新的一年

日复一日 年复一年
日子的流逝 是回忆的烙印

日子重复着我们
我们不要重复着日子
新的一年
有期待 有盼望
但
来点新意
如何？

Resolution Time

In a couple of days, in fact, even at this very moment while I am typing, you can hear the strungs of Auld Lang Syne being played. And that means, it is the time of the year when resolution(s) will be and to be made.

Looking back, life has treated me wonderfully, even though up to this point, I am still buried under tonnes of work. Well, that's part and parcel of life, nothing to complain. Yes, I am a happy-go-lucky person. Am sanguine and forgiving (ehem...clearing my throat :P) about everything. Life is too short to be so persistent/nit-pick with principles and everything. I think, taking life in your stride will let you realize, that's life. Hmm....something for you to ponder :).

I digressed.

Resolution(s). I have long given up on making any resolution coz (1) I tend to make unreacheable/unrealistic resolutions, (2) repeating the same old resolutions, and (3) getting lazy. However, I do have wishes to fulfill, do that consider as resolutions? Hmm....I wonder. Anyway, it's good to make resolution(s) for the coming new year, at least, you will be more focused in attaining your achievements throughout the year. In addition, life will be more fulfilling and fruitful, rather than passing life aimlessly and impassionately. That will be a waste of time and life, ain't it?

You may slow down your pace today and start reminiscing where did all the time rack up? Have been asking this question, aloud, for the past few days. Did time fly past us without leaving a trace? Or were we too engrossed in our mundane world to notice the imprints of time? Time has not slackened, neither has time hastened. Till this point, when realization has dawned upon us, all of a sudden, we notice, we have had walked past time.

Ageing gracefully would have been a bonus, if you have not, fret not. I believe life would still be worthwhile to look back on. Life, would still hand you serendipity.

Hence, you may or may not be making resolution(s), nevertheless, hope you will embrace the coming new year with hope and great expectations. No doubt, I shall be.

Happy New Year :)!

Merry Christmas

"Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect." -- Oren Arnold

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and my, where did all the time go to?

Have had the joy of receiving Christmas gifts from my brothers-in-law and sisters-in law. Am embarassed to admit, I did not buy anything to give them at all. Did ask my Significant Other should we buy something to return the gesture? As usual, his answer is no and not necessary. Men :(. I feel kinda bad, but I console myself that I always give presents to them even though it's not Christmas, so it should be alright. Right?

Anyway, can't imagine going to town to do last minute shopping. Most of the malls are offering late night shopping for the last 2 weekends and according to reviews, the late night shopping attracts lots of turnout. Well, I guess people are always eager for novelty and in addition, they are taking advantage of the late hours to squeeze in as many errands as possible, or maybe, we like last minute shopping. Yeah, this should be the one, last minute scrambling.

Did my shopping weeks ago, but there is one more thing I have yet to do. That is, to buy some food items for the Boys Brigade's Sharity Box 2005. Okay, am gonna give the excuse of busy, but I can't remember what I had done for the last few weekends, and not able to realize this errand. Read the papers yesterday and got to know they are still short of food items and still open for collection, so this shall be my agenda for tomorrow morning.

Christmas, a time to give. Although am not a Christian, the festive moods will rub onto you. You will definitely feel much more happy if you choose to give, may it be a small present, or maybe a smile, or even maybe a call/message to friends and loved ones. Who knows you may brighten up some one's day :).

Merry Christmas :)!

冬至

光阴似箭，又是冬至了。不过我相信很多人一定不晓得这个日子。

冬至，俗称“冬节”，是个一家大小团聚的日子，寓有归属之意。大家一起吃汤圆，有着团圆之意，亦代表又长了一岁。

今年也不是例外，早上迫不及待吃了2粒汤圆。哇，又长了一岁，好像很开心似的。当然，每个人都会年老，只不过看你如何对待岁月的流逝，如何优雅地度过每个岁月。

犹记得小时候，我和妹妹总会在冬至那天帮妈妈搓汤圆。有粉红有白的，真的好看。同时我们也会搓几粒自己心属的大小汤圆，待妈妈煮好后，吃着自己搓的汤圆，极为美味。其实我不是很喜欢吃汤圆。只不过妈妈说吃了汤圆，就长了一岁，所以无论如何都会至少吃1粒。

现在的汤圆已是多姿多彩了。甚少听到有人说在冬至这一天搓汤圆了。如今有即买即煮的有陷汤圆，况且口味也五彩缤纷。有花生啦，芝麻啦，红豆沙啦，绿茶啦，等，我们简直是被宠坏了。对都市人来说，也超级方便。

也许是悲哀，因为现在的年轻人对传统节日已不热衷，搞不好以后都会把冬至给遗忘了。

那，你呢？

The Truth

The truth is rarely pure and never simple. -- Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest"

変な気候

最近的天气无常。12月本是雨季，哪知近日来天天都风和日丽、阳光普照，超好的天气。也因如此，我得以每天游个泳。

昨晚也不是列外。虽说气温直飙32°C，一跳进泳池里，哇，好冰凉！简直是名副其实的“冬泳”。冰凉的水刺激你身上的每一个细胞，让你疲惫的身躯立即精神抖擞，牙齿也不听使唤的在‘打架’。

刺激的冷让我一刻也不敢松懈，集中精神直往泳池的另一端游。一旦适应了水中的冷，我的注意力也开始怠慢，目光四处漫游。顿时才发现泳池里唯我独尊，太棒了。

游了约15分钟，微暗的天空伴着彩霞忽然映入我眼帘，好漂亮，心情霎时开朗起来，游得更起劲，思绪也开始不甘寂寞。

那一刻似乎很宁静，泳池边的小瀑布流水声犹如音乐伴奏似的，极为协和。我，并没有偷懒，边游边享受自己的呼吸声，以及周围的一切。

无常的天气，助我一臂之力，让我拥有漂亮的心情，游了个开心泳。不晓得它有没有影响你的心情？

后记：其实，今天也是艳阳天 :)。

被爱是幸福的吗？

被爱，的确是幸福的。

因为曾经深深爱过而被伤害，所以如今很享受被爱的感觉。

能爱一个人其实也是幸福的，只要你拿捏的好，不让对方觉得是种负担。

但，有多少人能够把界线划分得如此清楚呢？若你爱一个人爱得泥足深陷、无法自拔，犹如跌入深渊，永无回头时，心中的痛何止言语可言喻？

当你爱一个人的时候，你会让他知道吗？与其互相猜疑，不如将你的心意让他知晓。若能坦然接受他的拒爱，释怀地将那份爱深埋于心中，那么你，应该已是无悔了。

倘若你不爱他而却被他痴狂地爱着、照顾着、关怀着，你会觉得幸福吗？那应该是惶恐的，因为你得承受这不必要的压力与负担。试问在这种情况下，你还会去回馈他的爱吗？

爱一个人，如果爱得那么痛苦，一点享受的过程都没有，那你何须如此对不起自己呢？

因此，要爱一个人，是何等的不易。若你能大方地施予你的爱而不要求对方任何的回报，那将是件幸福的事。

所以，你，会去爱一个人，还是选择被爱呢？

Music

"Without music, life would be a mistake." -- Nietzsche

Last Saturday night, attended the SSO Christmas concert with my sister. It has become an annual ritual for her and she never fails to ensure I get the tickets way before December, coz it's always a sold out perfomance.

Have been a supporter of SSO since I was a student, and have been attending their Christmas concerts for the last 10 years. Yes, you have the same old carols every year and they keep playing Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite yearly as well. However, I do not seem to get tired of all these. This year, they did a different presentation of The Nutcracker Suite -- Overture, Dance of the Reed Pipes, Waltz of the Flowers, Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy and March, a jazz version with adaption for the orchestra. I must say, it was very refreshing and I never know jazz can be so moving, coz have never been a fan of jazz music.

My all time favourite was played as well, Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride. It really got you into the Christmas moods :). The only thing you wish is: it's snowing outside. *Sigh*.....a pity we can't have a white Christmas here. Anyway, with Christmas carols being sung, balloons flowing down, Christmas cane candies, Santa Claus' hats, and all the decorations, you can't wait for Christmas at all :).

Have not been attending much SSO concerts lately coz no 'kaki' to go with as my Significant Other is not keen of classical music. It suddenly makes me realized I've been left at the cultural desert for too long. Next year, SSO will be celebrating Mozart's 250th birthday, so perhaps it will be a good time to embrace music into my life once again, least I become a plebeian and uncultured soul.

快乐

有时让自己静一静，反而会更快乐。

Festive Moods

I do not know about you, but with Christmas and Chinese New Year round the corner, boy, am I excited.

No, I do not celebrate Christmas but the festive moods will get to you. In addition, my sister being so "ang moh", will have Christmas dinner and presents for the kids. So there's no way I cannot afford not to be in the mood. The only tedious chore will be getting gifts, for the kids. Er, I like receiving gifts, but if you ask me to go shopping and prepare the Christmas presents, god, it is a TORTURE. I'll end up buying clothes, and more clothes. Really have no inkling of those myraid of toys available.

Whether you are celebrating or not, a trip down Orchard Road is definitely and positively a MUST, especially at night. I like the christmas-sy decorations. So glittering and christmas-sy. Hey, you can't get this anywhere else, not even my favourite HK. Spent the Christmas there 5 years ago, and you really forgot it's Christmas coz there's nothing to remind you it's Christmas!

Anyway, I digress. 2 more weeks to Christmas, so you can imagine, more storewide-kind-of-sales will be on, especially this weekend, midnight shopping somemore, at my favourite shopping centre somemore! Right, this is good and bad. Good if you have yet to do your Christmas shopping. Bad for me coz I had promised myself not to spend another nickle for this month :(. This is really cruel. Hmm......okay, I must control, I must be disciplined, I shall not yield to temptations, I shall shred all my credit cards, I.........God helps me....

Well, it is TGIF, so I am not gonna let this dampen my delirious spirit :). I shall try to be good, so maybe a small reward will not be overboard? :p

14 Dec 2005 p/s: Just found out last night, you can take the Hippo Bus from Orchard to enjoy a ride down Orchard Road. You will be able to enjoy the light-up more thoroughly :).

小孩子

小孩子是快乐的泉源，永远是天真无邪的。

不否认自己的母性泛滥，超喜欢小孩子。但上天造化弄人，如今迟迟还未能引璋弄瓦。

每每被人家问起何时有自己的孩子时，说实在的，那是件很累很累、极富压迫感的事。解释亦是苦差，他们永远都有意见，有自家的偏方，等等。我逃也不是，避也不是，都不晓得该如何应付。有时一气之下，脱口而出：“我们不要孩子！”

曾想去领养，但是否能视己如出？至今无法给予自己一个答案。

也许福分未修够，无缘有个孩子，但愿意放弃任何的一切去换取与孩子的缘分。我，是个宿命论者，也许这一世无法体会一个做母亲的苦与甜，但愿今生能收身养性，好好地聚福积德，奢望下一世能身为他人父母。

Crazy Horse

Not only I am a sucker for romance, am one for adventures as well.
Now, the Parisian Crazy Horse has strutted into town and our monotonous night life starts buzzing, once again. So, many people have complained to me the ticket costs are very expensive, with the cheapest $85 for a bar seat with a standard drink. So? There is no free lunch on this earth. "If you want to enjoy, you have to accept" -- a favourite quote of my Significant Other. Very true.

The tickets for tonight's opening show have all sold out. Hence, who says the tickets are expensive? I am pretty sure it's really no harm to indulge once in a while, within your limits. Even if that means you need to survive on bread and water for the rest of the week. Please, do not give me the proletariat attitude. It is so passé. Enjoy while you can. Just a mere $85 will not deplete your retirement funds.

I am all geared up to go for a show, given all the hype being built around it, and will make sure I get a front seat as well :). It will be such a waste if I cannot get up front to appreciate all the beauty and moves :P.

So, who will be joining me?

感情

在感情的世界里没有对或错，只有应该、不应该。

岁月∙友情

上周六在老妈家收拾我的旧书桌，让我重拾了好多好多的记忆。

因为不舍得，所以堆积了许许多多的陈年往事。生日卡啦，纪念册啦，书信啦，哎哟，应有尽有。让我感到震撼的不是堆积如山的“有的没的“，而是朋友在我心里的重要。

虽然当天丢弃了好多无用的东西，也舍弃了一些回忆，但也偷偷地保留了少许的过去。毕竟我还是凡夫俗子，有些身外物还是无法舍得。只因，回忆。

有些朋友也许只不过是我生命里的过客，但不可否认他们也留下些些足迹。至今还有保持联络的朋友，都是大学同窗， 陪我走过岁月，陪我欢笑、流泪。虽然不常见面，偶尔的聚会总会乐而忘返。即使大家已成家立业，言谈中难免少不了学生时代好玩的口吻。唉，年轻真的不留白。

我不曾刻意去经营我们的友情，但相信大家都会把对方放在心里。只要有心，相信咱们的友情常驻，细水长流。

给我亲爱的朋友们：友谊万岁！

敏 感

大自然, 只有对四季的转变最敏感。而人，唯有对感情最敏感。

Conditions of Love

Food for thought......

Going to HK

In less than a fortnight, will be in Hong Kong, again. Will be visiting the HK Disneyland, in search of my young heart :).

Anyway, not much kudos (is there any, in the first place?) had been given to this magical park set on Asian soil, and the most negative remark I've heard is: it's a mouse in a Chinese costume. Hmm....that's bad, I can't even recollect Mickey Mouse speaking Cantonese to Donald Duck. Gosh, that must be real "cheena".

I wonder how long will HK Disneyland's magic gonna last. Hopefully, it won't suffer the same fate as Euro Disneyland. Hmm....since we're on it, why can't Mickey Mouse & Friends just stay in USA or Europe? Why must they make its way to the Asian region? Will the magic still be as magical and fantastic? To bares it all, it boils down to: COMMERCIALISM.

As far as I'm concerned, HK is a shopping paradise for the shopping maniac and gluttony bay for the food gourmet. You'll just get yourself lost in those shopping malls/arcades, boutiques after boutiques, stalls after stalls. I guarantee you, you will know how to spell "SURRENDER", backwards. And, those glorious food....just the thought of the steaming hot dim sum titillates my taste buds. *Slurp* We do have groovy cuisines here, but somehow, they tend to pale in comparison. Hmm...the "grass-is-greener-over-there" syndrome.

Wait, there're more. The neon lights can be killing as well. They just keep flickering in front of your eyes, like nobody's business at all. No wonder HK has being crowned one of the cities with beautiful night scene in the world. Yeah, it's pretty glittering at night and you'll just get drawn towards the city, like the moth to the fire. There's also the vibrancy in the city, with so much activities ready to burst at the seams. The Hong Kongers are always racing against time, and it's like you can't even put on the brakes.

Of course there's always other activties to embark beside shopping and stuffing your face full. HK is surrounded by many islands and these places can be equally real interesting and fascinating. Had been to a couple, like Lamma Island and Macau, and I find the former worth dropping by again. The quaint island is laid back, but fills with serenity and less haste. You just feel like lazing there.

Have yet to engage horse racing, clubbing, etc, in HK. So, perhaps that will be next on my itinerary? Yes?

The Bliss of Travel

Thought of the day......

Heatwave and the Spaghetti Top

I was flooded by the splintering heatwave over the weekend.

It's near year end, and we should have more rain than heat. Guess the earth is punishing us for burning a big hole in the ozone layer and we had had 2 days of scorching sun, and it looked like the heat's gonna persist. Well, it's good for me coz I can still continue with my swimming regime. However, the heat was pretty killing and we were enveloped in it. Air-conditiong didn't help much either.

Was in Orchard Road last Saturday and saw lots of ladies and gals wore spaghetti-strapped tops and tank tops. I was in a sleeveless top as well, and wished I was wearing something lesser due to the overwhelming heat. Perhaps due to our tropical weather, it's sooooo common and nothing unusual to see ladies in such skimpy tops.

So what if you can see the ladies' bras and straps? For the fashion police, it's a no no, but aside from this, anything wrong? Those HK actors/actresses had commented our fashion scene being "loose" when they're here shooting the serial "Yummy Yummy". Ha, to think such prudishism from them when their pornography industry is so vibrant. Hypocrites :(.

Come to think of it, I seldom see the HK ladies in skimpy or spaghetti tops whenever I make my pilgrimage there. Guess I was the odd one out in sleeveless and tank tops. Winter in HK is always a bluff and you can catch me in sleeveless as well. It's simply too hot to wear any anorak or jacket or long-sleeved top, especially if you're doing lots of walking. All the perspiration kept me from showing off my beautiful winter clothing. What a waste.

Anyway, the spaghetti top is gonna stay in our society. Period. As long as appropriate attire is donned on each occasion, why should anyone dictate what we're gonna wear?

The Myth

“爱不变 是美丽的神话”

Loyalty and faithfulness, are they the same?

Finally caught Jackie Chan's "The Myth" yesterday and it kinda caught me off guard.

All the while I know that Chinese history won't be so colourful and interesting without those change of eras. Only in the movies and those epics will we get to see more personified situations. That's the idea of movies, and it did get me thinking.

"The Myth" was set aginst China's Qing Dynasty background, which was the most flourishing era under Emperor Qing Shi Huang's rein. Although he was a dogmatic tyrant, China for once was unified, and a long period of peace was sustained. What strike me was Emperor Qing may be authoriatative and not necessary the benevolent ruler, he lacked no faithful generals by his side. Fiercefully faithful, I mean. Well, these character perhaps were fictitious in the movie, but I'd rather choose to believe they did exist during that era.

General Meng Yi was so determined to protect Emperor Qing's newly bestowed concubine from Korea, Concubine Li (Li Fei), that his life can be sacrificed with no second thoughts at all. Li Fei would have wished to escape when her ex-fiance came to her rescue, if not for General Meng Yi's fierce loyalty to safeguard her. And with this, came her admiration and emotional attachment for General Meng Yi.

Of course, this attachment might have resulted from the period when they had to rely on each other for survival when they're trying to return to the Chinese mainland. However, due to his loyalty for the Emperor, General Meng could never reciprocrate what Li Fei had expressively given. For his sake, Li Fei lived on, in misery.

Even when she was forced to test the longevity drug, she still cherished the hope General Meng Yi would return to see her. However, by then, it was thousand over years later, General Meng would have reincarnated into the modern era, which he had, in the movie. But, Li Fei couldn't accept the reincarnated General Meng coz he's no longer the Meng Yi that she had strongly loved and faithfully waited for. She refused to leave the tomb of Emperor Qing with Meng and it was with much reluctance that he had to let her go. Furthermore, she didn't belong to the modern era, it'll take lots of persuasion to convince the audience.

What lingers on is the obstinacy of Li Fei's ardent faith and love for General Meng Yi and the latter's subordinates' intense and undying loyalty to him. Will we still be able to find all these traits in our own era? If such people do exist, will they be mocked by their fellowmen, coz faith and loyalty are not supposed to exist now, except in the mafias and triads that we know?

I do believe each of us do have our own faith. Not in the religious sense, but on the emotional level. Have yet to come across anyone with such fierceful faithfulness, and maybe I do cherish the thought to meet one. What about myself? My faithfulness and loyalty will fade in comparison. However, I do possess vehemence to my own faith in love. This is most characteristic of a Leo. No matter how hard I try to shake it off, this can never be abandoned. It's like your shadow. It'll be you and uniquely you.

All I can say is, it's really a shame for us mortals, for not being able to experience this. Pity, pity......

Nursing the Flu

Simply can't stand getting sick. After nursing a bad sore throat, caught the flu bug right after :(.

This time round, the influenza seems to be running amok. Many people are down with flu. My Significant Other had caught it twice, within a short span of time. And, now I think I'm passing the bug back to him. Oh god.....

Have been diligently swallowing my anti-biotics and am hoping for a speedy recovery, so I can get back to my exercise regime. I keep looking at the person in the mirror and the more I look at her, the more satisfied I am. Who doesn't if you're losing weight and gaining the hour-glass figure back.

Anyway, I've found the joy in exercising, for vanity sake. I think we're pretty shallow in our perceptions. We tend to view the facade of things and people, and not giving them the benefit of doubts that within them, lie the inextricable beauty. Yes, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, but who will go beyond this? All men will look for the pretty faces first, then the devilish body. So superficial, so trivial, so inane. They simply can't think with their heads, only with their d***s.

Now, I just can't wait to get better and hit the pool again.

My Very Own

So, finally get down to do my own blog.

Never dream that anyone would want to drop by and view mine. I can live with that, just want an outlet to pen down my thoughts.

So, if you happen to drop by, hope you do enjoy the read. Shall try to post more often and hopefully, I won't bore you to death :).