Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Grinning from ear to ear

I was informed that my granddad was grinning from ear to ear both during and after my phone call on the 初一. That got my mum grinning ear to ear too, for she said she hadn't seen her dad so happy for quite some time. Sometimes, just sometimes, I do the right thing.

On a different note, my niece has been bringing along
her best buddy, Mr. Beanie Duck, to 拜年. I had asked my sis if Mr. Beanie Duck had turned black with dirt after one month of intensive carrying around. She had this to say:

"The duck is *black* indeed thus I also gave it a good scrub and bath on LNY eve and it is now clean for the LNY. :)

Can't believe it, I spend 初一 morning dressing up her duck in ang pow paper (at her request) rather than dressing her up."


Click through on the pic below to see Mr. Beanie Duck dressed in red ang pow.

59 days to go.

Monday, January 30, 2006

You understand?!

慧 is correcting my mum's English on a regular basis now. Recently she came across the word "trillion" (I have no idea how) but know not what it means. She asked my mum who did not know the word either, so they KIVed the issue, opting to ask me or her parents. Whichever came first.

Well, it turned out that I came first. I was on the phone when my mum suddenly remembered it,

"Acey, "teelion" 甚麽意思啊?"

From the background,"Ma ma 不對!是"trillion"!"

""teelion"?"

"不對!是"trillion"! Ma ma, you understand?!"

"Acey, le kua le kua, tak jit siah cheh dio pek gah wah tao cak teng liao!" (direct translation: Acey, you see you see, she goes to school and picks up some new stuff, then starts to climb all over my head!)

Don't ask me about my attempts to explain "trillion" to her either.

60 days to go.

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Unnerved

After so many e-mails, calls and a few dates, I still get unnerved talking to .

I found myself trying to end the phone call after chatting for only 15 minutes. Again.

61 not so unnerving days to go.

This particular grandson

I did a marathon phone call of sorts earlier today. Called a lot of my friends as well as my maternal grandfather's place, where all my relatives have congregated. Of course, they ended up passing the phone around so that I got to speak to a lot of those present, including my grandfather.

I was surprised and moved by my grandfather who is turning 94 this year. He had remembered that this particular grandson of his was overseas. His first question to me was when I would be back. Surprised because the family seems to get bigger every year. I wonder how he remembers all our names, which family we belong to, what we do and where we are.

I also hope he understood my half-baked hokkien.

It has been a good Chinese New Year, despite being alone here.

Just over 61 days to go.

Restart

And so, training has restarted in earnest; The cycle begins yet again. Haven't improved on my records since, yes, since the last exams. On my first game today too!

Still 61 days to go.

End of winning streak

I used to enjoy the Chinese New Year gambling a lot. And I seemed to be quite a lucky person too (a couple of my friends have also made that observation about me, but they meant in life, not at the gambling table). As far as I can remember, I've never lost at gambling at my relatives' (key word) place. It's usually at my maternal grandfather's place on 初一, and then again at an uncle's or auntie's place (final venue usually decided on 初一) on the following weekend.

The 初一 gambling has slowed in recent years, because the grandchildren generation have gotten to the marriage and childbearing age. They needed to set an example for the 4th generation (like real!). We now spend our time sitting around and chuckling at the toddlers' antics and their ravaging through the heaps of toys.

But the weekend's gambling sessions are still going strong after all these years. In a large family like my mum's, it is inevitable that a few of her siblings, and their respective families, are closer than to some of the others. So this is a gathering of those few siblings and their families. Fortunately for me, my mum is part of that group.

I used to get a real kick from winning. Not because of the money, but because I knew I had beaten the odds again. In recent years, that feeling has all but disappeared. Replacing it is a looking forward to the bantering and updating of one another's lives over the past year. And of course, all those senseless and sometimes bawdy jokes that get thrown around.

This year, I'll be missing all these and more. There goes my winning streak too.

61 days to go.

P.S. 祝大家狗年事事順心,身體健康。

Saturday, January 28, 2006

Dirty look

I had a most satisfying meeting with boss yesterday. I showed him what I've done so far and he expressed his confidence in my work. About finishing on time. About its quality. It was only second to the excitement he displayed when our first joint publication was announced some two months back.

But, there's always a but... but he added,

"Why don't you take it easy? Why not put down a date of mid-April instead of rushing for end March? You have gotten the extension till the end of June anyway."

I shot a REAL dirty look at him.

Still 62 days to go.

Too many books

Signs I am ordering/buying too many books:

i) I have a book order that has been put on hold with the school's bookshop for one year three months now; The order card there said I had made the order in November 2004. I've just checked with the shop's assistant the other day and we were having a chuckle over it. I'd probably have to cancel it if the book doesn't get released within the next two months.

ii) The customer service officer of my favourite local online bookshop, Acmamall, recognises me and knows my private e-mail by heart. She knows what books I like (and therefore buy) and also remembers I am overseas. She only got the country wrong. Gosh.

62 days to go.


P.S. 祝大家除夕夜團圓快樂!

Friday, January 27, 2006

Notoriously difficult

The lady of steel has been notoriously difficult to reach recently. So much so it is bringing a smile to my face. It means things are really back to normal again.

But still, I had to think of a way to get through to her directly, having not spoken for like a month or so. I called her during office hours, but prudently choosing lunch time. She sounded bubbly, assured me things were going just as I've suspected, i.e. fine.

In fact, he has just completed the last part of his treatment too. On the Tuesday just past. Still suffering from the side effect of tiredness which was expected. Other than that, everything is ok. They are both just in time to usher in the New Year on a clean slate and with renewed hope.

Still 63 days to go.

Meaning of full-time uncle

A couple of posts ago, I had mentioned about becoming a full-time uncle when my niece was born. Here's the elaboration on the "full-time" part.

My niece was born before the latest batch of babies goodies was announced. So my sis had only two months of maternity leave. 8 weeks, to be exact. "It isn't even exactly two months loh!" I remember her lamenting to me then.

Because of that, I only had minimal contact with my niece during those two months. My mum went up to my sis's place to be her 配月. And I became their despatch boy of sorts. When I could find time off my work, I would make my way to my sis's place, together with all the stuff they had instructed me to get, just so I could hold my niece for a while. I remember feeling very apprehensive initially, as her neck hadn't stiffened yet. My bro-in-law took to it immediately though. He was often seen carrying my niece on ONE arm only whilst bottle feeding her. He's a natural.

I was very much looking forward to the end of those two months. Because that meant my niece would be staying at my place during the weekdays and then going home only during the weekends. But little did I know what I was actually looking forward to...

The first thing we did to herald her coming was some 乾坤大挪移 of the sleeping areas. It was decided that the
salong was to be placed in the living room. Centralised location where everyone could check on her easily. Also easy access to the kitchen where all her formula, bottles and sterilisers were kept. Mum would also sleep in the sitting room. I got to keep my room, for now.

Then we (as in my mum and I) worked out a system of feeding. Most of the time, I ended up being the formula-maker and she the feeder. I soon got up to speed with making formula. How much hot water to put in so that the temperature is just right. How to shake the bottle. How to test temperature (after a while, I don't even need to test). How to use the steriliser... Proficiency in these were very important as I would often be the one doing it in the death of night as well. I learnt to do it with my eyes half-closed, which was what happened often in practice. And I had to make sure I passed the bottle to mum in the shortest possible time, before my niece had a chance to wail.

I would then sit cross-legged next to my mum. We would both be looking at my niece, both of us suitably zombified, as she suckled on the bottle. Occasionally, my mum will doze off, and I will give her a light tap on her arm to keep her awake. Then a diaper change (I've already prepared a new one, waiting and ready on the bed) and off to bed again for her. I still had to clean her bottle and put it back into the steriliser. Need to ensure it is ready for the next feed. That was to my usual routine for the first two months or so.

After that, my mum gradually learnt to anticipate and pre-empt my niece. She would get the bottle all ready before my niece even woke up. I got to sleep through the night again. The occasional emergency still happened though, and I was the backup when required.

I was also medication preparer and giver, when such a need arose. My niece had colic often (a common complaint, a friend told me, because the suckling causes ingestion of excessive gas) and I was the one to administer the medication. Mum would need her glasses and such if she was to do it, so she relied mostly on me. The medication was pretty effective too. We'll soon be hearing her burping and/or farting as her body got rid of the excess gas. Then she would stop crying altogether and be angelic all over again.

When my niece was two and a half months old, she came down with food poisoning. A very bad bout of diarrhea. She was hospitalised because she was still too little for medication. All they could do was to put a drip on to prevent dehydration and inform us wait it out. How our collective hearts broke as we saw her too weak to cry. Weak from the diarrhea, pained from the needles.

We took turns to camp out at the hospital. My sis and bro-in-law in the day, me and my mum by night. We wondered how in the world she got food poisoning, for we had been very careful all along with hygiene. It's apparently quite common, a nurse told us. The baby's digestive system was not full developed yet and therefore very sensitive. Good thing is, she recovered completely without any lasting effects. So moral of this little episode, take care of your baby's hygiene during its first few months.

Then came the really fun bit as she grew older. I became my niece's chief entertainer. Key chains, keys, jigsaw puzzles (I have a big Peanuts one in my room), mahjong tiles, dice, rubik cube, all became her toys. I also became her chief photographer. My sis would pass me her digital camera (recall that I do not have one) and I would snap away throughout the week. Most of her first year's photographs were taken by yours truly. Thank you very much.

When she started teething, I became cream applier. There's some cream that was applied onto the gums to provide relief from the discomfort she felt during that period. I've been bitten more than once by my irate niece whilst applying it. She even drew blood on my mum's finger once, when I was not around to help. Quick hands were needed to accomplish the task safely!

I also helped to bottlefeed her when she got older. Once her neck stiffened, I became a natural at carrying her too. It also helped to lighten the load of my mum. I thought my niece might be repulsed by me initially, since it had been my mum all along. But no. After a while, she even gave me a smile or two whilst suckling. It was a magical feeling, that. (Those are my mum's hands, by the way)

My other miscellaneous duties included diaper changer (only rarely), bath assistant (and occasional bath photographer but RA photos will not be making their appearance on this PG rated blog), chief baby carrier when out and about and interpreter (my mum does not know much English).

In a way, I believe I am entitled to say,“叔叔有練過的!” (although it is not the full-training)

But before I knew it, April 2003 was upon me and I flew over to Sydney for this job. I've since missed her first crawl. Her first independent stand. Her first steps. Her first birthday. Her second birthday. Her THIRD birthday...

63 days to go.

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Australia Day

It's Australia Day today. I shall therefore relate a few stories where kindness had been shown to me by Aussies.


I had just landed in the Sydney airport. Mid-April 2003. My family had collectively insisted that I call home the moment I get out of customs. Actually, they insisted on a lot of things, e.g. carry half a bottle of Singaporean water to Sydney, top it off with Sydney water and then drink it so that my body can get used to it (where did that come from?!), but I refused to partake in most of them. Calling home from the airport was one of the few I acceded to.

The smallest note in my wallet was AU$20. I looked up the nearest phone booth and found out I needed 40 cents to make a call. I approached a sprightly old couple seated nearby to change my big note with. The elderly man fished out some coins and placed two 20 cents coins on my palm. I had thought they did not understand my Singaporean accented English, so I repeated my request for an exchange.

"It's ok, son. Take it."

He added a toothy grin to underline his point. I gave my profuse thanks, made my call and went off in search of a cab.

Given my bewilderment at entering a new environment, that little piece of kindness went some way in soothing my apprehension. I know many Singaporeans would probably do the same thing (well I would like to think so!) for foreigners in the same situation at our airport. But that's besides the point.


This happened in the Spring of 2003. I had just moved into Jim's apartment and was still getting used to the idea of staying in the same place with strangers and having to lock my room door whenever I went out.

I suppose it was bound to happen one day. I inadvertently locked myself out of my room whilst coming out for my bath. To top things off, the phone and Jim's phone number were both in my room.

Weighing up my options, I realised my only way out was to borrow a phone book and use the phone of a neighbour. My next door neighbour wasn't in. So I had to try the floors above. That made me uncomfortable, for I had to keep my gate and main door open.

Finally on my 5th try, someone answered. It was a middle-aged balding guy staying two floors above me. We had not met before. I introduced myself (his name is James) and explained my predicament. I then proposed borrowing his phonebook and then coming back up to his apartment to make the phonecall when I found Jim's phone number.

He went one better. He passed me his handphone and phonebook, insisted instead that I took them with me downstairs, then told me to take my time with them. I was quite taken aback. Again, more profuse thanks and I scrambled back downstairs quickly in case of intruders getting into my wide-open apartment.

I had a little difficulty locating Jim's number for his real name and surname was quite common but I managed in the end. And he made a trip down from his workplace (nearby) to rescue his beached tenant.

Since that experience, I've bumped into James from time to time in the corridors. We would stop for the occasional chat and 慰問. I found out he is a divorcee and has a daughter.

On hindsight, I still don't understand why James did what he did. He had believed me on face value. I am not even sure if he knew for sure I was his real neighbour then. And trusting me with his handphone?! I could have accessed some really private information if I wanted to (but not like I know how to lah). What if I was just someone masquerading as a locked out tenant?

That is be a piece of kindness I will always remember.


Then of course, there are all those little pieces of kindness Jim has shown me, and indeed to all my housemates, since I've moved in with him. They're all well-documented in my blog somewhere, so I won't repeat them here.


Interestingly, an Australian acquaintance once told me that the ANZAC Day means more to the average Australian than the Australia Day. ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corp) Day represented the first time in their history that both Australia and New Zealand displayed their national identity in battle. I believe during World War One.

Anyway, Happy Australia Day, Aussies!

64 days to go.

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Two items or less

Just came back from a trip to Coles. They have a new plastic bag policy that I didn't notice until today. But of course I haven't noticed, I have my green bag! But I do know about it now.

I was moving along and pulling stuff out from
my green bag for the cashier to scan. The previous customer was still standing at the other end and seemed reluctant to leave. Finally, he couldn't contain himself anymore and asked the cashier in a slightly irritated tone,

"Can I have a carrier bag please?"

The cashier looked up, smiled, was unflustered and explained,

"Sorry, sir. We have a new plastic bag policy," pointing to a sign on her cash register,"we don't issue plastic bags for two items or less now."

The sign said "Help us save the environment! We will no longer be issuing plastic bags for two items or less. Thank you for your understanding."

"Oh..." and he walked off.

For that split second, I had actually wanted to taunt him with my green bag by waving it in front of him. I'm glad I contained myself, or you guys might not have gotten to hear this little tale.

65 green days to go.

Fingers crossed, sportingly

Oh my! Oh my! Arsenal has been dumped unceremoniously out of the Mickey Mouse Cup, despite winning last night. Man Utd is playing the 2nd leg of the other semi finals tonight. Both the semis' and finals' (Arsenal's conquerors) opponents are very beatable teams. After a barren season like last season, even an Atom Ant Cup will do. At least for this 胸無大志 fan.

Oh my! Oh my! Hingis is playing later in the afternoon. With the 2nd seed no less. I'll have to tear myself away from my work to watch it.

Still 65 days to go.

<两口就好>

慧's 倔強性格 is coming more and more to the fore. Sometimes, my mum will complain to me she wants to tor hui (direct translation: vomit blood). I invented a term specially for this kind of situation: pee hui dou lao (direct translation: nose bleeding in reverse direction).

Here's yet another case in hand.

慧 asked for agar agar one evening. There were none at home so granddad was dispatched to procure some. Before he left, she half-commanded,

"Gong gong! 慧慧要red bean的. 要red bean的agar agar!" (My my, kids these days are really emperors)

Granddad returned with yam agar agar, because the former has been sold out. Upon seeing it, she declared,

"慧慧不要yum的. 要red bean的agar agar!" (she pronounces yam as "yum")

So grandma came in to damage control, explaining to her that red bean has been sold out and she would have to make do with yam. 慧 refused to listen. So grandma retorted,

“不要就不要囖。。。老的(that'll be my dad),幫我洗好放在桌子上。。。” (Ah ha! Grandma already has something up her sleeves.)

Then they continued going about their usual business and pretended not to bother with 慧. After a while, 慧 is observed hovering around the dining table, tiptoeing to peek.

"Ma ma! 慧慧要agar agar!"

"Yum的leh, 慧慧要不要?" (note that grandma tunes her own pronunciation of yam to suit 慧's as well!)

"不要!" and she runs away once more.

A little later, she comes back again and says

"要agar agar!两口就好!" (but she still refuses to acknowledge it is "yum 的")

65 days to go.

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

2 plus 1 makes 3

I've just discovered I have a third regular reader. Hey, this is not a gloating post. Just one to express my elation. I had initially thought the first regular reader would give me lots of pleasure and any others after that, little extra if any at all. But hey, I was only half-right. I've experienced the same amount of 安慰 from discovering subsequent readers. I'm happy as a lark now; I have said before that it takes little to get me feeling contented and happy.

OK... 形象...形象... *ahem*

Thanks for reading.

Slightly over 66 days to go.

New fan

I've been watching a whole lot of tennis lately. Australian Open of course. One free-to-air channel has been totally devoted to showing it. I believe the coverage is like 12-14 hours every day, stopping only for the news and such. And for some odd reason, I kept catching the matches that Martina Hingis happened to be involved in.

Now I've not watched tennis for a long long time. I know who she was but I didn't know she had retired a few years back due to some chronic back injury. At the ripe old age of 22. I also didn't know she had just made a comeback and this is her first major event. All these, I found out from the commentators' bantering.

Anyway, what was initially just pure stoning in front of TV, became mild interest, became moderate curiosity, and finally intrigue. So much so I checked the playing schedule yesterday and made sure I caught her 4th round match. She has found a new fan in me.

She did win the 4th round match to make it into the quarters where she'll meet her first real test of the tournament thus far, Kim Clijsters. I'm now hoping she can go all the way and win the Open.

66 days to go.

P.S. OK, so she has a sweet smile.

Monday, January 23, 2006

Pop quiz

As promised to my second regular reader, the pop quiz.

Guess what each of the following terms mean. All are WWII aviation related terms:

i) wilco
ii) pancake
iii) serviceable
iv) scratch
v) ack ack
vi) meatball
vii) buster
viii) Zeke
ix) wizard
x) scuttlebutt


Answers in two weeks (allowing for Chinese New Year). All are welcome to try. Enjoy.

(Updated at 4:18p.m., Her first try)


Akan Datang: Torch light (part 5)


67 days to go.

Sunday, January 22, 2006

A word of thanks

欣,衷心感激。

Still 68 days to go.

Drinking with Ah Gee

Ah Gee never drinks. He told us alcohol gave him rashes on his chest and back. I did manage to persuade him to drink with me once though. If my memory is working properly, I place it to be somewhere in 1998.

I had given him a call at some awkward time that fateful day, said I needed drinking company badly but added that he needn't drink with me. He didn't ask why. He just said ok.

In less than half an hour, we had met up and were in some neighbourhood NTUC. I went straight for the wine section and started choosing a bottle of red. I knew next to nothing about wine then (not as if I do now). It turned out to be a random choice in the end.

Then we headed for his home. I cannot remember our conversation topics anymore. I only remember drinking at a faster rate than I usually do. And taking more than I've ever done before. Enough to feel tipsy but not drunk. On my fourth glass, I broke my promise and badgered him to have a glass with me. He relented.

"Wait, I go get a glass."

What he returned with cracked me up.

A shot glass.

But since I appreciated his bravado and camaraderie, I poured out that smidgen of a glass for him without too much ridicule. That whilst trying to not to shake too much from the combined effects of laughing and alcohol. He proceeded to take miniscule dainty sips from the shot glass as I waded into my fifth.

I disapproved of this and pushed the limits again by challenging him to finish what's remaining in that shot glass at one go. To which he counter-offered

"Fine, but you finish your glass first."

I duly obliged. Again, kudos to him, he kept to his end of the wager. By now, I was really starting to feel the effects. We talked a little more and then, much to my surprise, he suddenly collapsed onto his bed. I gave him a few whacks and he came back to life long enough to mouth a few words,

“我不行了,讓我睡吧。”

One shot glass of wine. That was all it took! I can't wait for his wedding...


In any case, I knew I would be chasing a lost cause if I tried to wake him. I cleared things up a little, then climbed into bed next to him.

I'm a light sleeper and awoke quite early the next morning. He was still in deep slumber. Didn't want to wake him, so I left a short note thanking him for last night and left. As I walked through the gates, I had this feeling of having just had an one-night stand and was slipping out of the apartment before the other person woke.

I never did get around to asking him if he had any rashes as a result of that shot glass of wine.

Akan Datang: Pop quiz time!


68 days to go.

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Whenever

Whenever I walk past their car, I think of them.
Whenever I watch tennis, I think of them.

Whenever I hear that funny ringtone, I think of him.
Whenever I see a Hyundai, I think of him.

Whenever I observe a happy couple on the streets, I think of them.

Whenever I watch basketball, I think of him.
Whenever I come across news of Arsenal, I think of him.
Whenever I hear a jazz piece, I think of him.
Whenever I see a black blouse, I think of her.

Whenever I take a flight of stairs, I think of her.
Whenever I see a short ponytail, I think of her.

Whenever I have a glass of wine, I think of him.
Whenever I play mahjong, I think of him.
Whenever I play pool, I think of him.
Whenever I check Capitaland's stock price, I think of his Significant Other.

Whenever I chat with her, I think of her.
Whenever she grieves, I think of her.
Whenever I touch that red scarf, I think of her.

Whenever I switch on my laptop now, I think of her.


Whenever I watch a child play, I think of her.
Whenever I hear children's laughter, I think of her.
Whenever he talks about his grandson, I think of her.

Whenever I have soup, I think of her.
Whenever I open my wallet and see the phonecard, I think of her.

Whenever I notice someone walk with a slight limp, I think of him.

Whenever I have to use a handphone, I think of them.

Whenever I play a boardgame, I think of her.

Whenever I read Peanuts, I think of him.

Whenever I catch 黄舒俊 on the radio, I think of him.

Whenever I watch Man Utd play, I think of her.

Whenever I think "學妹", I think of her.

Whenever I think of unit trusts, I think of him.
Whenever I observe a torn t-shirt, I think of him.

Whenever "Titanic" is mentioned, I think of her.
Whenever I see a girl in a flowery skirt, I think of her.

Whenever I see an army uniform, I think of him.
Whenever I hear classical music, I think of him.
Whenever I work on a math problem, I think of him.

Whenever I work on a stats problem, I think of her.

Whenever I watch a foreign movie, I think of him.

Whenever I think of my former workplace, I think of him and his family.

Whenever "karaoke" is mentioned, I think of her.
Whenever I wear my red t-shirt, I think of her.
Whenever I prepare for my exams, I think of her.

Whenever it gets to the week straddling Christmas and New Year, I think of her.

Whenever I am here, I think of home.

Still 69 days to go.

Arrowed again

We live in dangerous times indeed. 我又中暗箭了。But this one not as painful.

i) I am ambidextrous. At least I think so. Examples, write with my right but eat with my left, carry haversack on my left shoulder but stronger arm is my right, racket games on my left (e.g. table tennis and badminton) but contact ball games on my right (e.g. bowling, football and basketball).

ii) Speaking of which, I can score a basket from the halfway line.

iii) I can't cycle, despite having tried learning it a few times.

iv) I know how to twirl a pen around my thumb. Very fast. And I enjoy doing it. I remember how we used to compete with one another in class during my secondary school years. The class record was something like 120 per minute, i.e. clockwise then counterclockwise around the right thumb (assuming right-hander) twice per second. I could do about 110 per minute then.

v) I've been a 廳長, i.e. sleeping in the living room, for most of my life. As such, I've also been sleeping on a mattress, as opposed to a bed, for most of my life. Sydney represents the first concentrated period of time in my life that I have my own room and bed. But I don't mind (I mean the 廳長 bit) . In fact, I am VERY much looking forward to becoming a 廳長 again.

I don't know five other bloggers to tag, so the buck ends with me. If I get bad luck out of this, then I know who to blame. :P


69 days to go.

Friday, January 20, 2006

Significance of 70

If the Japanese landed at Kota Bahru in Malaya today during WWII, then the day the British surrendered the garrison of Singapore will be the day I fly home.

Yes, 70 days to go.

PSLE and my maternal grandmother

I didn't really miss my maternal grandmother until many years after her passing. It was upon listening to my mum talk about her and recalling the little things she had done to help my family through some difficult times that I started to appreciate the grandmother that she was.

I don't remember much about her funeral either, except that it took place on the final day of my PSLE in November 1987. It was the science paper. Strangely, I can still remember one question from that paper. It had asked us to illustrate by way of drawing how to let water flow down a funnel resting on a glass bottle into it more quickly. It stated that no other instruments are to be drawn into the picture. I took it too literally and drew the bottle with a little hole smashed in at its neck. The simple answer was actually to just draw a hand lifting the funnel. This I only realised on hindsight. Like I said, I had taken it too literally and thought that hands were not allowed. Oh well...

What I also remember vividly was how my classmates were shouting, yelling in jubilation when it was all over, then racing one another to the school field, footballs in hand. But for myself, I was dragging my feet and trudging slowly towards a waiting motorbike. My dad already had an extra helmet in hand ready for me and the engine was already revving. I knew where we were going and wasn't too keen about it. I took a last wistful look at my friends, already in action on the field, as we sped off towards the school gate. Some noticed my departure and gave a cursory wave or two.

Then we were out of the gate and onto the roads. I felt down for the rest of that day, and I cannot say it was due to the loss of my maternal grandmother. I feel quite ashamed about it now when I think about it. Heh. Incidentally, it was also the last time I saw most of my primary school classmates.

My maternal granddad is my sole surviving grandparent. I sometimes wonder how painful it is for him to outlive his Significant Other by 20 years. During the Chinese New Years, I will see him sit quietly and wistfully by the window, looking out at times but mostly at the TV. This against the background of the din the young ones make. A decade or two ago, the young ones were us, the grandchildren. Now, it is the great grandchildren, e.g. my niece. My mum's family is four generations strong now and every year, there seem to be new addition(s).


I wonder how often he wishes that she is still with him to enjoy such a sight.

Akan Datang: Drinking with Ah Gee

70 days to go.

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Jim says

Jim says I today very ROD mood.

Got meh?

71 (MWA HA HA...) days to go.

The footballing god speaks

Once in a while, the footballing god looks down on the mere mortals of the current footballing generation, shakes his head (no no no... you've got it all wrong) and charitably gives them a little advice.

Still 71 days to go.

Way out

I laid the map down on the gravel. Then I removed the candle from my miner's hat to pore over the map slowly. I can't be too far away from the exit of the mine now. Perspiration continued to pour out of every pore of my body, making every inch of my skin clammy. My shirt was soaked through. For comfort, I decided to take it off whilst still looking the map over. Then I took off my jeans as well. I need to be patient, I told myself, or I would never get out of here.

The silence as I studied the map was broken by sounds of gravel shifting, seemingly heading towards me from behind. I turned around and waited for it to take form. It was a woman. When she saw me, she looked both relieved and apprehensive. I could tell she had been crying and was still visibly shaking.

Perhaps she had seen my candle light in a distance and followed it to me. Unfortunately, we didn't speak the same languages, so we couldn't communicate effectively. Then realising my state of semi-undress, I got up, palmed the signal for her to wait and turned around to put my jeans back on again.


She's obviously lost as well. How she got into such a predicament, I guess I will never know. But that is not of any importance. I pointed to the map, then to the candle, and finally made the hand signs of two people walking together. Some of her apprehension left as she understood my point. She nodded and squatted down next to me to look at the map.

I pointed to where I think we were as did she. Via hand signals, we agreed upon a preliminary plan to tackle this maze of a mine. That done, she broke into a smile. I wiped the half-dried tears off her cheeks and took her hand in mine. Even though it was damp with perspiration and tears and soiled with dirt, as was mine.

But we didn't mind.

71 days to go.

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

DJ-less

I've been waking up at real early hours (Singapore time) for the past few days. I hope it is not my body finally tuning to Sydney time because it is way too late for it. I would rather I operate on Singapore time all the way till I go home. Makes re-assimilation all the more easier.

Part of waking up real early is the quiet in the apartment; My housemates typically sleep till 11a.m., even 2p.m. on weekends. I get the radio up and running quickly before the silence gets to me.

But nonetheless,
it still gets to me. Because it is DJ-less radio. Refreshing for the first 10 minutes or so, especially if the songs spun agree with me, but ultimately very soul-less, very empty. So I find myself checking and re-checking the time, for I know 文鸿 and Pornsak comes on air at 6:30a.m.

Guys, a big thank you for waking up so early everyday to keep me company!


Still 72 days to go (and half an hour to 6:30a.m.).

Favourite buddy

My niece has found a favourite buddy recently. Or maybe I should say, one of her buddies got promoted to "favourite" status. It's a beanie duck that I had bought for her back in June last year.

I've received almost simultaneous reports from my mum and sis that she has been carrying it to school, when she goes gai gai, and plays with it very often. To illustrate the point, my sis sent me this pic:
Altogether now... aaaawwwwww...

That made my day.

We all agreed that it is probably a reaction to going to nursery. She transfers part of her fear of being alone to her favourite buddy. Having someone to share her fear and experience provides a great deal of comfort to her. 精神寄托. She has since handmade a name tag, "Duck", for the little beanie duck.


Again! Aaaawwwwww...

72 days to go.

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Another 獨家 and "live" news update

Just in from my sis:

"Mum and 慧 just called me, 慧 said proudly that she never cry today leh. I said well-done, she will get a Pooh rubber stamp with her name as a reward.

Lets hope she gets used to it and will not cry anymore."

My reply:

"Heh... she so HAO LIAN lor. Must call you up somemore to show off. HA HA HA."

She so reminds me of a female friend.

Still 73 days to go.

Knitting

As you might recall, the male half of my housemates went home to Hong Kong some time back, leaving the female half behind. You might also recall the female half had planned then to move to a friend's place but was delayed by a day or two. Well, during that day or two, we had a few chats. Amongst the things she told me, she announced that she was going to start knitting a sweater for her boy during his three week absence.

That didn't really register in my mind until a couple of days back.

I was in the living room watching my usual foreign movie one night. Suddenly, she walked out of their room with a largish plastic bag, pulled out a chair and small table alongside me and plopped down. I thought she was interested in the movie too but no. I hadn't noticed what was in the bag until she started pulling things out from it. It turned out to be wool and a pair of knitting needles. She started knitting in earnest whilst looking up from time to time to take in a few pictures from the TV. Just enough to get the drift, I suppose.

That sight was quite funny (to me) initially. For a short while, I just couldn't concentrate on the movie. Why? Because she suddenly appeared very motherly! And keeping in mind that she is just a teenager at 19, almost a zodiac cycle younger than me, these two images just clashed so totally with each other in my mind. I suppressed my smiles lest she noticed and thought I was some siao gia (translation: siao gia = crazy guy).

What a sweet couple.

73 days to go.

Monday, January 16, 2006

Temporary cure

I found a temporary cure for my withdrawal effects due to the lack of Xbox tennis action lately. Although it is only for two weeks.

Still 74 days to go.

Stubborn

慧 survived the first week of nursery relatively unscathed. Not the second week though, for she fell ill (a common thing amongst first time schoolers, we were told) late in the week and for the days when she did make it to school, she started getting sticky (to use my sis's words) to her parents.

Unscathed also largely in the sense that she didn't cry too much. There were a few token incidents but it went largely ok. Here is one of these incidents though, which was due to her stubbornness:

It is standard operating procedure to ask the children if they need to go to the loo every hour. And 慧 being 慧, she will answer no to almost every question we ask her, or rather, a short and very curt “不要!” unless it is for something she wants very badly.

So after the first hour, when asked if she needed to wee, she gave her usual “不要!” This despite her feeling "it" a little. Halfway through the second hour, I suppose her bladder was close to bursting point. Realising the hole she has dug herself into and not knowing what to do, she cried. The kind teacher walked over and asked her what was wrong.

"慧慧want to urine!" (the teacher had taught them to use the word "urine" earlier)

I have to commend the teacher here. She was perfectly understanding, didn't scold her (she realised 慧 had learnt her lesson anyway) and brought her straight to the loo.

When class was over, my hawk-eyed sis could tell immediately that she had cried earlier (my mum and bro-in-law couldn't). When asked why, 慧 replied truthfully,

“慧慧要xu xu loh!” (yes, with the "loh"!)

74 days to go.

Sunday, January 15, 2006

The plan

In a bid to distract myself, I've come up with the plan. The timeline for the remaining life of this blog. Actually, it has been on my mind for some time, but I'm rubberstamping it today.

I had planned all along to e-mail my blog address to a couple of friends and I've just come up with the final list. And I've also decided on WHEN to mail it to them. The selected Singaporean friends will get this earlier whilst the selected Australian pals will get it on the day I leave.

So here's the plan:

i) From now till end of March, look for gifts for Dan, Stef and Jim (see (iv) and (v) below).

ii) 1st March, e-mail my blog address to Ah Gee, Le Tissier and 秋. I suppose a month is more than enough to browse through the blog. In time to welcome me back and be up to date. *Big Grin*

iii) 28th March, actuarial exam.

iv) Final Thursday before I leave, 30th March 13th April (edit: date changed on 18th February), pass intended gift to Jim. The idea of what to get for him just hit me a week back and I'm in process of procuring it. Hopefully, I can find it and get it in time. I am not one to satisfice, so if I can't get it, then there will be no substitute. And oh, the little matters of handing in my final work report, return keys, say goodbye to staff etc... will fall on this day too.

v) Final Friday before I leave, 31st March 14th April (edit: date changed on 18th February), pass intended gifts to Dan and Stef. I'm only in the process of deciding what to get for them. Again, not one to satisfice. If I can't think of anything good enough, then there will be nothing.

vi) 1st April 15th April (edit: date changed on 18th February), the day I leave. In the morning, e-mail my blog address to Jim, Dan and Stef. Post my goodbye post which I've just gotten a start on (thought of the title).

Still 75 days to go.

<我又想家了>

今天早上,一睜開眼睛,莫名的沉重就壓在肩膀上。一直都摔不開。一直都謝不下。

我想是昨天闖的禍。不該聊得如此深入。害得我
又想家了。害得我長達兩個禮拜的開心突然停頓。

往後看,難以置信我已經在悉尼兩年九個月半。但這已不重要。重要的是,往前看,還有兩個月半。心情低落時,僅僅的兩個月半也變得好長好長。。。

就只能blog一下,希望能舒緩心情。

還有漫長的七十五天。。。

3 strikes: a possibility, a regret and a reminder

I particularly liked, and still do, to sit in the last row. Be it a talk, a class, tutorial or a lecture. I dislike the feeling of people watching my back. Therein perhaps lies the irony of this tale.

As I was saying, I enjoyed sitting in the last row. So I had planted myself at the seat nearest to the aisle in the last row.

It was the first day of the semester. The first lecture. I didn't do much listening that day, for the silhouette of the girl just in front of me had caught my attention. I have always found a girl's nape attractive, but hers was particularly alluring. If I believed in the existance of reincarnation, I might have guessed I was a Japanese in my previous life.

I was to return to that seat for every week of that semester and for some reason, so did she to hers. She, always the penultimate row, nearest to the right aisle, centre column. I, always the last row, nearest to the right aisle, centre column.

As luck would have it, we ended up in the same tutorial group. I eventually got to know her name and conversed with her a few times. She didn't give me good vibes though. Her reactions to my tentative approaches then were somewhere between reticent and curt.

Nonetheless, I still spent the whole semester admiring her nape. And somehow, I also managed to ace the course. Don't ask me how.

All too soon, the semester was over. I didn't pursue. I didn't try my luck. I had just gotten over someone else and wanted to be sure there was to be no 藕斷絲連 before I even considered another possibility. That was what she was then. A possibility. I suppose her aloofness further discouraged me. So I simply locked up memories of that lovely nape and whatever little I knew of her and threw away the keys.

Strike One.


I was to not see much of her for the rest of my first year there. In the second year, however, I started bumping into her along the corridors leading to the labs more often. I found out later it was because she was working on her Honours thesis. A couple of times, we would end up chatting there, right smack in the middle of the corridor.

Her demeanor had softened somewhat this time round. In fact, she started taking some interest in what I do and actually asked me some questions. But of course, these conversations were few and far between, given the copious amount of luck required. I didn't read too much into them either.

Until that Saturday in May. Circumstances conspired to bring both of us to school again, to that same corridor leading to the labs. She was in school to put final touches to her thesis and I was in school to occupy every PC there was to run my cumbersome program. I think we spoke for an hour that day.

This was to be her last day in school, she informed me.

She also told me about her impending graduation, apprehension regarding her first job (she had already found one), uncertainty over her dad's poor health...

She asked for my opinions regarding working life, the statutory bodies (one of which she was joining for her first job)...

She enquired about my work, my past work, my actuarial exams...

As I write this, clear images of that day are flooding back. We were leaning on the opposite walls of the corridor whilst talking. The corridor was flooded with white light and completely empty. There wasn't a need to check our voices for it was the holidays; Nobody was around. I even remember her jeans and how she placed the right sole on the wall as we spoke.

The longer we spoke, the louder the keys were tingling in me. Someone had found them and they wanted the memories to be unlocked, re-examined and most of all, to be continued. I fought that feeling. When we finally said our goodbyes, asking for her number or e-mail address was right there at the tip of my tongue. But I didn't. Instead, I turned and walked towards the lifts.

By the time I reached the bus stop, I knew that was, realistically speaking, the last time I was going to see her. Ever. With that thought came an impulse to turn and sprint back. But I didn't.

I knew why then, as I still do now. I was a coward. I offered myself the meek reason that if we're meant to meet again, we will. For a short while, I regretted my own cowardice. I don't often meet girls I fancy and I've just let one such possibility slip through my fingers without even trying. And I was quite right too, for I didn't meet anyone that affected me like she did for the next couple of years.

With that, I bought another lock, a bigger and stronger one, banished those meagre memories in there and threw away the keys again. A possibility had degenerated into a fading regret.


Strike Two.


I didn't have much time to dwell on the regret though, for my niece came along soon after and I became a full-time uncle. Moreover, I started to really enjoy my singlehood. In the midst of all these, I came over to Sydney in early 2003. I honestly thought she would just fade out and become a mere blip in my memory.

But luck intervened. Via pure coincidence, her e-mail address literally fell onto my lap in late 2004. I didn't hesitate and initiated contact immediately. She reciprocated. We corresponded a couple of times and this time round, she seemed even more receptive to my approaches than before.

Or so I thought.

She must've caught onto what was coming pretty early on, for a couple of dates in (when I was back in town for the summer break), she told me in a roundabout manner that she was attached. For many many years too. In fact, way before I had first known her.

Funny thing was, I had also decided that was the day I would tell her how I felt about her. She had just pre-empted me. By a mere couple of minutes or hours.

The other quirk was, on hindsight, that announcement invalidated strikes one and two. They needn't have happened.


Strike three.


Actually, "strike three" has been covered in far greater detail in a
previous post. I've merely produced a short summary of it above, upon request by my second regular reader, who also requested to hear the full story. Indeed, there is also a continuation to "strike three" and that previous post pretty much covered that as well. So go brush up your chinese.

To carry on the tale a little bit more, we have kept in touch since I've flown back to Sydney in late July (around the birth of this blog). I hadn't bothered with locking up this time round. I shan't suppress their existance anymore. But I have been warning and warding myself against any false hopes.


I had sieved through our correspondance as I wrote up this post. Reading through them again, they seem to reaffirm that she had been suspicious about my initial intentions but that suspicion has faded over time. As for myself, I believe I'm coming to terms with the current situation. I value her friendship very much, just as I do with all my pals. Having said that, I'm still not entirely convinced of myself. The acid test will come when I return home for good.

It's difficult trying to "define" her position in me right now. The best way I can put it is she personifies a reminder. A reminder that a higher level of contentment or even happiness is possible. Weigh this up with my current state of reasonably high level of contentment, you might deduce that I am experiencing a certain amount of inertia in adopting a more active attitude to pursuing it.

Yes, in fact you're right, that is exactly what has been going through my mind for the past half year since my return to Sydney. But it's not a bad kind of indecision to have.

Heh, given that I am a decisive person, that last statement felt really out of place. Even to myself.

Akan Datang: PSLE and my maternal grandmother

75 days to go.

Saturday, January 14, 2006

Big mouth III

I had told my sister recently that I had enough flyer miles to get a free return ticket to Hong Kong. And given that I really dread travelling, I was prepared to let her have it for free, should she want it. That set the wheels in motion and within one day, she came back with a grand plan of bringing her family over to the newly opened Disneyland next month.

Upon which my brother-in-law (HC) demonstrated that he also has a
big mouth:

"Once HC told 慧 that we are bringing her to Disneyland, she can't stop imagining about it. She drew the aeroplane and said I sit in front while she sits with HC.

We also showed her the Disneyland website pictures and wow, she keeps asking us how come have not buy plane tickets. Very gien. (translation: gien = desperately eager)"
Now I'm hoping nothing goes wrong and they can get the air tickets for the dates they want. If not, someone will be sorely disappointed.

76 days to go.

Friday, January 13, 2006

A woman's touch

I went for a haircut yesterday morning.

I've always enjoyed haircuts. But only if they are done by a female hairdresser. Fortunately for me, that is not a difficult thing to track down.

I like the way female hairdressers touch my scalp. Especially when she is done with the electric shaver and starts on the scissors part. My current hairdresser is quite skilled in that department and many a time, I have found myself getting drowsy from the massage-like effect it induces on me.

Jim has a simple term for this. He calls it a woman's touch.

It also helps that I am myopic. One, I can't make out the features of the hairdresser's face and hence, needn't feel embarrassed if she catches me looking at her. Two, if the hairdresser happens to be an auntie. Of course, if the hairdresser turns out to be a looker, it would negate the massage effect somewhat. Either way, I don't mind.

On a slightly different note, I also like to eavesdrop on the conversations that go on in hair salons in Sydney and compare them with those I overhear in Singapore. Over here, they talk about more personal things. Hobbies. Errands to run. The weather (a pet peeve here). What they had for lunch.

In Singapore, conversations are MUCH more interesting. I get to listen to the most recent and hottest news without having to read any papers. With personal opinions appended at the end too. Usually with a few choice swear words. Examples include politics, policy changes, latest price increases, scandals, country bashing...

I will also get to know the latest 4-D winning numbers. Again, with a few choice swear words.

But best of them all, I get to hear quite a few jokes. The good ones are usually bawdy. And in hokkien. Punctuated with yet a few more choice swear words. They probably think I don't understand hokkien and just let loose as they wish. I just play along, stifle my laughs and put on a straight face until after I've left the salon. Then go back for more when it is time for my next haircut.

When yesterday's haircut was done, the hairdresser somewhat apologetically told me prices had gone up. I've come to get used to this over my three years here; The new year seems to be the cue for everyone in Sydney to raise their prices.

In any case, I replied,"It's ok. I don't mind." I really meant it this time round.

77 days to go.

Thursday, January 12, 2006

I know Christmas is over...

... but when I called home just now, I thought I overheard some singing in the background that sounded like

"... and a par ree in a bear tree..."

Against the background of singing, I was also informed that the singer had proclaimed this morning she wanted to “跟gu gu和ma ma去海邊。” Further prompting revealed she was talking about our Chinese New Year reunion dinner from last year, when we all went down to some restaurant (forgot the name) near Sembawang. It was along the coastline and we could see JB from there. Her memory has amazed me again.

Still 78 days to go.

Dwindling music sources

The last time I was back in Singapore (more than 6 months ago now), I had met up with Ric. He knows rather well, from our uni days together, my music tastes.

I'm one of those ultra difficult to convert but ultimately loyal kind of listener (if successfully converted). Not only that, I am also very picky about the artistes I listen to. As such, it took a long time for me to love the artistes listed in
my profile like I do now. The latest example being 許哲佩.

However, once I get impressed enough to buy just one album by the artiste, I will make it a point to buy out ALL his/her albums. Unfortunately for me, that has meant a recent trend of dwindling new music albums for me to enjoy.
Ric had this to say when we had met up then:

“娶的娶,嫁的嫁,生孩子的生孩子,退休的退休。。。you have no one left to listen to liao.”

For the record,
王菲 is said to have retired, remarried and is with child again. No album since 2003.

那英 has recently become a mum too.
No album since 2002.

There hasn't been any news music-wise from
許茹芸 for quite some time, her last album being released in 2004. I think she did some 舞臺劇 last year.

許哲佩... well, she only cut that one and only album way back in 2001. She has since gone back to writing songs.

譚詠麟 has been semi-retired for a long long time, although he is still producing the occasional album. The latest being this (carries a song with 伍佰). Fan fodder I suppose (but I still buy it!).

林子祥 is happily married (to 叶倩文 if you might recall) and has been retired (except for the occasional concert) for some time. No album since 2001.

Which leaves just 蔡健雅 who is still cutting albums on a more or less regular basis now. *Big Sigh*

So Tanya, whatever you do, don't retire/marry/have a child yet, can?

Dan, Stef and myself were listening and re-listening to
林子祥's raucous song, 花街70號, in his car the other day (before they had left for Shanghai, of course). It's such a provocative song with a not oft seen theme (of extreme jealousy). Dan was reminiscing on its second spin,

"You know, singers these days lack their own individual characteristic. Listen to singer A and then to singer B, you won't be able to tell them apart."

Akan Datang: 3 strikes

78 days to go.

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Happiness vs contentment

I've been happy for every day of 2006 thus far. Yes, EVERY day. It doesn't take too much to make me happy, but such a sustained period of happiness is still quite rare for me. I haven't been able to pinpoint exactly why, but does it really matter?

In any case, I was pondering about it and came up with these:

Maybe it's because 2006, the year I've been looking forward to since 2004, is finally here.

Or maybe because the countdown is entering the latter stages now. Seventy something days sounds so little, so manageable (as opposed to thinking of it as 11 weeks or 2.5 months)!

Or maybe because 慧 has taken to nursery much better than we've hoped for.

Or maybe because of Le Tissier's smooth recovery and hearing 秋's cheerfulness flow through the phone lines.

Or maybe because I can actually see myself finishing what I've boldly (or foolishly) stepped into three years back. I have to admit that for most of these three years, I've never experienced a sustained period of confidence that I could complete this job. This despite me being a person who is rather confident of his own abilities. But I've been feeling this conviction since 2006 kicked in ten days back. That "not-only-have-I-survived-this-but-I've-done-much-better-than-expected" feeling.

Or maybe because I've just found out recently I've got a
SECOND regular reader. Heh.

Or maybe because...

It takes even lesser to make me feel contented. I've been feeling contented for the most of 2005. Even in the latter half of it when work was at its toughest and the idea of going home for even a short break was put paid by it.

I'm a believer that happiness is not sustainable but it comes in occasional spurts. The best I can do is to maintain a high level of contentment which enhances the frequency of these spurts. And hey, I'm easily contented so happiness really is quite near at hand most of the time.

Le Tissier once referred to me as "Seven Years in Tibet" (after
the movie) because I have so few wants. Jim was to make a similar remark about me after I've been his tenant for some time. Indeed, Le Tis added that he wished he was more like me so that his feelings of discontentment (about his evergrowing material wants not being met) will go away.

That's what I really like about Le Tis as a pal. He is always so brutally frank, even with himself.

If you ask me what are my wants right now, at this very moment, I would say just to get home in one serviceable piece.

Well, maybe also a new PC, if my 3 year-old laptop was to conk out before my work here is done(fingers crossed on this!). And maybe a
new tricycle, for my niece. And may I throw in the Xbox 360 into the list? A couple more of those DVDs in my list would also be nice. I've also quite a couple of aviation memoirs lined up should I have the spare cash. And maybe...

Akan Datang: Dwindling music sources

79 days to go.

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Torch Light (part 4)

(Source of pic, Leonid Mamchenkov)

Continued from Parts 1, 2 and 3...


I awoke from my history, my dreams and picked myself up gingerly. "Why gingerly?" you may ask. It is not easy getting up from a lying position in complete darkness. Nor would you want to try getting up whilst holding one of your index fingers completely upright (recall that for purely lighting purposes, I only have Finger Flame to fall on). My fingers have to remain upright, obviously to prevent the idiocy of burning myself.

Anyway, it was "time" to move on.

Part of my normal preparations before carrying on with the next part of my journey is to get a sip out of the local drinking hole. It is always wise to pre-empt any thirst that may surface along the way.

As I squatted down for my drink, I cannot help but notice that this sanctuary was particularly well lit, so bright that I could see myself quite clearly in the mirror of sparkling drinking water. I noticed my crew cut (designed specially by a fellow apprentice for the purpose of this trip), unsightly stubble (I have not shaved for like two days now), broad nose and slightly sloed pair of eyes. I have not taken a good look at myself for quite a while and could not resist the chance to give myself a naughty wink and grin before getting on my way.

There were quite a number of tunnels leading out from this particular sanctuary, many more than the prior few. I was spoilt for choice. Looking around each entrance, I was attracted by one particularly brightly-lit tunnel which shine took on several shades of dazzling colour. Given the otherwise overwhelming "randomness" I faced with my choice, I opted for this inviting tunnel.

As soon as I stepped into the tunnel, I found out the source of the diffusing shades of colourful light. My chosen tunnel was lined with weapons. All sorts of them. Swords, battleaxes, shields, armour (for both man and stead)… You name it, they are all there. All well polished and neatly placed or stacked along the sides of this spacious tunnel.

The light from a small number of torches was enough to keep the whole tunnel well-lit as the steady streams of light were being bounced rudely from piece to piece of metal with no escape from the tunnel. It actually edged on becoming glaring to me, for alas, their newfound escape route was now into the aching pupils of my eyes.

"This is going to be one tunnel my index fingers do not have to ache," I muttered half jokingly. Squinting a little, blinking often, I started looking at the walls for any carved treasures left on the walls by Katherine. I was to find out after a while, that there was none. What an utter disappointment! All that this tunnel had to offer were rows and rows of weaponry. They reeked of violence, were cold to touch and held no particular attraction to me. I cursed a little of making such a poorly calculated choice of tunnel. Unfortunately, the entrance has been sealed shut and forward was the only direction to go. "So be it," I thought, "Maybe there will be something to see as I move along further down this tunnel."

As I moved on for around an hour, there was still none. My pace increased proportionately with the stinging pain attacking my eyes. The tentacles of my impatience broadened their reach. I failed for once to question myself why Katherine would bother to construct THIS particular tunnel, in the same way that I have done for all of the previous tunnels I have been in. The gnawing displeasure and discomfort was getting the better of me. Before long, I was just aiming to be out of this ill-chosen tunnel in the shortest possible time.

By now, I was trudging along without bothering to scour the walls for any writings, or to inspect the repetitive array of artifacts lying by my path. My focus has shifted its entirety to the distant darkness, to the eventual exit I hope will come much sooner rather than later. So focused I was that I failed to heed the suddenly doubled echoes of my footsteps.

That was until my quickened pace took its toll on my limited stamina and I elected to take a short breather. It was at exactly the moment when I stopped that I thought I heard some distant echo of a footstep stop dead in its tracks too. Was my tired mind hallucinating? I tried the same sequence again, to the same effect.

My immediate reaction was mixed. Uncertainty and fear started seeping into my already overflowing impatience, creating a more potent poison called panic. In a bid to calm myself down, I looked back and forth to make some sense of things. I saw nothing that pointed to the source of the echo although I was still sure I had heard something, which is "supposed" to be illogical.

The next logical question to ask myself was what I should do. There was no way I am going to retreat, knowing that the entrance has been sealed. Forward is the only way to go. Fear, though now omnipresent in my mind, has to be swept aside. The realisation of that, coupled with my ever-homosapien curiosity, got me back on my feet and moving again. If whatever I fear is going to happen, I might as well let it take place sooner rather than later. I would kill those irritating pangs of curiosity at the same time.

Sure enough, those echoes continued and got progressively nearer. So my mind was not making it up after all. I half-consoled myself of my sanity still intact. Beads of perspiration poured down my semi-dehydrated body as I pushed forward. The increasing intensity of the echoes chewed further into my fear and it threatened to overwhelm me. Still, my own momentum carried me forward.

Then, I saw him.

At least "it" looked like a him and not a her or an it. "He" was wearing a brown hooded monk-like dress. "He" had his hood hanging over his head, hiding his face. As such, I could not make out his facial features. His body mass and size was not unlike mine. "He" was bare-footed. In his right hand, "he" held a broadsword. At this first instance of contact, "he" looked overtly threatening to me.

My immediate reaction was to be ready to defend myself. I picked up another broadsword lying nearby with my feeble, trembling hands and tried asking in my most demanding and fearless tone (No doubt that I failed badly),"Who are you? What are you?"


Akan Datang: Happiness vs contentment

80 days to go.


P.S. Here's wishing to all muslims "eid mubarak" for the Haji holiday, especially Z and my ex-colleague from Egypt.

Monday, January 09, 2006

Not present!

慧 seemed to have taken to the nursery quite well. We've been collectively crossing our fingers on this since Day One. Recent proof seemed to suggest this trend of settling in is set to continue. Here's a piece of that recent proof:

During attendence taking, the children were taught to shout "Present!" when their respective names were called. When it came to 慧's turn, she kept quiet. Thrice. Of course, the teacher knew 慧 was present, so she just ignored 慧's prank and moved on to the next name.

Upon which 慧 shouted "Not present!".

I can imagine quite a few of the parents present (parents were allowed into the classroom for the first two days) trying to stifle their giggles as well as my sister and bro-in-law's faces turning tomato red.

81 days to go.

Sunday, January 08, 2006

Ahead of schedule

The author of Peanuts, Mr. Charles M. Schulz, used to work way ahead of schedule. He would usually have around a few weeks' of daily and Sunday strips in hand. As a buffer I suppose. Indeed when he retired on 14th December 1999, his daily strips lasted till 3 January 2000 and Sunday strips, until 13th February 2000.

Why am I telling you this? Well, I was blogging this morning and realised I have about a week of posts in hand. This is on top of any impromptu posts during the course of the coming week.

Still 82 days to go.

P.S. I've already thought of the title for my farewell post on 31st March (or perhaps 1st April).

Readjustment

My housemates are back. As earlier predicted, I've already gotten used to being alone again. So I've to go through yet another readjustment period. *Sigh*

Amongst other things, I must remember...

...to keep the radio/music volume down, regardless of how much I like the song currently being spun.

...to keep the TV volume down too, especially when I watch late night/early morning movies.

...to close the door when I am changing.

...NOT to walk around the house whilst I change (save time mah).

...NOT to leave my room door open when I'm near naked. OK, so it has only happened once in their absence, i.e.
New Year's day.

...to shut and lock the toilet door when I need to do my business. Especially in the morning when I am groggy. A short aside here. For some strange reason, Dan and Stef refers to doing "big business" as "拍連續劇".


...to be quieter between 5-8p.m. (they sleep at real strange times).

...NOT to stare and to put on my most nonchalent look when they get lovey dovey in the living room.

And last but not least, I must remember to pretend in the morning that I didn't hear any of the er... noises coming out from their not-very-well-sound-proofed room the previous night. Even though I clearly did.


82 days to go.

Saturday, January 07, 2006

Long walks

I took a real long walk to a neighbouring suburb for dinner this evening. All 25 minutes worth. That makes it 50 minutes there and back.

I used to do this quite often. That was way back in 2003 and 2004. Last year being the busy year that it was, I had to cut down on these leisurely walks-cum-dinner drastically. Until in the final few months of the year when it stopped altogether. With
work taking on a decidedly positive outlook recently, I thought I could afford the time today for that longish walk.

Along the way there, I popped by office to check out my mailbox. Not too surprisingly, my Brazilian colleague was there. Working his socks off on a Saturday. My job deadline is fixed at the end of March, hence my recent haste but his is even closer. It is the end of this month. He divulged to me how big a fight he has to put up with himself everyday just to keep on going. I reassured him that he is not alone in that experience. Other colleagues and myself go through the same thing too. To which he said

"Thanks Acey, I feel much better already."

It was a pleasant day today, not
overly hot and no rain. I was to be alone in being alone again at the restaurant. But I didn't mind; I'm used to it already.

Still 83 days to go.

No news is good news

If you've been wondering why I hadn't mentioned Le Tissier's recuperation progress for over a month, that's because no news is good news.

Firstly, you might recall that they were put on a month-long wait for the next and final stage of treatment. As such, this treatment has only began recently.

Secondly, the side effects, if any, of this final stage is expected to be relatively mild. So says the doctor. And thus far, it does seem to be so.

I know Le Tissier is well and truly on the path to returning to his old self when 秋 told me they've been "mahjonging" again. On a regular basis too.

83 days to go.

Friday, January 06, 2006

Telling on ma ma

慧 has been naughty yet again and received another round of scolding from her ma ma. Later in the day, when ma ma was talking to mee mee on the phone, 慧 started pestering for the receiver. She wanted to talk to mee mee too. Ma ma relented after a while.

"Mee mee! Mee mee! 慧慧naughty, ma ma罵. 慧慧要囘Yew Tee!" (Yew Tee = general area of my sister's home)

My mum and I are starting to wonder when 慧 will spill the beans about our visits to the chinese physician.

Still 84 days to go.