tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30710468510794689542009-11-08T18:30:59.251+08:00patlowpatricialpw@gmail.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-498148681970616952009-11-08T18:17:00.003+08:002009-11-08T18:30:59.259+08:00

A bag of fruits, a container of cake. Some Balinese coffee and some batteries. I left my Chinon in the school's guestroom, hoping perhaps, that it'll be used on our road trip home on Sunday.My lack of a second language and my constant embarassment about it could have led to starvation, if not for reconstituted food products. I could walk out to the shops and stumble through basic communication

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-50809524427617133562009-11-05T19:27:00.002+08:002009-11-05T20:08:51.256+08:00

I'm writing this in my own room - sparsely fitted, but comfortable. It is quiet now, the kids are probably at the canteen having dinner, but otherwise it is usually a ruckus, with kids running down and up, feet trampling and voices yelling. Every morning at 6.30am I am awoken by a playlist of Chinese pop music blaring from speakers. Yesterday included a Mandarin rendition of Pussycat Dolls' When

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-61802626089304065672009-10-29T10:57:00.014+08:002009-10-31T22:41:15.592+08:00

(click pic for big)I haven't started packing yet. In fact, my clean laundry's still outside sunning itself. But I know what is definitely going into my suitcase.A quick break for coffee and to post this, before I resume (and ideally, finish) this tedious exam paper-marking. Listening to A Fine Frenzy is helping a little.Another period of uncertainty and working out faith. Fourteen days of being

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-66678269206955661772009-10-28T10:31:00.006+08:002009-11-04T20:24:29.223+08:00

It's Wednesday. It's Soto Ayam Day.The office is charmingly stuffy, with whispers of after-exam gossip and shoptalk. The hallways are noxiously full of gleeful students, chatting about who's the class bitch, about Beyonce/All American Rejects, who's the bigger idiot in the group, etc. in squeaky, hyperbolic tones. Sometimes, kids, can please try a little subtlety ah.This is not healthy. All these

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-22321956740160997552009-10-24T16:52:00.005+08:002009-11-04T20:23:50.479+08:00

Two weeks of semi isolation, with only books, writing and maybe an odd DVD or two for companionship. I might or might not have Internet. There is however, a big mall a hop and skip away, should I need to remind myself of home.Perhaps this time away will help me sort some things that have been floating around in my head. A retreat from the constant doing and moving.I'm slightly anxious, but also

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-51613124958248236162009-10-21T10:43:00.003+08:002009-10-21T11:31:06.136+08:00

While we piled our bags onto the boat, there were mixed feelings of 1) a desire to return to the hotel for a proper shower, and 2) a reluctance to leave, like you've left something halfway done, unfinished.The trip was too brief. Before we could settle in it was time to say goodbye. 3 hours of engines droning and we'll be on the road again. Back to the dusty town of Bogale, and closer to leaving

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-44733107248610880102009-10-18T17:13:00.005+08:002009-10-18T17:57:32.225+08:00

The day started out with a realisation that I did not have enough money to buy the storage units I had eyed while at IKEA last week (after a life-saving dinner of swedish meatballs with some very cool people *cough ahem*). So while looking for my coffee press in the store room, I found these odd-sized water bottle boxes, empty and flattened (my family drinks copious amounts of this brand of

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-56433459851833359722009-10-15T09:23:00.003+08:002009-10-15T10:04:23.487+08:00

It's almost the end of the week, and while I do not necessarily agree with people who constantly need to exclaim their 'Thank God It's Friday!' joy, I do spare moments of thanksgiving for the end of the week. I'm more subtle (ZOMG! TGIF!! It's like, FRIDAYZ, peeps! Time to PAAARTAAY!)O Friday, Relief-Bringer, I sing a hymn for you. And Thursday, you're usually not so bad yourself.I usually do not

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-55028041449716758032009-10-10T21:11:00.002+08:002009-10-10T21:16:33.949+08:00

(Flip flip)

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-24949459399021883732009-10-08T10:19:00.004+08:002009-10-10T03:04:57.291+08:00

I've been staring at my laptop screen for the past 20 minutes, with nothing whirring in my mind like it should. Instead, I have a piece of scrap paper by my side with 'RM13-15', 'Lights' and 'Arts practitioner' scribbled in cursive.It's a nice Thursday, with ample time on my hands, so I'm trying to write an essay that will hopefully convince some strangers that I'm worth the investment they're

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-89319763107630210522009-10-04T22:05:00.000+08:002009-10-04T22:06:18.659+08:00

My brother can be funny sometimes, like on this wall post:Patricia Low lots of changes and bad news bears. holding up though, thanks :)Alvin Low what bad news??Patricia Low bears. loads of bears. bears carrying bad news in their paws.Alvin Low alvin the hunter coming to the rescue....Patricia Low shoot 'em all down!Alvin Low I got them all!! I got them all!!! *panting*All but one....The bear

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-24725501297402569302009-10-01T12:34:00.002+08:002009-10-01T13:27:39.652+08:00

This is my take on Rachel's feet and the Malaysian version of the longyi. I have no pictures to show as my point-and-shoot failed on me the day we arrived in Yangon, and I left my film camera behind (long story).So all the images I have of Myanmar is in my head, and I intend to keep it as clear as it was when we first took the sights in. And everyday, in the quiet of my office or while walking

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-32132053079762497172009-09-30T22:44:00.006+08:002009-10-02T15:52:07.677+08:00

He can be found not only in pillars of clouds, blazing bushes of fire and rolls of thunder clouds, but also in the wisps of wind, in the stillness of nothing, in a magazine in a doctor's waiting room. While He contains limitless greatness and might, the God I know is also the God of little things.It would be easier to instantly believe in the existence of God if He came down in a chariot of fire

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-58563604985643128542009-09-25T17:06:00.003+08:002009-09-25T18:05:13.047+08:00

I didn't really want to write about Myanmar so quickly, for the fear that recalling the last 5 days would bear down so much that I would cry for the --th time since arriving home. Coming home has left me unsettled, and the things around me bear no resemblance to what they used to. Things I once thought important have become even less significant now.The first picture is of the place we slept in

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-1255105952024224632009-09-18T02:21:00.001+08:002009-09-18T02:22:59.322+08:00

The next six days will be spent in Burma.Selamat Hari Eid.

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-89928542436531319272009-09-13T23:45:00.005+08:002009-09-14T00:21:22.520+08:00

The Hokkien term for Chinese folks who cannot speak the language is translated as 'deaf'.While I have (slowly and reluctantly) allowed myself to be regarded as a fruit in the past few years, learning of this term made me quite angry and sad. I replied that that wasn't a very nice thing to say, and then stopped, because I could find no more words to adequately express how I felt.When people hear

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-11676811923626643212009-09-07T17:01:00.005+08:002009-09-07T17:46:38.811+08:00

Possibly one of the better weekends in a while - our return trip to Penang for the art installation (in reality a giant map).Made a quick check through my blog entries for the past five months and found none that was happy or even close to some form of happiness. If not happiness, at least anything that's not sadness or anger or its immediate family members.None. None at all. But is it enough to

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-71741465603132630242009-08-24T21:13:00.008+08:002009-08-24T23:32:18.727+08:00

Every morning we would walk out to the jetty cafe and have a bowl of Hokkien mee and a cup of coffee. It rained more than it should.We spent the night at the jetty's representative's house that overlooked a small pier. We didn't speak the same language and I fumbled about mostly, and had a lot of explaining to do. The kids looked at me as if I were all wrong. But I did learn to say kam siah -

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-75236289182805209802009-08-21T17:31:00.003+08:002009-08-21T18:41:10.415+08:00

I haven't begun packing. I think I should, once this post is done. In the nook of my mind I believe myself to be a speedy packer, with the know-how on how to throw all that I'll ever need into one bag in 30 seconds. However, this has never been proven true. Once I've had to apologise to an entire coach for being tardy.This week made this weekend trip even more lookforwardthy. Needless to say, it

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-90965630166492058402009-08-18T03:13:00.003+08:002009-08-18T03:58:51.646+08:00

When things move at great speeds, it leaves no time for matter and weight to sink in. So everything becomes trite, unremarkable, empty.Many great things of considerable importance took place in the past few weeks, but the rush and pull of things and the tiredness stole any value it could have. I attended my convocation ceremony, something I thought would be a nice break from work, but ended up

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-6330170221995997672009-08-12T00:36:00.003+08:002009-08-12T01:24:04.178+08:00

Brilliant service at the Immigration Dept at old Subang airport and this conversation:Officer: (hands over brand new passport) Adik nak pergi mane?Me: Myanmar.Officer: Eh, kenapa pulak? Takde orang gi sana lah.Me: Oh, cuti! (plaster on big grin)Officer: Cuti?Me: Ye, nak adventurous sikit! (raise pumped fist in air for emphasis)Officer: Ohh, you keje kat UN ye?Me: Eh, tak lah.Dress rehearsals,

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-65589809064469095282009-08-07T23:26:00.002+08:002009-08-07T23:29:02.947+08:00

A gift from Bali from Daphne! The sentence structure is fantastically Yoda-like.

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-91464717883256522322009-08-06T21:48:00.003+08:002009-08-06T21:58:31.333+08:00

I have dreams written in the boxes of my planner. Epic tales of possibility, potential, whittled down to brevity, written down in pencil.Tonight I sit in my room (still unmoved; clutter from two weeks ago and ugly curtains from the year before), I create lists with precision. Lists of things to do, lists of overwhelmingly potential possibilities.That's what I have, and lots of it: potential.So I

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-26573366529316754362009-08-03T19:52:00.003+08:002009-08-03T20:40:44.757+08:00

One project closes. Now, to the next one.Managed to cross off all that I lined up for today's to-do list, which is quite a remarkable feat. But if I keep up at this speed, August, I will fall, flail and crack before you're done. And it's (still) only Day #3.

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3071046851079468954.post-7192761383618896132009-08-01T17:12:00.003+08:002009-08-01T18:09:15.463+08:00

The whole day yesterday was spent thinking of the what-could-haves. I was driving to classes in Klang in the afternoon rain when I had to do an emergency brake, which resulted in a skid and sharp swerve to the right lane.Thankfully, the lane was empty. The closest thing to a casualty was my laptop bag being hurled and thrown by the sudden impact.Today's a rare day. I'm home, doing my work in my

patlowpatricialpw@gmail.com2