Taking a MRT to work sure has its sights and sounds. If you observe carefully, "people watching" on trains has equal entertainment value to the likes of dudes hiding behind bushes equipped with binoculars and sweaty brown button-ons in National Geographic specials.
Like the Jungles in Africa, we have isle seats and steel poles, and for animals, we have the mak ciks, aunties, and the young executives. For some reason, I hardly see any uncles in the morning trains.
Just like an untamed carnivore, most eyes scan profusely for vacant seats. Standing is a no-no to some of these people, not after you've paid an average of $1.60 for the damn ride.
If opposition parties propose to build more seats on the roof for these lazy people, we've got ourselves a new government. Mak ciks top the hunting list. Getting a seat for yourselves subjects you to being semi- encircled by mak ciks dying to plant their behinds. Also in the reverse, the moment you drop hints of standing up, their asses are already on its way down.
(better Get Out of the way).
Then there was this conversation we had in my brother's new car.
"Can you smell the New in my car? " "yup yup, leathery leather" "...I wont let just anyone sit in it" "you mean like Joe the Ah Pui?" "yeah ..... he broke his friend's front tyre suspension!" "OMG! .... he's what? 250kg now??"
Auntie Chan who was also in the car chipped in quietly "Thats a baby elephant."
But you'd only appreciate it knowing its from the sweetheart.
On another note Grandma's 85th Birthday bash
It was nice to see so many turn up, tho picture only captured a fifth of the family. There was so much food to go around, we weren't too greedy for desserts. 2 birthday cakes at the same time was fairly enough to go around.
Cuz Rach to A :"Can you remember all the uncles and aunts?" "...no no, in fact I was just revising just now" Cuz Rach to me :"You should draw a chart, family tree ..."
Never mind la, a few more family gatherings and he will know them by name. Right darling?
Children, grandchildren and great grandchildren all took turns to serenade my grandma with a hymn or two. So warm to the heart.
I used to be someone who's big on partying hard on my birthday. In fact, friends might argue that Im one who parties hard on any occasion, any reason. Perhaps I shouldnt say 'used to' since I still party hard once in awhile, tho Never on festive occasions anymore.
It's always crowded, jammed, and basically the night - people who don't usually party ALL go out to party.
And oh how that double-edged sword we all detest and love - Long Island Tea
Ive heard SO MANY PEOPLE complain of how strong is was, how hungover they are, how they'd never touch the stuff EVER AGAIN
...
Then I see them hugging a jug that very same night of the following week. heh
Hmm.. No thanks.
I think now, my current living life is one so awesome. And I'd love to have all my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren around me when Im frail, grey and just old.
Someone confided in me for some advice and I gave him some, with absolutely no bias.
His
problem could have been looked upon as a very trivial matter; very few
people in his position would even give it a thought. In fact, Im surprised he even brought it up with me, a third party.
His final decision, in a text message he sent me:
"Ok
I've decided not to do it anyway. Don't want to have to put my
girlfriend through any of this for the sake of my ego. Thanks, V."
When A drove me home on New Year's day. He drew my attention to the brilliant blue sky as he was parking.
It seemed to span forever (which it does, when you think about it) With all sorts of clouds Drifting Floating Hovering Above
When I say all sorts of clouds That's because, you know how you see a particular sort of cloud Come out to play?
You have the small, light, fluffy ones The gigantic, boisterous-like superwhite ones Cumulus, they call them The thin whispery ones That spread out and thin out as it pleases Like a patterned blanket
And they were all out in abundance that day. 2009 begin with a bright sky but drowned me with following grey days. Having said that, God's strength is best seen in our weakness. Things may not seem so bad afterall.
Such a beautiful crafted film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and starring the beautiful Audrey Tautou. This French film title is Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain and it is one of the 5 DVDs we rented over last week.
[By the way, I guess I havent mentioned that A and I spent so much at videoezy, the cashier actually offered us a package that works like a cashcard. We top up our account and each time we pop by, they'd just deduct = cashless system. Cool and convenient I say.]
Anyway this film remains one of my favourites since last week. Besides the love story behind it that gets me weak in the knees, it's so beautifully done that I want to be that colour, art and life of Amélie. I want to get into the whole colour of life, the artsy fartsy side of life that I can be and just live life with such joy. Films for me are a reminder of the person I can be and want to be. It's not necessarily a bad thing, unless it's love-related, which can be love-hate. Good life-related films like Amélie gives me the strive to be that better and positive, genuine person any chance I can.
It's such a good thing.
If you haven't seen Amélie, I am high recommending you to check it out.
As the year is coming to an end, ahh... the sweet effluvial aroma of this electronic wall in which has borne witness to my many sober and unsober contemplations.. one quite incomprehensible to others, but relevant nonetheless.
And just like that, due to unforseen circumstances [more excuses than anything else], my condition in absentia has enraged many...
BUT;
there's always a but with Venetia the Fairy; BUT, in the course of my missing-ness, there are MORE stories to tell, more thoughts to fondle and more conundrums to reconnoiter.. all of which you will slowly find out next year.
Blessed New Year to all my lovelies and to World peace!! Ha
Reunited and it feels so good Reunited 'cause we understood There's one perfect fit And, sugar, this one is it
*Pictures stolen from E's blog
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The sole reason why this blog is lacking on updates is because I was hardly home. I pigged out so much the last few days, when I do get home, Id spend the rest of my time in bed... or at the sofa munching off while catching more DVDs with A. Like a snake that ate too big a cow then had to hybernate for a bit.
Fail.
Note to self as I also rushed my last minute Christmas shopping on Christmas eve and a couple days before - "NEVER DO THIS ON THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS AGAIN. START IN NOVEMBER NEXT YEAR."
But Christmas this year definately is exciting and very special, to say the least.
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Christmas eve dinner was spent at A's place. If you recall, it was rainy the entire day, with cool wind. Basically icy weather. Steamboat was what we had, and boy, was it fantabulous! Spicy sambal chilli and the works of seafood, yong tau fu, the greens etc. I was telling A, "I hope we have home-cooked steamboat on a regular basis.. damn nice."
On Christmas day, after another round of steamboat, we left for Johor Bahru. It was A's first house visit and even my dog welcomed him with only a bark. My dad had pre-ordered a yummylicious seafood dinner at a restaurant we frequent. From then on, it was eat, eat, eat and only eat. *Burp*
Boxing day was also not spared. We took grandpa out for breakfast. Then brought A to my apartment in Pulai Springs. Quoting A, "After seeing this place, it fills like my holiday just started and I dont want to go back." Lunching at Qing Palace [fine Sze Chuan crusine], we left for home as all of us were tummy filled to the throat and badly needed an afternoon sexy cat nap. By the time we woke up, we wasted no time, and left for JB's best Ice Kachang.
If this was Makan Sutra, it will be 3 bowls and 6 chopsticks.
Dinner was one not to be missed too. Before we made our way back to Singapore, we popped by J's place. I guess Ive never mentioned J before. J's an italian chef and what he prepared for us was absolutely finger-licking good. There was roast turkey, baked apples, bbq potatoes with sour cream and bacon bits, curry fried chicken, medium spicy sambal chilli with ikan billis, nasi lemak, german sausages and the list just goes on and on. Argh… I could barely breathe nor walk straight when I left. Thank God that traffic at the causeway was as smooth as the marble flooring. The new checkpoint is very new [duh!] but the walk is insane. I remember A telling me to walk slowly because dinner was up to his neck and he was having side waist burns. Heh.
Finally, we ended the day at Paulaners with A's sister and cousin. The Live Band there is at its best. Truely. You have to hear it to believe it.
So. Going. To. Gain. Christmas. Chubs. If I put on weight, I'm going to look like those little chubby monk kids in Cantonese movies. Thank God I can pig out insanely and my metabolic rate is not half bad *touch wood*
I don't care! It's Christmas! I wanna scoff down as much as i want and can! Fooooodddddddd
The other day, I met S and J for lunch at our favourite Yakinikuteh (Japanese hot plate) place. Work's been so busy, hardly any time to meet up the usual suspects.
None of us had much sleep to begin with. I dont know if that is sufficient to explain the following pictures.
and we came to talk about what they would want to achieve before turning 30. And I thought to myself, "Phew, that's still quite far away." Teehee
And of course, they mentioned the normal things that I've heard what most guys/girls would say; to own a house, earn 5 figures, settle down, get married, own a BMW, but amongst it all, there was the desire to be walking in the plans that God had for them.
Then it triggered me.
"What if God's plan was never for all of us to achieve what WE want before 30?"
What made us think that Blessing us equates to earning 5 figures?
24Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever wants to save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. (Matthew 16:24-27 NIV)
Just a thought. Perhaps another turning point in my life.Maybe it'll help you get an extra fuzzy feeling this Christmas.
Sometimes we hear people say, "I cant preach, I cant sing; about all I can do is pray." That is like a soldier saying, "I don't have a machine gun or a bazooka or a cannon. All I have is an intercontinental ballistic missile."
