Monday, June 30, 2008
Hello world...
I'm currently in Nelson, a quaint little town in Marlborough, which is in the southern island of NZ. In the last three days, I travelled from Auckland to Napier, back to Auckland, to Blenheim, and now I'm in Nelson. You probably need to see a map of NZ to get a better idea of where I've been. But basically, I started at the north and I'm travelling south. Tomorrow I will fly to Queenstown which is further south, and that's where it gets really cold. There's a week long winter festival going on and it's snowing, so it should be quite interesting.Unlike Australia, where I was doing a lot of touristy stuff, I've been meeting lots of people in the food and wine industry here, from cheese to olive oil to king salmon to mussels and not forgetting of cos, the exquisite wines.
The past two days were a little tough becos I had to fly around a lot and there was hardly any time to take a breather. On Sat night, I stayed in a little cottage in a vineyard in Hawke's Bay. It's a charmingly scenic and beautiful place in the day. But being there all alone in the cold dark night wasn't easy. And yesterday, I flew in to Blenheim, stayed in an old colonial hotel - the type I hate! - so that wasn't an easy night to endure either. NZ is such a safe place and the most dangerous thing around is your mind, which starts playing weird tricks on you when you're alone. Anyway, thankfully, I made it through the two freaky nights and I'm staying in a modern and nice hotel tonight, in the city centre of Nelson.
It has been mentally draining, but I'm soaking in the sights and sounds of the beautiful island. I think this is how God intended the world to look like. NZ is an absolutely stunning, fresh and unpolluted land for people to live on. The people too, are so inspiring becos they really respect the land and take good care of it. The thing I'm most impressed is how environmentally friendly everybody is. From north to south, everybody sings the same tune. It's not just a government message that has been drilled into them. The people here are genuinely concerned about their environment and so, all the businesses they run are carefully thought through to do the least harm to the land. And the good thing that results from the green movement is fresher, cleaner, and more sustainable food and drinks. Buy NZ products!
Oh yes, while sailing out to a king salmon farm today, we saw a humpback whale in the water! Must be really lucky becos whale sightings in that particular strait of water are not common. That's the kinda footage you'd expect to see on Animal Planet and it's just amazing to be able to experience such a majestic creature so upclose.
Ok, gotta go for dinner now. NZ is 4 hours ahead. Do continue to pray for me, especially as I head to Queenstown where weather conditions can get crazy. Promise to upload tons of photos when I return!
Posted by Jo at 1:58 PM
Thursday, June 26, 2008
This is as random as it gets
So here I am again, at the airport. This time, I'll be heading to kiwi land...Not that I'm complaining about the very good perks of my job, but I just always get this nagging feeling each time I travel. How should I describe it...Hmmm...It's like how you love sitting at the beach and enjoying the breeze but you hate the ants crawling up your pants. Something like that.Anyway, the week has been a hectic mess for me. I feel so tired, physically and mentally. I feel like I'm in a roller coaster ride, with no control of how fast I can go or how thrilling I want it to be. I'm like a little speck of dust, going where the wind blows. I've given up asking God why my life is the way it is now, and simply resigned to letting Him lead. It's less tiring this way.
I love my parents. I just felt like saying that. I really do love them. But no matter how much I think I can possibly humanly love them, I know that they will always love me more, even if I behave like a total moron sometimes. I feel loved.
Last week, a friend and I were talking about what to do when we feel spiritually dry. I told him that our faith is like an aeroplane. Some of us know a plane when we see one. Some of us have sat in a plane before. Some of us know how to fly a plane. But unless we make the effort to study the engineering genius behind how a plane works, our knowledge will always be limited. We may know that it needs an engine, a pilot, wings, propeller, etc. But we will never really know how a plane is able to fly. That's the same with God. We may know that God loves us very much, we may know the gospels and maybe we can even recite all the meditations for the rosary. But our understanding is limited. Which is why we have so many questions about Him. We simply don't know the full picture. We don't know the mysteries of God. And if we don't continually learn more and increase our faith, like the analogy of the plane, we will never really understand how it flies.
Ok, gotta go. 1 hour to my flight. 11 hours to Auckland. 6 days before I head home. Till then, stay random.
Posted by Jo at 7:46 PM
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Insomnia is psychological.
I'm sleepy.I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy.
Not.
Posted by Jo at 1:43 AM
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Seasons in the sun
Not sure if anyone noticed. Well, I didn't either, actually, until someone commented yesterday that the sun is setting later these days. And he was right. I looked down at my watch and it was almost 7.30pm. It looked like 6pm.So up until yesterday, it didn't occur to me that Singapore experiences longer days during 'summer', ie, the middle of the year. I guess we experience summer heat practically all year round and no one really bothers if the sun stays up for extra time.
When I was in Australia last month, the sky went dark at around 5pm. I hated that becos I like to be in the light. I like to see my surroundings, try to orientate myself, and look at people go by. You can't really do that at night. Plus, it gets cold over there.
I decided to go jogging this evening. Left my place as usual around 6.15pm and took a brisk walk to Bishan Park. When I finished my run around the first quarter of 7, I noticed that the sky was still blinking bright. (Usually, by the time I'm done, the sky will be dusky grey.) Then, I remembered what my friend said yesterday, about longer daylights.
So yes, I guess that's something to think about and take notice. Appreciate the longer daylights that we have now. It's God's way of letting us experience the seasons...
Posted by Jo at 10:28 PM
The analysis of CGP (church-going people)
Foreword: It's nothing personal.1) Type A: The Holy Camoleys.
These are the people who serve in church becos they have a good sense of who God is in their lives, and serve becos they want to and becos they love God. They can be seen frequently for church meetings, sessions, activities, etc. Yes, sometimes even on consecutive weekdays. They find doing church work fulfilling, yet ironically, it is also the very thing that wears them out. Sometimes, these people get a little self-indulgent and believe that they are right and everyone who doesn't fall in this category is damned. Their biggest sin is being judgemental of others.
2) Type B: The TTDGs.
The Trying To Do Good people serve regularly. They do their part but don't make the effort to go the extra mile. Some serve becos they feel that the old testament God is going to punish them if they don't. Some serve becos they know that God is love and He is real, but at the same time, they love their secular self just as much. They get jaded easily and are highly unpredictable, sometimes skipping meetings and church activities when they find a more 'justifiable' event to attend. Their biggest sin is laziness.
3) Type C: The Great Pretenders.
These people go to church becos their mama, or girlfriend, or dog says so. Sometimes, the people who fall in this category are here becos the church has become a social playground for them. They have a vague relationship with God, but get involved and participate to gain social acceptance not attainable elsewhere. In church, they behave like angels. Outside church, they lead a secret double life of sin. These people go where the crowd goes and rarely sticks around when there's work to be done, unless of cos, everyone is doing it. Their biggest sin is to be a hypocrite.
4) Type D: The WTTs.
The White Towel Throwers are people who once-upon-a-time may have believed in God. Perhaps they still do, but as a result of certain situations and circumstances which occurred, they get disillusioned, confused and sometimes angry with God and the way things have turned out. Instead of sticking around, they choose to turn and walk the other way. Sometimes, they walk away becos they feel that they're not getting what they need from church. Rebels, freedom fighters, and the weak-hearted fall in this category. Their biggest sin is to walk away.
5) Type E: The Lala-landers.
This group of people go to church becos it's their Christian obligation to do so. They have no church friends, probably except those they met in cat class years ago, or the fellow Lala-landers they sit beside during mass every Sunday. They have no interest in deepening their faith, and going for a church activity beckons a don't-even-think-about-it attitude. As long as nothing catastrophic happens in their lives, they are happy being mediocre. Their biggest sin is to be ignorant.
So which type of church-goer are you?
Posted by Jo at 1:54 AM
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Pitter Patter Potter Putter Petter
It hasn't rained at night for a very long time. Not that I'm aware of, at least. And becos of the pitter patter of raindrops, I'm inspired to pitter patter away on my keyboard. I love the feel of the cool breeze which the rain brings. And while everyone is scurrying to close their windows, I hasten to open mine. An irony in itself considering how I always like to keep it closed.Pitter
A month back, I was invited to watch a comedy by Moliere, one of France's most celebrated playwrights. The play, entitled The Hypochondriac, revolves around a person who suffers from a mental illness and thinks he's always sick. The story goes that this 'sick' man tries to force his daughter to marry a doctor so that he can have all the free medical supplies he needs. Obviously, like all great love stories, she's in love with someone else. That's the bare nutshell I shall provide. But what impressed me most about the 2 hour 20 minute play was how absolutely talented the actors were. And we're not talking about the veterans here. The names of the young local cast members were foreign, but their performances were engaging and praiseworthy. I must admit that I never thought I'd see such talents in tiny S'pore. They spoke fluently, acted convincingly, and even sang pitch-perfectly. I'm impressed, and it certainly won't be my last time watching a local production. If budget allows, that is.
Patter
I did something uncharacteristic of me two weeks ago. I dated my dad. Jio-ed him to watch Indiana Jones one evening while my mum was at work. The company was great but I can't say the same about the movie. Ok, it's probably just me being picky. Not a fan of the old-fashioned cowboy stuff. Well, my dad said that it was very nice no...so I shall not argue. The movie treat was meant for him anyway. P.S - Don't tell my mother...
Potter
Last Friday, I become Gambler Jo. Sorta. Attended a press event at the Kranji Turf Club and stayed on to watch an evening horse race. After observing for two rounds (and trying to figure out the punter booklet), I decided to bet on two horses - just for the fun of it. Turned out one of the horses I picked came in top three, so I won myself $9 (but I paid $10 for both horses). This game is fun, thought Jo, so she picked two new horses and betted on the next race. And as (the lack of) luck would have it, neither one of the horses were fast runners. So I decided to leave the place packed with ah-peks, missing $11 from my wallet, and gaining a new experience in the world of horse racing. Then I hurried home for another form of gambling - mahjong, which turned out to be an overnight affair ending at 5am. This time, I lost $1. An utter waste of time and a full night's rest.
Putter
I hung out with two good friends on Sat evening and we made our way to Max Brenner's Chocolate Bar at the Esplanade. I'm not usually an excessively chocolaty person, but after that night, I really should thank my wise friend for bringing me there. I ordered a Venezuela Dark Chocolate drink, which was freakinyummylicious. And I love the huggable mug it came in. The waitress who brought us our fondue accidentally dropped one of the marshmallows on the table and she returned with five fresh ones. So sweet.
Petter
Ok, getting sleepy. Pls check out philanthropicjo. There are some new items on sale (and there'll be more coming in the next week). For those who have been regular visitors and buyers, thank you for your support. You should be pleased to know that the $70 raised so far has been donated to Acts 29. I will show you the receipt once I get it.
Good night world.
Posted by Jo at 11:38 PM
Thursday, June 05, 2008
goner
Out the door into the hollows of night,It scatters, scrambles, and scampers;
Without warning, in quiet descent,
The wasted pains of the Black Humour.
Empowerment, the climax of denial.
Sex, the voice of reason belied.
Herald a new era of disillusionment,
Fall back into a pit of fury black.
Reality is but a fictitious story,
Here today and tomorrow forgotten.
For tears melt away at the seams,
Numbness revisits as a sad déjà vu.
Through the smile of porcelain,
A soul dissolves into the world,
Fighting hard in a losing battle,
Finding the self in a futile attempt.
Despair is the comforting devil,
Fear, its sidekick.
Shallow the depth of eternal euphoria,
Weak the rock on which it stands.
Posted by Jo at 9:51 PM
Monday, June 02, 2008
The idea of painting, is the idea, not the painting.
"Trust me," He said."I don't know how..."
The last time I painted was back in secondary two. My then art teacher was a slightly eccentric lady who taught art by talking to the canvas. I remember that for a good part of our art lessons, we were made to draw apples. First, we had to use yellow paint to outline the shape of the apple. Then, we filled in the colours for the fruit. And lastly, the shadows and texture..."for a more realistic effect," she said to the canvas.
I dreaded art lessons because that was the one thing I couldn't do for nuts. Maybe it was the awkward way I held the paintbrush. Maybe I had the wrong technique of applying my brush strokes. Whatever the problem may be, I never seemed to get it right. And strangely enough, even though there was a certain formula to painting one freakin' apple, somehow, no two drawings turned out the same. "Her apple's a little fatter. Her apple's out of shape. Her apple's redder than mine..."
Over the weekend, I was at a retreat and to my horror, one of the activities was to paint! Instinctively, I wanted to run away. "God, I'd rather do something else. Anything." So I spoke to my SD, drank lots of tea (there was a good supply of funky tea in the pantry), sat by the gazebo to reflect about life, and went to the chapel to pray (and took a nap along the way). Basically, I did everything, but paint.
Then, it turned out that those who were painting got so excited that they decided to paint even more after dinner. By this time, I had finished all that I could do at the retreat centre and thought, what the heck, and decided to join them for the art session.
The process was really foreign for me, as you can probably imagine. I had to be told to pick out some brushes, take a palette, and the paints which I needed. I even had to ask if I should add water to the paints. After a painful preparation, I held my brush in one hand, canvas in the other, said a quick prayer (I was really nervous!), and then, like they say, the rest is history. If you're thinking that I painted like Leonardo, think again. The standard of my painting unfortunately, has not improved since my school-going days. Now however, I didn't have to draw silly red apples.
___________________________________________________
In the beginning, God made heaven and earth. He divided the light from darkness, heaven from earth, water from land. He created seed-bearing vegetation, the greater and smaller light, and animals to roam the land. Finally, He made man in the image of Himself; male and female, He created them. God saw all that He had made, and indeed, it was all very good.
I spent the six days with God as He created the earth. I sat on His mighty shoulders and watched in awe as everything took its form. With the flick of His fingers, the blink of an eye, He made things happened. And indeed, it was all very good.
"Trust me," He said again.
This time, a resounding Yes was my reply.
