New Year Wishes
Jan 1, 2009 Announcements
It’s the start of a new year and I thought I’d start with an apology.
I have been neglecting this blog of late - not from lack of interest - but from lack of time. As you all know, A Christmas Carol took a lot of time out of my schedule and I have been trying to recover since, picking up the pieces in my life and sorting work out when it ended.
A new year does call for a new start, however, and I intend to spend a lot more time on this blog from today on.
But for now, a new year greeting is in order so I’d like to wish you all a Happy New Year and may 2009 bring you all a lot of joy, love and happiness.
Best wishes from me.
6.26pm Malaysian time
Tags: new year
Today is World AIDS Day
Dec 1, 2008 Announcements
It’s a little late for my Malaysian friends but I had a busy day today trying to get my knee checked. It’s still pretty early in the US and some other parts of the world though.
Still I was wearing the Red Ribbon pinned on my shirt all day as today is World AIDS Day. The day is commemorated on Dec 1 each year.
The HIV/AIDS cause is one that is close to my heart. I’m not sure what was the initial attraction but over the years, I have worked with several organisations. I don’t do too much these days but I try to make record of it, and spread the word through my writings. Such as like with this blog.
Only recently, if you have followed my blog, you would know that the R.AGE team - the youth pullout which I came into The Star to work with and develop, won the Red Ribbon Award from the Malaysian AIDS Foundation.
Please wear the red ribbon today in solidarity with many of our friends who are living with HIV/AIDS, and to remember the many people who have left the world because of it. And as a reminder when we make certain decisions in our lives.
10.36pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: red ribbon, world aids day
Niki will be right back
Nov 28, 2008 Announcements
Well, in a couple of days time.
I’m heading out of state shortly, taking a drive to Lenggeng, near Semenyih in Negri Sembilan (slightly more than an hour out of KL - hey, I never said Malaysia was very big!) to run a youth communication workshop called The BRATs Alternative Programme.
I moan about it a lot but I secretly enjoy these workshops - young people give out a great energy, keeps you on your toes and so much to learn from them.
I’ll be back on Sunday (straight to rehearsals!) but will try to see if I can’t update from there. There’s definitely no Internet connection but I’ll see what kind of connection I can get from my phone to post a picture or two up.
Have a good weekend, folks. And to my lovely American friends, Happy Thanksgiving.
6.15am Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: lenggeng, negri sembilan
All Hallow’s Eve: Happy Halloween
Oct 31, 2008 Announcements
I’m not feeling it too much this year (then again, I don’t feel it much anytime - considering I’m a party pooper and, er, don’t like dressing up).
But who am I to be a downer? So to all of you folks ready to scare the living daylights out of people tonight (everyone’s been talking about costumes, constumes, costumes!), then Happy Halloween!
10.53am Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: all hallow's even, halloween, happy halloween, witches
Vote NO on Prop 8
Oct 29, 2008 Announcements
I had planned to talk about Proposition 8 yesterday, as it would have been exactly a week to the US Presidential Election. But better late than never, I suppose.
Well, I am joining (not that I am as important, but every voice matters, I believe) a number of public personalities - and individuals - to speak out against Proposition 8 (or Prop 8). On Nov 4, when the people of United States vote for their new President (*fingers crossed* Obama, Obama, Obama), California will also be voting on Proposition 8, among others.
Prop 8 is a 2008 California General Election Ballot initiative measure titled:
Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry
If passed, this measure would allow for the California constitution to be changed, with this phrase “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California” added.
Among the people (and organisations) who have spoken out against Prop 8 (yes, those of you voting in California need to vote NO to oppose discrimination - weird how the world works, huh?) include Ellen Degeneres (who got married recently to wife Portia De Rossi), US comic Margaret Cho, Ugly Betty America Fererra, Apple Inc (the company just donated US100,000 to the campaign), Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama and his running mate Joe Biden among others. TV personalities are also speaking out against Prop 8, like in the video below.
Some others - organisations and individiduals - who are saying NO on Prop 8 are listed here. College students too are out in force.
In August, the Los Angeles Times explained why people should vote NO on Prop 8.
“Proposition 8… would eliminate the fundamental right to same-sex marriage. The very act of denying gay and lesbian couples the right to marry – traditionally the highest legal and societal recognition of a loving commitment – by definition relegates them and their relationship to second class status.”
But Prop 8 is not just a sexuality issue - it is about fundemental human rights, and treating citizens fairly. Let this video explain.
No on 8 dispels some myths about Prop 8.
And why should it matter to someone like me, who doesn’t even live there in the US, let alone California? Because change needs to start somewhere, and because a yes win on Prop 8 will have detrimental effects on LGBT rights specifically, and human rights in general.
I join those personalities, organisations, my friends who live in California, and others like me who don’t live in the US also because this is an issue of fairness. The same way I fought, alongside with my friends, peers and contemporaries in Western Australia, for many things back when I was studying there even though - as a foreign student - I was not really affected by most things, and would eventually leave.
A dear friend to me back while I was in Australia recently created this video in support of NO on 8.
Nelson is Australian but now lives in South Africa, yet he feels strongly enough about the issue to take a stand. I am taking a stand too. I am a NO on 8 person. And if you’re voting on Nov 4 in California, I hope you are too.
9.33pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: america ferrera, apple inc, Barack Obama, Elections, ellen degeneres, human rights, Joe Biden, nelson clemente, no on prop 8, portia de rossi, prop 8, proposition 8, yes on prop 8
