Friday's Feast

Riding on the success of the now-defunct Friday Five is the new Friday's Feast. Unfortunately, just as I've found it, the webmistress has taken ill. Joe has very kindly put up a substitute set of questions -- and quite a good one, I must say. :) So here I go again.

Appetizer: What song makes you cry and why? We have to choose one song? There are many songs that make me cry, but Nichole Nordeman's "Why" seems to do it for me every single time. In this song, Nordeman describes Jesus' crucifixion through the eyes of three: a little girl, Jesus, and God the Father. The realisation always hits as if it were fresh -- because I love you that much, Jesus says.

Soup: Tell about a random act of kindness that you had happen or did for someone this week. I have to say with some shame that the only thing that comes to mind is that I bought a packet of M&M's chocolate eggs for XL. It's a random act, but probably not one of kindness! :p



She loves them chocolate eggs, especially the M&M's, but they're not easy to find, so she typically settles for the Cadbury ones. I saw the eggs over the weekend at Cold Storage's Easter display, so I bought them for her. (We finished them within the hour's lecture.)

Salad: What is your favourite beverage? Carrot-orange juice. I hate the taste of carrots, but the orange masks it well, so that I can feel I'm milking the benefits of carrots without having to taste them. ;)

Main Course: Tell at least three people today how much they mean in your life. Just because it's three, I pick AY, XL, and Z. The guys in our class have a nickname for the four of us -- they pieced together the characters from our names (but it's not family-friendly so I shall refrain from spilling the details).

AY is my partner in (karaoke) crime; we've sung and danced to Chinese New Year and Gao Ling Feng songs enough to last anyone a lifetime (don't ask). The adventures that we've shared include simultaneously breaking into tears even on five-minute bus rides and simultaneously breaking out in laughter while carrying hot Horlicks filled to the brim. AY's specialities range from animated impersonations to being able to tell -- by smell -- the exact temperature of any kind of food item. She also moonlights singing Christina Aguilera's "Genie in a Bottle" to McDonald's waiters, and considers herself youthful -- having been asked to produce identification to watch an NC-16 movie when we're 6 years past the legal age.

A couple of years ago, when we had to pair up for a school project, I drew XL's name -- and the rest, as they say, is history; XL has since been my default partner on many academic assignments. Despite her appallingly frequent displays of ditzyness (ditziness?), our close working proximity makes me feel somewhat justified to inform everyone else that -- when it comes down to what counts -- XL is really very very intelligent. One day, many years after we graduate, the guys will regret giving her so much stick about being a bimbo -- right after she kicks all their asses. XL has a strange affinity for all things slow-moving (but draws the line at actually touching them), and has to wash her hands three times after she uses the toilet. If they run out of soap, we have to find another washroom for her to carry out her ritual.

If I kept my friends in labelled boxes, Z would be in the box that says "People who get it." If you don't get it, you're in the "People who don't get it" box. We've shared much laughter and tears of laughter at the expense of the latter. Z has broken one too many hearts, including one whom she (inadvertently) "hurt deep, man, deep." Z is the girl that all guys want to have rescue, and all girls want to be. Smart, articulate, and confident, she can do better than hold her own, and often leaves guys peeing in their pants. Which is why, when she does get emotional, it baffles them and they don't quite know what to do; we know better -- just smack her around and make eunuch jokes (don't try to get it). Most importantly, Z loves Jesus, because Jesus first loved her. :)

How much do they mean to me? I'd like to think that they know -- because I tell them often enough. I'm not big on reserving good opinion until it's too late. I love them, and am always thankful for having them in my life; for the support and the memories, the laughter and through the tears. :)

Dessert: What would you take on a picnic for dessert? This is tough. I really love any kind of dessert. (Joe's cake sounds good.) I think I'll go with something cold though. Ice-cream... wait, no, ice-cream with brownie... with strawberries... drizzled with chocolate sauce. I'd better stop.