Will Quah Dot Com

Hope you get a nice big package under the tree!

Ho Ho Ho.
WillQ.

Interred With Their Bones
Jennifer Lee Carrell
December 2007
As a huge (and I mean HUGE) fan of Shakespeare, it’s always nice to see something source his works and reference his career in different ways than the usual plays, adaptations and history novels that abound. This book, although it doesn’t immediately leap out at you from the shelf, does just that.
Beginning with the burning of the modern Globe Theatre in London, the murder of a celebrated Professor of Shakespeare, and the receipt of a mysterious clue by the books heroine, the book takes you on a jaunt through the scholarly world of Shakespeare like you’ve never seen it before, with guns, fires, explosions, and murders in practically every chapter.
Drawing inspiration pretty heavily from the Da Vinci Code, the book also features a wildly eccentric cast of characters, and you just KNOW that one of them will turn out to be a treacherous murderer… the question is which? (there’s even a character reminiscent of Sir Lea Teabing!).
While it may not be completely original in plotline, it certainly is a good read, and contains a host of great trivia for anyone who’s ever picked up some Shakespeare and fallen in love with the Bard.

It’s been a long time.

But, as of today, I can announce that I will returning to both my old station and my old show – The Breakfast Show on ntv7 – as one of the 5 new anchors, starting this January. The show will now be three hours long, going from 7am to 10am, and will be fully revamped to appeal to a wider audience, with a clever urban mix of news, current affairs, social interest, entertainment and lifestyle stories.

For those of you who wondered over my abrupt departure from radio, or who have been missing the daily dose of crazy off-white boy-ness, here you go. See, there’s a reason for everything!

First though, Christmas is almost here. Hopefully you, unlike me, have actually finished all your Christmas shopping. I still have a great deal to buy, and not much time to do it.
And wrapping.
And card writing…
Nothing like planning ahead, eh?

Where’s my fatted calf???
WillQ.

It’s well and truly the Christmas season now. There’s no denying it. The carols are playing, the trees are all up, and the Christmas parties have begun.

And it feels wonderful. There’s something about Christmas that just brings warmth and cheer to everything. Everything feels like it has a bit more purpose. Everything feels a little happier. It’s a great time of year.

One thing that did worry me about this year was putting up the tree all alone. Yep, it’s the first time I had to do it. But luckily Naomi had a fabulous idea – take a “me” night, a bottle of wine, some great Christmas music, and just make it a fun little project.

And I did.

There’s something deeply satisfying, I’ve now found, about doing things in your own way and by yourself. It still can’t beat doing things with someone you love, and want to have around you all day and all night long, but there’s a charm to it that you learn to love once you break past the initial loneliness. My only concern is, being single is addictive.

But hey, the tree looks great!

Since Christmas is right around the corner, I went Christmas album shopping (it’s a tradition), and I found a real gem from Sarah McLachlan (who you’ll notice I’ve been a bit obsessed with recently) called “Wintersong”. There’s a link to it in the sidebar, and this is one of my favourites – The First Noel, done in true Sarah McLachlan style. The visuals are a bit weird, but enjoy the music.

Think I’ll call him Doug?
WillQ.

Gay penguins have always been a hot news topic.

First there was the couple in the New York Zoo that was “outed” after handlers discovered both penguins were actually male.

Then there was the great story about the German zoo that flew in “hot” Swedish penguins to try and seduce gay penguins into mating. Didn’t work out too well, apparently, and got the lobby groups up in arms (or flippers…).

But now, Gay Penguins are striking back. In the latest news, a gay penguin couple in a zoo in China (it’s always the Chinese, isn’t it?) have been STEALING EGGS from straight penguins, and sneakily replacing them with rocks so that the victims wouldn’t notice. Apparently the whole adoption thing doesn’t work so well with penguins, but, despite being into each other, they still have the biological need to guard eggs (which tends to be a male job in the penguin world).

Zoo keepers have understandably separated the pair from the other penguins – not because they’re gay (before you get on your big gay bandwagon), but because the thefts are disturbing the harmony of the penguin population.

I figure, if you can’t tell your own egg apart from a rock, then you deserve to have it nicked.

Nug Nug.
WillQ.

It’s the first of December. This means three things.

First, I’ve forgotten to pay last month’s utilities bills. Something to go do tomorrow morning, unless I want to eat frozen food, in the dark, with no running water to drink.

Second, it’s time to put up the Christmas tree (which I’ve been avoiding doing, even though decorations have been up in the malls for weeks), and there are only 23 shopping days til Christmas (so get a move on – I want an AirBook).

And third, it’s World Aids Day. This is a pretty big day for anyone in the world who happens to enjoy the intimate company of other people. There’s a lot of misinformation out there about how you can catch (or rather, how you might not catch) HIV and AIDS. Truth is, it’s not that hard.

Being married won’t stop you getting HIV.
Being on the pill won’t stop you getting HIV.
Not swallowing won’t stop you getting HIV.
Being devout and praying to whichever god you like best won’t stop you getting HIV.

There are things that will though.
Safe sex, especially with condoms, will stop you getting HIV.
Not getting in a shaggable situation while totally drunk or otherwise debilitated will stop you getting HIV.
Not using drugs will stop you getting HIV.
And most of all, being aware of the situation, getting tested regularly (like at the Malaysian Pink Triangle Foundation, who do free, anonymous tests for everyone, regardless of race, gender or sexuality), and ensuring you and your partner don’t fool around will stop you getting HIV.

So this December, if you’ve not been for a test in the last 6 months, go get one. Yes, it’s scary. Yes, it may be embarrassing. But it’s important, for your life, and the lives of others. I just got mine done, and it came back with a pleasing negative. And believe me, it’s a great feeling knowing for sure, no matter how careful and safe you are. And wherever you go, make a donation for World Aids Day, because it’s a really good cause.

As usual, I’ve been listening to a load of music, and if you happen to be in the record stores, go get the new greatest hits album from Sarah McLachlan, called “Closer”. It’s got some of her best songs from throughout her career, and it’s a real gem of an album. It’ll also make a great Xmas pressie, so grab two (or more, if you are particularly thoughtless about pressies, and know that your friends won’t compare gifts).

And, in honour of World Aids Day is one of my favourite tracks off the album, “Hold On”, which also happens to be about the subject at hand, but which I just think sounds hauntingly beautiful and has the most awesome lyrics.

Be good. Be safe. Beware.
WillQ.