So much for the year of Rat, here comes Mr. Ox

My sister was reluctant to have her Mickey mouse decorations from last year removed... Gosh, they had been there for a year. I took them down and told her she can "recycle" them 12 years later! ;)

The year of Rat wasn't smooth-sailing for Rooster (me)... Even the last days, I was bugged with viruses. Flu, sore throat, fever and more... I finally gave up on the Saturday before Chinese New Year's eve and went to the doctor. I really dread being ill when I have to go house-visiting. So... fortunately I managed to welcome Mr. Ox with a speedy recovery. I wasn't fully recovered, but at least I wasn't having a temperature anymore, my throat was no longer swollen and painful to swallow!

This year it is very special that Chinese New Year actually falls over Monday and Tuesday, so there was lots of time for preparation over the long weekend. Unfortunately, I was bedridden half the time and didn't do as much as I could.

The first day was as usual, we parked ourselves at Grandma's house and everyone gradually turned up. It was a long day, sitting there doing the usual stuff (smiling, greeting the elderly, eating, watching TV). It was boring but at least it was the only time ALL OF US would turn up, 90% of my cousins were there (yes, I have lots of them!!). One of them whom is my age got married last year, and this year she's actually giving us Ang Pao.. which is kinda funny since she's as old as us or even younger than some of the bachelorettes.

The second day, we had a few families (neighbours, aunts, uncles, cousins) over. Poor mum had to get up super early to prepare the meals for all of them. Feeling exceptionally eager to help, I helped her with some of her food preparation and learnt a new dish - Pig's organ soup. The cleaning is quite disgusting, and I was shocked at how dirty the intestines were. Eeeew. Now that I learnt it, I don't even know if I want to cook that in future. I didn't have the soup at the end (probably after what I saw!). I tried chopping the chicken with a chopper too, but didn't do a very good job! :P

Speaking of the year of Ox, it reminds me my dad is almost 60. Dreadful.

On the third day, some people have gone back to work. I wanted to visit the temple (in the new chinese year of Ox) but mum told me that it was a holiday for God that day. So I went to a friend (a couple)'s place with Syn and was wii-ing and mahjong-ing till I almost missed my dinner time. Dinner was steamboat at home, the same thing over and over during the festive season. We had it on the first day too.

Finally on Thursday I headed to the temple, its surrounding was congested with lots of people. God has came back from his/her holiday and everyone was already asking favours from him/her. I can imagine him/her having a hard time. Normally I would draw a lot but I didn't yesterday... I only went to talk to him/her. I also found my favourite mini oranges on the way back... those small oranges are really sweet. YUM.

Here's some pictures to share - on the temple trip.

Crowds gathering around to buy BIG SWEEP tickets from a handicapped guy near the "big balloon Fortune God statue".

Superstitious people would go for a face-reading, palm-reading or have their date of birth analysed for the year of Ox.

The Hudson hero

The pilot, who managed a miraculous smooth landing, saved 155 onboard has became a hero overnight. Mr. Chelsey Sullenberger's swift decision to land in the Hudson river after a double bird strike has since earned him much respect and gratitude! I salute him too!

It was the headline in the papers few days ago. I was reading the online articles and realised many have cited dissimilar things. Some reported 1 injured while some mentioned as high as 78. The local paper, The Straits Times, quoted some passengers screaming,"Women and childen first!", which I hope is true that these days GENTLEMEN still exist! I mean, in such a crisis and an emergency situation, many selfish people would have only care for their own lives... it really moved me when I read that there are others who care for OTHERS (no kinship, no friendship)...

It seems like I haven't seen that many around, what is the world coming to...

Funny

"you've got no liability, so its ok....just spend less and do stuff that is free, like going to the beach, or going out with guys that will pay.... haha "

This comes from an ex-superior of mine. I know it's a teasing remark, but it's funny and light-hearted and makes me smile. I did tell him, I didn't find many guys that will pay though, not that I expect them to all the time.

Ponyo... ponyo... a little mermaid fish

PONYO ON THE CLIFF BY THE SEA by Hayao Miyazaki

I wonder how many adults love this show, because some people have been only giving it a 3 stars rating.... but for me, it is a 5 STARS.

A little boy, Sosuke, found a goldfish stuck in a jar when he went to the beach to play. Little Sosuke rescued her and kept her alive in a green plastic pail filled with water. He named her Ponyo. They had a brief time together before Ponyo's dad who was a sorcerer living in the deep ocean retrieved her back from Sosuke's hands. Poor Sosuke was so upset... His innocent love for Ponyo was put to test when Ponyo escaped home (creating a tsunami after she emptied the "Water of Life" - Fujimoto's precious store of magical elixir, into the ocean) and went back to find Sosuke. By then, Ponyo has transformed into a little girl, having tasted Sosuke's blood when he first saved her.

Will this puppy love last? Will Ponyo's dad, Fujimoto, give in to their love?? Watch to find out:)

I love the animation, it's lively and comical. Excellent. In fact, I can't remember giving another film 5 stars... have I?? The everyday life and other very simple things (e.g. opening the door with both hands full of bags) are so well depicted that I find it so amazing, though some things can be quite exaggerating (but hey it's a cartoon)!! Ponyo is such a cute, lovable and bubbly character that it really engages the audience... so is Sosuke! So entertaining that I didn't even leave the seat for a toilet break during the 2 hours show! It really takes people who have done animation (in school/as a profession) to know how much hard work it takes to appreciate what is shown in front of you! Here's a link to the very original japanese homepage.

My verdict: 5/5 stars

Spring-cleaning

Some things can be addictive... and when it comes to cleaning, it is kinda. It's not I enjoy it, it's a chore that I must do... but I'm not complaining because it actually makes one feel good after that.

Today is the 5th day I'm into re-organizing and cleaning my room (well part of it, since I share with my "lazy" sister whom has since chucked her half-done cleaning). My cleaning is complete - happy! But I have to organize so much things into a limited space, imagine how much things I've gotten myself up till 27 years of age... and still only have half the room! Tried to dump some, donate some, keeping some in the storage... I even bought a huge "laundry bag" from Ikea to contain my collection of bags (GOSH, now I have witnessed how many damned bags I have!). I haven't done much today since I did some other stuff, went out a bit and going for a movie later (Whee! I need a treat!). I shall continue tonight. It will be a few more days before I can call it done, need to change the curtains and sheets at the very end!

Love without a reason

Inspiration came at 4am... or was it that mug of Penang coffee keeping me up?? I don't know but suddenly I had the urge to compose - a poem.

Argh. I'm a romantic but unfortunately not the hopeless romantic. I'm more a realist with a romantic view. Is that possible?? I don't know, because a realist views things as they are... and won't believe in all great fantasies. Yet I fantasize, I love romance, the kind that can be classified as down-to-earth.

E.g. I believe in happy endings, true and lasting love... but I also believe that two persons whom loved each other might not end up together due to situations/circumstances.

So here I'd like to share what came to me early today at 4am:


Love needs no reason by Ms. Potatoe
Allow me to feel what I feel
Because then I will be me
Watch me laugh and then cry
As I recall those moments we shared

Today I live with no regrets
Because I have made feelings known
It might sound funny or even made no sense
But to me I have penned my deepest thoughts

Day and day I live in hope
Night by night they slowly fade away
I recount those happy days over and over again
Because one day I know I will relive them again

Where are you and how are you
I can't know and I didn't want to know
I pray for you and hope for you
Because deep down I have not abandoned you

Extraordinary Little Nyonya

I haven't been properly sitting down in front of a telly for a long time till The Little Nyonya was showing on Channel 8. And then I got hooked!

I can't tell you specifically why, even my friend Syn was asking me what's so good about this drama series... The fact that it has incorporated the Peranakan culture was one, the plot was engaging and unpredictable was second, the casts were pretty good at what they were doing too!

It has ended its 34th episode on Monday, and was the most popular show with its last episode hitting a record high viewership. It's on the papers that 93% of the viewers voted in a poll that they aren't happy with the ending... they wanted a happy ending. But in real life, how often are there perfect endings - I wonder?! I find the ending very realistic, and even though it wasn't what most people would have desired. The lead actress, Yueniang, who has been through lots of hardship did not end up with the man (Chen Xi) she loved due to very difficult cirumstances and instead married an English lawyer who has helped her in many ways. Chen Xi then got married to a mutual friend of theirs, Libby.

The ending was a little abrupt but I wasn't that surprised. In fact, I thought it has depicted reality, some very real scenarios in life. There isn't always FAIRYTALE endings... and for those who have had them, very lucky you!

It is an excellent drama serial, so good that it's going to be sold to some other Asian countries to be shared with others! It has even made it to Wiki, check it out here. Also the very own original website by MediacorpTV.

I'm once again so proud of Singapore's production.

Looking for a 'Mac user' reader

I love readers reading my blog... and I know who are the regulars and whom accidentally chanced upon it. But I am curious of this person who seems to be interested in checking out my blog and my stuff, tell me who you are :)))) You seem to be googling for me in the blog search. Don't be shy.

*Update*

Mystery solved. LOL. Very funny!

Time for bed, kids

First movie of the year.

(Just finished munching off the last bit of that leftover christmas pudding, it tastes quite yummy when I'm hungry... Then again, everything taste good when one's stomach is growling. I heated it up in the toaster... lazy to make a cup of tea at this hour, so had it with water. Happy & ready to write :))

Bedtime Stories.

Sounds like a movie for kids... but good entertainment. I wasn't expecting much, so it did satisfy my "sit in a cinema" craving. It has been a while, I think the last movie before this is the Bond movie but I didn't even see the previous few shows, so I was kinda lost and just following it through. I'm not a fan of big actions packed films, give me a "Sex & the City" anytime or errm, some scary films!

Anyway, Adam Sandler was in it as a hotel handyman who had the dream of managing the hotel his dad once failed to keep. So when he agreed to babysit his niece and nephew, strange things started to happen... The bedtime stories he told (or made up with the kids) came true, one by one... how amazing! But it gets too predictable in the end, and there wasn't a twist or anything that comes by a surprise.

My verdict: 3/5 (0.5 for the "lovely 3D flipping book" ending..)

Phantom bear came along to watch with me.

Leave your bags behind

Leaving your bags behind isn't such a bad thing afterall...

Of course, when I said that I don't mean those when you travel (that will suck big time!), but then again remember to buy travel insurance! I didn't once and have learnt my lesson when I almost met a big misfortune.

Bags here mean your baggage, it can be emotional or anything that you have been carrying with you for a long time and encumber your freedom or progress or an ability to move on in life!

Com' on, throw them away with me :)))) It's 2009!!