I thank you for the music

I lost my father in 1986, when I was in my final year of university in Melbourne, Australia. The timing was such that I did not even get to return to Malaysia to attend his funeral. Thus it can be said that I have never managed to see him for the last time.

The last time I ever saw him alive was sometime in February 1984, when I returned for the summer holidays, and I cannot even remember that moment today.

Twenty one years later I begin to realise that I am beginning to miss him, and also realise that I am beginning to resemble him in terms of temperament and character, some of which are things I'd like to change.

So Dad, if you are up there looking down on me, thanks for guiding me through the fire and ice since 12-08-1986 until now, and future. I may not have turned out to be the person you wanted me to be, but I did try.

An only child, alone and wild
A cabinet maker's son
His hands were meant for different work
And his heart was known to none
He left his home and went his lone and solitary way
And he gave to me a gift I know I never can repay

A quiet man of music, denied a simpler fate
He tried to be a soldier once
But his music wouldn't wait
He earned his love through discipline
A thundering velvet hand
His gentle means of sculpting souls
Took me years to understand

The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy
To the leader of the band

My brothers lives were different
For they heard another call
One went to Chicago, and the other to St. Paul
And I'm in Colorado
When I'm not in some hotel
Living out this life I've chose
And come to know so well

I thank you for the music
And your stories of the road
I thank you for the freedom
When it came my time to go
I thank you for the kindness
And the times when you got tough
And papa I don't think I said
I love you near enough

The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy
To the leader of the band
I am the living legacy
To the leader of the band

-- Dan Fogelberg

First world facility, Third world mentality (Part 2)

This morning....

Blood pressure 120/80

Wombat : "Err... I am here to pick up my prescription card, which I left here yesterday---"

Nurse : "Oh yes, it is all settled. You just go right over to the pharmacy and pick up your medicine. Your card is with them." *smiling like a hyena*

Wombat : "Oh okay. Thank you very much."

Nurse : "My pleasure. Have a nice day."

Wombat : "Now what happened there?"

Blood pressure 120/80

Wombat : "I am here to pick up my medicine----"

Pharmacy staff : "Ah... Mr. Wombat, we have been waiting for you. Where have you been? We were expecting you to come back yesterday afternoon!" *more warm smiles*

Wombat : "Err I was tied up with something."

Pharmacy : "Here's your medicine, prescribed until 15th May 2007."

Wombat : "Why thank you."

Pharmacy : "You are very welcome. See you next month!" *smile smile smile*
--------

Now either someone's butt got chewed off by that incident yesterday, or I am now in another universe, or I am on the Truman Show.

Oh well.

Blood pressure : 120/80.

First world facility, Third world mentality.

At the Lahad Datu hospital today....

(Lahad Datu hospital is the second largest hospital in Sabah, for
whatever reason I will never know.)

Blood pressure : 120/80

Wombat : "I'd like to replenish my medicine please?"

Pharmacy staff : "No problem. Please take a number and wait a while."

Wombat : "Ok."

Pharmacy staff : *Tap tap tap into PC* "Oops. Mr. Wombat, come here
please."

Wombat : "Yes?"

Pharmacy staff : "When is your next review appointment?"

Wombat : "15th May."

Pharmacy : "It says here we are authorized only to issue one of your
medicine until 25th April, while another four medicine until 5th May
only."

Blood pressure : 125/85

Wombat : "Well, ain't that nice. The doctor screwed up again the last
time he issued my prescription? And this is the third time it has
happened."

Pharmacy : "Looks like it. You will have to go over there to the
specialist clinic counter to sort this out."

Wombat : "Fine. Thanks." *Stomps over to specialist clinic nurses
counter*

Nurse : "Ya?"

Wombat : "There is a mistake in my prescription again. I won't have
enough drugs until 15th May and I am going to die."

Nurse : "Impossible. Let me see."

Wombat : "Here." Blood pressure : 127/87

Nurse : *Tap tap tap into PC* "Hmmm, this is odd. How can this
happen?"

Wombat : "Beats me." *Said with a very heavy dose of sarcasm*

Nurse : "Ok. Wait a while."

Wombat : "Fine." Blood pressure : 130/90

After 15 minutes....

Nurse : "You need to go to Room 15 and get the doctor to amend your
prescription."

Wombat : "Okay." *Stomps off to Room 15*

Nurse in Room 15 : "Ya?"

Wombat : "I need the doctor to amend my prescription please?"

Nurse : "Why?"

Wombat : "(Because he farked up big time again that's why you twit!) I
think he got my presciption wrong resulting in me not having enough
medicine until my next review appointment."

Nurse : "Oh... ok. You wait outside."

Wombat : "Wait?" Blood pressure : 140/95

Nurse : "Yes, wait. The doctor is not here yet."

Wombat : "When he will be in?"

Nurse : "I am not sure. Half an hour, an hour maybe."

Wombat : "So I may have to wait one hour."

Nurse : "Yes." *Smug look on face*

Wombat : "No. I will not wait."

Nurse : "Why?"

Blood pressure : 150/100

Wombat : "Because it is not my fault he screwed up my prescription for
the third time, and I am not going to sit here like a dodo for one
hour while he enjoys his coffee somewhere."

Nurse : "Then you won't get your medicine."

Wombat : "You just try me." *Stomps off to specialist clinic nurses'
counter*

Nurses : "You are back. Got your prescription amended?"

Wombat : "No. I was told to wait for an hour because of someone's
incompetence."

Nurses : "Well?"

Blood pressure : 160/110

Wombat : "I am going to leave my prescription card here. I am going to
come back this afternoon at 3.00pm. I expect to see my prescription
amended by whatever competent doctors you have left. If this is not
done please give me your hospital director phone number so that I can
inform him what a bunch of Little Napoleons you have running the show
down here. Ok?"

Nurses : "No problem. Come back at 3.00pm. It will all be settled."

Wombat : "Thank you very much. You are too kind."

Blood pressure : 120/80

Give me William Hung anyday

American Idol Season Six...

There's a very real danger that Sanjaya Malakar may just make it to the Final Four or Three purely on the sheer strength of protest votes or spoiler votes. God help us if he wins A-Idol Six! The guy can't sing, okay?

He cannot sing to save his own life yet he is in the Final Seven tonight. Tonight is Martina McBride as mentor hopefully a bit of country will trip him up.

But I won't keep my fingers crossed because this guy can sing worse than William Hung yet he may just scrape through because a lot of people in the USA thought he is fun/cool/cute/whatever.

Come on America, send Sanjaya home and save human civilization as we know it!

Waiter, there's something in my soup...

Last Saturday night, The Wombats decided to have dinner at a certain fast food restaurant famous for chicken.

Midway through dinner...

Little Wombat : "OUCH!"

Wombat : "What happened?"

Little Wombat : "My gawd! What's this????" *Hold up foreign object...*

Wombat : "Let me see---- mein gott im himmel! It is a staple!"

Mrs. Wombat : "Staple? Staple as in the sharp things people use to staple paper together?"

Wombat : "Yup. In her whipped potato."

Little Wombat : "So how Daddy? I almost swallowed that thing. What if I did and it rips my intestines apart?"

Wombat : "Wait. Oh Mr. Store Manager~~~~"

Store Manager : "Can I help you sir?"

Wombat : "Sure you can. Kindly explain why there's a sharp staple in my daughter's whipped potato?"

Store Manager : "Whuh? Are you sure?"

Wombat : "Here."

Store Manager : "Hmmm...."

Wombat : *Come on, just say the magic words. I am not hard-up for free chicken.*

Store Manager : "I am very sorry sir. This should not have happened. I apologize for the store for this unfortunate occurrence."

Wombat : *Keceng!* "No problem. That's all I want to hear. Thanks for paying close attention."

Store Manager : "You are welcome sir. Err... I see you took a photo of the staple. Why if I may ask?"

Wombat : "I am going to e-mail to your company's president in KL."

Store Manager : "But but but I apologize already! Now I am going to get my butt fried by my boss! I can lose my job over this!"

Wombat : "Chill bro. Just kidding."

Store Manager : "Phew! here, have a large whipped potato. On the house."

Wombat : "Oh how nice of you. Thank the nice uncle for his kindness, Little and micro Wombies."

Little Wombat/microWombie : "Thank you Uncle!"

Store Manager : "You are very welcome. I need my blood pressure checked."

Air Asia, Now every knee cap can cry.

I flew Air Asia for the very first time in my life from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur last weekend. The plane's an Airbus 320, so I thought : "How bad can it be?"

Until I got into my seat.

Mein gott! Where's the leg room? The puny ancient Fokker F50 has better leg room than this!


It is sooooo bad that if I recline my seat (Hah! You call 1 inch of movement a reclining function????) my knee caps will hit the back of the seat in front of me and rub against the plasticky netting, a feeling similar to having you teeth drilled by a very large Black & Decker.

So I put my seat upright but it's a 3 hour flight, and I will end up in KL with a sore back.

I know this is an no-frills airline but THIS IS RIDICULOUS! And imagine if we get the same "leg room" if ever Air Asia flies to London? The whole plane will revolt?

Mr. Fernandez, making money is one thing but you are nowhere near Richard Branson's class.