Tsunami Day (26-12-2004)

Today we say a silent prayer to the thousands who perished in the Tsunami of last year. It was estimated that about 230,000 died and 1.8 million are homeless. A year has gone by, thousands still do not have a roof over their heads and the relief that were expected is still not forthcoming.

May all those who have lost a loved one find inner peace. The trauma that one undergoes cannot be described in words, we pray that they overcome this tragic event and go on with their lives.
Life must go on.

My son Vishnu having worked for 16 months took his first long break. A well deserved holiday, guess what it is not to Penang, or Cameron Highlands, or Genting Highlands. He is flying 21 hours to New York, USA. He met a friend at the PC Fair at PWTC last year and he kept up the friendship through e-mail. The friend invited Vishnu over and that is where he is going to. As I write this he still has not reached NY. They have one stop at Stockholn before they head for NY. He will be back on the 16th of January 2006.

CHRISTMAS DAY
The last festival for 2005 is here and today as usual we visited my younger sister, Radha and her family at Taman Tun. Her 2 boys Joshua and Joel were down from Australia where they are studying, on their Christmas break and to help pack the household items. This is their last Christmas in Malaysia, as they migrate to Perth, Australia on the 14th of January 2006.
My other brother in law from Perth, Mohan is down in Malaysia attending to personal matters. He and his parents and elder sister and her son were there at my sister's place, prior to our arrival. My mother, elder sisiter and her elder son were there a day earlier. By the was Vignesh, my eldest sister's son, took part in the recent Astro's Atam Nuru Vagai (Dance a hundred ways) competation and their team managed to get a 4th placing. Congratulations Vignesh.

Later that evening we were at my nephew Chandran's place to welcome him and his family back from Kota Kinabalu, where they were stationed for a number of years. Chandran got transferred back to Subang and he decided to rent a place in SS14 near to our place and that of his parents. School and kindergarden being close by was a major factor for him renting here. The usual Kalayani family members were there to wish him and his family"welcome back" and all the best for the new year.

Welcome to Subang Jaya - Chandran, Nanda and their 3 girls (Nameetha, Nitisha & Nilasha)

LOVE

My daughter's friend, Diymitra sent us (wife & self) this sms which reads:

"To love is a Duty,
To be loved is a Success,
To be with someone you love is an Achievement,
To be with someone who loves you is Life.
So live a life full of Love,”

I remember a movie where Indian Movie Super Star, Rajinikant used similar words, when he said that it is better you marry the girl that loves you than the girl that you love.

If we sit and ponder these wise words, there will be fewer fights between lovers, husband and wives and lesser divorces.

So let us all “LIVE A LIFE OF LOVE”

I should thank Diymitra and Rajinikant for reminding us these phrases, and let us all not merely read it but we should all practise it.

Ps. Diymitra is currently in one of the Local University doing Medicine.

WIFE TAKES A BREAK
Back home after sending wife and 2 daughters to Pudu Raya to catch the bus at 11.59pm (Friday 9 Dec) for Sungei Petani, Kedah. We left Subang Jaya after a quick dinner at Sukumaran Restaurant and left around 11.20pm. Thinking that the journey will take approx.20 minutes, we still will have plenty of time before the bus departs.
Took the Federal Highway and approaching PJ Hilton, traffic was at a crawl, inching forward very slowly we reached another 100 meters to see 2 accidents one on our side and the other on the opposite side. There were the usual "Malaysian' attitude of people slowing down to have a peep and others obviously to note down the car numbers. People were also parked on both sides of the road and they were there not to help but to be busy bodies.
Having crossed the 100meters sped as the time showed that it was already 11.40pm. I knew that if I did not speed I could not make it to Pudu Raya.
So I switched from normal driving to A1 (not Formula 1) driving, took the roundabout at the start of Loke Yew and into Loke Yew towards Shaw Road. Passing the Pudu Jail and making a left into Pudu Road the traffic was again heavy with buses and taxies coming in and out with passenger cars dropping of people all over. Inching forward managed to come along Pudu Raya informed my wife and children to quickly take the bags and make a dash towards the bus platform. As I could not park and not wanting to deprive others of a place to drop off, I moved forward towards the Pudu roundabout heading towards Brickfields. On the way made an illegal call (without hand free kit) to my daughter to find out if they caught the bus. What a relief to hear that they were on the bus. Their other Aunties, Uncle and cousins were already in the bus wondering what happened.
They are all attending the wedding of Baskaran's daughter Shalini on Sunday at Sungei Petani. (Baskaran is the brother of my wife sister’s husband.)
Wife and children will stay over a few days with my wife sister's place at Bedong. Children wanting to look up old classmates and wife to spend quality time with her elder sister.
They should be back on Friday.
So yours truly is a bachelor for the next few days and also keeping house for my son who is working.