Still Being Random

World AIDS Day falls on December 1 every year. This is the 17th year in which this day is observed.You can get more information by clicking on the button below or you can go to the Malaysian AIDS Council website to see what we Malaysians can do for this cause.

Alexander reached Kuching this week and I went to watch it last night with my boyfriend and some other friends. It was a rather good movie. Anyone who enjoys a lot of drama and blood and gore and scandal would enjoy the movie a lot. It showed Alexander as a rather lost boy who grew into a man who needed to live up to his father's image, while being constantly torn apart by his mother.

However, the one issue that kept popping up throughout the movie (no pun intended!) was Alexander's sexual preferences. I suppose, by modern standards, he would be considered a homosexual. By historical standards, he was very much following the norm. It was very much a usual thing for men in ancient times to 'prefer' male companionship. However, this discussion evaluates the issue far better than I ever could. It's a very interesting read. It also shows how worked up some people can get about the whole thing!

The movie itself, overall, was fairly accurate. I learnt how the names were pronounced and I know it would help a lot when I need to explain it to my students next year. The timeline of the movie was a little erratic since it kept jumping from one time to another. With this in mind, try not to watch it with someone who likes to make running commentaries throughout movies.

Personally, the movie felt long. It's actually almost 3 hours long. 173 minutes, to be exact. However, with censorship at work, it was probably shorter than that. The point is, the movie was a little tedious to watch. A friend mentioned that he felt like he was watching a documentary-drama rather than a movie. History buffs, drama buffs, Collin Farrel fans and people who like to see many beautiful people in one movie will enjoy this movie a lot.

However, the only things that kept me in my seat were the mere facts that I enjoy History and I have to teach teenagers about Alexander the Great next year. If they had watched this movie, I'd have a lot of explanations to do so I might as well be prepared!As far as epic movies go, I'd rather sit through Troy (inaccurate though it got in some areas) again or Gladiator (for the sheer joy of watching Russell Crowe and the soundtrack!) again. On a scale of 1-10, I'd personally give Alexander a 5.

It was an event so immense that it took place over an area as big as two huge residential compounds. From the outside, it looked like a huge carnival was going on. About 10 huge, white tents were used. There was no way any normal caterers could provide food for so many people so the organisers set up food stalls in different corners of the area. There was a pizza stall, a sate stall, some noodle stalls and even an ice kacang (shaved ice with corn, jellies and kidney beans mixed with syrup and sweetened milk) stall.

The VIPs had tables set up with flowers decorations and covered chairs. All these were right in front of the makeshift stage. Everyone else sat in plastic chairs placed in any available area or next to any friends or relatives. Then again, everyone was either a relative or a very close friend of the organising family. It was easy to tell who were the relatives and who were the friends, though. One thing about this clan is that most of them still retain a very strong hint of their Arabic features. Anyone who knew them as descendants of the Arabic clan knew how to differentiate them easily. Maybe it was the facial features or their height or even their body size. A lot of them still had very strong Arabic features on them.

The whole area was lit up, exactly as if a huge festival was going on. They were even giving away prizes as lucky draws and as a token of high achievement during the recent public exam.

They came from near and far. Some from next door, others from as far as Kuala Lumpur or Miri.

This was the first time such a thing had been attempted. It was an exciting yet confusing event. Everyone who had not seen their relatives in years, saw them tonight. They caught up on each others' lives. The need to make contact created a confusion. Everyone was talking at once and everyone wanted to be heard. Everyone had someone they just needed to talk to tonight.

The best thing about tonight was that, despite the minor screw-ups, despite the insane rush for food, despite the differences, everyone was family. And everyone was happy to be there.

(Love your children, discipline them; Love your wife, leave her)
Or something to that effect…

They were the epitome of a modern family. The wife was tall and beautiful and stylishly dressed in her caftan-style top and her well-cut slacks. The husband was equally tall, good-looking enough that any girl would have turned to have a second look. He was casually dressed in jeans and polo shirt. They each held the hand of a small boy. The husband was holding the older son, probably 8 or 9 years of age. The wife was holding the younger son who looked to be around 6 or 7.

They were crossing the short distance between a shopping complex to the nearby shop houses. The sons found the hustle and bustle of the night fascinating. They kept looking around in awe, curious about all they see and hear.

A car nearby honked loudly and the older boy turned to look. His steps slowed and he lingered for a fraction of a second, not noticing another car making its way slowly towards him and his family. He was jerked suddenly by his father and found himself safe at the pavement of the shop house.

The older boy turned to look at the car but his father’s angry voice caught his attention. He stiffened. “Kenak kau?” his father asked. What’s wrong with you?

“Sik mauk dengar kelaka bapak agik kah?” Don’t want to listen to me anymore, is that it?

The older boy held back but his father had a firm grip on his wrist. The father continued to scold him in harsh and sharp tones. The older boy tried to pull his hand away but his father became angrier. Before he knew it, he felt his father’s other hand smack him on the side of his head. His head jerked back.

The wife stopped short. She tried not to check if anyone was looking. Her younger son was pulling at her hand. He seemed terrified of his father. He strained at his mother’s grip, not willing to take a step nearer. He pulled harder and jerked visibly when his father happened to glance at him. At first, he refused to continue walking. Only his fear of his father’s anger was stronger than his instincts to run.

The father now had a grip on his older son’s arm. His body stiff with fury and his manner curt, he led his family to the nearby pizza restaurant. They sat in one of the booths. The two sons sat in their seats, trying to be as physically away from their father as possible while still being in the booth. Minutes later, the older son was made to sit next to his father but he shrank into the farthest corner possible….

Sometimes, we need to wonder: Where does discipline end and abuse begin?

Isn’t it amazing how some people who know the least tend to talk as if they know the most?

And a lot of times, they have no substantial evidence for whatever they believe, and try to make you believe, is true?

No wonder Gil Grissom of CSI once said “I love Mankind. It’s the people I can’t stand.”