The Beauty of Simplicity

`` my daily journey. [#] `-

Friday, 28 July 2006

My foot got stomped on a few seconds after I alighted from a bus. By a boy who was playing catch with another boy.

Bleah.

It is the month of the year. 中元节.

There would always be tents set up on grassy fields. There is one right beside my place. During such occasions, there would be people going there to eat dinner, bid for stuff like idols or “lucky charms”, collect a bucket of goodies like biscuits, sweets, chocolate, Chinese fungus and all that stuff.

I know because I used to follow my parents to such events when I was young. I forgot how I felt then, just that I was always very excited about the bucket of goodies. I think, one thing that I did not like about such events was the mosquitoes. It was horrible sometimes. Especially when the field was wet. They sure had a field day, sucking all the blood.

Lol.

To add to all those little annoyances, sales weren’t good today. And I am beginning to fall sick. You know, the usual symptoms. Scratchy throat. Unusually cold. Sniffling. As soon as I got home and changed, I popped a vitamin A-Z pill and 3 vitamin C pills. All these to keep the sickness at bay. Hope it works.

I will be sleeping early today, like 11pm, which is soon, so I will have to finish up. I need to get a good rest and catch up on my beauty sleep.

Went traipsing out last night, or rather early this morning, for supper. It was my first time eating so late at night. I met Ronny at about 1.25am, outside my place. He was there to deliver some goods, as he said himself. He had went on a trip to Hong Kong, thus I had asked him to help me buy a box of Old Wife Biscuits from HK airport terminal, as they are my mother’s favourite. He drove to a nearby McDonald’s, only to find that it was closed, for dine-in, at least. But it was not closed for drive-in. We had sort of decided to go to the Mc in Yishun, but along the way, he spotted a shop selling Nasi Lemak. We opted for that. After a few wrong or missed turns, we parked the car (while he was thinking…should we eat Roti Prata or Nasi Lemak??) and went into the Chong Pang Nasi Lemak.

After getting drinks, iced Milo for him and hot Milo for myself (it was coooold….), we ordered our supper. The food is good and the price reasonable too. Did I mention that the chilli is great??? Really good and spicy, just the way I like it. I was quite happy to be eating the Nasi Lemak as that shop is quite famous, but the problem is its opening hours. It opens quite late, like in the late afternoon or sometime like that.

While eating, we chatted about stuff and his trip to HK. Not long after, we went back to the car and drove back to my place.

There, we parted ways and I went back to my house and straight to bed. It was like 2.35am. A girl needs her beauty sleep, you know…=)

As I am feeling guilty about the late night supper, I am going to the gym tomorrow morning and evening. Did not eat dinner tonight, only the cupcake that my boss bought for me and some snacks from Old Chang Kee. I had Ban Mee and hot Milo for lunch. And had stomach upsets not long after. It made me wonder, was it the Ban Mee? Or Milo? I suspect it is the Ban Mee as my boss had stomach upsets the last time she ate Ban Mee.

It is late………off to bed I go….

I think I am having a fever……..

Lol.

Light my path
10:33:00 pm

youdrovemydarknessaway`-//*

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Sunday, 23 July 2006

The world around me seems to be slowly falling apart.

And the scary thing is that I am not caught up in hysterics or anxiety.

Whiskey had passed away yesterday.

My parents came home just now and my mother told me that my father was admitted to the hospital.

I had thought that he is staying in the hospital, but was surprised to see him when I went to the kitchen.

Later, my mother told me that my father had problems urinating. Thus he had to go to the hospital to get a doctor to help him let out the urine.

All I can think of now, is that this was what Whiskey had struggled with on Monday. The exact same thing is happening to my father.

I went to my parents' room, intending to ask my father to rest early. Only, I couldn't speak when I saw him. He was facing outside. In all my 22 years, to as far back as I could remember, I had never seen him looking like that before. He looked upset. Frail. Tired. Distraught. Sad. It is scaring me.

All my life, I had never associated such words with my father. True, he does suffer from tiredness, physical tiredness. But the one I saw on his face, in his posture, is emotional tiredness, like as though his spirit is broken.

It was then that I truly realized that my parents are old.

The years have a way of taking things from a person.

Thinking back, I can still remember my father and I racing each other to get to an agreed upon landmark, like a lamp post, a certain tree. Those days seemed like an eternity ago.

I had grown up.

He had grown old.

夕阳无限好，只惜近黄昏。

Light my path
12:12:00 am

youdrovemydarknessaway`-//*

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Saturday, 22 July 2006

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Goong is adapted from the same titled Korean manga by Park So Hee. Season 1 of the drama is out, while Season 2 will be out, end of this year. The manga is currently up to volume 12. I have volumes 1-10 in my possession as the remaining two aren't out in Chinese, yet. But, thanks to advanced technology and internet, I've read volumes 11 and 12. Though I could only see the pictures of volume 12 (as it is still in its original language, not yet translated to English), I am very much satisfied.

Many had said that the manga is better than the drama itself. I'd came across this manga in Kinokuniya, last saturday. After overhearing 2 women gushing over it, I decided to buy 2 volumes. Initially, I was quite disappointed and felt let-down when I saw some parts of the manga; as the funny faces that the manga artist drew were way ugly. I suppose this is her way of exaggerating the character's emotions, but it is too much for me. For I had grown up on (sort of) cute funny faces. I am very particular about the graphics. Even if the plot is great, if the graphics are lousy, I will forget about getting the manga. Thoroughly disappointed, I had set aside the manga, only taking it to read while I was on the way home. As I flipped through and started reading (grimacing at the ugly funny faces), I was hooked. The storyline is great. Really great. Captivating. So much so that, instead of alighting when the bus reached my stop; I remained on board and dropped off at Sembawang bus interchange and went to the Comics Connection in Sun Plaza. I bought the rest of the manga, volume 3-10. I speed-read through all 10 volumes in one night; after getting the gist of the happenings, I started from volume one again, reading in detail.

It has been a long time since I was enraptured by any book or manga.

Storyline

It's a different Korea, where a royal family rules and a beautiful palace sits in the heart of modern-day Seoul. It's where a normal girl and a celebrated prince will discover their fate, tying them together for as long as their love-hate relationship will allow. Chae Gyung (彩静), student one day, crown princess the next, must find a way to survive the extravagance of palace life while falling faster and faster in love with her husband (Shin, 李信), the lonely and reluctant prince. Once upon a time, there was far from enough warmth between them to build the fairy tale relationship, but in this modern Cinderella story, scandals, love triangles, and royal jealousy can all fit in the shoe.

Bunggungmama/sejabin = Crown Prince's wife, - Shin Chae Gyung, 申彩静

Seja-jeoha = Crown Prince, -Shin, 李信

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Light my path
9:23:00 pm

youdrovemydarknessaway`-//*

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Whiskey (Feburary 1996 - 21 July 2006)

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As a Christian, I am taught that only humans have souls. Animals do not have it. As humans, by our decision as an act of our will we will end up in either heaven or hell. What about animals? The Bible never said anything about them? Will they simply cease to exist? So does that mean that I won't ever see Whiskey again? Or Von? This is something that I have always pondered about. Will I see them again? To say sorry...

It's been a great 10 years, Whiskey. Though, I did not express it, but I like you very much. You are very precious in my heart. I miss you. Thank you for being my companion. Hope to see you in heaven.

Light my path
1:51:00 am

youdrovemydarknessaway`-//*

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What do I say now?

Frankly, I am at a loss for words.

After a tiring day at work, I'd reached home, happy to be able to rest. Only to have my father tell me that Whiskey is dead. For a moment, I had thought that he was joking. But reality sank in. My dad doesn't joke about such things, nor is it a thing to be fooling around with. I really do not know how to react. The food that I'd bought from a nearby 7-Eleven, forgotten; as I thought back to when I was in primary 4. I had came back from an excursion and called my mother from school. She told me that Von had died (a female mixed breed dog that lived in my parents’ work place. She was in my life, ever since I could remember.) Later at home, my 2nd sister told me the news, about Von’s death. I remember it very clearly, about what she said to my mother. That I never cried, when I knew about Von's death, which seemed pretty heartless for a 10 year old kid.

As I stood there in the living room, I stared at my father and remembered the past. How am I supposed to react? What am I supposed to do?

In the end, I could only go back to my room.

What happened?

It was only on Monday that my 2nd sister and I took Whiskey to the vet, as he was having problems with his bladder. He was given some jabs and there was talk about him staying in a clinic to be administered the required injections, for a period of 5-7days. He was taken to the clinic on Tuesday morning. That was the last news I'd heard about him. To tell the truth, I didn't even take the time to pet him or to take a look at him on Tuesday. And tonight, he is gone.

What happened?

What happened?

It is so sudden. I never got to say goodbye. Never got to see him for the last time nor to touch his fur. I can never forget the great comfort he’s given me. When I was stressed with exams and life, he helped ease the frustration. When I was heartbroken, he stayed still, patiently, whilst I cried into his neck. His warmth comforting me, his fur absorbing my tears and my pain. When I was so afraid, it is really great to hug him and hold him close.

Yet, I'd taken him for granted. That he'd always be there when I come home. He will never be here again.

So much regrets. I want to say so much to Whiskey.

Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.

Sorry. And goodbye.

To hug him and hold him close.

To breathe in his scent.

To hear his heartbeat.

To feel him breathe.

To take the comfort his presence offers.

I want to say sorry.

Sorry.
Sorry.
Sorry.

Only God and Whiskey knows the pain and regrets in my heart. I have done wrong.

You know, just now, I tried calling out for Whiskey. I looked at the space under my bedroom door and called him. Softly. Afraid to wake my family up. Afraid that they'll say what I dread to hear, afraid that they'll confirm the ugly truth. I called and called. Louder and louder. I heard a pitter-patter. Of claws against the foor. Really. I listened harder and called out again. I called and called. Called and called. But there wasn’t any sound. Only silence greeted me.

Not much to say now.

But, thank you, Shuhui. I am very much comforted by your message. You really understood my feelings and even put to words, feelings that I am unable to express. I'd felt at a loss. Who can I turn to now? The people, whom I want to share with, are overseas. Everyone is gone.
Thank God that Shuhui is still here…=)

I guess, this is the pain we have to deal with, if we choose to have an animal companion.

Light my path
12:55:00 am

youdrovemydarknessaway`-//*

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