Just to keep the peace

There were those years before we started to practice this annual ceremony during this month (seventh month of the Chinese Luna calendar).  We had for several years, an annual affair when the management had to deal with mass hysteria within the factory premises around this time of the year, during the 2^nd or 3^rd shift.  Night guards also told of seeing strange looking figures and were afraid of going on their rounds alone. 

 

One night while the managers and executives were attending a farewell dinner for a colleague at Penang’s E&O Hotel, they were rudely interrupted by a phone call to inform that there was another upheaval at the plant.  The plant manager and several executives had to cut short the dinner and rush back to the factory. 

 

That was when a production manager suggested holding this annual ceremony to “appease” the wandering spirits that are allegedly creating mischief among the operators. 

Most Chinese owned companies practice this annual ceremony.  The only difference is, local owned factories have these annual affairs paid for by the management.  Ours being a multinational, I guess we can’t put this into the budget.  So they passed the hat around. 

 

Eventually it became an official affair whereby a “Lor-Chu” (keeper of the urn) or chairman, and a committee is elected each year to organize the preparations and ceremony for the next year.

 

Well the first ceremony was started more than 12 years ago.  Until today, we haven’t lost even a minute of production time due to ‘unnatural’ occurrences.

Hey! What's going on..

On the way home yesterday I took out my 'point-&-shooter' while passing by the 'rice bowl' of north Seberang Perai.  They were harvesting padi and creating some smoke signals.  I'd always loved the golden yellow colour of the rice-fields at this time of the year.  Never really got the chance to stop and take a really good shot.  Well, I've always considered stopping on the highway just to take a picture can be very dangerous.  I'd rather try taking 'running shots' like this one...

Then when I got home I smelt something coming from the kitchen which took all the stress of work from my mind.  It was yummy Mee Jawa for dinner.  I made myself a huge one with plenty of juices from 2 limes added in...

Much later, we retired to bed. While wifey and I were having some light conversation before heading for zzzz-land, I heard some scratching noises in the roof.  I thought nothing of it after listening for some more noises and hearing none.  Suddenly there was a loud crash from above.  We both jumped.  I went out to investigate.  Switched on the lights, got my ladder, torchlight and looked into the ceiling.  Came down again and got my camera.  Didn't want to miss this... But too bad, can't get much from the half dozen shots I took.  It was really dark in there.  I just realised there's another meaning to the expression "shooting in the dark."  All I got was these 2 headlamps glaring back at me.  After adjusting the lighting and contrast a little I got this....

It was a baby Musang.  It had sprung my mouse trap because there was a biscuit in it.  Fangyee, who was sleeping by herself in the next room said she nearly jumped out of her skin.  She kept her eyes closed, covered herself under the blanket until she heard us coming out and switching on the lights.

And I was wondering why there were no noises of mice scampering around in the roof the last few weeks.

And then this morning at the market, we came across this strange looking pineapple with 6 crowns!!!:

Take a step back…

 

First it’s Tun Haniff Omar’s cautionary reminder for us to ‘hasten slowly’ with his A Malaysian Journey.  His message seems like a carefully worded reminder that we could lose it all if we’re not too careful about how we demand for our rights, and that we have to see ourselves first as Malaysians above all else.  Otherwise, no matter where we stand, rich or poor, majority or minority, we could possibly see 49 years of struggle go down the drain just because some of us refuse to give some in order to take some, but rather want to do everything “My Way” no matter what happens. 

 

Then the Sunday StarMag ran a series of stories about the Rwandan Tragedy about the Hutus and the Tutsis, as seen through the eyes of a film-maker, Raoul Peck, and the despairing experiences as related by Tan Sri Vohrah, and also posed the haunting question with a list of modern time genocides: (Are we) doomed to repeat the horror? 

 

Being smarter doesn’t guarantee you’ll get it all.  Being the stronger doesn’t mean you’ll win all the time.  Being the minority doesn’t mean you must just let things go without trying.  And being the majority doesn’t mean you can do it all as you please.  Any upheaval at all simply screws up the social order and if it finally ends, nobody’s going to take his cake and enjoy it too.  There are no winners.  We see it happen elsewhere.  We don’t want that to happen here.  You see something’s not right?  Got your differences? Let’s sit down and negotiate.  Chinese saying: “Take a step back; look at the horizon and the sky.”  You’ll see chances for compromise. 

 

As Datuk Wong says we need to: Stress on the common ground

 

Let’s look forward to another Merdeka day.  And another.  And another.  In spite of our differences.  Agree? 

The Stray Balloon

 

We had a birthday bash for the CFO, and there were balloons floating around in the office after that.  One stray one was still stuck on the ceiling as I about to leave.  I hopped and grabbed the string and tied the thing to my bag strap.  It seemed perfectly natural for me to take it home, even though everyone stared at me amused, and I'd say that it makes my bag lighter.  Even though my kids are no longer fascinated by these colorful round things that could float up instead of hang downwards or fall on the floor like all other things, but fly into the sky if you let go of the string.

 

It somehow reminded me of the kids' early years when we dropped by at the local supermarket one evening.  They must have been giving away free balloons, as we noticed some other kids walking around, even some with more than one in their hands, and their parents smiling from ear to ear.  My kids looked at them longingly and wifey said, "Ooh we're a bit too late as usual..."  I thought I could just go buy some and blow them up, but then they're not the same, as they couldn't fly.  After prowling around without really shopping for anything, we decided to leave.  As soon as we reached our parked car, wifey yelled, "there, they're giving out balloons again!!!"  Wifey grabbed the elder girl's hand while I carried the baby and we ran back to the supermarket's entrance just in time to grab ONE FREE BALLOON..... The rest were gone from the Clown's hands in a jiffy.  It was then I noticed the DJ was making some remarks about a parent with a kid that just ran in exhausted for the sake of free balloons for the kids.  I thought, hey, what's become of us?  Rushing like crazy for something of such low value.  What a spectacle!  I looked at my kids and wondered if they're as enthusiastic about getting free balloons as their parents were. 

 

As we wandered around again wishing we had another balloon for the younger one, we noticed some stray balloons stuck to the ceiling of the supermarket.  They're too high up for me to grab any.  Wifey and I looked at each other and I shrugged and gave her a resigned smile.

 

Somehow, I wish this one stray balloon I got now could go back in time to fill that little disappointment I had back then.  But when I went into the house with it, the youngest (who wasn't there yet when we were rushing for those balloons) raised both hands and said, "Uh uh, don't give it to me!! Don't give it to me!!" 

 

I know lah.  She's too old for that now.  Sigh... have they just grown up a little too fast?

 

Miyagi-san, I presume?

 

When I walked into our Juarez plant one morning, there was a football game going on TV.  Operators male and female alike were glued to their seats or on the floor, watching the on-going battle between Mexico and Portugal.  Our Mexican plant counterpart explained that they had to let them watch the game right there in the factory, otherwise there'd be nobody to run production for the whole shift.  So, might as well relax the rules, supply some TVs and let things take care of themselves.  People are happy they get to see their team play, management is happy they get at least 70% of production for that shift, rather than take the hard stand and issue warning letters to absentees and lose that camaraderie.  Win-win situation.

During one interval, while we were walking around, I noticed some female operators peering at me and whispering among themselves and giggling.  They said something to the Mexican engineer who was showing us around.  Curious, I asked him what was that all about?  He said that I resemble the old guy in the movie "Karate Kid".  I laughed.  I bowed towards them and they laughed.  I said I've been told that quite often.  The guys at the office used to call me Miyagi-san.  Pat Morita has since passed away, but his movies are still going strong.  That night, on Mexican TV, I happened to see that movie being played again.  I still enjoy his portrayal of the old Karate master.

Something I couldn't figure out about Mexico though.  They seem to bar the access to Multiply.com.  For the 5 days I was there, I tried and couldn't get into my blog.  There was always this message that said the URL was forbidden.  And I've often wondered why I never saw any Multiply bloggers from Mexico.  That could be the reason.  Anyone with some evidence to contradict me?  Or some reason why it is forbidden?....

 

El Paso - That old song in my mind...

Out in the west Texas town of El Paso

I fell in love with a Mexican girl

Night time would find me in Rosa’s cantina

Music would play and Feleena would whirl…..

When I realized I had to land in El Paso before setting foot in Mexico, that old song just came up and kept playing itself in my mind.  Marty Robbins went on to sing about how a handsome young cowboy “wild as the West Texas wind” came in one night and he had to challenge his love for the pretty young maiden.  His challenge was answered in less than a heart-beat and the handsome young stranger lay dead on the floor, after which he had to run for his life, out through Rosa’s back door.  A few years down the road, the wandering cowboy with his heart still yearning for his Mexican dancing girl arrived at the hill overlooking El Paso.  There, feeling in his heart a love greater than his fear of death, he rode into town with “five mounted cowboys closing in on him on his right and on his left rode a dozen or more”.  Shouting and shooting he rode straight for Rosa’s back door but he was shot down before he could get there.  As he lay dying, he found himself cradled in the arms of his Mexican maiden….

After Cinderella, Snow White, Bugs Bunny and Donald Duck, I’d grown up with a steady diet of cowboy comics featuring Davy Crockett, Wyatt Earp, Billy the Kid, Wild Bill Hikok, etc.  Then I progressed to Louis L’amor novels and John Wayne movies among others.  It is no small wonder then at the mention of El Paso, the memories of these came flooding back. 

I’d not imagined I’d ever set foot in El Paso in my lifetime.  Not even in my dreams.  But there was I, even walking around in this historic town where nobody walks (to get anywhere significant, that is).  The town, like most US towns, is built for the automobile.  There are very few tall buildings.  Most stores and supermarkets have huge parking lots.  I sort of enjoyed every moment as I sat there in the lobby listening to the old portly hotel manager’s west Texan drawl telling about Mexicans, Chicanos and jokes from the internet.  The next day before we left, he asked us where we’re going and I said, “South of the border”.  And he broke into another of my favorite songs;

South of the border

Down Mexico way…

I’d not be there had I not responded to the call of duty and accepted to take the trip to our Juarez plant in Mexico.  As it was, we had almost always set up and run our production lines based on some drawings, sketches, photos and word-of-mouth advice from ‘those who know’ until recently when our Manager of Production Process for Asia-Pacific region came and gave us a first-hand audit.  And that was it!  Our process standard wasn’t up to par.  We needed a bench-marking trip to get ourselves up to world-class standards to meet world-class customers’ demands and to compete with world-class competitors.  Fuyoh!!  After looking at what others are doing elsewhere we realized we are still “jaguh kampong” in spite of the awards and certifications we display on our walls! 

But, work aside.  I found the lyrics that has been playing on in my mind every now and then through the years.

El Paso

Marty Robbins

Out in the West Texas town of El Paso

I fell in love with a Mexican girl

Night time would find me in Rosa's cantina

Music would play and Feleena would whirl

Blacker than night where the eyes of Feleena

Wicked and evil while casting a spell

My love was deep for this Mexican maiden

I was in love, but in vain I could tell

One night a wild young cowboy came in

Wild as the West Texas wind

Dashing and daring, a drink he was sharing

With wicked Feleena, the girl that I loved

So in anger

I challenged his right for the love of this maiden

Down went his hand for the gun that he wore

My challenge was answered in less than a heartbeat

The handsome young stranger lay dead on the floor

Just for a moment

I stood there in silence

Shocked by the foul evil deed I had done

Many thoughts raced through my mind as I stood there

I had but one chance and that was to run

Out through the back door of Rosa's I ran

Out where the horses were tied

I caught a good one

It looked like it could run

Up on its back and away I did ride

Just as fast as I could

From the West Texas town of El Paso

Out to the badlands of New Mexico

Back in El Paso my life would be worthless

Everything's gone in life, nothing is left

It's been so long since I've seen the young maiden

My love is stronger than my fear of death

I saddled up and away I did go

Riding alone in the dark

Maybe tomorrow a bullet may find me

Tonight nothing's worse than this pain in my heart

And at last here I am

On the hill overlooking El Paso

I can see Rosa's cantina below

My love is strong and it pushes me onward

Down off the hill to Feleena I go

Off to my right I see five mounted cowboys

Off to my left ride a dozen or more

Shouting and shooting I can't let them catch me

I have to make it to Rosa's back door

Something is dreadfully wrong for I feel

A deep burning pain in my side

Though I am trying to stay in the saddle

I'm getting weary, unable to ride

But my love for Feleena is strong

And I rise where I've fallen

Though I am weary I can't stop to rest

I see the white puff of smoke from the rifle

I feel the bullet go deep in my chest

From out of nowhere Feleena has found me

Kissing my cheek as she kneels by my side

Cradled by two loving arms that I'll die for

One little kiss and Feleena, goodbye

Photo credit: Nirot

Blogging from the other side of the globe

There's always a first time right?  This is first time I crossed the international date line and gained one day.  So I actually started the flight from Penang 0745 Saturday morning and reached El Paso last night at 2311 still Saturday, which was 1400 (or 2.00pm at home).  When I go back next week the same way, I'll lose one day.  That'll make it equal.  Someone remarked that if you can fly fast enough to make it faster than the sun goes round, you can go back in time!  I'll leave that argument to the mathematicians and scientists.

When I got out of Los Angeles airport yesterday, I reached into my bag for my sunglasses.  Lo, I only got the empty box.  Those glasses are still in my car back home.  Then when we got out of the plane at El Paso I found my baggage had not arrived.  Luckily, I was prepared for this kind of thing.  I had a spare set of clothes in my hand luggage.  But I couldn't brush my teeth.  Only this morning I found that there was a tooth brush in the compimentary bag with a pair of socks that is usually supplied to long distance fliers.

So this morning, our German counterpart who arrived in El Paso yesterday, came in his rented car and drove us around the city with it's sparse low buildings and we did a little shopping.  I got myself a pair of UV shades for US$15 and a little (made in China) outlet adapter for charging our handphones and camera batteries.  We got back to the hotel at noon to check whether my baggage had arrived, it had not, so we went straight to the airport which is only about 1 km from the hotel.  They promised to send it to the hotel by morning, but they were taking their own sweet time about it, it seems.

Now I'm sitting on a sofa in Econo Lodge's reception room connected to the net via cable outlet.  They have free wireless internet but my notebook's WIFI came without some adapter (which I can't understand and which our MIS guys couldn't explain) which renders it useless.

Anyway, I have the whole day to recondition my body system to the new biological cycle to adapt to the time, this side of the globe.

El Paso is hot and dry.  And I mean hot.  I can't stand out there for 5 minutes.  There are more Mexicans than whites in this city of about 600k because it's actually like a twin city of Juarez, the place I'll be going to tomorrow.

Luckily the reception has only a few people coming and going.  I'll write more when I'm not so uncomfortable.