"The relation between you and me is the most beautiful thing in my life. It is the most wonderful thing that I have known in any life. It is eternal." - Kahlil Gibran
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Retrospection
It's been over a year and a half since I last wrote a post and yet, it feels so much longer. Now is a good time as any to take stock of where I am now compared to where I was last year.
I think I grew a little more in the time that passed. As always, I hope that I grow into a person that my younger self wouldn't be ashamed of. I often wonder if our younger, more innocent selves were to meet us as we are now, would they would shake their heads with regret or smile in gladness? I'd like to think that if a younger Katherine were to come visit me today, she would be proud to one day become who I am now.
It's times like these that I wish I was more diligent in writing in a diary to keep account of daily events. When I try to think back to even a year ago, most of my memories are tinged with haziness. I've probably forgotten the little moments that made me smile or the small bubbles of happiness. Instead, I'm left with a random assortment of snippets that meld together. So because of this, I've taken up the habit of recording the fleeting moments that make me happy: seeing the clear night sky with its multitude of stars up in the hills, being enveloped in a warm comforting hug, riding downhill on a warm and sunny spring day, waking from a happy dream, walking with close friends in the twilight, hearing the ocean lapping the shore at night, the list goes on. However, I'll say this. It wasn't just moments of joy that made me grow.
Kahlil Gibran, the poet whose words I treasure, said this of joy and sorrow:
Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.
Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.
There were times when I was sad. I might've been sad for the silliest of reasons and also the most serious ones but the truth is, I can't quite remember what I was sad about. It doesn't matter though because it was that sadness that made me better remember happiness. The two go hand-in-hand and I'd gladly feel sad to one day feel happy.
I've yet to talk about my actual growth. I've intimated that I felt both sadness and happiness this past year and a half but I've neglected to say how these experiences actually shaped me. Unfortunately, I can't pick out a singular event that was a catalyst for my change. I think it's more about the series of experiences that slowly moulded me into who I am now. This year, I endeavoured to expose myself to as many people and experiences as I could. For too long I was comfortable in my quaint bubble of familiarity. Yet, without stimulation, how can we hope to progress? The process was hard and at times awkward but because we are adaptable creatures, things became easier and slowly, my eyes opened.
I thought that beyond certain circumstances that I had no control over whatsoever, I was the master of my own fate. I had no barriers. If I wanted something, all I needed to do was work hard enough and eventually, it would come to me. Now I realise that way of thinking is a true luxury. You and I make up the privileged few who able to achieve anything if we put nose to grindstone. Outside of our circle are those who are hindered to achieve their aspiration by finances, by health, by bureaucracy, by violence, by hate and by fear. Wouldn't it be good if we could alleviate someone of those hindrances so that they could join us on our lofty peak? Ah, it seems I haven't outgrown idealism.
I've grown a little. I've changed. I think I can say that I've finally become an adult and inherited all the trappings - good and bad. I expect that I'll grow even more in the next year or so because already I can feel that the experiences that made me smile, laugh, cry and shout have all been assimilated into my person. Not quietly though because they left their indelible mark on me. So I'll examine the marks and learn more about myself and the world around me.
What I'm trying to say is that I am constantly evolving. As I mature, I think I will gain a better understanding of this world and its constituents and my place in it. But for now, I will try to savour each day at a time.
I think I grew a little more in the time that passed. As always, I hope that I grow into a person that my younger self wouldn't be ashamed of. I often wonder if our younger, more innocent selves were to meet us as we are now, would they would shake their heads with regret or smile in gladness? I'd like to think that if a younger Katherine were to come visit me today, she would be proud to one day become who I am now.
It's times like these that I wish I was more diligent in writing in a diary to keep account of daily events. When I try to think back to even a year ago, most of my memories are tinged with haziness. I've probably forgotten the little moments that made me smile or the small bubbles of happiness. Instead, I'm left with a random assortment of snippets that meld together. So because of this, I've taken up the habit of recording the fleeting moments that make me happy: seeing the clear night sky with its multitude of stars up in the hills, being enveloped in a warm comforting hug, riding downhill on a warm and sunny spring day, waking from a happy dream, walking with close friends in the twilight, hearing the ocean lapping the shore at night, the list goes on. However, I'll say this. It wasn't just moments of joy that made me grow.
Kahlil Gibran, the poet whose words I treasure, said this of joy and sorrow:
Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.
Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.
There were times when I was sad. I might've been sad for the silliest of reasons and also the most serious ones but the truth is, I can't quite remember what I was sad about. It doesn't matter though because it was that sadness that made me better remember happiness. The two go hand-in-hand and I'd gladly feel sad to one day feel happy.
I've yet to talk about my actual growth. I've intimated that I felt both sadness and happiness this past year and a half but I've neglected to say how these experiences actually shaped me. Unfortunately, I can't pick out a singular event that was a catalyst for my change. I think it's more about the series of experiences that slowly moulded me into who I am now. This year, I endeavoured to expose myself to as many people and experiences as I could. For too long I was comfortable in my quaint bubble of familiarity. Yet, without stimulation, how can we hope to progress? The process was hard and at times awkward but because we are adaptable creatures, things became easier and slowly, my eyes opened.
I thought that beyond certain circumstances that I had no control over whatsoever, I was the master of my own fate. I had no barriers. If I wanted something, all I needed to do was work hard enough and eventually, it would come to me. Now I realise that way of thinking is a true luxury. You and I make up the privileged few who able to achieve anything if we put nose to grindstone. Outside of our circle are those who are hindered to achieve their aspiration by finances, by health, by bureaucracy, by violence, by hate and by fear. Wouldn't it be good if we could alleviate someone of those hindrances so that they could join us on our lofty peak? Ah, it seems I haven't outgrown idealism.
I've grown a little. I've changed. I think I can say that I've finally become an adult and inherited all the trappings - good and bad. I expect that I'll grow even more in the next year or so because already I can feel that the experiences that made me smile, laugh, cry and shout have all been assimilated into my person. Not quietly though because they left their indelible mark on me. So I'll examine the marks and learn more about myself and the world around me.
What I'm trying to say is that I am constantly evolving. As I mature, I think I will gain a better understanding of this world and its constituents and my place in it. But for now, I will try to savour each day at a time.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Mundane Happenings #7
- It's been a while since I've last updated. Actually, it's a bit sad at how long it's been but oh wells. I've lacked the impetus I suppose. :|
- I used to think that a firm and forceful character was one that got the most results. But I'm starting to realise that's not the case. Life lessons learnt at airports! Amazing.
- I'm not sure whether I'm entirely sold on ebooks yet. I can see the attraction in that they're essentially weightless but there's still something about using a hardcopy. Although, I'm more than a little disappointed that law textbooks will probably never be in electronic form. If only there was a command+F function! Sorry, first world problems.
- Good news! I can now somewhat drive! I've even learnt reverse parallel parking. Never mind how I need a lot of space, I'm still not a 100% with judging distances and I probably stall the engine at least once while doing it. I've done it three times without hitting anything so I think I deserve a pat on the back.
Asian woman driver: 1
Rest of driving world: 0
- Why are Australian prices so exorbitantly high compared to the rest of the world?
- I used to think that a firm and forceful character was one that got the most results. But I'm starting to realise that's not the case. Life lessons learnt at airports! Amazing.
- I'm not sure whether I'm entirely sold on ebooks yet. I can see the attraction in that they're essentially weightless but there's still something about using a hardcopy. Although, I'm more than a little disappointed that law textbooks will probably never be in electronic form. If only there was a command+F function! Sorry, first world problems.
- Good news! I can now somewhat drive! I've even learnt reverse parallel parking. Never mind how I need a lot of space, I'm still not a 100% with judging distances and I probably stall the engine at least once while doing it. I've done it three times without hitting anything so I think I deserve a pat on the back.
Asian woman driver: 1
Rest of driving world: 0
- Why are Australian prices so exorbitantly high compared to the rest of the world?
Monday, December 26, 2011
Random Thoughts On... Boxing Day
Usually, our family tends to avoid the chaos known as Boxing Day sales. The last time that we may have braved sale-hunting around Christmas Eve and Boxing Day was way back in the day when Chadstone wasn't that big and Borders hadn't made its presence known yet. And even then, parking was a gas-guzzling venture. However, I decided (or more accurately, Dad decided) to venture to Chadstone to see what sales there were on tablets like the iPad 2 and Samsung Galaxy 10.1.
I've never been to Asia or any other place where population density is high. Though, I have a secret suspicion that Chadstone Shopping Centre on Boxing Day is the closest that I'll get to knowing the feeling of being so unpleasantly acquainted at close quarters with a complete stranger's rear side, and in turn, a stranger being so familiarized with my rear end. Having said that, I think it may have been more disagreeable to the person behind me since we ran to Chadstone and I had yet to steal a free spritz from the perfume counters at David Jones. Ah, first world problems.
Dog's breakfast aside, Chadstone managed to amaze me. Its tagline is 'Fashion Capital' but I beg to differ and propose to rename it as 'Stereotype Mecca'. It was as if every typecast imaginable had come out to play. There were the cashed-up bogans, identifiable by their small Guess handbags, big sunglasses and Havaianas-clad feet, who twittered about outside Tiffany and Co. Then the hoards of fob Asians made lines of 7m or so outside Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and Burberry. In David Jones around Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss, the uptight upper-middle class suburbia was present too. The skateboarder/punk-ish teenagers with their long side fringes under caps flocked to Vans. Even the tweens and young high schoolers were out in their groups giggling outside Valley Girl and Forever New.
Turns out DJ wasn't having a sale on iPads and JB Hi Fi was way too crowded for us to have a proper glance at the Samsung Galaxy tablet (the Asian guy behind us showed his impatience by precariously hovering near us. His olfactory loss I suppose). So we may have been among the few to leave Chadstone without making a contribution to the economy. The magic of Boxing Day sales were lost on us but hopefully for all the others it wasn't. I mean, I would hope that they'd find something worth the parking havoc.
New Years sales anyone?
I've never been to Asia or any other place where population density is high. Though, I have a secret suspicion that Chadstone Shopping Centre on Boxing Day is the closest that I'll get to knowing the feeling of being so unpleasantly acquainted at close quarters with a complete stranger's rear side, and in turn, a stranger being so familiarized with my rear end. Having said that, I think it may have been more disagreeable to the person behind me since we ran to Chadstone and I had yet to steal a free spritz from the perfume counters at David Jones. Ah, first world problems.
Dog's breakfast aside, Chadstone managed to amaze me. Its tagline is 'Fashion Capital' but I beg to differ and propose to rename it as 'Stereotype Mecca'. It was as if every typecast imaginable had come out to play. There were the cashed-up bogans, identifiable by their small Guess handbags, big sunglasses and Havaianas-clad feet, who twittered about outside Tiffany and Co. Then the hoards of fob Asians made lines of 7m or so outside Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and Burberry. In David Jones around Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss, the uptight upper-middle class suburbia was present too. The skateboarder/punk-ish teenagers with their long side fringes under caps flocked to Vans. Even the tweens and young high schoolers were out in their groups giggling outside Valley Girl and Forever New.
Turns out DJ wasn't having a sale on iPads and JB Hi Fi was way too crowded for us to have a proper glance at the Samsung Galaxy tablet (the Asian guy behind us showed his impatience by precariously hovering near us. His olfactory loss I suppose). So we may have been among the few to leave Chadstone without making a contribution to the economy. The magic of Boxing Day sales were lost on us but hopefully for all the others it wasn't. I mean, I would hope that they'd find something worth the parking havoc.
New Years sales anyone?
Friday, December 23, 2011
Random Snippets On... Christmas carols
Probably due to my lackluster attitude towards Christmas this year, I haven't been keeping track of the dates that closely. So I was pretty surprised to find that it was already the 23rd (no wonder Box Hill was so busy), meaning that I only have 2 and a bit days to legitimately enjoy my favourite Christmas carols such as God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and Carol Of The Bells.
I often feel guilty listening to Christmas carols during the non-December months (which is why I feel it's slightly ridiculous for shopping malls to play Christmas jingles in November. It's like premature... well, something untimely). It's as if I'd be sucking away at the Christmas magic, making the coming Christmas not as wonderful. A silly superstition I know, but I did believe in Santa until I was 11.
I must have been a gullible child.
Anyway, I think you should check out this video by The Piano Guys:
A warm Merry Christmas to you :)
I often feel guilty listening to Christmas carols during the non-December months (which is why I feel it's slightly ridiculous for shopping malls to play Christmas jingles in November. It's like premature... well, something untimely). It's as if I'd be sucking away at the Christmas magic, making the coming Christmas not as wonderful. A silly superstition I know, but I did believe in Santa until I was 11.
I must have been a gullible child.
Anyway, I think you should check out this video by The Piano Guys:
A warm Merry Christmas to you :)
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Mundane Happenings #6
- The above photo is the fruit of my culinary labours. It's supposed to be sujebi à la K.L. style but after looking at the image it really doesn't look like anything at all. But that's okay because it tasted freakin' amazing. And even though it may sound like self-flattery, my praises are actually directed to the one ingredient that makes anything taste infinitely better: sesame oil.
I maintain that sesame oil is the Asian answer to Nigella Lawson's "quarts of heavy cream" that she seems to add to dishes. Butter be buggered. Sesame oil can sizzle my saucepan any day. ;)
- Instagram is amazing. It makes pictures look better than they actually are. Proof? Above photo. The original really wasn't that appealing.
- Finally went to the dentist to have teeth cleaned. Is it awkward to stare at the dentist's eyes while having any dental work done? I mean, I find it quite fascinating trying to catch a glimpse at my own mouth in the reflection of the dentist's glasses. But then again, I guess it would be unnerving to have someone staring at you for more than ten minutes. Oh well.
- This site tickled my heart: HJ Story.
- Christmas cheer hasn't hit yet. I'll be the Grinch for a little longer yet.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Random Thoughts On... Napkin hoarding
I find that one of the annoying things about washing clothes is the need to empty out clothes' pockets of their contents. More than once, I've had the misfortune of taking out my clothes from the washer and finding them covered with the telltale white confetti of a tissue left in a pocket somewhere.
One time, I happened to be checking my jean's pockets prior to washing and found a number of napkins stashed away in each of the pockets. These napkins were taken from a variety of fast food eateries and unassuming Asian restaurants that keep their pile of napkins out in the open for anyone to take. With such a plethora of free napkins out there, why would I ever pay for a pack of tissues like these:
I never gave much thought to my serviette-amassing activities until a friend asked for a tissue. Being an obliging person, I reached into my bag to offer what happened to be a serviette from Nandos. The "Are you serious?" look crossed the friend's face, followed by the "Anything but a Nandos serviette!" look when he realised that no one else had a spare tissue available. This brought me to wonder whether napkin-hoarding was really the road to take.
The only other viable alternative I'd recognise is carefully folding up tissues from a tissue box and storing them away because I point-blank refuse to buy a pack of tissues (above) that cost more than a whole box of tissues. But then again, the only difference between folded up tissues and folded up serviettes is that the latter may have some logo emblazoned on it. And the way I see it is that whenever I blow my nose with the serviette, I spend no extra money and I do some free advertising while at it. It's a perfect win-win situation.
I also refuse to believe that I'm the only person who does this. Ignorance is bliss.
One time, I happened to be checking my jean's pockets prior to washing and found a number of napkins stashed away in each of the pockets. These napkins were taken from a variety of fast food eateries and unassuming Asian restaurants that keep their pile of napkins out in the open for anyone to take. With such a plethora of free napkins out there, why would I ever pay for a pack of tissues like these:
 |
| via Listia |
I never gave much thought to my serviette-amassing activities until a friend asked for a tissue. Being an obliging person, I reached into my bag to offer what happened to be a serviette from Nandos. The "Are you serious?" look crossed the friend's face, followed by the "Anything but a Nandos serviette!" look when he realised that no one else had a spare tissue available. This brought me to wonder whether napkin-hoarding was really the road to take.
The only other viable alternative I'd recognise is carefully folding up tissues from a tissue box and storing them away because I point-blank refuse to buy a pack of tissues (above) that cost more than a whole box of tissues. But then again, the only difference between folded up tissues and folded up serviettes is that the latter may have some logo emblazoned on it. And the way I see it is that whenever I blow my nose with the serviette, I spend no extra money and I do some free advertising while at it. It's a perfect win-win situation.
I also refuse to believe that I'm the only person who does this. Ignorance is bliss.
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