Friday, February 23, 2007

Playing Tag

Weird Things
Okay. This is not going to be easy for me. But I am doing it for my dearest friend, Zaharah Othman AKA the famous Kak Teh of the ever popular Choc-a-Blog blog who is doing me in, if she has not already. She's been tagged by Ruby Ahmad and she's not going it alone, so she has tagged me. I could have feigned ignorance, dumbness, or even, tech-illiteracy when she texted me to read her blog. Of course, without hesitation, I went to her blog to read her latest post.As it turned out, she tagged me. And, frankly, I am so not with it in this game of tag. Why should I want to tell anyone weird things about me?I wanted to get out of it, but, she being a friend of 30 years, has left me with no option. The rule of this game is that I have to tell you six weird things about me. I am going to get this over and done with very quickly. But first here are the rules:
RULES: People who are tagged should write a blog post of 6 weird things about them as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says 'you are tagged' in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

Weird Factor 1: I am a hoarder. I keep everything and anything, from restaurant receipts, parking tickets, any sort of printed materials . I don't discard them, until perhaps, months later during springcleaning of files, drawers, handbags, purses, glove compartments. But, I find it really hard to part with magazines and published materials.
Weird Factor 2: I love my own company. This is not to say that I hate to be in the company of others. It is just that I have learnt, for a very long time, to enjoy the privacy of being alone. I work-out alone -- up Kiara Hill or around my neighbourhood, I can lunch or dine alone. I can go on holiday alone too (although this has yet to be tried and tested.)
Weird Factor 3: I am a stickler for traffic rules, even in a shopping complex. I won't even enter "no-entry" lanes in the parking areas of shopping complexes. That's a no-no for me. My argument is that if everyone breaks the rule, then, well... there'll be chaos -- on the roads, in parking areas etc. And people can turn murderous on the roads, as we all know.
Weird Factor 4: I love doing laundry. You know the washing (clothes that cannot be machine-washed), and hanging clothes to dry. I learnt to like doing the laundry when I was young when our maid had to balik kampung for the longest while, and all of us, of course, had to help out. Out mum gave us each our duty. Laundry duty was mine. I enjoyed it. That's not the weird part. I would hang clothes colour-coded, or style/cut-coded or size-coded. I would use certain hangers and certain pegs for certain clothes. And it would be the nicest-looking clothesline in the neighbourhood. Ok, enough of that.
Weird Factor 5: I am a mimic. Well, sort of. In college, my friends would get me to mimic people like, say, the most unpopular lecturer, or the most "mengada" student. It is the way people walk or their mannerisms that I can mimic pretty well. Perhaps, this has to do with the next weird thing about me.....
Weird Factor 6: Remember I love my own company? Well, when I am out for coffee or lunch alone. I'd sit and watch people around me. I don't stare at them... I just observe. Remembering their faces...Perhaps, that is why I can remember faces of strangers or people whom I had never actually met, when I get to meet them, years later. But, I believe this may regress with age.
So, now I hereby tag Fabmama, Zewt, Elly, QueenB, ShangaiFish and Typhoon Sue.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tag Tag Tag...

Aiyo Makcik, now we know ur a hoarder. U know how painful it can be when u do spring cleaning or move out?

Here's to hoping your property is freehold and if not, the lease doesn't run out in ur lifetime.

My dad was a notorious hoarder and it was a nightmare everytime we daughters go home for festive occasions and have to clean up.

Goodus Luckus to u from an ex-hoarder who has seen the "light".

Anonymous said...

Yes, she got that habit from my dad, heh, heh.. We had a tough time as well persuading bapak to clear up his stacks of newspapers, letters and books from the dining table each Hari Raya.

Typhoon Sue said...

hahaha... thanks for tagging me. Guess I have to start psycho-analyzing myself to figure this one out. I'm already weird as it is, I wouldn't even know where to start!

who started this game of tag anyway? I bet the list is endless now and that back-tracking would prove to be futile

anyway, seems like there are some similarities between us - the loner bit and the hoarder bit. My storeroom is a bit of a treasure island, too bad the treasure's all junk! :)

Editor said...

Nuraina,
Whats a tag? Is it a tech word?
I see above this comments column, as I write this comment,"You can use some HTML tags ........."
Thank you for that party.
The next will be on me! I will chip-in, if that's what you all do by turns.Fair and square-no problems.
Keep me informed.Cheers.

zewt said...

hi there,
i have got 2 ppl who tagged me and just like yourself, i am not very keen to turn my blog into some mail forwards-like medium. but taking it from another light, i guess it's a good thing that ppl are tagging you.

i guess i must combine the 2 questions from the 2 person who tagged me....

wonda said...

Nuraina,
Getting to know more about you through this tag thingy.

BaitiBadarudin said...

My late mum was one heck of a hoarder, but unfortunately or otherwise, I never get to keep many sentimental items due to nomadic lifestyle and lack of space. And, sista, I've been tagged before but never got the hang of tagging (in more ways than one, haha!). Anyone cares to explain how it works? TQVM. Cheers!

A Voice said...

Actually what happen to the 50 year merdeka tag, where is it now?

Elly said...

hi nuraina!

believe it or not, you are the first person ever to tag me! he!he!

kinda weird though, to think about the weird things about myself:-P

anyway, take care & have a nice day!:-D

Kak Teh said...

ena, thanks for being a sport. about being a mimic, let me go into detail. Ena, Fati and I went to the hospital. I dont know why but both Fati(fabmama) and I ended up playing nurse to ena who acted as someone from the sakit jiwa clinic who was allowed out during weekends. Believe me, it looked real. And as for her mimicking people walk and talk...hahaha! yes, i remember, i remember. We had so much fun in the room doing this.

okay, okay - at our age ena, this is the only safe game we can play. and you have done well. thanks.

Fauziah Ismail said...

Maam
Kawan lama tapi tak pernah tahu. You like to do laundry? Can I send mine to you?
Take care

fabmama said...

O no i am so useless at this! But will try!!! Promise! Ayo, suddenly I feel like 16 again... Is this why we are doing this ah?

NorAiniJ said...

Salam perkenalan Kak Ena,

My 1st entry here ma’am although I have been a loyal visitor since you opened up your blog last 7-Jan-07.

Reading the list, am quite surprised actually, rupanya famous personality pon ada jugak some weirdo traits…hehe

I can imagine that mimic thingy you used to play with Kak Teh and Kak Fati (I gathered this after reading Kak Teh’s comment here), must be so hilarious..hehehe.

Thanks ma’am for making my day today.

zewt said...

it's done!

Anonymous said...

hey there nuraina,

tks for sharing.

looks like we share one 'weird' trait. i love my own company too, and can go on holiday alone and makan alone too (something v unMalaysian). just give me my paper or a book and i am quite happe @ starbucks usually at dsara heights :D

but dunno about laundry though..ke ke ke...quite happee to get it over and done with...or to the dry cleaners :D

take care.

Anonymous said...

Dear Nuraina

Hehehe, so you are a mimic. Ever thought of becoming a professional impersonator? I believe there is oodles of money to be had and not to mention the prestige that comes with the job.

I have seen some really good mimicking acts on TV and I think the recently departed Anna Nicole Smith was a dead ringer (no pun intended) for the late Marilyn Monroe. But I will scream if I ever see another "Elvis Presley" act, they are a dime a dozen.

Like you, I also enjoy my own company. There is never a dull moment when there are 3 people in this "company" - me, myself, I. I have certainly travelled on my own including driving alone from one foreign country to another, and on the "wrong" side of the road to boot(vis-à-vis the one I am accustomed to). It is solitude at its finest.

Have a great week-end.

Pasquale said...

Nuraina!

The words you are looking for are Obsessive Compulsive Dosorder (OCD)! Under the present administration of Abdollah Bedouin a lot of people are now afflicted with OCD, a sign of insecurity and helplessness while a small group of people are squandering our country's largesse!

Pasquale said...

Nuraina a/p Pak Samad!

Its Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, not Dosorder! I know you are stickler for a proper English language especially spelling!

Anonymous said...

Why would anyone want to reveal the inner recesses of their hearts and souls in/at a public forum I wonder? Unless it is to reveal things of general/universal interest that might make a difference to the lives and thoughts of the audience/readership. I think one should stop short of personal revenge and vindication. For this there are surely other avenues.

BON NINI

Anonymous said...

To all readers of this blog

So you think Ena's 6 weird factors are cute eh?

I'm afraid I have to shatter any illusion you all may have about Ena with the following revelation:

Ena has at least two other deadly serious idiosyncrasies she is in total denial of, and which, if she doesn't come around to admit having, she'll be seriously dead. Okay, I'm a bit over the top with that one - she'll be seriously dead broke.

weird factor #7: she is prone to bouts of stipis libenteritis, a disorder characterised by a willingness to belanja others.

This particular disorder is related another chronic affliction of hers, wierd factor #8: She is often under the influence of pecunia nescioitis, which is the state of being totally ignorant about money.

I'm not sure which one is the cause and which one is the effect (Does she have s libenteritis because of p nescioitis, or the other way around?)

No matter. She got one from Mak and the other from Bapak.

Mak had a more generic condition, called jangandengkiorangitis. It is a rather rare condition: sufferers are often delusional, believing that everyone is good. Mak's condition obviously rubbed off on Ena.

Bapak is hopeless with money, so it's obvious where she got her p nescioitis from.

So, those of you who read this - if you want this blog to continue, especially the next instalment of TWB, please, please tell Ena of her WF#7 and #8, and

- get her to admit she has them
- convince her to get some help

Kak Teh or Fabmama or somebody...?

Anonymous said...

Ah ha, more skeletons are spilling out of the cupboard.

Nuraina, I believe it is more blessed to give than to receive, but I am sure your readers would want your blog to continue. May I propose a compromise? Instead of having your purse wide open, perhaps you can just keep it slightly ajar?

Take care.

Unknown said...

Hi Nuraina,

How lovely to see my name printed here. Thank you for the 15 mins of fame! Ha ha.

Actually we probably share some common friends, but anyway glad that I made it here. Enjoyed reading your antics. I am with you being a hoarder. Been trying hard to un-learn that habit..hmm..not winning as yet.

Weird factor no 3 is so wonderful. Wish everyone's like you and voila..there will be no traffic jams for a change. Cheers.