Yesterday was my mum's birthday. On Wednesday, Flora accompanied me to Bugis to shop for a gift. That was about the first time I went last-minute gift-shopping and actually got a gift that I'm satisfied with. I do last-minute gift-shopping all the time and usually I never get something that I am proud of giving.

So anyway. I'd decided to get her a watch, together with my youngest bro Everett. This idea was inspired by anxiously flipping through the "Mother's Day gifts" special in the latest issue of Teenage.

Wednesday was such an unlucky day. First, I slipped and fell down the stairs on the way out of school. I can't believe I still fell after JY warned me! I was stunned for a while because I didn't even feel myself slipping. One minute I was going down the stairs, and the next I was flat on my butt and a few steps lower than I was. Got away with a scrape. Lucky me.

And after we made our way to the MRT station, the MRT swooshed past in perfect timing. As it was raining cats and dogs, there was water on the tracks and ta daa! It splashed on Flora and I JUST as we were walking past. I think we were the only ones who kena. I dunno about you, but I never knew water could get on the tracks and MRTs could splash innocent commuters.

Oh well. We braved the bad luck and finally arrived at Bugis. Thanks to Flora's vast amount of experience with regards to navigating in her favourite shopping centre, we reached the watch shops in no time and went about the challenging task of selecting a suitable one for my mum that is within our budget ($75).

Got a $73 brownish-black leather strap Swatch in the end. Gave it to her yesterday and she loves it. Once she received it, though, she asked Ev how much it cost and the dumbo really told her! I really need to educate my brother on the rules of life ( Lesson 1: Never tell the receiver the price of the gift. ).

My dad laughed when Ev and I marched up to Mum with our gift. I dunno why. Maybe it was because his present was this:



Yeah, I was awed meself. Didn't know he had it in him.

As I was saying, maybe he laughed because he was happy to see that we were growing to become filial children, or maybe it was a ha-you-can't-beat-my-gift laugh.

Ken came into the room after he heard our mum's exclamations of joy and declared jokingly that he had had a share in both presents. Everyone laughed and I was glad that his thoughtlessness hadn't disappointed Mum. Ken is really bad with presents for his own family. He always remembers our birthdays wrongly and even if he does remember, he doesn't buy gifts.

"Sorry we didn't ask you [to share the present]. We wanted to, but we didn't think you'd have 20 bucks." I said to him somewhat bitchily and somewhat honestly. Boy, was he in a good mood yesterday. He just shrugged it off and said "20 bucks is no big deal to me! You want or not? I give now." I dunno whether he was kidding about really having enough savings to have a share in the gift cos I rejected his offer, saying that it didn't matter since we'd already given the present.

Ok, I must be boring the pants off you. Sorry.

Went for dinner at a restaurant near Toa Payoh library. The noodles were a taste explosion, but the other dishes were mediocre. Throughout the dinner and on the way home, our family kept up an upbeat and engaging conversation involving all 5 of us. It was a rare moment of happiness, and my mum was positively beaming with joy at it all. =) Really glad to realise that we do have the potential to stay as a well-bonded family. And that Ken hasn't really become the gruff, I-don't-want-to-talk-to-you grumpy teenager that I thought he had and, as a result, stopped talking to him on a regular basis.

In other happy news, this has been the first week of school. It was a real honeymoon week, and I've been slacking all the way. The lecturers were kind and let us off early, but not before they'd given us lots of tips and warnings about the time-and-sleep-consuming projects that were coming our way.

That's all the slacking we're going to be doing, though. It ended today, when we got our project brief. It's slog slog slog all the way from now on, man! Wish me luck, pals!

I want to
dream.

I want to have a library with teak, woody-smelling bookshelves decked from floor to ceiling with all the books I've ever read and liked.

I want to have a huge house with a roaring fireplace, with all my favourite people staying in it so that it doesn't feel all empty and cavernous and so I will always be in touch with them.

I want to have happy, healthy kids with cool names like Sirius or Constantine or Tristan who live pleasant lives till ripe old ages and keep me company until my dying day.

I want to lead my own romantic comedy.

I want to write wonderful novels on all the ideas that I've written in my little blue notebook that Huiqi gave me for my birthday years ago.

I want to sit and type on my computer until 5 am in the morning, driven by sheer excitement in the plot I am developing and caffeine. Lots and lots of caffeine.

I want to fly to exotic places and experience heady sensations in the name of research (for my books).

I want to see the books I write make it to the bestseller list. More than once.

I want to be hugged to sleep.

I want to go to amazon.com and see my work being sold there, and a long waiting list for them.

I want to read fan mail from readers who will praise me to the skies and urge me to write sequels.

I want to hold a Thank You party for all the teachers who've inspired me and given me the skills I wield today.

I want to rub shoulders with J.K Rowling, Carole Matthews, Sophie Kinselly and all my other favourite authors.

I want to write chick-lit until it goes out of fashion, then bring it back in fashion after that.

I want to be a celebrated author.

I want to have tea with close friends every afternoon and talk about everything and anything under the sun. (I'll fly to wherever they are if they're overseas.)

I want to be one of those writers who write non-boring forewords and prefaces and have a funny About the Author description.

I want to live in the UK and Hong Kong and experience life there.

I want to leave behind a legacy-in the form of books and in the form of people whose lives I have touched and will touch.

I want to have a daughter and know how to be as close to her as I am to my mum.

I want my daughter to have a sister.

I only want two kids, but I also want my daughter to have a brother. Hmm.

I want a pair of gorgeous twins.

I want to trek in the mountains and experience breath-taking views.

I want to write a really good script.

I want to go on and on and on forever but I guess I shall stop here until next time since a lot of you gave up halfway and have irritably scrolled down to here.

School is reopening in under a week! How depressing, especially when I don't feel rested at all (*mutters darkly* and for good reason, too...). Oh well, shall "make it up" with a barrage of blog posts (which will come when...er...tomorrow comes. It's a bit late. Only 1 post for now.)

Lightning has been flashing in the distance, kindling a fire of hope in my heart that it will rain. PLS RAIN! I need my dose of rain euphoria quite badly.

Ok talking rubbish ignore me.

In happier news! Next month we will get a new car! With GPS installed! That means there is like a map in this display screen beside the steering wheel which can guide you to your destination! Ain't that cool? I shall learn driving soon and feel like Batgirl as I drive that baby. Man, do I bait easily. This is exactly why my dad wanted a car with GPS-so that it would alleviate my no-direction-sense worries and learn driving so that he can "retire" from driving. In other words, the "family chauffeur" wants a successor.

Sadly we shall be paying for both the current car and the new car in the years to come. Drat these bank loans! Isn't it a curious idea, paying for something that isn't there anymore? Oh well. Lifestyles of the poor and infamous.

Right. I wanted to ramble about a lot of things, but I really really need my games dose now...so er...later! And those who can, please do enjoy the last of your holidays! =D