My Thai Ponggal wishes to everyone celebrating it. Too bad I will be celebrating it at my office :( Yeah, I'm working tomorrow. Damn, should have taken off! *sigh

Anyway, just had time to work on 2 wallpapers - one is here and another one in the MIndsblog. Just a small introduction to the MIndsblog, a weblog especially dedicated to Malaysian Indians. Derived from the words Malaysian (M), Indian's (Inds) and Blog (Blog), the MIndsblog started off with a mission to gather all Malaysian Indian Bloggers (MIB) in a common platform. Beside creating a platform for all of us to mingle around, and contribute to the progress and well-being of our community at large in the future.

So, who are we? We are a group of Malaysian Indian Bloggers (MIB) who wanted to start this blog ever since we organized Bloggers Buff 2007! That was like 4 months ago and now finally the plan has materialized. Pheww…! The MIndsblog team members are:

BMahendran - His name says it all! He blogs in Bolehland.

Puvanan - Our young engineer (wink wink) from JB! He blogs in The Blank Page.

Saravanan - He is the one providing technical support for MIndsblog. Thanks a lot Sara! He blogs in Saravanan07.com.

Raaja -Hails from the Penang. The initiator of this whole idea of creating one platform for MIBs. He blogs in Raajarox.

Praveen - The jewel of MIndsblog. A busy blogger from Kuala Lumpur. She blogs in The Dissected Mind.

Rames -The designer of MIndsblog. An avid photographer as well. You may find his designs and photos in RamesStudio.

and yours truly.

Would like to join us? There are only two rules if you would like to contribute to MIndsblog. One - you have to be a Malaysian Indian and two - you have to write a post on any category (refer to categories in MIndsblog) in relevance to Malaysian Indians. That’s all. Simple isn’t it? Just e-mail us (admin@mindsblog.com or im@tulipspeaks.com) if you would like to contribute to MIndsblog. We will do the rest!


Now, before I forget, here is the wallpaper as promised:

Online buddies never fail to amaze me. Whenever I post something, the comments never stop pouring in. In fact, I do receive some crap which could not be published. An usual post in tulipspeaks will be greeted with a moderate number of hits and a fair number of comments. But sadly, whenever I post sensitive issues like my previous post, which I really need everyone's feedback and co-operation in making it 'big' enough to attract relevant authorities' attention, nothing came out of it. To be fair, yes.. there are caring and sensitive souls out there who share my grief, but the majority remains silent. It is not that no one reading it - my hits shoot up like no one's business when I published the post. So, why the silence? This is something I noticed even in other blogs such as Bolehland & Kav's Kollage. Why no one is speaking up? Afraid? Oh come on! Bloggers are not timid creatures!! Bloggers advocate free speech, and that's what I expect of everyone here.

I'm sorry if I'm putting high expectation, and I am aware that it's readers' rights to comment or not. But at the same time, I would like to see some sort of feedback and awareness among the community. Guess that is not too much to ask for this Deepavali.


Okie okie.. Forgive me for nagging you guys.. back to my Deepavali mood.. I did two wallpapers for Deepavali, which I used as e-comment & e-card as well. Here they are:

**I'm getting lazier nowadays, so only one size (1024*768) available. Feel free to re-size them.

An independence day post in Malaysian Language. Pardon me for the unavailability of an English version. Presenting a wallpaper in conjunction with the event.

Happy 50th Independence Day, Malaysia!



Also read my previous posts on Malaysia & Merdeka:

Aku, si Jalur Gemilang
Countdown to Merdeka: The Country
Countdown to Merdeka: The People
Countdown to Merdeka: The Capital
Countdown to Merdeka: The Landmarks

I have just read and published Diya's comment on my previous post:

diyadear said...

tulip,
u haven't been speaking much lately :D

6:40 AM, August 05, 2007

Well... what she said has some truth in it. Or should I say, that's the truth? :) Been really busy travelling for the past 3 weeks and those places I went had bad or no Internet coverage. It was a different world out there and I don't know if its a blessing in disguise that I get to experience it right now. It was a work-related field trip, where I conducted a research among rural folk. Can't reveal more than that, but it taught me lot more than just research. Especially my last trip to oil palm estates around Kuala Selangor and Klang area, kinda rekindle alot of memories. This requires a post on its own :)

The time I went away was a more or less a test period for me. I have heard my friends complaining that blogs are nothing more than just html codes; people here are fakes and what so not. They claimed that no one gonna bother me once I stop publishing post/updating tulipspeaks, and this blog will just die off with no one wants to know what actually happened to me. While I can't refute their claims 100%, but I know there are people out there who care about me and what I write here. Despite my no show in others' blogs, I still get commentators and respectable number of hits in tulipspeaks. Better still, I am still earning some bucks via the adverts here :P. Although I feel its not fair for me to continue expecting visitors when I am not visiting their space, its kinda sweet to know that there are people who missing me when I'm away even for a short period. I feel loved. Thank you to all!

Sharing some photos I took during my field trip.



And a wallpaper I did :P

I will be off to Trolak** tomorrow morning *sigh! That means another 5 days (maybe) without Internet. Literally meaning I won't be able to blog for the next 5 days. I will be back on 24th July, only to leave again elsewhere on 26th. Then I will be away for good 10 days! I will try my level best to update tulipspeaks whenever possible. No promises though.

Another news I would like to share with all will be my sister's enrolment in the university. She has been offered a scholarship to pursue Pharmacy in International Medical University (IMU). I just send her off yesterday. A little sad to see her leaving home, but I know she will be back soon :). Guess both of us will be contributing a lot to our telcos for the next 4 years! And hopefully she will resume blogging *Amen! ;)

I am so sorry leaving without visiting any one's blog. Its almost midnight and I have just finished packing. Too tired to type anything more :( Just a freaking wallpaper which I did in haste for everyone:

**Trolak is a small estate town in Perak, Malaysia.

This song rekindles the sweet memories I have. I mean 'micham meethi' memories. :P Beautiful lyrics. It brings out the best out of simple / small incidences in our daily life. Something we don't usually appreciate, just like some of us who don't appreciate our significant other :)

Between, Saturday will be our Tamil New Year. Did 2 wallpapers for the festival - not so great, but I think it looks alrite there. :P Enjoy the song, download the wallpapers and have a great weekend guys.




Movie: Pori
Song: Perunthil Nee

P/S: micham meethi - the remaining

has nothing in it.

Not because I am not wishing for anything, but I just want to stop asking. Stop expecting. Stop hoping. Stop wishing.

Everytime when I even attempt to ask for something, my hope usually shatters. But unexpected happens. Am I asking for something impossible? Or simply because I don't deserve things? But again, is there anything impossible?

Not to brag, but I have done what I can for people I know. In fact for people I barely know. I have tried my best to help, to listen and to give suggestion. I have gone in great length, even by sacrificing my own time and need for others. I put the others first before me. I could never say no. But now, I feel all I have done is to push myself down. Pushed it to a lowest point possible in terms of priority. It is not fair if I expect everyone to make me happy all the time. Thats pretty difficult. I know. But that is the task I did. Not that everyone is happy with me or what I have done. But I have done what I can for them. Isn't it fair to expect the same thing in return?

Disappointments only made me to think and to forgo any expectation I still have. I have stopped wishing.

2 post in 1 - hopefully that explains the bizarre nature of the title for this post.

First, its Chinese New Year (Year of Boar - although I call it Year of Piggies :P) again. I digged my archives and found an ancient post on CNY. Save my time writing another one for this year :P what a lazy piggy I am. kekekeke. But I'm hard-working enough to design a wallpaper for CNY. It actually developed from pictures I took of the lantern hanging over my dining table.

Now about chastity belt. I think by now, you guys already know how many dungus Malaysians have as authority. lolz. Here is another bizarre announcement/suggestion which came from someone who is described as 'a well-respected religious figure'. I don't know if these guys actually think before they speak or it is otherwise. Of course, the suggestion came under fire from the women groups.

Wait.. may be he is right, just got the gender wrong. What if I say.. "the majority of sexual offenders are men. so its mandatory for Malaysian men to wear chastity belts and the keys are to be hold by their mother or wife". Nice eh?

How I'm going to spend my V-day? I mentioned this in Priya's blog. Thought it worth sharing..


Tentative programme for 14th Feb 2007:

1. wake up earlier than usual

2. reach office at 7 or at least 7.30 (work starts at 8.30)

3. work

4. meeting

5. work

6. extra work

7. drive back home slowly

8. reach home as late as i can

9. bath

10. eat

11. sleep as quickly as possible



lolz.. officially I'm boycotting this year's V-day (as usual) ;)

But somehow I could help myself but to work on a wallpaper for the Day. Posted in Flickr few days back. Just in case if you didn't notice, here it is again.

I had a wonderful but mysterious dream last night. Certainly I didn't expect it when I just had an argument, took some sleeping pills and cry myself to sleep.

I was sleeping when there was this bright warm light from outside my window woke me up. I'm very sensitive towards lights even when I am asleep. I walked out of my room towards the porch. To my surprise it was porch of my old house, which I was born and grew up. I stood on the wet grass and looked up. Oh my! It was the most beautiful scene I have ever seen!! The moon, stars and the buruj (zodiac signs you can see in the sky..don't know what you call in English) all in bright shining golden colour!! For a moment, I just stood there in amazement. The sky was dynamic; the buruj kept forming and forming, but before I could see it more clearly, it would move away from the scene. And all these rite on my home. I could not see anything like this elsewhere. Its like having a golden sky blanketing me and my home. I quickly ran to my room, took my cam and ran out to capture the scene. But I just couldn't do it- its like the sky is not allowing me to capture it! Sigghh...then I give up taking pictures and just sit down on the grass and continue to watch the sky. All of the sudden, the sky went dark - pitch black as if someone has just switched off everything. :( I waited for a while, and all I could see was few stars looking dim. Disappointed, I went to bed. The minute I lay down, I woke up (in real).

I think it occurred early morning, coz I woke up and found it was around 6am.Tried to put everything I still remember into a drawing. I don't know if the wallpaper below looks neat but it came from my memory. I don't know what the dream means (if it has any meaning), but it has left great impact on me..

I don't know why but I really felt the difference for the past 2, 3 years. I'm losing the colours in my life - losing its vibrant colours; its enchanting vibes; its pleasant and upbeat nature. Its getting gloomier.. something that made me to feel uncomfortable. Sometimes I fight back.. yea.. I fought back and I got some shades back..only to lose it the next day. Now..I've decided to seek for help. Yes.. a small favour which will definitely go a long way. I had a long thought about it. Unsure about how to ask. But... how long can I keep on wondering? hmm.. anyway, I got to ask it somehow..

[Updated]: I did went to Batu Caves. Took some pictures which I uploaded to my personal flickr account. Here's a collage of the photos:

I told myself I'm not going to follow anymore chariot procession ever since the terrible experience I had during the procession last year. But somehow the temptation was just too great and I decided to walk 15km with the chariot last minute :P Started my walk at 12.45am (yea.. that was before the chariot moved from the temple) and reached Batu Caves at exactly 5.45am. I still had similar problems like last years - bikes, conversations which are made up entirely by vulgar words (yuckss!!), phone number seeking etc. Glad to have my bro around though. Just like having a bodyguard watching over 2 gals (sister and I) hehehe..I'm still not sure if I'll be going off to Batu Caves again 2moro for Thaipusam celebration. Still thinking.

And oh yea.. below is a wallpaper made up of a photograph I took this morning at Batu Caves. Between this is Tulipspeaks' 200th post!! ;)

This a Merdeka ad by Petronas almost 10 years ago, but I still think its one of their best:
(Gombak - a town near KL)

09:00 a.m.: Arrival of Members of the Media

09:40 a.m.: Arrival
Y.B. Dato’ Ong Tee Kiat
Deputy Minister of Higher Education Malaysia

09:45 a.m.: Speech by
Encik Mohd. Affandi
YDP Majlis Per. Pelajar UM

09:50 a.m.: Speech by
Mr. P Kamalanathan
Organising Chairman
People’s Pongal 2007

10:00 a.m.: Speech and Launching by
Y.B. Dato’ Ong Tee Kiat
Deputy Minister of Higher Education Malaysia

10:10 a.m.: Act of Launch and meeting participants

10:30 a.m.: Departure of
Y.B. Dato’ Ong Tee Kiat
Deputy Minister of Higher Education Malaysia

As per Visithra's request, I'm posting the tentative programme for Monday's People's Ponggal. Together with this, I'm posting 2 more Ponggal-themed wallpapers as well. Enjoy & hope to see someone from the blogworld during the celebration! Have fun for this Ponggal.

Ponggal (the Harvest festival) is here again. Will be celebrated on 15th Jan. In conjunction with Ponggal & Visit Malaysia Year 2007, a string of events has been organized:

13th January 2007 : Live Interview on Selamat Pagi Malaysia, RTM 1 at 9am

13th January 2007 : Talk on the Significance of Ponggal at Dewan Serbaguna SS 3 @ 645pm Organised by Brahma Kumari Raja Yoga

14th January 2007 : Ponggal Welcome Reception at KLIA Sepang starting from 10am.

15th January 2007 : People's Ponggal in Universiti Malaya

19th January 2007 : Ponggal at Dataran Perpustakaan KUSTEM at 9am Organised by KUSTEM.

28th January 2007 : Ponggal at Dewan Serbaguna Bandar Sri Damansara at 9am. Organised by MIC Bandar Baru Sri Damansara.

3rd February 2007 : Poeple's Ponggal in Menara KL

You may want to check out MyPongal.Com for more details. Oh yea, there is an online contest going on there, participate in it too!

I always have this thing for dogs. May be because I grew up with pet dogs. First it was Bobby, but I can't really remember him. Was too young back then. Then, it was Dumeen - a huge golden brown dog whom I love to ride on. lolz. I was about 4 yrs old then. After that, we had few dogs whom we named Dumeen - no idea why. After the last Dumeen died, we didn't have any more pet dogs until my uncle's friend decided to gave away her Australian Silky Terriers. I mentioned about it HERE, but recently I took couple of pics of Boy & Girl which I have since uploaded in my personal flickr account. Didn't know what to do, so decided to make a cute wallpaper out of their pics. Check it out.

Look at the twinkling stars
Gaze at the glowing moon
Listen to the waves
Feel the ocean breeze

You will see me.

Found a new hobby - designing wallpaper that is. Just filling up the free time I have, learning Photoshop. These wallpapers are more like my homework sheets :P Check them out HERE and if u like it, feel free to download it. If you think I need to brush up on it, please kindly advise me on it. As I said, I'm still learning.