Thursday, December 28, 2006

Signs that you are a 70s' or 80s' baby

Received this mail at work from a colleague. It really is true on most account. How many of them rings true to you?

Signs that you are a 70s' or 80s' baby:

You grew up watching G-Force, He-man, Transformers, Thundercats, Silver Hawk, Woody Woodpecker, Chipmunks and Mickey Mouse. Not to forget Ninja Turtles, Mask, Smurfs and Voltron too.

Girls watched Japanese cartoon like My Little Pony, "Xiao Tian Tian", "Hua Xian Zi" etc.

You squatted by a drain with all your classmates beside you, and brushed your teeth with a colourful mug.

Remember the days when the school nurse, comes with a list for the dentist appointment, the sound of the drilling when your friend has a fill in his tooth.

You remember the packets of milk we get in primary school to encourage us to drink more milk. (It cost only 30 cent per pack)

In secondary school, girls go to the library to borrow their favourite romance storybook.

In secondary school, girls altered their school skirt to shorten it and guys will go to the school appointed school uniform tailor shop to tailor make their school trousers to the then fashionable "baggy pants"!

During primary school days, the teacher will punish you using a ruler to hit your palm.

A bowl of noodles soup cost only 30cent in primary school days.

When you were in primary school, girls like to go to the bookshop to buy cute stuff such as animal erasers, various shape sharpeners, colourful notebook etc.

Hankyu Jaya, Yaohan departmental stores used to be a favourite hangout for families during weekends.

In secondary school days, you buy the Bata BM Turbo or Pallas Jazz school shoes. Some guys like to wear those china made ankle high shoes. Some even like to wear those very thick socks with their school shoes.

Internet? E-mail? What the hell is that?

So you thought a decade or more ago, your friends don't have pagers or handphones in school.

CDs? What's that? Cassette tapes were the norm.
Movie tickets used to cost less than $5 last time.

The goodies from Mama shop used to be Chickerdis, Mamee , Kum Kum, UFO, O-Ya, Ding Dang chocolate balls with toys in the box, colourful hard "egg", "cigerette" bubble gum, KIKI Bubble Gum, pink bottle of bubbles with a small tubes with yellow sticks to blow "more lasting" bubbles that you can pop more air in or slam it on.

You never forget 'Ti Kam'.
When exams are over, the board games ( e.g Monopoly, Donkey, Transportation Comparison Card) & held video games will be all over the class room.

Your favourite sound is the bell.For it's the homemade ice cream man. The cream that tops Haagan Dazs!

And the other peddler you love is the old lady who sells juicy Muah Chee and thick golden syrup rolled in a balloon the tip of a chopstick.Another bell is the recess bell, a time to get away from school work and to eat.

Another time when there is no bell but all guys will anxiously wait for it...The PJ (Pendidikan Jasmani), PE time (time for football).Your favourite childhood games were playing "guli"(marbles), five stones, five bottle cover, zero-point, catching, "Pepsi-Cola one two three" and/or "Police & Sentry"!

The best thirst quencher of all times is the yummy colourful ice tubes you can buy from provision shops for only 10cent. To eat them, break the tab and suck while holding the freezing tube!

All gals have a girl doll/strawberry shortcake/my little pony/pound puppy, while all boys have a soldiers figurine (combat) or a rubber band catapult that shoots folded paper!

Once was the era whereby ice-cream sticks were valuable items, then came the paper aircrafts, chalk fights.

Some boys made their own guns from wood, and used 'Bacali' as the bullets.

Some even used matches to shoot and burn kids' lanterns during MoonCake Festival.

And your favourite holiday was Lunar New Year! New clothes, Ang Pows, shopping, junk food and family outings!

Let's see, the majority of students in universities today were born in 1987/ 88.... They are called "youth".

For them, they have never heard of the song "We are the World, we are the Children..." And the "Uptown Girl" they know is by 'West Life' but not "Billy Joel'.

For them, there have always been only one Germany and only one Vietnam.
AIDS exists since they were born.

CD exists since they were born.

Michael Jackson is already whitened.

John Travolta is always round in shape and they can't imagine how this fat guy could be a god of dance.

They believe that Spiderman and Incredible Hulk are just new films.

They can never imagine a black and white screen for a computer.

They never know what is Atari or 'Game & Watch'.

They can't believe a black and white television ever existed and they don't even know how to switch on a TV without a remote control.

And they never understand how we can go out without a mobile phone when we were in university...

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

The Red Kebaya

2 weeks ago a kind colleague asked if I wanted to watch The Red Kebaya as he have 2 extra tickets. Or course I jumped at the opportunity! At first I thought it was just a normal movie ticket, mana tau it turns out to be a red carpet event!

Unfortunately the person I wanted to go with is still in mourning for the passing away of a relative, but I never thought I have another really semangat and happening friend, willing to travel all the way from Kulim to come for this premiere.

The Red Kebaya actually features quite a number of famous personalities such as Patrick Teoh, Elaine Daly, Paula Malai Ali and Jo Kukathas. The intention to have a good look at all the celebities before the movie start was nearly foiled by the bad jam, but luckily arrived on time to still catch a glimpse of them, but no photo opportunities though... :( GSC Gurney was suddenly turned into a land from the bygones, with most of the ladies all decked out in their finest kebaya. A good evening for people watching. Luckily for Clara, she still follows the theme somewhat, wearing a red jacket to go with her top.


Vanidah Imran looking prettier in person!

Clara with her red "kebaya"


The movie itself was somewhat over theatrical. With some of the dialogues feeling overly scripted and unnatural. But still, its a nice change from the usual slapstick and shoddily done romance comedy that most local producers air on the cinemas. The ending of the story was a bit of an anti climax though. Not gonna reveal more. hahah...