I am loved! aka birthday marathon part 2
Friday, March 31, 2006
That's exactly how I feel after a bunch of friends sprang a surprise pre-birthday dinner for me tonight. And a very extravagant affair too. I'm going straight to the details because I'm so excited to talk about the gift they all got for me!
Boon left his camera in the car so try imagining this instead. In table sitting order was Irene, Alden, Han, Yen, Kelly, me, Boon, and my present! Yep! My present had a chair all by itself so you can imagine how huge it is. We were at Pantai Seafood restaurant at Kampung Kayu Ara which has a huge aquarium display of huge alaskan and snow crabs. I never ate/attempted to eat such huge crustaceans before - too expensive?! Did I mention there were geoduck clams too? Uhm, on first impression, I thought they resembled a certain portion of the male anatomy - enlarged 10 times. I imagined cramming the clam into my mouth and I lost my appetite.
Anyway, after a close up inspection of the other creatures, me and Boon headed back to our table and my oh my! the present was sitting on my chair! I gaped and ooohed and ahhhed, eyes nearly popping out and ta daa I'm now the proud owner of a chu totoro!! Yes, I'm a great fan of Miyazaki's works and I'm simply amazed with his creative imagery portrayed in his animes.
The dinner was superb! Claypot tofu, two types of vegetables, steamed fish with pickled vegetable strips, steamed chicken, fried pig trotters and for dessert a double chocolate and cheese cake with 'Happy Birthday Hobbes' written on it. I'm rating the dinner 5 out of 5 burps!
I am truly flabbergasted, really. The great lengths that Irene and co took time to plan out the surprise is amazing. Thank you everyone for making my xxth birthday this year another wonderful one. (okay, I'm 25)
Good night totoro!
Boon left his camera in the car so try imagining this instead. In table sitting order was Irene, Alden, Han, Yen, Kelly, me, Boon, and my present! Yep! My present had a chair all by itself so you can imagine how huge it is. We were at Pantai Seafood restaurant at Kampung Kayu Ara which has a huge aquarium display of huge alaskan and snow crabs. I never ate/attempted to eat such huge crustaceans before - too expensive?! Did I mention there were geoduck clams too? Uhm, on first impression, I thought they resembled a certain portion of the male anatomy - enlarged 10 times. I imagined cramming the clam into my mouth and I lost my appetite.
Anyway, after a close up inspection of the other creatures, me and Boon headed back to our table and my oh my! the present was sitting on my chair! I gaped and ooohed and ahhhed, eyes nearly popping out and ta daa I'm now the proud owner of a chu totoro!! Yes, I'm a great fan of Miyazaki's works and I'm simply amazed with his creative imagery portrayed in his animes.
The dinner was superb! Claypot tofu, two types of vegetables, steamed fish with pickled vegetable strips, steamed chicken, fried pig trotters and for dessert a double chocolate and cheese cake with 'Happy Birthday Hobbes' written on it. I'm rating the dinner 5 out of 5 burps!
I am truly flabbergasted, really. The great lengths that Irene and co took time to plan out the surprise is amazing. Thank you everyone for making my xxth birthday this year another wonderful one. (okay, I'm 25)
Good night totoro!
11:23 PM
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hmm?
Arrival and Departure
You know how you'd see the eager faces of family and friends waiting for someone to arrive at the arrival hall in the airport? The arrivee will hope to see a familiar face amongst the crowd, heart beating with trepidation. Once eye contact is made, what a joy that is! Smiles, shouts, waving of hands and running towards each other with open arms of welcome and tears of relieve and happiness. It is indeed a wonderful sight!
But on the other side of the hallway is a different sort of a picture. There are still the smiles, the
hugs, the tears -- but there is the tightness in the air. The reluctance to see and to let someone dear leave, to see that familiarity disappearing behind the gates.
My father used to travel extensively to distances too far for my young mind only to imagine what that place would look like. Everyone would be bundled into my dad's silver Peugot - dad, mom, my two elder sisters and me. We would see my dad off and mom would later drive us back. The only thing that cheered me up was the prospect of seeing my dad walking through the gates, returning home to us. Dad would get each of us little gifts and butterscotch sweets from Australia were my favourites!
Did my mom missed my dad immensely during those times? I'm sure she did. I did too. That's what Love can do to us.
But on the other side of the hallway is a different sort of a picture. There are still the smiles, the
hugs, the tears -- but there is the tightness in the air. The reluctance to see and to let someone dear leave, to see that familiarity disappearing behind the gates.
My father used to travel extensively to distances too far for my young mind only to imagine what that place would look like. Everyone would be bundled into my dad's silver Peugot - dad, mom, my two elder sisters and me. We would see my dad off and mom would later drive us back. The only thing that cheered me up was the prospect of seeing my dad walking through the gates, returning home to us. Dad would get each of us little gifts and butterscotch sweets from Australia were my favourites!
Did my mom missed my dad immensely during those times? I'm sure she did. I did too. That's what Love can do to us.
9:30 PM
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hmm?
Birthday marathon part 1
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Tonight is the start of the annual birthday get-togethers, well mine actually. It started when we were slightly more independent of age with some extra dough to spare. There used to be at least 5 of us celebrating each other's birthdays but now only 3 are still around. Angeline and Soo Chin are on the other side of the greener pastures of Kobe and Singapore. They are doing well and happy, I'm sure.
So on this very night, at Chilli's in OneU, 6.45pm seated at the non-smoking session is Sin Yee - all made up and pretty like a doll, Sai Wai and 'ol me. Sorry folks, forgot the camera again, so no pictures to show. Three hungry lasses and what did they order? Well for starters we ordered nachos dip, triple play - buffalo wings, chicken deep fried in batter and egg roll, caesar salad and lamb shoulder steak. It was a very good dinner, light banter, girl talk and incessant chatter about guys and such.
Five years ago, we talked about college, boyfriends and guys in general.
Tonight we talked about work, marriage, guys in general and contraceptives (erm, this was for general knowledge purposes as Sin Yee is a medical representative).
Another ten more years we will be talking about husbands, positions, how cute the kids are/driving us up the wall and vasectomy.
At the moment I don't want to imagine 10 years and beyond.
Time does pass us by very fast, doesn't it?
So on this very night, at Chilli's in OneU, 6.45pm seated at the non-smoking session is Sin Yee - all made up and pretty like a doll, Sai Wai and 'ol me. Sorry folks, forgot the camera again, so no pictures to show. Three hungry lasses and what did they order? Well for starters we ordered nachos dip, triple play - buffalo wings, chicken deep fried in batter and egg roll, caesar salad and lamb shoulder steak. It was a very good dinner, light banter, girl talk and incessant chatter about guys and such.
Five years ago, we talked about college, boyfriends and guys in general.
Tonight we talked about work, marriage, guys in general and contraceptives (erm, this was for general knowledge purposes as Sin Yee is a medical representative).
Another ten more years we will be talking about husbands, positions, how cute the kids are/driving us up the wall and vasectomy.
At the moment I don't want to imagine 10 years and beyond.
Time does pass us by very fast, doesn't it?
11:20 PM
1 comments
hmm?
Chinese Opera ...
Monday, March 27, 2006
reminds me of my grandma’s funeral. Chinese Opera seems to be synonymous with Chinese funeral wakes.
I wonder if Chinese Opera reminds the older generation of the nostalgic memories of post-war life in
I remember those two nights of sobbing endlessly – mourning for the loss of someone who is special yet somehow distant. Public display of emotions are quite difficult to accept and can be quite embarrassing at times. By now, I have tried to conceal them within the confines of my emotional realm instead.
That memory was relived tonight. Chinese Opera music playing on the CD player in my mom’s room. The once hated Japanese are welcoming scholars from around the world for a chance to study in their country. And in return, the gesture is embraced with open arms from eager beavers. An absolute far cry from the times of our parents. Treachery might be a more apt description. But the world is changing – the pursuit of knowledge is more valuable than a 60-year grudge.
11:58 PM
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hmm?
Haircut
Sunday, March 26, 2006
I had a RM15 haircut at a rundown salon today when I saw the owner’s white cat with murky brown patches sauntering into the room. It had the most unusual light blue eyes like pale sapphires. But the most intriguing fact was – the cat was huge and fat. Initially I thought it was impregnated with at least six kittens. Well so much for being obese.
Back to the haircut. Nothing much really, just had 3 inches lopped off. It’s still the same plain jane look I’ve had for ages. Well I felt I needed to keep this plain jane trademark of mine for many reasons. One of them is because I’m too bummish to conjure up and maintain an intricate style. Second my hair is truly unruly and seems to having a mind of its own. Freaky, but true. Well I could go on and on about this but surely it’s not politically correct to extol plainness in our beauty-obsessed world?
Ol’ Boon was sweet enough to accompany me to the salon. I hope his heart didn’t skip a beat when he saw locks of hair being snipped away. Well dah-ling, they will grow again in no time, I promise.
Earlier on v watched V for Vendetta which v thought was a jolly good British movie vith loads of dialogue and witticism. Perhaps I’ll vrite a review about this vigilante-themed movie soon.
One thing I learned today is that, I should always disconnect my cell while in the cinema. Turning off the ring tone doesn’t seem to help especially when my sister was relentlessly (and frantically) calling me for at least 5 minutes. I had to excuse myself while I had a heated exchange with her outside the cinema. Another thing learned – one of the most important decisions in your life can be made while waiting for your turn in the salon.
Back to the haircut. Nothing much really, just had 3 inches lopped off. It’s still the same plain jane look I’ve had for ages. Well I felt I needed to keep this plain jane trademark of mine for many reasons. One of them is because I’m too bummish to conjure up and maintain an intricate style. Second my hair is truly unruly and seems to having a mind of its own. Freaky, but true. Well I could go on and on about this but surely it’s not politically correct to extol plainness in our beauty-obsessed world?
Ol’ Boon was sweet enough to accompany me to the salon. I hope his heart didn’t skip a beat when he saw locks of hair being snipped away. Well dah-ling, they will grow again in no time, I promise.
Earlier on v watched V for Vendetta which v thought was a jolly good British movie vith loads of dialogue and witticism. Perhaps I’ll vrite a review about this vigilante-themed movie soon.
One thing I learned today is that, I should always disconnect my cell while in the cinema. Turning off the ring tone doesn’t seem to help especially when my sister was relentlessly (and frantically) calling me for at least 5 minutes. I had to excuse myself while I had a heated exchange with her outside the cinema. Another thing learned – one of the most important decisions in your life can be made while waiting for your turn in the salon.
6:30 PM
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hmm?
All things new ...
Saturday, March 25, 2006
I decided to have a new look for my blog. I hope to fill this with some interesting bits of my life so far. I have been very much in deep thought lately - pondering on world events, movies, books, religion, relationships, mostly in random order. Yes, I'm still very much the cluttered brain gal who still likes pink and cute stationeries.
Mostly what I am going to write soon are personal thoughts, which by right should be away from prying eyes anyway. But perhaps an open journal is something that will hold me accountable and being honest about myself. (:
Mostly what I am going to write soon are personal thoughts, which by right should be away from prying eyes anyway. But perhaps an open journal is something that will hold me accountable and being honest about myself. (:
11:34 PM
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hmm?
