Once again, it is that time of the year.

This year, I am in Singapore. It is a rainy day, not the heavy rain coupled with lightning and thunder, but a quiet, lingering rain that reminds me of a lawn sprinkler steadfastly watering the green pasture.
I am thankful because this year is the best one yet, in every delightful way.

Counting my blessings, and be grateful
of the special people that love and care
of the others that have enriched this life, by just being there
of the memories that make life tastes so special and unforgettable
of the experiences, big or small, that make me the person I am today.

Perhaps God's line is always busy,
but surely, a birthday girl gets a special treatment yes?

please watch over me;
when I run too fast to get through the day,
please extend your leg to trip me;
when it's ugly down here on earth,
please send me blue skies and starry nights;
when I lose my way,
please send me an angel to guide me home.

I was stunned when I found this photograph in facebook. How nice it is to look at a long lost photograph taken 18 years ago. My memory has failed me, I cannot remember a single thing about my life back then. I cannot recognize my old friends from that era when we added each other in facebook. Nevertheless, the photograph never grows old. I see it as I remember it to be. A photograph can be kind, sparking a glimmer of light in a chapter of life that has been lost in time.

It was mid afternoon 1990. The sun was glaring, the kids couldn't keep their eyes open wide for the camera. It was their first year wearing that white-red uniform. Their teacher was a sweet, young lady (who is at that time, probably around my age now), Ibu Ratna. Their class was on the first floor of the school building, just beside the canteen. In fact, their class is the background in the photograph.

I wonder, where are they now? What kind of person have they become?
Long after our time has gone, I say a little prayer, for each and every single soul in the photograph, that they become the kind of people that those little kids wanted to be.

Borders beats Boredom

For the past few weeks, I've been having this habit of going to Orchard Road on friday evenings. I would have a nice dinner in Minang House, shop, and walk along the boulevards. The Christmas decoration was up, the lighted streets at night exuded a Christmas-like feel, the jazz quartet played in front of Tang's while the chanteuse sang lovely jazzy tunes. Sometimes I would sit on the bench, listening to the music, watching people's faces as they walked by. After having enough of shopping and strolling, I would finally park myself in Borders, the raison d'être why I went to Orchard Road in the first place.

November is a special month, Border's birthday month. I got emails from Borders mailers every week in this month, with 30% discount voucher. I need something to read everyday when I am commuting to work. I need something to read in weekends. I need something to read to learn new things. I need something to read to take me away from this impressively mundane life. Books are my best friend.

I like searching for books, combing shelfs by shelfs, waiting for the books to "call" me. Some books only get a cursory glance, some a lingering look, some a second glance, and the selected few get picked for the next selection phase. I would pick a few books that interested me, take them to an empty corner and start judging them by more than its cover. I imagined the weather was foul outside, rain or snow, and there I was sitting peacefully inside a bookshop, flipping pages of ideas and imaginations. A cat curling up by the side would be nice.

I would make my final selection, bring it to the counter, pay for it (at 30%-discounted price!), and not asking for a plastic bag, because being a green person, I would rather put the book in my bag, feel the weight of it on my hand/shoulder, and having this mighty sense of satisfaction.

Being in Borders is an experience by itself; finding myself at the border of my reality and staring into this vastness of space, with new people, new places, and new stories to be told. No air ticket needed, just a piece of printed Borders voucher and finally I'm home, with a keepsake in my otherwise boring black bag.

hello me

I've just completed a personality profiler and boy, I must say I am really impressed with it. Looking at the complete report, I feel like I am facing a mirror image of my personality. It is as if this automatic profiler has known me and observed me in life for a long time. What's more, it could put it all in clear, concise, and accurate sentences. It's really satisfying, it's a moment of self-discovery, getting re-acquainted with who I am. Neat.

Go and try it, people. http://www.c-vat.com/

these are too good not to be noted down

What I would love to say at work:
"It might look like I'm doing nothing, but at cellular level I'm really quite busy."

"Thank you. We're all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view."

"I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message... "

"Someday, we'll look back on this, laugh nervously and change the subject."


-- this is why I love Stumble!