Today is the eve of Ramadan 2025. It would be impossible to conceive of a more ideal setting. I am by the sea, a limitless horizon, the most breath taking sunrises I have ever seen. On a beach with compacted sand making it possible to walk, even with my enfeebled left knee.
Definitely the right word to describe it. Suitable synonyms are: weakened; incapacitated, indisposed, devitalized, knocked out, done in, knackered. My right knee, given the benefit of surgical knee replacement is strong and strengthened. I was going to have left knee replacement in 2024 but the surgeon said I was too old. That after I waited an hour and a half to see him. I shall slap on a brace and do it. Malaysia is a Muslim majority country, invitations to break fast with many and in correspondence with a scholar or two. The apartment kitchen will enable timely suhoors. I have gathered the essentials necessary for an old lady Ramadan – oral rehydration salts, Ensure and Ajwa Dates.
The plan is to retreat of the world of worry, despair and chaos. Nothing much I can do about it anyway. At the conclusion of Ramadan I will be loaded for bear, as the expression goes.
Loaded for bear means to be fully prepared for any eventuality, especially a confrontation or challenge. I am feeling prepared to initiate the attack. One of my targets? GRAB, the UBER of Malaysia. The other shall remain a secret I am prepared for both, having done extensive research, written extensively on prior blog.
But now peace. I shall be having a Last Supper, dining at the sumptuous Mr. Chin’s. What to wear? The age old question of women – not men. I have dined at Mr. Chin’s in the past. Go to my YouTube, Shorts. The fourth on the left with 223 views – for a sneak preview. Hahaha I It is called Flambe. My enthusiasm is somewhat dampened by my saying “Just shut up” to my companion. I am sure it was deserved. Hahaha
Now onto other matters. I emailed Computer Guru Chris.
Me: I have been handing out my blog cards like candy in both Singapore and here so would love to see what impact it has had. Such fun it is.
He: Here they are! I can do cities now too!!!
Me: Oh my goodness gracious me. I cannot believe it!! So surprising, so informative.
The entire list shall follow the blog so you can see for your very own self. But what city outshines all others?? Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with 462 visitors making 1,157 visit. Next comes Coquitlam, British Columbia 186 visitors making 589 visits. Then Edmonton, Alberta: 160 people making 309 visits. Then Corte Madera, California where 142 visitors made 332 visits.
I shall stop here – in awe and, astonishment, amazement and incredulity bordering upon bewilderment and stupefaction.
Beginning with KL. I have never been there, flew over it on way to Bali and was stuck at the airport because of Malaysian Air’s incompetence – but never strode upon it streets etc. I know of people that live there, but except for one young woman have never met them. I met many Malaysian families from KL staying at Penang Lexis Suites, that could account for some of the numbers. You shall see as we examine other Malaysian cities that I have definitely made an impact in Malaysia. When I see city by city – not just the country as a whole – I realize that, as never before. It directs my energy towards issues of importance in this country of complexity and contradictions.
Now Coquitlam, British Columbia. I did live there with my cousin for three weeks when returning from London in 2017. That was seven years ago, my cousin still resides in Coquitlam but she is only one person. Of course, I looked up the place:
Coquitlam] is a city in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Mainly suburban, Coquitlam is the sixth-largest city in the province, with an estimated population of 174,248 in 2024. I looked at the demographics to decipher clues to my popularity 47.5 percent of the people speak English, there are 9.315 Muslims living there, 6.3% of the population. 44% of the population is foreign born higher than the 28% foreign-born for the whole of British Columbia. Despite all of the knowledge obtained, I remain clueless. Laughing at myself.
When I left Edmonton, Alberta on September 20, 2923 (not realizing I would never return) I thought that no one would miss me. Not a soul. I was alienated, not at all integrated into the Muslim community, nor my alma mater, the University of Alberta, had lost contact with all of my former friends and ‘adopted’ family. So it is mind
boggling to see that 160 people are making 309 visits over a year and a half later. I retain contact with three or four through Instagram, but very doubtful they read my blog. Speaking of the Islamic Faith has become a major preoccupation, therefore look to that to understand my ‘numbers’. Looked to Wikipedia to learn the location of Muslims in Canada. It told me nothing about nobody.
“In addition to Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, nearly every major Canadian metropolitan area has a Muslim community, including Vancouver (73,215), where more than a third are of Iranian descent, Calgary (58,310), Edmonton (46,125), Windsor (15,575), Winnipeg (11,265), and Halifax (7,540)” .
The most surprising of all HAS to be Corte Madera, California.with its 142 visitors making 332 visits. I was beat up and put on a ‘hold’ illegally by the Central Marin Police Authority. The neighbors in the apartment conspired to have me evicted from the complex because I was ‘different’ – a Muslim successful childless woman who could afford the atrocious rent. I wonder if all of the visits might by the police jurisdiction wondering if I will return to file a ‘hate crime’ against them, or the apartment complex for wrongful eviction. Nope, I got outta there – first to Abu Dhabi and when I could not get a retirement visa, then back to Canada. I have contact with no one there and have not for years. have been doing well, adjusting to my refugee life – so the people cannot be reading to see my suffer. If I was, I would not be telling them. Hahaha I read the demographic section in Wikipedia – learning a lot. Corte Madera is definitely lily white.
The racial makeup of Corte Madera was 7,808 (84.4%) White, 87 (0.9%) African American, 15 (0.2%) Native American, 625 (6.8%) Asian, 29 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 262 (2.8%).
Learned why I was not terribly popular during my time there.”For every 100 females, there were 87.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.0 males.”
But the most surprising data was the relative poverty compared to the wealth of Marin County as a whole.
“The median income for a household in the town was $79,839, and the median income for a family was $95,471. Males had a median income of $70,968 versus $50,380 for females. The per capita income for the town was $46,326. About 2.7% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
I was an anomaly, which is something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected. Although I was white, and hence fit in, I was definitely an oddity, aberration, edge case, an eccentric. That does explain the Islamaphobia but not the 142 visitors making 332 visits last week. I give up. I surrender. This analysis is getting me nowhere fast.
I am keeping myself entertained by indulging in inane texts with Shamir. I will pass some of them on. He: Guess ur right. Me: I usually am. Hahah He: Are you usually unusual? Me: Almost always. He: Badly good Oxymoron Not a moron tho Me: You are decidedly funny. No doubt about that. I must relieve the boredom of my readers by quoting our ridiculous conversation.
I changed the subject, speaking to him about his cousin Pam. Me: Pam arrived somewhere safely but exhausted.. He That’s good. Me: Which part the safety or the exhaustion. Or both? He Safety
I do have good quotes from her too. Before she left Penang she reported. She: Its raining now. Me: I keep loosing umbrellas. She: So do we. U go in shops when it is raining. U come out when it stops raining then u don’t take umbrellas.. Me: Great idea if you do not by things when you are in shops. She: Haha We are ladies that make the world go round. Me: We are!! What a great way to say it. It is going on the blog. She: Don’t forget to say its my quote. Me: I shall definitely give you credit and fame. She: Ohhhh
Recess Over Now Back to Statistics
Malaysian statistics go sky high when one looks at other Malaysian city”s visitor numbers with their visit counts
Georgetown with 130 visitors making 926 visits. Petaling Jaya 113 visitors making 477 visits. Johur Bahru its 104 visitors making a record 1,449 visits, Subang Jaya, (part of KL) 68 people making 178 visits.
I did not even know where Johur Bahru was – now I do. Wikipedia told all. Johor Bahru colloquially referred to as JB, is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Johor. It is the core city of Johor Bahru District, Malaysia’s second-largest district by population and the second-largest district economy. Covering an area of 391.25 km2, Johor Bahru had a population of 858,118 people as of 2020, making it the nation’s largest state capital city by population. It is located at the southern end of the Peninsular Malaysia, adjacent to the city-state of Singapore.
Adding all those visitors up, it is astronomical. According to my terrible math skills 272 visitors are added to KL’s 462 visitors. I cannot possibly do the math on the visits made.
I do not know about you but I am exhausted thinking about this. Will it make any difference, knowing all of this? I hope not. I write for myself, feeling occasionally inspired by Allah(SWT).
I will also include the country statistics. All I can say is this. Saudi Arabia has totally let me down. They are now 13th with a mere 27 visitors making a mere 85 visits. I left Saudi Arabia less than a year ago. During my stay they ranked sometimes second in the world. That might make a difference to my writing, why waste my time on a country that does not read me? . It could be that I am banned, but do not know anyone I can ask.
I am exhausted. Will now go iron some clothes. I did decide what to wear to dinner. but it is wrinkled. Iron and ironing board conveniently located in the hallway.
The photographs will be the city and country statistics as well as a collection of my Ramadan mainstays.
