Things I Want To Do Before 40

I thank God if I live to see 40. I want to celebrate life by doing these things. God help me as I place these milestones one at a time.

1) Reading the Tamil news.
2) Performing at a rock concert.
3) Traveling half the world and giving out aid and food.
4) Speaking Spanish like drinking water.
5) Clearing the mess in the house.
6) Bringing down my hip size to, say, just right?
7) Learning to cook super power rassam.

*List is not exhaustive

Wasting Away

As my partner-in-crime said to me, I am still stuck in CNY and giving out angpows...

Actually, it has been eat, sleep, work, work like dog, then sleep and occasionally going to the loo.

I love my job but it is laden with the bureaucracy that even before starting the fight for humanity, you are already down with food poisoning from what your boss gave you for breakfast.

I need to do something more significant. I need to get out there and do things I am really passionate about. I want to go back 10 years ago when I was super idealistic and had the chance to embark on many things. Now, I am just jaded and looking through the rubble of my broken passions for something to salvage.

Someone please help me.

Chinese New Year's Eve

Cooking, washing, cleaning, cutting, wiping, stirring...... I am so tired I could die.

The in-laws are down and that is just the thing I needed after working like a dawg for the past 2 weeks. When it rains it pours.

Every household have their own culture. If I am expected to cook 24/7, NO WAY HOSEA!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, if no one is fussy then it does not matter much. However, MIL wants to cook this, do that, eat this, suggest that..... aarrgghh

On top of all that she 'mentioned' that she does not want to tire me out and asked me what I was thinking of doing for the meals on NY eve. I told her that I was thinking of buying food home and then start preps for the dinner after a non-fuss lunch. Nooooooooooooo .... she then suggested eating rice. Thank God I am the Queen of frozen stuff from Penang!! I took out all my frozen dishes we cooked whilst I was back in Penang and heated everything up. No complaints as it was cooked by my si foo back home.

I was on my feet from 10am to 11pm. Doing all the above. I like cooking but not under these circumstances.

The steamboat dinner turned out well and they enjoyed the yee sang.

Now planning the next meal and slaving in the kitchen.

No Comprendo

Maybe I need some explanations here. Someone help me out....

Another Day Another Year

Blessed New Year to you all out there.

Stepping into 2008 I have seen many changes. For a start, I can now save 5 minutes a day by taking a newly opened road from my house (every bit counts if one is 32 going on 40). That means less swearing and being in a better mood in the morning.

I have also undertaken a temporary swap of portfolio at my work place and so far, I have been doing new things which is giving me a sense of being. I am excited to wake up in the morning again. :)

Last Weekend

Yesterday and Saturday were very tiring but very enriching. I met a person whom I have not met in 15 years. I have not written about anyone for a long long time now but this person just compels me to do so.

His life is so colourful. I have never met a person like him before. I am so proud of him and am really moved whenever I think of him. He was 16 (Form 3) when he decided to leave his broken life behind him and follow the things he has been daydreaming about. With RM80, he took the boat to India, went through Pakistan, Karachi, Iran, Turky, hitchhiking all the way to England. There he joined the British Army for 9 years, posted to Germany, learnt German in the nights, met his German wife, studied photography and now retired as a renowned photographer in Germany. His son is continuing his legacy while he travels to fish in Norway, to eat durians and meet up with his Penang friends.

He loves dreaming and without dreaming, one dies. He says to keep on dreaming. He says never to give up and never think that anyone else is better than yourself. He says to keep the faith. He says to be humble at all times. He says that one has to be positive to achieve the dreams. He says cease the day and live for the moment.

I knew him as a really fun character. Very jovial and will go an extra mile to keep you happy. He is still the same, just older and wiser. This time around, it was special. I was so teary eyed when he went onto the bus back to Penang and then to Germany next week, I could see that he felt the same. I don't know why I feel this way. Perhaps seeing him 'making it' despite of his difficult beginnings has been inspiring to me. I don't know why. I am an emo bag now.

Runs

Today is the perfect day to have the runs. Not only that it is a Monday but I have been so darn tired with work, I feel like screaming. Between sessions on my porcelain throne and office, I will take the throne.

After having my sleep being interrupted, I can remember 2 significant dreams. In the first dream I was witnessing a tsunami from an apartment block (further away). I remember having recorded the incident in my camera. I could see waves being formed and how it flooded the city below me. It was really scary. We then had to evacuate the said apartment block. I could remember saying to another person that we are now refugees and have to cross the border to be safe. hmmm

The next dream was my house was burgled but the thieves did not take anything as there was nothing in my house for them.

I can derive a lot from these 2 dreams but I think it all boils down to the lack of having a better work life balance and having something to look forward to in the future.

Now I am gonna curl up and drink soup and perhaps listen to some Spanish hunk sing.