do you know how the universe began? the truth is, the universe began with dim sum. out of the translucence of har gao and the fleshy bosom of siew mai did life spring, leaping and fanning outward to become the expanse of eternity that we’re only at the shores of. do you remember the last second of stillness that engulfed you before the world began? do you remember what it was like before the evening spread out against the sky*? what a spectacle it must have been to the enlightened observer, this genesis of the world! jealously, i strive and stretch to recollect shreds of that era i was part of but did not think to linger upon. like a curator, i search and search. but simultaneously, i chastise myself for my insensitivity. so unsuspectingly did i saunter into the epoch of the world — late, happy, arrogant, unaware, wearing white. when Fate stood up and shook my hand, did i know at that point that the rest of my life lay before me? probably not. all i knew was that i wanted to do my Masters degree. it was a simple dream, this, to be educated and accomplished, but Fate chortled and said it was puerile. yet, what does Fate know? he chose the wrong Columbia girl that day. regardless, i look back in retrospect at humble beginnings. every single fraction of time, space and accident counted for something in the gambar besar. and despite the puddles and the pond and all the trials that came before sunrise, this gambar besar is perfect. for as long as i can remember, i’ve been trying to find a way to comfort the disquiet within me… and now i think i’ve found the right place. did i recognize my heart at Centre Street? did i find the Big Apple? did i stop to laugh at this stranger who found himself veritably lost in the filthy labyrinth of the subway system? amusing as your situation is, geezer, i will save you; i’m in this for the long haul. did you hear? the other day the curator in me finally found something. nestling quietly in its hiding place amongst red eggs, was a photo of the beginning of the universe. i scooped it out, laughing; and in that meteoric moment, my life hung off the edges of that photograph. so this is what the birth of the universe looked like. my whole life in a single day, just one day. and in that day, my whole life**. do i dare, do i dare? let us go then, you and i?

* reference to The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S Eliot
** reference to the movie The Hours

i’ve been meaning to write a post about this person for the longest time, under my What I Got In The Mail category (no i did not get this person in the mail; he sent me a postcard from London), but i just never got around to it because i’m such a lazy bum. nevertheless, i’ve got a new reason to blog about this person now, and it’s a reason that’s better than any, because…

he is going to shave his head for charity!

i guess most people reading this right now know who Kenny Sia is, but for the benefit of those who dont, he’s one of my favorite people in the world, and that’s really all you need to know about him :P

Kenny has decided to run a charity drive on his blog to raise money for the Sarawak Children Cancer Society, where if the amount of RM 50,000 is collected before the 12th of February, he will shave his head as a show of support for the cancer foundation.

while i have my opinions on celebrity endorsements for a charity’s publicity, i think that what Kenny is doing is wonderful. why? firstly, he was very careful about his choice of cause, and it is one that is close to his heart. secondly, amidst all the politicking of the money-greedy blogosphere, it is extremely refreshing to see a blogger take this step to turn his readership into a fundraising engine for a good cause. thirdly, i am extremely proud of Kenny for selflessly giving up something that he guards so protectively: his hair!

i wholeheartedly agree with Kenny that east Malaysian charities do not receive enough attention as those of the peninsular, and having come from a high school that very much liked to pledge fundraisers only to the bigwig charities (much to my chagrin), i am fully supportive that the money Kenny raises goes to the SCCS. the SCCS was founded by a group of parents of children with cancer, and even if you dont have friends or family suffering or have suffered from that horrible affliction, surely you must know in your heart of hearts how much pain these young children go through, as well as the nightmarish lives that their parents endure, never knowing just how much time they have left with their children.

i knew a girl who died of leukemia when she was only 10. that is more than enough for me put forth my entire support into the SCCS’ cause.

also, i appreciate this little development in the blogosphere, where bloggers are starting to reach out to their readership no longer just to get help or procure favors for themselves, but for a higher purpose that serves society. if you can put a notice on your blog to ask for free stays in whatever country you’re traveling to, you can damn well put up a notice on your blog to raise funds for the needy, yes?

as for the part that involves Kenny’s hair… hahaha. my eyes kinda widened in shock when i saw that he had pledged his hair for charity, and i didnt think that he was actually serious. i didnt know it was public knowledge, but since Kenny wrote it on his blog, i will reiterate it here — Kenny actually has a hair-thinning issue (yes at 26?!) and has been taking medication for a while now to prevent the loss of his hair. see, that’s how much he loves his rambut :P so the shaving of his head, i think, goes way beyond a publicity stunt — and for that, i really admire what Kenny is about to do. the bulk of us wouldnt dream of getting ourselves a bad haircut, much less shave it all off, and even lesser so those of us who’ve always wanted a thicker crop of hair!

having said all that, i wanna talk a little bit about the Kenny Sia whom i know. in the time that i’ve known him, i’ve met a handful of people who have nothing but mean things to say about him. the usual slander: commercialized lah, mainstream lah, womanizer lah, stuck up lah, only hangs out with hot chicks lah… but just about all of these people have never met him in person or are basing these claims off silly rumors. either that, or they just adamantly want to hate him for petty reasons like him not lingering to make small talk at public events. but truly, there are few people i know who are nicer, kinder and more humble than Kenny. i have a lot of respect for Kenny’s ability to forgive the people who have been unkind to him in the past, especially the fairweather friends, as well as how down-to-earth he is about his popularity. i also hold in high regard how he goes out of his way to help his friends, never expects anything in return, and yet doesnt complain when they really dont return his favors — such rare generosity in today’s dog-eat-dog world.

us at the peak of Mt Kinabalu… moments before i fell helter-skelter down the mountain :P

i dont see Kenny very often, perhaps a handful of times or so a year whenever he drops by KL, but when i do, we can catch up and chatter away like we never stopped talking. it’s great. he’s one of my favorite people in the world to talk to, mostly because he has all the level-headedness and rationale that i do not have, and also because beneath that tough exterior, he’s really just a big warm cuddly bear who gets so excited about the things he cares most about!

the last time i was in Hong Kong, i met someone who reads Kenny’s blog regularly, and he said that he really likes the way Kenny captures Malaysian life, whether comically or honestly. a girl whom i met in New York a couple of months ago told me that Kenny’s jokes brighten her day when she’s upset or simply needs a distraction from life. a couple of lone souls even make the speculation of Kenny’s life and daily grind their very raison d’etre. in Bangkok, a friend of a friend said that the only lifestyle blog he reads is the Malaysian blog called kennysia.com. but more significantly, circumscribing all of these testimonies are the thousands and thousands of people who log into his blog daily just for a slice of humor and opinion, and find amongst these snippets of a stranger’s life a little smile for themselves :)

so in closing, if you believe in the SCCS’ cause, or have always wanted to do your bit for charity but never knew how, or you simply want to show Kenny some support and appreciation, do go and donate to his charity drive. Naeboo and i have already pledged a chunk of our Nuffnang money to the cause. i personally am slightly afraid of beholding a bald Kenny, but if it’s all for a good cause, i will shut my eyes tight the next time i’m looking at him lest i burst out laughing :P

Kenny, if you are reading this, kudos :) proud of you. at least now you save money on your Propaneiciacianaina hair thingy. wish i could be there to rub your botak head next week!! save some shine for me when i come back in the summer, ok?

and thank you for the postcard!!!