EVERY WHERE YOU LOOK NOWADAYS THERE ARE OMINOUS SIGNS OF HIGHER FOOD PRICES, LEADING TO INCREASING DEBTS, DECREASED SAVINGS AND LOWER CONSUMER CONSUMPTION FOR THE AVERAGE MAN IN THE STREETS. EVEN THE NIGHT ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESSES LIKE OURS ARE BEGINNING TO FEEL BUSINESS SLOW DOWN BUT IN THE MEDIA THESE ARE NOT THE STORIES YOU CAN READ ABOUT OR EVEN DEBATE ON AS IT LOOKS LIKE POLITICAL MALAYSIA'S MASTERS ARE NOT ENCOUNTERING ANY FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES IN THEIR LIVES …YET. 

ALL THOSE GOVERNMENT GUYS ARE WORRIED ABOUT IS TO MAKE SURE THEY RAISE AND GET THEIR GRUBBY LITTLE HANDS ON ENOUGH MONIES WITHIN THE SMALL TIME FRAME THEY'VE GOT WHILE IN POWER.

FOR ALL THE TERRIBLY DEPRESSING FACTS IN THE INTERNET AND WESTERN FINANCIAL FORUMS & NEWSPAPERS, HERE‘S THE RUB:

^{NO LEADING AUTHORITY HERE IN MELAKA AND MALAYSIA SEEMS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE AFTER EFFECTS OF ANY DOLLAR RUN FISCAL PROBLEMS.NO MEDIA DIATRIBE ON WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF FINANCIAL RUIN, NO IMPENDING STORM WARNINGS, NOTHING.}

^{IT’S JUST TAKEN FOR GRANTED THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE ALL RIGHT. IT‘S AS IF THIS COMING PROBLEMS ARE ONLY GOING TO HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE—IT‘S AS IF IT WERE HAPPENING ONLY TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD AND MALAYSIANS WILL NOT BE AFFECTED AT ALL. THE MAN –IN –THE- STREETS ARE TAKING THE WHOLE DOLLAR BUDGET DEFICIT THING SO LA-DI-DA THAT YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY HAD DECIDED NOT TO BOTHER WITH ALL THIS WARNINGS AND SIGNS OF COMING FINANCIAL MAELSTROM, EVERYTHING‘S FINE—WE‘RE DOING WELL, COULDN‘T BE BETTER. GLOBALIZATION ? WHAT ANIMAL IS THAT ? OUR COUNTRY IS A NETT IMPORTER OF RICE ? SO WHAT ??}

^{RECALL DEAR READERS, HOW OUR CENTRAL BANK,THE BANK NEGARA PAINTED A ROSY PICTURE THROUGHOUT 2009. MALAYSIA WAS IN A DEEP RECESSION BUT NO FINANCIAL ANALYSTS DARED TALK.}

THERE WAS AN AGREED SILENCE.

BUT, JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, IT WAS ANNOUNCED BY BANK NEGARA THAT THE ECONOMY HAD AN ALLEGED GROWTH OF 7.2 PERCENT IN 2010 AS COMPARED TO THE  -1.7 PERCENT RECESSION IN 2009, A REMARKABLE PERFORMANCE FOR THE ECONOMY. (LOOKS LIKE ONE SHOULD ONLY TALK ABOUT BAD NEWS WHEN IT IS OVER!) . PROBABLY BECAUSE WE TOO DUMB TO UNDERSTAND, MEH?

ANY BAD NEWS IS TO BE IGNORED AS WHAT CAN WE PERSONALLY DO ABOUT IT?

BUT READERS, THIS MUCH I CAN TELL YOU:  

ONCE THE GENERAL ELECTION IS OVER, EXPECT THE FOLLOWING:

REALITY WILL BE EXPOSED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT. THERE WILL BE CALLS TO THE PEOPLE IN MALAYSIA TO UNITE TO OVERCOME THE DRASTIC EFFECTS OF THE FINAL PHASE OF THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL TSUNAMI.

INTEREST RATES WILL SHOOT UP - FAST.

LOAN REPAYMENTS, ESPECIALLY CREDIT CARD DEBTS WILL BE THE KILLER. CONSUMER DEBTS WILL SCREW UP MALAYSIA BIG TIME AND DON’T YOU BELIEVE THE MANTRA THAT CONSUMER DEBTS ARE UNDER CONTROL AND

DEFAULTS PERCENTAGES ARE STILL MANAGEABLE.

BANKS WILL DEMAND HIGHER INTEREST RATES ONCE THE PARTY IS OVER. THEY ALWAYS DO. PRICE INFLATION WHICH IS ALREADY HIGH, WILL ROCKET TO THE STRATOSPHERE. FOOD ITEMS HAVE ALREADY GONE UP BY 50% OVER THE LAST ONE YEAR. DON’T BE SURPRISED THEY WILL GO UP ANOTHER 50% AT THE LEAST.

ENERGY (I.E. OIL) HAS GONE UP BY 40% AND WILL CONTINUE TO CLIMB HIGHER.

REAL ESTATE WILL COLLAPSE, AS WE ARE ALREADY IN A BUBBLE. THOSE DEVELOPERS SELLING LINK HOUSES FOR OVER RM800,000 AND BUNGALOWS IN THE MULTI-MILLION RANGE (FROM RM4 MILLION TO RM8 MILLION) WILL BE HARDEST HIT. HIGH PRICE PLUS HIGH INTEREST RATES = MASSIVE REDUCTION OF BUYERS = SPECULATORS GETTING BURNED AND UNLOAD = FINANCIAL BLEEDING = NPLS = COLLAPSE.   

THE SAME FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES BUILT ON THE EXPECTATION THAT THERE WILL BE STERLING GROWTH IN 2011 AND 2012.

THEY WILL TURN OUT TO BE ZOMBIES –MILLIONS OF SQ FT OF EMPTY SPACES = REDUCED RENTALS = CHASING FEWER TENANTS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR BARGAINS = SCREWED UP CASH FLOWS = MASSIVE DEFAULTS = BIG NPLS = COLLAPSE.

WHEN THE STOCK MARKET COLLAPSES, DON’T EXPECT BANKS TO LEND.

THEY WILL BE IN THE RECOVERY MODE.

IT WILL THEN BE A CASE OF EVERY MAN/WOMAN FOR THEMSELVES

^{I HAVE A THEORY—UNSCIENTIFIC, BUT I THINK IT‘S TRUE:}

^{THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRAINED WELL BY THE GOVERNMENT.....TO THROW IN THE TOWEL. THEY COLLECTIVELY REALIZE THAT THE SOME SORT OF SHIT IS GOING TO HIT THE FAN BIG TIME EVERY NOW AND THEN. WE'LL RIDE OUT THE STORM COLLECTIVELY AFTER UNDERGOING SOME HARD SHIP BUT THEN THAT'S LIFE. LET THE GOVERNMENT WORRY ABOUT THE BIG PROBLEMS....THAT'S WHY THEY'RE THERE. WE GOT OUR SMALL PROBLEMS TO BITCH AND WORRY ABOUT.} 

^{QUE SERA ...SERA.}

Moving on, several interesting events unfolded these past few days in my life what with the Chinese New Year celebrations, the upcoming 21st celebration of my eldest son Utheya; visits from former clients to the cafe for dinner; the ECSpan Greentech company formation and several sales leads from Honda,Straits Hotel,Seri Malaysia & Perfect Food in Alor Gajah and not forgetting Pantai & Putera Hospitals Ceo's giving us the opportunity to prove our energy cost savings claim happening all within the same week.

The First Friday Group which mainly comprises of former SFI Teachers and Heads having their breakfast and monthly gathering in Ujung Pasir to celebrate a member's birthday.On this occasion,Mr.Ong Eng Khiam belanja all of us spicy curry chicken for this particular get together and without fail someone would ask "so,where's the " spicy chickens"; All I see are "Old batangs"(?) while winking mischievously ! The stall we were ordering from was Ah Lan's (SFA Caretaker) son's stall and this shop house kopi tiam has been around for a while here in Ujung Pasir. This group has been religiously ensuring their F1 group makan sessions are always at different localities each time as it gives all of them an opportunity to move about and sample all the  tasty makan joints in and around Melaka while catching up on the latest news and gossip.

The Family Get Together between my Chinese Relatives and our Indian Relatives this year at Kampung Lapan was quite boisterous and noisy what with the children running around, the adults gossiping and catching up with each other over the dinner table (which by the way was almost groaning under the weight of the food my aunties prepared this year for all of us,even though she was told everyone was coming only 2 hours before our noisy arrival!)
It was Fun for everyone as everybody relaxed to the chatter of both Mandarin,Hakka & Tamil languages were heard simultaneously !

As my 3rd auntie (standing,red T) hustled and bustled around the makan table and kitchen ensuring the timely consumption of her mouth watering dishes coming straight from the wok steaming with love & goodness, the rest of us had a session of pakau playing.Later that night, everyone congregated to the Cafe for more get together Fun !

It's been quite a while since I've visited the Malls here in Dataran and lucky for us we were there at the right time today as the mgmt had a scheduled Lion Dancing show which we were very happy to catch. It was a very lively boisterous and noisy event with at least 8 Lions of differing colors prancing and moving about.

My evenings are suitably positioned such that the support from my group of buddies and associate members is quite remarkable as word gets around that HTH Cafe is run by Michelle & I. Many a evenings are spent quietly enjoying the ambiance and friendly banter between friends here as we go through crate after crate of beer !  One probably meant literally " my cup overfloweth" after seeing one on these sessions as michelle often reminds me that although I only partake in one glass of drink with the guys, in actuality that small glass is quite magical as it never runs dry as it's constantly refilled !

  

            CHEERS !

Saturday has turned up again unannounced on my doorstep and it caught me unawares this morning when I realized that the wife had made plans earlier to go check on the possible venues for my eldest son's 21st Birthday.

 By 11.30 am, Utheya & Joey were already here waiting for us to join them for lunch and possible venue searches but unfortunately I was still not up and ready yet due to the exertion from the sailing and earlier gallivanting on the Straits of Malacca.

Since Chandra (my second son) needed a lift to work at the same time, rather than hold the entourage up,

 I decided not to follow and told the wife to drive them all down town. 

Too Bad.

 It was my mistake not to be ready on time.

We've been making a big thing out of celebrating Utheya's 21st that now he's thinking of inviting close friends and family for a birthday bash worth remembering as originally he didn't favor celebrating the event at all (any more than usual!) as he's been given the 'Keys to his Freedom" wayyy earlier in life.

As they left and I got to preparing my familiar morning routine,the morning breeze blowing in from the dining room met me with a forceful smell of fried chicken and pounded garlic as i stepped out of my bedroom.

Mother must be preparing Lunch.
To me, there's nothing more that says normalcy in life and that things are A-ok all around you than the smells and sight of a mother preparing your meals in the comfort of home as you prepare to start your day. (Which brings to mind a conversation i had with this japanese expat who now resides in Melaka last night in the cafe.... we were talking about what he would miss the most sHould he leave melaka and he said that it would naturally be the people and the food.
Naturally.
But what surprises him most was how the world is missing out on all the VARIETY of spices that we add unto our food and he thinks we are very blessed to be able to taste such an excellent variety of reasonably priced food from all manner of race and custom here in melaka at local prices.Accordingly, i proposed to him that the average malaccan house hold would keep at least 17 types of local spices and flavorings in their kitchen or pantry; and boy, was he ever surprised) !

The call of the warm bedroom still resides strongly in me as i go about my early morning stupor and my only worry in life at this moment was whether I should turn on to the Jazz Channel on the satellite station or to the Tamil songs station to accompany my breakfast of  a steaming cup of  hot latte & lightly browned Focaccia bread in extra virgin olive oil, eggs and shredded chicken left overs from last night whilst flipping through the morning breaking news from Yahoo and Google.

The call of the morning hunger pangs were slightly more than usual as the 4 toasted slices that make my morning selection was inadequate this time around and another two slices were added in with mayo and chili ketchup for taste thrown in!

Last night, the cafe closed rather late at 2 am as Lala was there with Dr.Nunis, Datuk Taha and friends. Bonny Peter popped in out of the blue, said he's been away in KL lately and just got back in town and stayed on drinking and messing with the guitar till closing time. Lee Cheng Kim also dropped in abruptly and left a whole container of the mushroom based liquid he's been preparing for me these past few weeks for me to cultivate and drink for myself. (!?)
The dry caressing night winds blew in quite a handful of youngsters into the cafe whilst all this was going on and made me worry it was going to rain and spoil my evenings' business but thankfully nothing like that happened.

The river was emitting the faintest smell of urea which reminds most people smells like urine and the bathroom urinal but than that was unavoidable. Nature is what Nature will be.
Luckily, though the smell of the melaka river was slightly wanting, in between the chirpy  bats flying around and flocks of jay,sparrow birds and other night bird songs that is emitted every now and then by the frightened birds as the fire crackers were exploded (for the Ti Kong prayers -Hokkien new year celebration) it does seem to mesmerize and dull the senses into a languid evocation of peaceful times and cheerier days ahead. This is what most of our customers look forward to when they visit the cafe.

 Attached are some pictures Bernard took and  prepared for me from the Last SFA Dinner in Pay Fong Hall,Melaka. He takes nice pictures, no?

Some good news, 2011 is starting to look remarkably well received as madelina has secured the MTA out of town meeting in Angkor Wat for March 26-30 (2011) and the itineraries are out for our perusal and booking confirmations. This is also the year the Malam Anugerah will be started again so it looks like we will be active for most parts of this year once again. My business newsletter is also due out for another print edition within the next 60 days ;so that should keep me slightly occupied between now and then as we had expanded our list of pages and advertisers this year by 40 %.

The refrigerant business that I'm starting into this year looks promising as the directors have met and proposed my inclusion into the Mktg Co's director roll as an Executive Consultant Director. Our office will either be in MITC or in the Way Foundation Building. That should be finalized within the next few weeks. Clients have also been lined up and some free demos have begun. It don't mean a thing until the checks are prepared and payed out but at least it's a good start .

Balasubramanian's pampered Son

Today when the my eyes opened at around 11.30 am, the body was still in recovery mode from the activities and abuse it went through yesterday ,so it took quite a while before my engine could start. 

The wife was up and about much earlier than me and she managed to come in back into our room just as I was contemplating the day's schedules and priorities. 

As usual she had the day planned out for me with errands and work that otherwise you wouldn't catch me worrying about. The best response in such a situation is to just agree, nod your head as in agreement and careful consideration with her opinions and to wishfully dream of faraway places and spaces while doing the above seriously.

After she had laid out the plans for the day , my best ploy would be to smile sweetly, pat the empty side of the bed beside me obligingly with as sweet a look that can  be mustered (at her ) with that just woke up look and ask for a cup of coffee and some morning loving both at the same time.

 Luckily most mornings I will receive both in that order but sometimes she'll be coy and just go about her busy routine not minding my considerable needs.

 Which will lead me to contemplate where and when I can get some outside R & R.

For today, my duty seem to be quite simple and that was to drive my second son down to Dataran Pahlawan at 1pm. A quick trip to the Club House (which is on the way) for a bout of steam and sauna room pampering before stopping at the nearest massauer for an hour or two of body massage would be just the thing to rev up my afternoon splendor.

But before we latch on to any idea of future pleasure, the body will need to be nourished and a quick trip to the breakfast outlets will be necessary. 

Though the distance to my dining table in the comfort of my civvies may be shorter than to wake up and get dressed for the drive to the nearest Indian restaurant, for today the thought of slurping a hot cuppa chai while watching the morning goings on in the restaurant was appealing some how.

Outside my window, the afternoon sun was burning bright and it hurt the eyes just to look out the window but with a little perseverance, the burning shine of the afternoon is contained.. and the beauteous sights of the energetic outside world was as usual waiting to greet me.

The birds were out in full force this morning, happily chirping away their noisy and indulgent exuberance, the out growth of trees and plants outside the house showing their different shades of pale green amidst the concrete and roof beams of the other houses;  meanwhile,the bitch two houses away barking madly every time the tom cat sashays in front it's house gates, & the familiar sight of the sharp sunlight bouncing off the perma glass on the mercedes parked in front the door over looking the bedroom window ; lighting it's sunny bouncing path into the surrounding walls within my inner sanctuary.

 Under these circumstances, I find the the best motion i could muster to greet these peaceful & heavenly sights and smells was to stretch out my arms and yawn whilst a sudden shudder traverses my supine body in excitement of the day ahead.

 My throat was dry as i made my way to the kitchen by passing the boy's room and it's partial smells as both my son's can be found still sleeping as their vampirish routine of sleeping  only around 5-6am after a night of frolicking outside had them still wrapped up unperturbed in their own dream worlds.

Reaching for the bottle of  home made herbal juice (for my kidneys) that my former science teacher Cikgu Lee Cheng Kim had carefully prepared for me the other day, I swallowed a mouthful and prepared to start the obligatory morning routine.Looking unto the mirror, I can see the weather beaten, dull and scarred face of a formerly young man staring back at me dumbly. 

At  close range the magnitude of damage I've managed to inflict upon my face and body all these years looks unappealing, to say the least.But after a shower and delightfully aroma therapy session in the bath, things started to pick up. Literally.

So it was with such a gallivanting promise that i tottered off to start the day.

After the requisite errand running duties were complied and fulfilled, a couple of friends happen to catch up with me at the Club and they decided to follow up on my offer to try the spa and massage in Melaka; but since they were quite hungry it was a toss up between the Tai Thong Restaurant in Malacca Club or the Lucky Famous restaurant across the street so as not to travel too far. We decided on The Lucky Famous as I'm familiar with the people and menu there.The pictures below were a sampling of some of the dishes we tried out.

 The curry pomfret was a little oily but still flavorful and the green chilies that was supplied with this dish was just the right balance of vinigrate to offset the coconut cream based chinese curry of the fish. I would have preferred some chinese cabbage to go with this dish tossed in simple soy sauce and chillies but as it was it was also good and tasty.

 The obligatory pork & marrow dish. A must have when out with these guys.Somehow, for us eating out in a chinese restaurant means you must order at least one pork dish or the whole trip of eating out here is not "authentic-lah" !

2nd Day CNY 2011

 Chinese New Year's 1st Day was spent visiting all relatives on the wife's side as we do every year to "eratkan silaturrahim" as the muslim's say (tighten the bonds of relation) and it normally culminates with a sumptuous Lunch in Tangga Batu at the Home of one of the aunties where upon every one within the family will congregate to no matter where they started from initially and /or ended at  eventually and the jovial atmosphere  of the Home with children running around, adults catching up with distant relatives and good old fashion ribbing causing the sporadic but constant laughter and screams then drive home  the point that this is what Family is all about. Satiated to the brim with home cooked good food and fond memories of good natured conversation, fun and frolictivities everyone will gather around for more chatter and conversation before departing to their individual abodes happy and looking forward to the next get together.

This year, dinner was at Utheya's girlfriend house in Semabok where the whole family was invited to join in the festivities of the New Year Celebrations. The pictures above reflect some last minute pics taken as everyone was too busy eating and making merry to remember to take pictures !  Joey's family prepared not just a feast for the tummy but also for our eyes as they had fire crackers a plenty, loud veritable paper bombs that cause sparklers of all colors to be emitted  and other fancy exploding sticks and platters; lion dancings and gongs and drums a beating with plenty of mutual joviality, food & drinks. Another episode in the Good Life show, indeed !

For the next day we were invited over to Michelle's brothers' place where the Wong Family Lunch was again laid out for us to feast on and relax.

It is interesting that to the Chinese Food encapsulates relationship.bonding and personality as this simple dish of Mee Hoon with carrots and leek is a symbolism on the bonding and intertwining of relationship amongst family members no matter how far apart or colorful they are!

                                  A typical time honored tasty & simple chinese family get together meal.

As I lowered myself down unto the wicker chair  in the patio, under the residual heat of the afternoon shade after the heavy Lunch, I remembered thinking about the many opportunities we've had to enjoy such repast these past 20 years or so and suddenly it dawned on me that the very things that we take for granted in our daily life characterises our desires and outlook on life and it makes us who we are and what we become. My position, privileges and pomroy outlook on life is due in part to the stability and love my wife and I have shared, through thick and thin these past 2 decades, and the privilege of the shared meal in another's home and hearth symbolizes that sanctity of sacrifice; love & care for others that epitomizes the Family unit.

Though, epistles of truth aside,as my gaze turns towards the beautiful young children playing with their smart phones and MP5's,  happily learning about the world through their eyes in the safety and comfort of the familial surroundings,all I wanted to do at that moment was to totter off to my warm and comforting bed and doze happily away the afternoon heat and sweat !

This dish below is a home made broth with Braised Top Hat ; pig intestines and tender succulent pork meat laced with white pepper and kayu manis. Delicious !

 Another  traditional home based dish- Lap Cheong and sauteed onions and Chinese Leek.

And oh yeah, I forgot another tradisi : You gotta have Beer to go with Lunch, down here !

The Long Weekend was also reason enough for my sisters and their children to pop into Melaka from the various states they reside in ( Ipoh,Klang,KL) for an opportunity to meet up with each other and pay me and mummy a visit. It is an enjoyable respite for all of us to catch up with one another and for all the young ones to get to know their related cousins and nieces. This occasion also presides an opportunity for two separate cultures  of the same root (both Indian & Chinese) to meet up and catch up on each others present condition and situations ! (Gossip-la tu). Time and distance does indeed make the heart grow fonder.

                             All of us later adjourned to The HTH Cafe for some serious R&R and FUN ! The weather was accomodating and everyone enjoyed the ambiance of the cafe and the crowd watching was particularly interesting this night, what with it being the long weekend and Jonker Street being the main attraction down here.

         All this and the week end is just starting!

CNY EVE LUNCH 2011

The Wife and her family held their Chinese New Year Family Lunch at Michelle's favorite Dragon Deluxe Restaurant in Batu Berendam on the 02/02/2011. Here with are the pictures of that get together:

EVERYONE TOSSING the YEE SANG dish for a PROSPEROUS & SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR AHEAD !

Even though it was lunch, the restaurant was packed and the service staff was bringing in all the food in our RM888.00 package at a fast pace but no one was complaining as the food was yummy.

                                                   Herbal Chicken with Tang Kwey and other Herbs

                                        Braised Taufu and Japanese Mushrooms with kailan and Abalone sauce

                                         This was the Shark Fin Soup with Crab meat and Brandy seasoning

                                                   Shitake Mushrooms and Broccoli with white Fungus in XO Sauce

                                                      Stir Fry King Prawns in Lemon Sauce and Onions

                                                                            Steamed Red Talapia