Of conjuctivitis and new maid

Ok, no connection between the two..just happen to be the 2 things going on right now.

The entire household, with the exception of the maid, is down with conjuctivitis. What began as an infectious eye condition that my beloved first born must have brought home from the hostel last weekend, is now affecting the rest of us at home.

Shaf got it on Sunday. By Monday afternoon, while I was as work, I felt soreness in my right eye. I dismissed it as "must be my contact lenses". But less than an hour later I got a call from hubby dearest who exclaimed, "eh, my eyes sakit lah". Only then did it hit me, oh dear, it isn't the lens, it's the conjunctivitis. So, after work that day hubby and I must have looked quite comical, wearing dark glasses at half past 6 and we drove straight to the clinic.

The next morning, our precious had caught it too. As for me, having administered a couple of the eye drops the night before, voila, I cud not open my right eye by morning. Glued shut not just because of the conjunctivitis but because I had developed an allergy to the medication! The eye drop was steriod based and I had conveniently forgotten to mention to the doctor I cannot take steroid based medication. How wonderful..! So for the rest of the day I was pretty much Zorro, minus the eye patch.

By yesterday, I could open my eye but my left eye had also been affected. And with very puffed eyelids, I was no longer Zorro, more like a Down Syndrome patient I think, no disrespect intended. By this time, another son had caught it too so that completes it. So can you just imagine what it looks like in here, all of us walking around either with squinted eyes, red eyes, puffed up eyes, it's not a pretty sight! My mom says I should probably hang a sign out front to say No Visitors, Contaminated Area.

Save for the maid - she's fine so far. But the interesting bit is she's leaving back for her home country this Saturday so if she gets it this day or two, then she will most likely contaminate an entire aircraft, but hey what do I do??

Speaking of her leaving brings me to the next thing - getting the new maid. Aargh, always a source of great anxiety on my part..This girl that we've had for the last 2 years has been generally good. Not much to complain about. I just wonder what this new girl will be like..Will she be an honest girl, will she be too loud, will she be able to get along with the kids, will she have body odour??! Eh, I'm serious, ok..

Well, she is supposed to arrive this weekend, so will keep you posted!

Konsert 3 Diva

I heard about the concert a couple months ago but was not too interested simply because I have not heard of Titi DJ before and although I don’t mind Kris Dayanti, I much prefer Ruth whom I’ve watched live before. But a few days before the show I happened to catch them on Harith’s Thursday Nite Live and I was like, wow…not bad…not bad at all.

So at the last minute, I managed to get some tickets (haiyaa..comp lah..thanks to the ‘artist’ ha ha..) and off we went last nite. And boy, it was simply awesome…! Admittedly the sound system could use a lil tweaking but on the whole it was just great! The musical director, that Guttawa guy, man, he is something else. Musical arrangement was really fantastic.

The one thing I have to say is this – how come our artists need to dress the way they did? With the exception of Noryn Aziz (whom I’ve hardly heard of before), the other two could have dressed more tastefully. Indeed the Indonesian divas were a lot more sopan in their outfits throughout the nite. And with VIPs right up front, I thought Nurul especially should have not gelek-ed as hard, and in that dress pulak tu..! Why, after all that hip swaying she even got a comment from Kris, “cepat cepat kahwin lagi ye Nurul”.

Whatever it is, we had a blast! Among the highlights was when the 3 divas sang a medley of songs from Sheila (and Siti). Thoroughly enjoyed that – particularly the Sheila ones of course since they were songs I grew up with in my teenage years. Sheila was in the audience by the way, looking very pregnant. There was a string of VIPs in the audience too, and local celebs as well. Of course hubby said as good as the crowd was, nothing beats his experience attending a concert back when we were in the States. He and my brother went to a rock concert, and despite the significant loss of hearing they suffered from for days afterwards, claimed the concert was just out of this world.

Anyway, last nite was loads of fun. Great music, powerful vocals, wonderful song selection - in short, a great show, nothing less. I just wish our local singers can put up a show as exciting as that. And with modest sensible dressing, please..! Bikin malu daa..

Pursuit of Happyness

Hubby and I try to go on movie dates whenever we have some free time over the weekends. Naturally, most times, I get to pick the movies because he’s generally too caught up with work to really find out what these movies are all about. A couple weeks ago it was Music and Lyrics. Yes – it was a predictable romantic comedy but entertaining nonetheless. I picked that one because I like Hugh Grant, (eh, he may be old, but there’s a sexiness about him, ok ) – and I always enjoy Drew Barrymore’s goofy characters. Anyway, it was indeed a sweet and enjoyable flick and even hubby had to agree although he had his reservations in the beginning.

Then on Saturday we went to watch Pursuit of Happyness. And what can I say – I cried, or more like I sobbed. I was so totally overwhelmed with emotions, and if I was feeling all melancholy and ‘hiba’, then hubby felt it even more. That is because I can liken Chris Gardner’s relationship with his little 5yo to hubby’s special bond with our precious. It was easy for him to see himself in the character that Will Smith played.

I can so relate to the essence of the story – not because it’s one of those rags to riches film but more because of being able to ralte to the financial woes that drove you to the edge, tough luck that seemed perpetual and just days when you have no idea if you can go on. That instinct of wanting to protect you child, but not knowing what to do. The overpowering sense of loss and helplessness and that burning desire to make things work.

Initially, I wanted to watch because I wanted to see Will Smith and his son in their debut film together. And recently I bought a picture book called “Just the Two of Us” written by none other than Will Smith himself. It tells the story of the love, fears and hopes a father has for his son. Undoubtedly, the book was meant for his son Jaden, who plays his son in the movie. That kid though, I gotta tell ya, he is really good..steals the thunder from his dad in some of the scenes I must say.

Personally, things are definitely a lot better now for us but just a few years ago, life was tough. And my precious did not get to enjoy a lot of the things his two elder brothers once did. Unlike his brothers who were used to holding birthday parties each year, annual holidays local and abroad, and constantly swamped with toys and going for nice dinners. But if I care to look deeper than material happiness, what my precious gets is by far more meaningful than all those birthday parties and holidays put together. He gets so much love and undivided attention and is growing up as a very emotionally secure child. I see the difference right before my eyes.

Back to the movie, I feel it is a must watch for those who want to see great acting and powerful emotions. It speaks volumes of one man’s sheer grit and determination. Although I have seen many movies with similar storylines- a poor man making it in the big world, this is somehow different. Particularly because of the father-son relationship and certain issues hit close to home.

At the same time, it also shows a side of America that often escapes our eyes, the poverty that in some ways is a lot worse that what we see here on home ground. The movie portrays what things are really like on their streets, specifically San Francisco as was portrayed. All I could ever remember of my visit there was just the orange bridge and their awesome sourdough bread!! Here you see the homeless vagrants who are forced to look for daily shelter in community halls, get in the soup lines and live day to day, if they’re lucky that is. Otherwise, you may be forced to seek refuge in a subway toilets like Chris Gardner. Will Smith actually went round with Chris Gardner, to see the various places where the real Mr Gardner had to sleep at nites with his young son.

Incidentally, I was curious about the man who inspired the movie so I googled the real man himself. Check him out on Oprah’s show - http://www.oprah.com

All in all, it was worth all the tears I shed! Next movie will probably be during the upcoming

school break and if we're talking about a family one and if my boys have their way I know it will be Mr Bean's Holiday...! oh God, i hate that man..