free flowin'

She's rollin' in it
She's rollin' in it
She's rollin' it in
She's rollin' it in.

And she knows
She's rollin' in it
No worries at all
She's rollin' iti n.

She's rollin in it
Rolls of it
She's rollin' IT IN
As much as she can.

Oh hello again, world.....

What have I been up to? Been travelling a bit more this year from the truly indie heart of Prague to ride-a-bicycle-save-the-environment Paris, exhibition-hall Hanover to Original-Joe's-serves-up-the-best-spaghetti=meat-balls San Jose and scenic-tourist-town-with-best-tourist-attraction-at-DSWshoes San Francisco! Not to forget that 1-hour transit in what I'd call the worst airport. Taipei, I'm sorry. You ain't got me. So on the rest of the travels, woohootz! More material to write about and a happier me.


A city built by immigrants. Larger than Sydney but oh so similar. Above is a picture of our Californian Japanese cabbie speeding us across town to the next hotel. I had stayed at a total of one 3-star hotel, Taylor's Hostel run by Pakisani immigrants in the heart of Union Square and finally, the resting paradise at the newly renovated 4-star Kabuki Hotel - thanks to a last minute internet booking! Check out onlyinsanfrancisco.org if need assistance. Taylor's was about USD100 and was close to Chinatown, the MUNI and BART. Gosh I walked everywhere though. That's a must when I'm travelling. Only way to 'smell' culture. Castro and Mission Street scents permeated the streets most ;P. Whilst prissy Sausalito sported a surprise - an all American bar with a drunk man who plays good chess, two sleepy black cats and a group of French tourists.That, felt almost like the real thing. Everything else was rather geared for the 'usual suspects'. Tourists.

Ah... Delta Air, codeshared with China. Saddest bit was that the seats didn't have entertainment screens. Only a mass public screen reminiscent of my travels from the early 90s. In fact the plane kinda looked like the MAS planes which I used to fly on during my student days.

For those of you whose interest piqued after our last S.O.F.A. party in July 2008 at Marketplace, do come join our Facebook group. Just search for SOFA and join! It is a hidden group for obvious reasons. Otherwise, surf on to www.webprojx.com/girl_gungho.html for more updates on our events.

She'll be coming around soon.

Motherland

Motherland

By Jasmine Low 

For my mother, Shirley Cheah.

Written intermittently between 2003-2008. 

Performed at Time Out KL's Launch Party in March 2008

Frangipani Bar, Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

She’s there among us. 

She is our mother.

She is Chong Qing. 

As large as that 3,000 year old city of thirty one million individuals

She snuggles beside the thighs of Yangtze and Jialingjiang

And she breathes life

Last Sunday he was significantly impressed

Spotting her in dancing unison at the people’s park

A duck rice meal and she was off like the Chung King express

Qing Qing seals off her pregnant suitcase with red tape

Even redder is her passport, tightly concealed between her navel and navy jeans

And her cheeks, blossoming with that certain tell-tale glow

 

The women from China

My father would proclaim

Are so pure, so innocent

The women from China

My mother would blame

Are so profane, so manipulative

The women from China

And I, me in the middle

Are the centre of attention

We, are one for all

                 

We travel on an express train from Dusseldorf to Prague

And visit several bleak european cities

We are the new age Chinese female

And they know as they look at us with suspect

Nationality aside

We look the same

As do Greeks, Italians and even DJs of Ibiza fame

But we dress, think and eat different

Those women from China

Say those other women of similar heritage

Who live in lovely manicured gated communities,

Are dangerous!

 

They steal our husbands

They have children with the silly bastards

Then leave in search of their American Dream,

Leaving our poor bastards in a love stupor, unmasked and in trouble

We, are the new Chinese women

The daring females who voice opinions

We light up Chinatowns

And indulge in fusion conversations

Qing Qing from Chong Qing

Dons her wings

She is ready to take flight

Like a newborn bird leaving its nest for the first time

 

For when she lands

I will cease to exist

As I was once exotic, you see

Admired, desired, feared.

But now the multiplicity in WE

Our long black manes

Our phonetically similar names

Make us no different than just two independent women

Yearning for some space in this crowded crowded world.

- end - 

Welcome 2008, Welcome The Women's Room

Hello and welcome to my vision for 2008. This is the year. I have waited 15 months. I have wasted 15 months. I have 5 voice recordings of Malaysian women, and one video captured from my phone. And with that, I have signed up with You Tube to kick start The Women's Room - a project which aims to get the voices of Malaysian women heard across the nation's capital, across states and countries. Here we come! Ladies, if you're interested to participate, send in your recording (short stories, prose, poetry, songs) of no more than 3 minutes in digital format to jasminelow@gmail.com. We'll inform you if you've been shortlisted.

Warmest wishes for a sticky and happening new year!
Jasmine Low
www.youtube.com/gojasminelow