You win some, you lose some March 30, 2007

Sorry, I am not very good in being girly gushy - so anyway, this is what happened when I was whisked off to a beach getaway a few days ago:

 D. proposed in a most casual way with a custom-made ring - which was perfect for someone like me who cringes at sappy romantic stuff and the mass marketishness of wedding-related products.

I only hope I don’t lose this ring, which is what I did with my iPod nano, a birthday present from him the year before.

Sigh. It must have slipped off. In any case, these are material goods after all, and as much as I dig them, they are basically expendable. (But I will really TRY not to lose anything else!) What I should treasure and never absent-mindedly chuck aside - my life, my family, and this wonderful, Totoro-like man that God has placed beside me.

And now for a little breather March 24, 2007

The period of great unknown has passed.

And now it’s back to a life of not so major unknowns, but still full of unknowns anyway.

I am getting a little better in dealing with the question marks. Just a teensy weensy bit.

And in the near future, it’s also a time to welcome more major changes to my life - more on that later.

But for now, it’s a little beach getaway.

More Nates March 19, 2007

(From the left: Nate squeezed like a tube of toothpaste with mysterious hand stroking beanie, Nate getting the full gust from Godpa’s flaring nostrils)

Can’t get enough of this lil’ guy.

p/s: Like the new glasses?

Come follow me March 11, 2007

Will you come and follow me,
If I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know
And never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown,
will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown
in you and you in me?

(John Bell and Graham Maule)

I have been terrible dealing with the unknowns and what-ifs-worst-possible- scenarios. I throw tantrums at the Big Guy, demanding that He give me my “fair” share of good things in life. I avoid people with only good intentions because I fear showing my weaknesses. And with all these loopholes growing by the day, these hymn lyrics have been playing constantly in the background of my mind - sometimes comforting me, sometimes aggravating me - but always showing me what a long way I have to go before I even have a mustard seed’s worth of faith in Him.

I am hearing You.

Ah, another tag March 4, 2007

This time by dear friend Bunnie.

3 things that scare me:

Crowds
Dirty Toilets
Cancer

3 people who make me laugh:

The combination of Ah Pok and Eps
Darren
Chris

3 things I love:

Sea + Mountains
Cherryade Slurpee
A good night’s sleep

3 things I hate:

Legalism
Haze
Corporate e-mails containing grammatical errors

3 things I don’t understand:

God
Myself
Driving

3 things on my desk:

An IKEA lamp
Magnetic noticeboard with pictures and scraps of paper
Pile of library books

3 things I’m doing right now:

Blogging
Eavesdropping on Tamil radio station, Oli 96.8FM (courtesy of the construction workers opposite my place)
Looking at my toenails

3 things I want to do before I die:

Travel to South America.
Have a baby.
Write a book.

3 things I can do:

Buy organic groceries in Singapore
Whine
Travel alone

3 things you should listen to:

Laughter
Ella Fitzgerald
That still small voice inside you

3 things you should never listen to:

People who often get verbal diarrhoea
Narrow-minded (but nevertheless well-meaning) family members
Politicians

3 things I’d like to learn:

Spanish
Diving
Gourmet cooking

3 favorite foods:

Sushi
Indian food
Teochew porridge

3 beverages I drink regularly:

Bottled water
Teh-O “koh-song”
Strawberry Margarita

3 TV shows/Books I watched/read as a kid:

My Little Pony
Sweet Valley Twins
Transformers

3 people I have to tag:

Maye-e, Olduvai and Sher

On Confessions March 4, 2007

I wish I could wear my heart on my sleeve, I used to be good at that. But over the years, I’ve realised it is better to be more prudent when it comes to the outpouring of emotions for the following reasons:

1. The other party won’t understand.

2. The other party can’t really be bothered.

3. The other party gives cliche advice or rather insincere sympathy (due to the two reasons above).

4. The other party starts worrying more than you and makes you feel worse.

5. The other party tells you that God is not happy with you.

6. In the worst case scenario, the other party uses it against you.

I think I’m writing all this down because what I really want to say is this: there are a whole lot of things I want to say right now, but somehow, I just don’t have the guts to spill out such stuff anymore.

Crying out Love, in the Center of the World March 2, 2007

Borrowed this DVD from a colleague and ended up bawling the whole of Monday night. Damn, these Japanese are good at this soppy schlup.