisms ... don't repeat the same mistakes or stock responses. Break out of the old reaction patterns to break the jinx.
What if the above view is wrong? What is the opposite position? Oblivion! When you die, you die. Nothing matters. Nihilism. Life is meaningless, just like a dead frog, nobody cares, no insurance, no ceremony, no litigation, no justice. Less stark is existentialism which concedes that although life is ultimately meaningless, at least you can make it meaningful during its shelf life.
Hey, that's not a fate worse than some I know.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Metaphors To Live By
In attempting to write this topic down, I suddenly come face to face with the dreaded writer's block. My head goes blank. I thought of this topic this morning as I was doing the morning's chores. Then my head was full of ideas, coming out unbidden, but as usual, I did not jot the ideas down and now I cannot remember them. It is a familiar pattern.
Later ...
PRISON as a metaphor of life
If we see life as a prison, then whatever circumstances you are in, it can't be as bad as a real prison unless you are really incarcerated in one! That ought to cheer you up if needed be, and who doesn't from time to time. Think of worse scenarios and count your blessings, however small. This little self-deception always works for me.
Life as an ADVENTURE or OBSTACLE Course
Don't resent the adversities, big or small, laid in your path. Look upon them as tests or challenges to overcome and opportunities for growth and advancement. Then say your thanks.
Evil as Creation's necessary SHADOW or ALTER EGO
Evil is an impersonal accompaniment of nature's work; it takes no sides, it is random, it is not subject to rules of natural or even poetic justice; it is not meted out to the bad and prevented from the good. It is impartial and detached. No need for us to romanticize or use it as a means of persuasion or manipulation. It is a reality written into our read only collective memory.
What to do? Deal with it conscientiously, mindfully, minimize its effects, exercise damage control, don't give in to its urgings. Therein lies your opportunity for maturity and spiritual growth.
The COMPUTER as a Metaphor of the Mind,
The Mind as a Metaphor of God,
The UNIVERSE as the Body of God,
Nature as a Metaphor of God's Work,
Death as a Tunnel underneath the Berlin Wall thru which you wrangle an escape from East to West ...
BUDDHA as a Metaphor for the Found Pool of Calmness and Understanding Within You
The historical Siddharta Gautama is not the only Buddha. There are millions of unnamed buddhas before and now. He or she can be the person you just met. In fact you may be a buddha too, actualized or potential.
Buddhahood is not so much a religion as a state of mind though one tradition has evolved into a religion called Buddhism, the world's third largest after Christianity and Islam. Among eastern religions making inroads in the West, Buddhism is the most popular.
Later ...
PRISON as a metaphor of life
If we see life as a prison, then whatever circumstances you are in, it can't be as bad as a real prison unless you are really incarcerated in one! That ought to cheer you up if needed be, and who doesn't from time to time. Think of worse scenarios and count your blessings, however small. This little self-deception always works for me.
Life as an ADVENTURE or OBSTACLE Course
Don't resent the adversities, big or small, laid in your path. Look upon them as tests or challenges to overcome and opportunities for growth and advancement. Then say your thanks.
Evil as Creation's necessary SHADOW or ALTER EGO
Evil is an impersonal accompaniment of nature's work; it takes no sides, it is random, it is not subject to rules of natural or even poetic justice; it is not meted out to the bad and prevented from the good. It is impartial and detached. No need for us to romanticize or use it as a means of persuasion or manipulation. It is a reality written into our read only collective memory.
What to do? Deal with it conscientiously, mindfully, minimize its effects, exercise damage control, don't give in to its urgings. Therein lies your opportunity for maturity and spiritual growth.
The COMPUTER as a Metaphor of the Mind,
The Mind as a Metaphor of God,
The UNIVERSE as the Body of God,
Nature as a Metaphor of God's Work,
Death as a Tunnel underneath the Berlin Wall thru which you wrangle an escape from East to West ...
BUDDHA as a Metaphor for the Found Pool of Calmness and Understanding Within You
The historical Siddharta Gautama is not the only Buddha. There are millions of unnamed buddhas before and now. He or she can be the person you just met. In fact you may be a buddha too, actualized or potential.
Buddhahood is not so much a religion as a state of mind though one tradition has evolved into a religion called Buddhism, the world's third largest after Christianity and Islam. Among eastern religions making inroads in the West, Buddhism is the most popular.
The Doha AG Women Sepaktakraw Final
Did you watch the Doha AG Women Sepaktakraw final match between defending champion Thailand and upstart Vietnam?
I rooted for underdogs Vietnam and when they won and tears flowed, I shared their joy, but felt a tinge of sadness that Malaysia does not even see fit to encourage women to play the game what more participate at this level.
When other civilized nations of the world are falling over one another's heels to be represented in all arenas of human endeavour, we note that a few countries, particularly from deep Africa, central Asia and the Middle East, seem to be too embroiled in regional or domestic politics, holding hardline cultural and religious values, or at war, preventing them from being fully represented in international events.
Malaysia is one of these sidelined countries.
An opportunity for human resource development and a chance to stand up and be counted, goes down the drain, sacrificed at the altar of fundamentalist beliefs.
These beliefs in turn hide rigid and dualistic - us against them - psychological hangups and other assorted delusions which make up our historical baggage.
We are embalmed and fossilized in the backwaters of human development and spiritual growth. In the absence of real progress, we cling to and chant symbols and slogans as a substitute.
How sad.
I rooted for underdogs Vietnam and when they won and tears flowed, I shared their joy, but felt a tinge of sadness that Malaysia does not even see fit to encourage women to play the game what more participate at this level.
When other civilized nations of the world are falling over one another's heels to be represented in all arenas of human endeavour, we note that a few countries, particularly from deep Africa, central Asia and the Middle East, seem to be too embroiled in regional or domestic politics, holding hardline cultural and religious values, or at war, preventing them from being fully represented in international events.
Malaysia is one of these sidelined countries.
An opportunity for human resource development and a chance to stand up and be counted, goes down the drain, sacrificed at the altar of fundamentalist beliefs.
These beliefs in turn hide rigid and dualistic - us against them - psychological hangups and other assorted delusions which make up our historical baggage.
We are embalmed and fossilized in the backwaters of human development and spiritual growth. In the absence of real progress, we cling to and chant symbols and slogans as a substitute.
How sad.
Friday, December 01, 2006
How To Attain Enlightenment In Just A Day, Well
Hey, I don't pretend to know any better than you or anybody. Wiser men have been telling us it takes a life time and even many life times to attain a state of enlightenment - moksha, nirvana, makrifat, atman. Fine. But if there is another proposal which says it can also be achieved in an instant or a day, fine, too. I think I'll subscribe to this view.
Enlightenment. Long word. Not sure what it means. Let us try. It means the absence or cessation of wrong assumptions. The mind is free from delusions. It sees reality as it is rather than as we want it to be or as we are told or led to believe. An enlightened person holds no false hopes or ideas.
It also means the absence of bad intention and action. At the minimum, the enlightened person has the ability to control the shadow side of his human nature and express only the good side.
He knows and understands what ambition, greed, selfishness, envy, jealousy, anger, revenge are but is able to control or subliminate these negative feelings into a neutral or positive state.
The purpose of life is to survive, to achieve a reasonable standard of living, to stay healthy, to mantain needs and to gain enlightenment.
Life is both a means and an end in itself. The ultimate purpose is to transform it into pure awareness which is our ultimate form. It goes by many names - spirit, soul, consciousness.
The body and the mind are the tools.
The world is the workshop.
Running parallel to this purpose continuum is the virtue continuum. While the purpose continuum states that the purpose of life is to gain ennlightenment, the virtue continuum states that the purpose of life is to live it virtuously.
Enlightenment and virtue go together and are the same thing, or two sides of the same coin of existence.
Evil, negativiity is the raw material for us to fashion or hammer out a useful or virtuous effect.
It is part of the developmental process of life's work, transforming itself into a work of art and virtue.
Life is both an art class and a utility workshop as much as it is a philosophy lesson.
Enlightenment. Long word. Not sure what it means. Let us try. It means the absence or cessation of wrong assumptions. The mind is free from delusions. It sees reality as it is rather than as we want it to be or as we are told or led to believe. An enlightened person holds no false hopes or ideas.
It also means the absence of bad intention and action. At the minimum, the enlightened person has the ability to control the shadow side of his human nature and express only the good side.
He knows and understands what ambition, greed, selfishness, envy, jealousy, anger, revenge are but is able to control or subliminate these negative feelings into a neutral or positive state.
The purpose of life is to survive, to achieve a reasonable standard of living, to stay healthy, to mantain needs and to gain enlightenment.
Life is both a means and an end in itself. The ultimate purpose is to transform it into pure awareness which is our ultimate form. It goes by many names - spirit, soul, consciousness.
The body and the mind are the tools.
The world is the workshop.
Running parallel to this purpose continuum is the virtue continuum. While the purpose continuum states that the purpose of life is to gain ennlightenment, the virtue continuum states that the purpose of life is to live it virtuously.
Enlightenment and virtue go together and are the same thing, or two sides of the same coin of existence.
Evil, negativiity is the raw material for us to fashion or hammer out a useful or virtuous effect.
It is part of the developmental process of life's work, transforming itself into a work of art and virtue.
Life is both an art class and a utility workshop as much as it is a philosophy lesson.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
One Blogger's Rationale
The theme of this blog is literary expression. The basis for it is a philosophical conundrum: does the tree in the forest fall if there is no one to witness and report - describe - it?
To do that you use words. You need words to name objects and events, to "make" them exist or happen.
Does the universe exist, did history happen, if there is no word to say so? Do you exist without a name? Without a name, an identity, who are you? Can you think without words? Without thinking, where will you be?
Word the World
There are two parallel realities here - the thing, and the word. Are they sequential or simultaneous worlds? If sequential, which precedes? Does the thing happen first and then the word follows? Or does the "word" causes things to happen? Obviously, the word can be taken to represent Intelligence which connotes Intention, Power and Effulgence. The Word then is a synechdoche of All-encompassing Intelligence.
To keep the analysis within a reasonable length, in keeping with the dimensions of this blog, I'm forced to take ontological leaps and shortcuts here.
So, in the foregoing sense, one can say, Word as Almighty Intelligence, precedes the universe and history. At the same time, the Word fires and keeps tabs on universal proceedings and reports back on them through its chief agents, human beings.
So there you have it in a nutshell - a dual parallel world of Word and Thing, but with Word upping the ante by being both antecedent and precedent to the Thing jeepneying along on the path of time.
That just about wraps it all up: the Word is a Thing wrap.
Hence this blog. The importance of the word is the raison detre for the creation of this blog. Writing this blog defines my life path, direction and purpose. By building it, I'm exercising my identity and feeding my soul. Filling up this blog is like putting things into a bundle to take on my journey along my life path to my final destination. Think of Dick Whittington with his stick and bundle walking on the road to London to seek his fortune. That's one children's story with a hidden adult meaning for you.
I am the word, and the word is me.
Suddenly, the possibly derogatory expression, blogging your life away, suggesting degeneration, has a ring of purpose and echo of direction to it.
Walk the Word
But of course you must have other interests, responsibilities - a life outside of blogging - to write about. Hence my add on list of other interests, not mentioning normal family and other social responsibilites.
To do that you use words. You need words to name objects and events, to "make" them exist or happen.
Does the universe exist, did history happen, if there is no word to say so? Do you exist without a name? Without a name, an identity, who are you? Can you think without words? Without thinking, where will you be?
Word the World
There are two parallel realities here - the thing, and the word. Are they sequential or simultaneous worlds? If sequential, which precedes? Does the thing happen first and then the word follows? Or does the "word" causes things to happen? Obviously, the word can be taken to represent Intelligence which connotes Intention, Power and Effulgence. The Word then is a synechdoche of All-encompassing Intelligence.
To keep the analysis within a reasonable length, in keeping with the dimensions of this blog, I'm forced to take ontological leaps and shortcuts here.
So, in the foregoing sense, one can say, Word as Almighty Intelligence, precedes the universe and history. At the same time, the Word fires and keeps tabs on universal proceedings and reports back on them through its chief agents, human beings.
So there you have it in a nutshell - a dual parallel world of Word and Thing, but with Word upping the ante by being both antecedent and precedent to the Thing jeepneying along on the path of time.
That just about wraps it all up: the Word is a Thing wrap.
Hence this blog. The importance of the word is the raison detre for the creation of this blog. Writing this blog defines my life path, direction and purpose. By building it, I'm exercising my identity and feeding my soul. Filling up this blog is like putting things into a bundle to take on my journey along my life path to my final destination. Think of Dick Whittington with his stick and bundle walking on the road to London to seek his fortune. That's one children's story with a hidden adult meaning for you.
I am the word, and the word is me.
Suddenly, the possibly derogatory expression, blogging your life away, suggesting degeneration, has a ring of purpose and echo of direction to it.
Walk the Word
But of course you must have other interests, responsibilities - a life outside of blogging - to write about. Hence my add on list of other interests, not mentioning normal family and other social responsibilites.
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