Naughty and nice

Lounging on the patio.




Whatcha looking at?!


***



Come on, not that face.




Oh alright, free head rub!


***

I just have to say, that as cute as Kiddo is when he's playing, the dude has claws that will put any surgeon's scalpel to shame -- which makes me wonder whether he's really playing with me, or if he secretly wants to claw me to death, one tiny scratch at a time.

***

Rocky used to leave scratch marks all over my thighs; that's how excited he was to have us come home, I guess. But it was different; his nails were blunt (he hated getting them cut), and the redness would be gone in an hour -- until the next day, and the next, and the next.

讲华语

I know that there are other ambassadors for this year's Speak Mandarin Campaign, but in the past week, I've only seen features on Hossan Leong and Lin Junjie. The same vein of sentiment runs through both articles: former ACS student, now... um, ambassador for the Speak Mandarin Campaign -- like it's a miracle, something unthinkable; a tiresome and overused stereotype.

Ah, but on second thought, what do I know; I'm just an MGS girl whose friends haven't forgiven her for translating "青出于蓝" into "green is bluer than blue." ;)

***


Baby Blues by Rick Kirkman & Jerry Scott

Late-night ramblings V

Carter: "You know, I consider myself reasonably well-informed. [But] before I came, I hadn't heard a thing about the Congo."

Debbie: "Nobody at home gives a damn about what happens here."

Carter (smiles wryly): "[Because there's] no oil. Millions of people are getting slaughtered, and we're too busy eating our Happy Meals."

-- E.R., Season 10, Episode 2 (The Lost)

I think that even when I'm not entirely conscious of it, I'm always searching. I don't know if the ostensible scarcity is a true reflection of the profound lack of it, or if it is my own blindness that hinders the pursuit, but sometimes, all I really want is to see some semblance of generosity -- perhaps not even that -- just an awareness of something bigger than the self; be that God, or the Congo, or even just your next-door neighbour -- anything.

Something to tell me that you understand that kinship goes beyond biology.

Something to tell me that you understand that the nature of compassion is precisely that it defies logic.

Something to tell me that you understand that the things you say, and when you choose to say them, can have irreparable consequences on another's life.

Something to tell me that you care about someone other than yourself, and because of that, will tell me so much more about you.

Something not just in the things you say and do, but in the way you live.

Someone that doesn't keep on repeating: "That's not my problem."

***

What's it gonna take to slow us down -
To let the silence spin us around?
What's it gonna take to drop this town?
We've been spinning at the speed of sound.

Stepping out of those convenience stores,
What could we want but more more more?
From the Third World to the corporate core -
We are the symphony of modern humanity.

If we're adding to the noise, turn off this song.
If we're adding to the noise, turn off your stereo, radio, video...

I don't know what they're gonna think of next -
Genetic engineering of the most high tech;
A couple new ways to fall into debt.
I'm a nervous wreck, but I'll bet

That that TV set tells us what we've wanted to hear;
But none of these sound bites are coming in clear.
From the Third World to the corporate ear -
We are the symphony of modern humanity.

-- "Adding to the Noise" by Jonathan & Tim Foreman

***

She watches the wipers wagging back and forth. "A better explanation," she says, "is that I have not told you why, or dare not tell you. When I think of the words, they seem so outrageous that they are best spoken into a pillow or into a hole in the ground, like King Midas."

"I don't follow. What is it that you can't say?"

"It's that I no longer know where I am. I seem to move around perfectly easily among people, to have perfectly normal relations with them. Is it possible, I ask myself, that all of them are participating in a crime of stupefying proportions? Am I fantasizing it all? I must be mad! [...] Yet... I look into your eyes, into Norma's, into the children's, and I see only kindness, human kindness. Calm down, I tell myself, you are making a mountain out of a molehill. This is life. Everyone else comes to terms with it, why can't you? Why can't you?"

-- Elizabeth Costello by J. M. Coetzee

Happy Birthday, Dad

S: "Wanna go for dinner?"

Me: "Nah. It's my dad's birthday today."

S: "Oh okay. You guys taking him out for dinner?"

Me: "Nope. Just a simple dinner and cake at home."

S: "No celebration?"

Me: "We always celebrate at home what!"

S (mishearing): "Huh? You all celebrate for ONE MONTH?!"

Me: "..."

***

Mom and I stopped by the cake shop and picked out a Blackforest cake. (Mmm!) As we made our payment, the Cake Shop Auntie (CSA) smiled at us, and nodded her head in my direction...

CSA (to my mom): "Your daughter?"

Mom: "Yup. My eldest."

CSA: "Ah, the one who's born in the year of the pig, right?"

Mom: "Yes, yes, she's the one."

Me: "???"

I wonder if I should be concerned that my mom goes around divulging (too much) information to random strangers.

***



Happy Birthday, Dad. :)

For all you've done. For all you do.

For us.

I love you.

Wednesday waffles

(Apparently alliteration's addictive.)

Wanna hear some crazies? I've started listening to Christmas songs; I don't know why. But then I also started buying Christmas presents in July. Some, anyway; others I kinda have vague ideas.

I don't quite know how to say this, so just bear with me while I beat around the bush. This past year has been pretty surreal. (Aaaaand that last sentence was pretty clichéd.) Good and bads, but mostly good; it's always mostly good. And you know what -- you've been a part of it, the good part. It's strange -- to be warmed, touched, comforted, and tickled, by words on a screen, by people whose faces I've never seen, yet in some ways feel closer to than others whose faces I see every day.

So I've been thinking, that I'd like to do something, especially for those of you whom I've come to think of as friends, even if it's in a strange way that I still can't grasp entirely; brings a smile to my face, though. :) Unfortunately, there's no other way around this than for you to be totally shameless. Drop me an e-mail, or a note, or anything, with an address that I may send your Christmas present to! I don't know what yet, but for those of you who are worried about the expense, don't -- it'll probably be something inexpensive, or handmade, or inexpensive. But it'll make me really happy -- this giving thing -- so just think of it as that. :)

I thought of sending out individual e-mails, but then I didn't want anyone to feel obliged to say yes, and I thought it'd be nice to see if there was anyone at the back of the class -- you know, the quiet one, the one who's always too shy to raise their hand; I was always that child. This is closer to the unintrusiveness of blogging too -- for some of us anyway. :) So this extends to everyone: everyone who's left comments, e-mails, everyone who's been silently reading; online and offline (time to 'fess up if you haven't) friends, faces, and monikers. It's Christmas, afterall -- heck, if your mom wants something, let me know too. :)

So yeah, that's the deal. I hope some of you will take it up, but I'll understand if you don't want to give away your address; I know, I could be an ax murderer. :p

Merry early Christmas! :)

Monday munchies II

One word: examinations.

Here are some things that have been keeping me entertained. :)

• Interview with Bill Watterson's mom (via Boing Boing): Calvin and Hobbes fans might appreciate this. I thought it was extremely sweet, and even teared a little as they talked about the last ever Calvin and Hobbes strip.

• Video post from Zach Braff: It turns out that Scrubs ran into some problems with NBC, so the future seems a little iffy, but the next season looks set to air in January, says Braff. Still, I hope Mediacorp at least brings back Season 4, where Clay Aiken guest stars in one episode. :)
  

• Get Over It: Just a brief mention about something I caught on TV the other night. I thought it was hilarious and brilliant, even if Kirsten Dunst is one of my least favourite actresses. Ben Foster plays a lovelorn teenager who takes part in his school play, A Midsummer Night's Dream, to win back the affections of his ex. I thought the whole juxtaposition of the actual story with what was happening with the proceedings of the play was pretty cute. Also stars Shane West, Colin Hanks, and Martin Short.

• Sudoku Online: Yes, I do this every day. Shut up, please.

Oops, they did it again

To risk sounding like a loudspeaker, E.R. Season 10 is back on Channel 5 tonight, half past midnight. Fine, I won't say anything. Well, except that this time they didn't even bother printing the words "season premiere" beside the title.

You know what's funny? My two favourite shows having their season premieres the week before exams begin. HAHAHA. Not.



(No. I don't know what it is with me and medical dramas.)

A few of my favourite things

Guess who?




Even cats like my Birkies! :)

Heads up!

Scrubs Season 3 is premiering on Channel 5 at midnight today! Someone bring out the bubbly and start the countdown! :)

Just like that -- tucked into obscurity, without a word for its fans. As our friend Tony the tiger would say: GRRRRRRREAT!

(Okay, okay, I'm not complaining.)

***

During tutorial today, our tutor kept sighing really loudly in between questions.

Z (whispering): "Why does he keep doing that? Why is he so stressed today?"

Me: "Don't know. Maybe his underwear is too tight."

Z: "..."

Some moments later, Z lets out a sigh.

Me: "Now why are you sighing?"

Z: "Don't know. Maybe my underwear is too loose."

Me: "..."

Warmth

For Photo Friday, taken May 31, 2005.

I miss finding my reading spot hijacked when I return from my toilet break.

Girly moment

Whee! Look what came in the mail! :) I love love love the spiffiness, and the little freebies and voucher were wonderful touches.

Forestprints is giving free shipping until... um, tomorrow, so I thought it'd be a good time to snatch up some of these beauties, seeing as how I've been secretly admiring the tote bags for eons now. (They're unique pieces too!) Thumbs up also to the lovely Lynda for being extremely patient with my insane requests and changes (because I am a crazy person who forgets her passwords and PIN's, that's why). :p