The Eve of Un-Reality

Here I am, sitting at the Reception area of Mesilau Nature Resort - yet another night of stealing using free wi-fi, having to brave the cold of night both to have internet access and then return to the comforts of home. Tomorrow, I fly for KL, my home. Some people would say it's 'back to the real world', but I don't agree. Most of the things in a city is really way more than what we need especially in the areas of comfort and convenience. The real world is when I'm here in Mesilau, 'surviving' with minimal facilities/amenities and little else. Still alive and healthy, no? It's not that I have lack here, it is that I (or we) have an overwhelming surplus of luxury in cities.

In the last 2 nights I've not been sleeping to finish up some work before I leave the place. Glad I did it, otherwise I'd not be writing this post right now - would probably be working/packing. I slept ~3-5 hours daily in the daytime instead. Ah, thinking about going home to my own bed makes me swoon. No more crappy polyurethane foam mattresses that were never really made to love your back.

I still see my leaves every time I close my eyes.

Here's tribute to the slippers that have accompanied me from Genesis of my research life - From Cameron Highlands (even into Gunung Irau trail!) to Mt. Kinabalu, not to mention Gombak, FRIM, and some other ecosystems in-between.

"Well done, my good and faithful servant"

Here I'd like to show you what incessant working can do in one day. Here are the 'Before' photos, zero.

An overview

The 'look left to the kitchen door' view

The study table.

Why so many mini black plastic bags? For sample storage of course.

For your info, that's my dining table, dressed in newspaper and completed with a wonderful adornment of black-bagged samples. Trust me, it's there below my samples. Where have I been eating? Sometimes that little top left space, others at the top right space in the picture. Sometimes I also stand outside at the veranda with my bowl of dinner. The study table works too.

Samples along the wall..

More samples leading to the entrance..

Samples on one of the said polyurethane mattresses. I used that as a big 'table' to store samples because the cold floor would cause the stuff inside the plastic bags to become wet from condensation, however dry you have prepared them before.

-Pussy cat side track-

This reminds me of yesterday, when I caught a naughty little pussy cat looking extremely guilty on that mattress. It knew it wasn't supposed to be there. It knocked over my baked beans in the kitchen later on -_-

The day before that, the same cat tried to hop in through my kitchen window, which I often leave open slightly for ventilation. There I was fussing in the kitchen when I heard its usual 'meows' outside. Then I heard a 'thud' at the window. I looked and saw that the cat stood on the window frame before jumping off, shying from me. That thud was a failed attempt of breaking in - the cat must've hit the wooden window frame (ouch).

I managed to pat the pussy once while I was having my lunch sitting at the veranda. It ran away after that. Pfft.

-meow-

Upstairs! Welcome to the Drying Room

Awww.. Sweet lovely Jasmine leaning against the wall.. *melt*

Back downstairs to my study table

Ready? TRANSFORM! A day later.

Yeah I know you're gonna say the dining table's still a mess. Didn't wanna put the fruits in the bag so early ya know, they may go bad a lil too quickly. Blame ethylene build up.

Drying Room

*Gasp*

Where'd it all go!? Check out my cool towel, by the way.

Spotted at one corner of the towel, mama bird (chicken?) tweets along happily (with 2 quavers) as her two lil chicks follow her tail feathers.

So really, where'd the mess go?

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Ta-dah!

There ya go, all packed in boxes at the landing beside the staircase. This is my corner, keep out.

Mental Invasion

Watching 'The Rite' alone at night has caused me to ponder much. Here, finally a conclusion to my thoughts.

Lucifer's Lament

Glorious was he in his days of splendor,
created flawless; God’s most choicest wonder.
Even light he tamed, the substance he bore,
Now, tempter he’s named, forever at war

How far he has fallen,
but how did he fall?
The breadth of all heaven,
due his unholy call.

Through clouds and sky, earth and air,
was he hurled out for his unholy dare,
whatever became the substance he bore?
It shone too brightly, creating a door

An imposing door, ardently locked,
but his light blinded himself, he waivered, perhaps a mild little shock?

Pride became him, with key of sin he unlocked,
The unspeakable darkness, desires, fancies and whims
But what is hidden must be exposed,
Thence what was lost was never again found

Oh fallen angel, woe becomes you,
in falling momentum still you tug his heel,
his name is man, the son of the Holy,
though sinner like you, he was redeemed, made worthy

Cry foul, unfair! What unjust treatment!
the bearer of light, swallow scales of contempt!?
Says He, “Forget this not, you tempted him first,
sin was born you, so terrible, the worst”.

The one who bore light, burns endlessly bright,
no longer with glory, but fury and fright,
Fallen, yet falling, he continues to lurk,
tempting the unwary to unholy berserk

Now he counts his days till judgement,
“What number have come my way, ahhh.. indulgent”.

Are You Leaf or Seed?

Yesterday was a frustrating day of telling friend from foe leaf from seed, as you can see above. That's a close up of the stuff I needed to separate. Meow. Still, it had its highlights.

Twirly, cute leaf I found among the horrid litter dungeon.

And the Friendly Butterfly Moth (since its wings are not erect at rest, it should be a moth)

Why do I say friendly?

Look, it's actually saying "Hi!". That's being pretty friendly for an insect.

Fear me

Political Reads

Boring? Nah, not so when it's Malaysia. Always full of shit, so it can be quite fun to read. Just to sum up some of the recent political hoohas that's been going on here in Malaysia. Some of it's quite funny because they're downright stupid. Just sharing, through 3 different perspectives.

Responses to Ibrahim Ali's dare of waging 'holy war' towards Malaysian Christians

The Funny: MalaysiaKini

The Historic & Sarcastic: Scott Thong's historical account of the issue

The Mature: Lim Kit Siang

I found it funny how one of the authors there quoted Perkasa as PerkOsa.

To find out more about Bersih 2.0 Rally, get a thorough account here on...

WIKIPEDIA!

I was rather surprised to see Wikipedia being updated so well about the entire Bersih 2.0 Rally. Kudos to whoever's keeping it up!

My Mesilau 'House'

Till now, I've yet to give a formal introduction of the place I've been staying in for every trip I've made here. This is my 18th day here, my longest trip thus far. Meet my Mesilau 'House', Rhododendron lowii (furthest unit left in picture above):

THE VERANDA

This is what I see when I look out my front door (above)

Look left

Look right

Beyond my veranda

WELCOME INSIDE

Nope, not very neat

Meet my many bags of sorted litter samples (includes leaves, pine needles, twigs, branches, fruit etc etc)

Just a sneak peek of how work goes. Sorting leaves by morphospecies (morph = form; species.... = species, basically sorting into different types). The big black bag on the left contains whatever was caught within 2 weeks by a net (2.5 x 2 m) I placed in the forest. I have >60 of such bags to sort. Life ain't a bed of dead leaves roses.

Sketches of different species in my sketch book (really, my drawing is quite bad, but I just gotta do it or I'll forget which species is which)

The Tour Continues to THE KITCHEN

Old school and messy

Notice the little yellow stove? That runs on butane gas cartridges (those the size of canned spray paint)

Supplies!

Now what's this doing in the kitchen, on the egg crate?

That's why. Cutting onions and shallots is an endeavor that's way too sorrowful for me to face without sunnies *sob*

That jar of peanut butter n' jelly's long-over. Got a new jar =D Bananas are a staple here for me, awesome stuff. They're the mini type. Tastes much better than any banana I can get in Peninsular Malaysia, in my opinion. Very important for.. bowels.

Moving on! UPSTAIRS
Or at least, the landing that's halfway upstairs. A place I keep my stuff/samples when I'm not occupying the house (other researchers may use the house when I'm away).

And facing that landing would be...

The Toilet. No water heater here, so I boil water with a kettle and mix it to the right temperature in that red bucket and bathe with that. It was fun in the beginning.

Presenting: 1st Floor (Assuming that it was Ground floor earlier)

A few more steps up from the landing and you'll be greeted by 3 doors down

"To the left, to the left": THE DRYING ROOM

Yup, this is where all the samples (and laundry) I've been sorting gets dried, with the help of that mini-heater. Ironic how the heater is used only for leaves and not for the shivering researcher downstairs.

More unsorted litter samples.... ah God help me.

Presenting the door on the Right: MY ROOM

Ya la, what'd you expect?

Best friend lying on my bed

And the Middle door: THE MASTURBATE MASTER BEDROOM

Unused. I prefer the room I'm using. Tse Yuen slept here when he was around. I've shared this room with two girls before *whewit*. Of course, I took the single bed and they took shared the Queen-sized one.

It does have a cabinet.. which I daren't put my clothes in. I'll introduce my housemates later.

THE BALCONY (which is joined both to my room and the master bedroom)

Now, the housemates and occasional friends that come with the litter samples. I found a trail of slime in a hollowed branch. SLIME FILES.

Lightning snail!

Didn't realize my camera lens was all fogged-up. Common problem here since it's always cold and humid.

Meet my Furry Friends

Greeny was just hanging out by the door-hinge when I snuck up on him for this scandalous photo of her rear.

Fogged up because I didn't realize for sense of mystery.

My Bull Moth friend (Not actual name)

Moo
Orange (who died before the photo was taken. Hung out too long in front the heater). R.I.P.
And the shy guy who won't stay still for a picture
The cool corner-loving dude.
And lil miss gorgeous. Whew.

The cool moth. Reminds me of Eagles.
Another dead but cool dude.
"Butterfly kisses.." Bluek, like you'll actually kiss it. No offense, love the song.

Now, if you're below 18, I strongly suggest you avoid scrolling down for some really scandalous pictures I caught of my housemates. NSFW.

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Still wanna see em huh?

Through the glass windows I peek,

your naked underneaths, I seek,

as they turn a blind cheek,

my little camera, I tweak (haha)

*click*