Desiderata

This poem was written in 1927. I was today years old to have the fortune of being acquainted with it. 

Well, the first thing I had to do (whenever I come across texts that speak right to my heart) is to write it out by hand. I enjoy practising my handwriting and the whole process allows me to think more thoroughly about what I am writing. My favourite portion is the last three paragraphs.

My immediate thought was I wished I knew it when I was younger, when it would have helped, when I really needed it. But I figured I would probably not had been mature enough then to glimpse the gems within. 

desiderata (noun, plural) - things that are desired, wanted, or needed

Yes, the younger me would not be able to see that those are the things that are truly desirable, blinded the way I was by peer pressure, social norms and my own monkey mind. ... Immensely thankful that I now have some wisdom to be able to appreciate this prose-poem.

May this sharing brings peace to your soul.

What kind of books keep you up at night?

Been a while since I wrote a book review; Had done a few as an English Language teacher. Check out here and here. Wrote this one for NLB Book Review Challenge (200 words limit 😅) when I chanced upon it while reading the book. Really enjoyed this one. 💖 If you don't mind a preloved book, I can pass on the book to you! And just found out there is a TV movie based on the book!

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"Photography is all about secrets. The secrets we all have and will never tell."

"You can't stop time. You can't capture light. You can only turn your face up and let it rain down."

"A moment was not a single moment at all, but rather an infinite number of different moments, depending on who was seeing things and how." 

The very first thing that drew me to this book was its cover. On hindsight, the beautiful imaginary of the transparent dress perfectly reflects the theme of the daughter who is present yet as good as invisible. I also agree with the idea of photography portrayed as a means of holding memories and find myself nodding along whenever this theme is explored. I especially love the author’s artistry in describing landscapes, scenes, moments, and even the emotions of the characters to the point of making them almost tangible. It had been a meditation like experience for me reading this book as it demands full attention to its vivid description and suspenseful plot. The book was set in the late 20^th century and it is sad to note that the stigma attached to mental conditions and Down Syndrome had scarcely reduced since then. I can only hope that readers of the book may be positively impacted and better empathise with people having such conditions.

Mala and me?!

I have been told more than once that I can't be Singaporean because I don't like spicy food. It's true. Ketchup is my favorite sauce and I have never tasted chili till my teenage years. And only droplets of mild chicken rice chili with lots of rice. Just can't take too much of it. 

So when Mala first came to our shores, I hardly noticed or perhaps I avoided it. I did try a few mouthfuls during a family dinner when my brother bought the spicy version which of course meant no more for me. 

Had not thought about it anymore until recently when a friend bought a for one bowl. Woah... you mean it is not only for sharing? I was also informed then that you have a choice of the level of spiciness?! Stealing bites from his bowl, I realised my range of food choices just got expanded. 

Usually for meatless Mondays, if vegetarian food is unavailable, I look for economical rice or Yong Tau Foo stalls and only pick vegetables. This can be done at Mala stalls too! So today, I finally ordered a Mala Xiang Guo for myself. 

Naturally, I opted for the 少辣. Pleasantly surprised by the variety compared to YTF. What I didn't know was that my selections are charged by weight and a typical bowl will cost SGD7.50. But it was delicious! 

Love the stir fried crunchy ingredients with that acceptable touch of spiciness. The extra peanuts really elevated the whole meal for me. Must remember to request to skip the coriander..

Anyway, never imagined myself eating Mala anything so this is worth a mention. Time to try out all these famous Mala stalls on the island! 

2 tablespoons of maple syrup

Right after I graduated from university, I went on an extended trip to Australia. This graduation trip lasted 3 months which was the when and how I fell in love with Jester pies and Anzac biscuits. Although not as impossible to find as Jester pies, I hardly find Anzac biscuits being sold in Singapore. I am almost certain to buy one whenever I see one!

 Thus, when I saw the Anzac Biscuit Mix being sold at The Source Bulk Foods, I knew I had to get my hands on it. Lucky me was even offered a bottle (shelf life almost up) that was 50% off at the cashier! Definitely meant to be. Thankfully the instructions were simple enough. The mixture only required 3 additional ingredients of which the only item I did not have on hand was maple syrup.

 

So, I definitely can afford to buy myself some maple syrup but it is most certainly not a staple in my household and I do not wish to buy even the smallest bottle only to find it forgotten and expired months down the road. What to do??

 

Scratchbac to the rescue!! It appears to be not as well known as SG Assist and somehow I had the mistaken idea that it is only available to some estates?!?! But the objective is similar. Anyway, I finally got on it recently and I actually prefer the Telegram interface of Scratchbac compared to SG Assist app. 

This was only my second time using Scratchbac and after having no response via Olio, I was not hopeful... But I received not one but three offers to help! The very first respondent also happened to stay in the same condo as I do! So we met up the very same night with me receiving a carefully measured portion of maple syrup and her receiving some snacks from me just steps away from the comfort of our homes. 

 

I am just in awe by how technology has enabled the Chinese saying of 远亲不如近邻. Especially for someone like me who is relatively new to this estate; this is a pretty good way to connect with my new community! And I get to enjoy a batch of freshly baked Anzac biscuits... 🤤I do so love the taste! Shall be delivering a couple of them to my newfound friend in the estate too!! Thanks for scratching my back with the maple syrup!?!?!

 

Dates of Significance and Significant Days

I pay an extraordinary amount of attention to dates for some unknown reason. I remember birthdays, special days and commemorative dates quite well and often feel the need to acknowledge or celebrate such dates of significance so they can truly become significant days. 

Case in point, the birthdays of most of my close friends' are pretty deeply etched in my mind. I also notice patterns in these dates too, especially when co-related with horoscopes. Just recently, I pointed out to two of my gal pals this mysterious pattern in our birthdays.

                      24 Jan        24 01

                      14 Feb        14 02

                       4 Mar        04 03

So you can expect that I remember anniversary dates pretty well and most definitely expect my partners (current and past) to do so as well! And when any of these dates roll by, I think of that special someone and give thanks that our paths had crossed and for all the lessons gained. 

Then there are the national and international days which are so numerous and not always personally significant. But there are quite a few United Nations Observances that fall in this month of March which are pretty close to heart. 

• International Women's Day is easy to remember especially if you first learnt about it in Chinese. 三八妇女节 is also what I often use to help my Physics students memorise the speed of light. 
• Also due to my teaching background, I really enjoy having a pie on Pi Day which PM Lee also commemorated (here and here)! 
• I also particularly appreciate the existence of International Day of Happiness since happiness and joy really eluded me for a period of time. 
• Just yesterday, I found out the existence of World Wildlife Day, International Day of Forests and World Water Day which I think are not having the right level of attention to their significance in our current state of environmental crisis. 

However, the most significant day of this month has to be my wedding anniversary. A date I specifically picked to coincide with the day I first met my husband. And celebrate we did! With a relatively extravagant staycation at The Capitol Kempinski. This short getaway from home when borders are closed had been a great change of scene and a real pampering treat too!

Well, there is still one more (heartwrenching) date of significance for me coming up this month. I wonder if the tears will fall again when I think of Mr LKY.

More than raincoats..

Sometimes, I get really amazed how blind we can be to the things happening around us. To be perfectly honest (and guiltily so), the migrant workers in our country had been practically invisible to me for most of my life. I had been better at noticing the development in a construction site, the improvements to estate facilities, the beautification of a garden, the clearance of garbage and litter without once sparing a thought for the people who made those things happen. 

 

It takes a special person to notice that some in our society have become forgotten and in need of a voice and actually do something about it. Dipa Swaminathan is truly an inspiration and I have been following up on the blossoming of ItsRainingRaincoats (IRR). There is no denying the incredible work she and her team have been putting in to make a difference to the lives of our migrant brothers and sisters. So many times, reading the stories and viewing the photos of how lives have been positively impacted brought a tear to my eye and a lump in my throat.

Thus, I literally jumped at the opportunity to contribute in a way I can when the MADWISH call for teachers came to my notice. Since the Circuit Breaker in April 2020, I have been teaching English to a migrant worker via Whatsapp. More than just imparting knowledge, our interaction has led to a friendship which I would never have had if not for this programme.

More recently, the brainchild of one IRR volunteer came to fruition and Singaporeans can now (till 8th March 2021) donate their SingapoReDiscovers vouchers and sponsor a migrant worker to similarly enjoy our beautiful country! Although guiding steps are provided, the process might still be overwhelming for some - if so, ask me! More than willing to help.. :)

Today being the final (fifteenth) day of CNY (元宵节快乐!), another simple way to show care for our migrant workers is to donate your unopened and unexpired goodies to them. As the Chinese would say, 吃在嘴裡甜在心裡. Let's bring a taste of sweetness (regardless the goodie you are donating) to the lives of our migrant friends!

There really is so much more that we can do. If you like to contribute in other ways, check here for all their current campaigns. These tiny actions may seem insignificant, but the message they send out to not just the migrant workers but all Singaporeans in general is that we can make a positive difference. An individual effort may be small but each of us is capable of showing compassion. When one person sows that seed of loving-kindness, amazing things happen. Look what this Kampong Kaki is doing!

Chinese New Year Festivity

In 2021, to use the term "festivity" sounds like an overkill. Especially with the restrictions imposed on visiting due to the Covid-19 situation. For once, I have zero plans for the second day of the Niu (homophone to "new" which refers to the oxen year we are welcoming) year when this itinerary had been fixed since I can ever remember.

But Chinese New Year (CNY) had really changed in terms of its significance for me. From the carefree childhood when it was all about angbaos to vainer times when I spent time and money to find new clothes and shoes to now when all my grandparents had passed and I no longer buy in to that "necessity" to get everything new. I had expected this CNY to be subdued.

Unless marketing delicious CNY goodies can count as part of the festivity, I had not intended to do more than sending out bright cheery CNY cards (from MFPA) to all the relatives I cannot visit this year. 

However, I was unexpectedly gifted with a CNY plant that is gorgeously decked out in red. 😍 It immediately brought in the CNY atmosphere at home.

Then, I received a surprise CNY goodie bag of mandarin oranges and pineapple tarts from the tuition centre I am teaching at. I was so touched by this gesture (never realised till now how much I missed similar gestures by all the schools I had taught at!) that I was inspired to DIY some angbao lanterns to help enhance the CNY ambience at the centre. I really wanted to make this beautiful flower ball but square angbao envelopes are so rare!

Seven Star Lantern

Easiest Lantern Ever!

Lucky Star Lantern - great for students in a tuition centre!

Finally, in a rather out-of-character fashion, we ordered drinks by the carton because they were on sale. 👉👈  I was just eyeing my favourite Sparkling Fuji Apple and maybe some beer but the hubby added on for future drinking sessions! The cheap deal and free delivery are hard to resist! 😝

So if you are similarly free during this CNY, my house has drinks, Bee Cheng Hiang bak kwa (another gift received by hubby), pineapple tarts and a more livened than usual CNY ambience to welcome you! There is also mahjong, Harry Potter scrabble and Netflix available for entertainment 😆 Or for a healthier option, Bukit Timah Hill is a stone's throw away!

Oh! And to really add on to the festivity, here's a CNY song by MICappella!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!!