The Universal Language

If I ask you, what is the universal language, what would your answer be?  I am sure most of us would say English is the universal language,  if that is your answer I say you are wrong.

The universal language is of course body language.  We use body language since we were babies.  Once babies are born they already make demand through their bodies, kicking and moving their tiny limbs making cute gestures on their tiny faces. Babies can’t talk,  but their movement speak volume, they express their every needs through the only language they know, body language. They cried out loud when their diapers are wet but not only that, they also swing their tiny arms, clutch their tiny fists and kick their tiny legs, their ways to say, come change my diaper it is wet, or quickly feed me, I am hungry.  When they are happy, their grimaced faces turn into bubbly cute ones, gooing and booing in pleasure.  Can one blame them? Of course not, because it is only through body language and baby noises that they can communicate with us, the adults.

In everyday lives, we use body language all the times whether we are conscious of it or not.  There are times when you won’t want to express your thoughts verbally but your facial  gestures or your body movement give you away as your inner thoughts are shown on the your face and body.

Physical expressions like waving,  pointing, touching and slouching are all forms of nonverbal communication.   One of the most basic and powerful body-language signals is when a person crosses his or her arms across the chest. This can indicates that a person is putting up an unconscious barrier between themselves and others.  It could also indicates that the person is defensive and trying to protect his stand or words against others but judge holistically example he could be feeling cold.

How about if a person walks about with his hands in his pockets, what could he be indicating?  It means leave me alone, I need privacy, don’t disturb me, I don’t want to talk much.

In cases when there is a language barrier between you and the other party, you use body language to get your message through.  That was what I did when I was in Shanghai, China many years ago going as one of the officials for the trade mission organised by my office.

Almost all of us don’t understand or speak fluent Mandarin so when we went shopping, we brought along calculators.  It is through calculators that we were able to  bargain. 

We were advised by the travel agent that if you want to go anywhere in Shanghai, make sure you have the hotel’s business card with you so it will be easy to tell the taxi driver where you want to go.  So after finished shopping we split up, some still lingered around to finish their shopping but my friend and me chose to return to the hotel, we were tired.

In the taxi, I showed the taxi driver the hotel’s business card and he nodded his head to indicate that he understood.  Once we reached the hotel, I gave him a yuen note but he shook his head and repeat many times and said wo pu yao wop u yao..  I was puzzled and insisted he took the money but it made him angry.  He said wo yao na ke  meaning I want that, pointing to my handbag but I hid my bag behind my back.  Then my friend took out his money from his wallet and showed it to him.  He picked up a few pieces and before he left he glared at me, I made face at him like this.

After he left, I went to the counter and asked them how much was the value of the note i have in my hand, the one i wanted to pay the taxi driver.  I was told its only worth 15 cent.  Scratching my head, I turned towards the lift and roared with laughter and said no wonder he was so mad at me.

Now do u still say English is the universal language?  Believe me, it is not.

Will You Dance With Me ...

 

Will You Dance With Me ...

 

if I dance in silver or in gold

will you dance with me or do I dance alone?

if I tango and I salsa will you dance with me?

or do I dance alone?

the ballroom is ours the floor is wide open

my hand beckons yours, is it answered?

or do I dance alone?

the tempo can be quite fast, but sometimes just as slow

will you dance with me or do I dance alone?

my partner needs to be quick

match my every move with grace

will you dance with me or do I dance alone?

no other partner will I share this song with

no other partner has my fancy

no other arms would I let to hold me

no other cheeks to be closed to mine

so dance with me I don’t want to dance alone

 

5/1/13

 

Whispers in the Night ...

  

  

Whispers In The Night

 

Whispers in the night, whisper your name

 

As memories dance in my mind

A lover's sigh, a lover's dream

Longing, wanting, needing, craving

Your lips on mine, teasing, wanting

Mine on yours, seeking, demanding

 

Whisper your name, whisper to the wind

As one touch spark the fire within

And the rhythm of our hearts beating

The dance of love begin

 

Whisper in the night, a whisper so sweet

As soft skin touching, wet with sweat

Our hearts drummed out thunder beats

Wave of passion, desire unleash

Drowning us in the sea of estacy

Cries and moans, our sweet melody

As we become one our bodies entwine

To posses and be possesed

Swaying to the rhythm of love

Together reaching the dizzy heights

 

Whisper in the night, whisper softly

Whisper in the wind, whisper your name

Come to me darling, make me complete again

 

... 221212

The Struggle Within

The Struggle Within

A day without rice is like a day without love, its lonely and filled with emptiness. Days seemed long and nights were restless, nothing seemed to be right, tempers flares very easily.

That was what I felt many months ago when eating was my main agenda of the day and eating again was my main agenda for the night. Today you see me as a very jovial healthy lady but once upon a time I was like a time bomb, a sickly lady with short tempers always raging like a bull.  One may ask why was that so, here I give you the insight of why the need for the Struggle Within.

I was born with tiny arteries, actually my internal organs are all tiny, its only the exterior that are all big.  My doctor said I was  like a Mercedes Benz car with a kancil engine, a big body with tiny block arteries.  Doctor said I must maintain my ideal weight so that my heart would not have to work harder than it should.  I underwent a cardiac bypass in September 2009 and lost 8 kg but my doctor urged me to shed off another 2 kg so that I can achieve my ideal weight of 50 kg. 

I did achieve 50 kg, I was slimmer and better looking, I can wear my old clothes and I boasted to my colleagues that I was a healthy slimmer lady.  But that did not last, I put on weight again during the fasting months.  I don’t understand why but each week my weight seem to increase continuosly.  Other people slim down during the fasting month but I grew bigger, still that didn’t bother me at all. I was enjoying good food, enjoying life as its meant to be.

Two weeks after the Aidil Fitri celebration, I went for my usual check up and guess what?  My doctor was so furious, so angry and was speechless when he saw my weight increased to 68 kg.  My weight problem had been our argument for five years, but this time he was really mad with me.  He told me that if I continue on ignoring my diet and not bothered with the increase in my weight I will be sick again and he cautioned me that if I have to undergo the second bypass it will be painful and dangerous.

That warning was the wake up call for me, I told myself that I have to take heed to my doctor’s advise.  Thats when I started to look after my diet, I have to leave all my favourite food, cheese cake, chocolate, nasi lemak and all other delicacies.  My menu changed, morning its oat and juice or plain water, afternoon half bowl of rice with lots of vegetable and fish or chicken and dinner its oat again.

Obediently I am following the diet now but in the early days it was painful. Sitting at the dinner table but only taking oat made me so moody, I long for all my favourite food and in between meals I was allowed to munch fruits when all I want is chocolate or cheese cake.  I would give anything for that chocolaty taste on my taste bud and the sweet taste running down my throat as I savour bite after bite.  How I long for not only a bite of cheese cake but big slices and let the delicious taste take over my senses.

Of course those are all my longing which I have to forget, which I have to fight and struggling with myself, I have to face the fact that I only have myself to restrain myself from giving in to my cravings.

In the past, back from work I would lazed around with a big mug full of hot milo and bowl full of peanuts.  I would just sat down in front of the television and munch.  Sometimes I would just doze off on the sofa while waiting for my maghrib prayers.

However that pleasure is all history.  Nowadays, back from work I will drag this cuddly pampered body of mine for brisk walks.  If weather does not permit I will just ride my stationary bicycle for half an hour or so, anything as long as I can sweat out.  There are days when I feel like going home and just doze off on the sofa but I struggle with myself and reminded myself that I have to do everything I can to slim down and stay healthy.  My efforts did pay off, you might not see the visible changes but now the inches of my waist decrease to 31 instead of 33.

These days, a day without rice is like a war won in battle field, I am determine to win the struggle within and I promise myself that in three months time I will gain my ideal weight again.

Second Chance

Second Chance

it was a year ago

when bypass i had to undergo

fear and anxiety killed my ego

owh ... i thought there would be no tomorrow

no words to say anymore

to Allah the Almighty i told my sorrow

please Allah let me breath again in the morrow

let me smell the flowers and breath some more

i showed a brave face but inside i cringed and cried

i even back off and tried to hide

but the pain was unbearable that i surrended

cut me Doc if that is the only way

for you to take the pain away

i will not cry but i will pray

Allah the Almighty please let me stay

here i am today

pink as a flower on a new day

my voice heard,  laughter in the air

never will i forget to say

thank you Almighty

for giving me these days

and to all those who care

thank you from the bottom of my heart

to the roots of my hair

written on : 28 August 2010

When did it all begin ...

Every day I look at myself in the mirror I failed to see their existences on my face.  The face that look back at me is a face I have seen and known for all my life, the face that I tended to day and night.   The face that at times smile sweetly in good times and grimaced with distaste in hard times but not a hint of these additional features to be seen. 

Looking at this picture, their presence is so visible, so obvious, why didnt I notice them before.  These TINY LINES ... 


Their presence on my once flawless complexion bothers me, not because its a sign of maturity but the fact that I wasn't aware when they start to appear and stay on my face.  When did it all begin ... when did those lines start creeping on my face ... where was I when it all happened?  Why didnt I see them, is it because I refuse to accept their presence,   close my eyes and only see what I want to see?  Since these lines are there already I am accepting them with gratefulness, I want to think that these lines enhance my look.  A friend once said, accept old age with open heart and grow old gracefully ...

Where Do I Begin ...

I have been wanting to write a blog but I don't know how to go about it, how to start like where do I begin to tell the story ... in my case its more like pouring out whats in my mind and what to write, etc ... etc.  Many times I tried to jot something down but end up deleting it before the words became sentences.  Tonight however,  the idea just flow even though there's no plot, no skeleton to be filled up or word structures to be arranged.  I just let my mind flow easy without any direction and this is my beginning.  I might write again or might not, I dont't know but for sure I am happy with what I attempted tonight.