Irritation in Facebook Is When You Open Your Account And...

(1)

The first post you see is a non-tudung wearing friend suddenly don on the tudung, garnering lots and lots of likes. Comments of "pretty lah kak", "so sweet", "masya allah so beautiful" was met with bashful "ala, takde lah, biasa2 je" or "thank you, awak pun apa kurangnya".

Two minutes later you will see another selfie of the same friend WITHOUT the tudung going "hmm, I feel like red lipstick today".  Oi girl, memang pun kau macam red lipstick sebab step attention seeker lah kan. Sayang sekali sebab tudung dijadikan alat untuk mintak likes and pujian.


(2)

Your wall is splattered with posts like, "I hate you", "Why aren't you sensitive to my needs?", "I'm crying for you but you don't care", "You only think of yourself", "Here I am slaving for you and you choose to ignore me", "I'm naked, look at me.." posts. Whoa someone got a serious case of PMS.  "I wish I am your handphone". Eei...nak lah sangat jadi handphone asik kena picit je dengan laki kau.  Member tak puas hati sebab tak dapat agaknya and tros post rasa tak puas hati dalam FB.  Ceritanya sama je.  Come on lah, we all know it's directed at your husband. Takkan kat adik kau punya laki punya classmate punya kucing punya kakak punya makcik punya posmen kan?

After that post, there will be a status update complete with a snapshot of her and him whom she had just abused on screen just a while ago and now captioned, "Loving you forever...my Love" ...!!!

Less than 24 hours later, there will be angry outbursts of "Don't be a kaypoh" "MYOB you bitches", "Who says I'm getting a divorce?" "Saper makan chilli terasa pedas".

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? Dia ni Schizo ke per? 


(3)

Ada orang komplen dia penat sebab kemas rumah dari tingkat satu sampai tingkat empat. Kan sekarang semua orang dah tau kau tinggal rumah besar. Kalau nak kenen kan suami suruh amik pembantu rumah 2-3 orang tu cakap lah direct kat dia.  Buat pe post kat FB sebab kau tau kan rata2 kawan2 kau bukan akan simpati dengan keadaan kau yang penat kemas rumah 4 tingkat tetapi akan memuji kebesaran rumah kau.

Lagipun laki kau takde FB so, apa kejadahnya motif kau girl?


(4)

We sympathize.  We know.  We feel you.  It's not easy being a single mum. Your husband is a good person.  Kita semua sedih sebab kenapa yang baik2 selalu tinggalkan kita.  Tapi dah 5 tahun lah girl. It's time to move on. Yang pergi tetap pergi tetapi yang hidop ni kena teruskan kehidupan.  Anak2 kau pun nak makan.  Bersyukurlah yang kau tu masih ada kerja gaji besar, ada pangkat dan masih mampu membesarkan anak2.  The rest of us ada laki pun macam takde laki sebab semua kena tanggung sendiri.

Enough with the mourning please.  No one wants to hear you sighing and crying in FB about the times you've had.  All your friends are mentally exhausted just by reading your posts. The dwindling sympathy comments and likes should give you a clue beb.  Feel blessed with what you have now and just pray for him. You and your kid's doa would be more useful to him than the epic sludge of tearful status in your FB.

I might sound harsh here because I'm not in your shoes but I sympathize more with the next girl who is left to raise 5 kids on her own because her still living, breathing, imbecile husband is...you know, just fucking imbecile.


(5)

Yet another snapshot of your child's perfect score.  Siapa yang tak happy dapat anak pandai kan? Lumrah pun mak bapak yang suka sangat sebab anak baik dan dengar kata. Tapi kalau dah sampai tiap2 hari anak akak punya spelling test score 10/10 akak nak post.  Lenguh lah kak. Kitaorang pun naik menyampah.


(6)

You're so happy there's a notification until you clicked on it and there's another game request despite numerous attempts you made telling everyone that you don't play FB games anymore.  Ever since that day when you walked on the streets and you almost "clicked" on the trees to move them somewhere else.


(7)

"I want to eat this!!" complete with a picture of (whatever food insert here)  screaming on your wall.  Kalau nak makan gi kedai beli lah.  Apa hal sebok2 menyemak kat wall aku letak status macam tu.  Ingat aku nak belikan ke pe?


(8)

"I am so angry!!".  Bila orang tanya "kenapa sis?", pandai pulak kau jawab "oh nothing."  Bila orang nak pujuk kau teros senyap.  Tapi apasal kau post?  Kurang kasih sayang eh?


(9)

Satu selfie step-sexy siap dengan mulut mencurut macam nak cium bontot ayam lepas tu letak caption "What's with the pout?" eeii..sudah2 lah tu dik.


(10)
From oblivion to now-the-whole-world-knows.  None of your friends know that you're having problems with your marriage.  You wanted to keep it that way because you said there's too many kaypohse around.  And yet this is what you did:

-Share articles about wayward husbands and update your status with enough scathing remarks that blaze a trail of glory to your personal life.

-Share quizzes like "would you want your ex back if he crawls back to you" with a big font "NEVER" in your status followed by a scorching paragraph of "after all that I have done and this is what you did bla bla bla.."

Hey, people can put two and two together.  No need to update status like this. When concerned friends ask, you get angry because they're being 'kaypoh'. Apa ni girl.  Stop going to stupid pages that only makes you angry instead of moving on.  These pages are feeding on 'likes' to generate income and they build upon your anger and ego instead of doing you any good.  They get the traffic and money.  What do you get?

(11)

Someone "liked" an article from publications across the causeway especially when it's related to your country.  You read the comments...big mistake.  Rasa macam nak gi tembak je mulut puaka2 tu semua.  Dah lah katak bawah tempurung.  Passport pun takde. Views and ideas about negeri kau pun setakat dengar cakap "pakcik kat warung depan rumah tu yang cakap world dan jenis yang macam paham".  Abih tulis comment2 yang macam sial....ish..malaslah nak tulis kat sini...buat kotorkan blog aku je.  Bebual macam bagos. Semut kat seberang nampak.  Gajah gedabak depan mata tak nampak.  


(12)
Talking about publications and posted articles.  Comments sections are just so WTF sometimes.  I came across a few holier than thous on these topics:-

-On abusive maids/helper/childcare teachers.
"This is the reason why I quit my job.  So that I can give full attention to my kids and I get to spend so much time with them."  [Freakin' SAHM who wanted to tell the whole world that her husband has money coming out of his nose so that she can afford to stay at home]

-On netizen bashing.
"Biasalah melayu, selalu busuk hati..that's the reason why I left Singapore to stay in Australia" [Dia nak bilang orang kat Australia takde orang yang busuk hati atau dia nak show off yang dia mampu duduk Australia?]

-On school attendance tracking system.
"Just yesterday I received a call from son's teacher saying that he did not attend school.  My son played truant?  How could a Vice Student Leader played truant?" [Dia marah sebab sekolah punya tracking system tak bagos atau dia nak bilang orang anak dia ada pangkat kat sekolah?]

*******************************************************

Dalam kita terlalu taksub dengan dunia kita dan keghairahan kita nak kongsi kebahagian/kemarahan/keadaan kita kepada satu dunia, kadang2 kita lupa tentang perasaan orang lain.

Kita sebok bilang orang laki kita tak sempurna tanpa menyedari kita dah aibkan suami kita sendiri.

Kita heboh sebab anak kita dapat perfect score tapi kita lupa perasaan kawan2 kita yang dapat anak sederhana atau memang dilahirkan tak begitu sempurna.

Kita post gambar baby kita mintak pujian "ala, comelnya" tanpa perasaan prihatin tentang kawan kita yang dah bertahun kahwin tapi masih belom dikurniakan cahayamata.

Kita nak orang bersedih dengan kita tetapi kita lupa bahawa memang hidup ini sementara dan kita lupa nak bersyukur dengan nikmat dan rezeki yang sedia ada.

Kita tunjuk gambar2 kita hanya untuk menagih likes dan kita lupa jaga aurat kita.  Senang2 Allah bagi, senang2 tau Dia boleh amik balik.

Yang tak affected boleh lah scroll and log out.  Yang affected macam aku ni kenalah muhabasah diri dan constantly remind myself that apa yang berlaku ada sebabnya.  Cuma kalau aku tak suka, aku kena doakan yang aku pun tak jadi macam tu.  Jangan aku dok mengutuk tapi aku pun 2x5.

Sekian.

Novel Melayu Pop

It's been awhile since I last blogged.

Nasib baik password masok masih ingat.  Kalau tak, naik semak otak aku dengan benda yang memang nak dimuntahkan, lebih2 lagi kalau bab perkara yang membuat aku teruja sungguh.

Sejak mula start baca novel2 melayu ni kan, aku nak pakai word power2 je.

Memang aku pun bukan jenis yang angkat novel melayu sangat.  Zaman sekolah dulu ada lah baca sikit2 itu pun sebab cikgu paksa baca buku melayu.  Aku lagi gemar novel2 Inggeris. Jenayah, cinta trajis, biography dan entah apa2 lah asalkan bukan novel melayu.

Ni sejak umur nak masok 40 ni, aku layankan lah jugak mid-life crisis aku ni.  Memang dah nak buang tebiat pun. Lagipun, dari aku dok fikir masalah yang tak habis2, baik aku lari kat alam fantasy lain.  Tak lah fanatik sampai lupa hal rumahtangga.  Sekurang-kurangnya, aku masih nak exercise otak dengan buat perkara2 yang tak menyusahkan orang lain.

Ok, berbalik kepada buku2 melayu yang aku dah baca.  Sorry, ni cuma blog pasal buku melayu pop.  Buku melayu berat bukan genre aku.  Like I said, I don't want to think too much.

Nak cerita sikit ni walhal aku tau blog ni cuma habok screen komputer je yang baca.  


Adam dan Hawa - Aisya Sofea
Aku pernah pegang buku ni kat Mahkota Parade di Melaka masa bercuti kemarin. Pegang je, tapi tak beli.  Setahun kemudian, kakak kat ofis intro aku buku  ni.  Dah lambat tahap terlampau lah ni sebab cerita dia dah habis dan kecohnya pun dah reda kat Facebook tapi aku baru terkial2 nak baca buku ni.

I received the book on Friday and the husband decided to make a day trip up to KL on Saturday to buy something.  I started the book that morning at Woodlands CIQ and by the time we crossed the border at 6pm that same evening, I have completed all but 5 pages of the book and here's what I think:-

Masih ada ke lelaki yang sanggup tunggu buah hati dia selama 8 tahun? Walaupun dah bergelar suami isteri tetapi si isteri tak diberitahu kedudukan dan hidup macam orang single just because dia benci sangat2 dengan apa yang berlaku keatas dirinya?  At times, ada meleret jugak, padahal cerita dia boleh habis cepat dari tu.  Aku baca non-stop Singapore-KL and KL-Singapore sampai nak khatam satu buku.  Aku pun tak paham apa yang dikecohkan sebab pada aku buku ni biasa2 je.  

Memang Aisya Sofea suka drag cerita dia.  Apa2 pun aku suka gaya penulisan dia.  Tidak terlalu taksub dengan "pop culture" yang akan membuat sesuatu novel itu payah diterima di masa akan datang.


Love You Mr Arrogant - Aliesha Kirana
Hanya kerana tak nak kahwin dengan Sherry gedik, dia perangkap Zaara dengan alasan bodoh $5000, walaupun terang2 mengikut undang2,  dia yang salah sebab langgar kereta Zaara.  Disalahkan Zaara pula sebab member e-brake tengah2 jalan, dan si Zaara dalam kekalutan terus setuju untuk bayar.

Aku suka kalau dah kahwin baru lari...bukan lari dulu baru kahwin.  Lelaki yang arrogant and egoistik tetapi dalam diam, sayang kat isteri dia walaupun dia bekukan hati dan suruh isteri dia tidor kat lantai.  Seburuk2 dia, at least, dia masih lindung Zaara dari ibunya yang laser dan kakaknya yang kerek.  Terok2 pun at least dia pujuk si Zaara disaat kawan tu menangis terkenangkan nasib.  

Cuma buku dia masih banyak yang boleh diperbaiki.  Kadang2 aku tak tau siapa yang cakap ayat tu sebab ayat dialog macam lari2.  But for a no-brainer-rainy-afternoon, this is a good read.


Jodoh Itu Milik Kita - Sara Aisha
By this time, cerita Love You Mr Arrogant dah habis ditayangkan dan buku pun dah lama aku kasi balik kat empunya diri.  Aku masih angau dan dalam kemurungan.  Sedang aku surf kat google dan ter'landing' kat website TonTon, aku nampaklah senarai drama2 yang diupload disitu.  Satu pun tak menarik sehinggalah aku ternampak nama ajaib.  Farid Kamil.

I don't have to say anything else because no matter how lousy a drama/film is, if there's Farid Kamil in it, all is forgiven.  Really.  Am not sure if Sara Aisha has Farid Kamil and Tiz Zaqyah on her mind when she wrote this but the character description fits them so well.  It's like the parts were written especially for them.  

Bakal mak mertua berkenan sangat kat girl sebab girl baik hati, dijodohkan girl tu kat anak matrep dia yang menghilangkan diri di hari perkahwinan mereka.  Sedih dan hampa, girl menangis tak berlagu.  Abang si matrep steps in to save the day.  Dan abang tu pulak the Farid Kamil....*aduhai*..

Aku boleh baca buku ni 10 kali just to menjiwai watak perempuan who got dumped on her wedding day and replaced by her brother in law, who is ever concerned, caring and sayang sangat2 kat dia.  Especially kalau dapat yang muka macam Farid Kamil.  Ish, perangai stoppit lah pulak aku ni.


Kampong Girl - Umie Kalsom
Buku ni boleh tahan cuma aku tak tahan dengan Bahasa Inggeris yang hancur tahap terjun lombong.  Ainnur is an English Teacher tapi kenapa Bahasa Inggeris dia buruk sangat? The lazy "s" and obvious grammar mistakes.  Editor tidor ke? Kalau nak buat novel melayu, gunakanlah semua bahasa melayu kalau tak yakin dengan penggunaan Bahasa Inggeris.  If you wish to integrate English phrases in the book, do take the time to do some research and incorporate accordingly.  Jangan malas.

Tapi aku suka jalan cerita dia.  Si sepupu lelaki (Ashraff Khairi) yang mengada-ngada tak bertempat.  Menyampah aku.  Step budak bandar tak sedar diri.  Tapi takkan dia tak ambil pusing langsong kat sepupu dia padahal ibu meraka adik beradik?  Lainlah kalau saudara setakat bau2 bacang. 


Muridku Suamiku - Cahaya Ainn
I'm not one for younger husbands but then again, sometimes, the younger ones proved time and again to be more matured compared to their elder counterparts.  They tend to appreciate older girls and are generally more caring.  

Romantic sungguh bila budak jahat jadi baik semata2 nak kan cikgu dia.  Sanggup ubah hidup dia 360 darjah dan seakan memaksa cikgu suka kat dia.  Degil.  I like.  Cuma, aku tak berapa gemar dengan frasa "muka tebal 10 inci / 15 inci / berbelas2 inci" yang diulang2 dalam novel ni.  Tau lah member tu pemalu dan sedang dalam keadaan malu, tapi tak payahlah exaggerate sampai tahap 'nampak-sah-menipu' kan.  

Novel kelima beliau 'Dia Putera Mahkota' pun sama.  Memang trademark penulis ni ialah heroin yang pemalu agaknya.  Frasa muka berbelas2 inci, gigit bibir, tunduk lihat tanah sering kali diulang.  Tabiat menggigit bibir boleh di olah seperti sesuatu yang di amati sang Putera apabila dia berkata seperti contoh - "saya perhatikan yang awak ni suka gigit bibir apabila awak memikirkan sesuatu atau awak sedang runsing".   Jadi pembaca boleh tau ini tabiat Dahlia.  Tak payahlah pembaca di asak dengan ayat yang diulang tayang.  

It's a shame because the author really has great ideas and I love her description of Paris and how I felt like I was there.  I felt Dahlia's pain when her "Dahlia and Reza" lock fell in the water when 'guess who' appeared out of nowhere and gave her a fright.  I cried with her when her fiance died just days before their wedding.  I just can't accept her forever "tunduk kepala lihat tanah" and "always crying - mata beranak sungai" bit.  Dahlia is such a cry baby.  Future princess must be strong ok...


Memilihmu Kerana Dia - Myra Ameer
This is her sixth novel.  Jalan cerita lancar tapi sayang, dia ada auto-correct untok perkataan 'sepantas'.  Sebab tiap2 kali ada perkataan 'sepantas' keluar, perkataan 'kilat' confirm masok frame.  Contoh: (Bab 67, Mukasurat 559) Sepantas kilat wajahnya dipalingkan kepintu. Nur Sarah turut berpaling.  Sebaik terpandangkan Lisanani dimuka pintu, sepantas kilat pelukan di pinggang Nur Sarah dileraikan.  Banyak lagi mukasurat yang ada perkataan sepantas kilat ni.  Adengan kucup2 pun ada 'sepantas kilat'.  Tapi paling terok macam contoh tu.  Sepantas kilat digunakan dua kali dalam satu perenggan. Ini novel ke-ENAM dik.  I love your story tapi 'sepantas kilat' spoil the mood for me.


Rahsia Hati - Azimah Lily
This one really makes me weep.  It makes me so frustrated, I keep having 'slapping forehead' moments.  While it has an interesting story line and avoided the cliche forced marriage and awkward first night shots, it was way too amateurish to be published.  

Contohnya:

(1) Terlalu banyak sangat perkataan 'jerit' dalam novel ni.  Yang hairannya, kaum lelaki yang suka jerit.  Dato' Johari suka jerit.  Tan Sri Tengku Daud suka jerit.  Daniel si Tuan Muda pun suka jerit.  Aku ingat perempuat2 gedik je yang suka jerit.  Dorang ni keturunan raja2.  Kalau nak biadap pun ada hemahnya.  Bukan pakai jerit2.  

(2) Penulis suka sebot jenama. Nasib baik cuma bab2 permulaan je.  Dah lama2 tak sebut jenama lagi.  Kita tau lah Dania tu kaya, takkan asik bawak Boniak je.  Apasal tak sebut Hamis Bikin ke.  Tu kalau angkut satu biji boleh makan puluhan ribu siotz.  Kat sini aku nak selit jugak Sri Sarah punya "Aku, Dia dan Stiletto". Mereka2 ni dapat berapa eh duit royalti sebab sebut2 jenama nk. Drg dah tentu2 kaya buat pe nak bagi free publisiti pulak kan. Kita semua tau hero-heroine semua kaya tahap dewa2. Tak payah bilang satu dunia kasot apa si dekni pakai or baju dalam tu Rahsia Victoria yang punya (ejaan jenama disengajakan).

(3) Melissa dan Sheila tak pernah putus asa mengejar impian mereka untuk berkahwin dengan Daniel.  Walaupun Sheila kemudian beroperasi secara senyap, Melissa pulak terang2an nak si Daniel padahal Daniel memang dah reject dia siang2.  Ada ke perempuan muka tak tau malu masih nak terhegeh2 ketagih cinta just because she's too consumed by jealousy?  Yang ni aku tak boleh mengulas kerana dalam dunia sekarang ni macam2 boleh terjadi walaupun pada aku cara Melissa ni terlalu over the top.

(4) Penggunaan Bahasa Inggeris konfem langgar tembok.  My WTF moments were:
Hairi to Dania: We'll get marry next month. 
Dania: Don't move or I shoot you.
Daniel: Uncle tak payahlah nak hipokrit dengan Daniel.  I'll know you.
Dania: I know you hiding something from me.  I guess you waiting for someone, right?
Dania: If you dare to tell them about my illness, I'll make sure your life miserable until you die.

I can't believe it's her second novel.  My colleague did lend me her first novel but I have not read it for fear that I might start scribbling ghastly, red ink all over the book.  I don't want to ruin the comfortable colleague-borrowing-book-tak-tau-malu relationship just yet. 

I seriously hope she can improve on this or better still, totally eliminate incorporating English phrases in her books if she's not confident enough. She's got great ideas but this book makes me feel like I'm trying to scratch an itch that I couldn't reach.  


My Precious Iris - Melor Jelita
Everyone I know is raving about this.  Buku berat.  Tebal giler.  The sequel to I Love You Stupid.  Initially I was excited about it.  I found myself laughing (out loud) when in the first few pages, our heroin caught her feet on the carpet and send the cups and sauces flying all over the place and mom being well, mom, was more worried about her tea set than the fact that her daughter has just committed a serious faux pas in manner of proper tea-serving decorum.

But I couldn't help thinking that the author is publicly expressing her opinion and life lessons through Abang Pedas who in this story is, well, Perfect.  Yup with a capital "P".  So damn perfect that I kept visualising that scary guy who went through many surgeries to look like Ken the doll.  

Perbezaan antara Firman dengan typical hero dalam novel lain adalah, dia ni tak kaya (bukan anak orang kenamaan), tapi dia pandai (masak), bijak (melayan kerenah isteri), badan berketak2 (tekan tubi dengan isteri di belakang) and religious (ngaji, solat dan keturunan bagos2). 

Don't get me wrong, memang ada jenis lelaki yang begini.  But there are some scenes in this book rasanya dari luahan hati seorang wanita dan bukan Firman yang cakap.  Example: cara Firman ajar isteri dia goreng dan simpan telor, cara Firman tak happy dengan orang2 yang meng'update' status di Facebook dan luahkan ketidak puasan hatinya kepada isterinya. Sampaikan pengalaman dia menggendalikan kes budak yang kena dera tu pun macam cut and paste from somewhere je.

I'll have to admit that I read this because it was popular but I couldn't say it's one of my favourite.


Akhir Kata - What I think
Dah banyak dah buku aku test.  Kakak ofis aku sampai kena buat cabinet baru untuk novel2 dia.  Siap berbungkus plastic dan tulis title listing lagi.  Ialah, mana tau pegi JB sekali terbeli buku sama kan.  Dah banyak sangat you.  Tapi dia tak lokek.  Tiap2 buku yang dah dibaca dia pass kat aku.  Muka tebal, tembok dan kertas pasir ni cuma cakap 'terima kasih' je. Sayang akak ketat2.

Ok, in a nutshell:

1) Kahwin Paksa

Very typical.  Budak2 kita memang suka kan part kena kahwin paksa ni.  Industry seberang earn so much on novel sales and drama adaptations.  Malu tapi mau.  Especially kalau protaganist perempuan melayu terakhir.  Ayu, sopan, cantik, putih, baik, pandai masak. Hek eleh...lelaki kena kahwin paksa dengan perempuan yang dia tak suka bila dah dapat tengok dada putih melepak depan mata confirm terkam punya.  Memang mula2 baca seronok tapi kalau dah lama2 muak jugak.  

2) Kaya

Watak hero selalunya adalah anak Datok, anak Tan Sri, baby kesayangan Puan Sri dan confirm businessman berjaya.  Pendek kata, cukup segalanya lah.  Harta tak habis tujuh keturunan.  Ada duit semua jadi, tapi tak jamin kebahagiaan dan heroin akhirnya akan mendapat romeonya semula selepas menjalani penderitaan (insert timeline) untuk sekian lama.  The only exception so far is Firman, tapi at least isteri Firman tu kaya.  So, tak ada lah diorang tu dudok merempat. 

3) Hormat

Sekeras2 lelaki, masih lagi hormat ibu bapa dan patoh walaupun terang2 kluar dengan perempuan gedik lain.  

4) Nama 

Nama2 yang tak boleh angkat seperti Fitriani Farisha Afilia Bte Datok Ahmad Sulaiman Zamani and Tengku Zafriel Ryan Zubidin Bin Tengku Mahmud Harun Shah Dulang or Rixuna Darwisha Hedora and Azmir Denola Belona Blahlah.  Either writers are on creative juice overload or feeding on the notion of their inner "buku-aku-sukahati-akulah" demons.

5) Penggunaan Bahasa Inggeris

Urgh!! Editor hentam kromo je ke sebab nak kejar dateline?  Sometimes I cringe at the texts they use.  It's 'staff' and not 'staffs' because staff is a collective noun.  When you are referring to more than one person, you should still say 'staff'.  Same goes for stuff (not stuffs) and food (not foods). There is one character (girlfriend gedik kerjaya actress) who had just wrapped up her movie and asked someone's opinion.  She was going like, "Filem I akan ditayangkan tak lama lagi. You dah tengok thriller dia?".  Hello gedik, it's trailer lah sayang bukan thriller.  

Aku ni bukan nya terror sangat Bahasa Inggeris tapi benda2 yang disebut diatas ni boleh dirujuk dan dikemaskini sebelum process pencetakan.  Aku semangat nak baca novel melayu sebab nak mempertingkatkan Bahasa Melayu aku lah konon.  Dah lah sah2 tulis blog ni pakai bahasa pasar lecak becak.  Ye, I know, I know...kalau nak mempertingkatkan Bahasa Melayu kena baca sastera berat.  Tapi at least sekarang aku tau apa maksud "terkesima", "terkedu" dan "usai", sebab sumpah sebelum ni aku tak tau ada perkataan tu.  

Baru-baru ni aku ada baca satu novel oleh penulis yang menggunakan perkataan "muk" untuk "mug".  Ada ke perkataan "muk"?  Cakap "cawan" tak boleh ke? 

And how about 'comforter'?  Dia mencapai 'comforter' dan bersembunyi di dalamnya. Selimut tak sesuai agaknya sebab dia tinggal rumah Mak Datin kaya yang ada hawa dingin so kena pakai perkataan 'comforter'. 

Ada lagi satu novel ni bertajuk "Hantu Punya Bos" .  Walaupun penggunaan Bahasa Inggeris dia bagus, tetapi part "merebahkan dirinya ke atas katil yang berhias cadar berwarna gold" yang aku tak boleh angkat sangat.  Warna kuning keemasan tak sesuai ke? 

Seriously, when you write something to be published and people pay good money to buy and enjoy, it should at least be worth the price.  If you wish to encourage the use of foreign phrases in your books, to show that your protagonists are highly educated, then do them justice by having them converse in the proper language and not have them spewing broken, laughable-at-best, phrases.  I still remember Lisa Surihani threatening Aaron Aziz with "I will make sure that you will fall deadly in love with me" [Ombak Rindu].  I've heard of 'madly in love' but 'deadly in love'?  Seriously?!?!  Ok, I digress.  You say madly in love to someone you love.  You don't say deadly in love to someone you love separoh mati.  Sebab, deadly in love ialah frasa yang hanya sesuai untuk digunakan sebagai tajuk filem atau cerita thriller tapi tak berapa sesuai untuk diluahkan, apatah lagi untuk orang yang kita sayang.

It may not be written in the book because I have not read it.  But it's spoken on screen and it sounds, well, awkward.

Anyway, aku terjumpa kat laman sesawang lain bahawa ada garis piawaian rupanya bila kita nak submit karya kita.  Manuscripts for print have to conform to a certain fixed template. So, rata2 this applies to all of the above.  Oohh...now we know.

For now, I will faithfully continue to read Malay novels and see the screen adaptations with an open mind.  It's escapism at best and the only 'me' time I have these days.  I just hope I don't sound like a Grammar Nazi while I'm at it.