Saturday, May 28, 2005
Growing old
Growing up is exciting...but growing old definitely isn't. As I sat there watching my parents one evening, I shudder at the thought of growing old. Once energetic and spunky, they have now matured into an unhurried and graceful couple. Being the oldest child (and a working adult now), I often feel compelled to protect them and give them the best that life can offer...after all, they are the ones who have been giving me life's finest...But sometimes, it isn't that easy. No matter how much I love them...I'm no superman.Anyway, that's another story for another morning glory...
Thoughts of growing old have most certainly struck a chord. Of course, I know, I'm barely twenty two, but somehow, it is something I've struggled to brush aside for days. I even wrote a poem about it...So as you read it, I hope you enjoy it with a slight smile, a pondering spirit and an Oxford dictionary. (Just kidding...)
Jo on growing old.
"What will I be when I am fifty-three?
A frame of gold or a story untold?
This life I lead, the treasures I seek
Of love? Of curse? Or of selfish greed?
Fifty-five I'll turn, to get my pension
Long-awaited eagerness or a bag load of apprehension?
These times I'd slog, the assets I'd have bought
Will life be worth all the hassles and jolts?
Fifty-seven should come with serenity and glee,
With a white crown of wisdom and wrinkles for a key,
To open more doors as new chapters unfold,
With my eyes gazing skyward and his hands I can hold.
Would fifty-nine hoot with oodles of broods?
Little bundles of joy and hearts so good,
To reflect a life of depth and integrity,
Of strength and confidence, and a kind-hearted sanity.
What if by sixty-one, I'm stricken with pain?
To doctors, to preachers, to witches, in vain
Living in torture, in the sorriest of state,
With nothing to cling on, except to my bed.
And once I'm sixty-three, I hope I can still see and wear a tee...and pee...
After all that's said, I beg to debate,
Perhaps life won't be so full of irate.
No point to fret, just eat a baguette
And enjoy what you have for your destiny's set."
Posted by Jo at 12:01 AM
Thursday, May 26, 2005
The wonders of life
Last Monday, Hil and I went to visit my new God-brother! His name is Jerome and he is one month old (as of today). Here are some snapshots of him. Isn't he adorable? I just hope he doesn't grow up to be as crappy as his father! Ha...
Posted by Jo at 12:37 PM
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Moshi moshi...
| My Japanese Name Is... |
 |
Posted by Jo at 3:18 PM
Thursday, May 12, 2005
The Family Way
Tony Parson's The Family Way scores a perfect ten, in my opinion. An absolutely captivating book which revolves around love and family. It's amazing how he carefully thought through each character and skillfully brings out the heart tuggers and controversies all at the same time. To me, good writers make you want to finish the book the moment you pick it up, but great writers make you want to immerse yourself in the book and enjoy every single page of it. Tony Parson is a great writer. He develops every character of the story with such explicit details that you feel like you know that person inside out. He tackles controversial issues like casual sex, over-populated China and In-Vitro Fertilisation with such subtle yet lasting impressions.Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
Posted by Jo at 9:12 PM
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Great expectations
Isn't it sad how people expect you to pay your bills even though you're down to your last 20 bucks to feed a family of six? Isn't it sad how friends expect you to be happy and energetic and entertaining even though you just had a super bad day? Isn't it sad how your family expects to be on the top of your priority list even though you have a hundred and one other commitments to attend to? Isn't it sad how bosses expect you to report back to work even though you're still sick?Yup, that's right. That's what I'll be doing tomorrow. Reporting back to work. Even though my throat still hurts, my nose still leaks and my body still aches. Doctors give a two day MC and everyone expects you to recover within that time frame. And when you don't, you're considered a freak. Whoever said that human beings are supposed to recover from a flu bug within two days anyway?
Staying at home these two days have reminded me of how much I missed this sort of life. Waking up at whatever time I please. Doing whatever I fancy and not having to worry about deadlines, finances and...expectations.
But I guess it is time to snap back into reality. Doing what the 'real' world expects - Being a functional individual of society. Look what has happened to people who aren't valuable to the world. They just fade out and die a slow and painful death...It's a vicious evolutionary cycle.
Mad dashes, over-crowded buses, stress-caused wrinkles and late nights at the office. That's what people expect of you in the 'real' world. The working world. And you just have to jolly-well swallow your last ounce of pride and do whatever the world expects...because if you don't hitch on to the ride, you'll be left behind...all by your own lonely and pathetic self. Except that you are not really alone. You will never be alone...because there is always the MAN. The one who gave you life by having His taken away. The one who sat quietly beside you while you wept about how miserable life is. The one who will never ever leave you behind...not in a million years.
And so, as I hold on to whatever free time I have left, I can only hope for a better tomorrow. A tomorrow filled with heaps of expectations and yet doubled with absolute security...because of my quiet knowing of this Man whom I'm going to spend eternity with.
Posted by Jo at 8:03 PM
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Not-so-mighty Jo
I am so down & out. My throat is as sore as a bruise and my nose is running like a broken tap. Ggrrhh...You know what's the worst thing about being sick? Going to the doctor. It just doesn't make sense to have to drag yourself out of bed, out of the house and make your way to the doc. The torture doesn't even end there. You have to wait in line while the pharmacist calls out name after name. By the time you actually get to see the doc, you will be in a much worse state. (Hmmm...not necessarily a bad thing).If I'm the Minister of Health, I'll make sure all doctors provide home services. Imagine this - With a dial of your phone, the doctor will be dispatched to your home, complete with the necessary medication, within 15 mins! That's what doctors should do, attend to the sick...
Having said all that, I'm actually quite thankful for my doctor. He is a very friendly and humble young lad who actually makes the effort to talk to me, not talk at me. Visits to his clinic are filled with subtle jokes and endless whining about how sick I feel. I'm glad that I am comfortable with my doctor because this makes my trip there a little less torturous =)
Posted by Jo at 12:35 PM
Monday, May 09, 2005
House of Wax
Recently, I've been doing things that shock myself...like watching House of Wax. I can't believe I actually watched it. It has always been my personal belief not to watch such thriller/suspense/horror movies because I find it silly to pay $7 to scare yourself. On top of that, I'm quite a chicken-hearted person and it pains me to keep my eyes on the screen as the killer is intently closing up on the victim and you have no idea where he is! I'd rather pay $7 to watch a sappy romantic film and get all warm & fuzzy rather than leaving the cinema with my heart on the floor.Having said that, the movie had a good plot essentially...and the idea of turning real humans into wax art pieces was quite an eyeful (Oops, did I just give the storyline away?) And watching a dumb blonde like Paris Hilton getting murdered was pure Hollywood entertainment...
But you see, that's the problem. I don't remember anything else from the show because third quarters of the time, my head was buried in my shawl and my hand was clenching tightly to Hil's arm. The moment I hear the freaky music reaching its climax, I'll be closing my eyes and asking Hil why I even agreed to watch the movie in the first place.
The blood and gore is simply too much for my small stomach. *pukes*
Posted by Jo at 1:33 AM
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
My fantabulous weekend
This is how I spent my long weekend -Saturday
10am: Driving lesson. I stalled the engine at least 5 times. Super off-form man. Ggrrhh...
12noon: Lunch with Hil at Thai Express. Used his birthday voucher so the bill was relatively cheap. It even came with a bottle of free red wine!
2.30pm: Rehearsal for P&W
6pm: Dinner at church coffeeshop
7pm: Youth mass. Led worship with Hil. If I'm not wrong, it's our second time leading worship on such a big scale. It was fun and extremely spirit-filled...
9.30pm: Supper at Serangoon Central's "Tau Huay" shop
11pm: Home sweet home
Sunday
10.30am: Went to church for CC4 outreach
1pm: Met Hil in town for lunch at Subway
2pm: Shopping!
6pm: Post birthday celebration for my brother with the family.
8pm: Cousins night-out. Rachel, Joel, Ben (and Hil) came over to play PS2. Damn I'm good at Crazy Taxi. Ha...
3am: Zzz...
Monday
8am: Breakfast at Macs
9am: Badminton / basketball at IMH. Kicked everyone's butt at badminton btw.
12.30pm: Lunch at Long John's. Matt, as usual, was talking rubbish non-stop. Thank goodness he talks funny rubbish, unlike others...Anyway, he said that he ought to open a joke school for the un-funny. Michelle and Elvin have enrolled with the sibling package deal so ya, they are in school now.
2pm: Headed to Ben's place to take a shower. Met his crazy, high-on-drugs hamsters. I tried to be friendly and wanted to carry them...but when I opened the cage, one of them just dived out and drop off the shelf into the back. Aaron and Ben then spent the next 20 minutes trying to catch it. What idiots...Can't even handle a tiny little furry hamster. Ha... =P
3.30pm: Headed to town to meet the rest of the folks. Walked around Orchard, all looking stoned and tired from the morning of sports.
6.30pm: Had dinner at NYDC. Ate baked pasta and mudpie!
9pm: Went home
10pm: Watched Desperate Housewives
12am: K.O.
So, there you have it...My sinfully happening weekend. *Groans* And I'm paying for it now with aching arms and dark eye rings.
