Random Rants - Basketball Weekend Warrior's experience

I play basketball every Sunday over the past 22 years and I started to miss some of the weekend as I am either down with injury, personal home commitment or some other issues. I certainly love the sport and enjoy the game with a group of guys who (like me) frequent the same court every weekend. Over the years some people come and some go, but the main core of the group is still around, and when the group become really small, we combine with some other groups and continue with the sport.

As I am not tall, and not really gifted in any way, my only weapon, so to say, is being fast and try to be faster. That is the key to my games. I remembered on one occasion probably like when I was in my late 20s, being full of energy, I hassled one of the boys that played until he was so frustrated that he called me 'monkey boy'. He was really upset, but again, I wasn't aiming at him, I was aiming to snatch the ball. I did that on and off and it happened to me as well, when someone tried to snatch the ball from me. Give and take I do it on others, others do it on me. And that was one incident that got a bit out of hand until recently...

I was playing last weekend, and I was marking a guy I don't think I am familiar with. And so it happened he turned on his back to me and I hassled him for the ball. He made a mistake and the ball went out of play. So I won the ball back. I didn't give much thought on it. And when I start the game, he said to me that his hand was injured and don't play so rough. I don't know how I looked at that time, well to me I thought I would have responded with a 'well, sure' expression.

That next start of the ball, he got a bit heated and he told me more, he said he got injured, he just got back and he wanted to have a good fun game. I can't see my face in the mirror, but I thought to myself, ok sure, no problem. But as the game got on, he seems to get more and more pissed. Honestly, I do not know what seems to piss him off, really. To me, what is done is done. Don't like it, call a foul. So the next shot, he tried to block, and I call a foul. And he was arguing with me that isn't a foul. Which is fine, I think it is not, but I have called it and no one else was disputing that except him.

His friend ask him to cool down, and the game went on, he got pretty pissed by now he started speaking loudly and then jump around me and check me with his chest to my chest. As the attention starts to make people gather around, I told another team mate to shift marking opponent with me. That still piss him off until the game ends I think.

He talked some stuff, but later when his friend was talking to him, I went over and apologize and share my view, so he says I am arguing with him and he doesn't like argument. He just asked me to sod off and he said he needed to be quiet. Sure, no problem. And then he got cooled down and starting talking to me again, and he said that why I am doing this to him, and not doing it on others, and he's just trying to have a good game etc... and I told him he was elbowing me and stepped on my foot. So I just responded with being a bit more physicality (not even thinking of fouling him actually). So he just said I am wrong, and I told him you can think what you want to think and call a foul if you think it is a foul. So that ends our conversation.

My take of things, this guy is so emotionally unstable and lashes out, and feed on his own anger. Does he even have a family, and what would he be like with family? It is a basketball game and it is a game with rule. Call for a foul if you think a foul has been committed. What's the story of don't be so rough. Seriously I don't think I touched him, but I managed to make him lost the ball in his hand. He was pissed with that I think. His thinking is of another level, not sure what, but surely full of himself. I think in a court, there is only court rules and nothing else. If you can't take basketball rules, don't play.

In the final moment of the final game he played, he showed me his middle finger and probably he wanted to tell me that he hurt his finger. Funny, I don't know I hurt his finger or someone else did. He is emotional, and after the initial challenge on him, he seems to feed on anger and it all keeps adding up. He even blame another guy for hurting him last time and he has to spend RM300 on his fractured hand which he was wearing a protective gear. Well you wanted to play basketball, I'm not sure if anyone really pushed him down or something, I don't remember that or maybe I wasn't there.

This has left me a lot to ponder, but in case you are that guy whom I pissed off, no I wasn't troubled by you. I was just having time to think of the kind of reaction a person can give and the kind of emotional stability which is so important. If we don't have that, they'll be much trouble for people around you because others now have to behave in a way to make sure you are not offended. And a last note, when I was resting and he is playing, he made 2 shots (I think). And on the first shot he made, I think he looked at me, but I wasn't trying to look back at him. He wanted to tell me 'I'm good'. I was looking elsewhere and although I felt that, I didn't want to look back at him. Still thinking, why he need to prove anything? He just got to look at himself. He might have made 2 shots, but, don't think anyone there is going to want him to be there again.

~~~ Life is an adventure where we search for the meaning of the outcome.

Being mindful of what is happening, but not getting affected

Honestly, the one thing I don't like being adult is reading news about world events, the conflicts, the unnecessary blood shed, accidents, terrorism and the impact of all those things on human life (possibly far away from us). Sometimes we read of scenarios where major accident or 'Act of God' disaster everywhere. It is simply so depressing.

And amid all this, my prayer goes to those affected and their family members. There is only so much of this news I can take daily. And I have to put on a positive spin for my family and my kid. It is definitely not easy. But we have to, with all the uncertain, we have God which is certain (at least for me) and with him as the foundation, we just have to provide the love and the truth to people around us. Let's not let the mood of things around us affect us, let the strength of God flow through us.

I look forward to the next meeting with friends, the next moment I have playing with my kids, the next football match (go Manchester United) and the next basketball game I have with my friend (while I still can jump, a little)...

Give me some good news, news editors.

~~~ Life is an adventure where we search for the meaning of the outcome.

The Urban Poor - Another Side of Kuala Lumpur

We are all capable of running into a routine that we are so rooted to that we do not want to change it at all after a while. I am guilty of this, having rooted myself into my daily work routine, taking a day off for my organization's Global Impact Day. The question of whether it is going to be fun, will I learn something, will I be penalized for not ensuring that the work is done and so on filled my selfish mind.

Fortunately, I decided, whatever the outcome it would be, I would just sign up and offer up myself to do my bit whether it is lending a hand or spending some time for a cause. And I must say that I am handsomely rewarded, much more than I could have imagined.

The mission that I took was to distribute food to the urban poor. The other three choices was to offer donation, offer to help up in an office fund raising event or to take the children for a visit at the National Science Center.

Somehow the 'urban poor' captured my attention and I decided that is what I want to be part of and that is what I really want to see with my own eye. We went into the heart of KL, Jalan Imbi if I can remember correctly for a place called Kechara Soup Kitchen (KSK), a place that distribute free food to the needy as well as the urban poor. From the shoplot itself, we can see people dropping by for a meal. We loaded the food required to be brought to the village, and waited for every participant to get ready. Some of us travelled in cars while others travelled with the KSK van.

As we arrived, the folks, mainly old folks from the area starts to line up for their food. We distributed food, biscuits and fruits. After we are done with the folks that has waited for us, we then carry the ration in boxes to distribute them to who were not able to come forward. We went though several houses, spent some time interacting as well as took some photos. To me, it is really a mixed feeling as I would not have imagined somewhere in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, we have a village area, with mainly older folks and are classified as urban poor. They are friendly and are open to us.

What can we do more for this folks? I'll probably not dwell too much into that, but if any of you are into giving time and resources back to the society, there are plenty and it is time for us to take action if we have not done so.

On mission accomplishment, not to be outdone by our colleagues who is having an extended makan time at the all famous Yut Kee Restaurant. All the blogs and recommendation on the Internet seems to be true. It is pretty good. And I just managed to capture one shot of my colleague who happen to be sitting between me and the menu board behind her. She is an awesome driver!! And here is the photo of us on the way back as well. Thanks Team.

P/S: After I have given a few thoughts, I purposely removed the name of the place that I visited along with those photos so that no one feels hurt for classifying a certain area as 'urban poor'. People who is in need are everywhere actually, and as much as this folks that I visited needed food, they need as much attention and friendship as well. Have a good day :)



~~~ Life is an adventure where we search for the meaning of the outcome.

Farewell Fa Fa at Ribs @ Oasis Bandar Utama

Late last year, to send off our dear friend, we had dinner at Ribs@Oasis Bandar Utama. This is the first time and the awesome part is that the portion is quite big. I used to be a meat lover, but now, I really should have less. However, meat lover will find this place quite interesting.

It feels like home, eating there, probably because it is so close and surrounded in a housing area. The crowd isn't too big, probably only those who stayed around there would know. However over the past few months, I think it has gained popularity.

Enough about the food and restaurant, I will let you food lover go find out and tell me how it goes. Well the reason I was there is because one of my friend is flying back to England, where she works. And I just got sentimental and started to think of my friends, how little time we have to catch up, how superficial at times because we have very little time to talk, not to mention time to eat and then have to quickly rush off. There just isn't enough quality in those time it feels. How come, generally, most people I know tell me that, time was slower when we were younger. Well, if I can just program my mind to think like that, wouldn't it be good?

Well I realize that, time will not slow down relative to my sensation to it, but it will only move faster and faster. I have to really make full use of it, every moment of it. As I clean up my computer files and photos that I never had time earlier to clear them up. Found some photos and I really took some time, looked at them and think of how fast time flies, and years that has gone by seems to happen in a blink of an eye. And it is Chinese New Year now, I would have some time to re-connect with some of them. I like to look at them, each one of them, in the eye and tell them how much I appreciate them as friends.

Time will only move forward, but good memories will last, and I intend to keep each and every one of them :)
 
~~~ Life is an adventure where we search for the meaning of the outcome.