In Readiness

The year ends with preparations for the year about to begin. Continuity rather than division. Flow rather than separation.

Transcendence

Couldn't help but feel that with the death of Pele a part of my childhood has been irretrievably lost, something belonging to the world of legend rather than drab reality. The man embodied perfection, not just as a supremely gifted footballer but as a sportsman of complete dignity. And everyone knew that when I was a kid. It wasn't open to discussion, just a brute fact reflecting the way things were. So when Brazil triumphed in the 1970 World Cup there was a taken-for-grantedness about it which sort of added to the wonder of it all.

He never looked hurried, as if time were a problem for others to deal with.

Continuing

We're on our way again, soon. Not a bad way to be, I suppose. Moving on means that, somehow, one is still keeping going. I think I got more than my fair share of rest in 2022.

Big Numbers

Fact of the day: We share the planet with 20 quadrillion ants. I am not making that number up. It's a real one and contains lots of noughts. Think of it this way: for each human being there are 2.5 million ants. Gosh.

Actually, it isn't really the case that we share the planet, is it? I suspect that the ants pay us precious little attention, except for when we catastrophically destroy what they need as habitat. But they seem to be able to bounce back from such minor setbacks, if their numbers are anything to go by.

All this makes me feel vaguely cheerful. But only vaguely. 

Still Building

Now trying to make sure we've got all we need as we leave Maison KL behind after this flying visit and contemplating the changes I've seen in the city over the years I've known it. These days whenever we come to Kuala Lumpur I'm struck by the sheer number of new buildings that appear, and I mean really big, chunky buildings. Driving to KLCC last night it wasn't so easy to pick out the twin towers which once dominated the skyline. They now seem hemmed in, a bit overwhelmed.

Is that how those who dwell here feel? Or do they carve out necessary spaces for themselves in which to thrive in the intersections?

Packing It All Away

Quite startled at the speed at which they've taken down the main Christmas display in the atrium at KLCC. We popped down there this evening to witness some thirty or so smaller Christmas trees unceremoniously tied, or rather wrapped, together in whitish fabric, dumped amid a mountain of black cloth which I surmised covered the carcass of the super-large tree which had dominated the space for the last month or so. It all looked ruthlessly abrupt. But as the Missus pointed out, with Chinese New Year coming particularly early in the new year there's likely a commercial imperative to ring the changes speedily.

Mind you, I noticed that they still had Xmas trees for sale in Isetan (two, I think) when we were going round there later. A forlorn hope, but possibly early buyers for 2023?

A Kind Of Blessing

Spent much of last night and this morning thinking of the kind of long cold drink I was talking about yesterday. This was provoked by our lack of refrigeration, putting said drink well beyond my reach. We've now solved the fridge problem, probably on a very temporary basis, but I still haven't had a decent cold drink. However, I'm keenly aware that in the big picture of things all this counts for very little indeed.

Today's news looked typically depressing, despite it being Christmas, so best to make the best of our secure little corner, despite its slight deficiencies - and use it as a platform to wish all who keep this season a blessed Christmas for 2022. 

A Long Cold Drink

We've been travelling north for the last two days, having set off for Malaysia in the early evening on Friday, taking Hakim with us to Melaka. Unusually we stayed over at Rozaidah's on Friday night, a first for us, arriving there after negotiating some decent sized jams at Tuas.

Then Noi and I pressed on to KL today after a leisurely morning in Sungai Petai largely dedicated to eating well. It was typically warm on the highway in the afternoon and that was when it came pressing upon me that a long, cold drink of something like orange juice when you have a thirst on is one of life's great compensations for difficulties. I mean, just fantasising about it is remarkably compensatory, and the actual act is perfect in itself. I put this to the test when we arrived at the Great Eastern Building on Jalan Ampang, near our house when we got to KL and I was right. By the time I was halfway through the fresh orange juice I applied myself to, the world had become a better place and I was entirely satisfied.

Now we are settling in at Maison KL and facing the several challenges of a house unoccupied since June. (The fridge has taken it upon itself to break down again.) I'm keeping that moment of the afternoon in mind as a reminder of a promise fulfilled.

Striking

Lots of coverage on Sky News of the various strike actions being called in the UK, most prominently that of the nurses. Even from this distance it's obvious they've got plenty of public support and given the events of the pandemic it's not difficult to understand why.

Must admit though, I'm happy to be situated in a part of the world that manages to avoid the uncertainties attendant upon industrial action. Utterly selfish, I'm afraid, but deeply practical.

Still Lost

I half expected to regain the weight I lost in my illness by the end of the year. Since I knew we would be well supplied on the victuals front during our umrah I thought it likely to put back 3 or 4 kg whilst in Makkah & Madinah, but that didn't happen, as I realised today when I went for my annual check-up at the clinic just over the road as required by my employers. The receptionist checking my weight noted I was 5 kg lighter than this time last year and the doctor reckoned I was 6 kg lighter than my average weight for the last 4 or so years.

I suppose the physical demands of the umrah meant that no matter how well I thought I was feeding myself I needed the intake from the extensive buffets to provide the energy just to rise to the challenge. At some level I'm underestimating that need for energy, I think, somehow not throwing myself into life, if that makes sense. I have an appetite, but it's too easily satisfied.

It would be nice to feel greedy again.