October 9, 2025
This morning after Fajr prayer I sent my Good Morning Greetings to select Whatsappers. The photo was taken yesterday, focusing on a ‘Best Day Ever’’ sign found in a courtyard of Lyf. This was the caption
Me: Good morning. May this be your Best Day Ever. Mine was yesterday I think. Read about it in the days to come, please.
So best I start writing about it. Not sure where to start. Suddenly at this very moment I got inspiration, now a starting point. My iPhone beeped, it was Nesh.
He: Good morning Alexis. 2 good news for you this morning. 1) Blog breakdown is up and live. 2) Bedtime story video is being uploaded in Youtube as we speak.
Let me know what you think of Uncle Dave’s story on carousel on Instagram when you get the chance and I shall keep you posted on the YouTube video.
Me: What fantastic news arriving at precisely the right moment. How do you do it??? Again and again. I was just beginning to write the blog, with the goal of describing my yesterday. So much stuff it will take days. Hahaha
He: Even better bit that bed rune stirs video is up and live as well.
Me: Plan is now to type this exchange into the blog and then look at Uncle Dave.
Well, slight deviation from plan. I texted Shamir to tell him about Nesh’s contribution and just HAD to send him a GIF. I am getting worse than he is.
Here is the dilemma I am facing at this moment. I did read Nesh’s breakdown. It was WOW!
These my two absolutely favorite sentences. ‘In searching for him I found a part of myself that had gone missing. This barren woman became ‘Fertile Myrtle” surrounded by family, not by blood, but my choice.” Well, not exactly true, Nesh. Thee people were my blood relatives, did not choose them, they were ready-made.
Definition of ready-made: A readymade, or found object, is a piece of art created from undisguised, but often modified, objects or products that are not normally considered art.
This, as you shall see, as the Uncle Dave story unfolds is strangely prescient
Back to my dilemma, which was resolved in my continuing correspondence with Nesh.
Me: By the way, one of the MANY accomplishments of the day was a new book in the Books Section of the blog. Expanding this section has been a goal for years. Now it is underway.
You see, prior to receiving Nesh’s text I decided I would begin this blog by wiring of, what I considered to be the most meaningful ‘happening’ of the day – where everything was happening. It was the new book, in the Book section of the blog. It is the first one you will encounter, with an interesting back story.
The name of the book is Mind the Gap. The subtitle could and should be: The History of Dental Malpractice. It was written the very early days of my 2004 retirement. I decided to spend my retirement years writing. I rather foolishly thought that one went to school to be a writer. I enrolled in nearby Dominican University, achieving a Masters in Humanity with an Emphasis in Writing. This was the first story I wrote, for one of my first classes. It has always been my unpublished debut, so to speak. Now it has found the light of day. I did not edit it, but did add the Epilogue. . `
(Epilogue, used it properly: a section or speech at the end of a book or play that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened. Some synonyms: afterword, denouement or, my favorite: swan song.)
I looked for photos to illustrate the book, but could not find any with my gap showing due to a lifetime of learning to smile with one’s mouth closed. Hahaha Shamir was with me when he posted it to the Book section. Shamir asked Blog Master Chris how to do it, Chris supplied the knowledge. It is such a relief, makes it SO easy when one’s incredibly valuable assistant is in the room with you and not thousands and thousands of miles and time zones away.
This is how the best day of my life started.
My mood of the day? I would say down right ebullient. Definition: cheerful and full of energy:. Used I a sentence: She sounded ebullient and happy. Wait until you catch these synonyms: exuberant, buoyant,, joyful, merry, sunny, breezy, jaunty, lighthearted,, high-spirited, exhilarated, elated, euphoric, jubilant, animated, sparkling, effervescent, vivacious, bubbly, bouncy, peppy, zingy, upbeat, chipper, chirpy, sparky, full of beans. Ebullient’s antonym is depressed..
Faithful readers will have seen the photo sent to my WhatsAppers this morning. One of the first responses was Nesh
He: Wows You definitely have an eye for these things Alexis because you have this ability to make everyday things look so wonderful. I love it, thanks so much for sharing.
Me: There is a great advantage to not being around beautiful scenery because then you see beauty in the small things.
He: How are you today.
Me: I am fantastic. I am NOT having the colonoscopy today which is the reason to be happy. Hahaha Wrote about it on the blog not sent to Shamir for posting yet but when I send it to him I will send it to you. Probably within minutes.
Yes indeed. At 9:37 Shamir sent a text.
He: Blog posted.
Me: Yipee!!!
Conversations with Shamir continued, in hilarious fashion. We began talking about when we were going to meet, in our professional capacities.
Me: But here is another idea. We meet at 1:30. We drive to the hospital, drop off the poop but on the way discuss the overall plans which I am writing about. Face to face future planning is better. But if not I can grab GRAB and drop the poop off. Then we meet another time.
(Dr, Lee advised me to collect a stool sample, take it to Loh Guan Lye Hospital for analysis. The explanation for drooping the poop off)
He: Yes can. The great can opener can will deliver poop today.
Me: A humble task for even a can opener. Not a BMW job
(I call Shamir’s tiny yellow car, a can opener, always have, always will)
Shamir arrived in timely fashion and off we sped, speaking of future plans. Got to the hospital entrance AND found a parking spot, right by the door. A miracle. Dropped the poop off Mission accomplished.
Then I needed a refill of meds and the supplements Dr. Lee is suggesting – iron and possibly B12. . The pharmacist was SO helpful. We found a parking spot directly in front of the pharmacy. Second miracle of the day.
Our next stop was an optometrist. This necessary because I am making a practice of sitting or stepping on my closeup glasses. There was a parking place right in front of the best optometrist, ever, A great staff, much encouragement. Result: one closeup pair fixed, another pair purchased and another ordered. I can SEE.
Right next door to the pharmacy was a 7-11, allowing the purchase of my absolute favorites, zero Pepsi, Halal beers and chocolate bars, All of my favorites.
The end of the afternoon found me testing Shamir
Me: I am SO grateful to you. We accomplished SO much in less than a couple of hours. Almost unbelievable. In my room, writing in bed. Sipping zero Pepsi, I have not sat or stepped on my glasses – yet.
He: ❤️
There is more to come. Giving you a recess from story telling. The evening brought many accomplishments, most significantly. the publication of Mind the Gap but it did not end well.
This is a spoiler alert in a way, this is how it ended, not too happily. Sent a text to Shamir at one in the morning.
Me: Oops we forgot to say goodnight to each other. We are both up past our bedtimes. Me in particular. Fabulous day. We could conquer the world if it did not have Canada init. Hahaha
He: 😂
As I end this blog I began wondering of the frequency of Best Day Evers in my life. Fortunately I have.a reliable source – the search engine of my blog. Typed in Best Day Ever and got 960 entries. I did, it did. Honest. . This is one from February 19, 2017
It Starts Positive And Ends Up Being A Treatise On Passive Aggressiveness
This is how it began.
“This will start with positive energy and then veer off. This is known as a warning. It is strange blogging because I am ‘talking’ to strangers and friends and family, all at once. My goodness, it has to be strangers as I had 300 hits day before yesterday. My mind cannot get around that. It is not that I do not tell everyone and anyone within shouting distance about my blog BUT 300 people? Phenomenal! I do so love and appreciate what my friends and family say to me about my efforts in this regard” .
This one more recent. January 15, 2025. en a more recent one: The Excitement is Building; Invitation Brings the Inevitable Quandary, What to Wear; Back to the Wisdom of Herman Hesse; Some Meaningful Quotations Including Two of My Favorites; Photos Of BEST DAY EVER; A Full Moon and a Lyf Car Park Sign
Read both of this blogs spread apart n time by almost eight years. This rather surprising. None of the people with me, or remembered by me, on those Best Ever Days are in my life at this time. No idea if they are living or dead, much less any details of their existence. Reading about them did not cause me sadness, because they were not responsible for making it my then ‘best day ever. . Reflecting backwards see it was self-reliance with accompanying self-confidence that brightened by days. This morning received a morning greeting from my dear Yasmin. :
She: Confidence unlocks every opportunity in life.
Me: You have the wisest messages. It is so SO true I have found.
Now my Best Day Ever is accompanied by Allah (SWT). I am not alone. There are constant signs that He is with me, when one is alert enough to notice.: finding three choice parking spots, overall being here in Penang, so improbable against all odds. Surrounded by the most supportive and caring people, meeting and hiring the Dream Team, getting news of Nesh’s Uncle Dave’s blog breakdown and exactly the right moment. When everything comes together perfectly, then I absolutely know that Allah is with me.
Texted to Shamir today that we turn everything into a joke. The January 2025 has this quote: “Learn what is to be taken seriously and laugh at the rest.”― Herman Hesse. Another sign of Allah’s presence. I take the faith seriously, but with Shamir’s assistance, laugh at the rest.
Penang is known for its food. I am a foodie. Must write a series of foodie blogs. That in the future, In the meantime you have to be satisfied with two photos. The best pizza I have ever eaten, the Sicilian Pizza from Kenny Hills, a hop, skip and a jump from Lyf. The Pesto Linguine from Kenny Hills was perfect, the linguine al a dente, the pesto creamy and concentrated, the pine nuts toasted adding crunch. A photo of a very simple complimentary appetizer served at my new found Japanese restaurant. Hope I am not making you hungry.
