Grandma
My grandma passed away on the 24th of February in the hospital at the age of 80. That news came as a sudden shock as she still looked well and healthy during the Chinese New Year when we went over to her house to visit. Her death was classified as natural death which I think was a bliss. At least she left without pain and also had almost all her children by her bedside.
The funeral took place right away that night right under her block. News spreaded very fast and all my relatives plus a lot of other distant relatives came down that night to attend the funeral.
Grandma wore very heavy make up and was dressed in the traditional Chinese suit for the dead. It was really hard to swallow the fact that she will never greet me with her familiar ‘oei’ whenever I called grandma.
When I was younger and she could move around much easier, she used to come over to my house to look for me and my sister as we lived the nearest to her. She would bring along sweets and other stuff for us which she claimed that she cannot eat due to diabetes.
However for the past 6 years or so, she began to grow senile in her mind and would sometimes unable to recognize us. Also she could not move around easily and needed a walking stick to aid her in her walking.
Nevertheless we will always visit her during the CNY and also her birthday. But it certainly never occurred to me that this year’s CNY is the last CNY we will be visiting her.
Many childhood memories came back when I saw her in the coffin for the last time before they close the lid of the coffin. My heart really felt sour then but I reminded myself that Grandma would never want to see me in this state. Furthermore I should be happy that at least she had all her children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren to ‘send’ her off. Rest in peace, Grandma.
Tekong-the island of horrors
My FYP supervisor sent me an email a week ago and told me along with all his FYP students, it is compulsory that we must join the excursion to go to Pulau Tekong for a sort of open house invitation.
In other words he forced me to go to Tekong with a hidden meaning that if I don’t go, do not expect to get good grades for FYP. Or worse still he might even fail me. Anyway there is an extension of a day if we agreed to go. Since he is my supervisor, I don’t have much choice anyway. Xh upon hearing an extension of a day, had both her eyes lit up, like a typical auntie at the wet market seeing that the price for fish has gone down.
Since she was the only one beside me then I knew I had to physco her to go. I don’t want to go there alone in the hot weather. I need someone to shelter me with an umbrella. She agreed eventually after I bribed her with a can of drink. (WHAHAHAHAH)
Anyway mh and pk had also signed up for that trip as well but mh was sick and couldn’t turn up. In the end it’s the 3 of us, hand in hand to combat life and death together at Tekong. This trip will always deeply anchor in my mind because of the horror attached.
We met in school around 12 pm and took a bus to changi jetty and took a sampan boat to cross the sea. The sampan boat was only 2 meters by 1 meter and 11 of us had to squeeze into the boat. My supervisor was our hero, having half of his body submerged in the sea water and 2 hands clutching the sides of the boat. It took us nearly 2 hours before we reached there.
Upon reaching the shore, we were to queue up in an orderly manner and were given a bullet-proof vest each. “Bullets have no eyes,” was the simple reason given. We had to sign a life and death contract stating that they are not responsible for any losses of life or limbs. I was about to turn back and run to the sea when my supervisor growled at me. “GO! Or else FYP fail!” There was no turning back for me. I could understand his grouchiness because he had a crab struck in his pants which he just couldn’t get it out. I do understand crabs like to eat anything that resembles fish balls and so…..
We were brought to their auditorium where we were shown slides of the tortures they do to their recruits. It was simply too horrible to watch. The worst thing is we were sat onto electric chairs and if we were to close our eyes more than 3 seconds, we would be electrocuted. The 3 of us left the auditorium looking like Africans with smoke coming out of our mouth.
Next we were brought to their live firing range and they actually put live soldiers as their targets. The promotion offer is as follows:
1) hit hand or leg – Weekend off
2) body hit – Sunday off
3) head shot – off permanently and transferred to Changi prison for murder case
4) miss and nothing hit – you are next on the list as the next target
Blood were spattered everywhere and there were screams of “Tolong…Tolong…aku sakit….”
Next we were shown a display of a soldier’s food ration pack and were even invited to sample. At least something good out of this trip. We were to carry a paper plate and queue up for the ration food prepared by their people. As we get closer, we realized what the food was. They were actually cooking mud. Deep-fried, steamed, stir fried, boiling..there were a lot of cooking methods. We were told that the soldiers when on out-field trips, just gathered mud from the roadside and then cooked them on the spot. Those who refused to eat will be shot immediately and then cut up to distribute to add dishes.
Having gone through so much it was finally time for us to leave. Before we go, we were told there are light refreshments at the jetty. Each of us were given a straw and were brought to the shore. “Insert the straw into the sea water and drink as much as you want. It’s on the house.”
There were no sampan boats in sight at the jetty. Instead we were to blow our own float and swim back to mainland. My float was the cutest around, a yellow duck float, much to the envy of pk and xh. The 2 of them had to float on coconuts. It was certainly a trip to remember for the rest of our lives.
(Writers’ notes: Any idiot who read this will know this is a frictional story and all of the events above never happen. It is true we went to Tekong for open house today but the trip is so boring and I was so tired having slept just 3 hours the night before that I had to let my imaginations run wild. Hence if there were any events similarly related it is purely coincidence and the writer would also like to offer his deepest condolence.)
Good bye Marlboro
Yes. I think the time has officially come for me to quit smoking. Kicking a habit of 7 years is going to be hard I believe. But what to do? The Government has done it again, raising the already expensive price of $9.50 to $ 11 a pack. The news came as a bombshell to me. The price had been increasing over the years but when they do, it’s only an increase of between 10 cents to 50 cents. Increase of $1.50? Is our Government that poor as to tax us so much?
Let’s say 1000 buy a pack today. That means the government would have earned an extra $1500 today. And do you think there are only 1000 smokers in Singapore? There are so many charity events like Ren Chi or the NKF charity shows. Why didn’t the Government fork out a portion of that money for those events instead of asking us to donate as much as we can?
I’m not saying that the Government should be coming out with all the money but if we add the cigarette’s tax together with our money, that should come out to a very huge amount for those charites. Or at least if the Government comes up with a new policy that for every pack of cigarettes we buy, 20% will go to charity. In that case, I think most people will be willing to part with that $11. Smoke and do charity at the same time. That will be a great promotion slogan.
But seriously speaking. If I really do quit smoking, I really can save up a lot of money. Let’s do a bit of counting here.
I smoke around 1 pack every 2 days. Each pack cost $11.
1 month = $11 * (30/2)
= $165
So that is the amount I should be able to save every month. Not too bad.
But from experience, I will definitely put on weight if I do quit smoking. Most of that $165 will go to food and of course tidbits that will help to keep the mouth busy so as to curb the temptation of the cigarettes.
But anyway, I forgot to mention that all smokers are the biggest liars on Earth. Because there is always a period of time where the smokers will declare that they are going to quit smoking but eventually come back again. Maybe the title should be temporary goodbye to Marlboro?
Death of Mr Lappy
Yes. My lap top died yet again yesterday morning and I just sent him in today. That is the worst thing that could happen during the duration of the FYP. I lost quite a number of data and I was supposed to meet my supervisor this Thursday to show him my FYP progress.
On the bright side, my supervisor is understanding enough to postpone our meeting to maybe a week later. He even said that I could get a deadline extension if I am able to provide valid proof that I am unable to do my FYP during this period of time. Now the only tool I could rely on is the school computer.
This year’s CNY was great. I made a tiny sum playing black jack and mahjong. Haha, my luck has finally come and may it continue. The only regret was I sort of missed my other home in Malaysia as this is the first time I never go back there during the new year.
I watched quite a couple of movies during the weekend and as usual I will do a mini review below.
Seoul Riders
Not really worth the money. May as well wait for its VCD to launch. Only Tony Leung is supporting the whole movie with the remaining of the cast being relegated to just vases. Argg..I really hate Shu Qi. Cannot tahan her voice. This is a sequel to Tokyo riders featured some 3 years ago.
Tony Leung regained his role as a famous detective and his mission this time is to retrieve a plate which can duplicate fake notes and is a threat to yes you guess it, America. I also don’t understand why everything that threatens sure is linked to USA. Whatever.
6/10
I do I do
The black horse among the movies that came out during the period of CNY. This new Jack Neo production was a pleasant surprise. When the movie came out, almost everyone I knew will say this movie surely sucks. Jack Neo doing a love story?
This movie maintains the same standard that Jack Neo has been maintaining throughout this year. Adrain peng is his main role this time round and to be honest, he was good and convincing with Sharon Au playing his love interest. As usual Jack Neo pokes fun at some of the Government policies like all his former movies.
Jack Neo has done it again. Yet another brilliant comedy which will keep you on your seats.
7.5/10
Constantine
Another comic-turned movie. Keanu Reeves plays an exorcist here matrix-style. That’s all I will say. This is a fantastic movie that should not be missed. Action pack with some black humor. Wonderful.
8.5/10
Another lonely lonely valentine, spent with the corpse of my lap top…
Happy Chinese New Year
Cool. It’s my favorite festival again. Yet another year has passed and I am supposed to be 23 according to the Chinese calendar. Many people are already giving out Ang pow at the age of 23. Quite a number of my cousins are already married and it’s a strange feeling to be receiving Ang Pow from them. But who cares anyway? It’s the contents of the Ang Pow that counts.
CNY is the period of time where friends’ houses are converted into illegal gambling dens and most kids or teenagers are given the official license to gamble. Same case for me although I should already be declared a young adult now. My mother holds a very tight rein on me regarding gambling and she especially hates gamblers. Throughout the whole year, I have been gambling without a license authorized by her and if she were to know what an aggressive gambler I am, she would have chopped off my hand.
This year is the first year in my whole entire life where I spent the entire CNY in Singapore. For the past years I will go back to Malaysia where my geandma’s house is. However due to an accident a few months back, my grandma’s house has been burnt to the ground because of a fire hazard. Thank goodness no one was at home then. Because so, this year was spent in Singapore.
Chinatown was as usual as damn crowded as the previous years and although it was really hot, the atmosphere was good. There were more stalls compared to previous years although most of the stalls sell more or less the same things.
My luck wasn’t too bad this year, having won $CENSORED for the past few days. May the good luck continues.
Anyway, my lap top is showing signs of collapsing. Damn sian. Especially this is the period whereby there are a lot of assignments and FYP. Hopefully he can withstand till after February.
Wanna bet with me the title I put for this blog is the most popular title for the past 1 week or so?
technology Idoit
Yes, I will put out both my hands and legs to admit I am one.
Mirc, ICQ, MSN, iPod, MP3…you name it, I always start using them much much later than my other peers. I will only learn about them after friends start recommending them.
There was this Mirc craze few years back and ICQ wasn’t that popular yet. Then suddenly everyone flocked to using ICQ while I was still stuck at MIRC. And for your info on my ignorance, MIRC to me was just something to communicate and talk to your friends. I didn’t know it could be used for sending files like songs or any downloading purposes. I only came to know about it after I stopped using Mirc.
Anyway on the ICQ, friends start to convince me that ICQ is good because it is easier to log in and further more you will know your which friends are online. It took me quite a while to accept it as I really find no differences between it and Mirc. But whatever, monkey see, monkey do mah.
Then came MSN. That was the hardest to accept. There was really no difference between it and ICQ! People will argue, “ICQ when you send message hor, must put alt + s then can send leh….MSN hor…press enter key can liao lor!!” Yah right. Whatever. As what I say, monkey see, monkey do. So I also must do.
I started owning a computer when I was in secondary 2. And you know the reason why? No..not for internet purposes nor pornography(REALLY NOT HOR), it’s for championship manager, my favorite game of all times. My $4000 plus computer was solely for the purpose of playing that game only. And I told my mother it’s for project purposes. Lame excuses I gave, but she bought my excuses. Too bad mama, one willing to give, one willing to take.
Now there is also this MP3 player or was it some years back? Never mind, to me technology is still at that stage only. Honestly, how do you operate it? So many buttons, so many functions, see liao not head pain meh? I give up.
And oh, did I mention that when I first got my lap top, I couldn’t find it’s CD-Rom. And me being a smart ass concluded that a lap top doesn’t have one. Only PC have. I forgot who corrected me then but whoever that is, he certainly leaves me red-faced.
My sister just bought a digi cam. She actually had the cheek to ask my mother to lend her money to buy first, after she get her Ang Bow then return her back. I tried the same tactic, asking my mother to lend me $10000 first, after I kana TOTO then return her. She sent me back to my room and tell me not to be so BO LIAO. See, I always knew than you love my sister more than me.
And I decided to approach my sister to ask her to lend me her cam to try out.
Me: “ Mei mei, come… let me try that camera please… come.”
She: “ No! Later you spoil it how?”
Me: “ Spoil I pay lor.”
She: “You got money meh?”
Damn that hag. That marks the end of our conversation. I really no money and I really don’t know how to operate one. She is being smart here by not taking the risk.
One big reason why I shun technology is because technology may be a big convenience for us human beings, they certainly also distant the gap between us.
Ok for example, when is the last time you receive a birthday card or Christmas card? Even if you do now and then, if you were to compare to previous years ago, is it true that you used to get much more than now? I know I do. I have a big stack of cards which I used to receive from my friends on my birthdays or new year. But in recent years, I think I only averaged 1 card every 2 years.
Haha.. of course. Why bother to spend money or make a card when you can do it so easily by moving your fingers and click here and there. I am sure to many or all people, you are definitely happier when you received a hand-written card compared to one you received through the email. I think this is so called the human touch. It’s so much different. You can feel the warmth when someone sends you a card written by him or her instead of the computer.
But the best reason to me is without technology like the computer, we won’t have to do stupid things like the bloody FYP liao. See. Technology is more of a hindrance in this case, right?
Without a struggle, there can be no progress
