hazy times

there is a man-induced haze in Malaysia. i feel really sorry for friends and family in Kuala Lumpur. at first i thought it was just as it was in Singapore several years ago. looked slightly foggy, every building looked less colourful than before, the sky was "noisy" and pixelated. back then, i would not have been affected by the haze, the cats at The 'Rents had not gotten to my lungs yet. but i was wrong! the haze in Kuala Lumpur got so bad in the past week that a state of emergency was declared.

it is just not right that the Malaysian economy has to suffer at the hands of Indonesian (and perhaps Malaysian?) plantations burning forests just to clear land. so backward, so thoughtless, so lazy, so i-don't-give-a-fuck. firstly, the thought of clearing land pains me (but is a necessity), secondly, BURNING?! poor animals, not a chance in hell do they get to run. poor kids who have to breathe in toxic fumes. poor elderly coughing their lungs out. Singapore is lucky this time, wind directions have bypassed Singapore, also, the culprit plantations are far away (by perspective).

(picture on right: "don't burn the forests, or you'd be the Devil: warning from the nation of Malaysia." in Malay, it rhymes. er, alright.


AND, i am absolutely elated that smoking will be banned in public places. i am excited. just as smokers have their right to smoke, non-smokers have their right to breathe clean air. Japan has fantastic smoking etiquette. in Singapore, forget about it. 8 out of 10 of my friends and acquaintances smoke.

i have never understood the logic of smoking.

but then again, the logic is similar to overeating. what i really hate though, is when friends suggest to sit outside when it is humid and at least 33 degrees Celsius. it is insane. no normal person would enjoy that. it is simply uncomfortable. why can't we sit indoors and when one really needs to smoke, one inconveniences oneself and goes outdoors to smoke? never quite made a big deal out of it, but on bad days, i'd think "why the hell do we non-smokers always have to accommodate the smokers?" al fresco "dining/cafeineteining" in Singapore can sometimes be a joke.

haven't you heard? 2nd hand smoking is toxic. if they don't care about their own lives, they fucking hell should care about others'. but then again, if you don't quite care for yourself, why would you care about others?

5 out of 10 of my smoking friends are absolute daaaarlings and fantastically considerate. we do not even have to ask, we sit indoors and when they need to smoke, they go outdoors - although the smokers usually make up the majority of those at the table. to these darlings, i absolutely adore you! continue killing yourself :)

most of my friends really want to quit. but they find it so tough. we usually chide them, tease them and tell them how it's all about mind over matter.

but then again, try telling me to quit chocolate! but then again, moderate chocolate ingestion is not harmful to health - but rather, extremely beneficial. if it's the dark, non-sweet variety.

which i do not take.

but anyway, to my (considerate) smoking friends, erhmm, i love you, and good luck on quitting. we know you want to.

problem is, do you really want to? :)

over-and-out, it's a Saturday night and i would like to enjoy my weekend before the crazy working week starts. i love working with Canadians, Americans and Latinos. nothing quite like 'em.