THE YOUNG ONCE

MCO (Stay-Home) Day 24. Today is a good (Fri)day as any to take a trip down Nostalgia Lane. Am digging up some old blog posts and giving it a slightly new 2020 update. Join me in this first one.

In April 2014, then US President Obama began a 3-day (26-28 April) visit to Malaysia. The last time a US president visited Malaysia was in 1966 when President LB Johnson paid a 20-hour whirlwind visit.

In conjunction with President Obama's visit, the Star published an article ("It was the good old swinging 60s") that probably resonated with those of us who grew up in the 1960s. To many of us, those were the most carefree years of our lives. We were young then, with no cares in the world except to study and do well in our exams. The joy and stress of raising a family and the pressures of working life were yet to descend upon us.

The Star, 25 April 2014

What was life back then in the 60s? If you are now in your 60s or 70s, the images below will stir up poignant memories of an era long gone but not forgotten. Here's a glimpse into the past.

I bet many of us still keep some currency notes and coins from the 1960s. A dollar then could buy us a good lunch. Bank Negara launched the local currency notes in 1967, but it was only in 1996 that the $ sign was replaced with RM.

Inflation was an alien word in the 60s, virtually unheard of during my high school years from 1960-1964. 50 cents pocket money was all my mom gave me but it was enough to get me a plate of nasi lemak or a bowl of noodles at the school tuck-shop, a glass of syrup drink and a piece of fruit. I still had money left to buy sweets or save.

My TIGS classmates and I with our bicycles in 1962. In primary school, I went to school by trishaw. I still remember how the trishaw uncle could pack five of us in one trip - three seated, two squatting.

Pedal power ruled the day. My friends and I went everywhere by bicycle. Festive seasons would find us cycling in groups to visit our Malay, Indian and Chinese friends. Those who didn't cycle would take a trishaw to their destination. I recall my uncle taking us for an evening spin around Batu Pahat in a trishaw. The ride around town cost him only one dollar. It was a treat as not many families then could afford a car to cruise around town.

The UK and the US dominated the youth fashion scene. We were very much influenced by what teenagers there wore, and they in turn were faithful fashion followers of their teen idols of the time. My wardrobe then consisted of mini-skirts, hot pants, huge flora ties and colorful fancy stockings. Woodstock 1969 spun a new fashion fad - the hippie cum flower child look. Bell bottoms were in, so were tie-dyed tees and gypsy skirts. My wardrobe changed accordingly.

As for hair style, the boys either spotted the bowl-cut Beatles style or the pompadour a la Elvis Presley. While the guys heaped Brylcream on their hair, the girls teased their hair into huge 'beehives' kept in place with generous amounts of hair spray. The hippies would let their hair grow long and adorn their hair with flowers. Others opted for the Afro hair-do. The clean-cut Gary Grant look of the 50s was uncool, and definitely OUT.

Teen Idols of the 60s made a huge impact on the music we listened to. We followed religiously the UK and US hit parades like BBC's Top of the Pops and the American Billboard Top 20. Music genres ran the whole gamut from romantic ballads to acid-rock, from musicians like Neil Sedaka to Jimi Hendrix. Pop groups also dominated the teen music scene. We enjoyed songs by The Carpenters, The Animals and The Rolling Stones. We swooned over boy bands like The Monkees and Herman's Hermits. Later, we added Santana, James Taylor and The Who to our fave list. Our music taste was certainly eclectic!

Some of our teenage idols

We bought EPs and LPs and played them on our turntables at home. Coffee shops had jukeboxes. For 20 cents a selection, we could listen to the current hits of the time. I painstakingly copied the lyrics of hundreds of songs, and sang them aloud in the privacy of my room.

The radio stations had programs where you could dedicate songs to your friends. I remember DJs Constance Haslam, Vicky Skelchy and Patrick Teoh announcing names like "Elvis Rocky Tan dedicates the next song to Lulu Sandra Lim". We gave ourselves names after our favorite pop idol.

The songs we listened to all came from gadgets similar to those below. No such thing as a remote control. Gadgets then were heavy or bulky. There was nothing we could carry with us in our handbags or pockets for easy listening or viewing.

As teenagers we loved to dance. We had dance parties where the boys would sit on one side of the dance floor, and the girls on the other. The boys would pluck up courage to walk over and ask the girls to dance. Such gentlemen! The wallflowers were those girls who never got asked.

The Twist, the Jive and the Limbo Rock were staples at any dance party. Strangely enough, off-beat cha cha and a-go-go seemed to be popular mainly in Singapore and Malaysia.

How many of these dances do you remember and can still do now? Probably all of them except the Limbo!

SeniorsAloud organised our first of several annual dinner and dance in 2014. Not surprisingly our theme was Celebrating the 60s, a reference to our age and to the good old days. It was truly an evening of fun as these videos below show, posted by Alfred Ho on his YouTube channel.  Alfred was in his element that night.

Well, once the MCO is finally lifted, and it is safe to go out and enjoy socialising again, we will have our next dance party. It will be a celebration in many ways.

SELF-ISOLATING DURING COVID-19

Am writing this on the last day of the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia from 18 March to 31 March 2020. It has been extended for another fortnight from 1 April to 14 April. I am not complaining. Better safe than sorry. We should be thankful that we are staying at home in relative comfort, with food in our fridge and pantry, and activities to keep us occupied. There are many others who are not so fortunate.

What to take note of during the MCO

For the past month, there has been a continuous stream of Covid-19 news coming to us via social media and on telly. Let's not overdose on it. Most of it is depressing and causing viewers undue fear and anxiety, especially for senior citizens like us. We belong to what the health authorities call 'the vulnerable group'.

My mom is 94 years ago and in a nursing home. Strictly no visitors allowed since 18 March. The staff keep me updated on whatsapp and send me instant photos of her so I know she is eating well and sleeping well.

I feel we should instead look at the positive side for a change. Even in times of sadness and pain, there is always something to learn, and I daresay we have many lessons to learn from this experience. We will all come out of it wiser and more appreciative of the things we have always taken for granted. Our values will change and the world will be a better place to live in. Hopefully we will learn to live in peace and harmony, helping one another across the borders as countries are doing now.

The stay-home order has kept us apart from our families. I am self-isolating. It will be at least a month before I can see my grandchildren, especially Ryder, 6, the livewire of the family. My last two big family gatherings were my niece's wedding on 7 March and my aunt's 90th birthday dinner on 14 March, both before the MCO was imposed. But it's ok. We will get together again and celebrate when the outbreak is over.

It is important that we remain active physically and mentally at home. Can't go jogging in the park or workout at the gym? No problem. Here's all we need for some exercise at home: yoga mat, weights, stretch band and a grip ball. Oh, and a pair of sneakers. Don't have dumbbells? Be creative. Fill two 1.5-litre bottles wirh water and use them as weights. With the condo gym closed, my grandson lifts 5kg rice bags placed in tote bags for muscle exercises.

There are also plenty of online videos on keeping fit: yoga, taichi, qigong, chair exercise, aerobics and dance. I enjoy brisk walking. Only now I have to do it in  my room to this video below. I can work up a sweat just keeping up with the instructions.

This is the best time to learn something online. There are many free classes and tutorials on practically anything you want to learn. Just do a Google search. I would recommend learning a new language, or some art and craft. Try out some new recipes or start on a project. I finally have time to do some decluttering and it's such a joy to find things that I have long forgotten I had, like old photos and mementos.

A typical day begins with me at my laptop after breakfast, going through my email and checking out whatsapp and facebook. Meals are simple and homecooked. I have only been out briefly twice in the past two weeks to get groceries and other necessities from the supermarket nearby. I walk there so this means I can't buy much. Just enough for a few days. After dinner it's either watching the news on telly, enjoying music videos on Youtube or entertainment on Netflix. I wonder how older folks without internet spend the evenings. 

I made the above to show my gratitude to the courageous medical and healthcare professionals for taking care of the sick, to the police and security personnel for maintaining order, to the NGOs and volunteers who make sure that food and supplies reach those in need, to the drivers, delivery workers, refuse collectors, cleaners and so many more, THANK YOU, for your services during these trying times.

We are all in this together, and together we will pull through. Everything will be alright. We need a song like this to comfort and reassure us. Do view. Stay safe and positive.

I am writing this so I can remember what it was like when I had to stay home and had only myself for company for four weeks. No visitors. No one to talk to. It will give me a better understanding of why older people living alone often complain of loneliness and isolation. This will be a social experiment. Well, another two weeks to go. Let's see how I feel by then.