OK, so after experiencing The Giant Drop which was a bit overestimated, we felt a bit braver. Felt like having enough courage for the new challenge, we headed to the direction of Tower of Terror.
Ouw, the location was farther than expected. So we took another ride, which I’ve forgotten the name – and not important either – and found out that it was only a roller-coaster in darkness. Just imagine taking a joyride with higher force and many occasional jerks and sudden turns while what you could see were only few flickers of light.
OK, enough for the interlude.
Heroically, we continued our journey to The Tower of Terror after spending some time to find the entrance. The queue was not so long (as it was a weekday in a non-holiday season) hence we sat on the carriage straight away. Basically there was no time to panicking. Just removed your loose belongings, sat down and buckled up.
Before we knew it, we were already shot forward with a way-above-average velocity. The acceleration was more than enough for the carriage to exert higher force than gravity and after a 90 degrees almost-sharp bend, we shot up and facing the residences of heaven…. Up, up and up until slightly higher than half of the maximum height of The Giant Drop (they shared one tower), were held there for a brief moment and with a comparable high velocity we were “sucked” back to our initial position.
Again, it was just… “That’s it? Gitu doank?” The sudden forward shoot was a bit thrilling, for only a diminutive amount of time.
Were the rides not that thrilling? Or was it just because we had over-prepared ourselves and expected the worst when seeing the rides for the first time? Psychological Effect?
Monday, September 12, 2005
The Exponential Force of Gravity
Wow, I got so excited writing my travel journal (I like to call it Australian Escapades!! – yeah complete with the exclamation mark) here (and hopefully you are as excited to read it! Ha ha ha). I just wished that I don’t have to spend the whole day reading text books (about a foreign topic of Digital Signal Processing – foreign for me at the present moment) and muse in this blog instead. Don’t get me wrong, I like my new job, but still….
OK, let’s go back to Thursday 25th of August 2005.
Dream World was in our agenda for that day. And the adventure continued….
The first thing that caught my eyes (and ears, apparently, as it came with a very noticeable noise) was The Tower of Terror. It looked scary, stomach-churning and the juddering sound just exacerbated things. However, I felt like having to gather my courage before really going to take a ride.
So off we went (with partially-mustered guts) to the other ride, which as nerve-racking to see as The Tower of Terror.
This ride is from which the article’s title was derived. The Giant-Drop, a row of yellow seats, innocently invited us to experience the exponential force of gravity. With all loose belongings removed, including my glasses as I still want to have my fully-functional aided eyesight after this, we sat down on the seat side by side. Buckle up!!! And we were ready….
Firstly, we were slowly escalated to the tower’s top. We felt a bit heavy, not only for the D’Alembert principle (remember Dynamics) but also for the somewhat unwillingness to be dropped down from you-don’t-wanna-know height above the eagerly awaiting Mother Earth.
Clank! We heard the pulley stopped hauling us up. Oops. The time will come… soon….
One…
Two…
Thr… Aaaaaaa... Huh??
OK, so there we were. Experiencing being pulled down by the magnified-exponentially gravitational force.
And… huh??? Just like that. Trust me, it is not as scary as you thought it might be (or at least that was what we thought).
No more than six seconds after the sudden drop, we came into halt and were slowly brought down to the comfortable altitude (which equals to ground level).
And there we were, staring at each other and said “That’s it? Gitu doank?”
OK, let’s go back to Thursday 25th of August 2005.
Dream World was in our agenda for that day. And the adventure continued….
The first thing that caught my eyes (and ears, apparently, as it came with a very noticeable noise) was The Tower of Terror. It looked scary, stomach-churning and the juddering sound just exacerbated things. However, I felt like having to gather my courage before really going to take a ride.
So off we went (with partially-mustered guts) to the other ride, which as nerve-racking to see as The Tower of Terror.
This ride is from which the article’s title was derived. The Giant-Drop, a row of yellow seats, innocently invited us to experience the exponential force of gravity. With all loose belongings removed, including my glasses as I still want to have my fully-functional aided eyesight after this, we sat down on the seat side by side. Buckle up!!! And we were ready….
Firstly, we were slowly escalated to the tower’s top. We felt a bit heavy, not only for the D’Alembert principle (remember Dynamics) but also for the somewhat unwillingness to be dropped down from you-don’t-wanna-know height above the eagerly awaiting Mother Earth.
Clank! We heard the pulley stopped hauling us up. Oops. The time will come… soon….
One…
Two…
Thr… Aaaaaaa... Huh??
OK, so there we were. Experiencing being pulled down by the magnified-exponentially gravitational force.
And… huh??? Just like that. Trust me, it is not as scary as you thought it might be (or at least that was what we thought).
No more than six seconds after the sudden drop, we came into halt and were slowly brought down to the comfortable altitude (which equals to ground level).
And there we were, staring at each other and said “That’s it? Gitu doank?”
Between the Heaven and Earth
This article has nothing to do with my recent Australian Escapade. It is just a pondering thought who was polite enough to ask for permission to interfere the holiday journal. And I have said yes.
A dark canopy hung in the air the moment I stepped out from my office. Heavy rain it might be, as I confidently thought. Bless the pedestrians, cyclist and motorbike riders.
Along the creeping traffic, the water slowly but surely dripped down from the sky. Nearing Stephens Road, the God of Rain had lost His mercy and poured the rain down in buckets. The night fell and the dark canopy lessened its distance towards the earth.
The lightning gave blinding lights now and again. Some of passengers inside the bus that I took shrunk in worry. Some had even closed their ears. Some just looked questioningly to the thunderous sky.
The weather was not the best to have a bus ride home after a full-day work. Physical and mental exhaustion demanded fruitlessly for a quiet journey back home. On top of that, the bus started giving an unnerving screeching sound. With my limited yet sufficient mechanical engineering background, I could only deduce that gears slipping may occur anytime from now.
Heaven helps!!
Some passengers exchanged looks of trepidation. Who might tell what would happen to us? Hands gripped even more forcefully, hanging for the dear life. And outside, thunders were still clearly seen, teasing us repeatedly with his peek-a-boo. Or so it thought.
As lightning came down and cracked the depth of the night with its line connecting heaven (or hell??) and earth, another line was drawn…
Prayers rose up to the heaven, like a string of rosary beads.
Remember Your children, Dear Lord…
And bless the homeless people….
What we experienced is minuscule compared to the fear of thousands of people inside The Twin Tower exactly 4 years and 1 day ago. But again, who would know what will happen in the next minute, or even second? How about people who died of lightning struck? Who smiled at this minute and was lifeless at the next? Who was basking under the sun and the next thing he knew he was swallowed by the tsunami waves?
We are just luckier then…
Count your blessing. Start from today.
A dark canopy hung in the air the moment I stepped out from my office. Heavy rain it might be, as I confidently thought. Bless the pedestrians, cyclist and motorbike riders.
Along the creeping traffic, the water slowly but surely dripped down from the sky. Nearing Stephens Road, the God of Rain had lost His mercy and poured the rain down in buckets. The night fell and the dark canopy lessened its distance towards the earth.
The lightning gave blinding lights now and again. Some of passengers inside the bus that I took shrunk in worry. Some had even closed their ears. Some just looked questioningly to the thunderous sky.
The weather was not the best to have a bus ride home after a full-day work. Physical and mental exhaustion demanded fruitlessly for a quiet journey back home. On top of that, the bus started giving an unnerving screeching sound. With my limited yet sufficient mechanical engineering background, I could only deduce that gears slipping may occur anytime from now.
Heaven helps!!
Some passengers exchanged looks of trepidation. Who might tell what would happen to us? Hands gripped even more forcefully, hanging for the dear life. And outside, thunders were still clearly seen, teasing us repeatedly with his peek-a-boo. Or so it thought.
As lightning came down and cracked the depth of the night with its line connecting heaven (or hell??) and earth, another line was drawn…
Prayers rose up to the heaven, like a string of rosary beads.
Remember Your children, Dear Lord…
And bless the homeless people….
What we experienced is minuscule compared to the fear of thousands of people inside The Twin Tower exactly 4 years and 1 day ago. But again, who would know what will happen in the next minute, or even second? How about people who died of lightning struck? Who smiled at this minute and was lifeless at the next? Who was basking under the sun and the next thing he knew he was swallowed by the tsunami waves?
We are just luckier then…
Count your blessing. Start from today.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Bugs Bunny Comes Home!
My sequined Bugs Bunny t-shirt became the highlight on my second day in Gold Coast. An instant celebrity it turned to be to some passer-bys and shop attendants. Many were surprised to find out that I got it from Zara – Singapore, instead of its habitat – the exact place at which we were that day – Movie World, Gold Coast Australia.
So Bunny comes home… Bunny comes home!
I am compelled to say that among the three theme parks that I visited, Movie World got my best vote. It has allured me as early as its inviting entrance.
The rides were not the highlight of the day. Instead, it was the shops… and the food… and of course great photo backgrounds and companions!!
I remember seeing this man, wearing green tight suit with over-built muscles. Hahaha he greeted everyone with his broad grin and cheery “Hello!!”, and yet others were just giggling and in fact almost nobody approached him for photo taking (though actually that was the main purpose of his wearing the unusual -or should I say… preposterous- outfit. I do hope that they (as in the “very unnatural muscles”) were fake ‘coz if not… poor thing….
Actually I was so eager to take a photo with Harry Potter but too bad, he wasn’t around in sight. May be he was sitting for his OWL exams, and hence his absence. (Sorry for this sidetrack)
Ouw, one thing that I won’t forget so easily from Movie World is the body-wrecking Lethal Weapon ride. I could say it is not the most thrilling adventure around the globe. But it was not one ride to take a second time, either. You are hung while sitting then it will twirl, rotate, and put you upside down. What with its turbo-speed, you will have no time to surmise your current altitude and theta (as angle of rotation) when you take the ground as X-Y Cartesian Coordinates. Your face muscles which control the eye movement were shrunk to shut. Anyway, it won’t be of too high functionality as with that kind of speed, you would not be able to see anything clearly. A blur image, like the one in a fast-forwarded movie, was the max you can get.
The Police Academy Stunt Show was something that you would better not to miss. It was so funny, even the welcoming cop won’t stop you laughing. Very entertaining indeed. Just be careful of him. Those who have been there must understand what I am saying. Nevertheless, the show did not only rely on its quirkiness, comedy and parody show. Agility, skill, extraordinary-speed, and of course gut are in the list of minimum requirements to make these stunts safely done.
Before we bid goodbye, my sequined Bugs Bunny got a chance to pose together with the big plush one. Nice photo it was, with Bugs Bunny, Tweety and BROAD GRINS of the two of us (watch the capital letters).
Something was awaiting for us after our dinner (which we did twice, as the first one was oh-so-lousy, with an intolerable amount of oil which is enough to fuel a motorcycle goes from Jurong West to Jurong East – pardonnez moi for the unnerving and hyperbolizing exaggeration). We enjoy the night sea breeze while scaling the beach-line in the crowd of Surfers Paradise’s Wednesday night market. A good place to find various knick-knacks, but not with good prices, so off we went with empty hands.
And then… slumber time (which applies to the present-me also. Many stories to follow. Just make sure you’ll visit the page again. Ciaoo.. and good night)
So Bunny comes home… Bunny comes home!
I am compelled to say that among the three theme parks that I visited, Movie World got my best vote. It has allured me as early as its inviting entrance.
The rides were not the highlight of the day. Instead, it was the shops… and the food… and of course great photo backgrounds and companions!!
I remember seeing this man, wearing green tight suit with over-built muscles. Hahaha he greeted everyone with his broad grin and cheery “Hello!!”, and yet others were just giggling and in fact almost nobody approached him for photo taking (though actually that was the main purpose of his wearing the unusual -or should I say… preposterous- outfit. I do hope that they (as in the “very unnatural muscles”) were fake ‘coz if not… poor thing….
Actually I was so eager to take a photo with Harry Potter but too bad, he wasn’t around in sight. May be he was sitting for his OWL exams, and hence his absence. (Sorry for this sidetrack)
Ouw, one thing that I won’t forget so easily from Movie World is the body-wrecking Lethal Weapon ride. I could say it is not the most thrilling adventure around the globe. But it was not one ride to take a second time, either. You are hung while sitting then it will twirl, rotate, and put you upside down. What with its turbo-speed, you will have no time to surmise your current altitude and theta (as angle of rotation) when you take the ground as X-Y Cartesian Coordinates. Your face muscles which control the eye movement were shrunk to shut. Anyway, it won’t be of too high functionality as with that kind of speed, you would not be able to see anything clearly. A blur image, like the one in a fast-forwarded movie, was the max you can get.
The Police Academy Stunt Show was something that you would better not to miss. It was so funny, even the welcoming cop won’t stop you laughing. Very entertaining indeed. Just be careful of him. Those who have been there must understand what I am saying. Nevertheless, the show did not only rely on its quirkiness, comedy and parody show. Agility, skill, extraordinary-speed, and of course gut are in the list of minimum requirements to make these stunts safely done.
Before we bid goodbye, my sequined Bugs Bunny got a chance to pose together with the big plush one. Nice photo it was, with Bugs Bunny, Tweety and BROAD GRINS of the two of us (watch the capital letters).
Something was awaiting for us after our dinner (which we did twice, as the first one was oh-so-lousy, with an intolerable amount of oil which is enough to fuel a motorcycle goes from Jurong West to Jurong East – pardonnez moi for the unnerving and hyperbolizing exaggeration). We enjoy the night sea breeze while scaling the beach-line in the crowd of Surfers Paradise’s Wednesday night market. A good place to find various knick-knacks, but not with good prices, so off we went with empty hands.
And then… slumber time (which applies to the present-me also. Many stories to follow. Just make sure you’ll visit the page again. Ciaoo.. and good night)
And let the journey... begins
From a third-person’s point of view (that means you), you might think that we were just two girls having fun together, joining the swarm of holiday-goers in the three theme parks that we visited (Sea World, Movie World and Dream World). Nonetheless, you might not think that we are sisters because we are just different. Take our height, for example (sorry Yen!! Hehehehe)
We probed, we dig, we asked, we observed, we saw, we comprehended, and what we found out had never ceased to amaze us. Listening to some of my life’s story after hers, vice versa, was just like rewinding and replaying a video-tape of an old odd movie. The family background and its nature of nurture was surprisingly the mirror image of each other’s. It is just like applying grease on the door hinge, so you would be able to open one’s door with more ease… and to better understand what’s inside. About the things we do, the thoughts we think, the actions we take, the decision we made, the words we say, and the feelings we feel.
We had in common even a small and trivial thing. Let our sleeping time be an example. We always fell sleepy and hence headed to the comfortable king-size bed at the same time. At 0 +/- 5 minutes apart from each other, we opened our eyes and were ready for the forthcoming adventure. Apparently, waking up when the sun is up-high was highly unacceptable by our parents’ standard.
Trust me, if you spend holiday together, you may need to synchronize your body clock to make the best out of it. As for our case, this requirement was hence omitted.
As for our gastronomical call, we ate (x + y) times a day, where x equals to the number of times we got hungry (which were always almost simultaneously) and y equals to the number of time when I got hungry and she did not.
So off we went to Sea World on Tuesday, 23rd of August 2005. Having had quite a heavy brunch during the morning flight, we started our adventure by sipping over a cup of megaccino (just a mega size of cappuccino) for me and a cup of hot chocolate for Y while watching the Waterski WipeOut, a frontal attraction by Sea World Australia. It was about people flying and jumping from all heights and directions, just to land on the water and continue with skiing. Nice one, I have to say. Lots of skills and courage involved. Some even did it bare-footed.
Then we just went promenading and enjoyed the view, talked, saw few beautiful birds, talked, snapped some photographs, talked, took some rides, talked, went for some shopping, talked, went for underwater view, talked, blablabla, talked, bliblibli, talked, blublublu, and still talked.
At around 3 pm we packed our sandwich and sat down along the bench to watch the Golden Seal attraction. We could just conclude that they were very well-trained. Or do they have an elephant memory? Bother not, just enjoy the show.
There was nothing much left to do and to see after that. We just continued wandering around and… talking. Then we ate churros, which has become one sweet munchy that I like. Too bad Gold Coast’s churros can’t be easily found anywhere else.
Upon arrival at Surfers Paradise’s vicinity, strolling we went to the shopping arcade. As an aficionado for western food and dessert, it was as if I found my haven. Having lived in two different countries which still belong to South East Asian region, this escapade was to the power of fulfillment of gastronomical lust. Munch munch munch. Gobble gobble gobble. They even have FEW Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlours in close environs!! I positively think it is among the things that Singapore is lacking. Baskin-Robbins.
And there only I found the credibility of some Singapore boutiques’ shop attendants. At least now I am sure that some of them really know what they are doing and seeing. Not only once did they bluntly apologize to me that they only cater for ASIAN WOMAN SIZE.
Huh? Can you see my slit-eyes? I am as Asian as millions of Chinese-by-race flock. I am tall (NOT very tall though), nevertheless I am not gigantic. My mother inherited the good height gene from his handsome dad, straight from Guang Zhou, no other than a city in China.
Well, let assume that they know what they are well-trained by uttering such comment. So off I left the shops. And in this Southern Pacific Continent, I found the answer. It is not the size, dear brethrens… but the cutting!! The solved mystery was actually as simple as: I have a longer body proportion than average Asians. Australian clothes suit me better (and I believe other western countries produced as well) where as for Y, she always prefers to buy her clothes from Singapore.
The dinner for the day was a sumptuous yet simple meal at Nando’s chicken. A salivating fast food that Singapore is again lacking. Any franchisers out there, bring them in!
After a grocery shopping for our breakfast and oranges (as our Vitamin C-booster, something for which unavailability – especially during holiday – is intolerable), we headed back to Quarterdeck, a nice one-bedroom serviced apartment. It was cold outside. So with our pajama and blanket we continued our talk indoor with the operating heater as the background sound….
We probed, we dig, we asked, we observed, we saw, we comprehended, and what we found out had never ceased to amaze us. Listening to some of my life’s story after hers, vice versa, was just like rewinding and replaying a video-tape of an old odd movie. The family background and its nature of nurture was surprisingly the mirror image of each other’s. It is just like applying grease on the door hinge, so you would be able to open one’s door with more ease… and to better understand what’s inside. About the things we do, the thoughts we think, the actions we take, the decision we made, the words we say, and the feelings we feel.
We had in common even a small and trivial thing. Let our sleeping time be an example. We always fell sleepy and hence headed to the comfortable king-size bed at the same time. At 0 +/- 5 minutes apart from each other, we opened our eyes and were ready for the forthcoming adventure. Apparently, waking up when the sun is up-high was highly unacceptable by our parents’ standard.
Trust me, if you spend holiday together, you may need to synchronize your body clock to make the best out of it. As for our case, this requirement was hence omitted.
As for our gastronomical call, we ate (x + y) times a day, where x equals to the number of times we got hungry (which were always almost simultaneously) and y equals to the number of time when I got hungry and she did not.
So off we went to Sea World on Tuesday, 23rd of August 2005. Having had quite a heavy brunch during the morning flight, we started our adventure by sipping over a cup of megaccino (just a mega size of cappuccino) for me and a cup of hot chocolate for Y while watching the Waterski WipeOut, a frontal attraction by Sea World Australia. It was about people flying and jumping from all heights and directions, just to land on the water and continue with skiing. Nice one, I have to say. Lots of skills and courage involved. Some even did it bare-footed.
Then we just went promenading and enjoyed the view, talked, saw few beautiful birds, talked, snapped some photographs, talked, took some rides, talked, went for some shopping, talked, went for underwater view, talked, blablabla, talked, bliblibli, talked, blublublu, and still talked.
At around 3 pm we packed our sandwich and sat down along the bench to watch the Golden Seal attraction. We could just conclude that they were very well-trained. Or do they have an elephant memory? Bother not, just enjoy the show.
There was nothing much left to do and to see after that. We just continued wandering around and… talking. Then we ate churros, which has become one sweet munchy that I like. Too bad Gold Coast’s churros can’t be easily found anywhere else.
Upon arrival at Surfers Paradise’s vicinity, strolling we went to the shopping arcade. As an aficionado for western food and dessert, it was as if I found my haven. Having lived in two different countries which still belong to South East Asian region, this escapade was to the power of fulfillment of gastronomical lust. Munch munch munch. Gobble gobble gobble. They even have FEW Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlours in close environs!! I positively think it is among the things that Singapore is lacking. Baskin-Robbins.
And there only I found the credibility of some Singapore boutiques’ shop attendants. At least now I am sure that some of them really know what they are doing and seeing. Not only once did they bluntly apologize to me that they only cater for ASIAN WOMAN SIZE.
Huh? Can you see my slit-eyes? I am as Asian as millions of Chinese-by-race flock. I am tall (NOT very tall though), nevertheless I am not gigantic. My mother inherited the good height gene from his handsome dad, straight from Guang Zhou, no other than a city in China.
Well, let assume that they know what they are well-trained by uttering such comment. So off I left the shops. And in this Southern Pacific Continent, I found the answer. It is not the size, dear brethrens… but the cutting!! The solved mystery was actually as simple as: I have a longer body proportion than average Asians. Australian clothes suit me better (and I believe other western countries produced as well) where as for Y, she always prefers to buy her clothes from Singapore.
The dinner for the day was a sumptuous yet simple meal at Nando’s chicken. A salivating fast food that Singapore is again lacking. Any franchisers out there, bring them in!
After a grocery shopping for our breakfast and oranges (as our Vitamin C-booster, something for which unavailability – especially during holiday – is intolerable), we headed back to Quarterdeck, a nice one-bedroom serviced apartment. It was cold outside. So with our pajama and blanket we continued our talk indoor with the operating heater as the background sound….
Getting Northward
The next day was the crystallization of a dream. With one small luggage, one small duffel bag and bags of holiday frenzy excitement, Y and I walked against the morning chilly wind to the train station… got lost at Sydenham, took a train back to Wolli Creek, continued the journey to Domestic Terminal, aboard on Jet Air, headed to…. GOLD COAST!!!
I do tell some people at times that LIFE is indeed about expecting the unexpected. And my getaway in Australia is one that may illustrate it.
Who would ever suppose that two people who had only just met for an accumulated few hours and whose communication was only done through electrical means (i.e. e-mails, MSN and SMS) would spend 10 full glorious days together, sharing the same mattress for each night’s sleep. It was close to a gamble, I might say. The heaps amount of dollar spent may just go to the drain if the holiday went sour.
The family ties had not been bound, yet we have felt that we are just sister who have waited for years to meet. Perhaps it is what people call a match made in heaven. It does not only concern the loving lad and lass but also the whole families.
There was no awkwardness whatsoever in our first few hours together. And the hours that followed were even smoother rides. We both had even confided with each other for having a lingering qualm about how well we would be getting along.
During our four days – three nights stay in Gold Coast, we had a whole unit of a serviced apartment just for the two of us. Complete with the kitchen, living room, dining table, television set, a king-size bed, a huge bathroom. CIHUYYY!!! What with the entrance tickets to various theme parks in hand, we just couldn’t ask for more. Even the shuttle service has been taken care of. Of course with dollars involved. Well, there is no such thing as a free-lunch in this world.
The journey and experiences that follow were not only about roaming around various roads and spots in Gold Coast… but it was much deeper. It was a journey of discovery, a journey of friendship, a journey of sisterhood, a journey to self-improvement…
I do tell some people at times that LIFE is indeed about expecting the unexpected. And my getaway in Australia is one that may illustrate it.
Who would ever suppose that two people who had only just met for an accumulated few hours and whose communication was only done through electrical means (i.e. e-mails, MSN and SMS) would spend 10 full glorious days together, sharing the same mattress for each night’s sleep. It was close to a gamble, I might say. The heaps amount of dollar spent may just go to the drain if the holiday went sour.
The family ties had not been bound, yet we have felt that we are just sister who have waited for years to meet. Perhaps it is what people call a match made in heaven. It does not only concern the loving lad and lass but also the whole families.
There was no awkwardness whatsoever in our first few hours together. And the hours that followed were even smoother rides. We both had even confided with each other for having a lingering qualm about how well we would be getting along.
During our four days – three nights stay in Gold Coast, we had a whole unit of a serviced apartment just for the two of us. Complete with the kitchen, living room, dining table, television set, a king-size bed, a huge bathroom. CIHUYYY!!! What with the entrance tickets to various theme parks in hand, we just couldn’t ask for more. Even the shuttle service has been taken care of. Of course with dollars involved. Well, there is no such thing as a free-lunch in this world.
The journey and experiences that follow were not only about roaming around various roads and spots in Gold Coast… but it was much deeper. It was a journey of discovery, a journey of friendship, a journey of sisterhood, a journey to self-improvement…
Sydney... Let me in to your chilly embrace
Take a deep breath….
Hmm….
Cold. Somewhat chilly wind.
Being airborne at a certain rather unusual altitude for seven and a half hours had transported me from the tropical tiny island of Singapore to the Southern Continent in the Pacific Ocean. I had my breakfast on 22nd of August 2005 at Toa Payoh Lorong 5, still with the merciless humidity level, kept reminding myself that my dinner will be elsewhere, after a few hours leap of season.
A welcoming chilly winter wind was the bonus I got apart from the warm greeting from my sister-in-law to be, Y who was accompanied by another friend, S. I was then commuted in X*W-*4* Mitsubishi Lancer with “New South Wales” embossed on the car plate. The smooth ride led me to Hurstville.
Yes, the nice chilly wind which I have waited for years belongs to Sydney, a city with whom I fell in love at once.
Nothing much we did that night. The five of us (3 hosts, Y and I) went to have a chinese dinner at Kingsford area. However, this dinner only left a faint mark in my memory as I was busy savouring each chilly moment. A perfect weather getaway for a person who has spent her past few years in summer-all-the-way countries.
The tired body has successfully lulled me into a deep sleep. The night’s dream was the expectation of what’s awaiting in the next ten days to come….
PS: SORRY for the "too-sentimental" title hehehe....
Hmm….
Cold. Somewhat chilly wind.
Being airborne at a certain rather unusual altitude for seven and a half hours had transported me from the tropical tiny island of Singapore to the Southern Continent in the Pacific Ocean. I had my breakfast on 22nd of August 2005 at Toa Payoh Lorong 5, still with the merciless humidity level, kept reminding myself that my dinner will be elsewhere, after a few hours leap of season.
A welcoming chilly winter wind was the bonus I got apart from the warm greeting from my sister-in-law to be, Y who was accompanied by another friend, S. I was then commuted in X*W-*4* Mitsubishi Lancer with “New South Wales” embossed on the car plate. The smooth ride led me to Hurstville.
Yes, the nice chilly wind which I have waited for years belongs to Sydney, a city with whom I fell in love at once.
Nothing much we did that night. The five of us (3 hosts, Y and I) went to have a chinese dinner at Kingsford area. However, this dinner only left a faint mark in my memory as I was busy savouring each chilly moment. A perfect weather getaway for a person who has spent her past few years in summer-all-the-way countries.
The tired body has successfully lulled me into a deep sleep. The night’s dream was the expectation of what’s awaiting in the next ten days to come….
PS: SORRY for the "too-sentimental" title hehehe....
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Something about having a maid
A thought just popped up in my mind this evening. It may be triggered by the realization that I always only have so little time left to do things other than my duty or responsibilities.
The first thing that always occupies my glorious days is of course my profession as a Research Officer (finishing my first week with this new designation in new office). Second thing is doing house chores.
We don’t need to get any reminders of the fact that time is constant. Its rate is unchanged for only-God-knows-how-long. It’s forever.
This is exactly the point where I started to realize the prudence of having a maid in a household. It is not a matter of ability or willingness to do the chores. It is rather about knowing how worthwhile your time is and be wise enough to make this short-life more fruitful.
Disclaimer: I won’t say that it’s applicable to everybody. It was just my thought which hasn’t really materialized in any actions.
I would like to have my home always Dettol-clean, pine-fresh and minty. I want all my clothes to be washed properly, ironed and folded neatly as I won’t step my feet out of my doorstep without ironed clothes. I want to sweep and mop the floor regularly with the minimum force required achieved. What did I mean by that? Do you realize that when you are too tired or too lazy, you will just mop by exerting minimum force that may not suffice to chase all the bacteria away? Mopping is not just about wetting your floor, I fully expect you all realize this and note it down in your mind. Despite my tight schedule, I would also wish to be able to scrutinize every single tile in the toilet. Hygiene. Hygiene. I still want to tidy up my room as often as required. Doing some new arrangement of the stuffs if time-permitting. I still prefer self-prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner than hawker-center produced. Healthy. Healthy.
Up to now, I still dutifully do all the aforementioned obligations. Or should I say, chores, as I don’t really feel obliged to do all those. They are actually just the means to achieve the desired end results. My own desired end results.
YET, I have never failed to wish that I would have more time to do things that I really like, and fruitful (it is an honest way to put it, I guess). I keep delaying doing my painting homework, preparing my upcoming GRE test, reading books (be it a fiction or textbook), tutoring my younger sister, doing sport (how I wish to have more hours for this), writing in my blog, doing scrapbooking, checking e-mails, calling my parents, doing some arts and crafts as hobby, learning to make mosaic, embossing, reading my painting notes (which has been given by my teacher since don’t-know-how-many-months ago), spending more time in research background study, learning to bake cakes, make desserts, to cook, learning a new language, doing outdoor painting etc etc etc. The list may go on forever.
To tell you the truth, I have forgotten when was the last time I watched movie. Oh ya, during the flight to and from Sydney. But at home or cinema? Hmm….
Many people opine to sacrifice your work to be a good housewife and mother. But how if your work is not merely about money and ambition, but a deep passion? Am I to blame if I have too much interests for one person to bear? And having to face the bitter fact that you have all the ability and resources to do them but your time is robbed by those never-ending-queues of house chores? Do you expect me to sacrifice the last possession which is sleeping time?
Some of you may think that paying a maid’s salary is a waste of money. But I look at it as an opportunity cost. A cost you have to fork out to seize other opportunity, inclusive of business and self-development.
No, I am not thinking of hiring a maid now. I am just putting it into consideration should my interests won’t recede a bit and should God not decide to add more hours in one day.
And as for children matters, it will still be our full responsibility as parents. The maid (if we would ever have one) will just do the house chores, especially to keep the clean, bacteria-free house.
And surely, only if we can find a good and reliable maid. Erm.. and if we have money to afford of course.
What say you?
The first thing that always occupies my glorious days is of course my profession as a Research Officer (finishing my first week with this new designation in new office). Second thing is doing house chores.
We don’t need to get any reminders of the fact that time is constant. Its rate is unchanged for only-God-knows-how-long. It’s forever.
This is exactly the point where I started to realize the prudence of having a maid in a household. It is not a matter of ability or willingness to do the chores. It is rather about knowing how worthwhile your time is and be wise enough to make this short-life more fruitful.
Disclaimer: I won’t say that it’s applicable to everybody. It was just my thought which hasn’t really materialized in any actions.
I would like to have my home always Dettol-clean, pine-fresh and minty. I want all my clothes to be washed properly, ironed and folded neatly as I won’t step my feet out of my doorstep without ironed clothes. I want to sweep and mop the floor regularly with the minimum force required achieved. What did I mean by that? Do you realize that when you are too tired or too lazy, you will just mop by exerting minimum force that may not suffice to chase all the bacteria away? Mopping is not just about wetting your floor, I fully expect you all realize this and note it down in your mind. Despite my tight schedule, I would also wish to be able to scrutinize every single tile in the toilet. Hygiene. Hygiene. I still want to tidy up my room as often as required. Doing some new arrangement of the stuffs if time-permitting. I still prefer self-prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner than hawker-center produced. Healthy. Healthy.
Up to now, I still dutifully do all the aforementioned obligations. Or should I say, chores, as I don’t really feel obliged to do all those. They are actually just the means to achieve the desired end results. My own desired end results.
YET, I have never failed to wish that I would have more time to do things that I really like, and fruitful (it is an honest way to put it, I guess). I keep delaying doing my painting homework, preparing my upcoming GRE test, reading books (be it a fiction or textbook), tutoring my younger sister, doing sport (how I wish to have more hours for this), writing in my blog, doing scrapbooking, checking e-mails, calling my parents, doing some arts and crafts as hobby, learning to make mosaic, embossing, reading my painting notes (which has been given by my teacher since don’t-know-how-many-months ago), spending more time in research background study, learning to bake cakes, make desserts, to cook, learning a new language, doing outdoor painting etc etc etc. The list may go on forever.
To tell you the truth, I have forgotten when was the last time I watched movie. Oh ya, during the flight to and from Sydney. But at home or cinema? Hmm….
Many people opine to sacrifice your work to be a good housewife and mother. But how if your work is not merely about money and ambition, but a deep passion? Am I to blame if I have too much interests for one person to bear? And having to face the bitter fact that you have all the ability and resources to do them but your time is robbed by those never-ending-queues of house chores? Do you expect me to sacrifice the last possession which is sleeping time?
Some of you may think that paying a maid’s salary is a waste of money. But I look at it as an opportunity cost. A cost you have to fork out to seize other opportunity, inclusive of business and self-development.
No, I am not thinking of hiring a maid now. I am just putting it into consideration should my interests won’t recede a bit and should God not decide to add more hours in one day.
And as for children matters, it will still be our full responsibility as parents. The maid (if we would ever have one) will just do the house chores, especially to keep the clean, bacteria-free house.
And surely, only if we can find a good and reliable maid. Erm.. and if we have money to afford of course.
What say you?
Friday, August 19, 2005
Blame it on...
My fingers are actually itching to type few or more lines. I think with my almost-one-month absent in this blogging saga, I've lost my ability in writing.
You might have noticed that my English has deteriorated slowly but sure with the decreasing frequency of writing. This consolidates the saying that "Practice Makes Perfect". So I think I have to start musing again before my English really drops several levels below.
Blame it on JKR, somebody who might not even know that I am breathing the same air as her though at different latitude and longitude of this one-and-only globe. I am perfectly sure that she doesn't know that I am exist, but look at how much disappointment she has made on my blog readers (uhu uhu uhu what a narcissm).
Yeah it all started when she (for the nth time in my life) captivated me with the story wrapped in a book called Harry Potter #6, The Half Blood Prince. The book was freshly delivered to my doorstep (thanks so Singapore Post) on one historical and never-be-forgotten Saturday morning. Despite the weight, I carried it around and managed to steal few minutes from my lunch break to read few pages. I can even read it in the bus!!
Afterwards, the urge to read the rest was unstoppable. One of the reason is that I want to refresh my memory about few names mentioned in the sixth book (which have no mercy in torturing us to try to remember the names from previous book without sufficient explanation. But come to think of it, can you imagine how thick the book would be and how boring would be the book to those who dutifully read Harry Potters book again and again and have etched all the names in their mind?)
So again I read #3 (to recall the story about Sirius), then I continued to read #5 (to relive the loathing to The Highness Professor Dolores Umbridge) and parallely I read #1 (just because the fifth book is too bulky and heavy to carry around and it's easier to bring #1 around and to office). My #5 book was actually with my dearest younger sister, who luckily just stays nearby (in CJC Hostel) so I could command her to return my book with reason such as not to disturb her Prelim and O-Level Exam preparation... what a thoughtful sister I am (narcissssss).
So now you know...
I have been possessed by the spirit of Harry Potter as he was by Lord Voldemort. I can feel the strong urge to slap Snape (ooops, Professor Snape) right on his face sometimes. I can share the pain that Harry's experiencing (though I don't have a single scar -let alone one in a lightning shape- on my forefead... only pimples occassionally). I also build a great trepidation whenever the horror is imminent.
Well, I have to admit that a lot of procrastination has been made due to this enchanting plot.
I guess the next thing I have to do is to check my myopia, only God knows what the books have done on my two poor eyes.
I am still strangled by the captivating story of #5 book, and planned to continue with the Triwizard Tournament in book #4. With the complete DVDs also keep calling me to watch them.
OK then, won't spend too much time blogging. Really have to continue rea... oops no, to tidy up my room. Yeah that's right.
Ciaoooo!!!!!
You might have noticed that my English has deteriorated slowly but sure with the decreasing frequency of writing. This consolidates the saying that "Practice Makes Perfect". So I think I have to start musing again before my English really drops several levels below.
Blame it on JKR, somebody who might not even know that I am breathing the same air as her though at different latitude and longitude of this one-and-only globe. I am perfectly sure that she doesn't know that I am exist, but look at how much disappointment she has made on my blog readers (uhu uhu uhu what a narcissm).
Yeah it all started when she (for the nth time in my life) captivated me with the story wrapped in a book called Harry Potter #6, The Half Blood Prince. The book was freshly delivered to my doorstep (thanks so Singapore Post) on one historical and never-be-forgotten Saturday morning. Despite the weight, I carried it around and managed to steal few minutes from my lunch break to read few pages. I can even read it in the bus!!
Afterwards, the urge to read the rest was unstoppable. One of the reason is that I want to refresh my memory about few names mentioned in the sixth book (which have no mercy in torturing us to try to remember the names from previous book without sufficient explanation. But come to think of it, can you imagine how thick the book would be and how boring would be the book to those who dutifully read Harry Potters book again and again and have etched all the names in their mind?)
So again I read #3 (to recall the story about Sirius), then I continued to read #5 (to relive the loathing to The Highness Professor Dolores Umbridge) and parallely I read #1 (just because the fifth book is too bulky and heavy to carry around and it's easier to bring #1 around and to office). My #5 book was actually with my dearest younger sister, who luckily just stays nearby (in CJC Hostel) so I could command her to return my book with reason such as not to disturb her Prelim and O-Level Exam preparation... what a thoughtful sister I am (narcissssss).
So now you know...
I have been possessed by the spirit of Harry Potter as he was by Lord Voldemort. I can feel the strong urge to slap Snape (ooops, Professor Snape) right on his face sometimes. I can share the pain that Harry's experiencing (though I don't have a single scar -let alone one in a lightning shape- on my forefead... only pimples occassionally). I also build a great trepidation whenever the horror is imminent.
Well, I have to admit that a lot of procrastination has been made due to this enchanting plot.
I guess the next thing I have to do is to check my myopia, only God knows what the books have done on my two poor eyes.
I am still strangled by the captivating story of #5 book, and planned to continue with the Triwizard Tournament in book #4. With the complete DVDs also keep calling me to watch them.
OK then, won't spend too much time blogging. Really have to continue rea... oops no, to tidy up my room. Yeah that's right.
Ciaoooo!!!!!
Thursday, July 28, 2005
InStyle
I often notice that people like to buy and wear outfits that are trendy and up-to-date, but forgetting about how well it would fit and suit her/his posture. It may go very well for some people, but it may also jeopardize others’ look. They buy what they see in television, magazines, advertisements, etc. The follow what the celebrities are wearing.
Please raise your hand (as if I can see you do it he he he…) if you agree with the following:
STYLE IS A PERSONAL STATEMENT.
I always believe in and hold onto this. I do see magazines at times just to see what’s latest in town. I can like or dislike the displays I see, up to me. However, more often than not, I would restrain myself of buying something (clothes, bags, or footwear) that I quite take a liking BUT it becomes so… common. It’s a funny antic of me, most of my friends told me. If I really like the model, I would look for something which has certain uniqueness and makes it less common. Funnily enough, sometimes the less common means simpler.
I have certain style to which I have abode loyally. One obvious example is my hairstyle, which has never altered significantly since my primary school era. My mum asked me to have fringe when I was in primary six. But I used hairpin to keep the fringe from falling down to my forehead and maintain my ponytail. In my third year in university, she suggested that I perm my hair and cut it in shaggy style. I followed her idea but it didn’t result in much different. My hair may be curly, but still in ponytail. I left the curly hair because it is just such a waste of money, but keep the shaggy style. And BINGO, with the ponytail. Last year in a hair saloon my mum and I had a quarrel over my hair. She insisted that I dye and highlight my hair. The saloon sissy has even chosen the perfect color that goes perfectly with me. My mum also insisted that I change my hairstyle to follow Dian Nitami’s style (at least). Me, I was more than happy to keep my natural hair color and trademark hairstyle (no other than a neat ponytail). Just for the sake of the saloon sissy, I finally gave in by letting him joyfully highlighting my poor hair.
About fashion, I still stick to my style since being a teenager. Casual, sporty. Sometimes smart and casual. Sometimes elegant and casual. It depends on the occasion, but “casual” has always been the keyword. I think simplicity and your own positive aura can exude more gracefulness and captivating elegance. My friends used to say that I am lucky to inherit my mum’s posture (FYI, she was a runway model once) which can contribute to my favorable style (Thanks Mum!!!). Although I have to admit that I am (very) far less graceful and elegant than her =P. She is my one role model in fashion. I think I learn my style from her.
I dress up as I wish and also depending on my present mood. I can dress up rather feminine one day, but wearing my lovely shorts and loose t-shirt on the next day. But all must give me comfort and self-confidence by wearing them…
Human being is a visual creature. What you wear is the window from which the world is connected to your very soul. Your style is the walking billboard for your own identity.
So, is anybody also up to the following sentence?
STYLE IS A PERSONAL STATEMENT.
If you can be yourself, why should you follow the crowd?
Please raise your hand (as if I can see you do it he he he…) if you agree with the following:
STYLE IS A PERSONAL STATEMENT.
I always believe in and hold onto this. I do see magazines at times just to see what’s latest in town. I can like or dislike the displays I see, up to me. However, more often than not, I would restrain myself of buying something (clothes, bags, or footwear) that I quite take a liking BUT it becomes so… common. It’s a funny antic of me, most of my friends told me. If I really like the model, I would look for something which has certain uniqueness and makes it less common. Funnily enough, sometimes the less common means simpler.
I have certain style to which I have abode loyally. One obvious example is my hairstyle, which has never altered significantly since my primary school era. My mum asked me to have fringe when I was in primary six. But I used hairpin to keep the fringe from falling down to my forehead and maintain my ponytail. In my third year in university, she suggested that I perm my hair and cut it in shaggy style. I followed her idea but it didn’t result in much different. My hair may be curly, but still in ponytail. I left the curly hair because it is just such a waste of money, but keep the shaggy style. And BINGO, with the ponytail. Last year in a hair saloon my mum and I had a quarrel over my hair. She insisted that I dye and highlight my hair. The saloon sissy has even chosen the perfect color that goes perfectly with me. My mum also insisted that I change my hairstyle to follow Dian Nitami’s style (at least). Me, I was more than happy to keep my natural hair color and trademark hairstyle (no other than a neat ponytail). Just for the sake of the saloon sissy, I finally gave in by letting him joyfully highlighting my poor hair.
About fashion, I still stick to my style since being a teenager. Casual, sporty. Sometimes smart and casual. Sometimes elegant and casual. It depends on the occasion, but “casual” has always been the keyword. I think simplicity and your own positive aura can exude more gracefulness and captivating elegance. My friends used to say that I am lucky to inherit my mum’s posture (FYI, she was a runway model once) which can contribute to my favorable style (Thanks Mum!!!). Although I have to admit that I am (very) far less graceful and elegant than her =P. She is my one role model in fashion. I think I learn my style from her.
I dress up as I wish and also depending on my present mood. I can dress up rather feminine one day, but wearing my lovely shorts and loose t-shirt on the next day. But all must give me comfort and self-confidence by wearing them…
Human being is a visual creature. What you wear is the window from which the world is connected to your very soul. Your style is the walking billboard for your own identity.
So, is anybody also up to the following sentence?
STYLE IS A PERSONAL STATEMENT.
If you can be yourself, why should you follow the crowd?
Shop-A-Holic!!!
As a female, on top of being a young adult in Singapore (the country where shopping has become one of its utmost entertainment), people like to compartmentalize me with other shopaholics. I am often disturbed by this irresponsible statement, as I myself can’t really understand the enjoyment of shopping excessively. Please note the word “excessively”.
I have a friend from high school who studied in Melbourne, Australia. Her favorite holiday destination is Hong Kong and Singapore, for no other reasons than the shopping spree. She really shocked me once when she told one of her shopping adventure. So off she went to Hong Kong from Australia. Lucky for her, her bank account can quench her eyes’ hunger for fine goods. Yes, she always goes for branded ones. Having the luggage full, she continued her journey to her hometown, Jakarta. And you don’t need to be a genius to guess what’s next, she again shopped in the glitzy and luscious boutiques which swarm around the heart of the metropolitan city. With logical calculation, we can already deduce that her luggage is insufficient to contain all of her shopping outcomes. Half of them must be separated from their newly owner, and only God knows whether they ever come into usage.
Around two weeks ago, I visited another high school friend’s apartment here in Singapore. For the first ten minutes my eyes were fixed to her shoe racks. Then, with my eyes still on them, I asked her how many girls are there in the apartment. One. Apparently, all pairs of shoes that I saw were hers. All!!!! I don’t know how many of them. You can find many models, colors, tones, moods, etc. I just don’t understand how often she wears each of them.
I just knew few days back that girls are usually crazy about (high-heel) sandals. Their arguments that sandals are easily worn-off become their passports and valid reason to buy (few) new pairs. Some people can even grab five pairs in less than half an hour. It is more than the total number of pairs that I am getting for myself in one year, unless there are urgent needs arising.
I just can’t see the point of shopping so many things, without even knowing how much their value for money will be, i.e. how often will you use/wear them and how functional will they be.
I guess (it’s just a hunch so please correct me if I’m wrong) there is a certain satisfaction incurred by every shopping done. It happens that it is possessed more in females rather than males (and why does it miss me by the way?)
Me, I always feel dizzy in shopping centers. In malls. In department stores!!! Where people swarming around with piles of things to be tried, how can you concentrate of what you really NEED?? I don’t see the points why people like to buy those fancy shoes and sandals, while neglecting the comfort, which is supposed to be the main criteria? I often see ladies walking uncomfortably (and rather limping) with much effort just for the sake of wearing and showing these cute fancy koocee koocee poo (very) high-heel sandals to the people walking around Orchard Road.
I DO appreciate finer things of life. Luxurious goods DO appeal to me. Nevertheless, quality, functionality and value-for-money will always have my first priority. Rather than buying so many sandals with different colors and models, I would rather buy one with classic models, which can go along with most of my outfits, comfortable, reliable and long-lasting though the price may be thrice or even five times of those fancy sandals. I don’t mind wearing the same pair of shoes for years, at least I can be the walking advertisement for the brand for its robustness =P.
Why should I spend my hard-earned money for things that I would only use for once or few times in my life?
Why should I suffer myself with those blisters and leg-cramp only for the sake of style?
How it functions is all that matters.
There’s no offensive nor defensive remarks intended from this musing. So please don’t take it personally, people have their own way to live (and spend their money) anyway. It is just… well, you know… just scribbles.
Please just don’t generalize young female adults in Singapore as shopaholic and Charles and Keith fans.
And what kind of satisfaction that you get after shopping?
I have a friend from high school who studied in Melbourne, Australia. Her favorite holiday destination is Hong Kong and Singapore, for no other reasons than the shopping spree. She really shocked me once when she told one of her shopping adventure. So off she went to Hong Kong from Australia. Lucky for her, her bank account can quench her eyes’ hunger for fine goods. Yes, she always goes for branded ones. Having the luggage full, she continued her journey to her hometown, Jakarta. And you don’t need to be a genius to guess what’s next, she again shopped in the glitzy and luscious boutiques which swarm around the heart of the metropolitan city. With logical calculation, we can already deduce that her luggage is insufficient to contain all of her shopping outcomes. Half of them must be separated from their newly owner, and only God knows whether they ever come into usage.
Around two weeks ago, I visited another high school friend’s apartment here in Singapore. For the first ten minutes my eyes were fixed to her shoe racks. Then, with my eyes still on them, I asked her how many girls are there in the apartment. One. Apparently, all pairs of shoes that I saw were hers. All!!!! I don’t know how many of them. You can find many models, colors, tones, moods, etc. I just don’t understand how often she wears each of them.
I just knew few days back that girls are usually crazy about (high-heel) sandals. Their arguments that sandals are easily worn-off become their passports and valid reason to buy (few) new pairs. Some people can even grab five pairs in less than half an hour. It is more than the total number of pairs that I am getting for myself in one year, unless there are urgent needs arising.
I just can’t see the point of shopping so many things, without even knowing how much their value for money will be, i.e. how often will you use/wear them and how functional will they be.
I guess (it’s just a hunch so please correct me if I’m wrong) there is a certain satisfaction incurred by every shopping done. It happens that it is possessed more in females rather than males (and why does it miss me by the way?)
Me, I always feel dizzy in shopping centers. In malls. In department stores!!! Where people swarming around with piles of things to be tried, how can you concentrate of what you really NEED?? I don’t see the points why people like to buy those fancy shoes and sandals, while neglecting the comfort, which is supposed to be the main criteria? I often see ladies walking uncomfortably (and rather limping) with much effort just for the sake of wearing and showing these cute fancy koocee koocee poo (very) high-heel sandals to the people walking around Orchard Road.
I DO appreciate finer things of life. Luxurious goods DO appeal to me. Nevertheless, quality, functionality and value-for-money will always have my first priority. Rather than buying so many sandals with different colors and models, I would rather buy one with classic models, which can go along with most of my outfits, comfortable, reliable and long-lasting though the price may be thrice or even five times of those fancy sandals. I don’t mind wearing the same pair of shoes for years, at least I can be the walking advertisement for the brand for its robustness =P.
Why should I spend my hard-earned money for things that I would only use for once or few times in my life?
Why should I suffer myself with those blisters and leg-cramp only for the sake of style?
How it functions is all that matters.
There’s no offensive nor defensive remarks intended from this musing. So please don’t take it personally, people have their own way to live (and spend their money) anyway. It is just… well, you know… just scribbles.
Please just don’t generalize young female adults in Singapore as shopaholic and Charles and Keith fans.
And what kind of satisfaction that you get after shopping?
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
I feel like a loser
I am leaving my challengeful position
I will never deal with things that used to dread me most anymore
They will not knead myself to the max anymore
I will not squeeze my brain crazily to juice out solutions for problems which are beyond my knowledge anymore
The perfection of image quality will not bother me anymore.
I chose a more rosy path, the one closer to my dreams (well.... I think, and I wish)
But...
Do I lack perseverance?
Where is my determination?
Am I selfish to choose a more comfortable road?
A statement from the past:
The Secret of Life is to like what you have to do and not to do what you like.
Have I failed it?
I feel like a loser.
And yet I want to achieve my stellar dreams... which are still rather obscure until now.
Is it a mere disillusion?
Is what I THINK I would love deceiving my eyes?
Is there a turning back along the way?
Why and why and why?
Life is indeed full of mystery.....
The Pondering Thought of A Straddling and Bifurcating Soul
I will never deal with things that used to dread me most anymore
They will not knead myself to the max anymore
I will not squeeze my brain crazily to juice out solutions for problems which are beyond my knowledge anymore
The perfection of image quality will not bother me anymore.
I chose a more rosy path, the one closer to my dreams (well.... I think, and I wish)
But...
Do I lack perseverance?
Where is my determination?
Am I selfish to choose a more comfortable road?
A statement from the past:
The Secret of Life is to like what you have to do and not to do what you like.
Have I failed it?
I feel like a loser.
And yet I want to achieve my stellar dreams... which are still rather obscure until now.
Is it a mere disillusion?
Is what I THINK I would love deceiving my eyes?
Is there a turning back along the way?
Why and why and why?
Life is indeed full of mystery.....
The Pondering Thought of A Straddling and Bifurcating Soul
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Temanku jadi Mamiiiiiiiiiiii
Saya mempunyai seorang teman. Initialnya L. L adalah rekan saya semasa kami masih belia. Semasa wajah masih mulus tanpa kerut (ya sampe sekarang juga sih), semasa rambut masih hitam tanpa uban (sampe sekarang juga sih) dan… oh ya, semasa Bapak Pembangunan kita Soeharto masih memegang tampuk kepemimpinan di tanah air.
Sekelas sama si L ini waktu kelas 2F di SMU Santa Ursula. Di salah satu penghujung lantai dua gedung yang bernuansa hijau itu kita pertama kali berada dalam satu kelas. Kelas yang luas dan adem di deketnya Lab Biologi (tapi tidak pernah ada arwah nyelonong-nyelonong masuk kelas walau di lab tersebut bersemayam serangkaian skeleton dan tengkorak). Kayaknya di kelas tersebut juga kita sering denger suara “weker nyasar”. Setiap jam 7-an gitu pasti tiba-tiba ada suara weker berdering kenceng banget, entah dari biara atau asrama.
Sekolah kami adalah sekolah khusus wanita. Beraneka ragam wanita bisa ditemukan di sana. Soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto. Merdu atau bagai kelelawar batuk. Pintar banget atau pintar and nothing’s below hehehehe =). Anak IPA, IPS, Bahasa. Bertampang alim ataupun gahar. Beraura suster biara ataupun preman. Yang jelas kami adalah cewek-cewek happy (bukan girang – red.) yang nyablak, rame, dan ada faktor gilanya sedikit.
Kasih nick name ke temen jelas biasa banget, kadang sampai nama aslinya dilupakan. Mungkin cuma suster dan BuDe guru matematika kami yang tau dan hafal nama lengkap masing-masing anak (memang daya ingat mereka ruaarr biazzaa). Akhirnya kena lah si L ini dipanggil Ncim.
Si Ncim ini anaknya pinter. Anaknya kreatif. Anaknya perhatian banget sama temen-temen yang lain. Penampilannya tuh “cewek” banget, species langka di sekolah kami (lho katanya sekolah cewek?) – manis, anggun dan alim. Tapi ya seperti layaknya anak sanur yang berpenampilan alim, sebagian besar dari mereka hanyalah serigala berbulu domba belaka, si Ncim ini tidak terkecuali.
Suaranya lembuuuut, haluuuuuss, dan pelan. Ritmenya teratur. Tetapi isi tutur katanya bisa menukik (emang elang?), mencabik (elangnya udah nangkep ayam), menusuk (ayamnya udah disate), penuh napsu (sate ayamnya udah dibumbuin bumbu kacang.. sluurrp). Tenang aja, dia gak sebuas itu kok. Kisah “Elang Makan Sate” ini cuma berlaku kalo dia lagi nanya guru soal pelajaran, terutama Fisika. Jadi bayangin deh, si Ncim ini duduk dengan anggun, menjulurkan tangan ke atas minta dipanggil Pak Hitam Manis dengan elegansi seorang Ratu Victoria, setelah dipanggil dia akan mengedip-ngedipkan matanya sejenak sebelum melakukan serangan elang makan sate itu. Tapi semuanya dilakukan dalam satu ritme. Ketika udah kenyang makan sate pake bumbu kacang itu (sluurrp) dia pun kembali menatap si bapak malang dengan matanya yang redup-redup lembut tapi di balik itu berkata “Ayo jawab cepetan bisa gak!! Ntar gua sate lagi baru tau rasa...”
Awal-awal gua suka rada ngantuk gitu dengerin dia nanya si bapak malang atau guru-guru lain. Tapi lama-lama jadi kagum dan rada minder hahahaha =D
Di suatu hari yang naas kelas kita dipindah ke sebelahnya sebelahnya ruang gamelan (ini bukan typo error, maksudnya sebelahnya ruangan yang ada di sebelahnya ruang gamelan… ya gitu deh ngerti kan?). Kelas itu puanasnyaaaaaaaaa ampun deh, cuma asyiknya bisa ngecengin orang-orang yang ke kantor pos (iya, kalo orangnya naek genteng). Sayang Ari Wibowo dulu terlalu sibuk untuk piknik di atas genteng kantor pos.
Di kelas baru ini, si Ncim juga masih seperti yang dulu (hehe ya iyalah…) bisa ngomong dengan halus. By the way si Ncim kalo ketawa juga ritmenya teratur… tapi gak berhenti-berhenti sampe matanya hilang. Temen baiknya dia di kelas, si S, juga kalo ketawa terkenal suka terkekeh-kekeh (jadi ketawa dengan ritme teratur ini nge trend dulu di 2F).
Tapiiiii…. Si Ncim ketawa kayak gini cuma kalo lagi inget jaga image aja. Gak jarang tiba-tiba dia melengking “Rheaaaaaa….!!!” Atau “Daisssyyyyyyy….” Atau siapapun lah dilanjutkan dengan “WUAKAKKAKAKAKAKAKAKA”
Suatu ketika sebuah tugas berat dijatuhkan pada kita berdua (dooh, gak segitunya deh) yaitu membuat denah kelas. Denah kelas di Sanur dulu suka aneh-aneh. Bisa ada foto bayi segala… padahal dulu pas jaman SD denah kelas cuma sebatas kertas bertuliskan nama dan diselipin ke slot yang tersedia di kertas lain. Daripada jauh-jauh piknik ke museum, mendingan datengin aja kelas di sanur satu persatu dan ngeliatin denah kelasnya yang gak ada yang mirip!! Ada yang bisa berdiri, nungging, duduk, tidur… Everything stands out.
Merasa tertantang untuk gak jadi malu-maluin (wajah 2F ada di tangan kita!! Duh hiperbola banget haha) akhirnya gua dan Ncim pun berkasak-kusuk menelurkan ide-ide yang kreatip (maunya sih) tapi gak nyape’in kita (sebagai designer and pembuat). Dan Ncim dengan suaranya yang sayup-sayup sampai tapi menukik dan sebagainya itu pun menjelaskan konsepnya ke gua. Gua manggut-manggut tanda setuju dan ngantuk. Dari konsep tersebut akhirnya kita berdua menggodok design nya dan jadilah denah terluas (A3 size kayaknya, luaaaaasss banget deh) di Sanur (untuk era itu) dan mengundang pujian dari Pak Agama dan Ibu Sejarah sebagai walikelas kami. Cihuy!!!
Konsep dari si Ncim, dia pengen denah yang mencerminkan pribadi masing-masing siswa di kelas kami yang emang beraneka ragam banget. Akhirnya dia nyuruh anak-anak nyari atau bikin gambar bunga yang paling sesuai dengan karakter mereka dan yang paling mereka suka. Tadinya kita agak apatis juga, takutnya pada enggan untuk ikutan partisipasi dalam pembuatan denah ini hehehe. Wuah ternyata tidak sama sekali, saudara-saudara… dan ajaibnya gambar bunga itu bener-bener sesuai dengan karakter masing-masing. Gua inget banget ada satu anak yang kasi gambar super simple dan warnanya cuma beige dan putih. Dia bilang gini “jangan diganti yah, emang sederhana banget tapi gua sukanya yang kayak gini.” Ohhh jelas tidak akan kita suruh ganti karena memang itu tujuannya kan? Dan yang centil-centil bisa kasih gambar bunga warna stabilo a la flamenco. Ada yang kasih gaya romantis, gaya kontemporer.. Dan yang paling complicated adalah siapa lagi kalo bukan gua (rhea banget!!) karena gua gunting-gunting sendiri kelopak bunganya dan gua susun sendiri…jadi itu model gua, warna gua, bunga gua yang tiada duanya… duh ga penting amat sih. Kalo ada yang tanya bunga apa tuh? Jawabannya Bunga Rhea… soalnya gua juga ga tau itu apaan wuakakakkaka =D.
Si Ncim kebagian tugas ngumpulin tuh gambar bunga dan dibikin sedemikian rupa sehingga ada namanya. Sementara gua tugas bikin background-nya alias the garden. Terinspirasi oleh style-nya Lolita Lempicka, jadilah Art Deco background yang gua bikin dengan Caran d’Ache crayon gua yang udah jarang gua pake tapi masih ada sampe sekarang. Full colour bolak balik, yang lebih polos untuk “nanem” kembangnya. Jadi kalo guru-guru mau manggil murid (disuruh jawab atau apalah, biasalah guru SMU) dia akan tertegun dan menikmati “pemandangan kebon” itu sejenak sebelom manggil. Jadilah beberapa detik habis dari jam pelajaran kita (duh bokis). Dan kalo ulangan kadang ada guru yang ngeliat-liatin tuh “kebon” jadi lebih gampang buat kita untuk nyontek (ya siapa tau ada yang butuh).
Itulah kenangan paling dahsyat yang gua punya dengan si Ncim. Karena ketika kita kerja bareng itu kita jadi lebih kenal satu sama lain dan jadi lebih deket. Sampe ketika sama-sama lanjut ke NTU Singapore sini kita juga masih deket walau beda sekolah, beda kegiatan, beda pacar (ya iya lah!!), beda tempat tinggal… Tapi tiap ketemu pasti masih ada koneksinya dan SMS jalan terus… Undangan wedding pertama yang diatasnamakan ke gua juga berasal dari dia di tahun 2003.
Dan yak, si Ncim sekarang udah memasuki phase baru dalam hidupnya…. To be A MOTHER!!! Dia udah melahirkan tanggal 11 July kemaren. Disambut dengan gegap gempita oleh gua (dooh, heboh) dan temen-temen sealmamater yang lain yang jelas. Guru-guru di Sanur, watch out!! Siapa tau si Baby D ini akan melanjutkan profesi Ncim sebagai penyerang terutama di Fisika dengan suaranya yang lemah lembut mendayu aduhai tetapi isinya menukik, mencabik, menusuk….
Sekelas sama si L ini waktu kelas 2F di SMU Santa Ursula. Di salah satu penghujung lantai dua gedung yang bernuansa hijau itu kita pertama kali berada dalam satu kelas. Kelas yang luas dan adem di deketnya Lab Biologi (tapi tidak pernah ada arwah nyelonong-nyelonong masuk kelas walau di lab tersebut bersemayam serangkaian skeleton dan tengkorak). Kayaknya di kelas tersebut juga kita sering denger suara “weker nyasar”. Setiap jam 7-an gitu pasti tiba-tiba ada suara weker berdering kenceng banget, entah dari biara atau asrama.
Sekolah kami adalah sekolah khusus wanita. Beraneka ragam wanita bisa ditemukan di sana. Soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto. Merdu atau bagai kelelawar batuk. Pintar banget atau pintar and nothing’s below hehehehe =). Anak IPA, IPS, Bahasa. Bertampang alim ataupun gahar. Beraura suster biara ataupun preman. Yang jelas kami adalah cewek-cewek happy (bukan girang – red.) yang nyablak, rame, dan ada faktor gilanya sedikit.
Kasih nick name ke temen jelas biasa banget, kadang sampai nama aslinya dilupakan. Mungkin cuma suster dan BuDe guru matematika kami yang tau dan hafal nama lengkap masing-masing anak (memang daya ingat mereka ruaarr biazzaa). Akhirnya kena lah si L ini dipanggil Ncim.
Si Ncim ini anaknya pinter. Anaknya kreatif. Anaknya perhatian banget sama temen-temen yang lain. Penampilannya tuh “cewek” banget, species langka di sekolah kami (lho katanya sekolah cewek?) – manis, anggun dan alim. Tapi ya seperti layaknya anak sanur yang berpenampilan alim, sebagian besar dari mereka hanyalah serigala berbulu domba belaka, si Ncim ini tidak terkecuali.
Suaranya lembuuuut, haluuuuuss, dan pelan. Ritmenya teratur. Tetapi isi tutur katanya bisa menukik (emang elang?), mencabik (elangnya udah nangkep ayam), menusuk (ayamnya udah disate), penuh napsu (sate ayamnya udah dibumbuin bumbu kacang.. sluurrp). Tenang aja, dia gak sebuas itu kok. Kisah “Elang Makan Sate” ini cuma berlaku kalo dia lagi nanya guru soal pelajaran, terutama Fisika. Jadi bayangin deh, si Ncim ini duduk dengan anggun, menjulurkan tangan ke atas minta dipanggil Pak Hitam Manis dengan elegansi seorang Ratu Victoria, setelah dipanggil dia akan mengedip-ngedipkan matanya sejenak sebelum melakukan serangan elang makan sate itu. Tapi semuanya dilakukan dalam satu ritme. Ketika udah kenyang makan sate pake bumbu kacang itu (sluurrp) dia pun kembali menatap si bapak malang dengan matanya yang redup-redup lembut tapi di balik itu berkata “Ayo jawab cepetan bisa gak!! Ntar gua sate lagi baru tau rasa...”
Awal-awal gua suka rada ngantuk gitu dengerin dia nanya si bapak malang atau guru-guru lain. Tapi lama-lama jadi kagum dan rada minder hahahaha =D
Di suatu hari yang naas kelas kita dipindah ke sebelahnya sebelahnya ruang gamelan (ini bukan typo error, maksudnya sebelahnya ruangan yang ada di sebelahnya ruang gamelan… ya gitu deh ngerti kan?). Kelas itu puanasnyaaaaaaaaa ampun deh, cuma asyiknya bisa ngecengin orang-orang yang ke kantor pos (iya, kalo orangnya naek genteng). Sayang Ari Wibowo dulu terlalu sibuk untuk piknik di atas genteng kantor pos.
Di kelas baru ini, si Ncim juga masih seperti yang dulu (hehe ya iyalah…) bisa ngomong dengan halus. By the way si Ncim kalo ketawa juga ritmenya teratur… tapi gak berhenti-berhenti sampe matanya hilang. Temen baiknya dia di kelas, si S, juga kalo ketawa terkenal suka terkekeh-kekeh (jadi ketawa dengan ritme teratur ini nge trend dulu di 2F).
Tapiiiii…. Si Ncim ketawa kayak gini cuma kalo lagi inget jaga image aja. Gak jarang tiba-tiba dia melengking “Rheaaaaaa….!!!” Atau “Daisssyyyyyyy….” Atau siapapun lah dilanjutkan dengan “WUAKAKKAKAKAKAKAKAKA”
Suatu ketika sebuah tugas berat dijatuhkan pada kita berdua (dooh, gak segitunya deh) yaitu membuat denah kelas. Denah kelas di Sanur dulu suka aneh-aneh. Bisa ada foto bayi segala… padahal dulu pas jaman SD denah kelas cuma sebatas kertas bertuliskan nama dan diselipin ke slot yang tersedia di kertas lain. Daripada jauh-jauh piknik ke museum, mendingan datengin aja kelas di sanur satu persatu dan ngeliatin denah kelasnya yang gak ada yang mirip!! Ada yang bisa berdiri, nungging, duduk, tidur… Everything stands out.
Merasa tertantang untuk gak jadi malu-maluin (wajah 2F ada di tangan kita!! Duh hiperbola banget haha) akhirnya gua dan Ncim pun berkasak-kusuk menelurkan ide-ide yang kreatip (maunya sih) tapi gak nyape’in kita (sebagai designer and pembuat). Dan Ncim dengan suaranya yang sayup-sayup sampai tapi menukik dan sebagainya itu pun menjelaskan konsepnya ke gua. Gua manggut-manggut tanda setuju dan ngantuk. Dari konsep tersebut akhirnya kita berdua menggodok design nya dan jadilah denah terluas (A3 size kayaknya, luaaaaasss banget deh) di Sanur (untuk era itu) dan mengundang pujian dari Pak Agama dan Ibu Sejarah sebagai walikelas kami. Cihuy!!!
Konsep dari si Ncim, dia pengen denah yang mencerminkan pribadi masing-masing siswa di kelas kami yang emang beraneka ragam banget. Akhirnya dia nyuruh anak-anak nyari atau bikin gambar bunga yang paling sesuai dengan karakter mereka dan yang paling mereka suka. Tadinya kita agak apatis juga, takutnya pada enggan untuk ikutan partisipasi dalam pembuatan denah ini hehehe. Wuah ternyata tidak sama sekali, saudara-saudara… dan ajaibnya gambar bunga itu bener-bener sesuai dengan karakter masing-masing. Gua inget banget ada satu anak yang kasi gambar super simple dan warnanya cuma beige dan putih. Dia bilang gini “jangan diganti yah, emang sederhana banget tapi gua sukanya yang kayak gini.” Ohhh jelas tidak akan kita suruh ganti karena memang itu tujuannya kan? Dan yang centil-centil bisa kasih gambar bunga warna stabilo a la flamenco. Ada yang kasih gaya romantis, gaya kontemporer.. Dan yang paling complicated adalah siapa lagi kalo bukan gua (rhea banget!!) karena gua gunting-gunting sendiri kelopak bunganya dan gua susun sendiri…jadi itu model gua, warna gua, bunga gua yang tiada duanya… duh ga penting amat sih. Kalo ada yang tanya bunga apa tuh? Jawabannya Bunga Rhea… soalnya gua juga ga tau itu apaan wuakakakkaka =D.
Si Ncim kebagian tugas ngumpulin tuh gambar bunga dan dibikin sedemikian rupa sehingga ada namanya. Sementara gua tugas bikin background-nya alias the garden. Terinspirasi oleh style-nya Lolita Lempicka, jadilah Art Deco background yang gua bikin dengan Caran d’Ache crayon gua yang udah jarang gua pake tapi masih ada sampe sekarang. Full colour bolak balik, yang lebih polos untuk “nanem” kembangnya. Jadi kalo guru-guru mau manggil murid (disuruh jawab atau apalah, biasalah guru SMU) dia akan tertegun dan menikmati “pemandangan kebon” itu sejenak sebelom manggil. Jadilah beberapa detik habis dari jam pelajaran kita (duh bokis). Dan kalo ulangan kadang ada guru yang ngeliat-liatin tuh “kebon” jadi lebih gampang buat kita untuk nyontek (ya siapa tau ada yang butuh).
Itulah kenangan paling dahsyat yang gua punya dengan si Ncim. Karena ketika kita kerja bareng itu kita jadi lebih kenal satu sama lain dan jadi lebih deket. Sampe ketika sama-sama lanjut ke NTU Singapore sini kita juga masih deket walau beda sekolah, beda kegiatan, beda pacar (ya iya lah!!), beda tempat tinggal… Tapi tiap ketemu pasti masih ada koneksinya dan SMS jalan terus… Undangan wedding pertama yang diatasnamakan ke gua juga berasal dari dia di tahun 2003.
Dan yak, si Ncim sekarang udah memasuki phase baru dalam hidupnya…. To be A MOTHER!!! Dia udah melahirkan tanggal 11 July kemaren. Disambut dengan gegap gempita oleh gua (dooh, heboh) dan temen-temen sealmamater yang lain yang jelas. Guru-guru di Sanur, watch out!! Siapa tau si Baby D ini akan melanjutkan profesi Ncim sebagai penyerang terutama di Fisika dengan suaranya yang lemah lembut mendayu aduhai tetapi isinya menukik, mencabik, menusuk….
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
"A messy thread-ball..."
We are all now very familiar with the wonders that a world wide web can do to our lives. A novel innovation called Friendster has done thousands or even millions of them. Many are connected with friends in olden and golden days, some have even found their spouses from the network.
I was again reconnected with one of my close friend in primary school, D. Somehow one of our common friend works with him now and she (W) is connected to my close friend from NTU, T. And while T and I (as in - me - not an initial =P) were waiting for a bus to go roller-blading in East Coast Park, his name (D's) was mentioned (somehow) and... well, the story continues.
We haven't seen each other for a good 12 years. 12 years since we received our primary school transcripts - which means almost null today.
We both like to draw and paint in those younger days. And I believe, even until now. He happens to be in Singapore today so we had a short conversation over the phone.
He told me that there is something about me that he can't wipe it off from his head until now... So "impressive" to him that he still remembers very vividly until today....
I think it happened around 14 years ago... or 15? Can't really be sure.
I liked to be a challenger back then ha ha ha =D. Small (I had not grown vertically), extremely skinny, nerdy-looking with my already-thick-for-primary-school-kids glasses, extra-loud voice... I bet I just looked like a girl you love to hate in a kids television programme =)
I remember I sometimes told people "Draw any lines in any shapes you like, I will definitely be able to finish it into a drawing"
And D, being a good artist, took up the challenge and drew an entanglement of nothing. In short, he drew a mess. And with coolness emanating in my aura, I continued the mess and "submitted" the drawing to him with super-confidence shown on my face.
"What is that?", he asked.
"A messy thread-ball", I said, with no-surrendering expression.
Oh my my my... what a nerve.
Until now, I always think that my it's-how-i-like-my-world-to-be-so-back-off attitude and my so-what expression creeped in to my soul as I grew older. D has just reminded me that it has actually been embedded and flowing through my vein since such a young age.
Viva benang kusut!!!
I was again reconnected with one of my close friend in primary school, D. Somehow one of our common friend works with him now and she (W) is connected to my close friend from NTU, T. And while T and I (as in - me - not an initial =P) were waiting for a bus to go roller-blading in East Coast Park, his name (D's) was mentioned (somehow) and... well, the story continues.
We haven't seen each other for a good 12 years. 12 years since we received our primary school transcripts - which means almost null today.
We both like to draw and paint in those younger days. And I believe, even until now. He happens to be in Singapore today so we had a short conversation over the phone.
He told me that there is something about me that he can't wipe it off from his head until now... So "impressive" to him that he still remembers very vividly until today....
I think it happened around 14 years ago... or 15? Can't really be sure.
I liked to be a challenger back then ha ha ha =D. Small (I had not grown vertically), extremely skinny, nerdy-looking with my already-thick-for-primary-school-kids glasses, extra-loud voice... I bet I just looked like a girl you love to hate in a kids television programme =)
I remember I sometimes told people "Draw any lines in any shapes you like, I will definitely be able to finish it into a drawing"
And D, being a good artist, took up the challenge and drew an entanglement of nothing. In short, he drew a mess. And with coolness emanating in my aura, I continued the mess and "submitted" the drawing to him with super-confidence shown on my face.
"What is that?", he asked.
"A messy thread-ball", I said, with no-surrendering expression.
Oh my my my... what a nerve.
Until now, I always think that my it's-how-i-like-my-world-to-be-so-back-off attitude and my so-what expression creeped in to my soul as I grew older. D has just reminded me that it has actually been embedded and flowing through my vein since such a young age.
Viva benang kusut!!!
Oooaaahhhmmm
*Yawn*
I don't know what season are Tse-Tse Flies are going through now, but what I know is that they are now actively atacking Homo Sapiens species, or at least those in my office room.
For those of you who have forgotten about Tse-Tse Flies, they are the flies who like to happily sprinkle the sleepiness virus over people, sinful and not sinful alike =)
My after-lunch cup of Kopi Luwak (Civet Cat coffee) didn't help much. I was still dozing off over my work desk. And I managed to steal 10 minutes of nap!! Funnily enough, I was suddenly wide awake when the thumping noise stops.
"Oh, well.... the unit has completed its 100 cycles and I just need to run the next cycle"
So there I was, on my work desk. On the other desk on the other alley, my unit was frantically running its life cycle test. And the thumping noise has become my lullaby...
What an irony... At night, a single noise can jeopardize my beauty (eh?!?!?!?) sleep. Perfect tranquility is a must. Pitch-black and zero noise. Even then, I am still insomniac at times.
And on a broad daylight, what I craved most was a nap. A sleep. A slumber. Whatever you may call it.
And now the yawn has suddenly gone... May be a cup of coffee combined with a short nap is a good medicine...
I don't know what season are Tse-Tse Flies are going through now, but what I know is that they are now actively atacking Homo Sapiens species, or at least those in my office room.
For those of you who have forgotten about Tse-Tse Flies, they are the flies who like to happily sprinkle the sleepiness virus over people, sinful and not sinful alike =)
My after-lunch cup of Kopi Luwak (Civet Cat coffee) didn't help much. I was still dozing off over my work desk. And I managed to steal 10 minutes of nap!! Funnily enough, I was suddenly wide awake when the thumping noise stops.
"Oh, well.... the unit has completed its 100 cycles and I just need to run the next cycle"
So there I was, on my work desk. On the other desk on the other alley, my unit was frantically running its life cycle test. And the thumping noise has become my lullaby...
What an irony... At night, a single noise can jeopardize my beauty (eh?!?!?!?) sleep. Perfect tranquility is a must. Pitch-black and zero noise. Even then, I am still insomniac at times.
And on a broad daylight, what I craved most was a nap. A sleep. A slumber. Whatever you may call it.
And now the yawn has suddenly gone... May be a cup of coffee combined with a short nap is a good medicine...
Sunday, July 03, 2005
The Wedding Speech
Elaine, the gorgeous bride has asked me to deliver a speech in her beautiful wedding ceremony on 26th June 2005 at Tirtha Uluwatu, Bali. I nodded yes at that time, not realizing that it was a heavy task on my shoulder.
Why is it heavy?
Firstly, it will be part of one of the most memorable day in Leo and Elaine’s life, one milestone in their blissful marriage life. Surely I would have to chip in accordingly. I simply couldn’t take this task lightly and just give a speech as I wish.
Secondly, I have stage-freight. Funnily enough, many people think that I have a high confidence. I can directly look at the people when I talk, but my voice and legs will all be shaky. I just couldn’t imagine how I would stand before hundreds of people and delivering a wedding speech.
Thirdly, I have never, ever, known in my life how a wedding speech is like. I seldom attend weddings, so wedding speech is still alien to me.
Well, not knowing what a wedding speech sounds like can be a good thing actually, in the sense that I can make it an original one (cieeeeehhh…). As long as it is still of an acceptable standard, of course.
So, for around one and a half months the time given to prepare the speech, I kept procrastinating doing it. There must always be something that came along the way. Even my weekends were always occupied by something. My weekdays were already full with my office workload, where my project is now at a heightened stage.
‘Til the last weekend came before I flew off to Bali, I still didn’t manage to find a time or to find a nice and unique way to deliver the speech. Then, OK, I think I would just make it during the two and a half hours flight.
I did make something in the plane. But it was very… blatant. Very… ordinary. Nothing’s special. It was just like filling up a void. It’s only better than nothing.
It was only until around 16 hours before that speech that I found something to say, though it was still incomplete. Ironically, it was an accident that inspired me. Even my friends supported the idea of mentioning the accident that we had in the wedding speech.
I made an analogy of the accident that we had in Kudeta’s sands at 00.00 – 02.00 am (Bali Time) with their marriage life, though they are as different as heaven and earth. Ours only lasted for two hours, but theirs will be forever. Problems and stormy moments will come now and then. Sometimes they will see no lights at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes they will see helps as threats. Sometimes they will lose trust on each other. The time may come when their faith fades and hope falters. The grip of life loosens. Just keep trying. Keep pushing. Keep digging. Don’t hesitate to ask for help when required, and knowing always that all problems must have a solution.
As for them, their love has been united and blessed in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit as they exchanged their wedding vow in front of the altar. This beautiful wedding scene in the chapel (with breathtaking sea view as background) also inspired me to add something in my speech =P.
Ha ha ha…. =D Actually I thought that my speech must have something which makes it more… well, sounds more sophisticated (cieeeehh…). Captivated by the beauty of the Sacrament of Matrimony, I thought of putting something about LOVE in it. As I had no time to prepare, so I just took the chorus portion of the closing song which I wrote for “Perhaps Love” The Musical. Well, it is still my original work and they truly really reflect the sacredness of love in my eyes. Impromptu and yet well-prepared =P. So I memorized each word from that chorus, and here goes:
There is one thing we call LOVEThe greatest mystery revealed
Some say it hurts, but more it heals
It makes you alive, and it may also kill
It is the reason to cry and laughter it may bring forth
It is the only reason your heart fights with your head
But hold on to it you will know when it arrives
Love is God, we obey and pray
That’s all we have to say
Ha ha ha…. =D This piece made my speech sounded a bit like well-prepared.
I continued the speech by catapulting us back to nine years ago, when I first knew Elaine as a bright and respectable senior in Santa Ursula High School. Our rollercoaster ride of friendship started taking off in NTU, Singapore though. Since then, we have shared many things, including some embarrassing moments =P.
Phew, finally my first ever wedding speech is done. Come to think about it, for an unprepared speech I think it was not bad.
Why is it heavy?
Firstly, it will be part of one of the most memorable day in Leo and Elaine’s life, one milestone in their blissful marriage life. Surely I would have to chip in accordingly. I simply couldn’t take this task lightly and just give a speech as I wish.
Secondly, I have stage-freight. Funnily enough, many people think that I have a high confidence. I can directly look at the people when I talk, but my voice and legs will all be shaky. I just couldn’t imagine how I would stand before hundreds of people and delivering a wedding speech.
Thirdly, I have never, ever, known in my life how a wedding speech is like. I seldom attend weddings, so wedding speech is still alien to me.
Well, not knowing what a wedding speech sounds like can be a good thing actually, in the sense that I can make it an original one (cieeeeehhh…). As long as it is still of an acceptable standard, of course.
So, for around one and a half months the time given to prepare the speech, I kept procrastinating doing it. There must always be something that came along the way. Even my weekends were always occupied by something. My weekdays were already full with my office workload, where my project is now at a heightened stage.
‘Til the last weekend came before I flew off to Bali, I still didn’t manage to find a time or to find a nice and unique way to deliver the speech. Then, OK, I think I would just make it during the two and a half hours flight.
I did make something in the plane. But it was very… blatant. Very… ordinary. Nothing’s special. It was just like filling up a void. It’s only better than nothing.
It was only until around 16 hours before that speech that I found something to say, though it was still incomplete. Ironically, it was an accident that inspired me. Even my friends supported the idea of mentioning the accident that we had in the wedding speech.
I made an analogy of the accident that we had in Kudeta’s sands at 00.00 – 02.00 am (Bali Time) with their marriage life, though they are as different as heaven and earth. Ours only lasted for two hours, but theirs will be forever. Problems and stormy moments will come now and then. Sometimes they will see no lights at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes they will see helps as threats. Sometimes they will lose trust on each other. The time may come when their faith fades and hope falters. The grip of life loosens. Just keep trying. Keep pushing. Keep digging. Don’t hesitate to ask for help when required, and knowing always that all problems must have a solution.
As for them, their love has been united and blessed in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit as they exchanged their wedding vow in front of the altar. This beautiful wedding scene in the chapel (with breathtaking sea view as background) also inspired me to add something in my speech =P.
Ha ha ha…. =D Actually I thought that my speech must have something which makes it more… well, sounds more sophisticated (cieeeehh…). Captivated by the beauty of the Sacrament of Matrimony, I thought of putting something about LOVE in it. As I had no time to prepare, so I just took the chorus portion of the closing song which I wrote for “Perhaps Love” The Musical. Well, it is still my original work and they truly really reflect the sacredness of love in my eyes. Impromptu and yet well-prepared =P. So I memorized each word from that chorus, and here goes:
There is one thing we call LOVEThe greatest mystery revealed
Some say it hurts, but more it heals
It makes you alive, and it may also kill
It is the reason to cry and laughter it may bring forth
It is the only reason your heart fights with your head
But hold on to it you will know when it arrives
Love is God, we obey and pray
That’s all we have to say
Ha ha ha…. =D This piece made my speech sounded a bit like well-prepared.
I continued the speech by catapulting us back to nine years ago, when I first knew Elaine as a bright and respectable senior in Santa Ursula High School. Our rollercoaster ride of friendship started taking off in NTU, Singapore though. Since then, we have shared many things, including some embarrassing moments =P.
Phew, finally my first ever wedding speech is done. Come to think about it, for an unprepared speech I think it was not bad.
Monkey Attack!!!!
25th of June 2005 was my first day of holiday in Bali. It was.. impressive, I can say. On that day, many new things happened to me. On 24th, I arrived in Ngurah Rai airport with mixed feeling. Partly tired, due to workload and lack of sleeps on the last few days, but mostly I feel like screaming “Yippeeeeeee!!!!” and announcing to the whole world that finally my time for holiday comes. It’s my first holiday after 2 years of working. My cousin picked my up from airport, whom I haven’t seen for around 8 years. Luckily nothing much changed from us, so we both didn’t approach the wrong person.
Arriving at Sanur Paradise Plaza Suites at around midnite, I met my flat mates: R, A and C. R and C were my seniors in NTU. Different school, different batch and halls of residence limited our exchange of conversation back then. However, we hit it off instantly and we were no different from old friends anymore. Our loud voices accompanied our journeys. Teasing and laughters were also not left behind.
Saturday morning, we left our residence at 8.15 am to head towards Ayung River for my first Rafting Adventure. It was… WOW!!! The only drawback is the “natural stoney staircase” to and from the riverbank. The steps were sooooo high and it seemed like an endless journey. Our calves went shaky. Our breath went short. But it was all paid off when we reached the river. Wow, totally wow. We rafted below a gorge, below hundreds of bats. We passed through waterfalls, everything was still untouched. Though sometimes the rock hindered our cruise, but it is still better than a man-made one, right?
We could see more rainbows during our adventure than all the rainbows we have seen in our life.
The adventure was concluded by a lunch feast. A buffet of rice, fried rice, fried noodle, pecel (Indonesian mix of vegetables with peanut sauce), fried chicken, fried tahu and tempe, chicken satay, macaroni soup. Desserts of fruits, banana fritters and tapioca fritters just made it complete. The drink… Teh Botol Sosro, a bottled sweetened tea which is always missed by Indonesian abroad…
Next, after we went back to our suites, we went for massage at 3 pm. However, none of us really enjoyed it. So the story skips to Uluwatu Temple. It’s a Hindu temple above a cliff, in the southern part of Bali. From there, we can see beautiful sunset with the background music of ocean wave thumping the cliff. Everything was sooooo breathtaking. All visitors must wear decent clothings, those who wear shorts or mini skirts must be covered up by Balinese Sarong.
So here we were, amazed by the scenery, the weather, the ocean sound, and everything….
I forgot that there are many “wild” monkeys around!! They get “wilder” the higher you go (the place where you can find less visitors). When I was a bit off-guard, a monkey grabbed my glasses. It just stopped by my shoulder in a very tiny moment, and the next thing I knew is that my eyesight went very blur (what with my minus 925 and 875 plus astigmatism, my eyesight without glasses was significantly blur!!). I let out my soprano scream and few native people came and bribed the naughty monkey with peanuts or dunno-what since I couldn’t really see.
Afterwards, I always made sure that I held my glasses. My friend R walked beside me and holding her necklace’s pendant. But at one second moment, I was A BIT unattentive and there went my glasses for the second time!!! This time was scarier as the monkey stood at the top of one pillar and behind it was the cliff with the wild ocean wave below!!! My glasses could say good bye to me while flying down anytime. My friend also went panic. The guys, A and C could even hear our soprano screams. Luckily the person there could help me get my glasses back.
Well, twice is already more than enough for me. So off I went with R walked beside me and showed the way out.
With this, I definitely scrapped off the idea of going to Sangeh, The Monkey Forest.
Arriving at Sanur Paradise Plaza Suites at around midnite, I met my flat mates: R, A and C. R and C were my seniors in NTU. Different school, different batch and halls of residence limited our exchange of conversation back then. However, we hit it off instantly and we were no different from old friends anymore. Our loud voices accompanied our journeys. Teasing and laughters were also not left behind.
Saturday morning, we left our residence at 8.15 am to head towards Ayung River for my first Rafting Adventure. It was… WOW!!! The only drawback is the “natural stoney staircase” to and from the riverbank. The steps were sooooo high and it seemed like an endless journey. Our calves went shaky. Our breath went short. But it was all paid off when we reached the river. Wow, totally wow. We rafted below a gorge, below hundreds of bats. We passed through waterfalls, everything was still untouched. Though sometimes the rock hindered our cruise, but it is still better than a man-made one, right?
We could see more rainbows during our adventure than all the rainbows we have seen in our life.
The adventure was concluded by a lunch feast. A buffet of rice, fried rice, fried noodle, pecel (Indonesian mix of vegetables with peanut sauce), fried chicken, fried tahu and tempe, chicken satay, macaroni soup. Desserts of fruits, banana fritters and tapioca fritters just made it complete. The drink… Teh Botol Sosro, a bottled sweetened tea which is always missed by Indonesian abroad…
Next, after we went back to our suites, we went for massage at 3 pm. However, none of us really enjoyed it. So the story skips to Uluwatu Temple. It’s a Hindu temple above a cliff, in the southern part of Bali. From there, we can see beautiful sunset with the background music of ocean wave thumping the cliff. Everything was sooooo breathtaking. All visitors must wear decent clothings, those who wear shorts or mini skirts must be covered up by Balinese Sarong.
So here we were, amazed by the scenery, the weather, the ocean sound, and everything….
I forgot that there are many “wild” monkeys around!! They get “wilder” the higher you go (the place where you can find less visitors). When I was a bit off-guard, a monkey grabbed my glasses. It just stopped by my shoulder in a very tiny moment, and the next thing I knew is that my eyesight went very blur (what with my minus 925 and 875 plus astigmatism, my eyesight without glasses was significantly blur!!). I let out my soprano scream and few native people came and bribed the naughty monkey with peanuts or dunno-what since I couldn’t really see.
Afterwards, I always made sure that I held my glasses. My friend R walked beside me and holding her necklace’s pendant. But at one second moment, I was A BIT unattentive and there went my glasses for the second time!!! This time was scarier as the monkey stood at the top of one pillar and behind it was the cliff with the wild ocean wave below!!! My glasses could say good bye to me while flying down anytime. My friend also went panic. The guys, A and C could even hear our soprano screams. Luckily the person there could help me get my glasses back.
Well, twice is already more than enough for me. So off I went with R walked beside me and showed the way out.
With this, I definitely scrapped off the idea of going to Sangeh, The Monkey Forest.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Cicak Gaya...
Tulisan gua kali ini bisa dikategorikan sebagai pengakuan dosa kali. Di negeri yang mendewa-dewakan kebersihan ini, kemaren gua buang sampah dari lantai 15 block tempat gua tinggal.
Asal-muasal tindakan laknat ini (i.e. buang sampah sembarangan) adalah cuma gara-gara seekor cicak penuh gaya.
Kemaren di dapur, gua ngeliat cicak. Untungnya sih dia ga kelayapan di daerah-daerah yang makanannya terbuka. Nah reptil yang satu ini tuh genit banget. Sok gaya gitu. Dia pikir dia bisa ngibulin gua jadi pajangan kali yah. Doooh, ngaca dong.. ngaca... ngapain majang cicak ya gak?
Akhirnya gua udah ga tau mau diapain sebenernya tuh cicak. Bisa nemplok gitu bak fotomodel siap dipotret. Freeze... Terus pas di sodok pake sedotan bekas, dia maju trus diem lagi... gaya lagi!!! Masya rakaaaat... gitu terus sampe akhirnya gua jadi kayak ikutan play his game gitu. Sodok-maju-gaya. Sodok-maju-gaya. (Gua gak ikut gaya, cicaknya doank). Gak asyik banget sih.
Akhirnya gua grab aja tuh cicak gaya pake tissue. Pas gua pegang juga geleper-geleper gitu, jadi kan mesti langsung cepet-cepet gua buang daripada ntar dia gaya di tangan gua, ya gak?? Maklum di lantai 15, tiadalah itu yang namanya kebon atau tempat terbuka di depan rumah. Jadi satu-satunya "penghubung" antara gua dan alam sekitar ya jendela belakang.
Gak sengaja gua buang tuh cicak gaya bersama tissue-nya (maksud hati buang cicaknya aja). Ya ampun ternyata yang gua buang cuma ekornya doank. Si cicak gaya berhasil menggeliat dari cengkeraman jari lentik gua dan nangkring di lantai dapur. Untungnya belom sempet keliaran lagi....
Dan... yak, sodara-sodara seperti kalian juga pasti dapat menebak... dia lagi gaya!!! Gak lupa kalo sama yang satu itu. Gua sodok lagi. Dan yah terulang lagi lah sodok-maju-gaya itu. Gila mungkin dia tunggu gua potret baru berhenti gaya kali ya.
Akhirnya gua grab lagi dengan lebih "tega" cengkerem body-nya. Masih meliuk-liuk sok langsing gitu. Dan gua buang lagi dari tempat yang sama... tissue nya kebuang lagi.
Jadi, rangkuman dari pengakuan dosa gua adalah gua membuang sembarangan 2 helai tissue dapur, kepala + body cicak gaya dan ekor cicak gaya.
Makanya gua tulis pake bahasa Indo neh, in case ada HDB officer yang baca. Tapi kalo dia Malay by race and language sih sami mawon donk yah...
Kesimpulannya, jauh lebih gampang nangkep kecoa daripada nangkep cicak, karena:
1. Kecoa tidak sok gaya
2. Kecoa tidak meliuk-liuk sok langsing
3. Kecoa tidak bisa melepas ekornya (punya gak sih?)
Asal-muasal tindakan laknat ini (i.e. buang sampah sembarangan) adalah cuma gara-gara seekor cicak penuh gaya.
Kemaren di dapur, gua ngeliat cicak. Untungnya sih dia ga kelayapan di daerah-daerah yang makanannya terbuka. Nah reptil yang satu ini tuh genit banget. Sok gaya gitu. Dia pikir dia bisa ngibulin gua jadi pajangan kali yah. Doooh, ngaca dong.. ngaca... ngapain majang cicak ya gak?
Akhirnya gua udah ga tau mau diapain sebenernya tuh cicak. Bisa nemplok gitu bak fotomodel siap dipotret. Freeze... Terus pas di sodok pake sedotan bekas, dia maju trus diem lagi... gaya lagi!!! Masya rakaaaat... gitu terus sampe akhirnya gua jadi kayak ikutan play his game gitu. Sodok-maju-gaya. Sodok-maju-gaya. (Gua gak ikut gaya, cicaknya doank). Gak asyik banget sih.
Akhirnya gua grab aja tuh cicak gaya pake tissue. Pas gua pegang juga geleper-geleper gitu, jadi kan mesti langsung cepet-cepet gua buang daripada ntar dia gaya di tangan gua, ya gak?? Maklum di lantai 15, tiadalah itu yang namanya kebon atau tempat terbuka di depan rumah. Jadi satu-satunya "penghubung" antara gua dan alam sekitar ya jendela belakang.
Gak sengaja gua buang tuh cicak gaya bersama tissue-nya (maksud hati buang cicaknya aja). Ya ampun ternyata yang gua buang cuma ekornya doank. Si cicak gaya berhasil menggeliat dari cengkeraman jari lentik gua dan nangkring di lantai dapur. Untungnya belom sempet keliaran lagi....
Dan... yak, sodara-sodara seperti kalian juga pasti dapat menebak... dia lagi gaya!!! Gak lupa kalo sama yang satu itu. Gua sodok lagi. Dan yah terulang lagi lah sodok-maju-gaya itu. Gila mungkin dia tunggu gua potret baru berhenti gaya kali ya.
Akhirnya gua grab lagi dengan lebih "tega" cengkerem body-nya. Masih meliuk-liuk sok langsing gitu. Dan gua buang lagi dari tempat yang sama... tissue nya kebuang lagi.
Jadi, rangkuman dari pengakuan dosa gua adalah gua membuang sembarangan 2 helai tissue dapur, kepala + body cicak gaya dan ekor cicak gaya.
Makanya gua tulis pake bahasa Indo neh, in case ada HDB officer yang baca. Tapi kalo dia Malay by race and language sih sami mawon donk yah...
Kesimpulannya, jauh lebih gampang nangkep kecoa daripada nangkep cicak, karena:
1. Kecoa tidak sok gaya
2. Kecoa tidak meliuk-liuk sok langsing
3. Kecoa tidak bisa melepas ekornya (punya gak sih?)
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Brethrens in Foreign Land
Being far from home, we as social human beings will always try to create a new bond in the new (foreign) place. The closest to a family, perhaps. It may be considered as the natural instinct of survival. It becomes more prominent when we live in a struggling condition, a rocky and stony paths instead of a paradise. Friends are people who will always be around. They can be our pillars. With them we share both joy and sorrow. We, the fragile and the vulnerable, can unimaginably be the source of strength for others, in ways we would never know.
Six years ago, the tiny hills and valleys in NTU welcomed me to be one of its residents. It was my first time to be permanently away from my family. I was not scared, I was not worried, but there’s something missing in the daily cycle of my life. You were physically detached from your family. Surely it would have certain degree of impact into your life.
Luckily, not only the hills and valleys were welcoming. Warm smiles were also there, offering friendship and... a family. We were bonded as brothers and sisters, though without blood ties. We were there for each birthday, each celebration, each post-exam euphoria, each Chinese New Year, each Christmas, each new year… And now the time has come for a farewell.
Today, we said our temporary goodbye to one of our dear friend who will pursue her higher study in another part of the globe. It was like a wake up call for each of us, to come and gather once again, just as what we used to have in our younger days.
We have now lived different lives, we have gone into different directions. Some have achieved their dreams, some are still searching, some are still studying. We are not just a bunch of foreign students anymore. Most of us have already settled down, have a good job and steady income.
How different it was back then. We were students in this foreign country, pocketing our own problems. Financial difficulties, relationship problem, problem in studying, etc. The list can go longer. We have similar worries, some identical fears. We held hands and united in prayers during exam period. We cheered for each success, we gave each other a pat on the back. We went crazy in post-exam euphoria. We panicked with each other for study problems, and tried to help as best as we could. We were definitely there when somebody brought some Indonesian food along. We found solace and peace in as simple as the presence of each other.
Some of us have now had a smooth path to the future. Some may still have uncertain path. Some wedding bells will be ringing. Somebody will start deserving a “Happy Father’s Day” greeting soon. Some additional degree will entail some names. Some might pursue other field of study. Some might start their own business. We don’t live in the same frequency anymore.
And yet, the bond that we had will always synchronize our hearts.
The BBQ pit in one condo seemed just like one of NTU hall’s common ground. We gossiped just as before. Splashes heard from the swimming pool sounded like Nanyang Lake/ Nanyang Pond. Our first reaction to hear the word “birthday” is to throw the person into the water (no, no it didn’t happen today). The gastronomical appetite doesn’t change. Those who were always to finish the food still do the same duty until today. The one who usually became our treasurer still count the money today. The one who was always bullied is “almost” to be one again today. The one who stood as our MC and confetti-popper today is the same person as before.
As simple as an exclamation “cieeeeehh…” (with our special intonation and context) can even bring back the memory. It seems years we don’t really say the word in our special way =P.
We have gone through a lot, in our own way, during these six to seven years. Some friends that I see today, I haven’t seen from years. I haven’t even heard any news from some.
The bond that ties, will always unite us. When we meet again, we feel like being trapped in a time-capsule and catapulted to our younger days. We are just brothers and sisters, who need each other. We might not do what we did last time and we might not help in the same way anymore, but definitely time will not dilute the bond that we had woven, the friendship that we had cultivated…
When the fallen darkness reminded us to call it a day, the condo is now just a condo. No more NTU hall, no more NTU trees, hills and valleys. 10 pm was the time we used to start back then, but now it is the time to start packing up…. May be we are just getting old =)
I do hope that we don’t need to wait for another farewell to have a gathering. Reunion is good you know, it will make you feel young. You can save away those dollars that you may splurge in antioxidants….
Thanks for being there, in the past, present and future!! I will surely wish you all the best, in each unique direction that you have decided or will decide to take.
God be with you all!!
Keep in touch, friends… and don’t forget to share the pictures =)
Six years ago, the tiny hills and valleys in NTU welcomed me to be one of its residents. It was my first time to be permanently away from my family. I was not scared, I was not worried, but there’s something missing in the daily cycle of my life. You were physically detached from your family. Surely it would have certain degree of impact into your life.
Luckily, not only the hills and valleys were welcoming. Warm smiles were also there, offering friendship and... a family. We were bonded as brothers and sisters, though without blood ties. We were there for each birthday, each celebration, each post-exam euphoria, each Chinese New Year, each Christmas, each new year… And now the time has come for a farewell.
Today, we said our temporary goodbye to one of our dear friend who will pursue her higher study in another part of the globe. It was like a wake up call for each of us, to come and gather once again, just as what we used to have in our younger days.
We have now lived different lives, we have gone into different directions. Some have achieved their dreams, some are still searching, some are still studying. We are not just a bunch of foreign students anymore. Most of us have already settled down, have a good job and steady income.
How different it was back then. We were students in this foreign country, pocketing our own problems. Financial difficulties, relationship problem, problem in studying, etc. The list can go longer. We have similar worries, some identical fears. We held hands and united in prayers during exam period. We cheered for each success, we gave each other a pat on the back. We went crazy in post-exam euphoria. We panicked with each other for study problems, and tried to help as best as we could. We were definitely there when somebody brought some Indonesian food along. We found solace and peace in as simple as the presence of each other.
Some of us have now had a smooth path to the future. Some may still have uncertain path. Some wedding bells will be ringing. Somebody will start deserving a “Happy Father’s Day” greeting soon. Some additional degree will entail some names. Some might pursue other field of study. Some might start their own business. We don’t live in the same frequency anymore.
And yet, the bond that we had will always synchronize our hearts.
The BBQ pit in one condo seemed just like one of NTU hall’s common ground. We gossiped just as before. Splashes heard from the swimming pool sounded like Nanyang Lake/ Nanyang Pond. Our first reaction to hear the word “birthday” is to throw the person into the water (no, no it didn’t happen today). The gastronomical appetite doesn’t change. Those who were always to finish the food still do the same duty until today. The one who usually became our treasurer still count the money today. The one who was always bullied is “almost” to be one again today. The one who stood as our MC and confetti-popper today is the same person as before.
As simple as an exclamation “cieeeeehh…” (with our special intonation and context) can even bring back the memory. It seems years we don’t really say the word in our special way =P.
We have gone through a lot, in our own way, during these six to seven years. Some friends that I see today, I haven’t seen from years. I haven’t even heard any news from some.
The bond that ties, will always unite us. When we meet again, we feel like being trapped in a time-capsule and catapulted to our younger days. We are just brothers and sisters, who need each other. We might not do what we did last time and we might not help in the same way anymore, but definitely time will not dilute the bond that we had woven, the friendship that we had cultivated…
When the fallen darkness reminded us to call it a day, the condo is now just a condo. No more NTU hall, no more NTU trees, hills and valleys. 10 pm was the time we used to start back then, but now it is the time to start packing up…. May be we are just getting old =)
I do hope that we don’t need to wait for another farewell to have a gathering. Reunion is good you know, it will make you feel young. You can save away those dollars that you may splurge in antioxidants….
Thanks for being there, in the past, present and future!! I will surely wish you all the best, in each unique direction that you have decided or will decide to take.
God be with you all!!
Keep in touch, friends… and don’t forget to share the pictures =)
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
The fact is...
It's the "part two" of my previous musing...
The problem with me is, in my current job I don't have many chances to do what I like, things which I am good at...
My main agenda is still product design. =(
Sometimes, they can't see the significance of what I am doing. Product design engineers in general are more practical, more experimental and empirical.
They don't like numbers, which I like to deal with and always use in doing design justification/analysis/whatever...
I didn't mean that their appreciation of my work becomes the ultimate goal, but with they manouvering me to follow the way they do things, it deprives me from doing things which actually go along with my interest... and perhaps, strength.
That's why I actually want to look for the right niche for me to grow... so I hope both employee and employer can grow together...
Will it be good?? Or am I just being fussy and ungrateful? If you leave any comments, be it here or directly to me, I'll be more than thankful...
The problem with me is, in my current job I don't have many chances to do what I like, things which I am good at...
My main agenda is still product design. =(
Sometimes, they can't see the significance of what I am doing. Product design engineers in general are more practical, more experimental and empirical.
They don't like numbers, which I like to deal with and always use in doing design justification/analysis/whatever...
I didn't mean that their appreciation of my work becomes the ultimate goal, but with they manouvering me to follow the way they do things, it deprives me from doing things which actually go along with my interest... and perhaps, strength.
That's why I actually want to look for the right niche for me to grow... so I hope both employee and employer can grow together...
Will it be good?? Or am I just being fussy and ungrateful? If you leave any comments, be it here or directly to me, I'll be more than thankful...
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