Letter to Julia 20130501

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hi Julia, my love.  Whatcha doin'?  I'm just kicking back, waiting to pray, and writing a love letter.  I love you!  It's been raining a lot lately, so finally the hot weather has calmed down.  I don't like hot weather.  I'm very finicky about climate control, especially when singing.  I had steak and rice for dinner.  My Mom gave me a whole bunch of fish sausage, so I've been experimenting with that.  I made fish sausage and okra curry this afternoon.  It turned out OK, but I overcooked the okra.  Want some?  I'm planning to make Italian fish sausage.  Fish sausage is sold in sausage shape, and before cooked it can crumble if play around too much with it.  But it's not raw fish.  It's generally fried.  I prefer to boil it first before frying, to soften the texture.  Otherwise it would be too chewy.  But I'm planning to make Italian fish sausage: crumble it up, add spices, then reshape it, then cook it.  Wanna try some?

Letter to Julia 20130429

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

In Malaysia, we have system of socialized medical care.  This is where it is possible for the poor to get medical treatment.  For that reason, I am a firm believer of socialized medicine, even though I do my best to avoid doctors.  It's a habit I picked up from living in America, where medical care is privatized.  Not just to save money, but to gain knowledge to self-diagnose and self-medicate, compounded by prayer.  This is also helpful against doctors whose first recommendation is amputation or extraction.  Ya Allah, please protect me and those I love.

In order for you to qualify for the discounted medical care, you would first have to be a citizen of Malaysia.  Obviously, the first medic one would meet in this system is an intern, who is supervised by a doctor, who in turn turns to a specialist.  This is after waiting in line with the large crowd.  If the intern and his boss doctor is unable to treat you on the spot, then you would be referred to a specialist, which may mean incarceration in a hospital ward, depending on the seriousness of the ailment.  And for this hospital in Kangar, if there is no specialist available to treat your particular problem, then you would be referred to a hospital in Alor Setar, about an hour's drive away.  I once had to spend 9 days in a 4th class ward, which was not a pleasant experience.  Nonetheless, I remain a firm believer of socialized medicine, so I have to forgive the experience for what it's worth.

The other option is to go to a private doctor, which costs more of course.  There are certainly some very talented and experienced doctors and dentists out there if one can afford them.  The issue is to find the right doctor.  I believe a local doctor is always preferable, because the journey adds to the risk.  For certain, if you have buddies in the medical hierarchy, you might just get a place in an air-conditioned ward in a public hospital.  I have few friends and many enemies, so I have to wait in line along with the rest of the impoverished.  If I am not able to prevent or self-treat.  Now don't get me wrong: Malaysia has many, many medical schools, and vast medical knowledge.  But I would rather avoid doctors.

Please don't lose your medical connections.  Please be pro-active about gaining medical knowledge, and locating good local doctors.  Remember, that I must avoid travel due to my spiritual agenda.  I'm not much help to you when it comes to doctors, other than to be with you, and get aggressive with those who misdiagnose or mistreat you or our loved ones.

Letter to Julia 20130427

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hi Julia, how are you doing?  I pray you are healthy and confident.  I'm just sitting here in front of the TV, waiting for my laundry, and writing to you.  I love you.  Yesterday, I made cheicken stew.  Chicken stew, with bamboo shoots, oyster mushrooms, and cashews.  It was awesome!  Want some?  Oh, I ate it all already.  Cashews shrivel up more in comparison with the bamboo shoots and the mushrooms, but they color the stew oh so sweet.  I must remember that: cashews add the color of sweetness to sauces and soups.

Hey, it's raining again!

Letter to Julia 20130424

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hay Julia, my beloved!  How are you today, Sweetie?  I pray you are feeling just awesome.  It's been raining today, so I couldn't do a yard work.  My Dad told me a few days ago that he was bored, and coming home early, so I've been focusing my housework on my parents' house.

It was curry for dinner today!!  Curry is like soup to me.  Since there are so many cashews lately, it's cashew curry!  Cashews color the curry sweet, kind of like pineapples, but the taste is cashewy.  Curry is like soup to me, so it's beef, chicken or seafood with curry spices and vegetables, plus bouillon.  When I eat other people's curries, there's never enough gravy for me, so I make sure my curry has tons of gravy.  Today the meat is chicken liver, which seems to match perfectly with cashews.  I cook up a pot of rice, then douse the rice with the curry until it's swimming like rice porridge.  Yummy!!  And easy to eat!  Want some?

Letter to Julia 20130422

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hi Julia!  How are you feeling today, my beloved?  I've been thinking more about Casa de Julia.  Oh I'm sorry, I still haven't made any floor plans.  I'm awful at drawing you see.  But you probably would have a better vision of your dream than me, because you've been dreaming it all your life.  I'm here to love you, and help you with your dream house.  I was thinking though, if you would have German technology make up your house.  I'm sure we would have to utilize local contractors and labor to a point, but if you have German technology planned, then we may have to import some labor.  There's nothing wrong with that.  After all, we can't build the house if we can't afford it.  InshaAllah.  Please be sure that whatever products you choose are reliable, and last a lifetime, so we don't have to keep importing maintenance.  Don't lose your professional connections, and you might as well shop around at all times.  Just don't forget to tell your staff that they can't party in the Muslim areas.

I'm trying to add "Heaven or Las Vegas" to my set.  But I can't understand what the hell she's saying.  I can't sing a song if I can't relate to the lyrics, and I can't fake the lyrics to an entire song.  But when I search for the lyrics, it seems that other people can't understand what the hell she's saying either.  It's not just her enunciation: I think she's also a really weird lyricist.  But I've been listening to Elizabeth Fraser for over 20 years.  I even went to her concert once.  I love her because she's a beautiful singer.

Letter to Julia 20130420

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hello there, my beloved Julia.  How are you feeling today?  I have been cutting grass on the plot of land where, inshaAllah, I hope to build Casa de Julia someday soon.  Please pray with me that Allah grants us so.  It rained recently, so the grass is growing madly.  I don't spend as much time as I want preparing this land because I have to tend to my parents as well.  But they are out of town right now, so I have 2 weeks to ready their house for them.  Meantime, I'm trying to do what I can to make this land pretty.  I have 3 plots of adjacent land to tend to, so I don't have enough strength to keep up with the growth, but I try my best.  There is a fallen banana tree with fruit that I have to pick up, and a lot of raking and burning. I have a few trees to chop down, but I think I only have time for one right now.  Then I have to tend my own yard, then switch my attention to my parents' house.  Whew.  It never ends.  I think I feel lazy now.  Wanna make out?

Letter to Julia 20130418

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Rain, rain, rain.  It rained all day Wednesday starting 5am, and it's still raining right now, Wednesday at 7pm as I start this letter.  So I couldn't blog Wednesday's blog until the next day.  Please forgive me.  Do know that I love you, and that I have made a commitment to marry you, and I intend to keep it.  InshaAllah.

Meanwhile, I have been quite busy harvesting cashews.  I swear, they're ripening all at the same time.  I swear they ripen as I pick them.  The ripe cashew (not the nut) has the consistency of memory foam, but you can't allow the fruit to be bruised.  Like if it fell from the tree, and hit the ground.  Then the consistency will turn to like a wet sponge, which is difficult and undesirable to eat, and to work with.  I keep the fruit in the cooler until I use or distribute it, otherwise it will melt.  Cashew flesh is slightly bitter, but if you remove the bitterness with salt, then it becomes sweet.  Interesting, huh?  But I wouldn't want to try drinking cashews that have been put through the juicer.

Say, Julia!  It suddenly occurred to that by now you must be, mashaAllah, in that group of women who have achieved powerful influence, as well as possessing great beauty.  I'm not trying to kiss your butt my Queen, beautiful as it is.  I want to remind you that you are on God's side.  Don't be a crime boss.

Letter to Julia 20130417

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hello there, my beautiful Julia.  How are you feeling today?  I pray you are feeling healthy and confident.  I love you, and I want to marry you.  I'm still feeling slightly feverish, but praise Allah, the sickness is going away.  I had chicken liver curry with cashews for lunch today, but I didn't feel very creative for dinner.  So I just had several pieces of the nugget part of the chicken, coated in savory breadcrumbs, and fried until a golden and crispy brown.  I dipped them in a smooth and slightly sour blend of tomato pastes and purees.

As I told you before, the Flu Virus Collective attacked my voice first this time, when they usually begin their assault at the nose.  But I refuse to be cowed by a disease brought by the evil Collective!  I will fight!  InshaAllah!  Fight, fight, fight!  Do the yard work!  Water the flowers!  Sing like a girl!  Cuddle the kitty!  Make love to my Julia!  Fight the evil Collective!  Yeeeaaaarrrrrrgghhh!!!!!

Letter to Julia 20130415

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Ugh!  I suddenly got sick!  **long-winded low-frequency almost digital groan**  After all that activity last week, I suddenly got sick.  I did go to the doctor immediately, as my Mom told me to go.  He said it's just a normal flu.  This time the Flu Virus Collective attacked my voice first.  Usually the Collective starts with my nose.  I guess this time they wanted to show me that they don't mess around, and that they can get at me any way they want.  Even though I went to the doctor early, my voice was still wrecked, and I had to skip voice training today.  But I should be able to perform in a few days.  InshaAllah.  If Allah protects me, then not even the Flu Virus Collective can harm me.

And how are you doing today, my dearest?  I pray that you are healthy and confident.  Ya Allah, please protect my beloved Julia.

Letter to Julia 20130413

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hi there, Julia darling!  How's my beautiful girl feeling?  I seem to have a ot of energy today for some reason.  I wanted to spend all that energy making love to you but you weren't here, so I did some gardening instead.  I cut the grass, I trimmed the flower bushes, I raked the leaves, I trimmed the bamboo, I watered the plants, I picked cashews, I delivered cashews to the neighbor, I cleaned out Batty's cage, all within less than one and a half hours.  Say, do you wanna make out?  Oh, you're not here.

Here's another trip down memory lane for me!  Instead of 40 years ago, it's only 10 years ago, back under the dry, sweltering sun of Phoenix, Arizona.  This song just makes me wanna dance!  Ramon Ayala - Del Otro Lado Del Porton.  Mr. Magic Fingers Ramon Ayala is a REAL rock star, not like most of those wannabes you see on TV.  You can just tell by the way he pauses from his accordion to point and nod at the camera at the end of the song.  It's just so... natural.  Now I'm ignorant, so I can't speak Mexican, so I have to guess what the words mean by looking at the music video.  My guess is that the song is about how the guy doesn't want to kiss his wife anymore because she's no longer young and beautiful, so she runs off with the gardener, and in the end he's standing around at the front gate waiting for her to come home.  What do you think?

Letter to Julia 20130411

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hi Julia, my beloved young wife.  It's been hectic this week, and the weather has been intense.  I didn't get to blog my Tuesday blog on Tuesday, so I put it up today just in case it means anything.  My Dad spent most of the day in hospital, so I was busy with that, plus other things.  My Mom is really lonely without my Dad.  She must love him very much.  Isn't that sweet?  Ouch, my shoulder hurts.  I think I'll lie down now, and watch TV.  I love you, Julia.

Letter to Julia 20130409

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hello again, Julia.  I love you.  Yesterday, I actually took Chee Cheah to the vet before I went to the Internet cafe.  The poor kitty has a persistent fungal skin infection, so occasionally she needs the vet to give her an antifungal shot.  So I was busting around all day yesterday since 8am, which is dang early for me.  I ate simply all day, too: banana cake for breakfast, ramen noodles for lunch, and leftover rice from my Mom with steak, and the magical cashew, onion, hot chilli pepper and salt combination.  Want some?  Yes, it's cashew season again, and I'll be in competition with my Mom over the cashews.  I think I'll make a huge batch, and see how it pickles.  Goes great with almost anything.  Want some?  Oh, actually, I'll be making fried flat noodles with cockles again this evening.  I love this dish!

I'm still studying the assassination of JFK.  But really, I'm just trying to master the Qur'an.  There's still much to study, so next I have to examine the connections to the murder of his brother Robert, and the shooting of president Reagan.  Don't you agree that it's important to understand the world we live in, and why people are the way they are?  I'm just trying to increase in knowledge so as to master the Qur'an.  InshaAllah.

Letter to Julia 20130408

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Now, now dearest Julia.  I'm not dead yet.  And while I'm still alive, I've made a commitment to marry you, a commitment that I intend to keep.  So don't you go running off anywhere crazy.  Please persevere in patience, and pray that Allah brings us together in marriage soon.

Letter to Julia 20130406

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Oh my, it's April already.  We are in our 4th year since I proposed to you.  It's a big world and etherworld, isn't it?  You are my wife, insyaAllah.  I love you, my Julia.

This morning when I woke up to let Chee Cheah in, it was still dark.  So I flipped the light switch on.  You know how florescent tubes flash before the light stays on, between the first and second flash I saw someone standing next to me on my left side.  It seemed like a 10 year old girl dressed in black, looking up at me.  Then the light stayed on, and the figure was gone.  No big deal, I've seen many jinns in my life.  Plus, we Muslims are taught by the Qur'an that we co-exist on this world with the jinns, and not all jinns are evil.

I've said this before, that the commute to and from town is very, very dangerous.  Sure, everybody has to commute, and anybody can be a statistic.  But as usual, Allah seems to be the only One Who cares about my work, and my safety.  Ya Allah, please have mercy on me, and give me home Internet service with an Internet computer soon.  Meanwhile, this old soldier has to get the message through.  Ya Allah, please protect me, those I love, my home, and my work.  But when it's time to go, then it's time to go.  From Allah we come, and to Allah will we return.  For certain, death is neither an escape nor a solution.  Don't believe me?  What if I told you all that I have the voices of some dead women in me?  MashaAllah.

Letter to Julia 20130404

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hi there, beautiful Julia.  How are you feeling? You are my dearest heart, and I love you with all my heart.   MonsterQuest is on TV again, this time it's about "Ghosts".  MonsterQuest is usually pretty lame.  They couldn't even catch a muskie.  In "Giant Killer Snakes", the anaconda expert caught a snake the size of an earthworm.  But it's on TV, so there.

I had to go to the vet again, but only to buy cat drugs.  Scruffy got better.  The tumor on his lip shriveled up and fell off.  Alhamdulillah.  I planted some flowers on the graves of my grandparents yesterday, but the ground is so hard and dry, I don't think they'll survive.  I'm going to have to go back with some potting soil and lots of water if I want to give those flowers a head start.  Then I went and bought 2 plastic brooms and a teether.  For my teeth.  No, not the brooms.

I've been studying the JFK assassination.  Only God has the Strength to be God.  Humans grow old and become weak.

Letter to Julia 20130403

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hello Julia, my beloved.  Are you hanging in there?  Well, I'm in it for the long haul with you.  You are my love.  You are the most beautiful girl to me.  I may never be as pretty as you, but this chimp-like body does have a little bit of strength to help protect the voices of some dead women.  Sigh.  This music is the death of me.  It should be obvious that I have no choice but to take the correct spiritual path, and nothing else.  The music is a gift from Allah, and it is my charge to bear the burden until Judgement Day.  But it is the death of me.  What a paradox, huh?

Do you rememeber my telling about my brother's cat, which has a problem with mouth ulcers?  I have to feed it medication every day to control the swelling, but the vet said the problem is incurable.  Without the drugs, she will die of starvation.  Well, now my brother's white cat is displaying the swelling, and the symptoms.  What caused this?  Is it from sharing the same food bowl?  There's another cat that eats from the same bowl, and is fine.  Were they poisoned somehow?  I'm giving the white cat the same drugs as the other cat, so I pray that he won't take a turn for the worse.  His mouth hasn't turned red yet, so I think he still has time to save himself.  Otherwise he may become another drug addict cat.  I might have to go to the vet tomorrow.  Dang!  I can't be going to the vet everyday!  I should be on the Internet everyday.