Masturbation: An evolutionary advantage perhaps?

I have recently been following a discussion about men and masturbation. Well someone actually asked the question about whether masturbation is right, and if age predetermines the action, which actually prompted me to give this topic a careful thought.  What am I about to write next, might have already been published or discussed about, however if not, I think it’ll be a great topic for evolution/behavioral sociologists to study.

We know that testosterone is the one hormone in a male body that contributes a great deal to a man’s sexual thirst. If evolution is true, which I do believe so, then this is true across all species (for mammals at least). This is very well demonstrated in the wild. Look at the lions/tigers for example, when mating season comes, the alpha males, usually with a large population of lioness, will get into orgies. One, to ensure the continuity of his genetic materials which behaviour is genetically hotwired and two, to satisfy his testosterone which is obviously going bonkers! What about the non-alpha males? They steal and rape the lioness at every chance they get-which is a very well observed behaviour!

Now this leads me to bring behavior and evolution into the picture. If you believe in evolution like I do, then you will agree that two most important evolutionary advantages that us, Homo sapiens have are the ability to walk upright and have opposable thumbs. Well actually let me take that back, this statement can be partially true, simply because the lemurs had them first and walking upright did not occur until the Homo erectus came about, 1.8 million years ago. 

Let’s concentrate on the opposable thumbs. Now, we know with this evolutionary trait, our early ancestors have learned how to make stone tools, as demonstrated by the lower hominins, ofcourse that brought about the discovery of fire and cooked food! This in turn evolved into discoveries of much complex machineries to what we are today!

Putting that aside, let’s bring the lions back to the picture. Now let’s just pretend that humans have no idea what masturbation is all about. The question is, will we or will we (ie the males) NOT behave like the lions when our testosterone goes off the charts? The truth is, we cannot behave like lions, can we? The world will be a scary place to live… for the opposite sex at least and ofcourse the same sex…i mean whatever rings your bell.  Right??

What set us apart from the rest of the metazoans are our higher cognitive abilities. We can differentiate wrong from right – actually not everyone, but i’m not going to start on that! Perhaps sometime in the past couple of millions years or when monogamous relationships emerged; our higher primate ancestors realized it is actually bad to behave like hyper sexualized chimps! And thus by using the opposable thumbs to their advantage, which were not just valuable in making tools, they learned that by grabbing hold of certain appendages on a human body, one can satisfy oneself without much effort! Thus, rooting out the need to go on a raping rampage!

Thus, is masturbation a right thing to do? Of course! It may be wrong by some religious views but that’s an individual belief – a form of self-denial perhaps to attain a stronger chakra…or some sort. I will look into some studies regarding this topic and will post some findings that are interesting. Till then, wank and feel good about it after all it might just be an evolutionary advantage!!

Malaysian Education System – a joke part 2.

University Malaya or UM, in its humble beginings, started out as a medical school in Singapore in 1905. In 1961, the KL branch was established while the latter was renamed the National University of Singapore, NUS, a year later. During its early days of development, UM was very much a top ranked University globally, being headed by a few high profile academicians like James H.E. Griffiths one of the discoverers of ferromagnetic resonance, is definitely not small potatoes.

Unfortunately, ever since the split, UM has undergone lousy leadership the New Economic policy, NEP…and etc. Then, I believe in the 80s, the medium of teaching was switched from English to Bahasa Malaysia, BM. That marked the downfall of the institution and the entire education system as well. All these were the result of the works of some selfish “pencinta bahasa” who won’t stop harping about national unity and the virtues of Bahasa Kebangsaan. Fast forward 20 years today, the nation is more segregated than before, the new generation cannot understand basic english.

What  has the so called “bahasa Kebangsaan”, claimed to bring unity, done to us? Just look at NUS today. It is regarded as one of the top notched institute in the world! Boasting its world class research facilities in stem cell technology, bioengineering and quantum physics. As for Malaysia, 40 years later we are just begining to bicker about the mistake made 40 years ago!!

Don’t get me wrong. I am not trying to glorify the english language. My patriotism is still very intact! Patriotism is something one carries in the heart and the mind. One can speak flawless BM and still hates the country. It doesn’t matter whether or not we can speak BM well, because in the global eyes, we will still be identified as Malaysians. The only difference is whether or not the world view us as a nation filled with idiots that don’t speak a word of english or a progressive nation that embraces change/a nation whose people are well educated and are multi-lingual.

It is very unfortunate that the nation today is plagued by a host of political mockeries. Politicians, instead of working for the people, are working for their own vested interests. Well, at the least some minister did realize the need to switch the medium of teaching back to english. It’s a good thing. It’s long overdue. However, I do not think the nation is ready. Making english a mandatory to pass subject in the SPM is not going to help.

More work needs to be done to reverse the damage first before we test the waters. We need to start by recruiting good and qualified english teachers, reintroduce english medium schools and start teaching GRAMMAR again for the love of God!! You can’t take grammar away from english. It’s like leaving your home naked!

On another note, NUS ranks 30th in the THE-QS (Times Higher Education) top university rankings in 2008, just 13 spots under Stanford. Universiti Malaya, UM, was dropped from the top 200 spots!! What a shame!!

The education system in Malaysia – a joke!

Recently I’ve been following up with the debate about whether or not the english language paper be made a mandatory pass in the SPM. Click here. I suppose it’s been years since I sat for my SPM, i have forgotten much about its passing criteria. Regardless, SPM is the equivalent of the british Cambridge GCE O levels exam, a public examination that all students need to pass to graduate high shool.

I was appalled to learn that the english paper was in fact not a mandatory subject to pass. Where as the Bahasa Malaysia (malay language) is the paper required to pass in order to obtain the certificate. What a joke! Lets just put it this way. Out of curiosity I did a little research on the english language and I learned that according to wikipedia, it is a language spoken in 53 countries, UN, EU, NATO, NAFTA, Commenwealth of Nations bringing that to a whopping total of about 1.8 billion in population. As for the Malay language, I believe only the people in Malaysia and Singapore understand the language, also, maybe some in the southern thailand, myanmar, brunei. Even indonesia has a completely different version of that language.

It is obvious our education system is a complete buffoon! And the ministers are complaining about the country experiencing a brain drain and etc….What right do they have to complain when they’re sitting around “goyang kaki” and swindling the rakyat’s coffers! This move to make english a mandatory to pass subject is long overdue. Good gracious, has anyone seen some of the interviews by Al Jazeera with a few of the malaysian ministers? It’s a complete joke. They could not answer a simple basic question in english!! And we put these people to head the governmental ministries?!?!  Oh well…only in Malaysia…only in Malaysia.

When a door closes, another opens.

Never in my life had I dreamt of being in Austin, texas. Frankly, what’s the attraction behind this city – The enormous population of hippies and hobos that have an incessant habit of cleaning your windshield by force at any stoplights just to prey on a few bucks from frightened drivers or the smell of fried chicken and tacos that keeps invading your olfactory senses? I really don’t think this whole bohemian-like lifestyle suits me at all. No doubt, the mild winters….wait a minute, who am I kidding? There’s no winter here!  It is definitely a plus after living in Minnesota for 3 years that frozen tundra it is! But the thought of having moved from the extreme north to the extreme south is quite a funny feeling at first. I kept thinking to myself, what is it about me that gotten me this job in a Neurobiology Lab? I went to school for a biotechnology degree and gotten myself a job in a field that is foreign to me. Of course, that didn’t discourage me at all. In fact, after a few months, with a personal project in hand, I find the lab’s studies to be very interesting.

Since the chick embryo is our vertebrate model, after awhile, anyone would detest eggs for having to use them on a daily basis. I know I’ve completely given up on eggs. I only use them for baking. Not sunny side up or over and hard….the thought of looking into a yolk to find a tiny little embryo with a beating heart and dark glossy eyes is enough to make me feel queasy. It’s interesting when I tell friends or strangers of what I do, simply because none have heard of chick embryos being used in scientific research.  Soon enough, my friends in Austin began to brand me as the person that kills chicks and mice for a living. 

Two months ago, I received news that my work visa will not go through. Weird enough was that, prior to putting in the petition, I already had a very strong feeling that it won’t go through. It didn’t hit me until my boss personally spoke to me about it. I panicked. I was two months shy of losing my status. The thought of having to go home and be stuck with “the system” was too much to bear. I started looking for jobs. Three interviews at two places later, I was invited to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for an on-site interview. I cannot rave enough about this hospital. I’d never dreamt of even coming close enough to walk past those wrought iron fences! Sure enough, I was offered the job that instant-I call that pure luck! It came right on time too, but I hope I didn’t use it all up and have some to spare for the rest of the year.

I went back to Austin, gave my two weeks notice and my boss was extremely upset. Reason being, halfway through the whole ordeal, she decided to go ahead to process my work visa. I suppose she finally realized that I’m not worth losing. Seriously, at the rate she’s paying me and the things that I do….I think any boss would want someone like me – the cheap immigrant specialized labor! Sadly, I spent the last two weeks staying away from my boss as she kept giving me that stare. Well, I’m just glad I got out! Surprisingly, on my last day, she when I handed in all my work and thanked her, she gave me a very pleasant smile. How odd! I went home, packed up the place and loaded the car and left in the morning.

Fast-forward 2 weeks later, here I am living in a wonderful and beautiful place by the river. My landlords are extremely nice. My job is great. I finally feel appreciated and important! Ahh…I guess all those months of toiling in Austin did pay off!

 

Happy Memorial Day everyone!!

41 years later, we have forgotten!

41 years ago today, Martin Luther King was gunned down at the Balcony of Lorraine Motel in Memphis. 41 years later today, we see a new generation of colored people, which one will never dream could happen half a century ago. Today, in America, colored people share the same liberties as their neighbors. All because of the very few people that have fought long and hard and gave up their lives in exchange for the freedom we enjoy today.

This morning I woke up to a beautiful sunny Saturday. As I walked out of my apartment to head out to the gym I see a large crowd of people. Very unusual, I thought. I walked past a huge pool party, thronged with mostly the African Americans. How fun. I disregarded it as I was in a hurry. On my way back the crowd had at least quadrupled my number. I was rather puzzled and tried to figure out what the special occasion was. Just as I remembered the date, I felt disgusted almost immediately! In front of me, I see young vibrant men gyrating with scantily clad women. Alcohol was in the air. Loud banging music filled every corner. Women were flirting, couples were making out, drunk and oblivious to the mess. I saw young teens almost naked dashing across the traffic.

These people ought to be ashamed of themselves! I could see how we would celebrate such a memorable day by having a cook out. But, to use this day to behave immorally is simply atrocious! It is obvious the new generation has forgotten their roots. They had no idea how hard their ancestors had to fight to allow them to enjoy life today.

How could one possibly celebrate the life of such a great man by running around half naked, drunk and behaving salaciously! That was not only disrespectful, it was simply disturbing! Is that how we want this day to be remembered forever in the future as the day where we shall get drunk, party and get lucky?

Winston Churchill once said “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” Such is true about the liberties we enjoy today. Remember the sacrifice made by those that have perished. Have some respect! Take a moment of silence!

If we pretend hard enough…it’ll all go away…perhaps?

Over the past 2 weeks I have been really worked up by the comments made  by a certain ignorant individual, that were rather appalling. Half a decade ago, in an attempt to cope with my sexuality and with a friend’s advice, I joined an online gay support group. The members receive weekly newsletters informing them of activities, talks and counselling sessions and etc and also random rants and raves sent in by the members. Ofcourse, my half-heartedness quickly lost interest in it after a number of newsletters. Nonetheless, I was still a member and still receive newsletters until today. Recently as I was cleaning up my old mail box, I stumbled upon some of the newsletters, since I was rather free at work I decided to read some of them. I came across a string of postings by a certain individual and some replies from other members. I was shocked when this man was going around telling HIV+ patients to stop taking their AZTs and that HIV/AIDS was a hoax that the government and pharmaceutical giants try to cover up in order to rake in billions in profit.  All his arguments came from the early 80s when alot of researchers did think that the disease was a hoax. he made allegations about how researchers use HIV/AIDS to obtain funding and direct the money towars personal use. I was infuriated. It sucks that our job makes small potatoes, not mentioning the mutagens and carcinogens we’re exposed to daily, we don’t even expect a pat on the back for a job well done! To see ignorant people going out accusing us for doing something like that is atrocious! I spent 2 weeks replying his posts and back and forth we got into this debate – me defending the existence of the disease while him claiming otherwise. It was very obvious this man was not just ignorant, he was uneducated – making really dumb comments supplemented by extremely vague evidences. Yet, he was relentless at it, telling people to stop taking the AZTs with the excuse that it causes organ failure…and most ridiculous of all, he used a statement made my Peter Duesberg that AIDS is the direct cause of recreational drug use or malnourishment! Peter Duesberg was the nutcase that probably made AIDS so much worst today!

The point is, and I do wonder…is the government doing enough coping with this disease? I use to remember when i was a kid back in the late 80s and early 90s, I always come across community service messages on TV warning people of HIV/AIDS….not anymore now. I certainly do not believe that the severity of this disease has diminished, in fact antivirals are failing now. And I’ve come across more and more younger people that adores engaging in unsafe sex. I think the legislature needs to do something drastic here. Homosexuals are everywhere and they are here to stay and they’re humping like rabbits as we speak. Even the appear-to-be- straight husbands are getting nailed on the side. And for the government to sit there and pretend we don’t exist is just stupid. It is time they set aside any differences and focus on tackling this epidemic. Re-educate the people! Stop pretending we don’t exist. It’s going to balloon out of proportion eventually, by then it’ll be catastrophic!

The night of the ex-es!

There was a Chinese saying (translated to my best ability), “Why prophesy when the heavens have dictated your fate.” In other words, it’s best to just take life as it comes to you instead of making plans. It is very true. Sometimes we plan ahead but things just won’t work out the way you want them to be. I flew a thousand miles back to Minneapolis for a vacation, and on a night out with friends to the club, who thought I would bump into my ex who doesn’t party. And of all days, why that day? Right? My plans for the night was, put on my best shoes, my favorite shirt and go have fun at the club. Initially, our plan was to head over to the 90s, which was the hottest place to be on a Sunday night, and then later on we decided to hit the saloon instead for their 2 for 1 special before hitting the 90s. Co-incidentally, I had put on my favorite shirt that my ex had given me last Christmas. I walked into the club, went straight to coat check and there he was standing a few feet away from me with his back facing me. Who could have thought of that? He was supposed to be gone a half hour before I got there, but decided to stay instead. The saloon was not even a part of our plans and the fact that I had put on that shirt, screams fate! I started freaking out ofcourse! And then, he saw me. I had to walk over to say hi. Very graciously, I try not to exhibit the slightest bit of weakness. We talked about our lives. Then we proceeded to a quieter place to talk. That was when, we spilled our hearts out! It’s about a year now since we broke up, we are still madly in love with each other and still haven’t gotten over each other. His friend who was with him decided to come over to do damage control. Worried that he would break down in public, he decided to coax him to go home, which I was glad he did. He left, and then he started texting me. Each subsequent text got more and more heated. Then it reached to a point where the whole night just resembled a dramatic love movie. I dashed out of the club, chased after a cab and demanded to be picked up. Within minutes, I was at his doorstep. I broke down once I got in. I broke down so violently it scared me to think about it. I have held my emotions back for almost a year! We spend the rest of the night reminiscing the past and obviously went the whole nine yards! The next morning, it felt as though we were never apart. Everything felt the same, just the way we were.

Enough of talking about myself. So the night before, I wasn’t the only one bumping into the EX. My best friend (A) also bumped into his EX at the club. Apparently it got so heated there were tears involved. But then again, I wasn’t there and I can’s relate to the severity of the night. Nonetheless, I got a shock of my life as I returned to my hotel room. My other best friend (B) opened the door. The minute I walked in he said “Do not judge me!” Immediately I knew, he has another guy in bed with him. Sure enough there was another pair of legs in bed as I walked past. Then something prompted me to take a closer look. I pretend to walk over to put down my wallet and very quickly took a peek. And there he was, A’s ex in bed with B who happens to also be A’s best friend! Now, we all know it is wrong to sleep with your best friend’s ex! God only knows why. I lost it! Apparently A’s ex came over to make things right with him, but A did not come home that night, and they got drunk and ended up sleeping with each other! All the drama! MTV should consider making a reality show out of us! Instead of “The Hills” we’ll call our show “The lakes!”-the fact that we’re in MN.

Anyways, later on this morning I told my bf what happened. He got very upset. Deep down, it didn’t bother me too much because I know I am not in love with him. Maybe he’s just a rebound, a convenience….I don’t know. Perhaps it’s time that I break off with him and be true to myself. I need to be alone to sort things out.

This morning as I woke up on my ex’s bed, I felt content. I felt as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulder.

Is this the closure I’ve been seeking for? We both know it’ll never work out between us. Fate may have brought us together, but fate did not keep us together.

My home, my lovely Malaysia…what has become of you??

Time and again, I have tried to refrain myself from making comments about Malaysian’s political scene in public, out of fear that someone, somewhere in putrajaya might read it and very quickly I get whisked away to jail. Next thing you know, all forms of records of me will vanish and I’d never really existed…….as for my body….probably C4ed and the blown up pieces washed down the gombak river and eaten up by the bottom feeders. So, why the change of mind? I was out partying as usual last Saturday night. I was at Rain having a drink and chatting with my friends while oogling at some hot men. Co-incidently, Fox news was aired on their 42” LCD HDTV that was directly in front of me. Recently, I have been following this ridiculous story about the efforts by the National fatwa council to ban Yoga practices among muslims. However, I didn’t realize that it was such a publicized matter, after all everything that happens in Malaysia is hush hush. Anyways, it was exactly at that moment, this ridiculous story was aired on FOX! I could have fallen off my barstool!! You have no idea how embarassed I was. The whole time I was praying to God (uhm…not that I believe in one) that my friend wouldn’t turn around to watch it, as I appeared very transfixed to the screen. Luckily, it was loud enough in the club that he didn’t notice the news. Well I’m not going to go into detail about this whole bullshit, but you can read up on it if you google it. My blog this time, is more about an article I came across in the Utusan Malaysia click here!. Just to give u the gist…and I quote, “Persatuan Peguam Syarie Malaysia (PGSM) mendesak kerajaan menggunakan peruntukan undang-undang di bawah Enakmen Kesalahan Jenayah Syariah dan Kanun Keseksaan bagi bertindak ke atas pihak yang mempertikaikan institusi fatwa.” Which translates to “ The Association of Malaysian Syarie Lawyers urges the federal government to take legal actions against any party that challenges the fatwa institution under the enactment…..” and the excuse for this absurdity would be …and I quote “Presidennya, Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar berkata, tindakan itu penting bagi memelihara kesucian Islam berikutan banyak pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) dan media secara terbuka mengeluarkan kenyataan dan laporan yang mencabar institusi berkenaan.”…..which translates to, “Its president, Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar, claimed that this action is important in preserving Islam’s holiness following allegations by various NGOs and media that challenges the institution…..”. (And this crime is punishable up to a maximum of 3 years in jail and a fine of RM5000 (approx. USD 1430) if found guilty, so becareful the next time you question the fatwa council’s decisions!) ‘‘Mencabar keputusan Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan adalah sama seperti menghina agama Islam….” “Challenging the decisions of the National Fatwa Council can be equated to insulting Islam…..”“ Kata beliau, mengikut seksyen 298A Kanun Keseksaan pula iaitu kesalahan menghina agama, hukuman yang diperuntukkan ialah penjara tidak kurang dua tahun serta denda dan ini terpakai untuk bukan Islam.” ….He (president of the Fatwa Council) said, under section 298A “Kanun Keseksaan”insulting a religion is a crime punishable up to a minimum of 2 years in prison and fine and it is effective to non muslims.”

I would love that this law be revived! After all, we all know and it has been publicized that a lot of the imams trash talk other religions during their Friday prayers. I am pretty sure the bulk of the prisoners would be the imams when this law takes effect, but then again, they probably have a government backed immunity…..

In a recent conversation I had with a malaysian muslim, whom was a stranger, I asked about his views on this absurd ban on yoga. He said, Islam prohibits any forms of practice that involve other religion. I was pretty shocked by his statement for I am pretty sure that true Islam is just and fair and upholds the liberty of all. This distortion, I blame it on the imams, ustaz and ustazahs that have wrongfully interpreted the quran to their own vested interests. Then, this distortion is taught and ingrained into the minds of muslims every Friday and that is why you see such disparity based on religion among malaysians. This I don’t blame it on the muslims but rather their teachers. These are the people that probably don’t even understand Arabic and yet deciphers the Quran, thus, poisoining the minds of millions!

Should this go on, I am not surprised that one day, ethnic cleansing will happen in Malaysia, just like it did in Bosnia 16 years ago and in Indonesia where innocent people were killed and little girls raped! Is this what Malaysia is heading towards? Is this the image Malaysia is trying to project to the world – that Islam is great, but don’t question its policies though, or you’ll be put in jail!!

Une petite clé, A little scary to me….

Men and ego, they go hand in hand. And when one has dated a significant amount of times, one can easily tell you the tales of men and the lengths they go through to express their love yet find it almost impossible to utter the 3 magic words. Why? After all these years in the dating realm, I have formulated my own set of theories as to why men tend to do that. First, the fear of rejection. Second, the fear of showing vulnerability; Third, ego, which also encompasses the 2^nd theory and finally, the fear of commitment. My first relationship, I received plain looking band made out of a weird mineral, which ofcourse I refused to put on my finger and insisted that it be strung on to my choker.

Me: So why the ring?

Ex: “Oh, I came across it and decided to get a pair.

Me: But why?

Ex: uhm…you know, it’s cute.

Me: Cute…and that’s all to it?

Ex: Uhm…yea, cute.

Me: Ahh ok, well in that case, I’ll just keep it somewhere. I’m not an accessory person and you know that.

Ex: Why don’t you put it on?

Me: I don’t like stuff on my fingers and wrists. Such a clutter. Besides….it’s just cute.

Ex: No, I meant to say…..oh bother. Do whatever you want with it..just don’t lose it!

Me: Is there something you want to tell me??

Ex: Errr…no.

Me: Ok. I’ll just put it on my choker and wear it.

Ex: Cool! *beams with excitement*

Then, the next person I dated for a while, to show his love and affection, will take me shopping and buy me ridiculously expensive clothes. But, ofcourse, I’m not a gold digger so I pretty much refused most of the offers except two designer jackets and an expensive trip to NYC and the hamptons. The following ex, was far more creative! After a night out to the clubs…before bed time

Me: I saw that guy walked up to you. He checked you out and I saw you guys talked then he left. Whats that about?

Ex: Oh, yea just someone.

Me: what did you guys talk about?

Ex: nothing. He just asked if I was alone.

Me: And what did you say?

Ex: I said no.

Me: and?

Ex: he asked who was I with.

Me: And you said?

Ex: boyfriend.

Me: Boyfriend?!?! I didn’t know about this.?

Ex: I was refering to you.

Me: Oh me??!! I don’t recall that.

Ex: Well…

He rolled over and looked at me and took his finger and started drawing something on my chest. It was an I, a heart and a U. Well I pretended not to understand it hoping he would blurt it out.

Me: What are you drawing….It’s dark I cant see! Just tell me!

Ex: *Draws repeatedly on my chest*

Me: Huh???

Ex: nevermind…I think I’m passing out….good night!

Recently, I’ve been dating this guy for close to a month now. He is wonderful, cute, stable, sensitive and meets all the criteria, except one – which is enough to shy me away from a commitment, but nonetheless, wouldn’t mind if we were dating. It was during the weekend, when I spent the night over at his place. The night before, he handed me a key. Telling me that I can stay in as late as I want the next day since he has to work. I declined the key and said, I’ll leave when he does since I have lots to do. He accepted that explanation but reiterated the gesture. The next morning, as I was running a little behind, he gave me his keys again. This time, I said no, but asked for a couple more minutes and that I’ll be ready. He put the keys down on the table and hurried downstairs almost running, to leave.

Me: why are you in a hurry? You still have an hour. You’re the boss, remember? Plus it’s only 5 minutes away.

Him: Oh, have lots to get ready…bye see you later! Keep the key! *slams the door and backed out of the driveway and drove away with screeching tires*

Ok I may have exaggerated on that part…but he seems in a hurry to me.

Well, maybe I’m over analyzing this. But, why the persistence? In the end, I didn’t keep the key but returned it that night. This time, instead of being happy and excited, I was rather freaked out. Like I said, I’m not ready for the next step forward in this relationship. But it seems to me he is, and It’s scaring me. A key…..a harmles little key…had me worrying till today. Sigh…..

A little key, a little scary to me….

I am a label whore…!

Recently, my bff called me a “label whore”….and that I’m un-ashamed of it. I was quite taken a back by the comment. Now that I think about it, it’s quite true. For the amount I make, I sure do have lots of things most people don’t. Including some credit card debts ofcourse…such is a package deal. Can’t have one and not the other…..but that’s not the case. As a child my parents use to tell us that a materialistic people are nothing but empty vessels that make the most noise. I strongly refute that thought. For the longest time I believed it, until I came to the US, I begin to believe otherwise. How can I not, when you can get Armani shirts for USD12 or a pair of Kenneth Cole for USD25. A visit to San Marcos’ outlet malls will explain it all! I am materialistic, I may not be full but sure am not empty up there!

The truth is, my job, albeit the fact that it’s pretty laid back, it’s quite depressing. I can explain the next time. I am cooped up here in a windowless cell, 8 to 9 hours aday. Monday to Friday. It’s not exactly something most people would want and ofcourse being paid small potatoes makes it much worst. Therefore it is justifiable that I turn to retail therapy to make myself feel better. At the least, I am not paying a quack 150/hr for therapy like some people!

On top of that, my sucky love life doesn’t help at all! What the heck! I should just do what Fergie would. In her own words….”I be looking for labels, I ain’t looking for love
But, relationships are often so hard to tame. A Prada dress has never broke my heart before!” Ya’ll should listen, it’s TRUE! For example….My sis and I went shopping in San Marcos. After a visit to the Coach store, a cute blue purse was purchased. My sis, who was rather uninterested when first entered the store, was beaming and delighted after the purchase. We quickly walked to the car so she could switch her purse. See how them labels make a person feel??!?! BETTER!! So, whenever you folks have time, learn up this song…..

Shopping for labels, shopping for love
Manolo and Louis, it’s all I’m thinking of
Shopping for labels, shopping for love
1, 2
Manolo and Louis, it’s all I’m thinking of
1, 2, 3 Turn the lights on.

I already know what my addiction is
I be looking for labels, I ain’t looking for love
I shop for purses while love walks out the door
Don’t cry, buy a bag and get over it
And, I’m not concerned with all the politics
It’s a lot of men I know I could find another.

What I know is that I’m always happy when I walk out the store, store
I guess I’m Supercalifragi-sexy, nothing to be playing with
I love him, hate him, kiss him, diss him, tryna walk a mile in my kicks

[Chorus]
Love’s like a runway but which one do I love more?
No emotional baggage, just big bags filled with Dior
Love’s like a runway, so what’s all the fussing for?
Let’s stop chasing those boys and shop some more.
1, 2, 1, 2, 3, Turn the lights on.

I know I might come off as negative
I be looking for labels, I ain’t looking for love
But, relationships are often so hard to tame
A Prada dress has never broke my heart before
And, ballin’s something that I’m fed up with
I’mma do the damn thing, watch me do the damn thing
Cause I know that my credit card will help me put out the flames
I guess I’m Supercalifragi-sexy, nothing to be playing with
I love him, hate him, kiss him, diss him, tryna walk a mile in my kicks

[Chorus]
Love’s like a runway but which one do I love more?
No emotional baggage, just big bags filled with Dior
Love’s like a runway, so what’s all the fussing for?
Let’s stop chasing those boys and shop some more.
1, 2, 1, 2, 3, Turn the lights on.

Gucci, Fendi, Prada purses, purchasing them finer things
Men they come a dime a dozen, just give me them diamond rings
I’m into a lot of bling, Cadillac, Chanel and Coach
Fellas boast but they can’t really handle my female approach
Buying things is hard to say
Rocking Christian Audigier, Manolo, Polo, taking photos in my Cartier
So we can’t go all the way, I know you might hate it but
I’m a shop for labels while them ladies lay and wait for love

[Chorus]
Love’s like a runway but which one do I love more?
No emotional baggage, just big bags filled with Dior
Love’s like a runway, so what’s all the fussing for?
Let’s stop chasing those boys and shop some more.
1, 2, 1, 2, 3, Turn the lights on.

Shopping for labels, shopping for love
Manolo and Louis, it’s all I’m thinking of
Shopping for labels, shopping for love
1, 2
Manolo and Louis, it’s all I’m thinking of
1, 2, 3 Turn the lights on.