A word came to me on the elevator coming down to breakfast. It was peripatetic, did not know the meaning of the word but when I looked it up realized that it perfectly described my life. Peripatetic, an adjective, describes traveling from place to place, in particular working or based in various places for relatively short periods. That is me for sure. I found the origins of the words amusing: late Middle English (denoting an Aristotelian philosopher): from Old French peripatetique, via Latin from Greek peripatētikos ‘walking up and down. That is me I guess, walking up and down. The adjectives are slightly less fancy and romantic sounding; nomadic, itinerant, wandering, roaming, migratory, ambulatory, unsettled, vagrant; vagabond.
Thankfully, these days it does not seem unsettling to be an itinerant, a vagrant or a vagabond. Why not? California my hone for fifty years is burning down. When I was around, living, working, a stable existence there was the occasional drought but it was green enough and we never totally ran out of water. Just could not flush the toilet except for number two. Its green here in Malaysia, it rains – life is good.
This morning paid the tariff for a month long stay here at this hotel. Then got the word that tomorrow will be the official opening, crowds in attendance. So I shall be the very first long term guest. What makes this unbelievable is this. I was the first long term guest at a newly opened Vancouver, British Columbia hotel in 2017. Yes indeed. The name of the hotel? Trump International Hotel and Tower. My UK student visa expired, decided I did not want to live under Trump so went back to live in Canada to get away from his reign. The hotel not owned by Trump but a young Malaysian multi-billionaire by the name of Joo Kim Tiah I lived in that hotel with a special rate for four months. At Joo Kim’s request became, I guess one would say – a confident of his. A confidant is a a person with whom one shares a secret or private matter, trusting them not to repeat it to others. He told me all his secrets, I told no one. I kept my end of the bargain – he did not keep his. He believed all the lies people said about me – once, twice but the third time I told him on no uncertain terms that I was done. No one had probably ever said NO to him his whole life, as he was the male heir to the multi-billionaire fortune of the family. He did not take the rejection well, and later attempted to have me murdered in multi-billionaire fashion. Obviously this attempt met with failure. I believe now it was because of the intervention of Allah (SWT). How extraordinary to realize this happenstance. In 2017 I did not even know where Malaysia was – now I am living here, experiencing the Grand Opening of Lyf.
California is burning, Canada is not doing very well either facing another Trump term. I looked to Al Jazeera, while in an a tranquil but inquisitive state of mind to see what was happening and was not at all disappointed. An Opinion piece, written by Andrew Mitrovica caught my eye. It was entitled: I Believe Trump When The President Elect Threatens Greenland, Panama and my country, Canada I Do Not Think He is Joking.
“Twelve days into 2025 and I have already broken what amounted to my one and only New Year’s resolution. I made a vow not to succumb to the easy temptation to write about the madness every time Donald Trump pens an insult-laced tweet or bombastic statement – without, of course, using spell check. My calculation was that there would be ample opportunity after the US president-elect takes the oath of office later this month to devote time and space to his manic meanderings. Part of the selfish reason why I promised myself that I would try to avoid, if possible, having to examine the meaning and implications of Trump’s signature spasms of absurdity was to shield myself – briefly, at least – from the undeniable psychological harm he has wrought on the world’s wounded psyche. From the moment he announced his candidacy for the presidency in 2016, Trump has dominated our gaze and attention. Every depressing day since has been a cacophony of lunacy that has taken a stiff toll on the mind, spirit, and soul.”
The writing is superb – a cacophony of lunacy taking a toll on mind, spirit and soul. The language continues to soar.
Trump has assembled an obedient administration to fulfil his grand ambitions for America – with little, if any, resistance from a Republican-controlled Congress, the Supreme Court, or the prostrate billionaire owners of large swaths of corporate media seeking his good graces. As a Canadian, I also believe Trump when he warned that he would use America’s singular economic might, in effect, to compel Canada to become the 51st state. I did not laugh. Instead, I shuddered when Trump was asked whether he was “considering using military force to annex and acquire Canada”.The question was as remarkable as Trump’s response. “No, economic force,” he said, “because Canada and the United States, that would really be something.”
Mitrovica concludes his forceful argument forcefully.
The premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Andrew Furey, understood what needed to be said and how to say it. “[Trump’s] history has been to create chaos in an attempt, in a confusion with humour. But then often those become policy statements and reality. So, to dismiss it as a joke is, in my opinion, not the right thing to do,” Furey said.Canada, he added, is a “strong and sovereign country and it will always be a strong and sovereign country”. Trump’s threats to Canada’s sovereignty were, the premier said, “completely unacceptable”. Then, Furey, to his credit, issued a stark forewarning of his own directed at Trump. “Sovereignty comes at an incredible price; a price paid by blood by Canadians, Newfoundlanders and Labradoreans, and to try to take that away is going to come at a significant cost.” Hear, hear, Sir. Hear, hear.”
The world is in a very sad and awful state of affairs. The Quran speaks of this in Chapter 103 The Passage of Time. 103: 1-3 “ 1, By the passage of time 2. Surely humanity is in a grave loss 3. Except those who have faith, do good and urge each other to the truth, and urge each other to perseverance. “
I texted a friend, expressing my wish that I be allowed to leave this troubled world.
Me: Please Allah take me to you.
He: Do not say that. Say Allah take me when you are most pleased with me.
Me: Oh my goodness! Thank you for this. It is blessed, your sending this to me. It encourages me to be most pleasing to our Creator at all times.
Everything in my life is slowly coming into place with order and organization. This my huge accomplishment, occurring made at 4 am as it was a telephone call to the US on their Easters Standard time. I had been attempting to make a wire transfer to Computer Guru Chris – paying him for his services. The online service was not working, despite almost daily calls to them since the beginning of December. Finally someone suggested I call during the telephonic wire transfer hours. I did so, it finally worked. I paid ahead so I do not have to worry about this for months. I am practically worry free.
I was writing this blog at breakfast. Ordered the fish toastie, green goddess, fine herbs. It arrived in all of its green glory when I was writing about the fires in California. A photo is included. Also a photo of the snapper crudo flatbread, dill creme and pickled lemon. The other morning had the truffle French fries. All were absolutely delicious and shall be pictured.
Two photographs on yesterday’s blog pictured a little girl and her father eating at an outside table at Kashmir Restaurant. The little girl, so darling. Her Malaysian father helping her eat the delicious food.
