A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

September 7, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’ is a beautiful movie about a beautiful person – Fred Rogers. I hadn’t heard of him before and didn’t know that he was a real person when I watched the movie. I thought he was just too nice to be true. His gentle persona. His soft and slow way […]

In the present

June 22, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

I can feel sad. Surprisingly, suddenly. Without warning. A song. A paragraph in a book. A poignant message on WhatsApp. A scene from a movie. Just a few triggers that make me feel melancholy for no apparent reason other than the trigger itself. The change in emotion is quite dramatic. Thank goodness they are mostly […]

Life and livelihood

June 1, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

I haven’t gone to the temple in SS3 since March 17, the Tuesday before the Movement Control Order (MCO) took effect in Malaysia. That’s 10 visits that didn’t happen in over 2 months. That’s 10 times I didn’t buy flowers from the florists stationed just outside the temple. The two flower stall holders are not […]

Sad but hopeful

March 9, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

I was sad. I was disappointed. How did this happen? From February 23, 2020 to March 1, 2020 – the government that I had voted in was no more. In just one week, the political landscape in Malaysia underwent a radical make-over. Although not quite the same, it reminded me of Project Runaway’s oft-quoted line, […]

I know it’s Christmas

December 23, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

It’s Christmas. That wonderful time of the year. I know I have said this before. December is my favourite month of the year, second only to March, which is my birthday month. For me, there’s very little not to like about Christmas or December. This year, Christmas came early in many of the shopping malls […]

Lego

December 16, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

I only just discovered Lego. Seen it. But never played with it. Never owned any as a kid. In fact, I don’t remember having many store-bought toys. Maybe, some marbles and a ball. What I played with were mostly bespoke toys. Thanks to my eldest brother. He used to build things with whatever was available. […]

“I do”

November 4, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

Bjorn and Jennifer’s wedding was wonderful. The bride looked lovely in her gorgeous beaded gown with a corset back. My nephew, the groom, scrubbed up well and appeared spiffy in his navy blue jacket and khaki pants. The groom and bride had three groomsmen and three bridesmaids respectively. Family and friends were well represented. With a […]

Deepavali difference

October 28, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

Yesterday was Deepavali, the Festival of Lights. My mum’s favourite celebration since she was a little girl. Every year, the mental preparation for the big day starts many months earlier. How do I know this? She loves to talk about her Deepavali plans: cakes (must-haves), number of guests (the usual suspects) menu for the day (similar […]

Access

July 1, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

Access. The quicker, the cheaper, the more efficient – the better. Thanks to technological innovations. At least, that’s how it seems to me, and I like it. Speedy access to information, cheaper communication and faster travel. That’s not all. Entertainment at our finger tips, health care options and business opportunities etc., etc. I like quick […]

Tick-tock

June 24, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

I cry easily when I watch poignant, heart wrenching movies about family, relationship, illness and death. In between muffled sobs (I try not to embarrass myself), I silently vow to focus on what’s important in life – family. When my sisters visit from overseas and return to their respective homes, I miss them achingly, and […]