Junkie

I have been noticing a trend with my 'Ang'. Come every Sunday night, he will ask me this:

"So where will you be reporting work tomorrow?"

Frankly, I need to refer to my Palm to find out. I carry 4 portfolios.

Luckily my term with the hospital is ending this month.

My family business had jumpstarted another outlet, kind of stablized after 2 weeks of operation. Well, that's before the next wave of problem comes.

My freelance construction job will be running tight schedules with the upcoming tender calling, tender evaluation, tender interview, tender negotiation, etc....

And my newest kid on the block requires most efforts. Understanding their operations, drawing up website and marketing plan, finding growth and expanding coverage.

I is a junkie.

A Sign

Recently, I met up with a friend who now resides in Shanghai. We put in deliberate efforts to keep in touch. Her years in Beijing and Shanghai. My years in UK and US. We always return to Singapore whenever our term ends.

Now that her kids are in their schooling years, she puts them in an international school in Shanghai and whenever she comes back to Singapore for a few months, her kids follow her and she chucks them into their primary schools in Singapore for a few months. I would say this is a unusual way of a typical parent who shuffles their kids routine life.

I completely agree with my friend's unsual way of bringing her kids up, given her cirsumstance. Her kids will be exposed to a broad education systems, having international exposures, classmates from different nationalities, yet at the same time, attend a Singapore local school, studying in the academic driven education system, spending time with grandparents....my list can go on..... The impetus is....can the kid cope?

My bet is YES. We, adults, typically undermines the ability of kids' adaptability. Adults naturally determines what is best for their kids before even allowing them to try it.

Take this for example (I saw this on a MRT train). A mother and child (I called her Child Z) boards the train. The mother inevitably looks for seats as most adults have the pre-programmed mindset of getting a seat on the train is something theu should do. When a seat becomes available, the mother would give the seat to the child Z so that the child remains in a 'protected' and 'stable' confines and that....its 'GOOD'.

However, within that same MRT, is another child (I call her Child P) who is irritating other commuters by not sitting, trying to balance in that moving cabin, playing with the poles and trying to catch the hanging bars by jumping.

Child Z looks at Child P in awe. Child Z would probably enjoy standing but was told to sit. She would probably want to try to balance in that moving cabin but was told to sit. All these due to Mother's preconcept that it is for her own good. But deep inside, she is in envy, in awe of Child P.

So, what's so wrong with standing? Fear of kids injuring themselves? Fear of ......? Or a pre programmed notion in the brain that sitting is good? So what if they fall? Fall then!!....and let them understand what is pain lah!!!

I spoke about the above scenario when another of my friend told me of her plan to migrate to Australia. She said it is a better place for her kids to grow up, more space to run.

"What utter rubbish", I said "What makes you think that its a better place for your kids to grow up? That's what you think it will be!!! Not what it will materially be!!! And possibly not exactly what the kids want!!"

How about the grandparents? Why did we chose our young rather than our parents/ancestors? That the old has lived their lives and waiting for death that there should not be any quality? My list of questions can go on and on......

I have been stirring over these thoughts for some time. And somehow I relate them to my inability to conceive now. Someone up there is showing me something, is telling me something.....

Good Deed, Good Feeling

Happiness comes from helping people. It just makes me feel good.

I had to take a train to Novena today. At 9am, the usual peak hour rush is over and I could easily find a seat, and was seated beside an old auntie, probably of 60 years age. By the time the train got to Sembawang, the seats are full and I stood up to offer to an elderly woman.

Well, this is Good Deed No. 1. I is happy already.

Later, I realized the 60+ year old aunty is kinda lost. She keeps asking the passenger next to her what station is this, where is this train going, etc. She turned around and waved at me and asked me the same questions – in Hokkien.

Aunty: What is the next station?

Beerkaki: Next station is Ang Mo Kio. Where are you going?

Aunty: I want to sit until it ends (literally translated from Hokkien)

Beerkaki: Sit until it ends will bring you to Marina Bay. You wanna go Marina Bay? Bing Hai Wan?

Aunty: I want to sit until it ends.

She repeated this several times until I can no longer help her in anyway. Then, she pulled out a little blue booklet from her bag and pointed the address on the book. I looked at it. Seriously, I don’t know where it is. But I know what place it is.

I asked the Aunty to alight on the next station with me while I call to find out where is the place. The operator directed to alight at either Woodlands or Yishun, then take a feeder bus. The aunty says she will take a taxi from the MRT station, so Yishun will be nearer.

Apparently, we have passed Yishun and now need to cross the platform to take it the opposite direction. I keep telling her she must alight at Yishun but she kinda don’t know, or even heard of Yishun. So, I brought her to the opposite platform, seek help from a lady who is going that direction and instructed her to tell the aunty when it reached Yishun. Before I left, she keep telling me Thank You, numerous times.

Well. This is the end of my Good Deed No. 2

I had been thinking, while in the train on my way to my destination which I’m going to be utterly late, I should be the one to say THANK YOU to the aunty. For giving me a chance to help her, for making me feel good, for making me happy.

AUNTY, YOU MAKE MY DAY. THANK YOU!!

I continued to think and start to emphathise the aunty. She is helpless and quite poor (cos' I asked her to take a taxi from Ang Mo Kio and she was afraid the taxi fare will be too expensive), but for the love she has, she was determined to make the trip. She was holding a plastic bag, within it a small packet of beehoon (I guess) and a pair of wooden chopsticks.

I hoped she found her way to Khalsa Crescent Prison.

Hungry Ghost, Human Ghost

I don't think no one will ever miss it cos' its everywhere. The burning of incense, candles and incense paper. The smell of incense.... gives me peace and makes me smile!!

Today, its the 1st first day of the hungry ghost festival. And........?

I MET A GHOST TODAY!!!!

This ghost is female. Quite pretty. But has a foul mouth. She interchanges herself from ghost to devil (What's the difference? I don't know). Sometimes, camoflauge herself in an angel suit. But once she opens her mouth, bats flew out from it.

This ghost is a human ghost. We see them everyday. We meet them everyday. We talk to them everyday. We probably work in the same office.

I was interrupted by this human ghost today. Though I must say I was quite disrupted by it, I listened to her blabber, listened to her nonsense. But I saw her insecurities, her inadequacies.

That brought me to Blinkymummy's, or should I say 'Good Fren' observation - "these people blame others because other people bring contrast to these people's inadequacies. They see what they are not born with, what they have not worked for."

In fact, I pity these human ghost. They lived their lives based on other people's lives. The way they talk are based on who these people are, what these people have. The way they behave are based on how rich or poor these people are. They laughed when the rich laughed. And they will always be stucked in this human ghost realm.

Who is scarier? Human Ghost Or Hungry Ghost?

My Housewarming Gifts

My housewarming gifts.....8 months after I shifted into my new abode, it arrived.....from United States Of America!!!!

They were gifts from my three buddies, acquainted back when I was in the States. One of them happened to be my Secondary School mate but only got closed when we were in foreign land. And later today, I'm attending her baby's full month celebration.

My buddies knew that I loved Martha Stewart stuffs. Well, who can resist cheap, durable and well designed stuffs. So, they pooled together a sum of money (in US$ hor) and asked me to check out the Martha Stewart website. E, one of my buddy currently residing in US was the runner - buying, packing, arranging free shipment, coordinating, etc.......... Well, I did more than just Martha Stewart, I also checked out Target lah, Kmart lah, Walmart lah.......And these are what I chose.

Look like Tupperware party right? Only its better.

This is my favourite - Bodum Creamer and Sugar Set.

I also ordered a 3 compartment laundry basket and while my 'Ang' was assembling it, he noticed this.

This laundry basket travelled round the world to get here!! I won't be surprised most of the stuff I've got are Made in China.

Anyway, by the time I opened up everything, I realised something.......

Half the items are for my buddy's baby. Looks like E had a huge shopping spree at Tanger Factory Outlet. And I have to bring them over to the party later......

Thank You, Ladies!!!

Hungry Ghost

My 'Ang' had been pestering me to prepare steamboat for quite sometime. First of all, I don't even have that electric steamboat pot to start with. Was in Isetan to get one, not because we love Isetan. Just happened that I still have $100 voucher from one of my housewarming gift which if I don't spend it still, its going to get expired or get lost somehow.

Household department at Isetan had a facelift!! Modern and bright.

Anyway, on National Day eve, we went supermarketing after work. By the time we got home, set up the steamboat, washed the vegetables, cut the tou hu, etc........its past 8pm.....and I'm a hungry ghost already. The best part is......waiting for that packet chicken stock to boil. I'm really fainting already. To make me feel worse, we caught a variety show in Channel 8 called "Pai Pai Zhan, Cha Cha Kan" (Take a queue and check it out, something like that) hosted by Bryan Wong and the singer turned actor/host/writer. Whatever I see is "Zhi De" lor.

Then out of desperation, I buey tahan already, I took this from the fridge to 'tong' my hunger.

This dinner took at least 2 hours to finish. No rice, no meat, only vegetables, tang hoon, fishballs, mushroom balls, touhu, mushroom, baby corn.....we were sitting on the floor, eating, waiting for the food to cook, watching TV, resting, eating again, talking, waiting again.......This is bliss.

Then Channel 5 was showing "My Big Fat Greek Weddding". I watched this show before and I loved it. This time when I watched it, it suddenly strike me that Singapore should make a show similar to this. 2 different person from backgrounds, faling in love and how both gels into each other's family background. I call this racial harmony. To top it off, make it the Uniquely Singapore way.

New Sheets, Old Friend

Was roaming around Orchard today and remembered Aussino having a Sale. So, with complimentary VIP card from my cousin, I trot down to Paragon and bought sheets with a vengence!! 40% discount!!!! Cotton Sateen is BEST!

Bumped into Pet at Paragon. He is so damn long life!! I just blog about his father's shop - Just Anthony, and now bump into him. Frankly, I can hardly recognise him.....before long, we were recalling our drinking times at One Tree Hill, a once cosy development that succumbed the En Bloc frenzy. Another one bites the dust.

OK, back to Pet. Turned out that he is a super high high flyer property agent now. Of course lah, so many richie rich friends as his potential customers, which owns more than 1 property at anytime. Especially when the property market is booming like gold, diamonds and emeralds!!

New sheets. Old Friend.

Sunday

Finally, I remembered this weekend is a MAAD weekend. So we marched down to the red dot building.

Saw some works in the name of DESIGN!!! My 'Ang' tried hard to understand the arty farty, especially when we saw an item called BIOPOD. Its actually a coffin made out of white plastic that was designed to cater and meet the needs of a disaster i.e. high and fast demand of coffins. I was actually quite surprised that anyone would take coffin as their design motive. But my 'Ang', whose livelihood and career is to save lives and participate in disaster rescue mission, simply laughed "A body bag is good enough."

Then, in the scorching sun, we had this....

PEANUT ICE KACHANG. Famous one, ok? Located at Tanjong Pagar Food Centre. There are lots of good and cheap food but because it is Sunday, most of the stalls were closed. Then, I had a sudden urge of eating "Ke Ai Ji"!!! Drove all the way down to Clementi to get this.

Don't ask me why the knife is there.

New Addition

I have a new addition to my house!!

TA DAA!!!

I know, I know....I is Cheena! Who on earth in my era will buy Pheonies pictures? I love antiques and old oriental furnitures. But they are just always so expensive.

Anyway, I bought this 'Pin Fong' or screen from Just Anthony. My 'Ang' and I had been there several times and I always like their furnitures but they are either too big or too expensive. We have been looking for a console table for my entrance lobby for months but chanced upon this 'Pin Fong'. I actually saw another one in gold with 9 goldfish. And as usual, its too big to fit in my tiny abode. The uncle even suggested dismantling 2 of the 6 panels so to fit in our space. And as usual, my rational 'Ang' who seldom buys on impulse refuse to commit that day. We got home, pulled the measuring tape and decided to hiong the purchase.

The uncle at Just Anthony is very nice, actually this uncle is the boss - Mr Lim. Gave me great discount. Coincidentally, I knew his son, who is one of my beerkaki back in the old days - the UK click.

By the way, here's what the Pin Fong reads:

Two Bad Bricks

It's a depressing day.

But I thought of Ajahn Brahm's book 'Opening the Door to Your Heart' and one of its story.....'Two bad bricks'.

I have met some bad people. But there will always be some good ones around....