இ Gostan Parking

A friend commented on Bananaz's go astern *gostan* parking "Why you turn your whole head backwards while reversing your car. Why can't you use the side mirrors, that's wrong driving!". Oh really? For those who are taking 'L' driving lessons in the 70s behind the wheel of a black Morris Minor do not have the privilege of what we called the side mirror aka fender mirror, door mirror, wing mirror, or side-view mirror. Ma Mango is using the side mirror for reversing her car. Dunno about the rest of the baby boomers but Bananaz was taught by the driving instructor, to turn the shoulder mid way with head backwards looking through the rear windscreen while performing a reverse parking during those 'L' lessons and old habits die-hard. Those days side mirrors were not a common sight for cars.

Trafficator circled yellow ~ image courtesy of Wikipedia

Since on the subject of The Morris Minor would take this opportunity to share some adventures of Bananaz with his Papa's first car which is also a black Morris Minor 1000 with registration number plate P 5169. Two distinctive features that Bananaz would like to highlight as many may not have the opportunity to see this kind of 50s car anymore. First unique and outstanding part of a Morris Minor is the signal lights which is the retractable semaphores called trafficators about 7 inches in length mounted high up in between the front and back door frame. It will protrude out horizontally when the switch is operated by a lever in the panel and has a lighted bulb inside the trafficators to facilitate night driving. Modern terms we call them turn signals — formally called "directional indicators" and informally known as "blinkers", "indicators" or "flashers".

Trafficators ~ Pix courtesy of Wikipedia

The second feature if you will notice from the video clip or top picture, the Morris Minor has a split and raked windscreen with the panes of ordinary window glass which are flat compared to the modern panoramic or wrap-around windscreen with toughened tempered glass. Technological change over time with great invention, innovation and diffusion of technology.

Thanks to "musicandtoys" for the YouTube and as you can see @0.18 & 0.30 the protruding and retracting of the trafficator..real cool! However they were fragile and could be easily broken off and also a tendency to get stuck in the closed position.

Bananaz had the Morris Minor with an 'L' from the driving school for 3 months driving lessons and pass the test with 'take one'. What car did you drive for the 3 months 'L' lessons? Most of you may be luckier than Bananaz to get a SLK *Slick Little Kancil* or Daihatsu car. My dear sister had 'take four' to pass her driving test and at one of the tests, the JPJ tester drove her back coz she scared the hell out of him. So what's your driver's license story? Care to share the kopi-o drama?

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இ Finale ~ 7 Random Facts of Bananaz ~ Everlasting Love

Supposedly to be on a low profile but eventually ended up fully exposed and peeled right up from stem to fruits and from head to toe. The 7 Random Facts of Bananaz tagged by Mariuca and Jingle has finally come to an end with this entry. Lina also tagged me with another tag by MKL too on the 7 Links Project. Would combine all together with some slight variations into this entry. Sorry it took a much longer period of time as initially Bananaz hope to complete within 7x7=49 days. Moving backwards chronologically in further peeling the 'everlasting love' of Bananaz.

1. 1993 *18 years* ~ Since we came into this world in our birthday suit it must be nice and comfortable to sleep without wearing anything. Its one of the healthiest ways to relax and my blanket is merely a piece of cloth *of course the real blanket is always on stand by in the cupboard*. Anyway a note of caution here, always have your clothes or robe at a proper place handy for emergency use such as natural calamities, fire and robbery. Would be horrible to see your naked pix in the headlines just like the pix. BTW sleeping naked in Minnesota is illegal. How true?.

2. 1992 *19 years* ~ Bananaz's first pair of faithful Asics jogging shoes almost totally worn out. Currently still wearing them for brisk walking and squash occasionally. This pair of jogging shoes came into the scene after encountering feet problem after the Penang Bridge run in 1991.

3. 1991 *20 years* ~ Not willing to part with this singlet even though its worn out at the upper collar. Somehow not pretty good in throwing away things perhaps its the lifestyle Bananaz was brought up the frugal way.

4. 1992 *19 years* ~ This theme music from 'Airwolf' has been Bananaz's ring tone since he owned his very first hand phone until today *quite certain this Airwolf ring tone will follow Bananaz for life*. *Sorry my first hand phone was a second hand NEC, Bananaz only got the ring tone after purchasing a nokia phone*. Some may remember this macho helicopter pilot Jan-Michael Vincent, whoa really loved to watch him in the TV series. Started off with Celcom am still with Celcom and will be with Celcom. Guess what? My handphone number has never been changed, except during the migration of analog 010 to digital 019.

5. 1980 *31 years* ~ Learned hatha yoga from a lady guru whom the doctors have given up hope on her shoulder and told her she would not be able to use her left arm. Her last resort was to take up yoga, mastered it and got her arm healed and later conducted her own hatha yoga class in her house compound in Penang. The headstand *Sirshasana* and Sun Salutation *Surya Namaskara* would be a daily routine for Bananaz.

6. 1977 *34 years* ~ Another long lasting wedding great electrical iron gift. Changed the electrical cable once and Bananaz got a feeling the much awaited steam iron gotta wait for perhaps another 5-10 years more?.

7. 1970 *41 years* ~ Keeping 5 sen was an accidental 'hobby' as it was a naughty plan to make life 'difficult' for one ticketing lady in State Cinema in Petaling Jaya during our college days. She always make a fuzz over the small change of money especially 5 sen as the entrance ticket cost RM0.65 then. We wanna give her all in 5 sen in one of our purchase for a few tickets but then we are all kind hearted students *ahem* only angry and upset for a short span of time. Bananaz also loves collecting coins from different countries too.

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இ Random facts VI Part 2 ~ The Years Gone By

They say the first love is the sweetest but that first cut is the deepest. The first sight of snow is Bananaz's most unforgettable experience for the very first time in Mt Fuji, after living in a tropical country where the weather is hot and humid all year round. Sorry no additional pumping of adrenalin or excitement like bungee jump, sky diving or para-gliding for this post but more on going places on holidays.

The only thrilling excitement was joining the Outward Bound School in Lumut. Could remember vividly the Warden's words of encouragement saying Bananaz is 42 years 'young' among the rest of the younger bounders. He constantly reiterated the OBS motto "To Serve, To Strive and Not To Yield" to remind us never to give up. Just to share one experience that almost all would shudder with a chill down the spine when comes to the fear of darkness in tandem with 'ghost' and Bananaz is no exception. Die die we must go through solo camping where you build your own tent far away from each other and naturally the bounders would hum Lobo's 'I dont like to sleep alone' the whole night through. What surprised me was when the fear of snakes, wild boars or tigers grew so huge it dwarfed the unwholesome thoughts of ghosts completely out of the mind.

The future Senor Presidente..இ MAKE BLOG NOT WAR இ

Snow..more snow...oooohhhhhhhh so much more snow..

1980's ~ Revival of the 50's broad ties worn by my Papa. Bananas anyone?

1983's ~ Yummy Japanese steam boat dinner.. Oishii!

1984's ~ The unnoticed elderly aborigines of Taiwan.

1994's ~ Bananaz's very first lion dance *stand-in tail* performance in Puttaparti, India celebrating Lunar Chinese New Year in this small holy village which was transformed into a mini Chinatown.

1995's ~ Monalisa is watching you from a distance..

1995~ The Fab Four + One..I Wanna Hold Your Hand.

2000 ~ 2010 Globe-trotting..*lit.* eat wind ..makan angin in Malay and 吃風chīfēng in Mandarin where no biting, chewing or swallowing is required merely OYBM..Open Your Big Mouth..^o.O^

2011 ~ A special dinner arranged by daughter Nikki for Father's Day Celebration with soulmate Mango.



Bananaz hitting seventy : Click Here Exit

o.Ooops..It's dark in here, can someone please open the fire 開火kāihuǒ!


When I'm 7eventy: Turn ON the Light Turn the Light OFF

Bananaz not 6ixty.. yet!..Slowly and surely on d'way

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