Top 100 Hit Songs in The Year I Was Born

I always have a penchant for music and anything associated with it. During my teens, while some people are bathroom singer, I was the kitchen singer :) Orang tua-tua says that if you sing in the kitchen, you will get an old husband. That is yet to be proven true.

Amongst my siblings, I am the one that musically-inlcined. My mom says that she listened to radio quite often while i was in her tummy and perhaps because of that I must have music in my ear to think straight.. hehehhehhe... While im thinking, i need music to stimulate the process.

Here's the songs that I must have been singing while i was in my mom's tummy and as i uttered my first word and took my first step...

1. The Way We Were, Barbra Streisand
2. Seasons In The Sun, Terry Jacks
3. Love's Theme, Love Unlimited Orchestra
4. Come And Get Your Love, Redbone
5. Dancing Machine, Jackson 5
6. The Loco-Motion, Grand Funk Railroad
7. TSOP, MFSB
8. The Streak, Ray Stevens
9. Bennie And The Jets, Elton John
10. One Hell Of A Woman, Mac Davis
11. Until You Come Back To Me, Aretha Franklin
12. Jungle Boogie, Kool and The Gang
13. Midnight At The Oasis, Maria Muldaur
14. You Make Me Feel Brand New, Stylistics
15. Show And Tell, Al Wilson
16. Spiders And Snakes, Jim Stafford
17. Rock On, David Essex
18. Sunshine On My Shoulder, John Denver
19. Sideshow, Blue Magic
20. Hooked On A Feeling, Blue Swede
21. Billy Don't Be A Hero, Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods
22. Band On The Run, Paul McCartney and Wings
23. The Most Beautiful Girl, Charlie Rich
24. Time In A Bottle, Jim Croce
25. Annie's Song, John Denver
26. Let Me Be There, Olivia Newton-John
27. Sundown, Gordon Lightfoot
28. (You're) Having My Baby, Paul Anka
29. Rock Me Gently, Andy Kim
30. Boogie Down, Eddie Kendricks
31. You're Sixteen, Ringo Starr
32. If You Love Me (Let Me Know), Olivia Newton-John
33. Dark Lady, Cher
34. Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me, Gladys Knight and The Pips
35. Feel Like Makin' Love, Roberta Flack
36. Just Dont Want To Be Lonely, Main Ingredient
37. Nothing From Nothing, Billy Preston
38. Rock Your Baby, George McCrae
39. Top Of The World, Carpenters
40. The Joker, Steve Miller Band
41. I've Got To Use My Imagination, Gladys Knight and The Pips
42. The Show Must Go On, Three Dog Night
43. Rock The Boat, Hues Corporation
44. Smokin' In The Boys Room, Brownsville Station
45. Living For The City, Stevie Wonder
46. The Night Chicago Died, Paper Lace
47. Then Came You, Dionne Warwick and The Spinners
48. The Entertainer, Marvin Hamlisch
49. Waterloo, Abba
50. The Air That I Breathe, Hollies
51. Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Steely Dan
52. Mockingbird, Carly Simon
53. Help Me, Joni Mitchell
54. You Won't See Me, Anne Murray
55. Never, Never Gonna Give You Up, Barry White
56. Tell Me Something Good, Rufus
57. You And Me Against The World, Helen Reddy
58. Rock And Roll Heaven, Righteous Brothers
59. Hollywood Swinging, Kool and The Gang
60. Be Thankful For What You Got, William Devaughn
61. Hang On In There Baby, Johnny Bristol
62. Eres Tu (Touch The Wind), Mocedades
63. Taking Care Of Business, Bachman-Turner Overdrive
64. Radar Love, Golden Earring
65. Please Come To Boston, Dave Loggins
66. Keep On Smilin', Wet Willie
67. Lookin' For Love, Bobby Womack
68. Put Your Hands Together, O'Jays
69. On And On, Gladys Knight and The Pips
70. Oh Very Young, Cat Stevens
71. Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress), Helen Reddy
72. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John
73. I've Been Searchin' So Long, Chicago
74. Oh My My, Ringo Starr
75. For The Love Of Money, O'Jays
76. I Shot The Sherrif, Eric Clapton
77. Jet, Paul McCartney and Wings
78. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me, Elton John
79. Tubular Bells, Mike Oldfield
80. Love Song, Anne Murray
81. I'm Leaving It All Up To You, Donny and Marie Osmond
82. Hello, It's Me, Todd Rundgren
83. I Love, Tom T. Hall
84. Clap For The Wolfman, The Guess Who
85. I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song, Jim Croce
85. The Lord's Prayer, Sister Janet Mead
87. Trying To Hold On To My Woman, Lamont Dozier
88. Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing, Stevie Wonder
89. A Very Special Love Song, Charlie Rich
90. My Girl Bill, Jim Stafford
91. My Mistake Was To Love You, Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye
91. Helen Wheels, Paul McCartney and Wings
93. Wildwood Weed, Jim Stafford
94. Beach Baby, First Class
95. Me And Baby Brother, War
96. Rockin' Roll Baby, Stylistics
97. I Honestly Love You, Olivia Newton-John
98. Call On Me, Chicago
99. Wild Thing, Fancy
100. Mighty Love, Pt. 1, Spinners

Crying...

I make a point to watch "Bersamamu" on TV3 - to cry at least, once a week.

Crying soothes my soul, softens my heart, clear my mind and push me to do things I should be doing, no matter how hard they are. And at the end of the day, it is alright to cry - alone or in public.

People say and think I am one tough cookie - hati batu, keras kepala, degil - and as a result of that impression (perhaps some truth to certain extent), people either avoid me or adore me. How extreme. But, while I was in Form 5, I cried a lot - in public.

A group of people from several classes was placed in 5 Sc 5 - kelas budak2 pandai so they said. Emotions ran high, especially with us girls because we had our own clique in our comfort zone and being torn away, even during school time (it's a boarding school, so imagine spending 3/4 of your day in your classroom with strangers), drove us crazy. We put on our sour faces to every teacher that came into the class - an act of silent protest. They tried to talk to us, we cried and appealed to them to help us break up this newly created class. We didnt want being labelled 'budak2 pandai'. Months gone by and nothing happened. We thought we should have a talk with the Headmaster and put an end to this bizzare arrangement instantly. One fine day, he came in and asked us what was the problem? I stood up and I said...hmmm...i guess something...in between sobs. The tears we shed on that day didnt soften his heart and we continued to be in that class. Alhamdullillah, everything went well. We grew closer. With too many prefects and librarians in it, this class stood out in many ways. Because of that sobbing incident, my classmate wrote in my auto(biography) book how he realised I was actually a cry baby (as I always looked strong to him) while another said he admired my courage to speak up for the rest of the class.

Being a Head Girl was a big test for me. Because of this, I cried again - in public while talking to the whole of As(rama)pu(te)ri after saturday morning dorm inspection. I forgot what I said but I bet it touched many hearts and made them cry too. The girls who used to look at me as their biggest enemy or rival, became my friends and the juniors looked up for me for care and strength. Since that day, life was a bit easy as everybody knows we shouldnt be making someone's life more difficult as life is already a difficult journey.

When i was working with my first bank, i was so lucky to have SP as my Deputy Branch Manager. Having trained as a biochemist, I came up top of the class of the bank's trainee that year and I got to choose where I want to be. I chose L Branch - a top corporate branch. I started from serving the customers (customer service) - opening accounts, taking down complaints, upload the ATM to doing the Branch's daily balancing (gosh, those small figures in piles of white paper, fingers pinching the hard calculator), handling cash (withdrawal, savings, safekeeping the cash), to doing remittance and money market transactions and lastly, being in the credit department - I came full circle - I could open my own branch I can say that. He's very friendly, extremely knowledgable, thinking outside the box-attitude - for me, he's my first mentor. Something happened (plotted out of greedy and jealousy) and he was asked to resigned so abruptly. He was called to the head Office in the mid-afternoon and by 3.40pm (after the bank closed), we were called for a meeting and it was announced that he's leaving. I can say all of us there cried except for the announcer. He's everything to us. I was angry for such injustice and I asked the announcer why cant we just wait for the outcome before this action being taken while heavily sobbed. Since that moment, he knew I'm on his side - no matter what. He cried too. Alhamdullilah, he is doing well now after suffering many years of injustice. I hope one day justice will prevail.

Crying makes it easy for me to understand people, to connect to people (even telepathically) because I think you are capable of listening to your heart. I cry sometimes thinking of my parents having breakfast without me, I cry when i saw kids as I missed my nephews, I cry when i read my sister and brothers' sms, I cry listening to oldies song for someone i love is probably listening to them too, I cry to all stray animals, to all sufferings, to all trees being fell down in the name of development (or more precisely, money-making), I cry when Barisan Rakyat won, I cry reading Malaysia Today, I cry to so many ordinary things. I know crying makes me sane and how true these quotes are about crying: -

"He does not weep who does not see" - Victor Hugo

"It opens the lungs, washes the countenance, exercises the eyes, and softens down the temper; so cry away" - Charles Dickens

"The tears of the world are a constant quality. For each one who begins to weep, somewhere else another stops. The same is true of the laugh" - Samuel Beckett

"There are people who laugh to show their fine teeth; and there are those who cry to show their good hearts" - Joseph Roux

Are all good men taken?

We bumped into a couple, both we know well. What was weird about this couple is who they are maritally - the man is a married man and the lady is a single woman. But they are couple, as in they are in love with each other. I can see that and others too.

As it was none of our business except for feeling pityful to both of them (as the man will not leave his beautiful, rich wife and gorgeous baby and so they will remain in an extramarital affairs), I wondered why some women fall for married men? Are all good men taken and we, the single women flock for them, no matter what?

My friend agreed to that but i beg to differ. Married men have mastered the art of picking up women and that is why some women will fall for them, if they allowed themselves to. In a way, yes, they are good at pick-up lines...hehhehehhe... They know how to make these women feel wanted... hey, remember... they have wives, of course they know...

Some married men forget to close their singlehood chapter (Always on standby-mode). Some claim their wives do not understand them (how on earth they got married in the first place bewildered me). Some desire some reactivation in their love zone with a stranger so that they can feel that they are desirable (so that is what their wives should feel towards them). Some needs someone to talk to (they thought appearing deep in thoughts and in silent reflects their machoism)...

Needless to say, these women will be left alone in the end. Married men, at last, feel the sense of belonging with their offsprings and they will never leave them behind. So, wake up sista! Married men are taken. Open up your senses to single, available men out there but never ever settle for someone less for the sake of getting hitched as your biological clock is catching up with your body. Not all good men are taken.

For all married men, who have not closed their singlehood, preying chapter, please make this world a better place for everyone especially your family.

Still, I know it is difficult. While some affairs are purely hormonal, some are star-crossed love, that are not meant to realise into a matrimony. How could you extinguish true love? How could you mend the broken heart? How could you stop crying yourself to sleep? How could you face a day with your true love? How I wish I could get that guy from "Heroes" to black out my past memory on that special someone. Life would be so much easier...

Say NO to married men. So No to unnecessary misery. No...in the name of love...

Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookie

1. Sieve 1.5 cup flour, 1 tsp baking soda and 1tsp salt

2. Beat 1 cup butter-flavour shortening, 0.5 cup sugar, 1 cup light brown sugar and 1 tsp vanilla essence

3. Beat 2 eggs till fluffy

4. Mix 3. to 2.

5. Mix 1., 2 cups of traditional oats and 12 ounce of semi-sweet choc chips to 4.

6. Bake at 350 degree celcius for 10-12 minutes.

Memoirs of A Geisha - The Book ("MOAG")

Call me cheapskate. Yes, I am as i buy second hand books and Readers' Digest at a stall in Giant's Shah Alam. The new ones are over-priced to my standard. Hmm, it reflects my life...i am scared to death about investing my precious time with people i know wont made much impact to me in a positive way. Boy, i take my first impression on people seriously and normally, it stands true.

So, i grabbed MOAG within minutes as I dont like keeping my parents waiting for me before we go back hom after a grocery shopping spree at Giant. Perhaps, i saw the movie's trailer on HBO one day, during the CNY that intrigued me to pick this book.

I read this book diligently, well the book is soooo good and enlightning now that I am attached with a Japanese Megabank and how good strategies allow you to achieve your goals...

And one startling discovery - I am like Sayuri in that book. No, my eyes arent blue grey. Somehow, i feel like i was a geisha in my past life. How i feel about being women (being ladylike doesnt mean i am weak), how i tend to fall for married men, how i feel about not getting married if i couldnt marry the one i love, how i am prepared to live outside the normal family unit. For more, i guess you need to read the book yourself and if you want to borrow mine (which is yellowishly antic), of course you can but please return it :)

Waking up to the New Dawn

I believe in signs...

My parents and I drove to Wangsa Maju and Pandan Indah from Puncak Alam to vote at our constituencies. At first, I thought my parents will be reluctant to travel but they were in such high spirit, I was so proud of them.

First, to my parents' votine centre in Wangsa maju. This is UMNO's stronghold area and growing up in this area in my formative years, I know so well money reigns this place. Any attendance to UMNO gatherings or talks will be paid handsomely back in 80's. As we past by BN's post, full of flags, banners etc., an pole with BN's flag dropped next to us. The young man there said loudly that it is a good sign that BN will win. I gave a smirk. For me, it will be the opposite. My mom, at the age of 59, climbed 2 flights of stairs to vote while my dad was lucky enough to exercise his right on the ground floor. Since, they segregated people according to the year they were born, I was pissed off about their stupid ignorance on this. Suprising enough, within 15 minutes, both my parents were done and I just read 2 pages of "Memoirs of a geisha". In previous GE, this process took hours. Alhamdullilah, I cannot stand to see my parents queueing at their ripe age today.

Next, we went to Pandan Indah - my constituency. The battle was between PAS and UMNO. And I voted for PAS. It went on smoothly and I was done in 10 minutes. One funny thought strucked my mind - do i cross or tick the ballot paper? I had that thought when i was at the ballot area. Silly me, of course la crossingthe ballot paper...ayoyo... i almost did an undi rosak (spoilt vote)...I gave away a chuckle as I knew my uncle and auntie in Penang will give undi rosak for they say they do not know the DAP guy who is standing against the incumbent MCA guy. Alamak, Chu, Pak Busu...just vote for BR... jangan buat undi rosak i pleaded to them. In the name of Allah and some prayers, I dropped my ballot papers into their respective boxes. Apparently, we had 2 seats - 1 for state and another one a parliamentary.

We drove back to Wangsa Maju for lunch at Alpha Angle. We had meals at Laksa Shack - overpriced so so food (to our standard as we are descendants of Great Cooks ;).

By 4.30pm, we were home. I was in high spirit for unknown reasons. I changed the bedsheets in every room we have in the 1st floor (my sis and her family just left this morning after 4-day stay and i am the only staying up there), mopped the floor, vacuumed, cleaned the bathrooms, scented the rooms so well they smell like 5-star hotel rooms, before getting my hands dirty (and my back aching) gardening. I moved the ever-blooming jasmine tree near to my parents window so they could smell the lingering scent whenever they open the side door and the windows to their room. My mom warned me that it is not good for women to carry heavy things for their wombs will fall. I never heed it but I know it has some truth.

All these activities made me think that I am welcoming someone to my home sweet home. I felt good though I was dead tired and my hands were so dry. I made a point to sleep early tonite. GE12 results had come out so slow. I slept after my dad told me Nurul Izzah won against Shahrizat and Samy Vellu lost to Dr Jeyakumar. I sensed that I will wake up to a new dawn.

9 Mar 2008 was a sunny day. It was beautiful. BN didnt get 2/3 parliamentary majority and lost 4 new states to BR. Kelantan remains under PAS. Alhamdullilah, prayers from people who are being betrayed have been answered by Allah.

I was overjoyed. I logged on to Malaysia-Today and shed tears reading the news of this people's victory ( I dont buy mainstream media as they undermined our intelligence). Alhamdullillah.

A year wiser...Happy Birthday to Me...

On 27 Feb 2008, I turned 34.

It was quite a day. I am yet to fully recover from horrible gastric attack the previous weekend. Eating was the last thing on my mind as I vomitted all out later - for once, eating was a scary thing to do though i became weaker for lack of nutrition. Still (suprisingly), I managed to go to work, finished my works while cringing in pain at my desk. Even to sleep was a painful experience. I cried myself to sleep for almost a week.

Wishes i received from my family had given me strength to celebrate. So, i got myself anti-vomitting tablet during the lunch and by 6.30pm, i felt so carnivorous - i want to have some meat for dinner. I got myself BurgerKing's double whopper (gosh it was so huge) and a HelloKitty Buttered-Icing Mini Cake. The excitement and the pain all at the same time made me sleepy so fast that night. I ate half the burger and did not touch the cake. I slept soundly like a log. Heaven...

What an experience to usher in another new year of my existence in this world. I tried to think that now I am 34, I am wiser (and stubborn still), stronger (I wont let people put fear in me unneccessarily), compassionate (making people i loved feel connected to me and happy is my new way of life) and be more action-oriented (even though the tasks are not to my likings).

Yes, I am still single. And I know why some people remain unmarried for the rest of their life. And why some people remain childless, by choice, for the rest of their married life. By mid-30s, I have strong views on certain things. I am glad my parents respected my unconventional views about life.

I wish for many things in life and would they come to life? It depends on me and me alone.

"Love is everywhere and in you if you see the beauty in everything, in everyone and in you"