Musings

Hmm, I got tagged by cat-lover UnkaLeong and I guess it is good manners to write something, right?
But I’ve written much about myself in this blog of mine so I was thinking, what else don’t you (you refers to all my good friends, blog readers, occasional drop-bys, and family members) all know about me, MayaKirana?
But digging deep into my brain is a good exercise, particularly on a Wednesday morning after a breakfast of nasi lemak and teh tarik!
OK (takes big deep breath), here goes!
1. I’m 5 feet 7, weigh about 56 kg and yes, despite the leanness, I HAVE been trying to get the ‘spare tyre’ off me for the longest time. Doesn’t help that I’m glued to the laptop all the time. But, I bought 2 VCDs to help me – one on bellydancing and one on salsaxercise. And I promised to do at least 10 sets of agonising sit-ups each day. Yes, I am bloody vain too. I want those lean and trim tummy muscles!
2. I was once approached to be a model (OK, OK, stop sniggering you people!) when I was 18. I think it’s my height more than looks! I was in Petaling Street with my best friend one sunny afternoon and we were looking for STPM revision books (in Popular Bookstore) when a middle-aged Chinese guy stopped me and asked if I was willing to be a model. I was more shocked than pleased! No, no, no. I’m quite suspicious you see so I thought he was a pimp or something. And I knew what it meant to be a model – I had a friend who was one and it’s not glamorous if you’re not Heidi Klum or Naomi Campbell!
3.I used to wear really awful spectacles when I was young (started getting short-sighted in Standard Five and had to squint at the blackboard so much that my Dad got fed-up and took me to the optimetrist’s to get my eyes checked). I was so self-conscious about wearing glasses in school. When I had the chance and money, I got myself contact lenses. Never looked back since. But not keen on LASIK, no matter what my friends say. I won’t ‘slice’ my corneas!
4. I eat almost everything (duck tongues, phoenix claws, pig blood, chicken intestines etc) but I never eat bamboo shoots, canned or fresh! Yuck! The smell of bamboo shoots in any dish makes me want to faint/puke/die. Yes, strong reaction to one humble thing. Don’t ask why. On the other end, Nic adores them.
5. I used to play hockey and represented my school during my secondary school days! I think I like the viciousness of the game. I used to be so stressed out before the player selections each time the coach (by the way, why is it only Indian students take to hockey like ducks to water? Or why is it that Chinese students only play handball and basketball?) needed to choose the players to represent the school. I have a big fat ego and NOT making the team would kill me. Then again, I was (and I guess I still am) a highly competitive person, both academically and on the sports field. I hated being second best. If I can’t be number one, I’d get major stressed. It’s just in me I guess. All firstborns are like that.
OK, there you go. Five things you never knew about me, MayaKirana or since so many of you know me, OK, about Krista.
Now’s my turn to go and ruffle some people’s feathers and force them to go down memory lane or dig up some dirt.
1. Vern
2. Lydia
3. Marsha
4. Keatix
5. Hoyoyi
Off you go people!

First of all, a huge thank you and shout-out to my wise old lady friend, Vern! Thanks for making me numero uno on your list – this is the second list I am honoured to be on, what with Dean Hua’s 2007 kickoff list (I promised him I’d start my own and I will, Dean, I will!).
I have been truly blessed with so many amazing friends, blogger pals, business mentors and great clients over the years that I’ve been online (since starting my blog in 2002!). I’ve met some amazing people online who have turned out to be even better in person.
I’m grateful for your friendships and care.
I mean, where in the world do you get pals who ring me up to ask me if I am OK when I go MIA from my own blog? Rona dear, thank you for the years of being with me online and off. Thanks for your craziness too. It keeps me sane! LOL.
Vern, you have been someone I wished I was when I was your age. Confident, full of life and yet, so utterly practical and level-headed. Plus I know Georgetown will be a better place with you heritage youths around. I know it.
Marsha, the friend of my friend but who ended up an online friend. You knew me from my i-asianwomen days (what, has it been so long! Man I feel old!). She’s another madhatter like moi truly. I can’t believe she’s a mom of two. She has enough sassiness to last her a lifetime!
Lydia! You are my writing inspiration. You encourage me to strive for the impossible because you are living proof that writers can make a living in Malaysia.
Dean is someone who I met in 2004 when I was socially networking my way through cyberspace. He’s witty and honest and won’t beat around the bush. He’s also the person whom I am always learning from be it his specialty, networking, or just exchanging cross-cultural ideas with.
Josephine, my partner in crime for WomenBizSENSE, the networking group we both started last year. I’ve also known her for so many years now and each time, the friendship gets sweeter and better. And we get wicked-er! (Er, is there such a word ah?)
Lisa, you are my foodie friend. I’m grateful for the many eating sessions we have had the past year and the personal sharing we’ve had. I hope you won’t leave Penang so soon but if your destiny calls for it, I hope you will come back to the Pearl of the Orient and we can do more eating!
Karen, my ex-colleague, my good friend, my little ‘sister’ of sorts. You made this list because I’ve groused and moaned and groaned with you throughout our last stint together. We’ve seen the good and the bad (haha) and we’re still friends. Remember those 5 am flights we took together? And those bitching sessions?
Fabian, you have been my source of Catholic inspiration and info. I am so glad we met when we did and I think you’re one of the most down to earth people I know. Through you. I understand theology more (and how to recognise a good whisky and what good coffee is!) and have a keener sense of appreciation of all faiths. I may not be a Christian or Catholic but our friendship transcends religion, yes? That’s the beauty of it my friend.
Dada Laliteshnanda, my yoga teacher, my good friend, my movie/book guru. You have taught me more than just yoga asanas, you have taught me how to see the world and how to appreciate each day. You’ve taught me that there are no absolutes in life, and how we are greater than we think we are.
Sunny, mabuhay! I have not known you for long but it feels like you have been my soul sista for ages. And love your business and marketing sense! Admire your energy and wise words and the insightful blogging you do regularly. And yes, darling, we are stars on Colin’s Mentors 4 Startups forum! A bit of glamour in our lives eh?
Auntie Regina Diaz and Uncle Mike (Annyeong haseyo!), thank you both for your love and care during my turbulent times. You both have been my pillars of strength and I’ve grown to appreciate our lovely relationship the older I grow. And yes, for introducing me to Fatty Loh Chicken Rice at Fettes Park too!
Li Jin, you have been my nuttiest friend for so long – we’ve bickered, we’ve had cold wars, we’ve made up and yet, we’re stronger than ever. I admire your never-say-die attitude and you should blog, you know since you are a writer.
Dr Gitu, you were my fiercest supporter and also my biggest critic during my agonizing thesis-writing days. But the lessons I learnt from you improved my writing, my logic and my way of life. I write with more clarity, I write with a sense of responsibility and I write from the heart. And no regrets about taking my Masters, for sure.
I can go on and on and on but I shall not bore you to tears. These people (and lots more actually) have made my life more colourful and extremely meaningful.
Thank you for enriching my life.

I’ve been missing from this blog for sometime, well, in the blog world – sometime is a long time! As usual, the web business takes me away from blogging quite a bit these days, what with proposals, meeting clients and rushing projects (I need to finish these up before Nic and I fly off to Kuching for our annual Chinese New Year break). I always despise this pre-CNY rush, rush, rush mode. Everyone seems to be in a mad rush or another.
And of course, dear old Margaret has gone off for her jaunts again. Like UnkaLeong says, cats have this annoying habit (well, annoying to their owners mostly) of zipping off for a few days. The first time it happened, Nic and I were worried sick. We thought someone catnapped her. Turns out that Margaret decided to take some fresh air somewhere. Yes, she’s gone missing again. I’m not so worried now. I learnt my lesson, UnkaLeong!

But this is also a belated thank you post to a dear friend, Anneliza for her lovely Christmas gift. Anne, if you are reading this, a million thanks from the heart. You are so thoughtful! Anne got me a gift from another friend of mine, Ai Lee, who by the way, sells absolutely one-of-a-kind bags from home.

Ai Lee is a stay-at-home mommy of a two-year-old boy and she took up selling these bags because she herself enjoyed them. (She’s also a KLite who got transported to Penang because of her husband’s work). Yes, marry your business and passion – always a good thing to start. At the moment, Ai Lee sells to close friends in Penang and KL. You can see more of her offerings at http://360.yahoo.com/polymnia_bags (You can order and pick up the bags from her – they’re lovely as last-minute gifts because no woman can say no to a cheery bag!)
I got two bags from her collection – the bigger one is from Anneliza while the small, cute one is from Ai Lee herself (since I visited her and drooled over her bags… it’s great for those days when you just need to carry some change and lipstick!).

So heaps of grateful thanks dear Anne and yes, to you too, Ai Lee!

Just signed up for Technorati so this is a post a claim for their spiders to come and feel this blog (sounds gross, right?). This is just to show them that yes, darlings, this is MayaKirana’s blog.
Technorati Profile

Well, this is a quick plug for my aunt’s once-a-year jam tart business.
Mrs Wong (that’s my aunt, my dad’s sister) is soooo shy about promoting her business that it is actually good that I have a big mouth and a blog. Everyone pitches in to help my dear aunt to market her tarts although her tarts actually market themselves due to their utter fabulousness (but then again, I am biased and I digress)… but really we are amazed that she herself does it all each year.
Ah, my aunt only makes them during this Chinese New Year season. She makes them ALL by hand. She doesn’t hire any Indon maid or anyone else to help her because of her stringent quality control. Each tart must meet Mrs Wong’s own rigorous and exacting standard- generous filling of not-too-sweet pineapple jam rolled in a melt-in-your-mouth buttery crust that’s baked just so.
You can never stop at one monster tart. I call them monster tarts because my aunt believes that one must never be stingy with ingredients and one must get the absolute best from each piece. Even if that means her tarts are huge compared to the miserly things we call cookies in the supermarkets.
Anyway, I did blog about her and how you can order from her directly (I’m just the messenger) in last year’s post at http://mayakirana.com/blog/?p=94
One jar of approx. 45 tarts are priced at RM21 (the same price as last year’s even though eggs and butter have become more expensive – I told her to raise prices because it is justified, what with inflated prices of raw ingredients but Mrs Wong is the kindest, nicest person I know, so kind that she won’t raise her prices…sigh).
Only available to Penangites because you have to collect the tarts from her house – she does not do deliveries not because she won’t but because she can’t – her whole day is full of baking and more baking! And no, she doesn’t bake any other type of cookies. Only jam tarts. That’s her specialty.
Order fast if you want some because she stops baking about 5 days before CNY. (Click on the link above to get her phone number.)
Over and out.

I’ve known his mom for a long time now. Let’s call her R. Now R’s a gracious, funny and honest woman and she loves to read! She used to run a cosy little bookshop in the heart of Georgetown a couple of years ago but she was simply too busy for her own good – yes, she has a day job and she lives in KL mostly.
Unbeknown to many, R has an adventurous streak in her. She recounted how she travelled across Siberia with her son, beginning from Mongolia and right across the continent towards Europe. And this is not your usual tourist type of travel we’re talking about.
This is one woman in her 50s, who rolled up her sleeves and backpacked across Siberia with her 30-something son, in what I call a sojourn of life. They ended up in France or the UK, where I think they split up, each making their own trip back to Malaysia.
What amazed me was her sense of adventure and joy for living. How many women in their 50s willingly take on such risks? And in Siberia!
Anyway, I’ve never met her son but when I saw his piece in The Sunday Star two weeks ago, I knew this was the guy. When I was in my old job as a web content editor for a woman’s web portal many years ago (I quit that job 3 years ago to do my own thang and yes, even that portal has disappeared. It literally died when the content editor left!), Dzof on behalf of his mom’s bookshop, used to contribute insightful and well-written book reviews.
And now this mathematician has his own column in The Sunday Star which has been renamed Star Weekender or something (as an aside, tell me, doesn’t the new Star remind you of one other newspaper which is given free at McDonalds?).
Of course, the next thing I did was quickly email R and tell her (OK, I gushed) how fantastic to know her son was now a columnist. R told me Dzof has a blog and of course one thing led to another and I being Miss Wanna-Know-It-All (hmmm, I am exhibiting some cat-like curiosity, no?) surfed over to investigate.
Yes, folks, you heard it from MayaKirana ya. You won’t find the link to Dzof’s blog from his column in The Star but you get it from the horse’s mouth – Dzof Azmi’s blog is at www.dzof.org (I wonder why it’s dot org…maybe I’ll go ask Dzof later.) Anyway, if you are a new fan of his writings, pop on over.

The past one week or so has been utterly terrible. The slow Internet speed did nothing to help make post-Christmas lives easier. And on top of that, too much feasting does odd things to people. Either that or end of the year often makes me very reflective and not much real work gets done (anyway, half the clients and people I know are on long leave and etc.)
While surfing is hard enough, my Vaio decided to take a break too. It went nuts four days ago – refusing to connect to the Internet, not recognising certain programmes and certainly not very useful generally. All I could do was some spring cleaning – deleting and junking all old files from my laptop. I did suffer from some Internet withdrawal symptoms but had to be brave and do what I could, instead of lament over what I could not.
But of course, Nic is a lifesaver (perhaps that’s why he is a Mensan – he solves intricate problems like these which a woman like me cannot understand head or tail of!). The good news is, my Vaio is now ‘cured’ but it also helped me speed up my spring cleaning. Most of the junk on my laptop is gone due to the re-formatting. Is it good? Is it bad? Oh well, if I can start the year anew, so can my trusty machine.
If you don’t know yet, Margaret my cat is back! Yes. She made her appearance about 6 days after disappearing rudely. Now she gets even more royal treatment. Bought her a collar with a bell which she won’t wear (she thinks it’s a yoke and cowers whenever we put it around her neck). That was our Xmas gift to her.
Anyway, I’ve a few posts which I will put up soon, now that the Internet and my blog is accessible. Just shows how much technology I depend on! Anyway, just a quick one – I have to thank Dean for this true honour. I made Dean’s List LOL. If you sneak on over to read his list, you know why I am pleased as punch being mentioned.
OK, I will be putting up more posts soon – especially one on how to cook Sarawak laksa for non-Sarawakians. (Heck, I’m not from Sarawak but I have been married to one long enough to know what these people actually like!)

I love my weekends.
I get to do lots of socialising on weekends – going out with friends (yo, Lisa! When are you coming back to Penang?), finding out new places to makan, discovering little gems in Georgetown (man, I love Penang!) and sometimes, even hanging around my own apartment is fun. I like to relax by reading at my balcony, no matter how cramped it is; surrounded by my plants (yes, I do the odd gardening now and then) – the odd chili plant, a rebellious bamboo plant, aloe vera, cacti – and my two pots of colourful guppies.
So this weekend isn’t that different.
Last night, Nic and I joined Erina and Lawrence (of Cooking Island) as well as Lillian and her family over at the Children’s Protection Society, Scotland Road to have an early Xmas celebration with the children of the home.
Many, many thanks must go to Erina for inviting Nic and I to bring some cheer to these children and share our Friday night with them – many have had difficult pasts and painful histories.
While Erina brought food for the simple dinner for the 13 children whose ages ranged from five to 17, we brought them gifts of stationery and chocolates. Which child doesn’t enjoy chocolates? Lilian and her family brought pizza and gifts of toys.
The children started off quietly taking their dinner but once they got to know us 6 adults, it was quite a riot. They loved the attention and their happy grins told us all we needed to know. The smaller children were lively and funny, each adorable in their own way while the older ones were a bit more reserved.
It’s hard to understand why these children were neglected or abandoned by their caretakers or guardians, which in many cases are their parents. Some are in the home because their parents cannot take care of their children properly. Some parents are unfit to be parents. It’s devastating to think that some of these children will grow up alone, not knowing why they were dismissed from their parents’ lives.
I sometimes think we humans are the only creatures in the world who have the brains to think logically yet sometimes do the stupidest things. We who have the ability to know right from wrong, good from bad can go so far as to abandon our children; even animals don’t do that.
Which is why I always say that it is a tough task to be a REAL parent. One who teaches, guides and nurtures a child to be a human being of the highest potential is a real parent. Just because one can pro-create does not automatically make one a parent. It is a label to be earned. Pro-creating unnecessarily makes us no better than animals but even animals know the right time and place to start another generation. We humans like to justify our lusts.
Anyway, this won’t be our last visit to the home. Nic and I hope to go more often now that we know we can make so much of a difference to these children. Even a short visit made them light up like Christmas trees.

It is true that the giver gets so much more than the receiver.
We get the gift of perpetual prosperity – riches which cannot be measured in ringgit and sen – when we give of ourselves, our time and our kindness.

I’ve become quite worried the past 2 days.
Margaret usually comes around via the back balcony near my trusty old washing machine. She’ll nimbly jump onto the machine, sit atop of it and meow so that we’ll know it’s her and open the kitchen door for her. She used to jump down immediately when we open the door but of late, she knows she has to wait for us to pick her, place her down and get her paws wiped with a wet towel first before she enters our apartment.
She despises the wiping paws bit as we do use a wet towel. But she knows she cannot evade this if she wants to come in.
In short, Margaret’s a semi-pet.
If you don’t know her story yet, you can do a backtrack and read how this feline came into our lives amidst chaos and blood.
Well, many months later, she’s become our official semi-pet. We jokingly call her our HR Manager a.k.a Catbert, after that deliciously evil cat character in Dilbert (which incidentally is every geek’s fave comic. Ask Nic. He waits for the strip every Tuesday and Thursday in InTech, The Star).
She went from a diet of sardines (fresh and uncooked which we bought off Mrs Gan, our fishmonger at Lip Sin market) to Friskies Mackerel (sometimes, it’s Tuna) and Whiskas cat biscuits. She went from mangy, dirty stray with no manners to an absolute charming tabby that had a mind of her own. Like all cats, she possessed an extremely independent streak. She loved nothing better than lolling about, sleeping and playing like a kitten.
She was wily too – 30 minutes after a breakfast of cat biscuits, she’d pleadingly ask us for seconds. Anytime she heard a noise in the kitchen, she’ll be there. Just to sit and ask for food. It was natural we found out. Neutered cats have only one thing on their minds: food because they’re basically de-sexed. The drive is no longer there.
Anyway, she’d become so much of our daily lives that she was a routine more than a pet. She’ll spend the night outdoors, hunting for the odd mouse or two and come really early in the morning to ask for food. She’d clean herself after that and settle in for a nice long snooze in our apartment till lunch when she’ll wake up for lunch, usually another round of cat biscuits.
Her afternoon siesta was a must; she’ll find a warm place to curl up. Sometime it was the balcony, behind the aloe vera plant. Other times, it was near the bathroom, on two mats we specially placed for her (royal) catness. When the weather grew too humid, she’ll just lie right on the cool tiles in the hall itself (it helped that the fan was directly above her).
When she hears me pottering about the kitchen in the late evenings, she’ll wake up, have a shivery long stretch and come poking her cat nose into things. She knows it’s time for dinner. Dinner’s much anticipated because it is often warm rice with canned tuna or mackerel. And after that, Margaret waddles her fat butt back to her most comfy area in the apartment – near the bathroom – and falls asleep.
So we’re used to her routine. She gets the royal treatment from us as Nic will brush her fur out in the mornings and give her eye massages (yes! we’re mad cat people) sometimes. Margaret’s clean too as she gets a bath each Friday morning. She doesn’t mind the baths so much although she stands at weird angles at the bathroom sink.
But Margaret has disappeared since Tuesday. We were out of the apartment the whole of Tuesday and when we arrived home, no sign of the tabby. We thought she’d gone off to another ‘family’ for a bit – she does have her share of apartments she could go to, if only to ask for food. But two days have come and gone and Margaret’s missing.
I actually got depressed over this and am increasingly worried that she might have been taken away by people who don’t like strays around our apartment area. Margaret isn’t technically a stray cat – she’s ours – in a way. So I grew mad, and then worried, and back again to mad because I don’t know where she could be.
But it’s easy to recognise her because she’s got her left ear nicked. The vet ‘cut’ a little triangle off her ear to indicate that she’s been neutered.
Anyway, this is just a little rant to get the worry off me. I do hope Margaret finds her way home. It’s strange how animals change us. A year ago, I’d scoffed if anyone told me I’ll be a cat owner. Or that I’d miss a green-eyed feline whose favourite pastime is sleeping with one paw over one eye.
Nic told me that if she’s gone, then so be it. But that’s not me. I want to know if Margaret’s really gone or if she’s been taken away, or hurt. I guess I get very attached to animals – I cried my eyes out when my tortoise and lovebird died last October.

Oh Margaret, where are you?

I totally succumbed. I told myself I wouldn’t but curiosity didn’t kill the cat for nothing.
I visited Queensbay Mall, Penang’s newest shopping mall two days in a row! (On a side note: whoever named it Queensbay didn’t realize how regular Aunties might mispronounce it – I overheard someone call it Keenbay. We’re Malaysians-lah!)
Penangites have a fondness for shopping but then again, Malaysians have a proclivity for shopping anytime, anywhere. That’s why we go nuts over Malaysia Mega Sales and our eyes widen at the mere mention of sale be it warehouse sale, jumble sale, charity sale, etc. Shopping and eating best define Malaysians.
When Queensbay was not Queensbay yet, the building was partially built before it was shamelessly abandoned due to the economic recession a few years back. It was an eyesore particularly as this huge and long building was so near the Bayan Lepas factory area – the place where you get many of the multinational companies such as Intel, Agilent, Motorola, Dell etc. The location of Queensbay was strategic; it sat on a narrow strip of land which fronted the Pantai Jerejak beach and now with the new Jelutong Expressway, it’s easier to spot and faster to reach!
Anyway, the many Penangites I know (and who are living around that Queensbay area) have opted to stay away until things are calmer. When the buzz dies down or something. I was scared too because I saw long lines of cars snaking their way to the mall on opening day on December 1st. Plus, a long line of cars parked OUTSIDE on the side of the road.
Vern told me something about some hantu but I reckon it’s probably some jealous businesses over at other malls who spread the rumour. Then again, people might just want to go and see for themselves if there’s really any hantu’s about. Maybe shopping hantu!
Short of making this a review (which I won’t coz it’s too trite yeah?), I can say that finally we poor, pathetic Penang people can get a quality bookstore. Borders is officially opening tomorrow (three yays for that). Popular Books is there too though I have a problem with its narrow aisles! They’re on separate ends of the mall so no direct competition.
Jusco is the main tenant and that’s really wonderful because Jusco’s in house brands (particularly its Chic Avenue clothes) are affordable. I’ve been a Jusco fan for the longest time now but I only get to shop at Jusco whenever I am back in the Klang Valley. Jusco the supermarket on the lower ground floor is also bright and cheerful. It was teeming with dozens of shoppers; it was as if this was the only supermarket in the whole of Penang – Jusco folks must be smiling from ear to ear.
Much of the mall is still being renovated and refurbished – the many contractors and workers move in to do work once the mall’s official business hours are over. Many outlets are still unopened but the ones which have opened in time are doing really good business, especially food outlets like Kenny Roasters, Auntie Anne Pretzels, McDonalds, Sushi King, Chicken Rice Shop, Manhattan Fish Market, Laksa Shack, Starbucks, Wong Kok Kitchen, Siam Express and lots more.
Oh yes, TGIF’s is in the mall too together with Haagen Daz, Purple Cane Tea House, The Body Shop and all those shops I used to wish were in Penang when I was in KL. The makan places are so packed during meal times (as if one has never tasted McD!) that one has to line up to wait for a table but the rest of the mall is spacious and one does not truly get claustrophobic (though one might initially get lost trying to find the mall entrance from the multistory car park). I guess it’s not called the longest mall in Penang for nothing.
The mall is just 10 minutes’ away from my place and I just hope they’ll include a cineplex soon to complete the whole mall experience. Parking is presently free but I see signs that it will be chargeable once all equipment is in place. Probably be just like Gurney Plaza.
Me…I am just satisfied that Borders is finally in Penang! (Plus they have really beautiful and tall Christmas trees in the foyer!)