I'm getting married in the morning.....

Gotcha! It ain't me but one of my best friends from good ole Penang. She's not much of a traditionalist but it is the event of January 2005! (I would like to say the year but I am kinda wishing for other things to happen as well)

So, Congratulations Zoop and Dave! I can't believe it's happening....I know it's already happened back in October but you know, this is the one we girls get to attend - that's gotta count for something!

On to other news - earthquake and tsunami. Seems Nostradamus 'predicted' it - a natural disaster that at first mere humankind equated with SARS, AIDS.....but now it's actually this biggest-in-40-years earthquake off the coast of Sumatra.

I hear Pak Lah has postponed the New Year celebrations at KLCC. I think Malaysia should celebrate - celebrate that life still abounds, the new year brings new hope and opportunities, babies are being born, loves are being discovered. It's a happy time. A freak tragedy that we should mourn, but also realise that life and its uncertainty should be celebrated and appreciated even more so.

I was in Selangor when it happened. Didn't feel the tremors, didn't even know about it until 6pm Saturday evening. Maybe its harder for me to mourn deeply when it was so far removed from me, my family is safe and I don't really know anybody who was affected - even friends from India were safe.

I am not inhuman though. I still feel the tragic loss - reading the newspapers and seeing the images be it in print or on video - brings tears to my eyes.

But let us also remember the silver lining - Malaysia did not suffer such terrible losses as some other countries, we are still able and willing to offer aid, we have a calm, happy, peaceful nation where people (I don't want to use this phrase) of all races live in harmony. We say it quite often and hear the propaganda but have we ever really digested the phrase and understood it??? Where else in the world do you find this happening so smoothly?

We travel the world and it opens our eyes. Mamak food all around the clock, chinese/malay/indian/portugese/italian/spanish......food abound, beaches, fields, trees, hills, mountains, we're not in the path of any natural catastrophes, shopping all year round, rural and urban lifestyles, technologically advanced....so much to live and be thankful for!

So let's celebrate because otherwise we may continue to take our good fortune for granted!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY! May 2005 bring us all our hearts' dearest dreams!