Thrid Attempt - Viswaroopam Review

Well, my third attempt was in the form of a movie review. I watched Kamal Hassan’s “Viswaroopam” on the 24^th January 2013 on the first day of its release. Better yet, I watched it twice on the same day, 3.00pm and 9.00pm. I have never watched the same movie twice in a cinema on the same day. But trust me it was very well worth it.

It was simply spellbinding. Ulaga Nayagan once again proved that not only he is a great actor but he is an extremely talented screenplay writer and also an amazing director. I wanted to write an extensive review after watching the movie. But since it was only the first day and I wanted to get the review published, I kept all the spoilers at bay.

Since I really wanted to see the review get published, I opted out form trying the newspapers as they would have their own permanent movie critics. It would be a no contest and my review will never see the light of day. So I decided to use an easier mean of getting the review published. www.behindwoods.com is a popular movie website that accommodates a column for visitors to express their opinions and reviews.

Hence I took this as an opportunity to send my review to the editor of Behindwoods. At first I thought it might not get published as there were already a few reviews in the visitors column and some of them were written extremely well in comparison to mine. But, as I always say, there is now harm in trying. And my faith did not go unrewarded as the review was published the following day. It felt good to see my review on the webpage of a popular entertainment website like Behindwoods. Even though it was only the visitor’s column, I felt quite proud of it.

So, I finally published an article that I had written on my own. I was happy but I was not content. My initial bucket list was to get published in a newspaper and that is yet to be achieved. Never the less, this will be a stepping stone for me to move forward. It’s an encouragement that says if you try hard enough, you can get what you yearn for. And I will definitely get published one day.

In an additional note, this amazing movie is going through a lot of struggle as it was banned in Tamil Nadu, and countries like Malaysia and Singapore soon followed suit after one day of screening. So, in a sense this review is a way for me to show my support to Ulaga Nayagan Kamal Hassan and “Viswaroopam”. I hope the ban would soon be lifted and “Viswaroopam” gets the recognition and accolades that it truly deserves.

For those who want to read the so called review that I have been blabbering about in this whole page, here is the link:

http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-fans-column/viswaroopam-review---visitor-column-vishwaroopam-kamal-haasan.html

Once the movie is fully released and everyone has enjoyed watching it, I hope to write a full review with breakdown of scenes and their hidden meaning. Tell then, best wishes to “Viswaroopam” and truth will definitely triumph. Satyameva Jayate.

Second Attempt - Guidelines For Voting

I have been voicing out this topic for quite some time now and I really hoped this article would get published. Once again The Star newspaper was my target and once again I did not make it. Maybe my content was not appealing to them or maybe I’m just sending it to them in the wrong format. I guess I better do extra research before I send out the next one.

I wanted to elaborate quite a lot on this topic but unfortunately, since I was sending it to the newspaper, I had kept it short. None the less, I think the message gets across just fine. So, for all the voters out there waiting eagerly for the next elections, here is my personal guideline for voting:


Guidelines for Voting

“The election is just around the corner”, a notation that has been repeated quite a number of times since June of last year. Yet it is already January 2013 and no announcement has been made so far. It does not matter when the elections will be called, the core matter of concern would still be “who to vote for”.

There are different type of voters; those who vote for the party, which is usually the vast majority, those who don’t vote, those who don’t know how to vote resulting spoiled votes and the significant minority who vote for the candidate without being influenced by his representation. Though they might be the minority, it is these individuals who are actually voting correctly. Why is this so?

We have been so influenced by the concept of political parties that we come to a conclusion we need to choose one from the other. This culture has been instilled into us to a point we do not consider the individuality of a candidate anymore. All that matters is the party. The candidate that represents the party we support is the better candidate in our eyes and the other guy is practically “evil”.

This is pure fantasy. We do not live in story books or movies where there is always a prominent distinction between good and evil. One group is pure good, the talisman for honor, virtue and bravery, meanwhile the other is evil, plaguing the world into utter darkness. It’s like Autobots versus Decepticons. Well in reality it doesn’t work that way, we wish it does but sadly it doesn’t. It doesn’t even happen in movies or books anymore. There is no “good” party or “evil” party. We have parties that are filled with candidates so uniquely different that they can’t be branded as one or the other.

There are often two criteria which influence most of the voters when they cast their votes, the candidate’s political party and the candidate’s religion or ethnicity. Do take a moment to ponder. Would these criteria in any way be able to determine a person’s ability to be a good leader? Since when did we come up with the conclusion that candidate from Party XYZ will definitely be the best leader that we can choose? Since when did we decide that a candidate from certain ethnicity or religion is incapable of being leaders? Since when did generalization become our main point of concern when making a decision?

For the sake of argument, just imagine both the candidates contesting for the parliamentary seat or state assembly seat are from the same party and the same religion/ethnic. Who would you vote for now? We would vote for the better candidate. Why can’t this practice be implemented under all circumstance? Put away your prejudice towards certain parties. Take time to know both your candidates. What have they achieved or done so far? What are their backgrounds? Try to attend every candidate’s rally. Listen to what they have to say. Listen to what they are promising. Find out whether their promise has the possibility of being realized and not some empty promises.

We definitely want a candidate that promises to make petrol and groceries free for the rest of our lives. But it is evident that this could not possibly be done. Do not follow blindly. It is always better to try to know more and research further. A little information is eventually better than no information. By choosing the better candidate we indirectly making things better for the country despite which party the candidate belongs to. Please let us not send someone who is corrupt and not fit to be a leader to the parliament just because he represents the party that we support or just because he is from the same roots that we come from. Let’s send the good guy to parliament or in this case the better guy.

It has been 54 years since Malaysians started voting and now we are at the midst of the 13^th General Election. Let us not be the same type of voters we were before. It is time we change from being just voters to smart voters. Let us shape the new governance not by our preference but by intelligence, ability and credibility. Let us deicide on good leaders that will be able to usher the next generation into a better tomorrow.

Remember, “We are not just casting ballots; we are casting the pillars that will hold our nation”.

Mouposu Van Pyke

First Attempt - House Officers: The Bitterness of Reality

I have always had a lot of opinions regarding many issues. Most of the time, my opinions are only voiced to family and friends. But sometimes I feel that I want a bigger audience. I know it’s a lot to ask for, but there is nothing wrong in trying is there? So I decided to get a larger audience. The easiest mean would be social media but the audience was restricted to friends and acquaintances only. I wanted to reach out to strangers too. So the newspaper would be my best bet. I know it’s tough but I really wanted to get at least one of my article published. Besides, it is also one of the items in my bucket list. 

I came across an article in the local newspaper, The Star. This article formed an opinion in my head. So straight to the computer and I started writing. I kept it short as most of the tips regarding letters to newspaper editors advised to do so. On 19^th January 2013 I sent out my first article to the editor of The Star newspaper. Unfortunately it didn’t get published. Well, that’s what I think since I didn’t even get a response.

This was my first attempt and it failed. But it’s alright, my spirit will not falter. I will keep on trying until I get published. Since I didn’t get to publish in the newspaper, I decided to post here in my blog. At least the article gets published somewhere. Below is the article I wrote:

House Officers: The Bitterness of Reality

I refer to the letter “Stressed from still working long hours” (The Star, Jan 8). Much has been said about this article especially in the social media with some sparking healthy discussions and not so healthy ones too.

Some have taken into themselves to support the writer as they also go through the same type of “stress” and “difficulty”. Not forgetting, the notion “try putting yourselves in our shoes” was also thrown around. Meanwhile others have dismissed the claims of the writer stating that things were far worse before and the house officers of the current generation should be thankful for what they have.

Let us not jump into any boat without analyzing what was said and what was intended to be said. The main complain of the writer was the long working hours without any days off. The writer states that there is a need to work for an average 12 hours a day and seven days a week.

Yes, it is evident that most house officers do work for such long hours and sometimes even more. But this should not be a surprise or something unexpected. The working hours of a typical house officer and the difficulties they go through are known even to common people. House officers should have known this before choosing this career.

It is understood that some would have chosen this career as a means of doing kind and noble work. They would have made the choice without totally understanding the inner workings of a house officer’s life. Nevertheless, they would still have been exposed to all the hardship a house officer faces when attending their practical training as medical students.

The long working hours and the extensive mental exhaustion is already out there in the open for everyone to see and hear about. There is no illusion portraying house officers as having an easy life. This career is chosen with an enlightenment that tough times are ahead and a lot of self sacrifices are needed to pull through. Nobody is tricked into this job saying that it is all glamour and fortune and then all of sudden get thrown into heap of never ending work.

The writer also wrote that they are being overworked to their physical and mental limit. Only half of the statement is agreeable to. A house officer is usually the first person to attend to a patient. He needs to clerk the patient as quickly and thoroughly as possible without missing any important details that might be relevant and at the same time coming up with a preliminary diagnosis and plan of treatment before discussing the case with a medical officer or physician. All of this needs to be done as quickly, correctly and as professionally as possible due to the fact that traffic of patients in a general hospital is often high and multiplies even higher during festive seasons. Hence, house officers are pushed to their mental limits. But physical limits, not necessarily.

A house officer might work long hours without sleep or rest while clerking patients, diagnosing, planning treatments, completing procedures and writing reports. But is this really pushing physical limits. Do not forget that we live in a country where some of the average Malaysian does three different jobs in one day. No, I am not talking about working in an office during the day, being an online blogger and also doing online business (which is also quite taxing sometimes). But I am talking about jobs which involve hard labour.

I am talking about people, who clean the roads, collect the garbage and wash the toilets during the day, work in restaurants and grocery shops in the evening and even find the time to work night shift in factories or the famous night time job of being a “Pak Guard”. Some of them do all these while having only a bicycle as their means of transport. This is what pushing physical limits really means. Let us not belittle these hardworking Malaysians by claiming some of the work we do is physically exhausting.

The core complain is house officers are required to work long hours with less than two consecutive off days. If the working hours are such, and all the house officers share the same workload while being busy from the time they punch in to the time they punch out, then isn’t this deemed as necessary workload. The health service deals with saving lives. How is it possible to grant off days to house officers when they themselves agree that all the while they are at work, they are constantly busy treating patients. We cannot possibly put patient’s disease and their well being on hold can we?

It’s not that we are demanding the house officers to work day in and day out without any break. And we do understand that the writer was just voicing his opinion so that every house officer would enjoy the benefit of reduced working hours. Though the intention was noble, the manner it was approached does not seem so. It only reflected house officers as full of complains and nothing else. It is about time our culture of complaining be accompanied by the solution as well.

Who else better to provide suggestions to the problems we face then ourselves. The house officers are the one apparently being burdened by the system. Why not find a way to work around the very system that burdens them. Discuss with fellow house officers and work out a plan that will reduce their working hours but not reduce the quality of their work. Bring forward these issues with respected medical officers and superiors. Not being able to do this for fear of extension and not having a say by being a houseman is not acceptable. In a department full of superiors, I’m sure if looked hard enough there would be at least one superior who would be willing to listen and extent a helping hand.

Being a house officer is not all that easy, but it is also not all that hard. Be truthful to your profession, fight for your right but fight accordingly. Each and every day, doctors, be it house officers, medical officers or specialist; sacrifice their time and energy for the well being of others. Our support and salute goes to each and every one of them and hopefully some of us can learn from their sacrifices.

Mouposu Van Pyke

PS: If anyone is wondering why the article is signed “Mouposu Van Pyke”, it is actually an anagram of my name, Venoo Kuppusamy. I just thought it would be something creative.

My Shoes

I always hear the caption "shoes are a girl's/women's best friend". It is true, girls often give more attention to shoes compared to guys and usually most girls have huge collections of shoes. But this does not mean that a shoe does not play an important part in a man's life. I would like to think that for certain men; I included, that their shoes is the mirror image of their current identity. Guys might not have big shoe collections but I think some of us tend to give proper attention when choosing our current shoes as it reflects our current selves. Doesn't make much sense does it. Well this has been the case for me ever since I chose my first shoes. And each time I look back at the shoes that I have owned, it always reflected who I was and what I was going through at that time.

I never got a chance to choose my own proper shoes until I was in the university. During schooling days, you are restricted to the white school shoes that every student has to wear and I wore which ever school shoes that my father would buy for me, despite the design or the brand. At that time it didn’t matter. It was only a school shoe for god sake. As long as it was white and I can wear it to school it was good enough for me. Towards secondary school I owned the typical set of shoes that an average student would have; white shoes for school, black shoes for formal wear and sport shoes for any outdoor activities. Even though I was choosing my shoes on my own in secondary school, I didn’t quite pay attention to it. Go to the shop, pick the cheapest, pay and get out. That was my shopping style.

But all of this took a turn when I was in Moscow. I was in my first year; I had my set of shoes, formal shoes for classes, sport shoes for activities and winter boots for winter of course. But it never felt like me when I was wearing those shoes. As December was fast approaching, which means I have been in Moscow for 3 months, I contemplated getting new shoes. I wanted shoes that reflected me. Who I was and what I was going through. The contemplation went on as the shoes in Moscow were quite expensive but it wasn’t a surprise as Moscow was voted the most expensive city in the world three times in a row. But as though it was a sign for me to go ahead, the winter sales came about in January, and it was a massive sale indeed, some up to 70% discount. It was decided, time to get my “first” shoe.

My first shoe was a black Adidas. I couldn’t remember which series or edition it was. Its design was thick and a bit bulky like basketball shoes. The bulky and thick design gave me total cover, support and a sense of protection. It would keep me safe from all types of surface or danger that I might step into. That was indeed what I really needed. It was only my first few months in Moscow. It was new territory, new people and new friends. Everything was new. I didn’t feel as safe and protected as I was back in Taiping. This was an un-ventured land. I didn’t know what to expect. I needed the feeling that I was being kept safe. A comforting sense that I will be able to endure whatever Moscow might throw at me. I needed to be wrapped in a warm blanket and be told that everything would be alright and that was exactly what my black Adidas provided me.

Its thick sole gave me a risen feeling. At home family still was struggling with money. Here everyone studying with me was rich. Money was not an issue for anyone. They didn’t have to worry. Their family was capable of taking care of all their financial need. Everything that they wore or possessed was expensive. My inferiority complex had kicked in since the first day I reached Moscow. I needed to feel that I could stand solid and high. I needed support, to stand firm on the ground. I didn’t want to be shaken or intimidated. That is what my black Adidas did for me. It made me feel safe, made me feel strong, made me feel that I could endure anything and made me feel that even though everybody was well off; I could still stand tall not because of what I had but who I was.

My black Adidas was with me for around 2 years. A lot had happened since I came to Moscow. The 2 years had passed quickly and I have started to blend in. I have made numerous friends but I still kept my distance from most of them as I did not belong to their class of society. Life had gotten smoother a bit as the Public Service Department scholarship that I and some of my friends were receiving had been increased by almost three folds to $750. Based on my allowance I had already planned how much to save and how much to spend. The money that I was saving in Moscow would be used to pay off my family’s debt back in Malaysia. Things were starting to look better and slowly everything was falling into place.

Mexico 66 Asics Tiger Onitsuka

Because of this, I was able to go about my life more freely. I was independent and was starting to live my life to the fullest. Every day was new and exciting. I felt fresh and replenished. I soon realized that I was feeling happy, genuinely happy after a long time. My life has been such a complicated labyrinth of sorrow and despair. But things were looking up for the first time. There were signs all around saying that: this is it, you are going to finally pull through, and you are going to lift your family up. So many encouraging thoughts everywhere and I could feel the positive energy beaming around me ever so radiantly. Then I looked at my shoe. It was coming to the end of its journey. It had served me well, protected and kept me safe amongst my most insecure of times. My black Adidas had done me well, and it was time for it to take its long due rest. It was time for someone new to take over.

I needed a shoe that summarized my life at the moment. It must be simple yet trendy, classy yet down to earth and it must be eye catching but not so striking. After a long hunt, I found it. The best ever shoe that I ever had. It was my favourite shoe ever, my Mexico 66 Asics Tiger Onitsuka. Just by saying the name made me feel energized. Each time I wore that shoe I felt I was being myself. It defined one of the happiest moments in my life. It was not so thick and not so thin, just the way I wanted it. It wasn’t a bright colour nor was it dull; it was a bit greyish but it was glowing. Just the way I wanted it. It was also an indicator that I was getting a grip on my life, I have started doing things the way I wanted them. The moments that I spent with my Tiger Onitsuka was one of the most memorable ones that I ever had, be it in Moscow or in Malaysia.

Mexico 66 Asics Tiger Onitsuka

But as they always say, every good thing has to come to an end. My Onitsuka stayed with me until I graduated from Moscow Medical Academy and it brought me back to Malaysia when I travelled back for the last time from my 6 years of study. That was my Onitsuka’s last journey. That was the final time I would wear it. But even before that I already knew the time was up for my Onitsuka. It was already wearing out from keeping me happy and blissful all this while. The replacement shoe was ready. I had already started wearing the replacement shoe in alternation with my Onitsuka. I needed a smooth transition even though the reality of what I was facing had already sunk in. It was going to be a rocky road ahead for me.

Adidas Campus

Towards the last 6 months of my medical school, things were already looking a bit gloomy. Back home things were not that good. Dad was diagnosed with brain tumour the previous year and that had taken a toll on me. I also knew a financial hiccup was already looming in the horizon. I couldn’t keep myself together. My mind was constantly at a blur, not being able to concentrate or focus on what I was doing. I felt I was on the verge of exploding every minute and keeping everything to my own just made matters worse. The pressure was mounting day by day and every day I struggled to put myself on show as if nothing was wrong. I tried my best to put up a fight. Not to go weary and not to give up. But my resistant was futile. I was dealt the blow that crushed me and brought me back to earth.

I would not dwell on the subject that became the saddest day of my life. But it was done and there was nothing I can do to change it. I was broken emotionally and was also handed a big financial crisis. I had no one to turn to. There was no one to help me, no one to lend a hand and no one to give a shoulder of support. But I do not blame the people around me. It was always in my nature to share my happiness with others but never to share my grievance with anyone. I was at one of the lowest point of my life. I already knew the shoe that will fit me well, the shoe that would remind me of my struggling life.

It was a dark blue Adidas Campus. How did it define my current life? Well to begin, it was not a new shoe at all. It was a used shoe which I bought from my roommate. It signified where I was at the moment. I was at a doubt whether I would have enough money to pull through. I was on a strict budget. My spirit and motivation had worn out just like how my shoe was. My Campus was comforting telling me to just hang on until the storm passes. It had a thicker sole in comparison to my Onitsuka. I needed the extra support, the extra protection because I knew there were more shortcomings headed my way in the future.

Adidas Campus

My Campus hung with me throughout my difficult times. It reminded me where I was from and where I actually belong. The illusions of everyone are the same and belong to the same society which I had in Moscow soon faded. Coming back to Malaysia and wearing my used Campus I knew fact from fiction. Reality struck me hard. What was I thinking? I thought me and the others were the same. Well we were not. I was way down the society ladder. I was looking at my friends from way below, knowing that there was no way I could go up to them. I was deterred and decided to detach myself from everyone as was the fate of my shoe too. My Campus was my only shoe. I chucked all the others. It was just going to be me and my Campus against all odds.

Ambros Inspira

I hoped that my life with the Campus will be short but not everything goes how we would want it to go. After a few months with my Campus, I had left my job. Things got even worse. I was jobless for almost a year. My savings were drying out. It seemed I was falling through a dark hole. Falling and falling. I had given up and just wanted to hit the bottom so that everything would just end. But it was like a bottomless pit; never ending. The darkness often engulfed me, making me feel despair and depressed. To an extent even the Campus had lost its use. I rarely wore it, often for months. I was exposed, no cover and no one to shield me. As Tom Cruise says in “A Few Good Men”; “the hits just keep on coming”. So was the case for me.

1 ½ years passed as I struggled to make ends meet in my life. I was succumbing to my defeat, so did my Campus. It looked bleak and weary. I can sense it was getting tired, unable to move any further. Then in April 2010, came a glimmer of hope. I manage to pull myself together and get a job. The pay wasn’t that high, but I was grateful nevertheless for having seized an opportunity to fight back and was going to do it with my Campus. As work went on, day after day, month after month, I was starting to get myself a bit more organized. I came up with plans to solve my financial issues and started executing them. I had to be strict and cannot give in to my desires. I was starting to get up and my Campus was there to help me do so. It was there to help me stand again.

Around two years passed and things were starting to look a bit brighter. I was still struggling and had a fair share of problems that needed sorting out. But at least I was already moving in the direction of getting it solved. I was still in the same situation as before but I have moved a few steps higher. Still in the pit mind you. And this meant only one thing, time for a new shoe. My Campus had done its duty, holding me together and urging me forward in the most difficult of times. Now it was time for it to rest. The replacement needed to be almost the same design, the same sole thickness, the same comfort but just a bit less resilient and of course this time I can afford getting new ones. After much hunting, my new and latest shoe was found, a brown Ambros Inspira.

Ambros Inspira

My Inspira is my current shoe, the shoe that took over from my Campus, to guide me to work harder. It reminds me that my moment of comfort is still long in the making. But it’s alright. I feel active when I wear my Inspira. It makes me feel that I will be able to run through all hurdles. The upgrade from my Campus to the Inspira gave me back the confidence that I had lost for quite some time now. Slowly determination was seeping into my life again. Rejuvenation, yes, that’s what I was feeling right now. There were still ups and downs, but it was not as bad as before and my Inspira was helping me to keep all the misfortunes at bay. We are going through things together now, hoping to climb out of the pit one day.

Over the period of ten years, I am at my fourth shoe. Each one of my shoes had done me justice and stood by me through thick and thin. When I was in fear of the unknown, my black Adidas held me and taught me to be brave. During the happiest moments of my life, my Tiger Onitsuka taught me to experience my life to the fullest and share my joy with others. When I was down and broken, my Adidas Campus taught me to get up and never give up. And as I try to climb up in life, my Ambros Inspira teaches me to hold on, to move up and not to fall down.

Different moments in my life shared with different type of shoes. Yet, deep in my heart I long for the day that I might wear a Tiger Onitsuka again, the same type of Onitsuka that was my companion through the happiest days of my life. I hope those days would come again, and when it does, it will mean only one thing, “Time to get new shoes”.