Why is it that Malaysia is only able to make the front page or main pages of top newspapers like the The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and be featured on NPR (National Public Radio) in the US for negative, shameful reasons? Both newspapers as well as the Associated Press and Reuters have run reports about the rally for election reform and the arrest of over a thousand people on Saturday. NPR interviewed a Malaysian cartoonist who is being harrassed by the government because of his critical cartoons.
I don't see how we can be anything except a third world nation when our leaders are so thin-skinned that they cannot alow freedom of speech and rallies or protests without sending the police and federal reservists in full force, armed with water cannons and tear gas, to scare protestors away. If, as the prime minister claims, the majority of Malaysians support him, then where is the harm in letting what he describes as a minority say what they think? Why say you can gather and then change your mind? If you are secure in your power, you shouldn't be afraid. If you are not corrupt, you have nothing to hide. And if elections are corrupt, as is claimed, then you have nothing to worry about because the corruption is still yours to use as you please. Why do you need to use the Sedition Act to arrest and control people?
Bruce was listening to an interview on NPR just now and told me to tune in. A Malaysian cartoonist, Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque (Zunar), was being interviewed about an award he was given last week - the “2011 Award in Editorial Cartooning”. All I can say, after reading his acceptance speech, is that I am more grateful every day for the Internet and all the modern technology we have, because this allows people have their say despite the best attempts of draconian governments and power-hungry politicians to silence them.
I've pasted his acceptance speech below, and am also including the link to the web page it is on. The site is http://www.theworld.org/:
http://www.theworld.org/2011/07/malaysian-cartoonist-planning-to-sue-government-for-banning-his-books/
WHY PINCH WHEN YOU CAN PUNCH
In Malaysia, all newspapers, TV stations and radios are controlled by the government using a law - ThePrinting and Presses Act. This law requires every media owner to apply for annual license. The govern-ment has absolute power to grant or deny the application without any grounds. And the decision of the government cannot be challenged in a court of law.
This shuts the door for any alternative or dissident view including editorial cartoons. Independent editorialcartoonists have to find alternative medias such as the internet.
I contribute for a website called Malaysiakini.com. I also produce my own books. So far I have producedCartoons on Tun, 1 Funny Malaysia, Cartoon-O-Phobia, Even My Pen Has a Stand, Gedung Kartun, PerakDarul Kartun and three volumes of Isu Dalam Kartun.
My aim is to use cartoons as a weapon to fight corruption and abuse of power by the Malaysian government. Through my cartoons, I highlight very important issues, which have not been reported in the government-controlled medias.They include the corrupt practice by the Prime Minister and his cabinet members, the murder of the Mongolian model by the name of Altantuya, the conspiracy against Anwar Ibrahim, the domination Prime Minister’s wife, the Scorpene submarine scandal, waste of public funds, among others.
My philosophy is clear: in order to make an impact, we must do it to the fullest. My method is to criticize themost powerful leaders in the hardest ways. Why pinch when you can punch!
In my career, I constantly face harassment, intimidation and oppression from the government. Thegovernment bans all my cartoon books. My office is constantly raided. Several factories that printed mybooks were also raided, and they were warned not to print my books in the future or their license will berevoked.
Through-out the country, vendors are often warned not to sell my books or face court charges.On September 2010, ten police officers raided my office four hours before the launching of my cartooncollection, Cartoon-O-Phobia. They confiscated 66 copies of the books as well as one original cartoon.
I was arrested, brought to seven police stations around the city. And then they detained and jailed meunder the draconian Sedition Act, which carries the maximum jail of three years. I was handcuffed for eight continuous hours.
I was put in the same cell with other criminals like robbers and drug addicts. The government wanted toremand me longer and interrogate me, but I was released the next day under the court's instruction.
This is a very difficult period for me. The banning costs me a financial loss at about RM80,000.00 (aboutUSD35,000.00). The Sedition Act, which carries the maximum jail of three years, is still hanging like a sword of Damocles on my head. The government would charge me anytime.That's how hard it is. My movement is being monitored, my phone is being tapped.
Drawing political cartoons in Malaysia is a crime. Fighting corruption in Malaysia is a crime. This is totally contradicting with Islamic principles. One of the greatest Islamic leaders, Caliph Ali had said: "The highest level of patriotism is to tell the truth in front of unjust rulers."
As an editorial cartoonist, it is our duty to fight injustice. In Malaysia as well as in the third world coun-tries and the Middle East, cartoonists face bigger challenge. It is a thin line between the comic strips and the prison strips.
But we must be ready to face the consequences. We have to keep fighting. We have to continue drawing until the last drop of our ink! If we back down, it means that we compromise our principles to fight tyrannies.
I filed a suit against the government to challenge the banning of my books. For this case, the court will deliver its judgment on the 14th of July 2011. On June 2011, I filed another suit to challenge the Malaysian government for the "unlawful detention" against me on September 2010. This court has yet to set a trial date.
The tough challenges are not only faced by cartoonists in Asia and the Middle East, but also in other parts of the world. Mr. Clay Bennet told me that many American cartoonists are in the risk of losing their jobs because of the economic downturn and the emergence of internet. My sympathy is with them.
I think it is the right time for us the cartoonists around the world to unite, closing the rank by having more dialogues to foster better understanding.
Once again, thank you CRNI for this award. "Courage in Editorial Cartooning" award gives me a new strength, "like giving spinach to Popeye."
Thank you.
This is a video of him working on a cartoon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ev1fKHGdrZ8
Monday, July 11, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Pisang goreng and other bits
A couple of Tuesdays ago, we had a couple of almost over-ripe bananas sitting on the dining table (we had meant to make banana pancakes over the weekend but got too busy). As I looked at the bananas and wondered what to do with them (I don't like eating them when they are too ripe), I had a sudden craving for pisang goreng. This could have had something to do with the fact that Bruce and I had lunch at Penang, my favourite (Malaysian) restaurant in Atlanta on Saturday to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary and food from home was still on my mind. Therefore, after work, I looked online for recipes for pisang goreng. I have Amy Beh's cookbook, but the Chinese version of pisang goreng is a little too crunchy for my liking, so I looked for something without rice flour amongst the ingredients. I found a recipe for the batter that sounded good and tried it that afternoon - it was scrumptious! Very easy to make, as well, so I will probably be making that again in the future. Not too often, because it's so greasy, but it is a nice treat to have every once in a while. The recipe is at the end of this post, in case anyone gets a craving ...
Now that we're finally ready to sell this house and look for a bigger one so that we have room for guests (and Bruce's father, if he decides to live with us), I've started working more enthusiastically on the outside of the house. About a month ago, we bought a bunch of stone blocks to build a short wall around the little island of plants and flowers in our front yard. This replaced the plastic border Bruce had put up years ago that was falling apart. There is now a two-layer wall around the island and it looks so much better. The weeds and I are in constant battle to see who will give up control of the island first. They (and the wild grass) won last year but this year I'm showing them who's boss. They are sprouting back almost as fast as I can pull them out, and the heat makes it difficult for me to stay outside for too long, but I'm trying to weed at least a small section each day. At least now we have what is termed "curb appeal", i.e. the house looks nice when you look at it from the curb/road.
However, the other day I realized that the vinyl siding, which was replaced less than two years ago, is beginning to look dirty and even had mould growing on it in the back, where the sun doesn't hit the house. Therefore, I am now having to literally wash the house. We found a mould & mildew remover at the store that works really well with just a few sprays and some scrubbing with a brush, so I did one section of the house a couple of hours ago. It is amazing what a difference the cleaning makes! That one wall now looks new again. I'm going to do a section at a time so that I don't tire myself out, but once the entire outside has been scrubbed, any new dirt should be easy to rinse off with the hose. (Which is apparently what I should have been doing all along, but since our house in Bangsar doesn't have to be washed on the outside, it didn't occur to me to do that here. I thought the rain would take care of the rinsing/cleaning, but all it does is splash on the ground and send dirt/mud up to the walls.)
We had a couple of short trips recently - one in April and the other in May. I'll write about that next.
http://www.kimbaskitchen.com/2010/05/banana-fritters-recipe-pisang-goreng.html
Ingredients:
1/2 cup self raising flour
1/4 cup corn flour
1 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
1 tsp sugar
180ml (cold) water (or until the batter reaches the right consistency)
1 tbsp oil for the batter mix
4 ripe / browning bananas
Enough oil for deep frying (I used peanut oil because that's all I had in the house at the time)
Method:
In a bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add water slowly and mix to form a batter. Add the tablespoon of oil for smoothness.
Slice the bananas diagonally so it forms longish approx. 1.5cm thick strips.
Heat oil until it gets very hot. Dip and coat each banana strip with the batter. Deep fry until it turns brown.
Now that we're finally ready to sell this house and look for a bigger one so that we have room for guests (and Bruce's father, if he decides to live with us), I've started working more enthusiastically on the outside of the house. About a month ago, we bought a bunch of stone blocks to build a short wall around the little island of plants and flowers in our front yard. This replaced the plastic border Bruce had put up years ago that was falling apart. There is now a two-layer wall around the island and it looks so much better. The weeds and I are in constant battle to see who will give up control of the island first. They (and the wild grass) won last year but this year I'm showing them who's boss. They are sprouting back almost as fast as I can pull them out, and the heat makes it difficult for me to stay outside for too long, but I'm trying to weed at least a small section each day. At least now we have what is termed "curb appeal", i.e. the house looks nice when you look at it from the curb/road.
However, the other day I realized that the vinyl siding, which was replaced less than two years ago, is beginning to look dirty and even had mould growing on it in the back, where the sun doesn't hit the house. Therefore, I am now having to literally wash the house. We found a mould & mildew remover at the store that works really well with just a few sprays and some scrubbing with a brush, so I did one section of the house a couple of hours ago. It is amazing what a difference the cleaning makes! That one wall now looks new again. I'm going to do a section at a time so that I don't tire myself out, but once the entire outside has been scrubbed, any new dirt should be easy to rinse off with the hose. (Which is apparently what I should have been doing all along, but since our house in Bangsar doesn't have to be washed on the outside, it didn't occur to me to do that here. I thought the rain would take care of the rinsing/cleaning, but all it does is splash on the ground and send dirt/mud up to the walls.)
We had a couple of short trips recently - one in April and the other in May. I'll write about that next.
http://www.kimbaskitchen.com/2010/05/banana-fritters-recipe-pisang-goreng.html
Ingredients:
1/2 cup self raising flour
1/4 cup corn flour
1 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
1 tsp sugar
180ml (cold) water (or until the batter reaches the right consistency)
1 tbsp oil for the batter mix
4 ripe / browning bananas
Enough oil for deep frying (I used peanut oil because that's all I had in the house at the time)
Method:
In a bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add water slowly and mix to form a batter. Add the tablespoon of oil for smoothness.
Slice the bananas diagonally so it forms longish approx. 1.5cm thick strips.
Heat oil until it gets very hot. Dip and coat each banana strip with the batter. Deep fry until it turns brown.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Photographs versus mirrors
I'm going to have to write another long "catch-up" post, because I have been absent from this blog for far too long. In the meantime, here's a much shorter post. I've been thinking a lot lately about the different "pictures" of myself that I look at. What I see reflected in a mirror is often very different from what I see in a photograph. And even with mirrors, the me I see in one bathroom mirror looks different from the me in another bathroom mirror.
Then I began thinking about the comments people post in response to articles online, and the way they conduct themselves in public - in cars on highways, in any kind of stressful situation. Some are angry, some are rude, while others are polite and even-tempered. Do these people see themselves reflected in their words and actions? If so, do they see themselves as they would in a photograph or in a mirror? Do they know how hurtful or pleasurable their words are, and do they care?
I prefer photographs. If I had been looking in myself regularly in photos, and letting Bruce photograph me more often, I don't think I'd have let myself put on quite so much weight. The me I see in photos is far more overweight than the me I see in mirrors, and because of that, it's horrifying to see how slim I was ten and even five years ago compared to my weight now. I understand now why people stick photos of themselves on mirrors and the 'fridge when they want to lose weight, and that's why I'm going to be staring hard at photos of myself from now on, while I work on losing weight and getting my muscles back in shape. The mirror doesn't provide an honest reflection.
I think people are both photographs and mirrors. Those who tell us, directly or otherwise, what they really think about us (both the good and the bad) are photographs that show us as we are, not as we may think we are. But in turn, they are mirrors when it comes to seeing their own characters. That's why some people are arrogant, thinking they are much better than they actually are, while others are much harder on themselves than they need to be. Neither is looking at an accurate portrayal.
Then I began thinking about the comments people post in response to articles online, and the way they conduct themselves in public - in cars on highways, in any kind of stressful situation. Some are angry, some are rude, while others are polite and even-tempered. Do these people see themselves reflected in their words and actions? If so, do they see themselves as they would in a photograph or in a mirror? Do they know how hurtful or pleasurable their words are, and do they care?
I prefer photographs. If I had been looking in myself regularly in photos, and letting Bruce photograph me more often, I don't think I'd have let myself put on quite so much weight. The me I see in photos is far more overweight than the me I see in mirrors, and because of that, it's horrifying to see how slim I was ten and even five years ago compared to my weight now. I understand now why people stick photos of themselves on mirrors and the 'fridge when they want to lose weight, and that's why I'm going to be staring hard at photos of myself from now on, while I work on losing weight and getting my muscles back in shape. The mirror doesn't provide an honest reflection.
I think people are both photographs and mirrors. Those who tell us, directly or otherwise, what they really think about us (both the good and the bad) are photographs that show us as we are, not as we may think we are. But in turn, they are mirrors when it comes to seeing their own characters. That's why some people are arrogant, thinking they are much better than they actually are, while others are much harder on themselves than they need to be. Neither is looking at an accurate portrayal.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Dear America ...
... Every once in a while, I like watching a television programme called Extreme Makeover: The Home Edition. It's the only "reality show" I watch. Unlike other reality shows that seem determined to highlight what is the worst and most shallow in this country, Extreme Makeover: The Home Edition is a programme that I think celebrates the best of America. It brings together hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers in what would be termed the "gotong royong" spirit in Malaysia, working together to build beautiful new homes for people in need. If you haven't watched it and get a chance to, you should, because it shows America at its most helpful, most supportive, most heart-warming.
Every time I watch it, this programme makes the sappy part of me cry some happy tears because there is so much love and positive spirit in it. I wish more people could see this side of America, instead of the hate that seems to fill so much of your exchanges in person, online and in the print & electronic media. There is such hate and anger in the country these days, and I think it's threatening to take over everything else, presenting the ugly side of this country to the rest of the world. I find that sad, because I'd much rather see see the positive, innovative, loving, great side of this country. The side that used to make people dream of coming here because it seemed like paradise to them. You used to celebrate freedom and independence. Now ...
I realize you've been through a lot in the last nine years. First, the horror of 9/11. Then the economic depression and loss of jobs and homes. I understand the fear. I know it's driving a lot of the anger and hate. But are you really going to allow fear and despair get the better of you? Perhaps it's wrong of me, but I expected better from the country that is supposed to be the "leader of the free world". That seems to be just a tag line now, not a motto that you live by. How can you be driven by noble aspirations like freedom and love when you show fear and hate? How can you inspire others when you show the world intolerance?
How can you call yourself the United States of America when you seem so divided by beliefs and politics? Where is the unity? It's bad enough that a number of you hate or fear all Muslims because of acts committed by a small, extremist group of them. I think it's even worse that you seem to hate your fellow Americans. Political ads by the people you elect to lead you are hateful and unbelievably negative, but you seem to lap them up. Supposedly, you approve of these nasty ads and allow the negativity to guide your vote - polls show you are more swayed by negative than positive ads. I find that shocking.
Bullying in this country is at an all-time high, leading to an increasing number of suicides by young people, and you seem surprised by that. But why would you be when I see bullying all around me, in the things adult Americans say and write. You are leading by example, bullying and hurting people who don't agree with your views or politics. There is such venom in the things some Americans say and write. Is it any wonder children and teenagers are doing the same thing, saying hurtful things to each other via text messages and online? They are learning from from the adults.
The sad thing is that most Americans aren't like that, but as with everything else, it is the squeaky wheel that gets the oil, and the worst of you are getting the most attention, even though they are the minority. The America that others see is not an America to be proud of, and I think that is sad. The anti-Muslim sentiment in this country, even if it isn't widespread, is getting a lot of attention and is making those of us who have grown up in Muslim countries and have Muslim friends, even if we aren't Muslim ourselves, wonder about this country and where it really stands on important issues like tolerance and freedom of religion. The rudeness and intolerance exhibited by some Americans, including some of your politicians, makes some of us wonder if you really do deserve to be in a leadership position internationally. If you believe that Christianity is the only true religion, then shouldn't you as a nation behave in a way that inspires others and attracts them to your way of life and your religion rather than repelling then because of your hatred?
You elected a president based on the premise of change and then, in typical human behaviour, fought that change every step of the way. Or, you expected him to deliver everything you wanted on day one and then became disillusioned when change wasn't instantaneous. I wonder sometimes if you realize just how big your country is, how long it takes for change to actually be implemented and how many demands are made on a government that you expect to fix everything but you then insist is too big.
The most watched news channel on television is the least balanced and fair, despite what their tag line might proclaim, and seems to be filled with opinionated people determined to incite an uprising with calls to "take back America" while idealizing the way things used to be even though they weren't really ideal in the past. The top-selling newspaper in the country has as a weekly columnist the man who helped take America to war in 2002 for reasons that anyone not driven by fear and blind emotion knew was wrong. Are these the most watched station and most read newspaper for the same reason negative political ads hold more sway? Do the majority of people really thrive more on the negative than the positive? That doesn't sound like the land of hope to me.
Thankfully there are also rational, intelligent, fair people with a voice to try to bring reasonable, balanced, calm debate to the table. They are not noisemakers or alarmists, so they are not heard by as many of the masses, but they are heard by enough and that gives me hope. Hope that you aren't so angry you lose sight of what a blessed country this is and how much you have going for you here, despite some setbacks. Hope that you will take a deep breath, especially at this time of year when the autumn colours are so beautiful and the air so crisp and fresh it makes you happy to be alive, and remember what America is supposed to stand for ... not hate, anger and raised voices but freedom, human rights and the courage to change, to move towards a brighter future instead of clinging to an idealistic past. Hope that the friendships all around this nation between people of different races, religions and political ideologies will triumph over fear, hate and ignorance.
Instead of "taking back America", what you should aspire to do is rebuild America as Extreme Makeover: The Home Edition rebuilds homes. Use your innovativeness, talent and creativity to build bridges between people and communities, focusing on what you have in common instead of what pulls you apart. Where you have differences, find common ground (like pride in your country) to bring you together. Be the America the rest of the world can look up to as the best there is, instead of one that makes people view you as prejudiced and narrow-minded. You are better than the pettiness and hate that fills the air. Be compassionate and filled with the desire to uplift others. Be Extreme Makeover: The National Edition. Be inspirational, and remind the rest of the world why it wanted to be like you.
Be the America that drew so many to your shores, filled with hopes and dreams. Be the land brave enough to allow true freedom of speech - the kind of freedom that lets you say what you want if you so desire but gives you pause so that you say things that will build up instead of tear down your fellow Americans, or makes you choose not to speak when it hurts or denigrates, because that is also a form of freedom.
Every time I watch it, this programme makes the sappy part of me cry some happy tears because there is so much love and positive spirit in it. I wish more people could see this side of America, instead of the hate that seems to fill so much of your exchanges in person, online and in the print & electronic media. There is such hate and anger in the country these days, and I think it's threatening to take over everything else, presenting the ugly side of this country to the rest of the world. I find that sad, because I'd much rather see see the positive, innovative, loving, great side of this country. The side that used to make people dream of coming here because it seemed like paradise to them. You used to celebrate freedom and independence. Now ...
I realize you've been through a lot in the last nine years. First, the horror of 9/11. Then the economic depression and loss of jobs and homes. I understand the fear. I know it's driving a lot of the anger and hate. But are you really going to allow fear and despair get the better of you? Perhaps it's wrong of me, but I expected better from the country that is supposed to be the "leader of the free world". That seems to be just a tag line now, not a motto that you live by. How can you be driven by noble aspirations like freedom and love when you show fear and hate? How can you inspire others when you show the world intolerance?
How can you call yourself the United States of America when you seem so divided by beliefs and politics? Where is the unity? It's bad enough that a number of you hate or fear all Muslims because of acts committed by a small, extremist group of them. I think it's even worse that you seem to hate your fellow Americans. Political ads by the people you elect to lead you are hateful and unbelievably negative, but you seem to lap them up. Supposedly, you approve of these nasty ads and allow the negativity to guide your vote - polls show you are more swayed by negative than positive ads. I find that shocking.
Bullying in this country is at an all-time high, leading to an increasing number of suicides by young people, and you seem surprised by that. But why would you be when I see bullying all around me, in the things adult Americans say and write. You are leading by example, bullying and hurting people who don't agree with your views or politics. There is such venom in the things some Americans say and write. Is it any wonder children and teenagers are doing the same thing, saying hurtful things to each other via text messages and online? They are learning from from the adults.
The sad thing is that most Americans aren't like that, but as with everything else, it is the squeaky wheel that gets the oil, and the worst of you are getting the most attention, even though they are the minority. The America that others see is not an America to be proud of, and I think that is sad. The anti-Muslim sentiment in this country, even if it isn't widespread, is getting a lot of attention and is making those of us who have grown up in Muslim countries and have Muslim friends, even if we aren't Muslim ourselves, wonder about this country and where it really stands on important issues like tolerance and freedom of religion. The rudeness and intolerance exhibited by some Americans, including some of your politicians, makes some of us wonder if you really do deserve to be in a leadership position internationally. If you believe that Christianity is the only true religion, then shouldn't you as a nation behave in a way that inspires others and attracts them to your way of life and your religion rather than repelling then because of your hatred?
You elected a president based on the premise of change and then, in typical human behaviour, fought that change every step of the way. Or, you expected him to deliver everything you wanted on day one and then became disillusioned when change wasn't instantaneous. I wonder sometimes if you realize just how big your country is, how long it takes for change to actually be implemented and how many demands are made on a government that you expect to fix everything but you then insist is too big.
The most watched news channel on television is the least balanced and fair, despite what their tag line might proclaim, and seems to be filled with opinionated people determined to incite an uprising with calls to "take back America" while idealizing the way things used to be even though they weren't really ideal in the past. The top-selling newspaper in the country has as a weekly columnist the man who helped take America to war in 2002 for reasons that anyone not driven by fear and blind emotion knew was wrong. Are these the most watched station and most read newspaper for the same reason negative political ads hold more sway? Do the majority of people really thrive more on the negative than the positive? That doesn't sound like the land of hope to me.
Thankfully there are also rational, intelligent, fair people with a voice to try to bring reasonable, balanced, calm debate to the table. They are not noisemakers or alarmists, so they are not heard by as many of the masses, but they are heard by enough and that gives me hope. Hope that you aren't so angry you lose sight of what a blessed country this is and how much you have going for you here, despite some setbacks. Hope that you will take a deep breath, especially at this time of year when the autumn colours are so beautiful and the air so crisp and fresh it makes you happy to be alive, and remember what America is supposed to stand for ... not hate, anger and raised voices but freedom, human rights and the courage to change, to move towards a brighter future instead of clinging to an idealistic past. Hope that the friendships all around this nation between people of different races, religions and political ideologies will triumph over fear, hate and ignorance.
Instead of "taking back America", what you should aspire to do is rebuild America as Extreme Makeover: The Home Edition rebuilds homes. Use your innovativeness, talent and creativity to build bridges between people and communities, focusing on what you have in common instead of what pulls you apart. Where you have differences, find common ground (like pride in your country) to bring you together. Be the America the rest of the world can look up to as the best there is, instead of one that makes people view you as prejudiced and narrow-minded. You are better than the pettiness and hate that fills the air. Be compassionate and filled with the desire to uplift others. Be Extreme Makeover: The National Edition. Be inspirational, and remind the rest of the world why it wanted to be like you.
Be the America that drew so many to your shores, filled with hopes and dreams. Be the land brave enough to allow true freedom of speech - the kind of freedom that lets you say what you want if you so desire but gives you pause so that you say things that will build up instead of tear down your fellow Americans, or makes you choose not to speak when it hurts or denigrates, because that is also a form of freedom.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
10/10/10
Such a cool date. I entered my friend Jackie for a competition today, so the non-rational part of me hopes that submitting the entry on this date brings her luck. It's a gift-wrapping competition, one that she really should win because she does such an amazing job of wrapping presents. Jackie didn't have any photos of gifts she had wrapped in the past, and since Bruce's birthday is coming up, I volunteered his presents. Jackie gift-wrapped them, Bruce took photos of the finished products and I wrote a 100-word essay on why I am nominating Jackie. If she's selected as a finalist, she gets to fly to New York in early December for the finals (the competition organizers pay for the airfare and hotel). I hope she wins!
The weather apparently doesn't think it is Autumn yet, because although it's cool early in the morning and late at night (about 10 Celsius), temperatures are still going up into the mid-eighties (about 29 Celsius) during the day. In October!
I am now allowed to work from home two days a week! As of the coming work week, I'll be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. That means less noise and distraction at work during the day (the people in the cubicles near mine can be really noisy sometimes) and less days on the road ... And psychologically, even though not mathematically, it makes the weekend seem longer and the week less stressful. The dogs will certainly be happy to once again be alone only three days a week.
The weather apparently doesn't think it is Autumn yet, because although it's cool early in the morning and late at night (about 10 Celsius), temperatures are still going up into the mid-eighties (about 29 Celsius) during the day. In October!
I am now allowed to work from home two days a week! As of the coming work week, I'll be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. That means less noise and distraction at work during the day (the people in the cubicles near mine can be really noisy sometimes) and less days on the road ... And psychologically, even though not mathematically, it makes the weekend seem longer and the week less stressful. The dogs will certainly be happy to once again be alone only three days a week.
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