Conversations with Mom

Mom and I try our best to take after-dinner walks. Partly to get some fresh air, partly to get some time away from the men in the family -- yes, girls do girly things, from going to the Ladies' together when they're 15, to having sleepovers when they're 22, and taking evening strolls even when their ages span a whole generation.



We're occasionally joined by Crescent, which is always a nice surprise. Last week, as we were taking one of those walks, Crescent decided that she was tired of walking alongside us, and that she wanted to weave herself between us instead -- over-crowding of moving legs and all. We ambled uncomfortably for a while, taking care not to stomp on Crescent's tail and paws, until Mom finally sighed: "What is wrong with this cat? Isn't she afraid we might step on her? And, come to think of it, how is it that we haven't?!"

We laughed, and then quietened. I suppose after 11 years of walking Rocky the klutz, it was just new to have this four-legged creature hang out with us, with all her senses intact and sharp. Rocky regularly got his tail stepped on and butt pricked by the cactus plant; he would sometimes not notice cats until he got too close to them, and would get a great big fright when they jumped out to hiss at him.

"I guess it was just Rocky," I said with a small laugh, and hot tears began to form.

Mom gave my hand a squeeze. "Yeah, he was a silly bunny."

Our silly bunny.

***

With Rocky, we used to walk the same route all the time, to familiarise him with the way back should he get out on his own. It worked for the most part; the few times he did slip out, he managed to find his way back safe and sound.

These days, there's no need for that same route, so Mom and I have been trying out other options.

It hasn't been the same.

***

Mom and I, we talk about everything. One time, I mentioned how, in my HR class, we talked about romantic relationships in the workplace. Some of you may remember that my mom and dad met at work, so I asked her what they did when they started dating: did they let anyone know, did they request for a change of department?

Turns out my mom did tender her resignation a couple of months into their relationship.

"They didn't like us working together. Your dad was in a more senior position than I was, so I offered to resign," Mom said.

"Really? Wasn't that a huge risk? I mean, you guys were just dating. If it didn't work out, you could have been stranded without a boyfriend and without a job!"

Mom considered that for a while, and then ruffled my hair. "You know what? I never thought about it, but yeah, I guess it was a huge risk, huh?" She laughed. "Well, it's a good thing it paid off."

It paid off.

Not a fatalistic entry, really

If you've been following, you'll know that I have a side-hobby of taking Literature modules. Lit gives me a respite from mass transfer, simulations, p-n junctions, and various other matters that clog my tract, and it gives me an excuse to get some reading done during the course of the sem.

I'm not typically pessimistic, so you know I mean what I'm about to say. I'm prepared to read six, seven books in three months; what I was not prepared for was studying Linkin Park and World of Warcraft. During the first lecture, I thought: "Oh great, my brother would do better in this module."

What I was not prepared for was studying Stephen Chow movies -- Kungfu Mahjong or Kungfu Hustle, I really don't know. During that lecture, I thought: "Oh great, HW would do better in this module."

This morning, we had a test where we had to choose to write on one of two music videos: Crazyfrog or Robbie Williams. Oh great, everyone else is going to do better on this test.

Forever friends #12129

(Click to watch Flash.)

Translated, the Chinese words read: "No matter how quirky you get, we'll still always be friends." To that effect, anyway.

Me: "Aww, what cute pandas!"

XL: "They can't be pandas! Pandas don't lay eggs!"

Me (dubious): "Riiight. What do you suggest they are then?"

XL: "Maybe they're..."

She thinks for a bit, and then lights up in sudden epiphany.

XL: "Maybe they're HAMSTERS!"

Me: "???"

Clearly she knows something that I don't.

Weekly roundup

I briefly glanced up from my menu as he picked a yellow plate of sushi off the conveyor belt.

"You do know that you just took a $6-plate right?" I asked, half-expecting him to put it back.

"Yeah."

"Ooookay," I raised my eyebrows at him in surprise, and looked back down at the menu.

"Why? What's the matter?"

"Nah," I laughed a little. "It's just that you couldn't even bring yourself to treat us to a 50-cent McDonald's ice-cream cone in the past, so -- I'm just making sure..."

He smiled sheepishly. "Aiyah, that was then. Things change."

***

It's been a long week, but we're finally done with our FYP presentations, along with miscellaneous other assignments, so I can finally breathe a little easier. Just to give you an idea of what my week was like, I gulped down two big cups of coffee every day, Tuesday through Thursday; and I haven't had coffee in about a year. It makes me extremely crabby after the initial caffeine rush, and it's not one of my best looks, really.

Despite the hectic schedule and the caffeine-abuse, we did have fun (which actually sums up my entire time here); standing around waiting for our posters to be moderated and critiqued proved a good opportunity for us to get photos taken as a group. It's been difficult to gather the whole class this final year, mostly because we're doing electives of our choice, as opposed to in the first three years, where we were forced to take common core modules. So those couple of days kinda exploded into a monster of a picture-taking session; perhaps a small taste of what graduation day will be like, if indeed we all make it there.

***

I watched his face as the numbers came up on the cash register. He didn't even flinch. Maybe things had changed.

"How much do I owe you?" I asked, taking my wallet out.

"It's okay," he gave a little wave of the hand. "My treat."

My head went Whoa, but all my mouth could reciprocate was: "Darn, I should've ordered the lobster sushi."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Man, I've gotta learn to stop doing things like that.

***



Dean turns one-month old! Well, in a couple of days, at least.



We went over for a little celebration, custom and all that. I liked the modern twist to the traditional giving of red eggs. But I liked the gurgling baby more. :)

Bits and bites

Left to right, top to bottom: Strawberry shortcake, empty fuel tank alert, new wallet, tiramisu!

***

It was my first time getting the empty fuel tank alert, and I think I might've screamed. It was completely my fault, of course; I knew I was low on fuel the night before, but then we got lost (you know the drill), and by the time I got back home, I was so pooped that I'd clean forgotten about it. Until the next day when I was driving, and that orange light popped out, scaring the living daylights out of me. I pulled over at the first chance I got and turned off my engine. It made zero sense, yes. But I only realised it when I was sitting in the car, stuck in the middle of nowhere, with the engine switched off, so.

Also, my friends will all be glad to know that I got a wallet for my birthday; they've been trying to make me get rid of my furry green pouch since... well, since the moment they saw it. I hope you guys are happy now! I still don't see what was so bad about my purse, but it was getting a bit flat and dirty, and I was thinking of throwing it into the washing machine anyway, so it's just as well. :)

***

X (taking a bite of the strawberry shortcake): "Mmm, I love strawberry shortcake!"

Me: "Can I try some?"

X: "Sure. Oh, but can you take all the strawberries? I hate strawberries!"

Me: "???"

Supermarket sighting #2153

My eyes did a double take when I walked past the dairy section today; I wasn't aware that we had started to classify our cheeses this way.

Turns out that the rack had strategically blocked out the word "reduced." Hur hur. This is why people should hyphenate.