I Am....

... feeling good today.

The sun is shining and I'm busy with labworks, finally! ^^ I've been dying to start my wet lab, but that process was hindered due to the delay in equipment delivery. So, for the past few weeks I've done nothing but observe my undergraduates do their labwork, while slowly trying to patch together a decent masters proposal to FRIM. In summary: not fun!

So, to commemorate my uplifted mood and returning good health, I'm going to start on the first couple of things about me. God knows I've put this off long enough, so here goes...

The first thing: I am a nature lover

Awalnya, I wanted to put the title as "I am a cat lover." But that title didn't quite fit, since there are many things I love in life, and not all of them have whiskers and meowed ^^ (I also thought of the title "I am in love with the world", but that's just going overboard..)

So, why is this the first thing? Because, this is what has largely shaped me as a person. I spent most of my life immersed in nature. Both of my parents made forestry their career, and inevitably raised me and my siblings in its appreciation. If you've ever visited the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) where I grew up, you'll understand where I'm coming from..

I have become so much a part of forests that to live without trees or a substantial amount of greenery around me would be a death sentence. I get distressed when I see logged hills or cleared land; I keep thinking about the wildlife that has to suffer because of that, and I worry excessively of what became of them. Heck, I even get angry at those DBKL people trimming trees by the side of the road! (I know, they're just doing their job..). But I just don't see the need. let it grow wild! It's a tree, dammit!

And what is with people throwing things out of car windows?! (even if they ARE organic and will decompose at some point -_-). We all drive big cars and expensive SUVs, but apparently have very small brains. Some people go through all the trouble of having garbage bags stored in their cars so that they can keep their vehicles clean without chucking things out the window. What is so difficult about that? For heaven's sakes, it's your garbage keep it to yourself!

*sigh* Yeah, I get pretty worked up over these things..

But, every cloud has a silver lining, no? These ignorances have inspired me to dedicate my life as a conservationist. That dream isn't yet fully realized, and I must say I have a long road ahead of me. The thing is, there's so much I know I can do, but most of it requires me to first make a name for myself. Like the wise words of a friend:

" No one will fight for your cause if they don't know you. So work hard, get rich, live big... Then all your hopes and dreams for the world will fall into place."

I'd hate to agree, but at this point I don't exactly have a choice...

The second thing: I am a cat lover

Felines are the love of my life, and I've owned close to a hundred in my lifetime. There is something about the way they meow that makes my ears tune in and immediately takes my attention. Most people will probably go, "Owh, it's a cat."

Me: "Where is it!?"

I share this funny behavior with the rest of my family excluding my dad, as well as with relatives on my mother's side. whenever there is a gathering of my mum's family, a cat show and forum will ensue. In my family cats are not pets, they are siblings; they are not 'it', they are he's and she's; they sleep with us on our beds, and they can even eat from the same plate. And when a cat has run away with food from the table, the common retort will be, "that's a smart one, that is..."

We are honored to provide a home for them. This year alone my family has picked up 6 lost kittens (much to my father's chagrin), and my mum will go as far as finding fresh fish for them at the pasar malam every other week, on top of five packets of catfood I bring home every three weeks. Money? My mum believes that part of her monthly salary belongs to her cats! ^^

For the cats we don't own, there is a bag of catfood we keep in our cars these days in case we find them. And I will not stand for any kind of cruelty against them iether. I got angry at my brother for abandoning a kitten he'd picked up and cared for. I've personally reprimanded a man once for raising his hand to a cat begging for a bit of his meal. It didn't go very well, so these days whenever I eat out, I'll call the cats over to my table instead just to save the trouble...

Personally, I don't get it.. God gives us our daily bread; why can't we just share a bit, even if it is with a cat? How could we as human beings find it in our hearts to turn the poor things away by inflicting pain on them, or ignore them when they cry out for food? Seriously, something's wrong with the world when such things are taken for granted..