Would you stand up when the national anthem comes up in the cinema before the movie starts?

Today was a particularly 'racial' day for me.
I've just finished watching this video about 'How racist are Malaysians' - awesome
Plus, I finished another episode of JK News on Black Racism - thought inspiring



So these got me thinking about racism in general.
While I was having a talk with my dad with the 'what would you do' questions, something popped out of my mind.

It happened yesterday when Sheng and I went for a movie together at Queensbay.
We were both sitting together, watching trailers before the movie 'Lucy' started.
Then the screen turned blank and the narrator said 'Please stand up to sing the national anthem' while the translations in BM and BC were displayed on the screen.
I was truly confused and I was looking at Sheng with a confused look, asking him 'Is this for real?'
He shrugged as the familiar tune of 'Negaraku' started playing.

I looked to the left and right (a typical reaction to most people in the cinema), nobody stood up.
I was about to grab a chip from the can Sheng bought earlier when he sprung up all of the sudden and he started to sing the national anthem.
Shocked as I was, I stood up too (so he doesn't look awkward? haha) and I actually knocked off a good portion of the chips...

Standing up, I can see that most people in the cinema was seated, except for another Chinese girl standing a few rows in front of me.
I distinctively heard her guy friend towards her left asking her 'Why did you stand up' in Chinese.
And with a little giggle, she replied 'Cause it's our country ma' (notice the infamous 'ma' in the conversation? Yea, that's how Malaysian we are)
So, the 3 of us stood throughout Negaraku, watching the patriotic images our country along with the different races flashed in front of us.

When it all ends, I sat down, facing Sheng with a questioning look...
"You surprised me when you stood up"
"Yea, why?"
"I didn't expect you to do that... Haha."
"Haha, yea, I may dislike our country's politics, but I am proud of being a Malaysian."
"True, I agree."
"BTW, do you know how common it is for the Thais to stand up for their national anthem? They'll even pull up at the side of the road when the national anthem was aired on the radio!"

So that was my experience with the national anthem and the cinema.
I think people rasa malu nak stand up because it feels weird and awkward.
But I think the national anthem stirs up more than just our country, identity and stuff...
I think it creates this emotion inside reminding us that, 'hey, we had come this far, look at all these things we can cherish', and it does makes sense, in a way.
I think I only realize the impact of it when I went through my uni, meeting so many people, seeing so many faces.
I think it's kinda cool getting to know each other better, we gotto learn something new everyday.
Ahh, memories...

So, would you stand up when the national anthem comes up in the cinema before the movie starts?

News on cinema airing Negaraku for a week here
:)

Signing off
JCG

Watching JK News - Hater's reactions to cops

I'm a big fan of this channel and I've been watching every video they posted about recent news.
These 2 are the ones that caught my attention.

Scenario

Both these news are condemnation to the cop's reaction in the US.

One of them tackling the cop who said 'I will fucking kill you' to the media during the Brown protest;

the other one being the cop which shot at a black dude when the guy provoked the cops. 

After I watched their comments, I scrolled down to the much heated comment section to check out on what people are thinking of their opinions. 

It's no surprise that many of them are very much in defense of their own opinion and at the same time, bashing the JK crew for supporting the cops. 

Afterthought

While I'm no fan of rude cruel words and name calling, I do take their point of view into consideration. 

And after looking at it from both sides, I think people have this weakness of having to prove to everyone how 'right' they are. 

For example, some of the commentators (haters included) would be outraged by saying that the cops are killing innocent lives and they are the ones we're supposed to be trusting, but they failed us by having "out of the order" reactions. 

They may be right when they say that, but they (being the haters) forgot to think of things from the cops' point of view. 

I had more affiliation to these news story as I had similar experiences when I was a prefect back in high school. 

We, being the law enforcers, are easily the target to blame when there's a mishap at school. 

Teachers or students alike would probably point to us for any misconduct or mistakes done. 

But I was wondering, how would these people hating on the cops or JK crew react when they are faced with the same situation...
When your life is in danger, would you act / react 'rationally' or would you just do anything to keep yourself safe? 

Let's say, these normal civilians or law enforcers met with these crooks who are perhaps high on drugs or threatening them or heckling them...

Would they had stayed calm and grab a taser when their lives are clearly threatened?
Would they had used civilized words instead of spiking off vulgarities?
I know I wouldn't.
But I know many would say that 'we react this way because we are only normal human beings!'
Yea, say that to the cops with families to take care of and are trying to make ends meet.

Looking back at those cops, I'm not saying that what they did is right or wrong, but I'm saying that I understand where they came from, why would they react this way and their emotions or feelings associated with the public around them. 

It's not easy having to stand and do the 'right' thing. 

Hater's gonna hate.

Till another rant.

Signing off
JCG

Kracie Poppin Cookin

Gday yall. 

I finally got my hands on 2 sets of Kracie Poppin Cooking kit. 

One of them I brought it from Jusco (lucky purchase),

the other one was specially imported from Japan by mah homie, Siti. 

Dear Siti, you know I love you. :)

Kracie Donut kit

I bought this kit from Aeon (Jusco) near my house for RM13.50 per box.

Box (front)

Box (back)

Unboxing

Unboxing

Here we go!

Cutting off the 1st sachet

Pouring ingredients

Done pouring

Mixing

Done mixing

Our poop-shaped donut

Cut into 4

We use 2 of them to make a donut

  

Done donut

  

Same goes to our choc poop

Our diff donuts

Icing

Mixing the white icing

And the pink one

Reading to deco our donuts

Black icing squeeze

Done one

Done two

Done three

Putting on the black icing

And some sprinkles

Donut #1

Donut #2

Donut #3

Donut #4

Yey done with our deco

Tasting donuts

Yum!

It tasted sweet, kinda like an actual donut. :)

Kracie Poppin Cookin Bento Set

This is a special package from Japan by Arina.
You rock girl.

Special panda bento

Box (front)

Box (back)

Unboxing (front)

Unboxing (back)

Unboxing

Ingredients (sorted)

Making the broccoli, egg roll and squid

Finalizing our bento with the panda rice and spaghetti

Arranging our rice, spaghetti, and nugget

Yey done!

It was sweet to the taste, like candy..

But wait, it IS candy! 

My bro and I had a lot of fun doing both of these candy making kit.
Decorating mini sized food bites was more fun than expected, even though it took literally seconds for us to finish eating them.
Dayum, Japanese stuff are so freaking cute!
I wanna go to Japan some day.
Till next time beautiful people.

Signing off
JCG

Belated Krabi Trip post

After 1000000 years, I finally got my hands on this awesome Krabi video taken by Arina! 

Yey! (credits n love)

This video is one of my fav as it captures that do or die moment when we decided to jump into the open sea without any life jacket on. 

Mind you, this sea is approx 10m deep, beautiful place for snorkeling and diving. 

---worth every single penny---

Anyways, these are some snippets from our beautiful trip

A view from where we're staying, cozy lil place near the beach

Mah 2 homies, love you guys for organizing the awesome trip

Mah b*tch, love you to bits dar. :)

Aww, such a lovely room for us

Selfie!

Out for dinner, bikini on, ready for anything!

Aint he puffy

Love birds

Walkin together at this serene beach

Yey

Met our fello kraktoei waiter at a bar, she was super nice to us

Even let us took a photo with her like this!

Early breakfast raid from 711

So we went to this jungle pool

With the most amazing view!

Look at these 2 guys chillin

She's taller than I remembered

Yey selfie

Looks like someone's dead

My hair got caught in my eye in this pic

But I love this one, it's called sharing oxygen... :P

Elephant riding fun

Can't believe how high it is from this view

Arina's hair gone after our previous swim = lion's mane

My hair's not doing so well either = rawr

3rd day we went to 4 islands

We're standing in front of the boat, where the sun is 1 million degrees

But the view's nice tho

Water as clear as crystal

Swimming at the James Bond island Maya Bay *thumbs up*

Up on the boat again visiting the 2nd island

Then we were brought to this awesome place, and we jumped off the boat...

Into the big blue ocean!

It was the most amazing experience ever

I feel like the whole world is a different place...

Friends, fun, freedom.....

Koh phi-phi island for lunch

And a quick dip

Ben's hand's like, look at the view there!

Hence with that finger, ends our boat trips to the 4 islands.

During that evening, we met a bunch of kraktoei scammers. 

I was shocked when they demanded money from us for taking photos with them.

Luckily the rain came and they went away, but we did gave them some cash tho. 

Heartfelt dinner

The day we leave Krabi

Hell yea, went home with mah nails done and a new tiny bag pack!

All in all, it was definitely worth it.

Even the 8 hours van ride there was no biggie as compared to what I've experienced.

So... Where to go next? 

*grins*

Signing off

JCG