Missing BearHill

Missing the BearHill of yesteryears! Or specifically of my yester years!

Explorations on bicycles and hanging out in the playground, those were the highlights of my every day then! When popcorn aunty started her weekly business at our still ongoing Wednesday pasar malam, I was a regular customer! Snacking on popcorn packs while on the swing in the playground, chatting and gossiping, or simply just enjoy the evening. I had friends then.

I have to report though, the popcorn quality remains, and the price is still the same after all these years. And I think aunty also didn't change much, same size, same expression, same modus operandi!

brb.. jusco trip beckoning! :D

Oh, sorry about the interruption. I am now back to continue.

Talking about aunty the popcorn seller. One thing for sure is that her lines are getting longer and longer. It's quite impossible to see her taking a break from churning out batches and batches of popcorn from her same old trusty popcorn machine. So nowadays, it's only on the rare occasions of seeing only a few people in front of her stall that I would place my order. Else, I can just forget it!

I missed going rounds, I missed watching kids bringing their dogs out for walks, I missed hanging around at a friend's place, I missed seeing the faces that I used to see then! I guess, like me, they left their nests years ago, hence the missing faces. However, unlike me, they have built their own nests somewhere else, concrete, stable and filled with love.

Anyhow, I can only accept the changes that is now. The past came then to present memories to me and now have to take leave, as in the cycle of life. For without the past leaving, we will never get the future to be the present. My BearHill of yesteryears can only be cherished!

Jargon, only

Excu sem eb uti list en ed bu twas stil lu nab le toc at chit

Pard ont hes lown ess

The Time Traveler's Wife, please..

Does anyone have a copy of the book, The Time Traveler's Wife? I would like to borrow it to read.

I just finished watching the movie, once again. Yes, this isn't the first time I was watched it but I still find myself being touched by the simplistic nature of the love story in that movie. The time travelling part of the movie serves only to show me how endearing true love can be.

We may not always be together with the ones we love, set apart through distance, or in this movie, the unique ability of the main protagonist who travels through time. We may not like the arrangements but if we really love the person, then we will be patient and understanding towards their little shortcomings.

Once we conquered that feeling, we can then move forward together, working towards accommodating, supporting and making better as best as we can, the shortcomings of our loved ones. Only then a relationship of love can survive all shortfalls and grow into something more beautiful.

The first time I watched it, I cried shamelessly. The fact that I was alone then probably contributed to the freeflow of tears streaming down my cheeks. This time, I wasn't alone. Try I as might, I still couldn't stop myself from feeling sad for the lovers there. I cried again. Yes the story didn't have a perfect happy ending, but I loved the ending, nonetheless. I didn't think it was all that sad. It gave them hope, too.

Though his ability to travel through time might have killed him prematurely, but it also gave him and his family love and hope. So yes, I would love to read the book. See how the story goes. I have a strong feeling that I am going to enjoy the book very much.

Funniest reason to Blush!

Today I heard the funniest of reasons for blushing!

I was asked by a young lady sitting in front of me, if her face was red. I agreed, as she was quite fair and any redness on the face shows up quite clearly. I further remarked that her left ear was exceptionally red.

I then proceeded to guess the reason. Period, I had asked her? She didn't agree but instead when on to add this sentence, talked to him, gesturing to the boss. I was perplexed for a while.

I knew that she was talking to him before that, when I was away at the accounts clerk place to clear up some muddle. He asked the accounts clerk something short before stopping by her place, saying something which I couldn't catch. It was a brief chat, I think no more than a few sentences if not less, before he proceeded into his room, located behind her place.

Her seat is in front of the boss' room, so she sits facing me, her back towards the room. I stared at her for that while, still trying to comprehend her statement. Repeating it slowly outloud, I asked her what she meant when she said that.

She simply said, because she talked to the boss, thus she blushed, and ended with a little girlish giggle. I was stunt, and then burst out a giggle, which then turned into an uncontrollable laugh, though nothing inappropriately loud. A laugh just the three of us, she, me and the accounts clerk could hear and notice. I was really tickled.

This was the first time I heard someone telling me that she would blushed because of talking to the boss! And this was coming from a married lady, young though, younger even than me. But I still found that thought very funny. I laughed until my eyes teared. Probably until after a few minutes had lapsed that I finally could control myself. Giggles managed to escape in between her clarifications towards my disbelief.

It was the best thing I heard today. It was an honest answer, yet it was the funniest answer I ever heard for reasons for blushing so far! You are funny, girl!

Reconnected by Chance

Reconnecting.

I know I should not lay too low underground and let the world spin above me for too long. And that once in a while, I should stand up, stick out my head and give shoutouts to friends and acquaintances. Or accept their shouts and high-fives. Just to reconnect.

I have to admit that I had been slowly cutting of myself from my many circles of friends, over the past few years. First, it was time constraint. I just couldn't find enough time to squeeze the growing list of friends to catch up with each time I am back, without compromising family time.

Then, there was the energy factor. Meeting up, dates, and late nights just became too taxing for me after a while. They made me lethargic and tired the following days, as I slowly grow unaccustomed to that kind of lifestyle.

After that, there were this part of my life where I just wanted to go do whatever I wanted without the slightest care and regard to others, so long that it doesn't hurt anyone. Well, I didn't succeed in that 100%, they were some who were scalded quite badly but being in that state of mind, I just proceeded forcefully. Slowly, I dropped of their radar, on my own.

After a while, you just get strike off from people's list and buried deep behind their priority list. You get what you wish, you reap what you sow.

Today, however, made me realized, sometimes old is just gold. Meeting up with old friend can be really fulfilling. It reminds you how fortunate you are that they were in your life at one point, enriching it, nurturing it. That they were part of your past had simply made your history more colourful.

My former boss and I, we met up for lunch over his favourite Malaysian dish, Bak Kut Teh. It was really a touching moment for me. To see once again after quite a while, I could only say that we are lucky to be able to meet up. The last time I met him was almost 5 and a half years ago, after he had left his local posting here.

I could only say that one of the good thing brought from the floods that hit Krung Thep in Thailand is it allowed this chance meeting. With this meeting, we then took the chance to look up for another friend who was part of the circle then. Interestingly, we managed to relocate his house and had a chat with him, albeit aided by his helpful wife and technology, as he, that friend, is now working overseas!

Reconnected by chance, the aftermath of the floods, while cruel to some, but when experienced from another perspective and life, is good to us. I shall remember this chance meeting. Maybe, one day, we might be able to have another gathering with the same group of people just like before. That would be nice!

Kimchi

A whole chinese cabbage, cut up into bite size pieces, is sitting in an oval pyrex bowl, soaking away in salt water.

In another bowl, the smell permeates from the mixture of 3 tablespoons chilli powder, paste of grounded garlics, ginger, and a whole apple, 3 spring onions sliced diagonally, and julienned pieces of almost an apple, all combined with a tablespoonful of sugar and some fish sauce.

I am watching the clock. Another hour to go. In between, a few rounds of tossing about the soaking pieces of cabbages.

Once the timer goes off, these 2 babies will go on a date together, mix around and make love and they will transform into my very own homemade kimchi!

Oh, how I can't wait! How exciting!

Stuck!

Stuck!

Have not been moving for the past week. Failure, thus far, in enabling the scanning machine caused me to defer the ambitious plan I had mind indefinitely. Although, yesterday, a thought occurred to me on another idea to try to work the machine. I must try that simple step. Otherwise, I will need to crack open my brain to fish out other means.

Stuck!

Stuck also I had been for 2 weeks now, on my intended 2nd art project. I had managed to get the important but rare ingredient, but wasted too much time pondering about the remaining common place art items. I must get the buying over by this weekend. If that's done, at least then I have will have my nights to play away leisurely.

Stucked!

I had released a little of my caged brain, I hoped, with the commencement of the job this week. I don't really need to fully utilise my capability but at least I didn't all of it while. It had been an new and interesting scope for now. Perhaps I might be bored after a fortnight, but I had given my word and I will keep to it. Right now, I am just challenging myself for two things. One is to complete it within two months, or three months tops, and two, for me to clear up all the files, on my own! The latter, if I can achieve that continuously, is really a confidence booster!