Murky Clarity

When helping the needy is NOT an option

Read more »

Labels: Special Event

On Fangs, Feathers and Newt's Tail

Read more »

Labels: Road to Forever, Special Event

Book Review: On Writing, by Stephen King

Read more »

Labels: Book Review

Visiting old Ghosts: Touched by an Angel (Oct 2004)

Read more »

Labels: short story

Visiting old ghosts: Angel

Read more »

Labels: short story

On Muse and Metaphor

Read more »

MPH-Alliance winners are announced

Argh! It hurts! It burns my eyes! It breaks my heart! A little melodrama is therapeutic, I heard. Sharon Bakar posted the list of winners for the MPH-Alliance The Prize 2009. And my name's not in it. There goes my delusion, my last dangling hope like a monkey clinging to dear life while a swarm of ants gnaw at his tail. Splat. Just like that. Oh well. Life's like that. On with life. With more heads to open, with more bad news to break, with more life to be photographed, and of course, with more stories to be written. Just because I didn't get shortlisted doesn't mean my pieces were crap. I will find a way to publish them, maybe here. Then I can link the stories and you can comment on them. Want to post them here, but apparently even posting on my own blog would consider the stories published, and that will put a red light on getting them published anywhere else (never been published rule). One thing for sure though. I want to one day walk on the raised platform at Kinokuniya, my footsteps clomping on the polished wood, and stop by Malaysian Literature section, to see my name in print. The numbers of Malay English writers can be counted with one hand at the moment. But I refuse to do it for the Malays. I refuse to do it simply to see my name on the shelves. I want to do it because I love reading, and I hope to share that love, that experience, with the world. I want to do it because deep down, I know this is what I do best. Wish me luck.

Labels: Road to Forever

Interlude

Read more »

Help with Major Life Decision

Hey guys. This is gonna be a short one. The MPH-Alliance The Prize 2009 shortlist is out (unofficially). Official result will only be out on the 15th, published in Quill (MPH magazine). The 12 shortlisted entrants were contacted today, and my phone remained silent. Well, other than the ICU calling me throughout the day. I'm gonna wallow in self-pity and despair, and then get on with life. But what I would appreciate is a poll from you, my readers. I don't care if I have less than 10. You've been reading my posts. Anyway. Should I continue pursuing my dream of writing and publishing fiction, be it a novel or an anthology, or should I stop this delusion, thinking that I'm a good (fiction) writer? I would love and appreciate your input. And please, be as honest and as scathing as possible. Hit me.

Finally down with the flu

My whole family had been sick, with upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) some weeks ago, including baby Arwen. Keeno (our cat) doesn't count. She's always sniffling and sneezing since birth. I alone escaped unscathed. Maybe it's because of the Influenza vaccination Sister Yee insisted to inject me with. Maybe it's because I was on-call most of the time and didn't hang around home that much. Came Friday morning, my throat started to feel weird. Yes, I know. This is not a description a doctor should use. But if I go into specifics, I could post this in a Medical journal or something. Anyway. By afternoon my throat hurt to high heaven and I couldn't even swallow my saliva without wincing. I aimed a torchlight into my throat and as expected, the back of my throat was already blistered in patches. Pharyngitis. Crap. I had a fitful sleep Friday night. My nose was either completely blocked, or snot was streaming out like the Nile. Or both. Now that's annoying. When I came for work yesterday morning, I my eyes were puffy from lack of sleep. My voice came out wrong (more than usual) I think, due to the blocked nose. And I was developing fever. Double crap. I popped in two tablets of Paracetamol (tradename: Panadol), the KK (Kementerian Kesihatan) version. And the medication worked like a brand new car. For my fever at least. Couldn't do anthing about my mini Niagra Falls, or the clogged up plumbing. And it still hurts to take anything solid. Let's just hope it's not H1N1. I didn't come to contact with anyone suspicious. Then again, I work in a large hospital. Anything can happen. I'm on-call again tomorrow. Yippie! Hopefully everything will be quiet at night, like yesterday.