Month: February 2012

Sunday at the Birdpark

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If it wasn’t for my munchkins, I would NEVER go to the bird park.  One, I’m not crazy about birds.  Other than penguins, birds really do nothing for me.  In fact, some are so hideous that I can’t help but think they are out for my blood.  Two, I have some issues about zoos and enclosing wild animals in a somewhat domestic situation so it was a little heartbreaking seeing birds static in a small spot and not soaring through the sky 😦

However, with my munchkins and the Tays, I did manage to have a good time at the bird park yesterday 🙂  Like I always say, it really isn’t where, it’s whom you share it with that’s important.

My nephew does not share my disinterest in birds.  In fact, he loves them!!  So much so when his tooth fell out, he wasn’t too frazzled about it, which says quite a bit about my nephew and the the ability of birds to distract him :p

Watching the three of them wander around the water park amazed me and made me think about how fast they’ve grown.  When they first met, my niece, Mabes and Jonah were still in diapers and barely spoke, much less to each other.  They are all fond of each other and like all friends, they get into fights every now and then.  They also make up and have really fun days like today, which makes it especially nice to watch them grow up and hang out with each other 🙂

So if they asked to go to the bird park again, I’d say yes!!  Also, beside penguins, I have to say the owls are pretty cute too.  I just might be brave enough to watch Legend of Guardians now.

J. Edgar

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I was cheated.  I saw the trailer and thought the movie was about a man building an institution, the trails and tribulations between the black and white where it’s more grey and how one man can overcome or not.

You see what I mean, right?  Well, for those who think that’s what they are in for.  Let me set your expectations straight, it’s a love story that glosses over the how criminal investigation was brought into modern times.  Now you’re asking, Hoover was never married so what kind of love story is that?  It wasn’t about his love for his vocation either.  The story is centered around him and his deputy, Clyde Tolson.  That was where the film failed me.  Nothing wrong with a good love story but if that’s how it’s marketed and that’s what I was expecting, which I wasn’t.

I went in thinking I’ll find out more about how the FBI came into being but I was led through a love story that didn’t even throw light on the man in question.  Sure, it is painful to be in love with someone you can never have.  Straight or gay, it hurts, it’s painful and probably makes you do crazy things like maybe keep crazy personal files of people in power or yell at subordinates, although in his case I doubt that’s why he was a little of a strange character.  I’m just miffed that after all that J. Edgar Hoover did for the FBI, his biopic just comes down to the fact that he MIGHT be gay and that he MIGHT be in love with his deputy.  What about the possible abuse of power, messing with evidence, struggling with right and wrong?  Nope, nothing, nada … sure, there were some clues here and there but by and large, it was about being in love with someone you can’t have.  There’s lots of stories out there that is about that.  Did we seriously have to use J. Edgar Hoover as a backdrop for such a plot?

I think not.

So my take, wait for the DVD or when it’s showing on TV because it’s still worth the watch for Leonardo’s acting.  That man sure knows how to act.  He was impressive as the egoistic head of a major government department who struggled with insecurities like all of us.  He plays vulnerability and arrogance with such subtle grace that you are drawn to sympathise with a character who isn’t typically like-able.

Turning 37

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Usually I don’t forget my impending birthdays and I’m the kind that actually enjoys getting older.  Youth is completely wasted on me :p  that said, I did enjoy all the different ages I’ve been but there’s a security that comes with getting older that I really embrace.  So it’s a little surprising to me that my 37th practically creeped up on me.  One reason is that work has been a little busy and more challenging that it has been for me in a long while.  Before I knew it, it was February 24th again 🙂

Got to say, birthdays rock!!  With family and friends living all over the world, I had wishes coming in from everywhere through the day over different time zones.  It’s really warms your heart when, in spite of time differences, love ones remember your birthday in your time zone.

From cities in Australia to ones in the US to Switzerland, even London and especially back home in Singapore, my loved ones reminded me how much they care 🙂  And even if I nearly forgot myself, no one else did!!  I do have a really charmed life.  Of course, the presents were lovely to receive as well 🙂

God has truly blest me when it comes to family, friends and colleagues.  Everyone should be so very lucky.

Thank you to my dearest family and friends!!  You all make growing older so very enjoyable and the celebrations continue into the weekend simply because of them.  Truly, I’d be no where without my love ones 🙂

Life is Complicated

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At a ripe old age of 37, this is what I know for sure – life is complicated.  Everything else, I’m still undecided.  Yet, I strived for simplicity and the ability to be able to choose to be simple.  That was my hope for my 36th year on this earth – just keep it simple.

This year?

I can’t quite believe how I’m officially 37 today and no where close to where my parents were when they were my age .  Life was complicated for them too, life also got real hard.  Life can get complicated for me and some times it gets hard too but by and large, the hardness I’ve faced in my life is truly not hard.  Here’s where I have to say the past 37 years have been pretty darn charmed.

I don’t always get my way but I’m sure someone is looking out for me.  That’s because like a circle, every now and then life gets complicated and when I think I don’t have what it takes to handle it, a life line is thrown at me.  Call it what you like, in my life I call it God.  My logical mind can’t get around it and through my teen years I struggled with the theory.

In my late 30s, I know God is complicated too 🙂  and it’s very unlikely that I’ll get it in my lifetime.

This year my aspiration is simple 🙂  Complications, as much as I want to run away from them, I’ll never be able to.  Its really how I manage these complications that will reveal who you really are.  So with each new year, I hope I keep learning and for this year, I want to to be able to deal with complications a lot more calmly.  Yes, like with every other year, I don’t know what is going to happen but I can be pretty sure, there’s going to be complications and I just want to be more calm.

Happy Birthday to all the other Feb 24-ers too!!

Jeremy Lin

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Who’s that?  If you’re asking, basketball is not your game.  He’s the first Asian American in the NBA and BTW, he is also a Harvard graduate … apparently no one  from Haravrd has been in the NBA for 60 years!!  Linsanity is what is taking the NBA world by storm.  I’m just relishing the fact that when all this was happening, I remember a YouTube celebrity that I watch from time to time, Kevjumba.  In truth, his Dad is the one that seriously cracks me up but to me, here’s why the Linsanity is even better.

He’s a regular kid whose dreams are coming true.  Did it happen overnight?  No, like most other successes in the world … nothing, despite what the newspaper say, happens over night.  Hard work and opportunity kinda have to happen for success to explode.  When it all clicks together, it’s hard to remember that someone/something way bigger than us makes it possible and keeps it real.  Jeremy seems to have remembered and that to me makes him more inspirational than the regular Joe making the best of an opportunity.  Humility is rare in the 21st century and even more rare for a young man in his 20s.  For that, move over Kobe and the Lakers, I’m a Knicks convert now 🙂  Go Jeremy!!

Why Blogging Works for Me

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It’s been about 8 months since I got back on Facebook, jumped two feet into Twitter and Google+, developed a LinkedIn and Tumblr accounts … not quite into foursquare but I’m into social media WAY more than I would prefer.  And after 8 months, I think I’m qualified to have a decent opinion about it.

I much prefer blogging.

In my opinion, the rest creates clutter.  WAY too much clutter.  Social media, networking … it works and you have to work a lot too.  Sifting through posts that pop up quicker that a popcorn maker.

With blogging, I know people who really care about me will be willing to come back and check out what I do.  The odd person or voyeur comes but it’s less accessible compares to Facebook or Twitter or whatever else so unless they really care, they won’t be back.  More importantly, I’ve come to realise this about myself … I’m more into myself than I am into other people :p

A friend commented once that the social butterfly that I am should lap up all the social networking capabilities of the 21st century and not struggle with them as I do.  Well, the truth is this, I’m a lot more self absorbed than I realised >_<

I post online mostly for myself and a place to hold memories that I use to jot in journals.  The thing about posting online that I really appreciate, is the fact that anyone can read it.  It makes me more responsible about my thoughts, makes me think them through and not just shoot my mouth off.  I still may have one or two occasion where I do that but the online medium adds that layer where I honestly ask myself is this what I think and why should I feel this way and who is the person I want to be become.

Even with my journals and as young as 9 years old when I started, I always wrote with the thought that someone could be reading them.  Yes, I did say I’m self absorbed :p  I always imagined my sister, my children or my husband finding them after I’ve gone and getting them published.  So yes, narcissistic me always tried to write honestly so that I may touch someone one day.

That makes me more responsible about my thoughts and that’s why I blogging has become an integral part of my life.

Hmmm … now the question is …  I wonder if the few people who do read my blog no longer drop by … will I keep it going?

Soul Mates

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My husband told me that he never heard the term ‘soul mates’ used so much until he came to live in Singapore and reckons that Singaporeans are obsessed about finding that one person that is meant to be theirs.  I don’t know about Singaporeans but maybe it’s just me and my friends.

Soul mates.

That one perfect person for you.  Do we really only have one person?

10 years ago, I’d say yes.  Again here’s why I love getting older and truly understand my Grandfather’s catch phrase, “Wait till you get older, you’ll understand then.”  In truth, he never said that to me.  It’s one of those things he told his children and not his grandchildren and my Daddy, his son in turn used that phrase on me more than just a couple of times when I was growing up.

In my 30s, I know soul mates exist.  That person that gets you, inspires you and makes you happy.  In my 30s, I know there’s more than one 🙂  In my 30s, my soul mate has been redefined to moments I share with love ones who allow me into their most vulnerable times and let me be part of their world.  In my 30s, my soul mates are tender moments that my husband, my little sister, my parents, my munchkins, my cousins, aunts, uncles and my friends share with me.  In their time of triumph when pride fills my heart and draws from their strength and victory.  In their time of defeat when they open their wounded heart and allow me to give the strength back.  Now that I’m older, that’s what soul mate means to me.

Soul mates, a term conjured up by marketing folks to sell the hit romantic comedy.  In the real world, it is but a moment of pure connection and love is a journey made of these hits and misses.

Happy Valentine’s Day to my dearest family and friends!!  Without whom, I’m that bitter lonely old lady who doesn’t even keep cats ;p

Taxis in KL

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That’s why I’ll not move to KL.  Their taxis.  I actually like the city, even though, I didn’t get much social time to explore the city but for general work and living, I think it’s a pretty decent city.  Not my top 10 choices but I could live in KL … except for their taxis.  As a form of public transport, it cannot be defined as a form of public transport.  I’d be better off walking :p

The Taxi Uncles were getting lost, making wrong turns but most frustrating was no being able to get a cab.  Calling for a cab doesn’t work and if you tried to hail for one, they won’t stop or go where you want to go.  It’s crazier than Singapore, way crazier.  I don’t know how Malaysians do it … maybe that’s why so many of them drive.

So after being back in Singapore for a week. I’m all good with our public transport system here.  Sure, there are a couple of delays and sometimes waiting for a bus can be quite infuriating but by and large, I can get to where I want when I need to.  Can’t say the same for other cities, especially KL.