The weak shall inherit the earth

I do not know about you, but one thing I cannot tolerate at all is a man hitting a woman. Or to be specific, a husband hitting his wife.

It's despicable. A cowardly act. Like a big bully in the school yard. Just because you are bigger and stronger, you think you can go around and hit other people. And just because you think you have the power over your wife, you can treat her like a slave, push her around and beat her up. But I'm getting ahead of myself here.

I am an avid follower of Kisah Benar(also known as Neraca). In case you have no idea what that is, it is a TV series showing on TV3 every Monday to Thursday at 1pm. Yes, I'm one of those fortunate ones who stays 5 minutes away from where I work. Hence lunch is always a home affair, with the bed and TV being my lunch partners most of the time.

Hence my addiction to Kisah Benar. I think I've watched almost every single episode of that series, to the extend of repeating them again, twice. Kisah Benar, as the name suggested it, is based on true stories, with some embellishment and exaggeration added in for some sugar and spice. Some of the episodes are plain ridiculous and stupid that you feel like smashing something after watching them.

Today's episode was one of them. It was about a man who treated his wife like shit and fool around outside with other women. To make matter worse, he was not working, so his source of income was from the wife. The wife always ended up late to the office, because she had to send their two kids to school, by bus. She has a car, under her name, but the husband drives it like he owns it. She almost got fired because of this, and practically had to beg to the boss to give her another chance. Then, after work, she had to take the bus and fetched the kids from school, while the husband happily talked to other women on the phone at home. There was once when the husband dumped her and the kids out of the car in the middle of nowhere!

One day, the husband was so desperate for money that he stole the kids savings. That was the last straw. The wife finally lost her patience, and a fight ensured. Of course she got beaten up, yet again. She finally told her brother (a tough macho guy) who came and paid them a visit, and beat up the husband to a pulp. He finally realised his errors, and apologized to the wife.

I think, women should not tolerate men who act like a barbarian, husband or not. Especially those who do not respect you, and feel all so mighty and powerful that they can do anything that they want. In the show, I think the wife should have bolted out of the door at the first sign of abuse. Granted that they have been married for 10 years, and have two kids. But what kind of a father is that? Won't you rather your kids to be fatherless than having an abusing one running around beating up everybody in the house?

That's the sickening part. I don't know which one I hated the most, the husband for being an abusive barbarian, or the wife for being a timid and ever-so-obedient wife. But that's the thing, in the real world, this kind of things do happen.

And to me, that is the most sickening part.

What goes up, stays up

I was out getting my dinner at the friendly neighbourhood mamak when I was told that they have increased their price for most of their food. Being friendly and all, we chatted about the global price increase, and how its effect on the people.

Mee goreng used to cost RM3.00 and now it is up to RM3.50. A big increase, but this is because the price of yellow noodles has increased significantly. Roti canai is up 10 cents to 90 cents, while my favourite plain tea also share the same fate. But I don’t really blame them. Their prices are still considered cheap, if you compare to other places. Roti canai at 90 cents? Most places now are up to RM1.00, while their plain tea is RM1.10.

It’s disheartening to find this increase taking place before our own eyes. We read about it, and somehow we know that it is going to happen. It's a good thing I won't be spending my money to eat out anymore starting next month. With an impending move looming ahead, I'm looking forward to settling down to new routines, and habits. Old habits die hard, but then again, adjustment must be made or I might go bust in no time.

When I was in Semporna last weekend, I was shocked to discover that the drinks are costly over there. A normal glass of ice tea cost up to RM2.00. While drinks with milk such as Milo and Nescafe cost up to RM2.50. It doesn't help with the abundance of tourists swarming the place. It makes me wonder how the local survive down there. But I guess the expensive meals are reserved for tourists from out of town. The locals know where to shop and eat, and I was proven right when upon exploring, I stumbled into a goldmine, so to speak. Cheap delicious local food.

I've always make it a habit of not frequenting places that overcharges. There is a big difference between expensive and moderately priced, depending on the food quality and volume. And I think RM3.50 for a plate of Mee Goreng is still acceptable.

Another two weeks, then it's good home cook meals for me. Heavenly.

Let the truth sting

Quotes from last week episode:

Meredith: [narrating] Doctors give patients a number of thing. We give them medicine, we give them advice and, most of the time, we give them our undivided attention. But, by far, the hardest thing you can give a patient is the truth. The truth is hard. The truth is awkward and very often the truth hurts. I mean, people think they want the truth. But do they really?

Meredith: Hey, I just heard. Welcome back.
Alex: Is it true? Really old guy woke up?
Izzie: He has a name.
Charlie: This time tomorrow, you can call me really dead guy.
Izzie: Guys, I don't think Mr. Yost knows who you are.
Charlie: Sure I do. That's Meredith. She and the brain doctor are always running hot and cold. And you're, uh, Alex. You still got a thing for that old patient of yours? I was semi-comatose, blondie. I could still hear you guys.
Izzie: Get a CT, a CBC and chemistries. Your kidneys may be working again, which may be why you woke up. That's good news.
Charlie: Oh, it just means now I got two things to do today, take a pee and die.
Izzie: Nobody's dying.

Mark: Do you ever feel old?
Derek: I'm young. I'm a fetus.
Mark: Nah, I mean you ever feel like there's gonna be a time when new techniques pass you by?
Derek: I'm a genius and a scholar.
Mark: Shut up.
Derek: Meredith isn't telling Cristina about us. And, well, she tells Cristina everything.
Mark: I thought you broke that off.
Derek: I meant to.
Mark: You think she's gonna want to get back together.
Derek: No.
Mark: You think she's gonna grow up and get all whole and...want a relationship.
Derek: I do not.
Mark: You're a bad liar.
Derek: You're old.
Mark: I'm just gettin' started, my friend.

Alex: I saw the whole thing, Yang. You can stop pretending.
Cristina: Oh, I'm not pretending. I'm sad. I'm very sad. Me so sad.
Alex: Maybe I should try it, see if I can get Grey to take my new intern.
Cristina: No. Hey, forget it. Sad is mine. Go find your own pretend emotion.

Cristina: Hey. I heard about really old guy. What's the matter? Couldn't find his LVAD wire?
Izzie: It was a coincidence, and he's still alive.
Cristina: Well, have fun with really old guy. I'm off to do Meredith's hemi-glossectomy.

Charlie: A person wants to die, you let them. It's polite.
Izzie: Not in a hospital, it's not. In a hospital, it's a lawsuit.
Charlie: I don't like you.
Izzie: Really? 'Cause I thought we were BFFs.
Charlie: You know what? Just for that, I'm dying right now.
Izzie: That might make you poop your pants, but it's not gonna make you die.
Charlie: Oh, damn it.

George: Izzie...
Izzie: What? What is there to say, George, I'm a blondie. I'm the other woman. I'm a bad '50s cliché?
George: No, no, no. We're not in this together.
Izzie: Wow. Great. Well, thank you for letting me know.
George: Hey no, no. No. You don't get to be mad here.
Izzie: Seriously? We said...
George: No, no, no, no. There is no "we. " It's just me. I'm the one who has to tell Callie. I'm the one who has to destroy her. This is not about you and me. This is about her and me. I'm ending a marriage to a wonderful woman. Me. I'm the one. It's not you. You... it's not something you just blurt out. It's not. I'll do it. I will do it. You have to back off and let me do it.
Izzie: I'm sorry.

Alex: I'm sorry I unloaded on you, Norman. You know how it is? Heat of the moment.
Bailey: Don't apologize to him.
Alex: What?
Norman: Oh, Dr. Bailey's right. It...
Bailey: Shut up, Norman. I'm not talking to you. He got in your way. He's been doing it all day, and when that happens...when an intern gets in the way of a resident...you're not doing what's best for your patient. Now you almost missed diagnosing that kid today because Norman here thought it was drugs. So don't apologize. He should be yelled at.
Alex: Dr. Bailey... he's as old as the hills.
Bailey: I don't care how old he is, Dr. Karev. He's still an intern, and interns are basically teenagers. We are not hard on them because it's fun. We're hard on them because this is a life-and-death job. They need to learn that. There is a reason why we have a pecking order in a hospital. It saves lives.

Meredith: You're damn right I know, surgery stealer.
Cristina: So, person-who-is-sleeping-with-Derek?
Meredith: How'd you know that?
Cristina: What, you think I'm too fragile to handle your sex life?
Meredith: Well, he did leave you at the altar. And I'm your person.
Cristina: How, by...by "protecting me"? That's not how to be my person. That's not what we do. You know that. I'm dealing. Okay? The best I can. So if you need to take care of someone, you're gonna need to take care of someone else. Okay?
Meredith: Fine. But you owe me a surgery.
Cristina: Yeah, well, you owe me sex details.

Cristina: What are we supposed to say? We didn't even know the guy.
Izzie: We ate lunch in here for a year. The least we can do is say a few kind words about him.
George: Me? He...he didn't snore too loudly...
Meredith: He, um... never complained. And he always took his meds.
Alex: Hardly ever farted.
Meredith: Alex.
Alex: Fine. Uh, he had 12 surgeries this year, and he...he lived through them. That's...that's impressive.
Izzie: Thank you, Alex. Cristina?
Cristina: Uh, I got to practice stuff on him...central lines and IVs...it was good practice.
Izzie: Um...Charlie, the truth is...you were a bastard. You were. You were mean and stubborn and just...a bastard. But you were a bastard who knew what you wanted. And you stuck to your guns and proved that if you want something badly enough, if you're...determined enough and patient enough, eventually it will happen. It will. And that gives me hope, so...thanks for that. Bye-bye, Charlie.

Meredith: [narrating] The truth is painful. Deep down, nobody wants to hear it, especially when it hits close to home. Sometimes we tell the truth because the truth is all we have to give. Sometimes we tell the truth because we need to say it out loud to hear it for ourselves. And sometimes we tell the truth because we just can't help ourselves. Sometimes, we tell them because we owe them at least that much.

A year later

Today marked my first anniversary as a blogger. A year ago, a good friend of mine persuaded me to blog, to the extend of creating this blog and passing it to me. Hence Ardy's Anatomy was born, and I started writing, mostly about stuffs in my head. Yeah, there was a time when my head was a huge treasure chest, with plenty of surprises and adventures just waiting to be discovered and shared.

That seemed like a lifetime away. Looking back, I can't even remember myself at that point of life. I think I was slightly unhappy at that time. A little overworked, but enjoying the challenges. Lonely at times, but how can you be lonely when you have such great friends to keep you company?

Yes, friendships. They are the salvation to a broken heart, a cure to loneliness, and a light in growing darkness. They keep you sane most of the times, and fill your days with joy and laughter. Of course there are the occasional blips somewhere along the way, but you tend to get through them. And as you do, the bond of friendships grow stronger, and it makes you wonder, how lucky you are to be blessed with such friends.

If you are given the opportunity to go back in time and visit your past self, what would you tell yourself? Would you lead your past self to road to riches, or would you impart wisdom that you've acquired through aging? Or would you just sit back, and watch yourself do the things that you did years ago?

I saw myself a few days back. I was standing at the end of a long clear road, and there at the other end, stood my past self. He was staring at me. He looked eager yet tired. Something must be bothering him, I thought. I tried talking to him, but the distance was too far that I couldn't get my words across to him. So we just stood there on opposite ends, staring and thinking.

How do you heal a broken heart? No, you do not drink until you're drunk, or sleep until you're sore. Nor do you jump into another relationship. You heal it by letting the best cure work it wonders. Time.

Let time heal the pain. In time, you'll feel better, be better. In time, you'll look back and reflect on your mishaps. And learn. And live.

If I get a penny for every tears that I drop, I will never be a millionaire in my lifetime. Maybe I need to cry more. Not for me, but for others. For the world. But it's such a beautiful world out there. Maybe I should be more pessimistic.

One day, one fine day, you will realise, that the world does not revolve around you. One day you will realise that the world is round.

And what goes around, comes around.

The king dethroned

Unbelievable.

How do you stop someone who kept on hitting baseline winners all over the court?

By converting the break points opportunities that you've got.

Unfortunately, Roger Federer did not. And that was why he lost. That, and the fact that Nadal played like he never played before on grass.

Federer had 13 break points opportunity, but he converted only one in the greatest finals ever played by the two greatest players of all time.

Nadal beat Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7 on Sunday night in a rain-interrupted match with 4 hours, 48 minutes of action, the longest men’s championship match in the history of Wimbledon, a tournament that began in 1877.

Federer lost despite serving 25 aces and smacking 89 winners, 29 more than Nadal. But he was more erratic than his opponent, committing 52 unforced errors, compared to 27 for Nadal. And those errors were costly errors, most of them committed at crucial times during the game.

Federer failed to surpass Borg by winning a sixth consecutive title or equal Willie Renshaw’s record of six in a row from 1881-86. He also had his Wimbledon winning streak snapped at 40 matches, while his overall grass-court streak stopped at 65.

Nadal broke Federer in the first set and never looked back from there. In the second set, Federer managed to break Nadal, but it was to no avail when Nadal broke back and clinched the set. The third and fourth set were close, with Federer winning the tie breakers twice. In the fifth set, the game was finally over when Federer hit a forehand into the net, ending the nail-biting finals and relinquishing his crown to his nemesis.

Nadal's first Wimbledon title. And it won't be his last too.

Grassman vs clayman

Marat Safin didn't stand a chance. He might have beaten Roger Federer twice, but that seemed so long ago, the first time in 2002 in Moscow and another one in the memorable Australian Open 2005 when Safin won their semifinal in five sets after saving a match point.

Safin went on to win the title by beating crowd favourite Lleyton Hewitt in the finals. But he has since plunged in the rankings, now ranked at 89th in the world.

But recent form has seen Safin beat world No. 3 Novak Djokovic along the way and with erratic inconsistent play, he managed to set a date with Federer in the semifinals.

But that was as far as he went. Federer dispatched him easily in straight set 6-3 7-6 6-4, winning his 65th straight game on grass, and appearing in his sixth straight finals in Wimbledon. He is now one win away from his sixth consecutive Wimbledon title and 13th Grand Slam championship.

So who might he meet in the finals on Sunday? None other than Rafael Nadal, the world No. 2, the conquerer of Federer. Nadal has an 11-6 career edge over Federer, but the Swiss star leads 5-2 on surfaces other than clay. Federer has not dropped a single set in this year's tournament, and he is looking sharp and hungry for the title. Nadal has met Federer twice in the finals previously, but fell short everytime. Last year he lost to Federer in five sets.

Will it be third time lucky for Nadal?

Personally, I don't think so.

Love/Addiction

We are all addicted to something throughout our lives. Be it love, sex, coffee or even booze. And it's never easy to kick the habit once you're in it. So what do you do? How do you kick the addiction?

There first step is by admitting that you have a problem. Because believe me, once you're aware of it, then you'll know what you need to do. Eventually.

Enjoy the quotes!

Meredith: [narrating] In the hospital, we see addiction every day. It's shocking how many kinds of addiction exist. It would be too easy if it were just drugs and booze and cigarettes. I think the hardest part of kicking a habit is wanting to kick it. I mean, we get addicted for a reason, right? Often, too often, things that start out as just a normal part of your life at some point cross the line to obsessive, compulsive, out of control. It's the high we're chasing, the high that makes everything else fade away.

Mark: What's wrong with the chief?
Derek: He's a junkie.
Mark: Him? You're the one who looks all strung out.
Derek: I'm just tired.
Mark: Let me guess. You and Meredith are back together, and you've been up all night doing the horizontal salsa.
Derek: Mambo. Horizontal mambo. And Meredith and I, we're just friends.
Mark: Sexy friends?
Derek: You're like the worst, most juvenile human being I've ever met in my life.
Mark: You know the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem?
Derek: How many nurses have you slept with this week?
Mark: That's not a problem, man. That's an adventure.

Meredith: Mrs. Burke. What a surprise to see you here. Are you visiting someone?
Jane: You're the maid of honor. Miss Grey.
Meredith: That's me.
Jane: When you stood up in front of Preston's friends and loved ones and you said, "It's over. It's over. It's so over" were you trying to smash the hopes of the best man, or were you just trying to be funny?
Meredith: I...
Jane: Because making light of that situation would be inappropriate. And to use that moment to send a message to your boyfriend... well, that's... selfish. So were you being inappropriate, or were you being selfish?
Meredith: I, uh... am, uh...I apologize for that, Mrs. Mama, ma'am. I'm just gonna go. Okay.
Jane: Miss Grey?
Meredith: Yes, ma'am.
Jane: When you report back to Cristina, would you tell her, please, that I am waiting for her and that I will continue to wait for her?
Meredith: Yes, ma'am.

Cristina: She keeps staring at us.
Meredith: I know.
Cristina: Make her stop.
Meredith: You make her stop.
Cristina: You're her sister.
Meredith: I'm an only child. You're her resident.
Cristina: If you have time to stare, you have time to get me coffee, so move, move, move. Two, stay.
Meredith: Now see? If you could just do that with mama...

George: Mrs. Burke!
Jane: I don't think I know you.
George: I'm George O'Malley. I'm a friend of Burke's. I was Burke's guy.
Jane: Hi, George O'Malley...Burke's friend, Burke's guy. Please sit.
George: I guess I have a minute. You know one time he let me live on his sofa when I had no place else to stay? How is he? Is he...okay?
Jane: He's Preston. He's a gentleman. And so... he doesn't like to talk about it. And I just really don't know what to say to him.
George: Maybe, uh...I don't know. Maybe you can tell him that he dodged a bullet. I mean, marriage is...once you're in, you're in. Burke is smart, you know? He didn't make a mistake. 'Cause it's a mistake that, you know, it's hard to take back. Which, even if you want to take it back, you can't. So you can tell him that.
Jane: Once you're in, you're in. Make sure you have that engraved on your wedding ring when you get married.
George: Oh, I'm already married.
Jane: You're already married? George O'Malley...Burke's friend, Burke's guy...staying in a marriage out of obligation? That's no way to live. That's no way to love. But I think you know that.
George: I do. Sometimes I do.

Derek: He's not returning my phone calls anymore.
Jane: He's doing his best. Do you think...do you think she really loved him...Cristina?
Derek: I...I think she loved him the best that she knew how.
Jane: And that would not have been enough for you either?
Derek: No. It wouldn't have been enough for me either.
Jane: So you would've ended it, too?
Derek: Well... burke and I are...are built differently. He's stronger than I am. He was strong enough to... and, um, we're not built the same.
Jane: Honorable men are all built the same.
Derek: And you think I'm an honorable man?
Jane: Do you know when to walk away? Do you know when not to take less than you deserve? If you do, then you're an honorable man.

Lexie: Um, Dr. Grey...I was wondering, do you know where the thermometers are? 'Cause...
Meredith: Do you really not know where the thermometers are, Lexie? Or are you just looking for an excuse to talk to me?
Lexie: I...
Meredith: Simple question, Lexie. Are you an idiot or a stalker? Okay, that was a mean thing to say. I'm aware of that because I'm generally not a me but I'm a person who just doesn't want to know you. And you are a person who's making that very difficult. So please, just stop making it so difficult for me to not know you. Okay?

Callie: So I take it you still want to talk?
George: Yeah, I do.
Callie: No.
George: No, I...
Callie: No, you don't. George, please. Just...please, please don't say anything. Please. I am asking you as your wife. I am asking you not to say anything. I am asking you to just not. Not tonight. I am your wife. Do this for me?
George: Okay.

Meredith: [narrating] Still, they say you don’t kick the habit until you hit rock bottom, but how do you know when you’re there? Because no matter how badly a thing is hurting us, sometimes letting it go hurts even worse.