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!!!!!