Name dropping

I said: I’d like to go to Prague!

Our gorgeous Ukrainian said: But you’re gonna be in Europe. You have to check out Kiev & St. Petersburg! April / May is the best time!

Another lovely Ukrainian German said: But Berlin is only 2 hours away by train and also, Hannover is amazing! And Autumn’s not bad either.

Mum reminded: Yes, and don’t forget you’ve got a cousin in Germany too. End of Spring is beautiful.

A Dutch friend said: But Amsterdam! Surely you cannot NOT come here. Winter is just as fine! Snow everywhere. White Christmas.

Mr. Man felt like he HAD to chip in: You know what? You just can’t get past London! And down to Brighton. Watching summer fields along the way…

A friend in Paris offered: And since you’re already down South, just hop across the channel, I’ll have it all planned out for you when you’re here.

And so my head spinning, my eyes watering, my heart thumping, all I heard is Blah Blah Bloody Blah. I wanted to yell at them. That this is NOT helping! That it’s not like I can just blow my nose and 24K gold would come squirting out like a broken tap! That you guys had better stop all this name dropping and show me how to rob a bank, or else, JUST HAND OVER YOUR WALLETS QUICK SMART!!!

But of course I didn’t yell. Instead, I went over to a corner to stare at the (coloured!) map at the back of my diary. And sulked.

~itchy feet~

Soft, white, city people

Mr. Man: Let’s go kayaking down the Murray and then camping in the bush.

Me: Right. What do we do?

Him: We’ll paddle the first day, pitch up a tent for the night. Paddle some more the next day. And they’ll pick us up from where we finish.

Me: But I’m a city girl. An ASIAN city girl at that too. I’ve been in the city all my life, from one continent to another. But always in a city. You know what that entails.

Him: But you love the outdoor. You’ll love this!

Me: The swimming I’m sure I’ll love! The paddling is also fine. Coz you’ll be doing most of it.

Him: Hah? Right.

Me: But the camping. Is that in a camping ground?

Him: Nope. Anywhere we feel like.

Me: Anywhere? Meaning the middle of nowhere?

Him: Yup.

Me (eyes widened): Meaning no toilets, no electricity, no shower?

Him (eye-brow raised): Yup.

Me (starting to squeak): Meaning snakes, insects, spiders?

Him (eyes rolling): Probably.

Me: I’m not going.

…

A few days later.

Him: So we’re going.

Me: So that’s a statement, not a question? Hmm… But is there any crocodiles? Anything that can bite us in the river?

Him: Nope.

Me: Anything that can bite us on land?

Him: Nope.

Me: You sure?

Him: Well, maybe a snake or a spider. But that’s very unlikely.

Me (eyes narrowed): So do we bring a snake poison kit or whatever it’s called?

Him: No need. I’ve got a knife.

Me (eyes popping out of head): What? You’re gonna chase the snake and kill it with a knife and just leave me there to get high with the poison??

Him (sighs): Nope. Slash the flesh where it’s bitten and the poison will bleed itself out. But we’re only a phone call away from the Kayak store!

Me (fainted!): I’m not going.

…

Some more days later.

Him: So we’re going!

Me: Maybe.

Him: We can cook camp food. It’s fun.

Me: But what about a shower?

Him: In the river.

Me: Hmm… that would be nice actually. What about toilets?

Him: A hole in the ground.

Me: What? I’m not going.

Him: I’ll let you bring 2 toilet paper rolls.

Me: Alright. How about 4?

Him (speechless)

…

Anyway, so yes, we’re going. Don’t ask me why. Maybe coz I’M OUT OF MY MIND?? Wish me luck. And while we’re away, get out that SATC episode where Carrie went to the countryside, saw a squirrel up close and freaked out like it was a two-headed monster. Imagine that was me and have yourself a good laugh!

Happy Australia Day!

~a~

Daydream

My new diary, which is rather cute with a fancy canvas cover, has a world map on a page at the back. A coloured map at that, too. Which kinda ruins the purpose of a diary – to keep you focused at work, because I keep staring at it and daydreaming about the places I STILL haven’t been to! It also has 12 pages for financial record at the front, which I’ve ripped off and thrown in the bin. Says a lot about me doesn’t it? *sigh*

And so I made this. It’ll have to do for now.

~t~

Siblings

We stood face to face, hand in hand. Water up to our chest. The ocean was unusually still. Gentle waves shimmered a smooth, silky blue. I said, let’s jump. And we did. With all our might. At times in sync, other times not. Toes digging in sand. Hair flapping on back. Sea drops splashing on skin. We laughed and we laughed. Felt like kids again. Free. Carefree. Full of life. Full of love.

Laughter like golden bells. Ringing. Chiming. Tumbling in with winds and clouds. There are moments in life one never forgets.

She and I. Sisters. Best friends. For eternity.

~h&t~

Back into the swing of things

I haven’t blogged for so long it feels alien to start typing things longer than two sentences again! Well to be fair, I’ve scrambled up some drafts, lots and lots of them staring resentfully at me right now from their dusty corner. I will may get around to them one of these days. You all know what that means.

Anyhoo, let’s do a quick recap just to oil up my rusty finger joints, shall we? Plus I’m hanging out at work (not working though) waiting to pick m’ up so something to pass the time.

Let’s start with December. This year my birthday month went past in a zip! Turning thirty (THREE-OH! *faints*) wasn’t too scary. Well, that is to say, besides all the panic attacks and depression bouts and hours spent searching for new grey hair and wrinkles, I managed to squeeze in quite a fair bit of partying. If I’m to go down, I’m going down with style, man! Meanwhile, work was gruelling and left me a little numb, and extremely worn out, although one can hardly complain about the sound of the till ringing some much needed dollars.

Then “the boss” (guess who?) decided to give myself a long break. Sticking to my words after the China trip in July, this time there wasn’t any travel plans, no big trips, no small trips, no nothing. Just plain old sitting around on my fat arse, catching up with friends, family, and lots of good books. It was hard at first, like something was amiss (errr, maybe, A TRIP?!). But then my weary brain slowly calmed down and cheered up, my tired body slowly cooled down and perked up, and I ceased to be that neurotic girl with the bloodshot eyes and haggard look who would complain loudly and then follow it with “No i’m NOT complaining, I’m merely stating a fact!”. Of course the fact was that I WAS whinging but let’s not wake a sleeping dog shall we?

Anyhow, it felt so refreshing to be able to read till my eyes hurt, churning through piles of books. Bookworm doing some great binge-reading. It was so damn nice to cook for fun, talk to people for fun, doing things only when I felt like it, generally mucking around.

After the new year m’ and I started a massive spring clean campaign. It really was massive! Actually, still is. Five full days of intensive cleaning, tidying, rearranging furniture, and something slightly resembling gardening, have left our muscles sore but our clutters cleared (both physical and mental). And oh boy, doesn’t it feel wonderful! You guys will soon be invited over for a house re-warming party, to admire our handiwork and grace OUR NEW COUCHES with your lovely backsides! Cue: here is where you chirp in, No shit, did you really? And we’d beam, Oh yes we did!, and then do a little twist. I even made five spanking new cushions to match. Both of us are a little skint right now but seriously, even our eyes were sick of the old lumpy futon. (Our butts have given up long ago.)

So there you go. The last one and a half months in a nut shell. (Quite a big nut this one is, probably a Brazillian.) Will have to get back to writing more often. Fingers are squeaking. Not good.

Great new year to you all! Xox

~t2~

Phone & Diary

Left my phone & diary at home for the second time this week. No one calls on the phone much any more. (The appropriate comment here is: No life!) So am more worried about not having the diary nearby, feeling a little lost without knowing or remembering what’s been planned for the day and the week and the month ahead. Does that mean I’m stressed? A workaholic? A control freak? Losing my memory (at the ripe old age of thirty)? All of the above? Especially the old age bit? Ack!

But then to me, it also means that I love my work. “Huh? How did she get there?” Well, look at it this way, my tasks are never the same. And I’m totally enjoying the variety. Possessing a boredom threshhold of a 3-year-old, I’d be driven to strangle myself in a 9 to 5 job, or 8 to 6 as I used to have to do. Maybe one day I’ll get sick of this whole yo-yo work load – one minute I’m madly buzzing around like a fly trapped under a glass, the next I’d be sitting here zoning out, dozing off, trying to lick nose with tongue or seing if I can wave my ears. But for now, it works the best.

Until someone stupid, I won’t tell you who, forgot her diary at home. Ugh!

Ông ngoại

Ông ngoại đã đi xa rồi, không còn gần kề các con các cháu các chắt rồi. Ông đi theo bà ngoại, đi theo ông bà nội, ở một nơi mình chưa biết sẽ ra sao. Năm hai ngàn lẻ chín – năm nay nhà mình không còn ông bà nữa. Có những nỗi buồn làm sao đó, nghẹn trong cổ không khóc được. Nhang khói nghi ngút mắt vẫn ráo hoảnh. Chỉ thấy nghẹn không thở được.

Mấy đứa cháu ở xa thường thì một, hai năm mới thăm ông một lần, nên vẫn cứ cảm thấy như ngày mai mua vé về nhà là lại chạy xuống thăm ông liền được. Lại được chọc ông khi ông hỏi vé ở bển về hết bao nhiêu hả bay? Được rủ ông chơi cờ tướng, pháo đầu ngựa đội. Ông chấp ba con xe pháo mã mà mấy đứa vẫn thua xiểng niểng, còn hễ dí được một quân của ông, hù ông nói ông ơi con ăn con tượng á, thì ông hất đầu kêu bay eng uống gì eng. Tại vì đơn giản là bay eng bao nhiêu rồi thì bay cũng thua ông. Được rủ ông chơi bài, nhất là mấy bữa Tết tụ tập xuống nhà dì, chơi tiến lên ông oánh con hai bị tụi nó chặt, ông kêu tao wính lộn, mắt nhìn hổng rõ, thôi cho tao lấy lên lại. Cho nên coi mòi là đám cháu chắt khoái đánh bài với ông hơn là đánh cờ.

Nhớ hồi mình nhỏ, bảy tám tuổi gì đó, mỗi lần cô giáo dạy đàn sắp tới nhà thì chuyên môn giả bộ đau bụng nhức đầu để khỏi phải học. Chạy vô nhăn nhó với ông, ngồi bên giường bắt ông kể chuyện Cóc Kiện Trời. Mỗi lần ông kể tới khúc Cóc phùng mang la hét cái gì đó, hình như lúc đó là đang “dằn mặt” Ông Trời, ông cũng trừng mắt làm mình sợ lắm. Lúc đó nhìn ông thật dữ, nhưng chỉ có mấy giây đó thôi chứ không đứa nào không biết ông ngoại hiền.

Nhớ ông đan rổ rá đẹp lắm, gien khéo tay Mẹ thừa hưởng từ ông, rồi Mẹ lại truyền lại cho mình. Nhớ ông rảnh còn tỉa que đan cho Mẹ, gọt tăm xỉa răng, cả đám cháu lại léo nhéo là tăm xỉa răng hiệu của ông là hiệu xịn, không nơi nào làm được. Rồi hồi xưa ông hay vấn thuốc hút, mùi thuốc nồng nồng, sau này con cháu nói quá thôi thì bỏ. Nhưng mình vẫn nhớ cái mùi hăng hăng đó. Rồi ông dạy mình viết chữ Tàu, chữ Nôm, viết tên họ hết cả nhà. Chữ Trà tiếng Tàu mình đọc được là cũng nhờ hồi đó ông dạy cho. Nhớ ông hay dẫn TM đi mẫu giáo gần nhà. Tướng ông đậm đậm, TM bé xíu lon ton kế bên.

Nhớ những cái nhỏ nhỏ vậy, viết ra để sau này không quên. Để ông ở nơi an bình xa thật xa đó, thỉnh thoảng nhìn về vẫn thấy con cháu luôn nhớ thương ông. Ông ơi…

~bmthc~

Phobia

Every once in a blue moon I’d go shopping (only because I have to) and am instantly reminded of how much I dislike it these days. Shopping of any kind. Clothes, accessories, grocery, furniture, appliances, sometimes even books. Yes, you heard that right. All the driving, parking, walking. Trolley pushing, clothes trying, card swiping. My head spinning, eyes darting, brain whirring. Oh. So. Daunting!

And that was just shopping for myself. I had a vision of me in 10 years time, with a few kids in tow, dragging through the mall twice a week, 3 hours each time, just for food and other necessities; and felt nauseous. How do others do it?

Even ordering things online takes time and is rather stressful. I may have to pack up and go live in a village. We could raise chickens, grow veggies, weave fabric, make clothes, and get wireless internet.

~jet~

One word

m’ and me at the pool:

m’: Uh oh! My spare tyre has definitely inflated itself! Without my permission!

me: So has mine!

m’: F**K!

me: Yup. That pretty much sums it up hey?

Well now I think it’s rather pointless trying to tell the sad tale of us pinching at our “winter padding” and wiggling into our boardshorts after two swim-less months. But maybe you should hear this: After our pro-swimmer plopped into the water, did 2 laps, stood up panting and exclaimed, “Geez, I’m unfit!”, m’ and I couldn’t help but nodded at him in mutual sympathy.

~piscean~

Ode to a little box of seafood

Ah. Fish. Those lovely fish.

Nutrients, omega -3, protein,

They taste oh-so-delicious,

and apparently good for your brain.

Very easy to cook,

and extremely tasty to crunch,

But then of course they would make

you stand outside gobbling down your lunch.

~silly me messing about with words outside in the back yard, so the office doesn’t smell like my favourite sea-side town whose specialty is the thickest, most concentrated fish paste.~