Miscellaneous thought
A recent study reported in the papers today revealed that Malaysians are the most unhelpful people in the world. This conclusion was drawn based on the percentage of people who responded favourably to three "street-tests" - a dropped pen (who would pick it up), a blind person (who would help them across the street) and a hurt person (who would give them assistance). Malaysian people scored lowest on all three counts. It's nice to know I have something to be patriotic about...
Incidentally, the article said that favourably "good samaritan" behaviour (e.g. picking up the pen, helping the blind/hurt person) was altruistic. I'd just like to reiterate that it isn't, really. Possibly I am one of the most cynical people in KL, but that's what I think.
An update on my sordid pet situation: against my impassioned and thoroughly logical pleas to discourage my parents from keeping any more goldfish, since the last 18 have perished without reason and this is obviously a sign that the God of Fish has deemed us unworthy fishkeepers and that it would be folly, therefore, to make further endeavours, they nonetheless went forth and bought another 9. As I sit here tapping away at the keyboard, I can hear my dad's voice from the balcony, and it is saying "Aiyoh, the fish are all dying".
The words "I told you so" are clawing their way out of my sore and swollen throat. Think of the pain we could have spared those poor fish...
Do people who spend an inordinate amount of time with each other - e.g. a boyfriend/girlfriend - begin to adopt each other's speech patterns, mannerisms, characteristics and even way of thinking over time? Or are they people who have found a little of each other in themselves (e.g. it is because they think alike that they were attracted to each other) and so being together draws out those already-existing similarities? Either way, I've met some couples who, over the course of time, have become extremely alike - sometimes to the extent that in fifty years or so, I can definitely see them wearing matching sweaters, sitting in identical rocking chairs and finishing each other's sentences. This is a truly, truly terrifying notion.